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Twice Blessed (1945)
A Prefeminist "Parent Trap"
Irecently recorded this from TCM. As an old comedy, it's quite good, and brief. The teenage dialogue of the day is a blast. However, the premise that the parents got divorced because he couldn't stay married to a "strong, glamorous, working woman" is archaic. When you hear speeches about the proper raising of children and a woman's "career" it's another era. There is a quiz on Radio! Old-fashioned music and dancing make it a treat. Yes, the casting of actual twins removes the technical issues associated with the 2 "Parent Traps", but these girls didn't go on to fame and/or (mis)fortune, like the subsequent actresses. I do miss the warm moment, in the newer films, when the girls first realize they're sisters. On the other hand, there is the SHOCKING moment near the end, when the twins disguise themselves as hotel maids in BLACKFACE!
Titanic - La leggenda continua (2000)
What Were They Thinking?
After seeing this at the top, I HAD to get it. Netflix and Amazon didn't have it, but E-Bay UK did. I love it. What a trip! I hate to spoil the rating, but it's great fun. The love song is beautiful, but the rap piece (I won't say song. Rap is not singing)is ear-grating as well as out of place. It's as if Disney redid the Titanic story, emphasizing the love story. As the ship sinks, one of the dalmatians sheds a tear. That's all the 1,500 victims get, because the central characters survive, and live happily ever after. It's clean and family-friendly, just wrong-headed. The character animation is simple, but adequate. The ship exteriors look cheap. It is not technically horrible, like Birdemic, Beast of Yucca Flats, or Vultures. If it were not fact-based, it would be a standard cheap cartoon. You call that a LEGEND?
The Census Taker (1984)
A Neglected Gem
Yes, this is a low-budget comedy with cheap sets, but it is a direct spoof of "Who's Afraid Of Virginia Wolfe?" Even the characters see the parallel, as their names are George and Martha. Martha's first words are, "What a dump!", a direct quote. You have a dysfunctional couple who have to host a younger couple. Secrets are revealed. If only they had eliminated that annoying census taker this would have been even better. The couples' interaction could carry the movie. The best aspect is you get to see the FUNNY side of Meredith MacRae. She was usually typecast as the ingenue, occasionally getting to sing, but always serious, even in comedies. You had to see her on a game show to find out how smart and funny she was. This was the only time she showed off her sarcastic, comic delivery. I was a big fan of hers in the 70s, but never heard of this until about 8 years ago. Thank goodness for cable.