Born to Kill (1947)

A floozy wants to get her tough underworld-type boyfriend (Lawrence Tierney) jealous, so she goes out with a young sap. He responds by killing them. The bodies are found by a woman (Claire Trevor) who considers calling the police, but has a train to catch. So does the murderer, who takes a fancy to her.

Truth be told, I selected this film because I saw Lawrence Tierney’s name and mistook it for Gene. I’m glad I did. Lawrence was an interesting chap. Violent and hot-headed in real life, he was perfectly cast as the violent and hot-headed Sam. His career is pockmarked with confrontations and bar fights. It’s a wonder his career lasted as long as it did, not to mention his life.

Gritty and pessimistic, this is not the kind of film I expect from Robert Wise. No doubt a talented director, but even his horror films tend to exhibit a certain optimism. Elisha Cook Jr. is great as usual as Sam’s buddy, and I must blurb on Walter Slezak sometime, but today my attention is drawn to Claire Trevor. We’ve crossed paths a few times but I’ve never taken the time to notice her. Here she is the object of desire but a year later she gets slapped around in Key Largo. Eight years prior she was a hooker with a heart of gold in Stagecoach. She was fantastic here and I must pay her closer attention in the future.

Born to Kill may be a non-traditional noir, but make no mistake, noir it is. And I thoroughly enjoyed every scene, never knowing precisely where the story leads. I could quibble with a few story elements, but noir tends to have an element of fantastic realism. It was a fun watch. AMRU 4.

The Sound of Music (1965)

Young Maria (Julie Andrews) is a misfit at a convent, so they convince her to take the job of a governess of seven children (the oldest is sixteen, going on seventeen), of a military disciplinarian. Who hates Nazis.

Loosely based on real life, what actually happened over two decades is depicted over a few months. There are a great many other inaccuracies, but I won’t bore you with Wikipedia stuff. What’s interesting about this movie? If you know it only by pop culture references, you may be surprised by the presence of Nazis. They are actually a foundational part of the story. What shouldn’t be surprising is that Julie Andrews is wonderful and lights up the screen every time she’s on, which is virtually every frame.

Grumpy Christopher Plummer, who hated making the film and hated the end product, called working with Andrews as being hit over the head with a Valentine’s day card every day. He used an old actors technique to get himself through the shoot called drink-yourself-blotto. Maybe his malcontentedness helped him channel his inner jerk. Real father Georg wasn’t the dower soul as he is depicted. The real Maria and Von Trapp children asked to have his character soften, but what fun would that be. Maria was something of a pest on the set.

The Sound of Music is a wonderfully looking film. The combination of fluffy songs with evading the Nazis tied up in a Rom Com format is unexpectedly enjoyable. Robert Wise knows how to shoot a film and is a much underrated director. AMRU 4.

“The poor didn’t want this one.”

Mademoiselle Fifi (1944)

Pretty seamstress Elizabeth (Simone Simon) shares a coach ride with a variety of upper class people during the Franco-Prussian war. When a German officer called Mademoiselle Fifi (yea, the strapping dude played by the dashing Kurt Kreuger had a lady's name - that wasn't properly explained) holds up the coach until she dines with him, the others at first support her defiance. When they realize how much their business interests suffer by her defiance, they convince her to "Dine with" him. She dines with him but the others assume that she "dined with" him, but in reality she just dined with him. They are cold to her when the coach is allowed to continue.

At her destination also arrives the new priest. The old priest would not ring the church bell out of defiance to the Germans. The officers make all the pretty seamstresses wear "lady of quality" dresses so that they can have a party with them. At first Elizabeth defies them but she is convinced by the others that they will lose their jobs if she does not go.

Based on a Guy de Maupassant story (as was the basic premise of Stagecoach), this is a story about people standing up to a threat even though their personal interests are in jeopardy. Something not lost on 1944's France. In the original story Elizabeth was no seamstress and she totally "dined with" Fifi, nudge nudge. Also, the fifi nickname was an implication that he preferred to dine with men.

Hey, look, Batman's Alfred! He was also in Cat People. Also, Jason Robards' father. Lots of contract players here.

This movie hit my radar because it A) was produced by Val Lewton, B) was directed by Robert Wise, and C) starred the adorable Simone Simon. While the sets were excellent and it was wonderfully directed, it was something of a snoozer. Maybe the story resonated better during the war.

Glad I saw it, held my interest, won't see again. AMRU 3.

Curse of the Cat People (1944)

The makers of Cat People got together and said "That seemed to have worked. Let's do a sequel." But instead they made a different movie and called it Curse of the Cat People.

The principle actors are back but now the story surrounds little Amy. She's a strange girl who doesn't play with the other children and believes in a fantasy world. Mom and Dad grow concerned. Amy befriends a crazy old shut-in, talks to ghosts, and is watched over by calypso singer Sir Lancelot. I won't say more lest I spoil the original. I'll say this, though. Ollie never does learn to act.

Curse of the Cat People has no cat people and, in my estimation, no curse either. What it does have are nuanced scenes and good atmosphere. But there is little to confuse with the original. Or horror movies in general. It's a thriller, I suppose, but despite elements of the supernatural, not horror. It falls short of the original, but still well worth watching. AMRU 3.

The Haunting (1963)

College Professor wants to do research into the paranormal. Specifically, he wants to study a haunted house. So he hires a couple hot research assistants and sets up shop inside the most haunted house in New England: Hill House. Nephew of the owner tags along for fun.

So, in they cart their expensive research equipment. No inferred cameras and motion sensor, but good stuff none-the-less. No, there aren't any tape recorders or thermal detectors either. Basically, he brings in blank sheets of paper. There, his highly trained staff ply their trade. Well, actually, the only qualification they seem to have is ignorance of the house and a willingness to work cheap. And, come to think of it, I never see them writing on that paper. So much for a well thought out experiment.

So, our ingenue protagonist is young Nell (Julie Harris, 38). She's never been out on her own before and seems to come chuck full with her own baggage. The other assistant is worldly Theo (Claire Bloom, 32). She likey Nell. At least as much as 1963 Hollywood would allow. Their fearless leader is Doctor Markway (Richard Johnson, 36), hunky married man. Russ Tamblyn plays nephew Luke. He don't believe in ghosts.

Well our gang has pleasant conversation, creepy things happen, Nell falls for Doctor, Nell argues with Theo, really creepy things happen, Nell goes insane, and they all live happily ever after. Except the people who die.

The Haunting is a very respected horror movie. A quick search of IMdb for keyword Haunted House and Horror Movie, it ranks sixth all time (right behind Zombieland, go figure). I had high hopes. I wasn't too disappointed, but it failed to live up to it's reputation. It wasn't very creepy, the ending was weak, and the history of the house was never fully explained. Still, it earns a respectable AMRU 3. Maybe I'll read the book.

"The dead are not quiet in Hill House."

The Body Snatcher (1945)

No, not one of the Invasion Of movies. 1945's The Body Snatcher is based on a Robert Louis Stevenson short story. I should see if I have a copy of it to see how close it comes. Here, the body snatcher is a man who steals dead bodies and sells them to medical students. His name is Cabman John Gray, but folks round town call him Boris.

Young hot-shot medical student has second thoughts about his chosen profession, but the cold hearted head doctor takes him under his wing and makes him his apprentice. Here he learns that not all cadavers the college uses are obtained in a strictly legal manner.

Young good doctor feels a little better about it when he decides to champion the case of a young girl who lost the use of her legs in the same accident that made her hot momma a widow. Hubba hubba. When young good doctor finally convinces old heartless doctor to actually touch a patient, he once again needs the service of even older, evil cabman.

But the body Boris brings back is a little fresher than most. If it weren't for the poor little girl, and her hot momma, he would have some serious misgivings about this arrangement. Besides, you can't turn in the guy who you buy dead bodies from.

Anyhow, we find out more of Cold Old Doctor and Evil Older Cabman's history together. Seems that the cabman did some serious time for protecting the identity of the old doctor, and he uses that fact to his advantage. How does it end? You'll just have to rent it. Bela Lugosi plays Ygor to the Old Doctor.

This came on the same DVD as I Walked with a Zombie and was something of a surprise. While I liked the former better, this had the same quality production. It was directed by Robert Wise, who has his name on films like The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Sound of Music, and West Side Story. Sadly, he also has his name attached with stinkers like Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

Now, everybody know the Bela Lugosi voice. I Vant to Bite your Neck! There is also a Boris Karloff voice, an over-the-top English accent parodied in the song, The Monster Mash. Here is the first film where I heard that voice. Boris was a bit over the top, but it worked. Each film I see him in I am impressed anew. AMRU 4.

The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)

Ya know, I'm sick of crappy horror movies. Without a decent one at my disposal, I popped in last year's Christmas gift.

Michael Rennie was ill The Day the Earth Stood Still, but he told us where we stand. Actually, while he was shot, he had gotten better by the time he made the earth stand still. And by the time he got around to letting us know where we stand, well, let's not get into that ...

A space ship lands in Washington DC. Out comes Klaatu bearing gifts. The military shoots him, then takes him prisoner. He has a message to give to the world, but he must speak to all leaders, not just some. This proves impossible. So, he goes out on the town.

He rents a room at a boarding house and meets a single mom and her son (Patricia Neal and Billy Gray). Stuff happens, they tour DC, he meets a scientist, Neal's douche bag boyfriend tries to turn Klaatu in, Gort goes berserk, then Klaatu makes his grand speech.

Of all the B Sci-Fi movies, this one is my favorite. When I spoke earlier how dark and light can be used as effective elements in a black and white film, here is the evidence. Klaatu/Mr. Carpenter (Jesus reference!) stands in darkness at the boarding house. The others, transfixed by the news story of the saucer landing, suddenly notice him. Slowly he enters the light and inquires about a room. The scene is close to perfection.

Later in the film, Neal and Rennie are driving through DC and the military is at every corner. The actors were filmed in California and were spliced into Washington DC footage. Not only do the scenes match, the route driven (I am told) actually makes sense. The attention to detail and level of craftsmanship is unparalleled in B movies.

Say what you will about the preachy ending, this movie is a gem. Not flawless, but truly excellent. I'll sign off with my favorite line from the movie.

"You'll feel different when you see my picture in the paper."
"I feel different right now."

AMRU 5. You thought I'd say "Klaatu, barada, nikto", didn't you