Members of a circus troupe "adopt" Lili Daurier when she finds herself stranded in a strange town. The magician who first comes to her rescue already has romantic entanglements and thinks of her as a little girl. Who can she turn to but the puppets, singing to them her troubles, forgetting that there are puppeteers. A crowd gathers around Lili as she sings. The circus has a new act. She now has a job. Will she get her heart's desire?
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Review :
an absolutely enchanting musical
"Lili" is one of the sweetest, most enchanting musicals Hollywood has ever produced. Not that most of the Hollywood musicals are ever realistic, but this particular story is more of a fable than an imitation of life. The character of Mel Ferrer is reminiscent of the Beast in "the Beauty and the Beast", a tortured soul aching for love, and as any girl worth her salt would know, tortured souls make the best kind of heroes!
The two dance/fantasy sequences are charming, especially the latter one, where Lili grows from an awkward, love-sick child into a woman of character and determination, all in a few steps of waltz. Oh, and the puppets are totally adorable!!
The Joe Louis Story (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.0 Date Released : 18 September 1953 Genre : Biography, Drama, Sport Stars : Coley Wallace, Hilda Simms, Paul Stewart, James Edwards Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
The life and career of Heavyweight Champion Joe Louis, who held the title for 12 years--longer than any other boxer in history--and who had to not only battle opponents inside the ring and racism outside it.
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Review :
Great Movie!
I really enjoyed this film. Coley Wallace does a real good job as Louis. I am glad to see it made it to DVD. Coley Wallace was a terrific boxer himself & the only person ever to beat Rocky Maricano. My only one complaint is the director Robert Gordon, who made some good westerns, rushed this movie a bit, especially the last half. Other than that it's a good movie for boxing history.
Torpedo Zone (1955)iMDB Rating: 6.2 Date Released : 3 June 1955 Genre : Romance, War, Action, Drama Stars : Lois Maxwell, Renato Baldini, Carlo Bellini, Aldo Bufi Landi Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
During WWII, handsome young Italian sub commander and his crew torpedo Allied freighters and transport ships for the Axis then rescue the occasional survivor and treat them humanely while seeking a safe place to put them ashore.
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Review :
Acceptable Italian production about a submarine commandant who rescues shipwrecked persons who has formerly torpedoed
Well depicted odyssey about a Submarine Commandanti and his crew along with people he picked up . During WWII, handsome young Italian sub commander (Renato Baldini of Four ways out , The wayward wife) and his crew (chubby Folco Lulli , Aldo Bufi Landi as Lieutenant and Bellini as officer) torpedo Allied freighters and transport ships for the Axis then rescue the occasional survivors (such as Jose Jaspe , Earl Cameron and a woman , Lois Maxwell , famous James Bond's Moneypenny) and treat them humanely while seeking a safe place to put them ashore . However incredible they may seem the events narrated in this picture actually occurred .
This interesting as well as unconventional war movie posits an Sub captain who decides to rescue survivors from freighters that he has sunk . It contains drama , emotion , thrills, sea battles , historical events and includes stock war footage . The pic describes existence and personal experience of crew , rescued passengers , their dangers , plane attacks , Christmas celebration , praying together and many other things . And at the end takes place a sad and overlong farewell . It's an Italian production mostly produced by the great Italian producer/director Duilio Coletti . Good cast formed by European actors , as Italian Renato Baldini , American Earl Cameron as POW Johnny Brown , also Italian Folco Lulli , and Spanish Jose Jaspe who starred a lot of Spaghetti Western and British Lois Maxwell as a woman soldier who enlisted to Navy when her fiancé' died in Tobruk . Well worth seeing for magnificent acting and nice support cast . Very good musical score by the classic Nino Rota , with tunes similarly composed to the subsequent The Godfather . However , cinematography by Leonida Barboni is mediocre and washed-out , being necessary a right remastering . The flick was finely written Ennio DeConcini , a prestigious and prolific screenwriter and professionally directed by Duilio Coletti . Duilio was a good craftsman who mainly directed adventure genre such as ¨Captain Fracassa¨, ¨Il Fornaretto Di Venezia¨, The Mask of Cesare Borgia" , "Merchant of Slaves" and wartime genre , such as ¨Anzio¨ co-directed by Edward Dymitryck , ¨Divisione Folgore¨, "The Earth Cries Out" , "Hell Raiders of the Deep" , and ¨Under ten flags¨ that bears remarkable resemblance to ¨Submarine attack¨ but also a captain saves castaways whose freighters has previously sunk .
¨Submarine attack¨ was based upon events which actually occurred during a series of underwater actions in 1940-42 and carried out by Italian submarines . This film is dedicated to the men who died in 91 Italian submarines disappeared in the Mediterranean Sea and the Oceans during the last war . These events actually happened .
Gran varietà (1954)iMDB Rating: 5.4 Date Released : 9 April 1955 Genre : Comedy, Musical Stars : Maria Fiore, Nico Pepe, Renato Malavasi, Mario Siletti." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Niagara (1953)iMDB Rating: 7.1 Date Released : 1 February 1953 Genre : Film-Noir, Thriller Stars : Marilyn Monroe, Joseph Cotten, Jean Peters, Max Showalter Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
George and Rose Loomis are honeymooning at a Niagara Falls motel. She plots with Ted Patrick to do him in, but all does not go smoothly. For one thing, after Loomis is reported missing Polly Cutler spies him at the motel but her husband Bud thinks she's imagining it. Marilyn sings "Kiss."
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Review :
Works Pretty Well
This works pretty well, especially when you consider that for it to be effective, Marilyn Monroe had to do some actual acting. The story is fairly simple, without too many surprises, yet it's effective, and leads to some good suspense. The setting in Niagara Falls is worked into the story in several ways, and is used to good effect.
The film-noir type story makes an interesting contrast with the sights and sounds of the falls, with the grim story playing out against a backdrop of interesting and often beautiful scenery. The plot also makes good use of several of the distinctive features of the falls and the surrounding town. Monroe works as the bored, scheming wife, and Joseph Cotten is always effective in this kind of role. Jean Peters is really good as the innocent friend. Casey Adams's character comes off as kind of a goofus, but that's what he is supposed to be. Things move along at a good pace, and the tension is built up well. There's a lot to like for anyone who enjoys suspense/thrillers.
The Egyptian (1954)iMDB Rating: 6.6 Date Released : 17 December 1954 Genre : Drama, History Stars : Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding. In eighteenth-dynasty Egypt, Sinuhe, a poor orphan, becomes a brilliant physician and with his friend Horemheb is appointed to the service of the new Pharoah. Sinuhe's personal triumphs and tragedies are played against the larger canvas of the turbulent events of the 18th dynasty. As Sinuhe is drawn into court intrigues, and bizarre secrets are revealed to him, he learns the answers to the ..." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
In eighteenth-dynasty Egypt, Sinuhe, a poor orphan, becomes a brilliant physician and with his friend Horemheb is appointed to the service of the new Pharoah. Sinuhe's personal triumphs and tragedies are played against the larger canvas of the turbulent events of the 18th dynasty. As Sinuhe is drawn into court intrigues, and bizarre secrets are revealed to him, he learns the answers to the questions he has sought since his birth. Short on historical accuracy but strong on plot and characterization.
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Review :
Classic 50's movie
As a dedicated lover of all things Egyptian this is a classic piece from the 50's, along with my other favourite, Land of the Pharaohs". The sets and colours are just wonderful and everything seems so "neat" in the production quality. I thought Victor Mature was well cast and Peter Ustinov a real gem! The whole look of the movie (along with others made in this era) has an appeal that you just don't get with modern movies with all their digitized effects (I have yet to see the 1999 movie "The Mummy but am sure I will love it!).
Wenn der weiße Flieder wieder blüht (1953)iMDB Rating: 5.1 Date Released : 24 November 1953 Genre : Drama Stars : Willy Fritsch, Magda Schneider, Romy Schneider, Hertha Feiler." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
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Review :
Heimatfilm with a twist
This has everything you expect from German films from the 1950s, with lavish song routines, chocolate-box German scenery, and a setting in a 1920s/1930s Germany as it might have been with no Great Depression and no Adolf Hitler. But, though I can't give more details because of the risk of spoiling the plot, it stands out because of its unusual take on divorce. The ending is definitely not what I thought it was going to be, and must have shocked many in the original audience.
The film is also notable for the acting of two characters. The actress Romy Schneider, here in an important supporting role, would later come to be one of Germany's best-loved actresses, for example when she played the title role in Sissi. But most interesting was the actress who played Willy's manager, who I think must be Ellen (Hertha Feiler), who adopts a deliberately "modern" style, and is largely responsible for frustrating the ending one might have expected.
The War of the Worlds (1953)iMDB Rating: 7.1 Date Released : 26 August 1953 Genre : Action, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller Stars : Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Robert Cornthwaite Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
H.G. Well's classic novel is brought to life is this tale of alien invasion. The residents of a small town in California are excited when a flaming meteor lands in the hills. Their joy is tempered somewhat when they discover that it has passengers who are not very friendly. The movie itself is understood better when you consider that it was made at the height of the Cold War--just replace Martian with Russian....
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Review :
One word: CLASSIC!
George Pal redeems himself after the appalling special effects from "When Worlds Collide" by giving us one of the best science fiction movies from the 1950's. Without the use of Industrial Light & Magic or THX, George Pal created the near-perfect illusion of flying swan-like Martian machines attacking the Earth. (Near-perfect because you can faintly see the wires) Ann Robinson gives a BRILLIANT performance as "The damsel in distress". Sandro Giglio (from "When Worlds Collide") returns as one of the scientists. Also Leith Stevens returns from "When Worlds Collide" to provide the music. You'll notice too that some of the footage from this movie comes from "When Worlds Collide". I must add...look for George Pal & Byron Haskins as the hobos listening to the radio.
The Anatomy of Love (1954)iMDB Rating: 5.9 Date Released : 16 March 1954 Genre : Comedy Stars : Vittorio De Sica, Elisa Cegani, Memmo Carotenuto, Guido Celano. A five-part compilation film. in "The Baby," a poverty-ridden couple with children decides that their recently-born child is too much and they decide to leave him him in a church for adoption, But the mother can not go through with it. She decides it would be better to leave him in an expensive car. The father can not go through with that. They take him home."The Hand of Providence" - An old ..." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
A five-part compilation film. in "The Baby," a poverty-ridden couple with children decides that their recently-born child is too much and they decide to leave him him in a church for adoption, But the mother can not go through with it. She decides it would be better to leave him in an expensive car. The father can not go through with that. They take him home."The Hand of Providence" - An old woman has been brooding for many years while the parish priest has been urging her to unburden herself by telling him all. She tells him that her life seems pointless and that she is thinking of suicide. In an effort to dissuade her, the priest trips and falls over the edge of a cliff and saves himself by grasping a hanging bush. This convinces the woman that God holds life precious and she shouldn't give up hers. "On Location" - An elderly actor and actress get parts in a film being shot on location and discover that they are old friends. THey both confess to being lonely and during the rehearsal...
Sombrero (1953)iMDB Rating: 5.4 Date Released : 4 September 1953 Genre : Musical, Romance Stars : Ricardo Montalban, Pier Angeli, Vittorio Gassman, Yvonne De Carlo. Adapted from the book, "Mexican Village," by Josefina Niggli, the film tells three interwoven love stories against the background of a feud between two villages. Cyd Charisse and Rick Jason are the lovers in a tender romance; Vittorio Gassman and Yvonne DeCarlo the lovers in a tragic romance; and Pier Angeli and Ricardo Montalban the lovers in a gay romance." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Adapted from the book, "Mexican Village," by Josefina Niggli, the film tells three interwoven love stories against the background of a feud between two villages. Cyd Charisse and Rick Jason are the lovers in a tender romance; Vittorio Gassman and Yvonne DeCarlo the lovers in a tragic romance; and Pier Angeli and Ricardo Montalban the lovers in a gay romance.
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Review :
You should enjoy this movie
About 50 years ago, I saw a movie, made in Mexico, that was a satire on an american girl's idea of life in Mexico; The movie "Sombrero" was based on stories written by an american woman and whether intentional or not is very similar to that satire; However, It is a very enjoyable movie with a great cast; I had read the stories,but went to the movie because of the flamenco dancer,Jose Greco and because a very good friend and very brave matador named Hector Saucedo, did the bullfight scenes and I could never get enough of seeing his artistry; I saw the movie in 1953 in DesMoines,Iowa,accompanied by several hispanic friends whom I know enjoyed the movie as much as I did,but couldn't help making fun of the plot.Tragically, Hector was killed in a plane crash shortly after completion of the film. I rcommend the film for the opportunity to see a young Yvonne DeCarlo,Syd Charise,Ricardo Montalban, Jose Greco and Alfonso Bedoya (Of "I don't have to show you no stinking badges"fame.)I saw it on tv recently and awaited the bullfight scene after half a century,but was disapointed,because they only showed a few seconds of the sequence; Can anyone tell me where I can obtain a tape that shows his whole bullfigjht sequence?
One Girl's Confession (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.4 Date Released : 6 April 1953 Genre : Crime, Drama, Film-Noir Stars : Cleo Moore, Hugo Haas, Glenn Langan, Ellen Stansbury. Another of the "Fate and Irony" films from director-writer-producer-actor Hugo Haas but this one has less hair-shirt torment than most of his offerings, although his camera, as usual, lingers provocatively on the contours of the leading lady and, in this case, the leading lady is more than well-contoured. Mary Adams works in a tawdry waterfront restaurant where the owner not only maltreats her, ..." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Another of the "Fate and Irony" films from director-writer-producer-actor Hugo Haas but this one has less hair-shirt torment than most of his offerings, although his camera, as usual, lingers provocatively on the contours of the leading lady and, in this case, the leading lady is more than well-contoured. Mary Adams works in a tawdry waterfront restaurant where the owner not only maltreats her, he also cheated her father out of a fortune years ago. The owner acquires $25,000 in an illegal transaction, which Mary promptly steals, hides, confesses her crime and serves a short sentence. Freed, she goes to work in a restaurant owned by Dragomie Damitrod and when he gets into trouble over a gambling debt she offers to help him by telling him where the $25,000 is hidden and she will loan him the amount he needs. But circumstances indicate that he has stolen all of the money and she clouts him on the head with a whiskey bottle, apparently killing him. She then learns that he didn't steal the...
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Review :
pretty good Noir from Haas
Written, produced, directed, and starring... one person.... is sometimes a sign of a so-so work. In this case, it's a Hugo Haas project, with Cleo Moore as Mary, the blonde bombshell. I thought she looked a lot like Jayne Mansfield or Marilyn Monroe, and reading Cleo's history, she had indeed lost a part in "All About Eve" to Marilyn M. and also like Marilyn, Moore died quite young, at 50, from a heart attack.
In our story, we learn that she has been raised by Mr. Stark, and has been working for him, but doesn't like the way he treats her. She also witnesses a shady deal with some character, and is sure that Stark cheated her father in business. She takes the money box, and is immediately caught by the police. Mary is off to prison, and must figure out how to start over. She gets released, but is constantly worried that someone will try to take "her" money... the money that she snitched. Mary finds work in another pub, and seems to fit right in. There are some funny bits here where we see the shop-owner's girl try to palm his poker winnings, but the shop-owner (Haas) is on to her, and keeps taking it back. Well, we're about halfway through the film now, and it's all been story set-up so far. Mary tries to lend Damitrof, the owner, her money, but things go all wrong, and it FINALLY starts being a film noir. Lots of close-ups on our blonde starlet, and things are happening now! I tried to guess the rest of the story, and I was partially right, but there were some surprises along the way. Pretty good story. Certainly entertaining. Part of a "Bad Girls Columbia Films Noir Collection" from Sony.
Also keep an eye out for the prison gardener played by Burt Mustin-- he was in TONS of early films, and I remember him as Frank Purdue, in the commercials for Purdue chicken!
Small Town Girl (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.4 Date Released : 10 April 1953 Genre : Musical, Romance Stars : Jane Powell, Farley Granger, Ann Miller, S.Z. Sakall. Rick Belrow Livingston, in love with Broadway star Lisa, is sentenced to 30 days in jail for speeding through a small town. He persuades the judge's daughter Cindy to let him leave for one night, so that he can visit Lisa on her birthday. After that he goes on the town with Cindy and she falls in love with him. But Dr. Schemmer wants his son to become her husband." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Rick Belrow Livingston, in love with Broadway star Lisa, is sentenced to 30 days in jail for speeding through a small town. He persuades the judge's daughter Cindy to let him leave for one night, so that he can visit Lisa on her birthday. After that he goes on the town with Cindy and she falls in love with him. But Dr. Schemmer wants his son to become her husband.
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Review :
Very old fashion
SMALL TOWN GIRL is really a dated film. All the men are always in ties, even home at the dinner table. Girls were all made up and wore skirts and everything and everybody is squeaky clean. But wait, this is an MGM musical!! There are three musical numbers in this film that are worth catching. The two with Bobby Van (a Donald 0'Conner type) and one with Ann Miller. The plot is forgettable as it was meant to be, but somewhat fun while you're watching. This is one of Jane Powells lackluster performances and Farley Granger looks good. Look for Beverly Wills (Joan Davis daughter) in a brief but bright supporting role. One aspect doesn't make sense. Farley Granger receives a call from his butler saying the Jane Powell character is locked in his mothers fur closet and is told to come home to rescue her. He gets home and goes to the closet and simply opens it. Why couldn't the butler do it?????
Recoil (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.2 Date Released : 1 August 1953 Genre : Crime, Drama Stars : Kieron Moore, Elizabeth Sellars, Edward Underdown, John Horsley Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Jean Talbot poses as a crook to infiltrate the gang who killed her jeweller father, Michael.
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Review :
Great movie in the style they don't make any longer - regrettably ...
The gorgeous Elizabeth Sellars stars in this gripping drama, though IMO wrongly cast she plays the part well in her usual faultless style.
Her father is killed in a heist gone wrong and the criminal is seen by Jean (Elizabeth) but cleverly sets up an alibi which is unable to be faulted by the police. Jean then sets about trying to trap the killer (Edward Underdown) by whoring herself to him, much to the chagrin of Underdown's brother who has innocently supplied the alibi and thinks that Jean is the cat's pajamas.
Cleverly working her way into the confidence of the killer and his cohorts, Jean keeps the police updated on the coming plans of the gang while the brother starts to realise he's been dudded into giving false information.
A wonderful 'B' movie that moves along at a great pace with good acting and direction. The only downside seems to be the casting of some of the players - Edward Underdown and Keiron Moore as brothers? - tends to make one think of 'Twins' with Danny de Vito.
Don't miss it if you get the opportunity. --- 8/ 10.
Papi (1953)iMDB Rating: 7.2 Date Released : 27 May 2011 Genre : Crime, Drama Stars : Nargis, Raj Kapoor, Dulari, P. Kailash Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Mocking at religion, flirting with women, in debt with a number of shop-keepers, Raju lives an impoverished lifestyle, and is in love with Lachhi, whose blind Nani does not approve of him. When he finds out that Nani's landlord, Kalwa, is threatening to evict them unless she comes up with Rs.5000/-, he first attempts to borrow money. Failing in this, he steals it from Rana and goes on the run from the police. He boards a train without a ticket and enters a compartment which has a single occupant, Swami Satyanand, who looks exactly like him. The train has an accident, he takes advantage of this situation, dons the Swami's guise, and subsequently manages to pull wool over the latter's devotees - with an agenda of collecting as much cash as possible. He is not aware that Swami has survived the accident, and is being held against his will by Lachhi - and it will not be too long before Raju's past will catch up with him - and he will have to answer for his crimes.
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Review :
A Nargis Raj Kapoor entertainment with Raj Kapoor in dual role
While Paapi is not a Raj Kapoor production movie and though played by Raj Kapoor and Nargis in the lead roles, this is not of the Shri 420 or Awara classic types. The movie has some good songs and Raj Kapoor played the dual role of Raju and Swami Satyanand very well. Nargis in the role of the milkmaid and village belle played an excellent role and was very natural in role rustic role. I never knew that Raj Kapoor Nargis had movie named Paapi until I was going through the Nargis filmography and found about this movie. The movie has some beautiful songs specially the ones played by Nargis. The story is enjoyable and the climax was as expected . I give it a seven out of ten.
A Japanese Tragedy (1953)iMDB Rating: 7.6 Date Released : 30 May 1979 Genre : Drama Stars : Yûko Mochizuki, Yôko Katsuragi, Masami Taura, Keiko Awaji. Alternating in time, between the end of World War II and 1953, Haruko, a widow, does what she can to keep her daughter Utako and son Seiichi safe, fed, and sheltered. By 1953, it's clear that the children, as they enter adulthood, want little to do with their mother. They have a different view of their childhood and her sacrifices: in their eyes, she abandoned them to live a life of pleasure. The..." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 700 MB
Alternating in time, between the end of World War II and 1953, Haruko, a widow, does what she can to keep her daughter Utako and son Seiichi safe, fed, and sheltered. By 1953, it's clear that the children, as they enter adulthood, want little to do with their mother. They have a different view of their childhood and her sacrifices: in their eyes, she abandoned them to live a life of pleasure. The self-pitying Haruko is sure her life was one of pain and humiliation, for her children. As Seiichi, now a medical student, announces his plans to let a wealthy man adopt him, and as Utako considers the offer to go away with a married man who is her English teacher, what is left for Haruko?
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Review :
Japanese Melodrama
During and after WWII, a mother provided for her two children by becoming a prostitute. Now grown up, her son and daughter, social climbers both, find her an embarrassment and abandon her.
Director Kinoshita's rather obvious attempts to link this story to the greater problems of Japanese society by frequently inserting newspaper headlines and documentary footage is a distraction more than anything else.
Fortunately, he seems to give up on that idea around the halfway point to concentrate on what is at heart a great melodrama, with a fine performance by Yûko Mochizuki as the mother and a masterfully filmed climactic scene
Mogambo (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.7 Date Released : 9 October 1953 Genre : Adventure, Drama, Romance Stars : Clark Gable, Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner, Donald Sinden. Victor Marswell runs a big game trapping company in Kenya. Eloise Kelly is ditched there, and an immediate attraction happens between them. Then Mr. and Mrs. Nordley show up for their gorilla documenting safari. Mrs. Nordley is not infatuated with her husband any more, and takes a liking to Marswell. The two men and two women have some difficulty arranging these emotions to their mutual ..." /> Movie Quality : BRrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Victor Marswell runs a big game trapping company in Kenya. Eloise Kelly is ditched there, and an immediate attraction happens between them. Then Mr. and Mrs. Nordley show up for their gorilla documenting safari. Mrs. Nordley is not infatuated with her husband any more, and takes a liking to Marswell. The two men and two women have some difficulty arranging these emotions to their mutual satisfaction, but eventually succeed.
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Review :
Technically gorgeous; 8/10
I think Mogambo may be John Ford's best film technically. The cinematography is simply sumptuous. The colors and the compositions are some of the most beautiful you'll ever see in a film. Too bad it's not in Cinemascope. I would have loved to see those African landscapes in widescreen. The sound is equally deserving of praise. Rare for a classical Hollywood film, Mogambo contains absolutely no extra-diagetic music, i.e., a musical score. The only music comes from a player piano, or African tribes' singing. That singing is just amazing. Most of the background sounds, however, come from African beasts and insects. It provides a threatening mood to the entire film. This experiment pays off wonderfully.
Unfortunately, the narrative aspects of the film are lacking. The story, about an adventurer (Clark Gable) who takes a married couple on a safari to study gorillas, is passable. Actually, the meat of the story lies in the budding relationship between Gable and the wife, played by Grace Kelly (perhaps her role in Rear Window, which came out a year later, was inspired by this film). Ava Gardener plays a second love interest, a society girl from NYC, brazen and witty. The problems don't really arise from the plot, but from the characters. They are two-dimensional. Ava Gardener's role is the best, but the script begins to keep her away from the other relationship, which is treated more romantically. Gable's role is too cliche. It's paper thin, and I just never cared much what happened to him. But I think the real problem is with Kelly and her role. Her character changes in wildly unbelievable ways. It's almost as if she falls in love with Gable because, well, that's what women do when Clark Gable's in a movie! It doesn't matter that she's the second one to do so in the first half hour of the film.
The film also fails because of the vast amounts of stock footage used to show the wildlife of Africa. Often, this is acceptable. It's obvious that that footage was taken at some other time and with some other type of film than the main footage, but I can suspend my imagination up to a point. However, one particular sequence involving gorillas is rather awful. The party has a face-off with a group of them, and there is a lot of cross-cutting to create suspense. It never works. Especially silly are the shots of Gable standing in front of back-projected stock footage of a bull gorilla charging. I suppose these kinds of shots were impossible to fake anywhere near as well as we can do now. But I still find fault in it. It snapped my suspension bridge.
The Paris Express (1952)iMDB Rating: 6.2 Date Released : 5 June 1953 Genre : Crime, Drama Stars : Claude Rains, Marius Goring, Märta Torén, Ferdy Mayne. Meak head clerk Kees Popinga realises at the same time as the police that owner De Koster has stripped his Dutch company clean because of his infatuation with Parisian girl Michelle. After a confrontation between the two men De Koster ends up dead and Popinga makes off to Paris with the remaining money. There he contacts Michelle, with the police in close pursuit." /> Movie Quality : HDrip Format : MKV Size : 870 MB
Meak head clerk Kees Popinga realises at the same time as the police that owner De Koster has stripped his Dutch company clean because of his infatuation with Parisian girl Michelle. After a confrontation between the two men De Koster ends up dead and Popinga makes off to Paris with the remaining money. There he contacts Michelle, with the police in close pursuit.
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Review :
Implausible Simenon tale saved by excellent Claude Rains performance
This is a rarity, an obscure colour film starring Claude Rains late in his career (he was 63), in a film noir. Rains plays a quiet and respectable Chief Clerk of a Dutch manufacturing firm which is owned by Herbert Lom and his aged father. Unknown to everyone, Lom has been obsessed for some time by a scheming and criminal Parisian tart, played tempestuously by Marta Toren. He has looted the company of all of its cash and left it a bankrupt shell, prior to running off to Paris to a new life with his beloved. This is discovered at the last minute by Rains, who has sunk his entire family's savings in the company, and hence lost them. Rains snaps and turns on Lom, pushing him into a canal in a rage, where Lom drowns. Rains takes Lom's suitcase containing all the company's remaining cash and runs off to Paris, which he has always wanted to visit. He has been a train-spotter all his life, and for years has been noting the passage of the Paris Express. Now at last he is on it. Marius Goring is a Dutch policeman who suspects Lom, and now trails Rains. When he arrives in Paris, Rains wants to find Marta Toren and he asks directions of a young prostitute in the street, played by the 20 year-old Anouk Aimée. She is listed in the front credits as Aimée Anouk, and in the end credits simply as 'Anouk'. So she was clearly having difficulty making up her mind her she was, or who she was to be, at that time. Like so many interesting mature actresses, she was very boring as a 20 year-old and makes little impression in her small role. (Another example of a fascinating mature actress being boring when young is Juliette Binoche, as I remarked in my review of RENDEZ-VOUS, 1985.) Eventually, Rains meets up with Toren, who at first laughs at him as a ridiculous old man and throws him out. But her attitude towards him changes when she realizes he has Lom's money. Things go from bad to worse, as Rains sinks deeper and deeper into delusion and intrigue. The film is not particularly convincing, and is only mildly interesting in itself, but the performance of Claude Rains is masterful, and truly makes something out of nothing, or should I say genuinely produces a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Admirers of Claude Rains will like watching this. But my goodness, Simenon has had a rough time of it, with films called THE MAN …, because his novel made as the film THE MAN FROM London (A LONDONI FERFI, 2007, see my review) is simply appalling, being 'the slowest film ever made'. Why do people buy the rights to Simenon novels and then not take proper trouble over filming them correctly?
Lili (1953)iMDB Rating: 7.5
