Movies seen in 2011 so far: The good, the bad and the so-so

There are a lot of movies I've seen this year but I haven't reviewed. Here's a brief commentary for some of them:

The good:

Well, thanks to ClassicBecky and Lola, I watched White Heat (1949; Raoul Walsh). And girls, you were right, this is simply a terrific movie. James Cagney is memorable as Cody Jarrett, a violent criminal who loves his mommy. The film keeps you intrigued, especially because there's an undercover agent that has to get close to Cody and you really fear of what might happen to him. But you also feel some kind of sympathy for the poor man who suffers of severe headaches. A very well told story, with a great ending.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947; Norman S. McLeod) was the first film from Virginia Mayo and Danny Kaye I ever saw. It was a surprise, a really fun comedy. Danny is a low profile comic artist that can't help daydreaming and seeing himself as a cool guy in different entertaining scenes. Everyone makes fun of him, even his dull fiancée until he becomes involved in very strange and dangerous situation that includes a sophisticated blonde, a bad guy and an unexpected super bad guy. Fun. Oh, Ben Stiller is going to ruin it with a remake.

Ivy (1947; Sam Wood) Great, great movie. The Siren praised it so I had to watch it. It was a super engaging...I don't know, drama? thriller? about a crazy Joan Fontaine that has a husband, a poor lover AND a rich lover. This Joan Fontaine doesn't love her husband; loves the poor lover but loves the rich lover's money even more. That complex. And then she decides a) to kill the husband b) not help the poor lover when he's accused of murder c) wait for the rich lover. But her plans don't go very well because this Joan Fontaine doesn't know how to use an elevator. Great film.

The so-so

Sleep my love (Douglas Sirk; 1948) is like Gaslight but starring Claudette Colbert, Don Ameche AS THE BAD GUY and Robert Cummings. That means that this is about a husband that wants to kill his wife by trying to convince her that she's seeing people that is not really there, going to places she didn't want to go and trying to jump from balconies. Why it isn't good? Well because I expected more from this film and it was a bit messy. Like Claudette meets Robert and like in twenty minutes are BFF and go out together.And because Don exaggerated a bit his performance, it wasn't very subtly like Charles Boyer's. But, it was entertaining anyway.

The golden arrow (1936; Alfred Green) Bette Davis is a rich girl and George Brent is a poor reporter. Bette convinces him to marry her, because she doesn't stand guys around her just because of her fortune (this plan didn't convince me very much). Before they were married they liked each other, then they marry and soon they start fighting because Bette needs to create public controversy, so the name of her company appears in the media. I don't know, some parts seemed too forced to serve the script. Why it isn't bad? Because Bette and George had great chemistry...at the beginning at least.

Doctor in the House (1954; Ralph Thomas) I watched this movie because I wanted to see something from Dick Borgade. It's about medical students and all the shananigans that going to university to become a doctor means. Like buying medical skulls, practicing the recently learned theories on girls, etc. Oh, and what being a doctor really means, etc. I don't know, it was too bland, too circumstantial and not very surprising. Not bad because it has some funny scenes.

The bad

The princess and the pirate (1944; Davis Butler) I have to say that I can understand people that like this kind of movies. I mean, Bob Hope, one liners, crazy scenes, laughing at the movie conventions, etc. I like some parody movies, I discuss the subject a month ago, but I guess this one is more for the boys. Here the female character is just an accessory, IMO. A coward pirate rescues a princess and has to face a furious captain. Stuff the plot with lots of pirates jokes, Virginia Mayo singing, some unconnected scenes, a very stupid ending and you have something to sell. Not my cup of tea.

So, uhm...yes... that's all folks!

A blog you should follow: 'My Love of Old Hollywood'

Today I wanted to write a special post about an interesting blog I found the other day: My Love of Old Hollywood. Page, the owner, writes about Actors and Actresses from the silent Era to the 1940s. The info she provides is really amazing (I found several anecdotes that I didn't know) and very easy to digest, plus she makes a special Youtube video roll related with the person reviewed. But the most exciting thing is that she posts about stars whose autographs are in her personal collection, so her entries are illustrated with signatures of Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Fay Wray, Douglas Fairbanks, Jean Harlow, Charles Boyer, James Cagney, Colleen Moore, Una Merkel and more. 

Janet Gaynor's handwritten note.

Charles Boyer's signature. 

"Sincerely, Irene Dunne"

Page explains in her first post And So We Begin:

I get asked a lot about when I started collecting this type of memorabilia and why. The why goes back to about the age of 8. My mother would find a quiet room in our house and sit down to an old black and white movie whenever she could. After seeing the joy on her face and complete contentment while watching The Thin Man movies or hearing her infectious laugh while watching Cary Grant and Kate Hepburn, I wanted a part of it and I found myself just as lost in the beauty of Old Hollywood as she still is today.

My collection started about 15 years ago and it is now at over 250 pieces and growing. The items that I will list on this blog are from The Silents to the 1940's. In no way is this site meant to sell or buy items and its not a place to argue about Star Wars ruling over Hitchcock. Everyone is welcome to comment on the blogs and items that will follow, and hopefully we can keep it all about our love of old movies and the stars that filled the silver screen.

I realize my collection may not appeal to everyones taste and I welcome hearing from and showing anyone else's items from this era. The more the merrier. Just realize that although some collect fridge magnets, matchbooks and even beanie babies, thats a discussion for another site, and I am sure theres a website out there for anything collectible that you can imagine. (Okay, I do collect fridge magnets)...Don't judge me. There will be plenty of time for that later when we get started. : )

Oh, she gave me an foretaste of her next posts including items from her collection: Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Norma Talmadge, Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Gregory Peck, Claudette Colbert, Vivien Leigh, Gloria Swanson and Elizabeth Taylor. Plus she will post on Myrna Loy next at my request :)

Visit Page's site here: My Love for Old Hollywood. 

* Credits: All the pictures from My Love for Old Hollywood.