Classic St. Patrick's Day Films

It be St. Paddy's Day on the morrow and if ye be a classic film fan, ye'll be wanting to sit back and relax and watch a grand film set on the Emerald Isle. But what film would you be wanting to watch? Faith, man can watch The Quiet Man no more than twenty times before knowing the script word for word! This is where this wee list of classic films may be of service to ye. Not all of the films are about Irish lore and leprechauns but they have enough atmosphere to get you into the spirit of the "wearing of the green".

Aye, enough now with the babbling and on with the listing! 

1. Darby O'Gill and the Little People ( 1959 )

Can any film top Darby for St. Patrick's Day? This Walt Disney classic has everything - leprechauns, banshees, pots of gold, a pretty Irish girl....and even Sean Connery! Albert Sharpe gives an excellent performance as the wily old codger who manages to trick King Brian, the king of the leprechauns, into granting him three wishes. Charles Stinson of the Los Angeles Times sums up the film well: "Being a Disney product, it is as technically perfect a job as can be had; the Technicolor, the camera work, the special effects, the Irish music and all are a rich feast for anyone's eye and ear." The special effects are indeed wonderful and sixty years later are just as impressive as when the film was first released. 

2. The Luck of the Irish ( 1948 )

Honestly, this one nearly topped the list of great films to watch on St. Patrick's Day. It is a classic all-around...a wonderful cast, a whimsical story, and excellent direction by Henry Koster. Tyrone Power plays a freelance writer named Steven Fitzgerald who befriends a leprechaun ( Cecil Kellaway ) while he is stranded in a village in Ireland. He manages to capture him and demand his gold but, not wanting to take the old man's life savings, returns the pot to him. The leprechaun is so grateful he follows Fitzgerald back to New York City and helps him realize his heart's desire. 

3. The Quiet Man ( 1952 )

Who has not seen The Quiet Man? Nevertheless, if you happen to be one of those rare folk who avoids John Wayne films, then this is the film you should watch to change your opinion of The Duke. It has a wonderful script, gorgeous Technicolor footage of Ireland, and a cast of classic Irish actors. Wayne plays retired American boxer Sean Thorton, who returns to his hometown village in Ireland and begins a courtship with the spirited lass Mary Kate ( Maureen O'Hara ) through the aid of the local matchmaker Michaleen ( Barry Fitzgerald ). When her brother refuses to accept Sean as his brother-in-law, the entire village waits for Sean to assert himself and win Mary Kate as his bride. 

4. Little Nellie Kelly ( 1940 )

Mix together Judy Garland, George Murphy, a little romance, and some lovely Irish folk tunes and what have ye? A marvelous movie, that's what. If you are a Judy Garland fan, you may be sad to see her character die within the first 20 minutes of the film....but she pops again shortly after, this time in the form of the daughter of Nellie Kelly. Nellie is the apple of her father's eye and when she elopes with Jerry Kelly ( George Murphy ) behind his back, he fills his heart with spite against the young man. Jerry takes his new bride and his father-in-law ( Charles Winniger ) to America, gets a job as a policeman, and faithfully supports both his daughter Nellie and his father-in-law. When Little Nellie finds a beau of her own she decides it is about time that her grandfather and father made peace. 

5. Top O' the Morning ( 1949 )

This is another seldom-seen gem from the 1940s. Bing Crosby plays an insurance investigator sent to IReland to catch the criminal behind the recent theft of the Blarney Stone. The village constaple ( Barry Fitzgerald ) is not too pleased to have an American poking his nose into "official policing busyness" but his daughter ( Ann Blyth ) takes a shine to him. Top O' the Morning is one of those films that you may not think much of the first time you watch it but it grows on you with subsequent viewings. The sets are well-made and evoke an Irish air and the music is lovely. Ann Blyth sings "You're in Love with Someone" and Bing Crosby croons some newly-written but old-sounding Irish tunes. 

6. Brigadoon ( 1954 )

What has Brigadoon to do with St. Patrick's Day...or even Ireland? Absolutely nothing! Nevertheless, watching the fantasy realm of Brigadoon appear before my eyes from the Scottish midst, always puts me in an Irish mood. Perhaps it's the dancing...or perhaps it is the presence of Gene Kelly, that famous Irish-Canadian. Whatever it be, if you want to dance a jig, put Brigadoon on your tele. Gene Kelly and Van Johnson play two Americans who get lost in the Scottish highlands and discover the village of Brigadoon, where everyone is dressed in "funny clothing". They soon learn that the village is a mystical village and appears only once every 100 years. This certainly dampens the spirit of Tommy ( Kelly ) because he has fallen in love with a young woman ( Cyd Charisse ) from Brigadoon. 

7. The Secret of Boyne Castle ( 1969 )

Now, this is a rarity indeed! In our house, we watch it every March just prior to St. Patrick's Day, but even a hardcore Disney fan may not be familiar with the title. Several years before Kurt Russell took on the role of Dexter Riley in a series of college-themed comedies for the Walt Disney studios, he played this Hardy Boys-type character named Rich Evans. Rich and his pal Sean ( Patrick Dawson ) are at a boarding school in Ireland when a fatally wounded man gives Rich a dying message...."Boyne Castle, the hand iron, tell Tom he will find the papers there.". Rich and Sean are quickly embroiled in a spy chase leading them throughout the Irish countryside to the final showdown at Boyne Castle itself. This made-for-television film is great fun to watch. It is filled with non-stop chasing and some lovely location footage of Ireland in the 1960s. 

8. The Fighting Prince of Donegal ( 1966 )

Yet another Irish-themed film from Walt Disney Studios, this time about the legendary Irish prince Hugh O'Donnell and his fight against the British troops in the 16th century. Peter McEnery stars as the swashbuckling youth with Susan Hampshire as his lady love. 

9. Yankee Doodle Dandy ( 1942 )

What more famous Irish-American be there but George M. Cohen? Warner Brothers certainly thought he merited a biopic and, after investing 1.5 million dollars in the production, released Yankee Doodle Dandy in 1942. James Cagney played the dandy who captured the hearts of thousands on Broadway throughout the early 1900s. In real life, Mr. Cohen wanted Fred Astaire to play him onscreen, but honestly, Astaire could never have delivered Cagney's Academy Award winning performance. 

10. The Irish in Us ( 1935 )

If you want to see a typical Irish family in action, then The Irish in Us is the film to watch. Mary Gordon plays Ms. O'Hara, the mother of three grown men, Danny ( James Cagney ), Pat ( Pat O'Brien ), and Michael ( Frank McHugh ). Pat is in love with his boss's daughter but is surprised when his brother Danny starts romancing his girl( Olivia de Havilland)! Prior to starting the film, one can easily guess that James Cagney will win the girl, but even so, it is fun to watch him spar with his brother in order to do so. 

11. My Wild Irish Rose ( 1947 )

If you enjoyed George M. Cohen's life story then why not take a gander at this biopic on Chauncey Olcott, the 19th-century singer-songwriter? Dennis Morgan gives a wonderful tune-filled performance of the popular Irishman and Arlene Dahl looks pretty in Technicolor ( incidently, this was her screen debut ). 

12. Finian's Rainbow ( 1968 )

Before Francis Ford Coppola filmed The Godfather, he made this whimsical Irish musical that starred Fred Astaire as Finian McLonergan, an Irishman who stole a pot of gold from the leprechaun Og ( Tommy Steele ). Og comes to Rainbow Valley, where Finian and his daughter ( Petula Clark ) reside, hoping to find his gold before he turns into a mortal man. Finian's Rainbow is not the best of films but it does indeed have some wonderful songs ( by Burton Lane ) and fancy dancing by Fred Astaire and Tommy Steele. 

Other films and television programs: 

The Daughter of Rosie O'Grady ( 1950 ), a semi-sequel to Sweet Rosie O'Grady ( 1943 ) with June Haver in the title role; The Wee Men ( 1947 ), a delightful cartoon about the leprechauns from Noveltoons; The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold ( 1981 ), a little-known gem from Rankin-Bass; Irish Eyes are Smiling ( 1944 ), another biopic, this time on Ernest R. Ball. 

Nugget Reviews - 25

The Private Eyes ( 1980 )   14k 

Scotland Yard detectives, Inspector Winship and Dr. Tart, are hired to investigate the death of Lord and Lady Morley at their English mansion. One by one all of their suspects die off, leaving Winship and Tart to face the real killer. Don Knotts, Tim Conway, Trisha Noble, Bernard Fox. The Private Eye Partners. Directed by Lang Elliott.

Don Knotts and Tim Conway were teamed up for the first time in Disney's 1975 comedy The Apple Dumpling Gang and really "clicked" together. Knotts, who always played the sidekick to Andy on The Andy Griffith Show, did a wonderful job of switching to the straight man and allowing Conway to take the laughs. The Private Eyes is a bit on the wacky side but it has its moments of humor, especially in the running gags throughout the film. 

___________________________________________________________

Blonde Fever ( 1944 ) 14k

A happily married couple who own a restaurant outside Reno finds their marriage on the rocks when a blonde bombshell who was hired as a waitress begins to split them apart. Mary Astor, Philip Dorn, Gloria Grahame, Marshall Thompson. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. Directed by Richard Whorf.

Gloria Grahame was making her film debut - along with Marshall Thompson - in this light-hearted comedy from MGM. With their performances, both of them steal the show from the pros Mary Astor and Philip Dorn. The story, which was based on a play, was tight and the film had its moments, but overall, it is quite forgettable and not up to MGM's usual standards when it comes to comedies. However, the great character actor Felix Bressart is in the movie, and his presence alone makes it worth watching!

         ___________________________________________________________

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew ( 1939 ) 14k

The wealthy Mr. King wishes to buy out the poor Pepper family's 50% share in a copper mine he owns but once he gets to know the family better and comes to love them, he changes his mind and invites them to live with him in his mansion. Edith Fellows, Charles Peck, Tommy Bond, Clarence Kolb. Columbia Pictures. Directed by Charles Barton. 

This first entry in what was to become a four-film series about Margaret Sidney's Pepper family, is very unassuming and quite entertaining. It packs in quite a bit of plot in its 58-minute runtime. There is some youthful romance between the rich Mr. King's grandson Jaspar and Polly Pepper, a good deal of drama during a family bout with measles, and innocent humor from the children's activities - especially from Dorothy Ann Seese who was quite a scene-stealer. 

___________________________________________________________

The Golden Blade ( 1953 ) Elect.

The young Harun enters Baghdad seeking information about the group of men who ransacked his tribe and murdered his father. In a quaint bazaar he purchases a magic sword and discovers that Fate has led him to aid the princess Khairuzan in order to discover the group he is after. Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, Steven Geray, George MacReady. Universal Pictures. Directed by Nathan Juran. 

"Out of Bagdad's mystic past thunders the adventure of all ages!" So proclaims the poster to The Golden Blade. The screenwriter was banking on audiences ignorance of "Bagdad's mystic past" and decided to mix medieval and Mongolian ( ?) elements into the screenplay, making the film a pastiche of styles. Nathan Juran, an art director who would later direct the Ray Harryhausen classics The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and First Men in the Moon was just learning the ropes at this time so the film is rather bland in spots but not bad for a Sunday afternoon's viewing. 

___________________________________________________________

The Pink Jungle ( 1968 ) 14k

A photographer and his model get stranded in the South American jungle when their pilot takes off without them. There, they meet an adventurer who talks them into buying a treasure map and hunting for diamonds with him. James Garner, Eva Renzi, George Kennedy, Nigel Green. Universal Pictures. Directed by Delbert Mann.  

The Pink Jungle is one of many fun adventure films that were released in the mid-late 1960s and it plays out like an American version of That Man from Rio with non-stop action and comedy. Oddly enough, it is little known today despite its great cast and witty script. James Garner was ideal for parts like this and should have made more similarly themed films. Eva Renzi, a real fashion model, and George Kennedy were also perfect. 

Nugget Reviews - 24

Alas, there be no golden nuggets among this batch of films, but some of these movies are mighty entertaining nonetheless. 

Can't Help Singing ( 1944 )  14k 

A senator's daughter joins a wagon train en route to California in the hopes of meeting up with the lieutenant she wants to marry. On the way, she falls in love with a card shark. Deanna Durbin, Robert Paige, Akim Tamiroff, Leonid Kinskey, Ray Collins, David Bruce. Universal Pictures. Directed by Frank Ryan.

After making thirteen black-and-white films, the powers-that-be at Universal Studios decided to showcase their number one box-office attraction, Winnipeg's Sweetheart, in her first Technicolor production Can't Help Singing. The film was a great success combining light-hearted comedy and romance with beautiful western locales and some lovely tunes by Jerome Kern ( which were nominated for two Oscars ). A slew of wonderful character actors also appear, including Akim Tamiroff and Leonid Kinskey, who do a great bit of schtick involving Durbin's trunk. 

___________________________________________________________

How to Frame a Figg ( 1971 ) 14k

A city accountant gets framed by crooked politicians in a $50,000 swindle and must use the new accounting computer, L.E.O, to help him prove his innocence. Don Knotts, Frank Welker, Joe Flynn, Edward Andrews, Elaine Joyce. Universal Pictures. Directed by Alan Rafkin.

Don Knotts is fun to watch in every movie he made. How to Frame a Figg isn't as memorable as The Ghost and Mr. Chicken or The Reluctant Astronaut but it has its moments...many of them highly amusing. This was the last of a series of comedies that Knotts made for Universal Pictures. Later, he would team up with Tim Conway in such Disney classics as The Apple Dumpling Gang and Hot Lead, Cold Feet. Incidentally, while Frank Welker was great as Hollis' friend Prentiss, Tim Conway would have been an even better addition to the film. 

         ___________________________________________________________

The Man from the Alamo ( 1953 ) 14k.

John Stroud is branded a coward when he leaves the scene of the Alamo to check on his and the other soldiers' families back at their ranches in Ox Bow, but he later gets a chance to prove his courage when he protects a wagon train being attacked by a gang of outlaws. Glenn Ford, Julie Adams, Chill Wills, Victor Jory, Hugh O'Brien. Universal Pictures. Directed by Budd Boetticher. 

Throughout the 1950s, Budd Boetticher directed a number of low-budget westerns starring Randolph Scott. The Man from the Alamo could have easily been a Scott western, but instead, it stars the delightful Glenn Ford as the downcast soldier Stroud who is branded a coward. Julie Adams, one of the busiest Western stars of the era, didn't get much of a romantic part in this movie but adds a feminine touch to a very masculine film. Little Marc Cavell is also adorable as Stroud's only friend, Carlos. Overall, it's an entertaining but not very memorable western. 

___________________________________________________________

The Unholy Intruders aka Hinter Klostermauern ( 1952 ) 14k.

A middle-aged man returns home from the war and, unable to find lodging for his girlfriend and child, he moves them into an abandoned convent. When the nuns return to occupy it again, he refuses to leave and his presence proves to be a thorn to the nuns. Olga Tschechowa, Philip Dorn, Katharina Mayberg, Dorothea Wieck. Delta-Venus. Directed by Harald Reinl.

Thomas and Kathrin are two protagonists that you instantly want to hate, and it is very difficult for a film to hold the attention of its audience with the presence of anti-heroes. Yet, as Thomas ( Philip Dorn ) is just about to go from bad to worse, he has a change of heart and his redemption becomes the drawing feature of the film. Olga Tschechowa, that legend of the silent era, plays the prioress in this movie with such conviction. At one time Olga was accused of being a Russian agent in Nazi Germany. She obviously knows how to play many parts well! 

___________________________________________________________

Anne of Windy Poplars ( 1940 ) 14k

Anne Shirley takes up her first position as vice-principal in the town of Windy Poplars but finds she must first win over hostile faculty and feuding citizens before she receives a welcome. Anne Shirley, James Ellison, Slim Summerville, Henry Travers, Louise Campbell. RKO Pictures. Directed by Jack Hively. 

Six years passed before RKO decided to film a sequel to Anne of Green Gables ( 1934 ) which was based on L.M. Montgomery's book series of the same name. Anne Shirley, who portrayed Anne Shirley in the original film, returns to her namesake role, this time playing an older and more mature schoolteacher. The film trots along at a gentle pace and, while it isn't anything special, there are a number of good scenes, especially those involving character actors Slim Summerville and Henry Travers. Poor Anne sure has to put up with a lot of curmudgeons in Windy Poplars, but with her gentle ways she naturally wins them over by the end of the film....and gains a daughter too. 

Nugget Reviews - 23

Johannisnacht ( 1956 )  14k 

An opera singer divorces her husband shortly after an extended performing tour in America. Years later, she returns to Germany to see her daughter whom her husband hid away in a chalet in the valley. Willy Birgel, Hertha Feiler, Erik Schumann, Sonja Sutter, Wolfgang Grunner. MGM Pictures. Directed by Harald Reinl.

A sweet romance from Delos-Film studios. Austrian-born Hertha Feiler, who often starred in comedies with her husband Heinz Ruhmann, is given a decent dramatic part here and the location filming of this "Heimatfilm" is beautiful. There is also a nice sub-romance going on between Erik Schumann and Sonja Sutter. 

___________________________________________________________

A Royal Scandal ( 1945 ) Elect.

A young idealistic lieutenant warns Catherine the Great of treachery within her court. She finds his loyalty and good looks very appealing and makes him her boy-toy, much to the chagrin of his true love, Queen Catherine's lady-in-waiting, Anna. Tallulah Bankhead, Charles Coburn, Anne Baxter, William Eythe, Vincent Price, Mischa Auer. 20th Century Fox Pictures. Directed by Otto Preminger and Ernst Lubitsch.

Ernst Lubitsch was a master at creating frothy comedies. He reached his prime in the early 1930s with such classics as Monte Carlo, The Smiling Lieutenant, One Hour with You and Ninotchka, but even he couldn't save this film from Preminger's heavy-handed direction. While there were a few amusing sequences in A Royal Scandal, overall the comedy seemed force. Tallulah Bankhead gave a grand performance as Catherine the Great, with some excellent support from character actors Charles Coburn and Sig Ruman, in spite of the circumstances.

         ___________________________________________________________

King Richard and the Crusaders ( 1954 ) 14k.

While encamped in the Holy Land, two noblemen plot to murder Richard the Lionheart and make his death appear to be from a Saracen attack, but his loyal knight Sir Kenneth discovers the plan. Rex Harrison, Laurence Harvey, George Sanders, Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas. Warner Brothers. Directed by David Butler. 

Rex Harrison and Laurence Harvey give engrossing performances in this otherwise run-of-the-mill Crusades adventure, based upon Sir Walter Scott's novel "The Talisman". George Sanders makes an unconvincing King Richard, and Virginia Mayo's presence serves merely as eye-candy, but the Technicolor is beautiful and it's fun watching Rex Harrison tackle an Arab role.

___________________________________________________________

Scaramouche ( 1923 ) Elect.

A quiet French lawyer becomes a revolutionary after a nobleman kills his friend in a duel. Ramon Navarro, Alice Terry, Lewis Stone, Julia Swayne Gordon. Metro Pictures. Directed by Rex Ingram.

Production standards were high in this Rex Ingram silent classic, but the film fails to capture the excitement of Rafael Sabatini's novel and lingers on a bit too long. The zest that Stewart Granger brought to the part of Andre Moreau in the 1952 remake was non-existent in Novarro's portrayal. Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford would have been ideal casting choices instead. However, the French Revolution sequences at the climax were truly hair-raising.

___________________________________________________________

The Toy Wife ( 1938 ) 14k

A flirtatious and frivolous Southern belle marries her sister's serious-minded fiancee. He later comes to regret not having found himself a more sensible wife. Luise Rainer, Melvyn Douglas, Barbara O'Neil, Robert Young, Alma Kruger. MGM Pictures. Directed by Richard Thorpe.

Luise Rainer was fresh from her Oscar-winning performance in The Good Earth when she starred in The Toy Wife, MGM's consolation project after losing the book rights to Margaret Mitchell's "Gone with the Wind". This southern belle story put the spotlight on Rainer, allowing her - as "Frou-Frou" - to swoosh her hoop skirts around New Orleans and playfully toy with the heart-strings of not one, but two, gentlemen. It makes for engrossing soap. Barbara O'Neil earned the role of Ellen ( Scarlett's mother ) in Gone with the Wind, thanks to her performance in this film as Frou-Frou's sister. 

Nugget Reviews - 22

Follow the Boys! ( 1963 )  Elct. 

Three women follow their Navy husbands and boyfriends to their next port of call in the French Riveria where romantic entanglements ensue. Connie Francis, Janis Paige, Dany Robin, Russ Tamblyn, Richard Long. MGM Pictures. Directed by Richard Thorpe.

After the success of Where the Boys Are ( 1961 ), Connie Francis was re-teamed with Paula Prentiss in this Navy-themed escapade in France and Italy. It was a good story idea, but unfortunately, the script was a dud and the film dragged more than a 3-ton anchor. Two redeeming features : the opening title theme song and the beautiful location footage. 

___________________________________________________________

The Courtship of Andy Hardy ( 1942 ) 14k

Andy Hardy nearly finds himself in court after accidentally "stealing" an automobile. He also has to help his father, Judge Hardy, with a case involving his drippy schoolmate Melodie Nesbit. Mickey Rooney, Donna Reed, Lewis Stone,Cecilia Parker. MGM Pictures. Directed by George B. Seitz.

Andy Hardy never intends to get himself into a jam, but he always ends up in a bigger tangle than he can unwind. In this particular installment of the Andy Hardy series, it is Judge Hardy who shoulders some of the blame. As sister Marian, Cecilia Parker gets a side story of her own involving her changed attitude towards small-town life. Like all the Andy Hardy films, sprinkles of old-fashioned wisdom are interspersed between the comedy and drama. 

         ___________________________________________________________

The Glass Slipper ( 1955 ) Elct.

The rebellious "Ella" falls in love with a cook's son, not realizing that he is actually the Duke's son....her very own Prince Charming. Leslie Caron, Michael Wilding, Elsa Lanchester, Keenan Wynn, Amanda Blake. MGM Pictures. Directed by Charles Walters. 

This was another case of MGM thinking they could replicate a success ( 1953's Lili ) by following it up with a similarly themed film. Helen Deutsch, who had written the screenplay to Lili, penned this rather silly re-telling of the Cinderella fairy tale. The elements that made the original fairy tale so endearing were removed. Cinderella is no longer a sweet-natured woman who bears her toilsome life with patience. Instead, she is "Ella", a tomboyish waif who sulks around wishing she were dead. No doubt Deutsch intended to add a touch of 1950s realism ( and teenage rebel behavior ) to the character, but in doing so she made the romance that springs between her and Prince Charming completely unbelievable. 

___________________________________________________________

Journey for Margaret ( 1942 ) 18k

After a foreign war correspondent's wife loses her baby during a Blitz, he decides to adopt two children to bring home with him to the States to raise as their own. Robert Young, Laraine Day, Fay Bainter, Margaret O'Brien, William Severn. MGM Pictures. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke.

Margaret O'Brien was such a talented child, having more acting chops than many adult actors. Her range of emotions in Journey for Margaret is especially impressive. William Severn and Margaret O'Brien both portray orphaned children raised during the Blitz. Naturally, they develop social problems as well as nightmarish fears after living through the horrors of the war...but once they meet the kindly Mr. Davis ( Robert Young ) they begin to have hope that they will have a father - and a new family again. Like Mrs. Miniver, Journey for Margaret doesn't whitewash the brutality of war but gives audiences a heart-tugging ( and tear-inducing ) slice of realism. This was legendary director Major W.S. Van Dyke's final film. 

___________________________________________________________

Callaway Went Thataway ( 1952 ) 14k

An advertising agency recycles old "Smoky Callaway" westerns for broadcast on television. When the movies become a smash hit with kids across America, they find a lookalike cowboy to take the place of the old Smoky Callaway.....since in reality, Callaway is a drinking womanizer! Howard Keel, Dorothy McGuire, Fred MacMurray, Jesse White. MGM Pictures. Directed by Norman Panama.

In Callaway Went Thataway, Keel tackles two parts, playing the wild drinking Smoky Callaway as well as Stretch Barnes, his honest good-hearted lookalike. Howard Keel looked and acted like a real-life cowboy, and whenever he made films that cast him as one, it suited him to a tee. However, in this film, all his usual cowboy-ish Texan behavior is gone. Keel is wasted in a role that doesn't suit his personality nor showcase his magnificent voice. Dorothy McGuire is also cast against type as a tough-talking city gal ( Diana Lynn could have done wonders with this part! ), leaving only Fred MacMurray to provide us with a meaty role....and, unfortunately, he is cast as a money-hungry publicity agent, so he is not very lovable either. There are some great cameos mid-way through the film, however! 

Nugget Reviews - 21

Colossus of New York ( 1958 ) Elct.

A little boy sends his dad, a scientific genius, to his death and then the grandfather preserves his son's brain for humanity's sake, later putting it in the head of a 10-foot tall robot. John Baragrey, Mala Powers, Otto Kruger, Charles Herbert, Ross Martin. Paramount Pictures. Directed by Eugene Lourie. 

First off, the title is completely misleading. There is no colossus and very little of New York is to be seen. There is just a 10-foot tall robot that is truly spooky, and an even more terrifying little boy ( played by Charles Herbert ) who is devoid of feeling. The film has lots of potential but anything worth expanding upon in the script was dumped in place of gimmickry. Why did the grandfather put his son's brain in the body of an enormous steel waterproof robot in the first place? Why did he make him strong enough to break steel and hypnotically electrocute people? He even made the robot have ESP! 

___________________________________________________________

Hud ( 1963 ) 14k

A wayward young man finds himself at odds with his father and his nephew when it comes to morals and how to run a cattle ranch. Paul Newman, Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Neal, Brandon de Wilde. Paramount Pictures. Directed by Martin Ritt. 

Hud is often touted as a classic and, judging from its cinematography, I can see why it was considered groundbreaking. But as for entertainment it fails to make the grade, being just a dreary b/w melodrama ( although watching Newman is a pleasure no matter what film he is in ). Hud is supposed to be the bad boy that you love to hate, but he really isn't all that "bad". The poor guy is looked upon as a menace by his father and his nephew and even if wanted to change, they certainly weren't about to give him half a chance in doing so. 

         ___________________________________________________________

Mr. Horatio Knibbles ( 1971 ) 14k

A little girl, neglected by her family, befriends a large walking talking invisible rabbit named Mr. Knibbles. Leslie Roach, Gary Smith, John Ash, Anthony Sheppard. Children's Film Foundation. Directed by Robert Hird.  

During the 1950s-1980s, the Children's Film Foundation of England released a number of television movies aimed at 6-10 year old children. Mr. Knibbles is one of those films that a British tyke would have seen back in his youth and then completely forgot about as he got older, only remembering fragments and wondering "What was the name of that movie with the little girl dropping letters off in a tree trunk to have mailed by a squirrel?" I don't blame Mary for believing in the giant rabbit - her parents weren't worth befriending. What decent family would hang dirty paintings of lovers in their dining room? 

___________________________________________________________

The Happy Time ( 1952 ) 14k

In 1920s Quebec a young boy learns about life and love from his father, his uncles, and his grandfather...all of whom have a zest for romance. Charles Boyer, Bobby Driscoll, Louis Jourdan, Marsha Hunt. Stanley Kramer Productions. Directed by Richard Fleischer.

Like most stage-to-film adaptations, The Happy Time was dismissed by critics at the time of its release because it failed to equal the appeal of the original stage production. It's a very entertaining film, however, especially to those of us who cannot compare it to the original. Boyer and Jourdan are delightful, it has a gentle sprinkling of humor, and Richard Fleischer's direction is lilting. Listen to the title song and see if you can guess who is singing it. 

___________________________________________________________

The Slime People ( 1963 )  Fool's Gold 

A band of swamp creatures create an impenetrable bubble covering Los Angeles and then emerge from the ground and spear's LA's citizens to death...for no other reason then because they're slime people. Robert Hutton, Les Tremayne, Robert Burton, Susan Hart. Joseph F. Robertson Productions. Directed by Robert Hutton.

This is one of those films that are so bad they turn into comedy. Robert Hutton was a fair actor in his day but, judging from The Slime People, he had no skill in directing. The movie has too many silly plot inconsistencies and a poor cast. Worst part : it seems like one third of its 76 minute runtime is all "filler" shots of actors walking, close-ups, etc. What slime! 

Valentine's Day Nuggets

To celebrate Valentine's Day we have selected a handful of favorite romantic classics for your enjoyment. There is only one golden nugget among the lot, but each and every one of these films are entertaining in their own way. Happy Valentine's Day! 

Rome Adventure ( 1962 ) 14k

A schoolteacher takes her first trip to Rome to "learn about love" in the city of romance and falls in love with a young architect who is already in a romantic entanglement of his own. Troy Donahue, Suzanne Pleshette, Rossano Brazzi, Angie Dickinson. Warner Bros Pictures. Directed by Delmar Daves. 

Rome Adventure was geared towards young lovers when it was made but over the years an older crowd has been attracted to it....most likely due to Suzanne Pleshette looking so beautiful in the film ( her first picture ) and Rossano Brazzi looking so dashing in his Italian way. The location filming in and around Rome is gorgeous and the film features Emelio Pericoli singing "Al Di La" which went on to become an Italian standard. Donahue and Pleshette played the part of lovers so well that off-screen they fell in love and were wed shortly after the film's release. However, their marriage only lasted eight months. 

___________________________________________________________

Wuthering Heights ( 1939 ) 24k

A traveler who stops at Wuthering Heights during a snowstorm is told the tale of two childhood lovers who were torn apart by the barrier of class and wasted their lives in loveless marriages. Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon, David Niven, Geraldine Fitzgerald. Samuel Goldwyn Productions. Directed by William Wyler.

This is undoubtedly the best film re-telling of Emily Bronte's novel "Wuthering Heights" and Samuel Goldwyn himself considered it his favorite film. It was nominated for eight Academy Awards but since it was 1939 - the golden year - it only won one award for its cinematography...which was indeed marvelous. Laurence Olivier and Merle Oberon are both excellent in the roles of Heathcliff and Cathy. Alfred Newman wrote a haunting score in keeping with the film's somber theme of doomed and tragic love. If you are in the mood for a melodramatic romantic film, this is it. Want a double feature? Pair it with The Ghost and Mrs. Muir ( 1947 ). 

         ___________________________________________________________

An Affair to Remember ( 1957 ) 14k

A playboy and a nightclub singer have a shipboard romance en route to the south of France. Once back in New York they decide to reunite in six months and meet at the top of the Empire State Building but one of them does not show up. Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Cathleen Nesbit. 20th Century Fox Pictures. Directed by Leo McCarey.

It wouldn't be an official list of romantic films without An Affair to Remember. I always thought that this one was rather stilted compared to the original Love Affair ( starring Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne, and also directed by Leo McCarey ) but the more you watch it the more it grows on you. The color cinematography is beautiful. Have a box of hankies near by for the tear-inducing ending.

___________________________________________________________

Sabrina ( 1954 ) 14k

The daughter of a chauffeur travels to Paris for two years and blossoms into a beautiful young woman upon her return to the States. The rich playboy son of her father's employer, whom she was in love with for years, becomes smitten with her but she decides he may not be the man she was searching for after all. Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn, William Holden, Martha Hyer. Paramount Pictures. Directed by Billy Wilder.  

Billy Wilder made a number of great films in the 1950s, and Sabrina ranks as one of his most entertaining. Audrey Hepburn does a marvelous job of playing first the young Sabrina, innocent and starry eyed, and then the more mature Sabrina, eager to play the society woman. This is definitely a girls picture and indeed, it was one of the earliest "classics" we can recall watching growing up, but if you pair it up with Roman Holiday you have a great Audrey Hepburn themed romantic evening to enjoy...without your lover of course, he probably wouldn't go near these films. 

___________________________________________________________

Random Harvest ( 1942 )  18k 

A WWI officer stricken with amnesia escapes from a mental institution and meets a sympathetic cabaret singer. They fall in love, marry, and he makes a new life for himself, but less than a year later a head injury triggers his memory of the past. Will he return to his new wife or go back to the life he led before? Greer Garson, Ronald Colman, Susan Peters, Philip Dorn. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

At the time of Random Harvest's release, critics panned the film and labeled it an "empty" and "unreal" film. James Agee wrote that "I would like to recommend this film to those who can stay interested in Ronald Colman's amnesia for two hours and who can with pleasure eat a bowl of Yardley's shaving soap for breakfast." Ouch! In spite of the critics, audiences came to the theatres in droves to see Greer Garson, one of MGM's most popular leading ladies, and the great English actor Ronald Colman together on screen. The film reaped over $8 million in sales. Garson and Colman were both in top form, as was the lovely Susan Peters. Its cinematography, fine script, and its beautiful score ( by Herbert Stothart ) make this a gem.