Howard's Movie Corner

Jules Dassin in disgust walks away from Hollywood during the Joseph McCarthy era to make movies elsewhere.London is his new location for making films."Night and the City"is filmed in London.Harry Fabian(Richard Widmark)is out for his ambitions with the idea of conning everyone he can.He meets Gregorius(Stanislaus Zbyszko),the world's best Greco-Roman wrestler,hoping to win big in the wrestling industry which runs amuck for him.

An inferior version of "What Happened to Baby Jane?"(1962).With Ruth Gordan, as a maid,lives in fear of "crazy" Geraldine Page--the former more believable than the latter, in their respective roles--Katzin's "thriller" is preposterous.Other films too intimated "Baby Jane,"mostly to the chagrin of serious movie buffs.There's more to the film which I will write soon...

"The Artist",a silent movie about silent movies,toned in black and white,won the Oscar for best picture for 2011.The first silent picture to win best picture since William Wellsman's "Wings" won in 1927-1928.But here we have a popular silent by Lewis Milestone, a cross into comedy, romance and adventure.William Boyd(W.Daingerfield Phelps lll)and Louis Wolheine(Sgt. Peter O'Gaffney)are captured by the Germans shortly before the end of World Warl,then plan the grand escape only to fall into another situation.

1.)"The Tree of Life"by Terrence Malik.(PG-13)Drama
2.)"Of Gods and Men"by Xavier Beauvois.(PG-13)Drama/History
3.)"War Horse"by Steve Spielberg.(PG-13)Drama/War
4.)"Extremely Loud &Incredibly Close"by Stephen Daldry.(PG-13)Drama
5.)Drive"by Nicolas Winding Refn.(R)Action/Drama/Thriller
6.)"The Descendants"by Alexander Payne.(PG-13) Drama/Comedy
7.)"Midnight in Paris"by Woody Allen.(PG-13)Fantasy/Comedy/Romance
8.)"The Artist"by Michael Hazanavicius.(PG)Silent/Comedy/Drama
9.)"Ides of March"by George Clooney.(R) Drama/Mystery
10.)"Hugo"by Martin Scorsese.(PG)Adventure/Fantasy

An architect Howard Roark(Gary Cooper)has his projects knocked off the table which sets him off leading to a high-profile court case.One wonders whether Howard is mentally ill or psychologically disturbed by the events occurring in his life..Dominique(Patricia Neal)is in his corner all the way through the stormy trial.Cast:Gary Cooper(Howard Roark),Patricia Neal(Dominique Francon),,Henry Hall(Henry Cameron),Ray Collins(Roger Enright),Moroni Olsen(Chairman),Jerome Cowan(Alvak Scarret).Running time:114 minutes.Director:King Vidor.

A powerful film where liquor rules and ruins...someone realizes alcohol is the problem.Joe Clay(Jack Lemmon)is a gem of a public relations man who find himself steeped into alcohol and a young wife Kristen Arnesen-Clay(Lee Remick)who soon falls into the same trap.Their marriage hits a train wreck of course.The couple are pitiful because the drinking becomes so dominant in their lives.After a long hard beating of financial and psychological setbacks,one of them tries to beat the alcoholic syndrome;the other is in question whether the drinking will cease.Cast:Jack Lemmon(Joe Clay),Lee Remick(Kristen Arnesen Clay),Charles Bickford(Ellis Arnesen),Jack Klugman(Jim Hungerford),Alan Hewitt(Rad Leland).Running time:117 minutes.Director:Blake Edwards.

Drama/Crime/Film Noir
RKO Radio Pictures
Man named Chris Hale(Joseph Cotton) comes to Asden claiming to have grown up there intriguing the townspeople,including Elaine Corelli(Aida Valli).He tries to slick ut his past catches up with him.Cast:Joseph Cotton(Chris Hale)),Spring Byington(Mrs. Brentman),Alida Valli(Elaine Corelli),Paul Stewart(Whitey Lake),Jack Parr(Ray Healy)Running time:81 minutes.Director:Robert Stevenson.

Comedy/ Paramount Pictures B/W
Chico,Harpo and Groucho up to their tricks on a ship to America helping two feuding gangs until one gangster kidnaps the other's daughter.The Marx brothers in of their most famous comedies are a bundle of fun.Cast:Chico Marx(Chico),Harpo Marx(Harpo),Groucho(Groucho),Harry Woods(Alky Briggs),Thlma Todd(Lucille Briggs),Ruth Hall(mary Helton).Running time:77 minutes.Black&White.Director:Norman Z.McLeod.

Comedy/Musical/ Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer B/W
Groucho,Harpo,Chico and Zeppo cause chaos at the opera when friends of two opera singers become pains in the neck.Classic comedy by some the 1930s best comedians.Cast:Groucho Marx(Otis B. Driftwood),Chico Marx(Fiorello),Harpo Marx(Tomasso),Kitty Carlisle(Rosa),Allan James(Ricardo).Running time:96 minutes.Director:Sam Wood.

Carroll Baker's a postulant in the Napoleonic period in Spain when her life is temporarily interrupted.Captain Micheal Stuart(Roger Moore)and his regiment take refuge at a convent after many of the men are wounded.The nuns treat the wounded and Stuart' eyes meet Teresa's and what follows is he asks her to give up her vows to marry him.She rebuffs him at first but she leaves that decision to Our Lady.Praying for the right thing to do, a miracle transforms when the statue leaves its station.So she reenters the world to find him going through a war torn country meeting Gypsies,soldiers and more.Cast:Carroll Baker(Teresa),Roger Moore(Capt.Micheal Stuart),Isobel Elsom(Mother Superior),Elspeth March(Sister Dominica),Walter Slezak(Flaco)Vittorio Gassman(Guido),,Dennis King(Casmir-El Conde de Altimira),Tom Thatcher(The Duke of Wellington).Running time:121 minutes. .Director:Irving Rapper.