Change Your Image
AndyWood-1973
Reviews
Dr. Monica (1934)
Sophisticated Cast
"Doctor Monica" (1934) was one of the very last precode movies, released by Warner Brothers just ten days before the chopper fell down on Hollywood.
Based on a Polish play it stars the very sophisticated Kay Francis as the successful surgeon, Dr Monica Braden.
She is unable to have children but alas, her philandering but suave husband, John (Warren William) is most definitely not shooting blanks as we find out when Monica's close friend, Mary Hathaway (Jean Muir) faints at a party.
Tests prove that the unmarried young woman has "one in the oven" so to speak and never one to pry or judge, Monica helps to secure her a place in a country clinic to see out her pregnancy away from the frowning eyes of her townsfolk.
The two share a mutual friend in Anna Littlefield (Verree Teasdale) who is the first to find out that the elusive father of the unborn child is none other than the husband of the blissfully unaware Dr Monica!
John is away on business and also has no clue as to the results of his adultery when Mary goes into labour.
Already finding her imminent baby delivering duties painful in light of a recent very negative phone call from a fertility specialist, Monica is suddenly plunged into personal, emotional and moral turmoil when she overhears a phone call revealing that her husband is the sire of the soon to be born illegitimate child.
Decisions decisions decisions!!
A very well acted drama by all involved. Kay Francis is the picture of class and elegance and the brilliant Warren William manages once again to be very likeable despite playing a scoundrel. It's also interesting to see him in one of only two films (the other being as Julius Caesar in his previous film, "Cleopatra") in which he doesn't sport his trademark moustache.
Lucretia Lombard (1923)
Young Norma Shearer acts up a storm
"Lucretia Lombard" (1923) is a fine early movie for Norma Shearer, who has equal screen time with the actual star, Irene Rich, and bags of charisma to go with it, despite fifth billing.
Based on the 1922 novel by Kathleen Norris - perhaps the most widely read and highest paid female American author between 1911 and 1959 - "Lucretia Lombard" is a tale of romance and all its complications.
The young, titular Lucretia (Irene Rich) has spent several years in a unhappy marriage with the old, tyrannical Sir Allen Lombard (Marc McDermott). The filthy rich old cad has become a hopeless, crippled drug addict whose days are all but numbered, due to his dissipated past.
Lucretia has remained loyal and faithful to him but sadly remarks to their butler (Otto Hoffman): "Remember - we can get away from him but he can't get away from himself"!!
Old man Lombard decides to commit suicide but the spiteful old swine is not satisfied with carrying out the deed without planning a way by which he can pin the blame on Lucretia, in order to ruin her life.
A charity ball is being held locally and Lucretia plans to attend with young Fred Winship (John Roche) who lives with his family in the house across the road.
Lombard puts his plans to action by behaving as if he were jealous in front of Winship and indicating that his wife would be only too happy to get rid of him.
Meanwhile, after the couple leave for the ball, Lombard switches dangerous amounts of his sleeping powders with his aspirin and awaits his oblivious wife's return.
The Winship family are a likeable lot. Fred's older brother, District Attorney Stephen (Monte Blue) is persued by ultra-cute young Mimi (Norma) whom is the petted ward of his father, Reverend Samuel Winship (Alec B. Francis). She has grown up in their care and always been spoiled. She knows what she wants and when she wants it. And she wants Stephen!
Like Lucretia, Mimi is also bound for the charity ball and is to be escorted by the Reverend and his wife (Lucy Beaumont) but with the help of some delightful flirtation, she persuades reluctant Stephen to join her too.
After a swell evening out, everyone returns home and Lucretia goes to her husband's bedside to see if he needs anything. He tells her that he needs some aspirin powders which she innocently mixes for him - unaware that they are strong sleeping powders. He then requests sleeping powders and again she obliges.
The overdose quickly takes effect and distraught Lucretia quickly finds herself as a murder suspect after telling the police that she had been tired and obviously made a mistake - something that the courts don't look highly upon according to the Detective on the case.
Young Fred Winship - who has a crush on Lucretia - begs his D.A. brother, Stephen, to help clear up the mess.
Stephen manages to use his position to get the devastated young woman off the hook and in the process, the two of them fall deeply in love.
Stephen attributes it to fate - an idea he has picked up from a book he is currently reading which explains how true lovers may wander around the bend from eachother for years but that one day, fate will step in and bring them together.
Of course, flirty young love-struck Mimi is blissfully unaware of all of this and in a hilarious scene on the love seat, manages to become engaged to a confused Stephen without him uttering a word!
His delighted parents overhear the "engagement" and Reverend Winship insists that he be the one to carry out their imminent marriage ceremony.
Whilst all this is taking place, it transpires that young Fred Winship is being hounded by debtors and is overheard by a concerned Lucretia whilst speaking pleadingly to one particularly unhappy customer on the phone.
Fearing for the damage this could cause for the reputation of his brother Stephen, whom has only recently been appointed D.A, Lucretia confronts him and the two speak quietly and confidentially as he explains his gambling debts and the desperate situation they have landed him in.
She agrees to slip away to the city with him to help raise funds to pay what he owes and Fred gratefully agrees.
Unfortunately, Stephen has seen them together, both acting guarded and he begins to think that any hope of love blossoming between he and Lucretia is unlikely. His fears of such a fate appear to be sealed when he finds out from his mother that Lucretia and Frank have gone away together.
Spring passes by and the Winships retreat to their summer home, Red Pine Lodge. Whilst Stephen still secretly wallows in his despair, cheerful Mimi is out hunting with her shotgun - carefree and bubbling with joy.
She hears a rustle in the undergrowth and fires her gun toward it but is horrified when Reverend Winship staggers out of the bushes clutching his wounded stomach!
The family gather around his sick bed, believing him to be close to death. The old Reverend raises up slightly and makes a touching request - that he be given the honour of conducting the marriage ceremony between Stephen and Mimi before he dies.
Stephen is inwardly reluctant but is by now resigned to the fact that Lucretia is not in love with him and so he agrees.
The marriage is carried out from the sickbed before it is decided that Reverend Winship be transferred to a city hospital after his condition unexpectedly begins to improve.
When Lucretia and Fred return with the true facts about why they had been away, Lucretia proclaims her love to Stephen and tells him that now the matter of Fred's gambling debts have been cleared up, she and Stephen can now finally be together.
The devastated Stephen announces that he is now married to Mimi but the newly reunited couple are soon in each others arms despite this.
Mimi catches them in the act and an array of emotions rush through her body. Anger, sorrow, understanding, bewilderment and even greater anger and bitterness.
Stephen's mother calls her son and his new wife into the parlour to see off the old man who is now ready to leave for hospital.
Unaware of what has just transpired - heightened by the fact that the married couple are putting on a front for those present - Mrs Winship requests that they all go along to take her husband to hospital whilst Mimi and Lucretia stay together at the summer house and look after eachother.
Through gritted teeth, Mimi waves them off but tensions are high once the girls are left alone. She makes clear her hatred for Lucretia although Lucretia takes an altogether different attitude and vows to never see Stephen again, thus leaving he and Mimi to live together happily.
Mimi has no desire to remain his wife in the knowledge that he will forever have Lucretia Lombard in his heart and mind.
Fate yet again steps in during the night when a disastrous storm hits the region and floods and fire begin ripping through the countryside.
Bravely, Lucretia rescues her love rival from the house and tries to help her to safety.
Authorities nearby inform the family of the disaster and Stephen rushes back to see if he can rescue the girls.
The dam collapses and the terrified girls are swept into ferocious waters but Stephen arrives in time to drag them safely to land.
Although Lucretia is unharmed, Mimi is in a bad way. As Stephen takes her in his arms, she calmly consents that he and Lucretia spend a happy life together, for that is what fate has decreed. As the understanding is reached, she dies in his arms and a new chapter opens up for Stephen Winship and Lucretia Lombard who have truly been brought together by fate - just as Stephen's book had foretold.
This film is highly entertaining with fine performances from the whole cast.
Norma is quite exceptional in her final film before signing to MGM. Her acting talents are already a benchmark from which other actresses could be measured.
Her playful flirtations with Monte Blue are very charming and her little gestures and facial expressions are sure to bring a smile. And yet, the emotions that she later puts over to the viewer upon discovering that her husband loves someone else are very powerful for someone so early in their acting career.
"Variety" named Norma "the find of the cast" and it's not hard to see why.
No Man's Law (1927)
Oliver Hardy as a thuggish sex pest!
Oliver Hardy was a far cry from his "Ollie" character of the Laurel and Hardy comedies in the 1927 high Adventure drama "No Man's Law".
Here he plays escaped con-man and murderer Sharkey Nye, who along with his partner in crime, Spider O'Day (Theodore Von Eltz) outruns the Navada police and cross the California line to freedom from the law.
Here, they discover a partially dug gold mine belonging to prospector, Jack Belcher (James Finlayson) who lives in a wooden hut with his gorgeous, innocent daughter Toby (Barbara Kent).
She is molested by Sharkey (Hardy) whilst swimming nude in a creek but her horse (Rex) manages to run him off.
The two criminals convince Toby and her Dad that they will help excavate the gold mine with honest intentions and are invited to stay.
Frictions grow high when Spider softens and falls for Toby, whilst Sharkey has more sinister intentions which result in an attempt to rape her as well as murder his partner and her father.
The tension grows fiercely in a great finale.
Hardy is absolutely superb in a rare straight role - oozing pure hatred with no comic undertones.
Finlayson provides some mild amusement but generally, the film is a serious affair.
This rare film MUST be viewed in its full restored 74 minute version with synchronised soundtrack to be fully appreciated. One of the most exciting silent adventures I have seen and testament to the wonderful versatility of Oliver Norvell Hardy.
Terje Vigen (1917)
A wonderful introduction to the quite amazing world of Swedish silent cinema...
"A Man There Was" (1917) is a remarkable Swedish film based on the poem "Terje Vigen" by Henrik Ibsen.
The verses of the poem form the basis of all title cards throughout the film as the whole story is acted out visually.
It follows the story of Terje Vigen (Victor Sjöström - who also directed the film) whom along with his wife (Bergliot Husberg) and small child, live in a costal village in the south of Norway in the early 19th century.
With villagers starving to death because of the English blockade, Terje makes a decision to take a row boat to Norway to get food supplies for he and his family.
He makes a safe passage and loads his boat with supplies before setting back to Norway. However, en route he is spotted by a British ship whose ruthless Captain (August Falck) puts his men in a row boat, armed, and sends them after him.
A thoroughly exciting and tense chase takes place before Terje is finally captured and taken prisoner on the English vessel.
The Captain turns him over to authorities back in England where he remains in prison for five years.
Upon release in 1814, he returns home where villagers no longer recognise him due to his ragged, aged appearance.
He seeks out his old home but is bewildered to find new dwellers who deliver the devastating news that his wife and child starved to death years ago and are in a pauper grave.
Terje sinks within himself and taking a modest home by the sea, lives a life of solitude as a recluse where he peers out at the mighty ocean where his fate was sealed.
One evening, he spots a yacht in distress out in the rough seas and decides to take his row boat out and attempt to assist the troubled crew.
Arriving at the yacht, he finds the small crew struggling frantically as a woman - actually the Captain's wife - (Edith Erastoff), clutching a child in a blanket, sobs on the deck.
Terje takes the wheel but then recognises the Captain as the man whom had captured him in 1809. Fierce with revenge at heart, he helps the Captain - along with his wife and child - to the row boat and pulls his oars until theu reach a rocky area protruding from the waves.
Here, he reveals to the terrified Captain that he is the man whom had his life destroyed due to the Captain's actions and tells him that he will now avenge.
He announces that the wife shall die first, but when he regards the innocent, bewildered child's face, Terje sees the light and finds forgiveness in his heart.
The family visits him later at his home to reward him for his brave actions.
This is a visually stunning film and is completely void of any of the histrionics usually associated with films of this age.
There is a feel of total naturalness in every performance and the direction is sublime.
The scene where the British crew pursue Terje at sea is very exciting and features very rapid cutaways between the crew, Terje in the sea, gun shots being fired etc. It's ahead of its time by decades.
A wonderful introduction to the quite amazing world of Swedish silent cinema.
Love Affair (1939)
The far superior original
If you're familiar with Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr's Romantic 1957 film, Leo McCarey's "An Affair To Remember", it's roots lie in the truly beautiful original 1939 version of the story, "Love Affair" starring Charles Boyer and Irene Dunn.
The movie tells the tale of Michel Marnet (Boyer), a French painter, and American nightclub singer, Terry MacKay (Dunne) who meet on an ocean liner during an Atlantic crossing.
Although each are engaged to other partners back home, they find themselves falling in love with each other and come to an agreement whereby they leave it for six months following disembarkation, after which time they will meet on the rooftop of the Empire State Building in New York and decide if circumstances will be kind enough to bring them together forever.
Of course, anything can happen in six months and the film deals with that notion immaculately.
Charles Boyer and Irene Dunn are both outstanding and form a very attractive couple.
It seems more realistic than the remake which undoubtedly borrows heavily from this version.
We are also treated to some beautiful singing from Irene Dunn and we even get a chance to watch and hear the wonderful Maria Ouspenskaya playing piano as well as delivering her usual great acting performance.
One of Hollywood's greatest love stories and certainly one of the finest movies of the late 1930s.
It's not difficult to understand why both Charles Boyer and Irene Dunn both cited "Love Affair" as their personal favourite of their own films.
Cover Girl Killer (1959)
Truly, a dirty young man...
The British made suspense film, "Cover Girl Killer" (1959) follows the exploits of a mentally disturbed but un-named man (played with 100% sinister conviction by the wonderful Harry H Corbett) who is so strongly opposed to the use of sexually suggestive images on magazine covers, he takes it upon himself to murder any model he can find who is happy to exploit herself on a top shelf mag by posing as a photographer.
Young hopefuls are lured back to his seedy flat for portfolio photographs, never to leave the room alive.
To assist the police, the "WOW" magazine editor (Spencer Teakle) sets a plant by putting his girlfriend (gorgeous Felicity Young) on the next month's front cover in order to trap the serial killer.
Things go tits up however, and that's when the fun begins...
Well worth seeing for the very creepy performance of Harry H Corbett who started out as a serious Shakespearian stage actor and ultimately became immortalised in the long running British comedy series, "Steptoe and Son" (which was reworked in the States as "Sanford and Son") and the "Carry On" movie comedies.
Mad Love (1935)
Lorre finally hits Hollywood...
Maurice Renard's novel "The Hands of Orlac" was adapted in 1935 into a superb, dark horror movie, directed by Karl Freu and entitled, "Mad Love".
It tells the tale of stage actress Yvonne Orlac (Frances Drake) who is appearing in a theatre production of the "Théâtre des Horreurs" in Paris.
After giving her final performance before before returning to England with her acclaimed concert pianist husband, Stephen Orlac (Colin Clive), she listens to his latest concert on the radio in her dressing room.
A very strange, bald little fellow, Dr. Gogol (Peter Lorre) - a very highly revered plastic surgeon - is meanwhile downstairs in the theatre lobby ogling a lifelike wax figure of the actress. After avidly attending every single performance, he finds himself in love with her and plans to make his feelings known to her.
He is horrified when he visits her dressing room and learns that not only is she married, but is no longer to appear on the stage due to her planned departure to England with the great pianist.
The devastated doctor purchases the wax figure of Yvonne's stage character and has it delivered to his home where he keeps it in his living room, constantly conversing with it as though it were real, and addressing the motionless figure as Galatea - a name derived from Greek mythology.
Whilst commuting from Fontainebleau to Paris by train, Stephen Orlac encounters recently condemned murderer, Rollo the Knife thrower (Edward Brophy), who being transported to his execution by guillotine in the capital city.
That night, the train crashes and Orlac receives serious injuries to both of his precious hands.
When doctors reveal to his distraught wife that both hands must be amputated, she decides to take Stephen to Dr Gogol in the hope that he may be able to reconstruct his hands, thus saving his career as a concert pianist.
Gogol agrees to do so but doesn't reveal his twisted plan. He attends the execution of the murderer and pays for permission to operate on the corpse afterwards to remove its hands which he then uses for the transplant. Quite remarkably, the operation is a success.
Mr and Mrs Orlac find themselves in financial straights due to the cost of the operation and Stephen's inability to earn money from concerts during his recuperation.
To make matters worse, the pianist soon discovers that despite having full use of his new hands, he can no longer play piano.
When a creditor comes to claim back their piano, Stephen uncharacteristically loses his temper and expertly throws a fountain pen, missing the creditors head by inches and burying deep in the door.
Desperate, Stephen begs his stepfather, Henry (Ian Wolfe) for financial help but is coldly rejected, prompting another outburst whereby he throws a knife at the bewildered old man, again, missing by inches.
Persistent Dr Gogol visits Yvonne and begs for her love which she flatly refuses. Meanwhile, the now very worried Stephen goes to Dr Gogol's home to demand an explanation of why his new hands will not allow him to play piano but are now expert at throwing knives.
The mad doctor tries to convince his patient that childhood experiences are the cause, but fails to tell him of the origin of his new hands.
Seeing an opportunity to come between the Orlacs, Dr Gogol begs Yvonne to leave her husband as due to the shock of his experience, his mind has been seriously affected and he may soon become a danger to her.
Yvonne is furious and again rejects the obsessed doctor, but when Stephen's stepfather is found murdered, Stephen receives a letter promising to reveal the truth about his hands if he goes to an arranged address that evening.
Eager to know, Stephen takes up the offer and is shocked to be greeted by a positively robotic looking man with metal hands and dark glasses. The strange figure claims to be murderer, Rollo the Knife Thrower, who has been brought back to life by the genius of Dr Gogol.
He explains that his once murderous hands are now in the place of Stephen's damaged piano playing hands and that this is the reason why Stephen murdered his stepfather.
Flashing a metal neck brace, the man claims that Gorgol has transplanted his guillotined head onto a new body!
Stephen is mortified and breaks down to Yvonne about what he has learned. Believing himself to be a murderer, he plans to turn himself in to the police.
Unable to comprehend what she has been told, Yvonne goes to Gogol's home for an explanation but finds the doctor completely void of his senses, returning home, shedding his neck brace, glasses and fake metal arms as he laughs uncontrollably.
Noticing the lifelike wax figure of her, she desperately throws it through the high window after discovering there is no escape from the room, and stands in its place, hoping Gorgol won't notice her.
The doctor's pet cockatoo flies to greet him, scratches Yvonne's face and causes her to scream. An amazed Gorgol believes that his wax figure has come to life and starts to embraces her.
However, voices in his head tell him that "each man kills the thing he loves!". With that in mind he attempts to strangle Yvonne with her own hair.
Stephen arrives just in the nick of time with the police, but due to the doors being bolted from the inside, they are unable enter the room to stop Gorgol.
In a spectacular twist of fate, Stephen's now murderous hands step in to save the day when he produces a knife and skillfully throws it through a small window in the door and it enters Gorgol's back.
Breaking their way in, the police dash to the mad doctor as relieved Stephen and Yvonne lovingly embrace. Gogol, sadly looking on, slumps to the ground, dead.
A bona-fide horror classic with a great cast.
Peter Lorre is terrifically sinister in his first American film and puts his unusual looks to perfect use.
Colin Clive does what he does best - playing a tormented soul with impeccable diction.
Frances Drake plays her part well, conveying her fear and despair brilliantly whilst looking stunning in her long, flowing gowns.
Some light comic relief is provided by Three Stooges creator, Ted Healy, as a smart-ass newspaper reporter.
Charlie Chaplin later famously remarked on the film, referring to Lorre as "the greatest living actor".
The Devil's Circus (1926)
An exemplary silent masterwork
"The Devil's Circus" (1926) is a remarkable film starring Norma and Charles Emmett Mack.
The title has a double meaning in that a circus theme runs throughout the movie but it seems the Devil's Circus referred to in the title is in fact humanity, with Satan pulling the strings.
The film opens with creepy imagery of Satan (played by the director of the movie, Benjamin Christensen) overlooking feeble humans whilst wriggling his evil fingers and grinning wickedly.
The story begins as young, handsome petty thief Carl (Charles Emmett Mack) is released from prison, vowing to change his ways.
In an attempt to achieve this, the young atheist joins a circus where he meets Mary (Norma Shearer), a beautiful, virginal trapeze artist whom has strong religious beliefs and Christian morals.
Despite their oposingly different religious views, the two find themselves rapidly falling in love with eachother. However, the seedy (if somewhat dashing) lion trainer, Hugo (John Miljan) begins to regularly sexually harrass terrified Mary.
His jealous wife, fellow circus performer Yonner (Carmel Myers) finds the two of them locked in what appears to be a passionate embrace. She is unaware that in actuality, she has walked in on a sexual assault and as such, believes that Mary is the one attempting to steal her husband.
She strikes out at Mary and warns her away from Hugo as the dismayed girl cries silently, taking comfort from her pet dog.
Despite having been warned by a fellow circus employee about Hugo's wiley ways and unhealthy interest in Mary, Carl remains unaware of the true extent of the situation and continues to spend time with his young girlfriend as they make plans for their future.
They both have desires of leaving the circus to start out anew together, but realising that they simply don't have the money to get started, Carl reluctantly decides to join an old criminal pal on a robbery.
The whole thing goes wrong and pursued by the police, he dashes back to Mary to confess his crime and beg her forgiveness. Deeply upset, Mary tells him that if he truly regrets his actions, God will forgive him. Carl informs her that it isn't God he's concened about, but rather her whose forgiveness he desires.
The two lovingly hold eachother tightly as the police arrive and take Carl away in handcuffs.
Sobbing Mary proclaims her undying love as he is carted away, telling him that she will wait for him.
She keeps in touch by letters as Carl serves his term, and the prisoner takes great comfort in knowing that she remains true to her word.
However, things take a very grave turn one night whilst she is in the process of writing to Carl. Hugo enters the petrified young lady's room and proceeds to rape her.
Mary is devastated and abandons the letter, feeling that Carl will no longer wish to be with her following the attack.
As the weeks go by, Carl becomes very distressed in prison as he watches the postal deliveries come and go with no sign of a letter from his beloved.
Back at the circus, Hugo's increasingly jealous wife loses control and during Mary's trapeze act, unties the rope that suspends the trapeze way up high in the big top.
Mary falls from a great height into the lions cage and is mauled by lions. Lion trainer Hugo, despite his evil nature, comes to her rescue and manages to control the big cats with his whip, but Mary is already seriously injured.
The disturbing imagery of Satan returns, grinning over images of trench warfare as 1914 arrives and with it, the Great War.
Exchanging his prison uniform for military attire, Carl is called to the front line where he conducts his duties with a heavy heart and forlorn thoughts of his seemingly lost love, whose old letters he keeps close to his heart at all times.
As time passes by, the now disabled Mary finds herself begging in the streets, selling dolls which she has made in order to survive.
The seemingly endless array of evil things that have happened to her render the once deeply religious girl an atheist.
When Carl is wounded and sent home, he finds Mary and the two are overcome with love and embrace. Mary is deeply touched by the fact that Carl is unperturbed by her requirement of crutches to help her walk and delighted when he speaks of his plans for marriage.
Suddenly, the rape returns to the forefront of her mind and she pushes him away. He begs to know what is wrong with her and with deep regret, she tells him what has happened.
Carl is beside himself with rage and vows to find and kill Hugo. He leaves Mary, distressed and sobbing, and spends the coming days searching the town until he is told where to find the former lion trainer.
When he approaches Hugo, he is confused to find that recognition doesn't register in his enemies face. Slowly, the truth of the situation sinks in and Carl realises that Hugo has also been to war and has been blinded in action.
The sightless, pitiful figure of a man meekly asks Carl what the business of his call is. Carl simply tells him it doesn't matter.
Feeling that all the evils of the past few years have been somehow balanced out, he suddenly finds himself believing in God for the first time in his life.
Returning to Mary, he restores her long lost faith and the two finally begin their lives together with the Devil defeated.
There are some very powerful views expressed in this touching and quite dark story. The direction is startlingly good and there are some wonderful moments of acting from the whole cast.
The rape scene is particularly harrowing, expertly executed by cutaways to Norma's struggling feet, John Miljan's hands grabbing at her and finally his finger switching out the light before proceeding with the vile act.
Young Charles Emmett Mack would surely have gone onto greater things in the coming sound era if he had not succumbed to his art the following year, dying in a tragic car accident whilst driving to the movie set to ironically film a race scene in "The First Auto". He was only 26 years old.
Norma is in fine form, beautifully radiating her emotions and looking entirely adorable in the process.
The trapeze scenes are breathtaking and clever editing makes it impossible to see where Norma and her stunt double's frames switch over.
Simply put, "The Devil's Circus" is one of the finest silent films of the era and a movie which remains with you once you have watched it.