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Reviews
Small Town Girl (1953)
Some great dancing and singing enliven a dull musical
What shines in this movie are a few musical numbers, especially Bobby Van's delightful "Hippity Hop" dance. Even with cuts, the ability to hop in time for as long as he does is impressive, and as in his work in "The Affairs of Dobie Gillis" (where he and Debbie Reynolds perform a simple but sublime version of "All I do is Dream of You"), Van looks like he's having a wonderful time! Ann Miller and Nat King Cole are also great,but the songs Eleanor Powell is forced to sing are second-rate, and her operatic voice is impressive but seems out of place to me in a Hollywood musical. I'm not sure where Farley Granger is best cast. I thought his work was good in "Strangers on a Train", but he seems pretty one-dimensional and doesn't offer much here. In summary, "Small Town Girl" is worth seeing for the song and dances, but I can't recommend watching the whole film.
Me and You and Everyone We Know (2005)
The Emperor's New Clothes
I'm stunned by all the rave reviews. This is the first IMDb review where I've been in such disagreement with so many people. I do agree that the performances are very good- quite natural and authentic. The problem I have is with the story. I like and sympathize with the cute and quirky heroine, but she is a bit much to watch for long. And,other than her I don't find interesting or sympathetic characters. Most of all, the story doesn't really go anywhere to speak of. It's not that I need fast-paced movies (e.g. see my review of "The Smallest Show on Earth"). I very much enjoy character studies, and "slice-of-life" movies; but not this one!
The Fast and the Furious (1954)
A cheap indie and a waste of time!
Let's see. What's wrong with this movie? How about the script, the acting, the direction, the production values! Everything is amateurish, almost like an Ed Wood movie. Is it credible that the heroine would switch her feelings in an instant about a man who has kidnapped her and repeatedly says he'll kill her if she doesn't go along? It just screams "Low Budget," and looks like it would have been seen at a drive-in 50 years ago. I recognize I'm in the minority with my opinion, except for the writer who said the Jaguar was the real star(with which I agree). I'm astonished that others see anything of value in this junk...
What's right with this movie? Well, it's not too terribly long!
The Miracle Worker (1962)
A first rate movie for all
***MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS*** "The Miracle Worker" is well-acted, well-crafted, and seemingly has no false notes. As good as Bancroft's performance is, I feel that Patty Duke is just transcendent as Helen, particularly in the key scene where she has the profound experience of understanding what language is. What a moving, riveting scene! It is an excellent family film (perhaps for children about 10 and up) and helps all of us remember that most of the "problems" we have are minute compared to what some people experience. Somehow I missed this film when I was younger, and perhaps that is good since one can truly appreciate it after some life experience. Don't miss it!
The Dock Brief (1962)
More of a curio, than anything else
With respect, I must disagree with the other reviewers. I generally relish the old British films, especially the comedies (The Ladykillers, Kind Hearts and Coronets, The Green Man et al.) however I found this film to be well acted, but not particularly funny, and rather tedious. Attenborough and Sellers do show their considerable versatility and skills. But Mortimer's story makes one long for a good "Rumpole" episode. I kept waiting for the story to get going, but it never did. The pacing is s-l-o-w, which isn't inherently bad (see my review of The Smallest Show on Earth) but what does the film add up to? For me, it is an interesting curio perhaps, but not something one can really recommend.
The Producers (1967)
An exceptional comedy!
I first saw "The Producers" when it was theatrically released. It became my favorite comedy, and it still is. The writing is excellent, and the casting and acting is too. Admittedly, it's not a film for everyone's taste. (Perhaps it helps to have grown up in New York, and having some familiarity with this broad humor.)
I can't imagine this movie being made with anyone else but Zero Mostel as Max. He gives a perfect performance: Comic delivery, expressions, timing. And, the other actors are right on the money too.
**MINOR SPOILERS The whole film holds together so well, it's hard to pick out favorite scenes, but I particularly like Max and Leo's visit to the quite "flamboyant" director's apartment, and the scene where they first meet the Nazi playwright ("Springtime for Hitler, a gay romp with Adolph and Eva at Berchtesgaden"!)
The DVD extras are interesting, particularly for those who really enjoy the film.
I rate it a 10!
The Smallest Show on Earth (1957)
Sweet-natured, droll, in its own quiet way a sublime comedy.
It seems to me that in recent years most filmmakers believe that to hold a viewer's interest a film must be fast-paced, full of conflict, and in short "edgy". The British comedies from the this time are leisurely paced, and work extraordinarily well because they are full of wit, first-class acting, and not a small dose of irony. For me, "The Smallest Show on Earth" is a "sleeper". In the US I suspect it is lesser known than "The Mouse that Roared" and some of the wonderful Alec Guinness comedies; but I find its' gentility and droll humor to be wonderful! (I would also add that I think that it's a shame Peter Sellers - who has a marvelous supporting role as a doddering projectionist - is best known to moviegoers in the US from his Pink Panther movies, which I think were mostly a waste of his prodigious talents.)