Movie Classics Posted by Judy on February 25, 2014

Barbara Stanwyck with Lori Nelson Mention Douglas Sirk, and the type of film that immediately comes to mind is a glossy colour melodrama. However, he did also make some black-and-white films – including this early 1950s production. Like his previous film, Has Anybody Seen My Gal?, this is a pe   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on February 16, 2014

Where does the time go? February’s half over and I’m only just getting on to my Douglas Sirk season – sorry to be slow, but hopefully I’ll still manage to fit in a few reviews! The earliest film included in the 7-DVD UK/region 2 Douglas Sirk Collection is the charming,...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 31, 2014

I’ve enjoyed watching and writing about some of Frank Sinatra’s films over the last few weeks – and would like to thank everyone who has contributed such great comments. People made a lot of interesting suggestions in response to my question about which were his greatest film songs   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 27, 2014

Frankie looking in through the bar window This is a fairly short piece – there are many in-depth reviews on the net about this ground-breaking drama, and I can’t compete here, but just wanted to add a few thoughts to the mix. Otto Preminger’s famous work is definitely a film...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 26, 2014

Just to say that I’ve decided on my next two monthly blog themes! Hoping to squeeze in a couple more postings on Sinatra before the end of the month, and then in February I’ll carry on with my current 1950s obsession by moving on to Douglas Sirk movies. Then coming...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 25, 2014

I’ve been trying to decide over the past week which are Sinatra’s greatest movie songs – and thought I’d pose it as a question, since there are still many of his films I haven’t seen, so I can’t come up with any definitive answers! I’d love to hear other peo   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 17, 2014

Please note I do discuss the whole plot in this review. Second World War melodrama Kings Go Forth is one of the Frank Sinatra films from the 1950s which tends to get overlooked.  Some aspects of the love triangle story have dated – I’ll come on to those later –...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 12, 2014

Director Vincente Minnelli created one of the warmest portrayals of American family life on film in the great musical Meet Me in St Louis (1944). But he gives a very different, darker take on families in Some Came Running, a 1950s melodrama which tackles the type of subject matter that...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 5, 2014

I was given the Frank Sinatra: The Golden Years DVD box set for Christmas, so I’m looking forward to watching all the films in the collection. The UK/region 2 set contains four films, rather than five as in the US/region 1 set, with the missing title sadly being the most...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on January 4, 2014

A slightly belated Happy New Year to all. I’ve been thinking I’ll try something a bit different on the blog this year and choose a theme for each month, either a star, director or a particular type of film. For January I’ll carry on writing about Frank Sinatra, since I...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on December 26, 2013

It’s over-sweet and over-long – but should not be overlooked. Anchors Aweigh tends to be regarded as something of a dry run for another film featuring Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly as sailors on shore leave, On the Town. When the earlier movie does get a mention, usually it’s just...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on December 1, 2013

It must be a daunting prospect to step into a role which another actor has already made his own. But Frank Sinatra did it at least twice, in musical remakes of much-loved movies. In High Society he took on the role which had won James Stewart an Oscar in The...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on November 16, 2013

I’ll be writing about a few Frank Sinatra films between now and the end of the year – I can’t promise to update very frequently, but hope to cover a few movies. After having seen little-known biopic The Joker Is Wild on TV recently, I just can’t understand why it isn’t   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on October 25, 2013

I’ve finally been lucky enough to see The Only Way, the British silent adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, which sadly isn’t on DVD – but is available to see in BFI mediatheques in the UK, and also via the web for universities and colleges and in some libraries. I’ve...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on October 19, 2013

Just came across this amazing rarity on Youtube – a screen test for Laurette Luez for A Lion is in the Streets, playing opposite James Cagney as his character’s much younger mistress. In the film, the part went to Anne Francis, who is good – at 23, she was a...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on October 17, 2013

Johnny Weissmuller as Tarzan Today I happened to see a mention of Johnny Weissmuller – and that reminded me that the Tarzan films were the very first black-and-white movies I saw, as a youngster, when they were shown on TV. This meant champion swimmer Johnny was one of my first...   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on October 7, 2013

This great comedy really is a film that has its wedding cake and eats it. James Stewart sums it all up beautifully in two caustic lines – on the one hand: “The prettiest sight in this fine, pretty world is the privileged class enjoying its privileges.” That’s certainly a big   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on September 20, 2013

This is my contribution to the Journalism in Classic Film blogathon organised by Comet over Hollywood and Lindsay’s Movie Musings – please do visit and read the other postings. Ben Lyon and Claudette Colbert Many 1930s films about journalists are set in big city newsrooms, with multiple   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on September 8, 2013

This is my contribution to the Gish Sisters blogathon, being organised by  Movies Silently and The Motion Pictures blogs. Please note I will be discussing the whole plot of The Scarlet Letter, both the film and the book. Great Swedish director Victor Sjöström’s The Wind (1928) is regularly hai   read more

Movie Classics Posted by Judy on September 2, 2013

I’ve just had a message from WordPress to say that Movie Classics has now been going for five years. So it seems a good opportunity to thank everyone who has given me help, support and encouragement. I know I haven’t always been very active and there have been some long gaps...   read more