What Classics Did You See Last Week (March 1–March 7)
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spiderwort — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 05:36 PM)
Haven't seen the first THE MALTESE FALCON and based upon your comments I probably never will. Thanks for the heads up.
I did see THE LETTER, long ago, and remember being impressed by Davis' performance under William Wyler's excellent direction. And I know it got a lot of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Director, and Actress. I don't remember the ending, so can't speak to that, but I will say that it's a film I've never gone back to watch again, not sure why; something about it just didn't appeal to me I guess, despite its merits.
And I also saw AIR FORCE, again long ago, and remember it being a solid Howard Hawks wartime propaganda film. And he would know, because he fought in World War I. Also, I'm a big John Garfield fan in everything, so of course I remember enjoying it for that. But it's been quite awhile. -
PygmyLion — 3 weeks ago(March 10, 2026 02:33 AM)
I am sort of like you with respect to
The Letter
. I did watch it just a year ago, but it isn't the sort of story that I would want to watch often. It's done well, and the acting is pretty good. I think that James Stephenson does a nice job as the Davis's friend and lawyer. I thought the ending was alright. -
unex — 3 weeks ago(March 15, 2026 12:15 PM)
I thought the ending was alright.
My problem with the ending is that
Bette Davis walks right into the hands of her killers as if guided to them and then they walk right into the hands of a policeman conveniently near them.
It's wrapped up too neatly. -
unex — 3 weeks ago(March 15, 2026 12:13 PM)
I did see THE LETTER… something about it just didn't appeal to me I guess, despite its merits.
It is partially a courtroom drama and I might be wrong but I think you may have said you don't care for those so maybe that is the reason. -
spiderwort — 3 weeks ago(March 15, 2026 03:32 PM)
I don't remember that the film was a partial courtroom drama, but I haven't seen it in many decades, so I'm not surprised I can't remember. I have a feeling I need to watch it again, with that cast and director, and the fact that I obviously don't remember it very well. Thanks for the reminder.
As for courtroom dramas, I don't mind them if they're good, and especially if they don't take place entirely in the courtroom. There are many that I really love, 12 ANGRY MEN, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, A FEW GOOD MEN, ADAM'S RIB, and THE VERDICT come to mind. But now that I'm thinking about it, it's probably true that I'm not a big fan of them in general. Unless they're good.
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StevenHC — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 12:34 PM)
ANNA LUCASTA 1949
Paulette Goddard gets turned out by her father and travels away to make a living by prostitution. But her family want her back when they want to use her to make money. They want to marry her off to a man who has inherited a farm.
SQUARE OF VIOLENCE 1961
Broderick Crawford is a resistance fighter in Nazi occupied Italy. He drops a bomb into a square below killing 30 Germans. He is put under pressure when the Germans threaten to execute 300 Italians as a reprisal unless he tells who the resistance leaders are. -
spiderwort — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 05:44 PM)
Haven't seen either of your films, but I will say that SQUARE OF VIOLENCE sounds really interesting to me. I'm a big fan of Leonardo Bercovici as a writer, but I've never seen anything that he directed. I'm putting this one of my list. Thanks so much the introduction.
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spiderwort — 3 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 05:48 PM)
Yes, I think that's a great movie, indeed, adapted from the great Robert Nathan novel. Nathan also wrote the novel, "The Bishop's Wife," which became the wonderful film that most of us know and love. He was one heck of a writer with a decidedly spiritual side to his talent.
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spiderwort — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 06:14 PM)
All first viewings:
The Organizer / Mario Monicelli
(1963). A political refugee (Marcello Mastroianni) visiting an Italian friend in 19th-century Turin leads a strike at a textile factory and helps form a labor union. A tragicomic melodrama of early Italian unionism, it’s beautifully directed with excellent performances, especially by Mastroianni. It also received an Oscar nomination for best original screenplay. Highly recommended. (On TCM through March 28)
Paisan / Roberto Rosellini
(1948). A film comprised of six episodes that reflect the tenuous relationship between Allied troupes and the recently liberated Italians, told in the neo-realistic style. The middle film in Rossellini’s WW2 trilogy (the others are
Rome Open City
and
Germany Year Zero
), it’s powerful, meaningful and historically significant and should be seen by all Rossellini fans. Also, nominated for the Best Screenplay Oscar. Highly recommended. (On HBO Max)
Ladybug Ladybug / Frank Perry
(1963). The normal routines of a rural elementary school are thrown into a panic when the air-raid siren warns of an impending nuclear attack, and no one knows if it’s real or a mistake. A fascinating film about an actual incident at a California elementary school during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, it’s filled with exceptional performances by all the cast, including William Daniels and Estelle Parsons in their film debuts, but especially by Nancy Marchand and all of the students who, under Perry’s direction, are utterly superb. The ending is abrupt, but I still strongly, maybe even highly recommend it, especially for those of us who are old enough to remember when events like that took place. (On Prime Video, MGM+ and Pluto TV)
Wild Boys of the Road / William Wellman
(1933). During the Depression, when their families are in financial trouble, two teenagers (Frankie Darro and Edwin Phillips) decide to drop-out of school and hit the road to get work. They hop a train, make some friends along the way (Dorothy Coonan, Rochelle Hudson, and Sterling Holloway, among others), but find life on the road tougher than expected and are soon reduced to panhandling in order to survive. Because of flaws in the script, it’s not as good as it could be, but it’s still worth a view for its good points and because of its historical significance. Interesting side note: Dorothy Coonan later became the wife of Wellman. (On HBO Max) -
Rufus-T — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 08:21 PM)
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062622/
I have already saw this Kubrick masterpiece many times, but has not been for awhile. The complex theme can throw off first time viewer like it did to me back then. Even when not understanding, the visual was mesmerizing. I always enthralled by the spinning space station with the On The Blue Danube playing. The flying to Jupiter scene was a spectacle. The middle part of the movie was highly suspenseful. It is a movie ahead of its time in many ways and not just in the title, especially in our AI age almost 60 years later.
Sentimental Value (2025)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27714581/
A young stage actress played Renate Reinsve gathered much anxiety while growing up in a Norwegian household which her parents fights often, while protecting her little sister, who is played by Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas as the grown up person. Her estranged film-maker father played by Stellan Skarsgård, showed up and asked her to be the lead in his latest film which has to do with the tragic end of his mother, her grandmother. She refused, as we learn about the history of the generation in that house. This latest Joachim Trier directed film and co-wrote with Eskil Vogt is very much a play, with much talking scenes. The family tried to fight off the demon of past since the father showed up. I did find certain scene dull, but I can appreciate the technique, especially the editing part which seem so smooth in every scene. There is a wonderful scene when the sisters open up to each other. Everyone in the manin cast was wonderful, including Elle Fanning who played a famous American actress who was to take the leading role when the daughter rejected. I always admire Elle Fanning acting even since as a little girl in Phoebe in Wonderland. So happy that she got recognized by the Oscar. The movie may not be showy, but can be emotionally satisfying.
Key Largo (1948)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040506/
The movie I first heard of through the Bertie Higgins song. I Finally saw the John Huston directed classic later, one time only a long time ago. I only remember the gist of the movie, but not the detail, but I remember loving it. An army veterans played by Humphrey Bogart went the family of his late friend and subordinate who got killed in the war. The father and widow of the his friend owned a hotel in the south most tip of Florida, the Key Largo Island. The wheelchair bounded father played by Lionel Barrymore, and the young widow played by Lauren Bacall. There was a gang meet up at the same while a devastating hurricane was arriving. The movie is very talkie. Based on a play by Maxwell Anderson, and John Huston co-wrote the screenplay Richard Brooks. Thanks to the good writing, the film was never boring. Excellent performance by all with great chemistry between Bogie and Bacall, one of the 4 films the starred together. One should not forget Edward G. Robinson as the head boss, and his mistress played by Claire Trevor who won an Oscar for this role. I should really watch this more times.
The Secret Agent (2025)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt27847051/
This movie gave you bits and pieces about the story in the first half of the movie. A mystery Brazilian man entering into small town to settle down to hide out. Then we were shown a hit man with his stepson. Then we see two young woman transcribing tapes that related to the mystery man. Really confusing at first, especially taking the effort in reading the subtitles. Certain scenes talked a long time. As the details come together providing the background and the connection, the movie became very interesting. It is unfortunately took so long to come together, and the movie was long, almost 3 hours, divided into 3 chapters. The movie was set in the 70s and in fact the setting an the style felt like a 70s movie. Kleber Mendonça Filho did an excellent job of directing and writing. I thought they could have done a better job trimming the film. I did not think much of Wagner Moura at first, who got nominated for Best Leading Actor, but then realized he played dual roles. The movie has a sophisticated crime story. By the end, I thought this was a very good movie and kept thinking about it afterward. -
spiderwort — 4 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 01:12 AM)
Loved 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY when I saw first saw it, Rufus, when it was first released. A spectacular film, which amazed me then, but I've never seen again since, not sure why. Something tells me I need to remedy that.
And, like you, I'm a big fan of KEY LARGO. I've seen that one more than once, and it always holds up well; never loses my interest.
Haven't seen SENTIMENTAL VALUE and THE SECRET AGENT yet, but I'm trying to get to those before the Oscars. The length of THE SECRET AGENT is a bit overwhelming for me, however; glad you commented on that. In fact, thanks so much for all your thoughtful, detailed commentaries. I really appreciate them. -
PygmyLion — 4 weeks ago(March 08, 2026 08:54 PM)
To Be or Not to Be
1942 Carole Lombard, Jack Benny, Robert Stack, Felix Bressart. Dir: Ernst Lubitsch. WW2 comedy espionage. Polish acting group lead by Lombard and Benny repeatedly foil the Nazis using their stage skills. ***1/2
Foreign Correspondent
1940 Joel McCrea, Loraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders. Dir: Alfred Hitchock. World War 2 spy. A young reporter sent to be a foreign correspondent in Europe, uncovers a German spy plot. ***
One of Our Aircraft is Missing
1942 Godfrey Tearle, Eric Portman, Pamela Brown, Joyce Redman. Dir: Powell. World War II. Another top-notch Powell and Pressburger film. A British bomber crew has to abandon their plane as they fly over Holland, and are helped by the Dutch citizens to escape from the Nazis. Some strong women characters played by Brown and Redman help them out. ***1/2
Pygmalion
1938 Leslie Howard, Wendy Hiller, Marie Lohr, Scott Sunderland, Wilfred Lawson, Jean Cadell, David Tree. Dir Anthony Asquith. Outstanding rendition of George Bernard Shaw's play. Howard and Hiller are very strong in the lead roles and have and outstanding supporting cast. ****
Notorious
1946 Ingrid Bergman, Cary Grant, Claude Raines. Dir Alfred Hitchcock. Espionage. Devlin (Grant) places Alicia Huberman (Bergman) undercover with a bunch of Nazis in Rio De Janeiro just after WWII. Hitchcock and his cameramen capture some great shots of Bergman. Has a lot of film noir elements to it. ****
I also tuned in to a couple of episodes of
Lonesome Dove
as many people seem so high on the series.
Leaving
and
On the Trail
1989- Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones, Danny Glover, Diane Lane, Robert Ulrich. Western. I found the two shows watchable, but not particularly special. **1/2 -
spiderwort — 4 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 12:52 AM)
What a great week you had, PL. So many films that I love, especially NOTORIOUS, which is my favorite Hitchcock film and one of my all-time favorite films, period!! I also quite enjoy FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT, although it's not as good as NOTORIOUS.
And I love PYGMALION and TO BE OR NOT TO BE and agree with your ratings for those.
Haven't seen ONE OF OUR AIRCRAFT IS MISSING, but I'm a big Powell-Pressburger fan, so I probably need to see that one. Again, so many films, so little time. . . -
CoriSCapnSkip — 4 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 12:28 AM)
The People
(1972) on March 1
Kidnapped
(1971) on March 2
A Sound of Thunder
(2005) on March 3
The Pagemaster
(1994) on March 4
The Electric Grandmother
(1982) on March 6
It Came from Outer Space
(1953) on March 7 -
CoriSCapnSkip — 3 weeks ago(March 09, 2026 04:44 PM)
I mostly enjoyed
It Came from Outer Space
except that the only free copy I could find was on Tubi. Unfortunately they chose a version which had the worst colorization job I have ever seen. Faces were an unnatural color while hands were often gray, or the face would be colored and one ear not. The car changed color constantly, and this wasn't "The Horse of a Different Color" in
The Wizard of Oz
! Annoying and distracting! Fine otherwise.