523+ Best Picture Nominees in 365 Days attempt #2 (1 Viewer)

[Matt Hough]

Basil Rathbone played Richardson's part on Broadway and won a Tony Award for his performance. How I WISH he could have repeated it for the film version (perhaps they thought he was a bit too old to be Olivia's father or Wyler or DeHavilland may simply not have liked him). It might finally have brought Basil an Oscar.

 

[battlebeast]

Basil Rathbone played Richardson's part on Broadway and won a Tony Award for his performance. How I WISH he could have repeated it for the film version (perhaps they thought he was a bit too old to be Olivia's father or Wyler or DeHavilland may simply not have liked him). It might finally have brought Basil an Oscar.

That would have been amazing! Basil deserved an Oscar... An underrated actor, I feel. Loved him in Robin Hood.

 

[Steve...O]

The ironic thing is that Rathbone was the right age to be Olivia's father. There's about a 24 years age difference. Lost opportunity.

I enjoy this thread. Best of luck with your goal!

 

[battlebeast]

The ironic thing is that Rathbone was the right age to be Olivia's father. There's about a 24 years age difference. Lost opportunity.
I enjoy this thread. Best of luck with your goal!

Thank you very, very much!!

 

[battlebeast]

523+ Films, 365 Days: Film #7 - Mister Roberts

View Date: 1/5/16
Warner Bros., 1955
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
Directed by: John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy
Staring: James Cagney, Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, William Powell, Ward Bond
Runtime: 2h 03min
Best quote: "How did you get in the Navy? How did you get on our side? Oh you ignorant, arrogant, ambitious... keeping sixty-two men in prison 'cause you got a palm tree for the work they did. I don't know which I hate worse, you or that other malignant growth that stands outside the door!" - Mister Roberts

Henry Fonda is one of the great actors of cinema, as are James Cagney and Jack Lemmon. All three are from different points in their careers: Cagney near the end of his, Fonda in the middle, and Lemmon, just in the early stages of his. Put all three together, and you get magic.

Fonda plays the titalur character Mister Roberts, second in command of the USS Reluctant, a Naval cargo ship commanded by the tyranical Captain Morton (James Cagney) during the waning days of WW2.

In order to climb the naval ladder, Morton abuses his staff and crew to the point where they fell prisoned as they haven't left the ship in over a year. Frustrated to no end, Mister Roberts will stop at nothing to end Morton's "Dictator Ship". However, when orders come in to proceed to a friendly port and give the men shore leave, Morton nixes the idea. And that is the last straw. With the help of a kindly Doctor (William Powell), and a lazy Ensign (Jack Lemmon, in his Oscar-winning role), Morton may just get what's coming to him.

Beautiful cinematography and terrific performances highlight this wonderful film. Cagney plays the evil tyrant Morton as he would a gangster in the 30's: cold and nasty as hell. But then there is Henry Fonda, the every-man hero, protecting the crew from the wrath of the boss. Jack Lemmon's part is good comic relief, and we all know how funny Jack Lemmon can be.

Notable is the good performance by William Powell, who held off retirement for this one last picture. It is said that he was unable to remember his lines and needed help. Still, a wonderful film to go out on.

Mister Roberts feels like an updated version of Mutiny on the Bounty, with Captain Bligh (Cagney), Fletcher Christian (Fonda) and Byam (Lemmon). Although there is no mutiny in Mister Roberts, it certainly feels as though there will be. Maybe the throwing overboard of the sacred palm tree is the mutiny?

At any rate, this is a fun film, and I can see why it was #2 at the box office in 1954. However, with films that year like East of Eden, Summertime, Love Me or Leave Me, Rebel Without a Cause and Bad day at Black Rock, it seems to me that there were much better films to nominate for Best Picture. (But, as was the theme in the 1950's with the Academy, they choose not to nominate many of the films garnering the most nominations, and instead going for the popular films.)

In the end, this film is a good 2 hours worth of entertainment. You won't be disappointed.

Mister Roberts was released on DVD from Warners in 1998, and then again in 2006. The version viewed was from 2006. The picture is next to perfect, with beautiful "Warnercolor" all around. There are no artifacts present in this transfer; however, the picture is not 100% perfect. barely noticeable but still very much present is some flickering of the picture. This happens ever so slightly two or three times during the early part of the film.

The one other blemish on the transfer occurs when Fonda's Mister Roberts is standing on the deck of his ship, viewing the sunset. The water appears a brilliant sapphire blue, but a jarring flicker instantly changes the water to an almost black color. I don't know if this is from the print used to make the DVD, or if they had to use two prints, or if this was a mistake made in restoring the film. Has anyone else noticed this? What ever the case, it only last for a second, and although annoying, is gone right away.

The audio is clean, clear and crisp. No extra noises, pops, crackle of hiss present. A very good presentation for the Oscar nominated sound. One thing I did notice was the sound of water lapping at the side of the ship. Even on my TV speakers, it sounded as if I was very close to that water. Very pleased.

Bonus features include several decent items. First is a clip from the 1979 Kennedy Center Honors, where Fonda was honored. This clip, centered around the play and film versions of Mister Roberts, is narrated by Jane Fonda, and a very welcome addition. Touching to see an emotional Henry Fonda.

There is also a segment from Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, where the three main cast members (Cagney, Lemmon and Fonda) appear on his show to plug the movie. A unique piece and another welcome addition.

Jack Lemmon gives scene specific commentary. Thought not a full commentary, it is very welcome to hear from the Oscar-Winner himself about his own film.

Also appearing are Warner's obligatory text pages on the making of the film, awards, and cast and crew biographies. These "text pages" were present on many early Warner DVDs, and are actually mostly annoying. Thank God they don't do this anymore. I mean, was it really necessary to have a page called "Awards" and only list Jack Lemmon's Supporting Oscar win?

Lastly is an almost 5 minute movie trailer. These days, trailers aren't his long and don't say as much about the film. It is quite nice to see trailers like this.

DVD: 4/5
Audio/video: 4.75
Bonus Features: 3/5
Film: 4/5

 

[atfree]

523+ Films, 365 Days: Film #7 - Mister Roberts

View Date: 1/5/16
Warner Bros., 1955
Genre: Comedy
Rated: PG
Directed by: John Ford, Mervyn LeRoy
Staring: James Cagney, Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon, William Powell, Ward Bond
Runtime: 2h 03min
Best quote: "How did you get in the Navy? How did you get on our side? Oh you ignorant, arrogant, ambitious... keeping sixty-two men in prison 'cause you got a palm tree for the work they did. I don't know which I hate worse, you or that other malignant growth that stands outside the door!" - Mister Roberts

Henry Fonda is one of the great actors of cinema, as are James Cagney and Jack Lemmon. All three are from different points in their careers: Cagney near the end of his, Fonda in the middle, and Lemmon, just in the early stages of his. Put all three together, and you get magic.

Fonda plays the titalur character Mister Roberts, second in command of the USS Reluctant, a Naval cargo ship commanded by the tyranical Captain Morton (James Cagney) during the waning days of WW2.

In order to climb the naval ladder, Morton abuses his staff and crew to the point where they fell prisoned as they haven't left the ship in over a year. Frustrated to no end, Mister Roberts will stop at nothing to end Morton's "Dictator Ship". However, when orders come in to proceed to a friendly port and give the men shore leave, Morton nixes the idea. And that is the last straw. With the help of a kindly Doctor (William Powell), and a lazy Ensign (Jack Lemmon, in his Oscar-winning role), Morton may just get what's coming to him.

Beautiful cinematography and terrific performances highlight this wonderful film. Cagney plays the evil tyrant Morton as he would a gangster in the 30's: cold and nasty as hell. But then there is Henry Fonda, the every-man hero, protecting the crew from the wrath of the boss. Jack Lemmon's part is good comic relief, and we all know how funny Jack Lemmon can be.

Notable is the good performance by William Powell, who held off retirement for this one last picture. It is said that he was unable to remember his lines and needed help. Still, a wonderful film to go out on.

Mister Roberts feels like an updated version of Mutiny on the Bounty, with Captain Bligh (Cagney), Fletcher Christian (Fonda) and Byam (Lemmon). Although there is no mutiny in Mister Roberts, it certainly feels as though there will be. Maybe the throwing overboard of the sacred palm tree is the mutiny?

At any rate, this is a fun film, and I can see why it was #2 at the box office in 1954. However, with films that year like East of Eden, Summertime, Love Me or Leave Me, Rebel Without a Cause and Bad day at Black Rock, it seems to me that there were much better films to nominate for Best Picture. (But, as was the theme in the 1950's with the Academy, they choose not to nominate many of the films garnering the most nominations, and instead going for the popular films.)

In the end, this film is a good 2 hours worth of entertainment. You won't be disappointed.

Mister Roberts was released on DVD from Warners in 1998, and then again in 2006. The version viewed was from 2006. The picture is next to perfect, with beautiful "Warnercolor" all around. There are no artifacts present in this transfer; however, the picture is not 100% perfect. barely noticeable but still very much present is some flickering of the picture. This happens ever so slightly two or three times during the early part of the film.

The one other blemish on the transfer occurs when Fonda's Mister Roberts is standing on the deck of his ship, viewing the sunset. The water appears a brilliant sapphire blue, but a jarring flicker instantly changes the water to an almost black color. I don't know if this is from the print used to make the DVD, or if they had to use two prints, or if this was a mistake made in restoring the film. Has anyone else noticed this? What ever the case, it only last for a second, and although annoying, is gone right away.

The audio is clean, clear and crisp. No extra noises, pops, crackle of hiss present. A very good presentation for the Oscar nominated sound. One thing I did notice was the sound of water lapping at the side of the ship. Even on my TV speakers, it sounded as if I was very close to that water. Very pleased.

Bonus features include several decent items. First is a clip from the 1979 Kennedy Center Honors, where Fonda was honored. This clip, centered around the play and film versions of Mister Roberts, is narrated by Jane Fonda, and a very welcome addition. Touching to see an emotional Henry Fonda.

There is also a segment from Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town, where the three main cast members (Cagney, Lemmon and Fonda) appear on his show to plug the movie. A unique piece and another welcome addition.

Jack Lemmon gives scene specific commentary. Thought not a full commentary, it is very welcome to hear from the Oscar-Winner himself about his own film.

Also appearing are Warner's obligatory text pages on the making of the film, awards, and cast and crew biographies. These "text pages" were present on many early Warner DVDs, and are actually mostly annoying. Thank God they don't do this anymore. I mean, was it really necessary to have a page called "Awards" and only list Jack Lemmon's Supporting Oscar win?

Lastly is an almost 5 minute movie trailer. These days, trailers aren't his long and don't say as much about the film. It is quite nice to see trailers like this.

DVD: 4/5
Audio/video: 4.75
Bonus Features: 3/5
Film: 4/5

One of my favorite films.....hopeful for a blu-ray one day.

 

[Steve...O]

Mister Roberts is crying out for a BD from Warner. I love this film. Cagney and Lemmon are hysterical and Bill Powell plays his swan song to perfection.

 

[RMajidi]

Warren, I'm gobsmacked by the challenge you've set yourself, and even more impressed by the quality of your reviews to date. Great going!

 

[battlebeast]

Warren, I'm gobsmacked by the challenge you've set yourself, and even more impressed by the quality of your reviews to date. Great going!

Thanks... that means a lot.

 

[battlebeast]

523+ Films, 365 Days: Day 6, Film #8 - Nashville

View Date: 1/6/16
ABC, 1975
Genre: Drama
Rated: R
Directed by: Robert Altman
Staring: David Arkin. Barbara Baxley, Ned Beatty, Karen Black, Ronee Blakley, Tim Brown, Keith Carradine, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert DoQui, Shelly Duvall, Alan Garfield, Henry Gibson, Scott Glenn, Jeff Goldblum, Barbara HArris, David Hayward, Michael Murphy, Allan F. Nicholls, Dave Peel, Christina Raines, Bert Remsen, Lily Tomlin, Gwen Welles, Keenan Wynn, Hal Phillip Walker
Runtime: 2h 39min
Best quote: "Who do you think is running Congress? Farmers? Engineers? Teachers? Businessmen? No, my friends. Congress is run by lawyers. A lawyer is trained for two things and two things only. To clarify - that's one. And to confuse - that's the other. He does whichever is to his client's advantage. Did you ever ask a lawyer the time of day? He told you how to make a watch, didn't he? Ever ask a lawyer how to get to Mr. Jones' house in the country? You got lost, didn't you? Congress is composed of five hundred and thirty-five individuals. Two hundred and eighty-eight are lawyers. And you wonder what's wrong in Congress. No wonder we often know how to make a watch, but we don't know the time of day." - Hal Phillip Walker

Over the course of five days in Nashville, 24 people's lives will interconnect. Who are these people? Musicians, politicians, managers, husbands and wives.

One person (Lily Tomlin), a mother to two deaf children, is having an affair with a musician (Keith Carradine), who is womanizer also romancing a BBC reporter (Geraldine Chaplin, who is covering Nashville for a documentary. She tries her best to interview people of the town like Barbara Jean (Ronee Blakely), Nashville's sweetheart country music singer, and Haven Hamilton, a country music singer with politcal aspirations.

These are only some of the 24½ people we meet who lives and challenges are interconnected and culminate in one final, explosive moment.

The first time I viewed Nashville, I hated it. Even thought I grew up on country music, I didn't get this film. I didn't like the overlapping sounds that Altman was famous for, and I got lost in all the different character plots. This time around, I didn't hate the film, and I have a better understanding of it.

The music is brilliant; the songs fit the mood and genre to a tee. Its a shame that more than just Keith Carradine's I'm Easy were not nominated for an Oscar, because most of the songs are top quality. And, many of the songs were written by the actors themselves. Keith Carradine won the Oscar and a Golden Globe for I'm Easy. many of the other characters sing their own songs. But the film has too many characters, like most Altman films do. Keeping all of the characters and story lines straight is a headache. Don't get me wrong, the performances are terrific, especially Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine and Ronee Blakley. Altman's construction of the film, his editing of the film, putting all the stories and characters together to make a coherent film was a work of art. But there are simply too many stories which makes the film confusing. It's simply too hard to keep every character and story straight.

of all the cast, my two favorite characters, one is seen and not heard, and the other heard but not seen. Yes, I am referring to Tricycle Man (Jeff Goldblum), who seems to be at every major point in the film, and Hal Phillip Walker's campaign van. I liked how Tricycle Man was used as a segue between points in the film. I also like his mysteriousness and the ambiguity surrounding him. The campaign van is a unique character in itself (and it is a character). I loved how the van just rolls along, spewing political rhetoric without us ever seeing the man behind the voice. This is truly a unique plot device. I've never seen another film with a character like this.

The one thing that bothers me when I first watched this film and even now, on my second viewing, was the use of sound by Altman. In M*A*S*H, he used it sparingly, but here, many, many scenes use the overlapping dialogue to the point where it is darn near impossible to understand who one should be listening to. Too many conversations ruin a scene. I agree there is a time and place for this technique; it was used to great effect on M*A*S*H, but it's overuse here was, to me, a mark against the film.

Robert Altman's films are very hit and miss for me. I know many of you probably love this film; I loved M*A*S*H, and I loved Short Cuts, but Nashville... I don't hate it anymore, I just don't care for it.

The Blue Ray, released in December, 2013, is a thing of beauty. Being a Criterion release, I'd expect nothing less. The picture is perfect, with not a spec of anything to be found. The audio is likewise perfect; you are able to hear all of the overlapping conversation garble clearly. The multitude of songs used in the film ring beautifully. Kudos to Criterion for getting everything right!

Bonus features on the Criterion Blu Ray are very good, as most Criterion releases have top notch special features.

First, we have a "Making of" feature. At over an hour long, this is a splendid behind the scenes portrait of the films production. Lily Tomlin, Keith Carradine, Ronee Blakely and screenwriter Joan Tewkesbury highlight the individuals interviewed.

Second, there are three informative interviews with the late Bob Altman. All three are very informative, and tend to repeat themselves a tad, but that's OK. The only thing I wonder is why, on the first interview from 1975, is there a black rectangle blocking something out? What have they redacted?

Thirdly is two demos of Keith Carradine singing two of his songs.

There is also the film's trailer, which many Blu Rays these days are sadly lacking.

An audio commentary from Altman himself is present, and always a wonderful addition.

Lastly, there is a booklet with an essay. All Blu Rays should have a small booklet included!

It's too bad there were no deleted scenes included, as Altman stated himself that the rough cut of Nashville ran over 5 hours!

Blu Ray: 5/5
Audio/Video: 5/5
Bonus Features: 4.5/5
Film: 3/5

 

[Steve...O]

Warren, I'm gobsmacked by the challenge you've set yourself, and even more impressed by the quality of your reviews to date. Great going!

Warren's comments and reviews will undoubtedly lead others (myself included ) to seek out films that otherwise would not be seen.

I am envious of his ability to do this. On a good night I can spend an hour watching a disc so most movies take me two days to watch.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Even when I have the time, I can be too indecisive. Last night I had a two hour window, and couldn't figure out what to watch, and by the time I settled on some options, there wasn't enough time to fit them in. The discipline it takes to commit to something like this is incredible.

 

[RMajidi]

Warren's comments and reviews will undoubtedly lead others (myself included ) to seek out films that otherwise would not be seen.
I am envious of his ability to do this. On a good night I can spend an hour watching a disc so most movies take me two days to watch.

Even when I have the time, I can be too indecisive. Last night I had a two hour window, and couldn't figure out what to watch, and by the time I settled on some options, there wasn't enough time to fit them in. The discipline it takes to commit to something like this is incredible.

I wish I had more opportunity for viewing, as my purchasing has far outpaced my viewing, leading to a huge backlog of unseen Blus and DVDs.

Even so, I'd be wary of making the sort of commitment that Warren's made, for fear that I'd end up resenting my film collection as a chore that must be done, instead of a pleasurable retreat. I don't think that will be a danger for Warren, as clearly he's done this before and knows the territory; and I suspect the two-fold aspect (viewing, then reporting) will help to keep things fresh.

This thread is going to be a frequent haunt for me over the next year, as I'm enjoying Warren's review style and will no doubt be moved to explore some of the titles he covers, as Steve suggests.

 

[battlebeast]

Thank you all for your kind words.


One of the reasons I am doing this is because, as RMajidi said, my purchasing has outweighed my viewing. This is a way for me to view the films I have purchased, at least once. And, as an added bonus, If I manage to get even one person to view a film they have never seen... well, it just makes me feel really good.


And believe me, juggling all of these films will be a struggle. I will be a challenge, but one I am up for! And no, it won't deminish my love for film at all!


The reason I like collecting nominees is that it is a very diverse and eclectic mix of films across 88 years of film history. No, not every film nominated is a good one; in fact, there are some terrible ones... and some very, Very, VERY good ones. Had I not started collecting them, I would have missed out on finding several of my favorite films: Wings, The Adventures of Robin Hood, and, of course, The Shawshank Redemption. I would not have found such gems as Life is Beautiful, Mississippi Burning or Gandhi.


I call myself a cinephile. I love the movies. I love motion pictures. I like every genre there is. But if I didn't collect these films, would I ever watch The Emigrants or Cries and Whispers? Probably not. Atonement? Never.


I'm glad this thread has been well received (so far). Thank you very much! My next review will be posted shortly.

 

[battlebeast]

523+ Films, 365 Days: Day 7, Film #9 - The Thin Man​

View Date: 1/7/16
MGM, 1934
Genre: Comedic Mystery
Rated: PG
Directed by: W.S. Van Dyke
Staring: William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O'Sullivan, Cesar Romero
Runtime: 1h 31min
Best quote: "I'm a hero. I was shot twice in the Tribune." "I read where you were shot 5 times in the tabloids..." "It's not true. He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids." - Nick and Nora Charles

When eccentric Old Man Wynant goes missing, his daughter (Maureen O'Sullivan) calls on retired dectective Nick Charles (William Powell) to find him. Reluctant to take the case, he is proded into helping find the old man by his wife (Myrna Loy). However, when the old man is accused of murder, Nick Charles is pulled directly into the case. Now determined to solve the case, Nick Charles will... as only he can.

The Thin Man was a plesant surprise for me the first time I watched it, and it was again this time. I rarely laugh out loud at films, and especially not on a second viewing. However, the witty banter and comedic dialogue brilliantly quoted by Powell and Loy (who are perfectly cast together) made me laugh my @$$ off several times. The screenplay is a near masterpiece of writing. At a time when the Hayes Code was about to erupt all over the motion picture industry, this film produces double entendres that make Rhett Buttler's damn look wholesome. "Why is that man in my drawers?" Shocking! "He didn't come anywhere near my tabloids." OUTRAGEOUS! It is a crying shame that this film wasn't nominated for a writing Oscar, as it truly deserved one.

[EDIT] This film WAS nominated for its screenplay. Sorry. I'm usually not this erroneous.

Perfect casting, a near perfect screenplay adaptation of Dashiell Hammet's novel and top notch direction from ol' "One Take Woody" make this laugh out loud classic a must see.

The DVD, I believe released in 2007, gives us an uneven transfer of a terrific film. At times the picture looks good, but then when it fades to black... BOOM! all the scratches and artifacts show their ugly faces. At times the picture looks crisp, but that doesn't last long. The film often looks kinda fuzzy, and with the artifacts showing themselves even on light grays, The Thin Man screams for at least a 2K remaster and a restoration.

This is not to say that the entire film is unwatchable; quite the contrary. Like most releases from the 1930s, this one needs work, but this transfer won't ruin your enjoyment of the film.

The audio is good, and, like many films that are over 80 years old, this one too could use a remastering of the soundtrack.

Bonus features are virtually non-existent, save for a gallery of trailers (4) from the The Thin Man series (Including this film's trailer). The olbigatory cast and crew text pages are here as well and as useless as ever. They list only film credits for the main cast and director, which I can easily find on the IMDB.

DVD: 3/5
Audio/Video: 3/5
Bonus Features: 1.5/5
Film: 4/5

 

[Matt Hough]

I can pluck The Thin Man from its place on my mystery shelf, put it in, and lose myself utterly for its 90-or-so minutes of running time. It's a near-perfect blend of characters and plot, and the fact that I know who the murderer is now every time I rewatch it doesn't matter at all as I watch events unfold. Nick and Nora and their world are fun people to know and fun places to visit.


Going into Oscar night, The Thin Man was the odds-on favorite to win, not It Happened One Night. As is sometimes the case, the favorite did not pick up the prize.


BTW, the film's screenplay was nominated for Best Adaptation but lost to, naturally, It Happened One Night.


1934 was the year of the Bette Davis scandal. She was not nominated for Of Human Bondage, and members were so outraged that the Academy allowed write-in votes. While Bette still didn't win (she came in third behind Colbert and Norma Shearer), Myrna Loy (who hadn't been nominated for The Thin Man though Powell had) received enough write-in votes to be named a runner-up.

 

[Mike Frezon]

You know, I've never seen the Thin Man. My wife and I are dog lovers (and also love Crossword Puzzles) so we are very familiar with the idea of Nick & Nora Charles and their terrier Asta).


My wife also tends to love older films. While she didn't love our recent viewing of You Can't Take It With You, she is a big fan of Grand Hotel and It Happened One Night (among others).


What would be the best way for me to go about dipping our toe into the Thin Man pool, as it were? I guess there's no Blu-ray of the first film yet?

 

[Matt Hough]

You know, I've never seen the Thin Man. My wife and I are dog lovers (and also love Crossword Puzzles) so we are very familiar with the idea of Nick & Nora Charles and their terrier Asta).


My wife also tends to love older films. While she didn't love our recent viewing of You Can't Take It With You, she is a big fan of Grand Hotel and It Happened One Night (among others).


What would be the best way for me to go about dipping our toe into the Thin Man pool, as it were? I guess there's no Blu-ray of the first film yet?

No, no Blu-ray of any of the six films. I would guess looking at the DVD that there is no original negative for the movie since it was hugely popular and was constantly reissued along with the newest sequel, so it likely got worn out.

 

[Mike Frezon]

Is there any preferred version? I see there's been a "Collection" of the six films. Quality any better/worse one place or another?


EDIT: And it looks like TCM put out a "Volume 1" of the Thin Man films. No #2 anywhere?

 

[Lee Smith]

Warner Bros. had a Thin Man Collection set about 10 years ago. It had all 6 Thin Man movies and an extra disk call 'Alias Nick and Nora'. Unfortunately, it's OOP.