His eyes have made love to me all evening.

Camille is a high society tale directed by George Cukor, and starring Greta Garbo and Robert Taylor as two would-be lovers in the upper class life of Paris. It’s a familiar tale under the shiny veneer of high production value. It might just be me having seen a bunch of movies like this all in the past couple weeks, but I found this to be somewhat standard and lacking anything at its core to truly set it apart from other films of its type.

While the production value is very high, it does seem to be covering up some of the lackluster bits of the film, mostly the story and the script which are basically par for the course. Here, Greta Garbo gives probably her best on-screen performance. She is nigh unrecognizable at the titular Dame Camille, lower-class girl given an upper-class life. The ending is melodramatically sad; truly, watching this film, one can pretty much see what’s coming even before the film knows what’s coming.

Having now seen all of George Cukor’s filmography that appears in the list, I can say I’m not particularly a fan. Most of his films just appear to be standard works elevated by one or two individual pieces of the whole work. I liked Gaslight for the plot and the cinematography, and loved A Star is Born for Judy Garland, but for the most part I had a lukewarm reception to his work, including this one.

Arbitrary Rating: 7/10

When I was 16 years old, I fell in love.

There’s Something About Mary was a highly successful comedy for its time directed by the Farrelly Brothers, responsible for Dumb and Dumber and Kingpin, if that’s your sort of thing. It’s not mine, however, so I was not looking forward to this one.

The film makes frequent use of modern slapstick, which I never really found amusing when it was used in a modern sense. Only sporadically did I find slapstick humorous even classically. The situational humor is used to mostly sexual or gross-out effect, which is a pet peeve of mine in cinema. The humor, while I was able to tell was trying to be funny, either falls flat on its face or just straight out fails at being funny. Where the film does succeed, at least for me, is how the various men try and sabotage each other’s efforts to win the girl; I at least found the various efforts amusing. Cameron Diaz does admirably with her role, which was a pleasant surprise, and Ben Stiller does good as, well, Ben Stiller. One other thing I did enjoy was the set dressing, as odd as that sounds; I found it very soothing and well-done.

All in all, this just turned out to be another of the types of comedies that I just can’t stand. It was better than most, but it still fell into the same old traps that I detest in comedic films. I don’t know how to recommend this one, since I didn’t like it; all I can say is if this style of humor is for you, this film will be a standout example. If not, you’re better off staying away.

Arbitrary Rating: 4/10

It's the King's ship! And you're not fit to command it!

Mutiny on the Bounty is a well-done drama starring Clark Gable and Charles Laughton as two sides of a conflict aboard the Bounty, a now infamous real-life ship. The film is based on real events, with of course a flair for the theatrical becoming of a Hollywood production. That doesn’t stop it from being a darn good movie.

The film’s grand scope and success at capturing it on screen helped to win it the Best Picture Oscar, while the film also went on to be nominated for an unprecedented three Best Actor nominees. The trio of leading actors are all fabulous in their roles, particularly Charles Laughton as the despicable Captain Bligh, one of the most memorable screen villains ever. While the plot is fascinating enough, the romantic subplot seemed rather superfluous, however; there was really no need to break up the main action, as there was enough going on on the ship to not have to warrant it, but hey, every film of the time needed a romantic subplot, right?

You won’t go wrong with this seafaring drama, I can assure you. Make the time to see this one, and you’ll be delighted with the escapism this one provides. I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for seafaring films, and this one hit all the right notes for me, and I can only hope but remain confident it will for you as well.

Arbitrary Rating: 9/10

Things are the way you think I made them.

The Awful Truth is advertised as a screwball comedy, so immediately I was on my guard. Thankfully, this is a comedy that I actually enjoyed for once, probably because it wasn’t as screwball as others have been. Starring Cary Grant and Irene Dunne and directed by Leo McCarey, this is a delightfully funny comedy that also stars one of the most darling film puppies I think I’ve ever seen.

Cary Grant and Irene Dunne play their parts to comedic perfection, and indeed Grant’s future performances would be forever altered thanks to his success in this film. The line about the rooster and the hen who fight and make up perfectly summarizes the whole film, so indeed why does the rest of the film exist but for pleasure? And pleasurable it is; the film succeeds where all of its other counterparts failed: at being genuinely hilarious. The script is brazenly witty, the situational humor never fails to arouse laughter; I actually laughed out loud at this film more than I think any other film since I’ve started my trek down the list. Who’d have thunk a screwball comedy (that admittedly isn’t very screwball) would do that to me?

This is a great, great comedy that features standout performances and stellar timing; all the comedic bits and pieces work to perfection here. What’s even more, this garnered an Academy Award nomination for Best Picture, and a win for Best Director, so even the critics loved this one. Hell, even I did, so what have you got to lose?

Arbitrary Rating: 9/10

P.S. Happy 300 reviews! Nice to know I’m at least a quarter done with my quest.

Either I'm dead right, or I'm crazy!

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is a Frank Capra picture starring James Stewart as a youthful Junior Senator forced to go up against the mightiest powers-that-be in Washington to clear his name and stop a dastardly political machine from getting what it wants. A more apropos title for a film there probably could never be, this is a film that presents itself up front to the audience, expects nothing in return, and gets a whole lot more than it bargained for.

The plot is basic enough, but where Mr. Smith really shines is its screenplay; not the dialogue as much as how the story is constructed from scene to scene. Jimmy Stewart plays his everyman role to a T, earning a Best Actor nomination in the process. Frank Capra’s direction was also award-worthy, and the camerawork is also very well done, if not the lighting aspect of cinematography. I haven’t mentioned the editing of a film in a long while, but Mr. Smith’s is quite notable for its montage sequences and rapid pacing.

This is a great slice of Americana and a taut expose of political corruption both for the time and for a modern age. It really speaks to the power of both cinema and of the political institutions that this film can still ring true so many years after its inception, though i many ways that may not necessarily be a good thing. Regardless, you’re missing out on a great film if you haven’t seen this one. Make the time to do so. It’s from Hollywood’s Golden Year of 1939, you can’t lose.

Arbitrary Rating: 9/10

Now, who wants a drink?

Does the list have some vendetta against 20th Century Fox? I can’t remember the last time I saw their logo before a film until this one; it’s been so long. Either way, if films like Me and My Gal are all the best early Fox can come up with for the list, the studio surely had some problems back then.

The plot concerns a well-to-do police officer, played by Spencer Tracy, romancing a diner waitress, played by Joan Bennett, while of course certain complications come up between them; in this case the sister of the waitress falling for bad guy Duke. The plot is standard, as is the script that carries it; nothing special. Frequent comic gags include an old drunkard, who gets a lot of the early screen time and whose antics dry up rather quickly. I guess my expectations are higher than they’ve previously been, because halfway through the film I really couldn’t have cared less what was going on. I knew the script was trying to be funny, or interesting, or romantic, but I just couldn’t get into it. The whole film felt flat to me.

For all its qualities, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why this was on the Must See list. Maybe they needed some 20th Century Fox films just for representation and this was the best they could find, maybe due to the early screen combination of Tracy and Bennett; whatever the reason, films like this could’ve easily been axed in favor of more important or apropos fare like Cabiria or even Donnie Darko. This film just failed to entertain me in any way.

Arbitrary Rating: 5/10

Do it first, do it yourself, and keep on doin' it.

Scarface: The Shame of a Nation is another gangster film in the era of early sound, directed by Howard Hawks and starring good old Paul Muni, whom I liked immensely in The Life of Emile Zola. The film follows the rapid rise and fall of Tony Camonte, a young buster in the booze racket of Chicago who quickly takes over as boss after a ruthless ascension, and gets puts away just as quickly.

Even though the film essentially takes place in the present, it still manages to be a period piece because of the strong stylistic flair the film is shot in. What The Public Enemy and Little Caesar ushered in, Scarface refines and polishes, though the origin of most of the creative decisions can still be easily traced. Paul Muni, ever the consummate actor, falls completely into the main role, treating the character’s various mannerism and quirks as if they were his own. He comes across so naturally into the character that it hardly seems like he’s acting, which is the best kind of acting in my opinion. The rest of the players are average enough, even if they come across as caricatures. That’s what the film manages to be, a caricature, violent and hot-blooded as Tony Camonte himself.

Scarface is a grand caper of a tale, one that is highly entertaining and provocative. The 1983 remake holds its own, but still doesn’t diminish the effect of this well done crime film that holds up and sets many standards for future films that follow it. Give this one a look and I think you’ll like what you find.

Arbitrary Rating: 8/10

Mother of mercy, is this the end of Rico?

Along with The Public Enemy, Little Caesar helped to create the gangster genre from the ground up. It is a classic among many, and a progenitor of many films that would follow in its footsteps.

The film is basic in construction, but broad in its spectrum and choice of direction. It can get a bit cheesy and cliche at times, even for its era, and the cogs of the machinery of film are often showing in unintentional places, but the film works so well it becomes easy to overlook these faults. Even more so than James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson virtually created the typified gangster; snarky voice, loose manner of speech, wiseguy antics, etc. All the tropes of the caricatured gangster are all created with Robinson’s iconic performance, so expect what’s coming. Little Caesar is also an early talkie, like Public Enemy. Unlike most other films of the time, however, Little Caesar never treats its sound as a new-fangled gimmick, but as another integrated part of the storytelling. Bravo for that.

I found this much more entertaining than The Public Enemy, even though both films are of the same mold. The only quibble I really had was the lack of music, especially during the dead spots of the film, but I was willing to ignore it.

Arbitrary Rating: 8/10

We the hunted, will now hunt!

Captain Blood is a classic swashbuckler starring that most classic of swashbuckling actors, Errol Flynn, and directed by Michael Curtiz. The film is also one of many collaborations between Flynn and Olivia de Havilland, who is one of my favorite classic actresses. The two have a good record together, and this film is a solid example of it.

The plot concerns a doctor who is arrested, charged for treason, and hatches an escape plot for himself and his fellow ship-bound prisoners to begin a life of piracy. He becomes rather infamous, and because he incongruously has the last name Blood, the title of Captain Blood becomes almost second-hand. The action is the highlight of the film, and is very thrilling in a classical sense. Aside from the action, the other key point of the film is the relationship between Flynn and de Havilland, which often turns tables and is delightful fun to watch thanks to both actors.

This film is the consummate swashbuckler, in much the same way I’ve found other films to be the typify of their respective genres. If you’re into classic action and romance alike, this’ll be the perfect film for you. It’s the film that made Errol Flynn a star, so you know it’s gotta be pretty well done.

Arbitrary Rating: 8/10

When the puffballs come, cold winter's done!

Amarcord is the last in my little Fellini-a-thon; like I’ve said, I can only take so much of a single style or director before I long for a change. Here, Frederico Fellini changes his topic from an individual to a whole culture, giving us a dreamy-eyes look into what i suspect are some of his own childhood experiences growing up in whatever town he grew up in.

Where La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2 were character studies, shaped as a series of vignettes focusing on a single character, Amarcord is the study of an entire town, a semi-autobiograpical look at how an entire miniature culture thrives and survives day to day. There is no central character here, though there are recurring ones. The film is so effortless in its execution that it is almost stalwart, yet it remains at the least watchable. Fellini knows how to direct his films, that’s for sure; all of them have his whimsical free-spirited style all over them. The cinematography is very voluptuous, almost hedonistic, which ties into the various plots that tend to be going on; Satyricon was an obvious influence on Fellini’s later works.

Amarcord is a delightful romp through a city’s various goings-on, though like Fellini’s other works it can be a bit hard to watch at times just from the lack of coherent plot. The rest of the film is done so well, though, that it saves the film from becoming stagnant, if only slightly and from the viewpoint of a critical watcher. If anything, Amarcord is definitely an experience, but it is a must see before you die? Perhaps, perhaps not; Fellini’s other works give a similar experience. Still, this is a fairly good film in just about any regard.

Arbitrary Rating: 8/10