The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 26, 2014

The 1930 MGM film "Children of Pleasure" tries to whip up big-city razzle dazzle in the manner of the same studio's Oscar-winning "The Broadway Melody" or "Chasing Rainbows," but due to a wan leading man and subpar musical numbers (including one where the dancers are dressed as brooms), the effect...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 14, 2014

When I think of Lauren Bacall I always remember this scene that ends "To Have and Have Not," because it's one of the few times on screen that she smiles like a beautiful goof, a lovestruck teenager. I don't know if, by this time, she and Humphrey Bogart were already...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 14, 2014

When I think of Lauren Bacall I always remember this scene that ends "To Have and Have Not," because it's one of the few times on screen that she smiles like a beautiful goof, a lovestruck teenager. I don't know if, by this time, she and Humphrey Bogart were already...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 13, 2014

This time on Motion Pictures Told Through Still Images with Goofy Captions (And GIFs!) we look at the totally true, completely factual, overacted 1959 film ... Come and listen to my story 'bout a guy named Al, Chicago-bound from Brooklyn as muscle for a pal, But Al wanted money and...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 13, 2014

This time on Motion Pictures Told Through Still Images with Goofy Captions (And GIFs!) we look at the totally true, completely factual, overacted 1959 film ... Come and listen to my story 'bout a guy named Al, Chicago-bound from Brooklyn as muscle for a pal, But Al wanted money and...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 3, 2014

Pre-code versus post-code is the difference between a Duesenberg and a Hummer, between cafe au lait and chocolate milk, between a camisole and a union suit. Take the differences, for instance, between the 1932 film "The Crowd Roars" and the 1939 film "Indianapolis Speedway." Same story (by Howard H   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on August 3, 2014

Pre-code versus post-code is the difference between a Duesenberg and a Hummer, between cafe au lait and chocolate milk, between a camisole and a union suit. Take the differences, for instance, between the 1932 film "The Crowd Roars" and the 1939 film "Indianapolis Speedway." Same story (by Howard H   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 29, 2014

Well, Andrew D. over at "1001 Movies I (Apparently) MUST See Before I Die" has been nice enough to nominate me for a Versatile Blogger Award, which I am told comes with a sizable cash prize! (Whispering off stage) Oh. I mean to say, which I have been told comes...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 29, 2014

Well, Andrew D. over at "1001 Movies I (Apparently) MUST See Before I Die" has been nice enough to nominate me for a Versatile Blogger Award, which I am told comes with a sizable cash prize! (Whispering off stage) Oh. I mean to say, which I have been told comes...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 24, 2014

Here's another look at my post on "The Most Dangerous Game."   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 24, 2014

Here's another look at my post on "The Most Dangerous Game."   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 13, 2014

This is part of the Accidentally Hilarious Blogathon sponsored by your friends and mine at Movies, Silently, so visit them for other entries, eh what? Great expense was spared in assembling these titles. "We interrupt 'Sex Sent Me to the ER' for this special report. A big ball has been...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 13, 2014

This is part of the Accidentally Hilarious Blogathon sponsored by your friends and mine at Movies, Silently, so visit them for other entries, eh what? Great expense was spared in assembling these titles. "We interrupt 'Sex Sent Me to the ER' for this special report. A big ball has been...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 6, 2014

This time around on Motion Pictures Told Through Still Pictures with Goofy Captions (patent pending) we examine the 1954 film ... Our story begins in the New Mexican desert, from a vantage point that makes people look like ants -- GIANT MUTANT ANTS CREATED BY THE RADIOACTIVITY OF THE ATOMI   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 6, 2014

This time around on Motion Pictures Told Through Still Pictures with Goofy Captions (patent pending) we examine the 1954 film ... Our story begins in the New Mexican desert, from a vantage point that makes people look like ants -- GIANT MUTANT ANTS CREATED BY THE RADIOACTIVITY OF THE ATOMI   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 1, 2014

Boo! There are awkward talkies, and then there are awkward talkies directed by Lionel Barrymore. As an actor he had an appetite for scenery, and as the director of the 1929 film "The Unholy Night" he gives his cast free rein to exaggeratedly express themselves all over the place. Acti   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on July 1, 2014

Boo! There are awkward talkies, and then there are awkward talkies directed by Lionel Barrymore. As an actor he had an appetite for scenery, and as the director of the 1929 film "The Unholy Night" he gives his cast free rein to exaggeratedly express themselves all over the place. Acti   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on June 26, 2014

In the 1933 film "Headline Shooter," William Gargan and Frances Dee play news hawks who don't really care who they trample over to get to a story, and that is why they are awesome. Gargan plays Bill Allen, a photographer for Phototone newsreels, and Dee plays Jane Mallory, a newspaper...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on June 26, 2014

In the 1933 film "Headline Shooter," William Gargan and Frances Dee play news hawks who don't really care who they trample over to get to a story, and that is why they are awesome. Gargan plays Bill Allen, a photographer for Phototone newsreels, and Dee plays Jane Mallory, a newspaper...   read more

The Man on the Flying Trapeze Posted by David on June 21, 2014

Two years ago I kicked off this blog with a post about one of my favorite films, 1963's "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World." I have a great deal of affection for this white elephant of a movie, which I saw for the first time in 1970, when it...   read more