Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 22, 2015

This is my contribution to the Miriam Hopkins Blogathon, which is running from January 22 to 25. Please do visit and read the other postings!  I’ll admit I expected a lot from Becky Sharp. It has a great star, Miriam Hopkins, in a powerful role giving her plenty of scope, and...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 11, 2015

Judy: I’ve just posted a second review of two 1930s British musicals over at my British films blog. Opera fans will want to catch these films, since they star great tenors Joseph Schmidt and Richard Tauber. Originally posted on British Film Classics: Joseph Schmidt and Charlotte Ander in ‘My S   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 5, 2015

Judy: I’ve just put up a review of a couple of early 1930s British musical comedies which are just coming out on DVD over at my other site, Britishfilmclassics.wordpress.com. Please do take a look if you are a fan of British comedies or musicals – or of operas, since the...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 5, 2015

Judy: I’ve just put up a review of a couple of early 1930s British musical comedies which are just coming out on DVD over at my other site, Britishfilmclassics.wordpress.com. Please do take a look if you are a fan of British comedies or musicals – or of operas, since the...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 1, 2015

A Happy New Year to all readers of my blog, and thanks very much for your support, visits, comments and ‘likes’ during 2014. I’m hoping to post a bit more regularly here over the coming 12 months, so watch this space. A while back, I launched a series of mini-reviews...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 1, 2015

A Happy New Year to all readers of my blog, and thanks very much for your support, visits, comments and ‘likes’ during 2014. I’m hoping to post a bit more regularly here over the coming 12 months, so watch this space. A while back, I launched a series of mini-reviews...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on December 28, 2014

Judy: I’ve recently started up another site focusing on British films, though there isn’t much content there – I’ve just written my first review there, of a little-known courtroom drama starring Richard Attenborough, if anyone feels like taking a look. Originally posted on Br   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on November 22, 2014

As usual with films which have dates in the title, Gold Diggers of 1937 was actually made the previous year. It stars Joan Blondell, one of my favourite actresses, opposite her real-life husband of the time, Dick Powell. There is a lot of chemistry between them, not surprisingly, and I  found th   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on November 21, 2014

Joan Blondell and James Cagney in Footlight Parade Hi to all those visiting my blog! I haven’t been around here much lately, and I’m afraid my projected themes fell by the wayside… though I might still resurrect them. But, anyway, I intend to get the show back on the road with some   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on September 12, 2014

For any readers of this blog who love vintage comics as well as vintage films, take a look at this piece by my daughter, Charlotte, at Vulture, 13 Absurd Panels from 1940s Captain Marvel Comics.   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on September 7, 2014

This is my contribution to the World War I in Classic Film blogathon . Please do visit and take a look at the other postings! Where previous Howard Hawks films about the First World War focused on pilots, this one goes into the trenches. Warner Baxter, Fredric March and Lionel Barrymore star...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on August 17, 2014

Helen Twelvetrees and Eric Linden I’m back in the Pre-Code groove after seeing quite a few of them in recent weeks – including this rather slight but enjoyable melodrama. I was attracted to Young Bride because it stars Helen Twelvetrees and Eric Linden, who are both now sadly forgotte   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on July 6, 2014

For my money, Carrie is one of William Wyler’s greatest films – and one of Laurence Olivier’s finest performances. Yet it often seems to get overlooked. Maybe it would have more recognition as a classic adaptation if the title of Theodore Dreiser’s original novel, Sister Carr   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on May 4, 2014

This is my contribution to Power-Mad, the Tyrone Power Centennial Blogathon. I’ve avoided spoilers, as the film’s twists are so important to its appeal.  Films where an actor is cast against type always have a fascination, and I’ve sometimes thought this would in itself be a great   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on April 25, 2014

This is my contribution to the Great Villain Blogathon, hosted by the Silver Screenings, Shadows & Satin and Speakeasy blogs. Please do visit and read the great range of postings for this event. For millions who were never lucky enough to see Laurence Olivier play Shakespeare on stage, the near   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on April 12, 2014

This is my contribution to the Diamonds and Gold blogathon, which is looking at actors and actresses later on in their careers. Please do visit and read the other contributions! This piece is also the (somewhat belated) launch of my projected series of reviews about films starring Laurence Olivier &   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on March 23, 2014

This great romantic melodrama from Douglas Sirk shares a lot with his film from the previous year, Magnificent Obsession. It has the same intense Technicolor, combining with music from Frank Skinner to give a dream quality, and much of the cast is the same, including leads Jane Wyman and Rock...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on March 15, 2014

This is my contribution to the Sleuthathon organised by Movies Silently. Please do visit and read the other entries. The film I’ve chosen is controversial because of some plot elements. I won’t discuss this aspect until the end and will give a spoiler warning, since, as so often with Hit   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on March 12, 2014

A quick note to say I haven’t had much time for posting here lately, so have decided to carry on writing about Douglas Sirk films through the rest of March, as time allows – though I will take a break from him to write about a Hitchcock film for the...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on March 1, 2014

Please note I do discuss the whole plot of this film.  So far I’ve written about a couple of lesser-known Douglas Sirk films. Now I’m on to one of his more famous melodramas, the glossy romance Magnificent Obsession – said to be one of the greatest weepies of all time....   read more