Jamaica Inn (1939)

After her mother dies, young Mary (Maureen O’Hara) travels to the notorious Jamaica Inn to live with her aunt (Marie Ney). She discovers that something sinister goes on there and confides in her new friend, aristocrat Sir Humphrey (Charles Laughton).

Jamaica Inn was based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier, who also penned Rebecca and The Birds. Perhaps because it's a period piece, it didn't feel much like a Hitchcock film. Because the notoriously difficult Laughton was a co-producer, Hitch said he didn't so much direct it as referee it.

This was the first major role for 18 year old O’Hara, and the first after dropping her real last name, FitzSimons. Her cruel uncle Joss was played by Leslie Banks. Scaring from World War I facilitated his casting in villainous roles. I have yet to notice it. Laughton was excellent in the Charles Laughton role.

Jamaica Inn, after you acclimate to the expressive acting, is a better than fair watch. Perhaps not well remembered today, it still entertains. AMRU 3.5.

The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

A kerfuffle-prone artist Dick (Cary Grant) catches the affection of highschooler Susan (Shirley Temple), who happens to be the younger sister of the judge (Myrna Loy) he was brought in front of. The court decides to drop all charges, and in exchange Dick will date Susan until her infatuation subsides. What could possibly go wrong?

Forty two year old Grant was twenty four years older than his co-star, but Susan’s math revealed that his character was thirty five. Band leader Rudy Vallee plays another annoying antagonist. He’s a man who knew a thing or two about dating teenagers. His third wife was nineteen when they married. He was forty two. Marital bliss lasted less than eight months.

This film is yet another example of classic Hollywood’s infatuation with underage girls. But to the film’s credit Grant’s Dick, that is to say, his character, doesn’t for a moment imply any attraction to Susan. And Temple’s performance is fairly innocent. It’s all played off as an awkward situation.

Temple is actually pretty good. She never made it as an adult actress and I believed there were reasons for this. Her singer/dancer/actress skills were cute when she was ten but now she was going up against the likes of Deborah Kerr, Vera-Ellen, Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, and Cyd Charisse. She simply wasn’t in that class. Fort Apache may be in my future.

Grant is always interesting to watch but he doesn’t give off painter artist vibes. Perhaps a writer would have been more fitting. Age appropriate Myrna Loy is also great. The court-ordered courting of a minor makes The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer a fairly screwy screwball comedy, but it's not among the funniest. It has some good moments, but also some extended unfunny bits. AMRU 3. I will end with a real-life Rudy Vallee quote:

“People called me the guy with the cock in his voice. Maybe that's why in 84 years of life I've been with over 145 women and girls.”

Deadline at Dawn (1946)

While on a drinking binge with a floozie, naive sailor Alex (Bill Williams) pockets a wad of her cash. Once sober, he tries to return it only to find her dead. For reasons that make the film go, he decides he must find the murderer before he ships out at 6:00 AM. World weary dance hall girl June (Susan Hayward) helps for the very same reason.

Quite a bit is going on here. Dead Edna was up to no good and her brother is a notorious gangster. More people enter the circle of suspects. There are also a number of amusing side characters, like Babe Dooley, the washed up ball player (apparently modeled after Hack Wilson), the philosophical taxi driver, and a dance hall patron who means no disrespect.

This is the first film with Susan Hayward as the lead. She was quite good in the hard boiled role, having to recite some pretty ridiculous lines. When sailor boy says something unexpected, she replies “let’s pause for station identification”. It was just as awkward on screen as it seems. Gangster Vic has a few gems of his own. "People with wax heads should keep out of the sun."

Deadline at Dawn is an entertaining watch, and the cheesy dialog only adds to the amusement. Sailor boy may have been a pretty weak protagonist but Hayward was quite charming. AMRU 3.5.

“She was no lullaby, but she had the brains, like a man.”

Boxcar Bertha (1972)

During the depression, Bertha (Barbara Hershey) joins up with a union rabble-rouser (David Carradine) and a card cheat to become outlaws. David’s dad John plays the evil rail baron.

Director Martin Scorsese was given an opportunity and a script from Roger Corman. This opportunity allegedly came with a requirement to include nudity, possibly every fifteen minutes or pages, it’s unclear. This didn’t stop Marty from being clever with his storytelling. Unfortunately there is only so much he could do with this sow’s ear. Famously John Cassavetes told Scorsese that was too good to be making this kind of shit.

Boxcar Bertha was rumored to be based on a true story, but it's not. This may have been a stunt to cause audiences to associate it with Bonnie and Clyde, a far better film. But story and acting performances aside, Boxcar Bertha isn’t hard to watch. And at 90 minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome. AMRU 3.