latics Reviews

You've Got Mail (1998)

Cute!

[7/10 · 25 October 1999]

It's terrific to see this warm, witty movie-like-they-used-to-make. Not quite up to Sleepless in Seattle, but with Meg Ryan as cute and delightful as this, who cares. Playing comedy, she has all the appeal and charisma of the all-time movie greats - what a pity the old studio system no longer exists to craft regular star vehicles for her, instead of her appearing in the run-of-the-mill parts which make up most of her career.

Outrageous Fortune (1987)

The plot thickens

[6/10 · 17 January 1999]

Shelley Long and Bette Midler make a wonderful comedy team and the first half of the movie makes the most of this - snappy dialogue and quickfire direction make for a marvellously funny first hour. Unfortunately, the plot then takes over – a convoluted spy story - and the thicker the plot, the fewer the laughs. Pity somebody didn't sort it out - this could have been one of the best comedies in donkey's years.

Little Women (1994)

Remakes are never as good . . .

[8/10 · 10 January 1999]

This is the third movie version of Little Women that I've seen and it does nothing to break the Hollyood rule – re-makes are never as good! True, this is a decent, watchable and engaging movie. Gillian Armstrong has made a touching, well cast version of the story with Winona Ryder really snapping up the chance to shine as Jo. Nice under-playing by Susan Sarandon, and it's great to see Mary Wickes still going strong. But the fact is that George Cukor did it best of all back in 1933. Of course, he did have an unfair advantage – HIS leading lady was Katharine Hepburn . ..

Let's Make Love (1960)

Uninspired flop

[29 December 1998]

This is the movie to prove that you can pair together two colossal contemporary superstars – Monroe and Montand – and if the on-screen chemistry isn't there, you have a super-flop. A dreary script does not help – whatever Arthur Miller's contribution was, it certainly proves he couldn't write comedy. But the leaden pace and utter lack of charm condemn it utterly. It is almost impossible to believe that George Cukor directed this mess.

The Band Wagon (1953)

Last of the great Hollywood musicals

[10/10 · 22 December 1998]

Just saw this again, for the first time in 10 years. What a show! This is unquestionably the last of the great line of MGM – and, therefore, Hollywood – musicals . . . the last real flowering of Arthur Freed's genius at holding together a team of top production talents which had produced such a fine string of musicals. Not a dull spot in the entire movie and tremendous style in Minnelli's direction. Nice to see Jack Buchanan getting a last chance in the spotlight – his top hat routine with Astaire is one of the highlights of the movie. Astaire himself, playing the fading musical star which he was by 1953, has a magnificent opening with two contrasting numbers – the wistful By Myself and the exuberant Shine on your Shoes – tailored to set up his character perfectly. The Girl Hunt ballet is, of course, the dancing highlight of the movie and it is here that the utterly wonderful Cyd Charisse comes into her own. Apart from being arguably the best female dancer in Hollywood history, she was certainly the most beautiful: the scene in the ballet in which she appears on a bar stool and slips off her coat to reveal a dramatic red dress oozes with as much sex appeal as any movie moment I've ever seen.

Oh, Daddy! (1935)

Antique comedy

[6/10 · 29 November 1998]

An antique period piece, but with quite a bit of nostalgic charm for anyone who remembers the PG Wodehouse/Ben Travers era of English comedy writing. However creaky the film, it is good to see contemporary comedians such as Leslie Henson and Robertson Hare at their peak. And I never before realised that Frances Day really did have considerable screen presence.