Leonard Maltin's 2010 Movie Guide (Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide)

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‘‘I RECOMMEND LEONARD MALTIN’S GUIDE, WHICH HAS BECOME STANDARD.’’ —Roger Ebert’s Video Companion Summer blockbusters and independent sleepers; masterworks of Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, and Martin Scorsese; the timeless comedy of the Marx Brothers and Buster Keaton; animated classics from Walt Disney and Pixar; the finest foreign films ever made. This 2010 edition is loaded with the films you can’t afford to miss—and those you can— from box-office smashes to cult classics to forgotten gems to forgettable bombs, listed alphabetically, and complete with all the essential information you could ask for.

‘‘INDISPENSABLE.’’ —The New York Post ‘‘INCH FOR INCH, DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR, MALTIN’S BOOK GIVES YOU THE MOST.’’ —Boston Sunday Herald • Date of release, running time, director, stars, MPAA ratings, color or black and white • Concise summary, capsule review, and four-star-to-BOMB rating system • Precise information on films shot in widescreen format • Symbols for DVDs, videos, and laserdiscs • Completely updated indexes of leading actors and directors • Up-to-date list of mail-order and online sources for buying and renting DVDs and videos

LEONARD MALTIN’S MOVIE GUIDE ‘‘THE BEST of the bunch.’’

—San Francisco Examiner & Chronicle

‘‘THE BEST all-purpose video guide.’’ ‘‘THE BEST organized. .. the most complete.’’

—New York Daily News —Newsday

‘‘The mother of all video guides and THE FIRST TO BUY.’’ —Louisville Courier Journal ‘‘The DEFINITIVE source of information.’’—The Cleveland Plain Dealer ‘‘Easily THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE book of its kind anywhere. It belongs next to every TV and VCR in every home.’’ —USA Today

LEONARD MALTIN’S

MOVIE GUIDE 2010 Edition Edited by Leonard Maltin MANAGING EDITOR

Darwyn Carson ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Luke Sader CONTRIBUTING EDITORS

Mike Clark Rob Edelman Spencer Green Pete Hammond Joe Leydon Michael Scheinfeld Bill Warren VIDEO EDITOR

Casey St. Charnez CONTRIBUTORS

Jerry Beck Jessie Maltin

A SIGNET BOOK

SIGNET Published by New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014, USA Penguin Group (Canada), 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M4P 2Y3, Canada (a division of Pearson Penguin Canada Inc.) Penguin Books Ltd., 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England Penguin Ireland, 25 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, Ireland (a division of Penguin Books Ltd.) Penguin Group (Australia), 250 Camberwell Road, Camberwell, Victoria 3124, Australia (a division of Pearson Australia Group Pty. Ltd.) Penguin Books India Pvt. Ltd., 11 Community Centre, Panchsheel Park, New Delhi - 110 017, India Penguin Group (NZ), 67 Apollo Drive, Rosedale, North Shore 0632, New Zealand (a division of Pearson New Zealand Ltd.) Penguin Books (South Africa) (Pty.) Ltd., 24 Sturdee Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England First published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. Copyright © Leonard Maltin, 1969, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 Copyright © JessieFilm, Ltd., 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 Copyright © JessieFilm, Inc., 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 All rights reserved REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA

ISBN:1-101-10660-3 Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book. PUBLISHER’S NOTE While the author has made every effort to provide accurate telephone numbers and Internet addresses at the time of publication, neither the publisher nor the author assumes any responsibility for errors, or for changes that occur after publication. Further, publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via any other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions, and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

LEONARD MALTIN is one of the country’s most respected film historians and critics. He presides over www.leonardmaltin.com and publishes a quarterly newsletter for old-movie buffs called Leonard Maltin’s Movie Crazy. After establishing himself with a series of definitive books on topics ranging from cinematographers to the history of animated cartoons, he became known to an even wider audience on television’s Entertainment Tonight, where he has worked since 1982. He also hosts the weekly program Secret’s Out on ReelzChannel and introduces movies on the DirecTV Cinema channels. For three years he cohosted the movie review show Hot Ticket, and for six years served as film critic for Playboy magazine. His books include Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, The Great American Broadcast, Leonard Maltin’s Family Film Guide, Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons, The Great Movie Comedians, The Disney Films, The Art of the Cinematographer, Movie Comedy Teams, Selected Short Subjects (The Great Movie Shorts), The Whole Film Sourcebook, Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia, and (as coauthor) The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang. He teaches at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts, and served for two years as president of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association. As a member of the National Film Preservation Board, he votes on the twenty-five films named each year to join the National Film Registry. In 2006 he was named by the Librarian of Congress to join the Board of Directors of the National Film Preservation Foundation. For nine years he was the editor and publisher of Film Fan Monthly; his articles have appeared in The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Times (of London), Premiere, Smithsonian, TV Guide, Variety, Esquire, Disney Magazine, Film Comment, and Cowboys & Indians. He is also a contributor to Oxford University’s Dictionary of American Biography. He has been a Guest Curator for the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, and for nine years was a member of the faculty of the New School for Social Research. He has written a number of television specials, including Added Attractions: The Hollywood Shorts Story, and is both host and coproducer of the popular DVD series Walt Disney Treasures. He has appeared on many other DVDs, and has produced, written, and hosted such cable TV and home-video programs as Cartoon Madness: The Fantastic Max Fleischer Cartoons, Young Duke: The Making of a Movie Star (which debuted on A&E’s Biography), Cliffhangers: Adventures from the Thrill Factory, The Making of ‘‘The Quiet Man,’’ The Making of ‘‘High Noon,’’ The Lost Stooges, and Cartoons for Big Kids. He and his wife, Alice, are the proud parents of Jessica Bennett Maltin, who continues to serve as their on-site interpreter of matters relating to popular culture.

About the Editors DARWYN CARSON has worked in the film industry for over fifteen years, as an actress (the prostitute who kills in True Confessions, the African mom with nothing to wear—literally—when meeting her adopted son in North, and her personal favorite, a conniving Romulan Tal Shiar Captain in a Star Trek: DS9 episode), as an assistant to the justly esteemed Sidney Poitier, and as a professional print and online journalist/essayist (hi there, Zap2It.com readers!). This is her first year as Managing Editor for the Movie Guide. She has no relatives named Charles or Johnny, thank you for asking. Everybody does. LUKE SADER was introduced to old movies by his father. He majored in English at Johns Hopkins University, then went backpacking abroad for a year, catching movies everywhere from Helsinki to Cairo. Since starting his television career at CBS News, he has held various producing positions at Entertainment Tonight, CNN, Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, The Wayne Brady Show, and PBS’s Tavis Smiley. He served as coeditor of Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia, and his film and book reviews appear in The Hollywood Reporter and Quarterly Review of Film and Video. Luke has also headed the jury at the Palm Beach International Film Festival. MIKE CLARK was USA Today’s senior film critic for more than twenty years and currently writes the paper’s Tuesday Mike’s Menu and the Friday home viewing columns, the latter in its twenty-fifth year. He first came to prominence in 1959, as a ten-year-old, when he won $16,000 answering movie questions on the TV quiz show The $64,000 Question. Since then he has attended NYU’s Graduate School of Cinema, been the film critic for the Detroit Free Press, and conceived approximately 150 thematic film series as Director and Program Planner of the American Film Institute Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. He has appeared on HBO, Cinemax, Entertainment Tonight, E! Entertainment, CNN’s Reliable Sources, and Turner Classic Movies. He is a member of the National Society of Film Critics. SPENCER GREEN reminds you that the use of flash photography or any sound recording devices is strictly prohibited during this biography. Mr. Green has written for In Living Color, AAAHH!!! Real Monsters, Duckman, Mad TV, The Fairly Oddparents, and Denis Leary’s Merry F#%$in’ Christmas, and was a coeditor of Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia; he also edited We’ll Never Be Young Again: Remembering the Last Days of John F. Kennedy. Mr. Green has performed at the Los Angeles comedic writers’ salon Sit ’n Spin and is coauthor/colyricist of BUKOWSICAL! which won Outstanding Musical at the 2007 New York International Fringe Festival. He also writes for The Huffington Post and is creator of the parody movie Web site The Parallel Universe Film Guide at www.parallelfilmguide.com. Mr. Green knows at least four words that rhyme with ‘‘orange’’ and he ain’t telling. ROB EDELMAN is coauthor (with his wife, Audrey Kupferberg) of several books, including Matthau: A Life; Meet the Mertzes, a double biography [ vi ]

of Vivian Vance and William Frawley; and Angela Lansbury: A Life on Stage and Screen. He also has written Great Baseball Films; Baseball on the Web (which Amazon.com cited as a Top 10 Internet book); several children’s books (on such subjects as Watergate and the Vietnam War); and is the editor of Issues on Trial: Freedom of the Press. He offers film commentary on WAMC (Northeast) Public Radio; presents lectures in the Speakers in the Humanities program, sponsored by the New York State Council for the Humanities; and is a Contributing Editor of Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, Leonard Maltin’s Family Film Guide, and Leonard Maltin’s Movie Encyclopedia. His byline has appeared in the New Haven Register (where he was film critic); many reference books (including A Political Companion to American Film, Total Baseball, International Dictionary of Films and Filmmakers, The Total Baseball Catalog, Women Filmmakers and Their Films, Baseball and American Culture: Across the Diamond, and St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture); and dozens of periodicals (from American Film and Base Ball: A Journal of the Early Game to Variety and The Washington Post). He was director of programming for Home Film Festival and programmed film series at the American Film Institute; he authored an essay on early baseball films for the DVD Reel Baseball: Baseball Films from the Silent Era, 1899– 1926; is an interviewee on the director’s cut DVD of The Natural; and has been a juror at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum’s annual film festival. He has taught film courses at several universities; his present affiliation is the University at Albany (SUNY). PETE HAMMOND is currently film critic for Hollywood.com and a contributing reviewer to Boxoffice magazine and Boxoffice.com, as well as Backstage.com. He is also a regular columnist for The Los Angeles Times’ popular awards section and site The Envelope. He served as film critic for Maxim magazine and Maxim Online for three years, and has been a frequent contributor to Variety. He is in his eleventh year as host of the KCET Cinema Series in Los Angeles, and has been a moderator for the Variety Screening Series and UCLA Extension’s Sneak Preview. He has hosted panels at AFI Fest, the Santa Barbara Film Festival, Mill Valley Film Festival, CineVegas, San Francisco Film Festival, and Cannes Film Festival, and has interviewed top stars and filmmakers at screenings for such groups as SAG, DGA, BAFTA, and WGA. He has held talent producing positions at Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood, The Arsenio Hall Show, The Martin Short Show, and the AMC network. He is the recipient of five Emmy nominations for his TV writing and the winner of the 1996 Publicists Guild of America’s Press Award. He serves on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences representing writers. MICHAEL SCHEINFELD has written the ‘‘Classic Movies’’ column as a Senior Writer for TV Guide, where he also wrote articles and a DVD column, as well as film reviews for tvguide.com. He also served as Contributing Editor of Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide and Leonard Maltin’s Family Film Guide. He contributed essays for the recently published [ vii ]

City Secrets book, Movies: The Ultimate Insider’s Guide, and has written for other books and magazines, including The Motion Picture Guide, The Virgin Film Guide, The 500 Best British and Foreign Films, Films in Review, Laserviews, and Trump World magazine. He has worked for American Movie Classics and MTV Films, and has produced and programmed film series for cable TV channels in Manhattan and Philadelphia. BILL WARREN is the author of the two-volume Keep Watching the Skies: Science Fiction Movies of the 1950s, which has been called ‘‘one of the rare reference works that combines genuine entertainment with impeccable information.’’ He also wrote Set Visits and The Evil Dead Companion. He has written for magazines, including Starlog, Fangoria, American Film, Video Watchdog, and Galaxy Online. He contributed to The New Encyclopedia of Science Fiction, several books on Stephen King, and the annual Science Fiction Writers of America Nebula Award volumes. Without being able to speak much more French than film noir and pommes frites, for ten years he was the Hollywood correspondent for the French television show Destination Series. He has recently completed a page-one rewrite of Keep Watching the Skies; it’s now bigger and more obsessive than ever. He likes dogs, cats, his wife, and Hawaii, not necessarily in that order. JOE LEYDON is an award-winning film critic for Variety and an adjunct professor at the University of Houston and Houston Community College. He also is a blogger at MovingPictureBlog.blogspot.com, a contributing writer for MovieMaker and Cowboys & Indians magazines, a Q&A host at the Nashville and Denver film festivals, and author of the book Joe Leydon’s Guide to Essential Movies You Must See. From 1982 until 1995, he was film critic for The Houston Post. More recently, he has reviewed films for the Houston Chronicle, The San Francisco Examiner, MSNBC.com, NBC affiliate KPRC-TV, The Houston Press, and Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Leydon has also written for the New York Daily News, Los Angeles Times, Newsday, The Boston Globe, The Toronto Star, and Austin American-Statesman. He is the proud father of George Leydon (who is an upstanding young man because he takes after his mother, Anne Leydon) and the reluctant co-owner of two moody cats named Little O and Little Z. In his spare time, he yearns to see DVD releases of Albert Finney’s Charlie Bubbles and Claude Lelouch’s Les Miserables. CASEY ST. CHARNEZ continues to waltz with his strawberry blonde Lisa Suzonne Harris as they celebrate their thirty-second anniversary together. Casey earned a Ph.D. in movie musicals and an M.A. in cinema studies from New York University, and also holds an M.A. in English literature and comparative mythology. A former publicity associate with Paramount and Fox, he has written for Film Fan Monthly, The Hollywood Reporter, and American Film; is the author of The Complete Films of Steve McQueen; and has contributed an endword on Greer Garson to 100 Years: A Celebration of Filmmaking in New Mexico. Casey often wonders what movies today would be like if there had been no Breen Office, no Will Hays, no Production Code, and no MPAA rating system. Mercy! [ viii ]

Introduction to 2010 Edition We’re surrounded by technology these days—in fact, we’re inundated—but if you’re reading these words, chances are you still believe there is value to an ‘‘old-fashioned’’ reference book. Thank you, and may your tribe increase. In defiance of Marshall McLuhan, I don’t think the medium is the message—at least not when it comes to the dissemination of movie information. As I learned when I worked on the first edition of this book fortyone years ago (!), movie ‘‘facts’’ are not immutable: actors change the spellings of their names, movie credits may contain mistakes, studios sometimes hand out inaccurate information, etc. My colleagues and I spend endless hours researching the tiniest details, trying to get things right, and sometimes that requires judgment calls. Someone has to make decisions based on savvy, not computer skills. I don’t mean to disparage the Internet; I use it every day and it is an amazing resource. Yet over the past year I have repeatedly hit a wall trying to get exact details about the films I’m writing up. All it takes is for one site to make a mistake and the viral effect is immediate and overpowering. Checking cast lists is a nuisance when some sources follow the studio handout material and list the actors alphabetically, or in the order in which they appear on-screen. What good is that when you can’t find the leading lady until you’ve scrolled halfway down a list one hundred names long? And who are the top-billed costars? Our goal is to provide as useful a cast list as possible. I’m certainly not suggesting that we don’t make mistakes. In fact, we’ve corrected some items that have been in print for decades. For instance, Harold and Maude went into national release in January of 1972 but opened in New York in December of 1971—so that’s the year we should have cited all along. As always, we’ve examined the re´sume´s of actors who have come to the forefront during the past year. Did you know Robert Pattinson of Twilight fame was in Vanity Fair in 2004? Or that Michael Shannon, who made such an impression in Revolutionary Road that he earned an Oscar nomination, has been in films since Groundhog Day in 1993? You’ll find Richard Jenkins, Sally Hawkins, Viola Davis, Michael Sheen, James Franco, and Taraji P. Henson newly added to the credits of many films in these pages . . . and you won’t have to scan scores of names to learn that they’re in those casts. Of course, one can drown in details. We’ve always listed Baz Luhrmann’s film as (William Shakespeare’s) Romeo & Juliet, because that’s how it appeared on-screen. A sharp-eyed reader recently said we were wrong and should be using a plus sign. As it turns out, he’s wrong, too. We looked closely at the movie’s official logo and discovered an ampersand inside a large plus sign. Sometimes you just can’t win. Year in and year out, we also grapple with the bugaboo of running times. If you scanned various outlets to determine the length of Will Smith’s Seven Pounds (which, to me, seemed endless) you would find major newspapers and online sources saying 118 minutes. It turns out that [ ix ]

the film was screened for critics before its closing credits were added, so in fact the final film is 123m. The studio confirmed this, and we doublechecked our copy of the DVD just to be safe. The situation isn’t necessarily easier when it comes to older movies. For years we noted that They Might Be Giants (1971), with George C. Scott and Joanne Woodward, ran 88 minutes in theatrical release, but had 10 minutes added for network television. It turns out that the actual original length was 86 minutes, while that extended TV version hasn’t been seen in years. But director Anthony Harvey did get to tinker with the film for DVD release and reinsert 5 minutes of footage for a new total of 91 minutes. Clear? (We won’t even discuss the three different versions of Bob Fosse’s Sweet Charity—a roadshow print plus two slightly shorter versions, one with a happy and one with an unhappy ending.) This research goes for naught when someone watches a contemporary movie on basic-cable TV channels, where those films are routinely censored and slashed by as much as a half hour. We trust our readers know that only in uncut showings can you enjoy the movie the way it was intended to be seen. One issue I didn’t have to deal with way back in 1968 was space. The first edition of this book ran 535 pages, which seemed fairly hefty at the time. We were able to expand for the next thirty years; it was only then that binding such a gigantic book became a problem. First we eliminated made-for-TV movies. Then we invented a spinoff volume, Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide, to accommodate a large number of pre-1960 titles that had to go. (Even more old movies had to go this year, but we will be publishing an expanded Classic Movie Guide in the spring of 2010, and expanding our cutoff by five years to 1965.) We’ve also cut a great many outdated and irrelevant nuggets of information: alternate titles that no one uses anymore, alternate versions of films prepared for network and cable TV that haven’t aired since the 1970s and ’80s, etc. This is the one arena in which online databases excel: there are essentially no limits to the space they can fill. Much as I would like to have all the reviews and information for films from the silent era to the present in one volume, it simply isn’t possible anymore. I hope people derive some enjoyment from our reviews and some benefit from the details we try to pack into every entry. Our challenge, every year, is to make sure we don’t get so caught up in minutiae that we forget what matters most: celebrating and recommending good movies, including sleepers that slip through the cracks, like Elegy, King of California, Chop Shop, The Pool, Repo! The Genetic Opera, The Wackness, The Order of Myths, A Christmas Tale, The Deal, I Served the King of England, What Doesn’t Kill You, Nothing But the Truth, In the Electric Mist, and Ghost Town. If you’ve missed any of these underappreciated films I hope you’ll seek them out. And if you’re adventurous you might want to check out newly revised editions of such films as Revolution, Nickelodeon, and Lookin’ to Get Out. How does anyone keep track of all these movies—let alone the facts about them? That’s the job that my hardworking team takes on every year with pluck and good cheer. My deepest thanks go, once again, to Luke [x]

Sader, Spencer Green, Mike Clark, Rob Edelman, Pete Hammond, Joe Leydon, Michael Scheinfeld, Bill Warren, Casey St. Charnez, Jerry Beck, and my daughter, Jessie Maltin. This year my longtime associate Darwyn Carson stepped into the role of Managing Editor and faced a steep and daunting learning curve, bearing it with grace and efficiency. This has been her baptism of fire. Many readers send in useful corrections and suggestions, as do my friends Tom Weaver, Bruce Goldstein, George Feltenstein, Bob O’Neil, and Robert A. Harris. The book would be poorer without their contributions. Physically producing this book is another Herculean task taken on— and conquered—by Hugh Rawson, Bill Harris, Ken May, and Kathy Murray. I hope they know how much I appreciate what they do. The people who share my life also share in the fate of this book—and endure my mood swings whenever the deadline draws near. I am so lucky to have Alice as my wife and Jessie as my daughter. This 2010 edition is the first in many years not to bear the name of the late Cathleen Anderson, who started as a volunteer proofreader and went on to become Managing Editor. I mourn her untimely passing and miss her dry sense of humor. I’m happy to say that working on an all-consuming reference book all these years hasn’t dimmed my passion for movies, not one bit. If anything, it’s whetted my appetite to see films—and then learn all about them. I hope that enthusiasm comes across in these pages and continues to do so for many years. Now, please excuse me: I have a deadline for the next edition of Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide. —LEONARD MALTIN

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Key to This Book Alphabetization: Articles of speech—A, An, The—are eliminated. (The Man Called Flintstone is listed under Man Called Flintstone, The.) Aside from that, film titles are listed in strict letter-by-letter spelling sequence. Separation of words and punctuation are ignored; everything hinges on the letters. So, Pumpkinhead is listed before Pump Up the Volume, because ‘‘k’’ comes before ‘‘u.’’ Titles that begin with Mister or Doctor will come before titles abbreviated Mr. or Dr. Let the alphabet be your guide, letter-by-letter, and you’ll find the title you’re looking for. Each entry lists title and year of theatrical release in a film’s country of origin. (This doesn’t include film festival exposure; a film may languish for one or more years before coming to theaters, by which time it might be trimmed and even bear a different name.) The letter ‘‘C’’ before a running time indicates that the film was made in color. ‘‘D:’’ indicates the name of the director. This is followed by a listing of the principal cast members. Alternate titles (if any) are noted at the end of the entry. Ratings range from ★★★★, for the very best, down to ★1⁄2. There is no ★ rating; instead, for bottom-of-the-barrel movies, we use the citation BOMB. ▼ This symbol indicates the title is available on videocassette;

● indicates laserdisc availability; 쩠 indicates DVD availability. (These symbols indicate that a film has been released at one time; we cannot guarantee current availability.) The MPAA rates with the following symbols: G PG

General Audiences: All ages admitted. Parental Guidance Suggested: Some material may not be suitable for children. PG-13 Parents Strongly Cautioned: Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13. R Restricted: Children under 17 require accompanying parent or adult guardian. NC-17 No Children Under 17 Admitted (age may vary in certain areas). The rating symbols GP, M, and X are no longer used to classify films.

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Leonard Maltin’s Movie Lists People love lists, because they provide both a springboard for ideas—and something to argue about. These brief lists aren’t in any way meant to be definitive, just a sampling of ideas on different movie themes. I’ve deliberately left out many obvious titles in the hope of leading you to some good films (both old and recent) you’ve never seen, or haven’t revisited in a while. Back to school movies: Zero for Conduct, Remember the Day, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Back to School, Clueless, Election, Saved! Halloween movies: Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, An American Werewolf in London, Innocent Blood, Mirrormask, Shaun of the Dead, 28 Days Later Inspiring movies: The Grapes of Wrath, The Miracle Worker, Norma Rae, My Left Foot, Cast Away, The Great Debaters Romantic movies: Enchanted April (1991), Chances Are, Heart and Souls, Before Sunset, Miss Potter, Something New Political movies: Gabriel Over the White House, State of the Union, Advise & Consent, Primary Colors, Bob Roberts, Bulworth Movies for foodies: Babette’s Feast, Big Night, Soul Food, Eat Drink Man Woman, Tortilla Soup Underappreciated Animation: FernGully . . . The Last Rainforest, The Iron Giant, Howl’s Moving Castle, Home on the Range, The Tune Unusual biopics: Backbeat, Antwone Fisher, The Sea Inside, Cobb, The Harmonists, Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken, Downfall, Topsy-Turvy Unsung musicals: Cannibal! The Musical, The Five Heartbeats, Teacher’s Pet (2004), Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Once, Repo! The Genetic Opera Overlooked Christmas movies: Babes in Toyland (1934), A Muppet Christmas Carol, The Family Man, The Family Stone, Joyeux Noel [ xiii ]

Mail-Order and Online Sources for Home Video Welcome to this twentieth installment of our movie hunters’ guide. Once again, here we address our readers’ desire to find their gotta-haveit movies. For the first time this year, film fans have a new medium, DVDs on demand, at last debuting from a major studio, www.WarnerArchive.com, to wit. We hope other studios will follow suit. Our top shopping suggestion: Even in this age of global Internet shopping, try your own area video stores first. No luck locally? Then move on to mail-order and the computer. The following list is a decent place to start. Remember our bargaining advice: 1. Always be cautious. 2 Look around and compare prices. 3. Wait patiently for sales. 4. Check guarantees and return policies. 5. Investigate shipping options. 6. Make a copy of your order. We continue to notate our movies with a 쩠 for DVD, along with a retro ▼ for tape and ● for laserdisc. Note: Innumerable titles are now out of print; if they were ever available, we symboled them then, and encourage you still to search for them now. And one major heads-up: Though many titles are available exclusively in Canada and abroad, our listings are strictly U.S.A., whether in public domain or under American copyright. So, happy hunting number twenty . . . and counting. Absolute Beta Products, POB 130, Remington, VA 22734-0130 www.absolutebeta.com; [email protected] Betamax repairs, Beta VCRs, Beta accessories, Beta-to-DVD transfers, Betamax repairs. Club dues: $9.95/yr., includes discounts and quarterly catalog. Sales to U.S. consumers only. Established 1987. Catalogs: free sample with SASE. Asymmetrical Entertainment Inc., 110 Remsen St., #3C, Brooklyn Heights, NY 11201-4215 info/fax 718-237-6031; [email protected] Film fans tailor personalized purchases for other film fans. All films in circulation available. Est. 1995. Catalog: by mail. BBC America Shop, POB 681, Holmes, PA 19043-0681 800-898-4921, fax 610-532-9001; www.bbcamericashop.com An Anglophile’s cloud nine, full of British Broadcasting Corp. program(me)s, plus movies, music, books, gifts, collectibles, even magazines. Est. 2003. Catalog: paper and online. Best Video, 1842 Whitney Ave., Hamden, CT 06517-1405 800-727-3843, 203-287-9286, fax 203-248-4910; www.bestvideo.com Comprehensive Blu-ray/DVD/VHS collection for sale or rent. Classics, foreign, cult, hits, more. Web site has personality plus. Est. 1985. Catalog: online. BitTorrent, Inc., 612 Howard St., San Francisco, CA 94105-3905 www.bittorrent.com Free (meaning ad-supported) downloads work on Windows, Mac, Linux, etc. They’re speedy, but some movies work only on certain systems, and some are only for U.S. customers. Check Web site for details. Est. 2001. Catalog: online. [ xiv ]

B-Movie, POB 2468, Liverpool, NY 13089-2468 315-652-3868, fax 315-622-2315; www.b-movie.com Once again, the title says it all, with a choosy DVD/VHS catalog and more, including film fests and competitions, cult newsletter. And, hey, it shoots its own indie productions, too. Est. 2007. Catalog: online. Captain Bijou, POB 7307, Houston, TX 77248-7307 713-864-8101, fax 713-837-1463; www.captainbijou.com; [email protected] Monster collection of scary movies, serials, B pics, Westerns, Golden Age TV. Also buys and sells posters, autographs, photos. Updated Web site. Est. 1984. Catalog: online. CinemaNow Inc., 4553 Glencoe Ave. #300, Marina del Rey, CA 90292-7914 310-314-3000; www.cinemanow.com; [email protected] Premium on-demand service offers downloads to buy, rent, burn for home computers, set-top boxes, mobile devices. Month/year memberships. Windows XP/ Vista or Intel-based Mac only, for now. Est. 1999. Catalog: online. Classic Flix, www.classicflix.com 800-592-6149, 916-209-8520 Strictly pre–1970 movie and TV titles, to buy or lease, from a mom-and-pop Internet storefront that’s a little different. Gift certificates. Est. 2007. Catalog: online. Critics’ Choice, POB 1350, Ottawa, IL 61350-6350 800-367-7765, fax 815-431-1252; www.ccvideo.com; [email protected] A treasure trove of DVD/VHS movies, generally in stock, including bargains, exclusives. Daily specials. Est. 1987. Catalog: Big Book of Movies, $7.95; free monthly mailer. Eddie Brandt’s Saturday Matinee, 5006 Vineland Ave., N. Hollywood, CA 91601-3815 818-506-4242, 818-506-7722; www.ebsmvideo.com The shaman of all SoCal video stores is a well-stocked DVD/VHS rental outlet, run by a family that loves movies. Also has bunches of movie stills for sale. Nice homespun Web site. Est. 1969. Catalog: online. Eros Entertainment Inc., 550 County Ave., Secaucus, NJ 07094-2697 201-558-9001, fax 201-558-9026; www.erosentertainment.com; [email protected] Devotees of cinema India may buy DVDs and Blu-Rays, download music, access on-demand entertainment, even sign up for mobile content, here at Bollywood central. Est. 1977. Catalog: online. Facets, 1517 W. Fullerton Ave., Chicago, IL 60614-2096 800-331-6197, 773-281-9075, fax 773-929-5437; www.facets.org; [email protected] DVD/VHS sales and rentals of international, classic, independent, animated and art titles from a Chicago non-profit institution. Many exclusives. Unlimited rental membership plan. Est. 1975. Catalog: $9.95 (searchable online). Film Movement, 109 W. 27th St. #9B, New York, NY 10001-6208 866-937-3456, fax 212-941-7812 www.filmmovement.com; info@filmmovement.com A different kind of subscription plan: Like Book-of-the-Month, customers receive 12 curated DVDs per year, with unique movies and bonus shorts drawn from indie film, international releases, and film fest favorites. Est. 2000. Catalog: online. IArtHouse, 82 Industrial Dr., #3, Northampton, MA 01060-2389 800-811-4515, 413-529-0870; iarthouse.com, [email protected] International cinema ready to stream, burn, buy. EZTakes.com subsidiary is currently compatible with Windows and Mac OS X. Est. 2008. Catalog: online. [ xv ]

International Film & Video Center, POB 1012, Washington Twp., NJ 07676-1012 201-666-6772, fax 201-664-1426; www.IFVC.com; [email protected] Around-the-world sales to individuals, corporations, schools. Accent on Iranian fare, but there’s plenty more for everybody. Also produces its own features and documentaries. Est. 1985. Catalog: none. LaserDisc Database, www.lddb.com Buyers and sellers unite at this exhaustive haven for ’80s platter-heads who are still into large movies and old music. Est. 2002. Catalog: online. A Million and One World-Wide Videos, 1239 Pine Creek Dr., Woodstock, GA 30188-4010 800-849-7309, 770-227-7309; www.wwvideos.com; [email protected] Video detectives buy, sell, trade out-of-print and rare movie and TV titles, series. Free searches. VHSto-DVD transfers from your tapes. Est. 1989. Catalog: none. MovieFlix, POB 480764, Los Angeles, CA 90048-9364 323-939-6260; www.movieflix.com; info@movieflix.com Downloads or streams, Windows Media Player or Real Player, free or pay membership, Family Filter on or off, all your choice. Est. 1998. Catalog: online. Movies Unlimited, 3015 Darnell Rd., Philadelphia, PA 19154-3201 800-466-8437, 215-637-4444, fax 215-637-2350; www.moviesunlimited.com; [email protected] World’s largest video dispenser by volume, including hard-to-finds and exclusives. Colorful Web site. Huge, informative catalog well worth having. Est. 1978. Catalog: $14.95 (832 pages!). NetFlix Inc., www.netflix.com 800-715-2135. Inventor of Internet-only DVD rental. Prepaid subscriptions. Downloads too. Est. 1997. Catalog: on-site. PBS Home Video, POB 609, Melbourne, FL 32902-0609 800-645-4727, fax 866-274-9043; www.shoppbs.com Interesting assortment of exactly what one expects. Sidebar site (http://teacher.shop.pbs.org) targets educators. All proceeds go to funding programs for the Public Broadcasting Service (est. 1969!). Catalog: free. Right Stuf, Inc., POB 680, Grimes, IA 50111-0680 800-338-6827, fax 515-986-1129; www.rightstuf.com; [email protected] Japanese animation DVDs, manga/graphic novels, related merchandise. Est. 1987. Catalog: online; anime print catalog $4 (refundable with first order). Robert’s Videos, 1007 Tucker Crescent, Saskatoon, SK S7H 3H7 CA 800-440-2960 (in North America), 306-955-3763 (outside N.A.) wwww.robertsvideos.com, [email protected] Hard-to-find DVD/VHS search service. Especially good for tapeheads. Est. 2002. Catalog: online. Sinister Cinema, POB 4369, Medford, OR 97501-0168 541-773-6860, fax 541-779-8650; www.sinistercinema.com; [email protected] Offering a terrific selection of nostalgic sci-fi, horror, B Westerns, sword-and-sandal, etc., with offbeat tapes and wayout discs for $11.95–16.95. Est. 1984. Catalog: free. Snag Films, www.snagfilms.com Freebie site streams documentaries only, organized by title and topic. Films may be watched on-site or ‘‘snagged’’ for mobile or Facebook use. Est. 2008. Catalog: online. Something Weird Video, POB 33664, Seattle, WA 98133-0664 888-634-3320, 425-290-5830, fax 425-438-1832; www.somethingweird.com; [email protected] An unparalleled collection of exquisite trash. Est. 1990. Catalog: $5 (over 18 only). [ xvi ]

Video Dimensions/Mondo Movies, 421 Seventh Ave., New York, NY 100012002 646-827-0577, fax 309-214-5719; www.cultvideo.com; [email protected]; [email protected] Classics, world cinema, animation, and nostalgia from the parent label. Pop culture and exploitation titles from Mondo Movies. Both businesses are mail-order only. Est. 1978. Catalogs: both free. Video Discounters, POB 1448, Jensen Beach, FL 34958-1448 772-334-4386, fax 772-334-6296; www.videodiscounters.net; [email protected] Off-market titles, primarily VHS. Est. 1978. Catalog: online (no cart). Video Oyster, POB 1012, New York, NY 10002-1012 917-757-3345; www.videooyster.com; [email protected] A one-man band who sells, rents, and auctions largely unattainable VHS (original tapes—no copies). Tidy Web site. Est. 1990. Catalog: online. Video Search of Miami, POB 492768, Lawrenceville, GA 30049-0047 678-836-5838; www.vsom.com [email protected]; Members-only club imports contemporary and classic European and Asian fare in versions otherwise unavailable in U.S. Companion company deals in domestic cult DVD. Est. 1988. Catalogs: VSoM (free print, online). Video Vault, 113 S. Columbus St., Alexandria, VA 22314-3074 800-828-5866, fax 703-836-5720; www.videovault.com fl[email protected] Sales/rentals of DVD/VHS from extensive alternative store: ‘‘Guaranteed worst movies in town!’’ Free searches. Membership options. Est. 1985. Catalog: online. VideoWest, 1312 Stagecoach Rd. SE, Albuquerque, NM 87123-4321 505292-0049; www.westernclippings.com; [email protected] Provides VHS B Westerns, serials, and TV shows. Also publishes Western Clippings magazine (sample issue $1 ea.). Est. 1977. Catalog: $5. Warner Archive, www.warnerarchive.com The very first on-demand service run by a major studio. Buffs may raid the pre-1986 Warner Bros., MGM, RKO, and Monogram vaults for hundreds of custom DVDs ($19.95) or digital downloads ($14.95). Catalog: online.

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Widescreen Glossary An aspect ratio is the relationship between the width and height of a screen image. Virtually all sound films until 1953 were 1.37 to 1, that is, slightly wider than they were tall—a modest rectangle. Since television screen size is 1.33:1, little is lost when an older movie is shown on TV. (Even films in the later standard 1.66:1 don’t suffer too badly.) In the 1950s, however, Hollywood’s attempt to lure people away from TV and back into theaters led to a battle of screen sizes, beginning with CinemaScope, more than twice as wide as it was high. Today, most films are 1.85:1; since this has become the norm, they are no longer thought of as ‘‘widescreen.’’ Our listings only cite films in special widescreen processes, such as the ones below: Actionscope—2.35:1 (same as Toeiscope) Agascope—2.35:1 (Sweden/Hungary) Arriscope—2.35:1 (Arriflex cameras/lenses) ArriVision—2.35:1 (in 3-D) Cinepanormique—2.35:1 (France) CinemaScope—2.35:1 (some early titles 2.66:1 and 2.55:1) CinemaScope 55—2.35:1 (55mm) Cinerama—2.6:1 to 2.8:1 Cinescope—2.35:1 (Italy) Clairmont-Scope—2.35:1 (Clairmont cameras/lenses) Colorscope—AIP studios’ umbrella name for various ratios Cromoscope—2.35:1 (same as Techniscope) Daieiscope—2.35:1 (Japan) Digital Video Widescreen—2.35:1 (digital video photography) Digital Widescreen—2.35:1 (computer animated films) Dimension 150—2.2:1 (70mm) Dimensionscope—2.35:1 (in 3-D) Duo-Vision—2.35:1 (split-screen) Dyaliscope—2.35:1 (France) Euroscope—2.35:1 Franscope—2.35:1 (France) Grandeur—2:1 approx. (70mm) Grandscope—2.35:1 (Japan) Hammerscope—2.35:1 (England) HD Widescreen (High Definition 24-framesper-second Digital Video) J-D-C Scope—2.35:1 Megascope—2.35:1 (England) Metroscope—1.66:1 to 2:1 (hard-matted prints or negative) MGM Camera 65—2.75:1 (70mm; same as Ultra Panavision) Multi(ple)-Screen—2.35:1 (split screen) Natural Vision—2:1 approx. (63.5mm) Naturama—2.35:1 (Republic studios) Nikkatsu Scope—2.35:1 (Japan) Panascope—2:1 Panavision—2.35:1 (2.4:1 from 1971) Panavision Super 70—2.2:1 (70mm); 2.35:1 (35mm) Panoramic(a)—1.85:1 to 2.35:1 (Italy)

Part Widescreen—some scenes in 2.35:1 format Realife—2:1 approx. (70mm) Regalscope—2.35:1 RKO-Scope—2.35:1 (same as SuperScope 235) Scanoscope—2.35:1 Shawscope—2.35:1 (Hong Kong) Sovscope/Sovscope 70—2.35:1 (U.S.S.R.) Space-Vision—2.35:1 (in 3-D) Spectrascope—2.35:1 StereoScope—2.35:1 (in 3-D) Superama—2.35:1 (same as Super 35) SuperCinescope—2.35:1 (Italy) Superpanorama 70—2.2:1 (70mm) Super Panavision 70—2.2:1 (70mm); 2.35:1 (35mm) SuperScope—2:1 SuperScope 235—2.35:1 (origin of Super 35) Super Technirama 70—2.2:1 (70 mm) Super Techniscope—1.85:1 to 2.35:1 (same as Super 35) Super 35—1.85:1 to 2.35:1 SuperTotalscope—2.35:1 (Italy) System 35—1.85:1 to 2.35:1 (same as Super 35) Technirama—2.35:1 Techniscope—2.35:1 Technovision—2.35:1 (Italy) Todd-AO—2.2:1 (70mm) Todd-AO 35—2.35:1 (35mm) Toeiscope—2.35:1 (Japan) Tohoscope—2.35:1 (Japan) Totalscope—2.35:1 (Italy/France) Totalvision—2.35:1 2.35 Research PLC—2.35:1 Ultra Panavision 70—2.76:1 (70mm) Ultrascope—2.35:1 (Germany) Univision—2:1 (aka Uinivisium) Vistarama—2.35:1 Vistascope—2.35:1 VistaVision—1.66:1 to 2:1 (1.85:1 recommended) Vistascope—2:1 approx. (65mm) WarnerScope—2.35:1 Warwickscope—2.35:1 (England) ‘‘Widescreen’’ means uncredited or undetermined process

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Aaron Loves Angela (1975) C-98m. ★★★ denly in command of lifeboat holding surD: Gordon Parks, Jr. Kevin Hooks, Irene vivors from sunken luxury liner. Tense, Cara, Moses Gunn, Robert Hooks, Ernesexciting study of people fighting to stay alive tine Jackson, Jose´ Feliciano. New Yorkwhile exposed to savage seas and each other. made variation on Romeo and Juliet set in British title: SEVEN WAVES AWAY.▼ Harlem, with black boy (Kevin) in love Abbott and Costello Go to Mars (1953) with Puerto Rican girl (Cara). OK combi77m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles Lamont. Robert nation of comedy, drama, violence, and Paige, Mari Blanchard, Martha Hyer, Horace McMahon. Unimaginative vehicle has Bud Feliciano’s music. [R] ▼ Aaron Slick From Punkin Crick SEE: and Lou sailing through space with escaped Leonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide gangsters, landing on Venus, a planet popuAbandon (2002) C-99m. ★★ D: Stephen lated with scantily clad women. Look quickly Gaghan. Katie Holmes, Benjamin Bratt, for Anita Ekberg.▼쩠 Charlie Hunnam, Zooey Deschanel, GabriAbbott and Costello in Hollywood (1945) elle Union, Gabriel Mann, Mark Feuerstein, 83m. ★★ D: S. Sylvan Simon. Frances Melanie Jayne Lynskey, Will McCormack, Rafferty, Robert Stanton, Jean Porter, Philip Bosco, Tony Goldwyn, Fred Ward. Warner Anderson, Dean Stockwell. UnPolice detective with a checkered past is even comedy with A&C as barber and assigned to investigate the disappearance of porter in Tinseltown. A few peeks behind a college boy but finds himself attracted to the scenes at MGM with Rags Ragland, Luthe missing student’s girlfriend. Murky cille Ball, Preston Foster, Butch Jenkins, whodunit with paranormal ingredients that, and director Robert Z. Leonard. Officially annoyingly, don’t pay off. Directing debut titled BUD ABBOTT LOU COSTELLO IN HOLLYWOOD.▼●쩠 for the Oscar-winning screenwriter of TRAFFIC. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Abbott and Costello in the Foreign Legion (1950) 80m. ★★ D: Charles Lamont. Abandoned (1949) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joe Newman. Dennis O’Keefe, Gale Storm, Jeff Patricia Medina, Walter Slezak, Douglass Chandler, Raymond Burr, Marjorie Rambeau, Dumbrille. Unexceptional vehicle pitting Will Kuluva, Meg Randall, Mike Mazurki, A&C against nasty sergeant Slezak. Best scene involves mirages in the desert. ▼쩠 Jeanette Nolan. Pretty good expose´ about a baby-selling racket; reporter O’Keefe tries to Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952) C-70m. ★★ D: Charles Lamont. help Storm find out what happened to her sister. Good L.A. locations, snappy diaCharles Laughton, Hillary Brooke, Fran logue by William Bowers. Warren, Bill Shirley, Leif Erickson. MidAbandoned, The (2007-Spanish-Bulgariandling pirate spoof with too many lousy songs, British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nacho Cerda`. Anworth catching to see Laughton having the astasia Hille, Karel Roden, Valentin Ganev, time of his life in atypical low comedy.▼쩠 Paraskeva Djukelova, Carlos Reig-Plaza. Abbott and Costello Meet Dr. Jekyll American adoptee gets trapped in an endand Mr. Hyde (1953) 77m. ★★ D: Charles less labyrinth of horror when, after receivLamont. Boris Karloff, Craig Stevens, Reging a mysterious invitation, she returns to inald Denny, Helen Westcott, John Dierkes. Russia to learn more about her roots. In her Disappointing attempt to mix A&C with dank, oppressively creepy childhood home, Jekyll (Karloff) and Hyde (stuntman Eddie she must confront various evil forces, a Parker), with too few funny scenes. Spemurderous clone, and the disturbing secrets cial effects are film’s main asset.▼●쩠 of her past. Anybody looking for a coherent Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein narrative will find this throwback to surreal (1948) 83m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Charles Barton. Euro-horror films of the ’70s maddening. Lon Chaney, Jr., Bela Lugosi, Lenore Fails to build fear and tension, but Cerda` Aubert, Jane Randolph, Glenn Strange, fills the screen with enough gorgeous, chillFrank Ferguson. Dracula (Lugosi) plans to ing imagery to satisfy fans of nonlinear horput Lou’s brain in Frankenstein’s monster; ror fare. Super 35. [R]쩠 werewolf Larry Talbot (Chaney) has his paws Abandon Ship (1957-British) 100m. ★★★ full convincing the boys they’re in danger. D: Richard Sale. Tyrone Power, Mai ZetAll-time great horror-comedy still works terling, Lloyd Nolan, Stephen Boyd, Moira beautifully, mainly because the monsters Lister, James Hayter. Tyrone is officer sudplay it straight. Yes, that is Vincent Price’s [1]

voice at the end. Officially titled BUD ABmovie in which two addictive personalities—a BOTT LOU COSTELLO MEET FRANKfast-and-loose-living cokehead (Headey) ENSTEIN. ▼●쩠 and her alcoholic wreck of a father (SkarsAbbott and Costello Meet the Invisible ga˚rd), from whom she has been long esMan (1951) 82m. ★★★ D: Charles Lamont. tranged—endure each other’s company as Nancy Guild, Arthur Franz, Adele Jergens, she escorts him from Norway to Scotland. Sheldon Leonard. One of the team’s best Sometimes tough to watch, as the characters vehicles, with Bud and Lou as detectives wallow in their dysfunction, but they are vivhelping boxer (Franz) who’s been framed by idly etched and their multilayered relationship is wholly believable.▼쩠 mobster Leonard, with aid of invisibility formula. The effects are top-notch.▼●쩠 Abigail: Wanted SEE: Stingray (1978) Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Abominable Dr. Phibes, The (1971Kops (1955) 79m. ★★ D: Charles Lamont. British) C-94m. ★★★ D: Robert Fuest. VinFred Clark, Lynn Bari, Mack Sennett, cent Price, Joseph Cotten, Peter Jeffrey, Maxie Rosenbloom, Frank Wilcox, Henry Hugh Griffith, Terry-Thomas, Virginia Kulky, Sam Flint. Low-budget comedy North. Above average camp horror film in could have been better. Clark is fine as which Price, disfigured in a car wreck, seeks conniving producer in this synthetic period revenge on those he believes responsible for piece of silent-slapstick movie days.▼쩠 the death of his wife. Sequel: DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN!▼●쩠 Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer Boris Karloff (1949) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles About a Boy (2002) C-101m. ★★★ D: Chris Barton. Lenore Aubert, Gar Moore, Donna Weitz, Paul Weitz. Hugh Grant, Toni ColMartell, Alan Mowbray. Pleasant blend of lette, Rachel Weisz, Nicholas Hoult, Victocomedy and whodunit with bodies hanging ria Smurfit. Self-absorbed bachelor Grant, in closets perplexing hotel dick Abbott, and who happily lives a hedonistic existence, phony mystic Karloff trying to do away comes into the life of an isolated, misfit with klutzy bellboy Costello.▼●쩠 12-year-old boy whose mom is chronically Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy depressed. Out of this unlikely situation a friendship slowly develops in which the boy (1955) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Lamont. Marie Windsor, Michael Ansara, Dan and the man fill voids in each other’s lives. Seymour, Kurt Katch, Richard Deacon. Bright, unpredictable, and refreshingly huAmusing adventure with A&C mixed up manistic comedy-drama doesn’t hew to any with villainess Windsor, a valuable tomb, formula, and though it skirts credibility at and a mummy who’s still alive. ▼●쩠 times it comes up a winner. Based on the Abby (1974) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: William novel by Nick Hornby, coscripted by the directors. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Girdler. Carol Speed, William Marshall, Terry Carter, Austin Stoker, Juanita Moore. About Adam (2001-British-U.S.-Irish) C105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gerard Stembridge. Kate Not-bad black variation on THE EXORCIST. Speed, wife of minister Carter and Hudson, Frances O’Connor, Stuart Towndaughter-in-law of minister Marshall, is send, Charlotte Bradley, Alan Maher, Rosathe possessed Abby. Out of circulation for leen Linehan. Cute romantic comedy about years because of a lawsuit that claimed it a duplicitous charmer who woos all three was a ripoff of THE EXORCIST.쩠 sisters of an eccentric, close-knit Dublin ABC Murders, The SEE: Alphabet Murfamily. Slight but charming fare has a reders, The freshingly hedonistic attitude but never Abdication, The (1974-British) C-103m. ★★ really convinces us why these robust Eves D: Anthony Harvey. Peter Finch, Liv Ullare so smitten by such a cipher of a man. mann, Cyril Cusack, Paul Rogers, Michael Good showcase for its trio of leading ladies Dunn. Plodding historical drama of what hap(Hudson, O’Connor, Bradley). [R]▼쩠 pened to Sweden’s Queen Christina when she About Last Night . . . (1986) C-113m. ★★ abdicated to convert to Catholicism. Finch is D: Edward Zwick. Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, the cardinal who must test her sincerity and James Belushi, Elizabeth Perkins, George with whom she falls in love. [PG]쩠 DiCenzo, Michael Alldredge, Robin Thomas, Abe Lincoln in Illinois (1940) 110m. ★★★★ Catherine Keener. True-to-life look at probD: John Cromwell. Raymond Massey, Gene lems faced by a young couple fleeing the sinLockhart, Ruth Gordon, Mary Howard, Dorogles scene, biggest problem being his inability thy Tree, Minor Watson, Alan Baxter, Howto make genuine emotional commitment to ard da Silva. First-rate Americana; sincere her. True-to-life doesn’t make it terribly interstory of Lincoln’s life and career is beautifully esting, however. Expanded (and diluted) from acted by Massey, with top support from GorDavid Mamet’s one-act play Sexual Perverdon as Mary Todd. Based on Robert Shersity in Chicago. Coscenarist Tim Kazurinsky appears briefly. [R] ▼●쩠 wood’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play.▼쩠 Aberdeen (2000-Norwegian-British) CAbout Mrs. Leslie (1954) 104m. ★★★ D: 106m. ★★★ D: Hans Petter Moland. Stellan Daniel Mann. Shirley Booth, Robert Ryan, Skarsga˚rd, Lena Headey, Ian Hart, Charlotte Marjie Millar, Alex Nicol, Sammy White, Rampling. Raw, extremely well acted road James Bell, Eilene Janssen, Henry (Harry) [2]

Morgan, Gale Page, Ellen Corby, Amanda static biography of Lincoln; can’t match Griffith’s silent masterpieces. ▼●쩠 Blake, Joan Shawlee, Benny Rubin, Jack Abre Los Ojos SEE: Open Your Eyes Larson, Jerry Paris. Flashbacks reveal roAbsence of Malice (1981) C-116m. ★★★ mance between chanteuse (Booth) and mysteD: Sydney Pollack. Paul Newman, Sally rious, lonely magnate (Ryan). Well-acted Field, Bob Balaban, Melinda Dillon, Luther soaper; forgivable illogical coupling of stars. Adler, Barry Primus, Josef Sommer, John About Schmidt (2002) C-124m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Harkins, Don Hood, Wilford Brimley. A reAlexander Payne. Jack Nicholson, Hope porter (Field) is duped by a scheming governDavis, Dermot Mulroney, Kathy Bates, Len ment investigator into printing a story that Cariou, Howard Hesseman, June Squibb. discredits innocent Newman; while she hides Superb human comedy about a newly rebehind the privilege of the press, he detertired insurance actuary in Nebraska who bemines to get even. Absorbing drama by gins—for the first time—to question the former reporter Kurt Luedtke with two choices he has made in life. Subtle, delibercharismatic star performances. Filmed in ately paced, and splendidly acted, with as Miami. [PG] ▼●쩠 many sad moments as funny ones. NicholAbsent Minded Professor, The (1961) son’s magnificently quiet, true performance 97m. ★★★ D: Robert Stevenson. Fred may be the best of his career. Enhanced by MacMurray, Nancy Olson, Keenan Wynn, Rolfe Kent’s perfectly nuanced score. Tommy Kirk, Ed Wynn, Leon Ames, ElPayne and Jim Taylor (loosely) adapted liott Reid. MacMurray discovers flubber Louis Begley’s novel. [R] ▼쩠 (flying rubber) in this Disney audienceAbove and Beyond (1952) 122m. ★★★ D: pleaser, but no one will believe him except Melvin Frank, Norman Panama. Robert Keenan Wynn, who tries to steal the Taylor, Eleanor Parker, James Whitmore, substance. Broad comedy and bright speJim Backus. Meaningful account of U.S. cial effects make this a lot of fun. Also pilot who flew over Hiroshima with first shown in computer-colored version. Sequel: atomic bomb; film focuses on his training SON OF FLUBBER. Remade in 1995 (as a and its effect on his personal life. Story also TVM) and in 1997 as FLUBBER.▼●쩠 told in 1980 TV movie ENOLA GAY.▼쩠 Absolute Beginners (1986-British) CAbove Suspicion (1943) 90m. ★★★ D: 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julien Temple. Eddie Richard Thorpe. Joan Crawford, Fred O’Connell, Patsy Kensit, David Bowie, MacMurray, Conrad Veidt, Basil Rathbone, James Fox, Ray Davies, Eve Ferret, Anita Reginald Owen, Richard Ainley. Crawford Morris, Lionel Blair, Steven Berkoff, Mandy and MacMurray asked to do spy mission Rice-Davies, Sade Adu. Energetic, original during European honeymoon on the eve of musical set in London, 1958, when teenagers WW2. Pure escapism, with Joan more first came into their own. Highly stylized than a match for the Nazis.▼ film (directed by music-video veteran TemAbove the Law (1988) C-99m. ★★ D: ple) suffers from two-dimensional characters Andrew Davis. Steven Seagal, Pam Grier, and a misguided attempt to add substance Sharon Stone, Henry Silva, Ron Dean, by dealing with the rise of racism in EngDaniel Faraldo, Thalmus Rasulala. Chicago land . . . but its virtues almost outweigh its cop doesn’t hesitate to use his martial arts shortcomings. Pulsating score supervised skills as he battles police corruption and by jazz great Gil Evans; musical highdrug dealing. Seagal’s film debut reveals the lights from Sade (‘‘Killer Blow’’) and jazz real-life Aikido master to be more of the veteran Slim Gaillard (‘‘Selling Out’’). Chucknorrisian than the Stanislavskian school And don’t miss that incredible opening of acting. Seagal also cowrote and coproshot! Adapted from Colin MacInnes’ 1959 duced; slick but stupid actioner. [R] ▼●쩠 novel. Super Techniscope. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 ★★1 Above the Rim (1994) C-93m. ⁄2 D: Absolute Power (1997) C-120m. ★★ D: Jeff Pollack. Duane Martin, Leon, Tupac Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Gene Shakur, David Bailey, Tonya Pinkins, MarHackman, Ed Harris, Laura Linney, Judy lon Wayans, Bernie Mac. By-the-numbers Davis, E. G. Marshall, Scott Glenn, Dennis tale of a promising high school basketball Haysbert, Melora Hardin, Richard Jenkins. player (Martin) and his conflicting relationAging thief pulls off one valedictory jewel ships with two very different brothers: one heist, but along the way accidentally wita drug dealer (Shakur), the other a troubled nesses a sexual assault and murder involvex-scholastic hoop star (Leon) employed as ing none other than the President of the a school security guard. Despite insightful United States (Hackman). Barely credible moments, film wallows in cliche´s and plot (and fatally diluted) adaptation of David contrivances. [R] ▼●쩠 Baldacci’s best-seller by William Goldman. Abraham Lincoln (1930) 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eastwood and Harris (as a wily cop) play a D. W. Griffith. Walter Huston, Una Merkel, fun game of cat and mouse, but Hackman is Edgar Dearing, Russell Simpson, Cameron over the top, and the whole thing runs Prud’homme, Oscar Apfel, Henry B. Walaground in the second half. Panavision. thall. Huston is excellent in this sincere but [R]▼●쩠 [3]

Absolution (1981-British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 sor who falls in love with a student) as just D: Anthony Page. Richard Burton, Domia foundation for examination of characnic Guard, Dai Bradley, Billy Connolly, ters’ thoughts and actions. A challenging Andrew Keir, Willoughby Gray. Burton film that operates on many levels; entire gives a commanding performance as a cast superb, including York in his first humorless, by-the-book priest who teaches major film role. Based on a novel by at a boys’ school, and falls victim to a Nicholas Mosley, who plays Don. Pinter is amusing as a TV producer.▼쩠 snowballing practical joke played upon him by his pet student. Straightforward Accidental Tourist, The (1988) C-121m. ★★★ melodrama loses credibility toward the end. D: Lawrence Kasdan. William Hurt, Written by Anthony Shaffer. Filmed in Kathleen Turner, Geena Davis, Amy 1978, unreleased in the U.S. until 1988, Wright, Bill Pullman, Robert Gorman, Dafour years after Burton’s death. [R] ▼●쩠 vid Ogden Stiers, Ed Begley, Jr. Hurt Abyss, The (1989) C-145m. ★★★ D: James gives an exquisite performance as a man Cameron. Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Masshattered by the death of his son, who trantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, comes out of his shell when he meets a Todd Graff, John Bedford Lloyd, J.C. kooky, aggressive young woman (Oscar Quinn, Kimberly Scott, Jimmie Ray Weeks, winner Davis) who couldn’t be less his Chris Elliott. Spectacular underwater saga type. Finely wrought, extremely faithful about an oil-rig crew that gets involved in a adaptation of Anne Tyler’s novel dares to perilous mission to rescue a sunken nuclear take its time; may be too slow and quiet for sub. Better as underwater adventure than some viewers, but offers many rewards. Pafuturistic sci-fi, with a couple of crises too navision. [PG] ▼●쩠 many, but still a fascinating, one-of-a-kind Accidents Will Happen (1939) 62m. ★★1⁄2 experience. Great score by Alan Silvestri; D: William Clemens. Ronald Reagan, GloOscar winner for Visual Effects. Special ria Blondell, Sheila Bromley, Dick Puredition includes 27m. of extra footage, some cell, Addison Richards. Good little B picof it all-too-obviously cut from theatrical reture about a young go-getting insurance lease. It fleshes out characters, amplifies plot claims adjuster who tries to blow the whistle points, and includes some spectacular special on a phony-accident racket. effects—but ‘‘literalizes’’ the other-worldly Accompanist, The (1992-French) C-111m. ★★ finale. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 D: Claude Miller. Richard Bohringer, Accatone (1961-Italian) 120m. ★★★ D: Pier Elena Safonova, Romaine Bohringer, SamPaolo Pasolini. Franco Citti, Franca Pasut, uel Labarthe, Bernard Verley. Somber Roberto Scaringella, Adele Cambria, Paolo drama of deceit (toward oneself and one’s Guidi, Silvana Corsini. Pasolini’s first country) set during WW2. An unworldly film is a vivid, unsentimental look at the young woman (Bohringer) is hired as acdesperate (and depressing) existence of companist to a famous Parisian singer who, pimps and petty thieves living in the slums with her husband, has been collaborating with of Rome. Bernardo Bertolucci was one of the enemy. Potentially potent story but the the assistant directors. Released in the U.S. result is too often bland and forgettable.▼ in 1968.▼●쩠 Accused, The (1948) 101m. ★★★ D: WilAccepted (2006) C-93m. ★★ D: Steve Pink. liam Dieterle. Loretta Young, Robert CumJustin Long, Jonah Hill, Adam Herschman, mings, Wendell Corey, Sam Jaffe, Douglas Blake Lively, Columbus Short, Maria Dick. Professor Young is sexually attacked Thayer, Lewis Black, Anthony Heald. A by a student, accidentally kills him in selfgroup of teenagers who’ve been rejected by defense, and then tries to cover it up. Taut various colleges start their own in an abanthriller, with good support from Cummings. doned mental institution. Premise is so farAccused (1957) SEE: Mark of the Hawk, fetched that it keeps you watching just to The find out how it’s going to resolve itself. Its Accused, The (1988) C-110m. ★★★ D: message that a college education kills the Jonathan Kaplan. Kelly McGillis, Jodie creative genius that teenagers would otherFoster, Bernie Coulson, Leo Rossi, Ann wise cultivate on their own is hard to swalHearn, Carmen Argenziano. Public proselow after seeing the ‘‘self-made students’’ cutor McGillis deals with a gang-rape case do nothing but drink and party. Soundtrack in cut-and-dried fashion, until the victim deis full of cover songs paying homage to mands full retribution for what she has sufother, better teen-revolution movies. Super fered. Compelling drama inspired by a 35. [PG-13]쩠 notorious real-life case and propelled by Accident (1967-British) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 Foster’s powerhouse, Oscar-winning perD: Joseph Losey. Dirk Bogarde, Stanley formance as the provocative, foul-mouthed Baker, Jacqueline Sassard, Delphine Seyrig, woman who gets her day in court. Only Alexander Knox, Michael York, Vivien quibble: Was the climactic reenactment really necessary? [R] ▼●쩠 Merchant, Harold Pinter, Freddie Jones. Complex, thought-provoking script by HarAce, The SEE: Great Santini, The old Pinter uses story (about Oxford profesAce Eli and Rodger of the Skies (1973) [4]

C-92m. ★★ D: Bill Sampson (John Erman). steam—which Carrey never does. Real-life Cliff Robertson, Pamela Franklin, Eric members of the Miami Dolphins appear. A Shea, Rosemary Murphy, Bernadette Peminute of new footage added for video. Folters, Alice Ghostley. Tepid tale of 1920s lowed by a sequel, an animated TV series, stunt flyer and son who tags along. Mudand a DVD sequel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 dled film sat on shelf a long time; doctoring Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) didn’t help. Story by Steven Spielberg. PeC-105m. ★★ D: Steve Oedekerk. Jim Carters’ film debut. Panavision. [PG] rey, Ian McNeice, Simon Callow, Maynard Ace High (1969-Italian) C-123m. ★★ D: Eziashi, Bob Gunton, Sophie Okonedo, Giuseppe Colizzi. Eli Wallach, Terence Hill, Tommy Davidson. Sloppy assemblage of Bud Spencer, Brock Peters, Kevin McCargags (with most of the good ones near the thy, Steffen Zacharias. Awkwardly dubbed beginning) ostensibly about Ace’s anti-p.c. spaghetti Western tries to imitate Clint hijinks with battling African tribes while Eastwood–Sergio Leone epics, but director trying to locate a rare white bat. Clever Colizzi lacks Leone’s style. Hill plays a opening spoof of CLIFFHANGER and a character named Cat Stevens, but there funny sight gag involving asparagus; otherare no rock songs here. Techniscope. [M] ▼쩠 wise, more of the same. Super 35. [PG★★★ Ace in the Hole (1951) 112m. D: 13] ▼●쩠 Billy Wilder. Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Across 110th Street (1972) C-102m. ★★★ Bob Arthur, Porter Hall, Frank Cady, RichD: Barry Shear. Anthony Quinn, Yaphet ard Benedict, Ray Teal, Gene Evans. An Kotto, Anthony Franciosa, Richard Ward, embittered New Mexico reporter looking Paul Benjamin, Ed Bernard, Antonio for the elusive brass ring finds it when he Fargas, Norma Donaldson, Gilbert Lewis. stumbles onto a story of a man trapped in an N.Y.C. police race the mobs to catch three ancient Indian ruin. Unrelentingly cynical (yet blacks who, disguised as cops, stole mostly believable) tale of how the reporter $300,000 from a Mafia-controlled bank; exploits the ‘‘human interest story’’ for his mutual distrust of both black and Italian own benefit—and how the potential tragedy hoods is mirrored by differences between turns into a three-ring circus—has a peculiarly cops Quinn and Kotto. Exciting, well contemporary ring to it. Biting and extremely paced, and extremely violent, with fine well acted. Originally titled THE BIG CARuse of Harlem locations. Quinn was also coexecutive producer. [R] ▼쩠 NIVAL. Inspired by the actual 1925 Floyd Collins case; the real reporter won a Pulitzer Across the Bridge (1957-British) 103m. ★★★ Prize. 쩠 D: Ken Annakin. Rod Steiger, David Aces High (1976-British) C-104m. ★★★ Knight, Maria Landi, Noel Willman, BerD: Jack Gold. Malcolm McDowell, Chrisnard Lee, Bill Nagy, Eric Pohlmann. Smug topher Plummer, Simon Ward, Peter Firth. German business magnate flees his home Strong antiwar statement focusing on inbase in England when Scotland Yard invesdoctrination of WW1 pilot Firth and his tigates his corrupt dealings. His only hope disillusioned squadron leader (McDowell). is to get to Mexico through the U.S., but en Solid cast (with cameos by John Gielgud, route he switches identities with a fellow Ray Milland, Trevor Howard, and Richard train passenger. Engrossing yarn based on Johnson) and exciting aerial dogfights higha Graham Greene novella. Shot mostly in light this remake of R. C. Sherriff’s JOURSpain. Later remade as DOUBLE TAKE. NEY’S END. [PG] ▼쩠 Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992) C-93m. ★1⁄2 Across the Pacific (1942) 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: John Glen. Louis Gossett, Jr., Rachel John Huston. Humphrey Bogart, Mary McLish, Christopher Cazenove, Horst Astor, Sydney Greenstreet, Victor Sen Buchholz, Sonny Chiba. This time, mavYung, Keye Luke, Richard Loo. Three erick pilot Gossett and a group of WW2 MALTESE FALCON leads reteamed for veteran pilots stage an air raid on a Peruvian enjoyable WW2 adventure. Bogart trails cocaine factory (having run out of targets in spies to Panama, has running battle of wits the Middle East). Unsatisfying me´lange of with Greenstreet, while romancing enticing flyboy machismo, unintentional slapstick, Astor. Despite title, the movie never gets to and inane action—with novelty of female bothe Pacific, much less across it. Also shown dybuilder McLish in cast. [R]▼●쩠 in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Ace Ventura, Pet Detective (1994) CAcross the Tracks (1991) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 86m. ★★ D: Tom Shadyac. Jim Carrey, D: Sandy Tung. Rick Schroder, Brad Pitt, Courteney Cox, Sean Young, Tone Lo¯c, Carrie Snodgress, David Anthony MarDan Marino, Noble Willingham, Troy Evans, shall. Reasonably compelling teen sports Randall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb. Miami-based ‘‘pet dedrama with Schroder returning from retective’’ is hired to find the kidnapped mascot form school stint to compete on high school of the Dolphins football team. No-brainer track team and outperforming straight-A comedy/whodunit was the breakout role for track star brother (Pitt). Realistic portrayal Carrey, who mugs nonstop (and we mean of teen problems and aspirations make this nonstop). Some good gags, but runs out of best suited for young people, although the [5]

R rating (for normal raunchy high school Act of the Heart, The (1970-Canadian) Clanguage) may make this film inaccessible 103m. ★★★ D: Paul Almond. Genevieve Buto its key audience. [R]▼●쩠 jold, Donald Sutherland, Bill Mitchell, Across the Universe (2007) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 Monique Leyrac. Fascinating study of reliD: Julie Taymor. Evan Rachel Wood, Jim gious fanaticism manifesting itself in one Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Martin young woman and her love for a Catholic Luther McCoy, T. V. Carpio, Spencer Liff, priest. Beautifully atmospheric but ending Lisa Hogg, Bill Irwin, James Urbaniak, Dylan deeply hurts film. [PG] Baker, Joe Cocker, Bono, Salma Hayek, Harry Act of Violence (1949) 82m. ★★★ D: Fred J. Lennix, Eddie Izzard. A young Brit comes to Zinnemann. Van Heflin, Robert Ryan, the U.S. in search of his father, and falls in love Janet Leigh, Mary Astor, Phyllis Thaxter, with an all-American girl, just as she (and her Berry Kroeger, Taylor Holmes. Stark, wellentire generation) experience the mindacted drama, with crippled, embittered Ryan bending changes of the Vietnam era. Routine stalking former senior officer Heflin, who story is just an excuse to pictorialize—and betrayed his men while a POW. Fine vignette attempt to contextualize—more than 30 landby Astor as a sympathetic call girl.쩠 mark Beatles songs. Imaginative at times Act One (1963) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dore but increasingly wearying as the song cues Schary. George Hamilton, Jason Robards, line up (yes, there are characters named PruGeorge Segal, Eli Wallach, Sam Levene, dence, Maxwell, Jude, et al.), famous faces Ruth Ford, Jack Klugman. Interesting for appear, and the plotline bogs down. Our oddball cast, this fabrication of writer Moss favorite number: Joe Cocker singing Hart’s autobiography lacks finesse or any ‘‘Come Together.’’ Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 sense of reality, but Robards is ideally cast Across the Wide Missouri (1951) C-78m. as George S. Kaufman. ★★1 ⁄2 D: William Wellman. Clark Gable, Actors and Sin (1952) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ben Ricardo Montalban, John Hodiak, Adolphe Hecht, Lee Garmes. Edward G. Robinson, Menjou, Maria Elena Marques, J. Carrol Eddie Albert, Marsha Hunt, Alan Reed, Naish, Jack Holt, Alan Napier, George Dan O’Herlihy, Tracey Roberts, Rudolph Chandler, Richard Anderson. Location filmAnders, Paul Guilfoyle, Jenny Hecht, John ing helps pedestrian frontier adventure Crawford. Uneven two-part film: the overly about explorer Gable and other pathfinders melodramatic ‘‘Actor’s Blood’’ concerns moving westward in 19th century.▼ has-been thespian Robinson and his hardAction in the North Atlantic (1943) 127m. hearted (and murdered) Broadway star ★★★ D: Lloyd Bacon. Humphrey Bogart, daughter Hunt; the more successful ‘‘WoRaymond Massey, Alan Hale, Julie Bishman of Sin’’ details the plight of agent op, Ruth Gordon, Sam Levene, Dane Clark. Albert, whose newest client is a 9-year-old Rousing tribute to WW2 Merchant Marine, (Hecht, Ben’s daughter), who’s penned a with officers Bogart and Massey, seamen lascivious book.▼ Hale and Levene, usual hothead Clark, and Actress, The (1953) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Gordon as Massey’s wife. Also shown in Cukor. Spencer Tracy, Jean Simmons, computer-colored version.▼쩠 Teresa Wright, Anthony Perkins, Mary Action Jackson (1988) C-95m. ★★ D: Wickes. Flavorful account based on Ruth Craig R. Baxley. Carl Weathers, Craig T. Gordon’s experiences as a teenager in early Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone, Thomas F. 20th-century Massachusetts, determined to Wilson, Bill Duke, Robert Davi, Jack become an acting star; Tracy is the irascible Thibeau. Strictly standard B-movie fare father. Perkins’ film debut.쩠 pitting good guy Weathers (a cop) vs. bad Ada (1961) C-109m. ★★★ D: Daniel Mann. guy Nelson. Plenty of explosions, car Susan Hayward, Dean Martin, Wilfrid Hydechases, corpses and noise. [R] ▼●쩠 White, Martin Balsam. Rags-to-riches Act of Love (1953) 108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anatole soaper of poor Hayward maneuvering easyLitvak. Kirk Douglas, Dany Robin, Bargoing Martin to governor’s mansion, using bara Laage, Robert Strauss, Gabrielle hellbent stamina to overcome political Dorziat, Serge Reggiani, Brigitte Bardot. corruption. Hayward vs. Hyde-White in Entertaining if unremarkable chronicle of state senate is highlight. CinemaScope. the romance between lonely American solAdalen 31 (1969-Swedish) C-115m. ★★★ dier Douglas and down-and-out French D: Bo Widerberg. Peter Schildt, Kerstin girl Robin in Paris. Scripted by Irwin Shaw, Tidelius, Roland Hedlund, Stefan Feierbased on Alfred Hayes’ novel The Girl on bach. Strikers in a Swedish paper mill the Via Flaminia. disagree over whether or not to make their Act of Murder, An (1948) 91m. ★★★ D: case with violence; matters are further comMichael Gordon. Fredric March, Florence plicated when a striker’s son falls in love Eldridge, Edmond O’Brien, Geraldine with—and impregnates—the factory manBrooks. March is excellent as strict jurist ager’s daughter. Generally appealing mix who must judge himself for saving his of romance and history, though no one wife the anguish of illness by killing her; absorbing drama. will ever mistake Widerberg (the director [6]

of ELVIRA MADIGAN) for a gritty ries. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 filmmaker of social realism. Techniscope. [X] Adam at 6 A.M. (1970) C-100m. ★★★ D: Adaptation. (2002) C-115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Spike Robert Scheerer. Michael Douglas, Lee PurJonze. Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep, Chris cell, Joe Don Baker, Grayson Hall, Charles Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Cara Seymour, Brian Aidman, Meg Foster. Underrated film about Cox, Judy Greer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ron young college professor from California who Livingston, Stephen Tobolowsky. Superspends summer in Missouri working as a neurotic screenwriter Charlie Kaufman laborer. Authentic location footage and good (BEING JOHN MALKOVICH) is hired to performances by Purcell and Baker give rare, adapt Susan Orlean’s book The Orchid Thief genuine feeling for the Midwest. [PG]▼ as a movie, but finds it a torturous process. Adam Resurrected (2008-U.S.-GermanHis carefree twin brother, Donald, has no such Israeli) C/B&W-106m. ★★ D: Paul Schrader. problems, and even tries his hand at writing. Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Derek JaWe also meet author Orlean (Streep) and her cobi, Ayelet Zurer, Hana Laszlo, Joachim main subject, a colorful Southern character Kro´l. Take a dash of Kirk Douglas in THE who knows everything there is to know about JUGGLER, sprinkle in what you’ve heard plants (Cooper, in an Oscar-winning perforabout Jerry Lewis’ THE DAY THE CLOWN mance). Surreal, dazzling, dizzying, often perCRIED, then imagine what Schrader at his plexing but brilliant film about the creative most left-field-ish could bring to a Holoprocess; Cage (in two distinct performances caust story. Flashback film from Yoram as the twin brothers), Streep, and Cooper are Kaniuk’s eponymous 1968 novel finds a all great. Cameos by John Malkovich, Catheronce-popular prewar Berlin clown (Goldine Keener, John Cusack, David O. Russell, blum) in a postwar Israeli mental facility and Curtis Hanson (as Streep’s husband). recalling concentration camp life—where Screenplay is credited to Charlie and (the late) Donald Kaufman. [R] ▼쩠 he was forced to walk around on all fours like a dog by a commandant (Dafoe) who Addams Family, The (1991) C-101m. ★★★ D: Barry Sonnenfeld. Anjelica Huston, remembered him from his performing days. This merely scratches the weird surfaces of Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Dan Hedaya, a brave, barely released movie (with a GoldElizabeth Wilson, Judith Malina, Carel blum performance tough to fault) that’s at Struycken, Dana Ivey, Paul Benedict, Chrisonce flamboyant yet too chilly to engage tina Ricci, Jimmy Workman. Piquant commany viewers. Super 35. [R] edy based on Charles Addams’ macabre carAdam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights SEE: toon family (later popularized on the sameEight Crazy Nights named TV series), whose greedy lawyer tries Adam’s Apples (2005-German-Danish) Cto plunder their fortune by planting an im91m. ★★ D: Anders Thomas Jensen. Ulrich postor in the household who claims to be Thomsen, Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Bro, their long-lost Uncle Fester. Huston and Paprika Steen, Ali Kazim, Ole Thestrup, NiJulia are absolutely perfect as Morticia and kolaj Lie Kaas. Ineffectual black-comedy Gomez, and maintain a light touch while allegory about a clash of wills between Ivan dispensing their gleefully ghoulish black (Mikkelsen), a hard-luck soul who emhumor. Impressive directorial debut for cinbraces religion and is in denial about the ematographer Sonnenfeld. Followed by two sequels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 existence of evil, and Adam (Thomsen), a hardened career criminal and neo-Nazi. Addams Family Values (1993) C-93m. ★★★ Means to be profound, as it deals with the D: Barry Sonnenfeld. Anjelica Huston, nature of good and evil, but it’s merely Raul Julia, Christopher Lloyd, Joan Cusack, overwrought. Super 35. [R] Christina Ricci, Carol Kane, Jimmy WorkAdam’s Rib (1949) 100m. ★★★★ D: George man, Carel Struycken, Dana Ivey, Peter Cukor. Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, MacNicol, Christine Baranski, Mercedes Judy Holliday, Tom Ewell, David Wayne, McNab, Nathan Lane, Peter Graves, Tony Jean Hagen, Hope Emerson, Polly Moran, Shalhoub, David Hyde Pierce. Funny folMarvin Kaplan, Paula Raymond, Tommy low-up to the 1991 hit has scheming Cusack Noonan. Smart, sophisticated comedy (by invading the Addams household, plotting to Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin) about marry Fester for his money, then bump him husband and wife lawyers on opposing off. Full of hilarious one-liners (delivered sides of the same attempted-murder case. with gusto by Julia and Lloyd), but the real One of Hollywood’s greatest comedies star is Ricci as the stone-faced Wednesday, about the battle of the sexes, with peerless who finally exacts her revenge for being Tracy and Hepburn supported by movie sent to a summer camp run by a pair of newcomers Holliday, Ewell, Hagen, and giddy grown-ups (MacNicol and Baranski). Wayne. Cole Porter contributed the song Runs out of steam toward the end. Direct-to‘‘Farewell, Amanda.’’ Remade in Bulgaria video sequel: ADDAMS FAMILY REin 1956 (in this version the heroine rebels UNION. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 against tradition as a result of her converAddict SEE: Born to Win sion to Marxism-Leninism!). Later a TV seAddicted to Love (1997) C-100m. ★★ D: [7]

Griffin Dunne. Meg Ryan, Matthew BrodeKhanjian, Maury Chaykin, Gabrielle Rose, rick, Kelly Preston, Tcheky Karyo, MauJennifer Dale, David Hemblen, Don Mcreen Stapleton, Nesbitt Blaisdell, Remak Kellar. Audacious, provocative examination Ramsay. Jilted lover Broderick settles in an of voyeurism and the power of images. abandoned N.Y.C. building across the street Among the characters are an insurance adfrom his ex-girlfriend’s apartment so he can juster (Koteas) who plays peekaboo with watch her and her new lover. Then he’s the lives of those he deals with professionjoined by the lover’s ex-g.f., whose agenda ally and his wife (Khanjian), a censor who is even more extreme: she wants revenge. secretly tapes the pornographic material she’s classifying. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Dark, twisted comedy has its moments, and a likable cast, but Ryan’s seriously disAdmirable Crichton, The (1957-British) C-94m. ★★ D: Lewis Gilbert. Kenneth More, turbed character makes it hard to ‘‘root’’ for her, and renders the inevitable fadeout scene Diane Cilento, Cecil Parker, Sally Ann Howes, less than ideal. Feature directing debut for Martita Hunt. Oft-filmed James Barrie classic actor-producer Dunne; his famous father, wears thin: impeccable servant proves to be author Dominick Dunne, plays a restaurant most resourceful when he and his aristocratic critic. [R]▼●쩠 employers are shipwrecked on an island. RetiAddiction, The (1995) 82m. ★★★ D: Abel tled PARADISE LAGOON; previously made Ferrara. Lili Taylor, Christopher Walken, in 1918 and 1919 (as MALE AND FEMALE). VistaVision.▼ Annabella Sciorra, Edie Falco, Paul Calderon, Kathryn Erbe, Michael Imperioli. Intelligent, Adolescent, The SEE: L’Adolescente allegorical vampire movie, shot in beautiful Adorable Julia (1962-French-Austrian) 94m. ★★★ black-and-white, about an NYU philosophy D: Alfred Weidenmann. Lilli Palmer, student (well played by Taylor), a decent Charles Boyer, Jean Sorel, Thomas Fritsch. human being who is horrified by the atrocities Charming rendering of Somerset Maugham’s of history. Her good intentions do not protect novel Theatre and the play of the same title he her from evil, as she is bitten by a vampiress penned with Guy Bolton. Palmer is an aging and goes on to crave the blood of any- and stage star who becomes the mistress of young everyone she meets. Not nearly as bloody and Sorel (despite being wed to director-producer outrageous as some of Ferrara’s earlier films; Boyer).Bolton also cowrote the script. Remade this one says the only hope for mankind is in as BEING JULIA.▼ spirituality. An interesting companion piece to Adoration (2009-Canadian) C-101m. ★★ D: Ferrara’s KING OF NEW YORK and BAD Atom Egoyan. Arsine´e Khanjian, Scott LIEUTENANT. ▼● Speedman, Rachel Blanchard, Noam Jenkins, Adding Machine, The (1969-U.S.-British) Devon Bostick, Kenneth Welsh, Maury ChayC-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jerome Epstein. Milo kin. After hearing his French teacher read an O’Shea, Phyllis Diller, Billie Whitelaw, Sydarticle about a man who sent his pregnant wife ney Chaplin, Julian Glover. Accountant beonto a plane with a bomb, a student writes an comes desperate upon learning he’s to be essay imagining the man and woman as his replaced by a computer. This Elmer Rice comparents (who died some years ago) and presedy-fantasy is flawed but interesting. Diller has ents it as the truth. This initiates a multilevel unusual straight role as harridan. [M/PG] series of conversations, confrontations, and Addio Kira SEE: We the Living revelations about terrorism, personal responsiAdios Amigo (1975) C-87m. ★★ D: Fred bility, and family dynamics. Provocative at Williamson. Fred Williamson, Richard first, Egoyan’s puzzle-like story actually bePryor, Thalmus Rasulala, James Brown, comes less interesting as the pieces fit toRobert Phillips, Mike Henry. Offbeat Westgether. [R] Advance to the Rear (1964) 97m. ★★1⁄2 ern comedy, written, produced, and directed by Williamson, who plays perenD: George Marshall. Glenn Ford, Stella Stenial patsy to con man Pryor. No sex or vens, Melvyn Douglas, Joan Blondell, Jim violence in this innocuous film; too bad it Backus, Andrew Prine. During Civil War, doesn’t pull together. Panavision. [PG] ▼쩠 Northern soldier rejects are sent to Western terAdios, Sabata (1971-Italian-Spanish) Critory. Stevens as Reb spy and Blondell as 104m. ★1⁄2 D: Frank Kramer (Gianfranco saucy worldly woman add only spice to preParolini). Yul Brynner, Dean Reed, Pedro dictable slapstick comedy. Panavision. Adventure (1945) 125m. ★★ D: Victor Sanchez (Ignazio Spalla), Gerard Herter. Gunslinger gets involved with Mexican Fleming. Clark Gable, Greer Garson, Joan revolutionaries, helping himself to a cache Blondell, Thomas Mitchell, Tom Tully, of gold along the way. Ersatz sequel to John Qualen, Richard Haydn. Gable’s back, SABATA (with Brynner instead of Lee Van Garson’s got him; they both sink in cumCleef) was titled INDIO BLACK until dubbed bersome comedy of seagoing roustabout and retitled for U.S. release. Genuine sequel, and meek librarian. Not even breezy THE RETURN OF SABATA, showed up in Blondell can save it.▼ 1972. Techniscope. [PG]쩠 Adventure, The SEE: L’Avventura Adjuster, The (1991-Canadian) C-102m. Adventure in Baltimore (1949) 89m. ★★★ D: Atom Egoyan. Elias Koteas, Arsinee ★★ D: Richard Wallace. Shirley Temple, [8]

John Agar, Robert Young, Josephine Hutchin(1989) C-126m. ★★★ D: Terry Gilliam. son. Mild (and, some might say, reactionary) John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, comedy, set in the horse-and-buggy era. TemOliver Reed, Charles McKeown, Winston ple plays a spunky miss whose independent Dennis, Jack Purvis, Valentina Cortese, Jonaspirit and feminist leanings are depicted as than Pryce, Bill Paterson, Peter Jeffrey, Uma youthful folly. Young, auditioning for Father Thurman, Alison Steadman, Sting, Robin WilKnows Best, plays Shirley’s understanding liams. The legendary tale spinner returns in a pastor-father. new interpretation of his exploits by directorAdventureland (2009) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: cowriter Gilliam. Breathtaking special effects Greg Mottola. Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewgo hand in hand with Gilliam’s outlandishly art, Martin Starr, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, funny and far-out ideas; a visual feast that’s Ryan Reynolds, Margarita Levieva, Matt worth staying with through its occasional lulls. Bush, Jack Gilpin, Wendie Malick, Josh Pais, The Baron’s exploits were previously filmed in Mary Birdsong. In 1987, a brainy (and vir1943 and (as THE FABULOUS BARON ginal) college graduate (Eisenberg) plans a trip MUNCHAUSEN) in 1961. [PG] ▼●쩠 to Europe before attending grad school, but a Adventures of Barry McKenzie, The (1972change in family finances forces him to take a Australian) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. menial summer job at a run-down amusement Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Peter Cook, park in his hometown of Pittsburgh. Things Spike Milligan. Melbournian Crocker, not partake an interesting turn when he falls for a ticularly fond of the British, finds himself dispretty coworker (Stewart). Seriocomic placed in England. Broad, gross comedy, coming-of-age tale boasts strong acting and overlong, and a bit much for American audimoments of insight, but covers familiar terriences. Beresford’s first film, from a cartoon tory and drags in several spots. Mottola also strip by Humphries and Nicholas Garland. Sewrote the semiautobiographical script. [R] quel: BARRY MCKENZIE HOLDS HIS Adventure of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter OWN. 1 ★★ Brother, The (1975) C-91m. ⁄2 D: Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder, Madeline Kahn, the Eighth Dimension, The (1984) CMarty Feldman, Dom DeLuise, Leo McKern, 103m. ★★ D: W. D. Richter. Peter Weller, Roy Kinnear, John LeMesurier. Wilder’s John Lithgow, Ellen Barkin, Jeff Goldblum, first film as writer-director-star is mild Christopher Lloyd. Off-the-wall pulp fiction spoof of Sherlockian adventures, as Sigerson by Earl Mac Rauch about a hero who’s a neuHolmes becomes involved with music-hall rosurgeon, physicist, rocket-car driver, rock songstress Kahn, a damsel in distress. DeLuise, singer, and government troubleshooter. as hammy opera star, adds film’s liveliest moShould be fun, but it’s incoherent, like comments. Listen carefully for vocal cameo by Mel ing in at the second chapter of a Saturday Brooks. Made in England. [PG]▼쩠 matinee serial. Still, it has a fervent followAdventurers, The (1970) C-171m. BOMB ing. Aka BUCKAROO BANZAI. PanaviD: Lewis Gilbert. Bekim Fehmiu, Candice sion. [PG] ▼●쩠 Bergen, Ernest Borgnine, Olivia de HavilAdventures of Bullwhip Griffin, The land, Leigh Taylor-Young, Thommy Berg(1967) C-110m. ★★★ D: James Neilson. gren, Rossano Brazzi, Jaclyn Smith. ThreeRoddy McDowall, Suzanne Pleshette, Karl hour challenge to the kidneys based on Malden, Harry Guardino, Richard Haydn, Harold Robbins’ best-seller about fictional Hermione Baddeley, Bryan Russell. Bright South American republic that has a new Disney spoof of gold-rush sagas, with revolution every two minutes. Incredible McDowall as Bostonian butler who learns mess wastes attractive cast. Panavision. to fend for himself in the wild and woolly [PG—edited from original R rating]▼쩠 West. Clever comic ideas and visual gimAdventures in Babysitting (1987) C-99m. mickry make this fun.▼쩠 ★★ D: Chris Columbus. Elisabeth Shue, Adventures of Don Juan (1948) C-110m. Maia Brewton, Keith Coogan, Anthony ★★★ D: Vincent Sherman. Errol Flynn, Rapp, Calvin Levels, Vincent Phillip Viveca Lindfors, Robert Douglas, Alan D’Onofrio, Penelope Ann Miller, Albert ColHale, Ann Rutherford, Raymond Burr. lins, George Newbern, John Ford Noonan, LoHandsome tongue-in-cheek swashbuckler lita David (Davidovich). Shue, extremely has Errol stringing along countless maidwinning in her first lead role, plays a teenager ens and even enticing the Queen (Lindfors); who takes her two babysitting charges into Oscar winner for Best Costumes.▼●쩠 downtown Chicago to help get a friend out of a Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland, The jam—and winds up in a snowballing series of (1999) C-73m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gary Halvorson. wild adventures, a` la FERRIS BUELLER’S Mandy Patinkin, Vanessa L. Williams; voices DAY OFF. Young teens might go for it, but of Kevin Clash, Fran Brill, Stephanie it’s mediocre at best. Screenwriter Columbus’ D’Abruzzo, Jerry Nelson, Caroll Spinney, directing debut. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Frank Oz, Steve Whitmire. TV’s Elmo (the Adventures of a Young Man SEE: Hemred, furry three-year-old monster from Sesingway’s Adventures of a Young Man Adventures of Baron Munchausen, The ame Street) loses his precious blanket and [9]

his search leads him to Grouchland, where Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The he tangles with the villainous Huxley (Patin(1960) C-107m. ★★★ D: Michael Curtiz. kin). Fine fare for young fans, but little else Tony Randall, Eddie Hodges, Archie Moore, for older viewers. Elmo, Patinkin, and WilPatty McCormack, Neville Brand. Good liams seem to be having fun. [G]▼쩠 version of Twain’s story with an appealing Adventures of Felix (2000-French) CHodges (Huck) and excellent Archie Moore 95m. ★★★ D: Jacques Martineau, Olivier (Jim). Assorted characters played by veterans Ducastel. Sami Bouajila, Patachou, Ariane Buster Keaton, Andy Devine, Judy Canova, Ascaride, Pierre-Loup Rajot, Charly Sergue. John Carradine, Mickey Shaughnessy, and An HIV-positive young man travels to MarSterling Holloway. CinemaScope.▼쩠 seilles to find the father he never knew, and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1985) along the way meets a variety of people whom C-105m. ★★★ D: Peter H. Hunt. Patrick he imagines as his ideal family. Tackles hardDay, Jim Dale, Frederic Forrest, Lillian Gish, hitting issues (AIDS, racism, homophobia) in Barnard Hughes, Richard Kiley, Geraldine the guise of a gentle social comedy. Beautifully Page, Sada Thompson, Samm-Art Williams, photographed by Matthieu Poirot-Delpech. Butterfly McQueen. Literate, enjoyable verSoundtrack features sweet jazz vocals from sion of the Twain classic, with Day a smart, Blossom Dearie. Super 35.▼쩠 energetic Huck. Centers mostly on his relaAdventures of Ford Fairlane, The (1990) tionship with Jim, the runaway slave (WilC-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Renny Harlin. Andrew liams); as richly rewarding for adults as for Dice Clay, Wayne Newton, Priscilla Presley, kids. Edited down from 240m. version, broadMorris Day, Lauren Holly, Maddie Corcast on PBS’s American Playhouse.▼ man, Gilbert Gottfried, David Patrick Kelly, Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Brandon Call, Robert Englund, Ed O’Neill, The (1949) C-68m. ★★★ D: Jack Kinney, Tone Loc, Sheila E. Controversial standup Clyde Geronimi, James Algar. Voices of comic Clay’s first starring vehicle is an oldEric Blore, Pat O’Malley, John Ployardt, time private-eye yarn transplanted to the Colin Campbell, Claude Allister, The contemporary world of rock ’n’ roll. Clay’s Rhythmaires. Very entertaining animated got what it takes, but the film is clumsy, crude, doubleheader from Disney: a witty adaptaand immature (just like his character). For tion of Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in rabid Clay fans only. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 the Willows, about the puckish residents of Adventures of Gerard, The (1970-BritishToad Hall centering on Toad’s infatuation Italian-Swiss) C-91m. BOMB D: Jerzy with motorcars, narrated by Basil Rathbone; Skolimowski. Peter McEnery, Claudia and a broad, cartoony version of WashingCardinale, Eli Wallach, Jack Hawkins, John ton Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Neville. Clumsy farce from Arthur Conan with a genuinely scary climax, narrated (and Doyle story about cocky but stupid officer sung) by Bing Crosby.▼●쩠 who becomes fall guy for Napoleon’s (WalAdventures of Marco Polo, The (1938) lach) wartime strategy. Panavision. 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Archie Mayo. Gary CooAdventures of Hercules, The SEE: Herper, Sigrid Gurie, Basil Rathbone, George cules II Barbier, Binnie Barnes, Ernest Truex, Alan Adventures of Huck Finn, The (1993) CHale. Lighthearted approach to famed explor108m. ★★ D: Stephen Sommers. Elijah er’s life doesn’t always work, but Cooper is Wood, Courtney B. Vance, Robbie Colpleasant and Rathbone’s a good villain; trane, Jason Robards, Ron Perlman, Dana sumptuous production. Look for Lana Turner Ivey, Anne Heche, James Gammon, Paxton as one of the handmaidens. ▼쩠 Whitehead, Tom Aldredge, Curtis ArmAdventures of Mark Twain, The (1944) strong, Mary Louise Wilson, Frances Con★★★ D: Irving Rapper. Fredric 130m. roy. Utterly unimaginative rendering of March, Alexis Smith, Donald Crisp, Alan Mark Twain’s perennial, which should reHale, C. Aubrey Smith, John Carradine, main off-limits to Hollywood from this Percy Kilbride. This Hollywoodized story of point on. As Huck, young Wood looks and Samuel Clemens’ colorful life may not be acts too contemporary by decades, while great biography, but it’s consistently enterVance (as Jim) seems too young. Early taining—despite some biopic cliche´s. March scenes involving Huck’s brutal father may is fine in title role. Filmed in 1942. ▼쩠 be too intense for very young children . . . Adventures of Mark Twain, The (1985) and this a Disney release! [PG]▼●쩠 C-90m. ★★ D: Will Vinton. Voices of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The James Whitmore, Chris Ritchie, Gary Krug, (1939) 90m. ★★★ D: Richard Thorpe. Michele Mariana. Tom Sawyer, Huck Finn, Mickey Rooney, Walter Connolly, William and Becky Thatcher stow away on Mark Frawley, Rex Ingram, Lynne Carver. SubTwain’s amazing flying machine, heading dued Rooney fine, Ingram excellent as Huck for Halley’s Comet in this clay-figure and Jim in classic Mark Twain tale of early animated feature. Strangely disjointed and 19th-century America; Connolly and Frawley ineffectual, incorporating pieces of Twain are amusing as riverboat con artists. Also stories with interesting (but unsettling) look shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 [ 10 ]

at darker side of his personality. Still, imwicked Rathbone. Erich Wolfgang Kornpressive use of Claymation. [G] ▼●쩠 gold’s outstanding score earned an Oscar, as Adventures of Milo and Otis, The (1989did the art direction and editing. Scripted by Japanese) C-76m. ★★1⁄2 D: Masanori Hata. Norman Reilly Raine and Seton I. Miller. ArNarrated by Dudley Moore. Cute film for kids guably Flynn’s greatest role. ▼●쩠 about a dog and a cat who venture away from Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1952their farm and experience a variety of adMexican) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Luis Bun˜uel. ventures. Not very strong on story but buoyed Dan O’Herlihy, Jaime Fernandez. Colorful, (in the U.S. release version) by Moore’s deentertaining adaptation of Daniel Defoe’s lightful narration. Original version, released classic story about a resourceful shipwreck in 1986, ran 90m. [G] ▼●쩠 victim, with some distinctive Bun˜uel Adventures of Pinocchio, The (1996touches; vivid performance by O’Herlihy. British-French-German) C-96m. ★★★ D: Screenplay by Philip Ansell Roll (Hugo Steve Barron. Martin Landau, Jonathan Butler) and Bun˜uel. Excellent music score Taylor Thomas, Genevieve Bujold, Udo by Anthony Collins. Main title on film is ROBINSON CRUSOE.▼쩠 Kier, Bebe Neuwirth, Rob Schneider, Corey Carrier, John Sessions; voice of David Doyle. Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Appealing live-action rendition of the Collodi The (2000) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Des McAnuff. fable about a wood-carver who creates the Rene Russo, Jason Alexander, Robert De magical, mischievous marionette Pinocchio. . . Niro, Piper Perabo, James Rebhorn, Randy who wants only to be a real boy. Some variaQuaid, Taraji (P.) Henson; voices of Keith tions from the Disney version, but gentle of Scott, June Foray. FBI agent yanks Rocket J. spirit and enjoyable throughout. Only adults Squirrel and Bullwinkle Moose out of cartoon are likely to question the variety of accents reruns in order to foil world-domination plans (American, British, German, Italian) in a story of Fearless Leader (De Niro). Fans of Jay supposedly set in Italy. Followed by a directWard’s cartoons will probably cut this more to-video sequel. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 slack than others, but in trying to please Adventures of Pluto Nash, The (2002) Cboth us and contemporary kids this benign comedy winds up neither fish nor fowl. De 95m. ★1⁄2 D: Ron Underwood. Eddie Murphy, Randy Quaid, Rosario Dawson, Joe Niro (who also coproduced the film) has fun Pantoliano, Jay Mohr, Luis Guzman, James and even spoofs Travis Bickle! A number of stars appear in gag cameos. [PG]▼쩠 Rebhorn, Peter Boyle, Pam Grier, John Cleese, Burt Young, Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., Adventures of Sebastian Cole, The (1999) C-104m. ★★★ D: Tod Williams. Adrian GrenIlleana Douglas. Murphy sleepwalks through this dumb comedy as a nightclub owner on a ier, Clark Gregg, Aleska Palladino, Margaret moon colony in the year 2087 who tries to Colin, John Shea, Marni Lustig, Joan Copeprevent a Mafia-type kingpin from turning his land, Tom Lacy, Rory Cochrane, Levon Helm, establishment into a gambling casino. ExpenFamke Janssen. Compassionate coming-ofsive misfire became Murphy’s biggest boxage story about an introverted adolescent and office bomb, earning comparisons with the impact on him and his family when his HOWARD THE DUCK and ISHTAR. Alec stepfather (Gregg) announces he is planning Baldwin appears unbilled. [PG-13] ▼쩠 a sex-change operation. Despite this offbeat Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Depremise, the film is more true to life than many other teen-angst tales. [R]▼쩠 sert, The (1994-Australian) C-102m. ★★★ D: Stephan Elliott. Terence Stamp, Hugo Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl 3D, The (2005) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert RodriWeaving, Guy Pearce, Bill Hunter, Sarah Chadwick, Mark Holmes. Cheerfully outraguez. Taylor Lautner, Taylor Dooley, Cayden geous comedy about three flamboyant lipBoyd, George Lopez, David Arquette, Kristin sync performers—two drag queens and a Davis, Jacob Davich. A daydreaming boy transsexual—who journey to a remote denamed Max is visited by two characters he sert gig on a converted schoolbus named created—Sharkboy and Lavagirl—who need Priscilla. Diverting, if you can get past the his help to keep Planet Drool from being bitchy banter, and anchored by Stamp as the taken over by dark forces, including a nasty transsexual. A must for ABBA fans. Oscar kid named Minus (who resembles Max’s winner for Costume Design. Arriscope (and schoolyard tormentor) and his henchman Mr. Dragarama). [R]▼●쩠 Electric (who looks just like his teacher). InAdventures of Robin Hood, The (1938) spired by the drawings and dreams of his 7C-102m. ★★★★ D: Michael Curtiz, Wilyear-old son Racer, Rodriguez uses computer liam Keighley. Errol Flynn, Olivia de wizardry to create an eye-popping world of Havilland, Basil Rathbone, Claude Rains, wonder for young viewers . . . though his Patric Knowles, Eugene Pallette, Alan Hale, script and dialogue remain strictly earthbound. Herbert Mundin, Una O’Connor, Melville [PG] ▼쩠 Cooper, Ian Hunter, Montagu Love. Dashing Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The (1939) 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Werker. Flynn in the definitive swashbuckler, winning hand of de Havilland (never lovelier as Maid Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, Ida Lupino, Marian), foiling evil prince Rains, dueling Alan Marshal, Terry Kilburn, George Zucco, [ 11 ]

E. E. Clive, Mary Gordon. The master nates in his defending a pig—back when sleuth faces one of his greatest challenges animals actually used to stand trial. Very when the nefarious Professor Moriarty offbeat but very accessible drama of court(Zucco) plots to steal the Crown Jewels. The room intrigue with vivid characterizations. second and last of Fox’s excellent RathboneAka HOUR OF THE PIG. [R]▼쩠 Bruce period pieces, which predated UniverAeon Flux (2005) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Karyn Kusama. Charlize Theron, Marton Csokas, sal’s entertaining modern series.▼●쩠 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes’ Smarter Jonny Lee Miller, Sophie Okonedo, Frances Brother, The SEE: Adventure of SherMcDormand, Pete Postlethwaite, Amelia lock Holmes’ Smarter Brother, The Warner, Nikolai Kinski. Brainless sci-fi thrilAdventures of the Great Mouse Detective, ler in which a sexy rebel/assassin (Theron) The SEE: Great Mouse Detective, The battles to liberate a walled city from its dictaAdventures of the Wilderness Family, The torial rulers. This nonsensical, sleep-inducing (1975) C-100m. ★★★ D: Stewart Raffill. live-action cartoon is based on Peter Chung’s Robert F. Logan, Susan Damante Shaw, animated MTV series; the material is far betHollye Holmes, Ham Larsen, Buck Flower, ter served in its original format. Super 35. William Cornford. Good human-interest [PG-13] 쩠 drama. Modern couple with two children forAffair in Trinidad (1952) 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: sake big city for life in magnificent but someVincent Sherman. Rita Hayworth, Glenn times dangerous Rocky Mountain region. Ford, Alexander Scourby, Torin Thatcher, Followed by two look-alike sequels. [G]▼쩠 Juanita Moore, Steven Geray. Hayworth Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The (1938) and Ford sparkle as cafe singer and brotherC-77m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Norman Taurog. Tommy in-law seeking her husband’s murderer. Hayworth is most enticing.▼●쩠 Kelly, Jackie Moran, Ann Gillis, May Robson, Walter Brennan, Victor Jory, Spring Affair of Love, An (1999-French-Belgian) C-80m. ★★★ D: Fre´de´ric Fonteyne. Nathalie Byington, Margaret Hamilton. Entertaining David O. Selznick production of Mark Twain Baye, Sergi Lopez. Provocative and interclassic with more slapstick than Twain may esting film about a woman who places an have had in mind. Cave sequence with Injun ad in a magazine to find a man who will Joe is unforgettable. Original running time participate in her sexual fantasy. Soon the 93m. Previously filmed in 1930, and again in couple is meeting on a weekly basis, but she 1973 (twice that year)—all under the title is reluctant to take the next step and get to TOM SAWYER. Refilmed in 1995 as TOM know him as a person. French title is UNE AND HUCK.▼● LIAISON PORNOGRAPHIQUE (A PORAdventuress, The (1946-British) 98m. ★★★ NOGRAPHIC AFFAIR), which refers to D: Frank Launder. Deborah Kerr, Trevor Baye’s definition of their relationship; the Howard, Raymond Huntley, Liam Redmond, film itself is fairly discreet. Super 35. ▼쩠 Harry Webster. A feisty Irish lass is perAffair of the Necklace, The (2001-U.S.suaded to help a German agent during French) C-120m. ★★ D: Charles Shyer. HilWW2—because it will hurt her sworn ary Swank, Jonathan Pryce, Simon Baker, enemies, the British. Well-made, low-key Adrien Brody, Brian Cox, Joely Richardson, film with touches of droll humor. British Christopher Walken, Hayden Panettiere. prints were originally 114m., which explains Handsome but ponderous historical drama— some abruptness in exposition. British title: based on real-life events—in which a young I SEE A DARK STRANGER.▼쩠 woman, seeking to restore her family name and Advise & Consent (1962) 139m. ★★★ D: reclaim her home, dares to scheme against Otto Preminger. Henry Fonda, Don Murray, Marie Antoinette and the power-hungry Charles Laughton, Walter Pidgeon, Peter Cardinal Louis de Rohan. Swank’s perforLawford, Gene Tierney, Franchot Tone, mance lacks fire and charisma, however, and Lew Ayres, Burgess Meredith, Paul Ford, the film itself never ignites. Narration, by King George Grizzard, Betty White. Long but enLouis’ house minister (Cox), is heavy-handed grossing drama of Washington wheeling and often unnecessary. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 and dealing, from Allen Drury novel. Cast Affairs in Versailles SEE: Royal Affairs is fine, with effective underplaying by in Versailles Ayres and Tone standing out among more Affairs of Cellini (1934) 80m. ★★★ D: flamboyant performances by Laughton (his Gregory La Cava. Constance Bennett, Fredlast film) and Grizzard. Also shown in comric March, Frank Morgan, Fay Wray, Jesputer-colored version. Panavision. ▼●쩠 sie Ralph. March is excellent as roguish ★★★ Advocate, The (1994-British) C-101m. Renaissance artist who falls in love with D: Leslie Megahey. Colin Firth, Amina Anduchess. Lavish production, fine cast make nabi, Jim Carter, Donald Pleasence, Ian this most entertaining. Lucille Ball plays Holm, Nicol Williamson, Lysette Anthony. a lady in waiting. Lawyer Firth abandons the bustle of 15thAffairs of Dobie Gillis, The (1953) 74m. ★★★ D: Don Weis. Debbie Reynolds, Bobby century Paris for the supposedly more pastoral pace of rural France, only to get Van, Hans Conried, Lurene Tuttle, Bob involved in a murder cover-up that culmiFosse. Entertaining musicomedy based on [ 12 ]

Max Shulman’s book of college kids. Debbie combating the elements and the Germans, and Van make a cute couple; Conried is and each other. Script by James Agee and their dour professor. Later a TV series.▼ director Huston from C. S. Forester’s novel; Affairs of Susan, The (1945) 110m. ★★1⁄2 gorgeously filmed on location in the BelD: William A. Seiter. Joan Fontaine, George gian Congo by Jack Cardiff.▼●쩠 Brent, Dennis O’Keefe, Don DeFore, Rita African Rage SEE: Target of an Assassin Johnson, Walter Abel. Fairly entertaining Africa Screams (1949) 79m. ★★★ D: Charles comedy of actress Fontaine who does more Barton. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Hillary acting for her beaus than she does onstage. Brooke, Max Baer, Clyde Beatty, Frank Affair to Remember, An (1957) C-115m. Buck, Shemp Howard, Joe Besser. A&C go ★★1 ⁄2 D: Leo McCarey. Cary Grant, Deborah on safari in this funny outing full of wheezy Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson, Cathbut often hilarious gags and routines. Also leen Nesbitt, Robert Q. Lewis, Charles Watts, shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Fortunio Bonanova. Well-remembered but Africa—Texas Style (1967) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 middling remake of McCarey’s 1939 LOVE D: Andrew Marton. Hugh O’Brian, John AFFAIR. Bubbling shipboard comedy in first Mills, Nigel Green, Tom Nardini, Adrienne half is overshadowed by draggy soap-opera Corri. Feature (which later spun off a TV cliche´s and unnecessary musical numbers in series, Cowboy in Africa) doesn’t offer much N.Y.C. finale. Still, Grant and Kerr make a excitement, with O’Brian helping Mills prewonderful couple. Film is a major reference serve wild game in the dark continent. Hayley point in 1993 hit SLEEPLESS IN SEATMills has a cameo.▼ TLE. Remade again as LOVE AFFAIR in After Dark, My Sweet (1990) C-114m. ★★1 1994. Vic Damone croons the title song. ⁄2 D: James Foley. Jason Patric, Rachel CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Ward, Bruce Dern, George Dickerson, ★★ Affliction (1998) C-114m. D: Paul James Cotton, Rocky Giordani, Corey Schrader. Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Carrier. Piquant modern-day film noir based Coburn, Willem Dafoe, Mary Beth Hurt, on a Jim Thompson novel, about a drifter Marian Seldes, Jim True. Portrait of a man who becomes involved with a beautiful but whose screwed-up life—and mental imbaltroubled woman and her criminally schemance—can be laid at the feet of his abusive ing friend. Interesting at first, but eventufather; the son (Nolte) tries to stay afloat, as ally you catch on that it’s heading nowhere— traffic cop/jack-of-all-trades (and miserable 10 miles per hour, at that. Both Patric and part-time dad) in a small, wintry New HampDern are excellent. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 shire town. Bleak in the extreme, with no light Afterglow (1997-U.S.-Canadian) C-113m. ★★1 or hope for any of its principal characters, ⁄2 D: Alan Rudolph. Nick Nolte, Julie but extremely well acted; Coburn won a Best Christie, Lara Flynn Boyle, Jonny Lee Supporting Oscar. Schrader adapted Russell Miller, Jay Underwood, Domini Blythe, Banks’ novel. [R]▼●쩠 Yves Corbeil. Typically odd Rudolph fare, Afraid of the Dark (1991-British-French) set in Montreal: longtime marrieds Nolte 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Mark Peploe. James Fox, C-92m. and Christie have hit an emotional roadFanny Ardant, Paul McGann, Clare Holblock; he’s a handyman (named Lucky) man, Robert Stephens, David Thewlis, who cats around while she seeks to relive Susan Wooldridge, Ben Keyworth. Offbeat her days as a movie actress. Meanwhile, psychological thriller, loaded with plot twists, businessman Miller has given his young, about imaginative boy (Keyworth) whose fabeautiful wife the cold shoulder—leaving ther is a cop and whose mother is blind. The her vulnerable to the charms of Nolte. Dense, latter is at risk during a killing spree in which slow, not entirely satisfying, but Christie is the victims are sightless females. Result is impressive as a woman who’s drowning in alternately gripping and ponderous. Feature sorrow. Written by Rudolph, produced by Robert Altman. [R]▼●쩠 directing debut for cowriter Peploe (THE After Hours (1985) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: MarLAST EMPEROR). [R]▼●쩠 1 ★★★ African Lion, The (1955) C-75m. tin Scorsese. Griffin Dunne, Rosanna ⁄2 D: James Algar. Narrated by Winston Hibler. Arquette, Verna Bloom, Thomas Chong, Outstanding True-Life documentary is perLinda Fiorentino, Teri Garr, John Heard, haps Disney’s best. Naturalists Alfred and Cheech Marin, Catherine O’Hara, Dick Elma Milotte filmed the African lion in his Miller, Bronson Pinchot. Ordinary guy goes native habitat through a year’s cycle of through a series of bizarre experiences during seasons. Filled with drama, excitement, one incredible night in N.Y.C. How much color, humor. A gem.쩠 you enjoy this comic nightmare will depend African Queen, The (1951) C-105m. on how closely you identify with Dunne—the ★★★★ D: John Huston. Katharine Hepburn, only normal person in the picture! [R] ▼●쩠 Humphrey Bogart, Robert Morley, Peter After Life (1998-Japanese) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 Bull, Theodore Bikel, Walter Gotell. D: Kore-eda Hirokazu. Aarata, Erika Oda, Superb combination of souse Bogart (who Susuma Terajima, Taketoshi Naito, Kyoko won an Oscar) and spinster Hepburn travelKagawa, Kei Tani, Takashi Naito, Yusuke ing downriver in Africa during WW1, Iseya. Beautifully told story of caseworkers [ 13 ]

at a way station between heaven and earth, Joseph Calleia, Jessie Ralph, Alan Marwho help the recently deceased choose a sinshal, Dorothy McNulty, William Law, Sam gle moment from their pasts to live inside for Levene, George Zucco. Delightful second the rest of eternity. Quiet, poetic examination entry in the series finds the urbane Charleses of life, death, and memory, filled with gentle in San Francisco and, when not inordihumor and blessedly free of any feel-good nately inebriated, investigating murder bromides. A plea to Hollywood: do not recharges brought against Loy’s unstable make this. Written by the director.▼쩠 cousin (Landi). Slightly overlong but first After Midnight (1989) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: rate, with a truly surprising culprit. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Ken Wheat, Jim Wheat. Jillian McWhirter, Pamela Segall, Ramy Zade, Nadine Van After the Wedding (2006-Danish-British) C-124m. ★★★ D: Susanne Bier. Mads MikDer Velde, Marc McClure, Marg Helgenberger, Billy Ray Sharkey. Four coeds kelsen, Rolf Lassga˙rd, Sidse Babett Knudtake turns telling the scariest story they sen, Stine Fischer Christensen, Christian know in this weak and predictable horror Tafdrup, Mona Malm. Dedicated social anthology . . . with a high violence quoworker (Mikkelsen) who runs an orphanage tient. This got limited theatrical release bein rural India is summoned home to Copenfore heading to videoland. [R]▼쩠 hagen to meet a wealthy man who may fund After Office Hours (1935) 75m. ★★ D: his projects. He arrives just as the industrialRobert Z. Leonard. Constance Bennett, ist’s daughter is getting married, and at the Clark Gable, Stuart Erwin, Billie Burke, wedding makes a shocking discovery. Bier Harvey Stephens, Henry Travers, William (who cowrote this with Anders Thomas JenDemarest, Katherine Alexander. Editor Gable sen) explores her characters’ moral dilemtries to manipulate society girl Bennett while mas in ultra close-up. Stern, intense drama investigating shady Stephens. Gable’s charm with superior performances. [R]쩠 cannot overcome forgettable script (written by Afurika Monogatari (1981-Japanese) CHerman J. Mankiewicz). 120m. BOMB D: Susumu Hani. James After the Fox (1966-British-Italian) C-103m. Stewart, Philip Sayer, Kathy, Eleanora ★★1⁄2 D: Vittorio De Sica. Peter Sellers, VicVallone, Heekura Simba. Pilot Sayer crashes tor Mature, Britt Ekland, Martin Balsam. Not plane in wilds of Africa, comes upon game always successful comedy of Italian con man preserve occupied by Stewart and grandSellers, who poses as a movie director. A daughter. Even old Jimmy is boring. Filmed must-see for Mature’s performance as a fadin Kenya. Aka A TALE OF AFRICA and THE GREEN HORIZON. ▼ ing romantic star with tremendous ego. Script by Neil Simon. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Against a Crooked Sky (1975) C-89m. ★★ After the Rehearsal (1984-Swedish) CD: Earl Bellamy. Richard Boone, Stewart ★★★ 72m. D: Ingmar Bergman. Erland Petersen, Geoffrey Land, Jewel Blanch, Josephson, Ingrid Thulin, Lena Olin, Nadja Henry Wilcoxon, Clint Ritchie. A boy Palmstjerna-Weiss, Bertil Guve. While searches for his sister, who’s been kidstaging the production of a Strindberg play napped by Indians; simplistic, old-fashioned a womanizing director is browbeaten by family Western. Todd-AO 35. [G] ▼쩠 the actress daughter of an old lover, then a Against All Flags (1952) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: middle-aged actress/ex-lover who has fallen George Sherman. Errol Flynn, Maureen on tougher times. Short running time or O’Hara, Anthony Quinn, Mildred Natwick. not, you can exhaust yourself trying to Flynn found his forte again as dashing British figure out the relationships here. Smallsoldier who maneuvers way into pirate forscreen viewing should make this original tress, while managing to flirt with O’Hara. telefilm easier to take than it was in theatAlthough not Flynn’s final swashbuckler, rical screenings. Fine acting. [R]▼ this was his last good entry in that genre. After the Sunset (2004) C-93m. ★★ D: Remade as THE KING’S PIRATE.▼●쩠 Brett Ratner. Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Against All Odds (1968) SEE: Blood of Fu Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle, Naomie Manchu, The Harris, Chris Penn, Mykelti Williamson, Against All Odds (1984) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 Obba Babatunde´. Master thief Brosnan and D: Taylor Hackford. Rachel Ward, Jeff sexy accomplice Hayek escape to a sunBridges, James Woods, Alex Karras, Jane drenched paradise after pulling one final Greer, Richard Widmark, Dorian Harewood, diamond heist, but FBI agent Harrelson Swoosie Kurtz, Saul Rubinek, Pat Corley, (who’s been thwarted by Brosnan before) Bill McKinney, Kid Creole and the Cocotracks them down, seeking retribution—and nuts. Unemployed jock accepts a job from a hoping to prevent another theft. Aspires to be sleazy ex-teammate to find his girlfriend, TO CATCH A THIEF but can’t come close; who’s run off to Mexico. The plot thickens, attractive cast and scenery don’t generate in several directions, in this loose remake of enough heat. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 OUT OF THE PAST (with Greer playing 1 ★★★ After the Thin Man (1936) 113m. the mother of her character in the original). ⁄2 D: W. S. Van Dyke II. William Powell, Good stab at film noir feeling, but script is Myrna Loy, James Stewart, Elissa Landi, plot-heavy and unsatisfying. Best scene—a [ 14 ]

hair-raising race along Sunset Boulevard— buck, Anna Chancellor, Keith Allen, David is completely out of step with the rest of the Kelly, Keith David. That juvenile secret film. An interesting misfire. Haunting title agent is back for a U.K. adventure, with song by Phil Collins. [R] ▼●쩠 Anderson all too obviously shoehorned into Against the Ropes (2004) C-111m. ★★ D: the proceedings for comedy relief as his Charles S. Dutton. Meg Ryan, Omar Epps, watchdog. Muniz and perky Spearritt are Tony Shalhoub, Tim Daly, Charles S. Dutgame, but the characters and plotting are just ton, Kerry Washington, Joe Cortese. Jackie plain dull. P.S. Madonna and Jason Alexander Kallen (Ryan), exposed to boxing since are among the executive producers! Panavichildhood, sets out to make a name for hersion. [PG] ▼쩠 self by promoting street brawler Epps as a Agent 83⁄4 (1964-British) C-98m. ★★★ D: potential champion. To do this, she has to Ralph Thomas. Dirk Bogarde, Sylva buck some heavy-duty criminals and a perKoscina, Leo McKern, Robert Morley, vasive prejudice against women in the busiRoger Delgado, John LeMesurier. Reness. Shaky script changes tone from one leased at height of James Bond craze, this round to the next; surely the real-life Kalspoof features Bogarde as a bumbling selen’s story wasn’t this cliche´d. Super 35. cret agent working in Czechoslovakia. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Sometimes witty, bright comedy. OrigiAgainst the Wind (1948-British) 96m. nally released in U.S. at 77m. Original ★★★ D: Charles Crichton. Robert Beatty, British title: HOT ENOUGH FOR JUNE. Simone Signoret, Jack Warner, Gordon Age of Consent (1969-Australian) C-103m. Jackson, Paul Dupuis, James Robertson ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Powell. James Mason, Justice. Taut, engrossing tale of British Helen Mirren, Jack MacGowran, Neva spies trained for mission inside occupied Carr-Glyn, Frank Thring. A put-upon artBelgium during WW2. Documentary-style ist escapes to the quietude of Australia’s training scenes complement the dramatic Great Barrier Reef, where he’s inspired by story of resistance fighters.▼ a feisty young girl whom he persuades to Agatha (1979) C-98m. ★★★ D: Michael pose (often nude) for him. General amiabilApted. Dustin Hoffman, Vanessa Redgrave, ity and pretty scenery help make up for Timothy Dalton, Helen Morse, Celia Gregclumsy comedy relief and gaps in story and ory, Paul Brooke. Fictional speculation on characterization. Based on life of Norman writer Agatha Christie’s famous 11-day disLindsay, later the subject of SIRENS. [R]쩠 appearance in 1926; Redgrave is superb in Age of Innocence, The (1934) 81m. ★★1⁄2 this absorbing yarn, Hoffman oddly miscast D: Philip Moeller. Irene Dunne, John Boles, as smooth American reporter who tracks her Lionel Atwill, Helen Westley, Laura Hope down. [PG] ▼● Crews, Julie Haydon. Modest but effective Agatha Christie’s Endless Night SEE: Endversion of Edith Wharton’s novel about a less Night thwarted romance between an engaged attor1 ★ Agency (1981-Canadian) C-94m. ⁄2 D: ney and a divorce´e, in rigid 1870s Manhattan George Kaczender. Robert Mitchum, Lee society. Starts off with a terrific Jazz Age Majors, Valerie Perrine, Saul Rubinek, montage prologue, then gets bogged down in Alexandra Stewart. Shifty Mitchum plots to static, stagy treatment as elderly Boles regain political clout via information transmitlates the story of his ill-fated affair to his ted subliminally in television ads. Fascinating grandson. Dunne gives a luminous and idea, but result is dull and unconvincing. touching performance. Remade in 1993. Aka MIND GAMES. [R] ▼쩠 Age of Innocence, The (1993) C-133m. Agent Cody Banks (2003) C-102m. ★★★ D: ★★1 ⁄2 D: Martin Scorsese. Daniel DayHarald Zwart. Frankie Muniz, Hilary Duff, Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder, Angie Harmon, Keith David, Ian McShane, Richard E. Grant, Alec McCowen, GeralArnold Vosloo, Cynthia Stevenson, Daniel dine Chaplin, Mary Beth Hurt, Miriam MarRoebuck, Darrell Hammond, Martin Donogolyes, Sian Phillips, Michael Gough, van. A geeky, girl-shy 15-year-old (Muniz) Alexis Smith, Norman Lloyd, Jonathan who is secretly a junior agent for the CIA is Pryce, Robert Sean Leonard, Carolyn Faassigned to befriend the cute daughter of a rina; narrated by Joanne Woodward. In 1870s scientist developing a secret weapon for a N.Y. society, well-bred young man (Daysinister organization. This good-natured, Lewis), engaged to marry well-bred young broadly comic blend of Bond, SPY KIDS, woman (Ryder), is smitten by notorious and MEN IN BLACK is a teenage boy’s beauty (Pfeiffer) with a somewhat scandalous dream come true, packed with hot babes, background and an independent spirit. Sumpcool cars, extreme sports action, and hightuous adaptation of Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer tech gadgets galore. Followed by a sequel. Prize–winning novel about repressed emoPanavision. [PG] ▼쩠 tions in a convention-bound society, but Agent Cody Banks 2: Destination Lon★★ amidst the meticulous detail and opulent setD: Kevin Allen. don (2004) C-99m. tings, it’s hard to connect with these characFrankie Muniz, Anthony Anderson, Hannah Spearritt, Cynthia Stevenson, Daniel Roeters on an emotional level. Oscar winner for [ 15 ]

Costume Design. Filmed previously in 1924 involving them with gangsters, a troubleand 1934. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 some coffin, and a hokey stage magician. Agnes Browne (1999-U.S.-Irish) C-92m. No magic in this turkey.쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Anjelica Huston. Anjelica Huston, Ah, Wilderness! (1935) 101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marion O’Dwyer, Ray Winstone, Arno Clarence Brown. Wallace Beery, Lionel Chevrier, Gerard McSorley, Tom Jones. Barrymore, Aline MacMahon, Eric LinGood-natured film about a working-class den, Cecilia Parker, Mickey Rooney, Frank stiff in late 1960s Dublin whose husband Albertson, Bonita Granville. Rich Amerihas just died, leaving her to raise seven chilcana in this adaptation of Eugene O’Neill dren on her own. Fortunately, her best play about turn-of-the-century small-town friend (O’Dwyer) is always there to lend a life, focusing on boy facing problems of adohand. Comedy is rich in atmosphere but pat, lescence. Rooney, playing younger brother, with a subplot involving singer Tom Jones took the lead in musical remake SUMMER pushing things a bit too far. [R]▼쩠 HOLIDAY. Screenplay by Albert Hackett Agnes of God (1985) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: and Frances Goodrich. ▼쩠 Norman Jewison. Jane Fonda, Anne BanAI Artificial Intelligence (2001) C-145m. ★★ croft, Meg Tilly, Anne Pitoniak, Winston D: Steven Spielberg. Haley Joel Osment, Reckert, Gratien Gelinas. A young nun Jude Law, Frances O’Connor, Brendan apparently became pregnant, then murdered Gleeson, Sam Robards, William Hurt, Jake the baby in the cloistered atmosphere of a Thomas, Ken Leung, Michael Mantell, convent, but court-appointed psychiatrist Adrian Grenier; narrated by Ben Kingsley. finds no easy explanations. Disturbing, not In the near future, scientist Hurt and his always satisfying, but electrified by three lead team develop a highly sophisticated robot performances, and beautifully photographed child who can experience emotions, includby Sven Nykvist. Screenplay by John Pieling love, but his adoption by a loving couple meier, from his play. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 who have lost a son is fraught with probAgony and the Ecstasy, The (1965) lems. Intriguing story draws us in, thanks in C-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: Carol Reed. Charlton part to Osment’s exceptional performance, Heston, Rex Harrison, Diane Cilento, Harry but takes several wrong turns; ultimately, Andrews, Adolfo Celi. Huge spectacle of it just doesn’t work. Spielberg rewrote the Michelangelo’s artistic conflicts with Pope adaptation Stanley Kubrick commissioned Julius II has adequate acting overshadowed of the Brian Aldiss short story ‘‘Super Toys by meticulous production. Short documentary Last All Summer Long’’; result is a curious on artist’s work precedes fragmentary drama and uncomfortable hybrid of Kubrick and based on bits of Irving Stone’s novel. Spielberg sensibilities. Striking music score Todd-AO. ▼●쩠 by John Williams. Robin Williams, Chris Agronomist, The (2004) C-91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Rock, and Meryl Streep are unbilled for the use of their voices. [PG-13]▼쩠 Jonathan Demme. Powerful, uncompromising documentary portrait of a fascinating Aime´e & Jaguar (1999-German) C-125m. ★★★ D: Max Farberbock. Maria Schrader, individual: Jean Dominique, a leading Hai¨ ¨ tian radio personality and prominent figure Juliane Ko¨hler, Johanna Wokalek, Heike in the country’s struggle for human rights. Makatsch, Elisabeth Degen, Detlev Buck. FeWhile the film offers insight into the politics lice (Schrader) is a Jewish lesbian who’s emand history of (and U.S. influence in) Haiti ployed, ‘‘underground’’ fashion, by the during the latter 20th century, its primary Germans in 1943 Berlin, while Lilly (Ko¨hler) purpose is to give us a vivid portrait of one has four children by the Nazi husband on man’s fierce determination, deep-seated huwhom she cheats—with other Nazis. The two manism, and passionate love of country. women fall in love, which would seem awThe finale is shattering. [PG-13]쩠 fully contrived if it weren’t based on a true Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972-Gerstory. Production values are surprisingly detailed and lush, and the acting is first-rate. man) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Werner Herzog. Klaus Kinski, Ruy Guerra, Del Negro, Title alludes to the affectionate nicknames the Helena Rojo, Cecilia Rivera, Peter Berling. women have for each other.▼쩠 Powerful, hypnotic tale of deluded conquisAin’t Misbehavin’ (1955) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 tador who leads a group of men away from D: Edward Buzzell. Rory Calhoun, Piper Pizarro’s 1560 South American expedition in Laurie, Jack Carson, Mamie Van Doren, search of seven cities of gold. Dreamlike Reginald Gardiner, Barbara Britton. Pleasfilm was shot on location in remote Amazon ant musical fluff about rowdy Laurie crashjungles; Kinski is perfect as the mad Aguirre. ing high society when wealthy Calhoun Filmed in both German- and English-lanfalls in love with her. guage versions; try to avoid the latter.▼쩠 Air America (1990) C-112m. ★★ D: Roger A-Haunting We Will Go (1942) 68m. Spottiswoode. Mel Gibson, Robert Downey, ★1⁄2 D: Alfred Werker. Stan Laurel, Oliver Jr., Nancy Travis, David Marshall Grant, Hardy, Dante the Magician, Sheila Ryan, Lane Smith, Ken Jenkins, Burt Kwouk, Art La John Shelton, Don Costello, Elisha Cook, Fleur, Tim Thomerson. Pilots Mel and Bob are Jr. One of Stan and Ollie’s poorest films, part of the C.I.A.’s smuggling operation in [ 16 ]

Laos during the Vietnam War. They crate anyback in spades. Thundering score by Jerry Goldsmith. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 thing and anyone anywhere—too bad they couldn’t fly in a script doctor. Alleged actionAirheads (1994) C-91m. ★★ D: Michael comedy has few laughs and makes little Lehmann. Brendan Fraser, Joe Mantegna, sense. Even Gibson’s patented swagger Steve Buscemi, Adam Sandler, Chris Farcan’t keep this one airborne. No relation to ley, Michael McKean, Judd Nelson, Ernie the 1998 TV series. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Hudson, Amy Locane, Nina Siemaszko. Airborne (1993) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Rob BowThree metalheads with toy guns reluctantly man. Shane McDermott, Seth Green, Britttake a rock radio station hostage, hoping to ney Powell, Edie McClurg, Patrick O’Brien, get play for their one existent demo tape. Jack Black. Pedestrian teen film about a Not exactly the toughest subject to satirize, surfer who’s shipped off to Cincinnati, but the script is dull-witted anyway; fairly where, away from the waves, he seeks to energetic direction and compact running time help a bit. [PG-13]▼●쩠 gain respect through his amazing skill on rollerblades. Tough skating for anyone but Air I Breathe, The (2008-U.S.-Mexican) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Jieho Lee. Kevin Bacon, kids; some truly spectacular rollerblading stunts are the film’s sole grace. [PG]▼●쩠 Julie Delpy, Brendan Fraser, Andy Garcia, Air Bud (1997) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Sarah Michelle Gellar, Clark Gregg, Emile Martin Smith. Kevin Zegers, Michael Jeter, Hirsch, Forest Whitaker, Kelly Hu, Evan Wendy Makkena, Bill Cobbs, Eric ChristParke, Taylor Nichols, Victor Rivers, Jon mas. Innocuous Disney kiddie film about a Bernthal. Four overlapping, connect-thenew boy in town who befriends a lovable dots storylines, based on a Chinese proverb stray dog with the uncanny ability to shoot and titled ‘‘Happiness,’’ ‘‘Pleasure,’’ ‘‘Sorhoops. Jeter is malevolent fun as Bud’s forrow,’’ and ‘‘Love,’’ comprise this mess of a mer owner, a terrible children’s party clown movie. Starts out promisingly, as a disgrunwho tries to cash in on the dog’s celebrity. tled office drone (Whitaker) accidentally Mildly entertaining. Director Smith starred learns that a horse race has been fixed, then in NEVER CRY WOLF, a much superior degenerates into a cartoonish train wreck. Disney film about animals. Followed by a Pounding music score, jerky editing, and sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 pretentious narration are no help. Super 35. Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998) C-90m. [R]쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Richard Martin. Kevin Zegers, Airmail (1932) 83m. ★★★ D: John Ford. Gregory Harrison, Shayn Solberg, Cynthia Pat O’Brien, Ralph Bellamy, Russell Stevenson, Nora Dunn, Robert Costanzo, Tim Hopton, Slim Summerville, Frank AlbertConway, Dick Martin. Title canine catches son, Gloria Stuart. Routine story of piopigskins rather than shoots hoops. He and his neer airmail pilots supercharged by fine young owner (Zegers, the lone cast member aerial scenes and good cast. First-rate. From from the original) join the school football a Frank ‘‘Spig’’ Wead story. team—plus, a pair of Boris and Natasha– Airplane! (1980) C-86m. ★★★ D: Jim like villains plot to abduct the pooch for Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker. their traveling circus. Predictable but harmRobert Hays, Julie Hagerty, Robert Stack, less fun. Followed by several direct-toLloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Kareem Abdulvideo sequels. [G]▼●쩠 Jabbar, Leslie Nielsen, Lorna Patterson, SteAir Force (1943) 124m. ★★★ D: Howard phen Stucker. Very funny spoof of AIRHawks. John Garfield, John Ridgely, Gig PORT-type pictures (and Arthur Hailey’s Young, Arthur Kennedy, Charles Drake, ZERO HOUR in particular), with a nonstop Harry Carey, George Tobias, Faye Emerstring of gags that holds up almost to the end son. Archetypal WW2 movie, focusing on (why carp?). Our favorite: the strange plight archetypal bomber crew. Tough to stomach of Lt. Hurwitz. Stay tuned through final credits. Followed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 at times (‘‘Fried Jap going down,’’ chimes Tobias after scoring a hit), but generally Airplane II: The Sequel (1982) C-85m. 1⁄2 D: Ken Finkleman. Robert Hays, ★★ exciting, well done.▼●쩠 Air Force One (1997) C-124m. ★★★ D: Julie Hagerty, Lloyd Bridges, Peter Graves, Wolfgang Petersen. Harrison Ford, Gary William Shatner, Chad Everett, David Oldman, Glenn Close, Dean Stockwell, Paymer. Mildly funny rehash of AIRWendy Crewson, Paul Guilfoyle, William PLANE (by a new writer-director), but H. Macy, Liesel Matthews, Xander Berkecan’t match the quantity, or quality, of ley, Bill Smitrovich, Elya Baskin, Ju¨rgen laughs in the original. Many cameos inProchnow. Supercharged thriller about bruclude Raymond Burr, Chuck Connors, Sonny Bono, Rip Torn. [PG]▼●쩠 tal Kazakhstani terrorists taking over Air Force One and holding the President, his Airport (1970) C-137m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George family, and his entourage hostage in midair. Seaton. Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Intense, violent, edge-of-your-seat popcorn George Kennedy, Helen Hayes, Jean Seberg, fodder, anchored by Ford as a two-fisted Jacqueline Bisset, Van Heflin, Maureen president who’s not afraid to fight. Requires Stapleton, Barry Nelson, Dana Wynter, the usual suspension of disbelief, but pays Lloyd Nolan, Barbara Hale, Gary Collins. [ 17 ]

GRAND HOTEL plot formula reaches latterously offering three views of each scene. day zenith in ultraslick, old-fashioned movie Technique takes getting used to but ultimately that entertains in spite of itself, detailing hectic the gimmick pays off. A mixed bag, but still winter night at metropolitan airport. Plastic worth checking out. Written by Roy, and performances dominate, with down-to-earth based on his own experiences. ▼쩠 Kennedy, touching Stapleton, and nervous A.K.A. Cassius Clay (1970) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 Heflin standing out. Helen Hayes won Oscar D: Jim Jacobs. Narrated by Richard Kiley. as impish stowaway. Based on the Arthur Interesting documentary about the controHailey bestseller; followed by three sequels— versial heavyweight champion. [PG]▼쩠 so far. Todd-AO. [G]▼●쩠 Akeelah and the Bee (2006) C-112m. ★★★ ★1 Airport 1975 (1974) C-106m. ⁄2 D: Jack D: Doug Atchison. Laurence Fishburne, Smight. Charlton Heston, Karen Black, Angela Bassett, Keke Palmer, Curtis ArmGeorge Kennedy, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Susan strong, Tzi Ma, Lee Thompson Young, J. R. Clark, Helen Reddy, Gloria Swanson, Linda Villarreal. Irresistible story of an 11-yearBlair, Dana Andrews, Sid Caesar, Myrna Loy, old black girl from L.A. who’s learned to Nancy Olson, Roy Thinnes, Martha Scott. Yet suppress her intelligence in order to get another jetliner disaster epic, not worth your along at school . . . until a teacher and the time unless you get your kicks watching a principal discover her talent for spelling. Hollywood Squares–type cast that includes They introduce her to a demanding coach Helen Reddy as a (singing) nun. Swanson (Fishburne), who, it turns out, can learn a plays herself in her final film. Look quickly few things from her. A feel-good movie that for Sharon Gless. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 actually makes you feel good, told with ★★1 Airport ’77 (1977) C-113m. ⁄2 D: Jerry heart (and canny precision) by writerJameson. Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, Brenda director Atchison. Palmer is wonderful as Vaccaro, George Kennedy, James Stewart, Akeelah. Fishburne also coproduced. Panavision. [PG]쩠 Joseph Cotten, Olivia de Havilland, Darren McGavin, Christopher Lee, Robert Foxworth, Akira (1988-Japanese) C-124m. ★★★ D: Robert Hooks, Monte Markham, Kathleen Katsuhiro Otomo. Voices of Jimmy FlanQuinlan, Gil Gerard, Pamela Bellwood, Arders, Drew Thomas, Lewis Lemay, Barlene Golonka, M. Emmet Walsh, Chris Lembara Larsen, Stanley Gurd, Jr. Bloody and mon. All the cliche´s and stock characters are violent animated science-fiction feature trucked out for another made-to-order disaster based on Japanese comic-book novel. A epic, not bad as these things go: Stewart’s group of motorcycle-riding teenagers livprivate luxury jet is sabotaged and sinks in the ing in post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo tries to ocean, forcing daring rescue attempt. Lemstop one of the gang who has run amok mon brings conviction to his role as dedicated after becoming empowered with telekipilot. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 netic powers in a government experiment. Airport ’79 SEE: Concorde, The—Airport Technically spectacular, with colorful ani’79 mation somewhat derailed by confusing Air Raid Wardens (1943) 67m. ★★ D: storytelling and a cryptic ending. A mustEdward Sedgwick. Stan Laurel, Oliver see for adult animation buffs. [R]▼●쩠 Hardy, Edgar Kennedy, Jacqueline White, Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams (1990-JapHorace (Stephen) McNally, Donald Meek. anese) C-120m. ★★★ D: Akira Kurosawa. Weak, later Laurel and Hardy comedy. One Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baisho, Mieko potentially good scene with slow-burn expert Harada, Chishu Ryu, Hisashi Igawa, MitKennedy doesn’t meet expectations.▼쩠 sunori Isaki, Toshihiko Nakano, Yoshitaka ★★ Air Up There, The (1994) C-102m. D: Zushi, Toshie Negishi, Martin Scorsese. Paul M. Glaser. Kevin Bacon, Charles GiEight vignettes—increasingly apocalyptic— tonga Maina, Yolanda Vazquez, Winston as ‘‘dreamt’’ by an 80-year-old widely Ntshona, Mabutho ‘‘Kid’’ Sithole, Sean regarded as the greatest living filmmaker McCann, Dennis Patrick. Brash ex-hoopster of the era. Results vary in quality, though with college coaching aspirations journeys to any three viewers are likely to rate the Africa in search of the perfect prospect, leadepisodes in widely shuffled order. At least ing to the standard culture-clashing situations one—mountain climbers caught in an allone might expect. As affably minor as director consuming blizzard—is vintage ‘‘K.’’ Glaser’s previous THE CUTTING EDGE, Scorsese portrays Van Gogh in one segment. (Do you detect any Burt Lancaster but not as deftly put together. [PG]▼● in his speech patterns?) [PG]▼●쩠 AKA (2002-British) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Duncan Roy. Matthew Leitch, Diana Quick, Aladdin (1992) C-90m. ★★★ D: John George Asprey, Lindsey Coulson, Blake RitMusker, Ron Clements. Voices of Scott son, Bill Nighy, Geoff Bell, Peter Youngblood Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Hills. Effective story of a young, gay, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert working-class boy who manages to infiltrate Gottfried, Douglas Seale; singing voices England’s upper crust, posing as a lord and of Brad Kane, Lea Salonga. Disney’s anialmost getting away with it. Shot on digital mated Arabian Nights tale is filtered through video, story is told via a triptych, simultanethe sensibility of an old Warner Bros. [ 18 ]

cartoon, as Aladdin conjures up a Genie who’s bursting with shtick. Williams’ hilarious rapid-fire patter (with equally rapidfire animation by Eric Goldberg) forms the centerpiece of this otherwise conventional story, colorfully (and tunefully) presented. Music and lyrics by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman, and Tim Rice; Oscar winner for Best Music Score (Menken) and Best Song (‘‘A Whole New World,’’ by Menken and Rice). Followed by direct-to-video sequels, THE RETURN OF JAFAR, ALADDIN AND THE KING OF THIEVES, and an animated TV series. [G]▼●쩠 Alakazam the Great (1961) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 Voices of Jonathan Winters, Frankie Avalon, Arnold Stang, Sterling Holloway. Japanese-made cartoon is good children’s entertainment; story centers on magical monkey’s ambitious adventures, from bullfight in the pit of a volcano to an epic battle with Hercules. Toeiscope. ▼● Alambrista! (1977) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert M. Young. Domingo Ambriz, Trinidad Silva, Linda Gillin, Ned Beatty, Julius Harris, Paul Berrones, Edward James Olmos. Boyish, naive Ambriz illegally crosses the U.S.-Mexican border and is exploited as he seeks work to support his family. Touching, fresh, insightful; director Young’s first feature. Alamo, The (1960) C-161m. ★★★ D: John Wayne. John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Laurence Harvey, Richard Boone, Carlos Arruza, Frankie Avalon, Pat Wayne, Linda Cristal, Chill Wills, Ken Curtis, Hank Worden, Denver Pyle, Olive Carey, Veda Ann Borg, John Dierkes, Guinn ‘‘Big Boy’’ Williams. Long, and long-winded, saga of the Alamo, with plenty of historical namedropping and speechifying. Worthwhile for final attack, a truly memorable movie spectacle. Fine score by Dimitri Tiomkin includes popular ‘‘The Green Leaves of Summer.’’ Filmed on location in Brackettville, Texas. Cut by 26m. after its L.A. premiere; restored on video. Todd-AO.

Malle. Amy Madigan, Ed Harris, Ho Nguyen, Donald Moffat, Truyer V. Tran, Rudy Young. Well-made but strangely uninvolving film based on real-life conflict between Vietnamese immigrants and American fishermen on the Texas Gulf Coast. [R]▼● ` la Mode (1994-French) C-82m. ★★ D: A Remy Duchemin. Ken Higelin, Jean Yanne, Francois Hautesserre, Florence Darel. Lighthearted French comedy of a teenage orphan who becomes apprentice to a small village’s tailor, only to break into the fashion world of the ’60s. If the rest of the film were as witty as the clothing there might be more to recommend. Harmless fluff. Original French title: FAUSTO. [R]▼쩠 Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn, An (1998) C-86m. BOMB D: Alan Smithee. Ryan O’Neal, Eric Idle, Coolio, Chuck D, Richard Jeni, Leslie Stefanson, Sandra Bernhard, Harvey Weinstein, Sylvester Stallone, Whoopi Goldberg, Jackie Chan. Any film with Robert Evans and Billy Barty in its cast can’t be ignored—but this leaden, sophomoric Hollywood satire ought to be. Idle plays a filmmaker named Alan Smithee—but since that’s also the pseudonym directors must use when they don’t want screen credit, he’s stuck when he wants to disown his latest movie. As one character says of the film-within-a-film, ‘‘It’s worse than SHOWGIRLS.’’ The ultimate irony: this film’s director, Arthur Hiller, removed his name after squabbling with writer-producer Joe Eszterhas. [R]▼●쩠 Alarmist, The (1998) C-93m. ★★ D: Evan Dunsky. David Arquette, Stanley Tucci, Kate Capshaw, Mary McCormack, Ryan Reynolds, Tricia Vessey, Michael Learned. Offbeat but uneven black comedy about a novice door-todoor security alarm salesman (Arquette) who discovers that his boss and self-styled mentor (Tucci) actually breaks into people’s homes to stir up business. Then the young man falls in love with his first customer (Capshaw). Never the sharp satire on modern paranoia it strives to be, though Tucci is terrific. Arquette’s father Lewis and brother Richmond ▼●쩠 Alamo, The (2004) C-135m. ★★★ D: John appear as his on-screen family. [R]▼●쩠 Lee Hancock. Billy Bob Thornton, Dennis Alaska (1996) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fraser C. Quaid, Jason Patric, Patrick Wilson, Emilio Heston. Thora Birch, Vincent Kartheiser, Echeverrı´a, Jordi Molla´, Leon Rippy, Marc Dirk Benedict, Charlton Heston, Duncan Blucas, Rance Howard. Impassioned reFraser, Gordon Tootoosis. Juvenile adventure creation of events leading up to the legendyarn on a grand scale, as a brother and sister ary 1836 siege in San Antonio, Texas; more take off in search of their father and his accurate than earlier renderings of the story, it downed airplane. Plotted like an old grade-B still struggles to deal with the many facets of melodrama, but carried out with conviction this historical event. Cowriter-director Hanagainst magnificent, snowy scenery . . . and cock stresses the human element and captures featuring an irresistible polar bear who bethe defenders’ nobility in defeat. Thornton is friends the young people. Heston (whose the heart and soul of the film as Davy Crockett, son directed the picture) plays a mean, wily who wasn’t larger than life but became a hero bad guy. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 just the same. Battle scenes are especially well Albino Alligator (1997) C-97m. ★★ D: photographed, staged, and edited—and frightKevin Spacey. Matt Dillon, Faye Dunaway, eningly believable. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Gary Sinise, William Fichtner, Viggo MorAlamo Bay (1985) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Louis tensen, John Spencer, Skeet Ulrich, M. [ 19 ]

Emmet Walsh, Joe Mantegna, Frankie Faison, Faye, Don Ameche, Ethel Merman, Jack Melinda McGraw. Disappointing chamber Haley, Jean Hersholt, Helen Westley, John piece about a trio of dysfunctional criminals Carradine. Corny but entertaining musical who hide out in a basement bar in New Orchronicling the professional and romantic leans, inadvertently initiating a hostage siege. ups and downs of hot-headed aristocrat bandMeanwhile, the Feds gather outside, thinking leader Power, nice-guy pianist-composer a much more dangerous (and wanted) crimiAmeche, and tough-but-vulnerable singer nal is holed up inside. Spacey’s directorial Faye (in one of her best performances). debut presents a good cast and gets off to a Sparked by Irving Berlin songs ‘‘Blue Skies,’’ ‘‘Easter Parade,’’ title tune.▼●쩠 good start, but it sputters to a dramatic halt halfway through. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Alexander the Great (1956) C-141m. ★★★ Al Capone (1959) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard D: Robert Rossen. Richard Burton, Fredric Wilson. Rod Steiger, Fay Spain, James March, Claire Bloom, Danielle Darrieux, Gregory, Martin Balsam, Nehemiah Persoff, Harry Andrews, Stanley Baker, Peter CushMurvyn Vye. Good latter-day gangster biing, Michael Hordern, Helmut Dantine. Reography with Steiger tirading as scarfaced markable cast, intelligent acting, but a static Capone; good supporting cast, bringing epic, lacking essential sweep to make tale of back memories of Cagney-Robinson-Bogart Greek conqueror moving. CinemaScope. films of the ’30s.▼쩠 ▼●쩠 Alex & Emma (2003) C-96m. ★★ D: Rob Alex and the Gypsy (1976) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 Reiner. Kate Hudson, Luke Wilson, Sophie D: John Korty. Jack Lemmon, Genevieve Marceau, David Paymer, Rob Reiner, FranBujold, James Woods, Gino Ardito, Robc¸ois Giroday, Lobo Sebastian, Cloris Leachert Emhardt, Titos Vandis. Meandering man, Rip Taylor. Anemic romantic comedy story of romance between bailbondsman about a novelist who has 30 days to comLemmon and gypsy Bujold who’s accused plete a manuscript and his budding relationof attempted murder. Some interesting ideas ship with the stenographer he hires to help lost in the muddle of an indecisive film. him do the job. She also turns up, in various [PG—originally rated R] guises, as we see his fantasy vision of the Alex in Wonderland (1970) C-109m. ★★ story—set in the 1920s—unfold. The two D: Paul Mazursky. Donald Sutherland, leads are OK, but the big laughs never Ellen Burstyn, Viola Spolin, Federico come. Inspired, believe it or not, by real-life Fellini, Jeanne Moreau. Camera follows experiences of Feodor Dostoyevsky while young film director Sutherland through tehe was writing The Gambler. [PG-13] ▼쩠 dium of his everyday life. Self-indulgent imiAlexander (2004-French-British-Dutch) Ctation of Fellini (who appears briefly) caused some wags to dub this film 11⁄2. Burstyn 175m. ★1⁄2 D: Oliver Stone. Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Christopher stands out as Sutherland’s wife. [R]▼ Plummer, Jared Leto, Rosario Dawson, AnAlexRider:Operation Stormbreaker (2006thony Hopkins, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, British-German) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Geoffrey Brian Blessed, Tim Pigott-Smith. LumberSax. Alex Pettyfer, Robbie Coltrane, Stephen ing historical epic about the life of AlexanFry, Damian Lewis, Bill Nighy, Ewan der the Great, as dictated some years after McGregor, Sophie Okonedo, Mickey Rourke, his demise by Ptolemy. Attempt to explore Andy Serkis, Alicia Silverstone, Ashley Walthe many conflicts—from the moment of his ters, Sarah Bolger, Missi Pyle. When his superbirth onward—that shaped this fabled warrior spy uncle dies under mysterious circumstances, sheds very little light and makes one wish young Alex is thrust into the world of the Britthe elephants who attack in a climactic scene ish Secret Service and must foil a plot to take would do their worst. Only Jolie, as Alexanover the world’s supercomputers. Based on the der’s mother, Olympias, brings any spark to first of Anthony Horowitz’s best-selling books, the film. Perhaps the first Oliver Stone movie this could have been a clever junior James one can honestly describe as boring. DirecBond outing but gets caught up in its own cutetor’s cut runs 167m. Followed a year later by ness. Takes off in unattractive directions and ALEXANDER REVISITED: THE FINAL comes up a big double-zero. Original British CUT at 220m. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 title: STORMBREAKER. Super 35. [PG]쩠 Alexander Nevsky (1938-Russian) 107m. Alfie (1966-British) C-114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ★★★★ Lewis Gilbert. Michael Caine, Shelley WinD: Sergei Eisenstein. Nikolai Cherkassov, Nikolai Okhlopkov, Alexander ters, Millicent Martin, Julia Foster, Jane Abrikossov, Dmitri Orlov, Vassily Novikov. Asher, Shirley Anne Field, Vivien Merchant, Epic tale of Cherkassov and Russian army Eleanor Bron, Denholm Elliott, Alfie Bass, repelling German invasion during the 13th Graham Stark, Murray Melvin. Well-turned century, a disturbing parallel to world sitversion of Bill Naughton play (he also uation at time of production. Magnificently scripted). Caine is superb as philandering visualized battle sequences, wonderful Cockney playboy who can’t decide if bacheProkofiev score. A masterpiece.▼●쩠 lor life is so bloody marvelous. Cher sings Alexander’s Ragtime Band (1938) 105m. title tune. Followed by ALFIE DARLING. ★★★ D: Henry King. Tyrone Power, Alice Remade in 2004. Techniscope. ▼●쩠 [ 20 ]

Alfie (2004) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Shyer. which ought to be triumphant, plays out as just Jude Law, Marisa Tomei, Omar Epps, Nia one more fight, since we’ve seen so many othLong, Jane Krakowski, Sienna Miller, Susan ers reenacted by then. Smith does a good job— Sarandon, Renee Taylor, Dick Latessa, but the real Ali was even more charismatic. DiGedde Watanabe. N.Y.C. limo driver Alfie, rector’s cut runs 165m. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 an ex-Londoner, loves women but only on Alias Betty (2001-French-Canadian) Chis own terms, meaning sex when he feels 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claude Miller. Sandrine like it without any strings attached . . . but Kiberlain, Nicole Garcia, Mathilde Seigner, lately he’s starting to think there may be Luck Mervil, E´douard Baer, Ste´phane Freiss. something missing in his life. Law is saucy, So-so drama-thriller charting the spiraling the women are well cast, but it doesn’t add events that occur when a little boy dies in an up to much, especially compared to the accident and his emotionally disconnected 1966 original, which was darker and more grandmother kidnaps another child to take misogynistic. [R] ▼쩠 his place. Opening scenes are riveting, but Alfie Darling (1975-British) C-102m. ★★ story bogs down as it gets involved with too D: Ken Hughes. Alan Price, Jill Townsend, many extraneous characters. Based on the Joan Collins, Annie Ross, Sheila White, Ruth Rendell novel The Tree of Hands. ▼쩠 Rula Lenska. Forgettable sequel to ALFIE, Alias Jesse James (1959) C-92m. ★★★ D: with Price a most inadequate replacement Norman McLeod. Bob Hope, Rhonda Flemfor Michael Caine. This time around our ing, Wendell Corey, Jim Davis, Gloria hero falls for a chic magazine editor. Video Talbott. One of Hope’s funniest has him title: OH, ALFIE.▼쩠 an insurance salesman out West, mistaken Alfredo, Alfredo (1972-Italian) C-98m. for sharpshooter. Fleming is a lovely West★1 ern belle; the two do a cute song together. ⁄2 D: Pietro Germi. Dustin Hoffman, Stefania Sandrelli, Carla Gravina, Clara Many guests appear at the climax.▼●쩠 Colosimo, Daniele Patella, Duilio Del Prete. Alias Nick Beal (1949) 93m. ★★★ D: John All-too-typical Italian comedy about a Farrow. Ray Milland, Audrey Totter, milquetoast who wins and weds a sexy Thomas Mitchell, George Macready, Fred woman, only to regret his conquest. Sole Clark. Allegory of Devil (Milland) corinterest is observing Hoffman in this unrupting honest politician Mitchell with help usual setting (with a dubbed voice!). Origof trollop Totter. Interesting drama with inally 110m. [R]▼ unusually sinister Milland. Alfred the Great (1969-British) C-122m. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves (1944) ★★ C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Lubin. Maria D: Clive Donner. David Hemmings, Michael York, Prunella Ransome, Colin Montez, Jon Hall, Scotty Beckett, Turhan Blakely, Julian Glover, Ian McKellen. Story Bey, Kurt Katch, Andy Devine, Frank Puglia. of young leader of 9th-century England can’t Colorful escapism with rightful prince Hall decide if it’s a serious historical chronicle battling evil man who put him out of the way or broad swashbuckler; succeeds in neither years ago; much footage reused in SWORD department. Only highlight is series of OF ALI BABA. Devine speaking in flowery meticulously filmed battle scenes; other‘‘Arabian Nights’’ dialogue may put off all but his staunchest fans.▼● wise, ambitious script is boring. McKellen’s film debut. Panavision. [M/PG] Alibi Ike (1935) 73m. ★★★ D: Ray Enright. Algiers (1938) 95m. ★★★ D: John Cromwell. Joe E. Brown, Olivia de Havilland, WilCharles Boyer, Sigrid Gurie, Hedy Lamarr, liam Frawley, Ruth Donnelly, Roscoe Karns. Joseph Calleia. Alan Hale, Gene Lockhart, Brown is aces as the title character, a brash Johnny Downs, Paul Harvey. Boyer as Pepe Chicago Cubs rookie hurler who’s always Le Moko falls in love with alluring Lamarr ready with excuses for his mistakes. He bevisiting Casbah district of Algiers: Calleia as comes involved with pretty de Havilland, police official, Lockhart as informer, stand out and tangles with gamblers who try to bribe in well-cast romance. Remake of French him. Based on a story by Ring Lardner; the PEPE LE MOKO, remade as CASBAH.▼쩠 last of Brown’s baseball trilogy, following Ali (2001) C-158m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Mann. FIREMAN, SAVE MY CHILD and ELWill Smith, Jamie Foxx, Jon Voight, Mario MER THE GREAT. Van Peebles, Ron Silver, Jeffrey Wright, MyAlice (1990) C-106m. ★★ D: Woody Alkelti Williamson, Jada Pinkett Smith, Nona len. Mia Farrow, Alec Baldwin, Blythe Gaye, Michael Michele, Joe Morton, Paul Danner, Judy Davis, William Hurt, Keye Rodriguez, Bruce McGill, Barry Shabaka HenLuke, Joe Mantegna, Bernadette Peters, Cybley, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Mason, ill Shepherd, Gwen Verdon, Patrick O’Neal, LeVar Burton. Disappointing bio of the exJulie Kavner, Caroline Aaron, Holland Taytraordinary prizefighter, born Cassius Clay, lor, Robin Bartlett, Bob Balaban, Elle Maccovering the years 1964 to 1974. Despite its pherson. One of Woody’s ‘‘chamber films’’ length, film is surprisingly sketchy; we learn with Farrow as the mousy, pampered wife very little about the man except his conversion of wealthy Hurt, trying to find herself, and to Islam and his determination to win in the contemplating the unthinkable—an extramariring. The ‘‘Rumble in the Jungle’’ finale, tal affair. With that cast, it’s certainly watch[ 21 ]

able, but the whimsy seems forced, the story disguised as Lewis Carroll characters, in overly familiar. Even Allen’s usually infallithis slow-moving adaptation of the classic ble choice of soundtrack music is heavystory. Fascinating for its casting—Cooper handed. Nice screen farewell for character as White Knight, Fields as Humpty Dumpactor Keye Luke, however. Judith Ivey has ty, Grant as Mock Turtle—but, overall, a an unbilled cameo. [PG-13]▼●쩠 bore. Screenplay by Joseph L. Mankiewicz Alice Adams (1935) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George and William Cameron Menzies. Alice in Wonderland (1951) C-75m. ★★★ Stevens. Katharine Hepburn, Fred MacMurray, Fred Stone, Evelyn Venable, Ann D: Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, WilShoemaker, Frank Albertson, Hattie Mcfred Jackson. Voices of Kathryn BeauDaniel, Charley Grapewin, Grady Sutton, mont, Ed Wynn, Richard Haydn, Sterling Hedda Hopper. Excellent small-town AmerHolloway, Jerry Colonna, Verna Felton, icana with social-climbing girl finally finding Bill Thompson. Entertaining, if somewhat love in person of unpretentious Macaloof, rendering of Lewis Carroll’s classic, Murray. Booth Tarkington’s Pulitzer Prize– with the Walt Disney animation team at its winning novel becomes fine film, if not best bringing the Cheshire Cat, the Queen altogether credible. The dinner-table scene of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter to life. is unforgettable. Screenplay by Dorothy Episodic film is given major boost by Yost, Mortimer Offner, and Jane Murfin. strong personalities of Wynn, Colonna, Filmed before in 1923.▼●쩠 Holloway, et al., and such tunes as ‘‘I’m Alice and Martin (1998-French-Spanish) Late’’ and ‘‘The Unbirthday Song.’’ ▼●쩠 C-123m. ★★ D: Andre´ Te´chine´. Juliette BiAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1972noche, Alexis Loret, Mathieu Amalric, CarBritish) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: William Sterling. men Maura, Jean-Pierre Lorit, Marthe Fiona Fullerton, Michael Crawford, Ralph Villalonga. A young man, tormented by his Richardson, Flora Robson, Peter Sellers, childhood, meets his half-brother’s companDudley Moore, Michael Jayston. Tedious ion (Binoche), who is drawn to him in spite British film version of Lewis Carroll’s classic of his severe emotional wounds. His trouproves Americans don’t have a monopoly on bled past is gradually revealed in flashmaking bad children’s musicals. Waste of a good cast. Todd-AO 35. [G]▼쩠 backs, but it’s difficult to care about him or his future in this off-putting film. [R]▼ Alice’s Restaurant (1969) C-111m. ★★★ Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974) D: Arthur Penn. Arlo Guthrie, Pat Quinn, C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Martin Scorsese. Ellen James Broderick, Michael McClanathan, Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson, Billy Green Geoff Outlaw, Tina Chen. Guthrie’s popuBush, Alfred Lutter, Diane Ladd, Jodie lar record inspired this odd blend of satFoster, Harvey Keitel, Vic Tayback, Valire, whimsy, melodrama, and social comerie Curtin. Excellent look at a woman’s mentary. Generally fun, with quizzically odyssey to find herself and some measure downbeat ending, showing freeform lifeof happiness after her husband dies, leavstyle of group of friends headed by Broderick ing her and a young son penniless. Krisand Quinn (as Alice). Also shown in PGtofferson is gentle, well-meaning man who rated version. [R]▼쩠 tries to win her love. Burstyn won wellAlice, Sweet Alice SEE: Holy Terror deserved Oscar for Best Actress. Rich screenAlien (1979) C-117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ridley Scott. play by Robert Getchell. Look very carefully Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, John Hurt, in the final diner scene for Ladd’s daughter Ian Holm, Harry Dean Stanton, Yaphet Kotto, Laura Dern eating ice cream cone at counter. Veronica Cartwright. Commercial spacecraft Later reworked into a long-running TV situnwittingly takes on an alien being that com called Alice. [PG]▼●쩠 wreaks merciless havoc on the crew. SpaceAlice in the Cities (1974-German) 110m. ★★★ age horror film reverts to 1950s formula, but D: Wim Wenders. Rudiger Vogler, Yella Rottunfolds at a deliberate pace, populates the lander, Lisa Kreuzer, Chuck Berry. After story with interesting, colorful characters, and wandering aimlessly across America, alienated plants its (genuine) shock moments with exjournalist Vogler meets a woman—and finds ceptional skill. Imitated but seldom equaled. himself saddled with her 9-year-old daughter Screenplay by Dan O’Bannon, from his and when she mysteriously disappears. Intelligent, Ronald Shusett’s story; inspired by IT! THE often hypnotic film reflects on the effect of TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE. For American pop culture on postwar Europeans. 2003 reissue, Scott trimmed some material and added 41⁄2m. of new footage, resulting The first in Wenders’ ‘‘road movie’’ trilogy, followed by WRONG MOVE and KINGS in a 115m. movie. Followed by ALIENS. OF THE ROAD.▼ Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Alice in Wonderland (1933) 77m. ★★ D: Alienator (1989) C-92m. ★★ D: Fred Olen Norman Z. McLeod. Charlotte Henry, RichRay. Jan-Michael Vincent, John Phillip ard Arlen, Gary Cooper, W. C. Fields, Law, Ross Hagen, Teagan, Dyann Ortelli, Cary Grant, Edward Everett Horton, Baby Jesse Dabson, Dawn Wildsmith, P. J. Soles, LeRoy, Edna May Oliver, Jack Oakie, Robert Clarke, Richard Wiley, Leo V. many others. Top Paramount stars appear, Gordon, Robert Quarry. Gimlet-eyed Vin[ 22 ]

cent, a cruel alien prison warden, sends planet where (you guessed it) the alien reunstoppable, Amazonian ‘‘hunter unit’’ generates itself and runs amok. Good perTeagan after fugitive Hagen, who’s crashformances, some scares, but a definite landed on Earth. OK sci-fi from the prolific feeling of de´ja` vu hangs over the proceedRay, with a great B movie cast, but looks ings. Special edition runs 144m. Followed like two movies overlapping. [R]▼● by ALIEN RESURRECTION. Panavision. Alien From L.A. (1987) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: [R]▼●쩠 Albert Pyun. Kathy Ireland, Thom MatAlien Thunder (1973-Canadian) C-90m. ★★ thews, William R. Moses, Don Michael D: Claude Fournier. Donald Sutherland, Paul, Richard Haines, Linda Kerridge, Janie Kevin McCarthy, Chief Dan George, Jean du Plessis. California Valley Girl falls down Duceppe, Jack Creely, Francine Racette. hole, finds herself in the lost city of Atlantis. Mountie Sutherland chases Cree Indian acAs silly as it sounds. [PG]▼●쩠 cused of a sergeant’s murder in this handAlien Nation (1988) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Grasome but tedious actioner. Video title: ham Baker. James Caan, Mandy Patinkin, DAN CANDY’S LAW. [PG]▼쩠 Terence Stamp, Kevin Major Howard, LesAlien Trespass (2009-Canadian) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: R. W. Goodwin. Eric McCormack, lie Bevins. In the near future, a race of odd-looking aliens is slowly (and grudgJenni Baird, Robert Patrick, Jody Thompson, ingly) being integrated into society. WorldDan Lauria, Aaron Brooks, Sarah Smyth. weary L.A. cop Caan agrees to take one Amusing straight-faced spoof of 1950s scion as his partner, so he can track down the fi movies has a spacecraft crash-landing just alien who killed his former sidekick. A outside a typical American town; before long great concept that doesn’t quite pay off, an unseen force overtakes many of the residespite many clever touches and terrific dents, including pipe-smoking scientist Mcperformances by Caan and Patinkin. FolCormack. It’s all been parodied before but lowed by a TV series and three made-forthis amiable film gets the look and feel just TV movies. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 right. Opens with a faux newsreel that sets Alien Resurrection (1997) C-108m. ★★ D: up the movie as a long-lost nugget of film Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Sigourney Weaver, Wihistory. [PG] nona Ryder, Dominique Pinon, Ron PerlAlien vs. Predator (2004-Czech-Britishman, Gary Dourdan, Michael Wincott, Kim German-U.S.) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul W. S. Flowers, Dan Hedaya, J. E. Freeman, Brad Anderson. Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Dourif. Two hundred years after ALIEN 3, Henriksen, Ewen Bremner, Colin Salmon, Ripley (Weaver) is cloned aboard a spaceTommy Flanagan, Joseph Rye, Agathe de la ship with a touch of alien in her makeup, Boulaye, Carsten Norgaard. Lame attempt to and more aliens to battle with the help of a attract fans of the ALIEN and PREDATOR band of space pirates. Clumsy sequel with films, with the scenario involving an archeocrummy logic, far too many wisecracks; a logical expedition to the ends of the earth, a few good action scenes, but strictly for sebizarre underground world, and the presence ries fans. Special edition runs 116m. Folof the deadly ALIEN and PREDATOR lowed by ALIEN VS. PREDATOR. Super monsters. A waste. ‘‘Extended’’ version on 35. [R]▼●쩠 DVD is one minute longer! Director’s cut Aliens (1986) C-137m. ★★★1⁄2 D: James runs 115m. Aka AVP: ALIEN VS. PREDCameron. Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, ATOR. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Hen[PG-13] ▼쩠 riksen, Bill Paxton, Jenette Goldstein. Aliens vs. Predator—Requiem (2007) CWeaver, the sole human survivor from 94m. ★★ D: The Brothers Strause. Steven ALIEN, returns to planet that spawned the Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz, yukky creatures with a Marine squadron Robert Joy. Follow-up to 2004’s monster that’s ready to wipe them out. Intense, matchup brings the iconic extraterrestrials exciting sequel directed by Cameron the together for an earthbound smackdown in same way he did THE TERMINATOR— a small Colorado town. More graphically once it gets going there’s just no letup! violent, yet significantly less atmospheric, Weaver is sensational in compelling lead than ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, sequel ofrole. The special effects won an Oscar. fers undemanding, occasionally exciting B‘‘Director’s cut’’ version runs 154m. Folmovie thrills. Expectant mothers might do lowed by ALIEN 3. [R]▼●쩠 well to avert their eyes during an ingeAlien’s Return, The SEE: Return, The niously creepy maternity-ward sequence. Alien Terror SEE: Sinister Invasion Full significance of the final scene will be Alien 3 (1992) C-115m. ★★ D: David lost on anyone not intimately familiar with Fincher. Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. arcane aspects of the ALIEN movie mythos. Dutton, Charles Dance, Paul McGann, Unrated version runs 101m. Super 35. [R]쩠 Brian Glover, Ralph Brown, Danny Webb, Ali—Fear Eats the Soul (1974-German) Lance Henriksen, Pete Postlethwaite. MoreC-94m. ★★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. of-the-same sequel has Weaver and other survivors of ALIENS on isolated prison Brigitte Mira, El Hedi Ben Salem, Barbara [ 23 ]

Valentin, Irm Hermann, Rainer Werner Fassas an aging star who takes in an adoring binder. Widow Mira, in her 60s, falls in love fan (Baxter) and soon discovers that the with and marries an Arab 30 years her junior. young woman is taking over her life. Witty Interesting, quietly effective Fassbinder dialogue to spare, especially great when film, a remake of Douglas Sirk’s ALL spoken by Sanders and Ritter. Six Oscars THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS.▼쩠 include Best Picture, Director, Screenplay, Ali G Indahouse (2002-British) C-88m. and Supporting Actor (Sanders). Later mu★★1⁄2 D: Mark Mylod. Sacha Baron Cohen, sicalized on Broadway as Applause.▼●쩠 Michael Gambon, Charles Dance, Kellie All About My Mother (1999-SpanishFrench) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Pedro Almodo´Bright, Martin Freeman, Rhona Mitra, Barbara New, Emilio Rivera. Before he brought var. Cecilia Roth, Marisa Paredes, Pene´lope Borat to the big screen, Baron Cohen’s Cruz, Antonia San Juan, Candela Pen˜a, other TV alter ego made his feature debut in Rosa Maria Sarda´, Eloy Azorin. When a this raunchy farce in which the white British woman loses her son, she returns to Barcegangsta-rapper wannabe searches for ‘‘reallona, rekindles a dormant friendship with a ness’’ and ‘‘respek’’ while trying to thwart transvestite pal, and becomes involved with a a plot to overthrow the Prime Minister. stage actress her son admired. Almodo´var’s Silly, scatological, and tasteless, but also most moving film to date—more serious than sometimes sharply satirical and quite funny. most, but not without his trademark And keep an eye out for a quick cameo humor—and distinguished by exceptional by Borat. Released direct to video in the performances all around. A paean to U.S. [R]쩠 women, in real life and on stage and film. Alive (1993) C-125m. ★★★ D: Frank MarOscar winner for Best Foreign Film. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 shall. Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton, Bruce Ramsay, John Haymes All About the Benjamins (2002) C-98m. ★★ Newton, David Kriegel, Kevin Breznahan, D: Kevin Bray. Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Sam Behrens, Illeana Douglas, Jack NoseEva Mendes, Tommy Flanagan, Carmen worthy. Queasy movie about the rugby Chaplin, Valarie Rae Miller, Roger Guenteam that survived 72 days in the Andes veur Smith, Anthony Michael Hall. Miami Mountains when their plane crashed on its bounty hunter is determined to bring in way from Uruguay to Chile. A half-good petty con man Epps, but they both get movie encumbered by clunky dialogue (or caught in the cross fire of a diamond theft its delivery)—but physically impressive begone haywire. Attempt at an action-comedy yond the astonishing particulars of its story in the 48HRS vein benefits from Epps’ non(which involves cannibalism). Unquestionstop chatter, but doesn’t sustain its thin, ably the most chilling portrayal of a plane worn-out premise. Ice Cube cowrote the crash in movie history. Scripted by John screenplay. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Patrick Shanley, from the book by Piers All American (1953) 83m. ★★ D: Jesse Paul Read. John Malkovich appears unHibbs. Tony Curtis, Lori Nelson, Richard billed. Same story previously filmed as Long, Mamie Van Doren, Gregg Palmer, Stuart Whitman. Ordinary drama in which SURVIVE! [R]▼●쩠 Alive and Kicking (1997-British) C-98m. college football hero Curtis gives up the ★★★ D: Nancy Meckler. Jason Flemyng, Angame after his parents’ death and accepts tony Sher, Dorothy Tutin, Anthony Higan architecture scholarship at a snooty Ivy gins, Bill Nighy, Philip Voss, Diane Parish. League–type school. Of note for appearMartin Sherman (author of the play Bent) ances of several all-Americans (including scripted this touching drama about a selfFrank Gifford). Look fast for football great involved gay dancer (Flemyng) who refuses Tom Harmon in the announcing booth. to let the fact that he is afflicted with AIDS All-American Boy, The (1973) C-118m. ★★ disrupt his career; he also becomes romantiD: Charles Eastman. Jon Voight, E. J. cally involved with a therapist (Sher) who Peaker, Ned Glass, Anne Archer, Carol treats HIV-positive patients. The scenario Androsky. Muddled drama about Olympic may be familiar, but it’s sincere and exhopeful Voight’s attempt to succeed as a tremely well acted, and the world of dance boxer; striking locations of northern Caliis nicely rendered. Original British title: INfornia, but that’s all. Panavision. [R]▼ DIAN SUMMER. [R]▼쩠 All-American Murder (1992) C-93m. ★★ All About Eve (1950) 138m. ★★★★ D: D: Anson Williams. Christopher Walken, Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Bette Davis, Anne Charlie Schlatter, Josie Bissett, Joanna Baxter, George Sanders, Celeste Holm, Cassidy, Richard Kind, Woody Watson, Gary Merrill, Thelma Ritter, Marilyn J. C. Quinn. Rebellious college student Monroe, Hugh Marlowe, Gregory Ratoff. Schlatter is suspected of murdering the Brilliantly sophisticated (and cynical) look virginal girl he loved, but cop Walken’s at life in and around the theater, with a not so sure. Highly guessable plot studded heaven-sent script by director Mankiewicz with slasher-movie murders cheats view(based on the story ‘‘The Wisdom of Eve’’ ers; frequent tilted camera angles may make by Mary Orr). Davis is absolutely perfect you seasick. [R]▼● [ 24 ]

Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of even but imaginative collection of vignettes Gold (1987) C-99m. BOMB D: Gary Nelset to music by Debussy, Dvorak, Vivaldi, son (additional scenes: Newt Arnold). RichStravinsky, and others, framed by heavyard Chamberlain, Sharon Stone, James Earl handed live-action slapstick featuring an Jones, Henry Silva, Robert Donner, Doghmi oafish orchestra-conductor. Best sequences: Larbi, Cassandra Peterson. Cheapjack folSibelius’ ‘‘Valse Triste,’’ with a melanlowup to 1985 version of KING SOLOcholy cat, and a chronicle of evolution set to Ravel’s ‘‘Bolero.’’▼●쩠 MON’S MINES with the same stars; Chamberlain returns to Africa in search of his All Fall Down (1962) 110m. ★★★ D: John brother, who’s been tracking a lost white tribe. Frankenheimer. Warren Beatty, Eva Marie Post-production patchups are all too obvious. Saint, Karl Malden, Angela Lansbury, BranRemake of the 1977 KING SOLOMON’S don de Wilde. Improbable but absorbing WilTREASURE. J-D-C Scope. [PG]▼쩠 liam Inge script about narcissistic young man All at Sea (1957-British) 87m. ★★★ D: (Beatty), his admiring younger brother (de Charles Frend. Alec Guinness, Irene Browne, Wilde), indulgent parents (Lansbury and MalPercy Herbert, Harold Goodwin. Robust den), and the older woman (Saint) with whom comedy that holds its own throughout. he becomes involved. Fine performances. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 Guinness is admirable as seaman who can’t bear sight of water but buys runAll Hands on Deck (1961) C-98m. ★★ D: down house-laden pier, turning it into an Norman Taurog. Pat Boone, Buddy Hackett, amusement palace. Original title: BARNADennis O’Keefe, Barbara Eden. Innocuous CLE BILL. musical comedy of free-wheeling sailors, All Dogs Go to Heaven (1989) C-85m. Boone and Hackett, is lightweight entertain★1 ment. CinemaScope. ⁄2 D: Don Bluth. Voices of Burt Reynolds, Loni Anderson, Judith Barsi, Dom All I Desire (1953) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Douglas DeLuise, Vic Tayback, Charles Nelson Sirk. Barbara Stanwyck, Richard Carlson, Reilly, Melba Moore. Bluth’s colorful aniLyle Bettger, Lori Nelson, Maureen O’Sulmation is only saving grace of this downlivan. Family togetherness and home-town beat musical cartoon about an orphan approval is answer to title, in period piece ‘‘adopted’’ by an unlovable mutt (Reyuplifted by Stanwyck’s valiant performance nolds) who has returned from heaven to do as erring mother of three who returns to her husband.▼ a good deed. Misguided film has some good moments (a musical sequence with Alligator (1980) C-94m. ★★★ D: Lewis a Cajun alligator), but hurt by unappealing Teague. Robert Forster, Robin Riker, Micharacters, confused storytelling, and forchael Gazzo, Perry Lang, Jack Carter, gettable songs. Followed by three sequels Henry Silva, Bart Braverman, Dean Jagger, and an animated TV series. [G]▼●쩠 Angel Tompkins, Sue Lyon, Pat Petersen. All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996-U.S.-British) If you’ve got to make a film about a giant C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Sebella, Larry Leker. alligator that’s terrorizing Chicago, this is Voices of Charlie Sheen, Sheena Easton, the way to do it—with a sense of fun to Dom DeLuise, Ernest Borgnine, George balance the expected violence and genuine Hearn, Bebe Neuwirth, Adam Wylie, Dan scares. The knowing screenplay is by John Castellaneta, Wallace Shawn, Pat Corley, Sayles; Silva does a hilarious self-parody Bobby DiCicco, Jim Cummings, Maurice as an egomaniacal Great White Hunter. La Marche. Cartoon canine Charlie Barkin Don’t miss the graffiti in the final scene. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼쩠 (Sheen), bored with life in heaven, volunteers a return to earth in an effort to retrieve Alligator II: The Mutation (1991) C-92m. Gabriel’s horn, which was stolen by evil BOMB D: Jon Hess. Joseph Bologna, Dee dog Carface (Borgnine). Big improvement Wallace Stone, Richard Lynch, Woody over the first picture in terms of story and Brown, Holly Gagnier, Bill Dailey, Steve music, but fails to match the original’s lush Railsback, Brock Peters, Julian Reyes. Ananimation. Followed by two direct-to-video other big alligator menaces another big sequels. [G]▼●쩠 city, with only cops Bologna and Brown, Allegheny Uprising (1939) 81m. ★★★ D: plus Cajun alligator hunter Lynch, to stop William Seiter. John Wayne, Claire Trevor, it from gobbling up the revelers at a lake. Lame-brained and dreary. [PG-13]▼● George Sanders, Brian Donlevy, Robert Barrat, Moroni Olsen, Chill Wills. Wayne All in a Night’s Work (1961) C-94m. ★★1 leads band of brave men against crooked ⁄2 D: Joseph Anthony. Dean Martin, Donlevy, tyrannical British captain SandShirley MacLaine, Charlie Ruggles, Cliff ers in pre-Revolutionary colonies. Fine, Robertson. Featherweight (and often feathunpretentious film; Trevor appealing as erbrained) comedy about innocent office girl who goes after Wayne. Also shown in worker caught in compromising position with big-business exec, leading to a series computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Allegro Non Troppo (1976-Italian) C-75m. of misunderstandings. Filled with familiar ★★★ D: Bruno Bozzetto. Animator Bozzetto’s character actors (Gale Gordon, Jerome Cowan, Jack Weston, et al.). ▼쩠 answer to Disney’s FANTASIA is an un[ 25 ]

All I Wanna Do (1998) C-97m. ★★★ D: and black bandleader, and their Iago, a Sarah Kernochan. Kirsten Dunst, Gaby drummer (amusingly played by McGooHoffmann, Lynn Redgrave, Rachael Leigh han). Guest musicians include Dave BruCook, Thomas Guiry, Vincent Kartheiser, beck, Charlie Mingus, John Dankworth. Monica Keena, Matthew Lawrence, Heather All Night Long (1981) C-88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Matarazzo, Hayden Christensen. Clever, Jean-Claude Tramont. Gene Hackman, funny comedy with serious undertones about Barbra Streisand, Diane Ladd, Dennis a girls’ boarding school in 1963—in the Quaid, Kevin Dobson, William Daniels, years just before women’s lib—where newAnn Doran. Married Hackman takes up comer Hoffmann bonds with a group of with neighbor’s wife Streisand after he’s mischief-makers. Good showcase for its taldemoted to managing a downtown all-night ented young cast, though somehow this drugstore, the clientele of which has tornever got a wide theatrical release. Written ridly high weirdo quotient. Streisand is by the director. Originally screened as badly, if rather endearingly, miscast (she STRIKE! [PG-13]▼쩠 replaced Lisa Eichhorn after film was alAll I Want (2002) C-92m. ★★ D: Jeffrey ready in production), but Hackman is at Porter. Elijah Wood, Franka Potente, Mandy the peak of his charm in this gentle, underMoore, Chris William Martin, Elizabeth Perrated comedy. [R]▼쩠 kins, Deborah Harry, Aaron Pearl, Aloma All of Me (1984) C-93m. ★★★ D: Carl Wright. Strictly derivative coming-of-age Reiner. Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin, Victocomedy about a quirky teenage boy who ria Tennant, Madolyn Smith, Richard moves into a boardinghouse peopled excluLibertini, Dana Elcar, Jason Bernard, Selma sively by eccentrics—including two women Diamond. The soul and spirit of a crotchwho show more than casual interest in him. ety millionairess (Tomlin) enter the body Attractive cast makes this watchable, but it of a young, idealistic lawyer (Martin) with has too many echoes of other, better movoften hilarious results. Uneven comedyies. Never released theatrically. Aka TRY fantasy actually gets better as it goes along, SEVENTEEN. [R]▼쩠 and characters become more endearing. All I Want for Christmas (1991) C-92m. Martin’s performance is a comic tour-de ★1⁄2 D: Robert Lieberman. Harley Jane force. [PG]▼●쩠 Kozak, Jamey Sheridan, Ethan Randall All or Nothing (2002-British) C-128m. ★★ (Embry), Kevin Nealon, Thora Birch, LesD: Mike Leigh. Timothy Spall, Lesley Manlie Nielsen, Lauren Bacall. Slapdash tale of ville, Alison Garland, James Corden, Ruth kids’ efforts to get their divorced parents Sheen, Marion Bailey, Paul Jesson, Sally back together for the title holiday. A feelHawkins, Helen Coker, Daniel Mays. Dim, good movie whose emotion seems as audrab slice of working-class life, with cabthentic as a plastic Christmas tree. A waste driver Spall barely ekeing out a living, earnof time for all concerned (including Bacall, ing no thanks from his common-law wife as the children’s grandmother). [G]▼●쩠 (who gave up on him years ago), his hostile ★★★ D: Irving All My Sons (1948) 94m. son, or his silent daughter. Neighbors in Reis. Edward G. Robinson, Burt Lancastheir housing project seem to be in similar ter, Mady Christians, Louisa Horton, Howdoldrums, but for one doggedly optimistic ard Duff, Arlene Francis, Lloyd Gough, soul (Sheen). Tough going, without the rich, Henry (Harry) Morgan. Arthur Miller’s rounded characterizations that have marked compelling drama of returning soldier (LanLeigh’s better films. [R] ▼쩠 caster) discovering that his father (RobAll Over Me (1997) C-90m. ★★★ D: Alex inson) cheated on a war mate´riel order, with Sichel. Alison Folland, Tara Subkoff, Wiltragic results. Post-WW2 drama is well son Cruz, Cole Hauser, Ann Dowd, Pat acted, but verbose and preachy.▼ Briggs, Leisha Hailey, Shawn Hatosy. Dark, Allnighter, The (1987) C-108m. BOMB brooding but absorbing coming-of-age D: Tamar Simon Hoffs. Susanna Hoffs, drama about two girls—one gay, one Dedee Pfeiffer, Joan Cusack, Michael straight—whose friendship unravels after a Ontkean, John Terlesky, James Anthony fatal gay-bashing in their Hell’s Kitchen Shanta, Pam Grier, Meshach Taylor. Three neighborhood. The whole cast is excellent, female airheads stumble through assorted but Folland as the shy budding lesbian is sexual hijinks during the final senior weekthe emotional center. Powered by a terrific end at a Pacific party college. Grotesque in soundtrack featuring Patti Smith and Ani the AIDS era, though it would be a stinker DiFranco, among others. Film’s costars are anytime. Director Hoffs is the mother of the also indie rockers: Briggs is the frontman of star, a member of The Bangles rock group. Psychotica, Hailey sings with The Murmurs. Written by director Sichel’s sister, [PG-13]▼쩠 All Night Long (1961-British) 95m. ★★1⁄2 Sylvia. [R]▼●쩠 D: Basil Dearden. Patrick McGoohan, Marti All Over the Guy (2001) C-92m. ★★★ D: Stevens, Betsy Blair, Keith Michell, RichJulie Davis. Dan Bucatinsky, Richard Rucard Attenborough. Fair updating of Othello, colo, Sasha Alexander, Adam Goldberg, about an interracial couple, a white singer Andrea Martin, Doris Roberts, Christina [ 26 ]

Ricci, Lisa Kudrow, Joanna Kerns. Likable comedy about two gay guys who survive a disastrous blind date and settle into friendship, not realizing true love is staring them right in the face. Loaded with smart one-liners and clever potshots at sexless gay studio movies like IN & OUT. Terrific supporting cast includes Martin as a touchy-feely therapist mom and THE OPPOSITE OF SEX costars Ricci and Kudrow. Written by Bucatinsky, based on his stage play. [R] ▼쩠 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) 133m. ★★★★ D: Lewis Milestone. Lewis (Lew) Ayres, Louis Wolheim, John Wray, Slim Summerville, Russell Gleason, Ben Alexander, Beryl Mercer. Vivid, moving adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s eloquent pacifist novel about German boys’ experiences as soldiers during WW1. Time hasn’t dimmed its power, or its poignancy, one bit. Scripted by Milestone, Maxwell Anderson, Del Andrews, and George Abbott. Academy Award winner for Best Picture and Director. Originally shown at 140m., then cut many times over the years; restored in 1998. It’s 130m. on video. Sequel: THE ROAD BACK. Remade for TV in 1979.

▼●쩠

Taylor, Stewart Granger, Ann Blyth, Keenan Wynn, James Whitmore, Lewis Stone. Waterlogged adventure based on Ben Ames Williams’ novel. Taylor and Granger lack conviction as New Bedford whalers having career and romantic conflicts.▼쩠 All the Fine Young Cannibals (1960) C-112m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael Anderson. Robert Wagner, Natalie Wood, Susan Kohner, George Hamilton, Pearl Bailey, Anne Seymour. Cliche´s abound in this romantic soap opera that was actually inspired by the life of jazz trumpeter Chet Baker (whose role is played here, somewhat improbably, by Wagner). British music group Fine Young Cannibals took its name from this film. CinemaScope. All the King’s Men (1949) 109m. ★★★★ D: Robert Rossen. Broderick Crawford, Joanne Dru, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge, John Derek, Shepperd Strudwick, Anne Seymour. Brilliant adaptation (by director Rossen) of Robert Penn Warren’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel about the rise and fall of a Huey Long–like governor, played by Crawford in the performance of his career. He and McCambridge (in her first film) won well-deserved Oscars, as did the film, for Best Picture. Campaign montages directed by Don Siegel. Remade in 2006.

All Screwed Up (1974-Italian) C-105m. ★★★ D: Lina Wertmuller. Luigi Diberti, Nino Bignamini, Lina Polito, Sara Rapisarda. ▼●쩠 Appealing tragicomedy of various young All the King’s Men (2006) C-128m. ★★ D: working-class men and women, and what Steven Zaillian. Sean Penn, Jude Law, Kate happens when they move into a Milan Winslet, James Gandolfini, Mark Ruffalo, apartment. Released in the U.S. in 1976. Patricia Clarkson, Kathy Baker, Jackie Earle [PG]▼ Haley, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Dunn, All That Heaven Allows (1955) C-89m. Tom McCarthy, Frederic Forrest, Tom Al★★★ dredge, Keb’ Mo’. Remake of the 1949 D: Douglas Sirk. Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead, Conrad Nagel, classic traces the story of grassroots SouthVirginia Grey, Gloria Talbott, William Reynern politician Willie Stark (inspired by the olds, Charles Drake, Merry Anders. When real-life Louisiana governor Huey Long), middle-class widow Wyman allows gardener his unlikely rise to power, and how it corHudson—a younger man—to romance her, rupts not only him but those around him. she faces the ire of her children, friends, and Penn’s histrionics never ring true, and his society. Typically sleek Sirk soaper. Remade talented costars are wasted in this disapby Rainer Werner Fassbinder as ALI—FEAR pointing production. Clarkson’s role as EATS THE SOUL.▼쩠 Stark’s savvy campaign strategist—and All That Jazz (1979) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: mistress—won Mercedes McCambridge an Bob Fosse. Roy Scheider, Jessica Lange, Oscar in the original film, but the character Ann Reinking, Leland Palmer, Cliff Goris barely sketched this time around. Zaillian man, Ben Vereen, Erzsebet Foldi, Sandahl wrote the ineffectual screenplay. [PG-13]쩠 Bergman, John Lithgow, Keith Gordon, . . . All the Marbles (1981) C-113m. ★★★ Ben Masters, Nicole Fosse, Theresa MerD: Robert Aldrich. Peter Falk, Vicki ritt, Wallace Shawn. Director-choreographer Frederick, Laurene Landon, Burt Young, Fosse’s own 81⁄2 casts a self-indulgent and Tracy Reed, Ursaline Bryant-King, Claulargely negative look at his life; great show dette Nevins, Richard Jaeckel. There’s no biz moments and wonderful dancing are reason why this sloppily constructed, shaleventually buried in pretensions, and an lowly written movie—about a pair of beauinterminable finale which leaves a bad tiful female wrestlers and their two-bit taste for the whole film. But that opening manager—should be so entertaining, but number (set to George Benson’s recording it is. The climactic championship bout of ‘‘On Broadway’’) is a wow! [R]▼●쩠 is a real audience-rouser. Retitled THE All That Money Can Buy SEE: Devil CALIFORNIA DOLLS. Aldrich’s final film. [R]▼ and Daniel Webster, The All the Brothers Were Valiant (1953) All the Mornings of the World SEE: Tous C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Thorpe. Robert les Matins du Monde [ 27 ]

All the President’s Men (1976) C-138m. ble youth film about a goal-oriented high★★★★ school football player (Cruise) who runs D: Alan J. Pakula. Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards, Jack Warafoul of his hotheaded—and equally amden, Martin Balsam, Hal Holbrook, Jane bitious—coach (Nelson). Location filming Alexander, Stephen Collins, Meredith in Johnstown, Pa., adds flavor. [R]▼●쩠 Baxter, Ned Beatty, Robert Walden, Polly All These Women (1964-Swedish) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ingmar Bergman. Jarl Kulle, HarHolliday, F. Murray Abraham, Lindsay Ann Crouse. Redford and Hoffman play riet Andersson, Bibi Andersson, Allan real-life Washington Post reporters Bob Edwall. Satirical frolic involving womanWoodward and Carl Bernstein, who persechasing cellist. He bargains with music vered in their investigation of Watergate critic to have biography written by agreebreak-in that led to earthshaking scandal. ing to play writer’s composition. Notable Best elements of newspaper pictures, deonly as Bergman’s first film in color. Writtective stories, and thrillers rolled into one ten by Bergman and Erland Josephson. Aka superb movie. Won Oscars for Supporting NOW ABOUT THESE WOMEN. Actor (Robards), Screenplay (William GoldAll the Vermeers in New York (1990) man), Art Direction, and Sound. [PG] ▼●쩠 C-87m. ★★★ D: Jon Jost. Emmanuelle All the Pretty Horses (2000) C-117m. Chaulet, Stephen Lack, Grace Phillips, ★★1⁄2 D: Billy Bob Thornton. Matt Damon, Laurel Lee Kiefer, Gordon Joseph Weiss, Henry Thomas, Lucas Black, Pene´lope Katherine Bean, Gracie Mansion, Roger Cruz, Ruben Blades, Robert Patrick, Julio Ruffin. Provocative drama with a singular Oscar Mechoso, Miriam Colon, Bruce cinematic sensibility, about a stressed-out Dern, Sam Shepard. Ambitious but uneven Wall Street wheeler-dealer (Lack); while adaptation (by Ted Tally) of Cormac Mcat the Metropolitan Museum, he meets a Carthy’s prize-winning novel. A young man beautiful, mysterious French actress (Chaulet) and his best friend, sensing no future in who resembles a Vermeer portrait. Loaded post-WW2 Texas, drift across the border in with lingering shots, carefully composed search of the cowboy life that’s disapimages, and improvised dialogue; the scepearing around them. Alternately leisurely nario examines the relationship between art and lurching in its storytelling, the film and commerce, and the hypocrisy beneath looks good, but never gels; signs of postthe surface of N.Y.C.’s high-powered art and production cutting are painfully obvious. financial worlds. ‘‘Conceived, photographed, Damon and Thomas are quite good. Panavidirected, and edited’’ by avant-garde filmmaker Jost.▼●쩠 sion. [R]▼쩠 All the Queen’s Men (2002-U.S.-AustrianAll the Way SEE: Joker Is Wild, The All the Way Home (1963) 97m. ★★★1⁄2 German-Hungarian) C-105m. BOMB D: Stefan Ruzowitzky. Matt LeBlanc, Eddie D: Alex Segal. Jean Simmons, Robert Izzard, James Cosmo, Nicolette Krebitz, Preston, Aline MacMahon, Pat Hingle, Udo Kier, David Birkin, Edward Fox. Michael Kearney, John Cullum, Thomas Dreadful comedy, ostensibly based on the Chalmers. Outstanding filmization of the true story of a hotshot American undercover Tad Mosel play, set in 1915 Tennessee, an agent who’s saddled with three ill-prepared adaptation of James Agee’s A Death in the British colleagues behind German lines—in Family. Preston is subdued in the pivotal drag—during WW2. Clunky film never role of a father and husband who is finds the right tone, so it isn’t funny or beaccidentally killed, leaving his loved ones lievable. Even Izzard doing a Dietrich turn to interpret the meaning of their lives beisn’t interesting. Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 fore and after his death. Beautifully done, All the Real Girls (2003) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 with Simmons offering an award-caliber D: David Gordon Green. Paul Schneider, performance as Preston’s wife. Fine script Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson, Mauby Philip Reisman, Jr. rice Compte, Danny McBride, Benjamin All the Way, Trinity SEE: Trinity Is Mouton, Shea Whigham. Life in a small STILL My Name! southern town is revealed in this slowly All the Young Men (1960) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: paced love story about a young man taking Hall Bartlett. Alan Ladd, Sidney Poitier, baby steps in a quest for his first meaningful James Darren, Glenn Corbett, Mort Sahl. relationship. Story complications disrupt the Hackneyed Korean war story with all the film’s tone, and the film is never as satisfying stereotypes present, mouthing the same old platitudes.▼ as it promises to be. Good performances and evocative atmosphere overcome most obstaAll Things Bright and Beautiful (1979cles, but this is no LAST PICTURE SHOW. British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eric Till. John Leading actor Schneider cowrote the story Alderton, Lisa Harrow, Colin Blakely, Bill with Green. 2.35 Research PLC. [R] ▼쩠 Maynard, Richard Pearson, Paul Shelley. All the Right Moves (1983) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 Pleasant, inoffensive film for kids who D: Michael Chapman. Tom Cruise, Craig like animals and can appreciate an enterT. Nelson, Lea Thompson, Charles Cioffi, tainment devoid of car crashes. Kind-hearted Paul Carafotes, Christopher Penn. Amiaveterinarian James Herriot (Alderton) tends [ 28 ]

to under-the-weather animals in Yorkshire Almost Famous (2000) C-122m. ★★★1⁄2 D: at the end of the ’30s. Based on two of Cameron Crowe. Billy Crudup, Frances Herriot’s books, Let Sleeping Vets Lie and McDormand, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, PatVet in Harness, published in the U.S. as rick Fugit, Anna Paquin, Fairuza Balk, All Things Bright and Beautiful. A sequel Noah Taylor, Zooey Deschanel, Bijou Philto ALL CREATURES GREAT AND lips, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Peter FrampSMALL, made for U.S. TV. Aka IT ton, Jimmy Fallon. Crowe won an Oscar for SHOULDN’T HAPPEN TO A VET. [G] writing this appealing autobiographical story All Things Fair (1995-Swedish-Danish) Cabout a guileless 15-year-old boy who wants 128m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bo Widerberg. Johan Widto write about rock music and goes on the road erberg, Marika Lagercrantz, Tomas Von with a band for Rolling Stone magazine in the Bro¨mssen, Karin Huldt, Nina Gunke, Bjorn 1970s. Newcomer Fugit is perfect as the boy, Kjellman, Kenneth Milldoff. In 1943 SweMcDormand a delight as his overprotective den a recently transferred high school stumother, Hudson adorable as the band foldent falls for his attractive new teacher; lower who wins him over, and Crudup right their subsequent affair is both passionate on target as a charismatic musician. Layered and deceitful on many levels. Extremely with telling details; this one’s from the heart. well made film is exquisitely performed by Alternate version (the so-called ‘‘bootleg the two leads (young Johan Widerberg is cut’’) runs 159m. [R]▼쩠 the director’s son) and Swedish star Von Almost Heroes (1998) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Bro¨mssen is equally adept in the role of Christopher Guest. Chris Farley, Matthew an unorthodox cuckolded husband. Director Perry, Eugene Levy, Kevin Dunn, Lisa BarWiderberg (of ELVIRA MADIGAN fame) buscia, Bokeem Woodbine, Steve M. Poralso wrote the screenplay and edited this, his ter, David Packer, Hamilton Camp, Lewis final film. This can stand alongside the best Arquette; narrated by Harry Shearer. A coming-of-age films.쩠 would-be explorer hires a rowdy tracker in All This, and Heaven Too (1940) 143m. the hope of beating Lewis and Clark to the ★★★ D: Anatole Litvak. Bette Davis, Charles Pacific Ocean in 1804. Farley (in his last Boyer, Jeffrey Lynn, Barbara O’Neil, Virstarring film, shot in 1996 and released six ginia Weidler, Helen Westley, Walter months after his death) is as bombastic as Hampden, Henry Daniell, June Lockhart. ever, but the gags are either flat or nonexisNobleman Boyer falls in love with governtent in this misbegotten comedy. Levy and ess Davis, causing scandal and death; stars Dunn have all the best moments, in colorful supporting roles. [PG-13]▼●쩠 do very well in elaborate filmization of Rachel Field book set in 19th-century Almost Perfect Affair, An (1979) C-93m. ★★1 France.▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Michael Ritchie. Keith Carradine, All Through the Night (1942) 107m. ★★★ Monica Vitti, Raf Vallone, Christian De D: Vincent Sherman. Humphrey Bogart, Sica, Dick Anthony Williams. Romantic Conrad Veidt, Kaaren Verne, Jane Darwell, comedy-drama about affair between naive Frank McHugh, Peter Lorre, Judith AnAmerican filmmaker and worldly wife of derson, William Demarest, Jackie Gleason, film producer; set against backdrop of Phil Silvers, Barton MacLane, Martin Cannes Film Festival, it will appeal mostly Kosleck. Bogart’s gang tracks down Fifth to film buffs and insiders. [PG]▼쩠 Columnists (Veidt, Lorre, Anderson) in WW2 Almost You (1984) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Adam N.Y.C. Interesting blend of spy, gangster, and Brooks. Brooke Adams, Griffin Dunne, comedy genres, with memorable double-talk Karen Young, Marty Watt, Christine and auction scenes.▼●쩠 Estabrook, Josh Mostel, Laura Dean, Dana Almost a Bride SEE: Kiss For Corliss, A Delany, Miguel Pinero, Joe Silver, Joe Almost an Angel (1990) C-95m. ★★ D: Leon, Spalding Gray. Muddled, overlong, John Cornell. Paul Hogan, Elias Koteas, self-satisfied ‘‘romantic comedy’’ about Linda Kozlowski, Charlton Heston, DoDunne’s attempts to break out of his plodreen Lang, Joe Dallesandro, David Alan ding existence with wife Adams in N.Y.C. Grier, Stephanie Hodge. Hokey, paperOriginally shown at 110m, which only thin afterlife fantasy with Hogan a thief made matters worse. [R]▼쩠 who turns do-gooder after an otherworldly aloha, bobby and rose (1975) C-88m. ★★ confrontation with God (Heston, naturally). D: Floyd Mutrux. Paul LeMat, Dianne Hogan’s effortless charisma cannot salHull, Tim McIntire, Leigh French, Martine vage it. He also scripted and executive Bartlett, Robert Carradine, Eddie (Edward produced. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 James) Olmos. OK melodrama follows Almost Angels (1962) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: predictable pattern as auto mechanic LeMat Steve Previn. Peter Weck, Hans Holt, Fritz and girlfriend Hull are inadvertently drawn Eckhardt, Bruni Lobel, Vincent Winter, into crime, causing them to take it on the Sean Scully. Schmaltzy but entertaining lam with the law in pursuit. [PG]▼쩠 Disney film about two youngsters who Aloha Summer (1988) C-98m. ★★ D: become friends in the Vienna Boys Choir. Tommy Lee Wallace. Chris Makepeace, Pleasant story, fine music.▼ Yuji Okumoto, Don Michael Paul, Tia [ 29 ]

Carrere, Andy Bumatai, Lorie Griffin, Sho Poe. Vincent Spano, Kate Vernon, Michael Kosugi. Well-meaning but bland story about Winslow, Zohra Lampert, Jami Gertz, Raysix young American, Japanese, and Hawaiian mond Serra. Slick, arty but shallow and boys coming of age on surfboards in Waikiki almost plotless portrait of teenage hood during the summer of 1959. There’s nothSpano and his life on N.Y.C.’s Lower East Side. All imagery, no content. [R]▼쩠 ing fresh; the waves, however, are outtaAlphabet Killer, The (2008) C-98m. ★★ D: sight. [PG] ▼● Alone in the Dark (2005) C-96m. BOMB Rob Schmidt. Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes, D: Uwe Boll. Christian Slater, Tara Reid, Timothy Hutton, Tom Malloy, Michael Stephen Dorff, Will Sanderson, Mark AcheIronside, Bill Moseley, Carl Lumbly, Brian son, Frank C. Turner. Paranormal investigator Scannell, Larry Hankin, Jack McGee, MeSlater tangles with a mad scientist in this uninlissa Leo, Tom Noonan, Martin Donovan. telligible time-waster based on an Atari video A young girl is raped and strangled, and game. The opening crawl is dopey and overRochester, N.Y., police detective Dushku, long; what follows is mind-numbingly awful. who has all sorts of psychological issues, Casting Reid as an anthropologist is like becomes obsessed with solving the case. assigning Curly Howard the role of a neuroBy-the-letters thriller poses one burning surgeon. Unrated director’s cut runs 99m. question: Who let this woman on the police Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 force? Loosely based on a series of murders Along Came a Spider (2001) C-104m. ★1⁄2 that took place in Rochester in the 1970s. D: Lee Tamahori. Morgan Freeman, MonScripted by Malloy, who plays Officer Stephen Harper. [R]쩠 ica Potter, Michael Wincott, Mika Boorem, Dylan Baker, Michael Moriarty, Jay O. Alphabet Murders, The (1966-British) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Tashlin. Tony RanSanders, Penelope Ann Miller. As if he were doing us any great favors, Freeman dall, Anita Ekberg, Robert Morley, Guy reprises his role from KISS THE GIRLS as Rolfe, James Villiers. Odd adaptation of Agapsychologist/detective Dr. Alex Cross, from tha Christie’s The ABC Murders (the film’s James Patterson’s novels. Case here inoriginal British title), with Hercule Poirot after volves the day-school abduction of a U.S. a killer who seems to be doing in his victims senator’s young daughter, and Freeman’s in alphabetical order. Strange casting of Ransleuthing with guilt-ridden Secret Service dall as the Belgian sleuth and a little too much agent Potter. Premise is unpleasant, its exeslapstick make this more a curiosity than anycution unspeakably dull, and a ‘‘big’’ plot thing else. Margaret Rutherford makes a gag appearance as Miss Marple.▼ twist just doesn’t cut it. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Along Came Jones (1945) 90m. ★★★ D: StuAlpha Dog (2007) C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: Nick art Heisler. Gary Cooper, Loretta Young, WilCassavetes. Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster, Shawn liam Demarest, Dan Duryea, Frank Sully, Hatosy, Christopher Marquette, Justin TimRussell Simpson. Three stars are most ingratiberlake, Anton Yelchin, Bruce Willis, Sharon ating in very low-key, leisurely Western Stone, Lukas Haas, Alex Kingston, Harry spoof, with Cooper (who also produced) misDean Stanton, Alex Solowitz, Dominique taken for notorious outlaw Duryea.▼쩠 Swain, Alan Thicke, Vincent Kartheiser, FerAlong Came Polly (2003) C-90m. ★★ D: nando Vargas. Two fun-filled hours about the John Hamburg. Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston, cretins who orbit around amoral drug dealer Philip Seymour Hoffman, Debra Messing, Hirsch. The nihilistic fun and games turn seriHank Azaria, Bryan Brown, Alec Baldwin, ous when they snatch the kid brother of a Jsu Garcia, Michele Lee, Bob Dishy, Missi ‘‘friend,’’ then realize they’ve actually perpePyle, Judah Friedlander, Cheryl Hines, Cartrated a kidnapping. Cassavetes’ screenplay oline Aaron, Rabbi David Baron. An insuris based on real-life events but the film is ance risk manager gets married, only to have pointless . . . as is the framing device of a his wife cheat on him before their honeymoon documentary about the case (using splitis over. Back home in N.Y.C. he meets a cute screen) which disappears after the opening but flaky woman and decides she’s the right scenes and returns abruptly at the end. J-D-C one for him—but she’s the one who’s scared Scope. [R]쩠 of commitment. Yet another Ben Stiller comAlphaville (1965-French) 95m. ★★ D: edy of embarrassment; if you’re looking for a Jean-Luc Godard. Eddie Constantine, Anna story about a man with irritable bowel synKarina, Akim Tamiroff, Howard Vernon. drome, search no further! Azaria all but steals Constantine, as super private-eye Lemmy the film as a French stud who teaches scuba Caution, is sent to futuristic city run by diving in St. Barts. [PG-13] ▼쩠 electronic brain to rescue scientist trapped Along the Great Divide (1951) 88m. ★★1⁄2 there. Jumbled Godard epic, recommended D: Raoul Walsh. Kirk Douglas, Virginia for New Wave disciples only.▼●쩠 Mayo, John Agar, Walter Brennan. Douglas Alsino and the Condor (1982-Nicaraguanis appropriately tight-lipped as lawman deterMexican-Cuban-Costa Rican) C-89m. ★★★ mined to bring in his man, despite desert D: Miguel Littin. Dean Stockwell, Alan Esquivel, Carmen Bunster, Alejandro Parodi, storm; some spectacular scenery.▼쩠 Alphabet City (1984) C-98m. ★★ D: Amos Delia Casanova. Idealistic young peasant (Es[ 30 ]

quivel) jumps out of a tree in the hope of A GUY NAMED JOE, with Dreyfuss as a flying; he becomes a hunchback, but learns to cocky pilot who specializes in dousing stand tall when he joins guerillas fighting in a forest fires from the air, and Hunter as the Central American country. Certainly unsubtle, dispatcher who loves him—and fears for but far from uninteresting allegory, filmed in his life. When he does in fact die, he Nicaragua. [R]▼● returns in spirit form to guide a young pilot Altered States (1980) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: (Johnson) who wants to pursue the same Ken Russell. William Hurt, Blair Brown, career and the same woman. Certainly enBob Balaban, Charles Haid, Thaao Penghlis, tertaining but suffers from a serious case Dori Brenner, George Gaynes, Drew Barryof The Cutes. Hepburn, in her final film more. A scientist (Hurt, in his film debut) appearance, plays an angel. [PG]▼●쩠 becomes involved with primal research, Always Goodbye (1938) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: using himself as guinea pig with mindSidney Lanfield. Barbara Stanwyck, Herbending results. Talky and cerebral at first, bert Marshall, Ian Hunter, Cesar Romero, then turns into a cross between THE WOLF Lynn Bari, Binnie Barnes. Still another MAN and THE TIME MACHINE, using sacrificing mother tale—specifically, a restate-of-the-art special effects. More sucmake of GALLANT LADY. Stanwyck is cessful as an assault on the senses than as a forced to give up her illicit child. Nicely film, with thoroughly unappealing protagodone, but the same old story. nists and a ludicrous story resolution. Paddy Always Leave Them Laughing (1949) Chayefsky disowned his adaptation of his 116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy Del Ruth. Milton novel, and the script is now credited to his Berle, Virginia Mayo, Ruth Roman, Bert given name, ‘‘Sidney Aaron.’’ Barrymore’s Lahr, Alan Hale. Berle is at home in tale film debut. Look for John Larroquette as an of cocky comedian’s ups and downs. UnX-ray technician. [R]▼●쩠 fortunately, zesty opening leads into soggy Alvarez Kelly (1966) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: drama. Lahr does his classic ‘‘stop in the Edward Dmytryk. William Holden, Richname of the stationhouse’’ routine. ard Widmark, Janice Rule, Victoria Shaw, Amadeus (1984) C-158m. ★★1⁄2 D: Milos Patrick O’Neal. Slow-moving Civil War Forman. F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, tale. Holden is cattle driver who sells herd Elizabeth Berridge, Simon Callow, Roy to Yankees, then is kidnapped by Reb Dotrice, Christine Ebersole, Jeffrey Jones, Widmark who wants him to steal cattle for Cynthia Nixon. Abraham won well-dethe South; incongruous love scenes thrown served Oscar as composer Salieri, whose in. Panavision. ▼●쩠 music never surpasses mediocrity, while a Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007) C-91m. hedonistic young boor named Mozart ex★★1 presses musical genius almost without try⁄2 D: Tim Hill. Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch; voices of ing! Literate, intelligent, exquisitely filmed Justin Long, Matthew Gray Gubler, Jesse (in Prague, by Miroslav Ondricek) . . . but McCartney. The musical mythos of Ross fatally overlong and missing dramatic fire Bagdasarian’s singing chipmunks (Alvin, that distinguished Peter Shaffer’s play Simon, and Theodore) is amusingly re(Shaffer rethought and rewrote it for the imagined in this kid-friendly mix of cartoonish screen). Worth noting: Jones’ wonderful live-action and impressive CG animation. Lee performance as musical dilettante Emperor is the nominal star, as David Seville (BagdasJoseph II. Winner of seven other Oscars, arian’s stage name), the critters’ surrogate faincluding Best Picture, Director, Screenther, but Cross grabs every scene that isn’t play, Art Direction. Reissued in 2002 with bolted to the floor as a snarky record proan additional 20m. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 ducer. [PG]쩠 Amal (2008-Canadian) C-105m. ★★★ D: RiAlways (1985) C-105m. ★★★ D: Henry chie Mehta. Rupinder Nagra, Naseeruddin Jaglom. Henry Jaglom, Patrice Townsend, Shah, Seema Biswas, Koel Purie, Vik Joanna Frank, Alan Rachins, Melissa Leo, Sahay, Roshan Seth, Tanisha Chatterjee, Jonathan Kaufer, Bob Rafelson, Michael Amardeep Jha, Dr. Shiva. Heartwarming Emil, Andre Gregory. Often hilarious, but story of a poor rickshaw driver in New also insightful, comedy about what it means Delhi, India, whose humanity triumphs over to be a couple. A trio of them—one about tragedy and treachery. Amal’s kindness to to get divorced, one about to get married, two strangers—a street beggar and a cantanone solidly married—spend a July 4th weekkerous passenger—has unusual repercusend together. The first is played by the disions. The story may be contrived, but its rector and Townsend, his own ex-wife. Like sincerity and the warmth of its actors make all of Jaglom’s stream-of-consciousness films, it difficult to resist. Debut feature for director Mehta, who expanded it from a 2004 this one’s not for all tastes. [R]▼●쩠 Always (1989) C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steven short he wrote with his brother Shaun. Spielberg. Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Amarcord (1974-Italian) C-127m. ★★★1⁄2 John Goodman, Brad Johnson, Audrey D: Federico Fellini. Magali Noel, Bruno Hepburn, Roberts Blossom, Keith David, Zanin, Pupella Maggio, Armando Brancia, Marg Helgenberger. Slick remake of 1943’s Giuseppe Lanigro, Josiane Tanzilli. Fellini’s [ 31 ]

nostalgia trip to the Italy of his youth in the Las Vegas! Starts well but ends up as your 1930s; warm, funny, poignant, bawdy epstandard monster-on-the-loose flick. Sequel: isodes about love, sex, politics, family WAR OF THE COLOSSAL BEAST.▼ life, and growing up. Academy Award Amazing Dobermans, The (1976) C-94m. ★★1 winner as Best Foreign Film. [R] ▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: David and Byron Chudnow. James Amateur, The (1982-Canadian) C-111m. Franciscus, Barbara Eden, Fred Astaire, BOMB D: Charles Jarrott. John Savage, Jack Carter, Billy Barty. Engaging action Christopher Plummer, Marthe Keller, Arcomedy that has Bible-quoting ex-con-man thur Hill, Ed Lauter, Nicholas Campbell, Astaire’s five remarkable Doberman pinGraham Jarvis, John Marley. Savage is schers helping treasury agent Franciscus grossly miscast as a CIA computer whiz thwart a racketeer and his gang. Higherwho hunts down the terrorists who seized budgeted sequel to THE DOBERMAN the American Consulate in Munich and GANG and THE DARING DOBERmurdered his girlfriend. Complex and ulMANS, aided by offbeat casting of Astaire. timately ridiculous spy thriller. [R]▼쩠 [PG—edited from original R rating]▼ Amateur (1994-U.S.-French) C-105m. Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, The (1938) ★★1 ⁄2 D: Hal Hartley. Isabelle Huppert, Mar87m. ★★★ D: Anatole Litvak. Edward G. tin Donovan, Elina Lowensohn, Damian Robinson, Claire Trevor, Humphrey Bogart, Young, Chuck Montgomery, David SiAllen Jenkins, Donald Crisp, Gale Page. monds, Parker Posey. Typically quirky HartAmusing film of ‘‘method doctor’’ Robley tale about an ex-nun (Huppert) who inson trying to discover what makes a crook writes pornographic fiction (!) and hooks up tick; he joins Bogart’s gang and becomes with a seemingly harmless amnesiac (Donaddicted.▼쩠 ovan) with a disturbing past. As in all of the Amazing Grace (1974) C-99m. ★★ D: director’s films, this one is filled with offStan Lathan. Moms Mabley, Slappy White, beat characters who do and say the weirdest Moses Gunn, Rosalind Cash, Dolph Sweet. things; among them are a pair of hit men A few laughs in Philadelphia-made comwho look like Wall Street yuppies. Interestedy about an elderly busybody who dising, but decidedly not for all tastes. An rupts corrupt Baltimore politics. Mabley’s American Playhouse coproduction. [R]▼쩠 only starring film; cameos by Butterfly Amateurs, The (2007) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: McQueen, unrecognizable Stepin Fetchit. [G]▼쩠 Michael Traeger. Jeff Bridges, Tim Blake Nelson, Joe Pantoliano, William Fichtner, Amazing Grace (2007-British) C-116m. ★★1 Ted Danson, Patrick Fugit, John Hawkes, ⁄2 D: Michael Apted. Ioan Gruffudd, RoGlenne Headly, Lauren Graham, Alex D. mola Garai, Benedict Cumberbatch, Albert Linz, Jeanne Tripplehorn, Steven Weber, Finney, Michael Gambon, Rufus Sewell, Isaiah Washington, Valerie Perrine, Judy Youssou N’Dour, Ciara´n Hinds, Toby Jones, Greer, Eileen Brennan, Brad Garrett, Elden Bill Paterson. Earnest and enlightening hisHenson. Group of small-town losers decides torical drama about William Wilberforce, to turn their lives around and make the world’s who spent 20 exhausting years in the late first community-sponsored porno film. With 1700s trying to convince his fellow members Bridges’ character leading the way they enof Parliament to ban slavery in the British list an unlikely group of participants. HilariEmpire. Impressive roster of actors lends ous, if uneven, comedy delivers on its weight to this well-made film, but somehow it amusing premise with a sterling group of never reaches the dramatic heights it should, actors. Screened on the film festival circuit considering the passionate nature of its proas THE MOGULS. [R]쩠 tagonist and the nobility of his cause. [PG]쩠 Amati Girls, The (2001) C-91m. ★★ D: Amazing Grace and Chuck (1987) CAnne DeSalvo. Cloris Leachman, Mercedes 115m. ★1⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Jamie Lee Ruehl, Paul Sorvino, Sean Young, Dinah Curtis, Alex English, Gregory Peck, WilManoff, Mark Harmon, Jamey Sheridan, liam L. Petersen, Joshua Zuehlke, Dennis Lily Knight, Lee Grant. Schmaltz-fest about Lipscomb, Lee Richardson. A 12-year-old a close-knit Italian-American family, focusLittle League whiz decides to stop playing ing on a death-obsessed matriarch (Leachbaseball until the world agrees to complete man) and her four daughters (Ruehl, Young, nuclear disarmament . . . and soon, other Manoff, Knight). In her directorial debut, athletes around the world follow suit, as actress DeSalvo juggles soapy stories, has a the protest escalates. Producer-writer Dasense of humor and an unabashed reverence vid Field’s Capraesque wish-fufillment fanfor Catholicism, but the results are not quite tasy is one of those films you either swallow MOONSTRUCK. [PG]▼쩠 wholeheartedly, or don’t. It’s dripping with Amator SEE: Camera Buff good intentions. [PG] ▼● Amazing Colossal Man, The (1957) 80m. Amazing Mr. Blunden, The (1972-British) ★★1⁄2 D: Bert I. Gordon. Glenn Langan, C-99m. ★★★ D: Lionel Jeffries. Laurence Cathy Downs, James Seay, Larry Thor. Naismith, Lynne Frederick, Garry Miller, Army officer who survives an atomic exRosalyn Landor, Marc Granger, Diana Dors, plosion starts growing; at 60 feet he attacks James Villiers. Dickensian fantasy about a [ 32 ]

genial ghost who takes two children back murderer. Phillips makes his screenwriting in time to help two mistreated tots. Colordebut here but he’s bitten off more than he ful family film whose only liability is can type. A bust! [R]▼● somewhat muddled storyline. [G]▼ Ambulance, The (1990) C-95m. ★★ D: Amazing Panda Adventure, The (1995Larry Cohen. Eric Roberts, James Earl ★★1 U.S.-China) C-85m. Jones, Megan Gallagher, Richard Bright, ⁄2 D: Christopher Cain. Ryan Slater, Stephen Lang, Yi Ding, Janine Turner, Eric Braeden, Red Buttons. Huang Fei, Zhou Jiugou, Yao Erga. TimeMuddled thriller which tells the story of honored ‘‘boy and his dog’’ story, except in what happens when innocent people begin this case it’s a boy and his panda. Ten-yeardisappearing off the streets of N.Y. Routine old American boy and a Chinese girl trek stuff, but look for an especially fine perforthrough China in order to rescue the cub mance by Buttons. Roberts plays a comic from poachers. Too predictable for adult book artist, and Marvel Comics editor Stan Lee appears as himself. [R]▼● viewers, but the spectacular Chinese scenery makes it worthwhile. Slater is ChrisAmbush Bay (1966) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ron tian’s younger brother. [PG]▼●쩠 Winston. Hugh O’Brian, Mickey Rooney, Amazon Women on the Moon (1987) James Mitchum, Harry Lauter. Lackluster 1 ★ ⁄2 D: Joe Dante, Carl C/B&W-85m. adventures of Marine group on JapaneseGottlieb, Peter Horton, John Landis, Robheld island during WW2 trying to help partisans—good cast wasted.쩠 ert K. Weiss. Rosanna Arquette, Ralph Bellamy, Carrie Fisher, Griffin Dunne, Steve Ambushers, The (1968) C-102m. BOMB Guttenberg, Michelle Pfeiffer, Peter Horton, D: Henry Levin. Dean Martin, Senta Berger, Sybil Danning, Ed Begley, Jr., Henny Janice Rule, James Gregory, Albert Salmi, Youngman, Paul Bartel, Lou Jacobi, HowKurt Kasznar, Beverly Adams. Do you really ard Hesseman, B.B. King, Steve Allen, care that the first U.S. flying saucer has been Steve Forrest, Russ Meyer, Arsenio (Hall), stolen right out of space? Third entry in the Phil Hartman, Joe Pantoliano, Rip Taylor, Matt Helm series may be the weakest, but few David Alan Grier, Angel Tompkins, Kelly film scholars will want to take time making Preston, Andrew Dice Clay, Mike Mazurki, certain. Sequel: THE WRECKING CREW. Corinne Wahl. Series of unrelated skits in ▼●쩠 the KENTUCKY FRIED MOVIE vein, Ame´lie (2001-French-German) C-121m. ★★★1 most of them astonishingly unfunny. Par⁄2 D: Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Audrey Tautou, ody of CAT WOMEN OF THE MOON Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Yolande Moreau, that punctuates the film is so exact that you Artus de Penguern, Urbain Cancelier, Domimight as well watch the original—it’s just nique Pinon, Maurice Benichou. Clever, as funny. Best of all is the 1930s sex-film charming comedy about a sheltered young spoof with Bartel and Fisher, but that woman who, in her first foray into ‘‘real life,’’ comes at the very end. [R]▼●쩠 decides to manipulate the people around her to Ambassador, The (1984) C-90m. ★★★ D: make their lives happier. But when she encounJ. Lee Thompson. Robert Mitchum, Ellen ters a man who is attracted to her, she can’t figBurstyn, Rock Hudson, Fabio Testi, Donureout how to dealwith the situation. Toldwith ald Pleasence, Michal Bat-Adam. Intellivisual flair and originality, with a star-making gent, entertaining thriller of American amperformance by Tautou. Written by thedirector bassador Mitchum, his adulterous wife and Guillaume Laurant. Full title is LE FABUBurstyn, and his attempts to peacefully meLEUX DESTIN D’AME´LIE POULAIN, or diate the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. Based AME´LIE FROM MONTMARTRE. Super on Elmore Leonard’s novel 52 Pick-Up, 35. [R]▼쩠 and remade just two years later under that AMEN. (2002-French-German) C-130m. ★★★ name. Hudson’s final theatrical film. [R]▼ D: Costa-Gavras. Ulrich Tukur, Mathieu Ambassador’s Daughter, The (1956) Kassovitz, Ulrich Mu¨he, Michel Duchaussoy, Ion Caramitru, Marcel Iures. Compelling tale C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Krasna. Olivia de Havilland, John Forsythe, Myrna Loy, of an SS officer who discovers that the chemiAdolphe Menjou, Edward Arnold, Francis cals he’s using to purify water for troops at Lederer, Tommy Noonan, Minor Watson. the front are being used for Hitler’s Final SoOomph is missing even though stars give lution. He turns to the Vatican for help and all to uplift sagging comedy of de Havilland finds a willing priest but a reluctant hierarchy. out for a fling in Paris, romanced by solSlow going at first, and not the biting indictdier Forsythe. CinemaScope.▼쩠 ment of the Roman Catholic Church you Ambition (1991) C-100m. BOMB D: Scott might expect from the director; instead, a temD. Goldstein. Lou Diamond Phillips, pered examination of self-preservation, sacriClancy Brown, Cecilia Peck, Richard Bradfice, and fear. Adapted by Costa-Gavras and ford, Willard Pugh, Grace Zabriskie, KathJean Claude Grumberg from Rolf Hochhuth’s erine Armstrong, J. D. Cullum, Haing S. play The Deputy.▼쩠 Ngor. Awful thriller about a writer who America (1986) C-83m. BOMB D: Robert becomes totally obsessed with his subject— Downey. Zack Norman, Tammy Grimes, a man who happens to be a convicted Michael J. Pollard, Monroe Arnold, Rich[ 33 ]

ard Belzer, Liz Torres, Howard Thomascript by Alan Ball is perfectly realized by a superb cast and first-time film director. Oscar shefsky, Laura Ashton. Downey lamely winner for Best Picture, Director, Screenattempts to recapture the freewheeling satwriter, Actor (Spacey), and Cinematography ires of the 1960s (such as his classic (Conrad L. Hall). Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 PUTNEY SWOPE) with this amateurish American Buffalo (1996) C-87m. ★★★ D: tale of the loonies at a N.Y. cable TV Michael Corrente. Dustin Hoffman, Dennis station, whose signal is accidentally bounced Franz, Sean Nelson. Arresting film version off the moon, bringing them worldwide fame. of David Mamet’s profane, provocative Hopelessly dated; filmed in 1982. [R]▼ three-character play. Hoffman plays Teach, America, America (1963) 168m. ★★★★ D: a self-enobled world expert who horns in on Elia Kazan. Stathis Giallelis, Frank Wolff, the plans of his friend, junk shop owner Elena Karam, Lou Antonio, John Marley, Don (Franz), to commit a robbery with the Estelle Hemsley. The dream of passage to help of a teenaged prote´ge´ (Nelson). A simAmerica—as it unfolded for late 19thple character study, with perfectly cast century immigrants—is movingly captured actors bringing Mamet’s own screen adapby writer-director Kazan in this long, abtation to life. One of the rare photographed sorbing film, based on his uncle’s experistage plays that works. [R]▼●쩠 ences. Heartfelt and heart-rending, with American Carol, An (2008) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: impressive Oscar-winning art direction/set David Zucker. Kevin Farley, Kelsey Gramdecoration by Gene Callahan.▼● 1 ★★ mer, Trace Adkins, Robert Davi, Jon Voight, Americana (1981) C-91m. ⁄2 D: David Chriss Anglin, Geoffrey Arend, Serdar KalCarradine. David Carradine, Barbara Herssin, Leslie Nielsen, Dennis Hopper, James hey, Michael Greene. Vietnam veteran Woods, Kevin Sorbo, Fred Travalena, Gary Carradine attempts to rebuild a merry-goColeman, David Alan Grier, Gail O’Grady. round in rural Kansas town. Odd, thoughtA slobbering, sarcastic ‘‘liberal’’ filmmaker ful little drama, adequately directed by its (and Michael Moore clone) wants to abolish star. Filmed in 1973. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 the Fourth of July. Several ghosts drop in to American Affair, An (2009) C-92m. ★1⁄2 instill within him the true American spirit. D: William Sten Olsson. Gretchen Mol, Whatever your politics, this simpleminded, Cameron Bright, Noah Wyle, James Rebmean-spirited comedy deals in generalities— horn, Mark Pellegrino, Perrey Reeves. and has very few laughs to offer. Some faLaughably bad drama about a 13-year-old miliar faces make cameo appearances. boy (Bright) who develops a crush on the [PG-13]쩠 glamorous blond woman across the street in American Dream, An (1966) C-103m. Washington, D.C.—little dreaming that she ★★1 ⁄2 D: Robert Gist. Stuart Whitman, Jais the mistress of President John F. Kennet Leigh, Eleanor Parker, Barry Sullivan, nedy. Mol is sexy but that’s all one can say Lloyd Nolan, Murray Hamilton, J. D. Canfor this absurd mix of conspiracy yarn and non, Les Crane, Paul Mantee, Harold teenage hormonal fantasy, which at one Gould, George Takei. Distorted, wateredtime carried the fanciful title BOY OF down Norman Mailer novel, dealing suPIGS. [R] perficially with TV commentator wanted ★1 American Anthem (1986) C-100m. ⁄2 by underworld and police for murdering D: Albert Magnoli. Mitch Gaylord, Janet his wife; nightmare sequences are sterile. Jones, Michelle Phillips, R.J. Williams, MiAmerican Dream (1989) C-100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: chael Pataki, Patrice Donnelly. Supremely Barbara Kopple. Gripping, Academy Awardcorny, badly written tale of a gymnast with winning documentary about the hows, whats family problems which keep him from fulfilland whys of a labor strike at the Hormel ing his destiny. Inauspicious movie debut for meat plant in the small town of Austin, Olympic gymnast Gaylord is strangely remiMinnesota. It’s the story of a profitable niscent of PURPLE RAIN, with the same company attempting to reduce wages and music video approach to drama; Magnoli dibreak a union just for the sake of doing so. rected them both. [PG-13]▼● This is the stuff of high drama.▼●쩠 American Beauty (1999) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 American Dreamer (1984) C-105m. ★★ D: Sam Mendes. Kevin Spacey, Annette BenD: Rick Rosenthal. JoBeth Williams, Tom ing, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley, Mena Suvari, Conti, Giancarlo Giannini, Coral Browne, Chris Cooper, Peter Gallagher, Allison Janney, James Staley, Huckleberry Fox, C.B. Barnes. Scott Bakula, Sam Robards, Jaret Winokur. Misguided, miscast comedy-adventure yarn Exceptional and original look at the American about a housewife who wins trip to Paris Dream gone sour. Spacey is having a midlife and (through circumstance) believes herself crisis, and decides to throw caution to the to be the daring heroine of a series of adwinds; his wife, Bening, who’s forsaken him venture thrillers. Cute idea (not dissimilar for her real estate career, seeks sexual fulfillto ROMANCING THE STONE) that an ment elsewhere. And their alienated teenage otherwise able cast can’t pull off. [PG]▼쩠 daughter is attracted to a strange young man American Dreamz (2006) C-107m. ★★★ D: next door. Amusing, bittersweet, and insightful Paul Weitz. Hugh Grant, Dennis Quaid, [ 34 ]

Mandy Moore, Willem Dafoe, Chris Klein, Gugino, Roger Bart, KaDee Strickland, Jon Jennifer Coolidge, Sam Golzari, Marcia Polito. Two parallel stories begin in the late Gay Harden, Seth Meyers, John Cho, Judy 1960s. Washington is Frank Lucas, who Greer, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Tony Yalda, figures the way to rule Harlem is to import Marley Shelton. Self-loathing host of a heroin directly from Southeast Asia. But hugely popular American Idol–like TV talscrupulously honest cop Crowe can’t bring ent show meets a kindred spirit in decepdown the man who’s spreading pure heroin tively sweet-faced contestant Moore. Then around the streets until he can identify him. he’s offered the President of the U.S. as a Not the visceral gangland movie you might guest judge—little dreaming that the Chief expect, but a methodical saga of two deterExecutive has been going through a near mined men who use their brains—and know breakdown and crisis of confidence. Weitz’s when to bend the rules. Screenplay by Stescript veers between satire and farce but still ven Zaillian, based on Mark Jacobson’s artitreats its key characters as human beings. cle ‘‘The Return of Superfly.’’ Clarence Entertaining and funny, with surprisingly Williams III appears unbilled. Unrated version runs 176m. [R]쩠 dark, even subversive, elements. Contestant who sings ‘‘Rockin’ Man’’ is South Park’s American Gigolo (1980) C-117m. BOMB Trey Parker. [PG-13]쩠 D: Paul Schrader. Richard Gere, Lauren HutAmerican Flyers (1985) C-114m. ★★★ D: ton, Hector Elizondo, Nina Van Pallandt, FranJohn Badham. Kevin Costner, David Grant, ces Bergen, Bill Duke. Schrader presents his Rae Dawn Chong, Alexandra Paul, Janice weakest variation yet on his favorite theme, the Rule, Luca Bercovici, Robert Townsend, seamy side of American life. Feeble morality John Amos, Jennifer Grey. Two brothers— play, posing as a thriller, is further underone of whom is dying—enter a grueling mined by neurasthenic acting and some of the bicycle race marathon. Likable, sweetunsexiest sex scenes ever. [R]▼●쩠 natured, root-for-the-good-guys film, if a American Gothic (1988) C-90m. BOMB bit too pat and manipulative at times. WritD: John Hough. Rod Steiger, Yvonne ten by Steve Tesich, whose cycle theme De Carlo, Michael J. Pollard, Fiona Hutchfared even better in BREAKING AWAY. ison, Sarah Torgov, Mark Lindsay ChapPanavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 man. Three couples off for an island American Friend, The (1977-U.S.-Frenchweekend off the Seattle coast are forced to German) C-127m. ★★★ D: Wim Wenders. land at an unknown island dominated by Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz, Lisa Kreumurderous Ma and Pa (DeCarlo and Steiger) zer, Gerard Blain, Jean Eustache, Sam and their ‘‘kids’’ (grown-ups who’ve been Fuller, Nicholas Ray. Vague but suspensekept mentally adolescent by their backful statement about American gangster films ward, backwoods parents). Populated exand the Americanization of European cinclusively by obnoxious characters; even Steiger can’t help this one. [R]▼●쩠 ema and lifestyles, centering on a young German picture-framer (Ganz) hired to asAmerican Graffiti (1973) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 sassinate a mobster. Hopper is the title D: George Lucas. Richard Dreyfuss, Ronny character, a mystery man; film directors Howard, Paul LeMat, Charlie Martin Smith, Ray and Fuller appear as heavies. Based Cindy Williams, Candy Clark, Mackenzie on Patricia Highsmith’s Ripley’s Game; rePhillips, Wolfman Jack, Harrison Ford, made under that title in 2003. Hopper’s charBo Hopkins, Kathy Quinlan, Suzanne acter, Tom Ripley, also appears in PURPLE Somers, Joe Spano, Debralee Scott. Highly NOON and its remake, THE TALENTED entertaining, insightful mosaic about youngMR. RIPLEY.▼●쩠 sters ‘‘coming of age’’ after high school American Friends (1991-British) C-95m. graduation in 1962. Often hilarious, al★★1 ⁄2 D: Tristram Powell. Michael Palin, ways on-target, this film made Dreyfuss a Trini Alvarado, Connie Booth, Alfred Molstar and boosted many other careers. Reina, David Calder, Simon Jones, Robert Ededited to 112m. for 1978 reissue to play up dison, Alun Armstrong. A very proper (and latter-day stars. Look fast for Kay Lenz very repressed) senior tutor at Oxford at the dance. Sequel: MORE AMERICAN chances to meet a young American girl durGRAFFITI. Techniscope. [PG]▼●쩠 ing a holiday in the Swiss Alps and finds his American Guerrilla in the Philippines (1950) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fritz Lang. Tyoutlook on life undergoing some dramatic changes. Slight, slowly paced, but diverting; rone Power, Micheline Prelle (Presle), Tom Palin coscripted the film, based on journals Ewell, Bob Patten, Tommy Cook, Jack left behind by his great-grandfather. ▼ Elam. Interesting but flawed account of American Gangster (2007) C-157m. ★★★ resistance to Japanese after the fall of the D: Ridley Scott. Denzel Washington, RusPhilippines during WW2, focusing on the sell Crowe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Idris Elba, activities of American naval officer Power. Ruby Dee, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Josh Brolin, Marred by cliche´d, jingoistic script, preRZA, John Ortiz, John Hawkes, Ted Levdictable romantic subplot involving Prelle. ine, Yul Vazquez, Armand Assante, Joe On-location filming adds authentic flavor. Morton, Common, Tip Harris (T.I.), Carla Based on Ira Wolfert’s novel. [ 35 ]

American Gun (2005) C-95m. ★★ D: Aric life also is chronicled in MR. ROCK AND Avelino. Donald Sutherland, Forest WhiROLL (in which the DJ plays himself ) and taker, Marcia Gay Harden, Linda Cardellini, the TVM MR. ROCK ’N’ ROLL: THE ALAN FREED STORY. [PG]▼ Tony Goldwyn, Christopher Marquette, Nikki Reed, Arlen Escarpeta, Garcelle BeauvaisAmerican in Paris, An (1951) C-115m. ★★★1 Nilon, Melissa Leo, Schuyler Fisk, Daniel ⁄2 D: Vincente Minnelli. Gene Kelly, Hugh Kelly. Ambitious but unsuccessful film Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, Georges offers multiple storylines about people in Guetary, Nina Foch. Joyous, original mudifferent states coming to grips with the efsical built around Gershwin score; dazfect of gun violence on their lives. Serious and zling in color. Plot of artist Kelly torn well-intentioned treatise eschews melodrama between gamine Caron and wealthy Foch where it can, but adds up to very little. Good is creaky, but the songs, dances, produccast tries hard. Fisk was one of the film’s tion are superb. Oscars include Best Piccomposers. Whitaker coexecutive-produced. ture, Story and Screenplay (Alan Jay [R]▼쩠 Lerner), Cinematography (Alfred Gilks and American Haunting, An (2006-U.S.-BritishJohn Alton), Scoring (Johnny Green and Canadian-Rumanian) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: CourtSaul Chaplin), Art Direction, Costume Deney Solomon. Donald Sutherland, Sissy sign, and a special citation to Kelly. Look fast Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood, James D’Arcy, for Noel Neill as an art student. ▼●쩠 Matthew Marsh, Thom Fell, Sam Alexander. Americanization of Emily, The (1964) In early 19th-century rural Tennessee, the de117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Hiller. James Garvout Bell family is driven increasingly batty ner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Douglas, James by a spirit that takes over their house—and Coburn, Joyce Grenfell, Keenan Wynn, specifically targets their teenaged daughter Judy Carne, Liz Fraser, Edward Binns, in her bedroom. Based on a purportedly real William Windom, Alan Sues. Garner is fall incident, and briefly framed by a contempoguy for U.S. admiral’s master plan to have rary family’s tale, the only real horror here American naval officer first Normandy inis the film’s meager story and one-note vasion victim, with predictable results. screenplay. Alternate version runs 91m. Cynical Garner-Andrews romance blends Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 well with realistic view of life among U.S. American Heart (1993) C-113m. ★★★ D: military brass. Script by Paddy Chayefsky, Martin Bell. Jeff Bridges, Edward Furfrom William Bradford Huie’s novel. Also long, Lucinda Jenney, Tracey Kapisky, shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Don Harvey, Maggie Welsh. Sobering, American Justice SEE: Jackals sometimes brilliant drama of gruff ex-con American Madness (1932) 81m. ★★★ D: who is reunited with his son, an alienated Frank Capra. Walter Huston, Pat O’Brien, teen in desperate need of a dad. Jarring, Kay Johnson, Constance Cummings, Gavin credible portrait of lost souls in urban Gordon. Huston is dynamic as a put-upon America, with riveting performances by bank president in the depths of the Great its stars. First fiction feature for Bell, who Depression; vivid, upbeat film marred only directed the documentary STREETWISE. by idiotic romantic subplot.▼쩠 Bridges also coproduced. [R]▼쩠 American Me (1992) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: American History X (1998) C/B&WEdward James Olmos. Edward James Olmos, 118m. ★★★ D: Tony Kaye. Edward Norton, William Forsythe, Pepe Serna, Danny De La Edward Furlong, Fairuza Balk, Beverly Paz, Evelina Fernandez, Sal Lopez, Daniel D’Angelo, Avery Brooks, Stacy Keach, Villarreal, Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa. Ambitious Jennifer Lien, Elliott Gould, William Russ, look at the so-called ‘‘Mexican Mafia’’ reJoe Cortese. Hard-hitting drama of a young flected through the life of a crime lord (Olmos), man who’s seduced into a white supremacy and the cycle of gang violence which extends movement in Venice, California, goes to from prison to the Southwest’s Hispanic barprison after committing a heinous crime, and rio communities. Attempts to be epic in scope has his head straightened out. When he’s reand subject, but is too unfocused to really leased, his only thought is to steer his younger score, despite many tough, powerful mobrother away from that same existence. ments. Olmos—who made his directorial Frighteningly powerful—and believable— debut here—and Forsythe stand out in the performance by Norton sparks this intense large cast. The prison scenes at Folsom were actually shot there. [R]▼●쩠 drama of a family torn apart. [R] ▼●쩠 American Hot Wax (1978) C-91m. ★★★ D: American Movie (1999) C-104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Floyd Mutrux. Tim McIntire, Fran Drescher, Chris Smith. Thoroughly engaging documenJay Leno, John Lehne, Laraine Newman, Jeff tary about Mark Borchardt, an obsessive indeAltman, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, pendent filmmaker whose aspirations clearly Screamin’ Jay Hawkins. Rose-colored story outweigh his talent. Unable to fund his most of controversial 1950s disc jockey Alan recent project, he sets out to complete the Freed. Uneven dramatically, but McIntire is cheesy horror film he started but abandoned excellent, period flavor is strong, and the origyears earlier. Funny and revealing, but diinal rock ’n’ roll acts are fun to see. Freed’s rector Smith is never condescending toward [ 36 ]

his subject’s dreams and desire for acknowlits cast. Jennifer Coolidge appears unbilled. edgment. [R]▼쩠 Unrated version runs 111m. Followed by American Ninja (1986) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Sam AMERICAN WEDDING. [R]▼쩠 Firstenberg. Michael Dudikoff, Steve James, American Pimp (2000) C-90m. ★★★ D: Judie Aronson, Guich Koock, John Fujioka, The Hughes Brothers. Hard-hitting docuDon Stewart, John LaMotta. Low-grade mentary focuses on 30 real-life black male martial-arts entry series set at U.S. Army ‘‘entrepreneurs’’ and their experiences in base in Philippines, with beefy Dudikoff ‘‘the life.’’ The filmmakers wisely let their as a soldier who finds ample reason to use flashy subjects speak for themselves, and his deadly skills. James comes off well as they do so with amazing candor, stripping Dudikoff’s equally proficient Army pal. away the Hollywood image and revealing Followed by four crummy sequels. [R]▼쩠 them as misogynist capitalists. Makes witty Americano, The (1955) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: use of classic blaxploitation movie images William Castle. Glenn Ford, Cesar Roof pimps to juxtapose fantasy with cold, mero, Frank Lovejoy, Ursula Thiess, Abbe hard reality.▼쩠 Lane. American cowboy Ford delivers a American Pop (1981) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: herd of cattle to Brazil, but stays on when he Ralph Bakshi. Voices of Ron Thompson, gets caught up in a quarrel between rancher Marya Small, Jerry Holland, Lisa Jane PerLovejoy and local peasants. He falls for sky, Roz Kelly. Ambitious animated film, Thiess and becomes friendly with bandit which follows 20th-century American music Romero (fun in a flamboyant role). Stanthrough pivotal characters in four generations. dard Western set in 1955 Brazil benefits Bold graphics and a challenging narrative from South American shooting and colorful keep this interesting, if not always successful; characters.▼ animation buffs may wince at awkward rotoAmerican Outlaws (2001) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: scoping (tracing from live action). Ultimate Les Mayfield. Colin Farrell, Scott Caan, Ali dilemma: the culmination of this heavily draLarter, Gabriel Macht, Gregory Smith, Harmatic, multigenerational saga is the creation ris Yulin, Will McCormack, Ronny Cox, of punk rock! [R]▼●쩠 Terry O’Quinn, Kathy Bates, Timothy DalAmerican President, The (1995) C-113m. ★★★ ton. Awful oater, designed for brainless D: Rob Reiner. Michael Douglas, Anteens, which tells (yet again) the story of nette Bening, Martin Sheen, Michael J. Fox, Jesse James (Farrell), Cole Younger (Caan), Anna Deavere Smith, John Mahoney, Saand their gang, who become Robin Hood– mantha Mathis, Shawna Waldron, David like outlaws while battling a greedy railroad Paymer, Anne Haney, Richard Dreyfuss, tycoon. Plodding and predictable. [PGNina Siemaszko, Wendie Malick, Gail Strick13]▼쩠 land. Slick, entertaining Hollywood concocAmerican Pie (1999) C-95m. ★★★ D: Paul tion about a widowed president who’s Weitz. Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth, Alyattracted to a lobbyist and decides to pursue son Hannigan, Chris Klein, Natasha Lyonne, her—naively ignoring the political impact this Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Seann Williaison may have during an election year. Apliam Scott, Eugene Levy, Lawrence Presspealing performances and a bright screenplay man, Mena Suvari, Jennifer Coolidge. Good(by Aaron Sorkin) help this likable movie natured teen comedy about four guys who glide along past its considerable gaps in credivow to lose their virginity by the night of the bility. This is the ultimate wish-fulfillment high school prom. Raunchy gags gave this movie, with a president who’s handsome, film its reputation, but they grow honestly out funny, forthright, decisive, and honest. If of its believable characters and situations. In only! Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 fact, its values are old-fashioned, even if its American Psycho (2000) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: sense of humor is not. Casey Affleck appears Mary Harron. Christian Bale, Willem unbilled. Also available in unrated version. Dafoe, Jared Leto, Reese Witherspoon, SaFollowed by two theatrical sequels and three mantha Mathis, Chloe¨ Sevigny, Justin Therdirect-to-video spin-offs. [R] ▼●쩠 oux, Guinevere Turner, Matt Ross. A 1980s American Pie 2 (2001) C-104m. ★★ D: J.B. Wall Street yuppie has all the trappings of Rogers. Jason Biggs, Shannon Elizabeth, success—and the need to fit in—but also has Alyson Hannigan, Chris Klein, Natasha Lyan uncontrollable drive to kill people. Intense onne, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ 1991 novel Seann William Scott, Mena Suvari, Eddie makes its satiric points early on, then has Kaye Thomas, Eugene Levy, Chris Owen, nothing to add. Bale gives a dynamic perforDenise Faye, Lisa Arturo, Casey Affleck. mance in this turgid film. Unrated version also Lazy sequel to comedy hit reunites the male available. Followed in 2002 by a direct-tofriends for a summer at the beach after their video sequel. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 first year of college; most of the female coAmerican Rhapsody, An (2001) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: E ´ va Gardos. Nastassja Kinski, stars make only token appearances. Crude and obvious where the first film was clever and Tony Goldwyn, Scarlett Johansson, Kelly ´ gi Ba´nfalvy, Zsuzsa original, this squeezes all it can from echoes Endre´sz Banla´ki, A of the original movie and the likability of Czinko´czi, Mae Whitman, Lisa Jane Per[ 37 ]

sky, Larisa Oleynik. A couple fleeing from Kahn, Phillip Glasser, John Finnegan, Cathianne Blore, Will Ryan. A young Russian Hungary in 1956 is forced to leave an infant mouse is separated from his family as they’re daughter behind. At age six she’s torn from about to arrive at their new homeland, the only mother and father she’s ever known America, in the late 19th century. Handsome, to join her real parents in America. Heartfelt occasionally heart-tugging cartoon feature with film based on writer-director Gardos’ own life a cute main character—but serious story flaws doesn’t really gel until its heroine becomes a (why are there three climaxes?). Producer Steteenager (Johansson) and rebels against her ven Spielberg’s first foray into animation. Foloverprotective mother. Coproducer Colleen lowed by three sequels and an animated TV Camp appears briefly as a friendly neighbor. series, Fievel’s American Tails. [G]▼●쩠 [PG-13]▼쩠 American Tail: Fievel Goes West, An American Romance, An (1944) C-122m. ★★1 (1991) C-74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil Nibbelink, ⁄2 D: King Vidor. Brian Donlevy, Ann Simon Wells. Voices of Philip Glasser, Richards, Walter Abel, John Qualen, SteJames Stewart, Erica Yohn, Cathy Cavadini, phen McNally. Long, flavorful story of Nehemiah Persoff, Dom DeLuise, Amy immigrant steelworker’s rise to wealth and Irving, John Cleese, Jon Lovitz. Pleasant power. Might have been a better film with enough animated feature for small fry folsomeone more magnetic than Donlevy in lows immigrant Fievel the mouse and his the lead. Originally released at 151m. family on a trek to the American West. American Soldier, The (1970-German) 1 ★★ Mediocre songs and uninspired character 80m. ⁄2 D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. animation make it less than memorable— Karl Scheydt, Elga Sorbas, Jan George, Marbut Stewart’s performance as over-the-hill garethe von Trotta, Hark Bohm, Ingrid Caven, sheriff Wylie Burp is a treat. Followed by Kurt Raab. Fassbinder sacrifices believability two direct-to-video sequels. [G]▼●쩠 for mood in this dour film noir about a Vietnam American Teen (2008) C-102m. ★★★ D: vet (Scheydt) who becomes a hired assassin in Nanette Burstein. Enjoyable documentary the Munich underworld. Not so much an ode follows five prototypical teenagers during to the celluloid American gangster or allegory their senior year of high school in Warsaw, about the Vietnam war as a character study, Indiana. Almost too conveniently they fit loaded with in-jokes and absurdist references into pigeonholes (a rich girl who’s also the (such as the duplicitous moll named Rosa von most popular, a basketball star, an artsy girl Praunheim). Fassbinder also scripted.▼쩠 who doesn’t fit in, a hunk, and a total American Splendor (2003) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 dweeb), but it’s impossible to predict how D: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini. they will respond to various pressures that Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis, Judah Friedarise during this crucial year in their lives. lander, James Urbaniak, Earl Billings, Donal Slickly packaged (and widely criticized for Logue, Molly Shannon. Innovative film that) but undeniably entertaining. [PG-13]쩠 blends real life and dramatization in telling the American Tragedy, An (1931) 95m. ★★ story of Cleveland, Ohio, cynic Harvey Pekar, D: Josef von Sternberg. Phillips Holmes, who becomes an unlikely celebrity by chroniSylvia Sidney, Frances Dee, Irving Pichel, cling his mundane life in a series of comic Frederick Burton, Claire McDowell. Straightbooks. The filmmakers manage to fuse footforward telling of Theodore Dreiser story age of Pekar, his family, and friends with their about weak young man torn between poor movie alter egos in a fresh and constantly girlfriend and beautiful, wealthy girl who falls surprising way. Giamatti is perfect as the unin love with him. Sidney is ideally cast, but repentant curmudgeon. Written by the direcfilm is cold and uninvolving; certainly not tors. [R]▼쩠 as florid as remake, A PLACE IN THE SUN. American Success SEE: American SucAmerican Violet (2009) C-103m. ★★★ D: cess Company, The Tim Disney. Nicole Beharie, Tim Blake NelAmerican Success Company, The (1979) son, Will Patton, Michael O’Keefe, Xzibit, C-94m. ★★ D: William Richert. Jeff Bridges, Charles S. Dutton, Alfre Woodard, Malcolm Belinda Bauer, Ned Beatty, Steven Keats, Barrett, Tim Ware, Paul David Story, David Bianca Jagger, John Glover. A contempoWarshofsky, Lucinda Jenney. Forthright, rary fable about a young loser—in business emotion-packed account of Dee Roberts (Beand marriage—who decides to change harie), an African-American single mother his luck by emulating a macho prince. living in Texas. After being unjustly busted Offbeat in the extreme, often funny, but for drugs, she determinedly fights the system decidedly uneven. Filmed in Germany; rather than accept a plea bargain for a crime based on a story by Larry Cohen. Richert she did not commit. Fact-based story is both has twice reedited and reissued the film: an eye-opener and crowd-pleaser, with the in 1981 as AMERICAN SUCCESS, then 2000 presidential election tellingly playing in 1983 simply as SUCCESS. [PG] out in the background. Beharie is a real find. 1 ★★ American Tail, An (1986) C-80m. ⁄2 D: Super 35. [PG-13] Don Bluth. Voices of Dom DeLuise, ChristoAmerican Way, The SEE: Riders of the pher Plummer, Nehemiah Persoff, Madeline Storm [ 38 ]

American Wedding (2003) C-97m. ★★ D: of romantic comedy and farce, with some Jesse Dylan. Jason Biggs, Alyson Hanniknowing jibes at the ritual of movie publicgan, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Seann William ity. Crystal produced and cowrote with Peter Tolan. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Scott, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Fred Willard, Eugene Levy, January Jones, Deborah Americathon (1979) C-86m. BOMB D: Rush, Molly Cheek, Angela Paton, Jennifer Neil Israel. Harvey Korman, John Ritter, Coolidge, Nikki Ziering, Lawrence PressNancy Morgan, Peter Riegert, Fred Willard, man. Biggs and Hannigan are getting marZane Buzby, Richard Schaal, Elvis Costello, ried, but things start to go wrong in this Chief Dan George, Tommy Lasorda, Jay Leno, second sequel to AMERICAN PIE . . . espePeter Marshall, Meat Loaf, Howard Hessecially when Scott (as the ever-obnoxious man. Unfunny comedy wastes great premise: Stifler) shows up. Some good farcical moin 1998, America must hold a telethon in order ments are offset by gross-out gags designed to raise money to save itself. Only spark is set to see just how far one can go in search by Buzby as Vietnamese punk-rocker. Narof laughs. Followed by two direct-to-video rated by George Carlin. [PG]▼ sequels. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Amistad (1997) C-152m. ★★★ D: Steven American Werewolf in London, An (1981) Spielberg. Morgan Freeman, Anthony HopC-97m. ★★★ D: John Landis. David Naughkins, Matthew McConaughey, Nigel Hawton, Jenny Agutter, Griffin Dunne, John thorne, Djimon Hounsou, David Paymer, Pete Woodvine, Brian Glover. A young man is Postlethwaite, Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Anna Pabitten by a wolf on the British moors, with quin, Tomas Milian, Austin Pendleton, Allan terrifying results. Not a spoof, but a fullRich, Paul Guilfoyle, Peter Firth, Xander blooded horror film that happens to have a Berkeley, Jeremy Northam, Arliss Howard, sharp sense of humor—as well as a reverence Chiwitel Ejiofor. Little-known saga of the for horror films past. Dynamite direction and Spanish slave ship La Amistad, whose script by Landis, startling Oscar-winning ‘‘cargo’’ broke their chains in 1839—and makeup effects by Rick Baker. Followed by wound up in a U.S. courtroom, ultimately atan in-name-only sequel. [R] ▼●쩠 tracting the attention of ex-president John American Werewolf in Paris, An (1997Quincy Adams (Hopkins). A good film that’s British-U.S.-Luxembourgian-Dutch-French) frustratingly uneven: the slave ship scenes are C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Anthony Waller. Tom Everett wrenching (and unavoidably reminiscent of Scott, Julie Delpy, Vince Vieluf, Phil BuckSpielberg’s SCHINDLER’S LIST), and man, Julie Bowen, Pierre Cosso, Tom NoAdams’ final summation is a showcase vembre, Thierry Lhermitte. Thrill-seeking speech. But the film is long, and the draAmerican Scott falls for Parisienne Delpy, but matic gaps too many. Hounsou offers a she’s a werewolf, and soon he’s one, too, powerful presence as Cinque, the leader of pitted against a group of leering lycanthropes the slave revolt. [R]▼●쩠 bent on wiping out the unfit—such as AmeriAmityville Horror, The (1979) C-117m. ★1 can tourists. Begins well, but soon goes awry, ⁄2 D: Stuart Rosenberg. James Brolin, with too much comedy and romance, and too Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger, Don Stroud, much plot; the werewolf effects are plentiful Murray Hamilton, Michael Sacks, Helen but second-rate at best. No plot connections to Shaver, Natasha Ryan, Val Avery, John the superior John Landis original. [R]▼●쩠 Larch, Amy Wright, James Tolkan. FamAmerican Women SEE: Closer You Get, ily moves into supposedly haunted Long The Island home, finds that ‘‘supposedly’’ is America’s Heart & Soul (2004) C-84m. ★★★ inoperative. Based on Jay Anson’s (supD: Louis Schwartzberg. An unsentimental porposedly) nonfiction best-seller, film is yawntrait of America as seen through images, inducing rehash of old schticks; not even sounds, and the stories of some colorful people good for laughs, with Steiger mercilessly who represent individualism at its best—from hamming it up as local priest. Followed by a weaver carrying on a generations-old tradia prequel, AMITYVILLE II: THE POStion to a disabled boy who competes in maraSESSION, a TV movie, and several sothons in tandem with his father. This final story called sequels. Remade in 2005. [R] ▼●쩠 is so moving, nothing could follow it. [PG]쩠 Amityville Horror, The (2005) C-89m. ★★ America’s Sweethearts (2001) C-102m. D: Andrew Douglas. Ryan Reynolds, Me★★1 lissa George, Jesse James, Jimmy Bennett, ⁄2 D: Joe Roth. Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, John Cusack, Chloe¨ Grace Moretz, Rachel Nichols, Philip Hank Azaria, Stanley Tucci, Christopher Baker Hall. Reynolds, his new wife, and Walken, Alan Arkin, Seth Green. Slick if stepchildren move into an old Long Island forgettable comedy about a much-loved house where multiple murders occurred a Hollywood couple—now split—who agree year before. The youngest child is beto come together to promote their final film friended by a ghost, while the husband is at a press junket. Crystal is the can-do publislowly driven into a homicidal rage. Profescist, Roberts is the sister and assistant to a sionally made, well-acted, but uninvolving very spoiled Zeta-Jones. No particular hilartale is both familiar and overdone. Based on ity or insights here, but an easy-to-take mix the same supposedly true story as the 1979 [ 39 ]

movie, but ends up resembling THE SHINAlvaro Guerrero, Vanessa Bauche, Jorge SaliING. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 nas, Marco Perez, Rodrigo Murray. Arresting Amityville II: The Possession (1982) look at divergent lives that intersect in a MexC-104m. BOMB D: Damiano Damiani. ico City car crash. Broken into three secBurt Young, Rutanya Alda, James Olson, tions, film traces several different characters Jack Magner, Diane Franklin, Andrew and their relationships, all connected in one Prine, Ted Ross, Moses Gunn. Officially a way or another by their dogs, raising tough prequel to THE AMITYVILLE HORquestions about the human condition in an ROR, but actually just a ripoff. A loathunforgiving city. Brutally realistic (but judisome lout (Young) moves into notorious ciously edited) depiction of dogfights and Long Island house with his troubled family their outcomes will make this tough for some and all hell breaks loose. Alternately dull viewers; for others there are considerable and disgusting. [R]▼●쩠 rewards here. Feature debut for TV comAmityville: The Demon SEE: Amityville mercial director Inarritu. English title: 3-D LOVE’S A BITCH. [R]▼쩠 Amityville 3-D (1983) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders, Richard Fleischer. Tony Roberts, Tess The (1965-British) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: TerHarper, Robert Joy, Candy Clark, John ence Young. Kim Novak, Richard Johnson, Beal, Leora Dana, John Harkins, Lori Angela Lansbury, George Sanders, Vittorio Loughlin, Meg Ryan. Thoroughly familiar De Sica, Lilli Palmer, Leo McKern, Cecil Parretread of spirit-in-the-house formula, with ker. Billed as female Tom Jones, Moll is far Roberts as a Doubting Thomas who buys from thrilling. Fine cast romps through 18ththe dreaded Amityville house (seen in two century England from bedroom to boudoir, otherwise unrelated films). Competence at but film needs more spice than Novak can every level keeps this from being trash; muster. The two leads were married briefly in real life. Panavision. ▼● excellent 3-D effects too. Shown on TV as AMITYVILLE: THE DEMON; followed Amorous Mis-adventures of Casanova, by TV movie AMITYVILLE 4: THE EVIL The SEE: Casanova & Co. ESCAPES and two direct-to-video sequels. Amos & Andrew (1993) C-94m. BOMB ArriVision. [PG]▼●쩠 D: E. Max Frye. Nicolas Cage, Samuel Among Giants (1998-British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 L. Jackson, Dabney Coleman, Brad Dourif, D: Sam Miller. Pete Postlethwaite, Rachel Michael Lerner, Margaret Colin, Chelcie Griffiths, James Thornton, Lennie James, Ross, I. M. Hobson, Jodi Long, Giancarlo Andy Serkis, Rob Jarvis, Alan Williams. A Esposito, Loretta Devine, Bob Balaban, rough-hewn contractor hires a rowdy lot to Tracey Walter. Agonizing comedy about a paint the huge electric pylons that dot the Britprofessionally distinguished black man who ish countryside. They become a sort of outlaw moves into a new home, only to be hafamily, and are joined by an adventurous rassed by white neighbors who assume he’s Aussie woman who likes heights. Good pera prowler. Intended social satire is as formances and rich atmosphere help, but it’s broadly silly as a ’60s Disney comedy; a less successful dip into working-class life maybe they should have called this THAT DARN AFRO-AMERICAN. [PG-13]▼●쩠 by the writer of THE FULL MONTY, Simon Beaufoy. [R] ▼ Amsterdam Kill, The (1977) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 Amongst Friends (1993) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Robert Clouse. Robert Mitchum, BradRob Weiss. Joseph Lindsey, Patrick McGaw, ford Dillman, Richard Egan, Leslie NielSteve Parlavecchio, Mira Sorvino, Brett sen, Keye Luke. Tired drug bust movie Lambson, Michael Artura. Superficial (and, gets a shot from Mitchum’s presence as a by now, all-too-familiar) tale of young male retired narc who’s lured back by a former punks coming of age on America’s mean colleague suspected of being part of an international dope ring. Panavision. [R]▼● streets, only these are suburban rather than urban and the boys are wealthy instead of Amy (1981) C-100m. ★★★ D: Vincent working-class. Well made and not uninterestMcEveety. Jenny Agutter, Barry Newman, ing, but Martin Scorsese did it—and did it Kathleen Nolan, Chris Robinson, Lou Fant, better—20 years earlier. [R]▼쩠 Margaret O’Brien, Nanette Fabray, Lance Amor Bandido (1979-Brazilian) C-95m. LeGault, Lucille Benson. Sincere, entertain★★★ ing Disney tale of Agutter leaving her husD: Bruno Barreto. Paulo Gracindo, Cristina Ache, Paulo Guarnieri, Ligia Diniz, band in the early 1900s, teaching at a school Flavio Sao Thiago. Tough drama of 17-yearfor the handicapped. Though the film is tarold dancer-hooker Ache, estranged from cop geted at kids, parents won’t be bored. Made for TV, released to theaters instead. [G]▼ father Gracindo, who takes up with babyfaced killer Guarnieri. Uncompromising and, Amy (1998-Australian) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: ultimately, sad; based on one of Brazil’s most Nadia Tass. Alana De Roma, Rachel Grifnotorious criminal cases.▼● fiths, Ben Mendelsohn, Nick Barker, Kerry Amores Perros (2000-Mexican) C-153m. Armstrong, Jeremy Trigatti, William Zappa, ★★★ D: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. Emilio Torquil Neilson. Unusual film about a little Echevarria, Gael Garcia Bernal, Goya Toledo, girl who’s been traumatized into silence and [ 40 ]

her overprotective mother, the widow of a from West Side Story wears thin fast. Anrock star. Some of the film’s ingredients seem thony LaPaglia appears unbilled. [R] ▼쩠 contrived, others endearing, as it shifts from Analyze This (1999) C-103m. ★★★ D: Harquirky comedy to drama and back again. old Ramis. Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Written and photographed by Tass’ partner Lisa Kudrow, Joe Viterelli, Chazz Palminand husband, David Parker. [PG-13]쩠 teri, Bill Macy, Leo Rossi, Max Casella, Amy’s Orgasm (2001) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julie Molly Shannon, Pat Cooper, Elizabeth Davis. Julie Davis, Nick Chinlund, Caroline Bracco. Amusing comedy about a mob boss Aaron, Jeff Cesario, Mitchell Whitfield, Jenwho’s losing his grip and is persuaded to nifer Bransford, Mark Brown. Writer-director talk to a psychiatrist—which causes him Davis stars as an Ivy League–educated selfgreat embarrassment. A small idea stretched help author who somehow manages to fall out too far but made worthwhile by De for a shock jock with a reputation for dating Niro’s wonderful comic performance as the bimbos. Although the romance between these foulmouthed mobster who feels ‘‘contwo opposites develops a little too quickly, flicted.’’ Followed by ANALYZE THAT. the actors make the budding relationship [R]▼●쩠 fun to watch anyway. Warning for those Anastasia (1956) C-105m. ★★★★ D: Anatole expecting a hot sex romp: the title is as Litvak. Ingrid Bergman, Yul Brynner, Helen steamy as it gets in this indie comedy. Aka Hayes, Akim Tamiroff, Martita Hunt, AMY’S O. [R] ▼쩠 Felix Aylmer, Natalie Schafer, Ivan Anaconda (1997) C-90m. ★★ D: Luis Desny. Inspired casting makes this film Llosa. Jennifer Lopez, Ice Cube, Jon exceptional. Bergman won Oscar as amVoight, Eric Stoltz, Jonathan Hyde, Kari nesiac refugee selected by Brynner to Wuhrer, Owen Wilson, Vincent Castellaimpersonate surviving daughter of Russia’s nos. Documentary film crew adrift on the last czar. High point: confrontation scene in Amazon is besieged by a giant killer snake. which Hayes as grand duchess must deterHokey special effects and an expositionless mine if girl is her relative. Screenplay by script detract, but there’s campy fun in the Arthur Laurents based on Marcelle Mauform of Voight’s demonic snake poacher, rette’s play. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 who speaks with a bad Brandoesque drawl Anastasia (1997) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don and strangles human victims between his Bluth, Gary Goldman. Voices of Meg Ryan, knees. Film makes most of beautiful BrazilJohn Cusack, Kelsey Grammer, Angela ian rainforest locale, yet the big serpentine Lansbury, Christopher Lloyd, Hank Azaria, climax looks strangely like deepest, darkest Bernadette Peters, Kirsten Dunst, Andrea Arcadia. (In fact, it’s the Arboretum in L.A. Martin, Jim Cummings, Liz Callaway, County.) Followed by ANACONDAS: Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Dokuchitz. ElaboTHE HUNT FOR THE BLOOD ORCHID rate but uneven cartoon musical about the and two TV sequels. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 daughter of Nicholas and Alexandra, who Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid supposedly survived in Russia in 1917 only (2004) C-96m. ★★ D: Dwight H. Little. Morris to reappear in Paris a decade later—where Chestnut, Johnny Messner, KaDee Strickland, two schemers try to collect part of her Matthew Marsden, Nicholas Gonzalez, Euinheritance from her grandmother, the gene Byrd, Salli Richardson-Whitfield. The Dowager Empress. Innocuous enough for original ANACONDA had Jennifer Lopez tied kids, but adults may question the ’90s up to Ice Cube and a snake-regurgitated Jon American dialogue (and readings). AnimaVoight; in this sequel, we have Chestnut gettion style is also inconsistent—some of it ting woozy after a rare spider gives him a realistic, some of it wildly fanciful. Loosely 151-proof bite. Still, that’s an apparent occubased on the 1956 movie. Followed in 1999 pational hazard for anyone trekking the by a direct-to-video sequel: BARTOK THE Borneo jungle seeking a fountain-of-youth MAGNIFICENT. CinemaScope. [G]▼●쩠 plant right near the spot where snakes conAnatomy of a Murder (1959) 160m. ★★★★ verge for mating season. There’s a jolt or two D: Otto Preminger. James Stewart, Lee to satisfy diehards. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Remick, Ben Gazzara, Arthur O’Connell, Analyze That (2002) C-95m. ★★ D: Harold Eve Arden, Kathryn Grant (Crosby), George Ramis. Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal, Lisa C. Scott, Orson Bean, Murray Hamilton. Kudrow, Joe Viterelli, Cathy MoriartyLong, exciting courtroom drama; daring Gentile, Reg Rogers, Callie Thorne, Pat when released, tamer now. Sterling cast: Cooper. De Niro is sprung from Sing Sing O’Connell as drunken lawyer inspired by into the custody of psychiatrist Crystal, who Stewart, Scott as prosecuting attorney, Joactually believes the mob boss is going to seph Welch as judge (Welch was the fago straight. Another good argument for outmous Army-McCarthy hearings lawyer lawing sequels; all the novelty and freshness who later became a judge in real life). Stewof ANALYZE THIS is gone, replaced by art towers over all as witty, easygoing, but contrived plotting and just a handful of cagy defense lawyer. Script by Wendell laughs. Even watching De Niro sing tunes Mayes, from novel by Robert Traver (Judge [ 41 ]

John D. Voelker). Duke Ellington composed the score and also appears on-screen.▼●쩠 Anatomy of a Syndicate SEE: Big Operator, The Anatomy of Hell (2004-French) C-80m. BOMB D: Catherine Breillat. Amira Casar, Rocco Siffredi. After attempting suicide in the bathroom of a gay disco, a woman hires the man who rescues her to spend four nights in her company, challenging him to ‘‘watch me where I’m unwatchable.’’ Meant to be provocative and controversial, but mostly it’s pretentious and homophobic. There’s plenty of XXX footage, which is alternately monotonous and unintentionally funny. The title is apt. ▼쩠 Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) C-95m. ★★ D: Adam McKay. Will Ferrell, Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, Fred Willard, Danny Trejo, Missi Pyle, Holmes Osborne, Fred Armisen, Seth Rogen, Laura Kightlinger, Chris Parnell. In the 1970s, TV news anchor Ron Burgundy (Ferrell) ‘‘owns’’ San Diego, until an attractive and ambitious female reporter arrives on the scene. A sketch comedy inflated to feature length, with occasional laughs and a number of gag appearances that try to camouflage a threadbare, onenote script. Ferrell and director McKay coscripted. Unrated version runs 103m. [PG-13]

display in simple tale of man-teaser finding it hard to resist temptation. Great cast clicks in Brigitte’s best-known vehicle. Beware edited prints. Remade (in name only) by Vadim in the U.S. in 1988. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 And God Created Woman (1988) C100m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger Vadim. Rebecca De Mornay, Vincent Spano, Frank Langella, Donovan Leitch, Judith Chapman, Jaime McEnnan, Benjamin Mouton, David Shelley. Surprisingly tepid ‘‘variation’’ on director Vadim’s one-time scandale international (see above). Luscious De Mornay marries carpenter Spano merely to secure her release from prison, then keeps him panting as she frolics with gubernatorial candidate Langella. Not all that different from Goldie Hawn’s OVERBOARD; beware rock ’n’ roll subplot. [R]▼●쩠 . . . And God Spoke (the making of . . .) (1993) C-83m. ★★★ D: Arthur Borman. Michael Riley, Stephen Rappaport, Lou Ferrigno, Soupy Sales, Eve Plumb, Fred Kaz, Michael Medved. Occasionally clever satire in the THIS IS SPINAL TAP mold, only the subject here is the casting and production of a numbingly awful multi-million-dollar biblical epic. After one day the production is behind schedule. Lou (The Incredible Hulk) Ferrigno plays Cain; Eve (The Brady Bunch) Plumb is Mrs. Noah; and Soupy Sales is Moses! An amusing little sleeper.▼쩠 ▼쩠 Anchors Aweigh (1945) C-140m. ★★1⁄2 And Hope to Die (1972-French) C-99m. ★★★ D: George Sidney. Frank Sinatra, Kathryn D: Rene´ Clement. Robert Ryan, Tisa Grayson, Gene Kelly, Jose Iturbi, Dean Farrow, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Lea MasStockwell, Pamela Britton. Popular ’40s sari, Aldo Ray. Above-average caper with musical of sailors on leave doesn’t hold up offbeat touches; gang hired to kidnap girl storywise, but musical numbers still good: goes through with scheme even though Sinatra’s ‘‘I Fall in Love Too Easily,’’ she’s already dead. [PG]▼ Kelly’s irresistible dance with Jerry the . . . And Justice for All (1979) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Jewison. Al Pacino, Jack cartoon mouse.▼●쩠 Anderson Platoon, The (1967-French) Warden, John Forsythe, Lee Strasberg, 65m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Pierre Schoendorffer. SuJeffrey Tambor, Christine Lahti, Sam perior chronicle of soldiers in American Levene, Craig T. Nelson, Joe Morton. Army platoon fighting, living, and dying Lawyer Pacino single-handedly battles Maryin Vietnam. Vivid, striking images, pholand’s judicial system. Outrageous satire tographed at the front line. A Best Documixes uncomfortably with painfully sad mentary Academy Award winner.▼ moments, in attempt to make biting stateAnderson’s Angels SEE: Chesty Anderment on buying and selling of justice. son, USN Strong performances and good location photography cannot overcome weak script. Anderson Tapes, The (1971) C-98m. ★★★ D: Sidney Lumet. Sean Connery, Dyan Written by Barry Levinson and Valerie Cannon, Martin Balsam, Ralph Meeker, Curtin. Lahti’s feature debut. [R] ▼●쩠 Alan King, Margaret Hamilton, ChristoAnd Nothing But the Truth (1982-British) pher Walken, Garrett Morris. Fast-paced C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Karl Francis. Glenda thriller of ex-con’s master holdup plan, Jackson, Jon Finch, Kenneth Colley, James and strange electronic surveillances that Donnelly, Emrys James, Karen Archer. have tracked him since he left prison. An examination of the role and responsibilClimax is particularly exciting. Fine Quincy ity of the media, focusing on documentary Jones score; Walken’s debut. [PG]▼●쩠 filmmaker Jackson and reporter Finch at . . . And God Created Woman (1956work on a TV magazine show. Earnest, French) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roger Vadim. not without merit, but ordinary; originally Brigitte Bardot, Curt Jurgens, Jean-Louis titled GIRO CITY, and released at 102m.▼ Trintignant, Christian Marquand, Georges And Now For Something Completely Poujouly, Jean Tissier. Location shooting Different (1971-British) C-89m. ★★★ D: (at St. Tropez) and famous Bardot figure on Ian McNaughton. Graham Chapman, John [ 42 ]

Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Keith Carradine, Tina Majorino, Chelsea Michael Palin, Carol Cleveland, Connie Booth. Field, Aidan Pendleton, Shane Meier, Keith First feature by the Monty Python troupe is a Szarabajka, Joshua Jackson. Agreeably oldkind of ‘‘Greatest Hits’’ album, with some of fashioned family film, set in a coastal town in the most popular sketches and animated bits Maine in the early 1960s, about an animalfrom their long-running TV series. Fine introloving clan who adopts a baby seal that adopts duction to their peculiar brand of humor inthem in return, and refuses to leave. Aimed at cludes Dead Parrot, The World’s Deadliest children, but amiable enough for parents, with Joke, Upper-Class Twit of the Year, and mema soundtrack full of 1960s pop music. Based orable Lumberjack Song. [PG]▼●쩠 on a true story; watch that vintage homeAnd Now . . . Ladies and Gentlemen . . . movie footage of Andre during the closing credits. Clairmont-Scope. [PG]▼●쩠 (2002-French) C-129m. ★★ D: Claude Lelouch. Jeremy Irons, Patricia Kaas, Thierry Andrei Roublev (1966-Russian) C/B&W185m. ★★★★ D: Andrei Tarkovsky. Anatoli Lhermitte, Alessandra Martines, Claudia Cardinale, Ticky Holgado, Yvan Attal, AmiSolonitzine, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko, dou. Thief Irons suffers from a memory disorNikolai Sergueiev. Brilliantly devised and der that complicates any recollection of directed account of famous 15th-century icon having pulled off a robbery for which he’s painter, focusing on an age-old conflict: should accused. Kaas (in real life a French recording an artist participate in the political and social star) has the same affliction and becomes a upheavals of the time, or should he simply resoul mate. Story seems to start in the middle cord history with his brush? Magnificent film but eventually straightens itself out; still is worthy of comparison with the best of longer than it needs to be. Large cast of charEisenstein’s historical dramas. Scripted by Taracters rushes in and disappears as if they were kovsky and Andrei Milchakov-Konchalovsky; merely showing up to plunk an extra quarter shelved by the Soviet authorities, and unseen in a parking meter. Lelouch hasn’t lost his until 1971. Restored version runs 20m. longer. eye; the photography by Pierre-William Glenn Sovscope.▼●쩠 (DAY FOR NIGHT and other Truffauts) is Androcles and the Lion (1952) 98m. ★★★ luscious. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 D: Chester Erskine. Jean Simmons, Alan ★★★ And Now Miguel (1966) C-95m. Young, Victor Mature, Maurice Evans, D: James Clark. Pat Cardi, Michael Ansara, Guy Elsa Lanchester, Robert Newton. Shaw’s Stockwell, Joe De Santis. Flavorful, leisurely amusing satire of ancient Rome can’t be paced account of young boy who wants to dampened by dull production retelling fable of Christian and lion he befriends. ▼ join his father on his summer mountain trip to graze sheep; set in New Mexico. Produced by Android (1982) C-80m. ★★★ D: Aaron Robert Radnitz. Techniscope. Lipstadt. Klaus Kinski, Don Opper, Brie And Now My Love (1975-French) C-121m. Howard, Norbert Weisser, Crofton Hardester, ★★★1 Kendra Kirchner. Entertaining sci-fi story ⁄2 D: Claude Lelouch. Marthe Keller, Andre Dussollier, Charles Denner, Carla about an almost-human android who’s been Gravina, Gilbert Becaud, Charles Gerard. working as assistant to mad scientist Kinski A what’ll-he-do-next kind of extravaganon a remote space station and learns he is za, in which Lelouch salutes life, love and about to be put out of commission. Charming, the 20th century, using comedy, drama, quirky ultra-low-budget film made on leftover and music to bring wealthy Keller and sets from Roger Corman’s BATTLE BEne’er-do-well Dussollier together for the YOND THE STARS. Opper, who plays Max 404, also cowrote screenplay. [PG]▼●쩠 fadeout. Opens in b&w. Originally 150m.; restored version runs 143m. [PG]▼쩠 Andromeda Strain, The (1971) C-130m. ★★1 And Now the Screaming Starts! (1973⁄2 D: Robert Wise. Arthur Hill, David British) C-87m. ★★ D: Roy Ward Baker. Wayne, James Olson, Kate Reid, Paula Peter Cushing, Stephanie Beacham, HerKelly. Overlong sci-fi thriller in which bert Lom, Patrick Magee, Ian Ogilvy. small team of superscientists tries to isoBeacham weds Ogilvy and finds that she’s late deadly strain of virus from outer space, living in a house that has been under a racing against time and nuclear detonacurse for years; OK horror drama with a tion. From Michael Crichton’s novel. Remade as a TV miniseries in 2008. Panavigood cast. [R]▼쩠 sion. [G] ▼●쩠 And Quiet Flows the Don (1957-Russian) C-107m. ★★★ D: Sergei Gerasimov. Ellina And the Angels Sing (1944) 96m. ★★1⁄2 Bystritskaya, Pyotr Glebov, Zinaida KirD: George Marshall. Dorothy Lamour, Fred ienko, Danilo Ilchenko. Faithful realizaMacMurray, Betty Hutton, Diana Lynn, tion of Mikhail Sholokhov’s novel revolving Raymond Walburn, Eddie Foy, Jr. Agreeable around life of small village family during musical of singing sister act trying to make it WW1 and after. Absorbing study of social big; MacMurray gives them their break. upheavals caused by revolution and war. Brassy Hutton tries to steal the show. Originally a multi-part film; only one segAnd Then There Were None (1945) 98m. ★★★★ D: Rene ´ Clair. Barry Fitzgerald, Walment was released in the West.쩠 Andre (1994) C-94m. ★★★ D: George Miller. ter Huston, Louis Hayward, Roland Young, [ 43 ]

June Duprez, C. Aubrey Smith, Judith band Marshall for vacation, falling in love with Douglas. Not worthy of star trio.▼● Anderson, Mischa Auer, Richard Haydn. Highly suspenseful Agatha Christie yarn Angel (1982) SEE: Danny Boy Angel (1984) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Vinof ten people invited to lonely island where one by one they’re murdered. Great script cent O’Neil. Cliff Gorman, Susan Tyrrell, by Dudley Nichols complemented by suDick Shawn, Rory Calhoun, John Diehl, perb visual ideas. Remade three times as Donna Wilkes. Wilkes is a straight-A high TEN LITTLE INDIANS.▼●쩠 school student by day, Hollywood hooker by And the Ship Sails On (1984-Italian) night—but despite ‘‘colorful’’ characters like C-138m. ★★★ D: Federico Fellini. Freddie drag queen Shawn, film goes nowhere, and Jones, Barbara Jefford, Victor Poletti, Peter remains inexplicably tame in terms of what it Cellier, Janet Suzman, Elisa Mai Nardi, shows. Sequel: AVENGING ANGEL. Norma West, Paolo Paoloni. Uniquely Felli[R]▼●쩠 niesque ocean voyage, circa 1914, with an Angela (1984-Canadian) C-100m. ★★ D: earnest journalist (Jones) acting as our ‘‘host’’ Boris Sagal. Sophia Loren, Steve Railsand introducing us to a variety of celebrated back, John Huston, John Vernon. Dreary guests who have gathered for funeral voyage story of the relationship between a woman of great opera star. Flagrantly unrealistic, deliand a younger man who turns out to be her ciously absurd, and somewhat uneven, but full son. Made in 1978.▼ of striking images and those indelible Fellini Angel-A (2005-French) 91m. ★★ D: Luc Besfaces . . . plus an opening sequence that’s son. Rie Rasmussen, Jamel Debbouze, Gilbert absolutely mesmerizing. [PG]▼쩠 Melki, Serge Riaboukine, Akim Chir, Erik Andy Hardy series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s Balliet. Small-time swindler with endless Classic Movie Guide debts and the mob on his tail decides to end it Andy Warhol’s Bad (1977) C-106m. all by jumping off a bridge. A beautiful girl ★★1 has the same idea and beats him to it, so he ⁄2 D: Jed Johnson. Carroll Baker, Perry King, Susan Tyrrell, Stefania Cassini, jumps in to rescue her; she returns the favor Cyrinda Foxe. Queens housewife suppleby turning his luck around. Besson’s first time ments her facial-hair-removal business by behind the camera since 1999 is a love letter running a murder-for-hire concern specialto Paris, filmed in gorgeous widescreen black izing in children and animals. Goes withand white . . . but his foray into romantic out saying that Warhol’s most expensive comedy is a misstep, taking a sledgehammer film is in execrable taste, but it frequently approach to a very slight premise. Besson also wrote the screenplay. Super 35. [R]쩠 succeeds as a sick joke; Baker, at least, seems to be having a good time. [R]▼● Angel and the Badman (1947) 100m. ★★★ Andy Warhol’s Dracula (1974-ItalianD: James Edward Grant. John Wayne, French) C-93m. ★★ D: Paul Morrissey. Gail Russell, Harry Carey, Irene Rich, Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Arno Juerging, Bruce Cabot. First-rate Western with RusVittorio De Sica, Maxime McKendry, Rosell humanizing gunfighter Wayne; predictman Polanski. Dracula (Kier) learns he able plot is extremely well handled. Also must have blood of virgins (pronounced shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 ‘‘where-gins’’) in order to survive. ComAngel, Angel, Down We Go (1969) Cpanion piece to ANDY WARHOL’S 103m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Thom. Jennifer Jones, FRANKENSTEIN is far less bloody and Jordan Christopher, Holly Near, Roddy has some amusing bits . . . but a long way McDowall, Lou Rawls, Charles Aidman. from LOVE AT FIRST BITE. Originally Awesomely dated tale of corruption, sex, released at 106m.; aka BLOOD FOR DRAdrugs, and fame. Overweight teenager CULA and YOUNG DRACULA. [R—ed(Near) is distraught when her rock ’n’ roll ited from original X rating] ▼●쩠 lover (Christopher) begins an affair with her Andy Warhol’s Frankenstein (1974-Italianjewelry-obsessed mother (Jones). Reissued German-French) C-94m. BOMB D: Paul as CULT OF THE DAMNED. [R] Morrissey. Joe Dallesandro, Monique Van Angela’s Ashes (1999) C-146m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vooren, Udo Kier, Srdjan Zelenovic, Dalila Alan Parker. Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, di Lazzaro. Mad baron Kier clones bodyJoe Breen, Ciaran Owens, Michael Legge, beautiful monsters out of bloody human Ronnie Masterson, Pauline McLynn, Eanna innards. Campy and disgusting, with sevMacliam, Gerard McSorley, Eamonn Owens; ered heads and hands galore. Originally narrated by Andrew Bennett. Competent but shown in 3-D. Aka FLESH FOR FRANuninspired adaptation of Frank McCourt’s KENSTEIN. [R—edited from original X hugely popular, Pulitzer Prize–winning memrating.] Space-Vision. ▼●쩠 oir about growing up in the dire poverty of Andy Warhol Superstar SEE: Superstar Dublin in the 1930s and ’40s, with a large Angel (1937) 91m. ★★ D: Ernst Lubitsch. family, a ne’er-do-well father, and an indomiMarlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Melvyn table mother. Has the right look and feel, but lacks resonance and humor. [R]▼쩠 Douglas, Edward Everett Horton, Laura Hope Crews. Disappointing film for DietrichAngel at My Table, An (1990-New ZeaLubitsch team about Marlene leaving husland) C-158m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jane Campion. [ 44 ]

Kerry Fox, Alexia Keogh, Karen Fergusson, chael Higgins, Charles Gordone, Kathleen Iris Churn, K.J. Wilson, Martyn Sanderson. Wilhoite, Pruitt Taylor Vince. Two-bit priStunning, biting autobiography of Janet vate eye Rourke is hired by mysterious De Frame, a roly-poly, repressed little girl who Niro to track down a missing man, which grew up to become New Zealand’s most faleads him into a serpentine investigation— mous novelist/poet—but not before being and a kind of emotional quicksand. An misdiagnosed a schizophrenic, spending eight American Gothic yarn, full of striking, senyears in a mental hospital. Campion beautisual, and frightening images, though after a fully portrays the various stages of Frame’s while it bogs down. Intriguing, if not terrilife, and captures the writer’s inner world. Fox bly appealing. Script by director Parker, is riveting as the adult Janet. Scripted by based on the novel Falling Angel by WilLaura Jones; adapted from a trio of Frame’s liam Hjortsberg. A steamy sex scene was autobiographies. Originally produced as a snipped (by seconds) to avoid an X-rating in the U.S.; it’s restored on video. [R] ▼●쩠 three-part television series.▼●쩠 Angel Baby (1961) 97m. ★★★ D: Paul WendAngel in My Pocket (1969) C-105m. ★★ kos, Hubert Cornfield. George Hamilton, SaD: Alan Rafkin. Andy Griffith, Lee Merilome Jens, Mercedes McCambridge, Joan wether, Jerry Van Dyke, Kay Medford, Blondell, Henry Jones, Burt Reynolds. PeneEdgar Buchanan, Gary Collins. Fans of trating expose´ of evangelistic circuit plying Griffith’s TV series may enjoy homespun backwood country; Jens in title role, Hamilton story of young minister trying to win conthe promoter, McCambridge his shrewish fidence of new small-town parish. Predictwife—marvelous cameos by Blondell and able situations, cliche´ dialogue, with Van Jones. Reynolds’ film debut. ▼쩠 Dyke intolerable as obnoxious brother-inAngel Baby (1995-Australian) C-105m. law. Techniscope. [G] ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Rymer. John Lynch, JacAngel Levine, The (1970) C-104m. ★★★1⁄2 queline MacKenzie, Colin Friels, Deborra D: Jan Kadar. Zero Mostel, Harry BelaLee Furness. Lynch and MacKenzie play an fonte, Ida Kaminska, Milo O’Shea, Eli emotionally fragile Melbourne couple who Wallach, Anne Jackson, Gloria Foster. meet and fall in love in a rehabilitation cenTouching, humorous, and sad. Black angel ter, throwing his family for a loop when she named Levine, on the outs in Heaven, tries gets pregnant and can’t subject the fetus to to help poor old Morris Mishkin. A tale her medication. Well-acted but overelaboroften told—seldom this well. Based on a ate treatment of the subject matter; won story by Bernard Malamud; script by Bill Gunn and Ronald Ribman. [PG]▼쩠 Australian Film Institute awards for Best Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, ScreenAngel of Vengeance SEE: Ms. 45 Angelo, My Love (1983) C-115m. ★★★ play, Cinematography, and Editing.▼● Angel Eyes (2001) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Luis D: Robert Duvall. Angelo Evans, Michael Mandoki. Jennifer Lopez, Jim Caviezel, Evans, Steve ‘‘Patalay’’ Tsigonoff, Millie Terrence Howard, Sonia Braga, Jeremy Sisto, Tsigonoff, Cathy Kitchen. Fascinating jourMonet Mazur, Shirley Knight, Victor Argo. ney into world of modern-day gypsies, Lopez plays a Chicago cop who’s cut off with ‘‘story’’ loosely wrapped around prefrom her family; then a lost soul comes into cocious Angelo Evans, a remarkable young her life, a man who’s running from his past. street hustler. Surprisingly successful atNeither he nor she realizes that they share a tempt by Duvall to weave fictional story special connection. Sincere performances by into real settings with nonprofessional cast. the two leads make this watchable, though Incidentally, the two men who sing ‘‘Golden the story is predictable and familiar. [R]▼쩠 Days’’ in a restaurant scene are Duvall’s brothers. [R]▼● Angel Face (1952) 91m. ★★ D: Otto Preminger. Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons, Angel on My Shoulder (1946) 101m. ★★★ Herbert Marshall, Mona Freeman, Leon D: Archie Mayo. Paul Muni, Anne BaxAmes, Barbara O’Neil, Kenneth Tobey, Jim ter, Claude Rains, George Cleveland, Backus. Slow-building but engrossing film Onslow Stevens. Entertaining fantasy of noir provides uncharacteristic role for Simmurdered convict Muni sent to earth by mons as wealthy Marshall’s impulsive daughDevil as respected judge, and his efforts to ter, who lures Mitchum away from his job as outwit Satan while still in mortal form. an ambulance driver (and girlfriend Freeman) Remade for TV in 1980 with Peter Strauss and into a job as a chauffeur. But as he falls and Richard Kiley.▼●쩠 for her, he’s initially unaware that she’s nuts Angels SEE: Angels Hard as They Come and has dark plans for her hated stepmother Angels & Demons (2009) C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: (O’Neil). Preminger’s best movie in this vein Ron Howard. Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, after LAURA; its reputation has steadily inAyelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsga˙rd, Pierfranccreased over the decades. 쩠 esco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Angel Heart (1987) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mueller-Stahl, Rance Howard, Gino ConAlan Parker. Mickey Rourke, Robert De forti. In this prequel to THE DA VINCI Niro, Lisa Bonet, Charlotte Rampling, CODE (based on Dan Brown’s best-selling Stocker Fountelieu, Brownie McGhee, Minovel), Harvard symbologist Hanks is re[ 45 ]

cruited by the Vatican to help unravel a mysDanza, Brenda Fricker, Ben Johnson, Joseph tery with a ticking clock: four cardinals have Gordon-Levitt, Milton Davis, Jr., Christopher been kidnapped and will die before midnight Lloyd, Jay O. Sanders, Taylor Negron, Matin ritualistic fashion before a stolen canister thew McConaughey, Dermot Mulroney, Adof powerfully explosive antimatter is detorien Brody. Inoffensive remake, with the lastnated in St. Peter’s Square. Is this the work of place Pittsburgh Pirates of the original now the ancient society known as the Illuminati? the last-place California Angels. Glover is the Or are the real enemies within the Vatican team’s scowling manager; the invisible angels itself? Fast-paced thriller is engaging for a of the original are now depicted with glitzy while, then turns repetitive, ponderous, and special effects; and the prayers of a boy (Gordownright silly. As with THE DA VINCI don-Levitt), rather than a girl, result in the title CODE, this movie diminishes the power of miracle. Okay entertainment for kids, but the the book. Super 35. [PG-13] original was better. Followed by two TV sequels. [PG]▼●쩠 Angels and Insects (1995-U.S.-British) C116m. ★★★ D: Philip Haas. Mark Rylance, Angels Over Broadway (1940) 80m. ★★1⁄2 Kristin Scott Thomas, Patsy Kensit, Jeremy D: Ben Hecht, Lee Garmes. Douglas Kemp, Douglas Henshall, Saskia Wickham, Fairbanks, Jr., Rita Hayworth, Thomas Chris Larkin, Anna Massey. Fascinating, Mitchell, John Qualen, George Watts. mature drama, set in Victorian England, Mordant, ahead-of-its-time black comedy with impoverished naturalist Rylance in which hustler Fairbanks decides to do taken in by Kemp’s wealthy family and ‘‘one good deed’’—rescuing suicidal emfalling for his lovely, soft-spoken daughter bezzler Qualen—aided by chorus girl Hay(Kensit). While the man of science studies worth and boozy Mitchell (who spouts the social order of the insect world, the hureams of sardonic dialogue in a bravura permans around him appear increasingly eccenformance). Hecht buffs will undoubtedly rate tric. Film methodically builds to devastating this higher, but despite impeccable producconclusion; Scott Thomas (playing a poor retion, it’s just too offbeat (and pleased with lation assisting Rylance with his work) delivitself about it) for most viewers.▼●쩠 ers an award-caliber performance. A. S. Angel Street SEE: Gaslight (1940) Byatt’s novella Morpho Eugenia was Angels Wash Their Faces, The (1939) adapted by the director and his wife, Be84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ray Enright. Ann Sheridan, linda Haas. A PBS American Playhouse Dead End Kids, Frankie Thomas, Bonita presentation. [R] ▼●쩠 Granville, Ronald Reagan, Margaret HamAngels Die Hard (1970) C-86m. ★★ D: ilton, Marjorie Main, Eduardo Ciannelli. Richard Compton. Tom Baker, William Protective sister Sheridan tries to clear Smith, Connie Nelson, R. G. Armstrong, brother Thomas’ police record, but he joins Beach Dickerson, Rita Murray, Dan HagDead End Kids for more trouble. OK juvegerty, Bambi Allen. Average biker picture nile delinquent drama. has Angels turning out to be good guys for Angels With Dirty Faces (1938) 97m. 1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. James Cagney, Pat ★★★ a change as they save people in a mine disaster. Boasts an impressive cast of reguO’Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, lars from this genre. [R]▼ George Bancroft, Billy Halop, Leo Gorcey, Angels Hard as They Come (1971) C-90m. Huntz Hall, Gabe Dell, Bobby Jordan, Ber★1 nard Punsley. Superior cast in archetypal tale ⁄2 D: Joe Viola. James Iglehart, Gilda Texter, Gary Busey, Charles Dierkop, Gary of two playmates; one (Cagney) becomes a Littlejohn, Larry Tucker, Sharon Peckinpah, gangster, the other (O’Brien) a priest. The Scott Glenn. Loosely structured road movie Dead End Kids idolize Cagney, much to satirizes the format, but can’t escape the cliO’Brien’s chagrin. Rowland Brown’s story che´s. Produced and cowritten by Jonathan was scripted by John Wexley and Warren Demme (who claims it’s a biker version of Duff. Quintessential Warner Bros. melodrama, RASHOMON); Busey’s film debut. Aka a favorite of parodists for decades. Also shown ANGELS. [R]▼쩠 in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Angels in the Outfield (1951) 102m. ★★★ Angel Unchained (1970) C-92m. ★★ D: D: Clarence Brown. Paul Douglas, Janet Lee Madden. Don Stroud, Luke Askew, Leigh, Keenan Wynn, Donna Corcoran, Larry Bishop, Tyne Daly, Aldo Ray, Bill Spring Byington, Ellen Corby, Lewis Stone, McKinney. Biker Stroud joins a hippie Bruce Bennett; voice of James Whitmore. commune. Dune buggy-riding cowboys Cute comedy-fantasy with Douglas ideally don’t like hippies, so it’s Stroud’s ex-budcast as the Pittsburgh Pirates’ hot-tempered, dies to the rescue. Anyway, the cast is interesting. [PG]▼쩠 foul-mouthed manager, whose hard-luck team goes on a winning streak thanks to Angel Wore Red, The (1960) 99m. ★★1⁄2 some heavenly intervention. Amusing camD: Nunnally Johnson. Ava Gardner, Dirk eos from the worlds of baseball and show Bogarde, Joseph Cotten, Vittorio De Sica. business. Remade in 1994. ▼●쩠 Sometimes engrossing tale of clergyman Angels in the Outfield (1994) C-102m. who joins the Spanish loyalist cause and ★★1⁄2 D: William Dear. Danny Glover, Tony his romance with a good-natured entertainer. [ 46 ]

Anger Management (2003) C-106m. ★★ unofficial strike, the repercussions he and D: Peter Segal. Adam Sandler, Jack Nicholhis family endure. son, Marisa Tomei, John Turturro, Luis GuzAnguish (1987-Spanish) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: man, Allen Covert, Lynne Thigpen, Kurt Bigas Luna. Zelda Rubinstein, Michael Fuller, Krista Allen, January Jones, Woody Lerner, Talia Paul, Clara Pastor. ImaginaHarrelson, Kevin Nealon, Harry Dean Stanton. tive but overly violent horror film turns the Sentenced to undergo therapy after an airline action in on itself, as a mad-killer film unaltercation that really wasn’t his fault, Sandler spools inside a theater where another mad is further bewildered when his therapist turns killer is loose in the audience. Theatrical reout to be the loosest cannon in New York lease carried warnings regarding use of sub(Nicholson with a Brillo beard). Comedy ofliminal effects on soundtrack. Well-recorded English dialogue. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 fers a dream cross-generational teaming but delivers nothing beyond it, with Nicholson givAngus (1995) C-89m. ★★ D: Patrick Read ing a surprisingly one-note performance. Even Johnson. Charlie Talbert, George C. Scott, surprise cameo appearances aren’t as funny Kathy Bates, Ariana Richards, Chris Owen, as they ought to be. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 James Van Der Beek, Lawrence Pressman, Angie (1994) C-107m. ★★★ D: Martha CooRita Moreno. Ostensibly well-meaning— lidge. Geena Davis, Stephen Rea, James but obvious and superficial—film about an Gandolfini, Aida Turturro, Philip Bosco, overweight teenager with low self-esteem Jenny O’Hara, Michael Rispoli, Betty and a lifelong crush on a cute blond schoolMiller, Charlaine Woodard, Bibi Osterwald. mate. Amidst its upbeat, self-affirming mesDavis shines in this star vehicle about an sages, however, we get too many crude Italian-American from Brooklyn who’s aljokes and incompetently staged comic ways marched to her own drum, and finds— scenes that deflate film’s impact. Scott’s when she’s on the verge of marriage and chess-playing partner is played by veteran director Irvin Kershner. [PG-13] ▼● motherhood—that something significant is missing from her life. Todd Graff’s script Animal, The (2001) C-84m. BOMB D: runs the gamut from romantic comedy to Luke Greenfield. Rob Schneider, Colleen melodrama, but Davis’ character—both asHaskell, John C. McGinley, Edward Asner, sertive and vulnerable—has the glue to keep Michael Caton, Louis Lombardi, Guy Torry, it all together. She’s surrounded by a fine Adam Sandler, Norm Macdonald. A pasupporting cast. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 thetic nobody awakens after a car accident Angry Harvest (1985-West German) Cto find that his body organs have been re102m. ★★★ D: Agnieszka Holland. Armin placed by those of animals (a dog, a dolMueller-Stahl, Elisabeth Trissenaar, Kathe phin, a horse, etc.). Filled to the brim with Jaenicke, Hans Beerhenke, Isa Haller, bathroom humor, offensive dialogue, gratuMargit Carstensen, Wojtech Pszoniak, Kurt itous nudity . . . everything but genuine Raab. Discerning drama, set during comedy. Schneider cowrote; Sandler coWW2, highlighting the intricacies in the executive produced. [PG-13]▼쩠 relationship between a working-class PolAnimal Behavior (1989) C-88m. BOMB ish farmer (Stahl, who is outstanding) and D: H. Anne Riley. Karen Allen, Armand the upper-class Viennese Jewish refugee Assante, Holly Hunter, Josh Mostel, Rich(Trissenaar) he shelters. Scripted by diard Libertini, Alexa Kenin, Jon Matthews, rector Holland (who later made EUNan Martin. A man, a woman, a chimp, a ROPA, EUROPA).▼쩠 campus—and let us all be thankful that Angry Hills, The (1959) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bonzo didn’t live to see this. Allen, as a Robert Aldrich. Robert Mitchum, Elisamonkey researcher sweating out funding, beth Mueller, Stanley Baker, Gia Scala, delivers a most discomforting lemmeTheodore Bikel, Sebastian Cabot. Mitchum outa-here performance. Director’s name shows vim in WW2 actioner as war correis a pseudonym; Jenny Bowen started the spondent plotting escape from Greece with picture in 1984; producer Kjehl Rasmusvaluable data for Allies. sen finished it. [PG]▼● Angry Red Planet, The (1959) C-83m. Animal Crackers (1930) 98m. ★★★ D: ★★ D: Ib Melchior. Gerald Mohr, Nora Victor Heerman. Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Hayden, Les Tremayne, Jack Kruschen, and Zeppo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Lillian Paul Hahn. Martians sic incredible monsters Roth, Louis Sorin, Hal Thompson, Robert on first Earth expedition to Mars. Lots of Greig. Marx Brothers’ second movie, adapted wild-eyed effects have given this film cult from Broadway success, suffers from stagistatus. Filmed in odd ‘‘Cinemagic’’ process, ness and musical comedy plotting, but gives which mostly turns everything pink.▼●쩠 the zany foursome plenty of comic elbowAngry Silence, The (1960-British) 95m. room. ‘‘Story’’ has to do with stolen paint★★★ D: Guy Green. Richard Attenborough, ing, but never mind: Groucho performs Pier Angeli, Michael Craig, Bernard Lee, ‘‘Hooray for Captain Spaulding,’’ Chico and Geoffrey Keen, Oliver Reed. Rewarding, Harpo play bridge, Groucho shoots an unheralded film about brave stand by a simple elephant in his pajamas, etc.▼●쩠 British factory worker who refuses to join Animal Factory (2000) C-95m. ★★★ D: [ 47 ]

Steve Buscemi. Willem Dafoe, Edward Furdall Duk Kim, Deanna Yusoff, Geoffrey long, Mickey Rourke, Tom Arnold, Steve Palmer. Lavish remake of the now-familiar Buscemi, John Heard, Danny Trejo, Seystory (memorably musicalized as THE mour Cassel. Compelling drama of prison KING AND I) about a young British widow life, with Furlong, locked up for marijuana who travels to Siam in 1862 to work as dealing, becoming the prote´ge´ of Dafoe, schoolteacher for the King’s 58 children. who virtually runs the place. Dafoe is powPut off at first, she and the imperious monerful, as always, but the film’s distinction is arch soon develop an understanding and an the matter-of-fact way it deals with the horunspoken attraction. Unfortunately, film rors of life behind bars. Based on a novel goes on too long, with at least one subplot by ex-con Edward Bunker, who coscripted. too many and a terribly contrived action U.S. debut on cable TV. [R]▼쩠 climax. Foster and Yun-Fat are fine. PanaviAnimal Farm (1955-British) C-75m. ★★★ sion. [PG-13]▼쩠 D: John Halas, Joy Batchelor. Good straightAnna and the King of Siam (1946) 128m. ★★★1 forward animated-feature version of George ⁄2 D: John Cromwell. Irene Dunne, Orwell’s political satire. Ending changed Rex Harrison, Linda Darnell, Lee J. Cobb, from original to make it more upbeat, but Gale Sondergaard, Mikhail Rasumny. trenchant views of government still hold Sumptuous production chronicling the exfast. Not a kiddie film. Remade for cable periences of a British governess in 19thTV in 1999. ▼●쩠 century Thailand, and her battle of wits Animal House SEE: National Lampoon’s with strong-willed ruler. Based on MargaAnimal House ret Landon’s book about real-life Anna Animal Kingdom, The (1932) 85m. ★★★ Leonowens (renamed Anna L. Owens in D: Edward H. Griffith. Ann Harding, Lesthe movie). Dunne and Harrison (in his lie Howard, Myrna Loy, William Gargan, Hollywood debut) are superb; won Oscars Neil Hamilton, Ilka Chase, Henry Stephenfor Cinematography (Arthur Miller) and son. Publisher Howard, undergoing a crisis in Art Direction/Set Decoration (then known values, has had a relationship with free-spiras ‘‘Interior Decoration’’). Screenplay by ited artist Harding but marries manipulative, Talbot Jennings and Sally Benson. Later middle-class Loy. Sophisticated entertainmusicalized as THE KING AND I; remade ment, still adult by today’s standards, adapted as ANNA AND THE KING.▼쩠 from the Philip Barry play. Remade as ONE Anna Christie (1930) 90m. ★★★ D: ClarMORE TOMORROW.▼쩠 ence Brown. Greta Garbo, Charles Bickford, Animalympics (1979) C-80m. ★★ D: SteMarie Dressler, Lee Phelps, George Mariven Lisberger. Voices of Gilda Radner, on. Garbo is effective in her first talkie as Billy Crystal, Harry Shearer, Michael girl with shady past finding love with Fremer. Animated spoof of Olympics events seaman Bickford. Film itself is rather static. and ubiquitous TV coverage by various From the play by Eugene O’Neill. Beware anthropomorphic characters. Enough clever, of 74m. prints. Filmed simultaneously in a funny material for a good short subject, German-language version, with Garbo and but stretched to feature length. ▼ a different supporting cast. Filmed before in 1923, with Blanche Sweet. ▼●쩠 Anna (1951-Italian) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alberto Lattuada. Silvana Mangano, Raf Vallone, Anna Karenina (1935) 95m. ★★★★ D: Vittorio Gassman, Gaby Morlay. ThoughtClarence Brown. Greta Garbo, Fredric ful study of confused young woman who enMarch, Freddie Bartholomew, Maureen ters convent to avoid deciding which man she O’Sullivan, May Robson, Basil Rathbone. really loves; fate forces her to decide. Look Tolstoy’s tragic love chronicle makes exquick for Sophia Loren.▼ cellent Garbo vehicle, with fine support Anna (1987) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yurek from March as her lover, Rathbone her Bogayevicz. Sally Kirkland, Paulina Porizhusband, and Bartholomew, her adorkova, Robert Fields, Ruth Maleczech, Steing son. Filmed before with Garbo as fan Schnabel, Larry Pine. Middle-aged LOVE; remade three times.▼●쩠 Czech actress, once a star in her native Anna Karenina (1948-British) 123m. ★★1⁄2 country but now struggling to survive in D: Julien Duvivier. Vivien Leigh, Ralph N.Y.C., takes in an impoverished young Richardson, Kieron Moore, Sally Ann immigrant and teaches her the ropes—only Howes, Niall MacGinnis, Martita Hunt, Marie to see her succeed where she has failed. Lohr, Michael Gough. Despite its stellar cast, Intriguing little film misses the bull’s-eye this is a mostly turgid adaptation of the Tolsbut still has much to offer, especially a toy classic about a woman married to stodgy riveting and heart-rending performance by bureaucrat, who falls in love with a dashing Kirkland (who is not Czech). Supermodel army officer. Duvivier and Jean Anouilh were among the scriptwriters. ▼●쩠 Porizkova (who is) makes an impressive screen debut. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Anna Karenina (1997) SEE: Leo TolAnna and the King (1999) C-147m. ★★1⁄2 stoy’s Anna Karenina D: Andy Tennant. Jodie Foster, Chow YunAnna Lucasta (1949) C-86m. ★★ D: Irving Fat, Bai Ling, Tom Felton, Syed Alwi, RanRapper. Paulette Goddard, William Bishop, [ 48 ]

Oscar Homolka, John Ireland, Broderick then she was known as Dawn O’Day). Crawford, Will Geer, Gale Page, Mary Followed by ANNE OF WINDY POPWickes, Whit Bissell. Sluggish, wateredLARS. Remade for TV in 1985.▼쩠 down version of Philip Yordan’s Broadway Anne of the Indies (1951) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 play (which featured an all-black cast, as D: Jacques Tourneur. Jean Peters, Louis does the 1958 remake). Goddard plays the Jourdan, Debra Paget, Herbert Marshall. title role, a woman of the Brooklyn streets Peters isn’t always believable as swaggerwho was tossed out of her home by her ing pirate, but surrounded by professionals alcoholic father; her oppressive brother-inand good production, actioner moves along. law tries to marry her off, in a money-makAnne of the Thousand Days (1969) ing scheme. Scripted by Yordan (who also C-145m. ★★★ D: Charles Jarrott. Richard produced) and Arthur Laurents. Burton, Genevieve Bujold, Irene Papas, ★★ Anna Lucasta (1958) 97m. D: Arnold Anthony Quayle, Peter Jeffrey. Often inLaven. Eartha Kitt, Sammy Davis, Jr., accurate but totally engrossing, well-acted Frederick O’Neal, Henry Scott, Rex Inhistorical drama centering on Anne Boleyn gram. Tepid remake of Philip Yordan’s play and King Henry VIII. Lovely scenery, about a prostitute who tries to leave her past brilliant performance by Bujold, and Oscarbehind. Kitt doesn’t so much act as pose, winning costumes by Margaret Furse. Panabut Ingram is excellent as her father.쩠 vision. [M/PG]▼●쩠 Annapolis (2006) C-103m. ★★ D: Justin Anne of Windy Poplars (1940) 88m. ★★ Lin. James Franco, Tyrese Gibson, Jordana D: Jack Hively. Anne Shirley, James Ellison, Brewster, Donnie Wahlberg, Vicellous Henry Travers, Patric Knowles, Slim Reon Shannon, Chi McBride, Roger Fan, Summerville, Elizabeth Patterson, Marcia McCaleb Burnett, Wilmer Calderon, Charles Mae Jones. Uninspired sequel to ANNE OF Napier. Boilerplate service pic about blueGREEN GABLES. Anne has grown up and collar boxer Franco and his long-shot selecbecome a dedicated, kind-hearted schooltion to the U.S. Naval Academy, where he teacher, but has to contend with local polirooms with a perfect ethnic mix of cohorts, tics and hypocrisy in the small town where who are only occasionally seen in class or she lives and works. Remade for TV. Annie (1982) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: John cracking books. Co-cadet Brewster, seen at ringside during bouts or when Franco is Huston. Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, Aipunching the bag, takes on the equivalent of leen Quinn, Bernadette Peters, Tim Curry, Burgess Meredith’s role in ROCKY, though Ann Reinking, Geoffrey Holder, Edward she looks cuter in khaki. A non-starter. Herrmann. Overblown adaptation of the Super 35. [PG-13] 쩠 Broadway musical hit about the DepresAnnapolis Story, An (1955) C-81m. ★★ sion’s most famous foundling (based on D: Don Siegel. John Derek, Diana Lynn, Harold Gray’s ‘‘Little Orphan Annie’’ Kevin McCarthy, Pat Conway. Uninspired comic strip). Appealing performances by reuse of old service-school formula with Quinn, as Annie, and Finney, as Daddy Derek and McCarthy undergoing rigid trainWarbucks, help buoy an uninspired— ing, both romancing Lynn.▼ and curiously claustrophobic—production. Anne Frank Remembered (1995-British) Followed by made-for-TV sequel, ANNIE: C/B&W-117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jon Blair. NarA ROYAL ADVENTURE! Remade for TV in 1999. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 rated by Kenneth Branagh; diary read by Glenn Close. Deeply moving documentary Annie Get Your Gun (1950) C-107m. ★★★ on the young Jewish girl whose diary beD: George Sidney. Betty Hutton, Howcame an international best-seller. The filmard Keel, Louis Calhern, Edward Arnold, makers interview many who knew Anne and Keenan Wynn, Benay Venuta, J. Carrol even turn up a brief home-movie scene of Naish. Lively filming of Irving Berlin’s Wild the girl herself. Perhaps the greatest impresWest show musical about Annie Oakley getsion is made by Miep Gies, the matter-ofting her man—sharpshooter Frank Butler. fact Dutch woman who helped hide the Songs include ‘‘Anything You Can Do,’’ Franks, and who found the diary. Oscar ‘‘Doin’ What Comes Naturally,’’ ‘‘There’s winner for Best Documentary. [PG]▼쩠 No Business Like Show Business.’’▼쩠 Anne of Green Gables (1934) 79m. ★★★ Annie Hall (1977) C-94m. ★★★★ D: Woody D: George Nicholls, Jr. Anne Shirley, Allen. Woody Allen, Diane Keaton, Tony Tom Brown, O. P. Heggie, Helen Westley, Roberts, Paul Simon, Shelley Duvall, Carol Sara Haden. Utterly charming adaptation Kane, Colleen Dewhurst, Christopher of L. M. Montgomery’s book (filmed beWalken, Janet Margolin, John Glover. fore in 1919) about a spirited orphan with Woody’s best film, an autobiographical a vivid imagination who endears herself to love story with incisive Allenisms on rothe older couple who take her in . . . and mance, relationships, fame, N.Y.C. vs. everyone else around her. Only the conL.A., and sundry other topics. Warm, clusion seems hurried and contrived. Anne witty, intelligent Oscar winner for Best Shirley took her professional name from Picture, Actress, Direction, Screenplay (Althe character she played in this film (until len and Marshall Brickman). Look sharp [ 49 ]

and you’ll spot future stars Jeff Goldblum what of a downer, but Bonnaire creates a (at the L.A. party), Shelley Hack (on the full-blooded, memorable character. Winstreet), Beverly D’Angelo (on a TV moniner of France’s Ce´sar. [R]▼쩠 tor), and Sigourney Weaver (as Woody’s Another Country (1984-British) C-90m. ★★1 date seen in extreme long-shot near the ⁄2 D: Marek Kanievska. Rupert Everett, end of the picture). [PG]▼●쩠 Colin Firth, Michael Jenn, Robert Addie, Annie Oakley (1935) 88m. ★★★ D: George Cary Elwes, Anna Massey, Betsy Brantley. Stevens. Barbara Stanwyck, Preston Foster, Faithful adaptation of Julian Mitchell’s hit Melvyn Douglas, Pert Kelton, Andy Clyde. London play that speculates about the 1930s Lively biography of female sharpshooter private-school experiences of Guy Burgess Stanwyck and her on-again off-again roand Donald Maclean, who 20 years later were mance with fellow performer Foster. Tight found to be spying for the Russians. Arguably direction within episodic scenes gives bemore meaningful to British audiences, this exlievable flavor of late 19th-century America. amination of an oppressive existence that Moroni Olsen plays Buffalo Bill. Also shuns any nonconformity makes for a pretty oppressive movie. [PG]▼●쩠 shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 Annie’s Coming Out SEE: Test of Love, A Another Dawn (1937) 73m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilAnnihilation of Fish, The (2001) C-108m. liam Dieterle. Kay Francis, Errol Flynn, ★★ D: Charles Burnett. James Earl Jones, Ian Hunter, Frieda Inescort, Mary Forbes. Lynn Redgrave, Margot Kidder. Fish Francis is torn between devotion to hus(Jones), a former mental patient who is harband Hunter and officer Flynn in wellassed by a demon named Hank, moves into paced adventure story set at British army a dingy L.A. boardinghouse and gradually post in African desert. befriends an alcoholic flake (Redgrave), Another Day in Paradise (1998) C-100m. ★★★ who is obsessed by Puccini. Ambitious porD: Larry Clark. James Woods, Melanie trait of two nutty, lonely souls means to be Griffith, Vincent Kartheiser, Natasha Gregpoignant but doesn’t really gel. Kidder— son Wagner, James Otis, Paul Hipp, Brent surprisingly—plays an elderly landlady. Shot Briscoe, Clarence Carter, Peter Sarsgaard. in 1999. [R] Arresting drama about a teenage junkie/ Anniversary, The (1968-British) C-95m. thief who, with his girlfriend, goes on the ★★1⁄2 D: Roy Ward Baker. Bette Davis, road with a slick, experienced criminal and Sheila Hancock, Jack Hedley, James Cosbecomes part of his extended family. sins, Christian Roberts, Elaine Taylor. Woods is dynamite as the frighteningly inHuman monster Davis uses date of wedtense, mood-swinging crime daddy, and ding anniversary as excuse to reunite famiGriffith is equally good as his nurturing girlly, continue her stranglehold on them. friend. Clark invests the film with a sense of Adapted from MacIlwraith stage play, black immediacy and truth, even as its emotional comedy emerges as vehicle for Davis’ peaks grow larger than life. Lou Diamond hammy performance.▼쩠 Phillips appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 Anniversary Party, The (2001) C-115m. Another 48HRS. (1990) C-95m. ★★ D: ★★★ D: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming. Walter Hill. Eddie Murphy, Nick Nolte, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Cumming, Jane Brion James, Kevin Tighe, Ed O’Ross, David Adams, Mina Badie, Jennifer Beals, Phoebe Anthony Marshall, Bernie Casey. Strictly Cates, John Hickey, Parker Posey, Kevin by-the-numbers rehash of 48HRS., without Kline, Denis O’Hare, Gwyneth Paltrow, Miits spontaneity, pizzazz, or humor: Nolte is chael Panes, John C. Reilly. Cumming and forced to turn to Murphy (who’s just being Leigh conceived, directed and star in this sprung from jail) to help him solve a case seriocomedy about an L.A. couple (he’s a and save his police career. Watchable, but writer about to make his movie directing not terribly invigorating; must set some sort debut, she’s an actress) who have an eventful of record, however, for breaking more and emotional anniversary party. Supporting panes of glass than any movie in history. parts were tailored for the filmmakers’ actor [R]▼●쩠 friends, and they’re all good, but the two Another Gay Movie (2006) C-92m. ★★ D: children of real-life couple Kline and Cates Todd Stephens. Michael Carbonaro, Jonah almost steal the show. Beautifully shot on Blechman, Jonathan Chase, Mitch Morris, digital video by John Bailey. [R]▼쩠 Ashlie Atkinson, Scott Thompson. Four gay ` Nos Amours (1984-French) C-102m. A high school guys embark on a mission to ★★★ lose their virginity before graduation, sendD: Maurice Pialat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Dominique Besnehard, Maurice Pialat, Eving up every gay and teen comedy movie elyne Ker, Anne-Sophie Maille, Christophe cliche´ along the way. Predictably dumb Odent. A 15-year-old’s casual promiscuity genre spoof, somewhat funnier and more runs her family through the ringer, but engaging than many of its ilk. Hilariously they’ve got problems of their own—Pop’s meticulous reenactment of the prom scene moving out, Mom’s a screaming neurotic, from CARRIE makes one wish that the rest and Brother’s embraces are too hearty to of the film were so clever. Features cameos be healthy. Dramatically uneven and someby cult celebrities including Graham Norton, [ 50 ]

Lypsinka, and Survivor’s Richard Hatch is killed during WW2. Filmed in England. VistaVision. ▼●쩠 (who reveals more than most would want to see). Followed by a DVD sequel. [R]쩠 Another Woman (1988) C-84m. ★★★1⁄2 Another Man, Another Chance (1977D: Woody Allen. Gena Rowlands, Mia FarFrench-U.S.) C-132m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claude row, Ian Holm, Blythe Danner, Gene HackLelouch. James Caan, Genevieve Bujold, man, Betty Buckley, Martha Plimpton, John Francis Huster, Jennifer Warren, Susan Houseman, Sandy Dennis, David Ogden Tyrrell, Richard Farnsworth. Virtual reStiers, Philip Bosco, Harris Yulin, Frances make of Lelouch’s A MAN AND A Conroy. Woody ventures into Bergman terriWOMAN, with late-1800s Western setting; tory again (with Ingmar’s cameraman, Sven Bujold and Caan are widow and widower Nykvist, no less) with tremendous success. who fall in love after losing their spouses. Rowlands plays a woman who has managed to Mild-mannered to the point of distraction, live her life shielding herself from all emotions, and much too long. [PG]▼ until a series of incidents force her to take Another Man’s Poison (1951-British) 89m. stock. Searing, adult drama with a magnifi★★1 cent cast and many memorable moments . . . ⁄2 D: Irving Rapper. Bette Davis, Gary Merrill, Emlyn Williams, Anthony Steel, though like Allen’s other dramas, it’s not to Barbara Murray, Reginald Beckwith. Bette everyone’s taste. [PG]▼●쩠 is feisty, man-hungry novelist on isolated Another You (1991) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: MauYorkshire farm who won’t let her criminal rice Phillips. Richard Pryor, Gene Wilder, husband, or his crony Merrill, get in her Mercedes Ruehl, Stephen Lang, Vanessa way. Well-paced melodrama can’t hide its Williams, Phil Rubenstein, Peter Michael stage origins, but Davis wrings every drop Goetz, Kevin Pollak, Vincent Schiavelli. out of a showy role. Coproduced by DougCompulsive liar Wilder is released from a las Fairbanks, Jr.▼쩠 sanitarium into the care of parolee Pryor, a Another Part of the Forest (1948) 107m. street hustler who’s got to perform commu★★★ D: Michael Gordon. Fredric March, nity service; together they become emDan Duryea, Edmond O’Brien, Ann Blyth, broiled in an elaborate scam. Anemic Florence Eldridge, John Dall. Lillian Hellcomedy relies entirely on its stars to support man’s story predates THE LITTLE FOXES third-rate material. Sadly, Pryor’s real-life by tracing the Hubbard family’s ruthlesshealth problems are all too apparent. [R] ness; unpleasant but well-acted movie. ▼●쩠 ` Nous la Liberte´ (1931-French) 97m. Another Stakeout (1993) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 A ★★★★ D: John Badham. Richard Dreyfuss, Emilio D: Rene´ Clair. Raymond Cordy, Estevez, Rosie O’Donnell, Dennis Farina, Henri Marchand, Rolla France, Paul OlivMarcia Strassman, Cathy Moriarty, John ier, Jacques Shelly, Andre Michaud. ClasRubinstein, Miguel Ferrer, Dan Lauria, sic satire on machinery and industrializaSharon Maughan. Lots of fun here for fans tion centering on the adventures of escaped of the first STAKEOUT, but little for anyprisoner Cordy, who becomes owner of a one seeking substance or Shavian wit. The phonograph factory, and his former jail inept cop partners return to track down nofriend (Marchand), now a vagrant. Predates good Moriarty, but are saddled with assisand equals MODERN TIMES in poitant D.A. O’Donnell and her dog, who are gnancy, with groundbreaking use of music. both along for the ride. Highlight: dinner Arguably, Clair’s masterpiece. Clair recut party that goes from bad to worse to hysterifilm in 1950 to 83m. ▼쩠 cal. Madeleine Stowe (costar of the original Ant Bully, The (2006) C-89m. ★★ D: John film) briefly re-creates her role but takes no A. Davis. Voices of Julia Roberts, Nicolas billing. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti, Zach Another Thin Man (1939) 105m. ★★★ D: Tyler Eisen, Regina King, Bruce Campbell, W. S. Van Dyke II. William Powell, Myrna Lily Tomlin, Cheri Oteri, Larry Miller, RiLoy, C. Aubrey Smith, Otto Kruger, Nat cardo Montalban, Allison Mack, Rob Pendleton, Virginia Grey, Tom Neal, MarPaulsen. A boy who’s always bullied by the jorie Main, Ruth Hussey, Sheldon Leonneighborhood kids takes out his frustration ard. Murder strikes at a Long Island estate on an ant colony in his front yard—until and the screen’s favorite lush-detective couhe’s shrunk to their size and put to work in ple (along with Asta and newborn son their environment. Here he learns hard-won Nick, Jr.) move in to solve it, although lessons about the value of teamwork and motherhood has slowed down Nora’s drinksacrifice. Uninspired morality tale has the ing a bit. Enjoyable third entry in the novelty of human characters that are deseries and the last to be based on a Dashiell signed to look as grotesque as possible. From the children’s book by John Nickle. Hammett story.▼●쩠 Another Time, Another Place (1958) Coproduced by Tom Hanks. [PG]쩠 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Allen. Lana Turner, Anthony Adverse (1936) 141m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Barry Sullivan, Glynis Johns, Sean ConMervyn LeRoy. Fredric March, Olivia de nery. Unconvincing melodrama; Turner Havilland, Donald Woods, Anita Louise, suffers nervous breakdown when her lover Edmund Gwenn, Claude Rains, Louis Hay[ 51 ]

ward, Gale Sondergaard, Akim Tamiroff, noldo Gooding, Novella Nelson. Newcomer Billy Mauch, Ralph Morgan, Henry Luke is excellent as the hero of this remarkO’Neill, Scotty Beckett, Luis Alberni. able true-life memoir, a quick-tempered seaBlockbuster filmization of Hervey Allen man who reaches a turning point when a bestseller (scripted by Sheridan Gibney) of Navy psychiatrist forces him to examine his young man gaining maturity through advenlife and confront his troubled childhood. A tures in various parts of early 19th-century creditable directing debut for Washington, Europe, Cuba, and Africa. Sondergaard who also delivers a strong, compassionate won Oscar as Best Supporting Actress in performance as a doctor whose own life can her film debut; rousing musical score by use some healing. Cynics may find this senErich Wolfgang Korngold and Tony Gautimental or simplistic, but we bought into it dio’s cinematography also won. ▼● one hundred percent. Screenplay by AnAntichrist, The SEE: Tempter, The twone Fisher, based on his book. James Antitrust (2001) C-108m. ★★★ D: Peter Brolin appears unbilled. Panavision. [PGHowitt. Ryan Phillippe, Rachael Leigh Cook, 13] ▼쩠 Claire Forlani, Tim Robbins, Douglas McFerAntz (1998) C-83m. ★★★ D: Eric Darnell, ran, Richard Roundtree, Tygh Runyan, Yee Tim Johnson. Voices of Woody Allen, Jee Tso, Nate Dushku, Ned Bellamy. Young Sharon Stone, Sylvester Stallone, Gene Hackcomputer whiz leaves his idealistic, computerman, Christopher Walken, Anne Bancroft, geek pals to work for the biggest software Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Danny Glover, company in the world, after being recruited Jennifer Lopez, John Mahoney, Paul Maby its charismatic, highly persuasive chief zursky. Entertaining computer-animated (Robbins). He soon discovers that the comfeature about an ant named Z (with the voice pany’s take-no-prisoners approach to busiand personality of Woody Allen) who doesn’t ness hides many nefarious deeds. Cleverly respond well to regimentation—especially plotted, mostly believable conspiracy yarn, after he’s smitten with the queen ant’s daugha bit heavy-handed at times. David Clennon ter, Princess Bala. Meanwhile, the colony is appears unbilled. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 threatened, not only by termites but by a megAntonia & Jane (1991-British) C-77m. alomaniacal general with his own agenda. ★★★ D: Beeban Kidron. Saskia Reeves, Clever and enjoyable (all the more so for Imelda Staunton, Brenda Bruce, Bill Nighy, Woodyphiles), but too sophisticated and violent for young kids. [PG] ▼●쩠 Lila Kaye, Alfred Marks, Richard Hope. Pleasingly quirky, clever chronicle of the relaAny Given Sunday (1999) C-162m. ★★ D: tionship between two friends from school. Oliver Stone. Al Pacino, Cameron Diaz, Antonia (Reeves) is attractive and arrogant; Dennis Quaid, James Woods, Jamie Foxx, Jane (Staunton) is plump, but adventuresome. LL Cool J, Charlton Heston, Matthew ModThey share mutual envy (as well as the ine, Jim Brown, Ann-Margret, Aaron Eckhart, same therapist) . . . and Antonia’s husband John C. McGinley, Lauren Holly, Lela Rois Jane’s ex-boyfriend. Very funny little chon, Lawrence Taylor, Bill Bellamy, James sleeper made for British television.▼ Karen, Elizabeth Berkley. Strident, one-note Antonia’s Line (1995-Dutch-Belgianconcoction about the world of pro football, on British) C-105m. ★★★ D: Marleen Gorris. and off the field. Pacino is an aging coach Willeke van Ammelrooy, Els Dottermans, Jan who’s given his all to the game, Diaz a deDecleir, Mil Seghers, Marina de Graaf, Jan manding, mercurial team owner, Foxx an upSteen, Veerle Van Overloop, Elsie de Brauw, and-coming quarterback who gets a big head. Thyrza Ravesteijn, Wimie Wilhelm. Spirited Loud and obvious from the word go. Various woman returns to her provincial Dutch village sports figures play themselves; Stone apafter WW2 and takes up residence there with pears as a booth announcer. Stone comher daughter. Then, over a span of years, she pletely recut 157m. video version. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 raises not only her own child but an extended family which comes under the shelter (and Any Number Can Play (1949) 112m. ★★ aura) of this unusual woman who defies conD: Mervyn LeRoy. Clark Gable, Alexis vention. Disarmingly unpredictable comedySmith, Wendell Corey, Audrey Totter, Mary drama is a treat from start to finish. Oscar Astor, Lewis Stone, Marjorie Rambeau, winner as Best Foreign Film. [R]▼●쩠 Darryl Hickman. Low-key drama of gamAntony and Cleopatra (1973) C-160m. bling-house owner Gable, estranged from ★1 ⁄2 D: Charlton Heston. Charlton Heston, wife Smith and son Hickman. Good character roles breathe life into film.▼ Hildegard Neil, Eric Porter, John Castle, Fernando Rey. Labor-of-love undertaking Any Number Can Win (1963-French) by Heston results in sluggish treatment of 108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Henri Verneuil. Jean Gabin, Shakespearean play, hampered by severe Alain Delon, Viviane Romance, Carla budgetary limitations. Todd-AO 35. ▼ Marlier. Aging ex-con Gabin enlists ne’erAntwone Fisher (2002) C-120m. ★★★ D: Dendo-well Delon in a plot to rob the impregnazel Washington. Derek Luke, Denzel Washble vault of a plush Riviera casino. Some ington, Joy Bryant, Salli Richardson, Earl tense climactic moments. Dyaliscope.▼쩠 Billings, Kevin Connolly, Viola Davis, RaiAnyone Can Play (1968-Italian-French) [ 52 ]

C-88m. ★★ D: Luigi Zampa. Ursula Anductions. Fonda is appropriately addled in unstagy sex comedy.▼ dress, Virna Lisi, Claudine Auger, Marisa Anywhere But Here (1999) C-114m. ★★ Mell, Brett Halsey, Jean-Pierre Cassel. D: Wayne Wang. Susan Sarandon, Natalie Aside from obvious good looks of four Portman, Hart Bochner, Shawn Hatosy, leading actresses, tale of adultery in Italy Bonnie Bedelia, John Diehl, Paul Guilfoyle, is not one of that country’s better farces. [R] Caroline Aaron. Optimistic single mom who Anything But Love (2003) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: can still turn heads and a wearily-seen-it-all Robert Cary. Andrew McCarthy, Isabel adolescent daughter leave small-town WisRose, Cameron Bancroft, Alix Korey, Ilana consin to seek a new beginning in Beverly Levine, Sean Arbuckle, Victor Argo, MiHills, commencing a series of episodic adchael J. Burg, Eartha Kitt. Labored attempt ventures that never take emotional hold. to recall the charm of old MGM musicals, Sizzleless adaptation of Mona Simpson’s with a love triangle involving a lawyer, a best-seller pales not only next to ALICE cabaret singer, and a fledgling songwriter. DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE and Clearly a heartfelt, loving salute to those MEN DON’T LEAVE, but to the low’50s films, but some souffle´s just fall flat, budget indie TUMBLEWEEDS. Super 35. despite the presence of Kitt. It shows just [PG-13]▼쩠 how skillful those old moviemakers were in Any Which Way You Can (1980) C-116m. making what they did seem effortless. Cary ★★1 ⁄2 D: Buddy Van Horn. Clint Eastwood, cowrote this with his leading lady. Aka Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, William STANDARD TIME. [PG-13]▼쩠 Smith, Harry Guardino, Ruth Gordon, Glen Anything Else (2003) C-108m. BOMB D: Campbell, Anne Ramsey, Logan Ramsey, Woody Allen. Woody Allen, Jason Biggs, Barry Corbin, James Gammon. This sequel Christina Ricci, Danny DeVito, Stockard to EVERY WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE is Channing, KaDee Strickland, Jimmy Falfunnier, if no more intelligent. Clint’s clilon, William Hill, Fisher Stevens, Diana mactic bare-fisted fight with Smith is a Krall. Acerbic schoolteacher and would-be highlight, but the filmmakers wisely gave comedy writer Allen is mentor and advisor most of the laughs to the star’s orangutan to a young man who’s caught in an unfathfriend, Clyde. [PG]▼●쩠 omable relationship with the most obnoxAnzio (1968-French-Italian-Spanish) Cious woman on earth (Ricci). Allen passes ★★ D: Edward Dmytryk. Robert 117m. the torch to Biggs, who plays a younger Mitchum, Peter Falk, Robert Ryan, Earl version of Woody’s archetypal character. Holliman, Mark Damon, Arthur Kennedy, The filmmaker’s all-time worst movie; you Reni Santoni, Patrick Magee. Undistinknow you’re in trouble when it opens with guished retelling of Allied invasion of AnWoody telling a couple of old jokes and zio; all-star cast, large-scale action, but even they aren’t funny. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 nothing memorable. Aka THE BATTLE Anything for Love SEE: 11 HarrowFOR ANZIO. Panavision. [M/PG]▼쩠 house Apache (1954) C-91m. ★★ D: Robert AlAnything Goes (1936) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis drich. Burt Lancaster, Jean Peters, John Milestone. Bing Crosby, Ethel Merman, McIntire, Charles (Bronson) Buchinsky. Charlie Ruggles, Ida Lupino, Grace BradPacifist Indian (Lancaster) learns might ley, Arthur Treacher. Pleasant Crosby makes right from U.S. cavalry; turns to shipboard musical retains Merman from fighting one man crusade for his tribe’s the cast of the Broadway show, but scutrights. Overacted and improbable (though tles much of the plot and most of Cole based on fact).▼●쩠 Porter’s songs (except ‘‘You’re the Top’’ Apache Massacre SEE: Cry for Me, Billy and ‘‘I Get a Kick Out of You’’). Remade Apache Rifles (1964) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: (again with Bing) in 1956. William Witney. Audie Murphy, Michael Anything Goes (1956) C-106m. ★★ D: Dante, Linda Lawson, John Archer, J. Pat Robert Lewis. Bing Crosby, Jeanmaire, O’Malley. Audie is stalwart cavalry capDonald O’Connor, Mitzi Gaynor, Phil Hartain assigned to corral renegading Apaches. ris, Kurt Kasznar. Flat musical involving Stock footage and plot mar potentials of show business partners Crosby and O’Conactioner.▼ nor each signing a performer for the leadApache Uprising (1966) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: ing role in their next show. Sidney ShelR. G. Springsteen. Rory Calhoun, Corinne don’s script bears little resemblance to the Calvet, John Russell, Lon Chaney (Jr.), original Broadway show, though some Cole Gene Evans, Richard Arlen, Arthur HunniPorter songs remain. Crosby fared better cutt, DeForest Kelley, Johnny Mack Brown, in the 1936 film. VistaVision.쩠 Jean Parker, Don ‘‘Red’’ Barry. No producAny Wednesday (1966) C-109m. ★★★ D: tion values, but cast of familiar names may Robert Ellis Miller. Jane Fonda, Jason make it possible for some to sit through Robards, Dean Jones, Rosemary Murphy. standard Western where Rory fights both Bedroom farce of N.Y.C. executive using Indians and outlaws. Techniscope. ▼● his mistress’ apartment for business deAparajito (1956-Indian) 108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: [ 53 ]

Satyajit Ray. Pinaki Sen Gupta, Smaran Harrison Ford, Scott Glenn, Tom Mason, Ghosal, Karuna Banerji, Kanu Banerji, Colleen Camp. Coppola’s controversial VietRamani Sen Gupta. The second of Ray’s nam war epic, based on Joseph Conrad’s Apu trilogy is a moving, beautifully filmed Heart of Darkness. Special agent Sheen jourstory of life and death in a poor Indian neys upriver into Cambodia with orders to family, with the son, Apu (Ghosal), trekfind and kill errant officer Brando, leading king off to college in Calcutta. Aka THE him (and viewer) on a mesmerizing odyssey UNVANQUISHED.▼쩠 of turbulent, often surreal encounters. UnforApartment, The (1960) 125m. ★★★★ D: tunately, film’s conclusion—when he does Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon, Shirley Macfind Brando—is cerebral and murky. Still, a Laine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston, great movie experience most of the way, with Jack Kruschen, Edie Adams, David Lewis, staggering, Oscar-winning photography by Joan Shawlee. Superb comedy-drama that Vittorio Storaro. Reissued and revised in manages to embrace both sentiment and 2001. The documentary HEARTS OF cynicism. Lemmon attempts to climb corDARKNESS: A FILMMAKER’S APOCAporate ladder by loaning his apartment key LYPSE chronicles the film’s production. to various executives for their extramarital Technovision. [R]▼●쩠 trysts, but it backfires when he falls for Apocalypse Now Redux (2001) C-197m. ★★★1⁄2 Francis Coppola reedited his 1979 his boss’s latest girlfriend. Fine performances all around, including MacMurray film and put back in footage he’d cut at the as an uncharacteristic heel. Oscar winner time, including a major sequence set at a for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay plantation (featuring Christian Marquand). (Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond), Editing This is now the ‘‘official’’ version of his still-powerful film. Technovision. [R] ▼쩠 (Daniel Mandell), Art Direction-Set Decoration (Alexander Trauner, Edward G. Apocalypto (2006) C-139m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mel Boyle). Later a Broadway musical, PromGibson. Rudy Youngblood, Dalia Hernanises, Promises. Panavision. ▼●쩠 dez, Raoul Trujillo, Jonathan Brewer, MorApartment for Peggy (1948) C-99m. ★★★ ris Birdyellowhead, Carlos Emilio Baez. D: George Seaton. Jeanne Crain, William It’s the early 16th century, Mayan culture is Holden, Edmund Gwenn, Gene Lockhart. in decline, and hero Jaguar Paw (a terrific Breezy story of newlyweds trying to live Youngblood) gets it from all directions on college campus; old pros Gwenn and from a rival raiding party. With his family Lockhart steal film from young lovers. imperiled and father assaulted, he’s abApartment Zero (1988-British) C-124m. ducted to the city for intended slave labor. ★★★ D: Martin Donovan. Colin Firth, Hart What follows is a huff-and-puff sprinter’s Bochner, Dora Bryan, Liz Smith, Fabrizio marathon and transparent throwback to CorBentivoglio. Odd, intriguing psychologinel Wilde’s THE NAKED PREY (to say cal drama with political, moral, and sexual nothing of THE MOST DANGEROUS overtones. Fastidious film buff Firth’s life GAME). Bolstered by today’s state-of-theis profoundly altered when he takes in art camerawork and sound technology, it’s freewheeling—and mysterious—Bochner as visceral and exciting despite a tendency to a boarder. Not for all tastes but extremely go over the top. Thanks to cutaways at cruwell acted and definitely worth a look. Set cial times, it’s not always as violent as adin Buenos Aires; scripted by Donovan and vertised or feared—but it’s still pretty David Koepp. Shortened by 8m. for video potent. Gibson coproduced and cowrote with Farhad Safinia. HD Widescreen. [R]쩠 by director; the full version is available on DVD. [R]▼●쩠 Apollo 13 (1995) C-139m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ron Ape, The (1940) 62m. ★★ D: William Howard. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Nigh. Boris Karloff, Maris Wrixon, GerBacon, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, Kathleen trude W. Hoffman, Henry Hall. LowQuinlan, Miko Hughes, David Andrews, budget shocker with mad doctor Karloff Chris Ellis, Joe Spano, Xander Berkeley, donning pelt of slain circus ape so he can kill Marc McClure, Tracy Reiner, Brett Cullen; his neighbors for their spinal fluid.▼쩠 opening narration by Walter Cronkite. ExApe Man, The (1943) 64m. ★★ D: Wilhilarating story of ill-fated Apollo 13 moon liam Beaudine. Bela Lugosi, Louise Currie, mission, and how the heroic work of astroWallace Ford, Henry Hall, Minerva Urecal. naut Jim Lovell and his crew, combined Minor horror effort with Lugosi and cast with the dogged persistence of the NASA overacting in story of scientist becoming team in Houston, averted tragedy. A rare part ape, embarking on murder spree (acinstance where special effects actually serve companied by an ape). Followed by nonthe story and help make it completely credisequel, RETURN OF THE APE MAN.▼쩠 ble; perfect 1970s period detail is another Apocalypse Now (1979) C-153m. ★★★1⁄2 asset. Screenplay by William Broyles, Jr., D: Francis Coppola. Marlon Brando, Roband Al Reinert, from the book Lost Moon ert Duvall, Martin Sheen, Frederic Forby Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger. Director rest, Albert Hall, Sam Bottoms, Larry Howard’s brother Clint has a good role as Fishburne, Dennis Hopper, G. D. Spradlin, one of the Houston eggheads; father, Rance, [ 54 ]

plays a priest; and mother, Jean, is a treat as Jim Lovell’s mom. The real Lovell appears as an officer on the aircraft carrier in the final sequence. Winner of Oscars for Film Editing and Sound. Edited to 116m. for its 2002 release in IMAX. Super 35. [PG]

songwriting contest is sabotaged by devilish Mr. Boogalow. As bad as it sounds—maybe worse—but now celebrated for its awfulness. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Apple Dumpling Gang, The (1975) C100m. ★★ D: Norman Tokar. Bill Bixby, Susan Clark, Don Knotts, Tim Conway, ▼●쩠 ★★★ Apostle, The (1997) C-134m. David Wayne, Slim Pickens, Harry MorD: Robert Duvall. Robert Duvall, Farrah Fawcett, gan. Disney Western comedy with gamMiranda Richardson, Billy Bob Thornton, bler Bixby inheriting three children. PreJune Carter Cash, Todd Allen, John Beasley, dictable doings sparked by Knotts and Conway as bumbling crooks. [G]▼●쩠 Billy Joe Shaver. Duvall—in an obvious labor of love as writer, director, producer, and Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again, The (1979) C-88m. ★★ D: Vincent McEveety. star—is superb as a womanizing Pentecostal minister who is forced to leave his Texas Tim Conway, Don Knotts, Tim Matheson, home (and church) after committing a violent Kenneth Mars, Elyssa Davalos, Jack Elam, act. Fascinating study of a wayward man’s Robert Pine, Harry Morgan, Ruth Buzzi. journey to understand his life, and the many More of the same, with Knotts and Conway people who help him find his way. Wonderas bumbling outlaws in the Old West; ful small-town Southern atmosphere. Lags usual Disney slapstick, without much zip a bit, but the performances by Duvall and or originality. [G]▼쩠 his supporting cast make up for it. James Applegates, The SEE: Meet the Applegates Gammon appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Appointment, The (1969) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 Appaloosa, The (1966) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Sidney Lumet. Omar Sharif, Anouk Sidney J. Furie. Marlon Brando, Anjanette Aime´e, Lotte Lenya. Brilliant attorney falls Comer, John Saxon, Alex Montoya, Frank in love with a girl who eventually ruins Silvera. Brooding Western set in 1870s him. Soapy and long. [R] with Brando trying to recover horse stolen Appointment for Love (1941) 89m. ★★1⁄2 from him by Mexican bandit; slowly paced, D: William Seiter. Charles Boyer, Margawell photographed by Russell Metty. ret Sullavan, Rita Johnson, Reginald Denny, Techniscope. ▼●쩠 Ruth Terry, Eugene Pallette. Frothy comAppaloosa (2008) C-115m. ★★ D: Ed Haredy showcasing delightful stars: husband ris. Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris, Rene´e and wife with careers find happy marriage Zellweger, Jeremy Irons, Timothy Spall, almost impossible. Lance Henriksen, James Gammon, Tom Appointment in Berlin (1943) 77m. ★★1⁄2 Bower, Ariadna Gil, Rex Linn. Western D: Alfred E. Green. George Sanders, Martown under the thumb of a despotic ranch guerite Chapman, Onslow Stevens, Gale owner (Irons) brings in a hired gun (Harris) Sondergaard, Alan Napier. Another WW2 and his partner (Mortensen) to straighten intrigue film, better than most, with Sanders things out—which they will only do on their joining Nazi radio staff to learn secret plans. own terms. Fairly simple story (from a Appointment in Honduras (1953) C-75m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jacques Tourneur. Ann Sheridan, novel by Robert B. Parker) takes an awfully long time to spin out. Harris and Mortensen Glenn Ford, Zachary Scott, Jack Elam. make a great team, and their friendship is Idealistic American (Ford) out to save Latinthe most interesting aspect of this longAmerican country, corrals villainous comwinded film. Harris coscripted and sings a panions into helping crusade. Sheridan is Western song he cowrote over the closing not focal point, and a pity.▼쩠 credits . . . and that’s his father Bob playing Appointment With Danger (1951) 89m. ★★★ the judge. Panavision. [R]쩠 D: Lewis Allen. Alan Ladd, Phyllis Applause (1929) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D. Rouben Calvert, Paul Stewart, Jan Sterling, Jack Mamoulian. Helen Morgan, Joan Peers, Webb, Harry Morgan. Ladd is a U.S. Fuller Mellish, Jr., Henry Wadsworth, Dorpostal inspector aided by nun Calvert in othy Cumming. Revolutionary early talkie cracking a case. Forget that part of the may seem awfully hokey to modern audistory; Webb and Morgan are the villains ences (Morgan plays a fading burlesque here, and Dragnet fans will be extremely queen with a two-timing boyfriend and an amused. Best bit: Ladd ‘‘dropping’’ Webb innocent young daughter just out of a conon a handball court. vent), but Morgan’s heart-rending perforAppointment With Death (1988) C-108m. ★1 mance, and innovative use of camera and ⁄2 D: Michael Winner. Peter Ustinov, sound by Mamoulian (in his film directing Lauren Bacall, Carrie Fisher, John Gielgud, Piper Laurie, Hayley Mills, Jenny Seagrove, debut), make it a must for buffs.▼쩠 Apple, The (1980) C-90m. BOMB D: David Soul. Ustinov returns yet again as Menahem Golan. Catherine Mary Stewart, Agatha Christie’s detective Hercule Poirot Allan Love, George Gilmour, Grace Kenin this obvious, depressingly unsuspenseful nedy, Joss Ackland. Futuristic musical set mystery. It seems that greedy Laurie wants in 1994, when a young couple’s entry in her late husband’s money all for herself. How [ 55 ]

soon will she be murdered? And how soon will Poirot name her killer? Another loser from Winner; scripted by Anthony Shaffer, Peter Buckman, and the director. [PG]▼● Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz, The (1974-Canadian) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ted Kotcheff. Richard Dreyfuss, Micheline Lanctot, Jack Warden, Randy Quaid, Joseph Wiseman, Denholm Elliott, Joe Silver. Mordecai Richler’s vivid comedy-drama of an ambitious kid from Montreal’s Jewish ghetto in the 1940s, determined to make good no matter how many toes he steps on. Pretentious bar mitzvah movie made by Duddy’s ‘‘client,’’ artsy director Elliott, is just one comic highlight. Panavision. [PG]▼ Apprentice to Murder (1988) C-94m. ★★ D: R. L. Thomas. Donald Sutherland, Chad Lowe, Mia Sara, Knut Husebo, Rutanya Alda. Odd, affected, fact-based account of a practitioner of medieval medicine (Sutherland, in a disappointing performance), and his complex relationship with young Lowe. Filmed in Norway. [PG-13]▼● Apre`s Vous . . . (2003-French) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pierre Salvadori. Daniel Auteuil, Jose´ Garcia, Sandrine Kiberlain, Marilyne Canto, Miche`le Moretti, Garance Clavel, Fabio Zenoni. Agreeable French comedy about a good-hearted maitre d’ who comes across a suicidal man one night and agrees to help him turn his life around by getting him a job as a wine steward in his restaurant. Of course, this act of kindness causes all sorts of complications in the lives of both men, but the farcical nature of the story is never overplayed. Auteuil is the perfect foil to Garcia, who is a total delight to watch. A minor but entertaining comedy. [R]쩠 April Fools, The (1969) C-95m. ★★ D: Stuart Rosenberg. Jack Lemmon, Catherine Deneuve, Peter Lawford, Harvey Korman, Sally Kellerman, Myrna Loy, Charles Boyer, Melinda Dillon, Kenneth Mars, Jack Weston, David Doyle. Attempt at old-fashioned romantic comedy is forced, unbelievable, unfunny. Lemmon is married businessman who decides to chuck it all to run away with Deneuve, who’s wasted, along with Loy and Boyer. Panavision. [M/PG]▼ April Fool’s Day (1986) C-88m. ★★ D: Fred Walton. Deborah Foreman, Griffin O’Neal, Clayton Rohner, Thomas F. Wilson, Deborah Goodrich. Practical joker (Foreman) invites college pals to spend a weekend in her family’s mansion on an off-coast island; one by one they’re threatened and killed. Attempt to bring humor to FRIDAY THE 13TH formula isn’t a total washout but doesn’t quite click, either. Remade for DVD in 2008. Panavision. [R]

David Butler. Doris Day, Ray Bolger, Claude Dauphin, Eve Miller, George Givot, Paul Harvey. Diplomatic corps bureaucrat tries to boost Franco-American relations and falls in love with a showgirl mistakenly chosen to appear in the ‘‘April in Paris’’ show he’s staging. Mediocre Warner Bros. musical buoyed by the personalities of Day and Bolger—who make an unconvincing romantic couple.▼●쩠 April Love (1957) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Henry Levin. Pat Boone, Shirley Jones, Dolores Michaels, Arthur O’Connell, Matt Crowley. Engaging musical with wholesome Boone visiting relatives’ Kentucky farm, falling in love with neighbor Jones. Pat had a hit with the title tune. Previously filmed as HOME IN INDIANA. CinemaScope. April Showers (1948) 94m. ★★ D: James V. Kern. Jack Carson, Ann Sothern, Robert Alda, S. Z. Sakall, Robert Ellis. Hackneyed backstage vaudeville yarn with Carson-Sothern teaming, splitting, reteaming, etc. Apt Pupil (1998) C-111m. ★1⁄2 D: Bryan Singer. Ian McKellen, Brad Renfro, Bruce Davison, Elias Koteas, Joe Morton, Jan Triska, Michael Byrne, Heather McComb, David Schwimmer, Joshua Jackson, James Karen. A student studying the Holocaust becomes overly absorbed in the subject. When he spots an old man on the bus and realizes that he’s a former Nazi war criminal, he cultivates a curious ‘‘friendship’’ with the unrepentant elder. Fascinating premise, from a Stephen King novella, soon grows untenable—and doesn’t know when to quit. Good performances by McKellen and Renfro can’t save this extremely unpleasant film. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Aquamarine (2006) C-103m. ★★ D: Elizabeth Allen. Emma Roberts, Joanna ‘‘JoJo’’ Levesque, Sara Paxton, Jake McDorman, Arielle Kebbel. A mermaid escapes her overbearing father and arrives on land, where she needs to make a man fall in love with her or succumb to an arranged marriage to a merman back home. Meanwhile, her two new human girlfriends have to figure out how to stay together when one of their parents wants to move to another country. They all face the usual ‘‘fish out of water movie’’ calamities, but the infectiously sweet leads keep this from being a total bore. Based on a book by Alice Hoffman. [PG]쩠 Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters (2007) C-79m. BOMB D: Matt Maiellaro, Dave Willis. Voices of Dana Snyder, Dave Willis, Carey Means, Andy Merrill, C. Martin Croker, Chris Kattan, Bruce Campbell, Fred Armisen. Three fastfood icons, Master Shake (a milk-shake cup), Frylock (a large side of French fries), and Meatwad (a stupid meatball), tackle an immortal piece of exercise equipment, the Insanoflex, which threatens the balance of galactic ▼●쩠 April in Paris (1952) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: peace. Feature version of Adult Swim cable [ 56 ]

TV cartoon series is strictly for stoners . . . lor, Henry Jones, Peter Jason, James Handy. and even they may demand a refund. Artless Fear of spiders is taken to extremes in this and unfunny, with a fart joke every ten minslick comic thriller from Steven Spielberg utes. Hanna Barbera’s Space Ghost makes a and Co. Small-town doctor Daniels (who cameo appearance. A complete waste of hates spiders) and family play host to a time. [R]쩠 wayward tropical arachnid that promptly Arabesque (1966) C-105m. ★★★ D: Stansets up web in the barn out back. Essenley Donen. Sophia Loren, Gregory Peck, tially Grade Z movie fodder is socked Alan Badel, Kieron Moore, George Couacross here by a big budget and spirited louris. Modern secret-agent escapism as performances. Directorial debut of longtime Peck is drawn into espionage with Sophia, Spielberg producer Marshall. Not recomwho was never more beautiful. Exciting, mended for anyone who’s ever covered beautifully photographed, minus any mestheir eyes during a movie. [PG-13]▼●쩠 sage or deep thought. Panavision. ▼쩠 Ararat (2002-Canadian-U.S.) C-126m. ★★1 Arabian Adventure, An (1979-British) C⁄2 D: Atom Egoyan. Bruce Greenwood, 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Connor. Christopher Arsine´e Khanjian, Christopher Plummer, Elias Lee, Milo O’Shea, Puneet Sira, Oliver Tobias, Koteas, Charles Aznavour, Brent Carver, Emma Samms, Peter Cushing, Mickey David Alpay, Marie-Jose´e Croze, Eric BogoRooney, Capucine, John Ratzenberger. Just sian, Simon Abkarian. Movie-within-a-movie what the title says; colorful enough to enterabout Turkey’s 1915 genocide against Armetain kids, with enough effects gimmicks and nia has its moments, and as many subplots. Tocameo performances to intrigue older viewers ronto filmmakers shoot a lame-looking as well. [G] historical epic about the incident, which is conArabian Knight (1995) C-72m. ★★ D: trasted against a modern-day story dealing with Richard Williams. Voices of Vincent Price, sex between step-siblings, a disapproving dad Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals, Eric Bogowith a gay son, and a lengthy incident involvsian, Toni Collette, Jonathan Winters, Bobbi ing a customs agent and a member of the film’s Page, Clive Revill, Kevin Dorsey, Kenneth crew. Heavy breathing, pedantic at times, but Williams. Colorful but disappointing (and ulinteresting and obviously heartfelt, given Egoyan’s Armenian background. [R]▼쩠 timately, boring) yarn of a lowly cobbler who falls in love with a princess and does battle Architect, The (2006) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: with a wily wizard named Zig Zag. Some Matt Tauber. Anthony LaPaglia, Viola Davis, engaging and amusing scenes for kids, with Isabella Rossellini, Hayden Panettiere, Seexceptionally interesting graphics and color bastian Stan, Walton Goggins, Paul James. schemes, but the story is too fragmented to Chicago architect is unaware that the urban really take hold; the songs are instantly forgethousing project he designed years ago is table. This film shows the scars of major pronow a hellhole that one aggrieved mother duction woes; it was begun by Williams in (Davis) wants to tear down . . . or even that 1968(!), then taken out of his hands in the his wife and children aren’t at peace in the early 1990s. Retitled THE THIEF AND THE modern-living space that is their home. COBBLER (the film’s original name while in Each character is in crisis here, and the brief production) for video. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 screenplay (adapted by Tauber from David Arabian Nights (1942) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Greig’s play) introduces more dilemmas John Rawlins. Jon Hall, Maria Montez, than it resolves. Still, strong performances Sabu, Leif Erickson, Turhan Bey, Billy make this worth a look. LaPaglia also coexecutive-produced. [R]쩠 Gilbert, Shemp Howard, John Qualen, Thomas Gomez. Colorful, corny escapist Arch of Triumph (1948) 114m. ★★1⁄2 D: stuff—beautifully mounted in Technicolor— Lewis Milestone. Ingrid Bergman, Charles about a dashing hero, an enslaved SheraBoyer, Charles Laughton, Louis Calhern. zade, and an evil caliph. Shemp also memoSluggish drama of refugee Boyer falling in rable as a retired Sinbad the Sailor. First love with Bergman in WW2 France, based teaming of Montez, Hall, and Sabu. ▼●쩠 on Erich Maria Remarque’s novel. ArchiArabian Nights (1974-Italian-French) Cvally restored to 131m. Remade for TV in 130m. ★★★ D: Pier Paolo Pasolini. Ninetto 1985 with Anthony Hopkins and LesleyDavoli, Ines Pellegrini, Franco Citti, Tessa Anne Down.▼쩠 Bouche, Margarethe Clementi, Franco archy and mehitabel SEE: shinbone alley Merli. Several Thousand and One Nights Arctic Tale (2007) C-96m. ★★ D: Adam tales are framed by the story of slave-girl Ravetch, Sarah Robertson. Narrated by Pellegrini, who becomes ‘‘king’’ of a great Queen Latifah. Quasi-documentary six years city. Dreamlike, exotic; the last and best of in the making follows the parallel stories of a Pasolini’s medieval trilogy. Running time walrus and her calf ‘‘pup’’ and a group of originally 155m.▼●쩠 polar bears as they try to survive in the frozen Arachnophobia (1990) C-109m. ★★★ D: arctic. While the footage itself is impressive, Frank Marshall. Jeff Daniels, Harley Jane the ‘‘story’’ wrapped around it is strictly for Kozak, John Goodman, Julian Sands, Stuart very young kids. With cloying narration by Pankin, Brian McNamara, Mark L. TayQueen Latifah the film is clearly trying to [ 57 ]

emulate the success of a much more honest Aria (1987-British) C-90m. BOMB D: doc, MARCH OF THE PENGUINS. Too Bill Bryden, Nicolas Roeg, Charles Sturbad they didn’t stick to the facts instead of ridge, Jean-Luc Godard, Julien Temple, trying to be BAMBI OF THE NORTH. Bruce Beresford, Robert Altman, Franc [G]쩠 Roddam, Ken Russell, Derek Jarman. John Are Husbands Necessary? (1942) 79m. Hurt, Theresa Russell, Nicola Swain, Jack ★★ D: Norman Taurog. Ray Milland, Betty Kayle, Buck Henry, Anita Morris, Beverly Field, Patricia Morison, Eugene Pallette, D’Angelo, Elizabeth Hurley, Peter Birch, Cecil Kellaway. And what about this film? Julie Hagerty, Genevieve Page, Bridget Arena (1953) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Fonda, Tilda Swinton, Spencer Leigh, Amy Fleischer. Gig Young, Jean Hagen, Polly BerJohnson. Godawful collection of short films, gen, Henry (Harry) Morgan, Barbara Laweach one supposedly inspired by an operatic rence, Lee Aaker, Robert Horton, Lee Van aria. Precious few make sense, or even seem to Cleef. Colorful if utterly predictable story of match the music; some are downright embarrodeo star Young, on the verge of divorce rassing. Roddam’s bittersweet Las Vegas fable from Bergen, falling under the spell of sexy (set to Tristan und Isolde), Beresford’s sweet Lawrence. Morgan is a standout as a onetime and simple rendering of Erich Wolfgang Kornstar reduced to taking a job as rodeo clown. gold’s Die Totestadt are among the better segAction scenes skillfully integrated. Filmed in ments—relatively speaking. A pitiful waste of talent. Fonda’s first film. [R]▼●쩠 Tucson, Arizona. Originally in 3-D. Arena, The (1973) C-83m. ★★ D: Steve Ariel (1988-Finnish) C-74m. ★★★ D: Aki Carver. Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, LuKaurismaki. Turo Pajala, Susanna Haavisto, cretia Love, Paul Muller. Lavish (by Roger Matti Pellonpa¨a¨. Surreal, dryly hilarious Corman standards) spectacle set in an ancient road movie from one of the most talented Rome in which all the gladiators are women. directors to emerge on the international Rather surprisingly pro-feminist point of view, film scene in the late 1980s. The scenario but Grier’s and Markov’s physiques remain chronicles the plight of a mine worker the chief attractions. Retitled NAKED (Pajala) who loses his job and sets out on WARRIORS. Remade in 2001. Technia cross-country odyssey.▼쩠 scope. [R]▼쩠 Arise, My Love (1940) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Are We Done Yet? (2007) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Mitchell Leisen. Claudette Colbert, Ray Steve Carr. Ice Cube, Nia Long, John C. Milland, Walter Abel, Dennis O’Keefe, Dick McGinley, Aleisha Allen, Philip Bolden, JonPurcell. Reporter Colbert rescues flyer Milathan Katz, Linda Kash, Alexander Kalugin, land from a Spanish firing squad in the days Dan Joffre, Pedro Miguel Arce, Tahj Mowry, before WW2 breaks out in Europe. Bright Jacob Vargas. Inevitable sequel to ARE WE stars make Billy Wilder–Charles Brackett THERE YET? is also an official remake of script seem better than it is; Benjamin Glazer the 1948 comedy MR. BLANDINGS and John S. Toldy received Oscars for their BUILDS HIS DREAM HOUSE (complete original story. Aristocats, The (1970) C-78m. ★★★ D: with RKO Radio Pictures logo), but Ice Cube isn’t Cary Grant and this script is Wolfgang Reitherman. Voices of Eva much more bland than BLANDINGS. Gabor, Phil Harris, Sterling Holloway, ScatPremise is basically the same: a man moves man Crothers, Paul Winchell, Lord Tim his growing family out of the crowded city Hudson, Vito Scotti, Thurl Ravenscroft, and into his ‘‘dream house’’ in the suburbs, Nancy Kulp, Pat Buttram, George Lindsey, where everything goes wrong. Endlessly Monica Evans, Carole Shelley. A cat and unfunny slapstick antics may have you her offspring will inherit a fortune from looking at your watch asking the real questheir mistress, which makes them prime tartion: ‘‘Is it over yet?’’ [PG]쩠 gets for her scheming butler, who’ll collect Are We There Yet? (2005) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: the money if they’re out of the picture. Enter Brian Levant. Ice Cube, Nia Long, Jay Thomas O’Malley Cat (voiced by the inimitaMohr, Aleisha Allen, M. C. Gainey, Philip ble Phil Harris) to the rescue. Derivative of Daniel Bolden, Nichelle Nichols. If you earlier Disney animated features but entertainwait long enough, just about anything can ing just the same. [G]▼●쩠 happen, including Ice Cube turning into Aristocrats, The (2005) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fred MacMurray. Actor Cube isn’t the probPaul Provenza. Stand-up comic Provenza lem here, but a stale premise is: the childand Penn Jillette (of Penn & Teller) set out hating owner of a sports memorabilia store to examine a notorious dirty joke that’s betransports two headstrong kids over a long, come a touchstone for comedians of all disaster-prone trip to Vancouver, all to help ages. Comedy aficionados will find this irrehottie-mama Long out of a scheduling jam sistible, as a formidable parade of more than while getting into her good graces. Before one hundred performers (Robin Williams, turning in this box-office success, director LePhyllis Diller, George Carlin, Gilbert Gottvant did PROBLEM CHILD 2 and SNOW fried, Larry Storch, to name just a few) cuts DOGS. Forewarned is forearmed. Followed loose and dissects the appeal of the gag. Not by ARE WE DONE YET? [PG] ▼쩠 surprisingly, some of the older comics get [ 58 ]

some of the biggest laughs . . . including an ley team to save humanity by flying to an unannounced guest at the end of the credits. asteroid and planting a nuclear bomb. After Not recommended for children or anyone a while it becomes so routine, so predicteasily offended.▼쩠 able, and so redundant that all the fun is Arizona (1940) 127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wesley drained away. Unrated director’s cut runs 153m. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Ruggles. Jean Arthur, William Holden, Warren William, Porter Hall, Paul Harvey. Armed and Dangerous (1986) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Mark L. Lester. John Candy, EuLively story of determined woman battling corruption and plundering while trying to setgene Levy, Robert Loggia, Kenneth Mctle in new Arizona territory. Well done, but Millan, Meg Ryan, Brion James, Jonathan seems to go on forever.▼●쩠 Banks, Don Stroud, Steve Railsback. Lame Arizona Bushwhackers (1968) C-86m. comedy sticks talented costars with unap★1 ⁄2 D: Lesley Selander. Howard Keel, pealing script about two bozos who wind Yvonne De Carlo, John Ireland, Mariup working for an armed security comlyn Maxwell, Scott Brady, Brian Donlevy, pany—and tangling with a gangland boss Roy Rogers, Jr., James Craig; narrated by (Loggia, wasted in a stereotype role). Even James Cagney. Confederate spy Keel takes the chase finale is weak. [PG-13]▼●쩠 job as sheriff in Arizona and routs Brady, Armed Response (1986) C-85m. ★★ D: who has been selling weapons to Apaches. Fred Olen Ray. David Carradine, Lee Van Routine Western. Techniscope.▼● Cleef, Mako, Lois Hamilton, Ross Hagen, Arizona Dream (1993-French-U.S.) CBrent Huff, Laurene Landon, Dick Miller, 119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Emir Kusturica. Johnny Michael Berryman. Modest actioner of Depp, Jerry Lewis, Faye Dunaway, Lili Carradine and family becoming involved in a Taylor, Paulina Porizkova, Vincent Gallo, Chinatown war over a stolen jade art object. Michael J. Pollard. Odd but intriguing film Cheapie benefits from a solid cast of both new and old B-movie favorites. [R]▼●쩠 about a young dreamer (Depp) who’s shanghaied into a trip to Arizona, where he Armored Attack SEE: North Star, The catches up with a favorite uncle (Lewis) Armored Command (1961) 99m. ★★ D: who wants him to settle down, and falls Byron Haskin. Howard Keel, Tina Louise, madly in love with an emotionally frail, Warner Anderson, Burt Reynolds. Bland childlike woman (Dunaway). Europeanwar film with stars merely going through their paces.▼ styled film (from the Yugoslav director of WHEN FATHER WAS AWAY ON BUSIArmour of God (1986-Hong Kong) C-94m. ★★1 NESS) boasts exceptionally good perfor⁄2 D: Jackie Chan. Jackie Chan, Rosamances—one of Dunaway’s best in years, mund Kwan, Alan Tam, Lola Forna, Maria one of Lewis’ most impressive—though the Dolores. Jackie plays an Indiana Jones–often pathetic characters wear out their welstyle adventurer who must find legendary come after a while. Filmed in 1991; 142m. suit of armor to rescue his girlfriend from a European version earned a brief U.S. theatcult. Enjoyable film marred by slow spots and rical release in 1995. [R]▼ obviously cheated final stunt. Fight with four Arizona Raiders (1965) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: leather-clad women is a blast. Watch the outWilliam Witney. Audie Murphy, Michael takes at the end to see the mishap that nearly Dante, Ben Cooper, Buster Crabbe, Gloria killed Chan. Followed by a sequel.▼쩠 Talbott. Murphy is Confederate army officer Armour of God 2: Operation Condor heading Arizona rangers after Civil War, bat(1991-Hong Kong) C-112m. ★★★ D: Jackie tling Quantrill’s raiders. Techniscope. ▼쩠 Chan. Jackie Chan, Carol (Dodo) Cheng, ★★ Arlington Road (1999) C-119m. D: Eva Cobo deGarcia, Ikeda Shoko, Aldo Mark Pellington. Jeff Bridges, Tim RobSanchez, Ken Lo. Lavish adventure epic bins, Joan Cusack, Hope Davis, Robert sends Chan off to Europe and Africa in Gossett, Spencer Treat Clark, Mason Gamsearch of huge Nazi gold cache, with three ble. Labored conspiracy thriller about a hisfemale companions in tow. Crackerjack tory professor (Bridges) haunted by his comedy-adventure filled with great fights, wife’s death, who becomes suspicious of stunts, and slapstick; final battle in a wind his new neighbor (Robbins) and starts intunnel is a knockout. One of Jackie’s best. vestigating his curious past. Obvious and Recut, dubbed, and trimmed to 89m. for overdone. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 1997 U.S. release as OPERATION CONArmageddon (1998) C-151m. ★★ D: MiDOR—which isn’t as good as the original. Technovision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 chael Bay. Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Liv Tyler, Ben Affleck, Will Patton, Army of Darkness (1993) C-81m. ★★ D: Peter Stormare, Keith David, Steve BusSam Raimi. Bruce Campbell, Embeth Dacemi, Owen Wilson, William Fichtner, Udo vidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, RichKier, Michael (Clarke) Duncan; narrated by ard Grove, Michael Earl Reid, Timothy Patrick Charlton Heston. Opens with a bang, and Quill, Bridget Fonda, Patricia Tallman, Theosets up an exciting (if improbable) story dore Raimi, Ivan Raimi. Mark Twain’s Conabout NASA and the U.S. government turnnecticut Yankee is crossed here with Bob Vila, ing to a veteran oil-well driller and his motas a hardware store employee is transported [ 59 ]

back (with his ’73 Olds and a chainsaw) to Ce´cile de France, Jim Broadbent, Ewen King Arthur’s 14th-century turf. Chiseled-grin Bremner, Ian McNeice, Karen Joy Morris Campbell’s comic book features serve this (Mok), Mark Addy, Will Forte, John Cleese, movie well, as do a few witty bits and an army Macy Gray, Sammo Hung, Rob Schneider, of skeletons obviously inspired by JASON Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Kathy Bates, AND THE ARGONAUTS. Doldrums set in Arnold Schwarzenegger. Absentminded Vicwhen nifty special effects and verbal extorian inventor Phileas Fogg embarks on a changes are out grabbing a smoke. Campbell global journey with a fugitive from justice also coproduced. Third in the EVIL DEAD (Chan) as his valet. Stumblebum remake of series. Director’s cut runs 96m. [R]▼●쩠 the Jules Verne saga is devoid of wit, and Army of Shadows (1969-French-Italian) Cwith so many CG effects shows no evidence 145m. ★★★ D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Lino Venof globetrotting in spite of having used several tura, Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Jeaninternational locations. The 1956 movie had Pierre Cassel, Claude Mann, Paul Crauchet, cameos by the likes of Sinatra and Dietrich; Christian Barbier, Serge Reggiani. Vivid pethis one gives us Schwarzenegger in a funny wig. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 riod piece about the exploits of French Resistance agent Philippe Gerbier (Ventura) and Around the World in 80 Ways (1986the work he and his cohorts accomplish durAustralian) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen Macing WW2. Episodic but compelling, all the Lean. Philip Quast, Allan Penney, Diana more so for Melville’s matter-of-fact presenDavidson, Kelly Dingwall, Gosia Dobrotation of extraordinary feats. Signoret is feawolska. Off-center Aussie farce about two tured as an especially ingenious and dedicated brothers who contrive to spring their aging Parisian comrade. Based on Joseph Kessel’s dad from his stultifying rest home and take 1943 book, adapted by the director, who in him on an imaginary trip around the world. real life worked for the Resistance.쩠 Wacky, and more than a bit crude at times, but likable throughout. [R]▼● Arnold (1973) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Georg Fenady. Stella Stevens, Roddy McDowall, Around the World Under the Sea (1966) Elsa Lanchester, Shani Wallis, Farley C-117m. ★★ D: Andrew Marton. Lloyd Granger, Victor Buono, John McGiver, Bridges, Shirley Eaton, David McCallum, Patric Knowles. Bizarre horror comedy Brian Kelly, Keenan Wynn, Marshall Thompfeatures novel deaths and offbeat humor, son. Several TV personalities appear in this centering around luscious Stevens’ marundistinguished underwater tour about testing riage to corpse Norman Stuart. [PG]▼ earthquake warnings. Panavision. ▼ Around the Bend (2004) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arousers, The (1970) C-90m. ★★★ D: Jordan Roberts. Christopher Walken, MiCurtis Hanson. Tab Hunter, Nadyne Turney, chael Caine, Josh Lucas, Glenne Headly, Roberta Collins, Isabel Jewell. Little-known, Jonah Bobo. Amiable-enough film about a case-history B movie with topnotch performman, separated from his wife, who takes ance by Hunter as lonely Venice, California, care of his young son and his aged, eccenpsychopath who can’t make love to women, tric grandfather when suddenly his own dad so he ends up killing them. Unsung thriller (who walked out when the boy was two) packs a wallop; worth searching out. Originshows up on his doorstep. Culminates in a ally released as SWEET KILL; aka A KISS road trip through the Southwest. GeneraFROM EDDIE.▼ tional story of forgiveness covers familiar Arrangement, The (1969) C-120m. BOMB emotional turf, but watching Walken is a D: Elia Kazan. Kirk Douglas, Faye Dunaway, treat. Written by the director. [R] ▼쩠 Deborah Kerr, Richard Boone, Hume CroAround the World in Eighty Days (1956) nyn. Muddled, unpleasant film from Kazan’s C-167m. ★★★ D: Michael Anderson. David own novel about man fed up with Madison Niven, Cantinflas, Shirley MacLaine, RobAvenue rat race who suddenly goes berserk, ert Newton, Buster Keaton, Jose Greco, reevaluates his life, family, surroundings. John Gielgud, Robert Morley, Marlene DieGood cast down the drain; Kerr’s role is partrich, all-star cast. Oscar-winning favorite ticularly demeaning. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 has lost much of its charm over the years, Arrival, The (1996) C-109m. ★★★ D: David but even so, Mike Todd’s version of the Twohy. Charlie Sheen, Ron Silver, Lindsay Jules Verne tale offers plenty of entertainCrouse, Teri Polo, Richard Schiff, Tony T. ment, and more than 40 cameo appearances Johnson, Leon Rippy, Buddy Joe Hooker. offer plenty of star-gazing for buffs. Great Radio astronomer is fired when he tells his Victor Young score was also an Oscar winboss that he’s picked up signals proving ner, as was the screenplay (James Poe, John there’s intelligent life in space. Then he learns Farrow, S. J. Perelman), cinematography (Lithat the aliens are already here and up to no onel Lindon), and editing (Gene Ruggiero, good. Clever, intelligent sci-fi thriller of the Paul Weatherwax). Remade in 1989 (as a TV old school, with many bright ideas; suffers from flaccid pacing in the last third but reminiseries) and in 2004. Todd-AO. ▼●쩠 Around the World in 80 Days (2004mains fun throughout. Written by the director. British-Irish-German) C-119m. ★1⁄2 D: Followed by a video sequel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Frank Coraci. Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, Arrivederci, Baby! (1966) C-105m. ★1⁄2 [ 60 ]

D: Ken Hughes. Tony Curtis, Rosanna aretti, Emmannuelle Devos, Frederic Pierrot, Schiaffino, Lionel Jeffries, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Yahn Tregouet. Biopic of one of the earliest Nancy Kwan. Comic theme about Bluebeard women painters in history, 17th-century Italtype who murders his wives for their money ian Artemisia Gentileschi. Her desire to exhas been handled more successfully by others. press herself is tempered by her relationships Not very funny. Panavision. ▼ with two strong men: her loving but rigid Arrowhead (1953) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: father (Serrault) and her mentor (Manojlovic), Charles Marquis Warren. Charlton Heston, whose seduction and rape of his prote´ge´e Jack Palance, Katy Jurado, Brian Keith, leads to a notorious trial. An accomplished Milburn Stone. Well-paced account of cavif uninspired depiction of this historical alry scout Heston, who despises Indians, figure, whose fate is still debated by scholars and feminists. [R]▼●쩠 and his response when Apaches return to their reservation and Apache chief Palance Arthur (1981) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Steve Gorarrives on the scene. Watch this, and you don. Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, John Gielwill understand why Native Americans gud, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jill Eikenberry, have lambasted the manner in which they Stephen Elliott, Ted Ross, Barney Martin. have been depicted by Hollywood. Keith’s Winning 1930s-style comedy, written by firstfirst film appearance since his screen debut timer Gordon, who died the following year. in 1924, at age three.▼●쩠 Spoiled millionaire must choose between conArrowsmith (1931) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: John tinued wealth (in a planned marriage) and true Ford. Ronald Colman, Helen Hayes, Richard love (with working-class waitress Minnelli). Bennett, A. E. Anson, Claude King, Russell More genuine laughs than most recent comeHopton, Myrna Loy, Beulah Bondi, John dies put together, and a memorable, OscarQualen. Seriously flawed and illogical adaptawinning performance by Gielgud as a protection of Sinclair Lewis’ novel about a dedicated tive, acid-tongued valet; title song ‘‘Arthur’s young research doctor who spends most of his Theme (Best That You Can Do)’’ also earned life facing the temptation of selling out. Worth a statuette. Followed by ARTHUR 2: ON THE ROCKS. [PG]▼●쩠 seeing for some fine performances and stirring moments. Screenplay by Sidney Howard Arthur 2: On the Rocks (1988) C-110m. ★★ (who fared better with Lewis’ Dodsworth). D: Bud Yorkin. Dudley Moore, Liza Originally 110m.; cut to 101m. for reissue, Minnelli, John Gielgud, Geraldine Fitzrestored in recent years to 99m.▼●쩠 gerald, Stephen Elliott, Paul Benedict, CynArruza (1972) C-75m. ★★1⁄2 D: Budd thia Sikes, Kathy Bates, Jack Gilford, Ted Boetticher. Narrated by Anthony Quinn. InRoss, Daniel Greene. Arthur goes broke teresting documentary, many years in proand his wife wants to adopt a baby. The duction, about bullfighter Carlos Arruza. cast tries, and there are scattered laughs, but Well made, but the impact is nowhere near this schmaltzy sequel (executive produced that of Boetticher’s own fictional BULLby Moore) is a disappointment. Gielgud FIGHTER AND THE LADY. [M/PG]▼ ‘‘appears’’ briefly as a ghost. That’s Dud★★★ D: Jack Arsene Lupin (1932) 84m. ley’s then-wife, Brogan Lane, as Liza’s Conway. John Barrymore, Lionel Barryhash-slinging colleague. [PG]▼●쩠 more, Karen Morley, John Miljan, Henry Arthur and the Invisibles (2006-French) Armetta, Tully Marshall. Ripe detective C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Luc Besson. Freddie Highyarn set in Paris: John is a gentleman, more, Mia Farrow, Penny Balfour, Doug Lionel a detective, Morley a mystery Rand, Adam LeFevre; voices of Madonna, woman. Which one is the title jewel thief? Jimmy Fallon, Robert De Niro, Harvey KeiJohn and Lionel B. make a marvelous tel, Chazz Palminteri, Emilio Estevez, Snoop team in their first film together. Dogg, Anthony Anderson, Jason Bateman, Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) 118m. ★★★1⁄2 David Bowie. Ten-year-old Arthur (HighD: Frank Capra. Cary Grant, Priscilla Lane, more) enters a fantasy world to find a hidden Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Jack Cartreasure. Rambling, confusing blend of liveson, Josephine Hull, Jean Adair, James action and below-par computer-generated aniGleason, Grant Mitchell, John Alexander, mation. All-star cast of English-speaking Edward Everett Horton. Hilarious adaptation actors dubbed the original French dialogue of Joseph Kesselring’s hit play (scripted by in the animated sequences. Besson cothe Epstein Brothers) about two seemingly scripted, based on his children’s book. harmless old ladies who poison lonely genSuper 35. [PG]쩠 tleman callers. Frantic cast is excellent, esArticle 99 (1992) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Howard pecially Lorre and Massey as unsuspecting Deutch. Ray Liotta, Kiefer Sutherland, murderers holed up in Brooklyn household. Forest Whitaker, Lea Thompson, John C. Made in 1941. Hull, Adair, and Alexander McGinley, John Mahoney, Keith David, repeat their Broadway roles. Also shown in Kathy Baker, Eli Wallach, Noble Willingham, Julie Bovasso, Troy Evans, Lynne computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Artemisia (1997-French-Italian-German) CThigpen, Jeffrey Tambor, Rutanya Alda. 96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Agne`s Merlet. Valentina Cervi, Heartfelt but disappointingly one-dimenMichel Serrault, Miki Manojlovic, Luca Zingsional, ‘‘lighthearted’’ expose´ of Veterans’ [ 61 ]

Administration hospital abuse, focusing on Spano is intent on escaping. Based on a true story. Panavision. [PG]▼ spunky surgeon Liotta and his compatriots, who try to thwart the bureaucracy; As Good As It Gets (1997) C-138m. ★★★1⁄2 Sutherland is the new doc on the block. D: James L. Brooks. Jack Nicholson, Helen Hijinks are more reminiscent of DOCTOR Hunt, Greg Kinnear, Cuba Gooding, Jr., IN THE HOUSE than THE HOSPITAL— Skeet Ulrich, Shirley Knight, Yeardley Smith, Lupe Ontiveros, Bibi Osterwald, and that’s the problem. [R]▼●쩠 Artie Lange’s Beer League SEE: Beer Randall Batinkoff, Brian Doyle-Murray. League Professional malcontent (and full-time phoArtists and Models (1955) C-109m. ★★★ bic) Nicholson is unavoidably drawn into D: Frank Tashlin. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, the lives of his favorite waitress and his gay Shirley MacLaine, Dorothy Malone, Eva next-door neighbor. Gradually, and against Gabor, Anita Ekberg. Cartoonist Martin his own judgment, he begins to show signs uses Lewis’s far-out dreams as inspiration of humanity. Wonderful comedy-drama for his comic strips in this deliciously garish (written by Mark L. Andrus and Brooks) Technicolor outing. VistaVision. ▼●쩠 takes the viewer on an emotional journey, Art of Love, The (1965) C-99m. ★★ D: with laughs and tears along the way. Both Norman Jewison. James Garner, Dick Van Nicholson and Hunt won Oscars for their Dyke, Elke Sommer, Angie Dickinson, Ethel roles. Writer-directors Harold Ramis, LawMerman, Carl Reiner. Ordinary comedy set in rence Kasdan, Shane Black, and Todd SoFrance, with a bemused cast headed by Van londz all have small roles. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Dyke as a struggling artist who fakes death to Ashanti (1979) C-117m. ★★ D: Richard increase the value of his work. Sommer is Fleischer. Michael Caine, Peter Ustinov, his virtuous girl, boisterous Merman a local Beverly Johnson, Kabir Bedi, Omar Sharif, madam with a yen for singing. Rex Harrison, William Holden. Beautiful Art of War, The (2000) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: wife Johnson of missionary-doctor Caine is Christian Duguay. Wesley Snipes, Anne Arkidnapped by slave trader Ustinov, prompting cher, Maury Chaykin, Marie Matiko, Caryhot pursuit through the mideast. Tepid advenHiroyuki Tagawa, Michael Biehn, Donald ture yarn, despite great cast and promising Sutherland, James Hong. Unexceptional acstory elements. Aka ASHANTI: LAND OF tion thriller. Snipes is a secret agent for the NO MERCY. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 U.N. who’s framed for an assassination, so he Ashes and Diamonds (1958-Polish) 96m. ★★★1 tries to unsnarl a tangled plot centering on ⁄2 D: Andrzej Wajda. Zbigniew CyChinese trade negotiations. Hong Kong–style bulski, Ewa Krzyzanowska, Adam Pawlifights and good cinematography (by Pierre kowski, Bogumil Kobiela, Waclaw ZastrzGill) help, but you’ve seen it all before. Title ezynski. Stark, intelligent, perceptive acderives from Sun-Tzu’s 2,500-year-old treacount of the Resistance movement in Potise on war. Followed by a DVD sequel. land during the closing days of WW2. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Cybulski, the Polish James Dean, came Art School Confidential (2006) C-102m. into his own with his portrayal of a ★★★ D: Terry Zwigoff. Max Minghella, Soyoung Resistance fighter. The last of phia Myles, John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Wajda’s War trilogy, following A GENAnjelica Huston, Matt Keeslar, Ethan Suplee, ERATION and KANAL.▼●쩠 Katherine Moennig, Dick Bakalyan. FreshAsh Wednesday (1973) C-99m. BOMB man at an arts college wants desperately to be D: Larry Peerce. Elizabeth Taylor, Henry accepted, if not applauded, but no one will Fonda, Helmut Berger, Keith Baxter, Martake his drawings or paintings seriously— garet Blye. Liz undergoes a facelift to while charlatans and showoffs thrive. More regain her youth, but she still looks older than anything he wants to impress a beautiful than Fonda. Sit through this one and you’ll need surgery on your posterior. [R]▼ girl who models for his class. As darkly comic as GHOST WORLD (from the same director Ash Wednesday (2002) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Edand writer, graphic novelist and comic book ward Burns. Edward Burns, Elijah Wood, Roartist Daniel Clowes) but more human; we sario Dawson, Oliver Platt, Pat McNamara, feel this young man’s pain. Malkovich coproJames Handy, Michael Mulheren, Malachy duced. Steve Buscemi and Michael Lerner apMcCourt, Julie Hale. Writer-director-star pear unbilled. [R]쩠 Burns tackles grimmer material than usual Ascent, The (1994) C-96m. ★★ D: Donald in this story of two brothers who reluctantly Shebib. Vincent Spano, Ben Cross, Tony get mixed up with gangsters in early 1980s Lo Bianco, Rachel Ward, Mark Ingall, John N.Y.C. Burns is good as the older sibling, De Veillers. Beautiful scenery cannot save but Wood fails to convince us that he is this unexceptional WW2 drama, set in a from the same family. Uninvolving story POW camp where Italian prisoners challooks as if it was made on a shoestring. lenge their British captors to a race in which [R] ▼쩠 both sides will scale nearby Mount Kenya. Ask Any Girl (1959) C-101m. ★★★ D: If they win, they will regain a measure of Charles Walters. David Niven, Shirley honor; however, freedom-loving prisoner MacLaine, Gig Young, Rod Taylor, Jim [ 62 ]

Backus, Elisabeth Fraser. Effervescent gloss years (and first theatrical release since of naive MacLaine coming to N.Y., dis1969’s THE ARRANGEMENT), as a covering most men have lecherous designs stuffy, long-repressed, just-widowed woon girls; she wants a husband, however. man. While tending her husband’s garden CinemaScope. ▼ and dealing with his memory, she strikes up ★★ Ask the Dust (2006) C-117m. D: Robert a curious complex friendship with Indian Towne. Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Donald neighbor Jaffrey. Sutherland, Eileen Atkins, Idina Menzel, Assassin, The (1961-Italian) 105m. ★★1⁄2 Justin Kirk, Jeremy Crutchley, William MaD: Elio Petri. Marcello Mastroianni, Salvo pother; narrated by Richard Schickel. Randone, Micheline Presle, Cristina Gajoni. Would-be novelist Arturo Bandini arrives in Engaging study of scoundrel Mastroianni L.A. in the early 1930s full of ambition, but implicated in a murder, broken by the the reality of day-to-day living smothers his police, proven innocent, with a wry ending. Assassination (1987) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Peinner fire. He can’t even give himself to a woman who might make him happy, a ter Hunt. Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Mexican waitress. Intriguing, handsomely Stephen Elliott, Jan Gan Boyd, Randy made, but unforgivably dreary adaptation of Brooks, Erik Stern, Michael Ansara, James John Fante’s 1939 novel, written by Towne Staley, Kathryn Leigh Scott. Bronson is a as a kind of companion piece to CHISecret Service bodyguard, Ireland the wife NATOWN. [R]쩠 of the President, in this ridiculous, slapdash Aspen Extreme (1993) C-115m. ★1⁄2 D: political thriller with more explosions than Patrick Hasburgh. Paul Gross, Peter Berg, anything else. The First Lady is referred to Finola Hughes, Teri Polo, William Russ, here as One Mama! [PG-13]▼●쩠 Trevor Eve, Martin Kemp, William McNaAssassination Bureau, The (1969-British) mara, Nicolette Scorsese. For two Detroit C-110m. ★★★ D: Basil Dearden. Oliver buddies, the Motown slopes are not enough— Reed, Diana Rigg, Telly Savalas, Curt so it’s off to the Colorado Rockies for sex, Jurgens, Clive Revill. Fun tale based on tragedy, and skiing success amid the lifeJack London story of secret club that elimstyles of the rich and banal. Satisfactory inates unworthy people, until greed more outdoor scenes, but little else beyond jarring than dedication begins to cloud the operalapses in plot continuity. Hollywood Piction. [M]▼●쩠 tures, which opened this a week after Assassination of Jesse James by the CowALIVE, must have gotten a deal on some ard Robert Ford, The (2007) C-160m. ★★1 parkas. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Andrew Dominik. Brad Pitt, Casey ★★★1 Asphalt Jungle, The (1950) 112m. ⁄2 Affleck, Sam Shepard, Mary-Louise Parker, D: John Huston. Sterling Hayden, Louis Paul Schneider, Jeremy Renner, Garret DillaCalhern, Jean Hagen, James Whitmore, hunt, Zooey Deschanel, Michael Parks, Ted Sam Jaffe, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence, Levine, Sam Rockwell, Alison Elliott, James Marilyn Monroe. The plotting of a crime, Carville, Tom Aldredge, Nick Cave. Retelling and the gathering of a gang to pull it off; a of the history leading up to the titular event taut, realistic film full of fine characterizaand the strange relationship between the tions (especially Jaffe, and Monroe in a legendary—and moody—outlaw (Pitt) and memorable bit). A model of its kind, frehis eventual killer (Affleck), who’s consumed quently copied, and remade no less than with hero worship. Well acted, beautifully three times (as THE BADLANDERS, made (with exquisite cinematography by CAIRO, COOL BREEZE). Scripted by Roger Deakins), but crippled by overlength— Ben Maddow and Huston, from a W. R. which is not matched by commensurate charBurnett novel. Also shown in computeracter development or the intended thematic colored version.▼●쩠 insight into the nature (and effects) of myth Asphyx, The (1972-British) C-99m. ★★★ and celebrity. Super 35. [R]쩠 D: Peter Newbrook. Robert Stephens, RobAssassination of Richard Nixon, The (2004-U.S.-Mexican) C-95m. ★★★ D: Niels ert Powell, Jane Lapotaire, Ralph Arliss, Alex Scott. Good fantasy plot has 19thMueller. Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Jack century scientist Stephens isolating the Thompson, Michael Wincott, Mykelti WilAsphyx, the spirit of death that appears liamson, Naomi Watts, Nick Searcy, Brad around a person’s body at times of immiHenke. Penn is brilliant as Sam Bicke (in nent danger. In so doing, he becomes real life Byck), who channeled his mountimmortal. Lapotaire, who scored internaing frustrations with society into a doomed tionally on stage in Piaf, appears here as attempt to assassinate the President in 1974. Stephens’s daughter. Aka SPIRIT OF THE The saga of a loser, made interesting by DEAD. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼쩠 observational detail in the script (by Mueller Assam Garden, The (1985-British) Cand Kevin Kennedy) and Penn’s incisive 92m. ★★★ D: Mary McMurray. Deborah performance. Thompson is terrific as his Kerr, Madhur Jaffrey, Alec McCowen, Zia bear of a boss; Watts is excellent in a lowMohyeddin, Anton Lesser. Quietly rewardkey turn as Penn’s estranged wife. Coproing drama with Kerr in her best role in duced by Alfonso Cuaro´n, and partly filmed [ 63 ]

in Mexico. Executive producers include AlDarwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer, Martin exander Payne and Leonardo DiCaprio. [R] 쩠 West, Tony Burton, Nancy Loomis, Kim Assassination of Trotsky, The (1972Richards, Henry Brandon. A nearly deFrench-Italian-British) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: serted L.A. police station finds itself under Joseph Losey. Richard Burton, Alain Delon, a state of siege by a youth gang in this Romy Schneider, Valentina Cortese. Last riveting thriller, a modern-day paraphrase days of Russian rebel make for uneven of Howard Hawks’ RIO BRAVO. Writermelodrama of hunters and hunted. Burdirector Carpenter also did the eerie music ton’s performance is strong but unconscore for this knockout. Remade in 2005. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 vincing. [R]▼●쩠 Assassination Tango (2003) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 Assault on Precinct 13 (2005) C-109m. ★★ D: Robert Duvall. Robert Duvall, Ruben D: Jean-Franc¸ois Richet. Ethan Hawke, Blades, Kathy Baker, Luciana Pedraza, Laurence Fishburne, John Leguizamo, Maria Julio Oscar Mechoso, James Keane, Frank Bello, Jeffrey ‘‘Ja Rule’’ Atkins, Drea de Gio, Frank Cassavetes, Michael Corrente. Matteo, Gabriel Byrne, Brian Dennehy, Matt Hit man from Brooklyn is forced to disrupt Craven, Dorian Harewood, Aisha Hinds, Kim his happy domestic life to travel to ArgenCoates, Currie Graham. On a snowy New tina and carry out an assassination . . . but Year’s Eve an old Detroit police station prewhile he’s waiting for the right moment, pares to shut down, but the storm forces cops he takes up with a sexy tango dancer who to deposit a handful of prisoners there, includintroduces him to her world. Duvall is great ing a local crime boss who just killed an to watch, and so are the tango sequences undercover officer. Violent remake of the (some of them involving real-life masters of lean, mean John Carpenter B movie adds a the art), but the results don’t quite make a variety of plot complications—and with cohesive movie. Pedraza is Duvall’s realeach one, another layer of disbelief. Well life companion. Duvall wrote and coprocrafted but laughable at times. Super 35. duced. [R]▼쩠 [R] ▼쩠 Assassins (1995) C-132m. ★★ D: Richard Assignment, The (1977-Swedish) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mats Arehn. Christopher PlumDonner. Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoly Davydov. mer, Thomas Hellberg, Carolyn Seymour, World’s number one paid hit man is dogged Fernando Rey, Per Oscarsson, Walter Gotell. at every turn by a young rival. Then he Modest drama of Swedish diplomat sent to (inexplicably) falls in love with a female mediate turbulent political situation in Latin American country.▼ ‘‘mark.’’ Stallone is in good form, but this big-scale action yarn/star vehicle suffers Assignment, The (1997) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: from rampant stupidity. [R]▼●쩠 Christian Duguay. Aidan Quinn, Donald Assault (1971) SEE: In the Devil’s Garden Sutherland, Ben Kingsley, Liliana KomoAssault, The (1986-Dutch) C-149m. ★★★1⁄2 rowska, Ce´line Bonnier, Claudia Ferri, D: Fons Rademakers. Derek de Lint, Marc Vlasta Vrana, Von Flores, Al Waxman. van Uchelen, Monique van de Ven, John Well-directed, violent thriller with Quinn in Kraaykamp, Huub van der Lubbe, Elly a dual role as notorious terrorist Carlos the Weller. A 12-year-old’s family is liquiJackal and a lookalike U.S. naval officer dated in the final days of WW2, and he recruited to participate in an elaborate represses his memories and feelings while scheme to capture the terrorist. Sutherland growing into manhood. Evocative performis the CIA man who is obsessed with nabbing Carlos. [R]▼●쩠 ances and fine direction enhance a story that is both truthful and heartbreaking. Assignment K (1968-British) 97m. ★1⁄2 D: Long, but suspenseful, with many thoughtVal Guest. Stephen Boyd, Camilla Sparv, provoking moments. Screenplay by GeMichael Redgrave, Leo McKern, Jeremy rard Soeteman based on a novel by Harry Kemp, Robert Hoffman. Still another spy Mulisch. Winner of the Best Foreign Landrama—this one a dull story about secret guage Film Oscar. A film not easy to agent’s disillusionment upon discovering forget. [PG]▼ that his girl and seemingly everyone he Assault Force SEE: ffolkes knows is a double agent. Techniscope. Assault of the Rebel Girls SEE: Cuban Assignment: Kill Castro SEE: Cuba Rebel Girls Crossing Assignment Terror (1970-Spanish-GermanAssault on a Queen (1966) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Donohue. Frank Sinatra, Virna Italian) C-86m. BOMB D: Tulio Demicheli. Lisi, Tony Franciosa, Richard Conte, Alf Michael Rennie, Karin Dor, Craig Hill, Kjellin, Errol John, Murray Matheson, RegPaul Naschy, Patty Shepard. Alien invader inald Denny. Sloppy Sinatra vehicle about Rennie revives various earth monsters (inbig heist of H.M.S. Queen Mary’s vault. cluding ersatz Frankenstein, Dracula, and Script by Rod Serling from novel by Jack Mummy) but socially conscious werewolf Finney. Panavision. ▼ (Naschy) helps to combat his evil forces. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) C-90m. Unwatchable stupidity. Aka DRACULA ★★★1⁄2 D: John Carpenter. Austin Stoker, VS. FRANKENSTEIN. Techniscope.▼쩠 [ 64 ]

Assignment to Kill (1968) C-102m. ★★ Carradine, Tom Pace, Joan Patrick, Rafael D: Sheldon Reynolds. Patrick O’Neal, Joan Campos, Tura Satana. Demented Carradine Hackett, John Gielgud, Herbert Lom, Eric creates title monsters in yet another nomiPortman, Peter Van Eyck, Oscar Homolka. nee for worst picture of all time. Script by Private eye checks out shady corporation Mikels and Wayne Rogers (the same). Aka SPACE VAMPIRES. [PG] ▼쩠 in Switzerland in this unrewarding thriller from the writer-director of TV’s Foreign Asylum (1972-British) C-92m. ★★★ D: Intrigue series. Panavision. Roy Ward Baker. Barbara Parkins, Sylvia Assisi Underground, The (1985) C-115m. Syms, Richard Todd, Peter Cushing, Robert ★★ Powell, Barry Morse, Britt Ekland, Herbert D: Alexander Ramati. Ben Cross, James Mason, Irene Papas, Maximilian Schell, Lom, Patrick Magee, Charlotte Rampling. Edmund Purdom, Karl Heinz Hackl, Delia Four fun chillers by Robert Bloch woven Boccardo, Riccardo Cucciolla. Good cast is into puzzle that is solved at the conclusion wasted in this overblown thriller, with a of the fourth tale. Reissued in 1980 as based-on-fact scenario. Cross plays a couraHOUSE OF CRAZIES, trimmed to 86m. [PG]▼●쩠 geous young minister in charge of disguising Jews in Assisi, Italy, during WW2. Mason’s Asylum (2005-British) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: last film. Originally released at 178m. [PG]▼ David Mackenzie. Natasha Richardson, Hugh Associate, The (1996) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bonneville, Marton Csokas, Gus Lewis, Ian Donald Petrie. Whoopi Goldberg, Dianne McKellen, Joss Ackland, Judy Parfitt, Wanda Wiest, Eli Wallach, Tim Daly, Bebe NeuVentham. Psychiatrist’s wife gets involved wirth, Austin Pendleton, Lainie Kazan, Colwith one of her husband’s patients, a prison leen Camp Wilson, Allison Janney. Wall St. inmate who was found guilty of the brutal whiz Whoopi has hit the glass ceiling at her murder of his wife. Uneven melodrama serves company, so she breaks off on her own, but as a fine showcase for Richardson, playing a can’t make it without inventing a white conflicted woman whose emotions begin to male partner. Designed as a comedy, but trump her logic. Csokas, as the object of her laughs are few. Still, it’s an interesting look fatal attraction, does the best he can with a at corporate America and the obstacles and one-dimensional role. The sum of this film’s slights that women and minorities endure. parts don’t add up to a satisfying whole. From Wiest is terrific. Remake of the 1979 French a novel by Patrick McGrath. Arriscope. [R] 쩠 film L’ASSOCIE; based on the novel El As You Desire Me (1932) 71m. ★★1⁄2 D: Socio. [PG-13]▼●쩠 George Fitzmaurice. Greta Garbo, Melvyn Astronaut Farmer, The (2007) C-104m. Douglas, Erich von Stroheim, Hedda Hop★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Polish. Billy Bob Thornton, per, Owen Moore. OK version of Pirandello Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern, J. K. Simmons, play about amnesiac (Garbo) returning to husTim Blake Nelson, Max Thieriot, Jon Gries, band she doesn’t really remember. Never as compelling as it should be.▼ Mark Polish, Richard Edson, Sal Lopez. Thornton is ideal as a proud, independentAs You Like It (1936-British) 96m. ★★★ thinking Texas farmer who’s built a rocket D: Paul Czinner. Elisabeth Bergner, Lauin his barn and has convinced himself (and rence Olivier, Sophie Stewart, Henry his loving family) that he’s going to fly into Ainley, Leon Quartermaine, Felix Aylmer. outer space . . . until the U.S. government Olivier is solid (and handsome) as Orlando gets wind of his scheme. Capraesque story in his first attempt at the Bard on celluloid, about a ‘‘little guy’’ who believes in a but Bergner’s Rosalind is more a matter of dream is beautifully rendered; only problem taste. Overall, an enjoyable production of is that the guy in question is nuts! Written this Shakespeare comedy. Kenneth Braby Michael and Mark Polish; the latter plays nagh’s 2006 version debuted in the U.S. on one of the FBI agents on the case, and their cable TV. ▼●쩠 adorable daughters Jasper and Logan play As Young As You Feel (1951) 77m. ★★1⁄2 two of Thornton’s kids. Bruce Willis apD: Harmon Jones. Monty Woolley, Thelma pears unbilled. Panavision. [PG]쩠 Ritter, David Wayne, Jean Peters, ConAstronaut’s Wife, The (1999) C-109m. stance Bennett, Marilyn Monroe, Allyn ★1 ⁄2 D: Rand Ravich. Johnny Depp, CharJoslyn, Albert Dekker. Printing company lize Theron, Joe Morton, Clea DuVall, employee Woolley is ‘‘retired’’ when he Donna Murphy, Nick Cassavetes, Samantha turns 65, and he just won’t sit still for it. Eggar, Gary Grubbs, Blair Brown, Tom Amiable satire of corporate bureaucracy, Noonan. Happily married astronaut has a with a first-rate cast, based on a story by strange experience during a space mission. Paddy Chayefsky.▼쩠 Has he changed somehow, or is it his young Atanarjuat . . . (The Fast Runner) SEE: wife’s imagination? ROSEMARY’S BABY– Fast Runner, The style thriller is just a big tease; sluggish and At Close Range (1986) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: unsatisfying, with an especially stupid fiJames Foley. Sean Penn, Christopher nale. [R]▼●쩠 Walken, Christopher Penn, Mary Stuart Astro-Zombies, The (1967) C-91m. BOMB Masterson, Millie Perkins, Eileen Ryan, D: Ted V. Mikels. Wendell Corey, John Alan Autry, Candy Clark, Tracey Walter, [ 65 ]

David Strathairn, Crispin Glover, Kiefer caster, Susan Sarandon, Kate Reid, Michel Sutherland. Brooding, but curiously unPiccoli, Hollis McLaren, Robert Joy, Al moving, story about teenage half-brothers Waxman, Wally Shawn. Rich character study who first get to know their no-account of a city in transition, focusing on small-time father, and come to realize what a dangerlosers who’ve stayed there too long and bigous person he is. Downbeat drama is marked time dreamers who are just arriving. European by good acting, thoughtful filmmaking, in its ambience and storytelling approach, but emotional impact is muted. Based on a though its setting is an American resort. Lantrue incident. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 caster gives one of his finest performances as At First Sight (1998) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: an aging two-bit hood who’s all style and no Irwin Winkler. Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino, substance. Screenplay by John Guare. [R] Kelly McGillis, Steven Weber, Bruce Davi▼●쩠 son, Nathan Lane, Ken Howard, Diana Atlantis, the Lost Continent (1961) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: George Pal. Anthony Hall, Krall. Driven N.Y.C. career woman falls in love with a self-reliant blind man. Then she Joyce Taylor, John Dall, Frank de Kova. finds a doctor who can restore his sight— Famed sci-fi producer George Pal’s worst but is this necessarily a good thing? Overtly film is set on the island of Atlantis, in the soapy romantic drama doesn’t pretend to be time of ancient Greece. Heroic young anything but what it is, and the stars are fisherman becomes involved in tedious inlikable . . . but it goes on too long. Based on trigue before, finally, the place sinks. Lots a true story chronicled by Dr. Oliver Sacks of stock footage, poor effects. Occasionally funny—but not on purpose. ▼● (AWAKENINGS). Having a George Shearing cut on the soundtrack is a nice touch. Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) C-95m. ★★★ [PG-13]▼●쩠 D: Kirk Wise, Gary Trousdale. Voices of Athena (1954) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Michael J. Fox, James Garner, Cree Summer, Thorpe. Jane Powell, Debbie Reynolds, Leonard Nimoy, Don Novello, Claudia ChrisEdmund Purdom, Vic Damone, Louis Caltian, Jacqueline Obradors, John Mahoney, hern, Evelyn Varden, Steve Reeves, Linda Corey Burton, David Ogden Stiers, Jim VarChristian. Back Bay lawyer (Purdom) and ney. Good, old-fashioned animated-fantasy/ singer (Damone) romance two sisters livadventure yarn about a young dreamer who ing with eccentric grandparents. Wispy tries to make good his father’s attempts to plot, average tunes.▼● find the lost underwater city of Atlantis and ATL (2006) C-105m. ★★ D: Chris Roblocate the key to its advanced civilization. inson. Tip Harris, Lauren London, Antwan Styled like a comic book, this Disney feaAndre Patton (Big Boi), Mykelti Williamture got a bum rap in theaters; it’s good son, Keith David, Lonette McKee, Evan family entertainment. Followed by a directRoss, Lauren Leah Mitchell. Another film to-video sequel. Digital Widescreen. [PG] about skatin’ in the hood (after ROLL ▼쩠 BOUNCE), featuring Harris, better known Atlas (1961) C-80m. ★★ D: Roger Corman. as recording star T.I. Pretends to be a Michael Forest, Frank Wolff, Barboura coming-of-age story about young people Morris, Walter Maslow, Christos Exartrying to make it out of the ghetto, but takes chos. Praximedes convinces Olympic itself way too seriously. It’s clear the champion Atlas to represent him in battle, screenwriters aren’t channeling Hebut Atlas eventually fights for the common mingway, and when one girl tells a boy, folk. Slightly hilarious low-budget nonsense, filmed in Greece. VistaScope. ▼쩠 ‘‘I’ve seen you skate and that’s all I need to know about a man,’’ we know we’re in for At Long Last Love (1975) C-118m. ★1⁄2 a long sit. From a story by Antwone Fisher D: Peter Bogdanovich. Burt Reynolds, (yes, that Antwone Fisher). Coproduced by Cybill Shepherd, Madeline Kahn, Duilio Will Smith. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 Del Prete, Eileen Brennan, John Hillerman, Atlantic City (1944) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ray Mildred Natwick. Burt and Cybill are no McCarey. Brad Taylor (Stanley Brown), Fred and Ginger. Bogdanovich’s homage Constance Moore, Charley Grapewin, Jerry to 1930s Hollywood musicals has everyColonna, Adele Mara, Paul Whiteman & thing money can buy—including lavish Orchestra, Louis Armstrong & Orchestra, sets and a Cole Porter score—but lacks the Buck and Bubbles, Belle Baker, Dorothy proper stars to put it over. Reedited (and Dandridge, Joe Frisco. Plethora of good ostensibly improved) for TV by the direcmusical numbers compensates for unoriginal tor; that version runs 115m. [G] plot about promoter who turns the Atlantic Atoll K SEE: Utopia Atomic Cafe, The (1982) 88m. ★★★ D: City pier into ‘‘the playground of America,’’ starting pre-WW1. Taylor, who took his Kevin Rafferty, Jayne Loader, Pierce name from this (he was Stanley Brown at Rafferty. Consistently chilling, occasionColumbia), and Moore are Republic Pically hilarious, arguably monotonal compitures’ John Payne–Alice Faye counterparts. lation of U.S. government and ‘‘educaAtlantic City (1980-Canadian-French) tional’’ propaganda shows how Americans C-104m. ★★★★ D: Louis Malle. Burt Lanof the 1950s Learned to Stop Worrying [ 66 ]

and Love the Bomb. One-of-a-kind is unBerenger, Aidan Quinn, Kathy Bates, John deniably provocative, to say nothing of Lithgow, Daryl Hannah, Tom Waits, Stenio topical, but argues its point a little longer Garcia, Nelson Xavier. Long, at first lumthan necessary.▼쩠 bering, but ultimately powerful rainforest Atomic Submarine, The (1959) 72m. ★★ epic of two Protestant missionaries (one a D: Spencer Bennet. Arthur Franz, Dick charlatan, one sincere) who end up doing Foran, Brett Halsey, Tom Conway, Bob about equal damage to the jungle Indians Steele, Victor Varconi, Joi Lansing. Title they are supposed to serve. Faithful, wellsub investigates mysterious goings-on in the cast film of Peter Matthiessen’s great Arctic Circle. The culprit is an underwater (though admittedly difficult) novel; pace flying saucer piloted by an alien! Typical picks up a lot in the second half, leading to memorable finale. [R]▼● Alex Gordon production, boasting lots of familiar character actors, is appealing and Atragon (1963-Japanese) 96m. ★★ D: atmospheric. Mainly for buffs.▼●쩠 Ishiro Honda. Tadao Takashima, Yoko Atonement (2007-British-U.S.) C-123m. Fujiyama, Yu Fujiki, Horisho Koizumi. ★★ World is threatened by undersea kingdom D: Joe Wright. James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai, Saoirse Ronan, in this juvenile sci-fi adventure, with enVanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blethyn, Juno joyable (if not believable) special effects. Temple, Patrick Kennedy, Benedict CumTitle refers to giant submarine rather than a monster. Tohoscope.쩠 berbatch, Harriet Walter, Gina McKee. In the 1930s, spoiled young woman (Knightley) At Sword’s Point (1952) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: who has grown up in one of England’s stately Lewis Allen. Cornel Wilde, Maureen homes tries to deny her attraction to the O’Hara, Robert Douglas, Dan O’Herlihy, housekeeper’s son (McAvoy); when she fiAlan Hale, Jr., Blanche Yurka. Silly but liknally gives in, it triggers great resentment in able variation on THE THREE MUSKEher younger sister (Ronan), who goes in for TEERS, with Wilde, O’Herlihy, Hale, and theatrics, and alters the course of McAvoy’s O’Hara playing the sons and daughter of the life. Handsome but portentous adaptation of original Musketeers. Energetic cast, vivid Ian McEwan’s novel (by Christopher HampTechnicolor settings.▼● ton) never delivers the emotional impact it Attack (1956) 107m. ★★★ D: Robert Alshould, given its intriguing premise. Oscar drich. Jack Palance, Eddie Albert, Lee winner for Dario Marianelli’s score. The inMarvin, Robert Strauss, Richard Jaeckel, terviewer in the final scene is played by Buddy Ebsen, William Smithers. Reenactfilmmaker Anthony Minghella. [R]쩠 ment of the Battle of the Bulge, emphasizAtonement of Gosta Berling, The (1924ing a group of American soldiers ‘‘led’’ by Swedish) 91m. ★★★ D: Mauritz Stiller. cowardly captain Albert; tightly directed, Lars Hanson, Greta Garbo, Ellen Cederavoids war movie cliche´s. ▼●쩠 strom, Mona Martenson, Jenny Hasselquist, Attack Force Z (1981-Australian-Taiwanese) Gerda Lundequist. Memorable drama, from C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tim Burstall. John Phillip the Selma Lagerlof novel, about a defrocked Law, Sam Neill, Mel Gibson, Chris Haypriest (Hanson) and his love for a young wood, John Waters. Taut little war drama: married woman (a pleasingly plump Garbo, commandos set out to rescue survivors of a in the role which brought her to world plane crash on a Japanese-held island during WW2.▼쩠 attention). Stiller was, of course, Garbo’s discoverer and mentor. Several longer verAttack of the Crab Monsters (1957) 63m. ★★ sions run between 105m. and 165m. Aka D: Roger Corman. Richard Garland, GOSTA BERLING’S SAGA, THE SAGA Pamela Duncan, Russell Johnson, Leslie OF GOSTA BERLING, THE LEGEND Bradley, Mel Welles, Ed Nelson. People OF GOSTA BERLING, and THE STORY are trapped on a shrinking island by intelliOF GOSTA BERLING.▼쩠 gent, brain-eating giant crabs. Interesting Ator, the Fighting Eagle (1983) C-100m. early Corman thriller is hampered by a low BOMB D: David Hills. Miles O’Keeffe, budget—and some very silly monsters— Sabrina Siani, Ritza Brown, Edmund but Charles B. Griffith’s script has many ingenious ideas.▼쩠 Purdom, Laura Gemser. Ridiculous Italianmade imitation of CONAN THE BARAttack of the 50 Foot Woman (1958) BARIAN has muscular O’Keeffe as the 66m. BOMB D: Nathan Hertz (Juran). Allimythical title warrior, with beautiful blonde son Hayes, William Hudson, Yvette VickSiani along for the ride on his trek against ers, Roy Gordon. A harridan with a evil. Followed by two sequels: THE philandering husband has an alien encounBLADE MASTER and ATOR III: THE ter and grows to mammoth proportions, FIGHTING EAGLE aka QUEST FOR seeks revenge on hubby. Hilariously awful THE MIGHTY SWORD. [PG]▼쩠 sci-fi with some of the funniest special efAtor the Invincible SEE: Blade Master, fects of all time. Remade for TV in 1993 with Daryl Hannah.▼●쩠 The At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991) Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! (1980) C-187m. ★★★ D: Hector Babenco. Tom C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: John De Bello. David Miller, [ 67 ]

Sharon Taylor, George Wilson, Jack Riley, Rock Peace, The San Diego Chicken. Title and opening credits are the funniestthings in this low-budget spoof of low-budget sciencefiction, which cracks its one joke and then beats it to death for another 85 minutes. A staple at Worst Film Festivals, but nowhere nearly as hilarious as movies that aren’t supposed to be. Followed by RETURN OF THE KILLER TOMATOES!, KILLER TOMATOES STRIKE BACK, KILLER TOMATOES EAT FRANCE!, and an animated TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 Attack of the Puppet People (1958) 78m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Bert I. Gordon. John Agar, John Hoyt, June Kenney, Scott Peters. Lowclass shocker about mad dollmaker who shrinks people; good performance by Hoyt, otherwise predictable and amateurish.▼쩠 Attack of the Rebel Girls SEE: Cuban Rebel Girls Attention Bandits SEE: Bandits (1986) At the Circus (1939) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward Buzzell. Groucho, Chico and Harpo Marx, Margaret Dumont, Eve Arden, Nat Pendleton, Kenny Baker, Fritz Feld, Florence Rice. Not top-grade Marx Brothers, but some good scenes as they save circus from bankruptcy. Highlight: Groucho singing ‘‘Lydia the Tattooed Lady.’’▼●쩠 At the Earth’s Core (1976-British) C-90m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Kevin Connor. Doug McClure, Peter Cushing, Caroline Munro, Cy Grant, Godfrey James, Sean Lynch. Colorful fantasy-adventure based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ novel. Inventor Cushing and prote´ge´ McClure bore their way from Victorian England to the center of the earth and encounter a lost world of prehistoric beasts and subhuman warriors. Competent special effects make this yarn palatable. [PG]▼쩠 Attic, The (1979) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Edwards. Carrie Snodgress, Ray Milland, Rosemary Murphy, Ruth Cox, Francis Bay, Marjorie Eaton. Good cast helps this psychological thriller about a sheltered spinster’s revolt against her tyrannical invalid father. A notch or two above routine. [PG]

Beck are happily married couple until a stranger (Hopkins) tells them that their 12-year-old girl is his dead daughter returned to life. Script by Frank DeFelitta, from his novel. [PG]▼쩠 Auggie Rose (2001) C-108m. ★★ D: Matthew Tabak. Jeff Goldblum, Anne Heche, Nancy Travis, Timothy Olyphant, Joe Santos, Richard T. Jones, Kim Coates. A slick yuppie insurance salesman (Goldblum) drops out of the game and assumes the identity of an ex-con he saw shot to death. He feels so obliged to pay the man tribute that he seeks out and falls in love with his sweet prison pen pal (Heche). Begins like a good short story, but becomes contrived and preachy about the nobility of the working class. Debuted in the U.S. on cable TV. Aka BEYOND SUSPICION. [R] ▼쩠 August (1996-British) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Anthony Hopkins. Anthony Hopkins, Kate Burton, Gawn Grainger, Rhian Morgan, Rhoda Lewis. Uncle Vanya comes to Wales in yet another version of the oft-adapted Chekhov play, with real-life Welshman Hopkins (in his directorial debut) misdirecting himself in the lead. Boring rendition with inaccessible characters about whom we do not care. Incidentally, Hopkins also composed the score. [PG]▼● August Rush (2007) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Kirsten Sheridan. Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Terrence Howard, Robin Williams, William Sadler, Marian Seldes, Leon G. Thomas III, Mykelti Williamson, Alex O’Loughlin. Treacly fable of orphan Highmore’s trek to find out where, and to whom, he may belong. Set mainly in N.Y.C., film is flooded with music of many types, since the boy is a prodigy. (It was a chance meeting between cellist Russell and Irish rocker Meyers that led to his birth—and his gift—in the first place.) The less said about Williams’ new-millennium rendition of Dickens’ Fagin the better. Super 35. [PG]쩠 Au Hasard Balthazar (1966-French-Swedish) 95m. ★★★ D: Robert Bresson. Anne Wiazemsky, Franc¸ois Lafarge, Philippe Asselin, Nathalie Joyaut, Walter Green. The sad, cruel ▼쩠 Attila (1954-Italian-French) C-83m. ★1⁄2 life and death of a donkey that passes from D: Pietro Francisci. Anthony Quinn, Soowner to owner is used as a symbol for all phia Loren, Henri Vidal, Irene Papas. Inthe misery and inhumanity in the world in ept spectacle with ridiculous script of Attila this stark and poetic allegory. Bresson also readying to conquer Rome.▼쩠 explores crime, adolescence, and family life At War with the Army (1950) 93m. ★★1⁄2 with customary sensitivity and subtlety.쩠 D: Hal Walker. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Auntie Mame (1958) C-143m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Polly Bergen, Angela Greene, Mike Kellin. Morton DaCosta. Rosalind Russell, ForIn their first starring feature, Dean and rest Tucker, Coral Browne, Fred Clark, Jerry are in the service, with some funny Roger Smith, Patric Knowles, Peggy Cass, sequences, including memorable soda maJoanna Barnes, Pippa Scott, Lee Patrick, chine gag.▼●쩠 Willard Waterman, Connie Gilchrist, Robin Audrey Rose (1977) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hughes, Jan Handzlik. Colorful film version Robert Wise. Marsha Mason, John Beck, of Patrick Dennis’ novel about his eccentric Anthony Hopkins, Susan Swift, Norman aunt, who believes that ‘‘life is a banquet, Lloyd, John Hillerman. Overlong, underand most poor suckers are starving to played reincarnation thriller. Mason and death.’’ Episodic but highly entertaining, [ 68 ]

sparked by Russell’s tour-de-force perforand Tom Arnold appear in unfunny cameos. mance. Betty Comden–Adolph Green script Coproduced by Demi Moore. Followed by was adapted from the Jerome Lawrence–two sequels. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Robert E. Lee Broadway play. Musicalized Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me as MAME. Technirama. ▼●쩠 (1999) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jay Roach. Mike Au Revoir, Les Enfants (1987-French) Myers, Heather Graham, Rob Lowe, Michael York, Elizabeth Hurley, Robert Wagner, Gia C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Louis Malle. Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejto, Francine Racette, Carides, Seth Green, Verne Troyer, Mindy Stanislas Carre de Malberg, Philippe MorierSterling, Kristen Johnson, Will Ferrell, Fred Genoud, Francois Berleand, Ire`ne Jacob. Willard, Charles Napier. More swingin’ ’60s Deeply felt film based on an incident from lunacy as Dr. Evil returns to Earth with a Malle’s youth, during WW2, when the time-travel machine and goes back to 1969 headmaster of his Catholic boarding school to steal Austin’s mojo. More laughs than the decided to shield several Jewish children original—and more than enough gross-out in the midst of Nazi-occupied France. Filled gags—though it’s still spotty. Several star with telling details, the story unfolds at a cameos, though Troyer, as Mini-Me, steals deliberate pace, leading up to an emotionthe film. Myers cowrote and coproduced. Folally devastating finale. [PG]▼●쩠 lowed by AUSTIN POWERS IN GOLDAurora Borealis (2006) C-110m. ★★★ D: MEMBER. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 James Burke. Joshua Jackson, Donald SuthAustralia (2008-Australian-U.S.-British) Cerland, Juliette Lewis, Louise Fletcher, 165m. ★★★ D: Baz Luhrmann. Nicole KidZack Ward, John Kapelos, Steven Pasquale, man, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham, Jack Tyler Labine. At 25, Jackson is still acting Thompson, Bryan Brown, David Gulpilil, like an adolescent, hanging out with his old Brandon Walters, David Ngoombujarra, Ben pals and screwing up one dead-end job after Mendelsohn, Essie Davis, Barry Otto, Kerry another . . . until his brother nudges him to Walker. Long, sprawling, deliberately oldvisit their grandfather, who’s suffering from fashioned romantic drama is also designed as Parkinson’s disease. His fondness for the a tribute to Australia. Britisher Kidman travold man—and the cute visiting nurse els there in 1939 to settle her husband’s estate (Lewis) who takes care of him—inspires and winds up staying, determined to make him to get his act together, as best he can. something of his barren ranch with the help Sutherland is terrific in a showy part, but of a cattle drover (Jackman) who refuses to Jackson and Lewis are also quite good in settle down. She also adopts an aboriginal this sincere, well-written film set in snowy boy (Walters) to save him from being rounded Minneapolis. Made in 2004. [R]쩠 up by the government. If you’re looking for Austin Powers in Goldmember (2002) Csubtlety, look elsewhere—but it is entertain94m. ★★ D: Jay Roach. Mike Myers, Beying. Cast is filled with Aussie icons, including once´ Knowles, Michael Caine, Seth Green, Thompson, Brown, and Gulpilil. Super 35. Michael York, Robert Wagner, Mindy Ster[PG-13]쩠 ling, Verne Troyer, Fred Savage. Third outAuthor! Author! (1982) C-110m. ★★★ ing for the shagadelic spy opens with such a D: Arthur Hiller. Al Pacino, Dyan Cannon, hilarious, surprising sequence that nothing Tuesday Weld, Eric Gurry, Alan King, can top it—and nothing does. No real story Bob Dishy, Bob Elliott, Ray Goulding, follows, as Austin travels to 1975 and hooks Andre Gregory, Ari Meyers. Pacino’s flaky up with Foxxy Cleopatra (pop singer wife walks out on him and their kids Knowles). The novelty of seeing Dr. Evil (most from her previous marriages) just as and Mini-Me is gone, Myers’ new Goldhis play is about to open on Broadway. member character (sporting a Dutch accent) Slight but winning little comedy; likable is more odd than funny; what’s left are a lot performances all around. Written by playwright Israel Horovitz. [PG]▼쩠 of really crude jokes and missed opportunities. Worst of all, Caine is wasted as AusAutobiography of a Princess (1975-British) tin’s dad. Lots of stars appear in cameos. C-60m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Ivory. James MaSuper 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 son, Madhur Jaffrey, Keith Varnier, Diane Austin Powers: International Man of Fletcher, Timothy Bateson. Uneven (but not uninteresting) little film about an exMystery (1997) C-89m. ★★ D: Jay Roach. Mike Myers, Elizabeth Hurley, Michael iled Indian princess (Jaffrey) and an EnglishYork, Mimi Rogers, Robert Wagner, Seth man (Mason), who come together once a Green, Fabiana Udenio, Charles Napier, year to sip tea and watch home movies of Will Ferrell. Swinging ’60s spy is cryogenitheir life in feudal India. Notable as a look cally frozen, then thawed out in the ’90s to at a time and place that no longer exist, but do battle with megalomaniac Dr. Evil—but too often bogged down in talk. Scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.▼●쩠 he can’t quite shake his mod ’60s style or argot (‘‘Groovy, baby!’’). Myers (who also Auto Focus (2002) C-104m. ★★★ D: Paul wrote and coproduced) is fun, especially as Schrader. Greg Kinnear, Willem Dafoe, Dr. Evil, but this one-joke premise is Rita Wilson, Maria Bello, Ron Leibman, stretched far beyond its limits. Carrie Fisher Kurt Fuller, Ed Begley, Jr., Michael Rod[ 69 ]

gers, Michael McKean. Kinnear gives an the paper and ‘‘auditions’’ a proper suitor. excellent performance as clean-cut radioMeanwhile, the younger generation gets inhost-turned-1960s-TV-star Bob Crane, of volved providing comic complications. This Hogan’s Heroes fame, whose life, career, is Rohmer at his best; glorious fun with a and happy marriage fall apart as he becomes most appealing cast. [PG]▼ literally addicted to sex. His pimp/partner in Avalanche (1978) C-91m. ★★ D: Corey these escapades (Dafoe) also contributes to Allen. Rock Hudson, Mia Farrow, Robert his decline by getting him hooked on the Forster, Jeanette Nolan, Rick Moses, Barry new technology of home video, which only Primus. Disaster at the newly opened ski fuels his obsession. A well-told story of one resort where hard-driving tycoon Hudson man’s ruination, although it’s not clear what is determined to double his not insubstanthe moral (if any) may be. [R]▼쩠 tial investment while his ex-wife Mia is makAutumn Afternoon, An (1962-Japanese) ing whoopee with one of the locals champi★★★ C-115m. oning ecology. Stodgy performances almost D: Yasujiro Ozu. Chishu Ryu, Shima Iwashita, Shinichiro Mikami, Keiji outweighed by special effects. [PG]▼쩠 Sada, Mariko Okada. Contemplative study of Avalanche Express (1979) C-88m. BOMB loneliness and the fleeting nature of life, about D: Mark Robson. Lee Marvin, Robert Shaw, a middle-class widower (Ryu) who dutifully Linda Evans, Maximilian Schell, Joe arranges the marriage of his daughter. A series Namath, Mike Connors, Horst Buchholz. of subplots focus on various characters who KGB head Shaw tries to defect on a Dutch are in some way connected to the nuptials. train that’s threatened by lots and lots of Ozu’s final film.▼쩠 falling snow. Cast has enough stiffs in it to Autumn Hearts: A New Beginning SEE: resemble audition time at the Hollywood Emotional Arithmetic Wax Museum. Sadly, final film for both Autumn in New York (2000) C-105m. ★★ Shaw and director Robson; in fact, most of D: Joan Chen. Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Shaw’s dialogue had to be dubbed by a Anthony LaPaglia, Elaine Stritch, Vera Farmimic. Panavision. [PG]▼ miga, Sherry Stringfield, Jill Hennessy, Mary Avalon (1990) C-126m. ★★★ D: Barry LevBeth Hurt, J. K. Simmons. Cornball Mayinson. Aidan Quinn, Elizabeth Perkins, Armin December soaper in which a womanizing, Mueller-Stahl, Joan Plowright, Lou Jacobi, 48-year-old restaurateur (Gere) falls for a Leo Fuchs, Eve Gordon, Kevin Pollak, Israel gravely ill, Emily Dickinson–loving 21Rubinek, Elijah Wood, Grant Gelt, Bernard year-old hat designer (Ryder). Some interHiller. Deeply felt, personal story by writeresting supporting characters liven this up, director Levinson of an immigrant’s life and and the cinematography (by Changwei Gu) times in Baltimore, and the changes the years is lovely, but Gere and Ryder lack chemisbring to his large and boisterous family. Long, try; it’s a wonder they could read some of deliberately paced, and not always successful, their lines with a straight face. [PG-13]▼쩠 but filled with telling moments and loving viAutumn Leaves (1956) 108m. ★★1⁄2 D: sual reminders of a way of life that’s disapRobert Aldrich. Joan Crawford, Cliff Robpeared from our midst. The third of Levinson’s ertson, Vera Miles, Lorne Greene. MiddleBaltimore chronicles, following DINER and aged typist marries younger man (Robertson), TIN MEN. Melancholy and evocative score only to discover he is mentally disturbed and by Randy Newman. [PG]▼●쩠 already married. Stalwart performance by Avalon (2001-Japanese-Polish) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mamoru Oshii. Malgorzata Foremniak, Crawford as troubled woman.▼ Autumn Sonata (1978-Swedish) C-97m. Wladyslaw Kowalski, Jerzy Gudejko, Dariusz ★★★ D: Ingmar Bergman. Ingrid Bergman, Biskupski, Bartek Swiderski, Katarzyna BarLiv Ullmann, Lena Nyman, Halvar Bjork, gielowska. Video gamers zap between vibrant Gunnar Bjornstrand. Ingrid, a famed conillusion and grim reality as they earn their livcert pianist, locks horns with daughter ings and risk true death to win entrance to a Ullmann when they visit for the first time hallowed heroes’ hall. Made by an Asian crew in seven years. Director Bergman’s drama on the WW2-blasted terrain of Eastern Europe, is full of de´ja` vu, but Ingrid (in her final this bleak techno-blitz—alternately mesmeriztheatrical film) keeps it on the track most ing and boring—unspools like Andrzej of the time. Sven Nykvist’s photography is Wajda directing TRON. [R]▼쩠 peerless. [PG]▼●쩠 Avanti! (1972) C-144m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Billy Autumn Tale (1998-French) C-112m. Wilder. Jack Lemmon, Juliet Mills, Clive ★★★1⁄2 D: Eric Rohmer. Marie Rivie ` re, Be´Revill, Edward Andrews, Gianfranco Barra, atrice Romand, Alain Libolt, Didier Sandre, Franco Angrisano. Sadly underrated comAlexia Portal, Ste´phane Darmon. Delicious edy about stuffy Baltimore millionaire who adult comedy dealing with two lifelong fefalls in love with daughter of his late male friends, now in their 40s: one is hapfather’s mistress when he comes to Italy to pily married and would like to see her friend claim the old man’s body. Closer to LOVE (a moody, independent vineyard owner) setIN THE AFTERNOON than Wilder’s satle down, so she places a personals ad in tirical comedies; lovely scenery, wonder[ 70 ]

ful performances by all, especially Revill the middle of some 1928 nowhere with as crafty hotel manager. [R]▼●쩠 whiny adolescent Arquette. Dull Ernest Avengers, The (1998) C-89m. ★★ D: JereGann story barely made it (and understandmiah Chechik. Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurably so) to theaters; director is the MAN man, Sean Connery, Jim Broadbent, Fiona FROM SNOWY RIVER—not MAD MAX—George Miller. [PG]▼쩠 Shaw, Eddie Izzard, Eileen Atkins, John Wood. Retread of the popular British TV Aviator, The (2004) C-170m. ★★★1⁄2 D: show of the ’60s about two saucy secret Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate agents tries in vain to capture its stylishness Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale, John C. Reilly, and insouciance—but Fiennes is woefully Alec Baldwin, Alan Alda, Ian Holm, Danny miscast, Connery gives a one-note perforHuston, Gwen Stefani, Jude Law, Adam mance as a bad guy who wants to control Scott, Matt Ross, Kelli Garner, Brent Spiner, the earth’s weather, and a fine supporting Edward Herrmann, Willem Dafoe. Audacious cast is wasted. Thurman is likable enough, screen bio of Howard Hughes, the billionaire but the film is utterly flat. Patrick Macnee, who sets out to conquer Hollywood (and as star of the original series, has an amusing many of its glamorous actresses as possible) voice-only cameo. [PG-13)▼●쩠 but makes his real mark in the world of Avenging Angel (1985) C-93m. BOMB D: aircraft. Along the way he is dogged by Robert Vincent O’Neil. Betsy Russell, Rory deafness, a belief that he’s losing his mind, Calhoun, Susan Tyrrell, Robert F. Lyons, and hounding from a crooked senator. John Ossie Davis, Barry Pearl. Ex–teen prostiLogan’s script wisely focuses on a specific tute, now college material, recruits pal Calperiod of Hughes’ life (the 1920s through houn (still acting like the valedictorian at the 1940s), and doesn’t pretend to be literal. the Gabby Hayes Academy of Dramatic Arts) Scorsese stages it in grand fashion, replicatand takes to the street as an undercover cop. ing two-color, then three-strip, Technicolor, Follow-up to ANGEL proves conclusively and using all forms of movie magic, with that HEAVEN’S GATE is the only ’80s film the help of cinematographer Robert Richthat can’t rate a sequel. Followed by ANGEL ardson, production designer Dante Ferretti, III: THE FINAL CHAPTER. [R]▼●쩠 set decorator Francesca Lo Schiavo, cos1 ★★ Avenging Force (1986) C-103m. tume designer Sandy Powell, and editor ⁄2 D: Sam Firstenberg. Michael Dudikoff, Steve Thelma Schoonmaker, who all won Oscars. James, John P. Ryan, James Booth, Bill DiCaprio is remarkably persuasive as the Wallace, Karl Johnson. Dudikoff is retired iron-willed aviator; Blanchett is great fun in secret agent Matt Hunter, who’s forced an Oscar-winning turn as Katharine Hepinto action when his one-time comrade burn. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 (James), a black man running for office, is Aviator’s Wife, The (1981-French) Cthreatened by a right-wing terrorist group 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Eric Rohmer. Philippe called Pentangle. A cut above the norm Marlaud, Marie Riviere, Anne-Laure Meury, for the action/revenge genre, with exciting Matthieu Carriere. Melancholy but charmclimax, and a truly heinous villain (well ing story of young man’s unhappy involveplayed by Ryan). Screenwriter James Booth ment with title character being interrupted also plays Dudikoff’s former boss. [R]▼● by happy encounter with stranger in the Avenging Spirit SEE: Dominique park. Lovers of MAUD, CLAIRE, and Avenue Montaigne (2006-French) C-106m. CHLOE will be happy to find Rohmer in ★★★ D: Danie`le Thompson. Ce´cile de France, near-peak form after long layoff. [PG]▼쩠 Vale´rie Lemercier, Claude Brasseur, Dani, AVP: Alien vs. Predator SEE: Alien vs. Albert Dupontel, Laura Morante, Sydney PolPredator Awake (2007) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: Joby Harold. lack, Suzanne Flon. Sweet, naı¨ve young woman (de France) comes to Paris and lands Hayden Christensen, Jessica Alba, Terrence a job at a popular bar situated near a theater, Howard, Lena Olin, Christopher McDonconcert hall, and auction house. Before long ald, Sam Robards, Arliss Howard, Fisher she finds herself involved with a famous acStevens, Denis O’Hare, Georgina Chapman. tress, a classical pianist, and a wealthy man Real-life condition of ‘‘anesthetic awarewho’s selling off his life’s collection of art. ness’’ is used to concoct a preposterous story These characters face very real crises—but in which a patient becomes alarmed at what somehow you know it’s all going to turn out he hears while undergoing open-heart surfine. Light and charming; Thompson’s son gery and must find a way to wake himself Christopher cowrote the script with her and up. Bigger problem for the filmmakers is costars as the son of the art collector. Original finding a way to keep the audience awake. Super 35. [R]쩠 French title FAUTEUILS D’ORCHESTRE. Awakening, The (1980) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Aviator, The (1985) C-98m. ★★ D: George Mike Newell. Charlton Heston, Susannah Miller. Christopher Reeve, Rosanna ArYork, Jill Townsend, Stephanie Zimbalist. quette, Jack Warden, Sam Wanamaker, Archeologist Heston enters the tomb of Scott Wilson, Tyne Daly, Marcia StrassEgyptian Queen Kara, whose spirit enters man. Pioneer pilot Reeve crash-lands in the body of his newborn daughter. Need [ 71 ]

we continue? From a novel by Bram Charles Wood, who cowrote HELP! for the Stoker, filmed before as BLOOD FROM Beatles. The photography—more stylized THE MUMMY’S TOMB. [R]▼● bleakness from NAKED’s Dick Pope—is a plus. [R]▼●쩠 Awakenings (1990) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Penny Marshall. Robert De Niro, Robin Awful Truth, The (1937) 92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Williams, Julie Kavner, Ruth Nelson, John Leo McCarey. Irene Dunne, Cary Grant, Heard, Penelope Ann Miller, Max von Ralph Bellamy, Cecil Cunningham, Mary Sydow, Alice Drummond, Mary Alice, Forbes, Alex D’Arcy, Joyce Compton, Molly Anne Meara, Richard Libertini, Dexter Lamont. Hilarious screwball comedy; Cary Gordon. Powerfully affecting true-life story and Irene divorce, she to marry hayseed Belof a painfully shy research doctor who lamy, he to wed aristocratic Lamont. Each takes a job at a Bronx hospital’s chronic does his best to spoil the other’s plans. care ward in 1969—and discovers that his McCarey won an Oscar for his inspired direccomatose patients still have life inside them. tion. Screenplay by Vina Delmar. Based on a Williams is superb as the doctor, and De Niro play by Arthur Richman previously filmed in is his match as a patient who awakens from a 1925 and 1929; remade in 1953 as the musi30-year coma to deal with life as an adult for cal LET’S DO IT AGAIN.▼●쩠 the first time. Steven Zaillian’s screenplay is A.W.O.L. SEE: Lionheart (1991) based on the book by (and experiences of) Dr. Ay, Carmela! (1990-Spanish) C-103m. ★★★1 Oliver Sacks. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Carlos Saura. Carmen Maura, Away All Boats (1956) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andres Pajares, Gabino Diego, Maurizio Joseph Pevney. Jeff Chandler, George di Razza, Miguel A. Rellan. Maura shines Nader, Julie Adams, Lex Barker, Keith in this clever, rapier-witted farce as a vaudeAndes, Richard Boone, David Janssen. villian who entertains the partisans during Strict, aloof captain Chandler must ignite the Spanish Civil War. Then she, her husspark of fighting spirit among inexperiband, and their mute assistant find themenced crew aboard WW2 attack transport selves trapped behind enemy lines. Both funny and poignant. ▼● Belinda. Exciting, inspiring story of battle action in Pacific Theater. Look fast for Ayn Rand—A Sense of Life (1998) C/B&W-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Paxton. Clint Eastwood as a medical orderly near film’s end. VistaVision. ▼쩠 Narrated by Sharon Gless. Examination of Away From Her (2007-Canadian) C-110m. the popular author, screenwriter, and philos★★★ D: Sarah Polley. Julie Christie, Gordon opher, tracing her historic roots in the SoPinsent, Olympia Dukakis, Wendy Crewson, viet Union, her years in Hollywood, her talk Michael Murphy, Kristen Thomson, Alberta show appearances expounding her controWatson. After 44 years of marriage, a couple versial theories of Objectivism and individrecognizes that the wife is displaying early ual rights, and her testimony before the signs of Alzheimer’s disease and makes plans House Un-American Activities Committee. to move her to an extended-care facility. As Also incorporates dramatizations of her difficult as this is for her, it’s devastating to works and sequences illustrating her life. him, especially when he sees her developing Too long—and pedantic—for some viewers, but a must for Rand enthusiasts.▼쩠 an attachment to another patient. Intelligent, empathetic film eschews sentimentality as the characters take this difficult journey. RemarkBaadasssss! (2004) C-108m. ★★★ D: Mario able first feature for actress Polley, who Van Peebles. Mario Van Peebles, Joy Bryadapted Alice Munro’s New Yorker short ant, Terry Crews, Ossie Davis, David Alan story ‘‘The Bear Came Over the Mountain.’’ Grier, Nia Long, Saul Rubinek, Rainn WilThe cast couldn’t be better, but Christie is son, T. K. Carter, Paul Rodriguez, Vincent especially good. [PG-13]쩠 Schiavelli, Khleo Thomas, Len Lesser, Awful Dr. Orloff, The (1961-Spanish) Sally Struthers, Adam West, Glenn Plum95m. ★★ D: Jess Franco. Howard Vernon, mer. After his first taste of Hollywood sucConrado Sanmartin, Diana Lorys, Ricardo cess in the early 1970s, Melvin Van Peebles Valle, Perla Cristal. Medium spooker about decides to make an uncompromising film deranged surgeon operating on a series of from a black man’s point of view (SWEET women, trying to find spare parts to reviSWEETBACK’S BAAD ASSSSS SONG) talize his disfigured daughter. A long, disand has to use guerrilla tactics to get the jointed Orloff series followed.▼쩠 job done. He spares no one along the way, Awfully Big Adventure, An (1995-Britishincluding his young son Mario. The younger ★★1 Irish) C-101m. Van Peebles gives a great performance as his ⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Georgina Cates, Rita father and makes us feel as if we’re eyewitTushingham, Peter Firth, Alan Cox, Prunesses to this incredible true story. Filmmaker nella Scales. Unfocused though rarely borJohn Singleton appears as a disc jockey; Troy ing drama about a capriciously cruel stage Garity appears unbilled. [R] ▼쩠 director who browbeats a Liverpool rep Babar The Movie (1989-Canadian-French) company in the late 1940s. The screenplay, C-70m. ★★★ D: Alan Bunce. Voices of from Beryl Bainbridge’s novel, is by Gordon Pinsent, Gavin Magrath, Eliza[ 72 ]

beth Hanna, Sarah Polley, Chris Wiggins. voices of E. G. Daily, Danny Mann, Glenne Entertaining feature-length cartoon based Headly, Steven Wright, Stanley Ralph Ross, on the classic children’s books by Jean Russi Taylor, Hugo Weaving, Naomi Watts; and Laurent de Brunhoff. Strictly servicenarrated by Roscoe Lee Browne. Disappointable (and uninspired) animation is made ing (and superfluous) sequel puts Babe and up for by an engaging storyline that’s sure everyone around him, human and animal, in to appeal to young children. [G]▼●쩠 almost continual peril, as the pig is taken to Babe, The (1992) C-115m. ★★★ D: Arthur America by Mrs. Hoggett. Overblown, with Hiller. John Goodman, Kelly McGillis, Trini unpleasant images unsuitable for the younAlvarado, Bruce Boxleitner, Peter Donat, gest children, but rescued somewhat by the James Cromwell, J. C. Quinn, Joe Ragno, indomitable Babe, who’s as endearing as Bernard Kates, Michael McGrady, Stephen ever, and those three singing mice, whose Caffrey. Agreeably sentimental, old-fashioned choice of material is quite funny. [G] ▼●쩠 bio of the great Babe Ruth is largely a vehicle Babe Ruth Story, The (1948) 106m. for Goodman, who’s terrific in the lead. BOMB D: Roy Del Ruth. William Bendix, Though facts are tampered with and often igClaire Trevor, Charles Bickford, Sam nored, the essence of this larger-than-life charLevene, William Frawley, Mark Koenig, acter (and his genuine love of baseball) still Mel Allen, Harry Wismer, H. V. Kaltenborn. comes through. [PG]▼●쩠 Perfectly dreadful bio of the Sultan of Babe (1995-U.S.-Australian) C-92m. ★★★1⁄2 Swat is sugar-coated beyond recognition; D: Chris Noonan. James Cromwell, Magda the Babe is depicted as an overgrown child Szubanski; voices of Christine Cavanaugh, whose behavior is constantly misunderMiriam Margolyes, Danny Mann, Hugo stood. Bendix is badly miscast, and the finale is not to be believed. ▼ Weaving, Miriam Flynn, Russi Taylor, Evelyn Krape; narrated by Roscoe Lee Browne. Babes in Arms (1939) 96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Busby Delightful, disarming family fodder about Berkeley. Mickey Rooney, Judy Garland, an orphaned pig taken in by a quietly eccenCharles Winninger, Guy Kibbee, June tric farmer who develops a strong attachment Preisser, Douglas McPhail. Rodgers and to the little fellow. The farmyard animals all Hart’s musical, minus most of their songs, converse with one another in this endearing and one that’s left, ‘‘Where or When,’’ is (and often very funny) tale, based on the book trammeled to death. What remains is enerThe Sheep-Pig by Dick King-Smith. The getic but standard putting-on-a-show vehiOscar-winning special effects, combining real cle for Mickey and Judy. Dated fun. animals, animatronic doubles, and computer Original ending, ‘‘My Day,’’ was a productechnology, are both seamless and convinction number spoofing Mr. and Mrs. Franklin ing. This is one ‘‘family film’’ that adults can D. Roosevelt, which was removed for a enjoy right along with their kids. Followed by 1948 reissue and later restored. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 a sequel. [G] ▼●쩠 Babel (2006-Mexican-U.S.) C-142m. ★★★1⁄2 Babes in Bagdad (1952-U.S.-BritishD: Alejandro Gonza´lez In˜a´rritu. Brad Pitt, Spanish) C-79m. BOMB D: Edgar G. Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcı´a Bernal, Koˆji Ulmer. Paulette Goddard, Gypsy Rose Lee, Yakusho, Adriana Barraza, Rinko Kikuchi, Richard Ney, John Boles, Sebastian Cabot, Said Tarchani, Boubker Ait El Caid, Elle Christopher Lee. Embarrassing, hokey cosFanning, Nathan Gamble, Clifton Collins, tumer made even seedier by miscast vetJr., Michael Pen˜a. Bold, riveting drama eran performers. Babes in Toyland (1934) 73m. ★★★1⁄2 D: combines stories from three continents: an American tourist (Pitt) in Morocco learns Gus Meins, Charles R. Rogers. Stan Lauabout fear and isolation when his wife rel, Oliver Hardy, Charlotte Henry, Henry (Blanchett) is wounded by a stray bullet. Kleinbach (Brandon), Felix Knight, Jean Meanwhile, their children in L.A. are cared Darling, Johnny Downs, Marie Wilson. for by housekeeper Barraza, who brings L&H version of Victor Herbert operetta them along to her son’s wedding in Mexico, looks better all the time, compared to little dreaming of the consequences. In lumbering ‘‘family musicals’’ of recent Tokyo, a mute teenage girl (Kikuchi), traumayears. Stan and Ollie are in fine form, and tized by her mother’s death, reaches out to a fantasy element of Toyland—especially atpolice detective. Maintains an extraordinary tack by Bogeymen—is excellent. Video level of tension while pursuing its central title: MARCH OF THE WOODEN SOLtheme about the need to communicate—and DIERS. Originally released at 79m. Also listen—in our post-9/11 world. Third of a trilshown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 ogy written by Guillermo Arriaga, following Babes in Toyland (1961) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 AMORES PERROS and 21 GRAMS. Oscar D: Jack Donohue. Ray Bolger, Tommy winner for Gustavo Santaolalla’s score. Sands, Annette Funicello, Henry Calvin, Gene Sheldon, Tommy Kirk, Ed Wynn, Ann [R]쩠 Babe: Pig in the City (1998-U.S.-Australian) Jillian. Colorful but contrived Disneyfication C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Miller. Magda Szuof Victor Herbert operetta has no substance or banski, James Cromwell, Mickey Rooney; heart; classic songs, visual gimmicks, clown[ 73 ]

ing of Calvin and Sheldon keep it afloat. Rewho lives off his mother and embraces irremade for TV in 1986.▼쩠 sponsibility, even though he has fathered Babes on Broadway (1941) 118m. ★★1⁄2 two children by two different women. D: Busby Berkeley. Mickey Rooney, Judy Opens with a bang, but goes on too long, Garland, Fay Bainter, Virginia Weidler, and offsets some strong characterizations— Richard Quine, Ray McDonald, Donna Gibson’s straight-talking mother (Johnson) Reed. Showcase for Mickey and Judy’s taland her ex-con-gone-straight boyfriend ents, with duo doing everything from imita(Rhames)—with sloppy storytelling. A comtions of Carmen Miranda and Bernhardt to panion piece to writer-director Singleton’s minstrel numbers. Standout is Judy’s ‘‘F.D.R. BOYZ N THE HOOD, also set in South Jones.’’ Film debut of Margaret O’Brien. Central L.A. [R]▼쩠 Look fast for Ava Gardner in the audience Baby Doll (1956) 114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Elia watching the final number. ▼●쩠 Kazan. Karl Malden, Carroll Baker, Eli Babette’s Feast (1987-Danish) C-102m. Wallach, Mildred Dunnock, Lonny Chap★★★★ D: Gabriel Axel. Stephane Audran, man, Rip Torn. Starkly photographed on Jean-Philippe Lafont, Gudmar Wivesson, location in Mississippi, story revolves Jarl Kulle, Bibi Andersson, Birgitte Federaround a child bride, her witless and blusspiel, Bodil Kjer. Exquisite, delicately told tery husband, and a smarmy business rival tale of two beautiful young minister’s daughbent on using both of them. Condemned ters who pass up love and fame to remain by Legion of Decency when released, this in their small Danish village. They grow Tennessee Williams story, although tame old, using religion as a substitute for living by today’s standards, still sizzles. Film life . . . and then take in Parisian refugee debuts of Wallach and Torn.▼쩠 Audran, a woman with a very special Baby Face (1933) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alfred E. secret. Subtle, funny and deeply felt, with Green. Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent, several wonderful surprises: an instant masDonald Cook, Margaret Lindsay, Dougterpiece that deservedly earned a Best Forlass Dumbrille, John Wayne. Pre-Produceign Film Academy Award. Axel wrote tion Code item has Stanwyck bartending at the screenplay, from an Isak Dinesen short a speakeasy, then literally sleeping her story. Don’t miss this one. [G] ▼●쩠 way floor by floor to the top of a N.Y.C. Baby, The (1973) C-102m. ★★ D: Ted office building. Great first half gives way Post. Anjanette Comer, Ruth Roman, to sappily moralistic conclusion. Wayne’s Marianna Hill. Social worker who gets in coat-and-tie bit—as one of the office help too deep with a man-child case, has to used by the heroine—is a hoot. Even kill to keep ‘‘baby’’ at home with her. harsher version discovered in 2004 runs about 5m. longer.▼●쩠 [PG] ▼쩠 Baby Blue Marine (1976) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 Baby Face Nelson (1957) 85m. ★★ D: D: John Hancock. Jan-Michael Vincent, Don Siegel. Mickey Rooney, Carolyn Jones, Glynnis O’Connor, Katherine Helmond, Cedric Hardwicke, Jack Elam, Ted De Dana Elcar, Bert Remsen, Richard Gere, Corsia. Rooney gives flavorful performance Art Lund. Norman Rockwell’s America in title role of gun-happy gangster in come to life, in bucolic tale of Marine Prohibition-Depression days; low-budget dropout during WW2 who’s mistaken for product, but action-filled. Babyfever (1994) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Henry hero by residents of small town. Too bland to add up. [PG] Jaglom. Victoria Foyt, Matt Salinger, Dinah Baby Boom (1987) C-110m. ★★★ D: Lenney, Eric Roberts, Frances Fisher, Charles Shyer. Diane Keaton, Harold Elaine Kagan. An array of career-women at Ramis, Sam Shepard, Sam Wanamaker, a Malibu baby shower examine, discuss, James Spader, Pat Hingle, Britt Leach, and discuss some more their own ticking Mary Gross, Victoria Jackson, Paxton biological clocks. Meanwhile, one of the Whitehead, Annie Golden, Dori Brenner, guests (Foyt) is awaiting results of her own Robin Bartlett, Christopher Noth. Keaton pregnancy test! Shot in Jaglom’s usual ve´is in top comic form as a supercharged rite´ style, this is best appreciated by fans business exec whose life changes dramatically of the highly personal filmmaker. With the when she ‘‘inherits’’ a baby. Amiable comedy drubbing that men take here, this is defitakes well-aimed potshots at ’80s yuppie mothnitely not a ‘‘first date’’ film.▼쩠 erdom but remains agreeably sweet-natured Baby Geniuses (1999) C-94m. BOMB D: start to finish, helping it over an occasional Bob Clark. Kathleen Turner, Christopher story lull. Written by Shyer and Nancy MeyLloyd, Peter MacNicol, Kim Cattrall, Dom ers. Followed by a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 DeLuise, Ruby Dee. Unless you want to see Baby Boy (2001) C-129m. ★★★ D: John walking, talking toddlers hypnotizing DeSingleton. Tyrese Gibson, Taraji P. Henson, Luise into picking his nose, steer clear of Omar Gooding, Tamara Bass, A.J. Johnson, this almost history-making comedy clinker Ving Rhames, Snoop Dogg, Candy Ann about power-mad child psychologist Turner, Brown. Ambitious, insightful portrait of an who’s raising these bright babies in her lab. immature 20-year-old African American Technically shoddy and recipient of some [ 74 ]

of the decade’s worst reviews (though people ille, Eddie Bracken. In a ‘‘plot’’ reminiscent did go to see it). If these kids are such geof several Swee Pea cartoons, a Chicago niuses, why can’t they spark even a single baby violently foils kidnappers as he emlaugh? Followed by SUPERBABIES: BABY barks on a parentless Pampers odyssey to GENIUSES 2. Super 35. [PG] ▼●쩠 Marshall Field’s, the zoo, and to the top of ★★1 Baby It’s You (1983) C-105m. a skyscraper building site. A box office flop ⁄2 D: John Sayles. Rosanna Arquette, Vincent despite scripter/coproducer John Hughes’ Spano, Joanna Merlin, Jack Davidson, Nick cynical HOME ALONE cloning; in stanFerrari, Dolores Messina, Leora Dana, dard Hughes fashion, it’s full of kicked-andSam McMurray, Tracy Pollan, Matthew torched gonads jokes, but all sweetness and Modine, Robert Downey, Jr., Caroline light at the end. [PG]▼●쩠 Aaron, Fisher Stevens. A middle-class JewBaby . . . Secret of the Lost Legend ish girl is pursued by a working-class Italian (1985) C-95m. ★★ D: B.W.L. Norton. Catholic boy who calls himself The Sheik William Katt, Sean Young, Patrick Mcin this slice-of-life set in 1960s New JerGoohan, Julian Fellowes, Kyalo Mativo. sey. Writer-director Sayles’ eye for detail Old-fashioned yarn about discovery of a and ear for dialogue give his fine cast a dinosaur family follows basic KING KONG solid foundation—but the script loses mooutline—and the baby dino is sure to charm mentum after the characters graduate from kids—but elements of racism, sexism, and high school. Story by coproducer Amy much-too-casual violence just about kill Robinson; Modine’s film debut. [R]▼●쩠 it. TV title: DINOSAUR . . . SECRET Babylon A.D. (2008-U.S.-French-British) OF THE LOST LEGEND. Super TechniC-90m. BOMB D: Mathieu Kassovitz. Vin scope. [PG]▼●쩠 Diesel, Ge´rard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh, Babysitter, The (1969) 70m. ★★ D: Don Me´lanie Thierry, Charlotte Rampling, Mark Henderson. Patricia Wymer, George E. Strong, Lambert Wilson, Joel Kirby. FuturCarey, Ann Bellamy, Cathy Williams, Robistic story in which a mercenary (played ert Tessier, James McLarty. Low-budget with one expression by Diesel) is hired to drive-in fare is dated but still mildly enjoyescort a girl from Eastern Europe to N.Y.C. able; young blonde babysitter seduces the With an evil high priestess hot on his tail, district attorney and hilarity ensues. Lots he soon learns the real purpose of his misof double duty on this one: Carey prosion: his charge is carrying either a deadly duced, McLarty wrote the script. Followed disease or an organism that is the new mesby nonsequel, WEEKEND WITH THE siah. Incoherent plotting makes this atBABYSITTER. [R] tempted sci-fi epic a complete fizzle. Based Babysitter, The (1975-Italian-French-Geron the novel Babylon Babies by Maurice G. man) C-111m. BOMB D: Rene´ Clement. Dantec. Unrated version runs 101m. Super Maria Schneider, Sydne Rome, Vic Mor35. [PG-13]쩠 row, Robert Vaughn, Renato Pozzetto, Baby Maker, The (1970) C-109m. ★★ D: Nadja Tiller. In misfired melodrama, SchneiJames Bridges. Barbara Hershey, Colin der is innocently duped into taking part in a Wilcox-Horne, Sam Groom, Scott Glenn, kidnapping by roommate Rome. Schneider’s Jeannie Berlin. Childless couple hires young nonacting is abysmal, as is miscasting of semi-hippie to have a baby by the husband chubby Italian comedian Pozzetto as her boywhen wife discovers she is sterile. Made at friend. Retitled: WANTED: BABYSITTER. a time when the notion of surrogate mothVideo title: THE RAW EDGE.▼쩠 ers was considered bizarre. [R]▼쩠 Babysitter, The (1995) C-90m. ★★ D: Guy ★★1 Baby Mama (2008) C-99m. ⁄2 D: MiFerland. Alicia Silverstone, Jeremy London, chael McCullers. Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, J. T. Walsh, Lee Garlington, Nicky Katt, Greg Kinnear, Dax Shepard, Romany Lois Chiles, George Segal, Ryan Slater. A Malco, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, beautiful teenager inspires sexual fantasies Maura Tierney, Holland Taylor, John Hodgin the people around her as she babysits for man, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Denis O’Hare, Walsh and his wife. Unimaginative writing James Rebhorn. Career-minded Fey decides (by the director) and slow pace explain why it’s time to have a baby and signs up with this went straight to video, though it was an agency to match her with a surrogate released in theaters after Silverstone’s great mother: white-trash Poehler, who’s running success in CLUELESS. [R]▼●쩠 a scam. Given the comedic talent involved Baby-Sitters Club, The (1995) C-85m. ★★1 this is pretty bland, though certainly ⁄2 D: Melanie Mayron. Schuyler Fisk, watchable. Martin has fun in a glorified Bre Blair, Rachel Leigh Cook, Zelda Harris, cameo as Fey’s boss, a New Age business Tricia Joe, Larisa Oleynik, Stacey Linn Ramsower, Austin O’Brien, Aaron Metmogul. [PG-13]쩠 Baby’s Day Out (1994) C-98m. BOMB D: chik, Christian Oliver, Brooke Adams, Peter Patrick Read Johnson. Lara Flynn Boyle, Horton, Ellen Burstyn, Bruce Davison, HarJoe Mantegna, Jacob and Adam Worton, ris Yulin. Kristy (Fisk), founder and leader Joe Pantoliano, Brian Haley, Cynthia of the Baby-Sitter’s Club, run by seven girls Nixon, Fred Dalton Thompson, John Nevwho are best friends, proposes starting a [ 75 ]

summer camp. Then her long-absent father grandfather. A mistake from top to bottom. shows up, and wants to spend time with The view of women here might even offend her—but insists she keep his presence a sethe Rat Pack. Also available in PG version. [PG-13]▼●쩠 cret. Good-hearted adaptation of Ann M. Martin’s hugely popular books for preteen Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer, The (1947) 95m. ★★★ D: Irving Reis. Cary Grant, girls. Low-key, episodic, but agreeable entertainment. Director Mayron can be spotted Myrna Loy, Shirley Temple, Rudy Vallee, briefly in the opening sequence. Fisk is the Ray Collins, Harry Davenport. Judge Loy orders playboy Grant to wine and dine her daughter of Sissy Spacek. [PG]▼●쩠 Baby Snakes (1979) C-166m. BOMB D: sister Temple, so the teenager will forget Frank Zappa. Frank Zappa, Ron Delsener, her infatuation for him. Breezy entertainJoey Psychotic, Donna U. Wanna, Frenchy ment earned Sidney Sheldon an Oscar for the Poodle, Ms. Pinky’s Larger Sister, his original screenplay. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Angel, Janet the Planet, Diva, John, Chris, Nancy. Excruciatingly overlong ego trip Bachelor Flat (1962) C-91m. ★★ D: Frank for musical maverick Zappa. In every fifth Tashlin. Tuesday Weld, Richard Beymer, shot, it seems, Frankie is in close-up or a Celeste Holm, Terry-Thomas. Weld visits fan rushes up to him, kisses him, and her mother’s beach house and finds scienscreeches for joy. Zappa finally cut it down to tist Thomas at work; she moves in anyway 91m. for 1984 reissue. Bruce Bickford’s clay and creates eventual havoc. Thomas has animation is film’s sole virtue. [R]▼쩠 had better material; film’s entertainment is Baby Take a Bow (1934) 76m. ★★ D: all in his lap. CinemaScope. Harry Lachman. Shirley Temple, James Bachelor in Paradise (1961) C-109m. ★★ Dunn, Claire Trevor, Alan Dinehart, Ray D: Jack Arnold. Bob Hope, Lana Turner, Walker. Shirley’s first starring vehicle Janis Paige, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, seems one of her weakest today, but helped Don Porter, Agnes Moorehead. Hope veboost her career nonetheless; in typical hicle about the only bachelor in a commulittle-miss-fixit fashion, she helps her exnity of married couples. Amusing, but not con father beat a bum rap. Also shown in great. Hope has done better; Paige is fun as always. CinemaScope.▼ computer-colored version.▼쩠 Baby The Rain Must Fall (1965) 100m. Bachelor Mother (1939) 81m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ★★★ Garson Kanin. Ginger Rogers, David Niven, D: Robert Mulligan. Lee Remick, Steve McQueen, Don Murray, Paul Fix, Charles Coburn, Frank Albertson, Ernest Josephine Hutchinson, Ruth White. Much Truex. Rogers unwittingly becomes guardunderrated account of ex-convict McQueen, ian for abandoned baby in this delightful returning to his wife and daughter, but comedy by Norman Krasna. Remade as unable to change his restless ways. Murray BUNDLE OF JOY. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼● is sincere sheriff who tries to help. Screenplay by Horton Foote, from his play The Bachelor Party, The (1957) 93m. ★★★ D: Traveling Lady.▼●쩠 Delbert Mann. Don Murray, E. G. MarBachelor, The (1991-Italian-Hungarianshall, Jack Warden, Patricia Smith, CaroBritish) C-105m. ★★★ D: Roberto Faenza. lyn Jones, Larry Blyden, Philip Abbott, Keith Carradine, Miranda Richardson, KrisNancy Marchand. Perceptive Paddy Chaytin Scott Thomas, Sarah-Jane Fenton, Max efsky drama (originally a TV play) about von Sydow, Mario Adorf. Subtle, thoughtbachelor party for groom-to-be Abbott, and ful story of repressed emotion, about a staid, its emotional effect on other married particimiddle-aged, unmarried doctor and self-depants. Jones is exceptional as philosophical nympho.▼ scribed ‘‘nomad’’ (Carradine), and how he responds when his sister and long-time conBachelor Party (1984) C-106m. ★★ D: Neal stant companion commits suicide. RichardIsrael. Tom Hanks, Tawny Kitaen, Adrian son, in a dual role, plays the latter, as well Zmed, George Grizzard, Robert Prescott. as one of a trio of very different women Amiable comedy about preparations for a with whom the doctor becomes involved. raunchy bachelor party has real laughs for Based on a novel by Arthur Schnitzler.▼ a while, then gets increasingly desperate Bachelor, The (1999) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Gary and tasteless. Followed by a direct-to-DVD sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Sinyor. Chris O’Donnell, Rene´e Zellweger, Hal Holbrook, James Cromwell, Peter UstiBackbeat (1993-British) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: nov, Edward Asner, Brooke Shields, Mariah Iain Softley. Stephen Dorff, Sheryl Lee, Ian Carey, Artie Lange, Jennifer Esposito, Sarah Hart, Gary Bakewell, Chris O’Neill, Scot Silverman. Hapless O’Donnell would do better Williams, Kai Weisinger, Paul Humpoletz. aping Buster Brown than taking on the Buster Stuart Sutcliffe (Dorff) goes along with his Keaton role in a woeful update of the still uppal John Lennon when their rock ’n’ roll roarious 1925 classic SEVEN CHANCES, band tries to establish itself in early ’60s playing a misdirected 30-year-old youth who Hamburg—but his ambitions lie elsewhere. must find a wife immediately or forfeit a $100 Initially intriguing true story of the man who million inheritance left him by his crotchety deserted the about-to-be-Beatles grows tired [ 76 ]

after a while, especially when Lennon (as with Raft swept into Nazi intrigue in Turkey; terrific car chase caps fast-moving tale.▼ played by the dynamic Hart) seems so much more interesting. The period and its music Back in the USSR (1991) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: are well captured, however. [R]▼●쩠 Deran Sarafian. Frank Whaley, Natalya Back Door to Hell (1964) 68m. ★★1⁄2 D: Negoda, Roman Polanski, Ravil Issyanov, Monte Hellman. Jimmie Rodgers, Jack Dey Young, Andrew Divoff, Brian Blessed, Nicholson, John Hackett, Annabelle HugHarry Ditson. American tourist Whaley gins, Conrad Maga. Mildly interesting film gets involved in ‘‘the case of the disapabout WW2 reconnaissance mission in the pearing icon’’ on a visit to Russia. It’s Philippines; early collaboration of Nicholalmost impossible to follow this loopholeson and Hellman, who filmed FLIGHT laden script where coincidences abound TO FURY back to back with this.쩠 and the importance of the central object of Backdraft (1991) C-135m. ★★★ D: Ron desire—the icon—is never established.▼● Howard. Kurt Russell, William Baldwin, Backlash (1956) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Robert De Niro, Donald Sutherland, JenSturges. Richard Widmark, Donna Reed, nifer Jason Leigh, Scott Glenn, Rebecca William Campbell, John McIntire, Barton De Mornay, Jason Gedrick, J. T. Walsh, MacLane, Henry (Harry) Morgan, Edward Tony Mockus, Sr., Clint Howard. Two C. Platt. In the aftermath of an Apache ambrothers whose father died fighting a fire bush, Widmark (who believes his father now spend their time on the force battling was in the doomed party) and Reed (whose each other. A hoary B-movie–type script fired husband was killed in the massacre) become up by square-jawed conviction, and stunning involved in a serpentine search for the lone special effects; also the first film to ever exsurvivor and some missing gold. Plotty plore a sheer fascination with fire. The gifted Western written by Borden Chase. Leigh fails miserably playing a normal young Backlash (1986-Australian) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 woman. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 D: Bill Bennett. David Argue, Gia Carides, ★★ Backfire (1950) 91m. D: Vincent SherLydia Miller, Brian Syron, Anne Smith. man. Virginia Mayo, Gordon MacRae, Well-meaning but muddled account of a Edmond O’Brien, Viveca Lindfors, Dane young aborigine barmaid who’s sodomized, Clark, Ed Begley. OK mystery tale has then charged with the murder of her assailMacRae search for missing friend through ant, and finally treks across the outback in maze of murder and romance. custody of two mindlessly jabbering cops. Backfire (1987-U.S.-Canadian) C-92m. Bits of snappy dialogue and intriguing ★★1 commentary on race relations, but far too ⁄2 D: Gilbert Cates. Karen Allen, Keith Carradine, Jeff Fahey, Bernie Casey, Dean much is left unexplained. [R]▼ Paul Martin, Dinah Manoff, Virginia CaBackroads (1977-Australian) C-61m. ★★★1⁄2 pers, Philip Sterling. Complicated plot with D: Phillip Noyce. Bill Hunter, Gary Foley, several surprises is best not revealed here, Zac Martin, Julie McGregor, Terry Camilbut it does involve wealthy, disturbed Vietleri. Aborigine Foley joins with loutish, nam vet Fahey, his wrong-side-of-the-tracks self-centered white criminal Hunter, with wife Allen, and mysterious drifter Carratragic results. Superior drama is an incidine. Familiar story but well acted; builds sive commentary on racism; in private life up a fair amount of suspense. Good use of Foley is a radical black activist. Noyce’s Canadian locations. [R]▼●쩠 feature directorial debut. Backfire! (1994) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: A. Dean Back Roads (1981) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Martin Bell. Kathy Ireland, Robert Mitchum, Telly Ritt. Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, David Savalas, Shelley Winters, Josh Mosby, Keith, Miriam Colon, Michael V. Gazzo, Mary McCormack, Edie Falco. In the wake M. Emmet Walsh. Attractive leads are of AIRPLANE! and THE NAKED GUN scant consolation for thoroughly unfunny comes this astoundingly unfunny comedy comedy about a hooker and a drifter who about an inept young man attempting to join find love on the road. Not as enjoyable as an all-female fire department. Mitchum (as Hollywood’s 10,000 previous derivations a semi-senile fire marshal) and Winters have of the same script. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 come a long way since THE NIGHT OF THE Backstage (2006-French) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: HUNTER! [PG-13]▼ Emmanuelle Bercot. Emmanuelle Seigner, Back From Eternity (1956) 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Isild Le Besco, Noe´mie Lvovsky, Vale´ry John Farrow. Robert Ryan, Anita Ekberg, Zeitoun, Samuel Benchetrit. Teenage girl is Rod Steiger, Phyllis Kirk. Moderately enobsessed with a beautiful pop singer and grossing account of victims of plane crash, manages to work her way into the star’s stranded in South American jungle, and inner circle . . . but their relationship takes their various reactions to the situation. OK many strange turns. Intriguing look at fanremake of FIVE CAME BACK.▼● dom gone amok and a tortured, mercurial, Background to Danger (1943) 80m. ★★★ pampered star rings fairly true but goes on D: Raoul Walsh. George Raft, Brenda Martoo long. Feature debut for writer-director shall, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Osa Bercot.쩠 Massen, Kurt Katch. Slam-bang WW2 story Back Street (1932) 89m. ★★★ D: John M. [ 77 ]

Stahl. Irene Dunne, John Boles, George The Del-Tones. Frankie and Annette reMeeker, ZaSu Pitts, Arlette Duncan, June turn to the scene of their youth—older but Clyde, William Bakewell, Doris Lloyd, no wiser—as the parents of teens. The fun Jane Darwell. Dunne shines in oft-filmed wears thin pretty fast in this uninspired Fannie Hurst soaper of spirited young comedy—despite the efforts of six writers woman who becomes the mistress of Boles and the presence of 1950s and 60s TV and must forever remain in the shadows. sitcom stars in cameo roles. The songs are Dated, to be sure, but still entertaining. dull, too, though Annette’s ‘‘Jamaica Ska’’ Remade in 1941 and 1961. has its moments. [PG]▼●쩠 Back Street (1941) 89m. ★★★ D: Robert Back to the Future (1985) C-116m. ★★★ Stevenson. Charles Boyer, Margaret SulD: Robert Zemeckis. Michael J. Fox, Chrislavan, Richard Carlson, Frank McHugh, topher Lloyd, Crispin Glover, Lea ThompTim Holt. Fine team of Boyer and Sullavan son, Wendie Jo Sperber, Marc McClure, breathes life into Fannie Hurst perennial Claudia Wells, Thomas F. Wilson, James soaper of woman whose love for man Tolkan, Casey Siemaszko, Billy Zane, Jadoesn’t die when he marries another. son Hervey. A teenager of the ’80s travels Back Street (1961) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: David back in time to the ’50s, where he must Miller. Susan Hayward, John Gavin, Vera arrange for his mismatched parents to Miles, Charles Drake, Virginia Grey, Regmeet—or else he won’t exist! Wonderful, inald Gardiner, Natalie Schafer. Lavish, unbewacked-out time-travel comedy takes its lievable third version of Fannie Hurst’s story time to get going, but once it does, it’s a of a woman’s love for married man. Doesn’t lot of fun, building to a frantic climax just play as well as previous versions but a fashion like other Bob Gale–Robert Zemeckis show for Hayward in Jean Louis designs. scripts (USED CARS, I WANNA HOLD Ross Hunter produced.▼ YOUR HAND, 1941). Lloyd is a standout Back to Bataan (1945) 95m. ★★★ D: Edas crazed scientist who sets story in motion. ward Dmytryk. John Wayne, Anthony Huey Lewis, who sings film’s hit song, Quinn, Beulah Bondi, Fely Franquelli, Rich‘‘The Power of Love,’’ has cameo as a ard Loo, Philip Ahn, Lawrence Tierney. high-school teacher. Produced by Steven Good, sturdy WW2 action film with officer Spielberg and company. Followed by two Wayne leading Filipino guerrillas to victory sequels and an animated TV series. [PG] in the South Pacific. Also shown in ▼●쩠 computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Back to the Future Part II (1989) C-107m. ★★ Back to God’s Country (1953) C-78m. D: Robert Zemeckis. Michael J. Fox, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Joseph Pevney. Rock Hudson, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Thomas Marcia Henderson, Steve Cochran, Hugh F. Wilson, Harry Waters Jr., Charles O’Brian, Chubby Johnson. Sea captain HudFleischer, Joe Flaherty, Elisabeth Shue, son and wife Henderson face rigors of nature James Tolkan, Casey Siemaszko, Elijah and villainy of Cochran in the Canadian wilds. Wood. Joyless, frenetic follow-up to Part 1 Competent programmer; from James Oliver which sends mad inventor Lloyd and young Curwood’s classic story, filmed before in Fox back into their time-traveling DeLor1919 and 1927. ean. Considerable ingenuity, but hardly any Back to School (1986) C-96m. ★★★ D: laughs, and a surprising amount of unpleasAlan Metter. Rodney Dangerfield, Sally antness. Works best toward the end when it Kellerman, Burt Young, Keith Gordon, creates a parallel existence to the climactic Robert Downey, Jr., Paxton Whitehead, action in Part 1, but then it turns out to be a Terry Farrell, M. Emmet Walsh, Adrienne cliffhanger, advertising the upcoming Part III! Talk about a cheat . . . [PG]▼●쩠 Barbeau, Ned Beatty, Severn Darden, Sam Kinison, Robert Picardo, Kurt Vonnegut, Back to the Future Part III (1990) Jr., Edie McClurg, Jason Hervey. BomC-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Zemeckis. Mibastic, uneducated, self-made millionaire chael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Mary enrolls in college, in order to encourage Steenburgen, Thomas F. Wilson, Lea his student son. Very entertaining comedy, Thompson, Elisabeth Shue, Matt Clark, full of hilarious Dangerfield one-liners, but Richard Dysart, Pat Buttram, Harry Carey, key to the film’s success is that Rodney’s Jr., Dub Taylor, James Tolkan, ZZ Top. character is so likable. Kellerman shines, Delightful conclusion to this time-travel too, as English professor who becomes the trilogy sends Fox back to the Old West, apple of his eye. [PG-13]▼●쩠 circa 1885, in search of Lloyd—hoping to Back to the Beach (1987) C-92m. ★★ D: change history and keep him from being shot Lyndall Hobbs. Frankie Avalon, Annette in the back by a bad guy. The dormant movie Funicello, Lori Loughlin, Tommy Hinckley, Western gets a major dose of adrenaline from Connie Stevens, Demian Slade; guest this high-tech, high-powered comic advenappearances by Don Adams, Bob Denver, ture, which offers great fun, dazzling special Alan Hale, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, effects, and imagination to spare. There’s real Barbara Billingsley, Edd Byrnes, Pee-wee movie magic at work here. [PG]▼●쩠 Herman (Paul Reubens), Dick Dale and Backtrack (1989) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dennis [ 78 ]

Hopper. Dennis Hopper, Jodie Foster, Dean noche, Denis Lavant, Hans Meyer, Julie Stockwell, Vincent Price, John Turturro, Delpy, Carroll Brooks, Hugo Pratt, Mireille Fred Ward, Charlie Sheen, G. Anthony Perrier, Serge Reggiani. Pretentious film (Tony) Sirico, Julie Adams, Sy Richardson, noir takeoff about two-bit con artist Lavant, Frank Gio, Helena Kallianiotes, Bob Dylan, who finds himself in way over his head as Catherine Keener. Contemporary melohe becomes involved in a plot to pilfer a drama about a hit man hired to rub out murserum that’s an antidote for an AIDS-like der eyewitness Foster—but falling in love disease; along the way, he falls for beautiful and taking it on the lam with her instead. Binoche, the lover of one of his cohorts. Although film isn’t particularly distinHighly regarded by some, but the storytellguished, it is entertaining—especially with ing is fatally muddled and all the close-ups that Who’s Who cast. (Joe Pesci, despite a of faces and legs eventually grow tiresome. substantial role, appears unbilled.) Released Lavant plays the same character in Carax’s first in Europe as CATCHFIRE; Hopper BOY MEETS GIRL and THE LOVERS disowned that version. Restored to his cut ON THE BRIDGE. Released in the U.S. in 2001. [R]▼쩠 (116m.) for U.S. release on cable and video in 1991. [R]▼쩠 Bad Boys (1983) C-123m. ★★★ D: Rick Backwoods Massacre SEE: Midnight (1981) Rosenthal. Sean Penn, Reni Santoni, Esai Bad and the Beautiful, The (1952) 118m. Morales, Eric Gurry, Jim Moody, Ally ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Vincente Minnelli. Kirk DougSheedy, Clancy Brown, Alan Ruck. Tough las, Lana Turner, Dick Powell, Gloria urban melodrama about juvenile prison, and a Grahame, Barry Sullivan, Walter Pidgeon, personal vendetta that reaches its peak within Gilbert Roland. Captivating Hollywood story prison walls. Criticized by some as being of ambitious producer (Douglas) told via amoral—and not always credible—but cerrelationships with actress Turner, writer tainly scores on an emotional level. Sheedy’s feature film debut. [R]▼●쩠 Powell, director Sullivan. Solid, insightful, witty, with Lana’s best performance ever. Bad Boys (1995) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Five Oscars include Supporting Actress Bay. Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Te´a (Grahame), Screenplay (Charles Schnee). Leoni, Theresa Randle, Tche´ky Karyo, David Raksin’s wonderful score is another Marg Helgenberger, Anna Thomson, Joe Panasset. Minnelli and Douglas followed this a toliano. Highly formulaic but not altogether decade later with TWO WEEKS IN ANdisposable Miami actioner about two cops— OTHER TOWN. Also shown in computerone married with kids, the other equipped colored version.▼●쩠 with a bachelor apartment—who are forced Bad Bascomb (1946) 110m. ★★ D: S. to switch roles after they’re mistaken for Sylvan Simon. Wallace Beery, Margaret each other during a drug-murder case. A O’Brien, Marjorie Main, J. Carrol Naish, return by producers Don Simpson and Jerry Marshall Thompson. Overlong Western with Bruckheimer to the kind of corpse-littered fine action scenes, overshadowed by inescapism that established them in the ’80s; credibly syrupy ones with Beery and O’Brien. wildly uneven comedy is aided by the spin Bad Behavior (1993-British) C-103m. Leoni puts on her role as a material witness ★★1⁄2 D: Les Blair. Stephen Rea, Sinead Cuwho’s hiding undercover with the heroes. A sack, Philip Jackson, Clare Higgins, Phil Danrobust half hour padded into two hours. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 iels, Mary Jo Randle, Saira Todd, Amanda Boxer. Amusing comedy with Rea and Cusack Bad Boys II (2003) C-146m. ★★ D: Michael as a couple whose marital complacency is chalBay. Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Jordi lenged by their friends, their jobs, and a bathMolla`, Gabrielle Union, Peter Stormare, Theroom renovation. A quietly quirky slant on resa Randle, Joe Pantoliano, Michael Shannon, domestic life in the Mike Leigh mold (the Jon Seda, Henry Rollins. Noisy, overlong seactors improvised from director Blair’s story quel pits the Miami tactical team against a outline) which rambles along nicely without Cuban drug lord, while Lawrence’s DEA sister ever really catching fire. Rea and Cusack are (Union) goes undercover after the same prey. charming in the lead roles.▼ This film seemingly exists for the sole purpose Bad Blood (1981-New Zealand-British) of blowing things up, which it does well and often, but there’s nothing else to recommend C-104m. ★★★ D: Mike Newell. Jack Thompson, Carol Burns, Denis Lill, Donna it. The plot is shopworn, and the banter beAkersten, Martyn Sanderson, Marshall Natween the two stars is forced and unfunny. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 pier. Set during WW2, this provocative drama is a fact-based account of a backBad Company (1972) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: woods farmer (Thompson) who shoots sevRobert Benton. Jeff Bridges, Barry Brown, eral people and is hunted in the New Jim Davis, David Huddleston, John Savage, Zealand bush. The incident ends up being Jerry Houser. Highly entertaining sleeper exploited by Lord Haw-Haw, the notoriabout two young drifters of wildly differous Nazi propagandist.▼쩠 ing temperaments who rob their way West Bad Blood (1987-French) C-128m. ★★ D: during the Civil War; aided immeasurably Le´os Carax. Michel Piccoli, Juliette Biby Gordon Willis’ subdued photography, [ 79 ]

Harvey Schmidt’s piano score. Written by highly sexual story told in film noir style; Benton and David Newman; Benton’s diclearly meaningful to Almodo´var, but somerectorial debut. [PG]▼쩠 what distancing for the viewer, in spite of Bad Company (1995) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: strong performances. R-rated version also Damian Harris. Ellen Barkin, Laurence available. Panavision. [NC-17]▼쩠 Fishburne, Frank Langella, Michael Beach, Bad For Each Other (1953) 83m. ★★1⁄2 Gia Carides, David Ogden Stiers, Daniel D: Irving Rapper. Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Hugh Kelly, Spalding Gray, James Hong. Scott, Dianne Foster, Mildred Dunnock, Ex-CIA staffer is recruited to join a private Marjorie Rambeau. Idealistic doctor Hesfirm specializing in ‘‘covert operations’’— ton finds Pennsylvania mining town has like blackmail and murder—but there’s more worthy patients than idle social set. more than meets the eye at every twist and Pouty Scott and wise Rambeau are good. turn. Never-ending series of double-crosses Badge 373 (1973) C-116m. ★1⁄2 D: Howleads to a ‘‘who cares?’’ finale. Only some ard W. Koch. Robert Duvall, Verna Bloom, hot-and-heavy sex scenes stand out. MiHenry Darrow, Eddie Egan, Felipe Luciano, chael Murphy appears unbilled as Smitty. Tina Christiana. Very minor follow-up to Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 THE FRENCH CONNECTION. Policeman Bad Company (1999-French) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 Duvall tries to fight crime syndicate singleD: Jean-Pierre Ame´ris. Maud Forget, Lou handedly in N.Y.C. Dull. [R]▼ Doillon, Robinson Ste´venin, Maxime ManBad Girls (1994) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Jonathan sion, Cyril Cagnat, Delphine Rich, Franc¸ois Kaplan. Madeleine Stowe, Mary Stuart Berle´and, Micheline Presle. Incisive drama Masterson, Andie MacDowell, Drew Barryabout Delphine (Forget), a bored, inexperimore, Dermot Mulroney, James Russo, enced 14-year-old who becomes fast friends Robert Loggia, Jim Beaver, Cooper Huckwith the new girl in school and falls in love abee. Stowe and three other prostitutes go (or so she thinks) with a manipulative young on the lam after a brothel shooting, eventuman. Sobering look at a young person who ally hooking up with a male outlaw from romanticizes everything from love and sex her past. Troubled production is an uneasy to depression and suicide, and who confuses combination of feminist statement, homage sexual desire with emotional need. Not to be to (or rip-off of) THE WILD BUNCH’s missed. Written by Alain Layrac. ▼쩠 finale, and an advertisement for good-look★1 Bad Company (2002) C-116m. ⁄2 D: Joel ing Western duds. A collectible poster in Schumacher. Anthony Hopkins, Chris Rock, search of a movie. Unrated version also Gabriel Macht, Peter Stormare, John Slattery, available. [R]▼●쩠 Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Kerry Washington, Bad Influence (1990) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Matthew Marsh, Brooke Smith, Irma P. Hall. Curtis Hanson. Rob Lowe, James Spader, Artificial hybrid of spy caper and Rock comLisa Zane, Christian Clemenson, Kathleen edy that serves no one well, especially the Wilhoite, Tony Maggio, David Duchovny. audience. Contrived plot has CIA agent Spader befriends Lowe after the latter gets Hopkins training street hustler Rock to imihim out of a tense barroom confrontation, tate his twin brother, who was a smooth then finds this psychopathic leech calling operative on the verge of closing a deal for the shots in his romantic—and profesa nuclear weapon in Europe. Needlessly sional—life. Slick, high-tech variation on overlong, building to a suspense-free cliSTRANGERS ON A TRAIN knows which max. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 buttons to push. Lowe is passable, but he’s Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) C-81m. no Robert Walker. [R]▼●쩠 ★★★1 ⁄2 D: John Sturges. Spencer Tracy, Bad Jim (1990) C-90m. ★★ D: Clyde Robert Ryan, Anne Francis, Dean Jagger, Ware. James Brolin, Richard Roundtree, Walter Brennan, John Ericson, Ernest John Clark Gable, Harry Carey, Jr., Rory Borgnine, Lee Marvin. Powerhouse cast in Calhoun, Ty Hardin, Pepe Serna, Bruce yarn of one-armed man (Tracy) uncovering Kirby. Not-bad Western has three good/ skeleton in tiny desert town’s closet. Borgbad men purchasing Billy the Kid’s horse— nine memorable as slimy heavy. Millard and using it to pass themselves off as Kaufman expertly adapted Howard BresBilly’s gang. Nice locations and welcome lin’s story ‘‘Bad Time at Hondo.’’ Excellent cast of veterans help make up for leisurely use of CinemaScope.▼●쩠 pace and lack of real action. Screen debut Bad Education (2004-Spanish) C-109m. ★★1 for Clark Gable’s son, as the youngest of ⁄2 D: Pedro Almodo´var. Gael Garcı´a the bandit trio. [PG]▼● Bernal, Fele Martı´nez, Daniel Gime´nez Badlanders, The (1958) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cacho, Lluı´s Homar, Javier Ca´mara, Petra Delmer Daves. Alan Ladd, Ernest BorgMartı´nez, Nacho Pe´rez, Rau´l Garcı´a Forneiro. nine, Katy Jurado, Claire Kelly, Kent A struggling actor (Bernal) approaches a sucSmith, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert Emhardt. cessful filmmaker (Fele Martı´nez) with an Nicely handled reworking of THE ASidea for a screenplay based on events that PHALT JUNGLE, set in 1898 Arizona, transpired at the Catholic school they both attended as boys. Complex, challenging, with ex-cons Ladd and Borgnine forming [ 80 ]

bond and becoming involved in gold robpeatedly out-smarted by devilish Lollobery. CinemaScope. ▼ brigida in this pallid comedy-Western made Badlands (1973) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terin Spain. Franscope. [PG]▼●쩠 rence Malick. Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Badman’s Territory (1946) 97m. ★★★ D: Warren Oates, Ramon Bieri, Alan Vint. Tim Whelan. Randolph Scott, Ann Richards, Stark, moody, moderately successful thriller George ‘‘Gabby’’ Hayes, Ray Collins, James inspired by the Starkweather-Fugate killWarren, Morgan Conway, Virginia Sale, ing spree in the ’50s. Well-cast film has Chief Thundercloud, Lawrence Tierney, cult following. [PG]▼●쩠 Steve Brodie, Isabel Jewell. Solid Western in Bad Lieutenant (1992) C-98m. ★★ D: which a sheriff (Scott, at his stalwart best) is Abel Ferrara. Harvey Keitel, Frankie Thorn, forced to ride into an outlaws’ haven, setting Paul Hipp, Victor Argo, Paul Calderone, off nonstop fireworks. Rich characterizations, Leonard Thomas. Also bad husband, bad with Hayes fun as the Coyote Kid. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 substance abuser, all-around bad dude. Over-the-top Catholic guilt movie about a Bad Medicine (1985) C-96m. BOMB D: cop who starts to pull himself out of the Harvey Miller. Steve Guttenberg, Alan abyss when he investigates the rape of a Arkin, Julie Hagerty, Bill Macy, Curtis nun who refuses to press charges. More preArmstrong, Julie Kavner, Joe Grifasi, Robert tentious than Ferrara’s earlier work, though Romanus, Taylor Negron, Gilbert Gottfried. film has substantial critical and cult followGuttenberg can’t get into any domestic ing. Featured player Zoe Lund (who also medical schools, so he’s forced to attend a coscripted with Ferrara) was formerly Zoe dubious Central American institution run by Tamerlis, star of Ferrara’s MS. 45. At the Arkin. Cheap jokes and ethnic putdowns abound. Our prescription: skip it. [PG-13]▼ very least, this is the first movie that offers full-frontal Keitel and a cameo by Jesus. Bad Moon (1996) C-79m. ★★ D: Eric Red. [NC-17]▼●쩠 Mariel Hemingway, Michael Pare´, Mason Bad Love (1992) C-94m. BOMB D: Jill Gamble, Ken Pogue, Hrothgar Mathews. Goldman. Tom Sizemore, Pamela Gidley, Hemingway is glad when her brother comes Seymour Cassel, Richard Edson, Debi to live with her and her young son Gamble; Mazar, Jennifer O’Neill, Margaux Hemonly the family German shepherd knows ingway, Joe Dallesandro. BAD MOVIE that Pare´ is really the werewolf that has would be a more appropriate title. Perfectly been killing locals in the Northwest woods. dreadful drama about hot-tempered, two-bit Good-looking horror movie with a strong hustler Sizemore and pretty loser Gidley performance from Pare´ is underpopulated who commence a hot-and-heavy, ill-fated and predictable, though the dog’s great. romance. Poor direction and a laughable From the novel Thor by Wayne Smith. script do this one in. [R]▼쩠 Clairmont-Scope. [R]▼●쩠 Bad Man, The (1941) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: RichBad News Bears, The (1976) C-102m. ★★★ ard Thorpe. Wallace Beery, Lionel BarryD: Michael Ritchie. Walter Matthau, more, Laraine Day, Ronald Reagan, Tom Tatum O’Neal, Vic Morrow, Joyce Van Conway, Henry Travers, Chris-Pin Martin, Patten, Jackie Earle Haley, Alfred W. Chill Wills, Nydia Westman. Slight but Lutter. Bright comedy about hopeless Litamusing modern-day Western with Beery tle League baseball team that scores with chewing the scenery as a comically murderan unlikely combination: a beer-guzzling ous Mexican desperado who descends upon coach (Matthau) and a female star pitcher Barrymore and Reagan’s ranch. Filmed be(O’Neal). Some of film’s major appeal— fore in 1923 and 1930 and reworked in 1937 young kids spouting four-letter words—may (as WEST OF SHANGHAI!). be lost on TV. Clever use of Bizet’s music Bad Manners (1998) C-90m. ★★★ D: Jonafrom Carmen. Remade in 2005. Followed than Kaufer. David Strathairn, Bonnie Beby two sequels and a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 delia, Saul Rubinek, Caroleen Feeney, Julie Bad News Bears (2005) C-113m. ★★ D: Harris. An egotistical musicologist and his Richard Linklater. Billy Bob Thornton, companion spend the weekend with his exGreg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden, Sammi lover, who’s now married to a college proKane Kraft, Jeffrey Davies, Timmy Deters, fessor. Sparks fly from the start as the four Brandon Craggs, Tyler Patrick Jones. Indoflinty personalities collide; an exercise in lent, beer-guzzling exterminator (and ex-ball sexual and psychological gamesmanship player) takes the job of coaching a woebegone reminiscent of WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRLittle League baseball team. Lackluster reGINIA WOOLF?, and splendidly acted all make of the 1976 comedy goes through the around. Adapted by David Gilman from his motions, and uses foul language just as the play Ghost in the Machine. [R]▼쩠 first film did, but hasn’t any zest or originalBad Man’s River (1972-Italian-Spanish) ity; even the reuse of themes from Carmen C-89m. ★★ D: Gene (Eugenio) Martin. falls flat. Bill Lancaster’s vintage script was Lee Van Cleef, James Mason, Gina Lolloadapted by the BAD SANTA team, Glenn brigida, Simon Andreu, Diana Lorys. Ficarra and John Requa. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Van Cleef is head of an outlaw gang reBad News Bears Go To Japan, The (1978) [ 81 ]

C-91m. ★★ D: John Berry. Tony Curtis, entrepreneurs, here to harvest humanity, Jackie Earle Haley, Tomisaburo Wakayama, and battling it out with government hit squad. George Wyner, Lonny Chapman. Curtis is Quirky, fragmented direction matches subgood as a small-time hustler who sees moneyject matter and acting styles. Director making opportunity in the now-familiar baseJackson also acted, wrote, edited, produced, ball team. Third film was the kids’ last, and and did the uneven but occasionally exit’s easy to see why. [PG]▼●쩠 cellent makeup. A cult hit worldwide.▼●쩠 Bad News Bears in Breaking Training, Bad Timing: A Sensual Obsession (1980The (1977) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael British) C-129m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Nicolas Roeg. Pressman. William Devane, Jackie Earle Art Garfunkel, Theresa Russell, Harvey Haley, Jimmy Baio, Clifton James, Chris Keitel, Denholm Elliott, Daniel Massey. Barnes. Sentimental sequel to 1976 hit, Mesmerizing melodrama triumphs over with dirty talk largely absent. Star of the badly miscast male leads and occasional kids’ baseball team, Haley heads for the pretentiousness. Roeg’s kinetic style brings Houston Astrodome and enlists the aid of the necessary passion to oddball story of a estranged father Devane in coaching the psychiatrist sexually engulfed by a selfmisfits. Sporadically funny. [PG]▼●쩠 destructive tramp. Russell is simply great, ★★★ D: Terry Bad Santa (2003) C-91m. as is knockout background music from Zwigoff. Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox, The Who, Keith Jarrett, and Billie Holiday. Technovision. [R—originally rated X]쩠 Brett Kelly, Lauren Graham, Lauren Tom, Bernie Mac, John Ritter, Ajay Naidu. OutraBagdad Cafe (1988-West German) C-108m. ★★1 geous, flagrantly foulmouthed black comedy ⁄2 D: Percy Adlon. Marianne Sa¨gebrecht, about a self-loathing reprobate who works as CCH Pounder, Jack Palance, Christine a department store Santa with a conniving Kaufmann, Monica Calhoun, Darron Flagg. African-American ‘‘elf’’ who masterminds a Nearly plotless charmer from the director series of robberies. Thornton’s life reaches a and star of SUGARBABY has Sa¨gebrecht crossroads when he encounters a hapless, isostranded in the California desert, making lated kid who truly believes in Santa. Provocfriends with the kooky folks who hang out ative look at the seamiest Santa who ever at Pounder’s roadside cafe. Palance prolived is audaciously funny, but definitely not vides a special treat portraying an exfor all tastes. Dedicated to the late Ritter, Hollywood set decorator who becomes who’s very funny as an uptight store manager. obsessed with painting Sa¨gebrecht’s porCloris Leachman appears unbilled. Unrated trait. German version runs 20m. longer. Later a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 98m. version available on DVD. Also available in R-rated 88m. director’s cut. [R]▼쩠 Bailiff, The SEE: Sansho the Bailiff Bait (1954) 79m. ★1⁄2 D: Hugo Haas. Cleo Bad Seed, The (1956) 129m. ★★★ D: Mervyn LeRoy. Nancy Kelly, Patty McMoore, Hugo Haas, John Agar, Emmett Cormack, Henry Jones, Eileen Heckart, Lynn. A mining-camp me´nage a` trois. Evelyn Varden, William Hopper. Stagy Heavy-handed Haas at his worst, despite but spellbinding account of malicious child intriguing pre-credit prologue with Cedric McCormack whose inherited evil ‘‘causes’’ Hardwicke as the Devil. Bait (2000) C-119m. ★★ D: Antoine Fuqua. deaths of several people. Fine performances; Maxwell Anderson’s Broadway play was Jamie Foxx, David Morse, Kimberly Elise, adapted by John Lee Mahin, with Kelly, Doug Hutchison, Robert Pastorelli, David McCormack, Jones, and Heckart re-creating Paymer, Jamie Kennedy, Mike Epps. Woetheir stage roles. The corny ‘‘Hollywoodized’’ fully overlong boilerplate urban comedy. A postscript is often cut but remains intact on small-time crook is surgically implanted with video. Remade for TV in 1985. McCora tracking device that the Feds think will lead mack later played a bad seed grown up in them to hoods who’ve plundered $42 million MOMMY.▼●쩠 in gold. A real mishmash, despite occasionBad Sleep Well, The (1960-Japanese) ally amusing comic shtick by Foxx, with an ★★★ 135m. ugly climax involving a bomb-threatened D: Akira Kurosawa. Toshiro Mifune, Takeshi Kato, Masayuki Mori, baby. Drawing a cinematic-to-culinary corTakashi Shimura, Akira Nishimura. Kurrelation, film’s title is extremely well choosawa effectively captures the spirit of sen. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 1940s Warner Bros. crime dramas in this Baker’s Hawk (1976) C-98m. ★★★ D: engrossing tale of rising executive Mifune Lyman D. Dayton. Clint Walker, Burl and corruption in the corporate world. AcIves, Diane Baker, Lee H. Montgomery, tually, it’s a variation on Hamlet. Original Alan Young, Taylor Lacher. Fine family version runs 151m. Tohoscope. ▼●쩠 drama about young boy (Montgomery) who Bad Taste (1988-New Zealand) C-90m. befriends hermitlike Ives, and comes of age ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Jackson. Peter Jackson, Pete as he participates in parents’ struggle against O’Herne, Mike Minett, Terry Potter, Craig vigilante forces. Beautifully filmed on location in Utah. [G]▼쩠 Smith, Doug Wren, Dean Lawrie. Title is absolutely accurate in describing this Baker’s Wife, The (1938-French) 124m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marcel Pagnol. Raimu, Ginette gory comedy about callous alien fast-food [ 82 ]

Leclerc, Charles Moulin, Robert Vattier, such solid actors as Day-Lewis, husband of the film’s writer-director. [R]▼쩠 Robert Brassac, Charpin. Abandoned by his wife for a shepherd, baker Raimu is Ballad of Josie, The (1967) C-102m. ★★1 unable to function; villagers, who love his ⁄2 D: Andrew McLaglen. Doris Day, bread as much as he loves his wife, bring Peter Graves, George Kennedy, Andy back the wayward woman. Hilarious.▼ Devine, William Talman, David Hartman, Balcony, The (1963) 84m. ★★ D: Joseph Don Stroud. Uninspired Western spoof Strick. Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee with widow Day running a ranch and trying Grant, Ruby Dee, Peter Brocco, Kent Smith, to lead the good life. Techniscope. Jeff Corey, Leonard Nimoy. Low-budget, Ballad of Little Jo, The (1993) C-120m. ★★★ none-too-successful attempt to adapt Jean D: Maggie Greenwald. Suzy Amis, Bo Genet play to the screen, with Winters as Hopkins, Ian McKellen, David Chung, Carmadam who maintains her brothel during rie Snodgress, Rene Auberjonois, Heather a revolution. Grant stands out as Winters’ Graham, Sam Robards, Ruth Malaczech, lesbian confidante.▼●쩠 Anthony Heald, Melissa Leo. Fascinating Ballad in Blue SEE: Blues for Lovers tale of a genteel young woman in 1866 who, Ballad of a Soldier (1959-Russian) 89m. disgraced by having a child out of wedlock, ★★★ D: Grigori Chukrai. Vladimir Ivashov, flees to the American West and quickly Shanna Prokhorenko, Antonina Maximova, learns that the only way to survive on her Nikolai Kruchkov. Effectively simple, poown is to pretend that she’s a man. Writeretic love story chronicling the plight of director Greenwald hits all the right notes in Russian soldier who falls in love with country this convincing and well-crafted piece of girl while on leave during WW2. Works both fiction (inspired by a real-life woman), with as a romantic drama and an allegory about the a first-rate cast making the most of every sadness and stupidity of war.▼●쩠 incident. Amis is a revelation in the leading Ballad of Cable Hogue, The (1970) role. Flavorful music score composed and C-121m. ★★★ D: Sam Peckinpah. Jason performed by David Mansfield. [R]▼●쩠 Robards, Stella Stevens, David Warner, Ballad of Ramblin’ Jack, The (2000) C/ Strother Martin, Slim Pickens, L. Q. Jones, B&W-112m. ★★★ D: Aiyana Elliott. Son of R.G. Armstrong. Peckinpah’s lyrical, a Jewish doctor, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott left wholly enjoyable fable of loner who builds home to befriend and follow Woody Guthrie, a life for himself in remote part of the Old eventually becoming a folk music legend West. Stevens has one of her best roles as himself. Engrossing documentary directed whore who joins Cable Hogue in quest for by his somewhat estranged daughter in an the good life. Overlong. [R]▼●쩠 honest, unsentimental style. Ultimately, the Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, The (1982) truth of the chronically footloose Elliott reC-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert M. Young. Edmains elusive. Among those appearing: ward James Olmos, James Gammon, Tom Arlo Guthrie, Kris Kristofferson, Pete SeeBower, Bruce McGill, Brion James, Alan ger, Odetta, and Alan Lomax.▼쩠 Vint, Rosana DeSoto, Pepe Serna, WilBallad of Tam Lin, The (1971) C-107m. ★★ D: Roddy McDowall. Ava Gardner, Ian liam Sanderson, Barry Corbin, Tim Scott. True story, told from several points of view, McShane, Stephanie Beacham, Cyril Cuof 1901 incident in which a young Mexican sack, Richard Wattis, Sinead Cusack, Jokilled an American sheriff, then managed to anna Lumley. A wealthy, beautiful woman elude a 600-man posse for nearly two gathers hedonistic young people around weeks! Authentic to the core—almost like her—and seeks to control their destinies. being in a time capsule, in fact—but too Based (believe it or not) on a Robert Burns subdued, especially in its portrayal of Corpoem, reset in England in the Swingin’ Sixtez, whose plight isn’t fully explained until ties. McDowall’s only directorial effort is the end of the film. A PBS American Playambitious and unusual, but unsatisfying. Shot in 1969, recut and released under varihouse presentation. [PG]▼● Ballad of Jack and Rose, The (2005) Cous titles including TAM LIN and THE 111m. ★1⁄2 D: Rebecca Miller. Daniel DayDEVIL’S WIDOW. Panavision. [PG]▼ Lewis, Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener, Ballad of the Sad Cafe, The (1991) CPaul Dano, Ryan McDonald, Jena Malone, 101m. ★1⁄2 D: Simon Callow. Vanessa Jason Lee, Beau Bridges. Pretentious clapRedgrave, Keith Carradine, Rod Steiger, trap about an aging hippie environmentalist Cork Hubbert, Austin Pendleton, Beth Dixon, who lives in isolation on an island off the Lanny Flaherty. Truly odd stab at filming East Coast of the U.S. with his teenage Depression-era tale of Southerner Redgrave, daughter. He’s dying of heart disease and a loner who rules rural hamlet like a despot— she’s about to come of age, having lived a until hunchback Hubbert and ex-con husband sheltered, idyllic life; this prompts him to Carradine appear. Far too theatrical in its ask his current companion (Keener) to look, tone, and pacing; Redgrave’s permove in with them, her two teenage sons in formance may interest drama students, but tow. Attempt at an ethereal fable is clunky nothing in film really works. Based on Carson from the word go, despite the presence of McCullers’ novella (and its stage adaptation [ 83 ]

by Edward Albee). Film directing debut of about a has-been Ping-Pong champ enlisted British actor/stage director Callow.▼쩠 for an undercover FBI mission in which his Ballast (2008) C-94m. ★★★ D: Lance Hamtable-tennis skills are required to capture an mer. Michael J. Smith, Sr., JimMyron Ross, Asian archvillain (Walken, in Fu Manchu Tarra Riggs, Johnny McPhail, Sam Dobmode). Every bit as stupid as it sounds. bins, Albert Jay Levy, Dr. Sanjib Shrestha, Fogler hams it up, while Hong, as the blind Zachary Coleman, Anita R. Ballard. A Mr. Miyagi–like mentor, steals every scene he’s in, but, alas, it’s petty theft. [PG-13]쩠 man’s sudden suicide numbs his morose twin brother (Smith), his soon-to-be-jobless Baltimore Bullet, The (1980) C-103m. ★★1 widow (Riggs), and particularly his teenage ⁄2 D: Robert Ellis Miller. James Coburn, druggie son (Ross). The bitter survivors reOmar Sharif, Bruce Boxleitner, Ronee luctantly bond as a family to save their rural Blakley, Jack O’Halloran, Calvin Lockconvenience store. Chilly, naturalistic indie hart. Pleasant enough film about majordoesn’t have a single note of music or a league pool hustlers Coburn and Boxleitner, smile in it, but it’s got heart and a faint and their buildup to a high noon showdown with smoothie Sharif. [PG]▼ hope. Written and edited by the director, who shot it in Mississippi with a cast of Balto (1995) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Simon Wells. mostly local non-pros. Super 35. Voices of Kevin Bacon, Bob Hoskins, Bridget Fonda, Jim Cummings, Phil Collins, Ballets Russes (2005) C/B&W-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Dan Geller, Dayna Goldfine. Irresistible Miriam Margolyes, Lola Bates-Campbell. documentary traces the rise and fall of a Loosely based on a true story of the 1920s, Russian-inspired troupe that introduced many Balto is a half-dog, half-wolf who overAmericans to dance in the 1930s, ’40s, and comes his outcast past to guide a sled car’50s and launched a number of great careers. rying urgent medical supplies to a town full It also chronicles the creation of a rival of sick children in Alaska. Wholesome, lovcompany and the economic forces that ingly told, and well animated, this offers eventually brought an end to these colorful humor, romance, villainy, warmth, and enterprises. The dancers who appear on gives its young viewers something to think camera (most of them in their 80s and 90s) about. You could do a lot worse. Followed by two direct-to-video sequels. [G]▼●쩠 to recall their glory days are remarkably colorful and charismatic; a treat even if you Bambi (1942) C-69m. ★★★★ D: David have no particular interest in ballet.쩠 Hand. Walt Disney’s moving and exquiBallistic: Ecks vs. Sever (2002) C-91m. sitely detailed animated feature about a BOMB D: Kaos (Wych Kaosayananda). Andeer, and how the phases of its life parallel tonio Banderas, Lucy Liu, Gregg Henry, Ray the cycle of seasons in the forest. An Park, Talisa Soto, Miguel Sandoval. Idiotic extraordinary achievement, with the memaction film boasts what may be the worst orably endearing character of Thumper stealmovie title ever coined. Banderas plays an exing every scene he’s in. Followed by a FBI agent still mourning the death of his wife direct-to-video sequel.▼●쩠 after seven years; his former boss recruits Bambole! (1965-Italian) 111m. ★★ D: Dino him for a kidnapping case by telling him his Risi. Luigi Comencini, Franco Rossi, Mauro wife is still alive, and the kidnapper can lead Bolognini, Virna Lisi, Nino Manfredi, Elke him to her. But even that sliver of logic Sommer, Monica Vitti, Gina Lollobrigida, dissolves as the story unfolds. Only devoAkim Tamiroff, Jean Sorel. Quartet of tees of cars exploding into fireballs will find stories on Italian life that never sparkles. any value here. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 ‘‘The Phone Call,’’ ‘‘Treatise on Eugenics,’’ ★★★1 Ball of Fire (1941) 111m. ⁄2 D: How‘‘The Soup,’’ ‘‘Monsignor Cupid.’’ Retitled: FOUR KINDS OF LOVE.▼쩠 ard Hawks. Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, Oscar Homolka, Dana Andrews, Dan Duryea, Bamboo Saucer, The (1968) C-100m. ★★1 S. Z. Sakall, Richard Haydn, Henry Travers, ⁄2 D: Frank Telford. Dan Duryea, John Tully Marshall, Gene Krupa. Burlesque Ericson, Lois Nettleton, Nan Leslie, Bob dancer moves in with eight prissy proHastings. Better-than-average low-budget fessors (led by Cooper) to explain ‘‘slang’’ sci-fier about American and USSR teams for their new encyclopedia; delightful twist investigating a UFO spotting in mainland on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs by China. Nettleton’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal screenwriters Billy Wilder and Charles of a Russian scientist aids considerably. Brackett. Remade (by same director) as Duryea’s last film. Aka COLLISION COURSE. [PG]▼ A SONG IS BORN.▼●쩠 Balls of Fury (2007) C-90m. BOMB D: Bamboozled (2000) C-135m. ★★ D: Spike Robert Ben Garant. Dan Fogler, ChristoLee. Damon Wayans, Savion Glover, Jada pher Walken, George Lopez, Maggie Q, Pinkett-Smith, Tommy Davidson, Michael James Hong, Terry Crews, Robert Patrick, Rapaport, Thomas Jefferson Byrd, Paul Diedrich Bader, Aisha Tyler, Jason Scott Mooney, Sarah Jones, Mos Def. HeavyLee, Thomas Lennon, Patton Oswalt, Caryhanded satire has eccentric TV producer Hiroyuki Tagawa, David Koechner, Kerri Wayans pitching a deliberately offensive Kenney-Silver. Inane one-joke comedy idea—a minstrel show for the millennium [ 84 ]

starring characters named Mantan and Sleep Raghuvir Yadav, Govind Namdeo. Action’N Eat—hoping to be fired from his netpacked, fact-based adventure/drama/characwork. Instead, the idea takes on a life of ter study of the notorious female Indian outits own. Only the vibrant performances of law Phoolan Devi (Biswas), who emerged Glover and Davidson make this endless pofrom a life of poverty and ritual brutalization lemic endurable. Several celebrities appear to be charged with numerous kidnappings, in cameos. [R]▼쩠 robberies, and killings. Yet she remains beBanana Monster, The SEE: Schlock loved by many of her country’s poor as a Banana Peel (1964-French) 97m. ★★★ D: Robin Hood–like legend. The film was as Marcel Ophuls. Jeanne Moreau, Jean-Paul controversial as its subject; while based in part Belmondo, Gert Frobe. Rogues cheat milon diaries authored by Devi while in jail, she eventually repudiated the material.▼●쩠 lionaire out of a small fortune in this engaging comedy. Franscope.쩠 Bandits, The (1967-Mexican) C-89m. ★★ Bananas (1971) C-82m. ★★★★ D: Woody D: Robert Conrad, Alfredo Zacharias. RobAllen. Woody Allen, Louise Lasser, Carert Conrad, Jan-Michael Vincent, Roy los Montalban, Howard Cosell, Rene Jenson, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., Manuel Enriquez, Charlotte Rae, Conrad Bain. Lopez Ochoa. Ordinary Western about three Hilarious; the usual assortment of good cowboys, saved from the hangman’s noose, jokes, bad jokes, bizarre ideas built around who accompany their Mexican rescuer on unlikely premise of Woody becoming invarious adventures south of the border. volved in revolution south of the border. Unreleased here until 1979.▼ Funny score by Marvin Hamlisch; look for Bandits (1986-French) C-98m. ★★ D: Sylvester Stallone as hoodlum, Allen GarClaude Lelouch. Jean Yanne, Marie-Sophie field as man on cross. [PG]▼●쩠 L. (Lelouch), Patrick Bruel, Corinne Bandidas (2006-U.S.-French-Mexican) CMarchand, Charles Gerard. Yanne is a 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joachim Roenning, Espen criminal, just released from prison, who’s Sandberg. Pene´lope Cruz, Salma Hayek, out to revenge his wife’s murder and beSteve Zahn, Dwight Yoakam, Denis Arndt, come reunited with daughter Marie-Sophie Audra Blaser, Sam Shepard. In old Mexico, L. (director Lelouch’s real-life wife). Senfarmhand Cruz and rich girl Hayek join timental drama downplays the thrills in forces as amateur outlaws when evil gringo favor of a nostalgic approach similar to Yoakam shoots their dads and grabs their Lelouch’s superior HAPPY NEW YEAR, lands. Light and full of action but not very in which Gerard played virtually an identifunny; a pratfall-heavy EuroWestern, cocal sidekick role. Striking widescreen phowritten and coproduced by Luc Besson. tography. CinemaScope. ▼ Shepard cameos amusingly as the ladies’ Bandits (2001) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Barry mentor in bank-robber protocol. Zahn, as Levinson. Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornthe criminologist tracking the bosomy deston, Cate Blanchett, Troy Garity, Brian F. perados, boasts the only nudity. TechnoviO’Byrne, Bobby Slayton, January Jones, sion. [PG-13]쩠 Stacey Travis, Azura Skye. Film tells in Bandido (1956) C-92m. ★★★ D: Richard flashback the story of two escaped convicts Fleischer. Robert Mitchum, Zachary Scott, who become successful bank robbers, but Ursula Thiess, Gilbert Roland, Rodolfo have their lives complicated when a woman Acosta. Mitchum is gun supplier who tries joins their roving band. Lighthearted comto play both sides during 1916 Mexican edy caper is a great vehicle for its three rebellion; constant action, endless cat-andstars, and a fine showcase for Garity (son mouse twists with rival Scott keep this one of Jane Fonda), but it becomes needlessly humming. CinemaScope. complicated and goes on far too long. WilBandido (2004-Mexican-U.S.) C-99m. ★1⁄2 lis’ real-life daughters play a bank managD: Roger Christian. Carlos Gallardo, Angie er’s kids. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Everhart, Matt Craven, Kim Coates, Ana La Band of Angels (1957) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Salvia, Karyme Lozano. English-language Raoul Walsh. Clark Gable, Yvonne De film made in the spirit of EL MARIACHI Carlo, Sidney Poitier, Efrem Zimbalist, by the coproducer and star of that 1992 film. Jr., Patric Knowles. Flat costume epic from Here, Gallardo plays Maximiliano Cruz Robert Penn Warren’s Civil War novel; Gable (aka Bandido), a master thief coerced by the is Southern gentleman with shady past, in love CIA to retrieve a classified computer disk with high-toned De Carlo who discovers she from the lair of a Mexican underworld czar. has Negro ancestors. Poitier is resolute eduAlso along for the ride is tough ally Evercated slave. ▼●쩠 hart; La Salvia is evil Coates’ stunning wife, Band of Outsiders (1964-French) 97m. ★★★ D: Jean-Luc Godard. Anna Karina, and prone to sumptuous milk baths. There’s gunplay, stunts, music, and titillation, but Sami Frey, Claude Brasseur, Louisa Collittle sense. Bandidon’t. [R] peyn. Karina enlists the aid of two male ★★★ Bandit Queen (1994-Indian) C-119m. hoods to swipe her aunt’s stash, but as D: Shekhar Kapur. Seema Biswas, Nirmal usual the supposed plot is only a jumpingPandey, Manoj Bajpai, Rajesh Vivek, off point for Godard’s commentary on [ 85 ]

Hollywood melodramas and other 20thC-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Sharp. Tony Rancentury artifacts. Among the more enterdall, Senta Berger, Terry-Thomas, Hertaining of the director’s output; looks debert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde-White. Unsuspectlightfully mellow today.▼쩠 ing Randall gets involved with Moroccan Band of the Hand (1986) C-109m. BOMB gangsters in OK spoof; good location shooting. Shown on TV as BANG BANG!▼ D: Paul Michael Glaser. Stephen Lang, Michael Carmine, Lauren Holly, John Banger Sisters, The (2002) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cameron Mitchell, James Remar, Gerrit Bob Dolman. Goldie Hawn, Susan Sarandon, Graham. Five Miami punks are whipped Geoffrey Rush, Robin Thomas, Erika Chrisinto shape by a Vietnam vet, then form a tensen, Eva Amurri. Onetime rock groupie vigilante unit to wipe out drug dealers. Mowho’s never quite grown up goes to visit ronic, way overlong junk from the creators her friend and partner in crime, whom she of Miami Vice; Bob Dylan (why, Bob?) hasn’t seen in 20 years, only to find her sings the title tune. [R] ▼●쩠 transformed into a model wife, mother, and Bandolero! (1968) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ancivic leader. Entertaining fluff is a good vedrew V. McLaglen. James Stewart, Dean hicle for Hawn and Sarandon, but can’t Martin, Raquel Welch, George Kennedy, stand up to any real scrutiny. Hawn’s charAndrew Prine, Will Geer. Jimmy and Dino acter makes an interesting bookend to play outlaw brothers whose gang flees daughter Kate Hudson’s role in ALMOST across Mexican border with Raquel as hosFAMOUS. Amurri is Sarandon’s real-life tage. Not exactly like real life, but nice daughter. Written by the director. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 outdoor photography makes it passable escapism. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Bangkok Dangerous (2008) C-99m. BOMB Band’s Visit, The (2007-Israeli-FrenchD: The Pang Brothers. Nicolas Cage, ShahU.S.) C-87m. ★★★ D: Eran Kolirin. Sasson krit Yamnarm, Charlie Young, Panward Gabai, Ronit Elkabetz, Saleh Bakri, Khalifa Hemmanee, Nirattisai Kaljaruek, Dom HeNatour, Imad Jabarin, Tarak Kopty. Impetrakul. Unwisely choosing to remake their rial Egyptian police band arrives in Israel own 1999 Hong Kong success, the Pang to perform at an Arab cultural center and Brothers drop the ball in this uninspired, promptly gets lost. Stranded overnight in a incomprehensible rehash about an anonyremote desert town, the band members and mous hit man sent to Thailand, where he even their stiff, formal leader (Gabai) soteams up with an impressionable young cialize with the locals. Disarming miniman and falls for a local deaf girl. Typical malist comedy brings to mind such Czech lowbrow action merges uncomfortably with New Wave films as THE FIREMEN’S awkward romantic subplot. Cage is out of BALL as it explores cultural differences his element in this Pang-ful misfire. Call it with deftness and charm. Feature debut for BANGKOK BORING. [R]쩠 writer-director Kolirin. [PG-13]쩠 Bang the Drum Slowly (1973) C-97m. ★★★1 Band Wagon, The (1953) C-112m. ★★★★ ⁄2 D: John Hancock. Michael Moriarty, D: Vincente Minnelli. Fred Astaire, Cyd Robert De Niro, Vincent Gardenia, Phil Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray, Foster, Ann Wedgeworth, Patrick McVey, Jack Buchanan. Sophisticated backstage Heather MacRae, Selma Diamond, Barmusical improves with each viewing. Astaire bara Babcock, Tom Ligon, Nicolas Surovy, plays a ‘‘washed-up’’ movie star who tries Danny Aiello. Touching study of two prohis luck on Broadway, under the direction fessional baseball players on fictional N.Y. of maniacal genius Buchanan. Musical highteam drawn to each other under unusual cirlights include ‘‘Dancing in the Dark,’’ cumstances. Outstanding performances by ‘‘Shine on Your Shoes,’’ ‘‘That’s Entertaintwo leads (Moriarty as hustling star pitcher, ment,’’ and Astaire’s Mickey Spillane spoof De Niro as simpleton catcher) in slightly ‘‘The Girl Hunt.’’ Written by Betty Comlongish, episodic script. Screenplay by den and Adolph Green, based on the 1931 Mark Harris, based on his 1956 novel; first Broadway musical by Howard Dietz and dramatized on TV, with Paul Newman. Arthur Schwartz, incorporating many of Aiello’s film debut. [PG] ▼●쩠 their songs.▼●쩠 Banjo on My Knee (1936) 96m. ★★★ D: Bang (1997) C-98m. ★★★ D: Ash. Darling John Cromwell. Barbara Stanwyck, Joel Narita, Peter Greene, Michael Newland, Luis McCrea, Walter Brennan, Buddy Ebsen, Guzar, Lucy Liu. A desperate, unemployed Helen Westley, Walter Catlett, Tony Maractress (Narita) finds personal meaning and tin. Stanwyck’s the whole show in riverboat empowerment when she masquerades as a saga, singing with Martin, dancing with policewoman for a day. She also gets much Ebsen, scrapping with Katherine DeMille. more than she bargains for. Provocative Bank, The (2001-Australian-Italian) C99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Connolly. David look at L.A. on the brink. Film’s shoestring budget and handheld camera work to bruWenham, Anthony LaPaglia, Sibylla Budd, tally powerful effect despite uneven perforSteve Rodgers, Mitchell Butel, Kazuhiro mances. ▼●쩠 Muroyama. Brilliant econometrist Wenham Bang, Bang, You’re Dead! (1966-British) believes he’s created a computer program [ 86 ]

that can predict stock-market crashes. Laabout corruption and infidelity in and about Paglia is a ruthless bank executive ready to a swank L.A. golf club. Wagner is the pro capitalize on anything (or anyone) to make with a past, St. John a love-hungry young a buck. Aims to be a slick intellectual fiwoman. Music score by Quincy Jones. nancial thriller but never finds the right tone Techniscope. B*A*P*S (1997) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert or pace, despite an interesting premise and Townsend. Halle Berry, Natalie Desselle, good performances. ▼쩠 ★★★★ Bank Dick, The (1940) 74m. Ian Richardson, Martin Landau, Luigi D: Eddie Cline. W. C. Fields, Cora WitherAmodeo, Jonathan Fried, Bernie Mac. With spoon, Una Merkel, Evelyn Del Rio, Jesa dream of earning $10,000, waitresses sie Ralph, Grady Sutton, Franklin Pangborn, Berry and Desselle (Black American PrinShemp Howard, Russell Hicks, Reed cesses) head for L.A. where, in contrived Hadley. Classic of insane humor loosely movie fashion, they wind up living in the wound about a no-account who becomes a mansion of fabulously wealthy Landau. bank guard; Sutton as nitwit prospective This silly, fairy-tale-ish spin on the fish-outson-in-law, Pangborn as bank examiner of-water comedy formula falls flat on its match the shenanigans of Fields. Screenface. Various sports and music personalities show up in cameos. [PG-13]▼●쩠 play by ‘‘Mahatma Kane Jeeves.’’▼●쩠 Bank Job, The (2008-British) C-111m. Barabbas (1961) C-137m. ★★★ D: Rich★★1 ard Fleischer. Anthony Quinn, Silvana ⁄2 D: Roger Donaldson. Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows, Richard Lintern, Stephen Mangano, Arthur Kennedy, Jack Palance, Campbell Moore, Daniel Mays, Peter Bowles, Ernest Borgnine, Katy Jurado. Lavish proKeeley Hawes, Colin Salmon, Peter De Jerduction, coupled with good script (based on sey, James Faulkner, David Suchet. Tired of Lagerkvist’s novel) and generally fine actjust getting by on a series of dodgy schemes, ing by large cast make for engrossing, Statham agrees to participate in a daring literate experience. Overly long. Super bank heist engineered by beautiful Technirama 70. ▼쩠 Burrows—but doesn’t know she’s acting on Baraka (1992) C-96m. ★★★ D: Ron Fricke. behalf of British Intelligence, which needs Strikingly visual, insightful National Geothe contents of a particular safe-deposit box. graphic issue come to life, which tells the Well-plotted caper inspired by a real-life story of the evolution of Earth and Man1971 incident known in London as the kind, and the manner in which man relates ‘‘Walkie-Talkie Robbery,’’ but as it grows to his environment. Shot on location in 24 dark and violent it ceases to be fun. HD countries. There’s no dialogue, only sounds Widescreen. [R]쩠 and images; this will lose much of its effect on the small screen. Todd-AO 70mm. ▼쩠 Bank Robber (1993) C-94m. BOMB D: Nick Mead. Patrick Dempsey, Lisa Bonet, Baran (2001-Iranian) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Olivia d’Abo, Forest Whitaker, Judge ReinMajid Majidi. Hossein Abedini, Zahra Bahhold, Michael Jeter, Joe Alaskey. If you rami. Terminal goof-off on a construction want to kill time, this film beats it to death crew becomes a man when he experiences . . . slowly and painfully. Dempsey plays a love from afar. Abedini is shocked to disrobber who pulls one last job and ends up cover that the Afghanistan refugee he’s hiding out in a seedy hotel where his anobeen mocking is a woman in dire straits— nymity comes at a price. Whitaker and and a pretty one at that. Crowd pleaser with Reinhold are ‘‘sensitive’’ officers looking strong, accessible characters also benefits for him; Bonet plays the good-hearted prosfrom Majidi’s credentials as a visual poet. titute who falls for the robber. Video ver[PG]▼쩠 sion trimmed for R rating. [NC-17]▼● Barbarella (1968-French-Italian) C-98m. ★★1 Bank Shot (1974) C-83m. ★★★ D: Gower ⁄2 D. Roger Vadim. Jane Fonda, John Champion. George C. Scott, Joanna CasPhillip Law, Anita Pallenberg, Milo sidy, Sorrell Booke, G. Wood, Clifton O’Shea, David Hemmings, Marcel MarJames, Bob Balaban, Bibi Osterwald. Fastceau, Claude Dauphin, Ugo Tognazzi. paced, engagingly nutty comedy with crimiMidnight-movie favorite based on popular nal mastermind Scott planning a literal French comic strip about sexy 41st-cenbank robbery—making off with the entire tury space adventuress. Not especially building! Based on the novel by Donald funny, but watchable, with Fonda’s stripWestlake, a sequel to THE HOT ROCK tease during opening credits the principal (with Scott in the role played by Robert reason for its cult status. Trivia footnote: Redford in the film version of that book). rock group Duran Duran took its name Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 from O’Shea’s character. Aka BARBARBanning (1967) C-102m. ★★★ D: Ron ELLA, QUEEN OF THE GALAXY. PaWinston. Robert Wagner, Anjanette Comer, navision. [PG]▼●쩠 Jill St. John, Guy Stockwell, James FarenBarbarian and the Geisha, The (1958) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Huston. John Wayne, tino, Susan Clark, Howard St. John, Mike Kellin, Gene Hackman, Sean Garrison, Eiko Ando, Sam Jaffe, So Yamamura. TwistLogan Ramsey. Entertaining soap opera ing of 19th-century history allows Wayne [ 87 ]

as Ambassador Townsend Harris to roDel Ruth. Wallace Beery, Binnie Barnes, John mance Japanese beauty (Ando). Miscasting Carradine, Noah Beery, Sr., Frances Rafof Wayne is ludicrous, throwing costumer ferty, Chill Wills, Donald Meek. Typical amuck. CinemaScope.▼ Beery vehicle, with good supporting cast, Barbarian Invasions, The (2003-Canadianabout smooth-talking bandit who goes ★★★★ French) C-99m. straight. D: Denys Arcand. Re´my Girard, Ste´phane Rousseau, MarieBarbershop (2002) C-102m. ★★★ D: Tim Jose´e Croze, Marina Hands, Dorothe´e BerStory. Ice Cube, Anthony Anderson, Cedric ryman, Johanne-Marie Tremblay, Domithe Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas, Eve, nique Michel, Louise Portal, Yves Jacques, Troy Garity, Michael Ealy, Leonard Earl Pierre Curzi. Arcand reunites the characters Howze, Keith David. Entertaining comedy from his 1986 film THE DECLINE OF about a neighborhood Chicago barbershop, THE AMERICAN EMPIRE as they gather which Ice Cube has inherited from his fato embrace one of their group who is dying. ther; the burden of running this threadbare An estranged son flies to his bedside out of business puts a crimp in his dreams, but he a sense of duty, but winds up using his begins to change his mind after one eventful smarts (and money) to help his father day in the shop, which serves as a commuthrough the last phase of his life as peacenity gathering place. Canny screenplay fully and happily as he can. Arcand’s exmanages to embrace many points of view, traordinary script deals with mortality, which counterbalances its sentimentality— sexuality, dreams and hopes unfulfilled, the and overlength. Followed by a sequel, and a spinoff, BEAUTY SHOP. [PG-13] ▼쩠 power of money, the erosion of intelligence, and much, much more. A rare film that is Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Rodney Sullivan. both cerebral and emotional; satiric, sophisticated, witty, and profoundly moving. Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Sean PatOriginal Quebec release ran 18m. longer. rick Thomas, Eve, Troy Garity, Michael Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language Ealy, Leonard Earl Howze, Harry Lennix, Film. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Robert Wisdom, Jazsmin Lewis, Kenan Barbarians, The (1987) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Thompson, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Queen Ruggero Deodato. David Paul, Peter Paul, Latifah. Neighborhood barbershop owner Richard Lynch, Eva La Rue, Virginia Ice Cube and his staff face the imminent Bryant, Sheeba Alahani, Michael Berryarrival of a flashy, upscale haircutting salon man. Staggeringly silly sword-and-sorcery right across the street. If you liked the first saga starring two awesome-looking bodyfilm, chances are you’ll enjoy revisiting the builders (brothers in real life), whose main characters, even in this contrived sequel. [PG-13]▼쩠 achievement is keeping a straight face while mouthing their dialogue. [R]▼● Barb Wire (1996) C-90m. ★★ D: David Barbaric Beast of Boggy Creek, The, Part Hogan. Pamela Anderson Lee, Temuera II (1985) C-91m. ★★ D: Charles B. Pierce. Morrison, Victoria Rowell, Jack NoseworCharles B. Pierce, Cindy Butler, Serene thy, Steve Railsback. In 2017, the U.S. is Hedin, Chuck Pierce, Jimmy Clem. Slight, run by a fascist dictatorship. Lee is a bounty forgettable story of anthropology professor hunter and nightclub owner living in a city Pierce, who leads an expedition to find the on the fringe of freedom. Her former lover Boggy Creek monster. Although titled ‘‘Part asks her to help him spirit his wife into II,’’ this is the third journey to Boggy Creek, Canada to help the rebellion. Lots of gaudy following THE LEGEND OF . . . and REbut uninvolving action; surly, pneumatic TURN TO . . . Filmed in 1983. Formerly Lee is no actress, just a 15-year-old boy’s titled BOGGY CREEK II. [PG]▼●쩠 fantasy figure. Actually rips off the plot of Barbarosa (1982) C-90m. ★★★ D: Fred CASABLANCA! Also available in unrated Schepisi. Willie Nelson, Gary Busey, Isela video version. [R]▼●쩠 Vega, Gilbert Roland, Danny De La Paz, Barcelona (1994) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Whit George Voskovec. Nelson is fine as legStillman. Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman, endary, free-spirited outlaw constantly on Tushka Bergen, Mira Sorvino, Pep Munne, the lam, with able support from Busey as Nuria Badia, Hellena Schmied, Francis country boy who becomes his prote´ge´. Solid Creighton, Thomas Gibson, Jack Gilpin. Western, flavorfully directed by Schepisi. Young, nerdy American businessman Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 (Nichols) living in Spain is joined by his Barbary Coast (1935) 90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Naval officer cousin (Eigeman); the two Howard Hawks. Miriam Hopkins, Edward woo a variety of women and debate antiG. Robinson, Joel McCrea, Walter Brennan, American attitudes and actions that prevail Frank Craven, Brian Donlevy. Lusty tale among the local populace. Set in the conof San Francisco in the late 19th century cluding months of the Cold War, film’s with dance-hall queen Hopkins running theme is admirably original, and often head-on into big-shot Robinson. David amusing, if not always compelling. Writerdirector Stillman’s second offbeat talkfest Niven can be glimpsed as an extra.▼●쩠 Barbary Coast Gent (1944) 87m. ★★ D: Roy (following METROPOLITAN) isn’t quite [ 88 ]

as focused as the first, though reteaming of male costars is a plus.▼●쩠 Barefoot Contessa, The (1954) C-128m. ★★★ D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner, Edmond O’Brien, Marius Goring, Rossano Brazzi, Valentina Cortesa, Elizabeth Sellars, Warren Stevens. Cynical tale of beautiful Spanish dancer Gardner and how director Bogart makes her a Hollywood star. Mankiewicz’s script is full of juicy dialogue, as usual. O’Brien won an Oscar as the press agent.

Ginger Rogers, Oscar Levant, Billie Burke, Gale Robbins. Astaire and Rogers reteamed after ten years in this witty Comden-Green script about show biz couple who split, then make up. Songs include ‘‘You’d Be Hard to Replace,’’ ‘‘They Can’t Take That Away from Me.’’ Ginger reading ‘‘La Marseillaise’’ is a definite low point.▼●쩠 Barnacle Bill (1941) 98m. ★★ D: Richard Thorpe. Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main, Leo Carrillo, Virginia Weidler, Donald Meek, Barton MacLane. Beery and Main support basically run-of-the-mill material as old salt ▼●쩠 Barefoot Executive, The (1971) C-96m. ★★ and woman trying to snare him into marriage. D: Robert Butler. Kurt Russell, Joe Flynn, Barnacle Bill (1957) SEE: All at Sea Harry Morgan, Wally Cox, Heather North, Barney’s Great Adventure (1997) C-75m. ★★ Alan Hewitt, John Ritter. Russell discovers D: Steve Gomer. George Hearn, Shirley chimp with ability to pick top-rated TV Douglas, Trevor Morgan, Kyla Pratt, Diana shows, and becomes vice-president of a netRice, David Joyner, Jeff Ayres. Preschoolwork. Routine Disney slapstick. Remade for ers who cannot get enough of TV’s Big TV in 1995. [G]▼쩠 Purple Dinosaur will take to this, Barney’s Barefoot in the Park (1967) C-105m. ★★★ first feature, in which he mixes with some D: Gene Saks. Robert Redford, Jane Fonda, kids on a farm; together, they set off on Charles Boyer, Mildred Natwick, Herb Edelan adventure in search of a missing egg. man, Mabel Albertson, Fritz Feld, Doris Inoffensive, to be sure, but for anyone over five it’s a real yawn. [G]▼●쩠 Roberts. Plotless, entertaining Neil Simon comedy finds Fonda and Redford newlyBarnyard (2006) C-90m. ★★ D: Steve Oedeweds in five-story walkup apartment. Runkerk. Voices of Kevin James, Courteney ning gag about climbing stairs grows thin, Cox, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Wanda but film doesn’t. Redford and Natwick reSykes, Andie MacDowell, David Koechner, create their Broadway roles; Saks’ screen Jeff Garcia, Cam Clarke, Dom Irrera, Lardirecting debut. Later, briefly a TV series aine Newman. Animated zaniness set on a with an all-black cast. ▼●쩠 farm where, after sundown, the animals turn Barfly (1987) C-97m. ★★★ D: Barbet the barn into a raucous nightclub. James is Schroeder. Mickey Rourke, Faye Dunaway, Otis, a cow who won’t mature, much to Alice Krige, Jack Nance, J.C. Quinn, Frank the chagrin of his father, Ben (Elliott), who Stallone. Surprisingly enjoyable portrait of keeps watch for preying coyotes while the L.A. lowlife, and boozy, foolishly macho others party. Unspectacular, though there writer Henry Chinaski, played with comic are commendable messages for kids regardbravado by Rourke. Dunaway is exceping adoption and parenting. Irrera stands out tional as his alcoholic soulmate. Based on as Duke the Dog. Written by the director. [PG]쩠 the autobiographical writings of cult favorite Charles Bukowski, who can be glimpsed Baron Blood (1972-Italian) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: on one of the bar stools. Veteran character Mario Bava. Joseph Cotten, Elke Sommer, actor Fritz Feld has a lovely bit as a bum Massimo Girotti, Rada Rassimov, Antonio who gives Dunaway a light. Matt Dillon Cantafora, Alan Collins. Descendant of evil later played Chinaski in FACTOTUM. nobleman attempts ‘‘novel’’ rejuvenation [R]▼●쩠 principles. Standard plot livened by unusual Bar Girls (1994) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marita settings and lighting. Aka THE TORTURE Giovanni. Nancy Allison Wolfe, Liza CHAMBER OF BARON BLOOD. Original D’Agostino, Camila Griggs, Justine Slater, Italian version runs longer. [PG]▼●쩠 Lisa Parker, Pam Raines. Amiable (if Baroness and the Butler, The (1938) flawed) romantic comedy with a twist: all of 75m. ★★ D: Walter Lang. William Powell, its major characters are lesbians who conAnnabella, Helen Westley, Henry Stephengregate at L.A.’s Girl Bar. The main characson, Joseph Schildkraut, J. Edward Bromter is obsessive, wryly funny Loretta berg. Powell leads double life as Annabella’s (Wolfe), a female Woody Allen who is forbutler and member of Parliament. He’s ever seeking a perfect significant other fine as usual but script is rather thin. while not quite understanding what it means Baron Mu¨enchhausen (1943-German) C-110m. ★★★ D: Josef von Baky. Hans to truly and completely love another person. The film’s shortcomings are compensated Albers, Brigitte Horney, Wilhelm Bendow, for by clever dialogue and believable charLeo Slezak, Ferdinand Marian. Lavish, acters. Adapted for the screen by Lauran impressive curio which tells of the legendHoffman from her play. [R]▼●쩠 ary, free-spirited Baron, his exploits in Barkleys of Broadway, The (1949) CRussia, Turkey, Venice, and elsewhere, 109m. ★★★ D: Charles Walters. Fred Astaire, and his quest for beautiful princesses and [ 89 ]

empresses. While ostensibly an escapist enIdiotic follow-up to THE ADVENTURES tertainment, the Baron is an heroic German: OF BARRY MCKENZIE, about oafish noble, shrewd, and ever loyal to the Fatherland. title character, his twin brother (both played Produced on the order of Goebbels, Hitler’s by Crocker), and one Edna Everage (HumMinister of Propaganda and Public Enlightenphries, in drag), who is kidnapped and taken to Transylvania. Panavision. ▼ ment, to mark the 25th anniversary of UFA, the German production studio. This would make Bartleby (1972-British) C-78m. ★★1⁄2 D: a fascinating (if overlong) double bill with Anthony Friedmann. Paul Scofield, John Terry Gilliam’s THE ADVENTURES OF McEnery, Thorley Walters, Colin Jeavons, BARON MUNCHAUSEN.▼쩠 Raymond Mason. Herman Melville’s great Baron of Arizona, The (1950) 96m. ★★1⁄2 short story about 19th-century auditing clerk D: Samuel Fuller. Vincent Price, Ellen who refuses to leave job after he is fired is Drew, Beulah Bondi, Reed Hadley. Price admirably attempted in modern-day update, has field day as landgrabbing scoundrel even though story doesn’t really lend itself who almost gains control of Arizona in the to filming; Scofield is fine as bewildered but sympathetic boss. Remade in 2002.▼●쩠 19th century. Fuller also scripted.▼쩠 Barquero (1970) C-115m. ★1⁄2 D: Gordon Bartleby (2002) C-82m. ★★ D: Jonathan Douglas. Lee Van Cleef, Warren Oates, Parker. Crispin Glover, David Paymer, Forrest Tucker, Kerwin Mathews, Mariette Glenne Headly, Maury Chaykin, Joe PisHartley. Bad guy Oates, on the run after copo, Seymour Cassel, Carrie Snodgress, wiping out a town, has to deal with Van Dick Martin. Quiet Bartleby (Glover) is Cleef, a feisty ferry operator. [PG] hired by Paymer to file public records. At Barretts of Wimpole Street, The (1934) first he’s energetic, but in response to an 110m. ★★★ D: Sidney Franklin. Norma innocuous request he replies, ‘‘I would preShearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton, fer not to,’’ and soon is saying it in response Maureen O’Sullivan, Katherine Alexander, to all requests. Colorfully acted adaptation Una O’Connor, Ian Wolfe. Handsome, of the Herman Melville story, but cowriterwell-acted, and most entertaining MGM director Parker strains for effect and diminproduction of classic romance between Elizishes the already unfocused satire by making everyone loony. [PG-13] ▼쩠 abeth Barrett and Robert Browning in 19thcentury England. Director Franklin remade Barton Fink (1991) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: this two decades later. Retitled for TV: Joel Coen. John Turturro, John Goodman, FORBIDDEN ALLIANCE.▼● Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, John Mahoney, Barretts of Wimpole Street, The (1957Tony Shalhoub, Jon Polito, Steve Buscemi, U.S.-British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney David Warrilow, Richard Portnow, ChrisFranklin. Jennifer Jones, John Gielgud, Bill topher Murney. Self-important N.Y. playTravers, Virginia McKenna. Tame interpretawright Turturro comes to Hollywood in tion of the lilting romance between poets 1941 to write a screenplay, and finds it a Browning and Barrett, with actors bogged living hell—in more ways than one. Barbed down in prettified fluff. Director Franklin fared look at vintage Hollywood, filled with better with this in 1934. CinemaScope. ▼● incredible detail and amazing scenes; told Barrier (1966-Polish) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: in Joel and Ethan Coen’s typically flamJerzy Skolimowski. Joanna Szczerbic, Jan boyant visual style. BUT, at a crucial Nowicki, Tadeusz Lomnicki, Maria Malicka. point the film takes a sharp left turn toward Interesting view of youthful attitudes in Pothe bizarre, and never returns. Great performances all around. [R]▼●쩠 land, combining reportage with fantasy elements. Not a total success, but still intriguing. BASEketball (1998) C-103m. ★★ D: David Barry Lyndon (1975-British) C-183m. Zucker. Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Yasmine ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Stanley Kubrick. Ryan O’Neal, Bleeth, Jenny McCarthy, Robert Vaughn, Marisa Berenson. Patrick Magee, Hardy Ernest Borgnine, Dian Bachar, Trevor EinKruger, Steven Berkoff, Gay Hamilton, Murhorn, Bob Costas, Al Michaels, Robert Stack. ray Melvin, Frank Middlemass, Andre MoSporadically funny gross-out comedy about rell, Leonard Rossiter, Marie Kean, narrated two goofballs who invent a driveway basketby Michael Hordern. Exquisite, meticulously ball game that soon sweeps the country—and detailed period piece stars O’Neal as Thackerturns them into professional athletes. Some ay’s 18th-century Irish rogue-hero who covets funny gags, but a surprisingly pedestrian stosuccess but lets it go to his head. Long, delibryline makes it sag. Starring (but not written erately paced but never boring. Won Oscars by) the creators of TV’s South Park. Recomfor John Alcott’s photography, Leonard Romended for anyone eager to see Borgnine sing ‘‘I’m Too Sexy for My Shirt.’’ [R]▼●쩠 senman’s adaptation of period music, Art Direction–Set Decoration, and Costume Design. Basic (2003) C-95m. ★★ D: John McTiernan. Screenplay by Kubrick. [PG]▼●쩠 John Travolta, Connie Nielsen, Samuel L. Barry McKenzie Holds His Own (1974Jackson, Giovanni Ribisi, Brian Van Holt, 1 ★ Australian) C-93m. ⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Taye Diggs, Cristia´n De La Fuente, Dash Barry Crocker, Barry Humphries, Donald Mihok, Tim Daly, Roselyn Sanchez, Harry Pleasence, Dick Bentley, Louis Negin. Connick, Jr. When things go awry during [ 90 ]

a military training exercise, base commander Basketball Diaries, The (1995) C-100m. ★★ Daly calls in Travolta, the best interrogator he D: Scott Kalvert. Leonardo DiCaprio, ever had, to question the remaining members Lorraine Bracco, Bruno Kirby, Marilyn of the group, whose stories don’t add up. EsSokol, Mark Wahlberg, James Modio, Ernie sentially a whodunit, this film keeps adding Hudson. Drably downbeat and none-toolayers of confusion so that it becomes less stylish rendering of poet-musician Jim Carinteresting as it goes along! The final ‘‘twist’’ roll’s ’60s recollections of heroin abuse and seems to negate the entire story, like a bad on-court prowess at a N.Y.C. Catholic shaggy-dog joke. Travolta is in great form, school. DiCaprio is well cast in role intended however. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 for River Phoenix, but imprecise updating Basic Instinct (1992) C-127m. ★★★ D: from Carroll’s very specific time frame leads to a fuzzy point of view. [R]▼●쩠 Paul Verhoeven. Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, George Dzundza, Jeanne TrippleBasket Case (1982) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank horn, Denis Arndt, Leilani Sarelle, Bruce Henenlotter. Kevin Van Hentenryck, Terri A. Young, Chelcie Ross, Dorothy Malone, Susan Smith, Beverly Bonner, Robert Vogel, Wayne Knight, Stephen Tobolowsky. InDiana Browne. Extremely self-conscious but your-face sex thriller, with Douglas as a San intriguing tongue-in-cheek low-budget horror Francisco cop who’s fatally attracted to a key film about a twin who arrives in N.Y.C. from suspect in an ice-pick murder: brazenly sexy a small town carrying his deformed telepathic (and manipulative) Stone. Audacious, erotic, mutant brother in a basket. Some interesting and larger-than-life—with an ending that falls animated sequences in this John Waters-ish short of real satisfaction. Released overseas in film that boasts some effective horror moan unrated version that’s even more sexually ments. Followed by several sequels. [R]▼●쩠 explicit! Both versions are available on video. Basket Case 2 (1990) C-89m. BOMB D: The notorious eight shots of erotic grappling Frank Henenlotter. Kevin Van Hentenryck, totaling 42 seconds were restored to 1993 Annie Ross, Jason Evers, Kathryn Meisle, video editions. Followed by a sequel. PanaHeather Rattray, Ted Sorel. Van Hentenryck vision. [R] ▼●쩠 and his monstrously deformed twin brother Basic Instinct 2 (2006-U.S.-German) Ctake refuge in a house of freaks, but are ★★ 114m. tracked down by tabloid reporter. Arch, D: Michael Caton-Jones. Sharon Stone, David Morrissey, Charlotte Rampling, pseudo-hip film totally lacks the conviction of the first; icy cold. [R]▼●쩠 David Thewlis, Hugh Dancy, Iain Robertson, Stan Collymore. Long-gestating sequel to the Basket Case 3 (1992) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Frank notorious 1992 hit isn’t the embarrassment you Henenlotter. Kevin Van Hentenryck, Annie might have expected—or hoped for. What Ross, Gil Roper, Tina Louise Hilbert, Dan should have been high camp is instead a rather Biggers, Jim O’Doherty. Van Hentenryck is dull psychological-sexual thriller in which slipseparated from his deformed brother, who fapery novelist Catherine Tramell is up to her old thers a set of duodectuplets when the house of tricks in London when a male companion turns freaks from previous entry moves to Georgia. up dead in her car. Did she or didn’t she? Stone Flatly photographed, with a meandering, uninmakes the best of this and looks sensational volving plot. More serious than previous entry, but still strains for laughs. [R]▼●쩠 while the impressive British cast tries hard to keep it afloat. Super 35. [R]쩠 Basquiat (1996) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julian Basil (1998) C-102m. ★★ D: Radha BharadSchnabel. Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Denwaj. Jared Leto, Christian Slater, Claire Fornis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Willem Dafoe, lani, Derek Jacobi, Rachel Pickup, David Michael Wincott, Benicio Del Toro, Claire Ross. Turn-of-the-20th-century tale about a Forlani, Parker Posey, Christopher Walken, young aristocrat who (with the help of a Courtney Love, Tatum O’Neal, Paul Bartel, mysterious friend) becomes entangled with Sam Rockwell. Meandering though not unina beautiful but selfish temptress. Murky teresting bio of controversial black artist Jeanslice of Gothic suffers from sluggish pacing Michel Basquiat, who went from unknown and lack of passion. Leto struggles with his graffiti practitioner to spent comet between British accent and the lovely Forlani has 1981 and 1987. The movie doesn’t capture one haughty facial expression for every the presumed intensity of a rapid career ascent emotion. Based on a Wilkie Collins novel. before death from heroin at 28. Yet the supNever theatrically released. [R]▼쩠 porting cast is rich, topped by Bowie’s porBasileus Quartet (1982-French-Italian) trayal of Andy Warhol, which is precise even C-118m. ★★★ D: Fabio Carpi. Pierre Malet, down to the pasty skin. Look carefully at the Hector Alterio, Omero Antonutti, Michel chic party guests Basquiat spies through the Vitold, Alain Cuny, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lisa gallery window, and you’ll spot Isabella RosKreuzer. A violinist suddenly dies and his sellini. Directorial debut for artist Schnabel, colleagues, who have lived only for music, who also scripted. [R]▼●쩠 must get on with their lives—which are Bat, The (1959) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Crane Wilprofoundly altered by the young replacebur. Vincent Price, Agnes Moorehead, ment for the deceased. Stark, quietly Gavin Gordon, John Sutton, Lenita Lane, absorbing, beautifully realized.▼● Elaine Edwards, Darla Hood. Faithful filming [ 91 ]

of the Mary Roberts Rinehart–Avery HopBatman Begins (2005) C-140m. ★★★ D: wood play, with mystery writer Moorehead Christopher Nolan. Christian Bale, Michael renting an eerie mansion for the summer; she Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Morand her maid soon are plagued by the title gan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murfiend. Filmed before in 1915, 1926, and (as phy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer, Ken THE BAT WHISPERS) in 1930.▼●쩠 Watanabe, Linus Roache, Rade Sherbedgia, Bataan (1943) 114m. ★★★ D: Tay Garnett. Mark Boone Junior. Highly entertaining reRobert Taylor, George Murphy, Thomas invention of the Batman legend traces the Mitchell, Lloyd Nolan, Lee Bowman, Robert evolution of Bruce Wayne from privileged Walker, Desi Arnaz, Barry Nelson. Realistison of wealthy, generous parents to avengcally made drama of famous WW2 incident ing crime-fighter hoping to save a corrupt on Pacific island; good combat scenes. Also Gotham City. Script (by David S. Goyer shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 and director Nolan) also provides ingenious Bathing Beauty (1944) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: explanations of how the Caped Crusader George Sidney. Red Skelton, Esther Wilcame to adopt his various accoutrements. liams, Basil Rathbone, Ethel Smith, XaImpeccably cast (with the exception of vier Cugat, Lina Romay, Harry James and Holmes, who seems lightweight in such His Orchestra. Esther’s first starring vehicle heady company) and executed. Followed by gives Skelton and musical guest stars the THE DARK KNIGHT. Panavision. [PG13] ▼쩠 spotlight most of the way, but does have a spectacular aquatic finale. Silly script, Batman Forever (1995) C-121m. ★★★ D: thankless role for Rathbone.▼●쩠 Joel Schumacher. Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Batman (1966) C-105m. ★★ D: Leslie Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman, Chris Martinson. Adam West, Burt Ward, Burgess O’Donnell, Michael Gough, Pat Hingle, Meredith, Cesar Romero, Frank Gorshin, Lee Drew Barrymore, Debi Mazar, Rene AuberMeriwether, Neil Hamilton, Madge Blake, jonois, Joe Grifasi. Kilmer makes the role Reginald Denny. Quickly made feature to of Batman/Bruce Wayne his own in this cash in on then-hot TV series pulls out all stops, well-written sequel in which the Caped Crufeatures the Joker, Riddler, Penguin, and Catsader battles Two-Face (Jones) and The woman trying to undo the caped crusader. Riddler (Carrey) while attempting—at least Really misses the mark; the campy humor for a while—to resist the advances of a sexy worked better in the TV series. ▼●쩠 psychologist (Kidman). He also acquires a Batman (1989) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tim partner in O’Donnell (as Robin), and it’s Burton. Jack Nicholson, Michael Keaton, this aspect of the film—the character relaKim Basinger, Robert Wuhl, Pat Hingle, tionships—that give it solidity. The loud, Billy Dee Williams, Michael Gough, Jack razzle-dazzle special effects are overkill. Ed Palance, Jerry Hall, Tracey Walter, Lee Begley, Jr., appears unbilled. Followed by BATMAN & ROBIN. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Wallace. There’s razzle-dazzle to spare in this dark, intense variation on Bob Kane’s Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993) comic book creation—but there’s also someC-76m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eric Radomski, Bruce W. thing askew when the villain (a particularly Timm. Voices of Kevin Conroy, Dana Depsychotic villain, played overboard by Nichollany, Hart Bochner, Mark Hamill, Stacy son) is so much more potent than the hero! Keach, Jr., Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Abe ViStill, lots to grab your attention, including goda, Dick Miller, John P. Ryan. Batman Anton Furst’s Oscar-winning production debattles a mysterious figure who’s killing the sign and Danny Elfman’s terrific score. Prince great gangsters of Gotham City, while, as contributes several songs. Followed by Bruce Wayne, he romances his college BATMAN RETURNS. [PG-13]▼●쩠 sweetheart, just returned to town. Then the Batman & Robin (1997) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joker turns up. . . . Excellent design (inJoel Schumacher. Arnold Schwarzenegger, spired by the 1940s Superman cartoons) is George Clooney, Chris O’Donnell, Uma Thurhampered by mediocre animation, but the man, Alicia Silverstone, Michael Gough, Pat story isn’t bad, and the dialogue is better Hingle, John Glover, Elle Macpherson, Vivica than you’d expect. Spinoff of animated BatA. Fox, Vendela K. Thommessen, Coolio. Batman TV series was intended for video reman #4 spotlights two colorful villains, Schwalease, but went to theaters instead. [PG] rzenegger’s lusty Mr. Freeze and Thurman’s ▼●쩠 deliciously nasty Poison Ivy, who (for different Batman Returns (1992) C-126m. ★★ D: reasons) want to destroy Gotham City, but Tim Burton. Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, even their antics can’t sustain an overlong, epiMichelle Pfeiffer, Christopher Walken, Misodic film in which the ‘‘story’’ often makes chael Gough, Michael Murphy, Cristi Conano sense. Clooney is OK but unremarkable as way, Andrew Bryniarski, Pat Hingle, Vincent Bruce Wayne/Batman, ditto for Silverstone as Schiavelli, Jan Hooks, Paul Reubens. Nasty, the new Batgirl. The action and effects are nihilistic nightmare movie about an abanloud, gargantuan, and ultimately numbing. doned freak baby who grows up to be The End of this Batman cycle; followed in 2005 Penguin—a deadly threat to Gotham City, esby BATMAN BEGINS. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 pecially when he teams up with megaloma[ 92 ]

niac Max Shreck (Walken). Meanwhile, Battle Beyond the Sun (1963) C-75m. ★★ Batman finds a more personal enemy in CatD: Thomas Colchart. Edd Perry, Arla Powwoman. Rich performances, dazzling producell, Andy Stewart, Bruce Hunter. Soviet scition design, and occasional cleverness can’t fi film NEBO ZOVYOT (1959) is refashmake up for a dark, mean-spirited (and often ioned into so-so American product by proincoherent) screenplay. Followed by Keatonducer Roger Corman; story deals with rival less BATMAN FOREVER. [PG-13]▼●쩠 space missions to Mars. The names of the Baton Rouge (1988-Spanish) C-98m. ★★ director and actors are all pseudonyms; D: Rafael Moleon. Antonio Banderas, VicFrancis Ford Coppola, credited as Associate toria Abril, Carmen Maura, Andres Lopez, Producer, oversaw the English adaptation. Laura Cepeda. Gigolo Banderas preys on a His father Carmine (billed as ‘‘Carmen’’ Coppola) wrote the music.▼쩠 sexually dysfunctional wealthy woman, and winds up in a scam with her psychiatrist. Battle Circus (1953) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Interesting sex scenes and suspense can’t Brooks. Humphrey Bogart, June Allyson, make up for utterly confusing plot twists. Keenan Wynn, Robert Keith, Philip Ahn. Another Banderas film taken off the shelf OK tale of MASH unit during Korean War after he became known in the U.S. [R]▼ is well acted, and occasionally exciting, but Bats (1999) C-91m. BOMB D: Louis Morhampered by too much emphasis on the roneau. Lou Diamond Phillips, Dina Meyer, Bob mance between surgeon Bogart and nurse Gunton, Leon, Carlos Jacott, David McConAllyson. Surprisingly ordinary, coming nell. Hordes of mutated killer bats attack a from writer-director Brooks.▼ Southwestern community. That’s all the plot Battle Creek Brawl SEE: Big Brawl, The the movie has, but it does feature a top-of-theBattle Cry (1955) C-149m. ★★★ D: Raoul line motivation for its mad scientist (Gunton): Walsh. Van Heflin, Aldo Ray, Mona Freehe creates the bats, he says, because he can. man, Nancy Olson, James Whitmore, RayDeplorable. DVD is rated R. Followed by a mond Massey, Tab Hunter, Dorothy Malone, made-for-TV sequel. Clairmont-Scope. [PGAnne Francis, William Campbell, John Lup13] ▼쩠 ton, Fess Parker, Rhys Williams, Allyn (Ann) *batteries not included (1987) C-106m. McLerie. Entertaining version of Leon Uris ★★ D: Matthew Robbins. Hume Cronyn, WW2 Marine novel, with much barracks proJessica Tandy, Frank McRae, Elizabeth fanity removed for film, focusing on serPena, Michael Carmine, Dennis Boutsikaris. vicemen in training, wartime romance, and Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Productions has frustrating battle assignments—with Heflin gone to the same well once too often. Cloystriving to get his men the tough combat acing sci-fi fantasy has a ‘‘family’’ of small tion they yearn for. Hunter as wholesome alien spacecrafts arrive to assist New soldier and Malone a love-hungry Navy wife Yorkers whose tenement is about to be stand out in episodic actioner. Ray gives good demolished. Cronyn and Tandy do far more performance as rough-hewn gyrene who falls for the film than it does for them. [PG]▼●쩠 in love with ‘‘nice girl’’ Olson. Film debut Battle at Apache Pass, The (1952) C-85m. of Justus McQueen, who thereafter acted ★★1⁄2 D: George Sherman. Jeff Chandler, under the name of his character, L.Q. Jones. John Lund, Beverly Tyler, Richard Egan, Musical score by Max Steiner. Screenplay Hugh O’Brian, Jay Silverheels. Chandler by Uris. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 reprises his BROKEN ARROW role as Battlefield Earth (2000) C-117m. BOMB Cochise, who tries to prevent Indian wars D: Roger Christian. John Travolta, Barry but doesn’t quite succeed. Pepper, Forest Whitaker, Kim Coates, RichBattle Beneath the Earth (1967-Britishard Tyson, Sabine Karsenti, Michael MacU.S.) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Montgomery Tully. Rae, Kelly Preston. Psychlos (businessKerwin Mathews, Viviane Ventura, Robert minded aliens) conquered Earth a century Ayres, Peter Arne, Al Mulock, Martin Benago; what remains of humanity are slaves son. Silly but enjoyable pulp fantasy about or ignorant savages. Gold-greedy Psychlo Chinese plan to invade U.S. through network security chief Travolta educates bright human of tunnels.▼ Pepper, hoping ‘‘man animals’’ can mine Battle Beyond the Stars (1980) C-104m. the metal for him. Big mistake. . . . So is ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jimmy T. Murakami. Richard the movie, based on the novel by L. Ron Thomas, John Saxon, Robert Vaughn, Hubbard. Clumsy plot, misplaced satire, unDarlanne Fleugel, George Peppard, Sybil believable coincidences and a leaden pace Danning, Sam Jaffe, Morgan Woodward, trample Travolta’s weird but amusing perJeff Corey, Julia Duffy. Not-bad space formance. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 saga from Roger Corman, with good speBattle for Anzio, The SEE: Anzio cial effects and a John Sayles script that Battle Force SEE: Great Battle, The uses the reliable SEVEN SAMURAI/ Battle for Terra (2009) C-79m. ★★ D: AriMAGNIFICENT SEVEN formula (with stomenis Tsirbas. Voices of Evan Rachel Vaughn from the SEVEN cast). Sets and Wood, Brian Cox, James Garner, Chris special effects were reused for countless Evans, Danny Glover, Amanda Peet, David subsequent Corman cheapies. [PG]▼●쩠 Cross, Justin Long, Dennis Quaid, Luke [ 93 ]

Wilson, Mark Hamill, Ron Perlman, BevStraightforward drama about revolt against erly D’Angelo, Danny Trejo, Rosanna Arthe French by Algerians from 1954–1962. quette, Laraine Newman. The last remains Its impressive pseudo-documentary style of the human race, in their quest to survive, helped earn it many awards, and the searing threaten to annihilate the inhabitants of a imperialism vs. independence struggle it depeaceful planet. When a friendship forms bepicts still resonates today.▼●쩠 tween a downed Earthling invader and a TerBattle of Britain (1969-British) C-132m. ★★ ranian princess, they plot together to drive D: Guy Hamilton. Harry Andrews, Michael the humans away. Environmentally conscious Caine, Trevor Howard, Curt Jurgens, Kenneth animated film with a strong antiwar message More, Laurence Olivier, Christopher Plumis a tolerable sit for adults. There are several mer, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, spectacular aerial action sequences, but charRobert Shaw, Susannah York. Superb wideacter designs are generic and personalities cliscreen aerial sequences, which will suffer on che´d. Digital Widescreen. [PG] TV, hardly redeem yet another ‘‘spot-theBattle for the Planet of the Apes (1973) star’’ WW2 epic, this time about British airC-92m. ★★ D: J. Lee Thompson. Roddy men who prevented threatened Nazi invasion. McDowall, Natalie Trundy, Severn Darden, Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Paul Williams, Claude Akins, John Huston. Battle of El Alamein (1968-Italian-French) Substandard; fifth (and last) apes installment C-105m. ★★ D: Calvin Jackson Padget attempts to bring entire series full-cycle. Good (Giorgio Ferroni). Frederick Stafford, Ettore footage from earlier films helps, but not Manni, Robert Hossein, Michael Rennie, much. A TV series followed. Panavision. George Hilton, Ira Furstenberg. Plenty of ac[G]▼●쩠 tion as Italians and Germans, partners in an Battleground (1949) 118m. ★★★ D: Wiluneasy alliance, fight the British in the North liam Wellman. Van Johnson, John Hodiak, African desert in 1942. Hossein plays RomRicardo Montalban, George Murphy, Marmel, and Rennie does an unsympathetic Field shall Thompson, Denise Darcel, Don TayMarshal Montgomery (the British are the villor, Richard Jaeckel, James Whitmore, James lains in this one). Cromoscope. [PG]▼쩠 Arness, Scotty Beckett. Star-studded replay Battle of Mareth, The SEE: Great Battle, of Battle of the Bulge: division of American The troops, their problems and reactions to war. Battle of Neretva, The (1970-YugoslavianRobert Pirosh’s slick script, which was U.S.-Italian-German) C-102m. ★★ D: Veljko awarded an Oscar, lacks genuine insight into Bulajic. Yul Brynner, Sergei Bondarchuk, the characters; Paul C. Vogel also earned a Curt Jurgens, Sylva Koscina, Hardy Krustatuette for his cinematography. Also shown ger, Franco Nero, Orson Welles. Originally in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film, ★★★ D: Battle Hymn (1957) C-108m. but when this $12 million spectacle about Douglas Sirk. Rock Hudson, Martha Hyer, Nazi invasion of Yugoslavia was cut down Anna Kashfi, Dan Duryea, Don DeFore. from nearly three hours, it lost most of its Hudson gives convincing performance as coherency. Too bad. Panavision. [G]▼ clergyman who returns to military duty in KoBattle of Shaker Heights, The (2003) Crean War to train fighter pilots; expansive pro79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kyle Rankin, Efram Potelle. duction values. CinemaScope. ▼쩠 Shia LaBeouf, Elden Henson, Amy Smart, ★★★ D: Battle in Seattle (2008) C-98m. Billy Kay, Kathleen Quinlan, Shiri Appleby, Stuart Townsend. Charlize Theron, Woody William Sadler, Ray Wise, Anson Mount. SecHarrelson, Martin Henderson, Andre´ Benjaond of the prize-winning Project Greenlight min, Michelle Rodriguez, Ray Liotta, Connie screenplays executive produced by Matt Nielsen, Channing Tatum, Joshua Jackson, Damon and Ben Affleck is a comedy-drama Jennifer Carpenter, Isaach de Bankole´, Tzi about a high school misfit (winningly played Ma, Ivana Milicevic, Rade Sherbedzija. Comby LaBeouf) who glibly covers the hurt he pelling film about various people affected by feels inside from troubles at home. A weekthe turbulent protests over the World Trade end war reenactor, he teams up with a preppie Organization conference in Seattle in 1999. pal to seek revenge on his high school Organizers Henderson, Rodriguez, and nemesis . . . then develops a serious crush on Benjamin are sincere in their goal of nonvihis new friend’s older sister. Nothing startling olent demonstrations, and mayor Liotta is or new, but entertaining. [PG-13] ▼쩠 counting on that, but nothing goes as Battle of the Aces SEE: Von Richthofen planned. Not all of the personal stories are and Brown equally commanding, but first-time writerBattle of the Bulge (1965) C-163m. ★★ D: director Townsend artfully blends dramatic Ken Annakin. Henry Fonda, Robert Shaw, re-creations with actual news footage to creRobert Ryan, Telly Savalas, Dana Andrews, ate visceral, immediate drama. [R]쩠 George Montgomery, Ty Hardin, Pier Angeli, Battle of Algiers, The (1965-ItalianCharles Bronson. Originally presented in CinAlgerian) 125m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Gillo Ponteerama, this overinflated war drama about an corvo. Yacef Saadi, Jean Martin, Brahim Haggiag, Tommaso Neri, Samia Kerbash. important event cannot triumph over banal [ 94 ]

script. Read a good book on the subject Gene Hackman, Danny Glover, Jerry Reed, instead. Ultra Panavision 70.▼●쩠 David Marshall Grant, Clayton Rohner, Erich Battle of the River Plate, The SEE: PurAnderson, Joe Dorsey. Air Force Colonel and suit of the Graf Spee strategist Hackman has only seen the war Battle of the Sexes, The (1959-British) from 30,000 feet, until he’s shot down behind ★★★ 84m. enemy lines. Now it’s up to Glover to get him D: Charles Crichton. Peter Sellers, Robert Morley, Constance Cummings, out before the Viet Cong get him, and before Jameson Clark. Sparkling British comedy his own forces carpet-bomb the area. Taut, with macabre overtones; Sellers is elderly compelling film, based on a true story, with Scotsman contemplating murder. Supportfine acting all around. Costar Reed was execing cast keeps this moving.▼ utive producer and wrote some of the songs for the soundtrack. [R]▼●쩠 Battle of the Villa Fiorita, The (1965British) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Delmer Daves. Bawdy Adventures of Tom Jones, The (1976-British) C-94m. ★★ D: Cliff Owen. Maureen O’Hara, Rossano Brazzi, Richard Todd, Phyllis Calvert, Martin Stephens. Nicky Henson, Trevor Howard, Joan ColUnconvincing soaper with O’Hara running lins, Terry-Thomas, Arthur Lowe, Georoff to Italy to carry on with widower gia Brown. Mild doings, based on London Brazzi; predictable interference from each’s stage musical, can’t hold a candle to 1963 children. Panavision. classic (TOM JONES). This time, Tom’s Battle of the Worlds (1961-Italian) C-84m. amorous adventures are pat and predictable, ★1 ⁄2 D: Anthony Dawson (Antonio Marwith Collins, as highwaywoman Black Bess, adding only zing. [R]▼ gheriti). Claude Rains, Maya Brent, Bill Carter, Umberto Orsini, Jacqueline Derval. Rains Baxter (1973) C-100m. ★★★ D: Lionel adds some weight to this English-dubbed Jeffries. Patricia Neal, Scott Jacoby, Jeancheapie about scientists’ frantic efforts to stop Pierre Cassel, Lynn Carlin, Britt Ekland, alien planet from colliding with Earth. Eerie Sally Thomsett. Well-acted drama about atmosphere also helps a little.▼쩠 young Jacoby’s emotional problems and his Battleship Potemkin (1925-Russian) 70m. relationship with speech therapist Neal, who ★★★★ D: Sergei Eisenstein. Alexander Antotries to correct his lisp. [PG] Baxter (1991-French) C-82m. ★★★ D: Jenov, Vladimir Barsky, Grigori Alexandrov, Mikhail Goronorov. Landmark film about rome Boivin. Lise Delamare, Jean Mercure, 1905 Revolution. Unlike many staples of Jacques Spiesser, Catherine Ferran, Jeanfilm history classes, this one has the power Paul Roussillon. Illuminating observation to grip any audience. Odessa Steps seof the human condition as perceived through quence is possibly the most famous movie the unlikeliest of eyes: the title canine, a scene of all time. Aka POTEMKIN.▼●쩠 bull terrier who thinks and feels, and reBattlestar: Galactica (1979) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 veals what’s on his mind. The most disD: Richard A. Colla. Richard Hatch, Dirk turbing of his various masters: a seemingly Benedict, Lorne Greene, Ray Milland, John average young boy who turns out to be a Colicos, Patrick Macnee, Lew Ayres, Jane fascist-in-training. Boivin coscripted.▼● Seymour, Laurette Spang, Terry Carter. Baxter, The (2005) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiFeature adapted from first episode of shortchael Showalter. Michael Showalter, Elizalived TV series; Greene is commander of beth Banks, Justin Theroux, Michelle starship taking survivors of doomed planet Williams, Michael Ian Black, Zak Orth, Peter in search of new home. Belongs on small Dinklage, Catherine Lloyd Burns, Katharine screen, where it’s moderately interesting Powell, Paul Rudd. A Brooklyn CPA (Shoand John Dykstra’s special effects come off walter) is standing at the altar when—boom!— best. Premiere originally telecast at 148m. the ex (Theroux) of his intended (Banks) [PG]▼●쩠 crashes the wedding. This nice schlub is charBattle Stripe SEE: Men, The acterized as a ‘‘Baxter’’ who can’t tell the difBattletruck SEE: Warlords of the 21st ference between contentment and happiness. Century What else to do but turn to the ready advice and Battling Bellhop SEE: Kid Galahad (1937) willing ministrations of his able temp (a cute Battling Butler (1926) 71m. ★★1⁄2 D: Buster Williams). Mild romantic comedy was written Keaton. Buster Keaton, Sally O’Neil, Snitz by the director, who would have benefited from a less cartoonish leading man. [PG-13]쩠 Edwards, Francis McDonald, Mary O’Brien, Tom Wilson, Eddie Borden. Pampered Bay Boy, The (1984-Canadian-French) C-107m. ★★ D: Daniel Petrie. Liv Ullmann, young millionaire falls in love with a girl during a camping trip, and then has to Kiefer Sutherland, Peter Donat, Mathieu pretend he’s actually a champion prizeCarriere, Isabelle Mejias, Alan Scarfe, fighter. One of Buster’s weaker silent feaChris Wiggins, Leah Pinsent. Well-meantures still has its share of funny moments. ing but hopelessly predictable portrayal of a teenager (Sutherland, son of Donald), Based on a stage play. ▼●쩠 Battling Hoofer SEE: Something to Sing and his coming of age in rural Canadian About community during 1930s. You’ve seen this Bat*21 (1988) C-105m. ★★★ D: Peter Markle. one many times before; Ullmann in partic[ 95 ]

ular is one-dimensional as Sutherland’s originally titled VESSEL OF WRATH. hardworking mother. [R]▼● The sole directorial outing of esteemed Bay of Angels (1963-French) 79m. ★★★ D: German producer (and Laughton partner) Pommer. Remade in 1955.▼ Jacques Demy. Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers, Henri Nassiet. LesserBeachcomber, The (1955-British) C-82m. ★★★ known but no less rewarding French New D: Muriel Box. Glynis Johns, Robert Wave drama tells the story of a young man Newton, Donald Sinden, Michael Hordern, whose chronic gambling leads him into a danDonald Pleasence. Remake of Somerset gerous affair with a woman he meets in the Maugham tale of South Sea island bum casino. Their luck at the tables mirrors their entangled with strait-laced sister of misown tumultuous relationship. A vividly blonde sionary is still flavorful.▼ Moreau is sensational in one of her best, leastBeaches (1988) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Garry seen performances. Z master Costa-Gavras is Marshall. Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, credited as Assistant to Director. Shot in John Heard, Spalding Gray, Lainie Kazan, gorgeous b&w in the South of France; reJames Read, Grace Johnston, Mayim Bialik, stored for 2002 U.S. reissue. Score by freMarcie Leeds. Bittersweet saga of a 30quent Demy collaborator Michel Legrand is year friendship that begins when two girls— one of his best. CinemaScope.▼쩠 one rich and pampered, the other poor and Bay of Blood SEE: Twitch of the Death driven to show-biz success—meet on the Nerve beach at Atlantic City. OK as soap opera Beach, The (2000) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: (not much depth to the characters and their Danny Boyle. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda motives, and at least two endings too many) Swinton, Virginie Ledoyen, Guillaume but as a vehicle for Midler it’s dynamite, Canet, Paterson Joseph, Robert Carlyle, and she even gets to sing. Based on a novel Peter Youngblood Hills. Young American by Iris Rainer Dart; Midler coproduced. Dilooking for ‘‘something different’’ goes to rector Marshall features his on-screen ‘‘regBangkok, hooks up with a French couple, ulars’’ in a variety of cameo roles, including and together they follow a map to an elusive Hector Elizondo as a justice of the peace. and secluded island beach . . . but paradise [PG-13]▼●쩠 is not all it’s cracked up to be. Consistently Beachhead (1954) C-89m. ★★★ D: Stuart interesting if sometimes muddled adaptaHeisler. Tony Curtis, Frank Lovejoy, Mary tion of Alex Garland’s novel is naive at Murphy, Eduard Franz, Skip Homeier, John times and leans toward purplish prose in Doucette. Tense WW2 drama in which a DiCaprio’s narration. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 small group of Marines sets out to locate Beach Ball (1965) C-83m. ★★ D: Lennie a French plantation owner, and a critical message, on a Japanese-held island.쩠 Weinrib. Edd Byrnes, Chris Noel, Robert Logan, Gale Gilmore, Aron Kincaid. DifBeach Party (1963) C-101m. ★★ D: Wilferent group tries a beach picture, but it’s liam Asher. Frankie Avalon, Annette essentially the same. Pretty girls, surfing, Funicello, Bob Cummings, Dorothy MalEdd in drag, and performances by The one, Harvey Lembeck, Jody McCrea, John Supremes, Four Seasons, Righteous Bros., Ashley, Morey Amsterdam, Candy JohnHondells, Walker Bros. son, Eva Six. Anthropologist Cummings Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) C-98m. ★★★ studies teenagers’ ‘‘wild’’ behavior, but D: William Asher. Frankie Avalon, Ancomes to learn they aren’t so bad after all. nette Funicello, Paul Lynde, Harvey LemFirst in long-running series is typical blend beck, Don Rickles, Linda Evans, Jody of slapstick and forgettable songs, as well McCrea, Marta Kristen, John Ashley, Deboas introduction of Lembeck’s dopey Brandorah Walley, Buster Keaton, Bobbi Shaw, biker takeoff, Eric Von Zipper. Sequel: Timothy Carey. Fifth BEACH PARTY MUSCLE BEACH PARTY. Panavision. movie is the best; amid various plot entan▼쩠 glements (parachuting, kidnapped singing Beach Red (1967) C-105m. ★★★ D: Cornel idol Evans, mermaid Kristen), Lynde sneers Wilde. Cornel Wilde, Rip Torn, Burr De at everybody, Rickles insults everybody, Benning, Patrick Wolfe, Jean Wallace. and Lembeck gets to sing before being cut Hard look at military life in South Pacific into two halves by Carey’s buzzsaw. The attempts to show ugly side of war. 쩠 ultimate wallow in ’60s surfing nostalgia. Bean (1997-British) C-90m. ★★★ D: Mel Sequel: HOW TO STUFF A WILD BISmith. Rowan Atkinson, Peter MacNicol, KINI. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Pamela Reed, Harris Yulin, Burt Reynolds, Beachcomber, The (1938-British) 92m. John Mills, Larry Drake, Johnny Galecki, ★★★ D: Erich Pommer. Charles Laughton, Tom McGowan, Sandra Oh. Mr. Bean, feaElsa Lanchester, Tyrone Guthrie, Robert tured in a series of TV skits and specials, Newton, Dolly Mollinger. Disheveled bum makes his feature-film debut as a guard at Laughton, living on island paradise, is rethe National Gallery of Art in London who’s formed by missionary Lanchester. Two sent to America, posing as a noted art expert, stars (married in real life) delightful in to accompany ‘‘Whistler’s Mother’’ as it is filmization of W. Somerset Maugham story unveiled at a California museum. Never quite [ 96 ]

as wonderful as you’d like it to be, but often from its battalion in Afghan desert, tries to very funny. Bean’s misadventures are remireach safety, while pursued by vengeful Afniscent of silent film comedy and largely deghan rebels. Eventually, a peace-minded pendent on the winning silliness of Atkinson Russian from the tank, left to die by his himself. Followed by MR. BEAN’S HOLIbrutal commander, joins the rebels himself. DAY. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Serviceable (if predictable) plot is underBeans of Egypt, Maine, The (1994) Cmined by ponderous pace and stereotyped characters. Filmed in Israel. [R]▼쩠 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jennifer Warren. Martha Plimpton, Kelly Lynch, Rutger Hauer, PatBeast From Haunted Cave (1960) 64m. ★★ rick McGaw, Richard Sanders, Michael D: Monte Hellman. Michael Forest, MacRae. Episodic, mildly interesting acSheila Carol, Frank Wolff, Richard Sinatra, count of the Beans, a large, rough-andWally Campo. Economically shot (to say tumble backwoods clan, and the most notothe least) by Roger Corman’s company on rious residents of Egypt, Maine (pop. 729). scenic locations near Deadwood, South Film centers on the relationship, sexual and Dakota, this pits fleeing robbers against a otherwise, between Beal Bean (McGaw), a mysterious, spiderlike monster. Charles B. hot, prideful young stud, and the Beans’ Griffith script has some good dialogue, neighbor (Plimpton). Based on the best-selland Sinatra (Frank’s nephew) and Carol ing novel by Carolyn Chute. An American showed promise. Monster created and played Playhouse coproduction. Retitled FORBIDby actor Chris Robinson. Remake of NAKED DEN CHOICES for video. [R]▼● PARADISE, with monster added.▼쩠 Bear, The (1984) C-112m. ★★ D: Richard Beast From 20,000 Fathoms, The (1953) Sarafian. Gary Busey, Cynthia Leake, Harry 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eugene Lourie. Paul ChrisDean Stanton, Jon-Erik Hexum, Carmen tian, Paula Raymond, Cecil Kellaway, KenThomas, Cary Guffey, D’Urville Martin. neth Tobey, Donald Woods, Lee Van Cleef, Incredibly corny, old-fashioned Hollywood Ross Elliott. Prehistoric rhedosaurus wreaks bio of famed Alabama collegiate football havoc when thawed after an atom-bomb coach Paul ‘‘Bear’’ Bryant. Busey’s sincere, blast. Good Ray Harryhausen special efgravel-voiced portrayal can’t compensate fects, especially in amusement park finfor episodic, repetitive, and undramatic ale. Suggested by the Ray Bradbury short script. [PG] story ‘‘The Fog Horn.’’▼●쩠 Bear, The (1989-French) C-93m. ★★★ D: Beast in the Cellar, The (1971-British) Jean-Jacques Annaud. Bart, Douce, Jack C-87m. ★★ D: James Kelly. Beryl Reid, Wallace, Tche´ky Karyo, Andre Lacombe. Flora Robson, John Hamill, T. P. McCaptivating and unusual film about a bear Kenna, Tessa Wyatt. Two sisters hide their cub who is orphaned and forced to fend maniac brother in the cellar; performances for itself, until it finds a new protector in a of Reid and Robson bring movie to average level. British running time was 101m.▼쩠 giant Kodiak—the tempting target for a pair of hunters. Filmed with utmost reBeastmaster, The (1982) C-118m. ★★ D: spect for animals and a real sense of naDon Coscarelli. Marc Singer, Tanya Robture’s magnificence, though manipulative, erts, Rip Torn, John Amos, Rod Loomis. to be sure. Based on The Grizzly King, a Yet another sword and sandal fantasy with 1917 novel by James Oliver Curwood. PaConan/Tarzan-clone hero who communinavision. [PG]▼●쩠 cates with animals (including, believe it or Bear Island (1979-British-Canadian) Cnot, some comedic ferrets), falls in love 118m. ★1⁄2 D: Don Sharp. Donald Sutherwith slave girl Roberts and seeks revenge land, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widagainst evil priest (Torn) who killed his mark, Christopher Lee, Barbara Parkins, father. Cinematography by John Alcott Lloyd Bridges, Lawrence Dane. One of (BARRY LYNDON). Followed by several sequels. [PG]▼●쩠 Alistair MacLean’s best novels became one of his worst films, mixing murder, intrigue Beastmaster 2: Through the Portal of and stolen bullion near the top of the world. Time (1991) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Sylvio TaStrong cast, capable director and scenic lobet. Marc Singer, Kari Wuhrer, Sarah cations come to naught. Barely released to Douglas, Wings Hauser, James Avery, Robtheatres. Panavision. [PG]▼ ert Fieldsteel, Arthur Malet, Robert Z’Dar, Bears and I, The (1974) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael Berryman, Larry Dobkin. Hero Bernard McEveety. Patrick Wayne, Chief Dar returns (belatedly) to battle another Dan George, Andrew Duggan, Michael evil wizard (Hauser)—this time, thanks to Ansara. Vietnam vet Wayne tries to soothe magician Douglas, in the streets of modernrelations in North Woods between Indians day L.A. Some cleverness, but cheaply and white bigots. Mild Disney film. [G]▼쩠 made and contrived. Nine writers are Beast, The (1971) SEE: Equinox credited. Followed by a TV sequel.▼● Beast, The (1988) C-109m. ★★ D: Kevin Beast Must Die, The (1974-British) C-93m. ★★★ D: Paul Annett. Calvin Lockhart, Peter Reynolds. Jason Patric, Steven Bauer, George Dzundza, Stephen Baldwin, Don Cushing, Charles Gray, Marlene Clark, Harvey, Kabir Bedi. Soviet tank, cut off Anton Diffring. New twists on the old [ 97 ]

werewolf theme make the difference. Milschool dominated by gangs. He brings poetry lionaire sportsman Lockhart invites guests and mystical fantasy into his classmates’ lives. to his electronically bugged mansion, knowEarnest cast but treatment of generation gap issues is old hat. [R]▼● ing one of them is a werewolf. Lockhart is overly mannered, while Cushing gains symBeat Generation, The (1959) 95m. ★1⁄2 pathy in his usual quiet but effective way. D: Charles Haas. Steve Cochran, Mamie Like TEN LITTLE INDIANS, this movie Van Doren, Ray Danton, Fay Spain, Louis gives audience a break to guess killer’s idenArmstrong, Maggie Hayes, Jackie Coogan, tity. From story ‘‘There Shall Be No DarkRay Anthony, Maxie Rosenbloom, Irish ness’’ by James Blish. Video title: BLACK McCalla, Vampira. Exploitation-type story WEREWOLF. [PG]▼●쩠 of detective Cochran tracking down insane Beast of Blood SEE: Beast of the Dead sexual assaulter; vivid sequences marred Beast of the City, The (1932) 87m. ★★★ by hokey script. Retitled THIS REBEL AGE. CinemaScope.● D: Charles Brabin. Walter Huston, Jean Harlow, Wallace Ford, Jean Hersholt, DorBeat Girl SEE: Wild for Kicks Beatrice (1988-French) C-128m. ★★★ D: othy Peterson, Tully Marshall, John Miljan, Mickey Rooney. ‘‘Instead of the glorificaBertrand Tavernier. Bernard Pierre Donnation of gangsters, we need the glorification dieu, Julie Delpy, Nils Tavernier, Monique of policemen,’’ reads President Hoover’s Chaumette, Robert Dhery, Michele Gleizer. opening statement, and this film delivers, Moody and well-mounted, if essentially in W. R. Burnett’s solid, surprisingly gritty ugly saga of the Hundred Years War; a story, a sort of early DIRTY HARRY with father returns home from the front to bully a downbeat ending. Harlow is incredibly his weakling son and engage his tougher sexy as a gang moll.쩠 (and beautiful) daughter in incest. Extremely Beast of the Dead (1970) C-90m. BOMB violent and not for all tastes, but obviously D: Eddie Romero. John Ashley, Eddie Garthe work of an outstanding filmmaker; try cia, Beverly Miller, Celeste Yarnall. Sereconciling this with Tavernier’s A SUNquel to MAD DOCTOR OF BLOOD ISDAY IN THE COUNTRY. Video title: LAND, with that film’s headless monster THE PASSION OF BEATRICE. [R]▼● stalking natives on Pacific island while Beat Street (1984) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stan mad doctor plans new head transplant. Lathan. Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis, Filmed in the Philippines. Originally titled Jon Chardiet, Leon W. Grant, Saundra BEAST OF BLOOD. [PG]▼쩠 Santiago, Robert Taylor. Urban ghetto kids Beast of Yucca Flats, The (1961) 60m. find creative outlets in painting graffiti, BOMB D: Coleman Francis. Douglas breakdancing, rapping, and developing new Mellor, Tor Johnson, Barbara Francis. Johndisco d.j. routines. A slicker version of son becomes a disfigured monster as a WILD STYLE that places the old Mickey result of exposure to an A-bomb test. One & Judy ‘‘let’s put on a show’’ formula into of the worst films ever made, presented as a more realistic contemporary setting. Ina virtual silent film with voice-over narranocuous trend piece, coproduced by Harry tion. Subplot of a succession of volupBelafonte. [PG]▼●쩠 tuous women being strangled bears little Beat That My Heart Skipped, The (2005relation to the main story.▼쩠 French) C-108m. ★★★ D: Jacques Audiard. Beasts SEE: Twilight People, The Romain Duris, Niels Arestrup, Jonathan Beast with Five Fingers, The (1946) 88m. Zaccaı¨, Gilles Cohen, Linh-Dan Pham, ★★1 Aure Atika, Emmanuelle Devos. Entertain⁄2 D: Robert Florey. Robert Alda, Andrea King, Peter Lorre, Victor Francen, J. ing reworking of James Toback’s FINCarrol Naish. Intriguing if not entirely GERS, centering on a dour young man successful mood-piece about aging pianist (Duris) who is unable to decide if he will and strange doings in his household. Lorre’s embrace a life of classical music or lawconfrontation with disembodied hand a horbreaking. Not as gripping or provocative as ror highlight.▼● the original, but still worthwhile. 쩠 Beast Within, The (1982) C-90m. BOMB Beat the Devil (1954) 89m. ★★★ D: John D: Philippe Mora. Ronny Cox, Bibi Besch, Huston. Humphrey Bogart, Jennifer Jones, Paul Clemens, Don Gordon, R. G. ArmGina Lollobrigida, Robert Morley, Peter strong, L. Q. Jones, Meshach Taylor. Besch Lorre, Edward Underdown. Huston and was raped by hairy-legged ‘‘thing’’ while on Truman Capote concocted this offbeat, very honeymoon; her son (Clemens), now a teenfunny satire of MALTESE FALCON-ish ager, commences killing, and killing, and killmovies on location in Italy. Low-key naing. Oh, yes, he changes into a monster at one ture of comedy eluded many people in 1954 and it immediately became a cult point, if you care. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Beat, The (1988) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul favorite, which it remains today.▼●쩠 Mones. John Savage, David Jacobson, Kara Beau Brummell (1954-U.S.-British) C113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Curtis Bernhardt. Stewart Glover, William McNamara, Jeffrey Horowitz. Well-meaning but painfully gauche Granger, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Ustinov, drama of new kid Jacobson at a N.Y.C. high Robert Morley. Handsome cast in lavish [ 98 ]

production from Granger’s rash of cosMaurice Ronet, Nicole Garcia, Nathalie Baye, tume epics. Here, he’s the famous 19thMaurice Risch, Macha Meril. Piano player Decentury British Casanova-fop (played by waere is seduced by his determined stepdaughJohn Barrymore in the 1924 version). ▼ ter, a 14-year-old child-woman (Besse), after Beaufort (2007-Israeli) C-126m. ★★★1⁄2 D: the death of her mother. Thoughtful comedyJoseph Cedar. Oshri Cohen, Itay Tiran, Eli drama is sensitively, not exploitively, hanEltonyo, Ohad Knoller, Itay Turgeman, dled by director Blier. Panavision. ▼쩠 Alon Aboutboul. Beaufort Castle, a 12thBeautician and the Beast, The (1997) Ccentury Crusaders’ fort, was captured by the 105m. ★1⁄2 D: Ken Kwapis. Fran Drescher, Israeli army in 1982 on the first day of its Timothy Dalton, Ian McNeice, Patrick Mawar with Lebanon, though it was of no stralahide, Lisa Jakub, Michael Lerner, Phyllis tegic importance. Israeli soldiers have been Newman. Stuck in the salon with her TV defending it against the bombs of a faceless aspirations going nowhere, a Queens beautienemy for almost two decades, and now cian readily accepts when she’s hired (on a they are ordered to abandon Beaufort as the blunder) to tutor the emotionally deprived Israelis plan their withdrawal from Lebachildren of Slovetzia’s widowed dictator. No non. Subtly compelling drama offers an unnun sings ‘‘Climb Ev’ry Mountain,’’ but this compromising portrait of men in combat comedy can be taken as a warped variation on and the pointlessness of war. Ron Leshem THE SOUND OF MUSIC. Drescher’s beadapted his novel with Cedar. Super 35.쩠 guiling loopiness carries it for a while, but Beau Geste (1939) 114m. ★★★ D: William the already limited chuckles halt with a full half-hour to go. [PG]▼●쩠 Wellman. Gary Cooper, Ray Milland, Robert Preston, Brian Donlevy, Susan HayBeauties of the Night (1954-French) 84m. ★★1 ward, J. Carrol Naish, Albert Dekker, ⁄2 D: Rene´ Clair. Ge´rard Philipe, Martine Broderick Crawford, Donald O’Connor. Carol, Gina Lollobrigida, Magali Vendeuil. Scene-for-scene remake of famous 1926 Diverting fantasy involving aspiring composer silent film (with Ronald Colman) isn’t Philipe with penchant for dreams wanderquite as good but faithfully retells story of ing through various eras of history. ▼ three devoted brothers serving in the ForBeautiful (2000) C-112m. ★1⁄2 D: Sally eign Legion and battling sadistic martinet Field. Minnie Driver, Joey Lauren Adams, commander (Donlevy). Nothing can top Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Kathleen Turner, that opening sequence! Based on the novel Leslie Stefanson, Michael McKean, Colleen by P.C. Wren. Remade in 1966.▼●쩠 Rennison, Bridgette Wilson. A young girl Beau Geste (1966) C-103m. ★★ D: Dougwith the ambition of being a beauty pageant las Heyes. Telly Savalas, Guy Stockwell, Doug queen grows up to be a win-at-all-costs career McClure, Leslie Nielsen. The third version of contestant (Driver). When she accidentally Christopher Wren’s adventure about honor in becomes pregnant, she has her best friend the French Foreign Legion is barely adequate, raise the child. Good cast combats an uneven with brothers battling rampaging Arabs and script filled with one-dimensional characters; sadistic commander Savalas. Techniscope. a distant runner-up to SMILE. Field’s featureBeau James (1957) C-105m. ★★★ D: Melfilm directing debut. [PG-13]▼쩠 ville Shavelson. Bob Hope, Vera Miles, Paul Beautiful Blonde From Bashful Bend, Douglas, Alexis Smith, Darren McGavin; narThe (1949) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Preston Sturges. rated by Walter Winchell. Flavorful recreation Betty Grable, Cesar Romero, Rudy Vallee, of the political career of Mayor Jimmy Olga San Juan, Porter Hall, Sterling Walker in 1920s N.Y.C., based on Gene Holloway, El Brendel. Film was major Fowler’s book. Hope is fine in basically nonflop in 1949, looks somewhat better today; comic performance. Guest appearances by broad Western farce has Grable a gunJimmy Durante, Jack Benny, George Jessel, toting saloon girl mistaken for schoolmarm Walter Catlett. VistaVision. in hick town. Hugh Herbert hilarious as Beaumarchais the Scoundrel (1996-French) nearsighted doctor.▼● ★★★ C-100m. D: Edouard Molinaro. Fabrice Beautiful but Deadly SEE: Don Is Dead, Luchini, Manuel Blanc, Sandrine Kiberlain, The Jacques Weber, Florence Thomassin, Jean Beautiful Country, The (2005-U.S.Yanne, Michel Piccoli, Michel Serrault, Norwegian) C-125m. ★★★ D: Hans Petter Jean-Claude Brialy. Luchini gives a marvelMoland. Damien Nguyen, Nick Nolte, Bai ous performance as the 18th-century playLing, Tim Roth, Be He, Xuan Phuc Dinh, wright, wit, and defender of human rights in Phat Trieu Hoang, Than Kien Nguyen. Boy this episodic biopic that encompasses everywho was the product of a Vietnamese thing from backstage theatrical drama and mother and American G.I. who fought in royal intrigue to gun-running for the Amerithe war becomes an outcast in his own vilcan Revolution. As light and insubstantial as lage due to his mixed heritage. He sets off a souffle´, but beautifully crafted and always on a journey, eventually heading to Texas entertaining. Panavision.▼ to find the father he never knew. Measured, Beau Pe`re (1981-French) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: well-made tale dramatizes the difficulties Bertrand Blier. Patrick Dewaere, Ariel Besse, children of American servicemen encoun[ 99 ]

tered once the war was over and their bioCentral story twist is a doozy—and comlogical fathers deserted them. Damien pletely unexpected. Crowe is excellent as Nguyen is touching and genuine in his first usual, and the film offers an overdue showmajor role, while Nolte does some of his case for Connelly, as the student who befinest work in what amounts to a cameo comes his wife. Oscar winner for Best Picture, near the film’s end. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Director, Supporting Actress (Connelly), and Beautiful Creatures (2001-British) CAdapted Screenplay (Akiva Goldsman). [PG13]▼쩠 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill Eagles. Rachel Weisz, Susan Lynch, Iain Glen, Maurice Roe¨ves, Beautiful People (1999-British) C-109m. ★★★ Alex Norton, Tom Mannion. Two women in D: Jasmin Dizdar. Charlotte Coleman, Glasgow, each with lousy taste in men, unexCharles Kay, Rosalind Ayres, Roger Slopectedly meet and team up in a kidnapping/ man, Heather Tobias, Danny Nussbaum, extortion scheme. Far-fetched variation on a Siobhan Redmond, Gilbert Martin, Edin familiar theme, laced with violence and humor. Dzandzanovic. Sharply observed film about Norton is great as unconventional cop. [R]▼쩠 various people—mostly Brits and BosniBeautiful Dreamers (1990-Canadian) Cans—caught in England’s contemporary 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Kent Harrison. Colm melting pot, but told with a sense of humor Feore, Rip Torn, Wendel Meldrum, Sheila and hope in its heart instead of despair. A McCarthy. Free-spirited American poet striking and believable film from writerWalt Whitman (Torn) befriends Dr. Maudirector Dizdar. [R]▼쩠 rice Bucke (Feore), intrigued by his proBeautiful Thing (1996-British) C-89m. ★★★ gressive treatment of the mentally retarded. D: Hettie Macdonald. Glen Berry, Their combined roguish idealism confounds Linda Henry, Scott Neal, Tameka Empson, their peers and sets Victorian sensibilities Ben Daniels, Martin Walsh. Amiable and askew. Trite handling of interesting story, insightful tale of two working-class adoleswith outstanding performances by Torn cent boys (Berry and Neal), neighbors with and Feore. [PG-13]▼● very different home lives, who become sexBeautiful Girls (1996) C-107m. ★★★ D: ually and romantically involved. Sharp bits Ted Demme. Timothy Hutton, Matt Dillon, of humor and the blue-collar setting add Noah Emmerich, Annabeth Gish, Lauren punch to the proceedings, resulting in a winHolly, Rosie O’Donnell, Max Perlich, Martha ning coming-out/coming-of-age story. Love Plimpton, Natalie Portman, Michael Rapathat Mama Cass sound track! Scripted by Jonport, Mira Sorvino, Uma Thurman, Pruitt athan Harvey, based on his play. [R]▼쩠 Taylor Vince, Anne Bobby, Richard Bright, Beau Travail (2000-French) C-93m. ★★★ Sam Robards, David Arquette. Hutton, on the D: Claire Denis. Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, verge of marrying his girlfriend but unsure Gregoire Colin. Loose adaptation of Melvilof himself, goes back to his Massachusetts le’s Billy Budd is an austere tale of an ex–Forhometown and hangs out with his pals from eign Legion officer (Lavant) who recalls his high school, whose lives—and relationships tenure in a dusty, impoverished East African with women—haven’t changed a bit. Welllocale, and his disdain for a young recruit observed and well-cast slice of life about the (Colin). Denis expertly captures the boring continuity of small-town working-class exisexistence of the legionnaires, and says sometence and the ruts both men and women can thing profound and deeply personal about the politics of male camaraderie.▼쩠 find themselves in. Some great moments for precocious Portman, smart-mouthed O’DonBeauty and the Beast (1946-French) 95m. ★★★★ nell, and others in the ensemble. [R]▼●쩠 D: Jean Cocteau. Jean Marais, Josette ★★ Beautiful Joe (2000) C-98m. D: Stephen Day, Marcel Andre´. Cocteau’s hauntingly Metcalfe. Sharon Stone, Billy Connolly, Gil beautiful, visually dazzling masterpiece, Bellows, Ian Holm, Jurnee Smollett, Dann detailing what happens when, to save her Florek. Good-hearted man, dumped by his father, Beauty (Day) gives herself to the wife, takes to the road in search of advenBeast (Marais). Great fantasy, great filmture, and finds it when he meets up with making—beguiling on any level.▼●쩠 Stone, a woman with a knack for getting Beauty and the Beast (1963) C-77m. ★1⁄2 into trouble. Familiar and predictable. ConD: Edward L. Cahn. Joyce Taylor, Mark nolly deserves a better vehicle. U.S. debut Damon, Eduard Franz, Michael Pate, Merry on cable TV. [R]▼쩠 Anders, Dayton Lummis, Walter Burke. Beautiful Mind, A (2001) C-135m. ★★★ D: Curse turns handsome prince into werewolfRon Howard. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Conlike beast every night; princess defends nelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Christopher him, while a usurper seeks his throne. Plummer, Adam Goldberg, Judd Hirsch, Josh Colorful but turgid. Makeup by the fabled Lucas, Anthony Rapp, Austin Pendleton. UnJack P. Pierce.▼ usual story ‘‘inspired by incidents’’ in the life Beauty and the Beast (1991) C-85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise. Voices of John Nash, a brilliant West Virginia mathematician who flowers at Princeton in the late of Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Jerry 1940s and then goes to work at M.I.T. But his Orbach, Angela Lansbury, Richard White, marriage and sanity are put to a painful test. David Ogden Stiers, Jesse Corti, Rex Ever[ 100 ]

hart, Bradley Michael Pierce, Jo Anne Worblack audience is lively, often funny—but a bit protracted. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ley, Kimmy Robertson. Classic Disney Because I Said So (2007) C-102m. ★★ D: cartoon version of the classic tale, with bookMichael Lehmann. Diane Keaton, Mandy ish Belle and a ferocious Beast learning to Moore, Gabriel Macht, Tom Everett Scott, love one another after he makes her prisoner Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo, Stephen Colin his desolate castle (where the only signs of lins, Ty Panitz, Tony Hale. Meddlesome life come from humanized household fixmother has married off two of her girls but tures). Cannily presented in the style of a can’t leave her remaining single daughter Broadway musical, with a fine-tuned script by alone; she even takes out a personals ad in Linda Woolverton, and a rousing, Oscar-winorder to audition prospects, then steers the ning score by Alan Menken (with another likeliest candidate (Scott) her way. But Oscar for Menken and Howard Ashman’s title Moore is more attracted to a freewheeling tune). The first animated feature to earn an musician (Macht) of whom her mom Oscar nomination as Best Picture. Reissued doesn’t approve. Contrived romantic comat 89m. in 2002 with an additional musical edy is torpedoed by Keaton’s character, sequence entitled ‘‘Human Again.’’ Followed who is unbelievably annoying. [PG-13]쩠 by a Broadway musical, a TV series, and two Because of Winn-Dixie (2005) C-106m. ★★ direct-to-video sequels. [G]▼●쩠 D: Wayne Wang. AnnaSophia Robb, Jeff Beauty and the Robot, The SEE: Sex Daniels, Cicely Tyson, Eva Marie Saint, Dave Kittens Go to College ★★1 Matthews, Courtney Jines, Elle Fanning, Har⁄2 D: Beauty Shop (2005) C-105m. land Williams. Tepid adaptation of Kate DiBille Woodruff. Queen Latifah, Alicia SilCamillo’s children’s novel (and an offbeat verstone, Andie MacDowell, Alfre Woodchoice for director Wang) about a 10-year-old ard, Mena Suvari, Kevin Bacon, Djimon girl and her minister father, whose wife has Hounsou, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Bryce abandoned him . . . and a dog that changes a Wilson, Golden Brooks, Sherri Shepherd, community. Genial to a fault, but packed with Della Reese, Wilmer Valderrama, Dondre local eccentrics who seem more out of Central Whitfield, Paige Hurd. Latifah is back from Casting than anyone’s real life. Singer MatBARBERSHOP 2 as Gina, now an Atlanta thews probably fares best as an ex-con who single mom/stylist. Fed up with boss Bacon runs a pet shop, though young Robb at least (over-the-top and foreign), she all too prehas a winning smile. [PG]▼쩠 dictably turns an eyesore into a salon of Because of You (1952) 95m. ★★ D: Joher very own, complete with attitude, plus seph Pevney. Loretta Young, Jeff Chanupstairs neighbor Hounsou as a hunky dler, Alex Nicol, Frances Dee, Mae Clarke, handyman. The jokes fly, the tresses fall, Alexander Scourby. Loretta weds Jeff—but and Silverstone plays the token role done by fails to inform him that she’s a parolee; Troy Garity in BARBERSHOP. Panavithen she takes up with her ex-boyfriend, a sion. [PG-13] ▼쩠 drug smuggler. Trite and forgettable.▼ Beavis and Butt-head Do America (1996) Because You’re Mine (1952) C-103m. C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike Judge. Voices of ★★ D: Alexander Hall. Mario Lanza, James Mike Judge, Robert Stack, Cloris LeachWhitmore, Doretta Morrow, Dean Miller, man, Eric Bogosian, Richard Linklater. The Paula Corday, Jeff Donnell, Spring Byingunabashedly ignorant, flagrantly antisocial, ton, Don Porter, Eduard Franz, Bobby hormonally charged duo from MTV’s aniVan. Opera star Lanza is drafted and falls mated series find themselves on a crossin love with Morrow, the sister of his top country odyssey that begins when someone sergeant (Whitmore). For Lanza fans only.▼ steals their all-important TV set. Alternately Becket (1964) C-148m. ★★★★ D: Peter stupid, gross, and hilarious, this modest carGlenville. Richard Burton, Peter O’Toole, toon feature is certainly true to itself and John Gielgud, Donald Wolfit, Martita Hunt, certain to please B&B fans. Bruce Willis, Pamela Brown, Felix Aylmer. Stunning film, Demi Moore, and David Letterman contribadapted by Edward Anhalt (who won an ute unbilled voices, but best of all is the Oscar) from the Jean Anouilh play, centers casting of Stack as a hard-nosed Federal on stormy friendship between Archbishop of agent. Huh-huh-huh. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Canterbury Thomas a` Becket and his English Bebe’s Kids (1992) C-74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce King, Henry II. Superbly acted and magnifiSmith. Voices of Faizon Love, Nell Carcently photographed (by Geoffrey Unsworth) ter, Myra J., Vanessa Bell Calloway, Tone on location in England. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Loc, Wayne Collins, Jonell Green, Marques Becky Sharp (1935) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Houston. Raucous animated feature based Rouben Mamoulian. Miriam Hopkins, Franon a routine by the late comedian Robin ces Dee, Cedric Hardwicke, Billie Burke, Harris (voiced here by Faizon Love) whose Alison Skipworth, Nigel Bruce. Witty but date with an attractive woman turns into a sometimes ponderous adaptation of Thacknightmare when she brings along her son— eray’s Vanity Fair with Hopkins as selfand three brats she’s looking after. The reliant girl whose sole concern is herself. first animated feature aimed squarely at a Historically important as first full-Techni[ 101 ]

color (3-color) feature, designed by Robert ingly directed by Truffaut; Jacques Tati has Edmond Jones (and photographed by Ray an amusing cameo as M. Hulot. Followed Rennahan). Long available only in inferior by LOVE ON THE RUN. [PG]▼쩠 67m. Cinecolor reissue prints; archivally reBed and Breakfast (1992) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 stored in 1985. Previously filmed in 1923 D: Robert Ellis Miller. Roger Moore, Talia and 1932, remade in 2004 (all as VANITY Shire, Colleen Dewhurst, Nina Siemaszko, Ford Rainey, Stephen Root, Jamie WalFAIR). ▼쩠 Becoming Colette (1992-U.S.-German) ters, Victor Slezak. A debonair stranger C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Danny Huston. Klaus Mamakes his impact on a houseful of women, ria Brandauer, Mathilda May, Virginia who span several generations. First-rate Madsen, Paul Rhys, John van Dreelen, performances, and a gorgeous setting on Jean-Pierre Aumont. Ridiculous tale of the the Maine coast, make this modest film famed French writer Colette (May), deworth seeing, especially on the small screen; filmed in 1989. [PG-13]▼● picted as an inexperienced country girl who weds publisher Brandauer. He prints Bedazzled (1967-British) C-107m. ★★★ D: her writing under his name, and sets up a Stanley Donen. Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, threesome with Madsen (but becomes outEleanor Bron, Raquel Welch, Alba, Barry raged when the women fall in love). The Humphries. Cult film updating Faust legend director is the son of John Huston, but may is as sacrilegious as THE SINGING NUN as well be the prote´ge´ of Zalman King. [R]▼ and usually funnier. The laughs aren’t always Becoming Jane (2007-British) C-113m. consistent, but the Cook-Moore team is ter★★★ rific and Donen’s direction stylish. And reD: Julian Jarrold. Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Crommember the magic words: ‘‘Julie Andrews!’’ Remade in 2000. Panavision. ▼●쩠 well, Maggie Smith, Joe Anderson, Lucy Cohu, Laurence Fox, Ian Richardson. FuBedazzled (2000) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harold ture novelist Jane Austen (Hathaway) is Ramis. Brendan Fraser, Elizabeth Hurley, from humble Hampshire means and should Frances O’Connor, Miriam Shor, Orlando be looking to secure an advantageous marJones, Paul Adelstein, Toby Huss, Gabriele riage. Instead, the headstrong young woman Casseus, Brian Doyle-Murray. Sweet-natured wants life on her own terms . . . but only nerd sells his soul to a sexy Devil (Hurley) in after falling in love with a brash Irishman exchange for seven wishes, but she manages to (McAvoy) does her writing mature and reput a hitch into all of his dreams-come-true. All veal ‘‘life experience.’’ Entertaining film, he really wants is for the coworker he worships based on Austen’s letters, indicates that this from afar to fall in love with him. Funny in episode in her life inspired Pride and Prejuspots, with Fraser and Hurley hitting just the dice. Hathaway fares well in the midst of a right note, but remake of 1967 film never mostly British cast. Super 35. [PG]쩠 catches fire. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Be Cool (2005) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: F. Gary Bedevilled (1955) C-85m. ★★ D: Mitchell Gray. John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Leisen. Anne Baxter, Steve Forrest, Simone Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer, Andre´ BenRenant, Victor Francen. Bizarre yarn of jamin (Andre´ 3000), Steven Tyler, Christina chanteuse Baxter fleeing from murder scene, Milian, Harvey Keitel, The Rock, Danny protected by Forrest, who’s studying for DeVito, Robert Pastorelli, Debi Mazar, Paul priesthood; filmed in Paris. CinemaScope. Bedford Incident, The (1965) 102m. ★★★ Adelstein. In this sequel to Elmore Leonard’s GET SHORTY, Chili Palmer (TraD: James B. Harris. Richard Widmark, volta) moves into the music business and Sidney Poitier, James MacArthur, Martin chooses a promising young singer (Milian) Balsam, Wally Cox, Eric Portman, Donald as his prote´ge´e, despite the fact that she’s Sutherland. Strong Cold War story of aualready under contract to ruthless Keitel and thoritarian Navy captain (Widmark) scouting his loose-cannon lieutenant, Vaughn. AmiaRussian subs near Greenland and the mental ble, good-looking film retains Leonard’s story conflicts that develop on his ship. Poitier smarts but blunts the impact by allowing its is reporter too good to be true, Balsam a comedic costars (Vaughn, Cedric) to riff to sympathetic doctor disliked by Widmark. their heart’s content. The Rock is especially Cast excels in intriguing battle of wits.▼쩠 funny as a bodyguard/Hollywood wannabe. Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) C117m. ★★★ D: Robert Stevenson. Angela James Woods appears unbilled; other music stars make cameo appearances. Super 35. Lansbury, David Tomlinson, Roddy Mc[PG-13]▼쩠 Dowall, Sam Jaffe, Roy Snart, Cindy Bed and Board (1970-French) C-97m. O’Callaghan, Ian Weighill. Elaborate Dis★★★1 ⁄2 D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Jean-Pierre ney musical fantasy about amateur witch Le´aud, Claude Jade, Hiroko Berghauer, who helps British cause in WW2; no MARY Daniel Ceccaldi, Claire Duhamel. Chapter POPPINS, but quite enjoyable, with OscarFour of the Antoine Doinel story. Here, winning special effects and delightful anDoinel (Le´aud) is married to Christine imated cartoon sequences directed by Ward (Jade); he is confused, immature, becomes a Kimball. Reissued at 98m. 141m. archival father, and has an affair with Berghauer. Lovedition assembled in 1996, with more (and [ 102 ]

longer) songs, clearer plot, and more of a part about a professor who treats a chimp as his for McDowall. [G]▼●쩠 child for a heredity experiment. Reagan Bedlam (1946) 79m. ★★★ D: Mark Robson. did not appear in the sequel, BONZO GOES TO COLLEGE.▼쩠 Boris Karloff, Anna Lee, Ian Wolfe, Richard Fraser, Billy House, Jason Robards, Sr. AtmoBedtime Stories (2008) C-99m. ★★ D: spheric chiller of courageous Lee trying to exAdam Shankman. Adam Sandler, Keri Ruspose shameful conditions at notorious 18thsell, Guy Pearce, Courteney Cox, Russell century London insane asylum run by corrupt Brand, Richard Griffiths, Jonathan Pryce, head Karloff. Producer Val Lewton also coCarmen Electra, Lucy Lawless, Teresa scripted under pseudonym Carlos Keith. RobPalmer, Aisha Tyler. Story of an underdog ert Clarke appears unbilled.▼●쩠 whose father’s homespun motel has been Bed of Roses (1996) C-87m. ★★ D: Michael transformed into a super-luxury hotel where Goldenberg. Christian Slater, Mary Stuart he now works as a handyman. Then he disMasterson, Pamela Segall, Josh Brolin, Ally covers that telling bedtime tales to his niece Walker, Debra Monk. Business exec Masand nephew has the potential to change his terson is courted by florist Slater (a young fortunes. Disney film had real potential, startwidower), but her past troubled relationships ing out as a fable about the power of prevent her from committing to him. Attempt storytelling . . . but it’s been vulgarized (and at a serious romantic film is emotionally off needlessly cluttered) by Sandler and his writthe mark, though the performers try their ing cohorts. Young kids may still enjoy it but best. [PG]▼●쩠 thoughtful parents will steer them elsewhere. Bedrooms & Hallways (1999-British) CRob Schneider appears unbilled. Super 35. ★★ 95m. D: Rose Troche. Kevin McKidd, [PG]쩠 Hugo Weaving, James Purefoy, Tom HolBedtime Story (1941) 85m. ★★★ D: Alexlander, Christopher Fulford, Julie Graham, ander Hall. Fredric March, Loretta Young, Paul Higgins, Jennifer Ehle, Simon Callow. Robert Benchley, Allyn Joslyn, Eve Arden. Ambitious but flat sex comedy about two gay Fine cast in sparkling comedy of playroommates. One has a hot-and-heavy affair wright March trying to stop wife Young from in which the emphasis is on sex; the other has retiring so she can star in his next play. Bedtime Story (1964) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: a budding romance with a man who has just busted up with his longtime girlfriend. Good Ralph Levy. Marlon Brando, David Niven, when it explores relationships, less successShirley Jones, Dody Goodman, Marie Windful in its silly parodies of men’s groups and sor. Offbeat casting of stars provides Jane Austen novels. ▼쩠 chief interest in lackluster comedy of con Bedroom Window, The (1987) C-112m. men Brando and Niven competing for Jones’ ★★★ affection. Remade as DIRTY ROTTEN D: Curtis Hanson. Steve Guttenberg, Elizabeth McGovern, Isabelle Huppert, Paul SCOUNDRELS.▼ Shenar, Carl Lumbly, Wallace Shawn, Bee Movie (2007) C-90m. ★★★ D: Steve Frederick Coffin, Brad Greenquist. An inHickner, Simon J. Smith. Voices of Jerry nocent man offers to alibi for his boss’ Seinfeld, Rene´e Zellweger, Matthew Brodersexy wife, who witnessed an assault from ick, Patrick Warburton, John Goodman, his bedroom window after they made love. Chris Rock, Kathy Bates, Barry Levinson, This apparently simple gesture snowballs Ray Liotta, Sting, Oprah Winfrey, Larry into a web of crime and duplicity, in this Miller, Megan Mullally, Rip Torn, Michael attractive, sexy, and suspenseful HitchRichards. It’s the ABCs of being a bee, as cock homage. Guttenberg is no Cary Grant typified by the experiences of recent college (or James Stewart), but the film is consisgrad Barry B. Benson (Seinfeld), who’s disintently enjoyable—if not always absolutely clined to enter the trade of every family membelievable. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 ber and friend: keeping those honey coffers Bed Sitting Room, The (1969-British) going. Brisk animation and a sardonically Seinfeld-ish tone keep this fun, though the relaC-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Lester. Rita Tushingham, Ralph Richardson, Peter tionship between the bee-boy protagonist and a Cook, Dudley Moore, Harry Secombe, female human he befriends (Zellweger) never Arthur Lowe, Roy Kinnear, Spike Milligan, really catches fire. More successful around the Michael Hordern, Mona Washbourne. Modedges than down the middle, this gleans suberately successful black-comedy look at stantial chortles from its ragging of real-life distorted, devastated England three years celebrities. [PG]쩠 after nuclear war. A few funny bits, great Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up cast, but film doesn’t click. Marty Feldman to Me (1971) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Jeffrey Young. makes his film debut in a brief bit. Barry Primus, Linda DeCoff, David Brown★★1⁄2 D: ing, Susan Tyrrell, Philip Shafer, Bruce Bedtime for Bonzo (1951) 83m. Frederick de Cordova. Ronald Reagan, Davison, Raul Julia. Bland, dated film verDiana Lynn, Walter Slezak, Jesse White, sion of Richard Farin˜a’s novel about hip Lucille Barkley. Often cited as the pinna1960s type trying to endure life on a cle of absurdity in Reagan’s career, but in 1958 campus. [R] Been Rich All My Life (2006) C-81m. ★★★ fact it’s a cute, harmless little comedy [ 103 ]

D: Heather Lyn MacDonald. Easy-to-take film about killer bees, you get what you deserve. Filmed in Mexico. [PG]▼ documentary about the Silver Belles, a troupe of indomitable tap-dancing octogenarians Bee Season (2005) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Scott (Marion Coles, Elaine Ellis, Cleo Hayes, Fay McGehee, David Siegel. Richard Gere, JuRay, Bertye Lou Wood) formed in the 1980s liette Binoche, Flora Cross, Max Minghella, long after their prime showgirl days working Kate Bosworth. Ambitious but convoluted at the Cotton Club and the Apollo. The movdrama about the power of words, the meanie’s point, though, is to question how ing of religion, and competition. Sixth‘‘prime’’ is defined; every woman here looks grader Cross almost mystically becomes a (and acts) about two decades younger than champion speller, and her success has a proher given age. Racially inspired hardships are found impact on the other members of her somewhat skimmed over, though it’s intrifamily. The filmmakers cleverly visualize guing to learn how just a few of these women the words and letters in the girl’s mind, but shut down the Apollo during a strike for betNaomi Foner Gyllenhaal’s script (adapted ter wages.쩠 from Myla Goldberg’s best-selling novel) lacks cohesion. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 Beer (1985) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: Patrick Kelly. Loretta Swit, Rip Torn, Kenneth Mars, Beethoven (1992) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brian David Alan Grier, William Russ, Saul Levant. Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, Dean Stein, Dick Shawn. Unimaginative, ultiJones, Oliver Platt, Stanley Tucci, Nicholle mately tasteless spoof of Madison Avenue Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah Rose Karr, hype, with Swit as an ad-agency executive David Duchovny, Patricia Heaton, Laurel who devises a highly successful commerCronin, and Chris. Innocuous family comedy cial campaign to sell beer. Not so far from about an uptight Dad (Grodin) whose famreality—and not terribly funny. [R]▼ ily talks him into keeping a runaway puppy Beerfest (2006) C-110m. ★★ D: Jay Chanthat grows into a big, slobbering St. Berdrasekhar. Jay Chandrasekhar, Steve Lemme, nard. It’s fun to watch all-American, cleanPaul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Kevin Heffernan, cut Jones playing a slimy, raspy-voiced Ju¨rgen Prochnow, M. C. Gainey, Cloris Leachvillain. Followed by BEETHOVEN’S 2ND man, Mo’Nique, Eric Christian Olsen. Two and four DVD sequels. [PG] ▼●쩠 brothers travel to Munich for Oktoberfest and Beethoven’s 2nd (1993) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: discover an underground ‘‘fight club’’ devoted Rod Daniel. Charles Grodin, Bonnie Hunt, to ancient beer-drinking games and other Nicholle Tom, Christopher Castile, Sarah sports. They vow to recruit friends, train, and Rose Karr, Debi Mazar, Chris Penn, Ashley return to compete the next year. Gross-out conHamilton, Maury Chaykin, Jeff Corey, Vircoction from the Broken Lizard comedy troupe ginia Capers, and Beethoven. Painless sequel, goes for the most obvious, juvenile college on par with its predecessor, which charts the humor, hitting an occasional bull’s-eye, espevarious complications when Grodin’s kids cially when Leachman starts in with beer and raise St. Bernard Beethoven’s puppies on the sausage jokes. Waaaaaay over the top, but sly. If you liked the original. . . . Followed by four DVD sequels. [PG] ▼●쩠 harmless enough for the undemanding, possibly inebriated dudes likely to watch it. DonBeetle Juice (1988) C-92m. ★★★ D: Tim ald Sutherland appears unbilled. Unrated Burton. Michael Keaton, Alec Baldwin, version runs 112m. Super 35. [R]쩠 Geena Davis, Jeffrey Jones, Catherine Beer League (2006) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank O’Hara, Winona Ryder, Sylvia Sidney, Sebastiano. Artie Lange, Ralph Macchio, Robert Goulet, Glenn Shadix, Dick Cavett, Anthony De Sando, Cara Buono, Jimmy Annie McEnroe. Newly deceased couple Palumbo, Joe Lo Truglio, Jerry Minor, Seyin need of help coping with the afterlife, mour Cassel, Michael Deeg, Laurie Metand obnoxious family who’s moved into calf. Motley group of thirtysomething losers their home, get it in the form of renegade on a slow-pitch New Jersey softball team spirit Betelgeuse (Keaton, who pulls out have to shape up and beat their obnoxious all the stops). Fantastic special effects make rivals or get booted out of the league, but this a sort of live-action cartoon. Added they spend most of their time boozing, treat: Sylvia Sidney as harried case worker brawling, and carousing. You don’t have to in the hereafter. Great fun, and surprisbe from Jersey to enjoy this affably lowingly good-natured. Music by Danny Elfbrow, gleefully politically incorrect update man, with a strong assist from Harry Belaof THE BAD NEWS BEARS, although fonte. Oscar winner for makeup. Followed by an animated TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 downing a six-pack will certainly help. Tina Fey makes a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo. Before and After (1996) C-107m. ★★★ D: Cowritten by Lange. Aka ARTIE LANGE’S Barbet Schroeder. Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson, Edward Furlong, Alfred Molina, Julia BEER LEAGUE. [R]쩠 Bees, The (1978) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Alfredo Weldon, Daniel von Bargen, John Heard, Zacharias. John Saxon, Angel Tompkins, Ann Magnuson, Larry Pine, Wesley Addy. John Carradine, Claudio Brook, Alicia Sober tale of a New England family torn Encinias. After THE SWARM, if you sinapart—and ostracized—when the son is accerely want to see this low-budget disaster cused of murdering a teenage girl and then [ 104 ]

disappears. The father is willing to cover the drama, told in time-splintered structure, is boy’s tracks, while mother and daughter want well acted and well staged by Lumet, but to tell the truth, in spite of the consequences. the utter unpleasantness of the story and the Absorbing and believable story (written by characters becomes repetitious and weaTed Tally). Look for Paul Giamatti as a courtrying. [R]쩠 room spectator. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Before the Rain (1994-MacedonianBefore I Hang (1940) 71m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nick British-French) C-114m. ★★★ D: Milcho Grinde. Boris Karloff, Evelyn Keyes, Bruce Manchevski. Katrin Cartlidge, Rade SerbedBennett, Pedro de Cordoba, Edward Van zija, Gregoire Colin, Labina Mitevska. FasSloan. Contrived but intriguing tale of cinating look at several intertwining lives prison scientist Karloff having youth sein the newly independent, and strife-torn, rum backfire on him, driving him mad at Republic of Macedonia (formerly Yugoslaodd moments.▼●쩠 via), where rural poverty and violent rage Before Night Falls (2000) C-125m. ★★★ D: are prevalent. Story links a young monk, a Julian Schnabel. Javier Bardem, Olivier globetrotting photojournalist, and a stylish Martinez, Andrea Di Stefano, Sean Penn, young woman in London who is at a crossJohnny Depp, Michael Wincott, Hector roads in her personal life. Film’s structure Babenco, Jerzy Skolimowski. Often compelresembles PULP FICTION, which debuted ling look at the life of Cuban writer Reinaldo almost simultaneously. A strong statement Arenas, spanning several decades as he disthat unfolds slowly; stick with this one. covers his homosexuality, blossoms as a writer, Technovision.▼쩠 then finds that in Castro’s Cuba he’s persecuted Before the Rains (2008-Indian-Britishon both counts. Told in episodic fashion, the U.S.) C-98m. ★★★ D: Santosh Sivan. Linus film has many great scenes, but goes on a bit Roache, Jennifer Ehle, Rahul Bose, Nandita too long. Bardem’s performance is excepDas, Leo Benedict. Set in 1930s India at tional. Penn appears briefly as a Cuban peasant, a time of emerging nationalism, ambitious Depp in two successive scenes as a transvestite young Indian man must choose between the prisoner and a warden. [R]▼쩠 past and his own future when he discovers Before Sunrise (1995) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: an illicit affair is taking place between his Richard Linklater. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy. English spice-baron boss and a village Young American strikes up a conversation woman. First English-language film for Inwith a fellow train passenger and persuades dian director Sivan captures the bustling her to get off in Vienna and share his last soul of a community in transition, even if it night in Europe; they do, in fact, spend the surrenders to some soapy plotting sensibilitentire night talking and falling in love. A ies along the way. Based on Red Roofs, a somewhat daring idea for the ’90s, buoyed by segment in the 2001 film YELLOW AStwo engaging performers; it is (unavoidPHALT: THREE DESERT STORIES. [PG-13]쩠 ably) awfully talky, but it’s also undeniably romantic. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Before the Revolution (1964-Italian) 115m. 1 ★★★ ★★★ Before Sunset (2004) C-80m. ⁄2 D: D: Bernardo Bertolucci. Adriana Asti, Richard Linklater. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy. Francisco Barilli, Alain Midgette, Morando Disarming follow-up to BEFORE SUNMorandini, Domenico Alpi. Bertolucci’s RISE has the two characters meeting up second feature (which he wrote when he nine years later as he passes through Paris was 22 years old) dramatizes the dilemma on a book tour. They catch up in the short of young, middle-class Barilli. Will he time he has before having to head for the embrace a life of social and political radiairport, walking through various neighborcalism, or submit to the bourgeois status hoods, gradually letting down their guards quo? Revealing 1960s time capsule, loaded about their feelings toward one another. A with topical ideas, references, and fervor.▼ beguiling look at chances lost and taken, the Before Winter Comes (1969-British) lasting effect of impulsive decisions, and C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. David how one meaningful encounter can resonate Niven, Topol, Anna Karina, John Hurt, for years to come. Script is credited to the Anthony Quayle, Ori Levy. Topol is instars and director. [R]▼쩠 terpreter for British officer Niven in disBefore the Devil Knows You’re Dead placed persons’ camp following WW2. (2007-U.S.-Irish) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney Uneven comedy-drama with many touchLumet. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan ing moments, capturing plight of refugees. Hawke, Albert Finney, Marisa Tomei, Topol’s warmth shines in winning perforRosemary Harris, Aleksa Palladino, Brian mance. [M/PG] F. O’Byrne, Amy Ryan, Michael Shannon, Beggar’s Opera, The (1953-British) CLeonardo Cimino. Pressured payroll manager 94m. ★★★ D: Peter Brook. Laurence Oliv(Hoffman) convinces his ne’er-do-well brother ier, Stanley Holloway, Dorothy Tutin, (Hawke) to rob a jewelry store for some Daphne Anderson, Mary Clare, Hugh Grifquick (and easy) money. Naturally, things fith, Laurence Naismith. Celebrated stage go wrong and the repercussions keep builddirector Brook made his film debut with ing and building. Tense, claustrophobic this vivid, energetic version of John Gay’s [ 105 ]

opera. Coproducer and star Olivier is somein solitary confinement. Aka THE HUMAN GORILLA. ▼쩠 what miscast but more than makes up for it Behind the Door SEE: Man with Nine with his sly portrayal of a jailed highwayLives, The man who exaggerates his exploits into a Behind the Iron Curtain SEE: Iron Curmusical revue.쩠 ★1⁄2 D: tain, The Beginning of the End (1957) 73m. Behind the Lines SEE: Regeneration Bert I. Gordon. Peggie Castle, Peter (1997-British-Canadian) Graves, Morris Ankrum, Thomas Browne Behind the Sun (2001-Brazilian-FrenchHenry. Awful sci-fi outing about giant Swiss) C-93m. ★★★ D: Walter Salles. Jose´ grasshoppers (thanks to radiation) on the Dumont, Rodrigo Santoro, Rita Assemany, rampage; at the climax, they invade ChiLuiz Carlos Vasconcelos, Flavia Marco Ancago—but none too convincingly.▼쩠 tonio, Ravi Ramos Lacerda. Lyrical, quietly Beginning or the End, The (1947) 112m. ★★★ absorbing fable set in rural Brazil in 1910 D: Norman Taurog. Brian Donlevy, about two feuding families whose patriarchs Robert Walker, Beverly Tyler, Audrey Totdispatch their sons to kill each other’s offter, Hume Cronyn. Engrossing account of spring in the name of honor. The unfolding atomic bomb development, depicting both events are seen through the eyes of a 10human and spectacular aspects. year-old (Lacerda) who attempts to free Beguiled, The (1971) C-109m. ★★★ D: himself and his brother from this ritual of Don Siegel. Clint Eastwood, Geraldine violence. Extremely effective. Super 35. Page, Elizabeth Hartman, Jo Ann Harris, [PG-13]▼쩠 Darleen Carr, Pamelyn Ferdin. Offbeat, Behold a Pale Horse (1964) 118m. ★★1⁄2 methodically paced story set in Civil War D: Fred Zinnemann. Gregory Peck, AnSouth. Wounded Eastwood brought to girls’ thony Quinn, Omar Sharif, Mildred Dunschool to recuperate; he becomes catalyst nock, Christian Marquand, Raymond Pellfor flurry of jealousy and hatred. Unusual egrin. Peck and Quinn wage an ideological Eastwood fare, but for patient viewers, a battle in post–Spanish Civil War story of polirich, rewarding film. [R]▼●쩠 tics and violence that loses focus, becoming Behave Yourself! (1951) 81m. ★★ D: confused and talky. Valiant try by all.▼쩠 George Beck. Farley Granger, Shelley WinBeijing Bicycle (2001-Taiwanese-Chinese) ters, William Demarest, Francis L. Sullivan, ★★ D: Wang Xiaoshuai. Cui Lin, C-113m. Margalo Gillmore, Lon Chaney, Jr., Sheldon Li Bin, Zhou Xun, Gao Yuanyuan, Li ShuLeonard, Marvin Kaplan, Glenn Anders, ang, Zhao Yiwei, Pang Yan. Muddled acAllen Jenkins, Elisha Cook, Jr., Hans Conried. count of a shy, naı¨ve country boy (Lin), Loud, limp black comedy with Granger and newly arrived in Beijing, who finds a job as Winters miscast as young marrieds who take a bicycle messenger; then, predictably, his in a dog trained to act as a link between two bike is stolen. Potentially compelling allegangs in a smuggling scheme. Good supportgory of the dreams and hopes of the young ing cast is wasted. The title song was cowritis done in by dullness and endless repetiten by Buddy Ebsen!▼쩠 tion. Obviously inspired by De Sica’s BIBehind Enemy Lines (1986) SEE: P.O.W. CYCLE THIEVES. [PG-13]▼쩠 The Escape Being, The (1983) C-79m. ★1⁄2 D: Jackie Behind Enemy Lines (2001) C-106m. Kong. Martin Landau, Jose Ferrer, Doro★★1⁄2 D: John Moore. Owen Wilson, Gene thy Malone, Ruth Buzzi, Marianne GorHackman, Gabriel Macht, Charles Malik don Rogers, Murray Langston, Kinky Whitfield, Joaquim de Almeida, David Friedman, Johnny Dark. Creature spawned Keith, Olek Krupa, Vladimir Mashkov. A by nuclear waste terrorizes Idaho commucocky naval airman is shot down behind nity. Humor is film’s saving grace, but it enemy lines in Bosnia and his commanding isn’t enough to overcome grade-Z script and officer is unable to rescue him because of production. Producer William Osco (Kong’s political constraints. Action yarn delivers a then-husband) also costars under the name lot of excitement, but a hyperactive camera Rexx Coltrane. Filmed in 1980; briefly shown may produce motion sickness in some viewas EASTER SUNDAY. [R]▼쩠 ers. The corny finale seems to have come Being Human (1994-British-U.S.) Cfrom a lesser-grade Hollywood movie of 122m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill Forsyth. Robin Wildecades past. Followed by a direct-to-video liams, John Turturro, Anna Galiena, Vinsequel. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 cent D’Onofrio, Hector Elizondo, Lorraine Behind Locked Doors (1948) 62m. ★★1⁄2 Bracco, Lindsay Crouse, Grace Mahlaba, D: Oscar (Budd) Boetticher. Richard Carlson, Dave Jones, Jonathan Hyde, Lizzy McInLucille Bremer, Douglas Fowley, Thomas nerny, William H. Macy; narrated by TheBrowne Henry, Dickie Moore, Tor Johnson. resa Russell. Queer duck of a movie with Pretty good grade-B film noir about a private Williams as five different men—through eye who checks into a sanitarium on a tip that five periods of time (spanning 10,000 a wanted judge is holed up there. Johnson is years)—who are cosmically related. All of put to good use as a former prizefighter kept them are struggling and striving, without [ 106 ]

much success, to find happiness. If you can the help of neighborhood allies. An eccenget past the off-putting narration, it’s intertric ode to innocence, creativity, and committently intriguing, a definite original from munity. Written by the director. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13]쩠 writer-director Forsyth. Williams makes this journey worthwhile. [PG-13]▼● Bela Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla Being John Malkovich (1999) C-112m. (1952) 74m. BOMB D: William Beaudine. ★★★1⁄2 D: Spike Jonze. John Cusack, John Bela Lugosi, Duke Mitchell, Sammy Petrillo, Malkovich, Cameron Diaz, Catherine Keener, Charlita, Muriel Landers, Ramona the Chimp. Orson Bean, Mary Kay Place, Charlie Sheen. One of the all-time greats. Mitchell and PeRemarkable, audaciously original black comtrillo (the very poor man’s Martin and Lewis) edy/fantasy about an iconoclastic puppeteer are stranded on a jungle island, where Lugosi (Cusack) who discovers a portal into the is conducting strange experiments. Proceed at mind of actor John Malkovich, and decides your own risk. Aka THE BOYS FROM BROOKLYN. ▼쩠 to exploit its possibilities. A far-out premise (by writer Charlie Kaufman) is ingeniously Believe in Me (1971) C-90m. ★★ D: Stuart developed into a full-blown story and acted Hagmann. Michael Sarrazin, Jacqueline with pizzazz. Malkovich is a marvel in an Bisset, Jon Cypher, Allen Garfield, Kurt especially sly, nuanced performance. Other Dodenhoff. Still another ’70s film about drug stars make gag cameos. Feature debut for addiction, and none too good; clean-cut career commercial and music video director Jonze. girl Bisset becomes addicted to speed in the [R]▼●쩠 East Village. Performers do their best. [R] Believe in Me (2007) C-108m. ★★★ D: RobBeing Julia (2004-Hungarian-CanadianBritish) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Istva´n Szabo´. Anert Collector. Jeffrey Donovan, Samantha nette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Bruce GreenMathis, Bruce Dern, Bob Gunton, Heather wood, Miriam Margolyes, Juliet Stevenson, Matarazzo, Alicia Lagano, Chris Ellis. DonShaun Evans, Lucy Punch, Maury Chaykin, ovan moves to a small Oklahoma town in Sheila McCarthy, Michael Gambon, Leigh 1964 to take a coaching job, but when he Lawson, Rosemary Harris, Rita Tushingarrives he learns he’s been assigned to a ham, Thomas Sturridge. Married, middlegirls’ basketball team. What’s more, the aged stage star in 1930s London is rejuvegirls have no self-esteem and little support nated by a fling with a younger man but has from the community. Sincere heartland story other personal and professional obstacles to rises above its familiar sports-underdog forovercome. Bening is radiant and shines as mula. Donovan and Mathis (as his supporther character blossoms, but the story sags ive wife) are first-rate. Based on the real-life until a deliciously funny finale. Budapest experiences of Jim Keith. Written by the director. HD Widescreen. [PG]쩠 stands in for period London. Ronald Harwood adapted W. Somerset Maugham’s Believer, The (2002) C-98m. ★★★ D: Henry novel Theatre. [R] ▼쩠 Bean. Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Being There (1979) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hal Billy Zane, Theresa Russell, Glenn FitzgerAshby. Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melald, Ronald Guttman, Henry Bean. Ferovyn Douglas, Jack Warden, Richard Dysart, cious examination of a yeshiva-educated Richard Basehart, James Noble, David Clenyoung man in N.Y.C. who chooses to benon, Ruth Attaway, David Morrissey. A childcome a neo-Nazi skinhead. Gosling gives like man (Sellers) chances to meet important, an award-caliber performance as a Jew powerful people who interpret his bewildered (loosely based on fact) whose reasoning is silence as brilliance. Low-keyed black humor, questionable but whose passion is real. For full of savagely witty comments on American mature viewers only. Veteran screenwriter life in the television age, but fatally overlong. Bean’s directorial debut. Released overseas Adapted by Jerzy Kosinski from his own story. in 2001; U.S. debut on cable TV in 2002. [R]▼쩠 Douglas won Oscar as political kingmaker. Believers, The (1987) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: [PG]▼●쩠 ★★★ Be Kind Rewind (2008) C-101m. John Schlesinger. Martin Sheen, Helen D: Michel Gondry. Jack Black, Mos Def, Shaver, Harley Cross, Robert Loggia, ElizDanny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz, abeth Wilson, Lee Richardson, Harris Irv Gooch, Marcus Carl Franklin, SigourYulin, Richard Masur, Carla Pinza, Jimmy ney Weaver. Odd but endearing film set in Smits. Gripping, genuinely frightening story Passaic, N.J., where Glover’s dilapidated of widower and son who move to N.Y.C. video-rental store—supposedly the birthand become involved (in more ways than place of Fats Waller—is an anachronism, one) with cultish religion of Santeria, which outside and in. When he leaves Def in believes in the sacrifice of children. Wellcharge, nutty pal Black (who’s become crafted film knows how to manipulate its magnetized) accidentally erases all the tapes audience but shows no mercy, either: a in the store, forcing the duo to reinvent the boy sees his mother electrocuted in the very first scene! [R]▼●쩠 missing films (GHOSTBUSTERS; 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY; THE LION KING) Belizaire the Cajun (1986) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 with their old-fashioned video camera and D: Glen Pitre. Armand Assante, Gail [ 107 ]

Youngs, Michael Schoeffling, Stephen Gomez, Jorge Sanz, Maribel Verdu, AriMcHattie, Will Patton, Nancy Barrett. adna Gil, Miriam Diaz-Aroca, Penelope Assante is well cast as a charismatic herbal Cruz, Mary Carmen Ramirez, Michel Galadealer in love with the Cajun wife of a bru, Gabino Diego. Set in 1931, a time of wealthy Anglo in this uneven and somepromise and optimism in pre-Franco Spain, what predictable drama about Anglo prejuthis delightfully earthy, cheerful comedy dice and violence against Cajuns in 19thtells of a hearty young army deserter (Sanz) century Louisiana. Made with obvious enwho’s befriended by an elderly recluse, and thusiasm on a low budget. Robert Duvall, enchanted by his four beautiful daughters. credited as creative consultant, appears A multi-award winner in Spain; won Best briefly as a preacher. [PG]▼쩠 Foreign Film Oscar. Panavision.▼●쩠 Bella (2007-U.S.-Mexican) C-92m. ★★★ D: Belle of New York, The (1952) C-82m. ★★1 Alejandro G. Monteverde. Eduardo Vera´s⁄2 D: Charles Walters. Fred Astaire, tegui, Tammy Blanchard, Manny Perez, Ali Vera-Ellen, Marjorie Main, Keenan Wynn, Landry, Ange´lica Arago´n, Jaime Tirelli, Alice Pearce. Uninspired musical set in Ramon Rodriguez. Sweet, disarmingly simple Gay 90s N.Y.C. with Astaire a rich playheart-tugger about a once-promising soccer boy chasing mission worker Vera-Ellen; Pearce adds comic touches. ▼●쩠 player (Vera´stegui), now a chef at a N.Y.C. restaurant, who comes to the emotional rescue of Belle of the Nineties (1934) 73m. ★★★ D: a pregnant waitress (Blanchard) when she’s Leo McCarey. Mae West, Roger Pryor, fired by his brother. First-time director (and coJohnny Mack Brown, Warren Hymer, Duke writer) Monteverde shows admirable restraint Ellington Orchestra. Mae struts, sings ‘‘My in telling this story; a big-hearted film. [PGOld Flame,’’ and heats up a gallery of 13]쩠 admirers in amusing example of Western Bell’ Antonio (1960-Italian-French) 101m. humor.▼●쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Mauro Bolognini. Marcello MasBelle of the Yukon (1944) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 troianni, Claudia Cardinale, Pierre Brasseur, D: William Seiter. Randolph Scott, Gypsy Rina Morelli. OK seriocomedy of what Rose Lee, Bob Burns, Dinah Shore, Charles happens when Mastroianni is unable to Winninger, William Marshall, Guinn ‘‘Big consummate his marriage to Cardinale. Boy’’ Williams, Robert Armstrong, FlorCoscripted by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Video ence Bates. Minor musical of saloon-owner title: IL BELL’ ANTONIO.▼ Scott going straight at insistence of his girl Bell Book and Candle (1958) C-103m. (Lee); fast-moving, forgettable. Techni★★1 color is film’s best feature.▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Richard Quine. James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Janice Rule, Belles of St. Trinians, The (1954-British) 90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Frank Launder. Alastair Ernie Kovacs, Hermione Gingold, Elsa Lanchester. John Van Druten play becomes Sim, Joyce Grenfell, George Cole, Hermione so-so vehicle to showcase Novak as fetching Baddeley, Beryl Reid. Hilarious filmization witch who charms about-to-be-married Manof Ronald Searle’s cartoons about comhattan publisher Stewart. Kovacs and Ginpletely crazy school for girls, run by dotty gold supply their brands of humor.▼●쩠 headmistress whose brother, a bookie, wants Bellboy, The (1960) 72m. ★★★ D: Jerry to use school to his advantage. Sim plays Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Alex Gerry, Bob Claydual role in delightful madcap farce which spawned several sequels.▼ ton, Sonny Sands. Amusing series of blackouts with Jerry as a bellboy at Fontainebleau Belles on Their Toes (1952) C-89m. ★★★ in Miami Beach. No plot but a lot of funny D: Henry Levin. Myrna Loy, Jeanne Crain, gags. Milton Berle and Walter Winchell Debra Paget, Jeffrey Hunter, Edward Arhave guest appearances. Lewis’s directonold, Hoagy Carmichael, Barbara Bates, rial debut.▼●쩠 Robert Arthur, Verna Felton, Martin MilBelle de Jour (1967-French-Italian) C-100m. ner. Pleasing follow-up to CHEAPER BY ★★★★ D: Luis Bunuel. Catherine Deneuve, THE DOZEN, with a potent feminist point ˜ Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Genevieve Page, of view. Here, widowed engineer Loy must Francisco Rabal, Pierre Clementi, George struggle to support (as well as raise) her Marchal, Franc¸oise Fabian. Bun˜uel’s wry maturing brood. 20th Century-Fox backlot and disturbing tale of a virginal newlywed seen at its best in recapturing early 1900s who works the day shift in a high-class America. Clifton Webb makes a brief apParisian brothel, unbeknownst to her papearance at the finale. Scripted by Henry and Phoebe Ephron.쩠 tient husband. Bun˜uel’s straight-faced treatment of shocking subject matter belies the Belle Starr (1941) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Irving sharp wit of his script (cowritten with JeanCummings. Randolph Scott, Gene Tierney, Claude Carrie`re). Deneuve’s finest, most enigDana Andrews, John Sheppard (Shepperd matic performance. Almost 40 years later, Strudwick), Elizabeth Patterson. SophistiManoel de Oliveira directed a sequel, BELLE cated Tierney miscast as notorious female TOUJOURS. [R]▼●쩠 outlaw in slowly paced account of her Belle Epoque (1992-Spanish) C-108m. ★★★ criminal career. Remade for TV in 1980 D: Fernando Trueba. Fernando Fernan with Elizabeth Montgomery. [ 108 ]

Belle Toujours (2006-Portuguese-French) Broadway musical hit by Betty Comden, C-68m. ★★★ D: Manoel de Oliveira. Michel Adolph Green, and Jule Styne, with HolliPiccoli, Bulle Ogier, Ricardo Trepa, Leonor day recreating her starring role as an Baldaque, Ju´lia Buisel. In this short, sweet answering-service operator who falls in follow-up to BELLE DE JOUR, almost four love with the man she’s known only as a decades have passed and Henri Husson voice on the telephone. Songs include ‘‘Just (Piccoli) spies Se´verine (Ogier, replacing in Time,’’ ‘‘The Party’s Over.’’ Sadly, Catherine Deneuve) in an auditorium during Holliday’s last film. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 a concert. He follows her, with the intention Bells of St. Mary’s, The (1945) 126m. ★★★ of revealing a secret. De Oliveira, who also D: Leo McCarey. Bing Crosby, Ingrid scripted, was 97 years old when he made Bergman, Henry Travers, William Gargan, this thoughtful meditation on aging and the Ruth Donnelly, Joan Carroll, Martha Sleeper, diminishing of erotic desire as an homage to Rhys Williams. Amiable if meandering seLuis Bun˜uel and Jean-Claude Carrie`re, the quel to GOING MY WAY, with Father original’s creators.쩠 O’Malley assigned to a run-down parish Bell for Adano, A (1945) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: where Bergman is the Sister Superior. Bing Henry King. Gene Tierney, John Hodiak, introduces the song ‘‘Aren’t You Glad You’re William Bendix, Glenn Langan, Richard You?’’ Also shown in computer-colored verConte, Stanley Prager, Henry (Harry) Morsion.▼●쩠 gan, Hugo Haas, Fortunio Bonanova, Henry Belly (1998) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Hype Williams. Armetta, Luis Alberni, Eduardo Ciannelli, Nas, DMX, Taral Hicks, Tionne ‘‘T-Boz’’ Grady Sutton. John Hersey’s moving narWatkins, Method Man. Hyper-stylized, pretenrative of American WW2 occupation of tious ‘‘gangsta’’ melodrama about two lifelong small Italian village; Hodiak is sincere buddies (rappers Nas and DMX) whose friendcommander, Bendix his aide, blonde Tierney ship is violently tested when they get involved the local girl he is attracted to. Scripted by in dealing Jamaican heroin. Features some of Lamar Trotti (who also coproduced) and hip-hop’s finest; too bad they can’t act. CliNorman Reilly Raine. che´d script doesn’t help. Followed by a DVD Bellissima (1951-Italian) 112m. ★★ D: sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Luchino Visconti. Anna Magnani, Walter Belly of an Architect, The (1987-BritishChiari, Tina Apicella, Gastone Renzelli, Italian) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Greenaway. Alessandro Blasetti. Obvious drama about Brian Dennehy, Chloe Webb, Lambert Wilpushy, patronizing stage mother Magnani, son, Sergio Fantoni, Stephania Cassini, Vanni obsessed to the point of hysteria with getCorbellini. Highly personalized chronicle of ting her cute, obedient little daughter into an architect (Dennehy) and his wife (Webb), the movies. Loud when it should be tenwho arrive in Rome where he’s to curate der, and ultimately tiresome.▼ an exhibition. It’s about architecture and art, Bell Jar, The (1979) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: obsession and omens, immortality and morLarry Peerce. Marilyn Hassett, Julie Harris, tality; crammed with symbolism, striking viAnne Jackson, Barbara Barrie, Robert Klein, suals and beautiful cinematography by Sacha Donna Mitchell, Jameson Parker, Thaao Vierny. Some will find it pretentious; others Penghlis. Sylvia Plath’s virtually unfilmable will be fascinated. [R]▼●쩠 novel about the crack-up of an overachiever Beloved (1998) C-171m. ★★ D: Jonathan in the ’50s has a few powerful scenes and a Demme. Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover, good supporting performance by Barrie, but Kimberly Elise, Thandie Newton, Beah Richdoesn’t really come off. Hassett is well cast ards, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Irma P. Hall, Albert but fails to deliver the truly bravura perforHall, Tracey Walter, Thelma Houston, Jason mance this film needs. [R]▼쩠 Robards, Wes Bentley. Excruciating (if wellBellman & True (1988-British) C-112m. crafted) adaptation of Toni Morrison’s Pulit★★1 ⁄2 D: Richard Loncraine. Bernard Hill, zer Prize–winning novel about a woman Kieran O’Brien, Richard Hope, Frances Towho’s made her way from slavery to a free melty, Derek Newark, John Kavanagh, Ken life in Ohio in 1873, and will do anything— Bones. Meek computer programmer is anything—to protect her children. Filled with drawn into an elaborate bank heist scheme, mysticism and mumbo jumbo, the story dewithout ever realizing just how dangerous mands a leap of faith but doesn’t reward the the people he’s associating with can be. viewer in kind; its lead character isn’t sympaMore a character study than a caper film, thetic enough to earn our empathy, even very low key and very drawn out, but with though we understand that she has suffered. a number of rewarding moments and viTough going, in more ways than one. Winfrey gnettes. Original running time 122m. [R]▼ also produced with Demme. [R]▼●쩠 Bells SEE: Murder by Phone Beloved Enemy (1936) 86m. ★★★ D: H. Bells Are Ringing (1960) C-127m. ★★★ C. Potter. Merle Oberon, Brian Aherne, D: Vincente Minnelli. Judy Holliday, Dean Karen Morley, Henry Stephenson, Jerome Martin, Fred Clark, Eddie Foy, Jr., Jean Cowan, David Niven, Donald Crisp. HighStapleton, Ruth Storey, Frank Gorshin, Gerry Mulligan. Sprightly adaptation of class love story set during Irish Rebellion [ 109 ]

with Britisher Oberon in love with rebel Little Leaguers. Adam Sandler–produced leader Aherne.▼● mess starring his aging Saturday Night Live Beloved Infidel (1959) C-123m. ★★ D: costars has all the flatulence gags you’d exHenry King. Gregory Peck, Deborah Kerr, pect. Only honest line is saved for last as Eddie Albert, Philip Ober, Herbert Rudley, Lovitz looks into the camera and says, John Sutton, Karin Booth, Ken Scott. Ill‘‘This was a complete waste of time, wasn’t conceived casting of Peck as F. Scott Fitzit?’’ Duh, dudes! [PG-13]쩠 gerald makes romance with Hollywood Bend It Like Beckham (2002-U.S.-Britishcolumnist Sheilah Graham (Kerr) in late German) C-115m. ★★★ D: Gurinder Chadha. 1930s more ludicrous than real; lush phoParminder Nagra, Keira Knightley, Jonathan tography is only virtue of blunt look at Rhys Meyers, Juliet Stevenson, Anupam cinema capital. CinemaScope.▼ Kher, Archie Panjabi, Shaznay Lewis. WinBeloved Rogue, The (1927) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 ning comedy set in West London about a D: Alan Crosland. John Barrymore, Consoccer-obsessed Anglo-Indian girl whose rad Veidt, Marceline Day, Henry Victor, traditional-minded parents forbid her to play. Lawson Butt, Mack Swain, Slim SummerNo surprises (or subtlety) here, but the story is ville. Rousing, stunningly filmed story of told with verve and filled with warm, amusing poet-adventurer Franc¸ois Villon, his battle characters. A crowd pleaser in the best sense. of wits with Louis XI (Veidt) and his Title refers to British soccer star David Beckham. [PG-13] ▼쩠 swashbuckling romance with a damsel in distress. Not history, just an eye-filling, spirBend of the River (1952) C-91m. ★★★ D: ited, tongue-in-cheek costume tale with BarryAnthony Mann. James Stewart, Arthur Kenmore in great form.▼●쩠 nedy, Julia (Julie) Adams, Rock Hudson, Below (2002) C-105m. ★★ D: David Twohy. Jay C. Flippen, Lori Nelson, Stepin Fetchit, Matt Davis, Bruce Greenwood, Olivia WilHenry (Harry) Morgan, Frances Bavier, liams, Holt McCallany, Scott Foley, Zach Royal Dano. Compelling Western of 1840s Galifianakis, Jason Flemyng, Dexter Fletcher, Oregon, with bristling conflict between Nick Chinlund. Stultifyingly routine WW2 Stewart, outlaw turned wagon-train scout, and submarine movie that tries to incorporate Kennedy, his one-time partner in crime who hijacks settlers’ supplies for profit.▼●쩠 elements of a whodunit, horror movie, and conspiracy thriller. Greenwood has recently Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ted Post. James Frantaken command of his sub and buys trouble when he picks up three survivors from a ciscus, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, Linda torpedoed British hospital ship. One of them Harrison, Charlton Heston, Victor Buono, (Williams) soon discovers that her tempoThomas Gomez. Second APES film still has rary home is awash in secrets and unexgreat sets, makeup and ideas, but somebody plained events. Hard to believe this was let it get away as Apes battle human mucowritten (and coproduced) by cutting-edge tants who survived a nuclear blast many filmmaker Darren Aronofsky. [R]▼쩠 years before. Followed by ESCAPE FROM ★★★ Below the Belt (1980) C-98m. D: Rob. . . Panavision. [G] ▼●쩠 ert Fowler. Regina Baff, Mildred Burke, John Beneath the 12-Mile Reef (1953) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Webb. Robert Wagner, C. Becher, Annie McGreevey, Jane O’Brien, Shirley Stoler, Dolph Sweet. Waitress Baff Terry Moore, Gilbert Roland, J. Carrol seeks fortune and fame as a lady wrestler. Naish, Richard Boone, Peter Graves. RomeoLow-budget drama, filmed mostly in 1974; a and-Juliet-ish tale of sponge-diving families sometimes fascinating portrait of people on Key West, Florida. Scenery outshines all. eking out existence on the edge of society. One of the first CinemaScope films.▼●쩠 Based on a novel by Rosalyn Drexler. [R]▼ Benefit of the Doubt (1993) C-90m. ★1⁄2 Ben (1972) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Phil Karlson. D: Jonathan Heap. Donald Sutherland, Amy Lee Harcourt Montgomery, Joseph CampIrving, Rider Strong, Christopher McDonanella, Arthur O’Connell, Rosemary Murald, Graham Greene, Theodore Bikel, Giphy, Meredith Baxter. WILLARD sequel sele Kovach. Flat thriller in which ex-con finds sick youth befriended by Ben the rat. Sutherland, jailed for murdering his wife, Title song (sung by young Michael Jackson) disrupts the life of daughter Irving (whose summed up situation but spared gory visuals testimony helped convict him two decades that make this film so bad. [PG]▼ earlier). With a bit of imagination, this Benchwarmers (2006) C-80m. BOMB D: could have been first rate. [R]▼ Dennis Dugan. Rob Schneider, David Bengal Brigade (1954) C-87m. ★★ D: Spade, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Craig KilLaslo Benedek. Rock Hudson, Arlene Dahl, born, Tim Meadows, Molly Sims, Nick Ursula Thiess, Torin Thatcher, Arnold Swardson, Norm MacDonald, Reggie JackMoss, Dan O’Herlihy, Michael Ansara. son, Bill Romanowski, Rachel Hunter; Low-level costumer with Hudson badly voice of James Earl Jones. Leaden comedy miscast as a British army officer working about nerds who try to reverse their grade to thwart a Sepoy rebellion in India. school reputations by forming a three-man Ben-Hur (1925) 141m. ★★★ D: Fred Niblo. baseball team to compete against regular Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, May [ 110 ]

McAvoy, Betty Bronson, Claire McDowell, credits reveals how they got these canines to perform so well. [PG]▼쩠 Carmel Myers, Nigel de Brulier. Biggest Benji the Hunted (1987) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: of all silent spectacles holds up quite well Joe Camp. Benji, Red Steagall, Frank Inn. against talkie remake, particularly the excitEvery dog has his day, but this talented ing chariot race and sea battle (both dicanine deserves a better movie vehicle. rected by B. Reeves Eason); Novarro (as Humans are incidental in this story of Judah) and Bushman (as Messala) give the Benji surviving in the mountain wilds, and performances of their careers. Troubleit looks as if they were incidental in makplagued film was years in production, at a ing the film as well. Followed by BENJI then-record cost of $4,000,000, but final OFF THE LEASH! [G]▼●쩠 result, despite a slow second half, is worth Benny & Joon (1993) C-98m. ★★★ D: it. Some sequences filmed in two-color Jeremiah Chechik. Johnny Depp, Mary Technicolor. Filmed once before (in one Stuart Masterson, Aidan Quinn, Julianne reel!) in 1907.▼●쩠 Moore, Oliver Platt, CCH Pounder, Dan Ben-Hur (1959) C-212m. ★★★1⁄2 D: WilHedaya, Joe Grifasi, William H. Macy, liam Wyler. Charlton Heston, Jack HawEileen Ryan. Sweet-natured film about putkins, Stephen Boyd, Haya Harareet, Hugh upon auto mechanic Quinn, who tries to Griffith, Martha Scott, Sam Jaffe, Cathy look after his mentally ill sister. Almost O’Donnell, Finlay Currie. Epic-scale renaccidentally he stumbles onto the perfect dering of Gen. Lew Wallace’s ‘‘tale of the companion for her: a male misfit who sees Christ.’’ Heston and Boyd are well matched himself as a reincarnation of Buster Keaton. as the proud Jew Ben-Hur and his boyhood Endearing performances put over this fafriend Messala, whose blind allegiance to ble, which otherwise would strain all credRome turns him into a bitter enemy. Poky ibility. Depp is impressive as he recreates at times, but redeemed by the strength of silent-comedy routines by Chaplin, Keaton, its convictions. Some of the special effects et al. [PG]▼●쩠 show their age, though the galley-slave Benny Goodman Story, The (1955) Csequence, and climactic chariot race (di★★1⁄2 D: Valentine Davies. Steve 116m. rected by Andrew Marton and staged by Allen, Donna Reed, Herbert Anderson, Hy the legendary stunt expert Yakima Canutt) Averback, Berta Gersten, Robert F. Simon, are still great. Won 11 Oscars for Best PicSammy Davis, Sr., Gene Krupa, Lionel ture, Director, Actor (Heston), Supporting Hampton, Teddy Wilson. Typical HollyActor (Griffith), Cinematography (Robert wood gloss about the bandleader’s rise to L. Surtees), Music Score (Miklos Rozsa), fame and his romance with Reed; not 100% Art Direction, Film Editing, Sound, Cosfactual, with cliche´ dialogue to spare, but tume Design, and Special Effects. MGM the music is great. Additional guest perCamera 65.▼●쩠 formers include Harry James, Ziggy Elman, Benjamin (1968-French) C-100m. BOMB and Martha Tilton. Goodman himself D: Michel Deville. Catherine Deneuve, dubbed Allen’s clarinet playing.▼쩠 Michele Morgan, Pierre Clementi, Michel Benny’s Video (1992-Austrian-Swiss) CPiccoli, Francine Berge, Anna Gael. Beautiful 105m. ★★★ D: Michael Haneke. Arno Deneuve, Morgan, cinematography; otherFrisch, Angela Winkler, Ulrich Mu¨he, Inwise, boring tale of country boy Clementi’s grid Stassner. Teenaged Benny (Frisch) is initiation into upper-class immorality. Also addicted to video, shooting images with his shown at 105m. and 108m. [X] camera and endlessly watching ultra-violent Benji (1974) C-86m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Joe Camp. tapes. While his parents are away he brings Peter Breck, Deborah Walley, Edgar Bua young girl into his home and dispassionchanan, Frances Bavier, Patsy Garrett. Inately kills her with a butcher’s gun he stole stant classic of a remarkable dog (played from a farm. Obvious but potent allegory by Higgins) who thwarts the kidnappers of about the way young people can become two small children. Texas-made feature is desensitized. Second in a trilogy by writerideal for family viewing. Sequel: FOR director Haneke, following THE SEVTHE LOVE OF BENJI. [G]▼쩠 ENTH CONTINENT and followed by 71 ★★1⁄2 Benji Off the Leash! (2004) C-99m. FRAGMENTS OF A CHRONOLOGY OF D: Joe Camp. Nick Whitaker, Nate Bynum, CHANCE. 쩠 Chris Kendrick, Randall Newsome, Duane Bent (1997-British) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sean Stephens, Christy Summerhays, Carleton Mathias. Lothaire Bluteau, Clive Owen, Bluford, Neal Barth. Minor but enjoyable Brian Webber, Ian McKellen, Mick Jagger, film for kids about a boy who has to hide Nikolaj Waldau, Jude Law, Gresby Nash, his mixed-breed puppy from an abusive Rupert Graves, Charlie Watts, Rachel stepfather who sells pups for a living. WhiWeisz. Raw drama following the plight of taker is appealing, the grown-ups are fine a brash, manipulative gay German (Owen) (with broad comedy relief from a pair of under Hitler, and his eventual internment in bumbling dogcatchers), but it’s the dogs Dachau with fellow prisoner Bluteau. Stagy who steal the show. Footage during closing film, with undeniably powerful scenes, but [ 111 ]

not the formidable depiction of Nazi-era hoder. Gunter Lamprecht, Hanna Schygulla, mosexuals it might have been. Scripted by Barbara Sukowa, Gottfried John, Elisabeth Martin Sherman, from his groundbreaking Trissenaar, Brigitte Mira, Karin Baal, Ivan 1979 play. [NC-17]▼●쩠 Desny. Monumental adaptation of Alfred Beowulf (2007) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Doblin’s novel about German life in the late Zemeckis. Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, 1920s, focusing on a simple Everyman (LamAngelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Robin Wright precht), who has just been released from Penn, Brendan Gleeson, Crispin Glover, Aliprison. He yearns for respectability but is led son Lohman, Costas Mandylor. The ancient like a sheep by forces beyond his control into poem about a kingdom in need of a warrior criminality and insanity. An epic if there ever to protect it from a monstrous attacker is was one, with stunning performances, cinereinterpreted by Neil Gaiman and Roger matography (by Xaver Schwarzenberger), and Avary and filmed in Zemeckis’ ‘‘perfordirection. Originally produced for television in 14 episodes. Filmed before in 1931.▼쩠 mance capture’’ medium. Hybrid of a superhero action movie and a graphic novel is Berlin Express (1948) 86m. ★★★ D: Jacques fun to watch on a no-brainer level. The acTourneur. Merle Oberon, Robert Ryan, tion scenes are visceral and effective, but Charles Korvin, Paul Lukas, Robert Coote. the story bogs down and the faces of the Taut, suspenseful spy story set in post female characters (except for Jolie, seen WW2 Europe. Members of several nations sparsely but memorably) are lifeless. Beocombine efforts to save German statesman wulf himself is a great character who looks kidnapped by Nazi underground.▼● nothing like the actor who voiced and acted Bernardine (1957) C-95m. ★★ D: Henry his part (Winstone). A mixed bag, best apLevin. Pat Boone, Terry Moore, Janet preciated in 3-D or IMAX. Also available in Gaynor, Dean Jagger, Walter Abel. Very unrated version. Digital Widescreen. [PGweak look at teen-age life (all different 13] 쩠 now) marked return of Janet Gaynor to Beowulf & Grendel (2005-Canadianfilms after 20 years. Wholesome Pat Boone British-Icelandic) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: Sturla (in his film debut) sings and sings and sings. Gunnarsson. Gerard Butler, Stellan SkarsEh! CinemaScope. Berserk (1967-British) C-96m. ★★ D: Jim ga˚rd, Ingvar Sigurdsson, Sarah Polley, Eddie Marsan, Tony Curran, Rory McCann, O’Connolly. Joan Crawford, Ty Hardin, Ronan Vibert. In A.D. 500, a brave warrior Diana Dors, Michael Gough, Judy Geeson. named Beowulf goes into battle against Sadistic shocker with Crawford the shapely Grendel, a barbaric troll who favors decapiowner of a British circus, haunted by setating his victims. Ponderous adaptation of ries of brutal murders. Supporting cast lacks verve.▼● the famed Anglo-Saxon poem, with the 6thcentury characters even getting to employ Bert Rigby, You’re a Fool (1989) C-94m. ★★ 21st-century profanity. Worth a look only D: Carl Reiner. Robert Lindsay, Robbie for those stunning Icelandic panoramas. Coltrane, Anne Bancroft, Corbin Bernsen, Super 35. [R]쩠 Cathryn Bradshaw, Bruno Kirby, Jackie Bequest to the Nation, A SEE: Nelson Gayle. Writer-director Reiner conceived Affair, The this deliberately old-fashioned musical comBerkeley Square (1933) 84m. ★★★ D: edy as a showcase for Lindsay (who scored Frank Lloyd. Leslie Howard, Heather Angel, a smash on stage in Me and My Girl), and Irene Browne, Beryl Mercer, Samuel S. that’s its only value. He’s a delight— Hinds. Intriguing fantasy of young Amerisinging, dancing, and clowning as a jaunty can Howard finding himself in 18th-century British coal miner who wants to break into London, living completely different life. show business—but the well-meaning film Remade as I’LL NEVER FORGET YOU. is silly and contrived. [R]▼● Berlin Affair, The (1985-Italian-West GerBesieged (1998-Italian-British) C-94m. ★★★ man) C-96m. BOMB D: Liliana Cavani. D: Bernardo Bertolucci. Thandie Newton, Gudrun Landgrebe, Kevin McNally, Mio David Thewlis, Claudio Santamaria. ProTakaki, Massimo Girotti, Philippe Leroy, vocative film about an African immigrant Hanns Zischler, William Berger. Englishwho works as housemaid for a reclusive language misfire adapts Junichiro Tanizuki’s English pianist in Rome. She’s intrigued by novel The Buddhist Cross. Director Cavani his mysterious ways, while he is infatuated (of THE NIGHT PORTER) is slumming with her and determines to find a way to in Nazi Germany again for a tale of a prove his love. Sinuous and surprising, with lesbian love affair between Landgrebe and fine performances by the two leads; written ambassador’s daughter Takaki. Lifeless by Bertolucci and Clare Peploe, from a film isn’t even sexy, quite surprising in story by James Lasdun. Originally made for view of the casting of A WOMAN IN Italian TV. [R]▼쩠 FLAMES star Landgrebe. Original EuroBest Boy (1979) C-111m. ★★★★ D: Ira pean running time was 115m. [R]▼ Wohl. Poignant, beautifully filmed docuBerlin Alexanderplatz (1980-German) mentary about Wohl’s 52-year-old menC-931m. ★★★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbintally retarded cousin Philly and his fami[ 112 ]

ly’s struggle as he learns to relate to the laughs, especially for fans of the filmmakers and cast. [PG-13]▼쩠 outside world. Sequences related to his faBest Intentions, The (1992-Swedish) ther’s death and his visit backstage with Zero C-182m. ★★★ D: Bille August. Samuel Mostel—together they sing ‘‘If I Were a Rich Froler, Pernilla August, Max von Sydow, Man’’—are especially moving. A Best DocuGhita Norby, Lennart Hjulstrom, Mona mentary Academy Award winner. Sequel: Malm, Lena Endre, Anita Bjork. Ingmar BEST MAN: ‘BEST BOY’ AND ALL OF Bergman scripted this ambitious epic tale of US TWENTY YEARS LATER.▼●쩠 ★1 the courtship and subsequent marriage of Best Defense (1984) C-94m. ⁄2 D: Wilhis own parents. Henrik Bergman (Froler) lard Huyck. Dudley Moore, Eddie Murstarts out as a poor theology student, and phy, Kate Capshaw, George Dzundza, wife Anna (August, the director’s wife) Helen Shaver, David Rasche. Unpleasant comes from a wealthy, bourgeois family; and unfunny comedy about defense-industry their fundamental differences—and stormy designer who inadvertently acquires bluerelationship—form the crux of the film. A print sought by the KGB. ‘‘Strategic Guest six-hour version was made for Swedish Star’’ Murphy is no help. [R]▼●쩠 television. A follow-up to FANNY AND Best Foot Forward (1943) C-95m. ★★★ ALEXANDER; followed by SUNDAY’S D: Edward Buzzell. Lucille Ball, William CHILDREN and PRIVATE CONFESGaxton, Virginia Weidler, Tommy Dix, SIONS. ▼ Nancy Walker, Gloria De Haven, June Best Laid Plans (1999) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Allyson. Entertaining film of Broadway Mike Barker. Alessandro Nivola, Reese musical about movie star Ball visiting Witherspoon, Josh Brolin, Rocky Carroll, small-town school for a lark; score inMichael G. Hagerty, Terrence Dashon cludes ‘‘Buckle Down Winsockie.’’ Harry Howard. When an old pal comes back to James and his band do definitive ‘‘Two town, a broke local and his girlfriend find O’Clock Jump.’’ Walker, as dynamic plainthemselves caught up in a web of blackmail Jane, and Allyson make their feature film and deceit. Convoluted film noir plays like debuts re-creating their stage roles. Future a Gen-X USUAL SUSPECTS, but the probfilmmaker Stanley Donen can be glimpsed lem is too many twists, and after a while in ‘‘The Three B’s’’ number, holding De this gimmicky thriller runs out of steam. Haven’s legs.▼●쩠 Good acting, especially by Nivola in his ★★ D: NorBest Friends (1982) C-116m. first lead role. [R]▼쩠 man Jewison. Burt Reynolds, Goldie Hawn, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, The Jessica Tandy, Barnard Hughes, Audra (1982) C-114m. ★★ D: Colin Higgins. Lindley, Keenan Wynn, Ron Silver, Carol Burt Reynolds, Dolly Parton, Dom DeLocatell. Lackluster comedy vehicle for Luise, Charles Durning, Jim Nabors, Robtwo top stars, as screenwriters who funcert Mandan, Lois Nettleton, Theresa Merritt, tion better as lovers than as husband and Noah Beery, Jr., Barry Corbin. Flashy but wife. Some funny vignettes with fine supunsatisfying musical (based on Broadway hit) porting cast (including Richard Libertini as about pressures brought to bear on sheriff Mexican justice-of-the-peace), but the lead (Reynolds) to close a popular establishment characters aren’t terribly interesting. Indulgent called The Chicken Ranch—run by his ladyscript by real-life ‘‘best friends’’ Barry Levinfriend. Dolly’s a delight, Durning has a showson and Valerie Curtin. [PG]▼●쩠 stopping number as the Governor, but Best House in London, The (1969-British) occasionally film actually tries to get serious C-105m. BOMB D: Philip Saville. David and screeches to a halt. Dolly’s hit song ‘‘I Hemmings, Joanna Pettet, George SandWill Always Love You’’ (which she also ers, Dany Robin, Warren Mitchell. Boring wrote) had been #1 in 1974—and would be comedy about group of government officials an even bigger hit for Whitney Houston in in London who sponsor official bawdy house. 1992’s THE BODYGUARD. Panavision. Film didn’t deserve ‘‘X’’ rating it got at the [R]▼●쩠 time. Look for John Cleese in a bit part. [X] Best Man, The (1964) 102m. ★★★ D: Best in Show (2000) C-90m. ★★★ D: ChrisFranklin Schaffner. Henry Fonda, Cliff topher Guest. Christopher Guest, Eugene Robertson, Edie Adams, Margaret LeighLevy, Catherine O’Hara, Michael McKean, ton, Kevin McCarthy, Shelley Berman, Lee Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Larry Miller, Bob Tracy, Ann Sothern, Gene Raymond, RichBalaban, Jennifer Coolidge, John Michael ard Arlen, Mahalia Jackson. Sharp filmizaHiggins, Michael Hitchcock, Jane Lynch, Pattion of Gore Vidal’s play about political rick Cranshaw, Don Lake, Ed Begley, Jr., Jim conventioning with several determined Piddock. Small-scale but entertaining mockupresidential candidates seeking important mentary from the WAITING FOR GUFFendorsement at any cost; brittle, engrossing MAN team about the various characters who drama. Screenplay by Vidal.▼● enter their pets in a prestigious dog show. Best Man, The (1998-Italian) C-106m. ★★★ Largely improvised comedy (officially writD: Pupi Avati. Diego Abatantuono, Ine`s Sasten by Guest and Levy) offers a lot of tre, Dario Cantarelli, Cinzia Mascoli, Valeria [ 113 ]

D’Obici. Warm, wildly romantic comedy of Moeller, Meg Foster, Sonny Landham, Wayne manners set in a small Italian town on DeNewton. Sequel to the original flop bucks the cember 31, 1899, about a young woman odds and actually improves on its lame predewho rebels against her arranged marriage to cessor. Two former U.S. Karate Team mema wealthy businessman and falls in love bers set out to avenge the death of their friend with his best man during the wedding party. who was killed during a shady competition. Slight but charming and evocative allegory, Roberts has actually said he made this film to symbolically set on the eve of the 20th cenmake up for the first one. What a considerate guy! [R]▼●쩠 tury. Written by the director. [PG]▼● Best Man, The (1999) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Best of Times, The (1986) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 Malcolm D. Lee. Taye Diggs, Nia Long, D: Roger Spottiswoode. Robin Williams, Morris Chestnut, Harold Perrineau, TerKurt Russell, Pamela Reed, Holly Palance, rence Howard, Monica Calhoun. Galley Donald Moffat, Margaret Whitton, M. proofs are circulating for a new novel full Emmet Walsh, Donovan Scott, R. G. Armof thinly disguised characters, causing no strong, Kirk Cameron. Williams has never shortage of problems for author Diggs, who lived down the moment he dropped winning has to contend with a slew of offended parpass in a high-school football game—so, 20 ticipants. Overlong feature debut for Spike years later he fires up former teammate (RusLee’s writer/director cousin adds nothing sell), the rival team, and his entire home town new to the wedding-comedy genre, but atfor a rematch. Some quirky, offbeat touches tractive characters carry it for a while. The highlight Ron Shelton’s script, and the wives end-credits sequence, with spiffily dressed (Reed, Palance) are a treat but seemingly dancers, tries to convince you that you’ve had surefire film becomes too strident (and too a better time than you’ve had. [R] ▼●쩠 exaggerated) to really score. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Best of Enemies, The (1961-British-Italian) Best of Youth, The (2003-Italian) C-363m. ★★★★ C-104m. ★★★ D: Guy Hamilton. David D: Marco Tullio Giordana. Luigi Lo Niven, Michael Wilding, Harry Andrews, Cascio, Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti, Sonia Alberto Sordi, Noel Harrison, Amedeo Bergamasco, Fabrizio Gifuni, Maya Sansa, Nazzari, David Opatoshu. Nice counterplay Valentina Carnelutti. Majestically epic film, between Niven and Sordi, as British and made for Italian television, deals with the Italian officers who constantly, comically loves, personal tragedies, and contrasting cross each other’s paths during WW2. life choices of two brothers against a backTheir growing relationship serves to mirdrop of social change in Italy from 1966 ror the idiocy of war. Technirama. through the 1990s, involving Mafiosos, Red Best of Everything, The (1959) C-121m. Brigades, and even a famed flood in Flor★★★ D: Jean Negulesco. Hope Lange, Stephen ence. Shown in two parts, this is one of the Boyd, Suzy Parker, Diane Baker, Martha few films of which it can be said, ‘‘The Hyer, Joan Crawford, Brian Aherne, Robert early going is pretty good, but it really kicks Evans, Louis Jourdan. Multifaceted fabricain during the last three hours.’’ A massive tion about women seeking success and love in investment of time that amply rewards the the publishing jungles of N.Y.C., highlighted viewer. Asti is positively luminous. Written by Sandro Petraglia and Stefano Rulli. [R]쩠 by Crawford’s performance as tough executive with empty heart of gold; from superficial Best Seller (1987) C-110m. ★★ D: John Rona Jaffe novel. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Flynn. James Woods, Brian Dennehy, VicBest of the Badmen (1951) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 toria Tennant, Allison Balson, Paul Shenar, D: William D. Russell. Robert Ryan, Claire George Coe, Anne Pitoniak. Dennehy, a Trevor, Robert Preston, Jack Buetel, Walcop-turned-author (a` la Joseph Wambaugh), ter Brennan, Bruce Cabot. Band of outis approached by Woods to write the story laws (including James and Younger brothers) of his former life as hit man for prominent help former Union colonel Ryan in venbusinessman (Shenar) whose underworld detta against detective Preston. Offbeat tactics have long been covered up. Despite Western has more talk than action.▼ teaming of two terrific actors, film never Best of the Best (1989) C-97m. BOMB quite cuts it, due to many holes in Larry D: Bob Radler. Eric Roberts, James Earl Cohen’s script—and Woods’ largely unapJones, Sally Kirkland, Christopher Penn, pealing character. [R]▼●쩠 Louise Fletcher, Phillip Rhee, John Dye. Best Things in Life Are Free, The (1956) Yet another ROCKY-style rip-off in which C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Gordon five young men must overcome differences MacRae, Dan Dailey, Ernest Borgnine, Sheree before they can unite as the U.S. Karate Team North, Tommy Noonan, Murvyn Vye. Typical and compete in an international match. Topof the antiseptic 1950s musicals, this film ‘‘redrawer cast appallingly wasted. Followed by creates’’ the careers of Tin Pan Alley writers three sequels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 DeSylva, Brown, and Henderson. Highlight: Best of the Best 2 (1993) C-101m. ★★ D: North and Jacques D’Amboise dancing to Robert Radler. Eric Roberts, Phillip Rhee, ‘‘The Birth of the Blues.’’ CinemaScope. Christopher Penn, Edan Gross, Ralph Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946) [ 114 ]

168m. ★★★★ D: William Wyler. Myrna Loy, Betrayed (1988) C-127m. ★1⁄2 D: CostaFredric March, Dana Andrews, Teresa Gavras. Debra Winger, Tom Berenger, Wright, Virginia Mayo, Harold Russell, John Heard, Betsy Blair, John Mahoney, Hoagy Carmichael, Gladys George, Roman Ted Levine, Jeffrey DeMunn, Albert Hall, Bohnen, Steve Cochran. American classic David Clennon, Richard Libertini. Appallof three veterans returning home after ing botch of a film about the stupidest FBI WW2, readjusting to civilian life. Robert undercover agent in movie history, who’s Sherwood’s script from MacKinlay Kansent to sniff out white supremacists in tor’s book perfectly captured mood of postAmerica’s heartland—but falls in love with war U.S.; still powerful today. Seven Oscars her target instead. Important and genuinclude Best Picture, Wyler, March, Rusinely upsetting subject matter is dealt with sell, Sherwood, Daniel Mandell’s editing, in pedantic terms. Even the moments of Hugo Friedhofer’s score. Russell, an actual straight suspense are muffed! Winger’s veteran who lost his hands, also took home performance is virtually the only saving a second Oscar, a special award for bringing grace. Timothy Hutton can be seen fleetingly at the fairgrounds. [R]▼●쩠 hope and courage to other veterans. Remade as 1975 TVM, RETURNING HOME, with Betsy, The (1978) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 D: DanTom Selleck and Dabney Coleman.▼●쩠 iel Petrie. Laurence Olivier, Robert Duvall, Bethune (1977-Canadian) C-88m. ★★★ D: Katharine Ross, Tommy Lee Jones, Jane Eric Till. Donald Sutherland, Kate Nelligan, Alexander, Lesley-Anne Down, Kathleen David Gardner, James Hong. Thoughtful Beller, Edward Herrmann. Moderately enjoybiography with Sutherland fine as Dr. Norable trash, adapted from Harold Robbins’ man Bethune, the controversial, humanisnovel about the multigenerational wheelings tic Canadian doctor who, most intriguingly, and dealings between an auto company patriaided Mao Tse-tung’s army during its faarch and his family. Olivier’s hamminess and mous march. Made for Canadian televiDown’s loveliness are the pluses here. [R] sion; Sutherland also played the character ▼●쩠 in Phillip Borsos’ BETHUNE: THE MAKBetsy’s Wedding (1990) C-94m. ★★★ D: ING OF A HERO, a 1990 feature (which Alan Alda. Alan Alda, Joey Bishop, Madwas released in the U.S. in 1993 as DR. eline Kahn, Anthony LaPaglia, Catherine BETHUNE).▼ O’Hara, Joe Pesci, Molly Ringwald, Ally Betrayal (1983-British) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Sheedy, Burt Young, Julie Bovasso, Nicolas David Jones. Jeremy Irons, Ben Kingsley, Coster, Bibi Besch, Dylan Walsh, Samuel Patricia Hodge. Harold Pinter’s fascinatL. Jackson. Amusing social comedy about ing play about a triangle relationship— the plans, preparations, and events surprogressing backward in time—falls flat rounding Ringwald’s wedding—especially on screen, despite a powerhouse cast. [R]▼ as they affect her father. One of writer-diBetrayal, The (2009) C-96m. ★★★ D: Ellen rector-star Alda’s better outings, a bit clutKuras. Arresting, highly emotional docutered (and occasionally clumsy) but filled mentary about a large Laotian family whose with enough truthful observations to strike a lives are forever changed after the father is great many familiar chords. [R]▼●쩠 conscripted by the C.I.A. to help covert U.S. Better Late Than Never (1982) C-95m. ★1 military operations there in the 1970s. The ⁄2 D: Bryan Forbes. David Niven, Art government’s promises—both implicit and Carney, Maggie Smith, Kimberly Partridge, explicit—are forgotten after the CommuCatherine Hicks, Melissa Prophet. Two nists take over Laos in 1975; the father is ne’er-do-wells vie for acceptance by a 10removed and the family is ostracized. They year-old heiress, who’s a granddaughter to manage to make their way to the U.S., one of them. Nice locations in the South of where they start life anew in a squalid apartFrance can’t compensate for lightheaded script and waste of star talent. [PG]▼ ment in Brooklyn, N.Y. Amazing odyssey is told through footage shot over 23 years’ Better Luck Tomorrow (2003) C-101m. ★★★ time by cinematographer Kuras (in her diD: Justin Lin. Parry Shen, Jason Tobin, recting debut). Her main character, the asSung Kang, Roger Fan, John Cho, Karin tonishingly resilient Thavisouk Phrasavath, Anna Cheung, Jerry Mathers. Provocative, is credited as editor, codirector, and cooften disturbing look at suburban Southern writer. Aka NERAKHOON. California high school overachievers whose Betrayed (1954) C-108m. ★★ D: Gottfried good grades buy them freedom from parenReinhardt. Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Victal supervision . . . and the challenge of tor Mature, Louis Calhern, O.E. Hasse, seeing just how much they can get away Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ian Carmichael. Colwith. A fresh, serious-minded look at teenonel Gable falls for Dutch Resistance memagers that cannily doesn’t stress the fact that ber Turner, who’s suspected of being in they are all Asian American. Flirts with cahoots with the Nazis. Ho-hum WW2 melodrama toward the end, but never loses melodrama, with some nice on-location its focus. Exceptionally well filmed by edifilming in The Netherlands. Clark and tor, director and cowriter Lin. [R]▼쩠 Lana’s fourth and final teaming.▼● Better Off Dead (1985) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 115 ]

Savage Steve Holland. John Cusack, David tino, and one total mess. Wiper also scripted. Released direct to video. [R] ▼쩠 Ogden Stiers, Kim Darby, Demian Slade, Betty (1992-French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Scooter Stevens, Diane Franklin, Curtis Claude Chabrol. Marie Trintignant, StephArmstrong. Off-kilter comedy about teenage ane Audran, Jean-Francois Garreaud, Yves boy who’s just lost the girl of his dreams. Lambrecht, Christiane Minazolli. Boozy Frustrating film starts off with lots of funny, Betty, 28 and long since banished from original gags—it even has a terrific ‘‘hamhome, is taken in by an older widow (who burger video’’ by clay-animation specialist also enjoys the grape) in the posh hotel she Jimmy Picker—then it settles into much-tooowns. So-so character study is not one of conventional story and goes down the drain. Chabrol’s stronger works; juggling of Feature debut for writer-director Holland. flashbacks will either keep you on your toes [PG]▼●쩠 or zone you out into slumber. Adapted from Better Than Chocolate (1999-Canadian) ★★★ a Georges Simenon novel.▼쩠 C-101m. D: Anne Wheeler. Wendy Betty Blue (1986-French) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 Crewson, Karyn Dwyer, Christina Cox, D: Jean-Jacques Beineix. Jean-Hugues AnAnne-Marie MacDonald, Peter Outerbridge, glade, Beatrice Dalle, Gerard Darmon, ConMarya Delver, Kevin Mundy. Engaging suelo de Havilland, Clementine Celarie, adult comedy about the evolving, hot-andJaques Mathou, Vincent Lindon. Handyman heavy relationship between college dropout/ and dangerously schizoid sexpot map-hop wannabe writer Dwyer and artist/drifter France practically waiting for her to crack up; Cox. Loaded with wit, well-drawn characters, when it finally happens, the grisly violence and perceptive commentary on such hot-butdoesn’t quite mesh with the light tone of ton issues as censorship, and more personal what’s come before. Well-photographed and ones, such as self-acceptance. Outerbridge sometimes quite funny, but ultimately much is a standout as a transgendered lesbian. Unado about nothing. If you’re watching this rated version runs 102m. [R]▼쩠 for sex, don’t miss the opening five minutes. Better Than Sex (2000-Australian-French) Director’s cut runs 185m. ▼●쩠 C-84m. ★★★ D: Jonathan Teplitzky. David Between Heaven and Hell (1956) C-94m. Wenham, Susie Porter, Catherine McCle★★ D: Richard Fleischer. Robert Wagner, ments, Kris McQuade, Simon Bossell, ImTerry Moore, Broderick Crawford, Buddy elda Corcoran. A man and woman meet at a Ebsen, Robert Keith, Brad Dexter, Mark party and agree to a one-night stand, since Damon, Harvey Lembeck, Skip Homeier, he’s leaving the country in just a few days L.Q. Jones, Carl Switzer, Frank Gorshin. and there’s no chance of entanglements. Or Disjointed psychological drama about so they think. Eye-opening look at the matthoughtless Southerner Wagner, and how ing game, exploring what men and women he is changed by his experiences in WW2 say and don’t say before, during, and after (especially while under the command of sex. A fresh, frank and very sexy film with psycho Crawford). CinemaScope▼쩠 a delightful sense of humor.▼쩠 Between Strangers (2002-Canadian-ItalianBetter Tomorrow, A (1986-Hong Kong) U.S.) C-98m. ★★ D: Edoardo Ponti. Sophia C-95m. ★★★ D: John Woo. Chow Yun-Fat, Loren, Mira Sorvino, Deborah Kara Unger, Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Waise Lee. ExcitPete Postlethwaite, Julian Richings, Klaus ing action thriller about a gangster (Lung) Maria Brandauer, Malcolm McDowell, Ge´who wants to go straight and his brother rard Depardieu, Robert Joy, Wendy Crew(Cheung), a dedicated police inspector who son, John Neville. Stellar cast founders in blames him for their father’s death. Woo’s this stale story of three women, strangers breakthrough film (which became one of deeply in need of liberation from their faHong Kong’s highest grossers ever and thers or husbands. Loren is laughably misgained international attention) is not as ascast as a haggard grocery store clerk sured as his later work, but still has exploweighed down by her obnoxious, disabled sive set pieces and a terrific performance by husband; Sorvino is a rising star photograChow as a mob enforcer. Woo also copher whose life is controlled by her famous scripted. Followed by two sequels. ▼쩠 father; Unger is an embittered cellist whose ★1⁄2 Better Way to Die, A (2000) C-98m. dad has just been released from prison. D: Scott Wiper. Andre Braugher, Joe PanPonti—the son of Loren and Carlo Ponti— toliano, Natasha Henstridge, Lou Diamond also coscripted. [R] ▼쩠 Phillips, Scott Wiper, Mirjana Jokovic, Matt Between the Lines (1977) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 Gallini, Wayne Duvall, Carmen Argenziano, D: Joan Micklin Silver. John Heard, LindJohn Basinger, Jeanine Basinger. Young Chisay Crouse, Jeff Goldblum, Jill Eikenberry, cago cop (Wiper) quits the force, intending to Bruno Kirby, Gwen Welles, Stephen Colmove to a small town to be with the one he lins, Michael J. Pollard, Lane Smith, Marilu loves, but there are predictable, violent comHenner, Joe Morton, Southside Johnny & plications. Not so much a story as a series of The Asbury Jukes. Thoroughly enjoyable vignettes and set pieces that don’t hold tosleeper about the emotional problems of gether. The result is half Eastwood, half Taranthe staff of a Boston underground newspaper [ 116 ]

which is about to be purchased by a print Perabo drags the pup along when she and tycoon. The performances by a then-unknown her friends go on a Mexican vacation—and cast are first rate all the way. Story by Fred that’s when the trouble starts. Sweet, likable Barron and David M. Helpern, Jr.; screenplay family film with irresistible four-legged by Fred Barron. [R]▼ stars and good work by the human cast, too. Super 35. [PG]쩠 Between Two Women (1945) 83m. ★★ D: Willis Goldbeck. Van Johnson, Lionel BarBeverly Hills Cop (1984) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 rymore, Gloria DeHaven, Keenan Wynn, D: Martin Brest. Eddie Murphy, Judge Marilyn Maxwell, Keye Luke, Alma KruReinhold, John Ashton, Lisa Eilbacher, Ronny ger, Walter Kingsford, Marie Blake, Nell Cox, Steven Berkoff, James Russo, Jonathan Craig. Dr. Adams (Johnson) gets more Banks, Stephen Elliott, Paul Reiser, Damon screen time than Gillespie himself (BarryWayans. Smart-mouthed Detroit cop, who more) in this mild triangle tale involving never plays by the rules, goes to L.A. to track Johnson, Maxwell, and DeHaven (who down an old friend’s killers. Sassy, tough, and finds time to sing ‘‘I’m in the Mood for very funny vehicle for Murphy, who’s in peak Love’’). Late Dr. Kildare series entry. form as a guy who’s never caught off guard. Between Two Worlds (1944) 112m. ★★1⁄2 Deft blend of comedy and violent action, exD: Edward A. Blatt. John Garfield, Eleatremely well cast, with terrific song score. nor Parker, Sydney Greenstreet, Faye EmScript by Daniel Petrie, Jr. Bronson Pinchot erson, Paul Henreid, Sara Allgood, Isobel has hilarious scene-stealing role as gay art galElsom, George Tobias, Edmund Gwenn. lery worker. Followed by two sequels. [R] Updated remake of OUTWARD BOUND, ▼●쩠 with various deceased individuals aboard a Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) C-102m. ★★ ship that will take each one to heaven or hell. D: Tony Scott. Eddie Murphy, Judge ReinFlawed, but good acting by Warner Bros. star hold, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Ronny Cox, John stock company makes it worthwhile. Ashton, Brigitte Nielsen, Allen Garfield, Beverly Hillbillies, The (1993) C-93m. Dean Stockwell, Paul Reiser, Gil Hill, Robert ★1⁄2 D: Penelope Spheeris. Jim Varney, DieRidgley, Chris Rock. Contrived, cold-hearted drich Bader, Erika Eleniak, Cloris Leach(and misogynistic) sequel has few laughs, man, Lily Tomlin, Dabney Coleman, Lea mediocre music, and a ridiculous story: it Thompson, Rob Schneider, Penny Fuller, manages to coast as far as it does on the Dolly Parton, Buddy Ebsen, Zsa Zsa Gabor. strength of Murphy alone. All credibility goes Big-screen rehash of the corny 1960s TV out the window at the start when B.H. Capseries, with the backwoods Clampett clan tain Cox is seen talking to Murphy about a striking oil and moving to Beverly Hills, fishing trip. Are these the same characters we saw in the first film? Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 where they’re prey for sharpie Schneider and his girlfriend (Thompson). The actors Beverly Hills Cop III (1994) C-100m. ★★1 are earnest and enjoyable, but the script (by ⁄2 D: John Landis. Eddie Murphy, Judge four writers—count ’em—four) is more Reinhold, Hector Elizondo, Theresa Ranlamebrained than the sitcom ever was, with dle, Bronson Pinchot, Timothy Carhart, smarmy sex jokes thrown in for good meaJohn Saxon, Alan Young, Stephen McHatsure. Even worse, director Spheeris doesn’t tie, Al Green. Detroiter Murphy goes back know how to stage a gag. [PG]▼●쩠 to L.A., site of a theme park whose in-house Beverly Hills Brats (1989) C-90m. ★1⁄2 security cops have hatched a counterfeiting D: Dimitri Sotirakis. Peter Billingsley, Marring—right under the nose of the sweet old tin Sheen, Terry Moore, Burt Young, Ramon gramps figure (Young) who’s nominally in Estevez. Annoying, pretentious so-called charge. Fast pace and inspired setting can’t satire, in which a wealthy but lonely boy camouflage the bankruptcy of the concept. arranges his own kidnapping so that parents Gags are subordinate to action here— will give him attention. This one was a famwhich, given the gags, may not have been ily affair: associate producer is Janet such a bad idea. As usual, Landis features a (daughter of Martin) Sheen; Estevez is number of prominent directors (including Sheen’s son. Moore coproduced, and coauGeorge Lucas, Joe Dante, Martha Coolidge, thored the original story. [PG-13]▼● Arthur Hiller, Ray Harryhausen, Peter Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) C-91m. Medak, George Schaefer, Barbet Schroeder, ★★1 and John Singleton) in cameo roles. Pinchot ⁄2 D: Raja Gosnell. Jamie Lee Curtis, Piper Perabo; voices of Drew Barrymore, makes a welcome return from the original COP movie as Serge. [R]▼●쩠 Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Manolo Cardona, Cheech Marin, Paul Rodriguez, EdBeverly Hills Ninja (1997) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: ward James Olmos, Loretta Devine, Luis Dennis Dugan. Chris Farley, Nicollette Guzma´n, Pla´cido Domingo, Eddie ‘‘Piolin’’ Sheridan, Robin Shou, Nathaniel Parker, Sotelo, Michael Urie, Marguerite Moreau, Soon-Tek Oh, Chris Rock. Baby Farley is Nick Zano. Curtis has no idea what she’s in washed ashore Moses style in Japan, wherefor when she asks her impulsive, irresponsiupon he spends a klutzy lifetime being ble niece (Perabo) to doggysit her beloved schooled in combat (and apparently, object and spoiled Chihuahua, Chloe (Barrymore). breakage). Sheridan then hires him for an [ 117 ]

assignment back in Beverly Hills, where the Turner, Stephen Colbert, David Alan Grier, two become (just as we know they would in Michael Badalucco, Steve Carell, Carole real life) romantically involved. Sub-routine Shelley, Richard Kind, Amy Sedaris. Postcomedy. [PG-13]▼●쩠 modern riff on the popular 1960s TV series, Beverly Hills Vamp (1989) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 with Kidman as a real-life witch who deD: Fred Olen Ray. Eddie Deezen, Britt cides she wants to live a ‘‘normal’’ life. Ekland, Tim Conway, Jr., Jay RichardInstead, egocentric actor Ferrell takes a son, Michelle Bauer, Robert Quarry, Dawn shine to her and insists she be cast opposite Wildsmith, Pat McCormick. Cheerfully him in a new version of . . . Bewitched. cheap little film effectively spoofs itself Inoffensive comedy allows Kidman to be while also being an entertaining vampire cute, but has no genuine emotions or senticomedy. Jerry Lewis-oid Deezen is pitted ments because its premise is so completely against vampire madam Ekland and her artificial. Carell channels the spirit of Paul three bloodsucking hookers. [R]▼ Lynde and Shelley does the same for MarBeware, My Lovely (1952) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: ion Lorne in two of the film’s brighter scenes. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Harry Horner. Ida Lupino, Robert Ryan, Taylor Holmes, O.Z. Whitehead, Barbara Beyond, The (1981-Italian) C-87m. ★★ D: Whiting. Brooding, atmospheric psychologLucio Fulci. Katherine (Catriona) MacColl, ical thriller with kindly WW1 widow LuDavid Warbeck, Sarah Keller (Cinzia Monpino hiring wanderer Ryan as a handyman reale), Antoine Saint John (Antoine Doand discovering he’s a psychopath.▼● mingo), Veronica Lazar. A woman inherits Beware of a Holy Whore (1970-German) a hotel in Louisiana situated on one of the C-103m. ★★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. seven gates to Hell, where it’s host to an Lou Castel, Hanna Schygulla, Eddie Conarmy of zombies (definitely not good for stantine, Marquard Bohm, Rainer Werner tourism.) Ultra-gory Italian splatter film has Fassbinder, Ulli Lommel, Margarethe von developed a cult, but it’s just one bloody Trotta, Kurt Raab. Fascinating early Fassset-piece after another, with outlandishly binder film about filmmaking, as the cast and gruesome makeup effects (including crucifixcrew of a trouble-ridden German production ions, acid poured onto faces, etc.). Aka spend most of their time drinking, talking, SEVEN DOORS OF DEATH, which runs having sex, and hating each other while holed 82m. Techniscope.▼쩠 up in a Spanish hotel. Brutally funny and honBeyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956) 80m. ★★1 est; reportedly based on Fassbinder’s experi⁄2 D: Fritz Lang. Dana Andrews, Joan ences filming WHITY in Spain. ▼쩠 Fontaine, Sidney Blackmer, Philip Bourneuf, Beware of Children (1961-British) 80m. Barbara Nichols. Far-fetched tale of man who ★1 pretends to be guilty of murder to get first⁄2 D: Gerald Thomas. Leslie Phillips, Geraldine McEwan, Julia Lockwood, Noel hand view of justice system, unable to prove Purcell. Young married couple transforms himself innocent later on. Pale production an inheritance of land into summer camp values. Intriguing idea doesn’t hold up.▼ for all sorts of children, focusing on tedious, Beyond Atlantis (1973-U.S.-Filipino) predictable pranks of youngsters. Original C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Eddie Romero. Patrick British title: NO KIDDING.쩠 Wayne, John Ashley, Leigh Christian, LeBeware! The Blob (1972) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: nore Stevens, George Nader, Sid Haig, Larry Hagman. Robert Walker, Richard Eddie Garcia, Vic Diaz. Low-budget fanStahl, Godfrey Cambridge, Carol Lynley, tasy about lost civilization, represented by Larry Hagman, Cindy Williams, Shelley amphibious humanoids; combines feminist Berman, Marlene Clark, Gerrit Graham, subplot with philosophizing about modern extinction of cultures. [PG]▼쩠 Dick Van Patten. They should have left it frozen in the Arctic. Weak comedy-sequel Beyond Borders (2003) C-127m. ★★ D: finds the gooey mess doing its thing once Martin Campbell. Angelina Jolie, Clive again. Aka SON OF BLOB; reissued in Owen, Teri Polo, Linus Roache, Yorick van 1982 with the tag line, ‘‘The Film That J.R. Wageningen, Noah Emmerich, Kate AshShot!’’ [PG]▼쩠 field, Timothy West, Burt Kwouk. A marBewitched (1945) 65m. ★★ D: Arch Oboler. ried woman leaves her husband behind Phyllis Thaxter, Edmund Gwenn, Horace when she learns about rescue efforts in Af(Stephen) McNally, Henry H. Daniels, rica and the dedication of one passionate Jr., Addison Richards, Kathleen Lockhart, doctor; their relationship continues over Minor Watson. Ambitious B film based on many years on several continents. Depiction Oboler’s radio play ‘‘Alter Ego,’’ about a of conditions in various trouble spots woman tormented by a second personality around the world is so vivid, and the urlocked inside her. Interesting idea, espegency of helping victimized people so genucially for its time, but heavy-handed. ine, that it only heightens the absurdity of Bewitched (2005) C-100m. ★★ D: Nora the love story that’s been pasted onto it. Ephron. Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley Owen’s solid presence keeps his character MacLaine, Michael Caine, Jason Schwartzstrong in spite of everything. J-D-C Scope. [R] ▼쩠 man, Kristin Chenoweth, Heather Burns, Jim [ 118 ]

Beyond Evil (1980) C-94m. ★★ D: Herb Beyond the Door (1974-U.S.-Italian) Freed. John Saxon, Lynda Day George, C-94m. BOMB D: Oliver Hellman (Ovidio Michael Dante, Mario Milano, Janice Assonitis). Juliet Mills, Richard Johnson, Lynde, David Opatoshu. Saxon and George Elizabeth Turner, David Colin, Jr. Mills move into an old house occupied by the becomes pregnant with a fetus possessed spirit of a 100-year-old woman, who does by the Devil. Vulgar EXORCIST ripoff, not like this intrusion into her privacy. complete with pea-green regurgitation, head OK of its kind. [R]▼쩠 spins, and Mercedes McCambridge–like Beyond Glory (1948) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: John voice. Warner Bros. even took legal action Farrow. Alan Ladd, Donna Reed, George against the film. Followed by the inevitable Macready, George Coulouris. Predictable BEYOND THE DOOR II. [R]▼ account of West Point captain Ladd, a Beyond the Door II (1979-Italian) C-92m. ★1 WW2 veteran, on trial for misconduct. ⁄2 D: Mario Bava. Daria Nicolodi, John Audie Murphy’s first film. Steiner, David Colin, Jr., Ivan Rassimov. 1 ★ Beyond Justice (1992) C-113m. ⁄2 D: Corpse of dead man possesses his son, Duccio Tessari. Rutger Hauer, Carol Alt, seeks vengeance on his wife. Nice directoOmar Sharif, Elliott Gould, Kabir Bedi, rial touches cannot save confusing, needBrett Halsey, Peter Sands. Preposterous lessly bloody EXORCIST clone; only action-adventure story of Chairman of the resemblances to first film are actor Colin and ‘‘possession’’ plot line. [R]▼쩠 Board Alt, who employs hired-gun Hauer to retrieve her kidnapped son from his Arab Beyond the Door (1982-Italian) C-116m. ★★ grandfather, Emir Omar. Amid the machineD: Liliana Cavani. Marcello Mastrogun fire we often don’t know who is being ianni, Tom Berenger, Eleonora Giorgi, shot at—nor do we care. [R]▼●쩠 Michel Piccoli. Overbaked melodrama cenBeyond Obsession SEE: Beyond the Door tering on complex relationship between (1982) jailed father Mastroianni and daughter Beyond Rangoon (1995) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Giorgi, complicated by arrival of AmeriJohn Boorman. Patricia Arquette, Frances can engineer Berenger. Also known as McDormand, Spalding Gray, U Aung Ko, BEYOND OBSESSION.▼쩠 Adele Lutz, Victor Slezak. Emotionally Beyond the Fog SEE: Horror on Snape troubled American tourist puts herself at Island Beyond the Forest (1949) 96m. ★★ D: risk during a trip to Burma in 1988. She’s soon fleeing from the military and heading King Vidor. Bette Davis, Joseph Cotten, to the Thai border with a former university David Brian, Ruth Roman, Dona Drake, professor who’s now a wanted man. Hollow Regis Toomey. Muddled murder story of at times, and heavy-handed in its effort to grasping Davis, her small-town doctor huspromote awareness of the political situation in band (Cotten), and wealthy neighbor (Brian). Burma (now Myanmar). Biggest problem is Davis’ overly mannered performance doesn’t Arquette, who just doesn’t register. Still, a help. This is the film in which she utters the immortal line, ‘‘What a dump!’’▼ fairly interesting story from an alwayscommitted filmmaker. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Beyond the Gates (2006-British-German) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Caton-Jones. Beyond Reasonable Doubt (1980-New Zealand) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Laing. John Hurt, Hugh Dancy, Dominique HorDavid Hemmings, John Hargreaves, Martyn witz, Louis Mahoney, Clare-Hope Ashitey, Sanderson, Grant Tilly, Diana Rowan. AdeNicola Walker, Steve Toussaint. Middling quate docudrama chronicling the conviction drama, based on the Rwandan experiences on trumped-up charges of innocent farmer of BBC journalist David Belton, takes anArthur Thomas (Hargreaves) for a double other screen look at the 1994 genocide murder. Hemmings is good as the hardagainst the Tutsis by the Hutu government. boiled cop who plants evidence that leads to Unlike HOTEL RWANDA, this film traces Thomas’s downfall. Screenplay by David the reactions of mostly white folks: devoted Yallop, from his book. Panavision. ▼ priest Hurt, teacher Dancy, and Belgian U.N. Beyond Silence (1996-German-Swiss) peacekeepers who remain strictly passive C-105m. ★★★ D: Caroline Link. Sylvie Teseven under utmost provocation. Adequate in tud, Tatjana Trieb, Howie Seago, Emmanuthe day-to-day scenes but rises to the dramatic elle Laborit, Sibylle Canonica. An eightoccasion in its most harrowing confrontations, year-old German girl serves as the speaking which do carry power. Original British title: SHOOTING DOGS. Super 35. [R]쩠 voice (and a sometimes sly interpreter) for her deaf parents. When she matures and beBeyond the Law (1968-Italian) C-91m. ★★ comes a talented clarinetist, she considers D: Giorgio Stegani. Lee Van Cleef, heading for a Berlin conservatory, amid the Antonio Sabato, Lionel Stander, Bud Spenrepercussions of possibly leaving the nest. cer, Gordon Mitchell, Ann Smyrner. Formula Nicely turned emotional tale of familial Western with a whole lot of Van Cleef and love and forgiveness, and a girl’s growing almost as much humor. Bad guy turns good guy, becomes sheriff long enough to get his pains. [PG-13]▼쩠 Beyond Suspicion SEE: Auggie Rose hands on a shipment of silver, and then [ 119 ]

splits. Aka BLOODSILVER, THE GOOD neurotic singles and their psychiatrists. Given DIE FIRST. Techniscope. ▼쩠 the director and cast, it’s hard to believe how Beyond the Law (1992) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: awful this is—until you see for yourself! Filmed in Paris, though set in N.Y.C. [R] ▼쩠 Larry Ferguson. Charlie Sheen, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Madsen, Courtney B. Beyond the Reef (1981) C-91m. ★★ D: Vance, Leon Rippy, Dennis Burkley, Rip Frank C. Clark. Dayton Ka’ne, Maren Torn. Traumatized cop Sheen—he was Jensen, Kathleen Swan, Keahi Farden, Joabused as a child—has just been fired by his seph Ka’ne. In the wake of THE HURRIcorrupt boss. Recruited to work undercover, CANE, Dino De Laurentiis produced this he joins a band of scuzzy, drug-dealing bikinnocuous South Seas romance with two ers. Not bad of its type, with an unusually attractive leads. Old-fashioned, to say the high level of character development, but the least. Completed in 1979. Aka SHARK BOY often illogical scenario eventually does it in. OF BORA BORA and SEA KILLER. [PG] Based on a true story. [R]▼쩠 Beyond the Sea (2004-British-German) CBeyond the Limit (1983) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: 118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Spacey. Kevin Spacey, John Mackenzie. Michael Caine, Richard Kate Bosworth, John Goodman, Bob HosGere, Bob Hoskins, Elpidia Carrillo, kins, Brenda Blethyn, Greta Scacchi, Caroline Joaquim De Almeida, A Martinez. Muddled Aaron, Peter Cincotti, William Ullrich. Biopic adaptation of Graham Greene’s The Honorof singer-performer Bobby Darin covers his ary Consul with Gere miscast as British docrise to success, marriage to movie star Sandra tor who becomes involved with revolutionarDee, and the drive that came from knowing he ies in South American country—and sexually didn’t have long to live, after suffering rheuinvolved with the ex-prostitute wife of boozy matic fever as a child. Takes a fanciful apdiplomat (well played by Caine). Slow, proach, with musical production numbers and murky, completely uninvolving. [R]▼ a self-conscious device that enables grown-up Beyond the Living (1978) C-88m. ★★ D: Bobby to confront himself as a boy . . . all of Al Adamson. Jill Jacobson, Geoffrey Land, which creates distance between the audience Marilyn Joi, Mary Kay Pass. OK horrorpic and the inherent emotion of the story. Spacey in the CARRIE vein. Nurse is possessed does his own singing, quite well, in this laborby the spirit of a patient who died during of-love project, which he also cowrote and surgery and begins killing the doctors coproduced. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 who performed the operation. Best scene Beyond the Stars (1989) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: takes place in a foundry. Released to theDavid Saperstein. Martin Sheen, Christian aters as NURSE SHERRI. Video titles: Slater, Robert Foxworth, Sharon Stone, Olivia HOSPITAL OF TERROR, HANDS OF d’Abo, F. Murray Abraham. Excruciatingly DEATH, KILLER’S CURSE, BLACK slow story of former astronaut Sheen who once VOODOO, THE POSSESSION OF NURSE walked on the moon. Would-be astronaut SHERRI, and TERROR HOSPITAL.▼쩠 Slater idolizes him, to the consternation of his Beyond the Mat (1999) C-102m. ★★★ D: ex-NASA employee dad (Foxworth). Top cast Barry Blaustein. Screenwriter Blaustein (best cannot rise above a poor script. [PG]▼쩠 known for his work with Eddie Murphy) inBeyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970) C-109m. ★★★ D: Russ Meyer. Dolly Read, dulges his lifelong passion for professional wrestling in this absorbing documentary, Cynthia Myers, Marcia McBroom, David which tries to put a human face on the often Gurian, John LaZar, Michael Blodgett, circuslike sport. Among his subjects: Mankind Edy Williams, Erica Gavin, Phyllis Davis, (aka Mick Foley), a WWF superstar who’s Charles Napier, Strawberry Alarm Clock. nothing like his ring persona; an aging but Female rock trio attempts to make it (and still potent Terry Funk; and a very troubled make it and make it) in Hollywood. Time Jake the Snake (Jack Roberts). Compelling has been kind to raunchy in-name-only viewing even for non–wrestling fans. [R]▼쩠 sequel to (and spoof of) VALLEY OF THE Beyond the Poseidon Adventure (1979) DOLLS. Screenplay by Roger Ebert, story C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: Irwin Allen. Michael by Meyer and Ebert, and picked by two Caine, Sally Field, Telly Savalas, Peter prominent critics as one of the 10 best U.S. Boyle, Jack Warden, Shirley Knight, Slim films 1968–78. Panavision. [NC-17—origiPickens, Shirley Jones, Karl Malden, Mark nally rated X]▼●쩠 Harmon, Veronica Hamel. Following THE Beyond the Walls (1984-Israeli) C-103m. ★★ SWARM, Caine teamed up with Irwin D: Uri Barbash. Arnon Zadok, Muhamad Allen for another career killer—a needless Bakri, Assi Dayan, Rami Danon, Boaz sequel about attempts to loot the vessel beSharambi. This potentially powerful drama fore it sinks. Panavision. [G]▼쩠 about life in an Israeli prison, centering on Beyond Therapy (1987) C-93m. BOMB D: the explosive relationship between Jewish Robert Altman. Julie Hagerty, Jeff Goldblum, and Arab convicts, is just a standard, preGlenda Jackson, Tom Conti, Christopher dictable, noisy men-in-the-big-house yarn. Guest, Genevieve Page, Cris Campion, SanIncredibly, it earned a Best Foreign Film drine Dumas. Dreadful adaptation of ChristoOscar nomination. [R]▼ pher Durang’s paper-thin comic play about B.F.’s Daughter (1948) 108m. ★1⁄2 D: [ 120 ]

Robert Z. Leonard. Barbara Stanwyck, pulls it off thanks to Hanks’ superb, seemVan Heflin, Charles Coburn, Richard Hart, ingly guileless performance, and Marshall’s Keenan Wynn, Margaret Lindsay. Disassurefooted direction. A real treat. Written by trous film of J. P. Marquand novel, with coproducers Gary Ross and Anne Spielberg. Stanwyck the domineering girl ruining marLater a Broadway musical. [PG]▼●쩠 riage to professor Heflin. Bigamist, The (1953) 80m. ★★★ D: Ida Bhowani Junction (1956-U.S.-British) Lupino. Edmond O‘Brien, Joan Fontaine, 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: George Cukor. Ava C-110m. Ida Lupino, Edmund Gwenn, Jane Darwell, Gardner, Stewart Granger, Bill Travers, Kenneth Tobey. Compassionate look at Abraham Sofaer. Set in post-WW2 India; lonely man who finds himself married to Gardner is half-caste torn between love (and in love with) two different women. of country and love for a British colonel. Extremely well acted; one of Lupino’s best Based on John Masters novel; strikingly shot directorial efforts and the only time she ever directed herself.▼쩠 on location. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Bible, The (1966-Italian) C-174m. BOMB Big Bad John (1990) C-92m. ★★ D: Burt D: John Huston. Michael Parks, Ulla Kennedy. Ned Beatty, Jack Elam, Bo HopBergryd, Richard Harris, John Huston, kins, Jimmy Dean, John Dennis Johnston, Stephen Boyd, George C. Scott, Ava GardJeff Osterhage, Ned Vaughn, Buck Taylor, ner, Peter O’Toole, Franco Nero. Narrated Anne Lockhart. Dumb movie based on the by Huston. Unsuccessful epic dealing with long-ago hit song by costar Dean. Here, he Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah plays a former Southern sheriff driving and the Flood, etc. (first 22 chapters of crosscountry to rescue his daughter—with Genesis). Only Huston himself as Noah the title character on his tail. The record was better. [PG-13]▼●쩠 escapes heavy-handedness. Definitely one time you should read the Book instead. DiBig Bad Love (2002) C-111m. ★★★ D: Armension 150. ▼●쩠 liss Howard. Arliss Howard, Debra Winger, Bicentennial Man (1999) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 Paul LeMat, Rosanna Arquette, Angie D: Chris Columbus. Robin Williams, Sam Dickinson, Michael Parks, Alex Van, Zach Neill, Embeth Davidtz, Wendy Crewson, Moody; voice of Sigourney Weaver. OffHallie Kate Eisenberg, Stephen Root, beat but compelling tale of a frustrated Lynne Thigpen, Kiersten Warren, Oliver writer who’s trying to get his life in order— Platt. In the near future, a family buys an professionally and personally—having squanall-purpose robot, which turns out to have dered his marriage and chance at fatherhood. human emotions. His interactions with the Told in nonlinear spurts, combining reality family and their descendants are followed with dreams and nightmares, the film manover the next 200 years. Sincere, sentimenages to paint a rich picture of its main chartal, but goes for the jokes too often. Wilacter, piece by piece. Not a perfect film, but liams is good as the robot, too familiar when emotionally true. Howard cowrote with his he becomes human. From a short story by brother James, from Larry Brown’s stories; Winger also produced. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Isaac Asimov and a novel by Asimov and Robert Silverberg. [PG]▼쩠 Big Bad Mama (1974) C-83m. ★★★ D: Bicycle Thieves (1947-Italian) 89m. ★★★★ Steve Carver. Angie Dickinson, Tom SkerD: Vittorio De Sica. Lamberto Maggiorani, ritt, William Shatner, Susan Sennett, RobLeanella Carell, Enzo Staiola, Vittorio Anbie Lee, Dick Miller, Joan Prather, Royal tonucci. A man whose livelihood depends Dano, Sally Kirkland. Sexy knock-off of on his bicycle spends a shattering week with BONNIE AND CLYDE has Angie and her his son searching for the men who stole it. two teen daughters spending as much time Stunning in its simplicity, this was one of fooling around with partners Shatner and the cornerstones of the Italian neo-realist Skerritt as they do robbing banks. Angie’s movement, filmed entirely on natural locanude scenes make this a cable-TV favorite tions with nonprofessional actors. It also (and led to a sequel 13 years later!). Flavorvividly captures life in post-WW2 Rome. ful score by David Grisman. [R]▼쩠 Winner of a special Academy Award, given Big Bad Mama II (1987) C-83m. ★1⁄2 before there was a Foreign Language Film D: Jim Wynorski. Angie Dickinson, Robert category. One of the all-time greats. OrigiCulp, Danielle Brisebois, Julie McCullough, nally released in the U.S. as THE BICYBruce Glover. In this loosely linked sequel CLE THIEF.▼●쩠 (more like a remake), Angie and her two Big (1988) C-102m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Penny Mardaughters again shoot up rural, Depression-era shall. Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Perkins, John America, robbing banks to avenge her husHeard, Jared Rushton, Robert Loggia, Daband’s murder. Culp provides brief love intervid Moscow, Jon Lovitz, Mercedes Ruehl, est. Archie Bunker’s Place alumna Brisebois Josh Clark, Tracy Reiner. A 12-year-old does a surprising topless scene. [R]▼쩠 boy wishes he were ‘‘big’’—and gets his Big Bang, The (1990) C-81m. ★★★ D: wish, waking up the next morning as a 30James Toback. Fascinating documentary year-old man! Charming fantasy tackles a in which Toback poses some basic philorare modern-day subject—innocence—and sophical questions—why were we born? [ 121 ]

who are we? and where are we going?—to Hawaii and George S. Clinton’s evocative a variety of people, from boxer/author music are abetted by plentiful eye-candy Jose´ Torres to astronomer Fred Hess, basshots of shapely Foster, but the movie’s ketball player Darryl Dawkins to film progood vibes drain away as the caper grows ducer Don Simpson. Most amusing are the more convoluted. Sinise, Nelson, Neuwirth, comments of an ex-mobster, and most and Stanton are wasted in throwaway roles. sobering are those of an Auschwitz surviSuper 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 vor. We even see Toback on camera, trying Big Brass Ring, The (1999) C-104m. ★★ to finance the film. [R]▼ D: George Hickenlooper. William Hurt, Mi★★1 Big Bird Cage, The (1972) C-88m. randa Richardson, Nigel Hawthorne, Ire`ne ⁄2 D: Jack Hill. Pam Grier, Anitra Ford, Sid Jacob, Ewan Stewart, Gregg Henry, Ron Haig, Candice Roman, Vic Diaz, Carol Livingston. Independent politician running Speed. Amusing spoof of Filipino prison for governor of Missouri—with his wife’s films has pleasant team of Grier and Haig money—is unnerved when his former menas thieving mercenaries who engineer a tor threatens to unveil a skeleton in his prison break from the outside. A follow-up closet, with an eager investigative reporter to THE BIG DOLL HOUSE. Aka WOMwaiting to pounce. Strong cast and impresEN’S PENITENTIARY II. [R]▼쩠 sive pedigree (based on an unproduced Big Blockade, The (1942-British) 77m. screenplay by Orson Welles and Oja Kodar) ★★ can’t change the fact that the film sinks D: Charles Frend. Michael Redgrave, Leslie Banks, Will Hay, John Mills, Frank under its own weight. After a while the Cellier, Robert Morley, Alfred Drayton, characters are simply boring. Debuted on Bernard Miles, Marius Goring, Michael cable TV. [R]▼쩠 Rennie, Michael Wilding. Dated propaBig Brawl, The (1980) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: ganda chronicling Britain’s economic blockRobert Clouse. Jackie Chan, Jose Ferrer, ade of Nazi Germany. Kristine DeBell, Mako, Ron Max. The Big Blue, The (1988-U.S.-French) C-119m. martial arts are applied to ’30s gangster ★★ D: Luc Besson. Rosanna Arquette, movie set in Chicago. Appealing cast, lots Jean-Marc Barr, Jean Reno, Paul Shenar, of comedy, along with director and some Sergio Castellito, Marc Duret, Griffin of the production staff from ENTER THE Dunne. Waterlogged chronicle of famed DRAGON, make this a moderately sucfree diver Jacques Mayol (Barr), with cessful chop-socky. Aka BATTLE CREEK Arquette redoing her DESPERATELY BRAWL. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 SEEKING SUSAN performance as a ditsy Big Broadcast, The (1932) 87m. ★★★ D: insurance investigator who falls for him. Frank Tuttle. Bing Crosby, Kate Smith, As much a psychological study as a drama George Burns, Gracie Allen, Stuart Erwin, of athletic competition—but who cares? Leila Hyams, Cab Calloway, The Mills Underwater photography is the main atBrothers, Boswell Sisters. Failing radio statraction here. Original French release (now tion owned by Burns is taken over by milon video in U.S.) runs 163m. Cinemalionaire Erwin, who presents an all-star Scope. [PG]▼●쩠 show featuring Bing and many radio stars. Big Boodle, The (1957) 83m. ★1⁄2 D: Many offbeat, bizarre touches in standard Richard Wilson. Errol Flynn, Pedro Armlove-triangle story make this a delight. Bing endariz, Rossana Rory, Jacques Aubuchon. sings ‘‘Please,’’ ‘‘Here Lies Love.’’ Tame caper of gangsters and counterfeit Big Broadcast of 1936, The SEE: Leomoney, set in Havana. Seedy programmer nard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide emphasizing Flynn’s career decline. Big Broadcast of 1937, The SEE: Leonard Big Boss, The SEE: Fists of Fury Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide Big Bounce, The (1969) C-102m. ★★ D: Big Broadcast of 1938, The (1938) 90m. ★★ Alex March. Ryan O’Neal, Leigh TaylorD: Mitchell Leisen. W. C. Fields, MarYoung, James Daly, Robert Webber, Lee tha Raye, Dorothy Lamour, Shirley Ross, Grant, Van Heflin. Muddle-headed tale of Lynne Overman, Bob Hope, Ben Blue, drifter O’Neal becoming involved with vixLeif Erickson. Hodgepodge of bad musienish Taylor-Young, who has strange ideas cal numbers from Tito Guizar to Kirsten of what to do for kicks. Based on a novel by Flagstad, notable only for Fields’ few Elmore Leonard. Remade in 2004. Panaviscenes, Hope and Ross’ rendition of Oscar-winning ‘‘Thanks for the Memsion. [PG—edited from original R rating]쩠 ory.’’ Hope’s first feature.▼쩠 Big Bounce, The (2004) C-89m. ★★ D: George Armitage. Owen Wilson, Morgan Big Brown Eyes (1936) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Freeman, Gary Sinise, Sara Foster, Willie Raoul Walsh. Joan Bennett, Cary Grant, Nelson, Vinnie Jones, Bebe Neuwirth, Charlie Walter Pidgeon, Isabel Jewell, Lloyd Nolan. Sheen, Harry Dean Stanton. Ne’er-do-well Bennett helps detective Grant trap a gang Wilson takes up with the sexy mistress of a of thieves in pleasing romantic mystery.쩠 wheeler-dealer on the North Shore of Oahu, Big Bully (1996) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Steve despite friendly warnings from the local disMiner. Rick Moranis, Tom Arnold, Julianne trict judge (Freeman). Postcard views of Phillips, Carol Kane, Jeffrey Tambor, Curtis [ 122 ]

Armstrong, Faith Prince, Tony Pierce, Don Knotts, Stuart Pankin. Having parlayed his newly published book into an offer to teach a course at his old school, author Moranis is horrified to discover that his long unseen childhood tormentor is now the shop instructor. Comedy is so dull in the opening childhood flashbacks that it’s already d.o.a. by the time Moranis and Arnold show up. Phillips disappears abruptly in the film’s second half—lucky for her. [PG]▼●쩠 Big Bus, The (1976) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Frawley. Joseph Bologna, Stockard Channing, John Beck, Lynn Redgrave, Jose Ferrer, Ruth Gordon, Richard B. Shull, Sally Kellerman, Ned Beatty, Bob Dishy, Stuart Margolin, Richard Mulligan, Larry Hagman, Howard Hesseman, Harold Gould. Funny spoof of disaster films, using a superduper Trailways bus; all expected cliche´s come in for ribbing, but film doesn’t sustain its promising idea. Murphy Dunne hilarious as inane cocktail pianist. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Big Business (1988) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jim Abrahams. Bette Midler, Lily Tomlin, Fred Ward, Edward Herrmann, Michele Placido, Daniel Gerroll, Barry Primus, Michael Gross, Joe Grifasi, Mary Gross, Seth Green. Two sets of twins are mismatched and separated at birth; years later the girls who’ve grown up in the boonies come to N.Y.C. for a showdown with the conglomerate that’s going to wipe out their little town, hardly dreaming that the corporation is run by their identical twins! Agreeable farce never really catches fire, though Bette is terrific and the effects are remarkable. [PG] ▼●쩠 Big Carnival, The SEE: Ace in the Hole Big Chill, The (1983) C-103m. ★★★ D: Lawrence Kasdan. Tom Berenger, Glenn Close, Jeff Goldblum, William Hurt, Kevin Kline, Mary Kay Place, Meg Tilly, JoBeth Williams, Don Galloway. Entertaining, surface-level look at a group of former college-radical friends who’ve dropped back into Society. Wonderful acting ensemble, irresistible soundtrack of ’60s hits help camouflage weaknesses of script—which bears more than passing resemblance to John Sayles’ RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN. (Trivia note: the deceased friend was played by Kevin Costner, whose scenes were cut from the finished film. But that’s still him being dressed for his funeral under the main titles!) [R]▼●쩠 Big Circus, The (1959) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joseph M. Newman. Victor Mature, Red Buttons, Rhonda Fleming, Kathryn Grant, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, David Nelson, Gilbert Roland, Howard McNear, Steve Allen. Corny and predictable, but still entertaining hokum under the big top, with Lorre as a sardonic clown and Roland tightrope-walking over Niagara Falls. And what a cast! CinemaScope.

Spencer Tracy, Luise Rainer, Eddie Quillan, William Demarest, Regis Toomey, Charley Grapewin, Victor Varconi. Cabdriver Tracy and wife Rainer are pitted against crooked taxi bosses in well-acted but average film. Big City (1948) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Taurog. Margaret O’Brien, Robert Preston, Danny Thomas, George Murphy, Karin Booth, Edward Arnold, Butch Jenkins, Betty Garrett, Lotte Lehmann. Syrupy Americana in which cantor Thomas, cop Murphy, and reverend Preston collectively adopt abandoned baby, who grows up to be precocious O’Brien. Irving Berlin’s ‘‘God Bless America’’ is featured throughout. Big City, The (1963-Indian) 131m. ★★★ D: Satyajit Ray. Madhabi Mukherjee, Anil Chatterjee, Vicky Redwood, Haren Chatterjee, Jaya Bhaduri, Haradhan Bannerjee. A proud Calcutta man is forced by financial circumstances to let his wife work; soon she is the only one with a job. Warm, humorous, and astutely observed portrait of domestic life and women’s roles in Indian society. Long but rewarding. ▼ Big Clock, The (1948) 95m. ★★★ D: John Farrow. Ray Milland, Charles Laughton, Maureen O’Sullivan, George Macready, Rita Johnson, Dan Tobin, Henry (Harry) Morgan. Tyrannical publisher of crime magazine (Laughton) commits murder; his editor (Milland) tries to solve case and finds all the clues pointing to himself. Vibrant melodrama; taut script by Jonathan Latimer from Kenneth Fearing novel. Elsa Lanchester has hilarious vignette as eccentric artist. Remade as NO WAY OUT (1987).▼쩠 Big Combo, The (1955) 89m. ★★★ D: Joseph (H.) Lewis. Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Brian Donlevy, Richard Conte, Lee Van Cleef, Robert Middleton, Earl Holliman, Helen Walker. Raw, violent film noir about persistent cop Wilde going up against cunning, sadistic racketeer Conte. A cult item, stylishly directed; Donlevy’s demise is a highlight.▼쩠 Big Country, The (1958) C-166m. ★★★ D: William Wyler. Gregory Peck, Burl Ives, Jean Simmons, Carroll Baker, Charlton Heston, Chuck Connors, Charles Bickford. Overblown Western has ex-sea captain Peck arrive to marry Baker, but forced to take sides in battle against Ives and sons over water rights. Heston as quick-tempered ranch foreman and Ives (who won an Oscar) as burly patriarch stand out in energetic cast. Jerome Moross’ score has become a classic. Technirama. ▼●쩠 Big Cube, The (1969) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Tito Davison. Lana Turner, George Chakiris, Richard Egan, Dan O’Herlihy, Karin Mossberg. Absurd drama about relationship between beautiful young girl, her gigolo boyfriend, and her actress-mother at least offers some unintentional laughs. For camp followers only. [M/PG]쩠 ▼쩠 Big City (1937) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Borzage. Big Daddy (1999) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dennis [ 123 ]

Dugan. Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Shawn Levy. Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, Rob Schneider, Jon Stewart, Leslie Mann, Josh Amanda Bynes, Amanda Detmer, Donald Mostel, Joseph Bologna, Kristy Swanson, Faison, Lee Majors, Sandra Oh, Russell Steve Buscemi, Cole and Dylan Sprouse. An Hornsby, Dustin Diamond. Perpetual liar overgrown, irresponsible slacker tries to look Muniz can’t get his dad to believe that one of after a young boy who’s been dumped on his his school assignments was ripped off by a doorstep; naturally, he becomes attached to movie producer—so, with a friend (Bynes), the youngster, and vice versa. Sandler vehicle he sets off for Hollywood to prove it’s true. is utterly contrived but delivers expected There, he’s forced to exact revenge on the laughs; the courtroom climax is too silly for mean-spirited, egocentric film exec. Kids may words. That’s director Dugan as the man who enjoy this well-paced slapstick outing; adults won’t cooperate on Halloween. [PG-13] ▼쩠 will find few surprises. Jaleel White appears Big Day, The SEE: Jour de Fete unbilled. [PG]▼쩠 Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958-Italian) Big Fish (2003) C-125m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Tim 106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mario Monicelli. Vittorio Burton. Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena BonSalvatori, Rossana Rory, Carla Gravina, ham Carter, Alison Lohman, Robert GuilToto`. Classic account of misadventures of laume, Steve Buscemi, Danny DeVito, amateurish crooks attempting to rob a store; Missi Pyle, Marion Cotillard. Reporter hilarious satire on all burglary capers. Crudup ends a long estrangement with his Retitled: BIG DEAL; remade as CRACKfather when he learns the old man is dying, ERS and in 2002 as WELCOME TO COLand tries to penetrate his dad’s hearty, taleLINWOOD, and followed by a sequel, BIG spinning fac¸ade. McGregor plays the DEAL ON MADONNA STREET . . . 20 younger Finney, whose life is made up of YEARS LATER, which was actually reone amazing adventure after another. John leased 30 years later! Also adapted for August adapted Daniel Wallace’s novel, Broadway—unsuccessfully. ▼●쩠 which is perfect fodder for director Burton Big Doll House, The (1971) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 and his sense of heightened reality—but inD: Jack Hill. Judy Brown, Roberta Colstead of the bizarre and baroque, we get a lins, Pam Grier, Brooke Mills, Pat Woodell, world of wonder and amazement. Maintains Sid Haig. Fast paced, tongue-in-cheek ada consistent and disarming tone from start venture shot in Philippines mixes sex, comto finish, with pitch-perfect performances. edy, and violence in confrontation between [PG-13] ▼쩠 sadistic warden and female prisoners. One Big Fisherman, The (1959) C-149m. ★★1⁄2 of the earliest, most successful and influenD: Frank Borzage. Howard Keel, John tial of women-in-prison exploitation films. Saxon, Susan Kohner, Herbert Lom, MarFollowed by THE BIG BIRD CAGE. Aka tha Hyer, Ray Stricklyn, Alexander Scourby. WOMEN’S PENITENTIARY I. [R]▼쩠 Sprawling religious epic, from Lloyd DougBig Easy, The (1987) C-108m. ★★★ D: las’ book about the life of St. Peter; selJim McBride. Dennis Quaid, Ellen Barkin, dom dull, but not terribly inspiring. BorNed Beatty, John Goodman, Ebbe Roe Smith, zage’s last film. Originally 184m., then cut Lisa Jane Persky, Charles Ludlam, Tom to 164m. Super Panavision 70. O’Brien, Grace Zabriskie, Marc Lawrence, Big Fix, The (1978) C-108m. ★★★ D: Solomon Burke, Jim Garrison. Highly origiJeremy Paul Kagan. Richard Dreyfuss, nal crime yarn with steamy romance and Susan Anspach, Bonnie Bedelia, John unique New Orleans atmosphere. A stylish Lithgow, F. Murray Abraham, Ofelia Mehomicide detective (Quaid) runs afoul of the dina, Fritz Weaver. Good vehicle for nownew, uptight assistant D.A. (Barkin) while infamiliar Dreyfuss personality as 1960s-camvestigating a local mob murder; soon they’re pus-radical-turned-private-eye Moses Wine, romantically involved, even while they’re at who becomes involved in tangled whodunit odds professionally. Sassy and sexy, with terin which a former hippie cult leader figures rific Cajun music score. Written by Daniel prominently. Screenplay by Roger L. Simon, Petrie, Jr. Later a cable TV series. [R]▼●쩠 based on his novel. Look fast for Mandy Big Empty, The (2003) C-92m. ★★ D: Patinkin as a pool cleaner. Leon Redbone’s Steve Anderson. Jon Favreau, Joey Lauren ‘‘I Want to Be Seduced’’ is not in video version. [PG]▼ Adams, Bud Cort, Jon Gries, Daryl Hannah, Adam Beach, Gary Farmer, Rachael Leigh Big Gamble, The (1961) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 Cook, Kelsey Grammer, Sean Bean, Patti D: Richard Fleischer. Stephen Boyd, Juliette Smith, Danny Trejo, Melora Walters, Brent Greco, David Wayne, Sybil Thorndike. Briscoe. Favreau plays a loser actor who Not-too-convincing account of Irish advenagrees to courier a suitcase to desert town turer and bride Greco who dally on the peopled by loony hicks with more than a African Ivory Coast seeking to build their passing interest in alien visitors. Quirky, future the easy way. CinemaScope. low-budget melodrama is ambitious but unBigger Stronger Faster* (2008) C-106m. ★★★ D: Christopher Bell. Compelling docusuccessful. The film is aptly titled. [R] ▼쩠 Big Fat Liar (2002) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: mentary investigates performance-enhancing [ 124 ]

drugs, presenting many points of view, which tious lawman Van Cleef is hired by a railroad yield often-surprising results. First-time tycoon to track down Mexican bandito Milian, filmmaker Bell has personal involvement who’s accused of raping and murdering a with the topic (and the film) since he and young white girl, but slowly realizes he’s being his brothers grew up idolizing wrestlers and manipulated for a more sinister purpose. Armovie musclemen who, in most cases, later guably the best non–Sergio Leone spaghetti turned out to be using steroids. An eyeWestern; an exciting, ironic yarn boasting opening look at a subject that usually prostylish widescreen photography, a great Ennio vokes knee-jerk responses. Film’s asterMorricone score, and an incisive political isked subtitle is THE SIDE EFFECTS OF edge that’s even more pronounced in the BEING AMERICAN. [PG-13]쩠 uncut 105m. foreign-release version. FolBigger Than Life (1956) C-95m. ★★★ D: lowed by BIG GUNDOWN 2. Techniscope. Nicholas Ray. James Mason, Barbara Rush, Big Hand for the Little Lady, A (1966) C-95m. ★★★ D: Fielder Cook. Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Robert Simon, Roland Winters. Compelling drama of teacher Joanne Woodward, Jason Robards, Charles Mason who becomes hooked on drugs, Bickford, Burgess Meredith. Excellent comand its devastating effects on him and edy centering on poker game in old West. his family. Mason also produced the film. Outstanding roster of character actors includes Quite bold for its time. CinemaScope. John Qualen, Paul Ford, and Robert Middleton. There’s a neat surprise ending, too.▼쩠 Biggest Battle, The SEE: Great Battle, The Big Hangover, The (1950) 82m. ★★ D: Biggest Bundle of Them All, The (1968) Norman Krasna. Van Johnson, Elizabeth C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: Ken Annakin. Robert Taylor, Leon Ames, Edgar Buchanan, Wagner, Raquel Welch, Vittorio De Sica, Rosemary DeCamp, Gene Lockhart. AmEdward G. Robinson, Godfrey Cambridge. bitious but noble war veteran Johnson, Supposedly a comedy, film is slapdash whose allergy to alcohol makes him drunk tale of amateur criminals who try to kidnap at inopportune moments, joins a staid law American gangster. Filmed in France and firm. How long will he remain there? And Italy. Panavision.▼ will he hook up with wealthy Taylor? Predictable, as well as silly and boring.▼ Big Girls Don’t Cry . . . They Get Even (1992) C-96m. ★★ D: Joan Micklin Silver. Big Heat, The (1953) 90m. ★★★ D: Fritz Hillary Wolf, David Strathairn, Margaret Lang. Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, JoceWhitton, Griffin Dunne, Patricia Kalember, lyn Brando, Alexander Scourby, Lee MarAdrienne Shelly, Dan Futterman, Ben Savage. vin, Carolyn Jones, Jeanette Nolan. Time The product of a me´lange of multiple divorces has taken the edge off once-searing story and remarriages, teenager Wolf, fed up with of cop determined to bust city crime ring; various stepparents and half-siblings, hightails famous coffee-hurling scene still jolts, and it during her current family’s vacation. BitterGrahame is excellent as bad girl who helps sweet comedy is too superficial (and predictFord.▼●쩠 able) to say anything meaningful on a subject Big Hit, The (1998) C-99m. ★★★ D: Cherelevant to many teens. [PG]▼●쩠 Kirk Wong. Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Biggles: Adventures in Time (1986Phillips, Christina Applegate, China Chow, British) C-108m. ★★ D: John Hough. Avery Brooks, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Neil Dickson, Alex Hyde-White, Fiona Sabato, Jr., Lainie Kazan, Elliott Gould, Sab Hutchinson, Peter Cushing, Marcus GilShimono, Lela Rochon. Expert hit man bert. Curious, occasionally entertaining Wahlberg is beset by insecurity, a confusing sci-fi adventure with Hyde-White inexpliromantic life, and a treacherous partner cably traveling through time from 1986 (Phillips). The result is gunfire, car chases, N.Y.C. to WW1 Europe . . . where he assists explosions, and martial arts galore. Unique British flyboy Dickson. Based on characters action comedy with Hong Kong flavors created by Capt. W. E. Johns. Original Britdoesn’t always work, but the cast is lively ish title: BIGGLES. [PG]▼●쩠 and the stunt work awesome, fueled by a Big Green, The (1995) C-100m. ★★ D: blazing pace. [R] ▼●쩠 Holly Goldberg Sloan. Steve Guttenberg, Big House, The (1930) 86m. ★★★ D: Olivia d’Abo, Jay O. Sanders, John Terry, George Hill. Wallace Beery, Chester MorChauncey Leopardi, Patrick Renna, Anris, Robert Montgomery, Lewis Stone, Karl thony Esquivel, Bug Hall. Slight Disney Dane, Leila Hyams. The original prison fare chronicling the plight of the ‘‘Bad drama, this set the pattern for all later News Bears’’ and the ‘‘Mighty Ducks’’ of copies; it’s still good, hard-bitten stuff soccer teams in a depressed Texas town. with one of Beery’s best tough-guy roles. Overly familiar but inoffensive; OK for less Won Oscars for Writing (Frances Marion) and Sound Recording.▼쩠 discriminating children. [PG]▼●쩠 Big Gundown, The (1966-Italian-Spanish) Big Jack (1949) 85m. ★★ D: Richard ★★★ C-90m. Thorpe. Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main, D: Sergio Sollima. Lee Van Cleef, Tomas Milian, Walter Barnes, Fernando SanEdward Arnold, Richard Conte, Vanessa cho, Nieves Navarro, Luisa Rivelli. AmbiBrown. Beery’s last film, rather flat; he [ 125 ]

and Main are vagabond thieves in colonial America, Conte a moralistic doctor. Big Jake (1971) C-110m. ★★★ D: George Sherman. John Wayne, Richard Boone, Maureen O’Hara, Patrick Wayne, Chris Mitchum, Bobby Vinton, Bruce Cabot. Tough Westerner is called back by estranged wife to rescue their grandson from a gang of kidnappers headed by Boone (who’s especially good). Underrated Western; well paced, handsomely shot. Wayne’s fifth and final pairing with O’Hara; Chris Mitchum and the Duke’s son Patrick play his sons. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Big Jim McLain (1952) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward Ludwig. John Wayne, Nancy Olson, James Arness, Alan Napier, Veda Ann Borg, Hans Conried. Wayne and Arness are HUAC investigators who go Commie-hunting in Hawaii. One of the Duke’s few dull films, but fascinating as a relic of its era.▼●쩠 Big Kahuna, The (2000) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Swanbeck. Kevin Spacey, Danny DeVito, Peter Facinelli. Absorbing adaptation of Roger Rueff’s play Hospitality Suite, essentially a three-character piece about two world-weary salesmen and a naive young colleague at an out-of-town convention. Their criticism clashes with the young man’s religious fervor as they wait for an important customer to show up at their hotel suite. As photographed plays go this one is pretty good, with top-notch performances, but it never quite becomes a movie. Coproduced by Spacey. [R]▼쩠 Big Knife, The (1955) 111m. ★★★ D: Robert Aldrich. Jack Palance, Ida Lupino, Wendell Corey, Jean Hagen, Rod Steiger, Shelley Winters, Ilka Chase, Everett Sloane, Wesley Addy, Paul Langton, Nick Dennis. Clifford Odets’ cynical view of Hollywood comes across in this involving (albeit occasionally overheated) drama, chronicling a string of crises in the life of movie star Charlie Castle (Palance). Fine performances almost overcome stereotypes; Steiger chews the scenery as a despotic studio head.

Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, David Huddleston, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Flea, Sam Elliott, John Turturro, David Thewlis, Ben Gazzara, Tara Reid. One big shaggy-dog joke, courtesy of the Coen brothers, about a slacker who’s mistaken for a crime bigwig of the same name—and then gets hired by the guy to pay off a ransom. Mostly an excuse for off-the-wall character vignettes, some of which are amusing, some of which are just . . . strange. Minor Coen concoction with a most agreeable cast. Turturro is a standout as Jesus the bowler, but Bridges’ Dave the Dude has become a pop culture icon. [R]▼●쩠 Big Lift, The (1950) 120m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Seaton. Montgomery Clift, Paul Douglas, Cornell Borchers, O. E. Hasse. GI flight technicians involved in post-WW2 Berlin airlift and romance with German women. More interesting for on-location photography than uneven storyline.▼쩠 Big Lobby, The SEE: Rosebud Beach Hotel, The Big Man, The SEE: Crossing the Line Big Mo SEE: Maurie Big Momma’s House (2000) C-98m. ★★ D: Raja Gosnell. Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, Paul Giamatti, Terrence Dashon Howard, Ella Mitchell, Jascha Washington, Anthony Anderson, Cedric the Entertainer. FBI agent (and disguise expert) Lawrence and partner Giamatti are sent to Georgia to stake out the home of a woman whose granddaughter may lead them to a dangerous criminal. Eventually, Lawrence pretends to be the aptly named Big Momma. Broad comedy is enthusiastically performed but thin as tissue paper. Followed by a sequel. [PG-13]▼쩠 Big Momma’s House 2 (2006) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: John Whitesell. Martin Lawrence, Nia Long, Emily Procter, Zachary Levi, Mark Moses, Kat Dennings, Chloe¨ Grace Moretz, Marisol Nichols, Sarah Joy Brown, Dan Lauria. FBI agent Lawrence again dons a fat suit and transforms himself into the title character; here, he poses as a nanny to spy on the alleged designer of a deadly com▼●쩠 Big Land, The (1957) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: puter worm. Gratuitous sequel is an uneasy Gordon Douglas. Alan Ladd, Virginia mixture of stale humor and goopy sentiMayo, Edmond O’Brien, Julie Bishop. ment. [PG-13]쩠 Cattle owners and grain farmers join toBig Mouth, The (1967) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: gether to bring railroad link to Texas; Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Harold Stone, easygoing, familiar. Susan Bay, Buddy Lester, Del Moore, Big Leaguer (1953) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Paul Lambert. Typical Lewis effort, with Aldrich. Edward G. Robinson, Vera-Ellen, Jerry involved in murder and search for Jeff Richards, Richard Jaeckel, William missing treasure in California. ▼ Campbell, Carl Hubbell, Paul Layton, Al Big Night, The (1951) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: Campanis. Robinson uplifts this standard Joseph Losey. John Barrymore, Jr., Presbaseball tale as real-life ex-major-leaguer ton Foster, Howland Chamberlain, Joan John B. ‘‘Hans’’ Lobert, who runs a baseLorring, Dorothy Comingore, Howard St. ball tryout camp. The scenario follows a John. Brooding account of rebellious teengroup of hopefuls who dream of profesager Barrymore’s emotional flare-up with sional stardom under his watchful eye. humanity at large; well done. Big Night (1996) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stanley Big Lebowski, The (1998) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel Coen. Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Tucci, Campbell Scott. Stanley Tucci, Min[ 126 ]

nie Driver, Tony Shalhoub, Ian Holm, IsaChristopher Guest. Kevin Bacon, Emily bella Rossellini, Campbell Scott, Allison Longstreth, J. T. Walsh, Jennifer Jason Janney, Caroline Aaron, Marc Anthony. Leigh, Michael McKean, Kim Miyori, Teri Endearing story of Italian immigrant brothHatcher, Dan Schneider, Jason Gould, Tracy ers trying to survive as restaurateurs in Brooks Swope. Slight but good-natured com1950s America; one is an artist in the edy about Hollywood wheeling and dealing. kitchen, the other a would-be businessman. Bacon is a naive student filmmaker courted Their bombastic rival (Holm) gives them a by a movie studio exec and swallowed whole shot at the brass ring by inviting Louis into The System. Lots of inside jokes for HolPrima to be their guest one night. Finely lywood audiences. Very funny performance tuned performances, amusing vignettes and by Leigh as an arty dingbat, and many amusobservations make this small endeavor ing cameos, including unbilled Martin Short worthwhile, but it’s too slow and quiet for as an agent. Guest’s first feature directing (he its own good. Tucci also coscripted; codialso scripted with costar McKean and Mirector Scott has a small but funny part as a chael Varhol). [PG-13]▼●쩠 Cadillac salesman. The feast on-screen is Big Red (1962) C-89m. ★★★ D: Norman mouthwatering! [R] ▼●쩠 Tokar. Walter Pidgeon, Gilles Payant, Emile Big Noise, The (1944) 74m. BOMB D: Genest, Janette Bertrand, Doris Lussier. Malcolm St. Clair. Stan Laurel, Oliver Charming, understated Disney drama of Hardy, Arthur Space, Veda Ann Borg, young boy who goes to work for wealthy Bobby (Robert) Blake, Jack Norton. L&H’s dog fancier (Pidgeon) and becomes deworst film, about them delivering a bomb voted to prize Irish setter. Fine family . . . and they do.▼쩠 fare. Filmed in Canada. From popular novel by Jim Kjelgaard.▼쩠 Big One, The (1998-U.S.-British) C-96m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Moore. Puckish pest Big Red One, The (1980) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 Moore chronicles the real-life events that D: Samuel Fuller. Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, occur (mostly at his own instigation) while Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Cicco, Kelly on a book tour to promote his best-selling Ward, Siegfried Rauch, Stephane Audran. Downsize This! Self-aggrandizing documenFuller returned to filmmaking after a long hiatary is sometimes smarmy, sometimes as intus with this vivid, autobiographical account vasive as anything on Candid Camera . . . of a special infantry squadron and its intrepid but it’s also fast and consistently funny, as sergeant during WW2. Hard to believe one Moore routinely shows up at someone’s corfilm could pack so much into its narrative; a porate headquarters to launch some mischief. rich, moving, realistic, and poetic film. Car[PG-13]▼●쩠 radine narrates and plays Fuller’s alter ego, Big Operator, The (1959) 91m. ★★ D: complete with cigar. Reconstructed in 2004 to Charles Haas. Mickey Rooney, Steve more closely resemble Fuller’s intended cut, at 163m. [PG]▼●쩠 Cochran, Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, Ray Danton, Jim Backus. Ray Anthony, Big Scam, The SEE: Nightingale Sang Jackie Coogan. Rooney tries to add vim in Berkeley Square, A and vigor to title role as tough hood who Big Score, The (1983) C-85m. ★★ D: Fred goes on violent rampage when federal agents Williamson. Fred Williamson, John Saxon, investigate his business activities. Paul Richard Roundtree, Nancy Wilson, Ed Gallico story filmed before as JOE SMITH, Lauter, D’Urville Martin, Michael Dante, AMERICAN. Retitled: ANATOMY OF A Joe Spinell. Barely adequate DIRTY HARSYNDICATE. CinemaScope. RY clone with narc Williamson ignoring ★★★★ Big Parade, The (1925) 141m. D: the rules and taking on thug Spinell. (In King Vidor. John Gilbert, Renee Adoree, fact, this script was originally commisHobart Bosworth, Claire McDowell, Claire sioned by Clint Eastwood for a Dirty Harry Adams, Karl Dane, Tom O’Brien. One of vehicle that never got made.) [R]▼쩠 the best war films ever, and a high-water Big Shakedown, The (1934) 64m. ★★ D: mark for silent cinema. Clean-shaven GilJohn Francis Dillon. Bette Davis, Ricardo bert plays an all-American boy who’s Cortez, Glenda Farrell, Charles Farrell, shipped off to France during WW1, where Adrian Morris. Inconsequential tale. Davis he becomes a man in every sense of the rejects husband Farrell when he joins forces word. Adoree is unforgettable as the simple with mobster Cortez in cosmetic fraud. French girl with whom he falls in love. Big Shot, The (1942) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Filled with memorable vignettes and the Seiler. Humphrey Bogart, Irene Manning, most harrowingly realistic battle scenes ever Susan Peters, Minor Watson, Chick Chanput on film (until recent years). A triumph dler, Richard Travis, Stanley Ridges, Howfor Vidor and all concerned. Written by ard da Silva. OK grade-B gangster yarn Harry Behn and Laurence Stallings.▼● with Bogey a three-time loser involved in Big Parade of Comedy SEE: MGM’s The robbery frameup and prison break. Big Shots (1987) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Big Parade of Comedy Big Payoff, The SEE: Win, Place or Steal Mandel. Ricky Busker, Darius McCrary, 1 ★★ Big Picture, The (1989) C-100m. ⁄2 D: Robert Joy, Robert Prosky, Jerzy Skoli[ 127 ]

mowski, Paul Winfield. So-so juvenile adcast Dobson) to get the money. Pretty poor. venture about an inexperienced white boy Video version is 7m. longer, if you care. Aka and streetwise urban black who come toBODY OF A WOMAN. [R]▼●쩠 gether and become involved with dead Big Steal, The (1949) 71m. ★★★ D: Don bodies, hired killers and other mayhem. Siegel. Robert Mitchum, Jane Greer, William Panavision. [PG-13]▼● Bendix, Patric Knowles, Ramon Novarro. Big Show, The (1961) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mitchum is on the trail of Army payroll thief James B. Clark. Esther Williams, Cliff Knowles; he in turn is chased by Bendix, and Robertson, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert becomes involved with enticing Greer. WellVaughn. Drama of family conflict, similar made robbery caper, set in Mexico and shot on to 1949’s HOUSE OF STRANGERS, location, is full of terrific plot twists.▼●쩠 somehow set in a circus with Williams in a Big Store, The (1941) 80m. ★★ D: Charles rare dramatic role. Glug! CinemaScope. Riesner. Groucho, Chico and Harpo Marx, Big Sky, The (1952) 122m. ★★★ D: HowTony Martin, Virginia Grey, Margaret Duard Hawks. Kirk Douglas, Dewey Martin, mont, Douglass Dumbrille, Henry Armetta. Elizabeth Threatt, Arthur Hunnicutt, Buddy Big comedown for Marxes in weak film of Baer, Steven Geray, Hank Worden, Jim detective Groucho investigating crooked Davis. Camaraderie and conflict as furDumbrille’s department store. Low spot is trapper Douglas leads expedition up the Martin’s ‘‘The Tenement Symphony.’’▼●쩠 Missouri River. Eventful, evocative film Big Street, The (1942) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: adapted from A. B. Guthrie, Jr. book by Irving Reis. Henry Fonda, Lucille Ball, BarDudley Nichols; well directed by Hawks. ton MacLane, Eugene Pallette, Agnes MooreOriginally released at 141m. Also shown head, Sam Levene, Ray Collins, Hans in computer-colored version.▼ Conried, Ozzie Nelson and Orchestra. Damon Big Sleep, The (1946) 114m. ★★★★ D: Runyon produced this treacly adaptation of Howard Hawks. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren his own Collier’s magazine story ‘‘Little Bacall, John Ridgely, Martha Vickers, Louis Pinks,’’ about a timid busboy who devotes Jean Heydt, Regis Toomey, Peggy Knudsen, himself to a self-centered nightclub singer. Odd Dorothy Malone, Bob Steele, Elisha Cook, (and oddly watchable), with very unconventional roles for both Fonda and Ball.▼●쩠 Jr. Classic mystery thriller from Raymond Chandler’s first novel; detective Philip MarBig Tease, The (2000) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: lowe (Bogart) becomes involved with Kevin Allen. Craig Ferguson, Frances wealthy Bacall and her uncontrollable litFisher, Mary McCormack, David Rasche, tle sister Vickers. So convoluted even ChanChris Langham, Sara Gilbert, John Pankow, dler didn’t know who committed one murder, Donal Logue, Charles Napier, Larry Miller, but so incredibly entertaining that no one Ted McGinley. Scottish hairdresser mistakhas ever cared. Powerhouse direction, unenly thinks he’s been invited to L.A. to take forgettable dialogue; script by William part in the World Freestyle Hairdressing Faulkner, Jules Furthman and Leigh BrackChampionship, but won’t be deterred from ett. Pre-release version (shown to Armed competing for the Platinum Scissors award. Forces overseas in 1945) runs 116m., with Amusing if lightweight romp through the 18m. of scenes reshot or unused in the offitresses of Tinseltown. Drew Carey (Fergucial release. This version has less of Bogie son’s costar on TV’s The Drew Carey and Bacall and a more linear plot, but is Show) is among a handful of celebrity camsomehow less exotic and interesting. Also eos. Cowritten by Ferguson. [R]▼쩠 shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Big Time (1988) C-87m. ★★★ D: Chris Big Sleep, The (1978-British) C-100m. Blum. Tom Waits. Concert footage filmed ★★ at L.A.’s Wiltern Theater is combined with D: Michael Winner. Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles, Candy Clark, Oliver Reed, scenes of the chameleonlike Waits as various Richard Boone, James Stewart, Joan Collins, and sundry characters: you’ll see Waits the Edward Fox, John Mills, Harry Andrews, sleazy lounge lizard, Waits the gravel-voiced Richard Todd, Colin Blakely. Follow-up to crooner, and Waits the truly amazing perforFAREWELL, MY LOVELY is less a remake mer. For Tom Waits fans, this is the next best of the Hawks classic than a more faithful renthing to seeing him live. [PG]▼ dering of the Chandler novel, albeit updated Big T.N.T. Show, The (1966) 93m. ★★ and set in London. If you can get by that, it’s D: Larry Peerce. David McCallum, Roger tolerable, with a strong cast, fresh locations, Miller, Joan Baez, Ike and Tina Turner, and thankful lack of camp. [R]▼쩠 Bo Diddley, The Ronettes, Ray Charles, ★1 Big Squeeze, The (1996) C-98m. ⁄2 D: The Lovin’ Spoonful. Follow-up to THE Marcus De Leon. Lara Flynn Boyle, Peter T.A.M.I. SHOW casts a wider musical Dobson, Danny Nucci, Luca Bercovici, Tenet, with lesser results, but Diddley, Tina resa Despina, Michael Chieffo. Boyle works Turner, and Ronnie Spector keep it pumping. in a bar to support her injured ballplayer husShot on tape, transferred to film; footage reband (Bercovici)—then learns he’s neglected used in THAT WAS ROCK. to inform her of a $130,000 settlement he’s Big Top Pee-wee (1988) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: received, so she enlists a drifter-hustler (a misRandal Kleiser. Pee-wee Herman, Penel[ 128 ]

ope Ann Miller, Kris Kristofferson, Valeria Golino, Susan Tyrrell, Albert Henderson, Kevin Peter Hall, Kenneth Tobey, Stephanie Hodge, Benicio Del Toro; voice of Wayne White. Farmer Pee-wee allows a traveling circus to stay on his property, and quickly develops circus fever—as well as a romance with the pretty trapeze artist (Golino). Quirky if overly bland comedy (cowritten and produced by Pee-wee’s alter ego, Paul Reubens) has many clever moments, along with some curious ones. Ought to please kids and family audiences. [PG]

nel, Dwight Meyer (Heavy D), Omar Epps, Jason Lee, Sofı´a Vergara, Andy Richter. Farcical comedy set in Miami, where various characters’ lives collide as two hit men from N.J. (Kehler and a very funny Farina) try to take out a local hotshot (Tucci), while his wife (Russo) falls in love with an exnewspaperman (Allen). Meanwhile, a stolen nuclear device is being peddled by a couple of transplanted Russians. Lots of funny lines and situations, but goes flat somewhere along the way. Based on a novel by humorist Dave Barry. [PG-13]▼쩠 Big Trouble in Little China (1986) ▼●쩠 Big Town, The (1987) C-109m. ★★ D: C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: John Carpenter. Kurt RusBen Bolt. Matt Dillon, Diane Lane, Tommy sell, Kim Cattrall, Dennis Dun, James Lee Jones, Tom Skerritt, Lee Grant, Bruce Hong, Victor Wong, Kate Burton, Suzee Dern, Suzy Amis, David Marshall Grant, LoPai. Blowhard trucker Russell finds himlita David (Davidovich), Cherry Jones, Gary self knee-deep in Chinatown intrigue (and Farmer, Sarah Polley. Small-town crapshooter mumbo-jumbo) when a friend’s fiance´e is with a ‘‘golden arm’’ comes to Chicago in the kidnapped right in front of his eyes. High1950s to become a big-time gambler, but still tech INDIANA JONES–style adventure has has a lot to learn. With that cast (and Lane as heavy tongue-in-cheek attitude, but everya stripper) it’s easy to watch . . . but just as thing else about it is heavy, too . . . ineasy to forget. [R]▼●쩠 cluding Russell’s John Wayne–ish swagger. Big Trail, The (1930) 110m. ★★★ D: Raoul Good electronic music score by director Walsh. John Wayne, Marguerite Churchill, El Carpenter. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Brendel, Tully Marshall, Tyrone Power, Sr., Big Wednesday (1978) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Rollins, Ian Keith. Epic Western may John Milius. Jan-Michael Vincent, Wilseem creaky to some viewers, but remains liam Katt, Gary Busey, Lee Purcell, Patti one of the most impressive early talkies, with D’Arbanville, Sam Melville, Robert Engits grand sweep and naturalistic use of sound. lund, Barbara Hale, Reb Brown, Steve John Wayne was ‘‘discovered’’ for starring Kanaly, Michael Talbott, Charlene Tilton. role, and already shows easygoing charm. Half of a good flick on surfing, Pacific Also filmed in pioneer 70mm widescreen proCoast–style, early ’60s. Up to midway point, cess called Grandeur, at 122m. ▼쩠 a ridiculous comedy about macho Vincent Big Trees, The (1952) C-89m. ★★ D: Felix and his fun-loving, destructive ways. As Feist. Kirk Douglas, Eve Miller, Patrice he and buddies Katt and Busey get older Wymore, Edgar Buchanan, John Archer, and action is brought up to ’70s, dramatic Alan Hale, Jr., Roy Roberts, Ellen Corby. content improves. Hale (who plays Mrs. Brutally ambitious lumberman Douglas runs Barlow) and Katt are real-life mother and afoul of a religious sect—and practically evson. Milius later recut to 104m. Panavision. erybody else around him—in this cornball [PG]▼●쩠 outdoor melodrama. A remake of VALLEY Big Wheel, The (1949) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: OF THE GIANTS with stock footage from Edward Ludwig. Mickey Rooney, Thomas that earlier color movie. ▼●쩠 Mitchell, Spring Byington, Mary Hatcher, Big Trouble (1985) C-93m. ★★ D: John Allen Jenkins, Michael O’Shea. Rooney is Cassavetes. Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, Bevdetermined race-car driver following in erly D’Angelo, Charles Durning, Robert father’s footsteps despite dad’s death on Stack, Paul Dooley, Valerie Curtin, Richtrack; familiar plot well done.▼쩠 ard Libertini. Harried insurance salesman Big White, The (2005-U.S.-German-CanaArkin needs money to put his three sons dian-New Zealand) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mark through Yale, so he becomes involved with Mylod. Robin Williams, Holly Hunter, Gioditsy D’Angelo in a plot to kill her loony vanni Ribisi, Alison Lohman, Tim Blake husband (Falk). Pretty silly stuff, although Nelson, Woody Harrelson, W. Earl Brown. the sardine-flavored liqueur does provide a Minor but amusing black comedy set in couple of chuckles. Reteaming of talents from snowy Alaska, where desperate travel agent THE IN-LAWS (1979) had a troubled proWilliams concocts a scheme to collect induction and barely received theatrical resurance on his supposedly dead brother— lease. Andrew Bergman wrote the script and then stumbles onto a body just right for under the name Warren Bogle. [R]▼●쩠 the purpose at hand. Ribisi is terrific as an Big Trouble (2002) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Barry insurance investigator who obsesses over Sonnenfeld. Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Stanley the obvious fraudulence of the case. [R]쩠 Tucci, Tom Sizemore, Johnny Knoxville, DenBiker Boyz (2003) C-110m. ★★ D: Reggie nis Farina, Jack Kehler, Janeane Garofalo, Rock Bythewood. Laurence Fishburne, Patrick Warburton, Ben Foster, Zooey DeschaDerek Luke, Orlando Jones, Djimon Hounsou, [ 129 ]

Lisa Bonet, Brendan Fehr, Larenz Tate, Kid Greer are her perplexed parents, Berlinger Rock, Rick Gonzalez, Meagan Good, Salli her boyfriend. Duke sings, runs, prances. Richardson-Whitfield, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Techniscope. ▼●쩠 Kadeem Hardison, Terrence Dashon Howard, Billion Dollar Brain (1967-British) C-111m. ★★★ Eriq La Salle, Tyson Beckford. By-theD: Ken Russell. Michael Caine, Karl numbers action drama about the subculture of Malden, Ed Begley, Oscar Homolka, California motorcycle clubs, spotlighting Franc¸oise Dorleac. Third in series that began males of various ages who are addicted to with THE IPCRESS FILE finds Harry Palmer fancy bikes and challenge each other in ille(Caine) again up to his neck in exciting espiogal road races. Fishburne is the longtime unnage, this time in Scandinavia. Based on Len defeated champ, Luke the ambitious young Deighton’s novel. Followed 30 years later by a pair of cable TV sequels. Panavision.쩠 challenger. Attempts to focus on characters and relationships instead of just action, but Billion Dollar Hobo, The (1978) C-96m. ★1 the results are uninspired. [PG-13] ▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Stuart E. McGowan. Tim Conway, Bikini Beach (1964) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Will Geer, Eric Weston, Sydney Lassick, William Asher. Frankie Avalon, Annette John Myhers, Frank Sivero. Dreary comFunicello, Keenan Wynn, Martha Hyer, Haredy about bumbling Conway becoming a vey Lembeck, Don Rickles, John Ashley, hobo to qualify for inheritance. [G]▼쩠 Jody McCrea, Meredith MacRae, Donna Bill of Divorcement, A (1932) 69m. ★★★ Loren, Candy Johnson, Timothy Carey, ‘‘LitD: George Cukor. John Barrymore, Kathtle’’ Stevie Wonder, Michael Nader. Third arine Hepburn, Billie Burke, David Manners, BEACH PARTY movie is second best, with Henry Stephenson. Barrymore gives sensiAvalon in dual role as Frankie and a British tive performance as man released from mental singing rage called ‘‘The Potato Bug’’ (get institution who returns to wife Burke and it?). Relic of bygone era. Followed by PAgets to know his daughter for the first time. JAMA PARTY. Panavision. ▼쩠 Dated but worth seeing; notable as Hepburn’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991) screen debut. Originally released at 75m. C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Hewitt. Keanu Remade in 1940.▼● Reeves, Alex Winter, William Sadler, Joss Bill of Divorcement, A (1940) 74m. ★★1⁄2 Ackland, George Carlin, Hal Landon, Jr., Pam D: John Farrow. Maureen O’Hara, Adolphe Grier, Amy Stock-Poynton, Sarah Trigger. In Menjou, Fay Bainter, Herbert Marshall, this sequel, the dimwitted duo travel to Dame May Whitty, C. Aubrey Smith, Patric Heaven, Hell, and points in between as they Knowles. Adequate remake with Menjou as duel with an evil pair of robots who are posmentally ill man who suddenly regains his ing as Bill and Ted. Along the way they meet sanity and returns home, with resulting dra(among others) Albert Einstein, the Easter matic fireworks. Scripted by Dalton Trumbo. Bunny, and the Grim Reaper! Special effects Retitled NEVER TO LOVE. Billy Bathgate (1991) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: almost take over in this outing, but B&T are even dumber here than in the original film. Robert Benton. Dustin Hoffman, Nicole One more sequel and they qualify as the Hope Kidman, Loren Dean, Bruce Willis, Steven Hill, Steve Buscemi, Billy Jaye, John and Crosby of the ’90s, dudes! [PG]▼●쩠 Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) Costelloe, Tim Jerome, Stanley Tucci, Mike C-90m. ★★ D: Stephen Herek. Keanu Starr, Katharine Houghton, Rachel York, Reeves, Alex Winter, George Carlin, Bernie Moira Kelly. Absorbing, exceptionally goodCasey, Amy Stock-Poynton, Terry Camilleri, looking adaptation of E. L. Doctorow’s fanciDan Shor. Inseparable teenage airheads, who ful novel about young man who hooks up with are about to flunk their history course, are gangster Dutch Schultz in the waning days of given the opportunity to go traveling through his crime career in the 1930s. Hoffman’s comtime to meet (and round up) such historical manding performance makes this flawed film figures as Napoleon, Joan of Arc, and Abraworth watching, though the story’s momenham Lincoln. Radical! Reeves and Winter are tum erodes toward the end. Photographed by great fun as Bill and Ted, but this goofy comNestor Almendros, with remarkable producedy never takes off as it should. Followed by tion design by Patrizia von Brandenstein. an animated TV series, a live-action TV seScreenplay by Tom Stoppard. [R]▼●쩠 ries, and BILL & TED’S BOGUS JOURBilly Budd (1962-U.S.-British) 122m. ★★★1⁄2 NEY. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 D: Peter Ustinov. Robert Ryan, Peter UstiBill Cosby—‘‘Himself’’ (1982) C-105m. nov, Melvyn Douglas, Terence Stamp, Paul ★★1 Rogers, David McCallum. Melville’s classic ⁄2 D: Bill Cosby. Likable in-concert film, featuring Cosby on the subjects of child good vs. evil novella set in British Navy, rearing, human nature, family life. Pleasant 1797. Naive, incorruptible seaman is courtmartialed for murder of sadistic master-atbut hardly ‘‘an event.’’ [PG]▼●쩠 Billie (1965) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Weis. arms. Film deals simply with heavier issues Patty Duke, Warren Berlinger, Jim Backus, of morality. Sterling performances by all. Jane Greer, Billy DeWolfe, Charles Lane, Ustinov also produced and coscripted with Dick Sargent. Airy comedy of tomboyish DeWitt Bodeen. Stamp’s film debut. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Duke and her athletic aspirations. Backus and [ 130 ]

Billy Elliot (2000-British) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 version). Followed by a TV series and a musical. CinemaScope.▼쩠 D: Stephen Daldry. Julie Walters, Jamie Billy Madison (1995) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Tamra Bell, Jamie Draven, Gary Lewis, Jean HeyDavis. Adam Sandler, Darren McGavin, wood, Stuart Wells, Mike Elliot, Janine Bridgette Wilson, Bradley Whitford, Josh Burkett. Beautifully realized story, set in Mostel, Norm Macdonald, Mark Beltzman, 1984, about an 11-year-old boy (Bell, in a Larry Hankin, Theresa Merritt. Another glorious debut) growing up in a motherless comic celebration of infantilism and cruhousehold in a harsh English mining town dity, as spoiled rich kid Sandler must repeat where most of the workers are on strike. grades 1–12 in order to take over his milAn inadvertent encounter with a dance class lionaire father’s business. A little of this opens a new door in his life. A feel-good goes a long way. Sandler (who can be funny movie in the very best sense; Lee Hall’s script and endearing when he wants to be) also dodges the formulaic ingredients you expect cowrote the script. His Saturday Night Live to find. Impressive film debut for theater dicastmate Chris Farley and Steve Buscemi rector Daldry. Later a Broadway musical. appear unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 [R]▼쩠 Billy Rose’s Diamond Horseshoe SEE: Billy Galvin (1986) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Diamond Horseshoe Gray. Karl Malden, Lenny Von Dohlen, Billy Rose’s Jumbo (1962) C-125m. ★★★ D: Joyce Van Patten, Toni Kalem, Keith SzaraCharles Walters. Doris Day, Stephen Boyd, bajka, Alan North, Paul Guilfoyle, Barton Jimmy Durante, Martha Raye, Dean Jagger. Heyman. Well-meaning, fairly effective meatOK circus picture, at best during Rodgers and-potatos drama about title character (Von and Hart songs, well staged by Busby BerDohlen), who wants to be a construction keley. Durante (who had starred in the 1935 worker like his old man (Malden), a tough, Broadway production) and Raye are marobstinate codger who does everything to disvelous. Songs include ‘‘The Most Beautiful courage him. Not without its share of moGirl in the World,’’ ‘‘My Romance,’’ ‘‘This ments, but also a bit too obvious. Good Can’t Be Love.’’ Aka JUMBO. Panavision. performances. An American Playhouse pre▼ ●쩠 sentation. [PG]▼ Billy’s Hollywood Screen Kiss (1998) Billy Jack (1971) C-114m. ★1⁄2 D: T. C. ★★1⁄2 D: Tommy O’Haver. Sean P. C-92m. Frank (Tom Laughlin). Tom Laughlin, DeHayes, Brad Rowe, Richard Ganoung, Merlores Taylor, Clark Howat, Kenneth Tobey, edith Scott Lynn, Paul Bartel, Armando Bert Freed, Julie Webb. Half-breed karate Valdes-Kennedy, Annabelle Gurwitch, Holly expert protects a free school imperiled by reWoodlawn. Unemployed L.A. photographer actionary townspeople in this grass-roots hit. Billy (Hayes) decides to recreate a series of Its politics are highly questionable, and its classic movie kisses from Hollywood’s ‘‘message’’ of peace ridiculous, considering golden age, utilizing drag queens and other the amount of violence in the film. Memoragay pals. He immediately gets sidetracked ble title sequence depicting slaughter of upon meeting gorgeous Gabriel (Rowe). wild mustangs introduced hit song ‘‘One Flashy low-budget effort that manages to Tin Soldier’’ by Coven. Preceded by BORN be both humorous and sensitive, though the LOSERS; followed by THE TRIAL OF writer-director isn’t kidding when he calls BILLY JACK and BILLY JACK GOES it ‘‘A Tom O’Haver Trifle.’’ He says his TO WASHINGTON. [PG]▼●쩠 inspiration came from the ambiguity of the Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977) Clift–de Havilland romance in THE HEIRC-155m. ★★ D: Tom Laughlin. Tom ESS! Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Laughlin, Delores Taylor, Sam Wanamaker, Billy the Kid (1930) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: King Lucie Arnaz, E. G. Marshall, Pat O’Brien. Vidor. Johnny Mack Brown, Wallace Beery, Contrived update of MR. SMITH GOES Kay Johnson, Karl Dane, Roscoe Ates. TO WASHINGTON, with writer-directorRealistic early talkie Western with marshal star Laughlin, a supposed ‘‘everyman,’’ Beery trying to capture outlaw Brown; some fighting big-time corruption in the Senate. performances seem badly dated today. ReBasic story is still good, but it goes on fortitled: THE HIGHWAYMAN RIDES. Oriever. Panavision.▼쩠 ginally shown in early Realife 70 mm. Billy Liar (1963-British) 98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: widescreen process. John Schlesinger. Tom Courtenay, Julie Billy the Kid (1941) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Christie, Wilfred Pickles, Mona WashMiller. Robert Taylor, Brian Donlevy, Ian bourne, Ethel Griffies, Finlay Currie, LeonHunter, Mary Howard, Gene Lockhart, Lon ard Rossiter. Cast excels in story of ambiChaney, Jr. Cast looks uncomfortable in retious but lazy young man caught in dull make of 1930 Western, but plot is sturdy job routine who escapes into fantasy world, enough for OK viewing, with Taylor in title offering some poignant vignettes of midrole and Donlevy as marshal.▼쩠 dle-class life. Based on Keith Waterhouse Billy the Kid vs. Dracula (1966) C-74m. ★★ D: William Beaudine. Chuck Courtney, novel and play; scripted by Waterhouse and Willis Hall (who also cowrote stage John Carradine, Melinda Plowman, Vir[ 131 ]

ginia Christine, Walter Janovitz, Bing RusAnn Wedgeworth, Susan McClung, Brian sell, Olive Carey, Harry Carey, Jr. Famed Part. Eleven-year-old girl, sent to live with outlaw decides it’s time to get married—but relatives in Amish country, finds out about doesn’t realize that his bride’s ‘‘uncle’’ is a life, love, suffering and compassion. Beauvampire. Campy nonsense.▼쩠 tiful, sensitive film. [PG]▼ ★★1 Billy Two Hats (1974) C-99m. ⁄2 D: Bird (1988) C-160m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clint EastTed Kotcheff. Gregory Peck, Desi Arnaz, wood. Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Jr., Jack Warden, Sian Barbara Allen, Michael Zelniker, Samuel E. Wright, Keith David Huddleston. Offbeat Western filmed David, Michael McGuire, James Handy. in Israel, about a middle-aged Scot and a Heartfelt but overlong biography of legendyoung half-Indian pursued by the law for ary saxophonist Charlie Parker, who revolubank robbery. Peck is appealing in unusual tionized jazz music in the 1940s. While character role. Retitled THE LADY AND there’s much music on hand, this is mostly THE OUTLAW. [PG]▼ the story of one man’s drug addiction and Biloxi Blues (1988) C-106m. ★★★ D: Mike self-destructive life. Fails to balance its story Nichols. Matthew Broderick, Christopher with any explanation of Parker’s influence Walken, Matt Mulhern, Corey Parker, Casey in the world of music. Excellent and believSiemaszko, Markus Flanagan, Michael able performances help. Parker plays on the Dolan, Penelope Ann Miller, Park Overall. soundtrack, though all accompanying music The further adventures of Eugene Jerome, was rerecorded in 1988. (The film won an Neil Simon’s youthful alter ego introduced Oscar for sound recording.) [R]▼●쩠 in BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS. Here, birdcage, The (1996) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: WW2 is winding down, and Eugene (BroderMike Nichols. Robin Williams, Gene Hackick) forsakes Brooklyn for Biloxi, Miss., and man, Nathan Lane, Dianne Wiest, Hank ten grueling weeks of army basic training, Azaria, Christine Baranski, Dan Futterman, where he comes that much closer to manhood. Calista Flockhart, Tom McGowan, Grant Quite wonderful, in its best moments. FolHeslov, Kirby Mitchell. Polished if obvious lowed by TV movie BROADWAY BOUND. remake of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES will Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 please anyone who hasn’t seen or doesn’t 1 ★ Bingo (1991) C-87m. ⁄2 D: Matthew remember the original: Williams is fairly Robbins. Cindy Williams, David Rasche, subdued as a South Beach, Miami, nightRobert J. Steinmiller, Jr., David French, club owner who’s forced to ask his highKurt Fuller, Joe Guzaldo, Glenn Shadix. strung, drag-queen performer/partner (Lane) Basic update of the ‘‘boy wants a dog, boy to hide away while his son brings his prospeccan’t have a dog, boy finds a dog who has tive in-laws—an ultra-conservative couple— run away from the circus, boy hides the to dinner. Screenplay by Elaine May, who dog from his parents, boy must move out added fresh lines to the foolproof blueprint of the original. [R]▼●쩠 of town and leave the dog behind, boy finds dog again’’ genre. Kids might like it, but it’s a Birdman of Alcatraz (1962) 143m. ★★★ real bow-wow. [PG]▼●쩠 D: John Frankenheimer. Burt Lancaster, Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Karl Malden, Thelma Ritter, Betty Field, Kings, The (1976) C-110m. ★★★ D: John Neville Brand, Edmond O’Brien, Hugh Badham. Billy Dee Williams, James Earl Marlowe, Telly Savalas. Pensive study of Jones, Richard Pryor, Ted Ross, DeWayne prisoner Robert Stroud who during his Jessie, Stan Shaw. Bright, original commany years in jail became a world-renowned edy about baseball player Williams trying bird authority. Film becomes static despite to buck owners of Negro National League imaginative sidelights to enlarge scope of in 1939 by starting his own razzle-dazzle action. 148m. version used for overseas team. Williams’ character is modeled release now turning up here.▼●쩠 after Satchel Paige, while Jones’ is based Bird of Paradise (1932) 80m. ★★ D: King Vidor. Joel McCrea, Dolores Del Rio, on Josh Gibson. [PG]▼●쩠 Bio-Dome (1996) C-95m. BOMB D: Jason John Halliday, Skeets Gallagher, Lon Bloom. Pauly Shore, Stephen Baldwin, Chaney, Jr. Exotic but empty South Seas William Atherton, Joey (Lauren) Adams, romance with McCrea as adventurer who Teresa Hill, Henry Gibson, Kevin West, falls in love with native-girl Del Rio. Handsome but unmoving; remade in 1951.▼쩠 Kylie Minogue, Patricia Hearst, Roger Clinton, Rose McGowan, Jack Black. Two layBird of Paradise (1951) C-100m. ★★ D: abouts from Tucson are sealed up for a year Delmer Daves. Louis Jourdan, Debra Paget, inside a Biosphere-like experimental habitat Jeff Chandler, Everett Sloane. Jourdan’s and drive the scientists in charge bonkers. A marriage to South Sea isle chief’s daughter good comedy premise is trashed through causes native uprising in grandly filmed crude writing, inept plotting, and having as but vapid tale. Remake of 1932 film. heroes two worthless jerks we’re supposed to Bird of Prey (1996-U.S.-Bulgarian) C-101m. find lovable. [PG-13]▼●쩠 BOMB D: Temistocles Lopez. Jennifer Tilly, Birch Interval (1977) C-104m. ★★★ D: Boyan Milushev, Richard Chamberlain, Lenny Delbert Mann. Eddie Albert, Rip Torn, Von Dohlen, Robert Carradine, Lesley Ann [ 132 ]

Warren. Preposterous thriller about a Bulgarian Birdy (1984) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alan dissenter and an American photojournalist who Parker. Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage, unite to battle a slimy businessman. Tilly, playJohn Harkins, Sandy Baron, Karen Young, ing Chamberlain’s daughter (and Milushev’s Bruno Kirby. Cage, reunited with schizolove interest), seems to be in another movie. It phrenically silent Modine in an army hostook four writers to concoct this clinker, which pital, flashes back to their adolescence in barely earned a theatrical release. [R]▼쩠 working-class Philadelphia and on Modine’s Bird on a Wire (1990) C-110m. ★★ D: John lifelong desire to be a bird. William WharBadham. Mel Gibson, Goldie Hawn, David ton’s allegorical novel, updated from WW2 Carradine, Bill Duke, Stephen Tobolowsky, to Vietnam, makes a surprisingly workable Joan Severance, Jeff Corey. Star power is movie despite a weak ‘‘gag’’ ending. Terrific about all this lame action-comedy has going performances, with Modine a standout in a for it, as drug-running murderers force Mel, tricky, physically demanding role. Screenplay by Sandy Kroopf and Jack Behr. [R]▼●쩠 who’s been hiding in the F.B.I. witness relocation program, and Goldie, his onetime Birgit Haas Must Be Killed (1981-French) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Laurent Heynemann. sweetheart, to take it on the lam. Script on a shoestring. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Philippe Noiret, Jean Rochefort, Lisa KreuBirds, The (1963) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alzer, Bernard Le Coq. Unscrupulous police fred Hitchcock. Rod Taylor, Tippi Hedren, officer Noiret dupes innocent Rochefort into Jessica Tandy, Suzanne Pleshette, Veronromancing former left-wing terrorist Kreuzer, ica Cartwright, Ethel Griffies, Charles intending to have her assassinated and hang the McGraw, Joe Mantell, Elizabeth Wilson, blame on Rochefort! Intriguing idea never Doodles Weaver, Richard Deacon, Suzanne really catches fire, despite honorable efforts; Cupito (Morgan Brittany). Hitchcock’s might have worked better if the two male stars classic about a woman (Hedren) and mass had switched roles.▼ bird attacks that follow her around isolated Birth (2004) C-100m. ★★★ D: Jonathan coastal California community. Not for the Glazer. Nicole Kidman, Cameron Bright, squeamish; a delight for those who are Danny Huston, Lauren Bacall, Alison Elliott, game. Hold on to something and watch. Arliss Howard, Anne Heche, Peter Stormare, Script by Evan Hunter, loosely based on Ted Levine, Cara Seymour, Zoe Caldwell. A Daphne du Maurier’s story. Followed by a man dies while jogging in Manhattan’s Centerrible TV sequel in 1994. ▼●쩠 tral Park, and a baby is born. Ten years later, Birds and the Bees, The (1956) C-94m. as the man’s widow is about to remarry, she ★★ is confronted by a 10-year-old boy who D: Norman Taurog. George Gobel, Mitzi Gaynor, David Niven, Reginald Garclaims to be her husband. Eerie, riveting diner, Fred Clark, Hans Conried. Bland redrama is remarkably effective in building make of THE LADY EVE about rich playand sustaining a mood of unease—and unboy who breaks off romance with cardshark certainty. Striking score by Alexandre Desgirlfriend, but later decides he still loves plat and cinematography by Harris Savides. her. Screenplay by Sidney Sheldon (and Kidman is marvelous. Glazer wrote the Preston Sturges). VistaVision. ▼ screenplay with Jean-Claude Carrie`re and Birds Do It (1966) C-95m. ★★ D: Andrew Milo Addica (who appears as a doorman). Marton. Soupy Sales, Tab Hunter, Arthur [R] 쩠 O’Connell, Edward Andrews, Beverly Birthday Girl (2002-British-U.S.) C-93m. ★★ Adams, Frank Nastasi. Soupy’s first starD: Jez Butterworth. Nicole Kidman, Ben ring vehicle has him under the spell of Chaplin, Vincent Cassel, Mathieu Kassovitz. serum that enables him to fly. Fairly enterNerdy, sexually repressed British bank clerk taining for kids. (Chaplin) orders a Russian bride over the InBirds, The Bees and the Italians, The ternet; when she arrives he discovers (to his (1966-Italian-French) 115m. ★★★ D: Pietro dismay) that she doesn’t speak a word of Germi. Virna Lisi, Gastone Moschin, Nora English . . . but that turns out to be the least Ricci, Alberto Lionello, Franco Fabrizi. of his troubles. The woman’s ‘‘cousin’’ and a Very funny bedroom farce chronicling the friend soon show up and turn Chaplin’s life insexual and romantic exploits of various side out. Amusing at first, then unexpectedly residents in a small Italian town. dark: either way, the story is unbelievable— Bird With the Crystal Plumage, The and unsatisfying. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 (1970-Italian-West German) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Birthday Party, The (1968-British) C127m. ★★★ D: William Friedkin. Robert D: Dario Argento. Tony Musante, Suzy Kendall, Eva Renzi, Enrico Maria SalerShaw, Patrick Magee, Dandy Nichols, Sydney no, Mario Adorf, Renato Romano, Umberto Tafler, Moultrie Kelsall, Helen Fraser. UncineRano, Werner Peters. American writer livmaticfilm version of Harold Pinter’s play about ing in Rome witnesses attempted murder boarding house and its mysterious tenant in gallery; he and his mistress become (Shaw) is helped by good acting and playinvolved in case. Uneven; best viewed on wright’s usual superior dialogue. [G] large screen. Reissued as THE PHANTOM Birth of a Nation, The (1915) 186m. ★★★★ D: D. W. Griffith. Lillian Gish, Mae OF TERROR. Cromoscope. [PG]▼●쩠 [ 133 ]

Marsh, Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooracing in attempts to save her failing London per, Robert Harron, Wallace Reid, Joseph disco, but who cares? And, yes, there is a title Henabery. The landmark of American motion song. [R]▼쩠 pictures. Griffith’s epic story of two families Bite the Bullet (1975) C-131m. ★★★★ D: during Civil War and Reconstruction is still Richard Brooks. Gene Hackman, Candice fascinating. Sometimes the drama survives inBergen, James Coburn, Ben Johnson, Ian tact; other times, one must watch in a more hisBannen, Jan-Michael Vincent, Robert torical perspective. Griffith’s portrayal of Ku Donner, Paul Stewart, Dabney Coleman, Klux Klan in heroic role has kept this film a Sally Kirkland. Grand adventure in the center of controversy to the present day. Runclassic tradition. Disparate types compete ning time varies from print to print. ▼●쩠 in a grueling, 700-mile horse race at the turn Birth of the Blues (1941) 85m. ★★★ D: of the 20th century; the finalists develop a Victor Schertzinger. Bing Crosby, Brian grudging—and growing—respect for each Donlevy, Carolyn Lee, Eddie (Rochester) other. Script by director Brooks. Beautifully Anderson, Mary Martin. Fiction about filmed on magnificent locations by Harry Stradling, Jr., in Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Crosby organizing jazz band in New Orleans has great music like ‘‘St. Louis Blues,’’ Bitter Moon (1992-French-British) C‘‘St. James Infirmary,’’ ‘‘Melancholy Baby’’ 139m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roman Polanski. Peter Coyand title tune to uplift fair story.▼쩠 ote, Emmanuelle Seigner, Hugh Grant, ★★★ Biscuit Eater, The (1940) 83m. Kristin Scott Thomas, Victor Banerjee, SoD: Stuart Heisler. Billy Lee, Cordell Hickman, phie Patel. Deliciously trashy tale of wealthy, Helene Millard, Richard Lane, Lester Matwheelchair-bound jerk Coyote, a failed Amerthews. Warm, winning adaptation of James ican writer who’s been living in Paris with Street story about two boys—one white, voluptuous French wife Seigner. Once they one black—who take unwanted dog from were ecstatically in love, but their relationship litter and try to turn him into champion has taken on a bizarre, sadistic bent; they go bird dog. A B picture that was regarded as on an ocean voyage, and beguile a very the sleeper of the year. Remade in 1972. proper British couple (Grant, Scott Thomas). Biscuit Eater, The (1972) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 Often overwrought, with laughable diaD: Vincent McEveety. Earl Holliman, Lew logue and not-to-be-believed sex scenes. A Ayres, Godfrey Cambridge, Patricia Crowley, guilty pleasure, to be sure. Polanski also Beah Richards, Johnny Whitaker, George produced and coscripted. Stockard ChanSpell. Wholesome, uninspired Disney rening appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 make with Whitaker and Spell as the young Bitter Rice (1948-Italian) 107m. ★★★ D: friends who devote themselves to training a Giuseppe De Santis. Silvana Mangano, champion bird dog. [G]▼쩠 Vittorio Gassman, Raf Vallone, Doris Bishop Misbehaves, The (1935) 86m. ★★1⁄2 Dowling, Lia Corelli. Effective portrayal D: E. A. Dupont. Edmund Gwenn, Maureen of the dreary, backbreaking existence of O’Sullivan, Norman Foster, Lucile Watson, women toiling in the Po Valley rice fields, Reginald Owen, Dudley Digges, Lilian Bond, exploited by the rice growers and their Melville Cooper. Tongue-in-cheek mystery go-betweens. The seductive Mangano, as with Gwenn (in his first American film) as an a worker who betrays her comrades, English bishop with a taste for detective stories became an international star.▼ who gets mixed up in a real jewel heist. EnjoyBitter Sweet (1940) C-92m. ★★★ D: W.S. able but slow paced. Van Dyke II. Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Bishop’s Wife, The (1947) 108m. ★★★ Eddy, George Sanders, Felix Bressart, D: Henry Koster. Cary Grant, Loretta Lynne Carver, Ian Hunter, Sig Ruman. Young, David Niven, Monty Woolley, Ignore plot, enjoy Noel Coward’s songs in James Gleason, Gladys Cooper, Elsa lavishly filmed operetta. Wonderful HerLanchester. Christmas fantasy of suave man Bing provides funniest scene as shopangel (Grant) coming to earth to help Bishop keeper who hires Nelson and Jeanette to Niven and wife Young raise money for give his daughter music lessons. Filmed benew church. Engaging performances by fore in England in 1933. ▼ all—and fun to see children from IT’S A Bittersweet Love (1976) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: WONDERFUL LIFE, Karolyn Grimes and David Miller. Lana Turner, Robert LanBobby Anderson, appearing together. Also sing, Celeste Holm, Robert Alda, Scott shown in computer-colored version. Remade Hylands, Meredith Baxter Birney. Excelas THE PREACHER’S WIFE.▼●쩠 lent cast wasted on improbable story of Bitch, The (1979-British) C-93m. BOMB young married couple (expecting a baby) D: Gerry O’Hara. Joan Collins, Kenneth suddenly discovering they are half-brother Haigh, Michael Coby, Ian Hendry, Caroand sister. Termination of pregnancy and lyn Seymour, Sue Lloyd, John Ratzenmarriage are then talked to death. [PG]▼ berger. Weak entry in the Bimbo Chic genre, a Bitter Tea of General Yen, The (1933) 89m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Frank Capra. Barbara Stanfollow-up to THE STUD, based on a book by Joan’s sister, Jackie Collins. Joan gets involved wyck, Nils Asther, Gavin Gordon, Toshia in everything from smuggling to fixed horse Mori, Richard Loo, Lucien Littlefield, Clara [ 134 ]

Blandick, Walter Connolly. May seem anHarlem with an ambitious rap artist, a baskettiquated to modern audiences, but Capra’s ball player (real-life hoop star Houston) who’s sensuous story of American woman’s strange manipulated by his beautiful white girlfriend fascination with a Chinese warlord is still (Schiffer) and a documentary filmmaker dazzling. A moody, beautifully atmospher(Shields) who’s shooting a film on why white ic, sensitively performed film.▼ kids are so fascinated by hip-hop culture. Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, The Crammed with interesting ideas and observations. Toback also scripted. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 (1973-German) C-119m. ★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Margit Carstensen, Hanna Black and White in Color (1977-FrenchAfrican) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Jacques Schygulla, Irm Hermann, Eva Mattes, Katrin Schaake, Gisela Fackeldey. Wealthy lesAnnaud. Jean Carmet, Jacques Dufilho, bian fashion designer Petra Von Kant Catherine Rouvel, Jacques Spiesser, Dora (Carstensen) worries over habits of inconDoll. Unusual and witty story of self-satisfied sistent lover Schygulla and unmercifully Frenchmen at remote African trading post bosses secretary Hermann. The action is who are fired by sudden patriotism at outlimited to Petra’s apartment, and the pace break of WW1 and decide to attack nearby is annoyingly slow. Based on a FassGerman fort. Oscar winner as Best Foreign Film. [PG]▼●쩠 binder play; overrated by some.▼쩠 Bitter Vengeance (1994) C-90m. ★★ D: Black Angel (1946) 80m. ★★★ D: Roy Stuart Cooper. Virginia Madsen, Bruce William Neill. Dan Duryea, June Vincent, Greenwood, Kristen Hocking, Eddie Velez, Peter Lorre, Broderick Crawford, Wallace Gordon Jump, Carlos Gomez, Tim Russ. Ford. First-rate whodunit (by Cornell Disappointing thriller about a self-pitying Woolrich) of Vincent trying to clear husbank security guard (Greenwood) who takes band of charge that he murdered Duryea’s out his anger on his supportive wife (Madwife. Imaginative film will have you glued to the screen all the way.▼쩠 sen). He eventually begins cheating on her, and concocts a robbery scheme in which his Black Arrow, The (1948) 76m. ★★★ D: mate will take the fall. Holds your interest Gordon Douglas. Louis Hayward, Janet for a while, but eventually becomes much Blair, George Macready, Edgar Buchanan, too implausible. [R]▼ Paul Cavanagh. Superior swashbuckler with Bitter Victory (1957-French) 82m. ★★★ dashing knight Hayward, lovely heroine Blair, D: Nicholas Ray. Richard Burton, Curt and villain Macready. Truly exciting finale Jurgens, Ruth Roman, Raymond Pellegrin, with hero vs. villain in jousting tournament. Anthony Bushell, Christopher Lee. Strong Based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novel. WW2 story with Jurgens as unfit comRemade for TV in 1985.▼ mander who receives undeserved citation Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story for mission against Rommel’s desert head(2006) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brant Sersen. Rob quarters; Roman is his wife who’s had Corddry, Paul Scheer, Dannah Feinglass, Rob prior affair with officer Burton. 103m. Riggle, Curtis Gwinn, Seth Morris, Ed Helms. versions now in circulation are from BritDaily Show correspondent Corddry stars as a ish release of this film. CinemaScope.쩠 paintball champion who fell from grace when Bix: An Interpretation of a Legend he was caught cheating. Mockumentary fol(1990-Italian) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pupi Avati. lows his efforts to rescue his reputation by Bryant Weeks, Emile Levisetti, Sally Groth, gathering a team of underdogs and atMark Collver, Ray Edelstein, Julia Ewing, tempting to win an important competition. Barbara Wilder, Romano Luccio Orzari. Uneven but sweet, with a few laugh-outFragmented bio of 1920s jazz legend Bix loud moments and well-improvised characterizations. Made in 2004. 쩠 Beiderbecke, who skyrocketed to fame— and burned out just as fast. Dramatically Blackbeard’s Ghost (1968) C-107m. ★★★ uneven, but enhanced by loving recreation D: Robert Stevenson. Peter Ustinov, Dean of the period (using many authentic locaJones, Suzanne Pleshette, Elsa Lanchester, tions in and around Bix’s home town of Joby Baker, Elliott Reid, Richard Deacon. Davenport, Iowa) and great reproductions Jones conjures up title character (Ustinov) of his music by Bob Wilber and some firstwho helps protect his descendants’ home from being taken over by racketeers who class musicians. Originally 20m. longer.▼ Black and White (2000) C-100m. ★★★ D: want to make it a casino. Engaging slapJames Toback. Bijou Phillips, Brooke Shields, stick comedy from Disney.▼●쩠 Robert Downey, Jr., Allan Houston, Ben Blackbeard, the Pirate (1952) C-99m. ★★ Stiller, Claudia Schiffer, Stacy Edwards, Gaby D: Raoul Walsh. Robert Newton, Linda DarHoffmann, Elijah Wood, Scott Caan, Jared nell, William Bendix, Keith Andes, Richard Leto, Marla Maples, Method Man, Power, Egan, Irene Ryan. Newton is rambunctious as Raekwon, Joe Pantoliano, James Toback, 17th-century buccaneer, with lovely Darnell Mike Tyson. Edgy N.Y.C. slice-of-life about his captive; fun for a while, but Newton’s social and sexual interaction between blacks hamming soon grows tiresome.▼●쩠 and whites of various backgrounds, including a Black Beauty (1971-British) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 white teen hipster (Phillips) who hangs out in D: James Hill. Mark Lester, Walter Slezak, [ 135 ]

Peter Lee Lawrence, Ursula Glas. The story tance movement during WW2 and has to cozy of a horse who passes from owner to owner; up to a Nazi officer to carry out her most vital fails to capture the qualities that make Anna assignment. Fast-paced film, dotted with acSewell’s novel a classic, but it’s not bad. tion, covers a lot of ground but quickly turns Filmed before in 1946. [G]▼●쩠 heavy-handed, punctuating its engrossing story ★★★ Black Beauty (1994) C-85m. with old-fashioned music cues and close-ups D: Caroline Thompson. Sean Bean, David Thewlis, of sneering SS officers. Buoyed considerably Jim Carter, Peter Davison, Alun Armstrong, by van Houten’s charismatic and sexy perforJohn McEnery, Eleanor Bron, Peter Cook, mance. Verhoeven scripted with his longtime Andrew Knott; voice of Alan Cumming. Dutch colleague Gerard Soeteman. Super 35. Handsome remake of the Anna Sewell family [R]쩠 classic about a horse’s trials and tribulations Black Bounty Killer, The SEE: Boss Nigger as it passes from one owner to another in Black Caesar (1973) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: 19th-century England, experiencing everyLarry Cohen. Fred Williamson, Art Lund, thing from benevolent guardianship to ignoJulius W. Harris, Gloria Hendry, D’Urville rant abuse. Narrated, quite engagingly, by Martin. Better-than-average gangster film the horse itself. Evocative score by Danny follows rise to the top of shrewd, bloodElfman. Screenwriter Thompson’s directing thirsty black baddie. Sequel: HELL UP IN debut. Made in England. [G]▼●쩠 HARLEM. [R]▼●쩠 Black Belly of the Tarantula (1972-Italian) Black Castle, The (1952) 81m. ★★ D: C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Paolo Cavara. Giancarlo Nathan Juran. Richard Greene, Boris Giannini, Stefania Sandrelli, Barbara Karloff, Stephen McNally, Paula Corday, Bouchet. Folks are being murdered in mysLon Chaney, Jr., John Hoyt. Uninspired terious ways at health and beauty salon; gothic melodrama has Greene investigating none too exciting. [R]쩠 disappearance of two friends who were guests Black Belt Jones (1974) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: of sinister Austrian count (McNally). KarlRobert Clouse. Jim Kelly, Gloria Hendry, off reduced to colorless supporting role.▼쩠 Scatman Crothers, Alan Weeks, Nate EsfBlack Cat, The (1934) 65m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Edgar ormes. Black-oriented kung-fu mayhem from G. Ulmer. Karloff (Boris Karloff), Bela Luthe team that made ENTER THE DRAGON. gosi, David Manners, Jacqueline Wells (Julie Kelly battles the Mafia to save his school of Bishop), Lucille Lund, Henry Armetta, Harry self-defense in Watts area of L.A. No gore, but Cording. Polished horror film with bizarre lots of action and comedy. [R]▼ sets, even more bizarre plot. Confrontation of Black Bird, The (1975) C-98m. BOMB architect/devil-worshiper Karloff and doctor D: David Giler. George Segal, Stephane Lugosi is still fascinating. The first of Boris Audran, Lionel Stander, Lee Patrick, Elisha and Bela’s many teamings. Look fast for John Cook Jr., Felix Silla, Signe Hasso. HorCarradine as an organist at Satanic Mass. Film rendously bad, unfunny takeoff on THE bears absolutely no resemblance to eponyMALTESE FALCON, with Segal as Sam mous Edgar Allan Poe tale.▼●쩠 Spade, Jr., not saved by the presence of Black Cat, The (1941) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: Patrick and Cook from the ’41 cast. [PG]▼ Albert S. Rogell. Basil Rathbone, Hugh Her1 ★★★ Blackboard Jungle (1955) 101m. bert, Broderick Crawford, Bela Lugosi, Gale ⁄2 D: Richard Brooks. Glenn Ford, Anne Sondergaard, Anne Gwynne, Gladys Cooper. Francis, Vic Morrow, Louis Calhern, SidHerbert and Crawford provide laughs, the othney Poitier, Richard Kiley, Warner Anderers provide chills, in lively comedy-mystery son, Margaret Hayes, Emile Meyer, John not to be confused with earlier horror film. Hoyt, Rafael Campos, Paul Mazursky. ExLook for Alan Ladd in a small role. Atmospheric photography by Stanley Cortez.▼쩠 cellent adaptation of Evan Hunter’s novel (scripted by the director) of a teacher’s Black Cat, White Cat (1998-Yugoslavianharrowing experiences in N.Y.C. school French-German) C-129m. ★★★ D: Emir system. Poitier memorable as a troubled Kusturica. Bajram Severdzan (Doctor Kolja), youth. Hard-hitting entertainment. This was Florijan Ajdini, Jas’ar Destani, Adnan Bekir, the first film to feature rock music—Bill Zabit Mehmedovski, Sabri Sulejmani. DizHaley’s ‘‘Rock Around the Clock’’ is played zying farce about gypsy families who live on over the opening credits. Look for a young the Danube and a bitter rivalry between two Jamie Farr (billed as Jameel Farah). Also elders whose offspring cause them no end of headaches. Kusturica (who also coshown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Black Book, The (1949) SEE: Reign of scripted) builds to a crescendo of slapstick Terror action in this exuberant film that reminds us Black Book (2006-Dutch-British-Germanhow much we all have in common, regardless of nationality. [R]▼ Belgian) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Verhoeven. Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Black Cauldron, The (1985) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 Hoffman, Halina Reijn, Waldemar Kobus, D: Ted Berman, Richard Rich. Voices of Derek de Lint, Christian Berkel, Dolf de Vries, Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan, Freddie Peter Blok. Expansive saga of beautiful Jewish Jones, John Byner, John Hurt. Disney’s exwoman who goes to work for the Dutch resispensive, ambitious animated feature is a pretty [ 136 ]

good but unmemorable sword-and-sorcery dirty driving. Heavier on crashes than cotale about a young boy who must find powerherency. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ful black cauldron before it falls into the hands Black Dragon SEE: Miracles (1989) of evil Horned King. Good storytelling for Black Eagle (1988) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eric kids, with impressive effects animation for Karson. Sho Kosugi, Jean-Claude Van buffs. Supporting characters Gurgi (a good Damme, Vladimir Skontarovsky, Doran guy) and Creeper (a baddie) have all the best Clark, Bruce French, William H. Bassett. moments. Super Technirama 70. [PG]▼●쩠 Standard martial arts adventure. Kosugi’s Black Christmas (1975-Canadian) C-98m. the secret-agent hero, Van Damme’s the ★★1 ⁄2 D: Bob Clark. Olivia Hussey, Keir Russian villain, and there’s plenty of acDullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, Art Hintion. Kosugi’s real-life children, Kane and dle, Douglas McGrath, Andrea Martin. BiShane, appear in cameos as his screen zarre horror thriller about warped murderer in character’s kids. [R]▼쩠 sorority house on Christmas Eve and two days Black Evil SEE: Demons of the Mind following. Not bad; Kidder steals it as a nasty, Black Eye (1974) C-98m. ★★ D: Jack foul-mouthed sorority sister. Remade in 2006. Arnold. Fred Williamson, Rosemary ForAka SILENT NIGHT, EVIL NIGHT and syth, Richard Anderson, Teresa Graves, STRANGER IN THE HOUSE. [R]▼●쩠 Cyril Delevanti. Involved action-mystery Black Christmas (2006) C-90m. BOMB has black private detective Williamson inD: Glen Morgan. Katie Cassidy, Michelle vestigating murders connected with a dope Trachtenberg, Kristen Cloke, Crystal Lowe, ring in Venice, Cal. Bret Morrison, raLacey Chabert, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Andio’s ‘‘The Shadow,’’ plays a porno moviedrea Martin, Oliver Hudson. Someone just had maker. Standard fare. [PG]▼ to remake the 1975 frightfest forthe blood-andBlack Fist (1976) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Timogore generation. With no fresh ideas in sight, thy Galfas, Richard Kaye. Richard Lawson, this version setsup a group of celebratingsororPhilip Michael Thomas, Annazette Chase, ity sisters as the next victims of a nutcase who’s Dabney Coleman, Robert Burr. Coleman’s headed for his childhood home fora little merry gritty performance as a crooked cop eleslay time. Might have been bearable if we vates this standard blaxploitation drama about hadn’t seen it all a hundred times before. At tough Lawson, hired by a crime boss as a least the diabolical elf of terror makes clever streetfighter. Aka THE BLACK STREETuse of ornaments. Look for Andrea Martin FIGHTER and HOMEBOY. [R]▼쩠 (who appeared in the 1975 version) as a Black Fox (1962) 89m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Louis soothing force of sanity for the girls. Unrated Clyde Stoumen. Narrated by Marlene Dieversion runs 94m. Super 35. [R]쩠 trich. Exceedingly taut, grim documentary Black Dahlia, The (2006-U.S.-German) Ctracing the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler, fo★1 cusing on his use of power during Third 121m. ⁄2 D: Brian De Palma. Josh Hartnett, Scarlett Johansson, Aaron Eckhart, Reich. Academy Award winner as Best Hilary Swank, Mia Kirshner, Mike Starr, Documentary Feature.▼쩠 Fiona Shaw, Patrick Fischler, James Otis, Black Friday (1940) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur John Kavanagh, Pepe Serna, Rachel Miner, Lubin. Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, StanGregg Henry, Rose McGowan, Anthony ley Ridges, Anne Nagel, Anne Gwynne, Russell. Torpid story of two L.A. cops in Virginia Brissac. Well-made little chiller the 1940s whose partnership is strained by with Karloff putting gangster’s brain into a reverberations from the grisly murder of professor’s body. Jekyll-Hyde results are faswould-be starlet Elizabeth Short (Kirshner). cinating; Ridges excellent as victim. Lugosi Ostensibly based on James Ellroy’s novel has small, thankless role as gangster.▼쩠 and the notorious real-life ‘‘Black Dahlia’’ Black Fury (1935) 92m. ★★★ D: Michael killing, this boring, muddled film turns the Curtiz. Paul Muni, Karen Morley, Wilcase into a sidebar for a much duller tale of liam Gargan, Barton MacLane, John Quatwo damaged men and the women in their len, J. Carrol Naish, Vince Barnett. Hardlives. Makes curious use of footage from hitting melodrama about exploitation of the silent film THE MAN WHO LAUGHS. coal miners, with Muni as robust ‘‘bohunk’’ Kevin Dunn and k. d. lang appear unbilled. who gets in over his head. Realistic, strikingly filmed, if a bit uneven dramatically. Super 35. [R]쩠 Black Dog (1998) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Kevin Muni’s accent makes it tough to understand Hooks. Patrick Swayze, Randy Travis, him at times. Based on a true story.▼ Meat Loaf, Gabriel Casseus, Brian Vincent, Black Girl (1972) C-97m. ★★★ D: Ossie Brenda Strong, Stephen Tobolowsky, Charles Davis. Brock Peters, Leslie Uggams, ClauS. Dutton. An ex-con trucker with a susdia McNeil, Louise Stubbs, Gloria Edwards, pended license makes one last run to avoid Peggy Pettitt, Ruby Dee. One of the best foreclosure, and his rig turns out to be full black-oriented films of the 1970s spotlights of concealed assault weapons that his corthe complex relationship between the title rupt boss is planning to sell. There’s no character (Pettitt), an aspiring dancer, and her dirty dancing for Swayze here but lots of emotionally clueless mother (Stubbs). Well [ 137 ]

acted by the entire cast; scripted by J. E. her from Detroit to Seattle during the winter; Franklin, and based on her play. [PG] they’re pursued by murderous Ironside. Good Black Gold (1947) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil performances, and handsome wintry landKarlson. Anthony Quinn, Katherine DeMille, scapes, can’t overcome a complicated plot— Elyse Knox, Ducky Louie, Kane Richmond, and its unsatisfactory resolution. Unrated video version runs 92m. [R]▼● Moroni Olsen, Raymond Hatton, Thurston Hall, Darryl Hickman. Effective, if sentimenBlack Jack SEE: Wild in the Sky tal, tale of Indian Quinn who discovers oil on Black Knight (2001) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gil his land and trains a Chinese orphan (Louie) Junger. Martin Lawrence, Marsha Thomto be the jockey for his beloved thoroughbred. ason, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan, Low-budget, but warmly acted, with excellent Daryl Mitchell, Kevin Conway, Michael use of Cinecolor process. Quinn and DeMille Burgess, Isabell Monk. A 21st-century were then husband and wife.▼ homeboy who works at a run-down mediBlack Gunn (1972) C-98m. ★★ D: Robert eval theme park is magically transported Hartford-Davis. Jim Brown, Martin Lanback to 14th-century England, where he dau, Brenda Sykes, Luciana Paluzzi. Black must use his wits to survive, and forms an nightclub owner goes after the Man when alliance with a disgraced knight (Wilkinhis brother is killed. Routine black actioner. son) to help restore a deposed queen to the [R]▼쩠 throne. Comedy vehicle for Lawrence gives Black Hand (1950) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard you pretty much what you expect, though it Thorpe. Gene Kelly, J. Carrol Naish, Teresa would have meant a lot more if a better, Celli, Marc Lawrence, Frank Puglia. If you more famous actress had played the queen. can buy Kelly as an Italian immigrant in Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 N.Y.C. (circa 1908), you’ll probably go Black Legion (1936) 83m. ★★★ D: Archie along with this naive but entertaining story Mayo. Humphrey Bogart, Erin O’Brienabout a young man’s attempt to avenge his Moore, Dick Foran, Ann Sheridan, Joe Sauers father’s murder by the infamous—and (Sawyer), Helen Flint, Dickie Jones, Henry seemingly unstoppable—Italian crime syndiBrandon. Factory worker Bogart, disapcate known as the Black Hand. ▼ pointed at losing a promotion to a coworker Black Hawk Down (2001) C-143m. ★★★ D: named ‘‘Dombrowski,’’ becomes involved Ridley Scott. Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, with a Ku Klux Klan–ish group. Powerful, Tom Sizemore, Eric Bana, William Fichtner, still-relevant social drama, compactly told. Ewen Bremner, Sam Shepard, Gabriel Cas▼쩠 seus, Kim Coates, Ron Eldard, Thomas Guiry, Black Like Me (1964) 107m. ★★★ D: Carl Danny Hoch, Zˇeljko Ivanek, Jeremy Piven, Lerner. James Whitmore, Roscoe Lee Orlando Bloom, Steven Ford, Hugh Dancy. Browne, Lenka Petersen, Sorrell Booke, Harrowing dramatization of the disastrous Will Geer, Al Freeman, Jr., Dan Priest, 1993 U.S. mission in Somalia, which resulted Raymond St. Jacques. Strong drama based in the deaths of 18 American soldiers. Characon actual history of reporter who took ters and political context take a backseat (intendrugs that allowed him to pass for black so tionally) to the ferocious battle scenes, rehe could experience racial prejudice firstcreated in brutal detail by Scott, cinematograhand. Some aspects of presentation are pher Slawomir Idziak, and a team of technical dated, but themes are still timely.▼●쩠 wizards. Not for the faint of heart. Based on Black Magic (1949) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gregthe book by Mark Bowden. Won Oscars for ory Ratoff. Orson Welles, Akim Tamiroff, Film Editing (Pietro Scalia) and Sound. AlterNancy Guild, Raymond Burr, Frank Latnate version runs 151m. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 imore. Welles is predictably florid in chronBlack Hole, The (1979) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: icle of famous charlatan Cagliostro who Gary Nelson. Maximilian Schell, Anthony seeks to rise to power in 18th-century Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Italy. (He codirected this handsome film, Yvette Mimieux, Ernest Borgnine; uncreduncredited.)▼● ited voices of Roddy McDowall, Slim PickBlackmail (1929-British) 86m. ★★★ D: ens. U.S. expedition finds long-lost madman Alfred Hitchcock. Anny Ondra, Sara in space about to explore a ‘‘black hole.’’ Allgood, John Longden, Charles Paton, Disney studios’ ambitious sci-fi effort is a Donald Calthrop, Cyril Ritchard. Young throwback to 1957 Saturday matinee fodwoman kills man who tries to rape her, der, with thin story, cardboard characters. then finds herself caught between investiOK on that level—with great special efgating detective (who happens to be her fects—but should have been much better. boyfriend) and a blackmailer. Hitchcock’s— Technovision. [PG—Disney’s first] ▼●쩠 and England’s—first talking picture is Black Ice (1992-Canadian) C-90m. ★★ D: still exciting, especially for fans and students Neill Fearnley. Michael Nouri, Michael of the director’s work. Originally shot as Ironside, Joanna Pacula, Mickey Jones, Brent a silent; that version, running 75m., also Heale, Arne Olsen, Rick Skene. Following exists (and is significantly better). Leading the accidental death of her politician lover, lady Ondra had a heavy accent, so her voice was dubbed for the talkie.▼●쩠 Pacula has philosophical cabbie Nouri drive [ 138 ]

Blackmail (1939) 81m. ★★1⁄2 D: H. C. Potchallenges. One of the most breathtaking ter. Edward G. Robinson, Ruth Hussey, color films ever made (winning Oscars for Gene Lockhart, Bobs Watson, Guinn Wilcinematographer Jack Cardiff and art liams, John Wray, Arthur Hohl. Welldirector Alfred Junge). Scenes in which respected Robinson, an expert at putting out Sister Superior Kerr recalls her former oil fires, has a secret past: he escaped from life, a key plot element, were originally jail after being falsely convicted of robbery. censored from American prints.▼●쩠 Slimy Lockhart shows up and threatens Black Orchid, The (1959) 96m. ★★1⁄2 D: blackmail. Taut, clever drama-thriller, Martin Ritt. Sophia Loren, Anthony Quinn, marred only by a pat finale. Ina Balin, Jimmie Baird, (Peter) Mark RichBlack Mama, White Mama (1972-U.S.man, Naomi Stevens, Frank Puglia. FabriFilipino) C-87m. ★★ D: Eddie Romero. cated soaper of bumbling businessman Pam Grier, Margaret Markov, Sid Haig, (Quinn) romancing criminal’s widow (Loren) Lynn Borden. Cliche´d, violent female reand the problem of convincing their chilhash of THE DEFIANT ONES, as blonde dren that marriage will make all their lives better. VistaVision. ▼쩠 Markov and black Grier escape chained together from a Filipino prison camp. Haig Black Orpheus (1959-French-Brazilian) is hammy in cowboy costume. Story coC-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marcel Camus. Breno written by Jonathan Demme. [R]▼쩠 Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lea Garcia, Ad★★1 Black Marble, The (1980) C-113m. hemar Da Silva, Lourdes De Oliveira. ⁄2 D: Harold Becker. Robert Foxworth, Paula Street-car conductor Mello and countryPrentiss, Harry Dean Stanton, Barbara girl Dawn fall in love in Rio de Janeiro Babcock, John Hancock, Raleigh Bond, during Carnival. Lyrical updating of the Judy Landers, James Woods, Michael Orpheus and Eurydice legend is beautiDudikoff, Anne Ramsey, Christopher Lloyd. fully acted and directed. Oscar winner for Insightful but curiously unmemorable love Best Foreign Film; rhythmic score by Luis story about sexy cop Prentiss and her new Bonfa and Antonio Carlos Jobim. Remade as ORFEU.▼●쩠 partner (Foxworth), an alcoholic romantic drowning in the reality of his job. Misses Blackout (1978-Canadian-French) C-89m. ★★ D: Eddy Matalon. Jim Mitchum, Robmuch of the humor that marked Joseph Wambaugh’s novel. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 ert Carradine, Belinda Montgomery, June Black Mask (1997-Hong Kong) C-96m. Allyson, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Ray Milland. ★★★ D: Danny Lee. Jet Li, Karen Mok, FranViolent story of criminals who terrorize c¸oise Yip, Lau Ching Wan, Patrick Lung apartment dwellers during N.Y.’s 1977 Kang, Anthony Wong. Biologically engipower blackout. Balanced with black comedy for so-so results. [R]▼쩠 neered super-soldier Li gives up a peaceful life to battle his equally enhanced former comBlack Pirate, The (1926) C-85m. ★★★ D: rades, who are trying to take over the Hong Albert Parker. Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., BilKong drug rackets. Smart, stylish, lightninglie Dove, Anders Randolf, Donald Crisp, paced thriller is an ideal showcase for the Tempe Pigott, Sam De Grasse. Robust dazzling skills of Li (who, in his disguise, silent swashbuckler with Fairbanks a noresembles the Green Hornet’s Kato). Recut and bleman who turns pirate after being vicrevised from 106m. Hong Kong version. Foltimized by cutthroats. Filmed in early Technicolor process. ▼●쩠 lowed by a direct-to-video sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Black Moon Rising (1986) C-100m. Black Rain (1989) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: RidBOMB D: Harley Cokliss. Tommy Lee ley Scott. Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Jones, Linda Hamilton, Robert Vaughn, Ken Takakura, Kate Capshaw, Yusaku Richard Jaeckel, Bubba Smith, Lee Ving, Matsuda, Shigeru Koyama, John SpenWilliam Sanderson. Vaughn’s hot-car ring cer. Tough, violent, foulmouthed action steals the Black Moon, one of those zoomyarn about street-worn N.Y.C. cop and his across-the-salt-flats dream machines no partner who are supposed to deliver a taller than a munchkin’s shin; high-tech Japanese mobster to cops in Osaka—then thief Jones pursues. Punk-rocker-turnedwind up pursuing him on his own turf. Too actor Ving wears a coat and tie, but that’s long, too predictable at times, but slick and about it for novelty value; this one deentertaining. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 serves to get a Big Moon Rising. From Black Rain (1989-Japanese) 123m. ★★★ a story by John Carpenter. [R]▼●쩠 D: Shohei Imamura. Yoshiko Tanaka, Black Narcissus (1947-British) C-99m. Kazuo Kitamura, Etsuko Ichihara, Shoichi ★★★★ D: Michael Powell, Emeric PressOzawa, Norihei Miki, Keisuke Ishida. Somburger. Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Sabu, ber, restrained, and very moving story Jean Simmons, Kathleen Byron, Flora Robdetailing five years in the life of a family son, Esmond Knight. Visually sumptuous, which survived Hiroshima, and the ways dramatically charged movie, from Rumer their bodies and souls are poisoned by the Godden novel, about nuns trying to estabfallout—or ‘‘black rain.’’ A quietly obserlish a mission in a remote Himalayan outvant character study with a number of post amid formidable physical and emotional haunting black and white images. ▼●쩠 [ 139 ]

Black Rainbow (1991-British) C-100m. ★★★ D: Mike Hodges. Rosanna Arquette, Jason Robards, Tom Hulce, Mark Joy, Ron Rosenthal, John Bennes, Linda Pierce. Offbeat, intriguing psychological dramachiller with Arquette impressive as a medium who offers public exhibitions of her abilities. During one of them, she ‘‘sees’’ a murder and the killer—just before the crime is committed. Robards is her besotted father, a character worthy of Eugene O’Neill. Occasionally loses its way, but there’s more than enough originality and good acting to compensate. Hodges also scripted; filmed in North Carolina. [R]▼쩠 Black Rebels, The SEE: This Rebel Breed Black Rider, The SEE: Joshua (1976) Black Robe (1991-Canadian-Australian) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Lothaire Bluteau, August Schellenberg, Aden Young, Sandrine Holt, Tantoo Cardinal. Epic look at a 17th-century Jesuit priest who goes to Quebec to colonize the ‘‘Indian’’ tribes. Director Beresford travels much the same territory as DANCES WITH WOLVES, but paints a much bleaker picture. Beautifully photographed (by Peter James) but graphically violent, this flawed, fascinating film is for demanding viewers. [R]

nelope Spheeris. Chris Farley, David Spade, Tim Matheson, Christine Ebersole, Gary Busey, Grant Heslov, Timothy Carhart, Bruce McGill. Gubernatorial candidate Matheson needs to keep his bumbling brother (Farley) out of the public eye, and Spade volunteers for the job. Insulting ‘‘comedy’’ reunites the stars of TOMMY BOY for virtually the same movie, which attempts to mine all the humor it can out of Farley’s mugging and endless pratfalls, plus Spade’s sarcasm. Pitiful and shameless. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Black Sheep (2007-New Zealand) C-87m. ★★★ D: Jonathan King. Nathan Meister, Danielle Mason, Peter Feeney, Tammy Davis, Glenis Levestam, Tandi Wright, Oliver Driver, Nick Fenton. Young man (Meister) with a morbid fear of sheep returns to his sprawling family farm (naturally, a sheep ranch) to sell his portion of the estate to his tweedy, greedy older brother (Feeney). Everything and more goes wrong and bloody hell breaks out as ecoterrorists, evil scientists, visiting foreign investors, and our hero are attacked by genetically altered rampaging rams and ewes. Horrifically funny and gruesome Monty Python–esque horror comedy recalls early Peter Jackson. Written by the director. Super 35. 쩠 Black Shield of Falworth, The (1954) ▼●쩠 Black Rodeo (1972) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rudolph Mate´. Tony CurKanew. Archie Wycoff, Clarence Gonzatis, Janet Leigh, David Farrar, Barbara lez, Pete Knight, Marval Rogers, Reuben Rush, Herbert Marshall. Juvenile version Heura. Offbeat, frequently interesting docof Howard Pyle novel, Men of Iron; umentary about a rodeo that takes place Curtis unconvincing as nobility rising largely in Harlem; background music is through ranks to knighthood in medieval performed by such stars as B.B. King, England. Settings, supporting cast bolster production. CinemaScope.▼ Ray Charles, Dee Dee Sharpe. [G] Black Room, The (1935) 67m. ★★★ D: Roy Black Sleep, The (1956) 81m. ★1⁄2 D: William Neill. Boris Karloff, Marian Marsh, Reginald LeBorg. Basil Rathbone, Akim Robert Allen, Katherine DeMille, John Tamiroff, Lon Chaney (Jr.), John Carradine, Buckler, Thurston Hall. Excellent, underBela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Herbert Rudley. stated thriller of twin brothers (Karloff) Big horror cast cannot save dull, unatmoand the ancient curse that dominates their spheric tale of doctor doing experimental lives in 19th-century Hungary. Features brain surgery in remote English castle. Laughone—no, two—of Karloff’s best perable. Reissued as DR. CADMAN’S SEformances.▼●쩠 CRET. ▼ Black Rose, The (1950) C-120m. ★★ D: Black Snake Moan (2007) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 Henry Hathaway. Tyrone Power, Cecile D: Craig Brewer. Samuel L. Jackson, ChrisAubry, Orson Welles, Jack Hawkins, Mitina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, S. Epatha chael Rennie, Herbert Lom, James RobertMerkerson, John Cothran, David Banner, son Justice, Finlay Currie, Bobby (Robert) Kim Richards. Pent-up farmer and blues Blake, Laurence Harvey. Sweeping pagmusician Jackson finds the town nympho eantry follows Norman-hating Power on (Ricci) beaten and unconscious, takes her Oriental adventures during 1200s; plodding in, and decides to heal her spiritually as well film only somewhat redeemed by dynamic as physically—even if it means chaining her action scenes. Filmed in England and North to his radiator. Honest. Steamy, sexy SouthAfrica by Jack Cardiff.쩠 ern Gothic tale benefits from robust, go-forBlack Sabbath (1963-Italian) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 it performances, but the third act drags and D: Mario Bava. Boris Karloff, Mark Damon, the finale is somewhat ludicrous. Ricci’s Suzy Anderson, Jacqueline Pierreux. Italian mother is played by former child actor three-part film hosted by Karloff, who Richards (ESCAPE TO WITCH MOUNappears in final episode about a vampire TAIN). Exceptionally well shot by Amelia controlling an entire family. Other sequences Vincent. Super 35. [R]쩠 Black Spurs (1965) C-81m. ★1⁄2 D: R. G. are good, atmospheric.▼●쩠 Black Sheep (1996) C-87m. BOMB D: PeSpringsteen. Rory Calhoun, Terry Moore, [ 140 ]

Linda Darnell, Scott Brady, Lon Chaney Black Tights (1960-French) C-120m. ★★★ (Jr.), Bruce Cabot, Richard Arlen, Patricia D: Terence Young. Cyd Charisse, Moira Owens, James Best, Jerome Courtland, DeShearer, Zizi Jeanmaire, Dirk Sanders, Forest Kelley. Ordinary Western with atRoland Petit. Narrated by Maurice Chevatraction of one-time movie stars including lier. Ballet fans will feast on this quartet of Darnell (her last film). Standard horse stunning performances, featuring some of opera. Techniscope. the era’s top dance talent. Our favorite: the Black Stallion, The (1979) C-118m. ★★★ ballet of Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, D: Carroll Ballard. Kelly Reno, Mickey with Shearer a lovely Roxanne. Super Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Technirama 70.▼쩠 Axton, Michael Higgins. Exquisitely filmed Black Tuesday (1954) 80m. ★★★ D: Hugo story of a young boy’s adventures with a Fregonese. Edward G. Robinson, Peter magnificent black stallion—from a dramatic Graves, Jean Parker, Milburn Stone. Throwshipwreck to a racing championship. Too back to 1930-ish gangster films, with Robslow at times, but still worthwhile, with many inson and Graves as escaped convicts being precious moments, stunning cinematography hunted by cops. Nice gunplay, with Parker by Caleb Deschanel, Rooney’s lovely perforgood as the moll. mance as veteran horse trainer. Based on clasBlack Voodoo SEE: Beyond the Living sic children’s novel by Walter Farley. Black Werewolf (1974) SEE: Beast Must Followed by 1983 sequel, a TV series (with Die, The Rooney), and a prequel in 2003. [G] ▼●쩠 Black Widow (1954) C-95m. ★★ D: NunBlack Stallion Returns, The (1983) Cnally Johnson. Ginger Rogers, Van Hef93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Dalva. Kelly Reno, lin, Gene Tierney, George Raft, Peggy Vincent Spano, Allen Goorwitz (Garfield), Ann Garner, Reginald Gardiner, Virginia Woody Strode, Ferdinand Mayne, Jodi Leith, Otto Kruger, Cathleen Nesbitt, Skip Thelen, Teri Garr. Fair action sequel with Homeier. Broadway producer Heflin takes Reno, now a teenager, searching the Sayoung writer Garner under his wing, is hara for his Arabian horse. Those expectnaturally suspected when she turns up dead ing the magic of the original will be in his apartment. Glossy but dull adaptadisappointed. First-time director Dalva edtion of Patrick Quentin mystery, with reited the 1979 film. Followed by THE markably poor performances by Rogers as YOUNG BLACK STALLION. [PG]▼●쩠 bitchy star and Raft as dogged detective. Black Streetfighter, The SEE: Black Fist Johnson also produced and wrote the Black Sunday (1961-Italian) 83m. ★★1⁄2 screenplay. CinemaScope.쩠 D: Mario Bava. Barbara Steele, John RichBlack Widow (1987) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: ardson, Ivo Garrani, Andrea Checchi. IntriBob Rafelson. Debra Winger, Theresa Rusguing story of the one day each century when sell, Sami Frey, Dennis Hopper, Nicol Satan roams the earth. Steele is a witch who Williamson, Terry O’Quinn, D. W. Mofswears vengeance on the descendants of those fett, Lois Smith, Mary Woronov, Rutanya who killed her hundreds of years ago. BeauAlda, James Hong, Diane Ladd. Female tifully atmospheric.▼●쩠 investigator for the Justice Dept. becomes ★★★ Black Sunday (1977) C-143m. D: intrigued—then obsessed—by young woJohn Frankenheimer. Robert Shaw, Bruce man who seduces, marries, and murders Dern, Marthe Keller, Fritz Weaver, Steven wealthy men. Handsome, stylishly crafted Keats, Bekim Fehmiu, Michael V. Gazzo, yarn, loaded with sexual tension, that stops William Daniels. International terrorist just short of hitting the mark. Winger and organization plots to blow up the Super Russell are both terrific. Photographed by Bowl, enlists the aid of former Vietnam Conrad Hall; effective music score by MiPOW Dern, who pilots the TV blimp. chael Small. Amusing cameo by playwright Generally compelling adaptation (by Ernest David Mamet as one of Winger’s pokerLehman, Kenneth Ross, Ivan Moffat) of playing colleagues. [R]▼●쩠 the Thomas Harris best-seller, with Dern Black Windmill, The (1974-British) Cat his unhinged best. Splendid aerial ★★1⁄2 D: Don Siegel. Michael Caine, 106m. photography. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Joseph O’Conor, Donald Pleasence, John Black Swan, The (1942) C-85m. ★★★ D: Vernon, Janet Suzman, Delphine Seyrig. Henry King. Tyrone Power, Maureen Slick, craftsmanlike but generally undistinO’Hara, Laird Cregar, Thomas Mitchell, guished thriller, as espionage agent Caine tries George Sanders, Anthony Quinn, George to locate his son’s kidnappers. Siegel has done Zucco. Power is at his dashing best in this better. Aka DRABBLE. Panavision. [PG]▼ lively swashbuckler from the Rafael SabatBlack Zoo (1963) 88m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert ini novel about rival pirate gangs in the CaGordon. Michael Gough, Virginia Grey, ribbean. Sanders seems to be having fun Jerome Cowan, Elisha Cook, Jeanne Cooper. cast against type as a scurrilous brigand. Gough, head of private zoo, doubles as Enhanced by Alfred Newman’s music and leader of cult of animal worshipers. Good Leon Shamroy’s Oscar-winning Technicast flounders, but film has a moment or color cinematography. ▼쩠 [ 141 ]

two. From the man who gave you I WAS Sean Young, Edward James Olmos, William A TEEN-AGE WEREWOLF. Panavision. Sanderson, Daryl Hannah, Joe Turkel, Joanna Blacula (1972) C-92m. ★★★ D: William Cassidy, Brion James. In 21st-century L.A., a Crain. William Marshall, Denise Nichoformer cop (Ford) is recruited to track down las, Vonetta McGee, Thalmus Rasulala, androids who have mutinied in space and Ketty Lester, Elisha Cook, Jr., Gordon made their way to Earth. A triumph of proPinsent. Dracula bit a Black Prince and duction design, defeated by a muddled script now black vampire is stalking the streets and main characters with no appeal whatsoof L.A. Some terrific shocks, and some ever. However, the film has a fervent followvery lively dialogue. Sequel: SCREAM, ing. Loosely based on Philip K. Dick’s novel BLACULA, SCREAM. [PG] ▼●쩠 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? FuturBlade (1973) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ernest Pinistic stylings by Syd Mead and Lawrence G. toff. John Marley, Jon Cypher, Kathryn Paull. At least two alternate versions have Walker, William Prince, John Schuck, Rue been released since the original, followed in McClanahan, Morgan Freeman. N.Y.-made 1993 by the ‘‘director’s cut,’’ which the film’s actioner about female-hating Cypher, who inchampions hail as a vast improvement: Ford’s dulges in violent killings, and tough policevoice-over has been dropped, footage has man Marley, who tracks him down. A bit been added, and the ending has changed. In pretentious and involved; fairly absorbing. 2007 a 117m. ‘‘final cut’’ edition was re[R]▼ leased that clarifies at least one key plot Blade (1998) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen point. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Norrington. Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, Blades of Glory (2007) C-93m. ★★★ D: Kris Kristofferson, N’bushe Wright, Donal Josh Gordon, Will Speck. Will Ferrell, Jon Logue, Udo Kier, Arly Jover, Traci Lords, Heder, Will Arnett, Amy Poehler, William Tim Guinee. If you think you’ve seen bloody Fichtner, Jenna Fischer, Craig T. Nelson, urban-vigilante pics before . . . well, you Andy Richter, Nick Swardson, Scott Hamilhaven’t. Snipes is part human and part vamton, William Daniels, Rob Corddry, Tom pire, which means he’s the perfect warrior to Virtue, Re´my Girard. Two brawling supercombat a megalomaniacal bloodsucker who’s star figure skaters are banned for life in the plotting world domination. A potentially rousmen’s singles competitions after one fight ing 90m. gorefest bloated by a half hour, film too many. Years later these polar opposites never tops its spectacularly gross opening set reluctantly team up as the first male pairs piece in a vampire disco. Based on the characskating team, much to the chagrin of a ter created for Marvel Comics by Marv Wolftwisted brother-and-sister duo who consider man. Followed by two sequels. Clairmontthem archrivals. Milking every moment on Scope. [R] ▼●쩠 the ice and exhausting every crotch joke in Blade II (2002) C-116m. ★★ D: Guillermo their canon, Ferrell and Heder fill the rink del Toro. Wesley Snipes, Kris Kristofferwith laughs. Look for a Luke Wilson cameo son, Ron Perlman, Leonor Varela, Norman and a slew of real-life skating stars. [PGReedus, Thomas Kretschmann, Luke Goss, 13] 쩠 Donnie Yen. Our half-human, half-vampire Blade: Trinity (2004) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: hero makes a highly unlikely move, joining David S. Goyer. Wesley Snipes, Kris Krisforces with his vampiric enemies in order to tofferson, Dominic Purcell, Jessica Biel, wipe out a virulent band of mutants. Not Ryan Reynolds, Parker Posey, Mark Berry, much story here, and not much in the way of John Michael Higgins, Callum Keith Rencharacter; that leaves action and special efnie, Triple H (Paul Michael Levesque), fects, which are certainly slick, with lots of James Remar, Natasha Lyonne, Eric Bogovisceral violence, but the movie runs out of sian. Blade (Snipes) and the Night Stalkers, energy surprisingly early. Followed by a band of vampire hunters, strain to save BLADE: TRINITY. [R] ▼쩠 humanity from the grip of bloodsucking vilBlade Master, The (1984-Italian) C-92m. lains and a resurrected Dracula (Purcell). ★1⁄2 D: David Hills. Miles O’Keeffe, Lisa Poorly directed, lackadaisically plotted highFoster (Lisa Raines), Charles Borromel, tech actioner may please BLADE fans, but David Cain Haughton, Chen Wong. Silly it’s pretty lame. Posey is campy fun as a sequel to ATOR THE FIGHTING EAGLE scheming bloodsucker. Unrated DVD version runs 124m. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 has O’Keeffe as the prehistoric warrior on a quest to protect the Earth from a primiBlair Witch Project, The (1999) C/B&W87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Daniel Myrick, Eduardo Santive atomic bomb called the ‘‘Geometric Nucleus.’’ As in TARZAN, THE APE chez. Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, MAN, O’Keeffe wrestles with an oversize Joshua Leonard. Young woman hires a film rubber snake, but silliest scene has him crew to accompany her into the Maryland hang-gliding to storm an enemy castle. woods to chronicle local, age-old yarns and Original title: ATOR THE INVINCIBLE. superstitions about witchcraft. Soon the TV title: CAVE DWELLERS. [PG]▼ threesome get lost, and with each day grow Blade Runner (1982) C-118m. ★1⁄2 D: more desperate as spooky goings-on at Ridley Scott. Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, night begin to frazzle their nerves. Largely [ 142 ]

ad-libbed, this comes off more as a student Robin Givens, Christopher Lawford, Lynne exercise than a movie, but by the end does Thigpen, Jon Polito, Jason Alexander. create an atmosphere of fear and anxiety. Shrill, witless comedy in which Wayans beFollowed by BOOK OF SHADOWS: comes a crimefighting superman in a crimeBLAIR WITCH 2. [R]▼●쩠 ridden metropolis. He has no super powers; ★★1 Blame It on Rio (1984) C-100m. he’s aided instead by his own homemade ⁄2 D: Stanley Donen. Michael Caine, Joseph Bocontraptions. Might have some appeal to logna, Valerie Harper, Michelle Johnson, less-discriminating five-year-old boys. WayDemi Moore, Jose Lewgoy. Caine has a ans coscripted. [PG-13]▼●쩠 fling with his best friend’s sexy teenage Blast From the Past (1999) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 daughter while vacationing in Rio de JaD: Hugh Wilson. Brendan Fraser, Alicia Silneiro. Caine’s terrific, Johnson is volupverstone, Christopher Walken, Sissy Spacek, tuous, Demi is obviously intimidated in Dave Foley, Jenifer Lewis, Rex Linn. topless beach scenes, and the script is Young man emerges after spending his enkind of a sniggering TV sitcom, with a tire 35 years in a fallout shelter with his heavy-handed music score of too-familiar loving parents, only to find that contemporecords. Written by Charlie Peters and rary life in L.A. is not the way he pictured it Larry Gelbart. Remake of the French to be. Cute-enough comedy benefits from film ONE WILD MOMENT. [R]▼●쩠 Fraser’s enthusiasm, but Silverstone’s charBlame It on the Bellboy (1991-British) acter is fuzzily defined at best. Spacek and C-78m. ★★ D: Mark Herman. Dudley especially Walken are wonderful as the Moore, Bryan Brown, Richard Griffiths, early ’60s parents who remain in a time Penelope Wilton, Andreas Katsulas, Patsy warp. Also available in PG version. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Kensit, Alison Steadman, Bronson Pinchot, Lindsay Anderson. Behind the dynamic title Blast-Off SEE: Those Fantastic Flying lies an old-fashioned farce: three guys, Fools named Orton, Lawton, and Horton, check Blaze (1989) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ron Shelinto a Venice hotel, leading to the expected ton. Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovich, mix-ups after bellboy Pinchot confuses their Jerry Hardin, Gailard Sartain, Jeffrey messages. Brown (as a hit man) and the DeMunn, Garland Bunting, Richard Jenshort running time keep this sometimes kins, Robert Wuhl. Newman gives a flashy, sleazy comedy from being a complete oruninhibited performance as Earl Long, the deal; even at 78m., though, you can feel the flamboyant governor of Louisiana in the padding. [PG-13]▼●쩠 1950s who fell headlong in love with stripBlame It on the Night (1984) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: per Blaze Starr (Davidovich, in her first Gene Taft. Nick Mancuso, Byron Thames, lead role). Seemingly surefire story, pepLeslie Ackerman, Dick Bakalyan, Merry pered with colorful characters and incidents, Clayton, Billy Preston, Ollie E. Brown. falls alarmingly flat after a while and never Plodding tale of rock star Mancuso, who recovers. Real-life Blaze Starr appears fleetattempts to buy the love of his ultrastraight, ingly as Lily, the stripper whose shoulder illegitimate, military cadet son. Based on a Newman kisses backstage. [R]▼●쩠 story by Taft and Mick Jagger. [PG-13]▼ Blaze of Noon (1947) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Blanche Fury (1948-British) C-95m. ★★★ Farrow. Anne Baxter, William Holden, D: Marc Allegret. Stewart Granger, ValSonny Tufts, William Bendix, Sterling Hayerie Hobson, Walter Fitzgerald, Michael den. Hokey story of Holden torn between Gough, Maurice Denham. Beautifully his wife (Baxter) and his true love, flying. mounted gothic melodrama about a goverBlazing Magnums SEE: Strange Shadness who marries into wealthy family and ows in an Empty Room the headstrong steward (Granger) who asBlazing Saddles (1974) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: pires to run the estate.▼ Mel Brooks. Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Blank Check (1994) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Rupert Harvey Korman, Madeline Kahn, Slim Wainwright. Brian Bonsall, Karen Duffy, Pickens, David Huddleston, Alex Karras, Miguel Ferrer, Michael Lerner, James RebBurton Gilliam, Mel Brooks, John Hillerman, horn, Jayne Atkinson, Michael Faustino, Liam Dunn, Carol Arthur, Dom DeLuise, Chris Demetral, Tone Loc, Rick DucomRobert Ridgely, George Furth. Brooks’ first mun, Debbie Allen, Lu Leonard. Comedy hit movie is a riotous Western spoof, with for blank minds shamelessly rips off HOME Little an unlikely sheriff, Korman as villainALONE. 11-year-old manages to cash thug ous Hedley Lamarr, and Kahn as a DietrichFerrer’s check for a million dollars, parlaying like chanteuse. None of Brooks’ later films it into such life necessities as a dishy grownup have topped this one for sheer belly laughs. girlfriend and a backyard water slide. Hard to Scripted by Brooks, Andrew Bergman, Richswallow even on its own slumming-Disney ard Pryor, Norman Steinberg, and Alan Uger; level, but likely to hit very young children story by Bergman. Title song sung by Frankie Laine. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 where they live. [PG]▼●쩠 Blankman (1994) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Mike Bleak Moments (1971-British) C-111m. ★★★ D: Mike Leigh. Anne Raitt, Sarah SteBinder. Damon Wayans, David Alan Grier, [ 143 ]

phenson, Eric Allan, Joolia Cappleman, Mike Blind Dating (2007) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Bradwell, Liz Smith. Leigh’s debut feature is Keach. Chris Pine, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Ana potent, deeply human drama, which charts jali Jay, Stephen Tobolowsky, Jane Seymour, the plight of a lonesome officeworker (Raitt) Sendhil Ramamurthy, Frank Gerrish, Pooch who looks after her mentally retarded sister Hall. Self-reliant young man (Pine) who’s and hopes that her relationship with a been blind all his life wants to find a woman schoolteacher will lead to marriage. Leigh to love who won’t pity him. After endless (who also scripted) offers knowing insight dead-end dates he finds himself attracted to into his characters.▼쩠 an Indian-American woman who works for Blessed Event (1932) 81m. ★★★ D: Roy his eye doctor . . . but she brings her own Del Ruth. Lee Tracy, Mary Brian, Dick baggage to the relationship. Comedy-drama Powell, Emma Dunn, Frank McHugh, Allen shifts tone from sweet sincerity to gross-out Jenkins, Ned Sparks, Ruth Donnelly. Tracomedy, with mixed results. (Seymour, as cy’s most famous role has him a Walter Pine’s psychiatrist, is so turned on during Winchell prototype whose spicy column their sessions she feels impelled to shed her clothes!) [PG-13]쩠 makes him famous but also gets him in hot water; Powell makes film debut as croonBlind Faith (1998) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ernest er. Fast-moving, delightful.▼● Dickerson. Courtney B. Vance, Charles S. Bless the Beasts & Children (1972) Dutton, Kadeem Hardison, Lonette McKee, C-109m. ★★★ D: Stanley Kramer. Billy Garland Whitt. Two brothers, one a police Mumy, Barry Robins, Miles Chapin, Ken captain and the other a defense attorney, Swofford, Jesse White, Vanessa Brown. Excitfind their relationship—and their own sense of ing and well-intentioned, if repetitious, story of self-worth as black men in 1950s America— six young misfit boys, campers at a ranch, who turned upside down when the captain’s son attempt to free a captive herd of buffalo schedis accused of murder. Hard-hitting drama, uled for slaughter. The Barry DeVorzon–Perry which opens in the late ’80s, focuses on the Botkin music that later became known as racial divide and unjust justice system. ‘‘Nadia’s Theme’’ and the Young and the Solid performances, especially from the two Restless theme originated here. [PG]▼ leads. Released theatrically (at 118m.) after 1 ★ debut on U.S. cable TV. [R]▼● Bless the Child (2000) C-108m. ⁄2 D: Chuck Russell. Kim Basinger, Jimmy Smits, Blindfold (1966) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Philip Holliston Coleman, Rufus Sewell, Angela Dunne. Rock Hudson, Claudia Cardinale, Bettis, Christina Ricci, Michael Gaston, Ian Jack Warden, Guy Stockwell, Anne SeyHolm. Basinger has raised her addict sister’s mour. Attractive cast falters in film that daughter (Coleman) to the age of six; when wavers from comedy to mystery. Slapstick she shows signs of spiritual powers, the scenes seem incongruous as Hudson enchild is sought by millionaire Satanist Sewgages in international espionage with a ell, who’s involved in a series of child killnoted scientist. Panavision. ings. Smits is the detective on the case. Blind Fury (1990) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: PhilReligious horror thriller veers wildly from lip Noyce. Rutger Hauer, Terrance (Terry) the promising to the ludicrous, and is never O’Quinn, Brandon Call, Lisa Blount, Ranremotely convincing. Based on the novel by dall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, Noble Willingham, Meg Cathy Cash Spellman. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Foster, Sho Kosugi, Nick Cassavetes, Blind Date (1984) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nico Charles Cooper, Rick Overton. Smiling, Mastorakis. Joseph Bottoms, Kirstie Alsword-wielding, blind Vietnam vet Hauer ley, James Daughton, Lana Clarkson, Keir carves up bad guys, saves a kid, and even Dullea. Dr. Dullea tests a portable maduels with his mentor in this brash, lively chine that stimulates vision on blind Bot(but failed) attempt to Americanize Japanese toms, causing Bottoms to become obsessed ‘‘Zato-ichi’’ movies. Hauer is perfectly cast, with capturing a psycho killer who’s on and the film is amusingly tongue-in-cheek, the loose. Solid cast perks up a contrived but it doesn’t altogether work. [R]▼●쩠 thriller, filmed in Greece. [R]▼쩠 Blindman (1972-Italian) C-105m. ★★ D: Blind Date (1987) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Blake Ferdinando Baldi. Tony Anthony, Ringo Edwards. Kim Basinger, Bruce Willis, John Starr, Agneta Eckemyr, Lloyd Batista. Larroquette, William Daniels, Phil HartBlindman (Anthony) seeks revenge on man man, Stephanie Faracy, Joyce Van Patten, who stole 50 mail-order brides. Mindless Alice Hirson, George Coe, Mark Blum, entertainment, though any movie with Graham Stark. Tiresome retread of all-tooRingo as a slimy Mexican bandit can’t be all familiar farcical material by Blake Edbad. Techniscope. [R] wards. Yuppie Willis takes Basinger out Blind Man’s Bluff SEE: Cauldron of Blood on a blind date, warned that she can’t Blindness (2008-Canadian-Brazilian-Japanese) tolerate alcohol—and immediately gives C-121m. ★★ D: Fernando Meirelles. Juliher champagne. Alternately boring and anne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover, grating. This was Willis’ starring debut; Gael Garcı´a Bernal, Alice Braga, Yusuke guitarist Stanley Jordan makes a musical Iseya, Yoshino Kimura, Maury Chaykin, appearance. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Don McKellar, Mitchell Nye, Sandra Oh. [ 144 ]

Dreary, pointless parable about people sudthe husband, who unwittingly unlocks the denly and randomly going blind including, door to his wife’s forgotten past. Melodraironically enough, an eye doctor (Ruffalo) matic story gets in the way of some genubut not his wife (Moore), who retains her inely interesting and even educational sight. As they and other victims are herded dialogue, though it’s almost too clinical at into captivity by the government, all the times. Actress Taylor-Young is the sister of worst elements of human nature rise to the the writer-director. Filmed in 1995. [R] surface in a bare-knuckle struggle for sur▼●쩠 vival. Off-putting and ugly, to say the least. Bliss of Mrs. Blossom, The (1968-U.S.British) C-93m. ★★★ D: Joe McGrath. Based on a novel by Jose´ Saramago. [R]쩠 Blind Spot: Hitler’s Secretary (2002Shirley MacLaine, Richard Attenborough, Austrian) C-87m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Andre´ Heller, James Booth, Freddie Jones, Bob Monkhouse, Othmar Schmiderer. Intense, fascinating John Cleese. Oddball, original comedy with documentary in which 81-year-old Traudl delicious performances. Wife of brassiere Junge recalls her life as Adolf Hitler’s primanufacturer keeps a lover in their attic for vate secretary from 1942 until his death five years. Bogs down toward the end, but (later dramatized in DOWNFALL). There for the most part a delight. [M/PG]▼● is no archival footage; the film consists of Blithe Spirit (1945-British) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 Junge talking, and what she says is so comD: David Lean. Rex Harrison, Constance pelling that one can only watch, and listen, Cummings, Kay Hammond, Margaret Ruthin stunned silence as she contrasts personal erford, Hugh Wakefield, Joyce Carey. Dememories of her boss with the reality of licious adaptation of Noel Coward’s comedywho he was. She also reveals her subsefantasy about a man whose long-dead first quent guilt about working for him. Junge’s wife appears to haunt—and taunt—him in recollections of Hitler’s final days are espehis newly married life. Rutherford is woncially gripping. She died just as the film derful as Madame Arcati, the spiritual meddebuted in Berlin. [PG]▼쩠 ium; this earned an Oscar for its special Blind Swordsman, The SEE: Zatoˆichi, effects. Scripted by the director, the prothe Blind Swordsman ducer (Anthony Havelock-Allan), and the 1 ★★ Blink (1994) C-106m. ⁄2 D: Michael cinematographer (Ronald Neame).▼●쩠 Apted. Madeleine Stowe, Aidan Quinn, Blob, The (1958) C-86m. ★★ D: Irvin S. Laurie Metcalf, James Remar, Peter FriedYeaworth, Jr. Steven McQueen, Aneta man, Bruce A. Young, Matt Roth, Paul DilCorseaut (Corsaut), Earl Rowe, Olin Howlon. Did she or didn’t she see a murderer lin. Endearingly campy classic of cheap leaving the scene of the crime? That’s the ’50s sci-fi has ‘‘Steven’’ (in his first starring central question when beautiful, strongrole) leading teenagers into battle to save willed musician Stowe, blind since childtheir small town from being swallowed up hood, has her sight restored. Story relies on by giant glop of cherry Jell-O from outer viewer’s acceptance of screenwriter’s gimspace. Not really all that good, but how can mick of ‘‘retroactive vision,’’ a post-suryou hate a film like this? (Especially when gery delayed reaction. Best thing in film is Burt Bacharach composed the title song.) Stowe; otherwise this treads on too familiar Later redubbed for comic effect as BLOBblind-woman-in-jeopardy territory. AlternaERMOUTH. Sequel: BEWARE! THE BLOB. Remade 30 years later.▼●쩠 tive Irish-American band The Drovers appear as themselves. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Blob, The (1988) C-95m. ★★ D: Chuck Bliss (1985-Australian) C-111m. ★1⁄2 D: Russell. Shawnee Smith, Donovan Leitch, Ray Lawrence. Barry Otto, Lynette CurRicky Paull Goldin, Kevin Dillon, Billy ran, Helen Jones, Miles Buchanan, Gia Beck, Candy Clark, Joe Seneca. Needless, if Carides, Tim Robertson. High-powered undeniably gooey, remake about a man-made businessman has a major heart attack, sees what’s-it that wipes out the standard number himself dying, then revives—which changes of vagrants and oversexed teenagers on its way his entire outlook on life. After a dynamic to enveloping a small town. Showstopper finds opening this stylized satire slows to a a restaurant employee getting pulled head first snail’s pace and loses its thrust. Neverthedown a kitchen drain after foolishly atless, it was an Australian Academy Award tempting to ‘‘plunge’’ the Blob. [R] ▼●쩠 winner and an international film festival Blockade (1938) 85m. ★★★ D: William favorite, so judge for yourself. [R]▼● Dieterle. Madeleine Carroll, Henry Fonda, Bliss (1997) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lance Leo Carrillo, John Halliday, Vladimir SokoYoung. Craig Sheffer, Terence Stamp, loff, Reginald Denny. Vivid romance drama Sheryl Lee, Spalding Gray, Casey Siemaszof Spanish Civil War with globe-trotting ko, Ken Camroux, Pamela Perry, Leigh Carroll falling in love with fighting Fonda.쩠 Taylor-Young, Lois Chiles, Theresa Saldana, Block-Heads (1938) 55m. ★★★ D: John G. Molly Parker. Unusual film about a young Blystone. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Pamarried couple’s emotional journey into sextricia Ellis, Minna Gombell, Billy Gilbert, ual awakening with the help of a sex theraJames Finlayson. Stan’s been marching in pist. Stamp excels as teacher and mentor to a trench for 20 years—nobody told him [ 145 ]

WW1 was over! Ollie brings him home to James Gleason fine as Marion’s dad. Best are find he hasn’t changed. Top L&H. Also Davies and Durante spoofing Garbo and Barshown in computer-colored version. ▼쩠 rymore in GRAND HOTEL. Blockhouse, The (1973-British) C-90m. Blood Alley (1955) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wil★1 ⁄2 D: Clive Rees. Peter Sellers, Charles liam Wellman. John Wayne, Lauren Bacall, Aznavour, Per Oscarsson, Peter Vaughan, Paul Fix, Mike Mazurki, Anita Ekberg. Jeremy Kemp, Alfred Lynch. Dismal, Enjoyable escapism with Wayne, Bacall, downbeat story of laborers trapped in unand assorted Chinese escaping down river derground bunker when the Allies land at to Hong Kong pursued by Communists. Normandy on D-Day. ▼쩠 CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Blonde Ambition (2007) C-93m. ★★ D: Blood and Black Lace (1964-ItalianScott Marshall. Jessica Simpson, Luke WilFrench-German) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Mario son, Rachael Leigh Cook, Penelope Ann Bava. Cameron Mitchell, Eva Bartok, Mary Miller, Andy Dick, Larry Miller, Willie Arden. Gruesome thriller about a sex Nelson. Lightweight fluff about a smallmurderer doing in fashion models. Wooden town innocent (Simpson) who follows her script and performances don’t help. Fans unfaithful boyfriend to N.Y.C., where she of the genre will at least enjoy Bava’s lucks into a job as secretary for the president imaginative direction.▼●쩠 of a large construction company. Although Blood and Chocolate (2007-British-Germanobviously inspired by WORKING GIRL Romanian-U.S.) C-98m. ★★ D: Katja von and LEGALLY BLONDE, this trifle actuGarnier. Agnes Bruckner, Olivier Martinez, ally plays more like some innocuous Gidget Hugh Dancy, Bryan Dick, Katja Riemann, or Tammy comedy of yore. Simpson isn’t Chris Geere, Tom Harper, John Kerr, Jack half bad, and Larry Miller (as her boss) unWilson. A teenage werewolf Juliet is torn derplays amusingly. Look for a cameo by between loyalty to her pack and love for a Penny Marshall, aunt of the movie’s direchuman Romeo, while clan leaders violently tor. [PG-13]쩠 disapprove. Pallid adaptation of Annette Blonde Bait (1956-British) 70m. ★★ D: Curtis Klause’s 1997 palpably erotic youngElmo Williams. Beverly Michaels, Jim adult novel inexplicably (and pointlessly) Davis, Joan Rice, Richard Travis, Paul moves the drastically altered storyline from Cavanagh, Thora Hird, Avril Angers, GorWest Virginia to Romania! Results are thin don Jackson. Cheap, toothy blond bomband semisweet, albeit scenic. Super 35. shell Michaels excels as a Yank showgirl [PG-13]쩠 breaking out of a sedate British prison for Blood and Concrete (1991) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 women. British film, originally titled D: Jeffrey Reiner. Billy Zane, Jennifer WOMEN WITHOUT MEN, was retitled, Beals, Darren McGavin, James Le Gros, reedited, and reshot (with Davis, Travis, and Nicholas Worth, William Bastiani, Harry Cavanagh added to cast) for U.S. release. Shearer. Offbeat but way overbaked comic Blonde Bombshell SEE: Bombshell thriller about third-rate car thief Zane and 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Roy Blonde Crazy (1931) 79m. troubled singer Beals, who fall in love Del Ruth. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, and become involved in murder and mayLouis Calhern, Ray Milland, Polly Walhem. Tries to be hip and stylish, and ters, Nat Pendleton. Dated fun with Cagney occasionally succeeds, but too self-conas small-time con man who plays cat-andscious for its own good. The full title is mouse with big-time sharpie Calhern. Young BLOOD AND CONCRETE, A LOVE Milland appears as businessman who marries STORY. [R]▼● Jimmy’s girlfriend, Blondell. ▼● Blood & Donuts (1995-Canadian) C-89m. Blonde Venus (1932) 97m. ★★★ D: Josef ★★★ D: Holly Dale. Gordon Currie, Justin von Sternberg. Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Louis, Helene Clarkson, Fiona Reid, Frank Marshall, Cary Grant, Dickie Moore, SidMoore, David Cronenberg. Reluctant vamney Toler. Episodic story of notorious pire Currie crawls into his bag when man Dietrich leading unsavory life to support first walks on the moon, reemerging in conherself and child. A triumph of style over temporary Toronto, where he holes up in a content; this is the film where Marlene 24-hour donut shop. Characterful comedy/ appears in an ape suit to sing ‘‘Hot drama plays colloquially, like DINER, but Voodoo’’! ▼●쩠 at night and with fangs. Cronenberg plays a Blondie series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s gangster. [R]▼● Classic Movie Guide Blood and Roses (1961-Italian) C-74m. Blondie of the Follies (1932) 90m. ★★1⁄2 ★★1⁄2 D: Roger Vadim. Mel Ferrer, Elsa D: Edmund Goulding. Marion Davies, RobMartinelli, Annette Vadim, Marc Allegret. ert Montgomery, Billie Dove, Jimmy DuThis story of a jealous girl’s obsession rante, ZaSu Pitts, Sidney Toler, Louise with her family’s history of vampirism Carter. Davies and Dove vie for the affecwas based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s Carmilla. tion of Montgomery, while ascending to Despite effective moments, film does stardom in the Follies. Dramatically wobbly, but the musical numbers are fun. not succeed. Same story refilmed as THE [ 146 ]

VAMPIRE LOVERS and THE BLOODSPATTERED BRIDE. Technirama.▼ Blood and Sand (1922) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fred Niblo. Rudolph Valentino, Lila Lee, Nita Naldi, George Field, Walter Long, Leo White. Dated but still absorbing story of bullfighter Valentino torn between goodgirl Lee and vampish Naldi. Scenes of hero being seduced are laughable, but bullfight material holds up well. Remade in 1941 and 1989.▼●쩠 Blood and Sand (1941) C-123m. ★★★ D: Rouben Mamoulian. Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Rita Hayworth, Nazimova, Anthony Quinn, J. Carrol Naish, John Carradine, George Reeves. Pastel remake of Valentino’s silent film about naive bullfighter who ignores true-love (Darnell) for temptress (Hayworth). Slow-paced romance uplifted by Nazimova’s knowing performance as Power’s mother; beautiful color production earned cinematographers Ernest Palmer and Ray Rennahan Oscars.▼쩠 Blood and Sand (1989-Spanish) C-95m. ★★ D: Javier Elorrieta. Chris Rydell, Sharon Stone, Ana Torrent, Guillermo Montesinus, Albert Vidal, Simon Andreu, Antonio Glez Flores. Cocky young bullfighter achieves success in the arena and forsakes his loving wife for a sexy siren. Authentic Spanish locations and good bullfighting footage compensate for predictability of this drama; hot sex scenes are what distinguish it from the earlier versions.▼●쩠 Blood and Wine (1997) C-101m. ★★★ D: Bob Rafelson. Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Judy Davis, Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Lopez, Harold Perrineau, Jr. Juicy film noir about a Florida no-good with an embittered wife, a resentful stepson, and a sexy Cuban mistress, who takes on an unlikely partner (an oily, consumptive Caine) for a highrisk jewel robbery. Delicious detail fills this well-thought-out melodrama; only fault is that it goes on a bit too long. Nicholson and Caine make a marvelous team. [R]▼●쩠 Blood Barrier (1979-British) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher Leitch. Telly Savalas, Danny De La Paz, Eddie Albert, Michael Gazzo, Cecilia Camacho. Savalas plays a maverick border-patrolman who hates slimy Gazzo’s exploitation of poor Mexicans, illegally trucked by Gazzo to California to be day laborers. Interesting drama isn’t fully developed and suffers from pointless finale. Exteriors filmed in Mexico. Originally titled THE BORDER. Aka BORDER COP. [R]

but overall a mishmash. Shown on TV as TRACK OF THE VAMPIRE.▼쩠 Blood Beast from Outer Space SEE: Night Caller from Outer Space Bloodbrothers (1978) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Mulligan. Richard Gere, Paul Sorvino, Tony Lo Bianco, Lelia Goldoni, Yvonne Wilder, Kenneth McMillan, Marilu Henner, Danny Aiello. Interesting if somewhat overblown drama about big-city construction workers. Best when actors have opportunity to underplay, e.g., Sorvino’s touching story of baby son’s death, Gere’s interplay with young hospital patients. Gere stands out as son who wants to break away from family tradition. Mulligan later recut this to 98m. [R]▼ Blood Demon, The SEE: Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, The Blood Diamond (2006) C-143m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward Zwick. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Connelly, Djimon Hounsou, Kagiso Kuypers, Arnold Vosloo, Michael Sheen, David Harewood, Basil Wallace, Ntare Mwine, Marius Weyers, Stephen Collins, Jimi Mistry. Loud, intense action drama with an Agenda: mercenary DiCaprio learns that a poor fisherman (Hounsou) who’s been separated from his family in Sierra Leone has hidden a huge pink diamond . . . and he means to find it, by any means necessary. Strong performances and well-staged action scenes would normally equal good entertainment, but extreme carnage and the heavily pounded message about ‘‘conflict diamonds’’ and their human toll make it difficult to take. Hounsou is outstanding as the simple man whose life is made a living hell in civil war–torn Sierra Leone, circa 1999. Hawk-Scope. [R]쩠 Blood Evil SEE: Demons of the Mind Blood Feud (1979-Italian) C-112m. ★★ D: Lina Wertmuller. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Giancarlo Giannini, Turi Ferro. Lawyer Mastroianni and hood Giannini both love Sicilian widow Loren, and she returns their favors. Loud, overblown, ineffective; set during the Fascist ’20s. Also known as REVENGE, cut to 99m. [R]▼ Blood Fiend SEE: Theatre of Death Blood for Dracula SEE: Andy Warhol’s Dracula Blood From the Mummy’s Tomb (1972British) C-94m. ★★★ D: Seth Holt, Michael Carreras. Andrew Keir, Valerie Leon, James Villiers, Hugh Burden. Surprisingly satisfying chiller dealing with attempt at reincarnating ancient Egyptian high priestess. Based on Bram Stoker’s Jewel of the ▼쩠 Blood Bath (1966) 80m. ★1⁄2 D: Stephanie Seven Stars. Remade as THE AWAKENRothman, Jack Hill. William Campbell, ING. [PG]▼쩠 Jonathan Haze, Sid Haig, Marissa Mathes, Bloodhounds of Broadway (1952) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harmon Jones. Mitzi Gaynor, Scott Lori Saunders, Sandra Knight. Another AIP paste-job, with half an hour from a Brady, Mitzi Green, Marguerite Chapman, Yugoslavian vampire film worked into tale Michael O’Shea, Wally Vernon, Henry Slate, of California artist who murders his models. George E. Stone, Sharon Baird, Charles Eerie atmosphere, some occasional frissons, Buchinski (Bronson). Lightweight musical [ 147 ]

inspired by Damon Runyon stories. Brady is Dracula and his bride ‘‘collecting’’ girls and chaining them up. [M]▼쩠 ‘‘Numbers’’ Foster, a gambler on the lam who takes a shine to backwoods girl Gaynor Blood of Fu Manchu, The (1968) C-91m. ★★ and brings her to Manhattan, where she’s a D: Jesus Franco. Christopher Lee, Tsai fish out of water but catches on fast. Green Chin, Richard Greene, Gotz George, Howhas too little to do, but future Mouseketeer ard Marion Crawford, Shirley Eaton, Maria Rohm. Fourth in Lee’s FU MANCHU seBaird shines in a featured dance number.쩠 Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989) C-93m. ries, several pegs below its predecessors, ★★ D: Howard Brookner. Matt Dillon, finds him in the heart of the Amazon, inMadonna, Jennifer Grey, Rutger Hauer, jecting ten beautiful girls with a deadly poRandy Quaid, Julie Hagerty, Esai Morales, tion and dispatching them to give the kiss of Anita Morris, Madeleine Potter, Ethan Phildeath to his enemies in various capitals. Aka lips, Steve Buscemi, Michael Wincott. Bland KISS AND KILL and AGAINST ALL Damon Runyon tale chronicling the escaODDS (1968). Sequel: THE CASTLE OF pades of a gallery of gangsters, gamblers, and FU MANCHU. Released theatrically in the showgirl types on the Great White Way durU.S. in b&w. Video title: KISS OF DEATH. ing New Year’s Eve, 1928. The cast is game [M/PG]▼쩠 and there are some funny bits, but it’s mostly Blood of Ghastly Horror (1972) C-87m. a snooze. Documentary director Brookner’s BOMB D: Al Adamson. John Carradine, sole fiction feature; he died prior to its reKent Taylor, Tommy Kirk, Regina Carrol. lease. William Burroughs—the subject of one Carradine stars as Dr. Van Ard, whose of his earlier films—appears in a small role brain-transplant experiments lead to muras a butler. A PBS American Playhouse theder and mayhem. Ghastly indeed! Made in atrical production. [PG]▼●쩠 1969; also known as THE FIEND WITH Blood Hunt SEE: Thirsty Dead, The THE ATOMIC BRAIN, PSYCHO A GOBlood In Blood Out SEE: Bound by GO!, THE LOVE MANIAC, THE MAN Honor WITH THE SYNTHETIC BRAIN, and Blood Island SEE: Shuttered Room, The THE FIEND WITH THE ELECTRONIC Blood Legacy (1971) C-90m. ★★ D: Carl BRAIN. Techniscope. ▼쩠 Monson. John Carradine, Faith Domergue, Blood of Heroes, The (1990-AustralianJohn Russell, Merry Anders, Jeff Morrow, U.S.) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: David Peoples. Rutger Richard Davalos. To claim inheritance, heirs to Hauer, Joan Chen, Vincent Phillip D’Onoa fortune must spend a night in a ‘‘haunted’’ frio, Anna Katarina, Delroy Lindo. In the house. Awfully familiar stuff, helped by a few usual desolate post-nuclear war world onegood scenes, and a familiar cast of veterans. eyed Hauer and apprentice Chen are speAka LEGACY OF BLOOD. [R]▼쩠 cialists at ‘‘juggers’’—a kind of futuristic Bloodline (1979) C-116m. BOMB D: Terrugby where the scorer places a dog’s skull ence Young. Audrey Hepburn, Ben Gazatop a vertical stick on the opposing team’s zara, James Mason, Michelle Phillips, Omar goal line. Stick to Home Run Derby reruns Sharif, Romy Schneider, Irene Papas, Gert on ESPN instead; this may be the grimiest Frobe, Beatrice Straight, Maurice Ronet. movie since C.H.U.D., which did, after all, Hepburn finds her life endangered after take place in a sewer. Australian title: SAinheriting a Zurich-based pharmaceutical LUTE OF THE JUGGER. [R]▼●쩠 company. Unbearable adaptation of SidBlood on Satan’s Claw, The (1971-British) ney Sheldon’s novel (one of those best-sellC-93m. ★★★ D: Piers Haggard. Patrick ers California blondes read on the beach Wymark, Linda Hayden, Barry Andrews, when no one wants to play volleyball). Michele Dotrice, Tamara Ustinov. In 17thNearly 40m. of footage added for network century Britain a demon is unearthed which showing. Officially released as SIDNEY a group of evil farm children begin worSHELDON’S BLOODLINE. [R]▼ shipping, sacrificing other children to it. Blood Oath SEE: Prisoners of the Sun Richly atmospheric horror film with erotic Blood of a Poet, The (1930-French) 52m. undertones, somewhat gruesome at times. ★★★ D: Jean Cocteau. Lee Miller, Pauline Original title: SATAN’S SKIN, running Carton, Odette Talazac, Enrique Rivero, 100m. Retitled SATAN’S CLAW. [R]▼ Jean Desbordes. Cocteau’s first feature is a Blood on the Arrow (1964) C-91m. ★1⁄2 highly personal, poetic, symbolic fantasy, D: Sidney Salkow. Dale Robertson, Marwhich supposedly transpires in a split sectha Hyer, Wendell Corey, Elisha Cook, ond: the time it takes for a chimney to crumTed de Corsia. Humdrum Western dealing ble and land. Imaginative, dreamlike, and with Apache massacre and survivors’ atstill a visual delight. The commentary is tempt to rescue son who is held captive. spoken by Cocteau.▼쩠 Blood on the Moon (1948) 88m. ★★★ Blood of Dracula’s Castle (1967) C-84m. D: Robert Wise. Robert Mitchum, BarBOMB D: Al Adamson. John Carradine, bara Bel Geddes, Robert Preston, Walter Paula Raymond, Alex D’Arcy, Robert Dix, Brennan, Phyllis Thaxter, Frank Faylen, Barbara Bishop. Tacky low-budget mixTom Tully, Charles McGraw, Tom Tyler. ture of vampirism and kinky sex, with Straightforward Western tale (from a novel [ 148 ]

by Luke Short) about a drifter who’s hired full of show-offy stylistics; just a bit ‘‘cold by his former partner to help him bilk around the heart,’’ to quote an earlier noir some naive landowners. Mitchum sizes up classic. McDormand’s film debut. Recut, rethe situation and decides he doesn’t like it; mixed, restored, and reissued in 2000 with a Preston is an unrepentant villain. Watch for new 5m. introduction. [R]▼●쩠 that great confrontation scene in a darkBloodsport (1987) C-92m. ★★ D: Newt ened barroom. Also shown in computerArnold. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Donald colored version.▼● Gibb, Leah Ayres, Norman Burton, Forest Blood on the Sun (1945) 98m. ★★★ D: Whitaker, Bolo Yeung. Belgian-born Van Frank Lloyd. James Cagney, Sylvia SidDamme joins the movie macho brigade in ney, Wallace Ford, Rosemary DeCamp, this story (based on true events) of AmeriRobert Armstrong. Newspaper editor Cagcan Ninja Frank Dux, the first westerner to ney, in Japan during the 1930s, smells trouwin the Kumite, an international martial arts ble coming but is virtually helpless; good competition that tests its participants to their melodrama. Also shown in computer-collimits. Violent, low-budget action film has its ored version. ▼●쩠 moments. Followed by three direct-to-video Blood Red (1988) C-91m. BOMB D: Pesequels. [R]▼●쩠 ter Masterson. Eric Roberts, Giancarlo Blood Suckers, The (1967) SEE: Return Giannini, Dennis Hopper, Burt Young, from the Past Bloodsuckers (1970-British) C-87m. ★1⁄2 Carlin Glynn, Lara Harris, Joseph Running Fox, Al Ruscio, Michael Madsen, D: Robert Hartford-Davis. Patrick Macnee, Elias Koteas, Marc Lawrence, Frank CamPeter Cushing, Alex Davion, Patrick Mower, panella, Aldo Ray, Susan Anspach, Horton Johnny Sekka, Medeline Hinde, Imogen Foote, Jr., Julia Roberts. Ruthless, IrishHassall, Edward Woodward. Confusing horborn Hopper wants to build his railroad ror yarn about ancient vampire cult on Greek through the land of Sicilian immigrant island of Hydra, somehow linked to sinister Giannini and his fellow wine-growers in Oxford dons. Mishmash includes many nar1890s California. Dreadful film, with lots rated silent sequences and other evidence of of explosions; huge, good cast can’t save considerable post-production tampering. Aka it. Julia Roberts, Eric’s kid sister, makes INCENSE FOR THE DAMNED and DOCher screen debut as his sibling (and Giannini’s TORS WEAR SCARLET. [R]▼쩠 daughter). [R]▼ Blood Tide (1982) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: RichBlood Relatives (1978-French-Canadian) ard Jeffries. James Earl Jones, Jose´ Ferrer, C-100m. ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Donald Lila Kedrova, Mary Louise Weller, MarSutherland, Aude Landry, Lisa Langlois, tin Kove, Deborah Shelton. Lovely Greek Laurent Malet, Micheline Lanctot, Stephscenery is the only distinction of this subane Audran, Donald Pleasence, David Hemstandard programmer in which a monster mings. Barely released thriller about a from the deep is unleashed, causing presecret, incestuous relationship with deadly dictable mayhem. Good cast shamelessly wasted. Aka THE RED TIDE. [R]▼쩠 consequences. Interesting cast and Chabrol’s cold, scientifically masterful direction make Blood Ties (1986-Italian) C-120m. ★★★ this less unpleasant and gory than it might D: Giacomo Battiato. Brad Davis, Tony have been. Not released until 1981 in Lo Bianco, Vincent Spano, Barbara De U.S. [R]▼ Rossi, Delia Boccardo, Ricky Tognazzi, Blood Salvage (1990) C-98m. ★★ D: Tucker Maria Conchita Alonso, Michael Gazzo. Johnston. Danny Nelson, Lori Birdsong, Uncompromising crime actioner about an John Saxon, Ray Walston, Evander Holyinnocent American (Davis), coerced by field. Grisly gorefest (with humorous the mob into assassinating his Sicilian cousin touches splattered throughout) has religious (Lo Bianco), who’s been investigating Manutso Nelson running a body parts junkyard fia activities. Good job all around. Origiand preying on waylaid tourists. Not for nally a four-hour television movie; video the weak-stomached. Coexecutive producer version runs 98m.▼ of film, heavyweight boxer Evander HolyBlood Wedding (1981-U.S.) SEE: He field, challenged his pugilist peers to sit Knows You’re Alone through this one without flinching; he reBlood Wedding (1981-Spanish) C-72m. ★★★ portedly had no takers. [R]▼● D: Carlos Saura. Antonio Gades, Bloodsilver SEE: Beyond the Law (1968) Cristina Hoyos, Juan Antonio Jimenez, Blood Simple (1984) C-96m. ★★★ D: Joel Pilar Cardenas, Carmen Villena. Gades’ adCoen. John Getz, Frances McDormand, aptation for ballet of Federico Garcia LorDan Hedaya, Samm-Art Williams, M. Emca’s classic tragedy, performed in full met Walsh. Flamboyant homage to film costume in a bare rehearsal hall. Saura’s noir made on a shoestring by brothers Joel direction is best described as intimate in this and Ethan Coen in Texas. A cuckolded happy union of dance and film. ▼●쩠 husband hires slimy character to kill his wife Blood Work (2002) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clint and her boyfriend . . . but that’s just the beginEastwood. Clint Eastwood, Jeff Daniels, ning of this serpentine story. A visual delight, Anjelica Huston, Wanda De Jesus, Tina Lif[ 149 ]

ford, Paul Rodriguez, Dylan Walsh. FBI drugs is an easy way to make money, and profiler, who was forced to retire after heart rapidly becomes America’s leading cocaine transplant surgery, is persuaded to take on a dealer—in between prison terms. Wellmurder case by the sister of the woman acted film based on a real-life figure; only whose heart he inherited. Eastwood has problem is finding a reason to care about him. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 never been more relaxed on-screen, and this movie fits him like a glove, but the buildup Blow Dry (2001-British-U.S.) C-90m. ★★ of the story is much better than the payoff, D: Paddy Breathnach. Alan Rickman, Nawith a perfunctory finale and an all-tootasha Richardson, Rachel Griffiths, Josh obvious revelation about the bad guy. Hartnett, Rachael Leigh Cook, Rosemary Adapted from the novel by Michael ConHarris, Bill Nighy, Heidi Klum. A small nelly, which has a more satisfactory ending. Yorkshire town hosts the National HairPanavision. [R] ▼쩠 dressing Championship, forcing an exBloody Birthday (1986) C-85m. ★★ D: husband-and-wife team to put aside their Ed Hunt. Susan Strasberg, Jose Ferrer, differences for the big wash and curl. The Lori Lethin, Melinda Cordell, Julie Brown, actors try their best but the material (by Joe Penny, Billy Jacoby, Michael Dudikoff. FULL MONTY writer Simon Beaufoy) is Three 10-year-old killer kids go on a ramtoo contrived and calculated, veering wildly page; they were born during a lunar eclipse. from wacky comedy to tearjerker. [R]▼쩠 Formula horror fare ‘‘boasts’’ very tasteBlowing Wild (1953) 90m. ★★ D: Hugo less premise but lapses into the usual killFregonese. Gary Cooper, Barbara Stanwyck, ing spree. Filmed in 1980. [R]▼쩠 Ruth Roman, Anthony Quinn, Ward Bond. Bloody Dead, The SEE: Creature With Tempestuous Stanwyck is married to oil the Blue Hand tycoon Quinn, but sets her sights on wildBloody Judge, The SEE: Night of the catter Cooper, who’s fully recovered from Blood Monster their one-time affair. Heated emotions can’t Bloody Mama (1970) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger warm up this plodding story, filmed in Corman. Shelley Winters, Don Stroud, Pat Mexico.▼● Hingle, Robert De Niro, Clint Kimbrough, Blown Away (1994) C-121m. ★★ D: SteRobert Walden, Diane Varsi, Bruce Dern, Paphen Hopkins. Jeff Bridges, Tommy Lee mela Dunlap. Excellent performances cannot Jones, Lloyd Bridges, Forest Whitaker, save sordid story of Ma Barker and her ugly Suzy Amis, John Finn, Stephi Lineburg, brood. Film unsuccessfully mixes action narLoyd Catlett, Caitlin Clarke, Chris De Oni, rative with psychological study. [R]▼●쩠 Ruben Santiago-Hudson. Dreary action Bloody Sunday (2002-British-Irish) C-110m. thriller with Irish wacko Jones targeting ★★★ Boston’s bomb removal squad—and one D: Paul Greengrass. James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Nicholas Farrell, Gerard member in particular (Bridges, a former McSorley, Kathy Kiera Clarke. British solIRA crony)—with his insidious explosions. diers and Irish civil rights workers clash in Irish accents come and go, and so does story Derry, Northern Ireland, in 1972, with ramiinterest, which trods on all-too-familiar turf. fications that extend to this day. Painstaking Bridges Sr. is fun to watch as a wily old son re-creation, on the cool side but cumulatively of Eire. Cuba Gooding, Jr., appears unpowerful, covers the preliminary events and billed. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 awful aftermath of what was intended to be a Blow Out (1981) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brian peaceful protest. Documentary-like chronicle De Palma. John Travolta, Nancy Allen, is obviously pro-Irish but shows faults on both John Lithgow, Dennis Franz, Peter Boysides of the conflict. U2’s same-named anden. Intriguing variation on Antonioni’s them plays over the final credits. [R] ▼쩠 BLOWUP (with a similar title, no less!) Blossoms in the Dust (1941) C-100m. set in Philadelphia, about a sound-effects ★★★ D: Mervyn LeRoy. Greer Garson, man who records a car accident that turns Walter Pidgeon, Felix Bressart, Marsha out to be a politically motivated murder. Hunt, Fay Holden, Samuel S. Hinds. Slick Absorbing most of the way, but weakened tear-jerker of Texas orphanage founded by by show-off camerawork and logic loopGarson when she loses her own child; holes. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 tastefully acted.▼쩠 Blowup (1966-British-Italian) C-111m. ★★★1 Blow (2001) C-124m. ★★ D: Ted Demme. ⁄2 D: Michelangelo Antonioni. Vanessa Johnny Depp, Pene´lope Cruz, Franka PoRedgrave, David Hemmings, Sarah Miles, tente, Paul Reubens, Ray Liotta, Rachel Jill Kennington, Verushka, Peter Bowles, Griffiths, Jordi Molla, Max Perlich, Cliff Jane Birkin, Gillian Hills, The Yardbirds. Curtis, Ethan Suplee, Emma Roberts, Noah Writer-director Antonioni’s hypnotic popEmmerich, Bobcat Goldthwait. Episodic culture parable of photographer caught in pasflashback saga of a working-class kid who, sive lifestyle during the swinging ’60s. Arhaving seen his father struggle and his resting, provocative film, rich in color mother nag, vows never to be poor. When symbolism, many-layered meanings. Music he moves to Southern California in the by Herbie Hancock.▼●쩠 swingin’ ’60s, he quickly learns that selling Blue (1968) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Silvio Nar[ 150 ]

izzano. Terence Stamp, Joanna Pettet, Karl Malden, Ricardo Montalban, Joe DeSantis, Sally Kirkland. Undistinguished, poorly written Western about Americanborn, Mexican-raised boy who trusts no one until bullet wounds force him to trust a woman. See also: FADE-IN. Panavision.

Karin Schubert. Burton doesn’t make much of an impression as world’s most famous ladykiller. Women are all beautiful, but script gives them little to do. International production. [R]▼쩠 Bluebeard’s Eighth Wife (1938) 80m. ★★ D: Ernst Lubitsch. Claudette Colbert, Gary Cooper, David Niven, Edward Ever▼●쩠 Blue (1993-French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: ett Horton, Elizabeth Patterson, Herman Krzysztof Kieslowski. Juliette Binoche, BeBing. Contrived comedy about a woman noit Regent, Florence Pernel, Charlotte determined to gain the upper hand over an Very, Helene Vincent, Philippe Volter, oft-married millionaire. One of Lubitsch’s Hugues Quester, Emmanuelle Riva, Julie weakest films, notable mainly for the way Delpy. Binoche loses her family in a tragic its two stars ‘‘meet cute.’’ Script by Billy accident and decides to radically change her Wilder and Charles Brackett. Previously filmed in 1923.▼ world; she leaves behind any memories of her husband, a renowned composer, and Blue Bird, The (1940) C-88m. ★★ D: moves into a Paris flat to contemplate life. Walter Lang. Shirley Temple, Spring Slow-moving drama is borderline interestByington, Nigel Bruce, Gale Sondergaard, ing but remains more a showcase for its Eddie Collins, Sybil Jason. Released one leading lady than anything else. First year after THE WIZARD OF OZ, this lavish of Polish director Kieslowski’s ‘‘Three Technicolor fantasy (based on the famous Colors’’ trilogy probing life in contemporary play by Maurice Maeterlinck) has everything Europe: BLUE/‘‘Liberty’’; WHITE/‘‘Equalbut charm. Even Shirley seems stiff. Filmed ity’’; RED/‘‘Fraternity.’’▼●쩠 before in 1918, remade in 1976.▼쩠 Blue Angel, The (1930-German) 103m. Blue Bird, The (1976-Russian-U.S.) ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Josef von Sternberg. Marlene C-99m. ★★ D: George Cukor. Todd LookinDietrich, Emil Jannings, Kurt Gerron, Rosa land, Patsy Kensit, Elizabeth Taylor, Valetti, Hans Albers. Ever-fascinating film Jane Fonda, Ava Gardner, Cicely Tyson classic with Jannings as stuffy professor George Cole, Will Geer, Robert Morley, who falls blindly in love with cabaret enHarry Andrews. Posh, star-studded but tertainer Lola-Lola (Dietrich), who ruins heavy-handed fantasy based on Maeterhis life. Dietrich introduces ‘‘Falling in linck’s play about children seeking the Love Again’’; this role made her an interbluebird of happiness. First coproduction national star. Robert Liebman scripted, between U.S. and Russia is unbelievably from Heinrich Mann’s novel Professor draggy. [G] Unrath. Simultaneously shot in German Blue Car (2003) C-96m. ★★★ D: Karen and English versions; the former is obviMoncrieff. David Strathairn, Agnes Bruckously superior. Remade in 1959. Restored ner, Margaret Colin, A. J. Buckley, Regan on video to 106m.▼●쩠 Arnold, Frances Fisher. Well-told story of Blue Angel, The (1959) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: an adolescent girl (Bruckner) who’s never Edward Dmytryk. Curt Jurgens, May Britt, recovered from the blow of her father walkTheodore Bikel, John Banner, Ludwig ing out on the family. She finds an outlet in Stossel, Fabrizio Mioni. Disastrous remake writing poetry, encouraged by her English of Josef von Sternberg–Marlene Dietrich teacher (Strathairn), who also becomes a classic, from Heinrich Mann’s novel of kind of father figure—for a while. Impresprecise professor won over by tawdry nightsive feature debut for writer-director Moncrieff. [R]▼쩠 club singer. CinemaScope. Bluebeard (1944) 73m. ★★★ D: Edgar G. Blue Chips (1994) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilUlmer. Jean Parker, John Carradine, Nils liam Friedkin. Nick Nolte, Mary McDonAsther, Ludwig Stossel, Iris Adrian, Emnell, J. T. Walsh, Ed O’Neill, Alfre mett Lynn. Surprisingly effective story set Woodard, Bob Cousy, Shaquille O’Neal, in 19th-century Paris. Incurable strangler Anfernee ‘‘Penny’’ Hardaway, Matt Nover, Carradine falls for smart girl Parker, who Anthony C. Hall, Robert Wuhl, Jerry Tarkanian, Bobby Knight, Richard Pitino, senses that something is wrong.▼쩠 Bluebeard (1962-French-Italian) C-114m. George Raveling. After his first losing sea★★1 ⁄2 D: Claude Chabrol. Charles Denner, son, hard-driving collegiate basketball Michele Morgan, Danielle Darrieux, Hilcoach Nolte agrees to look the other way degarde Neff, Stephane Audran, Catherine while fat-cat recruiters bribe new talent to Rouvel, Franc¸oise Lugagne. Retelling of join his team. Reasonably compelling at life of French wife-killer, far less witty first, then all too obvious and predictable. than Chaplin’s MONSIEUR VERDOUX. Written by Ron Shelton. Towering NBA superstar O’Neal is engaging as one of the Original French title: LANDRU.▼ ★★ Bluebeard (1972) C-125m. recruits; other hoop stars like Larry Bird D: Edward Dmytryk. Richard Burton, Raquel Welch, have small parts, while legendary chamVirna Lisi, Joey Heatherton, Nathalie Delon, pion Cousy plays the college athletic [ 151 ]

director. Louis Gossett, Jr., appears unman, Angela Lansbury, Roland Winters, billed. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Iris Adrian. Agreeable Presley vehicle Blue City (1986) C-83m. BOMB D: Mibolstered by Lansbury’s presence as mother chelle Manning. Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, of ex-G.I. (Presley) returning to islands and David Caruso, Paul Winfield, Scott Wilworking with tourist agency. Elvis performs son, Anita Morris. Perfectly awful film one of his prettiest hits, ‘‘Can’t Help Falling about wiseguy kid who returns to Florida in Love.’’ Panavision. ▼●쩠 hometown after five years, discovers that Blue Ice (1992-British-U.S.) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 his father was killed, and vows to avenge D: Russell Mulcahy. Michael Caine, Sean (and solve) his murder. Senseless and stuYoung, Ian Holm, Alun Armstrong, Sam pid; Nelson’s unappealing character seems Kelly, Jack Shepherd. Retired British agent to possess a one-word vocabulary, and the Caine is dragged out of his beloved jazz word isn’t fudge. Based on a good book by club and back into service to help crack Ross Macdonald. [R]▼●쩠 an illegal arms ring. Cabaret legend Bobby Blue Collar (1978) C-114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Short has an acting role here, and unbilled Paul Schrader. Richard Pryor, Harvey KeiBob Hoskins turns up briefly as Caine’s tel, Yaphet Kotto, Ed Begley, Jr., Harry chum from the old days. U.S. debut on Bellaver, George Memmoli. Punchy, muckcable TV. ▼●쩠 raking expose´ melodrama with Pryor, KeiBlue Iguana, The (1988) C-88m. BOMB tel, and Kotto delivering strong performances D: John Lafia. Dylan McDermott, Jessica as auto workers who find that it isn’t just Harper, James Russo, Pamela Gidley, management ripping them off—it’s their Tovah Feldshuh, Dean Stockwell, Yano own union. Schrader’s directing debut. Anaya, Flea, Michele Seipp. Amateurish [R]▼●쩠 spoof is a hybrid of B Western and film Blue Crush (2002) C-104m. ★★ D: John noir, with a down-and-out bounty hunter Stockwell. Kate Bosworth, Matthew Davis, on a suicide mission to recover $20 million Michelle Rodriguez, Sanoe Lake, Mika in contraband money from a gaggle of bad Boorem, Chris Taloa, Kala Alexander, Faiguys south of the border. This turkey barely zon Love. Young woman dreams of winmade it to theaters; even an amusing cameo by Stockwell can’t save it. [R]▼●쩠 ning a surfing championship in Hawaii—in spite of prejudice against females in the Blue in the Face (1995) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: sport and other obstacles in her path, such Wayne Wang, Paul Auster. Harvey Keitel, as having to make a living and raise her Lou Reed, Michael J. Fox, Roseanne, Mel kid sister. Then Mr. Right comes along (a Gorham, Jim Jarmusch, Lily Tomlin, Jared handsome football star who’s vacationing Harris, Giancarlo Esposito, Jose Zuniga, on the island) just in time to blur her focus. Victor Argo, Madonna, Mira Sorvino, Keith Bosworth is very watchable, but this sappy David, RuPaul. Meandering, overindulgent story never leaves shallow water. Several mess filmed immediately after SMOKE and professional surfers appear as themselves. improvised from sketches developed by [PG-13] ▼쩠 Wang and Auster in collaboration with the Blue Dahlia, The (1946) 99m. ★★★ D: actors. Set mostly in and around the BrookGeorge Marshall. Alan Ladd, Veronica lyn cigar store managed by Keitel. In desLake, William Bendix, Howard da Silva, perate need of a script. [R]▼●쩠 Hugh Beaumont, Doris Dowling. Exciting Blue Juice (1995-British) C-99m. ★★ D: Raymond Chandler–scripted melodrama Carl Prechezer. Sean Pertwee, Catherine has Ladd returning from military service to Zeta-Jones, Steven Mackintosh, Peter Gunn, find wife unfaithful. She’s murdered, he’s Ewan McGregor, Heathcote Williams, Cosuspected in well-turned film. Produced by lette Brown, Jenny Agutter. Low-octane John Houseman. ▼ tale of aging, self-absorbed surfer boy PerBlue Denim (1959) 89m. ★★★ D: Philip twee, who’s constantly putting off practicalDunne. Carol Lynley, Brandon de Wilde, minded (and increasingly flustered) girlMacdonald Carey, Marsha Hunt, Warren Berfriend Zeta-Jones to hang with his mates. linger, Roberta Shore. De Wilde and Lynley Superficial and predictable to an extreme; are striking as teenagers faced with Carol’s of note only for the early-career presence of pregnancy. Dated and naive, but well-acted Zeta-Jones and McGregor (as an obnoxious, adaptation of Broadway play. CinemaScope. pathetic slacker/drug dealer). [R] ▼쩠 Blue Gardenia, The (1953) 90m. ★★★ D: Blue Kite, The (1993-Chinese) C-140m. ★★★ Fritz Lang. Anne Baxter, Richard Conte, D: Tian Zhuangzhuang. Yi Tian, Zhang Ann Sothern, Raymond Burr, Jeff Donnell, Wenyao, Chen Xiaoman, Lu Liping, Pu George Reeves, Nat King Cole. Engaging Quanxin, Li Xuejian. Absorbing, uncommurder caper with 1940s flavor. Baxter is acpromising saga of the life and times of— cused of murdering wolfish Burr, decides to and emotional upheaval within—one Chitake columnist Conte’s offer of help. Solid nese family during the tumultuous 1950s film with twist ending. ▼쩠 and ’60s, told from the point of view of a Blue Hawaii (1961) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: child. An unsubtle condemnation of blind Norman Taurog. Elvis Presley, Joan Blackrevolution and the political system in Com[ 152 ]

munist China. It was (unsurprisingly) highly Jean Peters, Gary Merrill, Jack Kruschen, controversial back home; at one point its Mae Marsh. Whodunit has Peters as prime filming was halted because of the scenario’s suspect of poison killings, with Cotten seeking the truth.쩠 ‘‘political leanings.’’▼●쩠 Blue Lagoon, The (1949-British) C-101m. Blues Brothers, The (1980) C-130m. ★★★ ★★★ D: Frank Launder. Jean Simmons, D: John Landis. John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Donald Houston, Noel Purcell, Cyril The Blues Brothers Band, Cab Calloway, Cusack, Maurice Denham. Idyllic romance John Candy, Henry Gibson, Carrie Fisher, of Simmons and Houston, shipwrecked on Charles Napier, Jeff Morris, Ray Charles, tropic isle, falling in love as they grow to Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Kathleen maturity; slowly paced but refreshing. ReFreeman. Engagingly nutty comedy about made in 1980. the title characters (deadpan musical perBlue Lagoon, The (1980) C-104m. ★1⁄2 formers introduced on TV’s Saturday Night D: Randal Kleiser. Brooke Shields, ChrisLive) trying to raise money to save their topher Atkins, Leo McKern, William Danorphanage by reuniting their old band— iels. Remake of the 1949 film is little more and nearly destroying Chicago in the than softcore cinema for the heavy-petting process. Off the wall from start to finish, set, as two children become sexually aware with some fine music woven in, including of each other after being shipwrecked on an wonderful numbers by Franklin and Calloisland for several years. Nestor Almendros’ way. Numerous cameos include Steven photography can’t save it. Followed over a Spielberg, Frank Oz, Steve Lawrence, John decade later by RETURN TO THE BLUE Lee Hooker, Twiggy, and Paul Reubens (PeeLAGOON. [R]▼●쩠 wee Herman). Special edition runs 147m. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Blue Lamp, The (1950-British) 84m. ★★★ D: Basil Dearden. Jack Warner, Jimmy Blues Brothers 2000 (1998) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 Hanley, Dirk Bogarde, Robert Flemyng, D: John Landis. Dan Aykroyd, John GoodBernard Lee, Peggy Evans, Patric Doonan, man, Joe Morton, Nia Peeples, Kathleen Gladys Henson, Meredith Edwards. CrackFreeman, J. Evan Bonifant, Frank Oz, Steve erjack manhunt thriller about Scotland Lawrence, Darrell Hammond, Erykah Badu. Yard’s search for murderer of policeman. Just sprung from prison, Elwood Blues reUnpretentious and exciting—a key British unites his old band (minus brother Jake—the postwar film. Music hall star Tessie late John Belushi), with a young orphan (BonO’Shea appears as herself.▼ ifant) in tow. Silly ‘‘plot’’ goes on too long, Blue Manhattan SEE: Hi, Mom! but high spirits prevail, especially during ★★1 Blue Max, The (1966) C-156m. ⁄2 D: infectious music numbers like ‘‘634-5789’’ John Guillermin. George Peppard, James and Aretha Franklin’s ‘‘Respect.’’ IncrediMason, Ursula Andress, Jeremy Kemp, Carl ble lineup of guest musicians includes B.B. Schell. Fantastic aerial photography and King, James Brown, Junior Wells, Isaac memorable Jerry Goldsmith score are the Hayes, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Wilson Pickassets of this silly drama, taken from German ett, Bo Diddley, Eddie Floyd, Jonny Lang, point of view, about dogfighting in WW1. Billy Preston, Travis Tritt, and music superSteamy Peppard-Andress love scenes aren’t visor Paul Shaffer. Aykroyd and Landis cobad either. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 produced and scripted. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Blue Monkey (1987) C-98m. BOMB D: Blues for Lovers (1966-British) 89m. ★★ William Fruet. Steve Railsback, Gwynyth D: Paul Henreid. Ray Charles, Tom Bell, Walsh, Susan Anspach, John Vernon, Joe Mary Peach, Dawn Addams, Piers BishFlaherty, Robin Duke, Sarah Polley. Silly op, Betty McDowall. Story of Charles monster film set at hospital that’s quaran(playing himself) and blind child is maudtined after a monster escapes. Poorly filmed lin, but fans will like generous footage in semi-darkness. Title is meaningless and devoted to Ray’s song hits, including ‘‘I randomly selected; it was originally called Got a Woman’’ and ‘‘What’d I Say?’’ GREEN MONKEY! Video title: INSECT. Aka BALLAD IN BLUE.▼ [R]▼● Blues in the Night (1941) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Blue Murder at St. Trinian’s (1957Anatole Litvak. Priscilla Lane, Richard Whorf, Betty Field, Lloyd Nolan, Jack British) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Launder. Terry-Thomas, George Cole, Joyce GrenCarson, Elia Kazan, Wallace Ford, Billy fell, Lionel Jeffries, Eric Barker, Lisa GasHalop, Peter Whitney. Intriguing musical toni, Ferdy Mayne, Alastair Sim. OK entry drama abandons early promise for soapy, in the series of farces set at the St. Trinian’s silly melodramatics, in story of self-deSchool for Girls. Ever-mischievous students structive musician (Whorf) and his band win a trip to the continent and become im(young Kazan is featured as clarinetist). mersed in various hijinks. Sim appears too Good moments, wonderful Warner Bros. briefly (in drag) as Miss Amelia Fritton, the montages, but the great title song is never played once in its entirety!쩠 school’s headmistress.▼ Blueprint for Murder, A (1953) 76m. Blue Skies (1946) C-104m. ★★★ D: Stuart ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew L. Stone. Joseph Cotten, Heisler. Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, Joan [ 153 ]

Caulfield, Billy De Wolfe, Olga San Juan, Frank Faylen. Astaire and Crosby play onetime show-biz partners and rivals in this paper-thin vehicle kept aloft by lots and lots of Irving Berlin songs. Highlights: Astaire’s terrific ‘‘Puttin’ on the Ritz,’’ star duo’s ‘‘A Couple of Song and Dance Men.’’

John Badham. Roy Scheider, Malcolm McDowell, Candy Clark, Daniel Stern, Warren Oates, Paul Roebling, Joe Santos. Slick action film built around L.A.’s police helicopter surveillance team. Fun at first, but gets stupider (and crueler) as film goes on—with villainous McDowell character especially ludicrous. Even escapist ▼●쩠 Blue Skies Again (1983) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: fare has to be believable on its own terms. Later a TV series. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Richard Michaels. Harry Hamlin, Robyn Barto, Mimi Rogers, Kenneth McMillan, Blue Veil, The (1951) 113m. ★★★ D: Dana Elcar, Andy Garcia, Marcos GonzaCurtis Bernhardt. Jane Wyman, Charles les. Friendly, well-meaning but ultimately Laughton, Joan Blondell, Richard Carlson, minor-league chronicle of a young woman Agnes Moorehead, Don Taylor, Audrey (Barto) attempting to play professional Totter, Everett Sloane, Cyril Cusack, Natbaseball. [PG]▼ alie Wood, Warner Anderson, Vivian Blue Sky (1994) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tony Vance, Philip Ober. Wyman is self-sacrificRichardson. Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee ing nursemaid whose life story is chroniJones, Powers Boothe, Carrie Snodgress, cled with intertwined episodes of her charges Amy Locane, Chris O’Donnell, Mitchell and their families. Well done. Ryan, Dale Dye, Tim Scott, Annie Ross, Blue Velvet (1986) C-120m. ★★ D: David Anna Klemp. A dedicated military man enLynch. Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rosdures continual embarrassment by his teassellini, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern, Hope ingly sexy (and emotionally unstable) wife, Lange, Dean Stockwell, Jack Nance, Brad for one simple reason: he loves her. IntelliDourif. Terminally weird, though flamgent and compassionate drama, set in the boyantly original film about a young man’s early 1960s, loses its way as it gets involved involvement in a small-town mystery inin a nuclear cover-up subplot, but rates as a volving a kinky nightclub singer, a sadistic must-see for anyone who admires its stars: kidnapper/drug dealer, and other swell folks. both Jones and Lange (in an Oscar-winning A highly individual look at the bizarre performance) are extraordinarily good. Shot elements just behind the facade of a picturein 1990; director Richardson died the folperfect American town. Too audacious to lowing year. Timothy Bottoms appears unbe easily dismissed, but too strange to be billed. [PG-13]▼●쩠 easily enjoyed . . . yet this was one of the Blue Steel (1990) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Kathmost critically praised movies of 1986! ryn Bigelow. Jamie Lee Curtis, Ron SilThe director also wrote this one. J-D-C ver, Clancy Brown, Elizabeth Pena, Louise Scope. [R]▼●쩠 Fletcher, Philip Bosco, Kevin Dunn, RichBlue Water, White Death (1971) C-99m. ★★★ ard Jenkins. Stupid thriller with Curtis as a D: Peter Gimbel, James Lipscomb. rookie cop stalked by a slick psycho (Silver) Vivid documentary on one of the sea’s in N.Y.C. Laughably ludicrous dialogue is most voracious and feared predators, the matched by preposterous story turns. great white shark; terrifying underwater [R]▼●쩠 scenes but somewhat overstated. Techniscope. [G]쩠 Blue Streak (1999) C-94m. ★★ D: Les Mayfield. Martin Lawrence, Luke Wilson, Blume in Love (1973) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dave Chappelle, William Forsythe, Nicole Paul Mazursky. George Segal, Susan Ari Parker, Peter Greene. Loud boilerplate Anspach, Kris Kristofferson, Marsha Mason, action comedy casts Lawrence as a soShelley Winters, Paul Mazursky. Selfcalled master thief who has socked away a indulgent film about divorce-lawyer Segal stolen jewel in the innards of a construction refusing to accept fact that his wife (Ansite—only to discover, upon his release spach) has walked out on him, determinfrom jail, that the completed structure is a ing to win her back. Good look at modern police precinct. The solution is to become a marriages, but overlong, rambling; Kristcop, just as the solution for Lawrence might offerson delightful as man who moves in be to stay away from moldy scripts like this. with Anspach. [R]▼쩠 [PG-13]▼쩠 B. Monkey (1999-British-U.S.) C-90m. ★★ Blue Sunshine (1976) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff D: Michael Radford. Asia Argento, Jared Lieberman. Zalman King, Deborah WinHarris, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Rupert Everters, Mark Goddard, Robert Walden, Charles ett, Tim Woodward, Ian Hart. Superficial fluff Siebert. Young man accused of murders about a mild-mannered British schoolteacher eludes cops, discovers that apparently ‘‘ranwho falls for a sultry bank robber trying to dom’’ killings derive from delayed drug leave her criminal past behind. Radford’s reactions of 10-year-old college class. Offfirst film since IL POSTINO is a disappointbeat psychological thriller, quite violent at ment, particularly since most of it reportedly ended up on the cutting room floor. times. [R]▼쩠 Blue Thunder (1983) C-108m. ★★ D: Still watchable, with a smoldering central [ 154 ]

performance from Argento, daughter of horGooding is as likable as ever, but the cumurormeister Dario Argento. Completed in lative effect of this unfunny, tasteless, deriv1996. [R]▼쩠 ative film is deadening. Will Ferrell appears unbilled. [R] ▼쩠 BMX Bandits (1983-Australian) C-88m. ★★ D: Brian Trenchard-Smith. David Argue, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969) C-104m. ★★★ D: Paul Mazursky. Natalie John Ley, Nicole Kidman, Angelo D’Angelo, James Lugton, Bryan Marshall. Two adolesWood, Robert Culp, Elliott Gould, Dyan cent boys crash their BMX bikes. While tryCannon, Horst Ebersberg, Greg Mullavey, ing to earn money to fix them, they and pal Lee Bergere. Glossy look at modern lifeKidman stumble onto a cache of stolen styles; ultrasophisticated couple (Wood & walkie-talkies. Harmless popcorn fodder, Culp) try to modernize thinking of their fashioned to appeal to young teens and prebest friends (Gould & Cannon) about sexteens. One of Kidman’s first film appearual freedom. Sharp observations, fine perances. Panavision. ▼쩠 formances, marred by silly, pretentious Boarding Gate (2007-French) C-105m. finale. Written by Mazursky and Larry ★1 Tucker; Mazursky’s directorial debut. Later ⁄2 D: Olivier Assayas. Asia Argento, Michael Madsen, Carl Ng, Kelly Lin, Joana a short-lived TV series. [R]▼●쩠 Preiss, Alex Descas, Kim Gordon. Argento Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw (1976) C-89m. ★★ D: Mark L. Lester. Marjoe Gortner, plays an unscrupulous former hooker involved in corporate espionage and internaLynda Carter, Jesse Vint, Merrie Lynn tional drug smuggling in Paris and the Far Ross, Belinda Balaski, Peggy Stewart. East. She has little interest in her ex (shady Competent but excessively violent drive-in businessman Madsen) but has the hots for fare; bored carhop Carter hooks up with her tough boss (Ng). Argento is rarely offMarjoe and his gang for a robbing and killscreen in this Eurotrashy thriller that had ing spree. Noteworthy for a couple of potential, but story of jet-set criminal lowglimpses of Lynda’s left breast and the oclifes isn’t as fascinating or meaningful (or casional film-buff in-joke (e.g., a tobaccocoherent or intelligible) as intended, and chewing deputy named Abel Gance), courthis globe-trotting film goes nowhere. [R]쩠 tesy scripter Vernon Zimmerman. [R]▼ Boarding School (1977-German) C-98m. Bobby (2006) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Emilio Es★1⁄2 D: Andre Farwagi. Nastassja Kinski, tevez. Harry Belafonte, Joy Bryant, Nick Gerry Sundquist, Kurt Raab, Sean ChapCannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishman. Sex comedy with Kinski in one of burne, Brian Geraghty, Heather Graham, Anher first starring roles, as an American girl thony Hopkins, Helen Hunt, Joshua Jackson, in an exclusive Swiss boarding school, David Krumholtz, Ashton Kutcher, Shia Lacirca 1956. She devises a ruse of the girls Beouf, Lindsay Lohan, William H. Macy, pretending to be prostitutes in order to Svetlana Metkina, Demi Moore, Freddy seduce cute guys at nearby boys’ school. Rodriguez, Martin Sheen, Christian Slater, Original title: THE PASSION FLOWER Sharon Stone, Jacob Vargas, Mary ElizaHOTEL. ▼쩠 beth Winstead, Elijah Wood. Twenty-two Boardwalk (1979) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stelives are interwoven during the course of phen Verona. Ruth Gordon, Lee Strasberg, one day—June 4, 1968—at L.A.’s fabled Janet Leigh, Joe Silver, Eli Mintz, Eddie Ambassador Hotel, from kitchen workers to Barth. Poignant view of elderly couple affluent guests to idealistic campaigners for struggling to survive in decaying neighSenator Robert F. Kennedy. The story ends borhood missteps into DEATH WISH melotragically with the assassination of RFK, dramatics for its finale. Fine performances, who has just won California’s Democratic including Leigh as duty-bound daughter. primary. Writer-director Estevez skillfully Boat, The SEE: Das Boot captures the period and the atmosphere of Boat People (1983-Hong Kong-Chinese) this grand hotel, but some of his characters’ stories aren’t terribly interesting or relevant. C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ann Hui. Lam ChiAn emotional finale helps. Super 35. [R]쩠 Cheung, Cora Miao, Season Ma, Andy Lau, Paul Ching. Harrowing, heartbreaking, highly Bobby Deerfield (1977) C-124m. BOMB provocative account of Japanese photojourD: Sydney Pollack. Al Pacino, Marthe nalist Chi-Cheung’s experiences in Vietnam Keller, Anny Duperey, Walter McGinn, after Liberation, particularly his friendship Romolo Valli, Stephen Meldegg. Grand with 14-year-old Ma and her family. [R] Prix race-car driver Pacino romances FlorBoat Trip (2003) C-95m. BOMB D: Mort entine aristocrat Keller, who is dying of Nathan. Cuba Gooding, Jr., Horatio Sanz, that unnamed disease that seems disproporRoselyn Sanchez, Vivica A. Fox, Maurice tionately to afflict movie heroines. Her sufferGodin, Roger Moore, Lin Shaye, Victoria ing is nothing compared to the audience’s; Silvstedt, Richard Roundtree, Bob Gunton, even Pacino is deadening. Pollack later recut Thomas Lennon. Appallingly bad comedy this to 99m. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 about two friends who book a cruise in Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004) Corder to meet women—unaware that they’re 126m. ★★ D: Rowdy Herrington. Jim Cavieheading out on a ship full of gay men. zel, Claire Forlani, Jeremy Northam, Mal[ 155 ]

★★1 colm McDowell, Connie Ray, Brett Rice, ⁄2 D: Michael Steinberg. Phoebe Cates, Aidan Quinn. Overlong sports bio about the Bridget Fonda, Tim Roth, Eric Stoltz, celebrated Southern gentleman golfer who Alicia Witt, Rich Wheeler. Low-key viwas the idol of millions during the 1920s. gnette about four young people trying to Scenario lambastes athletes who dare to exconnect with each other—and with their pect payment for their labors; Jones is deown feelings—in a bleak Arizona town. picted as a deity simply because he chose to Too obviously based on a stage play (by maintain his amateur standing. Northam is Roger Hedden), this laid-back film is often well cast as Walter Hagen, Jones’ links inert, but appealing performances—especially rival. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 by Fonda and Stoltz—give it some spark. Bob Le Flambeur (1955-French) 102m. Amusing cameo by Bridget’s father Peter ★★★ Fonda. Stoltz also coproduced. [R]▼●쩠 D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Roger Duchesne, Isabel Corey, Daniel Cauchy, Guy Body, The (2001) C-100m. ★★ D: Jonas Decomble, Andre Garet, Gerard Buhr, McCord. Antonio Banderas, Olivia WilHoward Vernon. Witty inversion of THE liams, Derek Jacobi, John Wood, John ASPHALT JUNGLE: hard-luck gambler Shrapnel, Jason Flemyng, Muhamed Bakri. Duchesne enlists pals in intricate plan to Vatican priest Banderas and Israeli archeolknock over Deauville casino, but everyogist Williams go head-to-head when they thing is so stacked against them that we discover an ancient skeleton that just might almost hope he’ll call it off. Clever and be the body of Christ. Spiritual thriller isn’t atmospheric, blessed with eerily sexy Corey quite as hokey as it sounds but it isn’t all and a great closing line. Unreleased in the that great either, especially with its cheesy U.S. until 1982. Remade as THE GOOD shoot-out action climax. Shimmering cineTHIEF. [PG]▼●쩠 matography from Vilmos Zsigmond helps. Bobo, The (1967) C-105m. ★★ D: Robert Shot on location in Jerusalem. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Parrish. Peter Sellers, Britt Ekland, Rossano Brazzi, Adolfo Celi, Ferdy Mayne. Misfire Body and Soul (1947) 104m. ★★★★ D: comedy casts Sellers as aspiring singing Robert Rossen. John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, matador who’s promised a booking if he Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere, William Conrad, can seduce Ekland, the most desirable Joseph Pevney, Canada Lee. Most boxing woman in Barcelona, within three days. films pale next to this classic (written by Filmed in Spain and Rome.▼● Abraham Polonsky) of Garfield working his Bob Roberts (1992) C-101m. ★★★ D: Tim way up by devious means, becoming faRobbins. Tim Robbins, Giancarlo Esposito, mous champ. Superb photography by James Ray Wise, Rebecca Jenkins, Harry J. Wong Howe, and Oscar-winning editing by Lennix, John Ottavino, Robert Stanton, Francis Lyon and Robert Parrish. Remade Alan Rickman, Gore Vidal, Brian Murray, in 1981 and for TV in 1998.▼●쩠 Anita Gillette, David Strathairn, Jack Black. Body and Soul (1981) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Smart, funny political satire about a rightGeorge Bowers. Leon Isaac Kennedy, Jayne wing, folk-singing Senatorial candidate who Kennedy, Peter Lawford, Michael V. Gazzo, knows how to manipulate an audience—and Perry Lang, Kim Hamilton. Poor remake the media. Turns into a political polemic of the 1947 classic, with welterweight boxer near the end, using speechifying instead of Kennedy shunning corruption and becomincident and dialogue to make its points. ing champion. Leon tries, but is defeated Still, a stimulating ride, and an impressive by his paper-thin screenplay. Muhammad Ali appears briefly as himself. [R]▼쩠 writing-directing debut for Robbins, who also composed the songs with his brother Body Count (1998) C-80m. BOMB D: David. Funny cameos by a variety of faRobert Patton-Spruill. David Caruso, Ving mous actors as air-headed TV news anchors Rhames, Linda Fiorentino, John Leguiand reporters; Bob Balaban and John Cuzamo, Donnie Wahlberg, Forest Whitaker. sack add verisimilitude to a pseudoGood cast in an irredeemably awful film Saturday Night Live sequence. [R]▼●쩠 that (understandably) didn’t make it to theBoccaccio ’70 (1962-Italian) C-165m. ★★★ aters in the U.S. A daring museum heist D: Vittorio De Sica, Luchino Visconti, goes bad, leaving the volatile partners to Federico Fellini. Anita Ekberg, Sophia Lodrive to Miami to make their dropoff—if ren, Romy Schneider, Peppino De Filippo, they can avoid killing each other along the Dante Maggio, Tomas Milian. Trio of way. A more despicable bunch of characters would be hard to imagine. [R]▼● episodes: ‘‘The Raffle’’—timid soul wins a liaison with a girl as prize; ‘‘The Job’’ Body Double (1984) C-109m. ★1⁄2 D: Brian —aristocrat’s wife takes a job as her husDe Palma. Craig Wasson, Gregg Henry, band’s mistress; ‘‘The Temptation of Dr. Melanie Griffith, Deborah Shelton, Guy Antonio’’—fantasy of puritanical fanatic Boyd, Dennis Franz. Gullible (and brainand a voluptuous poster picture which comes less) actor Wasson becomes obsessed with alive. A fourth episode, directed by Mario beautiful woman he’s been eyeing through telescope and soon finds himself embroiled Monicelli, was dropped for U.S. release.▼쩠 Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993) C-93m. in labyrinthine murder plot. Another sleazy [ 156 ]

fetish film from De Palma, who not only CIA operative DiCaprio, who puts his life rips off Hitchcock (again) but even himself on the line every day in the Middle East. (OBSESSION, DRESSED TO KILL, BLOW His cynical, emotionally detached superior OUT). Some clever moments amid the in Langley (Crowe) surveys his every move sleaze, and a good performance by Griffith but keeps valuable information from him as porno actress. [R]▼●쩠 that might affect his actions. Entertaining, Bodyguard (1948) 62m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard but lets down and becomes all too convenFleischer. Lawrence Tierney, Priscilla Lane, tional toward the climax. Strong makes a Philip Reed, June Clayworth, Elisabeth Risvivid impression as DiCaprio’s high-level don, Steve Brodie. Hard-boiled homicide connection in Amman. William Monahan cop Tierney is suspended; he reluctantly adapted David Ignatius’ novel. Super 35. [R]쩠 takes a job as a bodyguard and is promptly framed on a murder rap. Solid little B film, Body Parts (1991) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Eric strikingly directed. Based on a story coauRed. Jeff Fahey, Lindsay Duncan, Kim thored by 23-year-old Robert Altman! Delaney, Brad Dourif, Zakes Mokae, John Bodyguard, The (1992) C-129m. ★★1⁄2 D: Walsh, Paul Benevictor. Attempt at a Mick Jackson. Kevin Costner, Whitney Houshyperkinetic sci-fi/horror shocker is just ton, Gary Kemp, Bill Cobbs, Ralph Waite, another variation on the same old ‘‘Hands Tomas Arana, Michele Lamar Richards, Mike of Orlac’’ plot: this time, several key body Starr, DeVaughn Nixon, Robert Wuhl, Bert parts of a killer are grafted onto people, with Remsen, Stephen Shellen, Debbie Reynolds. violent results. Escalating plot also escalates viewer’s disbelief. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Cold-as-steel professional bodyguard signs on to protect a music superstar (against his better Body Rock (1984) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Marcelo judgment)—then falls in love with her. OverEpstein. Lorenzo Lamas, Vicki Frederick, blown dual-star vehicle makes no sense, but Cameron Dye, Ray Sharkey, Michelle Nicashas many crowd-pleasing ingredients—as tro. Formula break-dancing movie (shot by the well as moments of high kitsch. Solid film great Robby Muller!) casts beefy Lamas as debut for Houston, who’s most effective singhero/heel who dumps his best friend, his bf’s ing Dolly Parton’s classic tune ‘‘I Will Always quietly voluptuous sis, and other pals when Love You.’’ Lawrence Kasdan’s screenplay he’s hired to emcee a chic uptown club. Watchwas written years earlier—reportedly as a ing L.L. clomp to the beat is like watching Victor Mature boogaloo. [PG-13]▼쩠 Steve McQueen vehicle. Remade in Hong Kong with Jet Li as THE DEFENDER Body Shots (1999) C-105m. BOMB D: (1994). [R]▼●쩠 Michael Cristofer. Sean Patrick Flanery, Body Heat (1981) C-113m. ★★★ D: LawJerry O’Connell, Amanda Peet, Tara Reid, rence Kasdan. William Hurt, Kathleen TurnRon Livingston, Emily Procter, Brad Rowe, er, Richard Crenna, Ted Danson, J.A. Sybil Temchen. Trying to shed light on the Preston, Mickey Rourke. Hurt is a Florida state of sex and dating in the 1990s, film lawyer whose brains work at half speed; follows eight twentysomethings as they exTurner is a married socialite who turns on plore the wild L.A. nightlife. Dark, dreary the heat and inspires him to bump off her and derivative attempt to say something husband. Over-derivative of 1940s melo‘‘important’’ about relationships. If this is dramas at first, then goes off on its own truly where the world is heading, it’s time path and scores. Turner’s first film; Kasto get off! Also available in 108m. unrated dan’s directorial debut. [R]▼●쩠 version. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Body of a Woman SEE: Big Squeeze, The Body Slam (1987) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hal ★★ Body of Evidence (1993) C-99m. D: Needham. Dirk Benedict, Tanya Roberts, Uli Edel. Madonna, Willem Dafoe, Joe Roddy Piper, Capt. Lou Albano, Barry Mantegna, Anne Archer, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Gordon, Charles Nelson Reilly, Billy Barty, Julianne Moore, Frank Langella, Stan John Astin. Barely released comedy, based Shaw, Charles Hallahan, Lillian Lehman. on the successful rock ’n’ roll/wrestling Lawyer Dafoe—the kind of guy you don’t connection of the early 1980s, deserved want handling your case—falls under the better. Benedict is charming as an unscruspell of his client (Madonna), who’s acpulous music promoter who latches onto cused of killing her wealthy lover with too wrestling as his meal ticket; ‘‘Rowdy’’ much rough sex. One-note melodrama with Roddy makes an engaging screen debut. ‘‘hot’’ lovemaking scenes that inspire more Watch for cameos by many grapplers, indiscomfort than titillation. Also released cluding the Wild Samoans, Ric Flair, and in unrated version and an explicit NC-17 Bruno Sammartino. [PG]▼ edition. [R]▼●쩠 Body Snatcher, The (1945) 77m. ★★★1⁄2 Body of Lies (2008) C-129m. ★★1⁄2 D: RidD: Robert Wise. Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, ley Scott. Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Henry Daniell, Edith Atwater, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong, Golshifteh Farahani, Wade, Rita Corday. Fine, atmospheric tale Oscar Isaac, Simon McBurney, Alon Aboutfrom Robert Louis Stevenson short story boul, Ali Suliman, Vince Colosimo. Highof doctor (Daniell) who is forced to deal energy cloak-and-dagger yarn about hotshot with scurrilous character (Karloff) in order [ 157 ]

to get cadavers for experiments in 19thMercier, Andrea Martin, Ute Lemper, Sheryl century Edinburgh. Last film to team KarLee Ralph, Al Waxman, Don Francks, Mo loff and Lugosi, their scenes together are Gaffney. Curious fable about a boy whose sineerie and compelling. Classic Val Lewton gle mom dies in an accident; his closest relathriller. Screenplay by Philip MacDonald and tive, a foster aunt (Goldberg), turns out to be Carlos Keith (Lewton).▼●쩠 an uptight businesswoman with no motherly Body Snatchers (1994) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: instincts whatsoever. So he invents a friend, Abel Ferrara. Gabrielle Anwar, Meg Tilly, Bogus (Depardieu), who cheers him up and Forest Whitaker, Terry Kinney, Billy Wirth, sticks by his side. Odd, melancholy, and Reilly Murphy, Christine Elise, R. Lee vaguely unsatisfying—not to mention long Ermey. Teenage Anwar moves to a military and slow. [PG] ▼●쩠 base with her family and soon discovers that Bogus Bandits SEE: Devil’s Brother, The pods from outer space are duplicating and Bohemian Girl, The (1936) 71m. ★★★ D: replacing everyone there. Third version of James Horne, Charles R. Rogers. Stan Jack Finney’s eerie novel is the least satisLaurel, Oliver Hardy, Thelma Todd, Anfactory; impatience, rather than tension, is tonio Moreno, Darla Hood, Jacqueline Wells aroused, and the horror is diminished be(Julie Bishop), Mae Busch. Nifty comic cause it’s strangers who are being replaced. opera with Stan and Ollie part of gypsy (Setting the story at a military base—where caravan. They adopt abandoned girl who everyone is supposed to act alike—may not turns out to be a princess.▼● have been a good idea, either.) Both earlier Boiler Room (2000) C-117m. ★★★ D: Ben versions titled INVASION OF THE BODY Younger. Giovanni Ribisi, Nia Long, Vin SNATCHERS. Arriscope. [R]▼●쩠 Diesel, Ben Affleck, Ron Rifkin, Tom EverBody Stealers, The SEE: Thin Air ett Scott, Scott Caan, Jamie Kennedy, Boeing Boeing (1965) C-102m. ★★★ D: Nicky Katt, Taylor Nichols. Young man — John Rich. Jerry Lewis, Tony Curtis, Dany like most of his generation, to hear him tell Saval, Christiane Schmidtmer, Suzanna it—wants success without having to work Leigh, Thelma Ritter. A surprisingly subfor it. This puts him at odds with his judgdued Lewis is paired with Curtis in story mental father (who happens to be a judge) of American newspaperman who runs swinguntil he signs on at a maverick brokerage ing pad in Paris, constantly stocked with house where the money flows freely . . . too stewardesses, to the chagrin of housekeeper freely. Naive at times, but entertaining. Ritter. Amusing.▼● Tyro writer-director Younger makes disBoesman & Lena (2000-French-South Afarming reference to WALL STREET and rican) C/B&W-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Berry. GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS, which this Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Willie Jonah. movie echoes in certain ways. [R]▼쩠 A once-happy, now-embittered couple is Boiling Point (1993) C-92m. ★★ D: James forced to survive on the road after the destrucB. Harris. Wesley Snipes, Dennis Hopper, tion of their shanty home. Rich performances Lolita Davidovich, Viggo Mortensen, Dan (especially by Bassett) distinguish this faithful Hedaya, Seymour Cassel, Jonathan Banks, adaptation of Athol Fugard’s play, filmed in Christine Elise, Tony LoBianco, Valerie South Africa, but it’s all dialogue. Final film Perrine, James Tolkan, Paul Gleason. for director Berry, who died during postproSnipes plays a federal agent determined to duction. Super 35.▼쩠 nail the man responsible for killing his Bofors Gun, The (1968) C-106m. ★★★ D: colleague and friend during a sting operaJack Gold. Nicol Williamson, Ian Holm, tion. Misnamed crime yarn is tepid at David Warner, Peter Vaughn, John Thaw, best, but well shot on L.A. locations, and Richard O’Callaghan, Barry Jackson, Donfilled with familiar faces. [R]▼●쩠 ald Gee, Barbara Jefford. British soldier, Bolero (1934) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wesley on the eve of his return home in 1950s, Ruggles. George Raft, Carole Lombard, comes tragically face-to-face with a rebelSally Rand, Gertrude Michael, William lious Irish gunner. Engrossing, well acted. Frawley, Ray Milland. Silly, protracted story Bog (1984) C-87m. BOMB D: Don Keeslar. of cocky dancer’s rise to fame is made fun Gloria De Haven, Aldo Ray, Marshall by good stars and production values; dance Thompson, Leo Gordon, Glen Voros, Rojay sequences are first-rate, although much of Raft North, Ed Clark. Man in monster suit rises and Lombard’s footwork is ‘‘doubled’’ by from bottom of lake and goes on rampage, professionals. Rand, in a rare film appearance, sucking the blood from his victims. Ultraperforms her famous fan dance. Raft and cheap, ultra-bad time-killer. Filmed in WisLombard reteamed for RUMBA. consin in 1978. De Haven displays her Bolero (1981-French) C-173m. ★1⁄2 D: versatility by appearing in a dual role.▼쩠 Claude Lelouch. James Caan, Geraldine Boggy Creek II SEE: Barbaric Beast Chaplin, Robert Hossein, Nicole Garcia, Danof Boggy Creek, The, Part II iel Olbrychski, Evelyne Bouix. Boring tale of Bogus (1996) C-111m. ★★ D: Norman Jewvarious characters of different nationalities ison. Whoopi Goldberg, Ge´rard Depardieu, Haley Joel Osment, Nancy Travis, Denis and their love of music, set during a 50-year [ 158 ]

time span. The actors play more than one (Jolie) to be his eyes and ears in tracking down character, and the result is confusion.▼쩠 a games-playing serial killer. First-rate susBolero (1984) C-104m. BOMB D: John pense thriller/whodunit, based on a novel by Derek. Bo Derek, George Kennedy, Andrea Jeffery Deaver. Not for the squeamish. Super Occipiniti, Ana Obregon, Olivia d’Abo. Co35. [R] ▼●쩠 lossally boring sexual drama, for Bo-peepers Bones (2001) C-96m. ★★ D: Ernest Dickonly . . . though even voyeurs will be yawning erson. Snoop Dogg, Pam Grier, Clifton during long stretches between nude scenes. Powell, Bianca Lawson, Michael T. Weiss, Khalil Kain, Merwin Mondesir. Two young Bo also produced the picture. [R]▼●쩠 Bolt (2008) C-96m. ★★★ D: Chris Williams, suburban brothers (in both senses) buy a Byron Howard. Voices of John Travolta, dilapidated ghetto brownstone in hopes of Miley Cyrus, Susie Essman, Mark Walton, turning it into a trendy nightspot . . . but their Malcolm McDowell, Diedrich Bader, Nick entrepreneur father is panicked about the Swardson, Chloe Moretz, Greg Germann, house’s sinister history and his own particiJames Lipton. The canine star of a hit TV pation in the 1979 slaying of its original series knows no other world than the makeowner (Dogg), who’s now a ghost. If grossbelieve environment in which he plays a ness makes you giggle, this speedy junk has doggie superhero. Then he’s accidentally a few grotesque jolts, plus the sight of stillshipped in a crate to N.Y.C. and gets his shapely Grier to keep your own dad’s heart beating adequately. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 first taste of reality. At first the film threatens to choke on show-biz talk, but it develBonfire of the Vanities, The (1990) Cops a heart as it takes to the road. The 125m. BOMB D: Brian De Palma. Tom character of Rhino, a hamster in a plastic Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Kim ball (voiced by Disney artist Walton), is one Cattrall, Saul Rubinek, Morgan Freeman, John of the all-time great Disney sidekicks. Hancock, Kevin Dunn, Clifton James, Louis [PG]쩠 Giambalvo, Barton Heyman, Donald Moffat, Bomba the Jungle Boy series SEE: LeoAlan King, Mary Alice, Andre Gregory, Richnard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide ard Libertini, Robert Stephens, Kirsten Dunst, Bombay Talkie (1970-Indian) C-105m. Rita Wilson,Malachy McCourt, CamrynMan★★1⁄2 D: James Ivory. Shashi Kapoor, Jenheim, Richard Belzer. Appallingly heavynifer Kendal, Zia Mohyeddin, Aparna Sen, handed ‘‘comedy’’ about a cocky Wall Street Utpal Dutt. A bored, pleasure-seeking Britwheeler-dealer whose well-insulated life beish writer (Kendal) becomes romantically gins to crumble when his wife learns he’s foolinvolved with an Indian movie actor ing around, and he and his paramour are (Kapoor). The subject—the interaction beinvolved in a hit-and-run accident. With all the tween different cultures—has been a staple power—and nuance—of Tom Wolfe’s novel in Ivory’s films, but the presentation here removed, and all the characters turned into cariis less than memorable. Scripted by Ivory catures (racist and otherwise), what’s left is a and Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. [PG]▼쩠 pointless charade, and a pitiful waste of money 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Bombers B-52 (1957) C-106m. and talent. F. Murray Abraham appears unGordon Douglas. Natalie Wood, Karl Malbilled as the Bronx D.A. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 den, Marsha Hunt, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Bonjour Tristesse (1958) C/B&W-94m. ★★★ Dean Jagger. Ordinary love story between D: Otto Preminger. Deborah Kerr, David army pilot Zimbalist and Wood, with latNiven, Jean Seberg, Geoffrey Horne, Mylene ter’s sergeant father objecting, intertwined Demongeot. Teenager does her best to break with good aerial footage of jet plane up romance between playboy widowed father maneuvers. CinemaScope.▼쩠 and his mistress, with tragic results. Francoise Bombshell (1933) 95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Victor Sagan’s philosophy seeps through glossy proFleming. Jean Harlow, Lee Tracy, Frank duction; Kerr exceptionally fine in soaper set Morgan, Franchot Tone, Una Merkel, Pat on French Riviera. CinemaScope. ▼쩠 O’Brien, C. Aubrey Smith, Ted Healy, Bonneville (2008) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: ChristoIsabel Jewell. Devastating satire of 1930s pher N. Rowley. Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Hollywood, with Harlow a much-abused Joan Allen, Tom Skerritt, Christine Baranski, star, Tracy an incredibly unscrupulous pubVictor Rasuk, Tom Amandes, Tom Wopat. licity director making her life hell. No Recently widowed Lange finds herself at holds barred. Scripted by John Lee Mahin odds with her resentful stepdaughter over and Jules Furthman, from a play by Caroher husband’s ashes. Feeling lost and conline Francke and Mack Crane. Retitled fused, she winds up taking a road trip in his BLONDE BOMBSHELL.▼● vintage convertible with two close friends. Bone Collector, The (1999) C-117m. ★★★ D: The presence of three skilled actresses elePhillip Noyce. Denzel Washington, Angelina vates this pleasant but minor femaleJolie, Queen Latifah, Michael Rooker, Mike bonding tale. Panavision. [PG]쩠 McGlone, Luis Guzman, Leland Orser, John Bonnie and Clyde (1967) C-111m. ★★★★ Benjamin Hickey, Ed O’Neill. The NYPD’s D: Arthur Penn. Warren Beatty, Faye leading forensics expert, now a bedridden Dunaway, Michael J. Pollard, Gene Hackquadriplegic, enlists the help of a reluctant cop man, Estelle Parsons, Denver Pyle, Gene [ 159 ]

Wilder, Dub Taylor. Trend-setting film college football team to victory; good cast about unlikely heroes of 1930s bank-robbing takes back seat to monkey-shines. team has spawned many imitators but still Boogeyman, The (1980) C-86m. ★★★ D: leads the pack. Veering from comedy to Ulli Lommel. Suzanna Love, Ron James, melodrama and social commentary, it reMichael Love, John Carradine, Raymond mains vivid, stylish throughout. When Boyden. Shards of mirror that ‘‘witnessed’’ released, violent conclusion was extremely horrible murder cause gruesome deaths. controversial. Screenplay by David NewGerman art film actor-director Lommel man and Robert Benton. Parsons and cinelends unconventional angle to this combimatographer Burnett Guffey were Oscar nation of THE EXORCIST and HALLOwinners. Wilder’s first film.▼●쩠 WEEN. Effects are quite colorful, if someBonnie Parker Story, The (1958) 81m. what hokey. Followed by BOOGEYMAN ★★1 ⁄2 D: William Witney. Dorothy ProII. [R]▼●쩠 vine, Jack Hogan, Richard Bakalyan, JoBoogeyman II (1983) C-79m. BOMB D: seph Turkel. With the success of BONNIE Bruce Starr. Suzanna Love, Shana Hall, AND CLYDE, this film takes on added Ulli Lommel. Survivor of BOOGEYMAN luster, recounting the lurid criminal life of goes to Hollywood to live with producer the female crook (Provine)—though Clyde who is going to turn her life story into a Barrow isn’t even mentioned in this lowmovie. Moronic slasher film depends mostly budget saga. Superama. on footage from BOOGEYMAN, amply Bonnie Scotland (1935) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: used in flashbacks. Almost laughable.▼쩠 James Horne. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Boogeyman (2005-U.S.-New Zealand) CJune Lang, William Janney, Anne Grey, 89m. ★★ D: Stephen T. Kay. Barry Watson, Vernon Steele, James Finlayson. Plot someEmily Deschanel, Skye McCole Bartusiak, times gets in the way of L&H, but their Lucy Lawless, Tory Mussett. You already material is well up to par; Stan and Ollie know the story: a young man returns to his inadvertently join a Scottish military regichildhood home, the setting of a traumatic ment stationed in the desert.▼●쩠 experience where as a kid he either saw— Bon Voyage! (1962) C-130m. ★1⁄2 D: James or didn’t see—a creepy guy/thing suck his Neilson. Fred MacMurray, Jane Wyman, loving father into eternal oblivion by way of Michael Callan, Deborah Walley, Tommy the closet in his room. Now, years later, he Kirk, Kevin Corcoran. Slow, drawn-out must confront his fears alone . . . and you Disney comedy about ‘‘typical’’ American can guess the rest. Despite its predictable family’s misadventures on trip to Europe. blueprint there are a couple of pretty decent Aimed more at adults than kids, but too scares to be had here. You might consider draggy and simple-minded for anyone.▼쩠 chapter-skipping on your DVD to get to the Bon Voyage (2003-French) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 good stuff. Followed by two DVD sequels. [PG-13] ▼쩠 D: Jean-Paul Rappeneau. Isabelle Adjani, Ge´rard Depardieu, Virginie Ledoyen, Yvan Boogie Man Will Get You, The (1942) Attal, Gre´gori De´range`re, Peter Coyote, 66m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lew Landers. Boris Karloff, Jean-Marc Stehle´. A self-centered film star Peter Lorre, Jeff Donnell, Larry Parks, (Adjani), a government minister (DeparSlapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, Maude Eburne, dieu), and a frail scientist and his deterDon Beddoe, Frank Puglia. Good cast in mined prote´ge´e (Stehle´ and Ledoyen) are a lightweight cash-in on ARSENIC AND few of the disparate people who converge OLD LACE. Karloff is dotty scientist aton Bordeaux on the eve of WW2. Film’s tempting to make supermen out of travelreal lead is the actress’s bourgeois former ing salesmen while Donnell tries to turn lover (De´range`re), who is drawn into the his home into Colonial tourist trap; Lorre story and finds himself playing the hero. is screwy doctor/sheriff/notary/loan shark. No great shakes, but pleasant.쩠 Unusual blend of CASABLANCA-esque intrigue with farce doesn’t quite come off as Boogie Nights (1997) C-152m. ★★★1⁄2 D: well as intended, but it’s fast-paced, fairly Paul Thomas Anderson. Mark Wahlberg, broad fun. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Burt Reynolds, Julianne Moore, John C. Bon Voyage Charlie Brown (and Don’t Reilly, Don Cheadle, Heather Graham, Luis Guzman, Philip Seymour Hoffman, WilCome Back!) (1980) C-75m. ★★★ D: Bill Melendez. Voices of Daniel Anderson, liam H. Macy, Alfred Molina, Philip Baker Casey Carlson, Patricia Patts, Arrin Skelley. Hall, Robert Ridgely, Ricky Jay, Jack Riley, Charlie Brown and company travel to France Joanna Gleason. Extraordinary, intense reas exchange students. Cute animated entercreation of life among a ‘‘family’’ of portainment for Peanuts devotees. [G]▼● nographers in the San Fernando Valley, Bonzo Goes to College (1952) 80m. ★★ from the late 1970s through the early 1980s. D: Frederick de Cordova. Maureen O’SulWahlberg plays a disaffected 17-year-old with livan, Charles Drake, Edmund Gwenn, no brains but a formidable sex organ who Gigi Perreau, Gene Lockhart, Irene Ryan, becomes a porn-movie sensation; Reynolds is David Janssen. Follow-up to BEDTIME perfect as the director/paterfamilias who FOR BONZO has brainy chimp lead makes him a star. Writer-director Anderson [ 160 ]

doesn’t judge his characters, but makes ert Keith, Taylor Holmes, Ed Begley, Karl them—and their actions—seem utterly real. Malden, Cara Williams, Barry Kelley; narTough going at times, but gripping and rated by Reed Hadley. Minister’s murder funny as well. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 brings rapid arrest of an innocent man; prosBook of Love (1990) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: Robecuting attorney determines to hunt out real ert Shaye. Chris Young, Keith Coogan, facts. Brilliant drama in all respects. RichAeryk Egan, Josie Bissett, Tricia Leigh ard Murphy’s taut screenplay, from AnFisher, Michael McKean, Danny Nucci, thony Abbott’s article ‘‘The Perfect Case,’’ John Cameron Mitchell. Offensively inis based on a factual incident. Playwright consequential ’50s teen romance about the Arthur Miller appears as one of the lineusual cliche´s: James Dean, dilapidated up suspects.▼쩠 cars, and greasy hair dressings. Standard Boomerang (1992) C-118m. ★★ D: Regianachronisms abound, starting with the nald Hudlin. Eddie Murphy, Halle Berry, use of the title oldie (a 1958 hit) in a film Robin Givens, David Alan Grier, Martin set in 1956. Inauspicious directorial debut Lawrence, Grace Jones, Geoffrey Holder, for New Line Cinema’s founder/CEO. Eartha Kitt, Chris Rock, Tisha Campbell, Fisher (daughter of Connie Stevens and John Witherspoon, Melvin Van Peebles. Eddie Fisher) is the sole standout as a tough Murphy makes a lumpy transition from girl with a soft heart. [PG-13]▼●쩠 comic to leading man, as a lifelong womBook of Numbers (1973) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: anizer who finally meets his counterpart in Raymond St. Jacques. Raymond St. Jacques, his new boss (Givens). The women are fun Phillip Thomas, Freda Payne, Hope Clarke, to watch, but the humor is surprisingly D’Urville Martin, Gilbert Green. Uneven crude at times, and the story is virtually but sometimes enjoyable story of a black nonexistent. A mixed bag at best, ridicunumbers-racket operation in a rural town lously padded out to two hours. [R]▼●쩠 during the Depression. [R]▼쩠 Boom Town (1940) 118m. ★★★ D: Jack Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000) Conway. Clark Gable, Spencer Tracy, ClauC-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Joe Berlinger. Stephen dette Colbert, Hedy Lamarr, Frank MorBarker Turner, Tristen Skyler, Erica Leerhgan, Lionel Atwill, Chill Wills. No sursen, Kim Director, Jeffrey Donovan. Some prises in tale of get-rich-quick drilling for student filmmakers visit Burkittsville, Maryoil, but star-studded cast gives it life. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 land, hoping to find out what happened to the documentarians who made THE BLAIR Boondock Saints, The (1999) C-110m. ★★ WITCH PROJECT. A straight melodrama, D: Troy Duffy. Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick not a faux documentary like the first; clever Flanery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco, at times, but plodding, gabby and highly Billy Connolly, Ron Jeremy Hyatt, David uninvolving, with all the spooky stuff conFerry. Ultra-violent, low-budget Tarantino fined to the last couple of reels. Fictional wannabe focuses on two Irish-American filmmaking debut of documentarian Berbrothers who decide to rub out what they linger. [R]▼쩠 perceive to be evil forces in Boston. With Book of Stars, The (2000) C-98m. ★★★ D: off-the-wall humor and Dafoe’s loony, gay Michael Miner. Mary Stuart Masterson, FBI agent thrown in for good measure, this Jena Malone, Karl Geary, D. B. Sweeney, ain’t no Tea Party. A hit-or-miss affair. DufDelroy Lindo. Beautifully acted and dify’s trials in making this film were chronirected drama about two parentless sisters, a cled in the documentary OVERNIGHT. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 sweet 15-year-old who is dying of cystic fibrosis and a vulnerable cynic who once Boost, The (1988) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Harold published a book of poetry but now pops Becker. James Woods, Sean Young, John pills and toils as a hooker. This is no Kapelos, Steven Hill, Kelle Kerr, John disease-of-the-week tearjerker, but a multiRothman, Amanda Blake, Grace Zabriskie. leveled exploration of sisterly love and An anti-drug movie that’s on the screen guilt.▼쩠 nearly an hour before you even realize it is Boom (1968-U.S.-British) C-113m. ★★ D: an anti-drug movie. Woods is the hotshot Joseph Losey. Elizabeth Taylor, Richard salesman who goes to hell (and bankBurton, Noel Coward, Joanna Shimkus, ruptcy) via cocaine, with Young the sometime Michael Dunn. Thud: Only film buffs who user who tries to stand by him. As with Jack admire Losey’s very original directorial Nicholson in THE SHINING, it’s difficult to style are likely to appreciate fuzzy adaptadistinguish the ‘‘before’’ Woods from the tion of Tennessee Williams’ The Milk ‘‘after’’ in this misfire. [R]▼●쩠 Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore. Fine Boot Hill (1969-Italian) C-87m. ★★ D: location photography in Sardinia and Giuseppe Colizzi. Terence Hill, Bud SpenRome; good performance by Shimkus can’t cer, Woody Strode, Victor Buono, Lionel Stander, Eduardo Ciannelli. Western ravisave this. Panavision. [M/PG]▼ 1 ★★★ Boomerang! (1947) 88m. oli representing another of the traditional ⁄2 D: Elia Kazan. Dana Andrews, Jane Wyatt, Lee J. teamings of blue-eyed, rock-jawed Hill Cobb, Arthur Kennedy, Sam Levene, Roband his bear of a sidekick Spencer. Un[ 161 ]

even pasta of violence and comedy. Aka well-meaning but clueless Kazakhstani televiTRINITY RIDES AGAIN. Techniscope. sion reporter who travels across the U.S. to [PG]▼쩠 learn about our country in this mockumenBootleggers (1974) C-101m. ★★ D: Charles tary. His bull-in-a-china-shop approach gets B. Pierce. Paul Koslo, Dennis Fimple, him into all kinds of trouble as he encounSlim Pickens, Jaclyn Smith, Chuck Pierce, ters a wide variety of Americans. Baron Jr. Typical yahoo action comedy set in Cohen and company reveal elements of rac1930s Arkansas with Koslo and Fimple ism, sexism, homophobia, and xenophobia trying to outsmart and outdo rival moonbut envelop them in the context of an audashining family while running their supplies ciously funny, gross-out, one-of-a-kind to Memphis. Retitled BOOTLEGGERS’ comedy. [R]쩠 ANGEL to capitalize on Smith’s later Bordello of Blood (1996) C-87m. ★★ D: TV stardom. Todd-AO 35. [PG]쩠 Gilbert Adler. Dennis Miller, Erika Eleniak, Bootmen (2000-Australian) C-93m. ★★ D: Angie Everhart, Chris Sarandon, Corey Dein Perry. Adam Garcia, Sam WorthingFeldman, William Sadler, Aubrey Morris. ton, Sophie Lee, Christopher Horsey, Lee Private eye Miller tries to locate Eleniak’s McDonald, William Zappa, Richard Carter. brother, who’s wound up at a mortuary Novice director Perry (of the dance group brothel staffed by gorgeous vampires and Tap Dogs) used his own steelworking backrun by Everhart. Fitfully amusing juvenile ground to create this toe-tapping look at a horror comedy with a heavy t &a quotient; young man’s escape into big-time show Miller created much of his wise-guy diabusiness—and then back again—as he rallogue. Whoopi Goldberg has a cameo. Onlies his blue-collar tap-dancing cronies to screen title: TALES FROM THE CRYPT create his own contemporary dance show. PRESENTS BORDELLO OF BLOOD. Sort of a male FLASHDANCE, with just as [R] ▼●쩠 lame a script but impressive footwork. Border, The (1982) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: [R]▼쩠 Tony Richardson. Jack Nicholson, Harvey Boots Malone (1952) 103m. ★★★ D: WilKeitel, Valerie Perrine, Warren Oates, liam Dieterle. William Holden, Johnny Elpidia Carrillo. Border patrolman NicholStewart, Ed Begley, Harry Morgan, Whit son, spurred on by money-hungry spouse Bissell. Holden comes alive in role of Perrine, begins taking payoffs from illegal shady character who reforms when he trains Mexican aliens he’s supposed to be arrestStewart to become a jockey.▼ ing, eventually becomes emotionally inBooty Call (1997) C-77m. ★★ D: Jeff Polvolved with young mother Carrillo. Cast lack. Jamie Foxx, Tommy Davidson, Vivica and storyline beg for Sam Peckinpah in A. Fox, Tamala Jones, Scott LaRose, Kam his prime; mildly interesting, but never Ray Chan, Ric Young, Bernie Mac. Or, really takes off. Nice music by Ry Cooder. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Two Guys in Search of Condoms. Raunchy comedy is definitely PC (politically correct Border Cop SEE: Blood Barrier and pro-condom) as these two hapless souls Border Incident (1949) 92m. ★★★ D: Anjust can’t seem to please their hot-to-trot girlthony Mann. Ricardo Montalban, George friends until they find the perfect latex helper. Murphy, Howard da Silva, Teresa Celli, Just a couple of genuinely funny scenes in this Charles McGraw. Tension-packed story of broad, lowbrow comedy. [R]▼●쩠 U.S. agents cracking down on smuggling of Bopha! (1993) C-120m. ★★★ D: Morgan immigrants across Texas-Mexico border. Freeman. Danny Glover, Malcolm McDowWell directed, and uncompromisingly violent. ell, Alfre Woodard, Marius Weyers, May쩠 nard Eziashi, Malick Bowens, Grace Borderline (1950) 88m. ★★ D: William A. Mahlaba. Tense, involving drama with Seiter. Fred MacMurray, Claire Trevor, Glover and Woodard (who played Nelson Raymond Burr, Jose Torvay, Morris Ankand Winnie Mandela in the TV movie rum, Roy Roberts. Odd thriller-comedy in MANDELA) starring as a married couple which L.A. cop Trevor attempts to gather residing in a peaceful South African townevidence against wily drug smuggler Burr ship. He’s a police officer who upholds the while mixing with tough guy MacMurray in status quo; their world is sure to crumble Mexico. Starts out promisingly, but soon when their son (Eziashi) takes part in a rebelbogs down in silliness. Burr makes a vivid lion against the discipline and curriculum of villain.▼●쩠 the local white-run school. Freeman’s direcBorderline (1980) C-105m. ★★ D: Jerrold torial debut; Arsenio Hall executive proFreedman. Charles Bronson, Bruno Kirby, duced. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Bert Remsen, Michael Lerner, Kenneth Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for McMillan, Ed Harris, Wilford Brimley. Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhsBronson, minus Jill Ireland this time, tan (2006) C-82m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Larry Charles. is a Border Patrol officer searching for Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Pamela a killer. Undistinguished formula vehicle Anderson. Writer-producer-performer Baron for Old Stone Face. [PG]▼ Cohen adopts the alter ego of Borat Sagdiyev, Border Shootout (1990) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: [ 162 ]

C. J. McIntyre. Cody Glenn, Jeff Kaake, St. Jacques, George Brent. If one is inGlenn Ford, Lizabeth Rohovit, Michael spired by the religious rebirth of Pres. Horse, Russell Todd, Michael Ansara, MiNixon’s Special Counsel (Charles Colson) chael Forrest. Naive rancher is made depafter his Washington skullduggery, one uty in Arizona border town that’s fed up might be absorbed by this one-dimensional film account. Others beware! [PG]▼ with aging sheriff Ford, but the townspeople’s lynching of alleged rustlers brings Born American (1986-U.S.-Finnish) about immediate conflict. Good Western C-95m. ★★ D: Renny Harlin. Mike Norris, plot (from Elmore Leonard novel) ruined Steve Durham, David Coburn, Thalmus by amateurish production. Ford seems to be Rasulala, Albert Salmi. The Cold War walking through his role.▼ lives on as three young Americans vacaBordertown (1935) 90m. ★★★ D: Archie tioning in Finland accidentally cross the Mayo. Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Eugene Palborder into Russia, where they fight it out lette, Margaret Lindsay. Fine drama of unwith the local troops. OK action scenes usual triangle in bordertown cafe, with Davis and personable young cast sugarcoat the heavy-handed political overtones. [R]▼쩠 as flirtatious wife of Pallette with designs on lawyer Muni; her overwrought scene on Born Free (1966-British) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 the witness stand is not easily forgotten. D: James Hill. Virginia McKenna, Bill Used as basis for later THEY DRIVE BY Travers, Geoffrey Keen, Peter Lukoye. NIGHT, but more serious in tone. Also Exceptional adaptation of Joy Adamson’s shown in computer-colored version. book about Elsa the lioness, who was raised Bordertown (2006) C-112m. ★1⁄2 D: Gregas a pet by two Kenya game wardens ory Nava. Jennifer Lopez, Martin Sheen, (played by real-life couple McKenna and Maya Zapata, Juan Diego Botto, Sonia Travers). Sincere, engrossing film, a must Braga, Antonio Banderas. In contemporary for family viewing. Oscars for Best Original Ciudad Jua´rez, ambitious Chicago reporter Score (John Barry) and Title Song (Barry Lopez tries to find out why thousands of feand Don Black). Screenplay by Gerald L.C. male factory workers have disappeared over Copley (Lester Cole). Followed by a sequel time. Befriending a survivor who crawled out (LIVING FREE) and a brief TV series. Reof the grave places her in the gun sights of made for TV in 1996. Story is continued in smarmy rich villains who casually rape and TO WALK WITH LIONS (1999). Panavision. ▼●쩠 coldly murder. Director’s script wants to be a bleak bilingual thriller, but is only brutal Born in East L.A. (1987) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: exploitation. Shot in Old and New Mexico. Cheech Marin. Cheech Marin, Daniel Stern, Released direct to DVD in the U.S. [R]쩠 Paul Rodriguez, Jan-Michael Vincent, KamBoris and Natasha: The Movie (1992) Cala Lopez, Alma Martinez, Tony Plana. 88m. ★★ D: Charles Martin Smith. Sally Third-generation American Hispanic gets Kellerman, David Thomas, Paxton Whitecaught in an immigration raid minus I.D. head, Andrea Martin, Alex Rocco, Larry and is deported to Tijuana; it takes a tireCedar, Arye Gross, Christopher Neame, some hour and a half of screen time to get Anthony Newley. Silly live-action version back. Nothing offensive but also nothing of the fondly remembered ‘‘Rocky and Bulspecial; Rodriguez’s dim-witted comedy relwinkle’’ cartoon series with our dastardly lief is a particular drag. Based on Marin’s (but dated) Russian spies up to no good as popular Bruce Springsteen parody record. usual. Spirited, but not enough. John Candy, Alternate version runs 93m. [R]▼●쩠 John Travolta, and director Smith pop up in Born Into Brothels (2004-Indian-U.S.) Ccameos. Made as a theatrical feature in 1988 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Zana Briski, Ross Kauff(when the Cold War was still topical). It man. Photographer Briski, wanting to docudebuted on cable TV instead. [PG]▼●쩠 ment Calcutta’s red light district, gets the cold B.O.R.N. (1989) C-92m. ★★ D: Ross Hashoulder until she makes friends with the chilgen. Ross Hagen, Hoke Howell, P. J. dren of the prostitutes. Then inspiration strikes: Soles, William Smith, Russ Tamblyn, she teaches these often-abused kids to take picAmanda Blake, Rance Howard, Clint Howtures. Oscar-winning documentary built on the ard, Claire Hagen, Dawn Wildsmith. Somefoundation of a great idea; the results are unexone is kidnapping young people from the pected and genuinely inspiring. [R]▼쩠 streets of L.A. to cut up as involuntary Born Losers, The (1967) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: organ donors, but they didn’t reckon with T. C. Frank (Tom Laughlin). Tom Laughero Hagen and his ex-cop pal Howell. hlin, Elizabeth James, Jeremy Slate, WilWild-eyed, bizarre action thriller has too liam Wellman, Jr., Robert Tessier. What many characters and too much gunfire but seemed at the time just another biker film has its moments too. Title refers to ‘‘Body gained new interest in the ’70s as the introOrgan Replacement Network.’’ Aka MERduction of Billy Jack; he helps free young CHANTS OF DEATH. [R]▼쩠 dropout James from the clutches of Slate’s 1 ★ Born Again (1978) C-110m. ⁄2 D: Irgang. Good action scenes, but Laughlin’s ving Rapper. Dean Jones, Anne Francis, use of violence as an indictment of violence Jay Robinson, Dana Andrews, Raymond is already present. Jane Russell makes a [ 163 ]

guest appearance as a mother. Followed by BILLY JACK. [PG]▼쩠 Born on the Fourth of July (1989) C-144m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Oliver Stone. Tom Cruise, Willem Dafoe, Raymond J. Barry, Caroline Kava, Kyra Sedgwick, Bryan Larkin, Jerry Levine, Josh Evans, Frank Whaley, Stephen Baldwin, John Getz, Lili Taylor, Tom Berenger, Abbie Hoffman, Jason Gedrick, Ed Lauter, Michael Wincott, Tom Sizemore, Mike Starr, James Le Gros, John C. McGinley, Wayne Knight, Bob Gunton, Vivica A. Fox. Relentlessly realistic and powerful saga of real-life Vietnam vet Ron Kovic, who joined the Marines as a gung-ho recruit in the 1960s and came home paralyzed from the chest down—only to endure an even greater ordeal of physical and mental rehabilitation before emerging as an antiwar activist. Stone cowrote the screenplay with Kovic, and spares us nothing in recreating some of America’s most painful years. Stone’s finest film to date. Cruise delivers a top-notch performance; enhanced by a great John Williams score. Kovic can be seen in opening parade scene; Stone plays a TV reporter. Oscar winner for Best Director and Film Editing. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Born Reckless (1959) 79m. ★1⁄2 D: Howard W. Koch. Mamie Van Doren, Jeff Richards, Arthur Hunnicutt, Carol Ohmart, Tom Duggan, Jeanne Carmen. Rodeo star Richards divides his time between busting broncos and busting heads of lecherous old cowpokes trying to paw Mamie. Not bad enough to be really funny, but it has its moments; Mamie sings five of film’s eight songs, including unforgettable ‘‘I’m Just a Nice, Sweet, Home-Type of Girl.’’ Born Romantic (2001-U.S.-British) C96m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Kane. Craig Ferguson, Olivia Williams, David Morrissey, Jane Horrocks, Jimi Mistry, Catherine McCormack, Adrian Lester, Ian Hart. Three lovelorn Londoner couples meet up at a local salsa dance club, but they’re all left feet when it comes to matters of the heart. Enter Cupid-playing cabbie Lester. Slight, predictable romantic comedy works because of its terrific cast. It’s especially fun to see the usually brazen McCormack and meek Horrocks playing against type. [R]▼쩠 Born to Be Bad (1950) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nicholas Ray. Joan Fontaine, Robert Ryan, Zachary Scott, Joan Leslie, Mel Ferrer, Harold Vermilyea. ‘‘Little fake’’ Fontaine, despite attraction to writer Ryan, schemes to win wealthy Scott away from fiance´e Leslie. And that’s just for openers. Good cast in somewhat overwrought, predictable drama.

formula: a teenage boy forms a bond with an ape on the lam in Seattle, helping her in quest for freedom. Kids might go for it, even if they figure out that the lead ‘‘actor’’ is just an animatronic thespian passing for the real thing. [PG]▼●쩠 Born to Dance (1936) 105m. ★★★ D: Roy Del Ruth. Eleanor Powell, James Stewart, Virginia Bruce, Una Merkel, Sid Silvers, Frances Langford, Raymond Walburn, Buddy Ebsen, Reginald Gardiner. Powell bears out title in good Cole Porter musical with sensational footwork and fine songs: ‘‘Easy To Love,’’ ‘‘I’ve Got You Under My Skin.’’▼●쩠 Born to Kill (1947) 92m. ★★★ D: Robert Wise. Claire Trevor, Lawrence Tierney, Walter Slezak, Audrey Long, Elisha Cook, Jr., Phillip Terry. Murderer Tierney marries insecure Long, but can’t stay away from her divorced sister Trevor. Supertough film noir is uncharacteristically meanspirited for director Wise, but is well put together nonetheless. A cult item.▼쩠 Born to Kill (1974) SEE: Cockfighter Born to Rock: The T.A.M.I. Show SEE: That Was Rock Born to Win (1971) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ivan Passer. George Segal, Karen Black, Paula Prentiss, Jay Fletcher, Hector Elizondo, Robert De Niro. Unjustly neglected, but not altogether successful comedy-drama about ex-hairdresser in N.Y.C. and his $100-aday heroin habit. Very well acted, particularly by Segal. Aka ADDICT. [R]▼쩠 Born Wild (1994) C-98m. ★★ D: Duncan McLachlan. Brooke Shields, John Varty, Martin Sheen, David Keith, Elmon Mhlongo, Norman Ansty, Thembe Ndaba, Renee Estevez. The story of real-life conservationist Varty, who plays himself, and his multiyear relationship with a family of leopards. When documentarian Shields wants to make a film of his experiences, her efforts are predictably sabotaged by jealous colleagues and corrupt game wardens. Set in South Africa, Kenya, and Zambia; extraordinary footage of animals in the wild is trivialized by the Hollywoodization of the movie within the movie. [PG]▼● Born Yesterday (1950) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George Cukor. Judy Holliday, William Holden, Broderick Crawford, Howard St. John. Junk-dealer-made-good Crawford wants girlfriend (Holliday) culturefied, hires Holden to teach her in hilarious Garson Kanin comedy set in Washington, D.C. Priceless Judy repeated Broadway triumph and won Oscar for playing quintessential dumb blonde. Remade in 1993. ▼●쩠 Born Yesterday (1993) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: ▼● Born to Be Wild (1995) C-100m. ★★ D: Luis Mandoki. Melanie Griffith, John John Gray. Will Horneff, Helen Shaver, Goodman, Don Johnson, Edward Herrmann, Peter Boyle, Jean Marie Barnwell, John C. Max Perlich, Michael Ensign, Benjamin McGinley, Marvin J. McIntyre. OK family C. Bradlee, Sally Quinn, William Frankfilm grafts a gorilla onto the FREE WILLY father, Fred Dalton Thompson, Celeste [ 164 ]

Yarnall, Nora Dunn. Amiable remake of he is the brother of Jim Sheridan, who coexecutive produced.▼쩠 Garson Kanin comedy, set in Washington, Boss SEE: Boss Nigger D.C., about boorish tycoon who hires bookBoss, The (1956) 89m. ★★★ D: Byron ish reporter to give his mistress some educaHaskin. John Payne, William Bishop, Glotion and couth. The three leads are well cast, ria McGhee, Doe Avedon, Joe Flynn. Saga but the movie sags after a while, losing its of urban politico has WW1 veteran Payne comic punch. [PG]▼●쩠 building a corrupt municipal fief. Perhaps Borrower, The (1991) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Payne’s best performance; scripted by a John McNaughton. Rae Dawn Chong, blacklisted Dalton Trumbo. Don Gordon, Tom Towles, Antonio Bossa Nova (1999-Brazilian-U.S.) C-95m. Fargas, Neil Giuntoli, Larry Pennell, ★★ D: Bruno Barreto. Amy Irving, Antonio Tony Amendola, Pam Gordon, Ma¨dchen Fagundes, Alexandre Borges, De´bora Bloch, Amick, Stuart Cornfeld. An alien crimiDrica Moraes, Giovanna Antonelli, Alberto nal is ‘‘devolved’’ to human shape and de Mendoza, Stephen Tobolowsky. Airy roexiled on Earth; when his head explodes, mantic comedy-of-errors involving Brazilhe starts ripping the heads off human ian-based widow and English tutor (Irving), beings (and others) and donning them the successful older businessman who falls until they go bad, too. Understandably in love with her (Fagundes), and a variety confused cops Chong and Gordon are on of friends and family members whose love his trail. Gleefully outrageous horror lives crisscross around them. Pleasant premise supported by strong, stylish dienough, with attractive scenery, but resorection and a well-written script. [R]▼● lutely ordinary. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Borrowers, The (1997-British) C-83m. Boss Nigger (1975) C-92m. ★★ D: Jack ★★1 ⁄2 D: Peter Hewitt. John Goodman, Jim Arnold. Fred Williamson, D’Urville MarBroadbent, Mark Williams, Hugh Laurie, tin, R. G. Armstrong, William Smith, Bradley Pierce, Flora Newbigin, Tom FelBarbara Leigh, Carmen Hayworth. Cliche´d ton, Celia Imrie, Ruby Wax. Just OK renblaxploitation Western with Williamson as dering of Mary Norton’s children’s novels a bounty hunter who predictably outhustles about a household of tiny human pilferers every white man in sight. In spite of its who reduce baddie Goodman to rubble after title, not as offensive as others of the genre he cheats a nice family out of their inherited (mainly because there’s no graphic viohouse. Actors acting against oversized sets lence). Williamson scripted; also known remains an irresistible concept, but the as BOSS and THE BLACK BOUNTY movie won’t make anyone forget THE INKILLER. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼ CREDIBLE SHRINKING MAN or the Boss Of It All, The (2006-Danish-Swedishwonderful fantasy scenes in Nicolas Roeg’s Italian-French) C-99m. ★★★ D: Lars von THE WITCHES. A bit too much HOME Trier. Jens Albinus, Peter Gantzler, Fridrik ALONE–style slapstick violence, but the Thor Fridriksson, Benedikt Erlingsson, Iben short running time helps. Filmed before as a Hjejle, Henrik Prip, Mia Lyhne, Casper TVM in 1973 and as a British miniseries in Christensen, Louise Mieritz, Jean-Marc 1993. [PG]▼●쩠 Barr, Lars von Trier. Out-of-work actor (Al★★★ D: Borsalino (1970-French) C-125m. binus) signs on to impersonate a company Jacques Deray. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Alain CEO and becomes involved in a contentious Delon, Michel Bouquet, Catherine Rouvel, negotiation. Insightful satire of corporate Francoise Christophe. PUBLIC ENEMY, chicanery, employer-employee relations, and French-style; delightful seriocomic film the psychology/egomania of actors. One of of two likable hoods who become gangvon Trier’s more accessible films, but some land chieftains in 1930s Marseilles. Stars may find his excessive use of jump cuts disin top form; Claude Bolling’s infectious concerting. Filmed in Automavision, which music helps. Sequel: BORSALINO & allows a computer to determine camera CO. [PG]▼ angles and movement.쩠 Borstal Boy (2000-Irish-British) C-91m. Boss’s Son, The (1978) C-97m. ★★★ D: ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Sheridan. Shawn Hatosy, Bobby Roth. Asher Brauner, Rudy Solari, Danny Dyer, Lee Ingleby, Robin Laing, Eva Rita Moreno, Henry G. Sanders, James Birthistle, Michael York. Nostalgia-soaked, Darren, Richie Havens, Piper Laurie, Elena revisionist coming-of-age portrait of an artVerdugo. Good little independent feature ist as a young man. Loosely based on the by writer-director Roth about a young man memoir of the same name by Brendan reluctantly going into his father’s carpet facBehan, the fabled Irish writer-drunkard, the tory business. Credible, engaging.▼ scenario depicts Behan (American actor HaBoss’ Wife, The (1986) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: tosy) as an idealistic 16-year-old I.R.A. Ziggy Steinberg. Daniel Stern, Arielle member who lands in a British borstal (reDombasle, Fisher Stevens, Melanie Mayron, form school). York has his best role in years Lou Jacobi, Martin Mull, Christopher Plumas the borstal’s warden. Debut feature for mer, Thalmus Rasulala, Robert Costanzo. theater director Sheridan, who coscripted; Interesting cast falters in this tepid will[ 165 ]

he-or-won’t-he comedy about an ambitious Bottom of the Bottle, The (1956) C-88m. ★★1 young stockbroker (Stern) and the title lady ⁄2 D: Henry Hathaway. Van Johnson, (Dombasle), who’s out to seduce him. [R]▼ Joseph Cotten, Ruth Roman, Jack Carson, Boston Blackie series SEE: Leonard MalMargaret Hayes, Bruce Bennett, Brad Dextin’s Classic Movie Guide ter, Jim Davis, Margaret Lindsay, Henry Bostonians, The (1984) C-120m. ★★ D: (Harry) Morgan. Hot-and-heavy soaper deJames Ivory. Christopher Reeve, Vanessa tailing fireworks after alcoholic fugitive JohnRedgrave, Madeleine Potter, Jessica Tandy, son appears on the doorstep of his respectable Nancy Marchand, Wesley Addy, Linda Hunt, lawyer-rancher brother (Cotten). Based on a Wallace Shawn. Redgrave is perfectly cast as novel by Georges Simenon. CinemaScope. Henry James’ 19th-century feminist heroine Boudu Saved From Drowning (1932French) 87m. ★★★ D: Jean Renoir. Michel in this careful adaptation of his novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala . . . but the film itSimon, Charles Granval, Marcelle Hania, self, for all its period detail, is deadly slow Severine Lerczynska. Title tramp is resand uninvolving. Reeve is in over his head as cued from the Seine and taken home by Redgrave’s contrary cousin. ▼●쩠 well-meaning book dealer; he eventually Boston Strangler, The (1968) C-116m. takes over household, then seduces both ★★★ D: Richard Fleischer. Tony Curtis, the wife and maid. Classic attack on comHenry Fonda, George Kennedy, Mike placency still holds up, with ratty-bearded Kellin, Hurd Hatfield, Murray Hamilton, Simon giving the performance of a lifeJeff Corey, Sally Kellerman, William Martime. U.S. remake: DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS.▼●쩠 shall, George Voskovec, William Hickey, James Brolin. Absorbing drama, semiBoulevard Nights (1979) C-102m. ★★ D: documentary-style, detailing rise, manhunt, Michael Pressman. Richard Yniguez, Marta capture, prosecution of notorious criminal. Du Bois, Danny De La Paz, Betty Carvalho, Curtis gives startling performance as killer. Carmen Zapata, James Victor, Victor Impact of complex multi-image technique Millan. Sincere but uninspiring story of may be lost on TV screen. Panavision. Chicano youth who yearns to move away [R]▼쩠 from street-gang life, but drawn back be1 ★★ Botany Bay (1953) C-94m. cause of hot-blooded young brother. Filmed ⁄2 D: John Farrow. Alan Ladd, James Mason, Patriin the barrios of L.A. [R]▼ cia Medina, Cedric Hardwicke. Based on Bounce (2000) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Charles Nordhoff novel set in 1790s, picRoos. Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck, Joe turesque yarn tells of convict ship bound Morton, Natasha Henstridge, Tony Goldfor Australia, focusing on conflict between wyn, Johnny Galecki, Alex D. Linz, Jenniprisoner Ladd and sadistic skipper Mason, fer Grey, Caroline Aaron, Sam Robards. with Medina as Ladd’s love interest.▼ Hotshot ad exec gives his coveted airline Bottle Rocket (1996) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wes ticket to a chance airport acquaintance Anderson. Owen C. Wilson, Luke Wilson, who’s eager to get home to his family . . . Robert Musgrave, Andrew Wilson, Lumi then the plane crashes. A year later, the Cavazos, James Caan, Teddy Wilson, Jim guilt-ridden adman looks up the man’s Ponds. Original, low-key comedy about two widow, and quickly finds himself attracted young friends—and chronic screw-ups— to her. So-so soap opera has appealing stars who attempt to embark on a life of crime. but suffers from a heavy air of contrivance, Engaging performances by Owen C. Wilson which is especially surprising from writer(who cowrote the film), as Dignan, and his director Roos. David Paymer appears unreal-life brother Luke, as Anthony, stand billed. [PG-13]▼쩠 out. (A third brother, Andrew, plays their Bound (1996) C-109m. ★★★ D: The Wafriend’s bullying older sibling.) Expanded chowski Brothers (Larry, Andy). Jennifer from a 13m. short subject. [R]▼●쩠 Tilly, Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, John Bottle Shock (2008) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: RanRyan, Christopher Meloni, Richard C. Saradall Miller. Bill Pullman, Alan Rickman, fian. Sexy, stylishly violent noir with a SapChris Pine, Freddy Rodriguez, Rachael Tayphic twist, about a handywoman (Gershon) lor, Dennis Farina, Miguel Sandoval, Eliza and a gangster’s moll (Tilly) who conspire Dushku, Bradley Whitford. In 1976, Paris to run off together with a suitcase conwine-shop owner Rickman travels to Napa taining two million bucks. The women have Valley, California, to see if there is anything chemistry to burn, but Pantoliano steals the worth importing for a blind taste test he movie as the mobster caught in the middle. is planning. Meanwhile, struggling vineyard Impressive directorial debut from the screenowner Pullman and his footloose son (Pine) writing-brother duo. Lesbian-erotica author may be on the verge of making their first Susie Bright appears in the film, and served as technical adviser. [R]▼●쩠 really good wine. Great real-life story should have yielded a better film; there are Bound and Gagged: A Love Story (1993) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Daniel Appleby. Ginger good vignettes, and Rickman is a treat to watch, but subplot involving Pine’s love life Lynn Allen, Karen Black, Chris Denton, is a distraction. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Elizabeth Saltarrelli, Mary Ella Ross, Chris [ 166 ]

Mulkey. Yet another road movie; this one happy ending. Interesting on all three counts. Techniscope. ▼ explores the sexual trials and tribulations of two bisexual women and a rather confused Bourne Identity, The (2002) C-121m. ★★★1 straight guy who’s despondent over the ⁄2 D: Doug Liman. Matt Damon, breakup of his marriage. Quirky, rather than Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Brian Cox, interesting. Was supposed to usher ex–porn Clive Owen, Julia Stiles. Crackling spy queen Allen into a mainstream movie cathriller, from the Robert Ludlum novel, reer. Better luck next time. [R]▼●쩠 about a CIA operative who’s fished out of Bound by Honor (1993) C-180m. ★★ D: the ocean and has no memory of his identity Taylor Hackford. Damian Chapa, Jesse or his mission. Soon, circumstances force Borrego, Benjamin Bratt, Enrique Castillo, him to take it on the lam, alongside a Victor Rivers, Delroy Lindo, Tom Towles, woman he chances to meet who happens to Carlos Carrasco, Teddy Wilson, Raymond have a car. Kudos to Liman for keeping the Cruz, Lanny Flaherty, Billy Bob Thornaction taut, the characters believable, and ton, Natalija Nogulich, Ving Rhames. Amthe excitement at a high pitch throughout. bitious look at Chicano gang life concerns Filmed before as a TV miniseries in 1988. two half-brothers and a half-white cousin Alternate edition runs 119m. Followed by who evolve into a drug-addicted artist, a THE BOURNE SUPREMACY. Super 35. narcotics detective, and a repeat-offender [PG-13]▼쩠 prisoner. Despite lots of screen time (and a Bourne Supremacy, The (2004) C-108m. ★★1 passable beginning), this violent film gives ⁄2 D: Paul Greengrass. Matt Damon, top-heavy emphasis to the cellblock portion Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Joan Allen, of the saga. Script was predominantly writJulia Stiles, Karl Urban, Gabriel Mann, ten, with shared credit, by acclaimed poet Marton Csokas, Tom Gallop, John Bedford Jimmy Santiago Baca. Video title: BLOOD Lloyd, Michelle Monaghan, Karel Roden. IN BLOOD OUT. [R]▼●쩠 When an assassin tracks down Jason Bound for Glory (1976) C-147m. ★★★1⁄2 Bourne and his girlfriend, who are living in D: Hal Ashby. David Carradine, Ronny exile in India, the CIA-trained killer is Cox, Melinda Dillon, Gail Strickland, John forced back into action to find out why he’s Lehne, Ji-Tu Cumbuka, Randy Quaid, being hunted. Filled with nail-biting car M. Emmet Walsh. Life of folk singerchases and fight scenes, edited in a rat-tatcomposer Woody Guthrie, superbly played tat manner, but lacks the humor and sexual by Carradine, with great feeling for 1936–40 spark that made THE BOURNE IDENperiod as Guthrie travels the country fightTITY so good. Brutal and cold-blooded, ing and singing for the underdogs, victims like its leading character; we’re rooting for of the Great Depression. Haskell Wexler’s Bourne not because he’s a hero but simply Oscar-winning photography is tops throughby default. Chris Cooper appears unbilled, out, as is Leonard Rosenman’s score adapbriefly reprising his role from the earlier tation (also an Oscar winner). Beware of film. Followed by THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 shorter prints. [PG]▼●쩠 Bounty, The (1984) C-130m. ★★★ D: Roger Bourne Ultimatum, The (2007) C-115m. ★★★ D: Paul Greengrass. Matt Damon, Julia Donaldson. Mel Gibson, Anthony Hopkins, Laurence Olivier, Edward Fox, Daniel DayStiles, David Strathairn, Joan Allen, Scott Lewis, Bernard Hill, Liam Neeson. HandGlenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, some, well made retelling of history’s most Albert Finney, Joey Ansah, Daniel Bru¨hl. famous mutiny (not based on the NordhoffThird chapter in Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Hall book) paints Bligh as repressed and series has the CIA-trained operative traversstubborn, not mad, and Christian as a ing the world as he continues to search for dilettante with no real substance. Interesthis identity and decide how to settle old ing all the way, but emotionally aloof. scores. All you could ask from an action Great use of widescreen. J-D-C Scope. film, with well-chosen international locales, [PG]▼●쩠 an intelligently wrought cat-and-mouse narBounty Hunter, The (1954) C-79m. ★★1⁄2 rative, and one breathless action set piece D: Andre de Toth. Randolph Scott, Doloafter another. Damon, again, is right on tarres Dorn, Marie Windsor, Howard Petrie. get as Bourne, but his character’s virtual Scott is on his horse again, this time trackindestructibility drains some of the humaning down three murderers. Originally filmed ity from the proceedings. Oscar winner for in 3-D. Sound Editing, Sound Mixing, and Film EdBounty Killer, The (1965) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 iting (Christopher Rouse). Super 35. [PGD: Spencer G. Bennet. Dan Duryea, Rod 13]쩠 Cameron, Audrey Dalton, Richard Arlen, Bowery, The (1933) 90m. ★★★ D: Raoul Buster Crabbe, Fuzzy Knight, Johnny Mack Walsh. Wallace Beery, George Raft, Jackie Brown, Bob Steele, Bronco Billy Anderson. Cooper, Fay Wray, Pert Kelton, Herman Chief interest is cast of old-timers from HolBing. Raft is Steve Brodie, Beery a notolywood Westerns. Unlike their previous verious saloon owner, Cooper his young nemhicles, this is adult, low key, and minus esis in rowdy story of N.Y.C.’s Bowery [ 167 ]

during the Gay ’90s. Kelton is marvelous as Beery’s saloon soubrette. Bowery at Midnight (1942) 63m. ★★ D: Wallace Fox. Bela Lugosi, John Archer, Wanda McKay, Tom Neal, Dave O’Brien. Lugosi is kindly psychiatrist who leads double life as criminal mastermind in the Bowery. An inexplicable subplot involves reviving the dead. Mild but atmospheric.

LEFT FOOT and IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, but is still compelling human drama, anchored by Day-Lewis and the luminous Watson. Stunningly filmed by Chris Menges in Dublin. [R]▼●쩠 Boxing Helena (1993) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Jennifer Chambers Lynch. Julian Sands, Sherilyn Fenn, Bill Paxton, Art Garfunkel, Kurtwood Smith, Betsy Clark, Nicolette Scorsese. Dreadful debut feature from the ▼쩠 The Bowery Boys series SEE: Leonard 24-year-old daughter of David Lynch, about Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide an esteemed surgeon (Sands) whose obsesBowfinger (1999) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Oz. sion with sexpot Fenn leads to a bizarre set Steve Martin, Eddie Murphy, Heather Graof circumstances. Tries to be provocative ham, Christine Baranski, Jamie Kennedy, and shocking, but the result is unintentional Robert Downey, Jr., Terence Stamp, Adam laughter (when it’s not boring). Originally Alexi-Malle, Barry Newman. Desperate, NC-17, rerated after appeal. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 down-and-out filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger (Martin) schemes to make a movie with the Box of MoonLight (1997) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 top action star in Hollywood (Murphy)— D: Tom DiCillo. John Turturro, Sam Rockwithout bothering to tell him that he’s in the well, Catherine Keener, Lisa Blount, Annie picture! Likable costars carry this comedy Corley, Dermot Mulroney. A very slight a long way; there are some good laughs slice of whimsy about an uptight engineer, throughout, but it’s never as satisfying as supervising a construction project out of you’d like it to be. Murphy has fun playing town, who quite by chance falls in with a a doofus look-alike for the action hero. free spirit who lives in the woods . . . and Written by Martin. [PG-13]▼●쩠 finds that he feels liberated as he spends Bowling for Columbine (2002) C-123m. time away from the precision of his normal ★★★ D: Michael Moore. Onetime sharpshootlife. Turturro is excellent, as always, and so ing champion and lifelong NRA member is Rockwell as Kid, but the story has few Moore uses his confrontational, highly persurprises, and its charms are stretched pretty thin. DiCillo also scripted. [R] ▼●쩠 sonal filmmaking style to examine America’s love affair with guns. Depending on your Boy A (2007-British) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: point of view, you will find this wide-ranging John Crowley. Andrew Garfield, Peter Mulfilm to be illuminating or infuriating. Our falan, Katie Lyons, Shaun Evans, Jeremy vorite segment is a condemnation of fearSwift, Alfie Owen, Taylor Doherty, Anmongering on TV newscasts . . . but a climacthony Lewis. In northern England, a taciturn tic interview with NRA president Charlton young man (Garfield) has been released Heston isn’t the showdown it should have from penitentiary and is starting life anew, been. Oscar winner for Best Documentary. guided by a dedicated, fatherly social worker [R] ▼쩠 (Mullan). While he attempts to build new Boxcar Bertha (1972) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: personal and professional relationships we Martin Scorsese. Barbara Hershey, David learn—via small flashback bits—how the Carradine, Barry Primus, Bernie Casey, former schoolboy got into trouble. IntenJohn Carradine. Scorsese’s first studio film tionally bleak and a bit contrived, grim film is yet another BONNIE AND CLYDE is still quite involving and well acted. Based cash-in, with small-town girl Hershey fallon a novel by Jonathan Trigell. Debuted on British TV prior to theatrical release. [R]쩠 ing in with Carradine and his band of train robbers. Good of its kind, but buffs lookBoy and His Dog, A (1975) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 ing for embryonic Scorsese stylistics may D: L. Q. Jones. Don Johnson, Susanne be a little let down . . . although there are Benton, Jason Robards, Alvy Moore, Hetwo minor characters named Michael Powlene Winston, Charles McGraw, Tiger, ell and Emeric Pressburger! [R]▼●쩠 voice of Tim McIntire. Cult black comedy Boxer, The (1971) SEE: Ripped Off is definitely not a kiddie movie, despite its title. In the post-holocaust future, young Boxer, The (1997-U.S.-Irish) C-113m. ★★★ D: Jim Sheridan. Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily punk Johnson, aided by his telepathic (and Watson, Brian Cox, Ken Stott, Gerard McSormuch smarter) dog, forages for food and ley, Eleanor Methven, Ciaran Fitzgerald, Kenwomen, then is lured into bizarre underground neth Cranham. Powerful, straightforward civilization. Faithful adaptation of Harlan Elstory of a boxer and former IRA member lison’s novella. Revised in 1982 to include a released from prison after 14 years, trying to 1m. prologue. Techniscope. [R] ▼●쩠 rebuild his life in troubled Belfast and becomBoy Cried Murder, The (1966-British) ing involved with his old sweetheart, who’s C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Breakston. Vemarried to a political prisoner. Third teaming ronica Hurst, Phil Brown, Beba Loncar, of Day-Lewis and director/cowriter Sheridan Frazer MacIntosh, Tim Barrett. A reworklacks the complexity and resonance of MY ing of THE WINDOW set in Adriatic [ 168 ]

resort town. Youngster noted for his fabriLloyd Bacon. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, cations witnesses a murder; no one but the Marie Wilson, Ralph Bellamy, Frank killer believes him. McHugh, Dick Foran, Penny Singleton, Boy, Did I Get a Wrong Number! (1966) Ronald Reagan. Screwball spoof of HolC-99m. BOMB D: George Marshall. Bob lywood sometimes pushes too hard, but Hope, Elke Sommer, Phyllis Diller, Cesare has enough sharp dialogue, good satire in Danova, Marjorie Lord. They sure did; tale of two sharpster screenwriters to make result is worthless film that should be it worthwhile. Script by Samuel and Bella avoided. Absolutely painful.▼쩠 Spewack, from their Broadway play.▼ Boy Friend, The (1971-British) C-135m. Boy Named Charlie Brown, A (1969) C★★★ D: Ken Russell. Twiggy, Christopher 85m. ★★★ D: Bill Melendez. Voices of Peter Gable, Moyra Fraser, Max Adrian, Vladek Robbins, Pamelyn Ferdin, Glenn Gilger, Andy Sheybal, Georgina Hale, Tommy Tune; Pforsich. Peanuts gang makes surprisingly cameo by Glenda Jackson. Director Russell’s successful feature-film debut, with ingenious homage to Hollywood musicals works on visual ideas adding to usual fun. Only debit: Rod McKuen’s absurd songs. [G]▼●쩠 several levels, from tacky matinee performance of a show to fantasy-world concepBoynton Beach Club (2006) C-105m. ★★★ tion of same material, all loosely tied to D: Susan Seidelman. Dyan Cannon, Brenda Sandy Wilson’s cunning spoof of 1920s Vaccaro, Sally Kellerman, Joseph Bologna, musical shows. Busby Berkeley-ish numLen Cariou, Michael Nouri, Renee Taylor, bers (choreographed by Gable) come amazMal Z. Lawrence. Affecting, funny look at ingly close to spirit and execution of the love among senior citizens in a Florida reMaster himself. Originally released in U.S. tirement community. Vaccaro is the newest at 110m. Panavision. [G]▼● (reluctant) recruit for the Boynton Beach Boyfriends and Girlfriends (1987-French) Bereavement Club after her husband’s sudC-102m. ★★★ D: Eric Rohmer. Emmanuden demise; in addition to companionship elle Chaulet, Sophie Renoir, Anne-Laure she needs to vent her anger over his needMeury, Eric Viellard, Francois-Eric Gendless death. Appealing performances by all ron. The sixth of Rohmer’s ‘‘Comedies the leading actors propel this minor but and Proverbs’’ is a typically witty, percepgood-hearted film, one of the few to deal tive, ironic account of two very different with older people without being coy or conyoung women who strike up a friendship . . . descending. Inspired by Seidelman’s mother and commence playing romantic musical Florence’s experiences in one such community. [R]쩠 chairs with a couple of men. Nobody can direct characters who are forever falling in Boy on a Dolphin (1957) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: and out of love quite like Eric Rohmer. Jean Negulesco. Alan Ladd, Clifton Webb, Originally shown as MY GIRLFRIEND’S Sophia Loren, Laurence Naismith, Alex MiBOYFRIEND. [PG]▼●쩠 notis, Jorge Mistral. Loren’s Hollywood debut Boyfriend School, The SEE: Don’t Tell understandably caused a sensation for her iniHer It’s Me tial appearance in a wet, clingy blouse; thereBoy in Blue, The (1986-Canadian) C-98m. after, it’s an OK adventure about rival teams ★★ D: Charles Jarrott. Nicolas Cage, Cynof divers racing to locate the titular statue, thia Dale, Christopher Plummer, David sunk centuries ago off the island of Hydra. Naughton, Sean Sullivan, Melody AnderSpectacular Greek locations are the real son. Humdrum tale of real-life 19th-century stars; Webb’s droll villainy is another asset. CinemaScope.▼ Canadian rowing champ Ned Hanlan; filled with stock characters, from faithful manager Boys, The (1961-British) 123m. ★★★ D: to ‘‘unattainable’’ love interest. Barely Sidney J. Furie. Richard Todd, Robert stays afloat. [R]▼쩠 Morley, Felix Aylmer, Wilfred Brambell. Boy in the Striped Pajamas, The (2008Engrossing study of attorney who tries to uncover motives for crimes allegedly comU.S.-British) C-94m. ★★★ D: Mark Herman. David Thewlis, Vera Farmiga, Rupert Friend, mitted by four teenagers. CinemaScope. David Hayman, Asa Butterfield, Jack ScanBoys (1996) C-88m. ★★ D: Stacy Cochran. lon, Amber Beattie, Sheila Hancock, Richard Winona Ryder, Lukas Haas, John C. Reilly, Johnson, Jim Norton. Unique Holocaust James LeGros, Skeet Ulrich, Wiley Wigfable (from John Boyne’s novel for young gins, Russell Young, Chris Cooper, Jessica readers) about the 8-year-old son of an SS Harper, Catherine Keener. Moody but mudofficer who moves with his family to a new dled coming-of-age story about a prep home in the country. He can’t help being school boy (Haas) who helps a woman curious about the ‘‘farm’’ nearby with a (Ryder) after an accident and then becomes barbed-wire fence—and a boy about his age entangled in her mysterious past. Frustraton the other side. Quietly powerful drama ing plot takes time getting started, but has personalizes the qualms and contradictions no real story to tell. Attractive New England facing German families during the Nazi era. locations and good performance by Haas can’t make up for lapses in logic . . . and a Screenplay by the director. [PG-13]쩠 tacked-on happy ending. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Boy Meets Girl (1938) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 169 ]

Boys and Girl From County Clare, The Greece. Songs: ‘‘This Can’t Be Love,’’ (2005-Irish) C-90m. ★★★ D: John Irvin. ‘‘Falling in Love With Love.’’ Colm Meaney, Bernard Hill, Andrea Corr, Boys in Company C, The (1978) C-127m. ★★★ Philip Barantini, Charlotte Bradley, Shaun D: Sidney J. Furie. Stan Shaw, AnEvans, Patrick Bergin. Two brothers (Meaney, drew Stevens, James Canning, Michael Hill) who haven’t seen each other in years Lembeck, Craig Wasson, Scott Hylands, revive a longtime rivalry when their bands James Whitmore, Jr., Lee Ermey. Shaw compete in a traditional Ceili music festival. (in a standout performance) whips a bunch Entertaining comedy set in the 1960s stops of green Marine recruits into shape for just short of being too cute; sentimental, combat in Vietnam; good, tough film foundemanding entertainment with canny percuses on stupidity of military brass and formances by the leading actors. Corr, of demoralization of the soldiers. Panavision. the Irish pop group The Corrs, is an engag[R]▼●쩠 ing love interest for Evans. Made in 2003. Boys in the Band, The (1970) C-119m. ★★★1 Panavision.▼쩠 ⁄2 D: William Friedkin. Kenneth NelBoys and Girls (2000) C-94m. BOMB D: son, Peter White, Leonard Frey, Cliff GorRobert Iscove. Freddie Prinze, Jr., Claire man, Frederick Combs, Laurence LuckinForlani, Jason Biggs, Amanda Detmer, Alybill, Keith Prentice, Robert LaTourneaux, son Hannigan, Heather Donahue, Lisa Reuben Greene. Excellent filmization of Eichhorn. Two students (Prinze and ForMart Crowley’s landmark play about nine lani) find their paths constantly crossing; men at a birthday party: eight are gay, the then a friendship develops. Tiresome rehash ninth insists he’s not. Often hilarious, freof WHEN HARRY MET SALLY among quently sad, but always thought provokthe college set, with grating characters you ing, and sensationally acted by the original just want to slap silly. [PG-13]▼쩠 stage cast; a rare case where a single, Boys Don’t Cry (1999) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: claustrophobic set is actually an asset. [R] Kimberly Peirce. Hilary Swank, Chloe¨ Sev▼●쩠 igny, Peter Sarsgaard, Brendan Sexton III, AlBoys Next Door, The (1985) C-88m. ★★ ison Folland, Alicia Goranson, Jeannetta D: Penelope Spheeris. Maxwell Caulfield, Arnette. Searing drama based on the 1993 Charlie Sheen, Christopher McDonald, case of Brandon Teena (Swank, in an Hank Garrett, Patti D’Arbanville, Moon Oscar-winning performance), a girl who Zappa. Alienated teens Caulfield and Sheen, passes herself off as a boy in rural Nejust about to graduate high school, go on a braska. Moving to a new town, she/he finds murder spree. A not-uninteresting portrait a soul mate who deliberately doesn’t ask of desperation and hopelessness that ultitoo many questions . . . but infuriates the mately fails because there’s no real insight girl’s trailer-trash friends and family. Well into the boys’ behavior. [R]▼●쩠 made in every respect, but fails to get inside Boys’ Night Out (1962) C-115m. ★★★ D: the characters’ heads; the violent conclusion Michael Gordon. Kim Novak, James Garis almost unbearable to watch. Same material ner, Tony Randall, Howard Duff, Janet explored in the documentary THE BRANBlair, Patti Page, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Howard DON TEENA STORY. [R]▼쩠 Morris. Trio of married men and bachelor Boys From Brazil, The (1978) C-123m. Garner decide to set up an apartment ★★1 equipped with Novak. Some interesting in⁄2 D: Franklin J. Schaffner. Gregory Peck, Laurence Olivier, James Mason, Lilli Palnuendos, with comic relief from Blair, Page, and Gabor. CinemaScope.▼ mer, Uta Hagen, John Dehner, Rosemary Harris, Anne Meara, John Rubinstein, Boys of Paul Street, The (1969-HungarianU.S.) C-108m. ★★★ D: Zoltan Fabri. AnDenholm Elliott, Steven Guttenberg, David Hurst, Jeremy Black, Bruno Ganz, thony Kemp, Robert Efford, Gary O’BriWalter Gotell, Michael Gough, Prunella en, Mark Colleano, John Moulder Brown. Scales. Former Nazi chieftain Dr. Josef Allegory of children’s battle for control of Mengele (Peck) has insidious plan to breed vacant lot in Budapest, from Ferenc Molnew race of Hitlers. Interesting but ultinar’s novel; eloquent statement on war. mately silly and unbelievable; worth watchFilmed before in Hollywood as NO ing, though, for Olivier’s brilliant, credible GREATER GLORY. Agascope. [G] performance as aging Jewish Nazi-hunter. Boys on the Side (1995) C-117m. ★★★ D: Based on Ira Levin novel. [R]▼●쩠 Herbert Ross. Whoopi Goldberg, MaryBoys From Brooklyn, The SEE: Bela Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore, Matthew Lugosi Meets a Brooklyn Gorilla McConaughey, James Remar, Billy Wirth, Boys From Syracuse, The (1940) 73m. Anita Gillette, Estelle Parsons, Dennis ★★1⁄2 D: A. Edward Sutherland. Allan Jones, Boutsikaris, Gedde Watanabe. Extremely likJoe Penner, Martha Raye, Rosemary Lane, able film about three disparate women who Irene Hervey, Eric Blore. Disappointingly travel cross-country and become involved in ordinary adaptation of Rodgers & Hart’s each other’s lives. Any film incorporating Broadway musical based on Shakespeare’s physical abuse, premarital pregnancy, AIDS, The Comedy of Errors, set in ancient and lesbianism has got its work cut out for it; [ 170 ]

three strong, appealing performances make up Uneven, inconsequential account of sensifor story contrivances (and credibility gaps). tive first-year university student Connery, Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 his relationships with his mother and Boys Town (1938) 96m. ★★★ D: Norman girlfriend, and his growing pains. Jason is Taurog. Spencer Tracy, Mickey Rooney, the son of Sean Connery and Diane Cilento Henry Hull, Gene Reynolds, Leslie Fenton, (who plays his mom here). [R] Addison Richards, Edward Norris, Sidney Boy With Green Hair, The (1948) C-82m. ★★★ D: Joseph Losey. Pat O’Brien, Robert Miller, Bobs Watson, Frankie Thomas. Tracy won Oscar as Father Flanagan, who Ryan, Barbara Hale, Dean Stockwell, Dwayne develops school for juvenile delinquents; Hickman. Thought-provoking allegory of war Rooney is his toughest enrolee. Syrupy orphan Stockwell, who becomes a social but well done; Eleanore Griffin and Dore outcast when his hair changes color. ConSchary also earned Oscars for their original troversial on its release because of its pacistory. Sequel: MEN OF BOYS TOWN. Alfistic point of view. Dale Robertson and most 60 years later, Rooney played Father Russ Tamblyn appear uncredited.▼●쩠 Flanagan in the direct-to-video feature THE Boyz N the Hood (1991) C-107m. ★★★ D: ROAD HOME. Also shown in computerJohn Singleton. Larry Fishburne, Ice Cube, colored version. ▼●쩠 Cuba Gooding, Jr., Nia Long, Morris ChestBoy Ten Feet Tall, A (1963-British) nut, Tyra Ferrell, Angela Bassett, WhitC-118m. ★★★ D: Alexander Mackendrick. man Mayo. Sober, thoughtful look at life Edward G. Robinson, Fergus McClelland, in the black section of South Central L.A. Constance Cummings, Harry H. Corbett. A divorced father strives to raise his son Colorful, charming film about orphaned with values—and steer him away from the boy traveling through Africa alone to reach ignorance and aimlessness that has led to his aunt, who lives in Durban. Cut to 88m. an epidemic of senseless violence in the for American release. Originally titled neighborhood. Impressive debut for 23SAMMY GOING SOUTH. CinemaScope. year-old writer-director Singleton; longBoy Who Could Fly, The (1986) Cish, and not always on-the-money, but 114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nick Castle. Lucy Deakins, overall quite potent and effective. Singleton has a bit part as a mailman. [R]▼●쩠 Jay Underwood, Bonnie Bedelia, Fred Savage, Colleen Dewhurst, Fred Gwynne, LouBraddock: Missing in Action III (1988) ise Fletcher, Jason Priestley. Sensitive girl C-101m. BOMB D: Aaron Norris. Chuck moves to a new neighborhood and beNorris, Aki Aleong, Roland Harrah III, friends an autistic (and mysterious) boy Miki King. Dreary comic book sequel with next door. Warm, well-intentioned film Colonel Norris returning to Vietnam yet moves very slowly and makes uncomfortagain, this time to look for his wife. Chuck able turn from believable drama to fantasy— even coscripted, with brother Aaron serving as director. [R]▼●쩠 undermining much of its effectiveness. Good feelings and good performances (esBrady Bunch Movie, The (1995) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Betty Thomas. Shelley Long, Gary pecially Bedelia and newcomer Deakins) help keep it aloft. Written by director Cole, Michael McKean, Jean Smart, HenCastle. [PG]▼●쩠 riette Mantel, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Boy Who Cried Bitch, The (1991) CChristine Taylor, Paul Sutera, Jennifer Elise 101m. ★★★ D: Juan Jose Campanella. HarCox, Jesse Lee, Olivia Hack, Reni Santoni. ley Cross, Karen Young, Dennis Boutsikaris, Dead-on parody of the enduringly popular Adrien Brody, Gene Canfield, Moira Kelly, early ’70s TV sitcom, with America’s faJesse Bradford, J. D. Daniels, Kario Salem, vorite white-bread family unaware that valSamuel Wright. Thoughtful, unsettling drama ues and mores have changed all around about violent, psychotic 12-year-old Cross, them. Long and Cole are a hoot as the parwhose mother hasn’t given him proper parenents, but if you’re not a series devotee, tal attention, and whose psychiatric care is many of the gags and story references will inadequate at best. Well made, extremely have no meaning whatsoever. Predictably, well acted, but be forewarned: it’s unrelentthere are cameos by veterans of the original ingly grim and sad. show. Followed by A VERY BRADY SEBoy Who Cried Werewolf, The (1973) QUEL. [PG-13]▼●쩠 C-93m. ★★ D: Nathan Juran. Kerwin Brain, The (1962-British-German) 85m. ★★★ Mathews, Elaine Devry, Scott Sealey, RobD: Freddie Francis. Anne Heywood, ert J. Wilke, Susan Foster. Boy discovers Peter Van Eyck, Cecil Parker, Bernard Lee, his own father has become a werewolf and is Maxine Audley, Jeremy Spenser, Jack Macon the prowl. More like an adventure thriller Gowran. Good remake of DONOVAN’S than a horror movie, but not much good as BRAIN, about scientist overtaken by the anything. Odd werewolf makeup. [PG] brain of a vengeance-seeking dead man that Boy Who Had Everything, The (1984is being kept ‘‘alive’’ in his laboratory. ★★ Australian) C-94m. D: Stephen WalOriginal British title: VENGEANCE.▼ lace. Jason Connery, Diane Cilento, Laura Brain, The (1969-French) C-100m. ★★ D: Williams, Lewis Fitz-Gerald, Ian Gilmour. Gerard Oury. David Niven, Jean-Paul [ 171 ]

Belmondo, Bourvil, Eli Wallach, Silvia Van Valkenburgh, Brion James, Tim Monti, Fernand Valois. Fine international cast Thomerson, Charles Rocket, Nicholas in OK caper comedy about a train heist masGuest. One night in Portland, Oregon, terminded by Niven. Franscope. [G]▼ nightclub bouncer Clay helps model Brain Candy (1996) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kelly Hatcher combat a mob of evil Chinese Makin. David Foley, Bruce McCulloch, monks who are after the Red Lotus of UltiKevin McDonald, Mark McKinney, Scott mate Power. Failed attempt to turn Clay into Thompson, Kathryn Greenwood, Janeane a Stallone-like action star is a slow, foggy Garofalo. New wonder drug that cures debore. Hatcher is cute in hot pants, though. [PG-13]▼● pression has devastating side effect on the population now addicted to the product. Brainstorm (1965) 114m. ★★ D: William This premise intertwines the lives of over Conrad. Jeff Hunter, Anne Francis, Dana 30 characters played by Kids in the Hall, the Andrews, Viveca Lindfors, Stacy Harris, Canadian TV sketch troupe in their featureKathie Brown. Fair thriller about a deterfilm debut. Funny sequences and bizarre mined man (Hunter) who attempts the percharacters don’t add up to a satisfying fect crime in order to eliminate Andrews whole, but the cast is energetic in many and marry Francis. Contrived. Panavision.쩠 original and unusual guises, often in drag. Brainstorm (1983) C-106m. ★★★ D: DougStandout moment has Thompson ‘‘coming las Trumbull. Christopher Walken, Nataout’’ in splashy Hollywood musical produclie Wood, Louise Fletcher, Cliff Robertson, tion number. Brendan Fraser appears unJoe Dorsey, Jordan Christopher. Research billed. On-screen title is KIDS IN THE scientists Walken and Fletcher perfect a HALL BRAIN CANDY. [R]▼●쩠 sensory experience device—in the form of Brain Damage (1988) C-94m. ★★★ D: a headset—with explosive potential. EnterFrank Henenlotter. Rick Herbst, Gordon tainingly old-fashioned ‘‘mad scientist’’ MacDonald, Jennifer Lowry, Theo Barnes, type tale brought up to date, though it’s Lucille Saint-Peter, Vicki Darnell. Exbest not to examine story too closely. tremely strange, oddly effective horror Fletcher gives film’s standout performance, film about Herbst and a monster parasite but Wood, in her last film (she died during that gives him psychedelic ‘‘highs’’ by production in 1981) has a basically thankinjecting fluid into his brain. And that’s less role. Sure to lose most of its impact on not the half of it! Clever parable about TV screens since Trumbull’s state-of-thedrug addiction features a funny cameo by art visual effects were designed for 70mm Super Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 the star of Henenlotter’s first film, BASKET CASE. [R]▼쩠 Brain That Wouldn’t Die, The (1963) 81m. ★1⁄2 D: Joseph Green. Herb (Jason) Brain Donors (1992) C-80m. ★★ D: Dennis Dugan. John Turturro, Bob Nelson, Evers, Virginia Leith, Adele Lamont, LesMel Smith, Nancy Marchand, John Savident, lie Daniel, Paula Maurice. Poorly produced George De La Pena, Juli Donald, Spike tale of surgeon trying to find body to Alexander, Teri Copley. Three social misattach to fiance´e’s head (she was decapitated fits team up to bilk a wealthy matron who but still lives). Beware of shorter version, which eliminates most of the gore.▼쩠 wants to establish her own ballet company. Full-bore attempt to re-create an oldBrainwash SEE: Circle of Power Brainwashed (1961-German) 102m. ★★ D: time movie comedy, officially ‘‘suggested’’ by A NIGHT AT THE OPERA, with Gerd Oswald. Curt Jurgens, Claire Bloom, Turturro as Groucho, Nelson as Harpo, Hansjorg Felmy, Albert Lieven. Austrian Smith as Chico, and Marchand as MargaJurgens’ struggle to retain sanity while ret Dumont. Scores high marks for good undergoing intense Nazi interrogation is intentions but pretty much falls flat. Great basis of this psychological drama. Strong Claymation title sequence by Will Vinton’s performances but weak story mars film. BrainWaves (1982) C-80m. ★★ D: Ulli studio. Written by Pat Proft. [PG]▼●쩠 Brainscan (1994-U.S.-Canadian) C-95m. Lommel. Keir Dullea, Suzanna Love, Tony ★★ D: John Flynn. Edward Furlong, Frank Curtis, Vera Miles, Percy Rodrigues, Paul Langella, T Rider-Smith, Amy Hargreaves, Willson. Young woman, injured in an Jamie Marsh, David Hemblen. Teenaged accident, receives the brain (and brainFurlong has few friends, still grieves over waves) of a murdered girl and then is the accident that killed his mother, and is stalked by her killer. A glum-looking Tony obsessed by horror movies and computer Curtis is the modern-day Dr. Frankenstein games. All of which makes him ripe for the in this pedestrian thriller. [PG—edited from original R rating]▼쩠 new game, Brainscan—which seems to be turning him into an unwitting murderer. A Bramble Bush, The (1960) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 good cast and director do what they can D: Daniel Petrie. Richard Burton, Barbara with mediocre material. [R]▼●쩠 Rush, Jack Carson, Angie Dickinson. Charles Brain Smasher . . . A Love Story (1993) Mergendahl’s potboiler becomes superficial C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Albert Pyun. Andrew Dice gloss with Burton, totally ill at ease, playing Clay, Teri Hatcher, Yuji Okumoto, Deborah New England doctor returning to Cape Cod, [ 172 ]

★★★ where he falls in love with his dying D: Mark Herman. Pete Postlethwaite, friend’s wife.▼ Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Stephen Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) C-123m. Tompkinson, Jim Carter, Philip Jackson, ★★★1 Peter Martin, Sonue Johnston. Yorkshire mine ⁄2 D: Francis Ford Coppola. Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopworkers eke out a living but find solace as kins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, members of an amateur, all-male brass band. Cary Elwes, Bill Campbell, Sadie Frost, They are threatened by the not unrelated facTom Waits, Jay Robinson, Monica Beltors of (a) the mining pit’s possible closure lucci. Sumptuous retelling of the Dracula and (b) a young woman invading their terrilegend. Avenging the death of his beloved tory. Seriocomic drama provides an emotional wife, a 15th-century Romanian warrior lives tour de force for Postlethwaite as dogged on through the ages . . . and sets his sights bandleader, and also for Tompkinson as his on Victorian London. Sexual, sinuous, exbeleaguered son. Those are the real-life muquisitely realized (using every movie artisicians—members of the Grimethorpe Colfice imaginable); occasionally let down by liery Band—on the soundtrack. [R]▼●쩠 story lags . . . but always has one more gooBrass Target (1978) C-111m. ★★ D: John die up its sleeve. Written by James Victor Hough. John Cassavetes, Sophia Loren, Hart. Kudos to Thomas Sanders’ production George Kennedy, Max von Sydow, Robdesign, Michael Ballhaus’ cinematography, ert Vaughn, Bruce Davison, Patrick Mcand Wojciech Kilar’s powerful music. Won Goohan. Rambling thriller speculates that Oscars for makeup, sound effects editing, and Gen. Patton (Kennedy) was assassinated just costume design. [R]▼●쩠 after WW2 because of major gold heist perpeBranded (1950) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rudolph trated by his subordinates. Unfocused stoMate´. Alan Ladd, Mona Freeman, Charles ryline is major liability; von Sydow is major Bickford, Joseph Calleia, Milburn Stone. asset as the killer. Panavision. [PG] ▼● Outlaws use carefree Ladd to impersonate Bratz (2007) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Sean McNarancher Bickford’s long-missing son, leadmara. Nathalia Ramos, Janel Parrish, Logan ing to much different outcome than anticBrowning, Skyler Shaye, Chelsea Staub, ipated; action and love scenes balanced Lainie Kazan, Jon Voight, Kadeem HardiOK.▼●쩠 son. Silly live-action trifle, based on a popuBranded to Kill (1967-Japanese) 91m. ★★★ lar line of fashion dolls, about four pretty, D: Seijun Suzuki. Jo Shishido, Koji Namperky high schoolers whose friendships are bara, Annu Mari, Mariko Ogawa. Stylish strained by allegiances to rival cliques. and surreal deconstruction of the Yakuza May—repeat, may—appeal to preteen girls genre, chronicling the bizarre exploits of who treasure their Bratz collections. Super 35. [PG]쩠 ‘‘Number Three Killer,’’ a hit man with a fetish for smelling boiled rice who finds himBravados, The (1958) C-98m. ★★★ D: self being stalked by ‘‘Number One Killer’’ Henry King. Gregory Peck, Joan Collins, after he botches an assignment. Typically irStephen Boyd, Albert Salmi. Compelling reverent and subversive film from cult direcWestern starring Peck, seeking four men tor Suzuki is also fairly incoherent but who raped and killed his wife, discovering technically dazzling. Nikkatsu Scope. ▼쩠 that he has become no better than those he Brannigan (1975-British) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 hunts. Joe De Rita (later Curly Joe of D: Douglas Hickox. John Wayne, Richard The Three Stooges) plays the hangman. Attenborough, Judy Geeson, John VerCinemaScope. ▼쩠 non, Mel Ferrer, Ralph Meeker, LesleyBrave Bulls, The (1951) 108m. ★★★ D: Anne Down. A criminal flees to London to Robert Rossen. Mel Ferrer, Miroslava, avoid extradition, and Chicago cop Wayne Anthony Quinn, Eugene Iglesias. Flavorpursues him. Overlong, but change of loful account of public and private life of a cale serves Duke well; highlight is amusmatador, based on Tom Lea book. Film admirably captures atmosphere of bullfighting brawl in pub. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★ Brasher Doubloon, The (1947) 72m. ing. Some prints now available run 114m., D: John Brahm. George Montgomery, with bullfight footage originally deemed Nancy Guild, Conrad Janis, Roy Roberts, too gruesome for U.S. audiences. Fritz Kortner. Rare coin seems to be object Braveheart (1995) C-177m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mel of several murders in very uneven version Gibson. Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patof Philip Marlowe detective mystery. rick McGoohan, Catherine McCormack, Filmed before as TIME TO KILL. Brendan Gleeson, James Cosmo, David Brass Bottle, The (1964) C-89m. ★★ D: O’Hara, Angus Macfadyen, Peter Henly, Harry Keller. Tony Randall, Burl Ives, James Robinson, Alun Armstrong, Ian BanBarbara Eden, Edward Andrews, Ann nen, Brian Cox. Big, booming, epic tale of Doran. Juvenile comedy-fantasy about genie 13th-century Scottish rebel warrior William Ives coming out of magic bottle to serve Wallace, who builds a grass-roots resistance Randall. Eden fared better when she went to the tyranny of English King Edward I (McGoohan). Manages to tell a gripping into a lamp herself on TV. ▼ Brassed Off (1996-British-U.S.) C-109m. personal story that grows in scale through a [ 173 ]

series of eye-popping (and bloody) battle Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linscenes. Only the denouement starts to drag. ney, Dennis Haysbert, Caroline Dhavernas, A powerful, passionate film about a powerGary Cole, Bruce Davison, Kathleen Quinful, passionate man. Winner of Academy lan. Real-life espionage tale seen through Awards for Best Picture, Director, Cinemathe eyes of ambitious FBI man Eric O’Neill tography (John Toll), Makeup, and Sound (Phillippe), who’s given a thankless assignEffects Editing. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 ment. He must earn the confidence of Brave Little Toaster, The (1987) C-90m. agency veteran Robert Hanssen (Cooper), a ★★★ D: Jerry Rees. Voices of Jon Lovitz, devout Catholic and family man who’s been Tim Stack, Timothy E. Day, Thurl Ravensselling high-level secrets to the Russians. croft, Deanna Oliver, Phil Hartman. EnSolid, straightforward drama with a superior tertaining animated feature about a group of performance by Cooper that reflects the humanized household appliances who embark many facets of Hanssen’s personality . . . on a perilous journey to find their young masalthough we never really understand what ter. A welcome throwback to the cartoons of makes him tick. [PG-13]쩠 yore, with equal doses of heart and hip humor Bread and Chocolate (1973-Italian) Cto please both kids and their parents. Some 107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Franco Brusati. Nino nice songs by Van Dyke Parks, too. Based on Manfredi, Anna Karina, Johnny Dorelli, the novel by Thomas M. Disch. Followed by Paolo Turco, Max Delys. Manfredi is marveltwo direct-to-video sequels. ▼●쩠 ous as a Chaplinesque everyman, an optimistic Brave One, The (1956) C-100m. ★★★ D: lower-class worker who treks to Switzerland Irving Rapper. Michel Ray, Rodolfo Hoyos, to make his fortune yet remains the eternal Fermin Rivera, Elsa Cardenas, Carlos Naoutsider. Memorable sequence in a chicken varro, Joi Lansing. Predictable but charming coop. Original running time: 111m.▼쩠 tale of peasant-boy Ray and his love for GiBread and Roses (2001-British-Germantano, a valiant bull destined to meet his fate in Spanish) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ken Loach. the arena. Filmed in Mexico. ‘‘Robert Rich’’ Pilar Padilla, Adrien Brody, Elpidia Car(a pseudonym for blacklisted Dalton Trumbo) rillo, George Lopez, Jack McGee, Alonso received a Best Original Story Academy Chavez, Monica Rivas, Frank Davila. GripAward, which went unclaimed until 1975. ping fictionalized account of the 2000 L.A. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 janitors’ strike focuses on a Latina illegal ★★1 ⁄2 D: Brave One, The (2007) C-122m. immigrant (Padilla) who stands up to her Neil Jordan. Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, corrupt employers and struggles to convince Naveen Andrews, Carmen Ejogo, Nicky her coworkers to join the union. Plays a bit Katt, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Adams, Zoe¨ like an indie NORMA RAE (with Brody in Kravitz, Larry Fessenden. N.Y.C. radio host the Ron Leibman role) but even more realisFoster turns troubled, gun-toting vigilante tic. Loach’s first American-based film stands after she is attacked and her fiance´ killed by among his best at capturing the plight of hardhoods in Central Park. As the body count working, disenfranchised people. Written by rises, she forms an unusual bond with the Paul Laverty. Features cameos from real-life detective (Howard) who is investigating her Latino activists; actors William Atherton, Behandiwork. Serious attempt to examine a nicio Del Toro, Tim Roth, and Ron Perlman post-9/11 world of violence and paranoia beappear briefly as themselves. [R]▼쩠 comes more unhinged (and more improbable) Bread and Tulips (2000-Italian-Swiss) Cas it goes along and stubbornly remains a ★★★ D: Silvio Soldini. Licia Mag114m. high-toned DEATH WISH, for better and lietta, Bruno Ganz, Marina Massironi, Giuworse. Typically strong work from Foster seppe Battiston, Felice Andreasi, Antonio and Howard helps. Panavision. [R]쩠 Catania. Lighthearted drama of a woman’s Brazil (1985) C-131m. ★★★ D: Terry liberation, as a suburban housewife-mother, Gilliam. Jonathan Pryce, Kim Greist, Robstranded while on vacation, finds a new, ert De Niro, Katherine Helmond, Ian Holm, rewarding life in exotic Venice. SweetBob Hoskins, Michael Palin, Ian Richardnatured wish-fulfillment fantasy manages to son, Peter Vaughan. Dazzlingly different convince thanks to the story’s attention to look at bleak future society (kind of a cross detail and assured lead performance by between 1984 and A CLOCKWORK ORMaglietta. [PG-13] ▼쩠 ANGE) where one hapless clerk (Pryce) Break, The (1998-British-Irish-Germanclings to his ideals and dreams, including his Japanese) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert DornDream Girl (Greist). A triumph of imaginahelm. Stephen Rea, Alfred Molina, Rosana tion and production design, full of incredible Pastor, Brendan Gleeson, Jorge Sanz, Pruitt black comedy . . . but also a relentless film Taylor Vince. Rea is excellent, as usual, as that doesn’t know when to quit: second half an IRA terrorist who unexpectedly becomes is often redundant and ineffectual. Gilliam part of a Belfast prison break. Before long cut film from 142m. for American release. he’s living in N.Y.C., where his long-ago Screenplay by Gilliam, Tom Stoppard, and training finds a new outlet as he becomes Charles McKeown. [R]▼●쩠 Breach (2007) C-110m. ★★★ D: Billy Ray. involved with Guatemalan immigrants. En[ 174 ]

grossing if not terribly inspired film based is a secret transvestite, and obscure sci-fi on an idea by Rea. [R] writer Kilgore Trout (Finney) is hitching Breakdown (1997) C-93m. ★★★ D: Jonacross-country to be honored for the first than Mostow. Kurt Russell, J.T. Walsh, time. Rudolph’s go-for-broke, in-your-face Kathleen Quinlan, M. C. Gainey, Jack style does no favors to Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.’s Noseworthy, Rex Linn, Ritch Brinkley. already bizarre novel, which Rudolph Married couple moving west have car trouadapted and Willis self-financed as a labor ble in the midst of the wide open spaces; a of love. Haas and Hershey are excellent. trucker picks up the wife so she can phone Vonnegut briefly appears. [R]▼쩠 for help, but that’s the last her husband sees Breakfast on Pluto (2005-Irish-British) Cof her . . . and no one seems willing or able 135m. ★★1⁄2 D: Neil Jordan. Cillian Murto help. Superior thriller delivers the goods phy, Liam Neeson, Stephen Rea, Brendan with airtight plot and all-too-believable situGleeson, Ruth Negga, Laurence Kinlan, ations. Hang on! Cowritten by director Conor McEvoy, Gavin Friday, Ian Hart, Mostow. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Ruth McCabe, Steven Waddington, EaBreaker! Breaker! (1977) C-86m. BOMB monn Owens, Bryan Ferry. Episodic acD: Don Hulette. Chuck Norris, George count of Murphy, who was abandoned as a Murdock, Terry O’Connor, Don Gentry. baby in Ireland and taken in by a Catholic Cheap, stupid actioner with some (occasional) priest (Neeson). He grows up to be a flaintentional comedy. Little made of the CB grantly gay cross-dresser who calls himself craze as trucker Norris searches for kid Kitten, and sets off in search of his real brother Michael Augenstein in corrupt judge mother. Jordan revisits themes he explored Murdock’s speedtrap town. [PG]▼쩠 in THE CRYING GAME, including sexual ‘Breaker’ Morant (1979-Australian) Cidentity and British-Irish politics, but the 107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Edward film is meandering and memorable only for Woodward, Jack Thompson, John Waters, Murphy’s performance. Jordan scripted Bryan Brown, Charles Tingwell, Vincent from Patrick McCabe’s novel. [R]쩠 Ball, Lewis Fitz-Gerald. Potent drama Breakheart Pass (1976) C-95m. ★★★ D: based on the true story of three soldiers Tom Gries. Charles Bronson, Ben Johnwhose actions during the Boer War are son, Richard Crenna, Jill Ireland, Charles used as fodder for a trumped-up court Durning, Ed Lauter, Roy Jenson, Bill Mcmartial—in order to satisfy the political Kinney, Sally Kirkland, Casey Tibbs. Slamplans of the British Empire. Based on a play bang action Western, with second unit work by Kenneth G. Ross. Winner of several by Yakima Canutt. Based on Alistair MacAustralian Academy Awards. [PG]▼●쩠 Lean novel and set mainly on a train, it Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) C-115m. has Bronson as an undercover agent seeking ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Blake Edwards. Audrey Hepgun runners and confronting a false epiburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy demic. Highlight: incredible fight between Ebsen, Mickey Rooney, Martin Balsam, John Bronson and former boxing champ Archie McGiver. Charming film from Truman CaMoore. [PG]▼●쩠 pote’s story, with Hepburn as Holly Golightly, Break In SEE: Loophole Breakin’ (1984) C-90m. ★★ D: Joel Silberg. backwoods girl who goes mod in N.Y.C. Dated trappings don’t detract from high comLucinda Dickey, Adolfo (Shabba-Doo) edy and winning romance. Screenplay by Quinones, Michael (Boogaloo Shrimp) George Axelrod. Oscar winner for Score Chambers, Ben Lokey, Christopher Mc(Henry Mancini) and Song, ‘‘Moon River’’ Donald, Phineas Newborn 3rd, Ice-T. (Mancini and Johnny Mercer).▼●쩠 Harmless FLASHDANCE clone, but with Breakfast Club, The (1985) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 the emphasis on break dancing. Here, herD: John Hughes. Emilio Estevez, Judd oine Dickey waitresses rather than welds. Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Anthony MiLook for Jean-Claude Van Damme and chael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Paul Gleason. A Lela Rochon as extras in the opening bold experiment in the era of teen raunch scenes. A sequel followed before the year movies (written and directed by a man was out. [PG] ▼●쩠 who’s made more than his share): five kids Breakin’ 2: Electric Boogaloo (1984) sit and talk about themselves, during dayC-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Sam Firstenberg. Lucinda long detention. Alternately poignant, preDickey, Adolfo (Shabba-Doo) Quinones, dictable, and self-important, but filled with Michael (Boogaloo Shrimp) Chambers, Sumoments of truth and perception. [R]▼●쩠 sie Bono, Lela Rochon (Quinones). Two Breakfast of Champions (1999) C-110m. worthy adversaries—a toothy WASP devel★1 ⁄2 D: Alan Rudolph. Bruce Willis, Albert oper who could rate a centerfold in Forbes Finney, Nick Nolte, Barbara Hershey, and a young urban black whose earring is Glenne Headly, Lukas Haas, Omar Epps, longer than a bola—clash when the former Buck Henry, Vicki Lewis, Jake Johannsen, tries to bulldoze a community rec center. The Will Patton, Owen Wilson, Chip Zien, Ali18 break dancing standards include ‘‘Do Your son Eastwood. Lives in confusion: Car Thang’’ and ‘‘Oye Mamacita.’’ [PG] ▼●쩠 dealer Willis is suicidal, his salesman Nolte Breakin’ All the Rules (2004) C-85m. ★★ [ 175 ]

D: Daniel Taplitz. Jamie Foxx, Morris enough to keep this wispy film afloat. Chestnut, Gabrielle Union, Jennifer EspoReynolds is extremely good in his first sito, Peter MacNicol, Bianca Lawson. Magcharacter role. [R]▼●쩠 azine editor gets dumped by his fiance´e and Breaking Point, The (1950) 97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: writes a survival guide on the subject. Then Michael Curtiz. John Garfield, Patricia Neal, his cousin, a self-styled player (Chestnut), Phyllis Thaxter, Wallace Ford, Sherry Jackasks for his help in losing a girlfriend (Union) son. High-voltage refilming of Hemingway’s who’s getting too serious—and things start TO HAVE AND HAVE NOT, with Gargetting complicated. Slick comedy of errors field as skipper so desperate for money he has a lively, likable cast, but plays flat; the takes on illegal cargo. Garfield and mate story is better told in the coming attractions Juano Hernandez give superb interpretations. trailer. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Screenplay by Ranald MacDougall. ReBreaking and Entering (2006-U.S.-British) made again as THE GUN RUNNERS. C-116m. ★★★ D: Anthony Minghella. Jude Breaking Point (1976-Canadian) C-92m. Law, Juliette Binoche, Robin Wright Penn, BOMB D: Bob Clark. Bo Svenson, Robert Martin Freeman, Ray Winstone, Vera FarCulp, John Colicos, Belinda J. Montgommiga, Rafi Gavron, Poppy Rogers, Juliet Steery, Stephen Young, Linda Sorenson. venson. Architect Law opens a new high-tech Svenson is pursued by Mafiosos after he office with his partner in a dodgy London testifies against them in court. Nothing new here. [R]▼쩠 neighborhood, where they are repeatedly burglarized. He follows a teenage thief home one Breaking Point (1993-Canadian) C-96m. ★★ night, then finds an excuse to talk to his mother, D: Paul Ziller. Gary Busey, Kim Cattrall, an Eastern European immigrant (Binoche). Darlanne Fluegel, Jeff Griggs. After a serial This blossoms into a surprising relationship killer known as ‘‘The Surgeon’’ strikes that reflects on the malaise of his marriage to close to home, haunted cop Busey is asked Wright Penn. Writer-director Minghella exto capture him. This grisly and erotic thriller plores issues of morality in a world where abis titillating, mildly surprising at first, but solutes don’t stand up anymore. Provocative ultimately predictable. [R]▼● and original. Super 35. [R]쩠 Breaking the Rules (1992) C-100m. ★1⁄2 1 ★★★ Breaking Away (1979) C-100m. ⁄2 D: D: Neal Israel. Jason Bateman, C. Thomas Peter Yates. Dennis Christopher, Dennis Howell, Jonathan Silverman, Annie Potts, Quaid, Daniel Stern, Jackie Earle Haley, Kent Bateman, Shawn Phelan. Yet another Barbara Barrie, Paul Dooley, Robyn Dougroad movie in which two friends take their lass, Hart Bochner, Amy Wright, John Ashdying buddy on one last ‘‘journey of life.’’ ton, Pamela Jayne (P.J.) Soles. Winning, The story is meant to make you laugh and cry, unpretentious film about four college-age but it’s so manipulative it only induces yawns. friends in Bloomington, Indiana, who don’t Potts is the single standout, as a free-spirited waitress. Filmed in 1989. [PG-13]▼● know what to do with their lives; one of them (Christopher) has become obsessed Breaking the Sound Barrier (1952-British) with bicycle racing. Dooley stands out in 116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Lean. Ralph Richfirst-rate cast as Christopher’s bewildered ardson, Ann Todd, Nigel Patrick, John father. This sleeper hit really comes to life Justin, Dinah Sheridan, Denholm Elliott. with an audience. Steve Tesich’s original Grade-A documentary-style story of early screenplay won well-deserved Oscar; later days of jet planes, and men who tested spawned a brief TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 them; Richardson particularly good. OrigiBreaking Glass (1980-British) C-104m. nally shown in England as THE SOUND ★★1 ⁄2 D: Brian Gibson. Phil Daniels, Hazel BARRIER at 118m.쩠 O’Connor, Jon Finch, Jonathan Pryce, PeterBreaking the Waves (1996-Danish) CHugo Daly, Mark Wingett. Rocker O’Con156m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Lars von Trier. Emily Watnor rises from playing small London clubs son, Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Adrian Rawlins, Kato superstardom, finds success isn’t everytrin Cartlidge, Jean-Marc Barr, Jonathan thing. Good performances by O’Connor, Hackett, Sandra Voe, Udo Kier. ExtraordiDaniels (as her youthful manager), Pryce nary story of a young, simple-minded, God(as a junkie saxophone player) offset prefearing Scottish woman who willingly takes lovers in the belief that it will cure dictable storyline. Panavision. [PG]▼ Breaking In (1989) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: her paralyzed husband. A bold, often unBill Forsyth. Burt Reynolds, Casey Siesettling examination of love and faith, maszko, Sheila Kelley, Lorraine Toussaint, given immediacy and power by von Trier’s Albert Salmi, Harry Carey, Maury Chaykin, documentarylike approach and cinematograSteve Tobolowsky, David Frishberg. Lowpher Robby Mu¨ller’s faded visual scheme, key, off-center comedy about an aging which root the miraculous in the everyday safecracker who takes on a young prote´ge´ world. Watson, in her film debut, is absowho’s got a lot to learn about life, as well lutely unforgettable in the lead role. Von as his new profession. John Sayles’ script, Trier also wrote the screenplay. Super 35. as interpreted by director Forsyth, is in[R] ▼●쩠 ventive and often quite funny . . . but not Breaking Up (1997) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert [ 176 ]

Greenwald. Salma Hayek, Russell Crowe. end credits. Vaughn cowrote the story and Tiresome treatise on love in the ’90s, showcoproduced. [PG-13]쩠 ing how many times two self-centered Breathing Room (1996) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: adults can break up, reunite, and break up Jon Sherman. Susan Floyd, Dan Futterman, again. They can’t stand each other, and we Nadia Dajani, Edie Falco, Saverio Guerra, can’t stand them! Screenplay by Michael David Thornton, Paul Giamatti. Sweet film of Cristofer, from his play. Filmed in 1995. contemporary N.Y.C. couple deciding on their [R]▼●쩠 future together by separating between ThanksBreak of Hearts (1935) 80m. ★★ D: giving and Christmas. The issue of commitPhilip Moeller. Katharine Hepburn, Charles ment is honestly explored and feels Boyer, John Beal, Jean Hersholt, Sam universal. A ‘‘date’’ movie with more food Hardy, Susan Fleming, Jean Howard. Temfor thought than might be comfortable for peramental orchestra conductor Boyer, who unmarried couples.▼ has been spoiled by success, weds unknown Breathless (1959-French) 89m. ★★★1⁄2 D: composer Hepburn . . . then there are comJean-Luc Godard. Jean Seberg, Jean-Paul plications. Stars try hard but can do nothing Belmondo, Daniel Boulanger, Liliane David. Belmondo is ideally cast as a Parisian with sappy, sub-par material. ▼●쩠 Breakout (1959-British) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: hood who, accompanied by American girl Don Chaffey. Richard Todd, Richard (Seberg), is chased by police after stealing a Attenborough, Michael Wilding, Dennis car and killing a cop. Groundbreaking, influPrice, Bernard Lee, Donald Houston, Miential New Wave tale with a classic romantichael Caine. Although format is now facized gangster-hero and great candid shots of miliar, this remains an exciting story of Paris life. Dedicated to Monogram Pictures, British POWs attempting escapes from with a story by Franc˛ois Truffaut. Remade in Axis prison camp during WW2. Fine per1983. ▼●쩠 formances all around. Original title: DANBreathless (1983) C-100m. ★★ D: Jim GER WITHIN. McBride. Richard Gere, Valerie Kaprisky, Breakout (1975) C-96m. ★★★ D: Tom Art Metrano, John P. Ryan, William Gries. Charles Bronson, Robert Duvall, Tepper, Gary Goodrow. Remake of landJill Ireland, John Huston, Sheree North, mark 1959 Godard film follows basic outRandy Quaid. Crisp action film generously line of the original—an amoral punk on laced with comedy touches has devil-maythe lam from police—but lacks its sociocare bush pilot Bronson taking on the job logical potency. Gere’s kinetic perforof spiriting Duvall, framed for murder, mance is something to see, but his from a seedy Mexican prison. Awfully character, hooked on Jerry Lee Lewis violent, though. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 music and ‘‘Silver Surfer’’ comics, soon Breakthrough (1978-West German) Cgrows tiresome. [R]▼●쩠 115m. ★1⁄2 D: Andrew V. McLaglen. RichBreath of Life (1992-Italian) C-96m. ★★ ard Burton, Robert Mitchum, Rod Steiger, D: Beppe Cino. Franco Nero, Vanessa Curt Jurgens, Klaus Loewitsch, Helmut Redgrave, Fernando Rey, Lucrezia Rovere, Griem, Michael Parks. Superficial sequel to Salvatore Cascio. Grim, episodic psychoCROSS OF IRON, with the focus on the logical study of the wounded lives of a western front during WW2. German sergroup of Italians in a post-WW2 sanitargeant Burton becomes entangled in antiium. Nero gives a solid performance as a Hitler conspiracy, saves the life of U.S. coltubercular professor in love with a menonel Mitchum. Particularly disappointing, tally troubled ballerina (Rovere). Unfortuconsidering cast. Also known as SERnately he has little to do with Redgrave GEANT STEINER. [PG]▼ here—his former CAMELOT costar and Break-Up, The (2006) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: one-time real-life lover. Peyton Reed. Vince Vaughn, Jennifer AnisBreath of Scandal, A (1960) C-98m. ★★ ton, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Favreau, D: Michael Curtiz. Sophia Loren, John Jason Bateman, Judy Davis, Justin Long, Gavin, Maurice Chevalier, Isabel Jeans, Ivan Sergei, John Michael Higgins, Cole Angela Lansbury. Molnar’s play Olympia Hauser, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ann-Margret, is limp costume vehicle for Loren, playPeter Billingsley. Typical of what passes for ing a princess romanced by American romantic comedy these days: neither Vince Gavin. Chevalier and Lansbury vainly try nor Jen wants the other to end up with the to pump some life into proceedings.▼쩠 condo they shared during happier times. Not Breed Apart, A (1984) C-101m. ★★ D: without laughs, but this odd, unsatisfying Philippe Mora. Rutger Hauer, Powers film is mainly for viewers who find carping Boothe, Kathleen Turner, Donald Pleasand bickering entertaining. That’s Vince’s ence, John Dennis Johnston, Brion James. real-life dad, Vernon Vaughn, playing AnisPicturesque but illogical, uninvolving tale ton’s father. Stay for a rendition of ‘‘The of famed mountain climber Boothe, hired Rainbow Connection’’ by Higgins’ a capto pilfer specimens of a new bald-eagle pella group, The Tone Rangers, during the breed, and his entanglement with conser[ 177 ]

vationist Hauer and fishing-supply store Brian White, Richard Roundtree. Teenaged owner Turner. [R]▼ Gordon-Levitt discovers the dead body of his Breezy (1973) C-108m. ★★ D: Clint ex-girlfriend and makes it his business to Eastwood. William Holden, Kay Lenz, learn what happened to her. Clever, stylized Roger C. Carmel, Marj Dusay, Shelley film noir involving high school kids who Morrison, Joan Hotchkis. Jaded middlespeak in a hard-boiled 1930s argot (hard to ager finds Truth with a teenaged hippie in understand at times though appealing just sappy romance. Fine performances by the the same). A bit protracted but still an audaleads only help up to a point. [R]▼쩠 cious, original piece of work. Haas turns up Brenda Starr (1992) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Robwell into the story as a flamboyant drug ert Ellis Miller. Brooke Shields, Tony Peck, kingpin and steals the show. Neat music Timothy Dalton, Diana Scarwid, Jeffrey score by Nathan Johnson is as offbeat as Tambor, June Gable, Nestor Serrano, Kaththe film itself. Written by first-time director Rian Johnson. [R]쩠 leen Wilhoite, Charles Durning, Eddie Albert, Henry Gibson, Ed Nelson. This fiasco, Brick Lane (2007-British) C-101m. ★★★ D: based on Dale Messick’s comic strip, sat Sarah Gavron. Tannishtha Chatterjee, Saton the shelf for years, and no wonder. ish Kaushik, Christopher Simpson, Naeema Artist Peck enters the strip to talk Brenda Begum, Lana Rahman, Zafeen. Compasout of quitting the paper, is drawn into her sionate portrait of a Bangladeshi girl whose adventuresome life. Aimless and uninvolvcarefree life with her sister is curtailed after ing. The creators have contempt for their her mother dies and she is sent to London to source, always deadly in films like this. enter into an arranged marriage. Now she’s Filmed in 1986. [PG]▼쩠 got a surly teenage daughter and suffers a Brewster McCloud (1970) C-101m. ★★★ D: daily existence with a pompous, ne’er-doRobert Altman. Bud Cort, Sally Kellerman, well husband. Then she chances to meet a Michael Murphy, William Windom, Shelley young man who inspires her to assert herDuvall, Rene Auberjonois, Stacy Keach, self for the first time in her life. Poignant John Schuck, Margaret Hamilton. Patently and believable at every turn; even the husindescribable movie following exploits of band is portrayed as a three-dimensional owlish boy (Cort) whose ambition is to character. Abi Morgan and Laura Jones take wing and fly inside Houston Astroadapted Monica Ali’s novel. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 dome. Extremely bizarre; for certain tastes, extremely funny. Altman fans have head Bridal Path, The (1959-Scottish) C-95m. ★★★1 start. Panavision. [R]▼● ⁄2 D: Frank Launder. Bill Travers, Brewster’s Millions (1945) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bernadette O’Farrell, Alex MacKenzie, Eric Allan Dwan. Dennis O’Keefe, Helen Woodburn, Jack Lambert, John Rae. CharmWalker, Eddie ‘‘Rochester’’ Anderson, June ing film of young islander who goes to Havoc, Gail Patrick, Mischa Auer, Joe Scottish mainland in search of a wife. Sawyer, Herbert Rudley. Bright, energetic Enhanced by beautiful scenery in color. Bride, The (1985) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Franc filming of venerable George Barr McCutcheon comedy about ordinary guy (this Roddam. Sting, Jennifer Beals, Clancy time, a returning GI) who must spend $1 Brown, David Rappaport, Geraldine Page, million in a month’s time in order to reAnthony Higgins, Veruschka, Quentin ceive major inheritance. First filmed in Crisp, Cary Elwes. Revisionist remake of 1914; remade in 1985.▼ BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN brilliantly Brewster’s Millions (1985) C-97m. ★★ captures look and feel of a great gothic horD: Walter Hill. Richard Pryor, John Candy, ror film—but fails to deliver on its promise Lonette McKee, Stephen Collins, Jerry Orof enlightened psychological approach to bach, Pat Hingle, Tovah Feldshuh, Joe Grithe story. Both Sting and Beals give onefasi, Hume Cronyn. Seventh film version note performances. Film is easily stolen by of venerable novel and play; here baseball Rappaport, as dwarf who befriends Dr. player Pryor has one month to spend $30 Frankenstein’s male monster (Brown); their million. Surefire premise squelched by unsequences make film worth watching. [PGfunny script and wooden direction. When 13]▼●쩠 Pryor and Candy can’t make it work, you Bride & Prejudice (2004-U.S.-British) C111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gurinder Chadha. Aishwarya know there’s something wrong. [PG] ▼●쩠 Bribe, The (1949) 98m. ★★ D: Robert Z. Rai, Martin Henderson, Daniel Gillies, Naveen Leonard. Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, Andrews, Alexis Bledel, Namrata Shirodkar, Charles Laughton, Vincent Price, John Nitin Chandra Ganatra, Marsha Mason, Hodiak. Taylor looks uncomfortable playing Ashanti. Jane Austen goes ethnic in this cliche´federal man who almost sacrifices all for laden but lightly entertaining update of Pride sultry singer Gardner. and Prejudice involving a desperate Indian mother’s attempts to find husbands for her four Brick (2006) C-117m. ★★★ D: Rian Johnson. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lukas Haas, daughters. Rai is a stunning presence as Lalita, Nora Zehetner, Noah Fleiss, Matt O’Leary, the Elizabeth Bennet character, who becomes Noah Segan, Meagan Good, Emilie de Ravin, involved with an American hotel magnate [ 178 ]

named Darcy (Henderson). Interesting attempt final, riotous creation scene are highlights to produce a Bollywood musical for Western of this truly classic movie. Scripted by John audiences. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 L. Balderston and William Hurlbut. MarvelBride Came C.O.D., The (1941) 92m. ous Franz Waxman score, reused for many ★★1 ⁄2 D: William Keighley. James Cagney, subsequent films. Followed by SON OF Bette Davis, Stuart Erwin, Eugene PalFRANKENSTEIN; reworked in 1985 as lette, Jack Carson, George Tobias. UnTHE BRIDE. ▼●쩠 likely comedy team in vehicle made enBride of Re-Animator (1990) C-99m. ★★ joyable only by their terrific personalities; D: Brian Yuzna. Jeffrey Combs, Bruce he’s a flier, she’s an abducted bride.▼●쩠 Abbott, Claude Earl Jones, Fabiana Udenio, Bride Comes Home, The (1935) 82m. David Gale, Kathleen Kinmont. Follow-up ★★1 to RE-ANIMATOR with more gory fun ⁄2 D: Wesley Ruggles. Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Robert Young, Wilfrom that wacky pair of Dr. Frankenstein liam Collier, Sr., Edgar Kennedy. Breezy wannabes, Combs and Abbott. Strong fluff with wealthy Young competing against stuff, with much splicing of bloodied body roughneck MacMurray for Claudette’s afparts; wait till you see the crawling eyeball! fections in vintage comedy. This sort-of homage to BRIDE OF FRAN1 ★★ Bride for Sale (1949) 87m. KENSTEIN isn’t nearly as successful as ⁄2 D: William D. Russell. Claudette Colbert, Robert original RE-ANIMATOR. Nominally based Young, George Brent, Max Baer. Veteran on H. P. Lovecraft’s Herbert West—Restar trio carries on despite thin story of Animator. Unrated director’s cut also availfemale tax expert seeking wealthy spouse. able. Followed in 2003 by BEYOND RE★★ Bride Goes Wild, The (1948) 98m. D: ANIMATOR. [R]▼●쩠 Norman Taurog. Van Johnson, June AllyBride of the Gorilla (1951) 76m. ★★ D: son, Butch Jenkins, Hume Cronyn, Una Curt Siodmak. Raymond Burr, Barbara Merkel, Arlene Dahl, Richard Derr. Silly, Payton, Lon Chaney, Jr., Tom Conway, predictable farce in which irresponsible Paul Cavanagh. Surprisingly watchable children’s book author Johnson pretends to trash set on a South American jungle plantabe Jenkins’ widowed father in order to keep tion, where hulking Burr marries sexy illustrator Allyson from exposing his Payton—only to find himself the victim of a shenanigans. voodoo curse. Terrible but fun.▼쩠 Bride Is Much Too Beautiful, The (1956Bride of the Monster (1955) 69m. BOMB French) 85m. ★★ D: Pierre Gaspard-Huit. D: Edward D. Wood, Jr. Bela Lugosi, Tor Louis Jourdan, Brigitte Bardot, Micheline Johnson, Tony McCoy, Loretta King, HarPresle, Marcel Amont, Jean-Francois Calve. vey B. Dunn, George Becwar, Don Nagel, Paper-thin sex farce with Bardot a country Bud Osborne. A dissipated Lugosi creates girl who becomes a famous model, finds giant rubber octopus that terrorizes woodland herself the ‘‘bride’’ in a fake marriage. Aka stream. Huge Swedish wrestler Johnson proHER BRIDAL NIGHT.▼ vides added laughs as hulking manservant Bride of Chucky (1998) C-89m. ★★ D: Lobo. Another hilariously inept Grade Z Ronny Yu. Jennifer Tilly, Katherine Heigl, movie from the king of bad cinema. Sequel: Nick Stabile, John Ritter, Alexis Arquette, REVENGE OF THE DEAD (aka NIGHT Gordon Michael Woolvett, Kathy Najimy, OF THE GHOULS).▼●쩠 voice of Brad Dourif. Wicked trailer trash Bride of the Wind (2001) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Tilly works voodoo to revive Chucky (the Bruce Beresford. Sarah Wynter, Jonathan killer doll from three earlier CHILD’S Pryce, Vincent Perez, Simon Verhoeven, PLAY movies), and ends up a literal living Gregor Seberg. Passions run low in this doll herself. Better than you’d expect, with drab period drama set in fin-de-sie`cle Vigood lines and an impressively raunchy perenna about Alma Schindler, the real-life formance by Tilly, but it’s let down by muse for many celebrated men, including clumsy plotting. Followed by SEED OF composer Gustav Mahler (played as a CHUCKY. [R] ▼●쩠 milquetoast by Pryce). Slow as a funeral Bride of Frankenstein (1935) 75m. ★★★★ dirge, the movie features a blur of a central D: James Whale. Karloff (Boris Karloff), performance from Wynter. All talk about Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, Ernest Thesart and obsession without anything to show iger, Elsa Lanchester, Una O’Connor, E. E. for it. [R] ▼쩠 Clive, Gavin Gordon, Douglas Walton, Bride of Vengeance (1949) 91m. ★★ D: O. P. Heggie, Dwight Frye, John Carradine. Mitchell Leisen. Paulette Goddard, John Eye-filling sequel to FRANKENSTEIN is Lund, Macdonald Carey, Raymond Burr, even better, with rich vein of dry wit runAlbert Dekker, Rose Hobart. Medium-warm ning through the chills. Inimitable Thesiger costumer of medieval Italy with Goddard plays weird doctor who compels Frankenas a Borgia sent to do mischief but instead stein into helping him make a mate for the falling in love. Monster; Lanchester plays both the ‘‘bride’’ Brideshead Revisited (2008-British) Cand, in amusing prologue, Mary Shelley. 133m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julian Jarrold. Matthew Goode, Pastoral interlude with blind hermit and Ben Whishaw, Hayley Atwell, Emma Thomp[ 179 ]

son, Michael Gambon, Greta Scacchi, JonaBride Wars (2009) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Gary than Cake, Patrick Malahide, Ed Stoppard, Winick. Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Felicity Jones, Joseph Beattie. Rethinking of Bryan Greenberg, Chris Pratt, Steve Howey, Evelyn Waugh’s 1945 novel, dramatized so Candice Bergen, Kristen Johnston, Michael memorably in a 1981 British TV miniseries. Arden, Victor Slezak. Dreadful comedy pits An unworldly working-class boy (Goode) arlifelong best friends against each other when rives at Oxford and is befriended by flamtheir dream weddings at N.Y.C.’s Plaza Hotel boyant Sebastian Flyte (Whishaw), who are inadvertently double-booked for the same reluctantly introduces him to his sister (Atwell) day and neither will budge. Both women and their imperious mother, who rules over scheme to destroy the other’s golden day as their massive estate—and their lives. Ragged they blame each other for the not-so-merry at times as it tries to compress many compleximix-up and act like 8-year-olds. Witless, conties into two hours’ length, but impeccably pertrived, and unfunny tale sets the women’s formed. Thompson is subtly brilliant as Lady movement back about four decades. It’s a Marchmain. Screenplay by Andrew Davies shame to see such attractive talents as Hudand Jeremy Brock. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 son and particularly Hathaway doing this Bridesmaid, The (2004-French) C-111m. kind of juvenile slapstick (and Hudson was ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Benoit Magimel, one of the producers). Only Johnston manLaura Smet, Aurore Clement, Bernard Le ages to mine any laughs as Hathaway’s desperate choice for her maid of honor. [PG]쩠 Coq, Sole`ne Bouton, Anna Mihalcea, Michel Duchaussoy, Suzanne Flon, Thomas ChaBride With White Hair, The (1993-Hong Kong) C-89m. ★★★ D: Ronny Yu. Brigitte brol. It’s happened to almost everyone, and it happens to upwardly mobile career man Lin, Leslie Cheung, Ng Chun-yu, Elaine Magimel: instant attraction to a stranger Lui, Nam Kit-ying. Beautifully made tale while attending a wedding. Premise is served based on a famous Chinese fable about rival with a typical Chabrol twist when the woman Ming Dynasty clans and a forbidden love he meets turns out to be a sociopath . . . or affair between a swordsman and a ‘‘wolf even worse. The extent to which she (Smet) girl’’ who possesses supernatural powers. cajoles him to ‘‘prove his love’’ by commitHighly effective blend of myth, romance and ting a fateful act ratchets up suspense little by super-stylized violence, plus elegant use of little. May not be up to the director’s mastercolor and widescreen, puts this a cut above pieces of the ’60s but it’s engrossing all the the usual Hong Kong actioner. Followed by a way. Based on a novel by Ruth Rendell. 쩠 sequel the same year. Panavision.▼●쩠 Brides of Dracula, The (1960-British) CBride Wore Black, The (1968-French) 85m. ★★★ D: Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, C-107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Martita Hunt, Yvonne Monlaur, Freda JackJeanne Moreau, Claude Rich, Jean-Claude son, David Peel, Miles Malleson, Andree Brialy, Michel Bouquet, Michel Lonsdale, Melly. In the Carpathian Mountains, a young Charles Denner. Hitchcockian suspenser teacher (Monlaur) is attracted to a nobleman about Moreau tracking down and killing (Peel) held captive by his own mother (Hunt). the quintet of men who accidentally killed When the young woman sets him free, he’s her husband on their wedding day. Exciting, revealed as a vampire—and a disciple of entertaining homage to The Master, right Count Dracula. Vampire hunter Van Helsing down to the Bernard Herrmann score (al(Cushing) energetically comes to her aid. Exthough Truffaut omitted the twist ending of citing, colorful period horror, this first sequel the novel by William Irish, aka Cornell Woolrich).▼●쩠 to HORROR OF DRACULA is one of Hammer’s best thrillers. Dracula never turns up— Bride Wore Boots, The (1946) 86m. ★★ but you won’t miss him.▼●쩠 D: Irving Pichel. Barbara Stanwyck, RobBrides of Fu Manchu, The (1966-British) ert Cummings, Diana Lynn, Peggy Wood, C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Sharp. Christopher Robert Benchley, Natalie Wood, Willie Lee, Douglas Wilmer, Marie Versini, Tsai Best. Witless comedy of horse-loving Chin. Fu doesn’t give up easily, still bent Stanwyck saddled by Cummings, who on conquering the world by forcing sciendoes his best to win her total affection; tists to develop powerful ray gun. Sequel they all try but script is weak. to FACE OF FU MANCHU, not as good, Bride Wore Red, The (1937) 103m. ★★1⁄2 still diverting; followed by VENGEANCE D: Dorothy Arzner. Joan Crawford, Franchot OF FU MANCHU.▼쩠 Tone, Robert Young, Billie Burke, Reginald Bride Walks Out, The (1936) 81m. ★★ Owen, Lynne Carver, George Zucco, Dickie D: Leigh Jason. Barbara Stanwyck, Gene Moore. Lowly Crawford is thrust into sociRaymond, Robert Young, Ned Sparks, ety on the whim of a count and becomes the Helen Broderick, Hattie McDaniel. Flat romantic object of aristocrat-playboy Young comedy of model Stanwyck who, against and soulful peasant Tone. Glossy soaper her better instincts, goes domestic and based on a play by Ferenc Molna´r. ▼ weds brash, struggling engineer Raymond. Bridge, The (1960-German) 100m. ★★★ Buffs will enjoy spotting Ward Bond as a D: Bernhard Wicki. Folker Bohnet, Fritz taxi cab–driving extra.▼ Wepper, Michael Hinz, Frank Glaubrecht. [ 180 ]

Unrelenting account of teenage boys drafted quences make this a blockbuster. Seven Oscars into the German Army in 1945, as lastinclude Picture, Director, Actor (Guinness), resort effort to stem Allied invasion.▼쩠 Cinematography (Jack Hildyard), Editing Bridge, The (1999-French) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 (Peter Taylor), Scoring (Malcolm Arnold— D: Ge´rard Depardieu, Frederic Auburtin. who used the famous WW1 whistling tune Ge´rard Depardieu, Carole Bouquet, Charles ‘‘Colonel Bogey March’’), and Screenplay Berling, Stanislas Crevillen, Dominique Rey(by Carl Foreman and Michael Wilson, based mond. Normandy, 1962. A housewife/ on Pierre Boulle’s novel). The writers were mother (Bouquet, never lovelier) finds reblacklisted, so Boulle—who spoke no Enlease from her working-class existence in glish—was credited with the script! Filmed in the arms of a handsome engineer (Berling). Ceylon. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Adultery is not exactly new subject material Bridges at Toko-Ri, The (1954) C-103m. ★★★1 for French cinema, but this is a subtle treat⁄2 D: Mark Robson. William Holden, ment of the dissolution of a marriage. CoGrace Kelly, Fredric March, Mickey director Depardieu shows a sure hand with Rooney, Robert Strauss, Earl Holliman. his actors and acquits himself well as the Powerful, thoughtful drama, based on the meek husband. Film’s biggest flaw is its James Michener best-seller, focusing on lack of resolution. Original title: UN PONT the conflicts and exploits of lawyer Holden ENTRE DEUX RIVES. ▼쩠 after he is recalled by the Navy to fly jets Bridge at Remagen, The (1969) C-115m. in Korea. While the flying sequences are ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Guillermin. George Segal, exciting—the special effects earned an Robert Vaughn, Ben Gazzara, Bradford Oscar—the ultimate futility of the Korean Dillman, E.G. Marshall, Peter Van Eyck. War is in no way deemphasized.▼●쩠 Well-acted film about group of Allies deBridges of Madison County, The (1995) fending bridge toward the end of WW2 C-135m. ★★★ D: Clint Eastwood. Clint can’t quite overcome familiar plot line; Eastwood, Meryl Streep, Annie Corley, lots of good explosions for those who Victor Slezak, Jim Haynie. In the 1960s, an care. Panavision. [M/PG]▼쩠 itinerant National Geographic photographer Bridge of San Luis Rey, The (1944) comes to Iowa to shoot covered bridges and 89m. ★★ D: Rowland V. Lee. Lynn Bari, chances to meet a woman who’s vaguely Nazimova, Louis Calhern, Akim Tamiroff, dissatisfied with life as farm-bound wife and Francis Lederer, Blanche Yurka, Donald mother. Modern spin on BRIEF ENCOUNWoods. Thornton Wilder’s moody, unusual TER (based on Robert James Waller’s hugely story of five people meeting doom on popular book) features a winning and vulneraa rickety bridge makes a slow-moving ble Eastwood and a wondrous Streep as an film. Previously filmed in 1929 and remade unlikely but convincing couple. A satisfying in 2004. ▼●쩠 and romantic film, if a bit long and slow at Bridge of San Luis Rey, The (2004-Britishtimes. That bass player in the blues band French-Spanish) C-120m. ★★ D: Mary Mcwho gets a closeup is Eastwood’s son, Kyle. Guckian. F. Murray Abraham, Kathy Bates, [PG-13]▼●쩠 Gabriel Byrne, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001-U.S.-BritishFrench) C-94m. ★★★ D: Sharon Maguire. De Niro, E`milie Dequenne, Adriana Domı´nguez, Harvey Keitel, Samuel Le Bihan, Rene´e Zellweger, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Pilar Lo´pez de Ayala, John Lynch, DominGemma Jones, Jim Broadbent, Sally Phillips, ique Pinon, Mark Polish, Michael Polish. Shirley Henderson, James Callis, Embeth DaFive people die when a rickety bridge colvidtz, Celia Imrie, Honor Blackman. Enterlapses in 18th-century Peru; a priest investitaining, often hilarious adaptation of Helen gates their lives to find out what brought Fielding’s book about a 32-year-old single them all together on that tragic day. Prewoman and her misadventures with a pair viously filmed in 1929 and 1944, this visuof men—her scoundrel of a boss and a tightally plush version of Thornton Wilder’s lipped barrister who seems to be a snob. Pulitzer Prize–winning novel exploring fate, Zellweger, sporting a perfect British accent reason, and religion is emotionally inert and and extra pounds, is delightful as the selfoverlong, with most of its illustrious cast givdeprecating title character. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 ing surprisingly lifeless performances. [PG] 쩠 Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004British) C-161m. ★★★★ D: David Lean. U.S.-British-French-German-Irish) C-108m. ★★ William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack HawD: Beeban Kidron. Rene´e Zellweger, Hugh kins, Sessue Hayakawa, Geoffrey Horne, Grant, Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent, Gemma James Donald, Andre Morell, Ann Sears. Jones, Jacinda Barrett, Sally Phillips, James British soldiers in Japanese prison camp Callis, Shirley Henderson, James Faulkner, build a bridge as a morale exercise—under Celia Imrie. Pointless sequel to the hit romansingle-minded leadership of British colonel tic comedy, centering on the title character’s Guinness—as Holden and Hawkins plot to involvement with boyfriend Firth and exdestroy it. Psychological battle of wills suitor Grant, and her endless mishaps. Appeal combined with high-powered action seof the original has largely evaporated, with [ 181 ]

likable, pleasingly chunky Bridget transformed into a charmless dunce. Only comes alive when Grant is on-screen, which isn’t often enough. Coscripted by Helen Fielding, based on her published sequel to BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Bridge to Nowhere (1986-New Zealand) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Ian Mune. Bruno Lawrence, Alison Routledge, Philip Gordon, Margaret Umbers, Stephen Judd, Shelley Luxford, Matthew Hunter. Kiwi variation on a familiar theme: backpacking kids raise the ire of hermit Lawrence, causing a war for survival. Well made but trite; features a solid role for Lawrence, the ubiquitous star of New Zealand films.▼ Bridge Too Far, A (1977-British) C-175m. ★★ D: Richard Attenborough. Dirk Bogarde, James Caan, Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Edward Fox, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Anthony Hopkins, Hardy Kruger, Laurence Olivier, Ryan O’Neal, Robert Redford, Maximilian Schell, Liv Ullmann, Arthur Hill, John Ratzenberger. Lifeless, overproduced version of the fine Cornelius Ryan book about disastrous 1944 Allied airdrop behind German lines in Holland. Some prints run 158m. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 Bridge to Terabithia (2007) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gabor Csupo. Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Robert Patrick, Zooey Deschanel, Bailey Madison, Lauren Clinton. Faithful adaptation of Katherine Paterson’s much-admired juvenile novel depicts a young loner (Hutcherson) who finds a soul mate in a free-spirited girl who moves in next door (Robb). Her generous nature has a profound effect on Jess; together they fashion a hideaway in the nearby woods and imagine it to be a magic kingdom. Then reality intrudes. Nicely captures the heightened emotions of sensitive young people, and boasts fine performances, but by literally showing the world they envision, the film undermines the book’s celebration of imagination. [PG]쩠 Bridge to the Sun (1961-U.S.-French) 113m. ★★★ D: Etienne Perier. Carroll Baker, James Shigeta, James Yagi. Well-intentioned telling of Southern girl Baker who marries Japanese diplomat Shigeta and moves to Japan at outbreak of WW2. Based on Gwen Terasaki’s autobiography. Brief Crossing (2003-French) C-80m. ★★ D: Catherine Breillat. Sarah Pratt, Gilles Guillain. A thirtysomething Englishwoman and a 16-year-old French boy meet, converse, and engage in a one-night stand while on board a ferry crossing the English Channel. Another of Breillat’s cynical forays into malefemale expectation and manipulation, this one offering her usual generalizations about male sexuality. Leaves a bitter aftertaste.

D: David Lean. Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Stanley Holloway, Cyril Raymond, Joyce Carey. Two ordinary strangers, both married, meet at a train station and find themselves drawn into a short but poignant romance. Intense and unforgettable, underscored by perfect use of Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto. Adapted by Noel Coward from his one-act play ‘‘Still Life’’ (from Tonight at Eight-thirty); screenplay by director Lean and Ronald Neame. A truly wonderful film. Remade as a TV movie in 1974 with Richard Burton and Sophia Loren. Later a stage musical. ▼●쩠 Brief History of Time, A (1992-U.S.British) C-84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Errol Morris. Another outstanding documentary from Morris (GATES OF HEAVEN, THE THIN BLUE LINE), this one a portrait of cosmologist Stephen Hawking, who’s afflicted with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and communicates verbally with a voice synthesizer. In Hawking’s best-selling book, for which the film is named, he explains the nature of the universe in layman’s terms; even those who are bored or perplexed by science will enjoy this unique film.▼ Brief Vacation, A (1973-Italian) C-106m. ★★★ D: Vittorio De Sica. Florinda Bolkan, Renato Salvatori, Daniel Quenaud, Jose Maria Prada, Teresa Gimpera. Poorly educated woman leaves terrible job, despicable in-laws, and callous husband for a comparatively pleasant stay in a TB sanitorium. De Sica’s sure-handed direction and Bolkan’s knowing performance make this worth watching. [PG]쩠 Brigadoon (1954) C-108m. ★★★ D: Vincente Minnelli. Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cyd Charisse, Elaine Stewart, Barry Jones, Hugh Laing. Americans Kelly and Johnson discover magical Scottish village in this entertaining filmization of Lerner & Loewe Broadway hit. Overlooked among 1950s musicals, it may lack innovations but has its own quiet charm, and lovely score, including ‘‘The Heather on the Hill.’’ CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Brigham Young (1940) 114m. ★★ D: Henry Hathaway. Tyrone Power, Linda Darnell, Dean Jagger, Brian Donlevy, John Carradine, Jane Darwell, Jean Rogers, Mary Astor, Vincent Price. Well-intentioned but ludicrous depiction of Mormon leader with Jagger nominally in the lead, focus shifting to tepid romance between Power and Darnell; Astor all wrong as homespun wife. ▼쩠 Bright Angel (1991) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Fields. Dermot Mulroney, Lili Taylor, Sam Shepard, Burt Young, Valerie Perrine, Bill Pullman, Mary Kay Place, Kevin Tighe, Sheila McCarthy, Delroy Lindo, Benjamin Bratt. Teenaged Montana boy, shaken by events at home, agrees to take a runaway girl to Wyoming so she ▼쩠 Brief Encounter (1945-British) 85m. ★★★★ can bail her brother out of jail. Uneven, [ 182 ]

sometimes affecting slice of life, with a Bright Road (1953) 69m. ★★ D: Gerald very stylized script by novelist Richard Mayer. Dorothy Dandridge, Harry BelaFord and a cast full of familiar faces. fonte, Robert Horton, Philip Hepburn. WellMulroney is first-rate in the lead. [R]▼ intentioned but labored tale of black teacher in Bright Eyes (1934) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: David small Southern town trying to solve her young Butler. Shirley Temple, James Dunn, Judith pupils’ problems. Belafonte’s film debut. Allen, Jane Withers, Lois Wilson, Charles SelBright Victory (1951) 97m. ★★★ D: Mark lon. Early Shirley, and pretty good, with juveRobson. Arthur Kennedy, Peggy Dow, nile villainy from Withers in tale of custody Julia (Julie) Adams, James Edwards, Will battle over recently orphaned Temple. Includes Geer, Nana Bryant, Jim Backus, Murray ‘‘On the Good Ship Lollipop.’’ Also shown in Hamilton, Richard Egan. Touching accomputer-colored version.▼쩠 count of blinded ex-soldier who slowly Bright Leaf (1950) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael readjusts to civilian life, even finding love. Curtiz. Gary Cooper, Lauren Bacall, PaPotentially sticky subject handled well, tricia Neal, Jack Carson, Donald Crisp. with Kennedy excellent in lead role. Rock Loose chronicle of 19th-century tobacco Hudson can be glimpsed as a soldier. farmer (Cooper) building successful cigaBrighty of the Grand Canyon (1967) C89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Foster. Joseph Cotten, rette empire, seeking revenge on old enemies and finding romance.쩠 Pat Conway, Karl Swenson, Dick Foran, Bright Leaves (2004-U.S.-British) C-107m. Jason Clark. Harmless tale of a burro in ★★★ D: Ross McElwee. Another filmic essay the title locale; best for the kids.▼쩠 by McElwee, this one about investigating his Bright Young Things (2004-British) Cfamily’s roots in North Carolina. On the one 105m. ★★ D: Stephen Fry. Emily Mortimer, hand, there is the intriguing discovery that his Stephen Campbell Moore, James McAvoy, great-grandfather (supposedly portrayed, in Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Fenella fictional guise, by Gary Cooper in the 1950 Woolgar, Dan Aykroyd, Jim Broadbent, movie BRIGHT LEAF) may have been an Simon Callow, Jim Carter, Stockard Chanunsung hero of the tobacco industry. Then ning, Richard E. Grant, Julia McKenzie, Peter again, there is terrible guilt in pondering the O’Toole, Imelda Staunton, Margaret Tyzack, damage that tobacco has wrought on the Bill Paterson, John Mills. Fry’s adaptation of human race. Amusing, ironic, thoughtful, Evelyn Waugh’s novel Vile Bodies tries to and highly personal. Patricia Neal, costar of draw parallels between contemporary society BRIGHT LEAF, appears briefly. 쩠 and its obsession with celebrity and the hedoBright Lights, Big City (1988) C-110m. nism of the 1930s. These ‘‘bright young ★★1 ⁄2 D: James Bridges. Michael J. Fox, things’’ live in a nonstop party atmosphere Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates, Swoosie even while flames are igniting throughout Kurtz, Frances Sternhagen, Tracy Pollan, Europe. Curiously annoying, despite a John Houseman, Charlie Schlatter, Jason strong cast (including 94-year-old Mills, in Robards, Dianne Wiest, William Hickey, a silent cameo). Fry, making his directorial debut, appears briefly as a chauffeur. [R]쩠 Kelly Lynch, David Hyde Pierce. Everyone gets an A for effort on this adaptation of Brilliant Lies (1996-Australian) C-93m. ★★★ D: Richard Franklin. Anthony LaPagJay McInerney’s popular novel. Fox gives a good performance as the young Midwestlia, Gia Carides, Zoe Carides, Ray Barrett, erner whose life has started coming apart at Michael Veitch, Catherine Wilkin, Neil the seams in N.Y.C., where he gets caught Melville, Grant Tilly. As testimony is given up in an endless cycle of drugs and in a woman’s sexual harassment suit, her nightlife. But the more cerebral aspects of boss is shown to be a chauvinist pig . . . but the book (and some of its purple prose) she’s revealed as promiscuous gold digger don’t translate to film . . . and it takes a long whose own sister doubts her. The ultimate time to develop any real sympathy for Fox truth proves to be more complicated than it and his plight. Sutherland is convincingly appears. Absorbing, well-acted adaptation smarmy as his druggie pal. [R] ▼●쩠 of David Williamson’s play about the subBrighton Beach Memoirs (1986) C-110m. jective nature of truth, which unfolds in ★★1 ⁄2 D: Gene Saks. Blythe Danner, Bob fragmented flashbacks as each party gives Dishy, Jonathan Silverman, Brian Drilltheir side of the story. LaPaglia and Gia Carides are a couple in real life. ▼ inger, Stacey Glick, Judith Ivey, Lisa Waltz, Jason Alexander, Steven Hill, Fyvush Finkel. Brimstone & Treacle (1982-British) C85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Loncraine. Sting, Pleasant, if mostly undistinguished, adaptation of Neil Simon’s celebrated autobiographical Denholm Elliott, Joan Plowright, Suzanna play about two families living under the same Hamilton. Strange, intriguing (but often unroof in 1937 Brooklyn. Oddly cast—Danner pleasant) film about a young man who worms and Ivey play Jewish sisters—with attractive his way into the lives of a vulnerable middleproduction design; Dishy underplays nicely as class couple, whose daughter lies in a coma. narrator Silverman’s father. Followed by BIGood performance by Sting. [R]▼쩠 LOXI BLUES and (on TV) BROADWAY Bringing Down the House (2003) C-105m. ★★ D: Adam Shankman. Steve Martin, Queen BOUND. [PG-13]▼●쩠 [ 183 ]

Latifah, Eugene Levy, Joan Plowright, Jean a smorgasbord of psychos; sub-par bloodSmart, Kimberly J. Brown, Angus T. Jones, bath doesn’t even have the usual Peckinpah Missi Pyle, Michael Rosenbaum, Betty White, fast pace. [R]▼●쩠 Steve Harris. Martin is wasted in this crude colBring On the Night (1985-British) C-97m. ★★★ D: Michael Apted. Sting, Omar Hakim, lection of racial and sexual comic stereotypes as an uptight WASP tax attorney whose InDarryl Jones, Kenny Kirkland, Branford ternet chat-room mate turns out to be a black Marsalis, Dolette McDonald, Janice Penconvict (Latifah) who wants him to clear her darvis, Trudie Styler, Miles Copeland. Firstname. Naturally she loosens him up while rate musical documentary about the formastraightening out his kids and helping him land tion of Sting’s rock-jazz band, culminating a big deal at work. Strictly a routine big-screen in their first concert performance (persitcom, unless you find the prospect of Martin forming the serious, often politically oritalking jive and bustin’ a groove in hip-hop ented material on the Dream of the Blue garb to be the height of hilarity. Latifah Turtles album). More than just a concert movie, thanks in large part to director coexecutive-produced. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Bringing Out the Dead (1999) C-121m. Apted. Handsomely photographed by Ralf ★★★ D: Martin Scorsese. Nicolas Cage, PaBode. [PG-13]▼●쩠 tricia Arquette, John Goodman, Ving Brink of Life (1958-Swedish) 84m. ★★1⁄2 Rhames, Tom Sizemore, Marc Anthony, D: Ingmar Bergman. Eva Dahlbeck, InMary Beth Hurt, Cliff Curtis, Aida Turturro. grid Thulin, Bibi Andersson, Barbro Hiort Life on the N.Y.C. streets from the point of af Ornas, Erland Josephson, Max von view of a paramedic: a surreal, episodic film Sydow, Gunnar Sjoberg. Realistic, almost about a burntout case whose only hope for documentary-like chronicle of the lives of sanity and salvation is to save someone’s three women in a maternity ward. Meticulife. Based on the book by former EMS lously filmed, but also gloomy and static; driver Joe Connelly, told in harrowing and one of Bergman’s lesser efforts.▼ visually arresting fashion. Script by Paul Brink’s Job, The (1978) C-103m. ★★★ D: Schrader; remarkable cinematography by William Friedkin. Peter Falk, Peter Boyle, Allen Goorwitz (Garfield), Warren Oates, Robert Richardson. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Bringing Up Baby (1938) 102m. ★★★★ D: Gena Rowlands, Paul Sorvino, Sheldon Howard Hawks. Cary Grant, Katharine Leonard. Entertaining, comically oriented Hepburn, Charlie Ruggles, May Robson, account of the infamous 1950 Boston heist, Barry Fitzgerald, Walter Catlett, Fritz Feld, masterminded by Falk and motley gang of Ward Bond. In her sole venture into accomplices. Excellent period and locaslapstick, Hepburn plays a madcap heiress— tion flavor. [PG]▼ ‘‘Baby’’ is her pet leopard—who sets her Britannia Hospital (1982-British) C-115m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Lindsay Anderson. Leonard Rossights on absentminded zoologist Grant and inadvertently (?) proceeds to make a shambles siter, Graham Crowden, Malcolm Mcof his life. Not a hit when first released, Dowell, Joan Plowright, Jill Bennett, Marthis is now considered the definitive screwsha Hunt, Frank Grimes, Roland Culver, ball comedy and one of the fastest, funniest Fulton Mackay, Vivian Pickles, Mark films ever made; grand performances by all. Hamill, Liz Smith, Alan Bates, Arthur Screenplay by Dudley Nichols and Hagar Lowe. Absurdist comedy about a hospital Wilde, from Wilde’s original story. More or beleaguered by labor woes, protest groups, less remade as WHAT’S UP, DOC? Also impatient patients, a resident mad doctor, shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 and an impending visit by the Queen Bring It On (2000) C-99m. ★★★ D: Peyton Mother. Heavy-handed satire, but entertainReed. Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse ing nonetheless, with some actors in continBradford, Gabrielle Union, Clare Kramer, Niuing roles from Anderson’s IF . . . and O cole Bilderback, Rini Bell, Lindsay Sloane, LUCKY MAN! Written by David Sherwin. Richard Hillman, Ian Roberts, Holmes Ran[R]▼쩠 dolph. High-spirited, high-energy movie about Britannia Mews SEE: Forbidden Street, a championship high school cheerleading The squad and its new captain (Dunst), who learns Broadcast News (1987) C-131m. ★★★ D: that their routines were stolen from a black, James L. Brooks. William Hurt, Albert inner-city school. Sharp writing (by Jessica Brooks, Holly Hunter, Robert Prosky, Lois Bendinger), driving direction, and likable perChiles, Joan Cusack, Peter Hackes, Jack formances make this a winner. Followed by Nicholson. Appealing and intelligent comfour DVD sequels. [PG-13]▼쩠 edy about a highly charged, neurotic woman Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia who’s a successful TV news producer, and her attraction to a pretty-boy anchorman (1974) C-112m. ★★ D: Sam Peckinpah. Warren Oates, Isela Vega, Gig Young, who joins her network—and represents Robert Webber, Helmut Dantine, Emilio everything she hates about TV news. All Fernandez, Kris Kristofferson. American three stars are fine, but Brooks is a special piano player in Mexico gets involved with standout as an ace reporter, and Hunter’s [ 184 ]

★★1 best friend, who’s really in love with her. ⁄2 D: Roy Del Ruth. Robert Taylor, Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Binnie Barnes, Nicholson contributes a funny unbilled perBuddy Ebsen, Judy Garland, Sophie formance as the network’s star anchorman. Tucker, Charles Igor Gorin, Raymond Written by the director; set and filmed in Walburn, Robert Benchley, Willie Howard, Washington, D.C. [R]▼●쩠 ★★★ Billy Gilbert. Not up to 1936 MELODY, D: Frank Broadway Bill (1934) 102m. with tuneful but forgettable songs, overbearCapra. Warner Baxter, Myrna Loy, Waling Tucker, and elephantine finale. Powell’s ter Connolly, Helen Vinson, Lynne Overdancing is great and Garland sings ‘‘Dear man, Raymond Walburn, Clarence Muse, Mr. Gable.’’ ▼●쩠 Douglass Dumbrille, Charles Lane, Ward Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940) 102m. Bond, Margaret Hamilton, Clara Blandick, ★★★ D: Norman Taurog. Fred Astaire, Frankie Darro, Jason Robards (Sr.), and Eleanor Powell, George Murphy, Frank Broadway Bill. Baxter, who’s ‘‘sold out’’ Morgan, Ian Hunter, Florence Rice, Lynne and married money, risks his marriage and Carver, Ann Morriss. Friendship and rivalry his future on a racehorse; Loy, his wife’s between dance partners Astaire and Murphy sister, seems to be the only one who bespark delightful, underrated MGM musical, lieves in him. The unremitting good cheer with hilarious vignettes, fine performance of this Capra concoction overcomes its flaws. from Astaire, outstanding Cole Porter Script by Robert Riskin, from the Mark songs, and matchless Astaire-Powell numHellinger story ‘‘On the Nose.’’ Remade bers like ‘‘Begin the Beguine’’ (danced (by Capra) in 1950 as RIDING HIGH— twice in the finale). If only they’d tie up the using some of the same actors, and even plot a bit sooner. Douglas McPhail (unsome of the same footage. Look fast for a billed) introduces the Porter standard ‘‘I young, blonde Lucille Ball as a telephone Concentrate On You.’’ ▼●쩠 operator.▼●쩠 Broadway Musketeers (1938) 62m. ★★1⁄2 Broadway Danny Rose (1984) 86m. ★★★ D: John Farrow. Margaret Lindsay, Ann D: Woody Allen. Woody Allen, Mia Sheridan, Marie Wilson, John Litel, Janet Farrow, Nick Apollo Forte, Sandy Baron, Chapman, Richard Bond. Three women Corbett Monica, Morty Gunty, Will Jordan, who grew up together in an orphanage meet Milton Berle, Joe Franklin. Allen is wonup again as adults, having taken very differderful as pathetic small-time manager who ent paths in life. Snappy remake of the tries to boost career of over-the-hill singer melodramatic THREE ON A MATCH, Forte. Terrific casting, funny show-biz jokes with some interesting plot variations and a but eventually wears a bit thin; a slight but couple of songs from Sheridan. amusing film. [PG]▼●쩠 Broadway Rhythm (1944) C-114m. ★★ Broadway Melody, The (1929) 100m. D: Roy Del Ruth. George Murphy, Ginny ★★1 Simms, Charles Winninger, Gloria De ⁄2 D: Harry Beaumont. Bessie Love, Haven, Nancy Walker, Ben Blue, Tommy Anita Page, Charles King, Jed Prouty, KenGargan, Katharine Alexander. Mediocre neth Thomson, Edward Dillon, Mary musical of songwriter Ayres and wife, Doran. Early talkie musical curio about a singer MacDonald, having careers split up pair of stage-struck sisters who seek fame their marriage.▼쩠 on the Great White Way and fall for a Broadway: The Golden Age (2004) Ccharming song-and-dance man. This was ★★★1 109m. ⁄2 D: Rick McKay. Combining the first musical to win a Best Picture Acadinterviews with more than one hundred veteremy Award. Awfully dated today, but ans of Broadway during its heyday (roughly there’s still a good score by Arthur Freed the 1930s through the 1960s), archival footage and Nacio Herb Brown: Title tune, ‘‘You of N.Y.C., and rarely seen performance exWere Meant for Me,’’ and ‘‘The Wedding cerpts, this simple, straightforward film sucof the Painted Doll.’’ Some sequences origiceeds in capturing both an era and a way of nally in Technicolor; remade as TWO life for a generation of performers and theaterGIRLS ON BROADWAY.▼●쩠 goers. Highlights include a tribute to the reBroadway Melody of 1936 (1935) 101m. vered Laurette Taylor and a television ★★★ D: Roy Del Ruth. Jack Benny, Eleaperformance of John Raitt singing the ‘‘Solilnor Powell, Robert Taylor, Una Merkel, oquy’’ from Carousel. A rich, deeply moving Sid Silvers, Buddy Ebsen. Pleasant musiexperience for anyone who loves Broadway comedy with Winchell-like columnist Benny theater or wants to introduce its wonders to a trying to frame producer Taylor via dancer new generation. 쩠 Powell, whose solo spots are pure delight. Brokeback Mountain (2005) C-134m. ★★★ Arthur Freed–Nacio Herb Brown songs: D: Ang Lee. Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllen‘‘You Are My Lucky Star,’’ ‘‘Broadway haal, Randy Quaid, Michelle Williams, Rhythm,’’ ‘‘I’ve Got a Feelin’ You’re Anne Hathaway, Graham Beckel, Anna Foolin’ ’’ (which earned an Oscar for Faris, Linda Cardellini, Roberta Maxwell, Dave Gould’s dance direction).▼●쩠 Peter McRobbie. In 1963, two young cowBroadway Melody of 1938 (1937) 110m. boys meet while sheepherding in Wyoming [ 185 ]

and unexpectedly fall in love. Despite each formances. One of Griffith’s more modsubsequently marrying and raising a family, est, and more successful, films. Remade they continue their relationship through the in England in 1936.▼●쩠 years, always aware of the external limits Broken Bridges (2006) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: placed on their true feelings. Bold subject Steven Goldmann. Toby Keith, Kelly Presmatter (for mainstream audiences) is given ton, Lindsey Haun, Tess Harper, Anna sensitive if traditional treatment by director Maria Horsford, Katie Finneran, Josh HenLee; slow, stately, and often moving, but derson, Willie Nelson, BeBe Winans, Burt also a bit distant. Ledger is excellent in a Reynolds. The deaths in a training accident complex, brooding role, and the whole cast of five GIs from the same small Tennessee matches him. Oscar winner for Director, town set in motion a series of events involvAdapted Screenplay (by Larry McMurtry ing two of the town’s natives: Miami TV and Diana Ossana, from Annie Proulx’s reporter Preston, who is long estranged from short story), and Original Score (Gustavo her family, and troubled, fading countrySantaolalla). [R]쩠 western singer Keith, the father of her adolesBrokedown Palace (1999) C-100m. ★★ D: cent daughter. Languid tale of regret and recJonathan Kaplan. Claire Danes, Kate Beckonciliation offers a rose-colored view of insale, Bill Pullman, Jacqueline Kim, Lou small-town America. Country singer Keith’s Diamond Phillips, Daniel Lapaine, Tom film debut; produced by Country Music Television. [PG-13]쩠 Amandes, Aimee Graham, John Doe. Bythe-numbers cautionary melodrama in which Broken English (1996-New Zealand) C92m. ★★★ D: Gregor Nicholas. Aleksandra naive best pals Danes and Beckinsale, on a trip to Thailand to celebrate their high school Vujcic, Julian Arahanga, Rade Serbedzija, graduation, are set up by a drug smuggler Marton Csokas, Madeline McNamara. A and tossed into prison. Done in by its sheer Croatian tyrant living in New Zealand goes predictability—and lack of chemistry beballistic when his daughter becomes romantween the stars. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 tically involved with a hunkish Maori cook. Broken Arrow (1950) C-93m. ★★★ D: Consistently absorbing drama—and an inDelmer Daves. James Stewart, Jeff Chanteresting thematic companion piece to dler, Debra Paget, Will Geer, Jay SilverONCE WERE WARRIORS—gets its surheels. Authentic study of 1870s Apache prising NC-17 rating from an exuberant Chief Cochise (Chandler) and ex-Army bed-breaking scene of young lovers in love. man (Stewart) trying to seek accord beSeconds were shaved for R version available on video. [NC-17]▼ tween feuding Indians and settlers. Flavorful and effective; good action sequences. Broken English (2007-U.S.-French) C97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Zoe Cassavetes. Parker Screenplay, credited to Michael Blankfort, was actually written by Albert Maltz, Posey, Melvil Poupaud, Drea de Matteo, then a blacklistee. Chandler played CochJustin Theroux, Gena Rowlands, Peter Bogise again in THE BATTLE AT APACHE danovich, Tim Guinee, James McCaffrey, PASS. Later a TV series.▼쩠 Josh Hamilton, Phyllis Somerville, Dana Broken Arrow (1996) C-108m. ★★ D: John Ivey, Bernadette Lafont, Roy Thinnes. N.Y.C. Woo. John Travolta, Christian Slater, Sacareer woman Posey makes consistently bad mantha Mathis, Delroy Lindo, Bob Gunton, choices in men, so when a genuinely nice, Frank Whaley, Howie Long, Vondie Curtis freewheeling Frenchman (Poupaud) is atHall, Jack Thompson, Kurtwood Smith, tracted to her she doesn’t know how to reDaniel von Bargen. Extraordinarily stupid spond. Uneven romantic comedy is salvaged action movie about a high-security, highby Posey’s empathetic performance, in a tech Air Force pilot who deliberately rounded portrait of a woman who keeps crashes a U.S. plane in the midst of Utah screwing up her life because she has no selfand plans to hold its nuclear weapons for esteem. Feature writing-directing debut for ransom. He doesn’t reckon with his younger Cassavetes, whose mother (Rowlands) plays copilot (Slater) or the U.S. park ranger Posey’s mom. [PG-13]쩠 (Mathis) who join in a determined pursuit Broken Flowers (2005) C-106m. ★★ D: to thwart him. Packed with director Woo’s Jim Jarmusch. Bill Murray, Jeffrey Wright, expected action set pieces and stunts, but Sharon Stone, Jessica Lange, Tilda SwinTravolta’s over-the-top bad guy is fairly ton, Frances Conroy, Christopher McDonmonotonous, and story continuity/credibilald, Julie Delpy, Chloe¨ Sevigny, Heather ity is almost nonexistent. Did it have to be Alicia Simms, Alexis Dziena, Mark Webthis dumb? Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 ber, Larry Fessenden. Deadpan Don Juan Broken Blossoms (1919) 95m. ★★★ D: (Murray) receives an unsigned letter from a D. W. Griffith. Lillian Gish, Richard former lover telling him he has a 19-yearBarthelmess, Donald Crisp, Arthur Howold son. His neighbor (Wright), an amateur ard, Edward Piel. Dated but lovely film of sleuth, convinces him that he should look Chinaman Barthelmess protecting frail Gish up all his old girlfriends to learn who sent from clutches of brutal father Crisp; still the note, and, reluctantly, he does. Writercreates a mood sustained by sensitive perdirector Jarmusch, the ultimate movie mini[ 186 ]

malist, is as inscrutable as ever, even with spoiled heiress who joins his entourage of an A-list cast. Intriguing but not really satisescapees from reality. Locke’s rich-bitch fying. That’s Murray’s real-life son Homer character is a bit hard to take, but neither near the end of the film. [R]▼쩠 she nor some superfluous subplots can sour Broken Hearts Club—A Romantic Comthe charm of this film. Look fast for Hank ★★1 Worden! [PG]▼●쩠 edy, The (2000) C-94m. ⁄2 D: Greg Berlanti. Zach Braff, Dean Cain, Andrew Bronco Buster (1952) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Keegan, Nia Long, John Mahoney, Mary Budd Boetticher. John Lund, Scott Brady, McCormack, Matt McGrath, Timothy OlyJoyce Holden, Chill Wills, Casey Tibbs. phant, Billy Porter, Justin Theroux, Jennifer Minor story of rodeo star Lund helping Coolidge, Chris Weitz. Comedy-drama about Brady learn the ropes, forced to fight him gay friends in West Hollywood who harass for Holden’s love. Good rodeo action. each other as much as they support one Bronte¨ (1983-Irish-U.S.) C-88m. ★★★ D: another . . . and seemingly spend every wakDelbert Mann. Julie Harris. Engrossing ing moment talking about their troubled relaperformance by Harris portraying Chartionships. Veers from empathic and well lotte Bronte¨ in one-woman show recountobserved to self-consciously clever and tireing her life and family troubles via intimate, some. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 first-person monologues. Unusual, literate Broken Lance (1954) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: film benefits from all-location filming in Edward Dmytryk. Spencer Tracy, Robert Ireland. Script by William Luce from his Wagner, Jean Peters, Richard Widmark, radio play based on Bronte¨’s own writings. Katy Jurado, Hugh O’Brian, Eduard Franz, Bronte¨ Sisters, The (1979-French) CEarl Holliman, E. G. Marshall. Tracy is 115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andre´ Te´chine´. Isabelle superlative in tight-knit script (by RichAdjani, Marie-France Pisier, Isabelle ard Murphy, from an Oscar-winning Philip Huppert, Pascal Gregory, Patrick Magee. Yordan story) about patriarchal rancher Well-mounted but slightly sluggish porwho finds he’s losing control of his cattle trait of the famous literary sisters and their empire and his family is fragmenting into repressed lives. Worth a look mainly to see warring factions. Remake of HOUSE OF three of France’s most appealing actresses STRANGERS (although it owes more to in one film. Also shot in English-language King Lear!). CinemaScope.▼●쩠 version, which doesn’t play as well. Bronx Tale, A (1993) C-122m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Broken Lizard’s Club Dread SEE: Club Dread Robert De Niro. Robert De Niro, Chazz PalBroken Lullaby (1932) 77m. ★★★ D: Ernst minteri, Lillo Brancato, Francis Capra, Lubitsch. Lionel Barrymore, Nancy CarTaral Hicks, Kathrine Narducci, Clem Casroll, Phillips Holmes, ZaSu Pitts, Lucien erta, Alfred Sauchelli, Jr., Frank PietrangoLittlefield, Emma Dunn. Excellent drama lare, Joe Pesci. Longish but well-observed of French soldier who feels guilty for killslice of life, as a boy grows up with two ing German during war, then falls in love heroes of conflicting nature and beliefs—his with dead man’s sweetheart. Retitled: THE loving, hard-working father, and the neighMAN I KILLED. borhood capo, who takes him as a personal Broken Rainbow (1985) C/B&W-70m. prote´ge´. Written by Palminteri, and based ★★★ D: Maria Florio, Victoria Mudd. Naron his play; an impressive directorial debut rator: Martin Sheen. Historical voices: Burfor De Niro, who brings a keen eye and gess Meredith. Translator: Buffy Sainteequally strong sensibility to this potent (but Marie. Touching, biting, appropriately ultimately upbeat) material. Incidentally, to one-sided, yet sometimes unnecessarily re-create the Bronx of the 1960s, De Niro romanticized documentary about the relohad to shoot this in Brooklyn and Queens! cation—and resistance—of Navajo Indi[R]▼●쩠 ans in Arizona. A Best Documentary Bronx War, The (1990) C-91m. ★★ D: Joseph B. Vasquez. Joseph, Fabio Urena, Academy Award winner.▼쩠 Broken Sky (1982-Swedish) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Charmaine Cruz, Andre Brown, Marlene D: Ingrid Thulin. Susanna Kall, Thommy Forte, Frances Colon, Miguel Sierra, Kim Berggren, Agneta Eckemyr, Margaretha West. Ambitious, gritty but annoyingly Krook. Ambitious but uneven account of uneven actioner chronicling the plight of 13-year-old Kall, in the process of breakTito Sunshine (Joseph), a product of the ing free from her childhood, and her relamean streets of The Bronx, whose good tionships with various family members. intentions are obscured by the fact that Thulin also wrote the script. he’s a crack dealer. Dramatically overBronco Billy (1980) C-119m. ★★★ D: Clint wrought, unrelentingly violent and proEastwood. Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, fane, but not without its moments. Available Geoffrey Lewis, Scatman Crothers, Bill on video in R and unrated versions.▼쩠 McKinney, Sam Bottoms, Dan Vadis, SiBrood, The (1979-Canadian) C-90m. erra Pecheur, Juliette Lewis. Enjoyable yarn BOMB D: David Cronenberg. Oliver Reed, about self-styled cowboy hero who runs a Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Cindy Hinds, fly-by-night Wild West show and the Nuala Fitzgerald, Susan Hogan. Eggar eats [ 187 ]

her own afterbirth while midget clones beat genious contemporary fantasy, filmed on a grandparents and lovely young schoolteachers shoestring, about a black visitor from anto death with mallets. It’s a big, wide, wonderother planet who (like Chance in BEING ful world we live in! [R]▼●쩠 THERE) impresses most of the people he Brooklyn Rules (2007) C-99m. ★★ D: Mimeets because he doesn’t say a word—and chael Corrente. Freddie Prinze, Jr., Alec Ballets them do all the talking! Falls apart dwin, Scott Caan, Jerry Ferrara, Mena Suvari, toward the end with a subplot about drug Robert Turano, Phyllis Kay, Monica Keena. dealers, but still worthwhile. Fine dialogue Coming-of-age story set in Brooklyn of 1985 by writer-director Sayles, who, as usual, about three friends and their relationship with gives himself a funny role (as one of the the local Mafia figures who dominate their Brother’s outer-space pursuers). ▼쩠 neighborhood. When tragedy strikes, their Brotherhood, The (1968) C-98m. ★★★ D: lives are irreversibly changed. Screenplay by Martin Ritt. Kirk Douglas, Alex Cord, Irene Terence Winter, a key creative force of The Papas, Luther Adler, Susan Strasberg, Murray Sopranos, but the movie is Sopranos-lite at Hamilton. Excellent story of Mafia in changbest. Baldwin could play the local mob boss in ing times; tradition-bound Douglas clashes his sleep; only Ferrara (of Entourage) stands with younger brother Cord who feels no ties out in the young cast. Panavision. [R]쩠 to old-fashioned dictates. Pre-GODFATHER, Brother (2000-U.S.-Japanese-French-British) but in the same league. [M]▼●쩠 C-107m. ★★★ D: Takeshi Kitano. Beat Takeshi Brotherhood of Satan (1971) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 (Kitano), Omar Epps, Kuroudo Maki, MaD: Bernard McEveety. Strother Martin, L. saya Kato, Ren Osugi, Susumu Terajima, Q. Jones, Charles Bateman, Ahna Capri, Ryo Ishibashi, James Shigeta. Stoic Japanese Charles Robinson. Satanists take over town gangster Takeshi becomes the Fastest Gun in in this horrifying little terror tale. Technithe West as he arrives in L.A. and becomes scope. [PG]▼쩠 immersed in gang rivalries while bonding Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001-French) with a young African American (Epps). UlC-142m. ★★ D: Christophe Gans. Samuel Le traviolent, to be sure, but this is no mindless Bihan, Mark Dacascos, Vincent Cassel, Monactioner; rather, it is a meditation on the meanicaBellucci, E`milie Dequenne, Je´re´mie Renier. ing of loyalty, and deftly contrasts the tough, Based on a famous legend, this very strange anarchic urban-American subculture and the film chronicles the attempt to track down a rituals of Japanese Yakuza. Signature bits of mysterious wolflike creature that is terrorizing Kitano’s wry humor are added to the mix; he the French countryside in 1765. A scientist and also scripted and edited. [R]▼쩠 his Iroquois ‘‘blood brother’’ take on the job ★★★ Brother Bear (2003) C-81m. D: Aaron for King Louis XV, but they meet resistance Blaise, Bob Walker. Voices of Joaquin Phoeat every turn. Bizarre, unsatisfying me´lange of nix, Jeremy Suarez, Jason Raize, Rick Morcostume piece, occult drama, sexual fantasy, and horror film! Super 35. [R]▼쩠 anis, Dave Thomas, D.B. Sweeney, Michael Clarke Duncan, Harold Gould, Estelle Harris. Brotherhood of the Yakuza SEE: Yakuza, The life of a Native American boy takes an The unexpected turn when the Great Spirits transBrother John (1972) C-94m. ★★★ D: James form him into the creature he hates the most: Goldstone. Sidney Poitier, Will Geer, Brada bear. As he sets out to regain his human ford Dillman, Beverly Todd, Ramon Bieri, form, he sees things from a different perspecWarren J. Kemmerling, Lincoln Kilpatrick, tive (even befriending a bear cub) while tryPaul Winfield. Highly entertaining tale of the ing to evade his brother, who’s pursuing him Messiah’s return—only no one knows that on a mission of revenge. Absorbing, beautihe’s come, and that he’s black. [PG]▼쩠 fully executed animated feature infuses a Brotherly Love (1970-British) C-112m. ★★★ highly unusual tale with ingredients of tradiD: J. Lee Thompson. Peter O’Toole, tional Disney storytelling. It’s fun to have Susannah York, Michael Craig, Harry AnMoranis and Thomas do a variation on their drews, Cyril Cusack, Judy Cornwell, Brian McKenzie Brothers characters—as moose! Blessed. Very funny study of relationships Digital Widescreen. [G] ▼쩠 in upper-class British household. O’Toole Brother Can You Spare a Dime (1975) and York are delightful. Original British title: COUNTRY DANCE. [R] 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Philippe Mora. DocumenBrother Orchid (1940) 91m. ★★★ D: Lloyd tary on 1930s has fuzzy point of view, and no narration to tie footage together; it also Bacon. Edward G. Robinson, Ann Sothern, mixes newsreels and Hollywood clips. If Humphrey Bogart, Ralph Bellamy, Donyou know and like the period, the footage ald Crisp, Allen Jenkins. Farfetched but will speak for itself and provide a certain entertaining yarn of racketeer Robinson measure of entertainment. [PG]▼쩠 who seeks ‘‘the real class’’ in life. DoubleBrother From Another Planet, The (1984) crossed by his old mob, he winds up in a C-104m. ★★★ D: John Sayles. Joe Morton, monastery, of all places. Sothern delightful as his ever-faithful girlfriend.▼●쩠 Darryl Edwards, Steve James, Leonard Jackson, Maggie Renzi, Rosetta Le Noire, Brother Rat (1938) 90m. ★★★ D: William David Strathairn, Bill Cobbs. Amiable, inKeighley. Priscilla Lane, Wayne Morris, [ 188 ]

Johnnie Davis, Jane Bryan, Eddie Albert, Weisz is delightful as a madcap. Enjoyably Ronald Reagan, Jane Wyman, William Tracy. eclectic score by Nathan Johnson. Look fast Comedy of three pals at Virginia Military Infor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (star of Johnson’s stitute isn’t as fresh as it was in the 1930s, debut film, BRICK). Super 35. [PG-13] but still remains entertaining, with enthusiastic Brothers Grimm, The (2005-U.S.-Czech) C-118m. ★★ D: Terry Gilliam. Matt Damon, performances by all. Albert stands out in his screen debut, in a role he played on the stage. Heath Ledger, Peter Stormare, Lena Headey, Sequel: BROTHER RAT AND A BABY. Jonathan Pryce, Monica Bellucci, Petr RatiRemade as ABOUT FACE. mec, Barbara Lukeˆsova, Anna Rust, Jeremy Brothers (1977) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Robson. Fictionalized (and bloated) account Barron. Bernie Casey, Vonetta McGee, of the brothers Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm, Ron O’Neal, Renny Roker, Stu Gilliam, here called Will and Jake, depicted as con John Lehne. Well-intentioned story based men who travel from village to village in on relationship between militant professor Napoleonic-era Germany and exploit the Angela Davis and literate black convict superstitions of the townspeople. Eventually George Jackson during 1960s. Sloppy filmthey are recruited to determine why the chilmaking and awkward scripting diminish imdren of one hamlet are mysteriously disappact of film’s better moments. [R] pearing. Extravagant sets, costumes, and Brothers, The (2001) C-106m. ★★ D: Gary imagery are pure Gilliam, but the film is Hardwick. Morris Chestnut, Shemar Moore, hollow and disappointing. This had a long D.L. Hughley, Bill Bellamy, Gabrielle Union, and troubled production history, and it shows. Grimm indeed. [PG-13] 쩠 Susan Dalian, Tamala Jones, Marla Gibbs, Jenifer Lewis, Clifton Powell, Tatyana Ali, Brother’s Justice, A SEE: Gleaming the Vanessa Bell Calloway. Four childhood Cube friends are now successful doctors, lawyers, Brothers Karamazov, The (1958) C146m. ★★★ D: Richard Brooks. Yul etc., all nearing 30, with three of the four still single. Film examines the tumultuous perBrynner, Maria Schell, Claire Bloom, Lee sonal lives of these guys, who under the threeJ. Cobb, Richard Basehart, William Shatner, piece suits are just hoop-shooting overgrown Albert Salmi. Set in 19th-century Russia, film kids. Overly melodramatic, though comedians version of Dostoyevsky’s tragedy revolving Bellamy and Hughley spout some awfully about death of a dominating father (Cobb) funny, racy lines. Hardwick scripted and apand effect on his sons: fun-seeking Brynner, pears as T-Boy. [R] ▼쩠 scholarly Basehart, religious Shatner, and epiBrothers (2004-Danish) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: leptic Salmi. Exceptionally well scripted by Susanne Bier. Connie Nielsen, Ulrich ThomBrooks. William Shatner’s first film. ▼ sen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Bent Mejding, Solbørg Brother’s Keeper (1992) C-104m. ★★★1⁄2 Højfeldt, Paw Henriksen. A man leaves his D: Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky. Excepwife and two daughters to fight in Afghanitional documentary/slice-of-life which ofstan, just as his chronic screwup brother is fers a portrait of backwoods America rarely released from prison. The family does its seen in mainstream movies. It’s the story of best, feeling the pain of the ‘‘good’’ brothDelbert Ward, a reserved, uneducated upstate er’s absence and the tension of the ‘‘bad’’ New York farmer who was thrown into jail brother’s presence. Subsequent events reafter being accused of murdering his sickly veal the true nature of the leading characbrother. When he goes on trial, his neighbors, ters. Searing, intense, adult drama; Nielsen who barely know him, rally to his defense. (in her Danish feature debut) heads a superb An intriguing treatise on human nature and a cast. Intimately photographed by Morten telling look at how the media plays a role in a controversial case like this.▼●쩠 Søborg on digital video. Screenplay by Anders Thomas Jensen from a story he coBrother’s Kiss, A (1997) C-92m. ★★★ D: wrote with director Bier. [R]쩠 Seth Zvi Rosenfeld. Nick Chinlund, MiBrothers Bloom, The (2009) C-109m. chael Raynor, Talent Harris, John Legui★★1⁄2 D: Rian Johnson. Rachel Weisz, Mark zamo, Cathy Moriarty, Adrian Pasdar, Rosie Ruffalo, Adrien Brody, Rinko Kikuchi, Perez, Justin Pierce, Marisa Tomei, Michael Robbie Coltrane, Maximilian Schell; narRapaport, Joshua Danowsky. Raw, riveting rated by Ricky Jay. Picaresque fable of two drama depicting the complex relationship beorphaned brothers who find their way in tween brothers, Lex (Chinlund) and Mick the world as con artists, following scenarios (Raynor), who came of age on the mean devised by the inventive younger sibling. streets of N.Y.’s East Harlem. Mick, the But during what is planned as their final younger, has become a cop, while Lex, who’s caper, the older brother (Brody) falls in love never been able to catch a break, is a drug with their mark (Weisz), a beautiful recluse addict. Flashbacks to the brothers’ childhood who treats the experience as a glorious adare especially effective—and heartbreaking. venture. Self-consciously clever, to be sure, Based on Rosenfeld’s stage play. [R]▼●쩠 but it’s fun for a while until the air deflates Brothers McMullen, The (1995) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward Burns. Jack Mulcahy, from the balloon at a certain point. The Eastern European settings are colorful, and Mike McGlone, Edward Burns, Shari Al[ 189 ]

bert, Maxine Bahns, Connie Britton, Jennilovely scenes, but other ideas don’t always come across. Songs by Donovan. [PG]▼쩠 fer Jostyn, Elizabeth P. McKay, Catherine Brown Bunny, The (2004) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Bolz. Three brothers are temporarily living Vincent Gallo. Vincent Gallo, Chloe¨ Sevtogether under one roof; the married one is igny, Cheryl Tiegs, Elizabeth Blake, Anna tempted to stray, the one who’s involved Vareschi. Auteur antics from producer/writer/ with a woman has Catholic guilt about sindirector/cinematographer/production designer/ ning, and the third wears his cynicism about editor/actor Gallo about a ponderous New relationships on his sleeve—even after he Hampshire-to-California road odyssey taken falls in love. Made on a minuscule budget, by a motorcycle racer whose secret (divulged this modest film grows more compelling as in the movie’s final quarter) motivates his it goes along, with two assets missing from every move. Cut by almost a half hour from slicker Hollywood movies: The actors are the version that played the 2003 Cannes Film appealing and their conversations are totally Festival to wide derision and disbelief. A workbelievable. First-time director Burns also able idea sunk by too many moments where wrote the script and costars. [R]▼●쩠 the camera does little but grind . . . and a prediBrothers of the Head (2006-British) Clection toward the grotesquely weird (Tiegs’ 93m. ★★ D: Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe. Harry scene is mind-bending nonsense). Without the Treadaway, Luke Treadaway, Bryan Dick, notorious finale, an on-the-level fellatio scene Sean Harris, Tania Emery, Diana Kent, between Sevigny and Gallo, it’s tough to Tom Bower, David Kennedy, Elizabeth imagine that the film would have ever been Rider, Jane Horrocks, Jonathan Pryce, John shown.쩠 Simm, Ken Russell, Ray Davies. Various Browning Version, The (1951-British) talking heads look back on the lives and 90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Anthony Asquith. Michael careers of conjoined twins who, in the midRedgrave, Jean Kent, Nigel Patrick, Brian 1970s, shined brightly but briefly as protoSmith, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Ronald Howard, punk rockers in this faux documentary. Bill Travers. Redgrave is superb as middleFlashy, potentially intriguing portrait of exaged boarding school teacher who realizes cess is longwinded and predictable; there’s he’s a failure, with an unfaithful wife and a about a half hour’s worth of material here. new teaching position he doesn’t want. Cast Based on a novel by Brian Aldiss. [R]쩠 does full justice to the play by Terence RattiBrothers O’Toole, The (1973) C-90m. gan; he also scripted. Remade in 1994.▼쩠 ★★ D: Richard Erdman. John Astin, Steve Browning Version, The (1994-U.S.-British) Carlson, Pat Carroll, Hans Conried, Lee MeriC-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike Figgis. Albert Finwether, Allyn Joslyn, Jesse White. Strictly for ney, Greta Scacchi, Matthew Modine, Julian the kids is this comedy Western. Actor turned Sands, Michael Gambon, Ben Silverstone, director Erdman has a bit. [G]▼쩠 Maryam D’Abo, David Lever. Well-mounted, ★★1 Brothers Rico, The (1957) 92m. ⁄2 D: though stodgy, remake of Terence Rattigan’s Phil Karlson. Richard Conte, Dianne Foster, play of retiring schoolmaster whose dedicaKathryn Grant (Crosby), Larry Gates, James tion is unappreciated and whose marriage is Darren. Incisive gangster yarn; Conte comes unraveling. Finney is good as man out of step to N.Y.C. to counteract nationwide criminal with the times, Scacchi is fine (if oddly cast). gang’s plot to eliminate his two brothers. Touching and tragic, but it’s hard to beat MiBased on Georges Simenon novel; remade for chael Redgrave’s performance in 1951 verTV as THE FAMILY RICO in 1972.쩠 sion. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Brothers Solomon, The (2007) C-93m. Brown’s Requiem (1998) C-104m. ★★ D: BOMB D: Bob Odenkirk. Will Arnett, Will Jason Freeland. Michael Rooker, Tobin Bell, Forte, Chi McBride, Kristen Wiig, Malin Selma Blair, Jack Conley, Kevin Corrigan, Akerman, Lee Majors, Michael Ormsby, Bill Brad Dourif, Harold Gould, Brion James, Hader, Jenna Fischer, Bob Odenkirk. Distant Barry Newman, William Newman, Valerie cousin of DUMB AND DUMBER in which Perrine, William Sasso, Jack Wallace. SlugArnett and Forte play brothers who hatch a gish crime yarn, based on a James Ellroy scheme to revive their comatose father by denovel, with alcoholic cop-turned-repo-man/ livering him the grandchild he always wanted. P.I. Rooker hired by a corpulent caddie to Setting out to find a girl to do the deed, the watch over his sultry kid sister (Blair). Where two dopey siblings each try to impregnate are Bogie and Bacall when you really need her . . . with predictable complications. Forte them? 2.35 Research PLC. [R] ▼쩠 wrote this comatose script, which he and Brown Sugar (2002) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rick Arnett try to bring to life. [R]쩠 Famuyiwa. Taye Diggs, Sanaa Lathan, Mos Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973-ItalianDef, Nicole Ari Parker, Queen Latifah, Boris British) C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: Franco Zeffirelli. Kodjoe. Pleasant romantic comedy about two Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker, Leigh lifelong friends who love hip-hop music but Lawson, Alec Guinness, Valentina Cortese, can’t admit they love each other. He’s a reKenneth Cranham. Zeffirelli’s wide-eyed cord exec who marries the wrong woman; youth-oriented slant on Francis of Assisi she’s an eloquent and impassioned music story runs hot and cold; some delicate, journalist. A likable cast brightens this film, [ 190 ]

which goes on a bit longer than it has to, given WW2, shot down over Ireland, are astonthe obvious conclusion of the story. Many ished to learn that they are to be held in a recording artists appear as themselves. [PGPOW camp, right alongside German prison13]▼쩠 ers—a quintessentially curious way for IreBrubaker (1980) C-132m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stuart land to maintain and enforce its official Rosenberg. Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, neutrality during the war. Intriguing premJane Alexander, Murray Hamilton, David ise gets mediocre treatment in this superfiKeith, Morgan Freeman, Matt Clark, Tim cial and disappointing film.▼●쩠 McIntire, Linda Haynes, M. Emmet Walsh, Bubba Ho-Tep (2003) C-92m. ★★★ D: Don Richard Ward, Albert Salmi, John McCoscarelli. Bruce Campbell, Ossie Davis, Martin, Wilford Brimley, Joe Spinell, Lee Ella Joyce, Bob Ivy, Heidi Marnhout. EnRichardson, Harry Groener, John Glover. gagingly silly film takes place in East Earnest but predictable prison drama based Texas, where an elderly Elvis Presley shares on true story of reform-minded warden the same nursing home as a man who claims who dares to uncover skeletons in corrupt to be JFK (even though he’s black). When Southern prison system. [R]▼●쩠 they discover that an ancient mummy is Bruce Almighty (2003) C-101m. ★★★ D: prowling their hallways at night, sucking Tom Shadyac. Jim Carrey, Morgan Freethe life out of fellow patients, they team up man, Jennifer Aniston, Philip Baker Hall, to save the day. Campbell and Davis play Catherine Bell, Lisa Ann Walter, Steven this so well that they manage to draw you (Steve) Carell, Nora Dunn, Sally Kirkland, in, in spite of yourself! Based on a short story by Joe R. Lansdale. [R]▼쩠 Eddie Jemison, Tony Bennett. TV reporter who feels he keeps getting the short end of Bubble, The (1966) SEE: Fantastic Invathe stick winds up cursing God. As a result, sion of Planet Earth he’s summoned by the Almighty and given Bubble (2006) C-73m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steven His powers, to do with as he pleases . . . but Soderbergh. Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin before long, the gift seems more like a James Ashley, Misty Dawn Wilkins, Kyle curse. Entertaining fantasy-comedy stays Smith, Decker Moody. In a drab Midwestrooted enough in reality to pull you in. Carern town, coworkers in a doll factory (a rey is at his best, and Freeman is perfect as middle-aged woman and a younger man) a down-to-earth Deity. Followed by EVAN have a pleasant-enough carpool relationship ALMIGHTY. [PG-13] ▼쩠 until a younger, prettier woman is hired. Bruce Lee’s Game of Death SEE: Game Everything about this film is muted, includof Death ing the colors and the emotions, but SoderBruno (2000) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Shirley bergh creates a tangible and completely MacLaine. Alex D. Linz, Shirley MacLaine, believable world with nonprofessional actors. Gary Sinise, Joey Lauren Adams, Kathy More an experiment than an entertainment, Bates, Kiami Davael, Stacey Halprin, Gwen and awfully dry, but well done. HD 24P Verdon, Jennifer Tilly, Brett Butler, Lainie Widescreen. [R]쩠 Kazan. MacLaine made her feature directoBubble Boy (2001) C-84m. BOMB D: rial debut with this fable about a precocious Blair Hayes. Jake Gyllenhaal, Swoosie 8-year-old Catholic schoolboy (and spellingKurtz, Marley Shelton, Danny Trejo, John bee whiz) who likes to wear dresses. Quirky Carroll Lynch, Verne Troyer, Stephen Spicomedy-drama has poignant moments, and a nella, Dave Sheridan, Patrick Cranshaw, gallery of stereotyped characters who are Fabio. An infant, born without immunities, somewhat strident, but funny. Made for theis raised in a plastic bubble by his overly aters, debuted on cable TV. Aka THE cautious mother and passive father. As a DRESS CODE. [PG-13]▼쩠 young man he falls for the girl next door; Brute, The SEE: El Bruto when she moves away to marry another guy Brute Force (1947) 98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jules he creates a special suit so he can chase her Dassin. Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, across the country. An insipid attempt at a Charles Bickford, Yvonne De Carlo, Ann comedy; even the upbeat attitude of the lead Blyth, Ella Raines, Howard Duff, Whit character can’t save this panoply of stupid Bissell, Jeff Corey, Sam Levene, Roman stereotypes, gross-out gags, and inane situaBohnen, John Hoyt, Anita Colby. Tintions. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 gling, hard-bitten prison film with its few Buccaneer, The (1938) 124m. ★★★ D: cliche´s punched across solidly. Brutal capCecil B. DeMille. Fredric March, Franciska tain Cronyn is utterly despicable, but you Gaal, Margot Grahame, Akim Tamiroff, know he’s going to get it in the end. Walter Brennan, Anthony Quinn. Typically Scripted by Richard Brooks, from Robert entertaining epic-scale saga from DeMille, Patterson’s story. Duff’s film debut. ▼●쩠 with florid performance by March as pirateBrylcreem Boys, The (1996-British) Chero Jean Lafitte, who aids American cause 105m. ★★ D: Terence Ryan. Bill Campbell, during Battle of New Orleans. Good storyWilliam McNamara, Angus Macfadyen, telling and good fun. Remade in 1958. Gabriel Byrne, Jean Butler, John Gordon Buccaneer, The (1958) C-121m. ★★★ D: Sinclair, Oliver Tobias. Allied airmen of Anthony Quinn. Yul Brynner, Charlton Hes[ 191 ]

ton, Claire Bloom, Charles Boyer, Inger Stecluding Andrews Sisters’ ‘‘Boogie Woogie vens, Henry Hull, E. G. Marshall, Lorne Bugle Boy’’) and subplots get in the way, but Greene, Fran Jeffries, Woodrow (Woody) A&C’s routines are among their best; their first starring film.▼●쩠 Strode. Starchy swashbuckler retelling events during Battle of New Orleans when Andrew Buck Privates Come Home (1947) 77m. ★★★ Jackson (Heston) is forced to rely on buccaD: Charles Barton. Bud Abbott, Lou neer Lafitte (Brynner) to stem the British inCostello, Tom Brown, Joan Fulton (Shawvasion; action is spotty but splashy. Quinn’s lee), Nat Pendleton, Beverly Simmons, only film as director; executive-produced by Don Beddoe. One of A&C’s most enjoyahis then-father-in-law Cecil B. DeMille, ble romps has boys returning to civilian who directed the 1938 original, and whose life and trying to smuggle a young Eurolast film this was. VistaVision. ▼● pean orphan into this country. Climactic Buchanan Rides Alone (1958) C-78m. chase a highlight.▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Budd Boetticher. Randolph Scott, Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979) Craig Stevens, Barry Kelley, Tol Avery, C-89m. ★★ D: Daniel Haller. Gil Gerard, Peter Whitney, Manuel Rojas. Scott runs Pamela Hensley, Erin Gray, Tim O’Conafoul of corrupt family in control of border nor, Henry Silva, Joseph Wiseman, Felix town; taut B Western written by Burt KenSilla, voice of Mel Blanc. The legendary nedy never runs out of plot twists.쩠 space hero returns, decked out in contemBuck and the Preacher (1972) C-102m. porary glibness, trying to prove he’s not in ★★1 ⁄2 D: Sidney Poitier. Sidney Poitier, league with intergalactic pirates. Much of Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee, Cameron the hardware and gadgetry (along with Mitchell, Nita Talbot. Black-oriented Westsome footage) is from TV’s expensive dud, ern of ‘‘hustler’’ preacher is long on getting BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, turned out to the action and short on staying with it. by the same producers. Pilot for the TV series; released theatrically first. [PG]▼쩠 Good characterizations are major point of interest. Music by Benny Carter. Poitier’s Buckskin (1968) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael directorial debut. [PG]▼쩠 Moore. Barry Sullivan, Joan Caulfield, WenBuckaroo Banzai SEE: Adventures of dell Corey, Lon Chaney, John Russell, Buckaroo Banzai Across the Eighth Barbara Hale, Barton MacLane, Leo Gordon. Dimension, The Land-baron Corey tries to force homesteaders Bucket List, The (2007) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: out of territory, but Marshal Sullivan is Rob Reiner. Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freethere to stop him. [G]▼● man, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob MorBucktown (1975) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Arthur row, Alfonso Freeman, Rowena King. Marks. Fred Williamson, Pam Grier, Philosophical garage mechanic who’s diagThalmus Rasulala, Tony King, Bernie Hamnosed with terminal cancer winds up sharilton, Art Lund. Repellent blaxploitation ing a hospital room with a self-centered picture about war between whites and tycoon who gets the same bill of health. blacks in corruption-filled Southern town, They decide to escape and live out their which intensifies when blacks get into ofremaining days pursuing Freeman’s list of fice and make things even worse. [R]▼쩠 things he’s always wanted to do before Bud Abbott Lou Costello in Hollywood kicking the bucket. Contrived, borderlineSEE: Abbott and Costello in Hollywood cute screenplay is validated by the presence Bud Abbott Lou Costello Meet Frankenof two great actors, though Nicholson restein SEE: Abbott and Costello Meet sorts to mugging. [PG-13]쩠 Frankenstein ★★★ Bucket of Blood, A (1959) 66m. D: Buddy (1997) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Caroline Roger Corman. Dick Miller, Barboura Thompson. Rene Russo, Robbie Coltrane, Morris, Antony Carbone, Julian Burton, Alan Cumming, Irma P. Hall, Paul Reubens, Ed Nelson, Bert Convy. Wimpy busboy John Aylward, Mimi Kennedy. Sweet-naimpresses his coffeehouse betters with amaztured film about a most unusual woman, realingly lifelike ‘‘sculptures.’’ Writer Charles life Gertrude Lintz, who in the 1920s kept an Griffith’s predecessor to THE LITTLE SHOP incredible menagerie of animals on her Long OF HORRORS is nifty semi-spoof of deadIsland estate. Her greatest challenge: raising a bodies-in-the-wax-museum genre. Nicely gorilla from infancy and treating him almost captures spirit of beatnik era; cult actor like a human child. Russo is excellent, and the Miller’s finest hour (he’s reused his charfilm has much charm, but it’s too leisurely acter’s name, Walter Paisley, several times and likely to make kids squirm in their seats. since). Remade for TV as THE DEATH Based on William Joyce’s book. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 ARTIST in 1996. ▼쩠 Buck Privates (1941) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: ArBuddy Buddy (1981) C-96m. ★★★ D: Billy thur Lubin. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Lee Wilder. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Bowman, Alan Curtis, The Andrews Sisters, Paula Prentiss, Klaus Kinski, Dana Elcar, Jane Frazee, Nat Pendleton, Shemp Howard. Miles Chapin, Joan Shawlee. Modest black Dated but engaging Army opus with Bud and comedy about a hit man whose current job Lou accidentally enlisting. Brassy songs (inis mucked up by an intrusive stranger. A [ 192 ]

simple farce, played to perfection by Lemwho kidnaps a teenage girl (Ricci) and demon and Matthau, adapted by Wilder and mands that she pose as his wife to impress I.A.L. Diamond from the French film A his parents. Their evolving relationship PAIN IN THE A—. Wilder’s final film as makes up the bulk of this sincere, rambling director. Panavision. [R]▼ film, which has its moments but confuses Buddy Holly Story, The (1978) C-113m. grittiness and endless repetition with integ★★★1⁄2 D: Steve Rash. Gary Busey, Charles rity and truth, and fails to create much interMartin Smith, Don Stroud, Maria Richwine, est in the characters. Gallo, whose directing Amy Johnston, Conrad Janis, Dick O’Neill, debut this is, also cowrote the screenplay and composed the music. ▼●쩠 William Jordan, Will Jordan (they’re different actors), Fred Travalena, ‘‘Stymie’’ Buffalo Soldiers (2003-British-GermanU.S.) C-98m. ★★ D: Gregor Jordan. Joaquin Beard. Busey gives an electrifying performance as the rock ’n’ roll legend in this Phoenix, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Anna Palong but very satisfying musical drama, quin, Elizabeth McGovern, Michael Pen˜a, not quite the usual glossy Hollywood Leon Robinson, Gabriel Mann, Dean Stockbiography. Busey, Smith and Stroud sing and well. In 1989, the peacetime U.S. Army staplay ‘‘live,’’ giving an extra dimension to tioned in Germany is largely manned by Holly’s hit songs; Joe Renzetti won an Oscar guys who had a choice of prison or time in for Score Adaptation. [PG]▼●쩠 the service. One of them (Phoenix) is a clerk Buddy System, The (1984) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 who wheels and deals, Bilko-like, under the D: Glenn Jordan. Richard Dreyfuss, Susan nose of his ignorant CO (Harris) until a new Sarandon, Nancy Allen, Jean Stapleton, Wil top sergeant shows up (Glenn) who’s deterWheaton, Edward Winter, Keene Curtis. mined to make a clean sweep. Not-bad Lonely kid tries to play matchmaker between black comedy grows increasingly unpleashis single mom and a grown-up friend, ant as its story develops. Based on a novel would-be novelist and gadget inventor Dreyby Robert O’Connor. Completed in 2001. fuss, but there are emotional complicaSuper 35. [R]▼쩠 tions. Nicely played but overly familiar Buffet Froid (1979-French) C-95m. ★★★1⁄2 (and overlong) romantic comedy. [PG]▼ D: Bertrand Blier. Ge´rard Depardieu, BerBuena Vista Social Club (1999-U.S.nard Blier, Jean Carmet, Genevieve Page, German-French-Cuban) C-105m. ★★★ D: Denise Gence, Carole Bouquet, Jean BenWim Wenders. Seductive documentary about guigui, Michel Serrault. Strange, surreal, the title group, composed of veteran Havana outrageously funny black comedy detailmusicians and singers brought together by ing the misadventures of hapless murderAmerican guitarist Ry Cooder after years in ers Depardieu, Carmet, and Blier (the obscurity. Two years after cutting a topdirector’s father). Brilliantly acted and diselling, award-winning record, they are rected; a treat.▼●쩠 filmed by Wenders at a recording session, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992) C-86m. ★★1 in concert, and reminiscing about their ⁄2 D: Fran Rubel Kuzui. Kristy Swanson, music and their lives. Some are in their 80s Donald Sutherland, Paul Reubens, Rutger (and even 90s), but their music is timeless Hauer, Luke Perry, Michele Abrams, Hiland musicianship invigorating. [G]▼쩠 ary Swank, Paris Vaughan, David Arquette, Buffalo Bill (1944) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilRandall Batinkoff, Candy Clark, Natasha liam Wellman. Joel McCrea, Maureen Gregson Wagner. Cute variation on vampire O’Hara, Linda Darnell, Thomas Mitchell, sagas, with high school Valley Girl Swanson Anthony Quinn, Edgar Buchanan, Chief turning out to be ‘‘the chosen one’’ of her Thundercloud, Sidney Blackmer. Colorful generation to kill roaming vampires. Sutherbiography of legendary Westerner should land is ideal as her mentor and guide, and have been much better, but still provides Reubens (the former Pee-wee Herman) is fun some fun and has good cast.▼쩠 as one of the fanged menaces . . . but Hauer Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting is an utter disappointment as vampire Uno. Bull’s History Lesson (1976) C-120m. Look for Ben Affleck as a basketball player. ★★ D: Robert Altman. Paul Newman, Joel Ricki Lake appears unbilled. Later a TV seGrey, Kevin McCarthy, Burt Lancaster, ries. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Geraldine Chaplin, Harvey Keitel, Frank Bug (1975) C-100m. ★★ D: Jeannot Szwarc. Kaquitts, Will Sampson. Altman makes the Bradford Dillman, Joanna Miles, Richard point that Buffalo Bill was a flamboyant Gilliland, Jamie Smith Jackson, Alan fraud, then belabors it for two hours. Not Fudge, Patty McCormack, Jesse Vint. without interest, but still one of the director’s Earthquake releases a disgusting variety of duller movies. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 beetle from the earth, capable of setting peoBuffalo 66 (1998) C-112m. ★★ D: Vincent ple, animals, and objects on fire. Spray your Gallo. Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Anset with Raid after watching this one. Projelica Huston, Ben Gazzara, Kevin Corriduced and cowritten by William Castle, whose last film this was. [PG]▼쩠 gan, Mickey Rourke, Rosanna Arquette, Jan-Michael Vincent. Director-star Gallo Bug (2007) C-101m. ★★★ D: William plays a convict just released from prison Friedkin. Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, [ 193 ]

Harry Connick, Jr., Lynn Collins, Brian F. O’Byrne. Film version of Tracy Letts’ play is a challenge to take seriously but not without twisted dazzle if you can accept it as a stunt. Barmaid Judd’s motel digs scream ‘‘flea-trap,’’ but it’s the title critters that are taking it over: the ones imagined by the bugged-out head case who becomes her latest live-in (Shannon, repeating his stage role). As Judd’s hunky ex-con husband, Connick rounds out what is predominantly a three-character drama, with Judd giving it her all once her character finds herself too open to Shannon’s power of suggestion. Claustrophobic setting is suited for home screens, but Friedkin gives it cinematic flair. Wild finale. [R]쩠 Bugles in the Afternoon (1952) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy Rowland. Ray Milland, Forrest Tucker, George Reeves, Helena Carter, Gertrude Michael. Standard tale of man branded coward (Milland) during Civil War, with Little Bighorn finale.▼ Bugle Sounds, The (1941) 101m. ★★ D: S. Sylvan Simon. Wallace Beery, Marjorie Main, Lewis Stone, George Bancroft, Henry O’Neill, Donna Reed. Old-time sergeant Beery objects to progress in the army, bails cavalry out of trouble in finale. Bugs Bunny/Road Runner Movie, The (1979) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chuck Jones, Phil Monroe. New footage of Bugs Bunny surrounds this compilation of some of Chuck Jones’ best Warner Bros. cartoon shorts. Not the best way to see these wonderful films, as the repetition grows tiresome, but still worthwhile. First shown in theaters as THE GREAT AMERICAN CHASE. Followed by THE LOONEY, LOONEY, LOONEY BUGS BUNNY MOVIE. [G]

GREY HARE, MY FAVORITE DUCK, and WHAT’S COOKIN’ DOC?▼●쩠 bug’s life, a (1998) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton. Voices of Dave Foley, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kevin Spacey, Phyllis Diller, David Hyde Pierce, Denis Leary, Richard Kind, John Ratzenberger, Roddy McDowall, Madeline Kahn, Bonnie Hunt, Edie McClurg, Alex Rocco. Terrific computer-animated feature from Pixar studio (of TOY STORY fame), about a wellmeaning ant named Flik who tries to help his beleaguered colony from the plundering of Hopper and his grasshopper cronies. Meaning to hire tough insects to fight them off, he unwittingly recruits a circus troupe instead! Consistently clever and funny; in fact, overflowing with gags and visual ideas. A treat for young and old alike. Screenplay by Stanton, Donald McEnery, and Bob Shaw, from a story by Lasseter, Stanton, and Joe Ranft. Music by Randy Newman. Digital Widescreen. [G] ▼●쩠 Bugsy (1991) C-135m. ★★★ D: Barry Levinson. Warren Beatty, Annette Bening, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, Elliott Gould, Joe Mantegna, Richard Sarafian, Bebe Neuwirth, Wendy Phillips, Robert Beltran, Bill Graham, Lewis Van Bergen, Debrah Farentino. Beatty gives the most forceful performance of his career as Benjamin ‘‘Bugsy’’ Siegel, the fabled crackpot gangster who helped build Las Vegas. Long but well-told tale manages to dodge gangster cliche´s. Beatty and Bening set off sparks together ( just as they did in real life), and a strong supporting cast fleshes out James Toback’s intelligent script (though Mantegna, as George Raft, is wasted). Keitel, cast as Mickey Cohen, played Siegel in the TV movie THE VIRGINIA HILL STORY. ▼●쩠 Bugs Bunny’s 3rd Movie: 1001 Rabbit Oscar winner for Art Direction–Set DecoraTales (1982) C-76m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Detion and Costume Design. Extended version runs 149m. [R]▼●쩠 tiege, Art Davis, Bill Perez. Yet another compilation of Warner Bros. cartoons, with Bugsy Malone (1976-British) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 better-than-average linking material. Some D: Alan Parker. Scott Baio, Florrie Dugger, good episodes with Daffy Duck, Tweety Jodie Foster, John Cassisi, Martin Lev. and Sylvester, et al., plus Chuck Jones’ Unique musical spoof of Prohibition-era classic ‘‘One Froggy Evening’’ (minus the gangster films with all-kiddie cast; script punchline), but these are still better seen as cliche´s are intact, but the machine-guns individual shorts, and not as an ersatz shoot whipped cream instead of bullets. feature film. Produced by Friz Freleng. Beautiful production cannot escape coyFollowed by DAFFY DUCK’S MOVIE: ness and doesn’t hold up; plastic renFANTASTIC ISLAND. [G]▼쩠 dition of Paul Williams’ score doesn’t Bugs Bunny Superstar (1975) C-91m. help. [G]▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Larry Jackson. Narrated by Orson Bugville SEE: Hoppity Goes to Town Welles. Modestly produced compilation of Bulldog Drummond series SEE: Leonard 1940’s Warner Bros. cartoons features inMaltin’s Classic Movie Guide terviews with the men who created some Bulldog Drummond (1929) 89m. ★★★1⁄2 of the greatest animated films ever made— D: F. Richard Jones. Ronald Colman, Joan Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng, and Tex Bennett, Lilyan Tashman, Montagu Love, Avery—along with priceless home movies Lawrence Grant, Claud Allister. Colman and behind-the-scenes material, as well as is a delight (in his first talking picture) as nine complete shorts, including A WILD the bored ex-British Army officer who HARE (the first real Bugs Bunny carcomes to the rescue of a wealthy American toon), CORNY CONCERTO, THE OLD (Bennett) whose uncle is being held cap[ 194 ]

tive in an asylum by a sadistic doctor. Sidney Howard’s polished script, Gregg Toland and George Barnes’ stylish photography, and William Cameron Menzies’ stylish sets help make this a classy and sophisticated romp.▼● Bull Durham (1988) C-108m. ★★★ D: Ron Shelton. Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins, Trey Wilson, Robert Wuhl, Jenny Robertson, Max Patkin. Smart, sassy film about minor-league North Carolina baseball team and its attentive, intelligent groupie (Sarandon) who feels it is her mission to live with one young player per season and help him mature. Costner is a hardened young veteran of the game whose job is to help one particular player—cocky, undisciplined, but talented pitcher Robbins. Literate and funny, if a bit sluggish at times, with some seriously sexy scenes near the end. [R]▼●쩠 Bullet for a Badman (1964) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: R. G. Springsteen. Audie Murphy, Darren McGavin, Ruta Lee, Skip Homeier, George Tobias, Bob Steele. Another revenge tale involving outlaw, his ex-wife, and a friend who married her. Bullet for Joey, A (1955) 85m. ★★ D: Lewis Allen. Edward G. Robinson, George Raft, Audrey Totter, George Dolenz, Peter Hanson, Peter Van Eyck. Drab crime drama, set in Montreal, involving a Communist agent who hires thug Raft to mastermind the kidnapping of a nuclear scientist. Robinson, playing a police inspector, gives one of his most uninspired performances.

cowrote the screenplay and also edited. Running time is the full-length director’s cut; most American prints run 100m.▼●쩠 Bullet Is Waiting, A (1954) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Farrow. Jean Simmons, Rory Calhoun, Stephen McNally, Brian Aherne. Interesting human nature study hinging on sheriff’s discovery that his prisoner is really innocent; nice desert locale.▼ Bulletproof (1988) C-94m. BOMB D: Steve Carver. Gary Busey, Darlanne Fluegel, Henry Silva, L.Q. Jones, R.G. Armstrong, Juan Fernandez, Rene Enriquez. L.A. cop Busey, who keeps the 39 bullets his body has taken in a bathroom mason jar, kamikazes across the Mexican border to rescue kidnapped army personnel (ex-love Fluegel included) from Silva’s Soviet stooge. Preposterous, but you have to admire Silva for having kept the same act going for so many years; peroxided hair is simply not to Busey’s advantage. [R]▼● Bulletproof (1996) C-85m. BOMB D: Ernest Dickerson. Adam Sandler, Damon Wayans, James Caan, Kristen Wilson, James Farentino, Bill Nunn, Jeep Swenson. A racial inversion of 48HRS. without the redeeming craft. Undercover cop Wayans teams up with Sandler, the crook he’s trying to bust. Their fortunes and ambitions are unified—often acrimoniously—by a vindictive drug kingpin/car dealer played by a pitifully hammy Caan. Once great cinematographer Dickerson squanders his talent here directing a sociopathic mix of graphic violence and slapstick. A catastrophe of ▼쩠 continuity to boot. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Bullet for Sandoval, A (1970-ItalianBulletproof Heart (1994) C-100m. ★★ D: ★★ D: Julio Buchs. ErSpanish) C-91m. Mark Malone. Anthony LaPaglia, Mimi nest Borgnine, George Hilton, Alberto De Rogers, Peter Boyle, Matt Craven, Joseph Mendoza, Gustavo Rojo, Leo Anchoriz, Maher. Prosperous hit man LaPaglia gets a Annabella Incontrera. Average foreign oater, gig he’s not quite prepared for: rub out a with lots of action. Ex-Confederate Hilton well-connected knockout who actually plots revenge on don Borgnine, grandfawants to die. Four well-shaped, well-played ther of Hilton’s illegitimate son, for indicharacters—including Boyle’s shady mobrectly causing the baby’s death. Cromoster and Craven’s dimwit sidekick—don’t scope. [PG]▼쩠 add up to a satisfying whole. The slim story Bullet for the General, A (1967-Italian) could have used some serious fleshing out. ★★ C-115m. D: Damiano Damiani. GianTwo pluses: an intriguingly steamy sex Maria Volonte´, Lou Castel, Klaus Kinski, scene, and another incisive performance Martine Beswick. Blond gringo joins mafrom Rogers. Played the film festival circuit rauding guerrillas and contributes to gory as KILLER. [R]▼● bloodletting. Not bad for the genre. TechniBulletproof Monk (2003) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 scope.▼쩠 D: Paul Hunter. Chow Yun-Fat, Seann WilBullet in the Head (1990-Hong Kong) C★★★ liam Scott, Jaime (James) King, Karel Roden, D: John Woo. Tony Leung, 136m. Victoria Smurfit, Mako. Chow plays a monk Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee, Simon Yam, who never ages while he guards an ancient Fennie Yeun, Yolinda Yan. Intense, highly scroll that possesses the secret of infinite charged story of three friends who leave power . . . but now it’s time to find a succesHong Kong to reap profits in war-torn 1967 sor, and he thinks it may be young pickSaigon and get caught up in a whirlwind of pocket Scott, of all people. Lively and troubles that tests their loyalty. An epic film, amusing when it doesn’t get too silly; alas, emotional and overwrought, with action special effects take the place of genuine footage and confrontations (particularly a long martial-arts action most of the time. Coprosequence in a POW camp) that are as bold as anything Woo has attempted onscreen. Woo duced by John Woo, and based on a comic [ 195 ]

book of the same name. Super 35. [PG13] ▼쩠 Bullets or Ballots (1936) 81m. ★★★ D: William Keighley. Edward G. Robinson, Joan Blondell, Barton MacLane, Humphrey Bogart, Frank McHugh. Cop Robinson pretends to leave police force to crack citywide mob ring run by MacLane. Good, tough gangster film.▼●쩠 Bullets Over Broadway (1994) C-99m. ★★★ D: Woody Allen. John Cusack, Dianne Wiest, Jennifer Tilly, Chazz Palminteri, Mary-Louise Parker, Jack Warden, Joe Viterelli, Rob Reiner, Tracey Ullman, Jim Broadbent, Harvey Fierstein, Stacey Nelkin, Edie Falco, Tony Sirico. Delightful Woody Allen bauble about a self-serious 1920s playwright who quickly sells out when he’s offered a chance to direct his latest work on Broadway—with a gangster’s moll in a key role and an intoxicatingly seductive star in the lead. An actors’ field day, with particularly juicy parts for Wiest (who won an Oscar) as the flamboyant actress, Palminteri, as a thug with an unexpected gift, and Tilly as the ditsy moll. The period detail is so rich and right it all seems stunningly real. Allen coscripted with Douglas McGrath. [R]

Bullseye! (1989) C-89m. BOMB D: Michael Winner. Michael Caine, Roger Moore, Sally Kirkland, Lee Patterson, Deborah Barrymore, Mark Burns, Debra Lang, Lynn Nesbitt, Steffanie Pitt, Patsy Kensit, Alexandra Pigg, Jenny Seagrove. Deadly nonsense which completely wastes Caine and Moore as criminals who are dead ringers for a couple of nuclear scientists (up to no good themselves). Confusing story complications and heavyhanded humor make this a dog. Barrymore is Moore’s real-life daughter; John Cleese has an unbilled cameo near the end. Released direct to video. [PG-13]▼ Bullshot (1983-British) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dick Clement. Alan Shearman, Diz White, Ron House, Frances Tomelty, Michael Aldridge, Ron Pember, Billy Connolly. Occasionally funny Monty Python–ish parody, with Shearman cast as one Captain Hugh ‘‘Bullshot’’ Crummond, a Bulldog Drummond caricature. Plenty of one-liners and slapstick, some humorous and some silly. The screenplay was adapted by Shearman, White, and House, from their stage play. [PG]▼ Bully (2001) C-106m. ★★ D: Larry Clark. Brad Renfro, Nick Stahl, Rachel Miner, Bijou Phillips, Daniel Franzese, Michael Pitt, Kelli Garner, Leo Fitzpatrick. Scuzzy ▼●쩠 Bullfighter and the Lady (1951) 87m. cinema verite´ dramatization of a true story. ★★★1⁄2 D: Budd Boetticher. Robert Stack, Impressionable teen (Renfro) is convinced Joy Page, Gilbert Roland, Katy Jurado, by his girlfriend (Miner) to kill his best Virginia Grey, John Hubbard. Cocky Amerfriend, a sadistic rapist (Stahl) who, ironiican visiting Mexico decides that he wants cally, is the golden boy of the group, the to tackle bullfighting and enlists the aid of only one bound for college. Undeniably the country’s leading matador with tragic powerful at times but Clark mashes your results. The movies’ best treatment of this face in so much bruised, sweaty pubescent flesh that the film feels exploitative.▼쩠 subject, a fine, mature drama with unforgettable bullfighting scenes and an appealBulworth (1998) C-107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Waring love story as well. Roland has never ren Beatty. Warren Beatty, Halle Berry, Don been better; only the second leads (Grey, Cheadle, Oliver Platt, Paul Sorvino, Jack Hubbard) are a detriment. Produced by Warden, Isaiah Washington, Joshua Malina, John Wayne. Boetticher’s version, running Christine Baranski, Amiri Baraka, Sean Astin, 124m., has been restored, and it’s even betLaurie Metcalf, Richard Sarafian, Nora Dunn, ter than the shorter print. ▼● Jackie Gayle, Michael Clarke Duncan, Debra Bullfighters, The (1945) 61m. ★★ D: Monk, Sarah Silverman, Barry Shabaka HenMal St. Clair. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, ley, Chris Mulkey. Audacious political satire Margo Woode, Richard Lane, Carol Anabout a California senator, running for reelecdrews, Diosa Costello. One of better L&H tion in 1996, who solves his crisis of conlater works, involving mistaken identity science by telling the truth—and embracing (Stan is lookalike for famous matador), the black community. Unsettling at times—as subsequent nonsense in bull ring.▼쩠 it’s meant to be—with trenchant observations Bullitt (1968) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter on the political process and the plight of the Yates. Steve McQueen, Robert Vaughn, poor. One of Beatty’s best films—as actor, Jacqueline Bisset, Don Gordon, Robert director, cowriter (with Jeremy Pikser). WilDuvall, Simon Oakland, Norman Fell, Victor liam Baldwin and Paul Mazursky appear (Vic) Tayback. Definitive McQueen antihero: unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 police detective who senses something fishy Bundle of Joy (1956) C-98m. ★★ D: Norbehind assignment to guard criminal witness. man Taurog. Eddie Fisher, Debbie ReynTaut action-film makes great use of San Franolds, Adolphe Menjou, Tommy Noonan. cisco locations, especially in now-classic car Labored musical remake of BACHELOR chase, one of the screen’s all-time best; OscarMOTHER has Reynolds as salesgirl who winning editing by Frank Keller. Scripted by takes custody of a baby, causing scandal Alan R. Trustman and Harry Kleiner, from that boyfriend Fisher (in starring debut) is Robert L. Pike’s novel Mute Witness. [M/ child’s father. Made when Debbie and PG] ▼●쩠 Eddie were America’s favorite couple. ▼ [ 196 ]

Bunny Lake Is Missing (1965) 107m. ★★★ doesn’t. Davis is a mystery woman with D: Otto Preminger. Laurence Olivier, Carol whom he gets involved.▼ Lynley, Keir Dullea, Noel Coward, Martita Burglar (1987) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Hugh Hunt, Finlay Currie, The Zombies. AmeriWilson. Whoopi Goldberg, Bob Goldthwait, can Lynley, newly arrived in London, reG.W. Bailey, Lesley Ann Warren, James ports the disappearance of her preschool Handy, Anne DeSalvo, John Goodman. daughter—but police detective Olivier can’t Whoopi plays a cat burglar who accidenhelp but notice that Lynley has no proof that tally witnesses a murder—and then tries to the child ever existed at all. Well paced, solve the crime, in order to clear herself. expertly acted, with some interestingly offUnfunny, unsuspenseful, and completely beat characters in the margins. Made in unappealing comedy/mystery, with a superEngland. Panavision. 쩠 fluous, built-up secondary role for Goldthwait Bunny O’Hare (1972) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: (who has a few good moments). Another Gerd Oswald. Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, waste of Whoopi’s talent. [R]▼●쩠 Jack Cassidy, Joan Delaney, Reva Rose, Burglars, The (1972-French) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 John Astin. Bizarre, totally inept tale of D: Henri Verneuil. Jean-Paul Belmondo, bank robbers who look like hippies but are Omar Sharif, Dyan Cannon, Robert Hossein. actually Davis and Borgnine. Don’t bother Routine crime film set against lush Greek watching. [PG] backdrop, with good cast. One good chase Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1969) and it’s all over. Remake of THE BURC-113m. ★★★ D: Melvin Frank. Gina GLAR. Panavision. [PG] Lollobrigida, Peter Lawford, Shelley WinBuried Alive (1990) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Geters, Phil Silvers, Telly Savalas, Lee Grant, rard Kikoine. Robert Vaughn, Donald Janet Margolin. Bright comedy about Italian Pleasence, Karen Witter, John Carradine, woman who’s accepted money from three Nia Long, Ginger Lynn Allen. Murky American men who all think they fathered thriller about a mansion where ‘‘doctor’’ her child during WW2. Now they’re all Vaughn imprisons young women. Story coming back to Italy for Army reunion and uses elements from several Edgar Allan ‘‘Mrs. Campbell’’ is in a state of panic. Poe stories, but juices them up with sex Good fun with top cast. [M/PG]▼● and gore. Filmed in South Africa. Carra’burbs, The (1989) C-103m. ★★ D: Joe dine’s last feature film. [R]▼● Dante. Tom Hanks, Bruce Dern, Carrie Burke and Wills (1986-Australian) CFisher, Rick Ducommun, Corey Feldman, 140m. ★★★ D: Graeme Clifford. Jack Wendy Schaal, Henry Gibson, Brother TheThompson, Nigel Havers, Greta Scacchi, odore, Courtney Gains, Gale Gordon, Dick Matthew Fargher, Ralph Cotterill, Drew Miller. Strange new neighbors set a neighForsythe, Chris Haywood. Impressive, borhood abuzz, and lead several slightly larger-than-life historical drama chronicling cracked compadres to extreme measures so the title characters’ expedition through 1860 they can learn just what’s going on behind Australia, the first two men to cross the closed doors. Comically warped view of continent. Thompson is especially fine as suburban life takes far too much time to Burke; another version of the saga was play out its paper-thin premise, and leads to made the same year, titled WILLS AND (mostly) predictable results. [PG] ▼●쩠 BURKE. Panavision. [PG-13]▼● ★★★1 Burden of Dreams (1982) C-94m. ⁄2 Burmese Harp, The (1956-Japanese) D: Les Blank. Werner Herzog, Klaus ★★★1⁄2 D: Kon Ichikawa. Rentaro 116m. Kinski, Claudia Cardinale, Jason Robards, Mikuni, Shoji Yasui, Tatsuya Mihashi, Mick Jagger. Extraordinary documentary Tanie Kitabayashi, Yunosuke Ito. Priof the filming of Herzog’s FITZCARvate Yasui volunteers to persuade a group RALDO in the Peruvian Amazon. Despite of mountain fighters to surrender at the end the filmmaker’s high technology, his dream of WW2 and undergoes a religious experiof completing the film is constantly thwarted ence, becoming obsessed with desire to by nature and clashing cultures. Some find bury war casualties. Extraordinary antiwar this more compelling than FITZCARRALdrama is affecting and memorable if a bit DO itself.▼쩠 overlong. Also known as HARP OF BURBureau of Missing Persons (1933) 75m. ★★1 MA; remade by Ichikawa in 1985.▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Roy Del Ruth. Bette Davis, Lewis Burn! (1969-Italian-French) C-132m. ★★★ S. Stone, Pat O’Brien, Allen Jenkins, Ruth D: Gillo Pontecorvo. Marlon Brando, Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Glenda Farrell, Evaristo Marquez, Renato Salvatori, Tom Alan Dinehart, George Chandler. TypiLyons, Norman Hill. Egomaniacal Sir Wilcally fast-paced—but strange—Warner Bros. liam Walker (Brando) is sent by the British programmer about big-city bureau of missto instigate a slave revolt on a Portugueseing persons, where benevolent Stone plays controlled sugar-producing Caribbean isGod with the losers and hard-luck cases that land. This political drama is visually striking come before him. Hip-shooting cop O’Brien but muddled, with a strong Brando peris transferred there in hopes he’ll mellow out, and we’ll bet you a dollar six bits he formance. Ed Harris plays the same role in [ 197 ]

WALKER. Originally released in the U.S. of Josef Stalin. All of this is about to change at 112m. Aka QUEMADA! [PG]▼●쩠 upon the arrival of his wife’s ex-lover, who Burn After Reading (2008) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 is employed by Stalin’s governmental poD: Joel and Ethan Coen. George Clooney, lice. Provocative, moving meditation on the Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, John Malpolitical and social realities of life in Stalinkovich, Tilda Swinton, Richard Jenkins, ist Russia deservedly earned a Best Foreign Dermot Mulroney, Elizabeth Marvel, David Film Oscar. Sergei’s daughter, Nadia, who has Rasche, J. K. Simmons, Jeffrey DeMunn. a key role in the story, is played by MikhalBlack comedy of errors set in Washington, kov’s real-life daughter, Nadia. ▼●쩠 D.C., takes off when CIA analyst MalkovBurnt Offerings (1976) C-115m. ★★ D: ich is fired; he then learns that his wife Dan Curtis. Karen Black, Oliver Reed, Bur(Swinton) is sleeping with treasury marshal gess Meredith, Eileen Heckart, Lee MontClooney. Meanwhile, health club employee gomery, Dub Taylor, Bette Davis, Anthony McDormand has set her sights on some exJames. Ordinary couple, with young son and pensive plastic surgery. Mixing ingredients of aunt in tow, rent an old mansion as summer a political thriller with satiric jibes at Amerihome, unaware that it’s haunted. Strange occans’ obsession with self-improvement, this currences lead to totally predictable ‘‘surnever quite jells, though it’s fun to watch prise’’ ending. A big buildup to nothing. From these talented stars playing morons. Pitt is Robert Marasco’s novel. [PG]▼●쩠 especially entertaining as a goofball who Burn, Witch, Burn! (1962-British) 90m. ★★★ works at a gym. [R]쩠 D: Sidney Hayers. Janet Blair, Peter Burning, The (1981) C-90m. BOMB D: Wyngarde, Margaret Johnston, Anthony Tony Maylam. Brian Matthews, Leah Ayres, Nicholls. Story of witchcraft entering lives Brian Backer, Larry Joshua, Lou David, of schoolteacher and his wife builds to Jason Alexander, Fisher Stevens. Awful shattering suspense, genuinely frightening FRIDAY THE 13TH ripoff (with Tom Saclimax. Fritz Leiber’s novel Conjure Wife vini’s bloody makeup effects) about an old was filmed before as WEIRD WOMAN; caretaker at a summer camp who takes his this version scripted by Charles Beaumont revenge in the usual way. Holly Hunter’s and Richard Matheson. Later spoofed in screen debut. [R]▼쩠 WITCHES’ BREW. Original British title: Burning Cross, The SEE: Klansman, The NIGHT OF THE EAGLE. ▼● Burning Hills, The (1956) C-94m ★★ D: Bush Christmas (1983-Australian) C-91m. ★★1 Stuart Heisler. Tab Hunter, Natalie Wood, ⁄2 D: Henri Safran. John Ewart, John Skip Homeier, Eduard Franz, Earl HolliHoward, Mark Spain, James Wingrove, man, Claude Akins. Passive Hunter can’t Peter Summer, Nicole Kidman, Manalpuy, spark life into tired script based on a Louis Vineta O’Malley. Agreeable updating of the L’Amour novel. Man on run from cattle 1947 Australian classic in which a trio of thieves is sheltered by Wood, miscast as a kids (including Kidman, in her feature half-breed Mexican girl. CinemaScope.▼ debut) head off into the bush—in the comBurning Man, The SEE: Dangerous Sumpany of an Aborigine—to find the thieves mer, A who stole their horse. Aka PRINCE AND Burning Secret (1988-U.S.-British-GerTHE GREAT RACE.▼ man) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew Birkin. Bushido Blade, The (1979-Japanese) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom Kotani. Richard Faye Dunaway, Klaus Maria Brandauer, David Eberts, Ian Richardson. Brandauer Boone, Frank Converse, James Earl Jones, offers a splendid performance (as usual) as Toshiro Mifune, Mako, Sonny Chiba, Laura a charming, amoral baron, a WW1 vet Gemser. 19th-century Kung Fu action in who’s nursing a bayonet wound at a saniJapan as Cmdr. Matthew Perry (Boone) tarium. In order to get to Dunaway, he leads a band of his men in the recovery of initiates a friendship with her impressiona treasured sword. Of note: Boone’s last able, asthmatic 12-year-old son (Eberts). Genrole; Mifune plays the Shogun, as he did in erally compelling, and lushly filmed in Prague later TV miniseries. Aka THE BLOODY and Marienbad; however, Dunaway is misBUSHIDO BLADE. [R]▼쩠 cast, and there are several key moments that Bushwhacked (1995) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Greg simply don’t work. Based on a Stefan Zweig Beeman. Daniel Stern, Jon Polito, Brad Sulshort story; originally made in Germany in livan, Ann Dowd, Anthony Heald, Tom 1933 by Robert Siodmak, as BRENNENDES Wood, Blake Bashoff, Corey Carrier, MiGEHEIMNIS. [PG]▼● chael Galeota, Max Goldblatt. On the lam Burnt by the Sun (1994-Russian-French) for a murder he didn’t commit, a delivery C-135m. ★★★ D: Nikita Mikhalkov. Nikita man ‘‘hides out’’ by posing as the leader of Mikhalkov, Ingeborga Dapkounaite, Oleg a Ranger Scout troop that embarks on a Menchikov, Nadia Mikhalkov, Andre Ouwilderness adventure neither he nor they will mansky. The year is 1936, and Sergei Kotov ever forget. Unfortunately, all of us will. (played by director Mikhalkov) is an aging Stern is way over the top in this familiar hero of the Bolshevik Revolution whose fish-out-of-water premise that draws on two eyes are closed to the present-day tyranny of his past triumphs, CITY SLICKERS and [ 198 ]

HOME ALONE. For younger kids only. Clairmont-Scope. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Business As Usual (1987-British) C-89m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Lezli-An Barrett. Glenda Jackson, John Thaw, Cathy Tyson, Mark McGann, Eamon Boland, James Hazeldine, Buki Armstrong, Stephen McGann. Passionate but didactic pro-labor drama with Jackson as a Liverpool boutique manager whose arbitrary firing (after she’s lodged a complaint about sexual harassment on behalf of an employee) escalates into a national cause celebre. One of the angry anti-Thatcher films of the late ’80s; written by first-time feature director Barrett. Excellent performances help a one-sided script. [PG]▼ Business of Strangers, The (2001) C-83m. ★★★ D: Patrick Stettner. Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Frederick Weller. Interesting chamber piece about a female executive who, at the end of a tumultuous, careerchanging day, takes up with a young woman at an airport hotel. The younger woman is an expert at playing mind games, and the exec finds herself drawn in, almost to the point of madness. A tour de force for Channing and Stiles, who are terrific, though the story’s credibility is debatable. Written by the director. [R] ▼쩠 Busman’s Honeymoon SEE: Haunted Honeymoon (1940) Bus Riley’s Back in Town (1965) C-93m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Harvey Hart. Ann-Margret, Michael Parks, Janet Margolin, Brad Dexter, Kim Darby, Jocelyn Brando, Larry Storch, David Carradine. Muddled William Inge script of folksy people in the Midwest. Parks, ex-sailor, returns home, torn by faltering ambitions and taunted by wealthy ex-girlfriend Ann-Margret. Character cameos make the film worthwhile.▼ Bus Stop (1956) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Joshua Logan. Marilyn Monroe, Don Murray, Arthur O’Connell, Betty Field, Eileen Heckart, Hope Lange, Hans Conried, Casey Adams. The film that finally proved Monroe really could act; excellent comedy-drama about innocent cowboy (Murray) who falls for saloon singer and decides to marry her— without bothering to ask. Fine performances by all, with MM’s famed rendition of ‘‘(That Old) Black Magic’’ a highlight; adapted by George Axelrod from the William Inge play. Film debuts of Murray and Lange (who subsequently married). Later a brief TV series. CinemaScope.

dreams and a bad track record of success, who wanted the good life for his wife and child. Singer Collins’ starring film debut is a diverting (if forgettable) yarn, with Walters a good match as his loving, long-suffering spouse. Great soundtrack includes Collins’ performances of ‘‘Two Hearts (One Mind)’’ and ‘‘Groovy Kind of Love.’’ [R]▼●쩠 Buster and Billie (1974) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Daniel Petrie. Jan-Michael Vincent, Joan Goodfellow, Pamela Sue Martin, Clifton James, Robert Englund. Blubbery account of high school romance in 1948 rural Georgia (the loosest girl in class is redeemed by love) can’t overcome cliche´d premise. [R]▼ Buster Keaton Story, The (1957) 91m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Sidney Sheldon. Donald O’Connor, Ann Blyth, Rhonda Fleming, Peter Lorre, Larry Keating. Weak fiction ignores the facts about silent-star Keaton, making up its own. More private life than onscreen moments are detailed with Blyth as his true love and Fleming as a siren. Little comedy in this tale of a great comedian. VistaVision. Busting (1974) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Hyams. Elliott Gould, Robert Blake, Allen Garfield, Antonio Fargas, Michael Lerner, Sid Haig, Cornelia Sharpe. Realistic if empty comedy-action-drama with Gould and Blake as unorthodox L.A. vice cops. Gay activists complained about film’s few minutes of homosexual caricatures. Hyams, once a CBSTV newsman, also did script. [R]▼ Bustin’ Loose (1981) C-94m ★★★ D: Oz Scott. Richard Pryor, Cicely Tyson, Robert Christian, Alphonso Alexander, Janet Wong. Despite the (expected) street language, this is at heart a family picture about an ex-convict who shepherds teacher Tyson and a busload of emotionally and physically handicapped youngsters to a new life. Best scene: a KKK band becomes putty in Pryor’s hands. Filmed mostly in 1979, but not completed until 1981 because of Pryor’s near fatal accident. Pryor coproduced and wrote the story. Later a TV series. [R]▼●쩠 Busy Body, The (1967) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Castle. Sid Caesar, Robert Ryan, Anne Baxter, Kay Medford, Jan Murray, Richard Pryor, Dom DeLuise, Godfrey Cambridge, Marty Ingels, Bill Dana, George Jessel. Broad, forced comedy involving gangsters and corpses, with Caesar as the patsy for Ryan’s underworld gang. Supporting comics give film its funniest ▼●쩠 moments. Pryor’s film debut. Techniscope.쩠 Buster (1988-British) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Green. Phil Collins, Julie Walters, Butch and Sundance: The Early Days Larry Lamb, Stephanie Lawrence, Ellen (1979) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Lester. Beaven, Michael Atwell, Ralph Brown, William Katt, Tom Berenger, Jeff Corey, Christopher Ellison, Sheila Hancock, MarJohn Schuck, Michael C. Gwynne, Brian tin Jarvis, Anthony Quayle. Buster EdDennehy, Christopher Lloyd, Jill Eikenwards, one of the men behind Britain’s berry, Peter Weller, Arthur Hill. Prequel to all-time biggest robbery, turns out to have BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNbeen just a working-class stiff with big DANCE KID has everything going for it— [ 199 ]

engaging performances, beautiful atmoMoll, Julie Delpy. The parents of high sphere and location photography—except a school cheerleader Lyonne think she’s a lesstory. Pleasant enough but ultimately disapbian, and send her off to True Directions, a pointing. [PG]▼쩠 rehab camp that deprograms gay teens. This Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid satire is a one-note John Waters wannabe, ★★★★ (1969) C-112m. occasionally amusing but more often silly D: George Roy Hill. Paul Newman, Robert Redford, Kathaand contrived. [R]▼쩠 rine Ross, Strother Martin, Henry Jones, Jeff Butley (1974-British) C-127m. ★★★★ D: Corey, George Furth, Cloris Leachman, Ted Harold Pinter. Alan Bates, Jessica Tandy, Cassidy, Kenneth Mars. Delightful seriocomic Richard O’Callaghan, Susan Engel, Georgina character study masquerading as a Western; Hale. Bates is superb in American Film outlaws Newman and Redford are pursued by Theatre presentation, re-creating his 1971 relentless but remote sheriff’s posse. Many London stage role as a teacher with sexual memorable vignettes. Won Oscars for Cineand other problems. Playwright Pinter made matography (Conrad Hall), Original Score his film directing debut with this outrageous comedy by Simon Gray. [R]▼쩠 (Burt Bacharach), Song, ‘‘Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head’’ (Bacharach and Hal But Not for Me (1959) 105m. ★★★ D: David), and William Goldman’s original Walter Lang. Clark Gable, Carroll Baker, screenplay, which brims over with sharp diaLilli Palmer, Barry Coe, Lee J. Cobb, logue. Look for Sam Elliott as a card player. Thomas Gomez, Charles Lane. Chic reFollowed a decade later by a prequel, make of Samson Raphaelson’s ACCENT BUTCH AND SUNDANCE: THE EARLY ON YOUTH. 22-year-old secretary/aspiring DAYS. Then in 1976 Ross returned as Etta actress Baker falls for her has-been theatricalPlace in TVM WANTED: THE SUNproducer boss (Gable), who won’t admit DANCE WOMAN (aka MRS. SUNDANCE he’s on the dark side of 50. Palmer is his RIDES AGAIN). Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 wily ex-wife, Cobb a faded playwright. Butcher, The SEE: Le Boucher VistaVision.▼ Butcher Baker Nightmare Maker SEE: BUtterfield 8 (1960) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Night Warning Daniel Mann. Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Butcher Boy, The (1997-U.S.-Irish) CHarvey, Eddie Fisher, Dina Merrill, Mil106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Neil Jordan. Stephen Rea, dred Dunnock, Susan Oliver, Betty Field, Fiona Shaw, Eamonn Owens, Alan Boyle, Jeffrey Lynn, Kay Medford. Adaptation of Andrew Fullerton, Aisling O’Sullivan, Ian O’Hara novel substitutes cliche´d ending in Hart, Sine´ad O’Connor, Milo O’Shea, tale of high-class prostitute wanting to go Brendan Gleeson. Arresting film about an straight, convincing herself she’s found Mr. Irish boy who doesn’t have a chance in life: Right. Film’s major assets: great supporting his father is a perpetual drunk, his mother a cast and old-style performance by Taylor, who won Oscar. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 mentally fragile soul. Yet he greets the world with bravado and the gift of gab; the Butterflies Are Free (1972) C-109m. ★★★ only problem is, he’s deranged. Bold, D: Milton Katselas. Goldie Hawn, Edward darkly (even absurdly) comic, hallucinatory Albert, Eileen Heckart, Mike Warren, Paul at times, hiding its heartrending truths beMichael Glaser. Filmization of Leonard hind a glib facade—just like its hero. A true Gershe’s Broadway play detailing blind original. Written by Jordan and Patrick boy’s romance with kookie next-door McCabe, from the latter’s novel; McCabe neighbor (Hawn) and inevitable showdown also appears as the town drunk, Jimmy the with his overpossessive mother. Good light Skite. [R]▼●쩠 entertainment; Heckart won Best Supporting Actress Oscar. [PG] ▼●쩠 Butcher’s Wife, The (1991) C-105m. ★★ D: Terry Hughes. Demi Moore, Jeff DanButterfly (1981-U.S.-Canadian) C-107m. ★★ iels, George Dzundza, Mary Steenburgen, D: Matt Cimber. Stacy Keach, Pia Frances McDormand, Margaret Colin, Max Zadora, Orson Welles, Lois Nettleton, EdPerlich, Miriam Margolyes, Christopher ward Albert, James Franciscus, Stuart Durang, Diane Salinger. North Carolina Whitman, Ed McMahon, June Lockhart, clairvoyant marries a Greenwich Village Paul Hampton. Trashy soap opera, based butcher, then begins dispensing advice: to on James M. Cain’s novel, with gold-digging a lesbian boutique owner, a spinsterish sex-kitten Zadora seducing Keach, who is choir director, a soap opera actress and supposed to be her dad. Welles steals the film—not difficult—as a judge. [R]▼●쩠 more. So strange that it almost compels a glance. Only Steenburgen, though, seems Butterfly (1999-Spanish) C-95m. ★★★ D: thoroughly in the swing of this comedy’s Jose´ Luis Cuerda. Fernando Ferna´n Go´mez, Manuel Lozano, Uxı´a Blanco, Gonzalo M. intended whimsy. [PG-13]▼●쩠 But I’m a Cheerleader (2000) C-84m. ★★ Uriarte, Alexis de los Santos, Jesu´s Castejo´n. D: Jamie Babbit. Natasha Lyonne, Clea DuCompelling coming-of-age story depicts the Vall, Cathy Moriarty, Bud Cort, Mink impact of the Spanish Civil War on a Galician Stole, RuPaul Charles, Eddie Cibrian, Melavillage, spotlighting the evolving friendship nie Lynskey, Michelle Williams, Richard between a sensitive young boy (Lozano) and [ 200 ]

his nurturing, humanistic teacher (beautifully idol coming to small town to give ‘‘one last played by Ferna´n Go´mez). Delicately rendered kiss’’ to one of his adoring fans. Lynde stands tale of a nation and its people at a historic crossout as Ann-Margret’s father. Remade for TV roads is based on several short stories by in 1995 with Jason Alexander and Vanessa Manuel Rivas. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Williams. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Butterfly Affair, The (1970-French-Italian) Bye Bye Blues (1989-Canadian) C-116m. ★★★ D: Anne Wheeler. Rebecca Jenkins, C-100m. ★★ D: Jean Herman. Claudia Cardinale, Stanley Baker, Henri Charriere, Luke Reilly, Stuart Margolin, Kate Reid, Georges Arminel, Leroy Haynes, Joannin Michael Ontkean, Wayne Robson, Robyn Hansen. Charriere (PAPILLON) wrote this Stevan. Affectionate WW2 drama of Jendiamond heist double cross story; he also cokins, proper, protected, and pregnant, who’s stars as the mastermind, but his performance, stationed with her doctor-husband in Inlike the picture, is routine. Claudia, at her sexidia. Intensely moving story of how war est, adds some bright moments. Original title: affects the lives of those on the home POPSY POP. [PG]▼ front; if this doesn’t give your tear ducts a Butterfly Effect, The (2004) C-113m. ★★ workout, nothing will. Loosely based on D: Eric Bress, J. Mackye Gruber. Ashton the life of Wheeler’s mother and a nice Kutcher, Amy Smart, Eric Stoltz, William companion piece to her short documentaryLee Scott, Elden Henson, Ethan Suplee, drama, A WAR STORY. [PG]▼ Melora Walters. A boy suffers from reBye Bye Braverman (1968) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 peated blackouts, during which bad things D: Sidney Lumet. George Segal, Jack Warhappen around him. As a young man he den, Joseph Wiseman, Sorrell Booke, Jessica tries to summon up these repressed memoWalter, Phyllis Newman, Zohra Lampert, ries, go back in time, and change things for Godfrey Cambridge, Alan King. To parathe better. Interesting premise takes much phrase one of the characters, in the sum of too long to develop; in the meantime the its many parts this yields pleasure of a kind; film wallows in unpleasantness. Kutcher but fuzzy, unresolved story of four Jewish also coproduced. Followed by two DVD seintellectuals on their way to a friend’s fuquels. [R] ▼쩠 neral is ultimately disappointing.쩠 1 ★ Buy & Cell (1989) C-95m. ⁄2 D: Robert Bye Bye Brazil (1980-Brazil) C-110m. ★★★ Boris. Robert Carradine, Michael WinsD: Carlos Diegues. Jose Wilker, Betty Faria, low, Malcolm McDowell, Lise Cutter, RanFabio Junior, Zaira Zambelli. Bawdy comedydall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, Roddy Piper, Ben drama about a troupe of traveling entertainers Vereen, Fred Travalena, Tony Plana, Miis really a travelogue of the country, from chael Goodwin. Uninteresting would-be jungles to honky-tonk port towns. Not quite comedy set in prison, where a framed stockthe total sensual pleasure of DONA FLOR broker secretly sets up a multi-millionAND HER TWO HUSBANDS, but still one of the best Brazilian imports. [R]▼●쩠 dollar business with the help of stereotyped inmates. Shot in Italy, set in U.S. [R]▼● Bye Bye, Love (1995) C-106m. ★★ D: Sam 1 ★ Bwana Devil (1952) C-79m. ⁄2 D: Arch Weisman. Matthew Modine, Randy Quaid, Oboler. Robert Stack, Barbara Britton, Paul Reiser, Janeane Garofalo, Rob Reiner, Nigel Bruce, Paul McVey. Stack is deterAmy Brenneman, Eliza Dushku, Ed Flanmined to protect his railroad workers in ders, Maria Pitillo, Lindsay Crouse, Johnny Kenya (not to mention his wife) from being Whitworth, Ross Malinger, Pamela Dillattacked by man-eating lions. Cardboard man, Brad Hall, Jack Black. Mediocre seridrama, with lame lion attacks, was the first ocomedy about three dads, devoted to their commercial 3-D feature, but it’s laughably kids, trying to make their way through diclumsy. In some shots actors are clearly vorcehood. Some sincere moments and ocstanding in front of rear-projection footage! casional comic insights are washed away Complete prints include b&w introduction in a sea of sappiness. Garofalo, as Quaid’s to 3-D by Lloyd Nolan and puppets Beany hilarious date from hell, almost makes the and Cecil. Same true-life story later inspired film worth watching. [PG-13]▼●쩠 THE GHOST AND THE DARKNESS. Bye Bye Monkey (1978-French-Italian) By Design (1981-Canadian) C-88m ★★ D: C-114m. BOMB D: Marco Ferreri. Ge´rard Claude Jutra. Patty Duke Astin, Sara Depardieu, Marcello Mastroianni, Gail Botsford, Saul Rubinek, Sonia Zimmer. Lawrence (Abigail Clayton), James Coco, Lesbian fashion designer Astin decides she Geraldine Fitzgerald, Mimsy Farmer, wants to be a mother. Potentially interestClarence Muse. Sardonic, bleak comedy ing subject matter is awkwardly handled; about a group of misfits in a decrepit one of Astin’s few bad performances.▼ area of Manhattan where rats seem about Bye Bye Birdie (1963) C-112m. ★★★ D: to displace humanity in all the buildings. George Sidney. Janet Leigh, Dick Van Depardieu, irresistible to women as always, Dyke, Ann-Margret, Maureen Stapleton, prefers the company of a chimpanzee he finds Paul Lynde, Jesse Pearson, Bobby Rydell, near the carcass of a giant ape, presumably Ed Sullivan. Entertaining version of Broadleft over from the remake of KING KONG. way musical about drafted rock ’n’ roll Good cast is wasted, including Fitzgerald, [ 201 ]

who also has a love scene with Depardieu. Filmed in English in N.Y.C.▼●쩠 By Love Possessed (1961) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Sturges. Lana Turner, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Jason Robards, Jr., George Hamilton, Thomas Mitchell, Susan Kohner, Barbara Bel Geddes, Everett Sloane, Carroll O’Connor. Ultraglossy, well-cast but empty soaper, in which neurotic Turner commences an affair with Zimbalist, the law partner of her impotent husband (Robards). Based on—but not true to—the James Gould Cozzens novel.▼● By the Book SEE: Renaissance Man By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Butler. Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Leon Ames, Rosemary DeCamp, Mary Wickes, Billy Gray. Set in post WW1, this Booth Tarkington story finds returning soldier MacRae and fiance´e Day readjusting to life. Ames wonderful as father thought to be romancing French actress, and Wickes delightful as family maid. Merv Griffin pops up in the closing scene. This old-fashioned musical was a sequel to ON MOONLIGHT BAY.▼●쩠 By the Sword (1993) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Jeremy Kagan, John McDonald. F. Murray Abraham, Eric Roberts, Mia Sara, Chris Rydell, Elaine Kagan, Brett Cullen, Doug Wert, Stoney Jackson. By-the-numbers revenge story set in the world of competitive fencing. Roberts is intense as usual, but the story isn’t. If it’s fencing you want, rent an Errol Flynn movie. Super 35. [R]▼

after it’s made its point. Originally shown in Europe as THE POWDER KEG.▼ Cabin Boy (1994) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Adam Resnick. Chris Elliott, Ritch Brinkley, James Gammon, Brian Doyle-Murray, Brion James, Melora Walters, Ann Magnuson, Russ Tamblyn, Ricki Lake, Andy Richter. Strange, fitfully amusing comedy of snobby ‘‘Fancy Lad’’ Elliott who accidentally boards a fishing boat with hardnosed seamen . . . and becomes a man. Film’s success depends largely on your tolerance for Elliott’s obnoxious comic persona, but there are many clever jokes and an endearingly (and intentionally) tacky visual approach. Several good cameos, particularly one from Elliott’s former boss David Letterman—billed as Earl Hofert. Elliott cowrote the film’s story. Produced by Tim Burton. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Cabinet of Caligari, The (1962) 104m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Roger Kay. Dan O’Herlihy, Glynis Johns, Richard Davalos, Lawrence Dobkin, Estelle Winwood, J. Pat O’Malley. Unimaginative remake of the 1919 German classic, removing all the mystery-exotic appeal; Johns tries hard as lady in ornate modern home confronted by O’Herlihy’s sinister Caligari; many bizarre scenes. Written by Robert Bloch. CinemaScope.쩠 Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, The (1919German) 69m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Wiene. Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt, Lil Dagover. Somewhat stiff but still fascinating German Expressionist film about ‘‘magician’’ Caligari and hypnotic victim who carries out his evil bidding. Landmark film still ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Bob Cabaret (1972) C-124m. impresses audiences today. Remade in Fosse. Liza Minnelli, Michael York, Hel1962. ▼●쩠 mut Griem, Joel Grey, Fritz Wepper, Marisa Cabin Fever (2003) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Eli Berenson. Stylish film based on Fred EbbRoth. Rider Strong, Jordan Ladd, James DeJohn Kander Broadway musical, from John Bello, Cerina Vincent, Joey Kern, Giuseppe van Druten’s play I Am a Camera (filmed Andrews, Robert Harris, Hal Courtney. A before in 1955), now more a vehicle for group of friends celebrate college graduation Minnelli in her Oscar-winning performance by going to a mountain cabin together, but as Sally Bowles, American girl caught up in things go very bad very fast. Did someone say phony glitter of pre-war Berlin. Song num‘‘flesh-eating virus’’? Blood-drenched hombers counterpoint dramatic narrative, inage to slasher movies lacks wit or originality, cluding newly written ‘‘The Money Song,’’ but seems to have pleased some fans of the great duet for Minnelli and Oscar-winner genre. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Grey. Screenplay by Jay Presson Allen; the Cabin in the Cotton, The (1932) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Richard Barthelstory’s genesis was Christopher Isherwood’s book Goodbye to Berlin. Won eight Acadmess, Dorothy Jordan, Bette Davis, Haremy Awards in all, including Director, Cinedie Albright, David Landau, Berton Churmatography (Geoffrey Unsworth) and Score chill, Henry B. Walthall, Tully Marshall. Adaptation (Ralph Burns). [PG]▼●쩠 Dated melodrama of sharecroppers, with Cabaret Balkan (1998-Yugoslavian-French) earnest Barthelmess almost led to ruin by C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Goran Paskaljevic. Miki Southern belle Davis; exaggerated, but inManojlovic, Sergei Trifunovic, Mirjana Joteresting. Bette’s immortal line: ‘‘Ah’d kovic, Lazar Ristovski. In the strife-torn city like to kiss ya, but Ah jes’ washed mah of Belgrade, all sense of logic and order has hair.’’▼ evaporated, leaving a society so desperate and Cabin in the Sky (1943) 100m. ★★★ D: stressed-out that even a casual encounter may Vincente Minnelli. Eddie ‘‘Rochester’’ Anlead to violence. Powerful series of viderson, Lena Horne, Ethel Waters, Louis gnettes—sometimes grim, sometimes abArmstrong, Rex Ingram, Duke Ellington surdly funny—but the film goes on a while and His Orchestra, The Hall Johnson Choir. [ 202 ]

Stellar black cast in winning (if somewhat prim nurse to dentist Matthau who blossoms racist) musical fable about forces of good when she realizes she’s in love with him. and evil vying for the soul of Little Joe Best moments belong to Hawn, who won Oscar for her first big role. [M/PG]▼●쩠 (Anderson). John Bubbles’ dancing, Waters singing ‘‘Happiness Is a Thing Called Caddie (1976-Australian) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 Joe’’ (written for the film) among musical D: Donald Crombie. Helen Morse, Takis highlights. First feature for Minnelli (who, Emmanuel, Jack Thompson, Jacki Weavwith Waters and Ingram, came from the er, Melissa Jaffer. Adaptation of a popular Australian autobiography set in the Broadway production). ▼●쩠 Cable Guy, The (1996) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: late ’20s and early ’30s, telling story of an Ben Stiller. Jim Carrey, Matthew Broderick, independent-minded young woman deterLeslie Mann, George Segal, Diane Baker, mined to succeed on her own, despite the Jack Black, Eric Roberts, Janeane Garofalo, pressure of having two children to raise. Andy Dick, Charles Napier, Owen Wilson, Moments of insight and originality give Kathy Griffin. Black comedy about a cable way too often to cliche´ and overriding blandness. Morse is fine in lead. ▼ TV installer who forces his friendship onto a vulnerable customer who’s just moved out Caddy, The (1953) 95m. ★1⁄2 D: Norman of his girlfriend’s apartment. Many clever, Taurog. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, Donna funny scenes, but film wavers between Reed, Fred Clark, Barbara Bates, Joseph comedy and a darker, more serious tone, Calleia. Weak Martin & Lewis vehicle about which—while also interesting—keeps us golf-nut Jerry coaching Dean to be a chamoff-balance. Repeated digs at TV are among pion player. Dean introduces ‘‘That’s the brightest moments; director Stiller has a Amore.’’ ▼쩠 funny recurring cameo. Super 35. [PGCaddyShack (1980) C-98m. ★★ D: Harold 13]▼●쩠 Ramis. Chevy Chase, Rodney Dangerfield, Caboblanco (1980) C-87m. ★★ D: J. Lee Ted Knight, Michael O’Keefe, Bill MurThompson. Charles Bronson, Jason Robards, ray, Cindy Morgan, Sarah Holcomb, Scott Dominique Sanda, Fernando Rey, Simon Colomby, Brian Doyle-Murray, Chuck E. MacCorkindale, Camilla Sparv, Gilbert Rodent. ANIMAL HOUSE–type hijinks at Roland, Denny Miller. Murky ripoff of a posh country club; another comedy where CASABLANCA, with Bronson a barkeeper irreverence and destruction are a substitute in Peru. Robards plays a Nazi, Rey a for humor. Saving grace is Dangerfield, police captain, Sanda a Frenchwoman whose opening scenes are sidesplittingly funny. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 searching for her lover. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Cache´ (2005-French-Austrian-German-Italian) CaddyShack II (1988) C-99m. ★★ D: AlC-118m. ★★★ D: Michael Haneke. Daniel lan Arkush. Jackie Mason, Dyan Cannon, Auteuil, Juliette Binoche, Annie Girardot, Robert Stack, Dina Merrill, Chevy Chase, Lester Makedonsky, Maurice Be´nichou, Dan Aykroyd, Randy Quaid, Jessica Lundy, Bernard Le Coq, Daniel Duval, Nathalie Jonathan Silverman, Chynna Phillips, Brian Richard, Walid Afkir. Parisian host of a bookMcNamara. In-name-only sequel to 1980 hit chat TV show and his wife are baffled by a gets a big boost from Mason, extremely winsuccession of surveillance videotapes of their ning in the role of a plain-talking, self-made home’s exterior, each anonymously left on millionaire whose daughter wants acceptance the doorstep. Eventually, other cryptic mesby the snooty crowd at a local country club. sages appear, sketches that may have some Unfortunately, film runs out of script (and laughs) after a half hour. [PG]▼●쩠 hidden meaning. Writer-director Haneke (THE PIANO TEACHER) has constructed Cadence (1991) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Martin another icily meticulous, if protracted, Sheen. Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Larry drama, framed by a realistic portrait of a Fishburne, Michael Beach, Ramon Estevez, marriage and augmented with references to John Toles-Bey, Blu Mankuma, Harry Stewart, James Marshall. U.S. soldier Charrecent French history. [R]쩠 1 ★★ Cactus (1986-Australian) C-93m. lie lands in a West German brig, the lone ⁄2 D: Paul Cox. Isabelle Huppert, Robert Menwhite among a group of black prisoners; zies, Norman Kaye, Monica Maughan, conflict, however, centers on warden MarBanduk Marika. Slow, deliberately paced tin, who’s slowly coming apart at the seams. story of Huppert’s agony when her sight is Sheen family enterprise is overwrought impaired in an auto mishap and her growand insignificant, with just one compelling ing relationship with blind Menzies. Of scene: the brigmates march in jivey cainterest only when it sticks to the story, dence to their own rendition of Sam Cooke’s which isn’t often enough.▼쩠 ‘‘Chain Gang.’’ Would Ernie Borgnine’s Cactus Flower (1969) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fatso Judson have allowed this in FROM Gene Saks. Walter Matthau, Ingrid BergHERE TO ETERNITY? [PG-13]▼●쩠 man, Goldie Hawn, Jack Weston, Rick Cadillac Man (1990) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lenz, Vito Scotti, Irene Hervey. Glossy Roger Donaldson. Robin Williams, Tim comedy was pretty thin for Broadway, Robbins, Pamela Reed, Fran Drescher, even thinner on film, with Bergman as Zack Norman, Annabella Sciorra, Lori [ 203 ]

Petty, Paul Guilfoyle, Bill Nelson, Eddie ing his characterization in BREAD AND Jones, Judith Hoag. Williams is terrific, as CHOCOLATE, is a Neapolitan working usual, playing an aggressive car salesman man illegally selling coffee on the Milan to who may lose his job, his mistress, his Naples train. Sometimes funny and proother girlfriend, his Mafioso protector, and found, more often trite. Manfredi, as usual, is fine. Originally ran 105m.▼쩠 his daughter all during one eventful weekend. Wildly uneven film swings from comCafe Metropole (1937) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: edy to melodrama, dragging and then pickEdward H. Griffith. Loretta Young, Tying up again. Elaine Stritch appears unbilled rone Power, Adolphe Menjou, Gregory as a grieving widow. [R]▼●쩠 Ratoff, Charles Winninger, Helen Westley. Cadillac Ranch (1996) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Young is courted by penniless playboy Lisa Gottlieb. Suzy Amis, Renee Humphrey, Power, who’s passing bad checks and posCaroleen Feeney, Linden Ashby, Christopher ing as a Russian prince. OK comedy, from a story by Ratoff.쩠 Lloyd, Jim Metzler. Amiable tale of three sisters who, despite some long-time friction, Cafe Society (1995) C/B&W-107m. ★★★ band together to find a cache of money left D: Raymond De Felitta. Frank Whaley, behind by their Daddy when they were just Peter Gallagher, Lara Flynn Boyle, John kids . . . tracked, all the while, by bad guy Spencer, Anna Thomson, David Patrick Lloyd. Likable performances by the female Kelly, Christopher Murney, Richard B. trio boost this modest Texas-made producShull, Paul Guilfoyle, Alan North, Kelly tion. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Bishop, Zach Grenier. Atmospheric, factCadillac Records (2008) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: based account, set in 1952, about Mickey Darnell Martin. Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Jelke (Whaley), a poor little rich boy set to Wright, Beyonce´ Knowles, Gabrielle Union, inherit $5 million. Jelke hobnobs with Cedric the Entertainer, Columbus Short, EaN.Y.C. cafe society, and thinks nothing of monn Walker, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Mos pimping, just for the fun of it. Gallagher is Def, Tammy Blanchard, Jay O. Sanders, Northe vice cop who’s determined to nail him; man Reedus, Eric Bogosian. Colorful look at Boyle (who makes a great noir heroine) is the birth and flowering of Chicago’s Chess the woman with whom Jelke becomes inRecords label in the 1940s and ’50s, where volved, on several levels. De Felitta, workPolish immigrant Leonard Chess (Brody) ing with a low budget, creates an impressive and authentic period feel. [R]▼ brought blues artists like Muddy Waters (Wright), Little Walter (Short), Howlin’ Wolf Cage, The (1978) SEE: Mafu Cage, The (Walker), and Etta James (Knowles) to promiCage (1989) C-101m. BOMB D: Lang nence, amidst much personal turmoil. Bites off Elliott. Lou Ferrigno, Reb Brown, Michael more than one film can chew but still offers a Dante, Mike Moroff, Marilyn Tokuda, rich tapestry; each of these personalities deJames Shigeta, Al Ruscio. Pointless, violent serves a separate film. The actors mostly perfilm provides viewers with the human form their own songs, quite credibly, and Mos equivalent of a cockfight as Ferrigno and Def is a hoot as Chuck Berry. Vincent D’OBrown go at it in the Asian ‘‘sport’’ of cage nofrio appears unbilled. Super 35. [R]쩠 fighting. A better title might have been THE INCREDIBLE HOKUM. [R]▼●쩠 Caesar and Cleopatra (1946-British) C134m. ★★ D: Gabriel Pascal. Claude Rains, Caged (1950) 96m. ★★★ D: John CromVivien Leigh, Stewart Granger, Flora Robson, well. Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead, Francis L. Sullivan, Cecil Parker. Two fine Ellen Corby, Hope Emerson, Jan Sterling, stars suffer through static, boring rendition of Jane Darwell, Gertrude Michael. RemarkGeorge Bernard Shaw’s play, which seems to able performances in stark record of Parker go on forever. Occasional wit and intrigue going to prison and becoming hardened can’t keep this afloat.▼ criminal after exposure to brutal jail life. Cafe au Lait (1994-French) C-94m. ★★★ D: Remade as HOUSE OF WOMEN.쩠 Mathieu Kassovitz. Julie Mauduech, Hubert Caged Heat (1974) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: JonaKounde, Mathieu Kassovitz. Kassovitz’ than Demme. Juanita Brown, Erica Gavin, first feature is the SHE’S GOTTA HAVE Roberta Collins, Rainbeaux Smith, BarIT/JULES AND JIM-like story of a young, bara Steele, Toby Carr-Rafelson. Demme’s pregnant Parisian (Mauduech) who is unfirst feature is tongue-in-cheek but othercertain which of her boyfriends is the father. wise typical women’s prison flick, chiefly Is it the African Muslim law student novel for being set in the U.S. instead of (Kounde)? Or the Jewish bicycle messenger some banana republic, plus neat turn by (played by the director)? Sweetly funny, Steele as wheelchair-bound warden. Has a and a heartening look at contemporary relasizable cult following. Aka RENEGADE tions between the races. Kassovitz also GIRLS. [R]▼쩠 scripted.▼쩠 Cahill U.S. Marshal (1973) C-103m. ★★ Cafe Express (1981-Italian) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew V. McLaglen. John Wayne, D: Nanni Loy. Nino Manfredi, Adolfo Celi, George Kennedy, Gary Grimes, Neville Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Luigi Basagaluppi, Brand, Marie Windsor, Harry Carey, Jr. Silvio Spaccesi. Manfredi, virtually repeatMarshal Wayne’s law enforcement duties [ 204 ]

are complicated as one of his sons threatens is irresistible as the bombastic, rootin’-tooto enter a life of crime; routine, violent tin’ title character in this lively musical, Western suffers from the same kind of serwith Keel as Wild Bill Hickok, who only monizing that plagued most of the Duke’s begins to realize his feelings for her when later films. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 she makes a stab at becoming more ‘‘femi★★ Cain and Mabel (1936) 90m. nine.’’ Sammy Fain–Paul Francis Webster D: Lloyd Bacon. Marion Davies, Clark Gable, Dascore includes the Oscar-winning ‘‘Secret vid Carlyle (Robert Paige), Allen Jenkins, Love.’’ Jane Alexander later played CalamRoscoe Karns, Walter Catlett, Hobart Cavity in a 1984 TV movie. ▼●쩠 anaugh, Ruth Donnelly, Pert Kelton. PubliCalamity Jane and Sam Bass (1949) cist concocts phony romance between C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: George Sherman. Yvonne De Broadway star Davies (who’s miscast) and Carlo, Howard Duff, Dorothy Hart, Lloyd heavyweight champ Gable—who happen to Bridges, Milburn Stone. Tattered retelling of despise one another. Gargantuan production 19th-century cowgirl and Texas outlaw, with numbers add nothing to stale plot. Rescued De Carlo and Duff a disinterested duo. Calcutta (1947) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Farsomewhat by the snappy one-liners delivered by the supporting cast.쩠 row. Alan Ladd, Gail Russell, William ★★★★ Caine Mutiny, The (1954) C-125m. Bendix, June Duprez, Lowell Gilmore. D: Edward Dmytryk. Humphrey Bogart, Jose Standard actioner with pilot Ladd avengFerrer, Van Johnson, Robert Francis, May ing friend’s murder. Wynn, Fred MacMurray, E. G. Marshall, Lee Calendar (1993-Canadian-Armenian) C75m. ★★ D: Atom Egoyan. Arsine´e KhanMarvin, Tom Tully, Claude Akins. WW2 Naval officers Johnson and Francis mutiny jian, Ashot Adamian, Atom Egoyan. A phoagainst paranoid, unpopular Capt. Queeg (Botographer (Egoyan) and his wife (Khanjian) gart) and are court-martialed in this exciting travel from Canada to Armenia to shoot adaptation (by Stanley Roberts) of Herman photos of historical churches for inclusion Wouk’s Pulitzer Prize novel. Wartime mutiny on a wall calendar; as he looks through his scene during typhoon still packs a wallop. lens, his marriage falls apart before his eyes Followed by a TVM in 1988.▼●쩠 as his mate comes in touch with her roots ★★ Cairo (1942) 101m. and falls for their guide. Some intriguing D: W.S. Van Dyke II. Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Young, ideas are at work here, but the film is much Ethel Waters, Reginald Owen, Lionel Atwill, like an out-of-focus snapshot and too Dooley Wilson. Musi-comedy spoof of loosely structured to be effective. Egoyan and Khanjian are married off screen.▼쩠 WW2 spy films is strained, although stars are pleasant and production is well mounted.▼ Calendar Girl (1993) C-90m. ★★ D: John Cake Eaters, The (2009) C-86m. ★★ D: Whitesell. Jason Priestley, Gabriel Olds, Mary Stuart Masterson. Elizabeth Ashley, Jerry O’Connell, Joe Pantoliano, Steve Jayce Bartok, Bruce Dern, Miriam Shor, Railsback, Kurt Fuller, Stephen TobolowAaron Stanford, Kristen Stewart, Talia Balsky, Emily Warfield, Maxwell Caulfield, sam, Melissa Leo, Jesse L. Martin. In a quiet Stephanie Anderson, Chubby Checker. Pat, upstate N.Y. town, teen Stewart (who’s afoverly familiar coming-of-age tale of three flicted with a neuromuscular disease) is obhigh school grads who head off to L.A. in sessed with losing her virginity to Stanford. 1962 to seek out their idol, Marilyn MonHis older brother (Bartok), a failed musician, roe. Ultimately harmless, but you’ve seen it wants to rekindle a romance, and their justa million times before. One of the executive producers was Penny Marshall. [PG-13] ▼● widowed father (Dern) is in a long-term relationship with Ashley, Stewart’s grandmother. Calendar Girls (2003-British) C-107m. ★★1 Potentially powerful kitchen-sink drama is ⁄2 D: Nigel Cole. Helen Mirren, Julie surprisingly mild and inconsequential, but Walters, John Alderton, Linda Bassett, AnAshley and especially Dern are a pleasure to nette Crosbie, Ciara´n Hinds, Celia Imrie, watch. Bartok also scripted; feature directing Penelope Wilton, Graham Crowden, Geraldebut for Masterson. [R]쩠 dine James. Amiable comedy based on the Cal (1984-British) C-102m. ★★★ D: Pat true story of middle-aged women in a small O’Connor. Helen Mirren, John Lynch, English town who pose nude for a fundDonal McCann, John Kavanagh, Ray raising calendar. Mirren and Walters are so McAnally, Stevan Rimkus, Kitty Gibson. delightful, and abetted by such an engaging Intelligent drama of modern-day Northern cast, that it’s a shame the script isn’t more Ireland, with Lynch, 19, falling for older inspired. Later a stage play. Super 35. [PGwidow Mirren—despite his IRA involve13] ▼쩠 ment with her husband’s murder. Strong California (1946) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: John performances, especially by Mirren; proFarrow. Barbara Stanwyck, Ray Milland, duced by David Puttnam. [R]▼ Barry Fitzgerald, Albert Dekker, Anthony Calamity Jane (1953) C-101m. ★★★ D: Quinn, Julia Faye, George Coulouris. Ray David Butler. Doris Day, Howard Keel, is a wagonmaster with a past, Stanwyck a Allyn (Ann) McLerie, Philip Carey, Gale shady gal who makes good in this elaborately ordinary Western.쩠 Robbins, Dick Wesson, Paul Harvey. Doris [ 205 ]

California Dolls, The SEE: . . . All the had previously played same role on British Marbles TV. Video title: THE NEUTRALIZER.▼ California Dreaming (1979) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 Callas Forever (2002-Italian-French-SpanishBritish-Romanian) C-111m. ★★★ D: Franco D: John Hancock. Dennis Christopher, Glynnis O’Connor, Seymour Cassel, DoroZeffirelli. Fanny Ardant, Jeremy Irons, Joan thy Tristan, John Calvin, Tanya Roberts, Plowright, Jay Rodan, Gabriel Garko, ManTodd Susman, Alice Playten, Ned Wynn, uel de Blas, Justino Dı´az. Fictional imaginJimmy Van Patten, Stacey Nelkin, Maring of the great opera diva Maria Callas at shall Efron. Revisionist beach party movie the end of her storied career. Her former finds nerd Christopher trying desperately manager comes back into her life and conto fit in with the surfing crowd, blind to vinces her to regain her passion by doing a the fact that their lives are even emptier film of Carmen in which she would lip-sync than his. Strong drama sometimes bites off to her great recordings of the past. Sumptumore than it can chew, but overall fairly ous production values and fine acting make compelling and surprisingly erotic; Wynn this worth seeing if you are a fan of opera, also wrote the screenplay. [R]▼ Callas, or Zeffirelli (who actually directed California Split (1974) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Callas onstage several times). Barely reRobert Altman. George Segal, Elliott Gould, leased theatrically in the U.S. 쩠 Ann Prentiss, Gwen Welles, Joseph Walsh, Callaway Went Thataway (1951) 81m. ★★1 Bert Remsen, Jeff Goldblum. Realistic but ⁄2 D: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank. rambling look at two compulsive gamblers, Fred MacMurray, Dorothy McGuire, Howtheir strange lifestyles, and the emptiness of ard Keel, Jesse White, Fay Roope, Natalie winning. Altman’s multi-channel soundtrack Schafer, Stan Freberg. Gentle spoof of only adds to the muddle. DVD version is 3m. early-TV ‘‘Hopalong Cassidy’’ craze, with shorter, due to music rights issues. PanaKeel as lookalike who impersonates veteran vision. [R]쩠 cowboy star for promotional purposes; good California Suite (1978) C-103m. ★★★ D: fun until it starts getting serious. Several Herbert Ross. Jane Fonda, Alan Alda, MGM stars make cameo appearances. Maggie Smith, Michael Caine, Walter Calle 54 (2000-French-Spanish) C-105m. ★★★ Matthau, Elaine May, Richard Pryor, Bill D: Fernando Trueba. Chucho Valdes, Cosby, Gloria Gifford, Sheila Frazier, Herb Gato Barbieri, Jerry Gonzalez, Tito Puente, Edelman, Denise Galik. Four Neil Simon Eliane Elias, Chico O’Farrill, Bebo Valdes. skits set at the Beverly Hills Hotel (and Fans of Latin jazz will want to catch Oscaradapted from his Broadway hit). Oscarwinning director Trueba’s valentine to the winning Smith and husband Caine as gently music he grew up loving. With cameras ready bickering Britishers in town for Academy to catch every moment, the filmmaker invited Awards come off best; Pryor and Cosby as several Latin musicians into an N.Y.C. reunfunnily combative ‘‘friends’’ are the cording studio, then traveled to their homeworst. Pleasant time-filler, with nice jazz towns to provide glimpses into their lives. score by Claude Bolling. [PG] ▼●쩠 Particularly gratifying to see Tito Puente still Caligula (1980) C-156m. ★1⁄2 D: Tinto cookin’ toward the end of his life. [G]▼쩠 Brass. Malcolm McDowell, Peter O’Toole, Caller, The (1989) C-97m. ★★ D: Arthur Teresa Ann Savoy, Helen Mirren, John Allan Seidelman. Malcolm McDowell, MaGielgud, Guido Mannari. Filmdom’s first dolyn Smith. Strange two-character mystery $15 million porno (to say nothing of home) set mostly in an isolated cabin in the woods; movie, produced by Penthouse and set in the verbal sparring partners are not what they seem to be. Partly effective, but goes on much Rome in the 1st century A.G. (After Guccione), follows ruthless ruler through endless series too long; might have worked as a Twilight of decapitations and disembowelings. ChutzZone episode. Shot in Italy in 1987. [R]▼ pah and 6m. of not-bad hard-core footage Call Him Mr. Shatter (1974-British) earn this half a star for the faithful, but most C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael Carreras. Stuart viewers will be rightfully repelled. And beWhitman, Ti Lung, Lily Li, Peter Cushsides, Jay Robinson does much better by the ing, Anton Diffring. Hammer’s entry into title character in THE ROBE and DEMEthe Kung Fu market, begun by Monte TRIUS AND THE GLADIATORS. ReisHellman, stars Whitman as a burned-out sued in 105m., R-rated version—which is hit man on assignment in Hong Kong. considerably changed. [R—edited from origiPlenty of action, but nothing to hold it nal unrated version] ▼●쩠 together; presence of three cinematograCallan (1974-British) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: phers is a tip-off to extensive production woes. Aka SHATTER. [R]▼●쩠 Don Sharp. Edward Woodward, Eric Porter, Carl Mohner, Catherine Schell, Peter Egan. Calling Northside 777 SEE: Call Northside Adequate drama of aging secret agent 777 Woodward, demoted because he cares too Call Me (1988) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Solmuch about his adversaries, assigned to lace Mitchell. Patricia Charbonneau, Patti kill a German businessman. Woodward D’Arbanville, Sam Freed, Boyd Gaines, [ 206 ]

Stephen McHattie, Steve Buscemi, John Jeffries. Appalling film version of LernerSeitz, David Strathairn. Horny reporter Loewe musical has only good orchestrations saddled with a lackluster boyfriend begins and sporadically good acting to recomreceiving obscene phone calls and almost mend it; no one can sing and production finds herself enjoying the experience. Very looks cheap, in spite of big budget. This well acted by Charbonneau, but too many did, however, win Oscars for Costumes, of the supporting roles are weakly cast; Scoring, and Art Direction/Set Decoraexcessive melodrama detracts from what tion. Film’s nonstop use of close-ups may could have been a more compelling psyhelp it on TV screens. Panavision. ▼●쩠 chological study. [R]▼● Camera Buff (1979-Polish) C-107m. ★★★1⁄2 Call Me Bwana (1963) C-103m. ★★ D: D: Krzysztof Kieslowski. Jerzy Stuhr, MalGordon Douglas. Bob Hope, Anita Ekberg, gorzata Zabkowska, Ewa Pokas, Stefan CzyEdie Adams, Lionel Jeffries, Arnold Palmzewski, Jerzy Nowak. Kieslowski’s first er. Hope and Adams on jungle safari eninternational success is a compelling story counter Ekberg and Jeffries and nothing about an ordinary workingman who buys an much happens. The ladies are lovely.▼● 8mm camera so he can shoot home movies Call Me Madam (1953) C-114m. ★★★ as soon as his wife gives birth. Instead, he D: Walter Lang. Ethel Merman, Donald becomes galvanized by the power and fasciO’Connor, George Sanders, Vera-Ellen, Billy nation of the camera and ignores his wife DeWolfe, Walter Slezak, Lilia Skala. Often and daughter in the process. A somewhat stagy musical from Irving Berlin tuner based autobiographical story of a man’s artistic on Perle Mesta’s life as Washington, D.C., and political awakening, this is just as powhostess and Liechtenstein ambassadress. Mererful as the day it was made. Aka AMATOR. ▼쩠 man is blowsy delight. Songs include ‘‘The Best Thing for You,’’ ‘‘It’s a Lovely Day Cameraman, The (1928) 69m. ★★★ D: EdToday,’’ ‘‘You’re Just in Love.’’ 쩠 ward Sedgwick. Buster Keaton, Marceline Call Me Mister (1951) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Day, Harold Goodwin, Sidney Bracy, Harry Lloyd Bacon. Betty Grable, Dan Dailey, Gribbon, Edward Brophy. Buster plays a Danny Thomas, Dale Robertson, Benay Venlovesick would-be newsreel cameraman in uta, Richard Boone, Frank Fontaine, Jeffrey this entertaining silent comedy, a cut beHunter. Acceptable plot line helps buoy this low his masterpieces but still brimming musical. Soldier Dailey, based in Japan, goes with invention, ingenious set pieces, and AWOL to patch up marriage with Grable big laughs. Remade with Red Skelton as WATCH THE BIRDIE.▼●쩠 traveling with USO troupe. Bears little resemblance to the Broadway revue on which it’s Camila (1984-Argentine) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 supposedly based. An unbilled Bobby Short D: Maria Luisa Bemberg. Susu Pecoraro, sings ‘‘Going Home Train.’’ Imanol Arias, Hector Alterio. Shades of Call Northside 777 (1948) 111m. ★★★1⁄2 ELVIRA MADIGAN, in a story based on D: Henry Hathaway. James Stewart, Rich19th-century Argentine fact, about a Jesuit ard Conte, Lee J. Cobb, Helen Walker, Mopriest and a young Catholic socialite who roni Olsen, E. G. Marshall. Absorbing drama commit love on the lam as the authorities of reporter Stewart convinced that convicted stalk them for 500 miles. Interesting, but killer is innocent, trying to prove it; handled in never altogether compelling.▼쩠 semi-documentary style. Retitled: CALLING Camilla (1994-Canadian-British) C-95m. ★★1 NORTHSIDE 777.▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Deepa Mehta. Jessica Tandy, Call of the Wild, The (1935) 81m. ★★★ Bridget Fonda, Hume Cronyn, Elias Koteas, D: William Wellman. Clark Gable, Loretta Maury Chaykin, Graham Greene, Ranjit Young, Jack Oakie, Reginald Owen, Frank Chowdhry, Atom Egoyan, Don McKellar. Conroy. More Hollywood than Jack London, Tandy, in her final film, is the sole reason to this Yukon adventure/romance is lots of fun, see this otherwise so-so road movie about and Owen a fine snarling villain. Original rethe budding friendship between a young lease was 95m. Remade in 1972 and as a TV would-be singer-songwriter (Fonda) and an movie in 1976, 1993, and 1997.쩠 elderly, eccentric (and high-spirited) former Call of the Wild (1972-British-Frenchconcert violinist. Cronyn plays Tandy’s former lover, and their on-screen time together German-Italian-Spanish) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: is something special. [PG-13]▼쩠 Ken Annakin. Charlton Heston, Michele Mercier, Maria Rohm, Rik Battaglia. LackCamille (1937) 108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George luster version of the Jack London adventure Cukor. Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel classic, produced by a multinational film Barrymore, Elizabeth Allan, Laura Hope combine and wasting the talents of a diverse Crews, Henry Daniell, Joan Brodel (Leslie). cast. One redeeming quality: the striking Beautiful MGM production; in one of her most Finnish scenery. [PG]▼쩠 famous roles, Garbo is Dumas’ tragic heroine Call the Cops! SEE: Find the Lady who must sacrifice her own happiness in order 1 ★ Camelot (1967) C-178m. ⁄2 D: Joshua to prove her love. Taylor is a bit stiff as ArLogan. Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, mand, but Daniell is a superb villain. Filmed Franco Nero, David Hemmings, Lionel before in 1915 (with Clara Kimball Young), [ 207 ]

1917 (Theda Bara), and 1921 (Nazimova, convince parents he’s a responsible authority with Rudolph Valentino as Armand). Remade figure. Assembly-line, end-of-summer release for TV in 1984 with Greta Scacchi. Also occasionally has a wittier gag than expected. [PG]▼●쩠 shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Camille Claudel (1988-French) C-149m. Campus Man (1987) C-94m. ★★ D: Ron ★★ Casden. John Dye, Steve Lyon, Morgan D: Bruno Nuytten. Isabelle Adjani, Ge´rard Depardieu, Laurent Grevill, Alain Fairchild, Kim Delaney, Kathleen Wilhoite, Cuny, Madeleine Robinson, Katrine BoorMiles O’Keeffe. Glossy but vacuous teen man. Overblown biography of the French comedy of collegiate entrepreneur (i.e. hussculptress (Adjani), who has a ‘‘madness tler) who publishes a male beefcake calendar of mud’’ and who single-mindedly pursues featuring his roommate, a hunky diver, and her art; Depardieu plays Auguste Rodin, spawning all kinds of complications. Based with whom she has a complex, turbulent on story of Arizona State University alumnus relationship. Potentially provocative story Todd Headlee (the film’s associate producer), is emotionally uninvolving, with an astonwhose ASU calendar launched the nationwide craze. [PG]▼●쩠 ishing lack of depth. Wonderful production values and period detail, but all for Canadian Bacon (1995) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: naught. Cinematographer Nuytten’s diMichael Moore. Alan Alda, John Candy, rectorial debut. Original French running Rhea Perlman, Kevin Pollak, Rip Torn, time 173m. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Kevin J. O’Connor, Bill Nunn, G. D. SpradCamorra (1986-Italian) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: lin, Steven Wright, James Belushi, Brad Lina Wertmuller. Angela Molina, Harvey Sullivan. In order to gain a strong platform Keitel, Daniel Ezralow, Francisco Rabal, for re-election, the president of the United Paolo Bonacelli, Isa Danieli, Lorraine States does the unthinkable and declares Bracco. Complex tale of drug traffic, murder, war on our neighbor to the north, Canada. and mayhem, focusing on the trials of exMoore stumbles with his second film after prostitute Molina; well-meaning in its depicthe terrific ROGER & ME. A top cast is tion of how preteens are used and abused wasted in this one-joke premise which lacks by drug kingpins. Generally better than the the satiric edge it needs. [PG] ▼●쩠 director’s later work, but miles below her Canadian Pacific (1949) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: gems of the 1970s. [R]▼ Edwin L. Marin. Randolph Scott, Jane ★★★1 Camouflage (1977-Polish) C-106m. Wyatt, J. Carrol Naish, Victor Jory, Nancy ⁄2 D: Krzysztof Zanussi. Piotr Garlicki, Olson. Scott is railroad surveyor helping Zbignieu Zapasiewicz, Christine Paul, with construction of train link, fighting Mariusz Dmochowski. Arrogant tenured Indians while romancing Wyatt and Olson. Canadians, The (1961) C-85m. ★★ D: professor Zapasiewicz challenges the independence of idealistic teaching assistant Burt Kennedy. Robert Ryan, John Dehner, Garlicki at a summer school-camp for linTorin Thatcher, John Sutton, Teresa Straguists. Pungently funny satire about contas. Cornball nonsense about Mounties who formity, the Communist hierarchy. pacify war-happy Sioux. Film features MetCamp (2003) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Todd Graff. ropolitan Opera singer Stratas to no advanDaniel Letterle, Joanna Chilcoat, Robin De tage. Filmed in Canada; Kennedy’s first Jesus, Tiffany Taylor, Sasha Allen, Anna Kenfeature as director. CinemaScope. Can-Can (1960) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 D: Walter drick, Don Dixon. A straight skater boy at a performing arts camp gets caught in a love triLang. Frank Sinatra, Shirley MacLaine, angle with a lovelorn ingenue and a gay Puerto Maurice Chevalier, Louis Jourdan, Juliet Rican drag queen. Cliche´d scripting hampers Prowse. Lackluster version of Cole Porter entertaining, easy-to-like backstage teen mumusical of 1890s Paris involving lawyer sical, but there’s no denying the talented Sinatra defending MacLaine’s right to peryoung cast. Divas-in-training Allen and form ‘‘daring’’ dance in her nightclub. Taylor are standouts. Writer and first-time Chevalier and Jourdan try to inject charm, director Graff, a former theater camper himbut Sinatra is blase´ and MacLaine shrill. self, knows his milieu; there’s even a funny Songs: ‘‘C’est Magnifique,’’ ‘‘I Love cameo from Broadway god Stephen SondParis,’’ ‘‘Let’s Do It,’’ ‘‘Just One of Those Things.’’ Todd-AO. ▼●쩠 heim. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Camp Nowhere (1994) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Cancel My Reservation (1972) C-99m. Jonathan Prince. Jonathan Jackson, Andrew BOMB D: Paul Bogart. Bob Hope, Eva Keegan, Marne Patterson, Melody Kay, Marie Saint, Ralph Bellamy, Forrest Tucker, Christopher Lloyd, M. Emmet Walsh, Anne Archer, Keenan Wynn, Ned Beatty, Wendy Makkena, Kate Mulgrew, Burgess Chief Dan George. Hope should have canMeredith, Peter Scolari, Jessica Marie Alba. celed this movie, a time-wasting turkey about Computer geeks, show biz wannabes, kid a troubled talk-show host who gets involved commandos, and other neighborhood castin a murder case in Arizona. Based on a Louis L’Amour novel! [G]▼ offs band together to form their own communal summer camp, supervised by token Candidate, The (1972) C-109m. ★★★ D: adult Lloyd, who has somehow managed to Michael Ritchie. Robert Redford, Peter [ 208 ]

Boyle, Don Porter, Allen Garfield, Karen descript supporting cast. Bland but for the Carlson, Melvyn Douglas, Quinn Redeker, menacing Todd in the title role. Followed Michael Lerner, Kenneth Tobey. Keenby a direct-to-video sequel. [R]▼●쩠 eyed political satire doesn’t stray far from Candy Mountain (1987-Canadian-Frenchreality. Redford is idealist talked into runSwiss) C-91m. ★★ D: Robert Frank, Rudy ning for Senate with promise of absolute Wurlitzer. Kevin J. O’Connor, Harris integrity in campaign, since he’s bound to Yulin, Tom Waits, Bulle Ogier, Roberts lose—or is he? Oscar-winning screenplay Blossom, Leon Redbone, Dr. John, Joe by Jeremy Larner. [PG]▼●쩠 Strummer, David Johansen (Buster PoinCandleshoe (1978) C-101m. ★★★ D: Nordexter). Uneven account of has-been rocker man Tokar. David Niven, Jodie Foster, O’Connor and his trip through America Helen Hayes, Leo McKern, Veronica and Canada in search of elusive guitarmaker Quilligan, Ian Sharrock, Vivian Pickles. Yulin. Intriguing collaboration between Con man McKern tries to pass off orphan photographer/filmmaker Frank, screenwriter Foster as Hayes’ heiress in order to locate Wurlitzer, and an eclectic cast . . . but the results are too often dull. [R]▼ hidden family treasure. Entertaining Disney comedy filmed in England, with Niven Candy Stripe Nurses (1974) C-80m. ★1⁄2 as disguise-laden butler. [G]▼●쩠 D: Allan Holleb. Candice Rialson, Robin Candy (1968-U.S.-Italian-French) C-124m. Mattson, Maria Rojo, Kimberly Hyde, Dick ★★ Miller, Stanley Ralph Ross, Monte Landis, D: Christian Marquand. Ewa Aulin, Richard Burton, Marlon Brando, Charles Tom Baker. Last of Roger Corman’s five Aznavour, James Coburn, John Huston, Wal‘‘nurse’’ pictures is tired sex comedy, focuster Matthau, Ringo Starr, John Astin. Strained ing on antics of pretty volunteers; kept afloat sexual satire about a nubile blonde who is by cast full of old hands at this sort of thing. attacked by every man she meets. Fair share Aka SWEET CANDY. [R]▼쩠 of funny moments and bright performances Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget (particularly by Burton and Astin), but not Mercy Humppe and Find True Happienough to sustain 124m. Adapted from Terry ness? (1969-British) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: AnSouthern and Mason Hoffenberg’s book by thony Newley. Anthony Newley, Joan ColBuck Henry. [R]▼쩠 lins, Milton Berle, Connie Kreski, George Candy (2006-Australian) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jessel, Stubby Kaye. Fellini-influenced mess Neil Armfield. Abbie Cornish, Heath Ledabout song-and-dance man who reviews ger, Geoffrey Rush, Tom Budge, Roberto his debauched past. Low-grade in all deMeza Mont, Tony Martin, Noni Hazlehurst. partments, though Connie reveals why she Murky account of the evolving relationship was ‘‘Playmate of the Year.’’ Newley and between two attractive young people, a poet Collins were then real-life husband and (Ledger) and a painter (Cornish), both of wife. [R—edited from original X rating] whom are hooked on heroin. Well acted, Can I Do It . . . Til I Need Glasses? but the scenario is overly familiar. Armfield (1977) C-72m. BOMB D: I. Robert Levy. and Luke Davies scripted, based on Davies’ Victor Dunlap, Moose Carlson, Walter novel. [R]쩠 Olkewicz, Joey Camen, Ann Kellogg, Candyman (1992) C-93m. ★★★ D: BerRobin Williams. Sophomoric series of sexnard Rose. Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, related skits, most of which would bore Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons, Vanessa immature 11-year-olds. Williams appears Williams, DeJuan Guy, Michael Culkin. very briefly, in footage tacked on after the Effectively eerie psychological chiller, filled film’s premiere (and after his Mork and with clever, unusual touches, about an Mindy stardom). [R]▼쩠 academic (Madsen) who begins researchCannery Row (1982) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: ing the legend of a mysterious serial killer David S. Ward. Nick Nolte, Debra Wingnamed Candyman (Todd); this leads her to er, Audra Lindley, Frank McRae, M. Emmet Chicago’s crime-infested Cabrini-Green Walsh, Sunshine Parker, Santos Morales, public housing project. Rose (who plays narrated by John Huston. Entertaining tugthe role of ‘‘Archie Walsh’’) also scripted, of-war romance between baseball-playerfrom Clive Barker’s novel The Forbidden turned-marine-biologist Nolte and drifter(which is set in Liverpool). Followed by turned-floozie Winger is hampered by two sequels. [R]▼●쩠 sloppy, self-conscious direction, awkward Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995) continuity. Attractive performances by Nolte C-94m. ★★ D: Bill Condon. Tony Todd, and Winger; great set design by Richard Kelly Rowan, Timothy Carhart, Veronica MacDonald. Based on John Steinbeck’s Cartwright, William O’Leary, Fay Hauser, Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday. Ward’s Bill Nunn, Matt Clark. Title avenger is resdirectorial debut. [PG]▼●쩠 urrected in mediocre sequel to terrorize an Cannibal Girls (1973-Canadian) C-84m. ★★ D: Ivan Reitman. Eugene Levy, Anaristocratic New Orleans family just in time for Mardi Gras. Good production values, drea Martin, Ronald Ulrich, Randall Carincluding some convincing local color, are penter, Bonnie Neison. Confused, conundermined by obvious plotting and nonvoluted low-budget Canadian import, an [ 209 ]

early effort by young talents Reitman, Levy, just left her, takes up with Emil, who and Martin, has funny first half about a never seems to stop talking. A couple of couple stranded in eerie town where there’s chuckles, but all the rest is rambling, superficial. [R]▼쩠 a rather strange restaurant. Second half falls apart. Warning buzzer precedes gore Can’t Buy Me Love (1987) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 scenes (which aren’t much), and doorbellD: Steve Rash. Patrick Dempsey, Amanda like sound announces they’re over. [R] Peterson, Courtney Gains, Tina Caspary, Cannibal! The Musical (1998) C-92m. Seth Green, Sharon Farrell. Known as ★★1 ⁄2 D: Trey Parker. Juan Schwartz (Trey BOY RENTS GIRL during production, Parker), Dian Bachar, Ian Hardin, John story has nerdy Dempsey paying senior Hegel, Matt Stone, Toddy Walters. Wacky, heartthrob Peterson a hard-earned grand to low-budget musical based on real-life story pose as his girlfriend, correctly surmising of Alferd Packer, who led an expedition that his own stock will rise. Sentimental rendegenerated into cannibalism in the Colodering of a terrific high school comedy rado Rockies, circa 1874. Gross-out gags premise. Peterson is excellent, Dempsey alternate for screen time with some pretty just adequate. Remade as LOVE DON’T good songs; our favorite is ‘‘Shpadoinkle.’’ COST A THING. [PG-13]▼●쩠 First feature for the SOUTH PARK team of Canterbury Tale, A (1944-British) 124m. ★★★ D: Michael Powell, Emeric PressParker and Stone. Made in 1993. [R]▼쩠 Cannonball (1976) C-93m. ★★ D: Paul Barburger. Eric Portman, Sheila Sim, John tel. David Carradine, Veronica Hamel, Sweet, Dennis Price, Esmond Knight, Bill McKinney, Gerrit Graham, Robert Charles Hawtrey, Hay Petrie. Curious and Carradine, Belinda Balaski, Judy Canova, disarming film from the Powell-Pressburger Carl Gottlieb. Comic account of crosswriting-and-directing team draws on Britcountry road race first depicted in THE ish eccentricities—and provincial flavor—to GUMBALL RALLY. Funny moments are flesh out its simple story about three peomuted by unpleasant characters and inept ple whose lives cross in a small English stuntwork. As usual, many of Bartel’s pals village during the war. There’s only the and coworkers appear in bits, including slightest tangent with the Chaucer work Sylvester Stallone, Roger Corman, and from which it draws its title. American directors Martin Scorsese, Jonathan Kaplan, version with added footage of Kim Hunter and Joe Dante. [PG]▼쩠 runs 95m. and doesn’t retain the charm of Cannonball Run, The (1981) C-95m. the original.▼쩠 BOMB D: Hal Needham. Burt Reynolds, Canterbury Tales, The (1971-ItalianRoger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeFrench) C-121m. BOMB D: Pier Paolo Luise, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Pasolini. Laura Betti, Ninetto Davoli, Pier Terry Bradshaw, Jackie Chan, Bert Convy, Paolo Pasolini, Hugh Griffith, Josephine Jamie Farr, Peter Fonda, Bianca Jagger, Chaplin, Michael Balfour, Jenny Runacre. Molly Picon, Jimmy ‘‘The Greek’’ SnyTravelers recount a number of Chaucer der, Mel Tillis. Just what civilization stories—which, unfortunately, are enacted needs—more Reynolds car-chase silliness, for the viewer. Tiresome, offensive, graphiinspired by the same cross-country road cally sadistic, with Pasolini appearing as race depicted in THE GUMBALL RALLY Chaucer. Italian-English cast; the second of and CANNONBALL. Pretty unendurable, the director’s medieval trilogy. Also shown despite unusual cast; rumor has it that the in 109m. English-language version. ▼●쩠 one responsible for casting Dino and Canterville Ghost, The (1944) 96m. ★★★ Sammy as priests is still doing his Hail D: Jules Dassin. Charles Laughton, Robert Marys. Followed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 Young, Margaret O’Brien, William Gargan, Cannonball Run II (1984) C-108m. Reginald Owen, ‘‘Rags’’ Ragland, Una BOMB D: Hal Needham. Burt Reynolds, O’Connor, Mike Mazurki, Peter Lawford. Dom DeLuise, Shirley MacLaine, Marilu Enjoyable fantasy, loosely adapted from Henner, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr., Oscar Wilde’s short story, of 17th-century Susan Anton, Catherine Bach, Ricardo ghost Laughton, spellbound until descenMontalban, Jim Nabors, Charles Nelson dant, WW2 soldier Young, helps him perReilly, Telly Savalas, Jamie Farr, Jack Elam, form heroic deed. Remade for TV in 1986 Frank Sinatra, Sid Caesar, and many others. (with John Gielgud) and 1996 (with Patrick Sequel to 1981 box-office hit looks like someStewart). ▼● one’s bad home movies. Amateurish action Can’t Hardly Wait (1998) C-98m. ★★ D: comedy with tons of tacky guest-star cameos. Deborah Kaplan, Harry Elfont. Jennifer What a waste! Final film roles for Martin and Love Hewitt, Ethan Embry, Charlie Korsmo, Lauren Ambrose, Peter Facinelli, Seth Sinatra. [PG] ▼●쩠 Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983) Green, Michelle Brookhurst. On high C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Henry Jaglom. Karen Black, school graduation night, Embry tries to Michael Emil, Michael Margotta, Frances work up the nerve to express his long-pentFisher, Martin Harvey Friedberg. Neurotic, up feelings for Hewitt—who’s just broken unpredictable Black, whose husband has up with the class jock. Set in and around a [ 210 ]

wild house party, this cheerful but predictmann’s original score). Major asset: excepable teen comedy comes off as a poor relationally good performances (including tion to AMERICAN GRAFFITI aimed at amusingly cast cameos by Mitchum, Peck, teens of the 1990s. Jenna Elfman, Melissa and Balsam, who starred in the ’62 movie). Joan Hart, Breckin Meyer, and Jerry Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 O’Connell appear unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Caper of the Golden Bulls, The (1967) Can’t Help Singing (1944) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 C-104m. BOMB D: Russell Rouse. SteD: Frank Ryan. Deanna Durbin, Robert Paige, phen Boyd, Yvette Mimieux, Giovanna Akim Tamiroff, Ray Collins, Thomas Gomez. Ralli, Walter Slezak, Vito Scotti. Lots of Durbin goes West to find her roaming lover; bull but not much gold in this unendurable despite good cast and Jerome Kern songs, it’s ‘‘thriller’’ about bank heist in Pamplona.▼ nothing much. ▼●쩠 Cape Town Affair, The (1967) C-103m. ★★ Can’t Stop the Music (1980) C-118m. ★★ D: Robert D. Webb. Claire Trevor, D: Nancy Walker. The Village People, James Brolin, Jacqueline Bisset, Bob Valerie Perrine, Bruce Jenner, Steve GutCourtney, Jon Whiteley, Gordon Milholtenberg, Paul Sand, Tammy Grimes, June land. Pedestrian remake of PICKUP ON Havoc, Barbara Rush, Jack Weston, Leigh SOUTH STREET, made in South Africa. Taylor-Young. One or two catchy producInterest here is seeing Bisset and Brolin at tion numbers aren’t enough to salvage oththe beginnings of their careers and Trevor erwise stiff comedy about the music-pubmaking something different of the old lishing biz, though some will feel they Thelma Ritter role. Story deals with a have to see what V. People and Jenner are Communist spy ring in Cape Town and an doing in same film. Gay subtext abounds, elusive envelope containing top secret microfilm.▼쩠 despite eye-boggling profile shots of Perrine. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Capitaine Conan (1996-French) C-132m. ★★★ Canyon Passage (1946) C-92m. ★★★ D: D: Bertrand Tavernier. Philippe TorJacques Tourneur. Dana Andrews, Brian reton, Samuel Le Bihan, Bernard Le Coq, Donlevy, Susan Hayward, Ward Bond, Catherine Rich, Franc¸ois Berleand, Pierre Andy Devine, Lloyd Bridges. Plotty, colVal. Powerful indictment of militarism and orful Western mixing action, beautiful scefalse heroism, centering on reckless title nery, heated love relationships, and Hoagy character, who leads French troops in a seCarmichael singing ‘‘Ole Buttermilk Sky.’’ cret war in the Balkans following the end of Well made and entertaining.▼쩠 WW1, but pays a heavy price for his valor. Cape Fear (1962) 105m. ★★★ D: J. Lee Torreton won a French Ce´sar award for his Thompson. Gregory Peck, Robert Mitchum, forceful performance, as did Tavernier for his virtuoso direction. Super 35.▼쩠 Polly Bergen, Martin Balsam, Lori Martin, Jack Kruschen, Telly Savalas, Barrie Capone (1975) C-101m. BOMB D: Steve Chase, Edward Platt. Mitchum is memoraCarver. Ben Gazzara, Susan Blakely, Harry bly (and believably) creepy as a wily SouthGuardino, John Cassavetes, Sylvester Stalern ex-con who blames lawyer Peck for his lone, Frank Campanella. Gazzara has cotincarceration and plots an insidious reton in his jowls and a cigar in his mouth, venge on his family. Dated only in its lack making most of the dialogue in this gangof explicitness, but still daring for its time. ster saga incomprehensible—but that’s OK, Based on John D. MacDonald’s novel The you’ve heard it all before. One big shootExecutioners. Musical score by Bernard out is stock footage from THE ST. VALHerrmann is reminiscent of his best work ENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE. [R] with Hitchcock. Remade in 1991.▼●쩠 Capote (2005) C-115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bennett Cape Fear (1991) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: MarMiller. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine tin Scorsese. Robert De Niro, Nick Nolte, Keener, Clifton Collins, Jr., Chris Cooper, Jessica Lange, Juliette Lewis, Joe Don Bruce Greenwood, Bob Balaban, Amy Baker, Robert Mitchum, Gregory Peck, Ryan, Mark Pellegrino. First-rate film about Martin Balsam, Illeana Douglas, Fred Dalauthor Truman Capote concentrates on his ton Thompson. Released from prison after relentless (and often ruthless) efforts to re14 years, a self-educated wacko vows to search and write the seminal book In Cold make a living hell for the lawyer who sent Blood—and what it cost him. Hoffman won him up. Remake of the 1962 thriller fleshes a Best Actor Oscar for his brilliantly nuout its characters and adds fascinating anced performance, but entire cast is excelpsychological layers—but turns a gripping, lent, and director Miller and screenwriter realistic story into an overblown, unbeDan Futterman incisively convey the ambilievable horror film: CAPE FEAR for the guity in Capote’s motives and methods. Freddy Krueger generation. Scorsese’s brilBased on Gerald Clarke’s book. Miller’s liant command of the medium is squanfirst fiction feature. Same story is recounted dered on severely unpleasant material (with in INFAMOUS. Super 35. [R]쩠 an A-list of collaborators, including cineCaprice (1967) C-98m. BOMB D: Frank matographer Freddie Francis and composer Tashlin. Doris Day, Richard Harris, Ray Elmer Bernstein, adapting Bernard HerrWalston, Jack Kruschen, Edward Mulhare, [ 211 ]

Lilia Skala, Irene Tsu, Michael J. Pollard. Terrible vehicle for Doris as industrial spy plunged into international intrigue with fellow agent Harris. Muddled, unfunny, straining to be ‘‘mod.’’ CinemaScope.쩠 Capricorn One (1978) C-124m. ★★★ D: Peter Hyams. Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Hal Holbrook, Sam Waterston, Karen Black, O. J. Simpson, Telly Savalas, Brenda Vaccaro, Denise Nicholas, David Huddleston, Robert Walden, David Doyle. Whirlwind contemporary adventure plays like a condensed Republic serial. First manned flight to Mars turns out to be a hoax, and when capsule supposedly burns up in re-entry, the astronauts suddenly realize they’re expendable. Lots of great chases punctuated by Hyams’ witty dialogue; not always plausible, but who cares? Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Captain America (1990) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: Albert Pyun. Matt Salinger, Ronny Cox, Ned Beatty, Darren McGavin, Scott Paulin, Michael Nouri, Kim Gillingham, Melinda Dillon, Billy Mumy. Dismayingly awful adaptation of the great Joe Simon–Jack Kirby comic book. Cap (Salinger) barely gets in one failed WW2 adventure pitted against Red Skull (Paulin), before being frozen in Alaska ice. Thawed out 50 years later, he spends too long in civvies before facing the Skull again. Clumsy, synthetic direction, actionless plot, boring opponents overwhelm the sincerity of Salinger’s performance. Never released theatrically in the U.S.▼ Captain Apache (1971) C-94m. ★★ D: Alexander Singer. Lee Van Cleef, Carroll Baker, Stuart Whitman, Percy Herbert. Violence in Old West laid on with a trowel. Filled with stereotypes. Franscope. [PG]▼쩠 Captain Blood (1935) 119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Lionel Atwill, Basil Rathbone, Ross Alexander, Guy Kibbee, Henry Stephenson, Robert Barrat, Donald Meek, J. Carrol Naish. Flynn’s first swashbuckler, based on Rafael Sabatini’s novel, scores a broadside. He plays Irish physician Peter Blood who is forced to become a pirate, teaming for short spell with French cutthroat Rathbone, but paying more attention to proper young lady de Havilland. Vivid combination of exciting sea battles, fencing duels, and tempestuous romance provides Flynn with a literally star-making vehicle. First original film score for Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Beware of 99m. reissue version. Also shown in computer-colored version.

Donat appears briefly as Charles Parnell; Parker has title role.▼ Captain Carey, U.S.A. (1950) 83m. ★★★ D: Mitchell Leisen. Alan Ladd, Wanda Hendrix, Francis Lederer, Russ Tamblyn. Nicely turned account of ex-military officer Ladd returning to Italy to uncover informer who cost lives of villagers. Theme song ‘‘Mona Lisa’’ won an Oscar. Captain Clegg SEE: Night Creatures Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001-U.S.British) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Madden. Nicolas Cage, Pene´lope Cruz, John Hurt, Christian Bale, David Morrissey, Irene Papas, Piero Maggio, Patrick Malahide. A peaceful, tradition-bound Greek island is invaded by Italian troops during WW2, but they are no more warlike than the residents. Madden beautifully captures a sense of time and place, but the pace lags, the characterizations are inconsistent, and the love story between fun-loving Italian Cage and serious-minded Cruz (Spanish accent intact) is never as gripping as it’s meant to be. Based on the novel by Louis de Bernieres. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Captain Eddie (1945) 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lloyd Bacon. Fred MacMurray, Lynn Bari, Charles Bickford, Thomas Mitchell, Lloyd Nolan, James Gleason. Routine aviation film doesn’t do justice to exciting life of Eddie Rickenbacker; it’s standard stuff. Captain From Castile (1947) C-140m. ★★★ D: Henry King. Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Lee J. Cobb, John Sutton, Antonio Moreno, Thomas Gomez, Alan Mowbray, Barbara Lawrence, George Zucco, Ray Roberts, Marc Lawrence, Reed Hadley, Jay Silverheels. Power, driven to avenge the cruel treatment of his family by Spanish Inquisitor (Sutton), eventually serves with Cortez (Romero) during his conquest of Mexico. Color and romance; magnificent location photography by Charles Clarke and Arthur E. Arling; Alfred Newman’s majestic score ranks with Hollywood’s very best. Peters’ film debut.▼●쩠 Captain Fury (1939) 91m. ★★★ D: Hal Roach. Brian Aherne, Victor McLaglen, Paul Lukas, June Lang, John Carradine, George Zucco, Douglass Dumbrille, Charles Middleton. Australia serves as background in story of illustrious adventurer fighting evil land baron. Captain Horatio Hornblower (1951-British) C-117m. ★★★ D: Raoul Walsh. Gregory Peck, Virginia Mayo, Robert Beatty, Denis O’Dea, Christopher Lee, Stanley Baker, James Robertson Justice. Exciting, ▼●쩠 Captain Boycott (1947-British) 92m. ★★1⁄2 well-produced sea epic based on C. S. ForD: Frank Launder. Stewart Granger, Kathester’s British naval hero of the Napoleonic leen Ryan, Cecil Parker, Mervyn Johns, wars. ▼●쩠 Alastair Sim. Poor Irish farmers band toCaptain January (1936) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: gether to combat the abuses of their landDavid Butler. Shirley Temple, Guy Kibbee, lords in early 19th century; interesting but Slim Summerville, Buddy Ebsen, June dramatically uneven, with misplaced comLang, Sara Haden. Straightforward, sentiponents of humor and romance. Robert mental tale of orphaned Shirley, and the [ 212 ]

new truant officer who tries to separate her Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore, Melvyn from her adoptive father, lighthouse keeper Douglas, Charley Grapewin, John Carradine, Kibbee. Short and sweet. Shirley and Ebsen Mickey Rooney, Walter Kingsford. Spoiled sing and dance ‘‘At the Codfish Ball.’’ Also rich-boy Bartholomew falls off cruise ship, shown in computer-colored version. ▼쩠 rescued by Portuguese fisherman Tracy (who Captain Kidd (1945) 89m. ★★ D: Rowwon Oscar for role). Boy learns to love seafarland V. Lee. Charles Laughton, Randolph ing on crusty Barrymore’s fishing vessel. EnScott, Barbara Britton, Reginald Owen, thusiastic cast in this splendid production of John Carradine, Gilbert Roland, Sheldon Kipling’s story. Scripted by John Lee Leonard. Even with Laughton, this is slowMahin, Marc Connelly, and Dale Van going low-budget stuff.▼쩠 Every. Remade as a TV movie in 1977 Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974(with Karl Malden and Ricardo Montalban) British) C-91m. ★★★ D: Brian Clemens. and 1996 (with Robert Urich). Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Horst Janson, John Carson, Caroline Munro, Shane Briant, John Cater, Lois Diane, Captain Sindbad (1963-U.S.-West German) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Byron Haskin. Guy Ian Hendry. Unique blend of horror and swashbuckler genres follows sword-wieldWilliams, Heidi Bruhl, Pedro Armendariz, ing stranger as he stalks new breed of Abraham Sofaer, Bernie Hamilton. Guy Wilvampire across European countryside. liams is an energetic Sindbad in this elaborate, effects-filled but ponderous fantasy.▼쩠 Artsy, exciting, almost intoxicatingly atmospheric chiller has developed considerCaptains of the Clouds (1942) C-113m. ★★★ able following; one of the best (and least D: Michael Curtiz. James Cagney, typical) Hammer productions. Released in Dennis Morgan, Brenda Marshall, Alan Britain as simply KRONOS. [R]▼쩠 Hale, George Tobias, Reginald Gardiner. Captain Lightfoot (1955) C-91m. ★★★ D: Atmospheric wartime drama charting the Douglas Sirk. Rock Hudson, Barbara Rush, shenanigans of cocky bush pilot Cagney, Jeff Morrow, Finlay Currie, Kathleen Ryan. who joins the Canadian air force but refuses Fine, flavorful costume adventure about to follow regulations.▼●쩠 19th-century Irish rebellion and one of its Captain’s Paradise, The (1953-British) 77m. ★★★ D: Anthony Kimmins. Alec dashing heroes. Beautifully filmed on location in Ireland in CinemaScope. Guinness, Yvonne De Carlo, Celia JohnCaptain Nemo and the Underwater City son, Bill Fraser. Guinness has field day as (1970) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Hill. Robcarefree skipper who shuttles back and ert Ryan, Chuck Connors, Nanette Newman, forth between wives in opposite ports. De Luciana Paluzzi. Average undersea fanCarlo and Johnson make a good contrast as tasy centered on Captain Nemo who lives in the two women. Original British running an underwater fortress. Panavision. [G]쩠 time: 86m. Later a Broadway musical, Oh, Captain!▼●쩠 Captain Newman, M.D. (1963) C-126m. ★★★ D: David Miller. Gregory Peck, Angie Captain’s Table, The (1960-British) Dickinson, Tony Curtis, Eddie Albert, Jane C-90m. ★★ D: Jack Lee. John Gregson, Withers, Bobby Darin, Larry Storch, Bethel Peggy Cummins, Donald Sinden, Nadia Leslie, Robert Duvall. Provocative, wellGray. Satisfactory comedy involving skipacted comedy-drama about dedicated Army per of cargo vessel (Gregson) who is given psychiatrist Peck, battling bureaucracy trial command of luxury liner, and the and the macho military mentality on a chaos ensuing trying to keep order among crew and passengers.▼ stateside air base during WW2. Darin is particularly good as a troubled, ill-fated Captive City, The (1952) 90m. ★★★ D: corporal. Based on Leo Rosten’s bestRobert Wise. John Forsythe, Joan Camselling novel.▼쩠 den, Harold J. Kennedy, Marjorie Crosland, Captain Ron (1992) C-100m. BOMB D: Victor Sutherland, Ray Teal, Martin MilThom Eberhardt. Kurt Russell, Martin ner. Small-city newspaper editor Forsythe Short, Mary Kay Place, Benjamin Salisgradually learns that the Mafia has taken bury, Meadow Sisto, Emannuel Logrono, over bookie operations formerly run by corJorge Luis Ramos, J. A. Preston, Tanya rupt local businessmen. Based-on-fact drama Soler, John Scott Clough. Yuppies Get is earnest and intelligent, with fine noir-style Away From It All by taking an inherited photography by Lee Garmes. Sen. Estes sailboat into the Caribbean, with eyeKefauver provides an afterword. patched Russell (the very poor man’s Captive Heart, The (1946-British) 108m. ★★★1 Robert Newton) at the helm. Dreadful time⁄2 D: Basil Dearden. Michael Redgrave, waster establishes its comic credentials by Mervyn Johns, Basil Radford, Jack Wargiving Russell the funny role and Short the ner, Jimmy Hanley, Gordon Jackson, Ralph straight one; pirates and multiple falls into the Michael, Rachel Kempson. Compelling exdrink are a given. Paul Anka (you tell us why) amination of British POWs during WW2 plays a boat salesman. [PG-13]▼●쩠 and their German captors with controlled, Captains Courageous (1937) 116m. ★★★★ flawless performance by Redgrave and exD: Victor Fleming. Freddie Bartholomew, cellent supporting cast. Patrick Kirwan’s [ 213 ]

★★1 story was scripted by Angus MacPhail and ⁄2 D: Nadine Labaki. Nadine Labaki, Guy Morgan. Original British running time: Yasmine Al Masri, Joanna Moukarzel, Gi98m.▼쩠 se`le Aouad, Adel Karam, Aziza Semaan, Captive Hearts (1987) C-97m. ★★ D: Siham Haddad. Lightly likable comedyPaul Almond. Noriyuki (Pat) Morita, Chris drama, reminiscent of such American fare Makepeace, Mari Sato, Michael Sarrazin, as STEEL MAGNOLIAS and BEAUTY Seth Sakai. American soldier shot down SHOP, about life, love, and leg waxing in and taken prisoner in Japan during WW2 and around a Lebanese beauty salon. Direcfalls in love with a Japanese woman. If tor Labaki is first among equals in fine enthat sounds familiar, or simplistic, wait till semble cast as Layale, owner of the Si Belle you see the film! Easy to see why this beauty shop in downtown Beirut, who’s so barely made it to theaters. [PG]▼ caught up in a humiliating affair with an Captives (1995-U.S.-British) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 inattentive married man that she’s slow to D: Angela Pope. Tim Roth, Julia Ormond, note the handsome traffic cop who pines for Colin Salmon, Keith Allen, Siobhan Redher. Interesting look at lives of women in a mond, Peter Capaldi. Unusual drama set in society where men make most of the decia contemporary London prison where a sions and almost all of the rules. [PG]쩠 lonely female dentist ends up in a deadly Carandiru (2003-Brazilian) C-148m. ★★1⁄2 game of blackmail when she falls for one of D: Hector Babenco. Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos, her convict patients. Some melodramatic silMilhem Cortaz, Milton Gonc¸alves, Ivan de liness aside (including scenes of dental foreAlmeida, Ailton Grac¸a, Maria Luisa Menplay), this is a showcase for two highly donc¸a, Rodrigo Santoro. Master filmmaker skilled actors, Roth and Ormond. [R]▼●쩠 Babenco came back from serious illness to Captivity (2007-U.S.-Russian) C-85m. direct this story of real-life doctor Dra´uzio BOMB D: Roland Joffe´. Elisha Cuthbert, Varella, who took his cause for AIDS prevenDaniel Gillies, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Michael tion inside the horrifying Brazilian state peniHarney, Laz Alonso, Maggie Damon, tentiary Carandiru, becoming an eyewitness Chrysta Olson. A supermodel is stalked, to degrading conditions that led to a deadly drugged, kidnapped, and imprisoned by a riot in 1992. Surprisingly conventional prison mysterious, unseen assailant. Vulgar, repulpicture with standard-issue characters is ressive thriller earned notoriety for its lurid cued by the true nature of the tale and Baadvertising campaign. It’s a long way from benco’s smarts behind the camera. Based on Joffe´’s THE KILLING FIELDS. Also Varella’s book Carandiru Station. [R]▼쩠 available in unrated version. Super 35. [R]쩠 Caravans (1978-U.S.-Iranian) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 ★★1 Capture, The (1950) 91m. ⁄2 D: John D: James Fargo. Anthony Quinn, Jennifer Sturges. Lew Ayres, Teresa Wright, Victor O’Neill, Michael Sarrazin, Christopher Lee, Jory, Jacqueline White, Jimmy Hunt, Barry Joseph Cotten, Barry Sullivan. ExpensiveKelley, Duncan Renaldo. Oil field supervilooking version of James Michener’s contemsor Ayres begins to ponder whether the payporary desert epic about a search through the roll robber he shot was really an innocent Middle East for the daughter (O’Neill) of a man. Straightforward, well acted, but slow U.S. senator. Won’t fool those who recognize at times.▼쩠 it as just another updated version of THE Capturing the Friedmans (2003) C-107m. SEARCHERS. Panavision. [PG]쩠 ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Andrew Jarecki. Fascinating and Carbine Williams (1952) 91m. ★★★ D: Richdeeply disturbing documentary about a noard Thorpe. James Stewart, Jean Hagen, Wentorious 1980s child molestation case that dell Corey, Paul Stewart, James Arness. Sturdy rocks a seemingly normal, happy, middlehistory of the inventor of famed rifle, his probclass family on Long Island, N.Y. Thought– lems with the law, and his simple family life. provoking examination of the relativity of Stewart is most convincing in title role. Also shown in computer-colored version.쩠 truth seen through the prism of a domestic breakdown and the surrounding media Carbon Copy (1981) C-92m. ★★ D: Mifrenzy. Anchored by amazing home-movie chael Schultz. George Segal, Susan Saint footage the Friedmans shot themselves, alJames, Denzel Washington, Jack Warden, most obsessively, throughout the years, Paul Winfield, Dick Martin, Tom Poston. which charts the family’s disintegration. Segal has hidden his identity as a Jew and What to make of all this is (wisely) left to become a successful corporate executive— the viewer. ▼쩠 until the arrival of his illegitimate 17-yearCar, The (1977) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Elliot old son (Washington, in film debut), who is Silverstein. James Brolin, Kathleen Lloyd, black. Silly, uneven, but not uninteresting John Marley, Ronny Cox, R.G. Armstrong, blend of comedy and social drama. Written John Rubinstein. Hokey thriller about a by Stanley Shapiro. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 killer car demonically running down most Card, The SEE: Promoter, The of the cast. Twilight Zone once did a tidier, Cardinal, The (1963) C-175m. ★★1⁄2 D: Otto quite similar job in one third the time. PaPreminger. Tom Tryon, John Huston, Romy navision. [PG]▼●쩠 Schneider, Carol Lynley, Jill Haworth, Raf Caramel (2007-Lebanese-French) C-95m. Vallone, Joseph Meinrad, Burgess Meredith, [ 214 ]

Ossie Davis, John Saxon, Robert Morse, DoroD: Bryan Gordon. Frank Whaley, Jennifer thy Gish, Tullio Carminati, Maggie McNaConnelly, Dermot Mulroney, Kieran Mulromara, Bill Hayes, Cecil Kellaway, Murray ney, John M. Jackson, Jenny O’Hara, Noble Hamilton, Patrick O’Neal, Chill Wills, Arthur Willingham, Barry Corbin, Denise Galik, Hunnicutt. Long, long story of an IrishWilliam Forsythe. Otherwise unemployable American’s rise from priesthood to the College teen gets the night watchman job at an allof Cardinals. Has some outstanding vignettes purpose department store; his first night is an by old pros like Meredith, but emerges as an idyllic round-the-clocker with a girl who’s uneven, occasionally worthwhile film. Panahiding out inside, and who just happens to be vision. ▼●쩠 the town’s no. 1 rich dish. Typical ode to Cardinal Richelieu (1935) 83m. ★★1⁄2 arrested development from writer-producer D: Rowland V. Lee. George Arliss, Maureen John Hughes, a 10m. idea stretched into a O’Sullivan, Edward Arnold, Cesar Romefeature. Tolerable only for John Candy’s unro. Arliss etches another historical porbilled cameo, and as a showcase for gorgeous trayal of France’s unscrupulous cardinal Connelly. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 who controlled Louis XIII (Arnold). Good Carefree (1938) 83m. ★★★ D: Mark Sandcast supports star. rich. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ralph Care Bears Adventure in Wonderland!, Bellamy, Luella Gear, Jack Carson, Franklin Pangborn, Hattie McDaniel. Madcap Rogers The (1987-Canadian) C-75m. ★★ D: Raymond Jafelice. Voices of Bob Dermer, is sent to psychiatrist Astaire, and romance Eva Almos, Dan Hennessy, Jim Henshaw, naturally blossoms; Fred and Ginger’s most Colin Fox. The Care Bears follow Alice comic outing, wacky and offbeat, with good through the looking glass in this typically Irving Berlin score including ‘‘Change Partners,’’ ‘‘I Used to Be Color Blind.’’▼●쩠 bland kiddie outing, with music by John Sebastian. [G]▼● Careful, He Might Hear You (1983Australian) C-116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Carl Schultz. Care Bears Movie, The (1985-Canadian) C-75m. ★★ D: Arna Selznick. Voices of Wendy Hughes, Robyn Nevin, Nicholas Mickey Rooney, Georgia Engel. Songs by Gledhill, John Hargreaves, Geraldine Turner. Carole King, John Sebastian. Animated Involving drama about Depression-era custody feature based on heavily merchandised charbattle between wealthy Hughes and workingacters is strictly for toddlers, tough sledclass sister Nevin for their nephew, whose ding for anyone older. Produced by Canadian mother is dead and father has abandoned him. Nelvana animation studio. Followed by Manages to be credible yet larger-than-life at two sequels and a TV series. [G]▼쩠 the same time, with wonderful shadings and Care Bears Movie II, A New Generation, observations. Makes exceptional use of wideThe (1986-Canadian-U.S.) C-77m. BOMB screen. Michael Jenkins scripted, from a novel D: Dale Schott. Voices of Maxine Miller, by Sumner Locke Elliott. Panavision. [PG] Pam Hyatt, Hadley Kay. Your kids deserve ▼쩠 better entertainment than this treacly stuff Caretaker, The SEE: Guest, The about the Kingdom of Caring. Prefab animaCaretakers, The (1963) 97m. ★★★ D: tion from the era of toy merchandising tieHall Bartlett. Robert Stack, Joan Crawford, ins. [G]▼쩠 Polly Bergen, Susan Oliver, Janis Paige, Career (1959) 105m. ★★★ D: Joseph AnConstance Ford, Barbara Barrie, Herbert thony. Dean Martin, Anthony Franciosa, ShirMarshall. At times incisive view of a West ley MacLaine, Carolyn Jones, Joan BlackCoast mental hospital, marred by flimsy man, Robert Middleton, Donna Douglas. script and poor editing. Good characterizaOccasionally shrill, generally forceful presentions by Crawford and Ford as nurses, Bergen and Paige as patients.▼ tation of an actor’s (Franciosa’s) tribulations in seeking Broadway fame; Jones is excellent Carey Treatment, The (1972) C-101m. ★★★ as lonely talent agent.▼● D: Blake Edwards. James Coburn, Career Girls (1997-British) C-87m. ★★★1⁄2 Jennifer O’Neill, Pat Hingle, Skye Aubrey, D: Mike Leigh. Katrin Cartlidge, Lynda Elizabeth Allen, Alex Dreier. Good solid Steadman, Kate Byers, Mark Benton, Joe whodunit set in hospital, where doctor Coburn Tucker, Andy Serkis. Another satisfying (and is determined to clear colleague of murder unpredictable) slice of life from writer-direccharge. O’Neill provides love interest in comtor Leigh, about two former roommates replicated but satisfying mystery, shot in Bosunited after six years. Flashbacks reveal how ton. Based on the novel A Case of Need by much they’ve changed and matured from Michael Crichton. Panavision. [PG] their uncertain college years, when Cartlidge Car 54, Where Are You? (1994) C-89m. ★1 was a mass of tics and Steadman was, in her ⁄2 D: Bill Fishman. David Johansen, John friend’s words, ‘‘a walking open wound.’’ C. McGinley, Al Lewis, Fran Drescher, NipRemarkable performances from both acsey Russell, Rosie O’Donnell, Daniel Baldtresses. Music by Tony Remy and Marianne win, Jeremy Piven, Penn & Teller, Tone Loc. Jean-Baptiste (costar of Leigh’s previous This retread of the hilarious 1960s TV show about N.Y.C. cops with a hefty Keystone quofilm, SECRETS & LIES). [R]▼●쩠 Career Opportunities (1991) C-84m. ★1⁄2 tient is a woefully embarrassing assemblage [ 215 ]

of gags that would bring up the rear in POLICE ACADEMY. O’Donnell (her screen debut), Drescher, and Piven acquit themselves well, under the circumstances. Despite presence of Al Lewis—reprising his Schnauzer role from the original Nat Hiken series—this turkey sat on the shelf after completion in 1991. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Caribbean (1952) C-97m. ★★ D: Edward Ludwig. John Payne, Arlene Dahl, Cedric Hardwicke, Francis L. Sullivan, Woody Strode. 18th-century costume vehicle allows Payne to battle pirates and flirt with Dahl. Cariboo Trail (1950) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edwin L. Marin. Randolph Scott, George ‘‘Gabby’’ Hayes, Bill Williams, Karin Booth, Victor Jory, Douglas Kennedy, Jim Davis, Dale Robertson, Mary Stuart, Lee Tung Foo. Sturdy Scott vehicle about a cattleman who brings his herd to the Canadian wilderness, where he takes on corrupt Jory.

scripted). Well-intentioned, moralistic tale with a now-predictable pumped-up boxing finale. [PG-13]▼쩠 Carmen (1983-Spanish) C-102m. ★★★ D: Carlos Saura. Antonio Gades, Laura Del Sol, Paco de Lucia, Cristina Hoyos, Juan Antonio Jimenez, Sebastian Moreno. Choreographer prepares dance production of Bizet’s opera, but falls under spell of real-life Carmen he casts in leading role. Choreographer/star Gades and sensual Del Sol are superb, though dramatic impact dissipates somewhat during second half. A must for dance buffs. [R]▼●쩠 Carmen (1984-French-Italian) C-152m. ★★ D: Francesco Rosi. Julia Migenes-Johnson, Placido Domingo, Ruggero Raimondi, Faith Esham, Jean-Philippe Lafont, Gerard Garino. Disappointing filmization of the Bizet opera is overbaked and unbelievably inept. Still, opera buffs will enjoy the music—if they close their eyes. [PG]▼●쩠 ▼● Carla’s Song (1996-British-Spanish) CCarmen Jones (1954) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: 125m. ★★★ D: Ken Loach. Robert Carlyle, Otto Preminger. Dorothy Dandridge, Harry Oyanka Cabezas, Scott Glenn, Salvador EsBelafonte, Pearl Bailey, Roy Glenn, Diahann pinoza, Louise Goodall. Unusual political Carroll, Brock Peters. Powerful melodrama drama/love story set in 1987 with Glasgow adapted from Bizet’s opera by Oscar Hambus driver Carlyle becoming involved with merstein II, with exciting music and equally beautiful but deeply troubled Nicaraguan exciting Dandridge as the ultimate femme farefugee Cabezas. It’s difficult to navigate tale. Stars’ singing voices are all dubbed— the Scottish accents at first, but the final part Dandridge’s by opera star Marilyn Horne. of the story, set in the Nicaraguan war zone, Film debuts of Carroll and Peters. Cinemais poignant and heartbreaking.▼●쩠 Scope. ▼●쩠 Carlito’s Way (1993) C-144m. ★★★ D: Carmen Miranda: Bananas Is My BusiBrian De Palma. Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Peness (1994-U.S.-Brazilian) C/B&W-91m. ★★★ nelope Ann Miller, Luis Guzman, John D: Helena Solberg. Savvy exploration Leguizamo, Ingrid Rogers, James Rebhorn, of the Brazilian Bombshell’s life and times, Joseph Siravo, Viggo Mortensen, Richard chronicling the sad transition from revered Foronjy, Jorge Porcel, Adrian Pasdar. musical artist in her homeland to caricatured Street-wise Puerto Rican Pacino winds up a cliche´ in Hollywood. Filmmaker Solberg’s five-year jail term and tries to go straight, lifelong fascination with Miranda is expressed but loyalty to his sleazy lawyer (Penn), and through film clips, revealing interviews with his inability to accept the fact that ‘‘the Brazilian and American colleagues and famstreet’’ has changed, seal his doom. Flawed ily, and strikingly, re-creations of moments in but still compelling; based on two Edwin her life using a female impersonator! ▼쩠 Torres novels about a man with an outCarnage SEE: Twitch of the Death Nerve moded code of honor. Pacino is arresting as Carnal Knowledge (1971) C-96m. ★★★ always; so is an almost unrecognizable D: Mike Nichols. Jack Nicholson, Candice Penn. Director Paul Mazursky has a terrific Bergen, Arthur Garfunkel, Ann-Margret, cameo as a judge at the beginning of the Rita Moreno, Cynthia O’Neal, Carol Kane. story. Followed by a direct-to-video ‘‘preThought-provoking (if depressing) look at quel’’ in 2005. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 the sexual attitudes and obsessions of two Carlton-Browne of the F.O. SEE: Man male friends, from college through middle in a Cocked Hat age. Ann-Margret won acclaim for performCarman: The Champion (2001) C-90m. ance as Nicholson’s kittenish mistress. ★★ D: Lee Stanley. Carman, Michael Nouri, Jules Feiffer originally wrote this as a Patricia Manterola, Jeremy Williams, Jed play, then adapted it as a screenplay inAllan, Romeo Fabian, Betty Carvalho. Restead; in 1990 it was staged off-Broadway. tired professional-fighter-turned-preacher reKane’s film debut. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 enters the ring to raise money to expand his Carnegie Hall (1947) 134m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edgar and his late father’s dream project: an innerG. Ulmer. Marsha Hunt, William Prince, city youth ministry. Along the way to the Frank McHugh, Martha O’Driscoll. Lame championship match he battles local gangs, story about a pushy mother and her pianist becomes a surrogate father, saves some son links magnificent concert performances souls and falls in love. Feature film debut by the cream of the classical music world: for recording artist Carman (who also coArtur Rubinstein, Leopold Stokowski, [ 216 ]

Jascha Heifetz, Rise Stevens, Lily Pons, nifer Beals, Alexandre Rockwell. Witty, Ezio Pinza, Jan Peerce, Gregor Piatigorsky, thoughtful, three-part feature from Moretti, Bruno Walter and The New York Philharone of the most acclaimed contemporary monic. Some mediocre pop tunes are Italian film director–comedians. He appears shoehorned into the proceedings, along in each as himself. First he romps around with Vaughn Monroe and Harry James.▼쩠 Rome on a Vespa. Next he goes islandCarnet de Bal SEE: Un Carnet de Bal hopping in southern Italy, where he wryly Carnival in Costa Rica (1947) C-95m. examines Europeans’ obsession with Amer★★ D: Gregory Ratoff. Dick Haymes, Veraican pop culture. Lastly, and most soberly, he recounts his own cancer treatment.▼● Ellen, Cesar Romero, Celeste Holm, Anne Revere, J. Carrol Naish. Despite fair cast, Carolina (2005-U.S.-Dutch) C-98m. ★★ D: boring musical of trip to Costa Rica and Marleen Gorris. Julia Stiles, Shirley Macthe shenanigans of newlyweds and their Laine, Alessandro Nivola, Mika Boorem, quarreling parents. Azura Skye, Randy Quaid, Jennifer Coolidge, Carnival of Souls (1962) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan Thicke, Barbara Eden. Good cast does Herk Harvey. Candace Hilligoss, Sidney its best with a pedestrian (and predictable) Berger, Frances Feist, Herk Harvey, Stan script about a young woman who keeps Levitt, Art Ellison. Eerie little film of looking for Mr. Right even though her best ‘‘phantom figure’’ pursuing Hilligoss after friend—and next-door neighbor—is the she has seemingly drowned. Imaginative perfect man for her. Did we mention that low-budget effort. Filmed mostly in Lawshe was raised by a wacky, eccentric grandrence, Kansas. Has developed a strong mother? Disappointing Hollywood debut cult reputation in recent years. Original for Dutch filmmaker Gorris (ANTONIA’S running time: 91m. Computer-colored verLINE). Opened in Europe in 2003; released sion also available. Remade in 1998 and direct to video in the U.S. [PG-13] 쩠 2008 (as YELLA). ▼●쩠 Carousel (1956) C-128m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Henry Carnival Story (1954) C-95m. ★★ D: Kurt King. Gordon MacRae, Shirley Jones, CamNeumann. Anne Baxter, Steve Cochran, Lyle eron Mitchell, Barbara Ruick, Claramae Bettger, George Nader, Jay C. Flippen. HardTurner, Robert Rounseville, Gene Lockened Baxter is involved with sleazy Cochran. hart. Excellent filmization of Rodgers & ‘‘Nice guy’’ high diver Bettger takes her on Hammerstein’s memorable adaptation of as a prote´ge´e, and there are complications. Ferenc Molna´r’s Liliom, with MacRae as When this romantic melodrama is not trashy, rowdy carousel barker Billy Bigelow, who it’s sluggish. Set in Germany, and not unlike tries to change for the better when he falls E.A. Dupont’s classic, VARIETY. A German in love with Jones. Excitement of wideversion was also filmed, with Eva Bartok, screen location filming will be minimized Bernhard Wicki, and Curt Jurgens.▼쩠 on TV screen, but moving characters, timeCarnosaur (1993) C-82m. ★★ D: Adam less songs remain. Script by Phoebe and Simon. Diane Ladd, Raphael Sbarge, JenniHenry Ephron. Filmed before as LILIOM in fer Runyon, Harrison Page, Ned Bellamy, 1930 and 1934. CinemaScope 55.▼●쩠 Clint Howard. Brilliant geneticist Ladd Carpetbaggers, The (1964) C-150m. ★★1⁄2 hatches man-eating dinosaurs from virusD: Edward Dmytryk. George Peppard, Carinfected chicken eggs and lets them run roll Baker, Alan Ladd, Bob Cummings, amok in an unsuspecting Midwestern city. Martha Hyer, Elizabeth Ashley, Lew Ayres, Roger Corman produced this forgettable Martin Balsam, Ralph Taeger, Archie film, whose only notoriety will be its legacy Moore, Leif Erickson, Tom Tully, Audrey as 1993’s ‘‘other’’ dinosaur movie (which Totter. Blowsy claptrap based on Harold starred Ladd’s daughter, Laura Dern). FolRobbins novel of millionaire plane manulowed by two sequels. [R]▼●쩠 facturer (Peppard) dabbling in movies and Carny (1980) C-107m. ★★★ D: Robert lovemaking a` la Howard Hughes. Set in Kaylor. Gary Busey, Jodie Foster, Robbie 1920s–30s; sexploitational values are tame. Robertson, Meg Foster, Bert Remsen, KenLadd’s last film; followed by prequel, NEneth McMillan, John Lehne, Elisha Cook, VADA SMITH. Panavision.▼●쩠 Craig Wasson. Striking, atmospheric film Carpool (1996) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur about a symbiotic pair of carnival hustlers Hiller. Tom Arnold, David Paymer, Rhea and the teenage runaway who joins them Perlman, Rachael Leigh Cook, Rod Steiger, on the road. Candid, intimate (and someKim Coates, Micah Gardener, Mikey what voyeuristic) look at seamy midway Kovar, Colleen Rennison, Jordan Warkov. life, hurt by unsatisfying and abrupt conA desperate down-on-his-luck carnival clusion. Rock star Robertson also proowner (Arnold) botches his first holdup atduced and cowrote the film. Wonderful tempt and takes a harried carpool dad (Payscore by Alex North. [R]▼ mer) and his young passengers hostage. Caro Diario (1994-Italian-French) CSome laughs in this likable but uneven com★★★ edy. Perlman is wasted. [PG]▼●쩠 100m. D: Nanni Moretti. Nanni Moretti, Renato Carpentieri, Antonio Neiwiller, Carrie (1952) 118m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Carlo Mazzacurati, Claudia Della Seta, JenWyler. Jennifer Jones, Laurence Olivier, [ 217 ]

Miriam Hopkins, Eddie Albert, Mary MurKenneth Connor, Charles Hawtrey. Divertphy, William Reynolds. Jones passively ing reworking of ancient history to serve plays the title role in this uneven turn-ofas amusing satire on CLEOPATRA epic, the-century soaper of poor farm girl who sufficiently laced with hijinks by perennial comes to Chicago, eventually links up with misfits. Aka CALIGULA’S FUNNIEST unhappily married restaurant manager Olivier HOME VIDEOS. ▼쩠 (who is excellent). David Raksin’s score is a Carry On Doctor (1968-British) C-95m. ★★ plus. Based on Theodore Dreiser’s Sister CarD: Gerald Thomas. Frankie Howerd, Kenneth rie. DVD includes restored ‘‘flop house’’ Williams, Jim Dale, Barbara Windsor. Madscene, which runs almost 3m.▼●쩠 cap group takes on medical profession. As Carrie (1976) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brian usual, interest wanes after an hour and the De Palma. Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Wilamount of laughter varies quite a bit. [PG]▼쩠 liam Katt, John Travolta, Amy Irving, Nancy Carry On Henry VIII (1972-British) CAllen, Betty Buckley, P.J. Soles, Priscilla 90m. ★★ D: Gerald Thomas. Sidney James, Pointer. Evocative story of high school misfit Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, Charles Hawdegenerates into cheap, gory melodrama trey, Barbara Windsor. Lecherous king, ribald when Spacek unleashes telekinetic powers in times perfect milieu for ‘‘Carry On’’ gang’s revenge against those who have mocked her. brand of farce; for fans only. [PG]▼ De Palma borrows much from Hitchcock, but Carry On Nurse (1959-British) 90m. ★★1⁄2 has little of The Master’s wit or subtlety. D: Gerald Thomas. Kenneth Connor, ShirScreenplay by Lawrence D. Cohen, from Steley Eaton, Charles Hawtrey, Hattie Jacques, phen King’s novel. Debut film for Irving, Terence Longdon, Leslie Phillips, Joan Buckley and Soles. Later a stage musical. ReSims, Kenneth Williams, Wilfrid Hydemade for TV in 2002. Followed by THE White, Joan Hickson, Jill Ireland, Michael RAGE: CARRIE 2. [R]▼●쩠 Medwin. Occasionally funny but too often Carried Away (1996) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: silly farce detailing the various hijinks in a Bruno Barreto. Dennis Hopper, Amy Irhospital ward. Typical entry in the series is ving, Amy Locane, Julie Harris, Gary crammed with lowbrow humor.▼쩠 Busey, Hal Holbrook, Priscilla Pointer. Carry On Sergeant (1959-British) 88m. ★★ Hopper gives a thoughtful performance in D: Gerald Thomas. William Hartnell, Bob an unusual role: a small-town Midwestern Monkhouse, Shirley Eaton, Eric Barker, Dora farmer/teacher who keeps putting off marBryan, Bill Owen, Kenneth Connor. This time rying his fiance´e (Irving), and then is not around prankish misfits are the bane of Army unwillingly seduced by teen vamp Locane. officer’s existence, who swears he’ll make Abundant nudity may grab attention. Based these recruits spiffy soldiers or bust.쩠 on a novel by Jim Harrison. Barreto is IrCarry On Spying (1965-British) 88m. ★★1⁄2 ving’s husband, and Pointer is her mother. D: Gerald Thomas. Kenneth Williams, Bar[R]▼●쩠 bara Windsor, Bernard Cribbins, Charles Carrington (1995-British-French) C-122m. Hawtrey, Eric Barker, Victor Maddern. ★★★ D: Christopher Hampton. Emma Acceptable James Bond spoof with daffy Thompson, Jonathan Pryce, Steven Wadnovice spy-catchers on the hunt for enemy dington, Rufus Sewell, Samuel West, Penelagents who stole secret formula.쩠 ope Wilton, Janet McTeer, Peter Blythe, Cars (2006) C-116m. ★★★ D: John Lasseter. Jeremy Northam. Gifted English painter Voices of Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Dora Carrington is afraid of her own sexualBonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Cheech ity, until she meets eccentric (and homosexMarin, George Carlin, Richard Petty, Michael ual) writer Lytton Strachey and experiences Keaton, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, love for the first time. What’s more, he feels Michael Wallis, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, the same way . . . except they’re never able Bob Costas. Hotshot race car gets stuck in a to resolve their hesitancy about a full comtown out West that time (and interstate highmitment. Compelling character study is ways) forgot. He begins to see that there’s slowly paced and perhaps redundant at more to life than hogging the spotlight and times, but made fascinating by the leads’ winning big-money races. Evoking America’s superb portrayals. Playwright/screenwriter car culture of the 1950s and ’60s, this cleverly Hampton’s directing debut. [R]▼●쩠 conceived and designed CG-animated film Carrington, V. C. SEE: Court Martial from Pixar is more wistful and less laughCarry On Camping (1972-British) C-89m. ★★ oriented than some, but still a winner. It may D: Gerald Thomas. Sidney James, Kenspeak most eloquently to adults of a certain neth Williams, Joan Sims, Barbara Windage. Digital Widescreen. [G]쩠 sor, Bernard Bresslaw, Terry Scott. The Carson City (1952) C-87m. ★★ D: Andre gang encounters hippie types at weekend De Toth. Randolph Scott, Lucille Norman, campsite; usual double-entendre jokes in Raymond Massey, Don Beddoe, Richard entry from never-ending series. [R]▼쩠 ★★1⁄2 Webb, James Millican, Larry Keating, George Carry On Cleo (1965-British) C-92m. Cleveland. Opposing forces clash when D: Gerald Thomas. Amanda Barrie, Sidney James, Kenneth Williams, Joan Sims, construction engineer Scott commences [ 218 ]

building a railroad through Nevada in the club owner Rick (Bogart) finding old flame 1870s. OK of its type.쩠 (Bergman) and her husband, underground Cars That Ate Paris, The (1974-Ausleader Henreid, among skeletons in his tralian) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Weir. Terry closet. Rains is marvelous as dapper police Camilleri, John Meillon, Melissa Jaffa, Kevin chief, and nobody sings ‘‘As Time Goes Miles. The poor people of Paris (Paris, AusBy’’ like Dooley Wilson. Three Oscars intralia, that is) keep the economy going by clude Picture, Director, and Screenplay (Juinducing traffic accidents and selling the spare lius & Philip Epstein and Howard Koch). parts/scrap metal. Iffy black comedy has its Our candidate for the best Hollywood moments; must viewing for those who’ve folmovie of all time. Spawned short-lived TV lowed Weir’s directorial career step-by-step series in the 1950s and the 1980s. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 into the big leagues. Originally released in the U.S. at 74m, retitled THE CARS THAT EAT Casa de los Babys (2003) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 PEOPLE; full-length version finally made it D: John Sayles. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Marcia here in 1984. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Gay Harden, Daryl Hannah, Susan Lynch, Cars That Eat People, The SEE: Cars Mary Steenburgen, Lili Taylor, Rita MorThat Ate Paris, The eno, Vanessa Martinez, Pedro Armenda´riz. Cartouche (1964-French-Italian) C-115m. A group of American women spend time ★★★1⁄2 D: Philippe De Broca. Jean-Paul together in a South American town as they Belmondo, Claudia Cardinale, Odile Verwait for their adoptions to come through. sois, Jess Hahn, Jean Rochefort, Philippe Sayles’ script explores many characters and Lemaire, Marcel Dalio, Noel Roquevert. points of view, including the locals who reColorful, exciting exploits of 18th-century sent the ‘‘yanquis’’ taking their babies away French Robin Hood who takes over a Pariand the young women who give up their sian crime syndicate. Belmondo is dashing children because they have no choice. Deas Cartouche and Cardinale is ravishing as spite a fine cast, and many good scenes, the Venus, his gypsy-mistress, in this rousing film feels like a draft for a screenplay that still needs fleshing out. [R]▼쩠 action-comedy. Dyaliscope.▼쩠 Car Trouble (1985-British) C-93m. ★★★ D: Casanova (2005) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Lasse David Green. Julie Walters, Ian Charleson, Hallstro¨m. Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, Vincenzo Ricotta, Stratford Johns, Hazel Jeremy Irons, Oliver Platt, Lena Olin, Omid O’Connor, Dave Hill. Low-key farce about Djalili, Stephen Greif, Ken Stott, Charlie a hilariously hideous couple whose BickerCox, Natalie Dormer, Tim McInnerny, son-like marriage is put to the ultimate test Leigh Lawson. The amorous bed-hopping when he buys his dream car, and she goes lover of 18th-century Venice meets his for a fateful spin. Walters and Charleson match in a beautiful, headstrong woman, a are ideal, and the film offers some genuine protofeminist who is determined to resist belly laughs. [R]▼ his advances. This is a rare bird known as a Carve Her Name With Pride (1958-Britromp, and Hallstro¨m and company pull it ★★★ D: Lewis Gilbert. Virginia ish) 119m. off, maintaining a light touch from start to McKenna, Paul Scofield, Jack Warner, finish. Location filming in Venice doesn’t Maurice Ronet, Bill Owen, Denise Grey, hurt, either. Fresh, funny, sexy, and smart; Billie Whitelaw, Michael Caine. McKenna, everyone is good, but Miller is a standout widowed during WW2, becomes a courain a showcase role. Screenplay by Jeffrey geous British secret agent. Solid and inspirHatcher and Kimberly Simi from a story by Simi and Michael Cristofer. Super 35. [R]쩠 ing; based on a true story.▼쩠 Car Wash (1976) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Casanova & Co. (1976-Austrian-ItalianFrench-German) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Franz Schultz. Richard Pryor, Franklin Ajaye, Sully Boyar, Ivan Dixon, George Carlin, Irwin Antel. Tony Curtis, Marisa Berenson, Sylva Corey, Melanie Mayron, The Pointer Sisters, Koscina, Hugh Griffith, Britt Ekland, Garrett Morris, Antonio Fargas, Brooke Marisa Mell, Umberto Orsini, Andrea Adams. Boisterous look at L.A. car wash is Ferreol, Victor Spinetti, Lillian Muller. light excuse for barely connected comedy set Misfired slapstick romp debunks the legend pieces, involving various and sundry characwith Curtis playing dual roles of Casanova ters, and pulsating soul music performed by and a lookalike commoner. Diverse female Rose Royce. Often very funny, but no awards cast (including former Playboy Playmates) for good taste; written by Joel Schumacher. disrobes at will, while Tony in drag explic[PG]▼●쩠 itly mocks his classic SOME LIKE IT HOT ★★★★ Casablanca (1942) 102m. D: Mirole. Video titles: SEX ON THE RUN, chael Curtiz. Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid SOME LIKE IT COOL, and THE AMOBergman, Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, ROUS MIS-ADVENTURES OF CASAConrad Veidt, Peter Lorre, Sydney GreenNOVA. ▼쩠 street, Dooley Wilson, Marcel Dalio, S. Z. Casanova Brown (1944) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sakall, Joy Page, Helmut Dantine, Curt Sam Wood. Gary Cooper, Teresa Wright, Bois. Everything is right in this WW2 clasFrank Morgan, Anita Louise, Isobel Elsom. sic of war-torn Morocco with elusive nightCooper has divorced Wright, but now she’s [ 219 ]

pregnant; entertaining little comedy with who scored big with GOODFELLAS; this stars outshining material. Filmed in 1930 time, their story is overlong, repetitive, and and 1939 as LITTLE ACCIDENT. ▼쩠 aloof. Stone makes her mark amidst a Casanova’s Big Night (1954) C-86m. ★★★ heavyweight cast with a full-blown draD: Norman Z. McLeod. Bob Hope, Joan matic performance. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Fontaine, Audrey Dalton, Basil Rathbone, Casino Royale (1967-British) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Huston, Ken Hughes, Robert Raymond Burr. Lavish costumed fun with Bob masquerading as Casanova (Vincent Parrish, Joe McGrath, Val Guest. Peter Price in an unbilled cameo role) in Venice Sellers, Ursula Andress, David Niven, Orson and wooing lovely Dalton.▼●쩠 Welles, Joanna Pettet, Woody Allen, DebCasanova ’70 (1965-French-Italian) C-113m. orah Kerr, William Holden, Charles Boyer, ★★1 John Huston, George Raft, Jean-Paul ⁄2 D: Mario Monicelli. Marcello Mastroianni,Virna Lisi,Michele Mercier, Marisa Mell, Belmondo, Jacky (Jacqueline) Bisset. GiganMarco Ferreri, Enrico Maria Salerno. Dashing tic, overdone spoof of James Bond films Major Mastroianni is only interested in seducwith Niven as the aging secret agent who ing women when there is an element of danger relinquishes his position to nephew Allen involved. Modest, though amusing.▼ and host of others. Money, money everyCasbah (1948) 94m. ★★★ D: John Berry. where, but film is terribly uneven—someTony Martin, Yvonne De Carlo, Peter times funny, often not. Good score by Burt Lorre, Marta Toren, Hugo Haas, Thomas Bacharach, including hit song ‘‘The Look Gomez, Douglas Dick, Katherine Dunham, of Love.’’ Remade in 2006. Panavision. Herbert Rudley, Virginia Gregg. If you can ▼●쩠 accept singer Martin as slippery thief Pepe Casino Royale (2006-U.S.-British-CzechGerman) C-144m. ★★★ D: Martin Campbell. Le Moko (he’s actually quite good) you’ll enjoy this musical remake of ALGIERS. Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, It’s stylishly directed and designed, and feaJudi Dench, Jeffrey Wright, Giancarlo Giantures Lorre in one of his best performances nini, Caterina Murino, Simon Abkarian, as the crafty inspector determined to nail Le Isaach De Bankole´. The James Bond franMoko. Fine score by Harold Arlen and Leo chise goes back to its roots with this installRobin includes ‘‘For Every Man There’s a ment, which shows how the secret agent got Woman’’ and ‘‘Hooray for Love.’’ Look his license to kill and pits him against a fast and you’ll spot Eartha Kitt, then one of banker funding worldwide terrorist groups. the Katherine Dunham dance troupe. ▼ A bit overextended, but also refreshingly Case of Jonathan Drew, The SEE: Lodgtough-minded, with some terrific set pieces er, The (1926) (including an adrenaline-pumping opening Casey’s Shadow (1978) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: sequence) and a worthy love interest in Martin Ritt. Walter Matthau, Alexis Smith, Green. Best of all, Craig (in his debut as Robert Webber, Murray Hamilton, Andrew 007) makes for a lean, mean, surprisingly A. Rubin, Stephan Burns, Michael Hershewe. human Bond, so good as to rival even our Generally satisfactory drama about a ne’ermemories of Sean Connery. Filmed before do-well Louisiana horse trainer (Matthau) and (as a spoof) in 1967. Followed by QUANTUM OF SOLACE. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 his three sons, as he raises a fleet but fragile quarterhorse that just may allow him his one Casper (1995) C-100m. BOMB D: Brad shot at glory. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Silberling. Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cash McCall (1959) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cathy Moriarty, Eric Idle, Amy BrenneJoseph Pevney. James Garner, Natalie man, Ben Stein, Don Novello, voices of Wood, Nina Foch, Dean Jagger, E.G. Malachi Pearson, Joe Nipote, Joe Alaskey, Marshall, Henry Jones, Otto Kruger, RoBrad Garrett. High-tech Hollywood ‘‘prodland Winters. Garner is just right as busiuct’’ takes the vintage cartoon character—a ness tycoon who adopts new set of values friendly ghost—and literalizes him in this as he romances daughter (Wood) of failing story of a dead boy whose haunted house is businessman Jagger. Superficial film from invaded by a widowed paranormalist (and Cameron Hawley novel.▼쩠 daughter) seeking the spirit of his dead wife. Casino (1995) C-182m. ★★ D: Martin Talk about family fun! Absolutely dreadful, Scorsese. Robert De Niro, Sharon Stone, Joe wrong-headed movie is strictly for families Pesci, James Woods, Don Rickles, Alan King, who are already dead from the neck up. A Kevin Pollak, L. Q. Jones, Dick Smothers, handful of surprise Hollywood cameos add Frank Vincent, Melissa Prophet, John Bloom a few fleeting laughs. Followed by two (Joe Bob Briggs). Long, tedious tale of a numDVD sequels. [PG]▼●쩠 bers-obsessed gambler sent to Las Vegas by Cassandra Crossing, The (1977-British) the mob to run a casino in the 1970s. ProbC-127m. ★★★ D: George Pan Cosmatos. lem is, neither he nor his loose-cannon pal, Richard Harris, Sophia Loren, Burt Lanwho follows him, nor the hustler he decides caster, Ava Gardner, Martin Sheen, Lee to marry has any idea how to hold on to Strasberg, O.J. Simpson, John Phillip Law, what they’ve got. Disappointing reteaming Ingrid Thulin, Alida Valli, Lionel Stander. of Scorsese and writer Nicholas Pileggi, Entertaining disaster epic as train carrying [ 220 ]

plague approaches a weakened bridge. on a deserted Pacific island. Only an actor Filmed in France and Italy. [R]▼쩠 with Hanks’ good will (and acting chops) Cassandra’s Dream (2008-U.S.-Britishcould make us care as much as we do about French) C-108m. ★★ D: Woody Allen. Ewan this survivor, who battles the elements and McGregor, Colin Farrell, Hayley Atwell, Sally struggles to retain his sanity. No narration, Hawkins, Tom Wilkinson, John Benfield, little music, just great moviemaking. ScreenClare Higgins, Phil Davis, Jim Carter. Wellplay by William F. Broyles, Jr. [PG-13]▼쩠 intentioned but flawed—and far too Castaway Cowboy, The (1974) C-91m. ★★ predictable—morality tale about British D: Vincent McEveety. James Garner, working-class brothers. Trouble simmers Vera Miles, Robert Culp, Eric Shea, Elizwhen Farrell’s gambling gets him into debt abeth Smith, Gregory Sierra. Cowboy Garand McGregor becomes smitten with a beautiner is shipwrecked on Hawaiian island, ful actress who is the definition of highruns into pretty widow and bad-guy Culp maintenance. Allen deals with issues similar who wants her land. Old B-Western plot, to those he explored more successfully in Disney-fied on Hawaiian locations. [G]▼쩠 CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS. ReCastle, The (1968-German-Swiss) C-93m. ★★★ leased overseas in 2007. [PG-13]쩠 D: Rudolf Noelte. Maximilian Schell, Cass Timberlane (1947) 119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cordula Trantow, Trudik Daniel, Helmut George Sidney. Spencer Tracy, Lana TurnQualtinger. Appropriately vague filmization er, Zachary Scott, Tom Drake, Mary Astor, of Kafka’s novel: ‘‘K’’ (Schell), a land Albert Dekker, Margaret Lindsay, John surveyor, is called to a castle for work but is unable to gain admittance.▼ Litel, Mona Barrie, Josephine Hutchinson, Rose Hobart, Selena Royle, Cameron Castle, The (1997-Australian) C-84m. ★★★ Mitchell. Ordinary adaptation of Sinclair D: Rob Sitch. Michael Caton, Anne Tenney, Lewis novel of an upright, upper-crust MinStephen Curry, Anthony Simcoe, Sophie Lee, nesota judge (Tracy) whose friends are eiWayne Hope, Tiriel Mora, Eric Bana, Charles ther corrupt or elitist and his marriage to (Bud) Tingwell. Winning low-budget comedy bright, working-class Turner (in one of her of the unsophisticated Kerrigan family, whose best performances). Walter Pidgeon appears home sits atop a toxic landfill—adjacent to an as himself in a cocktail party scene.▼ airport runway! When Dad (Caton) decides to Cast a Dark Shadow (1955-British) 84m. fight the government to keep their ramshackle ★★★ abode, watch out. Equal parts Capraesque, D: Lewis Gilbert. Dirk Bogarde, Margaret Lockwood, Kathleen Harrison, Kay goofy, and heartfelt. Conceived by several Walsh, Robert Flemyng, Mona WashAustralian radio and TV comedy hands; a bourne. Tense suspenser with Bogarde in smash in its native country. [R]▼쩠 fine form as a psychotic Bluebeard who Castle in the Sky SEE: Laputa: Castle in murders rich, aging mate Washbourne. the Sky Castle Keep (1969) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: SydLockwood and Walsh won’t be such easy prey, however.▼ ney Pollack. Burt Lancaster, Peter Falk, ★★ Cast a Giant Shadow (1966) C-142m. Patrick O’Neal, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Scott D: Melville Shavelson. Kirk Douglas, John Wilson, Al Freeman, Jr., Tony Bill, Bruce Wayne, Frank Sinatra, Yul Brynner, Senta Dern, Astrid Heeren, Michael Conrad. PreBerger, Angie Dickinson, James Donald, tentious adaptation of William Eastlake’s Luther Adler, (Chaim) Topol. Hokey bio of novel about eight soldiers on French borArab-Israeli war hero Mickey Marcus has der in WW2. Good cast, but film has no coherency. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Kirk leaving Angie’s bed to join Senta and several other less sexy freedom fighters. Castle of Blood SEE: Castle of Terror, Guest roles by big names make film seem The even sillier. Panavision.▼●쩠 Castle of Fu Manchu, The (1970-BritishCastaway (1987) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nicolas Spanish-Italian-German) 92m. BOMB D: Roeg. Oliver Reed, Amanda Donohoe, Tony Jess Franco. Christopher Lee, Richard Rickards, Todd Rippon, Georgina Hale, FranGreene, Maria Perschy, Gunther Stoll, ces Barber. Scruffy Reed advertises for a Howard Marion Crawford. Lee buries Fu ‘‘wife’’ to join him for a year on a desert island; Manchu with this one—the pits— Donohoe is the incongruously vavavoomish experimenting with more deadly potions in adventure seeker who answers it. Visually his castle near Istanbul and parrying with splendid adaptation of Lucy Irvine’s best-seller his perennial adversary, Nayland Smith seems unlikely as told, though it remains a vis(Greene) of Britain’s Home Office. Origiceral experience, particularly for Roeg fans. nally released in the U.S. as ASSIGNMENT ISTANBUL. [PG]▼쩠 Eventually overplays its hand. [R]▼ Cast Away (2000) C-143m. ★★★1⁄2 D: RobCastle of Terror, The (1964-Italianert Zemeckis. Tom Hanks, Helen Hunt, French) 85m. ★★ D: Anthony Dawson (AnNick Searcy, Lari White, Chris Noth, Jentonio Margheriti). Barbara Steele, George ifer Lewis, Wilson. A man whose job deRiviere, Margrete Robsahm, Henry Kruger, pends on organizational skills and awareness Montgomery Glenn, Sylvia Sorente. On a of time survives a plane crash and winds up wager, poet spends the night in haunted castle. [ 221 ]

Atmospheric chiller. Remade by the same gan, Serge Reggiani, Philippe Leotard, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Valerie Lagrange. director as WEB OF THE SPIDER. Aka Anyone could’ve killed wealthy Aumont, CASTLE OF BLOOD. ▼쩠 philandering husband of Morgan, and InCastle of the Living Dead (1963-Italianspector Reggiani finds out who and why. French) 90m. ★★ D: Herbert Wise (Luciano Denouement is only letdown in this deRicci). Christopher Lee, Gala Germani, lightful comedy mystery, written, directPhilippe Leroy, Jacques Stanislawski, Doned, and produced by master Lelouch. ald Sutherland. Lee is suitably cast as sinister Dazzling views of Paris and the countryCount Drago, who mummifies visitors to his side. Released here in 1978. [PG]▼ gothic castle. Unexceptional horror fare, notaCat and the Canary, The (1927) 74m. ble mainly as Sutherland’s film debut in two ★★★ D: Paul Leni. Laura LaPlante, Tully roles—one an old lady. ▼쩠 Marshall, Flora Finch, Creighton Hale, Castle of the Walking Dead SEE: TorGertrude Astor, Lucien Littlefield. Delightture Chamber of Dr. Sadism, The ful silent classic, the forerunner of all ‘‘old Castle on the Hudson (1940) 77m. ★★★ dark house’’ mysteries, with nice touch of D: Anatole Litvak. John Garfield, Pat O’Brihumor throughout as heiress LaPlante and en, Ann Sheridan, Burgess Meredith, Jenervous group spend night in haunted house. rome Cowan, Henry O’Neill, Guinn ‘‘Big Remade several times.▼●쩠 Boy’’ Williams, John Litel. Faithful but Cat and the Canary, The (1939) 74m. familiar remake of 20,000 YEARS IN SING ★★★ D: Elliott Nugent. Bob Hope, Paulette SING, with tough, stubborn hood Garfield Goddard, Gale Sondergaard, John Beal, going up against dedicated, reform-minded Douglass Montgomery, Nydia Westman, warden O’Brien.쩠 Elizabeth Patterson, George Zucco. EnterCastles in the Sky SEE: Yidl Mitn Fidl taining remake of the venerable ‘‘old dark Casual Sex? (1988) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Genhouse’’ chiller, spiced with Hope’s brand evieve Robert. Lea Thompson, Victoria Jackof humor. This film cemented his movie son, Stephen Shellen, Jerry Levine, Andrew stardom and led to the even more successful (Dice) Clay, Mary Gross. Lightweight look at scare comedy THE GHOST BREAKERS. two young women who are looking for someRemade again in 1978. thing more than a one-night stand—especially Cat and the Canary, The (1978-British) in these cautious times—and try their luck at a C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Radley Metzger. Honor health and fitness spa. Slight but engaging Blackman, Michael Callan, Edward Fox, contemporary comedy from young women’s Wendy Hiller, Olivia Hussey, Carol Lynley, point of view, adapted from the play by Peter McEnery, Wilfrid Hyde-White. EnWendy Goldman and Judy Toll. [R]▼●쩠 tertaining remake of the old-dark-house Casualties of War (1989) C-113m. ★★ D: staple, with a likable cast; reasonably faithBrian De Palma. Michael J. Fox, Sean ful to the original, with the nicest twist Penn, Don Harvey, John C. Reilly, John being Hyde-White’s method of communiLeguizamo, Thuy Thu Le, Erik King, Sam cating with his heirs. [PG]▼●쩠 Robards, Ving Rhames. Vietnam War picCat and the Fiddle, The (1934) 90m. ★★★ ture focusing on one patrol, led by off-theD: William K. Howard. Jeanette Macwall Penn, and its inhumane treatment of an Donald, Ramon Novarro, Frank Morgan, innocent Vietnamese girl. As the Voice of Charles Butterworth, Jean Hersholt. DeReason, Fox is well cast, but his clean-cut lightful Jerome Kern–Oscar Hammerstein decency gets to be a bit much; Penn and operetta, filled with sly comedy and clever Thu Le (the victim) are more effective. For ideas. Novarro is a struggling composer all its good intentions, film has a jumbled, who forces his attentions on MacDonald; detached feel to it (though it’s scripted by Morgan is ‘‘benefactor’’ who comes beplaywright David Rabe, a Vietnam veteran tween them. Songs include ‘‘The Night and author of Sticks and Bones and StreamWas Made for Love,’’ ‘‘She Didn’t Say ers). Based on a real incident detailed in Yes.’’ Final sequence is in color.▼ Daniel Lang’s New Yorker article, later pubCat Ballou (1965) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Elliot lished as a book. Extended edition also Silverstein. Jane Fonda, Lee Marvin, Michael available. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Callan, Dwayne Hickman, Tom Nardini, John Catamount Killing, The (1974-German) Marley, Reginald Denny, Jay C. Flippen, ArC-93m. ★★ D: Krzysztof Zanussi. Horst thur Hunnicutt, Bruce Cabot. Funny Western Buchholz, Ann Wedgeworth, Chip Taycomedy, with Fonda as Cat Ballou, notorious lor, Louise Clark, Patricia Joyce, Polly school-teacher-turned-outlaw. Marvin copped Holliday. German film made in Vermont an Oscar for his dual role as a drunken gunwith Polish director. Passably interesting man and his twin, a desperado with an artifistory of two small-town people who try to cial nose. Nat King Cole and Stubby Kaye pull off bank heist and then come to grips appear as strolling minstrels. Roy Chanslor’s with themselves as criminals.▼ novel was adapted by Walter Newman and Cat and Mouse (1975-French) C-107m. Frank R. Pierson.▼●쩠 ★★★1⁄2 D: Claude Lelouch. Michele MorCatch a Fire (2006-British-South African[ 222 ]

U.S.) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phillip Noyce. Tim a wonderful jazzy score by John Williams. Based on Abagnale’s book. [PG-13]▼쩠 Robbins, Derek Luke, Bonnie Henna, Catch My Soul (1974) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: PatMncedisi Shabangu, Tumisho K. Masha, rick McGoohan. Richie Havens, Lance LeSithembiso Khumalo, Terry Pheto, Marius Gault, Season Hubley, Tony Joe White, Susan Weyers. A hardworking, happily married Tyrrell, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett. Jack man in South Africa (still under apartheid Good’s rock-opera adaptation of Shakerule in the early 1980s) is wrongly accused speare’s Othello, with Havens as sanctimoof terrorist activities and tortured by a nious preacher and LeGault as his Iago, is single-minded government agent (Robbins). uninvolving, heavy-handed stuff. Some good This pushes him over the edge and causes music, but if the play’s the thing, this one him to join the freedom fighters who want doesn’t make it. Retitled: SANTA FE to overturn their government. Somewhat SATAN. [PG] simplistic story benefits from an exceptionCatch That Kid (2004) C-91m. ★★ D: Bart ally strong performance by Luke as Patrick Freundlich. Kristen Stewart, Corbin Bleu, Chamusso; Robbins’ character isn’t nearly Max Thieriot, Jennifer Beals, Sam Robards, as fleshed out. Chamusso himself appears in James Le Gros, John Carroll Lynch, Mithe film’s closing moments. Screenplay by chael Des Barres. Twelve-year-old climbing Shawn Slovo, who also wrote A WORLD enthusiast Stewart and her two male best APART. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 friends (and preteen romantic rivals) break Catch and Release (2007) C-112m. ★★ D: into a bank’s high-security vault, 100 feet off Susannah Grant. Jennifer Garner, Timothy the ground, hoping to steal enough money to Olyphant, Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger, Juliette pay for experimental surgery for her father. Lewis, Joshua Friesen, Fiona Shaw, Tina LifKids will enjoy the story and visual effects, ford, Georgia Craig. Generally uninvolving though result is more video game than feadrama about a young woman whose fiance´ ture film—and parents may question its dudies suddenly, leaving behind a boatload of bious ethics. Remake of a 2002 Danish film secrets. As each revelation makes her anhit, KLATRETØSEN. [PG] ▼쩠 grier, she begins to loosen up and accept Catch-22 (1970) C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike new possibilities in her life, including roNichols. Alan Arkin, Martin Balsam, Richard mance. Garner valiantly tries to lift this lifeBenjamin, Arthur (Art) Garfunkel, Jack Gilless material above the TV-movie level but ford, Buck Henry, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perthe endless banter sinks it. Smith’s character kins, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, has a sitcom-style retort for any situation. Orson Welles, Bob Balaban, Marcel Dalio, Feature directing debut for writer Grant Norman Fell, Charles Grodin, Austin Pendle(ERIN BROCKOVICH, IN HER SHOES). ton, Peter Bonerz, Elizabeth Wilson. Long, laSuper 35. [PG-13]쩠 bored, expensive film of Joseph Heller’s book ★★1 Cat Chaser (1989) C-90m. ⁄2 D: Abel halfway succeeds in capturing surrealist inFerrara. Kelly McGillis, Peter Weller, Fredsanity of WW2 Army life. Heavy-handedness eric Forrest, Charles Durning, Tomas spoils potential; good cast tries its best. Script Milian, Juan Fernandez. Wordy political by costar Henry. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 thriller based on Elmore Leonard’s novel Catch Us If You Can SEE: Having a about an ex-soldier reuniting with old flame Wild Weekend whose husband happens to be the head of the Catered Affair, The (1956) 93m. ★★★ D: secret police in Santo Domingo. Some decent Richard Brooks. Bette Davis, Ernest Borgperformances, but film is often confusing and nine, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Fitzgerald, dull. Never released theatrically. Alternate, Rod Taylor. Davis sheds all glamour as unrated version runs 92m. [R]▼쩠 Bronx taxi driver’s wife wanting to give Catch Me a Spy SEE: To Catch a Spy daughter ritzy wedding. Gore Vidal’s script Catch Me If You Can (2002) C-141m. based on Paddy Chayefsky TV play. Also ★★★ D: Steven Spielberg. Leonardo DiCaprio, shown in computer-colored version. Later a Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Broadway musical. ▼ Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams, James Cat From Outer Space, The (1978) Brolin, Brian Howe, Jennifer Garner, Ellen C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Tokar. Ken Pompeo, Elizabeth Banks. In the 1960s, Frank Berry, Sandy Duncan, McLean Stevenson, Abagnale, Jr., not unlike Ferdinand Demara Harry Morgan, Roddy McDowall, Ronnie in THE GREAT IMPOSTOR, manages to Schell. Kids will probably like this Discon his way into a variety of jobs (airline ney fantasy-comedy, though it holds few pilot, surgeon, lawyer) using glibness, smarts, surprises: cat from another world seeks help and knowledge of forgery . . . while FBI agent from U.S. scientists to repair his spaceship, Hanks spends years tracking him. Brightly but military protocol and enemy spying get told for a story with so many dark undertones, in the way. Coincidentally, plot has many with charismatic star performances and a movsimilarities to later E.T.! [G] ▼●쩠 ing turn by Walken as DiCaprio’s ne’er-doCatherine & Co. (1975-French-Italian) well father. Yet when the long tale is over, it C-99m. ★★ D: Michel Boisrond. Jane Birkin, has no resonance. Striking animated titles and Patrick Dewaere, Jean-Pierre Aumont, [ 223 ]

Vittorio Caprioli, Jean-Claude Brialy. Slight Ruby Dee, Ed Begley, Jr., Scott Paulin, sexual comedy about young girl who beJohn Larroquette. Virginal Kinski moves comes prostitute and decides to incorpoin with brother McDowell, a ‘‘cat man,’’ rate herself. TV prints run 84m. [R]▼ and falls in love with zoo curator Heard as Cathy Tippel SEE: Keetje Tippel a black panther rampages through commu★1 Cat in the Hat, The (2003) C-82m. ⁄2 D: nity. Sexy, bloody, technically well crafted, Bo Welch. Mike Myers, Kelly Preston, Alec but uneven and ultimately unsatisfying; Baldwin, Dakota Fanning, Spencer Breslin, Schrader seems more concerned with camera Sean Hayes, Amy Hill, Clint Howard, Paris angles and nudity than coherent storyline. Loosely based on the 1942 film. [R]▼●쩠 Hilton. A brother and sister spend an eventful day in the company of a magical cat while Cats & Dogs (2001) C-87m. ★★ D: Lawtheir single mom is off at work. Brightly rence Guterman. Jeff Goldblum, Elizabeth colored adaptation of the beloved rhyming Perkins, Alexander Pollock, Miriam Margobook for young children is a betrayal of lyes; voices of Tobey Maguire, Alec Baldwin, everything Dr. Seuss ever stood for, inSean Hayes, Susan Sarandon, Joe Pantoliano, jecting potty humor and adult (wink-wink) Michael Clarke Duncan, Jon Lovitz, Charlton jokes into its mixture of heavy-handed slapHeston, Salome Jens. Beagle puppy is stick and silliness. Hayes also provides the adopted by the family of a scientist trying to voice of The Fish. Officially known as DR. invent something that will end humankind’s SEUSS’ THE CAT IN THE HAT, which is allergies to dogs. The cats (led by Blofeld-like an official insult. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 Mr. Tinkles) are out to stop this, opposed by a Catlow (1971) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam spy network of dogs. Good premise (executed Wanamaker. Yul Brynner, Richard Crenna, with a variety of special effects) is undone Leonard Nimoy, Daliah Lavi, Jo Ann Pflug, by an uneven blend of silliness and heavyJeff Corey. Outlaw tries to avoid interferhandedness. Cat lovers be warned: top billing isn’t everything. [PG] ▼쩠 ence on his way to $2 million gold robbery. Basically a comedy, with a surprisingly Cats Don’t Dance (1997) C-75m. ★1⁄2 D: ebullient Brynner. Based on a Louis Mark Dindal. Voices of Scott Bakula, Jasmine Guy, Natalie Cole, Ashley Peldon, Kathy NajL’Amour novel. [PG]▼쩠 Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) C-108m. imy, John Rhys-Davies, George Kennedy, ★★★1⁄2 D: Richard Brooks. Elizabeth Taylor, Rene Auberjonois, Hal Holbrook, Don Knotts, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, Jack Carson, Betty Lou Gerson. Fairly dreary cartoon feaJudith Anderson, Madeleine Sherwood, ture about a wide-eyed cat from Kokomo who Larry Gates. Southern patriarch Ives learns goes to Hollywood to star in musical movies, he is dying; his greedy family, except for circa 1939. What he finds instead is a town son Newman, falls all over itself sucking full of cynics and broken dreams. The villain up to him. Tennessee Williams’ classic is a hyper-bratty child star who hates animals. study of ‘‘mendacity’’ comes to the screen That’s entertainment? Unmemorable songs by somewhat laundered but still packing a Randy Newman. Gene Kelly served as a choreography consultant. [G]▼●쩠 wallop; entire cast is sensational. Adaptation by Brooks and James Poe. Remade in Cat’s Eye (1985) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Lewis 1983 for TV. ▼●쩠 Teague. Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Cat o’ Nine Tails, The (1971-ItalianAlan King, Kenneth McMillan, Robert German-French) C-112m. ★★ D: Dario ArHays, Candy Clark, James Naughton, Pagento. Karl Malden, James Franciscus, tricia Kalember, Charles Dutton. Trio of Catherine Spaak, Cinzia De Carolis, Carlo heavy-handed Stephen King stories, short on Alighiero. Early Argento horror hit has irony, long on mean-spiritedness. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Malden as ex-reporter, now blind, who persuades newsman Franciscus to join him in Cat’s Meow, The (2001-German-British) hunt for a crazed killer. Good atmosphere C/B&W-112m. ★★★ D: Peter Bogdanovich. in uneven story, hurt by terrible dubbing. Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann, Cary Techniscope. [PG] ▼쩠 Elwes, Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley, Victor Cat People (1942) 73m. ★★★ D: Jacques Slezak, Jennifer Tilly, James Laurenson, Tourneur. Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Claudia Harrison. Entertaining speculation Tom Conway, Jack Holt, Jane Randolph. about the doings on William Randolph Storyline and plot elements don’t hold up, but Hearst’s yacht in November of 1924, inmoments of shock and terror are undimincluding an unrequited love by Charlie ished in the first of producer Val Lewton’s Chaplin (Izzard) for Marion Davies (Dunst) famous horror films. Smith falls in love with and the murder of down-and-out producer strange, shy woman (Simon) who fears anThomas Ince (Elwes). Well shot and well cient curse of the panther inside her. Folcast; Herrmann is an ideal Hearst, and Izlowed by THE CURSE OF THE CAT zard is persuasive as Chaplin. Steven Peros’ script (based on his play) captures the spirit PEOPLE. Remade in 1982.▼●쩠 ★★ Cat People (1982) C-118m. of the time, but the events portrayed are D: Paul Schrader. Nastassia Kinski, Malcolm Mcstrictly from his imagination. [R]▼쩠 Dowell, John Heard, Annette O’Toole, Cat’s-Paw, The (1934) 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam [ 224 ]

Taylor. Harold Lloyd, Una Merkel, George las Fowley, Susan Morrow. All-star cast Barbier, Alan Dinehart, Grace Bradley, in tacky sci-fi entry about a moon expedition Nat Pendleton. Harold is a missionary’s that discovers female civilization and its unson, raised in China; he comes to U.S. a derground empire. Originally shown in 3-D; babe in the woods, is duped into running aka ROCKET TO THE MOON. Remade as MISSILE TO THE MOON.▼쩠 for mayor in big city by corrupt politicos who regard him as perfect patsy. Odd Caught (1949) 88m. ★★★ D: Max Ophuls. Capraesque comedy ends with strange deJames Mason, Barbara Bel Geddes, Robert nouement where Lloyd takes law into his Ryan, Frank Ferguson, Curt Bois, Natalie own hands. A real curio. 쩠 Schafer. Compelling, intelligent story of Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1980) young girl who marries powerful millionC-95m. ★★★ D: Lamont Johnson. Burt aire, tries to escape her shallow existence Lancaster, Rod Steiger, Amanda Plummer, with him. Fine performances, skilled direction by Ophuls.▼ Diane Lane, John Savage, Scott Glenn, Michael Conrad. Very pleasant little WestCaught (1996) C-109m. ★★★ D: Robert M. ern, which was thrown away by its distribYoung. Edward James Olmos, Maria Conutor, Universal. In 1893, Eastern girls chita Alonso, Arie Verveen, Bitty Schram, Plummer (Annie) and Lane (Britches) join Steven Schub. Tension-packed, if somewhat remnants of the Doolin-Dalton gang and infamiliar, film noir about long-married couple spire them to pull a few more jobs. Winning whose relationship is disrupted when a drifter cast, including Plummer in film debut. (Verveen) comes to live with the couple and Based on Robert Ward’s novel. [PG] work in their fish store; then their married son Cattle Drive (1951) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kurt (Schub) arrives on the scene. This POSTNeumann. Joel McCrea, Dean Stockwell, MAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE variation Leon Ames, Chill Wills. Stockwell does has atmosphere to spare; sharply acted and well in role of bratty teenager who learns scripted (by Edward Pomerantz, based on his a sense of values from veteran cowhand novel Into It). [R]▼●쩠 McCrea on arduous cow drive. Caught in the Draft (1941) 82m. ★★★ D: Cattle King (1963) C-88m. ★★ D: Tay David Butler. Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour, Garnett. Robert Taylor, Joan Caulfield, Lynne Overman, Eddie Bracken. The last Robert Loggia, Robert Middleton, Larry thing movie star Hope wants is to get Gates, Malcolm Atterbury. Control of grazdrafted, but he accidentally enlists himing land subject of standard Western conself. Very funny service comedy.▼쩠 frontation saga, Taylor and Middleton squarCaught Up (1998) C-95m. BOMB D: ing off in forgettable drama. Metroscope. Darin Scott. Bokeem Woodbine, Cynda Cattle Queen of Montana (1954) C-88m. Williams, Jeffrey Combs, Tony Todd, Snoop ★★1 ⁄2 D: Allan Dwan. Barbara Stanwyck, Doggy Dogg, LL Cool J, Michael (Clarke) Ronald Reagan, Gene Evans, Lance FullDuncan. Witless blaxploitation/film noir about er, Anthony Caruso, Jack Elam. Stanwyck an ex-con (Woodbine) who falls back into battles to protect her livestock and propL.A.’s underworld when he gets involved with erty from plundering by Indians—and a a sexy psychic (Williams) who’s a dead ringer ruthless villain (Evans). Reagan plays secfor his ex-wife (also Williams). Marked by ond fiddle to feisty Stanwyck here—but convoluted plotting, gross stereotypes, and they’re both done in by mediocre script. cameos by star rappers (Snoop plays a drug Beautiful scenery helps.▼●쩠 courier named Cool Kitty Kat—get it?). That’s Catwoman (2004) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Pitof. CANDYMAN’s Tony Todd as a malevolent Halle Berry, Benjamin Bratt, Sharon Stone, parole officer and RE-ANIMATOR’s Jeffrey Lambert Wilson, Frances Conroy, Alex Combs as a Shakespeare-quoting eunuch seBorstein, Michael Massee, Byron Mann. curity guard. [R] ▼●쩠 Meek employee of a big cosmetics firm is Cauldron of Blood (1967-Spanish-U.S.) Cmurdered when she overhears incriminating 95m. ★1⁄2 D: Edward Mann (Santos Alcocer). evidence about a new face cream with grueBoris Karloff, Viveca Lindfors, Jean-Pierre some side effects . . . but instead of dying Aumont, Jacqui Speed, Rosenda Monteros. she’s resurrected as Catwoman and tries to Sordid, sleep-inducing tale of blind sculptor bring the guilty parties to justice. Nonsensi(Karloff) whose skeletal models are actually cal story concept, illogical in the extreme, victims of his murdering wife. Also known sets up impossible relationships and gives as BLIND MAN’S BLUFF. Filmed in widescreen Panoramica. [PG]▼ us a ‘‘heroine’’ who’s scarcely worth rooting for. Berry does her best; Stone manages Cause for Alarm! (1951) 74m. ★★★ D: to be dull even while parodying herself as Tay Garnett. Loretta Young, Barry Sullivan, the lethal wife of the cosmetics manufacBruce Cowling, Margalo Gillmore, Carl turer. Based on the D.C. comic book. Super Switzer, Richard Anderson. Simple, effective thriller with Young registering as the panic35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Cat-Women of the Moon (1954) 64m. stricken wife of psychotic Sullivan. Tension ★1⁄2 D: Arthur Hilton. Sonny Tufts, Victor builds, and there’s a neat plot twist.▼●쩠 Jory, Marie Windsor, Bill Phipps, DougCavalcade (1933) 110m. ★★★★ D: Frank [ 225 ]

Lloyd. Diana Wynyard, Clive Brook, Herbert ple, satisfying tale not unlike LITTLE Mundin, Ursula Jeans, Margaret Lindsay, HOUSE ON THE STEPPES. Written by Beryl Mercer, Una O’Connor, Billy Bevan, the director. Cute pooch. [G]쩠 Frank Lawton. Lavish Hollywood adaptation Cavern, The (1966) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edgar of Noel Coward’s London stage success G. Ulmer. Rosanna Schiaffino, John Saxon, (which may remind many of TV’s Upstairs, Brian Aherne, Peter L. Marshall, Larry Downstairs) chronicling two English families Hagman, Hans Von Borsody. Six soldiers from eve of the 20th century to early 1930s. are trapped for over a year in a cavern with Nostalgic, richly atmospheric, but also sharply Schiaffino, but plot contrivance isn’t hancritical of war and the aftershocks that brought dled badly in above-average programmer. an end to a wonderful way of life. Oscar winThe prolific director’s swan song. CB4 (1993) C-88m. ★★ D: Tamra Davis. ner for Best Picture, Best Director, and ‘‘Interior Decoration’’ (it is handsome).▼ Chris Rock, Allen Payne, Deezer D, Chris Cavalry Charge SEE: Last Outpost, The Elliott, Phil Hartman, Charlie Murphy, (1951) Khandi Alexander, Arthur Evans, Theresa Cave, The (2005-U.S.-German) C-97m. Randle, Willard E. Pugh, Stoney Jackson, ★1 ⁄2 D: Bruce Hunt. Cole Hauser, Morris La Wanda Page. Group of middle-class Chestnut, Lena Headey, Piper Perabo, Eddie guys, led by Rock (who also cowrote the Cibrian, Rick Ravanello, Marcel Iures, film), takes on a tough, prisonlike persona Kieran Darcy-Smith, Daniel Dae Kim. Someto form a rap group called Cell Block 4— where below Romania, a team of professional which leads to complications when they get cave divers gets trapped underground, often mistaken for the real thing. Mildly amusing underwater, stalked by a CGI band of flying satirical look at the world of Gangsta Rap— is no THIS IS SPINAL TAP. [R]▼●쩠 people-eaters. Good-looking production tries to float a fully foreseeable plot and to buoy C.C. and Company (1970) C-88m. ★1⁄2 its endlessly bickering characters, but it’s a D: Seymour Robbie. Joe Namath, Annpretty underwhelming cross between JAWS Margret, William Smith, Jennifer Billingand ALIEN. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 sley, Teda Bracci, Greg Mullavey, Sid Cave Dwellers SEE: Blade Master, The Haig, Bruce Glover, Wayne Cochran & 1 ★★ Caveman (1981) C-92m. The C.C. Riders. Broadway Joe gets sacked ⁄2 D: Carl Gottlieb. Ringo Starr, Barbara Bach, John in his first starring role as a motorcyclist Matuszak, Shelley Long, Dennis Quaid, who tangles with Smith’s biker gang while Avery Schreiber, Jack Gilford. Stoned-age trying (not very hard) to fight off Annspoof follows prehistoric Starr’s adventures Margret’s advances. Bracci’s comedy rein One Zillion B.C. as a misfit who forms his lief is principal virtue, but the big laughs own tribe, which is composed of outcasts are unintentional. Produced by Roger Smith from other caves. Dum-dum comedy saved (who also wrote the screenplay) and Allan by fantastic (and funny) special-effects diCarr. Aka CHROME HEARTS. [PG— nosaurs created by Jim Danforth and David edited from original R rating] ▼쩠 Allen. [PG]▼●쩠 Cease Fire (1985) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Caveman’s Valentine, The (2001) C-105m. Nutter. Don Johnson, Lisa Blount, Robert ★1⁄2 D: Kasi Lemmons. Samuel L. Jackson, F. Lyons, Richard Chaves, Rick Richards, Colm Feore, Ann Magnuson, Aunjanue Chris Noel. Earnest drama about Vietnam Ellis, Rodney Eastman, Tamara Tunie, Jay vet who’s still haunted by his experiences Rodan, Anthony Michael Hall. A once15 years later and unwilling to acknowledge brilliant piano student now lives as a deluthat he has a problem. Sincere, poignant sional hermit in an N.Y.C. cave, but turns at times, but dramatically uneven. George detective to help solve a murder that takes Fernandez adapted script from his one-act place in the park outside his dwelling. play. [R]▼ Strange, unappealing film has almost nothCecil B. Demented (2000-U.S.-French) Cing to recommend it. Screenplay by George 88m. ★1⁄2 D: John Waters. Stephen Dorff, Dawes Green, based on his well-regarded Melanie Griffith, Adrian Grenier, Alicia novel. [R]▼쩠 Witt, Larry Gilliard, Jr., Maggie Gyllenhaal, Cave of the Yellow Dog, The (2006Jack Noseworthy, Mike (Michael) Shannon, Harriet Dodge, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst, German-Mongolian) C-89m. ★★★ D: Byambasuren Davaa. Urjindorj Batchuluun, BuyanRicki Lake, Roseanne, Kevin Nealon, Eric dulam D. Batchuluun, Nansal Batchuluun, Roberts. Dorff is a guerrilla film director Nansalmaa Batchuluun, Batbayar Batchuwho masterminds the kidnapping of a prima luun. Poignant family drama about a little donna movie star and uses her to conduct a girl and her puppy who live in a yurt in the war on the blandness of mainstream movMongolian valleys, where cowpies are her ies. Noisy, frenetic, unfunny effort from the usually amusing Waters. [R]▼쩠 toys, wolves kill livestock, vultures circle, and the anonymous big city beckons. NonCeiling Zero (1936) 95m. ★★★ D: Howard professionals sincerely enact the ethnoHawks. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, June graphic details of daily life—child care, Travis, Stuart Erwin, Barton MacLane, making cheese, sheep skinning—in a simIsabel Jewell. Irresponsible mail flier [ 226 ]

Cagney causes no end of grief for old pal (if a bit overlong) comedy-drama-fantasy. (and boss) O’Brien, especially when he Scripted by Berto, Labourier, Ogier, Pisier, sets his sights on young pilot Travis. TypiRivette, and Eduardo de Gregorio, based on short stories by Henry James.▼ cally machine-gun-paced Hawks drama belies its stage origins; one of the best Cell, The (2000) C-107m. ★★★ D: Tarsem Cagney-O’Brien vehicles. Based on the play Singh. Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vinby Frank ‘‘Spig’’ Wead; remade as INcent D’Onofrio, Jake Weber, Dylan Baker, TERNATIONAL SQUADRON.▼ Marianne Jean-Baptiste, James Gammon, Celebration, The (1998-Danish) C-101m. Patrick Bauchau. Genuinely creepy film ★★★1 about an experimental program in which ⁄2 D: Thomas Vinterberg. Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen, psychologist Lopez is able to enter the Paprika Steen, Birthe Neumann, Trine Dyrminds of her catatonic patients. FBI agent holm. A prodigal son’s return for his prosVaughn prevails upon her to help him catch perous father’s sixtieth birthday party sets the sick serial killer D’Onofrio. Full of arstage for a dysfunctional family reunion in the resting—but often distressing—images; not Danish countryside. Harsh, sardonically hufor the squeamish. Followed by a direct-tomorous look at the dark side of relationships— DVD sequel. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 and hidden skeletons. Strongly scripted by the Cellular (2004) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: David R. director (who also has a bit as a cab driver) Ellis. Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, William and Mogens Rukov, under the ‘‘pure cinH. Macy, Eric Christian Olsen, Jessica Biel, ema’’ rules of Dogma 95. [R]▼쩠 Jason Statham, Richard Burgi, Eddie DrisCelebration at Big Sur (1971) C-82m. ★★ coll, Adam Taylor Gordon, Noah EmmerD: Baird Bryant, Johanna Demetrakas. Joan ich. Not-bad thriller in which science Baez, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, teacher Basinger is kidnapped and imprisJoni Mitchell, John Sebastian, Mimi Farioned in an attic. A cell phone is her only n˜a. Lesser folk-rock documentary, filmed link to the outside world, and when a at 1969 Big Sur Festival, suffers from stranger answers her call, she tries to conpoor production values. Baez is highlighted, vince the young surfer-slacker (Evans) to singing ‘‘I Shall Be Released,’’ ‘‘Song for help her. Entertaining enough, as long as David,’’ etc. [PG] you ignore the many plot holes; Macy is a Celebrity (1998) 114m. ★★ D: Woody Allen. big plus as a cop. Based on a story by Larry Kenneth Branagh, Judy Davis, Joe Mantegna, Cohen, who also wrote PHONE BOOTH. Leonardo DiCaprio, Winona Ryder, Charlize Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Theron, Hank Azaria, Melanie Griffith, Famke Celluloid Closet, The (1995) C-102m. ★★★ Janssen, Michael Lerner, Bebe Neuwirth, D: Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman. Narrated Larry Pine, Marian Seldes, Andre Gregory, by Lily Tomlin. Entertaining, insightful Gretchen Mol, Dylan Baker, Sam Rockwell, look at homosexuality as reflected in movAllison Janney, Celia Weston, Aida Turturro, ies. Well-chosen clips are sandwiched by Kate Burton, Patti D’Arbanville, Debra Messinterviews with many actors and filmmakers ing, Donna Hanover, Karen Duffy, Isaac Miz(Whoopi Goldberg, Tony Curtis, Harvey rahi, Jeffrey Wright. Branagh becomes Woody Fierstein, Arthur Laurents, Shirley MacLaine, Allen in this rambling look at a neurotic N.Y. Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Mart Crowley, magazine writer, his messed-up love life and John Schlesinger). One highlight: Gore Vidal career. Allen is coasting here, with an attractive revealing the gay subtext in his screenplay cast, some amusing moments, but nothing for BEN-HUR. Tomlin coexecutive-produced. [R]▼●쩠 much to say. Davis is, as always, incredibly good. Shot in black-and-white by Sven NykCeltic Pride (1996) C-91m. BOMB D: Tom vist. [R] ▼●쩠 De Cerchio. Damon Wayans, Daniel Stern, Celeste (1981-German) C-107m. ★★★ D: Dan Aykroyd, Gail O’Grady, Adam HenderPercy Adlon. Eva Mattes, Jurgen Arndt, shott, Paul Guilfoyle, Deion Sanders, ChristoNorbert Wartha, Wolf Euba, Leo Barpher McDonald. Two obsessed Boston Celtics dischewski. Slow-moving but stunningly fans drunkenly kidnap the arrogant star of the photographed and detailed account of the rival basketball team to ensure that theirs wins relationship between Marcel Proust (Arndt) the championship. Might have worked as a and his devoted housekeeper (Mattes). wild farce, but in this ‘‘realistic’’ comic mode, Based on the real Celeste’s memoirs.▼ it’s a disaster, with repellent characters, leaden Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974 pacing, and no laughs. [PG-13]▼●쩠 French) C-193m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jacques Rivette. Cement Garden, The (1992-GermanJuliet Berto, Dominique Labourier, Bulle British-French) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew Ogier, Marie-France Pisier, Barbet Schroeder, Birkin. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Andrew RobNathalie Ansar. Librarian Julie (Labourier) ertson, Sinead Cusack, Hanns Zischler, Alice strikes up a friendship with magician Celine Coulthard, Ned Birkin, Jochen Horst. Strange, (Berto), who tells her of a mythical haunted complex account of the way four young sibhouse, which the two visit; they eventually lings react to the death of their parents (and become involved in the ‘‘lives’’ of the ghosts go about hiding the demise of their mom)— who reside there. Eerie, thoroughly entrancing with youthful bewilderment, erotic anxiety, [ 227 ]

and clandestine yearning. Vivid, but also terriincluding no sex. But his fantasy vision of bly affected. The director (who scripted, from her, and her illusion of having control, colIan McEwan’s novel) is Gainsbourg’s uncle, lide with reality as they begin to have genuand Ned Birkin’s father.▼쩠 ine feelings for each other. Intense and Cemetery Club, The (1992) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 intimate drama about sexual relationships, D: Bill Duke. Ellen Burstyn, Olympia Duwith compelling performances by the two kakis, Diane Ladd, Danny Aiello, Lainie leads. Unrated version runs 88m. ▼쩠 Kazan, Jeff Howell, Christina Ricci, Bernie Center Stage (2000) C-113m. ★★ D: NichCasey, Robert Costanzo, Wallace Shawn, olas Hytner. Amanda Schull, Zoe¨ Saldana, Louis Guss. The friendship of three women (all Susan May Pratt, Peter Gallagher, Donna Jewish, all played—none too persuasively— Murphy, Debra Monk, Ethan Stiefel, Sascha by Gentiles) is underscored by the loss of Radetsky, Shakiem Evans. Routine backstage their husbands, until one of them enters into a soaper about young students at a prestigious tentative relationship with a man. Burstyn is a N.Y.C. ballet company, focusing on a plucky joy to watch, but Dukakis’ and Ladd’s caricastarlet’s infatuation with the company’s tured performances throw modestly entertaincocky male lead (American Ballet Theater ing film off-balance. Ivan Menchell adapted star Stiefel). Lots of Broadway pedigree behis own play, though comic writer Marshall hind the scenes, including choreography by Brickman has ‘‘production consultant’’ credit. Tony Award–winner Susan Stroman, but Jerry Orbach and Lee Richardson appear unthis plays like Dawson’s Creek in Capezios. billed as husbands. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Only a couple of the dance set pieces really Cemetery Girls SEE: Velvet Vampire, The fly. Fun cameo from ex-Chorus Line hoofer Cemetery Man (1995-U.S.-Italian) CPriscilla Lopez. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 100m. ★★ D: Michele Soavi. Rupert Everett, Francois Hadji-Lazaro, Anna Falchi, SteCentral Park Drifter SEE: Graveyard fano Masciarelli, Mickey Knox. Zombies Shift (1989) rise from the dead a week after their demise, Central Station (1998-Brazilian-French) and it’s ‘‘Cemetery Man’s’’ job to kill them C-107m. ★★★ D: Walter Salles. Fernanda again, with the assistance of a grotesque Montenegro, Vinicius de Oliveira, Marilia mute companion. Based on an Italian comic Peˆra, Soˆia Lira, Othon Bastos, Ota´vio Aubook series, Dylan Dog, a promising congusto, Stela Freitas. A woman who writes letcept becomes overwhelming and repetitive. ters for the illiterate at Rio de Janeiro’s central At times outrageous, funny, sexy, and distrain station feels obliged to help a 9-year-old gusting, with a startlingly enigmatic and fasboy whose mother has just been killed. The cinating ending. [R]▼●쩠 two form an unlikely bond and journey to a Centennial Summer (1946) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 remote area of Brazil to try to find his father. D: Otto Preminger. Jeanne Crain, Cornel Predictable on one level, but extremely well Wilde, Linda Darnell, William Eythe, Waldone, with a shining performance by Monteter Brennan, Constance Bennett, Dorothy negro (one of Brazil’s leading actresses) and Gish. Leisurely, plush musical of Philanewcomer de Oliveira. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 delphia Exposition of 1876, with sisters Century (1994-British) C-112m. ★★ D: SteCrain and Darnell both after handsome phen Poliakoff. Charles Dance, Miranda Wilde; nice Jerome Kern score helps. Richardson, Clive Owen, Robert Stephens, Centerfold Girls, The (1974) C-93m. Lena Headey, Neil Stuke, Joan Hickson, ★1 ⁄2 D: John Peyser. Andrew Prine, TifFiona Walker. Romantic drama set in turn-offany Bolling, Aldo Ray, Ray Danton, Franthe-century London examines the relationcine York, Jeremy Slate, Mike Mazurki, ships of three very different people as the VicDan Seymour. Fine cast of familiar faces torian era dissolves into the 20th century and helps routine tale of psycho Prine killing the world becomes a different place. Mildly pinup girls. [R]▼ involving period piece, but top-notch cast Center of the Web (1992) C-88m. ★★ D: can’t breathe life into a premise that doesn’t quite come off.▼ David A. Prior. Robert Davi, Charlene Tilton, Ted Prior, Tony Curtis, Bo HopCeremony, The (1963) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: kins, William Zipp, Graham Timbes, Eric Laurence Harvey. Laurence Harvey, Sarah Stenson, Charles Napier. Hired killer is Miles, Robert Walker, Jr., John Ireland, murdered, and government agents force a Ross Martin, Lee Patterson, Noel Purcell. man who looks just like him to pose as the Mishmash about convicted killer rescued dead bad-guy. Or is that what’s really by brother who demands liaison with sistergoing on? Complicated plot, smoothly diin-law as reward. rected, but of no real distinction. [R]▼●쩠 Certain Fury (1985) C-87m. BOMB D: Center of the World, The (2001) C-86m. Stephen Gyllenhaal. Tatum O’Neal, Irene ★★★ D: Wayne Wang. Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Cara, Nicholas Campbell, George Murdock, Parker, Carla Gugino, Balthazar Getty, Alisha Moses Gunn, Peter Fonda. Atrocious film Klass. Millionaire computer nerd hires a stripabout two girls on the lam, featuring a pair of per to accompany him to Las Vegas for a Academy Award winners (as the ads proweekend—after she sets strict ground rules, claimed) giving two of the worst perfor[ 228 ]

mances in recent memory. Made in Canada. Brown. Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Otto [R]▼● Kruger, Stuart Erwin, Una O’Connor, Akim Certain Smile, A (1958) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 Tamiroff. Chic formula MGM love trianD: Jean Negulesco. Rossano Brazzi, Joan gle with Crawford torn between love for Fontaine, Bradford Dillman, Christine Carere. Gable and married lover Kruger. Watch Franc¸oise Sagan’s novella becomes overblown for Mickey Rooney splashing in a swimsoap opera. Romance between Parisian stuming pool.▼쩠 dents Dillman (in film debut) and Carere interChained Heat (1983-U.S.-German) Crupted when she is beguiled by roue´ Brazzi; 95m. BOMB D: Paul Nicolas. Linda Blair, chic Fontaine is wasted. CinemaScope. John Vernon, Sybil Danning, Tamara Cervantes SEE: Young Rebel Dobson, Stella Stevens, Louisa Moritz, Cesar (1936-French) 117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: MarNita Talbot, Michael Callan, Henry Silva, cel Pagnol. Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Orane Edy Williams. Innocent Blair finds herself Demazis, Charpin, Andre Fouche, Alida in a prison where the warden has a hot tub Rouffe. Fanny’s son (Fouche), now grown, in his office. Strictly for the grind-house learns that his father is Marius (Fresnay), crowd on 42nd Street. Followed by not Panisse (Charpin). Raimu steals the CHAINED HEAT 2. [R]▼● film in the title role, particularly when he Chain Lightning (1950) 94m. ★★ D: Stuart gives a poignant discourse on death. Third Heisler. Humphrey Bogart, Eleanor Parker, of Pagnol’s trilogy, preceded by MARIUS Raymond Massey, Richard Whorf. After and FANNY. All three were the basis of WW2, bomber pilot Bogart becomes a test the play and movie FANNY (1961).▼●쩠 pilot for jet manufacturer Massey. Some roCe´sar and Rosalie (1972-French-Italianmantic rivalry over Parker with inventor German) C-104m. ★★★ D: Claude Sautet. Whorf is as low-key as the rest of this bland, Yves Montand, Romy Schneider, Sami uninvolving movie.▼● Frey, Umberto Orsini, Eva Marie Meineke, Chain of Desire (1992) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Isabelle Huppert. Appealing stars in typically Temistocles Lopez. Malcolm McDowell, French story of a menage a` trois relationship Linda Fiorentino, Kevin Conroy, Seymour (a woman and her two lovers) and how it Cassel, Assumpta Serna, Elias Koteas, changes over the years. [R]▼●쩠 Angel Aviles, Patrick Bauchau, Grace ZaC’est la Vie (1990-French) C-97m. ★★★ briskie, Tim Guinee, Jamie Harrold. PompD: Diane Kurys. Nathalie Baye, Julie ous reworking of LA RONDE, set in the era Bataille, Candice Lefranc, Richard Berry, of AIDS and chronicling various out-of-theJean-Pierre Bacri, Zabou. Autobiographiordinary sexual encounters among a group cal coming-of-age chronicle, strikingly simof shallow, jaded Manhattanites. Almost unbearably bad at times.▼ ilar to Kurys’ PEPPERMINT SODA, about a 13-year-old girl (Bataille) and her expeChain of Fools (2000) C-96m. BOMB D: riences one long-ago summer at a beach Traktor. Steve Zahn, Salma Hayek, Jeff resort. Despite the familiarity of theme, Goldblum, Elijah Wood, David Cross, Tom the film is provocative and charming. A Wilkinson, Orlando Jones, Kevin Corrigan, sequel—or, more precisely, companion David Hyde Pierce, Lara Flynn Boyle, piece—to ENTRE NOUS, which must be Craig Ferguson, Michael Rapaport. Wimpy seen to fully appreciate the character of the barber accidentally kills a hoodlum, then girl’s mother (here Nathalie Baye, in ENTRE decides to purloin the valuable coins the NOUS, Isabelle Huppert). Panavision.쩠 guy has just stolen. Woeful, would-be farce Cet Amour-la` (2002-French) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 might be better described as CHAIN OF D: Jose´e Dayan. Jeanne Moreau, Aymeric OBNOXIOUS IDIOTS. At one point WilDemarigny, Christiane Rorato, Sophie Millkinson moans, ‘‘How did I ever get into this eron, Justine Le´vy, Stanislas Sauphanor, Dimess?’’ Indeed. Traktor is the name of a dier Lesour, Tanya Lopert. Ambitious but Swedish collective, so no one person can be uneven depiction of the multilayered relablamed for this. Released direct to video in tionship between writer-filmmaker Marguethe U.S. [R] 쩠 rite Duras (Moreau) and Yann Andre´a Chain Reaction (1980-Australian) C-87m. ★★1 (Demarigny), a student almost four decades ⁄2 D: Ian Barry. Steve Bisley, Arnaher junior who becomes her assistant and Maria Winchester, Ross Thompson, Ralph lover. Moreau (who appeared in a number Cotterill, Patrick Ward. OK thriller of Duras films in her career) is well cast and chronicling the repercussions of a nuas fascinating as ever, but the film itself is clear plant accident on a contaminated disappointing. Based on Andre´a’s autobioemployee (Thompson) and an innocent graphical novel. Panavision.▼쩠 couple (Bisley, Winchester) forced to conChad Hanna (1940) C-86m. ★★ D: Henry tend with Big Brother. Look quickly for King. Henry Fonda, Dorothy Lamour, Linda Mel Gibson as a bearded car mechanic. Darnell, Guy Kibbee, Jane Darwell, John Video title: NUCLEAR RUN. ▼● Carradine. Rather flat circus drama set in Chain Reaction (1996) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: 19th-century New York; colorful but empty. Andrew Davis. Keanu Reeves, Morgan 1 ★★ Chained (1934) 76m. ⁄2 D: Clarence Freeman, Rachel Weisz, Fred Ward, Kevin [ 229 ]

Dunn, Brian Cox, Joanna Cassidy, Nicholas tin Beck. Earl Owensby, William Hicks, Rudall, Michael Shannon. Machinist workKatheryn Thompson, Johnny Popwell. North ing on hydrogen-energy project is blamed Carolina-based Owensby’s first film (which for a devastating explosion and takes it on he also produced) amateurishly goes through the lam along with a female physicist on the the usual vengeance-for-killing-my-family project. What’s really behind all this skulpaces. Opening printed crawl celebrates this duggery? Uninspired, ultimately ludicrous as return of ‘‘clean, decent entertainment,’’ blend of action, chase, and political thriller followed by Owensby causing the deaths of genres has barely a believable moment. various badguys. But don’t worry—none of [PG-13]▼●쩠 his victims is naked. Dreadful. [PG]▼ Chains of Gold (1991) C-95m. ★★ D: Rod Challenge, The (1982) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Holcomb. John Travolta, Marilu Henner, John Frankenheimer. Scott Glenn, Toshiro MiJoey Lawrence, Bernie Casey, Ramon fune, Donna Kei Benz, Atsuo Nakamura, CalFranco, Hector Elizondo, Benjamin Bratt, vin Young. Entertaining but sometimes Conchata Ferrell, Tammy Lauren. A dedipretentious actioner, with American boxer cated social worker (Travolta) transforms Glenn becoming involved in conflict between himself into a Stallone clone as he sets out brothers Mifune and Nakamura over rights to to rescue a young friend caught up with a family swords. Scripted by John Sayles and gang of crack dealers. Ludicrous actioner is Richard Maxwell. Exteriors shot mostly in yet another of Travolta’s grade-D pre– Kyoto. Completely recut for TV release as PULP FICTION efforts (although he coSWORD OF THE NINJA, running 97m. wrote this one!). Made for theatrical release [R]▼ in 1989, but debuted on cable TV. [R]▼쩠 Challenge for Robin Hood, A (1968Chairman, The (1969) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: British) C-85m. ★★ D: C. M. PenningtonJ. Lee Thompson. Gregory Peck, Anne Richards. Barrie Ingham, James Hayter, Heywood, Arthur Hill, Alan Dobie, ConLeon Greene, Peter Blythe, Gay Hamilrad Yama. Lots of talk but little action in ton, Alfie Bass. Hammer Films produced story of American scientist sent to Comthis inoffensive but undistinguished advenmunist China on super-secret espionage ture yarn, which is of little interest except mission. Panavision. [M/PG]쩠 to children. Originally 96m. [G]▼ Chairman of the Board (1998) C-95m. Challenge To Be Free (1976) C-88m. BOMB D: Alex Zamm. Carrot Top, Courtney ★★1 ⁄2 D: Tay Garnett. Mike Mazurki, Vic Thorne-Smith, Larry Miller, Raquel Welch, Christy, Jimmy Kane, Fritz Ford. Fur trapper Jack Warden, M. Emmet Walsh, Estelle Haris pursued by the law in Arctic surroundings; ris, Bill Erwin, Little Richard, Taylor Negron, simple and simple-minded, best for younger Butterbean. Excruciatingly stupid story of inviewers. Made in 1972 as MAD TRAPPER ventor/beach bum Carrot Top, who inherits a OF THE YUKON, this marked last film for major corporation from a complete stranger, veteran director Garnett, who appears briefly to the vexation of sleazy corporate nephew as Marshal McGee. [G]▼ Miller. Harris hits the film’s low point as his Challenge to Lassie (1949) C-76m. ★★1⁄2 landlady, a woman with a laryngectomy who D: Richard Thorpe. Edmund Gwenn, Donald ceaselessly curses. Someone thought this was Crisp, Geraldine Brooks, Reginald Owen, funny? [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Alan Webb, Ross Ford, Henry Stephenson, Chalk (2007) C-84m. ★★ D: Mike Akel. Alan Napier, Sara Allgood, Arthur Shields. Troy Schremmer, Janelle Schremmer, Based-on-fact story, set in 19th-century EdinShannon Haragan, Chris Mass, Jeff Guerburgh, about a dog (actually a Skye terrier but rero, Jerry Jarmon. Low-budget mockumenplayed here by Lassie) who keeps returning to tary about malcontent teachers with a cause a churchyard where its master (Crisp) is burlacks structure and comedic drive, getting ied. Pleasant film, with a fine character-actor by (a little) on goodwill. The two Schremcast. Remade as GREYFRIARS BOBBY, mers are married in real life; he’s the movwhich also features Crisp (as the cemetery ie’s focus (a history-teaching newcomer caretaker). ▼ named Troy), and she’s the default standout Chamber, The (1996) C-110m. ★★ D: as a gym teacher who would like to make James Foley. Chris O’Donnell, Gene HackTroy her boy. Affectionate enough and man, Faye Dunaway, Robert Prosky, Rayprobably even true enough, but just passmond Barry, Lela Rochon, Harve Presnell, able. [PG-13]쩠 Bo Jackson. Young lawyer feels impelled Chalk Garden, The (1964-British) C-106m. ★★★ to defend a Mississippi death row inmate, D: Ronald Neame. Deborah Kerr, convicted of a racist/terrorist bombing years Hayley Mills, John Mills, Edith Evans, ago, because the man is his grandfather. ReFelix Aylmer, Elizabeth Sellars. Very-highopening this volatile case causes pain and class soap opera with good cast supporting hardship for all involved. Curiously unmovstory of teenager set on right path by ing (and talky) adaptation of the John Grigoverness Kerr; colorful production, quite sham best-seller. O’Donnell is earnest but entertaining. From Enid Bagnold play.▼ Challenge (1974) C-84m. BOMB D: Marunconvincing; Hackman never successfully [ 230 ]

disappears into the role of a racist pig. Pacialite Balfour whose father pretends he’s navision. [R]▼●쩠 broke to teach her a lesson. Overlong Chambermaid on the Titanic, The (1997silent Hitch is moderately entertaining with the usual quota of striking visuals.▼쩠 French-Spanish-Italian) C-96m. ★★★ D: Bigas Luna. Olivier Martinez, Romane BohChampagne for Caesar (1950) 99m. ★★★ ringer, Aitana Sa´nchez Gijo´n, Didier BeD: Richard Whorf. Ronald Colman, Cezace, Aldo Maccione. Utterly original and leste Holm, Vincent Price, Barbara Britton, beautifully filmed fable about fantasy, deArt Linkletter. Genius Colman becomes sire and storytelling, centering on a French national celebrity on TV quiz show; sponfoundry worker who wins a trip to watch the sor Price sends temptress Holm to distract launch of the Titanic in England and becomes big winner. Enjoyable spoof; Price hilarious as neurotic soap manufacturer. ▼●쩠 obsessed with a woman he meets there. When he returns home, he becomes famous for spinChampagne Murders, The (1967-French) C-98m. ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Anthony ning fantastical tales—which may or may not be true—about his wild night of passion with Perkins, Maurice Ronet, Stephane Audran, the woman. Unpredictable, unexpectedly Yvonne Furneaux, Suzanne Lloyd, Cathmoving film from the usually outrageous erine Sola. Sale of champagne company to ´ ´ Luna (JAMON JAMON). Aka THE CHAMU.S. conglomerate manipulated by variBERMAID. Cinecam-Scope.▼ ous weird, competing types, complicated Chamber of Horrors (1966) C-99m. ★1⁄2 by murders which point to playboy (Ronet). D: Hy Averback. Patrick O’Neal, Cesare DaMurder-mystery narrative backdrop for odd nova, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Patrice Wymore, psychological drama; one-of-a-kind film Suzy Parker, Marie Windsor, Tony Curtis, was shot in both English and FrenchWayne Rogers. Wax museum provides setlanguage versions. Techniscope. ting for uneven mystery about mad killer on Champion (1949) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mark the loose. Intended for TV, it has mark of Robson. Kirk Douglas, Marilyn Maxwell, low-budget film plus two gimmicks: the Arthur Kennedy, Ruth Roman, Paul Stew‘‘Horror Horn’’ and the ‘‘Fear Flasher.’’쩠 art, Lola Albright. Unscrupulous boxer Chameleon Street (1991) C-95m. ★★★ D: punches his way to the top, thrusting aside Wendell B. Harris, Jr. Wendell B. Harris, everybody and everything. Douglas perJr., Angela Leslie, Amina Fakir. Knowing fectly cast in title role; gripping film, with sleeper based on true story of William Harry Gerstad’s Oscar-winning editing. Also Douglas Street, Jr. (played by Harris), a shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 black man whose uncanny ability to intuit Champions (1983-British) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 other people’s needs enables him to sucD: John Irvin. John Hurt, Edward Woodcessfully impersonate a reporter, a surgeon, ward, Jan Francis, Ben Johnson, Kirstie an exchange student, and an attorney. IngraAlley, Peter Barkworth, Ann Bell, Judy tiating film with a biting comic edge, and Parfitt. Formula drama of determined something to say. [R]▼쩠 jockey Hurt battling cancer and hoping to 1 ★★★ ⁄2 D: King Champ, The (1931) 87m. make a comeback in the Grand National Vidor. Wallace Beery, Jackie Cooper, Irene Steeplechase. The opening is reminiscent Rich, Roscoe Ates, Edward Brophy, Hale of CHARIOTS OF FIRE, the finale of Hamilton. Superb tearjerker about a washedROCKY; however, the scenes with Hurt up prizefighter and his adoring son, played and his niece, and Hurt among children to perfection by Beery and Cooper (in the undergoing cancer treatment, are quite moving. Based on a true story. [PG]▼● first of their several teamings). Simple, sentimental in the extreme, but very effecChampions Forever (1989) C-87m. ★★★ tive. Beery won an Oscar for his perforD: Dimitri Logothetis. Fascinating, insightmance, as did Frances Marion for her ful look back at the careers of five modern original story. Remade in 1953 (as THE heavyweight boxing legends: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Larry CLOWN) and 1979.▼●쩠 1 ★ Champ, The (1979) C-121m. ⁄2 D: Franco Holmes, and Ken Norton. Interviews with Zeffirelli. Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Ricky each fighter are juxtaposed with classic footSchroder, Jack Warden, Arthur Hill, Strother age of their ring battles with Ali the dominant Martin, Joan Blondell, Elisha Cook. Voight presence throughout. Candor and a subtle pais too intelligent to convince as a dumb thos make the interviews as poignant as the pug, and Dunaway, as a loving mother, boxing scenes are exciting. ▼●쩠 looks as if she wants to bed down with her Chances Are (1989) C-108m. ★★★ D: kid in hopeless remake of the 1931 sudser. Emile Ardolino. Cybill Shepherd, Robert Young Schroder cries (and cries) conDowney, Jr., Ryan O’Neal, Mary Stuart Masterson, Christopher McDonald, Josef vincingly. [PG]▼●쩠 Champagne (1928-British) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sommer, Joe Grifasi, Susan Ruttan, Fran Alfred Hitchcock. Betty Balfour, Jean Ryan, James Noble. A woman remains Bradin, Gordon Harker, Ferdinand von devoted to her husband years after his Alten, Clifford Heatherley, Jack Trevor. death . . . and then, one day, his spirit Romantic escapades of irresponsible soreturns in the body of a much younger [ 231 ]

man. Surprisingly skillful blend of fantasy Anthony Hopkins, Bo Derek, Michael Branand romantic comedy manages to maintain don, Mary Beth Hurt, Ed Winter. College its sweet-natured tone from start to finish. professor Hopkins, drowning in male menoAppealing stars are supported by a gallery pause, has an affair with student Derek, so of top character actors. Written by Perry wife MacLaine decides to take a lover of Howze and Randy Howze. [PG]▼●쩠 her own. One of the better midlife crisis Chandler (1972) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul films of this period, though many thought Magwood. Warren Oates, Leslie Caron, its major asset was opening sequence of Alex Dreier, Gloria Grahame, Mitchell Bo bouncing in a hot tub. Cowritten by Erich Segal. [R]▼쩠 Ryan. Private eye falls in love with exmistress of racketeer. Substandard yarn. Changing Lanes (2002) C-99m. ★★★ D: Panavision. [PG] Roger Michell. Ben Affleck, Samuel L. JackChanel Solitaire (1981-U.S.-French) Cson, Toni Collette, Sydney Pollack, William 120m. ★★ D: George Kaczender. MarieHurt, Amanda Peet, Richard Jenkins, Kim France Pisier, Timothy Dalton, Rutger Staunton, John Benjamin Hickey, Dylan Hauer, Karen Black, Brigitte Fossey. Stylish Baker. Yuppie N.Y.C. lawyer Affleck, who’s but cliche´-ridden biography of designer married to the boss’s daughter, crashes into Coco Chanel, covering her first 38 years pent-up working-class Jackson’s car one rainy and focusing on her love life. [R]▼● morning as the latter is on his way to a cusChangeling, The (1979-Canadian) C-109m. tody hearing over his son. When Affleck ★★★ D: Peter Medak. George C. Scott, blithely zips off, Jackson fumes, but the escaTrish Van Devere, Melvyn Douglas, John lating battle of wits between the two only Colicos, Jean Marsh, Madeleine Thorntonexposes their mutual vulnerability. A rare and Sherwood. Good, scary ghost story with Scott compelling Hollywood movie about ethics as recently widowed musician who moves and human nature. Written by Chap Taylor and Michael Tolkin. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 into old house inhabited by spirit of a child who died there 70 years ago. [R]▼●쩠 Changing Times (2004-French) C-100m. ★★★ D: Andre ´ Te´chine´. Catherine Deneuve, Changeling (2008) C-141m. ★★★ D: Clint Eastwood. Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Ge´rard Depardieu, Gilbert Melki, Malik Jeffrey Donovan, Michael Kelly, Colm Zidi, Lubna Azabal, Tanya Lopert, Nabila Feore, Jason Butler Harner, Amy Ryan, Baraka, Nadem Rachati. Single, middleGeoff Pierson, Denis O’Hare, Frank Wood, aged man (Depardieu) convinces himself Peter Gerety, Reed Birney, Eddie Alderson. that he must win the love of his long-ago The disappearance of a 9-year-old boy in girlfriend (Deneuve), who is unhappily mar1928 L.A. pits his distraught mother (Jolie) ried and is mired in family issues. This against the crushingly corrupt police force, Tangier, Morocco–set drama is a provocawhich can’t afford more bad publicity. Her tive exploration of life’s missed opportunirefusal to be hushed comes at a shocking ties and the failure of individuals to connect price to her safety and sanity—but ultiand commit in meaningful ways; it also mately she finds powerful friends. Then the serves to mirror the differences in European case expands with the discovery of a serial and Muslim lifestyles. 쩠 killer. Incredible story is all true, as docuChan Is Missing (1982) 80m. ★★★ D: mented by screenwriter J. Michael StracWayne Wang. Wood Moy, Marc Hayashi, zynski. Jolie is superb as the long-suffering Laureen Chew, Judy Mihei, Peter Wang, heroine of this remarkable tale. Intense, Presco Tabios. Wry, low-key comedy of often tough to stomach, but scrupulously cabdrivers Moy and Hayashi tracking down filmed by Eastwood. Panavision. [R]쩠 the mysterious Mr. Chan Hung, who abChange of Habit (1969) C-93m. ★★ D: sconded with their $4,000. Independently William Graham. Elvis Presley, Mary Tyler produced on shoestring budget and shot in Moore, Barbara McNair, Jane Elliot, Leora San Francisco’s Chinatown.▼쩠 Dana, Edward Asner, Doro Merande, Regis Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The (1978Toomey. Moore, a nun, is forced to choose Australian) C-124m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fred Schebetween Dr. Presley and the church in pisi. Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Ansubstandard drama that at least represents gela Punch, Ray Barrett, Jack Thompson, slight change from typical Elvis fare. Peter Carroll, Bryan Brown. Half-white abPresley’s last screen role. [G]▼쩠 origine Lewis, brought up by Methodist Change of Mind (1969) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 pastor, is caught between two cultures and D: Robert Stevens. Raymond St. Jacques, exploited, with tragic results. Harrowing inSusan Oliver, Janet MacLachlan, Leslie Nieldictment of racism, a problem certainly not sen, Donnelly Rhodes, David Bailey. In an unique to U.S. Based on fact. Director emergency operation, the brain of a white disSchepisi’s screenplay was adapted from a trict attorney is successfully transplanted into Thomas Keneally novel (Keneally also the body of a black man. Racial-protest sci-fi plays the role of Cook). Most U.S. prints thriller is contrived, to say the least. [R] run 108m. Panavision.쩠 Change of Seasons, A (1980) C-102m. Chaos Theory (2007) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Mar★★1⁄2 D: Richard Lang. Shirley MacLaine, cos Siega. Ryan Reynolds, Emily Mortimer, [ 232 ]

Stuart Townsend, Sarah Chalke, Mike Erwin, Chapman in the days leading up to his Constance Zimmer, Matreya Fedor. Lashooting of John Lennon outside his home bored comedy about an efficiency expert at the Dakota apartment building in N.Y.C. whose whole life starts to fall apart when a in 1980. Leto is eerily convincing as the woman tries to seduce him, triggering a overweight loner who fancies himself to be tidal wave of misunderstandings and revelaHolden Caulfield, but when the film is over tions that threaten his once-happy marriage. we don’t know much more about Chapman Quietly dumped into a handful of theaters than we did at the start. [R] on its journey to the DVD bargain bin. PaChapter Two (1979) C-124m. ★★ D: Robnavision. [PG-13]쩠 ert Moore. James Caan, Marsha Mason, ★★1 Chaplin (1992-British-U.S.) C-144m. ⁄2 Valerie Harper, Joseph Bologna. Neil SiD: Richard Attenborough. Robert Dowmon’s autobiographical comedy-drama—one ney, Jr., Dan Aykroyd, Geraldine Chaplin, of his best Broadway plays—gets lost in Kevin Dunn, Anthony Hopkins, Milla screen translation. Caan is miscast as sharpJovovich, Moira Kelly, Kevin Kline, Diane minded writer who’s drawn into new roLane, Penelope Ann Miller, Paul Rhys, John mance (with Mason) before he’s really Thaw, Marisa Tomei, Nancy Travis, James recovered from death of his wife. Long, plastic, and unmoving. [PG]▼● Woods, David Duchovny, Deborah Maria Moore, Bill Paterson, John Standing, Robert Character (1997-Dutch) C-125m. ★★★ D: Stephens. Reverent, lovingly detailed bio of Mike van Diem. Fedja van Huet, Jan DeCharlie Chaplin—from his squalid childhood cleir, Betty Schuurman, Victor Low, Tamar in London to early moviemaking days with van den Dop, Hans Kesting, Lou Landre, Mack Sennett, to international stardom, celebBernhard Droog. Oscar-winning, powerful rity, and scandal. Downey is astonishingly story of a virtuous young man (van Huet), good as Charlie and the film starts out great, in 1920s Rotterdam, caught in a web of but flattens midway through and tries to cover financial entanglements with his estranged, too much ground. Geraldine Chaplin plays malevolent father (Decleir). Assured feature her own grandmother, Charlie’s severely neudirectorial debut by van Diem feels Dickenrotic mom. [PG-13]▼●쩠 sian, but moves like wildfire. Strong perfor1 ★★★ Chaplin Revue, The (1958) 119m. mances by a cast of stage actors, save ⁄2 D: Charles Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin, Edna Belgian film stalwart Decleir; young lead Purviance, Sydney Chaplin, Mack Swain. van Huet is a dead ringer for Robert DowThree of Chaplin’s best shorts strung toney, Jr. [R]▼쩠 gether with his own music, narration, and Charade (1963) C-114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Stanbehind-the-scenes footage: A DOG’S LIFE ley Donen. Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, (1918), one of his loveliest films; SHOULWalter Matthau, James Coburn, George DER ARMS (1918), a classic WW1 comeKennedy, Ned Glass, Jacques Marin. Suave dy; and THE PILGRIM (1923), his undercomedy-mystery in Hitchcock vein, with rated gem about a convict who disguises Grant aiding widow Hepburn to recover himself as a minister.▼쩠 fortune secreted by husband, being sought Chapman Report, The (1962) C-125m. by trio of sinister crooks; set in Paris. ★★1⁄2 D: George Cukor. Efrem Zimbalist, Excellent screenplay by Peter Stone, score Jr., Shelley Winters, Jane Fonda, Claire by Henry Mancini. Remade in 2002 as THE TRUTH ABOUT CHARLIE.▼쩠 Bloom, Glynis Johns, Ray Danton, Ty Hardin, Andrew Duggan, John Dehner, Harold J. Charge at Feather River, The (1953) C96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Douglas. Guy MadiStone, Corey Allen, Cloris Leachman, Chad Everett, Henry Daniell, Jack Cassidy. Slick, son, Vera Miles, Frank Lovejoy, Dick Wesempty yarn about Kinsey-like sex researchers son, Helen Westcott, Onslow Stevens, Steve coming to suburban community to get statistiBrodie, Neville Brand, Henry Kulky. Pretty cal survey, with repercussions on assorted fegood saga of Madison leading ragtag ‘‘guardmales. Potboiler material elevated by good house brigade’’ toward an inevitable clash performances and direction. with the Cheyenne at title location. Subplots Chappaqua (1966) C/B&W-92m. ★★ D: involve a SEARCHERS-like rescue of two Conrad Rooks. Jean-Louis Barrault, Conwhite girls raised by Indians and a bit too rad Rooks, William S. Burroughs, Allen much comedy relief from Wesson and Ginsberg, Ravi Shankar, Paula Pritchett, Kulky. Listen for Lt. Wilhelm! Originally Ornette Coleman. Rooks, an alcoholic herin 3-D; Lovejoy even spits at the camera. oin addict, travels to Paris for a sleep cure Charge of the Light Brigade, The (1936) and hallucinates while withdrawing. Auto116m. ★★★ D: Michael Curtiz. Errol Flynn, biographical—and vague, surreal, phony. Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, Henry Stephenson, Nigel Bruce, Donald Crisp, Prints of 82m. and 75m. also exist.▼쩠 Chapter 27 (2008-U.S.-Canadian) C-84m. David Niven, C. Henry Gordon, Robert ★★ D: J. P. Schaefer. Jared Leto, Lindsay Barrat, Spring Byington, J. Carrol Naish. Lohan, Judah Friedlander, Ursula Abbott, Thundering action based on Tennyson’s Jeane Fournier, Brian O’Neill. Creepy but poem, with immortal charge into the valultimately pointless portrait of Mark David ley of death by British 27th Lancers cav[ 233 ]

alry. Lavish production values accent chie Mayo. Jack Benny, Kay Francis, James romantic tale of Flynn and de Havilland at Ellison, Anne Baxter, Edmund Gwenn, army post in India. Max Steiner’s first Reginald Owen. Broad but surefire filmmusical score for Warner Brothers is suing of Brandon Thomas play about Oxford perb. Balaklava Heights charge directed student posing as maiden aunt, joke getby action specialist B. Reeves Eason. Also ting out of hand. Previously filmed six shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 other times! Remade as musical WHERE’S CHARLEY?쩠 Charge of the Light Brigade, The (1968-British) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tony RichCharley Varrick (1973) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ardson. David Hemmings, Vanessa RedDon Siegel. Walter Matthau, Joe Don Baker, grave, John Gielgud, Harry Andrews, Trevor Felicia Farr, John Vernon, Andy Robinson, Howard, Jill Bennett, Mark Burns. ExquiJacqueline Scott, Sheree North, Norman Fell, sitely made, but ultimately disappointing Woodrow Parfrey. Neatly contrived thriller drama of events leading up to British involvewith Matthau as a bank robber who discovers ment in Crimean War. Stunning battle sethat his small-town take is actually laundered quence cannot make up for dramatic Mafia money. On target all the way, with a loopholes in this story of military minds gone particularly satisfying wrap-up. [PG]▼●쩠 mad. Clever animated segments by Richard Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) Williams. Redgrave and Richardson’s young C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tim Burton. Johnny daughters Natasha and Joely are members of Depp, Freddie Highmore, David Kelly, Helthe wedding party. Panavision. [M/PG]▼●쩠 ena Bonham Carter, Noah Taylor, Missi Chariots of Fire (1981-British) C-123m. Pyle, James Fox, Deep Roy, Christopher Lee, ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Hugh Hudson. Ben Cross, Ian Julia Winter, AnnaSophia Robb, Jordon Fry, Charleson, Nigel Havers, Nick Farrell, Philip Wiegratz; narrated by Geoffrey Holder. Alice Krige, Cheryl Campbell, Ian Holm, Roald Dahl’s classic story (previously filmed John Gielgud, Lindsay Anderson, Patrick as WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOMagee, Nigel Davenport, Dennis ChristoLATE FACTORY) about five children—one pher, Brad Davis. Absorbing and unusual good, four rotten—invited to tour a strange, drama based on true story of two men— reclusive inventor’s candy empire. Dazzling devout Scottish missionary Eric Liddell, production is everything you’d expect from driven Jewish Cambridge student Harold director Burton, but the scenes at the factory Abrahams—who run in the 1924 Olympics. are less compelling than those dealing with Fascinating probe of their motives, chalCharlie and his family. And Depp, though lenges, and problems, and a case study of amusing, is no Gene Wilder. Music by Danny repressed emotions even in the midst of exulElfman with lyrics from Dahl’s text. Roy, tation. Feature debut for director Hudson. through digital technology, plays all the Oscars for Best Picture, Colin Welland’s Oompa-Loompas. [PG] ▼쩠 script, Vangelis’ excellent score, and MiCharlie Bartlett (2008) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: lena Canonero’s costumes. [PG]▼●쩠 Jon Poll. Anton Yelchin, Robert Downey, Chariots of the Gods? (1974) C-98m. ★★★ Jr., Hope Davis, Kat Dennings, Tyler HilD: Harald Reinl. First of too many speculative ton, Mark Rendall. Charismatic Charlie has documentaries about ancient visitors from been kicked out of various educational instiouter space who helped advance mankind’s tutions, when all he really wants is to be the knowledge centuries ago. Well made and most popular kid in school; he finally gets filled with many natural beauties. Based on his wish by becoming an all-purpose shrink Erich Von Daniken’s book. [G] ▼●쩠 to his fellow students. He also falls in love Charley and the Angel (1973) C-93m. with the daughter of the school principal ★★1 (Downey), who’s got plenty of problems of ⁄2 D: Vincent McEveety. Fred MacMurray, Cloris Leachman, Harry Morgan, his own. Offbeat comedy with serious underKurt Russell, Vincent Van Patten, Kathtones wanders all over the map but benefits leen Cody. MacMurray learns he has only from Downey’s offbeat characterization and a short time left on earth from helpful Yelchin’s appealing performance. [R]쩠 angel (Morgan) and changes his hard ways Charlie Bubbles (1968-British) C-91m. ★★1 with family. Lightly amusing Disney film, ⁄2 D: Albert Finney. Albert Finney, Colin but the warmth and nostalgia seem artifiBlakely, Billie Whitelaw, Liza Minnelli. Fincial this time around. [G]▼ ney’s first directing attempt concerns itself Charley One-Eye (1973) C-107m. ★★ D: with married writer who begins affair with Don Chaffey. Richard Roundtree, Roy his secretary. Not especially moving, but Thinnes, Nigel Davenport, Jill Pearson. Minnelli’s screen debut adds quite a bit of Basically two-man show. Black Union Army sparkle to film. deserter (Roundtree) and outcast Indian Charlie Chan series SEE: Leonard Mal(Thinnes) thrown together in desert wastetin’s Classic Movie Guide land; gradual tragic relationship develops Charlie Chan and the Curse of the Dragon when outside forces interfere. Far too long; Queen (1981) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Clive Donshould’ve been a TV movie. [R] ner. Peter Ustinov, Lee Grant, Angie Dick1 ★★ Charley’s Aunt (1941) 81m. ⁄2 D: Arinson, Richard Hatch, Brian Keith, Michelle [ 234 ]

Pfeiffer, Roddy McDowall, Rachel Roberts, Adams, Ned Beatty, Emily Blunt, Om Puri, Paul Ryan, Johnny Sekka. Boring comedy Ken Stott, John Slattery, Denis O’Hare, Jud wastes its talented cast. Ustinov is badly Tylor. Womanizer and high-living Texas miscast, gives one of the worst performances Congressman Wilson (Hanks) is the least of his career. Hatch is his clumsy halflikely man in Washington, D.C., to chamJewish, half-Oriental grandson. Paging pion the cause of the Afghan people versus Warner Oland. [PG]▼쩠 the Soviet Army in the 1980s. But using Charlie’s Angels (2000) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: the same bravado with which he lives his McG (Joseph McGinty Nicol). Cameron reckless life, he cobbles together an amazDiaz, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu, Bill Muring alliance sub rosa. Geopolitics has never ray, Tim Curry, Matt LeBlanc, Sam Rockbeen so entertaining, thanks to Nichols’ well, Kelly Lynch, Crispin Glover, LL Cool breezy pacing, Aaron Sorkin’s witty script, J, Luke Wilson, Tom Green; voice of John and pearly performances. Hoffman is perForsythe. Frothy, high-energy popcorn movie fect as a scruffy but dedicated CIA op. The based on the popular 1970s TV series about inevitable conclusion, however, is far from three smart, beautiful operatives who work for funny. Based on a true story and the bestan unseen boss at a detective agency. Great selling book by George Crile. [R]쩠 showcase for the sexy stars, but with nothing Charlotte Gray (2001-British-Australian) at its core, the fun starts to pall halfway C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gillian Armstrong. Cate through. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon, [PG-13]▼쩠 Rupert Penry-Jones, Anton Lesser, Ron Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle (2003) CCook, James Fleet. During WW2, a Scottish 111m. ★★ D: McG. Drew Barrymore, Camwoman volunteers to work undercover in eron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Demi Moore, Bernie France—in part, so she can locate her lover, an Mac, Crispin Glover, Justin Theroux, Robairman who was shot down. Once situated, she ert Patrick, Rodrigo Santoro, Shia LaBeouf, begins to understand the Resistance fighters’ Matt LeBlanc, Luke Wilson, John Cleese, feelings, especially after growing close to one Ja’net DuBois, Robert Forster, Eric Bogosian, fiery young man. Interesting, handsomely Carrie Fisher. The girls are back in action, made film never finds its true focus—and asks trying to track down a pair of informationus to accept English-speaking actors of all laden rings that could spell disaster in the nationalities as French. Blanchett is as comwrong hands. So much for story! The rest of pulsively watchable as ever. Based on a novel the movie consists of high-decibel but fragby Sebastian Faulks. [PG-13] ▼쩠 mented sequences of video-game–style action, Charlotte’s Web (1973) C-93m. ★★★ D: music, and eye candy, with a couple of extra Charles A. Nichols, Iwao Takamoto. Voices plot threads—one involving an Angel gone of Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, Paul bad (Moore). Much ado about much ado, Lynde, Agnes Moorehead, Charles Nelson minus the freshness and martial-arts fun that Reilly; narrated by Rex Allen. Charming animade the first film entertaining. Many star mated feature based on E. B. White classic cameos dot the already busy landscape. Super of barnyard spider who befriends shy piglet. 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Above average for Hanna-Barbera cartoon Charlie’s Ghost Story (1994) C-88m. ★★ studio. Songs by Richard M. and Robert B. D: Anthony Edwards. Cheech Marin, AnSherman. Followed by a direct-to-video sequel in 2003. Remade in 2006. [G]▼●쩠 thony Edwards, Linda Fiorentino, Trenton Knight, Charles Rocket, J. T. Walsh, Daphne Charlotte’s Web (2006) C-97m. ★★★ D: Zuniga. Occasionally funny story of the ghost Gary Winick. Dakota Fanning, Kevin Anof explorer Coronado haunting people to get derson, Beau Bridges, Gary Basaraba, Siohis bones properly buried so he can finally bhan Fallon; voices of Julia Roberts, rest in peace. Actually, it’s a rather sad story Dominic Scott Kay, Robert Redford, Steve of child neglect. Archeologist/dad Edwards is Buscemi, John Cleese, Oprah Winfrey, Ceso enthralled with his discovery of Coronadric the Entertainer, Kathy Bates, Reba do’s cave, he completely ignores his son, who McEntire, Thomas Haden Church, Andre´ is the target of the ‘‘haunting.’’ Fiorentino is Benjamin; narrated by Sam Shepard. Likable wasted in the thankless role of the family adaptation of E. B. White’s novel, blending maid. Based on a story by Mark Twain. Aka live actors with computer-animated creatures, CHARLIE’S GHOST: THE SECRET OF about a runt pig and the animals he meets in a barn. Charlotte, a spider, sets out to save him CORONADO. [PG]▼쩠 Charlie, the Lonesome Cougar (1968) Cfrom the butcher’s block by weaving words 75m. ★★1⁄2 No director credited. Narrated by into her web. Entertaining and well made, Rex Allen. Ron Brown, Brian Russell, Linda but it falls short when compared to the wellWallace, Jim Wilson. Average Disney animal loved book. [G]쩠 adventure-comedy about a friendly cougar Charly (1968) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ralph who lives in a lumber camp.▼쩠 Nelson. Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom, Charlie Wilson’s War (2007) C-97m. Lilia Skala, Leon Janney, Dick Van Pat★★★1⁄2 D: Mike Nichols. Tom Hanks, Julia ten. Robertson won Oscar for fine work as Roberts, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy retarded man turned into super-brain in [ 235 ]

scientific experiment (a role he first tackcomedy is no LAST DETAIL, and has little led on TV’s U.S. Steel Hour in 1961). to recommend it, even for fans of t&a. Many Bloom is sympathetic caseworker who beof Hopper’s acting cronies appear in small comes attached to Charly. Based on Daniel roles, and Hopper himself turns up as a perKeyes’ Flowers for Algernon (and remade verted underwear salesman. [R]▼●쩠 for TV in 2000 under that title). First rate. Chasing Amy (1997) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Smith. Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Techniscope. [M/PG]▼●쩠 Charro! (1969) C-98m. BOMB D: Charles Adams, Jason Lee, Dwight Ewell, Jason Marquis Warren. Elvis Presley, Ina Balin, Mewes, Kevin Smith, Matt Damon, Casey Victor French, Lynn Kellogg, Barbara Affleck. Winning, original comedy-drama Werle, Paul Brinegar. Attempt to change about a comic book artist who lives with his Presley’s image by casting him in straight dour work partner—until he meets an attracWestern is total failure. Elvis sings only tive up-and-coming female artist with a dynaone song. Panavision. [G]▼쩠 mite personality. He’s seriously smitten—and Chase, The (1946) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur D. stays that way even after learning that she’s Ripley. Robert Cummings, Michele Morgan, gay. Writer-director Smith hits all the right Steve Cochran, Peter Lorre, Lloyd Corrigan, notes in this honest and appealing film, which Jack Holt, Don Wilson, James Westerfield. refuses to take the easy way out ( just like its Mildly diverting melodrama with luckless vet lead character) right to the end. Affleck and Cummings becoming involved with a ruthless Adams are perfect. Smith and Mewes reprise racketeer (well played by Cochran) and his their Silent Bob and Jay characters from CLERKS and MALLRATS. [R] ▼●쩠 melancholy wife (Morgan). Scripted by Philip Yordan, based on a book by Cornell WoolChasing Dreams (1982) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: rich. ▼쩠 Sean Roche, Therese Conte. David G. Chase, The (1966) C-135m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Brown, John Fife, Jim Shane, Matthew Penn. Marlon Brando, Jane Fonda, Robert Clark, Lisa Kingston, Claudia Carroll, Redford, Angie Dickinson, Janice Rule, Kevin Costner. Hopelessly hokey soaper James Fox, Robert Duvall, E. G. Marshall, of insecure, self-conscious farmboy Brown, Miriam Hopkins, Martha Hyer. Intriguing, who ‘‘finds’’ himself by playing college unsubtle drama of how prison escape by local baseball. Of interest solely for early, brief boy (Redford) affects worthless Texas town appearance of Costner as Brown’s older, medical-student brother. [PG]▼ and its sheriff (Brando). Based on a novel by Horton Foote. Notorious for behind-theChasing Liberty (2004-U.S.-British) C110m. ★★ D: Andy Cadiff. Mandy Moore, scenes conflicts with director Penn, screenwriter Lillian Hellman, and producer Sam Matthew Goode, Jeremy Piven, Annabella Spiegel, it’s not surprising that finished prodSciorra, Caroline Goodall, Mark Harmon. uct misses the mark. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Teenage daughter of the President of the Chase, The (1994) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Adam United States yearns to break loose, and Rifkin. Charlie Sheen, Kristy Swanson, does just that during a trip to Europe. Little Henry Rollins, Josh Mostel, Wayne Grace, does she know that the guy who helps her Rocky Carroll, Miles Dougal, Ray Wise, escape from the Secret Service is in fact an Claudia Christian, Natalija Nogulich, Flea, agent himself. Starts out as what it should Anthony Kiedis, Cary Elwes, Cassian Elwes. have been, a cute romantic-comedy vehicle Falsely accused prison escapee is forced to for Moore in the ROMAN HOLIDAY kidnap the daughter of California’s version mode, but descends into tiresome predictof Donald Trump, setting off a movieability. Even location filming in Europe length pursuit by police and a TV news helidoesn’t add much. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 copter. Why bother? [PG-13]▼●쩠 Chasing Papi (2003) C-80m. ★★ D: Linda Chase a Crooked Shadow (1958-British) Mendoza. Roselyn Sanchez, Sofı´a Vergara, 87m. ★★★ D: Michael Anderson. Richard Jaci Velasquez, Eduardo Vera´stegui, Lisa Todd, Anne Baxter, Herbert Lom, AlexVidal, D. L. Hughley, Freddy Rodriguez, ander Knox. Heiress Baxter doubts her Maria Conchita Alonso, Pete Escovedo, Peter sanity when allegedly dead brother Todd Michael Escovedo, Sheila E. Innocuous appears to claim inheritance; exciting, Latin-flavored comedy about a handsome Hitchcock-like melodrama. advertising exec who has three women—in Chase for the Golden Needles, The SEE: three different cities—convinced they are his Golden Needles one and only. Then they all decide to drop in Chasers (1994) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Dennis on him unannounced. Silly storyline is played Hopper. Tom Berenger, Erika Eleniak, Wilwith gusto, but there’s scarcely a laugh in liam McNamara, Crispin Glover, Matthew sight. Paul Rodriguez appears unbilled. CoGlave, Dean Stockwell, Gary Busey, Seyproduced by Forest Whitaker. [PG]▼쩠 mour Cassel, Frederic Forrest, Marilu HenChastity (1969) C-83m. ★★ D: Alessio de ner. Two Navy men are assigned to Paola. Cher, Barbara London, Tom Nolan, prisoner-escort duty only to discover that Stephen Whittaker. Interesting story of girl the dangerous criminal they are escorting who takes to the highway to find life of her is—gulp!—a beautiful sexpot. Lowbrow own. Cher in solo acting debut is surpris[ 236 ]

ingly good. Sonny Bono wrote, produced, lips, Mark Umbers, Jsu Garcı´a, Matt Damon. and composed the music. [PG—originally Impressively shot but dramatically inert epic rated R]쩠 is the most elaborate of Soderbergh’s indie Chastity Belt, The SEE: On My Way to ‘‘experiments’’ (interspersed between his the Crusades, I Met a Girl Who . . . OCEANS movies). This dramatizes the sig1 ★ Chaˆteau, The (2002) C-92m. ⁄2 D: Jesse nificant contribution that Argentine Ernesto Peretz. Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, Sylvie ‘‘Che’’ Guevara made to the late-’50s revoluTestud, Philippe Nahon, Donal Logue, Didier tion in Cuba, and his participation in a failed Flamand. Threadbare comedy, shot on digital Bolivian replication during the mid-1960s, video, about two American brothers—one culminating in his death. Part One of this white, one black—who bumble their way to two-parter has a narrative advantage because France to inspect a castle they’ve inherited. It it at least deals with political victory. turns out a household staff comes along with Throughout, the smaller moments of camarathe residence, and they don’t greet the new derie while battling outdoor elements ring owners with open arms, for a variety of reatruest, which isn’t a whole lot to say for a sons. Rudd’s obnoxious character goes a long movie running more than four hours. Despite way toward sinking this. [R]▼쩠 Del Toro’s apt casting in the lead, it’s the Chato’s Land (1972-Spanish-British) Ckind of grinder where, when the words ‘‘Day 302’’ are flashed onscreen, you turn to your 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Winner. Charles Bronson, Jack Palance, Richard Basehart, viewing companion and say, ‘‘That’s for Ralph Waite, Richard Jordan, Victor French. damned sure.’’ Part One (CHE: THE ARPosse seeks Indian Bronson in connection GENTINE) runs 134m.; Part Two (CHE: with marshal’s murder; usual quota of blood THE GUERRILLA), 135m. HD Widescreen. [R]쩠 in lengthy film. [PG]▼쩠 Chattahoochee (1990) C-98m. ★★ D: Mick Cheap Detective, The (1978) C-92m. ★★★ Jackson. Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, D: Robert Moore. Peter Falk, Ann-Margret, Frances McDormand, Pamela Reed, Ned Eileen Brennan, Sid Caesar, Stockard ChanBeatty, M. Emmet Walsh, William De Acutis, ning, James Coco, Dom DeLuise, Louise Lee Wilkof, Matt Craven, Gary Klar. EnerFletcher, John Houseman, Madeline Kahn, vatingly straightforward account of man Fernando Lamas, Marsha Mason, Phil Sil(Oldman) whose mental breakdown (actually vers, Vic Tayback, Abe Vigoda, Paul Wilpost-Korea combat stress) wrongfully landed liams, Nicol Williamson, David Ogden him in a Karloff-caliber Florida institution. Stiers. For Neil Simon and Peter Falk to parStandard ‘‘reform’’ drama—though based on ody Bogart movies like MALTESE FALfact—with Hopper’s role (as a fellow patient) CON is an easy task, but it’s still pretty funny a glorified cameo; McDormand and Reed do when not resorting to the obvious. Panaviall right as, respectively, Oldman’s wife and sion. [PG]▼●쩠 crusading sister. [R] ▼●쩠 Cheaper by the Dozen (1950) C-85m. ★★★ Chattanooga Choo Choo (1984) C-102m. D: Walter Lang. Clifton Webb, Myrna ★★ D: Bruce Bilson. Barbara Eden, George Loy, Jeanne Crain, Mildred Natwick, Edgar Kennedy, Melissa Sue Anderson, Joe NaBuchanan. Charming turn-of-the-century story math, Bridget Hanley, Clu Gulager, Christoof the Gilbreth children, 12 strong, their exactpher McDonald, Davis Roberts, Tony Azito, ing father (well played by Webb) and mother Parley Baer. In order to collect inheritance, (Loy). From the Gilbreth-Carey novel. Loosely goofball Kennedy must restore the famous remade in 2003. Sequel: BELLES ON THEIR TOES. ▼쩠 train and make one final 24-hour run from Pennsylvania Station. Spirited cast in a sitcomCheaper by the Dozen (2003) C-98m. ★★★ level script. Rubber-limbed Azito is amazing D: Shawn Levy. Steve Martin, Bonnie as waiter who’s never dropped a tray. [PG]▼ Hunt, Piper Perabo, Hilary Duff, Tom WelChavez: Inside the Coup SEE: Revolution ling, Richard Jenkins, Kevin G. Schmidt, Will Not Be Televised, The Alyson Stoner, Jacob Smith, Liliana Mumy, Che! (1969) C-96m. BOMB D: Richard Morgan York, Forrest Landis, Alan Ruck, Fleischer. Omar Sharif, Jack Palance, Cesare Vanessa Bell Calloway. Martin and Hunt Danova, Robert Loggia, Woody Strode. are happy, harried parents of 12 kids until a Comic-book treatment of famed revolutionmajor move and career changes (a football ary became one of the biggest film jokes of coaching job at his alma mater for him, an 1960s. However, you haven’t lived until you extended book-promotion tour for her) see Palance play Fidel Castro. Panavision. throw the family asunder. Cute family com[PG]▼ edy, with predictable slapstick moments, is Che (2008-U.S.-Spanish-French) C-269m. strengthened by Martin and Hunt’s perfor★★ D: Steven Soderbergh. Benicio Del Toro, mances as genuinely loving parents. AlDemia´n Bichir, Elvira Mı´nguez, Rodrigo though officially a remake, it has nothing to Santoro, Santiago Cabrera, Jorge Perugorrı´a, do with the 1950 film or the book that inJulia Ormond, Yul Va´zquez, Catalina Sanspired it. Ashton Kutcher appears unbilled. dino Moreno, Joaquim de Almeida, Franka Followed by a sequel. [PG] ▼쩠 Potente, Sam Robards, Lou Diamond PhilCheaper by the Dozen 2 (2005) C-93m. [ 237 ]

★1

⁄2 D: Adam Shankman. Steve Martin, which offers only sporadic laughs. Look for Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, Eugene Levy, Phil Hartman and Rita Wilson in bits. Carmen Electra, Piper Perabo, Jaime King, [R]▼●쩠 Hilary Duff, Taylor Lautner, Alyson Stoner. Cheech & Chong’s Nice Dreams (1981) Depressing sequel to the box-office hit finds C-89m. ★★ D: Thomas Chong. Cheech the Bakers returning to the vacation spot of Marin, Thomas Chong, Evelyn Guerrero, their youth, where dad Martin gets into a Paul Reubens (Pee-wee Herman), Stacy competitive spat with wealthy Levy. Once Keach, Dr. Timothy Leary, Sandra Bernagain, a comic known for his rapier wit is hard. Episodic, generally below par C&C reduced to Z-list slapstick (e.g., taking falls comedy finds them as owners of an icechasing rodents). A far more compelling if cream truck that fronts for more lucrative unexplored movie was right under the filmgrass trade. Some hilarity involving a sexumakers’ eyes: Levy’s courtship of wife ally jealous biker; Guerrero once again an apt comic foil. [R] ▼●쩠 Electra (surprisingly, a leveling influence here). Panavision. [PG]쩠 Cheech & Chong’s The Corsican Brothers Cheaper to Keep Her (1980) C-92m. (1984) C-90m. BOMB D: Thomas Chong. BOMB D: Ken Annakin. Mac Davis, Tovah Cheech Marin, Thomas Chong, Roy Dotrice, Feldshuh, Art Metrano, Ian McShane, PrisShelby Fiddis, Rikki Marin, Edie McClurg, cilla Lopez, Rose Marie, Jack Gilford, J. Rae Dawn Chong, Robbi Chong. The boys Pat O’Malley. Detective Davis is hired by (in three roles each) and their families (in one lawyer Feldshuh to check out McShane role each) star in their first non-drug (but still and Gilford, who have been lax in their tasteless) comedy, an inept parody which alimony checks. Sexist, racist, and obseems all the more empty because of its magnoxious. [R]▼ nificent French locations. Staggeringly unCheatin’ Hearts (1993) C-90m. ★★ D: Rod funny even by C&C standards; the previews McCall. Sally Kirkland, James Brolin, Kris for START THE REVOLUTION WITHKristofferson, Pamela Gidley, Laura JohnOUT ME have more laughs. [PG]▼●쩠 son, Michael Moore, Renee Estevez. Very Cheetah (1989) C-84m. ★★★ D: Jeff Blyth. ordinary love story set in New Mexico, inKeith Coogan, Lucy Deakins, Collin Mothvolving romantic relationships in a sleepy litupi, Timothy Landfield, Breon Gorman, tle town. Stars are all attractive, but story is Ka Vundia, Kuldeep Bhakoo. Two Southern just too thin to hold much interest. Kirkland California kids join their parents for several and Brolin executive produced. [R]▼쩠 months in Kenya, make friends with a young Checkered Flag or Crash (1977) C-95m. Masai, and adopt an orphaned cheetah, which ★★ D: Alan Gibson. Joe Don Baker, Susan they raise as a pet. Simple storyline is aimed Sarandon, Larry Hagman, Alan Vint, squarely at kids, but it’s believable and enterParnelli Jones, Logan Clark. A 1,000 mile offtaining and teaches good lessons about tolerroad race in the Philippines is the focal point ance and respect for the wild. A Disney of this unmemorable programmer; for car-acrelease. [G]▼●쩠 tion fans only. Panavision. [PG] Chef in Love, A (1996-French-Russian) Checking Out (1989-U.S.-British) C-96m. C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nana Djordjadze. Pierre ★1⁄2 D: David Leland. Jeff Daniels, Melanie Richard, Nino Kirtadze, Micheline Presle, Mayron, Michael Tucker, Kathleen York, Timur Kamkhadze, Jean-Yves Gautier, Ann Magnuson, Allan Havey, Jo Harvey Ramaz Chkhikvadze, Danielle Darrieux. Allen, Felton Perry, Alan Wolfe. When DanYet another film which equates food with iels’ best friend dies of a heart attack he sudlove and sex. Richard, a fabled French chef, denly turns into a raging hypochondriac, comes to live in Georgia just before the convinced the same thing will happen to him. Russian Revolution, where he romances a After 90m. of this overblown black comedy princess (Kirtadze) and opens a restaurant; you pray that it will. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 his life is irrevocably altered upon the arCheck Is in the Mail, The (1986) C-91m. rival of the Red Army. Despite some ★★ D: Joan Darling. Brian Dennehy, Anne mouth-watering scenery (and food), the reArcher, Hallie Todd, Chris Herbert, Misult is annoyingly uneven. [PG-13]▼ chael Bowen, Nita Talbot, Dick Shawn. Chelsea Walls (2002) C-112m. ★★ D: Ethan Ineffectual comedy about a beleaguered Hawke. Kevin Corrigan, Rosario Dawson, family man who decides to beat the system Vincent D’Onofrio, Robert Sean Leonard, by making his home self-sufficient. EpiKris Kristofferson, Natasha Richardson, Little sodic, slow-paced film wears out its someJimmy Scott, John Seitz, Uma Thurman, Mark times likable ingredients. [R]▼ Weber, Tuesday Weld, Steve Zahn, Harris Cheech & Chong’s Next Movie (1980) Yulin, Guillermo Diaz, Frank Whaley, Marisa Tomei, Christopher Walken. Impressionistic C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Thomas Chong. Cheech Marin, Thomas Chong, Evelyn Guerrero, ode to N.Y.C.’s fabled Chelsea Hotel and the Betty Kennedy, Sy Kramer, Rikki Marin. ghosts of tortured artistic souls like Dylan After an auspicious debut in UP IN SMOKE, Thomas who affect the current inhabitants— the pothead, put-on comic duo go serifrom a newly arrived Midwestern folksinger ously awry in this crude, incoherent film, to a booze-ridden novelist who can’t get his [ 238 ]

act together. Not uninteresting as a mood Baker, Karl Malden, Dolores Del Rio, Sal piece, with some good performances, but Mineo, Edward G. Robinson, James Stewart, unenlightening and fatally slow moving. Ricardo Montalban, Gilbert Roland, Arthur Hawke’s feature directing debut. [R]▼쩠 Kennedy, Patrick Wayne, Elizabeth Allen, Cherish (2002) C-102m. ★★★ D: Finn TayVictor Jory, John Carradine, Mike Mazurki, lor. Robin Tunney, Tim Blake Nelson, Nora John Qualen, George O’Brien. Sprawling, Dunn, Brad Hunt, Lindsay Crouse, Liz uneven, but entertaining John Ford Western Phair, Jason Priestley. Offbeat story of a (his last) about Cheyenne Indian tribe and its misfit who’s victimized by a stalker and eventful journey back to original settlement then involved in an accident that lands her after being relocated by the government. Diin jail—but her ‘‘prison’’ is an apartment, rector Ford’s last film in Monument Valley. where an electronic device chained to her Dodge City sequence (with Stewart as Wyatt ankle restricts her movement. In time, the Earp) was cut after premiere engagements; deputy who maintains the device becomes restored to 154m. on video. Super Panavision her only friend. Fresh, original thriller set in 70. ▼●쩠 San Francisco from writer-director Taylor, Cheyenne Social Club, The (1970) Canchored by Tunney’s strong, appealing 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gene Kelly. Henry Fonda, performance. [R] ▼쩠 James Stewart, Shirley Jones, Sue Ane Cherry Orchard, The (1999-Greek-French) Langdon, Elaine Devry. Jimmy inherits C-141m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Cacoyannis. Charand runs a bawdy house in the Old West. lotte Rampling, Alan Bates, Katrin Cartlidge, Lots of laughs, but cliche´s run throughout. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Owen Teale, Tushka Bergen, Xander Berkeley, Gerald Butler, Andrew Howard, MelaCheyenne Warrior (1994) C-86m. ★★★ D: nie Lynskey, Ian McNeice, Frances De La Mark Griffiths. Kelly Preston, Pato HoffTour, Michael Gough. Melancholy, muted mann, Bo Hopkins, Rick Dean, Clint Howard, adaptation of Chekhov classic about a onceCharles Powell, Dan Clark, Winterhawk, Dan prosperous Russian family’s struggle to Haggerty. Modest but engrossing Western cope with the imminent sale of their estate character study about the growing bond beand the beloved title orchard. Made with tween a proud Indian warrior and a naive care and well acted, but not quite effective white woman who loses her husband while as either a film or as an ‘‘opened-up’’ play. heading west in the 1800s. Well cast and Adapted by the director. Released in the well written (by Michael B. Druxman). U.S. in 2002.▼쩠 [PG]▼쩠 Cherry 2000 (1988) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steve Chicago (2002) C-113m. ★★★ D: Rob MarDeJarnatt. Melanie Griffith, Ben Johnson, shall. Rene´e Zellweger, Catherine ZetaHarry Carey, Jr., David Andrews, Tim Jones, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John Thomerson, Pamela Gidley, Jennifer Mayo. C. Reilly, Christine Baranski, Lucy Liu, Post-MAD MAX adventure about a feTaye Diggs, Colm Feore, Dominic West. male mercenary hired to bust into a 21stDitzy Roxie Hart (Zellweger) shoots a man, century robot warehouse operated by psychos then hires the slickest lawyer in Chicago to in what used to be the American Southrepresent her so she’ll become a media star west. Derivative, but a bit more fun than like her idol, nightclub performer Velma its limited theatrical release might lead you Kelly. Entertaining film version of the Bob to believe; Johnson and Carey are worth Fosse–John Kander–Fred Ebb Broadway their combined weights in audience goodshow treats the musical moments as figwill. Filmed in 1986. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ments of Roxie’s imagination, contrasted Chesty Anderson, USN (1976) C-88m. ★★ D: against the dark reality of her life. Some Ed Forsyth. Shari Eubank, Rosanne Katon, quibbles: director Marshall hammers across Dorri Thomson, Marcie Barkin, Timothy every song as if it’s the closing number and Carey, Scatman Crothers, Frank Campanella, uses music-video–style cutting to the point Fred Willard, Betty Thomas. Sexploitation of distraction. The stars are good, but Zetacomedy about female naval recruits is so Jones reveals her experience as a musical timid that it keeps its lovely cast clothed even performer and provides the knockout punch. during physical exams! Retitled ANDERStory filmed before in 1927 and as ROXIE HART. Chita Rivera, of the original BroadSON’S ANGELS for TV. [R]▼쩠 Chevy Van SEE: Van, The (1976) way cast, has a cameo. Oscar winner for Cheyenne (1947) 100m. ★★ D: Raoul Best Picture, Supporting Actress (ZetaWalsh. Dennis Morgan, Jane Wyman, Janis Jones), Costume Design (Colleen Atwood), Paige, Bruce Bennett, Alan Hale, Arthur Art Direction, Film Editing, and Sound. [PG-13]▼쩠 Kennedy, Barton MacLane. Standard Western as gambler attempts to capture outlaw— Chicago Deadline (1949) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: instead spends time with outlaw’s wife. Lewis Allen. Alan Ladd, Donna Reed, Later a TV series. Retitled THE WYOMJune Havoc, Irene Hervey, Arthur KenneING KID. dy, Shepperd Strudwick. Potentially topCheyenne Autumn (1964) C-145m. ★★★ notch actioner bogs down in cliche´s, with D: John Ford. Richard Widmark, Carroll Ladd as crusading reporter in corruption[ 239 ]

filled city. Remade as FAME IS THE Chicken Run (2000-British-U.S.) C-84m. ★★★ NAME OF THE GAME. D: Peter Lord, Nick Park. Voices of Chicago Joe and the Showgirl (1990Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Miranda RichBritish) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bernard Rose. ardson, Jane Horrocks, Lynn Ferguson, ImKiefer Sutherland, Emily Lloyd, Patsy Kenelda Staunton, Timothy Spall. Endearingly sit, Keith Allen, Liz Fraser, Alexandra Pigg, loopy stop-motion animated feature from Ralph Nossek, Colin Bruce, John Lahr. Yank the Oscar-winning creators of Wallace and soldier-hood Sutherland, stationed in London Gromit. The setting is a British barnyard during WW2, joins a self-deluded British tart where the chickens are determined to escape (Lloyd) in committing petty crimes that escatheir fate and literally fly the coop. Amusing late into murder. Famed British tabloid fodfor adults on one level (with a number of der gets the low-budget ‘‘period’’ treatment. savvy references to old POW movies) and Mildly interesting account never quite gels, just plain fun for kids. [G]▼쩠 though some of the violence offers surprisChief Crazy Horse (1955) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 ingly stylized jolts. Lloyd is a lot more interD: George Sherman. Victor Mature, Suzan esting than her costar here. [R]▼●쩠 Ball, John Lund, Ray Danton, Keith Larsen, Chicago 10 (2008) C-110m. ★★★ D: Brett Paul Guilfoyle, David Janssen, Dennis Morgen. Voices of Hank Azaria, Dylan Weaver. Intelligent if slow-moving Western Baker, Mark Ruffalo, Roy Scheider, Nick with Mature perfectly cast as the proud, ideNolte, Liev Schreiber, Jeffrey Wright, alistic Sioux chief who unites the Indian James Urbaniak. Unique documentary aptribes (and defeats Custer at Little Big proach to the tumultuous events of 1968 Horn). CinemaScope. when radical groups amassed in Chicago to Chikamatsu Monogatari SEE: Crucified protest the status quo, and the war in VietLovers, The nam, during the Democratic National Child, The SEE: L’Enfant Convention . . . contrasted with animated Childish Things SEE: Confessions of Tom renderings of the trial and its instigators Harris (taken verbatim from court transcripts), which Child Is Born, A (1939) 79m. ★★★ D: became theater of the absurd. Without narraLloyd Bacon. Geraldine Fitzgerald, Jeffrey tion, talking-head interviews, period music, or Lynn, Gladys George, Gale Page, Spring very much contextual material, this narrowly Byington, Eve Arden. Smooth, touching refocused film provides an emotional, empamake of LIFE BEGINS about everyday life thetic, and immediate portrait of a seminal in maternity ward, involving prisoner Fitzevent in American history. [R]쩠 gerald sent to hospital to have her child. Chicken Chronicles, The (1977) C-95m. Child Is Waiting, A (1963) 102m. ★★★ D: ★1 John Cassavetes. Burt Lancaster, Judy Gar⁄2 D: Francis Simon. Steven Guttenberg, Ed Lauter, Lisa Reeves, Meridith Baer, land, Gena Rowlands, Steven Hill, Bruce Branscombe Richmond, Gino Baffa, Phil Ritchey. Poignant story of Lancaster’s atSilvers. Lowjinks of a high school senior, tempts to treat retarded children with the help circa 1969, whose principal preoccupation of overly sympathetic Garland. Sensitive subis bedding the girl of his dreams. Guttenject handled with honesty and candor.▼● berg’s film debut. [PG]▼ Child of Satan SEE: To The Devil— Chicken Every Sunday (1948) 91m. ★★1⁄2 A Daughter D: George Seaton. Dan Dailey, Celeste Children, The (1990-British-West GerHolm, Colleen Townsend, Alan Young, man) C-115m. ★★ D: Tony Palmer. Ben Natalie Wood. Easygoing turn-of-theKingsley, Kim Novak, Siri Neal, Geralcentury Americana about get-rich-quick dine Chaplin, Joe Don Baker, Britt Ekland, schemer Dailey and understanding wife Holm. Donald Sinden, Karen Black, Robert SteChicken Little (2005) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: phens, Rupert Graves. Kingsley’s plans to Mark Dindal. Voices of Zach Braff, Garry marry recently widowed Novak are thrown Marshall, Joan Cusack, Steve Zahn, Amy askew by his involvement with the illSedaris, Don Knotts, Harry Shearer, Patrick cared-for children of an old college friend Stewart, Wallace Shawn, Fred Willard, . . . and his gradual infatuation with the Catherine O’Hara, Adam West, Patrick Wareldest teenage daughter. Based on an Edith burton. No one in the idyllic suburban town Wharton novel filmed in 1929 as THE of Oakey Oaks will let plucky young Chicken MARRIAGE PLAYGROUND. Kingsley Little forget the time he said the sky was and Novak are excellent, but film is irritatfalling; they’re certainly not going to believe ing and slow, with tiresome use of steadihim when he sees it happening again. Irresistcam. Filmed in Venice and Switzerland.▼ ible underdog hero and an amusing ensemble Children of a Lesser God (1986) C-110m. ★★★ D: Randa Haines. William Hurt, Marlee (our favorite: Fish Out of Water) draw you in, but the story goes askew. Likely to please Matlin, Piper Laurie, Philip Bosco, Alison younger kids. This is the Disney studio’s first Gompf, John F. Cleary, John Basinger. New completely computer-generated cartoon feateacher at school for the deaf is intrigued by ture. 3-D theatrical version contains one addian obviously intelligent but isolated young tional scene after closing credits. [G]쩠 woman who works there as a janitor. The [ 240 ]

warmth of Hurt’s performance, and the creditumble theatrical troupe in 19th-century bility of Matlin’s, shine through this moving France. Barrault plays the mime whose unfuland unusual love story . . . though it lacks the filled passion for free-spirited Arletty domiedge and bite of Mark Medoff’s play, on nates his life, even as he achieves great fame which it’s based. An impressive feature-film on stage. Wise, witty, and completely captidirecting debut for Haines. Matlin, also makvating. Written by Jacques Pre´vert. Filming ing her film debut, won an Oscar. Filmed in began in 1943 in Nazi-occupied France, but wasn’t completed until 1945.▼●쩠 New Brunswick. [R]▼●쩠 Children of Heaven (1997-Iranian) CChildren of Sanchez, The (1978-U.S.Mexican) C-117m. ★1⁄2 D: Hall Bartlett. 88m. ★★★ D: Majid Majidi. Amir Naji, Mir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahareh Seddigi, NafiAnthony Quinn, Dolores Del Rio, Melanie seh Jafar Mohammadi, Fereshteh Sarabandi. Farrar, Katy Jurado, Stathis Giallelis, LuPoignant story of a young boy trying to recia Mendez, Duncan Quinn. Quinn is a widplace his sister’s newly repaired pink shoes. owed Mexico City worker who has several This became Iran’s first Oscar contender for common-law wives, and refuses to show Best Foreign Language Film, and deservedly affection for his children. Well-meaning so. Simple tale shows the importance of look at the folly of machismo, but it’s family, perseverance and honor, as we folleaden-paced and often excruciating. Chuck low an eight-year-old’s seemingly impossiMangione’s popular pop-jazz score too often seems to belong to another film. [R]▼쩠 ble quest to make up for his single misdeed. Well worth watching for children and adults Children of Theatre Street, The (1977) C-92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Dornhelm, Earle alike. [PG]▼쩠 Children of Huang Shi, The (2008-U.S.Mack. Narrated by Princess Grace (Grace Chinese-Australian-German) C-125m. ★★ D: Kelly). Outstanding documentary about Roger Spottiswoode. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Leningrad’s famed Kirov Ballet School, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun-Fat, David Wenamong whose graduates are Baryshnikov, Nuham, Michelle Yeoh, Guang Li. Situated in reyev, Balanchine, and Nijinsky. The focus is Shanghai during Japan’s invasion of China, a on a trio of students, and the rigorous training young Oxford-educated journalist (Rhys they undergo. A must for balletomanes, and Meyers) manages to coerce his way into the especially recommended as an introduction to forbidden area, the strife-ridden city of Nanjthe art of ballet for children. [G]▼쩠 ing, where he experiences the war up close. Children of the Corn (1984) C-93m. ★1⁄2 Reluctantly seeking refuge in an all-butD: Fritz Kiersch. Peter Horton, Linda forgotten, dilapidated children’s orphanage Hamilton, R. G. Armstrong, John Franklin, moves his life in an unexpected direction. Courtney Gains, Robby Kiger. Laughable Spotty recounting of British journalist George adaptation of Stephen King short-short story Hogg’s true experiences. Even a good cast about young couple who stumble onto Iowa can’t raise the temperature of what should town that’s been taken over by sinister have been a heartwarming tale. Super 35. juvenile cultists—and then, like all stupid [R]쩠 couples in movies like this, fail to get out Children of Men (2006-U.S.-British) Cwhile the getting is good. Pretty tacky. Followed by six sequels. [R]▼●쩠 108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alfonso Cuaro´n. Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Michael Caine, Children of the Corn II—The Final Sacrifice (1993) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: David F. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Charlie Hunnam, ClareHope Ashitey, Pam Ferris, Danny Huston, Price. Terence Knox, Paul Scherrer, RoPeter Mullan. Riveting look at the year salind Allen, Christie Clark, Ned Romero. 2027: women are sterile, and England is a Barely based on the Stephen King story. Once bleak, Fascistic society. Onetime political again, the kids of an isolated Nebraska farmactivist Owen finds himself involved in a ing community are killing the adults and noresistance movement again because of a girl body knows why. Nobody knows the reason who has miraculously become pregnant. for this movie’s existence either. Followed by Visceral action and chase scenes (incredibly five more ‘‘sequels’’! [R]▼● shot by Emmanuel Lubezki) give us a real Children of the Damned (1964-British) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anton Leader. Ian Hendry, sense of being hunted, as Owen becomes an Everyman hero on the run. Caine adds some Alan Badel, Barbara Ferris, Patrick White, light moments as an aging hippie who’s manBessie Love. Follow-up to VILLAGE OF aged to survive in his own hideaway comTHE DAMNED suffers from unimaginapound. Based on a novel by P. D. James, tive account of precocious deadly children adapted by Cuaro´n, Timothy J. Sexton, David and their quest for power.▼●쩠 Arata, Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby. [R]쩠 Children of the Night (1992) C-92m. ★1⁄2 Children of Paradise (1945-French) 195m. D: Tony Randel. Karen Black, Peter DeLu★★★★ D: Marcel Carne ´. Jean-Louis Barrault, ise, Ami Dolenz, Evan MacKenzie, Maya Arletty, Pierre Brasseur, Albert Remy, Maria McLaughlin, Josette DiCarlo, David SawCasare´s, Leon Larive, Marcel Herrand, Pierre yer, Garrett Morris. Vampires take over a Renoir. Timeless masterpiece of filmmaking small town in this low-rent variation on SA(and storytelling), focusing on a rough-andLEM’S LOT. Peculiar deviation from vam[ 241 ]

pire mythology—they sleep underwater 1988 antics, affected youngster begins with their lungs floating on the surface—is boarding with foster parents. Agutter and the only novelty, unless you count the Graham ought to be anyone’s couple-ofhighly variable acting. [R]▼쩠 the-month, but the film is utterly worthless Children of the Revolution (1996-Austrauntil the finale: 15 minutes of doll-factory ★★1 lian) C-101m. yuck (with a particular nod to conveyor ⁄2 D: Peter Duncan. Judy Davis, Sam Neill, F. Murray Abraham, belts); its unexpected stylishness saves this Geoffrey Rush, Richard Roxburgh, Rachel d.o.a. from a BOMB rating. [R]▼●쩠 Griffiths, Russell Kiefel, John Gaden. FerChild’s Play 3 (1991) C-90m. BOMB D: vent Stalinist (Davis) ends up secretly pregJack Bender. Justin Whalin, Perrey Reeves, nant with the famed leader’s son, then Jeremy Sylvers, Peter Haskell, Dakin Matwatches as he grows up mirroring his fathews, Andrew Robinson, voice of Brad ther’s revolutionary behavior. Australian Dourif. It’s been eight years since Chucky black comedy tackles the collapse of commufirst terrorized young Andy Barclay (Whalin), nism blending humor and tragedy, fact and and now the kid is a screwed-up loner of fiction, but the pacing is uneven and the satire 16 in a military school; to make things often heavy-handed. Worth seeing for two worse, the prez of the Play Pals Toy Comknockout performances, from the always relipany is about to put the ‘‘C’’ doll back into able Davis and from Griffiths, as her policeproduction. An amusement park finale is woman daughter-in-law. [R] ▼●쩠 desperately contrived, even by the stanChildren Shouldn’t Play With Dead dards of this junk. Followed by BRIDE OF CHUCKY. [R]▼●쩠 Things (1972) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Benjamin (Bob) Clark. Alan Ormsby, Anya Ormsby, Chill Factor (1999) C-101m. ★★ D: Hugh Valerie Mauches, Jane Daly, Jeffrey Gillen. Johnson. Cuba Gooding, Jr., Skeet Ulrich, Young, kinky movie-makers take over a Peter Firth, David Paymer, Hudson Leick, rural graveyard and unwittingly resurrect Daniel Hugh Kelly, Kevin J. O’Connor. the evil dead. Weird. [PG]▼●쩠 Convenience store clerk Ulrich and ice Children’s Hour, The (1961) 107m. ★★1⁄2 cream truck driver Gooding reluctantly D: William Wyler. Audrey Hepburn, Shirteam up to keep an explosive, safe as long ley MacLaine, James Garner, Miriam Hopas it’s cold, from falling into the hands of kins, Fay Bainter, Karen Balkin, Veronica terrorist Firth. Routine, predictable action Cartwright. Updated version of Lillian Hellmovie helped by the likable (if miscast) man’s play is more explicit in its various leads. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 themes, including lesbianism, than origiChilly Scenes of Winter SEE: Head Over nal THESE THREE (also made by Wyler), Heels (1979) but not half as good. Impact is missing, Chimes at Midnight (1966-Spanish-Swiss) despite MacLaine and Hepburn as two 115m. ★★★ D: Orson Welles. Orson Welles, teachers, Hopkins as meddling aunt, Bainter Jeanne Moreau, Margaret Rutherford, John as questioning grandmother.▼●쩠 Gielgud, Marina Vlady, Keith Baxter; nar1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Child’s Play (1972) C-100m. rated by Ralph Richardson. Welles comSidney Lumet. James Mason, Robert Presbined parts of five Shakespeare plays with ton, Beau Bridges, Ronald Weyand, Charles mixed results, with his own portrayal of White, David Rounds, Kate Harrington, Falstaff the most interesting aspect. Well Jamie Alexander. Well-acted but somber cast, but limited budget hurt the effort. and confusing account of rivalry between Aka FALSTAFF.▼ Catholic school professors Mason and PresChina (1943) 79m. ★★ D: John Farrow. ton, and the seemingly senseless acts of Loretta Young, Alan Ladd, William Bendix, violence perpetrated by some of their stuPhilip Ahn, Iris Wong, Sen Yung. Pat dents. From the Robert Marasco play. [PG] wartime tale of mercenary Ladd who sudChild’s Play (1988) C-87m. ★★★ D: Tom denly realizes his true allegiance while Holland. Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, helping enemy.▼ Alex Vincent, Brad Dourif, Dinah Manoff, China Doll (1958) 88m. ★1⁄2 D: Frank Tommy Swerdlow, Jack Colvin. Scary and Borzage. Victor Mature, Li Li Hua, Bob clever horror thriller in which only young VinMathias, Stuart Whitman. Bizarre storycent knows his new Chucky doll is really a line can’t boost dull film of Air Force pilot monster, possessed with the spirit of dead murMature accidentally buying Asian wife derer Dourif. His mom (Hicks) and the cop on whom he grows to love. Romantic story the case (Sarandon) finally believe him but not with WW2 backdrop from John Wayne’s before two deaths. Sleeper hit packs a wallop, Batjac unit.쩠 with excellent special effects bringing the doll China Gate (1957) 97m. ★★★ D: Samuel Fuller. Gene Barry, Angie Dickinson, Nat to life. Followed by four sequels. [R]▼●쩠 Child’s Play 2 (1990) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: King Cole, Paul Dubov, Lee Van Cleef, John Lafia. Alex Vincent, Jenny Agutter, George Givot, Marcel Dalio. International Gerrit Graham, Christine Elise, Grace soldiers under French command attack Zabriskie, Peter Haskell, Beth Grant, voice Communist munitions dumps in Indochiof Brad Dourif. Traumatized by Chucky’s na. Interesting subplots flesh out Fuller’s [ 242 ]

dynamic action story, with early view of dedicated plant exec. Screenplay by Mike Gray, T.S. Cook, and Bridges. [PG]▼●쩠 Vietnam’s internal strife. CinemaScope.▼ Chinatown (1974) C-131m. ★★★★ D: RoChina Girl (1942) 95m. ★★ D: Henry man Polanski. Jack Nicholson, Faye DunHathaway. Gene Tierney, George Montaway, John Huston, Perry Lopez, John gomery, Lynn Bari, Victor McLaglen, Sig Hillerman, Roy Jenson, Dick Bakalyan, Joe Ruman, Bobby (Robert) Blake, Ann PenMantell, Bruce Glover, James Hong, Noble nington, Philip Ahn. American photograWillingham, Burt Young. Bizarre, fascinatpher in mysterious Orient during WW2 is ing mystery in the Hammett-Chandler tradibackground for unbelievable adventure yarn; tion (and set in the 1930s) with Nicholson Bari best item in film. 1 ★★ as L.A. private eye led into a complex, volaChina Girl (1987) C-88m. ⁄2 D: Abel Fertile case by femme fatale Dunaway. Direcrara. James Russo, Richard Panebianco, Sari tor Polanski appears briefly as the hood who Chang, David Caruso, Russell Wong. Atmoknifes Nicholson. Oscar for Best Original spheric romantic thriller about warring ChiScreenplay (Robert Towne). Sequel: THE nese and Italian youth gangs in N.Y.C., with TWO JAKES. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Panebianco and Chang as star-crossed lovers. Chinchero SEE: Last Movie, The Director Ferrara provides tremendous energy Chinese Box (1997-Japanese-French-U.S.) and some over-the-top violence. [R]▼● C-100m. ★★ D: Wayne Wang. Jeremy China Moon (1994) C-99m. ★★ D: John Irons, Gong Li, Maggie Cheung, Michael Bailey. Ed Harris, Madeleine Stowe, Hui, Ruben Blades. Murky drama set in the Charles Dance, Benicio Del Toro, Pruitt final six months of Great Britain’s rule over Taylor Vince, Roger Aaron Brown, Patricia Hong Kong, with the smell of change in the Healy. Small-town cop Harris lusts after unair as China prepares to take over. Irons happily married Stowe in this moody film plays a jaded journalist whose own life is at noir. A couple of neat twists, but production a crossroads. Li is not well showcased in is more than a bit reminiscent of (the supeher first English-language film, as a woman rior) BODY HEAT—down to the Florida ‘‘with a past’’ whom Irons adores but canlocale. Directorial debut for Bailey, better not have. Heavy-handed allegory was conknown as a top cinematographer (ORDIceived by Wang, Paul Theroux, and JeanNARY PEOPLE, IN THE LINE OF FIRE). Claude Carrie`re. [R]▼●쩠 Filmed in 1991. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Chinese Coffee (2001) C-99m. ★★ D: Al ★★1 ⁄2 China 9, Liberty 37 (1978) C-102m. Pacino. Al Pacino, Jerry Orbach, Susan D: Monte Hellman. Warren Oates, Fabio Floyd, Ellen McElduff. Chamber piece, Testi, Jenny Agutter, Sam Peckinpah. Slugclearly based on a play (by Ira Lewis) about gish, mythicized Western in which raila pair of N.Y.C. artists, losers with a symbiroad barons save a man from gallows in otic relationship who spend a long night exchange for killing former gunfighter; talking over their failures and resentments. gunfighter’s wife falls for killer and helps If you’re a fan of the two actors, you’ll do his dirty work. Title refers to signpost savor their performances, but as a film it giving distance to two nearby towns. Video never takes off. Lewis adapted his play. title: GUNFIRE. Technovision. [R]▼쩠 Shot in 1997. [R]쩠 ★★★ China Seas (1935) 90m. D: Tay Chinese Connection, The (1972-Hong Garnett. Clark Gable, Jean Harlow, WalKong) C-107m. ★★★ D: Lo Wei. Bruce lace Beery, Lewis Stone, Rosalind RusLee, Miao Ker Hsiu, James Tien, Robert sell, Dudley Digges, Robert Benchley, C. Baker. Violent Kung Fu film has Lee in Aubrey Smith, Hattie McDaniel. ImpossiShanghai in early 1900s seeking vengeance ble to dislike film with that cast, even if on the murderers of his teacher. Graceful, the story—about mysterious goings-on and powerful, humorous, and charismatic; Lee at relationships on Gable’s Singapore-bound his best. Original title: FIST OF FURY. Aka ship—is ludicrous. Also shown in computerTHE IRON HAND. Shawscope. [R] ▼●쩠 colored version.▼●쩠 Chinese Roulette (1976-German) C-86m. ★★★ China Syndrome, The (1979) C-123m. D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Margit ★★★★ D: James Bridges. Jane Fonda, Jack Carstensen, Ulli Lommel, Anna Karina, Lemmon, Michael Douglas, Scott Brady, Macha Meril, Brigitte Mira, Andrea Schober, James Hampton, Peter Donat, Wilford Volker Spengler. Intense, biting comedy Brimley, James Karen. Heartpounding about a disabled girl (Schober), who plots to drama about attempted cover-up of accihave her parents and their lovers visit a coundent at California nuclear plant is as much try house on the same weekend. Perceptive— a probe of television news as it is a story of but potentially off-putting—film is recomnuclear power— and it scores bullseye on mended mainly for Fassbinder fans.▼●쩠 both fronts. There is no music score; story Chino (1973-Italian) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: John tension propels film by itself, along with Sturges. Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Vinsolid performances by Fonda as TV reporter, cent Van Patten, Marcel Bozzuffi, Fausto Douglas (who also produced film) as radiTozzi, Melissa Chimenti. Offbeat Western cal cameraman, and especially Lemmon as that barely received theatrical release here [ 243 ]

in 1976; Bronson plays halfbreed whose THE GUARDSMAN. Eddy and Stevens are attempts to maintain his horse ranch in husband-wife opera stars; to test her fidelity, peace are short-lived. Aka THE VALDEZ he disguises himself as a Cossack and woos HORSES. [PG]▼쩠 her. Much too talky, and not enough music; Chisum (1970) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew remade as LILY IN LOVE.▼ V. McLaglen. John Wayne, Geoffrey Chocolate War, The (1988) C-103m. ★★★ Deuel, Forrest Tucker, Christopher George, D: Keith Gordon. John Glover, Ilan MitBen Johnson, Glenn Corbett, Bruce Cabot, chell-Smith, Wally Ward, Bud Cort, Adam Patric Knowles, Lynda Day, Richard Jaeckel. Baldwin, Jenny Wright, Doug Hutchinson. Wayne is the real-life cattle baron of the title, A Catholic boys school is divided by a but takes a back seat to Billy the Kid (Deuel) power struggle between an idealistic stuin this routine but handsome Western. It’s dent and a dictatorial acting headmaster, about the efforts of good ranchers like as each tries to deal with The Vigils, a Wayne and Knowles to prevent the takeover secret society of schoolboys out for conof Lincoln County, New Mexico, by corrupt trol. Chilling and impressive, well directed Tucker. One of very few Wayne Westerns on a low budget by actor Gordon, who based on historical events. Panavision. also adapted Robert Cormier’s novel. Glover is wonderfully wicked. [R]▼●쩠 [G]▼●쩠 Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) C-142m. Choice of Arms (1981-French) C-117m. ★1 ★★★ ⁄2 D: Ken Hughes. Dick Van Dyke, Sally D: Alain Corneau. Yves Montand, CathAnn Howes, Lionel Jeffries, Gert Frobe, erine Deneuve, Ge´rard Depardieu, Michel Anna Quayle, Benny Hill. Children’s muGalabru, Gerard Lanvin. Well-directed drama sical about flying car is one big Edsel about retired gangster Montand forced into itself, with totally forgettable score and antagonistic relationship with young punk Desome of the shoddiest special effects ever. pardieu, leading to reciprocal violence. DeLoosely based on book by Ian Fleming. spite hostility, both men come to understand Later adapted for the stage. Super Panahow similar they are. Good performances by vision 70. [G]▼●쩠 excellent cast, especially Depardieu. Original Chloe in the Afternoon (1972-French) French running time 135m. Panavision.▼ C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Eric Rohmer. Bernard Choice of Weapons SEE: Dirty Knight’s Verley, Zouzou, Francoise Verley, Daniel Work Choices (1981) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Silvio Ceccaldi. No. 6 of Rohmer’s ‘‘Six Moral Tales’’ depicts married man’s fascination Narizzano. Paul Carafotes, Victor French, with kooky girl during daylight hours. As Lelia Goldoni, Val Avery, Dennis Patrick, Chloe, Zouzou becomes more alluring as Demi Moore, Billy Moses, Pat Buttram. film unwinds. Remade in the U.S. in 2007 Partially deaf teenager Carafotes becomes as I THINK I LOVE MY WIFE. [R]▼●쩠 alienated when prevented from playing footChocolat (1988-French-German-Camaroon) ball because of his handicap. Well-inC-105m. ★★★ D: Claire Denis. Isaach de tentioned but obvious drama is helped by Bankole´, Giulia Boschi, Franc¸ois Cluzet, Ce´fine performances. Moore’s film debut.▼쩠 cile Ducasse, Jean-Claude Adelin, Jacques Choirboys, The (1977) C-119m. BOMB Denis, Mireille Perrier. Subtle, slowly paced D: Robert Aldrich. Charles Durning, Louis slice-of-life about a young woman’s memoGossett, Jr., Perry King, Clyde Kusatsu, Steries of her childhood in French West Africa, phen Macht, Tim McIntire, Randy Quaid, where whites are masters and most blacks are Chuck Sacci, Don Stroud, James Woods, Burt servants. This very personal, autobiographical Young, Robert Webber, Jeanie Bell, Blair film (which first-time director Denis coBrown, Michele Carey, Charles Haid, Joe scripted) is quietly rewarding. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Kapp, Barbara Rhoades, Jim Davis, Phyllis Chocolat (2000) C-121m. ★★ D: Lasse Davis, Jack DeLeon, David Spielberg, Vic Hallstro¨m. Juliette Binoche, Lena Olin, Tayback, Michael Wills, George DiCenzo. Johnny Depp, Judi Dench, Alfred Molina, Supposedly comic escapades of L.A. cops Peter Stormare, Carrie-Anne Moss, Leslie who relieve work pressures by raunchy doCaron, John Wood, Hugh O’Conor, Victoire ings. Foul-mouthed, foul-minded, heavyThivisol. A French village is virtually frozen handed film from book by Joseph Wamin time and kept that way by its conservative baugh, who disavowed this turkey. [R]▼ leading citizen (Molina). Into this rigid comChoke (2008) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clark Gregg. munity come a chocolatier (Binoche) and her Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdaughter, whose free-spirited ways and temptdonald, Brad William Henke, Clark Gregg, ing delicacies turn the town on its ear. Meant Bijou Phillips, Gillian Jacobs, Jonah Bobo, to be charming but hopelessly contrived, in Paz de la Huerta, Viola Harris, Joel Grey. spite of a fine cast. [PG-13]▼쩠 Rockwell is perfect as the protagonist of Chocolate Soldier, The (1941) 102m. ★★ D: Chuck Palahniuk’s novel, a lifelong con Roy Del Ruth. Nelson Eddy, Rise Stevens, man trying to deal with sex addiction while Nigel Bruce, Florence Bates, Dorothy Gilcaring for his mother, who’s in a mental more, Nydia Westman. Not the Oscar Straus hospital. Disconnected from society, he desoperetta, but rather a remake of Molnar’s perately needs to know who his father was. [ 244 ]

Darkly funny, extreme but inconsistent, this Chop Shop (2008) C-84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: may appeal most to Palahniuk’s faithful readRamin Bahrani. Alejandro Polanco, Isamar ers. First-time director Gregg also adapted Gonzales, Carlos Zapata, Ahmad Razvi, the book and appears as Rockwell’s priggish Rob Sowulski. Remarkably naturalistic boss. [R]쩠 look at Alejandro (or ‘‘Ale’’), a self-reliant, ★★1 Choke Canyon (1986) C-94m. street-smart Latino boy who works at (and ⁄2 D: Chuck Bail. Stephen Collins, Janet Julian, lives in) an auto-body repair shop in Lance Henriksen, Bo Svenson, Victoria RacQueens, N.Y. He persuades his older sister imo, Nicholas Pryor. Fun sci-fi about stubborn to join him there, hoping to pry her away cowboy physicist (!) who fights off corrupt from the bad influence of her friends and industrialist’s henchmen, trying to protect the give her a goal to reach for: the purchase of environment against nuclear waste dumping a food van they can operate together. Bahon the eve of Halley’s Comet’s visit near rani (MAN PUSH CART), cowriter BaEarth. Terrific aerial stuntwork. Widescreen. hareh Azimi, and cinematographer Michael [PG]▼ Simmonds create a modern-day equivalent C.H.O.M.P.S. (1979) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Don of 1940s neorealist gems like OPEN CITY Chaffey. Wesley Eure, Valerie Bertinelli, Conand BICYCLE THIEVES in this striking— rad Bain, Chuck McCann, Red Buttons, Larry and heartbreaking—film.쩠 Bishop, Hermione Baddeley, Jim Backus. CarChorus, The SEE: Les Choristes Chorus Line, A (1985) C-113m. ★★ D: toon-makers Hanna & Barbera struck out with this Disneyesque comedy about a young inRichard Attenborough. Michael Douglas, Terventor (Eure) and his mechanical dog. Origirence Mann, Alyson Reed, Cameron English, nally rated PG for mild profanities voiced by Vicki Frederick, Audrey Landers, Gregg another dog in the film—then redubbed for Burge, Nicole Fosse, Janet Jones. Auditionees kids’ sake. Title is acronym for Canine for Broadway chorus line reveal their innerHOMe Protection System. [G]▼쩠 most thoughts and emotions in song and Choose Me (1984) C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alan dance before a hard-boiled director (Douglas). Rudolph. Genevieve Bujold, Keith Carradine, Thoroughly uninspired, unmemorable filming Lesley Ann Warren, Rae Dawn Chong, Patof the landmark Broadway musical; watchrick Bauchau, John Larroquette, John Considable, especially if you never saw the play, but ine. Outrageously inventive tale of the various what can you say about a musical in which all relationships, truths, and lies that link radio the singing and all the dancing is mediocre? sex-talk-show hostess Bujold, bar owner WarAnd the show’s biggest number, ‘‘What I Did ren, and mental hospital escapee Carradine, for Love,’’ is treated as a throwaway! Super among others. This comedy-drama about the 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 different roles that people play in life is a real Chorus of Disapproval, A (1988-British) kick, with a wonderful from-midnight-tillC-100m. ★★ D: Michael Winner. Jeremy dawn feel and good performances by all. Irons, Anthony Hopkins, Prunella Scales, Evocative use of L.A. locations and Teddy Sylvia Syms, Lionel Jeffries, Gareth Hunt, Pendergrass songs. A companion piece to Patsy Kensit, Alexandra Pigg, Jenny SeaRudolph’s WELCOME TO L.A. and REgrove. Shy, simple-minded widower moves MEMBER MY NAME. [R]▼●쩠 to a seaside town and joins an amateur Chopper (2000-Australian) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 theatrical troupe, in which romantic intrigues D: Andrew Dominik. Eric Bana, Simon abound. Some pearly performances (especiLyndon, Kenny Graham, Kate Beahan. Fically Hopkins, as the director, and Scales, as tionalized bio of Australian criminal Mark his wife) can’t overcome the slightness of ‘‘Chopper’’ Read, who kills at the slightest the material and its faltering execution. provocation and mutilates himself, yet someAdapted from Alan Ayckbourn’s play by how becomes a cult hero. Stomach-churning the author and Winner. [PG]▼● violence might make you steer clear, but Chosen, The (1978-Italian-British) C-105m. there’s no denying the chilling lead perforBOMB D: Alberto De Martino. Kirk Dougmance by Bana. Features the nastiest earlas, Agostina Belli, Simon Ward, Anthony slicing since RESERVOIR DOGS.▼쩠 Quayle, Virginia McKenna, Alexander Chopping Mall (1986) C-76m. ★1⁄2 D: Knox. Nuclear power exec Douglas slowly Jim Wynorski. Kelli Maroney, Tony realizes that his son (Ward) is the AntiO’Dell, John Terlesky, Russell Todd, Paul christ, who plans to use nuclear power to Bartel, Mary Woronov, Dick Miller, Karrie bring on world destruction. There! We just Emerson, Barbara Crampton, Suzee Slater, saved you 105 minutes. Originally titled Gerrit Graham, Mel Welles. Eight teenagers HOLOCAUST 2000. Technovision. [PG]▼ are trapped overnight in a shopping mall Chosen, The (1981) C-108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: where three malfunctioning guard robots go Jeremy Paul Kagan. Maximilian Schell, on a killing spree. Endless injokes and Rod Steiger, Robby Benson, Barry Miller, cameo roles (including Bartel and Woronov Hildy Brooks, Ron Rifkin, Val Avery. in their EATING RAOUL characters) fail Excellent adaptation of Chaim Potok’s novel, to save a story that lapses into cliche´s. Origcentering on friendship between Americaninally titled: KILLBOTS. [R]▼쩠 ized Jew Miller and Hassidic Benson. [ 245 ]

Steiger, as Benson’s rabbi father, gives his Lockhart makes her screen debut. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 best performance in years, and even Robby isn’t bad. Set in 1940s Brooklyn; later Christmas Carol, A (1951-British) 86m. ★★★★ made into a Broadway musical. [PG]▼쩠 D: Brian Desmond-Hurst. Alastair Chosen Survivors (1974) C-99m. ★★ D: Sim, Jack Warner, Kathleen Harrison, Sutton Roley. Jackie Cooper, Alex Cord, Mervyn Johns, Hermione Baddeley, ClifRichard Jaeckel, Bradford Dillman, Pedro ford Mollison, Michael Hordern, George Armendariz, Jr., Diana Muldaur, Barbara Cole, Carol Marsh, Miles Malleson, ErBabcock. Good cast in formula nonsense nest Thesiger, Hattie Jacques, Peter Bull, about group of people ‘‘selected’’ to survive Hugh Dempster. Superb film is too good future holocaust in underground shelter. Just to be shown only at Christmastime; always one hitch: the shelter is invaded by vampire delightful Sim makes Scrooge a threebats. Dialogue and characterizations from dimensional character in this faithful, heartgrade-Z movies of the past. [PG]쩠 warming rendition of the Dickens classic. Christiane F. (1981-German) C-124m. ★★1⁄2 Screenplay by Noel Langley. Patrick D: Ulrich Edel. Nadja Brunkhorst, Thomas Macnee plays young Marley. Original BritHaustein, Jens Kuphal, Reiner Wolk. Grim, ish title: SCROOGE. Also shown in comgruesome account of bored teenager Brunkputer-colored version. ▼●쩠 horst falling in with crowd of junkie-hustler Christmas Eve (1947) 90m. ★1⁄2 D: Edwin Haustein. Well meaning but uneven; based L. Marin. George Brent, George Raft, on a true story. Features unmemorable Randolph Scott, Joan Blondell, Virginia David Bowie concert sequence. [R]▼쩠 Field, Ann Harding, Reginald Denny. SlowChristian Licorice Store, The (1971) moving mixture of comedy and drama as C-90m. ★★ D: James Frawley. Beau Bridges, foster sons discover evil intentions of relaMaud Adams, Gilbert Roland, Anne Rantions to victimize Harding. Retitled: SINdall, Allen Arbus, McLean Stevenson. NER’S HOLIDAY. Quirky, dated comic study of tennis player Christmas Evil SEE: You Better Watch Out Bridges looking for meaning in life. Loads Christmas Holiday (1944) 92m. ★★★ D: of cameos, including directors Jean Renoir, Robert Siodmak. Deanna Durbin, Gene Monte Hellman, Theodore J. Flicker, and Kelly, Gale Sondergaard, Gladys George, James B. Harris. Filmed in 1969. [PG] Richard Whorf. Somerset Maugham novel Christian the Lion (1976-British) C-89m. reset in America. Crime story with Durbin ★★1 ⁄2 D: Bill Travers, James Hill. Bill gone wrong to help killer-hubby Kelly; Travers, Virginia McKenna, George Adamsongs include ‘‘Spring Will Be a Little son, Anthony Bourke. Pleasant docudrama Late This Year.’’ about the efforts of BORN FREE stars—and Christmas in Connecticut (1945) 101m. ★★1 real-life wildlife expert George Adamson, ⁄2 D: Peter Godfrey. Barbara Stanwyck, whom Travers portrayed in earlier film—to Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet, Regireturn a lion born in London Zoo to its native nald Gardiner, S. Z. Sakall, Robert Shayne, habitat in Kenya. Expanded from 1971’s Una O’Connor. Airy fluff with Stanwyck, a THE LION AT WORLD’S END. [G]▼ chic magazine writer who’s supposed to be an Christine (1983) C-111m. ★★ D: John expert homemaker, forced to entertain a war Carpenter. Keith Gordon, John Stockwell, veteran (Morgan) and her boss (Greenstreet) Alexandra Paul, Robert Prosky, Harry Dean for the holidays. Standard studio corn it may Stanton, Christine Belford, Roberts Blossom, be, but a wonderful treat for late-night viewKelly Preston. Stephen King bestseller ing on Christmas Eve. Remade for cable TV about a ’58 Plymouth with demonic powers in 1992. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 never hits bull’s-eye, despite a promising start that captures teenage life quite nicely. Christmas in July (1940) 67m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Preston Sturges. Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Christine Jorgensen Story, The (1970) Raymond Walburn, William Demarest, ErC-89m. BOMB D: Irving Rapper. John Hannest Truex, Franklin Pangborn. Top Sturges sen, Joan Tompkins, Quinn Redeker, John comedy about Powell going on shopping W. Hines, Ellen Clark. Ludicrous biograspree after mistakenly believing he has phy of famed 50s phenomenon is not exwon big contest. Walburn and Demarest are at their best.▼●쩠 actly an in-depth study; one problem is that actor Hansen looks more masculine as Christmas Story, A (1983) C-93m. ★★★★ female Christine and vice versa. [R] D: Bob Clark. Peter Billingsley, Darren McChristmas Carol, A (1938) 69m. ★★★ D: Gavin, Melinda Dillon, Ian Petrella, Scott Edwin L. Marin. Reginald Owen, Gene Schwartz, Tedde Moore. Humorist Jean ShepLockhart, Kathleen Lockhart, Terry Kilburn, herd’s delightful memoir of growing up in the Barry MacKay, Lynne Carver, Leo G. Car1940s and wanting nothing so much as a Red roll, Ann Rutherford. Nicely done adaptation Ryder BB gun for Christmas. Shepherd narof Dickens’ classic with Owen a well-modrates in the first person, and Billingsley portrays ulated Scrooge, surrounded by good MGM him (delightfully) as a boy. Truly funny for players and period settings. Young June kids and grown-ups alike; wonderful period [ 246 ]

flavor. Based on a portion of In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash. Shepherd appears unbilled as a department store customer. Followed by IT RUNS IN MY FAMILY. [PG]

Sofaer. Stark, slowly paced biography of explorer, with earnest portrayal by March in title role; good period setting.▼● Christopher Columbus—the Discovery (1992-U.S.-Spanish) C-120m. BOMB D: ▼●쩠 Christmas Tale, A (2008-French) CJohn Glen. Marlon Brando, Tom Selleck, George Corraface, Rachel Ward, Robert 152m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Arnaud Desplechin. Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Roussillon, MaDavi, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta thieu Amalric, Anne Consigny, Melvil Jones, Oliver Cotton, Mathieu Carriere, Poupaud, Hippolyte Girardot, Emmanuelle Nigel Terry. ‘‘In nineteen-hundred-andDevos, Chiara Mastroianni. The matriarch ninety-two, Columbus sailed two screen of a large, rambunctious family has conboo-boos.’’ Corraface plays the explorer in tracted a rare disease and needs a bonethis one, which beat 1492: CONQUEST OF marrow transplant; this lies heavily over the PARADISE to the big screen, bringing an clan’s Christmas reunion, the first one that infectious smile and notably heavy beard folliblack sheep Amalric has been permitted to cles to an extremely complex historical charattend in a long time, because he may be the acter. Brando has a cameo as Spanish likeliest donor. A celebration of our contraInquisitor Tomas de Torquemada (his dullest dictions and complexities as human beings, performance since DESIREE), while Selleck and how they affect the family dynamic. dresses up as King Ferdinand—the guy with Deneuve’s real-life daughter Mastroianni three ships and a lady. Not ripe for rediscovery. Panavision. [PG-13]▼● plays her unwelcome daughter-in-law. Eclectic music score ranges from MendelsChristopher Strong (1933) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: sohn to Mingus; it shouldn’t work but Dorothy Arzner. Katharine Hepburn, Colin somehow (like everything else in this film) Clive, Billie Burke, Helen Chandler, Jack it does. Written by Desplechin and EmmanLaRue. Hepburn’s an aviatrix in love with uel Bourdieu. Super 35.쩠 married Clive. Dated film intriguing for star’s Christmas That Almost Wasn’t, The performance as headstrong, individualistic woman—and dig that silver lame´ costume. (1966-Italian-U.S.) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Rossano Margaret Lindsay appears unbilled. ▼●쩠 Brazzi. Rossano Brazzi, Paul Tripp, Lidia Brazzi, Sonny Fox, Mischa Auer. Santa Christ Stopped at Eboli SEE: Eboli is threatened with eviction from the North Chrome Hearts SEE: C.C. and Company Pole in this substandard kiddie film. [G]▼쩠 Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, The (2008) C-140m. ★★★ D: Andrew AdChristmas Tree, The (1969) 110m. ★1⁄2 D: Terence Young. William Holden, Virna amson. Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Lisi, Bourvil, Brook Fuller, Madeleine Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Ben Damien. Sappy tearjerker about relationBarnes, Peter Dinklage, Warwick Davis, Sership between young boy and his wealthy gio Castellitto, Vincent Grass, Alicia Borrachfather when the latter learns his son’s death ero, Tilda Swinton; voices of Liam Neeson, is imminent. Cast is divided between those Eddie Izzard. In the second installment of who overact and those who don’t seem to C. S. Lewis’ series, the Pevensie children— care one way or the other. Aka WHEN uncomfortable at home in England—are WOLVES CRY. [G]▼ transported once again to Narnia, but hunChristmas with the Kranks (2004) Cdreds of years have passed there, and the 98m. BOMB D: Joe Roth. Tim Allen, Jamie kingdom has suffered. They readily assume Lee Curtis, Dan Aykroyd, M. Emmet their roles as saviors and strike an uneasy Walsh, Elizabeth Franz, Erik Per Sullivan, alliance with Prince Caspian (newcomer Cheech Marin, Jake Busey, Austin PendleBarnes) of the Telmarines, whose uncle—a ton, Tom Poston, Julie Gonzalo, Felicity ruthless ruler—has tried to kill him. Solid Huffman. Noxious holiday movie in which storytelling, strong performances, and breathsuburbanites Luther and Nora Krank, whose taking scenery put this across, though it’s a daughter has joined the Peace Corps, decide dark tale, and the climactic battle scenes go to forgo celebrating Christmas and take a Caon at length. Super 35. [PG]쩠 ribbean cruise—which, according to their outChronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The raged neighbors, is positively un-American. Witch and The Wardrobe, The (2005) C139m. ★★★ D: Andrew Adamson. Georgie Alleged comedy pays homage to mediocrity, crass consumerism, and love-it-or-leave-it Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, conformity. Screenplay by Chris Columbus, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James based on John Grisham’s novel Skipping McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Kiran Shah, James Christmas. Panavision. [PG]쩠 Cosmo; voices of Liam Neeson, Ray WinChristopher Columbus (1949-British) stone, Dawn French, Rupert Everett. Faithful C-104m. ★★★ D: David Macdonald. Fredrendering of C. S. Lewis’ beloved book with ric March, Florence Eldridge, Francis L. a newly invented prologue: four children are Sullivan, Linden Travers, Kathleen Ryan, sent from London to a professor’s home in the Derek Bond, James Robertson Justice, Fecountry during WW2. The youngest, Lucy, lix Aylmer, Nora Swinburne, Abraham discovers a magic wardrobe that leads to a [ 247 ]

mystical land called Narnia. When she learns Ontiveros, Beth Colt, Paul Weitz, Maya Ruit has been taken over by a devious witch dolph, Mary Wigmore, Paul Sand. Buck (Swinton), she recruits her siblings to help (White), a 27-year-old who’s never matured, win the battle of good vs. evil. Much of this is is reunited with boyhood friend Chuck (Chris truly wondrous, though it does go on a bit and Weitz), and decides that they’re still best pals. the special effects are extremely variable. Still, But Chuck feels uneasy, especially with his an impressive and worthwhile family film. onetime friend’s near-stalker tactics. ExOscar winner for Best Makeup (Howard Bertremely offbeat but fascinating portrait of a ger, Tami Lane). Alternate version runs pest who simply won’t be ignored . . . and the 150m. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. [PG]쩠 reasons for his attachment. White also wrote Chronicles of Riddick, The (2004) Cthis perceptive film; costar Weitz and support119m. ★1⁄2 D: David Twohy. Vin Diesel, ing actor Paul Weitz are better known as Colm Feore, Thandie Newton, Judi Dench, screenwriters (AMERICAN PIE). [R]▼쩠 Karl Urban, Alexa Davalos, Linus Roache, Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock ‘n’ Roll Yorick van Wageningen, Nick Chinlund, (1987) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Taylor Hackford. Keith David. Follow-up to the lean, mean Chuck Berry, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, PITCH BLACK is a densely plotted, overRobert Cray, Etta James, Julian Lennon, produced action/sci-fi extravaganza, with DieLinda Ronstadt. Two delights in one: an sel as the escaped convict who attempts to overview of rock legend Chuck Berry’s ward off an invasion of planet Helion Prime career—sparked by interviews with Richby the Necromongers, led by the evil Lord ards, Clapton, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Marshal (Feore). Laden with a self-serious Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Willie storyline and enormous computer-generated Dixon, Bruce Springsteen, and the subject settings and effects, it sinks under its own himself—and a climactic 60th birthday Berry weight. Unrated director’s cut runs 134m. Anconcert held in his hometown of St. Louis. imated DVD feature THE CHRONICLES Whitewashes Berry’s womanizing and early OF RIDDICK: DARK FURY bridges story 1960s jail term, but his hot temper is much between PITCH BLACK and this film. Super in evidence during some amusing skirmishes 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 with concert producer Richards. Worthy 1 ★ of its title . . . if slightly overlong. [PG]▼쩠 Chrystal (2004) C-107m. ⁄2 D: Ray McKinnon. Billy Bob Thornton, Lisa Blount, Chuck Norris Vs. The Karate Cop SEE: Ray McKinnon, Harry Lennix, Walton GogSlaughter in San Francisco gins, Grace Zabriskie, Johnny Galecki, Colin C.H.U.D. (1984) C-90m. BOMB D: DougFickes, Max Kasch, Harry Dean Stanton. A las Cheek. John Heard, Daniel Stern, Kim car crash left a little boy dead and his Greist, Brenda Currin, Justin Hall, Christomother physically and psychologically impher Curry, Michael O’Hare, Sam McMurray, paired. The father, who was responsible for Patricia Richardson, Raymond Baker, Peter the accident, returns home seeking salvation Michael Goetz, John Bedford Lloyd, John after many years in prison. Muddled, slowGoodman, Jay Thomas. That’s Cannibalistic as-molasses hogwash set in the Arkansas Humanoid Underground Dwellers, folks—a Ozarks; means to be insightful but more band of ragtag derelicts who come up to street often is dramatically incoherent. Written by level at night to munch on human flesh. Greist the director. [R]쩠 made this before BRAZIL—but what are Chubasco (1968) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Allen Heard and Stern doing in this film? Grimy on H. Miner. Richard Egan, Christopher Jones, all levels. Followed by a sequel. [R] ▼●쩠 Susan Strasberg, Ann Sothern, Simon OakC.H.U.D. II—Bud the Chud (1989) C-84m. land, Audrey Totter, Preston Foster. Young BOMB D: David Irving. Brian Robbins, Bill man working on tuna boat gets along with Calvert, Gerrit Graham, Tricia Leigh Fisher, the skipper until he learns the boy has Robert Vaughn, Larry Cedar, Bianca Jagger, married his daughter; overlong but likLarry Linville, Jack Riley, Norman Fell, June able programmer. Jones and Strasberg were Lockhart. Teenagers swipe a corpse (Grathen married in real life. Panavision. ham), unaware that it is a cannibalistic CHUD Chu Chu and the Philly Flash (1981) that passes on its tendencies to anyone it bites. C-100m. BOMB D: David Lowell Rich. Comedy sequel to straight original is far Alan Arkin, Carol Burnett, Jack Warden, worse, but Graham is genuinely funny as the Danny Aiello, Adam Arkin, Danny Glovmonster. Script credited to ‘‘M. Kane er, Sid Haig, Ruth Buzzi, Vito Scotti, Lou Jeeves.’’ [R]▼● Jacobi. Maddeningly moronic comedy reChuka (1967) C-105m. ★★ D: Gordon volving around bum Arkin, show-biz failDouglas. Rod Taylor, John Mills, Ernest ure Burnett, and a briefcase filled with Borgnine, Luciana Paluzzi, James Whitsecret government papers. A low point in more, Angela Dorian, Louis Hayward. Good the careers of its stars; Burnett isn’t even cast is wasted in routine Western about funny in Carmen Miranda getup. Scripted grizzled gunfighter who tries to promote by Barbara Dana (Mrs. Arkin). [PG]▼ peace between Indians and some undisciChuck & Buck (2000) C-96m. ★★★ D: Miplined soldiers guarding nearby fort.▼쩠 guel Arteta. Mike White, Chris Weitz, Lupe Chump at Oxford, A (1940) 63m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 248 ]

Alfred Goulding. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, leased in Japan in two parts, running 204m. Tohoscope.▼●쩠 Wilfred Lucas, Forrester Harvey, James Finlayson, Anita Garvin. So-called feature is more Ciao! Manhattan (1972) C/B&W-84m. ★★1 like a series of barely related shorts; film is ⁄2 D: John Palmer, David Weisman. Edie nearly half over before L&H even get to OxSedgwick, Wesley Hayes, Isabel Jewell, ford. Still quite funny, especially when they Jeff Briggs, Viva, Paul America, Brigid settle down in the Dean’s quarters. Peter CushBerlin, Baby Jane Holzer, Roger Vadim, ing plays one of the boys’ tormentors. Also Christian Marquand, Allen Ginsberg. Eerie, shown in computer-colored version. ▼● fascinating, muddled, and boring mishmash in Chumscrubber, The (2005) C-106m. ★★ D: which Sedgwick essentially plays herself, a Arie Posin. Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Justin strung-out ex-superstar model. Filming started Chatwin, Glenn Close, William Fichtner, and stopped in 1967, and resumed four years Ralph Fiennes, Allison Janney, Carrie-Anne later; Sedgwick died of a drug overdose Moss, Rita Wilson, Lou Taylor Pucci, Rory months after its completion. Aka EDIE IN Culkin, Caroline Goodall, John Heard, Jason CIAO! MANHATTAN. [R] ▼●쩠 Isaacs, Lauren Holly. Bell is excellent as a misCiao, Professore! (1992-Italian) C-91m. ★★ fit who goes even further into his shell when D: Lina Wertmuller. Paolo Villaggio, Isa his best friend commits suicide. One-note obDanieli, Gigio Morra, Sergio Solli, Esterina servation of life in the affluent suburban develCarloni, Paolo Bonacelli. A middle-aged elopment from hell, where teens are alienated ementary school teacher from an upperand overmedicated, parents self-absorbed and class section of Italy is mistakenly transclueless. Fine work from the adult cast, with ferred to a run-down school in a decaying Fiennes a standout as Wilson’s fiance´, who extown near Naples. Naturally, both he and periences an epiphany that no one can share or his students wind up learning a lot from comprehend. Super 35. [R]쩠 each other. Wertmuller’s attempt to comChungking Express (1994-Hong Kong) ment on her country’s educational system, C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wong Kar-Wai. Brigitte this Italian TO SIR, WITH LOVE is a Lin, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Tony Leung, Faye mostly labored lesson. [R]▼●쩠 Wang, Valerie Chow, ‘‘Piggy’’ Chan. Two Cider House Rules, The (1999) C-125m. ★★★★ D: Lasse Hallstrom. Tobey Maguire, tangentially related stories of lovesickness, ¨ obsession, and the peccadilloes of relationCharlize Theron, Michael Caine, Delroy ships in a modern world. The catalyst for Lindo, Paul Rudd, Kathy Baker, Jane Alexboth liaisons, involving young Hong Kong ander, Kieran Culkin, Erykah Badu, Kate policemen, is the proprietor of a fast-food Nelligan, Heavy D., K. Todd Freeman. Lovestablishment. Light, funny, and offbeat, ing adaptation of John Irving’s novel (by the though the second tale goes on far too long. author), telescoped from the sprawling story Quentin Tarantino’s Rolling Thunder comabout a boy raised in a Maine orphanage (and pany acquired this for U.S. release, and abortion clinic) by an eccentric doctor who many critics applauded its postmodern aptreats him like his own son—and begrudges proach and stylistics. [PG-13]▼●쩠 the boy’s decision to go out and see the world Chunhyang (2000-Korean) C-122m. ★★ D: once he comes of age in the 1940s. Well cast, Im Kwon Taek. Lee Hae Eun, Lee Hae beautifully crafted; filmed on perfect locations Ryong, Kim Hak Yong, Lee Hyo Jung, Cho throughout New England. Beautiful score by Seung Woo, Choi Jin Young. Grandly oldRachel Portman and cinematography by Olifashioned romantic epic about the son of a ver Stapleton. Oscar winner for Best Adapted wealthy governor who falls head over heels Screenplay and Supporting Actor (Caine). for the daughter of a courtesan and the reSuper 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 verberations of their secret marriage. Lush Cimarron (1931) 124m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wesley cinematography distracts from the soggy Ruggles. Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Esmelodrama. Film also uses a traditional telle Taylor, Nance O’Neil, William Colpansori (Korean opera singer) as narrator, lier, Jr., Roscoe Ates. Edna Ferber’s saga which can grate heavily on Western ears. about an American family and the effect of Proudly wears its heart on its sleeve but empire building on the American West, never engages our emotions. [R]▼쩠 1889–1929. Oscar winner for Best Picture Chushingura (1962-Japanese) C-108m. and Best Screenplay (Howard Estabrook), ★★★1 it dates badly, particularly Dix’s overripe ⁄2 D: Hiroshi Inagaki. Koshiro Matsumoto, Yuzo Kayama, Chusha Ichikawa, performance—but it’s still worth seeing. Remade in 1960.▼쩠 Toshiro Mifune, Yoko Tsukasa. Young lord Kayama is forced to commit hara kiri by Cimarron (1960) C-147m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ancorrupt feudal lord Ichikawa, and his 47 thony Mann. Glenn Ford, Maria Schell, samurai retainers (or ronin) seek vengeance. Anne Baxter, Arthur O’Connell, Russ TamA version of an oft-filmed story, based on a blyn, Mercedes McCambridge, Vic Morrow, real-life event: sprawling, episodic, exquiCharles McGraw, Henry (Harry) Morgan, sitely beautiful, if a bit slow. Sometimes Edgar Buchanan, Robert Keith, Aline Macreferred to as the GONE WITH THE Mahon, David Opatoshu, Mary Wickes. Edna WIND of Japanese cinema. Originally reFerber’s chronicle of frontier life in Oklahoma [ 249 ]

between 1889 and 1929 becomes an indiffergina King, Julie Gonzalo, Lin Shaye, ent sprawling soap opera unsalvaged by a few Madeline Zima, Andrea Avery, Mary Pat spectacular scenes. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Gleason, Paul Rodriguez, Whip Hubley, Cimarron Kid, The (1951) C-84m. ★★ D: Kevin Kilner, Art Le Fleur. Modern-day Budd Boetticher. Audie Murphy, Beverly Cinderella story set in the San Fernando ValTyler, James Best, Yvette Dugay, Hugh ley. An orphaned girl who acts as slavey to O’Brian, Rand Brooks. Uninspired forher oafish stepmother finds a soul mate onmula Western with Murphy in title role, line but doesn’t know his identity until the persuaded to give up his criminal life by night of a high school dance. Unfortunately, his sweetheart. 쩠 the story goes on from there. Duff and MurCincinnati Kid, The (1965) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 ray are likable, but the built-in predictability D: Norman Jewison. Steve McQueen, Annmakes this piece of puff a bore. Followed Margret, Edward G. Robinson, Karl Malby a direct-to-DVD sequel. [PG] ▼쩠 den, Tuesday Weld, Joan Blondell, Rip Cinderfella (1960) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Torn, Jack Weston, Cab Calloway. RovTashlin. Jerry Lewis, Ed Wynn, Judith ing card-sharks get together in New OrAnderson, Anna Maria Alberghetti, Henry leans for big poker game; side episodes of Silva, Count Basie. Jerry is the poor stepmeaningless romance. Robinson, Blondell, son turned into a handsome prince for a and Malden come off best as vivid members night by fairy godfather Wynn. Fairy tale of the playing profession. Script by Ring classic revamped as a pretentious Lewis Lardner, Jr., and Terry Southern; Jewison vehicle, with talky interludes and ineffectual musical sequences.▼쩠 replaced Sam Peckinpah as director.▼●쩠 Cinderella (1950) C-74m. ★★★1⁄2 D: WilCinema Paradiso (1988-Italian-French) C-123m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Giuseppe Tornatore. fred Jackson, Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi. Voices of Ilene Woods, Eleanor Philippe Noiret, Jacques Perrin, Salvatore Audley, Rhoda Williams, Lucille Bliss, Cascio, Mario Leonardi, Agnese Nano, LeoVerna Felton, Mike Douglas. One of Walt poldo Trieste. A young boy is mesmerized Disney’s best animated fairy tales spins the by the movie theater in his small Italian traditional story with some delightful comic town (in the years following WW2), and embellishments, including a couple of mice pursues a friendship with its crusty but warmnamed Gus and Jaq who befriend the puthearted projectionist. Captivating, bittersweet upon heroine. Tuneful score includes ‘‘A film, with a perfect finale; Noiret and the Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes’’ and boy (Cascio) are wonderful. Written by the ‘‘Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo.’’ Followed by two director. After abortive Italian release in 1988, DVD sequels. ▼●쩠 film was shortened and awarded a Special Cinderella Liberty (1973) C-117m. ★★★1⁄2 Jury Prize at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival; D: Mark Rydell. James Caan, Marsha it went on to win the Best Foreign Film Mason, Eli Wallach, Kirk Calloway, Burt Oscar. Reissued in 2002 at 174m. [PG] Young, Bruce Kirby, Jr. (Bruno Kirby), ▼●쩠 Allyn Ann McLerie, Dabney Coleman, Circle of Danger (1951-British) 86m. ★★1⁄2 Sally Kirkland. Sensitive, original story by D: Jacques Tourneur. Ray Milland, PatriDarryl Ponicsan (based on his novel) about cia Roc, Marius Goring, Hugh Sinclair. romance between simple, good-hearted Straightforward account of Milland returnsailor and a hooker with an illegitimate ing to England to ferret out brother’s killblack son. Artfully mixes romance and realers. ▼쩠 ism, with sterling performances by Caan Circle of Deceit (1981-French-German) and Mason. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 C-108m. ★★★★ D: Volker Schlo¨ndorff. Cinderella Man (2005) C-144m. ★★★ D: Bruno Ganz, Hanna Schygulla, Jean Carmet, Ron Howard. Russell Crowe, Rene´e ZellJerzy Skolimowski, Gila von Weitershausen. weger, Paul Giamatti, Craig Bierko, Paddy Thoughtful, chilling, unrelentingly sober Considine, Bruce McGill, Ron Canada, account of German journalist Ganz coverRosemarie DeWitt. Rousing true-life story ing a Lebanese civil war, focusing on how of boxer James J. Braddock, reduced to he is affected by his experiences and his working on loading docks to support his relationship with widow Schygulla. Actufamily during the Depression, then given a ally filmed in Beirut against a backdrop of second shot in the ring. Familiar underdog political turmoil; a superior film in every material pushes all the expected buttons, but respect. Originally shown as FALSE WITNESS. [R]▼쩠 is handled with skill and compassion. Colorful period detail and dynamic handling of Circle of Friends (1995-U.S.-Irish) Cboxing scenes, crowned by fine work from 96m. ★★★ D: Pat O’Connor. Chris O’DonCrowe as Braddock and, especially, Gianell, Minnie Driver, Geraldine O’Rawe, matti as his loyal trainer and manager. Saffron Burrows, Alan Cumming, Colin Firth, Aidan Gillen. Spirited and individualSuper 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 ★★ Cinderella Story, A (2004) C-95m. istic young woman leaves her Irish village D: Mark Rosman. Hilary Duff, Jennifer Cooto attend university in Dublin and falls lidge, Chad Michael Murray, Dan Byrd, Remadly in love with a handsome lad. He [ 250 ]

loves her, too, but their relationship is imCircus World (1964) C-135m. ★★1⁄2 D: peded by chance and circumstance. Perhaps Henry Hathaway. John Wayne, Rita Haywmore ado than necessary for such a simple orth, Claudia Cardinale, John Smith, Lloyd tale, but still satisfying; anchored by DrivNolan, Richard Conte. Made in Spain, film er’s irresistible performance as Benny. has nothing new to offer, but rehashes usual Adapted from Maeve Binchy’s novel and circus formula quite nicely with the Duke as set in the 1950s. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Big Top boss trying to pull his three-ring wild Circle of Iron (1979) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: west show through various perils during EuroRichard Moore. David Carradine, Jeff Coopean tour. Climactic fire sequence is truly spectacular. Super Technirama 70.▼● per, Roddy McDowall, Eli Wallach, Erica Creer, Christopher Lee. Strange, sometimes Cisco Pike (1972) C-94m. ★★★ D: B. L. silly, but watchable blend of martial arts Norton. Kris Kristofferson, Karen Black, action and Zen philosophy; from an idea conGene Hackman, Viva!, Roscoe Lee Browne, cocted by James Coburn and Bruce Lee. CooHarry Dean Stanton. Surprisingly good drama per (looking like a California surfer) must pass about crooked cop Hackman getting mixed rites of trial to find secret book of knowledge. up with drug dealing, and blackmailing Carradine plays four roles in this Stirling Silliex-rock star Kristofferson (among Kris’s songs is ‘‘Lovin’ Her Was Easier’’). [R]쩠 phant-scripted fantasy, filmed in Israel as THE SILENT FLUTE.[R]▼쩠 Citadel, The (1938-U.S.-British) 112m. ★★★1 Circle of Love (1964-French-Italian) C⁄2 D: King Vidor. Robert Donat, Ro105m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger Vadim. Jane Fonda, salind Russell, Ralph Richardson, Rex Jean-Claude Brialy, Maurice Ronet, Jean Harrison, Emlyn Williams, Penelope DudSorel, Catherine Spaak, Anna Karina, Marie ley-Ward, Francis L. Sullivan. Superb adDubois, Claude Giraud, Franc¸oise Dorle´ac. aptation of A. J. Cronin novel of impoverUndistinguished remake of Ophuls’ classic ished doctor Donat eschewing ideals for LA RONDE: A seduces B, B makes love to wealthy life of treating rich hypochondriC, C has an affair with D—circling all the acs, neglecting wife and friends in the way back to A. Screenplay by Jean Anouilh; process; tragedy opens his eyes. Weak original running time: 110m. Franscope.▼쩠 ending, but fine acting makes up for it. 1 ★★ Circle of Power (1983) C-103m. Frank ‘‘Spig’’ Wead, Emlyn Williams, ⁄2 D: Bobby Roth. Yvette Mimieux, ChristoIan Dalrymple, Elizabeth Hill, and John pher Allport, Cindy Pickett, John Considine, Van Druten all contributed to the script. Julius Harris, Scott Marlowe, Fran Ryan, Remade in Britain as a TV miniseries.▼쩠 Walter Olkewicz, Danny Dayton, Denny Citizen Kane (1941) 119m. ★★★★ D: Orson Miller, Terence Knox. Intriguing—and Welles. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Evdisquieting—tale of businessmen and their erett Sloane, Agnes Moorehead, Dorothy wives who undergo EDT (Executive DeComingore, Ray Collins, George Coulouris, velopment Training), which, as adminisRuth Warrick, William Alland, Paul Stewtered by Mimieux, turns out to be a art, Erskine Sanford. Welles’ first and horrifying and humiliating series of ritubest, a film that broke all the rules and als. Based on actual events, believe it or invented some new ones, with fascinating not. Originally released as MYSTIQUE; story of Hearst-like publisher’s rise to also known as BRAINWASH and THE power. The cinematography (by Gregg NAKED WEEKEND. [R]▼ Toland), music score (by Bernard HerrCircle of Two (1980-Canadian) C-105m. mann), and Oscar-winning screenplay (by ★★ Welles and Herman J. Mankiewicz) are all D: Jules Dassin. Richard Burton, Tatum O’Neal, Nuala FitzGerald, Robin Gammell, first-rate. A stunning film in every way Patricia Collins, Kate Reid. Sixty-year. . . and Welles was only 25 when he old artist has romantic but platonic remade it! Incidentally, the reporter with a lationship with 16-year-old student. Burton pipe is Alan Ladd; Arthur O’Connell is is OK, and Dassin does not go for the another one of the reporters.▼●쩠 cheap thrill, but the result is slight and Citizen Ruth (1996) C-109m. ★★★ D: Alexforgettable. [PG]▼쩠 ander Payne. Laura Dern, Swoosie Kurtz, Circuit, The SEE: Pulse (2001) Mary Kay Place, Kurtwood Smith, Kelly Preston, M. C. Gainey, Kenneth Mars, Burt Circus, The (1928) 72m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Charles Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin, Merna Kennedy, Reynolds, Alicia Witt, Tippi Hedren, KathAllan Garcia, Betty Morrissey, Harry Crocleen Noone. Dern is a pregnant chemicalker. Not the ‘‘masterpiece’’ of THE GOLD inhaling homeless woman who inadverRUSH or CITY LIGHTS, but still a gem; tently becomes the center of a pro-life vs. story has Charlie accidentally joining travelpro-choice struggle over her unborn child. ing circus, falling in love with bareback A stinging satire of fanaticism, with many rider. Hilarious comedy, with memorable funny scenes, though it peters out a bit finale. Chaplin won a special Academy Award toward the end; well played by a devoted for ‘‘versatility and genius in writing, acting, cast. Diane Ladd has a raunchy unbilled directing and producing’’ this.▼●쩠 cameo. [R]▼●쩠 Circus of Fear SEE: Psycho-Circus Citizens Band SEE: Handle With Care [ 251 ]

City, The (1999) 88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Riker. Fernando Reyes, Marcos Martinez Garcia, Moises Garcia, Anthony Rivera, Cipriano Garcia. Striking neorealist-style film offers four vignettes about Latino immigrants and their struggle for survival in N.Y.C. Alternately poignant, amusing, and heartbreaking, these living portraits are enacted with a keen eye for detail and an overwhelming amount of empathy. Writerdirector Riker and cinematographer Harlan Bosmajian shot their film (in black & white) with non-professional actors over six years’ time. Aka LA CIUDAD.▼쩠 City Across the River (1949) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Maxwell Shane. Stephen McNally, Thelma Ritter, Luis Van Rooten, Jeff Corey, Anthony (Tony) Curtis, Richard Jaeckel. Watered-down version of Irving Shulman’s novel The Amboy Dukes, involving tough life in Brooklyn slums, with predictable hoods et al. City Beneath the Sea (1953) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Budd Boetticher. Robert Ryan, Mala Powers, Anthony Quinn, Suzan Ball, Woody Strode. Inconsequential underwater yarn invigorated by Ryan and Quinn as deep-sea divers hunting treasure off Jamaican coast. City by the Sea (2002) C-108m. ★★ D: Michael Caton-Jones. Robert De Niro, Frances McDormand, James Franco, Eliza Dushku, William Forsythe, Patti LuPone, George Dzundza, Anson Mount, Drena De Niro, Leo Burmester. Dreary, derivative saga of a N.Y.C. cop who returns to his hometown, the once thriving, now desolate beachfront community of Long Beach, Long Island, where his long-estranged son may have committed murder. Tries to paint a tragic saga of fathers, sons, and lost opportunities, but too often rings hollow. Inspired by a true story. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 City for Conquest (1940) 101m. ★★★ D: Anatole Litvak. James Cagney, Ann Sheridan, Frank Craven, Arthur Kennedy, Donald Crisp, Frank McHugh, George Tobias, Elia Kazan, Anthony Quinn. Cagney makes this a must as boxer devoted to younger brother Kennedy. Beautiful production overshadows film’s pretentious faults. A rare chance to see young Kazan in an acting role, as a neighborhood pal turned gangster. Long-missing prologue was restored in 2006, bringing running time to 104m.

freshingly realistic, and even funny; a winner. City Hall (1996) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harold Becker. Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda, Danny Aiello, Martin Landau, David Paymer, Anthony Franciosa, Richard Schiff, Lindsay Duncan, Nestor Serrano, Mel Winkler, Roberta Peters. N.Y.C. deputy mayor Cusack selflessly serves his mayor, a superb politician who really cares about his constituents. When a shootout involving a cop, a drug dealer, and an innocent child escalates into a citywide scandal, however, Cusack finds that the pathway to the truth is a political minefield. Snappy behind-the-scenes-of-urban-politics story pulls you in, then veers toward melodrama, with a finale that’s pretty hard to swallow. This was the work of a real-life deputy mayor, Ken Lipper, and no fewer than three top screenwriters (Bo Goldman, Paul Schrader, Nicholas Pileggi)! [R]▼●쩠 City Heat (1984) C-97m. ★★ D: Richard Benjamin. Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, Jane Alexander, Madeline Kahn, Rip Torn, Irene Cara, Richard Roundtree, Tony Lo Bianco, William Sanderson, Robert Davi. Two macho stars do caricatures of themselves in this 1930s gangster/detective yarn that takes turns trying to be funny and serious (when they pour gasoline on a guy and set him on fire we’re apparently supposed to find it funny). For diehard fans of Clint and Burt only. [PG]▼●쩠 City Lights (1931) 86m. ★★★★ D: Charles Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin, Virginia Cherrill, Harry Myers, Hank Mann. Chaplin’s masterpiece tells story of his love for blind flower girl and his hot-and-cold friendship with a drunken millionaire. Eloquent, moving, and funny. One of the all-time greats.▼●쩠 City Limits (1985) C-85m. BOMB D: Aaron Lipstadt. Darrell Larson, John Stockwell, Kim Cattrall, Rae Dawn Chong, John Diehl, Don Opper, James Earl Jones, Robby Benson, Danny De La Paz, Norbert Weisser. Disastrous sci-fi followup by the team that made ANDROID, an incoherent mess set 15 years in the future after a plague has devastated the planet, leaving roving youth gangs warring in MAD MAX fashion. Even a strong cast can’t save this one, with most of the plot expressed in tacked-on narration by Jones. [PG-13]▼ City of Angels (1998) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brad Silberling. Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan, ▼●쩠 Andre Braugher, Dennis Franz, Colm Feore, City Girl, The (1984-U.S.-Canadian) CRobin Bartlett, Joanna Merlin, Sarah Dampf. 85m. ★★★ D: Martha Coolidge. Laura HarAn angel, who longs to know more about rington, Joe Mastroianni, Carole McGill, human beings and finds himself attracted to a Peter Riegert, Colleen Camp, Jim Carringhard-working female doctor, decides to sacriton, Geraldine Baron. Solid, uncompromisfice his heavenly status and fall to earth so he ing tale of a young woman (expertly played can experience love. Americanization of Wim by Harrington) attempting to advance her Wenders’ haunting WINGS OF DESIRE is— career as a photographer, and her various, by the very nature of American movie convenunsatisfactory relationships with men. Retions—less ethereal than the original film, but [ 252 ]

still intriguing and in its own way romantic. ison, Kevin Tighe, Barbara Williams, Chris Only the climax seems routine and therefore Cooper, Jace Alexander, Todd Graff, Frankie disappointing. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Faison, Gloria Foster, Tom Wright, Michael City of Ember (2008) C-94m. ★★ D: Gil Mantell, Josh Mostel, Joe Grifasi, Louis ZorKenan. Saoirse Ronan, Harry Treadaway, ich, Gina Gershon, Rose Gregorio, Bill RayTim Robbins, Bill Murray, Martin Landau, mond, Lawrence Tierney, Maeve Kinkead, Mary Kay Place, Toby Jones, Marianne Ray Aranha. Ambitious multi-character drama Jean-Baptiste, Mackenzie Crook. Citizens about a strife-torn inner city and the people of an isolated underground city that’s falling whose lives intersect within it. Writer-directorapart are afraid to venture beyond its boundeditor Sayles (who wrote himself a good part, aries, unaware that instructions were left beas the slimy Carl) brings vivid and believhind by a group of wise men who sought to able characters to life, and makes some protect them from the demise of civilization pungent comments about contemporary soaboveground. A plucky girl (Ronan) and her ciety, but loses his momentum somewhere friend (Treadaway), not intimidated by their along the way. Might have been more effective if trimmed a bit. Panavision. [R] ▼● do-nothing mayor (Murray), start poking around and making interesting discoveries City of Industry (1997) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: in the dilapidated city of Ember. Adaptation John Irvin. Harvey Keitel, Stephen Dorff, of Jeanne Duprau’s novel never fires the Famke Janssen, Timothy Hutton, Wade emotional response it needs so badly. The Dominguez, Michael Jai White, Reno Wilreal star of the film is production designer son, Lucy Alexis Liu. Depressing story of Martin Laing. Super 35. [PG]쩠 robbery, deceit, murder, and revenge, set in City of Fear (1959) 81m. ★1⁄2 D: Irving current-day L.A. Keitel seems like a caricaLerner. Vince Edwards, Lyle Talbot, John ture of himself and Hutton is unconvincing Archer, Steven Ritch, Patricia Blair. Proas a sleaze, even with that scruffy beard. Elliott Gould appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 grammer involving escaped convict Edwards sought by police and health officials; conCity of Joy (1992-British-French) C-134m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roland Joffe ´ . Patrick Swayze, tainer he stole is filled with radioactive material, not money.쩠 Pauline Collins, Om Puri, Shabana Azmi, ★★ City of Ghosts (2003) C-116m. Ayesha Dharker, Santu Chowdury, Imran D: Matt Dillon. Matt Dillon, James Caan, Stellan SkarsBadsah Khan, Art Malik, Shyamanand ga˚rd, Natascha McElhone, Ge´rard Depardieu, Jalan. Aimless, cynical American surgeon Sereyvuth Kem. Dillon plays an American Swayze, living in Calcutta, ‘‘finds’’ himrogue—a con man with a conscience—inself after becoming involved with a health volved in murky business dealings and general clinic for the poor, taking on the local mafia, intrigue in present-day Phnom Penh. Joseph and befriending hardworking but povertyConrad and Graham Greene can rest easy: stricken Puri. Well-intentioned but pretentious this lightweight drama is never as credible film scripted by Mark Medoff from Domior compelling as intended. However, it does nique Lapierre’s book. Swayze tries his best, get points for atmosphere, having been filmed but is outshone by supporting cast; similar throughout Cambodia. Dillon’s feature directterritory is covered better in SALAAM BOMing debut; he also cowrote. [R]▼쩠 BAY! Sam Wanamaker appears unbilled as City of God (2002-Brazilian) C-131m. Swayze’s father. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Fernando Meirelles. Matheus City of Lost Children, The (1995-FrenchNachtergaele, Seu Jorge, Alexandre RoSpanish-German) C-112m. ★★★ D: Jeandrigues, Leandro Firmino da Hora, Phelipe Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro. Ron Perlman, JoHaagensen, Jonathan Haagensen, Douglas seph Lucien, Daniel Emilfork, Mireille Silva. Extraordinary portrait of life in the Mosse, Judith Vittet, Dominique Pinon. slums of Rio de Janeiro, where young— Provocative fantasy about a wicked scientist often incredibly young—hoodlums rule, (Emilfork) who is unable to dream, and who violence is commonplace, and a rivalry goes about purloining children—with the turns the district into a war zone. One boy help of remarkable ‘‘cloned’’ henchmen— finds a way out of this existence by learning and invading their dreams. Although drato use a camera. An arresting, and brutal, matically uneven, this mix of Oliver Twist mosaic of stories spanning three decades, and BRAZIL is a marvel of production detold with tremendous skill and creativity by sign, with sumptuous visuals and painstakdirector Meirelles, who also adapted Paulo ing invention. The voice of Irvin, the Lins’ book, and cast of mostly nonprofesdisembodied brain, is provided by Jeansional actors. Ka´tia Lund is credited as codiLouis Trintignant. From the directors of DELICATESSEN. [R]▼●쩠 rector. Followed by Brazilian TV series City of Men and a same-named feature in 2007. City of Men (2007-Brazilian) C-110m. ★★★ [R]▼쩠 D: Paulo Morelli. Douglas Silva, Darlan City of Hope (1991) C-129m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Cunha, Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Sayles. Vincent Spano, Tony Lo Bianco, Joe Santos, Camila Monteiro, Naima Silva, EduMorton, John Sayles, Angela Bassett, David ardo BR, Luciano Vidigal. Companion piece Strathairn, Maggie Renzi, Anthony John Dento CITY OF GOD focuses on two young [ 253 ]

friends who are about to turn 18—one who’s countant loses his job and begins spying on never known his father, the other who’s alhis new neighbor, an Islamic college student ready a reluctant father of a baby boy—and he suspects of being a terrorist. When no how their friendship is put to the test as gang one else buys into his obsession, he takes war breaks out in their mountainside commumatters into his own hands. Krause (of Six nity (or favela). More intimate than its predeFeet Under fame) delivers a powerful porcessor; immediate and powerful, about young trait of a man caught in the grip of mediamen dealing with responsibility—and the fueled fear and paranoia. Independently need to make choices—for the first time in produced nail-biter has echoes of REAR their lives. Sprinkled with flashbacks of the WINDOW but is clearly born out of the boys from CITY OF GOD and the TV series events of 9/11. Krause coproduced. [R]쩠 it spawned. [R]쩠 Civil Action, A (1998) C-115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: City of Women (1980-Italian) C-139m. ★★★ Steven Zaillian. John Travolta, Robert DuD: Federico Fellini. Marcello Mastroianni, vall, Tony Shalhoub, William H. Macy, Anna Prucnal, Bernice Stegers, Iole Silvani, Zˇeljko Ivanek, Bruce Norris, John Lithgow, Donatella Damiani. Marcello falls asleep on Kathleen Quinlan, Peter Jacobson, Sydney a train, dreams he has stumbled into an allPollack, Dan Hedaya, James Gandolfini. female society. Lavish fantasy could only Slick Boston injury lawyer gets in over his have been made by one filmmaker; a Fellini head when he takes a case against two infeast or de´ja` vu o.d., depending on your dustrial giants whose alleged pollution of a mood and stamina. [R]▼쩠 river caused the deaths of children in WoCity on Fire (1979-Canadian) C-101m. burn, Mass. Engrossing, literate, well-ob★1 ⁄2 D: Alvin Rakoff. Barry Newman, served film (adapted by the director from Henry Fonda, Ava Gardner, Shelley WinJonathan Harr’s best-seller) explores the ters, Susan Clark, Leslie Nielsen, James foibles of American justice—and how Franciscus, Jonathan Welsh. Dull, fill-inpride, human frailty, and emotions can afthe-blanks disaster film about citywide fire fect a case. Based on a true story. Kathy Bates appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 torched by a disgruntled ex-employee of local oil refinery. Good cast wasted. For Civil Brand (2003) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Neema pyromaniacs only. [R]▼ Barnette. LisaRaye, N’Bushe Wright, Mos City Slickers (1991) C-112m. ★★★ D: Ron Def, Da Brat, Monica Calhoun, Clifton PowUnderwood. Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, ell, Reed R. McCants, Tachina Arnold, Lark Bruno Kirby, Patricia Wettig, Helen Slater, Voorhies, MC Lyte, Robert Lynn. Forceful Jack Palance, Noble Willingham, Tracey story of women who are mistreated in Walter, Josh Mostel, David Paymer, Bill Henprison by an abusive supervisor and by a derson, Jeffrey Tambor, Phill Lewis, Kyle corrupt system that turns them into sweatSecor, Jayne Meadows, Jake Gyllenhaal. shop laborers. Eye-opening subject matter Three friends who are going through various alternates with melodramatic prison fodder, degrees of mid-life crisis sign up for a twowhile some contrived, underscripted characweek cattle drive, to clear their minds and ters weaken the overall film. Even with its set them back on-course. Enjoyable comedy, faults, it’s still potent stuff. [R]▼쩠 whose generous array of funny lines and good CJ7 (2008-Hong Kong) C-88m. ★★ D: Stemoments makes up for its ‘‘serious’’ pretenphen Chow. Stephen Chow, Jiao Xu, Chi sions and flaws. Palance won Best Supporting Chung Lam, Kitty Zhang Yuqi, ShingActor Oscar for his role as the leathery trail Cheung Lee, Min Hun Fung. Chow works boss. Followed by a sequel. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 overtime to send his son (Xu) to an impresCity Slickers: The Legend of Curly’s Gold sive private school, hoping that he can grow (1994) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Weiland. Billy up and make something of himself. But Crystal, Daniel Stern, Jon Lovitz, Jack Pawhen he gives his son a toy he finds at lance, Patricia Wettig, Pruitt Taylor Vince, the dump, both of their lives are changed Bill McKinney, Noble Willingham, David forever. Like Chow’s other films, the movPaymer, Josh Mostel. A contrived sequel if ie’s manic zigzagging from wacky to sinthere ever was one, with Crystal and Stern cere makes it almost impossible to enjoy going back West (with Billy’s screw-up the story and genuinely care about anyone. brother Lovitz) to locate gold from a treasure Although it has some redeeming moments map Palance (from the first film) left behind. (due to the animated toy that comes to life), Lack of plot and purpose are balanced by they are few and far between. Super 35. [PG]쩠 magnificent Moab, Utah, scenery—and a lot of genuine laughs, in the script by Crystal, Claim, The (2000-British-Canadian) CLowell Ganz, and Babaloo Mandel. [PG120m. ★★ D: Michael Winterbottom. Wes Bentley, Peter Mullan, Milla Jovovich, Sarah 13]▼●쩠 City Under the Sea, The SEE: War Gods Polley, Nastassja Kinski, Sean McGinley. of the Deep Thomas Hardy’s The Mayor of Caster★★★ Civic Duty (2007) C-98m. bridge reset in snowy northern California in D: Jeff Renfroe. Peter Krause, Richard Schiff, Khaled the aftermath of the gold rush, in 1867. MulAbol Naga, Kari Matchett, Ian Tracey. Aclan runs the town of Kingdom Come with [ 254 ]

an iron fist, but melts somewhat when his played by Harris). The kind of movie best ex-wife and daughter (whom he sold in exdescribed as ‘‘nice’’ by undiscriminating change for a gold claim years ago) turn up. viewers in search of blandness—and seemingly edited with a chainsaw. [PG-13]▼● Vivid and well acted, but emotionally hollow. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Clarence and Angel (1980) C-75m. ★★★ Clair de Femme (1979-French) C-103m. D: Robert Gardner. Darren Brown, Mark ★★ D: Costa-Gavras. Yves Montand, Romy Cardova, Cynthia McPherson, Louis Mike, Schneider, Romolo Valli, Lila Kedrova, Leroy Smith, Lola Langley, Lolita Lewis. Heinz Bennent, Roberto Benigni, Jean Aggressive, kung-fu-mad Angel (Cardova) Reno. Slow-moving chronicle of the relabefriends his new schoolmate, shy, illitertionship between traumatized widower ate Clarence (Brown), who has recently Montand and Schneider, who has been arrived in Harlem from South Carolina, scarred by the death of her young daughter and teaches him to read. Technically crude, in an auto accident. Characters are one-dibut funny and touching; sequence in prinmensional, and film is gloomy, gloomy, cipal’s office, in which Clarence’s mother fakes reading a test score, is a gem.▼ gloomy. Based on novel by Romain Gary. Claire Dolan (1998-U.S.-French) C-95m. Clarence the Cross-Eyed Lion (1965) ★★★ D: Lodge Kerrigan. Katrin Cartlidge, C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew Marton. MarVincent D’Onofrio, Colm Meaney, Patrick shall Thompson, Betsy Drake, Cheryl MillHusted, Muriel Maida. Intriguing portrait of er, Richard Haydn, Alan Caillou. Basis for an Irish-American woman who works as a Daktari TV show is good family enterprostitute, caught in a viselike grip by her tainment set in Africa with adventure and menacing and manipulative pimp (Meaney), wholesome comedy well blended.▼ until she decides to break free—if she can. Clash by Night (1952) 105m. ★★★ D: Quiet, well-observed film that doesn’t spell Fritz Lang. Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Dougeverything out about its characters, forcing las, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe, Keith us to fill in the blanks. Strong performances Andes, J. Carrol Naish. Moody, well-acted by all three leads.▼쩠 Clifford Odets story of drifter Stanwyck Claire’s Knee (1971-French) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 settling down, marrying good-natured fishD: Eric Rohmer. Jean-Claude Brialy, Aurora erman Douglas. Cynical friend Ryan senses Cornu, Beatrice Romand, Laurence De Monthat she’s not happy, tries to take advanaghan, Michele Montel. No. 5 of Rohmer’s tage. Andes and Monroe provide second‘‘Six Moral Tales’’ has widest appeal. A man ary love interest.▼●쩠 about to be married is obsessed with a girl he Clash of the Titans (1981-British) C-118m. ★★1 doesn’t even like, his attention focusing on ⁄2 D: Desmond Davis. Laurence Olivier, her knee. Full of delicious relationships, but Harry Hamlin, Judi Bowker, Burgess Mertoo talky for some viewers. [PG]▼●쩠 edith, Sian Phillips, Maggie Smith, Claire Clambake (1967) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Arthur Bloom, Ursula Andress, Tim Pigott-Smith. Nadel. Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, Will Juvenile fantasy-adventure based on Greek Hutchins, Bill Bixby, Gary Merrill, James mythology. Olivier is Zeus, and Hamlin is Gregory. Elvis is a millionaire’s son who his mortal son Perseus, who must face a wants to make it on his own, so he trades variety of awesome challenges in pursuit of places with water-skiing instructor Hutchhis destiny. Long and episodic, with some ins in Miami. One of Presley’s weakest. fine elements (the taming of Pegasus, the Techniscope.▼쩠 threat of Medusa—who can turn men into Clan of the Cave Bear, The (1986) C-98m. stone with one glance), but not enough guts ★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Chapman. Daryl Hannah, Paor vigor. As is, mainly for kids. Special effects by Ray Harryhausen. [PG]▼●쩠 mela Reed, James Remar, Thomas G. Waites, John Doolittle, Curtis Armstrong. World’s Class (1983) C-98m. ★★ D: Lewis John first feminist caveman movie, minus the anCarlino. Rob Lowe, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthropological detail of Jean Auel’s popular drew McCarthy, Stuart Margolin, Cliff book. Hannah is perfectly cast as outsider Robertson, John Cusack, Alan Ruck, who joins band of nomadic Neanderthals, but Remak Ramsay, Virginia Madsen, Casey the story (such as it is) is alternately boring Siemaszko, Anna Maria Horsford, Joan and unintentionally funny. Subtitles translate Cusack. Naive prep-school boy stumbles cave people’s primitive tongue. Screenplay by (almost literally) into affair with beautiful older woman, unaware of her identity. John Sayles. Technovision. [R]▼●쩠 Clara’s Heart (1988) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Slick but uneven mix of romance, comRobert Mulligan. Whoopi Goldberg, Miedy, and drama with one-dimensional charchael Ontkean, Kathleen Quinlan, Neil acters and a lack of credibility. Some good Patrick Harris, Spalding Gray, Beverly moments lost in the shuffle. [R]▼●쩠 Todd. Whoopi plays a Jamaican domestic Class, The (2008-French) C-124m. ★★★1⁄2 (think of Shirley Booth’s Hazel with a D: Laurent Cantet. Franc¸ois Be´gaudeau, reggae bias), a soft-spoken know-it-all who Nassim Amrabt, Laura Baquela, Cherif works for insufferable Maryland yuppies Bounaı¨dja Rachedi, Juliette Demaille, Esand their young, impressionable son (well me´ralda Ouertani, Rachel Re´gulier, Franck [ 255 ]

Keı¨ta, Wei Haung. Dedicated teacher in a Glenda Jackson, Oliver Reed, Michael Murphy, Rosalind Cash, John Standing, Riba working-class Parisian school tries to instill Akabusi, Phil Daniels. Echoes of TO SIR, a passion for learning in his multicultural WITH LOVE don’t flatter this shrill comedyclassroom but the freedom of expression he drama of a dedicated teacher with a class encourages makes every day a challenge. full of social misfits. [R]▼ Invigorating drama has the spark of spontaClass of 1984 (1982) C-93m. ★★ D: Mark L. neity from start to finish. The leading actor Lester. Perry King, Merrie Lynn Ross, is in fact a teacher who wrote a novel about Roddy McDowall, Timothy Van Patten, his experiences and coauthored this screenStefan Arngrim, Al Waxman, Michael J. play with Cantet and Robin Campillo— Fox, Lisa Langlois. Unpleasant, calculatwith input from the nonprofessional actors edly campy melodrama about the harassplaying the students. Original French title: ment of high school teacher King by ENTRE LES MURS. Super 35. [PG-13] 1 ★★ psychotic student Van Patten—with more Class Act (1992) C-98m. ⁄2 D: Randall than a few echoes of BLACKBOARD Miller. Christopher Reid, Christopher MarJUNGLE. As revenge movies go, the buzztin, Meshach Taylor, Karyn Parsons, Doug saw finale is not bad. Followed by CLASS E. Doug, Rick Ducommun, Lamont JohnOF 1999. [R]▼●쩠 son, Rhea Perlman. Straight-A student Class of 1999 (1990) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Mark (Reid) and street-wise juvenile delinquent L. Lester. Bradley Gregg, Traci Lind, (Martin) switch identities when they both Malcolm McDowell, Stacy Keach, Patrick transfer to a new high school; complicaKilpatrick, Pam Grier, John P. Ryan, tions ensue when they find it tough sledDarren E. Burrows, Joshua Miller. Folding in their new environs. Broad, cartoony lowup to CLASS OF 1984 pictures high comedy is nothing special; neither is the school of the near-future as Hell on Earth, obligatory anti-drug rap song at the end of with ultraviolent gang members meeting the film. [PG-13]▼● their match in a trio of robots recruited as Class Action (1991) C-109m. ★★★ D: Miteachers. Heavy-handed film wavers bechael Apted. Gene Hackman, Mary Elizatween high camp and taking itself seriously beth Mastrantonio, Colin Friels, Joanna as a message movie! Keach goes overboard Merlin, Larry Fishburne, Donald Moffat, as a maniacal robot operator. Unrated video Jan Rubes, Matt Clark, Fred Dalton Thompversion also available. 1993 sequel: CLASS son, Jonathan Silverman, Dan Hicks. CruOF 1999 II: THE SUBSTITUTE. [R]▼쩠 sading lawyer takes on a class-action suit Class of Nuke ’Em High (1986) C-81m. against a negligent auto company—while BOMB D: Richard Haines, Samuel Weil. his feisty daughter represents the other Janelle Brady, Gilbert Brenton, Robert side. Crackling performances by the two Prichard, R. L. Ryan. Obnoxious horror comstars, as the long-embattled father and edy about a New Jersey high school near a daughter, make this well worth seeing, nuclear waste spill that creates monsters and even though the story becomes obvious at disgustingly transforms model teens Brady the climactic turn. [R]▼●쩠 and Brenton. Dehumanizing, sadistic gags Classe Tous Risques (1960-French) 103m. masquerade as lowbrow entertainment. Fol★★★ D: Claude Sautet. Lino Ventura, Jeanlowed by two sequels. [R]▼●쩠 Paul Belmondo, Sandra Milo, Marcel Dalio, Claudelle Inglish (1961) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stan Krol. Solid crime drama with Ventura Gordon Douglas. Diane McBain, Arthur as a murderer who’s been living in exile in Kennedy, Will Hutchins, Constance Ford, Milan but decides to return to Paris after Claude Akins, Chad Everett, Robert Logan. pulling one last heist. His plans go awry, Trite soaper derived from Erskine Caldwell and while he expects his criminal pals to tale of Southern farm gal who gives all to find help him when he arrives in Nice, they send excitement, with predictable consequences. a young guy instead (Belmondo) to pick Claudia (1943) 91m. ★★★ D: Edmund him up. Tough, ironic tale filled with interGoulding. Dorothy McGuire, Robert Young, esting characters and vivid location work. Ina Claire, Reginald Gardiner, Olga BacGreat showcase for the young Belmondo, lanova, Jean Howard. Warm comedy of made around the same time as BREATHyoung Claudia suddenly marrying, facing LESS.쩠 adult problems, learning a lot about life in Class of ’44 (1973) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul short period; beautifully acted. McGuire, Bogart. Gary Grimes, Jerry Houser, Oliin film debut, re-creates her Broadway role. ver Conant, Deborah Winters, William Sequel: CLAUDIA AND DAVID. Atherton, Sam Bottoms, John Candy. SeClaudia and David (1946) 78m. ★★★ D: quel to SUMMER OF ’42 is less ambitious, Walter Lang. Dorothy McGuire, Robert lightly entertaining story, with Grimes going Young, Mary Astor, John Sutton, Gail to college, falling in love, growing up. Good Patrick, Florence Bates. Enjoyable followperiod atmosphere. Panavision. [PG]▼ up to CLAUDIA with McGuire and Young Class of Miss MacMichael, The (1978having a baby, adjusting to suburban life; British) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Silvio Narizzano. engaging, well acted. [ 256 ]

Claudine (1974) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Berry. he’s an addict, too. Powerful drama showDiahann Carroll, James Earl Jones, Lawcases Keaton in an utterly believable perrence Hilton-Jacobs, Tamu, David Kruformance, though the film’s relentlessness makes it tough to watch. [R]▼●쩠 ger, Adam Wade. Slice-of-life comedy with a serious edge: Romance between garbageCleaner (2007) C-89m. ★★ D: Renny Harman Jones and young ghetto mother Carroll is lin. Samuel L. Jackson, Eva Mendes, Ed charming and credible, but the problems of Harris, Luis Guzma´n, Keke Palmer, Robert dealing with her six kids, and their collective Forster. Former cop (Jackson) runs a hazpoverty, can’t be treated so lightly. ‘‘Upardous waste containment enterprise, which beat’’ finale just doesn’t ring true. [PG]▼쩠 includes cleaning up gruesome crime scenes. Clay Pigeon, The (1949) 63m. ★★1⁄2 D: All is well until he sanitizes a murder scene Richard O. Fleischer. Bill Williams, Barbara before the police are notified of the homiHale, Richard Loo, Richard Quine, Frank cide. Jackson and Harris are fine, but there’s Fenton, Martha Hyer. Neat little actioner little surprise beyond the intriguing setup. with Williams, a seaman accused of treason Humdrum film released direct to DVD in the U.S. Super 35. [R]쩠 and of responsibility in the death of his friend, on the trail of the real culprit, a Clean, Shaven (1993) C-80m. ★★★ D: Japanese prison guard. Written by Carl Lodge Kerrigan. Peter Greene, Robert Albert, Jennifer MacDonald, Megan Owen. Foreman, based on a true incident. ▼ Clay Pigeon (1971) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Tom Unusual, subtly chilling psychological Stern, Lane Slate. Tom Stern, Telly Savalas, drama about Peter (Greene), a schizoRobert Vaughn, John Marley, Burgess Merphrenic released from an institution who is edith, Ivan Dixon. Good cast in dull crime grasping for a human connection. Meanmelodrama of Vietnam vet settling into while, his young daughter has been put up drug scene who experiences change of for adoption by her mother, a cop, who’s heart and goes after big-league pusher. [R] investigating the brutal murder of another Clay Pigeons (1998) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: child and becomes convinced Peter is the David Dobkin. Joaquin Phoenix, Vince culprit. A meditation on deep feelings of Vaughn, Janeane Garofalo, Georgina Cates, loss and alienation; not always easy to folScott Wilson, Vince Vieluf, Phil Morris. low, but challenging, even haunting.▼쩠 Clever film noir set in a small town out west. A Clean Slate (1981) SEE: Coup de Torchon Clean Slate (1994) C-107m. ★★ D: Mick patsy falls prey first to his best friend, then the friend’s slatternly wife, and finally to a Jackson. Dana Carvey, Valeria Golino, James mysterious stranger just passing through, Earl Jones, Kevin Pollak, Michael Gambon, whose actions bring a cynical big-city FBI Michael Murphy, Olivia d’Abo, Tim Scott, agent (Garofalo) to town. Twisty black comAngela Paton, Jayne Brook, Gailard Sartain, edy has much to enjoy but leaves the viewer Phil Leeds. Carvey plays a detective who less than completely satisfied. Overemphatic awakens each morning with no memory whatuse of source music is a debit, but the opening soever. Did somebody say GROUNDHOG is a grabber. [R]▼●쩠 DAY? It’s D.O.A. all the way, though there are Clean (2004-Canadian-French-British) Csome mildly amusing gags involving a klutzy terrier named Barkley. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Olivier Assayas. Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Be´atrice Dalle, Jeanne Clear and Present Danger (1994) C-141m. ★★1 Balibar, Don McKellar, Martha Henry, ⁄2 D: Phillip Noyce. Harrison Ford, Willem James Johnston, James Dennis, Re´mi MarDafoe, Anne Archer, Joaquim de Almeida, tin. Unremarkable account of Cheung, the James Earl Jones, Henry Czerny, Harris spouse of a second-tier rocker, who goes Yulin, Donald Moffat, Miguel Sandoval, through hell after he dies of an overdose. Benjamin Bratt, Raymond Cruz, Dean Jones, She, too, is a junkie, and struggles to get her Thora Birch, Ann Magnuson, Hope Lange. life in order. It’s difficult to invest emotion CIA whiz Jack Ryan finds himself waist-deep in such an unlikable character, though her in highest-level Washington politics when his story becomes more involving as it goes ailing mentor (Jones) names him as his realong. Nolte is the best thing in the film, placement. Soon he’s caught in the middle of offering a touching performance as the dedouble-dealing with a Colombian druglord. ceased rocker’s emotionally generous faThe always watchable Ford plays more a ther. Written by the director. Super 35. symbol than a character here, and the action climax seems somehow pat. Still, it’s an intel[R]▼쩠 Clean and Sober (1988) C-125m. ★★★ D: ligent and entertaining sequel to PATRIOT Glenn Gordon Caron. Michael Keaton, GAMES. Followed by THE SUM OF ALL Kathy Baker, Morgan Freeman, M. EmFEARS. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 met Walsh, Tate Donovan, Henry Judd Clearcut (1991-Canadian) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 Baker, Luca Bercovici, Claudia ChrisD: Richard Bugajski. Ron Lea, Graham tian, Pat Quinn, Ben Piazza. A young Greene, Michael Hogan, Floyd (Red Crow) hustler enrolls in a drug rehabilitation proWesterman, Rebecca Jenkins. Multilevgram in order to duck out of sight for a eled drama about Indian activist Greene while—refusing to admit to himself that (who kidnaps the boss of a sawmill com[ 257 ]

pany responsible for cutting down forests) Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chuck Bail. Taand naively liberal laywer Lea (who’s failed to halt the destruction in the courts). Presmara Dobson, Stella Stevens, Tanny, Norence of graphic violence in the midst of a man Fell, Albert Popwell, Caro Kenyatta, thought-provoking drama is jarring, to say Christopher Hunt. Wild, woolly, sexy, vithe least, but the subject, and Greene’s olent sequel to CLEOPATRA JONES. Steperformance, make it worthwhile. [R]▼ vens plays ‘‘The Dragon Lady,’’ a tip-off on what to expect. Panavision. [R]▼ Clearing, The (2004) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pieter Jan Brugge. Robert Redford, Helen Clerks (1994) 89m. ★★★ D: Kevin Smith. Mirren, Willem Dafoe, Alessandro Nivola, Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Marilyn Matt Craven, Melissa Sagemiller, Wendy Ghigliotti, Lisa Spoonauer, Jason Mewes, Crewson, Larry Pine, Diana Scarwid, ElizaKevin Smith. Black and white, $27,000 beth Ruscio. A successful, married busiwonder by first-time filmmaker Smith is a nessman is kidnapped one morning. As his brash, foul-mouthed, often very funny look wife and children go through the ordeal of at a day in the lives of a New Jersey convehaving their lives invaded by the FBI, while nience-store clerk and his abrasive pal, who waiting for further word, the victim gets to mans the video place next door—when he know his captor as they make their way in feels like it. Well written and well acted; the woods. More a character study than a more provocative and entertaining than conventional story, this interesting, ellipmany glossy Hollywood movies of the ’90s. tical film plays with chronology in challengUnrated director’s cut runs 92m. Later an ing ways but doesn’t lead to a satisfying animated series. Followed by a sequel in conclusion. The three stars are excellent. 2006. [R]▼●쩠 [R] ▼쩠 Clerks II (2006) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Cleo From 5 to 7 (1962-French) C/B&WSmith. Brian O’Halloran, Jeff Anderson, 90m. ★★★ D: Agne´s Varda. Corinne MarRosario Dawson, Kevin Smith, Jason chand, Antoine Bourseiller, Dorothe´e Blanck, Mewes, Trevor Fehrman, Ethan Suplee, Ben Michel Legrand, Anna Karina, Eddie ConAffleck, Jason Lee, Wanda Sykes. After the stantine, Jean-Luc Godard. Intelligent, fluid Quick Stop burns down, Dante and Randal account of Parisian songstress forced to rego to work for a local fast-food joint, but evaluate her life while awaiting vital medical Dante (O’Halloran) has found an escape: a report on her physical condition. First scene is good-looking girl has fallen in love with in color. ▼●쩠 him, and they’re going to move to Florida Cleopatra (1934) 100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Cecil B. and get married. His last day at Mooby’s DeMille. Claudette Colbert, Warren William, is unexpectedly eventful, however. WriterHenry Wilcoxon, Gertrude Michael, Jodirector Smith is still in touch with his inner seph Schildkraut, C. Aubrey Smith, Claudia imbecile, but this CLERKS has little of the Dell, Robert Warwick. Opulent DeMille verintelligence that made his breakout film so sion of Cleopatra doesn’t date badly, stands special in 1994 . . . but no shortage of pottymouthed humor. [R]쩠 out as one of his most intelligent films, thanks in large part to fine performances by Click (2006) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: Frank Coraci. all. Top entertainment, with Oscar-winAdam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale, Christoning cinematography by Victor Milner.▼●쩠 pher Walken, David Hasselhoff, Henry Cleopatra (1963) C-243m. ★★ D: Joseph Winkler, Julie Kavner, Jennifer Coolidge, L. Mankiewicz. Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Sean Astin, Rachel Dratch. Stressed-out, Burton, Rex Harrison, Pamela Brown, workaholic architect who never seems to George Cole, Hume Cronyn, Cesare Danova, have enough time for his family comes upon Kenneth Haigh, Andrew Keir, Martin Lana crazy inventor who gives him a remote dau, Roddy McDowall, Robert Stephens, control that can manipulate his life—and Francesca Annis, Herbert Berghof, Mieven help him skip the boring parts. Good chael Hordern, John Hoyt, Carroll O’Connor. comedy premise unexpectedly morphs into Saga of the Nile goes on and on and on. a self-serious examination of a life gone Definitely a curiosity item, but you’ll be wrong (as if this was IT’S A WONDERsatisfied after an hour. Good acting, especially FUL REMOTE) . . . yet Sandler doesn’t by Harrison and McDowall, but it’s lost in want to sacrifice any of his trademark cruthis flat, four-hour misfire. Nevertheless dity. An odd, unsatisfying mishmash. Rob earned Oscars for cinematography, art direcSchneider appears uncredited. [PG-13]쩠 tion–set decoration, costumes, special effects. Client, The (1994) C-122m. ★★★ D: Joel Released to TV at 194m. Todd-AO.▼●쩠 Schumacher. Susan Sarandon, Tommy Lee Cleopatra Jones (1973) C-89m. ★★ D: Jack Jones, Brad Renfro, Mary-Louise Parker, AnStarrett. Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Shelthony LaPaglia, Ossie Davis, Bradley Whitley Winters, Brenda Sykes, Antonio Fargas, ford, Anthony Edwards, J.T. Walsh, Walter Bill McKinney, Esther Rolle. Black bubbleOlkewicz, Will Patton, Anthony Heald, Wilgum stuff with Dobson as karate-chopping liam H. Macy. Top-flight adaptation of John government agent chasing drug kingpins. Lots Grisham’s best-seller about an 11-year-old of action and violence. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 boy who finds himself in hot water with [ 258 ]

both the Feds (led by Jones) and the Mob who takes an unnatural interest in their newwhen he learns too much from a Mafia lawest soprano (Foster)—just as he did another yer who’s about to kill himself. Sarandon is singer who disappeared ten years ago. No surprises here, but slickly done. ▼●쩠 the lawyer who takes the kid’s case. Suspense is neatly woven with character develClinic, The (1982-Australian) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 opment; satisfying entertainment. Later a D: David Stevens. Chris Haywood, Simon Burke, Rona McLeod, Gerda Nicolson, SuzTV series. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Cliffhanger (1993-U.S.-French) C-118m. anne Roylance, Veronica Lang, Pat Evison. ★★★ D: Renny Harlin. Sylvester Stallone, Straightforward but much too obvious John Lithgow, Michael Rooker, Janine Turcomedy-drama about the goings-on in a VD ner, Paul Winfield, Ralph Waite, Rex Linn, clinic operated by doctor Haywood.▼ Caroline Goodall, Leon, Craig Fairbrass, Cloak and Dagger (1946) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michelle Joyner, Max Perlich. Self-doubting Fritz Lang. Gary Cooper, Lilli Palmer, Robert mountain rescue expert Sly is pitted against Alda, Vladimir Sokoloff, Ludwig Stossel. really rotten Lithgow and his gang, who are Professor Cooper becomes a secret agent on after $100 million lost in the Rockies. Eyehis trip to Germany; Lang intrigue is not popping photography (by Alex Thomson), among his best, but still slick.▼●쩠 white-knuckle stunts, a swift pace, and enCloak & Dagger (1984) C-101m. ★★★ D: tertaining characters add up to what a wellRichard Franklin. Henry Thomas, Dabney made action film should be: tons of fun. Coleman, Michael Murphy, John McIntire, Story is thin, though. Italy’s Dolomites stand Jeanette Nolan, Christine Nigra. Young in for the Rockies. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Thomas gets involved with murderous espion★1 Clifford (1994) C-89m. ⁄2 D: Paul Flaage—but no one will believe him. Flawed herty. Martin Short, Charles Grodin, Mary but enjoyable reworking of THE WINDOW. Steenburgen, Dabney Coleman, G. D. Coleman’s a delight in dual role as his father and his make-believe hero. [PG]▼●쩠 Spradlin, Anne Jeffreys, Richard Kind, Jennifer Savidge, Ben Savage. Moronic comedy Clock, The (1945) 90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Vincente in the (unfortunate) mold of PROBLEM Minnelli. Judy Garland, Robert Walker, CHILD, with Short uninspiringly cast as a James Gleason, Keenan Wynn, Marshall cloyingly obnoxious ten-year-old who makes Thompson, Lucille Gleason. Soldier Walker life pure hell for his uncle (Grodin). Short’s has two-day leave in N.Y.C., meets office playing a child is a gimmick which quickly worker Judy; they spend the day falling in proves tiresome. Completed in 1991, this love, encountering friendly milkman Gleacould have stayed on the shelf. [PG]▼●쩠 son, drunk Wynn; charming little love Clifford’s Really Big Movie (2004) C-73m. story with beguiling Garland. Also shown ★★1 in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Robert C. Ramirez. Voices of John Ritter, Grey DeLisle, Cree Summer, Kel Clockers (1995) C-129m. ★★★ D: Spike Mitchell, Wayne Brady, Jenna Elfman, Judge Lee. Harvey Keitel, John Turturro, Delroy Reinhold, John Goodman, Wilmer ValderLindo, Mekhi Phifer, Isaiah Washington, rama, Ernie Hudson, Teresa Ganzel, Jess HarKeith David, Pee Wee Love, Regina Taylor, nell, Kath Soucie. Norman Bridwell’s Big Tom Byrd, Sticky Fingaz, Mike Starr, Spike Red Dog gets the feature film treatment in this Lee. The night manager of a fast-food resbenign cartoon aimed at the preschool set. taurant is murdered, but a no-nonsense Clifford, concerned about being a financial Brooklyn cop doesn’t believe that the young burden to his owners, joins a carnival in hopes man who confessed to the crime is really of entering a contest where the prize is a lifeguilty. He’s got his eye on the suspect’s time supply of his favorite doggy treats. Pleasbrother (Phifer), who works for the neighant, undemanding fare for tots. [G] ▼쩠 borhood drug czar. A penetrating, multilayClimate for Killing, A (1990) C-103m. ered look at the reality of life on the street ★★★ D: J. S. Cardone. John Beck, Steven and in ‘‘the projects,’’ and a challenging Bauer, Mia Sara, Katharine Ross, John treatise on personal responsibility. It’s Diehl, Phil Brock, Dedee Pfeiffer, Lu Leontough to decipher the street lingo and dialect ard, Jack Dodson, Eloy Casados. A grisly in the opening scenes, but once the story murder confronts, and confounds, smallkicks in, it’s dynamite. Richard Price time Arizona cop Beck; he’s joined by adapted his novel with Lee; a fortuitous big city evaluator Bauer, who questions merging of two distinctive talents. [R] his approach to law enforcement while ▼●쩠 becoming involved with his daughter (Sara). Clockmaker, The (1973-French) C-100m. ★★★1 Solid, engrossing mystery-drama. [R]▼● ⁄2 D: Bertrand Tavernier. Philippe Climax, The (1944) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Noiret, Jean Rochefort, Jacques Denis, George Waggner. Boris Karloff, Susanna Julien Bertheau. Noiret is superb as a Foster, Turhan Bey, Gale Sondergaard, watchmaker who is forced to reevaluate Thomas Gomez, Scotty Beckett, George his life after his son is arrested for murder. Dolenz, Jane Farrar, June Vincent, Ludwig Meticulously directed; based on a novel by Stossel. Technicolor tale of suave but sinisGeorges Simenon. Tavernier’s feature diter physician to the Vienna Opera House recting debut. ▼쩠 [ 259 ]

Clockstoppers (2002) C-94m. ★★ D: Jonathrilling, but the characters are as wooden than Frakes. Jesse Bradford, French Stewart, and stiff as they look. Much more juvenile Paula Garces, Michael Biehn, Robin Thomas, than the original movies, which means that Garikayi Mutambirwa, Julia Sweeney, Lindze kids may enjoy it more than diehard fans. Letherman. Teenage boy acquires an experAka STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS. imental watch that can stop time, more or Followed by a TV series. Digital wideless. This scores big points with his new screen. [PG]쩠 girlfriend, but gets him into a mess of trouClonus Horror, The SEE: Parts: The ble with bad guys who have threatened the Clonus Horror watch’s inventor—and the boy’s scientist Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) dad. Starts as a high-energy, good-time film C-135m. ★★★★ D: Steven Spielberg. Richfor young viewers (from Nickelodeon Movard Dreyfuss, Franc˛ois Truffaut, Teri Garr, ies), but begins to drag halfway through its Melinda Dillon, Cary Guffey, Bob Balaban. needlessly complicated script. [PG] ▼쩠 Superb, intelligent sci-fi (written by SpielClockwatchers (1997) C-105m. ★★ D: Jill berg) about UFO mystery that leads to first Sprecher. Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Lisa contact with alien beings. Dreyfuss is perfect Kudrow, Alanna Ubach, Helen Fitzgerald, Everyman struggling with frustrating enigma Stanley DeSantis, Jamie Kennedy, Kevin that finally becomes clear. Powerhouse speCooney, Paul Dooley, Bob Balaban. Four cial effects throughout, plus John Williams’ office temps in corporate hell form a fast evocative score. Vilmos Zsigmond’s impresfriendship that ultimately jeopardizes their sive cinematography won an Oscar. Reedited attempts at careers. Indie spin on NINE TO by Spielberg to tighten midsection and add FIVE captures working-week tedium hilarialien-encounter material to finale and reissued ously for a while, then gets bogged down in 1980 at 132m. as THE SPECIAL EDIin tedious Kafkaesque second half. Posey’s TION. (Then, for network showings, all exbitchy comic flair throughout gives the film isting footage was used!) Reedited yet again its only real juice. [PG-13]▼●쩠 by Spielberg in 1998 to 137m. for a CollecClockwise (1986-British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: tor’s Edition. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Christopher Morahan. John Cleese, PenelClosely Watched Trains (1966-Czech) 89m. ★★★ D: Jiri Menzel. Vaclav Neckar, Jitka Benope Wilton, Alison Steadman, Stephen Moore, Sharon Maiden, Joan Hickson. dova, Vladimir Valenta, Libuse Havelkova, Cleese is a school headmaster, obsessed Josef Somr. Enjoyable but slightly overrated with punctuality, en route to make a speech tragicomedy about naive apprentice trainat a convention and constantly getting into dispatcher Neckar’s attempts at sexual initiatrouble. A tour de force role that is a must tion during the German Occupation. Academy Award winner as Best Foreign Film.▼●쩠 for Cleese fans; others will be disappointed with the thinness of playwright Michael Close My Eyes (1991-British) C-109m. ★★★ Frayn’s script. [PG] ▼●쩠 D: Stephen Poliakoff. Alan Rickman, Clockwork Orange, A (1971) C-137m. Clive Owen, Saskia Reeves, Karl John★★★1⁄2 D: Stanley Kubrick. Malcolm Mcson, Lesley Sharp, Kate Gartside. Vaguely Dowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, unhappy woman makes sexual overtures to Adrienne Corri, Aubrey Morris, James Marher brother, which explode into full-fledged cus, Steven Berkoff, David Prowse. A scathincest five years later when she’s married ing satire on a society in the not so distant and living in a mansion by the Thames. future, with an excellent performance by McFilm is a bit haphazard setting up the basic Dowell as a prime misfit. Kubrick’s vivid adsituation, but soon becomes a riveting view. aptation of Anthony Burgess’ novel was too Extremely well acted, with confident perstrong for some to stomach in 1971, and it formances by Owen and Reeves (as the remains potent today. [R—edited from origitaboo-flaunting siblings) and Rickman, in a supporting role as the husband. [R]▼쩠 nal X rating] ▼●쩠 Clone Wars, The (2008) C-98m. ★★ D: Closer (2004) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike NichDave Filoni. Voices of Matt Lanter, James ols. Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Arnold Taylor, Ashley Eckstein, Tom Kane, Clive Owen. Four people fall in and out of Ian Abercrombie, Corey Burton, Samuel L. love as they fall in and out of bed. Extremely Jackson, Anthony Daniels, Christopher Lee. well acted and intimately staged for the camFirst entirely computer-animated STAR era (though it’s still obvious this derived from WARS feature takes place between Epia stage work); the question is whether we care sodes II and III in George Lucas’ epic space enough about the characters to endure their fantasy. Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenendless and brutal playing of mind games. obi, and a young female apprentice fight the Super-charged performances, especially by Republic to rescue Jabba the Hutt’s infant Owen and Portman, help a lot. More sexuson from a kidnapping plot. Created as the ally explicit dialogue than any mainstream first three episodes of The Clone Wars TV Hollywood movie we can remember! Patrick Marber adapted his play. [R] ▼쩠 series—and feels like it. Special effects, alien landscapes, and spaceships are visuCloser, The (1990) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Dimitri ally dazzling, and the battle sequences are Logothetis. Danny Aiello, Michael Pare´, [ 260 ]

★★★ Joe Cortese, Justine Bateman, Diane Baker, D: Nick Willing. Goran Visnjic, Shirley James Karen, Michael Lerner. Highly sucHenderson, Miranda Otto, Paddy Considine, cessful businessman is forced to retire and Claire Rushbrook, Fiona Shaw, Corin Redcreates a tension-filled night of competigrave, Sophie Stuckey. Scotland Yard detection in order to pick his successor. Aiello tive Henderson draws hypnotherapist Visnjic is compelling as always, but this would-be into a troubling case involving a serial killer Death of a Salesman never gets out of the and a little girl who’s been traumatized since gate. Aiello originated the role on Broadway she was held captive by him. Mixing occult in 1976; Louis La Russo II’s play was elements with a whodunit, this original, titled Wheelbarrow Closers. [R]▼● genuinely creepy thriller stays on track right Closer You Get, The (2000-Irish-British) to the end. Based on the novel Doctor Sleep by Madison Smartt Bell. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Aileen Ritchie. Ian Hart, Sean McGinley, Niamh Cusack, Ruth Cloud Dancer (1980) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: McCabe, Ewan Stewart, Pat Shortt, Cathleen Barry Brown. David Carradine, Jennifer Bradley, Sean McDonagh. Flyweight comedy O’Neill, Joseph Bottoms, Colleen Camp, about a remote Irish island village where the Albert Salmi, Salome Jens, Nina Van young men decide to do something about Pallandt. Uneven tale of aerobatic-obsessed the lack of eligible, attractive females: they Carradine and his relationship with O’Neill. take a want ad in a Miami newspaper, invitNice—if too many—flying sequences, hokey melodramatics. Filmed in 1978. [PG]▼ ing sexy, athletic, marriage-minded American women to come on over. SelfClouded Yellow, The (1950-British) 85m. ★★1 consciously cute and padded out, but still ⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. Jean Simmons, amusing. Aka AMERICAN WOMEN. Trevor Howard, Sonia Dresdel, Barry [PG-13]▼쩠 Jones, Kenneth More, Geoffrey Keen, Closet, The (2001-French) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andre Morell, Maxwell Reed. Moderately Francis Veber. Daniel Auteuil, Ge´rard Deparentertaining psychological drama/mystery/ dieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Miche`le Laroque, chase film in which ex-secret serviceman Jean Rochefort, Alexandra Vandernoot, MiHoward takes a job cataloguing butterflies, chel Aumont. Slight but amusing social comand becomes involved with a strange, fragile young girl (Simmons)—and murder.▼ edy from writer-director Veber concerning a nonentity who’s about to be fired from his Cloverfield (2008) C-85m. ★★★ D: Matt company after 20 years. His new neighbor Reeves. Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T. J. hatches a plan to save the job: pretend he’s Miller, Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, gay so the firm won’t risk the accusation of Odette Yustman, Chris Mulkey. A monster sexual prejudice. Naturally the ruse snowinvades N.Y.C. and creates incredible havoc. balls, in more directions than one. Likable, if This 1950s B-movie premise is executed a bit low key. Technovision. [R] ▼쩠 2008-style through the lens of a video camera Closet Land (1991) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Radha held by a guy who starts out shooting a Bharadwaj. Madeleine Stowe, Alan Rickfriend’s farewell party and then gets caught man. Among the oddest of early ’90s films: up in ‘‘documenting’’ everything that hapa two-character drama about the political pens. Runs on pure adrenaline and never interrogation of an allegedly subversive lets up, with some good shocks and a formichildren’s author by one of a totalitarian dable creature. Some people find the shaky society’s finest. Like a bad play that never handheld camerawork difficult to stomach. went beyond workshop status, though no one Coproduced by J. J. Abrams. [PG-13]쩠 can accuse the filmmakers of taking the easy Clown, The (1953) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert way out. Well performed, under the circumZ. Leonard. Red Skelton, Tim Considine, stances. Coproduced by Ron Howard! [R]▼ Jane Greer, Loring Smith, Philip Ober. Close to Eden (1992-Russian) C-106m. Sentimental remake of THE CHAMP about ★★★ D: Nikita Mikhalkov. Badema, Byaertu, a washed-up, self-destructive comic with a Vladimir Gostukhin, Babushka, Larissa Kuzdevoted son who looks out for him. Skelnetsova, Jon Bochinski, Bao Yongyan. Ruston’s not bad in rare dramatic role; Considine sian truckdriver accidentally comes into the is so good he overcomes some of the lives of a Mongol family, adroitly raising the hokiness of script. Charles Bronson has a question of who’s ‘‘civilized’’ and who isn’t. bit role in dice game scene.▼ Beautifully filmed in the Mongolian steppe Clowns, The (1971-Italian) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 region of inner China by the acclaimed direcD: Federico Fellini. Fellini’s homage to circus tor of DARK EYES. Worth seeing.▼ clowns is itself a clownish spoof of documenClose to My Heart (1951) 90m. ★★★ D: taries, a funny, fully entertaining piece of William Keighley. Ray Milland, Gene fluff from this great director, even making Tierney, Fay Bainter, Howard St. John. fun of himself. Made for Italian TV. [G]▼ Superior soaper; Tierney attaches herself Club, The (1980-Australian) C-99m. ★★★ to waif in Bainter’s orphanage, but husD: Bruce Beresford. Jack Thompson, Graband Milland won’t allow adoption until ham Kennedy, Frank Wilson, Harold Hopchild’s background is traced.쩠 kins, John Howard. Thompson is excellent Close Your Eyes (2003-British) C-103m. as a football coach in this searing drama about [ 261 ]

off-the-field politics in a football club. anna Cassidy, Andrea Martin, Robin Script by David Williamson, based on his Duke, Mary Gross, Simon Jones, Carey play. Aka PLAYERS. Panavision. ▼ Lowell. Pleasant cast in pleasant surroundClub Dead SEE: Terror House ings, lacking only a script and a few more Club Dread (2004) C-104m. BOMB D: laughs. Williams plays Chicago fireman Jay Chandrasekhar. Bill Paxton, Jay Chanwho retires to West Indian island, goes drasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, halfies with native Cliff on turning ramPaul Soter, Erik Stolhanske, Jordan Ladd, shackle beachfront property into vacation Brittany Daniel, M.C. Gainey, Lindsay Price. resort. Writers even try to shoehorn a ‘‘seriYes, dreadful comedy/horror film about an ous’’ subplot about exploitation of the naisland resort populated by college-age partytives into the proceedings! Best of all is ers and a serial murderer who’s offing the Cliff’s almost nonstop music; his perforstaff. Written by and starring members of mance isn’t bad, either. [PG-13]▼●쩠 the comedy troupe Broken Lizard. It’s not a Clue (1985) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jonathan good sign when the audience is rooting for Lynn. Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline the killer. Unrated version also available. Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, On-screen title: BROKEN LIZARD’S Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen CLUB DREAD. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Camp, Lee Ving, Bill Henderson, Howard Club Extinction (1990-German-ItalianHesseman. Silly comic whodunit based on the French) C-112m. ★★ D: Claude Chabrol. popular board game of the same name with Alan Bates, Jennifer Beals, Jan Niklas, all the familiar characters (Mrs. Peacock, Hans Zischler, Benoit Regent, Peter Fitz, Colonel Mustard, Miss Scarlet, et al.) gathered Andrew McCarthy, Wolfgang Preiss, Isolde for a murderous night in a Victorian mansion. Barth. A wave of suicides shocks nearEveryone tries very hard—too hard, since future Berlin; police investigator Niklas the script, by first-time feature director Lynn, begins to suspect involvement of Beals, is so slim; addle-brained Brennan and puckspokesperson for an Edenlike resort, who’s ish butler Curry come off best. When this linked to media baron Dr. Marsfeldt (Bates). played theatrically, audiences saw one of Chabrol’s attempt at updating Dr. Mabuse three alternate endings. Video has all three in a row to total 96m. [PG]▼●쩠 (film credits Norbert Jacques’ original novel, Mabuse der Spieler) misfires; Bates Clueless (1995) C-97m. ★★★ D: Amy Heckis miscast, and film lacks any thematic resoerling. Alicia Silverstone, Stacey Dash, nances. Still, an interesting curiosity. EuroBrittany Murphy, Paul Rudd, Donald Faipean title: DR. M. Shot in English. [R]▼● son, Breckin Meyer, Jeremy Sisto, Justin ★★ Clubland (1999) C-94m. D: Mary LamWalker, Elisa Donovan, Dan Hedaya, Walbert. Jimmy Tuckett, Lori Petty, Brad Hunt, lace Shawn, Twink Caplan, Julie Brown. Heather Stephens, Rodney Eastman, Buddy Sharp, funny, original take on Beverly Hills Quaid, Terence Trent D’Arby, Alexis Arhigh school teens of the ’90s, by the director quette, Steven Tyler. Young man and his of FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH buddies are determined to make it big in the (and based—believe it or not—on Jane music world by performing at a trendy club Austen’s Emma). Silverstone is perfect as on L .A.’s Sunset Strip, but they have to Cher, who with her best friend Dionne— deal with sleazy promoters and personality they’re both named after famous pop singproblems within the band. Contemporary ers—knows everything about being gormusic and trappings can’t disguise, or overgeous, popular, and always in vogue. This come, a soggy story that might have been made laugh-out-loud satire is never mean, which as a 1930s B movie. Written by successful is a big part of its charm; it also introduces music producer Glen Ballard. [R]▼쩠 wonderfully funny vernacular, which we Clubland SEE: Introducing the Dwights won’t spoil by reciting here. As if! HeckerClub Life (1985) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman ling also scripted. Later a TV series. [PGThaddeus Vane. Tony Curtis, Tom Par13] ▼●쩠 sekian, Dee Wallace, Michael Parks, Jamie Cluny Brown (1946) 100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Barrett, Ron Kuhlman, Yana Nirvana, Pat Ernst Lubitsch. Charles Boyer, Jennifer Ast. Hunk Parsekian arrives in Hollywood Jones, Peter Lawford, Helen Walker, Regiwith stars in his eyes, hoping for a movie nald Gardiner, C. Aubrey Smith, Reginald career; instead, he finds himself toiling as a Owen, Richard Haydn, Sara Allgood, Erbouncer in Curtis’ bar. Nicely stylized and nest Cossart, Una O’Connor, Florence acted (if all-too-familiar) tale of Tinseltown Bates, Christopher Severn. Delightful comdecadence. How could you not like a film in edy which charts the evolving relationship which Ast appears as a lesbian bar owner between orphan Jones and penniless Czech named Butch? Vane also produced and refugee professor Boyer in pre–WW2 Enscripted.▼ gland. Takes hilarious pot-shots at the BritClub Paradise (1986) C-104m. ★★ ish class system, with the help of a sterling D: Harold Ramis. Robin Williams, Peter cast of character actors. Screenplay by SamO’Toole, Rick Moranis, Jimmy Cliff, uel Hoffenstein and Elizabeth Reinhardt, Twiggy, Adolph Caesar, Eugene Levy, Jofrom Margery Sharp’s novel. [ 262 ]

C’mon, Let’s Live a Little (1967) C-85m. Strained road comedy, often abrasive, with occasional laughs. [PG]▼● BOMB D: David Butler. Bobby Vee, Jackie De Shannon, Eddie Hodges, John Ireland, Jr., Cobb (1994) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ron ShelSuzie Kaye, Bo Belinsky, Patsy Kelly, Kim ton. Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Wuhl, Lolita Carnes. Folk singer Vee enrolls in college, Davidovich, Lou Myers, Stephen Mendillo, romances De Shannon, is manipulated by William Utay, J. Kenneth Campbell. Porstudent radical Ireland. Perfectly awful. trait of Ty Cobb—widely regarded as the Techniscope. greatest baseball player of all time—as an Coach (1978) C-100m. ★★ D: Bud Townold, eccentric, embittered man, determined send. Cathy Lee Crosby, Michael Biehn, to tell his sanitized life story to sportswriter Keenan Wynn, Steve Nevil, Channing Al Stump (Wuhl). Perhaps a Hollywood Clarkson, Sydney Wicks. Olympic gold first: a biopic that reveals its subject as the medal winner Crosby is accidentally hired meanest sonofabitch who ever lived, with as a high school basketball coach for boys. no redeeming qualities whatever. FascinatExploitation film that turns out disappointing for a while, but gets redundant. Worth ingly tame and predictable. [PG]▼쩠 seeing for Jones’ commanding perforCoach Carter (2005) C-137m. ★★1⁄2 D: mance. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Thomas Carter. Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Cobra (1986) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: George P. Brown, Robert Ri’chard, Rick Gonzalez, Cosmatos. Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte NielNana Gbewonyo, Antwon Tanner, Chansen, Reni Santoni, Andrew Robinson, Lee ning Tatum, Ashanti, Texas Battle, Denise Garlington, John Herzfeld, Art Le Fleur, Dowse, Vincent Laresca, Sidney Faison, Brian Thompson, David Rasche, Val Debbi Morgan, Ray Baker, Marc McClure. Avery. Once more, Stallone wraps himself New high school basketball coach in a in the American flag and fights for the working-class California town is detergreater glory of mankind by going after mined to teach his rowdy players discipline criminal vermin; this time, he’s a cop. and respect. Even when they start winning, Typical low-grade action fare, where all he pushes them further, insisting that they the other cops are stubborn dummies, and improve their grades to earn the title ‘‘stuall the bad guys are repellent creeps. Some good action sequences. [R]▼●쩠 dent athletes’’ and win a chance of going on to college. A few climaxes too many are the Cobra Woman (1944) C-70m. ★★★ D: main debit in this inspirational saga, with Robert Siodmak. Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Jackson a perfect choice to play the real-life Sabu, Lon Chaney (Jr.), Edgar Barrier, Lois Ken Carter. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Collier, Mary Nash. Camp classic, with isCoal Miner’s Daughter (1980) C-125m. land beauty Montez, set to wed Hall, finding ★★★1 herself kidnapped and discovering she has ⁄2 D: Michael Apted. Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones, Beverly D’Angelo, an evil twin sister. Sabu plays Hall’s faithful Levon Helm, Phyllis Boyens, Ernest Tubb. (and ever-so-goofy) companion Kado. CoRags-to-riches story of country singer Loscripted by Richard Brooks! Cobweb, The (1955) C-124m. ★★ D: retta Lynn is among the best musical bios ever made, though final quarter does slide Vincente Minnelli. Richard Widmark, over some ‘‘down side’’ details. Spacek won Lauren Bacall, Gloria Grahame, Charles well-deserved Oscar (and did her own singBoyer, Lillian Gish, John Kerr, Susan ing), but Jones, D’Angelo, and Helm (drumStrasberg, Oscar Levant, Tommy Rettig, mer for The Band) are just as good. Paul Stewart, Adele Jergens. Good cast in Screenplay by Tom Rickman. [PG]▼●쩠 static soaper detailing the goings-on in Coast of Skeletons (1964-British) C-91m. psychiatric clinic headed by Dr. Widmark; ★★ of course, some of the personnel are more D: Robert Lynn. Richard Todd, Dale Robertson, Heinz Drache, Marianne Koch, unbalanced than the patients. Scripted by Elga Andersen, Derek Nimmo. Edgar John Paxton, produced by John HouseWallace’s Sanders of the River is basis for man. Film debuts of Strasberg and Kerr. largely rewritten tale of ex-officer hired to CinemaScope.● investigate scuttling of American tycoon’s Coca-Cola Kid, The (1985-Australian) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dusan Makavejev. Eric African diamond operation. Todd repeats role he played in SANDERS (DEATH Roberts, Greta Scacchi, Bill Kerr, Chris DRUMS ALONG THE RIVER). TechniHaywood, Kris McQuade, Max Gillies, scope. Rebecca Smart. Droll, sometimes wacky Coast of Terror SEE: Summer City comedy about a hotshot Coca-Cola sales Coast to Coast (1980) C-95m. ★★ D: exec sent on mission to Australia, leading Joseph Sargent. Dyan Cannon, Robert to various misadventures. Roberts’ perforBlake, Quinn Redeker, Michael Lerner, mance strictly a matter of taste, as is this offMaxine Stuart, Bill Lucking. A nutty woman beat, mildly satiric film. Sexy Scacchi is the (who’s been institutionalized by her divorcebest thing in the picture. [R]▼●쩠 seeking husband) escapes from a sanitarCocaine Cowboys (1979) C-87m. BOMB ium and travels cross-country with trucker D: Ulli Lommel. Jack Palance, Tom SulliBlake, who’s got problems of his own. van, Andy Warhol, Suzanna Love, Pete [ 263 ]

Huckabee. Dreadful film about rock group Harpo, Chico, Zeppo Marx, Kay Francis, that supports itself ‘‘between engagements’’ Oscar Shaw, Mary Eaton, Margaret Duby dope smuggling; filmed at Warhol’s Monmont. The Marxes’ first film suffers from tauk home, where this film should have stagy filming and stale musical subplot, but remained. [R]▼쩠 when the brothers have scenes to themselves ★★★ Cocaine Cowboys (2006) C-118m. it’s a riot; highlights include hilarious aucD: Billy Corben. Pumped-up, gruesome docution, classic ‘‘viaduct’’ routine.▼●쩠 mentary expose´ about the Colombian drug Cocoon (1985) C-117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ron lords’ invasion of Miami in the 1970s–’80s, Howard. Don Ameche, Wilford Brimley, and how they turned it into the blood money Hume Cronyn, Brian Dennehy, Jack Gilcapital of the U.S., or so the movie asserts. ford, Steve Guttenberg, Maureen Stapleton, Like a prequel to SCARFACE (1983), but Jessica Tandy, Gwen Verdon, Herta Ware, built of chilling, often contradictory interTahnee Welch, Barret Oliver, Linda Harviews with charismatic criminals and deterrison, Tyrone Power, Jr., Clint Howard. mined police, it details the smugglers’ Florida senior citizens discover an actual elaborate strategies as they try to outsmart fountain of youth in this warm, humanistic the DEA and outshoot rival Cuban gangs. fantasy-drama, marred only by derivative and Too flashy and too long, but graphically too literal science-fiction finale. What a pleapersuasive. Followed by a DVD sequel. sure to watch this cast at work! (Ameche Digital Video/Super 35. [R]쩠 won Best Supporting Actor Oscar.) ScreenCockeyed Cavaliers (1934) 72m. ★★★ D: play by Tom Benedek, from David SaperMark Sandrich. Bert Wheeler, Robert Woolstein’s novel; another impressive directing sey, Thelma Todd, Dorothy Lee, Noah Beery, job by Howard. Followed by a sequel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Franklin Pangborn. Colorful costume comedy with Wheeler & Woolsey trying to crash into Cocoon: The Return (1988) C-116m. ★★ society by posing as the King’s physicians; D: Daniel Petrie. Don Ameche, Jack Gilford, lively mix of slapstick, puns, and music.▼ Gwen Verdon, Maureen Stapleton, Steve GutCockfighter (1974) C-83m. ★★★ D: Monte tenberg, Hume Cronyn, Jessica tTandy, WilHellman. Warren Oates, Richard B. Shull, ford Brimley, Elaine Stritch, Tahnee Welch, Harry Dean Stanton, Troy Donahue, MilCourteney Cox. Disappointing follow-up in lie Perkins. Offbeat, violent but interesting which the elderly earthlings return for a visit drama of a man who trains fighting cocks in to their home planet. Most of the magic and Georgia. Oates is silent until the very end, warmth of the original are missing; while it’s his thoughts serving as narration. Filmed always a joy to see Ameche and company onin Georgia. Aka BORN TO KILL, WILD screen, the actors are unable to transcend their material. [PG]▼●쩠 DRIFTER, GAMBLIN’ MAN. [R]▼쩠 Cockleshell Heroes, The (1955-British) Code, The (1968) SEE: Farewell, Friend Code, The (2002-French) C-106m. ★★ D: C-97m. ★★ D: Jose Ferrer. Jose Ferrer, Trevor Howard, Dora Bryan, Anthony Manuel Boursinhac. Samuel Le Bihan, Samy Newley, Victor Maddern, Christopher Lee. Naceri, Clotilde Courau, Marie Guillard, MiSpecial task force is trained in the use of chel Duchaussoy, Philippe Nahon, Francis kayaks for WW2 mission. Film never gels. Renaud. Routine, brutal gangster drama in CinemaScope. which an ex-con who wants to leave his crimiCocktail (1988) C-100m. ★★ D: Roger nal life behind is sucked back in one more time. Donaldson. Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown, All the usual cliche´s of this film genre are trotElisabeth Shue, Lisa Banes, Laurence ted out with a French accent. Film never finds Luckinbill, Kelly Lynch, Gina Gershon, a tone that makes it any different from dozens Ron Dean, Paul Benedict. Young hotshot of other GODFATHER wannabes. Aka LE comes to N.Y.C. to make his fortune, MENTALE. Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 but winds up becoming a ‘‘hot’’ bartenCode 46 (2003-British) C-92m. ★★ D: Mider instead, under the tutelage of selfchael Winterbottom. Tim Robbins, Samanstyled barman/philosopher Brown. Cruise tha Morton, Jeanne Balibar, Om Puri, Essie flashes his smile, Shue is cute, but that Davis, Shelley King, David Fahm, Togo can’t redeem the junior-high-school–level Igawa. In the near future, government investigator Robbins is sent to Shanghai to undramatics. [R]▼●쩠 Cocktail Molotov (1980-French) C-100m. cover the source of forged identity passes, ★★★ D: Diane Kurys. Elise Caron, Philippe without which people of the world are Lebas, Franc¸ois Cluzet, Genevieve Fontalocked outside the gates of major cities to nel, Henri Garcin, Michel Puterflam. Pleasfend for themselves amidst the mob. But the ant follow-up to PEPPERMINT SODA, with normally businesslike agent becomes emoa trio of teenagers wandering through Europe tionally entangled with the woman who is at the time of the ’68 student rebellion. his chief suspect. Intriguing idea is termiCaron, Lebas, and Cluzet are attractive as nally aloof and gives us no one to care the youngsters testing their wings. [R]▼ about. Super 35. [R]쩠 Cocoanuts, The (1929) 96m. ★★★ D: JoCode Name: Emerald (1985) C-95m. ★★ seph Santley, Robert Florey. Groucho, D: Jonathan Sanger. Ed Harris, Max von [ 264 ]

Sydow, Horst Buchholz, Helmut Berger, Coeurs (2006-French-Italian) C-123m. ★★★ Cyrielle Claire, Eric Stoltz, Patrick StewD: Alain Resnais. Sabine Aze´ma, Lambert art, Graham Crowden. Old-fashioned WW2 Wilson, Andre´ Dussollier, Pierre Arditi, espionage tale has Harris as a double agent Laura Morante, Isabelle Carre´. In snowy in plot to capture an Overlord (person with Paris, various characters who are loosely information on the plans for the D-Day inconnected go about their lives and look for vasion). Credibility is undermined by mislove in all the wrong places. Meditative excasting of Stoltz, who looks way too young ploration of the human condition astutely to be an intelligence lieutenant and the target scrutinizes the way people present themOverlord. [PG]▼● selves to others. What are they looking for? Code Name: The Cleaner (2007) C-84m. What will they settle for? How well do they ★1 know the people around them, the people ⁄2 D: Les Mayfield. Cedric the Entertainer, Nicollette Sheridan, Lucy Liu, Mark Dawho pass through their lives? Aka PRIcascos, Will Patton, Callum Keith Rennie, VATE FEARS IN PUBLIC PLACES, the Niecy Nash, DeRay Davis. Call it THE title of the Alan Ayckbourn play on which this is based. Panavision.쩠 BORED IDENTITY. Flat, witless enterprise casts Cedric as a janitor who is sudCoffee and Cigarettes (2004) 96m. ★★1⁄2 D: denly swept up into the world of spies and Jim Jarmusch. Roberto Benigni, Steven murder after he is hit in the head and Wright, Joie Lee, Cinque´ Lee, Steve Buscemi, thought to be an undercover agent caught Iggy Pop, Tom Waits, Cate Blanchett, Meg up in a big government conspiracy. Given White, Jack White, Alfred Molina, Steve Coothe kind of lame script Allen and Rossi gan, Bill Murray, GZA, RZA, Taylor Mead. might have made in the ’60s, Cedric walks Seriocomic anthology of vignettes, filmed as a through the film like a guy lost in an old TV series of short films beginning in 1986, about variety show. Liu and Sheridan provide eye actors and musicians partaking in the titular adcandy. [PG-13]쩠 dictive substances. Quintessentially JarmuschCode Name: Trixie SEE: Crazies, The esque in its slow pacing and seemingly random Codename: Wildgeese (1986-Germanchitchat about everything from tea to Tesla coils. Borderline boring at first, but improves Italian) C-101m. ★★ D: Anthony M. Dawson (Antonio Margheriti). Lewis Collins, Lee greatly in its second half with amusing sketches Van Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Klaus Kinski, involving Blanchett (as herself and her jealous Mimsy Farmer. Action footage redeems this cousin), and Murray meeting up with rappers cornball commando film of Collins and merGZA and RZA from the Wu-Tang Clan. Funcenary troops sent to wipe out a Far East niest bit: Brit thesps Molina and Coogan taking drug stronghold. No relation to THE WILD a very Hollywood meeting. [R]▼쩠 GEESE or its sequel. Widescreen. [R]▼ Coffy (1973) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Hill. Code of Silence (1985) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pam Grier, Booker Bradshaw, Robert Andy Davis. Chuck Norris, Henry Silva, Bert DoQui, William Elliott, Allan Arbus, Sid Remsen, Molly Hagan, Joseph Guzaldo, Haig. Fast-moving, generally agreeable trash Mike Genovese, Dennis Farina. Norris plays about nurse who goes after junkies who a loner on Chicago police force who makes turned her young sister into an addict; lots of nudity in Grier’s biggest hit. [R]▼●쩠 his own rules in dealing with violent gang war. In other words, it’s ‘‘Dirty Chuckie.’’ Cohen & Tate (1989) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Eric Formula action film, and not bad. [R]▼●쩠 Red. Roy Scheider, Adam Baldwin, Harley Code of the Secret Service (1939) 58m. ★1⁄2 Cross, Cooper Huckabee. In this grim variaD: Noel Smith. Ronald Reagan, Rosella tion on O. Henry’s ‘‘Ransom of Red Chief,’’ Towne, Eddie Foy, Jr., Moroni Olsen, Edgar Scheider and Baldwin, the hit men of the Edwards, Jack Mower. Limp actioner with title, murderously kidnap young Cross, sole Lt. Brass Bancroft (Reagan) tangling with witness to a gang killing; story takes place counterfeiters in Mexico. Second of a series, almost entirely in their car. Clumsy irony, following SECRET SERVICE OF THE AIR. theatrical style, leaden illogic sink the film Code Unknown (2000-French-Germanearly. Scheider tries hard. [R]▼● Roumanian) C-117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Cold Around the Heart (1997) C-96m. ★★ Haneke. Juliette Binoche, Thierry Neuvic, D: John Ridley. David Caruso, Kelly Lynch, Alexandre Hamidi, Luminita Gheorghiu, Stacey Dash, Chris Noth, John Spencer, Pruitt Ona Lu Yenke, Josef Bierbichler. ChallengTaylor-Vince, Richard Kind. Barely released ing, fascinating tale involving several charand highly derivative thieves-fall-out crime acters, most of them strangers, whose lives drama. Grungy-looking Caruso is out for rebecome briefly intertwined on a Paris street venge against ruthless femme fatale Lynch corner. They include an actress (Binoche), when she double-crosses him after a jewel the discontented brother of her photojourheist. Decent cast helps, but it’s nothing you nalist lover, a young teacher of African dehaven’t seen done better about a million scent, and a Roumanian illegal immigrant. times before. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 This trenchant look at racism and emotional Coldblooded (1995) C-91m. ★★ D: M. disconnection also offers food for thought Wallace Wolodarsky. Jason Priestley, Peter about the nature of cinematic reality. ▼쩠 Riegert, Kimberly Williams, Janeane Garo[ 265 ]

falo, Robert Loggia, Josh Charles. Black to go to Iceland and trek to the site where comedy about a nerdy young bookkeeper his parents died, so their souls can rest in for the mob who finally gets a chance to peace. In Iceland, there is plenty of snow, become a full-fledged hit man—and adapts ice, and cold, and Atsushi is most definitely to the job better than he ever dreamed. Love a stranger in a strange land. Coscripted by soon complicates the picture, and also bogs the director and Jim Stark, the producer of down what could have been a clever, if several Jim Jarmusch films. Panavision.▼ twisted, story. This ‘‘hit’’ is a miss. Look Cold Heaven (1992) C-105m. ★★ D: Nicfor Michael J. Fox (who coproduced the olas Roeg. Theresa Russell, Mark Harfilm) in a cameo. [R]▼ mon, James Russo, Talia Shire, Will Patton, Cold Comfort Farm (1995-British) CRichard Bradford. Adulterous wife (Rus95m. ★★★ D: John Schlesinger. Eileen Atsell) is on the verge of telling her husband kins, Kate Beckinsale, Sheila Burrell, Ste(Harmon) that she is dumping him when phen Fry, Freddie Jones, Joanna Lumley, he is killed in a gruesome vacation boating Ian McKellen, Miriam Margolyes, Rufus accident—or is he? Russell’s guilt and Sewell. Deliciously eccentric comedy about paranoia bring on a host of ponderous a well-bred young woman who goes to live sturm und drang encounters and experiences. Lifeless and confusing. [R]▼● with distant relatives at their spooky old farm, which is dominated by a dotty grandColditz Story, The (1957-British) 97m. ★★★1 mother living in the attic. Our heroine then ⁄2 D: Guy Hamilton. John Mills, Eric implacably sets about reordering their lives! Portman, Christopher Rhodes, Lionel Jeffries, Good fun, based on a 1932 novel by Stella Bryan Forbes, Ian Carmichael, Richard Gibbons. Made for British TV. [PG]▼●쩠 Wattis, Anton Diffring, Theodore Bikel. Cold Creek Manor (2003) C-119m. ★★ D: Super-solid POW saga set in Germany’s ColMike Figgis. Dennis Quaid, Sharon Stone, ditz Castle, supposedly ‘‘escape-proof’’ but Stephen Dorff, Juliette Lewis, Kristen Stewchallenged by various European prisoners, art, Ryan Wilson, Dana Eskelson, Christoand a hardy British group in particular.▼쩠 pher Plummer. Something new in thrillers: Cold Mountain (2003-British-Romaniana story devoid of suspense. Manhattanites Italian-U.S.) C-155m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Anthony Quaid and Stone decide to move out of the Minghella. Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Rene´e city and give their kids a better life. They Zellweger, Eileen Atkins, Brendan Gleeson, buy a run-down mansion in a rural, insular Philip Seymour Hoffman, Natalie Portman, community and soon encounter the resentGiovanni Ribisi, Donald Sutherland, Ray ful former owner (Dorff), who lost the Winstone, Kathy Baker, James Gammon, house in a foreclosure just before he went to Charlie Hunnam, Jack White, Ethan Suplee, jail for manslaughter. Obvious at every turn, Jena Malone, Melora Walters, Lucas Black, and overlong to boot; the supposed scare Taryn Manning, Tom Aldredge, James moments are pallid at best. [R] ▼쩠 Rebhorn, Cillian Murphy. A shy young man Cold Feet (1984) C-96m. ★★ D: Bruce and a minister’s daughter make a brief but van Dusen. Griffin Dunne, Marissa Chibas, passionate connection before he marches Blanche Baker, Mark Cronogue, Joseph Leon, off to fight for the Confederacy in the Civil Marcia Jean Kurtz. A couple of chuckles are War . . . and the thought of each other susnot enough to save this sluggish comedy about tains them through the hell they both enthe courtship of Dunne and Chibas, who’ve dure. Minghella’s adaptation of the Charles been unlucky in love before. Baker steals the Frazier best-seller captures both the grimfilm as Dunne’s flaky ex-wife. [PG]▼ ness of battle and the starkness of life on ★1 Cold Feet (1989) C-94m. ⁄2 D: Robert the home front in the South. Meticulously Dornhelm. Keith Carradine, Sally Kirkland, crafted by such outstanding talents as cineTom Waits, Rip Torn, Bill Pullman, Kathmatographer John Seale, film editor Walter leen York, Vincent Schiavelli. Carradine Murch, production designer Dante Ferretti, and Waits (the latter near-psychotic) costume designer Ann Roth (with Carlo squabble for hundreds of miles over a horse; Poggioli), and composer Gabriel Yared, marriage-hungry Kirkland is the flake who among others, with first-rate performances rounds out the threesome. Reminiscent in all around. Oscar winner for Best Supporttone of coscripter Thomas McGuane’s ing Actress (Zellweger). Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 RANCHO DELUXE (which pops up on a Cold Steel (1987) C-90m. ★★ D: Dorothy theater marquee here)—but without the Ann Puzo. Brad Davis, Sharon Stone, Jonlaughs; RANCHO’S Jeff Bridges is unathan Banks, Jay Acovone, Adam Ant, Eddie billed as a smalltown bartender. [R]▼●쩠 Egan. Standard actioner about cop Davis, Cold Fever (1995-U.S.-Iceland) C-82m. his father murdered by disfigured psychotic ★★★ D: Fridrik Thor Fridriksson. Masatoshi Banks; he seeks revenge, natch. [R]▼쩠 Nagase, Lili Taylor, Fisher Stevens, Gisli Cold Sweat (1971-French-Italian) C-94m. ★★ D: Terence Young. Charles Bronson, Halldorsson, Laura Hughes, Seijun Suzuki. Amiable, Jarmusch-like comic road movie Liv Ullmann, James Mason, Jill Ireland, that charts the adventures of Atsushi (NaMichel Constantin, Gabriele Ferzetti. Richgase), a Japanese businessman who decides ard Matheson’s thriller Ride the Nightmare [ 266 ]

has been converted into a predictable acCollege (1927) 65m. ★★★ D: James W. tion movie with Bronson as American exHorne. Buster Keaton, Anne Cornwall, patriate in France forced into the drug Flora Bramley, Harold Goodwin, Grant trade by crime czar Mason. [PG]▼●쩠 Withers, Snitz Edwards. Highbrow student Cold Turkey (1971) C-99m. ★★★ D: NorBuster has to become an all-star athlete to man Lear. Dick Van Dyke, Pippa Scott, Tom please his girlfriend; episodic gag structure Poston, Bob Newhart, Vincent Gardenia, makes this less impressive than other Keaton Barnard Hughes, Edward Everett Horton, features, but it’s awfully funny.▼●쩠 Jean Stapleton, Graham Jarvis. Bittersweet College (2008) C-94m. BOMB D: Deb satire of contemporary America; minister Hagan. Drake Bell, Andrew Caldwell, AnVan Dyke leads township crusade to stop dree Moss, Carolyn Moss, Kevin Covais, smoking, in order to win mammoth conRyan Pinkston, Haley Bennett, Nick Zano. test. Trenchant finale doesn’t entirely gibe Stop us if you’ve heard this one before: with rest of film; still worthwhile, with three high school seniors (a fat one, a geeky Bob & Ray hilarious as newscasters. Fine one, a hunky one) take a weekend trip to score by Randy Newman; Horton’s last check out a university campus and get infilm. Made in 1969. [PG]▼● doctrinated by a bunch of mean fraternity Cold Wind in August, A (1961) 80m. brothers. Chock-full of typical adolescent ★★1⁄2 D: Alexander Singer. Lola Albright, behavior, gross-out gags, sex, and nudity; Scott Marlowe, Herschel Bernardi, Joe De you won’t need a college degree to smell Santis. Offbeat account of tenement boy this turkey a mile away. Barely released to theaters. [R]쩠 Marlowe having affair with stripper Albright; frank, flavorful tale. College Confidential (1960) 91m. ★1⁄2 D: Colin Nutley’s House of Angels SEE: Albert Zugsmith. Steve Allen, Jayne MeadHouse of Angels ows, Mamie Van Doren, Walter Winchell, Collateral (2004) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiHerbert Marshall, Cathy Crosby, Conway chael Mann. Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Twitty, Ziva Rodann, Mickey Shaughnessy. Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo, Peter Berg, Idiocy involving sociology professor Allen Bruce McGill, Javier Bardem, Irma P. Hall, and what happens when he surveys the Barry Shabaka Henley, Bodhi Elfman, Debi sexual activities of his students. ‘‘Special Mazar, Richard T. Jones, Jason Statham. Guests’’ include Rocky Marciano, Sheilah L.A. cab driver Foxx, who dreams of runGraham, Pamela Mason, and Earl Wilson. ning his own business, picks up the wrong College Road Trip (2008) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: passenger (visiting hit man Cruise) and beRoger Kumble. Martin Lawrence, Ravencomes embroiled in a long night of maySymone´, Donny Osmond, Brenda Song, hem. Crisp action thriller, well shot in a Margo Harshman, Lucas Grabeel, Will digital format on L.A. locations, builds inSasso, Josh Meyers, Molly Ephraim, Kym teresting characterizations, then tosses credE. Whitley, Eshaya Draper, Arnetia Walker. ibility down the drain during the climax. Officer Porter (Lawrence) has planned out Still quite watchable, with a strong supportevery single part of his daughter’s life, even ing cast backing up the stars. Panavision/ deciding what college she’ll attend close to HD 24P Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 home. When she informs him that she’d like Collateral Damage (2002) C-109m. ★★ D: to apply to schools that are farther away, he Andrew Davis. Arnold Schwarzenegger, organizes a road trip in hopes of changing Elias Koteas, Francesca Neri, Cliff Curtis, her mind. Intertwining remarkable amounts Miguel Sandoval, Harry Lennix, John Legof cheesiness with good-natured comedy, uizamo, John Turturro, Lindsay Frost. L.A. this film goes for all the obvious gags but fireman sees his wife and son killed in a suits the family audience for whom it was bombing—and vows revenge on the terrormade. Super 35. [G]쩠 ist who made it happen, even if it means Collision Course (1968) SEE: Bamboo stalking him in the jungles of Colombia. No Saucer, The worse than any number of other SchwarzenCollision Course (1987) C-96m. ★★ D: egger action vehicles, with a high body Lewis Teague. Jay Leno, Pat Morita, Chris count, a superhuman hero, and a couple of Sarandon, Ernie Hudson, John Hancock, Al villains who simply refuse to die . . . but Waxman, Randall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, Soonwe’ve seen it all before, done better. AnachTeck Oh. Cops Morita (from Japan) and ronistic (to say the least) in the wake of the Leno (from Detroit) link up on a case. Sept. 11, 2001, attack on America. [R]▼쩠 Harmless, occasionally funny, instantly forCollector, The (1965) C-119m. ★★★ D: gettable buddy movie. Leno’s only starring William Wyler. Terence Stamp, Samantha role to date. [PG]▼●쩠 Eggar, Maurice Dallimore, Mona WashColonel Blimp SEE: Life and Death of bourne. Disturbing story of man who colColonel Blimp, The lects more than just butterflies, which is Colonel Chabert (1994-French) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yves Angelou. Ge ´ rard Depardieu, where Eggar fits in. Chilling, if not altogether believable. Based on the novel by Fanny Ardant, Andre Dussollier, Fabrice John Fowles.▼●쩠 Luchini, Daniel Prevost, Olivier Saladin, [ 267 ]

Claude Rich, Albert Delpy, Romane Bohcoexecutive produced. Full title is COLOR ME KUBRICK: A TRUE . . . ISH STORY.쩠 ringer, Julie Depardieu. Respectable costumer, adapted from a Balzac novel, about the Color of Money, The (1986) C-119m. ★★★ belated return of an officer supposedly killed D: Martin Scorsese. Paul Newman, in the Napoleonic wars and the effect it has Tom Cruise, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, on his so-called widow (who’s using his inHelen Shaver, John Turturro, Bill Cobbs, heritance to boost husband no. 2’s career). Robert Agins, Forest Whitaker. Sharply Well acted and well mounted, but the laundry made, nicely textured sequel to THE HUSput in extra starch; debuting director Angelou TLER, with Newman’s Fast Eddie Felson is the esteemed cinematographer of TOUT finding a younger, greener version of himself LES MATINS DU MONDE and UN in small-time pool hotshot Cruise, whom he COEUR EN HIVER. Julie Depardieu is the decides to promote for another shot at the actor’s daughter. ▼ big time. Hardboiled script by Richard Price, Colonel Redl (1985-German-Hungarianflashy direction by Scorsese, flamboyant camAustrian) C-149m. ★★★ D: Istvan Szabo. erawork by Michael Ballhaus, and top-notch Klaus Maria Brandauer, Armin Mullerperformances by Cruise and especially NewStahl, Gudrun Landgrebe, Jan Niklas, Hansman make this a must-see . . . though film’s Christian Blech, Laszlo Mensaros, Andras second half is protracted and disappointing, Balint. Complex, fascinating account— with a hoped-for climax that never occurs. inspired by John Osborne’s A Patriot for Me Newman finally picked up an Academy as well as by actual historical evidence—of an Award for his fine work here. [R]▼●쩠 ambitious, homosexual career soldier, whose Color of Night (1994) C-125m. BOMB D: ordinary family background does not hinder Richard Rush. Bruce Willis, Jane March, his rise to a position of high military rank in Ruben Blades, Lesley Ann Warren, Scott the Austro-Hungarian Empire prior to WW1. Bakula, Brad Dourif, Lance Henriksen, An incisive examination of the politics of Kevin J. O’Connor, Andrew Lowery, Eriq power, highlighted by a superb Brandauer La Salle, Jeff Corey, Kathleen Wilhoite, performance. Second in a trilogy, after Shirley Knight. Ludicrous thriller in which MEPHISTO and followed by HANUSSEN. weirded-out therapist Willis (whose patient [R]▼●쩠 has just committed suicide before his eyes) Colorado Territory (1949) 94m. ★★★ D: heads to L.A. for a breather; he immediately Raoul Walsh. Joel McCrea, Virginia Mayo, finds himself immersed in a murder mysDorothy Malone, Henry Hull, John Archtery, and involved with mysterious March. er, Frank Puglia. Strong, fast-moving WestMuch-publicized sex scenes aren’t very sexy; ern with McCrea an outlaw on the lam; this garnered hype for the editing of Willis’ remake of director Walsh’s HIGH SIERfull frontal nudity to earn an R rating. Also on RA, later remade as I DIED A THOUvideo in an ‘‘R-rated director’s cut,’’ with SAND TIMES. Also shown in computer17m. of extra footage, including more of colored version. Bruce-in-the-buff and some sexy scenes with Color Me Dead (1969-U.S.-Australian) Warren and March. Rush’s first feature since C-97m. ★★ D: Eddie Davis. Tom Tryon, THE STUNT MAN (1980). [R]▼●쩠 Carolyn Jones, Rick Jason, Patricia Connolly, Color of Paradise, The (1999-Iranian) CTony Ward. Story of a slowly poisoned 88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Majid Majidi. Hossein Mahman spending his last days tracking down jub, Salime Feizi, Mohsen Ramezani, Elham his own murderer was done better as Sharim, Farahnaz Safari, Mohammad RahmaD.O.A. in 1950. Aka D.O.A. II. [R]▼ ney. A blind eight-year-old Iranian student, Color Me Kubrick (2007-French-British) who is deeply sensitive to nature, returns to C-86m. ★★★ D: Brian Cook. John Malkovhis home in the heights of Northern Iran, ich, Jim Davidson, Richard E. Grant, Luke where he must cope with a father who considMably, Marc Warren, Terence Rigby, James ers him a burden. Simple story, beautifully Dreyfus, Peter Bowles, Ayesha Dharker, told, with writer-director Majidi eloquently Robert Powell, Leslie Phillips, Honor Blackconveying the young boy’s harmony with the man, William Hootkins, Marisa Berenson, world around him. [PG]▼쩠 Peter Sallis, Ken Russell. Sardonically witty, Color Purple, The (1985) C-152m. ★★★1⁄2 fact-based account of Alan Conway (MalkovD: Steven Spielberg. Danny Glover, Whooich, in a richly textured performance), a pi Goldberg, Margaret Avery, Oprah Winflamboyantly gay con artist who convinces frey, Willard Pugh, Akosua Busia, Desreta ambitious wannabes in London that he is Jackson, Adolph Caesar, Rae Dawn Chong, Stanley Kubrick, squeezing them for money, Dana Ivey, Larry Fishburne. A black girl’s life sex, and other favors. A lucid portrait of a and hard times in the South, spanning some 40 deeply troubled personality and a rumination years: a sprawling saga of characters both fruson the power of fame. Soundtrack effectively trated and fulfilled, and at the center a Survivor. borrows from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY Spielberg’s controversial interpretation of and A CLOCKWORK ORANGE; the direcAlice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize–winning book tor and screenwriter (Anthony Frewin) are will either grab you emotionally (in which case former Kubrick associates. Luc Besson you’ll overlook its flaws) or leave you cold. [ 268 ]

Masterfully filmed from Menno Meyjes’s matched adversaries in original suspenser script, with striking cinematography by Allen that combines best of hospital pictures and Daviau, moving music score by Quincy Jones mystery thrillers; scripted by director (who also coproduced). Rich performances Crichton from Robin Cook’s novel. Look include screen debut for Winfrey. (Avery’s for Tom Selleck as Murphy, Ed Harris as a pathology resident. [PG]▼●쩠 singing was dubbed, by the way.) Later a Comancheros, The (1961) C-107m. ★★★ D: Broadway musical. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Colors (1988) C-120m. ★★★ D: Dennis Michael Curtiz. John Wayne, Stuart WhitHopper. Sean Penn, Robert Duvall, Maria man, Lee Marvin, Ina Balin, Bruce Cabot, Conchita Alonso, Randy Brooks, Grand Nehemiah Persoff. Well-paced actioner with Bush, Don Cheadle, Rudy Ramos, TriniDuke a Texas Ranger out to bring in gang dad Silva, Damon Wayans, Glenn Plummer. supplying liquor and firearms to the ComanPenn and Duvall are well matched as street ches. Curtiz’ last film. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 cops assigned to gang detail in L.A. Their Comanche Station (1960) C-74m. ★★1⁄2 conflicts and experiences play out against the D: Budd Boetticher. Randolph Scott, backdrop of nihilistic gang life in this realisNancy Gates, Claude Akins, Skip Homeier, tic if unexceptional slice of life. Only seriRichard Rust, Rand Brooks. Scott rescues a ous flaw: unbelievable and unnecessary woman from Indian capture, then runs into subplot with female lead Alonso. Hopper’s an old nemesis who wants to turn her in 127m. version, altered by the theatrical dishimself—for a fat reward. Typically intertributor, is available on video. [R]▼●쩠 esting Boetticher/Scott Western, with a Burt Kennedy script. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Colors Straight Up (1998) C-95m. ★★★ D: Michele Ohayon. Heartfelt, powerful docuComanche Territory (1950) C-76m. ★★1⁄2 mentary about an L.A. inner-city afterD: George Sherman. Maureen O’Hara, Macschool drama program that gives at-risk Black donald Carey, Will Geer, Charles Drake, and Latino teens a chance to strut their stuff Pedro de Cordoba, James Best. So-so Westonstage. Simply and beautifully done, with ern in which Jim Bowie (Carey) tangles some truly amazing young subjects at its cenwith fiery bar owner O’Hara as he aids the ter. One teacher tells the group they must Comanches, whose treaty with the U.S. government is about to expire.▼ learn to ‘‘function in disaster and finish with style,’’ and they do exactly that. Guaranteed Combination Platter (1993) C-84m. ★★★ to move you to tears.▼ D: Tony Chan. Jeff Lau, Colleen O’Brien, Colossus of Rhodes, The (1960-Italian) Lester (Chit-Man) Chan, Colin Mitchell, C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sergio Leone. Rory CalKenneth Lu. A young illegal immigrant houn, Lea Massari, Georges Marchal, from Hong Kong (Lau) toils in a Queens, Conrado Sanmartin, Angel Aranda, Mabel N.Y., Chinese restaurant, and covets U.S. Karr. Big-budget sword-and-sandal speccitizenship—but learns that this may mean tacular about a slave revolt against the having to marry an American, the thought corrupt leaders of ancient Rhodes. Though of which staggers him. Hong Kong–born Calhoun looks mighty uncomfortable in a director-cowriter Chan, himself an immitoga and the dubbing is poor, Leone’s grant, knowingly captures the experience of directorial debut is notable for some wellthe foreigner in America. This marks the staged battle scenes and impressive sets, 23-year-old’s directing debut.▼쩠 including the title edifice. SuperTotalscope.쩠 Come and Get It (1936) 99m. ★★★ D: Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) Howard Hawks, William Wyler. Edward C-100m. ★★★ D: Joseph Sargent. Eric Arnold, Joel McCrea, Frances Farmer, WalBraeden, Susan Clark, Gordon Pinsent, ter Brennan, Andrea Leeds, Frank Shields, William Schallert. Well-directed suspense Mady Christians, Mary Nash. Arnold plays thriller. Computer runs amok and uses its sua self-made empire-builder who fights his perior intelligence to sabotage man at every way to the top in Wisconsin lumber busiturn. Chilling and believable. Aka THE FORness, sacrificing the one love of his life. BIN PROJECT. Panavision.▼●쩠 Farmer has best screen showcase of her caColt .45 (1950) C-74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edwin L. reer, in dual role, as a saloon entertainer and Marin. Randolph Scott, Zachary Scott, (years later) her own daughter; Brennan won Ruth Roman, Lloyd Bridges, Chief Thunhis first Best Supporting Actor Oscar playdercloud. The renowned title gun is star of ing Arnold’s simple Swedish pal. Typically this sometimes action-filled Western. Retiplotty, two-generation Edna Ferber saga. Reissued as ROARING TIMBER. ▼●쩠 tled: THUNDERCLOUD.쩠 Coma (1978) C-113m. ★★★ D: Michael Come and See (1985-Russian) C-142m. ★★★1 Crichton. Genevieve Bujold, Michael ⁄2 D: Elem Klimov. Alexei Kravchenko, Douglas, Elizabeth Ashley, Rip Torn, RichOlga Mironova, Lubomiras Lauciavicus. ard Widmark, Lance LeGault, Lois Chiles. Thoroughly mesmerizing chronicle of the Someone is killing and stealing patients initiation of a young teen (impressively from a big-city hospital, and a woman played by Kravchenko) into the horror and doctor bucks male superiors to pursue her insanity of war, as the Nazis maraud through suspicions. Bujold and Widmark are wellnorthwestern Russia in 1943. An extraor[ 269 ]

dinary film about the need to maintain Cobb, Molly Picon, Barbara Rush, Jill St. one’s humanity and dignity no matter what John, Tony Bill. Sinatra is good as a the situation. Don’t miss this one.▼쩠 free-swinging bachelor with wall-to-wall Come Back, Charleston Blue (1972) girls and a nagging father (Cobb). He also C-100m. ★★ D: Mark Warren. Raymond sings the title song, and teaches kid brother St. Jacques, Godfrey Cambridge, Jonelle (Bill) the ropes. From Neil Simon play. Allen, Adam Wade, Peter DeAnda. FurPanavision.▼ ther adventures of Gravedigger and Coffin Come Dance With Me! (1959-French) Con their Harlem police beat. Loads of 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michel Boisrond. Brigitte Barviolence, no comedy; not nearly as good as dot, Henri Vidal, Dawn Addams, Noel Rooriginal, COTTON COMES TO HARLEM. quevert, Dario Moreno, Philippe Nicaud, Fine Donny Hathaway score. [PG]▼ Serge Gainsbourg. Sometimes amusing mysCome Back, Little Sheba (1952) 99m. tery-comedy with Bardot a pert dentist’s wife ★★★1 who plays detective when her husband is sus⁄2 D: Daniel Mann. Burt Lancaster, Shirley Booth, Terry Moore, Richard pected of murder. Video title: DO YOU WANT TO DANCE WITH ME?▼쩠 Jaeckel, Philip Ober. William Inge play is emotional tour de force for Booth (who won Comedian (2002) C-81m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Chrisan Oscar recreating her Tony Award–winning tian Charles. Jerry Seinfeld has a camera stage role) as slovenly housewife coping with crew follow him during his return to comdrunken ex-chiropractor husband (Lancasedy clubs as he tries to build an all-new ter) and boarder Moore, whose curiosity act. His craftsmanship and confidence are about her landlords sets drama in motion. contrasted with the desperation of an upScreenplay by Ketti Frings. ▼●쩠 and-comer named Orny Adams. Seinfeld Comebacks, The (2007) C-88m. BOMB talks shop with Chris Rock, Ray Romano, D: Tom Brady. David Koechner, Carl Colin Quinn, Jay Leno, Garry Shandling, Weathers, Melora Hardin, Matthew Lawand Bill Cosby in this revealing look at the rence, Brooke Nevin. Lame genre satire world of stand-up comedy. [R] ▼쩠 takes aim at an easy target—inspirational Comedians, The (1967) C-148m. ★★1⁄2 sports dramas such as RUDY, REMEMD: Peter Glenville. Elizabeth Taylor, RichBER THE TITANS, etc.—and repeatedly ard Burton, Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, shoots itself in the foot. Slight plot involving Paul Ford, Lillian Gish, Raymond St. a chronically unsuccessful coach (Koechner) Jacques, Zakes Mokae, Roscoe Lee Browne, and his hapless college football team exists Gloria Foster, Georg Stanford Brown, only as an excuse for a fusillade of James Earl Jones, Cicely Tyson. Excellent AIRPLANE!-style allusions to other movcast in uninspired adaptation of Graham ies. Really, there’s no excuse for this fiasco. Greene’s novel about political intrigue in Various comics and sports figures appear in Haiti, although film is more interesting cameos. Unrated version runs 107m. [PGtoday, since the departure of Duvalier. Be13]쩠 ware 130m. prints. Panavision.▼쩠 Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Comedy of Innocence, The (2001-French) Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raoul Ruiz. Isabelle HupD: Robert Altman. Sandy Dennis, Cher, pert, Jeanne Balibar, Charles Berling, Edith Karen Black, Sudie Bond, Kathy Bates, Marta Scob, Nils Hugon, Laure de ClermontHeflin. Girlfriends hold 20-year reunion of a Tonnerre. How will Huppert respond when, James Dean fan club they formed when he on his birthday, her young son informs her was filming GIANT in a nearby Texas town; that his mother is actually someone else, a the get-together becomes an occasion for perwoman whose little boy died two years earsonal and painful revelations. Strong perforlier? Eerie psychological drama draws you mances, and Altman’s lively approach to in and keeps you guessing, but leaves too many questions unanswered.▼쩠 filming Ed Graczyk’s Broadway play, can’t completely hide the fact that this is secondComedy of Power (2006-German-French) rate material. Cher’s first film since CHASC-110m. ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Isabelle TITY in 1969. [PG]▼● Huppert, Franc¸ois Berle´and, Patrick Bruel, ★1 Comeback Trail, The (1974) C-80m. ⁄2 Maryline Canto, Thomas Chabrol, JeanD: Harry Hurwitz. Chuck McCann, Buster Franc¸ois Balmer, Pierre Vernier. Huppert Crabbe, Robert Staats, Ina Balin, Jara shines as an obsessive, highly principled inKahout. Two-bit movie czar McCann stars vestigative magistrate (whose surname, apfaded cowboy hero Crabbe in a film, hoppropriately, is ‘‘Killman’’) who is determined ing the resulting disaster will salvage his to topple a gaggle of crooked, high-living studio. Dismal comedy, with occasional politicians and corporate executives. At film buff in-jokes, and guest appearances once a subtle, incisive character study, and by Henny Youngman, Irwin Corey, Hugh an exploration of women, men, and power Hefner, Joe Franklin, and Monte Rock III. and the pervasiveness of corruption in high Never released theatrically. places. Loosely based on one such magisCome Blow Your Horn (1963) C-112m. trate’s real-life investigation of a scandal★★★ D: Bud Yorkin. Frank Sinatra, Lee J. ridden French gas company in the 1990s.쩠 [ 270 ]

Comedy of Terrors, The (1963) C-84m. whose roots are in the land. Low-key to ★★1 the point of catatonia, but offers some ⁄2 D: Jacques Tourneur. Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, Basil Rathbone, beautiful tableaux and moving scenes. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Joe E. Brown, Joyce Jameson. Medium horror spoof with undertaker Price trying to hasten Come See The Paradise (1990) C-138m. ★★ customers’ demise, ‘‘helped’’ by bumbling asD: Alan Parker. Dennis Quaid, Tamlyn sistant Lorre. Great cast; Richard Matheson Tomita, Sab Shimono, Shizuko Hoshi, Stan wrote the screenplay. Panavision.▼●쩠 Egi, Ronald Yamamoto, Akemi Nishino, Come Early Morning (2006) C-97m. ★★★ Naomi Nakano, Brady Tsurutani, Pruitt D: Joey Lauren Adams. Ashley Judd, JefTaylor Vince. Hotheaded union organizer frey Donovan, Laura Prepon, Diane Ladd, Quaid falls in love with Tomita in L.A.’s Scott Wilson, Stacy Keach, Pat Corley, Ray Little Tokyo in the late 1930s; after the McKinnon, Tim Blake Nelson. Judd shines bombing of Pearl Harbor, he is separated as an established contractor who boozes it from his wife and family when they are sent up and parties at night until she finally to a Japanese internment camp. Curiously hooks up with a down-home Arkansas guy aloof and unmoving story fashioned around who sees her as more than a one-night one of the bleaker chapters of American stand. Perfectly cast star knowingly embodhistory; should have been much stronger. ies this lost Southern woman. First feature Written by director Parker. [R]▼●쩠 written and directed by actress Adams is Come September (1961) C-112m. ★★★ D: independent to its core and filled with charRobert Mulligan. Rock Hudson, Gina acter insight. [R]쩠 Lollobrigida, Sandra Dee, Bobby Darin, WalCome Fill the Cup (1951) 113m. ★★1⁄2 D: ter Slezak, Joel Grey. Frothy comedy about Gordon Douglas. James Cagney, Phyllis the younger generation (Darin and Dee) vs. Thaxter, Raymond Massey, James Gleason, the ‘‘older’’ folks (Hudson and Lollobrigida) Gig Young. Cagney is quite restrained as at an Italian villa. Good fun, with some dated ex-newspaperman seeking to conquer alDarin vocals. CinemaScope.▼쩠 coholism. Fine performance by Gleason as Come Spy With Me (1967) C-85m. ★1⁄2 helpful ex-drunk and by Young as drunken D: Marshall Stone. Troy Donahue, Andrea playboy. Dromm, Albert Dekker, Mart Hulswit, Come Fly With Me (1963) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Valerie Allen, Dan Ferrone. Except for Henry Levin. Hugh O’Brian, Pamela Tiffin, those who want to tell their friends they Dolores Hart, Karl Boehm, Lois Nettleton, actually saw a film called COME SPY Karl Malden. Flighty fluff of three stewardWITH ME starring Troy Donahue, this seesses trying to catch husbands, becoming incret-agent film about blond Dromm’s atvolved with three men on a trans-Atlantic tempts to solve murders of two Americans flight. Glossy, easy to take. Panavision. in the Caribbean isn’t worth anyone’s time. Come Live With Me (1941) 86m. ★★★ D: Smokey Robinson sings the title song! Clarence Brown. James Stewart, Hedy Come to the Stable (1949) 94m. ★★★ D: Lamarr, Ian Hunter, Verree Teasdale, DonHenry Koster. Loretta Young, Celeste Holm, ald Meek, Barton MacLane, Adeline de Hugh Marlowe, Elsa Lanchester, Regis Walt Reynolds. Charming romantic comToomey, Mike Mazurki. Young and Holm edy with starving writer Stewart marrying register well as French nuns living in New Lamarr so she won’t be deported. Strong England, seeking aid from a variety of supporting cast, with Reynolds fine as local characters in building a children’s Stewart’s grandmother. dispensary. Warm, sentimental comedyCome Next Spring (1956) C-92m. ★★★ D: drama. Story by Clare Boothe Luce. ▼ R. G. Springsteen. Ann Sheridan, Steve Comet Over Broadway (1938) 69m. ★1⁄2 Cochran, Walter Brennan, Sherry Jackson, D: Busby Berkeley. Kay Francis, Ian Richard Eyer, Edgar Buchanan, Sonny Hunter, John Litel, Donald Crisp, Minna Tufts, Mae Clarke, Roscoe Ates, James Gombell, Melville Cooper. Sappy, dated Best. Charming slice of Americana, set in soap opera tells risible story of stage star 1920s Arkansas. Cochran walked out on his Francis and the tragedy caused by her burnwife and kids nine years ago; now he reing ambition. Not even a musical number to turns, cold sober and determined to make save it. good (and try to make up for his past transComfort and Joy (1984-British) C-105m. ★★★ D: Bill Forsyth. Bill Paterson, Eleanor gressions). Appealing performances and a nice feel for the material distinguish this David, C. P. Grogan, Alex Norton, Patrick modest film, which Cochran also produced. Malahide, Rikki Fulton, Roberto Bernardi. Come ’n’ Get It SEE: Lunch Wagon Another quirky comedy from writer-director Forsyth (GREGORY’S GIRL, LOCAL Comes a Horseman (1978) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan J. Pakula. Jane Fonda, James HERO), though this one isn’t as potent or Caan, Jason Robards, George Grizzard, consistent. Paterson plays a popular Scottish Richard Farnsworth, Jim Davis, Mark disc jockey who’s going through some diffiHarmon. Starkly simple Western story cult changes in his personal life, then finds (set in 1940s) about rival ranch owners himself caught between two underworld fami[ 271 ]

lies fighting for territorial rights to ice-cream into melodrama. Academy Awards went to vans! Entertaining and offbeat, though never Fonda, Voight, and writers Waldo Salt, Robas on-target as one might like it to be; Paterert C. Jones, and Nancy Dowd. [R]▼●쩠 son is a delight. [PG]▼ Coming-Out Party (1961-British) 100m. ★★1 Comfort of Strangers, The (1991-Italian⁄2 D: Ken Annakin. James Robertson ★1 U.S.) C-105m. ⁄2 D: Paul Schrader. ChrisJustice, Leslie Phillips, Stanley Baxter, topher Walken, Natasha Richardson, RuEric Sykes, Richard Wattis. P.O.W. compert Everett, Helen Mirren. Unmarried edy with prisoner Baxter impersonating couple is befriended by a mysterious local lookalike Nazi commandant to help peewhile vacationing in Venice. Shaggy-dog vish scientist Justice escape camp. Origilead-up to an ‘‘oh, come on’’ finale. As nal title: VERY IMPORTANT PERSON. murky as canal sewage, offering sharply conComing Out Under Fire (1994) C/B&Wtrasting male acting styles: Everett is a postur71m. ★★★ D: Arthur Dong. Narrated by Saing male mannequin, while Walken is a titan lome Jens. A tough ex-Marine, a WAC, a of twitch. Screenplay by Harold Pinter, black, a heavily Dixie-toned Southerner, and from Ian McEwan’s novel. [R]▼●쩠 a N.Y. Jew are among those who recall what Comic, The (1969) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Carl it was like to be very, very quietly gay during Reiner. Dick Van Dyke, Michele Lee, Mickey WW2 and, in the most abjectly humiliating Rooney, Cornel Wilde, Nina Wayne, Pert cases, to be mustered out of the service upon Kelton, Steve Allen, Carl Reiner, Jeannine detection. A fresh and contemporary docuRiley. Sincere seriocomedy about a silentmentary despite recalling events that took movie clown with a destructive ego. Artifiplace half a century earlier; in a clip from one cial trappings surround truthful portrait (a of the era’s official army sex education films, composite of several real comics) by Van 1950s song-and-dance man Keefe Brasselle Dyke. Best of all: vivid re-creations of silent plays a G.I. with condoms on his mind.▼쩠 comedies. Uneven; of interest mainly to Coming Soon (2000) C-91m. BOMB D: film buffs. [M/PG]▼● Colette Burson. Tricia Vessey, Gaby HoffComic Book Confidential (1989-U.S.mann, Mia Farrow, Ryan O’Neal, Yasmine Bleeth, Spalding Gray, Peter Bogdanovich, Canadian) C-90m. ★★★ D: Ron Mann. R. Crumb, Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, William Ashton Kutcher. Seniors in an exclusive M. Gaines, Harvey Kurtzman, Stan Lee, N.Y.C. high school go to extremes to achieve Harvey Pekar, Lynda Barry, Frank Miller. orgasms from their less-than-adequate boyGood introduction to the genuine art to be friends. Touted as a female version of found in comic books, featuring interviews AMERICAN PIE; only differences are that with many of the top talents of yesterday and this film isn’t funny, its characters are despicable, and its script is pointless. [R]▼쩠 today. Marred by too much effort to be ‘‘cinematic’’; also demonstrates a bias against Coming Through (1985-British) C-80m. ★★ standard commercial comics.▼●쩠 D: Peter Barber-Fleming. Kenneth Comin At Ya! (1981-Italian) C-91m. Branagh, Helen Mirren, Alison Steadman, BOMB D: Ferdinando Baldi. Tony AnPhilip Martin Brown, Norman Rodway. thony, Gene Quintano, Victoria Abril, RiStatic tale of young D. H. Lawrence cardo Palacios, Gordon Lewis. 3-D spaghetti (Branagh), and his relationship with Frieda Western take-off features rats, bats, and von Richthofen (Mirren), awkwardly parblood, all hugged to death by the camera alleled with present-day story of young (and often in slow motion!). No redeeming man who completely misses the point of sense of humor, either. It’s films like this Lawrence’s writing. Sorely lacking the authat killed 3-D the first time around. thor’s own fire and intensity.▼쩠 Dimensionscope. [R]▼쩠 Coming to America (1988) C-116m. ★★★ Coming Apart (1969) 110m. ★1⁄2 D: MilD: John Landis. Eddie Murphy, Arsenio ton Moses Ginsberg. Rip Torn, Viveca Hall, James Earl Jones, John Amos, Madge Lindfors, Megan McCormick, Lois Markle, Sinclair, Shari Headley, Paul Bates, AlliSally Kirkland. Fascinatingly bad drama son Dean, Eriq La Salle, Louie Anderson, about psychiatrist who sets up concealed Calvin Lockhart, Samuel L. Jackson, Cuba movie camera in his apartment to record the Gooding, Jr., Vanessa Bell (Calloway), messed-up lives of himself and women who Frankie Faison, Vondie Curtis Hall. Cute visit him. Kirkland’s most substantial change-of-pace film for Murphy, as the genteel prince of an African royal family who screen role prior to ANNA in 1987.▼쩠 Coming Attractions SEE: Loose Shoes wants to choose his own wife, and decides 1 ★★★ Coming Home (1978) C-127m. ⁄2 D: that he will find her in America. Old-fashHal Ashby. Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce ioned romantic comedy peppered with direcDern, Robert Carradine, Robert Ginty, Peneltor Landis’ in-jokes (including an update of ope Milford, David Clennon. Powerful look TRADING PLACES, in which Murphy at the effect of Vietnam war on people at starred) and some surprise cameos. Subsehome. Fonda falls in love with paraplegic quent litigation awarded columnist Art BuchVoight while her husband (Dern) is overseas. wald with original story credit. [R]▼●쩠 Mature, gripping film, marred only by lapses Coming Up Roses (1986-British) C-93m. [ 272 ]

★★

D: Stephen Bayly. Dafydd Hywel, Iola Kathy Shower, William Smith, Sid Haig, Gregory, Olive Michael, Mari Emlyn. Ross Hagen, Robert Quarry, Mel Welles. Whimsical Welsh-language comedy conThompson and Shower (former Playboy cerns a group of townsfolk who band toPlaymate of the Year) are government gether to save a local cinema by growing agents sent to Mexico to wipe out Smith’s mushrooms in the darkness of the empty cocaine factory. Tiresome film features theatre. Cute, but lacks the wit and sharp numerous screen veterans, including Marie Windsor and Russ Tamblyn. [R]▼ ensemble acting of the hilarious British comedies of the 1940s and 1950s. [PG]▼ Commandos Strike at Dawn (1942) 96m. ★★1 Comin’ Round the Mountain (1951) 77m. ⁄2 D: John Farrow. Paul Muni, Anna Lee, ★1 ⁄2 D: Charles Lamont. Bud Abbott, Lou Lillian Gish, Cedric Hardwicke, Robert Costello, Dorothy Shay, Kirby Grant, Joe Coote, Ray Collins, Rosemary DeCamp, Sawyer, Glenn Strange. Bud and Lou inAlexander Knox. Well-intentioned drama vade hillbilly country in this substandard of Norwegian Muni aiding British commancomedy, with far too much footage of dos in attack on Nazis who have invaded singing Shay.▼쩠 Norway. Dated propaganda angle lessens Command Decision (1948) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 impact today.▼쩠 D: Sam Wood. Clark Gable, Walter PidCommitments, The (1991-British-Irish) Cgeon, Van Johnson, Brian Donlevy, Charles 117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alan Parker. Robert ArBickford, John Hodiak, Edward Arnold, kins, Michael Aherne, Angeline Ball, Maria Marshall Thompson, Richard Quine, CamDoyle, Dave Finnegan, Bronagh Gallagher, eron Mitchell, John McIntire. Taut, enFe´lim Gormley, Glen Hansard, Dick Masgrossing adaptation of the William Wister sey, Johnny Murphy, Kenneth McCluskey, Haines stage hit, with Gable a flight comAndrew Strong, Colm Meaney. Enormander who knows that, to win the war, mously satisfying tale of an ambitious he must send his men on suicide missions young Dubliner who takes on the challenge over Germany. Intriguing look at behindof assembling and managing a band made the-scenes politics of the U.S. war effort. up of other working-class Dubliners who Screenplay by William Laidlaw and George sing ’60s-style soul music! Disarmingly enFroeschel. Also shown in computer-colored gaging from the word go, with charismatic version.▼●쩠 cast of unknowns; filled with irresistible Commandments (1997) C-86m. ★★ D: music. A real treat. Written by Dick Clement, Daniel Taplitz. Aidan Quinn, Courteney Ian La Frenais, and Roddy Doyle; the first of Cox, Anthony LaPaglia, Louis Zorich, PaDoyle’s Barrytown trilogy, followed by THE mela Gray, Pat McNamara, Tom Aldredge, SNAPPER and THE VAN. [R] ▼●쩠 Alice Drummond, Jack Gilpin. When a Committed (2000) C-98m. ★★ D: Lisa man’s life hits rock bottom he decides to Krueger. Heather Graham, Casey Affleck, test the whole concept of spirituality by Luke Wilson, Goran Visnjic, Alfonso Arau, breaking each of the Ten Commandments. Patricia Velazquez, Mark Ruffalo, Clea DuUneven black comedy shifts in tone from Vall, Summer Phoenix, Mary Kay Place, Art light to dark, losing its meaning along the Alexakis, Jon Stewart, Dylan Baker, Carlin way. Quinn is effective, but this must have Glynn. Young N.Y.C. club manager believes looked a lot better on paper. [R]▼쩠 in commitment at work and in her marriage Commando (1985) C-88m. ★★ D: Mark (though she’s surrounded by slacker friends), L. Lester. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rae Dawn so she’s thrown for a loop when her husChong, Dan Hedaya, Vernon Wells, David band (Wilson) bolts to ‘‘find himself.’’ GraPatrick Kelly, Alyssa Milano, James Olson, ham is the whole show here, but she’s stuck Bill Duke, Bill Paxton. Exceptionally noisy in a lightweight road-movie/culture-clash comic-book yarn about retired special agent tale. If this is screwball romance for the new millennium, we’re in trouble. [R]▼쩠 Schwarzenegger, who’s forced to go back into action when vengeful goons kidnap his Common Threads: Stories From the Quilt daughter. Film’s sense of humor (courtesy (1989) C/B&W-79m. ★★★ D: Robert Epscripter Steven E. de Souza) is largely oblitstein, Jeffrey Friedman. Narrated by Dustin erated by all the noise and mindless vioHoffman. Compassionate documentary folence. Director’s cut runs 90m. [R]▼●쩠 cusing on five individuals afflicted with Commandos (1968-Italian-German) C-89m. AIDS: a former Olympic athlete, a retired ★★ D: Armando Crispino. Lee Van Cleef, U.S. Navy commander, an 11-year-old Jack Kelly, Giampiero Albertini, Marino hemophiliac, a N.Y. writer and gay activMase´, Pierre Paulo Capponi, Duilio Del Prete. ist, and an I.V. drug user. Title refers to AIDS Cliche´-filled war drama with familiar plot; Memorial Quilt, consisting of thousands of Italian commandos, led by a couple of stalpanels, each dedicated to an AIDS victim. wart Americans, must secure an important Produced by HBO; a worthy Best Documenoasis in North African desert in advance of tary Academy Award winner.▼●쩠 Allied landings. Cromoscope. [PG]▼쩠 Communion (1977) SEE: Holy Terror Commando Squad (1987) C-89m. BOMB Communion (1989) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Fred Olen Ray. Brian Thompson, Philippe Mora. Christopher Walken, Lind[ 273 ]

say Crouse, Frances Sternhagen, Andreas John Saxon, Brian Kelly, Fritz Weaver, Katsulas, Terri Hanauer, Joel Carlson, BaClu Gulager, Susan Oliver, Diana Lynn, sil Hoffman. Psychological thriller with Robert Middleton. Gunman (Saxon) workWalken well cast as writer Whitley Strieber, ing for Murder, Inc. becomes target for his who finds himself visited by strange creaemployers and big city police department tures. Does he need a psychiatrist or an after patrolman is shot down. Bites off exorcist? A bit overlong, and the dramatic more than it can chew. Video title: THE HIT TEAM. [G]▼ scenes between Walken and wife Crouse don’t quite work, but still effectively scary Company of Wolves, The (1984-British) C-95m. ★★ D: Neil Jordan. Angela Lanswhile never gratuitously gory. Strieber adapted his own best-selling book, which bury, David Warner, Stephen Rea, Tusse he claims is true. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Silberg, Sarah Patterson, Graham Crowden. Companeros! (1971-Italian-Spanish-GerFreudian, adult version of ‘‘Little Red man) C-105m. ★★ D: Sergio Corbucci. Riding Hood,’’ based on the premise that a Franco Nero, Tomas Milian, Jack Palance, wolf may not be what he seems. Intriguing Fernando Rey, Iris Berben, Karin Schuidea mired in murky presentation, encombert. Swedish mercenary (Nero) seeks his passing several different stories; strange, slow, and unsatisfying. [R]▼●쩠 fortune by running guns in revolution-racked Mexico at the turn of the century. Violent Company She Keeps, The (1950) 83m. ★★1 western fare. Techniscope. [R]▼쩠 ⁄2 D: John Cromwell. Lizabeth Scott, Company, The (2003) C-112m. ★★★ D: Jane Greer, Dennis O’Keefe, Fay Baker, Robert Altman. Neve Campbell, Malcolm John Hoyt, Don Beddoe. Satisfactory tale of McDowell, James Franco, Barbara Robertex-con Greer, who’s determined to go son, William Dick, Susie Cusack. Life bestraight. She yearns for companionship and hind the scenes during a season with the makes a play for O’Keefe, the boyfriend of Joffrey Ballet of Chicago, focusing on one her parole officer (Scott). Produced by John dedicated dancer (Campbell). Not so much Houseman. Jeff Bridges’ screen debut; he’s a story as a low-key series of vignettes the baby in Greer’s arms. about the innumerable factors that go into Competition, The (1980) C-129m. ★★★ maintaining a company, salving bruised D: Joel Oliansky. Richard Dreyfuss, Amy egos, and surviving both on and offstage. Irving, Lee Remick, Sam Wanamaker, The dance numbers are exhilarating and Joseph Cali, Ty Henderson, Priscilla Poinbeautifully filmed; Campbell shines in a pas ter, James B. Sikking. Two young piade deux set to ‘‘My Funny Valentine.’’ nists, competing for the same prize, fall in Campbell coproduced and cowrote the love. Nothing much more than that, but story. HD 24P Widescreen. [PG-13]▼쩠 smoothly done, with some excellent piano Company Business (1991) C-98m. ★1⁄2 ‘‘faking.’’ Screenwriter Oliansky’s directing debut. [PG]▼● D: Nicholas Meyer. Gene Hackman, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Kurtwood Smith, Terry Compromising Positions (1985) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Perry. Susan Sarandon, O’Quinn, Daniel Von Bargen, Oleg Rudnick, Geraldine Danon. When a planned spy swap Raul Julia, Edward Herrmann, Judith Ivey, comes unglued, two aging agents (one CIA, Mary Beth Hurt, Joe Mantegna, Josh one KGB) become unlikely allies as the old Mostel, Anne De Salvo, Joan Allen. Long cold-war espionage rules they once lived by Island housewife becomes fascinated with melt away. Interesting premise goes awry in the murder of a local dentist who (it turns this dumb spy comedy. [PG-13]▼●쩠 out) was also an incredible womanizer. When Company Man (2001) C-81m. ★★ D: Peter it sticks to black comedy, the film is sharp and Askin, Douglas McGrath. Sigourney Weaver, funny, but its other elements (male chauvinSteven Banks, Douglas McGrath, John Turism, mystery, romance) don’t pan out. Ivey turro, Anthony LaPaglia, Ryan Phillippe, Alan has scene-stealing role as Sarandon’s acidCumming, Denis Leary, Heather Matarazzo, tongued best friend. Screenplay by Susan Jeffrey Jones. With wife Weaver hungering Isaacs, from her novel. [R]▼● for social prestige, 1950s high school English Compulsion (1959) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Richteacher/driving instructor McGrath bogusly ard Fleischer. Orson Welles, Diane Varsi, tells her he’s working for the CIA. One thing Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, E.G. leads to another, and he actually is recruited by Marshall, Martin Milner. Hard-hitting verthe Agency, eventually landing in themiddle of sion of Leopold-Loeb thrill murder case of the Bay of Pigs and Castro assassination at1920s Chicago. Good characterizations, tempts. Too smart for multiplex dunderheads, period decor, and well-edited courtroom but also too silly and mild for savvier folks; afscenes. Story also told in earlier ROPE and fability and good-sport performances are later SWOON. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 about all it offers. Woody Allen (with whom Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The (1970) McGrath wrote BULLETS OVER BROADC-91m. ★★ D: Robert Butler. Kurt RusWAY) appears unbilled. [PG-13] ▼쩠 sell, Cesar Romero, Joe Flynn, William Company of Killers (1970) C-88m. ★★ D: Schallert, Alan Hewitt, Richard Bakalyan. Jerry Thorpe. Van Johnson, Ray Milland, The first of Disney’s carbon-copy comedies [ 274 ]

with young Russell as the college whiz Ada’s life and determines to communicate injected with a computer-brain, which poses with her. Premise is intriguing, but result is threat to local gangster Romero. Standard obvious and far too preachy.▼쩠 slapstick. Followed by NOW YOU SEE Concorde—Airport ’79, The (1979) CHIM, NOW YOU DON’T. Remade as a 123m. BOMB D: David Lowell Rich. Alain TVM in 1995. [G]▼쩠 Delon, Susan Blakely, Robert Wagner, Comrade X (1940) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: King Sylvia Kristel, George Kennedy, Eddie AlVidor. Clark Gable, Hedy Lamarr, Felix bert, Bibi Andersson, John Davidson, Andrea Bressart, Oscar Homolka, Eve Arden, Sig Marcovicci, Martha Raye, Cicely Tyson, JimRuman. NINOTCHKA-esque plot with mie Walker, David Warner, Mercedes American Gable warming up icy Russian McCambridge. Wagner is a brilliant scientist, Lamarr (a streetcar conductor). Synthetic Kennedy and Andersson make love by the romance tale never convinces; Bressart has fire, Davidson’s hair stays in place when the great closing line, though.▼ plane turns upside down, and McCambridge Con Air (1997) C-115m. ★★ D: Simon West. is a Russian gymnastics coach. Thank goodNicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, ness Charo is around for credibility. Aka Steve Buscemi, Ving Rhames, Colm Meaney, AIRPORT ’79. [PG]▼쩠 Mykelti Williamson, Rachel Ticotin, Nick Concrete Jungle, The (1960-British) 86m. ★★★ Chinlund, M. C. Gainey, Brendan Kelly, D: Joseph Losey. Stanley Baker, Margit Danny Trejo, Dave Chappelle. Megastupid Saad, Sam Wanamaker, Gregoire Aslan, Jill megamovie about a federal marshals’ plane Bennett, Laurence Naismith, Edward Judd, carrying a cargo of heinous criminals—and a Patrick Magee. Baker shines in this intense, handful of parolees, including Cage, who was stunningly directed account of a criminal who unfairly imprisoned in the first place. Once the must contend with jailer Magee and, most plane is aloft, the bad guys quickly foil security tellingly, hood Wanamaker (with whom he andtakeover. Good actors can only do so much robs a racetrack). More than just a crime with a script this dumb, and dozens of explodrama, it’s a story of how greed and lust for sions and stunts don’t make enough of a differmoney can result in alienation and the deence. Unrated version runs 122m. Panavision. struction of the spirit. Original title: THE [R]▼●쩠 CRIMINAL, released at 97m.쩠 Conan the Barbarian (1982) C-129m. Concrete Jungle, The (1982) C-99m. ★1⁄2 ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Milius. Arnold SchwarzenegD: Tom DeSimone. Jill St. John, Tracy ger, Sandahl Bergman, James Earl Jones, Bregman, Barbara Luna, Peter Brown, Aimee Gerry Lopez, Mako, Ben Davidson, Sven Ole Eccles, Nita Talbot, Sondra Currie. BregThorsen, Max von Sydow, Valerie Quennesman’s heel boyfriend gets her wrongly busted sen, Cassandra Gaviola, William Smith. The for drugs, leading to standard women’s prison sword-wielding warrior seeks vengeance on melodrama with St. John the kind of movie the cult leader who enslaved him and massawarden who is given glasses to show how cred his village in this full-blooded (and uptight she is. Luna’s performance as a hardbloody) adventure epic based on Robert E. bitten prison vet is a cut above the others’. Howard’s pulp tales. Ron Cobb’s spectacular Followed by CHAINED HEAT. [R]▼ production design and Basil Poledouris’ viCondemned, The (2007) C-113m. BOMB brant score help make this superior to the D: Scott Wiper. Steve Austin, Vinnie Jones, many low-grade imitations it spawned. WritRobert Mammone, Victoria Mussett, Rick ten by Milius and Oliver Stone. Also shown Hoffman. Wealthy, ruthless producer creat 115m. and 123m. Sequel: CONAN THE ates an illegal Internet reality show in which DESTROYER. Todd-AO 35. [R]▼●쩠 ten death-row convicts are attached to Conan the Destroyer (1984) C-103m. ★1⁄2 bombs, put on an island, and ordered to kill D: Richard Fleischer. Arnold Schwarzenegeach other. Reprehensible exploitation film ger, Grace Jones, Wilt Chamberlain, Mako, disguised as a morality tale, it titillates its Tracey Walter, Sarah Douglas, Olivia D’Abo. audience with a constant stream of brutal Lumbering attempt to pit Robert E. Howviolence, then attacks people who find vioard’s Hyborian Age hero against very derivlence entertaining and turn it into a comative special effects—leading to ridiculous modity. Sanctimonious moralizing is ironic climax. J-D-C Scope. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★ coming from World Wrestling EntertainD: Conceiving Ada (1999) C-85m. ment, which produced the film as a vehicle Lynn Hershman Leeson. Tilda Swinton, Timfor its star, Stone Cold Steve Austin. [R]쩠 othy Leary, Karen Black, Francesca Faridany, Condemned of Altona, The (1962-Italian) John O’Keefe, J. D. Wolfe. Cliche´d fantasy 114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vittorio De Sica. Sophia that contrasts the lives of Emmy (Faridany), a Loren, Fredric March, Robert Wagner, contemporary computer genius, and Ada Maximilian Schell, Francoise Prevost. SlugByron King (Swinton), the daughter of Lord gish pseudo-intellectual version of JeanByron, who in the mid-19th century helped Paul Sartre play about post-WW2 Germany conceive the Analytic Engine, the forerunner involving dying magnate (March), his two of the computer. Using some digital instruments she has invented, Emmy reconstructs sons—one a playboy (Wagner) with an ac[ 275 ]

tress wife (Loren); the other an insane Nazi Donald Crisp, Jane Bryan, Dorothy Peterson, war criminal (Schell). CinemaScope. Laura Hope Crews, Veda Ann Borg, Robert Condition Red (1995-U.S.-Finnish) CBarrat. Extremely stylish, well-acted soap 86m. ★★ D: Mika Kaurismaki. James Russo, opera in the MADAME X vein, with singer Cynda Williams, Paul Calderon, Victor Francis recounting events leading up to her Argo, Dierdre Lewis. Grittily realistic but murder of oily Rathbone. Visually arresting, ever-so-obvious thriller in which alienated, this looks more like a 1920s German film deeply troubled prison guard Russo bethan a late 1930s Hollywood product; in fact, comes involved in a volatile sexual relationdirector May was a German e´migre´. Based ship with tough convict Williams, a singer very closely on the 1935 German film MAdoing jail time to protect her slimy boyZURKA (which starred Pola Negri). Confession, The (1970) C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: friend. Too many lapses in logic, though the performances are fine. [R]▼ Costa-Gavras. Yves Montand, Simone Condorman (1981-British) C-90m. ★★ D: Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti, Michel Vitold, Charles Jarrott. Michael Crawford, Oliver Jean Bouise. True story of CzechoslovaReed, James Hampton, Barbara Carrera, kian Communist Arthur London and his Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Dana Elcar. Cartoonunjustified 1951 purge trial for treason; ist Crawford is transformed into Condorman, interesting tale well acted by Montand, a comic book superhero who assists Soviet but film is as talky and overrated as many spy Carrera in her efforts to defect. Silly of Costa-Gavras’ other efforts. [PG] Disney film for only the most undiscrimiConfessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) C-113m. ★★★ D: George Clooney. Sam Rocknating children. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Conductor, The SEE: Orchestra Conducwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Julia tor, The Roberts, Rutger Hauer, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Conduct Unbecoming (1975-British) CKristen Wilson, Jennifer Hall. Odd but enter107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Anderson. Mitaining adaptation of game-show maven chael York, Richard Attenborough, Trevor Chuck Barris’ believe-it-or-don’t autobiograHoward, Stacy Keach, Susannah York, phy in which he claims he was a CIA assasChristopher Plummer. Quaintly old-fashsin. Bold mix of love story, period piece, ioned drama of honor and outrage among black comedy, psychological drama, and thrilthe Bengal Lancers, where an officer’s ler (by writer Charlie Kaufman) is not seamwidow (York) is sexually attacked. Too less, nor does it necessarily add up to anything stuffy to be fun, yet too modern in other of substance, but first-time helmer Clooney ways to be an antique; star performances handles it with style, and Rockwell is terrific are saving grace. [PG]▼쩠 as Barris. Real-life Barris colleagues like Dick Coneheads (1993) C-88m. ★★★ D: Steve BarClark and Gene Gene the Dancing Machine ron. Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, Michelle appear, as do a couple of movie stars in funny cameos. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Burke, Michael McKean, Jason Alexander, Lisa Jane Persky, Chris Farley, David Spade, Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anatole Litvak. Edward G. RobinPhil Hartman, Dave Thomas, Sinbad, Jan Hooks, Michael Richards, Jon Lovitz, Kevin son, Francis Lederer, George Sanders, Paul Nealon, Adam Sandler, Garrett Morris, LaraLukas, Henry O’Neill, James Stephenson, Sig ine Newman, Tim Meadows, Julia Sweeney, Rumann, Dorothy Tree, Lya Lys, Joe Sawyer. Ellen DeGeneres, Parker Posey, Joey Lauren Fast-paced but obvious drama of FBI agent Adams. Unexpectedly benign (and good-naRobinson investigating vast Nazi spy ring optured) comedy based on the 1970s Saturday erating in the U.S. Of interest mainly as a Night Live skits. The Coneheads (from the reflection of its era; Lukas, as a Germanplanet Remulak) land on earth in a botched American Bund leader, clearly patterns his mission and, to their own surprise, adapt to mannerisms and speeches on those of Hitler. middle-class suburban life. A most enjoyable Confessions of an Opium Eater (1962) family film that combines silliness with some 85m. ★1⁄2 D: Albert Zugsmith. Vincent Price, sly and unexpected gags. Amusing cameos Linda Ho, Richard Loo, June Kim, Philip by a gaggle of past and present SNL cast Ahn, Victor Sen Yung. Bizarre low-budgeter. members. Watch for Drew Carey in a taxi. Price is hammy in tale of slave girls brought Aykroyd also cowrote the film. [PG]▼●쩠 to San Francisco and the adventurer who aids them. Retitled: SOULS FOR SALE.▼ Coney Island (1943) C-96m. ★★★ D: Walter Lang. Betty Grable, George MontgomConfessions of a Peeping John SEE: ery, Cesar Romero, Charles Winninger, Hi, Mom! Phil Silvers, Matt Briggs. Breezy, enjoyConfessions of a Shopaholic (2009) C104m. ★★ D: P. J. Hogan. Isla Fisher, Hugh able turn-of-the-century musical of saloon entertainer Grable turned into famous muDancy, Krysten Ritter, Joan Cusack, John sical star by hustling Montgomery. ReGoodman, John Lithgow, Kristin Scott made with Grable seven years later as Thomas, Fred Armisen, Leslie Bibb, Lynn WABASH AVENUE. Redgrave, Robert Stanton, Julie Hagerty, Nick Cornish, Clea Lewis, Wendie Malick, Confession (1937) 86m. ★★★ D: Joe May. Kay Francis, Basil Rathbone, Ian Hunter, John Salley, Christine Ebersole. Manhattan[ 276 ]

ite Fisher is addicted to shopping in spite of ing as husband and wife to elude the Gerher meager income, fending off creditors mans during WW2. Striking, involving with a nonstop series of lies. Then she stumtale of trust and survival. Confidence (2003) C-98m. ★★ D: James bles into a job working for—of all things— a financial magazine, edited by dishy Foley. Edward Burns, Rachel Weisz, Paul Dancy. Fisher is cute but this frantic, poorly Giamatti, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia, Luis written film makes her such a scatterbrain Guzman, Donal Logue, Morris Chestnut, that it’s difficult to root for her. Based on Robert Forster, Brian Van Holt. A cocky con two of the best-selling novels by Sophie man and his team are obliged to work for Kinsella. Fleeting appearance by Redgrave slimy crime lord Hoffman, while federal implies that there was yet another subplot agent Garcia tails them at every turn. Strong trimmed from the film. Panavision. [PG]쩠 cast in a disappointing yarn that’s never as Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen suspenseful, surprising, or satisfying as it (2004) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sara Sugarman. Lindought to be. What’s more, Burns’ character is say Lohan, Adam Garcia, Glenne Headly, Alutterly unlikable. Foley uses every visual trick he can to maintain interest. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ison Pill, Carol Kane, Eli Marienthal, Megan Fox, Sheila McCarthy. Self-styled drama Confidential Agent (1945) 118m. ★★★ D: queen Lohan suffers the ignominy of moving Herman Shumlin. Charles Boyer, Lauren Bawith her mom and two sisters from Manhatcall, Katina Paxinou, Peter Lorre, Victor tan to New Jersey, where she immediately Francen, George Coulouris, Wanda Hendrix, finds a soul mate (Pill) and also runs afoul John Warburton. Boyer is Graham Greene’s of the class snob. The promise of seeing her hero in engrossing spy yarn of Spanish Civil rock idol in his farewell concert propels the War; he meets Bacall along the way; they rest of the story, based on Dyan Sheldon’s battle enemy agents Lorre and Paxinou. popular book. Innocuous Disney teen comConfidentially Connie (1953) 74m. ★★1⁄2 D: edy; parents will enjoy Kane’s funny perforEdward Buzzell. Van Johnson, Janet Leigh, mance as a schoolteacher. [PG]▼쩠 Louis Calhern, Walter Slezak, Gene LockConfessions of a Window Cleaner (1974hart. Mild chuckles as pregnant wife Leigh schemes to get underpaid professor hubby British) C-90m. ★★ D: Val Guest. Robin Askwith, Anthony Booth, Linda Hayden, (Johnson) to leave academic circles. Calhern Bill Maynard, Dandy Nichols. British sex as Van’s rich Texan father is amusing. farce about voyeuristic window cleaner was Confidentially Yours (1982-French) 111m. ★★★ dated when it came out; too obvious to be D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Fanny Ardant, terribly funny. Followed by other CONJean-Louis Trintignant, Philippe LaudenFESSIONS films. [R] bach, Caroline Sihol, Philippe MorierConfessions of Tom Harris (1972) C-98m. Genoud, Xavier Saint Macary. Businessman ★★ D: John Derek, David Nelson. Don Muris wanted for murder, and his secretary ray, Linda Evans, David Brian, Gary Clarke, takes on job of finding real killer while he Logan Ramsey. Offbeat, gritty study of a corhides out from the cops. Truffaut’s final rupt, amoral prizefighter, played by Murray, feature is airy mystery-comedy in the Hitchwho also produced and wrote the story. cock mold, based on an American novel Derek also photographed it. Filmed in 1966. (The Long Saturday Night by Charles WilFirst released in 1969 as CHILDISH liams); beautifully shot in black & white THINGS. [PG]▼ by Nestor Almendros. No depth whatsoConfetti (2006-British) C-100m. ★★ D: ever, but lightly entertaining; Ardant is Debbie Isitt. Jimmy Carr, Olivia Colman, delightful. French title: VIVEMENT DIVincent Franklin, Martin Freeman, Felicity MANCHE! [PG]▼●쩠 Montagu, Jessica Stevenson, Robert Webb, Confidential Report SEE: Mr. Arkadin Jason Watkins, Sarah Hadland, Julia Davis. Conflagration SEE: Enjo Reality TV morphs into a big-screen affair Conflict (1945) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Curtis Bernwhen three couples compete in a magazine hardt. Humphrey Bogart, Alexis Smith, Sydcontest for the wedding of the year. Mockuney Greenstreet, Rose Hobart, Charles Drake, mentary follows all three scenarios as pairs Grant Mitchell. Far-fetched story of husband of nudists, tennis players, and musical(Bogart) plotting to murder wife (Hobart) to comedy enthusiasts express themselves just marry her sister (Smith). Unconvincing plot as you’d expect on their big day. Wants to not salvaged by good cast.▼ be another BEST IN SHOW but doesn’t Conflict (1966) SEE: Judith have the comic chops, just elaborate setups Conformist, The (1971-Italian-French-West and a few funny bits. Despite a talented German) C-115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bernardo cast it’s as disposable as the product that Bertolucci. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Stefania Sandrelli, Dominique Sanda, Pierre Cleinspired its title. [R]쩠 Confidence (1979-Hungarian) C-117m. menti, Pasquale Fortunato, Gastone Moschin. ★★★1⁄2 D: Istvan Szabo. Ildiko Bansagi, Disturbing blend of character study and hisPeter Andorai, O. Gombik, Karoly Csaki, torical context of 1930s. Repressing homosexIldiko Kishonti. Bansagi and Andorai, each ual drives, Marcello Clerici strives for separately married, fall in love while pos‘‘acceptable’’ life as member of Italian Fascist [ 277 ]

secret service, and middle-class would-be wife chaser, until odd series of events make him a willing murderer. Film’s overall mood uniquely tense. Cut by 5m. for American release; the missing ‘‘Dance of the Blind’’ sequence was restored for 1994 reissue. [R]

of their ‘‘connection’’ with heroin, and a documentary filmmaker (Redfield) filming them. Independently produced, based on Jack Gelber’s stage play. Original running time 110m.; some prints run 93m.▼ Connie and Carla (2004) C-98m. ★★★ D: Michael Lembeck. Nia Vardalos, Toni Col▼●쩠 ★★ Congo (1995) C-108m. D: Frank Marshall. lette, David Duchovny, Stephen Spinella, Dash Laura Linney, Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Grant Mihok, Alec Mapa, Debbie Reynolds. Brassy, Heslov, Dylan Walsh, Joe Don Baker, Stuart sometimes silly crowd-pleaser puts a new spin Pankin, Mary Ellen Trainor, James Karen. on SOME LIKE IT HOT: lounge entertainers Clumsily written Saturday-matinee nonsense Vardalos and Collette witness a murder and about a gorilla expert who goes on a troubletake it on the lam. They find refuge in West laden expedition to Africa with a Roumanian Hollywood, where they perform as drag fortune hunter and a high-tech communications queens and acquire a new circle of gay male expert who’s searching for her ex-fiance´. Sort friends. Duchovny is charming as Vardalos’ of watchable, but poky pacing, unappealing love interest, but the spotlight is on the two characters, and senseless script sink it. The big stars, who perform show tunes ranging from special-effects climax is as unconvincing as ‘‘Oklahoma’’ to ‘‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.’’ Written by Vardalos. [PG-13]▼쩠 Amy, the costarring gorilla.Michael Crichton’s novel was adapted by—of all people—John Conqueror, The (1956) C-111m. ★★ D: Dick Patrick Shanley (MOONSTRUCK). Joe PanPowell. John Wayne, Susan Hayward, Pedro toliano appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Armendariz, Agnes Moorehead, Thomas Conjugal Bed, The (1963-French-Italian) Gomez, John Hoyt, William Conrad. Mon90m. ★★★ D: Marco Ferreri. Ugo Tognazzi, gols vs. Tartars, and John Wayne vs. the silliMarina Vlady, Walter Giller, Linda Sini. est role of his career, Genghis Khan. Tognazzi is admirably suited to the role of Expensive epic has camp dialogue to spare. a middle-aged bachelor who weds beautiThe film had a sobering real-life aftermath, ful young Vlady and must cope with her however: it was shot on location in Utah near sexual demands as she desires to become an atomic test site, and an alarming number of pregnant. A funny, entertaining sex comedy. its cast and crew (including the stars) were later stricken by cancer. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Connecticut Yankee, A (1931) 78m. ★★★ D: David Butler. Will Rogers, Maureen Conqueror Worm (1968-British) C-98m. ★★★ O’Sullivan, Myrna Loy, Frank Albertson, D: Michael Reeves. Vincent Price, Ian William Farnum. Mark Twain’s classic Ogilvy, Hilary Dwyer, Rupert Davies, Robstory of a man who travels back in time to ert Russell, Patrick Wymark, Wilfred BramKing Arthur’s court, rewritten to suit Rogbell. As Matthew Hopkins, real-life witchers’ genial personality. Full of contempohunter during era of Cromwell, Price gives rary wisecracks and funny ideas, though excellent nonhammy performance in underthe script gets a bit silly.▼ rated low-budget (and bloody) period thrilConnecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s ler. Literate, balanced script pits him against Court, A (1949) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tay young sympathetic lovers Ogilvy and Garnett. Bing Crosby, Rhonda Fleming, Dwyer. Original British title: THE WITCHFINDER GENERAL.▼●쩠 William Bendix, Cedric Hardwicke, Henry Wilcoxon, Murvyn Vye, Virginia Field. Conquest (1937) 112m. ★★★ D: Clarence Mark Twain’s story becomes carefree CrosBrown. Greta Garbo, Charles Boyer, Regby musical, with Bing transported into past, inald Owen, Alan Marshal, Henry Stephenbranded a wizard. No great songs, but colson, Leif Erickson, Dame May Whitty, Maria orful production. Previously filmed in 1921 Ouspenskaya, Vladimir Sokoloff, Scotty and 1931 (with Will Rogers); remade in Beckett. Boyer as Napoleon and Garbo as 1979 (as UNIDENTIFIED FLYING ODDPolish countess Walewska in fairly interesting BALL); TVMs in 1989 and 1995. ▼●쩠 costumer with fine performances making up Connecting Rooms (1969-British) C-103m. for not-always-thrilling script.▼ ★★ D: Franklin Gollings. Bette Davis, MiConquest of Space (1955) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 chael Redgrave, Alexis Kanner, Kay Walsh, D: Byron Haskin. Eric Fleming, William Olga Georges-Picot, Leo Genn. Muddled Hopper, Ross Martin, Walter Brooke, Joan melodrama of relationships in a rooming Shawlee. Despite some good special effects, house. Davis is a street musician, Redgrave a this George Pal production about the first former schoolmaster, and Kanner the rebeltrip to Mars is hampered by a pedestrian lious youth who disrupts their equilibrium. script and an inappropriate emphasis on reConnection, The (1961) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ligion. A disappointment.▼쩠 Shirley Clarke. William Redfield, Warren Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972) Finnerty, Garry Goodrow, Jerome Raphael, C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. Roddy James Anderson, Carl Lee, Roscoe Lee McDowall, Don Murray, Ricardo MontalBrowne, Jackie McLean. Searing, admiraban, Natalie Trundy, Severn Darden. Fourth bly acted drama of junkies awaiting arrival APES feature shows how apes came to rebel [ 278 ]

and subsequently vanquish man. Loosely acted Constans SEE: Constant Factor, The and often trite, but still interesting. Followed by Constant Factor, The (1980-Polish) C-96m. ★★★ BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE D: Krzysztof Zanussi. Tadeusz BraAPES. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼●쩠 decki, Zofia Mrozowska, Malgorzata ZajaczConrack (1974) C-107m. ★★★ D: Martin kowska, Cezary Morawska. Idealistic mounRitt. Jon Voight, Paul Winfield, Hume tain climber Bradecki refuses to kowtow to Cronyn, Madge Sinclair, Tina Andrews, a hypocritical bureaucracy and winds up a Antonio Fargas, Ruth Attaway. Pleasant window cleaner. Incisive, but not top-drawer film based on Pat Conroy’s The Water Is Zanussi; filmed simultaneously with the director’s CONTRACT.▼ Wide, about his attempts to bring commonsense education to backward black school Constant Gardener, The (2005-BritishGerman) C-128m. ★★★ D: Fernando Meirelon island off South Carolina. Subplot with hermitlike Winfield doesn’t work, unfortules. Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny nately. Panavision. [PG]▼ Huston, Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite, HuConseil de Famille SEE: Family Business bert Kounde´, Juliet Aubrey, Gerard McSor(1986-French) ley. When his young, idealistic wife is Consenting Adults (1992) C-100m. ★1⁄2 murdered in Kenya, a low-level British dipD: Alan J. Pakula. Kevin Kline, Mary lomat investigates, for the first time, the Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Kevin Spacey, Recause she was fighting for. He also learns becca Miller, Forest Whitaker, E. G. Marhow his own government tried to quash a shall, Kimberly McCullough, Billie Neal. scandal involving a large pharmaceutical There’s Hell in Suburbia when Kline becompany, while abusing Africans desperate comes morally polluted by a leechy neighfor medical care. Impassioned filming of bor who proposes a wife-swapping pact. John le Carre´’s fact-based novel (adapted Incredible lapses in logic for a director of by Jeffrey Caine) manages to balance Pakula’s caliber, though Spacey is creepily muckraking drama and a love story; Fiennes credible as the murderer-next-door. Uninand Weisz (Oscar winner as Best Supporttentional laughs help. [R]▼●쩠 ing Actress) have great chemistry. [R]▼쩠 Conspiracy of Hearts (1960-British) 116m. Constant Husband, The (1955-British) ★★★ D: Ralph Thomas. Lilli Palmer, SylC-88m. ★★★ D: Sidney Gilliat. Rex Harrivia Syms, Yvonne Mitchell, Ronald Lewis. son, Margaret Leighton, Kay Kendall, CeDespite familiar situation of nuns sheltering cil Parker, Nicole Maurey, George Cole, refugee Jewish youths in Northern Italy, this Raymond Huntley, Michael Hordern, Robfilm is both suspenseful and moving.▼ ert Coote, Eric Pohlmann. Harrison, reConspiracy Theory (1997) C-135m. ★★★ covering from amnesia, realizes he’s wed D: Richard Donner. Mel Gibson, Julia Robto more than one woman. Entertaining erts, Patrick Stewart, Cylk Cozart, Stephen comedy, with sexy Rexy ideally cast (opKahan, Terry Alexander, Troy Garity. Lumpy posite real-life wife Kendall). but entertaining story about a half-crazed Constantine (2005) C-120m. BOMB D: N.Y.C. cabdriver who lives a life of paraFrancis Lawrence. Keanu Reeves, Rachel noia, obsessed with a woman who works Weisz, Tilda Swinton, Shia LaBeouf, Djifor the Justice Department. One day, howmon Hounsou, Max Baker, Pruitt Taylor ever, he comes to her with a story that Vince, Gavin Rossdale, Peter Stormare. seems to make sense about a conspiracy and When demons from hell wreak havoc on cover-up; soon, they’re both embroiled in a earth, who ya gonna call? John Constantine, situation bigger than they ever imagined. an exorcist who’s actually been to hell. After The script isn’t airtight, but it’s enjoyable, two hours of this laborious twaddle, we know with Gibson’s edgy performance right on how he must feel. Dreary, to put it mildly; target. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 elaborate special effects are no compensation. Conspirator (1949-British) 85m. ★★ D: Based on the D.C. Comics/Vertigo HellVictor Saville. Robert Taylor, Elizabeth blazer graphic novels. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Taylor, Robert Flemyng, Harold WarConstantine and the Cross (1962-Italian) render, Honor Blackman, Wilfrid HydeC-120m. ★★★ D: Lionello de Felice. CorWhite. Innocent Elizabeth is unaware that nel Wilde, Christine Kaufmann, Belinda the dashing soldier (Taylor) with whom Lee, Elisa Cegani, Massimo Serato. Intelshe’s fallen in love is a Communist spy. ligent interpretation of 4th century A.D. Emperor (Wilde) battling Romans for ChrisStale melodrama. ▼ tianity. Good action. Totalscope.▼쩠 Conspirators, The (1944) 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Negulesco. Hedy Lamarr, Paul HenConstant Nymph, The (1943) 112m. ★★★1 reid, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, Vic⁄2 D: Edmund Goulding. Charles Boyer, tor Francen, Vladimir Sokoloff, George Joan Fontaine, Alexis Smith, Brenda MarMacready, Monte Blue, Joseph Calleia. shall, Charles Coburn, Dame May Whitty, WW2 intrigue in Lisbon, with echoes of Peter Lorre, Joyce Reynolds, Jean Muir, CASABLANCA; this one’s no classic, but Montague Love, Edward (Eduardo) Cianwith that cast (and Hedy at her most beaunelli. Intensely romantic story of a Belgian tiful) how bad can it be? gamine (Fontaine) who’s madly in love [ 279 ]

with a self-serious and self-absorbed comdrama written by the director, with strong poser (Boyer). He marries a socialite performances. Oldman, a particular stand(Smith) without ever realizing the depth of out, also coexecutive-produced. [R]▼쩠 his own feelings for the younger girl. TouchContest Girl (1966-British) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 ing, intelligent, and beautifully realized, D: Val Guest. Ian Hendry, Janette Scott, with sweeping music by Erich Wolfgang Ronald Fraser, Edmund Purdom, Linda Korngold. Margaret Kennedy’s novel and Christian. Film well conveys glamorous and play were adapted by Kathryn Scola. Filmed seamy sides of beauty-contest world. Purdom before in 1928 and 1934. gives effective performance. CinemaScope. Continental Divide (1981) C-103m. ★★ Consuming Passions (1988-U.S.-British) ★1 C-98m. ⁄2 D: Giles Foster. Vanessa D: Michael Apted. John Belushi, Blair Redgrave, Jonathan Pryce, Tyler ButterBrown, Allen Goorwitz (Garfield), Carlin worth, Freddie Jones, Sammi Davis, PruGlynn, Tony Ganios, Val Avery, Tim Kazurinnella Scales, Thora Hird. Dumb dud of a sky. One of those ‘‘concept’’ movies that’s all satire about what happens when three men premise, no payoff: Belushi’s a hard-hitting are accidentally shoved into a vat of chocChicago newspaper columnist, Brown’s a selfolate in a candy factory . . . and chocolate reliant naturalist at home observing eagles in lovers favor the resulting confections. the Rockies. Can this romance survive? InterSounds a lot more promising than it plays; esting mainly to see Belushi playing such a based on a play by Michael Palin and ‘‘normal’’ and likable character. Written by Terry Jones. [R]▼● Lawrence Kasdan, who obviously couldn’t Contact (1997) C-150m. ★★★ D: Robert come up with a finish. Steven Spielberg was Zemeckis. Jodie Foster, Matthew Mcexecutive producer. [PG]▼●쩠 Conaughey, James Woods, John Hurt, Tom Continental Twist, The SEE: Twist All Skerritt, William Fichtner, David Morse, Night Contraband (1940-British) 92m. ★★★1⁄2 Angela Bassett, Geoffrey Blake, Rob Lowe, Jake Busey. A woman who has devoted her D: Michael Powell. Conrad Veidt, Valerie life to studying the stars—believing there’s Hobson, Hay Petrie, Joss Ambler, Raylife Out There—is ostracized by her supemond Lovell, Esmond Knight, Peter Bull, rior at the National Science Foundation, and Leo Genn. Superior spy yarn from Michael eventually cut off, until she actually rePowell and Emeric Pressburger, very much ceives a message from space. Intensely inin the Hitchcock vein. Veidt is a Danish volving story in which we’re drawn into merchant sea captain, Hobson an enigmatic Foster’s obsession and share her odyssey passenger—both get caught up with London into the unknown. Passionate and intellispy ring. Though set in 1939, film hardly gent, this film manages to inspire a feeling seems dated at all! That’s Bernard Miles of awe and wonder, which makes up for as a disgruntled smoker. Powell and Brock its overlength and false endings. Foster is Williams adapted Pressburger’s story. P&P simply sensational. Based on the novel by had teamed up with Veidt and Hobson the Carl Sagan. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 previous year for THE SPY IN BLACK. Contempt (1963-French-Italian) C-103m. Original U.S. title: BLACKOUT.▼쩠 ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Luc Godard. Brigitte Bardot, Contract (1980-Polish) C-114m. ★★★1⁄2 Jack Palance, Michel Piccoli, Giorgia Moll, D: Krzysztof Zanussi. Leslie Caron, Maja Fritz Lang. Perversely funny look at interKomorowska, Tadeusz Lomnicki, Magda national moviemaking with Piccoli as a Jaroszowna. Superb laced-in-acid comedydramatist of integrity who gets mixed up satire centering on a wedding between the with a vulgar producer (Palance) and direccareer-oriented son of a wealthy doctor tor (Lang—playing himself) in a film verand his none-too-eager bride. Zanussi insion of The Odyssey. Producer Joseph E. cisively chides corrupt politicians and busiLevine didn’t seem to understand that Gonessmen; Caron is memorable as a klepdard, who appears here as Lang’s assistant, tomaniacal ballerina. Filmed simultaneously held him in contempt, making this film a with the director’s CONSTANS (THE highly amusing ‘‘in’’ joke. Bardot’s appearCONSTANT FACTOR).▼ ance only adds to the fun. Franscope.▼●쩠 Contract, The (2006-German-U.S.) CContender, The (2000-German-U.S.) C96m. ★★ D: Bruce Beresford. Morgan Free127m. ★★★ D: Rod Lurie. Joan Allen, Jeff man, John Cusack, Jamie Anderson, Alice Bridges, Gary Oldman, Christian Slater, Krige, Megan Dodds, Corey Johnson, JonaSam Elliott, William Petersen, Saul Rubithan Hyde, Bill Smitrovich, Anthony Warnek, Philip Baker Hall, Mariel Hemingway. ren, Thomas Lockyer, Ned Bellamy. Does The death of the vice president enables U.S. high school gym teacher Cusack possess the president Bridges to appoint a female Ohio stamina and smarts to thwart renegade consenator as his successor. But a smalltract killer Freeman? Untidy actioner leaves minded congressman (Oldman) with an axe plenty of questions unanswered while offerto grind decides to humiliate her during ing the barest minimum of thrills. Released public hearings—and she refuses to stoop to direct to DVD in the U.S. Super 35. [R]쩠 his level. Timely, engrossing political Control (2007-British-Japanese-Australian) [ 280 ]

121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Anton Corbijn. Sam Riley, visual flair to a heavily conversational script. HD Widescreen. [R]쩠 Samantha Morton, Alexandra Maria Lara, Joe Anderson, James Anthony Pearson, Convicts (1991) C-95m. ★★★ D: Peter Harry Treadaway, Craig Parkinson, Toby Masterson. Robert Duvall, Lukas Haas, Kebbell. Darkly fascinating character study James Earl Jones, Starletta DuPois. A of Manchester rocker Ian Curtis, the moody young boy (Haas) comes of age observing Joy Division lead singer who committed the violent scenes on a Texas Gulf Coast suicide at age 23 in 1980, just as his band canefield in 1902—even as life seems to be was on the cusp of international success. cycling to an end for imposing plantation Effectively filmed in often noir-like b&w, boss (Duvall) who survives by using convict biopic unromantically renders Curtis— labor to work in his fields. A towering perforplayed with the perfect balance of vulneramance by Duvall and stark, authentic dialogue bility and volatility by Riley—as an artist by Horton Foote (based on his nine-play undone by the inner demons that informed cycle The Orphan’s Home) are the strengths his art. Based on a memoir by Curtis’ wife in this poignant elegy. ▼●쩠 (played here by Morton). Super 35. [R]쩠 Convicts 4 (1962) 105m. ★★★ D: Millard Convent, The (1995-Portuguese-French) Kaufman. Ben Gazzara, Stuart Whitman, C-90m. ★★ D: Manoel de Oliveira. CatherRay Walston, Vincent Price, Rod Steiger, ine Deneuve, John Malkovich, Duarte Broderick Crawford, Sammy Davis, Jr., Jack D’Almeida, Luis Miguel Cintra, Heloisa Kruschen. Gazzara gives sincere portrayal as Miranda, Leonor Silveira. A professor long-term prisoner who becomes profes(Malkovich) is attempting to prove that sional artist. Oddball supporting cast. RetiShakespeare is of Spanish descent. To furtled: REPRIEVE. ▼쩠 ther his research, he and his wife (Deneuve) Convoy (1978) C-110m. ★★ D: Sam Pecktravel to an ancient convent, where there are inpah. Kris Kristofferson, Ali MacGraw, eerie and mysterious goings-on. Languid Ernest Borgnine, Burt Young, Madge Sintale made by the well-respected Portuguese clair, Franklyn Ajaye, Cassie Yates. Amiawriter-director de Oliveira (who was 86 ble comic-book movie based on the hit years old when this was released!).▼쩠 song about an independent trucker who ★★★★ Conversation, The (1974) C-113m. leads protesting colleagues on a trek through D: Francis Ford Coppola. Gene Hackman, the Southwest. Stupid script and blah acting John Cazale, Allen Garfield, Frederic Forredeemed somewhat by Peckinpah’s punchy rest, Cindy Williams, Michael Higgins, directorial style. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Elizabeth MacRae, Teri Garr, Harrison Coogan’s Bluff (1968) C-95m. ★★★ D: Don Ford, Robert Shields. Brilliant film about Siegel. Clint Eastwood, Lee J. Cobb, Susan obsessive surveillance expert (Hackman) Clark, Tisha Sterling, Don Stroud, Betty who makes professional mistake of becomField, Tom Tully. Arizona lawman Eastwood ing involved in a case, and finds himself comes to N.Y.C. to show city cops a thing entangled in murder and high-level power or two about tracking down a wanted man. plays. Coppola’s top-notch, disturbing Stylish action film, good location work. script makes larger statements about priSterling enjoyable as hippie. Later evolved into the McCloud TV series. [R]▼●쩠 vacy and personal responsibility. An unbilled Robert Duvall has a cameo. One of Cookie (1989) C-93m. ★★★ D: Susan the best films of the 1970s. [PG]▼●쩠 Seidelman. Peter Falk, Dianne Wiest, EmConversation Piece (1975-Italian) C-122m. ily Lloyd, Michael V. Gazzo, Brenda ★★ Vaccaro, Adrian Pasdar, Lionel Stander, D: Luchino Visconti. Burt Lancaster, Silvana Mangano, Helmut Berger, ClauJerry Lewis, Bob Gunton, Ricki Lake. dia Marsani, Claudia Cardinale. PonderDroll comedy about a sassy teenager who ous story of aging, aloof professor Lancaster gets to meet her mobster dad for the first who becomes involved with matron Mantime when he’s sprung from prison after a gano’s hedonistic children and her young long stretch. No fireworks here, but the lover, Berger. All talk. Filmed in both performances are great fun to watch, espeEnglish and Italian-language versions. cially Wiest as Falk’s breathless mistress Todd-AO 35. [R]▼ (and Lloyd’s mother). Written by Nora Conversations With Other Women (2005) Ephron and Alice Arlen. [R]▼● C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hans Canosa. Aaron EckCookie’s Fortune (1999) C-118m. ★★★ D: hart, Helena Bonham Carter, Nora Zehetner, Robert Altman. Glenn Close, Julianne Moore, Erik Eidem, Olivia Wilde, Tom Lennon, CerLiv Tyler, Chris O’Donnell, Charles S. Dutina Vincent, Brianna Brown, Brian Gerton, Patricia Neal, Ned Beatty, Courtney B. aghty. Two people hook up at a wedding Vance, Donald Moffat, Lyle Lovett, Danny reception: His sis is getting married; she’s a Durst, Matt Malloy. Picaresque yarn spun in a bridesmaid. They may have met before. In small Southern town where an eccentric fact, they might have been married and had woman’s death sets in motion a series of a daughter. Determinedly ambiguous twoevents revealing the true nature—both goodcharacter drama is a one-trick pony in splithearted and greedy—of various relatives and screen, a cinematic trope that tries to add friends. Colorful characters abound in this [ 281 ]

easygoing, fanciful film, sparked by Dutton’s Wayne Kramer. William H. Macy, Alec wonderful performance. [PG-13]▼쩠 Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Ron Cookout, The (2004) C-97m. ★★ D: Lance Livingston, Estella Warren, Paul Sorvino, Rivera. Ja Rule, Tim Meadows, Jenifer Lewis, Joey Fatone, M.C. Gainey, Ellen Greene. A Meagan Good, Storm P (Quran Pender), Jonlifelong loser makes his living spreading athan Silverman, Farrah Fawcett, Frankie Faibad luck around an old-style Vegas casino. son, Vincent Pastore, Queen Latifah, Danny Then a beautiful cocktail waitress falls in love Glover, Eve. Hot basketball star signs a $30 with him and his luck begins to change. million deal and moves from his parents’ Clever story is perfectly cast; Baldwin is tertraditional neighborhood to an exclusive rific as the hard-edged casino boss who degated community, where he decides to have cries the transformation of Vegas into a cookout for his friends and family, just as Disneyland. Everything clicks—until the he did in his old ’hood. Latifah coproduced final scene. Evocative jazz score by Mark Isham. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 and helped cook up what story there is in this frantic, stereotyped, and only sporadiCooley High (1975) C-107m. ★★★ D: Mically amusing comedy that looks like it was chael Schultz. Glynn Turman, Lawrence made up as the cameras rolled. [PG-13] 쩠 Hilton-Jacobs, Garrett Morris, Cynthia Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, Davis, Corin Rogers, Maurice Leon Havis. Inner-city rip-off of AMERICAN GRAFThe (1989-French-Dutch) C-124m. ★★★ D: Peter Greenaway. Helen Mirren, MiFITI (set in Chicago, 1964) is nonetheless chael Gambon, Tim Roth, Richard Bohpleasing on its own terms, though only on ringer, Alan Howard. Another stylish, chalthe level of a good TV show. Lots of lenging piece of cinema from Greenaway laughs. Look fast for Robert Townsend. that’s set in a plush gourmet restaurant and Later evolved into the What’s Happening!! details the various relationships between TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 the title characters. This parable about Cool Hand Luke (1967) C-126m. ★★★1⁄2 love, revenge, and, most of all, greed is D: Stuart Rosenberg. Paul Newman, George both funny and horrifying—and right on Kennedy, J.D. Cannon, Lou Antonio, Robtarget. However, those who do not appreert Drivas, Strother Martin, Jo Van Fleet, ciate Greenaway’s cinematic sensibility may Wayne Rogers, Anthony Zerbe, Ralph be put off. Sacha Vierny’s cinematograWaite, Harry Dean Stanton, Dennis Hopphy is an asset. Technovision. [NC-17 and per, Richard Davalos, Warren Finnerty, R-rated versions are available]▼●쩠 Morgan Woodward, Clifton James, Joe Don Cool as Ice (1991) C-100m. BOMB D: Baker. Modern slant on prison camps shows David Kellogg. Vanilla Ice, Kristin Minter, little change since Paul Muni; more irreveMichael Gross, Candy Clark, Sydney rent, however, with memorably funny eggLassick, Dody Goodman, Naomi Campeating contest. Top-notch film with Kennedy’s bell, Bobby Brown. The Sealtest man’s Oscar-winning supporting performance as rap numbers frame seemingly unreleasable prisoner. Panavision.▼●쩠 ‘‘wandering cyclist’’ yarn about a numbCool Ones, The (1967) C-95m. BOMB D: skull who manages to romance the town’s Gene Nelson. Roddy McDowall, Debbie WatSAT standard-bearer. Oh, did we mention son, Gil Peterson, Phil Harris, Robert Coote, that her father is in the government’s witGlen Campbell, Mrs. Miller. Inane ‘‘musness relocation program? Ice’s parlance ical’’ comedy spoofing trendy music busi(‘‘Drop that zero/get with the hero’’) in his ness. Embarrassing on all counts, with broad first starring film does not rekindle fond performances. If you turn up your volume, memories of Ronald Colman. [PG]▼● you might hear a faint laugh track. Panavision. Cool Runnings (1993) C-97m. ★★★ D: Jon Cool Breeze (1972) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Barry Pollack. Thalmus Rasulala, Judy Pace, Turteltaub. Leon, Doug E. Doug, John Jim Watkins, Lincoln Kilpatrick, Sam Laws, Candy, Rawle D. Lewis, Malik Yoba, RayMargaret Avery, Raymond St. Jacques. mond J. Barry. Family-oriented feel-good Routine remake of THE ASPHALT JUNmovie from Disney—based on a true story— GLE with plot line updated so that diaabout the unlikely formation of a Jamaican mond robbery proceeds will go to set up a bobsled team to compete in the 1988 Winter black people’s bank.[R] Olympics. (The participants have never even Cool, Dry Place, A (1999) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: seen snow, let alone a bobsled!) Candy is John N. Smith. Vince Vaughn, Joey Lauren well cast as a disgraced former Olympian who redeems himself. [PG]▼●쩠 Adams, Monica Potter, Devon Sawa, Bobby Moat, Todd Louiso. Hotshot lawyer is raising Cool World, The (1964) 105m. ★★★ D: his five-year-old son since his wife walked Shirley Clarke. Hampton Clanton, Yolanda out on them. Having lost his job, he tries to Rodrı´guez, Bostic Felton, Gary Bolling, build a new life in Texas and meets a woman Carl Lee, Clarence Williams (III), Gloria he likes . . . then the plot thickens. Believable Foster, Georgia Burke, Antonio Fargas. The story, if predictable at times; benefits from streets, rhythms, and populace of Harlem are the stars of this justifiably celebrated good performances. [PG-13]▼쩠 Cooler, The (2003) C-102m. ★★★ D: cine´ma ve´rite´ film. While primarily a mood [ 282 ]

piece, it does feature a gritty, realistic—and point: a urination bonding scene with Reynvery un-Hollywood—storyline, which inolds in which the youngster wants to ‘‘make volves a young black teen gang member swords.’’ [PG]▼●쩠 (Clanton, in his only screen appearance). Cop au Vin (1984-French) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 Based on a novel by Warren Miller and play D: Claude Chabrol. Jean Poiret, Stephane by Miller and Robert Rossen. Clarke also Audran, Michel Bouquet, Jean Topart, Lucoscripted (with Lee) and edited. Produced cas Belvaux, Pauline Lafont. Chabrol is in by Frederick Wiseman. fine form in this diverting, neatly paced Cool World (1992) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Ralph thriller about a young mail boy, his Bakshi. Gabriel Byrne, Kim Basinger, Brad widowed, invalid mother, and a greedy Pitt, Frank Sinatra, Jr. Pointless live-action/ trio who attempt to evict them from their animation feature from Bakshi, who’s covhome. Murder brings a shrewd cop on the ered this ground before, much more sucscene to investigate. Followed by a sequel, INSPECTEUR LAVARDIN.쩠 cessfully. Ex-con comic-book artist Byrne discovers his cartoon creations are real, and Cop Killers SEE: Corrupt Cop Land (1997) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: James live in a parallel universe called Cool World. After sexy ‘‘doodle’’ Holli (Basinger) has sex Mangold. Sylvester Stallone, Harvey Keitel, with Byrne, she becomes human and escapes Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Peter Berg, to real world, with detective Pitt in tow. Too Janeane Garofalo, Robert Patrick, Michael serious to be fun, too goofy to take serRapaport, Annabella Sciorra, Noah Emmeriously; lead characters unlikable and unapich, Cathy Moriarty, John Spencer, Frank pealing. Looks like a Roger Corman version Vincent, Malik Yoba, Bruce Altman, Edie of ROGER RABBIT. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Falco, Tony Sirico, Deborah Harry. Stallone Coonskin (1975) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ralph plays a sheriff who’s eaten a few too many Bakshi. Barry White, Charles Gordone, donuts and is responsible for looking the Scatman Crothers, Philip (Michael) Thomas. other way in a New Jersey town inhabited Outrageous, original film about the status almost exclusively by N.Y.C. cops who of blacks in America is told with liveexist, it seems, above the law. Keitel is their action and animation vignettes, the best of ringleader, De Niro an Internal Affairs ofwhich are sly parodies of the stories from ficer on his trail. A solid premise, and a Disney and Uncle Remus’ SONG OF THE riveting start, give way to increasingly conSOUTH. Very much in the Bakshi vein; ventional (and predictable) plotting by uneven but worth a look. Video title: writer-director Mangold. [R]▼●쩠 STREET FIGHT. [R]▼ Cop-Out (1967-British) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cop (1987) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: James B. Pierre Rouve. James Mason, Geraldine Harris. James Woods, Lesley Ann Warren, Chaplin, Bobby Darin, Paul Bertoya, Ian Charles Durning, Charles Haid, Raymond J. Ogilvy, Bryan Stanton. OK murder mystery Barry, Randi Brooks, Annie McEnroe, Vicki with dated generation-gap overtones. RecluWauchope. Woods is excellent as usual in this sive lawyer Mason comes out of retirement otherwise familiar drama about a dedicated to defend his daughter’s boyfriend on cop, his troubled marriage, and the difficulties trumped-up murder charge. Remake of 1942 he encounters while on a murder case. Woods French film STRANGER IN THE HOUSE. and Harris coproduced. [R]▼●쩠 Copper Canyon (1950) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Copacabana (1947) 92m. ★★ D: Alfred E. John Farrow. Ray Milland, Hedy Lamarr, Green. Groucho Marx, Carmen Miranda, Macdonald Carey, Mona Freeman, Harry Andy Russell, Steve Cochran, Gloria Jean, Carey, Jr., Frank Faylen, Hope Emerson, Louis Sobol, Abel Green, Earl Wilson. Percy Helton. OK Western of post-Civil Potentially intriguing Marx-Miranda castWar days, with Confederate vet Milland ing can’t save this unengrossing musical faced with decision to assist fellow Southcomedy. Groucho is a Broadway agent aterners who are being harassed as they attempting to promote Carmen, his only clitempt to mine copper. Lamarr plays the ent, resulting in her being hired for two jobs femme fatale.▼●쩠 (in two different guises) at the same nightCops and Robbers (1973) C-89m. ★★★ D: club. This was Groucho’s first film without Aram Avakian. Cliff Gorman, Joseph Bohis brothers. Also shown in computer-collogna, Dick Ward, Shepperd Strudwick, ored version. ▼●쩠 John P. Ryan, Ellen Holly, Dolph Sweet, Cop & 1⁄2 (1993) C-93m. BOMB D: Henry Joe Spinell. Enjoyable Donald Westlake Winkler. Burt Reynolds, Norman D. tale about two policemen who pull a millionGolden II, Ruby Dee, Holland Taylor, Ray dollar caper on Wall Street. Funny and Sharkey, Sammy Hernandez, Frank Sivero. exciting, with good location photography And a hemorrhoid-and-a-half to anyone by David L. Quaid. [PG]▼쩠 who sits all the way through it. Circumstances Cops and Robbersons (1994) C-93m. ★★ (read: scriptwriter’s contrivance) dictate that a D: Michael Ritchie. Chevy Chase, Jack Pacop-addicted black kid become the new partlance, Dianne Wiest, Robert Davi, David ner of a white detective who’s trying to crack Barry Gray, Jason James Richter, Fay Masa drug punk. Abjectly painful comedy. Low terson, Mike Hughes, Richard Romanus. [ 283 ]

Veteran cop Palance and a young cohort a motley band of scientific specialists. Excitneed to borrow Chase’s house to stake out a ing, old-fashioned Saturday-matinee film, lowlife who’s living next door; this, it turns packed with vivid special effects sequences; out, is a dream come true for Chevy, who’s transcends its obvious formula with ample addicted to TV cop shows and fancies himhumor, colorfully written characters, and a first-rate cast. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 self a hero. Premise of a baby boomer living out his pop-culture fantasies echoes CITY Corky (1972) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Leonard SLICKERS (Palance included) but isn’t Horn. Robert Blake, Charlotte Rampling, nearly as good. [PG]▼●쩠 Patrick O’Neal, Christopher Connelly, Ben Copycat (1995) C-125m. ★★★ D: Jon Johnson, Laurence Luckinbill. Blake’s obAmiel. Sigourney Weaver, Holly Hunter, session for stock-car racing shuts out evDermot Mulroney, Harry Connick, Jr., Wilerything else in his life, including wife and liam McNamara, Will Patton, John Rothfriends. Good racing sequences, fairly abman, J. E. Freeman. Psychiatrist (Weaver) sorbing character study. Originally titled who’s an expert on serial killers—and now LOOKIN’ GOOD. Panavision. [PG] traumatized into an agoraphobic exisCorky Romano (2001) C-85m. BOMB D: tence—joins forces with dedicated cops Rob Pritts. Chris Kattan, Vinessa Shaw, Hunter and Mulroney to track down the latPeter Falk, Peter Berg, Chris Penn, Fred est (and smartest) murderer in San FranWard, Richard Roundtree. Dreadful comcisco. Slickly made, tense and entertaining, edy from the ‘‘idiot as hero’’ genre. Hyperalthough it, like the concurrent SE7EN, kinetic Kattan (funny only in small doses) forces us to get to know a sick mind better plays the wayward son of a Mob family than we might care to. And like many viswho’s forced to infiltrate the FBI to destroy ceral thrillers, it will not stand up to intense evidence that would convict his father, Pops scrutiny. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Romano (Falk). Clumsy in every department. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Copying Beethoven (2006-British-Hungarian) C-103m. ★★ D: Agnieszka Holland. Ed HarCornbread, Earl and Me (1975) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joe Manduke. Moses Gunn, Berris, Diane Kruger, Matthew Goode, Phyllida Law, Joe Anderson, Ralph Riach, Karl nie Casey, Rosalind Cash, Madge Sinclair, Johnson, Nicholas Jones. Fictionalized deKeith Wilkes, Tierre Turner, Larry Fishpiction of an aged, maniacal Ludwig van burne. Well-intentioned but overly meloBeethoven and the female (!) copyist trying dramatic account of a black youth, on his to transcribe his Ninth Symphony while sufway out of the ghetto on a basketball fering his tirades. Harris, in his third teamscholarship, who is mistakenly gunned down ing with director Holland, manages to be at by police bullets. Fine performances and once solid and hammy as the deaf maestro; warm sense of black life evaporate in TV Kruger is fine. Best to forget the histrionic cliche´s. Fishburne’s film debut. [PG] ▼쩠 subplots and enjoy the climax: the 1824 preCornered (1945) 102m. ★★★ D: Edward miere of the ‘‘Ode to Joy’’ as conducted by Dmytryk. Dick Powell, Walter Slezak, Micheits composer. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 line Cheirel, Nina Vale, Morris Carnovsky, Coraline (2009) C-100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Henry Luther Adler. High-tension drama with deterSelick. Voices of Dakota Fanning, Teri mined Canadian flyer Powell in Buenos Aires, Hatcher, John Hodgman, Jennifer Saunders, tracking down the man responsible for the Dawn French, Keith David, Ian McShane, death of his French bride during WW2. Robert Bailey, Jr. Deliciously original stopPowell is in peak form. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼● motion animated feature about a girl who’s just moved into a rambling old house with Corn Is Green, The (1945) 114m. ★★★1⁄2 her parents and is feeling neglected. She D: Irving Rapper. Bette Davis, Nigel Bruce, discovers a doorway to an alternate world, John Dall, Joan Lorring, Rhys Williams, Rowhere her Other Mother offers everything salind Ivan, Mildred Dunnock. Thoughtful she’s missing in real life—but, as she learns, acting in this story of devoted middle-aged it all comes at a terrible price. Intriguingly teacher Davis in Welsh mining town coming creepy and constantly surprising. Director to terms with her prize pupil. Emlyn WilSelick adapted Neil Gaiman’s best-selling liams’ play was adapted by Casey Robinson book and also did the amazing production and Frank Cavett. Remade, beautifully, for design, which looks especially striking in 3TV with Katharine Hepburn in 1979.▼ D. [PG] Corporate Affairs (1990) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: Core, The (2003) C-136m. ★★★ D: Jon Amiel. Terence Winkless. Peter Scolari, Mary Aaron Eckhart, Hilary Swank, Delroy Lindo, Crosby, Chris Lemmon, Ken Kercheval, Stanley Tucci, DJ Qualls, Richard Jenkins, Richard Herd, Lisa Moncure, Kim GillingTche´ky Karyo, Bruce Greenwood, Alfre ham. Doomed attempt to cross-pollinate Woodard. Strange, seemingly isolated events WEEKEND AT BERNIE’S with WORKaround theworld portend a largerdisaster as the ING GIRL. Scolari takes advantage of forearth’s electromagnetic field is deteriorating. mer lover Crosby when she gives CEO The only solution involves a perilous journey to Kercheval a heart attack during a tryst. But is the earth’s core, which requires the efforts of he really dead? Somehow enormous amounts [ 284 ]

of t&a are shown to advantage in a concurrent office orgy. [R]▼쩠 Corporation, The (2004-Canada) C-145m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Jennifer Abbott, Mark Achbar. Fascinating documentary presents a history of corporations, from the time courts granted them great power during the industrial revolution up to the present day, when private industry seems to have more influence on the workings of the world than governments. Hardly unbiased, but well researched and persuasive, including interviews with everyone from Michael Moore and Noam Chomsky to a CEO who underwent a major change of heart and now tries to convince his fellow executives that they cannot destroy the environment in the name of profit. Ambitious, eye-opening film based on the book by Joel Bakan; written by Bakan and Achbar. 쩠 Corpse Bride SEE: Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride Corpse Vanishes, The (1942) 64m. ★★ D: Wallace Fox. Bela Lugosi, Luana Walters, Tristram Coffin, Elizabeth Russell, Vince Barnett, Joan Barclay, Angelo Rossitto. A cut above the average low-grade thrillers Lugosi made for producer Sam Katzman. Bela is a scientist who kidnaps brides for the purpose of using their body fluids to rejuvenate wife Russell, an elderly countess.▼쩠 Corridor of Mirrors (1948-British) 105m. ★★★ D: Terence Young. Eric Portman, Edana Romney, Barbara Mullen, Hugh Sinclair, Joan Maude, Lois Maxwell, Christopher Lee. Underrated ‘‘art’’ film, similar to Jean Cocteau’s work of this period, has Portman well cast as an artist who lives in the past, surrounding himself with Renaissance-era objects. Beauteous Romney (whose acting is not so hot) is the woman he falls in love with. Stunning sets, photography, and musical score.▼ Corridors of Blood (1963-British) 86m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Robert Day. Boris Karloff, Betta St. John, Finlay Currie, Christopher Lee, Francis Matthews, Adrienne Corri, Nigel Green. Middling account of 19th-century British doctor who experiments with anesthetics, becomes addicted to the narcotics, and winds up consorting with grave-robbers to continue his experiments. Filmed in 1958.

make it good entertainment. Written by the director. [PG]▼●쩠 Corrupt (1983-Italian) C-99m. ★★★ D: Roberto Faenza. Harvey Keitel, Nicole Garcia, Leonard Mann, John Lydon, Sylvia Sidney. Intriguing, entertaining psychological thriller about N.Y.C. policeman Keitel, his victimization by mysterious Lydon, and a hunt for a cop killer. Lydon used to be known as Johnny Rotten (of the punk rock group, The Sex Pistols). Fine performances; originally titled ORDER OF DEATH, with a 113m. running time, and also known as COP KILLERS and CORRUPT LIEUTENANT. [R]▼쩠 Corruption (1968-British) C-91m. ★★ D: Robert Hartford-Davis. Peter Cushing, Sue Lloyd, Noel Trevarthen, David Lodge, Kate O’Mara. Famed surgeon Cushing slowly becomes insane as he stops at nothing, including murder, to restore the disfigured face of his fashion model fiance´e (Lloyd). Predictable, formulaic horror opus. [R] Corrupt Lieutenant SEE: Corrupt Corrupt Ones, The (1966-French-ItalianWest German) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Hill. Robert Stack, Elke Sommer, Nancy Kwan, Christian Marquand, Werner Peters. Knock-about photographer Stack is befriended by stranger who gives him key (literally!) to ancient Chinese emperor’s treasure. With better dialogue for its many grotesque characters, film could’ve been a knockout. Techniscope.▼ Corruptor, The (1999) C-110m. ★★ D: James Foley. Chow Yun-Fat, Mark Wahlberg, Ric Young, Paul Ben-Victor, Jon Kit Lee, Andrew Pang, Brian Cox, Elizabeth Lindsey, Byron Mann, Kim Chan, Tovah Feldshuh. Wahlberg is assigned to the otherwise all-Chinese NYPD Asian gang unit and gradually wins the trust of Yun-Fat, leader of the task force. However, not everyone is as honest as they seem. Routine cop action film enlivened—but not enough— by Yun-Fat’s sizzling star performance and Wahlberg’s solid work. Lee is both silky and slimy in the title role. Super 35. [R]

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Corsican Brothers, The (1941) 112m. ★★★ D: Gregory Ratoff. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Ruth Warrick, Akim Tamiroff, J. Carrol ▼●쩠 ★★★ Naish, H. B. Warner, Henry Wilcoxon. D: Corrina, Corrina (1994) C-114m. Entertaining swashbuckler from Dumas story Jessie Nelson. Whoopi Goldberg, Ray Liof twins who are separated, but remain otta, Tina Majorino, Don Ameche, Wendy spiritually tied. Fairbanks excellent in the Crewson, Larry Miller, Erica Yohn, Jenifer dual lead, with strong support, ingenious Lewis, Joan Cusack, Harold Sylvester, Stephotographic effects. Remade for TV in ven Williams, Patrika Darbo, Lucy Webb. 1985.▼ Sweet-natured film about a young widower Corvette K-225 (1943) 99m. ★★★ D: Richwho hires a housekeeper to help take care ard Rosson. Randolph Scott, James Brown, of his daughter—little dreaming how imElla Raines, Barry Fitzgerald, Andy Devine, portant she’ll become to both of them. As a Walter Sande, Richard Lane. First-rate war document of social mores in the late 1950s film with Canadian officer Scott fighting to this has its ups and downs, but endearing performances and upbeat point of view save prominent navy destroyer from enemy [ 285 ]

attack; realistic actioner produced by Howard Charles ‘‘Honi’’ Coles, Larry Fishburne, Hawks. Look quickly for Robert Mitchum. James Russo, Giancarlo Esposito. Homage Corvette Summer (1978) C-105m. ★★ D: to the days of colorful gangsters and Harlem Matthew Robbins. Mark Hamill, Annie nightlife has style to spare and a wonderful Potts, Eugene Roche, Kim Milford, Richsoundtrack full of Duke Ellington music ard McKenzie, William Bryant. High (Gere plays his own cornet solos); all it schooler Hamill falls for aspiring hooker needs is a story and characters whose relaPotts while in Vegas tracking down the tionships make some sense. Visually strikperson who stole the sports car restored by ing with good scenes scattered about. Not his shop class. Bland comedy drama offers nearly as interesting as the published stories Potts’ disarmingly off-the-wall performance about its tumultuous production! [R]▼●쩠 to keep your attention. [PG]▼쩠 Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) C-97m. ★★★ Cosı` (1996-Australian) C-100m. ★★ D: D: Ossie Davis. Godfrey Cambridge, Mark Joffe. Ben Mendelsohn, Barry Otto, Raymond St. Jacques, Calvin Lockhart, Toni Collette, Rachel Griffiths, Aden Judy Pace, Redd Foxx, Emily Yancy, Young, Colin Friels, Greta Scacchi, Paul Cleavon Little. St. Jacques is Coffin Ed Mercurio. Professionally unfulfilled drifter Johnson, Cambridge is Gravedigger Jones, with a stable law school girlfriend makes a black cops who suspect preacher Lockdesperate career move when he agrees to hart’s back-to-Africa campaign is a swinstage Mozart’s Cosı` Fan Tutte as part of a dle. Neatly combines action and comedy, therapy session for Sydney mental inmates. with fine use of Harlem locales; from Unusual but eventually tiresome comedy, Chester Himes’ novel. Sequel: COME from Louis Nowra’s play, features lots of BACK, CHARLESTON BLUE. [R]▼쩠 familiar faces (to fans of Australian cinema) Cotton Mary (1999-French-British-U.S.) in supporting roles. [R]▼●쩠 C-124m. ★1⁄2 D: Ismail Merchant. Greta Cosmic Eye, The (1985) C-76m. ★★★ D: Scacchi, Madhur Jaffrey, James Wilby, SakFaith Hubley. Voices of Maureen Stapleton, ina Jaffrey, Neena Gupta, Prayag Raaj, Dizzy Gillespie, Sam Hubley, Linda AtLaura Lumley, Gemma Jones, Sarah Badel. kinson. Wonderfully imaginative, lifeStultifying drama, set in India in 1954, in affirming animated feature about the needs, which the Anglo-Indian title character marights, and struggles of mankind, most nipulates her way into a British household especially children, around the world. A and causes all sorts of tumult. Potentially tapestry that includes pieces of earlier aniinteresting story of the clash between Britmated shorts by John and Faith Hubley, with ish and Indian cultures is full of obvious music by such notables as Dizzy Gillespie, symbolism; a real snooze. Madhur Jaffrey Benny Carter, and Elizabeth Swados.▼●쩠 (who plays Cotton Mary) is listed in the Cote d’Azur (2005-French) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: credits as ‘‘co-director.’’ [R]▼쩠 Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau. Vale´ria Couch in New York, A (1996-BelgianBruni-Tedeschi, Gilbert Melki, Jean-Marc French-German) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Chantal Barr, Jacques Bonnaffe´, Edouard Collin, RoAkerman. Juliette Binoche, William Hurt, main Torres, Sabrina Seyvecou. One randy Stephanie Buttle, Barbara Garrick, Paul Guilsummer in an old family house on the Riviera, foyle, Richard Jenkins, Kent Broadhurst. where vacationing parents, progeny, tagN.Y.C. therapist Hurt, in desperate need of a alongs, and old flames all collide in a simchange of scenery, switches apartments mering stew of middle-age lust and teenage with Parisian dancer Binoche. Flat, uninspired romantic comedy. [R]▼●쩠 hormones. Several overheated characters plus a lot of bedrooms and a shower stall . . . you Couch Trip, The (1988) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: do le math. Breezy but insubstantial scenario Michael Ritchie. Dan Aykroyd, Walter is wistfully unreal, a demi-musical (!) with Matthau, Charles Grodin, Donna Dixon, singing, dancing, and experimental romancing. Richard Romanus, Arye Gross, David Clennon, Mary Gross. Amusing, if somewhat Written by the directors.쩠 1 ★★ Cotter (1973) C-94m. lackluster, comedy about a mental institution ⁄2 D: Paul Stanley. Don Murray, Carol Lynley, Rip Torn, escapee who masquerades as a successful BevSherry Jackson. After tragic rodeo incierly Hills psychiatrist and radio adviser. Some dent, unhappy Indian clown (Murray) struggood laughs, served by a solid cast, but the story is pretty thin. [R]▼●쩠 gles to reestablish himself in home town. Good cast in fair script that fares best in Counsellor at Law (1933) 82m. ★★★★ D: creating small-town atmosphere.▼쩠 William Wyler. John Barrymore, Bebe Cotton Club, The (1984) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 Daniels, Doris Kenyon, Onslow Stevens, D: Francis Coppola. Richard Gere, GregIsabel Jewell, Melvyn Douglas, Thelma ory Hines, Diane Lane, Lonette McKee, Todd, John Qualen, Mayo Methot. Vivid Bob Hoskins, James Remar, Nicolas Cage, adaptation of Elmer Rice play about ragsAllen Garfield, Fred Gwynne, Gwen Verto-riches Jewish lawyer who can’t escape don, Maurice Hines, Joe Dallesandro, Juhis background—and begins to question his lian Beck, Jennifer Grey, Lisa Jane Persky, success when he learns his wife has been unTom Waits, Diane Venora, Woody Strode, faithful. Barrymore gives one of his greatest [ 286 ]

performances in meaty, colorful role; Wyler keeps this comedy-drama moving at breakneck pace. Scripted by Rice. Cast also includes future directors Vincent Sherman, Richard Quine, and Robert Gordon.▼쩠 Countdown (1968) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Altman. James Caan, Joanna Moore, Robert Duvall, Barbara Baxley, Charles Aidman, Steve Ihnat, Michael Murphy, Ted Knight. Near-flawless depiction of real-life trials and concerns of American astronauts, their wives, co-workers, leading to first flight to moon. Excellent ensemble performances, intelligent script by Loring Mandel, based on Hank Searls’ novel. Dated technology only liability. An early gem from Altman. Look fast for Mike Farrell. Panavision.▼쩠 Countdown at Kusini (1976-Nigerian) C-101m. ★★ D: Ossie Davis. Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Greg Morris, Tom Aldredge, Michael Ebert, Thomas Baptiste. Wellmeaning treatment of liberation of fictional African country, ‘‘Fahari.’’ Action and ideas are constantly swallowed up by romantic subplot. Financed by DST Telecommunications, subsidiary of Delta Sigma Theta, world’s largest black sorority. [PG]▼ Count Dracula (1970-Italian-SpanishGerman) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jess Franco. Christopher Lee, Herbert Lom, Klaus Kinski, Frederick Williams, Maria Rohm, Soledad Miranda. Flawed but interesting low-budget adaptation of Bram Stoker novel which sticks close to its source; Lee turns in remarkably low-key performance. [PG]

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nist’s fellow prisoners (played here by Diehl). Oscar winner as Best Foreign Language Film. [R]쩠 Counterfeit Killer, The (1968) C-95m. ★★ D: Josef Leytes. Jack Lord, Shirley Knight, Jack Weston, Charles Drake, Joseph Wiseman, Don Hanmer. Adapted from TV film THE FACELESS MAN, meandering actioner has Lord a secret service man infiltrating a counterfeit syndicate, with predictable results. Video title: CRACKSHOT.▼ Counterfeit Traitor, The (1962) C-140m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: George Seaton. William Holden, Lilli Palmer, Hugh Griffith, Erica Beer, Werner Peters, Eva Dahlbeck. Holden is a double agent during WW2, falls in love with Palmer between various dangerous missions. Authentic backgrounds and fine cast. Based on true story.▼●쩠 Counterpoint (1968) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Ralph Nelson. Charlton Heston, Maximilian Schell, Kathryn Hays, Leslie Nielsen, Anton Diffring. Absurd WW2 melodrama about symphony conductor captured by Nazi general, forced to put on private concert; Heston looks comfortable because he doesn’t have to change facial expressions while conducting. Techniscope. Counter Punch SEE: Ripped Off Counter Tenors, The SEE: White Voices Countess Dracula (1972-British) C-94m. ★★ D: Peter Sasdy. Ingrid Pitt, Nigel Green, Peter Jeffrey, Lesley-Anne Down. Countess masquerades as her own daughter, needs blood to maintain facade of youth. OK shocker. Based on historical figure Elisabeth Bathory; has nothing to do with Dracula.

Count Dracula and His Vampire Bride ▼●쩠 (1973-British) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: Alan GibCountess From Hong Kong, A (1967son. Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, MiBritish) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles Chaplin. chael Coles, William Franklyn, Freddie Marlon Brando, Sophia Loren, Sydney Jones, Joanna Lumley. Last of the HamChaplin, Tippi Hedren, Patrick Cargill, Margamer Films Dracula series is awfully tired, ret Rutherford. Director-writer-composer (and despite modern-day setting; the Count gets bit-part actor) Chaplin’s attempt to make oldhold of a plague virus that can destroy fashioned romantic comedy sinks fast, though mankind. Cut for U.S. release from origieverybody tries hard. Sophia stows away in nal 88m. version called SATANIC RITES shipboard stateroom of diplomat Brando. OF DRACULA. Video title: THE RITES Badly shot, badly timed, badly scored. A pity, OF DRACULA. [R]▼●쩠 particularly because this is Chaplin’s cineCounterfeit Commandos SEE: Inglorious matic swan song.▼쩠 Bastards Count of Monte Cristo, The (1934) 119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Rowland V. Lee. Robert Donat, Counterfeiters, The (2007-Austrian-German) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Stefan Ruzowitzky. Karl Elissa Landi, Louis Calhern, Sidney BlackMarkovics, August Diehl, Devid Striesow, mer, Raymond Walburn, O.P. Heggie, Martin Brambach, August Zirner, Veit Stu¨bLuis Alberni, Irene Hervey. Superb filmner. Cocky and talented Russian-Jewish ization of classic story of Edmond Dantes, counterfeiter is sent to the Sachsenhausen who spends years in prison unjustly but concentration camp to participate in Operaescapes to seek revenge on enemies who tion Bernhard, to help the Third Reich bring framed him. Donat leads excellent cast in rousing classic from Dumas’ story.▼ down the British and American economies by printing millions of phony pound notes Count of Monte Cristo, The (1954-French) and dollars. Chilling portrait of a man who C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Vernay. Jean pretends to care only about himself and the Marais, Lia Amanda, Roger Piguat. Serprice he pays for survival. Based on an inviceable rendition of Alexandre Dumas credible true story; Ruzowitzky adapted the costume classic. book by Adolf Burger, one of the protagoCount of Monte Cristo, The (1961-French) [ 287 ]

C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claude Autant-Lara. Louis Jourdan, Yvonne Furneaux, Pierre Mondy, Bernard Dheran. Faithful adaptation of Dumas novel, but Jourdan hasn’t the zest that Robert Donat gave the role in 1934. Originally 120m. Dyaliscope. Count of Monte Cristo, The (2002British-Irish-U.S.) C-131m. ★★★ D: Kevin Reynolds. Jim Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk, Michael Wincott, Luis Guzman, James Frain, Alex Norton. Surprisingly good version of the Dumas evergreen, with Caviezel an impressive Edmond Dantes, who is unjustly imprisoned and vows revenge against those who wronged him. Final section of the story succumbs to the obvious, but overall a nice job. Harris is a standout as Dantes’ fellow prisoner. Debut screenplay for veteran TV producer Jay Wolpert. Super 35. [PG-13]

Fields, Robyn Cruze, Ron Blanchard. Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya is transposed to an Australian sheep farm, circa WW1, and the result is absolutely delightful. Colonial Aussies simultaneously crave and clash with European sensibilities, especially when the enigmatic paterfamilias Alexander (a wickedly fun role, played by writer-director Blakemore) returns from London with the stunning Scacchi in tow. Subtle comedy, high drama, and a great deal of aroused passions ensue. And, yes, that’s Britain’s Googie Withers (longtime resident of Australia) as Hannah the maid— stealing every scene she’s in. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Count the Hours (1953) 76m. ★★ D: Don Siegel. Teresa Wright, Macdonald Carey, Dolores Moran, Adele Mara, Jack Elam. Lawyer Carey takes case of migrant worker falsely accused of a double murder. Trim, well-directed (if implausible) story; Elam is at his slimiest as an alcoholic psycho. ▼쩠 Country (1984) C-109m. ★★★ D: Richard Count Three and Pray (1955) C-102m. ★★1 Pearce. Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Wil⁄2 D: George Sherman. Van Heflin, ford Brimley, Matt Clark, Therese GraJoanne Woodward, Raymond Burr, Nancy ham, Levi L. Knebel. Penetrating, believKulp. Atmospheric rural Americana in postable look at modern farming family torn Civil War days, with Heflin exerting influapart when government threatens to foreence on townfolk as new pastor with reckclose on loan and take their land away. It’s less past. Woodward (making film debut) the woman whose strength holds things as strong-willed orphan lass and Burr, the together (and it’s Lange who coproduced perennial villain, are fine. CinemaScope. the film); all performances are first rate, Count Yorga, Vampire (1970) C-91m. ★★★ and William D. Wittliff’s script neatly D: Bob Kelljan. Robert Quarry, Roger avoids cliche´s. [PG]▼●쩠 Perry, Donna Anders, Michael Murphy, Country Bears, The (2002) C-88m. ★★ D: Michael Macready. Sophisticated, clever Peter Hastings. Christopher Walken, Stevampire (Quarry) establishes coven in phen Tobolowsky, Daryl ‘‘Chill’’ Mitchell, modern-day Southern California. Fast-paced M. C. Gainey, Diedrich Bader, Alex Rocco, and convincing. Alternate version, THE Meagen Fay, Queen Latifah, Eli MarienLOVES OF COUNT IORGA, VAMPIRE thal; voices of Haley Joel Osment, James is rated PG-13. Sequel: THE RETURN OF COUNT YORGA. [PG]▼●쩠 Gammon, Brad Garrett, Kevin Michael Richardson, Toby Huss, Stephen Root, DieCount Your Blessings (1959) C-102m. ★★ drich Bader. ‘‘Inspired by’’ a Disneyland D: Jean Negulesco. Deborah Kerr, Rossano attraction, this lazy excuse for a kid film Brazzi, Maurice Chevalier, Martin Stephens, has a young bear (who’s been adopted by a Tom Helmore, Patricia Medina. Unfunny human family) going back to his roots, and comedy that even Chevalier’s smile can’t helping a legendary music group to stage a help. Kerr marries French playboy Brazzi reunion and rescue their performance hall. during WW2; he goes off philandering for If they spent more time on the script and years. Their child conspires to bring them less time setting up cameo appearances together again. CinemaScope. (Willie Nelson, Bonnie Raitt, Elton John, Count Your Bullets SEE: Cry For Me, Billy etc.) it might have been better. [G] ▼쩠 Country Dance SEE: Brotherly Love Coup de Foudre SEE: Entre Nous Country Girl, The (1954) 104m. ★★★1⁄2 Coup de Grace (1976-French-German) D: George Seaton. Bing Crosby, Grace C-96m. ★★ D: Volker Schlo¨ndorff. MarKelly, William Holden, Anthony Ross. garethe von Trotta, Matthias Habich, Kelly won an Oscar as wife of alcoholic Rudiger Kirschstein, Valeska Gert. Disapsinger (Crosby) trying for comeback via pointing tale of a self-destructive countess help of director (Holden). Crosby excels in (von Trotta, wife of the director), who one of his finest roles. Writer-director Seaton wastes her life because the officer she loves also won Academy Award for adaptation does not reciprocate her feelings. Bleak, of Clifford Odets play. Remade for cable sometimes confusing film, not as emotional or involving as it should be.▼쩠 TV in 1982. ▼쩠 Country Life (1995-Australian) C-107m. Coup de Torchon (1981-French) C-128m. ★★★ D: Michael Blakemore. Sam Neill, ★★★1⁄2 D: Bertrand Tavernier. Philippe Greta Scacchi, John Hargreaves, Kerry Fox, Noiret, Isabelle Huppert, Stephane Audran, Michael Blakemore, Googie Withers, Maurie Irene Skobline, Eddy Mitchell, Jean-Pierre [ 288 ]

Marielle, Guy Marchand. Strong, disturbgela Lansbury, Cecil Parker, Mildred ing black comedy, based on a novel by Natwick, Robert Middleton, John CarraAmerican Jim Thompson but reset in 1936 dine. One of the best comedies ever Equatorial Africa. Easygoing police chief made has Danny as phony jester who finds (Noiret) of small colonial town is a doorhimself involved in romance, court inmat for everyone in sight, especially his trigue, and a deadly joust. Delightfully wife; he gradually realizes he can use his complicated comic situations (scripted by the position to gain vengeance with impunity. directors), superbly performed. And reFascinating film eventually overplays its member: the pellet with the poison’s in the vessel with the pestle. VistaVision.▼●쩠 hand, but enthralling most of the way, with marvelously shaded performance by Court Martial (1955-British) 105m. ★★★ Noiret. Aka CLEAN SLATE. ▼●쩠 D: Anthony Asquith. David Niven, MarCoupe de Ville (1990) C-99m. ★★ D: Joe garet Leighton, Victor Maddern, Maurice Roth. Patrick Dempsey, Arye Gross, DanDenham. Tense courtroom story of officer iel Stern, Alan Arkin, Annabeth Gish, Niven accused of stealing military funds. Rita Taggart, Joseph Bologna, James GamThe trial reveals provocations of grasping mon. Obvious, forgettable formula tale of wife. A solid drama. Originally released as CARRINGTON, V.C.▼ three warring brothers forced to deal with their feelings as they drive dad Arkin’s car Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell, The (1955) C-100m. ★★★ D: Otto Preminger. from Detroit to Florida. Set in 1963 and— guess what?—there are oldies on the Gary Cooper, Charles Bickford, Ralph Belsoundtrack. Still, the sequence in which lamy, Rod Steiger, Elizabeth Montgomthe boys debate the origin of, and words ery, Fred Clark, James Daly, Jack Lord, to, ‘‘Louie, Louie’’ is almost worth the Peter Graves, Darren McGavin. Low-key price of admission. Super 35. [PG-13]▼● drama about trial of military pioneer who Courage Mountain (1989-U.S.-French) in 1925 predicted Japanese attack on U.S. C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher Leitch. Juliette Steiger adds spark to slowly paced film as Caton, Charlie Sheen, Leslie Caron, Jowily attorney; Montgomery made her movie anna Clarke, Nicola Stapleton, Jade Magri, debut here. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Kathryn Ludlow, Jan Rubes, Yorgo VoyCourtship of Eddie’s Father, The (1963) agis. Implausible though inoffensive updatC-117m. ★★★ D: Vincente Minnelli. Glenn ing of Johanna Spyri’s Heidi, detailing what Ford, Ronny Howard, Shirley Jones, Stella happens when the teenage girl is sent off to Stevens, Dina Merrill, Roberta Sherwood, boarding school at the outset of WW1. Jerry Van Dyke. Cute family comedy with Sheen is sorely miscast as Peter, her everHoward trying to find wife for widower loyal beau. [PG]▼●쩠 father Ford. Look sharp for Lee Meriwether Courage of Lassie (1946) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 as Glenn’s assistant. Later a TV series. Panavision. ▼●쩠 D: Fred Wilcox. Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Morgan, Tom Drake, Selena Royle, George Cousin Bette (1998) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Des Cleveland, Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer. Third of McAnuff. Jessica Lange, Bob Hoskins, the MGM Lassie movies has a radiant TayElisabeth Shue, Hugh Laurie, Aden Young, lor trying to rehabilitate the collie after his Geraldine Chaplin, Laura Fraser, Toby Stecombat experiences during WW2. Despite phens, Kelly Macdonald, Janie Hargreaves, title, the dog in question is called Bill, not John Sessions, John Benfield. Lange sees Lassie, though played by the same collie her chance for revenge after a lifetime of who starred in the other studio films. Filmed mistreatment when her beautiful, pampered on beautiful locations in Canada.▼쩠 cousin dies and Lange becomes part of the Courage Under Fire (1996) C-115m. cousin’s household. But her plans go awry ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Edward Zwick. Denzel Washingas each person in her scheme pursues his or ton, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips, Miher own selfish agenda. Venomously witty chael Moriarty, Sean Astin, Matt Damon, black comedy from the Balzac novel, set in Seth Gilliam, Tim Guinee, Scott Glenn, Bron1840s Paris, dulls its impact by taking a few son Pinchot, Kathleen Widdoes, Diane Baker. turns too many. Shue is ideal as a sexy, selfCompelling tale of a career Army officer, trouabsorbed soubrette. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 bled by Persian Gulf War incident in which he Cousin Bobby (1991) C-70m. ★★★1⁄2 D: was involved in an accidental death. Now he’s Jonathan Demme. Highly personal, intelliassigned to investigate the death of a female gent documentary about director Demme Captain (Ryan) nominated for the Medal of looking up his cousin after many years, Honor. In RASHOMON-like flashbacks, we and learning about his work. The Reverend learn that there’s more to her story than meets Robert Castle is a Harlem priest who is the eye. Intelligent, multilayered story (by steadfastly devoted to his parishioners, and Patrick Sheane Duncan) about integrity, perlong committed to radical political activsonal honor, and public hypocrisy. [R]▼●쩠 ism. A fascinating portrait of a complex ★★★★ Court Jester, The (1956) C-101m. individual, and of his evolving relationD: Norman Panama, Melvin Frank. Danny ship with his filmmaker cousin.▼ Kaye, Glynis Johns, Basil Rathbone, AnCousin, Cousine (1975-French) C-95m. [ 289 ]

★★★

D: Jean-Charles Tacchella. MarieLouis Negin, Mike Bell. Delirious b&w silent Christine Barrault, Victor Lanoux, Mariemelodrama that takes place in the catwalk France Pisier, Guy Marchand, Ginette Garcin, of a hockey rink and at a seamy beauty Sybil Maas. Barrault and Lanoux, married to parlor. Our hero abandons his girlfriend for others, become cousins by marriage and dea siren who insists that he cut off his hands cide to go way beyond the kissing stage. Mild, and replace them with those of her dead easy-to-take comedy that became a surprise father. If you’re still reading this you may box-office sensation in U.S.—where it was be ready to sample Maddin’s unique semilater remade as COUSINS. [R]▼● autobiographical journey, originally preCousins, The (1959-French) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 sented as a series of ten Mutoscope shorts in D: Claude Chabrol. Jean-Claude Brialy, an art installation. Plays like a hallucinatory Gerard Blain, Juliette Mayniel, Claude silent film—a bad, splicy print with jumpCerval, Genevieve Cluny. Complex, decuts during titles that send them out of pressing, ultimately haunting tale of youthfocus. Twisted, bizarre, and absolutely mesful disillusion, with decadent city boy Brialy merizing. 쩠 and provincial cousin Blain competing for Cowboy (1958) C-92m. ★★★ D: Delmer the affection of beauty Mayniel. Superbly Daves. Glenn Ford, Jack Lemmon, Anna directed by Chabrol.▼ Kashfi, Brian Donlevy, Dick York. IntelCousins (1989) C-110m. ★★★ D: Joel Schuligent, atmospheric Western based on Frank macher. Ted Danson, Isabella Rossellini, Harris’ reminiscences as a tenderfoot. Sean Young, William Petersen, Lloyd BridgLemmon is Harris, with Ford as his stern boss on eventful cattle roundup.▼쩠 es, Norma Aleandro, Keith Coogan. A big family wedding sets the stage for romantic Cowboy and the Lady, The (1938) 91m. ★★1 intrigues within two colorful clans. Highly ⁄2 D: H. C. Potter. Gary Cooper, Merle enjoyable Americanization of the French hit Oberon, Patsy Kelly, Walter Brennan, Fuzzy COUSIN, COUSINE with charming perforKnight, Harry Davenport, Henry Kolker. mances by Danson, as a free-spirited soul, Bored, aristocratic Oberon, whose father and Rossellini, as the married cousin to is a presidential aspirant, goes slumming whom he’s attracted. [PG-13]▼●쩠 at a rodeo and falls for reluctant cowCovenant, The (2006-U.S.-Canadian) Cpuncher Cooper. Slight (if sometimes overly 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Renny Harlin. Steven Strait, cute) comedy. Leo McCarey cowrote the Sebastian Stan, Laura Ramsey, Taylor Kitsch, story; the script had contributions from Toby Hemingway, Jessica Lucas, Chace Anita Loos and Dorothy Parker!▼●쩠 Crawford, Wendy Crewson, Kyle Schmid, Cowboy Bebop: The Movie (2002-Japanese) Kenneth Welsh. A quartet of teen-boy warC-114m. ★★★ D: Shinichiroˆ Watanabe. locks, descended from powerful Salem Voices of Beau Billingslea, Melissa Fahn, witches, admits a mysterious fifth member Nicholas Guest, Jennifer Hale. Delightfully into their enchanted group, with the exstylish, refreshingly humorous animated tale pected blast of repercussions. The dudes’ about an eclectic team of space bounty huntmisuse of debilitating magical powers is a ers tracking down a bio-terrorist on Mars. heavy-handed allegory of drug addiction, Certain details will be lost on those unfamiliar but the theme still resonates. Something of with the TV show on which it’s based, and a guys-in-Speedos movie, but darkly atmothere are a few of the plodding, pretentious mospheric. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 ments that plague most anime, but the exCover Girl (1944) C-107m. ★★★ D: Charles tremely dynamic action sequences and oddball Vidor. Rita Hayworth, Gene Kelly, Lee charm of the characters make for an enjoyBowman, Phil Silvers, Jinx Falkenburg, able romp. Original Japanese subtitle transEve Arden, Otto Kruger, Anita Colby. lates to COWBOY BEBOP: KNOCKIN’ Incredibly cliche´d plot is overcome by ON HEAVEN’S DOOR. [R]▼쩠 loveliness of Rita, fine Jerome Kern–Ira Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938) 77m. ★★1⁄2 Gershwin musical score (including ‘‘Long D: Lloyd Bacon. Dick Powell, Pat O’Brien, Ago and Far Away’’), and especially KelPriscilla Lane, Dick Foran, Ann Sheridan, ly’s solo numbers. Silvers adds some Johnnie Davis, Ronald Reagan, Emma laughs, but Eve Arden steals the film as Dunn. Singing tenderfoot Powell, who has a phobia about animals, hires on at a WyoKruger’s wisecracking assistant.▼●쩠 Cover Me Babe (1970) C-89m. BOMB ming dude ranch, then is mistaken for a D: Noel Black. Robert Forster, Sondra cowboy crooner by fast-talking N.Y. agent Locke, Susanne Benton, Robert S. Fields, O’Brien. Silly but enjoyable musicomedy Ken Kercheval, Sam Waterston, Regis includes songs ‘‘Ride, Tenderfoot Ride’’ Toomey. Depressingly bad movie about and the title tune. Remade as TWO GUYS student filmmaker who lets nothing stand FROM TEXAS. Cowboys, The (1972) C-128m. ★★ D: Mark in the way of gaining a contract. [PG—edited from original R rating] Rydell. John Wayne, Roscoe Lee Browne, Cowards Bend the Knee (2003-Canadian) Bruce Dern, Colleen Dewhurst, Slim Pick64m. ★★★ D: Guy Maddin. Darcy Fehr, Meens, Lonny Chapman, A Martinez, Robert lissa Dionisio, Amy Stewart, Tara Birtwhistle, Carradine, Allyn Ann McLerie, Richard Farns[ 290 ]

worth. Well-produced but sluggish Western Sammy Davis, Jr., Foster Brooks, Buddy about aging rancher forced to take 11 youngLester. Jerry plays various characters in visters with him on cattle drive; disappointing gnettes loosely tied to suicidal klutz seeking film whose message seems to be that violent help from shrink Edelman. There are funny revenge is good. Carradine’s first film. Later a moments (some mildly risque´), but Jerry reshort-lived TV series. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 fuses to believe that Less Is More. OrigiCowboy Way, The (1994) C-102m. ★★ D: nally titled SMORGASBORD; shelved Gregg Champion. Woody Harrelson, Kiefer after test engagements. [PG]▼ Sutherland, Ernie Hudson, Dylan McDerCrack in the Mirror (1960) 97m. ★★★ D: mott, Tomas Milian, Marg Helgenberger, Richard Fleischer. Orson Welles, Juliette Luis Guzman, Travis Tritt, Allison Janney, Greco, Bradford Dillman, Alexander Knox. Christopher Durang. Two rodeo pals from Welles, Greco, and Dillman enact conNew Mexico come to N.Y.C. to see what’s trasting dual roles in intertwining love trihappened to a Cuban friend who disappeared angles set in contemporary Paris, involving there—and soon find themselves caught in murder, courtroom trial, and illicit love; underworld crossfire. Needlessly ugly, unrealnovelty eventually wears thin, marring istic; only the good-natured performances of Grade-A effort. CinemaScope. the two leads carry it. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Crack in the World (1965) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Coyote Ugly (2000) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Andrew Marton. Dana Andrews, JanDavid McNally. Piper Perabo, Adam Garcia, ette Scott, Kieron Moore, Alexander Knox, Maria Bello, John Goodman, Melanie LynPeter Damon. Believable sci-fi about sciskey, Isabella Miko, Bridget Moynahan, Tyra entists trying to harness earth’s inner enBanks, Del Pentacost, Ellen Cleghorne, Bud ergy but almost causing destruction of the Cort, LeAnn Rimes. Fairly innocuous fanworld; realistic special effects. tasy/fluff about young woman who leaves Crackshot SEE: Counterfeit Killer, The New Jersey to make it as a songwriter in Crack-Up (1946) 93m. ★★★ D: Irving Reis. N.Y.C.—and winds up strutting alongside Pat O’Brien, Claire Trevor, Herbert Marsome hot-looking babes at a wild all-night bar. shall, Wallace Ford, Ray Collins. Art critic Elements of formula films (including proO’Brien remembers surviving a train wreck ducer Jerry Bruckheimer’s FLASHDANCE) that never took place; it’s just the first inciare cobbled together in routine but likable dent in a growing web of intrigue and murfashion. Director Michael Bay has a cameo as der. Tense, fast-paced Hitchcockian thriller a photographer. Unrated version runs 107m. with many imaginative touches. ▼● Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Cradle 2 the Grave (2003) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: ★★1 ⁄2 D: Roman CopCQ (2002) C-91m. Andrzej Bartkowiak. Jet Li, DMX, Gabrielle pola. Jeremy Davies, Angela Lindvall, E´loUnion, Anthony Anderson, Kelly Hu, Tom die Bouchez, Giancarlo Giannini, Ge´rard Arnold, Mark Dacascos, Michael Jace, Chi Depardieu, Billy Zane, Massimo Ghini, Jason McBride. As an array of baddies and rival Schwartzman, John Phillip Law, Dean Stockhalf-baddies pursue coveted black diamonds well. Emotionally repressed film editor living that look like oversized Chiclets, most of the in Paris in 1969 works on a BARBARELLAactors playing these parts pursue their dramatilike sci-fi film and becomes infatuated with its cally diverse audience demographics. Union is beautiful leading lady—while allowing a realaround for the demographic that enjoys seeing life relationship with a woman who loves him semi-unclad lookers, but even those viewers to evaporate. Nearly a good movie, but its may have trouble with a script about diamonds scattershot ideas have no dramatic momenwith nuclear capabilities. DMX’s neckwear tum. Debut for writer-director Coppola (Franlooks as if it could pick up sandlot baseball cis’ son), with a cameo by sister Sofia and a games from Radio Havana. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 juicy role for cousin Schwartzman. Giannini Cradle Will Rock (1999) C-134m. ★★★1⁄2 is a standout as a bombastic Italian producer, D: Tim Robbins. Hank Azaria, Ruben Blades, and the movie within a movie is fun—with Joan Cusack, John Cusack, Cary Elwes, Law (from the real BARBARELLA) a welPhilip Baker Hall, Cherry Jones, Angus Maccome presence. [R]▼쩠 ★★ fadyen, Bill Murray, Vanessa Redgrave, D: Louis Crackers (1984) C-92m. Susan Sarandon, Jamey Sheridan, John TurtMalle. Donald Sutherland, Jack Warden, urro, Emily Watson, Bob Balaban, Paul GiaSean Penn, Wallace Shawn, Trinidad Silva, matti, Harris Yulin, Barnard Hughes, John Larry Riley, Christine Baranski, Charlaine Carpenter, Gretchen Mol, Audra McDonald, Woodard, Irwin Corey. Remake of the Stephen Spinella, Jack Black. Sprawling, inclassic caper comedy BIG DEAL ON vigorating concoction uses Orson Welles and MADONNA STREET, set in San FranJohn Houseman’s legendary stage production cisco, strives for the offbeat (in its motley of Marc Blitzstein’s The Cradle Will Rock as collection of misfit characters) but forgets a springboard for looking at 1930s art, culture, to go for the laughs, too. [PG]▼● ★★ D: Jerry politics, and big business. Writer-director Cracking Up (1983) C-83m. Robbins takes liberties with the facts but creLewis. Jerry (Who Else?), Herb Edelman, Zane Buzby, Dick Butkus, Milton Berle, ates a fascinating patchwork of personalities, [ 291 ]

ideas, and ideals. Aims high and succeeds Jealous invalid husband Ferrer tries to kill amazingly well. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 wife Lyon, who uses demonic device to Craft, The (1996) C-100m. ★★★ D: Andrew cause mayhem on her own. Panavision. [PG] Crash (1996-Canadian) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Fleming. Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Christine David Cronenberg. James Spader, Holly Taylor, Skeet Ulrich, Assumpta Serna, Cliff Hunter, Elias Koteas, Rosanna Arquette, DebDe Young, Helen Shaver. Four teenage girls, orah Kara Unger, Peter MacNeil. Steely-cold students at a private L.A. school, dabble in look at alienated people who find sexual exwitchcraft. At first, they’re gleeful about their citement in automobile crashes. Filled with powers, but eventually things get out of hand. explicit sex as well as fetishistic scenes inSurprisingly witty, intelligent movie handles volving car accidents. Curiosity seekers may this goofy premise better than you’d think but find it intriguing for a while, but it’s awfully goes too far at the end. [R]▼●쩠 hard to take. Cronenberg adapted this fatally Craig’s Wife (1936) 75m. ★★★ D: Dorounpleasant film from J. G. Ballard’s novel. thy Arzner. Rosalind Russell, John Boles, Creeps along at the pace of a Yugo. R-rated version cut by 10m. [NC-17]▼●쩠 Billie Burke, Jane Darwell, Dorothy Wilson, Alma Kruger, Thomas Mitchell. Russell Crash (2005-U.S.-German) C-112m. ★★★1⁄2 scored first big success as domineering wife D: Paul Haggis. Don Cheadle, Sandra Bulwho thinks more of material objects than of lock, Matt Dillon, Thandie Newton, Brendan her husband. Based on George Kelly play, Fraser, Ryan Phillippe, Jennifer Esposito, remade as HARRIET CRAIG. ▼ Chris ‘‘Ludacris’’ Bridges, Terrence Howard, Cranes Are Flying, The (1957-Russian) William Fichtner, Larenz Tate, Nona Gaye, 1 ★★★ 94m. ⁄2 D: Mikhail Kalatozov. Tatyana Loretta Devine, Michael Pena, Shaun Toub, Samoilova, Alexei Batalov, Vasili MerkurBeverly Todd, Keith David. Meditation on the iev, A. Shvorin. Lilting love story set in clash of ethnic and racial cultures in L.A. as WW2 Russia. Doctor’s son (Batalov) leaves disparate lives intersect and ignite various his sweetheart (Samoilova) to join the army. characters’ simmering anger. Provocative She is seduced by his cousin, marries him, drama has powerful vignettes and perforand from subsequent tragedies tries to remances, offering consistently disturbing (and build her life.▼●쩠 believable) scenes of anger and bigotry, with Crank (2006) C-87m. ★★ D: Mark Neveltiny glimmers of hope in metaphoric moments. dine, Brian Taylor. Jason Statham, Amy Directing debut for Haggis, who cowrote the Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez, screenplay with Bobby Moresco. Oscar winner Dwight Yoakam, Carlos Sanz, Reno Wilfor Best Picture, Original Screenplay, Film Edson. Professional assassin is injected with a iting (Hughes Winborne). Later a TV series. [R]▼쩠 dose of lethal poison that will become fatal the moment his heart rate drops. Knowing Crash and Burn (1990) C-85m. ★★ D: this, he embarks on a nonstop race against Charles Band. Paul Ganus, Megan Ward, time in which he tries to foil the plot against Ralph Waite, Bill Moseley, Eva LaRue, him and find an antidote. Silly premise may Jack McGee, Elizabeth MacLellan. In the entertain fans with the attention span of a year 2030, a group isolated in a desert instalbeagle. The action doesn’t let up, but forget lation is menaced by one of them, secretly a about logic, good acting, and smart diakiller android. A mix of ideas from THE logue. It took two directors to make this THING, THE TERMINATOR, and ALIEN non–thinking man’s thriller. Try the original is occasionally effective, but too slow and D.O.A. instead. Followed by a sequel. [R]쩠 familiar. Some good if brief David Allen Crank: High Voltage (2009) C-96m. ★1⁄2 effects involving a giant robot turn up at the end. From Full Moon. [R]▼쩠 D: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor. Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins, Jr., Crash Dive (1943) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: ArEfren Ramirez, Bai Ling, David Carradine, chie Mayo. Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, Reno Wilson, Joseph Julian Soria, Dwight Dana Andrews, James Gleason, Dame May Yoakam, Corey Haim. Brainless, tasteless Whitty, Henry (Harry) Morgan. Submasequel picks up right where its predecessor rine battleground just backdrop for love ended. Thugs rob hit man Statham of his story; Power and Andrews both love young heart, which is implanted in the chest of Baxter. Oscar winner for special effects, an aged Chinese mobster (Carradine). The film’s main asset.▼쩠 replacement is electrically powered and must Crawling Hand, The (1963) 89m. ★1⁄2 D: be recharged on a regular basis. Ridiculous Herbert L. Strock. Peter Breck, Kent Taylor, action thriller has no decipherable storyline Rod Lauren, Arline Judge, Richard Arlen, Aland is crammed with gratuitous violence and lison Hayes, Alan Hale, Jr. Astronaut’s disemsex. Strains to be hip, but comes off cheap bodied hand instigates rash of stranglings in and vulgar. HD Widescreen. [R] this amateurish rehash of THE BEAST WITH FIVE FINGERS. Good for a few (unCrash! (1977) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles intended) laughs, anyway.▼●쩠 Band. Jose Ferrer, Sue Lyon, John Ericson, Leslie Parrish, John Carradine. Strange, Crawlspace (1986) C-82m. BOMB D: unbelievable mixture of occult and car chase. David Schmoeller. Klaus Kinski, Talia [ 292 ]

Balsam, Sally Brown, Barbara Whinnery. an inheritance. U.S. title: NIGHT OF THE Shameless imitation of PEEPING TOM, as LAUGHING DEAD. Video title: HOUSE IN Kinski spies on young women from his NIGHTMARE PARK. [PG]▼ apartment’s hidden crawlspace area and Crazy in Alabama (1999) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 then kills them, the legacy of his father havD: Antonio Banderas. Melanie Griffith, David ing been a Nazi war criminal. [R]▼쩠 Morse, Lucas Black, Cathy Moriarty, Meat Craze (1974-British) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: FredLoaf Aday, Rod Steiger, Richard Schiff, John die Francis. Jack Palance, Diana Dors, Julie Beasley, Robert Wagner, Paul Mazursky, Ege, Trevor Howard, Suzy Kendall, Michael Elizabeth Perkins, Noah Emmerich, Fannie Jayston, Dame Edith Evans. More laughs Flagg. Picaresque tale of the mid-1960s than horror as antique dealer Palance makes South: abused Griffith chops off her hushuman sacrifices to African idol. Hugh Grifband’s head, leaves her seven kids, and goes fith and Howard wisely kid the material. to Hollywood seeking fame and fortune, totBritish title: THE INFERNAL IDOL; aka ing hubby’s head in a hatbox. Meanwhile, THE DEMON MASTER. [R]▼쩠 her nephew comes face-to-face with racism. Crazies, The (1973) C-103m. ★★ D: George Doesn’t succeed in tying its parallel stories toRomero. Lane Carroll, W.G. McMillan, Hargether but holds your interest. Creditable diold Wayne Jones, Lloyd Hollar, Lynn Lowry. recting debut for Banderas, whose wife is Biological plague hits small Pennsylvania well cast. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 town. The Army is called in to contain it; Crazy Jack and the Boy SEE: Silence townspeople rebel, defy soldiers. Gory but exCrazy Joe (1974-Italian-U.S.) C-100m. ★★1 citing. Aka CODE NAME: TRIXIE. [R]▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Carlo Lizzani. Peter Boyle, Rip ★★★1 C.R.A.Z.Y. (2005-Canadian) C-129m. ⁄2 Torn, Fred Williamson, Eli Wallach, Paula D: Jean-Marc Valle´e. Michel Coˆte´, MarcPrentiss, Luther Adler. Crime drama based Andre´ Grondin, Danielle Proulx, E´mile on the bloody career of New York rackeValle´e, Pierre-Luc Brillant, Maxime Tremteer Crazy Joe Gallo is tolerable, due to its blay, Alex Gravel, Johanne Lebrun. From cast. Henry Winkler can be seen as a mustached hoodlum. [R]▼ childhood, Zach is told he possesses a gift of healing granted to him by Jesus . . . but Crazy Love (2007) C-92m. ★★★ D: Dan he’s equally troubled by a suspicion that Klores, Fisher Stevens. Absorbing docuhe’s gay. Already alienated from his older mentary about a woman who made headbrothers, this puts him at risk of infuriating lines in 1959 when her suitor had acid his proud, domineering (and homophobic) thrown in her face. Today, the two of them father. Absorbing comedy-drama covers are married! A wild, stranger-than-fiction, many years in the life of a family, from 1960 only-in-New-York yarn that reveals its story to 1980, as it charts a young man’s journey one layer at a time, through vintage news of self-awareness. Runs the emotional gamut accounts and intimate new interviews. Fascinating and well told. [PG-13]쩠 but never strikes a false note. Written by Valle´e and Franc¸ois Boulay. Winner of ten Crazy Mama (1975) C-82m. ★★★ D: JonGenie awards, including Best Picture.쩠 athan Demme. Cloris Leachman, Stuart Crazy/Beautiful (2001) C-99m. ★★ D: John Whitman, Ann Sothern, Jim Backus, Donny Stockwell. Kirsten Dunst, Jay Hernandez, Most, Linda Purl, Bryan Englund, Merie Bruce Davison, Lucinda Jenney, Taryn ManEarle, Sally Kirkland. Joyous, unrelentning, Rolando Molina. A wealthy white high ingly kitschy celebration of ’50s America school girl, whose hell-raising ways mask a (opportunity, rock ’n’ roll, and the road), troubled soul, falls in love with a Latino boy made during Demme’s exploitation days, from the other side of the tracks. Story makes follows three generations of women (Sothern, all the right moves at first, then ducks too many Leachman, Purl) and the men they pick issues and whitewashes too many details to up, on an absurdist crime spree from Calimake sense, logically or emotionally. Too bad; fornia to family homestead in Arkansas. Rough in places; overall a gem. Dennis this one had some potential. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Quaid has bit part in film debut. [PG] ▼쩠 Crazy House (1943) 80m. ★★★ D: Edward F. Cline. Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Crazy Moon (1986-Canadian) C-87m. ★★★ Martha O’Driscoll, Patric Knowles, Cass D: Allan Eastman. Kiefer Sutherland, Peter Daley, Percy Kilbride. Olsen & Johnson take Spence, Vanessa Vaughan, Ken Pogue, Eve over film studio to make epic in frantic muNapier. Occasionally cliche´d, but still warm, sicomedy with guests galore: Basil Rathbone, winning little story of wealthy, alienated teen Count Basie, Allan Jones, Edgar Kennedy, Sutherland and his romance with bright, Billy Gilbert, Andy Devine, etc. independent—and deaf—salesgirl Vaughan. Originally titled HUGGERS. [PG-13]▼● Crazy House (1973-British) C-90m. ★★ D: Peter Sykes. Ray Milland, Frankie Howerd, Crazy People (1990) C-90m. ★★ D: Tony Rosalie Crutchley, Kenneth Griffith, Elizabeth Bill. Dudley Moore, Daryl Hannah, Paul McClennan. Horror spoof that fails as comedy Reiser, Mercedes Ruehl, J.T. Walsh, Bill but succeeds with the chills. Overage enterSmitrovich, Alan North, David Paymer, tainer Howerd finds he’s related to Milland’s Dick Cusack, Ben Hammer. Stressed-out greedy family, which is being killed off for ad exec Moore devises a series of brutally [ 293 ]

honest (and very funny) advertisements, ’50s monster movie has been copied so often which prompt his partner to place him in a that some of the edge is gone, but story of mental institution. Then, to everyone’s Amazon expedition encountering deadly Gill amazement, the ads are a sensational sucMan is still entertaining, with juicy atmocess. Though the mock ads are quite funny, sphere, luminous underwater photography sefilm is bland, even dull. Ever likable Dudley quences directed by James C. Havens and chalks up a few extra points. [R]▼●쩠 Scotty Welbourne. Originally in 3-D, but just Crazy-Quilt, The (1966) 75m. ★★★ D: John as good without it. Two sequels: REVENGE Korty. Ina Mela, Tom Rosqui, David WinOF THE CREATURE and THE CREATURE WALKS AMONG US. ▼●쩠 ters, Ellen Frye. Korty’s first feature is almost a home movie, featuring arresting Creature From the Haunted Sea (1961) 74m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger Corman. Antony images but diffuse, whimsical (ultimately pompous) story of girl’s various romantic Carbone, Betsy Jones-Moreland, Edward liaisons while her exterminator husband sits Wain, E. R. Alvarez, Robert Bean. Gangaround and mopes. Filmed silent, with awkster tries to cover crime wave by creating ward post-synched dialogue; relies heavily panic with story of sea monster . . . then upon Burgess Meredith’s narration, unusual real sea monster shows up. Roger Corman score by Peter Schickele. quickie comedy is not as freakish as his Crazy Stranger SEE: Gadjo Dilo others. Costar Wain is actually OscarCrazy Streets SEE: Forever, Lulu winning screenwriter Robert Towne. ReCrazy World of Julius Vrooder, The make of NAKED PARADISE.▼쩠 (1974) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Hiller. Creatures SEE: From Beyond the Grave Timothy Bottoms, Barbara Hershey, George Creatures of the Prehistoric Planet SEE: Marshall, Albert Salmi, Lawrence Pressman. Vampire Men of the Lost Planet Nobody likes this offbeat comedy of a conCreatures the World Forgot (1971-British) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Don Chaffey. Julie Ege, fused Vietnam vet who acts insane to cope with a crazy world, but it has a certain charm. Tony Bonner, Robert John, Sue Wilson, Veteran director Marshall returned to acting Rosalie Crutchley. Hammer Films gives here shortly before his death. [PG] us another prehistoric movie with no dinosaurs and little credibility. [PG]▼ Created to Kill SEE: Embryo Creation of the Humanoids (1962) C-75m. Creature Walks Among Us, The (1956) 78m. ★★ D: John Sherwood. Jeff Morrow, BOMB D: Wesley E. Barry. Don Megowan, Frances McCann, Erica Elliott, Don DooRex Reason, Leigh Snowden, Gregg Palmlittle. Years after an atomic war, human beer. Sequel to REVENGE OF THE CREAings are about to be outnumbered by their TURE has Gill Man (Ricou Browning in subservient robots; anti-robot Megowan diswater, Don Megowan on land) captured by covers a plot to replace people with robot humans, subjected to surgery in hopes of duplicates. Andy Warhol loved this slow, humanizing him, returning to the ocean stagy cheapie.▼쩠 after a few mild tantrums.▼●쩠 ★★ Creator (1985) C-107m. D: Ivan Passer. Creature Wasn’t Nice, The (1981) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Bruce Kimmel. Cindy Williams, Peter O’Toole, Mariel Hemingway, Vincent Spano, Virginia Madsen, David Ogden Stiers, Bruce Kimmel, Leslie Nielsen, Gerrit John Dehner, Jeff Corey. O’Toole once again Graham, Patrick Macnee, Ron Kurowski. plays a Lovable Eccentric (which he does to Silly monster-loose-in-spaceship parody: perfection), this time a university-based scienNielsen is the firm but obtuse commander, tist who’s trying to revive his long-dead wife Macnee the loony scientist, Williams the and who serves as mentor for impressionable only woman on board, etc. Believe it or student Spano. Amiable but aimless adaptanot, this is a musical (one song is titled tion of Jeremy Leven’s novel, redeemed only ‘‘I Want to Eat Your Face’’). Aka SPACESHIP and NAKED SPACE. [PG]▼쩠 by O’Toole’s magnetism. [R]▼●쩠 Creature (1985) C-97m. ★★ D: William Creature With the Blue Hand (1970-German) C-74m. ★★ D: Alfred Vohrer. Klaus Malone. Stan Ivar, Wendy Schaal, Lyman Ward, Robert Jaffe, Diane Salinger, AnKinski, Diana Kerner, Carl Lang, Ilse Page, nette McCarthy, Klaus Kinski. Imitation Harold Leopold. OK Edgar Wallace story of ALIEN set on Saturn’s moon Titan has has innocent man accused of murders pernondescript cast investigating life forms petrated by title creature. Aka THE BLOODY discovered (fatally) by a previous mission. DEAD. [PG]▼쩠 Guest star Kinski is funny, whether spouting Creeper, The SEE: Rituals gibberish or munching nonchalantly on a Creepers, The (1971) SEE: In the Devil’s sandwich during otherwise tense scenes. OrigGarden Creepers (1984-Italian) C-110m. ★★★ D: inally titled TITAN FIND. [R]▼●쩠 Creature From the Black Lagoon (1954) Dario Argento. Jennifer Connelly, Donald 79m. ★★★ D: Jack Arnold. Richard CarlPleasence, Daria Nicolodi, Dalila Di Lazzaro, son, Julia (Julie) Adams, Richard Denning, Patrick Bauchau, Fiore Argento. Typically Antonio Moreno, Whit Bissell, Nestor Paiva, stylish, bizarre Argento horror opus whose Ricou Browning, Ben Chapman. Archetypal premise—a mad killer running amok at a [ 294 ]

Swiss girls’ school—serves as a framework Andersson, Liv Ullmann, Ingrid Thulin, for some cleverly weird goings-on. For openKari Sylwan, Erland Josephson, George ers, Connelly plays a girl who has a most Arlin, Henning Moritzen. Beautifully phounusual relationship with insects. Don’t say tographed and acted drama about lives of a you weren’t warned! Aka PHENOMENA. dying woman, her sisters and a servant girl Also shown in 82m. version. [R]▼●쩠 was tremendous critical success, but may Creeping Flesh, The (1973-British) C-94m. be too talky for some. Cinematographer ★★★ D: Freddie Francis. Peter Cushing, Sven Nykvist won an Oscar. [R]▼●쩠 Christopher Lee, Lorna Heilbron, George Cries in the Night SEE: Funeral Home Crime and Passion (1976) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Benson. Well-intentioned, old-fashioned monster film on reincarnation of ancient Ivan Passer. Omar Sharif, Karen Black, evil spirit. Cushing and Lee play rival Joseph Bottoms, Bernhard Wicki. Bizarre brothers competing over ancient skeleton comedy-thriller set in Austrian Alps. Sharif that slowly returns to life. Numerous subis international financier who persuades secplots add to the fun. [PG]▼●쩠 retary-mistress Black to wed industrialist Creeping Unknown, The SEE: QuaterWicki for his money, then finds they are both mass Xperiment, The marked for death by the husband. [R]▼ Creepshow (1982) C-120m. ★★ D: George Crime and Punishment (1935) 88m. ★★1⁄2 Romero. Hal Holbrook, Adrienne Barbeau, D: Josef von Sternberg. Edward Arnold, Fritz Weaver, Leslie Nielsen, Carrie Nye, Peter Lorre, Marian Marsh, Tala Birell, E. G. Marshall, Viveca Lindfors, Ed Harris, Elisabeth Risdon. Fascinating HollywoodTed Danson, Gaylen Ross. Romero nicely ization of Dostoyevsky’s novel about man captures the look of a comic book in this haunted by murder he committed. Lowhomage to 1950s E.C. Comics, but Stephen budget but full of inventive ideas by von King’s five ‘‘fantastic tales’’ of revenge and Sternberg.▼● just desserts are transparent and heavyCrime and Punishment (1958-French) handed (King himself stars in the second 108m. ★★★ D: Georges Lampin. Jean Gabin, episode, as an ill-fated rube). Finale has Marina Vlady, Ulla Jacobsson, Bernard hundreds of cockroaches bursting through Blier. Perceptive updating of Dostoyevsky the stomach of a man with an insect phobia novel set in Paris. Retitled: THE MOST (Marshall). If that’s your cup of tea, tune in. DANGEROUS SIN. Followed by two sequels. [R]▼●쩠 Crime & Punishment, USA (1959) 78m. ★★1 Creepshow 2 (1987) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Mi⁄2 D: Denis Sanders. George Hamilton, chael Gornick. Lois Chiles, George KenMary Murphy, Frank Silvera, Marian Seldes, nedy, Dorothy Lamour, Tom Savini, DomeJohn Harding, Wayne Heffley. Trim, upnick John, Frank S. Salsedo, Holt McCalldated version of Dostoyevsky novel has any, David Holbrook, Page Hannah. George Hamilton (film debut) a law student who becomes involved in robbery and murder.쩠 A. Romero scripted this trio of Stephen King short stories, but their combined repCrime Busters (1980-Italian) C-98m. ★1⁄2 utations can’t lift this cheap-looking movie D: E. B. Clucher (Enzo Barboni). Terence out of the muck. As in the much slicker Hill, Bud Spencer, Laura Gemser, Luciana CREEPSHOW, all the stories are juvenile Catenacci. Filmed in Miami, this copand heavy-handed (a wooden Indian comes movie parody is a hair better than other to life, a hitchhiker run over by a motorist Hill-Spencer efforts, but not a patch on the lives on to terrorize her, etc.). King apTrinity films; chief novelty derives from pears briefly as a truck driver. Followed by watching them go through their paces in a a direct-to-video sequel. [R]▼●쩠 contemporary American setting. Bad dubCrest of the Wave (1954-British) 90m. bing doesn’t help. Filmed in 1976 as TWO ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Boulting, Roy Boulting. Gene SUPERCOPS. Originally 115m. [PG]▼쩠 Kelly, John Justin, Bernard Lee, Jeff RichCrime Doctor series SEE: Leonard Malards. Static account of Navy officer Kelly tin’s Classic Movie Guide joining British research group to supervise Crime in the Streets (1956) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: demolition experiments. Donald Siegel. James Whitmore, John 1 ★★ Crew, The (2000) C-87m. Cassavetes, Sal Mineo, Mark Rydell, Virginia ⁄2 D: Michael Dinner. Richard Dreyfuss, Burt Reynolds, Gregg, Denise Alexander, Will Kuluva, Peter Seymour Cassel, Dan Hedaya, Jennifer Tilly, Votrian, Malcolm Atterbury. Incisive if overCarrie-Anne Moss, Lainie Kazan, Jeremy long drama of angry, alienated teen CassaPiven, Miguel Sandoval, Fyvush Finkel, Casey vetes, who conspires to commit murder. Good Siemaszko. Silly comedy about four Miami performance by Cassavetes, also Mineo and senior citizens who yearn to relive their glory future director Rydell as his cronies and Whitdays as mobsters . . . and unexpectedly get more as an idealistic social worker. Adapted their chance when they run afoul of a Latino by Reginald Rose from his 1955 teleplay; drug lord. Featherweight movie coasts on Cassavetes, Rydell, and Kuluva repeat their TV performances.▼ the good will of its cast. [PG-13]▼쩠 Cries and Whispers (1972-Swedish) CCrime of Father Amaro, The (2002106m. ★★★ D: Ingmar Bergman. Harriet Mexican-Argentinean-Spanish-French) C[ 295 ]

120m. ★★★ D: Carlos Carrera. Gael Garcı´a Bernal, Sancho Gracia, Ana Claudia Talanco´n, Damia´n Alca´zar, Ange´lica Arago´n, Pedro Armenda´riz, Jr. Pointed melodrama about hypocrisy and corruption in the Catholic Church, centering on a handsome, newly ordained priest (Bernal) who becomes sexually involved with a beautiful 16-year-old parishioner. Controversial, to be sure, for its portrayal of desire and temptation (not to mention corruption) within the clergy. Based on a 19th-century Portuguese novel; a major box-office hit in Mexico. [R] ▼쩠 Crime of Monsieur Lange, The (1936French) 90m. ★★★ D: Jean Renoir. Rene Lefevre, Jules Berry, Florelle, Nadia Sibirskaia, Sylvia Bataille, Jean Daste. Clever (if a bit too talky) tale of an exploited publishing house clerk (Lefevre), who pens stories in his spare time, his evil, lecherous boss (Berry), and a host of complications. Scripted by Jacques Pre´vert, with a pointed anticapitalist message.▼● Crime of Passion (1957) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gerd Oswald. Barbara Stanwyck, Sterling Hayden, Raymond Burr, Fay Wray, Royal Dano, Virginia Grey. Stanwyck is rough and tough as grasping wife who’ll do anything to forward police lieutenant husband’s career.

▼쩠

kins, John Laughlin, Annie Potts, BruceDavison. Laughlin, trapped in a stale marriage, takes up with mysterious Turner—fashion designer by day, hooker by night. Watchable mess is, given the subject matter, less out of control than other Russell movies. Turner actually gives a performance; Perkins amuses in one of his standard nutso roles. One of the two homevideo versions has several minutes of kinky footage originally seen only in Europe. [R] ▼●쩠 Crimes of the Heart (1986) C-105m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Diane Keaton, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, Tess Harper, David Carpenter, Hurd Hatfield. Three Southern sisters, who are equally offcenter, share their various woes and idiosyncrasies (along with pent-up jealousies and resentments) during a fateful reunion. Superior performances can’t make a really good film out of Beth Henley’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play, even though Henley wrote the screenplay herself. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Crime Spree (2003-U.S.-French-BritishCanadian) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brad Mirman. Harvey Keitel, Ge´rard Depardieu, Johnny Hallyday, Renaud, Saı¨d Taghmaoui, Ste´phane Freiss, Albert Dray, Abe Vigoda. Disparate group of thieves treks from Paris to Chicago to pull off a heist, but things don’t go as planned. Tarantino-influenced comedy-crime film strives to be clever; innocuous fun, with some unnecessary flights into silliness. Depardieu is slumming here but Keitel, playing the underboss of the Chicago Mafia, deftly parodies his tough-guy image. [R]

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989) C104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Woody Allen. Caroline Aaron, Alan Alda, Woody Allen, Claire Bloom, Mia Farrow, Joanna Gleason, Anjelica Huston, Martin Landau, Jenny Nichols, Jerry Orbach, Sam Waterston. Film’s title indicates the themes of two separate stories, which are ▼쩠 neatly tied up in the final scene. Landau plays Crime Wave (1954) 74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andre a married man who is desperate to cut off an De Toth. Sterling Hayden, Gene Nelson, adulterous relationship in this somberly tragic Phyllis Kirk, Ted de Corsia, Charles tale. Allen is an unhappy documentary filmBuchinsky (Bronson), Jay Novello, James maker who’s wooing attractive Farrow while Bell, Dub Taylor, Timothy Carey. Neat litmaking a film about insufferably self-centered tle B picture about some escaped cons who TV producer Alda, in a hilariously bittersweet try to involve a former prisonmate (who’s story. Arguably Woody’s most ambitious now gone straight) in their latest heist. film, playing heavy drama against often upActuality-style filming on L.A. locations roarious comedy, and certainly one of his gives this an extra boost.쩠 most passionately debated; a one-of-a-kind efCrimewave (1985) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam fort that only he could pull off. Daryl Hannah Raimi. Louise Lasser, Paul L. Smith, Brion has an unbilled cameo as one of Alda’s chipJames, Sheree J. Wilson, Bruce Campbell, Reed Birney, Edward R. Pressman, pies. [PG-13]▼●쩠 1 ★★ Crime School (1938) 86m. Julius Harris. After a successful debut with ⁄2 D: Lewis Seiler. Dead End Kids (Billy Halop, Bobby EVIL DEAD, director Raimi pays tribute Jordan, Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, Bernard to slapstick comedy with this weird, alPunsley, Gabriel Dell), Humphrey Bogart, most incoherent crime story set in Detroit. Gale Page. Bogart sets out to improve a Smith and James are well cast as grotesque reform school, but meets his match in the goons on a robbery/killing spree. This exDead End Kids. OK reworking of THE ercise in style was cowritten by Raimi’s MAYOR OF HELL, weakened by the pals, Joel and Ethan Coen. [PG-13]▼ Kids’ disreputable personalities and Bogart’s Crime Without Passion (1934) 72m. ★★★ unlikely casting as a do-gooder. Story D: Ben Hecht, Charles MacArthur. Claude rehashed again as HELL’S KITCHEN. Rains, Margo, Whitney Bourne, Stanley Crimes of Dr. Mabuse, The SEE: TestaRidges, Esther Dale, Leslie Adams. Bizarre, ment of Dr. Mabuse, The fascinating melodrama of callous lawyer Rains, jealous of Margo’s escorts, who Crimes of Passion (1984) C-101m. ★★ D: Ken Russell. Kathleen Turner, Anthony Permust establish false alibi after shooting her [ 296 ]

in lovers’ quarrel. Helen Hayes (Mrs. Crimson Altar, The SEE: Crimson Cult, The Charles MacArthur) and Fanny Brice have Crimson Blade, The (1963-British) C-82m. brief cameos in hotel lobby scene, and ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Gilling. Lionel Jeffries, Olidirectors Hecht and MacArthur play rever Reed, Jack Hedley, June Thorburn, porters! Slavko Vorkapich contributed Duncan Lamont. OK swashbuckler features that incredible opening montage depictromance between two young people on ing The Furies in night flight over N.Y.C. opposite side of Cromwell’s struggle for Crime Zone (1988) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Luis power in 17th century; good-looking HamLlosa. David Carradine, Peter Nelson, mer production. Originally titled THE Sherilyn Fenn, Michael Shaner, Orlando SCARLET BLADE. Megascope. Sacha. Moody sci-fi set in repressive, stratCrimson Cult, The (1968-British) C-87m. ified future society. Upper-caste Carradine ★★ D: Vernon Sewell. Mark Eden, Virrecruits young lovers to commit crimes for a ginia Wetherell, Christopher Lee, Boris surprising reason. Profane, satiric, well-crafted Karloff, Michael Gough, Barbara Steele. low-budgeter, but loses its way before the finLackluster script and pacing major flaws ish. Shot in Peru! [R]▼ in standard witchcraft thriller featuring aging Criminal, The SEE: Concrete Jungle, Karloff as expert on black magic, Steele (in The (1960) green makeup) as 300-year-old witch. OrigiCriminal (2004) C-87m. ★★★ D: Gregory nal British titles: CURSE OF THE CRIMJacobs. John C. Reilly, Diego Luna, Maggie SON ALTAR and THE CRIMSON ALGyllenhaal, Peter Mullan, Jonathan Tucker, TAR. [M/PG]▼● Enrico Colantoni, Zitto Kazann, Michael Crimson Gold (2003-Iranian) C-92m. ★★★ Shannon, Malik Yoba, Ellen Geer, Jack D: Jafar Panahi. Hossain Emadeddin, KaConley. Cocky, small-time L.A. con artist myar Sheisi, Azita Rayeji, Shahram Vaziri, (Reilly) takes on a prote´ge´ (Luna) who Ehsan Amani, Pourang Nakhaei, Kaveh Najknows a trick or two himself. During the mabadi, Saber Safaei. A pizza delivery man course of one eventful day they become inin Tehran quietly endures a series of social volved in what could be the biggest deal indignities that eventually drive him to take of their lives. Entertaining yarn keeps you desperate action. A subtle, pointed critique guessing to the very last minute. A remake of class conflicts, told in slow, naturalistic of the Argentinean film NINE QUEENS. style. Leading man Emadeddin was, in real Jacobs’ directing debut; he also cowrote the life, a pizza delivery man. Written by (anscript with Sam Lowry (a pen name for other) famed Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kicoproducer Steven Soderbergh). [R]▼쩠 arostami. This was banned in Iran.▼쩠 Criminal Code, The (1931) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Crimson Kimono, The (1959) 82m. ★★ Howard Hawks. Walter Huston, Phillips D: Samuel Fuller. Victoria Shaw, Glenn Holmes, Constance Cummings, Mary DorCorbett, James Shigeta, Anna Lee, Paul an, Boris Karloff, De Witt Jennings. WarDubov, Jaclynne Greene, Gloria Pall. Two den Huston—tough but essentially fair—faces L.A. detectives investigate a stripper’s mura dilemma when his daughter falls in love der in this offbeat little film; more interestwith prisoner Holmes. Creaky in parts, lively ing for Sam Fuller buffs than general in others, but cast and director make this a viewers, who may find story and treatment must for buffs. Remade as PENITENTIARY too low-key and meandering. in 1938 and CONVICTED in 1950.▼ Crimson Pirate, The (1952) C-104m. Criminal Law (1989) C-117m. ★1⁄2 D: Martin ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Robert Siodmak. Burt Lancaster, Campbell. Gary Oldman, Kevin Bacon, Karen Nick Cravat, Eva Bartok, Torin Thatcher, Young, Joe Don Baker, Tess Harper, Elizabeth Christopher Lee, James Hayter. Lancaster and Sheppard. Weak suspense film, done in by an Cravat swashbuckle their way across the unsatisfying script and unbelievable story. Mediterranean in one of the great genre clasSlick attorney Oldman (playing an Amerisics of all time. Cult film offers loads of thrills can—and quite well) matches wits with and laughs to both children and adults. wealthy psychopath Bacon in tale of serial ▼●쩠 murders in Boston. Unnecessarily pretentious, Crimson Rivers, The (2000-French) Cunintentionally funny, and, unfortunately, 110m. ★★★ D: Mathieu Kassovitz. Jean filmed nowhere near Boston. [R]▼●쩠 Reno, Vincent Cassel, Nadia Fare`s, DomiCriminal Life of Archibaldo de la Cruz, nique Sanda, Karim Belkhadra, Jean-Pierre The (1955-Mexican) 91m. ★★ D: Luis Bun˜uel. Cassel. Compelling mystery-thriller about a Ernesto Alonso, Miroslava Stern, Rita Macedo, police investigator called to a remote French Ariadna Welter, Rodolfo Landa, Andrea valley where a grisly murder has occurred— Palma. Very minor psychological drama from the work of a deranged mind. Meanwhile, a Bun˜uel. As a boy, Archibaldo witnesses his detective from a small town miles away looks governess’ death and is fascinated by what he into the desecration of a young girl’s feels; as a man, he’s obsessed with murder and tomb—which leads him onto the same path dying. Much too talky; it sounds far more interas his older, more famous colleague. Excitesting than it plays.▼ ing, unpredictable film, adapted by Kassov[ 297 ]

itz and Jean-Christophe Grange´ from the latter’s novel. Followed by a direct-to-video sequel. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Crimson Tide (1995) C-115m. ★★★ D: Tony Scott. Denzel Washington, Gene Hackman, Matt Craven, George Dzundza, Viggo Mortensen, James Gandolfini, Rocky Carroll, Jaime P. Gomez, Michael Milhoan, Scott Burkholder, Danny Nucci, Lillo Brancato, Jr., Rick Schroder, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Steve Zahn, Ryan Phillippe. The producer-director team that brought you TOP GUN fashioned this macho power-play saga aboard a Navy nuclear submarine. Tensions run high when the U.S. is pushed to the brink of war with Russia, especially when veteran sub commander Hackman starts showing Capt. Queeg tendencies and his new lieutenant (Washington) tries to assert himself. Obvious, to be sure, with a foregone conclusion, but highly entertaining just the same. Jason Robards appears unbilled. Hip dialogue added (without credit) by Quentin Tarantino. Alternate unrated version is 123m. Panavision. [R]

his career, is drawn into a controversy over a patient who’s on a life support system, and whose two daughters disagree about his future. Satire of modern medicine (from the director of NETWORK) is heavy-handed and obvious at times, but redeems itself with a satisfying conclusion. Brooks is fun as the aged, once-brilliant doctor whose memory is now shot. And it’s hard to dislike any film that begins with the Delta Rhythm Boys singing ‘‘Dry Bones.’’ [R]▼●쩠 Critical Condition (1987) C-107m. BOMB D: Michael Apted. Richard Pryor, Rachel Ticotin, Ruben Blades, Joe Mantegna, Bob Dishy, Sylvia Miles, Joe Dallesandro, Bob Saget, Randall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, Garrett Morris. Pryor is a con artist who takes charge at a prison hospital, with predictable results. He’s in good form, but the material just isn’t there; its semiserious and sentimental threads don’t work at all, and the comedy is pretty anemic. [R]▼●쩠 Critic’s Choice (1963) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Weis. Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Marilyn Maxwell, Rip Torn, Jessie Royce Lan▼●쩠 Crisis (1950) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Brooks. dis, Marie Windsor, John Dehner. An inCary Grant, Jose Ferrer, Paula Raymond, joke Broadway play diluted for movie Signe Hasso, Ramon Novarro, Antonio audience consumption. Lucy as a novice Moreno, Leon Ames, Gilbert Roland. Meloplaywright outshines Hope who plays her drama of American doctor (Grant) held in drama critic hubby. Film emerges as tired, South American country to treat ailing predictable comedy, with best moments dictator (Ferrer); intriguing but slow. contributed by supporting players. Based Brooks’s first film as director. Also shown on a play by Ira Levin. Panavision.▼쩠 in computer-colored version.쩠 Critters (1986) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: SteCriss Cross (1949) 87m. ★★★ D: Robert phen Herek. Dee Wallace Stone, M. EmSiodmak. Burt Lancaster, Yvonne De Carlo, met Walsh, Billy Green Bush, Scott Grimes, Dan Duryea, Stephen McNally. Lancaster reNadine Van Der Velde, Terrence Mann, turns to hometown, where he crosses path of Billy Zane. GREMLINS-inspired aliens ex-wife De Carlo, who’s taken up with gangroll along like tumbleweeds, gobbling ster Duryea. Potent film noir look (by cinemaeverything in sight while chuckling to tographer Franz Planer) and music (by Miklos themselves—until they’re menaced by Rozsa) help compensate for Lancaster’s miscritter-hunters from space. Pretty good litcasting as an easily manipulated husband. tle thriller with comic overtones. Followed by three sequels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Tony Curtis’ screen debut; he’s briefly seen as De Carlo’s dance partner. Remade in 1995 Critters 2: The Main Course (1988) C-87m. ★★ D: Mick Garris. Scott Grimes, as UNDERNEATH. ▼●쩠 CrissCross (1992) C-100m. ★★ D: Chris Liane Curtis, Don Opper, Barry Corbin, Tom Menges. Goldie Hawn, Arliss Howard, Hodges, Sam Anderson, Lindsay Parker, James Gammon, David Arnott, Keith CarraHerta Ware, Terrence Mann, Roxanne Kernodine, J. C. Quinn, Steve Buscemi, Paul han. The big-mouthed, quill-shooting nasties Calderon. Good intentions abound in this lowtake on an entire town. Nothing special. Folkey drama set in Key West, Florida, in 1969. lowed by two video sequels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 A 12-year-old boy lives with his mom, trying ‘‘Crocodile’’ Dundee (1986-Australian) C-97m. ★★★ D: Peter Faiman. Paul Hogan, to survive since his Dad (a messed-up Vietnam vet) deserted them three years ago. The Linda Kozlowski, John Meillon, David boy’s rootlessness and (eventual) moral diGulpilil, Mark Blum, Michael Lombard, lemma are delineated in credible but much Irving Metzman. Amiable, laid-back Aussie too leisurely fashion, making this potential comedy (that became an enormous worldsleeper a yawner instead. [R]▼●쩠 wide hit) about an adventurer who shows a Critical Care (1997) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidpretty American reporter around the bush ney Lumet. James Spader, Helen Mirren, country, then accompanies her to the equally Kyra Sedgwick, Albert Brooks, Anne Banstrange terrain of N.Y.C. Irresistibly simple croft, Wallace Shawn, Philip Bosco, Jeffrey and old-fashioned, with a sweetness that’s Wright, Margo Martindale, Colm Feore, rare in modern comedies. Hogan, making Edward Herrmann. A young resident, alhis movie debut, also cowrote the screenready cynical about the medical system and play (reportedly inspired by TARZAN’S [ 298 ]

NEW YORK ADVENTURE). For Amerinot the idea. Great battle scenes, great cinemacan release quotation marks were added tography and Oscar-winning costume design, around CROCODILE—lest anyone think it hampered by Harris and amateurish music score. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 was about a reptile! Followed by two sequels. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Cro´nicas (2004-Mexican-Ecuadorian) C98m. ★★ D: Sebastia´n Cordero. John Legui‘‘Crocodile’’ Dundee II (1988-U.S.zamo, Leonor Watling, Damia´n Alcaza´r, Australian) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Cornell. Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, John Jose´ Marı´a Yazpik, Alfred Molina. UnderMeillon, Ernie Dingo, Hechter Ubarry, developed, repetitive story about a hotshot Juan Fernandez, Charles Dutton, Kenneth TV reporter who fancies himself a hero of the Welsh, Luis Guzman, Stephen Root, Colin people. He intervenes in a lynching but learns Quinn. Pleasant followup to the runaway hit that the man whose life he saved may have a reverses the original by opening in N.Y.C. connection to a serial killer. He keeps probing and winding up in the bush country of Ausdeeper, trying to get the elusive story while tralia. This time the unflappable tracker runs fending off his boss (Molina)—and carrying afoul of an international drug kingpin. So on an affair with the man’s wife, who is also leisurely that after a while you wish they’d his producer. Leguizamo is good as usual, but the story doesn’t add up. [R] 쩠 get on with it—especially when all suspense about the outcome is eliminated. Hogan’s Cronos (1992-Mexican) C-92m. ★★★ D: charisma carries this almost singlehandedly. Guillermo del Toro. Federico Luppi, Ron Written by Hogan and his son Brett. PanaviPerlman, Claudio Brook, Margarita Isabel, sion. [PG]▼●쩠 Tamara Shanath, Daniel Cacho, Mario MarCrocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001tinez, Juan Colombo, Farnesio DeBernal. U.S.-Australian) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Simon An elderly, kindly antique dealer accidenWincer. Paul Hogan, Linda Kozlowski, Serge tally activates the Cronos Device, an instruCockburn, Jere Burns, Jonathan Banks, Paul ment that grants eternal life—but at a great Rodriguez, Aida Turturro. Mick Dundee acprice: it turns the person who uses it into a companies his ’80s squeeze Sue (Kozlowski) (nontraditional) vampire. Howard Hughes– to L.A. when she travels there to run the like billionaire Brook sends his chuckling family newspaper and checks out the sights nephew Perlman after the gadget. Inventive, with their 9-year-old son. First Croco-pic in entertaining film blends wit, horror, tragedy, 13 years is as tired as it sounds, despite and suspense in about equal doses, adding cameos by Mike Tyson and George Hamillots of oddball character details.▼쩠 ton (touting coffee enemas. Decaf or reguCrook, The (1971-French) C-120m. ★★★ lar?). Sue’s investigative reporting attempts D: Claude Lelouch. Jean-Louis Trintignant, to discover why a Hollywood studio keeps Daniele Delorme, Charles Denner, Christine producing unwanted sequels, which is more Lelouch. An elaborate kidnapping scheme irony than this picture can handle. [PG]▼쩠 takes surprising twists in this stylish and clever Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, The caper. [G]쩠 1 ★ (2002-Australian-U.S.) C-90m. ⁄2 D: John Crooked Hearts (1991) C-112m. ★★★ D: Stainton. Steve Irwin, Terri Irwin, Magda Michael Bortman. Vincent D’Onofrio, JenSzubanski, David Wenham, Lachy Hulme, nifer Jason Leigh, Pete Berg, Cindy PickAden Young, Kenneth Ransom, Kate Beaett, Peter Coyote, Juliette Lewis, Noah han. Contrived movie vehicle for the popuWyle, Marg Helgenberger, Wendy Galar Aussie TV host and animal lover Irwin zelle. Engaging, multileveled domestic features nail-biting footage of him confrontdrama showing how husband/father Coying snakes, spiders, and crocodiles, but it’s ote’s indiscretion affects the various memsurrounded by a storyline so lame (enacted bers of his family. A thoughtful, well-acted by an equally lame cast) that it hardly seems sleeper. Bortman also scripted, from Robert Boswell’s novel. [R]▼●쩠 worth the trouble. For the record, a croc has swallowed a satellite capsule that the CIA Crooked Road, The (1965-British) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Chaffey. Robert Ryan, Stewneeds to recover. Youthful fans are better off watching a rerun of the TV show inart Granger, Nadia Gray, Marius Goring, stead. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 George Coulouris. OK battle of wits beCromwell (1970-British) C-145m. ★★ D: tween dictator Granger and newspaperman Ken Hughes. Richard Harris, Alec Guinness, Ryan, who’s got the goods on him. Robert Morley, Dorothy Tutin, Frank FinCrooklyn (1994) C-132m. ★★1⁄2 D: Spike lay, Timothy Dalton, Patrick Wymark, Lee. Alfre Woodard, Delroy Lindo, David Patrick Magee, Nigel Stock, Charles Gray, Patrick Kelly, Zelda Harris, Carlton WilMichael Jayston, Geoffrey Keen. Turgid liams, Sharif Rashed, Tse-Mach Washinghistorical epic has everything money can ton, Christopher Knowings, Jose Zuniga, buy, but no human feeling underneath. Spike Lee, Frances Foster, Norman MatHarris is coldly unsympathetic as 17thlock, Joie Susannah Lee, Vondie Curtis century Briton determined to rid England Hall, RuPaul. At times abrasive, at times of tyrannical rule; one feels more sympaembracing comedy-drama about a family’s thy for King Charles I (Guinness), which is life and times in 1970s Brooklyn, focusing [ 299 ]

on young Troy (Harris), who has a special Crossfire (1947) 86m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Edward relationship with her fiery mother and Dmytryk. Robert Young, Robert Mitchum, warmhearted father—and little use for her Robert Ryan, Gloria Grahame, Paul Kelly, four raucous brothers. Vivid, semi-autobioRichard Benedict, Sam Levene, Jacquegraphical film, written by Lee with his line White, Steve Brodie, Lex Barker. brother and sister, has strong performances Engrossing film of insane ex-soldier leading and many fine moments, but it seems aimcity police in murderous chase. Anti-Semitic less at first and goes on for quite some time. issue handled with taste, intelligence. Script One long sequence is shot in a deliberately by John Paxton, from Richard Brooks’ distorted format. [PG-13]▼●쩠 novel The Brick Foxhole. Also shown in Crooks and Coronets (1969-British) Ccomputer-colored version.▼●쩠 106m. ★★ D: Jim O’Connolly. Telly Savalas, Crossing Delancey (1988) C-97m. ★★★ Edith Evans, Warren Oates, Cesar RomeD: Joan Micklin Silver. Amy Irving, Reizl ro, Harry H. Corbett. Crooks Savalas and Bozyk, Peter Riegert, Jeroen Krabbe´, SylOates are hired to rob Evans’ estate, but via Miles, Suzzy Roche, George Martin, can’t bring themselves to do it once they John Bedford Lloyd, Claudia Silver, Roseget to know her. Amiable but ordinary mary Harris, Amy Wright, David (Hyde) heist comedy. Aka SOPHIE’S PLACE. [M/ Pierce. Charming comedy about a self-reliPG] ▼ ant young N.Y.C. woman whose Jewish Crooks Anonymous (1962-British) 87m. grandmother arranges for her to meet an eligi★1 ⁄2 D: Ken Annakin. Leslie Phillips, Stanble bachelor through the services of a marley Baxter, Wilfrid Hyde-White, James riage broker . . . much to her chagrin. Robertson Justice, Julie Christie. Cornball Amusing, sometimes wistful look at the clash comedy with thief Phillips enrolling in between old-world traditions and our modern Alcoholics Anonymous-type organization way of life. Adapted by Susan Sandler, from her play. [PG]▼●쩠 for hoods. Christie, in her film debut, plays Babette La Vern, a stripper. Crossing Guard, The (1995) C-114m. ★★ Cross and the Switchblade, The (1972) D: Sean Penn. Jack Nicholson, David Morse, C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: Don Murray. Pat Boone, Anjelica Huston, Robin Wright, Piper Laurie, Erik Estrada, Jackie Giroux, Jo-Ann RobRichard Bradford, Robbie Robertson, John inson. Crusading minister Boone winds up Savage, Priscilla Barnes, Kari Wuhrer, Richin New York street-gang rumbles. Uneven, ard Sarafian, Joe Viterelli. Introspective mood uninteresting, though sincere attempt at piece about a man’s inability to deal with the uplifting, moralistic filmmaking. [PG]▼쩠 drunk-driving death of his young daughter ★★★ Cross Creek (1983) C-122m. D: Martin six years earlier, and his pursuit of the killer, Ritt. Mary Steenburgen, Rip Torn, Peter who’s just been released from prison. Sober Coyote, Dana Hill, Alfre Woodard, Joand somber, but heavy-handed and never terrianna Miles, Ike Eisenmann, Cary Guffey, bly moving. Penn wrote the original screenJay O. Sanders. Leisurely paced but replay; his mother, Eileen Ryan, plays a jewelry warding drama of writer Marjorie Kinnan store customer, and his father, Leo Penn, plays Rawlings’ endeavor to ‘‘find herself’’ by the skipper of a fishing boat. [R] ▼●쩠 moving to remote Florida backwoods home— Crossing Over (2009) C-114m. ★1⁄2 D: and dealing with the simple people around Wayne Kramer. Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, her. Wonderful performances and regional Ashley Judd, Jim Sturgess, Cliff Curtis, Sumflavor—though Dalene Young’s script takes mer Bishil, Alice Braga, Alice Eve, Jacquemore than a few liberties with the facts. line Obradors, Justin Chon, Melody Khazae, Steenburgen’s then real-life husband Malcolm Lizzy Caplan. Police and border officials are McDowell has cameo as famed editor Maxconfronted daily with the human drama of well Perkins. [PG]▼쩠 ethnic strife, urban violence, and fraud. CrossCrossed Swords (1954-Italian) C-86m. section of L.A. intersects (a` la CRASH) with ★1⁄2 D: Milton Krims. Errol Flynn, Gina the thread being illegal immigration and culLollobrigida, Cesare Danova, Nadia Gray. tural assimilation. Ford and Curtis are fine as Unsuccessful attempt to recapture flavor U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement of swashbucklers of 1930s; set in 16thagent-partners but, like the other leads, they are century Italy with Flynn out to save Gina stranded in a jumbled film that oversimplifies and her father’s kingdom. everything. Exploitative hodgepodge involvCrossed Swords (1978) C-113m. ★★ D: ing multiple races and religions—as well as sleaze—just doesn’t jell. Super 35. [R]쩠 Richard Fleischer. Mark Lester, Oliver Reed, Raquel Welch, Ernest Borgnine, George C. Crossing the Bridge (1992) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 Scott, Rex Harrison, Charlton Heston. Lester is D: Mike Binder. Josh Charles, Jason Gedtoo old for his dual role in well-acted but flat rick, Stephen Baldwin, Cheryl Pollak, Jefversion of Mark Twain’s The Prince and the frey Tambor, Rita Taggart, Hy Anzell, RichPauper. Lavish sets, costumes, and Jack Carard Edson, Ken Jenkins, David Schwimmer. diff’s photography are main assets. Aka THE Modest memory movie, set in the 1960s, PRINCE AND THE PAUPER. Panavision. about Detroit teens tempted to cross the bridge [PG]▼쩠 into Windsor, Canada—to transport hashish [ 300 ]

back into the States. Nothing special, but cerTom Signorelli, Elizabeth Pena, Frank Rotainly nothing disgraceful, either. Stephen bles, Joel Diamond. Salsa performer Blades Baldwin gets a good showcase here. [R]▼쩠 starts shafting his pals, enjoying the good Crossing the Line (1991-U.S.-Englishlife, when he thinks his upcoming album is Scottish) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Leland. going to make him a smash with mainstream Liam Neeson, Joanne Whalley-Kilmer, Ian audiences . . . then the record flops. StanBannen, Billy Connolly, Hugh Grant, Maudard backstage drama offers nothing beyond rice Roeves, Rab Affleck. Two-fisted mine novel ethnicity, though Blades has real worker who’s been blackballed out of work presence on camera.▼쩠 accepts an offer from a mysterious milCrossroads (1942) 82m. ★★★ D: Jack Conlionaire to fight bare-knuckled, but begins way. William Powell, Hedy Lamarr, Claire to worry that he’s abandoned his principles Trevor, Basil Rathbone, Margaret Wychfor some quick cash. Serious-minded film erly, Felix Bressart, Reginald Owen, Sig has pretensions of eloquence and import, Ruman, H. B. Warner. Smooth, clever tale but doesn’t really deliver; solid performof respected diplomat Powell, who was ances and canny filmmaking help. Connolly once a victim of amnesia; he is accused by is a standout as Neeson’s cheerfully sleazy an extortionist of having a previous identity friend. Based on William McIlvanney’s novel as a sly petty crook, causing much grief for The Big Man (also its video title). [R]▼쩠 him and his new wife (Lamarr). Crossroads (1986) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: WalCross My Heart (1987) C-90m. ★★ D: Armyan Bernstein. Martin Short, Annette ter Hill. Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami O’Toole, Paul Reiser, Joanna Kerns. The story Gertz, Joe Morton, Robert Judd, Harry of a date where everything goes wrong, mainly Carey, Jr. Cocky young musician tracks down because both the man and the woman refuse to legendary bluesman in a Harlem hospital and act natural and be themselves. Winning costars agrees to bring him back to his Mississippi bring out the truthful observations in this comic home in return for some long-lost songs. script (by director Bernstein and Gail Parent), Promising idea turns into contrived formula but it’s just too slight, and too slow. [R]▼ film (with undeveloped subplot about the oldCross of Iron (1977-British-West German) timer having sold his soul to the devil). Gets a ★★★ C-119m. shot in the arm from Ry Cooder’s music score D: Sam Peckinpah. James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason, and Seneca’s flavorful performance as the cranky old bluesman. [R]▼●쩠 David Warner, Senta Berger, Klaus Lowitsch. Peckinpah’s only war film, told Crossroads (2002) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tamra from the viewpoint of Germans on the Davis. Britney Spears, Anson Mount, Zoe¨ Russian front in 1943, is compelling withSaldan˜a, Taryn Manning, Kim Cattrall, Dan out being particularly distinguished. The Aykroyd, Justin Long, Beverly Johnson. standard Peckinpah action scenes are exTeenage girl who’s always followed Dadcitingly done. European version runs 130m. dy’s wishes finally cuts loose by taking a Sequel: BREAKTHROUGH. [R]▼쩠 cross-country road trip with two girlhood 1 ★★★ ⁄2 Cross of Lorraine, The (1943) 90m. friends and a guy with a 1973 Buick conD: Tay Garnett. Jean-Pierre Aumont, Gene vertible. Her goal: to meet the mother who Kelly, Cedric Hardwicke, Richard Whorf, abandoned her when she was three. Debut Joseph Calleia, Peter Lorre, Hume Cronyn. vehicle for pop star Spears doesn’t waste High-grade propaganda of WW2 POW camp time showing her in her underwear—and with hero Aumont rousing defeated Kelly to also gives her a couple of songs. Innocuous, battle; Whorf is dedicated doctor, Lorre a depredictable teen fare with a few serious mospicable Nazi, Cronyn a fickle informer. ments. [PG-13]▼쩠 Crossover (1980) SEE: Mr. Patman Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000Crossover (2006) C-95m. ★★ D: Preston Hong Kong-Taiwanese-U.S.) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 A. Whitmore II. Anthony Mackie, Wesley D: Ang Lee. Chow Yun-Fat, Michelle Jonathan, Wayne Brady, Kristen Wilson, Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen, Lung SiLil’ JJ, Phillip ‘‘Hot Sauce’’ Champion, hung, Cheng Pei-Pei. Unusual hybrid of Eva Pigford, Alecia Fears. Onetime sports epic, romance, and martial arts, which folagent (Brady), now a hotshot gambler, lows the secret passions that a retiring wartempts hoopster friends with an offer to esrior (Yun-Fat) and his longtime comrade cape Detroit and become L.A. superstars. (Yeoh) have for each other, and the dangerMackie hopes his underground streetballer ous young noblewoman (Ziyi) who affects skills can shoot him to the big time, while their destiny. Beautifully filmed, with specJonathan aims to become a doctor on an tacular, gravity-defying fight sequences . . . athletic scholarship. So what’s it gonna be: but the characters and the (very protracted) no go or go pro, M.D. or MVP? Faustian story are never as compelling as one would morality play has visual zip and the hop like. Adapted from the novel by Wand Du that’s hip, but the director’s script is less Lu. The action was choreographed by Yuen than a pip. [PG-13]쩠 Wo Ping, who performed similar chores on Crossover Dreams (1985) C-86m. ★★ D: THE MATRIX. Oscar winner for Best ForLeon Ichaso. Ruben Blades, Shawn Elliot, eign Film, Cinematography (Peter Pau), Art [ 301 ]

Direction (Tim Yip), and Original Score role, familiar plot devices, but well done (Tan Dun). Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 by Warner Bros. stock company. Remade Croupier (1999-British-German) C-91m. as INDIANAPOLIS SPEEDWAY. ★★★1 Crucible, The (1956-French-East German) ⁄2 D: Mike Hodges. Clive Owen, Gina McKee, Alex Kingston, Alexander Morton, 140m. ★★★ D: Raymond Rouleau. Simone Kate Hardie, Paul Reynolds, Nick Reding, Signoret, Yves Montand, Mylene DemonNicholas Ball. Highly original film about a geot, Jean Debucourt, Raymond Rouleau. young man who, while pursuing his goal to Successful French translation of Arthur become a published author, takes a job as Miller’s stirring play about the Salem croupier in a London casino—but never witchcraft trials of the 17th century. Signostops observing those around him, or reret and Montand are excellent, recreating marking on his own behavior. Tough, smart their stage performances in the leading roles. script by Paul Mayersberg.▼쩠 Adaptation by Jean-Paul Sartre. Originally tiCrow, The (1994) C-100m. ★★★ D: Alex tled THE WITCHES OF SALEM. Remade Proyas. Brandon Lee, Ernie Hudson, Michael in 1996.▼ Wincott, David Patrick Kelly, Angel David, Crucible, The (1996) C-123m. ★★★ D: Rochelle Davis, Bai Ling, Tony Todd, Jon Nicholas Hytner. Daniel Day-Lewis, WiPolito. A year after his murder and that of his nona Ryder, Joan Allen, Paul Scofield, fiance´e by inner-city hoodlums, a young rock Bruce Davison, Rob Campbell, Jeffrey musician rises from the grave, seeking venJones, George Gaynes. Caught performing geance; he’s guided by a spectral crow. Dark, a ‘‘sinful’’ dance, a group of New England rainy, and violent, the film’s familiar revenge girls, led by Ryder, claim they were overplot is offset by a strong style and an aura of taken by the Devil; soon their village is tragic melancholy. Great urban-hell produccaught in a frenzy of accusations, naming tion design, good performances. Lee died various citizens as witches without so much shortly before filming was complete; digital as a shred of evidence. First American film movie magic enabled him to appear in the rest rendering of Arthur Miller’s classic 1953 of the picture. From James O’Barr’s black and play about parallels between Salem witchwhite comic book. Followed by a sequel, a hunts of the 1600s and Communist witchTV movie, and TV series. [R]▼●쩠 hunts of the 1940s and ’50s. Gets off to a Crow: City of Angels, The (1996) C-84m. shaky start, but finds its voice as the story BOMB D: Tim Pope. Vincent Perez, Mia deepens, and hits its stride with the arrival Kirshner, Richard Brooks, Iggy Pop, of Scofield, who’s brilliant as the judge and Thomas Jane, Vincent Castellanos, Thuy inquisitor. Miller himself wrote the screenTrang. Anemic follow-up to THE CROW, play. [PG-13]▼●쩠 concerning a murdered man who returns to Crucible of Horror (1971-British) C-91m. ★★ life in order to seek revenge on those who D: Viktors Ritelis. Michael Gough, killed him and his cute young son. If you Sharon Gurney, Yvonne Mitchell. Murlast to the end of the film, you’ll be wishing dered man returns to haunt the living. he stayed six feet under. Perez is as grating Nothing new here. [PG]▼쩠 as the nonstop soundtrack. [R] ▼●쩠 Crucified Lovers, The (1954-Japanese) 100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kenji Mizoguchi. Kazuo Crowd, The (1928) 104m. ★★★★ D: King Vidor. Eleanor Boardman, James Murray, Hasegawa, Kyoko Kagawa, Yoko Minamida, Bert Roach, Daniel G. Tomlinson, Dell Eitaro Shindo, Sakae Ozawa. Timid scrollHenderson, Lucy Beaumont. Classic drama maker Hasegawa loves his master’s wife about a few happy and many not-so-happy (Kagawa), with tragic results. Superior days in the marriage of hard-luck couple. performances, stunning direction; originally One of the greatest silent films; holds up a marionette play written in 1715. Better beautifully. Written by Harry Behn, John known by its original Japanese title, CHIKAMATSU MONOGATARI.▼ V.A. Weaver, and director Vidor, from Cruel Intentions (1999) C-97m. ★★ D: the latter’s original story.▼● 1 ★★ Crowded Sky, The (1960) C-105m. Roger Kumble. Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Mi⁄2 D: Joseph Pevney. Dana Andrews, Anne chelle Gellar, Reese Witherspoon, Selma Francis, Rhonda Fleming, Efrem Zimbalist, Blair, Joshua Jackson, Eric Mabius, ChrisJr., John Kerr, Troy Donahue, Keenan tine Baranski, Swoosie Kurtz, Louise Wynn, Joe Mantell, Donald May, Louis Fletcher, Tara Reid. Contemporary telling Quinn, Edward Kemmer, Jean Willes, Patsy of Choderlos de Laclos’ 18th-century novel Kelly. Slick film focusing on emotional Les Liaisons Dangereuses . . . with teenagproblems aboard jet liner and Navy plane ers! Wealthy, jaded stepsiblings Phillippe bound for fateful collision; superficial but and Gellar bet on whether he can seduce virgin Witherspoon. The cast is good, story diverting.쩠 Crowd Roars, The (1932) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: is interesting, but sexual decadence among Howard Hawks. James Cagney, Joan the young is sometimes hard to watch. FolBlondell, Ann Dvorak, Eric Linden, Guy lowed by video prequel (a failed TV pilot) Kibbee, Frank McHugh. Exciting racingand sequel. [R]▼●쩠 driver tale with Cagney in typically cocky Cruel Sea, The (1953-British) 121m. ★★★1⁄2 [ 302 ]

D: Charles Frend. Jack Hawkins, Donald SinFEMALE clone; for a perceptive, nonden, Denholm Elliott, Stanley Baker, John exploitive look at the same subject, see the Stratton, Virginia McKenna, Alec McCowen. 1981 French film BEAU PE`RE. [R]▼●쩠 Well-conceived documentary-style account of Crush (2002-British) C-115m. ★★★ D: John British warship during WW2 and its crew. McKay. Andie MacDowell, Imelda StaunOriginal British running time 126m.▼쩠 ton, Anna Chancellor, Kenny Doughty, Bill Cruel Swamp SEE: Swamp Women Paterson, Caroline Holdaway. Headmistress Cruising (1980) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: William of a British prep school shares secrets and Friedkin. Al Pacino, Paul Sorvino, Karen gossip with two close female friends, but Allen, Richard Cox, Don Scardino, Ed when she plunges into a passionate affair O’Neil, voice of James Sutorius. Cop Pacwith a much younger man, they disapprove ino goes underground to ferret out bloody strongly and begin to meddle. Starts out killer of homosexuals in this distasteful, light and funny and turns unexpectedly badly scripted film. Gay world presented as dark; not always believable, but consistently sick, degrading, and ritualistic. Filmed on entertaining. Writer-director McKay wins authentic N.Y.C. locations. [R]▼쩠 us over on an emotional level in his debut Crumb (1994) C-119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Terry feature. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Zwigoff. Extraordinarily intimate portrait of Crusoe (1988) C-91m. ★★★ D: Caleb underground comic artist (and cult hero) Deschanel. Aidan Quinn, Ade Sapara, Robert Crumb, creator of ‘‘Keep on Warren Clark, Hepburn Grahame, Jimmy Truckin’ ’’ and Fritz the Cat. Zwigoff traces Nail, Tim Spall, Michael Higgins, Shane his career and celebrates his works while exRimmer, Oliver Platt. Solid version of the ploring the cultural influences that shaped oft-filmed Defoe classic, with Quinn cast him. By the time we meet Crumb’s dysfuncas the title character, a slave trader who’s tional brothers, we realize that he survived a shipwrecked on a deserted isle, where he horrific upbringing and found a way to chanmust deal with loneliness, isolation, surnel his own demons through his art. Perhaps vival; most intriguing of all is his evolving this documentary’s greatest achievement is relationship with black warrior Sapara. enabling almost any viewer to feel better Strikingly photographed by Tom Pinter, mostly in the Seychelles. [PG-13]▼ about his own family! [R] ▼●쩠 Crusades, The (1935) 123m. ★★★ D: Cecil Cry-Baby (1990) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: John B. DeMille. Loretta Young, Henry WilWaters. Johnny Depp, Amy Locane, Sucoxon, Ian Keith, C. Aubrey Smith, Kathersan Tyrrell, Polly Bergen, Iggy Pop, Ricki ine DeMille, Joseph Schildkraut, Alan Hale, Lake, Traci Lords, Kim McGuire, Troy C. Henry Gordon, J. Carrol Naish. Love, Donahue, Mink Stole, Joe Dallesandro, action, and great big siege machines in DeJoey Heatherton, David Nelson, Patricia Mille version of medieval era Holy CruHearst, Willem Dafoe. Baltimore, 1954, sades spectacle that’s good for fun, with and good-girl Locane is torn between her Young a luminous queen who’s kidnapped pristine roots and kids in black leather— by infidels; Wilcoxon as Richard the Lionespecially the Elvis type (Depp) who’d Hearted must rescue her. Look fast for Ann love her to mount his cycle. More polished Sheridan as a Christian girl.▼쩠 than Waters’ previous HAIRSPRAY, but Crush (1992-New Zealand) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 not as well focused, though performed with D: Alison Maclean. Marcia Gay Harden, gusto. Uneven and exhausting; a few set Donough Rees, Caitlin Bossley, William pieces really deliver. Director’s cut runs Zappa. Intriguing, multi-layered (if occa95m. Later turned into a Broadway musical. sionally overbaked) tale of seduction, be[PG-13]▼●쩠 trayal, jealousy and revenge, in which Harden Cry Baby Killer, The (1958) 62m. ★1⁄2 D: impersonates her friend, literary critic Rees Jus Addiss. Harry Lauter, Jack Nicholson, (who’s just been injured in a car crash), and Carolyn Mitchell, Brett Halsey, Lynn becomes involved in the lives of a writer and Cartwright, Ed Nelson. Nicholson’s film his teen daughter. Director-coscripter Madebut is a Roger Corman quickie about clean’s feature debut is crammed with offbeat juvenile delinquent who panics when he touches, hidden meanings, and agendas; at its thinks he’s committed murder. A curio at best, best when exploring the complex relationship with coscripter Leo Gordon and Corman himof the three female characters.▼쩠 self in bit parts. 쩠 Crush, The (1993) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Alan Cry Danger (1951) 79m. ★★★ D: Robert Shapiro. Cary Elwes, Alicia Silverstone, Parrish. Dick Powell, Rhonda Fleming, Jennifer Rubin, Amber Benson, Kurtwood Richard Erdman, Regis Toomey, William Smith, Gwynyth Walsh. Ridiculous thriller Conrad. Effective revenge yarn; ex-con about a thick-witted, twentysomething jourPowell hunts down those responsible for nalist (Elwes) who becomes the target of a framing him.▼ pretty, obsessive fourteen-year-old Lolita Cry for Happy (1961) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: (Silverstone). A completely unnecessary George Marshall. Glenn Ford, Donald FATAL ATTRACTION/HAND THAT O’Connor, Miiko Taka, Myoshi Umeki. ROCKS THE CRADLE/SINGLE WHITE Poor man’s TEAHOUSE OF THE AU[ 303 ]

GUST MOON, involving Navy photograwoman accused of murdering her baby, dephy team in Tokyo using a geisha house spite her claims that the child was carried off for their home. CinemaScope. by a dingo (wild dog). Writer-director SchepCry for Me, Billy (1972) C-93m. ★★ D: isi tells his story with almost documentaryWilliam A. Graham. Cliff Potts, Xochitl, like reality, eloquently attacking the process Harry Dean Stanton, Don Wilbanks. Drifter of trial by rumor that made Chamberlain and falls in love with Indian girl, with tragic her husband the most maligned couple in consequences, in this violent Western. Its Australia. Streep and Neill are heartbreakingly title (and alleged year of release) keeps good. Australian title: EVIL ANGELS. Pachanging, but the film doesn’t get any navision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 better. Aka FACE TO THE WIND, COUNT Cry in the Night, A (1956) 75m. ★★ D: YOUR BULLETS, APACHE MASSAFrank Tuttle. Edmond O’Brien, Brian CRE, and THE LONG TOMORROW. PaDonlevy, Natalie Wood, Raymond Burr, navision. [R]▼ Richard Anderson. Why is mysterious, Cry Freedom (1987-British) C-157m. ★★★ psychotic Burr spying on Wood and her D: Richard Attenborough. Kevin Kline, boyfriend? And what happens after he kidPenelope Wilton, Denzel Washington, naps her? Overwrought drama, but fasciKevin McNally, John Thaw, Timothy West, nating as a time capsule of its era, and then Juanita Waterman, John Hargreaves, Alec prevalent attitudes toward cops and vicMcCowen, Zakes Mokae, Ian Richardson. tims. Burr is quite good. Sweeping and compassionate film about Cry of Battle (1963) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Irving South African activist Steve Biko (well Lerner. Van Heflin, Rita Moreno, James played by Washington) and his friendship MacArthur, Leopoldo Salcedo. Uneven with crusading newspaper editor Donald actioner set in Philippines with MacArthur Woods (Kline). Unfortunately second half as son of wealthy businessman who joins of film, minus the Biko character, loses mopartisan cause, finding romance and sense mentum as it spends too much time on of maturity.▼쩠 Kline and his family’s escape from South Cry of the Banshee (1970-British) C-87m. Africa, but cannily injects flashbacks of Biko ★★1 ⁄2 D: Gordon Hessler. Vincent Price, to steer it back on course. Screenplay by John Elisabeth Bergner, Essy Persson, Hugh Briley. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 Griffith, Hilary Dwyer, Sally Geeson, Pat★★★ D: Richard Cry ‘‘Havoc’’ (1943) 97m. rick Mower. Witch Oona (Bergner) sumThorpe. Margaret Sullavan, Joan Blondell, mons servant of Satan to avenge nobleman Ann Sothern, Fay Bainter, Marsha Hunt, (Price)’s bloody reign of witch-hunting. Ella Raines, Frances Gifford, Diana Confusion sets in midway. [PG]▼●쩠 Lewis, Heather Angel. Female volunteers Cry of the City (1948) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert join some overworked American nurses Siodmak. Victor Mature, Richard Conte, Fred on beleaguered island of Bataan during Clark, Shelley Winters, Betty Garde, Debra WW2. Reveals its stage origins and incorPaget, Hope Emerson. Rehash of MANHATporates expected cliche´s, but also presents TAN MELODRAMA about childhood pals, pretty honest picture of war. Robert Mitone who becomes a cop, the other a crimichum has a bit part as a dying soldier. nal—slick but predictable. Crying Game, The (1992-British) CCry of the Penguins (1971-British) C★★★1 ⁄2 D: Neil Jordan. Stephen Rea, 112m. 101m. ★★ D: Al Viola. John Hurt, Hayley Miranda Richardson, Forest Whitaker, Jim Mills, Dudley Sutton, Tony Britton, Thorley Broadbent, Ralph Brown, Adrian Dunbar, Walters, Judy Campbell. Can a womanizing Jaye Davidson. Strikingly original and adult young biologist find true happiness and story with Rea as an IRA volunteer who redemption among an Antarctic colony of helps capture a British soldier (Whitaker) penguins? Do you care? Similar to later only to befriend him and later become NEVER CRY WOLF—except in interest. involved with his lover. What begins as a Famed documentary filmmaker Arne Sucksthriller unexpectedly turns into a poignant dorff shot the fascinating but horrifying and ironic love story, with plot twists that scenes of life and death among a penguin deepen the film’s almost dreamlike power. colony; an uncredited Roy Boulting reStunningly acted by Rea, Richardson, and portedly directed the scenes with Hayley Whitaker, with an amazing debut by DaMills. Original British title: MR. FORBUSH vidson, as Dil. A unique, seductive film AND THE PENGUINS.쩠 that writer/director Jordan pulls off with Crystal Heart (1987) C-102m. ★★ D: Gil poetic ease; he earned an Oscar for his Bettman. Tawny Kitaen, Lee Curreri, Lloyd screenplay. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Bochner, Simon Andreu, May Heatherly, Cry in the Dark, A (1988-U.S.-Australian) Marina Saura. Young man who must live C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fred Schepisi. Meryl his life like the ‘‘boy in a bubble,’’ conStreep, Sam Neill, Bruce Myles, Charles fined to a controlled environment, develTingwell, Nick Tate, Neil Fitzpatrick, Maurie ops a relationship with a sexy rock singer Fields, Lewis Fitzgerald. Astonishing true story of Lindy Chamberlain, an Australian with whom he’s fallen in love long-distance. [ 304 ]

Mild, predictable outing with music video of the clique one by one. First-time director segments from Kitaen. [R]▼ won a contest that awarded him one million Cry Terror! (1958) 96m. ★★★ D: Andrew dollars to make a film; he wasted a great L. Stone. James Mason, Rod Steiger, Inger opportunity. Unrated version also available. Stevens, Neville Brand, Angie Dickinson, Super 35. [PG-13] 쩠 Jack Klugman. Tight pacing conceals Cuba (1979) C-121m. ★★★ D: Richard implausibilities in caper of psychopath Lester. Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Jack Steiger forcing Mason to aid him in master Weston, Hector Elizondo, Denholm Elliott, extortion plot, filmed on N.Y.C. locations. Chris Sarandon, Lonette McKee. EntertainStevens good as Mason’s frightened but ing adventure film/love story has mercenary resourceful wife. Also shown in computerConnery renewing an old affair with factory colored version. manager Adams, set against the fall of Batista Cry, the Beloved Country (1951-British) in late ’59. Director Lester is in pretty good 111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Zoltan Korda. Canada form, with most scenes punctuated by memoLee, Charles Carson, Sidney Poitier, Geofrable throwaway bits. [R]▼쩠 frey Keen, Reginald Ngeabo, Joyce Carey. Cuba Crossing (1980) C-90m. BOMB Simple back-country minister journeys to D: Chuck Workman. Stuart Whitman, RobJohannesburg in search of his son, while ert Vaughn, Caren Kaye, Raymond St. fate links his path with that of a wealthy, Jacques, Woody Strode, Sybil Danning, bigoted white landowner. Heart-rending Albert Salmi, Michael Gazzo. Tough Whitstory chronicles racial divisiveness (and its man becomes embroiled in a plot to kill roots) in South Africa without resorting to Fidel Castro. Filmed in Key West, Florida, preachiness. Alan Paton’s book was also and at least the scenery is pretty. Rebasis for stage and film musical LOST IN titled KILL CASTRO and ASSIGNMENT: THE STARS. Some prints run 96m. ReKILL CASTRO. Video titles: THE MERmade in 1995.▼● CENARIES and SWEET VIOLENT Cry, the Beloved Country (1995-U.S.TONY. [R]▼쩠 British-South African) C-106m. ★★★ D: Cuban Rebel Girls (1959) 68m. BOMB Darrell James Roodt. Richard Harris, James D: Barry Mahon. Errol Flynn, Beverly Earl Jones, Charles S. Dutton, Vusi Kunene, Aadland, John McKay, Marie Edmund, Leleti Khumalo, Ian Roberts, Dambisa Jackie Jackler. Flynn’s last film is an emKente, Eric Miyeni. Moving remake of the barrassment: playing himself, he aids Fidel 1951 film based on Alan Paton’s celebrated Castro in his overthrow of Batista. Shot on novel, about a backwoods minister (Jones) location during the Castro revolution. Of who, in 1946, makes his first-ever trip to the interest only to see Flynn teamed with his city of Johannesburg in search of his errant final girlfriend, 16-year-old Aadland. Aka son, while wealthy landowner Harris travels ASSAULT OF THE REBEL GIRLS and ATTACK OF THE REBEL GIRLS.▼ there to claim the body of his son, who has just been killed. Excellent performances by Cube (1998-Canadian) C-90m. ★★ D: Jones, Harris, and a largely unfamiliar supVincenzo Natali. Maurice Dean Wint, Niporting cast. Not as understated as the origicole deBoer, Nicky Guadagni, David Hewnal, but effective in its own way. Screenplay lett, Andrew Miller, Julian Richings, Wayne by Ronald Harwood. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Robson. Or, six characters in search of an Cry Uncle! (1971) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: John exit, from a giant cube with countless comG. Avildsen. Allen Garfield, Madeleine de la partments—many of them booby-trapped. Roux, Devin Goldenberg, David Kirk, Sean How and why are they there—and how can Walsh, Nancy Salmon. Private detective they escape? Nerves start to wear thin, which gets involved with murder, sex and blackmay also apply to the audience, as this intrimail in spoof of questionable taste; frequently guing film becomes highly unpleasant . . . hilarious, however. [R]▼쩠 with an unsatisfying conclusion. Cowritten Cry Wolf (1947) 83m. ★★ D: Peter Godby the director. Followed by two direct-tovideo sequels. [R]▼●쩠 frey. Barbara Stanwyck, Errol Flynn, Geraldine Brooks, Richard Basehart, Jerome Cujo (1983) C-91m. ★★★ D: Lewis Teague. Cowan. Static adventure-mystery of StanDee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, Daniel wyck attempting to untangle family secrets Hugh-Kelly, Christopher Stone, Ed Lauter, at late husband’s estate.▼ Mills Watson. Genuinely frightening adapCry Wolf (2005) C-90m. BOMB D: Jeff tation of Stephen King thriller about a Wadlow. Lindy Booth, Julian Morris, Jared woman and her son terrorized by a rabid Padalecki, Kristy Wu, Sandra McCoy, Paul St. Bernard dog. Builds slowly but surely James, Jon Bon Jovi, Jesse Janzen, Gary to terrifying (but not gory) climax. Not for Cole, Anna Deavere Smith. A group of atchildren. [R]▼●쩠 tractive, unlikable prep school students play Cul-De-Sac (1966-British) 111m. ★★★ a prank on their classmates by e-mailing a D: Roman Polanski. Donald Pleasence, chain letter claiming that there’s a masked Franc¸oise Dorle´ac, Lionel Stander, Jack Macmurderer on the loose. Not surprisingly, a Gowran, Iain Quarrier, Jacqueline Bisset. Mareal killer shows up to murder the members cabre comedy about two wounded gangsters [ 305 ]

who terrorize middle-aged milquetoast and his his soul mate (Blanchett) lies on her deathbeautiful young wife. Not a total success, but bed, just as Hurricane Katrina is heading to good cast and stylish direction make it a wintown. Exceptional, epic storytelling in a rare ner. Some prints cut to 103m.▼ movie that’s long but doesn’t feel that way. Culpepper Cattle Company, The (1972) Even more amazing: director Fincher and ★★1 C-92m. his writers (Eric Roth, who collaborated on ⁄2 D: Dick Richards. Gary Grimes, Billy ‘‘Green’’ Bush, Luke Askew, the screen story with Robin Swicord) avoid Bo Hopkins, Geoffrey Lewis, Wayne sentimentalizing their saga. Kudos to the Sutherlin. A 16-year-old persuades trail stars, Alexandre Desplat’s beautiful score, and boss to take him along on cattle drive, Oscar-winning visual effects, makeup (Greg becomes a man in the process. Fair but Cannom), and production design (Donald excessively violent Western. [R]▼쩠 Graham Burt and Victor J. Zolfo). HD WideCult of the Damned SEE: Angel, Angel, screen. [PG-13]쩠 Down We Go Curious George (2006) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cult of the Dead SEE: Snake People Matthew O’Callaghan. Voices of Will Ferrell, Cup, The (1999-Bhutanese) C-93m. ★★★ D: Drew Barrymore, David Cross, Eugene Levy, Khyentse Norbu. Jamyang Lodro, Orgyen Dick Van Dyke, Joan Plowright, Alexander Tobgyal, Neten Chokling, Lama Chonjor, Gould, Frank Welker. A mischievous monkey Godu Lama, Thinley Nudi. Sweet, funny from the jungle stows away with a friendly comedy in which an adolescent, soccer-obman in a yellow hat when he returns to the Big sessed Tibetan monk-in-training (Lodro) City. Basic, straightforward—if uninspired— schemes to win permission to watch the cartoon feature for kids. Thankfully this 1998 World Cup final between France and expansion of the beloved books by H. A. and Brazil on television. Slowly paced but still Margret Rey doesn’t sacrifice their simple winning, with an insightful subtext examinsweetness. A dialogue-free opening sequence ing spirituality, modernity, consumerism, works best of all. Original songs by Jack and Tibet’s endless political struggle against Johnson. [G]쩠 China. Writer-director Norbu is himself a Curly Sue (1991) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: John Bhutanese high lama. [G]▼쩠 Hughes. James Belushi, Kelly Lynch, Curdled (1996) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Reb BradAlisan Porter, John Getz, Fred Dalton dock. William Baldwin, Angela Jones, Bruce Thompson, Cameron Thor, Steven (Steve) Ramsay, Lois Chiles, Barry Corbin, Mel GorCarell, Edie McClurg. Homeless con artist ham, Daisy Fuentes, Kelly Preston, Carmen and his adopted waif leech onto a tightly Lopez. Grisly black comedy about young wound dish of an attorney. She, in turn, woman obsessed with the how’s and why’s of determines that this four-flushing twosome violent crimes, who gets a job scrubbing up is just what she needs to enrich her life. after them on the Post-Forensic Cleaning SerA John Hughes formula movie where the vice. Only for viewers with the darkest sense formula doesn’t work, though if there’s of humor. Executive-produced by none other such a thing as ‘‘quintessential James Bethan Quentin Tarantino. [R]▼●쩠 lushi’’ this is it. Lynch’s obvious discomfort Cure, The (1995) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter suggests she may have seen the rushes. [PG]▼●쩠 Horton. Joseph Mazzello, Brad Renfro, Annabella Sciorra, Diana Scarwid, Bruce Curly Top (1935) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: Irving Davison, Nicky Katt, Aeryk Egan, Renee Cummings. Shirley Temple, John Boles, Humphrey. Imperfect but often moving story Rochelle Hudson, Jane Darwell, Rafaela about two small-town, pre-teen outsiders who Ottiano, Arthur Treacher. Shirley sings become fast friends: new-kid-in-town Renfro ‘‘Animal Crackers in My Soup’’ as she and AIDS-stricken Mazzello, who conplays Cupid again, this time for sister tracted the HIV virus during a blood transHudson and handsome Boles. Based on Jean fusion. At its best when focusing on the Webster’s Daddy Long Legs. Also shown in boys’ evolving relationship; the title refers computer-colored version.▼쩠 to a miracle AIDS cure which plays a key Curse, The (1987) C-90m. BOMB D: role in the story. [PG-13]▼●쩠 David Keith. Wil Wheaton, Claude Akins, Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Cooper Huckabee, John Schneider, Amy Wheaton. Actor Keith steps behind the cam(2008) C-166m. ★★★★ D: David Fincher. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Henson, era to direct this down-home horror movie: Julia Ormond, Tilda Swinton, Jason Flea deadly meteorite lands on a Tennessee farm, myng, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Jared Harris, literally driving the folks crazy after contamiElias Koteas, Phyllis Somerville, Rampai nating their food. Loosely based on H. P. Mohadi, Elle Fanning. Fascinating premise, Lovecraft’s novella The Color Out of Space, from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story previously filmed as DIE, MONSTER, DIE! (which in turn was inspired by a remark by Aka THE FARM. Followed by three unreMark Twain): a baby is born in 1918 New lated ‘‘sequels.’’ [R]▼●쩠 Orleans with all the qualities of a shriveled Cursed (2005) C-97m. ★★ D: Wes Craven. old man and grows younger with each passChristina Ricci, Portia de Rossi, Mya, Shaning year. The story is told in flashback as non Elizabeth, Solar, Daniel Edward Mora, [ 306 ]

Jesse Eisenberg, Joshua Jackson. ContemYimou. Chow Yun-Fat, Gong Li, Jay Chou, porary werewolf-on-the-loose story is a rare Liu Ye, Ni Dahong, Qin Junjie, Li Man, miss in the thrills department from the Chen Jin. During the Tang dynasty, Chinese SCREAM team of Craven and writer Kevin emperor Ping (Yun-Fat) and his ailing emWilliamson. Film starts out amusing but press (Li) try to outmaneuver one another dursoon becomes ludicrous as the nubile young ing a festival of golden chrysanthemums. victims must fight back to become human Palace intrigue, a mysterious invading army, again. Already dated picture is set at the and Shakespearean-style relationships play now-defunct Craig Kilborn talk show, where out amidst breathtakingly gorgeous sets and Ricci is a producer spending what seems like costumes. Not quite up to Yimou’s other days prepping an interview with Scott Baio. historical epics (HERO, HOUSE OF FLYIt’s that kind of movie, folks. Unrated version ING DAGGERS), this is still heady stuff, runs 105m. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 with ripe histrionics occasionally interCurse of Frankenstein, The (1957-British) rupted by martial arts scenes. From a 1930s C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terence Fisher. Peter play by Cao Yu, previously filmed in 1957 Cushing, Christopher Lee, Hazel Court, (with Bruce Lee!) and 1961 as LEI YU. Robert Urquhart, Valerie Gaunt, Noel Hood. Super 35. [R]쩠 OK retelling of original Shelley tale, with Curse of the Jade Scorpion, The (2001) Cushing as Baron von Frankenstein, whose C-102m. ★★ D: Woody Allen. Woody experimentation with creation of life beAllen, Helen Hunt, Dan Aykroyd, Charlize comes an obsession. First of Hammer Films’ Theron, David Ogden Stiers, Elizabeth long-running horror series, and itself folBerkley, Wallace Shawn, Brian Markinson, lowed by six sequels, starting with THE Irwin Corey, John Schuck. Sexist insurance REVENGE OF FRANKENSTEIN.▼●쩠 investigator in 1940s N.Y.C. can’t abide the Curse of the Cat People, The (1944) fact that his new superior is a woman. The 70m. ★★★ D: Gunther von Fritsch, Robert plot thickens when both of them are ‘‘put Wise. Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Jane under’’ by a nightclub hypnotist. Great peRandolph, Elizabeth Russell, Ann Carter, riod flavor, as usual, in this Allen comedy, Julia Dean. Follow-up to CAT PEOPLE creand Woody is in great form, but many of ates wonderful atmosphere in story of lonely his one-liners fall surprisingly flat, and Hunt little girl who conjures up vision of Simon, seems too contemporary for her Rosalind Russell–type role. [PG-13] ▼쩠 her father’s mysterious first wife. Despite title, not a horror film but a fine, moody fantasy. Curse of the Living Corpse (1964) 84m. ★★ Produced by Val Lewton, written by DeWitt D: Del Tenney. Helen Warren, Roy R. Bodeen. Wise’s directing debut. Also availSheider (Scheider), Margo Hartman, Hugh able in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Franklin, Candace Hilligoss. Tepid old-darkCurse of the Crimson Altar SEE: Crimhouse murder mystery with dead man supposson Cult, The edly returning to ‘‘life’’ and committing series Curse of the Demon (1958-British) 95m. of killings. Scheider’s film debut.▼쩠 ★★★1⁄2 D: Jacques Tourneur. Dana Andrews, Curse of the Living Dead SEE: Kill, Peggy Cummins, Niall MacGinnis, Athene Baby, Kill Seyler, Liam Redmond, Reginald Beckwith, Curse of the Mummy’s Tomb, The Maurice Denham. Andrews is a stuffily cyni(1964-British) C-81m. ★★ D: Michael cal psychologist who doesn’t believe that seCarreras. Terence Morgan, Ronald Howries of deaths have been caused by ancient ard, Fred Clark, Jeanne Roland, George curse, but film convinces audience right off Pastell, Jack Gwillim, Dickie Owen (as the bat and never lets up. Charles Bennett and the Mummy). Handsomely photographed producer Hal E. Chester adapted Montague R. but routine Hammer thriller featuring vengeJames’ story ‘‘Casting the Runes.’’ Excepful mummy at large in Victorian London, tional shocker, originally called NIGHT OF killing the usual profaners of the tomb in THE DEMON. 83m. American version circufoggy surroundings. Most unusual twist: lated for many years. ▼●쩠 The (human) villain is in fact the MumCurse of the Fly (1965-British) 86m. ★1⁄2 my’s brother. Follow-up, not sequel, to D: Don Sharp. Brian Donlevy, Carole Gray, THE MUMMY (1959). Techniscope.쩠 George Baker, Michael Graham, Jeremy Curse of the Pink Panther (1983) C109m. ★1⁄2 D: Blake Edwards. Ted Wass, Wilkins, Charles Carson, Burt Kwouk. In the third and last of original THE FLY seDavid Niven, Robert Wagner, Herbert Lom, ries, young escapee (Gray) from a mental Joanna Lumley, Capucine, Robert Loggia, institution winds up involved with the DeHarvey Korman, Burt Kwouk, Leslie Ash, lambre family, still doggedly trying to make Andre Maranne. Writer-director Edwards’ their teleportation machine work. Highly inpointless attempt to keep the Pink Panther adequate makeup, weak script, but very atseries alive despite Peter Sellers’ death— mospheric direction produce oddly mixed by putting Wass through Sellers’ sightresults. CinemaScope.쩠 gag paces, and surrounding him with costars Curse of the Golden Flower, The (2006of earlier Panther films, who (all too Hong Kong-Chinese) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Zhang obviously) shot their cameos at the same [ 307 ]

time as TRAIL OF THE PINK PANTHER. always satisfying film about a boozy, belligWhat a waste! Niven’s final film (with his erent Vietnam vet (Heard) who prods his voice dubbed by Rich Little). Panavision. aimless friend (Bridges) into action after he’s [PG]▼쩠 seen a man who may be a murderer. LowCurse of the Swamp Creature (1966) key, sometimes enervating adaptation of C-80m. BOMB D: Larry Buchanan. John Newton Thornburg’s novel Cutter and Bone Agar, Francine York, Shirley McLine, Bill (this film’s original title), enhanced by direcThurman, Jeff Alexander. A geological tor Passer’s eye for interesting detail. [R] expedition stumbles onto a mad doctor ▼●쩠 who’s trying to evolve a man-monster. Cutthroat Island (1995-U.S.-French) CLow-budget junk.▼쩠 123m. ★★ D: Renny Harlin. Geena Davis, Curse of the Werewolf, The (1961-British) Matthew Modine, Frank Langella, Maury 1 ★★ C-91m. ⁄2 D: Terence Fisher. Clifford Chaykin, Patrick Malahide, Stan Shaw, HarEvans, Oliver Reed, Yvonne Romain, Anris Yulin, Rex Linn, Paul Dillon, Chris Masthony Dawson. Reed has wolf’s blood and terson, Jimmie F. Skaggs. Pirate Davis must struggles to control the monster within join forces with roguish Modine to avenge him; it finally erupts when he is denied his her father’s death, find a treasure map and girl’s love. Eerie atmosphere pervades this battle her ferocious pirate uncle, Dawg good chiller. Loosely based on novel The (Langella). Or something like that. Hapless Werewolf of Paris by Guy Endore.▼●쩠 movie has special effects and stunts to spare, Curse III: Blood Sacrifice (1990) C-91m. but nothing to get you involved. The actors ★1 do their best in cardboard roles. Where’s ⁄2 D: Sean Barton. Christopher Lee, Jennilee Harrison, Henry Cole, Andre JaRobert Newton when you really need him? cobs, Zoe Randall, Olivia Dyer. 1950, Arrrr! Panavision and Technovision. [PGEast Africa. Tribal magic produces murder13] ▼●쩠 ous demonlike monster (unseen until the Cutting Class (1989) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: end) slaughtering mostly whites. Drearily Rospo Pallenberg. Donovan Leitch, Jill routine; one would-be ‘‘tense’’ scene (with Schoelen, Roddy McDowall, Brad Pitt, no payoff) after another. Lee looks very seMartin Mull. A slasher is running amok at rious. Original title: PANGA. [R]▼● a high school. This one’s only if your Curtain Call (1998) C-94m. ★★ D: Peter idea of a four-star movie is FRIDAY THE 13TH. [R]▼●쩠 Yates. James Spader, Polly Walker, Maggie Smith, Michael Caine, Buck Henry, Sam ShepCutting Edge, The (1992) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 ard, Marcia Gay Harden, Frances Sternhagen, D: Paul M. Glaser. D. B. Sweeney, Moira FrankWhaley. Fine cast in fluffy fantasy about Kelly, Roy Dotrice, Terry O’Quinn, Dwier marriage-phobic book publisher Spader, Brown. Bitchy ice skater Kelly is paired who moves into a Manhattan brownstone with banged-up hockey player Sweeney in that’s haunted by the ghosts of a famous old a last-ditch attempt to score an Olympic theatrical couple who teach him about love gold medal in paired figure skating. Cute, and commitment. Curious, slowly paced if predictable, comedy with Sweeney and blend of supernatural whimsy, romantic Kelly building believable sexual tension as comedy and relationship drama never really they’re forced to work together, sniping all gels. Made for theaters, this debuted on the way. Followed in 2006 by a direct-tovideo sequel. [PG]▼쩠 cable. Valerie Perrine appears unbilled. [PG13]▼쩠 Cyborg (1989) C-86m. BOMB D: Albert Curucu, Beast of the Amazon (1956) Pyun. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Deborah ★1 C-76m. ⁄2 D: Curt Siodmak. John BromRichter, Vincent Klyn, Alex Daniels, Dayle field, Beverly Garland, Tom Payne, HarHaddon, Blaise Loong, Rolf Muller. Van vey Chalk. One of the most infamous Damme plays a savior battling evil gangs who disappointments (for monster-loving kids seem to enjoy various plagues and finding of the 1950s) as Bromfield and Garland go gruesome ways to murder people. Even for after title monster in South American jungle. a post-apocalyptic trash movie, this plumbs Custer of the West (1968-U.S.-Spanish) new depths. Repulsive. Followed by two unC-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Siodmak. Robert related sequels. [R]▼●쩠 Shaw, Mary Ure, Jeffrey Hunter, Robert Cyborg 2087 (1966) C-86m. ★★ D: FrankRyan, Ty Hardin, Charles Stalnaker, Roblin Adreon. Michael Rennie, Wendell Corey, ert Hall, Lawrence Tierney. Fairly ambiEduard Franz, Karen Steele, Warren Stetious bio of famed general suffers from script vens. Future Earth civilization sends cythat doesn’t quite know how to characterize borg—part machine, part human—back him. Some prints run 120m. Super Techniin time to 1960s so future can be changed. rama 70. [G]▼쩠 Good idea all but ruined due to unconvincCutter and Bone SEE: Cutter’s Way ing script and TV-style production. Cutter’s Way (1981) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ivan Cycle Savages, The (1969) C-82m. BOMB Passer. Jeff Bridges, John Heard, Lisa EichD: Bill Brame. Bruce Dern, Melody horn, Ann Dusenberry, Stephen Elliott, Nina Patterson, Chris Robinson, Maray Ayres, Van Pallandt, Julia Duffy. Intriguing if not Scott Brady. Psychotic biker/white slaver [ 308 ]

Dern is displeased when artist Robinson opens his sketch pad, so he plans to crush the budding Rembrandt’s hands. Sadism and torture galore; coproduced by deejay Casey Kasem and record exec Mike Curb, later the lieutenant governor of California. [R]▼쩠 Cyclone (1987) C-83m. ★★ D: Fred Olen Ray. Heather Thomas, Jeffrey Combs, Ashley Ferrare, Dar Robinson, Martine Beswicke, Robert Quarry, Martin Landau. TV star Thomas plays second fiddle to a hightech motorcycle that’s stolen by Landau’s henchmen. Watch for numerous cameos including Huntz Hall, Troy Donahue, Russ Tamblyn, and Michael Reagan. [R]▼●쩠 Cyclone Z SEE: Dragons Forever Cyclops, The (1957) 66m. ★★ D: Bert I. Gordon. James Craig, Gloria Talbott, Lon Chaney, Jr., Tom Drake. Expedition scours Mexico in search of Talbott’s lost fiance´, discovers that radiation has transformed him into an enormous monster. Nothing much in this cheapie.▼ Cynara (1932) 78m. ★★ D: King Vidor. Ronald Colman, Kay Francis, Henry Stephenson, Phyllis Barry, Paul Porcasi. Badly dated film about British lawyer who has interlude with working girl while wife is away; Colman is good as usual. Cynthia (1947) 98m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Z. Leonard. Elizabeth Taylor, George Murphy, S. Z. Sakall, Mary Astor, Gene Lockhart, Spring Byington, Jimmy Lydon. Sugary film of sickly girl Taylor finding outlet in music; good cast wasted. Cyrano de Bergerac (1950) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Gordon. Jose Ferrer, Mala Powers, William Prince, Morris Carnovsky, Elena Verdugo. Ferrer received an Oscar for portraying the tragic 17th-century wit, renowned for his nose but longing for love of a beautiful lady. From Edmond Rostand’s play. Previously filmed in 1900, 1925, and 1945; later modernized as ROXANNE, and remade in 1990. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Cyrano de Bergerac (1990-French) C138m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Paul Rappeneau. Ge´rard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez, Jacques Weber, Roland Bertin, Philippe Morier-Genoud. Likely to remain the definitive screen version of the Edmond Rostand perennial (depending on your personal passion for Steve Martin’s ROXANNE). Quite visceral, and frequently inspired (vide the decision to stage the balcony scene during a mild rainstorm), faltering only a little during the finale, which is overextended. Jean-Claude Carrie`re and director Rappeneau scripted; English subtitles by Anthony Burgess. [PG]▼●쩠

funeral, which triggers a series of remembrances of his irascible ‘‘da.’’ Hugh Leonard’s adaptation of his autobiographical stage comedy doesn’t work as well on the screen, but remains a touching account of a father-son relationship that isn’t interrupted by death. Hughes beautifully re-creates his Tony-winning performance, and Sheen is equally good. Hepburn is marvelous as Hughes’ pesky wife; Leonard appears briefly as a pallbearer. Filmed mostly on location in Ireland. [PG]▼● Dad (1989) C-117m. ★★ D: Gary David Goldberg. Jack Lemmon, Ted Danson, Olympia Dukakis, Kathy Baker, Kevin Spacey, Ethan Hawke, Zakes Mokae, J. T. Walsh. Busy, distracted executive learns his father may be dying; he winds up becoming his dad’s caretaker and companion, and they grow closer than they’ve ever been. Genuinely affecting tearjerker turns sappy and ‘‘cute’’ at the midway point, almost negating Lemmon’s fine performance. Why couldn’t they have quit while they were ahead? Feature directing debut for TV sitcom producer Goldberg. [PG]▼●쩠 Daddy and Them (2001) C-102m. ★★ D: Billy Bob Thornton. Billy Bob Thornton, Laura Dern, Diane Ladd, Kelly Preston, Andy Griffith, Sandra Seacat, John Prine, Jeff Bailey, Jim Varney, Brenda Blethyn, Ben Affleck, Jamie Lee Curtis. Arkansas husband Thornton, his quarrelsome, jealous wife Dern, and her family drive to Little Rock to meet his kin, who are equally cantankerous. Populated with irritating characters; draggy pace picks up a lot by the second half, but it’s a long haul getting there. Thornton also wrote this slice-of-life comedy-drama. Filmed in 1998. [R] ▼쩠 Daddy Day Camp (2007) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Fred Savage. Cuba Gooding, Jr., Lochlyn Munro, Richard Gant, Tamala Jones, Paul Rae, Spencir Bridges, Brian Doyle-Murray. Frenetic but only fitfully funny sequel to DADDY DAY CARE, with Gooding filling in for Eddie Murphy as a day-care entrepreneur. This time, he takes over a ramshackle summer camp with a little help from his dad (Gant), a hard-boiled Marine colonel who whips (not literally, but almost) the campers into shape. Intended as a direct-to-video release, and it shows. [PG]쩠 Daddy Day Care (2003) C-92m. ★★★ D: Steve Carr. Eddie Murphy, Jeff Garlin, Steve Zahn, Regina King, Anjelica Huston, Lacey Chabert, Jonathan Katz, Kevin Nealon, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Laura Kightlinger. When Murphy and his best friend Garlin lose their jobs, the boredom of being househusbands inspires them to start a business—a day-care center for kids— despite their almost complete ignorance of how Da (1988) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Matt Clark. to go about it. Surprisingly benign, non-cynical Barnard Hughes, Martin Sheen, Karl Haycomedy with Murphy as a devoted dad who den, Doreen Hepburn, William Hickey, comes to realize what’s really important in his Hugh O’Conor, Ingrid Craigie. Sheen returns to his native Ireland for his father’s life. A refreshing change from the usual run of [ 309 ]

so-called family entertainment. Followed by Daffy Duck’s Movie: Fantastic Island (1983) C-78m. ★1⁄2 D: Friz Freleng. Fourth DADDY DAY CAMP. [PG]▼쩠 Daddy Long Legs (1955) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 and weakest of Warner Bros.’ cartoon comD: Jean Negulesco. Fred Astaire, Leslie pilations. Linking material (spoofing TV’s Caron, Thelma Ritter, Fred Clark, Terry Fantasy Island ) is flat, and few of the ten carMoore, Larry Keating. Overlong musical retoon shorts included are better than average. make of oft-filmed story about playboy (AsHardly Daffy’s finest hour. [G]▼● taire) anonymously sponsoring waif’s Daffy Duck’s Quackbusters (1989) C-79m. ★★★ education—then she falls in love with him. D: Greg Ford, Terry Lennon. Voice of Mel Some good dance numbers, and Johnny MerBlanc. Perhaps the most watchable of the Warcer score highlighted by ‘‘Something’s Got to ner cartoon-compilation films, with a clever Give.’’ Previously filmed in 1919, 1931, (as bridging story incorporating the studio’s CURLY TOP) in 1935, and in the Nethermany vintage horror-movie spoofs. Daffy lands in 1938. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Duck inherits a fortune and sets up a ‘‘ghostDaddy Nostalgia (1990-French) C-105m. busting’’ service with pals Bugs Bunny and ★★1 Porky Pig. Contains the new short THE ⁄2 D: Bertrand Tavernier. Dirk Bogarde, Jane Birkin, Odette Laure. Birkin rushes DUXORCIST and a cameo appearance by to the Cote d’Azur to be at the side of her Egghead. [G]▼● father, who may be dying; during her extended Daggers of Blood SEE: With Fire and stay she tries to sort out her relationship with Sword him, and understand the life he’s led. Utterly Dahmer (2002) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Jabelievable, but not always compelling; Bocobson. Jeremy Renner, Bruce Davison, garde’s charming (and commanding) screen Artel Kaya`ru, Matt Newton, Dion Basco, presence makes it well worth seeing. PanaviKate Williamson, Christina Payano. Rather sion. [PG]▼쩠 than depicting the whole story of serial killer Daddy’s Dyin’ . . . Who’s Got the Will? Jeffrey Dahmer, this unusual film dramatizes (1990) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Fisk. Beau scenes from his life; it doesn’t even include Bridges, Keith Carradine, Beverly D’Angelo, his arrest. The cast is uniformly good, it’s Tess Harper, Judge Reinhold,AmyWright, Pawell written (by Jacobson) and imaginatively trika Darbo, Molly McClure, Bert Remsen. Afdirected, but it remains uninvolving, with an fection, reminiscence, avarice, and hostility undefinable point of view. [R] ▼쩠 intermingle as a family of memorable oddballs Daisy Kenyon (1947) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Otto gathers at the old Texas homestead to wait for Preminger. Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, their father to die and to find out what’s in the Henry Fonda, Ruth Warrick, Martha Stewwill. Del Shores adapted his own stage play, art, Peggy Ann Garner, Connie Marshall. and the results run from flat and predictable to Love triangle starts intelligently, bogs down sharp and funny; a terrific cast punches everyhalfway into typical soapy histrionics (with thing across. [PG-13]▼●쩠 a plot thread about child abuse surprising Daddy’s Gone A-Hunting (1969) C-108m. for its time). Good performances; hand★★★ D: Mark Robson. Carol White, Paul somely filmed. Look sharp in the Stork Burke, Scott Hylands, Rachel Ames, Mala Club scene for Walter Winchell, John Garfield, and Leonard Lyons.쩠 Powers, James B. Sikking. Happily married and pregnant, White is horrified when Daisy Miller (1974) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter her previous lover turns up, demanding Bogdanovich. Cybill Shepherd, Barry Brown, she kill her baby to atone for having aborted Cloris Leachman, Mildred Natwick, Eileen his child. Though contrived, story becomes Brennan, Duilio Del Prete. Handsome, intelliincreasingly tense, with nail-biting climax; gent adaptation of Henry James’ story misses shot in San Francisco. [M/PG]▼ the mark; the tone is cold, and Shepherd’s holDaddy’s Little Girls (2007) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 low performance as a naive American courting D: Tyler Perry. Gabrielle Union, Idris Elba, European society in the late 1800s nearly sinks Louis Gossett, Jr., Tracee Ellis Ross, Tasha the film. Screenplay by Frederic Raphael. Smith, Malinda Williams, Terri J. Vaughn, Filmed in Italy. [G]▼쩠 Gary Sturgis, China Anne McClain, Lauryn Dakota (1945) 82m. ★★ D: Joseph Kane. Alisa McClain, Sierra Aylina McClain. John Wayne, Vera Ralston, Walter BrenPerry drops his drag act and stays behind the nan, Ward Bond, Ona Munson, Hugo Haas. camera for this dramedy about a mechanic Sprawling Wayne vehicle with Duke inwho gets romantically involved with the upvolved in pioneer railroad territory dispute; Vera is his lovely wife!▼●쩠 scale attorney who is helping him win custody of his three daughters from his ne’er-doDakota (1988) C-97m. ★★ D: Fred Holmes. well ex-wife and her thug boyfriend. Overly Lou Diamond Phillips, Eli Cummins, dramatic and predictable, but still a someDeeDee Norton, Jordan Burton, Steve what effective look at the difficulties inRuge, John Hawkes. Well-meaning but volved when a relationship straddles both slight, independently produced drama about sides of the tracks. Perry wrote and coproa youth on the run (Phillips), who works on duced. Aka TYLER PERRY’S DADDY’S a Texas ranch and interrelates with various LITTLE GIRLS. [PG-13]쩠 characters. Phillips, who served as associ[ 310 ]

ate producer, is the sole interest here; he ‘‘When You Were a Smile on Your Mother’s made the film prior to attaining stardom in Lips and a Twinkle in Your Daddy’s Eye,’’ LA BAMBA. [PG]▼●쩠 and classic title tune.▼●쩠 Daleks—Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. (1966Damien—Omen II (1978) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 British) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Flemyng. D: Don Taylor. William Holden, Lee Grant, Peter Cushing, Bernard Cribbins, Andrew Lew Ayres, Sylvia Sidney, Robert FoxKeir, Ray Brooks, Jill Curzon, Roberta worth, Jonathan Scott-Taylor, Leo McKern, Tovey. Agreeable sequel to DR. WHO Meshach Taylor. Sequel to huge hit of 1976 AND THE DALEKS, with the Earth threatis less effective, still has shock value from ened by Dalek aggressors. Retitled INVAgrisly murders, plus good work by Holden. SION EARTH 2150 A.D. Techniscope.▼쩠 Best scene is Ayres’ death under an icy lake. Dallas (1950) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stuart Scott-Taylor is the demon child; Holden and Heisler. Gary Cooper, Ruth Roman, Steve Grant his stupidly unsuspecting kin. Taylor Cochran, Raymond Massey, Barbara Paytook over directing from Michael Hodges, ton, Leif Erickson, Antonio Moreno. Actionwho worked on screenplay. Followed by packed post–Civil War Western, with Reb THE FINAL CONFLICT. Panavision. [R] Cooper branded an outlaw, coming to Texas ▼●쩠 on a mission of revenge.▼쩠 Damnation Alley (1977) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Daltry Calhoun (2005) C-93m. BOMB D: Jack Smight. Jan-Michael Vincent, George Katrina Holden Bronson. Johnny Knoxville, Peppard, Dominique Sanda, Paul Winfield, Juliette Lewis, Elizabeth Banks, Kick Gurry, Jackie Earle Haley. Five survivors of nuDavid Koechner, Sophie Traub, Andrew Prine, clear wipeout travel cross-country in search Beth Grant, James Parks, Matthew Sharp. of civilization. Futuristic van in which Slovenly Knoxville morphs into a wildly sucthey travel is more interesting than story cessful sod seed manufacturer, but his plan to or characters in this uninspiring sci-fi saga. build a public golf course is disrupted by variDistantly related to the Roger Zelazny ous complications, including the unexpected novel. Panavision. [PG]▼ presence of his estranged, precocious 14-yearDamned, The (1962) SEE: These Are the old daughter and her mother. Meandering Damned Southern Fried mishmash aimlessly veers Damned, The (1969-Italian-West German) from stale comedy to half-baked sentiment. C-155m. ★★★ D: Luchino Visconti. Dirk There’s a parade of hit songs on the soundBogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Griem, track to make you think you’re being enterHelmut Berger, Charlotte Rampling, Flotained. Writer-director is the daughter of rinda Bolkan. Grim drama depicting the Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland. Super 35. plight of a family of German industrialists [PG-13]쩠 during the 1930s; their decline parallels Damage (1992-British) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: the rise of Hitler. Violent, melodramatic, Louis Malle. Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, and controversial, but undeniably illumiMiranda Richardson, Rupert Graves, Ian nating. [X]▼쩠 Bannen, Leslie Caron, Peter Stormare, Damned Don’t Cry, The (1950) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vincent Sherman. Joan Crawford, Gemma Clark. Arch-to-a-fault adaptation of Josephine Hart’s minimalist best-seller, David Brian, Steve Cochran, Kent Smith, about a middle-aged Brit politician who Richard Egan. Follow-up to FLAMINGO squanders his career and family by emROAD formula; Crawford is well cast as barking a hot-sex affair with his son’s mystelower-class gal rising to wealth via wit and rious girlfriend. Binoche is frigidly one-note looks, discovering too late that a gangas the latter, sinking what in some ways is disster’s moll has no right to love and happiness.쩠 passionately accomplished filmmaking. RichDamn the Defiant! (1962-British) C-101m. ★★★ ardson is spectacularly good as Irons’ spurned D: Lewis Gilbert. Alec Guinness, Dirk wife. Screenplay by David Hare. Fine score by Bogarde, Maurice Denham, Nigel Stock, Zbigniew Preisner. Unrated version available. Richard Carpenter, Anthony Quayle. Bo[R]▼●쩠 garde vs. Guinness in stalwart tale of BritDam Busters, The (1954-British) 119m. ish warship during Napoleonic campaign. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Anderson. Richard Todd, Production shows great attention to hisMichael Redgrave, Ursula Jeans, Basil Sydtoric detail. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 ney. During WW2, British devise an ingeDamn Yankees (1958) C-110m. ★★★ D: nious plan to blow up Germans’ Ruhr George Abbott, Stanley Donen. Tab Huntdam. Exciting and intelligent film. Look fast er, Gwen Verdon, Ray Walston, Russ for a young Patrick McGoohan.▼쩠 Brown, Jimmie Komack, Jean Stapleton, Dames (1934) 90m. ★★★ D: Ray Enright. Nathaniel Frey. Aging, frustrated WashJoan Blondell, Dick Powell, Ruby Keeler, ington Senators baseball fan says he’d sell ZaSu Pitts, Hugh Herbert, Guy Kibbee, his soul to see the club get one good hitter; Phil Regan. Short on plot (let’s-back-aa devilish Mr. Applegate appears to fulfill Broadway-musical) but has top Busby his wish, and transforms him into the club’s Berkeley production ensembles like ‘‘I Only new star. Faithful translation of hit BroadHave Eyes for You.’’ Other songs include way musical (with Walston, Verdon, and [ 311 ]

others repeating their original roles) loses Dance Goes On, The (1991-Canadian) C103m. ★★ D: Paul Almond. Matthew James something along the way, and has a particularly weak finale, but it’s still quite enterAlmond, James Keach, Genevieve Bujold, taining. Songs include ‘‘(You Gotta Have) Bryan Hennessey, Louise Marleau, Leslie Heart,’’ ‘‘Whatever Lola Wants,’’ and a Hope, Cary Lawrence, Deborah Freeland. mambo memorably danced by Verdon and Young Almond, who’s insensitive and moneychoreographer Bob Fosse.▼●쩠 hungry (because he has grown up in L.A.), arDamon and Pythias (1962-Italian) C-99m. rives in Quebec where he’s inherited his un★★ D: Curtis Bernhardt. Guy Williams, Don cle’s farm. Will he get in touch with his roots, Burnett, Ilaria Occhini, Liana Orfei, Arnoldo and experience ‘‘real life’’? Ever-so-predictFoa. Title reveals all in this routine cosable (not to mention boring) drama. Actor Altumer making legendary figures juvenile mond is the son of Bujold and director Almond cardboard heroes.▼쩠 (who also produced and scripted).▼ Damsel in Distress, A (1937) 101m. ★★★ Dance Hall Racket (1953) 60m. ★1⁄2 D: D: George Stevens. Fred Astaire, George Phil Tucker. Lenny Bruce, Honey Harlowe, Burns, Gracie Allen, Joan Fontaine, ConTimothy Farrell, Sally Marr. This one could stance Collier, Reginald Gardiner, Monbe retitled All in the (Dysfunctional) Famtagu Love. Bright Gershwin musical set in ily: Lenny plays a hood, real-life wife HarLondon, with dancing star Astaire pursulowe is a bimbo who shows off her ing aristocratic heiress Fontaine. Burns cleavage, and mom Marr is along for and Allen have never been better—they laughs. Scripted by Bruce; it would make a even get to sing and dance. Songs include classy double bill with Tucker’s ROBOT ‘‘Foggy Day in London Town,’’ ‘‘Nice MONSTER.▼쩠 Work If You Can Get It.’’ The clever Dancemaker (1999) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ‘‘Fun House’’ sequence won an Oscar for Matthew Diamond. Fascinating study of Hermes Pan’s dance direction. Based on a choreographer Paul Taylor and the endless novel by P. G. Wodehouse, who cowrote the difficulties managing his company and its script. ▼● dancers. Footage of his dance creations is Dan Candy’s Law SEE: Alien Thunder artfully interspersed with preparations for 1 ★ Dance Flick (2009) C-83m. ⁄2 D: Damien the troupe’s engagement in India. Film proDante Wayans. Damon Wayans, Jr., Shovides an insider’s look at what it takes to be shana Bush, Essence Atkins, Affion Crocka dancer—and a dancemaker. A feast for ett, Chris Elliott, David Alan Grier, Brennan dance buffs.쩠 Hillard, Amy Sedaris, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Dance of Death (1969-British) C-138m. ★★★ Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans. Lochlyn D: David Giles. Laurence Olivier, Munro appears unbilled. After her mother’s Geraldine McEwan, Robert Lang, Malcolm tragic death, Megan enrolls at Musical High Reynolds, Janina Faye, Carolyn Jones. Film School and meets a group of kids from the version of National Theatre production of wrong side of the tracks who want to teach August Strindberg’s angst-laden play about her what life is really about. It isn’t that an aging sea captain, notable chiefly for Olivhard to mock the dance movie genre, or for ier’s fiery performance. Unreleased in U.S. that matter musicals and pop culture. That’s until 1979. [PG—originally rated G] why the latest film installment of a Wayans’ Dance of Death (1971) SEE: House of Evil family parody is so disappointing. While Dance of the Damned (1988) C-83m. ★★1 there are amusing moments and laughs, ⁄2 D: Katt Shea Ruben. Cyril O’Reilly, simply put, it should be funnier. [PG-13] Starr Andreef, Deborah Ann Nassar, Ma★★1 Dance, Fools, Dance (1931) 81m. ⁄2 ia Ford, Athena Worthy, Tom Ruben. Eerie, D: Harry Beaumont. Joan Crawford, Cliff fascinating, very low-budget horror drama, in Edwards, Clark Gable, Earl Foxe, Lester which a vampire selects an intelligent, trouVail, Natalie Moorhead. Crawford, alone bled stripper as his next victim, but first inin the world, becomes reporter out to exsists she tell him what daylight is like. Slow pose mobster Gable by winning him over. to get started, but ambitious and mature, with Interesting for early Gable-Crawford teamgood characterizations and acting. [R]▼● ing; brisk pre-Code drama.▼쩠 Dance of the Dwarfs (1983) C-93m. ★1⁄2 Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Gus Trikonis. Peter Fonda, Deborah Dorothy Arzner. Maureen O’Hara, Louis Raffin, John Amos, Carlos Palomino. FeHayward, Lucille Ball, Virginia Field, Ralph male anthropologist (Raffin) searching for Bellamy, Maria Ouspenskaya, Mary Carlost pygmy tribe in jungle hooks up with lisle, Walter Abel, Edward Brophy. Innodrunken helicopter pilot (Fonda) in this cent young girl (O’Hara) aspires to be a stupid AFRICAN QUEEN–ish adventure ballerina, but self-centered Ball steers her shot in Philippines. They encounter strange toward burlesque instead. Film has won latcreatures, audience encounters boredom. ter-day acclaim for feminist angles, espeVideo title: JUNGLE HEAT. [PG]▼ cially for O’Hara’s burlesque-hall speech; Dance of the Vampires SEE: Fearless unfortunately, it’s not as good as one would Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, But like. Lucy is terrific as Bubbles. ▼●쩠 Your Teeth Are in My Neck, The [ 312 ]

Dancer in the Dark (2000-Danish-SwedishWar soldier who makes friends with a French) C-137m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lars von Trier. Sioux Indian tribe and, eventually, beBjo¨rk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, comes one of them. Simply and eloquently Peter Stormare, Joel Grey, Vincent Pattold, with every element falling into place terson, Vladica Kostic, Udo Kier, Zˇeljko (on breathtaking South Dakota locations). Ivanek, Stellan Skarsga˚rd. Ambitious, braA triumph in every respect. Oscar winner zenly off-putting musical (!) about a Czech for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (Miimmigrant (Bjo¨rk) who is going blind and chael Blake, from his novel), Original must arrange an operation to save her son Score (John Barry), Cinematography (Dean from the same fate. Writer-director von TriSemler), Editing (Neil Travis), and Sound er’s attempt to expand cinematic musical Recording. 237m. ‘‘special edition’’ exconventions is certainly thought provoking, pands the story and characterizations. Pabut ultimately cold and very literal minded, navision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 and not helped by jagged song-and-dance Dance With a Stranger (1985-British) numbers. Bjo¨rk is impressive; she also comC-101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Miranda posed the film’s music. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Richardson, Rupert Everett, Ian Holm, Dancers (1987) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Herbert Matthew Carroll, Tom Chadbon, Joanne Ross. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Alessandra Whalley, Jane Bertish. Stylish, trenchant Ferri, Leslie Browne, Thomas Rall, Lynn study of romantic self-destruction based Seymour, Victor Barbee, Mariangela Meon the true story of Ruth Ellis, who in lato, Julie Kent. Trite, inexplicably bad 1955 became the last woman ever exemovie about a ballet star/lothario (Baryshcuted in Britain. Peaks with about a half nikov, ideally cast) who’s rehearsing a hour to go, but Richardson, her leading screen version of Giselle, and becomes men, and a haunting atmosphere more infatuated with an innocent young dancer. than compensate. Ellis’ story was earlier A waste of time. Baryshnikov, Browne, told in YIELD TO THE NIGHT (BLONDE and Ross collaborated 10 years earlier on SINNER), with Diana Dors. [R]▼●쩠 THE TURNING POINT. [PG]▼● Dance With Me (1998) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dancer, Texas Pop. 81 (1998) C-95m. Randa Haines. Vanessa L. Williams, Chay★★1⁄2 D: Tim McCanlies. Ethan Embry, anne, Kris Kristofferson, Joan Plowright, Breckin Meyer, Peter Facinelli, Eddie Mills, Jane Krakowski, Beth Grant. Likable if forAshley Johnson, Patricia Wettig, Michael mulaic (and overlong) film about a Houston O’Neill. Slight but pleasant LAST PICdance instructor (Williams) who learns a TURE SHOW–lite tale of four small-town thing or two from a Cuban e´migre´ who’s teenage buddies facing life after high school come to work at the dance studio. What the and wondering whether they should make studio owner (Kristofferson) doesn’t know good on a childhood pact to move to L.A. Apis that the handsome young man is his son. pealing performances by the male leads make Appealing cast and terrific dance seup for their schematic roles. Promising debut quences—including a knockout at a Latin for writer-director McCanlies. [PG]▼●쩠 dance club—give this life, and Plowright Dancer Upstairs, The (2002-U.S.-Spanish) steals most of her scenes as a matronly but enthusiastic student. [PG]▼●쩠 C-124m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Malkovich. Javier Bardem, Laura Morante, Juan Diego Botto, Dance With Me, Henry (1956) 79m. ★1⁄2 Elvira Mı´nguez, Alexandra Lencastre, Oliver D: Charles Barton. Lou Costello, Bud Cotton, Luis Miguel Cintra. Dedicated poAbbott, Gigi Perreau, Rusty Hamer. Lowlice detective Bardem is determined to idengrade Abbott and Costello involving the tify and capture the leader of a volatile duo’s ownership of run-down amusement guerrilla movement in an unnamed Latin park and two kids they’ve adopted; their American country. Meanwhile, he finds himlast film together.▼쩠 self attracted to his daughter’s beautiful balDancing at Lughnasa (1998-U.S.-Britishlet teacher. Intriguing political drama, with a Irish) C-92m. ★★★ D: Pat O’Connor. Meryl strong performance by Bardem, is weighed Streep, Michael Gambon, Catherine McCordown by its slow pace and extended length. mack, Kathy Burke, Sophie Thompson, Brid One might also question Bardem’s naivete´ Brennan, Rhys Ifans, Darrell Johnston; narat the story’s conclusion. Nicholas Shakerated by Gerard McSorley. Flavorful filmizaspeare adapted his own novel. Malkovich’s tion of Brian Friel’s play about a close-knit feature directing debut. [R]▼쩠 rural Irish family—five unmarried sisters— Dances With Wolves (1990) C-181m. in the 1930s and the return of their brother, ★★★★ D: Kevin Costner. Kevin Costner, Jack (a priest), from his post in Africa. No Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene, Rodstrong story here but a rich feel for time, ney A. Grant, Floyd Red Crow Westerman, place, atmosphere, and character, with fine Tantoo Cardinal, Robert Pastorelli, Charles performances all around. [PG] ▼●쩠 Rocket, Maury Chaykin, Larry Joshua, Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2001-U.S.British) C-123m. ★★ D: Michael Radford. Wes Studi. Altogether extraordinary film (all the more so for being Costner’s directDaryl Hannah, Jennifer Tilly, Sandra Oh, ing debut) about an idealistic young Civil Sheila Kelley, Elias Koteas, Robert Wis[ 313 ]

dom, Vladimir Mashkov, W. Earl Brown, a fascinating woman in 16th-century Venice, Chris Hogan, Charlotte Ayanna. The women where women had no rights and no educawho strip at a cheesy L.A. club gratify their tion—but courtesans did. Sacrificing her one customers but harbor longings and goals true love, she becomes the most notorious, that they can’t seem to realize. Developed outspoken, and desired woman in Venice. by Radford and his cast through a series of McCormack is superb in the leading role, and improvisational workshops, which is all too Bisset is ideal as her mother, but the story apparent from the film’s extenuated length takes a sharp turn toward the end (incorporatand meandering nature. Strong perforing the plague and the Inquisition) and loses mances from the leading actresses are the its dramatic grip. Still a good-looking and, for only compensation. [R]▼쩠 the most part, absorbing tale, based on a true story. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Dancing Lady (1933) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Z. Leonard. Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Dangerous Break SEE: Special Delivery Franchot Tone, May Robson, Nelson Eddy, Dangerous Friend, A SEE: Todd KillFred Astaire, Robert Benchley, Ted Healy ings, The and His Stooges. Glossy backstage romance Dangerous Game (1993) C-105m. BOMB is best remembered for Astaire’s film debut D: Abel Ferrara. Harvey Keitel, Madonna, (he plays himself), dancing opposite a lessJames Russo, Nancy Ferrara, Reilly Murthan-inspired Crawford. Show-biz story, phy, Victor Argo, Leonard Thomas, Christhree-cornered romance are strictly standard, tina Futon. Humiliatingly banal Madonna but cast and MGM gloss add points. Funniest career-killer about filmmaker whose latest moments belong to The Three Stooges. Look project begins to reflect his own life—or is fast for a young Eve Arden.▼●쩠 it the other way around? Barely released, Dancing Masters, The (1943) 63m. ★1⁄2 and surprisingly tame, given Ferrara’s preD: Mal St. Clair. Oliver Hardy, Stan Laurel, vious movies, and Madonna’s inclination to Trudy Marshall, Robert Bailey, Matt Briggs, hang it all out. Working title was SNAKE Margaret Dumont. L&H overcome by routine EYES, which is what the studio rolled when material, special effects that look phony. it bankrolled this one. [R]▼●쩠 Robert Mitchum has bit as a hood.쩠 Dangerous Ground (1997) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Dandy in Aspic, A (1968-British) C-107m. Darrell James Roodt. Ice Cube, Elizabeth ★★ D: Anthony Mann. Laurence Harvey, Hurley, Ving Rhames, Sechaba Morajele, Tom Courtenay, Mia Farrow, Lionel StandEric Miyeni. Dangerous, and silly, too. er, Harry Andrews, Peter Cook. Wooden Back in rural South Africa for a funeral spy melodrama in which principals keep several years after his apartheid-imposed switching sides so rapidly it becomes imflight to the U.S., literature major Cube fulpossible to follow. Mann died during filmfills a promise to mom by tracking down his ing; Harvey completed director’s chores. fugitive younger brother who’s involved in Panavision. [R]▼● a drug ring. Despite broad plot parallels, Dandy, the All-American Girl SEE: don’t look for the solemn tone director Sweet Revenge (1977) Roodt brought to his remake of CRY, THE Danger: Diabolik (1967-Italian-French) BELOVED COUNTRY. Hurley, in harsh C-100m. ★★★ D: Mario Bava. John Philmakeup, is cast as the wayward brother’s lip Law, Marisa Mell, Michel Piccoli, girlfriend. [R]▼●쩠 Adolfo Celi, Terry-Thomas, Claudio Gora. Dangerous Liaisons (1988) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 Entertaining, tongue-in-cheek exploits of D: Stephen Frears. Glenn Close, John super-criminal Diabolik (Law), with wonMalkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie derfully outre´ sets and costumes, stylish Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Mildred Natwick, photography, and a bizarre psychedelic Uma Thurman, Peter Capaldi. In 18thscore by Ennio Morricone. An indelible century France, an unscrupulous woman ’60s time-capsule based on the European manipulates the lives of those around her, comic-strip character. Originally released as just for amusement, with the help of a DIABOLIK, at 105m. Panoramica.▼●쩠 like-minded count. Excellent adaptation of Danger in the Skies SEE: Pilot, The Christopher Hampton’s play Les Liaisons Dangerous (1935) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Dangereuses, based on the famous period E. Green. Bette Davis, Franchot Tone, novel. Close is magnificent, Malkovich Margaret Lindsay, Alison Skipworth, John good (though miscast). Hampton’s screenEldredge, Dick Foran. Former stage star play won an Oscar, as did the art direcDavis, on the skids, is rehabilitated by Tone tion and costumes. Same story filmed in good but syrupy tale, with flamboyant in 1959 (as DANGEROUS LIAISONS Oscar-winning performance by Davis. Re1960), 1976 (as UNE FEMME FIDE`LE, made as SINGAPORE WOMAN.▼● aka GAME OF SEDUCTION), 1989 (as Dangerous Beauty (1998) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 VALMONT), 1999 (as CRUEL INTEND: Marshall Herskovitz. Catherine McCorTIONS), and 2003 (as UNTOLD SCANDAL). [R] ▼●쩠 mack, Rufus Sewell, Jacqueline Bisset, Oliver Platt, Naomi Watts, Moira Kelly, Fred Ward, Dangerous Liaisons 1960 (1959-French) Jeroen Krabbe´, Joanna Cassidy. Chronicle of 106m. ★★★ D: Roger Vadim. Ge´rard [ 314 ]

Philipe, Jeanne Moreau, Jeanne Vale´rie, D: Charles Walters. Esther Williams, FerAnnette (Stroyberg) Vadim, Simone Renant, nando Lamas, Jack Carson, Charlotte Jean-Louis Trintignant. Modern-dress verGreenwood, Denise Darcel, William Desion of the 18th-century novel of sexcapades marest, Donna Corcoran, Barbara Whiting. among the debauched . . . and who better Cute musical comedy, one of Esther’s best, to film it than Vadim? Faithful in spirit to about a health-conscious family whose its origins, though the leads here are a leading light tries to swim the English married couple, cavorting in Paris and the Channel. Williams cavorts underwater with Alps. Lots of fun, with gorgeous actors the animated Tom and Jerry in one memoraand jazz soundtrack by Thelonious Monk, ble scene. She later married leading-man Art Blakey, and Duke Jordan, who also Lamas in real life. ▼●쩠 appear. Don’t miss Vadim’s priceless proDangerous Woman, A (1993) C-99m. ★★ logue, shot for 1961 American audiences. D: Stephen Gyllenhaal. Debra Winger, BarVadim remade this in 1976 as UNE bara Hershey, Gabriel Byrne, David StraFEMME FIDE`LE (GAME OF SEDUCthairn, Chloe Webb, John Terry, Laurie TION). French title: LES LIAISONS DANMetcalf, Jan Hooks, Paul Dooley. Muddled GEREUSES. ▼●쩠 movie of Mary McGarry Morris’ acclaimed Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The novel, with Winger the unceasingly frank nebbish niece of wealthy widow Hershey (2002) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Care. Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, Emile Hirsch, Vincent (who’s been having an affair with a married D’Onofrio, Jodie Foster, Jake Richardson, politician). Winger is memorable in an unatTyler Long. Likable enough coming-of-age tractive part; Hershey’s role is impossible; story about hell-raising teenage boys atand Byrne (as the handyman who comes tending a Catholic school during the 1960s. between them) comes off as the Great Stone They fantasize about their lives in the form Face. The director’s children, Maggie and of comic-book adventures (in which their Jacob (Jake) Gyllenhaal, appear in small unforgiving teacher, played by Foster, beroles. [R]▼● comes Nunzilla). These animated sequences, Danger Within SEE: Breakout (1959) produced by Todd McFarlane, give the familDaniel (1983) C-130m. ★★★ D: Sidney iar storyline considerable pizzazz. Foster Lumet. Timothy Hutton, Mandy Patinkin, also coproduced. [R]▼쩠 Lindsay Crouse, Edward Asner, Ellen Dangerous Minds (1995) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Barkin, Julie Bovasso, Tovah Feldshuh, John N. Smith. Michelle Pfeiffer, George Joseph Leon, Amanda Plummer, John Dzundza, Courtney B. Vance, Robin BartRubinstein. Excellent adaptation of E. L. lett, Bruklin Harris, Renoly Santiago, Wade Doctorow’s The Book of Daniel, about the Dominguez, Beatrice Winde, Lorraine children of a couple patterned after Julius Toussaint, John Neville. Wide-eyed, inexand Ethel Rosenberg who must confront perienced teacher (and ex-Marine) takes their painful heritage in order to deal with over a class of ‘‘unteachable’’ inner-city their own lives in the protest-filled 1960s. kids. She learns that changing their attitude Not without its flaws, but overall a provocarequires a deeper understanding of their hardtive and extremely well-made film. [R]▼쩠 knock lives. What might seem like a superDaniel Boone (1936) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: David ficial retread of BLACKBOARD JUNGLE Howard. George O’Brien, Heather Angel, or TO SIR, WITH LOVE is a well-meanJohn Carradine, Ralph Forbes, Clarence ing, well-acted film, although some of it Muse. OK action adventure detailing a just doesn’t wash (Pfeiffer seems awfully chapter in the life of the legendary pioneer: mousy for an ex-Marine). Followed by a his leading some settlers west from North TV series. [R]▼●쩠 Carolina into Kentucky. O’Brien is well Dangerous Moves (1984-Swiss) C-100m. cast in the title role.▼쩠 ★★★ D: Richard Dembo. Michel Piccoli, Daniel Defoe’s Robinson Crusoe SEE: Alexandre Arbatt, Leslie Caron, Liv UllRobinson Crusoe (1998) mann, Daniel Olbrychski, Michel Aumont. Dan in Real Life (2007) C-98m. ★★★ D: Absorbing, thought-provoking film about Peter Hedges. Steve Carell, Juliette Biinternational intrigue surrounding a world noche, Dane Cook, Dianne Wiest, John Machess championship. Academy Award winhoney, Alison Pill, Emily Blunt, Amy Ryan, ner for Best Foreign Film.▼쩠 Norbert Leo Butz, Jessica Hecht. Amiable Dangerous Summer, A (1981-Australian) comedy-drama of newspaper columnist Dan C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Quentin Masters. Tom (Carell), the doting but harried single father Skerritt, Ian Gilmour, James Mason, Wendy of three daughters. When the family heads Hughes, Ray Barrett. Confusing, hilariously off to New England for a holiday at his unsubtle drama of psychotic arsonist Gilmour parents’ seaside home, this widowed dad trying to torch a summer resort. Good cast unexpectedly meets someone (Binoche) looks ill at ease. Originally titled THE BURNwho seems to be perfect for him. The family ING MAN. Video title: FLASH FIRE. Pareunion is replete with sibling rivalries, secrets, and resentments. Manages to rise navision. ▼●쩠 Dangerous When Wet (1953) C-95m. ★★★ above familiar sitcom level to be an enter[ 315 ]

taining take on middle-aged affairs of the Salinas, Blanca Guerra, Margarita Isabel, heart. [PG-13]쩠 Tito Vasconcelos. Arresting feminist tale Danny Boy (1982-Irish-British) C-92m. about a dreary telephone operator (Rojo) ★★ who comes alive only when performing a D: Neil Jordan. Veronica Quilligan, Stephen Rea, Alan Devlin, Peter Caffrey, ballroom dance known as the ‘‘danzo´n.’’ Honor Heffernan, Lise-Ann McLaughlin, Her life undergoes a transformation when Donal McCann, Ray McAnally, Marie her longtime partner mysteriously disappears, Kean. Ambitious but pretentious, unreand she becomes obsessed with finding him. lentingly dreary melodrama of sax player The scenes with Rojo and Vasconcelos Rea, who exchanges his instrument for a (playing a transvestite nightclub performer) machine gun after witnessing a double are especially effective. [PG-13]▼쩠 murder. Jordan’s directorial debut, which Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) he also scripted; he and leading man Rea C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Stevenson. Allater reteamed for THE CRYING GAME. bert Sharpe, Janet Munro, Sean Connery, Original British title: ANGEL. [R]▼ Jimmy O’Dea, Kieron Moore, Estelle WinDanny Deckchair (2003-Australian) Cwood. Outstanding Disney fantasy about an 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff Balsmeyer. Rhys Ifans, Irish caretaker (Sharpe) who spins so many Miranda Otto, Justine Clarke, Rhys Multales that no one believes him when he doon, Frank Magree, Anthony Phelan, John says he’s befriended the King of LepreBatchelor, Alan Flower. Mildly entertaining chauns. An utter delight, with dazzling Capra-esque romantic fantasy of one of life’s special effects—and some truly terrifying moments along with the whimsy.▼●쩠 ‘‘little people,’’ Danny Morgan (Ifans), a cement-truck driver who improbably escapes Darby’s Rangers (1958) 121m. ★★1⁄2 D: his everyday existence. On a lark, he ties William Wellman. James Garner, Etchika some helium-filled balloons to a lawn chair Choureau, Jack Warden, Edward Byrnes, and floats through the heavens, whisking him Venetia Stevenson, Torin Thatcher, Peter off to a new life and new set of values. Brown, Corey Allen, Stuart Whitman, MurClarke is a find as Danny’s calculating girlray Hamilton. Garner does well in WW2 friend. Based, apparently, on a true story. actioner as leader of assault troops in North [PG-13] ▼쩠 Africa and Italy, focusing on relationships Dante’s Inferno (1935) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harry among his command and their shore romances.▼ Lachman. Spencer Tracy, Claire Trevor, Henry B. Walthall, Alan Dinehart, Scotty Daredevil (2003) C-104m. ★★★ D: Mark Beckett. No Dante in this yarn of carnival Steven Johnson. Ben Affleck, Jennifer Garowner who gets too big for his own good; ner, Michael Clarke Duncan, Colin Farrell, just one elaborate sequence showing Satan’s Joe Pantoliano, Jon Favreau, David Keith, paradise in good Tracy vehicle. Young Rita Erick Avari, Paul Ben-Victor, Leland Orser. Hayworth dances in one scene. Blinded as a boy in N.Y.C., Matt Murdock Dante’s Peak (1997) C-108m. ★★★ D: grows up to be a lawyer by day and crime Roger Donaldson. Pierce Brosnan, Linda fighter by night, using his heightened senses Hamilton, Jamie Rene´e Smith, Jeremy to punish bad guys . . . but he’s a tortured Foley, Elizabeth Hoffman, Charles Hallahero. Colorful, entertaining comic-book han, Grant Heslov. Formulaic but entertainfodder, played with conviction by Affleck ing disaster movie about a scientist from the and a crackerjack cast: Garner as the agile U.S. Geological Survey who sniffs around a Elektra, Favreau as his comic-relief law mountainside town in Washington just partner, Duncan as the menacing Kingpin, below a volcano that he feels is going to and a wild-eyed Farrell as Bullseye. Mark blow at any minute. Along the way he falls Margolis appears unbilled as Fallon; amusin love with the town’s mayor. Critics ing cameo by comics aficionado Kevin dumped on the first of 1997’s two volcano Smith. Based on the Marvel Comics characmovies, but hey—it ain’t supposed to be ter created by Stan Lee (who also cameos) Henry V. The characters are likable and the and Bill Everett. Alternate version runs effects are completely convincing. Super 120m. Followed by a spin-off: ELEKTRA. 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Danton (1982-Polish-French) C-136m. Darfur Now (2007) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Theo★★★★ dore Braun. Documentary about various D: Andrzej Wajda. Ge´rard Depardieu, Wojciech Pszoniak, Patrice Chereau, Angela people who are trying to make a difference Winkler, Boguslaw Linda. Literate, absorbin strife-ridden Darfur, including a man who ing, knowing drama of Danton, Robespierre, operates the World Food Program, a lawyer and the Reign of Terror following the French who plans to prosecute government officials Revolution. A brilliant film, with obvious in the International Criminal Court, a local parallels to contemporary political situation woman whose personal tragedy has led her in Poland. Depardieu is magnificent in the to become an armed rebel, a young man from title role. [PG]▼●쩠 L.A. who tries to get the state of California to Danzo´n (1991-Mexican) C-103m. ★★★ rid itself of Sudanese investments, and actor D: Maria Novaro. Maria Rojo, Carmen Don Cheadle, who uses his celebrity (and that [ 316 ]

of friends like George Clooney) to draw attenClaudia Christian. Yes, that’s a third arm tion to the crisis. By trying to find the positive growing out of Nelson’s back—and it’s in all of this and appeal to a mainstream audiputting the necessary edge on his wide ence, this well-made film sacrifices deep emoprofessional reputation as the worst stand-up tional impact. Cheadle coproduced. [PG]쩠 comic in show-biz history. Contrived in an Daring Dobermans, The (1973) C-90m. attempt to be culty, but unsuccessful even ★★1⁄2 D: Bryon Chudnow. Charles Knox on those terms. Still, film has a casting Robinson, Tim Considine, David Moses, mix one could cherish. Lowe is fitted out Claudio Martinez, Joan Caulfield. Sequel with what appears to the untrained eye to to THE DOBERMAN GANG provides be Mr. Hyde’s dental work. Director Rifkin amiable family viewing as the canines are appears as Rufus Bing. [R]▼●쩠 trained for another daring heist by a new Dark Blue (2003) C-118m. ★★ D: Ron gang of crooks. [G]▼ Shelton. Kurt Russell, Brendan Gleeson, Daring Game (1968) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Scott Speedman, Michael Michele, Lolita Laslo Benedek. Lloyd Bridges, Nico MinarDavidovich, Ving Rhames, Dash Mihok, dos, Michael Ansara, Joan Blackman. Not Kurupt, Master P. Half-baked look at inbred bad adventure tale of underwater expert corruption in the LAPD during the troubled (guess who?) in search of husband and days leading up to the riots of 1992. Russell daughter of his former girlfriend.▼ (in a dynamic performance) plays a thirdDarjeeling Limited, The (2007) C-91m. generation cop who no longer blinks at the ★★1 ⁄2 D: Wes Anderson. Owen Wilson, Jason methodology of his colleagues and superiSchwartzman, Adrien Brody, Anjelica Huston, ors, but his young partner (Speedman) still Amara Karan, Wallace Wolodarsky, Waris has ideals. Awkward coincidences and a Ahluwalia, Irfan Khan, Barbet Schroeder, Capreposterous finale are just two major flaws milla Rutherford, Bill Murray. Three brothers in this narrative, which tries to be larger who get on each other’s nerves (including than life and realistic at the same time. Wilson, in heavy bandages) take a stab at Based on an original story by James Ellroy. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 reconciling on an India train journey that includes a stop-off to see mom Huston, who’s Dark Blue World (2001-Czech) C-119m. 1⁄2 D: Jan Svera ★★ ´ k. Ondrej Vetchy´, Tara now in a Himalayan convent. Another visually inventive Anderson comedy, though its Fitzgerald, Krystof Hadek, Charles Dance, thin comic story has a melancholy air. For Oldrich Kaiser. From a 1950 Soviet-ruled Anderson (and his cowriters Schwartzman Czech labor camp that’s punishing a native and Roman Coppola) it’s the journey, not pilot who flew for the R.A.F., we cut to a the destination, that matters here. Natalie 1939 flashback to find the same guy Portman, seen here in a passing bit, also (Vetchy´) involved with a Brit (Fitzgerald) stars with Schwartzman in the tangentially whose husband is missing in action. The related short HOTEL CHEVALIER. Panalater story sounds more novel and interestvision. [R]쩠 ing, but the dominant earlier one provides Dark, The (1979) C-92m. ★★ D: John the flying scenes, which are surprisingly (Bud) Cardos. William Devane, Cathy Lee elaborate. Otherwise, there’s not much to Crosby, Richard Jaeckel, Keenan Wynn, Jacdistinguish this capable but uninspired yarn quelyn Hyde, Biff Elliott, Vivian Blaine. from hundreds of other WW2 dramas. Arriscope. [R]▼쩠 Fairly well made but predictable sci-fier; writer Devane and TV reporter Crosby take Dark City (1950) 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: William on a homicidal alien in a California town. Aka Dieterle. Charlton Heston, Lizabeth Scott, THE MUTILATOR. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Viveca Lindfors, Dean Jagger, Jack Webb, Dark at the Top of the Stairs, The (1960) Don DeFore, Ed Begley, Henry (Harry) C-123m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Delbert Mann. Robert Morgan. Moody drama of cynical, alienPreston, Dorothy McGuire, Eve Arden, Anated Heston, and what happens when he gela Lansbury, Shirley Knight, Lee Kinsolvand his cronies take sap DeFore in a card ing, Frank Overton, Robert Eyer. Simple, game. It’s fun to see Webb and Morgan, eloquent drama, set in 1920s Oklahoma, with both of later Dragnet fame, cast as a Preston in top form as a traveling salesman wiseguy and ex-pug at each other’s throats. caught in a passionless marriage. His relationThis was Heston’s Hollywood debut. ships with wife McGuire, daughter Knight, Dark City (1998) C-100m. ★★★ D: Alex and ‘‘friend’’ Lansbury are played out in a Proyas. Rufus Sewell, Kiefer Sutherland, series of beautifully acted scenes. Poignant Jennifer Connelly, Richard O’Brien, Ian script by Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank, Richardson, Colin Friels, Bruce Spence, Jr., from William Inge’s play. William Hurt. In a city where it is always Dark Avenger, The SEE: Warriors, night, aliens conduct secret experiments to The (1955) learn what makes us human. Meanwhile, Dark Backward, The (1991) C-104m. his memory mostly gone, Sewell is sus★1⁄2 D: Adam Rifkin. Judd Nelson, Bill pected of being a serial killer, and finds he Paxton, Wayne Newton, Lara Flynn Boyle, now has telekinetic powers. Richly plotted James Caan, Rob Lowe, King Moody, sci-fi has striking set design and excellent [ 317 ]

use of special effects; complex, with a new D: Nikita Mikhalkov. Marcello Mastroianni, surprise every few minutes. Filmed in AusSilvana Mangano, Marthe Keller, Elena tralia. Cowritten by the director. Director’s Safonova, Pina Cei. Mastroianni gives a cut runs 111m. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 tour-de-force performance as a once-young, Dark Command (1940) 94m. ★★★ D: Raoul idealistic, aspiring architect, who settled Walsh. Claire Trevor, John Wayne, Walfor a life of wealth and ease after marrying ter Pidgeon, Roy Rogers, George ‘‘Gabby’’ a banker’s daughter . . . and proved incaHayes, Porter Hall, Marjorie Main. Pidgeon pable of holding on to what’s important to plays character based on 1860s renegade him. A rich, beautifully detailed, multilevQuantrill, small-town despot who (in this eled film that’s at once sad, funny, and story) launches his terror raids after clashhaunting. Based on short stories by Anton ing with new marshal Wayne. DramatiChekhov (one of which was previously cally uneven, but entertaining. Also shown filmed as LADY WITH A DOG).▼● in computer-colored version. ▼쩠 Dark Forces SEE: Harlequin Dark Corner, The (1946) 99m. ★★★ D: Dark Habits (1984-Spanish) C-116m. ★★1 Henry Hathaway. Lucille Ball, Clifton ⁄2 D: Pedro Almodo´var. Cristina S. Webb, William Bendix, Mark Stevens, Kurt Pascual, Carmen Maura, Julieta Serrano, Kreuger, Cathy Downs, Reed Hadley, ConMarisa Paredes. Singer Pascual takes it stance Collier. Top-notch mystery with secon the lam after her lover ODs and finds retary Ball helping moody boss Stevens herself in a convent crammed with wacky, escape from phony murder charge. Wellfree-spirited nuns. Funny, but not up to some of Almodo´var’s later work.▼●쩠 acted, exciting film noir.▼쩠 Dark Crystal, The (1983-British) C-94m. Dark Half, The (1993) C-122m. ★★ ★★★ D: Jim Henson, Frank Oz. Performed D: George A. Romero. Timothy Hutton, by Jim Henson, Kathryn Mullen, Frank Oz, Amy Madigan, Michael Rooker, Julie HarDave Goelz, Brian Muehl, Jean Pierre ris, Robert Joy, Kent Broadhurst, Beth Amiel, Kiran Shah. Elaborate fantasy—a Grant, Rutanya Alda, Tom Mardirosian, cross between Tolkien and the Brothers Glenn Colerider, Chelsea Field, Royal Grimm—from the Muppets crew, with Dano. Another Stephen King movie withimaginative (and often grotesque) cast of out a good half. Hutton plays a successful characters enacting classic quest: a missing writer, under a pseudonym, who fails when piece of the powerful Dark Crystal must be he writes under his own name. When he’s found or evil will take over the world. Takes threatened with exposure, he announces time to warm up to, but worth the effort. the death of his alter ego—which causes Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 the ‘‘pseudonym,’’ to come to life and Dark Days (2000) 84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marc embark on a murderous rampage. (King Singer. Exceptional documentary about a himself published several novels under the community of former street people who’ve pseudonym Richard Bachman before killcreated homes for themselves in railroad ing him off.) Scripted by Romero. [R]▼●쩠 tunnels under the streets of Manhattan. Dark Hazard (1934) 72m. ★★ D: Alfred First-time filmmaker Singer lived with his E. Green. Edward G. Robinson, Genesubjects for two years, and had them work vieve Tobin, Glenda Farrell, Henry B. as his crew, to fashion this compassionate Walthall, Sidney Toler. Robinson is bright and eye-opening film.▼쩠 spot of programmer about his precarious Dark End of the Street, The (1981) married life to Tobin, endangered by C-90m. ★★★ D: Jan Egleson. Laura Hargirlfriend Farrell and urge to gamble. rington, Henry Tomaszewski, Michelle Dark Horse, The (1932) 75m. ★★1⁄2 D: AlGreen, Lance Henriksen, Pamela Paytonfred E. Green. Warren William, Bette Wright, Terence Grey, Ben Affleck. LowDavis, Guy Kibbee, Vivienne Osborne, budget independent feature, shot in and Frank McHugh. Lively political spoof with around Boston, about white teenagers who nitwit Kibbee running for governor with witness a black friend’s accidental death. help from campaign manager William and Realistic depiction of urban working-class co-worker Davis.▼ lifestyle and problems. Fine performances, Dark Intruder (1965) 59m. ★★★ D: Harparticularly by Harrington and Green (as her vey Hart. Leslie Nielsen, Judi Meredith, best friend). Mark Richman, Werner Klemperer, GilDarker Than Amber (1970) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 bert Green, Charles Bolender. Uneven perD: Robert Clouse. Rod Taylor, Suzy Kenformances major liability in near-flawless dall, Theodore Bikel, Jane Russell, James supernatural thriller. Occult expert called Booth, Janet MacLachlan. OK action meloin by San Francisco police in connection with drama casts Taylor as John D. MacDonald’s series of weird murders. Intricate plot and detective Travis McGee; he’s after thugs exceptional use of time period blending with who beat up Kendall. Good location phosuspense make this a one-of-a-kind movie. tography in Miami and Caribbean. [PG— Busted TV pilot given theatrical release. Dark Journey (1937-British) 82m. ★★★ edited from original R rating]▼ Dark Eyes (1987-Italian) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Victor Saville. Conrad Veidt, Vivien [ 318 ]

Leigh, Joan Gardner, Anthony Bushell, Dark Mirror, The (1946) 85m. ★★★ D: Ursula Jeans. Engrossing love story, set Robert Siodmak. Olivia de Havilland, Lew in WW1 Stockholm, about dress-shopAyres, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Long, owner-double agent Leigh, who gets inCharles Evans, Garry Owen. De Havilvolved with baron Veidt, head of German land plays twin sisters—one good, one Intelligence. Young Vivien is radiant.▼쩠 disturbed—who are implicated in murder. Dark Knight, The (2008) C-152m. ★★ D: One of Hollywood’s post-WW2 forays Christopher Nolan. Christian Bale, Heath into psychological drama; no longer Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Caine, fresh, but still entertaining. Remade for TV in 1984 with Jane Seymour.▼쩠 Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Monique Gabriela Curnen, Ron Darkness (2002-Spanish) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Dean, Cillian Murphy, Nestor Carbonell, Jaume Balaguero´. Anna Paquin, Lena Olin, Eric Roberts, Ritchie Coster, Anthony MiIain Glen, Giancarlo Giannini, Fele Martı´chael Hall, Keith Szarabajka, William nez, Stephan Enquist. Disjointed hauntedFichtner. Gotham City (no longer futuristic, house story shot in Spain must have lost as it was depicted in BATMAN BEGINS) something in the translation. Paquin is a is brought to its knees by the evil machinateenage girl whose family moves into a tions of The Joker. The new D.A. (Eckhart) dreary home only to discover its terrifying wants to clean things up but Bruce Wayne past. U.S. distributor Miramax sat on this isn’t sure he can be trusted—especially misfire for two years before cutting 14m. since he’s dating Rachel Dawes (Gyllenhaal, Original 102m. Spanish version is unrated. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 replacing Katie Holmes). A Batman story for the terrorist era, this is doomsday dark and Darkness Falls (2003) C-86m. BOMB D: palpably real. It’s also incredibly long. LedJonathan Liebesman. Chaney Kley, Emma ger is a vivid Joker but his character is so Caulfield, Lee Cormie, Grant Piro, Sullivan sick it’s difficult to derive any pleasure from Stapleton, Steve Mouzakis. Dreadful horror watching him. Oscar winner for Sound Edfilm about ‘‘The Tooth Fairy’’ gone amok. iting and Best Supporting Actor, posthuA man terrorized by the dentin pixie—that mously, for Ledger. Panavision and IMAX. is, a local woman who appeared in that [PG-13]쩠 guise—since he lost his last baby tooth reDarkman (1990) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam turns to his hometown of Darkness Falls Raimi. Liam Neeson, Frances McDormand, to help a similarly plagued boy. Ridiculous Colin Friels, Larry Drake, Nelson Mashita, premise spawns a film that gets worse as it goes along. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Jesse Lawrence Ferguson, Rafael H. Robledo, Danny Hicks, Bruce Campbell. ScienDark Obsession (1989-British) C-87m. tist hot on the trail of a formula for cloning BOMB D: Nicholas Broomfield. Gabriel body parts by computer is savagely attacked Byrne, Amanda Donohoe, Michael Hor(and left for dead) by thugs who represent a dern, Judy Parfitt, Douglas Hodge, Sadie crooked city developer. Retreating into a Frost, Ian Carmichael. Byrne and his regishadow world, and seeking revenge, the ment buddies run over a chambermaid laboratory genius reinvents himself as Darkafter a night of drinking—and the only one man. Grandiose melodramatics, and Raimi’s who feels guilt about the death is the only over-the-top approach, are entertaining to a one who will suffer. Documentary director point, but there’s a fundamental hollowness Broomfield’s first fiction feature is an obto this comic-book script. Old-fashioned vious, boring parable about the amorality laboratory montage and main titles by Pablo of the rich and titled. Even Donohoe’s Ferro. Jenny Agutter and John Landis apfrequent nudity quickly becomes dreary. Origpear unbilled. Followed by two video seinal British title: DIAMOND SKULLS. Requels in 1995 and 1996. [R] ▼●쩠 leased in U.S. in 1991. Available in both Dark Matter (2008) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chen NC-17- (100m.) and R-rated versions. ▼● Shi-Zheng. Liu Ye, Meryl Streep, Aidan Dark of the Night (1985-New Zealand) Quinn, Blair Brown, Bill Irwin, Joe Grifasi, C-89m. ★★★ D: Gaylene Preston. Heather Tsao Lei, Shan Jing. Brilliant Chinese stuBolton, David Letch, Gary Stalker, Danny dent wins a scholarship to study for his Mulheron, Kate Harcourt, Michael Haigh. Ph.D. in the U.S. in the early 1990s, workBolton buys a used Jaguar that’s seeming under famed cosmologist Quinn, but his ingly haunted by its previous owner, a tenacious interest in exploring ‘‘dark matter’’ woman who was murdered. Entertainingly threatens to outshine the work of his egoloopy psychological thriller that’s also a centric professor. Streep plays a college pakeenly observed feminist fable about the tron who helps newly arrived Chinese frustrations and perils of a woman seeking students acclimate to American life. Pointed independence in a ‘‘man’s world.’’ Original New Zealand title: MR. WRONG. ▼ observation of clashing cultures leads to a disturbing denouement that seems to come Dark of the Sun (1968-British) C-101m. ★★★ out of left field—even though it’s inspired D: Jack Cardiff. Rod Taylor, Yvette by a real-life incident. Film debut for noted Mimieux, Jim Brown, Kenneth More, Peter stage and opera director Chen. [R]쩠 Carsten, Andre Morell, Calvin Lockhart. [ 319 ]

Excellent cast in nerve-wracking actioner thriller about architect Agutter’s husband’s with Rod the leader of mercenary expeghost, which seems to be committing murdition to retrieve uncut diamonds and beder during the construction of her skysieged refugees in Congo. One of Taylor’s scraper. Barnett is a pseudonym for Freddie best pictures. Panavision. [PG]▼ Francis (who’s done far better). [R]▼● ★★★ Dark Passage (1947) 106m. D: Dark Victory (1939) 106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Delmer Daves. Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Edmund Goulding. Bette Davis, George Bacall, Bruce Bennett, Agnes MooreBrent, Humphrey Bogart, Geraldine Fitzhead. Engrossing caper of escaped convict gerald, Ronald Reagan, Cora Witherspoon, (Bogart) undergoing plastic surgery, hidHenry Travers. Definitive Davis performing out at Bacall’s apartment till his face ance as spoiled socialite whose life is heals. Stars outshine far-fetched happenending; Brent as brain surgeon husband, ings. Also shown in computer-colored verFitzgerald as devoted friend register in sion. ▼●쩠 good soaper. Bogart as Irish stable master Dark Past, The (1948) 75m. ★★★ D: Ruseems out of place. Remade as STOLEN dolph Mate´. William Holden, Nina Foch, HOURS, and for TV in 1976 with Elizabeth Lee J. Cobb, Adele Jergens, Stephen Dunne. Montgomery and Anthony Hopkins. Also Absorbing narrative of mad killer holding shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 psychologist prisoner and latter’s attempts Dark Water (2005) C-105m. ★★★ D: Walto talk sense into the maniac. Remake of ter Salles. Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, BLIND ALLEY.▼ Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Pete Postlethwaite, Dark Places (1975-British) C-91m. ★1⁄2 Camryn Manheim, Ariel Gade, Debra Monk. D: Don Sharp. Christopher Lee, Joan ColNewly separated Connelly takes an apartment lins, Robert Hardy, Herbert Lom, Jane in a seedy building on N.Y.C.’s isolated RooBirkin, Jean Marsh. Mild horror thriller. sevelt Island, hoping the change will do her Hardy, heir to an insane murderer’s estate, and her 5-year-old daughter some good. Inis possessed by his spirit, kills those who stead, there are signs of dread and imminent try to do him out of it. [PG]▼ danger everywhere, along with water dripDark Side of the Sun, The (1997-Canaping from the ceiling. Director Salles (in his dian) C-101m. BOMB D: Bozidar Nikolic. American debut) milks every possibility for Brad Pitt, Guy Boyd, Cheryl Pollak, Milena atmosphere in this creepy chiller, a remake Dravic, Constantin Nitchoff. In MEET JOE of a 2002 Japanese film. Reilly adds a touch BLACK, Pitt played Death; here he plays of humor as a hilariously sleazy rental dying. Awful weepie about a young Ameriagent. Unrated version also available. Pacan exile who covers his body from head to navision. [PG-13]쩠 toe in leather because of a fatal skin disease. Dark Waters (1944) 90m. ★★ D: Andre He decides to chuck life for a few days of de Toth. Merle Oberon, Franchot Tone, passion when he meets a traveling actress. Thomas Mitchell, Fay Bainter, Rex InEntire film takes place in the Slavic countrygram, John Qualen, Elisha Cook, Jr. Cast side and features an irritating polka score! sinks into the bog (some literally) in conEven diehard Pitt fans best beware. Made in fused film of innocent girl staying with peculiar family.▼●쩠 1990. ▼쩠 Dark Star (1974) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Dark Wind, The (1994) C-111m. ★1⁄2 D: Carpenter. Dan O’Bannon, Dre Pahich, Errol Morris. Lou Diamond Phillips, Gary Brian Narelle. Satiric, spaced-out comedy Farmer, Fred Ward, Guy Boyd, John Karof weary astronauts whose mission is to len. Disappointing feature from acclaimed blow up unstable planets; one of their documentarian Morris: a ponderously slow, sentient bombs gets its own ideas. Enjoyamuddled account of young Navajo cop Philble for sci-fi fans and surfers; stretches its lips, new to his district, who attempts to shoestring budget pretty well. Carpenter’s solve a mystery amid Navajo-Hopi differfirst feature, expanded from a college short ences. Script by Neal Jimenez and Eric Berhe wrote with O’Bannon. [G]▼●쩠 gren, based on Tony Hillerman’s novel. Darktown Strutters (1975) C-85m. ★1⁄2 One of the executive producers was Robert D: William Witney. Trina Parks, Edna Redford. Filmed in 1991. [R]▼쩠 Richardson, Bettye Sweet, Shirley WashDarling (1965-British) 122m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ington, Roger E. Mosley, Stan Shaw, John Schlesinger. Julie Christie, Dirk Christopher Joy. Poor spoof of black and Bogarde, Laurence Harvey, Roland Curram, white stereotypes. Story is about Parks Jose Luis de Villalonga, Alex Scott, Basil attempting to find her kidnapped mother. Henson. Christie won Oscar as girl who rises Original running time: 90m. Retitled GET from commonplace life to marry an Italian DOWN AND BOOGIE. [PG]▼ noble, with several unsatisfactory love affairs Dark Tower (1987) C-91m. BOMB D: in between. Trendy, influential ’60s film— Ken Barnett. Michael Moriarty, Jenny in flashy form and cynical content. Frederic Agutter, Carol Lynley, Anne Lockhart, Raphael’s script and costume designer Julie Theodore Bikel, Kevin McCarthy, Patch Harris also won Oscars.▼●쩠 Mackenzie. Appallingly bad supernatural Darling, How Could You! (1951) 96m. [ 320 ]

★★1

⁄2 D: Mitchell Leisen. Joan Fontaine, treu, Christian Berkel, Justus von Dohnanyi, John Lund, Mona Freeman, Peter Hanson, Oliver Stokowski, Maren Eggert, Andrea David Stollery. Doctor Lund and wife FonSawatzki. Compelling drama about 20 men taine return from Central America to their who sign up for a behavioral psychology exthree children, with various comical compliperiment in which they pretend to be in prison cations. Strictly sitcom stuff, sometimes for two weeks—some as inmates, some as sweet but mostly silly and stupid. Based on guards. Needless to say, things go terribly a James M. Barrie play. wrong. A perfect story for the Survivor/Big Darling Lili (1970) C-136m. ★★★ D: Blake Brother era, although it was inspired by a Edwards. Julie Andrews, Rock Hudson, real-life incident from the 1970s. Aka THE Jeremy Kemp, Lance Percival, Jacques EXPERIMENT. [R]▼쩠 Marin, Michael Witney. Critically lamDate Movie (2006) C-82m. BOMB D: basted when first released, this entertainAaron Seltzer. Alyson Hannigan, Adam ing spoof has Andrews and Hudson at their Campbell, Jennifer Coolidge, Tony Cox, best, along with writer/director Edwards, Fred Willard, Eddie Griffin, Sophie Monk, keeping tongue-in-cheek but not becoming Meera Simhan, Carmen Electra, Lil Jon. coy in telling story of German spy Julie Witless, brainless spoof of Hollywood roposing as London entertainer during WW1, mantic comedies involving an overweight falling in love with squadron commander young woman (Hannigan, in a fat suit) and Hudson. Great fun, good music, including the complications that arise when she finds Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini’s lovely her Mr. Right. Loaded with lame ‘‘comic’’ song ‘‘Whistling Away the Dark.’’ Two references to recent-vintage pop movies and decades after the fact, Edwards prepared tailored to people who think obesity and an alternative ‘‘director’s cut’’ of the film, flatulence jokes are the height of hilarity. more serious in tone, for cable TV; it runs Unrated version also available. [PG-13]쩠 114m. Panavision. [G]쩠 Date With an Angel (1987) C-105m. Darwin’s Nightmare (2005-French-AustrianBOMB D: Tom McLoughlin. Michael E. Belgian) C-107m. ★★★ D: Hubert Sauper. Knight, Phoebe Cates, Emmanuelle Be´art, Sobering, stranger-than-fiction documenDavid Dukes, Phil Brock, Albert Macklin. tary about the effect one species of fish, the Aspiring musician Knight, about to be swalNile Perch, has on the economy and ecology lowed up by marriage and his future father-inof Tanzania. Introduced to Lake Victoria years law’s firm, finds salvation with the brokenago, the predatory fish now consumes all winged angel who crashes into his pool on the other species in the water, but its desirabilnight of his bachelor party. Unbearable comic ity as an export item single-handedly susfantasy despite Be´art’s appropriately ethereal beauty. J-D-C Scope. [PG]▼●쩠 tains the local economy. Following each thread of this story, the film deals with globDate With Death, A SEE: McGuire, Go alization, exploitation, and other issues that Home! affect all of us, not just the poor people of Date With Judy, A (1948) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 one African nation.쩠 D: Richard Thorpe. Wallace Beery, Jane D.A.R.Y.L. (1985) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: SiPowell, Elizabeth Taylor, Carmen Miranmon Wincer. Mary Beth Hurt, Michael da, Xavier Cugat, Robert Stack, Scotty McKean, Barret Oliver, Kathryn Walker, Beckett. Musicomedy of two teenagers Colleen Camp, Josef Sommer, Steve Ryan, involved in family shenanigans; highlight Danny Corkill. Childless couple adopts a is Beery dancing with Miranda. Songs include ‘‘It’s a Most Unusual Day.’’▼●쩠 little boy who’s really a sophisticated robot. Good premise undermined by incredibly Daughter of Rosie O’Grady, The (1950) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Butler. June Haver, bland presentation; young kids might enjoy it. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Gordon MacRae, Debbie Reynolds, Gene Das Boot (1981-German) C-145m. ★★★1⁄2 Nelson, James Barton, S. Z. Sakall, Jane D: Wolfgang Petersen. Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Darwell. Formula period musical with Haver Herbert Gronemeyer, Klaus Wennemann, in title role singing turn-of-the-century faHubertus Bengsch, Martin Semmelrogge, vorites. Talented MacRae is her love inBernd Tauber, Erwin Leder, Martin May. terest, and Sakall is forced to give another Realistic, meticulously mounted nail-biter cuddly stereotype. Daughters Courageous (1939) 107m. ★★★ chronicling a German U-boat on a mission during WW2, with Prochnow solid as its D: Michael Curtiz. John Garfield, Claude commander. Manages to embrace an antiRains, Fay Bainter, Priscilla Lane, Rosewar message, as well. Based on Lotharmary Lane, Lola Lane, Gale Page, May Guenther Buchheim’s autobiographical novel. Robson, Donald Crisp, Frank McHugh. Originally a 5-hour German TV miniseries, Enjoyable reworking of FOUR DAUGHwhich is available on DVD; later released in a TERS, featuring the same cast and chroni211m. Director’s Cut. Well-dubbed American cling what happens when wanderer Rains version is titled THE BOAT. [R]▼●쩠 returns to the family he abandoned 20 Das Experiment (2001-German) C-119m. years before. Garfield is fine as the brash ★★★ D: Oliver Hirschbiegel. Moritz Bleibcharmer who’s romancing Priscilla Lane. [ 321 ]

Daughters of Darkness (1971-Belgianwith good production values but generally boring script; only fair performances.▼●쩠 French) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harry Kumel. Delphine Seyrig, Daniele Ouimet, John David and Goliath (1961-Italian) C-95m. ★★ Karlen, Andrea Rau, Paul Esser, George D: Richard Pottier, Ferdinando Baldi. Jamin, Joris Collet, Fons Rademakers. SoOrson Welles, Ivo Payer, Edward Hilton, phisticated, witty, but cold tale of honeyEleonora Rossi-Drago, Massimo Serato. mooning couple meeting lesbian vampire Juvenile spectacle based on biblical tale, Elisabeth Bathory (a real historical figwith wooden script, bad acting, Welles as ure), becoming enmeshed in her schemes. hefty King Saul. Totalscope.▼쩠 Elegant, but pretentious and slow. Highly David and Lisa (1962) 94m. ★★★ D: Frank regarded by many. Also shown at 96m. DiPerry. Keir Dullea, Janet Margolin, Howrector’s cut runs 100m.▼●쩠 ard da Silva, Neva Patterson, Clifton James. Daughters of Satan (1972) C-96m. ★★ D: Independently made film about two disturbed Hollingsworth Morse. Tom Selleck, Barra teenagers is excellent, sensitively played Grant, Tani Phelps Guthrie, Paraluman. by newcomers Dullea and Margolin. Da Silva Witches’ curses, mumbo jumbo, and a lot is fine as an understanding doctor. Remade of hokum as young girl is lured into witches’ for TV in 1998. ▼●쩠 coven. [R]▼ David Copperfield (1935) 130m. ★★★★ D: Daughters of the Dust (1991) C-114m. George Cukor. Freddie Bartholomew, Frank ★★1 Lawton, W.C. Fields, Lionel Barrymore, ⁄2 D: Julie Dash. Cora Lee Day, Alva Rodgers, Adisa Anderson, Kaycee Moore, Madge Evans, Roland Young, Basil RathBarbara O, Eartha D. Robinson, Bahni bone, Edna May Oliver, Maureen O’SulliTurpin, Cheryl Lynn Bruce. Poetic, turnvan, Lewis Stone, Lennox Pawle, Elsa Lanof-the-century tale of the Gullah, descenchester, Una O’Connor, Arthur Treacher. dants of slaves who resided on islands near Hollywood does right by Dickens in this South Carolina and Georgia and mainlavishly mounted, superbly cast productained their West African heritage. The tion, following David’s exploits from youth material is fascinating, and some of the to young manhood, with such unforgettaimagery is stunning, but too much of ble characterizations as Fields’ Micawber, the historical background remains unexRathbone’s Mr. Murdstone, Young’s Uriah plained, and the slow pace weighs it down. Heep, and Oliver’s Aunt Betsey. A treat Dash also scripted this American Playhouse from start to finish. Screenplay by Howard theatrical feature.▼쩠 Estabrook and Hugh Walpole; the latter Dave (1993) C-110m. ★★★ D: Ivan Reitman. also portrays the vicar. Also shown in Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Langella, Ben Kingsley, Kevin Dunn, Ving David Holzman’s Diary (1968) 74m. ★★★1 Rhames, Charles Grodin, Faith Prince, Laura ⁄2 D: Jim McBride. L. M. Kit Carson, Linney, Bonnie Hunt, Parley Baer, Stefan Eileen Dietz, Louise Levine, Lorenzo Mans. Gierasch, Anna Deavere Smith. Shades of Superior, perceptively funny cine´ma ve´rite´ PRISONER OF ZENDA! U.S. president, infeature about a serious young filmmaker capacitated by stroke, is replaced by lookwho seeks truth by making a movie of his life. A classic of its kind.▼ alike (and everyman) Kline, who proceeds to win over the press, public, and even the Da Vinci Code, The (2006) C-148m. ★★ D: president’s estranged wife (Weaver) in this Ron Howard. Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, amusing political comedy. Farfetched premIan McKellen, Jean Reno, Paul Bettany, Alise made believable by winning cast and fred Molina, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Jean-Yves cameos by celebrities, real reporters, and acBerteloot, Etienne Chicot, Jean-Pierre Matual U.S. senators! [PG-13]▼●쩠 rielle. While lecturing in Paris, Harvard Dave Chappelle’s Block Party (2006) Csymbologist Hanks is pulled into a murder 103m. ★★★ D: Michel Gondry. Freewheelcase that has deep, dark implications involving combination documentary–concert film ing a religious sect and links to the paintings in which stand-up comic Chappelle plans— of Leonardo da Vinci. Eagerly anticipated and invites one and all to attend—a block adaptation of Dan Brown’s bestseller (which party/outdoor concert on a street in rainy became a cultural phenomenon) is a letdown Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, in 2004. in every respect. Workmanlike at best, not Chappelle’s interactions with everyday people especially well staged or shot, it lacks the are as fresh and funny as his onstage material. electricity—and star chemistry—a thriller of Kanye West, Mos Def, Erykah Badu, The this magnitude ought to have. Material still Roots, The Fugees, Dead Prez, and others has pull, but Akiva Goldsman’s script makes are seen in performance. Unrated edition is changes that aren’t always an improvement on the book . . . and the movie plods as it 126m. [R]쩠 David and Bathsheba (1951) C-116m. heads down the stretch. Alternate version runs ★★ D: Henry King. Gregory Peck, Susan 28m. longer. Followed by ANGELS & DEMONS. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Hayward, Raymond Massey, Kieron Moore, James Robertson Justice, Jayne Meadows, Davy Crockett and the River Pirates John Sutton, George Zucco. Biblical epic (1956) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Foster. [ 322 ]

Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Jeff York, KenGruesome, yes, but also funny and even neth Tobey, Clem Bevans, Irvin Ashkenazy. touching; compromised only by going too far Second CROCKETT feature strung together in end-credits scenes. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 from two Disney TV shows; first half is Dawn Patrol, The (1930) 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: comic keelboat race with Mike Fink (York), Howard Hawks. Richard Barthelmess, self-proclaimed ‘‘King of the River,’’ secDouglas Fairbanks Jr., Neil Hamilton, Wilond half is more serious confrontation with liam Janney, James Finlayson, Clyde Cook. Indians. Lightweight fun.▼●쩠 John Monk Saunders’ Oscar-winning story Davy Crockett, Indian Scout (1950) 71m. of a beleaguered aerial squadron in WW1 ★★ France. Devotees of director Hawks prefer D: Lew Landers. George Montgomery, Ellen Drew, Philip Reed, Chief Thunderthis to 1938 remake, but it doesn’t hold up cloud. Humdrum wagon train saga which has as well, particularly the stiff, overdrawn nothing whatsoever to do with the legend of performances. Dawn Patrol, The (1938) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 Davy C. (Montgomery plays one of his descendants.) Retitled INDIAN SCOUT. D: Edmund Goulding. Errol Flynn, Basil Davy Crockett, King of the Wild FronRathbone, David Niven, Donald Crisp, tier (1955) C-93m. ★★★ D: Norman FosMelville Cooper, Barry Fitzgerald. Remake ter. Fess Parker, Buddy Ebsen, Basil of 1930 classic is fine actioner of WW1 Ruysdael, Hans Conried, William Bakewell, flyers in France; Rathbone as stern officer Kenneth Tobey. Originally filmed as three forced to send up green recruits, Flynn and segments for Disney’s TV show, this creNiven as pilot buddies, all excellent. Insightated a nationwide phenomenon in 1955; ful study of wartime camaraderie and gruelit’s still fun today with Parker as famous ing pressures of battlefront command.▼●쩠 Indian scout and Ebsen as his pal George Day After Tomorrow, The (2004) C-124m. ★★★ Russel, whose adventures take them from D: Roland Emmerich. Dennis Quaid, Washington, D.C., to the Alamo.▼쩠 Jake Gyllenhaal, Ian Holm, Emmy Rossum, ★★1 Dawning, The (1988-British) C-97m. ⁄2 Sela Ward, Dash Mihok, Kenneth Welsh, Jay D: Robert Knights. Anthony Hopkins, Jean O. Sanders, Austin Nichols, Perry King. Simmons, Trevor Howard, Rebecca PidQuaid tries to convince his superiors in Washgeon, Hugh Grant, Tara MacGowran. Set ington, D.C. (including a Dick Cheney lookin Southern Ireland in 1920, this wellalike) that weather prognosticators are correct made but curiously ordinary drama chronand worldwide calamity is imminent—with icles the political turmoil of the time as tidal waves, tornadoes, iceberg movement, perceived by a spirited, rapidly maturing etc.—due to global warming. Ultimately, he 18-year-old girl (Pidgeon) who comes to must make his way to a flooded Manhattan the aid of a mysterious stranger (Hopkins). to rescue his son (Gyllenhaal). The characHoward’s last film; he’s cast as her wheelters are likable, the dialogue isn’t dumb, and chair-bound grandfather. [PG]▼●쩠 the effects are spectacular: in other words, a Dawn of the Dead (1978) C-126m. ★★★1⁄2 pretty good, old-fashioned disaster movie. D: George A. Romero. David Emge, Ken Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Foree, Scott Reiniger, Gaylen Ross, Tom Day and the Hour, The (1963-FrenchItalian) 115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rene´ Clement. Savini. Sequel-cum-remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD is apocalyptic horror Simone Signoret, Stuart Whitman, Genemasterpiece; as zombie population increases, vieve Page, Michel Piccoli, Reggie Nalder, four people set up quasi-Utopian existence in Pierre Dux, Billy Kearns. In Nazi-occupied barricaded shopping mall. Satiric, metaphoriFrance, Signoret is a widow who becomes cally rich adventure jerks viewers’ emotions involved in the Resistance movement; Whitaround with stunning ease, as zombies are, by man is an American paratrooper trying to turns, horrifying, heroic, made clownish, and escape to Spain. Franscope.▼ even forgotten. Savini’s hideously gory efDay at the Races, A (1937) 111m. ★★★1⁄2 fects are mostly confined to the first and last D: Sam Wood. Groucho, Harpo, Chico half hours. Nontheatrical prints run 140m. ReMarx, Allan Jones, Maureen O’Sullivan, made in 2004. Followed by DAY OF THE Esther Muir, Margaret Dumont, Douglass DEAD.▼●쩠 Dumbrille, Sig Ruman, Dorothy Dandridge. Dawn of the Dead (2004) C-99m. ★★★ D: The Marxes wreak havoc at a sanitorium, Zack Snyder. Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, where wealthy hypochondriac Dumont is Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, Mithe leading patient; often uproarious comchael Kelly, Kevin Zegers, Michael Barry, edy features some of the trio’s funniest set Lindy Booth, Jayne Eastwood, Matt Frewer. pieces (Chico selling race tips, the seduction Exciting, fast-paced, bloodthirsty fun. The scene, etc.). A perfunctory storyline and undead return to life and attack the living, conmemorable songs keep it from topping its stantly increasing their numbers. A group of immediate predecessor, A NIGHT AT THE uninfected survivors holes up in a shopping OPERA . . . but the comedy content is sensational.▼●쩠 mall, where most of the story is set. An especially good cast flourishes under confident diDaybreak (1939) SEE: Le Jour Se Le`ve rection by Snyder, making his movie debut. Daydreamer, The (1966) C-98m. ★★★ D: [ 323 ]

Jules Bass. Ray Bolger, Jack Gilford, MarMedical Services worker who springs into garet Hamilton, Paul O’Keefe; voices of action when a huge explosion cripples a Tallulah Bankhead, Boris Karloff, Burl tunnel under N.Y.C.’s Hudson River, with a Ives, Victor Borge, Terry-Thomas, Patty handful of survivors inside. Great stunts and Duke. Partly animated story of Hans Chrisspecial effects. That’s Sly’s son Sage as a tian Andersen as a 13-year-old who meets cocky young scam artist being taken to many of the fairy tale characters he later prison. [PG-13]▼●쩠 writes about. Surprisingly pleasant.▼쩠 Day Mars Invaded Earth, The (1962) Day for Night (1973-French) C-120m. 70m. ★1⁄2 D: Maury Dexter. Kent Taylor, ★★★1 Marie Windsor, William Mims, Betty Beall, ⁄2 D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Jacqueline Bisset, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Valentina Lowell Brown, Gregg Shank. Martians are Cortese, Franc¸ois Truffaut, Jean-Pierre exact doubles for scientist Taylor and famLe´aud, Alexandra Stewart, Dani, Nathalie ily as they wreak havoc on pitiful earthBaye. Enjoyable fluff about a motion piclings. Minor sci-fi B pic. CinemaScope. ture director (Truffaut) and his problems in Day Night Day Night (2007-U.S.-German) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julia Loktev. Luisa Wiltrying to film a silly love story; bright performances and a loving look into the liams, Josh P. Weinstein, Gareth Saxe, Nyintricacies of filmmaking. Oscar winner as ambi Nyambi, Frank Dattolo, Annemarie Lawless. Naı¨ve 19-year-old girl arrives in Best Foreign Film. [PG]▼쩠 Day in October, A (1990-Danish-U.S.) the N.Y.C. area and is prepared for the task C-97m. ★★★ D: Kenneth Madsen. D. B. she’s signed up for: to act as a suicide Sweeney, Kelly Wolf, Daniel Benzali, bomber in Times Square. Using a literal inTovah Feldshuh, Ole Lemmeke. Gripping, your-face approach, writer-director Loktev fact-based drama set in WW2 Denmark deliberately withholds information so we chronicles the fate of young Jewish woman focus on the girl and the immediacy of her (Wolf); she brings a stranger—wounded resituation, not her motivation or her cause. sistance fighter Sweeney—into her home, Riveting at times, but peters out, although disrupting the lives of her family. Knowing the filmmaker planned her surprising climax parable about the need to take sides (and just that way.쩠 take action) when confronted by evil. Don’t Day of Anger (1969-Italian) C-109m. ★1⁄2 miss this sleeper. [PG-13]▼쩠 D: Tonino Valerii. Lee Van Cleef, Giuliano Day in the Country, A (1946-French) Gemma, Walter Rilla, Christa Linder, Ennio 40m. ★★★★ D: Jean Renoir. Sylvia Bataille, Balbo. Story of callous gunman and his reGeorges Saint-Saens (Georges Darnoux), lationship with young prote´ge´ is below par, Jacques Borel (Jacques Brunius), Jeanne even for an Italian Western; only for the Marken. At a picnic along a river, a bourVan Cleef cult. Aka DAY OF WRATH. geois Parisian mother and daughter find Techniscope. [M/PG]▼쩠 romance while the menfolk try to fish. Day of the Animals (1977) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 Nature plays a starring role in this cinematic D: William Girdler. Christopher George, tone poem about the emotional depth of Lynda Day George, Leslie Nielsen, Richspiritual love and the sexual high of a ard Jaeckel, Michael Ansara, Ruth Roman. romp in the hay. Screenplay by Renoir, Fair action thriller in the nature-on-the from a short story by Guy de Maupassant; rampage mold, with back packers in the among his assistants on this were Yves High Sierras at the mercy of hostile creaAllegret, Jacques Becker, Henri Cartiertures crazed by the sun’s radiation after the Bresson, and Luchino Visconti! Renoir earth’s ozone layer has been destroyed. Final cast himself as Poulain the innkeeper. Shot score: Beasts 7, Cast 0 (in acting as well in 1936, only partially completed, and edas survival). Aka SOMETHING IS OUT ited in Renoir’s absence. Original title: THERE. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼쩠 UNE PARTIE DE CAMPAGNE.▼ Day of the Bad Man (1958) C-81m. ★★ Day in the Death of Joe Egg, A (1972D: Harry Keller. Fred MacMurray, Joan 1 ★★★ British) C-106m. Weldon, John Ericson, Robert Middleton. ⁄2 D: Peter Medak. Alan Bates, Janet Suzman, Peter Bowles, MacMurray is appropriately stiff in tame Sheila Gish, Joan Hickson. Excellent black account of country judge holding off concomedy about a couple with a child who demned man’s brothers so scheduled hangcontemplate mercy-killing. Not a crowding can occur. CinemaScope. pleaser, but extremely well done. Peter Day of the Dead (1985) C-102m. ★★ D: Nichols adapted his own play. [R]▼ George A. Romero. Lori Cardille, Terry ★★★ Daylight (1996) C-114m. D: Rob Alexander, Joseph Pilato, Jarlath Conroy, Cohen. Sylvester Stallone, Amy BrenneAntone DiLeo, Jr., Richard Liberty, Howman, Viggo Mortensen, Dan Hedaya, Jay ard Sherman. Romero’s creatures trap a O. Sanders, Karen Young, Claire Bloom, female scientist with some army sexists in Vanessa Bell Calloway, Barry Newman, an underground bunker; she wants to Stan Shaw, Colin Fox. Good old-fashioned ‘‘study’’ them, but the army balks at being disaster movie, built on a formulaic foundazombie brunch. Third DEAD entry is retion. Stallone is a disgraced Emergency lentlessly talky for over an hour, but Tom [ 324 ]

Savini’s effects do give this a show-stopping miniseries; and in 1997 as a cable TV movie. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 finale. Easily the least of the series. Remade in name only in 2007. ▼●쩠 Day of Wrath (1943-Danish) 110m. ★★★1⁄2 Day of the Dolphin, The (1973) C-104m. D: Carl Theodor Dreyer. Thorkild Roose, ★★ D: Mike Nichols. George C. Scott, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam, Preben Trish Van Devere, Paul Sorvino, Fritz Lerdorff, Anna Svierker. Strikingly comWeaver, Jon Korkes, Edward Herrmann, posed drama about an old woman accused John Dehner. Big-budget misfire about of being a witch and the curse that she puts scientist Scott using his trained (and on the pastor who is responsible for her talking!) dolphins to foil an assassination burning. Serious, stark cinema, peerlessly plot. A waste of many talents. Scripter Buck photographed by Carl Andersson. Some prints run 95m.▼쩠 Henry also provides the voices for the dolphins. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Days of Glory (1944) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jacques Day of the Evil Gun (1968) C-93m. ★★ Tourneur. Gregory Peck, Alan Reed, MaD: Jerry Thorpe. Glenn Ford, Arthur Kenria Palmer, Lowell Gilmore, Tamara Tounedy, Dean Jagger, John Anderson, Paul manova. Sincere but plodding WW2 acFix, Nico Minardos, Royal Dano, (Harry) tion pitting Russians against Nazis, memoDean Stanton. Very routine Western with rable only as Peck’s screen debut.▼ Ford and Kennedy going after Indians who Days of Glory (2006-French-MoroccanBelgian-Algerian) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Rachid abducted the former’s wife; Kennedy is smooth in likable-villain role he’s played Bouchareb. Jamel Debbouze, Samy Nace´ri, many times. Panavision. [G] Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Bernard Day of the Jackal, The (1973-BritishBlancan, Mathieu Simonet, Benoit Giros, French) C-141m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fred Zinnemann. Me´lanie Laurent, Antoine Chappey. MovEdward Fox, Alan Badel, Tony Britton, ing (and enlightening) saga of North AfriCyril Cusack, Michel Lonsdale, Eric Porcan soldiers who joined their French brothers ter, Delphine Seyrig, Derek Jacobi, Ronald in combat during WW2—but were never acPickup. Exciting adaptation of Frederick cepted as equals. Built on a timeworn formula Forsyth’s best-seller about plot to assassinate of following raw recruits as they become De Gaulle and the painstaking preparations hardened combat veterans; by focusing on a of the assassin. Beautifully filmed throughhandful of men and personalizing the story, out Europe with a first-rate cast. Reworked this forgotten chapter of history comes to in 1997 as THE JACKAL. [PG]▼●쩠 vivid life. Screenplay by the director and Day of the Locust, The (1975) C-144m. Olivier Lorelle. Original French title: INDI★★★1 ⁄2 D: John Schlesinger. Donald SuthGE`NES. Hawk-Scope. [R]쩠 erland, Karen Black, Burgess Meredith, Days of Heaven (1978) C-95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: William Atherton, Geraldine Page, RichTerrence Malick. Richard Gere, Brooke ard A. Dysart, Bo Hopkins, Pepe Serna, Adams, Sam Shepard, Linda Manz, RobLelia Goldoni, Billy Barty, Madge Kenert Wilke, Jackie Shultis, Stuart Margolin. nedy, Florence Lake, Natalie Schafer, Nita Exquisite mood piece about a turbulent Talbot, Paul Stewart, John Hillerman, Roblove triangle set against midwestern wheat ert Pine, Dennis Dugan, Jackie Earle Haley, harvests at the turn of the 20th century. David Ladd, Dick Powell, Jr. Excellent adOriginally shown in 70mm, its visual aptation of Nathanael West’s sweeping beauty almost overwhelms the story— novel about Hollywood’s netherworld in which is second priority here. Nestor Al1930s, seen mostly through eyes of a young mendros won well-deserved Oscar for his artist (Atherton) who finds little glamor and cinematography. [PG]▼●쩠 a lot of broken-down people in Tinseltown. Days of Thrills and Laughter (1961) Disturbing, depressing . . . and absolutely fas93m. ★★★★ Compiled by Robert Youngson. cinating. Script by Waldo Salt. [R]▼●쩠 Third Youngson silent-film compilation Day of the Outlaw (1959) 91m. ★★★ D: combines comedy clips (with Chaplin, LauAndre de Toth. Robert Ryan, Burl Ives, rel and Hardy, the Keystone Kops) with seTina Louise, Alan Marshal, Nehemiah rials and action films (featuring Douglas Persoff, Venetia Stevenson, David Nelson, Fairbanks, Pearl White, Harry Houdini). Jack Lambert, Elisha Cook. Stark Western Great fun. ▼ melodrama of outlaw Ives and gang taking Days of Thunder (1990) C-107m. ★★ D: over isolated Western town.쩠 Tony Scott. Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Day of the Triffids, The (1963-British) Randy Quaid, Nicole Kidman, Cary Elwes, 1 ★★ C-95m. ⁄2 D: Steve Sekely. Howard Michael Rooker, Fred Dalton Thompson, Keel, Nicole Maurey, Janette Scott, Kieron John C. Reilly, Jerry Molen. Flashy, noisy Moore, Mervyn Johns. Meteor display race-car saga set in the South, by the filmblinds everyone who watched, while mumakers and star of TOP GUN. Viewer can tating experimental plants into giant, a) savor crew chief Duvall’s fine perforwalking maneaters. Based on John Wyndmance, b) revel in neurosurgeon/love interham’s classic sci-fi novel. Variable special est Kidman’s disdain for racing, c) sit back effects. Remade in 1981 as a British TV and soak up Cruise’s charisma, or d) count [ 325 ]

the cliche´s (cooked up by coauthors Cruise and Robert Towne). Gives new meaning to the term Formula One. Panavision. [PG13]▼●쩠 Days of Wine and Roses (1962) 117m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Blake Edwards. Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford, Jack Klugman, Alan Hewitt, Tom Palmer, Jack Albertson. Modern LOST WEEKEND set in San Francisco, with Lemmon marrying Remick and pulling her into state of alcoholism. Realistic direction and uncompromising writing combine for excellent results; poignant score by Henry Mancini, who also earned an Oscar for the title song with Johnny Mercer. Originally a television play, written by JP Miller.▼●쩠 Day That Shook the World, The (1977) C-111m. ★★ D: Veljko Bulajic. Christopher Plummer, Florinda Bolkan, Maximilian Schell. Plodding historical drama surrounding the events leading up to WW1 with the death of Archduke Ferdinand (Plummer) at Sarajevo. Yugoslavian-made with a humorless international cast, resulting in tedious though epic-sized chronicle. [R]▼ Day the Earth Caught Fire, The (1961British) 99m. ★★★ D: Val Guest. Edward Judd, Janet Munro, Leo McKern, Michael Goodliffe, Bernard Braden. Intelligent, absorbing sci-fi drama of gradual chaos that follows when atomic explosions start Earth spiraling toward the sun. Judd is the reporter who first breaks the story, with the assistance of Munro (whom he romances). Watch for Michael Caine as a policeman directing traffic! Dyaliscope.▼쩠 Day the Earth Stood Still, The (1951) 92m. ★★★★ D: Robert Wise. Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe, Sam Jaffe, Billy Gray, Frances Bavier, Lock Martin. Landmark science-fiction drama about dignified alien (Rennie) who comes to Earth to deliver anti-nuclear warning, stays to learn that his peaceful views are shared by most humans—but not all. Brilliantly acted, more timely than ever, with trenchant script by Edmund North, moody score by Bernard Herrmann. And remember: Klaatu barada nikto! Remade in 2008.

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Day the Fish Came Out, The (1967-GreekBritish) C-109m. BOMB D: Michael Cacoyannis. Tom Courtenay, Candice Bergen, Colin Blakely, Sam Wanamaker, Ian Ogilvy. Plot about the loss of two atom bombs over the Aegean Sea provides framework for disastrous comedy about homosexuals; combo of Bergen plus whips, chains, and leather doesn’t work. Day the Hot Line Got Hot, The (1969French-Spanish) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Etienne Perier. Robert Taylor, Charles Boyer, George Chakiris, Dominique Fabre, Gerard Tichy. Hollow attempt at topicality as secret agents mess up Moscow-Washington hot line, causing international crisis. Taylor’s final film. Video title: HOT LINE. [M/PG]▼ Day They Robbed the Bank of England, The (1960-British) 85m. ★★★ D: John Guillermin. Aldo Ray, Elizabeth Sellars, Peter O’Toole, Hugh Griffith, Kieron Moore, Albert Sharpe. IRA members plan to rob the Bank of England in this meticulous caper film. Metroscope. Day Time Ended, The (1980) C-79m. ★★ D: John (Bud) Cardos. Jim Davis, Dorothy Malone, Christopher Mitchum, Marcy Lafferty, Scott Kolden, Natasha Ryan. Scifi mishmash about a family living in the desert, who witness strange and terrifying phenomena. Badly scripted, and never really explained. Fine special effects by David Allen. Filmed in 1978 as TIME WARP. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Dayton’s Devils (1968) C-107m. ★★ D: Jack Shea. Rory Calhoun, Leslie Nielsen, Lainie Kazan, Hans Gudegast (Eric Braeden), Barry Sadler. Another heist film, this time about plot to rob an Air Force base of $2 million; Lainie’s rendition of ‘‘Sunny’’ provides only special moment.▼ Daytrippers, The (1996) C-87m. ★★★ D: Greg Mottola. Hope Davis, Stanley Tucci, Parker Posey, Liev Schreiber, Anne Meara, Pat McNamara, Campbell Scott, Marcia Gay Harden. Funny, touching first feature about Eliza, a Long Island wife who discovers what appears to be a clandestine love letter written to her husband; she and her family pile into a station wagon and set off on a road trip to (and through) Manhattan to confront him. Mottola also scripted this thoroughly likable, low-budget winner. [R]

Day the Earth Stood Still, The (2008) C103m. ★★ D: Scott Derrickson. Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates, Jaden Smith, Jon Hamm, John Cleese, Kyle ▼쩠 Chandler, James Hong. Strange visitor from Day Watch (2006-Russian) C-132m. ★1⁄2 another planet arrives on Earth in a giant D: Timur Bekmambetov. Konstantin Khasphere and adopts human form. The governbensky, Mariya Poroshina, Vladimir Mensment and the military respond with hostility hov, Galina Tyunina, Viktor Verzhbitsky. and weapons but super-smart biologist ConWeak, confusing, and endless sequel to nelly makes a personal connection with the NIGHT WATCH in which the forces of the alien—though her young stepson (Smith) ‘‘light’’ and the ‘‘dark’’ are at it again. After isn’t as easily won over. Pallid remake of being framed, Anton (Khabensky) tries to the 1951 classic turns Klaatu into a cipher save himself and his son from evil powers in and dissipates the impact of the story. Super post-apocalyptic Russia. Hollywood-style 35. [PG-13]쩠 production proves that Russians can be just [ 326 ]

as corny as their American counterparts in personal problems. You may like THE LONGEST DAY better. CinemaScope. ▼쩠 turning out mindless supernatural drivel. At Dead, The (1987) C-83m. ★★★ D: John least the effects are good. Unrated version Huston. Anjelica Huston, Donal McCann, runs 146m. Super 35. [R]쩠 Rachael Dowling, Cathleen Delany, HeDay Without a Mexican, A (2004-Mexican1 ★ lena Carroll, Ingrid Craigie, Dan O’Herlihy, U.S.) C-100m. ⁄2 D: Sergio Arau. Caroline Frank Patterson, Donal Donnelly, Marie Aaron, Tony Abatemarco, Melinda Allen, Kean, Maria McDernottroe, Sean McClory, Fernando Arau, Frankie J. Allison, Yareli Colm Meaney. All-Irish cast helps Huston Arizmendi, Maria Beck. Premise has Califorbring James Joyce’s short story (from nians awakening to find there isn’t a single Dubliners) to life, a vignette about a lively Latino left in the state after they all mysteriholiday dinner party in 1904, followed by a ously disappear. Let the comedy begin! melancholy confrontation between a loveAiming for satire, the filmmakers miss the less husband and wife. Not for every taste, mark completely with this insipid, forgettathis finely embroidered film celebrates time, ble film, which has only a few amusing moplace, and atmosphere, without much disments. Arau (son of Alfonso) and his wife, cernible plot, but with a host of marvelous Arizmendi, originally made this as a short characterizations. Huston’s last film as disubject. [R] ▼쩠 ★★ rector scripted by his son Tony. [PG]▼● Day Zero (2008) C-93m. D: Bryan GunDead Again (1991) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kennar Cole. Elijah Wood, Jon Bernthal, Chris neth Branagh. Kenneth Branagh, Andy Klein, Ginnifer Goodwin, Elisabeth Moss, Garcia, Derek Jacobi, Hanna Schygulla, Ally Sheedy, Sofia Vassilieva. The war in Emma Thompson, Wayne Knight, CampIraq has escalated, the military draft has been bell Scott, Gregor Hesse, Christine Eberreinstituted, and three young men—wishysole, Robin Williams. Unusually conwashy writer Wood, yuppie corporate lawyer structed film noir thriller about an L.A. Klein, and gung-ho cabdriver Bernthal— gumshoe who tries to help a woman with must decide how they will respond. Potenamnesia, and finds they are both contially fascinating subject matter is undernected—in a strange twist of reincarnamined by a simplistic, meandering storyline tion—to a notorious 40-year-old murder. Inand disparate characters whose friendship triguing, but ultimately the story is too lacks credibility. [R]쩠 dense, and too artificial, to really work. And ★★★ Dazed and Confused (1993) C-102m. talk about artificial—dig that aging makeup D: Richard Linklater. Jason London, Wiley for Garcia! Williams appears as one of BraWiggins, Sasha Jenson, Rory Cochrane, nagh’s sources. [R]▼●쩠 Milla Jovovich, Marissa Ribisi, Adam Dead Alive (1992-New Zealand) C-97m. Goldberg, Anthony Rapp, Matthew McCo★★★ D: Peter Jackson. Timothy Balme, naughey, Ben Affleck, Parker Posey, Joey Diana Penalver, Liz Moody, Ian Watkin, Lauren Adams. Diverting, refreshingly unBrenda Kendall. Pity poor Balme; not only sentimental mid-1970s time capsule from diis he in the thrall of his domineering mother, rector-screenwriter Linklater (SLACKER), but when the bite of a rat monkey from following a varied group of suburban Texas Skull Island turns her into a hungry zombie, teens on the last day of school in 1976. he still has to look after her—and all the Characterization outweighs narrative here: other zombies that soon proliferate. AstonLinklater accurately captures teen lifestyles ishing, vigorous, inventively gruesome and attitudes at a specific moment in time. comedy is—one hopes—the pinnacle of its Great soundtrack includes carefully selected kind. Warning: The rating above is strictly period music. Look fast for Rene´e Zellfor those with a tolerance for extreme vioweger. [R]▼●쩠 lence and gore. Original title: BRAIN ★★1 ⁄2 D: Joel D.C. Cab (1983) C-99m. DEAD. R-rated video version runs 85m. Schumacher. Adam Baldwin, Charlie Bar▼●쩠 nett, Irene Cara, Anne DeSalvo, Max Gail, Dead and Buried (1981) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gloria Gifford, DeWayne Jessie, Bill Gary A. Sherman. James Farentino, MelMaher, Whitman Mayo, Mr. T, Paul ody Anderson, Jack Albertson, Dennis Rodriguez, Gary Busey, Marsha Warfield. Redfield, Nancy Locke Hauser, Lisa Blount. Consistently likable, if loosely wound, comBizarre murders in a small New England edy about a Washington taxi company town seem even stranger when the corpses staffed by misfits who get their act tocome back to life. Gory but well-made gether when it really counts. [R]▼●쩠 chiller; from a Dan O’Bannon story. [R]▼쩠 D-Day the Sixth of June (1956) C-106m. Dead Bang (1989) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: John ★★★ D: Henry Koster. Robert Taylor, RichFrankenheimer. Don Johnson, Penelope ard Todd, Dana Wynter, Edmond O’BriAnn Miller, William Forsythe, Bob Balaen. Well-executed study of WW2’s Norban, Tim Reid, Frank Military, Tate Donmandy invasion, with massive action shots; ovan, Michael Higgins, Evans Evans. L.A. film focuses on American officer Taylor and detective Johnson tries to forget about his British leader Todd, their professional and dismal home life by chasing nasty white [ 327 ]

supremacists around the West. Unpleasant, Gay Harden, Brittany Murphy, Kerry Washfact-based action film offers nothing you ington, Giovanni Ribisi, James Franco, Mary haven’t seen before, except for the hero Steenburgen, Bruce Davison, Nick Searcy, vomiting on a suspect. [R]▼●쩠 Josh Brolin. Five episodes about women Dead Calm (1989-Australian) C-96m. ★★★ dealing with crises in their lives, tied toD: Phillip Noyce. Sam Neill, Nicole Kidman, gether by a dead girl (Murphy), whose body Billy Zane. A married couple, recovering is discovered in the desert. Intriguing if from a family tragedy by spending some downbeat vignettes are linked by an overall time on their yacht at sea, pick up a rumination about violence toward women stranger who proceeds to terrorize them. in our society. Writer-director Moncrieff ofFull-blooded thriller is so skillfully acted fers her actors a superior showcase, and and directed that it enables you to gloss they’re all terrific. [R]쩠 over its flaws—and forgive its slasherDeadhead Miles (1972) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: movie–inspired finale. Based on a novel by Vernon Zimmerman. Alan Arkin, Paul Charles Williams. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Benedict, Hector Elizondo, Oliver Clark, Dead Cert (1974-British) C-92m. ★★ D: Charles Durning, Larry Wolf, Barnard Tony Richardson. Scott Antony, Judi Dench, Hughes, Loretta Swit, Allen Garfield, Bruce Michael Williams, Nina Thomas, Julian Bennett, John Milius, Ida Lupino, George Glover, Mark Digham, Ian Hogg. A horse is Raft. Plotless allegory about a trucker’s drugged before a race, and its owner-rider experiences on the road, with unusual cast, is killed. There’s a massive cover-up, and loads of in-jokes. Unreleased and unseen jockey Antony investigates. Richardson for many years. A real curio, written by coscripted this muddled mystery, based on Zimmerman and Terrence Malick. [R] a Dick Francis novel, with Dench wasted as Dead Heat (1988) C-86m. BOMB D: the deceased’s widow. That’s Dench’s realMark Goldblatt. Treat Williams, Joe Pislife husband, Michael Williams, as Sandy.쩠 copo, Lindsay Frost, Darren McGavin, Vin1 ★★★ Dead End (1937) 93m. ⁄2 D: William cent Price, Keye Luke. Moronic, occasionally Wyler. Sylvia Sidney, Joel McCrea, Humdisgusting turkey with cops Williams and Pisphrey Bogart, Wendy Barrie, Claire Trevor, copo confronted by criminals miraculously Marjorie Main, Huntz Hall, Leo Gorcey, returning from the dead. [R]▼●쩠 Gabriel Dell, Ward Bond, Billy Halop, Dead Heat on a Merry-Go-Round (1966) Bernard Punsley, Allen Jenkins. Grim SidC-104m. ★★★ D: Bernard Girard. James ney Kingsley play of slum life shows viCoburn, Camilla Sparv, Aldo Ray, Rose gnettes of humanity at breaking point in Marie, Severn Darden, Robert Webber. N.Y.C. tenements; extremely well directInvolved but entertaining crime drama ed, engrossing. Script by Lillian Hellman; about an intricate plan to rob an airport magnificent sets by Richard Day. Introbank, with a surprise ending. Look quickly duced the Dead End Kids, who appeared in for a barely recognizable Harrison Ford, in the original Broadway production.▼●쩠 his film debut, playing a bellhop.쩠 ★★ Deadfall (1968-British) C-120m. D: Dead Kids SEE: Strange Behavior Bryan Forbes. Michael Caine, Giovanna Deadlier Than the Male (1967-British) Ralli, Eric Portman, Nanette Newman, C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. Richard David Buck. Jewel thief falls in love with Johnson, Elke Sommer, Sylva Koscina, beautiful woman who is married to her Nigel Green, Suzanna Leigh. Standard fare homosexual father. And you think you which half-heartedly resurrects Bulldog have problems? Overdirected film is not as Drummond, trying to solve whodunit ceninteresting as it sounds. [R]쩠 tering around two shapely suspects. Sequel: Deadfall (1993) C-98m. BOMB D: ChrisSOME GIRLS DO. Techniscope. ▼쩠 topher Coppola. Michael Biehn, Sarah TrigDeadline (1987-German) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: ger, Nicolas Cage, James Coburn, Peter Nathaniel Gutman. Christopher Walken, Fonda, Charlie Sheen, Talia Shire, Michael Hywel Bennett, Marita Marschall, Arnon Constantine, Gigi Rice, Angus Scrimm, Zadok, Amos Lavie. Convoluted politiMicky Dolenz, Marc Coppola, Renee Escal thriller with globe-trotting journalist tevez, Clarence Williams III. Bargain-baseWalken becoming enmeshed in various ment, cliche´-ridden vanity project about con intrigues and lies in Lebanon. Strictly man Biehn, who’s always been a team with Grade-D stuff. [R]▼●쩠 his dad; his world begins to unravel after Deadline at Dawn (1946) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: he accidentally kills the old man. Almost Harold Clurman. Susan Hayward, Paul unbearable at times, with an unrestrained Lukas, Bill Williams, Joseph Calleia, Osa Cage chewing and throwing up the scenery Massen, Lola Lane, Jerome Cowan, Steas a coke-snorting thug. Coppola is the ven Geray. Atmospheric but muddled murnephew of Francis (and Cage’s brother); he der mystery, with aspiring actress Hayward also coscripted. [R]▼●쩠 ★★★ D: attempting to clear naive sailor Williams, Dead Girl, The (2006) C-85m. who is suspected of murder. Clurman’s Karen Moncrieff. Toni Collette, Piper Laurie, Rose Byrne, Mary Beth Hurt, Marcia only film as director. Screenplay by Clif[ 328 ]

ford Odets, from a novel by William Irish tainment, than you’d expect from a Wes (Cornell Woolrich).▼ Craven horror film . . . though it’s probably Deadline U.S.A. (1952) 87m. ★★★ D: the only movie ever made in which someone is beheaded by a basketball! [R]▼●쩠 Richard Brooks. Humphrey Bogart, Ethel Barrymore, Kim Hunter, Ed Begley, WarDeadly Games (1982) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: ren Stevens, Paul Stewart, Martin Gabel, Scott Mansfield. Sam Groom, Jo Ann HarJoe De Santis, Audrey Christie, Jim Backus. ris, Steve Railsback, Dick Butkus, AlexBiting account of newspaper’s struggle to andra Morgan, Colleen Camp, Christine survive and maintain civic duty. Bogey is Tudor, June Lockhart, Denise Galik. Groom tops as the crusading editor; taut, knowing is a cop, Harris a reporter in routine mysscript by director Brooks. Most enjoyable. tery about a slasher on the loose. In-jokes Don’t blink or you’ll miss a young James come fast and furious in this very knowing Dean in a silent bit part during a newspaper film, keyed to a horror board game played production montage. by the principals. Final plot explanation is Deadly Affair, The (1967) C-107m. ★★★ really stupid. [R]▼ D: Sidney Lumet. James Mason, Simone Deadly Hero (1976) C-102m. ★★ D: Ivan Signoret, Maximilian Schell, Harriet AnNagy. Don Murray, Diahn Williams, James dersson, Harry Andrews, Lynn Redgrave, Earl Jones, Lilia Skala, George S. Irving, Kenneth Haigh, Roy Kinnear. Top-notch Conchata Ferrell, Charles Siebert, Dick A. suspense tale with British agent Mason Williams, Treat Williams, Joshua Mostel. trying to unravel complicated mystery beInteresting premise: righteous cop (Murhind an agency official’s suicide. Filmed ray) saves woman’s life by killing her in England and based on John le Carre´’s attacker (Jones) . . . but then woman benovel Call for the Dead. gins to question the cop’s motives. PerforDeadly Bees, The (1967-British) C-85m. mances outshine violent presentation. ★★ Treat Williams’ film debut. Danny DeVito is D: Freddie Francis. Suzanna Leigh, Guy Doleman, Catherine Finn, Katy Wild, also listed in the closing credits. [R]▼ Frank Finlay. High-powered shock scenes Deadly Illusion (1987) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: involving swarming bees are only worthWilliam Tannen, Larry Cohen. Billy Dee while attraction in dull horror film cowritten Williams, Vanity, Morgan Fairchild, John by Robert Bloch.쩠 Beck, Joseph Cortese, Dennis Hallahan, Deadly Blessing (1981) C-102m. ★★ D: Joe Spinell. Fair programmer with Williams Wes Craven. Maren Jensen, Susan Buckwell cast as a detective framed in murder plot. ner, Sharon Stone, Lois Nettleton, Ernest Some humorous touches add to the proceedBorgnine, Jeff East, Lisa Hartman. Folings. Cohen wrote the script; aka LOVE YOU TO DEATH. [R]▼● lowing her husband’s murder, widow and two friends are terrorized, apparently by Deadly Impact (1985-Italian) C-91m. ★1⁄2 nearby repressive sect, headed by the faD: Larry Ludman (Fabrizio De Angelis). ther (Borgnine) of the dead man. Rural Bo Svenson, Fred Williamson, Marcia horror thriller has some good shocks but Clingan, John Morghen, Vincent Conte. becomes confused and ultimately silly, esSvenson and Williamson try to enliven unpecially the ending. [R]▼ believable crime caper in which a computer Deadly Companion SEE: Double Negative is used to tap into Las Vegas casinos and Deadly Companions, The (1961) C-90m. predict when slot machines will pay off. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Sam Peckinpah. Maureen O’Hara, Filmed in the U.S.A. in 1983.▼쩠 Brian Keith, Steve Cochran, Chill Wills. Deadly Is the Female SEE: Gun Crazy Ex-army officer accidentally kills O’Hara’s (1949) son and he makes amends by escorting the Deadly Strangers (1974-British) C-93m. ★★★ funeral procession through Indian country. D: Sidney Hayers. Hayley Mills, Simon Peckinpah’s first feature is decent if unWard, Sterling Hayden, Ken Hutchison, Peter Jeffrey. Lurid, exciting thriller about spectacular Western. Panavision.▼●쩠 Deadly Eyes (1982) C-93m. ★★ D: Robert Mills offering a ride to young man, unClouse. Sam Groom, Sara Botsford, Scataware that a violent patient has escaped from a nearby mental hospital.▼ man Crothers, Lisa Langlois, Cec Linder. Overgrown rats on the warpath, with sciDeadly Thief SEE: Shalimar ence teacher Groom and health official Deadly Three, The SEE: Enter the Dragon Botsford to the rescue. You’ve seen it all Deadly Trackers, The (1973) C-110m. before. Originally titled, appropriately enough, BOMB D: Barry Shear. Richard Harris, THE RATS. [R]▼ Rod Taylor, Al Lettieri, Neville Brand, Deadly Friend (1986) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Smith, Isela Vega. Dreadful, vioWes Craven. Matthew Laborteaux, Kristy lent Western; Harris, an Irish sheriff of a Swanson, Anne Twomey, Michael Sharrett, small Texas town, trails bank robber Taylor Richard Marcus, Anne Ramsey. Inventive and gang to Mexico to avenge the deaths of teenager, in love with the girl next door, wife and son. Sam Fuller wrote story and revives her (a` la Frankenstein) after she’s was original director. [PG]▼●쩠 killed. More heart, and more actual enterDeadly Trap, The (1971-French-Italian) [ 329 ]

C-96m. BOMB D: Rene´ Clement. Faye Gould murdered, then rising from the dead, Dunaway, Frank Langella, Barbara Parkins, with the assistance of medium/cleaning lady Karen Blanguernon, Maurice Ronet. A King (aping Whoopi Goldberg). A too-obvideadly bore, about an industrious espioous parody of how TV news has become nage organization that goes after one-time show biz. [PG-13]▼ member Langella by harassing his emoDead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) 89m. ★★ D: Carl Reiner. Steve Martin, Rachel tionally fragile wife (Dunaway). Retitled DEATH SCREAM. [PG]▼ Ward, Reni Santoni, Carl Reiner, George Deadly Treasure of the Piranha SEE: Gaynes, Frank McCarthy. A one-joke Killer Fish movie, based on 1940s film noir meloDead Man (1996-U.S.-German-Japanese) dramas, has detective Martin interacting 120m. ★★★ D: Jim Jarmusch. Johnny Depp, with clips from various vintage films, and Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Michael a very live client (Ward). Fun at first, but Wincott, Mili Avital, Iggy Pop, Jared Harwith no story and cardboard characters, it ris, Billy Bob Thornton, Crispin Glover, Euwears thin fast; film buffs will enjoy it gene Byrd, Gabriel Byrne, John Hurt, more than the average viewer. Dedicated to Alfred Molina, Robert Mitchum. In 1875, famed costume designer Edith Head, whose final film this was. [PG]▼●쩠 Cleveland accountant Depp heads west for a new job but ends up being pursued as a Dead of Night (1945-British) 103m. ★★★★ murderer by bounty hunters. Indian Farmer, D: Cavalcanti, Basil Dearden, Robert who helps him, is convinced that he is the Hamer, Charles Crichton. Mervyn Johns, poet William Blake returned to life. One-ofRoland Culver, Antony Baird, Judy Kelly, a-kind Western, written by the director, is Miles Malleson, Sally Ann Howes, Googie measured in its pace, full of unusual camWithers, Ralph Michael, Michael Redgrave, eos, and occasionally quite funny though Basil Radford, Naunton Wayne, Frederick it’s not a comedy. Steve Buscemi appears Valk. Classic chiller of gathering at a coununbilled. [R]▼●쩠 try house, where guests trade supernatural Dead Man on Campus (1998) C-94m. stories. One of them (Johns) has been havBOMB D: Alan Cohn. Tom Everett Scott, ing a nightmare that now seems to be comMark-Paul Gosselaar, Poppy Montgomery, ing true; final sequence with Redgrave as a Lochlyn Munro, Randy Pearlstein, Alyson schizophrenic ventriloquist is a knockout. Hannigan. Dead is right. This black comedy ▼●쩠 hinges on the urban myth that American Dead of Night (1972) SEE: Deathdream Dead of Winter (1987) C-100m. ★★★ D: universities will award 4.0 GPA’s to any student whose roommate kills himself. Arthur Penn. Mary Steenburgen, Roddy Clean-cut straight arrow and his spoiled McDowall, Jan Rubes, William Russ, Ken preppie pal team up to find a suicidal candiPogue, Wayne Robson. Down-on-her-luck date. Laughless script aspires to be a teen actress is hired for a movie role by an ripoff of THE FORTUNE COOKIE, but eccentric man who lives in an eerie old these cocky kids are no Lemmon and Matmansion; eventually she realizes that she’s thau. [R]▼●쩠 being held prisoner. Somewhat predictable Dead Man Walking (1995) C-122m. but extremely well-crafted thriller with ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Tim Robbins. Susan Sarandon, crackerjack performances all around. Based, Sean Penn, Robert Prosky, Raymond J. fairly transparently, on the 1940s B movie Barry, R. Lee Ermey, Celia Weston, Lois MY NAME IS JULIA ROSS: a key character name here is Julie Rose. [R]▼●쩠 Smith, Scott Wilson, Roberta Maxwell, Margo Martindale, Barton Heyman, Larry Dead Pigeon on Beethoven Street (1972German) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Samuel Fuller. Pine, Peter Sarsgaard, Jack Black. Powerful drama based on the true story of a nun in Glenn Corbett, Christa Lang, Stephane Louisiana who becomes the spiritual advisor Audran, Anton Diffring, Alex D’Arcy. to a death row inmate, convicted of the murFast-paced, tongue-in-cheek Fuller thriller der of two young adults and awaiting execu(financed by German TV) has Corbett on a tion. As she tries to redeem his soul, she detective mission, aided by lovely Lang must also reconcile his needs with the hei(Mrs. Fuller in real life). [PG]▼ nousness of the crime and the grief of the Dead Poets Society (1989) C-128m. ★★★ murdered children’s parents. Strong perforD: Peter Weir. Robin Williams, Robert mances by Sarandon (who won a Best AcSean Leonard, Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, tress Oscar) and Penn anchor this sobering Gale Hansen, Dylan Kussman, Allelon story which, despite the humanizing of its Ruggiero, James Waterston, Norman Lloyd, central character, is not a simple pro– or anti– Kurtwood Smith, Lara Flynn Boyle. Wildeath penalty treatise. [R]▼●쩠 liams is a charismatic English teacher at a Dead Men Don’t Die (1991) C-94m. ★1⁄2 staid New England prep school in 1959, D: Malcolm Marmorstein. Elliott Gould, whose infectious love of poetry—and insisMelissa (Sue) Anderson, Mark Moses, Mabel tence that each boy ‘‘seize the day’’ and King, Jack Betts, Philip Bruns. Ten-cent ripmake the most of life—inspires his impresoff of GHOST, with egotistical news anchor sionable students, not always in the right [ 330 ]

direction. Well made, extremely well acted, share each other’s lives—and lovers. Nobut also dramatically obvious and melodratable for a pair of superb performances by matically one-sided. Nevertheless, Tom Irons, and the attendant trickery that makes Schulman’s screenplay won an Oscar. 13m. us forget, at times, that we’re watching one added for network showings. [PG] ▼●쩠 man play both roles. Based (believe it or ★★1 not) on a true story! [R]▼●쩠 Dead Pool, The (1988) C-91m. ⁄2 D: Buddy Van Horn. Clint Eastwood, PatriDead Silence (1989) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harcia Clarkson, Evan C. Kim, Liam Neeson, rison Ellenshaw. Clete Keith, Joseph Scott, David Hunt, Michael Currie, James Carrey. Craig Fleming, Doris Anne Soyka, James Fifth (and final) DIRTY HARRY movie Austin, Leslie Charles, Bruce R. Barrett. finds Callahan investigating a bizarre deathYoung screenwriter and would-be director threat list, while becoming involved with a finds a backer for his newest movie—a mafemale TV reporter. The story’s pretty fioso type. But after taking his money, he straightforward—check out Carrey as a learns that this road-company Godfather exdruggy rock star—the killing almost carpects his stumblebum son to get the starring toonish, and the film surprisingly watchable part in the picture! Amiable comedy about (if not inspired). Eastwood’s charisma the perils of low-budget moviemaking, with makes all the difference. [R]▼●쩠 a wonderful final twist. Written by Keith, Dead Presidents (1995) C-119m. ★★★ D: who plays the filmmaker. Directing debut for special effects whiz Ellenshaw. [R]▼ The Hughes Brothers. Larenz Tate, Keith David, Chris Tucker, N’Bushe Wright, Dead Silence (2007) C-90m. ★★ D: James Freddy Rodriguez, Rose Jackson, Michael Wan. Ryan Kwanten, Amber Valletta, DonImperioli, David Barry Gray, Jaimz Woolnie Wahlberg, Michael Fairman, Joan vett, Jenifer Lewis, James Pickens, Jr., ClifHeney, Bob Gunton, Laura Regan, Dmitry ton Powell, Terrence Dashon Howard, Chepovetsky, Judith Roberts. The creators Bokeem Woodbine. Absorbing and ambiof SAW fashioned this ho-hum horror tious chronicle of a young black man’s odchiller in which a young husband (Kwanyssey from the late 1960s Bronx, through a ten) sets out to decipher the reason for a tour of duty in Vietnam, then back . . . to a brutal killing that occurs after he and his dead-end existence. Tries to cover a broad wife receive a mysterious package conlandscape (with a passing nod to the Black taining a ventriloquist’s dummy. While not Revolution movement), then winds up as a as gratuitously gory as many contemporary crime caper. Imperfect, but still a compelling horror films, it’s annoyingly illogical and tale of how the brutality of war spilled over overly familiar. Unrated version runs 91m. onto America’s urban streets. Warning: the Super 35. [R]쩠 violence is jarringly (and purposely) graphic. Dead Tired SEE: Grosse Fatigue Scripted by Michael Henry Brown from Allen Dead Zone, The (1983) C-103m. ★★★ D: and Albert Hughes’ story. Seymour Cassel David Cronenberg. Christopher Walken, and Martin Sheen appear unbilled. Super 35. Brooke Adams, Tom Skerritt, Herbert Lom, [R]▼●쩠 Anthony Zerbe, Colleen Dewhurst, Martin Dead Reckoning (1947) 100m. ★★★ D: Sheen, Nicholas Campbell, Jackie BurrJohn Cromwell. Humphrey Bogart, Lizaoughs. Absorbing Stephen King story of beth Scott, Morris Carnovsky, William young man who emerges from near-fatal Prince, Wallace Ford. Bogart’s fine as accident with the gift (or curse) of second tough WW2 veteran solving soldier-buddy’s sight—being able to tell a person’s fate murder. Well-acted drama.▼●쩠 just by making physical contact. Walken’s Dead Right SEE: If He Hollers, Let Him moving, heartfelt performance is the core Go of involving, if sometimes meandering Dead Ringer (1964) 115m. ★★1⁄2 D. Paul movie where (despite reputations of King Henreid. Bette Davis, Karl Malden, Peter and Cronenberg) the emphasis is not on Lawford, Jean Hagen, George Macready, blood-and-guts horror. Later a TV series. Estelle Winwood. A double dose of Davis, [R] ▼●쩠 playing twin sisters (as she did earlier in A Deaf Smith & Johnny Ears (1973-Italian) C-91m. ★★★ D: Paolo Cavara. Anthony STOLEN LIFE) bearing a long-time grudge over a man, the sinister one trying to get Quinn, Franco Nero, Pamela Tiffin, Ira even. Farfetched but fun; Bette’s vehicle Furstenberg. Well-made ‘‘buddy Western’’ all the way, directed by her 1940s costar teams deaf-mute Quinn with upstart Nero as Paul Henreid. Remade for TV as THE two common-man bystanders during a time KILLER IN THE MIRROR (1986, with of social upheaval in Texas. Beautifully Ann Jillian).▼●쩠 photographed by Tonino Delli Colli. OrigiDead Ringers (1988-Canadian) C-115m. nally titled LOS AMIGOS. [PG] ★★1⁄2 D: David Cronenberg. Jeremy Irons, Deal, The (2005-U.S.-Canadian) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harvey Kahn. Christian Slater, Genevieve Bujold, Heidi Von Palleske, Barbara Gordon, Shirley Douglas, SteSelma Blair, Robert Loggia, Colm Feore, phen Lack. Fascinating but extremely unAngie Harmon, John Heard, Kevin Tighe, pleasant story of twin gynecologists who Franc¸oise Yip. Low-budget suspense thril[ 331 ]

ler had the misfortune to be released in the Brickman) so disjointed, that the results are a mishmash. [PG]▼●쩠 same year as the similar but far superior Dean Koontz’s Phantoms SEE: Phantoms SYRIANA. Slater is an associate with a Dear Brigitte (1965) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: prestigious Wall Street investment firm who Henry Koster. James Stewart, Fabian, Glynis is brought in on a deal to complete a quesJohns, Cindy Carol, Billy Mumy, John Wiltionable merger between a giant American liams, Jack Kruschen, Alice Pearce, Jesse oil group and a Russian company that conWhite, Ed Wynn. Guest: Brigitte Bardot. trols massive amounts of crude. Set during Good cast in OK family farce about an 8a nondescript future where gas is selling for year-old genius (Stewart’s son, Mumy) with $6 a gallon, the film is a bit too complicated, a crush on Brigitte Bardot (who makes a brief although its concerns couldn’t be more releappearance near the end). Tries to be whimsivant. Worth a look. [R] ▼쩠 cal but is contrived instead. Look fast for Deal (2008) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Gil Cates, Jr. James Brolin as student spokesman. CinemaBurt Reynolds, Bret Harrison, Shannon Scope. ▼ Elizabeth, Charles Durning, Jennifer Tilly, Dear Detective (1977-French) C-105m. Maria Mason, Gary Grubbs, Caroline Mc★★1 ⁄2 D: Philippe De Broca. Annie Girardot, Kinley, Michael Sexton, Vincent Van PatPhilippe Noiret, Catherine Alric, Hubert ten. Former poker champ returns to the Deschamps, Paulette Dubost. Girardot is fine game 20 years after his last tournament to as woman cop who becomes involved with train a hotshot college kid, only to find himold flame (pompous professor Noiret) as she self lured back to the tables to compete hunts a killer. Sometimes funny, more often against his protege´. Dull, derivative rehash predictable and pointless. Remade in 1979 as of every gambling-movie cliche´ in the a TV movie. Retitled DEAR INSPECTOR. book—and THE COLOR OF MONEY in Sequel: JUPITER’S THIGH. [PG]▼ particular. Reynolds sleepwalks through his Dear Frankie (2005-British-Scottish) Crole. Several real-life poker champs play 105m. ★★★ D: Shona Auerbach. Emily Mortithemselves. [PG-13]쩠 mer, Jack McElhone, Gerard Butler, Sharon Deal, The (2008-U.S.-Canadian) C-100m. Small, Mary Riggans, Jayd Johnson. Sweet ★★★ D: Steven Schachter. William H. Macy, film set in Glasgow about a woman who lives Meg Ryan, LL Cool J, Elliott Gould, Jason with her mother and her deaf 9-year-old son. Ritter, Fiona Glascott, Sharon Reginiano, Constantly on the move, to avoid contact with John Carson, David Hunt, Jeremy Crutchley. her abusive ex-husband, she has invented a Suicidal Hollywood producer Macy takes romantic father figure for her boy, telling his nephew’s unfilmable script about Benjahim that his dad is away at sea; then she’s min Disraeli and uses his considerable wiles forced to find someone to fill that role, just to bamboozle a studio into funding its for one day. Warm, never mawkish, with production—with an action star (LL Cool J) fine performances all around. [PG-13]쩠 in the lead. Only studio exec Ryan seems Dear God (1996) C-112m. ★★ D: Garry aware of his chicanery, but watching the Marshall. Greg Kinnear, Laurie Metcalf, unflappable hustler stay one step ahead of Maria Pitillo, Tim Conway, Hector Elizondo, seeing his scheme collapse is great fun. Jon Seda, Roscoe Lee Browne, Anna Maria Macy and Schachter adapted Peter LefHorsford, Nancy Marchand, Larry Miller, court’s knowing novel about the byzantine Rue McClanahan, Jack Sheldon, Coolio, Seth workings of the movie business. Released Mumy, Jack Klugman, Ellen Cleghorne. Con direct to DVD. [R]쩠 man Kinnear gets one last chance to go Dealing: or The Berkeley-to-Boston Forstraight, with a job at the post office. There, in ty-Brick Lost-Bag Blues (1972) C-99m. the dead-letter department, he and his motley ★★1 ⁄2 D: Paul Williams. Robert F. Lyons, colleagues make ‘‘miracles’’ happen for Barbara Hershey, John Lithgow, Charles needy people who write to God. Whimsical Durning, Joy Bang. Dated but still watchcomedy gets off to a good start but loses the able adaptation of Robert and Michael one thing it needs most: conviction. Director Crichton’s lighthearted novel about HarMarshall has a cameo, along with various vard law student who runs pot on the celebs (including stars of long-ago Marshallside. Lyons is pretty blah, but compenproduced TV series). [PG] ▼●쩠 sation is provided by Hershey as his freeDear Heart (1964) 114m. ★★★ D: Delbert thinking girlfriend and Lithgow (in film Mann. Glenn Ford, Geraldine Page, Michael debut) as the head dope. Panavision. [R] Anderson, Jr., Barbara Nichols, Angela LansDeal of the Century (1983) C-99m. ★★ D: bury, Patricia Barry, Charles Drake, Alice William Friedkin. Chevy Chase, Sigourney Pearce, Mary Wickes. Winning romance with Weaver, Gregory Hines, Vince Edwards, gentlemanly traveling salesman Ford coming Richard Libertini, William Marquez, Edto N.Y.C., meeting up with sweetly wacky uardo Ricard, Wallace Shawn. Attempted postmistress Page, who’s in town for a consatire of international weapons merchants. vention. Excellent characterizations, with fine Its leading characters are so cold-blooded comic supporting players.▼ and unappealing, and its script (by Paul Dear Inspector SEE: Dear Detective [ 332 ]

Dear Mr. Wonderful (1982-German) the wrong corpse, the accidental ingestion of C-115m. ★★★ D: Peter Lilienthal. Joe Pesci, a hallucinogenic drug, and a mysterious Karen Ludwig, Evan Handler, Ivy Ray mourner who threatens to unveil a shocking Browning, Frank Vincent, Paul Herman, secret. Expert cast gets the most out of this Tony Martin. Ruby Dennis (Pesci) owns a material, which gathers momentum as it goes along in the fashion of a classic farce. [R]쩠 bowling alley-nightclub in Jersey City, thinks he’s on the verge of crashing Las Death Becomes Her (1992) C-104m. ★★ Vegas. The American Jewish working class D: Robert Zemeckis. Meryl Streep, Bruce experience, viewed with a European senWillis, Goldie Hawn, Isabella Rossellini, sibility, doesn’t ring true; still, a thoughtIan Ogilvy, Adam Storke, Nancy Fish, ful portrait of a little man who must Alaina Reed Hall, Michelle Johnson, Mimi learn to take what life has to offer. The Kennedy, Jonathan Silverman, Fabio. Black sequence with Martin is particularly memorcomedy about a glamorous, self-absorbed able. Video title: RUBY’S DREAM.▼쩠 star (Streep) who’s obsessed with staying Dear Wendy (2005-Danish-French-Germanyoung, and a woman scorned (Hawn) who British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Thomas Vintervows revenge against her—at any price. berg. Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman, Michael AnEffects-laden comedy of absurd extremes garano, Danso Gordon, Novella Nelson, Chris is told with too heavy a hand, though Streep is Owen, Alison Pill, Mark Webber. Thoughta hoot as the egomaniacal actress. Film direcprovoking allegory about America’s fascinator Sydney Pollack is also funny in an unbilled tion with firearms, centering on a band of bit as a Beverly Hills doctor. Won Visual Effects Oscar. [PG-13]▼●쩠 alienated small-town teens who, despite their pacifistic nature, become obsessed Deathbed SEE: Terminal Choice with shooting guns. Provocative, albeit preDeath Before Dishonor (1987) C-95m. ★★ tentious, film leads to an unsurprising finale. D: Terry J. Leonard. Fred Dryer, Brian Audiences who are offended by foreign Keith, Paul Winfield, Joanna Pacula, Kasey filmmakers who censure the U.S. may find Walker, Rockne Tarkington. Cliche´d, bythis infuriating. Scripted (not surprisingly) the-numbers story of Marine gunnery serby Lars von Trier.쩠 geant Dryer (who keeps a picture of John Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About Wayne from SANDS OF IWO JIMA on His Father (2008) C-95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kurt his wall), who singlehandedly battles MidKuenne. Riveting, emotionally charged dle Eastern terrorists after they stage a documentary started out as a visual essay massacre—and kidnap his superior (Keith). Lotsa stunts, little sense. [R]▼●쩠 about Dr. Andrew Bagby, the filmmaker’s oldest and best friend, who was murdered Death Bite SEE: Spasms before the birth of his son. The fact that Death Corps SEE: Shock Waves Zachary’s mother became the prime suspect Death Defying Acts (2008-U.S.-BritishAustralian) C-97m. ★★ D: Gillian Armin the case is one of several twists in this chronicle of good and evil that illustrates strong. Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, how real life often is stranger than fiction. Timothy Spall, Saoirse Ronan, Malcolm Shields, Leni Harper, Ralph Riach. After Kuenne also composed the film’s score.쩠 Death and the Maiden (1994) C-103m. getting involved in a torrid affair with a ★★★ D: Roman Polanski. Sigourney Weaver, beautiful psychic during his 1926 tour of Ben Kingsley, Stuart Wilson. Generally Britain, Harry Houdini is lured into a sensafluid filmization of Ariel Dorfman’s threetionalized se´ance by the woman and her character (and mostly one-room) play about daughter in which they ‘‘attempt’’ to conan edgy onetime victim of torture and sextact the magician’s mother, from whose ual abuse who gets a chance to exact atdeath he has never recovered. Disappointing home revenge. Though Weaver’s occasionperiod piece that fails to find the magic, ally over-the-top performance contributes to or even any significant dramatic tension, in a wobbly midsection, Polanski is pretty these colorful events. Pearce is sadly mismuch up to the tough claustrophobic chalcast and Zeta-Jones looks bored most of the lenge. Kingsley is exceptional as a physician time. Panavision. [PG]쩠 who gets the surprise of his life when he Deathdream (1972-Canadian) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 drops in to a secluded beach house (presumD: Bob Clark. John Marley, Richard ably in Chile) for a nightcap. [R]▼●쩠 Backus, Lynn Carlin, Henderson Forsythe. Death at a Funeral (2007-U.S.-BritishBackus is Vietnam vet, thought dead, who German-Netherlands) C-91m. ★★★ D: Frank returns to his family a virtual stranger with Oz. Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, a murderous lust for blood. Grim, fairly Andy Nyman, Ewen Bremner, Daisy Donoshocking. Aka DEAD OF NIGHT.▼쩠 van, Alan Tudyk, Jane Asher, Kris Marshall, Death Drums Along the River SEE: Rupert Graves, Peter Egan, Peter Dinklage. Sanders Amiable comedy chronicling the mounting Death Game (1977) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter mishaps that occur as family and friends S. Traynor. Sondra Locke, Colleen Camp, gather to attend the funeral of a British man Seymour Cassel, Beth Brickell. Unpleasant at his country estate, including the arrival of (and ultimately ludicrous) film about two ma[ 333 ]

niacal lesbians who—for no apparent reaoccasional love interest. Directed by Robson—tease, titillate, and torture a man in his ert Totten and Don Siegel, credited to fictiown house. Filmed in 1974. Trivia fans: Sissy tious Smithee (his directorial ‘‘debut’’). [M/PG]▼ Spacek was one of the set decorators! Aka Death of an Angel (1985) C-95m. ★★ D: THE SEDUCERS. [R]▼쩠 ★★ D: Peter R. Death Hunt (1981) C-97m. Petru Popescu. Bonnie Bedelia, Nick Hunt. Charles Bronson, Lee Marvin, AnMancuso, Pamela Ludwig, Alex Colon, drew Stevens, Angie Dickinson, Carl Irma Garcia. Inspirational misfire about Weathers, Ed Lauter. Tough Mountie Marnewly ordained female priest Bedelia getvin pursues proud, self-reliant trapper ting involved with Mexican religious charBronson, innocent of a murder charge, latan Mancuso after her crippled daughter across icy Canada. Good action, but not (Ludwig) runs away to join his flock. Well-meaning, well-acted effort is exenough of it. Angie is wasted. [R]▼●쩠 Death in Granada SEE: Disappearance of tremely hokey, with a fantasy ending that Garcia Lorca, The is wholly unbelievable. [PG]▼● Death in the Garden (1956-French-MexiDeath of a President (2006-British) C93m. ★★★ D: Gabriel Range. Hend Ayoub, can) C-92m. ★★★ D: Luis Bun˜uel. Simone Signoret, Georges Marchal, Charles Vanel, Brian Boland, Becky Ann Baker, Robert Michele Girardon, Michel Piccoli, Tito Mangiardi, Jay Patterson, Jay Whittaker, Junco. Fleeing an unspecified Fascist state, Michael Reilly Burke, James Urbaniak. Poa ragged group—including a prostitute, a litically loaded faux documentary depicts miner, and a priest—embark on a surreal the future assassination of the then-current trek through the jungles of South America. U.S. President, George W. Bush, while on a This may have merely been a ‘‘commercial trip to Chicago in October 2007. The emchore’’ for the great Bun˜uel, but it’s fasciphasis is not so much on the crime but its nating nonetheless. Originally titled LA aftermath, and how the act is exploited by MORT EN CE JARDIN at 97m.; aka DIAthose who hold power in the U.S. Intriguing MOND HUNTERS, EVIL EDEN, and and frightening, depending on how much you buy into the premise. [R]쩠 GINA.▼ Death in Venice (1971-Italian) C-130m. Death of a Prophet (1981) C&B/W-60m. ★★★1 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Luchino Visconti. Dirk Bogarde, ⁄2 D: Woodie King, Jr. Morgan FreeMark Burns, Marisa Berenson, Bjorn man, Yolanda King, Mansoor Najee-ullah, Andresen, Silvana Mangano, Luigi BattagSam Singleton, Tommie Hicks, Yusef lia. Study of an artist, his loves, his homoIman, Sonny Jim Gaines, Ossie Davis. sexuality, and continuous search for beauty. Low-budget but involving drama (with some Thomas Mann’s slow-moving classic is documentary scenes) about the last day in splendidly brought to the screen. Music by the life of a black American leader. He’s Gustav Mahler (whom Bogarde is made up clearly supposed to be Malcolm X, though that name is not mentioned. Freeman is to resemble). Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Deathline SEE: Raw Meat excellent, and the film’s documentary style is effective. Yolanda King is the daughter Deathmask (1984) C-87m. ★★ D: Richard of Martin Luther King, Jr. ▼쩠 Friedman. Farley Granger, Lee Bryant, John McCurry, Arch Johnson, Barbara Death of a Salesman (1951) 115m. ★★★1⁄2 Bingham, Danny Aiello, Ruth Warrick. D: Laslo Benedek. Fredric March, MilMedical investigator Granger, haunted by dred Dunnock, Kevin McCarthy, Cameron the accidental drowning of his daughter, Mitchell, Howard Smith, Royal Beal, Jesse attempts to find the identity of a dead White. Arthur Miller’s Pulitzer Prize– four-year-old boy. Done in by confusing diwinning social drama of middle-aged man rection, unnecessary exploitation elements. at end of emotional rope is transformed to Video version is 103m.▼ the screen intact, with stagy flashbacks. Deathmaster, The (1972) C-88m. ★★ D: March in title role can’t fathom why busiRay Danton. Robert Quarry, Bill Ewing, ness and family life failed; Dunnock is Brenda Dickson, John Fiedler, Betty Ann patient wife; McCarthy and Mitchell are Rees, William Jordan. Spellbinding stranger disillusioned sons. Superb. Dunnock, Mit(Quarry) leads on a group of unsuspecting chell, and Smith re-create their Broadway hippies; their ‘‘guru’’ turns out to be a roles; McCarthy repeats the role he played vampire in this bloody, run-of-the-mill on the London stage. outing. [PG]쩠 Death of a Soldier (1986-Australian) Death of a Gunfighter (1969) C-100m. C-93m. ★★ D: Philippe Mora. James ★★1⁄2 D: Allen Smithee. Richard Widmark, Coburn, Reb Brown, Bill Hunter, Maurie Lena Horne, John Saxon, Michael McFields, Belinda Davey, Max Fairchild. Greevey, Darleen Carr, Carroll O’Connor, Yank soldier in 1942 Melbourne is stranKent Smith. Downbeat but interesting Westgling Aussie women; the U.S. Army— ern drama of unwanted sheriff who refuses which desperately needs Allied help just to be fired. Horne wasted as Widmark’s after MacArthur’s arrival there from the [ 334 ]

Philippines—wants to hang the assailant incheek action film about futuristic society stead of providing the professional help he where no-holds-barred auto race is the nareally needs. Based on fact, but not as intertional sport, and points scored by running esting as it sounds; Coburn is the American down pedestrians. Fast-paced fun, marred by MP who gets caught in the middle. Panaviunnecessary gore. Remade, in name only, as sion. [R]▼ DEATH RACE. Followed by DEATHDeath of Mr. Lazarescu, The (2005SPORT. [R]▼●쩠 Romanian) C-153m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Cristi Puiu. Death Rage (1976-Italian) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Ion Fiscuteanu, Luminita Gheorghiu, GaAnthony M. Dawson (Antonio Margheriti). briel Spahiu, Doru Ana, Dana Dogaru, FloYul Brynner, Barbara Bouchet, Martin Balrin Zamfirescu. Bleak, fascinating, sadly sam, Massimo Ranieri. Brynner plays Amerifunny film follows an older man, seized can hit man duped into agreeing to kill underwith stomach pain, who is shuffled from world kingpin in Naples. All this film kills hospital to hospital as his condition deteriois time. [R]▼쩠 rates during the course of one long night . . . Death Rides a Horse (1967-Italian) Cbut a middle-aged ambulance attendant 114m. ★★ D: Giulio Petroni. Lee Van Cleef, (Gheorghiu) refuses to abandon him. Potent John Phillip Law, Luigi Pistilli, Anthony meditation on bureaucracy and the inhuDawson. Long, drawn-out Italian revenge manity it breeds. Long but compelling; a Western with Law seeking murderers of his humanistic look at the sorry state of health family, unaware that his companion (Van care, which is apparently a universal probCleef) is one of them. Techniscope. [M]▼쩠 lem. Written by the director and Razvan Death Sentence (2007) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Radulescu. [R]쩠 James Wan. Kevin Bacon, Garrett Hedlund, Death on the Nile (1978-British) C-140m. Kelly Preston, Aisha Tyler, John Goodman, ★★1⁄2 D: John Guillermin. Peter Ustinov, Jordan Garrett, Stuart Lafferty, Leigh WhanBette Davis, David Niven, Mia Farrow, nell. Bacon is a picture-perfect family man Angela Lansbury, George Kennedy, Maggie whose life is thrown into a dangerous, Smith, Jack Warden, Lois Chiles, Olivia downward spiral when a family member beHussey, Simon MacCorkindale, Jane Birkin, comes an innocent victim in a gang robbery. Jon Finch, Harry Andrews, I.S. Johar. He turns into a killing machine, and sudVisually sumptuous but only marginally denly every B-movie cliche´ is dredged up. engrossing Agatha Christie mystery has Exactly what you’d expect a pulp revenge Hercule Poirot (Ustinov) faced with a shipfilm from the director of SAW to be. Alload of suspects after the murder of Chiles. A most worth watching for one unusually deserving Oscar winner for Anthony Powell’s lengthy chase scene. Actually based on costume design; script by Anthony Shaffer. Brian Garfield’s novel that was a sequel to The first of Ustinov’s portrayals of the Belhis original Death Wish. Also shown in ungian detective. [PG]▼●쩠 rated version. Super 35. [R]쩠 Death Proof SEE: Grindhouse Death Ship (1980-Canadian) C-91m. Death Race (2008) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul BOMB D: Alvin Rakoff. George KenW. S. Anderson. Jason Statham, Joan Allen, nedy, Richard Crenna, Nick Mancuso, Sally Ian McShane, Tyrese Gibson, Natalie MarAnn Howes, Kate Reid, Saul Rubinek. tinez, Max Ryan, Jacob Vargas, Jason Luxury liner collides with ‘‘death ship.’’ Clarke. In the near future prisons are run Survivors board ‘‘death ship.’’ ‘‘Death ship’’ like corporations that must make a profit. tries to murder survivors. Forget it. [R]▼ A tough-as-nails con, wrongly convicted of Deathsport (1978) C-82m. ★★ D: Henry murdering his wife, is forced to enter a bruSuso, Allan Arkush. David Carradine, tal car race (broadcast live on the Internet) Claudia Jennings, Richard Lynch, David in which inmates have to torture and kill McLean, Jesse Vint. Follow-up to DEATH one another before the sole survivor can RACE 2000 again puts Carradine into future claim victory and freedom. With mean warworld where he and Jennings battle destructoden Allen calling the shots from the sidecycles to survive. Not as campy or enjoyable lines, this ludicrous scenario exists only to as earlier film, though Claudia unclothed is showcase mayhem and violence at every a visual asset. [R]▼쩠 turn. In-name-only remake of Roger CorDeathstalker (1984) C-80m. BOMB D: man’s exploitation favorite DEATH RACE John Watson. Richard Hill, Barbi Benton, 2000. David Carradine provides voice of Richard Brooker, Lana Clarkson, Victor Bo, Frankenstein. Unrated version runs 111m. Bernard Erhard. Tacky sword-and-sorcery Super 35. [R]쩠 opus, good only for unintended laughs and 1 ★★ Death Race 2000 (1975) C-78m. gratuitous female nudity. Filmed in Argentina. ⁄2 D: Paul Bartel. David Carradine, Simone GrifFollowed by several sequels. [R]▼●쩠 feth, Sylvester Stallone, Louisa Moritz, Deathstalker II (1987) C-77m. ★★ D: Jim Mary Woronov, Don Steele, Joyce JameWynorski. John Terlesky, Monique Gabrison, Fred Grandy, Martin Kove, T. R. elle, John La Zar, Toni Naples, Maria Sloane, John Landis. Outrageous tongue-inSocas. Princess in exile (Gabrielle) is trying [ 335 ]

to regain her throne, with the aid of soldier Death Warrant (1990-Canadian) C-111m. ★★1 of fortune Terlesky, in a medieval fantasy⁄2 D: Deran Sarafian. Jean-Claude Van land. Filmed on the cheap in Argentina. Damme, Robert Guillaume, Cynthia Gibb, Voyeurs will appreciate topless scenes by George Dickerson, Art Le Fleur, Patrick former model Gabrielle (in a dual role, no Kilpatrick. Van Damme plays a Royal Canaless). Watch for funny outtakes at the end. dian Mountie posing as a prisoner to find out Aka DEATHSTALKER II: DUEL OF THE who has been offing penitentiary inmates. TITANS. [R]▼●쩠 You guessed it . . . his cover is threatened by Deathstalker III (1989) C-86m. BOMB incoming transfer of one of his old Mountie D: Alfonso Corona. John Allen Nelson, foes. Hard to say how Sgt. Preston would Carla Herd, Terri Treas, Thom Christohave handled this one. Slightly better than pher, Aaron Hernan, Roger Cudney, Claudia most of this genre. [R]▼●쩠 Inchaurregui. Cheap, boring time-waster, Death Watch (1980-French-German) Cin which Nelson seeks a lost treasure and 119m. ★★★ D: Bertrand Tavernier. Romy becomes involved with twin princesses (both Schneider, Harvey Keitel, Harry Dean Stanplayed by Herd). Also known as DEATHton, Max von Sydow. Intelligent sci-fi drama. STALKER III: THE WARRIORS FROM In a future civilization, TV producer Stanton HELL. Followed by DEATHSTALKER uses Keitel—who has a camera in his brain— IV: MATCH OF TITANS. [R]▼● to film a documentary on terminally ill Death Takes a Holiday (1934) 78m. ★★★1⁄2 Schneider. A biting commentary on media D: Mitchell Leisen. Fredric March, Eveabuse and manipulation, with solid perlyn Venable, Guy Standing, Gail Patrick, formances, direction. Panavision. [R]▼● Helen Westley, Kent Taylor, Henry TraDeath Weekend SEE: House by the Lake vers, Katherine Alexander. Fascinating alDeath Wheelers, The SEE: Psychomania legory about Death (March) entering the (1971) human world to discover what makes us Death Wish (1974) C-93m. ★★★ D: Mitick, and falling in love. Maxwell Anderchael Winner. Charles Bronson, Hope son, Gladys Lehman, and Walter Ferris Lange, Vincent Gardenia, Steven Keats, adapted Alberto Casella’s play. Remade as William Redfield, Stuart Margolin, Stea TVM in 1971 (with Melvyn Douglas, phen Elliott, Olympia Dukakis, ChristoMyrna Loy, and Monte Markham), and as pher Guest, Paul Dooley, Eric Laneuville. MEET JOE BLACK in 1998.▼쩠 Audience manipulation at its zenith: BusiDeath to Smoochy (2002) C-109m. ★★ D: nessman Bronson’s wife and daughter are Danny DeVito. Robin Williams, Edward savagely raped, and his wife dies, turning Norton, Catherine Keener, Danny DeVito, mild-mannered liberal Bronson into a vigiJon Stewart, Harvey Fierstein, Michael Rislante on N.Y.C. streets. Chilling but irresistpoli, Pam Ferris, Danny Woodburn, Vinible; a bastardization of the Brian Garfield cent Schiavelli. Sleazy TV kiddie show host novel, in which vigilantism as a deterrent to (Williams) swears revenge on his replacement crime is not a solution but another problem. (Norton), who’s ultra-sincere and doesn’t realMusic by Herbie Hancock. One of the mugize that he’s surrounded by greedy, selfgers is played by Jeff Goldblum, in his film promoting sharks. Satiric black comedy revdebut. Followed by four sequels. [R] ▼●쩠 els in its own nastiness, but pummels all the Death Wish II (1982) C-93m. BOMB D: fun out of the premise with its heavyMichael Winner. Charles Bronson, Jill Irehanded treatment. A major disappointment land, Vincent Gardenia, J. D. Cannon, Anconsidering the talent involved. [R] ▼쩠 thony Franciosa, Ben Frank, Robin SherDeath Trap (1976) SEE: Eaten Alive wood, Robert F. Lyons, Larry Fishburne. Deathtrap (1982) C-116m. ★★ D: Sidney Bronson’s back in action, this time bringLumet. Michael Caine, Christopher Reeve, ing his one-man vigilante act to L.A. Made Dyan Cannon, Irene Worth, Henry Jones, by profiteers, not filmmakers; poorly diJoe Silver. Playwright Caine, suffering rected to boot, with Charlie giving a through a series of flops, might just kill to wooden-Indian performance. [R] ▼●쩠 take credit for novice author Reeve’s new Death Wish 3 (1985) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: work; Cannon is Caine’s hysterical wife. Michael Winner. Charles Bronson, DeboAn overlong, second-rate SLEUTH, adapted rah Raffin, Ed Lauter, Martin Balsam, by Jay Presson Allen from Ira Levin’s hit Gavan O’Herlihy, Kirk Taylor, Alex Winter, play. One sequence was added for original Tony Spiridakis, John Gabriel, Marina Sirtis. network showing. [PG]▼●쩠 1 ★ Same old stuff, except that Bronson’s ‘‘ordiDeath Valley (1982) C-87m. ⁄2 D: Dick nary guy’’ vigilante is no longer convincing; Richards. Paul Le Mat, Catherine Hicks, his entire immediate family was wiped out in Stephen McHattie, A. Wilford Brimley, the first two movies! [R]▼●쩠 Peter Billingsley, Edward Herrmann. Young Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987) Billingsley, a city boy, visits mom in AriC-99m. BOMB D: J. Lee Thompson. zona, becomes entangled with psychotic Charles Bronson, Kay Lenz, John P. Ryan, criminal McHattie. Pretty bad, with a fine cast wasted. [R]▼ Perry Lopez, George Dickerson, Soon[ 336 ]

Teck Oh, Dana Barron. Cheapie entry in rich kid with temporal lobe epilepsy, hack prostitute Zellweger in two? Pretentious, this worn-out series has a different director derivative groaner about Roth’s subsequent and an L.A. setting. This time vigilante police interrogation futilely tries to make us Bronson’s mission includes wiping out the care. With its casting—Penn and Rooker as gangs supplying crack. [R]▼●쩠 the grilling cops—it’s a given that Roth isn’t Death Wish V: The Face of Death (1994going to be the only one with personal demons. Canadian) C-96m. BOMB D: Allan A. If you must watch, see if you can make sense Goldstein. Charles Bronson, Lesley-Anne of Arquette’s role as Rooker’s sex-starved Down, Michael Parks, Chuck Shamata, wife. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 Kevin Lund, Robert Joy, Saul Rubinek, Deceivers, The (1988-British-Indian) CErica Lancaster. No plot, just a pretext: 112m. BOMB D: Nicholas Meyer. Pierce Bronson’s fiance´e is murdered on the orders Brosnan, Saeed Jaffrey, Shashi Kapoor, of her mobster ex-husband (Parks), so (yawn) Helena Mitchell, Keith Michell, David he turns vigilante yet again. Crude, stupid Robb. Limp adventure saga of British offientry in weary series, very badly directed, cer Brosnan going undercover in colonial with an emphasis on torture. [R]▼●쩠 India to infiltrate a murderous brotherhood. D.E.B.S. (2005) C-91m. ★★ D: Angela RobIntriguing premise, deadening result; Brosnan inson. Sara Foster, Jordana Brewster, Devon simply fails to register. Produced, oddly Aoki, Meagan Good, Michael Clarke Dunenough, by Ismail Merchant. [PG-13]▼●쩠 can, Jessica Cauffiel, Jill Ritchie, Holland December (1991) C-92m. ★★ D: Gabe Taylor. Leggy young women in short skirts Torres. Balthazar Getty, Jason London, are, in reality, spies. Their assignment: to Brian Krause, Wil Wheaton, Chris Young, carry, or at least sustain, a retro secret-agent Robert Miller, Ann Hartfield. In the wake spoof whose major story hook is lesbian of the Pearl Harbor bombing in 1941 five puppy-love. Writer-director Robinson shows young men must decide what to do with visual flair, but leads Foster and Brewster are their lives. Talky movie takes place mostly fatally vapid as the spy and target who dein dorm rooms; might have played better on velop a yen for each other. Titillation aside, it a stage. [PG]▼●쩠 plays no better than the spy comedies of the December Boys (2007-Australian) C-105m. 1960s when James Bond was new. Allen and ★★1⁄2 D: Rod Hardy. Daniel Radcliffe, Lee Rossi in THE LAST OF THE SECRET Cormie, Christian Byers, James Fraser, Jack AGENTS?, anyone? Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Thompson, Teresa Palmer, Sullivan StaDecameron, The (1970-Italian-Frenchpleton, Victoria Hill, Max Cullen. Four or1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Pier Paolo West German) C-111m. phan boys spend the holidays with a friendly Pasolini. Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Anolder couple who live on a beach cove. This gela Luce, Patrizia Capparelli, Jovan break from day-to-day life at their orphanage Jovanovic, Silvana Mangano, Pier Paolo brings out hopes, longings, and resentments as Pasolini. An octet of tales from Boccaccio’s the boys experience puppy love, attachment to Decameron, with Pasolini as Giotto, linkparental figures, and life among a group of ing them up. Lively, earthy; the first of genuine eccentrics. Adaptation of Michael the director’s medieval trilogy. [X]▼●쩠 Noonan’s novel echoes other coming-of-age Decameron Nights (1952-British) C-87m. stories but is told with straightforward sincer★★ D: Hugo Fregonese. Joan Fontaine, Louis ity. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Jourdan, Binnie Barnes, Joan Collins, MarjoDecember Bride (1991-British-Irish) Crie Rhodes. Boring tale of Boccaccio (Jour90m. ★★★ D: Thaddeus O’Sullivan. Donal dan), on the run after martial law is declared McCann, Saskia Reeves, Ciara´n Hinds, Patin Florence; he hides out at Fontaine’s villa, rick Malahide, Brenda Bruce. Austere but where in the company of his hostess and her involving romantic drama set in a rural, wards a trio of romantic tales are spun (each conservative Irish farm community, in of which also stars Jourdan and Fontaine).▼ which an independent-minded servant Deceived (1991) C-103m. ★★ D: Damian (Reeves) becomes pregnant and refuses to Harris. Goldie Hawn, John Heard, Robin reveal the identity of the father. A story Bartlett, Ashley Peldon, Tom Irwin, Beof simple but deeply felt emotion, and an atrice Straight, Kate Reid, Maia Filar, Jan allegory about the constrictions of hell-andRubes, Amy Wright. In-name-only ‘‘thriller’’ damnation religion. Stunningly directed, about happily married N.Y.C. yuppie who and crammed with painterly images.▼쩠 discovers her husband’s litany of dupliciDeception (1946) 112m. ★★★ D: Irving ties after the guy is supposedly murdered. Rapper. Bette Davis, Paul Henreid, Claude Hawn’s attempt to play it straight is too Rains, John Abbott. Talky but engrossing derivative (to say nothing of incredible) to drama, set in the world of classical music, carry much clout. [PG-13]▼●쩠 about a celebrated composer (a charismatic Deceiver (1998) C-102m. BOMB D: Jonas Rains) who seeks revenge when his lover Pate, Joshua Pate. Tim Roth, Chris Penn, (Davis) weds her old flame (Henreid).▼쩠 Michael Rooker, Rene´e Zellweger, Rosanna Deception (1993) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Graeme Arquette, Ellen Burstyn. Did Roth, a boozy Clifford. Andie MacDowell, Liam Neeson, [ 337 ]

Viggo Mortensen, Jack Thompson, Paul target account of how men and women feel Spencer, Chad Power, Monica Mikala, Jeff about each other, and use each other, in Corey, Miriam Reed. Better-than-average their quests for pleasure and happiness. mystery follows a determined woman Focus is on a group of friends: The men around the world as she sniffs out a trail of prepare a gourmet dinner, while the women bank accounts left by her deceased husband. exercise in a health club, then they come A pleasant diversion, enhanced by Mactogether. These characters gather again in THE BARBARIAN INVASIONS. [R]▼쩠 Dowell and some nice scenery. Filmed as RUBY CAIRO, this languished on the shelf Decline and Fall of a Bird Watcher (1969-British) C-86m. ★★ D: John Krish. for a while. [PG-13]▼쩠 ★★ Deception (2008) C-108m. D: Marcel Robin Phillips, Colin Blakely, Leo McKern, Langenegger. Hugh Jackman, Ewan McGenevieve Page, Felix Aylmer, Robert Gregor, Michelle Williams, Lisa Gay HamilHarris, Donald Wolfit, Patrick Magee. Unton, Maggie Q, Natasha Henstridge, Charlotte even, often labored satirical farce about a Rampling, Margaret Colin, Paz de la Huerta, young man who joins faculty of strange Rachael Taylor. Nerdy auditor (McGregor) boys’ school and becomes involved with warms to the friendly overtures of a slick manipulative older woman (Page). Adapted lawyer (Jackman) who seems to have all the from an Evelyn Waugh novel. [PG] social skills he lacks. When he winds up with Decline of Western Civilization, The (1981) C-100m. ★★★ D: Penelope Spheeris. Jackman’s cell phone he’s drawn into a secret sex club—and enjoys it, until things turn Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Dissour. A suspense movie made by people cipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, X. Funny, who’ve apparently never seen a suspense revealing documentary record of the whos, movie; painfully obvious from the word go. whats, and whys of the L.A. punk rock scene Jackman coproduced. Super 35. [R]쩠 at the end of the 1970s: the music, performers, Decision at Sundown (1957) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 dancing, clubs, violence, desperation. An D: Budd Boetticher. Randolph Scott, John aptly titled chronicle. Much of cast now dead. Carroll, Karen Steele, Noah Beery, Jr., John Followed by a sequel. [R]▼ Litel. Scott tracks down man supposedly reDecline of Western Civilization Part II: sponsible for his wife’s suicide in this odd The Metal Years, The (1988) C-90m. ★★★ D: Penelope Spheeris. Joe Perry, Stebut interesting Western.▼쩠 Decision Before Dawn (1952) 110m. ★★★ ven Tyler, Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley, D: Anatole Litvak. Richard Basehart, Gary Chris Holmes, Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne, Merrill, Oskar Werner, Hildegarde Neff, Faster Pussycat, Lizzy Borden, London, Odin, Dominique Blanchar, O. E. Hasse, Wilfried Seduce, Megadeth. Follow-up to definitive Seyfert. Top-notch WW2 espionage thriller, punk rock documentary concentrates more with Werner an idealistic German medic/ heavily on interviews, juxtaposing thoughts of POW who agrees to become a spy for his seen-it-all veterans (Osbourne, Simmons, captors. Outstanding work by Werner, Neff Perry, and Tyler of Aerosmith) with young as(as a sympathetic bar-girl), and the supportpirants bucking odds for success. Sympathetic ing cast. Look quickly for Klaus Kinski as a to its subjects without condoning lifestyle it dewhining soldier. Perceptive script by Peter picts; probably only chance you’ll ever get to Viertel; Litvak coproduced.쩠 see Osbourne cook breakfast. [R]▼ Deck the Halls (2006) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: John Deconstructing Harry (1997) C-96m. ★★★1 Whitesell. Danny DeVito, Matthew Broder⁄2 D: Woody Allen. Woody Allen, ick, Kristin Davis, Kristin Chenoweth, Fred Richard Benjamin, Kirstie Alley, Billy CrysArmisen, Alia Shawkat, Dylan Blue, Satal, Judy Davis, Bob Balaban, Elisabeth Shue, brina Aldridge, Kelly Aldridge, Jorge GarDemi Moore, Robin Williams, Caroline cia, Ryan Devlin, Jackie Burroughs. Two Aaron, Eric Bogosian, Mariel Hemingway, neighbors declare war after DeVito decides Amy Irving, Julie Kavner, Eric Lloyd, Julia to decorate his house with so many lights Louis-Dreyfus, Tobey Maguire, Stanley Tucci, they can ‘‘be seen from space.’’ When peoHazelle Goodman, Gene Saks, Tony Sirico, ple start coming from all over town to see Paul Giamatti, Jennifer Garner. A writer uses the display it causes great friction between his life as fodder for his work—infuriating him and Broderick, who feels he is being his friends, family, and lovers. Unusually upstaged. Incredibly dumb holiday comedy candid (and foul-mouthed) self-examination that can’t even meet the lowball standards set by Allen, incorporating his various encounby JINGLE ALL THE WAY and CHRISTters as well as enactments of his fables and MAS WITH THE KRANKS. Deck the fancies; nonfans may think it overly indulscreenwriters instead. [PG]쩠 gent, but Woodyphiles should find it fasciDecline of the American Empire, The nating and extremely funny. No one writes (1986-Canadian) C-101m. ★★★ D: Denys funnier dialogue—or keeps the spirit of Arcand. Dominique Michel, Dorothe´e BerJewish humor alive so well. [R]▼●쩠 ryman, Louise Portal, Genevie`ve Rioux, Decoy (1946) 77m. ★★★ D: Jack Bernhard. Pierre Curzi, Re´my Girard, Yves Jacques, Jean Gillie, Edward Norris, Herbert Rudley, Daniel Brie`re, Gabriel Arcand. Witty, onRobert Armstrong, Sheldon Leonard, Mar[ 338 ]

jorie Woodworth, Phil Van Zandt. Superior cover narc. Half standard urban action pic— low-budget film noir about a gangster’s but also half original. Goldblum puts a deliruthless moll (Gillie) who seduces a sap ciously eccentric spin on his role as a lawyer doctor as part of her outlandish scheme to who becomes Fishburne’s unwitting ‘‘partfind $400,000 in buried loot—by reviving ner’’ in shady drug dealings. Better if taken her boyfriend after his execution in the gas purely as a genre picture, though there are chamber! Taut B movie, based on a story indications the film wants to be something more; expert action scenes. [R]▼●쩠 by Stanley Rubin, doesn’t quite live up to its ‘‘lost classic’’ reputation, but the openDeep Crimson (1996-Mexican-FrenchSpanish) C-114m. ★★★ D: Arturo Ripstein. ing and closing scenes are knockouts, and the British Gillie makes an unforgettable Regina Orozco, Daniel Gimenez-Cacho, femme fatale; Leonard has one of his finest Marisa Paredes, Veronica Merchant, Julieta hours as a jaded police detective.쩠 Egurrola, Patricia Reyes Spindola. SpectacDedication (2007) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Justin ularly unpleasant and disturbing true-life Theroux. Billy Crudup, Mandy Moore, crime story, based on the same ‘‘Lonely Tom Wilkinson, Bob Balaban, Martin FreeHearts’’ case that inspired THE HONEYman, Dianne Wiest, Bobby Cannavale, MOON KILLERS, about the murderous Peter Bogdanovich, Amy Sedaris, Christine love affair between an obese nurse and a Taylor. Children’s book author Crudup is gigolo who swindle wealthy widows in emotionally paralyzed by the death of his 1940s Mexico. Extremely well acted and illustrator, who’s also his only friend (Wildirected study of l’amour fou and the banalkinson). We soon find out why, as this offity of evil. Packs a wallop, and pulls no putting movie asks us to show care and conpunches in its horrific depiction of the couple’s violent descent into madness.▼쩠 cern for a man who puts the funk in dysfunctional. When editor Balaban tries to Deep End (1970-U.S.-German) C-88m. ★★★ force a female illustrator (Moore) on his D: Jerzy Skolimowski. Jane Asher, reluctant author, you know romance is in John Moulder-Brown, Diana Dors, Karl the air—but the air in this movie is termiMichael Vogler. Innocent 15-year-old Moulder-Brown, an attendant in a dreary nally foul. [R]쩠 Deep, The (1977) C-123m. ★★ D: Peter public bath, falls in love with his 20-ish Yates. Robert Shaw, Jacqueline Bisset, Nick female counterpart (Asher). Well-made Nolte, Louis Gossett, Eli Wallach, Robert Testragedy of obsessive love; set in London, sier. Endless film of Peter Benchley’s novel with music by Cat Stevens. [R]▼ about innocent couple who hit on treasure and Deep End, The (2001) C-99m. ★★★ D: drugs while scuba-diving off Bermuda coast. Scott McGehee, David Siegel. Tilda SwinGratuitous violence and titillation—not to ton, Goran Visnjic, Jonathan Tucker, Josh mention unbelievable plot—sink this handLucas, Peter Donat, Raymond Barry. A desome production. NBC added 53m. for its first voted mother of three thinks her teenage son network showing. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 may be accused of killing his gay lover, so Deep Blue Sea, The (1955-British) C-99m. she covers up the crime . . . but that’s just ★★1⁄2 D: Anatole Litvak. Vivien Leigh, the beginning of her problems. Intriguing Kenneth More, Eric Portman, Emlyn Wilthriller with surprising twists and nuanced liams. Terence Rattigan play of marital character development, but a bit cold. Interinfidelity and the repercussions on Leigh, estingly set and shot in Lake Tahoe, with a frustrated well-married woman; slow movsuperb performance by Swinton. Based on ing, but interesting. CinemaScope. the same novel by Elizabeth Sanxay HoldDeep Blue Sea (1999) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: ing (The Blank Wall ) that inspired THE Renny Harlin. Thomas Jane, Saffron BurRECKLESS MOMENT in 1949. Written rows, Samuel L. Jackson, Jacqueline McKenby the directors. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 zie, Michael Rapaport, Stellan Skarsga˚rd, LL Deep End of the Ocean, The (1999) CCool J, Aida Turturro. Floating scientific base 109m. ★★★ D: Ulu Grosbard. Michelle Pfeifis crippled by an unlikely accident, and the fer, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg, Jonsuper-intelligent sharks developed by reathan Jackson, Ryan Merriman, John Kapelos, searchers ungratefully begin chasing down Michael Mcelroy. Persuasively acted adaptatheir creators as the base slowly sinks. Sometion of Jacquelyn Mitchard’s best-seller about times-exciting combination of JAWS and the disappearance of a three-year-old at his ALIEN has some surprises, but terrible diamother’s high school reunion, and his chance logue and a preposterous premise. Ronny return nine years later. Two-part story is adCox appears unbilled. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 mittedly a whopper, yet it’s handled in crediDeep Cover (1992) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill ble fashion that makes one willing to accept Duke. Larry Fishburne, Jeff Goldblum, Victoit. Plays like a TV movie at times, but by and ria Dillard, Charles Martin Smith, Sydney large, an exceptional one, with the dynamics Lassick, Clarence Williams III, Gregory Sibetween the two newfound brothers ringing erra, Roger Guenveur Smith, Def Jef, Glynn true. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Turman. Fishburne, whose dad was killed Deep Impact (1998) C-120m. ★★★ D: Mimi during a holdup, grows up to be an underLeder. Robert Duvall, Te´a Leoni, Elijah [ 339 ]

Wood, Vanessa Redgrave, Morgan Freeman, William Bendix, Keenan Wynn, James Maximilian Schell, James Cromwell, Ron Whitmore, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Joey Eldard, Jon Favreau, Laura Innes, Mary McBishop. Ladd is Quaker naval officer durCormack, Richard Schiff, Blair Underwood, ing WW2 who compensates for past inacBruce Weitz, Betsy Brantley, Charles Martin tion by heading dangerous shore mission; Bendix gives able support.▼ Smith, Leelee Sobieski. Exciting yarn about attempts to ward off a comet hurtling toward Deep Space (1987) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fred Earth—and preparations to save as many peoOlen Ray. Charles Napier, Ann Turkel, ple as possible if it hits. Freeman is the rockJulie Newmar, James Booth, Ron Glass, solid U.S. President, Duvall a veteran astroAnthony Eisley, Bo Svenson, Peter Palmer. naut on a space mission to explode the comet; An ALIEN-like creature runs amok. Ultratheir authoritative presence adds weight to this hokey sci-fi thriller with comic overtones. saga, while Leoni seems a bit of a flyweight Napier is perfectly cast as a cop on its trail. as the ambitious TV newswoman who breaks Good fun for genre fans. Incidentally, title the story. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 has nothing to do with the film! [R]▼ Deep in My Heart (1954) C-132m. ★★1⁄2 DeepStar Six (1989) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Sean D: Stanley Donen. Jose Ferrer, Merle S. Cunningham. Greg Evigan, Nancy Oberon, Helen Traubel, Doe Avedon, TaEverhard, Cindy Pickett, Miguel Ferrer, mara Toumanova, Paul Stewart, Douglas Taurean Blacque, Marius Weyers, Nia Fowley, Jim Backus; guest stars Walter Peeples, Matt McCoy, Elya Baskin, Thom Pidgeon, Paul Henreid, Rosemary Clooney, Bray. In the near future, an undersea reGene and Fred Kelly, Jane Powell, Vic search and missile-installation base is threatDamone, Ann Miller, Cyd Charisse, Howened by a carnivorous swimming crustacean. ard Keel, Tony Martin. The life of comPlodding, familiar story and talky script poser Sigmund Romberg is not the stuff of (not to mention an elaborate but unconvincing monster) sink this. [R]▼●쩠 high drama, but film sparkles in production numbers with MGM guest stars. Highlights Deep Valley (1947) 104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean include Kelly brothers’ only film appearNegulesco. Ida Lupino, Dane Clark, Wayne ance together, Charisse’s exquisite and senMorris, Fay Bainter, Henry Hull, Willard sual dance number with James Mitchell, and Robertson. Into Lupino’s humdrum life an incredible number featuring Ferrer percomes an escapee from a nearby prison forming an entire show himself.▼●쩠 gang. Odd, artsy film adapted from Dan Deep in the Heart (1983-British) C-101m. Totheroh’s novel, set against the real-life ★★★ building of the Pacific Coast Highway exD: Tony Garnett. Karen Young, Clayton Day, Suzie Humphreys, Ben Jones. tension to Monterey. Lupino is good, if misThought-provoking, if occasionally simpliscast, as an ethereal, sheltered farm girl. tic, drama about the evolution of a young Deer Hunter, The (1978) C-183m. ★★★★ woman (nicely played by Young) from D: Michael Cimino. Robert De Niro, John passivity to violence, resulting from her Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, Chrisrelationship with macho Texan Day. Origitopher Walken, George Dzundza, Chuck Aspegren. Stunning film about young Pennnally titled HANDGUN. [R]▼쩠 Deep Red (1975-Italian) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: sylvania steelworkers, their lives before, Dario Argento. David Hemmings, Daria during, and after wartime duty in Vietnam. Nicolodi, Gabriele Lavia, Macha Meril, Long but not overlong, this sensitive, painful, Glauco Mauri. There’s style to burn in evocative work packs an emotional wallop. senseless horror thriller with Hemmings on Story by Cimino, Deric Washburn, Louis trail of sadistic psycho killer. Flashy, bizarre Garfinkle and Quinn Redeker; scripted by murders set to pounding rock soundtrack. Washburn. Five Oscars include Picture, DiAka THE HATCHET MURDERS; original rector, Supporting Actor (Walken), Editing (Peter Zinner). Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Italian version, PROFONDO ROSSO, is 28m. longer and much more violent. CromoDef by Temptation (1990) C-95m. ★★★ scope. [R]▼쩠 D: James Bond III. Cynthia Bond, Kadeem Deep Rising (1998) C-106m. ★★ D: Stephen Hardison, James Bond III, Bill Nunn, Melba Sommers. Treat Williams, Famke Janssen, Moore, Samuel L. Jackson. Southern divinAnthony Heald, Wes Studi, Kevin J. O’Conity student visits his older brother in N.Y.C., nor, Djimon Hounsou, Derrick O’Connor. just in time for the latter to get involved Skipper-for-hire Williams finds himself in with a seductive succubus who preys on over his head when his current clients (a men in bars. All-black sleeper is extremely scummy lot led by heavily armed Studi) stylish, aided no end by the photography attack a luxury liner, unaware that the ship of Spike Lee’s longtime cameraman, Ernest has been under siege by some sort of horDickerson. [R]▼●쩠 rific ocean creatures. High-tech scare movie Defcon-4 (1984) C-89m. BOMB D: Paul with a hokey script; some fun on a noDonovan. Lenore Zann, Maury Chaykin, brainer level. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Kate Lynch, Tim Choate. It sounds like an Deep Six, The (1958) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: industrial-strength roach killer, and it could Rudolph Mate´. Alan Ladd, Dianne Foster, use one. Three astronauts return to a post[ 340 ]

holocaust earth run by some truly slimy soon find themselves leading a growing punks. Next to C.H.U.D., the grimiestband of Jewish refugees. Survival is the looking movie of its time (at least that one key, but so is leadership, and the two older took place underground). [R]▼●쩠 siblings (Craig and Schreiber) have opposDefector, The (1966) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: ing points of view about how to deal with Raoul Levy. Montgomery Clift, Hardy Kruthe enemy. Overlong and uneven, this is a ger, Roddy McDowall, David Opatoshu. great untold story of WW2 but not, alas, a Hackneyed Cold War spy trivia filmed in great film. [R]쩠 Europe, interesting only as Clift’s last film; Defiant, The SEE: Wild Pack, The Defiant Ones, The (1958) 97m. ★★★★ D: good cameo by McDowall.쩠 Defence of the Realm (1985-British) Stanley Kramer. Tony Curtis, Sidney Poitier, C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Drury. Gabriel Theodore Bikel, Charles McGraw, Cara WilByrne, Greta Scacchi, Denholm Elliott, Ian liams, Lon Chaney, Jr. Engrossing story of Bannen, Bill Paterson, Fulton Mackay. two escaped convicts—one black, one Tough, obsessive journalist Byrne’s investigawhite—shackled together as they flee from tive story causes a British MP to resign—but police in the South. Fine performances by there’s more to the case than he knows. A Williams and Chaney as people they meet taut, extremely entertaining political thriller along the way. Academy Award–winning that also touches on the subject of journalistic screenplay by Harold Jacob Smith and Nathan responsibility and the public’s right to know E. Douglas (blacklisted actor-writer Nedrick what its government is up to. [PG]▼●쩠 Young) and cinematography by Sam Leavitt. Defending Your Life (1991) C-111m. Remade for TV in 1986 with Robert Urich ★★★ D: Albert Brooks. Albert Brooks, Meryl and Carl Weathers.▼●쩠 Streep, Rip Torn, Lee Grant, Buck Henry, Definitely, Maybe (2008-U.S.-British) CGeorge D. Wallace, Lillian Lehman, Peter 112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Adam Brooks. Ryan ReynSchuck, Ethan Randall (Embry). Brooks olds, Abigail Breslin, Elizabeth Banks, Isla dies in a car crash and finds himself in JudgFisher, Rachel Weisz, Kevin Kline, Derek ment City, where Torn is assigned to defend Luke, Kevin Corrigan, Adam Ferrara. Soonhis life before a tribunal . . . and where he to-be-divorced man recounts his romantic falls in love with fellow candidate Streep, past to his 10-year-old daughter, who wants who’s too good to be true. Imperfect, like to know how he met her mother. Telling the all of Brooks’ movies, but full of funny tale of three separate romances, he weaves ideas and hard to dislike. [PG]▼●쩠 a story of how they affected his life and Defenseless (1991) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marwhat led him to his current state of untin Campbell. Barbara Hershey, Sam Shepwedded bliss. Attempt to do character comard, Mary Beth Hurt, J. T. Walsh, Kellie edy in the style of British films like LOVE Overbey, Jay O. Sanders, Randy Brooks, ACTUALLY doesn’t quite come off, though John Kapelos, Sheree North. Suspense the cast is appealing. Robert Klein plays thriller in which attorney Hershey discovhimself. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 ers her client (and lover) murdered—and Def Jam’s How to Be a Player (1997) finds herself not only suspected of the C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Lionel C. Martin. Bill Belcrime, but stalked by a mysterious killer. lamy, Natalie Desselle, Lark Voorhies, Mari Not bad, and a good showcase for a firstMorrow, Pierre, Jermaine ‘‘Big Hugg’’ Hoprate cast, especially Hurt, who chews the kins, A. J. Johnson, Beverly Johnson, Max scenery in a change-of-pace part. [R]▼●쩠 Julien, Gilbert Gottfried, Bernie Mac, Elise Defiance (1980) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Neal. Smooth-talking womanizer tries oneFlynn. Jan-Michael Vincent, Art Carney, Theupping his sister and her friend after they resa Saldana, Danny Aiello. Fernando Lopez, invite all the ‘‘entries’’ in his little black book Rudy Ramos. Gritty little film about rootless to the same party. Completely flat comedy is blue-collar loner Vincent, who in an attempt meant to capitalize on TV’s no-holds-barred to match up his dying youngster’s bone marDef Jam, but the show seems a lot raunchier row single-handedly tames a vicious N.Y.C. than this big-screen trifle. [R]▼●쩠 street gang. A synthesis of ’30s Warner Bros. De´ja` Vu (1998-U.S.-British) C-116m. ★★★1 melodramas, B Westerns, ON THE WATER⁄2 D: Henry Jaglom. Stephen Dillane, FRONT, and BOARDWALK, with atmoVictoria Foyt, Vanessa Redgrave, Glynis spheric direction and colorful supporting Barber, Michael Brandon, Noel Harrison, performances. [PG]▼ Rachel Kempson, Aviva Marks. Unusual Defiance (2008) C-137m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward romance about the inexplicable and proZwick. Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie found attraction between an American Bell, Alexa Davalos, Allan Corduner, Mark woman abroad and a London painter. Feuerstein, Tomas Arana, Jodhi May, Kate Though already attached to others, at every Fahy, Iddo Goldberg, Iben Hjejle, Martin turn they receive ‘‘cosmic confirmation’’ of Hancock. After the Gestapo and its Russian their belonging together. The acting is so surrogates have swept through their village good and story so satisfying that plot conin Belorussia in 1941, the three Bielski trivances don’t matter. Nepotism is a big plus, brothers head for the nearby woods and with Jaglom’s wife Foyt in the lead and Red[ 341 ]

grave’s mother Kempson in their first joint color schemes, which would ordinarily look screen appearance. Writer-director Jaglom’s like a lab mistake, contribute to the film’s best; Foyt coscripted. [PG-13]▼쩠 trenchant visual style. Codirector Caro plays Deja Vu (2006) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tony Fox, one of the Cave Dwellers. ‘‘PreScott. Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, sented’’ by Terry Gilliam.▼●쩠 Val Kilmer, Jim Caviezel, Adam Goldberg, Delinquents, The (1957) 75m. ★★ D: RobElden Henson, Erika Alexander, Bruce ert Altman. Tom Laughlin, Peter Miller, Greenwood, Matt Craven, Elle Fanning. Richard Bakalyan, Rosemary Howard, HeDuring Mardi Gras in New Orleans a sightlene Hawley. Intriguingly awful exploitaseeing ferry explodes, killing hundreds. tion drama about nice boy who becomes ATF agent Washington investigates a involved with a street gang because girlwoman whose anomalous death attracts his friend is too young to go steady. Altman’s interest. When he learns the FBI has a defirst film, made in Kansas City, with Julia vice that can view the past—and perhaps Lee singing ‘‘Dirty Rock Boogie.’’ enter it—he goes back in time to find the Delirious (1991) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Tom killer and save the woman (Patton). Science Mankiewicz. John Candy, Mariel Hemingfiction mixed with action and romance reway, Emma Samms, David Rasche, Charles sults in a shallow but entertaining thriller, Rocket, Raymond Burr, Dylan Baker, Jerry though Washington, as always, is first-rate. Orbach, Renee Taylor. Astonishingly stupid Super 35/HD Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 comedy with a neat premise: a beleaguered Delgo (2008) C-90m. BOMB D: Marc F. soap-opera writer gets a conk on the head Adler, Jason Maurer. Voices of Freddie and dreams that he’s stuck in his own story— Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Chris Katin a heroic role that enables him to have tan, Val Kilmer, Anne Bancroft, Kelly Ripa, his way with the woman he worships in real Malcolm McDowell, Eric Idle, Burt Reylife. Bad writing and ham-handed direction foil a willing cast. [PG]▼●쩠 nolds, Louis Gossett, Jr., Michael Clarke Duncan, Armin Shimerman; narrated by Delirious (2007) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom Sally Kellerman. In a fantasy universe, an DiCillo. Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Alialien teenager from one kingdom falls in son Lohman, Gina Gershon, Kevin Corrigan, love with the princess from a rival land, Callie Thorne, Richard Short, Tom Aldredge, erupting hostilities between the two. UnapLynn Cohen, Elvis Costello. Thin but enjoypealing characters and confusing story comable satire of fame and celebrity as seen bine to sink this animated fantasy, which through the beady, bitter eyes of uncouth tries too hard to combine every scienceN.Y.C. paparazzo Buscemi. He grudgingly fiction/fantasy cliche´ into one messy conbefriends a homeless actor-hopeful (Pitt) coction. A complete misfire. Final screen who, of course, may just become The Next credit for Anne Bancroft, who portrays an Big Thing. DiCillo wrote this for Buscemi evil Queen. [PG] and together they have almost as much fun Delicate Balance, A (1973) C-132m. ★★ as in their first teaming, LIVING IN D: Tony Richardson. Katharine Hepburn, OBLIVION. Should amuse anyone who has Paul Scofield, Lee Remick, Kate Reid, ever even dreamt of a show-biz career.쩠 Joseph Cotten, Betsy Blair. Edward Albee’s Deliverance (1972) C-109m. ★★★★ D: John Pulitzer Prize–winning play about a neurotic Boorman. Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Connecticut family and the old friends who Beatty, Ronny Cox, Billy McKinney, Herdecide to move in with them indefinitely bert ‘‘Cowboy’’ Coward, James Dickey. makes for stagy, uninvolving film, extraSuperlative re-creation of Dickey novel of ordinary cast notwithstanding. An American four Atlanta businessmen who get more Film Theater Production. [PG]▼쩠 than they bargained for during a weekend Delicate Delinquent, The (1957) 100m. canoe trip. McKinney and Coward are two ★★★ D: Don McGuire. Jerry Lewis, Marof the most terrifying film villains in history; tha Hyer, Darren McGavin, Horace Mc‘‘Dueling Banjos’’ scene is equally memorMahon, Milton Frome. Jerry’s first solo able. Film debuts of Beatty and Cox. James effort after splitting with Dean Martin has Dickey adapted his own novel, and aphim as delinquent who becomes a cop with pears in the film as a sheriff; Ed O’Neill McGavin’s help. Agreeable blend of sentiappears as a highway patrolman near end ment and slapstick. VistaVision.▼●쩠 of film. The director’s son Charley (later star Delicatessen (1991-French) C-102m. ★★★1⁄2 of THE EMERALD FOREST) plays Voight’s son here. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 D: Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Marc Caro. MarieLaure Dougnac, Dominique Pinon, Karin Deliver Us from Eva (2003) C-105m. ★★★ Viard, Jean Claude Dreyfus, Ticky HolD: Gary Hardwick. James Todd Smith aka gado, Anne Marie Pisani, Edith Ker. PostLL Cool J, Gabrielle Union, Duane Martin, apocalyptic comedy about a landlord who Essence Atkins, Robinne Lee, Meagan Good, slices humans into cutlets for nonvegetarian Mel Jackson, Dartanyan Edmonds, Kym tenants. At the very least, this is the most Whitley, Terry Crews. Amusing film about a original and entertaining comedy about canhostile, iron-willed woman who dominates the nibalism made to date. Brown-and-white lives of her three younger sisters, inspiring their [ 342 ]

men to hire a ‘‘player’’ to distract her so they cast) account of terrorist plane hijack in the can carry on their relationships. Ingratiating Middle East—until rescue climax when performances by LL Cool J and Union spark America’s special squadron (led by Marvin this overlong but entertaining film. [R]▼쩠 and Norris) takes on bad guys in comic-book Deliver Us From Evil (2006) C-101m. ★★★ style. Uneven, to say the least, but never D: Amy Berg. Potent documentary juxtaposes boring. Filmed in Israel. Followed by sevinterviews with Father Oliver O’Grady (a peeral sequels. [R]▼●쩠 dophile whom leaders of the Catholic church Delta Force 2 (1990) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: repeatedly protected) with first-person stories Aaron Norris. Chuck Norris, John P. Ryan, of some of his victims. Timely film forgoes Paul Perri, Richard Jaeckel, Begonia Plaza, narration; instead, its interviewees paint a tawMateo Gomez, Hector Mercardo, Billy Drago. dry picture of corruption in a church that Norris leads his Delta Force brigade into looked the other way while O’Grady was Latin America in an effort to snuff out an moved to several different parishes, where he elusive drug lord. Strictly by-the-numbers. continued committing his immoral acts. Fasci[R]▼●쩠 nating and expertly made, but difficult to Delta Fox (1977) C-92m. ★★ D: Beverly watch.쩠 and Ferd Sebastian. Richard Lynch, PrisDe-Lovely (2004) C-125m. ★★ D: Irwin cilla Barnes, Stuart Whitman, John Ireland, Winkler. Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Richard Jaeckel. Unremarkable action-chase Pryce, Kevin McNally, Allan Corduner, Sanopus about a smuggler on the run from dra Nelson, Keith Allen, James Wilby, John Miami to L.A.▼ Barrowman, Kevin McKidd, Peter PolycarDelusion (1990) C-100m. ★★★ D: Carl pou, Richard Dillane. Handsome but awkColpaert. Jim Metzler, Jennifer Rubin, Kyle ward biopic of the great songwriter Cole Secor, Robert Costanzo, Tracey Walter, Porter, whose love for his wife didn’t preclude Jerry Orbach. Tough, taut thriller about a him from pursuing homosexual affairs. Using yuppie computer executive-embezzler and his an awkward framing device (his life as a plight after happening upon a Las Vegas show), film incorporates many songs, sung by showgirl and her killer-for-hire boyfriend performers who are out of their element (Secor, in an eye-opening performance) on (Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Alanis Morisa Death Valley highway. Thoroughly entersette, Robbie Williams, et al.). Kline is much taining tale of desperation and isolation, with a point-of-view. Super 35. [R]▼ better than the film; the scene in which he teaches Barrowman how to sing ‘‘Night and Dementia 13 (1963) 81m. ★★ D: Francis Day’’ is a highlight. Oddest moment: Kline Ford Coppola. William Campbell, Luana watching Cary Grant play Porter in NIGHT Anders, Bart Patton, Mary Mitchel, PatAND DAY. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 rick Magee. Gory horror film, set in IreDelta Factor, The (1970) C-91m. ★★ D: land, about a series of axe murders. Tay Garnett. Christopher George, Yvette Coppola’s directorial debut—excluding his Mimieux, Diane McBain, Ralph Taeger. earlier nudie, TONITE FOR SURE—filmed OK Mickey Spillane tale about a private for about 29¢ for Roger Corman; may be eye on a CIA mission to rescue a scientist worth a look for curiosity’s sake.▼●쩠 imprisoned on an island. [PG] Demetrius and the Gladiators (1954) CDelta Farce (2007) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: C. B. 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Delmer Daves. Victor Mature, Harding. Larry The Cable Guy, Bill Engvall, Susan Hayward, Michael Rennie, Debra DJ Qualls, Keith David, Danny Trejo, Marisol Paget, Anne Bancroft, Richard Egan, Ernest Nichols, Christina Moore, Lisa Lampanelli, Borgnine. Hokey sequel to THE ROBE has Lance Smith, Glenn Morshower. Three moEmperor Caligula (Jay Robinson) searching ronic army reservists, told they are being sent for magic robe of Christ; Mature dallies to Iraq, are instead dropped into the Mexican with royal Hayward. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 desert, where Larry and his pals Everett and Demolition Man (1993) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill (apparently Moe and Curly were unavailMarco Brambilla. Sylvester Stallone, Wesable) go into action against corrupt federales ley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, Nigel Hawthey mistake for Middle Eastern terrorists. thorne, Benjamin Bratt, Bob Gunton, Glenn Give this mind-numbingly dumb outing points Shadix, Denis Leary, Jack Black, Jesse for originality: it’s probably the first (and hopeVentura. Ex-cop Stallone is sprung after 36 fully last) lame-brained comedy to try milking years of deep-freeze imprisonment for manlaughs from repeated references to Shiites and slaughter when blond Snipes (his long-ago Kurds! [PG-13]쩠 psycho nemesis) escapes from his own ★★1 Delta Force, The (1986) C-129m. ⁄2 government-imposed hibernation; the joke D: Menahem Golan. Chuck Norris, Lee is that the ‘‘San Angeles’’ of 2032 is a paciMarvin, Martin Balsam, Joey Bishop, Robfistic society that nixes violence and profanert Forster, Lainie Kazan, George Kennedy, ity (and where every restaurant is a Taco Hanna Schygulla, Susan Strasberg, Bo SvenBell). Fast, surprisingly funny, bloodletter son, Robert Vaughn, Shelley Winters, Assaf is still only marginally brainier than Sly’s Dayan, Kim Delaney. Surprisingly straightTANGO & CASH. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 forward and straight-faced (considering that Demon (1977) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Larry Cohen. [ 343 ]

Tony Lo Bianco, Sandy Dennis, Sylvia Sidald Cammell. Julie Christie, Fritz Weaver, ney, Deborah Raffin, Sam Levene, Richard Gerrit Graham, Berry Kroeger, Lisa Lu. IntelLynch, Mike Kellin, Andy Kaufman. Weird, ligent futuristic thriller, provocatively written, confusing shocker in which New York cop stylishly directed, and well acted, especially Lo Bianco investigates motiveless killings by by Christie, the beauty terrorized by an ultraordinary people possessed by Christ-like sophisticated computer (voice of Robert demon. Some good scenes. Originally titled Vaughn) that’s decided to take over the GOD TOLD ME TO. [R]▼●쩠 world. As riveting as it is bizarre. Adapted by Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The SEE: Robert Jaffe and Roger O. Hirson from the Dean Koontz novel. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Demons of the Mind (1971-British) C89m. ★★★ D: Peter Sykes. Paul Jones, Demon Knight SEE: Tales From The Crypt Presents Demon Knight Yvonne Mitchell, Gillian Hills, Robert Demonlover (2002-French) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 Hardy, Patrick Magee, Michael Hordern, D: Olivier Assayas. Connie Nielsen, Charles Shane Briant. A 19th-century baron imBerling, Chloe¨ Sevigny, Gina Gershon, Jeanprisons his son and daughter, believing Baptiste Malartre, Dominique Reymond. Illthey are possessed. Enticingly eerie Hamchosen moniker doesn’t describe this dot-com mer horror film. Aka BLACK EVIL and thriller about a cold, calculating corporate spy NIGHTMARE OF TERROR. [R]▼쩠 who gets in over her head playing both sides Demon Within, The SEE: Happiness of a business merger involving porno and torCage, The Denise Calls Up (1996) C-80m. ★★★ D: Hal ture Web sites. Slickly textured suspenser is seriously kinky and morally ambivalent, but Salwen. Tim Daly, Caroleen Feeney, Dan its violence and voyeurism lead to an all-tooGunther, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Liev certain conclusion. Director’s cut runs 117m. Schreiber, Aida Turturro, Alanna Ubach, Original French version runs 128m. Super 35/ Sylvia Miles. Nina tries to fix up a friend— Super 16. [R] ▼쩠 no easy task—while Denise (Ubach) surDemon Master, The SEE: Craze prises Gunther with a phone call he never Demonoid, Messenger of Death (1981) expected to get. Wickedly funny satire C-78m. ★1⁄2 D: Alfred Zacharias. Samantha about New Yorkers who never seem to be Eggar, Stuart Whitman, Roy Cameron able to get together and only talk on the Jenson, Erika Carlson, Lew Saunders. phone. A one-joke premise, but writer-diEggar and husband, while working Mexirector Salwen keeps adding clever twists and touches. [PG-13]▼● can mine, unearth a hand, which possesses him, wreaking terror and havoc. Insipid Dennis the Menace (1993) C-94m. ★★ D: direction, a rotten script, and shoddy speNick Castle. Walter Matthau, Mason Gamble, cial effects get in the way of any suspense. Joan Plowright, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Aka MACABRA. [R]▼ Thompson, Robert Stanton, Paul Winfield, Demon Planet, The SEE: Planet of the Amy Sakasitz, Arnold Stang, Ben Stein. UnVampires conscionable, jerry-built ripoff of the HOME ALONEs from John Hughes, based on Hank Demons (1986-Italian) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Lamberto Bava. Urbano Barberini, Natasha Ketcham’s comic strip, with the blond rasHovey, Paolo Cozza, Karl Zinny, Fiore Arcal’s skirmishes with cantankerous neighbor gento, Fabiola Toledo, Nicoletta Elmi. A horMr. Wilson (Matthau) a mere warmup to the ror film transforms its audience one by one more Culkin-ian climactic punch-out of a robinto drooling, fanged ‘‘demons’’ who attack ber/derelict (Lloyd). Fun for under-8’s, but the remaining humans. Extremely gruesome still a desperate collection of crotch and flatuand violent; no characterization, no logic, no lence jokes. Followed by two direct-to-video plot. Achieved critical fame in some quarters. sequels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Director, who shows some visual style, is son Departed, The (2006) C-151m. ★★★1⁄2 D: of horror maestro Mario Bava. Cowritten and Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt produced by Dario Argento. Followed by Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, several sequels.▼●쩠 Martin Sheen, Ray Winstone, Vera FarDemons 2 (1987-Italian) C-88m. ★★ D: miga, Anthony Anderson, Alec Baldwin, Lamberto Bava. David Knight, Nancy James Badge Dale, David Patrick O’Hara, Brilli, Coralina Cataldi Tassoni, Bobby Mark Rolston, Kevin Corrigan, Dorothy Rhodes, Asia Argento, Virginia Bryant. Lyman. Potent, violent yarn about Irish crime Sequel is improvement on first film but bosses and cops in Boston, and how the lines highly derivative of NIGHT OF THE LIVcross, even over generations. Underworld ING DEAD and THEY CAME FROM bigwig Nicholson has raised and nurtured WITHIN. Demonic infection spreads among Damon, who’s now his mole in the State people in modern apartment building; they Police and assigned to capture his mentor. transform into fanged, clawed monsters and DiCaprio tries to live down his shaky family attack others. Like its predecessor, achieved history by joining the Boston police departgreat acclaim among gore fans. [R]▼●쩠 ment, only to be sent undercover—to work Demon Seed (1977) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Donwith Nicholson. Tension mounts as the [ 344 ]

characters’ paths intersect. Vibrant perforHuston. Fictionalized biography of world’s mances dominate the proceedings; the most celebrated sexual and physical perfilm’s main fault is overlength. William vert. If you’re expecting something raunMonahan’s script was inspired by the 2002 chy, forget it. Pretty tepid stuff. Original Hong Kong police story INFERNAL AFrunning time: 113m. [R]쩠 FAIRS. Oscar winner for Best Picture, DiDescent, The (2005-British) C-99m. ★★ D: rector, Adapted Screenplay, and Editing Neil Marshall. Shauna Macdonald, Natalie (Thelma Schoonmaker). Super 35. [R]쩠 Mendoza, Alex Reid, Saskia Mulder, NoraDepartures (2008-Japanese) C-131m. ★★★ Jane Noone, MyAnna Buring, Oliver MilD: Yojiro Takita. Masahiro Motoki, Tsuburn, Molly Kayll, Craig Conway. Six tomu Yamazaki, Ryoko Hirosue, Kazuko women bond every year during an ‘‘exYoshiyuki, Kimiko Yo, Takashi Sasano. treme’’ adventure. This time it’s a journey When a Tokyo orchestra is dissolved, cellist into a cave in the Appalachian Mountains, Motoki realizes he can’t sustain a musical but there are sparks flying between two of career, so he and his wife return to his homethe participants . . . and the cave houses town. There he answers a cryptic want ad and subhuman flesh-eating creatures! Standard is hired as apprentice to a man who performs horror outing with feisty all-female protago‘‘encoffinments,’’ elaborately and ritualistinists. Unapologetically gruesome. Written cally preparing dead people to be laid to rest. by the director. Ending altered for U.S. reOffbeat, leisurely paced, and disarmingly lease; original unrated version available on funny at times, this likable film becomes DVD. Super 35. [R]쩠 highly emotional as loose ends in Motoki’s Desert Attack (1960-British) 79m. ★★★ life are tied up and he comes to embrace D: J. Lee Thompson. John Mills, Sylvia his unusual profession. Some will find this Syms, Anthony Quayle, Harry Andrews, manipulative; others will succumb and tears Diane Clare. Well-handled psychological will flow. Oscar winner for Best Foreign Landrama of British ambulance officer, two guage Film. nurses, and a German soldier brought toDerailed (2005) C-110m. ★★ D: Mikael gether in African desert. Original British Ha˚fstro¨m. Clive Owen, Jennifer Aniston, version ICE COLD IN ALEX runs 132m. Desert Bloom (1986) C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Vincent Cassel, Melissa George, Giancarlo Esposito, David Morrissey, Georgina ChapEugene Corr. Jon Voight, JoBeth Wilman, Tom Conti, Xzibit, RZA. Chicago liams, Ellen Barkin, Annabeth Gish, Allen businessman Owen misses his commuter Garfield, Jay D. Underwood. Perceptive, train and strikes up a conversation with an exquisitely realized memoir, set in 1951 Neattractive woman. This leads to a liaison, vada—the dawn of the Atomic Age. Herobut that misstep quickly threatens to destroy ine is 13-year-old Gish, whose mother everything in Owen’s life: his family, his (Williams) only sees what she wants to and bank account, and his sanity. Modern spin whose stepfather (solidly acted by Voight) on film noir starts well enough but descends is an embittered, alcoholic WW2 hero reinto a state of incredulity and downright duced to running a gas station. Corr wrote silliness. Good cast—including hip-hop stars the poignantly precise script from a story by Linda Remy and himself. [PG] ▼●쩠 Xzibit and RZA—is wasted here. Unrated version also available. Super 35. [R]쩠 Desert Blue (1999) C-93m. ★★★ D: Morgan Deranged (1974) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff J. Freeman. Brendan Sexton III, Kate HudGillen, Alan Ormsby. Roberts Blossom, son, Christina Ricci, Daniel von Bargen, Cosette Lee, Leslie Carlson, Robert Warner, John Heard, Lucinda Jenney, Casey AfMarcia Diamond. Blossom’s neat performfleck, Sara Gilbert, Peter Sarsgaard, Miance uplifts this predictable shocker of a chael Ironside. A professor of American mother-obsessed farmer who preserves the culture and his ambitious actress-daughter old lady’s corpse, then kills and stuffs other find themselves stuck in a remote western women to keep her company. Based on the town, where the young woman bonds with same real-life case that inspired PSYCHO the locals—especially Blue, who is fixated and THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSAon realizing his late father’s dream of buildCRE. [R]▼쩠 ing a water park in the desert! Well-drawn Dersu Uzala (1975-Japanese-Russian) Ccharacters and a sharp sense of time and 140m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Akira Kurosawa. Maxim place help make this a winner. Written by Munzuk, Yuri Solomine. Simple, gentle Munthe director. [R]▼쩠 zuk, a hunter of the Goldi tribe, teaches Russian Deserter, The (1971-Italian-Yugoslavian) explorer Solomine the rules of survival in SibeC-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Burt Kennedy. Bekim Fehria; they develop mutual respect and friendship. miu, John Huston, Richard Crenna, Chuck A poignant, poetic examination of contrasting Connors, Ricardo Montalban, Ian Bannen, lives. Filmed in Russia; Best Foreign Film Brandon de Wilde, Slim Pickens, Woody Strode, Patrick Wayne. Dull cavalry pic Oscar winner. Sovscope 70. [G]▼●쩠 De Sade (1969-U.S.-West German) C-92m. about Indian fighting on Mexican border. ★★ D: Cy Endfield. Keir Dullea, Senta Cast is capable, except for Fehmiu, who Berger, Lilli Palmer, Anna Massey, John didn’t improve after THE ADVENTUR[ 345 ]

ERS. Aka RIDE TO GLORY. Panavision. Wallace Shawn from his play) is a series [PG]▼ of monologues and probably should have Desert Fox: The Story of Rommel, The remained a theater piece. Nichols makes a (1951) 88m. ★★★ D: Henry Hathaway. long-awaited film acting debut, but perhaps James Mason, Cedric Hardwicke, Jessica he should have waited just a little while longer. [R]▼쩠 Tandy, Luther Adler, Everett Sloane, Leo G. Carroll, George Macready, Richard Boone, Design for Living (1933) 90m. ★★★ D: Robert Coote. Mason standout as Field MarErnst Lubitsch. Fredric March, Gary Cooshal Rommel in sensitive account of his miliper, Miriam Hopkins, Edward Everett tary defeat in WW2 Africa and disillusioned Horton, Franklin Pangborn, Isabel Jewell, return to Hitler Germany. Mason repeated Jane Darwell. Ben Hecht adapted Noel role in THE DESERT RATS.▼●쩠 Coward’s stage comedy about artist CooDesert Fury (1947) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis per and playwright March, best friends Allen. John Hodiak, Lizabeth Scott, Burt and Americans in Paris, and what happens Lancaster, Mary Astor, Wendell Corey. when they both fall in love with Hopkins. Mild drama of love and mystery among Most of the witty innuendos are left intact gamblers, stolen by Astor in bristling char(even if the pacing isn’t quite right).●쩠 acter portrayal. Design for Scandal (1941) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Desert Hearts (1985) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Taurog. Rosalind Russell, Walter Donna Deitch. Helen Shaver, Patricia Pidgeon, Edward Arnold, Lee Bowman, Charbonneau, Audra Lindley, Andra Akers, Jean Rogers, Mary Beth Hughes, Guy Dean Butler, Jeffrey Tambor. Uptight feKibbee. Deft performances in comedy of male professor comes to Reno to get a reporter Pidgeon doing sensational story indivorce in the 1950s and is pursued by a volving prominent female judge Russell. young woman who forces her to examine Designing Woman (1957) C-118m. ★★★ D: her own sexuality. Debut feature for writerVincente Minnelli. Gregory Peck, Lauren director Deitch (with a contemporary nod Bacall, Dolores Gray, Sam Levene, Mickey to THE WOMEN) has its moments, but Shaughnessy, Chuck Connors, Ed Platt, characters are sketchily developed and story Jack Cole. Sportswriter and fashion moves in fits and starts. [R]▼●쩠 designer marry and run head-on in this Desert Patrol (1958-British) 78m. ★★1⁄2 chic comedy reminiscent of the great D: Guy Green. Richard Attenborough, John Hepburn-Tracy vehicles. Bacall and Peck Gregson, Michael Craig, Vincent Ball. do their best; George Wells won an Oscar Staunch account of British patrol attemptfor Best Story and Screenplay. Cinemaing to blow up Axis fuel dump before Scope. ▼●쩠 pending WW2 battle of El Alamein. OrigDesire (1936) 96m. ★★★ D: Frank Borzage. inally titled SEA OF SAND.▼ Marlene Dietrich, Gary Cooper, John Desert Rats, The (1953) 88m. ★★★ D: Halliday, William Frawley, Ernest Cossart, Robert Wise. Richard Burton, James Mason, Akim Tamiroff, Alan Mowbray, Zeffie Robert Newton, Chips Rafferty. Fine WW2 Tilbury. American car-designer Cooper falls actioner with Mason convincing as Field in love with jewel thief Dietrich. SophMarshal Rommel (repeating his role from isticated romancer set in Spain; Marlene sings THE DESERT FOX); Burton is British ‘‘Awake in a Dream.’’ From the scintillatcommando trying to ward off Germans in ing start to the finish, it bears the stylish North Africa.▼쩠 stamp of its producer, Ernst Lubitsch.▼ Desert Song, The (1953) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 Desire and Hell at Sunset Motel (1992) D: H. Bruce Humberstone. Kathryn GrayC-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Allen Castle. Sherilyn son, Gordon MacRae, Steve Cochran, Fenn, Whip Hubley, David Hewlett, DaRaymond Massey, William Conrad, Dick vid Johansen, Paul Bartel. A paranoid salesWesson. Third version of Sigmund Romman and his wife stay at a motel in berg operetta set in Africa creaks along on Anaheim, California, on their way to thin plot. American MacRae is secret leader Disneyland, but get involved in blackmail of good natives (Riffs) in battle against and murder instead. A ‘‘comedy noir’’ set evil Arabs. Songs: ‘‘The Riff Song,’’ ‘‘One in 1958, this very low-budget effort never Alone.’’ Previously filmed in 1929 and quite escapes its stage origins. Fenn does 1944.▼ look great, however. [PG-13]▼● Designated Mourner, The (1997-British) Desiree (1954) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Henry C-94m. ★★ D: David Hare. Miranda RichKoster. Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, ardson, Mike Nichols, David de Keyser. Merle Oberon, Michael Rennie, Cameron Endlessly talky dissertation on the death of Mitchell, Elizabeth Sellars, Cathleen Nesculture, set in an unnamed country in what bitt, Richard Deacon, Carolyn Jones. Tepid, could be the immediate future. Nichols marelaborate costumer: Brando plays a conries into the intellectual upper crust of this fused Napoleon, Simmons his seamstress mysterious society, which has cast off its love who marries another man; Oberon is artists and rendered them virtual prisoners. quite lovely as Empress Josephine. Fiction Shot in three days, the film (adapted by and fact are muddled backdrop for rise and [ 346 ]

fall of the Emperor; few action scenes. Desperate (1947) 73m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anthony CinemaScope.▼● Mann. Steve Brodie, Audrey Long, Raymond ★★ Desire Me (1947) 91m. D: No director Burr, Douglas Fowley, William Challee, Jason credited. Greer Garson, Robert Mitchum, Robards, Sr. An honest truck driver is victimRichard Hart, George Zucco, Morris Anized by racketeers and forced to flee with his krum. Weak melodramatic romance with wife. Well-made little film noir, if not as good Garson caught between new love and old as director Mann’s follow-ups (RAW DEAL, husband, presumed dead, who returns to T-MEN, etc.). Also shown in computermake problems. Familiar story not helped colored version.▼ by limp script. Directed mostly by George Desperate Characters (1971) C-88m. ★★★ Cukor, who removed his name after studio D: Frank D. Gilroy. Shirley MacLaine, tampering; Mervyn LeRoy and Jack ConKenneth Mars, Gerald O’Loughlin, Sada way also had a hand in it. Thompson, Jack Somack, Rose Gregorio, Desire Under the Elms (1958) 114m. Carol Kane. Story of the horrors of day-to★★1 ⁄2 D: Delbert Mann. Sophia Loren, Anday living in N.Y.C. is a bit too theatrical thony Perkins, Burl Ives, Frank Overton. but benefits from excellent acting; one of Eugene O’Neill stage piece about family MacLaine’s best performances. [R]▼●쩠 hatred and greed for land. Loren miscast Desperate Hours, The (1955) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 as Ives’ young wife in love with stepson D: William Wyler. Humphrey Bogart, FredPerkins, but she sparks some life into ric March, Arthur Kennedy, Martha Scott, brooding account of 19th-century New EnDewey Martin, Gig Young, Mary Murphy, gland farm story. VistaVision.▼●쩠 Robert Middleton. Extremely well acted acDesk Set (1957) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Walcount of escaped convicts terrorizing family ter Lang. Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hephousehold. From Joseph Hayes’ novel and burn, Gig Young, Joan Blondell, Dina Broadway play, inspired by actual events. Remade in 1990. VistaVision. ▼●쩠 Merrill, Sue Randall, Neva Patterson, Diane Jergens, Merry Anders. Broadway play Desperate Hours (1990) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: becomes a vehicle for Hepburn and Tracy, Michael Cimino. Mickey Rourke, Anthony a guarantee for top entertainment. He’s an Hopkins, Mimi Rogers, Lindsay Crouse, efficiency expert automating her research Kelly Lynch, Elias Koteas, David Morse, department at a TV network; they clash, Shawnee Smith, Danny Gerard, Matt argue, and fall in love. Great fun. Scripted McGrath. Ludicrous remake of the betterby Phoebe and Henry Ephron, from the than-ever 1955 nailbiter, prison escapees stage play by William Marchant. Merrill’s Rourke et al. taking over the Hopkins-Rogfilm debut. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 ers household. No suspense, at times laughDespair (1979-West German) C-119m. able use of music, with daughter-victim ★★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Dirk you’ll beg to see coldcocked. Cimino’s unBogarde, Andrea Ferreol, Volker Spengmotivated, kamikaze disrobings of attorney ler, Klaus Lowitsch. Playwright Tom Lynch have already entered the realm of Stoppard’s adaptation of the Nabokov novel modern movie folklore. [R]▼●쩠 concentrates too many of its wittiest lines Desperate Journey (1942) 107m. ★★★ D: in the first third, but the film still has its Raoul Walsh. Errol Flynn, Raymond Masmoments. Bogarde is brilliant as the Russey, Ronald Reagan, Nancy Coleman, Alan sian e´migre´ who runs a German chocolate Hale, Arthur Kennedy, Albert Basserman. factory as Nazis start to take power.▼ Spirited WW2 drama of American pilots Desperado (1995) C-106m. ★★ D: Robert stranded in Germany, struggling to cross borRodriguez. Antonio Banderas, Joaquim de der; forgivable propaganda interludes.Wait till you see Reagan doubletalk Nazi.▼ Almeida, Salma Hayek, Steve Buscemi, Cheech Marin, Quentin Tarantino, Carlos Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) C-104m. ★★★ Gomez, Angel Aviles, Danny Trejo, Tito D: Susan Seidelman. Rosanna Arquette, Larriva. A mysterious stranger arrives in a Madonna, Aidan Quinn, Mark Blum, RobMexican town, seeking revenge on the local ert Joy, Laurie Metcalf, Steven Wright, crime boss. Opens with an amusing shaggyRichard Hell, Ann Magnuson, Richard Eddog sequence featuring Buscemi and Marin son, John Lurie, Anne Carlisle, John and grabs your attention with its hyperkinetic Turturro. Delightfully offbeat, original comscenes of gunplay, but soon it becomes clear edy about a bored suburban housewife that the film has no story—and no point. whose fascination with a kooky character Physical attraction of Banderas and leading she’s read about in the personal ads leads lady Hayek provides its only pizazz. This is to her being mistaken for the woman herRodriguez’s reworking of his inventive self. Sort of an upscale underground film, inventively directed by Seidelman, though debut picture, EL MARIACHI. [R]▼●쩠 Desperados, The (1969) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: it doesn’t sustain its buoyancy straight to Henry Levin. Vince Edwards, Jack Palance, the end. [PG-13]▼●쩠 George Maharis, Neville Brand, Sylvia Desperate Measures (1998) C-105m. ★1⁄2 Syms. Civil War deserters ravage the West. D: Barbet Schroeder. Michael Keaton, Not bad. [M]▼ Andy Garcia, Marcia Gay Harden, Brian [ 347 ]

Cox, Joseph Cross. Offensively stupid thrilsythe makes his film debut. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 ler about San Francisco cop Garcia and the amount of physical damage he unintentionDestiny Turns On the Radio (1995) Cally causes when he finds a potential bone 101m. BOMB D: Jack Baran. Dylan Mcmarrow donor for his dying son: hardened Dermott, Nancy Travis, Quentin Tarantino, con Keaton. About as bad as a movie can James Belushi, James LeGros, Janet Carget from a reputable filmmaker. Try to figroll, David Cross, Richard Edson, Bobcat ure out how many charges Garcia would Goldthwait, Barry ‘‘Shabaka’’ Henley, Lisa eventually be brought up on in real life! Jane Persky, Sarah Trigger, Tracey Walter, [R]▼●쩠 Allen Garfield. Escaped convict goes to Las Desperate Trail, The (1994) C-93m. ★★★ Vegas to reclaim his girlfriend and a stash D: P. J. Pesce. Sam Elliott, Craig Sheffer, of loot he left with his partner at the Marilyn Linda Fiorentino, Bradley Whitford, Frank Motel. However, Fate—in the form of a Whaley, John Furlong, Robin Westphal, mysterious dude named Destiny—has its Boots Southerland. Tough, original Western own agenda. Pseudo-hip script, utterly besaga released direct to video, with Elliott as reft of wit, is directed with no energy. A an unforgiving marshal whose plan to decomplete waste of time. [R]▼● liver Fiorentino to the hangman goes awry Destroy All Monsters! (1968-Japanese) Cwhen she flees with genteel outlaw Sheffer. 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ishiro Honda. Akira Kubo, Well-written (and well-acted) Western with Jun Tazaki, Yukiko Kobayashi, Yoshio interesting characters, some potent violence, Tsuchiya, Kyoko Ai, Andrew Hughes. More and surprises in store to the very end of the Toho monsters than there are in heaven (intrail. [R]▼●쩠 cluding A-listers Godzilla, Mothra, and Destination Gobi (1953) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rodan) are assembled for this good-natured Robert Wise. Richard Widmark, Don Taymonster’s ball, as they initially threaten to lor, Casey Adams, Murvyn Vye, Darryl destroy Earth under the control of female Hickman, Martin Milner. Unusual WW2 aliens, then are redirected by humans to do actioner involving U.S. naval men joining battle with an obstinate King Ghidorah. forces with natives against Japanese asNinth Godzilla movie, originally intended saults; nice action sequences. as a grand finale, is an enjoyable romp, with Destination Mars! (2002) 80m. ★★★ D: a rousing score by series mainstay Akira Richard Lowry. Blane Wheatley, Jessica Ifukube. More or less remade in 2004 as Schroeder, Bobby Harwell, Henry Amitai, GODZILLA: FINAL WARS. Tohoscope. [G] 쩠 Sheila K, Blake Manion, Adrian Marinovich. Irresistible parody of tacky 1950s sci-fi Destroyer (1943) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: William movies—and Ed Wood’s PLAN 9 FROM Seiter. Edward G. Robinson, Glenn Ford, OUTER SPACE in particular—done in lowMarguerite Chapman, Edgar Buchanan, grade black & white, with dialogue, cosLeo Gorcey, Regis Toomey, Ed Brophy. tumes, and so-called special effects to Predictable wartime drama: aging seaman match. Trouble begins when Martians disRobinson shown up by novice Ford; of cover that earthlings have built an Atmos course Eddie comes through in the end. ▼ 4X Vaporizer that can wipe out whole planDestructors, The (1974-British) C-89m. ★★★ ets. Everyone plays it straight, which is why D: Robert Parrish. Anthony Quinn, this is such fun to watch. Even the names in Michael Caine, James Mason, Maureen the credits are a gag. Written by Tor Lowry. Kerwin, Marcel Bozzufi, Maurice Ronet, The same team later reunited for MONAlexandra Stewart. Good Paris-localed ARCH OF THE MOON.쩠 crime melodrama with Quinn a U.S. drug Destination Moon (1950) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 agent out to stop kingpin Mason. An aniD: Irving Pichel. John Archer, Warner Andermated Caine is fine as a likable assassin. son, Tom Powers, Dick Wesson, Erin Original title: THE MARSEILLE CONO’Brien-Moore. One of the pioneer sci-fi TRACT. [PG]▼ films about the first manned expedition to the Destry (1954) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: George moon, modestly mounted but still effective. Marshall. Audie Murphy, Mari Blanchard, Striking lunar paintings by Chesley Bonestell. Lyle Bettger, Lori Nelson, Thomas MitchWon an Oscar for its special effects. Produced ell, Edgar Buchanan, Wallace Ford. Audie by George Pal; coscripted by Robert Heinlein. is gun-shy sheriff who tames town and Woody Woodpecker makes a ‘‘guest appeardance-hall girl without violence. The 1939 ance.’’ ▼●쩠 version—DESTRY RIDES AGAIN—is still ★★★ Destination Tokyo (1943) 135m. D: unsurpassed. Later a TV series. Delmer Daves. Cary Grant, John Garfield, Destry Rides Again (1939) 94m. ★★★★ Alan Hale, John Ridgely, Dane Clark, D: George Marshall. James Stewart, MarWarner Anderson, William Prince. Suslene Dietrich, Charles Winninger, Brian penseful WW2 account of U.S. submarine Donlevy, Una Merkel, Mischa Auer, Alsent into Japanese waters and interaction len Jenkins, Irene Hervey, Jack Carson, among crew. Commander Grant, seamen Billy Gilbert, Samuel S. Hinds. SlamGarfield and Clark ring true. John Forbang, action-filled Western satire, with [ 348 ]

Stewart taming rowdy town without viosorbing brinkmanship thriller in the vein of lence and tangling with boisterous danceFAIL-SAFE, with Pollak (admittedly, an hall girl Dietrich. Marlene sings ‘‘See What unlikely choice for President of the U.S.) the Boys in the Back Room Will Have’’ in stranded in a Colorado diner during a snowthis Max Brand story, filmed before in storm, having to make a tough decision 1932, then again in 1950 (as FRENCHIE), about firing a nuclear weapon, and involvand in 1954 (as DESTRY). Screenplay by ing the civilians who happen to be there in Felix Jackson, Gertrude Purcell, and Henry the mounting drama. Contrived but excitMyers. Simply wonderful.▼●쩠 ing; feature writing-directing debut for film critic Lurie. [R]▼쩠 Detective, The (1954-British) 91m. ★★★ D: Robert Hamer. Alec Guinness, Joan Detour (1945) 69m. ★★★ D: Edgar G. Greenwood, Peter Finch, Cecil Parker, Ulmer. Tom Neal, Ann Savage, Claudia Bernard Lee, Sidney James, Ernest TheDrake, Edmund MacDonald, Tim Ryan, Essiger. Guinness is in rare form as G. K. ther Howard. Now-legendary B movie, Chesterton’s clerical sleuth after stolen art filmed in less than a week, is the quintestreasures; another British gem, superbly sence of film noir. Neal is a hitchhiking cast. British title: FATHER BROWN.▼ drifter who has the misfortune to become ★★★ D: Detective, The (1968) C-114m. involved with a formidable femme fatale Gordon Douglas. Frank Sinatra, Lee Rem(Savage, in an unforgettable performance). ick, Ralph Meeker, Jacqueline Bisset, Ulmer makes the most of his meager budWilliam Windom, Al Freeman, Tony Muget. Written by Martin Goldsmith. Remade in 1992 with Tom Neal, Jr.▼●쩠 sante, Jack Klugman, Robert Duvall. Trashy script, based on Roderick Thorpe’s best-sellDetroit Heat SEE: Detroit 9000 Detroit 9000 (1973) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: Aring novel, pits cops against homosexuals; more than redeemed by fast, no-nonsense dithur Marks. Alex Rocco, Hari Rhodes, rection, good acting, particularly by Sinatra Vonetta McGee, Ella Edwards, Scatman and Freeman. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Crothers. Cops pursue jewel thieves. Bloody Detective (1985-French) C-95m. ★★ D: blaxploitation entry with an integrated Jean-Luc Godard. Claude Brasseur, Nathacast. Aka DETROIT HEAT. [R]▼●쩠 lie Baye, Johnny Hallyday, Laurent TerzDetroit Rock City (1999) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: ieff, Jean-Pierre Le´aud, Alain Cuny, StephAdam Rifkin. Edward Furlong, Giuseppe ane Ferrara, Julie Delpy. The scenario takes Andrews, James De Bello, Sam Huntington, a backseat in this talky, contrived film noir Lin Shaye, Natasha Lyonne, Shannon Tweed, homage about a variety of characters and Joe Flaherty, KISS. Ultra-dopey teen flick their business and intrigues in an elegant about four teenagers trying to scam tickets for Paris hotel. The look and feel are uniquely a KISS concert, circa 1978. Lots of crude of the director, but it’s ultimately annoying, physical comedy and head-banging metal more a concept than a movie. Godard dedianthems, but that’s the point. Plays like a cated this to John Cassavetes, Edgar G. cross between I WANNA HOLD YOUR Ulmer, and Clint Eastwood!▼쩠 HAND and an episode of That ’70s Show. Detective Story (1951) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Shaye’s a hoot as a bewigged mom on a William Wyler. Kirk Douglas, Eleanor crusade to stop rock ’n’ roll. The original Parker, Horace McMahon, William Bendix, tongue-wagging glam rockers appear only briefly at the end. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Lee Grant, Craig Hill, Cathy O’Donnell, Bert Freed, George Macready, Joseph Deuce Bigalow European Gigolo (2005) Wiseman, Gladys George, Frank Faylen, C-83m. BOMB D: Mike Mitchell. Rob Luis van Rooten, Warner Anderson, MiSchneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbe´, Til chael Strong, Gerald Mohr. Sidney KingsSchweiger, Douglas Sills, Carlos Ponce, ley’s once-forceful play about life at a Charles Keating, Hanna Verboom. Ads for N.Y.C. police precinct has lost much of its this woefully unfunny sequel show Schneipunch, but is still a fine film. Well cast, der sitting under a phallic Leaning Tower of with Douglas a bitter detective, Parker his Pisa that appears to be protruding from his ignored wife, and Bendix, in one of his best groin area. This would have been the film’s roles, a sympathetic colleague. McMahon best joke—except it’s not in the film; nor is (the shrewd precinct head), Wiseman (an any other form of humor. Deuce is sent to hysterical thief), Grant (unforgettable as a Holland to train as a high-end Euro man frightened shoplifter), and Strong (another whore. When he discovers some of his felthief) re-create their Broadway roles. This low gigolos are being killed, he jumps was Grant’s first film—and also her last— undercover(s). Can we possibly prevent anbefore being blacklisted. Screenplay by other sequel? Famous faces appear in camPhilip Yordan and Robert Wyler (the direceos, if that matters to you. [R] ▼쩠 tor’s brother).쩠 Deuce Bigalow Male Gigolo (1999) CDeterrence (2000) C-101m. ★★★ D: Rod 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike Mitchell. Rob SchneiLurie. Kevin Pollak, Timothy Hutton, der, William Forsythe, Eddie Griffin, Arija Sheryl Lee Ralph, Sean Astin, Badja Djola, Bareikis, Oded Fehr, Gail O’Grady, RichMark Thompson, Michael Mantell. Abard Riehle, Jacqueline Obradors, Big Boy. [ 349 ]

Professional fish-tank cleaner breaks an exhospital in midst of lava flow. Stars are lost in weak film.▼●쩠 pensive tank, and in order to pay for it beDevil Bat, The (1941) 69m. ★★ D: Jean comes a gigolo. (Why not?) Potty humor Yarbrough. Bela Lugosi, Suzanne Kaaren, and outlandish situations abound, but Dave O’Brien, Guy Usher, Yolande Mallott Schneider’s character is surprisingly likable (Donlan), Donald Kerr. Lugosi raises bats in this silly comedy. Followed by a sequel. and trains them to suck victims’ blood on [R]▼쩠 cue. One of Lugosi’s more notorious picDeuces Wild (2002) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Scott tures, and fairly entertaining. Aka KILLER Kalvert. Stephen Dorff, Brad Renfro, FairBATS. Reworked as THE FLYING SERuza Balk, Norman Reedus, Frankie Muniz, PENT. Sequel: DEVIL BAT’S DAUGHMatt Dillon, Balthazar Getty, Max Perlich, TER. ▼●쩠 Deborah Harry, Drea DeMatteo, Vincent Devil Bat’s Daughter (1946) 66m. ★★ D: Pastore, James Franco, Johnny Knoxville, Frank Wisbar. Rosemary La Planche, Molly Louis Lombardi. Empty-headed, cliche´d Lamont, John James, Ed Cassidy. In this dud, a WEST SIDE STORY wannabe set in sequel to THE DEVIL BAT, La Planche Sunset Park, Brooklyn, in the late 1950s. is thought to have inherited the murderous The Deuces are a good-guy gang and the tendencies of her late father, but in a bizarre Vipers are a bad-guy gang; temperatures turn of events, Dad turns out to have been rise upon the release from prison of the a kindly researcher (contradicting the first Viper punk (Reedus) who sold a deadly film entirely!).▼쩠 dose of heroin to the brother of Deuces Devil Commands, The (1941) 65m. ★★1⁄2 Dorff and Renfro. An interesting cast is D: Edward Dmytryk. Boris Karloff, Amanda wasted. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Duff, Richard Fiske, Anne Revere, Ralph Devil, The SEE: To Bed . . . or Not to Penny, Dorothy Adams, Kenneth MacDonBed ald. Improbable but intriguing chiller of Devil and Daniel Webster, The (1941) scientist Karloff obsessed with idea of com85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: William Dieterle. Edward municating with dead wife. Predictable Arnold, Walter Huston, James Craig, Anne but fun. Only debit: the absurd narration.쩠 Shirley, Jane Darwell, Simone Simon, Gene Devil Dogs of the Air (1935) 86m. ★★ D: Lockhart, John Qualen, H. B. Warner. SteLloyd Bacon. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, phen Vincent Benet’s story is a visual Margaret Lindsay, Frank McHugh. Tiredelight, with Huston’s sparkling perforsome potboiler with Marine Air Corps mance as Mr. Scratch (the Devil) matched rivalry between Cagney and O’Brien. Their by Arnold as the loquacious Webster. Oscarpersonalities, and good stunt-flying scenes, winning score by Bernard Herrmann, cineare only saving grace.▼ matography by Joseph August, and special Devil-Doll, The (1936) 79m. ★★★ D: Tod effects by Vernon L. Walker all superb. Browning. Lionel Barrymore, Maureen Screenplay by the author and Dan Totheroh. O’Sullivan, Frank Lawton, Robert Greig, Cut for reissue in 1952; restored to 107m. Lucy Beaumont, Henry B. Walthall, Grace for home video, adding interesting material Ford, Rafaela Ottiano. Very entertaining missing from other extant prints. Aka ALL yarn of Devil’s Island escapee Barrymore THAT MONEY CAN BUY and DANIEL shrinking humans to doll size to carry out AND THE DEVIL. ▼●쩠 nefarious schemes. Coscripted by Erich Devil and Max Devlin, The (1981) C-96m. von Stroheim.▼●쩠 ★★ D: Steven Hilliard Stern. Elliott Gould, Devil Doll (1964-British) 80m. ★★★ D: Bill Cosby, Susan Anspach, Adam Rich, Lindsay Shonteff. Bryant Haliday, WilJulie Budd, David Knell. Gould returns to liam Sylvester, Yvonne Romain, Philip life to recruit three innocent souls for Ray. Obscure, underrated mystery features devil Cosby. Undistinguished Disney fare. an eerily effective Haliday as a hypnotist[PG]▼쩠 ventriloquist trying to transfer Romain’s soul Devil and Miss Jones, The (1941) 92m. into that of a dummy, as he had already done ★★★1⁄2 D: Sam Wood. Jean Arthur, Robert with his onetime assistant. An exquisitely taiCummings, Charles Coburn, Spring Byinglored, sharply edited sleeper.▼쩠 ton, Edmund Gwenn, S.Z. Sakall, WilDevil in a Blue Dress (1995) C-102m. ★★1 liam Demarest. Delightful social comedy ⁄2 D: Carl Franklin. Denzel Washington, by Norman Krasna; millionaire Coburn Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don masquerades as clerk in his own departCheadle, Maury Chaykin, Terry Kinney, ment store to investigate employee comMel Winkler, Albert Hall, Lisa Nicole Carplaints. A must.▼ son, Jernard Burks, Barry Shabaka Henley. Devil at 4 O’Clock, The (1961) C-126m. It’s L.A., 1948; Washington is unemployed ★★1⁄2 D: Mervyn LeRoy. Spencer Tracy, and thus easy prey for a hood who needs a Frank Sinatra, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Kerwin favor done. All he has to do is find an eluMathews, Barbara Luna. Static production, sive white woman, the former fiance´e of a not saved by volcanic eruption climax, involvmayoral candidate. Oozing with atmosphere ing priest Tracy helping to evacuate children’s and period detail, but the look and feel over[ 350 ]

whelm the convoluted (and not always comhostel, casts spells over its ‘‘permanent pelling) story. Washington is terrific in a residents.’’ The convent is more like a tailor-made part as Easy Rawlins; adapted psycho ward than a place for religious from Walter Mosley’s novel. Black point of meditation. Indifferently acted, technically view is the film’s strong suit, making it atrocious. Widescreen. [R]▼ unique in the film noir genre. [R] ▼●쩠 Devil Makes Three, The (1952) 96m. ★★ Devil in Love, The (1966-Italian) 97m. D: Andrew Marton. Gene Kelly, Pier ★1⁄2 D: Ettore Scola. Vittorio Gassman, Angeli, Richard Egan, Claus Clausen. Kelly Mickey Rooney, Claudine Auger, Ettore (none too convincing in one of his rare nonManni, Annabella Incontrera. Gassman musicals) plays a soldier returning to Mucomes up from Hell during the French nich to thank family who helped him during Renaissance to botch up an impending WW2; he becomes involved with daughter peace between Rome and Florence, but Angeli and black market gangs. Devils, The (1971-British) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 loses his powers when he falls for Auger. Comedy is both heavy-handed and unfunny. D: Ken Russell. Oliver Reed, Vanessa Devil in the Flesh (1946-French) 110m. Redgrave, Dudley Sutton, Max Adrian, ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Claude Autant-Lara. Ge´rard Gemma Jones, Murray Melvin, Michael Philipe, Micheline Presle, Denise Grey, Gothard. Fine performances save confused Jacques Tati. Exquisitely filmed, compasmixture of history, comedy, and surrealsionate story of WW1 love affair between ism in wide-eyed adaptation of Whiting married woman and sensitive high school play and Huxley book dealing with witchstudent. Controversial in its day because of craft and politics in 17th-century France. sensual love scenes and cuckolding of solA mad movie, with fiery finale not for the dier husband. Remade in 1986.▼ squeamish. Original British version is 12 Devil in the Flesh (1986-Italian-French) minutes longer. Panavision. [R—edited from original X version]▼ C-110m. ★★★ D: Marco Bellocchio. Maruschka Detmers, Federico Pitzalis, Anita Devil’s Advocate, The (1997) C-144m. ★★★ D: Taylor Hackford. Al Pacino, Keanu Laurenzi, Riccardo De Torrebruna. Director Bellocchio remakes and updates the Reeves, Charlize Theron, Jeffrey Jones, Ju1946 French classic as another of his studdith Ivey, Connie Nielsen, Craig T. Nelson, ies of madness. Dutch actress Detmers Tamara Tunie, Debra Monk, Heather Maburns up the screen as the going-nutty tarazzo. Wild, over-the-top movie about a beauty torn between her terrorist boyfriend young hotshot lawyer from Florida who’s (De Torrebruna) and a handsome young recruited to join a sleek N.Y.C. firm run boy (Pitzalis). Reportedly the first mainby a charming megalomaniac (Pacino) who stream film in which a respected actress earmarks the newcomer for Big Things. But was involved in an explicitly pornographic there are devilish hints that all is not right. sex scene. Available in both R- and X-rated Reeves is completely believable, and Pacino versions.▼●쩠 gives a delicious, pull-out-the-stops perforDevil in the House of Exorcism SEE: Lisa mance as his manipulative mentor. The film and the Devil goes on too long, but it’s spiked with arDevil Is a Sissy, The (1936) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: resting scenes and fine performances. Great W. S. Van Dyke. Freddie Bartholomew, showcase, too, for Theron as Reeves’ imMickey Rooney, Jackie Cooper, Ian Huntpressionable wife. Delroy Lindo appears er, Peggy Conklin, Katherine Alexander. unbilled. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Three top juvenile stars outclass their maDevil’s Angels (1967) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: Danterial in this rambling, episodic tale of iel Haller. John Cassavetes, Beverly Adams, tenement-district pals and British newcomer Mimsy Farmer, Leo Gordon. Killer cyclists (Bartholomew) who tries to join their gang.쩠 head for outlaw sanctuary breaking everyDevil Is a Woman, The (1935) 83m. ★★★ thing in their way. Lurid and cheap. D: Josef von Sternberg. Marlene Dietrich, Panavision. [PG]▼ Lionel Atwill, Cesar Romero, Edward Devil’s Backbone, The (2001-SpanishEverett Horton, Alison Skipworth. SumpMexican) C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Guillermo del tuous-looking film about alluring but heartToro. Eduardo Noriega, Marisa Paredes, less woman and the men who all but ruin Federico Luppi, In˜igo Garce´s, Fernando their lives for her, set against backdrop of Tielve, Irene Visedo, Berta Ojea. A remote 19th-century Spanish revolution. Hypnotoutpost serves as a school and shelter for ic, if dramatically shaky; Luis Bun˜uel used displaced boys in the midst of the Spanish same source material for THAT OBSCURE Civil War . . . and harbors the ghost of OBJECT OF DESIRE.▼쩠 one youngster whose spirit cannot rest. A Devil Is a Woman, The (1975-Italian) fascinating ghost story with multiple layers, C-105m. BOMB D: Damiano Damiani. strikingly shot and designed. Cowritten by Glenda Jackson, Adolfo Celi, Lisa Harthe director, Antonio Trashorras, and David Mun˜oz. [R]▼쩠 row, Claudio Cassinelli, Arnoldo Foa, Francisco Rabal. Ponderous, superficial meloDevil’s Bride, The (1968-British) C-95m. ★★★ D: Terence Fisher. Christopher Lee, drama: Jackson, the head of a religious [ 351 ]

Charles Gray, Nike Arrighi, Patrick Mower, Sarah Lawson, Paul Eddington. Taut filming of Dennis Wheatley novel. Duc de Richleau (Lee) assists young friend under spell of Mocate, ultra-evil Satanist. Watch out for that climax! British title: THE DEVIL RIDES OUT. [G]▼●쩠 Devil’s Brigade, The (1968) C-130m. ★★ D: Andrew V. McLaglen. William Holden, Cliff Robertson, Vince Edwards, Michael Rennie, Dana Andrews, Carroll O’Connor, Gretchen Wyler, Andrew Prine, Claude Akins, Richard Jaeckel, Paul Hornung, Patric Knowles, James Craig, Richard Dawson. Standard WW2 fare about reckless recruits fashioned into creditable fighting unit; goes on far too long. Holden is wasted. Panavision.▼●쩠 Devil’s Brother, The (1933) 88m. ★★★ D: Hal Roach, Charles R. Rogers. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Dennis King, Thelma Todd, James Finlayson, Henry Armetta. Stan and Ollie are at their best in this lively adaptation of a 19th-century comic opera, with King as a notorious bandit and our heroes as would-be robbers who become his helpmates. Reissued as BOGUS BANDITS. Originally titled FRA DIAVOLO.

▼●쩠

fair play on the track; obligatory racing scenes are above average. VistaVision. Devil-Ship Pirates (1964-British) C-89m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Don Sharp, Christopher Lee, Andrew Keir, Michael Ripper, John Cairney. Good little movie of stray Spanish ships conquering English countryside, unaware Armada has been defeated. Megascope.쩠 Devil’s Impostor, The SEE: Pope Joan Devil’s Island (1940) 62m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Clemens. Boris Karloff, Nedda Harrigan, James Stephenson, Adia Kuznetzoff, Will Stanton, Edward Keane. Aboveaverage Karloff vehicle of innocent doctor exiled to Devil’s Island, mistreated by supervisor Stephenson. Devil’s Men, The SEE: Land of the Minotaur Devil’s Messenger (1962-U.S.-Swedish) 72m. ★1⁄2 D: Curt Siodmak. Lon Chaney (Jr.), Karen Kadler, John Crawford, Michael Hinn. Sultry girl is sent to earth to help Satan carry out master plan that will envelop the world; hazy plot, poor production values. Originally three episodes of unsold TV series 13 Demon Street.▼쩠 Devil’s Own, The (1966-British) C-90m. ★★★ D: Cyril Frankel. Joan Fontaine, Kay Walsh, Alec McCowen, Ann Bell, Ingrid Brett, Gwen ffrangcon-Davies. Good Hammer chiller with Fontaine as headmistress of private school who learns that a student is to be sacrificed by a local voodoo cult. British title: THE WITCHES.▼●쩠 Devil’s Own, The (1997) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan J. Pakula. Harrison Ford, Brad Pitt, Margaret Colin, Ruben Blades, Treat Williams, George Hearn, Mitchell Ryan, Natascha McElhone, Simon Jones, Julia Stiles. Young Irish terrorist comes to N.Y.C. to broker an arms deal, and gets room and board from a straight-arrow cop who has no idea who he is. Watchable film has two charismatic stars playing deeply committed characters; their separate stories build in intensity, but when their lives finally intersect the story peters out. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Devil’s Playground, The (1976-Australian) C-107m. ★★★ D: Fred Schepisi. Arthur Dignam, Nick Tate, Simon Burke, Charles McCallum, John Frawley, Jonathan Hardy, Gerry Duggan. Young boys reaching puberty act out sexually while boarded at Roman Catholic school; meanwhile, their teachers have problems of their own. Pointed and well made, if a bit predictable.▼쩠 Devil’s Rain, The (1975) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Fuest. Ernest Borgnine, Ida Lupino, William Shatner, Tom Skerritt, Eddie Albert, Keenan Wynn, Joan Prather. Offbeat approach to story of Satanists provides some effective horror and also some unintentional humor. Most of the cast melts in a memorable finale. John Travolta makes his debut in a bit part. Todd-AO 35. [PG]

Devil’s Disciple, The (1959-British) 82m. ⁄2 D: Guy Hamilton. Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Laurence Olivier, Janette Scott, Eva LeGallienne, Harry Andrews, Basil Sydney, George Rose, Neil McCallum, David Horne, Mervyn Johns. Sparkling adaptation of George Bernard Shaw’s satire, set during American Revolution, with standout performances by star trio (notably Olivier as General Burgoyne, who serves as Shaw’s mouthpiece). Shows how, in Shaw’s view, the bumbling British managed to lose their colonies. Screenplay by John Dighton and Roland Kibbee.▼ Devil’s Doorway (1950) 84m. ★★★ D: Anthony Mann. Robert Taylor, Louis Calhern, Paula Raymond, Marshall Thompson, Edgar Buchanan. Well-turned Western with offbeat casting of Taylor as Indian who served in Civil War, returning home to find that he must fight to right the injustices done against his people. Devil’s Eye, The (1960-Swedish) 90m. ★★★ D: Ingmar Bergman. Jarl Kulle, Bibi Andersson, Nils Poppe, Sture Lagerwall. A woman’s chastity gives the Devil sty in his eye, so he sends Don Juan back to Earth from Hell to seduce her, but the modern-day woman finds his old-fashioned charm amusing rather than irresistible. Droll Bergman comedy is a bit slow, but witty and playful.▼ Devil’s Hairpin, The (1957) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cornel Wilde. Cornel Wilde, Jean Wallace, Mary Astor, Arthur Franz. Wilde is reckless sports car champion who learns ▼●쩠 [ 352 ] ★★★1

Devil’s Rejects, The (2005) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 Coleman, Arthur Kennedy, Dame May D: Rob Zombie. Sid Haig, Bill Moseley, Whitty. Powerful real-life story of Bronte¨ sisSheri Moon Zombie, Ken Foree, William ters becomes routine love triangle with HenForsythe, Geoffrey Lewis, Danny Trejo, reid in the middle; worthwhile for intense, Leslie Easterbrook, Priscilla Barnes. The dramatic performances. Made in 1943. D. I., The (1957) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack three killers from Zombie’s previous effort, HOUSE OF 1000 CORPSES, go on a vioWebb. Jack Webb, Don Dubbins, Lin Mclent road trip and find themselves stalked by Carthy, Jackie Loughery, Monica Lewis, a sheriff who shares their sadistic tendenVirginia Gregg, Barbara Pepper. Ostensicies. Gripping horror film captures the bly realistic account of Marine basic trainmood and aesthetics of late ’60s/early ’70s ing is today a wonderful exercise in high exploitation films, but be warned: it’s relentcamp. Webb is emotionally empty serlessly violent, horrifying, and depressing. geant trying to whip his raw recruits (most Filled with B-movie celebrity cameos and of them played by actual soldiers) into retro counterculture themes. Also available shape; stubborn Dubbins is the chief thorn in unrated version. [R] ▼쩠 in his side. Sequence where soldiers search Devil’s Undead, The SEE: Nothing but for a ‘‘murdered’’ sand flea is priceless. the Night Story reused 13 years later (but with a difDevil’s Wanton, The (1949-Swedish) 72m. ferent outcome) for a TVM, TRIBES.▼쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Ingmar Bergman. Doris Svedlund, Diabolical Dr. Mabuse, The SEE: 1,000 Birger Malmsten, Eva Henning, Hasse EkEyes of Dr. Mabuse, The man. Sober account of desperate girl findDiabolik SEE Danger: Diabolik ing romance with another equally unhappy Diabolique (1955-French) 114m. ★★★1⁄2 soul, reaffirming their faith in humanity. D: Henri-Georges Clouzot. Simone SigNot released in U.S. until 1962.▼ noret, Vera Clouzot, Paul Meurisse, Charles Devil’s Widow, The SEE: Ballad of Tam Vanel, Michel Serrault. Tyrannical schoolLin, The master (Meurisse) is bumped off by his Devil Wears Prada, The (2006) C-109m. long-suffering wife (Clouzot) and mistress ★★★ D: David Frankel. Meryl Streep, Anne (Signoret). Classic chiller builds slowly, Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, surely to final quarter hour that will drive Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier, David Marshall you right up the wall. A must. Older AmeriGrant, James Naughton, Tracie Thoms, Recan prints run 107m. Aka LES DIAbecca Mader, Gisele Bu¨ndchen. Slick adaptaBOLIQUES; remade for U.S. TV as tion of Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling REFLECTIONS OF MURDER (1974) and roman a` clef about working as personal assisHOUSE OF SECRETS (1993), and for thetant to the fashion magazine editor from hell. aters in 1996. Rereleased theatrically in Streep dominates the proceedings with a 1994 with 9m. of footage edited out of original U.S. theatrical version.▼●쩠 wonderfully nuanced performance, never veering toward caricature; Hathaway is just Diabolique (1996) C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Jereright as the naı¨ve college grad who gets a miah Chechik. Sharon Stone, Isabelle Adjani, crash course in office politics and survival at Chazz Palminteri, Kathy Bates, Spalding the risk of losing her devoted boyfriend. Nice Gray, Shirley Knight, Allen Garfield, Adam work, too, from Tucci (as one of Streep’s Hann-Byrd, Clea Lewis. Top-notch cast loyal editors) and Blunt (as her long-suffering founders in this amazingly monotonous (not first assistant). Several fashionistas appear as to mention crude and embarrassing) redo of themselves. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 the 1955 classic, with Palminteri cast as the Devil Within Her, The (1975-British) unmerciful schoolmaster, Stone his icy, C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter Sasdy. Joan Collins, murderous mistress, and Adjani his more Eileen Atkins, Donald Pleasence, Ralph reserved wife. This dreary film thoroughly Bates, Caroline Munro, Hilary Mason, John trashes the memory of the original—and Steiner. Collins’ newborn baby is poseven the made-for-TV remakes! [R]▼●쩠 sessed. Another idiotic ROSEMARY’S Diagnosis: Murder (1975-British) C-95m. ★★★ BABY/EXORCIST rip-off. Aka I DON’T D: Sidney Hayers. Christopher Lee, WANT TO BE BORN. [R]▼ Judy Geeson, Jon Finch, Tony Beckley, Devonsville Terror, The (1983) C-82m. Dilys Hamlett, Jane Merrow. Psychiatrist ★★ is drawn into bizarre sequence of events D: Ulli Lommel. Suzanna Love, Robert Walker, Donald Pleasence, Paul Wilson. when his wife disappears and he is accused Love (wife of German director Lommel) of murdering her. Solid little suspenser. is the new teacher in the town of DevDial M for Murder (1954) C-105m. ★★★ onsville, a burg haunted by a witch’s D: Alfred Hitchcock. Ray Milland, Grace curse from 300 years ago. Copycat horror Kelly, Robert Cummings, John Williams, film steals its climax directly from RAIDAnthony Dawson. Frederick Knott’s suspense play of man plotting wife’s murder ERS OF THE LOST ARK.▼쩠 1 ★★ Devotion (1946) 107m. and subsequent police investigation: stagey ⁄2 D: Curtis Bernhardt. Olivia de Havilland, Ida Lupino, at times but slick and entertaining. Filmed Paul Henreid, Sydney Greenstreet, Nancy in 3-D. Remade for TV in 1981 with Angie [ 353 ]

Dickinson and Christopher Plummer, and in stashed away decades ago. A tailor-made ve1998 as A PERFECT MURDER.▼●쩠 hicle for Douglas makes excellent use of his Diamond Earrings SEE: Earrings of Mamacho image, his movie past (through clips dame de . . . , The from CHAMPION showing him in the ring), Diamond Head (1963) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: and even his real-life stroke in telling its likable, sentimental story. [PG-13]▼쩠 Guy Green. Charlton Heston, Yvette Mimieux, George Chakiris, France Nuyen, James Diamonds Are Forever (1971-British) Darren, Aline MacMahon, Elizabeth Allen. C-119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Guy Hamilton. Sean Soap opera set in Hawaii with Heston the Connery, Jill St. John, Charles Gray, Lana domineering head of his family, whose dictates Wood, Jimmy Dean, Bruce Cabot, Bruce almost ruin their lives. Panavision.▼●쩠 Glover, Putter Smith, Bernard Lee, Lois Diamond Horseshoe (1945) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn, Leonard D: George Seaton. Betty Grable, Dick Barr, Laurence Naismith, Marc Lawrence. Haymes, Phil Silvers, William Gaxton, After a one-picture hiatus, Connery returned Beatrice Kay, Carmen Cavallaro, Margaas James Bond in this colorful comic-book ret Dumont. Musical performer Grable has adventure set in Las Vegas; closer in spirit to choose between a long-cherished dream to Republic serials than Ian Fleming, but great fun. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 of luxury and life with struggling med student-cum-singer Haymes. Colorful esDiamond’s Edge SEE: Just Ask for capism, with good Harry Warren–Mack Diamond Gordon songs: ‘‘The More I See You,’’ ‘‘I Diamonds for Breakfast (1968-British) C-102m. ★★ D: Christopher Morahan. Wish I Knew.’’ Original title: BILLY ROSE’S DIAMOND HORSESHOE. Marcello Mastroianni, Rita Tushingham, Diamond Hunters SEE: Death in the Warren Mitchell, Elaine Taylor, Francisca Garden Tu, Maggie Blye. Son of Russian nobleDiamond Jim (1935) 93m. ★★★ D: A. man tries to steal royal diamonds his father Edward Sutherland. Edward Arnold, Jean gambled away on the night of his birth. Arthur, Binnie Barnes, Cesar Romero, Eric Offbeat comedy caper with fantasy eleBlore. Big-budget biography of eccentric ments just doesn’t work, relies heavily on millionaire of 19th century whose appetite Mastroianni charm. [M/PG] for money is only matched by love of food Diamond Skulls SEE: Dark Obsession and Lillian Russell; Arthur has dual role in Diamonds of the Night (1964-Czech) 71m. ★★★1 re-creation of Gay ’90s era. Most entertain⁄2 D: Jan Nemec. Ladislav Jansky, ing. Screenplay by Preston Sturges. Antonin Kumbera, Ilse Bischofova. Nemec’s Diamond Lust SEE: Kingfisher Caper, first feature is a landmark of the ill-fated The Czech ‘‘New Wave’’: a haunting, starDiamond Men (2001) C-100m. ★★★ D: tlingly directed chronicle of two Jewish Daniel M. Cohen. Robert Forster, Donnie boys’ experiences after escaping from a Wahlberg, Jasmine Guy, Bess Armstrong, train heading for a Nazi death camp during George Coe, Kristen Minter. A veteran diaWW2. Scripted by Nemec and Arnost Lusmond salesman, about to be put out to pastig (based on the latter’s story).▼ ture, agrees to break in a ‘‘new guy’’ on his Diane (1956) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Miller. route in Pennsylvania. As the older man imLana Turner, Pedro Armendariz, Roger parts his wisdom, the younger man tries to Moore, Marisa Pavan, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, help his widowed mentor open himself up to Henry Daniell. Although predictable, medifemale companionship. A small but irresisteval romance has good cast, gorgeous sets ibly likable film, anchored by Forster’s solid and costumes, and comes off surprisingly performance, which even makes an off-kilter well. Lana looks lovely, and Miklos Rozsa’s denouement palatable. Written by the direcscore helps set the mood. CinemaScope. tor. ▼쩠 ▼● Diamonds (1975-Israeli) C-101m. ★★ D: Diary of a Chambermaid (1946) 87m. ★★ D: Jean Renoir. Paulette Goddard, Hurd Menahem Golan. Robert Shaw, Richard Roundtree, Shelley Winters, Barbara (HerHatfield, Francis Lederer, Burgess Meredith, shey) Seagull, Shai K. Ophir. OK heist movie Judith Anderson, Irene Ryan, Florence Bates, with Shaw in dual role, as diamond merchant Reginald Owen. Uneasy attempt at Contiwho masterminds break-in at Tel Aviv dianental-style romantic melodrama, with mond vault and twin brother who designed blonde Goddard as outspoken maid who the security system there. Good location work arouses all sorts of emotions in her snooty in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. [PG]▼쩠 household. Tries hard, but never really sure Diamonds (1999) C-91m. ★★★ D: John of what it wants to be. Meredith as nutsy Asher. Kirk Douglas, Dan Aykroyd, Corbin neighbor and Ryan as timid scullery maid do Allred, Lauren Bacall, Kurt Fuller, Jenny their best; Meredith also coproduced and McCarthy, Mariah O’Brien, John Landis. An wrote the screenplay. Remade in 1964. ▼ elderly ex-boxer goes on a trip with his alienDiary of a Chambermaid (1964-French) ated son and loving grandson that winds up 87m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Luis Bun˜uel. Jeanne Moin Reno, where he searches for diamonds he reau, Michel Piccoli, Georges Geret, [ 354 ]

Francoise Lugagne, Daniel Ivernel, Jean Meskill. Interesting but pointless story of Ozenne. Remake of Jean Renoir’s 1946 harried N.Y.C. wife finding much needed film concerns fascism in France in 1939 release via affair with self-centered Lanand how the bourgeoisie are viewed by gella. Asinine husband Benjamin would maid Moreau. Sharp, unrelenting film from drive anyone mad. Peter Boyle has promione of the great directors. Franscope. ▼●쩠 nent bit in final scene. Script by Eleanor Diary of a Country Priest (1950-French) Perry from Sue Kaufman’s novel. [R]▼ 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Bresson. Claude Diary of a Madman (1963) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Laydu, Nicole Ladmiral, Jean Riveyre, D: Reginald Le Borg. Vincent Price, Nancy Nicole Maurey, Andre Guibert, Martine Kovack, Chris Warfield, Ian Wolfe, NelLemaire. The life and death of an unhappy son Olmstead. 19th-century magistrate Price young priest attempting to minister to his is possessed by an evil spirit called the first parish in rural France. Slow moving Horla, which compels him to murder. Colbut rewarding, with brilliantly stylized orful but routine. Based on a story by Guy direction. Bresson also scripted.▼●쩠 de Maupassant.▼● Diary of a Hitman (1992) C-91m. ★★★ D: Diary of Anne Frank, The (1959) 170m. ★★★1 Roy London. Forest Whitaker, John ⁄2 D: George Stevens. Millie Perkins, Bedford-Lloyd, James Belushi, Lois Chiles, Joseph Schildkraut, Shelley Winters, RichSharon Stone, Sherilyn Fenn, Seymour ard Beymer, Lou Jacobi, Diane Baker, Ed Cassel, Lewis Smith. Assassin-for-hire Wynn. Meticulously produced version of Whitaker plans to retire after one last job, Broadway drama dealing with Jewish refubut his intended victim (Fenn) tries to congees hiding in WW2 Amsterdam. Unfortuvince him to spare her. Riveting little thriller nately, Perkins never captures pivotal charm is well directed and extremely well acted by of title character, though Schildkraut is all (with kudos to Whitaker and especially fine as father Frank. Winters won Supporting Fenn). Scripted by Kenneth Pressman, based Actress Oscar as shrill Mrs. Van Daan, ever on his play Insider’s Price. [R]▼● fearful of Nazi arrest, and the cinematograDiary of a Lost Girl (1929-German) 104m. phy (William C. Mellor) and art direction★★★1⁄2 D: G. W. Pabst. Louise Brooks, set decoration also earned Academy Awards. Fritz Rasp, Josef Ravensky, Sybille Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett utilized Schmitz, Valeska Gert. Pabst and Brooks’ Anne’s diary for their stage play and its followup to their PANDORA’S BOX is screen adaptation. Later cut to 156m. Remade even more sordid, yet in some ways more several times. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 intriguing: Louise is, in succession, raped, Diary of Forbidden Dreams SEE: What? gives birth, is put in a detention home, Diary of Oharu SEE: Life of Oharu, The Diary of the Dead (2008) C-95m. ★★ D: then a brothel, inherits money, marries, is widowed . . . and writer Rudolf Leonhardt George A. Romero. Joshua Close, Scott claims only the first half of his script was Wentworth, Michelle Morgan, Joe Dinicol, filmed. Fascinating nonetheless, with an Shawn Roberts, Amy Lalonde, Philip Ricexplicitness that’s still surprising.▼●쩠 cio, Megan Park. When the dead revive and Diary of a Mad Black Woman (2005) Cattack the living, a group of Pennsylvania 116m. ★1⁄2 D: Darren Grant. Kimberly college students try to flee to safety in a Elise, Steve Harris, Tyler Perry, Cicely Winnebago, making a documentary as they go; Tyson, Shemar Moore, Tamara Taylor. this movie is supposedly that film. The scale Dumped by a hotshot lawyer husband with of Romero’s newest ‘‘living dead’’ outing is ties to unsavory characters, Elise reinvents smaller than most of them. Unfortunately, herself by returning to her much humbler pacing is erratic (at times boringly slow), and family, taking a modest job, and dating a the characters are a mixed bag, including a romantically sincere hunk. If you’ve ever highly unlikely college professor. Fans will wondered what it would be like to have embrace this; others beware. Listen for voice The Three Stooges show up in an otherwise cameos by noted horror writers and actors. straight production of A Streetcar Named Aka GEORGE A. ROMERO’S DIARY OF Desire, this is probably the closest approxiTHE DEAD. [R]쩠 mation. Perry, who wrote the play on which Dice Rules (1991) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jay this is based, plays three characters, including Dubin. Andrew Dice Clay. Film opens with a drag grandma named Madea, who’s as a series of curious and mostly embarrassing broad as any of the Klumps in Eddie Murblackout skits with Clay imitating Jerry phy’s NUTTY PROFESSOR movies. Elise Lewis! Finally it moves on to the standup strives mightily to keep her head above the comic’s sold-out Madison Square Garden water with an impassioned performance, concert, in which his audience communicabut here comes the tide. Followed by MAtion is total, and his sex-oriented material is DEA’S FAMILY REUNION. [PG-13]▼쩠 predictably crude, embarrassing, outraDiary of a Mad Housewife (1970) C-103m. geous—and often very funny. [NC-17]▼●쩠 ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Perry. Richard Benjamin, Dick (1999) C-95m. ★★★ D: Andrew FlemFrank Langella, Carrie Snodgress, Loring. Kirsten Dunst, Michelle Williams, Dan raine Cullen, Frannie Michel, Katherine Hedaya, Dave Foley, Saul Rubinek, Harry [ 355 ]

Shearer, Jim Breuer, Will Ferrell, Teri Garr, Lee Tamahori. Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Bruce McCulloch, Ted McGinley, G.D. Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike, Rick Yune, Spradlin, Ana Gasteyer, Ryan Reynolds. Judi Dench, John Cleese, Michael Madsen, Clever cross of CLUELESS and ALL THE Samantha Bond. Entertaining James Bond PRESIDENT’S MEN has two likable teenouting, in the modern mode: less sophisticaage airheads (delightfully played by Dunst tion, more computer-generated effects. Bond and Williams) stumbling into all the key is taken prisoner in Korea, ultimately freed to players in the Watergate scandal—up to and wage a battle of wits with a megalomaniacal including President Richard Nixon himself industrialist (Stephens—the son of Maggie (Hedaya)—but never having an inkling of Smith and Robert Stephens). Along the way he what is going on. Funny script by Fleming joins forces with a sexy NSA agent named Jinx and Sheryl Longin is even more enjoyable (Berry). Some of the effects are absurdly unreif you remember the real-life events of the alistic (but then, so is Dench’s renouncement of 1970s. [PG-13]▼쩠 her top agent). Goes on one segment too Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star long . . . but still fun to watch. Madonna sings (2003) C-98m. ★★ D: Sam Weisman. David (and cowrote) the title song, and appears unSpade, Mary McCormack, Jon Lovitz, Craig billed. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Bierko, Jenna Boyd, Scott Terra, Alyssa MiDie! Die! My Darling! (1965-British) lano, Doris Roberts, Rob Reiner, Leif GarC-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Silvio Narizzano. Tallulah rett, Barry Williams, Dustin Diamond, Bankhead, Stefanie Powers, Peter Vaughan, Danny Bonaduce, Edie McClurg. WashedDonald Sutherland, Yootha Joyce. Tallulah, up former TV moppet Spade pays a family in her last film, has field day as weirdo who to allow him to move in and experience the keeps Powers under lock and key for personal childhood he never had in order for him to vengeance against the death of her son. Enwin a part in Reiner’s new movie. Altergaging fun, especially for Bankhead devotees. nately smart-alecky and touchy-feely, this Script by Richard Matheson. Original Britcomedy (cowritten by Spade) isn’t sure ish title: FANATIC.▼쩠 what it wants to be. Cast is peppered with Die Hard (1988) C-131m. ★★★ D: John real-life former child stars, many of whom McTiernan. Bruce Willis, Alan Rickman, appear in a music-video–style finale (inBonnie Bedelia, Alexander Godunov, Regcluding a few ringers like Jeff Conaway and inald VelJohnson, Paul Gleason, De’voreaux Charlene Tilton). Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 White, William Atherton, Hart Bochner, James Dick Tracy series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s Shigeta, Lorenzo Caccialanza, Robert Davi, Classic Movie Guide Rick Ducommun, Rebecca Broussard. DynaDick Tracy (1990) C-104m. ★★★ D: Warmite action yarn about a N.Y.C. cop who just ren Beatty. Warren Beatty, Madonna, Al happens to be visiting an L.A. highrise when Pacino, Glenne Headly, Charlie Korsmo, it’s commandeered by terrorist thieves. Great Mandy Patinkin, Charles Durning, Paul action scenes and stunts, with Richard EdSorvino, William Forsythe, Seymour Cassel, lund’s special effects, and a perfect part for Dustin Hoffman, Dick Van Dyke, CatherWillis, who plays cat-and-mouse with bad ine O’Hara, James Caan, Michael J. Pollard, guy Rickman. Marred only by overlength and Estelle Parsons, James Tolkan, R.G. Armtoo many needlessly stupid supporting charstrong, Kathy Bates. Colorful, high-style acters. Followed by three sequels. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 adaptation of the Chester Gould comic strip classic, with Beatty redefining the Die Hard 2 (1990) C-124m. ★★★ D: Renny hawk-nosed, jut-jawed hero. Story is simHarlin. Bruce Willis, Bonnie Bedelia, Wilple in the extreme, but there’s so much to liam Atherton, Reginald VelJohnson, Franco take in you really don’t mind: a galaxy of Nero, William Sadler, John Amos, Denguest stars as Gould’s grotesque villains, eyenis Franz, Art Evans, Fred Dalton Thompson, popping, Academy Award–winning makeup Sheila McCarthy, Robert Patrick, John Leguiand art direction and Madonna singing new zamo, Don Harvey, Vondie Curtis Hall, Colm Stephen Sondheim songs (if a few too many). Meaney, Robert Costanzo. Stupendously One of them, ‘‘Sooner or Later (I Always unbelievable—but very entertaining—sequel Get My Man),’’ also won an Oscar. Standto the action hit; while waiting for his wife to out: Pacino’s hilarious, over-the-top perland at Washington’s Dulles Airport, Willis formance as Big Boy Caprice. Super 35. dives head-first into trouble when he gets wind of an impending terrorist-type plot. Lots [PG]▼●쩠 Did You Hear the One About the Travof violent, large-scale action, and lots of fun— eling Saleslady? (1968) C-97m. BOMB just don’t look for lots of logic. Based on D: Don Weis. Phyllis Diller, Bob Denver, Joe Walter Wager’s novel 58 Minutes. PanaviFlynn, Eileen Wesson, Jeanette Nolan, Bob sion. [R]▼●쩠 Hastings, David Hartman, Charles Lane, Kent Die Hard With a Vengeance (1995) CMcCord. You’ve all heard it, so why bother 128m. ★★★ D: John McTiernan. Bruce watching this dud. For only the most fervent Willis, Jeremy Irons, Samuel L. Jackson, Diller fans. Techniscope. Graham Greene, Colleen Camp, Larry Die Another Day (2002) C-132m. ★★★ D: Bryggman, Anthony Peck, Nick Wyman, [ 356 ]

Sam Phillips. A madman (Irons) holds nally dull. Loosely based on the life of EleaN.Y.C. hostage with bombings—and threats nor and Kim Philby. Actor Piddock also of more—targeting his demands at ousted cop scripted and coproduced. [R] ▼쩠 John McClane (Willis), who inadvertently Different Story, A (1978) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 acquires a partner in hostile Harlem storeD: Paul Aaron. Perry King, Meg Foster, keeper Jackson. Logic and motivation take Valerie Curtin, Peter Donat, Richard Bull, a backseat to big-scale action in this nonstop Barbara Collentine. Gays King and Foster roller-coaster ride; it’s like watching 12 get married to prevent his deportation, chapters of a high-tech Saturday matinee then fall in love. Sounds terrible, but first serial all at once. Followed by LIVE FREE half is surprisingly good until film sucOR DIE HARD. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 cumbs to conventionality. Foster is terrific. [PG—edited from original R rating]▼쩠 Die Laughing (1980) C-108m. BOMB D: Jeff Werner. Robby Benson, Linda GroveDigby—The Biggest Dog in the World nor, Charles Durning, Elsa Lanchester, (1974-British) C-88m. BOMB D: Joseph Bud Cort, Peter Coyote. Benson is star, coMcGrath. Jim Dale, Spike Milligan, Milo author, coproducer, and composer of this O’Shea, Angela Douglas, Norman Rossophomoric black comedy and gives an exsington. Poor comedy-fantasy concerning cruciating performance as a cabbie who acliquid Project X, which causes sheepdog cidentally becomes implicated in the Digby to grow to huge proportions. Bad murder of a nuclear scientist. Cort is disspecial effects, too. Written by Ted Key, gustingly oily as fascist villain. [PG]▼ creator of ‘‘Hazel,’’ strictly for kids. [G]▼ Die Mommie Die! (2003) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Digger (1994) C-92m. ★★ D: Robert Mark Rucker. Charles Busch, Philip Baker Turner. Adam Hann-Byrd, Joshua Jackson, Hall, Jason Priestley, Frances Conroy, NaBarbara Williams, Timothy Bottoms, tasha Lyonne, Stark Sands, Victor RaiderOlympia Dukakis, Leslie Nielsen, P. Lynn Wexler, Nora Dunn, Sara Gilbert. Fitfully Johnson, Lochlyn Munro. An attractive but amusing spoof of Ross Hunter–style Hollydepressing film of people dealing with wood melodramas, with drag performer losses in their lives: a couple who have buried Busch cast as Angela Arden, a faded torch a drowned child, a boy dying of leukemia singer unhappily married to a domineering therapy complications, and his friend whose movie mogul and saddled with two twisted parents are divorcing. Dukakis and Nielsen children. Based on Busch’s play; despite provide welcome relief as older couple in some funny moments, this probably works the throes of romance. [PG] ▼● better onstage. [R]▼쩠 Diggers (2007) C-87m. ★★ D: Katherine Die, Monster, Die! (1965) C-80m. ★★ D: Dieckmann. Paul Rudd, Lauren Ambrose, Daniel Haller. Boris Karloff, Nick AdRon Eldard, Josh Hamilton, Sarah Paulson, ams, Freda Jackson, Suzan Farmer, Terence Ken Marino, Maura Tierney, Shannon de Marney, Patrick Magee. Based on H. P. Barry, Andrew Cherry. Set in 1970s Long Lovecraft story, this thriller has Karloff a Island, film focuses on two generations of recluse who discovers a meteor which gives clam diggers who are trying desperately to him strange powers. Good premise is not maintain their way of life (and loving) in a carried out well. Filmed in England. Retown that may be about to pass them by. made as THE CURSE (1987). Horrifying Low-budget look at the changing ways of Colorscope.▼●쩠 small-town America boasts an attractive Different for Girls (1997-British) C-92m. cast but is less than compelling—unless you ★★★ dig clams, of course. With its TV-friendly D: Richard Spence. Steven Mackintosh, Rupert Graves, Neil Dudgeon, Saskia elements this might have been more suitable Reeves. A demure transsexual who writes as a series pilot. Marino (who plays Lozo) greeting card verses takes up with a rowdy wrote and coproduced. [R]쩠 biker—the same long-ago schoolmate who Digging to China (1997) C-98m. ★★ D: protected her against adolescent persecutors Timothy Hutton. Evan Rachel Wood, Kevin before the operation that changed her life. Bacon, Mary Stuart Masterson, Cathy MoriOne of the more distinctive odd-couple roarty, Marian Seldes. Sincere but one-note mantic comedies of our time; kept on track film about the growing friendship beby the central performance of Mackintosh, tween a troubled 10-year-old girl (Wood) who pulls off a difficult role. [R]▼쩠 and a mentally retarded young man Different Loyalty, A (2004-U.S.-Canadian(Bacon). Its offbeat qualities seem a bit British) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Marek Kanievska. too contrived, though the performances Sharon Stone, Rupert Everett, Julian Wadcan’t be faulted. Hutton’s feature directing ham, Michael Cochrane, Ann Lambton, debut. [PG] ▼●쩠 Joss Ackland, Jim Piddock. Set during the Diggstown (1992) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiCold War, Stone plays an American wife chael Ritchie. James Woods, Louis Gosto Everett’s British double agent. He’s torn sett, Jr., Bruce Dern, Oliver Platt, Heather between her and his ideals, thus creating Graham, Randall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, Thomas turmoil in the marriage. The two leads act Wilson Brown, Duane Davis, Willie Green, their little hearts out, but the film is termiGeorge D. Wallace. Amiable yarn about a [ 357 ]

con-artist just sprung from prison who sets Helen Westley, Robert Kent, Stepin Fetchit, his sights on a high-rolling meanie in a Astrid Allwyn. Prime Shirley, with our small Georgia town—with boxer Gossett heroine doing her best to save her destitute as his lure for big-time bets. The two stars father, played by marvelous Morgan. Songs: are very watchable, even if the script is ‘‘Oh Mister Man Up in the Moon,’’ ‘‘What contrived. Gossett’s then-wife Cyndi plays Did the Bluebird Say.’’ Also shown in comhis spouse on-screen. [R]▼●쩠 puter-colored version. ▼쩠 Digimon: The Movie (2000-Japanese) CDim Sum: a little bit of heart (1984) C82m. ★★ D: Takaaki Yamashita, Hisashi Na89m. ★★★ D: Wayne Wang. Laureen Chew, kayama, Masahiro Aizawa. Voices of Lara Jill Kim Chew, Victor Wong, Ida F.O. Chung, Miller, Joshua Seth, Colleen O’Shaughnessy, Cora Miao. Occasionally slow—there are Philece Sampler, Bob Glouberman, Mona one too many shots of empty rooms—but Marshall. Three short stories (released as themostly wise, endearing tale of Chineseatrical shorts in Japan) based on the animated Americans in San Francisco, focusing on TV series are strung together to form a the dynamics of a mother-daughter rela‘‘movie.’’ A notch better than the POKE´tionship. Characters may be distinctively MON movies, with a standout sequence in Chinese, but there’s a refreshing, knowing the middle section as digital monsters battle universality to this comedy. [PG]▼●쩠 in a surreal internet world. Otherwise, Diner (1982) C-110m. ★★★ D: Barry strictly for wired small-fry. [PG]▼쩠 Levinson. Steve Guttenberg, Daniel Stern, Dillinger (1945) 70m. ★★★ D: Max Nosseck. Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Timothy Edmund Lowe, Anne Jeffreys, Lawrence Daly, Ellen Barkin, Paul Reiser, Michael Tierney, Eduardo Ciannelli, Elisha Cook, Jr., Tucker. Problems of growing up are nicely Marc Lawrence. Solid gangster yarn writsynthesized by writer-director Levinson in ten by Philip Yordan, one of the best B this look at a group of friends who hang movies of its kind (though a key bank robout in a Baltimore diner in the 1950s. Obvibery is comprised of stock footage lifted ously made with care and affection; a real from Fritz Lang’s YOU ONLY LIVE sleeper. Levinson’s directorial debut and first ONCE).▼쩠 film of Barkin and Reiser. [R]▼●쩠 Dillinger (1973) C-107m. ★★★ D: John Dingaka (1965-South African) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 Milius. Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Cloris D: Jamie Uys. Stanley Baker, Juliet Prowse, Leachman, Michelle Phillips, Richard Ken Gampu, Siegfried Mynhardt, Bob Dreyfuss, Harry Dean Stanton, Steve Courtney. Film focuses on contrasting Kanaly. Heavily romanticized gangster movie white-black ways of life and the clashes of is aided by some rough, violent gun battles. the two cultures; production bogs down in Story follows Dillinger midway through his stereotypes. CinemaScope.▼ bank-robbing career up until his death outside Dingo (1991-Australian-French) C-108m. the Biograph Theatre. [R]▼●쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Rolf de Heer. Colin Friels, Miles ★★ Dillinger and Capone (1995) C-94m. Davis, Helen Buday, Joe Petruzzi, BernaD: Jon Purdy. Martin Sheen, F. Murray dette Lafont, Bernard Fresson. A chance Abraham, Stephen Davies, Catherine Hicks, appearance by jazz trumpeter Billy Cross Don Stroud, Sasha Jenson, Michael Oliver, (Davis) in a boy’s rural community inJeffrey Combs, Michael C. Gwynne, Anspires him to pursue music himself; now thony Crivello, Bert Remsen, Clint Howard. grown up, he still dreams of playing for a 1940: released from prison, Al Capone living—and winning the approval of his (Abraham) holds captive the family of John lifelong idol. Amiable but slow-paced story Dillinger (Sheen) who, here at least, wasn’t is sparked by Miles Davis’ dynamic presgunned down at the Biograph. Big Al wants ence and ingratiating performance. Chuck the famed bank robber to recover 15 million Findley doubled Friels’ trumpeting on the dollars of Capone’s ill-gotten gains from a soundtrack. Invigorating score by Michel hotel in Chicago. The clever idea is boosted Legrand and Davis. Panavision.▼쩠 by slick acting, but it soon slides into a Dinner at Eight (1933) 113m. ★★★★ D: routine heist thriller. [R]▼쩠 ★★1 George Cukor. Marie Dressler, John Bar⁄2 Diminished Capacity (2008) C-89m. rymore, Wallace Beery, Jean Harlow, LiD: Terry Kinney. Matthew Broderick, Alan onel Barrymore, Lee Tracy, Edmund Lowe, Alda, Virginia Madsen, Lois Smith, Dylan Billie Burke, Madge Evans, Jean Hersholt, Baker, Louis C.K., Jimmy Bennett, Bobby Karen Morley, Phillips Holmes, May RobCannavale, Jim True-Frost, Tom Aldredge. son. Vintage MGM constellation of stars First-rate cast in a desperately thin story about portray various strata of society in N.Y.C., a Chicago newspaper columnist (Broderick) invited to dine and shine; Harlow in fine recovering from a head injury, who goes home comedy form, but Dressler as dowager steals to tend to his aging, memory-challenged focus in filmization of George Kaufman– uncle (Alda). Takes an odd turn as they return Edna Ferber play. Scripted by three top to Chicago to sell a rare baseball card.쩠 writers: Herman Mankiewicz, Frances Dimples (1936) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Seiter. Shirley Temple, Frank Morgan, Marion, and Donald Ogden Stewart. Don’t [ 358 ]

miss this one. Remade for cable TV in 1989 edy (cowritten by Joseph L. Mankiewicz!) with Lauren Bacall.▼●쩠 about barbers from Indian reservation sent Dinner Game, The (1998-French) C-81m. to Geneva peace conference. Reminiscent ★★★1 of MILLION DOLLAR LEGS and DUCK ⁄2 D: Francis Veber. Thierry Lhermitte, Jacques Villeret, Francis Huster, Daniel SOUP, with memorable comic perforPre´vost, Alexandra Vandernoot, Catherine mances by Herbert—as a Confucius-quotFrot. Laugh-out-loud farce (from the writer ing sage—and Calhern.▼● of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES) about a selfDiplomatic Courier (1952) 97m. ★★★ D: centered publisher who participates in a Henry Hathaway. Tyrone Power, Patricia weekly ritual with his friends: to invite the Neal, Stephen McNally, Hildegarde Neff, stupidest person they can find to dinner. Karl Malden. Power seeks to avenge Lhermitte has found a doozy, civil servant friend’s death in Trieste, becomes involved Villeret (who created this part on stage), but in international espionage. Cold War film the well-meaning oaf intrudes on his life in is exciting, well acted. Look for Lee Marunexpected ways. Hilariously funny withvin, Charles Bronson, and Michael Ansara in small, unbilled roles.▼ out being cruel—which is no mean feat. Technovision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Dirigible (1931) 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Capra. ★★★ D: Bob Dinner Rush (2001) C-100m. Jack Holt, Ralph Graves, Fay Wray, HoGiraldi. Danny Aiello, Edoardo Ballerini, bart Bosworth, Roscoe Karns. Frank ‘‘Spig’’ Vivian Wu, Mike McGlone, Kirk Acevedo, Wead story about Navy pilots’ experimenJohn Corbett, Sandra Bernhard, Summer tal use of dirigibles in the Antarctic has Phoenix, Polly Draper, Mark Margolis, plenty of action and guts, but a sappy Ajay Naidu. A tumultuous night in the life romantic story to weigh it down. On the of a busy, newly chic N.Y.C. restaurant. whole, an interesting antique. Owner Aiello is thinking of giving up his Dirt Bike Kid, The (1986) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: bookmaking activities, his star chef is deHoite C. Caston. Peter Billingsley, Stuart manding part ownership of the eatery, two Pankin, Anne Bloom, Patrick Collins, Sage mobsters have come to pay an unfriendly Parker, Chad Sheets. Strictly formula teen visit, etc. Flavorful film has the ring of melodrama, with young Billingsley taking truth—inside the kitchen and out—and is on evil banker Pankin and some nasty bikers brimming with life. Director (and real-life with the help of a very unusual Yamaha. Harmless and forgettable. [PG]▼●쩠 restaurateur) Giraldi is better known for his commercials and music videos. [R]▼쩠 Dirty (2006) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Chris Fisher. Dino (1957) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Thomas Carr. Sal Cuba Gooding, Jr., Clifton Collins, Jr., Cole Mineo, Brian Keith, Susan Kohner, Joe De Hauser, Wyclef Jean, Keith David, Taboo, Santis, Penny Santon, Frank Faylen, RichWood Harris, Lobo Sebastian, Robert Laard Bakalyan. Mineo at his rebellious best Sardo, Aimee Garcia. Two battle-weary L.A. playing juvenile delinquent befriended by cops set out for a day’s work, but Gooding a girl (Kohner) and a social worker doesn’t know that his partner (Collins) has (Keith). Reginald Rose adapted his actalked to Internal Affairs about their gangclaimed TV play, and Mineo recreated his busting unit’s unethical tactics. Aggresstarring role.▼ sively foulmouthed and foul-minded, this Dinosaur (2000) C-82m. ★★★ D: Ralph visually convulsive TRAINING DAY wanZondag, Eric Leighton. Voices of D.B. nabe has ambitions, but offers neither its Sweeney, Alfre Woodard, Ossie Davis, Max characters nor its audience any salvation. [R]▼쩠 Casella, Hayden Panettiere, Samuel E. Wright, Julianna Margulies, Peter Siragusa, Joan PlowDirty Dancing (1987) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: right, Della Reese. Disney story of a dinosaur Emile Ardolino. Jennifer Grey, Patrick raised by a family of lemurs; when a meteor Swayze, Jerry Orbach, Cynthia Rhodes, shower destroys their island home, they flee Jack Weston, Jane Brucker, Kelly Bishop, to another island where they join a tribe of Lonny Price, Charles ‘‘Honi’’ Coles, dinosaurs on a desperate trek to safety. On Wayne Knight. Superficial but audienceone level, a children’s fable about survival pleasing tale of spoiled teenage girl who and compassion; on another, a dazzling dislearns something about real life—as well as play of computer animation and technology a thing or two about dancing—during famthat’s almost overwhelming. But the use of ily vacation at a Catskills, N.Y., resort hotel modern dialogue for comedy relief ultimately in the early 1960s. Sparked by some hot brands the film as kid stuff. [PG]▼쩠 dance numbers and charismatic leads. Most Dinosaur . . . Secret of the Lost Legend of the music is 1980s-style, not 1960s, but it SEE: Baby . . . Secret of the Lost Legend seems to work. For a richer portrait of CatsDion Brothers, The SEE: Gravy Train, The kills life see another 1987 release, SWEET Diplomaniacs (1933) 63m. ★★★ D: WilLORRAINE. Oscar winner for best song: liam A. Seiter. Bert Wheeler, Robert ‘‘(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life.’’ FolWoolsey, Marjorie White, Louis Calhern, lowed by a sequel in 2004, a TV series, and Edgar Kennedy, Hugh Herbert. Genuinely a stage musical. [PG-13]▼●쩠 odd but endearing nonsense musical comDirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) C[ 359 ]

86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Guy Ferland. Diego Luna, Roma; corpses keep turning up alive with mola Garai, Sela Ward, John Slattery, Jonaboring regularity. However, some striking than Jackson, January Jones, Mika Boorem, camera work, eerie sequences. Aka INNOPatrick Swayze, Mya Harrison, Rene Lavan, CENTS WITH DIRTY HANDS. [R]▼쩠 Heather Headley. Pleasant-enough fluff Dirty Harry (1971) C-102m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Don about a teenage girl whose family relocates Siegel. Clint Eastwood, Harry Guardino, to Cuba in 1958 as political tensions are Reni Santoni, John Larch, Andy Robingrowing. She loves the freedom of Latin son, and John Vernon as ‘‘The Mayor.’’ dancing and finds a perfect partner, a boy Riveting action film with Eastwood as who works as a waiter at her hotel. The iconoclastic cop determined to bring in two appealing leads make this fun to watch. psychotic serial killer Robinson, even if he Closing narration is clumsy and unneceshas to break some rules. Brilliantly filmed sary. Swayze, who starred in the original and edited for maximum impact. Jazzy DIRTY DANCING, plays a dance instrucscore by Lalo Schifrin. Filmed ‘‘in tribute tor here. [PG-13]▼쩠 to the police officers of San Francisco who Dirty Dingus Magee (1970) C-90m. ★★★ gave their lives in the line of duty.’’ FolD: Burt Kennedy. Frank Sinatra, George lowed by MAGNUM FORCE, THE ENKennedy, Anne Jackson, Lois Nettleton, FORCER, SUDDEN IMPACT, and THE Michele Carey, Jack Elam, John Dehner, DEAD POOL. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Henry Jones, Harry Carey, Jr., Paul Fix. Dirty Knight’s Work (1976-British) CBroad, bawdy spoof with Sinatra as $10 88m. ★★ D: Kevin Connor. John Mills, outlaw whose attempts to make it big are Donald Pleasence, Barbara Hershey, David slightly hindered by equally bungling sherBirney, Margaret Leighton, Peter Cushiff Kennedy (not to mention assorted ing. Birney enlists Mills’ help in solving his whores, Indians, and the U.S. Cavalry). Subfather’s murder, zeroes in on strange society tle it’s not, but fast paced and amusing, espeof latter-day knights with vigilante tendencially for Western buffs; Nettleton is a delight cies. Offbeat and mildly diverting. Original as Joanne Woodward–ish schoolmarm inaptitle: TRIAL BY COMBAT. Video title: propriately named Prudence. Cowritten by CHOICE OF WEAPONS. [PG]▼ Joseph Heller. Panavision. [PG]▼ Dirty Little Billy (1972) C-92m. ★★★ D: Dirty Dishes (1978-French) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 Stan Dragoti. Michael J. Pollard, Lee D: Joyce Bun˜uel. Carole Laure, Pierre Purcell, Charles Aidman, Richard Evans. Santini, Catherine Lachens, Veronique SilOffbeat story based on early life of Billy ver. Entertaining but obvious feminist comthe Kid. Grimy, muddy, adventurous; not a edy of Laure rebelling against her duties as normal Western by any stretch of the imaginaa housewife. Director Bun˜uel is the late tion. Produced by Jack L. Warner! [R] Luis Bun˜uel’s daughter-in-law. [R]▼ Dirty Mary Crazy Larry (1974) C-93m. Dirty Dozen, The (1967) C-150m. ★★★1⁄2 ★★★ D: John Hough. Peter Fonda, Susan D: Robert Aldrich. Lee Marvin, Ernest George, Adam Roarke, Vic Morrow, Roddy Borgnine, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, McDowall. Very fast action as racing driver Robert Ryan, Charles Bronson, Donald Fonda, pickup George and mechanic Roarke Sutherland, George Kennedy, Telly Savalas, demolish every car in sight while escaping Ralph Meeker, Richard Jaeckel, Clint with supermarket loot. Hardly a letup, and Walker, Trini Lopez. Box-office hit about 12 marred only by downbeat finale. [PG]▼쩠 murderers, rapists, and other prisoners who Dirty Money (1972-French) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 get a chance to redeem themselves in WW2. D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Alain Delon, RichExciting, funny, and well acted, especially ard Crenna, Catherine Deneuve, Ricardo by Marvin and Cassavetes. Nunnally JohnCucciolla, Michael Conrad. Pedestrian son and Lukas Heller scripted from E. M. melodrama of bank robbery and drug trafNathanson novel. Followed in 1985, 1987, ficking. Delon and Crenna are muscular, 1988 by trio of inferior TV movies with Deneuve and the scenery gorgeous.쩠 such original cast members as Marvin, Dirty Pretty Things (2002-U.S.-British) Jaeckel, Savalas, Borgnine; then a shortC-97m. ★★★ D: Stephen Frears. Audrey lived series. Metroscope.▼●쩠 Tautou, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Sergi Lo´pez, SoDirty Game, The (1965-Italian) 91m. ★★1⁄2 phie Okonedo, Benedict Wong, Zlatko D: Terence Young, Christian-Jaque, Carlo Buric. Gripping story of a sober, hardworkLizzani. Henry Fonda, Vittorio Gassman, ing Nigerian immigrant who’s running from Annie Girardot, Robert Ryan, Peter Van Eyck. his past and juggling two jobs in London as Hodgepodge of stories dealing with espionage a cab driver and hotel clerk. His innate in post-WW2 era; none of episodes is consense of justice (and personal integrity) is vincing, stars don’t help much.▼쩠 affronted when he learns of grisly blackDirty Hands (1976-French) C-102m. ★★ market transactions going on at the hotel, D: Claude Chabrol. Rod Steiger, Romy and he feels impelled to intervene. Tautou Schneider, Paolo Giusti, Jean Rochefort, is his friend, a Turkish illegal who’s been Hans Christian Blech. Laughable wife-andlover-conspire-to-murder-husband melodraworking as a hotel maid. Original and sur[ 360 ]

prising at every turn; director Frears makes che´d and contrived, and fails in its attempts the most of Steven Knight’s script. [R]▼쩠 to turn historical speculation into a political Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (1988) C-110m. thriller. Original title: DEATH IN GRA★★1 ⁄2 D: Frank Oz. Steve Martin, Michael NADA. Panavision. [R]▼ Caine, Glenne Headly, Anton Rodgers, BarDisaster in Time SEE: Grand Tour, The bara Harris, Ian McDiarmid, Dana Ivey. CaDisaster Movie (2008) C-88m. BOMB D: reer con artist Caine, who fleeces women with Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer. Matt great elan in the south of France, must find Lanter, Vanessa Minnillo, Gary ‘‘G-Thang’’ a way to deal with crass new competition: Johnson, Nicole Parker, Crista Flanagan, American Martin. Eventually they decide to Kim Kardashian, Carmen Electra, Ike Barinsee who can dupe wide-eyed Headly first. Exholtz, Tony Cox. A series of natural disasters tremely pleasant but unremarkable comedy, a are occurring—a massive earthquake has remake of the 1964 BEDTIME STORY, crippled the city and asteroids have struck filmed on beautiful Riviera locations. Later a Miley Cyrus—so a group of twentyBroadway musical. [PG]▼●쩠 somethings decide to save the world. Dirty Shame, A (2004) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Spoofing ENCHANTED, HIGH SCHOOL John Waters. Tracey Ullman, Johnny KnoxMUSICAL, CLOVERFIELD, Indiana ville, Selma Blair, Chris Isaak, Suzanne Jones, Amy Winehouse, et al., this ranks Shepherd, Mink Stole, Patricia Hearst, Jackie low on the parody charts. Amusing moHoffman, Ricki Lake, David Hasselhoff. Ullments are few and far between. Also availman plays it to the hilt as a repressed, scowlable in unrated version. [PG-13]쩠 ing convenience-store clerk who is conked on Disclosure (1994) C-127m. ★★★ D: Barry the head and awakens a sex addict. Waters’ Levinson. Michael Douglas, Demi Moore, outlandish film depicts a cartoonish world Donald Sutherland, Caroline Goodall, Dylan that’s gone sex-mad. Occasionally funny, Baker, Roma Maffia, Dennis Miller, Allan mostly silly; plays like the concoction of a Rich, Nicholas Sadler, Rosemary Forsyth. Enpreteen boy who’s just learned his first tertaining corporate thriller based on Michael naughty word. R-rated version also available. Crichton’s book about a not-so-bright exec [NC-17]쩠 (Douglas) in a highly competitive computer Dirty Work (1998) C-81m. ★1⁄2 D: Bob company who sues his new, sexy shark of a Saget. Norm Macdonald, Jack Warden, boss (Moore) for sexual harassment! Plotted Artie Lange, Traylor Howard, Don Rickles, like a mystery, with plenty of surprising twists Christopher McDonald, Chevy Chase, Chris and turns. Only complaint: hasn’t Douglas Farley, Gary Coleman, Ken Norton, John played this same kind of role a bit too often? Goodman, Rebecca Romijn. Crude, meanPanavision. [R]▼●쩠 spirited comedy vehicle for former SaturDiscreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The day Night Live star Macdonald about a shift(1972-French) C-101m. ★★★★ D: Luis less loser who teams up with his best friend to Bun˜uel. Fernando Rey, Delphine Seyrig, start a ‘‘revenge business’’ for the common Stephane Audran, Bulle Ogier, Jean-Pierre man. Potentially clever idea squandered by Cassel, Michel Piccoli. A Bun˜uel joke on his endless barrage of fat and gay jokes. Lots of audience, using friends’ attempts to have dincomic talent wasted, although Rickles is good ner party as excuse for series of surrealistic as an obnoxious movie theater manager. Adam sequences. Reality and illusion soon blur into Sandler appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 one, with delicious comic results. Oscar winDisappearance, The (1977-Canadian) ner as Best Foreign Film. Screenplay by BuC-88m. ★★ D: Stuart Cooper. Donald Suthn˜uel and Jean-Claude Carrie`re. [PG]▼●쩠 erland, Francine Racette, David Hemmings, Dish, The (2000-Australian) C-104m. ★★★ David Warner, Christopher Plummer, John D: Rob Sitch. Sam Neill, Kevin Harrington, Hurt, Virginia McKenna, Peter Bowles. Tom Long, Patrick Warburton, Genevieve Slow-moving account of a hit-man’s preMooy, Tayler Kane, Billie Brown, Roy Billoccupation with the disappearance of his ing, John McMartin. Delightful comedy based wife. Strong Sutherland performance is on the true story of how an unlikely Australian obliterated by confusing script, pretentiously community put itself on the map in 1969 by arty direction. Originally 100m. [R]▼ having the only satellite dish that could track Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, The the progress of Apollo 11 in the Southern (1997-U.S.-Spanish-Puerto Rican) C-108m. ★★ Hemisphere as it made its way to the moon. D: Marcos Zurinaga. Andy Garcia, Esai Made by the same filmmaking collective reMorales, Edward James Olmos, Jeroen sponsible for THE CASTLE. [PG-13]▼쩠 Krabbe´, Marcela Wallerstein, Miguel FerDishonored (1931) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Josef rer, Giancarlo Giannini. Dreary fictionalvon Sternberg. Marlene Dietrich, Victor ized account of the mysterious death of the McLaglen, Lew Cody, Warner Oland, Gusradical Spanish poet-playwright Federico tav von Seyffertitz. Alluring Dietrich makes Garcia Lorca at the hands of Franco’s Fasthe most of a creaky script starring her as cists in 1936. Film is good to look at, coursecret agent X-27 during WW1. Worth tesy Juan Ruiz-Anchia’s elegant widescreen photography, but script is hopelessly cliseeing for her masquerade as peasant girl.▼ [ 361 ]

Disney’s Teacher’s Pet SEE: Teacher’s independently made drama detailing the Pet (2004) problems of two army couples during the Disney’s The Kid (2000) C-104m. ★★ D: 1950s. Fine performances, particularly by Jon Turteltaub. Bruce Willis, Spencer BresBesch and Woods; Lover and producer lin, Emily Mortimer, Lily Tomlin, Jean Smart, George Coe were responsible for the classic Daniel von Bargen, Chi McBride, Dana short THE DOVE. [R] Ivey, Juanita Moore. A cold-as-ice busiDistant (2002-Turkish) C-110m. ★★★ D: Nuri nessman who suppresses all memories of Bilge Ceylan. Muzaffer Ozdemir, Mehmet his childhood and shuns contact with his Emin Toprak, Zuhal Gencer Erkaya, Nazan family is confronted with his 8-year-old self, Kirilmis. Deliberately paced drama about a and doesn’t understand why. Well-meaning 40-year-old photographer in the city who is fable by Audrey Wells has its moments, but visited by his recently unemployed country doesn’t quite come off. Matthew Perry apcousin. We gradually recognize how the difpears hirsute and unbilled. [PG]▼쩠 ferences between them and their experiences Disorderlies (1987) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Micause problems in the relationship. Not for chael Schultz. The Fat Boys, Ralph Beleveryone, but patient viewers will find lamy, Tony Plana, Anthony Geary, Marco themselves rewarded by the simple truths of Rodriguez, Troy Beyer. Get down with life the film explores. Toprak was tragically Bellamy, as a Palm Beach millionaire about killed in an auto accident before the film’s to be murdered for his estate by a conniving debut; he posthumously shared a Best Actor nephew and the valet; the title chubs—kind award with Ozdemir at the Cannes Film Festival. Turkish title: UZAK. ▼쩠 of a rap version of The Three Stooges— come to the rescue. Pretty desperate, but the Distant Drums (1951) C-101m. ★★ D: ultimate in casting curios. [PG]▼●쩠 Raoul Walsh. Gary Cooper, Mari Aldon, Disorderly Orderly, The (1964) C-90m. Richard Webb, Ray Teal. Tame actioner ★★★ of Seminole Indians on warpath in early D: Frank Tashlin. Jerry Lewis, Glenda Farrell, Susan Oliver, Everett Sloane, Jack 19th-century Florida, with Cooper as stalE. Leonard, Alice Pearce, Kathleen Freewart swamp fighter. A reworking of the man, Barbara Nichols, Milton Frome. Firstcentral story idea from director Walsh’s WW2 saga OBJECTIVE BURMA.▼●쩠 rate slapstick and sight gags (including a wild chase finale) mix with cloying sentiment as Distant Thunder (1973-Indian) C-100m. ★★★ Jerry runs amuck in a nursing home. Best D: Satyajit Ray. Soumitra Chatterji, Babscene: Jerry’s suffering of ‘‘sympathy pains’’ ita, Sandhya Roy, Gobinda Chakravarty, as patient Pearce complains of her ills. Title Romesh Mukerji. Famine strikes Bengal in tune sung by Sammy Davis, Jr.▼쩠 1942 and affects the lives of various families Disorganized Crime (1989) C-101m. ★1⁄2 in many different ways. Harsh, vividly filmed D: Jim Kouf. Hoyt Axton, Corbin Bernsen, tale in which one can almost feel the sand and wind blowing across the screen.▼ Ruben Blades, Fred Gwynne, Ed O’Neill, Lou Diamond Phillips, Daniel Roebuck, Distant Thunder (1988-U.S.-Canadian) William Russ, Marie Butler Kouf. Witless C-114m. ★★ D: Rick Rosenthal. John crime-chase comedy about a quartet of Lithgow, Ralph Macchio, Kerrie Keane, crooks waiting for leader Bernsen, who’s Reb Brown, Janet Margolin, Denis Arndt, plotted the perfect bank heist but has manJamey Sheridan, Tom Bower. Well-inaged to get himself arrested. [R]▼●쩠 tentioned but gooey soaper about yet one Dispatch From Reuters, A (1940) 89m. more emotionally troubled Vietnam vet ★★1 (nicely played by the ever-reliable Lithgow), ⁄2 D: William Dieterle. Edward G. Robinson, Edna Best, Eddie Albert, Albert who lives alone in the wilderness, and Basserman, Gene Lockhart, Nigel Bruce, whose long-abandoned son (Macchio) sets Otto Kruger. Watchable (if not always out to find him. [R]▼●쩠 inspired) Warner Bros. biography of the Distant Trumpet, A (1964) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 man who started famous worldwide news D: Raoul Walsh. Troy Donahue, Suzanne agency by using pigeons to transmit inforPleshette, Kent Smith, Claude Akins, James mation across the European continent. Gregory. Paul Horgan’s novel gets shortDisraeli (1929) 89m. ★★★ D: Alfred E. circuited in stock presentation of army Green. George Arliss, Joan Bennett, Flormen in the Old West combatting warring ence Arliss, Anthony Bushell, David Indians while romancing women on the Torrence, Ivan Simpson. Somewhat stagy post; good supporting cast. Panavision.쩠 but effective vehicle for Arliss, who won Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988-British) Oscar as cunning British prime minister— C-85m. ★★★ D: Terence Davies. Freda a great statesman, devoted husband, and Dowie, Peter Postlethwaite, Angela Walsh, matchmaker (for Bennett and Bushell). Diane McBain, Dean Williams, Lorraine Remake of Arliss’ 1921 silent vehicle.▼ Ashbourne. Strikingly visual evocation of Distance (1975) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anthony England during the 1940s and ’50s, a time Lover. Paul Benjamin, Eija Pokkinen, when the corny, happy lyrics of popular James Woods, Bibi Besch, Hal Miller, songs can be contrasted to the drab, stultiPolly Holliday. Impressive, though flawed, fying lives of the working class. Davies’ [ 362 ]

autobiographical script mirrors the lives of C-83m. BOMB D: David Nutter. James his various family members, each of whom Marsden, Katie Holmes, Nick Stahl, William is brutalized by his irrationally cruel father. Sadler, Bruce Greenwood, Steve Railsback, While there’s little narrative structure and Tobias Mehler, Ethan Embry. Teenager Marsno depth to the characters, the haunting imden, a newcomer in town, soon realizes agery makes this most worthwhile. Sequel: there’s a sinister plot by the high school THE LONG DAY CLOSES. [PG-13]▼● guidance counselor to ‘‘reform’’ troubled Distinguished Gentleman, The (1992) Ckids: they become well groomed, love yo112m. ★★★ D: Jonathan Lynn. Eddie Murgurt and freak out when horny. Predictable, phy, Lane Smith, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Joe coldly calculated and trendy, this is teenDon Baker, Victoria Rowell, Grant Shaud, targeted dreck. Give us SCREAM—or at Kevin McCarthy, Charles S. Dutton, Victor least I WAS A TEEN-AGE WEREWOLF. Rivers, Noble Willingham, Gary Frank, Director’s cut runs 94m. [R]▼●쩠 Cynthia Harris, James Garner. Florida con Diva (1982-French) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: artist Murphy realizes that the real conJean-Jacques Beineix. Wilhelmenia Wiggins game is the political scene in Washington, Fernandez, Frederic Andrei, Richard BohD.C.—and gets himself elected to the ringer, Thuy An Luu, Jacques Fabbri. MusicHouse of Representatives. Satirical barbs loving mailman bootleg-tapes the concert of a about the System blend neatly with Eddie’s superstar diva who’s never made a recording, irresistible huckster persona for this ingratifinds himself in even hotter water when his ating (if somewhat overlong) comedy, aided possession is mixed up with a second tape by a strong supporting cast. [R]▼●쩠 that will incriminate gangsters. High-tech ★★★ District B13 (2004-French) C-84m. D: melodrama occasionally rubs your nose in its Pierre Morel. Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, technique, but still makes for whale of a direcTony D’Amario, Larbi (Bibi) Naceri, Dany torial debut by Beineix. Subway motorcycle chase is an action classic. [R] ▼●쩠 Verissimo, Franc¸ois Chattot, Nicolas Woirion. Paris, year 2010: Undercover cop RafDive Bomber (1941) C-133m. ★★★ D: faelli dives deep into a walled-off ghetto, Michael Curtiz. Errol Flynn, Fred Macguided by seasoned street rat Belle, to reMurray, Ralph Bellamy, Alexis Smith, cover a bomb stolen by man-mountain drug Robert Armstrong, Regis Toomey, Craig lord D’Amario. Meanwhile, police headquarStevens. Exciting, well-paced aviation film ters launches a lethal plan of its own. Politically of experiments to eliminate pilot-blackout. pointed scenario is a jumping-off point— Flynn, MacMurray, and Smith perform well in formula story.▼●쩠 literally—for a way-cool display of the two leads’ spring-loaded parkour stunt work, toDivertimento SEE: La Belle Noiseuse tally unaided by computer trickery. What you Divided We Fall (2000-Czech) C-122m. ★★★1 see is what they did. Produced and cowritten by ⁄2 D: Jan Hrebejk. Boleslav Polı´vka, Luc Besson, with a smashing kick-derriere hipCsongor Kassai, Jaroslav Dusek, Anna hop score by Da. Octopusss. Super 35. [R] 쩠 Siskova´, Jirı´ Pecha, Martin Huba. To conceal Disturbed (1991) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles from the local Nazi collaborators that they’re Winkler. Malcolm McDowell, Geoffrey hiding a Jew in their home, a reluctant hero Lewis, Pamela Gidley, Priscilla Pointer, uses his wife’s so-called pregnancy as the exIrwin Keyes, Peter Murnik. Terrific, funny cuse from having to house a Nazi clerk. Unperformance by McDowell can’t save this fortunately, it’s a matter of public record that florid thriller set in an insane asylum where husband Josef (Polı´vka) is sterile. Brilliant what might have been a murder took place film shot in an edgy style that reflects its char10 years before. Flashy camerawork is acters’ growing neuroses; walks the tightrope merely distracting here; one shot is from between comedy and drama with Wallenda the point of view of a penis! [R]▼● finesse. Screenwriter Petr Jarchovsky scripted Disturbia (2007) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: D. J. from his novel. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Caruso. Shia LaBeouf, David Morse, Sarah Divine Intervention (2002-French-MorocRoemer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Aaron Yoo, Jose can-German) C-92m. ★★★ D: Elia Suleiman. Pablo Cantillo, Matt Craven, Viola Davis. Elia Suleiman, Manal Khader, Nayef Fahoum Troubled teen LaBeouf is confined to his home Daher, Amer Daher, George Ibrahim. Two by an electronic ankle bracelet and before long Palestinian lovers try to carry on their relationbecomes a voyeur, keeping tabs on his ship near the Israeli checkpoint that divides neighbors—including a beautiful girl next their respective cities, Jerusalem and Ramaldoor, and, more ominously, a man across the lah, in this funny, absurd, but ultimately sad street whose behavior seems highly suspicious. look at the way some lives are lived in the Well-made film invites comparisons to REAR Middle East. Original and inventively filmed, WINDOW but plays its cards right and builds at times this movie seems as if it is something considerable suspense, until it becomes obviJacques Tati might have made given a similar ous (and tedious) by the finale. Casting Morse situation. Writer, director, and star Suleiman as the neighbor also sends a transparent signal takes an almost impossible subject and puts a of what’s to come. [PG-13]쩠 human face on it with insight and humor.쩠 Disturbing Behavior (1998-U.S.-Australian) Divine Madness! (1980) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 363 ]

Michael Ritchie. Bette Midler fanatics Collins, Tom Bosley, Eileen Brennan. would probably up this rating a half-star or Highly entertaining comedy of Van Dyke so, but unevenness and occasional oppresand Reynolds finding more problems than siveness of this concert film may even get they expected when they get divorced. to them. Some funny bits, but will someStars are unusually good in offbeat roles. Written by Norman Lear.▼쩠 one tell her to quit desecrating rock’n’roll? Divorcee, The (1930) 83m ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Divine Nymph, The (1979-Italian) C-90m. Z. Leonard. Norma Shearer, Chester Mor★1 ⁄2 D: Giuseppe Patroni Griffi. Marcello ris, Conrad Nagel, Robert Montgomery, Mastroianni, Laura Antonelli, Terence Florence Eldridge. Stagy but interesting Stamp, Michele Placido, Duilio Del Prete, tale of young wife Shearer who puts up Ettore Manni, Marina Vlady. Poor melowith husband Morris’ flirtations until she drama chronicling beautiful Antonelli’s indecides to equal him. Shearer won an Oscar for this performance.▼쩠 volvements with marquis Mastroianni and baron Stamp. Of interest only when Laura Divorce—Italian Style (1961-Italian) 104m. ★★★1 doffs her duds.▼ ⁄2 D: Pietro Germi. Marcello MastroDivine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood ianni, Daniela Rocca, Stefania Sandrelli, ★★★ D: Callie Khouri. Sandra (2002) C-117m. Leopoldo Trieste. Marcello can’t stomach Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Fionnula Flanagan, wife Rocca, so he schemes to wed sexy Ashley Judd, Maggie Smith, Shirley Knight, young Sandrelli. Hilarious, flavorful comJames Garner, Angus Macfadyen, Cherry edy, which earned an Oscar for its story Jones, Ron Eldard. Three lifelong female and screenplay. The twist ending adds a friends who made a blood pact of sisterhood as perfect—and most ironic—touch.▼쩠 young girls in Louisiana try to reconcile the Divorce of Lady X, The (1938-British) most eccentric and mercurial of their trio C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tim Whelan. Merle Obe(Burstyn) with her grown-up daughter (Bulron, Laurence Olivier, Binnie Barnes, Ralph lock). In flashbacks, we learn the reasons for Richardson, Morton Selten. Cute but exthe mother’s erratic behavior, rooted in her tremely dated screwball comedy with lawchildhood and beyond. (She’s played as a yer Olivier forced to share a hotel room young woman by Judd.) Begins as comedy, with mischievous Oberon. He becomes conthen grows much darker. A careful crafting vinced he’s the cause of her pending diof Rebecca Wells’ title novel and Little vorce—even though she’s not married. Altars Everywhere, with strong perfor▼● mances all around. Feature directing debut Dixie (1943) C-89m. ★★★ D: A. Edward for THELMA & LOUISE writer Khouri. Sutherland. Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Billy DeWolfe, Marjorie Reynolds, Lynne Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (2007Overman, Raymond Walburn, Eddie Foy, U.S.-French) C-112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Julian Jr., Grant Mitchell. Atmosphere overshadSchnabel. Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle ows plot in this biography of pioneer minstrel Seigner, Marie-Jose´e Croze, Anne ConDan Emmett, who wrote title song; Bing signy, Patrick Chesnais, Niels Arestrup, also sings ‘‘Sunday, Monday or Always.’’ Dixie Dynamite (1976) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Olatz Lo´pez Garmendia, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Marina Hands, Isaach De Bankole´, Emma de Lee Frost. Warren Oates, Christopher Caunes, Agathe de la Fontaine, Max von George, Jane Anne Johnstone, Kathy Sydow. Remarkable portrait of JeanMcHaley, Wes Bishop, Mark Miller, R. Dominique Bauby, worldly editor of French G. Armstrong, Stanley Adams. Johnstone Elle magazine, who suffered a stroke that and McHaley wreak havoc on town after paralyzed his entire body except for the left they are dispossessed from their farm and eyelid—and managed to dictate his bestseltheir moonshiner father is killed by a triggerhappy deputy. Sound familiar? [PG]▼쩠 ling memoir, one blink at a time. Potentially depressing subject becomes a visual and Django (1966-Italian-Spanish) C-92m. 1⁄2 D: Sergio Corbucci. Franco Nero, ★★ emotional tour de force that puts the viewer inside the protagonist’s splintered conLoredano Nusciak, Eduardo Fajardo, Jose sciousness. Schnabel’s brilliant direction Bodalo, Angel Alvarez, Jimmy Douglas. (aided no end by cinematographer Janusz Though not as good as the Leone-Eastwood Kaminski and editor Juliette Welfling) and spaghetti Westerns, this is an above-average Ronald Harwood’s screen adaptation create example of the genre, with the gimmick of a fascinating world of memory, fantasy, and Nero as a ruthless gunfighter who drags self-reflection. The whole cast is exceparound a coffin containing a machine gun tional, with von Sydow heartbreaking as wherever he goes. This became a cult film Bauby’s aged father. [PG-13]쩠 and inspired a slew of European oaters with Divorce American Style (1967) C-109m. the name ‘‘Django’’ in their titles. Followed ★★★ D: Bud Yorkin. Dick Van Dyke, by DJANGO STRIKES AGAIN. ▼쩠 Debbie Reynolds, Jason Robards, Jean D.O.A. (1950) 83m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Rudolph Simmons, Van Johnson, Joe Flynn, ShelMate´. Edmond O’Brien, Pamela Britton, ley Berman, Martin Gabel, Lee Grant, Pat Luther Adler, Beverly Campbell (Garland), [ 364 ]

Lynn Baggett, William Ching, Henry Hart, Warner, Bridget Fonda, Barnard Hughes, Neville Brand. Gripping, original film noir Woody Harrelson, David Ogden Stiers, Franwith O’Brien desperately trying to find who ces Sternhagen, George Hamilton, Roberts has given him a slow-acting poison—and Blossom, Barry Sobel. Fox is on his way to a why. Inventively photographed (by Ernest career in L.A. plastic surgery when he crashes Laszlo) on the streets of San Francisco and his car in South Carolina’s podunk squash L.A. Written by Russell Rouse and Clarcapital and is sentenced to perform muchence Greene. Music by Dimitri Tiomkin. Reneeded medical community service. Agreemade in 1969 (as COLOR ME DEAD) and ably played but nothing special. Warner has a 1988. Also shown in computer-colored memorable first scene, and there’s an amusing version.▼●쩠 star cameo near the end. Director Caton-Jones appears as a maıˆtre d’. [PG-13]▼●쩠 D.O.A. (1981) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Lech Kowalski. Sex Pistols, Dead Boys, Rich Dock Brief, The (1962-British) 88m. ★★1⁄2 Kids, Generation X, Terry and the Idiots, D: James Hill. Peter Sellers, Richard X-Ray Spec, Nancy Spungen. Crummy Attenborough, Beryl Reid, David Lodge. documentary rip-off about the infamous Sellers is aging barrister who incompepunk rock band Sex Pistols. Of interest tently represents accused killer Attenonly for footage of the pathetic Sid Vicious borough with strange results; pleasant comic and girlfriend Nancy Spungen.▼ satire. John Mortimer adapted his own play. U.S. title: TRIAL AND ERROR. ▼쩠 D.O.A. (1988) C-100m. BOMB D: Rocky Morton, Annabel Jankel. Dennis Quaid, Docks of New York, The (1928) 76m. ★★★★ Meg Ryan, Daniel Stern, Charlotte RampD: Josef von Sternberg. George Bancroft, ling, Jane Kaczmarek, Christopher Neame. Betty Compson, Olga Baclanova, Mitchell Noisy and needless remake of the film noir Lewis, Clyde Cook, Gustav von Seyffertitz. original, transplanted to academia. Quaid is Burly ship stoker Bancroft marries the suia college professor fed a slow-acting toxin cidal girl he saved from the drink, first takin a dispute over a prized fiction manuing her for granted, then coming to love her. script; Ryan is an innocent student helping A rival to SUNRISE as the visual apogee of him pursue his ‘‘killer.’’ Badly overdirected silent cinema, though the smoky hues of by the Max Headroom creators; obvious red von Sternberg’s waterfront dive can fully be herrings abound. [R] ▼●쩠 appreciated only on the big screen. Gaylord D.O.A. II SEE: Color Me Dead Carter’s organ score on the video version is DOA: Dead or Alive (2006-U.S.-Germana big plus. ▼ British) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Corey Yuen. Jaime Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze (1975) Pressly, Holly Valance, Sarah Carter, C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Anderson. Ron Devon Aoki, Eric Roberts, Natassia Malthe, Ely, Darrell Zwerling, Michael Miller, PamMatthew Marsden, Steve Howey, Kevin ela Hensley, Paul Wexler, Robyn Hilton, Nash, Brian White, Kane Kosugi. Three William Lucking, Paul Gleason. Film debut butt-kicking babes in various stages of unof Kenneth Robeson’s pulp hero was sold dress are among the combatants invited to a (and accepted) as camp; in reality, it’s a remote island to compete in a $10 million straight-faced period adventure that just fighting tournament hosted by a sinister scicame out at the wrong time. Story has Doc entist (a shamelessly hammy Roberts). (Ely) and his Fabulous Five heading to Hong Kong action ace Yuen stages some South America to investigate his father’s slick martial-arts battles in this video-game death, tangling with evil Captain Seas (Wexadaptation, in reality a silly t&a jiggle-fest ler). Fun for kids and buffs, with amusing that looks like it was made by Maxim magascore built around Sousa marches; final film of producer George Pal. [G]▼●쩠 zine. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Doberman Gang, The (1972) C-87m. Doctor, The (1991) C-125m. ★★★ D: Randa ★★1 ⁄2 D: Byron Chudnow. Byron Mabe, Haines. William Hurt, Christine Lahti, ElizJulie Parrish, Hal Reed, Simmy Bow, Jojo abeth Perkins, Mandy Patinkin, Adam D’Amore. Trim low-budget heist movie Arkin, Charlie Korsmo, Wendy Crewson, about a crook’s ingenious plan to use six Bill Macy. Successful surgeon is diagdobermans to pull off bank job. Dogs steal nosed with throat cancer—and for the first not only the loot but the picture, and time in his career, learns what it’s like to starred in two sequels. [G]▼ be a patient at the mercy of cold-blooded Doc (1971) C-96m. ★★ D: Frank Perry. doctors and a bureaucratic hospital. PerStacy Keach, Harris Yulin, Faye Dunaway, kins stands out in a showy role as fellow Michael Witney, Denver John Collins, Dan cancer patient. Engrossing, well acted, and Greenburg. Well-crafted but unpleasant antiutterly believable; based on Dr. Ed RosenWestern, telling the story of Wyatt Earp baum’s own experiences, described in his and Doc Holliday in revisionist terms. book A Taste of My Own Medicine. [PGScript by Pete Hamill. [PG—edited from 13] ▼●쩠 original R rating] Doctor and the Devils, The (1985) C-93m. ★★ D: Freddie Francis. Timothy Dalton, Doc Hollywood (1991) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Caton-Jones. Michael J. Fox, Julie Jonathan Pryce, Twiggy, Julian Sands, [ 365 ]

Stephen Rea, Phyllis Logan, Beryl Reid, ruined 20th Century-Fox studios. The charm Patrick Stewart, Sian Phillips. Seriousof Hugh Lofting’s stories is gone. One minded but unsuccessful (and unappealmerit: if you have unruly children, it may ing) Gothic tale of grave robbers who put them to sleep. Songs by Leslie Bricusse supply a dedicated doctor who’s content (including the Oscar-winning ‘‘Talk to the not to ask too many questions. Based on a Animals’’) and choreography by Herbert 1940s screenplay by Dylan Thomas, revised Ross. Oscar winner for special visual efby Ronald Harwood. Reminiscent of vinfects. Originally 152m. Remade in 1998. tage Hammer horror films; no coincidence, Todd-AO.▼●쩠 with veteran Francis directing. Made in EnDoctor Dolittle (1998) C-85m. ★★ D: Betty gland. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼쩠 Thomas. Eddie Murphy, Ossie Davis, OliDoctor at Large (1957-British) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 ver Platt, Peter Boyle, Richard Schiff, KrisD: Ralph Thomas. Dirk Bogarde, Muriel Pavten Wilson, Kyla Pratt, Raven-Symone´, low, Donald Sinden, James Robertson Justice, Jeffrey Tambor, Paul Giamatti; voices of Shirley Eaton, Derek Farr, Michael Medwin, Ellen DeGeneres, Norm Macdonald, Garry George Coulouris, Anne Heywood, Lionel Shandling, Julie Kavner, Jenna Elfman, AlJeffries, Mervyn Johns, Ernest Thesiger. Anbert Brooks, Chris Rock, Reni Santoni, John other entry in pleasing series, with novice Leguizamo, Gilbert Gottfried, Jonathan Lipdoctor Bogarde seeking staff position in nicki, Paul Reubens, Brian Doyle-Murray. wealthy hospital. VistaVision.▼ 1990s rethink of the Hugh Lofting character Doctor at Sea (1955-British) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 has Murphy as a busy, self-absorbed doctor D: Ralph Thomas. Dirk Bogarde, Brigitte who reacquires the gift he had as a child to Bardot, Brenda de Banzie, James Robertunderstand animals’ speech. Comic chaos son Justice, Maurice Denham, Michael ensues. Murphy is likable and energetic, but Medwin, Raymond Huntley. Preferring the the film is awfully flat; bound to appeal to bachelor life, Bogarde signs on as ship’s kids who don’t mind that seemingly every doctor on passenger-carrying freighter, in other word in the script is ‘‘butt.’’ Followed second entry of this entertaining series. by DR. DOLITTLE 2 and three DVD seVistaVision.▼ quels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Doctor Blood’s Coffin (1961-British) Doctor Faustus (1967-British) C-93m. ★★ C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney Furie. Kieron D: Richard Burton, Nevill Coghill. Richard Moore, Hazel Court, Ian Hunter, Fred Burton, Andreas Teuber, Ian Marter, ElizaJohnson. In Cornwall, young scientist holes beth Taylor. Burton’s retelling of Faustus up in an abandoned tin mine to work on his legend lacks everything but a buxom Mrs. theory that placing a live heart in a corpse Burton in brief sequence as Helen of Troy. Strictly for their fans.▼쩠 will bring it back to life. He’s right, as it turns out, but unfortunately he’s also Doctor In Clover (1965-British) C-101m. ★★ crazy. . . . Crude but lively imitation-HamD: Ralph Thomas. Leslie Phillips, James mer horror opus.▼●쩠 Robertson Justice, Shirley Anne Field, John Doctor Death, Seeker of Souls (1973) Fraser, Joan Sims. New doctor, same old zany situations in sixth entry of series. C-73m. ★1⁄2 D: Eddie Saeta. John Considine, Barry Coe, Cheryl Miller, Florence Doctor studies nurses more than medicine. Marly, Jo Morrow. Cheap horror item Not up to the others’ standard. about the transferring of souls by 1,000Doctor In Distress (1963-British) C-102m. ★★1 year-old Considine. Few effective moments ⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. Dirk Bogarde, include The Three Stooges’ Moe Howard Samantha Eggar, James Robertson Justice, in a gag bit. Aka DOCTOR DEATH. Mylene Demongeot, Donald Houston, Bar[R]▼ bara Murray, Dennis Price, Leo McKern. Doctor Detroit (1983) C-89m. ★★ D: MiPompous chief surgeon falls in love for the chael Pressman. Dan Aykroyd, Howard first time, and his assistant tries to help the Hesseman, T. K. Carter, Donna Dixon, romance along while balancing his own Lynn Whitfield, Lydia Lei, Fran Drescher, love life. Another entertaining entry in Kate Murtagh, George Furth, Andrew comedy series. Bogarde’s last appearance Duggan, Glenne Headly, James Brown. as Dr. Sparrow.▼ Wimpy college professor becomes emDoctor in the House (1954-British) C-92m. ★★★1 broiled with pimps, prostitutes, and under⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. Dirk Bogarde, world intrigue, but the results are surprisMuriel Pavlow, Kenneth More, Donald ingly bland, and only sporadically funny. Sinden, Kay Kendall, James Robertson Story by Bruce Jay Friedman. Aykroyd Justice, Donald Houston, Suzanne Cloutier, later married costar Dixon. [R]▼●쩠 Geoffrey Keen, George Coulouris, Shirley Doctor Dolittle (1967) C-144m. ★1⁄2 D: Eaton, Joan Hickson, Richard Wattis. HiRichard Fleischer. Rex Harrison, Samantha larious comedy follows exploits of mediEggar, Anthony Newley, Richard Attencal students intent on studying beautiful borough, Peter Bull, Geoffrey Holder. Robwomen and how to become wealthy physiert Surtees’ photography is great, and that’s cians. This delightful film (from Richard it for this colossal musical dud that almost Gordon’s stories) spawned six other ‘‘Doc[ 366 ]

tor’’ movies, plus a TV series. Justice Stars and material spark each other at a lively pace.▼쩠 memorable as Sir Lancelot Spratt. Scripted Doctor X (1932) C-80m. ★★ D: Michael by Gordon, Ronald Wilkenson, and costar Curtiz. Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Lee Tracy, Nicholas Phipps.▼ Preston Foster, Robert Warwick, Mae Doctor in Trouble (1970-British) C-90m. ★★ D: Ralph Thomas. Leslie Phillips, Harry Busch. Police have tracked the ‘‘full-moon strangler’’ to Atwill’s experimental laboraSecombe, James Robertson Justice, Antory. Ludicrous Grand Guignol chiller gela Scoular, Irene Handl, Robert Morley. (Wray’s entrance has her screaming—for Fair entry in the on-and-off British comno reason at all) is a must for horror-film edy series concerns Dr. Phillips’ problems buffs because of its Anton Grot sets, special when he stows away on ocean liner; good Max Factor makeup, and rich use of twosupporting cast help a bit. [R]▼ color Technicolor . . . but it creaks badly Doctor Mordrid (1992) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: and seems much longer than it is.▼●쩠 Albert and Charles Band. Jeffrey Combs, Doctor, You’ve Got to Be Kidding (1967) Yvette Nipar, Brian Thompson, Jay AcoC-94m. BOMB D: Peter Tewksbury. Sanvone, Keith Coulouris, Ritch Brinkley, dra Dee, George Hamilton, Celeste Holm, Pearl Shear, Murray Rubin, Jeff Austin, Bill Bixby, Dick Kallman, Mort Sahl, John Apicella. A woman discovers her reDwayne Hickman. Dee would rather marry clusive neighbor is a powerful sorcerer the boss than pursue singing career. Even sworn to save the world from his evil counher singing might have helped this alleged terpart. Satisfying little movie, confident of comedy. Panavision. its intent, with a sensitive performance by Doctor Zhivago (1965) C-197m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Combs. From Full Moon. [R]▼쩠 David Lean. Omar Sharif, Julie Christie, ★★1 Doctor Rhythm (1938) 80m. ⁄2 D: Geraldine Chaplin, Tom Courtenay, Alec Frank Tuttle. Bing Crosby, Mary Carlisle, Guinness, Siobhan McKenna, Ralph RichBeatrice Lillie, Andy Devine, Laura Hope ardson, Rod Steiger, Rita Tushingham, Crews, Sterling Holloway. Amiable but secAdrienne Corri, Geoffrey Keen, Jeffrey ond-rate Crosby vehicle about doctor who Rockland, Klaus Kinski, Jack MacGowran, masquerades as cop and falls in love with Tarek Sharif. Sumptuous, sprawling epic woman he’s assigned to guard. Lillie adds from Boris Pasternak’s acclaimed novel; her distinctive spark. Sharif is charismatic as Russian poet/doctor, Doctor’s Dilemma (1958-British) C-99m. an orphan who marries aristocratic Chaplin ★★★ D: Anthony Asquith. Leslie Caron, but falls in love with politicized nurse Dirk Bogarde, Alastair Sim, Robert MorChristie. Spans several decades, including ley. Bubbly Shaw period play of young WW1 and Bolshevik Revolution, with stirwife Caron conniving to convince medical ring crowd scenes, gorgeous romantic vistas specialists that her scoundrel husband is (set to Maurice Jarre’s sweeping music) and worth saving. a powerful exodus sequence on train. OverDoctors Wear Scarlet SEE: Bloodsuckers long, but with top production values and (1970) superb acting in every role. Won Oscars for Doctors’ Wives (1971) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: screenplay (Robert Bolt), cinematography George Schaefer. Dyan Cannon, Richard (Freddie Young), art direction–set decoraCrenna, Gene Hackman, Rachel Roberts, tion (John Box and Terry Marsh; Dario SiCarroll O’Connor, Janice Rule, Diana moni), costume design (Phyllis Dalton), and Sands, Cara Williams, Ralph Bellamy. score. Reissued at 180m. Remade as a cable Super-sudsy soaper sparked by mysterious miniseries in 2003. Panavision.▼●쩠 murder of cheating wife; glossy garbage. Dodes’ka-den (1970-Japanese) C-140m. Scripted by a slumming Daniel Taradash. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Akira Kurosawa. Yoshitaka Zushi, [R]▼ Tomoko Yamazaki, Hiroshi Akutagawa, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Doctor Syn (1937-British) 80m. Noboru Mitani. Episodic chronicle of Roy William Neill. George Arliss, Margaret life in a Tokyo slum; characters include a Lockwood, John Loder, Roy Emerton, Gralittle boy who feeds himself and derelict ham Moffatt. Arliss’ final film finds aging dad by scrounging garbage—together, they star somewhat miscast as English vicar who visualize a dream house; a wan girl who rides at night as a pirate, but director Neill makes artificial flowers to support her alkeeps things moving at his usual pace, and coholic stepfather; etc. Kurosawa’s first film the atmosphere is rich. Remade twice in in color. Originally 244m.▼●쩠 1962—as NIGHT CREATURES and DR. Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) SYN, ALIAS THE SCARECROW.▼ C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rawson Marshall Thurber. Doctor Takes a Wife, The (1940) 89m. Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Christine Tay★★★ D: Alexander Hall. Ray Milland, Lolor, Rip Torn, Justin Long, Stephen Root, retta Young, Reginald Gardiner, Gail PatGary Cole, Hank Azaria, Alan Tudyk, Missi rick, Edmund Gwenn, Frank Sully, Gordon Pyle, Jason Bateman. Vaughn’s dilapidated Jones. Milland is mistaken for Young’s gym is about to go belly-up and be taken husband, then forced to pretend he is. over by snazzier rival Stiller, and it takes 17 [ 367 ]

minutes in a movie called DODGEBALL to establish that he’s going to alleviate his debts by fielding a bunch of guys and a ringer babe who play . . . oh come on, venture a guess. Affable enough, with some funny surprise cameos and the seductive sight of Torn in shoulder-length hair . . . and an excess of gross-out gags. Stiller coproduced. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Dodge City (1939) C-105m. ★★★ D: Michael Curtiz. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Sheridan, Bruce Cabot, Frank McHugh, Alan Hale, John Litel, Victor Jory, Ward Bond. Errol tames the West and de Havilland, in entertaining large-scale Western, with Warner Bros. stock company and the granddaddy of all barroom brawls. The principal inspiration for BLAZING SADDLES.▼●쩠 Dodsworth (1936) 101m. ★★★★ D: William Wyler. Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas, Mary Astor, David Niven, Gregory Gaye, Maria Ouspenskaya, Spring Byington, Harlan Briggs. Superb adaptation of Sinclair Lewis novel about middle-aged American industrialist who retires, goes to Europe, where he and his wife find differing sets of values and new relationships. Intelligently written (by Sidney Howard), beautifully filmed, extremely well acted, with Huston recreating his Broadway role. John Payne (billed as John Howard Payne) makes screen debut in small role. Won Oscar for Interior Decoration (Richard Day). Unusually mature Hollywood film, not to be missed. ▼●쩠 Dog Day (1983-French) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yves Boisset. Miou Miou, Lee Marvin, Jean Carmet, Victor Lanoux, David Bennent, Bernadette Lafont, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Pierre Clementi, Tina Louise. Intriguing if gratuitously violent thriller about a tough but doomed American gangster on the lam (Marvin, well cast) who hides out on the farm of a depraved French family. Fairly effective as an ode to the mythical image of the American screen hood. Panavision.

Fraser. Title refers to a cruel wager by Vietnam-bound Marines in 1963 San Francisco. Taylor (superb) is a physically plain folkie who becomes an unwitting partner in Phoenix’s attempt to bring the ugliest ‘‘date’’ to a party. Original, barely released sleeper is surprisingly unmawkish, thanks to a good script by Bob Comfort and Savoca’s tough direction. Unusually apt use of period music. [R]▼●쩠 Dogma (1999) C-135m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Smith. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Linda Fiorentino, Alan Rickman, Chris Rock, Salma Hayek, Jason Lee, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, George Carlin, Alanis Morissette, Janeane Garofalo, Bud Cort. Ambitious comic fantasy in which age-old battles between outcast angels, Lucifer, and God are played out in modern-day America, as a young woman who’s lost her faith (Fiorentino) is chosen to save humanity. Irreverent, to say the least; challenging and clever at times, but also puerile and silly, not to mention long. Smith and Mewes reprise their characters from Smith’s earlier films. Smith also scripted. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Dog of Flanders, A (1999) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Kevin Brodie. Jack Warden, Jeremy James Kissner, Jesse James, Jon Voight, Cheryl Ladd, Steven Hartley, Bruce McGill, Andrew Bicknell. A 19th-century Belgian boy rescues an abandoned dog and uses him to pull a milk-delivery cart for him and his grandfather . . . but the boy really longs to be a painter like the great Reubens. Despite excellent photography of Belgian locations, this adaptation of Ouida’s classic children’s novel is a joyless, anachronistic, moralistic snoozer. Previously made in 1935, 1959, and in 1975 as a Japanese animated feature. [PG]▼●쩠 Dog Park (1999-U.S.-Canadian) C-91m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Bruce McCulloch. Natasha Henstridge, Luke Wilson, Kathleen Robertson, Janeane Garofalo, Bruce McCulloch, Kristin Lehman, Harland Williams. Howlingly bad romantic comedy squanders cute prem▼쩠 Dog Day Afternoon (1975) C-124m. ★★★1⁄2 ise about a group of Toronto singles whose D: Sidney Lumet. Al Pacino, John Cazale, lackluster love lives affect their pet pooches. Charles Durning, James Broderick, Chris Self-absorbed, unlikable lead characters and Sarandon, Sully Boyar, Penny Allen, Carol meandering subplots don’t help. InauspiKane, Lance Henriksen, Dick Anthony Wilcious writing-directing debut from Kids in liams, Philip Charles Mackenzie. Incrediblethe Hall alum McCulloch; only laughs but-true story of a loser who holds up a come from fellow Kids member Mark McBrooklyn bank to raise money for his lover’s Kinney as a pet therapist. [R]▼쩠 sex-change operation, and sees simple heist Dogpound Shuffle (1975) C-95m. ★★★ D: snowball into a citywide incident. Pacino’s Jeffrey Bloom. Ron Moody, David Soul, performance and Lumet’s flavorful N.Y.C. atPamela McMyler, Ray Stricklyn, Raymond mosphere obscure the fact that this is much ado Sutton. Unpretentious little fable about cynabout nothing. Frank Pierson won an Oscar for ical ex-vaudevillian tap-dancer—now a his screenplay (based on an article by P. F. bum—who must raise $30 to rescue his dog Kluge and Thomas Moore). [R] ▼●쩠 from the pound. Funny and wistful, with Dogfight (1991) C-92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Nancy excellent character performance by Moody. Aka SPOT. [PG]▼ Savoca. River Phoenix, Lili Taylor, Richard Panebianco, Anthony Clark, Mitchell Dogs of War, The (1980-British) C-102m. ★★★ D: John Irvin. Christopher Walken, Whitfield, Holly Near, E. G. Daily, Brendan [ 368 ]

Tom Berenger, Colin Blakely, Hugh Milthe John Dillinger Memorial Penitentiary (yuk, yuk). [R]▼ lais, Paul Freeman, JoBeth Williams, Ed O’Neill. Appropriately mean if overly somDoin’ Time on Planet Earth (1988) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Matthau. Nichober adaptation of the Frederick Forsyth bestseller about a mercenary who tangles with las Strouse, Andrea Thompson, Hugh Gillin, an Amin-like dictator in an African hellAdam West, Candice Azzara, Hugh O’Brian, hole. Will not promote one-worldism, but Matt Adler, Timothy Patrick Murphy, Roddy Walken takes a screen beating nearly as imMcDowall, Maureen Stapleton. Fresh-feeling pressively as Brando. British running time but thin teen comedy about boy who feels 118m. [R]▼●쩠 literally alienated from his family and their Dog Soldiers SEE: Who’ll Stop the Rain Holiday Inn home: cheerful wackos West and Dogtown and Z-Boys (2002) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 Azzara convince him that he’s really an alien D: Stacy Peralta. Narrated by Sean Penn. Exborn on Earth, destined to lead others back uberant, impassioned documentary of the pito the stars. Amusingly designed, inventively oneering Zephyr skateboarders, a group of directed, but aimless. [PG]▼ misfit Venice, California, teens who revived Dolemite (1975) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: D’Urville the sport in the ’70s and became overnight Martin. Rudy Ray Moore, Jerry Jones, Lady media sensations . . . and their bittersweet Reed. Occasionally funny but amateurish vepresent-day reunion. Made by Peralta, one of hicle for standup comedian Moore (who also the original thrasher stars of the group. Feaproduced the film), a stout nonactor who tures candid interviews, a terrific classic rock combines the personality of Mr. T with a soundtrack, and amazing footage of their rhyming rap routine. Karate gangster spoof killer moves gliding on the walls of drained is set in the milieu of black nightclubs where Moore performs. [R]▼쩠 swimming pools. Later transformed into a Hollywood feature, THE LORDS OF DOG$(Dollars) (1971) C-119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: RichTOWN. [PG-13]▼쩠 ard Brooks. Warren Beatty, Goldie Hawn, Dogville (2003-Danish-Swedish-BritishGert Frobe, Robert Webber, Scott Brady. French-German-Dutch) C-177m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Top-notch caper thriller (scripted by the diLars von Trier. Nicole Kidman, Harriet Anrector) set in Germany with unusual chase dersson, Lauren Bacall, Jean-Marc Barr, that goes on for more than a fifth of the film. Paul Bettany, Blair Brown, James Caan, PaAwfully similar to PERFECT FRIDAY. Bouncy Quincy Jones score. [R]▼●쩠 tricia Clarkson, Jeremy Davies, Ben Gazzara, Philip Baker Hall, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Dollman (1991) C-86m. BOMB D: Albert Zˇeljko Ivanek, Udo Kier, Cleo King, Chloe¨ Pyun. Tim Thomerson, Jackie Earle Haley, Sevigny, Stellan Skarsga˚rd; narrated by John Kamala Lopez, Humberto Ortiz, Nicholas Hurt. Provocative and offbeat drama about Guest, Judd Omen. Tough alien cop (from a enigmatic fugitive Kidman, who stumbles planet identical to a slightly futuristic Earth) into an isolated 1930s Rocky Mountain chases a villainous flying head to our planet, hamlet and has a disturbing effect on the but surprise! The cop is only 13 inches tall. close-knit community. Dark, avant garde Underproduced trifle with poor FX and a morality tale, with overtly theatrical staging deadly slow pace. Followed by DOLLMAN VS. THE DEMONIC TOYS. [R]▼●쩠 (a` la Our Town), fresh casting, and superior acting. Long, demanding, but fascinating Dolls (1987) C-77m. ★★ D: Stuart Gorand worthwhile. Written by the director. don. Ian Patrick Williams, Carolyn PurdyFollowed by MANDERLAY. HD 24P Gordon, Carrie Lorraine, Guy Rolfe, Hilary Widescreen. [R]▼쩠 Mason, Bunty Bailey, Cassie Stuart, SteDoing Time (1979-British) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 phen Lee. OK horror from the director of RED: Dick Clement. Ronnie Barker, Richard ANIMATOR has unsuspecting people taking Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay, Brian Wilde, shelter from a storm in mansion owned by Peter Vaughan. Barker is a delight as a elderly couple who make murderous dolls. habitual prison inmate who inadvertently Nothing special here. [R]▼●쩠 escapes—and wants back in! Reportedly Doll’s House, A (1973-British) C-105m. ★★1 not as funny as the TV series on which it’s ⁄2 D: Patrick Garland. Claire Bloom, based, but that’s usually the case with Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Richardson, Denfeature spinoffs. (The show was tried on holm Elliott, Anna Massey, Edith Evans. American TV as On the Rocks.) Original Bloom and Hopkins give thoughtful perforBritish title: PORRIDGE. mances in this rather stagy filmization of IbDoin’ It SEE: First Time, The (1983) sen’s play. Still, the words are there and the Doin’ Time (1985) C-81m. BOMB D: play is a strong statement about women’s (and George Mendeluk. Jeff Altman, Dey Young, all people’s) rights to be human beings. [G] Richard Mulligan, John Vernon, Colleen ▼쩠 Camp, Melanie Chartoff, Graham Jarvis, Doll’s House, A (1973-British) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joseph Losey. Jane Fonda, David Pat McCormick, Eddie Velez, Jimmie Walker, Judy Landers, Mike Mazurki, MuWarner, Trevor Howard, Delphine Seyrig, hammad Ali. Shoddy, thoroughly obnoxEdward Fox. Moderately successful, cinemaious POLICE ACADEMY clone, set in tic version of Ibsen play, worth a look for [ 369 ]

Fonda’s controversial interpretation of a Billy Crawford, Ralph Brown. Years before 19th-century liberated woman. Howard exorcising Regan MacNeil in THE EXORshines as the dying Dr. Rank. [G]▼ CIST, Father Merrin battles internal and exDoll Squad, The (1973) C-101m. BOMB ternal demons during an archaeological dig D: Ted V. Mikels. Michael Ansara, Franin East Africa. This film became notorious cine York, Anthony Eisley, John Carter, when it was scrubbed and Renny Harlin was Rafael Campos, Lisa Todd. Sexy York hired to remake it from scratch as EXORleads her all-female trio against ex-CIA CIST: THE BEGINNING. Schrader’s veragent Ansara, out to rule the world. Poorly sion (subsequently saved from movie limbo) made and boring, with very little action. Inis significantly more elegant, ambitious, and teresting only as a forerunner to Charlie’s thoughtful and Skarsga˚rd gives an effective Angels; the smart one’s even named Saperformance. But in spite of all this, it’s still brina! Aka HUSTLER SQUAD. [PG]▼쩠 pretty dull. Univision. [R]쩠 Dolly Sisters, The (1945) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 Dominique (1978-British) C-100m. ★★ D: D: Irving Cummings. Betty Grable, John Michael Anderson. Cliff Robertson, Jean Payne, June Haver, S. Z. Sakall, Reginald Simmons, Jenny Agutter, Simon Ward, Gardiner, Frank Latimore. Sassy hokum Ron Moody, Judy Geeson, Michael Jayston, about popular vaudeville sister act with Flora Robson, David Tomlinson, Jack Wartwo lovely stars and a bevy of old song ner. Great cast tries its best in disappointfavorites, plus newly written ‘‘I Can’t Being melodrama; crippled Simmons believes gin to Tell You.’’▼●쩠 husband Robertson wants to drive her mad; Dolores Claiborne (1995) C-131m. ★★★1⁄2 she dies, but comes back to haunt him. D: Taylor Hackford. Kathy Bates, Jennifer Video titles: DOMINIQUE IS DEAD and AVENGING SPIRIT. [PG]▼쩠 Jason Leigh, Judy Parfitt, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, Eric Bogosian, Dominique Is Dead SEE: Dominique Domino (2005-French-U.S.) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 John C. Reilly, Ellen Muth, Bob Gunton. A Maine woman is accused of murdering her D: Tony Scott. Keira Knightley, Mickey longtime employer, which brings her esRourke, Edgar Ramirez, Rizwan Abbasi, tranged daughter home for the first time in Delroy Lindo, Mo’Nique, Lucy Liu, Chrisyears. Now, the two women begin to sort topher Walken, Mena Suvari, Macy Gray, out unanswered questions from the past. Jacqueline Bisset, Dabney Coleman, T.K. Gripping adaptation of Stephen King’s Carter, Shondrella Avery, Tom Waits. novel (by Tony Gilroy) holds your interest Gritty but jumbled thriller inspired by the from start to finish, as the real story unfolds. life of Domino Harvey (Knightley), an angry Bates’ performance is a powerhouse, and young woman who rebels against her the rest of the cast is equally fine. Kudos, background—she’s the daughter of jet-setting too, to Hackford’s arresting visual treatactor Laurence Harvey—by becoming a ment. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 bounty hunter. Potentially intriguing but draDomestic Disturbance (2001) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 matically convoluted, and fails to offer meanD: Harold Becker. John Travolta, Vince ingful insight into its title character. Of note Vaughn, Teri Polo, Matt O’Leary, Steve Busfor Knightley’s offbeat casting and the mass cemi, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Susan Floyd. of familiar faces in supporting roles. ScreenDivorced but devoted dad Travolta is wary play by Richard Kelly of DONNIE DARKO of the man his ex is about to marry, all the fame. Harvey died at age 35 of an apparent more so after his son is eyewitness to a drug overdose after the film’s completion but before its release. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 crime that no one will believe took place. Straightforward thriller where, for a change, Domino Principle, The (1977) C-97m. everything adds up—but perhaps it’s a little BOMB D: Stanley Kramer. Gene Hacktoo neat. An ideal role for Travolta, with man, Candice Bergen, Richard Widmark, Buscemi a standout as Vaughn’s sleazy Mickey Rooney, Edward Albert, Eli Wallach. Muddled thriller about lunkhead friend. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Dominick and Eugene (1988) C-111m. Hackman’s recruitment by a mysterious ★★★ D: Robert M. Young. Tom Hulce, Ray Liorganization bent on political assassination. otta, Jamie Lee Curtis, Todd Graff, Mimi CecBergen fails to convince as a lower-middlechini, Robert Levine, Bill Cobbs, David class housewife. [R]▼쩠 Strathairn. Heartrending story of abright young Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands intern (Liotta) and his devotion to a childlike (1978-Brazilian) C-116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bruno twin brother (Hulce) who needs looking after. Barreto. Sonia Braga, Jose´ Wilker, Mauro An overtly sentimental, sometimes melodraMendoca, Dinorah Brillanti. Braga is torn matic, but completely affecting story of love, between giving body and soul to the dead, compassion and responsibility. Hulce’s perforirresponsible husband who keeps returning mance as the sweet-natured, slow-witted Doto earth, or to the considerate dullard who’s become her new mate. Original, very sexy minick is superb. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Dominion: Prequel to The Exorcist fantasy. Remade as KISS ME GOODBYE. (2005) C-117m. ★★ D: Paul Schrader. Stel[R]▼●쩠 lan Skarsga˚rd, Gabriel Mann, Clara Bellar, Dona Herlinda and Her Son (1986[ 370 ]

Mexican) C-91m. ★★★ D: Jaime Humberto Donnie Darko (2001) C-113m. ★★ D: Hermosillo. Arturo Meza, Marco Antonio Richard Kelly. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena MaTrevino, Leticia Lupersio, Guadalupe del lone, Drew Barrymore, James Duval, MagToro, Angelica Guerrero. Amusing, cheergie Gyllenhaal, Mary McDonnell, Holmes fully subversive comedy about a pair of Osborne, Katharine Ross, Patrick Swayze, gay men, one a surgeon and the other a Noah Wyle, Seth Rogen. A tortured teen who student, who move in with the former’s attends a repressive high school in the 1980s willful mother. Liberating in its depiction has nightmarish visions. Are they premoniof the lovers; a film to be savored regardtions or hallucinations? Writer-director Kelly less of one’s sexual preference.▼쩠 has ambitious and interesting ideas, but the Dondi (1961) 100m. BOMB D: Albert film builds to an unsatisfying conclusion. Zugsmith. David Janssen, Patti Page, Barrymore executive-produced and has a relaDavid Kory, Walter Winchell, Gale Gortively minor role as a schoolteacher. ‘‘Direcdon. Adaptation of sentimental comic strip tor’s Cut,’’ theatrically released in 2004, runs about a cute war orphan trying to get along 133m. Followed by a DVD sequel, S. DARKO. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 in the U.S. Goshes! Watch this film and you’ll know why Janssen became a fugitive! Do Not Disturb (1965) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Is Dead, The (1973) C-115m. ★1⁄2 Ralph Levy. Doris Day, Rod Taylor, D: Richard Fleischer. Anthony Quinn, FredHermione Baddeley, Sergio Fantoni, Regeric Forrest, Robert Forster, Al Lettieri, inald Gardiner, Mike Romanoff, Leon Angel Tompkins, Ina Balin. Mafia wars Askin. Mild Day vehicle with Taylor as form the convoluted plot of this trashy, deexecutive husband who brings her to subrivative gangster saga. Retitled BEAUTIurban England. She meets suave Fantoni, FUL BUT DEADLY. [R]▼쩠 enraging jealous hubby. Not up to her Don Juan DeMarco (1995) C-97m. ★★★ earlier fashion romps. CinemaScope.쩠 D: Jeremy Leven. Marlon Brando, Johnny Donovan’s Brain (1953) 83m. ★★★ D: Felix Depp, Faye Dunaway, Geraldine Pailhas, Feist. Lew Ayres, Gene Evans, Nancy Davis Bob Dishy, Rachel Ticotin, Talisa Soto, (Reagan), Steve Brodie. Scientist is domiRichard Sarafian, Tresa Hughes, Franc Luz. nated by brain of dead industrialist, which Psychotherapist on the verge of retirement he’s kept alive in his lab; intriguing story by becomes entranced with a new patient, a Curt Siodmak; modest, capable production. fervent young man who believes he is the Filmed before as THE LADY AND THE world’s greatest lover. Fanciful story (by diMONSTER, again as THE BRAIN.▼●쩠 rector Leven) is made compulsively watchDonovan’s Reef (1963) C-109m. ★★★ D: able by its stars: Brando, compelling as ever, John Ford. John Wayne, Lee Marvin, ElizDepp, hypnotically believeable, and Dunaabeth Allen, Jack Warden, Cesar Romero, way, a delightful match for Brando, as his Dorothy Lamour, Mike Mazurki. Actionwife. Ill-fated Tejano singer Selena appears in comedy bounces along with a good cast. the opening scene. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Wayne and his freewheeling friends on a ★★★ Donkey Skin (1971-French) C-90m. Pacific island are disrupted by Warden’s D: Jacques Demy. Catherine Deneuve, grown daughter (Allen) who comes to visit. Jacques Perrin, Jean Marais, Delphine Lots of fun in Wayne’s last feature film Seyrig. Charming adaptation of Charles with John Ford. That’s Ford’s yacht Araner in several scenes.▼●쩠 Perrault’s fairy tale about widowed King who vows that his new Queen must be as Don Q, Son of Zorro (1925) 110m. ★★1⁄2 beautiful as his first. Sumptuous color proD: Donald Crisp. Douglas Fairbanks, Mary duction, witty script by Demy.▼쩠 Astor, Jack McDonald, Donald Crisp, Stella Donnie Brasco (1997) C-127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: De Lanti, Warner Oland, Jean Hersholt. Mike Newell. Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, MiFairbanks in his element in OK sequel to chael Madsen, Bruno Kirby, James Russo, THE MARK OF ZORRO, as Don Cesar de Anne Heche, Zˇeljko Ivanek, Gerry Becker, Vega, who romances lovely Astor, clashes Zach Grenier, Brian Tarantina, Val Avery, with heinous Crisp (and is falsely accused Gretchen Mol, Tim Blake Nelson, Paul Giaof murder). Doug is both father and son in matti. Fresh, original take on life among the rousing finale. ▼●쩠 the ‘‘wiseguys’’ in N.Y.C.’s Italian crime Don Quixote (1973) C-107m. ★★★ D: Rufamilies, with rich characterizations by Pacdolf Nureyev, Robert Helpmann. Nureyev, ino (as a low-level hood in the Mob food Helpmann, Lucette Aldous, Australian Balchain) and Depp (as an FBI undercover let. Fine ballet version of Cervantes’ clasagent who becomes his prote´ge´). Depp’s assic, choreographed by Nureyev, who plays signment forces him to virtually abandon barber Basilio; Helpmann is the wandering his wife and children, as he becomes more knight. Not just for ballet buffs. [G]▼쩠 and more a part of his adoptive Mob family. Don’s Party (1976-Australian) C-91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. John Hargreaves, Rings true start to finish; based on Joseph Pistone’s memoir, scripted by Paul AttaPat Bishop, Graham Kennedy, Veronica nasio. Also available in unrated 147m. verLang, Candy Raymond, Harold Hopkins. sion. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Powerful black comedy chronicling the [ 371 ]

interaction—sexual and otherwise—among Lee, James Marshall, Esai Morales, Sarah a group of young suburbanites who get Trigger. Talented cast flounders in this contogether to watch election returns. (Important fusing, meandering Generation X drama of note: In Australia, the ‘‘liberals’’ are actually various couples whose love and sex lives the conservative party.) Stunning direction, are intertwined. Means to be insightful, but the result is a talky bore.▼쩠 top performances by all; biting script by Don’t Drink the Water (1969) C-100m. David Williamson, from his play.▼쩠 ★★ D: Howard Morris. Jackie Gleason, Don’t Answer the Phone (1980) C-94m. BOMB D: Robert Hammer. James WestEstelle Parsons, Ted Bessell, Joan Delaney, moreland, Flo Gerrish, Ben Frank, NichoMichael Constantine, Howard St. John, las Worth, Stan Haze. Another sadistic Avery Schreiber. Uninspired adaptation of killer who’s a Vietnam veteran. Don’t watch Woody Allen play about American family this movie. [R]▼쩠 held prisoner in Iron Curtain country of Don’t Be a Menace to South Central Vulgaria, and their desperate attempts to While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood escape. Cast works hard, with sporadic results. Remade for TV in 1994. [G]▼쩠 (1995) C-88m. ★★ D: Paris Barclay. Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Don’t Give Up the Ship (1959) 89m. ★★★ Wayans, Chris Spencer, Suli McCullough, D: Norman Taurog. Jerry Lewis, Dina MerDarrell Heath, Helen Martin, Isaiah Barnes, rill, Diana Spencer, Mickey Shaughnessy, Craig Wayans, Kim Wayans, Omar Epps, Robert Middleton, Gale Gordon, Claude Faizon Love, Antonio Fargas, LaWanda Akins. Top comedy with Jerry as U.S. Navy Page, Damon Wayans, Bernie Mac. lieutenant who lost a destroyer escort during NAKED GUN–like spoof of coming-of-age war and doesn’t remember how. Shaughnessy ‘‘hood’’ pictures is only intermittently sucis pal who helps look for it underwater. One cessful, despite the presence of more Wayof Lewis’ all-time best. ▼ anses than there are in Heaven. Thoroughly Don’t Just Stand There (1968) C-100m. ★★1 predictable. Marlon and Shawn (who also ⁄2 D: Ron Winston. Robert Wagner, cowrote and coexecutive-produced) are Mary Tyler Moore, Harvey Korman, Glynis Johns, Barbara Rhoades. Frantic comedy amusing as homies. [R] ▼●쩠 Don’t Bother to Knock (1952) 76m. ★★1⁄2 with perky stars; Wagner and Moore try to D: Roy (Ward) Baker. Richard Widmark, unravel mystery of disappearance of auMarilyn Monroe, Anne Bancroft, Jeanne thoress Johns after writing the first half of Cagney, Elisha Cook, Jr., Gloria Blondell. a new book. Players’ vivacity makes script Title has more punch than improbable yarn seem better than it is. Techniscope. of airline pilot Widmark getting involved with Don’t Knock the Twist (1962) 87m. mentally disturbed Monroe hired as babysitter BOMB D: Oscar Rudolph. Chubby Checkin large hotel. Bancroft’s film debut. Reer, Gene Chandler, Vic Dana, Linda Scott, made for TV as THE SITTER.▼쩠 Mari Blanchard, Lang Jeffries. The Dovells. Don’t Come Knocking (2005-U.S.-GermanTelevision producer Jeffries, with Checker’s 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Wim Wenders. French) C-122m. assistance, coordinates a twist show. ChandSam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth, Galer, with cape, monocle and top hat, sings briel Mann, Sarah Polley, Eva Marie Saint, ‘‘Duke of Earl’’; otherwise, you may want Fairuza Balk, George Kennedy, James Gamto twist your way to your TV set. 쩠 mon, Marley Shelton, Julia Sweeney. TrouDont Look Back (1967) 96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: bled Western movie star rides his horse off his D. A. Pennebaker. Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, current film set and journeys back to his Donovan, Alan Price, Albert Grossman, Allen roots—and the family he left behind decades Ginsberg. Candid documentary about Dylan’s earlier. Returning to the Southwest of PARIS, ’65 concert tour of England, highlighted by TEXAS, Wenders and Shepard (who collabohis pseudo-hip personality, appearances by rated on the story) seem to be slumming here, Baez and Grossman (Dylan’s manager). Dylan but screenwriter Shepard provides himself performs ‘‘The Times They Are a Changin’,’’ with a meaty role and makes the most of it, ‘‘Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,’’ ‘‘It’s All particularly in scenes with Saint (as his Over Now, Baby Blue,’’ and ‘‘Subterranean mother) and Lange. Franz Lustig’s cinemaHomesick Blues.’’ Pennebaker assembled a collection of never-before-seen outtakes and tography is a standout. Hawk-Scope. [R]쩠 Don’t Cry, It’s Only Thunder (1982) performances in 2007 and released it as 65 C-108m. ★★★ D: Peter Werner. Dennis REVISITED.▼●쩠 Christopher, Susan Saint James, Roger Don’t Look Now (1973-British) C-110m. ★★★ Aaron Brown, Lisa Lu. Dramatically unD: Nicolas Roeg. Julie Christie, Doneven, but moving account of G.I. Christoald Sutherland, Hilary Mason, Clelia pher and doctor Saint James’ involvement Matania, Massimo Serato. Arty, overwith makeshift orphanage in Vietnam. indulgent but gripping Daphne du Maurier occult thriller about parents of drowned Based on a true incident. [PG]▼ 1 ★ Don’t Do It! (1994) C-90m. ⁄2 D: Eugene child and their horror-laden visit to VenHess. Alexis Arquette, Balthazar Getty, ice; highlighted by memorably steamy love Heather Graham, James Le Gros, Sheryl scene and violent climax. [R]▼●쩠 [ 372 ]

Don’t Make Waves (1967) C-97m. ★★★ Amick, Beth Grant. If you can buy GuttenD: Alexander Mackendrick. Tony Curtis, berg and Long as siblings, or Guttenberg Claudia Cardinale, Sharon Tate, Robert in a skull cap and bloated facial makeup to Webber, Mort Sahl, Jim Backus, Edgar convey Parkinson’s disease radiation treatBergen, Joanna Barnes. The one gem out ments, or Guttenberg masquerading as a of nine million bad Tony Curtis comedy scruffy New Zealand biker, then maybe vehicles; satire on Southern California has you’ll find something to like in this romangood direction, funny performance by tic comedy of mistaken identity . . . but Sharon Tate, and a catchy title song sung by don’t tell her (or him) you did. Aka THE BOYFRIEND SCHOOL. [PG-13]▼●쩠 the Byrds. Good fun. Panavision.▼ Don’t Move (2004-Italian) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead (1991) C-105m. ★★ D: Stephen Herek. D: Sergio Castellitto. Pene´lope Cruz, Sergio Castellitto, Claudia Gerini, Angela FinocChristina Applegate, Joanna Cassidy, John chiaro, Pietro De Silva, Lina Berardi, Marco Getz, Keith Coogan, Josh Charles, David Giallini. Well-to-do Italian surgeon whose Duchovny, Kimmy Robertson, Eda Reiss daughter lies on the brink of death after a Merin, Jayne Brook, Cathy Ladman, Chrismotorcycle accident looks back on a torrid topher Plummer. Superficial comedy about affair with a poor prostitute 15 years earlier, kids whose babysitter dies, leaving them just before his child was conceived. Odd, to get along without supervision or money. very intense melodrama never quite comes The core of the film is not as bad as the together in the way it was intended. Offers title might suggest—that is, if you can get past an almost unrecognizable Cruz a showcase the first 15 minutes. Cassidy is a standout as for her acting chops; she delivers with an Applegate’s boss. [PG-13]▼●쩠 effective portrayal that won her the Italian Don’t Tempt Me (2001-Spanish-Frenchequivalent of the Oscar. Super 35. 쩠 Italian) C/B&W-108m. ★★★ D: Agustin Diaz Don’t Raise the Bridge, Lower the River Yanes. Pene´lope Cruz, Victoria Abril, De★★ (1968) C-99m. D: Jerry Paris. Jerry mia´n Bichir, Fanny Ardant, Gael Garcı´a BerLewis, Terry-Thomas, Jacqueline Pearce, nal, Juan Echanove, Emilio Gutı´errez Caba, Bernard Cribbins, Patricia Routledge. Jerry Cristina Marcos, Gemma Jones, Bruno Bichir, plays American in England whose get-richElena Anaya, Peter McDonald. Heaven and quick schemes have put him on verge of Hell assign agents Abril and Cruz to vie for divorce; mild Lewis comedy scripted by the soul of an embittered pro boxer. GangMax Wilk, from his novel. [G]▼쩠 sters, supermarket cashiers, and assorted Don’t Say a Word (2001) C-113m. ★★★ D: otherworldly emissaries all figure into this Gary Fleder. Michael Douglas, Sean Bean, oddball seriocomic fantasy. More than a litBrittany Murphy, Famke Janssen, Oliver tle Almodo´varesque, with some truly weird Platt, Jennifer Esposito, Skye McCole Barsoundtrack choices (‘‘Kung Fu Fighttusiak, Victor Argo. In order to rescue his ing’’?!?). Original title: SIN NOTICIAS daughter from kidnappers, a successful DE DIOS. Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 N.Y.C. psychiatrist must unlock a secret Don’t Turn the Other Cheek (1973-Italguarded for ten years by a mental patient ian) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Duccio Tessari. Franco (Murphy)—on a one-day deadline. EnterNero, Lynn Redgrave, Eli Wallach, Marilu taining thriller builds to a conventional Tolo, Horst Janson. Slapstick spaghetti Hollywood-style ending and a silly final Western detailing exploits of unlikely trio: a scene, but the pace never flags and the cast fiery, revolution-fomenting Irish journalist is first-rate. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 (Redgrave), a bogus Russian prince (Nero), Don’t Tell (2005-Italian) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: and a seedy Mexican bandit (Wallach) with Cristina Comencini. Giovanna Mezzogiproverbial heart of gold. Aka LONG LIVE orno, Alessio Boni, Stefania Rocca, Angela YOUR DEATH. Techniscope. [PG]▼ Finocchiaro, Giuseppe Battiston, Luigi Lo Don’t Worry, We’ll Think of a Title Cascio. A woman seemingly content in her (1966) 83m. BOMB D: Harmon Jones. marriage and career discovers she is pregMorey Amsterdam, Rose Marie, Joey nant at about the same time she starts havAdams, Danny Thomas, Milton Berle, Nick ing nightmares about her earlier life. She Adams. Grade-Z shambles, despite many contacts her brother, a professor at a U.S. guest cameos by big TV and movie stars. university, to help her uncover the secret in Start worrying when you turn it on. their family’s past and unlock the answers Doogal (2005-British) C-79m. ★1⁄2 D: Dave that will enable her to move on. Melodrama Borthwick, Jean Duval, Frank Passingham. is slow moving and hard to crack at times, Voices of Daniel Tay, Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi but has fine performances and an intriguing Goldberg, Judi Dench, William H. Macy, story that grows on you. Comencini coChevy Chase, Jon Stewart, Ian McKellen, adapted her own novel. [R]쩠 Kevin Smith, Kylie Minogue. A group of pets Don’t Tell Her It’s Me (1990) C-101m. takes on a quest to stop a power-mad wizard ★1⁄2 D: Malcolm Mowbray. Steve Guttenwho has encased their village (and their berg, Jami Gertz, Shelley Long, Kyle human owners) in ice. Pedestrian computerMacLachlan, Kevin Scannell, Madchen animated film is aimed strictly at kids. Based [ 373 ]

on a 1960s British children’s TV series, The inhabited by a rather odd-acting population. Magic Roundabout, and originally released in Topical, thought-provoking mystery-thriller, England under that title with an all-star British not at all bad of its type. Based on the British TV series of the same name.▼쩠 voice cast (including Tom Baker, Jim Broadbent, Joanna Lumley, and Robbie Williams). Door in the Floor, The (2004) C-111m. ★★★ [G]쩠 D: Tod Williams. Jeff Bridges, Kim Doolins of Oklahoma, The (1949) 90m. Basinger, Jon Foster, Elle Fanning, Bijou ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Douglas. Randolph Scott, Phillips, Mimi Rogers, Robert LuPone, George Macready, Louise Allbritton, John Donna Murphy, Louis Arcella. Noted chilIreland. Action-packed Western with Scott dren’s book writer/illustrator hires a college as head of the Doolin gang, who decides to student as his assistant for the summer. The give up his life of crime.▼ boy has no idea what he’s in for, as the man Doom (2005-British-Czech-German-U.S.) Cand his wife are reeling from a family tragedy 100m. BOMB D: Andrzej Bartkowiak. Karl and acting out in entirely different ways. Their Urban, The Rock, Rosamund Pike, DeObia young daughter, meanwhile, has problems of Oparei,BenDaniels, RazAdoti,Richard Brake, her own. Williams adapted the first section of Al Weaver, DexterFletcher, Brian Steele, Doug John Irving’s best-selling novel A Widow for Jones. Brainless, high-testosterone sci-fi–horror One Year to create this moving, multilayered drivel, with the ultra-macho Rapid Response drama. Despite superficial echoes of other stoTactical Squad ordered into action when ries, it has a feeling all its own. Fanning is scientists are mysteriously locked down in a Dakota Fanning’s younger sister. Bridges is at the top of his form. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 high-security lab located on Mars. Unimaginative ALIEN clone is all special effects, Doors, The (1991) C-135m. ★★1⁄2 D: Oligore, and noise; a dumb script and leaden ver Stone. Val Kilmer, Frank Whaley, pacing don’t help. Inspired by the controKevin Dillon, Meg Ryan, Kyle Macversial, wildly popular Doom video game. Lachlan, Billy Idol, Dennis Burkley, Josh Unrated director’s cut runs 113m. Super 35. Evans, Michael Madsen, Michael Wincott, [R]▼쩠 Kathleen Quinlan, John Densmore, Will Doom Generation, The (1995-U.S.Jordan, Mimi Rogers, Paul Williams, 1 ★ French) 85m. ⁄2 D: Gregg Araki. Rose Crispin Glover, Bill Graham, Billy Vera, McGowan, James Duval, Johnathon Schaech, Bill Kunstler, Wes Studi, Costas Mandylor. Margaret Cho, Lauren Tewes, Christopher Vivid impression of famed rocker Jim MorKnight, Parker Posey, Amanda Bearse, rison’s rise to fame, and eventual undoing. Heidi Fleiss. Two young lovers turn their Stone masterfully recreates the late ’60s/ lives upside down when they pick up a danearly ’70s rock and drug scene, and Kilmer gerous drifter who involves them in murder is perfect in the lead . . . but when it’s all and a sexual triangle. Bleak, bleak view of over you don’t know very much more about the younger generation makes KIDS look Morrison than when the film began. The like THE LITTLE MERMAID. ▼쩠 film’s excesses also tend to parallel Mor★★ D: Doomsday (2008-British) C-105m. rison’s. Stone appears briefly as a UCLA Neil Marshall. Rhona Mitra, Bob Hoskins, film professor. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Adrian Lester, Alexander Siddig, David Door-to-Door Maniac (1961) 80m. ★1⁄2 O’Hara, Malcolm McDowell, Craig ConD: Bill Karn. Johnny Cash, Donald Woods, way. Shamelessly derivative, ultraviolent Cay Forrester, Pamela Mason, Midge Ware, postapocalyptic thriller in which the British Victor Tayback, Ronny Howard, Merle authorities dispatch feisty action heroine Travis. Cash and Tayback plot a bank Mitra and a band of mercenaries to sealedrobbery. Of interest only for the cast; also known as FIVE MINUTES TO LIVE.▼쩠 off Scotland to find a cure for a deadly virus. Their foes include a standard-issue Dopamine (2003) C-79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mark mad scientist (McDowell) and a MohawkDecena. John Livingston, Sabrina Lloyd, coiffed zombie (Conway), who may as well William Windom, Bruno Campos, Rueben be a refugee from a MAD MAX movie. Grundy, Kathleen Antonia, Nicole Wilder. Unrated DVD runs 113m. Super 35. [R]쩠 Hit-and-miss ‘‘relationship’’ movie about a Doomsday Machine, The (1972) C-88m. computer programmer (Livingston) who has BOMB D: Lee Sholem, Harry Hope. Denny difficulty interacting with women, and his Miller, Mala Powers, Bobby Van, Ruta connection to equally troubled kindergarten Lee, Grant Williams, Henry Wilcoxon. teacher Lloyd. Director-coscripter Decena atTired cast in lumpy, stultifyingly boring tempts to offer a novel, perceptive take on melodrama about scientists on a space voymodern romance; sincere, occasionally inage who are constantly bickering. Aka ESsightful, but static and talky. HD 24P Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 CAPE FROM PLANET EARTH. ▼쩠 Doomwatch (1972-British) C-92m. ★★★ Doppelganger SEE: Journey to the Far D: Peter Sasdy. Ian Bannen, Judy Geeson, Side of the Sun George Sanders, John Paul, Simon Oates, Doppelganger: The Evil Within (1992) Geoffrey Keen. Dr. Bannen investigates C-104m. BOMB D: Avi Nesher. Drew the effects of radioactivity on an island Barrymore, George Newbern, Dennis Chris[ 374 ]

topher, Leslie Hope, Sally Kellerman, Carter, Will Geer, Hope Emerson, Glenn George Maharis, Luana Anders. ScreenStrange, Rock Hudson. O’Connor is wouldwriter Newbern’s roommate, heiress Barbe buccaneer who seeks to win his sweetrymore, claims her doppelganger (ghostly heart and expose crooked city official. Light double) is killing off her family in this sick, satire which doesn’t quite come off.쩠 nonsensical, would-be slasher film. Loud Double Dragon (1994) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: (and corny) music renders the dialogue unJames Yukich. Robert Patrick, Mark Dacascos, intelligible, which is actually no loss. Scott Wolf, Julia Nickson, Kristina Malandro Drew’s mother, Jaid Barrymore, plays her Wagner, John Mallory Asher, Leon Russom, mom on-screen. [R]▼●쩠 Alyssa Milano, Michael Berryman, Vanna Dorian Gray (1970-Italian-German-LichWhite, George Hamilton. In the junky, gangtensteinian) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Massimo Dalladominated post-earthquake ‘‘New Angeles’’ mano. Helmut Berger, Richard Todd, Herof 2007, martial artist brothers Dacascos and bert Lom, Marie Liljedahl, Margaret Lee. Wolf battle evil billionaire Patrick for the posTrashy, slow-moving filmization of Oscar session of a two-part Chinese medallion that Wilde’s novel, updated to the present: vain, grants mystical powers. Sometimes lively but immoral young man (Berger) ceases to mostly silly and tedious; based on an arcade game. [PG-13]▼●쩠 grow older—his portrait ages instead. 1945’s THE PICTURE OF DORIAN Double Dynamite (1951) 80m. ★★ D: IrGRAY is vastly superior. Aka THE SEving Cummings. Frank Sinatra, Jane RusCRET OF DORIAN GRAY. [R]▼ sell, Groucho Marx, Don McGuire. Sinatra Do the Right Thing (1989) C-120m. ★★★ plays a bank clerk falsely accused of robbery. D: Spike Lee. Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis, Flat comedy marked a career low point for all three of its stars. Filmed in 1948.▼쩠 Ruby Dee, Richard Edson, Giancarlo Esposito, Spike Lee, Bill Nunn, John Double Edge (1992-U.S.-Israeli) C-86m. ★★1 Turturro, Paul Benjamin, Frankie Faison, ⁄2 D: Amos Kollek. Faye Dunaway, Robin Harris, John Savage, Sam (Samuel Amos Kollek, Mohammad Bakri, Makram L.) Jackson, Rosie Perez, Martin LawKhouri, Anat Atzmon. Dunaway is well rence. Idealized, individualistic look at cast as an overly ambitious American life in the black community of Bedfordreporter covering the Arab-Israeli conflict Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, where a whitein this uneven drama about journalistic obowned pizza parlor flourishes . . . and jectivity and responsibility. Never quite dewhere circumstance leads to an outbreak livers as it should, but it does effectively of hostilities on a sweltering summer day. mix fiction with fact, as Dunaway interEntertaining and provocative, with a views Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek (the much-discussed (and troubling) finale. director-actor-screenwriter’s father) and Writer-director Lee also stars as Mookie, other real-life political figures. [PG-13]▼ the delivery boy; his real-life sister Joie Double Happiness (1994-Canadian) Cplays his sister in the film. [R]▼●쩠 100m. ★★★ D: Mina Shum. Sandra Oh, Stedot the i (2003-British-Spanish) C-92m. phen Chang, Allanah Ong, Frances You, ★★1⁄2 D: Matthew Parkhill. Gael Garcı ´a BerCallum Rennie. Insightful, refreshingly unnal, Natalia Verbeke, James D’Arcy, Tom cliche´d tale of a free-thinking young Hardy, Charlie Cox, Yves Aubert. Fiery Chinese-Canadian woman (appealingly played Spanish woman is torn between her dull by Oh), an aspiring actress whose Old World but devoted fiance´ and a more attractive, parents are pressuring her to find a boyfriend passionate man she chances to meet one and marry. Writer-director Shum does not evening. Their relationship grows more paint the parents as stodgy villains; they just fervent—and more dangerous—with each want what they feel is best for the daughter passing day, but all is not what it seems to they love. Bright touches of humor enhance this charming film. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 be. Debut film for writer-director Parkhill is undeniably clever, but terribly self-conscious, Double Impact (1991) C-118m. ★★ D: and eventually runs out of steam. Bernal is Sheldon Lettich. Jean-Claude Van Damme, charismatic and completely at ease in his first Geoffrey Lewis, Alan Scarfe, Alonna Shaw, English-language film. Released in the U.S. Cory Everson. Identical twins are sepain 2005. [R]쩠 rated at six months when Hong Kong thugs Double Con SEE: Trick Baby murder their parents, only to be reunited in Double Confession (1950-British) 86m. revenge a quarter-century later. Van Damme’s ★★ attempts to delineate two characters (one D: Ken Annakin. Derek Farr, Joan Hopkins, Peter Lorre, William Hartnell, of them a gruff cigar-chomper) are nearly Kathleen Harrison, Naunton Wayne. Murky as goofy as one slow-motion love scene; melodrama at a seaside resort: an innocent studio press material, praising this Van man tries to set someone else up as a murder Damme career stretch, extolled ‘‘the light, suspect in his wife’s mysterious death, only to charming side of his persona that we haven’t get involved with some real killers.▼ seen before.’’ [R]▼●쩠 Double Crossbones (1951) C-75m. ★★ D: Double Indemnity (1944) 106m. ★★★★ D: Charles Barton. Donald O’Connor, Helena Billy Wilder. Barbara Stanwyck, Fred [ 375 ]

MacMurray, Edward G. Robinson, Porter Double Negative (1980-Canadian) C-96m. ★1 Hall, Tom Power, Fortunio Bonanova, Jean ⁄2 D: George Bloomfield. Michael SarraHeather, Bess Flowers. Wilder–Raymond zin, Susan Clark, Anthony Perkins, HowChandler script (from the James M. Cain ard Duff, Kate Reid, Al Waxman, Elizabeth novel) packs fireworks in account of insurShepherd, John Candy, Joe Flaherty. Conance salesman MacMurray lured into murder fusing, annoying thriller with mentally torplot by alluring Stanwyck and subsequent intured photojournalist Sarrazin attempting to vestigation by Fred’s colleague Robinson. track down his wife’s murderer. Sarrazin is An American movie classic, with crackling his usual bland self; Clark is wasted. Based dialogue throughout. Remade for TV in on Ross Macdonald’s The Three Roads. 1973 with Richard Crenna and Samantha Aka DEADLY COMPANION.▼ Eggar, and the obvious inspiration for LawDouble or Nothing (1937) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: rence Kasdan’s BODY HEAT. ▼●쩠 Theodore Reed. Bing Crosby, Martha Raye, Double Jeopardy (1999) C-105m. ★★★ D: Andy Devine, Mary Carlisle, William FrawBruce Beresford. Tommy Lee Jones, Ashley, Fay Holden, Frances Faye. Entertaining ley Judd, Bruce Greenwood, Annabeth Gish, musical about four people given 30 days to Roma Maffia, Davenia McFadden. Woman is double gifts of $5000. Several good specialty framed for the murder of her husband; while acts thrown in for good measure, and Bing serving the jail sentence she learns he’s sings ‘‘The Moon Got in My Eyes.’’쩠 alive and vows revenge, especially since she Double Take (2001) C-88m. BOMB D: can’t be tried twice for the same crime. George Gallo. Orlando Jones, Eddie Griffin, Slick entertainment gives you pretty much Edward Herrmann, Gary Grubbs, Shawn Elwhat you’d expect. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 liott, Brent Briscoe, Daniel Roebuck, Garcelle Double Life, A (1947) 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Beauvais, Andrea Navedo. Slick, awful buddy George Cukor. Ronald Colman, Signe pic about a buppie banker who swaps identiHasso, Edmond O’Brien, Shelley Winties with a ghetto con artist when he’s framed ters, Ray Collins, Millard Mitchell. Colfor laundering millions for a Mexican drug man gives a bravura, Oscar-winning percartel. Full of car crashes and south-of-theformance as an actor whose stage roles border caricatures . . . and perpetuates that old spill over into his life—and now he’s about stereotype that all black people look alike. to play Othello. Brilliant melodrama by Inexplicably based on a Graham Greene Ruth Gordon and Garson Kanin, with wonshort story, filmed before as ACROSS THE derful New York theater flavor. Miklos BRIDGE. Vivica A. Fox appears unbilled. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Rozsa’s fine score also won an Oscar. Watch for playwright Paddy Chayefsky as a Double Team (1997) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Tsui crime-scene photographer. ▼쩠 Hark. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Dennis Double Life of Veronique, The (1991Rodman, Mickey Rourke, Paul Freeman, Polish-French) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Krzysztof Natacha Lindinger, Valeria Cavalli. MisKieslowski. Ire`ne Jacob, Wladyslaw Komatched buddy film with Van Damme as a walski, Guillaume de Tonquedec, Philippe world-class counterterrorist who teams with Volter. Two women (one Polish, one weapons expert Rodman in a quest to stop French, both played by Jacob) subtly afMickey Rourke (not a bad idea). Pointless fect each other’s lives while remaining action thriller from cult Hong Kong director total strangers. Unfolds like a half-hour Hark. Scenes in which the hero’s baby is teleplay with a supernatural premise stretched placed in constant jeopardy would be hard to 11⁄2 hours. Film, though, has enough to stomach even in a coherent film—which going for it to pick up a cult, for which this isn’t. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 luminous lead Jacob deserves credit.▼●쩠 Double Trouble (1962) SEE: Swingin’ Double Man, The (1967-British) C-105m. Along ★★1 ⁄2 D: Franklin Schaffner. Yul Brynner, Double Trouble (1967) C-90m. ★★ D: Britt Ekland, Clive Revill, Anton Diffring, Norman Taurog. Elvis Presley, Annette Moira Lister, Lloyd Nolan. Unconvincing Day, John Williams, Yvonne Romain, The spy thriller with Brynner playing both Wiere Brothers, Chips Rafferty, Michael unemotional C.I.A. agent and East GerMurphy. Teen-age heiress falls for pop man lookalike. Excellent photography by singer Presley when he’s performing in Denys Coop. England; usual Elvis fare, but he does sing Double McGuffin, The (1979) C-89m. ‘‘Long Legged Girl,’’ one of his best post★★1 Army tunes. Panavision.▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Joe Camp. Ernest Borgnine, George Kennedy, Elke Sommer, Rod Browning, Double Wedding (1937) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dion Pride, Lisa Whelchel, Jeff Nicholson, Richard Thorpe. William Powell, Myrna Loy, Michael Gerard, Vincent Spano. Teenagers Florence Rice, John Beal, Jessie Ralph, Edgar stumble onto clues leading to assassination Kennedy, Sidney Toler, Mary Gordon, Donplot, but no one will believe them. Familyald Meek. Loy’s orchestration of her sister’s oriented thriller from creator of BENJI. Orson wedding is upset by the presence of freeWelles explains film’s title at the outset, for spirited bohemian Powell. The stars are the non-Hitchcock devotees. [PG]▼쩠 whole show in this otherwise disappointing [ 376 ]

adaptation of Ferenc Molna´r’s play Great Little Richard, Tracy Nelson, Elizabeth Love. ▼쩠 Pena, Evan Richards, Valerie Curtin, Barry Doubt (2008) C-104m. ★★★ D: John Patrick Primus, Dorothy Tristan, Alexis Arquette, Shanley. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Mike the Dog. Bum moves in with neuroHoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis, Alice tic, nouveau-riche Bev Hills family and Drummond, Audrie Neenan, Joseph Foster takes over their lives. Slick, often funny, II, Paulie Litt. In a Bronx parish, circa 1964, but unusually obvious satire for Mazursky a relentlessly stern nun who serves as high (who also appears as one of Dreyfuss’ school principal suspects that her gregarious fat-cat friends). Some good performances, priest is showing unnatural interest in the though Mike the Dog easily steals the school’s first black student. She has cerfilm. A remake of Renoir’s BOUDU tainty on her side; now she needs proof. SAVED FROM DROWNING. Later a TV Often-electrifying drama is played out by a series. [R]▼●쩠 peerless cast, though its power must have Down Argentine Way (1940) C-90m. ★★★ been even greater onstage, where it origiD: Irving Cummings. Don Ameche, Betty nated. Shanley adapted his own play. Davis Grable, Carmen Miranda, Charlotte Greenshines as the student’s mother in one exwood, J. Carrol Naish, Henry Stephenson, tended, unforgettable scene. [PG-13]쩠 Leonid Kinskey. Enjoyable 20th CenturyDoughboys (1930) 79m. ★1⁄2 D: Edward Fox musical with Grable (in the movie that Sedgwick. Buster Keaton, Sally Eilers, boosted her to stardom) falling in love Cliff Edwards, Edward Brophy, Victor Potel. with smooth Argentinian horse breeder One of Buster’s worst films; a tiresome Army Ameche. Miranda is terrific in her first comedy. Obnoxious sergeant Brophy overAmerican movie, performing infectious Brarides few comic moments; some bright spots zilian songs with her own band . . . and with ‘‘Ukulele Ike’’ Edwards. ▼● look out for the Nicholas Brothers, who do Doughgirls, The (1944) 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: a dynamite specialty number. PictureJames V. Kern. Ann Sheridan, Alexis postcard color throughout.▼●쩠 Smith, Jane Wyman, Eve Arden, Jack Down by Law (1986) 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jim Carson, Charlie Ruggles, Alan Mowbray, Jarmusch. Tom Waits, John Lurie, RoCraig Stevens, Regis Toomey. Brittle comberto Benigni, Ellen Barkin, Billie Neal, edy, another tale of crowded wartime WashRockets Redglare, Vernel Bagneris, Nicoington, with newlyweds Carson and Wyman letta Braschi. Third feature by writer-director on hectic honeymoon. Arden stands out as Jarmusch is intriguing, amusing, and ever Russian army officer. so slight, a look at three losers who wind Doug’s 1st Movie (1999) C-77m. ★1⁄2 up in jail together—and then make a break D: Maurice Joyce. Voices of Thomas for it. Really comes alive when Italian McHugh, Fred Newman, Chris Phillips, Concomic Benigni turns up. Slow moving, stance Shulman, Doug Preis, Alice Playten. strikingly photographed (in black & white) The star of TV’s animated Doug is featured in by Robby Mu¨ller on location in Louisiana. this bland, formulaic story, strictly for kids. Costars Lurie and Waits also provide muMild-mannered preteen Doug Funnie’s efsic on the soundtrack. [R]▼●쩠 forts to save a local endangered ‘‘monster’’ Downfall (2004-German) C-155m. ★★★1⁄2 conflict with his desire to take his girlfriend to D: Oliver Hirschbiegel. Bruno Ganz, Alexthe school dance. [G] ▼● andra Maria Lara, Corinna Harfouch, Ulrich Doulos—The Finger Man SEE: Le Doulos Matthes, Juliane Ko¨hler, Heino Ferch, ChrisDove, The (1974) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles tian Berkel, Matthias Habich, Thomas Jarrott. Joseph Bottoms, Deborah Raffin, Kretschmann. Riveting dramatization of HitJohn McLiam, Dabney Coleman. Pleasant ler’s final days in and around his Berlin bunround-the-world adventure based on true ker, as the Nazi leader descends into madness story of 16-year-old who sails to every and paranoia and his adjutants respond in varimaginable port. Produced by Gregory Peck. ious ways, from jumping ship to standing firm Filmed on location. Panavision. [PG]▼ alongside their Fuhrer. Inspired in part by the Down Among the Z Men (1952-British) memories of his young secretary, Traudl 70m. ★★ D: Maclean Rogers. Harry SeJunge (interviewed on screen in BLIND combe, Peter Sellers, Carole Carr, Spike SPOT), whose words bookend the film. Long Milligan, Clifford Stanton, Graham Stark, but thoroughly engrossing; Ganz is outstandMiriam Karlin. Creaky vehicle for radio’s ing. Screenplay by Bernd Eichinger. [R]쩠 The Goons in story of criminals who visit Downhill (1927-British) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alsmall town to steal a professor’s secret fred Hitchcock. Ivor Novello, Ben Webscientific formula. Some good bits, especially ster, Robin Irvine, Sybil Rhoda, Lillian Sellers doing impressions of Yank soldiers, Braithwaite, Isabel Jeans, Ian Hunter. Schebut overloaded with dull song-and-dance matic silent film charts a man’s spiritual slide, beginning when, as a schoolboy, he is numbers by a female chorus line.▼●쩠 Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986) disowned by his family after an indiscretion C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Mazursky. Nick with a girl, and later as an adult when his Nolte, Richard Dreyfuss, Bette Midler, wife fritters away his unexpected inheri[ 377 ]

tance. Major debit: the contrived happy endvants downstairs. Gilbert delivers an audaing. Lesser Hitchcock boasts the master’s cious performance that more than any other visual flair. Cowritten by Novello. redeems his maligned reputation as a ‘‘talkie’’ Downhill Racer (1969) C-102m. ★★★ D: actor; he also gets story credit for the film. Michael Ritchie. Robert Redford, Gene Leading lady Bruce was then his wife. Karen Hackman, Camilla Sparv, Karl Michael Morley appears unbilled in final scene. Vogler, Jim McMullan, Christian Doermer, Down the Drain (1990) C-105m. ★★ D: Dabney Coleman. Vivid study of an empty Robert C. Hughes. Andrew Stevens, John life, with Redford as small-town egotist Matuszak, Don Stroud, Teri Copley, Jowho joins U.S. Olympic ski team. Basically seph Campanella, Stella Stevens, Jerry a character study; problem is an unappealing Mathers, Buck Flower, Pedro Gonzalezcharacter. Dazzling ski scenes make lulls Gonzalez, Benny (The Jet) Urquidez. Lawworth enduring. Ritchie’s feature directorial yer Stevens, with the help of his clients, debut. [M/PG]▼● pulls off a bank robbery. Strictly ho-hum. Down in the Delta (1998) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 [R]▼● D: Maya Angelou. Alfre Woodard, Al FreeDown to Earth (1947) C-101m. ★★ D: man, Jr., Wesley Snipes, Mary Alice, Esther Alexander Hall. Rita Hayworth, Larry Parks, Rolle, Loretta Devine. With her life a mess Marc Platt, Roland Culver, James Gleason, and virtually no hope of employment, single Edward Everett Horton. Terpsichore, the mom Woodard boards the bus with her two Goddess of Dance (Hayworth), comes to children to spend the summer in the MissisEarth to help Parks with his mythological sippi Delta, living with relatives and working musical play. Rita’s beauty is only asset of in their chicken restaurant. Episodic drama this hack musical, which appropriates recovers from clumsy exposition to win points Gleason, Horton, and Culver characters from for sheer likability, though it’s put over almost HERE COMES MR. JORDAN. Remade as XANADU.▼●쩠 exclusively by its cast. Woodard shines, and Freeman gives one of the best performances Down to Earth (2001) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: of his career. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Chris Weitz, Paul Weitz. Chris Rock, ReDown in the Valley (2006) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 gina King, Chazz Palminteri, Eugene Levy, D: David Jacobson. Edward Norton, Evan Frankie Faison, Mark Addy, Jennifer CooRachel Wood, David Morse, Rory Culkin, lidge, Greg Germann, Wanda Sykes, Greg Bruce Dern, Geoffrey Lewis, Artel Kaya`ru, Cho. A would-be standup comic is taken to Ty Burrell. Interesting attempt to merge a heaven before his time, then returned to life classic Western motif into a contemporary in the body of a ruthless tycoon. Appallstory set in Southern California’s San Feringly clumsy remake of HEAVEN CAN nando Valley, where a 30-something charmer WAIT (and its source, HERE COMES MR. rides into the life of an impressionable teenJORDAN), reshaped as a vehicle for Rock. age girl. Their romance goes awry as he He shines when he’s doing a comedy riff, reveals his true personality. Norton, recallbut his acting is monotonous. [PG-13]▼쩠 ing a young Henry Fonda, is excellent, but Down to the Bone (2005) C-105m. ★★★ D: writer-director Jacobson introduces and then Debra Granik. Vera Farmiga, Hugh Dillon, drops too many story threads. Intriguing if Clint Jordan, Caridad ‘‘La Bruja’’ De La violent character study seems like the bastard Luz, Jasper Moon Daniels, Taylor Foxhall. child of TAXI DRIVER and LONELY ARE Working-class woman tries to keep her THE BRAVE. Panavision. [R]쩠 family and home intact while feeding a coDown Periscope (1996) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: caine habit. Going through rehab helps her David S. Ward. Kelsey Grammer, Lauren on a short-term basis but presents her with Holly, Bruce Dern, Rob Schneider, Rip other challenges—and choices—after she Torn, Harry Dean Stanton, William H. comes to trust an addict-turned-counselor Macy, Ken Hudson Campbell, Toby Huss, (Dillon). Superior fly-on-the-wall filmmaking Duane Martin, Harland Williams. Maverick is anchored by Farmiga’s remarkably honest naval officer is finally given a submarine to performance. Based on writer-director Grancommand, but it turns out to be a mothik’s 1997 short SNAKE FEED, which won a balled wreck—with a crew that’s not much prize at Sundance—as did this film.쩠 better. But if he can prove his mettle (and Down to the Sea in Ships (1949) 120m. ★★★ the ship’s) in a war-game environment, he D: Henry Hathaway. Richard Widmark, can graduate to a first-class nuclear sub. Lionel Barrymore, Dean Stockwell, Cecil Mild comedy follows the misfits-makeKellaway, Gene Lockhart. Young Stockwell good formula fairly well. [PG-13]▼●쩠 fulfills seafaring goal on crusty Barrymore’s Downstairs (1932) 77m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Monta whaling ship, under guidance of sailor Bell. John Gilbert, Paul Lukas, Virginia Widmark. Good atmospheric yarn. Bruce, Hedda Hopper, Reginald Owen, Olga Downtown (1990) C-96m. ★★ D: RichBaclanova. Crackling, adult drama about a ard Benjamin. Anthony Edwards, Forest heel who sleeps and cajoles his way from one Whitaker, Joe Pantoliano, David Clennon, Pewealthy household to another—using both the nelope Ann Miller, Kimberly Scott, Art mistresses of the houses upstairs and the serEvans, Rick Aiello. Naive white cop Edwards [ 378 ]

is transferred from easy suburban precinct to rero, Manuel Arbo. Spanish-language adaptatough downtown area of Philadelphia and tion of the horror classic was filmed simultateamed with a sad, streetwise loner (Whineously with the Hollywood version—at taker); together they go after a peculiar stolennight, on the very same sets—but much of car ring. Uneasy mix of farce, melodrama, the staging and camerawork is actually betand buddy movie looks something like a pilot ter! Other major difference: the women are for a (bad) TV series. [R]▼●쩠 dressed more provocatively. All that’s missDown to You (2000) C-91m. BOMB D: ing is an actor with the charisma of Lugosi Kris Isacsson. Freddie Prinze, Jr., Julia Stiles, in the lead.▼쩠 Shawn Hatosy, Selma Blair, Zak Orth, AshDracula (1958) SEE: Horror of Dracula ton Kutcher, Rosario Dawson, Henry WinkDracula (1979) C-109m. ★1⁄2 D: John ler, Lucie Arnaz. Prinze and Stiles futilely Badham. Frank Langella, Laurence Olivitry chumming us up by speaking directly er, Donald Pleasence, Kate Nelligan, Trevor into the camera, explaining how their onceEve, Janine Duvitski, Tony Haygarth. Murky idyllic college romance went bust (though retelling of Bram Stoker classic, with Langelnot as bust as the movie). Somehow, this la’s acclaimed Broadway characterization lost manages to find room for subplots about a amid trendy horror gimmicks and ill-conTV cooking show (hosted by Winkler, as ceived changes in original story. Filmed in Prinze’s dad) and a buddy who dabbles as England. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 an adult-movie entrepreneur with a kind of Dracula (1992) SEE: BramStoker’s Dracula bohemian/intellectual porn actress. NumbDracula A.D. 1972 (1972-British) C100m. ★★ D: Alan Gibson. Peter Cushing, ingly inept comedy. [PG-13]▼쩠 Down Twisted (1987) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Christopher Lee, Stephanie Beacham, MiAlbert Pyun. Carey Lowell, Charles Rocket, chael Coles, Christopher Neame, Caroline Trudi Dochtermann, Thom Matthews, NorMunro. Farfetched, confusing tale of bert Weisser, Linda Kerridge, Nicholas modern-day descendant of Dr. Van Helsing Guest. Unremittingly complicated, and un(Cushing) battling recently revived vampire satisfying, caper yarn with innocent young (Lee). Somewhat jarring to see Dracula woman suddenly caught up in web of amid 1970s youth setting. Aka DRACULA intrigue when she’s thought to have a TODAY. Followed by THE SATANIC priceless artifact the bad guys are after. RITES OF DRACULA. [PG]▼쩠 Echoes of other (better) movies abound.[R]▼ Dracula and Son (1979-French) C-78m. ★1⁄2 Down With Love (2003) C-94m. ★★ D: D: Eduard Molinaro. Christopher Lee, BerPeyton Reed. Rene´e Zellweger, Ewan nard Menez, Marie-Helene Breillat, Catherine McGregor, David Hyde Pierce, Sarah PaulBreillat, Jack Boudet. Limp horror satire son, Tony Randall, Jeri Ryan, Rachel Dratch. chronicling the comic misadventures of the Spoof of 1960s Doris Day–Rock Hudson title vampire (Lee) and his bumbling offcomedies has Zellweger as the author of a spring (Menez); they become rivals for the best-selling book on female independence pretty heroine. Virtually destroyed by groin a battle of the sexes with playboy/magazine tesquely inappropriate English dubbing. writer McGregor. Andrew Laws’ lush, overAka DRACULA, FATHER AND SON and DRACULA PERE ET FILS. [PG]▼ the-top Hollywood-fantasy production design is the real star here; everything else is heavyDracula: Dead and Loving It (1995) C90m. ★★ D: Mel Brooks. Leslie Nielsen, handed and hollow, a self-consciously artificial parody of an already lightweight Peter MacNicol, Steven Weber, Amy Yasmovie genre. Randall’s final film. Panavibeck, Lysette Anthony, Harvey Korman, sion. [PG-13]▼쩠 Mel Brooks, Mark Blankfield, Megan CavaDo You Want to Dance With Me? SEE: nagh, Clive Revill, Chuck McCann, Avery Come Dance With Me! Schreiber, Charlie Callas, Anne Bancroft. Drabble SEE: Black Windmill, The Dracula gets the Mel Brooks treatment in this parody which spends so much time reDracula (1931) 75m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Tod Browning. Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen telling the familiar Transylvanian’s story it Chandler, Dwight Frye, Edward Van Sloan, forgets to be funny. There are choice moHerbert Bunston, Frances Dade. Classic ments for Brooks fans . . . just not enough. horror film of Transylvanian vampire working The cast mugs its best, including MacNicol his evil spell on perplexed group of Londonas Renfield, Brooks as Dr. Van Helsing, ers. Lugosi’s most famous role with his definKorman in an amusing impression of Nigel itive interpretation of the Count, ditto Frye as Bruce, and Nielsen as the suavely sinister looney Renfield and Van Sloan as unflappable Count. Bancroft has a delightful cameo as ‘‘Madame Ouspenskaya.’’ [PG-13]▼●쩠 Professor Van Helsing. Reissued on video with a new score by Philip Glass. Sequel: Dracula, Father and Son SEE: Dracula DRACULA’S DAUGHTER.▼●쩠 and Son Dracula (1931) 103m. ★★★ D: George Dracula Has Risen From The Grave (1968-British) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Freddie Melford. Carlos Villar (Villarias), Lupita Tovar, Pablo Alvarez Rubio, Barry NorFrancis. Christopher Lee, Rupert Davies, ton, Eduardo Arozamena, Carmen GuerVeronica Carlson, Barbara Ewing, Barry [ 379 ]

Andrews, Michael Ripper. Dracula runs its era better than almost anything. Highly recommended on a nonesthetic level.▼ afoul of small-town monsignor when he pursues the churchman’s beautiful blonde Dragnet (1987) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom niece. Pretty good Hammer horror, third Mankiewicz. Dan Aykroyd, Tom Hanks, in the series. Sequel: TASTE THE BLOOD Christopher Plummer, Harry Morgan, AlOF DRACULA. [G]▼●쩠 exandra Paul, Jack O’Halloran, Elizabeth Dracula—Prince of Darkness (1966-British) Ashley, Dabney Coleman. Aykroyd is a C-90m. ★★ D: Terence Fisher. Christopher comic reincarnation of Jack Webb, playing Lee, Barbara Shelley, Andrew Keir, Suzan Sgt. Joe Friday’s dense but dedicated Farmer. Sequel to HORROR OF DRACULA nephew in this parody. Hanks is fun as doesn’t measure up. The vampiric Count his freewheeling new partner, with Morgan, (Lee) is revived by a servant and wreaks Webb’s onetime sidekick, now promoted to terror on a group of tourists in a secluded captain of the L.A.P.D. Starts out quite funny, castle. Techniscope.▼●쩠 then goes flat . . . but the punchline is a howl. Dracula’s Daughter (1936) 70m. ★★★ D: Aykroyd coscripted with Mankiewicz and Alan Zweibel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Lambert Hillyer. Gloria Holden, Otto Kruger, Marguerite Churchill, Irving PicDragon and the Cobra SEE: Fist of Fear, hel, Edward Van Sloan, Nan Grey, Hedda Touch of Death Hopper. Sequel to the Lugosi classic deDragonball: Evolution (2009-U.S.-Hong Kong) C-85m. ★★ D: James Wong. Justin picts vampirish activities of Holden; Pichel adds imposing support as her sinister manChatwin, Chow Yun-Fat, Emmy Rossum, servant. Hillyer, normally a B-Western diJamie Chung, James Marsters, Joon Park, rector, manages to imbue this chiller with a Eriko Tamura, Randall Duk Kim, Ernie moody, subtly sensual quality. ▼●쩠 Hudson. Young man trained in mystic marDracula’s Dog (1978) C-90m. ★★ D: Altial arts by his grandfather has to gather bert Band. Jose Ferrer, Michael Pataki, Reseven magical balls to make a wish that ggie Nalder, Jan Shutan, Libbie Chase, John will save the world from the return of the Levin. Transylvanian vampire and bloodsupernatural villain Lord Piccolo. Based on thirsty dog, endowed with vampirish traits by the phenomenally popular Japanese manga, the original Count, go to L.A. to find Dracuwhich spawned three anime TV series and la’s last living descendant. Horror cheapie seventeen animated feature films. Lively and with admittedly novel twist. Retitled ZOLcolorful (with a mildly amusing turn by TAN, HOUND OF DRACULA. [R]▼쩠 scruffy martial arts master Chow) and laden Dracula 2000 SEE: Wes Craven Presents: with extravagant special effects, this is, noneDracula 2000 theless, just colorful eyewash, barely compreDracula’s Widow (1989) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: hensible to non-initiates. Super 35. [PG] Christopher Coppola. Josef Sommer, SylDragonfly (1976) SEE: One Summer Love Dragonfly (2002) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom via Kristel, Lenny Von Dohlen, Stefan Schnabel, Marc Coppola, Rachel Jones. Shadyac. Kevin Costner, Kathy Bates, Joe Kristel plays the title character, who comes Morton, Ron Rifkin, Linda Hunt, Susanna to L.A. and takes up residence at a wax Thompson, Jacob Vargas, Jay Thomas, Matt museum. Dull, minor fare. Twenty-fiveCraven. An emergency room physician, year-old director Coppola is the nephew of grieving for his dead wife, receives a series Francis. Filmed in 1987. [R]▼ of signals from her—including messages Dracula Today SEE: Dracula A.D. 1972 from young patients who’ve had near-death Dracula vs. Frankenstein (1970) SEE: Asexperiences. But what do they mean? More signment Terror drawn out than it needs to be, but an intriDracula vs. Frankenstein (1971) C-90m. guing and unusual story of one man’s spiriBOMB D: Al Adamson. J. Carrol Naish, tual—and physical—odyssey. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Lon Chaney, Jr., Zandor Vorkov, Russ Tamblyn, Jim Davis, Anthony Eisley. SelfDragonheart (1996) C-103m. ★★★ D: Rob conscious comedy masquerading as horror Cohen. Dennis Quaid, Sean Connery (voice film wasting talents of old-timers Naish and only), David Thewlis, Dina Meyer, Julie Chaney; Dracula makes deal with aging Dr. Christie, Pete Postlethwaite, Jason Isaacs, Frankenstein so as to have steady supply of Brian Thompson, Lee Oakes, Wolf Chrisblood. Regrettably, both Naish and Chatian, Terry O’Neill. Highly unusual fable ney’s final film. Aka THE REVENGE OF about a knight ‘‘of the old school’’ (in the DRACULA. [PG]▼●쩠 10th century A.D.) whose youthful king ★★★ Dragnet (1954) C-89m. D: Jack Webb. turns evil after having his life saved by a Jack Webb, Ben Alexander, Richard Boone, dragon who gives him half of his heart. Ann Robinson, Stacy Harris, Virginia Years later, the knight befriends that same Gregg, Dennis Weaver. ‘‘This is the dragon and joins with him to vanquish the city . . .’’ While investigating brutal murcruel king. Unlikely premise is made plausider, Sgt. Friday and Officer Frank Smith ble by Quaid’s persuasive performance and ignore 57 varieties of civil liberties; feathe commanding presence of Connery as ture film version of classic TV show evokes Drago (matched by the creature’s superior, [ 380 ]

state-of-the-art digital animation). Fine score There’s some fun in watching a flying Koby Randy Edelman. Followed by a direct-torean zoo take hold of the town, but that’s video sequel. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 about it. Also known as D-WAR. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Dragon Seed (1944) 145m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Conway, Harold S. Bucquet. Katharine Dragonworld (1994) C-84m. ★★★ D: Ted Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon, Nicolaou. Sam Mackenzie, Brittney Powell, Turhan Bey, Hurd Hatfield, Agnes MooreJohn Calvin, Lila Kaye, John Woodvine, head, Frances Rafferty, J. Carrol Naish, Courtland Mead, Andrew Keir, Jim Dunk. Akim Tamiroff, Henry Travers; narrated by Pleasant children’s film about a young Lionel Barrymore. Well-meant but overScottish laird forced by taxes to put his big long film of Pearl Buck’s tale of Chinese pet dragon on display in an amusement park. town torn asunder by Japanese occupation; Entertaining, good-looking movie (one of the fascinating attempts at Asian characterizabest from producer Charles Band), but did the tion. ▼쩠 plot have to be so similar to MIGHTY JOE Dragons Forever (1987-Hong Kong) C-94m. YOUNG? Good effects by Mark Rappaport ★★★1 and David Allen. [PG]▼● ⁄2 D: Samo Hung. Jackie Chan, Samo Hung, Yuen Biao, Yuen Wah, Benny UrDragonwyck (1946) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joquidez, Deannie Yip, Pauline Yeung. Simseph L. Mankiewicz. Gene Tierney, Walply delightful film has Chan playing a ter Huston, Vincent Price, Glenn Langan, lawyer who enlists crook Hung and cracked Anne Revere, Spring Byington, Henry friend Biao to help him spy on a woman (Harry) Morgan, Jessica Tandy. Period involved with a case. Everything changes chiller set at a gloomy mansion on the Hudwhen love blossoms. Action, comedy, and son, with good cast but episodic presentation. romance blend together seamlessly under Mankiewicz’s directorial debut; he also Hung’s direction. All three stars shine in scripted from the Anya Seton story.쩠 moments of incredible acrobatics and hilariDr. Akagi (1998-Japanese) C-128m. ★★★ ous slapstick. Aka CYCLONE Z. ▼●쩠 D: Shohei Imamura. Akira Emoto, Kumiko Dragonslayer (1981) C-108m. ★★★ D: MatAso, Juro Kara, Masanori Sera, Jacques thew Robbins. Peter MacNicol, Caitlin Gamblin, Keiko Matsuzaka. Pointed satiric Clarke, Ralph Richardson, John Hallam, drama set in the waning days of WW2 about Peter Eyre, Albert Salmi. Enjoyable fantasya small-town doctor who fears that a hepatiadventure about a sorcerer’s apprentice who tis epidemic is about to sweep his country. takes on the challenge of slaying a dragon— Savagely lampoons Japanese military buand finds he is in over his head. A bit scary reaucracy, but works best as a loving porand graphic for some kids. Filmed in England, trait of a dedicated man and those in his inner circle.▼쩠 Scotland, and Wales with a mostly British cast but American MacNicol in the lead— Dr. Alien (1988) C-87m. ★★ D: David somewhat incongruously. Fine Alex North DeCoteau. Judy Landers, Billy Jacoby, score. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Olivia Barash, Stuart Fratkin, Raymond Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993) O’Connor, Arlene Golonka, Linnea Quigley, Troy Donahue, Ginger Lynn Allen, Edy C-119m. ★★★ D: Rob Cohen. Jason Scott Lee, Lauren Holly, Robert Wagner, MiWilliams. Landers is an alien who dischael Learned, Nancy Kwan, Kay Tong guises herself as a college professor and Lim, Sterling Macer, Ric Young, Sventransforms freshman Jacoby from wimp to Ole Thorson. Corny but very likable biopic dreamboat. Silly stuff (with an all-star schlock movie supporting cast). [R]▼●쩠 about legendary action-movie star who died at age 33 in 1973. Plenty of martial-arts mayDrama of Jealousy, A SEE: Pizza Trihem, but also the story of a man who must angle, The overcome a variety of obstacles to find his Draughtsman’s Contract, The (1982British) C-103m. ★★ D: Peter Greenaway. place in the world. Adapted from a book by Lee’s widow, Linda. The film’s star is no Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman, Anne Lourelation to Bruce. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ise Lambert, Hugh Fraser. Arrogant young Dragon Wars (2007-South Korean) Cartist takes commissions from the mistress of 100m. ★★ D: Hyung-rae Shim. Robert Foran estate in return for sexual favors; sumptuster, Jason Behr, Amanda Brooks, Craig ous-looking 17th-century tale, but cold and Robinson, Elizabeth Pen˜a, Chris Mulkey, aloof. Will be of greater interest to fans of Aimee Garcia, John Ales, Cody Arens. writer-director Greenaway. [R] ▼쩠 With a reported budget of $70 million, Dr. Bethune (1990-Canadian-ChineseSouth Korea’s biggest production ever is French) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phillip Borsos. a dopey B monster movie elevated (only Donald Sutherland, Helen Mirren, Helen slightly) by some impressive effects. What Shaver, Colm Feore, James Pax, Ronald story there is revolves around a 500-yearPickup, Guo Da, Anouk Aime´e. Handold battle that is being reborn in contemposomely mounted but episodic account of rary L.A., where a young boy is imbued controversial Canadian doctor Norman Bewith the spirit of an ancient warrior in order thune (well played by Sutherland), ardent to take on dreaded serpentlike creatures. anti-fascist and proponent of socialized [ 381 ]

medicine. Much terrain is covered, from Dreamboat (1952) 83m. ★★★ D: Claude his love life to his involvement in the Binyon. Ginger Rogers, Clifton Webb, Spanish Civil War and with Mao Tse-tung Jeffrey Hunter, Anne Francis, Elsa Lanfighting the Japanese; unfortunately, you chester. Clever romp: silent-star Rogers never really know what makes him tick. cashes in on TV showings of her old Original title: BETHUNE: THE MAKmovies, to chagrin of co-star Webb, now ING OF A HERO. Released in the U.S. in a distinguished professor. Scenes showing 1993; Sutherland also starred in BEtheir old silent films are most enjoyable. THUNE, a 1977 Canadian TV movie. ▼ Dreamcatcher (2003) C-131m. ★★ D: LawDr. Black and Mr. White SEE: Dr. Black, rence Kasdan. Morgan Freeman, Thomas Jane, Mr. Hyde Jason Lee, Damian Lewis, Timothy OlyDr. Black, Mr. Hyde (1976) C-87m. phant, Tom Sizemore, Donnie Wahlberg, Mi★★1 ⁄2 D: William Crain. Bernie Casey, chael O’Neill. This adaptation of a Stephen Rosalind Cash, Marie O’Henry, Ji-Tu King novel seems like three or four differCumbuka, Milt Kogan, Stu Gilliam. Black ent movies squashed into one. The initial lab scientist Casey tests experimental sestory is the best, as four boyhood friends rum on himself and turns into a white who share extrasensory powers meet for a monster. No surprises, but not bad, either, weekend at their remote cabin in the woods, with Casey doing first-rate job. Aka THE where things are definitely askew. Then we WATTS MONSTER and DR. BLACK get a yucky-monster movie, a military paraAND MR. WHITE. [PG]▼ noia film, a typical King childhood nostalDr. Bull (1933) 75m. ★★★ D: John Ford. gia vignette, and more. By the time we Will Rogers, Marian Nixon, Ralph Morreach the climax, with the future of mankind gan, Rochelle Hudson, Berton Churchill, at stake, it’s difficult to muster any interest Louise Dresser, Andy Devine. Rogers in at all. Screenplay by Kasdan and William Goldman. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 fine form as country doctor battling smalltown pettiness as much as fighting illness. DreamChild (1985-British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stereotyped characters are perfect foils for Gavin Millar. Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Rogers’ common-sense pronouncements; diGallagher, Caris Corfman, Nicola Cowper, rector Ford provides ideal atmosphere.쩠 Jane Asher, Amelia Shankley, Shane Rimmer. Dr. Cadman’s Secret SEE: Black Sleep, Woman for whom Rev. Charles Dodgson The (Lewis Carroll) invented his Alice in WonderDr. Christian series SEE: Leonard Malland stories comes to America at age 80 for the tin’s Classic Movie Guide author’s centenary, unable to understand the ★★1 Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001) C-87m. ⁄2 D: Steve fuss, and fearful of her own repressed memoCarr. Eddie Murphy, Kevin Pollak, Kristen ries. Fascinating material seriously flawed by Wilson, Jeffrey Jones, Raven-Symone´, romantic subplot and ludicrous re-creation of Kyla Pratt, Lil’ Zane, Andy Richter. AmiaN.Y.C. setting and characters of the 1930s. ble sequel to 1998 hit DOCTOR DOLITBrowne’s superb performance makes it all TLE has Murphy trying to save a forest by worthwhile. Jim Henson’s Creature Shop propropagating an endangered species. In order vided Wonderland characters. Written by Dennis Potter. [PG]▼ to do so, a performing bear has to mate with his female counterpart in the wild. MeanDream Demon (1988-British-U.S.) C-89m. ★★ while, Dolittle is trying to strengthen a shaky D: Harley Cokliss. Kathleen Wilhoite, bond with his 16-year-old daughter. ConsiderJemma Redgrave, Timothy Spall, Jimmy ably less raunchy than the earlier film, though Nail, Susan Fleetwood, Mark Greenstreet, there’s no shortage of ‘‘mating’’ jokes. Many Annabelle Lanyon, Nickolas Grace. Sooncelebrities provide voices (Steve Zahn, Norm to-be-married Redgrave has horrifying Macdonald, Lisa Kudrow, Michael Rapaport, dreams, unwillingly pulling into them WilIsaac Hayes, Andy Dick, Michael McKean, hoite, an American in London seeking seDavid L. Lander, Mandy Moore, Joey Lauren crets of her own past. Good special effects Adams, Frankie Muniz, Jamie Kennedy, John and performances undercut by who-cares Leguizamo), not all of them credited. Folstory and many repetitive sequences. Relowed by three DVD sequels. Super 35. leased in the U.S. in 1993. [R]▼ [PG] ▼쩠 Dreamer (1979) C-86m. ★★ D: Noel NosDream a Little Dream (1989) C-99m. ★1⁄2 seck. Tim Matheson, Susan Blakely, Jack D: Marc Rocco. Corey Feldman, Meredith Warden, Richard B. Shull, Barbara Stuart, Salenger, Jason Robards, Piper Laurie, Harry Pedro Gonzalez-Gonzalez. Bowling, a sport Dean Stanton, William McNamara, Corey only slightly more cinematic than isometric Haim, Susan Blakely, Victoria Jackson, Alex exercises, gets the ROCKY treatment in this Rocco, Josh Evans. Yet another personalitybland rags-to-riches story. Having Matheson’s exchange comedy—this one with Robards and bowling ball made of Flubber might have Feldman switching bodies after a bike mishap. helped pick up the pace. [PG]▼ Perfectly dreadful. Director is son of costar Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story (2005) Alex Rocco. Direct-to-video sequel: DREAM C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Gatins. Kurt Russell, A LITTLE DREAM 2. [PG-13]▼쩠 Dakota Fanning, Kris Kristofferson, Elisabeth [ 382 ]

Shue, David Morse, Freddy Rodrı´guez, Luis costumes are a knockout. Also Oscar winner for Sound Mixing. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Guzma´n, Oded Fehr, Ken Howard, Dick Allen. Routine account of 10-year-old FanDreaming of Joseph Lees (1999-BritishU.S.) C-92m. ★★ D: Eric Styles. Samantha ning, who is convinced that a horse with a broken leg not only can be nursed back to Morton, Lee Ross, Rupert Graves, Frank health but will win the Big Race. Pleasant Finlay, Miriam Margolyes, Nick Woodeenough family film, although it’s corny and son, Holly Aird, Lauren Richardson. Hackawfully predictable. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 neyed soaper, set in rural England in 1958, Dreamers, The (2003-British-Italian-French) in which a young woman (Morton) takes C-115m. ★★★ D: Bernardo Bertolucci. Miup with a self-absorbed pig farmer (Ross) chael Pitt, Eva Green, Louis Garrel, Robin despite her desire for her cousin, Joseph Renucci, Anna Chancellor. Young AmeriLees (Graves), a gentle geologist who lost a can joins the die-hard film buffs at Paris’ leg while working in Italy. Morton rises above the trite material. [R] ▼ Cinematheque Franc¸aise in 1968 and gets involved with an attractive brother and sisDreamland (2006) C-88m. ★★★ D: Jason ter who draw him into a world of kinky sex Matzner. Agnes Bruckner, Kelli Garner, and mind games. Any film that opens with Justin Long, John Corbett, Gina Gershon, footage of Parisians and filmmakers proBrian Klugman, Chris Mulkey. Teenaged testing the ouster of the Cinematheque’s Bruckner lives in a remote New Mexico legendary Henri Langlois and goes on to trailer park called Dreamland with her fa‘‘quote’’ movies ranging from FREAKS to ther, who’s never gotten over the death of QUEEN CHRISTINA is on the right track. her mother, and a best friend whose poor Strongly reminiscent of films from the pehealth has made her a chronic dreamer. riod it depicts: bold, excessive, daringly Bruckner feels responsible for these needy sexual, self-serious at times, but vibrantly people, putting her own life and dreams on alive. Screenplay by Gilbert Adair, from his hold. Well-acted mood piece went direct to novel The Holy Innocents. [NC-17]▼쩠 DVD. [PG-13]쩠 Dream for an Insomniac (1998) C/B&WDreamlife of Angels, The (1998-French) 88m. ★★ D: Tiffani DeBartolo. Ione Skye, C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Erick Zonca. Elodie Jennifer Aniston, Mackenzie Astin, Michael Bouchez, Natacha Re´gnier, Gre´goire Colin, Landes, Seymour Cassel. Waitress/aspiring Jo Prestia, Patrick Mercado. Evocative actress (Skye) falls for the new counter-boy/ study of two young women—one generous poet (Astin) just 48 hours before she’s about and impulsive, the other sullen and despairto move to L.A. Cute but sitcom-ish romaning—who meet at a clothing factory in Lille, tic comedy set in a Sinatra-themed, familyFrance, and become close friends, then drift owned coffeehouse in San Francisco. Charapart as one becomes involved with a club ismatic casting helps, particularly Aniston owner. An elusive story, directed with quiet as Skye’s flaky best friend, but you wish precision by coscreenwriter Zonca (his feathey’d all stop their yapping. Written by the ture debut), which slowly, penetratingly redirector. Filmed in 1995. [R]▼●쩠 veals a wealth of detail about the bonds Dreamgirls (2006) C-130m. ★★★ D: Bill of friendship and the vagaries of destiny. Condon. Jamie Foxx, Beyonce´ Knowles, Bouchez and Re´gnier are outstanding. [R] Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Anika Noni ▼쩠 Rose, Keith Robinson, Jennifer Hudson, Dream Lover (1986) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Sharon Leal, Hinton Battle, Ken Page, LoAlan J. Pakula. Kristy McNichol, Ben Masretta Devine, John Lithgow, John Krasinski, ters, Paul Shenar, Justin Deas, John McMarDawnn Lewis, Jaleel White, Eddie Mekka. tin, Gayle Hunnicutt, Matthew Penn. Abysmal Splashy, savvy adaptation of the 1981 thriller about young woman’s attempts to exBroadway musical by Tom Eyen and Henry punge recurring nightmare from her mind Krieger inspired by the saga of The Suthrough ‘‘dream therapy.’’ Intensely unsetpremes and Motown’s Berry Gordy. Entretling film with an interesting idea torpedoed preneur Foxx steers a female vocal trio to by snail-like pacing and sterile atmosphere. the top, no matter what it takes, and claims What Hitchcock could have done with this! its glamorous star (Beyonce´) as his own. [R]▼쩠 Hudson, as the forsaken member of the Dream Lover (1994) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: group, gives an extraordinary, emotionNicholas Kazan. James Spader, Ma¨dchen charged performance. (This remarkable Amick, Bess Armstrong, Fredric Lehne, Larry screen debut earned her a Best Supporting Miller, Kathleen York, Blair Tefkin, Scott Actress Oscar.) Murphy is equally potent as Coffey, Clyde Kusatsu, William Shockley. a James Brown–ish singer who gives the girls Handsome, wealthy architect Spader meets their first break. There’s so much pure entergorgeous, enigmatic Amick and the two betainment here that quibbles (the energy drops come a passionate, perfect couple—until her after Hudson’s ‘‘first-act curtain’’ song, Beycloudy past (eventually) raises his suspicions. once´’s star-solo number is too obviously Fluid camerawork (by Jean-Yves Escoffier) shoehorned into the movie) don’t stand up and some smart dialogue go out the window against the movie’s virtues. Sharen Davis’ as plausibility level declines alarmingly. Stars [ 383 ]

register well but can’t overcome a noirish D: Howard Zieff. Michael Keaton, Chrismystery that just misses. Feature directing topher Lloyd, Peter Boyle, Stephen Furst, debut for screenwriter Kazan. Also available Dennis Boutsikaris, Lorraine Bracco, Milo in unrated version. [R]▼●쩠 O’Shea, Philip Bosco, James Remar. Four Dream Machine, The (1990) C-86m. ★★ mental-hospital patients become separated D: Lyman Dayton. Corey Haim, Evan from their doctor while on a field trip to Richards, Jeremy Slate, Randall England, Yankee Stadium, and find themselves Tracy Fraim, Brittney Lewis, Susan Seastranded in an even-larger looney bin: The forth Hayes. Super-wealthy Slate is murBig Apple. Uneven farce seems inspired by dered by an embezzler after cheating on ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S his wife. She’s just learned of his infidelity NEST, and gets its mileage from the performances of its leading actors. [PG-13]▼●쩠 and, on an impulse, gives his new turbocharged Porsche to immature college stuDream Wife (1953) 101m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney dent Haim (who doesn’t know the deceased’s Sheldon. Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Walter body is stuffed in the trunk). By-thePidgeon, Betta St. John, Buddy Baer, Movita, numbers action-thriller with an intriguing Steve Forrest. Silly bedroom farce about (if unlikely) premise. [PG]▼● Grant’s engagement to Middle Eastern prinDream of Kings, A (1969) C-107m. ★★★ cess and interference from his former fiance´e, D: Daniel Mann. Anthony Quinn, Irene Kerr, a State Dept. official. Cast is wasted. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼쩠 Papas, Inger Stevens, Sam Levene, Radames Pera, Val Avery. Emotional study of Dream With the Fishes (1997) C-96m. ★★ robust Quinn trying to find money to take D: Finn Taylor. David Arquette, Brad Hunt, ailing son to Greece. Vivid look at Greek Cathy Moriarty, Kathryn Erbe, Patrick community in Chicago; heart-rending story McGaw, J. E. Freeman, Timi Prulhiere, Alby Harry Alan Petrakis. Stevens exceptional lyce Beasley, Peter Gregory. Mismatched as young widow attracted to Quinn. [R]▼쩠 buddy tale about a suicidal voyeur and a Dream of Light (1990-Spanish) C-138m. terminally ill drug addict who decide to ‘‘go ★★★1⁄2 D: Victor Erice. Unusual, understated for it’’ when they take off on a memorable documentary of renowned Spanish painter trip that involves, among other things, nude Antonio Lopez Garcia as he attempts to bowling and bank holdups. Small film has capture a backyard quince tree’s beauty on its charms but seems to be trying too hard to be quirky. [R]▼쩠 canvas. A rare portrait of an artist at work as he deals with his inner voices—and the Dr. Ehrlich’s Magic Bullet (1940) 103m. ★★★1 mundane details of life. Quiet, deliberate, ⁄2 D: William Dieterle. Edward G. Roband completely absorbing.▼ inson, Ruth Gordon, Otto Kruger, Donald Dream of Passion, A (1978-Greek) CCrisp, Maria Ouspenskaya, Montagu Love, 106m. ★1⁄2 D: Jules Dassin. Melina MerSig Ruman, Donald Meek. Outstanding couri, Ellen Burstyn, Andreas Voutsinas, chronicle of 19th-century German scientist Despo Diamantidou, Dimitris Papa-michael. who developed cure for venereal disease. Aside from Burstyn’s powerhouse perforRobinson earnest in superior script by John mance as an American jailed in Greece for Huston, Heinz Herald, and Norman Burnside; surprisingly compelling.▼ killing her three children, this attempt to parallel her story with Medea’s is the kind of idea Dress Code, The SEE: Bruno that should never have left the story conferDressed for Death SEE: Straight on Till ence. Mercouri is typically hammy as the acMorning Dressed to Kill (1946) 72m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy tress who takes up her cause. [R]▼ ★★ Dreams (1955-Swedish) 86m. D: IngWilliam Neill. Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, mar Bergman. Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet AndersPatricia Morison, Edmond Breon, Carl Harson, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Ulf Palme, Inga bord, Patricia Cameron, Tom Dillon. Music Landgre. Sometimes fascinating but mostly boxes made in prison hold the key to the vague—and, ultimately lesser—Bergman whereabouts of stolen bank plates in this drama, about photo agency head Dahlbeck lively final entry in the Rathbone Sherlock and model Andersson, and their dreams, torHolmes series. Also shown in computer-colments, crises, oppression, relations with men. ored version. Aka PRELUDE TO MURDER. Aka JOURNEY INTO AUTUMN. ▼ ▼●쩠 Dreams (1990) SEE: Akira Kurosawa’s Dressed to Kill (1980) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Dreams Brian De Palma. Michael Caine, Angie Dreamscape (1984) C-99m. ★★★ D: Joseph Dickinson, Nancy Allen, Keith Gordon, Ruben. Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Dennis Franz, David Margulies, Brandon Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert, Kate Maggart. High-tension melodrama about a Capshaw, George Wendt, David Patrick psycho-killer who stalks two women—one Kelly. Quaid finds he can physically enter a frustrated suburban housewife, the other other people’s dreams in this entertaining yarn; a street-smart hooker who teams up with science-fantasy elements more successful than the first woman’s son to trap the murderer. Writer-director De Palma works on viewpolitical intrigue subplot. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Dream Team, The (1989) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 er’s emotions, not logic, and maintains a [ 384 ]

fever pitch from start to finish. Chilling ation on the PLAY MISTY FOR ME/ Pino Donaggio score. Unrated version also FATAL ATTRACTION formula as costume available. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 designer Delaney picks up virile O’Keeffe Dresser, The (1983-British) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 hitchhiking, has a one-night affair, and is then D: Peter Yates. Albert Finney, Tom Courhounded by him. Director Brand (who also tenay, Edward Fox, Zena Walker, Eileen Atplays the cop on the case) shows promise but kins, Michael Gough, Cathryn Harrison. film suffers from lack of a coherent scenario. Excellent film adaptation of Ronald Har[R]▼쩠 wood’s play about an aging actor-manager Drifting Weeds SEE: Floating Weeds Driftwood (1947) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Allan Dwan. (based on real-life Donald Wolfit) whose very survival depends on the constant pampering Ruth Warrick, Walter Brennan, Natalie and prodding of his dresser—who lives vicariWood, Dean Jagger, Charlotte Greenwood, ously through the old man’s performances. Jerome Cowan, H. B. Warner, Margaret Finney, as Sir, and Courtenay, as Norman the Hamilton. Small-town doctor adopts a young dresser, are simply superb. Yates captures the girl who’s never experienced ‘‘civilization’’ look and feel of wartime England, and backbefore. Entertaining family film with standout stage atmosphere of a small touring company, performance by young Natalie.▼ with uncanny ability. A must for anyone who Drillbit Taylor (2008) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: loves acting and the theater. [PG]▼●쩠 Steven Brill. Owen Wilson, Leslie Mann, Dressmaker, The (1988-British) C-89m. Nate Hartley, Troy Gentile, David Dorfman, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jim O’Brien. Joan Plowright, BilAlex Frost, Stephen Root, Josh Peck, Valerie lie Whitelaw, Peter Postlethwaite, Jane Tian, David Koechner, Frank Whaley, Lisa Horrocks, Tim Ransom. Medium account Ann Walter, Danny McBride. Three awkward of two Liverpool sisters, one repressed high school freshmen who’ve been targeted by (Plowright) and the other spirited (Whitea bully decide that they need professional prolaw), and what happens when their naive, tection and hire homeless goofball Wilson— fragile niece falls for an American GI who impresses them with his apparent street during WW2. Well acted, and starts off smarts. Amiable (if unremarkable) comedy copromisingly, but bogs down.▼● produced by Judd Apatow plays like a prequel 1 ★ Dr. Giggles (1992) C-95m. ⁄2 D: Manny to SUPERBAD. Cowritten by Seth Rogen, Cotto. Larry Drake, Holly Marie Combs, based on a story idea by John Hughes (using Cliff De Young, Glenn Quinn, Keith Diahis pseudonym Edmond Dantes). One of the mond, Richard Bradford, Michelle Johnprotectors the boys interview is played by son. Gory, one-note horror drama in which Adam Baldwin, star of 1980’s MY BODYcrazed doctor, who giggles whenever nervous, GUARD. Alternate version runs 109m. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 goes on a murderous rampage after escaping from a looney-bin. Drake’s fine performance Drive, He Said (1972) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: is wasted. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Jack Nicholson. William Tepper, Karen Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine Black, Michael Margotta, Bruce Dern, Rob★★ D: Norman Taurog. Vin(1965) C-90m. ert Towne, Henry Jaglom, Michael Warcent Price, Frankie Avalon, Dwayne Hickman, ren, Charles Robinson, David (Ogden) Susan Hart, Fred Clark. Mad scientist tries to Stiers, Cindy Williams. Confusing tale of make a fortune manufacturing lifelike lady royouth alienation contains fine performances bots to marry wealthy men. Good chase scene, but loses itself in its attempt to cover all but otherwise just silly. Panavision. ▼쩠 the bases; Dern is fabulous as gung-ho Dr. Goldfoot and the Girl Bombs (1966college basketball coach. Nicholson’s di★1 Italian) C-85m. ⁄2 D: Mario Bava. Vinrectorial debut; he also cowrote the screenplay with Jeremy Larner. [R]쩠 cent Price, Fabian, Franco Franchi, Moana Tahi, Laura Antonelli. Dumb sequel to Drive-In (1976) C-96m. ★★ D: Rod AmaDR. GOLDFOOT AND THE BIKINI teau. Lisa Lemole, Glen Morshower, Gary MACHINE finds Price now backed by Red Cavagnaro, Billy Milliken, Lee Newsom, China, dropping actual girl bombs into Regan Kee. Amiable low-budget trash about the laps of unsuspecting generals.▼ a night in the life of teenaged yahoos at a Dr. Heckyl and Mr. Hype (1980) C-99m. Texas drive-in during the unreeling of a ★★1 ⁄2 D: Charles B. Griffith. Oliver Reed, campy disaster film (which takes up much of the screen time). Better after 20 beers. [PG]▼ Sunny Johnson, Maia Danziger, Mel Welles, Virgil Frye, Jackie Coogan, Corinne Calvet. Drive Me Crazy (1999) C-91m. ★★ D: John Reed is a grotesquely ugly podiatrist who Schultz. Melissa Joan Hart, Adrian Grenier, drinks a potion to commit suicide, instead Stephen Collins, Ali Larter, Mark Metcalf, turns into a handsome murderer. ModerWilliam Converse-Roberts, Faye Grant. In ately funny comedy, also written by Roger order to win their dream prom dates, the most Corman veteran Griffith. [R]▼ popular girl in school and a rebel outcast team Drifter, The (1988) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Larry up and pretend they’re going steady. PredictBrand. Kim Delaney, Timothy Bottoms, Al able teen comedy could easily be called HE’S Shannon, Miles O’Keeffe, Loren Haines, ALL THAT but is kept afloat by likable lead Thomas Wagner. Interesting low-budget variperformances. Tries to have it both ways by [ 385 ]

featuring an on-screen number from punk girl Aykroyd is likable in an unusual ‘‘straight’’ band The Donnas and a title track by Britney role as Tandy’s son, though you can never Spears. [PG-13]▼쩠 quite forget who’s playing the part (espeDriven (2001) C-117m. BOMB D: Renny cially with such obvious makeup). Oscar Harlin. Sylvester Stallone, Burt Reynolds, winner for Best Picture, Actress, Screenplay (by Uhry), and Makeup. [PG] ▼●쩠 Kip Pardue, Til Schweiger, Stacy Edwards, Estella Warren, Gina Gershon, Brent Briscoe, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1920) 96m. ★★★ D: John S. Robertson. John BarryRobert Sean Leonard. Embarrassing amalgam of racing-pic cliche´s finds has-been Sly (who more, Martha Mansfield, Brandon Hurst, scripted) hiring on as mentor to green Pardue, Nita Naldi, Charles Lane, Louis Wolheim. a member of Reynolds’ Championship Auto One of several silent versions of famous Racing Team who’s manipulated by his tale, this one can hold its own next to the brother. This is the kind of movie in which later March and Tracy filmings; Barrymore two racers create nighttime havoc racing 195 is superb as curious doctor who ventures mph through metropolitan streets, only to get into the unknown, emerging as evil Mr. off with just a $25,000 fine . . . the kind Hyde. Bravura performance sparks wellof movie whose contempt for its audience made production.▼●쩠 knocked both Stallone and Reynolds off their Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1932) 97m. ★★★ D: Rouben Mamoulian. Fredric March, superstar thrones. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Driver, The (1978) C-90m. ★★★ D: WalMiriam Hopkins, Rose Hobart, Holmes Herter Hill. Ryan O’Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle bert, Halliwell Hobbes. Exciting, floridly Adjani, Ronee Blakley, Matt Clark, Felice cinematic version of famous story with March Orlandi. Tense throwback to the Hollyin Oscar-winning portrayal of tormented wood film noir era pits getaway driver doctor, Hopkins superb as tantalizing Ivy. O’Neal against creepy cop Dern. Oddball Beware of 82m. re-issue version.▼●쩠 melodrama doesn’t seem like much at the Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941) 114m. ★★★ time, but has a way of staying with you D: Victor Fleming. Spencer Tracy, afterwards. Great car chase sequences. Ingrid Bergman, Lana Turner, Donald Crisp, Ian Hunter, Barton MacLane, C. [PG—edited from original R rating]▼쩠 Driver’s Seat, The (1974-Italian) C-101m. Aubrey Smith, Sara Allgood. Tracy and BOMB D: Giuseppe Patroni Griffi. ElizaBergman are excellent in thoughtful, lush beth Taylor, Ian Bannen, Mona Washremake of Robert Louis Stevenson’s clasbourne, Andy Warhol, Guido Mannari. sic, which stresses Hyde’s emotions rather Liz is a disturbed woman who comes to than physical horror. Also shown in comRome in search of someone to do her in. puter-colored version.▼●쩠 You may wish to do the same after sitting Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde (1995) C-90m. ★1 through this turkey, maybe Taylor’s all-time ⁄2 D: David Price. Sean Young, Tim Daly, worst. Adapted from a Muriel Spark novel. Lysette Anthony, Stephen Tobolowsky, Aka PSYCHOTIC. [R]▼쩠 Harvey Fierstein, Thea Vidale, Jeremy Driving Lessons (2006-British) C-98m. Piven, Polly Bergen, Stephen Shellen, Jane ★★★ D: Jeremy Brock. Julie Walters, Rupert Connell, Julie Cobb, Robert Wuhl. Did we Grint, Laura Linney, Nicholas Farrell, Mireally need a comic retread of the classic chelle Duncan, Jim Norton, Tamsin Egerton. Robert Louis Stevenson tale, with Jekyll’s Adolescent Grint escapes from an enervating great-grandson (Daly) morphing into seduchome life with his domineering, religioustress Helen Hyde (Young)? If so, it should have been a lot better. [PG-13]▼●쩠 fanatic mother (Linney) and his soft-spoken minister father (Farrell) by taking a job as Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde (1971-British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy Ward Baker. companion and helper to an aged actress (Walters). Walters is great fun as a cardRalph Bates, Martine Beswick, Gerald Sim, carrying eccentric and free spirit who has a Lewis Fiander, Susan Broderick. Interestliberating effect on her young charge. Charming twist to classic tale finds the good doctor ing yet pointed film about youthful stumbling discovering that his evil life is brought out in and adult hypocrisy. Directorial debut for the form of a beautiful but dangerous woman. screenwriter Brock (MRS. BROWN, CHARNo thrills but fun; resemblance between Bates LOTTE GRAY), who drew on his own life and Beswick is remarkable. Released in Britfor source material. [PG-13]쩠 ain at 97m. [PG]▼쩠 Driving Miss Daisy (1989) C-99m. ★★★ Dr. Kildare series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s D: Bruce Beresford. Morgan Freeman, JesClassic Movie Guide sica Tandy, Dan Aykroyd, Patti LuPone, Dr. M SEE: Club Extinction Esther Rolle. Genteel, entertaining adaptaDr. Mabuse, The Gambler (1922) 270m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fritz Lang. Rudolph Klein-Rogge, tion of Alfred Uhry’s stage play about a simple black man who’s hired as chauffeur Aud Egede Nissen, Gertrude Welcker, Alfor a cantankerous old Southern woman, fred Abel, Lil Dagover, Paul Richter. Baand winds up being her most faithful comroque tale of master criminal Mabuse panion. A smooth and enjoyable ride, (Klein-Rogge), who gambles with lives and with fine performances by the two leads. fates, is an allegory of postwar German dec[ 386 ]

adence. Brilliantly directed, designed, and photographed. Originally shown in two parts; the second half, DR. MABUSE, KING OF CRIME, details Mabuse’s descent into madness. It isn’t as flamboyant as Part One, but still quite good. Adapted by Lang and Thea Harbou from a novel by Norbert Jacques. Shown as separate films for many years; prints circulate in various lengths. Lang later made THE TESTAMENT OF DR. MABUSE (1932) and THE 1,000 EYES OF DR. MABUSE (1960).

Kyle Secor, Luca Bercovici, MalcolmJamal Warner, Rex Linn, Grace Zabriskie, Claire Stansfield, Andy Romano. Solid if predictable actioner with U.S. marshal Snipes going up against some sky-diving baddies out to pilfer data on undercover drug agents to sell to international narcotics dealers. The scenario is preposterous, but there are enough dazzling airborne stunts to keep you entertained. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Drowning by Numbers (1987-British) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter Greenaway. Joan Plowright, Bernard Hill, Juliet Stephen▼쩠 Dr. No (1962-British) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: son, Joely Richardson. Another bizarre, Terence Young. Sean Connery, Ursula fascinating celluloid put-on from Greenaway, Andress, Joseph Wiseman, Jack Lord, Berabout an obsessive coroner and his innard Lee, Lois Maxwell. First James Bond volvement with three generations of women film is least pretentious, with meaty story, from the same family. Stunningly filmed fine all-round production of Ian Fleming and very entertaining (but recommended caper. Bond investigates strange occurmost enthusiastically to Greenaway fans). rences in Jamaica, encounters master-fiend Not released in U.S. until 1991.▼● Dr. No (Wiseman).▼●쩠 Drowning Mona (2000) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Drop Dead Fred (1991) C-98m. BOMB Nick Gomez. Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, D: Ate De Jong. Phoebe Cates, Rik Mayall, Jamie Lee Curtis, Neve Campbell, Casey Marsha Mason, Tim Matheson, Carrie Affleck, William Fichtner, Marcus Thomas, Fisher, Keith Charles, Ron Eldard. Putrid Peter Dobson, Kathleen Wilhoite, Tracey fantasy-comedy about a repressed young Walter, Will Ferrell. Fairly amusing black woman who—as her life is crumbling comedy about a small town shaken by the around her—is revisited by her childhood drowning of its most reviled citizen make-believe ‘‘friend’’ Drop Dead Fred, a (Midler), and the repercussions felt by her repulsive mischief-maker. Cates’ appealidiot son and husband, the town sheriff (Deing performance can’t salvage this mess. Vito), and others who knew and loathed her. Recommended only for people who think [PG-13] ▼쩠 nose-picking is funny. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Drowning Pool, The (1976) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: D: Stuart Rosenberg. Paul Newman, JoMichael Patrick Jann. Kirsten Dunst, Denise anne Woodward, Anthony Franciosa, MurRichards, Kirstie Alley, Ellen Barkin, Allison ray Hamilton, Melanie Griffith, Richard Janney, Brittany Murphy, Sam McMurray, Jaeckel, Gail Strickland, Linda Haynes. Amy Adams, Mindy Sterling, Mo Gaffney, Newman returns as private eye Harper, Nora Dunn. Annoying pseudo-documentary (based on Ross Macdonald’s Archer charsatire about small-town Midwestern teen acter) in slickly made but slow whodunit; beauty pageants. Full of frantic mugging here he is called to help former lover and outrageous gags about eating disorders, Woodward out of a jam. Screenplay by but most of them aren’t funny. Only prizeTracy Keenan Wynn, Lorenzo Semple, winner here is Janney as good-hearted and Walter Hill. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 trailer trash. To see how it’s done right, Dr. Phibes Rises Again! (1972-British) watch SMILE. [PG-13]▼쩠 C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Fuest. Vincent Drop Squad (1994) C-86m. ★★ D: D. Clark Price, Robert Quarry, Valli Kemp, Fiona Johnson. Eriq LaSalle, Vondie Curtis Hall, Lewis, Peter Jeffrey, Peter Cushing, Beryl Ving Rhames, Kasi Lemmons, Leonard Reid, Terry-Thomas, Hugh Griffith. Campy Thomas, Billy Williams, Eric A. Payne, sequel to THE ABOMINABLE DR. Vanessa Williams, Nicole Powell, Paula PHIBES finds Price looking for elixir to Kelly. Unsatisfying tale of a black adrevive his dead wife, with Quarry hot on his agency employee (LaSalle) who conjures trail throughout Egypt. [PG]▼●쩠 up idiotic advertising campaigns, thus forDr. Popaul SEE: High Heels saking his roots; he becomes the target of Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who! SEE: some vigilante deprogrammers who seek to Horton Hears a Who! make him aware of his ethnic and family Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christloyalties. Well-intentioned satire of corpomas SEE: How the Grinch Stole Christmas rate racism, but neither as humorous nor as Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat SEE: Cat daring as it sets out to be. Executive proin the Hat, The ducer is Spike Lee, who appears briefly in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to one of the commercials. [R]▼●쩠 Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1 ★★ (1964-British) 93m. ★★★★ D: Stanley Drop Zone (1994) C-102m. ⁄2 D: John Badham. Wesley Snipes, Gary Busey, Kubrick. Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Yancy Butler, Michael Jeter, Corin Nemec, Sterling Hayden, Slim Pickens, Keenan [ 387 ]

Wynn, Peter Bull, James Earl Jones. U.S. President must contend with the Russians and his own political and military leaders when a fanatical general launches A-bomb attack on U.S.S.R. Sellers plays the President, British captain, and mad inventor of the Bomb in this brilliant black comedy, which seems better with each passing year. Sellers’ phone conversation with Soviet premier is classic. Outstanding cast, incredible sets by Ken Adam. Jones’ film debut. ▼●쩠 Dr. Syn, Alias the Scarecrow (1962) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Neilson. Patrick McGoohan, George Cole, Michael Hordern, Tony Britton, Geoffrey Keen, Kay Walsh, Patrick Wymark. Agreeable Disney production made in England (and originally shown in three parts on the Disney TV show as The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh) about country vicar who in reality is a smuggler and pirate. McGoohan is well cast as the mysterious bandit-hero who conducts his nightly raids disguised as a scarecrow. Filmed before in 1937 with George Arliss; another 1962 version, NIGHT CREATURES, stars Peter Cushing. [G]▼쩠 Dr. T & the Women (2000) C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Altman. Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Farrah Fawcett, Laura Dern, Shelley Long, Tara Reid, Kate Hudson, Liv Tyler, Robert Hays, Matt Malloy, Andy Richter, Lee Grant, Janine Turner. Dismal Altman misfire about a high-society Dallas gynecologist who reveres women, even though personally and professionally they are starting to shake up his world. Gere’s fine, understated performance is almost buried under a pile of strident, unfunny female caricatures, pointless subplots, and an ending that seems rejected from MAGNOLIA. Super 35. [R]

tobiographical novel of the 1970s. Screenplay by Van Sant and Daniel Yost. [R]▼●쩠 Drum, The (1938) SEE: Drums Drum (1976) C-110m. BOMB D: Steve Carver. Warren Oates, Ken Norton, Isela Vega, Pam Grier, Yaphet Kotto, John Colicos, Brenda Sykes, Paula Kelly. Continuation of MANDINGO—a new and dreadful low in lurid characters and incidents. Norton in title role generates neither interest nor sympathy. [R]▼ Drum Beat (1954) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Delmer Daves. Alan Ladd, Audrey Dalton, Marisa Pavan, Robert Keith, Rodolfo Acosta, Charles Bronson, Warner Anderson, Elisha Cook, Jr., Anthony Caruso, Strother Martin. In southern Oregon, former Indian fighter Ladd tries to talk Modoc chief Captain Jack (Bronson) into peace. Director Daves based his script on historical events. Bronson is especially good in an unusual role. CinemaScope.▼ Drumline (2002) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Stone III. Nick Cannon, Zoe¨ Saldan˜a, Orlando Jones, Leonard Roberts, GQ, Jason Weaver, Earl C. Poitier, Candace Carey, J. Anthony Brown. Teenage drummer from N.Y.C. is accepted at a Georgia college where the marching band is all-important. But his cocky ways put him at odds with the unyielding band director, and his giant ego causes friction with fellow band members. Feel-good film covers fresh territory in a strictly formulaic way—and goes on a half hour too long—but the music is hard to resist. Alternate version runs 122m. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Drums (1938-British) C-99m. ★★★ D: Zoltan Korda. Sabu, Raymond Massey, Valerie Hobson, Roger Livesey, David Tree. Fine, colorful adventure with precocious Sabu rescuing British cavalry in early ▼쩠 20th-century India; atmospheric and actionDr. Terror’s Gallery of Horrors SEE: ful. Originally titled THE DRUM. Original Return from the Past British running time: 104m.▼● Dr. Terror’s House of Horrors (1965Drums Along the Mohawk (1939) CBritish) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Freddie Francis. 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Ford. Claudette ColPeter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Roy Castle, bert, Henry Fonda, Edna May Oliver, John Max Adrian, Michael Gough, Donald SutherCarradine, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Shields, land, Neil McCallum, Edward Underdown, Robert Lowery, Ward Bond. John Ford Ursula Howells, Jeremy Kemp, Bernard Lee. richly captures flavor of Colonial life in Don’t let title steer you from this intelligent this vigorous, courageous story of settlers episodic thriller about a strange doctor (Cushin upstate N.Y. during Revolutionary War. ing) who tells five men’s fortunes on a train. Action, drama, sentiment, humor deftly interEnjoyable horror-fantasy. Techniscope.▼ woven in beautiful Technicolor production. ★★★1⁄2 Drugstore Cowboy (1989) C-100m. From Walter Edmonds’ novel. ▼●쩠 D: Gus Van Sant, Jr. Matt Dillon, Kelly Drums of Tahiti (1954) C-73m. ★1⁄2 Lynch, James Remar, James Le Gros, Heather D: William Castle. Dennis O’Keefe, PaGraham, Beah Richards, Grace Zabriskie, tricia Medina, Francis L. Sullivan, George Max Perlich, William S. Burroughs. FascinatKeymas. Footloose American aids a Tahiing, completely credible look at the world of a tian queen who opposes annexation by the junkie and his ‘‘family,’’ who rob drugstores French in the late 1800s. Silly Sam Katzto support their habit. No preaching or moralman production whose only novelty (in theizing here, which is precisely what gives the aters) was the use of 3-D—as you can tell film its impact. Standout performances, particby flaming torches poked at the camera! ularly from Dillon and Lynch. Based on Drunken Master (1978-Hong Kong) Cprison inmate James Fogle’s unpublished au106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yuen Wo Ping. Jackie Chan, [ 388 ]

Yuen Sui Tin, Wang Jang Lee, Hsu Hsia, D2: The Mighty Ducks (1994) C-107m. ★★ Ling Yang, Dean Shek, Yuen Shun-Yee. D: Sam Weisman. Emilio Estevez, KathJackie plays Chinese folk hero Wong Fei ryn Erbe, Michael Tucker, Jan Rubes, CarsHung in this kung fu comedy, his first big ten Norgaard, Maria Ellingsen, Joshua hit. Almost plotless film has Wong studying Jackson, Elden Ryan Ratliff (Hansen), under hard-drinking master played by Yuen Shaun Weiss, Matt Doherty. Having led his Sui Tin, the director’s father. Enjoyably rag-tag hockey team to surprise victory in silly, with some good stunt work and comic THE MIGHTY DUCKS, Estevez now gets moments. Of note mostly for its importance a chance to coach Team USA (incorporatto Chan’s career. Aka DRUNKEN MONing his former Ducks) in the Junior GoodKEY IN THE TIGER’S EYE(!) Followed will Games—and make a bundle of money by a sequel in 1994. Widescreen.▼쩠 as a potential celebrity. The kind of film that Drunken Master II (1994-Hong Kong) gives the word ‘‘contrivance’’ a bad name: C-113m. ★★★ D: Lau Kar Leung. Jackie a Disney movie with mixed messages about Chan, Anita Mui, Ti Lung, Andy Lau, Gacompetition, commercialism, puberty, and briel Wong, Ken Lo, Chin Kar-Lok. Chan sportsmanship. Kids may like it anyway. returns to the role that made him a star 16 Sports stars ranging from Wayne Gretzky to years earlier, confronting art smugglers and a Kareem Abdul Jabbar make cameo appearfather who disapproves of his drunken fightances. [PG]▼●쩠 ing style. Some truly amazing fight sequences, D3: The Mighty Ducks (1996) C-104m. ★★ especially the complex final battle in a steel D: Robert Lieberman. Emilio Estevez, mill—which may leave you as breathless as Jeffrey Nordling, Joshua Jackson, David the performers! The fellow Jackie fights under Selby, Heidi Kling, Joss Ackland, Elden the train is the film’s director. Reissued in the Ryan Ratliff (Hansen), Shaun Weiss, VinU.S. as THE LEGEND OF DRUNKEN cent A. Larusso, Matt Doherty, Colombe MASTER. Technovision.▼쩠 Jacobsen, Aaron Lohr. Those adolescent Drunks (1996) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter hockey players have won scholarships to a Cohn. Richard Lewis, Faye Dunaway, fancy private school, where they have a Amanda Plummer, Spalding Gray, Parker new, no-nonsense coach (Nordling) and Posey, Calista Flockhart, Howard Rollins, find themselves outsiders in a snooty varsity Lisa Gay Hamilton, Dianne Wiest, Sam league. Oh yes—and Charlie (Jackson) has Rockwell, Kevin Corrigan. Potent, if stagy, a girlfriend. The Ducks franchise has run character study about alcoholics (of varied out of steam. [PG]▼●쩠 backgrounds) who tell all at an Alcoholics Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) C-101m. ★★★ Anonymous meeting. Comedian Lewis is D: Roy Del Ruth. Red Skelton, Lueffective as a particularly pained group cille Ball, Gene Kelly, Virginia O’Brien, leader. A fine actors’ showcase with some Rags Ragland, Zero Mostel, Donald Meek, strong moments. Debuted on cable TV beGeorge Givot, Louise Beavers, Tommy fore theatrical release. [R]▼쩠 Dorsey and His Orchestra. Nightclub worker Dr. Who and the Daleks (1965-British) Skelton pines for beautiful singing star Ball; when he swallows a Mickey Finn, he dreams C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Flemyng. Peter Cushing, Roy Castle, Jennie Linden, Rohe’s Louis XV, and has to contend with the berta Tovey, Barrie Ingham. Pleasing prickly Madame Du Barry (Ball). Colorful feature inspired by the long-running British nonsense, missing most of the songs from TV serial, with the Doctor and his young Cole Porter’s Broadway score, though friends transported to another world where hu‘‘Friendship’’ is used as the finale. Opens like mans are threatened by robotlike Daleks. Fola vaudeville show, with beautiful chorines and lowed by DALEKS—INVASION EARTH specialty acts, including young Mostel, and 2150 A.D. Techniscope. ▼쩠 Dorsey’s band—with Buddy Rich on Dry White Season, A (1989) C-107m. drums—doing a sensational ‘‘Well, Git It.’’ ★★1⁄2 D: Euzhan Palcy. Donald Sutherland, They turn up later in powdered wigs, as do Janet Suzman, Zakes Mokae, Ju¨rgen ProchThe Pied Pipers, with Dick Haymes and Jo now, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando, Stafford. Lana Turner has a bit part.▼●쩠 Winston Ntshona, Thoko Ntshinga, SuDubious Patriots, The SEE: You Can’t sannah Harker, Rowan Elmes. DisappointWin ’Em All Duchess, The (2008-British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 ing film about South African apartheid, set in 1976, with Sutherland as a schoolteacher D: Saul Dibb. Keira Knightley, Ralph who slowly awakens to the appalling realFiennes, Charlotte Rampling, Dominic Cooity of how blacks are treated in his counper, Hayley Atwell, Simon McBurney, Aidan try. Crucially important subject matter is McArdle, Michael Medwin. Knightley is unfortunately presented in the context of a well cast as Georgiana Spencer, who marries story that’s contrived and dramatically holwell in the late 1700s and becomes the Duchlow. Brando is magnetic (if somewhat ess of Devonshire. However, she soon disaskew) in a showy supporting role as an covers that her husband has little interest in outspoken barrister. [R]▼●쩠 her beyond her ability to give him an heir. D-TOX SEE: Eye See You Vivid, well-appointed yet somewhat heavy[ 389 ]

handed adaptation of Amanda Foreman’s Prime Minister Rufus T. Firefly (Groucho) best-selling book Georgiana: Duchess of declares war on neighboring Sylvania just for Devonshire about the real-life socialite the hell of it. Enough gags for five movies, whose plight bears some striking parallels but our favorite is still the mirror sequence. to those that faced her descendant Princess Zeppo’s swan song with his brothers.▼●쩠 Diana. Knightley and especially Fiennes are DuckTales: The Movie—Treasure of the excellent but the film lacks a certain spark. Lost Lamp (1990) C-73m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bob Michael O’Connor earned an Oscar for Hathcock. Voices of Alan Young, ChrisCostume Design. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 topher Lloyd, Rip Taylor, June Foray, Duchess and the Dirtwater Fox, The Chuck McCann, Richard Libertini, Russi (1976) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: Melvin Frank. Taylor. Disney’s premier ‘‘Movietoon’’ feaGeorge Segal, Goldie Hawn, Conrad Janis, ture falls somewhere between traditional Thayer David, Roy Jenson, Bob Hoy, Richstudio standards and Saturday morning ard Farnsworth. Dumb comedy about cardgruel. Story centers on an archeological trek sharp Segal and dance-hall cutie Hawn for a genie’s lamp that can, among other teaming up in the Old West. Occasional things, make ice cream fall from the sky, laughs, inappropriate song interludes. Papitting Uncle Scrooge McDuck against the navision. [PG]▼●쩠 evil Merlock. Mild vehicle for Huey, Duchess of Idaho (1950) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dewey, Louie, and company. [G]▼●쩠 Robert Z. Leonard. Esther Williams, Van Duck, You Sucker (1972-Italian) C-158m. ★★★ Johnson, John Lund, Paula Raymond, ClinD: Sergio Leone. Rod Steiger, James ton Sundberg, Connie Haines, Mel Torme, Coburn, Romolo Valli, Maria Monti. Big, Amanda Blake. Williams vehicle has her sprawling story of Mexican revolution, and going to Sun Valley to assist her lovesick how peasant thief Steiger gets talked into takroommate, attracting bandleader Johnson. ing sides by Irish explosives expert Coburn. Guest stars Lena Horne, Eleanor Powell (in Tremendous action sequences; Leone’s wry her last film), and Red Skelton pep up fortouches and ultra-weird Ennio Morricone mula production.▼ score make it worthwhile diversion. Aka A Duchess of Langeais, The (2007-FrenchFISTFUL OF DYNAMITE; originally inItalian) C-138m. ★★★ D: Jacques Rivette. tended to be called ONCE UPON A TIME Jeanne Balibar, Guillaume Depardieu, MiDURING THE REVOLUTION. Restored to chel Piccoli, Bulle Ogier, Barbet Schroeder. complete Italian running time in 2006; other In post-Napoleonic France, an intense relaprints run 121m. and 138m. Techniscope. [PG]▼●쩠 tionship unfolds as a glum, wounded general (Depardieu) is smitten with a flirtatious, marDudes (1987) C-90m. BOMB D: Penelope ried socialite (Balibar). What follows is like a Spheeris. Jon Cryer, Daniel Roebuck, Flea, moral chess match between love and religion, Lee Ving, Catherine Mary Stewart. Incomprewell played by the two leads. Master filmhensible, idiotic account of a trio of N.Y.C. maker Rivette uses occasional intertitles— punk rockers, and their fate when harassed by some taken from the Honore´ de Balzac a gang of redneck killers in the Southwest. source material—to play up the ironies and Thoroughly repugnant. [R]▼● emotions. Even at this length, one of the Dude, Where’s My Car? (2000) C-83m. more accessible Rivette films. Original title: BOMB D: Danny Leiner. Ashton Kutcher, NE TOUCHEZ PAS LA HACHE (DON’T Seann William Scott, Kristy Swanson, JenniTOUCH THE AXE). fer Garner, Marla Sokoloff, Charlie O’Connell, Duck Season (2004-Mexican) 85m. ★★★ D: David Herman, Andy Dick. Witless comedy Fernando Eimbcke. Enrique Arreola, Diego about two stoner pals (Kutcher, Scott) who atCatan˜o, Daniel Miranda, Danny Perea. Distempt to piece together the events of the previarmingly offbeat comedy set in a high-rise ous evening. Only for those who think of the apartment building, where two 14-year-old title as the height of comic repartee. Brent boys spend a day together, joined by a girl Spiner appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼쩠 from next door who borrows their oven and Dudley Do-Right (1999) C-77m. ★1⁄2 D: a pizza delivery guy, all of whom are afHugh Wilson. Brendan Fraser, Sarah Jessica fected by a power blackout. Deadpan viParker, Alfred Molina, Eric Idle, Robert Prognettes and character observations make sky, Alex Rocco, Jack Kehler, Louis Mustillo; this a winner, so long as the viewer adjusts narrated by Corey Burton. Poorly conceived to its pace and sensibility. Screenplay by live-action version of the delightful Jay Wardfirst-time director Eimbcke. [R]쩠 produced TV cartoons of the 1960s about a Duck Soup (1933) 70m. ★★★★ D: Leo stalwart (if thick-headed) Mountie, his sweetMcCarey. Groucho, Harpo, Chico, Zeppo heart, Nell Fenwick, and the dastardly villain, Marx, Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, RaSnidely Whiplash (played with gusto by Molquel Torres, Edgar Kennedy, Leonid Kinskey, ina). A couple of laughs here and there can’t Charles Middleton. The Marx Brothers’ most make up for a desperate, everything-but-thesustained bit of insanity, a flop when first rekitchen-sink script. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 leased, but now considered a satiric masterDuel at Diablo (1966) C-103m. ★★★ D: piece. In postage-stamp–sized Freedonia, Ralph Nelson. James Garner, Sidney Poitier, [ 390 ]

Bibi Andersson, Dennis Weaver, Bill Travers, Bates, Max von Sydow, Rupert Everett, William Redfield, John Crawford, John HubMargaret Courtenay, Cathryn Harrison, bard, John Hoyt. Aging Indians vs. Cavalry Macha Meril, Liam Neeson. World-class formula comes alive in this exciting Western; violinist Andrews is stricken with multiple offbeat casting with tight direction. Some may sclerosis, and her comfortable, rewarding find it too violent, but a must for action and life is shattered. Tom Kempinski based his Western fans. Look for Richard Farnsworth two-character play (virtuoso and psychiaas a wagon driver. ▼●쩠 trist) on a real-life cellist, but for film it Duel at Silver Creek, The (1952) C-77m. was opened up and, in the process, diluted. ★1 Husband Bates, therapist von Sydow, and re⁄2 D: Don Siegel. Audie Murphy, Stephen McNally, Faith Domergue, Susan bellious prote´ge´ Everett are fine, but it’s AnCabot, Gerald Mohr, Lee Marvin. Ponderdrews’ gutsy performance that breathes life ous oater has Murphy as the ‘‘Silver Kid’’ into the film. Made in England. [R]▼ helping marshal fight town criminals.▼쩠 Duets (2000) C-112m. ★1⁄2 D: Bruce Paltrow. Duel in the Sun (1946) C-130m. ★★★ D: Maria Bello, Andre Braugher, Paul Giamatti, King Vidor. Jennifer Jones, Joseph Cotten, Huey Lewis, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scott SpeedGregory Peck, Lionel Barrymore, Lillian man, Angie Dickinson, Marian Seldes, LochGish, Herbert Marshall, Walter Huston, lyn Munro. Three nobodies are paired with Butterfly McQueen, Charles Bickford, Tilly optimistic spiritual guides in this road-trip Losch, Harry Carey. Producer-writer Daodyssey, culminating at an Omaha karaoke vid O. Selznick’s ambitious attempt to contest. Press notes claim ‘‘the funny, rauduplicate success of GONE WITH THE cous world of karaoke bars and chain hotels’’ WIND: big, brawling, engrossing, often is revealed; we must have missed that part. stupid sex-Western, with half-breed Jones Director Paltrow is Gwyneth’s father. One of caught between brothers Peck and Cotten. the karaoke performers is a young Michael Buble´. [R]▼쩠 Great in Technicolor, with some memorable scenes and an unexpectedly bizarre finale. Duffy (1968-U.S.-British) C-101m. ★1⁄2 From the novel by Niven Busch. Superb D: Robert Parrish. James Coburn, James score by Dimitri Tiomkin.▼●쩠 Mason, James Fox, Susannah York, John Duellists, The (1977-British) C-101m. ★★★ Alderton. Scummy crime comedy about D: Ridley Scott. Keith Carradine, Harvey Keitwo half-brothers who decide to rob their tel, Edward Fox, Cristina Raines, Robert father of bank notes he is transporting by Stephens, Diana Quick, Tom Conti, Albert ship. A waste of everyone’s talents and Finney, Peter Postlethwaite. Competent screen lovely location photography. [M/PG] version of Joseph Conrad’s The Duel conDuffy’s Tavern (1945) 97m. BOMB D: cerns long-running feud between French ofHal Walker. Barry Sullivan, Marjorie Reynficers Carradine and Keitel during the olds, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour, Alan Napoleonic wars. Supporting players are more Ladd, Betty Hutton, Eddie Bracken, Veconvincing than two leads; film is among ronica Lake, Robert Benchley, Paulette most staggeringly beautiful of its time. Scott’s Goddard, Brian Donlevy. Disastrous ‘‘comfirst feature. [PG]▼●쩠 edy’’ of radio character Ed Gardner trying Duel of Champions (1961-Italian) Cto save Duffy’s Tavern, Victor Moore trying 105m. ★★ D: Ferdinando Baldi. Alan to save his record company. No redeeming Ladd, Franca Bettoja, Franco Fabrizi, Robvalues despite guest appearances by severt Keith, Luciano Marin. Stodgy epic set eral dozen Paramount stars. in ancient Rome with bored-looking Ladd Dukes of Hazzard, The (2005) C-105m. the Roman leader who challenges forces of BOMB D: Jay Chandrasekhar. Johnny KnoxAlba. Totalscope.▼쩠 ville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Duel of the Titans (1961-Italian) C-88m. Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson, Lynda Carter, ★★ D: Sergio Corbucci. Steve Reeves, GorJoe Don Baker, M. C. Gainey, David Koechdon Scott, Virna Lisi, Massimo Girotti. ner, Kevin Heffernan, James Roday. Just as Reeves is Romulus and Scott is Remus in in the 1979–85 TV series, good ole boys this fictional account of justice overcoming drive and shoot, drink and deliver moontyranny in ancient Rome. CinemaScope.▼ shine, spit and fight and chase women. A Duet for Four (1982-Australian) C-97m. smutty, slutty, laughless, nearly plotless flat ★1 tire about a road race and a land grab in ⁄2 D: Tim Burstall. Mike Preston, Wendy Hughes, Michael Pate, Diane Cilento, Georgia (though filmed in Louisiana). Gary Day, Arthur Dignam, Rod Mullinar. Kindly unfasten your seat belts. Unrated Middle-aged Preston’s life is in turmoil: version is two minutes longer. Followed by his wife has a lover, his mistress wants a direct-to-video prequel. Super 35. [PGmarriage, his daughter might be a drug 13]▼쩠 addict, his business may be taken over. Dulcima (1971-British) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Weak drama does not delve beneath the Frank Nesbitt. Carol White, John Mills, surface of its characters. Panavision. Stuart Wilson, Bernard Lee, Sheila Raynor. Duet for One (1986) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Poor White moves in with and exploits Andrei Konchalovsky. Julie Andrews, Alan wealthy old farmer Mills. OK melodrama [ 391 ]

benefits from solid work by the stars. wooden companion becomes his conscience Original running time: 98m. [PG]▼ and alter ego. The actors and their oddball Duma (2005) C-100m. ★★★ D: Carroll Balcharacters give this film its thrust. Brody lard. Alex Michaletos, Eamonn Walker, made this right before starring in THE PICampbell Scott, Hope Davis. Beautifully ANIST. [R] ▼쩠 filmed story of a South African boy who Dune (1984) C-140m. ★1⁄2 D: David Lynch. raises an orphaned cheetah from the time Kyle MacLachlan, Francesca Annis, Brad it’s a cub, then has to face the inevitable Dourif, Jose Ferrer, Linda Hunt, Freddie when it’s time to return the animal to the Jones, Richard Jordan, Virginia Madsen, wild. His chore becomes a journey of Silvana Mangano, Kenneth McMillan, Jack growth and self-discovery, with an unlikely Nance, Sian Phillips, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Paul adult ally at his side. First-rate family enterSmith, Sting, Dean Stockwell, Max von tainment from the director of THE BLACK Sydow, Patrick Stewart, Sean Young, Alicia STALLION, inspired by a true story and a (Roanne) Witt. Elephantine adaptation of book that set it down in print. [PG]쩠 Frank Herbert’s popular sci-fi novel set in Dumb & Dumber (1994) C-106m. ★★ D: the year 10,991. You know you’re in trouble Peter Farrelly. Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, when film’s opening narration (setting up the Lauren Holly, Teri Garr, Karen Duffy, story) is completely incomprehensible! VisuMike Starr, Charles Rocket, Victoria Rowally imaginative, well cast, but joyless and ell, Cam Neely. No, dumbest: a selfoppressive—not to mention long. For devoproclaimed no-brainer about two idiot pals tees of Herbert’s novel only. Alternate unwho drive cross-country to Aspen to return rated version runs 177m. Remade in 2000 as a briefcase which (unbeknownst to them) a miniseries. Todd-AO 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 contains a fortune in ransom money. Dunera Boys, The (1985-Australian) CCheesy, gross-out comedy has its moments 150m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam Lewin. Joseph Spano, here and there, and enthusiastic perforBob Hoskins, Joseph Furst, John Meillon, mances by the two stars, who deserve a Warren Mitchell, Mary-Anne Fahey, Sibetter script than this. Followed by a premon Chilvers, Steven Vidler, Moshe Kedem. quel and an animated TV series. Unrated Low-key, fact-based drama of Jewish refversion runs 113m. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 ugees in England at the outset of WW2 Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met who, because of their nationalities, are Lloyd (2003) C-85m. BOMB D: Troy suspected of being Nazi spies and exiled to Miller. Eric Christian Olsen, Derek Richa POW camp in Australia. Hoskins plays a ardson, Rachel Nichols, Cheri Oteri, Luis loutish fishmonger who’s as English as Guzma´n, Elden Henson, William Lee Scott, Winston Churchill, but somehow is deMimi Rogers, Eugene Levy, Lin Shaye, ported with the others. Fascinating subject Shia LaBeouf, Julia Duffy. Desperate prematter, but film is overlong and uneven. Made for Australian television.▼● quel to the 1994 comedy hit shows the two oafish friends meeting up in high school and Dungeonmaster, The (1985) C-73m. ★1⁄2 becoming pawns in their slimy principal’s D: Rosemarie Turko, John Buechler, Charles scheme to get funding for a special educaBand, David Allen, Steve Ford, Peter Manootion class—and abscond with the funds. The gian, Ted Nicolaou. Jeffrey Byron, Richard actors playing younger versions of Jim CarMoll, Leslie Wing. It took seven—count ’em, rey and Jeff Daniels do a good job, but this seven—directors to make this short, sour movie is appallingly unfunny; a particular chronicle of a girl held hostage by a villain. waste of Levy and Oteri’s comedy talents. Her savior (atrociously played by Byron) [PG-13] ▼쩠 must overcome seven challenges. You have only one: to sit through this. [PG-13]▼● Dumbo (1941) C-64m. ★★★★ D: Ben Sharpsteen. Voices of Sterling Holloway, Dungeons & Dragons (2000-U.S.-Czech) Edward Brophy, Verna Felton, Herman C-107m. ★1⁄2 D: Courtney Solomon. JerBing, Cliff Edwards. One of Walt Disemy Irons, Justin Whalin, Marlon Wayans, ney’s most charming animated films, about Zoe McLellan, Thora Birch, Bruce Payne, pint-sized elephant with giant-sized ears, Kristen Wilson, Richard O’Brien, Tom Baker. and how his friend Timothy the Mouse helps In a sword-and-sorcery fantasy world, three build his confidence. Never a dull moment, young heroes opposed by evil sorcerer Irons but pink-elephants dream sequence is special and his henchman Payne try to obtain powerful treat. Frank Churchill and Oliver Wallace’s talismans to help threatened princess Birch. scoring earned them Oscars.▼●쩠 Irons is spectacularly hammy, the effects Dummy (2003) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Greg Pritihighly variable, the writing and direction amakin. Adrien Brody, Milla Jovovich, Illeana teurish. Based on the game, whose fans are the Douglas, Vera Farmiga, Jessica Walter, Ron most likely audience for this lavish but empty Leibman, Jared Harris, Mirabella Pisani. Slight movie. Lots of dragons, though. Followed by though occasionally ingratiating comedy about a direct-to-video sequel. [PG-13]▼쩠 a suburban schnook (Brody), the product of Dunkirk (1958-British) 113m. ★★★ D: Lesa stereotypically dysfunctional family, who lie Norman. John Mills, Richard Attenbordecides to take up ventriloquism; his new ough, Bernard Lee, Robert Urquhart, Ray [ 392 ]

Jackson, Lionel Jeffries. Near-epic dramatimurders her arrogant father (Howard) after he zation of the rescue by the Royal Navy and seduces the wife of his farm’s black foreman. small civilian craft of 300,000 British solAn intense, rewarding portrayal of isolation, oppression, and degradation.▼ diers trapped on the French beach of the title in 1940. One of the last films of the Dust Be My Destiny (1939) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: famed Ealing studios. Very realistic, with a Lewis Seiler. John Garfield, Priscilla Lane, fine cast and good direction. Original BritAlan Hale, Frank McHugh, John Litel, ish length: 135m. Metroscope. Billy Halop, Henry Armetta, Stanley Ridges, Dunston Checks In (1996) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bobby Jordan, Charley Grapewin. GarKen Kwapis. Jason Alexander, Faye Dunfield is ideally cast as an alienated drifter away, Eric Lloyd, Rupert Everett, Graham who finds himself in jail, where he falls Sack, Paul Reubens, Glenn Shadix, Nathan for vicious prison foreman’s stepdaughter Davis, Jennifer Bassey. Easy-to-take kids’ (Lane). The stars rise above their less-thanoriginal material.쩠 comedy about the sons of a hard-working hotel manager who discover that an orangutan Dust Devil (1993-British-French) C-87m. ★★ has been sneaked into the establishment by a D: Richard Stanley. Robert Burke, Chelcrafty thief. Alexander is excellent, the kids sea Field, Zakes Mokae, John Matshikiza, are appealing, the orangutan is just right, EvRufus Swart, William Hootkins, Marianne erett does a Terry-Thomas homage, Dunaway Sa¨gebrecht. In Africa’s Namibia Desert, goes slapstick, and everyone has a good time, evil spirit Burke, trapped in human form, including the audience. [PG]▼●쩠 must kill to enter a spiritual realm; he meets Dunwich Horror, The (1970) C-90m. Field, fleeing an unhappy marriage, and is ★★1 ⁄2 D: Daniel Haller. Sandra Dee, Dean pursued by policeman Mokae. Interesting Stockwell, Ed Begley, Sam Jaffe, Lloyd premise, good acting partly offset lethargic Bochner, Joanna Moore, Talia Coppola pace, pretentious approach. [R]▼●쩠 (Shire). Adaptation of H. P. Lovecraft’s story Dusty (1982-Australian) C-88m. ★★★ D: about warlock Stockwell’s sinister plans for John Richardson. Bill Kerr, Noel Trevargirlfriend Dee. Often effective, but ending then, Carol Burns, Nicholas Holland, John Stanton, Kate Edwards. Subtle, touching ruins the whole film. [M]▼●쩠 1 ★ Duplex (2003) C-89m. ⁄2 D: Danny Delittle film about a dingo (wild dog Vito. Ben Stiller, Drew Barrymore, Eileen Esof the bush), captured while a puppy and sell, Harvey Fierstein, Justin Theroux, James eventually raised by an old man (Kerr). Remar, Robert Wisdom, Swoosie Kurtz, WalAdults will enjoy it as much as kids.▼ lace Shawn, Maya Rudolph, Amber Valletta, Dusty and Sweets McGee (1971) C-95m. ★★★1 Tracey Walter. Young couple purchases a ⁄2 D: Floyd Mutrux. Unconventional, Brooklyn brownstone as their dream house, no-holds-barred docudrama detailing daybut the elderly tenant upstairs, who comes to-day life of various heroin addicts in Los Angeles area. [R]쩠 along as part of the deal, makes their life a living hell. A comedy about pain, destruction, Dutch (1991) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter and nastiness is standard DeVito fare by now, Faiman. Ed O’Neill, Ethan Randall (Embry), but it’s hard to watch such likable stars caught JoBeth Williams, Christopher McDonald, in this morass. Unbearable. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Ari Meyers, E. G. Daily, Kathleen Freeman. Duplicity (2009) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tony Yet another warm-hearted concoction from Gilroy. Julia Roberts, Clive Owen, Tom the John Hughes assembly line, in which a Wilkinson, Paul Giamatti, Tom McCarthy, stuck-up rich kid learns all about life when Denis O’Hare, Kathleen Chalfant, Wayne he travels home for Thanksgiving with his Duvall, Carrie Preston, Oleg Stefan, Ulrich mother’s blue-collar boyfriend, Dutch. Thomsen. High-toned hybrid of romantic Some choice, almost Chaplinesque mocomedy and espionage yarn with Roberts and ments (particularly one terrific scene in a Owen as sexually charged spies who wind homeless shelter) and appealing perforup working for cutthroat rival industrialists mances by O’Neill and Randall can’t make Wilkinson and Giamatti in N.Y.C. It isn’t us forget that we’ve seen this formula many hard to recognize this as the work of the same times before. [PG-13]▼●쩠 writer-director who brought us MICHAEL Dutchman (1966-British) 55m. ★★1⁄2 D: CLAYTON, though his complicated flashAnthony Harvey. Shirley Knight, Al Freeback/flash-forward structure will keep you on man, Jr. Two-character allegory, based on your toes. The stars’ chemistry—and a LeRoi Jones’s play, of confrontation bestrong supporting cast—trumps the realizatween sadistic white trollop Knight and tion that the movie is really one long naive black Freeman in a subway car. Tense and well acted, but contrived.▼쩠 shaggy-dog joke. Panavision. [PG-13] D-War SEE: Dragon Wars Dust (1985-French-Belgian) C-88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marion Hansel. Jane Birkin, Trevor HowDying Gaul, The (2005) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: ard, John Matshikiza, Nadine Uwampa, Craig Lucas. Patricia Clarkson, Campbell Lourdes Christina Sayo, Rene Diaz. Birkin Scott, Peter Sarsgaard, Ryan Miller, Robin gives a fine performance as an unmarried Bartlett, Linda Emond, Jason-Shane Scott. woman, in need of love and affection, who Grieving writer of an autobiographical [ 393 ]

screenplay becomes erotically entangled with a slick producer, who offers him one million dollars to produce the project as long as he makes the gay protagonists straight. Meanwhile, he becomes emotionally entangled with the producer’s lonely wife, a former screenwriter turned stay-at-home mom. Twists, tragedies, and fine performances mark this intelligent but dense character study. Directorial debut for playwright Lucas (Longtime Companion, Prelude to a Kiss). [R] 쩠 Dying Young (1991) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel Schumacher. Julia Roberts, Campbell Scott, Vincent D’Onofrio, Colleen Dewhurst, David Selby, Ellen Burstyn. Aimless young woman answers a classified ad and becomes nurse/companion to a 28-yearold poor-little-rich-boy who’s suffering from leukemia; needless to say, they fall in love. As vehicle for Roberts’ charms, it works; as love story it has its moments; but as a tearjerker it never really delivers, wandering toward an inconclusive (and unsatisfying) finale. Scott shares a few scenes with his real-life mother, Dewhurst. [R]▼●쩠 Dynamite (1929) 129m. ★★★ D: Cecil B. DeMille. Conrad Nagel, Kay Johnson, Charles Bickford, Julia Faye, Joel McCrea. Enough plot for seven films in this silly but fascinating early talkie; aristocratic Johnson marries miner Bickford, who’s about to be executed, to gain inheritance . . . then Bickford is cleared. Typical DeMille entertainment. Dynamite Chicken (1971) C/B&W-76m. ★★ D: Ernie Pintoff. Richard Pryor, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Sha Na Na, Ace Trucking Company, Joan Baez, Ron Carey, Andy Warhol, Paul Krassner, Leonard Cohen, Malcolm X, many others. Odd, dated pastiche of songs, skits, television commercial parodies and old movie clips, filmed when nudity and profanity on celluloid were still shocking. Worth a look alone for Pryor. [R]▼ DysFunKtional Family (2003) C-89m. ★★ D: George Gallo. Raucous, raunchy combination concert film–documentary spotlighting Eddie Griffin, actor/stand-up comic and wannabe Richard Pryor; he performs onstage and is seen in his Kansas City, Missouri, hometown, with his real-life family members. The humor is blunt and vulgar; some will find it racist, chauvinistic, and homophobic, while others will think it hilarious. Most interesting when Griffin recounts his childhood and his family members’ impact on his life. [R]▼쩠

around—Cagney hits a white-hot peak as the embittered, stir-crazy fall guy—but last half of film becomes outrageously improbable. Music score by Max Steiner. ▼●쩠 Eagle and the Hawk, The (1933) 68m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Stuart Walker. Fredric March, Cary Grant, Jack Oakie, Carole Lombard, Guy Standing, Douglas Scott. Well-produced antiwar film with reluctant hero March, bullying gunner-observer Grant, everyone’s friend Oakie, sympathetic society girl Lombard. Sobering John Monk Saunders story is still timely. Mitchell Leisen, credited as ‘‘associate director,’’ reportedly directed most of the film. Originally 72m. ▼ Eagle and the Hawk, The (1950) C-104m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Lewis R. Foster. John Payne, Rhonda Fleming, Dennis O’Keefe, Thomas Gomez, Fred Clark. Contrived actioner set in 1860s Mexico-Texas with O’Keefe and Payne U.S. law enforcers stifling coup to make Maximilian ruler of Mexico; Fleming is fetching love interest. Eagle Eye (2008) C-117m. ★★ D: D. J. Caruso. Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, Michael Chiklis, Anthony Mackie, Ethan Embry, Anthony Azizi, William Sadler, Lynn Cohen, Bill Smitrovich, Cameron Boyce, Marc Singer. LaBeouf is a college dropout mistaken for a terrorist by a U.S. government overly fond of surveillance. Forced to become a fugitive, he teams (on the run, natch) with earnest single mom Monaghan. Frequently preposterous actionthriller plays like DISTURBIA on steroids. Instead of an updated REAR WINDOW, film seems to have been inspired by numerous other Hitchcock plots (check out that climax), beefed up with gadgets galore. Tech-heads and LaBeouf buffs may enjoy it. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Eagle Has Landed, The (1977) C-123m. ★★★ D: John Sturges. Michael Caine, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall, Jenny Agutter, Donald Pleasence, Anthony Quayle, Jean Marsh, Sven-Bertil Taube, John Standing, Judy Geeson, Treat Williams, Larry Hagman, Jeff Conaway. Action-packed wartime adventure taken from fanciful Jack Higgins best-seller about Nazi plot to kidnap Winston Churchill. Hardly a dull moment, thanks to solid cast and lively, twistladen story. Original running time in England was 134m. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Eagle in a Cage (1971-British) C-98m. ★★★ D: Fielder Cook. John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Billie Whitelaw, Kenneth ★★★ Each Dawn I Die (1939) 92m. Haigh, Moses Gunn, Ferdy Mayne. Fine D: William Keighley. James Cagney, George drama of Napoleon in exile on St. Helena. Raft, George Bancroft, Jane Bryan, Maxie Haigh is quite impressive in the title role, Rosenbloom, Stanley Ridges, Louis Jean and is surrounded by a top cast. ScreenHeydt, Abner Biberman, John Wray, Victor play by Millard Lampell. [PG]쩠 Jory, Thurston Hall. Reporter Cagney is Eagle’s Wing (1979-British) C-111m. ★1⁄2 framed, sent to prison, where he meets D: Anthony Harvey. Martin Sheen, Sam tough-guy Raft. Good performances all Waterston, Caroline Langrishe, Harvey [ 394 ]

Keitel, Stephane Audran, John Castle, Jorge Stepan Shkurat, Mikola Nademsky, Yelena Luke. God never intended penguins to fly or Maximova. Lyrical, deservedly famous clasthe British to make Westerns. Dreary, artsy sic about collective farming in the Ukraine, glop entangling half a dozen plots cribbed with peasants opposing a landowner and the from other, better oaters; principal one inarrival of a tractor symbolizing the transforvolves seesawing between renegade Indian mation of Soviet society. This ode to the Waterston and trapper Sheen for possession wonders of nature is loaded with beautiful of magnificent white stallion. Billy Williams’ imagery. Long a staple on all-time-best film lush cinematography doesn’t help. Most U.S. lists.▼쩠 prints run 98m. Panavision. [PG]▼ Earth (2007-U.S.-British-German) C-96m. ★★★ Eagle vs. Shark (2007-New Zealand) CD: Alastair Fothergill, Mark Linfield. 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Taika Waititi. Loren Horsley, Narrated by James Earl Jones. Eye-filling Jemaine Clement, Brian Sergent, Rachel look at the natural wonders of our planet, House, Craig Hall, Joel Tobeck. A celebrawith a particular emphasis on the yearlong tion of life’s oddballs, as mousy Lily (Horstruggles of three species: a polar bear father sley, who helped develop the story based on trying to find food for his mate and her cubs, a character she created for the stage) sets a great white whale and her calf making a her sights on self-styled macho man Jarrod 4,000-mile migration, and an elephant mother (Clement), who lives only to exact revenge and child on an exhausting journey overland on the classmate who used to beat him up in in search of water. Adapted from the achigh school. This likable absurdist comedy claimed BBC/Discovery Channel TV series gives off the same vibe as NAPOLEON Planet Earth, with some footage never used DYNAMITE, but seems overly selfin the show. U.S. version produced by Disconscious. [R]쩠 ney is aimed at family audiences with Eagle With Two Heads, The (1948friendly, colloquial narration by Jones, a French) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Cocteau. Edwige new score, and an upbeat ending. British Feuillere, Jean Marais, Sylvia Monfort, version is narrated by Patrick Stewart. [G] Jacques Varennes, Jean Debucourt, Yvonne Earthbound (1981) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: James de Bray. Stuffy, slightly crazed Queen FeuilL. Conway. Burl Ives, Christopher Conlere’s husband was assassinated a decade earnelly, Meredith MacRae, Joseph Campalier, on their wedding day. Amid much court nella, Todd Porter, Marc Gilpin, Elissa intrigue, a poet-anarchist (Marais) who bears Leeds, John Schuck, Stuart Pankin. Avera striking resemblance to the deceased monage family from outer space lands in Midarch stumbles into her quarters. While anydle America due to a faulty flying saucer. thing by Cocteau is worth a look, this Will dastardly government official Camparomantic drama is too often static and is his nella shoot them? Trite, dumb, idiotic. [PG] least successful film. He scripted, based on Earth Dies Screaming, The (1964-British) his play (which also starred Feuillere and ★★1 ⁄2 D: Terence Fisher. Willard 62m. Marais).▼ Parker, Virginia Field, Dennis Price, Vanda ★★★ Early Summer (1951-Japanese) 125m. Godsell. Grim thriller with invaders taking D: Yasujiro Ozu. Setsuko Hara, Chishu over remote village; packs great initial Ryu, Kuniko Miyake, Chikage Awashima, suspense but labors.쩠 Chiyeko Higashiyama. Stirring tale of a Earth Girls Are Easy (1989) C-100m. woman (Hara) who, at 28, is aging by her ★★1⁄2 D: Julien Temple. Geena Davis, Jeff society’s standards. She resides with her Goldblum, Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans, elderly parents, and must deal with their Julie Brown, Michael McKean, Charles pressure to marry the man of their choice. Rocket, Larry Linville, Rick Overton, A sensitively rendered film about basic Angelyne. Infectiously goofy musical comhuman emotions, made by a master filmedy about aliens landing in the San Fermaker.▼●쩠 Earrings of Madame de . . . , The (1953- nando Valley and being ushered into materialistic Southern California life by a ★★★★ D: Max Ophuls. French-Italian) 105m. ditsy manicurist. Not enough substance to Charles Boyer, Danielle Darrieux, Vittorio sustain a feature film, but there are some De Sica, Jean Debucourt, Lia de Le´a. Capgood laughs, and an endearing performance tivating classic detailing the events that by Davis. Costar Brown (who sings airhead unravel after fickle Darrieux pawns the anthem ‘‘ ’Cause I’m a Blonde’’) also coearrings presented her by husband Boyer. wrote the movie. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 A knowing look at the effect of living a Earthling, The (1980-Australian) C-102m. shallow, meaningless life. Masterfully acted ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Collinson. William Holden, and directed, with dazzling tracking shots. Ricky Schroder, Jack Thompson, Olivia Screenplay by Marcel Achard, Ophuls, and Hamnett, Alwyn Kurts. Holden, terminally Annette Wademant, from the novel by Louill, teaches Schroder, orphaned and lost, how ise de Vilmorin. Aka DIAMOND EARto survive in the bush country. OK drama RINGS. ▼●쩠 features much nature footage and will appeal Earth (1930-Russian) 90m. ★★★★ D: Alexander Dovzhenko. Semyon Svashenko, mainly to kids. Originally released at 97m., [ 395 ]

later reedited and lengthened to 102m. Panavmines to locate the girl’s family. This leads ision. [PG]▼ her into a shady, ruthless world of Russian Earthquake (1974) C-129m. BOMB D: mobsters operating out of Mueller-Stahl’s Mark Robson. Charlton Heston, Ava Gardrestaurant, where she becomes intrigued by ner, George Kennedy, Genevieve Bujold, enigmatic chauffeur-enforcer Mortensen. Richard Roundtree, Lorne Greene, Barry Intelligent thriller set against a rich tableau, Sullivan, Marjoe Gortner, Lloyd Nolan, courtesy of screenwriter Steven Knight Victoria Principal, Walter Matuschansky(DIRTY PRETTY THINGS). Mortensen is asky (Walter Matthau), Gabriel Dell, Pedro superb and has one unforgettable scene in a Turkish bathhouse. [R]쩠 Armendariz, Jr., Lloyd Gough, John Randolph, Donald Moffat. Title tells the story Easter Parade (1948) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: in hackneyed disaster epic originally reCharles Walters. Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, leased in Sensurround. Marjoe as a sex dePeter Lawford, Ann Miller, Jules Munshin. viate and Gardner as Lorne Greene’s Delightful Irving Berlin musical about Astaire daughter tie for film’s top casting honors. trying to forget ex-dance partner Miller while Additional footage was shot for inclusion in rising to stardom with Garland. Too good to network showings. Won Oscar for Sound, watch just at Eastertime. Musical highlights inplus special achievement for Visual Effects clude Astaire’s solo ‘‘Steppin’ Out With My and citations for the development of SensurBaby,’’ Miller’s ‘‘Shaking the Blues Away,’’ round. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Fred and Judy’s ‘‘A Couple of Swells,’’ and Earth vs. the Flying Saucers (1956) 82m. the Fifth Avenue finale with Berlin’s title ★★★ song. Oscar winner for musical scoring D: Fred F. Sears. Hugh Marlowe, Joan Taylor, Donald Curtis, Morris Ank(Johnny Green and Roger Edens). Story by rum, Tom Browne Henry; voice of Paul Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett; they Frees. Matter-of-fact presentation gives trealso scripted with Sidney Sheldon.▼●쩠 mendous boost to familiar storyline (alien Easter Sunday SEE: Being, The invaders order us to surrender peaceably—or East is East (1999-British) C-96m. ★★★ D: else). Literate dialogue, subdued perforDamien O’Donnell. Om Puri, Linda Bassett, mances, and solid Ray Harryhausen effects Jordan Routledge, Archie Panjabi, Emil make this a winner that belies its B origins Marwa, Chris Bisson, Lesley Nicol, Gary nearly every step of the way. Also available Damer, Emma Rydal, Ruth Jones, John Barin computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 don. Piquant look at a cross-cultural family in Earth vs the Spider (1958) 73m. ★★ D: 1970s London. Pakistani immigrant George Bert I. Gordon. Ed Kemmer, June Kenny, (Puri) has lived there for 25 years; his wife Gene Persson, Gene Roth, Hal Torey, Sally is English, and their seven children have Fraser, June Jocelyn, Troy Patterson, Hank been raised as Brits, but he clings to his Patterson. A spider bigger than a bus is old-world ways and (rather hypocritically) found in a cave; when it’s apparently killed, expects them to conform to Pakistani cusit’s put on display in a high school gym— toms. Keenly observed social comedywhere it is revived by the sounds of rock ’n drama never betrays its stage origins; Ayub roll! Teenager-oriented Bert I. Gordon movie Khan-Din scripted from his play. [R]▼쩠 is more watchable than most of his giantEast of Eden (1955) C-115m. ★★★★ D: thing-on-the-loose films. Aka THE SPIDER. Elia Kazan. James Dean, Julie Harris, Remade in name only in 2001. ▼쩠 Raymond Massey, Jo Van Fleet, Burl Ives, Easiest Way, The (1931) 74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Davalos, Albert Dekker. EmotionJack Conway. Constance Bennett, Adolphe ally overwhelming adaptation of the John Menjou, Robert Montgomery, Marjorie Steinbeck novel about two brothers’ rivalry Rambeau, Anita Page, Clark Gable, Hedda for the love of their father; affects today’s Hopper. Bennett rises from dire poverty to generation as much as those who witnessed a life of luxury after becoming the mistress Dean’s starring debut. Van Fleet (in film of advertising mogul Menjou, but finds debut) won Oscar as boys’ mother. Screenheartbreak when she falls for reporter Montplay by Paul Osborn. Remade as TV minigomery. Watered-down adaptation of notoseries. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 rious play about high-priced call girls starts East of Elephant Rock (1977-British) out great, then turns into a standard romanC-92m. BOMB D: Don Boyd. Judi Bowtic triangle melodrama to satisfy the Hays ker, John Hurt, Jeremy Kemp, ChristoOffice. Gable has a small but strong role in pher Cazenove, Anton Rodgers. Inept his first film as an MGM contract player. period drama set in 1948 Malaya; final reel Eastern Promises (2007-Canadian-British) ripped off from W. Somerset Maugham’s C-100m. ★★★ D: David Cronenberg. Viggo THE LETTER. Further sabotaged by campy Mortensen, Naomi Watts, Armin Muellersongs on soundtrack as well as opening Stahl, Vincent Cassel, Sine´ad Cusack, Jerzy disclaimer, which invites viewers to ‘‘laugh Skolimowski, Sarah-Jeanne Labrosse, Mike and smile’’ at the film. Bowker is beautiSarne. London hospital midwife Watts disful, as are Sri Lanka locations.▼ covers the diary of an abandoned, pregnant East of Shanghai SEE: Rich and Strange teenager who dies in childbirth, and deterEast of Sudan (1966-British) C-84m. ★★ [ 396 ]

D: Nathan Juran. Anthony Quayle, Sylvia student Trintignant to life of frolic with tragic results; well played and haunting.▼ Sims, Derek Fowlds, Jenny Agutter, Johnny Sekka. British trooper falls for English Easy Living (1937) 86m. ★★★ D: Mitchell governess when he leads her and several Leisen. Jean Arthur, Edward Arnold, Ray others to safety from Arabs in 1880s; OK Milland, Franklin Pangborn, William Demajuvenile adventure. Techniscope. rest, Mary Nash, Luis Alberni. Millionaire East Side of Heaven (1939) 90m. ★★★ D: Arnold throws spoiled-wife’s mink out the David Butler. Bing Crosby, Joan Blondell, window; it drops on unsuspecting working Mischa Auer, Irene Hervey, C. Aubrey Smith, girl Arthur. Arnold’s son Milland, off makBaby Sandy. Cute Crosby comedy with ing his career, falls in love. The girl: songs; Bing becomes guardian of abandoned Arthur. Delightful comedy written by Preston Sturges.▼쩠 baby, croons title tune, ‘‘Sing a Song of Sunbeams.’’쩠 Easy Living (1949) 77m. ★★★ D: Jacques East Side Story (1997-German-French) Tourneur. Victor Mature, Lizabeth Scott, C/B&W-87m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Dana Ranga. ‘‘SoLucille Ball, Sonny Tufts, Lloyd Nolan, Paul viet musicals’’ sounds like an oxymoron, Stewart, Jeff Donnell, Jack Paar, Art Baker. but more than 40 were made behind the Iron Mature is aging football star who can’t adCurtain from the early ’30s until the late just to impending retirement—especially ’60s. This documentary doesn’t limit itself under constant pressure from grasping wife to clips from the films, but includes interScott. Intelligent film from Irwin Shaw views with filmmakers, critics, and ordinary story, with good performance from Lucy as team secretary in love with Mature.▼● moviegoers. Some of the musicals are propaganda featuring deliriously happy workEasy Money (1983) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: James ers, but others, especially those directed by Signorelli. Rodney Dangerfield, Joe Pesci, Grigori Alexandrov, look so delightful you Geraldine Fitzgerald, Candy Azzara, Taylong to see titles like THE JOLLY FELlor Negron, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom LOWS and VOLGA VOLGA, Stalin’s faEwell. Working-class slob has one year to vorite movie. An absolute must for film give up all his bad habits—drinking, buffs.▼쩠 overeating, smoking, gambling—in order 1 ★★ East Side, West Side (1949) 108m. to collect big inheritance. Dangerfield’s ⁄2 D: Mervyn LeRoy. Barbara Stanwyck, first starring comedy vehicle is pleasant James Mason, Ava Gardner, Van Heflin, enough—with a refreshing amount of reCyd Charisse, Gale Sondergaard, William straint for an ’80s comedy. Final gag is right out of W. C. Fields. [R]▼●쩠 Frawley, Nancy Davis (Reagan). Stanwyck and Mason have pivotal roles as chic N.Y.C. Easy Rider (1969) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Densociety couple with abundant marital woes, nis Hopper. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, stirred up by alluring Gardner and underJack Nicholson, Karen Black, Luke Asstanding Heflin. Static MGM version of kew, Luana Anders, Robert Walker, Phil Marcia Davenport’s superficial novel.▼쩠 Spector, Toni Basil. Low-budget film of East-West (1999-French-Russian-Spanishalienated youth nearly ruined Hollywood when every studio tried to duplicate its sucBulgarian) C-121m. ★★ D: Re´gis Wargnier. Sandrine Bonnaire, Oleg Menchikov, Cathcess. Tale of two cyclists chucking it all and erine Deneuve, Sergei Bodrov, Jr. A doctor searching for ‘‘the real America,’’ while inand his French wife join other Russian e´mievitably dated, remains quite worthwhile, gre´s who are invited back to their homeland highlighted by fine Laszlo Kovacs photogfollowing WW2, but once there, their lives raphy, great rock soundtrack, and Nicholbecome a nightmare. Fascinating historical son’s star-making performance as boozy subject matter is turned into a turgid soap lawyer who tags along. Written by Fonda, opera. Deneuve has a small, thankless role Hopper, and Terry Southern. [R]▼●쩠 as a politically active stage star, but BonEasy to Love (1953) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Walters. Esther Williams, Van naire is luminous. [PG-13]▼쩠 1 ★ Easy Come, Easy Go (1967) C-95m. ⁄2 Johnson, Tony Martin, John Bromfield, D: John Rich. Elvis Presley, Dodie MarCarroll Baker. Pleasant Williams aquatic shall, Pat Priest, Elsa Lanchester, Frank vehicle set at Florida’s Cypress Gardens, McHugh, Pat Harrington. Presley’s a frogwith Johnson and Martin vying for her man diving for buried treasure in this hacklove. Spectacular production numbers by neyed comedy. Fortunately, he doesn’t sing Busby Berkeley. Baker’s first film.▼● underwater. Yet he does get to perform such Easy to Wed (1946) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: classics as ‘‘The Love Machine’’ and Edward Buzzell. Van Johnson, Esther Wil‘‘Yoga Is As Yoga Does.’’▼쩠 liams, Lucille Ball, Keenan Wynn, Cecil Easy Go SEE: Free and Easy Kellaway, June Lockhart. Remake of LIEasy Life, The (1963-Italian) 105m. ★★★ BELED LADY can’t hold a candle to D: Dino Risi. Vittorio Gassman, Catherine original, but remains passable comedy, Spaak, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Luciana Angiwith Lucy in one of her first major comedy olillo. Gassman has proper joie de vivre for showcases.▼쩠 playing middle-aged playboy who introduces Easy Virtue (1927-British) 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 397 ]

Alfred Hitchcock. Isabel Jeans, Franklin the dishes of TAMPOPO, BABETTE’S Dyall, Eric Bransby Williams, Ian Hunter, FEAST, and LIKE WATER FOR CHOCORobin Irvine, Violet Farebrother. Jeans sufLATE. Lee coscripted as well. Remade in 2001 as TORTILLA SOUP. ▼●쩠 fers nobly as the wife of an alcoholic and the lover of a suicide in this melodramatic silent Eaten Alive (1976) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tobe Hitchcock. Laughable dramatics but imaginaHooper. Neville Brand, Mel Ferrer, Carolyn tively shot, based on a Noel Coward play. Jones, Marilyn Burns, William Finley, Stuart Remade in 2009. ▼쩠 Whitman, Robert Englund. Ill-fated HollyEasy Virtue (2008-U.S.-British) C-96m. wood debut feature by TEXAS CHAINSAW ★★1 director Hooper is a garishly stylized, unre⁄2 D: Stephan Elliott. Jessica Biel, Colin Firth, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Barnes, lentingly bizarre film about a psychopath Kris Marshall, Kimberley Nixon, Katherine (Brand) who has a crocodile living in the Parkinson, Pip Torrens, Christian Brassingfront yard of his hotel. Periodically guests ton, Charlotte Riley. Lively if uneven adaptawho upset the management are fed to this pet. tion of Noel Coward’s play about a staid Originally titled DEATH TRAP; aka STARfamily that’s shaken up when the prodigal LIGHT SLAUGHTER, LEGEND OF THE son (Barnes) brings home a dashing AmeriBAYOU, and HORROR HOTEL.▼●쩠 can auto-racing champion (Biel) as his wife. Eating (1990) C-110m. ★★★ D: Henry Arch dialogue abounds in this deconstruction Jaglom. Frances Bergen, Lisa Richards, of the British class system, but director and Nelly Alard, Gwen Welles, Mary Crosby, coadapter Elliott tries to have it both ways, Marlene Giovi, Marina Gregory, Daphna winking at the audience one moment and Kastner, Elizabeth Kemp, Toni Basil. A asking us to take things seriously the next. group of women, attending a birthday party, Great showcase for Biel, who holds her own sit around talking about food and life—in amidst a top-notch British cast. Filmed bethat order. Typically idiosyncratic, lowfore by Alfred Hitchcock in 1927. Super 35. budget Jaglom outing, but this one really [PG-13] works: the conversation is fascinating and Easy Way, The SEE: Room for One More often hilarious. Frances Bergen (Edgar’s Easy Wheels (1989) C-94m. ★★ D: David widow, Candice’s mom) is a revelation.▼쩠 O’Malley. Paul Le Mat, Eileen Davidson, Eating Raoul (1982) C-83m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marjorie Bransfield, Jon Menick, Barry Paul Bartel. Paul Bartel, Mary Woronov, Livingston, Mark Holton, Theresa Randle, Robert Beltran, Susan Saiger, Buck Henry, Danny Hicks, George Plimpton, Ted Raimi, Dick Blackburn, Edie McClurg, Ed Begley, Ben Stein. A gang of good male bikers Jr., John Paragon, Hamilton Camp. Delicombats a baby-stealing gang of women cious black comedy about the Blands, a bikers in the Midwest. Satirical action comsuper-square couple who lure wealthy swingers edy is awkwardly directed, but has some to their apartment and kill them, which good ideas. Writer ‘‘Celia Abrams’’ in the both reduces the number of ‘‘perverts’’ and credits is really Sam Raimi. [R]▼ helps finance their dream restaurant. Sags ★★★ D: Eat a Bowl of Tea (1989) C-104m. a little here and there, but overall a bright, Wayne Wang. Cora Miao, Russell Wong, original, hilarious satire; Paragon has a super Victor Wong, Lau Siu Ming, Eric Tsang Chi bit as a sexshop owner. Directors Joe Dante Wai. From 1924 until the end of WW2, most and John Landis also appear. [R] ▼쩠 Chinese women were not allowed to accomEat My Dust! (1976) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles pany their menfolk who emigrated to the U.S. Griffith. Ron Howard, Christopher Norris, This charming but pointed ethnic comedy Warren Kemmerling, Dave Madden, Rance chronicles what happened when the ban was Howard, Clint Howard, Corbin Bernsen. lifted, as American-born Russell Wong Nervewracking yarn about two young drivers brings Chinese-born bride Miao to N.Y.C. A unable to satisfy passion for speed. Hang on! [PG]▼쩠 film that no one else but Wang could have Eat the Peach (1986-Irish) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 made. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Eat Drink Man Woman (1994-Taiwan) D: Peter Ormrod. Stephen Brennan, Eamon C-124m. ★★★ D: Ang Lee. Sihung Lung, Morrissey, Catherine Byrne, Niall Toibin, Kuei-Mei Yang, Chien-Lien Wu, Yu-Wen Joe Lynch, Tony Doyle. Two hard-luck Wang, Winston Chao, Ah-Leh Gua, Sylvia friends in rural Ireland, suddenly unemChang. Director Lee’s follow-up to THE ployed, are inspired by a scene in Elvis WEDDING BANQUET is another charmPresley’s movie ROUSTABOUT and deing study of love, family, and tradition, cide to build a ‘‘wall of death’’ (a huge which follows a Taipei master chef (Lung) wooden cylinder in which they ride their who has lost his taste buds and has grown motorcycles in a circuslike stunt). Can apart from his three daughters. The multiple fame and fortune be far behind? Uniquely stories and their resolutions are a bit too dour Irish sensibility permeates this unpredictable, but Lee’s handling of the action even but engaging little film about hopes is dexterous and the entire cast is winning. and dreams—even cockeyed ones like these. The presentation of food onscreen is, in all Director Ormrod and producer John Kelsenses of the word, delectable, ranking with leher based their script on a true story.▼ [ 398 ]

Eat the Rich (1987-British) C-88m. BOMB stars and director. Australian title: SHADOWS OF THE PEACOCK. [R]▼● D: Peter Richardson. Nosher Powell, Lanah Pellay, Fiona Richmond, Ronald Allen, SanEcho Park (1986-Austrian-U.S.) C-93m. ★★1 dra Dorne. Ironically tasteless black comedy ⁄2 D: Robert Dornhelm. Susan Dey, about Pellay getting fired from his job in a resThomas Hulce, Michael Bowen, Christotaurant, where he later returns leading a band pher Walker, Richard (Cheech) Marin, of revolutionaries and begins serving human Cassandra Peterson, Timothy Carey. Small flesh on the menu. Weird point of view and film set in older L.A. neighborhood, which noisy heavy metal music score by Mofollows the fortunes of three offbeat chartorhead. Many pointless cameos by the likes acters: a single mother/actress, a pizza of Paul and Linda McCartney, Bill Wyman, delivery man/poet, and an Austrian weightMiranda Richardson and Koo Stark. [R]▼쩠 lifter/TV hopeful. Bowen (as the latter) Ebirah, Horror of the Deep SEE: Godscores best in this mildly diverting film; first half is best. [R]▼●쩠 zilla Vs. The Sea Monster Eboli (1979-Italian) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Eclipse (1962-French-Italian) 123m. ★★★ Francesco Rosi. Gian Maria Volonte´, Irene D: Michelangelo Antonioni. Alain Delon, Papas, Paolo Bonicelli, Alain Cuny, Lea MasMonica Vitti, Francisco Rabal, Lilla Brigsari. Slow-moving but rewarding chronicle of none, Louis Seigner, Rossana Rory. Obvious anti-Facist writer/artist Carlo Levi’s exile in but fascinating drama of alienation, Ana small, primitive southern Italian mountain tonioni-style, about a translator (Vitti) who village during the mid-1930s. Stunningly dibreaks up with her boyfriend and commences rected, with Volonte perfect as Levi. Video an affair with stockbroker Delon. Antonioni title: CHRIST STOPPED AT EBOLI; most strikingly captures Vitti’s isolation, and the prints with this title run 210m.▼쩠 world (and city of Rome) as filtered through Echelon Conspiracy (2009) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 her sensibilities. Third in a trilogy, followD: Greg Marcks. Shane West, Edward ing L’AVVENTURA and LA NOTTE. Burns, Ving Rhames, Martin Sheen, Yuriy Original title: L’ECLISSE. ▼쩠 Kutsenko, Sergey Gubanov, Steven Elder, Ecstasy (1933-Czech) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: GusSandra De Sousa, Jonathan Pryce, Greg tav Machaty. Hedy Kiesler (Lamarr), Donaldson. It may be BOURNE-lite but it’s Aribert Mog, Jaromir Rogoz, Leopold still an entertaining sci-fi spy thriller in Kramer. A young bride discovers her which West’s insanely smart cell phone husband is impotent and has an affair. sends him all over the world alerting him to Undistinguished romantic drama was once big casino winnings, great stock tips, and all notorious for scenes of pre-Hollywood Hedy the beautiful women he can handle. Soon he in the buff—and showing her in the throes of sexual passion.▼쩠 is being chased around the globe by agents with high-tech gadgets of their own. This male Ed (1996) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Bill Couturie´. fantasy is by-the-numbers filmmaking but it’s Matt LeBlanc, Jayne Brook, Bill Cobbs, a guilty pleasure with an attractive cast, good Jack Warden, Charlie Schlatter, Carl Anenough to pass the time between Bourne and thony Payne II, Zacharias Ward, Tommy Bond movies. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Lasorda. Nervous pitcher getting his big Echoes (1983) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur break on a minor-league baseball team beAllan Seidelman. Richard Alfieri, Nathalie comes roommate with the club’s new third Nell, Mercedes McCambridge, Ruth Robaseman: a full-grown chimpanzee. Uninman, Gale Sondergaard, Mike Kellin, John spired vehicle for Friends star LeBlanc (and Spencer. Art student Alfieri becomes obsessed Hollywood debut for award-winning docuby a dream in which his twin brother, who mentary director Couturie´). Strikes out as a died before birth, is out to kill him. Intriguing warm family comedy, though younger premise, just adequate result. [R]▼쩠 viewers may be amused. [PG]▼●쩠 Echoes of a Summer (1976) C-99m. ★★ D: Eddie (1996) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steve Rash. Don Taylor. Richard Harris, Lois Nettleton, Whoopi Goldberg, Frank Langella, Dennis Jodie Foster, Geraldine Fitzgerald, William Farina, Richard Jenkins, Lisa Ann Walter, Windom, Brad Savage. Another film in the John Benjamin Hickey, Troy Beyer. Gim‘‘disease’’ genre, as 12-year-old Foster’s stolid micky star vehicle for Whoopi finds her reaction to impending death inspires those going overnight from rabid N.Y. Knicks fan around her. Overwritten tearjerker, but Jodie to being coach of the team—when the cyniis always worth a look. [PG] cal new owner finds there’s great publicity Echoes of Paradise (1987-Australian) value in it. Despite the far-fetched premise, C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Phillip Noyce. Wendy Whoopi mines laughs—especially early on, Hughes, John Lone, Steven Jacobs, Peta before the film begins to take itself too seriToppano, Rod Mullinar, Gillian Jones. ously. Look for cameos by various N.Y. Frustrated Hughes’ husband cheats on her, celebs and basketball stars. [PG-13]▼●쩠 so while in Thailand she liberates herself Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) C-92m. ★★ D: Martin Davidson. Tom Berenger, by commencing an affair with Balinese dancer Lone. Boring (though attractive) Michael Pare´, Joe Pantoliano, Matthew soaper is an unfortunate misfire for talented Laurance, Helen Schneider, Ellen Barkin. [ 399 ]

Ideal premise—whatever happened to the away from her mundane life toward an explomembers of a legendary, innovative rock ration of her cosmic self. No mumbo jumbo ’n’ roll band of the ’60s—buried by terrible here, but instead a gripping drama in which script. Pare´ plays band’s iconoclastic leader, the main character forces the people closest to who ran his car off a pier; Barkin is TV reher to examine their own lives. Written by the director. Made in 1996. [R]▼쩠 porter who tries to piece together story, a la CITIZEN KANE . . . but there’s no Rosebud Edge, The (1997) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lee here. Good song score by John Cafferty. Tamahori. Anthony Hopkins, Alec BaldFollowed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 win, Elle Macpherson, Harold Perrineau, Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives! L. Q. Jones, Bart the Bear. Quiet billionaire (1989) C-103m. BOMB D: Jean-Claude Hopkins accompanies his supermodel wife Lord. Michael Pare´, Marina Orsini, Beron a location shoot in Alaska, then finds nie Coulson, Matthew Laurance, Michael himself stranded in the wilderness with phoRhoades, Anthony Sherwood, Bo Diddley. tographer (Baldwin) and his assistant (PerriNow get this: Eddie Wilson did not die in a neau) when their plane crashes. The bookish 1964 New Jersey car accident; he’s living rich guy turns out to be a pretty fair survivincognito in Montreal (where movies can be alist, but meets his match in killer Kodiak financed more cheaply) and is only surfacbear. Good acting, exciting action seing now because the producers wanted a quences, but a stretch of credibility (more in sequel. Eddie’s life signs did not extend to the relationships than in the survival mode) the box office. [PG-13]▼●쩠 makes this an uneven outing. Written by David Mamet. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Eddie Cantor Story, The (1953) C-116m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Alfred E. Green. Keefe Brasselle, Edge of Darkness (1943) 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marilyn Erskine, Aline MacMahon, Marie Lewis Milestone. Errol Flynn, Ann SheriWindsor. If Brasselle doesn’t turn you off dan, Walter Huston, Nancy Coleman, Helas Cantor, MacMahon’s Grandma Esther or a mut Dantine, Judith Anderson, Ruth Gorputty-nosed young actor (Jackie Barnett) playdon, John Beal, Roman Bohnen. Intense, ing Jimmy Durante certainly will.▼ compelling drama of underground moveEddie Macon’s Run (1983) C-95m. ment in Norway during Nazi takeover in ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff Kanew. Kirk Douglas, John WW2. Eye-popping camerawork compleSchneider, Lee Purcell, Leah Ayres, Lisa ments fine performances. Scripted by RobDunsheath, Tom Noonan, John Goodman. ert Rossen, from William Woods’ story. Bumpy chase-and-car-crash picture that has Also shown in computer-colored version.▼ wrongly convicted prison escapee Schneider Edge of Doom (1950) 90m. ★★ D: Mark (in his first starring role after attaining Dukes Robson. Dana Andrews, Farley Granger, Joan of Hazzard fame) trying to elude his relentEvans, Mala Powers, Paul Stewart, Adele Jerless pursuer (Douglas) and make it to Mexico. gens. Poor but hardworking Granger loses Based on the novel by James McLendon. control when his mother dies; only parish Goodman’s film debut. [PG]▼● priest Andrews understands his torment. Eddie Murphy Raw (1987) C-93m. ★★ Turgid drama. D: Robert Townsend. Occasionally upEdge of Eternity (1959) C-80m. ★★ D: roarious but ultimately dispiriting Murphy Don Siegel. Cornel Wilde, Victoria Shaw, concert film, shot at N.Y.C.’s Felt Forum. Mickey Shaughnessy, Edgar Buchanan, Best moments: the comic’s imitations of Rian Garrick, Jack Elam. Deputy sheriff Bill Cosby and Richard Pryor giving their Wilde tracks killers to Grand Canyon, leadopposing views on the crude tone of so ing to shoot-out on mining buckets susmuch Murphy material. Worst: sexist slurs pended on cables way above canyon. that too often predominate. Fades in the CinemaScope. stretch; there’s an amusing fictional proEdge of Love, The (2008-British) C-111m. ★1 logue, ‘‘set’’ in the Murphys’ home two ⁄2 D: John Maybury. Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy, Matthew Rhys. decades ago. [R]▼●쩠 Eddy Duchin Story, The (1956) C-123m. Mawkish soaper, set during WW2, involving ★★ D: George Sidney. Tyrone Power, Kim an egocentric poet (Rhys) and the two women Novak, Victoria Shaw, James Whitmore. in his life. One (Miller) is his high-spirited Glossy Hollywood bio of pianist-bandleader wife; the other (Knightley), a coolly beautiful of 1930s and ’40s; Power tries hard (Carsinger, is a friend from childhood. Into their men Cavallaro dubs at keyboard). Tearworld comes an idealistic soldier (Murphy) jerker ending and theme song memorable. who falls obsessively in love with Knightley. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Means to be lyrical and insightful, but the Eden (1998) C-106m. ★★★ D: Howard characters are superficially rendered and the Goldberg. Joanna Going, Dylan Walsh, actors fail to rise above the material. It seems Sean Patrick Flanery, Sean Christensen, Edof minor importance that the poet is Dylan ward O. Blenis, Jr. Original, provocative Thomas and the story is ‘‘inspired, in part, film set in 1965 about a young mother with by actual events.’’ Playwright Sharman MS, married to a prep school professor, who Macdonald, Knightley’s mother, penned has an out-of-body experience that leads her the screenplay.쩠 [ 400 ]

★1 Edge of Sanity (1989-British) C-90m. ★1⁄2 ⁄2 D: Claude Lelouch. Evelyne Bouix, D: Ge´rard Kikoine. Anthony Perkins, Marcel Cerdan, Jr., Jacques Villeret, JeanGlynis Barber, Sarah Maur-Thorp, David Claude Brialy, Francis Huster, Jean Bouise, Lodge, Ben Cole. Grotesque, overwrought Charles Aznavour. Passionless retelling of travesty on Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Robert the love affair between singer Edith Piaf Louis Stevenson is not even credited). Jekyll and middleweight boxer Marcel Cerdan, who (Perkins) accidentally discovers the Hyde fordied in a 1949 plane crash. Bouix and Cerdan, mula, transforms only very slightly, and beJr., are bland in the title roles. Originally comes Jack the Ripper. Tasteless, pointless, 162m. Piaf and Cerdan’s relationship is also and unpleasant. [R] ▼●쩠 dramatized in LA VIE EN ROSE. ▼ Edge of the City (1957) 85m. ★★★★ D: Edmond (2005) C-82m. ★★ D: Stuart GorMartin Ritt. John Cassavetes, Sidney Poidon. William H. Macy, Rebecca Pidgeon, tier, Jack Warden, Ruby Dee, Kathleen Joe Mantegna, Julia Stiles, Jeffrey Combs, Maguire, Ruth White. Somber, realistic Bai Ling, Debi Mazar, Denise Richards, account of N.Y.C. waterfront life and corMena Suvari, George Wendt, Dylan Walsh, ruption. Friendship of army deserter CassaDule´ Hill, Bokeem Woodbine, Wren vetes and dock worker Poitier, both conBrown. On his way home from work a flicting with union racketeer Warden, middle-aged exec heeds a fateful tarot readprovides focus for reflections on integraing and leaves his wife to embark on an alltion and integrity in lower-class society. night odyssey through the city’s underbelly. Masterfully acted by all. Ritt’s first film as Adapted by David Mamet from his 1982 director. Robert Alan Aurthur adapted his one-act play and episodic by design, this own 1955 TV play, A Man Is Ten Feet fable becomes more difficult to take as it Tall (which was also film’s British title), goes on and Macy’s character exorcises all in which Poitier originated his role. Also of his sexist, racist paranoia. Something less shown in computer-colored version.쩠 than Homeric, made palatable only by Edge of the World, The (1937-British) Macy’s commanding performance. [R]쩠 74m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Powell. Niall MacEd’s Next Move (1996) C-88m. ★★★ D: Ginnis, Belle Chrystall, John Laurie, Finlay John Walsh. Matt Ross, Callie Thorne, Currie, Eric Berry. The life and death of an Kevin Carroll, Ramsey Faragallah, Nina isolated Shetland island as it is evacuated of Sheveleva. Sweetly engaging romantic its citizens. Engrossing drama, filmed on the comedy; a sincere, knowing story of the difNorth Sea isle of Foula. That’s Powell playficulties of finding love in the Big City. The ing the yachtsman in opening scene. Powell title character (Ross), a Wisconsin native and those cast and crew still alive revisited who comes to N.Y.C. to make his fortune, the location 40 years later to film the docuis immediately attracted to a struggling mumentary RETURN TO THE EDGE OF sician (Thorne), who is already involved THE WORLD.▼쩠 with someone. [R]▼● Edie in Ciao! Manhattan SEE: Ciao! Ed TV (1999) C-122m. ★★★ D: Ron HowManhattan ard. Matthew McConaughey, Jenna Elfman, Edison Force (2006) C-99m. BOMB D: Woody Harrelson, Sally Kirkland, Martin David J. Burke. Morgan Freeman, Kevin Landau, Ellen DeGeneres, Rob Reiner, Spacey, Justin Timberlake, LL Cool J, Dylan Dennis Hopper, Elizabeth Hurley, Adam McDermott, John Heard, Cary Elwes, RoseGoldberg, Viveka Davis, Clint Howard. Enlyn Sanchez, Damien Dante Wayans, Piper tertaining yarn about a desperate cable TV Perabo. Two Oscar winners topline this loud, network that decides to broadcast an ordiviolent direct-to-DVD clunker in which a menary guy’s life for every waking moment nagerie of shady politicos, corrupt cops—and of the day—turning the poor sap into an one intrepid reporter—clash in a crime-ridden overnight celebrity. Interesting twists in metropolis. Indescribably bad film opens Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel’s script with a standard-issue shootout, and much of keep this from being a one-joke comedy. the dialogue that follows is unintentionally Well cast right down the line. Remake of funny. Pop star Timberlake’s acting debut. a Canadian film, LOUIS XIX: ROI DES Originally screened at film festivals as EDIONDES. [PG-13]▼●쩠 SON. Super 35. [R]쩠 ★★★ Educating Rita (1983-British) C-110m. D: Edison, the Man (1940) 107m. ★★★ D: Lewis Gilbert. Michael Caine, JuClarence Brown. Spencer Tracy, Rita Johnlie Walters, Michael Williams, Maureen son, Lynne Overman, Charles Coburn, Lipman, Jeananne Crowley, Malcolm DougGene Lockhart, Henry Travers, Felix las. Entertaining adaptation of Willy RusBressart. Sequel to YOUNG TOM EDIsell’s stage play about a young workingSON perfectly casts Tracy as earnest inclass wife who wants to better herself, and ventor with passion for mechanical ingeselects boozy professor Caine as her tutor. nuity. Facts and MGM fantasy combine Walters is excellent in her film debut (rewell in sentimental treatment. Also shown creating her stage role) and Caine has one of in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Edith and Marcel (1983-French) C-104m. his best roles as her mentor. [PG-13]▼●쩠 [ 401 ]

Education of Charlie Banks, The (2009) nona Ryder, Dianne Wiest, Vincent Price, C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fred Durst. Jesse EisenAlan Arkin, Anthony Michael Hall, Kathy berg, Jason Ritter, Eva Amurri, Christopher Baker, Conchata Ferrell, Caroline Aaron, Marquette, Sebastian Stan, Gloria Votsis, Dick Anthony Williams. Strikingly origiDennis Boutsikaris. Class-conscious comingnal fable (expanded from an idea Burton of-age story, set in the ’70s and early ’80s, hatched as a child) about a man-made boy about a well-bred Manhattan boy (Eisenwhose creator dies before attaching human berg) who thinks he’s left a neighborhood hands to his body. Now he’s adopted by a tough guy (Ritter) behind when he goes to relentlessly cheery Avon Lady, and taken an Ivy League college. But Ritter shows up to live in American suburbia. Mixture of in his dorm one day, ostensibly for a visit, fairy tale elements and social satire loses and finds the tony atmosphere (and Eisenits story momentum toward the end, but berg’s girlfriend, Amurri) to his liking. that can’t erase its charm or good-natured Highly uneven but interesting take on social humor. Depp is perfect as the fragile scissormores and boundary lines; creditable feahanded boy, and it’s great fun to watch Price as his master. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ture directing debut for Durst, of the rock group Limp Bizkit (filmed before 2008’s Edward II (1991-British) C-91m. ★★★ D: THE LONGSHOTS). Super 35. [R]쩠 Derek Jarman. Steven Waddington, Kevin Education of Little Tree, The (1997) Collins, Andrew Tiernan, John Lynch, DudC-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Friedenberg. ley Sutton, Tilda Swinton, Jerome Flynn, James Cromwell, Tantoo Cardinal, Joseph Jody Graber, Nigel Terry, Annie Lennox. Ashton, Graham Greene, Mika Boorem, Trenchant (if unnecessarily violent) adaptaChristopher Heyerdahl. An 8-year-old boy, tion of the Christopher Marlowe play, written half-white/half-Cherokee, goes to live with in 1592, about the downfall of the openly gay his grandparents in the backwoods of TenBritish monarch who rejects his queen for a nessee in 1935 and is taught the way of male lover. Despite 14th-century setting, some life and the land. Beautifully photographed characters wear contemporary clothing, and family film never fully takes hold, but fine film works quite well as a condemnation of performances and solid values make it 20th-century gay-bashing. Not for all tastes— pleasant viewing. [G]▼●쩠 but never dull. Lennox, formerly of EurythEducation of Sonny Carson, The (1974) mics, appears in one scene singing Cole Porter’s ‘‘Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.’’▼●쩠 C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Campus. Rony Clanton, Don Gordon, Joyce Walker, Paul Ed Wood (1994) 124m. ★★★ D: Tim BurBenjamin, Ram John Holder. Interesting if ton. Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Sarah overemotional drama of rebellious black Jessica Parker, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey youth in Brooklyn of the ’50s and ’60s. Jones, G. D. Spradlin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Based on Carson’s autobiography; the film Lisa Marie, Bill Murray, Mike Starr, Max takes on additional meaning with regard to Casella, Brent Hinkley, Juliet Landau, his latter-day notoriety on the N.Y.C. politiGeorge ‘‘The Animal’’ Steele. A loving cal scene. [R]▼쩠 look at Edward D. Wood, Jr., a man of Edukators, The (2004-German-Austrian) boundless enthusiasm and no talent who C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hans Weingartner. Danmade some of the worst movies of all time iel Bru¨hl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg, Burgh(including GLEN OR GLENDA and PLAN art Klaussner, Hanns Zischler. Thoughtful, 9 FROM OUTER SPACE). Cast to perfecif verbose and overlong, satirical exploration, with Depp ideal in the title role. Lantion of political idealism and hypocrisy in dau—in Rick Baker makeup (both men won contemporary Germany. A pair of strident Oscars)—is positively astonishing as the young radicals (Bru¨hl, Erceg) see themaged and impoverished Bela Lugosi, whom selves as 21st-century Robin Hoods, which Wood befriended. There isn’t much story gives them an excuse to break into the thrust here, but the vivid re-creation of time homes of the well-heeled. Complications and place makes this a must for any oldarise when Erceg’s girlfriend (Jentsch) parmovie buff. [R]▼●쩠 ticipates in one of their escapades. [R] 쩠 Eegah! (1963) C-92m. BOMB D: NichoEdward, My Son (1949-British) 112m. las Merriwether (Arch Hall, Sr.). Arch ★★1 ⁄2 D: George Cukor. Spencer Tracy, DeboHall, Jr., Marilyn Manning, Richard Kiel, rah Kerr, Ian Hunter, James Donald, Mervyn William Watters (Arch Hall, Sr.). In the deJohns, Felix Aylmer, Leueen McGrath. Wellsert near Palm Springs, a prehistoric giant acted but talky, stagy drama in which brash, (Kiel) falls in love with teenage Manning. A rags-to-riches Tracy pampers his son, failstaple at ‘‘All-Time Worst Film’’ festivals. ing to instill within him a sense of responsiArch Hall, Jr., sings the memorable ‘‘I Love bility. Gimmicks of Tracy talking to viewer, You, Vickie.’’▼●쩠 title character never being shown, come off Eel, The (1997-Japanese) C-117m. ★★★ D: as forced. Based on a play by Robert MorShohei Imamura. Koji Yakusho, Misa ley and Noel Langley. Shimizu, Fujio Tsuneta, Mitsuko Baisho, Edward Scissorhands (1990) C-100m. Akira Emoto, Sho Aikawa, Ken Kobayashi. ★★★ D: Tim Burton. Johnny Depp, WiA businessman brutally murders his wife [ 402 ]

upon discovering that she has been cheating Thayer David, Heidi Bruhl, Reiner Schoene, on him. Eight years later, he is paroled from Brenda Venus. Pseudo-James Bond misprison, and can only relate to his pet eel, fire, often unintentionally funny. Thrilling because it will not disappoint or betray him. mountain-climbing climax does not make up Then he saves a woman who has attempted for film’s many faults and ungodly length. suicide after a bad love affair. Pensive, poiJack Cassidy as gay, treacherous spy congnant allegorical drama.▼쩠 tributes the only creative acting. Based on novel by Trevanian. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-theMoon Marigolds, The (1972) C-100m. 81⁄2 (1963-Italian) 135m. ★★★★ D: Federico ★★★ Fellini. Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia D: Paul Newman. Joanne Woodward, Nell Potts, Roberta Wallach, Judith Lowry. Cardinale, Anouk Aime´e, Sandra Milo, Woodward gives superb performance in tale Barbara Steele, Rossella Falk, Madeleine of secluded boor of a mother and her two LeBeau, Caterina Boratto, Edra Gale, Mark strange daughters. Alvin Sargent adapted Paul Herron. Fellini’s unique self-analytical movie Zindel’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play. [PG] casts Mastroianni as a filmmaker trying to Effi Briest (1974-German) 135m. ★★★1⁄2 D: develop a new project, amid frequent visions Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Hanna Schygulla, and countless subplots. A long, difficult, but Wolfgang Schenck, Karl-Heinz Bohm, Ulli fascinating film, overflowing with creative Lommel, Ursula Stratz, Irm Hermann. and technical wizardry. Certainly one of the Sharply observed drama, set in 19th-century most intensely personal statements ever made Germany, is one of Fassbinder’s best. It’s the on celluloid. Screenplay by Fellini, Tullio Pistory of the social and sexual victimization of nelli, Ennio Flaiano, and Brunello Rondi. the title character (Schygulla), an innocent Oscar winner for Costume Design and as Best Foreign Language Film.▼●쩠 teenager stifled by the conventions of society and lacking the resolve to challenge them. 81⁄2 Women (1999-British) C-121m. ★1⁄2 Fassbinder also scripted; based on a novel D: Peter Greenaway. John Standing, Matby Theodor Fontane, which was filmed three thew Delamere, Vivian Wu, Shizuka Inoh, times before.▼쩠 Barbara Sarafian, Kirina Mano, Toni ColEfficiency Expert, The (1992-Australian) lette, Amanda Plummer, Natcha Amal, Manna ★★★ C-85m. Fujiwara, Polly Walker. When a successful D: Mark Joffe. Anthony Hopkins, Alwyn Kurts, Rebecca Rigg, Russell businessman is widowed, his son tries to Crowe, Angela Punch McGregor, Ben help him through his grief by taking him on Mendelsohn, Bruno Lawrence, Toni Cola sexual odyssey. The women range from a lette. Pleasant farce that follows the plight former nun (Collette) to a horsewoman/pig of Hopkins, an uncompromising managefancier (Plummer) who wears a bizarre seement consultant whose attitude is ever-sothrough harness. Copious male and female slightly altered by the various, humorously nudity can’t keep this from being a colossal inefficient workers at a small factory. Hopbore. A supposed homage to Fellini, this kins offers a solid comic performance. Origisn’t in his league. [R]▼쩠 inal title: SPOTSWOOD. [PG]▼●쩠 Eight Below (2006) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Egg and I, The (1947) 108m. ★★★ D: Marshall. Paul Walker, Bruce Greenwood, Chester Erskine. Claudette Colbert, Fred Moon Bloodgood, Jason Biggs, Gerard PlunMacMurray, Marjorie Main, Louise Allkett, August Schellenberg, Wendy Crewson. britton, Percy Kilbride, Richard Long, DonWhen the staff of a U.S. National Science ald MacBride, Samuel S. Hinds. Colbert Research team is ordered to abandon its Antis delightful as city girl who marries chicken arctic camp, wilderness guide Walker despairs farmer MacMurray and struggles to surabout leaving his eight huskies behind. How vive on his farm; first appearance of Ma the resourceful dogs struggle to survive, and and Pa Kettle. From Betty MacDonald’s how Walker refuses to give up on them, is best-seller. Later a TV series.▼●쩠 the crux of this Disney film. Goes astray as Egyptian, The (1954) C-140m. ★★ D: Mistory drags on much longer than it should, chael Curtiz. Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, but the animal action and wintry location Gene Tierney, Michael Wilding, Bella footage are first-rate. Loose remake of the Darvi, Peter Ustinov, Edmund Purdom, Jufact-based 1983 Japanese movie NANKYdith Evelyn, Henry Daniell, John Carradine, OKU MONOGATARI (ANTARCTICA). Super 35. [PG]쩠 Tommy Rettig. Ponderous, often unintentionally funny biblical-era soaper with PurEight Crazy Nights (2002) C-75m. BOMB dom cast as the sensitive, truth-seeking title D: Seth Kearsley. Voices of Adam Sandler, character, a physician in ancient Egypt. Rob Schneider, Jackie Titone, Kevin Nealon, Darvi’s performance as a femme fatale is hiNorm Crosby, Jon Lovitz, Tyra Banks, Carl lariously awful; see how much of her dialogue Weathers, Lainie Kazan, Alison Krauss. you can understand. Loosely based on Mika Adam Sandler fans and cartoon buffs beWaltari’s novel. CinemaScope.▼● ware! Raunchy animated musical comedy, 1 ★ Eiger Sanction, The (1975) C-128m. ⁄2 about a small-town slacker given a second D: Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, George chance at redemption by aiding a pint-sized Kennedy, Vonetta McGee, Jack Cassidy, basketball coach. Scatological humor abounds [ 403 ]

at the expense of the handicapped, all reliwin causes complications. Underbudgeted gious groups and ethnicities. Story is set durbut overplotted, this curio is as ponderous ing the holiday season merely as an excuse as its little-used raft. From a novel by Jules Verne. [PG-13]▼쩠 for Sandler’s popular comic ‘‘Hanukkah Song’’ to be sung over the end credits. SandEight Iron Men (1952) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: ler provides voices for three characters and Edward Dmytryk. Bonar Colleano, Lee wrote the forgettable and numerous musical Marvin, Richard Kiley, Nick Dennis, Arnumbers. Not for kids, adults, or anyone. thur Franz, Mary Castle. WW2 actioner Full on-screen title is ADAM SANDLER’S focusing on a group of soldiers, strain they EIGHT CRAZY NIGHTS. [PG-13]▼쩠 undergo during continued enemy attack. Eight Days a Week (1999) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 Eight Legged Freaks (2002) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Davis. Joshua Schaefer, Keri D: Ellory Elkayem. David Arquette, Kari Russell, R. D. Robb, Mark L. Taylor, MarWuhrer, Scott Terra, Scarlett Johansson, cia Shapiro, Catherine Hicks. A boy Doug E. Doug, Rick Overton, Leon Rippy, (Schaefer) in love with his beautiful nextEileen Ryan. If you want to see a movie door neighbor (Russell) decides to camp out about giant marauding spiders, this one’s on her front lawn until she agrees to go out for you: toxic waste turns the inhabitants of with him. Sweet, well acted, a bit corny, but a spider farm into monsters that wreak makes no excuses for what it is: a teenage havoc on an Arizona town. A female sheriff romantic comedy. [R]▼쩠 (Wuhrer) and her onetime boyfriend (Ar18 Again! (1988) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul quette) try to fend off the fearsome killers. Flaherty. George Burns, Charlie Schlatter, A spirited, gooey, and amusing homage to Tony Roberts, Anita Morris, Red Buttons, 1950s films like TARANTULA and THEM! Miriam Flynn, Jennifer Runyon. 81-year(which is glimpsed briefly on TV). Tom old Jack Watson (92-year-old Burns) beNoonan appears unbilled. Super 35. [PG13] ▼쩠 comes 18 again via his grandson’s body and a bump on the head. Sound familiar? Eight Men Out (1988) C-119m. ★★★ D: What it lacks in originality is made up in John Sayles. John Cusack, Clifton James, part by Schlatter’s utterly charming performMichael Lerner, Christopher Lloyd, John ance as the young George, and that founMahoney, Charlie Sheen, David Strathairn, tain of youth Burns (who, alas, we see D. B. Sweeney, Michael Rooker, Perry precious little of). [PG]▼●쩠 Lang, James Read, Bill Irwin, Kevin Tighe, Eighth Day, The (1996-French-Belgian) Studs Terkel, John Anderson, Maggie C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jaco van Dormael. Daniel Renzi. Exquisitely detailed period piece Auteuil, Pascal Duquenne, Miou-Miou, Isaabout the infamous 1919 ‘‘Black Sox’’ belle Sadoyan, Henry Garcin, Michele World Series, in which members of the Maes. Well-intentioned but overly familiar Chicago White Sox agreed to throw the feel-good story of uptight, phony-baloney games in return for cash. Writer-director Belgian businessman Auteuil, who (predictSayles (who also appears as sportswriter ably) undergoes a personality transformaRing Lardner) touches all the bases, extion after finding himself in the company of cept perhaps in terms of emotion; the story a Down’s Syndrome victim (Duquenne, doesn’t have the impact it might have, who actually suffers from the malady). If though the actual baseball scenes are suyou’ve seen RAIN MAN . . . Auteuil and perb and the key performances (by Strathairn, Duquenne both won Cannes Film Festival Sweeney, and Cusack) are top-notch. Based on a book by Eliot Asinof. [PG]▼●쩠 acting prizes. Super 35.▼● 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag (1997-U.S.-Brit8 Mile (2002) C-110m. ★★★ D: Curtis Hanish) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom Schulman. Joe son. Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany MurPesci, Andy Comeau, Kristy Swanson, phy, Mekhi Phifer, Evan Jones, Omar Benson Todd Louiso, George Hamilton, Dyan CanMiller, Eugene Byrd, De’Angelo Wilson, Annon, David Spade, Frank Roman, Ernestine thony Mackie, Taryn Manning, Michael Mercer. Mob hit man Pesci’s bag of the Shannon. Angry young white rapper tries to title is accidentally swapped with that of a use his music to escape the grimness of life medical student on the way to a Mexican in Detroit but freezes when forced to comvacation. Many black-comedy complicapete in a public forum with his glib black tions ensue. Occasionally very funny, but counterparts. Familiar underdog formula is not often enough, and debuting director given grit and resonance, and makes a conSchulman’s timing is limp; Spade and Louvincing case for the power of selfiso have the best moments. [R]▼●쩠 expression. Real-life rapper Eminem is imEight Hundred Leagues Down the Amapressive in a tailor-made film that echoes his own life story. Oscar winner for Best zon (1993) C-75m. ★1⁄2 D: Luis Llosa. Daphne Zuniga, Barry Bostwick, Adam Song, ‘‘Lose Yourself.’’ Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Baldwin, Tom Verica, E. E. Bell, Ramsay 8 Million Ways to Die (1986) C-115m. Ross. In the 19th century, planter Bostwick, BOMB D: Hal Ashby. Jeff Bridges, Rosanhis daughter Zuniga, and others drift down na Arquette, Alexandra Paul, Randy the Amazon on a huge raft; scheming BaldBrooks, Andy Garcia. Dreary tale of [ 404 ]

alcoholic ex-cop who gets involved with death threat from a man he helped send to high-priced call girl and her ‘‘friends’’ (a Death Row (McDonough). Lumbering, heavypowerful pimp and a sleazy drug dealer). handed theatrics and clumsy attempts at susSlow, arid film populated by unpleasant pense make this a total waste of time. Super and uninteresting characters. Remarkably 35. [R]쩠 poor script (cowritten by Oliver Stone) has 84 Charing Cross Road (1987) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Jones. Anne Bancroft, only faint resemblance to Lawrence Block’s fine novel. [R]▼● Anthony Hopkins, Judi Dench, Jean De Baer, 8MM (1999) C-123m. ★★ D: Joel SchuMaurice Denham, Eleanor David, Mercedes macher. Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, Ruehl, Daniel Gerroll. Loving, literate, and James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, Anthony totally disarming film about the longtime corHeald, Catherine Keener, Chris Bauer, Myra respondence, and growing friendship, beCarter. Private detective accepts an unusual tween a feisty N.Y.C. woman and the British assignment: to learn whether or not a ‘‘snuff’’ bookseller who provides her with the rare volfilm in which a girl apparently dies is genuumes she cherishes more than anything else ine. Despite himself, he becomes obsessed in life. Affectionately detailed evocation of with the case and mired in a netherworld he N.Y.C. and London over 20 years’ time is cannot stand. An intensely grim, often uncapped by ideal performances. Based on the pleasant film, somewhat reminiscent of memoirs of Helene Hanff and the play HARDCORE, is weakened by serious isadapted from her book. Screenplay by Hugh sues of credibility in Cage’s character and Whitemore. [PG]▼●쩠 motivation. Followed by a direct-to-video 84 Charlie Mopic (1989) C-95m. ★★★ D: sequel in 2005. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Patrick Duncan. Jonathan Emerson, NichEight on the Lam (1967) C-106m. BOMB olas Cascone, Jason Tomlins, Christopher D: George Marshall. Bob Hope, Phyllis Burgard, Glenn Morshower, Richard Brooks, Diller, Jonathan Winters, Jill St. John, Byron Thomas. Imaginative low-budget Shirley Eaton. Another of Hope’s horrible film provides fresh approach to life on the ’60s comedies casts him as a widower front line in Vietnam. Writer-director Dunwith seven children who finds $10,000; can tells his story completely from the point even Winters can’t help this dud.▼● of view of a combat cameraman who’s 8 Seconds (1994) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: John assigned to follow a special seven-man G. Avildsen. Luke Perry, Stephen Baldwin, reconnaissance unit on a dangerous misCynthia Geary, James Rebhorn, Carrie sion. Lulls in pace made up for by film’s Snodgress, Red Mitchell, Ronnie Claire Edoverall vitality, commanding performances wards, Linden Ashby, Renee Zellweger. by cast of unknowns. [R]▼● OK bio of rodeo legend Lane Frost gets 80 Steps to Jonah (1969) C-107m. ★★ D: standard Avildsen ROCKY rah-rah treatGerd Oswald. Wayne Newton, Mickey ment. Perry and Geary (as his wife) put the Rooney, Jo Van Fleet, Keenan Wynn, film over, up to a point, with natural, winDiana Ewing, Slim Pickens, Sal Mineo. A ning performances, but day-to-day rodeo loner, running from the police, stumbles life was captured with far more flavor in upon camp for blind children; new world THE LUSTY MEN and JUNIOR BONchanges his outlook on life. Major liabiliNER. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ty: casting of Newton in leading role. 8 Women (2002-French) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Music score by George Shearing. [G] Franc¸ois Ozon. Danielle Darrieux, Cather80,000 Suspects (1963-British) 113m. ★★ ine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny ArD: Val Guest. Claire Bloom, Richard Johndant, Emmanuelle Be´art, Virginie Ledoyen, son, Yolande Donlan, Cyril Cusack. Capable Firmine Richard, Ludivine Sagnier. Woncast saddled with yarn of doctor (Johnson) derful opportunity to watch some of France’s and wife (Bloom) finding new love together most formidable females in an odd whodunitwhile combating local small-pox outbreak. melodrama-musical set in the 1950s (and inCinemaScope. spired, Ozon says, by the lush, artificial TechEijanaika (1981-Japanese) C-151m. ★★★1⁄2 nicolor films of Douglas Sirk and Vincente D: Shohei Imamura. Shigeru Izumiya, Kaori Minnelli). The story, a deliberate contrivMomoi, Masao Kusakari, Ken Ogata, ance, involves a murder in an isolated manShigeru Tsuyuguchi, Mitsuko Baisho. Fassion in winter, and the various secrets being cinating, compelling saga of corruption, hidden by the women of the household. Fun politics, greed, power, deceit, focusing on to a degree, especially when the actresses experiences of peasant who has just resing and dance, but awfully forced. [R]▼쩠 turned to Japan after being shipwrecked 88 Minutes (2008) C-108m. BOMB D: Jon and sent to America during the 1860s. Avnet. Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee SobieFine performances, with a memorable fiski, Amy Brenneman, Deborah Kara Unger, nale. Some prints run 127m. ▼● Benjamin McKenzie, Neal McDonough, WilEl Bruto (1952-Mexican) 83m. ★★ D: liam Forsythe, Victoria Tennant. Dreadful Luis Bun˜uel. Pedro Armendariz, Katy thriller about a forensic psychiatrist (and proJurado, Andres Soler, Rosita Arenas. fessor) who’s received an all-too-palpable Armendariz is conned by scheming boss [ 405 ]

into harassing tenants he unfairly wants to up to RIO BRAVO finds aging gunfighter evict; seduced by the boss’s lusty mistress Wayne helping drunken sheriff pal Mit(Jurado), he then falls in love with a girl chum quell a range war. Typically smooth whose father he accidentally murdered. Hawks mix of comedy and action, with Simplistic, quite unsubtle melodrama, a zesty Leigh Brackett script and exemplary disappointment from a master filmmaker. performances, especially by Mitchum, Caan Aka THE BRUTE. ▼쩠 as young gambler who can’t shoot, and George as ultra-cool hired gun.▼●쩠 El Cantante (2007) C-116m. ★★ D: Leon Ichaso. Marc Anthony, Jennifer Lopez, Eleanor Roosevelt Story, The (1965) 91m. ★★★1 John Ortiz, Manny Perez, Vincent Laresca, ⁄2 D: Richard Kaplan. Narrated by Federico Castelluccio, Nelson Vasquez. Archibald Macleish, Eric Sevareid, FranPuerto Rican–born He´ctor Lavoe (Anthony) cis Cole. Oscar-winning documentary acfinds success in N.Y.C. introducing a new count of the former First Lady, a great brand of Latin music called salsa in the American citizen who overcame personal 1970s. While he also finds the love of his obstacles and became a beacon of human life, drugs erode his success onstage and kindness. A most effective music score by off. The two stars (married in real life) are Ezra Laderman.▼쩠 extremely well cast in this biopic. Lopez Election (1999) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alexanlooks gorgeous, and the music is great, but der Payne. Matthew Broderick, Reese Withthe story is a sad, one-note affair. Lopez erspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark also coproduced . . . and perhaps should Harelik, Phil Reeves, Molly Hagan, Delaney have cut a few of those loving close-ups of Driscoll, Colleen Camp, Matt Malloy. Audaherself. [R]쩠 cious, wickedly funny satire about an earnest El Cid (1961) C-184m. ★★★ D: Anthony Nebraska schoolteacher’s attempt to put a Mann. Charlton Heston, Sophia Loren, Raf roadblock in the path of an overachiever Vallone, Genevieve Page, John Fraser, who’s running unopposed for class president. Gary Raymond, Hurd Hatfield, Massimo Highly original story also involves adultery, Serato, Herbert Lom, Michael Hordern. lust, and lesbianism; somehow manages to Mammoth Samuel Bronston spectacle, shot avoid mean-spiritedness while taking dead in Spain, celebrates that country’s 11thaim at its subjects. Written by Payne and Jim century warrior hero. When not clashing Taylor from the novel by Tom Perrotta. Brodwith Moors, Heston’s Cid romances his erick and Witherspoon are exceptionally equally statuesque wife (Loren). Uneven good. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 dramatics are sold by top-scale production Electra Glide in Blue (1973) C-113m. ★★★ values, including Miklos Rozsa’s famed D: James William Guercio. Robert score. One of the better historical epics of Blake, Billy Green Bush, Mitchell Ryan, its time. Super Technirama 70.▼●쩠 Jeannine Riley, Elisha Cook, Jr., Royal Dano. El Condor (1970) C-102m. ★★ D: John Violent film about highway cop Blake making Guillermin. Jim Brown, Lee Van Cleef, up in brains what he lacks in height. Striking Patrick O’Neal, Mariana Hill, Iron Eyes action sequences and good characterizations. Cody, Elisha Cook, Jr. Slow Western about Look, very fast, for Nick Nolte as a hippie at a commune. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 two drifters in search of some gold supposedly buried in Mexican fortress; Hill looks Electric Dreams (1984) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: good even with her clothes on. [R]▼쩠 Steve Barron. Lenny Von Dohlen, Virginia El Crimen Perfecto (2004-Spanish-Italian) Madsen, Maxwell Caulfield, voice of Bud ´ lex de la Iglesia. GuilC-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: A Cort. Old-fashioned boy meets girl story told lermo Toledo, Mo´nica Cervera, Luis Varela, in rock-video terms, with a third corner to the Enrique Ville´n, Fernando Tejero, Javier Gulove triangle: a jealous computer. Good idea tie´rrez, Kira Miro´. Top achiever in the womgets sillier as it goes along. [PG]▼● en’s department of a busy store is living the Electric Horseman, The (1979) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sydney Pollack. Robert Redford, high life, bedding many of his customers, but when his quest to become floor manager fails, Jane Fonda, Valerie Perrine, Willie Nela nasty argument with his chief rival ends in son, John Saxon, Nicolas Coster, Wilford murder. From here a darkly funny comedy Brimley, James B. Sikking. Innocuous riptakes incredible turns and loses the steam it off of LONELY ARE THE BRAVE tries has built up. Hitchcockian farce was a hit in to palm off Redford as a near-derelict who its native Spain and takes a partially successsteals a $12 million thoroughbred from a ful stab at pulling off the art of black comedy. Vegas hotel and heads for some grazing Toledo is pretty much the whole show and land. Pleasant, to be sure, but considering delivers a sly performance. Super 35.쩠 the people involved, a disappointment. El Dorado (1967) C-126m. ★★★ D: HowPanavision. [PG]▼●쩠 ard Hawks. John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Elegy (2008) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Isabel James Caan, Arthur Hunnicutt, Edward Coixet. Pene´lope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Peter Asner, Michele Carey, Christopher George, Sarsgaard, Patricia Clarkson, Dennis HopCharlene Holt, Paul Fix, R. G. Armstrong, per, Deborah Harry. Moving, adult drama Johnny Crawford, Robert Donner. Followabout a self-possessed N.Y.C. college pro[ 406 ]

fessor who is smitten with a beautiful exstudent, but consistent with his lifelong air of detachment, can’t give her the emotional commitment she needs. Nicholas Meyer adapted Philip Roth’s The Dying Animal, which is beautifully realized by Coixet and a superb cast. Cruz and Kingsley have never been better; the gifted Clarkson has an especially well-written part as Kingsley’s longtime sex partner who’s content with the boundary lines they’ve set for their relationship. [R]쩠 Elektra (2005) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Rob Bowman. Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout, Will Yun Lee, Terence Stamp, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa. Garner’s Marvel character ended up dead in DAREDEVIL, but she’s resurrected here, a fate not likely to happen to this movie’s reputation. As an assassin, she’s assigned by The Hand (another organization up to no good) to track a father and daughter on the lam. Lackluster fight scenes, Garner’s sleepwalking, and a tendency toward the psychoanalytic (Elektra had a tough childhood) make this a groan . . . a far cry from the franchise it was intended to launch. Director’s cut runs 104m. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Element of Crime, The (1984-Danish) C104m. ★★★ D: Lars von Trier. Michael Elphick, Esmond Knight, Me Me Lei, Gerald Wells, Ahmed El-Shenawi, Astrid Henning Jensen, Lars von Trier. It’s the post-holocaust future, and the world is suffering from an ecological imbalance; ragged cop Elphick undergoes hypnosis in order to properly investigate a series of horrible mutilation murders of young girls. Surreal, thought-provoking thriller is crammed with references to earlier films, from Hitchcock to film noir to BLADE RUNNER. Von Trier also scripted, in an impressive feature debut. Shot in English.

character is just one reason this film remains aloof and uninteresting instead of being an emotional powerhouse. Nelligan plays Gage’s mother in convincing flashback sequences. [PG]▼● Elephant (2003) C-81m. ★★ D: Gus Van Sant. Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, John Robinson, Elias McConnell, Jordan Taylor, Carrie Finklea, Nicole George, Brittany Mountain, Timothy Bottoms, Matt Malloy. Dramatically inert yet sometimes queasily effective, this you-are-there mood piece takes a clinical rather than emotional approach to recreating events leading up to a Columbinetype school massacre. Manages to create an under-your-skin sense of dreadful foreboding and offers a few telling details of high school life (like homogenized cafeteria food) but no insights whatsoever. Somehow this took the Palme d’Or award at Cannes. [R] ▼쩠 Elephant Boy (1937-British) 80m. ★★★ D: Robert Flaherty, Zoltan Korda. Sabu, W. E. Holloway, Walter Hudd, Allan Jeayes, Bruce Gordon, D. J. Williams. Interesting early-day docudrama about native boy (Sabu, in film debut) who claims he knows location of mythic elephant herd.▼● Elephant Man, The (1980) 125m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Lynch. Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Wendy Hiller, Freddie Jones, Michael Elphick, John Standing, Phoebe Nicholls, Kathleen Byron, Kenny Baker, Patricia Hodge. Moving dramatization of the story of John Merrick, a grotesquely deformed man shown compassion for the first time in his life by an eminent doctor in turn-of-the-century London. No relation to the Broadway play (in which one had to imagine how Merrick looked). Fine performances by all; rich Victorian atmosphere created by Lynch and veteran cameraman Freddie Francis—in ▼쩠 Elena and Her Men (1956-French) Cbeautiful black and white. Screenplay by 98m. ★★ D: Jean Renoir. Ingrid Bergman, Christopher DeVore, Eric Bergren, and the director. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Jean Marais, Mel Ferrer, Jean Richard, Magali Noel, Juliette Greco, Pierre Bertin. Elephant Walk (1954) C-103m. ★★ D: Claude Renoir’s exquisite cinematography William Dieterle. Elizabeth Taylor, Dana highlights this otherwise so-so account of Andrews, Peter Finch, Abraham Sofaer. impoverished Polish princess Bergman’s Overblown melodrama set on Ceylon tea romantic intrigues with Marais and Ferrer. plantation, with Taylor as Finch’s new Overrated by some; far from Renoir’s (or bride who must cope with environment Bergman’s) best. French-language version, and his father complex. Pachyderm-stamcalled PARIS DOES STRANGE THINGS, pede climax comes none too soon. Vivien Leigh, replaced by Taylor, can be seen in is better and runs 95m.▼쩠 long shots.▼쩠 Eleni (1985) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Yates. Kate Nelligan, John Malkovich, Linda Elevator to the Gallows (1958-French) 91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Louis Malle. Jeanne MoHunt, Oliver Cotton, Ronald Pickup, Rosalie Crutchley, Dimitra Arliss, Glenne reau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly, Headly. N.Y. Times reporter gets himself Yori Bertin, Jean Wall, Charles Denner, assigned to Athens bureau so he can reJean-Claude Brialy. Malle’s experience solve life-long obsession with finding truth making documentaries informs his first ficabout his mother’s execution by commutional feature, as an amorous man and nists in Greece following WW2. Steve woman attempt to pull off the perfect crime. Tesich’s script is based on Nicholas Gage’s Filmed by Henri Decae¨ on the streets of book—and life—but coldness of the lead Paris in a bracing style that anticipates the [ 407 ]

New Wave. Famous score improvised by Miles Davis. Original U.S. title: FRANTIC.

polar bear cub is voiced by stop-motion master Ray Harryhausen. [PG]▼쩠 El Greco (1966-Italian-French) C-95m. ★★ D: Luciano Salce. Mel Ferrer, Rosanna 11:14 (2005-U.S.-Canadian) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 Schiaffino, Franco Giacobini, Renzo GioD: Greg Marcks. Henry Thomas, Blake vampietro, Adolfo Celi. Despite lavish trapHeron, Clark Gregg, Hilary Swank, Shawn pings, story of painter reduced to soapHatosy, Barbara Hershey, Stark Sands, Colin opera terms falls flat. Beautiful color, but Hanks, Ben Foster, Patrick Swayze, Rachael no plot of any distinction. CinemaScope. Leigh Cook. At 11:14 p.m. a body lands on Eliminators (1986) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter the windshield of a car and the tipsy driver Manoogian. Andrew Prine, Denise Crosby, tries to hide the corpse. Intersecting flashPatrick Reynolds, Conan Lee, Roy Dotrice. backs reveal the mishaps immediately beWoman scientist, white male guide, a ninja, fore and after the incident and how they and a cyborg team up to battle a madconverge to change the lives of several peogenius industrialist who wants to take over ple one night in a small town. Despite the the world. Good to see an equal-opportunity clever structure of the screenplay (by the adventure, but this RAIDERS clone has director) and some amusing black comedy, little to offer but low humor. Crosby is it’s hard to care about this collection of Bing’s granddaughter. [PG]▼ dumb, morally bankrupt characters. WithElizabeth (1998-British) C-123m. ★★★ D: out the time-juggling gimmick, the story Shekhar Kapur. Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey would add up to very little. Filmed in 2002. Rush, Joseph Fiennes, Richard Attenborough, [R] 쩠 Christopher Eccleston, Vincent Cassel, Fanny 11 Harrowhouse (1974-British) C-98m. Ardant, Kathy Burke, Eric Cantona, Emily ★★★ D: Aram Avakian. Charles Grodin, Mortimer, John Gielgud, Edward Hardwicke, Candice Bergen, James Mason, Trevor Daniel Craig. Queen Mary I dreads the prosHoward, John Gielgud, Helen Cherry. pect of her half-sister, a heathen Protestant, asFunny action spoof of heist films, as diacending to the throne, but upon Mary’s death mond merchant Grodin robs the world that’s exactly what happens, leading to inclearinghouse for gems. Grodin also adapted trigues and divisiveness within the court. ElizaGerald A. Browne’s best-selling novel. beth (Blanchett) tries to rule with common Aka ANYTHING FOR LOVE and FAST sense and sees no reason to abandon her lover FORTUNE. Panavision. [PG]▼ simply to satisfy protocol. Interesting historical 11th Hour, The (2007) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: drama anchored by Blanchett’s charismatic Leila Conners Petersen, Nadia Conners. Coperformance as a woman who was far ahead producer Leonardo DiCaprio’s intense sinof her time. Oscar winner for Best Makeup. cerity serves him well as on- and off-screen Followed by ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN narrator of this sprawling, frequently disAGE. [R]▼●쩠 tressing documentary about the various Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007-Britishways mankind is despoiling our planet. In French) C-114m. ★★ D: Shekhar Kapur. Cate addition to footage of melting icecaps, Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen, Rhys widespread deforestation, overflowing landIfans, Jordi Molla`, Abbie Cornish, Samantha fills, etc., the directors include cogent testiMorton, Tom Hollander, Antony Carrick, mony by disparate experts and activists, David Threlfall, Eddie Redmayne, Susan from Stephen Hawking to Mikhail GorbaLynch. Blanchett re-creates the role that chev, who suggest specific steps that can be won her international acclaim almost a detaken to keep Earth inhabitable. [PG]쩠 cade earlier (in ELIZABETH) with lessElf (2003) C-95m. ★★★ D: Jon Favreau. than-stellar results. In this seemingly fanciWill Ferrell, James Caan, Zooey Deschanel, ful sequel, the Queen becomes enamored of Mary Steenburgen, Daniel Tay, Edward a dashing Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen) amid Asner, Bob Newhart, Faizon Love, Peter assorted intrigues. Ponderous and far from Dinklage, Amy Sedaris, Clint Howard, Migolden, although Blanchett always is worth chael Lerner, Andy Richter, Kyle Gass, Jon watching. Oscar winner for Best Costume Favreau; voice of Leon Redbone. One of Design (Alexandra Byrne). [PG-13]쩠 Santa’s elves learns that he is actually a Elizabeth the Queen SEE: Private Lives human being and sets off for N.Y.C. to meet of Elizabeth and Essex, The his father—as un-Christmassy a character Elizabethtown (2005) C-123m. ★★ D: as ever lived. Ferrell is a delight as the elf Cameron Crowe. Orlando Bloom, Kirsten who has a gift for spreading good cheer, Dunst, Susan Sarandon, Alec Baldwin, Bruce even in a world of cynics, and ably carries McGill, Judy Greer, Jessica Biel, Paul Schneithis film (with a little help from old pros der, Loudon Wainwright III, Gailard Sartain. like Newhart and Asner, and the charming West Coast yuppie (Bloom) whose life is in Deschanel), but Caan is miscast in an underdisarray flies to Kentucky to attend to his written role as the father. Animated characfather’s funeral. A stranger in a strange ters brought to life by the Chiodo Brothers land, he’s given signposts by a worldly-wise recall Rankin-Bass TV specials of yore; the flight attendant (Dunst), then finds himself [ 408 ]

▼쩠

immersed in the dynamics of his cheerfully ducer. In Spanish. Rodriguez later reworked this as DESPERADO. [R]▼●쩠 oddball family. Writer-director Crowe casts Elmer Gantry (1960) C-145m. ★★★1⁄2 D: his stars adrift in a pleasant but aimless Richard Brooks. Burt Lancaster, Jean Simcomedy that seems to go on forever. [PGmons, Dean Jagger, Arthur Kennedy, Shir13]▼쩠 ★★★ D: ley Jones, Patti Page, Edward Andrews, Ella Enchanted (2004) C-101m. Hugh Marlowe, John McIntire, Rex Ingram. Tommy O’Haver. Anne Hathaway, Hugh Lancaster gives a vibrant Oscar-winning Dancy, Cary Elwes, Minnie Driver, Jimi Misperformance as the salesman with the gift try, Eric Idle, Vivica Fox, Patrick Bergin, Parof gab who joins evangelist Simmons’ minder Nagra, Heidi Klum, Aidan McArdle, barnstorming troupe in the 1920s Midwest. Joanna Lumley, Lucy Punch, Jennifer HigJones won Academy Award as his jilted ham; voice of Steve Coogan. Imaginative regirlfriend turned prostitute; Brooks also won invention of the Cinderella story with an Oscar for his sprawling screenplay from Hathaway a delight as the plucky Ella, Dancy Sinclair Lewis’ trenchant novel.▼●쩠 a charming Prince, and Elwes a sinister villain El Norte (1983) C-139m. ★★★★ D: Gregory (in amusing contrast to his signature role in Nava. Zaide Silvia Gutierrez, David VilTHE PRINCESS BRIDE). Visually invenlalpando, Ernesto Gomez Cruz, Alicia del tive, with clever use of feel-good songs and Lago, Heraclio Zepeda, Stella Quan, Lupe contemporary humor; a family treat. Based Ontiveros. Sweeping, emotional saga of a on the award-winning book by Gail Carson brother and sister who leave their violenceLevine. [PG]▼쩠 torn village in Guatemala to find a better life Ellery Queen series SEE: Leonard Malin The North—El Norte. Getting to America tin’s Classic Movie Guide is half the story; making a life there is the Ellie Parker (2005) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Scott other half. Writer-director Nava presents a Coffey. Naomi Watts, Rebecca Rigg, Scott heightened sense of reality that removes Coffey, Mark Pellegrino, Chevy Chase, Blair this from the realm of documentary; a Mastbaum, Keanu Reeves. Watts is the whole compassionate, heart-rending, unforgettable show in this digital video oddity about a strugfilm. Cowritten and produced by Anna gling actress who treks off to auditions while Thomas, for American Playhouse. [R]▼쩠 breaking up with her boyfriend and quesEl Super (1979) C-90m. ★★★ D: Leon tioning her existence. Inside look at life on the Ichaso, Orlando Jiminez-Leal. Raymundo fringes of the L.A. ‘‘entertainment industry’’ Hidalgo-Gato, Zully Montero, Raynaldo will be of interest primarily to film-biz wanMedina, Juan Granda, Hilda Lee, Elizabeth nabes and Watts completists; it certainly Pena. The trials of homesick exiled Cuban showcases her range. Originally a 16m. short who labors as an apartment-house super in that premiered at the 2001 Sundance Film Manhattan. Hidalgo-Gato is excellent as a Festival, prior to Watts’ stardom; expanded comically sad outsider, still in transit after a intermittently over four years’ time. Watts codecade away from his homeland.▼쩠 produced with writer-director Coffey. [R]쩠 El Topo (1970-Mexican) C-125m. ★★ D: Elling (2001-Norwegian) C-89m. ★★★ D: Alejandro Jodorowsky. Alejandro JodorowPetter Naess. Per Christian Ellefsen, Sven Norsky, Brontis Jodorowsky, Mara Lorenzio, din, Marit Pia Jacobsen, Jorgen Langhelle, Per David Silva, Paula Romo, Hector Martinez, Christensen. Winning comedy about a middleAlfonso Arau. Clad in black leather, a gunaged mama’s boy (Ellefsen) who winds up in a slinger rides through the Old West with his mental institution after the death of his mother. naked 7-year-old son in tow and guns down Eventually, with his sex-obsessed hospital everyone in sight, after which he sets himroommate, he moves into a state-provided self on fire. Divided into sections, with such apartment. This funny, charming film works so names as Genesis, Psalms, and Apocalypse, well because it never loses sight of who these this pretentious head-trip cult film borrows characters are. This was Norway’s all-time from Fellini and Leone, while employing biggest box-office hit. [R] ▼쩠 meaningless symbolism and lots of perverse El Mariachi (1992) C-81m. ★★★ D: Robsex and violence. Overlong and overrated, ert Rodriguez. Carlos Gallardo, Consuelo though it seemed pretty cool in its day. RaGomez, Peter Marquardt, Jaime de Hoyos, fael Corkidi’s photography is striking.▼쩠 Reinol Martinez, Ramiro Gomez. EnerElusive Corporal, The (1962-French) 108m. ★★1 getic little film about a young singing ⁄2 D: Jean Renoir. Jean-Pierre Cassel, guitarist (mariachi) who comes to a small Claude Brasseur, Claude Rich, O. E. Hasse, town, where he’s mistaken for a ferocious Jean Carmet. Pointed if predictable chronicle prison escapee. Arresting, original (and of French corporal who attempts to escape violent) film was shot in two weeks for with his pals from a German prison camp just $7,000, but offers more entertainment during WW2. Sobering look at friendship than most of today’s megabuck Hollyand freedom, which Renoir explored more wood movies. Director Rodriguez also phosuccessfully in other, earlier films. The tographed, edited, coproduced, and wrote wry comic touches are an asset.▼●쩠 the picture; Gallardo also served as coproElusive Pimpernel, The (1950-British) [ 409 ]

C-109m. ★★★ D: Michael Powell, Emeric Schedeen. Sometimes interesting, somePressburger. David Niven, Margaret Leightimes repulsive horror sci-fi about woman ton, Cyril Cusack, Jack Hawkins, Arlette and dog grown from fetuses outside the Marchal, Robert Coote, Patrick Macnee. womb—with terrifying results. Retitled Colorful remake of THE SCARLET PIMCREATED TO KILL. [PG]▼쩠 PERNEL. Niven is British fop who secretly Emerald Forest, The (1985) C-113m. ★★★ D: John Boorman. Powers Boothe, aids victims of Reign of Terror; lively fun. This was filmed as a musical—you can tell Meg Foster, Charley Boorman, Dira Pass. where the numbers were cut! Released in American engineer spends ten years searchU.S. in 1954 as THE FIGHTING PIMPERing for his kidnapped son, who’s been NEL. ▼ raised by primitive Amazon tribe. FasciElvira Madigan (1967-Swedish) C-89m. nating look at a unique civilization, but ★★★ D: Bo Widerberg. Pia Degermark, lack of emotional empathy for the father Thommy Berggren, Lennart Malmer, Nina and contrived storyline weaken overall Widerberg, Cleo Jensen. Lovers on the impact. Still worthwhile. Script by Rospo run, in soft-focus photography: tightrope Pallenberg; rich music score by Junior walker Degermark and married army offiHomrich. And a completely convincing cer Berggren run off together. Though performance by young Boorman, son of based on a true story (and filmed before in the film’s director. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 1943), stylistically this too often resembles Emigrants, The (1971-Swedish) C-191m. ★★★ a shampoo commercial. Still, it was a big hit, D: Jan Troell. Max von Sydow, Liv with attractive stars, lush photography, and Ullmann, Eddie Axberg, Allan Edwall. canny use of Mozart music. [PG]▼●쩠 Solid if rambling tale of peasant farmer Elvira, Mistress of the Dark (1988) von Sydow, wife Ullmann, and fellow C-96m. BOMB D: James Signorelli. Elvira Swedes who emigrate to America in the (Cassandra Peterson), W. Morgan Shep19th century. Sequel, THE NEW LAND, pard, Daniel Greene, Susan Kellermann, is even better; both have been edited toJeff Conaway, Edie McClurg, William gether for TV, dubbed in English, and Duell. Peterson takes her TV horror host presented as THE EMIGRANT SAGA. See also THE OX. [PG] ▼● character to the screen in this flimsy story of a TV host shaking up a small New EnEmigrant Saga, The SEE: Emigrants, gland town which she’s visiting to pick up The and New Land, The an inheritance. Unfunny, one-joke script Emil and the Detectives (1964) C-99m. ★1 (cowritten by Peterson) keeps its attention ⁄2 D: Peter Tewksbury. Walter Slezak, firmly riveted to the star’s ample bosom. Bryan Russell, Roger Mobley, Heinz SchuMore yawns than yocks. [PG-13]▼●쩠 bert, Peter Erlich, Cindy Cassell. Turgid Elvis on Tour (1972) C-93m. ★★ D: Pierre Disney version of Erich Kastner’s chilAdidge, Robert Abel. Static study of rock dren’s book about a young boy who is ’n’ roll’s biggest super-star going through robbed and determines to nail the thief his paces at a series of U.S. concerts. with the help of young detective friends. Even the music is not up to standard. Filmed in Germany, where it was made before in 1931.▼ Multiple Screen. [G]▼● Elvis: That’s the Way It Is (1970) C-97m. Emily Bronte¨’s Wuthering Heights SEE: ★★★ Wuthering Heights (1992) D: Denis Sanders. Engaging look at Elvis Presley offstage, preparing major nightEminent Domain (1991) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 club act, culminating in opening-night perD: John Irvin. Donald Sutherland, Anne formance in Las Vegas. Well-filmed if Archer, Jodhi May, Paul Freeman, Berone-sided documentary paints vivid picnard Hepton. Intriguing story of high poture of Elvis as master showman. Reedited litical official (Sutherland) in pre-Solidarity from original source material for cable and Poland who wakes up one morning to video release in 2001; that version runs discover his privileged Politburo position 95m. Panavision.▼●쩠 no longer exists and no one will give him a Embassy (1972-British) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: satisfactory reason for (or even acknowlGordon Hessler. Richard Roundtree, Chuck edge) the eerie snafu. Reminiscent of Connors, Max von Sydow, Ray Milland, Kafka’s The Trial; often disturbing, but Broderick Crawford, Marie-Jose Nat. Spotty confusing in spots. [PG-13]▼ spy thriller about Russian defector von Emma (1996) C-111m. ★★★ D: Douglas Sydow seeking asylum and the State DeMcGrath. Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Norpartment’s efforts to have agent Roundtree tham, Toni Collette, Greta Scacchi, Juliet smuggle him out of the Mideast under Stevenson, Alan Cumming, Polly Walker, KGB man Connors’ nose. Good cast works Ewan McGregor, James Cosmo, Sophie valiantly with contrived plot, talky script. Thompson, Phyllida Law. Charming, witty adaptation of Jane Austen’s comedy of Aka TARGET: EMBASSY. [PG]▼쩠 ★★ Embryo (1976) C-104m. manners about a headstrong young woman D: Ralph Nelson. Rock Hudson, Diane Ladd, Barwho makes a habit of playing matchmaker bara Carrera, Roddy McDowall, Anne for others, but can’t recognize her own true [ 410 ]

feelings—or those of the men who surround Aldrich direction make this a unique her. Paltrow is delightful and surrounded by entertainment. Initially released as EMan ideal (and highly attractive) cast. ThompPEROR OF THE NORTH POLE. [PG]쩠 son (sister of actress Emma T.) is wonderful Emperor’s Club, The (2002) C-109m. ★★★ as the talkative Miss Bates; that’s her realD: Michael Hoffman. Kevin Kline, Steven life mother, Law, playing Mrs. Bates. Script Culp, Embeth Davidtz, Patrick Dempsey, by McGrath, making his directorial debut. Joel Gretsch, Edward Herrmann, Emile Oscar-winning score by Rachel Portman. Hirsch, Rob Morrow, Harris Yulin, Paul [PG]▼●쩠 Dano, Roger Rees. Absorbing story about a Emotional Arithmetic (2007-Canadian) dedicated Classics professor at an exclusive 1 ★★ C-99m. ⁄2 D: Paulo Barzman. Susan Sarprep school who puts his faith in a troubleandon, Christopher Plummer, Max von some boy. This is not the film one might Sydow, Gabriel Byrne, Roy Dupuis, Dakota expect (in spite of renaming Ethan Canin’s Goyo. Decades after the close of prewar short story ‘‘The Palace Thief’’ to sound Drancy Internment Camp on the outskirts of more like DEAD POETS SOCIETY), with Paris, two survivors (von Sydow and Byrne) interesting nuances and plot turns as it tacktravel to the home of a third (Sarandon). les issues of ethics and morality. Kline is This highly anticipated reunion leads to perfectly cast, and so is young Hirsch. [PGmental and emotional upheaval as unre13] ▼쩠 solved issues are finally unearthed. Uneven Emperor’s New Clothes, The (2002drama (told partly in flashback) doesn’t proBritish-Italian-German) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: vide a fully satisfying experience. Still, it Alan Taylor. Ian Holm, Iben Hjejle, Tim remains a sensitive and telling look at the McInnerny, Nigel Terry, Hugh Bonneville, way horrific events inform lives and how Murray Melvin, Clive Russell. Slight but survivor guilt can bring down those who entertaining ‘‘what if’’ tale with Napoleon made it out . . . if they let it. Retitled AUescaping forced exile on St. Helena in 1821 TUMN HEARTS: A NEW BEGINNING. and heading to Paris to retake France. UnSuper 35. [PG-13]쩠 fortunately, his plan goes awry from the Emperor and the Assassin, The (1999very beginning, starting with the hiring of ★★★ Chinese) C-161m. a look-alike commoner to fool his captors. D: Chen Kaige. Gong Li, Zhang Fengyi, Li Xuejian, Wang Holm seems to relish the dual roles (he Zhiwen, Chen Kaige, Lu Xiaohe. Sweepplayed Bonaparte before, in TIME BANing, fact-based account of the ruler of a ChiDITS and a 1974 British TV miniseries tinese kingdom (Xuejian) in 320 B.C. who tled Napoleon in Love), but the story is thin is determined to annex the country’s other and goes on too long. The return to Waterkingdoms and become its first emperor. For loo and sanitarium scenes are gems, howthis purpose, he enlists the help of his conever. [PG]▼쩠 cubine (Li, ravishing as ever); she, in turn, Emperor’s New Groove, The (2000) Cfalls for an assassin (Fengyi). The story’s 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mark Dindal. Voices of predictability is outweighed by the beautiDavid Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, fully staged spectacle; this is reportedly the Patrick Warburton, Wendie Malick, Kellymost expensive Chinese film ever made. ann Kelso, Tom Jones. An Incan emperor [R]▼쩠 with an outsized ego is rousted by a schemEmperor Jones, The (1933) 72m. ★★1⁄2 ing advisor and transformed into a llama— D: Dudley Murphy. Paul Robeson, Dudbut that doesn’t stop him from seeking reley Digges, Frank Wilson, Fredi Washingvenge on those who wronged him. A most ton, Ruby Elzy. Robeson plays Pullman un-Disney-like Disney cartoon feature, this porter who escapes from chain gang and one has a fresh look and some funny moimprobably becomes king of a Caribbean ments, but relies too heavily on Spade’s island. Pretentious adaptation of Eugene smart-alecky comic persona—a little of O’Neill play derives its chief interest and which can go a long, long way. Features value from Robeson himself. Look for two songs by Sting. Followed by a directMoms Mabley in bit part.▼●쩠 to-video sequel. [G]▼쩠 Emperor of the North (1973) C-118m. Emperor Waltz, The (1948) C-106m. ★★★1 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Robert Aldrich. Lee Marvin, ⁄2 D: Billy Wilder. Bing Crosby, Joan Ernest Borgnine, Keith Carradine, Charles Fontaine, Roland Culver, Lucile Watson, Tyner, Harry Caesar, Malcolm Atterbury, Richard Haydn, Sig Ruman. Lavish but Simon Oakland, Matt Clark, Elisha Cook. lackluster musical set in Franz Joseph AusUnusual, exciting (and heavily symbolic) tria with Bing selling record players to royaction film set during the Depression. Saalty. Awfully schmaltzy material for writerdistic conductor Borgnine will kill any director Wilder. Filmed in 1946. Jasper Natramp who tries to cop a ride on his train; tional Park in Alberta, Canada, fills in for legendary hobo Marvin announces he will Tyrolean Alps.▼쩠 be the first to succeed. Beautifully filmed Empire (2002) C-95m. ★★ D: Franc. Reyes. in Oregon by Joseph Biroc; taut script by John Leguizamo, Peter Sarsgaard, Denise Christopher Knopf and typically muscular Richards, Vincent Laresca, Nestor Serrano, [ 411 ]

Delilah Cotto, Sonia Braga, Isabella Rossellini, Treach, Fat Joe. South Bronx drug dealer Leguizamo is a success on his home turf, but is he out of his league when he becomes involved in a scheme with hotshot Wall Street financier Sarsgaard? Intriguing premise, but the plot holes are gaping and the Hispanic stereotypes are downright embarrassing at times. Rossellini is oddly cast as a Colombian drug lord. Super 35. [R]

Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Frank Oz, Alec Guinness, Clive Revill, Julian Glover, John Ratzenberger, voice of James Earl Jones. Smashing sequel to STAR WARS manages to top the original in its embellishment of leading characters’ personalities, truly dazzling special effects (which earned a special Oscar) and nonstop spirit of adventure and excitement. Story threads include a blossoming romance between Han Solo and Prin▼쩠 Empire of Passion (1978-Japanese) Ccess Leia, the cosmic education of Luke 110m. ★★ D: Nagisa Oshima. Kazuko Skywalker (by the mystical Yoda), an uneasy Yoshiyuki, Tatsuya Fuji, Takahiro Tamura, alliance with opportunistic Lando Calrissian, Takuzo Kawatani. Peasant woman Yoshiand a startling revelation from Darth Vader. yuki has affair with village good-for-nothing 1997 reissue included 3 minutes of additional Fuji; they murder her husband, whose ghost footage. Full title onscreen is STAR WARS returns to haunt them. Boring, despite inEPISODE V: THE EMPIRE STRIKES teresting subject matter. A follow-up to IN BACK. Sequel: RETURN OF THE JEDI. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 THE REALM OF THE SENSES. Aka IN THE REALM OF PASSION. [R]▼쩠 Employee of the Month (2006) C-108m. ★1 Empire of the Ants (1977) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: ⁄2 D: Greg Coolidge. Dane Cook, Jessica Bert I. Gordon. Joan Collins, Robert LanSimpson, Dax Shepard, Andy Dick, Tim sing, Albert Salmi, John David Carson, Bagley, Brian George, Efren Ramirez, HarRobert Pine, Jacqueline Scott. Laughable land Williams, Marcello Thedford, Danny man-vs.-giant insects chiller from H. G. Woodburn. At a warehouse store, slacker Wells’ story. Vacationers on an isolated Cook and weasely Shepard compete and island find themselves at the mercy of cheat for both knockout newbie Simpson voracious ants that have become monsters and the title award. No laughs whatsoever after feasting on a leaking barrel of radioin this CLERKS/OFFICE SPACE slapstick active waste. [PG]▼쩠 wannabe, and the performances are awful. Empire of the Sun (1987) C-152m. ★★ D: Shot in New Mexico; too bad they didn’t Steven Spielberg. Christian Bale, John bury it there. [PG-13]쩠 Malkovich, Miranda Richardson, Nigel HaEmployees’ Entrance (1933) 75m. ★★★ vers, Joe Pantoliano, Leslie Phillips, D: Roy Del Ruth. Warren William, LoMasato Ibu, Emily Richard, Rupert Frazer, retta Young, Wallace Ford, Alice White, Ben Stiller, Robert Stephens, Burt Kwouk. Allen Jenkins. Zesty pre-Code look at life in British boy, living a well-sheltered life in a department store and its ruthless, amoral Shanghai, is separated from his parents and manager. Gripping, funny, outrageous, racy. Based on a stage play.▼● forced to fend for himself when Japan invades China at the outset of WW2. Empty Canvas, The (1963-French-Italian) 118m. ★1⁄2 D: Damiano Damiani. Bette Sprawling, ambitious, but emotionally distant and loaded with cinematic crescendos Davis, Horst Buchholz, Catherine Spaak, (replete with crane camera shots and overIsa Miranda, Lea Padovani, Daniela Rocca, bearing music by John Williams) that simGeorges Wilson. Artist Buchholz is obply don’t have the emotional content to sessed with model Spaak, eventually decowarrant all that fuss. Tom Stoppard adapted rates her naked body with bank notes. J. G. Ballard’s autobiographical novel (BalDavis is his wealthy mother; hopefully, lard appears briefly in Beefeater costume in she was well paid for her time. Based on an Alberto Moravia novel.▼ an early party scene). [PG]▼●쩠 Empire Records (1995) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Empty Mirror, The (1999) C-119m. ★1⁄2 Allan Moyle. Anthony LaPaglia, Debi Mazar, D: Barry J. Hershey. Norman Rodway, Joel Liv Tyler, Maxwell Caulfield, Rory CochGrey, Peter Michael Goetz, Glenn Shadix, rane, Johnny Whitworth, Robin Tunney, Camilla Soeberg, Doug McKeon. Ignorant Rene´e Zellweger, Ethan Randall (Embry). A of time and place, we’re thrust into a strange day in the life of a record store, which the environment where Adolf Hitler encounters manager is desperately trying to save from a key people from his past as he dictates his corporate takeover. A series of noisy vignettes memoirs. Surreal, ambitious film, intercut which add up to nothing, despite attractive with footage from TRIUMPH OF THE young cast. Disappointing outing from Moyle, WILL and Eva Braun’s home movies, who directed the more potent PUMP UP THE pretty well lives up to its title: there’s not VOLUME. Alternate version runs 107m. much to reflect on. Grey’s appearance as Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Joseph Goebbels is an interesting career Empire Strikes Back, The (1980) C-124m. counterpart to his m.c. from CABARET. ★★★★ D: Irvin Kershner. Mark Hamill, Har[PG-13]▼쩠 rison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Billy Dee Williams, Enchanted (2007) C-108m. ★★★ D: Kevin [ 412 ]

Lima. Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey, James with elderly Niven recalling his tragic love Marsden, Timothy Spall, Susan Sarandon, as he watches great-niece Keyes’ romance Idina Menzel, Rachel Covey; narrated by with Granger.▼●쩠 Julie Andrews. Wide-eyed Giselle (Adams) Encino Man (1992) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Les from Andalasia, about to marry a handsome Mayfield. Sean Astin, Brendan Fraser, prince, is hurled down a well by the evil Pauly Shore, Megan Ward, Robin Tunney, queen and emerges in modern-day ManhatRick Ducommun, Mariette Hartley, Richtan. Divorce lawyer Dempsey and his 6ard Masur, Rose McGowan. Nerdy teenager year-old daughter try to help her, though he Astin and his weirdo pal Shore dig up a can’t believe she’s for real. Adams’ glowing frozen caveman in Astin’s suburban L.A. performance buoys this delightful Disney backyard. The scant laughs come from fantasy, which opens with lush, hand-drawn plunging the affable Cro-Magnon into teenanimation (supervised by James Baxter) and age life, circa 1992. Formulaic teen comsegues into live-action. Terrific songs by edy; Shore’s bogus slang irritates, but Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz include limber, good-natured Fraser (as the cave‘‘That’s How You Know,’’ which inspires a dude) has his moments. Followed by 1996 dazzling production number in Central Park. TV sequel, ENCINO WOMAN. [PG] Memorable costumes by Mona May. Affec▼●쩠 tionate spoof of classic Disney fairy tales Encore (1952-British) 85m. ★★★ D: Pat features Jodi Benson (the voice of Ariel), Jackson, Anthony Pelissier, Harold French. Paige O’Hara (Belle), and Judy Kuhn (PoNigel Patrick, Roland Culver, Kay Walsh, cahontas) in small parts. Only the finale Glynis Johns, Terence Morgan. Entertainseems anticlimactic—and unnecessary. Super ing trilogy of Somerset Maugham stories: 35. [PG]쩠 brothers try to outdo one another over Enchanted April (1935) 66m. ★★1⁄2 D: money; busybody matron almost ruins ship Harry Beaumont. Ann Harding, Frank Morcruise; apprehensive circus performer faces gan, Katharine Alexander, Reginald Owen, a crisis. ▼ Jane Baxter, Ralph Forbes, Jessie Ralph, Encounters at the End of the World Charles Judels, Rafaela Ottiano. Nicely (2008) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Werner Herzog. realized adaptation of Elizabeth von ArOn assignment for the National Science nim’s novel about two repressed EnglishFoundation, Herzog idiosyncratically prowomen who leave their husbands to rent files Antarctica, a land of no natives, no an Italian villa for a month—and blossom flora, no crime. Spiraling deeper into the in the rarefied atmosphere. Harding is ideal continent’s dreamy mysteries—among them, in the lead, but Owen is way over the top a tragically deranged penguin—the film dives as a British blowhard. Improved upon by far under an icy surface that might be no the 1991 remake. more than eight inches thick. It also profiles Enchanted April (1991-British) C-101m. some of the brilliant misfits who have fallen ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Josie Lawrence, to the bottom of the planet. This right-brain Miranda Richardson, Joan Plowright, Polly travelogue feeds the mind, the eye, and the Walker, Alfred Molina, Jim Broadbent, mind’s eye. Wryly, sometimes impatiently, Michael Kitchen, Adriana Fachetti. Utnarrated by the director, who dedicates the terly charming film about two repressed, film to Roger Ebert. [G]쩠 married women who seize an impulse and End, The (1978) C-100m. ★★★ D: Burt rent an Italian villa for a month, taking on Reynolds. Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Dom two very different women as housemates DeLuise, Joanne Woodward, Kristy Mcfor this daring adventure. Ideally cast, Nichol, Robby Benson, David Steinberg, nicely realized, and very romantic. ScreenNorman Fell, Carl Reiner, Pat O’Brien, play by Peter Barnes. Elizabeth von Arnim’s Myrna Loy. Uneven but original black 1921 novel was filmed before in 1935. Made comedy by Jerry Belson about man who for British television, released theatrically learns he’s dying and decides to commit in the U.S. [PG]▼●쩠 suicide. DeLuise is achingly funny as Burt’s Enchanted Cottage, The (1945) 92m. schizophrenic sanitarium pal, and Reynolds’ ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Cromwell. Dorothy McGuire, final soliloquy is great (in uncensored verRobert Young, Herbert Marshall, Mildred sion). [R]▼●쩠 Natwick, Spring Byington, Hillary Brooke. Endangered Species (1982) C-97m. ★1⁄2 Adaptation of Arthur Pinero play about two D: Alan Rudolph. Robert Urich, JoBeth misfits, a homely woman and a disfigured Williams, Paul Dooley, Hoyt Axton, Peter man, who find each other beautiful in the Coyote, Marin Kanter, Dan Hedaya, Harry enchanted cottage. Never quite as good as Carey, Jr., John Considine. Self-important, you’d like it to be. Previously filmed in preachy story—based on a serious real-life 1924. Some prints run 78m.▼● situation—about a N.Y. cop’s investigaEnchantment (1948) 102m. ★★★ D: Irtion of cattle mutilations in the Western ving Reis. David Niven, Teresa Wright, U.S. Tries to be a thriller, but telegraphs Evelyn Keyes, Farley Granger, Jayne all its punches. [R]▼ Meadows, Leo G. Carroll. Weepy romancer Endless Love (1981) C-115m. BOMB [ 413 ]

D: Franco Zeffirelli. Brooke Shields, Martin Hewitt, Shirley Knight, Don Murray, Richard Kiley, Beatrice Straight, James Spader, Robert Moore, Penelope Milford, Jan Miner, Tom Cruise, Jami Gertz. Scott Spencer’s deservedly praised novel about an obsessive romance between two teenagers is thoroughly trashed in textbook example of how to do everything wrong in a literary adaptation. Rightfully regarded as one of the worst films of its time. Cruise’s and Spader’s film debuts. [R]▼● Endless Night (1972-British) C-99m. ★★★ D: Sidney Gilliat. Hayley Mills, Hywel Bennett, Britt Ekland, George Sanders, Per Oscarsson, Peter Bowles, Lois Maxwell. Gripping Agatha Christie thriller about chauffeur (Bennett) who marries rich American girl (Mills) and moves into ‘‘dream house’’ which turns out to be more a nightmare. Aka AGATHA CHRISTIE’S ENDLESS NIGHT.▼●쩠 Endless Summer, The (1966) C-95m. ★★★ D: Bruce Brown. Mike Hynson, Robert August. Enjoyable documentary on surfing, filmed on location around the world, with a most diverting tongue-in-cheek narrative. Followed by a sequel—28 years later. Followed in 2000 by ENDLESS SUMMER REVISITED. ▼●쩠 Endless Summer II, The (1994) C-107m. ★★★ D: Bruce Brown. Patrick O’Connell, Robert ‘‘Wingnut’’ Weaver. Superior sequel to Brown’s 1966 surfing documentary, enhanced this time by a bigger budget and sophisticated camera work. Exotic locales and eye-popping surfing footage will make this a must-see for hot-doggers; others will still enjoy the unspoiled beauty of big-wave beaches from Alaska to Java. Several of the veteran surfers from the original documentary turn up here as does some brief topless beachbunny nudity. Brown’s son continued the surfing odyssey with STEP INTO LIQUID. [PG]▼●쩠 End of Days (1999) C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter Hyams. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Gabriel Byrne, Kevin Pollak, Robin Tunney, CCH Pounder, Rod Steiger, Derrick O’Connor, Miriam Margolyes, Udo Kier. The Devil takes the form of a wealthy New Yorker (Byrne) and sets out to find his pre-ordained bride; if he can impregnate her before midnight on New Year’s Eve, 1999, he will bring about Hell on Earth, or Armageddon, or something. However, Satan never reckoned with Arnold, who’s actually quite good as the burned-out cop/defender of humanity. Overproduced junk. Super 35. [R]

a breakdown, thanks to quarreling parents and a rich assortment of rotten men. Passionately acted by Cannon, who as a writer-director may have been in over her head. [R]▼ End of the Affair, The (1955-British) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward Dmytryk. Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, John Mills, Peter Cushing, Michael Goodliffe. Graham Greene’s mystic-religious novel about a wartime love affair in London loses much in screen version, especially from mismatched stars. Remade in 1999.▼쩠 End of the Affair, The (1999-British-U.S.) C-109m. ★★★ D: Neil Jordan. Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Ian Hart, Samuel Bould, Jason Isaacs. Finely wrought rendition of Graham Greene’s (reportedly autobiographical) novel about a WW2 love affair that takes a surprising turn when the married woman (a radiant Moore) has an unexplained change of heart. Directorscreenwriter Jordan captures the understatement and nuance of a vintage British drama with his keen eye and gifted stars. [R]▼쩠 End of the Game (1976-German-Italian) C-103m. ★★★ D: Maximilian Schell. Jon Voight, Jacqueline Bisset, Martin Ritt, Robert Shaw, Gabriele Ferzetti, Donald Sutherland. Complex thriller about dying police commissioner Ritt, who for three decades has been trying to nail omnipotent criminal Shaw. Director Ritt, in a rare acting role, is excellent; Voight plays his assistant, and Sutherland appears as a dead man! Based on Friedrich Duerrenmatt’s novel; aka GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER. [PG] End of the Line (1987) C-105m. ★★ D: Jay Russell. Wilford Brimley, Levon Helm, Mary Steenburgen, Barbara Barrie, Kevin Bacon, Holly Hunter, Bob Balaban, Clint Howard, Rita Jenrette, Howard Morris, Bruce McGill, Trey Wilson. Two lifelong Southern railroad workers, suddenly unemployed when their parent company abandons the rails for air freight, take off for the Chicago corporate headquarters in a stolen engine. Labor of love for executive producer Steenburgen begins promisingly, quickly degenerates into silly Capra-esque fantasy. Cast makes it a curio. [PG]▼●쩠 End of the Road (1970) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Aram Avakian. Stacy Keach, Harris Yulin, Dorothy Tristan, James Earl Jones, Grayson Hall, Ray Brock, James Coco. Keach and Jones give stinging performances in solid filmization of bizarre John Barth novel about unstable college instructor who becomes involved with the wife of a pro▼●쩠 End of Innocence, The (1991) C-102m. fessor. Tristan is superb in crucial and ★1⁄2 D: Dyan Cannon. Dyan Cannon, John difficult role. Screenplay by Dennis McGuHeard, George Coe, Lola Mason, Rebecca ire, Terry Southern, and the director. [X]▼쩠 Schaeffer, Steve Meadows, Billie Bird, MiEnd of the World (1977) C-87m. ★★ D: chael Madsen, Madge Sinclair, Renee John Hayes. Christopher Lee, Sue Lyon, Taylor, Eric Harrison. One woman’s road to Kirk Scott, Lew Ayres, Macdonald Carey, [ 414 ]

Dean Jagger, Liz Ross. Lee plays a priest Coney Island, N.Y., married to his warand his sinister ‘‘double’’ in this strange time protector (Stein) and fooling around sci-fi tale about imminent world destrucwith a sexy married woman (Olin). Things tion by alien invaders. Opens strong but get even more complicated when his first drifts into dullness. [PG]▼쩠 wife (Huston), who was thought dead, End of the World in Our Usual Bed in a turns up. Typically quixotic Isaac Bashevis Night Full of Rain, The SEE: Night Full Singer material—full of irony, wit, and of Rain, A heartbreak—is beautifully realized by End of Violence, The (1997) C-122m. ★★ Mazursky (who cowrote the screenplay with D: Wim Wenders. Bill Pullman, Andie Roger L. Simon) and a perfect cast. Kudos MacDowell, Gabriel Byrne, Traci Lind, also to Pato Guzman for his incredibly evocative production design. [R]▼●쩠 Loren Dean, Daniel Benzali, Pruitt Taylor Vince, John Diehl, Peter Horton, Rosalind Enemy at the Gates (2001-GermanBritish-Irish-U.S.) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 D: JeanChao, Frederic Forrest, Sam Fuller. Wenders’ first American film since PARIS, Jacques Annaud. Joseph Fiennes, Jude Law, TEXAS is gorgeous to look at but fuzzy and Rachel Weisz, Ed Harris, Bob Hoskins, Ron half-baked. Movie producer Pullman hides Perlman, Eva Mattes, Gabriel Marshallout with a Mexican family after surviving a Thomson. A Russian sharpshooter is built professional ‘‘hit’’ that may have someup to be a hero to bolster his country’s mothing to do with a high-tech security project rale during the tense days surrounding the being run out of L.A.’s Griffith Park ObserBattle of Stalingrad. As a result, the Gervatory. Lind is appealing as a stuntwoman, mans send their top marksman (Harris) to MacDowell less so packing a rod while pick him off, leading to a deadly battle of decked out in bikini nightwear. Ry Coodwits. Starts off strong but loses its way; iner’s score sells the movie to a point, just teresting WW2 story is diminished by a silly romantic subplot. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 as it did for UNTIL THE END OF THE WORLD. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Enemy Below, The (1957) C-98m. ★★★ Endurance (1999) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Leslie D: Dick Powell. Robert Mitchum, Curt Woodhead. Interesting, well-made docuJurgens, Theodore Bikel, Doug McClure, drama about Ethiopian long-distance runner Russell Collins, David Hedison. Fine Haile Gebrselassie, who won a Gold Medal at submarine chase tale, which manages the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games. Dramatito garner interest from usual crew interaction cally recreates his difficult childhood and the of U.S. vs. Germany in underwater action; decisions leading up to his extraordinary runthe special effects for this earned Walter ning career. (Haile is portrayed by his nephew Rossi an Academy Award. CinemaScope. in flashback; his sister plays his mother.) Mat▼●쩠 ter-of-fact, even sleepy at times, and missing Enemy From Space SEE: Quatermass 2: the conclusive emotional punch you’re waitEnemy from Space ing for. Olympic footage directed by Bud Enemy Mine (1985) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Greenspan. Coproduced by Terrence Malick Wolfgang Petersen. Dennis Quaid, Louis Gossett, Jr., Brion James, Richard Marcus. and based on his idea. Super 35. [G]▼ Enduring Love (2004-British) C-100m. Mortal space enemies are stranded together ★★1 ⁄2 D: Roger Michell. Daniel Craig, Rhys on a barren planet, forced to become friends Ifans, Samantha Morton, Bill Nighy, Susan in order to survive. Warmhearted scienceLynch, Corin Redgrave. ‘‘Obsessive’’ love fiction tale gets a bit too cuddly at times, might be more apt. Professor Craig, picnickbut it’s entertaining. Gossett’s lizardlike ing in the countryside with girlfriend Morton, makeup (by Chris Walas) is incredible; so tries to assist balloonists in distress. Back in is Rolf Zehetbauer’s production design. London, he not only can’t shake the incident, Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 he’s puzzled by a visit from Ifans, a rural Enemy of the People, An (1979) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Schaefer. Steve McQueen, loner he met that fateful day. Contemporary psychological study of not just love but the Charles Durning, Bibi Andersson, Richard fragility of relationships and the world around Bradford, Robin Pearson Rose, Richard us; worth checking out. From a novel by Ian A. Dysart. Bearded scientist McQueen deMcEwan. Craig, director Michell, and profies community by taking stand against ducer Kevin Loader teamed the previous year polluted water system in Arthur Miller’s on THE MOTHER. Super 35. [R] 쩠 adaptation of the Ibsen play. Sincere, plodEnemies, A Love Story (1989) C-119m. ding effort was a labor of love for McQueen, ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Paul Mazursky. Anjelica Huston, but understandably sat on the shelf for Ron Silver, Lena Olin, Margaret Sophie years and received limited distribution. Still Stein, Alan King, Judith Malina, Rita superior to other films from McQueen’s Karlin, Phil Leeds, Elya Baskin, Paul final period. Filmed in 1977. [G]쩠 Mazursky. Quietly haunting film about an Enemy of the People, An (1989-Indian) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Satyajit Ray. Soumitra aloof Jewish intellectual (Silver) who managed to hide from the Nazis during WW2 Chatterjee, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Ruma and now, in 1949, leads a double life in Guhathakurta, Mamata Shankar, Dipankar [ 415 ]

Dey. Adaptation of the Ibsen play, updated pings definitely help, though Grant’s hemand set in Bengal. Its message, about the haw acting style probably adds ten minutes to perils of greed, religious fanaticism, and enthe running time. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 vironmental pollution may be topical, but English Patient, The (1996) C-162m. ★★★1 the film is too static. Still, there are enough ⁄2 D: Anthony Minghella. Ralph Fienflashes of Ray’s brilliance to make it worthnes, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe, Kristin while. The director also scripted. Scott Thomas, Naveen Andrews, Colin Enemy of the State (1998) C-132m. ★★★ Firth, Julian Wadham, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, D: Tony Scott. Will Smith, Gene Hackman, Kevin Whately. Mesmerizing adaptation Jon Voight, Lisa Bonet, Regina King, Stuart (by Minghella) of Michael Ondaatje’s novel Wilson, Tom Sizemore, Loren Dean, Barry about a man badly burned in a WW2 plane Pepper, Ian Hart, Jake Busey, Scott Caan, crash in the African desert; a Canadian Jason Lee, Gabriel Byrne, James LeGros, Dan nurse (Binoche) tends to him in an abanButler, Jamie Kennedy, Bodhi Pine Elfman, doned monastery in Italy, and slowly, bit by Jack Black. Crackerjack thriller about a sucbit, his story emerges. Fiennes and Scott cessful D.C. lawyer who happens to get in the Thomas are perfectly matched in this intelliway of a ruthless executive at the National gent, passionate romance about two people Security Agency (Voight). The NSA official thrown together by chance during a tumulfinds it necessary to ruin the attorney’s reputatuous period. The story unfolds novelistion and throw his life into disarray . . . but the tically, layer by layer, drawing the viewer in lawyer finds help from an unlikely source. with its sinuous, sensuous images and jarNever takes a breath! Jason Robards appears ring depictions of wartime brutality. Strikunbilled. Unrated version runs 140m. Panaviingly photographed by John Seale. An sion. [R]▼●쩠 exceptional achievement all around. Winner Enforcer, The (1951) 87m. ★★★ D: Breof nine Oscars: Best Picture, Director, Cinetaigne Windust. Humphrey Bogart, Zero matography, Supporting Actress (Binoche), Mostel, Ted de Corsia, Everett Sloane, Art Direction, Sound, Score (Gabriel Yared), Roy Roberts. When informer de Corsia Costumes, and Editing. [R]▼●쩠 dies, D.A. Bogart has to find another way to Enid Is Sleeping (1990) C-100m. ★★★ D: prove that Sloane is the head of a murderMaurice Phillips. Elizabeth Perkins, Judge for-hire ring. Loosely based on the true Reinhold, Jeffrey Jones, Maureen Mueller, story of Murder, Inc., this is a generally Rhea Perlman, Michael J. Pollard. Very effective, moody thriller. Mostel is particublack comedy about a woman who accilarly good as a frightened crook.▼●쩠 dentally kills her much-hated sister—after ★★★ Enforcer, The (1976) C-96m. D: being caught sleeping with her husband James Fargo. Clint Eastwood, Tyne Daly, (who happens to be a police officer). MaHarry Guardino, Bradford Dillman, John cabre humor may not be to everyone’s Mitchum, DeVeren Bookwalter, John taste, but slapstick antics with the ‘‘dead’’ Crawford, Albert Popwell. Rule-breaking body and genuine character development detective Dirty Harry Callahan (Eastwood) put this leagues ahead of the similar WEEKhas to contend with a female partner (Daly) END AT BERNIE’S. Severely cut by its as he goes after an underground terrorist studio, then reclaimed (and restored) by its group in San Francisco. Violent, bubblestar and director; a triumph for Perkins, gum-mentality script, but it’s a formula who’s never been better. Video title: OVER that just seems to work. Followed by SUDHER DEAD BODY. [R]▼쩠 DEN IMPACT. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Enigma (1982-British-French) C-101m. ★★1 England Made Me (1973-British) C-100m. ⁄2 D: Jeannot Szwarc. Martin Sheen, Bri★★★ gitte Fossey, Sam Neill, Derek Jacobi, D: Peter Duffell. Peter Finch, Michael York, Hildegard Neil, Michael Hordern, Michel Lonsdale, Frank Finlay. The KGB Joss Ackland. Unappreciated in its initial sends out five crack assassins to eliminate release, drama of a powerful financier in five Soviet dissidents; CIA agent Sheen Nazi Germany of 1935 is absorbing, (who’s apparently seen NOTORIOUS once thoughtful fare. Made in Yugoslavia. [PG] too often) tries to stop them by having Englishman Who Went Up a Hill, but ex-lover Fossey cozy up to top Russian agent Came Down a Mountain, The (1995-BritNeill. Fine cast does its best with so-so ish) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher Monger. material; script by John Briley. [PG]▼ Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Colm Meaney, Enigma (2001-British-German-U.S.) C119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Apted. Dougray Ian McNeice, Ian Hart, Kenneth Griffith, Tudor Vaughn, Hugh Vaughn. Two British Scott, Kate Winslet, Jeremy Northam, Saffron mapmakers raise the ire of a Welsh commuBurrows, Tom Hollander, Corin Redgrave. A nity during WW1 when they designate the burned-out cryptographer is brought back to village’s prized landmark a hill and not a active duty at Bletchley Park where, during you-know-what. Woe be the one-joke movie WW2, several hundred British operatives when the joke isn’t much of a grabber, dework day and night to crack the Nazi code— spite being based on real Welsh legend. and understand the workings of their brilliantly Agreeable cast and attractive physical trapdesigned ‘‘enigma’’ machine. Great material [ 416 ]

(adapted from Robert Harris’ book by Tom lie Perkins, Kay Medford. Flat sequel to Stoppard) and faultless re-creation of the peMISTER ROBERTS has Walker sinking in riod ought to make for a top-notch film, but this Jack Lemmon role amid synthetic seaboard one peters out as it becomes unfocused and— and coral-isle shenanigans. Worth noting yes—confusing. Coproduced by Mick Jagger, for its large cast of future stars: Larry Hagwho appears briefly in a club scene. Panaviman, Gerald O’Loughlin, Al Freeman, Jr., sion. [PG-13]▼쩠 James Farentino, James Coco, Diana Sands, and Jack Nicholson. Panavision.▼ Enigma of Kaspar Hauser, The SEE: Every Man for Himself and God Against All Enter Laughing (1967) C-112m. ★★ D: Enjo (1958-Japanese) 96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kon Carl Reiner. Reni Santoni, Jose Ferrer, Ichikawa. Raizo Ichikawa, Tatsuya NakaShelley Winters, Elaine May, Jack Gilford, dai, Ganjiro Nakamura, Yoko Uraji, Tanie Janet Margolin, David Opatoshu, Michael Kitabayashi. Troubled young novice priest J. Pollard, Don Rickles, Nancy Kovack, Ichikawa cannot handle corruption around Rob Reiner. Reiner’s funny semi-autobiohim and burns down a temple. Perceptive psygraphical Broadway play becomes bland chological study of a human being’s destrucscreen comedy as youngster struggles to tion; based on a Yukio Mishima novel, make it as an actor, despite all manner of problems in his way.▼ fashioned around a true story. Aka CONFLAGRATION. Daieiscope.▼ Entertainer, The (1960-British) 104m. ★★★1 Enormous Changes at the Last Minute ⁄2 D: Tony Richardson. Laurence Oli(1983) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mirra Bank, Elvier, Brenda de Banzie, Roger Livesey, len Hovde. Maria Tucci, Lynn Milgrim, Joan Plowright, Daniel Massey, Alan David Strathairn, Ellen Barkin, Ron McBates, Shirley Anne Field, Albert Finney, Larty, Zvee Scooler, Kevin Bacon, Jeffrey Thora Hird. Seedy vaudevillian (Olivier, DeMunn, Sudie Bond. Three separate drarecreating his stage role) ruins everyone’s mas about contemporary women living in life and won’t catch on. Film captures N.Y.C., and their relationships with husflavor of chintzy seaside resort, complebands, ex-husbands, lovers, parents, chilmenting Olivier’s brilliance as egotistical dren. Ambitious but uneven, with some song-and-dance man. Coscripted by John good performances and touching moments. Osborne, from his play. Film debuts of Screenplay by John Sayles with Susan Bates and Finney. Olivier and Plowright Rice, based on the stories of Grace Paley. married the following year. Remade as a ‘‘Faith’s Story’’ was filmed in 1978; ‘‘Vir1975 TVM starring Jack Lemmon. ▼●쩠 ginia’s Story’’ and ‘‘Alexandra’s Story’’ Entertaining Angels: The Dorothy Day in 1982. Aka TRUMPS. ▼● Story (1996) C-110m. ★★ D: Michael Ray Enough (2002) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Rhodes. Moira Kelly, Martin Sheen, Boyd Apted. Jennifer Lopez, Billy Campbell, JuKestner, Lenny Von Dohlen, James Lancasliette Lewis, Dan Futterman, Noah Wyle, ter, Heather Graham, Paul Lieber, Heather Tessa Allen, Russell Milton, Chris Maher, Camille. By-the-numbers biography, set in Ruben Madera. Lopez plays a waitress who the 1920s and ’30s, of Dorothy Day (Kelly), marries a customer and seems to be living the fabled Roman Catholic activist. Scehappily ever after until she discovers what nario spotlights her spiritual evolution from kind of man he really is and flees for her journalist and suffragette in Greenwich Villife, with her young daughter in tow. Lopez lage to her conversion to Roman Catholiis well cast in this saga of domestic abuse cism and her devotion to helping the poor. Disappointingly superficial. [PG-13]▼쩠 (and revenge), but the ending is so set up and melodramatic that it robs us of real satEntertaining Mr. Sloane (1970-British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Douglas Hickox. Beryl isfaction. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery, Alan (2005) C-113m. ★★★ D: Alex Gibney. Sharp Webb. Acting by McEnery, Reid, and documentary, based on the book by BethAndrews is extraordinary in story of young any McLean and Peter Elkind, telescopes man who becomes involved with both the Byzantine behind-the-scenes machinabrother and sister. Uneven adaptation of tions that led to the collapse of the giant Joe Orton play.▼ Houston energy company. Clean, underEnter the Dragon (1973) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 standable presentation of the events as they D: Robert Clouse. Bruce Lee, John Saxon, unfolded (with only an occasional nod to Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Yang Tse, Angela ‘‘wink-wink’’ filmmaking) and the larger Mao. Almost perfect Kung Fu film that forimplicit evils of corporate America. Some gets about plot and concentrates on mindof the incriminating footage and facts inboggling action. Martial arts expert Lee (in volving bigwigs Kenneth Lay, Jeff Skilling, last complete film role) infiltrates strange tourand Andy Fastow truly make the mind reel nament on island fortress. This was filmed and the stomach turn. [R]쩠 after (but released before) Lee’s RETURN ★★ Ensign Pulver (1964) C-104m. OF THE DRAGON. 3m. added on video in D: Joshua Logan. Robert Walker, Jr., Burl 1998. Aka THE DEADLY THREE. PanaIves, Walter Matthau, Tommy Sands, Milvision. [R]▼●쩠 [ 417 ]

Enter the Ninja (1981) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: admittedly sordid energy. Unrated version runs 93m. [PG-13]쩠 Menahem Golan. Franco Nero, Susan George, Sho Kosugi, Alex Courtney, Will Equilibrium (2002) C-107m. ★★ D: Kurt Hare, Zachi Noy, Dale Ishimoto, ChristoWimmer. Christian Bale, Emily Watson, pher George. Ninjitsu master Nero takes Taye Diggs, Angus Macfadyen, Sean Bean, on greedy Christopher George and old David Hemmings, Matthew Harbour, Wilrival Kosugi. Third-rate chop-socky actioner liam Fichtner. In the future, any display of and certainly no ENTER THE DRAGON. emotion is against the law; citizens take a Original running time: 99m. Followed by daily drug, and transgressors are punished REVENGE OF THE NINJA. [R]▼ by an elite corps of police. Writer-director Entity, The (1983) C-115m. ★★ D: SidWimmer’s warmed-over rehash of 1984, ney J. Furie. Barbara Hershey, Ron Silver, Brave New World, and Fahrenheit 451 Jacqueline Brooks, David Lablosa, George doesn’t make a lot of sense (some of the leadCoe, Margaret Blye, Alex Rocco. Woman ing characters do show emotion), but it isn’t is raped repeatedly by giant invisible mass. worth the time or effort to figure out. Bale is Her psychiatrist thinks it’s all in the mind, so intense here it seems as if he might imuntil parapsychologists set a trap for the plode at any moment. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 critter. Effectively sensational but atroEquinox (1971) C-80m. ★★ D: Jack Woods. ciously exploitive; supposedly based on acEdward Connell, Barbara Hewitt, Frank tual incident. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Boers, Jr. (Frank Bonner), Robin ChristoEntrapment (1999) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jon pher, Jack Woods, Fritz Leiber. ArchaeAmiel. Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta-Jones, ology students confront Satanism—and Will Patton, Ving Rhames, Maury Chaykin. mutantlike monsters—while searching for American insurance investigator Zeta-Jones vanished professor. Late-1960s amateur film convinces her boss to let her set the bait to (directed by later special-effects Oscar winner capture world-class art thief Connery, leading Dennis Muren) was reworked for theatrical to a gigantic cat-and-mouse game played out release, mixing movie cliche´s with good spein London and Kuala Lumpur. The two stars cial effects. This film took several years to are easy to watch, and there are lots of gimcomplete, and the young cast obviously ages in it. Aka THE BEAST. [M/PG]▼쩠 micky action scenes, but it’s all rather flat. Connery coexecutive-produced. Panavision. Equinox (1993) C-110m. ★★ D: Alan Ru[PG-13]▼●쩠 dolph. Matthew Modine, Lara Flynn Boyle, Entre Nous (1983-French) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 Fred Ward, Tyra Ferrell, Marisa Tomei, D: Diane Kurys. Miou Miou, Isabelle Kevin J. O’Connor, Tate Donovan, Lori Huppert, Guy Marchand, Jean-Pierre Bacri, Singer, M. Emmet Walsh, Gailard Sartain, Robin Renucci, Patrick Bauchau. Moving, Mark Modine. Slow-moving mystery with multilayered story of two women who form Modine playing two men—a weakling auto a bond of friendship that lasts many years, mechanic and an underworld tough guy— takes many turns, and threatens their inwho live in the same city and lead parallel effectual husbands. Compassionate telling by lives. Typically quirky Rudolph drama, but Kurys of her own mother’s story, with extraweaker than most; rife with commentary on contemporary mores and morals. [R]▼● ordinary performances all around. Original French title: COUP DE FOUDRE. Followed Equus (1977) C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney by C’EST LA VIE. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Lumet. Richard Burton, Peter Firth, Colin Envy (2004) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Barry LevinBlakely, Joan Plowright, Harry Andrews, son. Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Rachel Weisz, Eileen Atkins, Jenny Agutter. Peter ShafChristopher Walken, Amy Poehler. The close fer’s shattering play makes bumpy screen relationship between two best friends who live adaptation, its vivid theatricality lost on film; across the street from each other changes drasBurton, however, is superb as troubled psytically when one of them hits the jackpot with chiatrist trying to unlock deep-rooted proban invention that turns him into a multimillionlems of stable boy Firth. [R] ▼●쩠 aire. The cast can’t be faulted for this wrongEragon (2006) C-104m. ★★ D: Stefen Fangheaded comedy misfire, but the script can; it’s meier. Ed Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna unpleasant at best, mean at worst, a sketch Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich, idea drawn out to feature length. [PG-13]▼쩠 Djimon Hounsou, Garrett Hedlund, Alun Epic Movie (2007) C-85m. BOMB D: Armstrong, Joss Stone; voice of Rachel Weisz. Jason Friedberg, Aaron Seltzer. Kal Penn, Orphaned farm boy finds a mysterious egg that Adam Campbell, Jennifer Coolidge, Jayma hatches the last of an extinct breed of magical Mays, Faune A. Chambers. Four siblings dragons. The boy, the dragon, and his worldfind themselves meandering through lame weary, wise old mentor travel across magical slapstick parodies of recent epic movies and lands to save the oppressed people of his home other obvious pop-culture targets. Typically kingdom from an evil king and his henchman tedious, unfunny hack job, with an array of wizard. Scenery is pretty and CGI effects are cameo appearances including Crispin Glover, fine, but the movie is a patchwork quilt of conwho (as a perverted, sadistic Willy Wonka) ventions borrowed from other fantasy films provides the film with its only moments of and stories (with none of their entertainment [ 418 ]

value). Based on the first in a series of popular That’s the real Erin Brockovich playing a waitress. [R]▼쩠 books by Christopher Paolini. Super 35. [PG]쩠 Eraser (1996) C-114m. ★★★ D: Charles Ernest Goes to Camp (1987) C-93m. ★1⁄2 Russell. Arnold Schwarzenegger, James D: John R. Cherry 3rd. Jim Varney, VicCaan, Vanessa Williams, James Coburn, Robtoria Racimo, John Vernon, Iron Eyes Cody, ert Pastorelli, James Cromwell, Danny Nucci, Lyle Alzado, Gailard Sartain. Ernest, an obRoma Maffia, Camryn Manheim. High-ocnoxious dimwit popularized in a spate of TV tane, high-tech, violent and cartoonish actioncommercials, is the star of this clumsy and thriller about a specialist in the Federal Witunfunny comedy about a dumb cluck who ness Protection Program who vows to keep a wants to be a summer camp counselor in the female witness safe and sticks to his word worst way—and gets his wish. Aimed at chileven after he becomes as much a target as dren who aren’t very bright. Followed by ERshe. Explosive, cutting-edge action and speNEST SAVES CHRISTMAS. [PG]▼●쩠 cial effects give fans their money’s worth, and Ernest Goes to Jail (1990) C-82m. ★★ D: then some. Indefensible on any artistic level, John Cherry. Jim Varney, Gailard Sartain, Bill but lots of fun. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Byrge, Barbara Bush, Randall (Tex) Cobb, Eraserhead (1978) 90m. ★★★ D: David Barry Scott, Charles Napier. Third in the surLynch. John (Jack) Nance, Charlotte Steprisingly successful series about Ernest P. wart, Allen Joseph, Jeanne Bates, Judith Worrell finds our hero in prison as the result Anna Roberts, Laurel Near, V. Phippsof a switch set up by an evil inmate lookaWilson. Brooding experimental film full of like (also played by Varney). Harmless, prerepulsive imagery tells story of zombielike dictable, and hokey. Followed by ERNEST misfit, his spastic girlfriend, and their halfSCARED STUPID. [PG]▼●쩠 human offspring. Bona fide cult film is Ernest Goes to School (1994) C-90m. full of surreal, nightmarish tangents. FeaBOMB D: Coke Sams. Jim Varney, Linda ture film debut of director Lynch.▼●쩠 Kash, Bill Byrge, Corrine Koslo, Kevin McErendira (1983-Mexican-French-German) Nulty, Jason Michas. Sub-atomic brain accelC-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ruy Guerra. Irene Papas, erator is used to make Chickasaw Falls High’s Claudia Ohana, Michael Lonsdale, Oliver school custodian, Ernest, a temporary genius Wehe, Rufus. Strange does not begin to dein an attempt to undermine a plot to close the scribe this fable of queenly Papas forcing beauschool. Completely predictable and unfunny; tiful, obedient granddaughter Ohana into only for die-hard Ernest fans. Followed by prostitution in a vast, surreal desert. Ambitious SLAM DUNK ERNEST. [PG]▼● and fluidly directed, but unmemorable; from a Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) C-89m. ★1 screenplay by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Re⁄2 D: John Cherry. Jim Varney, Douglas made as ERENDIRA IKIKUNAI (2008). ▼ Seale, Oliver Clark, Noelle Parker, Robert Erik the Conqueror (1961-Italian) C-81m. Lesser, Gailard Sartain, Billie Bird. The ★★ title character, who makes Gomer Pyle D: Mario Bava. Cameron Mitchell, Alice Kessler, Ellen Kessler, Franc¸oise seem like Albert Einstein, attempts to help Christophe. Unexceptional account of 10thSanta Claus on Christmas Eve. This is one century Viking life, with Mitchell fighting Christmas present to be opened with exfor virtue and love. Released on video as treme caution . . . unless you’re a fan of THE INVADERS at 88m. Dyaliscope. ▼쩠 Ernest P. Worrell. Followed by ERNEST GOES TO JAIL. [PG]▼●쩠 Erik the Viking (1989-British) C-104m. BOMB D: Terry Jones. Tim Robbins, Ernest Scared Stupid (1991) C-91m. ★1⁄2 Mickey Rooney, Eartha Kitt, Terry Jones, D: John Cherry. Jim Varney, Eartha Kitt, Imogen Stubbs, John Cleese, Antony Sher, Austin Nagler, Jonas Moscartolo, Shay Gordon John Sinclair, Freddie Jones. RobAstar. The fourth Ernest P. Worrell feabins is a revisionist Erik, but what’s the ture has a patently redundant title. OrigiNorse expression for ‘‘unwatchable satire’’? nally released at Halloween time, the story has dimwitted Ernest inadvertently releasDirector’s cut runs 79m. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ★★★ Erin Brockovich (2000) C-131m. ing a villainous troll from its tomb. Pretty D: Steven Soderbergh. Julia Roberts, Albert Finlame; Kitt is wasted as a witch. Followed by ERNEST GOES TO SCHOOL. [PG]▼●쩠 ney, Aaron Eckhart, Marg Helgenberger, Cherry Jones, Conchata Ferrell, Tracey Walter, Eros (2004-French-Italian-U.S.-Hong Kong) C/B&W-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Wong Kar-wai, SteMimi Kennedy, Peter Coyote. Roberts won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance as a ven Soderbergh, Michelangelo Antonioni. brassy, divorced mother of three, at the end of Gong Li, Chang Chen, Robert Downey, Jr., her rope; she talks her way into a job in FinAlan Arkin, Christopher Buchholz, Regina ney’s law office, then becomes obsessed with a Nemni, Luisa Ranieri. As if they were facpro bono case involving residents of a Califoring an overpowering baseball pitcher in the nia desert town who have been exposed to poininth inning, three internationally renowned sonously polluted water. Energetic, engaging directors strike out 1-2-3 in this anthology. David vs. Goliath story never states—or Wong’s episode is the meatiest, but seems overstates—the obvious, and travels far on twice as long as it is: A young tailor remains Roberts’ charisma and Finney’s expertise. faithful to a courtesan (Gong) through her [ 419 ]

long professional slide. Shrink Arkin and polished, with sterling cast. Based on Ethel Vance’s 1939 best-seller. patient Downey bandy in Soderbergh’s Escape (1948) 78m. ★★★ D: Joseph L. Manshaggy dog joke, unworthy of the wait for a kiewicz. Rex Harrison, Peggy Cummins, punch line. Antonioni’s segment about an William Hartnell, Norman Wooland, Jill impaired relationship is the least substantive Esmond, Frederick Piper, Marjorie Rhodes, but most fun to watch; he still has his camBetty Ann Davies, Cyril Cusack. Intelligent, era eye. [R]쩠 well-paced story of law-abiding man for Erotique (1993-U.S.-German) C-93m. ★★ whom a chance encounter leads to a prison D: Lizzie Borden, Monika Treut, Clara Law. sentence; morally outraged, he determines Kamela Lopez-Dawson, Bryan Cranston, to escape. Harrison is excellent as the cereLiane Curtis, Priscilla Barnes, Camilla Soebral hero of this John Galsworthy story berg, Michael Carr, Peter Kern, Marianne Sa¨(which was filmed before in 1930). Shot on gebrecht, Tim Lounibos, Hayley Man, Choi natural locations around England. ScreenHark-kin. Uneven feature in three parts, each a play by Philip Dunne. story with a female slant. Borden’s piece, about Escape (1970) SEE: McKenzie Break, The a phone sex worker exacting revenge against Escape Artist, The (1982) C-96m. ★★ D: one of her callers, is obvious and annoying; Caleb Deschanel. Griffin O’Neal, Raul Treut tells the trite tale of a pair of lesbians who Julia, Teri Garr, Joan Hackett, Gabriel set out to seduce a man. By far the best of the Dell, Elizabeth Daily, Desiderio (Desi) lot is Law’s perceptive study of the cultural difArnaz, Huntz Hall, Jackie Coogan, M. ferences between a Hong Kong woman and Emmet Walsh, David Clennon, Harry Anher Australian-Chinese boyfriend. A fourth derson, Carlin Glynn, Margaret Ladd. Madepisode, the muddled account of a teacher’s deningly muddled tale of teenager O’Neal, erotic encounter while on a trip, was excluded an amateur magician, and the adults who from the final print but added to the video attempt to exploit him. Griffin, son of release. It is directed by Ana Maria MagalRyan and brother of Tatum, has a pleasing haes and stars Claudia Ohana and Guilherme screen presence. Directorial debut for cineLeme. Video running time is 117m.▼●쩠 matographer Deschanel. [PG]▼쩠 ★★1 Errand Boy, The (1961) 92m. ⁄2 D: Escape From Alcatraz (1979) C-112m. Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Brian Donlevy, ★★★ D: Donald Siegel. Clint Eastwood, Howard McNear, Sig Ruman, Fritz Feld, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Jack Iris Adrian, Kathleen Freeman, Doodles Thibeau, Fred Ward, Paul Benjamin. Weaver, Renee Taylor. Jerry on the loose Straightforward, methodical telling of true in a movie studio has its moments. Long story about 1962 breakout from supposedly string of gags provide the laughter; veteran impregnable prison. Vivid and credible character actors produce the sparkle. ▼●쩠 throughout. Watch for Danny Glover in his ★★★ Escapade (1955-British) 87m. D: film debut. [PG]▼●쩠 Philip Leacock. John Mills, Yvonne MitchEscape From Fort Bravo (1953) C-98m. ell, Alastair Sim, Jeremy Spenser, Andrew ★★★ D: John Sturges. William Holden, Ray, Marie Lohr, Peter Asher. Mills is a Eleanor Parker, John Forsythe, Polly professional pacifist whose life is anything Bergen, William Demarest, William Campbut tranquil; his three sons, fearing that bell, Richard Anderson. Well-executed their parents are about to be divorced, Civil War–era Western with Holden a hardreact in a most unusual manner. Ambinosed cavalry captain at an Arizona fort tious, insightful, solidly acted drama about where Confederate prisoners are held; both the cynicism and hypocrisy of adults and sides end up tangling with Indians.▼쩠 the idealism of youth. Stick with this.▼ Escape From L.A. (1996) C-101m. ★★ D: Escapade in Japan (1957) C-93m. ★★ D: John Carpenter. Kurt Russell, Stacy Keach, Arthur Lubin. Cameron Mitchell, Teresa Steve Buscemi, Cliff Robertson, Valeria Wright, Jon Provost, Roger Nakagawa, Golino, Peter Fonda, Michelle Forbes, A. J. Philip Ober, Kuniko Miyake, Susumu FujLanger, George Corraface, Pam Grier, Robita. Stunning location filming in Japan is ert Carradine, Bruce Campbell, Paul Bartel. the prime asset of this forgettable adventure In the year 2013, the Island of L.A. is a about two young boys, one American and penal colony for America’s undesirables. the other Japanese, and their search for the Snake Plissken (Russell) is sent there to former’s parents. Clint Eastwood appears bring back a valuable destruction device briefly as a pilot. Technirama. ▼ that was smuggled away by the daughter of Escape (1940) 104m. ★★★ D: Mervyn the U.S. President. Lackluster follow-up to LeRoy. Norma Shearer, Robert Taylor, ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK is tongueConrad Veidt, Nazimova, Felix Bressart, in-cheek, but devoid of wit, and not likely Albert Basserman, Philip Dorn, Bonita to satisfy action fans, either. Russell coproGranville, Blanche Yurka. Countess Shearer, duced and cowrote the script. On-screen mistress of Nazi general Veidt, helps Taytitle: JOHN CARPENTER’S ESCAPE lor get his mother (Nazimova) out of GerFROM L.A. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 man concentration camp before WW2; Escape From New York (1981) C-99m. [ 420 ]

★★

D: John Carpenter. Kurt Russell, Lee Suspense tale about aftermath of unsucVan Cleef, Ernest Borgnine, Donald Pleacessful attempt by Soviet Jews to hijack a sence, Isaac Hayes, Adrienne Barbeau, plane wastes a capable cast. [PG]▼ Harry Dean Stanton, Season Hubley. For a Escape to Witch Mountain (1975) C-97m. ★★★ ‘‘fun’’ film this is pretty bleak. The year is D: John Hough. Eddie Albert, Ray Mil1997, Manhattan is a maximum-security land, Kim Richards, Ike Eisenmann, Donald prison, and a character named Snake Pleasence. Excellent Disney mystery-fantasy: Plissken (Russell) must effect a daring two children with mysterious powers try to disrescue from within its borders. Reminiscover their origins, while being pursued by evil cent in some ways of Carpenter’s ASMilland, who wants to use their powers for his SAULT ON PRECINCT 13, which was own purposes. Remade for TV. Followed by smaller—and better. Followed by ESCAPE sequel RETURN FROM WITCH MOUNFROM L.A. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 TAIN. [G]▼●쩠 Escape From Planet Earth SEE: DoomsEscape 2000 (1981-Australian) C-92m. day Machine, The BOMB D: Brian Trenchard-Smith. Steve Escape From the Dark SEE: Littlest Horse Railsback, Olivia Hussey, Michael Craig, Thieves, The Carmen Duncan, Roger Ward. Repellently viEscape From the Planet of the Apes olent, unpleasant ripoff of THE MOST DAN(1971) C-98m. ★★★ D: Don Taylor. Roddy GEROUS GAME, set in future society where McDowall, Kim Hunter, Bradford Dillman, criminals are hunted in a controlled environNatalie Trundy, Eric Braeden, William Winment. Original title: TURKEY SHOOT. Bedom, Sal Mineo, Ricardo Montalban. Third in ware of alternate 80m. version. Panavision. series is best of the sequels, with the Apes in [R]▼쩠 modern-day L.A.; ingeniously paves the way Especially on Sunday (1991-Italian-Frenchfor 4th and 5th entries in series. Followed by Belgian) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Giuseppe TornaCONQUEST OF THE PLANET OF THE tore, Giuseppe Bertolucci, Marco Tullio GiAPES. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 ordana. Philippe Noiret, Ornella Muti, Escape From Zahrain (1962) C-93m. Bruno Ganz, Maria Maddelena Fellini, Chi★1⁄2 D: Ronald Neame. Yul Brynner, Sal ara Caselli, Andrea Prodan, Bruno Berdini, Mineo, Madlyn Rhue, Jack Warden, James Nicoletta Braschi, Jean-Hugues Anglade. Mason, Jay Novello. Plodding film of five Trio of short films, each set in the Italian prisoners escaping from jail in Mideastern countryside, is a mixed bag. The first, by country, being chased across desert. Nice Tornatore (featuring Noiret as a barber who photography at least. Panavision. is comically harassed by a dog), is slight; Escape Me Never (1947) 104m. ★1⁄2 D: the second, by Bertolucci (middle-aged Peter Godfrey. Errol Flynn, Ida Lupino, Ganz picks up a pretty young woman and Eleanor Parker, Gig Young, Reginald her mentally ill brother), is trite; the third, Denny, Isobel Elsom. Sappy remake of by Giordana (widow Fellini develops a 1935 Elisabeth Bergner vehicle, with most unusual unspoken bond with her new Lupino as an itinerant waif (!) and Flynn daughter-in-law), is the best of the lot, a as struggling composer who marries her thoughtful meditation on loneliness. Fellini but takes up with his brother’s aristocratic is Federico’s sister; this is her screen debut. fiance´e (Parker). Forget it. ▼ European release version includes a fourth Escape to Athena (1979-British) C-101m. film, by Francesco Barilli. [R] ★★1 ⁄2 D: George Pan Cosmatos. Roger Esther and the King (1960-U.S.-Italian) C-109m. ★★ D: Raoul Walsh. Joan Collins, Moore, Telly Savalas, David Niven, Claudia Cardinale, Richard Roundtree, Stefanie Richard Egan, Denis O’Dea, Sergio Fantoni. Powers, Sonny Bono, Elliott Gould, WilCardboard biblical costumer pretends to liam Holden. Agreeable time-filler, with recreate 4th-century B.C. Persia, with all-star cast in outlandish adventure yarn stony performances by Egan and Collins about WW2 POWs planning escape and as the king and the Jewish maiden he art heist at the same time. Released in wants to replace murdered queen. Filmed England at 125m. Panavision. [PG]▼ in Italy. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Escape to Burma (1955) C-87m. ★★ D: Esther Kahn (2000-French-British) CAllan Dwan. Barbara Stanwyck, Robert 145m. ★1⁄2 D: Arnaud Desplechin. Summer Ryan, David Farrar, Murvyn Vye, Lisa Phoenix, Ian Holm, Fabrice Desplechin, Montell, Reginald Denny. Stanwyck rides Frances Barber, Ian Bartholomew, Emmanherd over a tea plantation—and a pack of uelle Devos. Overlong, overwrought drama wild animals—but doesn’t quite know how about a single-minded young Jewess in lateto deal with a wanted man who seeks 19th-century London who struggles with refuge. Cast does what it can with pulp her feelings and fears while setting out to material. SuperScope.▼쩠 become an actress. Potentially interesting Escape to the Sun (1972-British-Israeli) subject matter is done in by boring stretches, 1 ★ 105m. ⁄2 D: Menahem Golan. Laurence laughably stilted dialogue, a maddeningly unHarvey, Josephine Chaplin, John Ireland, even lead performance by Phoenix, and unLila Kedrova, Jack Hawkins, Clive Revill. necessary narration that telegraphs points and [ 421 ]

emotions. A plus: Eric Gautier’s luminous Torn, Debra Winger, Curtis Garcia, Keith cinematography.▼쩠 Garcia, Paget Brewster, Rene Auberjonois, Eternally Yours (1939) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claudette Nevins, Micole Mercurio, Rance Tay Garnett. Loretta Young, David Niven, Howard. Dysfunctional family reunites over Hugh Herbert, C. Aubrey Smith, Billie the death of the patriarch and standard sitcom Burke, Broderick Crawford, ZaSu Pitts, shenanigans ensue, with frantic mugging and Eve Arden. Wayout idea comes off fairly bad sex jokes. Hard to totally fail with this well; Young is married to magician Niven, caliber of ensemble players, but still pretty thinks his tricks are taking precedence to weak. Laurie and Deschanel come off best as their married life. Also shown in comsuicidal grandmother and her granddaughter puter-colored version.▼쩠 (the only normal one in the pack). Winger Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind uncharacteristically hits all the wrong notes as (2004) C-108m. ★★★ D: Michel Gondry. Jim a homophobic, neurotic aunt. [R] ▼쩠 Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Eureka (1983) C-130m. ★★ D: Nicolas Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Tom Wilkinson, Jane Roeg. Gene Hackman, Theresa Russell, Adams, David Cross, Deirdre O’Connell. A Rutger Hauer, Jane Lapotaire, Ed Lauter, man learns his ex-girlfriend has had him Mickey Rourke, Joe Pesci, Corin Redgrave. literally erased from her memory and deKlondike prospector becomes fabulously cides to get the same procedure done . . . but wealthy, watches his kingdom crumble 30 has second thoughts as his mind is being years later when his daughter’s problems purged. Ingenious, Oscar-winning screenand Miami thugs converge on him at the play by Charlie Kaufman (from a story by same time. Odd drama, even for Roeg, Kaufman, Gondry, and Pierre Bismuth) is that somehow climaxes with long, windy extremely well executed by director Gondry courtroom histrionics. Shelved by its studio, (and cinematographer Ellen Kuras), though sporadically released in 1985. Aka RIVER OF DARKNESS. [R]▼쩠 the film tends to cleverly dance around the roots of emotional and romantic pain rather Eureka (2000-Japanese-French) 217m. ★★1⁄2 than fully engage them. Carrey has never D: Shinji Aoyama. Koji Yakusho, Aoi Miyabeen better; Winslet is (as always) excepzaki, Masaru Miyazaki, Yoichiro Saito. A tional. [R]▼쩠 tragic and shattering event has life-changing Ethan Frome (1993) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: John consequences for both a bus driver and the Madden. Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, Joan two orphaned children who are the only surAllen, Tate Donovan, Katharine Houghton, vivors of the incident. Epic film deals with Stephen Mendillo. Stately, just-adequate adapthe aftermath of a traumatic moment as the tation of Edith Wharton’s famed 1911 novella characters search for meaning and redempof tragedy, irony, and repression, set in rural tion. Beautifully shot in black and white, New England: the tale of a farmer who weds this demanding film does have rewards for a domineering woman (Allen), then falls in the adventurous filmgoer but is ultimately love with her poor but pretty cousin (Arcompromised by its indulgent overlength. quette). Beautifully photographed (by Bobby Europa Europa (1991-French-German) CBukowski) and intelligently scripted (by 115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Agnieszka Holland. Marco Richard Nelson), but not as powerful and Hofschneider, Rene Hofschneider, Julie moving as it should be. An American PlayDelpy, Ashley Wanninger, Piotr Kozlowski, house theatrical feature. [PG]▼●쩠 Halina Labornarska, Hanns Zischler. GerE.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Cman-Jewish teenage boy flees the Nazis and 115m. ★★★★ D: Steven Spielberg. Dee conceals his identity—only to find himself Wallace, Henry Thomas, Peter Coyote, drafted into Hitler’s army! Eye-opening, factRobert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, based WW2 Holocaust drama, from Solomon K.C. Martel, Sean Frye, Tom (C. Thomas) Perel’s autobiography, is both harrowing and Howell. A 10-year-old boy (Thomas) behumorous; deftly blends horrific images with friends a creature from another planet that’s black comedy to depict the growing pains of been stranded on Earth. A warm, insightful a boy becoming a man in the midst of a world story of childhood innocence, frustration, in chaos. Polish writer-director Holland has courage, and love . . . with a remarkable made a riveting and moving film. [R]▼●쩠 ‘‘performance’’ by E.T. An exhilarating Europa ’51 SEE: Greatest Love, The Europeans, The (1979) C-90m. ★★★ D: experience for young and old alike. Screenplay by Melissa Mathison. John Williams James Ivory. Lee Remick, Robin Ellis, Weswon an Oscar for his soaring score, as did ley Addy, Tim Choate, Lisa Eichhorn, Tim the sound and visual effects teams. Trivia Woodward, Kristin Griffith. Meticulous film note: Debra Winger contributed to E.T.’s of Henry James novel vividly recreates 19thvoice. Reissued in a somewhat revised form century life in New England, as the arrival of in 2002, running 123m. [PG]▼●쩠 two foreign cousins disrupts the stern-faced Eulogy (2004) C-91m. ★★ D: Michael Clancy. calm of a plain American family. Deliberately paced, but richly rewarding.▼●쩠 Hank Azaria, Jesse Bradford, Zooey Deschanel, Glenne Headly, Famke Janssen, Piper Eurotrip (2004) C-92m. ★★ D: Jeff SchafLaurie, Kelly Preston, Ray Romano, Rip fer. Scott Mechlowicz, Jacob Pitts, Michelle [ 422 ]

Trachtenberg, Travis Wester, Jessica Boehrs, acting by its able cast. Could have, and should have, been much better. Panavision. [PG] ▼쩠 Vinnie Jones, Lucy Lawless, Fred Armisen, Evelyn Prentice (1934) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Diedrich Bader, Patrick Malahide, Matt William K. Howard. William Powell, Damon, Joanna Lumley. A high school grad Myrna Loy, Una Merkel, Rosalind Ruswho’s just been dumped by his girlfriend goes sell, Isabel Jewell, Harvey Stephens. Story to Europe to meet a German e-mail pen pal of successful attorney who doesn’t know (who, he’s just learned, is a hot babe); he his own wife is in trouble is too drawn-out, and three hometown pals have a series of ultimately too implausible. Cast rises above misadventures along the way. All too typical material, but Cora Sue Collins is an obteen comedy should please adolescent boys noxious brat. Russell’s first film. Remade with its female nudity and gross-out gags; othas STRONGER THAN DESIRE.▼쩠 ers will take their cue from the fact that there Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1994) Cis a vomit joke in the animated main titles! 97m. BOMB D: Gus Van Sant. Uma ThurJeffrey Tambor appears unbilled. Unrated verman, Lorraine Bracco, Angie Dickinson, Rain sion available on DVD. [R] ▼쩠 ★★★ Phoenix, John Hurt, Roseanne Arnold, Keanu D: Joseph Eva (1962-British) 100m. Reeves, Noriyuki ‘‘Pat’’ Morita, Sean Young, Losey. Jeanne Moreau, Stanley Baker, Crispin Glover, Ed Begley, Jr., Faye DunaVirna Lisi, Nona Medici, Francesco Risway, Steve Buscemi, Heather Graham, Victosone, James Villiers. Brooding account of ria Williams, Carol Kane, Grace Zabriskie. writer Baker whose continued attraction Tom Robbins’ hopelessly dated novel about a for Eva (Moreau) causes wife (Lisi) to hitchhiker with oversized thumbs is a candihave tragic death. Premise isn’t always date for the decade’s worst movie: there is workable, but Moreau is well cast as pernot enough peyote in the entire American sonification of evil. Based on a novel by Southwest to render scenes set in the femiJames Hadley Chase. Director’s cut (titled nist-collective ranch comprehensible or posEVE) runs 119m.▼쩠 sible to endure. Recut by the director after Evan Almighty (2007) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: its stormy reception at the Toronto Film Tom Shadyac. Steve Carell, Morgan FreeFestival knocked it off the ’93 release man, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, schedule. The k.d. lang score is the movie’s Wanda Sykes, John Michael Higgins, Jonah sole worthy component. William S. BurHill, Molly Shannon, Harve Presnell, roughs is briefly seen at film’s beginning on Johnny Simmons, Graham Phillips, Jimmy a N.Y.C. street. [R]▼●쩠 Bennett. In this follow-up to BRUCE ALEven Dwarfs Started Small (1968-GerMIGHTY former newscaster Evan Baxter man) 96m. ★★★ D: Werner Herzog. Hel(Carell), a newly elected congressman, is mut Doring, Gerd Gickel, Paul Glauer, told by God (Freeman) to build an enorErna Gschwnedtner, Gisela Hartwig. Unmous ark in preparation for a devastating usual, disturbing, truly unsettling parable flood. Wacky hijinks ensue. Wasting the about dwarfs and midgets confined to a likable and talented Carell, this shrill farce barren correctional institution who literally tries to sugarcoat its religious conservatism take over the asylum. Reminiscent of Tod with a feel-good sitcom style, but possesses Browning’s FREAKS.▼쩠 about as much genuine spirituality as a velEvening (2007) C-117m. ★★ D: Lajos Kolvet painting of Jesus. And is God really tai. Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa creating a flood to get back at a crooked Redgrave, Patrick Wilson, Hugh Dancy, Washington lawmaker? Super 35. [PG]쩠 Natasha Richardson, Mamie Gummer, EiEvel Knievel (1972) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marleen Atkins, Meryl Streep, Glenn Close, vin Chomsky. George Hamilton, Sue Lyon, Barry Bostwick. Two sisters try to interpret Bert Freed, Rod Cameron. Biography of their mother’s ramblings while on her daredevil motorcyclist contains some great deathbed; they eventually learn about the action footage; modest but effective film. unfulfilled love of her life in a series of Shouldn’t be confused with VIVA KNIEVEL! extended flashbacks. Lugubrious translation (in which Evel played himself). Remade for of Susan Minot’s time-skipping novel (by cable TV in 2004. [PG]▼쩠 the author and Michael Cunningham), filmed Evelyn (2002-U.S.-Irish-British) C-95m. on location in Newport, Rhode Island. Gum★★1 ⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Pierce Brosnan, mer is Streep’s real-life daughter; they play Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Alan Bates, Julithe same character, young and old. Richardanna Margulies, Sophie Vavasseur. Brosnan’s son is Redgrave’s daughter, and they play company produced this button-pushing, feelmother and daughter on-screen. Super 35. good movie based on the true story of a [PG-13]쩠 working-class Irishman who has to battle the Evening Star, The (1996) C-129m. ★★ D: government to regain custody of his sons and Robert Harling. Shirley MacLaine, Bill daughter after his wife walks out on them. Set Paxton, Juliette Lewis, Miranda Richardin 1953, the film doesn’t seem to trust the son, Ben Johnson, Scott Wolf, George inherent drama in its story, and plays everyNewbern, Marion Ross, Mackenzie Astin, thing broadly, with nudge-nudge wink-wink Donald Moffat, China Kantner, Jack Nichol[ 423 ]

son, Jennifer Grant. The further adventures of role: Dr. Eve Simmons, a scientist, and feisty, eccentric Aurora Greenway, who’s now Eve VIII, the android/robot bomb she’s raised three grandchildren (born to Debra created in her own likeness—and which is Winger in TERMS OF ENDEARMENT). running amok. Hines is the good guy who Trades on the memory of a much better movie; sets out to immobilize it. Dutch actress Soutendijk’s U.S. film debut. [R]▼●쩠 even Nicholson’s brief appearance only reminds us of the earlier film. There’s barely an Ever After (1998) C-122m. ★★★ D: Andy honest moment in the picture. Ross stands out Tennant. Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, as MacLaine’s loyal longtime housekeeper Dougray Scott, Patrick Godfrey, Megan and friend. Based on Larry McMurtry’s Dodds, Melanie Lynskey, Timothy West, novel. Johnson’s final film. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Judy Parfitt, Jeroen Krabbe´, Richard O’Brien, Even Money (2007-U.S.-German) C-113m. Jeanne Moreau. The Queen of France (Mo★★ D: Mark Rydell. Forest Whitaker, Kim reau) summons the Brothers Grimm to her Basinger, Danny DeVito, Kelsey Grammer, castle so she may tell them the true story Ray Liotta, Tim Roth, Jay Mohr, Nick Canof Cinderella: what unfolds is a charming non, Carla Gugino, Grant Sullivan. Melanrethinking of the classic fairy tale, with Barcholy look at a handful of losers and rymore as a feisty orphan (named Danielle) dreamers—including compulsive gamblers who puts her potential Prince Charming to Whitaker and Basinger, has-been magician shame with her bravery and regard for huDeVito, underworld boss Roth, and smallmankind. Long, but exquisitely filmed on time bookies Mohr and Sullivan. The resolulocation in France. Barrymore is a delight tions to these stories are alternately squalid as a Cinderella for feminists. Alternate verand improbable. Good performances pique sion is rated PG. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 your interest at first, but the movie runs out Ever in My Heart (1933) 68m. ★★1⁄2 D: of gas. Director Rydell has a cameo near the Archie Mayo. Barbara Stanwyck, Otto Kruend. [R]쩠 ger, Ralph Bellamy, Ruth Donnelly, Frank Event, The (2003-Canadian) C-110m. ★1⁄2 Albertson. New Englander Stanwyck, a D: Thom Fitzgerald. Parker Posey, Don Daughter of the American Revolution, weds McKellar, Sarah Polley, Jane Leeves, Brent German-born college professor Kruger. He Carver, Olympia Dukakis, Joanna P. Adler, becomes an American citizen—and then Dick Latessa, Christina Zorich. The investiWW1 comes. Well-meaning soaper regation of an apparent suicide, one of a series flects the mood of the period, but is too of mysterious deaths in the gay community hurried and simplistic to really score. of N.Y.C.’s Chelsea neighborhood, leads to Everlasting Moments (2008-Swedish) Csurprising revelations. Well intentioned but 131m. ★★★ D: Jan Troell. Maria Heiskanen, destroyed by a hopelessly muddled script, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen, Cal¨ hrvall, Ghita Nørby, Amanda Ooms, pedestrian direction, and a series of overlin O drawn stereotypes. Only Dukakis emerges Emil Jensen. In early 20th-century Sweden a with dignity intact, somehow managing to hardworking woman with many children— create yet another memorable screen mother. and a lusty, often abusive husband—finds Cowritten by the director. [R]▼쩠 purpose (and solace) by taking photographs Event Horizon (1997-U.S.-British) C-95m. with a camera she won in a lottery. Ab★★ D: Paul Anderson. Laurence Fishburne, sorbing, evocative period piece is meticuSam Neill, Kathleen Quinlan, Joely Richlously realized by Troell, who also shot the ardson, Richard T. Jones, Jack Noseworthy, film (in collaboration with Mischa GavrjusJason Isaacs, Sean Pertwee. In 2047, a resjov) and cowrote the story with his wife, Agcue mission is launched to Neptune when neta Ulfsa¨ter Troell, and Nikolas Ra˚dstro¨m, the exploration ship Event Horizon reapbased on a real-life woman’s experiences. pears as mysteriously as it had vanished Title onscreen is MARIA LARSSON’S seven years before. The returned ship’s EVERLASTING MOMENTS. crew is gone, but there’s a disturbing presEverlasting Piece, An (2000) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 ence aboard, perhaps connected to the black D: Barry Levinson. Barry McEvoy, Brian F. hole designed to warp space. Well-acted O’Byrne, Anna Friel, Pauline McLynn, Ruth movie begins promisingly but becomes inMcCabe, Laurence Kinlan, Billy Connolly, creasingly unlikely; offers no explanation Des McAleer. Intermittently funny, sometimes for the strange events. Some intense horror silly satire set in Belfast (rather than director scenes. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Levinson’s customary Baltimore), about a Eve of Destruction (1991) C-98m. ★★ D: pair of inept barbers-turned-wig-salesmen; Duncan Gibbins. Gregory Hines, Renee one (McEvoy) is insolent and Catholic, the Soutendijk, Michael Greene, Kurt Fuller, other (O’Byrne) is more restrained and ProtJohn M. Jackson, Kevin McCarthy. This estant. McEvoy also scripted. [R]▼쩠 muddled FRANKENSTEIN variation might Eversmile, New Jersey (1989-Britishhave worked with a better script, and withArgentinian) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Carlos Sorin. out a point of view that manages to at the Daniel Day-Lewis, Mirjana Jokovic, Gabrisame time be reverse-sexist and antiela Archer, Julio De Grazia, Ignacio Quiros, feminist. Soutendijk gives her all in a dual Miguel Ligero, Ana Maria Glunta. If you’ve [ 424 ]

waited all your life to see a film about a travelfighting weak material about nutty family ing missionary dentist, wait no more: Dayinvolved in putting on a show. After loud Lewis plays a fanatic who works for a ‘‘dental finale you’ll be waiting for a sequel called EVERYBODY SHUT UP.▼● consciousness’’ foundation and travels the hinterlands to spread his noble message. OffEverybody Wins (1990) C-98m. BOMB beat, to say the least, but grows wearisome D: Karel Reisz. Debra Winger, Nick Nolte, Will Patton, Jack Warden, Judith Ivey, after a while. Filmed in Argentina. [PG]▼● Everybody Does It (1949) 98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kathleen Wilhoite, Frank Converse, Frank Edmund Goulding. Paul Douglas, Linda Military. Private detective with an ax to Darnell, Celeste Holm, Charles Coburn, grind ties his professional reputation to a Millard Mitchell, Lucile Watson, John schizoid small-town hooker who outbugs Hoyt, George Tobias. Exceptionally amusBugs and Daffy. Arthur Miller’s first screening yarn of aspiring singer Holm, harried play since THE MISFITS (based on his husband Douglas, and prima donna Darnell. one-act play ‘‘Some Kind of Love Story’’) Celeste wants vocal career, Douglas gets gave fruit to this ironically titled fiasco; one instead. Remake of WIFE, HUSBAND, Winger flounders in a difficult—perhaps AND FRIEND; Nunnally Johnson adapted even unplayable—role. [R]▼●쩠 his earlier screenplay (based on a James Every Day’s A Holiday (1937) 80m. ★★★ D: M. Cain story). A. Edward Sutherland. Mae West, Edmund Everybody Gets It in the End SEE: Tag: Lowe, Charles Butterworth, Charles WinThe Assassination Game ninger, Walter Catlett, Lloyd Nolan, Louis Everybody’s All-American (1988) C-127m. Armstrong. Mae sells Herman Bing the ★★★ D: Taylor Hackford. Jessica Lange, Brooklyn Bridge, so police detective Lowe Dennis Quaid, Timothy Hutton, John Goodorders her to leave N.Y.C. She returns to help man, Carl Lumbly, Ray Baker, Savannah expose crooked police chief Nolan. Gay ’90s Smith Boucher, Patricia Clarkson. The setting for fast-moving West vehicle, written 25-year saga of a college football hero and by the star herself. ▼ his homecoming queen, who find a rocky Every Girl Should Be Married (1948) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Hartman. Cary Grant, Franchot road living happily ever after. Quaid seems too aware of the caricature he is about to Tone, Diana Lynn, Betsy Drake, Alan Mowbecome, but Lange’s bittersweet perforbray. Airy comedy of girl (Drake) setting mance rings true throughout and makes this out to trap bachelor (Grant) into marriage; film worth seeing. Based on Frank Deford’s Tone has thankless ‘‘other man’’ role. Drake novel. [R]▼●쩠 also ‘‘captured’’ Grant in real life; they were Everybody’s Famous (2000-Belgian-Frenchmarried soon after this film came out. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼● Dutch) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Dominique Deruddere. Josse De Pauw, Eva van der Gucht, Every Home Should Have One SEE: Werner De Smedt, Thekla Reuten, Victor Think Dirty Lo¨w, Gert Portael. Factory worker dreams Every Little Crook and Nanny (1972) C-91m. ★★ D: Cy Howard. Lynn Redgrave, of celebrity for his overweight daughter (a Madonna wannabe). He concocts an inane Victor Mature, Paul Sand, Austin Pendlekidnapping scheme to that end, reveling in ton, John Astin, Dom DeLuise, Pat Harthe notoriety it brings him. Odd, twisted rington, Severn Darden. Good idea—the comedy-drama struggles to entertain. Maybe kidnapping of a mobster’s son by nanny you have to be Flemish. . . . [R] ▼쩠 Redgrave—gets away in this comic crimeEverybody’s Fine (1990-Italian) C-112m. and-caper film. One bright spot: Mature’s ★★1 ⁄2 D: Giuseppe Tornatore. Marcello gangster portrayal. [PG] Mastroianni, Michele Morgan, Marino Cenna, Every Man for Himself (1980-FrenchRoberto Nobile, Valeria Cavali, Norma MarSwiss) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Luc Godard. telli, Fabio Iellini, Salvatore Cascio. MastroiIsabelle Huppert, Jacques Dutronc, Nathalie anni is elderly, slightly befuddled Sicilian Baye, Roland Amstutz, Anna Baldaccini. patriarch who embarks on extended tour of Self-conscious account of three characters Italy to visit his five grown children. Provocawhose lives are intertwined: Dutronc, who tive idea of showing a parent’s hopes and has left his wife for Baye; Baye, who is dreams dashed by reality; unfortunately, it beleaving Dutronc for life in the boondocks; comes a lumbering Felliniesque travelogue. and Huppert, country girl turned prostitute. Creator of CINEMA PARADISO looks at Godard’s ‘‘comeback’’ film was widely overflip side of nostalgia here with so-so success rated, and certainly can’t compare with his (and a typically vital Mastroianni perforbest work of the past. mance). Michele Morgan is lovely in small Every Man for Himself and God Against All (1975-German) C-110m. ★★★★ D: Werrole of woman in tour group.▼● Everybody Sing (1938) 91m. ★★ D: Edwin ner Herzog. Bruno S., Walter Ladengast, L. Marin. Allan Jones, Judy Garland, Brigitte Mira, Hans Musaus, Willy SemFanny Brice, Reginald Owen, Billie Burke, melrogge, Michael Kroecher. Man kept in Reginald Gardiner. Shrill musical with stuconfinement from birth mysteriously appid plot, unmemorable songs; good cast pears in 1820s Nuremberg. Poignant tale [ 425 ]

based on real incident explores his alternate 106m. ★★★ D: Liev Schreiber. Elijah Wood, vision of the world and his attempts to adjust Eugene Hutz, Boris Leskin, Laryssa Lauret. to society. Herzog’s best film (from his own Jonathan (Wood), a nerdy young Jewish screenplay) features stunning performance by American who is obsessed with the objects Bruno S. as Kaspar Hauser. Story also told in that link him to his family’s past, travels to KASPAR HAUSER. Aka THE MYSTERY the Ukraine to explore his roots. Initially, OF KASPAR HAUSER and THE ENIGMA his eccentric tour guides and their screwball OF KASPAR HAUSER. ▼쩠 antics are out of sync with the seriousness Everyone Says I Love You (1996) Cof the story, but once their journey begins— 101m. ★★★ D: Woody Allen. Woody Allen, and especially when they discover an elGoldie Hawn, Alan Alda, Julia Roberts, derly woman who might have saved JonaDrew Barrymore, Edward Norton, Tim than’s grandfather from the Nazis—the film Roth, Natalie Portman, Gaby Hoffmann, becomes a poignant exploration of how obNatasha Lyonne, Lukas Haas, Billy Crudup, jects allow us to hold on to memories. David Ogden Stiers. The misadventures of Scripted by first-time director Schreiber, an upper-class Manhattan family, at home, from Jonathan Safran Foer’s best-seller. in Venice, and in Paris. A cheerful mess [PG-13] 쩠 that’s simply an excuse for Allen to make a Everything Put Together (2001) C-88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marc Forster. Radha Mitchell, musical. The sheer joy of watching the cast sing wonderful old songs (only Barrymore is Megan Mullally, Justin Louis, Catherine dubbed) makes up for all the film’s shortcomLloyd Burns, Alan Ruck, Michele Hicks, ings (including a lack of story, and a curious Matt Malloy, Vince Vieluf. Probing look at habit of the camera’s wandering away from a woman who’s pregnant at the same time whoever is singing, for no apparent reason). as her best friends . . . but when her newEveryone seems to be having a good time, born dies they abandon her and she goes and Woody enthusiastically reprises his nebthrough several stages of personal hell. Perbish persona of yore. The score is brilliantly ceptive, mature, often uncomfortably real, arranged by Dick Hyman. [R] ▼●쩠 with a superb performance by Mitchell. The Everyone’s Hero (2006) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: director cowrote with costar Burns and Christopher Reeve, Colin Brady, Dan St. Adam Forgash. Shot on digital video. [R] Pierre. Voices of William H. Macy, Rob ▼쩠 Reiner, Brian Dennehy, Raven-Symone´, Everything’s Ducky (1961) 81m. ★★ D: Robert Wagner, Richard Kind, Jason HarDon Taylor. Mickey Rooney, Buddy Hacris, Jake T. Austin, Joe Torre, Mandy Patinkett, Jackie Cooper, Roland Winters. Nonkin, Forest Whitaker, Whoopi Goldberg, sense of Rooney-Hackett teaming up with Dana Reeve, Robin Williams. In this anitalking duck, with trio ending up on Navy mated film aimed at kids, a boy sets out missile orbiting earth; strictly for kids. across country to ‘‘help’’ Babe Ruth and the Everything You Always Wanted to Know 1932 N.Y. Yankees triumph in the World About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) (1972) C-87m. ★★★ D: Woody Allen. Series by finding and returning a stolen magical bat. Theme of persevering no matWoody Allen, John Carradine, Lou Jacobi, ter what the odds can be traced to the spirit Louise Lasser, Anthony Quayle, Tony Ranand guidance of initial director Reeve. A bit dall, Lynn Redgrave, Burt Reynolds, Gene too obvious for any but the youngest viewWilder, Jack Barry, Erin Fleming, Robert ers; still, there’s heart and hope in the story Q. Lewis, Heather MacRae, Pamela Maand a stellar voice cast. Reeve’s final film son, Sidney Miller, Regis Philbin, Geofproject; he died during production. [G]쩠 frey Holder, Jay Robinson, Robert Walden. Everything But the Truth (1956) C-83m. One of Woody’s most cinematic comedies, ★★ D: Jerry Hopper. Maureen O’Hara, also most uneven, most tasteless. In multiJohn Forsythe, Tim Hovey, Frank Faylen. episode feature based very loosely on Dr. When youngster Hovey joins truth pledge David Reuben’s book, only a few segments crusade at school, repercussions to his stand out: final sequence inside male body family and townfolk grow; cutesy. during intercourse is a gem. [R]▼●쩠 Everything for Sale (1968-Polish) CEvery Time We Say Goodbye (1986105m. ★★★ D: Andrzej Wajda. Beata Israeli) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Moshe Mizrahi. Tyszkiewicz, Elzbieta Czyzewska, Daniel Tom Hanks, Cristina Marsillach, Benedict Olbrychski, Andrzej Lapicki. Not topTaylor, Anat Atzmon, Gila Almagor. Hanks’ drawer Wajda, but still an ambitious, flupresence adds to this otherwise average idly directed examination of life on a movie soaper-romance, about an American flyer who set, the relationship between a director and falls for a Sephardic Jew (Marsillach) in his actors, and what happens when the WW2 Jerusalem. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 leading man is accidentally killed. A very Every Which Way but Loose (1978) personal homage to Zbigniew Cybulski, C-114m. BOMB D: James Fargo. Clint Wajda’s star of the ’50s, who died in a Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, freak mishap in 1967.쩠 Beverly D’Angelo, Ruth Gordon. Clint takes Everything Is Illuminated (2005) Cthe first pickup truck to Stupidsville, with an [ 426 ]

orangutan as his best friend, in this bizarre HAUNTED HILL (just to name a few), it change of pace for the action star. The clumsiprovides a deliriously imaginative roller est comedy of its year. Sequel: ANY WHICH coaster ride for those with strong stomachs. WAY YOU CAN. [PG]▼●쩠 Video version rated R. Followed by two Eve’s Bayou (1997) C-109m. ★★★ D: Kasi sequels.▼●쩠 Lemmons. Jurnee Smollett, Meagan Good, Evil Dead II (1987) C-85m. ★★★ D: Sam Samuel L. Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, Debbi Raimi. Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Morgan, Jake Smollett, Ethel Ayler, DiaHicks, Kassie Wesley, Theodore Raimi, Dehann Carroll, Vondie Curtis Hall, Lisa Ninise Bixler, Richard Domeier. After recapping cole Carson, Branford Marsalis, Victoria the first film, this inventive sequel takes off in Rowell; narrated by Tamara Tunie. Aba unique direction, blending horror and humor sorbing tale of a privileged Creole family as no other movie ever has. In that same of the early 1960s, as seen through the cabin, Campbell is again (or still) beset by eyes of a 10-year-old girl, who learns that demons, including, memorably, his own posher parents have very human frailties . . . sessed hand. Vivid, fast paced, spectacularly and are still susceptible to age-old supergory, and highly original. Followed by stitions and even voodoo. Exceptional ARMY OF DARKNESS. [R]▼●쩠 cast, led by young Smollett, give credence Evil Eden SEE: Death in the Garden to the often fanciful story, which is Evil Eye, The (1962-Italian) 92m. ★★1⁄2 drenched in Southern gothic atmosphere. D: Mario Bava. Leticia Roman, John Impressive writing and directing debut for Saxon, Valentina Cortese, Dante Di Paolo. Lemmons. Costar Jackson was one of the Incredible but enjoyable chiller set in Rome, film’s producers. [R]▼●쩠 with Roman involved in a series of unEvictors, The (1979) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: solved brutal murders. Aka THE GIRL Charles B. Pierce. Michael Parks, Jessica WHO KNEW TOO MUCH.▼쩠 Harper, Vic Morrow, Sue Ane Langdon, Evil in the Deep SEE: Treasure of JaDennis Fimple, Bill Thurman. Couple maica Reef, The moves into eerie house, unaware of its Evil Mind, The SEE: Clairvoyant, The violent history. Tired rehash of an all too Evil of Frankenstein (1964-British) C84m. ★★ D: Freddie Francis. Peter Cushing, familiar formula. Panavision. [PG]▼ Evil, The (1978) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gus Duncan Lamont, Peter Woodthorpe, James Trikonis. Richard Crenna, Joanna Pettet, Maxwell, Sandor Eles. Dr. F. thaws out Andrew Prine, Cassie Yates, Lynne Moody, his monster, with all-too-predictable conseVictor Buono, George O’Hanlon, Jr. Doctor quences in this Hammer Films potboiler, a Crenna rents ‘‘haunted’’ house to use as sequel to REVENGE OF FRANKENclinic, but he and associates are violently vicSTEIN. Followed by FRANKENSTEIN timized by powers within. Slow-moving film CREATED WOMAN.▼●쩠 covers familiar ground; some chills. Video Evil That Men Do, The (1984) C-89m. ★1 title: HOUSE OF EVIL. [R]▼● ⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. Charles Bronson, 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: MiEvil (2003-Swedish) C-113m. Theresa Saldana, Joseph Maher, Jose Ferkael Ha˚fstro¨m. Andreas Wilson, Henrik Lundrer, Rene Enriquez, John Glover, Raymond stro¨m, Gustaf Skarsga˚rd, Linda Zilliacus, St. Jacques, Antoinette Bower. Typical, vioJesper Sale´n, Filip Berg, Fredrik af Trampe. lent Bronson entry, with Charlie a profesVivid and violent story of a troubled kid sional killer on the trail of a sadistic British who’s good with his fists; he’s shipped to a doctor (Maher). For Bronson addicts only. [R]▼●쩠 boys’ boarding school where the seniors rule and make life miserable for the younger ones. Evil Under the Sun (1982-British) C117m. ★★ D: Guy Hamilton. Peter Ustinov, As he tries to change his ways and succeed academically he is sucked into the dark unJane Birkin, Colin Blakely, Nicholas Clay, derworld of the campus. Although set in the Roddy McDowall, James Mason, Sylvia ’50s and featuring a tip of the hat to REBEL Miles, Denis Quilley, Diana Rigg, Maggie WITHOUT A CAUSE, this is closer in Smith, Emily Hone. Murder at a resort hotel, spirit to Lindsay Anderson’s IF. . . . and with Hercule Poirot (Ustinov) to the rescue. FIGHT CLUB. Originally released in the An all-star cast and top production values, but still blah. Based on the Agatha Christie novel, U.S. unrated. [R]쩠 Evil Dead, The (1983) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: with a script by Anthony Shaffer; exteriors Sam Raimi. Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandfilmed in Majorca. [PG] ▼●쩠 weiss, Betsy Baker, Hal Delrich, Sarah Evita (1996) C-134m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan Parker. York. Five kids at mountain cabin chop Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan each other to pieces when demons possess Pryce, Jimmy Nail. The world’s longest everything. Wildly stylish, ultra-low-budmusic video: a lavish adaptation of Andrew get movie made by precocious college Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s 1978 stage students is one of the grossest horror films musical about the rise of Eva Peron, from her ever. Borrowing inspiration from NIGHT illegitimate childhood to near-deification as OF THE LIVING DEAD, SUSPIRIA, First Lady in 1940s Argentina. As pageant, it THE EXORCIST and THE HOUSE ON works, but there is no emotional center, leav[ 427 ]

ing the viewer aloof from its leading character partners for murder. Very familiar stuff for from start to finish. Madonna parades (and genre fans, with nothing much to set it apart sings) well enough, but Pryce’s strong presfrom dozens of similar films. Followed by ence as Juan Peron and Banderas’s fiery singEXCESSIVE FORCE II: FORCE ON ing commentary bring it to life. Newly added FORCE. [R]▼쩠 song, ‘‘You Must Love Me,’’ won an Oscar. Excuse My Dust (1951) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy Rowland. Red Skelton, Sally Forrest, 2.35 Research PLC. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★ Evolution (2001) C-103m. Macdonald Carey, Monica Lewis, William D: Ivan Reitman. David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, JuliDemarest. Amiable Skelton musicomedy. anne Moore, Seann William Scott, Ted Red invents automobile which almost costs Levine, Ethan Suplee, Michael Bower, Dan him his sweetheart; her father owns town Aykroyd, Sarah Silverman, Richard Moll. livery stable. Scattershot sci-fi-comedy/GHOSTBUSTERS Executioner, The (1970-British) C-107m. ★★ throwback about a pair of Arizona commuD: Sam Wanamaker.Joan Collins, George Pepnity college science teachers (Duchovny, pard, Judy Geeson, Oscar Homolka, Charles Jones) who investigate the crash of a meGray, Nigel Patrick, Keith Michell. Pedestrian teor, which begins oozing aliens that thriller with British spy Peppard suspecting quickly evolve. Loud, silly, and only occathat colleague Michell is a double agent. Pasionally funny. [PG-13]▼쩠 navision. [PG]▼ Ex, The (2007) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jesse PerExecutioner, Part II, The (1984) C-85m. etz. Zach Braff, Amanda Peet, Mia Farrow, BOMB D: James Bryant. Christopher Charles Grodin, Jason Bateman, Donal Mitchum, Aldo Ray, Antoine John Mottet, Logue, Ian Hyland, Amy Adams, Fred Renee Harmon. Amateurish actioner, atroArmisen, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd. New ciously directed and acted, with homicide York slacker must come to terms with cacop Mitchum hunting down a vigilante reer and family after his pregnant wife quits murderer. Has no connection to any other her high-paying law firm and forces him to EXECUTIONER title. [R]▼ move back to her Ohio hometown, where Executive Action (1973) C-91m. BOMB he goes to work for his father-in-law’s ad D: David Miller. Burt Lancaster, Robert company. Rarely lifts itself above the level Ryan, Will Geer, Gilbert Green, John Anof a TV sitcom but a likable cast does its derson, Ed Lauter, Sidney Clute, Lloyd best to make do with the material at hand. Gough, Dick Miller. Excruciatingly dull Grodin is an especially welcome presence thriller promised to clear the air about in his first screen role in 13 years. Released JFK’s assassination but was more successbriefly in 2006 as FAST TRACK. [PG-13]쩠 ful at clearing theaters. Scripted by Dalton Trumbo. Ryan’s last film. [PG]▼●쩠 Excalibur (1981-British) C-140m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Boorman. Nicol Williamson, Nigel Executive Decision (1996) C-132m. ★★★ Terry, Helen Mirren, Nicholas Clay, Cherie D: Stuart Baird. Kurt Russell, Steven SeaLunghi, Corin Redgrave, Paul Geoffrey, Patgal, Halle Berry, John Leguizamo, Oliver rick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Neeson. Platt, Joe Morton, David Suchet, Len CaEccentric but spellbinding, sexually aware renriou, Mary Ellen Trainor, Marla Maples dition of the King Arthur legend by a stylish Trump, J. T. Walsh, Nicholas Pryor, B. D. filmmaker working at the peak of his powers. Wong. The situation: Arab terrorists are in Written by Rospo Pallenberg and Boorman. control of a 747. The solution: Sneak an That’s the director’s son, Charley Boorman, elite team aboard the plane, already in flight. as young Mordred. Magnificent production The problems: The team has to depend on values. Later edited to 119m. and rated PG. inexperienced Russell, and there’s a nerve [R]▼●쩠 gas bomb aboard that will wipe out WashExcess Baggage (1997) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: ington, D.C. Tense, inventive thriller that— Marco Brambilla. Alicia Silverstone, Beuntil a misfired final reel—delivers the nicio Del Toro, Christopher Walken, Nichogoods in high style. Directing debut for top las Turturro, Harry Connick, Jr., Sally editor Baird, who might have tightened the Kirkland. Predictable story of rich, hostile story a bit. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 brat Silverstone trying to get her neglectful Executive Suite (1954) 104m. ★★★ D: father’s attention by faking her own kidnapRobert Wise. William Holden, June Allyping. She smokes, drinks, and whines her son, Barbara Stanwyck, Fredric March, Walway through this tedious ‘‘comedy’’ in ter Pidgeon, Louis Calhern, Shelley Winters, which everybody involved in the convoPaul Douglas, Nina Foch, Dean Jagger. luted plot is ‘‘clueless.’’ [PG-13]▼●쩠 Slick, multifaceted story of company power Excessive Force (1993) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Jon struggle with top cast, from Cameron Hawley Hess. Thomas Ian Griffith, James Earl novel . . . though similar film PATTERNS Jones, Charlotte Lewis, Lance Henriksen, is much better. Later a TV series.▼●쩠 Burt Young, Tony Todd, W. Earl Brown. Exile, The (1947) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Max Martial arts whiz Griffith wrote this violent Ophuls. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Maria tale, and stars as a Chicago cop who’s acMontez, Paule Croset (Rita Corday), Henry cused of stealing millions and setting up his Daniell, Nigel Bruce, Robert Coote. OK [ 428 ]

swashbuckler with exiled king Fairbanks becomes sporadic action epic. Newman as falling in love with common girl; guest Israeli resistance leader, Saint as non-Jewish appearance by Montez. army nurse aren’t a convincing duo; supeXistenZ (1999-Canadian-British) C-97m. porting roles offer stereotypes. Best scene ★★ D: David Cronenberg. Jennifer Jason shows refugees escaping Cyprus detention Leigh, Jude Law, Willem Dafoe, Ian Holm, center, running British blockade into homeDon McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, land. Ernest Gold won an Oscar for his Sarah Polley, Christopher Eccleston. Prescore. Super Panavision 70.▼●쩠 posterous film set in the near future about Exorcism of Emily Rose, The (2005) C119m. ★★ D: Scott Derrickson. Laura Lina virtual-reality game designer who gets trapped in one of her own games with a ney, Tom Wilkinson, Campbell Scott, Jenman who’s supposed to be protecting her. nifer Carpenter, Colm Feore, Joshua Close, At one point they wonder how to get out of Ken Welsh, Mary Beth Hurt, Shohreh Aghthe game; it’s much easier to get out of the dashloo, Henry Czerny. An agnostic lawyer movie. Cronenberg also scripted this silly (Linney) is hired to defend a priest (Wilkinconcoction. ▼●쩠 son) accused of negligent homicide in the Exit to Eden (1994) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Garry death of a college student he attempted to Marshall. Dana Delany, Paul Mercurio, exorcise. Peculiar mix of horror movie and Rosie O’Donnell, Dan Aykroyd, Hector Elicourtroom melodrama is unconvincing on all zondo, Stuart Wilson, Iman, Sean O’Bryan, levels, though handsomely produced and well Stephanie Niznik, Rosemary Forsyth, acted. Loosely based on a real European inciDonna Dixon, John Schneider. Strange dent, though the movie is set in the U.S. Uncinematic catastrophe, pried from an Anne rated version runs 122m. Super 35. [PG13]▼쩠 Rice novel, attempts to jerry-build a standard cop sitcom (Aykroyd and O’Donnell Exorcist, The (1973) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: investigate a murder) onto the sexual shenaniWilliam Friedkin. Ellen Burstyn, Max von gans at S&M island fantasy camp. O’DonSydow, Linda Blair, Jason Miller, Lee J. nell’s bright performance is the one Cobb, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran. Injustification for its existence. If anything, retense, well-mounted adaptation of William sembles a raunchier version of Marshall’s old Peter Blatty’s best-seller, calculated to keep TV show Love, American Style. [R]▼●쩠 your stomach in knots from start to finish. Exit Wounds (2001) C-101m. ★★ D: AnBlair is ‘‘normal’’ 12-year-old whose body drzej Bartkowiak. Steven Seagal, DMX, is possessed by the Devil, Miller a troubled Tom Arnold, Isaiah Washington, Anthony priest who attempts to confront the demon Anderson, Michael Jai White, Bill Duke, in her—and in himself. Oscar winner for Jill Hennessy, David Vadim. Blah actioner Blatty’s screenplay; vocal effects by Merwith aging, ever-wooden Seagal playing a cedes McCambridge. Followed by two setough loner cop who tangles with some onquels, a prequel, and countless imitations. the-take colleagues. Rapper DMX adds life Reissued in 2000 with 11m. of (mostly needless) additional footage. [R] ▼●쩠 to the proceedings as a mysterious drug entrepreneur. All too familiar, but the target Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: John Boorman. Richard Burton, audience might not mind. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Ex-Lady (1933) 65m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Linda Blair, Louise Fletcher, Kitty Winn, Florey. Bette Davis, Gene Raymond, Frank James Earl Jones, Ned Beatty, Max von McHugh, Claire Dodd, Ferdinand GottSydow. Preposterous sequel to 1973 hit. schalk. Davis, looking sensational, plays Special effects are only virtue in this turan independent-minded woman who loves key about priest (Burton) trying to unravel Raymond but doesn’t believe in marriage. mystery of demon still living inside Blair. Provocative and sexy, stylishly filmed, but Boorman recut the film (from 117m.) the begins to drag and become conventional day after its premiere, and made numerous by the second half. A remake of ILLICIT, changes—to no avail. Restored to 117m. filmed just two years earlier!▼ for homevideo. [R]▼쩠 Ex-Mrs. Bradford, The (1936) 80m. ★★★ Exorcist III, The (1990) C-110m. ★★ D: D: Stephen Roberts. William Powell, Jean William Peter Blatty. George C. Scott, Ed Arthur, James Gleason, Eric Blore, Robert Flanders, Brad Dourif, Jason Miller, Nicol Armstrong. Chic a` la THIN MAN comedyWilliamson, Scott Wilson, Nancy Fish, mystery, with Powell teaming with ex-wife George DiCenzo, Viveca Lindfors, Samuel Arthur to crack a case.▼● L. Jackson. Police inspector Scott is conExodus (1960) C-213m. ★★★ D: Otto fronted by a series of gruesome murders, Preminger. Paul Newman, Eva Marie Saint, unmistakably the work of a serial killer who Ralph Richardson, Peter Lawford, Lee J. was executed the same night as the exorCobb, Sal Mineo, John Derek, Hugh Grifcism of the original movie. Film begins well fith, Gregory Ratoff, Felix Aylmer, Jill but grows more absurd and confusing until Haworth, David Opatoshu, Marius Gorit self-destructs. Shows strong evidence of ing, George Maharis. Leon Uris’ sprawlpost-production tinkering. [R]▼●쩠 ing history of Palestinian war for liberation Exorcist: The Beginning (2004) C-114m. ★★ [ 429 ]

D: Renny Harlin. Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Izabella orah Foreman, James Keach, Jan Rubes, Scorupco, James D’Arcy, Remy Sweeney, Brian Doyle-Murray, Rick Ducommun. Ben Cross, Andrew French, Ralph Brown. Fatally bland comedy about two ManhatYet another in the endless line of EXORCIST tan hipsters who are hired to open a nightfollow-ups. This one attempts to explain Faclub in a small Nebraska town—which is ther Merrin’s early years, in particular when really an exact replica of the hamlet built he was in East Africa battling the demon in the U.S.S.R. and used to train Russian Pazuzu, long before he exorcised demons spies. Weak in all respects, and peculiarly from the body of Linda Blair. Competently sentimental about the 1950s. Barely remade, shot by the great Vittorio Storaro, leased to theaters. Costars Travolta and with many horrific images; all that’s missPreston later married. [PG-13]▼● ing is a reason why we should care. Harlin Explicit Ills (2009) C-87m. ★★ D: Mark replaced writer-director Paul Schrader, Webber. Paul Dano, Rosario Dawson, Naowhose ‘‘scrapped’’ version is a separate mie Harris, Lou Taylor Pucci, Frankie Shaw, film, DOMINION: THE PREQUEL TO Tariq Trotter, Francisco Burgos. Meandering, THE EXORCIST. Univision. [R] ▼쩠 self-conscious account of the everyday traExotica (1994-Canadian) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: vails of various low-income denizens of Atom Egoyan. Bruce Greenwood, Mia inner-city Philadelphia. They run the gamut Kirshner, Don McKellar, Arsinee Khanjian, from enterprising and clearheaded to druggedElias Koteas, Sarah Polley, Victor Garber, out. The finale, involving a poor people’s David Hemblen. Five disparate characters march for health care, seems tacked on. Webbecome linked to each other’s destinies, ber’s attempt to create a relaxed lyricism is with a strip club called Exotica as the focal reminiscent of the early works of his execupoint. Only at the end of the film do we tive producer, Jim Jarmusch. Super 35. [R] fully learn the ‘‘back story’’ that brought Explorers (1985) C-109m. ★★ D: Joe Dante. two key characters into each other’s lives. Ethan Hawke, River Phoenix, Jason Presson, Intriguing, like all of Egoyan’s work, but Amanda Peterson, Dick Miller, Robert Pinot entirely satisfying. Winner of the Genie cardo, Dana Ivey, Meshach Taylor, Mary Kay Award as Canada’s Best Picture of 1994. Place. Youngster hooked on science fiction [R]▼●쩠 yearns to travel into space and gets his wish, Experience Preferred . . . but Not Eswith the help of a whiz-kid friend. Opens ★★★ sential (1983-British) C-80m. beautifully, takes its time developing story— D: Peter Duffell. Elizabeth Edmonds, Sue Wallace, then makes disastrous wrong turn in space Geraldine Griffith, Karen Meagher, Ron that transforms film into a shaggy-dog joke! Bain, Alun Lewis, Robert Blythe. Simple, Director Dante has restructured film somecharming little film about a girl’s experiwhat for video release. That version is 107m. ences working as waitress for the summer [PG]▼●쩠 at seaside resort hotel. June Roberts’ script Explosive Generation, The (1961) 89m. ★★ D: Buzz Kulik. William Shatner, Patty focuses on the blossoming of one young woman, while making humorous observaMcCormack, Billy Gray, Steve Dunne, tions about the offbeat group of people Lee Kinsolving, Virginia Field, Phillip around her. Short and sweet; made for BritTerry, Edward Platt, Beau Bridges. High school teacher Shatner causes an uproar ish TV. [PG]▼ Experiment, The SEE: Das Experiment when he has his students write essays on their attitudes about sex. Based-on-fact Experiment in Terror (1962) 123m. ★★★ D: Blake Edwards. Glenn Ford, Lee Remick, account is an intriguing relic of its era Stefanie Powers, Ross Martin, Roy Poole, (both for its subject and cast). Ned Glass. Taut suspense with bank clerk Exposed (1983) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: James Remick terrorized by murderous extortionToback. Nastassia Kinski, Rudolf Nureyev, ist Martin . . . but FBI agent Ford is on the Harvey Keitel, Ian McShane, Bibi Andercase. Realistic, unsentimental, with consson, Ron Randell, Pierre Clementi, James vincing performances by Remick and MarRusso. Girl from the Midwest quits school, tin. Great Henry Mancini score, good use comes to N.Y.C., hits it big as a fashion of San Francisco locations.▼●쩠 model, then gets involved with enigmatic Experiment Perilous (1944) 91m. ★★ D: Nureyev and his plan to kill terrorist Keitel Jacques Tourneur. Hedy Lamarr, George in Paris. Seems like three different movies— Brent, Paul Lukas, Albert Dekker, Margaret all of them strange. Nureyev’s performance Wycherly, Julia Dean. Static melodrama in might best be described as overripe. That’s the GASLIGHT tradition, with doctor Brent writer-director Toback in the role of Kinski’s coming to the aid of—and falling in love professor/lover. [R]▼ with—fearful Lamarr, who’s being terrorized Exposure (1991-Brazilian) C-100m. ★★ by crazed husband Lukas.▼ D: Walter Salles, Jr. Peter Coyote, Tcheky Experts, The (1989) C-83m. ★★ D: Dave Karyo, Amanda Pays, Raul Cortez, Giulia Thomas. John Travolta, Arye Gross, Gam, Cassia Kiss. Slick but corny, overCharles Martin Smith, Kelly Preston, Debbaked thriller about pompously poetic Ameri[ 430 ]

can photographer (Coyote), living in Rio de clips from 1940s newsreels and Faye’s eye makeup. Panavision. [G] Janeiro, who becomes immersed in a seamy, Extreme Adventures of Super Dave, The violent underworld (and undergoes quite a (2000) C-91m. ★★ D: Peter MacDonald. personality change), searching for killer of Super Dave Osborne (Bob Einstein), Dan young prostitute. [R]▼● ★★★ D: Gary Hedaya, Gia Carides, Steve Van Wormer, Art Express, The (2008) C-129m. Irizawa, Don Lake, Carl Michael Lindner, Fleder. Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid, Darrin Ray Charles. Daredevil ace Super Dave (a Dewitt Henson, Omar Benson Miller, Nelkind of live-action Wile E. Coyote) faces his san Ellis, Charles S. Dutton, Justin Martin, ultimate challenge; heavy-handed featureJustin Jones, Nicole Beharie, Aunjanue length extension of the cable TV series. EinEllis, Clancy Brown, Saul Rubinek. Inspirastein also coscripted. Mike Connors appears tional biography of Syracuse University unbilled as Super Dave’s grandfather. Made football star Ernie Davis, the first Africanfor theaters in 1998, released on video inAmerican Heisman Trophy winner. Adapted stead. [PG]▼쩠 from Robert Gallagher’s book, this story of Extreme Justice (1993) C-105m. ★★ D: toughness and determination in the face of Mark L. Lester. Lou Diamond Phillips, Scott racism and tragedy may be formula stuff, Glenn, Chelsea Field, Yaphet Kotto, Ed but it’s extremely well done. Super 35. Lauter, Andrew Divoff, William Lucking. [PG]쩠 Renegade cop finds himself caught in the Expresso Bongo (1959-British) 108m. ★★1⁄2 crossfire after being recruited into a secret poD: Val Guest. Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms, lice unit that dispenses its own justice on the Yolande Donlan, Cliff Richard, Ambrosine mean streets of L.A. Violence for violence’s Phillpotts, Eric Pohlmann, Hermione Baddesake seems to be the theme of this theatrical ley, Wilfrid Lawson, Kenneth Griffith, Susan film that premiered on cable. [R]▼●쩠 Hampshire. Atmospheric but dated drama Extreme Measures (1996) C-118m. ★★ D: with Harvey shining as a high-energy, jiveMichael Apted. Hugh Grant, Gene Hackman, spouting London hustler who thinks he’s Sarah Jessica Parker, David Morse, Bill found his version of Elvis in poor young Nunn, John Toles-Bey, Paul Guilfoyle, Debra bongo-playing rocker Richard. Written by Monk, J. K. Simmons. Emergency room docWolf Mankowitz. DyaliScope.▼쩠 tor senses something fishy going on after a Exterminating Angel, The (1962-Mexican) man who dies mysteriously vanishes from the ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Luis Bun˜uel. Silvia Pinal, 95m. hospital’s records. Medical conspiracy thriller Enrique Rambal, Jacqueline Andere, Jose starts out well enough but quickly becomes Baviera, Augusto Benedico. Guests at eleobvious and hollow. Grant has one of his best gant dinner party cannot bring themselves parts as a dedicated doctor; his girlfriend Elizto leave, begin to starve and die after abeth Hurley produced the film. Director several days. Wry assault on bourgeois David Cronenberg plays the head of a medical manners by master surrealist Bun˜uel.▼쩠 review board. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Exterminator, The (1980) C-101m. BOMB Extreme Ops (2002-British-German-LuxemD: James Glickenhaus. Christopher George, bourgian) C-93m. ★★ D: Christian Duguay. Samantha Eggar, Robert Ginty, Steve James, Devon Sawa, Rupert Graves, Bridgette Tony Di Benedetto. Gore galore with VietWilson-Sampras, Rufus Sewell, Heino Ferch, nam veteran Ginty aping Charles Bronson in Joe Absolom, Jana Pallaske. Ho-hum actioner DEATH WISH as he rubs out a gang who in which a wild-and-crazy film crew, shooting mugged and paralyzed a friend. If you love a commercialin the Austrian Alps, tangles with this film, good news—there’s a sequel! Una Serbian war criminal in hiding. The generic rated director’s cut runs 104m. [R]▼●쩠 snowboarding/skiing/kayakingsequences look Exterminator II (1984) C-88m. BOMB as if they’ve been lifted from a sports video. D: Mark Buntzman. Robert Ginty, Mario Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Van Peebles, Deborah Geffner, Frankie Extreme Prejudice (1987) C-104m. ★★ Faison, Scott Randolph, Arye Gross, John D: Walter Hill. Nick Nolte, Powers Boothe, Turturro. Ginty and his blowtorch are back, Michael Ironside, Maria Conchita Alonso, hot after a gang whose most sadistic memRip Torn, Clancy Brown, William Forber is named X. Obnoxious, grade Z garsythe, Larry B. Scott. Boyhood friends bage. [R]▼ Nolte and Boothe are now on opposite Extraordinary Seaman, The (1969) Csides of the law, as Texas Ranger and drug 80m. BOMB D: John Frankenheimer. kingpin on the Texas/Mexico border. David Niven, Faye Dunaway, Alan Alda, Though its excesses (in characterization, Mickey Rooney, Juano Hernandez, Jack music, and especially violence) are apparCarter, Manu Tupou, Barry Kelley. Exently deliberate, that doesn’t make them traordinarily muddled ‘‘comedy’’ of ecany more entertaining, though it helps if you centric Niven piloting long-lost abandoned accept it as tongue-in-cheek. [R]▼●쩠 ship during WW2; shows signs of tamperExtremities (1986) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert ing from original conception of film. Barely M. Young. Farrah Fawcett, James Russo, received theatrical release. Only highpoints: Diana Scarwid, Alfre Woodard. A woman [ 431 ]

is victimized by a taunting rapist in her own home but manages to turn the tables and trap him. William Mastrosimone adapted his own play, but what worked in a theater doesn’t translate to film; Fawcett’s adequate but one-note performance is another liability. [R]▼●쩠 Eye, The (2002-Hong Kong-Singaporean) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Danny Pang, Oxide Pang. Lee Sin-Je, Lawrence Chou, Chuctcha Rujinanon, Candy Lo, Pierre Png, Ko Yin Ping, Edmund Chen. A young, blind violinist receives a cornea transplant . . . and is soon plagued by visions of dead people. Muted psychological horror piece is nicely atmospheric with some genuinely creepy moments but loses steam by the end. Followed by several sequels. Remade in India in 2005 (as NAINA) and in the U.S. in 2008. [R]

it. Field is ideally cast as the mother driven to take the law into her own hands, but this is little more than DEATH WISH in drag, a manipulative movie that becomes awfully far-fetched. What’s more, those attack scenes are very tough to take. [R] ▼●쩠 Eye of the Beholder (1999-British-Canadian) C-109m. ★1⁄2 D: Stephan Elliott. Ewan McGregor, Ashley Judd, Jason Priestley, k.d. lang, Patrick Bergin, Genevieve Bujold. Terrible but oddly watchable mess with high-tech private eye McGregor tailing sexy serial killer Judd around the U.S.—and falling in love with her in the process. Plays like a voyeuristic music video. U.S. release runs 101m. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Eye of the Cat (1969) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Lowell Rich. Michael Sarrazin, ▼쩠 Gayle Hunnicutt, Eleanor Parker, Tim Eye, The (2008) C-97m. ★★ D: David MoHenry, Laurence Naismith. Glossy but inreau, Xavier Palud. Jessica Alba, Alessantriguing suspenser with seductive Hunnidro Nivola, Parker Posey, Rade Serbedzija, cutt teaming with Sarrazin to murder his Fernanda Romero, Rachel Ticotin, Obba aunt (Parker), who keeps a houseful of Babatunde´, Danny Mora, Chloe Moretz, felines. Most terrifying scene has wheelTamlyn Tomita. Violinist Alba, blind since chaired Parker tottering atop a San Franchildhood, has a successful cornea transcisco hill. [M/PG] plant. But there’s a catch: she is now Eye of the Devil (1967-British) 92m. ★★1⁄2 haunted by creepy visions and can see dead D: J. Lee Thompson. Deborah Kerr, David people. Slick but empty remake of the 2002 Niven, Donald Pleasence, Edward Mulhare, Asian horror film, with a wooden Alba apFlora Robson, Emlyn Williams, Sharon pealing only as eye candy. Super 35. [PGTate, David Hemmings, John Le Mesurier. 13]쩠 Excellent cast in odd, low-key thriller set Eye Creatures, The (1965) 80m. ★1⁄2 D: in France. The Marquis de Bellac (Niven) Larry Buchanan. John Ashley, Cynthia abruptly leaves wife in Paris to ‘‘do what Hull, Warren Hammack, Chet Davis, Bill Peck. Gory horror film about title creahe must’’ at ancestral estate near Bordeaux. tures and the intrepid band that tries to Strange continuity due to cuts before inifight them off. Remake of INVASION OF tial release. Also titled: 13. THE SAUCER MEN. Aka ATTACK OF Eye of the Needle (1981) C-112m. ★★★ D: THE THE EYE CREATURES (sic).▼쩠 Richard Marquand. Donald Sutherland, ★★ D: Eye for an Eye, An (1966) C-92m. Kate Nelligan, Ian Bannen, Christopher Michael Moore. Robert Lansing, Pat Wayne, Cazenove, Philip Martin Brown. Solid WW2 Slim Pickens, Gloria Talbott. Oater with spy saga from Ken Follett’s best-seller. twist: two physically disabled men, who Sutherland plays a super-cool German agent can function via teamwork as one sharptemporarily stranded on an island off the shooter, hunt down killers of older man’s British coast, where he meets a lonely, family. Video title: TALION.▼쩠 sexually frustrated woman. [R] ▼●쩠 Eye for an Eye, An (1981) C-106m. ★★ Eye of the Storm (1991-German-U.S.) D: Steve Carver. Chuck Norris, ChristoC-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Yuri Zeltser. Craig Sheffer, pher Lee, Richard Roundtree, Matt Clark, Bradley Gregg, Lara Flynn Boyle, Leon Mako, Maggie Cooper, Terry Kiser. Cop Rippy, Dennis Hopper. After their parents Norris’s partner is killed by drug traffickare brutally murdered, and one of the boys ers; he has nightmares, becomes a oneis blinded, two brothers take over operaman army seeking vengeance against villain tion of the family’s motel in a desolate Lee and his cronies. Silly and predictable, location. When Boyle and Hopper rent a but delivers for formula fans. [R]▼쩠 room, unsettling truths begin to emerge. Eye for an Eye (1996) C-101m. ★★ D: John Tedious until the last ten minutes. Super 35. Schlesinger. Sally Field, Ed Harris, Kiefer [R] ▼●쩠 Sutherland, Joe Mantegna, Beverly D’Angelo, Eye of the Tiger (1986) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Olivia Burnette, Alexandra Kyle, Darrell Richard Sarafian. Gary Busey, Yaphet Larsen, Charlayne Woodard, Philip Baker Kotto, Seymour Cassel, Bert Remsen, WilHall, Keith David, Natalija Nogulich, liam Smith, Kimberlin Ann Brown, DeArmin Shimerman. When Field’s teenage nise Galik, Judith Barsi. Ex-con Busey’s daughter is brutally raped and murdered, she seeks revenge on the creep who did town is invaded by Hells Angels types, [ 432 ]

who sadistically murder his wife . . . so Messner, former wife of popular televangelhe goes on a one-man crusade for revenge. ist Jim Bakker, and her fall from grace. Sound familiar? [R]▼●쩠 Interesting as a chronicle of money-driven Eye See You (2002-U.S.-German) C-96m. TV ministries as well as an entertaining ★1 ⁄2 D: Jim Gillespie. Sylvester Stallone, portrait of the movement’s former First Lady. [PG-13]▼쩠 Kris Kristofferson, Tom Berenger, Charles S. Dutton, Sean Patrick Flanery, ChristoEyes, the Mouth, The (1982-Italianpher Fulford, Stephen Lang, Dina Meyer, French) C-100m. ★★ D: Marco Bellocchio. Robert Patrick, Courtney B. Vance, Polly Lou Castel, Angela Molina, Emmanuele Walker, Jeffrey Wright, Rance Howard. Riva, Michel Piccoli, Antonio Piovanelli. Stallone is an FBI agent taunted by a serial Dreary, pretentious pap about the effect of killer. When his fiance´e is murdered, our a man’s suicide on his actor-brother (Castel), hero resorts to drink, attempts suicide, and mother (Riva) and pregnant lover (Molina). winds up in rehab, conveniently located in At one point Castel and Molina see FIST the middle of nowhere. Guess who drops by IN HIS POCKET, also directed by Belfor a visit? Stallone is actually good, but the locchio and starring Castel. We suggest story is ridiculous, and the slayings gruethe viewer do the same. [R]▼ some. This belongs in I.C.U. Debuted in Eyes Wide Shut (1999) C-154m. ★★★ D: U.S. on video. Aka D-TOX. Panavision. Stanley Kubrick. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kid[R]▼쩠 man, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Eyes in the Night (1942) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Todd Field, Lisa Leone, Thomas Gibson, Fred Zinnemann. Edward Arnold, Ann HarVinessa Shaw, Rade Sherbedgia, Leelee Soding, Donna Reed, Stephen McNally, Regibieski, Alan Cumming, Fay Masterson. Afnald Denny, Rosemary DeCamp, Mantan fluent, happily married N.Y.C. doctor starts to Moreland, Barry Nelson. Above-par myscome apart after his wife admits to having tery with Arnold as blind detective Duncan had a potent sexual fantasy about a man she Maclain protecting Harding from Nazi never met. This leads the husband to foray agents. The dog steals the picture. ▼쩠 into a world of sexual adventure for the first Eyes of an Angel (1994) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: time. Provocative film takes place in a distincRobert Harmon. John Travolta, Ellie Raab, tive Kubrick environment—contained, almost Tito Larriva, Jeffrey DeMunn. When single claustrophobic at times. Overlong, and flawed, parent Travolta and his daughter flee from but still compelling, with two megawatt star the mobsters who threaten him, the fight performances. Nudity is plentiful, but the dog she secretly nursed back to health European version (now available on DVD) makes a preposterous cross country trip to is even more graphic and runs 158m. find her. Too violent for kids, too boring Screenplay by Kubrick and Frederic Raand absurd for adults. Sat on a shelf for phael from a 1926 Arthur Schnitzler novel. Kubrick’s final film. [R] ▼●쩠 four years; released after Travolta’s PULP FICTION success. Original title: THE Eyes Without a Face (1959-French-Italian) TENDER. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 88m. ★★★ D: Georges Franju. Pierre BrasEyes of a Stranger (1981) C-85m. BOMB. seur, Alida Valli, Edith Scob. Moody horror D: Ken Wiederhorn. Lauren Tewes, Jennifilm, a classic in some circles, about a brilfer Jason Leigh, John DiSanti, Peter DuPre, liant but crazed scientist/surgeon/researcher Gwen Lewis. Overweight creep DiSanti (Brasseur) and his fate after disfiguring his rapes and kills women, and the blood daughter. Aka THE HORROR CHAMBER OF DR. FAUSTUS. ▼●쩠 flows like wine; Tewes tracks him down, while her deaf, dumb, and blind sister Eye Witness (1950-British) 104m. ★★1⁄2 (Leigh) is established as a potential victim. D: Robert Montgomery. Robert MontgomUtter trash. Leigh’s film debut. [R]▼쩠 ery, Felix Aylmer, Leslie Banks, Michael Eyes of Hell SEE: The Mask (1961) Ripper, Patricia Wayne (Cutts). UnpretenEyes of Laura Mars (1978) C-103m. tious yarn of American attorney Montgom★★1⁄2 D: Irvin Kershner. Faye Dunaway, ery in London to defend friend accused of Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, Rene homicide, coping with contrasting British Auberjonois, Raul Julia, Frank Adonis, legal system while hunting title figure. Darlanne Fluegel, Rose Gregorio, Michael Originally titled YOUR WITNESS.▼ Tucker. A high-fashion photographer has Eyewitness (1970) SEE: Sudden Terror frightening premonitions of grisly murEyewitness (1981) C-102m. ★★ D: Peter ders; some genuine suspense, lots of red Yates. William Hurt, Sigourney Weaver, herrings, and a silly resolution add up to Christopher Plummer, James Woods, Irene an OK thriller but Dunaway’s kinky colWorth, Kenneth McMillan, Pamela Reed, leagues and their lifestyles are a real turnoff. Steven Hill, Morgan Freeman. Slick but John Carpenter cowrote. [R]▼●쩠 unsatisfying thriller about a building janiEyes of Tammy Faye, The (2000) C-79m. tor who uses his second-hand knowledge ★★★ D: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato. of an unsolved murder to get close to a Narrated by RuPaul Charles. Eye-opening female TV news reporter with whom he’s documentary about Tammy Faye Bakkerbeen infatuated. Steve Tesich’s script is [ 433 ]

needlessly cluttered with minor characters and story twists. [R]▼●쩠

Face Behind the Mask, The (1941) 69m. ★★★ D: Robert Florey. Peter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes, Don Beddoe, George E. Stone, Fabiola (1948-Italian-French) 96m. ★★★ D: John Tyrrell. Model B film of immiAlessandro Blasetti. Michele Morgan, Migrant Lorre having face disfigured in fire, chel Simon, Henri Vidal, Massimo Girotti, donning mask, bitterly turning to life of Louis Salou, Gino Cervi. Confusing but imcrime. Extremely well done on slim budget. pressive epic of persecution against ChrisFace in the Crowd, A (1957) 125m. ★★★1 tians in 4th-century Rome. Simon is the ⁄2 D: Elia Kazan. Andy Griffith, powerful, forward-thinking Fabius Severus; Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Morgan is Fabiola, his cavalier offspring; Matthau, Lee Remick, Kay Medford. PerVidal is Rhual, steadfast Christian gladiator. ceptive script by Budd Schulberg about Originally released in Europe at 150m.; homespun hobo (Griffith) discovered by English-dubbed version, adapted by Marc Neal and promoted into successful—and Connelly and Fred Pressburger and featurunscrupulous—TV star. Cast gives life to ing an altogether different storyline, opened fascinating story. Film debuts of Griffith in the U.S. in 1951.▼쩠 and Remick. Look for young Rip Torn and Fabulous Baker Boys, The (1989) CLois Nettleton. Many celebrities also appear as themselves, including Burl Ives, Mike 113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steve Kloves. Jeff Bridges, Michelle Pfeiffer, Beau Bridges, Ellie Wallace, Betty Furness, Bennett Cerf, Faye Raab, Jennifer Tilly. Two brothers’ 15Emerson, and Walter Winchell.▼쩠 year partnership as a twin-piano nightclub Face/Off (1997) C-138m. ★★★ D: John lounge act is shaken by the addition of a Woo. John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan feisty (and sexy) singer, who sparks changes Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, in their act—and their relationship. Writer Dominique Swain, Nick Cassavetes, Colm Kloves’ directing debut is stylish and selfFeore, John Carroll Lynch, CCH Pounder, assured, with some great scenes and setMargaret Cho, Jamie Denton. Two thirds pieces, but it skimps on story—and never of a terrific movie: Federal agent Travolta really fleshes out Jeff Bridges’ sullen charagrees to have a heinous criminal’s face acter. The real-life Bridges brothers are grafted onto his own, in order to fool the perfectly cast, Pfeiffer is ideal. Her steamy no-good’s brother into spilling vital inforrendition of ‘‘Makin’ Whoopee’’ atop piano mation. But the daring plan goes awry in considered a minor classic. [R]▼●쩠 more ways than one. Travolta and Cage are Fabulous Baron Munchausen, The (1961charismatically over the top, and Woo’s Czech) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Karel Zeman. staging of action scenes is powerfully Milos Kopecky, Jana Brejchova, Rudolph Jegood . . . but the film doesn’t know when to linek, Jan Werich. Filmmaker Zeman (FABstop. Silly plotting and dialogue might have ULOUS WORLD OF JULES VERNE) been overlooked in a tighter film. Panaviprovides another visual delight here, but sion. [R] ▼●쩠 his episodic fantasy—which takes his Face of Fu Manchu, The (1965-British) hero from the inside of a whale to the C-96m. ★★★ D: Don Sharp. Christopher surface of the moon—is stilted and unLee, Nigel Green, James Robertson Jusinvolving. Aka THE ORIGINAL FABUtice, Howard Marion-Crawford, Tsai Chin, LOUS ADVENTURES OF BARON Walter Rilla. First of new series with MUNCHAUSEN.▼● Emperor Fu bent on conquering West. Fabulous Dorseys, The (1947) 88m. ★★ Great 1920s atmosphere, good international D: Alfred E. Green. Tommy Dorsey, Jimmy cast. Followed by THE BRIDES OF FU MANCHU. Techniscope.▼ Dorsey, Janet Blair, Paul Whiteman, William Lundigan. Limp ‘‘biography’’ of Faces (1968) 130m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Casbandleading brothers, constantly arguing savetes. John Marley, Gena Rowlands, in between ‘‘Marie,’’ ‘‘Green Eyes,’’ and Lynn Carlin, Seymour Cassel, Fred Draper, other hit songs. Musical highlight: a jam Val Avery. Highly personal drama about assession with Art Tatum, Charlie Barnet, sorted infidelities is one of the few Cassavetes Ziggy Elman and Ray Bauduc.▼●쩠 films to make it with general public. Powerful Fabulous Journey to the Center of the film with great acting, especially by Carlin and Cassel. [R]▼●쩠 Earth, The SEE: Where Time Began Fabulous World of Jules Verne, The Face to Face (1976-Swedish) C-136m. ★★★ (1958-Czech) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Karel Zeman. D: Ingmar Bergman. Liv Ullmann, Erland Lubor Tolos, Arnost Navratil, Miroslav Josephson, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Aino Holub, Zatloukalova. Zeman’s ingenious Taube-Henrikson, Kari Sylwan, Sif Ruud. visual effects, reproducing the look of Brilliant Ullmann performance and Sven 19th-century engravings, outshine leaden Nykvist photography compensate someenactment of fanciful sci-fi story by Verne. what for de´ja` vu feeling one gets from Released here in 1961 with Americanized drama about woman psychiatrist who sufnames in credits and pointless introduction fers severe nervous breakdown. As harby Hugh Downs.▼쩠 rowing as they come; not for every taste or [ 434 ]

mood. Originally a four-part Swedish TV Vall, Laura Harris, Shawn Hatosy, Usher miniseries. [R] Raymond, Jon Stewart, Daniel von Bargen. Face to the Wind SEE: Cry for Me, Billy Ohio high school students who normally Facing the Giants (2006) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 clash with one another band together when D: Alex Kendrick. Alex Kendrick, Shannen they discover that their teachers are being Fields, Tracy Goode, Chris Willis, Bailey taken over by aliens. Self-referential horror Cave, Steve Williams, Mark Richt, Jason film, with a healthy nod to INVASION OF McLeod. Faith-based family drama about a THE BODY SNATCHERS, is a cut above losing football coach whose Christian high usual teen gore fests and has a first-rate cast. school is about to fire him. He also faces Overlong but sharply written (by Kevin a dying car, a deteriorating house, and a Williamson, from a story by David Wechter and Bruce Kimmel). [R] ▼●쩠 receding hairline. At his lowest ebb he pulls religion off the bench and the team begins Fade-In (1968) C-93m. ★★ D: Allen to pray and play together as one. Sincere if Smithee (Jud Taylor). Burt Reynolds, Barfamiliar home-grown production was fibara Loden, Noam Pitlik, Patricia Casey, nanced by the congregation of the SherJames Hampton, Joseph Perry. Odd little wood Baptist Church in Albany, GA, and film made concurrently with BLUE, about cowritten and edited by the director, who love affair between film editor Loden and also stars. The giants, incidentally, are failman she meets while working on location. ure and fear. [PG]쩠 Not very good, but a definite curio; never Factory Girl (2006) C-90m. ★★ D: George released theatrically. BLUE actors TerHickenlooper. Sienna Miller, Guy Pearce, ence Stamp, Joanna Pettet, Ricardo MonHayden Christensen, Jimmy Fallon, Jack talban, and Sally Kirkland can be glimpsed here. Video title: IRON COWBOY.▼ Huston, Armin Amiri, Tara Summers, Mena Suvari, Shawn Hatosy, Beth Grant, James Fade to Black (1980) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Naughton, Edward Herrmann, Illeana DougVernon Zimmerman. Dennis Christopher, las, Sally Kirkland, Mary Kate Olsen, Don Linda Kerridge, Tim Thomerson, Morgan Novello, Grant James. Sad, true story of Paull, Marya Small, Mickey Rourke. 1960s socialite Edie Sedgwick (Miller) and Weirdo film buff Christopher does in his her self-destructive spiral into depravity and enemies while dressed up as his favorite drug addiction after becoming one of Andy cinema villains. Interesting idea ruined by Warhol’s underground-movie ‘‘superstars.’’ excessive violence, poor performance by Christensen plays a famous musician who Christopher. Marilyn Monroe lookalike looks, acts, and sounds suspiciously like Kerridge, as Christopher’s girlfriend, is Bob Dylan, with whom she has a stormy like a rose in a cesspool. [R]▼쩠 affair. Miller gives a raw, passionate perforFahrenheit 451 (1966) C-111m. ★★★ D: mance, while Pearce is uncanny, seemingly Franc˛ois Truffaut. Julie Christie, Oskar channeling Warhol’s voice and mannerWerner, Cyril Cusack, Anton Diffring, isms, but the script is repetitive and superJeremy Spenser, Bee Duffell, Alex Scott, ficial, and last-minute reshoots and reediting Mark Lester. Odd and generally slow-going are all too obvious. [R]쩠 adaptation of Ray Bradbury sci-fi novel Factotum (2006-Norwegian-U.S.-German) depicting future Earth civilization where all C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bent Hamer. Matt Dillon, printed reading material is banned. Though Lili Taylor, Marisa Tomei, Fisher Stevens, viewer interest is held throughout, film has Didier Flamand, Adrienne Shelly, Karen curiously reserved, unemotional feel to it. Truffaut’s only film in English.▼●쩠 Young, Tom Lyons. Low-key adaptation of Charles Bukowski’s 1975 novel, with DilFahrenheit 9/11 (2004) C-122m. ★★★ D: lon excellent as the author’s booze-soaked Michael Moore. Moore’s controversial, alter ego, Henry Chinaski, who floats through take-no-prisoners condemnation of George a series of jobs and women. Many wellW. Bush, highlighting the Bush family’s observed moments, with solid perforsupposed ties to Saudi Arabia and Osama mances, but as aimless as its source, and its bin Laden and the manner in which the U.S. protagonist’s self-love becomes a bit weaPresident allegedly exploited the tragedy of rying. Chinaski also is portrayed by Mickey 9/11 to spearhead his own political agenda. At its best, the film pointedly undercuts Rourke in BARFLY. [R]쩠 Facts of Life, The (1960) 103m. ★★★ D: Bush’s justification for starting the Iraq war; Melvin Frank. Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, it’s less effective when spotlighting Moore Ruth Hussey, Don DeFore. Sophisticated and his patented, attention-getting theatrics. comedy with Bob and Lucy leaving their How you respond to this openly propaganspouses for an interlude together. The two distic film will depend on your political stars make a team worth watching. ▼●쩠 leanings and your tolerance for Moore’s inFaculty, The (1998) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: cendiary brand of filmmaking. [R] ▼쩠 Robert Rodriguez. Josh Hartnett, Jordana Fail-Safe (1964) 111m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sidney Brewster, Elijah Wood, Salma Hayek, Piper Lumet. Henry Fonda, Walter Matthau, Fritz Laurie, Famke Janssen, Chris McDonald, Weaver, Dan O’Herlihy, Sorrell Booke, Robert Patrick, Bebe Neuwirth, Clea DuLarry Hagman, Frank Overton, Dom De[ 435 ]

Luise. U.S. bomber is accidentally ordered despite good performances. Filmed in to nuke Moscow, plunging heads of Ameri1994. [R]▼●쩠 can and Russian governments into crisis of Faithless (2000-Swedish-German) C-155m. ★★★1 decision making as time runs out. High-ten⁄2 D: Liv Ullmann. Lena Endre, Erland sion drama done with taste and intelligence. Josephson, Krister Henriksson, Thomas Walter Bernstein adapted the Eugene BurHanzon, Michelle Gylemo, Juni Dahr. Ingmar dick–Harvey Wheeler best-seller. Remade Bergman scripted this forceful drama about in 2000 for TV. ▼●쩠 the impact of an extramarital love affair. Failure to Launch (2006) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sparks erupt when a successful, happily wed Tom Dey. Matthew McConaughey, Sarah actress-mother (Endre) inexplicably beJessica Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Justin comes involved with her gloomy friend Bartha, Bradley Cooper, Kathy Bates, Terry (Henriksson). Exquisitely played; a comBradshaw, Patton Oswalt, Stephen Toboplex and provocative rumination on love, lowsky, Rob Corddry. Bachelor McCosex, desire, and betrayal. [R]▼쩠 naughey is content living at home with his Fakers, The SEE: Hell’s Bloody Devils folks, a fact that usually puts off any woman The Falcon series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s who’s getting too serious about a relationClassic Movie Guide ship. Then his parents hire Parker, a soFalcon and the Snowman, The (1985) called professional at motivating men like C-131m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Schlesinger. Timothis to leave the nest. Pleasant-enough rothy Hutton, Sean Penn, David Suchet, mantic comedy that heads exactly where Lori Singer, Pat Hingle, Dorian Harewood, you know it will. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Mady Kaplan, Richard Dysart, Chris Fair Game (1995) C-91m. BOMB D: Makepeace, Michael Ironside. True story, Andrew Sipes. William Baldwin, Cindy based on Robert Lindsay’s book about two Crawford, Steven Berkoff, Christopher Mcyoung men from affluent families who deDonald, Miguel Sandoval, Johann Carlo, cide to sell government secrets to the RusSalma Hayek, John Bedford Lloyd. Totally sians. Much food for thought, but we never pre-fab action thriller that almost looks as get to share Hutton’s feelings, and that if producer Joel Silver is trying to satirize keeps this well-made film somewhat aloof. himself. Miami lawyer Crawford survives the Standout: Penn’s performance as a desperrequisite amount of firepower and fireballs ate, amoral, drugged-out kid. [R]▼●쩠 during her pursuit by former KGB operaFall, The (2008-U.S.-Indian-British) Ctives. Baldwin is the cop trying to keep 118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tarsem. Lee Pace, Catinca them both alive. Arguably the worst movie Untaru, Justine Waddell, Robin Smith, Juof 1995. In her acting debut, supermodel lian Bleach, Jeetu Verma, Leo Bill, Daniel Crawford makes a good jogger. [R]▼●쩠 Caltagirone. In 1920s California, a young FairyTale: A True Story (1997-U.S.girl (Untaru) recuperating from a broken British) C-99m. ★★★ D: Charles Sturridge. arm in a remote convalescent hospital beFlorence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul friends a suicidal patient (Pace), who spins McGann, Phoebe Nicholls, Peter O’Toole, an incredible yarn that holds her spellbound. Harvey Keitel, Tim McInnerny. Charming In it, five heroic figures escape captivity on film, rich in period flavor, spun around a a desert island and go after the man who real-life incident in 1917, when two girls imprisoned them, a powerful governor. Viphotographed fairies in their garden—and sual opus by music video–commercial cult no less a figure than Sir Arthur Conan figure Tarsem is alternately whimsical and Doyle declared them genuine. As it deals ponderous, but location filming in more with death (one of the girls has lost her than 20 countries provides a panorama of brother to pneumonia), the horrors of WW1, stunning locations for his showy, often and real-life characters like Doyle and Houimaginatively staged sequences. Based on a dini (Keitel), this may actually have greater 1981 Bulgarian movie called YO HO HO. appeal to grown-ups than to children. Mel [R]쩠 Gibson, whose company produced the film, Fallen (1998) C-124m. ★★ D: Gregory has a cameo role. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★ Hoblit. Denzel Washington, John GoodFaithful (1996) C-88m. D: Paul Mazurman, Donald Sutherland, Embeth Davidtz, sky. Cher, Chazz Palminteri, Ryan O’Neal, James Gandolfini, Elias Koteas, Gabriel Paul Mazursky, Amber Smith, Elisa Leonetti, Casseus, Robert Joy, Aida Turturro, Barry Stephen Spinella, Jeffrey Wright, Allison JanShabaka Henley. Philadelphia homicide cop ney. On her 20th anniversary, the unhappy, investigates brutal copycat murders—but is neglected wife of a wealthy businessman is slow to realize that there may be an explanaseized by a hit man who ties her up and tion beyond the normal for how and why awaits a signal from her husband to murder these deaths are being executed. Hybrid of her. Meanwhile, they engage in a lively and supernatural and cop-thriller genres doesn’t surprisingly revealing conversation. All too pay off, despite creepy atmosphere and obviously derived from a stage play (by Palsolid performances. It takes much too long minteri, who also wrote the script), this interesting piece simply doesn’t work on film, to get where it’s going, and the finale sub[ 436 ]

verts the film’s own ‘‘ground rules.’’ PaBOMB D: John Mellencamp. John Mellennavision. [R] ▼●쩠 camp, Mariel Hemingway, Kay Lenz, Fallen Angel (1945) 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Otto Claude Akins, Dub Taylor, Larry Crane. Preminger. Alice Faye, Dana Andrews, Warmed-over Larry McMurtry tripe about Linda Darnell, Charles Bickford, Anne Rea country music star who returns to his vere, Bruce Cabot, John Carradine. Andrews, hometown, opening old family wounds hard up and bitter, stops in a small California and reigniting a relationship with his onetown and falls for sultry waitress Darnell. To time girlfriend, who’s now married to his get money to marry her, he plans to first wed brother. Lenz’s sexy character is the only mousy heiress Faye and fleece her. Slowone that avoids cliche´; Mellencamp’s perpaced (if good-looking) film noir was an illformance is simply boring. This marked the fated change of pace for musical star Faye, in singing star’s directing debut. [PG-13] her last starring movie.쩠 ▼●쩠 Fallen Angels (1995-Hong Kong) C-95m. ★★ Falling in Love (1984) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Wong Kar-Wai. Leon Lai, Michelle Reis, Ulu Grosbard. Robert De Niro, Meryl Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Yeung, Karen Streep, Harvey Keitel, Jane Kaczmarek, Mok. Slickly made but emotionally uninvolvGeorge Martin, David Clennon, Dianne ing (and practically narrative-free) portrait of Wiest. Straightforward film about two marcultural alienation, which like its predecessor, ried people who—against their better CHUNGKING EXPRESS, focuses on two judgment—have an affair. BRIEF ENsets of characters: an assassin and the beautiCOUNTER it’s not, but De Niro and espeful colleague who desires him; and a mute cially Streep lift it out of the ordinary. ex-con and the woman he covets. Dazzling [PG-13]▼●쩠 cinematography, camera angles, and editing Falling in Love Again (1980) C-103m. aside, this is mostly meandering and confus★1 ⁄2 D: Steven Paul. Elliott Gould, Susannah ing—and as emotionally distant as the characYork, Stuart Paul, Michelle Pfeiffer, Kaye ters it portrays. ▼●쩠 Ballard, Robert Hackman, Steven Paul. Fallen Idol, The (1948-British) 94m. ★★★1⁄2 Amateurish slop wherein a frustrated Gould D: Carol Reed. Ralph Richardson, Michele flashes back to his halcyon youth in the Morgan, Bobby Henrey, Sonia Dresdel, Bronx and his courtship of a WASP prinJack Hawkins, Bernard Lee. Young boy cess. Artificial, to say the least. Twentyidolizes a household servant who is suspected year-old producer-director-writer-actor Paul of murdering his wife. Exceptional realization scores points for chutzpah, not talent, with of Graham Greene story ‘‘The Basement this feature debut; also Pfeiffer’s film debut. Room,’’ told in large part from the child’s Aka IN LOVE. [PG]▼●쩠 point of view. Scripted by Greene, Lesley Fall of the House of Usher (1960) SEE: Storm, and William Templeton. Also shown House of Usher in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Fall of the Roman Empire, The (1964) Fallen Sparrow, The (1943) 94m. ★★1⁄2 D: C-180m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Anthony Mann. Sophia Richard Wallace. John Garfield, Maureen Loren, Stephen Boyd, Alec Guinness, O’Hara, Walter Slezak, Patricia Morison, James Mason, Christopher Plummer, AnMartha O’Driscoll, Bruce Edwards, John thony Quayle, John Ireland, Omar Sharif, Miljan, John Banner, Hugh Beaumont. EnMel Ferrer, Eric Porter. Intelligent scripting, tertaining if somewhat vague WW2 thriller good direction, and fine acting place this with Garfield returning to N.Y.C. after fightfar above the usual empty-headed spectacle. ing in the Spanish Civil War, only to find Mason and Guinness are superb; several himself hunted by undercover Nazis. Promisaction sequences are outstanding. A winner ing material never really pans out. ▼●쩠 all the way. Screenplay by Philip Yordan, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Falling Down (1993) C-115m. Ben Barzman, and Basilio Franchina. Ultra Joel Schumacher. Michael Douglas, RobPanavision 70.▼●쩠 ert Duvall, Barbara Hershey, Frederic ForFalstaff SEE: Chimes at Midnight rest, Tuesday Weld, Rachel Ticotin, Lois Fame (1980) C-133m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan ParSmith, Michael Paul Chan, Raymond J. ker. Irene Cara, Lee Curreri, Eddie Barth, Barry, D. W. Moffett, Brent Hinkley, Dedee Laura Dean, Paul McCrane, Barry Miller, Pfeiffer, Vondie Curtis Hall, Jack Kehoe, John Boyd Gaines, Gene Anthony Ray, Maureen Diehl. Nerdy Douglas blows his cool one Teefy, Antonia Franceschi, Anne Meara, morning, abandons his car in freeway traffic, Albert Hague, Debbie Allen, Richard Beland starts wandering L.A. on an increasingly zer, Isaac Mizrahi, Meg Tilly. The dreams, violent odyssey—while Duvall, his last day aspirations, struggles, and failures of stubefore retiring from the police force, sniffs dents at N.Y.C.’s High School for Perhim out. Dead-on portrait of a disenfranforming Arts should have made a great film, chised, modern-day American who goes off but this one just misses the mark, despite the deep end. It’s vivid, it’s credible, it’s exgood ingredients and Oscar-winning music tremely well acted . . . but what exactly is the (by Michael Gore) and song (by Gore and point? Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Falling From Grace (1992) C-100m. Dean Pitchford). Moments of insight, ex[ 437 ]

citement, and creativity eventually get lost appalling music scores of recent memory, in abrupt, disjointed continuity, which composed by Cy Coleman. Based on a leaves a bushel of loose ends and unrenovel by Vincent Patrick. [R]▼●쩠 solved ideas. Later a TV series. [R]▼●쩠 Family Game, The (1984-Japanese) CFamily, The (1970-Italian) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 107m. ★★★ D: Yoshimitsu Morita. Yusaku D: Sergio Sollima. Charles Bronson, Jill Matsuda, Juzo Itami, Saori Yuki, Junichi Ireland, Telly Savalas, Michel Constantin, Tsujita, Ichirota Miyagawa. Arrogant tutor Umberto Orsini, George Savalas. Fast pacis engaged to propel an indolent younger ing fails to hide cliche´s in this action son into a classy school but ends up taking drama about an ex-con (Bronson) in singleover entire household. Overlong, but origminded hunt for the man who framed him inal, satire of Japan’s burgeoning middle and stole his girl. Lots of chefs involved in class offers plenty of chuckles, insights writing this brew, among them Lina Wertinto modern-day Japan.▼쩠 muller. Also called VIOLENT CITY. Family Jewels, The (1965) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 Techniscope. [R]▼쩠 D: Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Donna ButterFamily, The (1987-Italian) C-127m. ★★★ worth, Sebastian Cabot, Robert Strauss, D: Ettore Scola. Vittorio Gassman, Fanny Milton Frome. Depending on your taste Ardant, Stefania Sandrelli, Andrea Occhifor Lewis, you’ll either be in ecstasy or pinti, Jo Ciampa, Philippe Noiret. Epiwrithing on the floor in pain because he sodic, revealing chronicle of 80 years in the plays seven parts—all of them as potential life of an upper-middle-class Italian clan guardians of little girl who is inheriting several million dollars.▼쩠 (with some characters portrayed through the decades by several different actors). An afFamily Life (1971-British) C-108m. ★★★ fectionate depiction, leisurely paced but D: Kenneth Loach. Sandy Ratcliffe, Bill well worth catching. Don’t look for any sumpDean, Grace Cave, Malcolm Tierney, Hiltuous Roman exteriors: Scola never once ary Martyn, Alan MacNaughton. Forceful strays from the family’s apartment! [PG]▼● drama about a weak-willed and deeply trouFamily Affair, A (1937) 69m. ★★★ D: bled young woman (Ratcliffe) and her deepGeorge B. Seitz. Lionel Barrymore, Mickey ening psychological turmoil as her parents Rooney, Spring Byington, Cecilia Parker, compel her to have an abortion. While Loach’s Eric Linden, Julie Haydon, Charley Grapeleft-of-center worldview makes this a politiwin, Sara Haden. Amiable first entry in the cally loaded (and occasionally preachy) alleAndy Hardy series centers on Judge Hardy gory, he and screenwriter David Mercer (Barrymore) solving various family probnonetheless paint a harrowing portrait of an lems while trying to be reelected. A good uncaring medical bureaucracy. Originally titled WEDNESDAY’S CHILD.▼ intro to the sentimental charm of life in Louis B. Mayer’s idealized vision of smalltown Family Man, The (2000) C-125m. ★★★1⁄2 America. Byington and Barrymore’s roles D: Brett Ratner. Nicolas Cage, Te´a Leoni, were taken over by Fay Holden and Lewis Jeremy Piven, Don Cheadle, Saul Rubinek, Stone for the rest of the series. Based on the Josef Sommer, Harve Presnell, Mary Beth play Skidding by Aurania Rouverol. Hurt, Amber Valletta, Francine York. A ruthFamily Business (1986-French) C-98m. less financial exec with no emotional ties is ★★1 ⁄2 D: Costa-Gavras. Johnny Hallyday, magically transported into a life he’s never Fanny Ardant, Guy Marchand, Laurent known: the working-class suburban existence Romor, Remi Martin, Juliette Rennes, Carhe might have had if he’d married his college oline Pochon. Well-made but inconsequengirlfriend. Smart and sentimental: a rare contial comedy of professional safecracker temporary holiday-themed comedy-fantasy Hallyday, whose wife, daughter, and (most that has the courage of its own convictions; tellingly) son are involved in various ways this one scores a bull’s-eye. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 with his ‘‘career.’’ The motivations of his spouse (Ardant), particularly in relation to Family Plot (1976) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Altheir son, are utterly confounding. Aka fred Hitchcock. Karen Black, Bruce Dern, CONSEIL DE FAMILLE. ▼ Barbara Harris, William Devane, Ed Lauter, Family Business (1989) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cathleen Nesbitt, Katherine Helmond. Sidney Lumet. Sean Connery, Dustin HoffHitchcock coasts along in this tongue-inman, Matthew Broderick, Rosana DeSoto, cheek thriller. Harris is phony psychic Janet Carroll, Victoria Jackson, Bill Mcwho gets involved in a murder plot hatched Cutcheon, Deborah Rush. Brainy Brodby sinister Devane. Mildly entertaining erick, estranged from father Hoffman, but never credible. Ernest Lehman scripted Hitch’s 54th and final film. [PG]▼●쩠 enlists the aid of his grandfather Connery, a career criminal, to pull off a can’t-miss Family Prayers (1993) C-108m. ★★ D: heist. Worth seeing for three terrific perScott Rosenfelt. Joe Mantegna, Anne Arformances by the charismatic leads, even cher, Patti LuPone, Julianne Michelle, Paul though they’re never quite believable as Reiser, Allen Garfield, Conchata Ferrell, family—and the story lets them down. David Margulies, Brittany Murphy, Tzvi Further undermined by one of the most Ratner-Stauber. Overlong drama of an ado[ 438 ]

lescent Jewish boy struggling to prepare for viously filmed in 1916, 1925, 1935 (in his bar mitzvah, while suffering the ups and Germany), and 1944 (in Mexico), and redowns of life with a gambling-addicted famade in 2004 as A GOOD WOMAN. Fan, The (1981) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Edward ther. Competent editing would have made this an excellent after-school special. This sat on Bianchi. Lauren Bacall, Michael Biehn, the shelf after completion in 1991. [PG]▼● Maureen Stapleton, James Garner, Hector Family Stone, The (2005) C-103m. ★★★ Elizondo, Anna Maria Horsford, Kurt D: Thomas Bezucha. Diane Keaton, Sarah Johnson, Dwight Schultz, Dana Delany, Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Griffin Dunne. Broadway actress Bacall is Wilson, Claire Danes, Craig T. Nelson, Rastalked by a psychotic admirer in this chel McAdams, Ty Giordano, Brian White, bloody, distasteful adaptation of the Bob Elizabeth Reaser, Paul Schneider. WarmRandall novel. Bacall’s star appeal helps hearted comedy-drama about an eventful disguise the fact that this is just an exploitation cheapie in dress clothes. [R]▼●쩠 New England family gathering at Christmastime, where one of five siblings (MulroFan, The (1996) C-117m. ★1⁄2 D: Tony ney) brings his uptight girlfriend and potential Scott. Robert De Niro, Wesley Snipes, Ellen fiance´e (Parker) to meet his folks, who put Barkin, John Leguizamo, Benicio Del Toro, her on the spot. Starts simply, then reveals a Patti D’Arbanville-Quinn, Chris Mulkey, succession of layers that broaden and enrich Dan Butler, John Kruk, Jack Black. Ridicuthe story. The cast couldn’t be better. Writlous retread of all-too-familiar material, with ten by the director. [PG-13]쩠 De Niro cast as a ’90s Travis Bickle, a loser Family That Preys, The SEE: Tyler Peron the edge, whose unhealthy passion is the ry’s The Family That Preys S.F. Giants and their newest $40 million star, Family Thing, A (1996) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Snipes. This hollow melodrama is so overRichard Pearce. Robert Duvall, James Earl heated and overhyped by souped-up visuals Jones, Michael Beach, Irma P. Hall, David and sound that the viewer feels he’s been asKeith. When tractor salesman Duvall dissaulted as much as the victimized baseball covers his real mother was a black woman, he star. Worst of all, the film puts not one but travels to Chicago to meet his half-brother, two children in jeopardy and subjects them to policeman Jones. Issues of race and family psychological and verbal abuse. Ugh. Panaviconflict are resolved a bit too easily in this sion. [R]▼●쩠 rather contrived story, made sweet and believFanatic SEE: Die! Die! My Darling! able by the efforts of a superior cast. Hall Fanboys (2009) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Kyle Newsteals every scene as their blind aunt. Coman. Jay Baruchel, Dan Fogler, Sam Hunscripted by Billy Bob Thornton. Super 35. tington, Christopher Marquette, Kristen [PG-13]▼●쩠 Bell, Ethan Suplee, Seth Rogen, Craig RobFamily Viewing (1987-Canadian) C-92m. inson, Christopher McDonald, Danny Trejo. ★★★ A long, long time ago (in 1998), an Ohio D: Atom Egoyan. David Hemblen, Aidan Tierney, Arsine´e Khanjian, Gabrielle quartet of STAR WARS fanatics plots to Rose, Selma Keklikian, Jeanne Sabourin, Rose sneak into George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch Sarkisyan. Early Egoyan feature is a provocaso their sick buddy can see the rough cut of tive, daring drama-cum-black comedy about a Episode One before he dies. Overstuffed with dysfunctional family and its members’ fixapop-cult references, and too often obnoxious, tion on television, video, and impersonal sexist, and gross, this vision-quest road movie means of communication. On-target comnever once hits its emotional marks. Pretty mentary on the way hollow imagery and much made for, well, fanboys, it’s enlivened technology have affected contemporary life. only by several in-joke cameos. [PG-13]쩠 Written by the director.▼쩠 Fancy Pants (1950) C-92m. ★★★ D: George Family Way, The (1966-British) C-115m. Marshall. Mr. Robert Hope (formerly Bob), ★★★ D: Roy Boulting. Hayley Mills, Hywel Lucille Ball, Bruce Cabot, Jack Kirkwood, Bennett, John Mills, Marjorie Rhodes, Avril Lea Penman, Eric Blore. Amusing musical Angers, Murray Head. Winning comedy remake of RUGGLES OF RED GAP with about young newlyweds’ problems, includEnglish valet Hope accompanying nouveau ing impotence, and difficulty of living in riche wildcat Lucy to her Western home. same house as his parents. This warm, ▼●쩠 gentle film was actually considered conFandango (1985) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin troversial in 1967 when released in U.S.! Reynolds. Kevin Costner, Judd Nelson, Music score by Paul McCartney. Sam Robards, Chuck Bush, Brian Cesak, ★★ Fan, The (1949) 80m. D: Otto PreMarvin J. McIntyre, Suzy Amis, Glenne minger. Jeanne Crain, Madeleine Carroll, Headly. Five college pals have one last fling George Sanders, Richard Greene. Oscar before moving on to face Real Life. Based Wilde’s comedy of manners Lady Winon Reynolds’ student film called PROOF, dermere’s Fan, involving marital indisexpanded to feature length under sponsorcretion and social-climbing in Victorian ship of Steven Spielberg. Fresh and likable, England, loses much of its wit in this verif uneven. [PG]▼●쩠 sion. Madeleine Carroll’s last film. PreFanfan La Tulipe (1952-French) 99m. [ 439 ]

★★★

D: Christian-Jaque. Ge´rard Philipe, bog, the personification of evil) are so stunGina Lollobrigida, Noel Roquevert, Olivning that they make up for the less compelling ier Hussenot, Marcel Herrand, Sylvie sequences. Also notable for groundbreaking Pelayo, Genevieve Page. Delightful satire use of multichannel stereophonic sound. of swashbuckling epics; Philipe is ideal as DVD (with newly filmed credits) runs 124m. Followed by FANTASIA 2000. ▼●쩠 sword-wielding, love-hungry 18th-century Fantasia 2000 (2000) C-75m. ★★★ D: James Frenchman joining Louis XV’s army.쩠 Fanny (1932-French)120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marc Algar, Gaetan Brizzi, Paul Brizzi, Hendel Allegret. Raimu, Pierre Fresnay, Charpin, Butoy, Francis Glebas, Eric Goldberg, Pixote Orane Demazis, Alida Rouffe. Marius Hunt, Don Hahn, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, (Fresnay) abandons Fanny (Demazis) with James Earl Jones, Penn and Teller, Quincy his child; with Cesar (Raimu) playing Jones, Itzhak Perlman, Angela Lansbury, Cupid, she marries Panisse (Charpin). SecJames Levine, Chicago Symphony Orchestra. ond of Marcel Pagnol’s charming trilogy, Update of the 1940 Disney milestone suffers preceded by MARIUS and followed by from the fact that marrying music and images CESAR. All three were the basis of the is no longer a novel idea; TV-style host intros play and movie FANNY (1961).▼●쩠 don’t help. But there are a number of enterFanny (1961) C-133m. ★★★ D: Joshua Logan. taining segments, including ‘‘The Pines of Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Charles Rome,’’ with its wondrous whales, ‘‘RhapBoyer, Horst Buchholz, Baccaloni, Lionel Jefsody in Blue,’’ a UPA-type cartoon set in fries. Gorgeously photographed and beautiN.Y.C., ‘‘Pomp and Circumstance,’’ with fully scored dramatic version of Marcel Donald Duck as Noah’s assistant, and the Pagnol’s trilogy involving young girl left with ‘‘Firebird Suite’’ finale. [G]▼쩠 child by adventure-seeking sailor. Chevalier Fantasies (1981) C-81m. BOMB D: John and Boyer give flavorful performances.▼●쩠 Derek. Kathleen Collins (Bo Derek), Peter Fanny and Alexander (1983-Swedish) Hooten, Anna Alexiadis, Phaedon GheorC-197m. ★★★★ D: Ingmar Bergman. Pernilla ghitis, Therese Bohlin. Amateurish nonAllwin, Bertil Guve, Gunn Wallgren, Allan sense about Derek’s and Hooten’s efforts Edwall, Ewa Froling, Jan Malmsjo, Erland to renovate a Greek island into a tourist Josephson, Harriet Andersson. Haunting, entrap. Shot in 1973, when Bo was 16, as grossing autobiographical family saga set in AND ONCE UPON A LOVE. [R]▼쩠 turn-of-the-century Sweden; a summing up of Fantastic Four (2005) C-106m. ★★ D: Tim Bergman’s career (announced as his final Story. Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris film). Scenes of joy, exuberance, pain, torEvans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, ment, exquisitely expressed, and largely seen Hamish Linklater, Kerry Washington, Lauthrough the eyes of a young boy. This earned rie Holden, Maria Menounos. Scientist Reed Oscars as Best Foreign Film and for its cosRichards (Gruffudd) tries to capture the power tumes, art direction-set decoration, and Sven of a cosmic storm, with the backing of flamNykvist’s lovely cinematography. Edited from boyant billionaire Victor Von Doom (Mcan even longer television miniseries, which ran Mahon) . . . but something goes terribly 312m. Look for Lena Olin as a maid. Bergwrong. This comic-book movie doesn’t try to man’s family history is further explored in court an adult audience—and risks alienating THE BEST INTENTIONS, SUNDAY’S hard-core fans by inventing a brand-new ‘‘orCHILDREN, and PRIVATE CONFESigin’’ tale told in strictly two-dimensional SIONS. [R] ▼●쩠 terms. Best suited to 10-year-old boys. Based Fan’s Notes, A (1972-Canadian) C-100m. on the Marvel characters created by Stan Lee ★★ D: Eric Till. Jerry Orbach, Burgess and Jack Kirby; Lee has a cameo as a mailMeredith, Patricia Collins, Julia Ann Robman. Alternate unrated version runs 111m. inson, Rosemary Murphy. Confused, footFollowed by a sequel. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 ball-obsessed writer becomes disillusioned Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer with the Great American Dream of success (2007) C-92m. ★★ D: Tim Story. Ioan and conformity, and ends up in mental Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Mihospital. Unfortunate misfire of Frederick chael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Exley’s highly regarded novel. [R] Washington, Andre Braugher, Doug Jones, Fantasia (1940) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ben Brian Posehn, Kenneth Welsh, Vanessa MinSharpsteen (production supervisor). Leopold nillo; voice of Laurence Fishburne. Sequel Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra; finds the earth imperiled by a mysterious force narrated by Deems Taylor. Walt Disney’s that is wreaking havoc with weather systems eight-part marriage of music and animated (and global landmarks), and making the imimages remains an amazing achievement; pending N.Y.C. nuptials of Reed (Gruffudd) Taylor’s narration dates it more than the conand Sue (Alba) difficult to plan. The culprit tent. ‘‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’’ (with may be the Silver Surfer or possibly the reMickey Mouse), ‘‘The Dance of the Hours’’ turning Victor Von Doom (McMahon). A (with dancing hippos and alligators), ‘‘Rite of special-effectsapalooza masquerading as a Spring’’ (dinosaurs stalking the earth), and feature film. Look for the comic’s cocreator Stan Lee as a party guest. Super 35. [PG]쩠 ‘‘A Night on Bald Mountain’’ (with Cherno[ 440 ]

Fantastic Invasion of Planet Earth (1966) and Nicole, who are both beautiful and engagC-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Arch Oboler. Michael Cole, ing; problem is a dire lack of story to fill the Deborah Walley, Johnny Desmond. Relulls between fight scenes. Filmed in Ireland leased theatrically in 3-D, this plays like a and Montana. Climactic land rush really galpadded Twilight Zone episode; young coulops in Panavision Super 70. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 ple find themselves trapped in seemingly Faraway, So Close! (1993-German) C/B& deserted town enclosed in a giant Baggie. W-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wim Wenders. Otto The original title, THE BUBBLE, was far Sander, Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, less misleading: there are no aliens and no Peter Falk, Willem Dafoe, Nastassja Kinski, ‘‘invasion’’ in evidence, and not much Horst Buchholz, Lou Reed, Mikhail Gorbaexcitement, either. Originally 112m. Filmed chev. The perfect Wenders cast (if not the in widescreen Space-Vision.▼쩠 perfect Wenders movie) takes up where the Fantasticks, The (2000) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: more successful WINGS OF DESIRE left Michael Ritchie. Brad Sullivan, Jean Louisa off; this time it is angel Sander who becomes Kelly, Joe McIntyre, Joel Grey, Barnard mortal, joining old celestial pal Ganz—who’s Hughes, Jonathon Morris, Teller. Adaptanow married to circus performer Dommartin, tion of the longest-running off-Broadway with whom he’s raising a daughter and runshow in history (by Tom Jones and Harvey ning a pizza shop in unified Germany. Lighter Schmidt) is sweet and slight; this musical going than its predecessor, but also more fable of young lovers, their fathers and a lightweight; it’s still a borderline ordeal in the mysterious showman is almost an anachrobeginning and final segments, despite having been trimmed from 164m.▼●쩠 nism. Beautifully shot (on some of the same Arizona locations used for OKLAHOMA!), Far Country, The (1955) C-97m. ★★★ D: it’s a treat for musical devotees, even if it isn’t Anthony Mann. James Stewart, Ruth Roman, perfect. Released after sitting on the shelf for Corinne Calvet, Walter Brennan, Jay C. Flipfive years, recut by Francis Ford Coppola; pen, John McIntire, Harry Morgan, Jack Ritchie’s version, with additional songs, is on Elam, Robert Wilkie, Connie Gilchrist, Kaththe DVD. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 leen Freeman. Cattleman Stewart, a conFantastic Planet, The (1973-French) firmed loner, brings his herd to Alaska and 1 ★★ C-72m. finds nothing but trouble; solid Western set ⁄2 D: Rene Laloux. Interesting animated feature about futuristic planet against colorful backdrop of mining camp where men are dominated by superdeveltowns. Story and screenplay by Borden oped mechanized race. Worthwhile, but Chase. ▼●쩠 static and aloof. [PG]▼쩠 Farewell, Friend (1968-French-Italian) Fantastic Voyage (1966) C-100m. ★★★1⁄2 C-115m. ★★ D: Jean Herman. Alain Delon, D: Richard Fleischer. Stephen Boyd, Raquel Charles Bronson, Olga Georges-Picot, BriWelch, Edmond O’Brien, Donald Pleagitte Fossey, Bernard Fresson. Mercenarsence, Arthur O’Connell, William Redfield, ies return to Marseilles following service Arthur Kennedy, James Brolin. Tremenin Algeria, team up for robbery, and inevidously entertaining science fiction story of tably clash. Ordinary and overlong. Aka medical team reduced to microscopic size, HONOR AMONG THIEVES and THE CODE (1968). [M/PG]▼쩠 injected inside human body. Film’s thenstate-of-the-art visual effects look great in Farewell, My Concubine (1993-Chinese) C-155m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Chen Kaige. Leslie widescreen. Screenplay by Harry Kleiner, based on a story by Otto Klement and Jay Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Lu Qi, Lewis Bixby (Jerome Bixby). Won Oscars Ying Da. Elaborate aria, no favorite at home for art direction-set decoration and special but cowinner of Cannes’ top prize, about visual effects. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 the contentious 52-year relationship of two Fantomas Against Scotland Yard (1966male childhood apprentices in the Peking French-Italian) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andre HuneOpera, one a specialist in female roles with belle. Jean Marais, Louis De Funes, Mylene a lifelong atttraction to his heterosexual Demongeot, Henri Serre. Satirical cliffpartner, who in turn marries a beauty from a hanger-type adventure yarn, with Marais as brothel. A long but consistently absorbing super-criminal engaged in athletic escadrama spanning China’s warlord era, the pades. Retitled: FANTOMAS. Franscope. Cultural Revolution, and beyond. At its best Far and Away (1992) C-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: in the first half; originally 170m. [R]▼●쩠 Ron Howard. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Farewell, My Lovely (1975-British) C97m. ★★★ D: Dick Richards. Robert MitchThomas Gibson, Robert Prosky, Barbara Babcock, Colm Meaney, Eileen Pollock, um, Charlotte Rampling, John Ireland, SylMichelle Johnson, Cyril Cusack, Clint Howvia Miles, Jack O’Halloran, Anthony Zerbe, ard, Rance Howard. Scrappy, dirt-poor Irish Harry Dean Stanton, Sylvester Stallone, tenant farmer hooks up, in unlikely fashion, Walter McGinn. Third film version of Raywith the equally feisty daughter of a wealthy mond Chandler novel tries too hard to landowner, and together they sail for America evoke its period, but Mitchum is appealing to seek their ultimate destiny in the 1893 as a tired Philip Marlowe. Author Jim Oklahoma land rush. Ideal vehicle for Tom Thompson appears briefly. Filmed before as [ 441 ]

MURDER, MY SWEET and THE FALBradford, Tom Bower, Joel Palmer, Josh CON TAKES OVER; followed by THE Wannamaker, Margot Finley. Nicely done BIG SLEEP (1978). [R]▼쩠 (if predictable) boy-and-his-dog tale, centerFarewell to Arms, A (1932) 89m. ★★★ D: ing on young Bradford and his super-bright Frank Borzage. Helen Hayes, Gary Cooper, Golden Labrador as they survive the capsizAdolphe Menjou, Mary Philips, Jack LaRue, ing of their boat, and must overcome asBlanche Frederici. Lushly romantic adaptasorted dangers. [PG]▼●쩠 tion of Hemingway novel about ill-fated Far From the Madding Crowd (1967WW1 romance between American soldier British) C-171m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Schleand British nurse; dated but well done. singer. Julie Christie, Peter Finch, Terence Charles Lang’s exquisite cinematography Stamp, Alan Bates, Prunella Ransome. won an Oscar. Remade in 1951 (as FORCE Shamefully underrated adaptation of ThomOF ARMS) and 1957. Also shown in comas Hardy novel about beautiful woman and her puter-colored version. ▼●쩠 profound effect on three men. Superb proFarewell to Arms, A (1957) C-152m. ★★1⁄2 duction, with brilliant photography by Nicolas D: Charles Vidor. Rock Hudson, Jennifer Roeg, score by Richard Rodney Bennett, Jones, Vittorio De Sica, Alberto Sordi, Merscript by Frederic Raphael, and performances cedes McCambridge, Elaine Stritch, Oscar by Finch and Bates. Panavision.▼●쩠 Homolka. Overblown, padded remake has Fargo (1996) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Joel Coen. unconvincing leads, static treatment of story Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve so romantically told in Hemingway novel. Buscemi, Harve Presnell, Peter Stormare, KirsHudson is American ambulance driver tin Rudrud, John Carroll Lynch, Larry Branwounded in WW1 Italy who falls in love denburg, Steven Reevis, Jose Feliciano. The with nurse Jones. Last film produced by Coen Brothers put a unique spin on a murder David O. Selznick. CinemaScope.▼쩠 case, layering their story with droll observaFarewell to the King (1989) C-117m. ★★ tions about Minnesotans and winding up with D: John Milius. Nick Nolte, Nigel Havers, a totally disarming comedy! McDormand is James Fox, Marilyn Tokuda, Frank McRae, terrific as an efficient (and pregnant) police Aki Aleong, William Wise. Disappointing chief with multiple murders on her hands; actioner with Nolte an army deserter who Macy is equally good as a two-bit schemer becomes the leader of a Borneo tribe during who tries to stay cool when he finds himself WW2. Goal: to protect his people from the way over his head in a quicksand of crime. atrocities of the Japanese and the lies of the Love that Muzak in the background! Oscar British. Intriguing premise, but result sinks winner for Best Screenplay (Joel and Ethan into cliche´. Milius scripted, from Pierre Coen) and Actress (McDormand). [R]▼●쩠 Schoendoerffer’s novel. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Far Horizons, The (1955) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 Far From Heaven (2002) C-107m. ★★★ D: D: Rudolph Mate´. Fred MacMurray, CharlTodd Haynes. Julianne Moore, Dennis ton Heston, Donna Reed, Barbara Hale, Quaid, Dennis Haysbert, Patricia Clarkson, William Demarest. Movie fiction about Viola Davis, James Rebhorn, Celia Weston. Lewis and Clark expedition, beautifully Fascinating filmmaking exercise in which photographed; sporadic action; implausible love interest. VistaVision.쩠 writer-director Haynes replicates the look and feel of a 1950s Douglas Sirk TechniFarinelli (1994-Belgian) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: color soap opera, while tackling issues that Gerard Corbiau. Stefano Dionisi, Enrico Lo would have been taboo in that era. Moore is Verso, Jeroen Krabbe´, Elsa Zylberstein, Caroa picture-perfect suburban wife, Quaid her line Cellier, Marianne Basler. Sumptuously successful husband, but he has a dark secret, filmed saga of two brothers in 18th-century Euwhile she finds herself attracted to her rope, one a composer and the other a castrato Negro gardener (Haysbert). Not so much a opera singer (who, despite childhood castraparody as a re-creation, as if a 1957 movie tion, still woos women energetically, with the were being made in 2002, with art direction, help of his brother). Rambling script has too camerawork, costuming, music, and color many flashbacks and too little insight into the that recall such films as ALL THAT brothers’ motivations; still, it’s provocative and HEAVEN ALLOWS. [PG-13]▼쩠 good-looking. Farinelli’s castrato vocals were Far From Home (1989) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: re-created by a digitally morphed mixture of a Meiert Avis. Matt Frewer, Drew Barrymore, male and female opera singer. Original title: Richard Masur, Karen Austin, Susan Tyrrell, FARINELLI IL CASTRATO. [R]▼●쩠 Anthony Rapp, Jennifer Tilly, Andras Jones, Farm, The SEE: Curse, The Dick Miller. Dumb killer-on-the-loose proFarmer’s Daughter, The (1947) 97m. ★★★1 grammer with sexy teen Barrymore being ⁄2 D: H. C. Potter. Loretta Young, stalked while vacationing with her father. Joseph Cotten, Ethel Barrymore, Charles Of interest only for Drew’s casting in her Bickford, Rose Hobart, Harry Davenport, Lex Barker, James Aurness (Arness), Keith first adolescent movie role. [R]▼●쩠 Far From Home: The Adventures of YelAndes, Rhys Williams, Art Baker. Young low Dog (1995) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phillip won an Oscar for her irresistible perforBorsos. Mimi Rogers, Bruce Davison, Jesse mance as a naı¨ve but straight-thinking farm [ 442 ]

girl who goes to work for a senator—and place for a noir-ish mystery, but the only winds up running for a congressional seat heat we get is solar from beach scenes shot against his party. Delightful comedy with in daylight. The real fascination comes from an excellent cast. Allen Rivkin and Laura speculating how this even got made, let Kerr adapted Juhani Tervapa¨a¨’s play Hulda, alone released (which it just barely was). Filmed in 2002. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Daughter of Parliament. Later a TV series. ▼ Farmer’s Wife, The (1928-British) 97m. Fashions of 1934 (1934) 78m. ★★★ D: Wil★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Hitchcock. Jameson Thomliam Dieterle. William Powell, Bette Davis, as, Lillian Hall-Davies, Gordon Harker. A Verree Teasdale, Reginald Owen, Frank Hitchcock silent comedy. Farmer Thomas, McHugh, Phillip Reed, Hugh Herbert. Trivial unsuccessful at finding a bride, is secretly but enjoyable romp of con man Powell and loved by devoted housekeeper Davies. Enjoydesigner Davis conquering the Paris fashion able rustic comedy; written by the director. world. Fine cast glides along with dapper Based on a play by Eden Philpotts.▼쩠 Powell; Busby Berkeley’s ‘‘Spin a Little Farmer Takes a Wife, The (1953) C-81m. Web of Dreams’’ number is great fun. ▼ ★★ D: Henry Levin. Betty Grable, Dale Fast & Furious (2009) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robertson, Thelma Ritter, John Carroll, Justin Lin. Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, MiEddie Foy, Jr. Musical remake of 1935 chelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, John film is slow-paced account of life in 1800s Ortiz, Laz Alonso, Gal Gadot, Jack Conley, along the Erie Canal.▼● Sung Kang. Fourth installment of the popular Far North (1988) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Sam Shepfranchise reunites four stars of 2001’s THE ard. Jessica Lange, Charles Durning, Tess FAST AND THE FURIOUS for a mostly Harper, Donald Moffat, Ann Wedgeworth, Paridiculous but frequently exciting actiontricia Arquette, Nina Draxton. Shepard’s diadventure set along the U.S.-Mexico border. recting debut, which he also scripted, is a Two reluctant allies (illegal street racer Diesel pointless, artificial drama about the various and maverick FBI agent Walker) team up members of a Minnesota family and what hapfor a vengeful campaign against a murderous pens when patriarch Durning is almost killed drug cartel. Serviceable plot is merely an exby a wild horse. Good cast is wasted. [PGcuse for some spectacular high-speed car 13]▼● chases, but fans of the series won’t be disapFar Off Place, A (1993) C-105m. ★★★ D: pointed by the thrills and spills of this demolition derby. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Mikael Salomon. Reese Witherspoon, Ethan Randall (Embry), Maximilian Schell, Jack Fast and Sexy (1958-Italian) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 Thompson, Sarel Bok, Robert Burke, Patricia D: Reginald Denham. Gina Lollobrigida, Kalember, Daniel Gerroll. Borderline-slow, Dale Robertson, Vittorio De Sica, Carla but head-on-straight, Disney kids’ adventure Macelloni. Lollobrigida is fun-loving widow about a young Bushman guide, a game warwho returns to her village seeking new husden’s daughter, and a visiting city boy who flee band. Technirama. across the desert from murderous poachers. Fast and the Furious, The (1954) 73m. ★★ Frank treatment of death makes this iffy for D: Edwards Sampson, John Ireland. John Ireyoung kids, but older children should find it reland, Dorothy Malone, Iris Adrian, Bruce warding. Based on the books A Story Like the Carlisle, Jean Howell, Larry Thor. Ireland is Wind and A Far Off Place by Laurens van der fugitive on the lam from murder frameup who Post. Juan Ruiz-Anchia’s magnificent photogjockeys Malone’s sports car, with uninspired raphy is a standout. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 romantic interludes and cops-on-the-chase seFar Out Man (1990) C-91m. BOMB D: quences. Produced and written by Roger CorTommy Chong. Tommy Chong, Shelby man, this was the first film for American Chong, Paris Chong, C. Thomas Howell, Releasing Corporation—soon to be the fabled Martin Mull, Rae Dawn Chong, Judd NelAIP (American-International Pictures).▼쩠 son. Labeled ‘‘A Tommy Chong Attempt,’’ Fast and the Furious, The (2001) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rob Cohen. Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, this vanity production is high on nepotism but short on laughs—or coherence. Chong Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Rick plays a burned-out, leftover 1960s druggie Yune, Chad Lindberg, Johnny Strong, Matt who’s trying to find his ex-lady and their Schulze, Ted Levine, Ja Rule. A soupedchild (played by their real-life counterparts). up 21st-century version of a 1950s hot-rod Longtime partner Cheech Marin contributes movie. Newcomer Walker tries to ingratiate a cameo, but is sorely missed throughout himself with the kingpin of Southern Califorthe rest of the grungy film. [R]▼●쩠 nia street racing (Diesel), hoping to join his exFascination (2004-German-British) C-95m. tended family. Rudimentary storyline frames BOMB D: Klaus Menzel. Jacqueline Bisset, some pulse-quickening action scenes . . . but Adam Garcia, Alice Evans, Stuart Wilson, this goes on longer than any drive-in movie James Naughton. Dad drowns despite being really should. Followed by 2 FAST 2 FURIan excellent swimmer, and his son is irked OUS. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 when his mom immediately takes on a new Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, The squeeze with a grown daughter (who has (2006) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Justin Lin. Lucas her own checkered history). Elements are in Black, Brandon Brendel, Zachery Ty Bryan, [ 443 ]

Daniel Booko, David V. Thomas, Amber SteModica, Lonette McKee, Victor Argo, Angelvens, Bow Wow, Lynda Boyd, Nikki Griffin, ica Torn, Austin Pendleton, Valerie Geffner, JJ Sonny Chiba. Third installment of the seMark Margolis. Breezy character-based comries travels to Japan when Black destroys his edy revolves around the ever-changing rocar in an illegal street race and is sent overseas mantic lives of customers (and their dedicated to avoid jail or juvenile detention. But old habwaitress) in a downtown Manhattan coffee its die hard; while in Tokyo he gets involved in shop. Wonderful cast makes the most of the the dangerous underworld sport of ‘‘drifting’’ uneven but occasionally insightful script from (racing cars around terrifying curves). Just as writer/director Kollek. [R]▼쩠 loud and frenetic as its predecessors, this beneFast Food Nation (2006-U.S.-British) Cfits from a change of scenery and has a couple 114m. ★★★ D: Richard Linklater. Greg Kinof ferocious pedal-to-the-metal sequences. near, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Wilmer Veteran martial arts star Chiba is fun to watch Valderrama, Bobby Cannavale, Luis Guzman, as an evil Yakuza boss. Followed by FAST & Ashley Johnson, Avril Lavigne, Esai Morales, FURIOUS. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke, Lou Taylor Fast Break (1979) C-107m. ★★★ D: Jack Pucci, Paul Dano, Kris Kristofferson, Bruce Smight. Gabriel Kaplan, Harold SylvesWillis. Fast-food exec Kinnear is sent to a ter, Mike Warren, Bernard King, Reb meat supplier in Colorado to check out ugly Brown, Mavis Washington, Bert Remsen, rumors about foreign content in their hamRichard Brestoff, Rhonda Bates, K. Callan. burgers. Valderrama and Sandino Moreno arBasketball coach Kaplan accepts post at rive in that same town with other illegal midwestern college, but brings his N.Y.C. Mexican immigrants and get a harsh introstreet players along with him. Perfect, duction to the American dream by working innocuous TV fare, with some good laughs in the meatpacking plant. Potent, polemical and exciting game climax. [PG]▼ (and disturbingly graphic) film about the Fast Charlie, The Moonbeam Rider fast-food mind-set of our society. Based on (1979) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steve Carver. David Eric Schlosser’s nonfiction book; he and Carradine, Brenda Vaccaro, L. Q. Jones, Linklater wrote the screenplay. [R]쩠 R. G. Armstrong, Jesse Vint. Period acFast Fortune SEE: 11 Harrowhouse Fast Forward (1985) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney tion comedy-drama about a WW1 deserter who enters the first long-distance motorcycle Poitier. John Scott Clough, Don Franklin, Tarace. Appealing performance by Vaccaro as mara Mark, Tracy Silver, Cindy McGee, an early-day bike groupie and picturesque Gretchen F. Palmer, Irene Worth, Constance re-creations of post-WW1 America are deTowers. Eight squeaky-clean teens from Sanfinite pluses. Also known as FAST CHARdusky, Ohio, crash N.Y.C. in search of their Big LIE AND THE MOONBEAM. [PG] Break in Show Biz. Despite the title, this film is Fast, Cheap & Out of Control (1997) stuck in the 1950s; break-dancing can’t disguise such cornball stuff. [PG]▼● C/B&W-82m. ★★★ D: Errol Morris. Documentary filmmaker Morris delves into the Fast Lady, The (1963-British) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 lives of four disparate men: a topiary garD: Ken Annakin. James Robertson Justice, dener, a lion tamer, a robot scientist, and a Leslie Phillips, Stanley Baxter, Kathleen Harnaked-mole-rat expert. Utilizing different rison, Julie Christie, Eric Barker. Enjoyable, film formats, Morris creates a fascinating exmodest farce of naive Baxter, a Scotsman livamination of lifelong passions and occupaing in England, learning to drive an antique tions that touches on the nature of existence car—and to woo Christie in the process. Julie, itself. A completely original film, enhanced in second film role, is thoroughly charming. by Caleb Sampson’s music. [PG]▼●쩠 Fast Runner, The (2002-Canadian) C161m. ★★★★ D: Zacharias Kunuk. Natar UnFastest Guitar Alive, The (1967) C-87m. ★★ D: Michael Moore. Roy Orbison, galaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Sammy Jackson, Maggie Pierce, Joan Lucy Tulugarjuk, Madeline Ivalu, Paul (PauFreeman. Doomed effort to turn recording loosie) Qulitalik. A sterling epic, perhaps the star Orbison into a movie star—with the only Inuit-made film we’ll ever see, about a dumbest title imaginable for a Civil War young hunter (Ungalaaq) whose tribe has espionage story!▼ been cursed; he falls in love but must face Fastest Gun Alive, The (1956) 92m. ★★★ the ire of a spiteful rival. The highlight is D: Russell Rouse. Glenn Ford, Jeanne our hero’s barefooted journey across the Crain, Broderick Crawford, Russ Tamblyn. North Canadian wilderness. A privileged Sincere Western with a moral. Ford is a peek into Inuit culture and a stirring, deeply peace-loving storekeeper trying to live down personal drama; based on an ancient Inuit renown as gunslinger, but there’s always folk tale. Beautifully filmed in wide-screen someone waiting to challenge him. Tamdigital video. Aka ATANARJUAT . . . (THE FAST RUNNER). [R] ▼쩠 blyn has an impressive solo dance feature. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼ Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) C-92m. ★★★ D: Amy Heckerling. Sean Penn, Fast Food, Fast Women (2000-U.S.-French) Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judge Reinhold, Robert C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Amos Kollek. Anna Thomson, Jamie Harris, Louise Lasser, Robert Romanus, Brian Backer, Phoebe Cates, Ray [ 444 ]

Walston, Vincent Schiavelli, Forest Whitaker, problem, but not before this mild but harmless James Russo, Pamela Springsteen, Martin family comedy throws in some blatant plugs Brest. Brashly entertaining look at Southern for Albert DVDs. Cosby himself shows up; California high school kids, who hang out at he also cowrote and coexecutive produced the Mall and think mostly about sex. Funny, with his wife, Camille. Other famous folk appear in cameos. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 surprisingly honest, with a very appealing cast and a memorable performance by Penn as Fatal Instinct (1993) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Carl a doped-out goofball named Spicoli. HighReiner. Armand Assante, Sherilyn Fenn, Kate energy feature debut for director Heckerling, Nelligan, Sean Young, Christopher McDonbased on Cameron Crowe’s factual book. ald, James Remar, Tony Randall, Clarence Film debuts of Forest Whitaker, Eric Stoltz, Clemons, Michael Cumpsty, Blake Clark, Anthony Edwards, and Nicolas Cage (billed Eartha Kitt, Bernard Hiller. Woeful, decadesunder his real name, Nicholas Coppola). belated spoof of vintage film noir, with conSome footage of Sean Penn was added for temporary references to BASIC INSTINCT, pay TV—but songs on soundtrack changed, BODY HEAT, and FATAL ATTRACTION altering running time to 90m. Later a TV thrown in. Assante shows an unexpected flair series. [R]▼●쩠 for farce as a cop/lawyer targeted for murder Fast Track SEE: Ex, The by wife Nelligan and her lover (McDonald); Young fares best as a blonde sexpot named Fast-Walking (1982) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lola. [PG-13]▼●쩠 James B. Harris. James Woods, Tim McIntire, Kay Lenz, Robert Hooks, M. Fat City (1972) C-100m. ★★★ D: John Emmet Walsh, Timothy Carey, Susan Huston. Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell. Oddball prison picture, laced with Tyrrell, Candy Clark, Nicholas Colasanto. black humor, stars Woods as Fast-Walking Taut adaptation of Leonard Gardner’s novel Miniver, mercenary prison guard who’s about tanktown boxer and his young prote´ge´ hired to assassinate politico Hooks. McIntire is one of Huston’s best later films, with gives a standout performance as a very solid performances all around. [PG]▼쩠 cagey inmate in a film whose interesting but Fate Is the Hunter (1964) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: disparate elements never quite gel. [R]▼ Ralph Nelson. Glenn Ford, Nancy Kwan, Rod Fatal Assassin SEE: Target of an Assassin Taylor, Suzanne Pleshette, Jane Russell, Fatal Attraction (1987) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wally Cox, Nehemiah Persoff, Mark Stevens, Adrian Lyne. Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, Max Showalter, Mary Wickes. One-note Anne Archer, Ellen Hamilton Latzen, Stuart drama of investigation into cause of controPankin, Ellen Foley, Fred Gwynne, Meg versial plane crash. Good cast works with rouMundy. Happily married man has a weekend tine script. Dorothy Malone appears unbilled fling with a sexy woman who turns out to be in one key scene. CinemaScope. psychotic and proceeds to turn his (and his famFateless (2005-Hungarian-German-British) C-140m. ★★★ D: Lajos Koltai. Marcell ily’s) life into a living hell. Audience-pleasing ´ ron Dithriller telegraphs most of its suspense payoffs Nagy, Be´la Do´ra, Ba´lint Pe´ntek, A and features a finale that seems more approme´ny, Pe´ter Fancsikai, Zsolt De´r, Daniel priate to RAMBO. Still, it’s extremely well Craig. During WW2 a Hungarian Jewish acted and certainly holds your attention. The teen (Nagy) is picked off a bus and disfilm’s original ending, which was more subtle patched to the death camps of the Holoand intriguing (but dumped after an unsuccesscaust. Without analyzing his plight or ful preview), is available on video. James Dearanguishing over his wretched circumstances den based his screenplay on his own British the boy settles into a pattern of life amid short subject, ‘‘Diversion.’’ [R]▼●쩠 the horrors of Auschwitz and Buchenwald. Fatal Beauty (1987) C-104m. BOMB D: Cinematographer Koltai’s directorial debut Tom Holland. Whoopi Goldberg, Sam Elis a powerful, sensitive rendering of Nobel liott, Ruben Blades, Harris Yulin, John P. Prize winner Imre Kerte´sz’s semiautobioRyan, Jennifer Warren, Brad Dourif, Neill graphical novel, although at times the filmBarry, Richard (Cheech) Marin. An inexmaker’s approach is a bit too operatic. cusably awful concoction with Goldberg as a Kerte´sz also scripted. Panavision.쩠 narcotics cop. There’s no shortage of gratuFat Girl (2001-French-Italian) C-86m. ★★★ itous violence . . . and an antidrug message to D: Catherine Breillat. Anaı¨s Reboux, Roxrationalize its excesses. Some of the diaane Mesquida, Libero De Rienzo, Arsine´e logue is mind-bogglingly awful. [R]▼●쩠 Khanjian, Romain Goupil, Laura Betti. PoFat Albert (2004) C-93m. ★★ D: Joel Zwick. tent drama from the always-provocative Kenan Thompson, Kyla Pratt, Dania Ramirez, Breillat explores the complex relationship Shedrack Anderson III, Jermaine Williams, between two sisters, aged 15 and 12, who Keith D. Robinson. Late-adolescent Pratt is (like all the director’s heroines) are obdowntrodden because she has no friends, sessed by sex. The older one (Mesquida) is so Albert, Mushmouth, and the rest of the pretty and desirable; the other (Reboux) Philly-neighborhood Bill Cosby creations may be plump and miserable, but has her emerge from her TV set as live editions of own yearnings. Breillat offers a voice to the their animated-cartoon selves. This solves her title character, a type who is usually the [ 445 ]

object of scorn or ridicule. Features graphic rane, Mitchell Marchand, Famke Janssen, sex scenes and an unsettling finale.쩠 Natasha Gregson Wagner, Paul Hipp, Ellen Father Brown SEE: Detective, The (1954) Greene, Samuel L. Jackson, Joie Lee, RoFather Goose (1964) C-115m. ★★★ D: Ralph sanna Arquette. Odd, slow-paced drama Nelson. Cary Grant, Leslie Caron, Trevor about a movie director (Goldblum) now alHoward, Jack Good, Nicole Felsette. Grant most a recluse, who lives on the Jersey goes native as shiftless bum on a South Seas shore with his teenage son (Cochrane). island during WW2, who’s persuaded to beCrowded plot involves drugs, a serial killer, come a lookout for the Australian navy—and a prophetic book, telepathy, mutated dolfinds himself sheltering Caron and a gaggle of phins and alcoholism. Tackles too much, but schoolgirls fleeing the Japanese. Lightweight is occasionally effective; Goldblum is exceland enjoyable. Oscar-winning script by Peter lent, as usual. John C. McGinley appears unStone and Frank Tarloff.▼쩠 billed. Written by the director. [R]▼ Father Hood (1993) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Darrell Fathers’ Day (1997) C-98m. ★★ D: Ivan James Roodt. Patrick Swayze, Halle Berry, Reitman. Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Sabrina Lloyd, Brian Bonsall, Michael Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Natassja Kinski, CharIronside, Diane Ladd, Bob Gunton, Adrienne lie Hofheimer, Bruce Greenwood, Jared Barbeau, Georgann Johnson. Embarrassingly Harris, Louis Lombardi, Patti D’Arbanville, bad action comedy about self-centered, twoCharles Rocket, Meagen Fay. When her 16bit hood Swayze, who inexplicably hooks up year-old son runs away, a desperate Kinski with his two kids (who’ve been ill treated tells each of two ex-lovers that he’s the real while in foster care) and takes them on a lessfather, hoping that this will spur one of them than-enthralling odyssey. In desperate need of to find the boy. The two men—a genuine a coherent script and characters who are even odd couple—wind up working together on slightly likable. [PG-13]▼●쩠 this daunting task. Lackluster remake of Father of the Bride (1950) 93m. ★★★★ D: Francis Veber’s LES COMPE`RES gets Vincente Minnelli. Spencer Tracy, Elizabeth whatever mileage it has from the two comic Taylor, Joan Bennett, Billie Burke, Leo G. Carstars’ personalities . . . but the boy is exroll, Don Taylor, Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn. Liz is tremely dislikable, and a subplot with his marrying Don Taylor, but Dad (Tracy) has all stepfather (Greenwood) is a complete misthe aggravation. Perceptive view of American fire. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 life, witty script by Frances Goodrich and AlFather’s Little Dividend (1951) 82m. bert Hackett (based on Edward Streeter’s ★★★ D: Vincente Minnelli. Spencer Tracy, book), and peerless Tracy performance. SeJoan Bennett, Elizabeth Taylor, Don Tayquel: FATHER’S LITTLE DIVIDEND. Later lor, Billie Burke, Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn. a TV series. Remade in 1991. Also shown in Delightful sequel to FATHER OF THE computer-colored version.▼●쩠 BRIDE with same cast. Now Tracy is Father of the Bride (1991) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 going to be a grandfather and he doesn’t D: Charles Shyer. Steve Martin, Diane look forward to it. Also shown in computerKeaton, Martin Short, Kimberly Williams, colored version.▼●쩠 Kieran Culkin, George Newbern, B. D. Father Was a Fullback (1949) 84m. ★★1⁄2 Wong, Peter Michael Goetz, Kate McD: John M. Stahl. Fred MacMurray, MauGregor Stewart, Martha Gehman. Pleasant reen O’Hara, Betty Lynn, Rudy Vallee, update of the 1950 comedy gem about a Thelma Ritter, Natalie Wood. Wholesome father unwilling to let go of his little girl. comedy with most engaging cast. MacIt’s refreshing to find such ‘‘normal’’ charMurray is football coach with as many acters in a ’90s movie, but there are too household problems as on the gridiron.▼ many lulls (and a few too many sidesteps Fathom (1967) C-99m. ★★★ D: Leslie into silliness) for it to hit the bull’s-eye as H. Martinson. Tony Franciosa, Raquel the original did. P.S.: Can we now arrange Welch, Clive Revill, Greta Chi, Richard a moratorium on the song ‘‘My Girl’’? Briers, Ronald Fraser, Tony Adams. FastFunny cameo by Eugene Levy. Followed paced, tongue-in-cheek spy caper with skyby a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 diver Welch getting mixed up with dubious Father of the Bride Part II (1995) C-106m. ★★★ good-guy Franciosa. Great fun, with ReD: Charles Shyer. Steve Martin, Diane vill’s performance as eccentric millionaire Keaton, Martin Short, Kimberly Williams, stealing the show. Music score by John George Newbern, Kieran Culkin, B. D. Wong, Dankworth. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Peter Michael Goetz, Kate McGregor Stewart, Fat Man, The (1951) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilEugene Levy. Agreeable sequel has married liam Castle. J. Scott Smart, Rock Hudson, daughter Williams announcing that she’s pregJulie London, Clinton Sundberg, Jayne nant, which impels Dad (Martin) to confront Meadows, Emmett Kelly. The star of ramiddle age. His midlife crisis includes a rash dio’s popular series of the same name decision to sell their house and a renewed roappeared in this one-shot film adaptation manticism. Longish but fun. [PG]▼●쩠 as the corpulent gourmet/detective (created Fathers and Sons (1992) C-100m. ★★ D: Paul Mones. Jeff Goldblum, Rory Cochby Dashiell Hammett) whose investigation [ 446 ]

of a murder leads him to a circus for Goldblum, Natasha Richardson, Michel whodunit showdown. Blanc, Jacques Villeret, Angela Pleasence, Fat Man and Little Boy (1989) C-126m. Jean-Pierre Cassel, Samuel Chaimovitch. ★★★ Pianist Goldblum agrees to pose as Christ D: Roland Joffe´. Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia, John Cusack, on the cross for a photographer specializLaura Dern, Ron Frazier, John C. Mcing in Biblical pictures—and then starts Ginley, Natasha Richardson. Flawed but taking his role too seriously. Weak attempt still arresting film about the development at farce never quite connects, despite some of the atomic bomb, personalizing the story amusing moments scattered about. This cast deserves better. [R]▼● by focusing on General Groves (Newman), the bullheaded Army officer who was Fay Grim (2007-U.S.-German) C-118m. ★★1 handed the job, and the brilliant J. Robert ⁄2 D: Hal Hartley. Parker Posey, Jeff Oppenheimer (Schultz), who organized the Goldblum, James Urbaniak, Saffron Burbrain trust creating the bomb. One complaint: rows, Liam Aiken, Elina Lo¨wensohn, Leo some decidedly non-1940s slang amid the diaFitzpatrick, Chuck Montgomery, Thomas logue. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Jay Ryan. Sequel to Hartley’s HENRY Fatso (1980) C-94m. ★★ D: Anne BanFOOL picks up where that film left off, croft. Dom DeLuise, Anne Bancroft, Candice as Posey—abandoned by her husband, who Azzara, Ron Carey, Michael Lombard, Sal may or may not be dead—struggles with Viscuso. Bancroft’s only feature as writer-diher rebellious teenage son. She then berector is disappointing. Fat man DeLuise halfcomes a pawn of CIA agent Goldblum and heartedly tries to reduce after the death of his flies to Europe to carry out a strange bargain obese cousin. Film veers unevenly between involving Henry Fool’s unpublished manucomedy and pathos, with a few too many script, which supposedly contains volatile excrement jokes, perhaps the uncredited coninformation. Highly committed perfortribution of Mel Brooks. [PG]▼쩠 mances by the cast invite you to go along on Fat Spy, The (1965) C-75m. ★1⁄2 D: Jothis screw-loose, convoluted, straight-faced seph Cates. Phyllis Diller, Jack E. Leonbut tongue-in-cheek journey, even though it ard, Brian Donlevy, Jayne Mansfield, doesn’t make much sense. Hartley also edJordan Christopher, The Wild Ones, Johnny ited and composed the score. [R]쩠 Tillotson. Once-in-a-lifetime cast makes FBI Story, The (1959) C-149m. ★★★ D: this a must for camp followers—and a sure Mervyn LeRoy. James Stewart, Vera Miles, thing to avoid for most others. Fat Jack Murray Hamilton, Larry Pennell, Nick plays dual roles, in a story of a search for Adams, Diane Jergens, Joyce Taylor. Wellthe Fountain of Youth. Shot in Florida.▼쩠 mounted fabrication of history of F.B.I. as Faust (1926-German) 116m. ★★★ D: F. W. seen through career of agent Stewart, allowing Murnau. Emil Jannings, Gosta Ekman, Cafor episodic sidelights into action-packed capers and view of his personal life.▼●쩠 milla Horn, Wilhelm (William) Dieterle, Yvette Guilbert, Eric Barcley. Oft-told story Fear (1996) C-95m. ★★ D: James Foley. of the eternal, earthly conflict between good Mark Wahlberg, Reese Witherspoon, Wiland evil, in which the title character barliam Petersen, Amy Brenneman, Alyssa Migains away his soul to Mephistopheles (Janlano. Squeaky-clean teen falls for sexy psycho nings). Not a classic like Murnau’s THE who locks horns with protective papa in a LAST LAUGH or SUNRISE, but still a deadly battle. Passable slasher pic is somecompelling, inventively directed, visually what redeemed by Foley’s taut, stylish direcsumptuous film, highlighted by clever spetion (the roller coaster scene is pretty cial effects and impressive use of light and steamy) and decent performances. Still, it’s shadow. Based on the play by Goethe. Dieawfully derivative, especially the final terle, then an actor, later directed THE showdown at the family nest. Former rapper/ DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER.▼●쩠 Calvin Klein pinup Wahlberg is menacing as Fauteuils d’Orchestre SEE: Avenue the lovestruck hood, but he could benefit from Montaigne diction lessons. Executive producer Brian Favor, The (1994) C-97m. ★★ D: Donald Grazer called this ‘‘FATAL ATTRACTION Petrie. Harley Jane Kozak, Elizabeth McGovfor teens.’’ Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 ern, Bill Pullman, Brad Pitt, Ken Wahl, Larry Fear and Desire (1953) 68m. ★★ D: Stanley Miller, Holland Taylor. ‘‘Happily’’ married Kubrick. Frank Silvera, Kenneth Harp, Paul Kozak asks best friend McGovern to look Mazursky, Steve Coit, Virginia Leith; narup—and sleep with—her high school hunk rated by David Allen. Kubrick’s elusive, boyfriend, so she can vicariously experience shoestring-budget feature-film debut is an the affair. Pleasant cast undone by comedy maexistential antiwar allegory centering on terial that doesn’t ring true for one minute. Sat four G.I.s (including a very green Mazuron the shelf after completion in 1991; its lattersky, in his film debut) stranded behind the day release did no one any favors. [R]▼●쩠 lines of an unknown enemy and fighting a Favour, the Watch, and the Very Big fictitious war in an unidentified country. Fish, The (1991-French-British) C-89m. Long suppressed by Kubrick himself—who ★★ D: Ben Lewin. Bob Hoskins, Jeff also photographed, edited, and cowrote with [ 447 ]

poet/playwright Howard Sackler—the movie Kelley dreams he has killed a man in a mircontains some striking imagery and shows the rored room—and wakes up to be confronted germs of budding talent, but generally comes by evidence that his fantasy was in fact realoff as an arty and pretentious student film. ity. Based on the story ‘‘Nightmare’’ by Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998) William Irish (Cornell Woolrich); remade under that title in 1956.▼쩠 C-119m. BOMB D: Terry Gilliam. Johnny Depp, Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Fear in the Night (1972-British) C-94m. ★★ D: Jimmy Sangster. Judy Geeson, Joan Craig Bierko, Katherine Helmond, Mark Harmon, Tim Thomerson, Penn Jillette, Cameron Collins, Ralph Bates, Peter Cushing. NewDiaz, Lyle Lovett, Flea, Gary Busey, Chrislywed Geeson accompanies husband Bates tina Ricci, Michael Jeter, Harry Dean Stanton, to a private school where the only other Ellen Barkin. Excruciating adaptation of inhabitants are a somewhat befuddled headHunter S. Thompson’s 1971 book, which master (Cushing) and his cool wife (Coldefined the counterculture of its day. The lins). Geeson can’t get anyone to believe film, however, is simply one monotonous, someone is trying to kill her. Minor Hammer thriller. ▼쩠 painfully long drug trip—replete with closeups of vomit and swooping camera moveFear Is the Key (1972-British) C-103m. 1⁄2 D: Michael Tuchner. Barry Newman, ★ ments at any and every opportunity. Perhaps Thompson diehards will find some value Suzy Kendall, John Vernon, Dolph Sweet, here; others beware. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Ben Kingsley. Confused, unsatisfying Fear Chamber, The (1971-Mexican-U.S) Alistair MacLean thriller about a man driven C-80m. ★1⁄2 D: Juan Ibanez, Jack Hill. Boris to extremes in pursuit of stolen booty— Karloff, Julissa, Carlos East, Isela Vega, and revenge for the murder of his wife and Yerye Beirute. Strange film about a semichild. Kingsley’s debut and only film work living stone from volcano caves that rebefore GANDHI. Panavision. [PG] Fearless (1993) C-122m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter quires fluid from a terrified person in order to communicate with humans; dedicated Weir. Jeff Bridges, Isabella Rossellini, scientist Karloff and his assistants are all Rosie Perez, Tom Hulce, John Turturro, Betoo eager to help. Though faintly better than nicio Del Toro, Deirdre O’Connell, John De the other three Mexican-American producLancie, Spencer Vrooman, Daniel Cerny, tions Karloff worked on in 1968 (just before Eve Roberts. A man feels his life, his outhis death), this is still awful. Aka TORlook, his entire raison d’eˆtre changed after TURE ZONE.▼쩠 he survives a terrible plane crash; he can no Fear City (1984) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Abel longer deal with his own family, but is Ferrara. Tom Berenger, Billy Dee Williams, drawn to another survivor (Perez), who’s Jack Scalia, Melanie Griffith, Rossano Brazzi, unable to cope with the loss of her baby in Rae Dawn Chong, Joe Santos, Michael V. the crash. Superior writing and acting, with Gazzo, Jan Murray, Ola Ray, Maria Conchita Bridges (good as always) matched by RosAlonso. Incredibly sleazy look at Manhattan sellini (in her best performance to date, as lowlife—violent and repellent in the extreme. his wife) and Perez. Screenplay by Rafael Remarkably good cast for this kind of exploiYglesias, based on his novel. [R]▼●쩠 tation fodder. [R]▼●쩠 Fearless (2006) SEE: Jet Li’s Fearless FeardotCom (2002-British-LuxembourgianFearless Frank (1967) C-83m. BOMB German) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: William Malone. D: Philip Kaufman. Jon Voight, Monique Stephen Dorff, Natascha McElhone, SteVan Vooren, Joan Darling, Severn Darden, phen Rea, Udo Kier, Amelia Curtis, Jeffrey Anthony Holland, Lou Gilbert, David SteinCombs, Nigel Terry, Michael Sarrazin. Cop berg, Nelson Algren. Naive country boy Dorff and health worker McElhone link a Voight treks off to the Big City, is murdered by series of strange deaths in N.Y.C. to a pargangsters, and is reincarnated as a superhero ticular computer Web site. Dark, gloomy, and his monsterlike clone. Pretentious satire is and very gory, this urban nightmare is well of interest only as a curio—and as Voight’s visualized, but the story is confusing and film debut. Filmed in Chicago in 1965. Aka hard to follow. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 FRANK’S GREATEST ADVENTURE and Fear Inside, The (1992) C-115m. ★★★ D: subsequently cut to 78m. Techniscope. Leon Ichaso. Christine Lahti, Dylan McDerFearless Vampire Killers or: Pardon Me, mott, Jennifer Rubin, David Ackroyd, Thomas But Your Teeth Are in My Neck, The Ian Nicholas, Paul Linke. Lahti shines as an (1967-British) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Roman agoraphobic book artist held hostage at home Polanski. Jack MacGowran, Roman Polanby a pair of killers. David Birke’s well-turned ski, Sharon Tate, Alfie Bass, Ferdy Mayne, screenplay owes something, it seems, to Terry Downes, Ronald Lacey. Near-brilliant LADY IN A CAGE. Theatrical film that premixture of humor and horror: Professor miered on cable television. [R]▼● Abronsius and assistant Alfred (great bumFear in the Night (1947) 72m. ★★★ D: bling idiot team) attempt to destroy family Maxwell Shane. Paul Kelly, DeForest Kelof Slovonic vampires. Full 107m. version ley, Kay Scott, Ann Doran, Robert Emmett also available. Screenplay by Polanski and Keane. Nifty chiller in which bank teller Ge´rard Brach. Later a Broadway musical [ 448 ]

called DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES (the vidtz, Tom Bell, Gemma Jones, James Purefilm’s alternate title). Panavision.▼●쩠 foy, Greg Wise, Kenneth Anderson, Ben Fearmakers, The (1958) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chaplin. A wandering, abandoned unwed Jacques Tourneur. Dana Andrews, Dick Foran, mother finds shelter with three brothers and Marilee Earle, Veda Ann Borg, Mel Torme´. their parents, setting off sexual sparks in the Brainwashed ex-POW Andrews comes home formerly placid Victorian household. Poky from the Korean War to discover that his PR prestige film, produced by Merchant-Ivory firm has been overrun by subversives. Crisply and based on the H. E. Bates novel, begins told, low-budget Cold War thriller. While it’s and ends satisfactorily, but the middle 90 minvery much of its time, it anticipates contemutes is slow going. Davidtz is almost too amporary ideas about the way politicians and biguous in the lead. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 political ideas are sold to the public. ▼ Feast of Love (2007) C-102m. ★★ D: RobFear of a Black Hat (1993) C-86m. ★★★ ert Benton. Morgan Freeman, Greg KinD: Rusty Cundieff. Larry B. Scott, Mark near, Radha Mitchell, Selma Blair, Alexa Christopher Lawrence, Rusty Cundieff, Davalos, Billy Burke, Toby Hemingway, Kasi Lemmons, Howie Gold, Eric LaneuFred Ward, Jane Alexander, Missi Pyle, ville, Barry Heins, Shabaka (Barry Shabaka Erika Marozsa´n. Love and heartache amidst Henley). THIS IS SPINAL TAP goes rap in a group of people whose lives interweave this nifty burlesque about those rude, crude in Portland, Oregon, including a seemingly gangsta rappers N.W.H. (Niggaz With serene college professor (Freeman), an upHats). Group members are Tasty Taste, beat coffee shop owner (Kinnear) who can’t Tone Def, and Ice Cold (the latter played by ever see what’s going on with the women in director Cundieff, who also scripted). Quite his life, and a young woman (Davalos) who funny at times, with Cundieff cleverly chidpromises to brighten things up. Genteel and ing the self-serving ‘‘street politics’’ of attractive, but after a while you can feel the Public Enemy and 2 Live Crew. [R]▼●쩠 wheels turning . . . slowly. Based on a novel ★★★ Fear Strikes Out (1957) 100m. D: by Charles Baxter. Super 35. [R]쩠 Robert Mulligan. Anthony Perkins, Karl Federal Hill (1994) 100m. ★★★ D: Michael Malden, Norma Moore, Adam Williams, Corrente. Nicholas Turturro, Anthony DePerry Wilson. Stark account of baseball Sando, Libby Langdon, Michael Raynor, star Jimmy Piersall and his bout with menJason Andrews, Robert Turano, Frank Vintal illness; Perkins is properly intense, with cent. Story of male camaraderie among Malden superb as his domineering father. young Italian-Americans ‘‘from the neighVistaVision.▼●쩠 borhood’’ (Providence, R.I.) has an awfully Fear X (2003-Danish-Canadian-British) Cfamiliar MEAN STREETS ring to it, but 91m. BOMB D: Nicolas Winding Refn. it’s quite well done—extremely well acted John Turturro, Deborah Kara Unger, Stephen and filled with unexpected twists. Turturro McIntyre, William Allen Young, Jacqueline gives a star-making performance as the Ramel, James Remar. Security guard Turturro firecracker-tempered Ralphie, though the film is curious to find out who killed his wife and concentrates on Nicky (DeSando), the local why. Slow, dull exercise in the emptiness of hunk infatuated with a pretty archeology movies—uh, sorry, life . . . no, movies . . . student who’s way out of his league. Direclife . . . arggghhh! The type of film where the tor Corrente (who also scripted) plays viewer spends more time wondering at which Fredo. Available on video in original and yard sale the set decorator found the lamp computer-colored versions. [R]▼●쩠 than caring about the story or characters. Fedora (1978-German) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Widescreen. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Billy Wilder. William Holden, Marthe KelFeast (2005) C-87m. BOMB D: John Guler, Hildegarde Knef, Jose Ferrer, Frances lager. Duane Whitaker, Balthazar Getty, Sternhagen, Henry Fonda, Michael York, Chauntae Davies, Diane Goldner, Josh ZucMario Adorf, Stephen Collins. Stylish but kerman, Henry Rollins, Eileen Ryan, Jason ponderous filmization of Thomas Tryon’s Mewes, Judah Friedlander, Krista Allen, Eric short story about a producer’s disastrous atDane. The filmmakers who starred on the realtempt to lure a Garbo-esque actress out of ity TV show Project Greenlight came up with seclusion. Wilder’s potshots at today’s films this noisy, tedious ordeal, in which a motley and filmmakers might carry more weight if crew of strangers in a bar find themselves this film was better. [PG]▼● attacked by gooey, flesh-eating creatures. Feds (1988) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: Dan GoldDoesn’t have a shred of character developberg. Rebecca De Mornay, Mary Gross, ment, plot, or suspense but offers copious Fred Dalton Thompson, Ken Marshall, amounts of gore, explosions, and incoherLarry Cedar. Pert female cop and her bookent, choppy editing. Director’s father, Clu ish roommate conquer male-chauvinistic colGulager, plays a bartender. Unrated DVD leagues during their struggle to make ‘‘the also available. Followed by two DVD secut’’ at the FBI Academy. Unlike the quels. HD Widescreen. [R]쩠 POLICE ACADEMY farces, this is played Feast of July (1995-U.S.-British) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher Menaul. Embeth Dafairly straight, perhaps in deference to Bu[ 449 ]

reau cooperation; result is laughless—and Fellini’s Casanova (1976-Italian) C-158m. ★★1 thus, pointless—comedy. [PG-13]▼● ⁄2 D: Federico Fellini. Donald SutherFeeling Minnesota (1996) C-95m. ★★ D: land, Tina Aumont, Cicely Browne, John Steven Baigelman. Keanu Reeves, Vincent Karlsen, Daniel Emilfork Berenstein. UnD’Onofrio, Cameron Diaz, Delroy Lindo, involving if opulent version of 18th-century Courtney Love, Tuesday Weld, Dan Ayklover’s life, made entirely at Rome’s royd, Levon Helm. Baigelman’s highly Cinecitta Studios. Sutherland is enigmatic, touted writing and directing debut explores the film stylized to a sometimes absurd the explosive and unpredictable relationship degree. Nino Rota’s music helps. Danilo Donati won an Oscar for his costumes. [R]▼ between two brothers and the cagey young woman who comes between them. Watchable Fellini’s Roma (1972-Italian) C-128m. ★★★ at times, but utterly disappointing; interestD: Federico Fellini. Peter Gonzales, Britta ing cast is left high and dry, including the Barnes, Pia de Doses, Fiona Florence, always welcome Weld as the boys’ mother. Marne Maitland, Renato Giovannoli, FedMovie’s title was suggested by a line in a erico Fellini. Famed director’s impressionsong by Soundgarden. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 istic ode to Eternal City of his youth, his Feel the Noise (2007) C-88m. ★★ D: Aleadolescence, and the present—complete jandro Chomski. Omarion Grandberry, with fantasy sequence and usual carnivalGiancarlo Esposito, Zulay Henao, James of-life point of view. [R]▼●쩠 McCaffrey, Kellita Smith, Melonie Diaz. Fellow Traveler (1989-British) C-97m. ★★★ After running afoul of a Harlem gangster, a D: Philip Saville. Ron Silver, Hart Bochner, young would-be rapper (R&B singer Imogen Stubbs, Daniel J. Travanti, Katherine Grandberry) seeks safe haven with his longBorowitz. Excellent political thriller detailestranged father (Esposito) in Puerto Rico, ing the plight and fate of a pair of childhood where he develops a taste for reggaeto´n—a pals, one (Bochner) a movie star and the muy caliente mix of rap, hip-hop, reggae, other (Silver) a scriptwriter, who are both and salsa. Stock characters abound in this blacklisted during the McCarthy era. Esformulaic music-fueled drama, but viewers pecially on target as a reflection of the may get in the groove while savoring enertemper of the 1950s, with a perceptive script by Michael Eaton. ▼ getic reggaeto´n performances and modestly steamy dance sequences. Look sharp, and Female (1933) 60m. ★★★ D: Michael Curtiz. you’ll catch a glimpse of coproducer JenniRuth Chatterton, George Brent, Ferdinand fer Lopez (and husband Marc Anthony) Gottschalk, Philip Faversham, Ruth Donnelly, during the movie’s final minutes. [PG-13]쩠 Johnny Mack Brown, Lois Wilson, Gavin Feet First (1930) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clyde Gordon. Chatterton runs a major auto company Bruckman. Harold Lloyd, Barbara Kent, with an iron hand—and tries to conduct her Robert McWade, Lillian Leighton, Henry love life the same way—until independentHall. Lloyd talkie tries to rekindle spirit of minded Brent comes along. (The two stars his silent comedies with middling results. were then married in real life.) Funny, fasciEpisodic film has some very funny monating role-reversal yarn with incredibly lavments, but Harold’s building-ledge routine ish set design—watch for the organist perched in Ruth’s entrance foyer!▼●쩠 doesn’t quite come off. ▼쩠 Felicia’s Journey (1999-Canadian-British) Female on the Beach (1955) 97m. ★★ D: C-113m. ★★ D: Atom Egoyan. Bob HosJoseph Pevney. Joan Crawford, Jeff Chankins, Arsine´e Khanjian, Elaine Cassidy, dler, Jan Sterling, Cecil Kellaway, Judith Sheila Reid, Peter McDonald, Gerard McEvelyn, Natalie Schafer, Charles Drake. Sorley, Brid Brennan. Mild-mannered caHot, heavy—and very tacky—melodrama, tering manager at a British factory takes a in which fisherman-stud Chandler attempts kindly interest in a young pregnant woman to put the make on wealthy widow Crawwho’s come over from Ireland looking for ford. Outrageously trashy script is crammed the boyfriend who abandoned her . . . but with sexual double entendres. A must for the man’s intentions are far from pure. A Crawford fans—but don’t expect anything disappointment from Egoyan, from whom resembling a good movie. we expect more than just another story Female Perversions (1997) C-119m. ★★ D: about a psycho—however layered it may Susan Streitfeld. Tilda Swinton, Amy Madibe. Egoyan scripted from William Trevor’s gan, Karen Sillas, Frances Fisher, Laila Robnovel. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 ins, Clancy Brown, Paulina Porizkova, John Fellini Satyricon (1970-Italian) C-129m. Diehl, Lisa Jane Persky, Marcia Cross. Story ★★★ D: Federico Fellini. Martin Potter, of highly successful lawyer (Swinton), in line Hiram Keller, Max Born, Capucine, Salvo for a judgeship, who is consumed by selfRandone. Opinions vary on merits of this doubt. She swings both ways sexually, and visually stunning but overindulgent spectacle repeatedly puts her reputation at risk. That her on ancient Rome, but if you love Fellini, Ph.D. candidate sister is a shoplifter is testiyou’ll be more receptive than most viewers to mony to their highly dysfunctional upbringing. his unique panorama of colorful and bizarre Disjointed, pretentious film with a title more characters. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 titillating than the film itself. [R]▼쩠 [ 450 ]

Female Space Invaders SEE: Starcrash funny, with on-target jabs at high school life, Feminine Touch, The (1941) 97m. ★★1⁄2 then wanders through heavy-handed slapstick D: W. S. Van Dyke, II. Rosalind Russell, and moody self-serious ruminations before reDon Ameche, Kay Francis, Van Heflin, Dongaining momentum for a bright finish. Typiald Meek, Gordon Jones, Robert Ryan. Brittle cally uneven John Hughes script, but one of comedy of author Ameche writing book on the pop-culture landmarks of its time. Later jealousy, finding himself a victim when he a TV series. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 brings wife Russell to N.Y.C.; she suspects Ferry Cross the Mersey (1965-British) he’s carrying on with glamorous Francis. 88m. ★★ D: Jeremy Summers. Gerry and Femme Fatale (1991) C-90m. BOMB D: The Pacemakers, Cilla Black, The Fourmost, Andre´ Guttfreund. Colin Firth, Lisa Zane, Jimmy Saville. Gerry Marsden and The PaceBilly Zane, Scott Wilson, Lisa Blount, Carmakers perform eight songs in this musical mine Caridi. Firth is squeaky-clean newlywed made to cash in on their popularity; most apwhose mysterious bride vanishes on eve of propriately, they appear as a Liverpool band their honeymoon; he then uncovers lurid unattempting to compete in a music contest. derground lifestyle she came from and to Ferry to Hong Kong (1959-British) Cwhich she may have returned. Lisa Zane isn’t 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Gilbert. Orson terribly enigmatic, just tedious. Psychological Welles, Curt Jurgens, Sylvia Syms, Jerdrama begs for a sensible screenplay. Lisa and emy Spenser. Welles and Jurgens have Billy Zane are sister and brother. [Available field day as straight-faced ferry boat skipin both R and PG versions]▼● per and drunken Austrian on trip to Macao. Otherwise just routine. CinemaScope.▼ Femme Fatale (2002-French) C-112m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Brian De Palma. Rebecca RomijnFestival in Cannes (2002) C-99m. ★★★ D: Stamos, Antonio Banderas, Peter Coyote, Eriq Henry Jaglom. Anouk Aime´e, Maximilian Ebouaney, Edouard Montoute, Rie RasmusSchell, Greta Scacchi, Zack Norman, Ron sen, Thierry Fre´mont, Gregg Henry. Giddy Silver, Jenny Gabrielle, Alex Craig Mann, mix of ingredients from vintage De Palma (and Peter Bogdanovich. Slice-of-life drama set Hitchcock) thrillers with Romijn-Stamos in against the Cannes Film Festival, where evfine form—literally and otherwise—as a eryone is after something: a deal, a script, a deadly blonde bombshell. She cheats her partcommitment, a comeback, a reconciliation. ners out of the loot from a daring theft and asTold in Jaglom’s loose, sometimes ragged sumes a new identity, but she’s been caught on improvisational style, with exceptional actors film by photographer Banderas . . . and the adding substance to the proceedings. Funny, twists just keep a-comin’. Story doesn’t make observant, and especially recommended for much sense, but tries to intoxicate the viewer movie buffs. Cameos include Faye Dunaway and William Shatner.▼쩠 with its audacity and a swirl of stylish images and set pieces. Re´gis Wargnier and Sandrine Feud, The (1989) C-96m. ★★★ D: Bill Bonnaire appear in the Cannes Film Festival D’Elia. Rene Auberjonois, Ron McLarty, segment, screening their film EAST-WEST. Joe Grifasi, Scott Allegrucci, Gale Mayron, Written by the director. [R] ▼쩠 David Strathairn, Stanley Tucci, Lynne KillFernGully . . . The Last Rainforest meyer, Kathleen Doyle, Libby George. David (1992) C-76m. ★★★ D: Bill Kroyer. Voices Lynch meets Norman Rockwell in this oddly of Tim Curry, Samantha Mathis, Christian likable satire of 1950s small-town America, Slater, Robin Williams, Grace Zabriskie, centering on a feud that erupts between two Cheech Marin, Thomas Chong, Tone Loc. families in neighboring hamlets. Broadly Entertaining animated feature for kids, with played; has cult-status possibilities. Based on an ecological message. Mystical miniature Thomas Berger’s novel; coscripted by firsttime director D’Elia. [R]▼ forest creatures are threatened when human invasion of their rainforest (with bullFever (1989-Australian) C-83m. ★★★ D: dozers) threatens to unleash an evil spirit Craig Lahiff. Bill Hunter, Mary Regan, who’s been locked up in a tree for years. Gary Sweet. Virtually silent film noir in the Lively and enjoyable, if not memorable, with James M. Cain/Hitchcock vein. The ingreplenty of laughs for grownups in the freedients are a tough cop, his younger wife, her flowing dialogue of Batty Koda, a whackedshallow lover, and a suitcase full of money. out bat voiced by Robin Williams. FolSurprising throughout. [R]▼ lowed by a video sequel, FERNGULLY 2: Fever (2001) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alex Winter. THE MAGICAL RESCUE. [G]▼●쩠 Henry Thomas, David O’Hara, Teri Hatcher, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986) C-103m. Bill Duke, Remak Ramsey, Marisol Padilla ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Hughes. Matthew Broderick, Sanchez, Irma St. Paule. Somber, pitch-black Alan Ruck, Mia Sara, Jeffrey Jones, Jennifer chiller about a struggling young artist/drawGrey, Cindy Pickett, Lyman Ward, Edie ing instructor (Thomas) who lives in a McClurg, Charlie Sheen, Ben Stein, Del dingy Brooklyn tenement. On the night a Close, Virginia Capers, Louis Anderson, Max mysterious stranger moves in upstairs, his Perlich, T. Scott Coffey, Kristy Swanson. landlord is brutally murdered. Is his new Saga of a cocky teenager’s day of adventure neighbor real or imagined? Does the cop on while cutting classes. Starts off extremely the case think he’s the killer? Occasional [ 451 ]

boring stretches are outweighed by genuDemi Moore, Kevin Bacon, Kiefer Sutherland, inely creepy atmosphere and effectively unKevin Pollak, James Marshall, J.T. Walsh, derstated performances; Winter (of BILL & Christopher Guest, J.A. Preston, Matt Craven, TED fame) does a fine job of visualizing the Wolfgang Bodison, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Noah artist’s fears and growing paranoia. [R] ▼쩠 Wyle. Aaron Sorkin’s powerful one-set play is Fever in the Blood, A (1961) 117m. ★★1⁄2 effectively expanded for movie retelling, as a D: Vincent Sherman. Efrem Zimbalist, slick young Navy lawyer (Cruise) is driven to Jr., Angie Dickinson, Herbert Marshall, investigate the case of two Marines who killed Don Ameche, Jack Kelly, Carroll O’Cona compatriot. Nicholson bristles as the comnor. Turgid dramatics focusing on murder manding officer of the base who doesn’t want trial which various candidates for goverthe whole story told. Smashing courtroom clinor use to further political ambitions. max, top-grade performances all around, but a Fever Pitch (1985) C-96m. BOMB D: Richhandful of contrivances keep this from scoring a direct hit. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 ard Brooks. Ryan O’Neal, Catherine Hicks, Giancarlo Giannini, Bridgette Andersen, ffolkes (1980) C-99m. ★★★ D: Andrew V. Chad Everett, John Saxon, William Smith. McLaglen. Roger Moore, James Mason, Anachronistic look at gambling fever with Anthony Perkins, Michael Parks, David newspaper columnist (and ‘‘fever’’ victim) Hedison, Jack Watson, Lea Brodie. Moore O’Neal. Embarrassingly bad; overwritten by has fun playing an eccentric counterterrorist veteran Brooks with declamatory dialogue hired by the British government when a from the Dragnet school of scripts. [R]▼ team of terrorists threaten to blow up two Fever Pitch (1997-British) C-102m. ★★★ D: North Sea oil rigs. Surprisingly little action David Evans. Colin Firth, Ruth Gemmell, per se, but an entertaining yarn. Retitled Neil Pearson, Lorraine Ashbourne, Mark ASSAULT FORCE for TV. Aka NORTH Strong, Holly Aird, Ken Stott, Stephen Rea. SEA HIJACK. [PG]▼쩠 Likable, often perceptive look at a soccerF for Fake (1974) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Orson obsessed schoolteacher and the colleague who Welles. Wellesian tomfoolery, which started falls in love with him but can’t understand (or out as a portrait of notorious art forger embrace) his obsession with a local team. Nick Elmyr de Hory. When one of the interviewHornby (HIGH FIDELITY) adapted his ees turned out to be Clifford Irving—who novel, which offers a fresh look at the differfooled the world with a bogus Howard ences between men and women. Remade in Hughes autobiography—Welles was forced 2005. [R]▼쩠 to alter his film. Now it’s a free-form treaFever Pitch (2005) C-101m. ★★★ D: Peter tise on hoaxes, with Welles’ on-camera Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly. Drew Barrymore, charm compensating for some of the movJimmy Fallon, James B. Sikking, JoBeth ie’s rough edges. Joseph Cotten, Paul StewWilliams, Willie Garson, Evan Helmuth, art, and Laurence Harvey appear briefly as Ione Skye, KaDee Strickland, Marissa Jaret themselves, along with Welles’ longtime Winokur. Appealing comedy about a workacompanion, Oja Kodar.▼●쩠 holic, just turning 30, who meets a nice-guy Fickle Finger of Fate, The (1967-U.S.schoolteacher one winter, only to learn as Spanish) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Richard Rush. spring arrives that he is a lifelong Boston Tab Hunter, Luis Prendes, Patty Shepard, Red Sox fanatic. Writers Lowell Ganz and Gustavo Rojo, Fernando Hilbeck. Idiotic Babaloo Mandel paint a believable picture of comedy with Hunter an American engitwo people who love each other but have to neer falsely accused of smuggling a canovercome a major obstacle. A departure from dlestick, known as The Finger of Fate, out gross-out absurdism for the Farrelly Brothers; of Spain. He goes undercover in an attempt to unmask the real culprit.▼ the stars couldn’t be more likable. Set against the backdrop of the Red Sox’s amazing 2004 Fiddler on the Roof (1971) C-181m. ★★★ season. Based on Nick Hornby’s novel, D: Norman Jewison. (Chaim) Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, Paul filmed before in 1997. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Few Days in the Life of I. I. Oblomov, A Mann, Rosalind Harris, Michele Marsh, Neva SEE: Oblomov Small, Candice Bonstein, Paul (Michael) GlaFew Days With Me, A (1988-French) ser. Rousing, colorful location-filmed adaptaC-131m. ★★★ D: Claude Sautet. Daniel tion of Joseph Stein’s hit play based on Sholem Auteuil, Sandrine Bonnaire, Jean-Pierre Aleichem stories of humble village of AnaMarielle, Dominique Lavanant, Danielle tevka. Topol is hearty as Tevye, trying to preDarrieux, Tanya Lopert. Intriguing chronserve Jewish heritage against growing odds. icle of chameleonlike Auteuil, whose famSheldon Harnick–Jerry Bock score melodiily owns a department-store chain, and the cally performed; Isaac Stern’s violin featured series of events that ensue upon his checkon soundtrack. Earned Oscars for Cinematoging up on one outlet, located in a provinraphy (Oswald Morris) and Scoring (John cial town. Veers too much between comedy Williams). Reissued at 150m. For an interest(some of which is hilarious) and drama. ing comparison, see the original YiddishFew Good Men, A (1992) C-138m. ★★★ D: language TEVYE. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Rob Reiner. Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Fido (2007-Canadian) C-91m. ★★ D: An[ 452 ]

drew Currie. Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy ConFiend Without a Face (1958-British) 74m. ★1 nolly, Dylan Baker, K’Sun Ray, Tim Blake ⁄2 D: Arthur Crabtree. Marshall ThompNelson, Henry Czerny, Sonja Bennett, Jenson, Kim Parker, Terence Kilburn, Michael nifer Clement, Rob LaBelle, Aaron Brown. Balfour, Gil Winfield. Scientist materializes Standard boy-and-his-dog formula is given thoughts in form of invisible brain-shaped a darkly amusing futuristic twist. A boy creatures which kill people for food. Horrific named Timmy (of course) adopts a domesticlimax; good special effects.▼●쩠 cated six-foot-tall zombie that performs all Fiend With the Atomic Brain, The SEE: the tasks a family pet might . . . until he Blood of Ghastly Horror starts sucking on the neighbors and terrorizFiend with the Electronic Brain, The ing the tight-knit community. Smart premSEE: Blood of Ghastly Horror Fierce Creatures (1997) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: ise could have been a contender in better hands; starts out great but quickly lapses Robert Young, Fred Schepisi. John Cleese, into predictable silliness and gore. Connolly Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael is fun to watch as Fido. Super 35. [R]쩠 Palin, Ronnie Corbett, Carey Lowell, RobField, The (1990-British) C-107m. ★★ D: Jim ert Lindsay. Heartless corporate mogul Sheridan. Richard Harris, John Hurt, Tom Betakes over a failing British zoo and insists it renger, Sean Bean, Brenda Fricker, Frances pay its own way, leaving the new zoo direcTomelty, John Cowley, Sean McGinley, Jenny tor (Cleese) to deal with a resentful staff and Conroy. Ireland, the 1930s: a bull of a man other complications. Pleasant enough farce who’s nurtured a rented field into a prime cowritten by Cleese to reunite the cast of A piece of land nearly goes crazy when the FISH CALLED WANDA never quite pays widow who owns it decides to sell it at aucoff, but has its moments. Kline is fun in a dual tion. Grim tale of deep-rooted stubbornness role. Filmed in 1995, then largely rewritten (and provincial clannishness) plays out like a and refilmed in 1996 with a new director Greek tragedy, and despite Harris’ towering (Schepisi); note how Lowell disappears from performance, becomes aloof and largely unwhole sections of the picture. Cynthia Cleese, moving. Based on a play by John B. Keane. one of the zookeepers, is John’s daughter. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 1 ★★★ Field of Dreams (1989) C-106m. ⁄2 Fierce People (2007) C-112m. ★★ D: GrifD: Phil Alden Robinson. Kevin Costner, fin Dunne. Diane Lane, Anton Yelchin, Amy Madigan, Gaby Hoffmann, Ray Liotta, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Stewart, ElizaTimothy Busfield, James Earl Jones, Burt beth Perkins, Paz de la Huerta, Chris Evans. Lancaster, Frank Whaley, Dwier Brown. Sutherland’s amusing performance as a recluCostner plays a novice farmer in Iowa who sive billionaire dominates this wildly uneven hears ‘‘a voice’’ that inspires him to build adaptation of Dirk Wittenborn’s novel, an a baseball diamond on his property, in the ’80s coming-of-age story about a substancehope of bringing the legendary baseball abusing masseuse (Lane), her codependent star Shoeless Joe Jackson (whose career teenage son (Yelchin), and the eventful was cut short by the Black Sox scandal) summer they spend as guests on the billionback to life. A story of redemption and aire’s New Jersey estate. Barely released two years after its film festival debut. [R]쩠 faith, in the tradition of the best Hollywood fantasies, with moments that are Fiercest Heart, The (1961) C-91m. ★★ D: pure magic. Kudos to writer-director RobGeorge Sherman. Stuart Whitman, Juliet inson, who adapted W. P. Kinsella’s book Prowse, Ken Scott, Raymond Massey, GerShoeless Joe, for hitting (and maintaining) aldine Fitzgerald. Good cast and actionjust the right note from start to finish. packed skirmishes with Zulus can’t raise Lovely score by James Horner. [PG] ▼●쩠 this programmer to any heights. Set in Fiendish Ghouls, The SEE: Mania Africa. CinemaScope. Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Manchu, The Fiesta (1947) C-104m. ★★ D: Richard (1980-British) C-108m. BOMB D: Piers Thorpe. Esther Williams, Akim Tamiroff, Haggard. Peter Sellers, Helen Mirren, Sid Ricardo Montalban, John Carroll, Mary Caesar, David Tomlinson, Simon Williams, Astor, Cyd Charisse. Williams trades in Steve Franken. Disastrous comedy features her bathing suit for a toreador outfit in this Sellers in a dual role, as the title character weak musical opus.쩠 and as his archenemy, Scotland Yard de15 Minutes (2001) C-120m. ★★★ D: John tective Nayland Smith. Painfully unfunny Herzfeld. Robert De Niro, Edward Burns, and, sad to say, Sellers’ last film. [PG]▼● Kelsey Grammer, Avery Brooks, Melina KaFiend Who Walked the West, The (1958) nakaredes, Karel Roden, Oleg Taktarov, Vera 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Douglas. Hugh Farmiga, John DiResta, Charlize Theron, Kim O’Brian, Robert Evans, Dolores Michaels, Cattrall, Darius McCrary, David Alan Grier. Linda Cristal, Stephen McNally. InterestHeadline-grabbing N.Y.C. detective finds himing if not altogether successful transposiself with an unlikely partner—a young fire detion of KISS OF DEATH to Western setting, partment arson investigator—as they track a with Evans ludicrous in the Widmark psyseries of grisly murders. The culprits are an imcho role. CinemaScope.▼ migrant duo who smugly seek to manipulate [ 453 ]

the Americanmedia/celebrity machine. Highly nothing new, but retells Dumas’ story in cacharged, in-your-face, sometimes over-the-top pable fashion. Major points of interest: Ausmoviemaking with attitude to spare. Written by trian location, veteran cast. Filmed in 1977. the director. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 [PG]▼쩠 5th Ave. Girl (1939) 83m. ★★ D: Gregory Fifty/Fifty (1992) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles LaCava. Ginger Rogers, Walter Connolly, Martin Smith. Peter Weller, Robert Hays, Verree Teasdale, James Ellison, Tim Holt, Charles Martin Smith, Ramona Rahman, Kathryn Adams, Franklin Pangborn, Louis Kay Tong Lim, Dom Magwili. CIA merCalhern, Jack Carson. Tiresome social comcenaries Weller and Hays bicker and bumedy with Rogers as homeless girl taken in ble through the jungle in this silly action/ by unhappy millionaire Connolly; even adventure, in which revolvers outshoot maGinger is lifeless in this film that purports to chine guns; takes a serious turn when the show that poor is better than rich if you’ve ‘‘heroes’’ finally take a stand. [R]▼쩠 got a head on your shoulders.▼● 50 First Dates (2004) C-96m. ★★ D: Peter Fifth Day of Peace, The (1972-Italian) Segal. Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, C-100m. ★★ D: Guilliano Montaldo. RichRob Schneider, Sean Astin, Lusia Strus, ard Johnson, Franco Nero, Bud Spencer, Blake Clark, Dan Aykroyd, Amy Hill, Michael Goodliffe, Helmut Schneider. EpAllen Covert, Maya Rudolph, Nephi Poisodic story of several disillusioned WW1 maikai Brown. A veterinarian living in German soldiers aimlessly wandering warHawaii who’s known for quickie relationravaged Italian countryside following the ships falls in love with a woman who—it armistice. [PG]▼●쩠 turns out—has short-term memory loss. Fifth Element, The (1997-French) CThat means he has to win her over every 127m. ★★★ D: Luc Besson. Bruce Willis, single day! Not-bad premise for an offbeat Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, Milla Jovovich, romantic comedy gets typical Sandler treatChris Tucker, Luke Perry, Brion James, ment, portraying him as a lovable guy while Tommy ‘‘Tiny’’ Lister, Jr., Lee Evans, John purveying a stream of crude jokes at the Neville. Wildly imaginative tale set in the same time. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 23rd century, where a world-weary Brook55 Days at Peking (1963) C-150m. ★★★ lyn, N.Y., cab driver finds himself involved D: Nicholas Ray. Charlton Heston, Ava with a strange woman who may be responGardner, David Niven, Flora Robson, John sible for saving the world from destruction. Ireland, Paul Lukas, Jacques Sernas. Stars A visual candy store of futuristic images, provide most of the interest in confusing hisbut the film’s strongest suit is its sense of torical account of Boxer Rebellion in 1900s humor. Unfortunately, it gets a bit tedious China. Super Technirama 70. ▼● and formulaic toward the end, with Tuck54 (1998) C-93m. ★★ D: Mark Christopher. er’s over-the-top radio host hogging the Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek, Neve Campspotlight. Conceived by Besson when he bell, Mike Myers, Sela Ward, Breckin Meyer, was a teenager. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Sherry Stringfield, Ellen Albertini Dow, Fifth Floor, The (1980) C-90m. BOMB Heather Matarazzo, Lauren Hutton, Michael D: Howard Avedis. Bo Hopkins, Dianne York, Daniel Lapaine, Mark Ruffalo, Ron JerHull, Patti D’Arbanville, Sharon Farrell, emy. Dreary drama attempts to capture the Mel Ferrer, Julie Adams, John David Carspirit of hedonistic nightclub Studio 54, son. A few laughs don’t compensate for which flourished in the 1970s and attracted derivative story of college disco dancer naive young people like Phillippe, who who is wrongly committed to an insane thought entry meant a stepping-stone to sucasylum. Collectors of screen dementia cess and self-esteem. Cliche´d story takes should study Hopkins’ performance. [R]▼ focus off the most interesting person onFifth Monkey, The (1990) C-93m. ★★★ screen—Myers, in a canny performance as D: Eric Rochat. Ben Kingsley, Mika Lins, Steve Rubell, the ringmaster of this nightly Vera Fischer, Silvia De Carvalho. Straightdrug-and-sex party. Various celebrities apforward, extremely enjoyable tale of snake pear as themselves. [R]▼●쩠 and rare animal hunter Kingsley, and his 52 Miles to Midnight SEE: Hot Rods to escapades while attempting to sell chimps Hell and earn enough money to wed the woman 52 Pick-Up (1986) C-110m. ★★ D: John of his dreams. Rochat, who also scripted, Frankenheimer. Roy Scheider, Ann-Marmovingly illustrates the necessity for mangret, Vanity, John Glover, Robert Trebor, kind to respect the animal world. BeautiLonny Chapman, Kelly Preston, Clarence Wilfully filmed in Brazil. [PG-13]▼● liams III, Doug McClure. Self-made business5th Musketeer, The (1979-Austrian) C1 ★★ man is caught in web of blackmail and 103m. ⁄2 D: Ken Annakin. Beau Bridges, murder—and determines to break free by himSylvia Kristel, Ursula Andress, Cornel Wilde, self. Elmore Leonard’s story is good, but the Ian McShane, Lloyd Bridges, Alan Hale, Jr., lead characters are cold, and film wallows too Jose Ferrer, Helmut Dantine, Rex Harrison, long in the sleazy, voyeuristic world of the bad Olivia de Havilland. Lavish, well-cast remake of THE MAN IN THE IRON MASK offers guys. It also would have been better shorter. [ 454 ]

Same novel was adapted just two years earlier Fighting Mad (1976) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: as THE AMBASSADOR. [R]▼●쩠 Jonathan Demme. Peter Fonda, Lynn ★★ Fight Club (1999) C-139m. D: David Lowry, John Doucette, Philip Carey, Scott Fincher. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Helena Glenn, Kathleen Miller, Harry Northup. Bonham Carter, Meat Loaf (Aday), Jared Typical revenge picture, with peaceable Leto. A disaffected office worker (Norton) Fonda driven to violence by ruthless landwhose life has turned gray finds unexpected owner who wants to take over his farm. Ontarget for this kind of entertainment. [R]▼쩠 release through violent fistfights, organized by a new ‘‘friend’’ (Pitt), who lives life on the Fighting Pimpernel, The SEE: Elusive edge. The impromptu battles evolve into an Pimpernel, The underground network of fight clubs where Fighting Prince of Donegal, The (1966) C112m. ★★★ D: Michael O’Herlihy. Peter Mcguys pummel each other . . . but the friend has an even more ambitious agenda. Draws you Enery, Susan Hampshire, Tom Adams, Gorin with its intriguing story, black comedy, and don Jackson, Andrew Keir, Donal McCann. flamboyant visuals, then shifts tone, turns Fine Disney swashbuckler made in England, heavy-handed, and heads toward an alarmingly with McEnery as new head of Irish clan who senseless resolution. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 tries to unite his country but runs afoul of ★★★ Fighting (2009) C-105m. D: Dito villainous Jackson. Vivid, colorful fun.▼쩠 Montiel. Channing Tatum, Terrence HowFighting Seabees, The (1944) 100m. ★★★ ard, Zulay Henao, Michael Rivera, Flaco D: Edward Ludwig. John Wayne, Susan Navaja, Peter Anthony Tambakis, Luis GuzHayward, Dennis O’Keefe, William Frawma´n, Anthony DeSando, Brian J. White, ley, Leonid Kinskey, J. M. Kerrigan, Ben Roger Guenveur Smith, Altagracia Guzma´n. Welden, Paul Fix, Grant Withers, Duncan Tightly written and directed melodrama Renaldo. Spirited WW2 saga of construcabout a small-town hustler who comes to tion company boss Wayne and naval officer N.Y.C. and is lured into the world of underO’Keefe tangling professionally and perground bare-knuckle fighting by a shady sonally, with journalist Hayward the love hood looking to make a quick buck. Vivid, interest. The scenario charts the manner in action-packed fight sequences are supported which the ‘‘Seabees’’ (or battalion of conby a solid storyline and strong performances struction worker–soldiers) came to be estabfrom Tatum and Howard. Montiel proved lished. Screenplay by Borden Chase and with A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING Aeneas MacKenzie. Action-packed second YOUR SAINTS (also with Tatum) that he unit direction by Howard Lydecker.▼쩠 knows his way around these particular mean Fighting 69th, The (1940) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: streets; he impressively avoids turning this William Keighley. James Cagney, Pat simple tale into a bad imitation of a grade-B O’Brien, George Brent, Jeffrey Lynn, Alan ’40s boxing movie. [PG-13] Hale, Frank McHugh, Dennis Morgan, Dick Fighting Back (1982) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Foran, John Litel, George Reeves, Frank Lewis Teague. Tom Skerritt, Patti LuPone, Coghlan, Jr. Overripe (but tough to dislike) Michael Sarrazin, Yaphet Kotto, David WW1 tale mixes roughneck comedy, exciting Rasche, Ted Ross, Pat Cooper. A return battle action, sloppy sentiment, incredible visit to DEATH WISH territory; fed up with characterizations (especially Cagney’s) detaillackadaisical police, hotheaded South Philly ing exploits of famed Irish regiment. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼쩠 deli owner (Skerritt, who’s excellent) organizes Guardian Angels–like patrol to clean up Fighting Sullivans, The SEE: Sullivans, The criminal scum, but is unprepared for the comFighting Temptations, The (2003) C-123m. ★★1 plications which ensue. Unpleasant, but fast, ⁄2 D: Jonathan Lynn. Cuba Gooding, Jr., slick, and convincing; these people know Beyonce´ Knowles, Melba Moore, Mike Epps, which buttons to push. [R]▼ Reverend Shirley Caesar, LaTanya RichardFighting Back (1982-Australian) C-100m. son, Steve Harvey, Montell Jordan, T-Bone, ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Caulfield. Lewis FitzFaith Evans, The O’Jays, Angie Stone, Faizon Gerald, Paul Smith, Kris McQuade, Robyn Love, Rue McClanahan. A would-be mover Nevin, Caroline Gillmer. Ambitious if not and shaker who’s talked his way out of a good entirely successful drama of teacher Fitzjob in N.Y.C. returns to Georgia and takes Gerald trying to tame unruly, illiterate 13over his hometown church choir, aiming to year-old (Smith, excellent in acting debut). win an annual gospel competition. He also Fighting Kentuckian, The (1949) 100m. has an eye for Knowles, who’s something of ★★1 an outcast in town but has a great voice. Obvi⁄2 D: George Waggner. John Wayne, Vera Ralston, Philip Dorn, Oliver Hardy, ous and overlong, but buoyed by heaping Marie Windsor. Frontierland around 1810 doses of great music. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 is setting for two-fisted saga of Kentuckian Figures in a Landscape (1970-British) (Wayne) combating land-grabbing crimiC-95m. ★★ D: Joseph Losey. Robert Shaw, nals and courting Ralston, French generMalcolm McDowell, Henry Woolf, Chrisal’s daughter. Hardy makes rare solo aptopher Malcolm, Pamela Brown. Capable pearance in character role. Also shown in leads and some amazing helicopter stunt computer-colored version.▼쩠 work offer scant compensation for mud[ 455 ]

dled allegory about two fugitives in an Final Chapter—Walking Tall (1977) unnamed country pursued by an unnamed C-112m. BOMB D: Jack Starrett. Bo enemy. Barely released. Losey fans will Svenson, Margaret Blye, Forrest Tucker, want to give a look. Panavision. [PG] Lurene Tuttle, Morgan Woodward. Yet anFile of the Golden Goose, The (1969other saga about true-life Tennessee sheriff British) C-105m. ★★ D: Sam Wanamaker. Buford Pusser, and inferior to its predecesYul Brynner, Charles Gray, Edward Woodsors. Despite title, this is not the final chapter; ward, John Barrie, Adrienne Corri. Strictly a TV movie (A REAL AMERICAN HERO) formula effort with American agent and and series followed. Aka WALKING TALL—FINAL CHAPTER. [R]▼●쩠 Scotland Yard man going undercover in London to get the goods on murderous Final Conflict, The (1981) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: counterfeiting gang. [M/PG] Graham Baker. Sam Neill, Rossano Brazzi, File on Thelma Jordon, The (1949) 100m. Don Gordon, Lisa Harrow, Mason Adams. ★★1 The third OMEN movie has the anti-Christ ⁄2 D: Robert Siodmak. Barbara Stanwyck, Wendell Corey, Joan Tetzel, Stanley Ridges, Damien Thorn (Neill) 30ish and the U.S. AmRichard Rober. Paul Kelly. Tough little bassador to England. For genre addicts only. film noir focusing largely on romance beFollowed by a TVM, OMEN IV: THE AWAKENING. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 tween unhappily married assistant D.A. Corey and femme fatale Stanwyck. HandFinal Countdown, The (1980) C-104m. ★★★ somely photographed by George Barnes. D: Don Taylor. Kirk Douglas, Martin Aka THELMA JORDON. Sheen, Katharine Ross, James Farentino, Fillmore (1972) C-105m. ★★★ D: Richard Ron O’Neal, Charles Durning. An aircraft T. Heffron. Bill Graham, The Grateful Dead, carrier (the real-life U.S.S. Nimitz) enters It’s a Beautiful Day, Santana, Jefferson Aira time-warp and finds itself in the Pacific plane, Quicksilver Messenger Service. Good just before the attack on Pearl Harbor. rock documentary about Fillmore West’s final Familiar but satisfying fantasy yarn; perfect days is made even better by extensive footTV fare although better viewed in wideage of its magnetic owner, Bill Graham, on screen. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 the phone and on stage; one of the better Final Cut, The (2004-Canadian-German) C-105m. ★★ D: Omar Naim. Robin Wilrock films. Multiscreen. [R]▼ Final Analysis (1992) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 D: liams, Mira Sorvino, Jim Caviezel, Mimi Phil Joanou. Richard Gere, Kim Basinger, Kuzyk, Stephanie Romanov, Thom Bishops. Uma Thurman, Eric Roberts, Paul GuilDour sci-fi piece set in a near future when foyle, Keith David, Robert Harper, Agustin humans have implanted memory chips that Rodriguez. Stylish, sexy thriller about a record their every moment. Williams is a digSan Francisco psychiatrist who becomes ital whiz who is expert at editing his deceased involved with a patient’s unhappily marwealthy clients’ lives to give them a positive ried sister—only to find himself enmeshed spin. Williams has played a repressed automin an elaborate Hitchcockian web of muraton before—but he does it well. Stylized der and duplicity. Basinger is surprisingly mystery-thriller is funereal in more ways than good, Gere distressingly low-key; but the one. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 film’s plodding mid-section almost underFinal Destination (2000) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: mines a bravura finale. Written by Wesley James Wong. Devon Sawa, Ali Larter, Kerr Strick. Harris Yulin appears unbilled as the Smith, Kristen Cloke, Daniel Roebuck, prosecuting attorney. [R]▼●쩠 Roger Guenveur Smith, Chad E. Donella, Final Approach (1991) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Eric Seann William Scott. Before the plane carSteven Stahl. James B. Sikking, Hector Elirying him and his classmates to Paris takes zondo, Madolyn Smith, Kevin McCarthy, off, teenager Sawa has a vision of it crashCameo Kneuer. Pilot Sikking, testing a ing. He and others leave the plane, which stealth-type jet, apparently ejects—then awak(of course) does explode—but the survivors ens in the office of psychiatrist Elizondo, who soon start dying in mysterious accidents. wants to investigate the pilot’s past. Weary, Horror movie has an unusual and interesting hackneyed plot treated as if it sparkles with premise, but paints itself into a corner; the originality. This was the first film recorded ending is annoyingly unsatisfactory. Feature with digital technology; the sound is great, but debut for X-Files vet Wong. Followed by the movie isn’t. Panavision. [R]▼● two sequels. [R]▼쩠 Final Assignment (1980-Canadian) C-92m. Final Destination 2 (2003) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: BOMB D: Paul Almond. Genevieve Bujold, David R. Ellis. Ali Larter, A. J. Cook, MiMichael York, Burgess Meredith, Colleen chael Landes, T. C. Carson, Jonathan Cherry, Dewhurst, Alexandra Stewart. Television Keegan Connor Tracy, Sarah Carter, Lynda reporter Bujold takes on the KGB when Boyd, David Paetkau. A girl has a premonishe discovers the Russians are conducting tion of death and learns (like the survivors of scientific experiments on children. Schlock the plane crash in the first film) that by production, with Montreal an unsatisfacavoiding it she and others around her have tory substitute for Moscow; poor script, cheated fate. Film exists for the sole purpose embarrassing performances. [PG]▼ of killing its characters—through fire, car [ 456 ]

crash, crushing, decapitation, impalement, Final Terror, The (1981) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: etc.—in horrifyingly realistic detail. But some Andrew Davis. John Friedrich, Adrian Zmed, people view this as comedy. If so, help yourDaryl Hannah, Rachel Ward, Mark Metcalf. self! [R] ▼쩠 Pretty bad dead-teenagers film set in the backFinal Destination 3 (2006) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: woods, of marginal interest for presence of James Wong. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, latter-day stars in cast (though they don’t get Ryan Merriman, Kris Lemche, Texas Battle, much of a showcase here). [R]▼쩠 Alexz Johnson, Jesse Moss, Gina Holden, Finders Keepers (1984) C-96m. ★★ D: Sam Easton, Crystal Lowe, Chelan Simmons, Richard Lester. Michael O’Keefe, Beverly Amanda Crew. They used the word ‘‘Final’’ D’Angelo, Louis Gossett, Jr., Ed Lauter, in the titles of two predecessors—but they David Wayne, Pamela Stephenson, Brian lied. Winstead is a high school straightDennehy, John Schuck, Timothy Blake, Jim arrow who gets a sense of deaths to come Carrey, Jack Riley. Wholehearted attempt from a roller coaster ride. As expected, the at farce, involving stolen money, con artists survivors then suffer their own supernatural in disguise, a bungling hit man, and other dispatching in TEN LITTLE INDIANS promising ingredients, remains disappointstyle. Most memorable demise comes after ingly flat. Lester manages a few neat sight two senior-class slatterns who say ‘‘totally’’ gags, and Wayne is genuinely funny as the a lot enter a tanning salon. Super 35. [R]쩠 world’s oldest train conductor. [R]▼ Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (2001Finding Amanda (2008) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Japanese-U.S.) C-106m. ★★ D: Hironobu Peter Tolan. Matthew Broderick, Brittany Sakaguchi, Motonori Sakakibara. Voices of Snow, Maura Tierney, Peter Facinelli, DanMing-Na, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, iel Roebuck, Bill Fagerbakke, Jennifer Hall, Steve Buscemi, Peri Gilpin, Donald SutherSteve Coogan, Ed Begley, Jr. Fading TV land, James Woods, Keith David, Jean Simcomedy writer and congenital liar Broderick mons, Matt McKenzie. Dr. Aki Ross runs heads to Las Vegas in search of his 20-yearinto trouble in the year 2065 when she and old hooker niece. It’s a bad place for him to her mentor confront a power-hungry genbe, given that he’s addicted to gambling. eral over the best way to battle aliens in Meanders at first but gets better as it goes their midst. Notable as the first major feaalong, particularly when it peels away the ture to use computer-generated actors. Adfac¸ade of the title character. One amusing aptation of popular computer game plays bit: the pimp who’s a wannabe screenwriter. like a standard-issue sci-fi yarn with spiriWritten by the director. [R]쩠 tual undertones. At their dullest, the actors Finding Forrester (2000) C-136m. ★★1⁄2 who provide the voices would still be more D: Gus Van Sant. Sean Connery, Rob Brown, interesting to watch than their hollow-eyed, F. Murray Abraham, Anna Paquin, Busta computerized counterparts. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Rhymes, April Grace, Michael Nouri. Bronx Final Option, The (1982-British) C-125m. high school student meets an odd neighborBOMB D: Ian Sharp. Lewis Collins, Judy hood resident, a reclusive novelist who’s been Davis, Richard Widmark, Robert Webber, hiding from the world since his first burst of Edward Woodward, Tony Doyle, John Dutfame. The curmudgeon becomes his mentor tine, Kenneth Griffith, Ingrid Pitt. Laughably as the boy moves to an upscale Manhattan ridiculous account of Britain’s Special Air private school, and has to examine his Services team and how one officer (Collins) choices—and priorities. Slick entertainment, goes underground—more or less—to infiltrate and a great vehicle for Connery (who also a terrorist gang with plans to take over the coproduced), but more than a bit pat—with American Embassy. Lots of violence, but no heavy-handed ‘‘villainy’’ from jealous professor Abraham. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 brains in sight. Third-billed Widmark has precious little screen time, as the U.S. Secretary Finding Nemo (2003) C-81m. ★★★1⁄2 D: of State. Original British title: WHO DARES Andrew Stanton. Voices of Albert Brooks, Ellen DeGeneres, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey WINS. [R]▼ Final Programme, The SEE: Last Days Rush, Allison Janney, Alexander Gould, Barry of Man on Earth, The Humphries, Eric Bana, Brad Garrett, Stephen Final Season, The (2007) C-123m. ★★ D: Root, Austin Pendleton, Vicki Lewis. Another David Mickey Evans. Sean Astin, Rachael delightful animated film from Pixar, set in a Leigh Cook, Powers Boothe, Michael Angarwondrous undersea environment. A timid ano, Mackenzie Astin, Tom Arnold, Marshall clownfish named Marlin (voiced by a perfectly Bell, Matthew W. Allen, James Gammon, cast Brooks) tries to shield his only son from Larry Miller. True story of Iowa baseball danger; when the little fish is captured and coach Kent Stock, who ditches his job (and taken many miles away, Marlin embarks on wedding) to guide Norway High School to a brave quest to rescue him. Full of great one final championship after their school is characters, animation, and design, and pepmerged into a larger one. By-the-numbers pered with hilarious gags, many of them sports story, with cliche´d dialogue, doesn’t aimed at grown-ups rather than kids. Oscar really connect. Astin covered this turf much winner for Best Animated Feature. [G]▼쩠 better in RUDY. Clairmont-Scope. [PG]쩠 Finding Neverland (2004-U.S.-British) C[ 457 ]

101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marc Forster. Johnny Cardinale, Thomas Milian, Leon Askin, Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie, Radha Ellen Corby, Walter Giller. N.Y.C. policeMitchell, Dustin Hoffman, Kelly Macdonman Hudson falls for Cardinale, daughter ald, Ian Hart, Freddie Highmore, Joe Prosof an old pal, and helps her rob some pero, Nick Roud, Luke Spill, Mackenzie jewels in terrible comedy-thriller minus Crook. Trapped in a loveless marriage, at a laughs or suspense. Panavision. [M/PG] crossroads in his writing career, James M. Fine Romance, A (1992-U.S.-Italian) C83m. ★★ D: Gene Saks. Julie Andrews, Barrie is drawn to four young brothers who play at a nearby park—and their attractive, Marcello Mastroianni, Ian Fitzgibbon, Jeanwidowed mother—and becomes a surrogate Pierre Castaldi, Jean-Jacques Dulon, Mamember of their family. In time, they become ria Machado, Catherine Jarret. Andrews the inspiration for his play Peter Pan. Beautiand Mastroianni try (but fail) to enliven fully crafted, nicely underplayed period piece this obvious, barely funny farce, cast as a set at the turn of the 20th century, anchored pair whose mates have run off together, by an irresistible performance by Depp as and who predictably become romantically the warmhearted but eccentric Scotsman. involved themselves. Scripted by Ronald Oscar winner for Jan A. P. Kaczmarek’s Harwood. [PG-13]▼쩠 score. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 Finger of Guilt (1956-British) 85m. ★★1⁄2 Find Me Guilty (2006) C-124m. ★★★ D: D: Joseph Losey. Richard Basehart, Mary Sidney Lumet. Vin Diesel, Peter Dinklage, Murphy, Constance Cummings, Roger Linus Roache, Ron Silver, Alex Rocco, AnLivesey, Mervyn Johns, Faith Brook. nabella Sciorra, Rau´l Esparza, Jerry Adler, Film director Basehart is blackmailed by Richard Portnow, Josh Pais. Diesel gives a woman claiming to be his mistress, which wonderful, transformative performance as threatens his career and marriage. Intrigureal-life N.J. gangster ‘‘Jackie Dee’’ DiNoring film with disappointing resolution; good scio, an outgoing character who decides to look inside British film studio, however. Didefend himself in a record-breaking Federal rected by blacklistee Losey under pseudonyms case against the Lucchese crime family in Alec Snowden/Joseph Walton. Originally re1987–88. Better than most crime fiction, this leased in England as THE INTIMATE lively courtroom–mob saga is impeccably STRANGER at 95m. cast and directed with brio by Lumet, who Finger Points, The (1931) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: also cowrote the screenplay. Putting Louis John Francis Dillon. Richard Barthelmess, Prima on the soundtrack doesn’t hurt, either. Fay Wray, Regis Toomey, Robert Elliott, [R]쩠 Clark Gable. Vivid though meandering Find the Lady (1976-Canadian-British) melodrama about crime reporter BarthelC-79m. ★1⁄2 D: John Trent. Lawrence Dane, mess on the payroll of the mob. Wray is John Candy, Mickey Rooney, Peter Cook, a newspaperwoman who urges him to go Alexandra Bastedo, Dick Emery. Prestraight; Gable scores as a gang boss. One POLICE ACADEMY comedy about inept of the writers was W. R. Burnett. Fingers (1978) C-91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: James cops Dane and Candy, on the trail of a kidnapped socialite. A couple of genuine laughs, Toback. Harvey Keitel, Jim Brown, Tisa but mostly silly—and occasionally offensive. Farrow, Michael V. Gazzo, Tanya Roberts, Candy and Dane played same characters a Marian Seldes, Danny Aiello, Ed Marinaro, year earlier in IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD Zack Norman. Crude but fascinating meloIDEA AT THE TIME. Aka CALL THE drama about an aspiring concert pianist who COPS! and KOPEK AND BROOM. ▼ reluctantly ‘‘collects’’ on debts owed to his Fine Madness, A (1966) C-104m. ★★★ D: domineering father. Powerful, disturbing film Irvin Kershner. Sean Connery, Joanne is compellingly sensual and brilliantly acted, Woodward, Jean Seberg, Patrick O’Neal, especially by Brown in a rare subdued role. Colleen Dewhurst, Renee Taylor. It’s Remade in 2005 as THE BEAT THAT MY stubborn, nonconformist poet Connery verHEART SKIPPED. Screenplay by the disus the rest of society in uneven but somerector. [R]▼쩠 times outrageously funny satire. Screenplay Finian’s Rainbow (1968) C-145m. ★★★1⁄2 by Elliot Baker, from his novel.▼쩠 D: Francis Ford Coppola. Fred Astaire, Fine Mess, A (1986) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Blake Petula Clark, Tommy Steele, Keenan Wynn, Edwards. Ted Danson, Howie Mandel, RichAl Freeman, Jr., Don Francks, Barbara Hanard Mulligan, Stuart Margolin, Maria cock. Whimsical Burton Lane–E. Y. Harburg Conchita Alonso, Jennifer Edwards, Paul Sormusical fantasy about racial injustice was vino. A slapstick saga of two bumblers, with ahead of its time in the late ’40s on Broadway, laughs few and far between. Familiar Blake embarrassingly dated 20 years later, but CopEdwards trademarks, and the supposed inspipola and an attractive cast work wonders with ration of Laurel and Hardy’s Oscar-winning it in this imaginatively filmed, widescreen short, THE MUSIC BOX, don’t carry this winner—perhaps the best movie musical of very far. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 its era. Harburg’s lyrics remain elegant and Fine Pair, A (1968) C-89m. BOMB D: witty, and Astaire is fun as the transplanted Francesco Maselli. Rock Hudson, Claudia Irishman whose leprechaun comes to life in [ 458 ]

the American South. Try to see it in a theater. Jones, Sean Young, Bryan Kestner, Dale Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Dye, Mary Ellen Trainor, J. A. Preston, Finnegans Wake (1965) 97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter Onorati. High-tech Apache helicopMary Ellen Bute. Page Johnson, Martin J. ters (with an assist from their pilots) take Kelly, Jane Reilly, Peter Haskell. James on South American drug cartels from the Joyce’s classic story of Irish tavern-keeper air. Standard military issue with a rupturedwho dreams of attending his own wake is duck script and no romantic chemistry bebrought to the screen with great energy tween professional rivals Cage and Young. and control. Jones doesn’t evoke memories of Gregory Fiorile (1993-Italian-French-German) CPeck in TWELVE O’CLOCK HIGH when ★★★ 118m. D: Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. he pep-talks Cage into a ‘‘full-tilt boogie for freedom and justice.’’ [PG-13]▼●쩠 Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi, Michael Vartan, Lino Capolicchio, Constanze EnFirechasers, The (1970-British) C-101m. ★★ gelbrecht, Athina Cenci, Giovanni Guidelli, D: Sidney Hayers. Chad Everett, Chiara Caselli. While driving to visit his Anjanette Comer, Keith Barron, Joanne ailing, reclusive father, a man reveals to his Dainton, Rupert Davies, John Loder. Strong two children the legend of their family’s production values in familiar story of inhistory, beginning with how their ancestors surance investigator hunting for arsonist. came into wealth dishonestly during the NaFirecreek (1968) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vinpoleonic era. Complex, ironic tale of tarcent McEveety. James Stewart, Henry nished innocence, outside forces cruelly Fonda, Inger Stevens, Gary Lockwood, Dean separating lovers, and how ill-gotten wealth Jagger, Ed Begley, Jay C. Flippen, Jack Elam, will in one way or another taint the spirit. Barbara Luna. Somber Western has makings [PG-13]▼●쩠 of a classic at outset, but goes astray, and goes Fire (1997-Canadian-Indian) C-104m. ★★ on too long. Stewart is mild-mannered partD: Deepa Mehta. Shabana Azmi, Nandita time sheriff in small town terrorized by Fonda Das, Kulbushan Kharbanda, Jaaved Jaaferi, and fellow plunderers. Beautifully photoRanjit Chowdhury, Kushal Rekhi. Ho-hum graphed (by William H. Clothier), but unrelesbian-feminist drama set in New Delhi, lentingly downbeat. Panavision. ▼쩠 which charts the growing spiritual/sexual atFired! (2007) C-71m. ★★ D: Chris Bradley, traction between a long-married woman Kyle LaBrache. Writer-performer Anna(Azmi) and her young, newlywed sister-inbelle Gurwitch uses her real-life dismissal law (Das). Without exception, every male from a play by Woody Allen as the basis for character in the story is a simplistic chauexploring what it means to be fired from a vinist pig, and the result is a superficial job. Scattershot, superficial first-person docdrama that substitutes female outrage for umentary tries to combine comedy, perthoughtful filmmaking.▼쩠 sonal anecdotes, and social commentary Fire and Ice (1983) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ralph with very mixed results; only former Labor Bakshi. Voices of Susan Tyrrell, Maggie Secretary Robert Reich’s and Ben Stein’s Roswell, William Ostrander, Stephen Mendel. observations have any real impact. Other Muscular hero and buxom heroine become interviewees include Tim Allen, Fred Willard, Illeana Douglas, and Anne Meara.쩠 involved in power struggle between two warring world powers. Animated sword-andFire Down Below (1957-British) C-116m. ★★1 sorcery saga is no worse (and arguably no ⁄2 D: Robert Parrish. Rita Hayworth, better) than an average live-action entry, and Robert Mitchum, Jack Lemmon, Herbert benefits from graphic design by fabled illusLom, Bernard Lee, Anthony Newley. Contrator Frank Frazetta, though the animation trived but entertaining melodrama of Mititself has been traced from live footage. chum and Lemmon, owners of tramp boat, Scripted by well-known comic book writers falling in love with shady Hayworth on voyRoy Thomas and Gerry Conway. [PG]▼●쩠 age between islands. Title song composed Fireball, The (1950) 84m. ★★★ D: Tay by Lemmon. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Garnett. Mickey Rooney, Pat O’Brien, Fire Down Below (1997) C-105m. ★★ D: Beverly Tyler, Marilyn Monroe, Milburn Felix Enriquez Alcala´. Steven Seagal, Marg Stone, Glenn Corbett. Rooney’s energetic Helgenberger, Kris Kristofferson, Stephen performance carries this film. Orphan boy Lang, Harry Dean Stanton, Levon Helm, devotes himself to becoming big-time rollerRichard Masur, John Diehl, Robert Ridgely, skating champ.▼ Randy Travis. You’re looking for an E.P.A. Fireball 500 (1966) C-92m. BOMB D: agent to go work incognito avenging a murWilliam Asher. Frankie Avalon, Annette der in Appalachia—so who you gonna call? Funicello, Fabian, Chill Wills, Harvey Well, how about Steve, with his standard Lembeck, Julie Parrish. Frankie is a stockhaircut and man-in-black garb? Laughably car racer who unknowingly transports moonbad action outing with a reasonable pace to shine whiskey. Desperately in need of a match its outrageousness. Marty Stuart and beach ball. Panavision.쩠 Travis Tritt appear as themselves. [R] ▼●쩠 Fire Birds (1990) C-85m. BOMB D: DaFired Up! (2009) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Will vid Green. Nicolas Cage, Tommy Lee Gluck. Eric Christian Olsen, Nicholas D’A[ 459 ]

gosto, Sarah Roemer, Molly Sims, Danneel Failed sci-fi outing, allegedly based on Harris, David Walton, Adhir Kalyan, Annafact, with Sweeney cast as Travis Wilson, Lynne McCord, Philip Baker Hall, Juliette a man who mysteriously disappeared for Goglia, John Michael Higgins, Margo Harshfive days, during which time he supposman, Amber Stevens, Francia Raisa. As stars edly was taken prisoner by extraterrestriof the football team, D’Agosto and Olsen als. Written by Tracy (son of Mel) Torme´, have conquered their school’s entire female and based on Wilson’s book The Walton population and are in search of a new hunting Experience. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ground. What better place than cheerleader Firelight (1998-U.S.-British) C-103m. ★★★ camp? The two leads are funny but the story D: William Nicholson. Sophie Marceau, meanders; over-the-top supporting characters Stephen Dillane, Dominique Belcourt, Kevin and bad acting detract from this otherwise Anderson, Lia Williams, Joss Ackland, Sally entertaining comedy. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Dexter. A beautiful Swiss governess (MarFirefly, The (1937) 129m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert ceau) is hired to bear a child for a 19thZ. Leonard. Jeanette MacDonald, Allan Jones, century British aristocrat (Dillane) whose Warren William, Billy Gilbert, Henry Daniell, wife is an invalid, but naturally the two of Douglass Dumbrille, George Zucco. Triedthem fall helplessly in love with each other. and-true operetta moves slowly and goes on Well-made, old-fashioned Gothic soap opera too long, but Jones’ ‘‘Donkey Serenade’’ and in the MADAME X/JANE EYRE vein. WritJeanette’s vivacity remain enjoyable.▼ ten by the director. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Firefox (1982) C-124m. ★1⁄2 D: Clint Fireman Save My Child (1932) 67m. ★★1⁄2 Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Freddie Jones, D: Lloyd Bacon. Joe E. Brown, Evalyn David Huffman, Warren Clarke, Ronald Knapp, Lilian Bond, Guy Kibbee, Virginia Lacey, Stefan Schnabel, Nigel Hawthorne, Sale. Amusing Brown romp with Joe dividJohn Ratzenberger. Lamentably dull, slowing his time between firefighting and basemoving espionage yarn, with Eastwood as ball. The first in his baseball trilogy, burned-out U.S. pilot who goes behind Rusfollowed by ELMER THE GREAT and sian lines to steal the Soviets’ latest aeroALIBI IKE. nautic marvel: a supersonic fighting plane. Fireman Save My Child (1954) 80m. ★1⁄2 Jones wins the Charles Laughton Award for D: Leslie Goodwins. Spike Jones, The City Eccentric Performances. Originally released Slickers, Buddy Hackett, Hugh O’Brian, at 137m. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Adele Jergens. Sloppy slapstick with Spike Firehouse Dog (2007) C-111m. ★★★ D: Jones et al. manning fire station in 1900s Todd Holland. Josh Hutcherson, Bruce San Francisco, running amuck when they Greenwood, Bill Nunn, Scotch Ellis Loring, receive a new fire engine. Originally inMayte Garcia, Teddy Sears, Steven Culp, tended for Abbott and Costello. Dash Mihok, Bree Turner, Hannah Lochner, Firemen’s Ball, The (1967-Czech) C-73m. Claudette Mink, Shane Daly. Clever variation ★★ D: Milos Forman. Jan Vostrcil, Josef of the boy-and-his-dog genre finds a pamSebanek, Josef Valnoha, Josef Kolb, Vaclav pered, spoiled superstar movie mutt named Stockel. Acclaimed comedy of small-town Rex (star of JURASSIC BARK and THE firemen’s ball which turns into sprawling CANINE MUTINY) lost and alone in a small disaster apparently has elusive charm that town when an airplane stunt goes wrong. He completely escaped us.▼●쩠 soon finds his way into the local fire station, Fire on the Amazon (1996) C-81m. ★★ D: which is about to be razed to make way for a Luis Llosa. Craig Sheffer, Sandra Bullock, new development, but can he save the day for Juan Fernandez, Judith Chapman, Ramsey the fire chief and his son? Predictable stuff, Ross, David Elkin, Jorge Garcia Bustamante. but executed with such skill it’s hard to resist. Well-intentioned ‘‘save the rainforest’’ story, Fun for kids and their parents, too. [PG]쩠 marred by appallingly reckless and hostile Fire, Ice and Dynamite (1990-German) behavior of photojournalist Sheffer, whose C-102m. BOMB D: Willy Bogner. Roger stupidity should have had him blown away Moore, Shari Belafonte, Simon Shepherd, very early in the film. Contrived romance Uwe Ochsenknecht, Geoffrey Moore, Conwith activist Bullock is no more believable. nie de Groot, Marjoe Gortner, Isaac Hayes. Filmed in 1990. Executive-produced by Obscenely wealthy Moore, whose empire is Roger Corman. Unrated version also availcrumbling, fakes suicide to test the mettle able. [R]▼쩠 of his children and creditors in an athletic Fire Over England (1937-British) 89m. competition. Loud, lame, occasionally of★★★ D: William K. Howard. Laurence fensive timewaster, redeemed (just barely) Olivier, Flora Robson, Leslie Banks, Rayby the stuntwork. As inept as Bogner’s earmond Massey, Vivien Leigh, Tamara Desni, lier FIRE AND ICE. [PG]▼ Morton Selten, Robert Newton, Donald CalFire in the Sky (1993) C-107m. ★★ D: throp. Satisfying historical drama of BritishRobert Lieberman. D. B. Sweeney, RobSpanish conflict in 1500s with flawless perert Patrick, Craig Sheffer, Peter Berg, James formance by Robson (Queen Elizabeth), fine Garner, Henry Thomas, Bradley Gregg, Noble Willingham, Kathleen Wilhoite. villainy by Massey, romantic support by Oliv[ 460 ]

ier and Leigh. Watch for James Mason in a reunited in Miami after an eight-year sepasmall (unbilled) role. ▼●쩠 ration. Smits and Scacchi certainly make a Firepower (1979-British) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 great-looking couple. [R]▼쩠 D: Michael Winner. Sophia Loren, James Firewalker (1986) C-104m. BOMB D: J. Coburn, O. J. Simpson, Eli Wallach, AnLee Thompson. Chuck Norris, Lou Gossett, thony Franciosa, George Grizzard, VinMelody Anderson, Will Sampson, Sonny cent Gardenia, Victor Mature. Another Landham, John Rhys-Davies, Ian Abercrominternational all-star action thriller, with bie. Anderson, hair perfectly intact throughbeautiful people in beautiful locations (this out, hires Gossett and fellow mercenary Nortime, the Caribbean). Inane, complicated ris to find a hidden cache of loot she’s story has Loren seeking revenge for murimagined exists. Press releases described der of her chemist husband. Passable timeNorris’ character as a ‘‘soldier-of-wackyfiller, especially on TV. [R]▼ misfortune’’; his light comedy skills recall a Fire Sale (1977) C-88m. BOMB D: Alan sportswriter’s description of Yogi Berra playArkin. Alan Arkin, Rob Reiner, Vincent ing third base—‘‘like a man trying to put up a Gardenia, Anjanette Comer, Kay Medford, pup tent in a windstorm.’’ Arguably Chuck’s Sid Caesar, Barbara Dana, Alex Rocco, worst—but who wants to argue? [PG]▼●쩠 Richard Libertini, Augusta Dabney. Wretched Firewall (2006) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Richard black comedy about a department store owner Loncraine. Harrison Ford, Paul Bettany, and his two sons gives bad taste a bad name. Virginia Madsen, Robert Forster, Alan Arkin, Truly unbearable. [PG] Robert Patrick, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Carly Fires on the Plain (1959-Japanese) 105m. Schroeder, Jimmy Bennett, Vince Vieluf. A ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Kon Ichikawa. Eiji Funakoshi, security expert must break into his own bank Mantaro Ushio, Yoshihiro Hamaguchi, in order to save his family; that’s the premise Osamu Takizawa. Japanese soldiers strugof this muddled, often preposterous thriller. gle to survive at the finale of the Philippine Ford seems an unlikely technophile, and campaign during WW2; focus is on trawhile the action builds toward the end, by vails of tubercular Funakoshi, separated then the audience has been drained of all emofrom his unit. Graphically realistic, distional investment. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 turbing, and depressing vision of damnaFire With Fire (1986) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: tion on earth, with a sobering antiwar Duncan Gibbins. Craig Sheffer, Virginia message. Daieiscope.▼●쩠 Madsen, Jon Polito, Jeffrey Jay Cohen, Firestarter (1984) C-115m. ★★ D: Mark Kate Reid, Jean Smart, D. B. Sweeney. L. Lester. David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Story of a forbidden love affair between a George C. Scott, Martin Sheen, Heather boy imprisoned at a juvenile detention Locklear, Art Carney, Louise Fletcher, facility and girl who feels imprisoned at Moses Gunn, Freddie Jones. Silly, someCatholic girls’ school nearby. Pleasant enough times laughable yarn about little girl whose to watch . . . until ludicrous finale. Film buffs parents acquired unusual mental powers as should note Ann Savage in the small role of Sister Harriet. [PG-13]▼ a result of a government experiment and who herself can set anything on fire at Fire Within, The (1963-French) 108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Louis Malle. Maurice Ronet, Lena will. Lumbering story wastes a lot of acting talent, though it certainly gave emSkerla, Yvonne Clech, Hubert Deschamps, ployment to a number of stunt people and Jeanne Moreau, Alexandra Stewart. Shatterspecial effects technicians. From Stephen ing study of alcoholism, as wealthy Ronet, King’s best-seller. Followed in 2002 by a released from a sanitarium after a breakmade-for-TV movie. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 down, visits his old friends in Paris one Firestorm (1998) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Dean last time. Probably Malle’s best early film— Semler. Howie Long, William Forsythe, Scott photographed, scored (with the music of Glenn, Suzy Amis, Christianne Hirt, Garwin Erik Satie), and acted to maximum effect— Sanford. Wily con Forsythe and cohorts have and with a minimum of self-pity.▼쩠 pulled off a prison escape, incinerating a Fireworks (1998-Japanese) C-103m. ★★★ Canadian forest as their ‘‘cover.’’ This D: Takeshi Kitano. ‘‘Beat’’ Takeshi, Kaymakes the job of smoke jumpers (who paraoko Kishimoto, Ren Osugi, Susumu Terachute into difficult fires) all the more risky. jima, Tetsu Watanabe, Taro Itsumi. Tough By-the-numbers script is fashioned as an accop’s world crumbles around him: his wife tion vehicle for athlete Long, who suggests is dying, his partner becomes confined to a what Ed Harris might look like if he couldn’t wheelchair, and a young detective dies in a move his facial muscles. [R] ▼●쩠 shootout because of his blunder, forcing Fires Within (1991) C-86m. ★★ D: Gillian him into a deal with the yakuza. Strongly Armstrong. Jimmy Smits, Greta Scacchi, directed film begins with clear but fragmenVincent D’Onofrio, Luis Avalos, Bertila tary flashbacks; melancholy, violent, sarDamas, Raul Davila, Bri Hathaway, Daniel donic, and romantic, it’s an outstanding movie Fern. Well-intentioned but underdeveloped of its genre. The director, who also wrote and story of anguish suffered by a Cuban politicoedited, uses ‘‘Beat’’ Takeshi as an acting cal prisoner and his family when they’re name. Original title: HANA-BI.▼쩠 [ 461 ]

Firm, The (1993) C-154m. ★★★ D: Sydillness. Dunaway’s near-comatose role couldn’t ney Pollack. Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, be more thankless, but good supporting cast Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holly Hunter, Ed Harand moody Gordon Jenkins score make this ris, Hal Holbrook, Terry Kinney, Wilford one of Frank’s better serious vehicles. Look Brimley, David Strathairn, Gary Busey, fast for Bruce Willis half-hidden under a cap in a bar scene. [R]▼●쩠 Steven Hill, Tobin Bell, Barbara Garrick, Jerry Hardin, Paul Colderon, Jerry WeinFirst Family (1980) C-104m. ★★ D: Buck traub, Karina Lombard, John Beal. Slick Henry. Bob Newhart, Gilda Radner, Madadaptation of John Grisham’s best-seller eline Kahn, Richard Benjamin, Bob Dishy, about a Harvard law school grad who’s Harvey Korman, Rip Torn, Austin Pendlewooed by a Memphis law firm and happily ton, Fred Willard, Julius Harris, Buck signs on, never suspecting the sinister truth Henry. Almost laughless political satire, behind its gracious facade. Good storytellwritten by Henry, with Newhart a bumbling ing and good performances, but it goes on U.S. President, Kahn his inebriated First too long . . . and makes some unfortunate Lady, Radner their horny First Daughter. changes from Grisham’s original. Still, it’s However, Newhart’s conversation with attractive and entertaining. Paul Sorvino apAfrican Ambassador Harris is a gem. [R]▼ pears unbilled as a Mafioso. [R]▼●쩠 First Great Train Robbery, The SEE: First Blood (1982) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Ted Great Train Robbery, The First Kid (1996) C-101m. ★★★ D: David Kotcheff. Sylvester Stallone, Richard Crenna, Brian Dennehy, David Caruso, Jack StarMickey Evans. Sinbad, Brock Pierce, Blake rett, Bill McKinney, Michael Talbott. ExBoyd, Timothy Busfield, Art La Fleur, RobGreen Beret is falsely arrested by smalltown ert Guillaume, Lisa Eichhorn, James cops, escapes and leads his pursuers into all Naughton, Fawn Reed, Zachery Ty Bryan, kinds of booby traps in the ‘‘jungles’’ of Bill Cobbs. Very entertaining Disney comU.S. Northwest. Throws all credibility to edy about a hang-loose Secret Service agent the winds about the time he gets off with on the White House detail who gets the only a bad cut after jumping from a mounworst assignment in town: guarding the tain into some jagged rocks. A kewpie doll President’s bratty son. Soon enough, howto anyone who can understand more than three ever, he and the boy form a bond. Subplot words of Sly’s final monologue. Followed by about a disgruntled ex-agent gets a little inRAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II. Panavitense for a family film, but otherwise this is sion. [R]▼●쩠 bull’s-eye stuff and a great comic vehicle for Sinbad. [PG]▼●쩠 Firstborn (1984) C-103m. ★★ D: Michael Apted. Teri Garr, Peter Weller, ChristoFirst Knight (1995) C-132m. ★★★ D: Jerry pher Collet, Corey Haim, Sarah Jessica Zucker. Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Parker, Robert Downey, Jr. Divorced mom Ormond, Ben Cross, Liam Cunningham, is doing her best to raise two sons—until Christopher Villiers, Valentine Pelka, Colin she lets her latest boyfriend (a real lout) McCormack, Ralph Ineson, John Gielgud. move into the house and take over. CrediHandsome, sweeping, romantic adventure ble, if unappealing, drama leads to repelsaga that focuses on a love triangle involvlent conclusion, a` la DEATH WISH, putting ing King Arthur (Connery), Lady Guineto waste the film’s good qualities and vere (Ormond), and a restless, roving spirit, performances. [PG-13]▼● who lives by his wits, named Lancelot First Daughter (2004) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: (Gere). Awkward narrative moments (and Forest Whitaker. Katie Holmes, Marc Blucas, the casting of a contemporary-sounding Amerie, Michael Keaton, Margaret Colin, American as Lancelot) outweighed by the Lela Rochon Fuqua, Michael Milhoan, overall intelligence of William Nicholson’s Dwayne Adway. Fairy-tale romance for script, John Box’s breathtaking production wholesome teens centers on the sheltered design, Jerry Goldsmith’s majestic score, daughter of the U.S. President, who goes off and the splendid performances by Ormond to college to get away from her omnipresent and Connery. Camelot has never looked so Secret Service detail and falls for a hunky magical. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 student whose true identity holds a big surFirst Legion, The (1951) 86m. ★★★ D: prise (not really). CHASING LIBERTY Douglas Sirk. Charles Boyer, William was bad enough; did we really need another Demarest, Lyle Bettger, Barbara Rush. formulaic, juvenile variation of ROMAN Engrossing low-key account of Jesuit priest HOLIDAY the same year? [PG] ▼쩠 who is dubious about an alleged miracle First Deadly Sin, The (1980) C-112m. ★★★ occurring in his town. Boyer gives one of D: Brian G. Hutton. Frank Sinatra, Faye his best performances.▼ Dunaway, David Dukes, Brenda Vaccaro, First Love (1939) 84m. ★★★ D: Henry Martin Gabel, James Whitmore. Sinatra’s Koster. Deanna Durbin, Robert Stack, Helen first starring feature after 10-year absence Parrish, Eugene Pallette, Leatrice Joy, Marfinds him in good form in adaptation of cia Mae Jones, Frank Jenks. Charming Lawrence Sanders’ best-seller about an N.Y.C. Cinderella story of orphaned girl (Durbin) cop who stalks a psycho during his wife’s going to live with uncle and finding ro[ 462 ]

mance with Stack (in his film debut). Durbin mel, Diana Canova, Alexandra Morgan, Lessings ‘‘Amapola’’ and other songs; her lie Ackerman. Basically a one-joke idea that first screen kiss (courtesy Stack) made wears thin despite an air of amiability: a desheadlines around the world.▼쩠 perate young filmmaker (Nathan) tries to resFirst Love (1970-British-French-Swiss) cue his studio by making a porno musical, ★★★ C-90m. D: Maximilian Schell. John complete with production numbers such as Moulder-Brown, Dominique Sanda, Max‘‘Dancing Dildos.’’ Best contributions come imilian Schell, John Osborne. Original, from those who keep their clothes on. Kimoften moving story of young lovers is total mel also scripted and wrote most of the songs. concept of Schell. While his direction often Ron Howard appears unbilled. [R]▼쩠 wanders, his script is extremely good. [R]▼ First of the Few, The SEE: Spitfire (1942) First Love (1977) C-92m. ★★ D: Joan First Power, The (1990) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Darling. William Katt, Susan Dey, John Robert Resnikoff. Lou Diamond Phillips, Heard, Beverly D’Angelo, Robert Loggia, Tracy Griffith, Jeff Kober, Mykel T. WilSwoosie Kurtz. Youthful romance between liamson, Elizabeth Arlen, Dennis Lipscomb. right-thinking college boy and girl who’s Cat-and-mouse battle between an L.A. cop involved with older man; muddled film and the spirit of an executed Devil’s disciwith unsatisfying conclusion. [R]▼ ple who has the ability to pop in and out of First Love, Last Rites (1998) C-93m. ★★ D: other people’s bodies. Very weak superJesse Peretz. Giovanni Ribisi, Natasha Gregnatural horror that fails to frighten, or offer son Wagner, Robert John Burke, Jeannetta anything fresh. Griffith is Melanie GrifArnette, Donal Logue. Deadeningly slow fith’s half-sister. [R]▼●쩠 story of two young lovers who shack up in First Snow (2007) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mark a modest apartment on the Louisiana bayou. Fergus. Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, William Feature directorial debut for music-video Fichtner, J. K. Simmons, Shea Whigham, helmer Peretz has a sensual mood and atRick Gonzalez, Luce Rains, Adam Scott, tractive leads but is devoid of dramatic inciJackie Burroughs. Slick salesman Pearce, dent. Only plus: art-rockers Shudder to who’s always looking for the right angles and Think’s score, which is meant to evoke old that elusive ‘‘big deal,’’ consults a palm 45 singles. Based on a short story by Ian reader while his car is being repaired—and McEwan. [R]▼● doesn’t get good news about his future. First Men in the Moon (1964-British) CWhat’s more, a boyhood pal has just gotten 103m. ★★★ D: Nathan Juran. Edward Judd, out of jail and may be looking for him. Pretty Martha Hyer, Lionel Jeffries, Erik Chitty. good thriller bolstered by a first-rate cast. Lavish adaptation of H. G. Wells novel is Written by Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby, heavy-handed at times, overloaded with comic two of the writers of CHILDREN OF MEN; relief, but still worthwhile; good Ray HarryFergus’ directorial debut. Super 35. [R]쩠 hausen special effects. Cameo appearance First Sunday (2008) C-98m. ★★ D: David by Peter Finch. Panavision.▼●쩠 E. Talbert. Ice Cube, Katt Williams, Tracy First Monday in October (1981) C-98m. Morgan, Loretta Devine, Michael Beach, ★★1⁄2 D: Ronald Neame. Walter Matthau, Keith David, Regina Hall, Malinda Williams, Jill Clayburgh, Barnard Hughes, James Chi McBride, Clifton Powell, Nicholas TurtStephens, Jan Sterling, Joshua Bryant. urro, Olivia Cole. Two petty criminals scheme Talky but OK adaptation of Jerome Lawto rob their local church when they need quick rence–Robert E. Lee stage hit about Tracycash in order to pay off a debt . . . but they get and-Hepburn-like clash of wills between much more than they bargained for. Jokes first female member of the Supreme Court mostly fall flat in this all-too-typical vehicle (a staunch conservative) and the most libfor Ice Cube and company. A couple of genueral of her brethren. Lost some of its novelty ine laughs are provided by Williams and Morwhen it happened for real just before film gan. [PG-13]쩠 was released, but still amusing. Panavision. First Time, The (1969) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: [R]▼●쩠 James Neilson. Jacqueline Bisset, Wes First Name: Carmen (1983-French-Swiss) ★★★ Stern, Rick Kelman, Wink Roberts, Gerald D: Jean-Luc Godard. MarC-85m. Parkes. Combination of Ozzie and Harriet uschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffe, Myriem and WALK ON THE WILD SIDE concerns Roussel, Christophe Odent, Jean-Luc Godard. a teenager’s sexual initiation. Artificial Title character is a femme fatale, terrorist, and look at adolescence. [M]▼ aspiring filmmaker, and Godard plays her First Time, The (1983) C-95m. ★★★ D: uncle, a famous but ‘‘sick’’ and ‘‘washedCharlie Loventhal. Tim Choate, Krista up’’ director named Jean-Luc Godard. Funny Errickson, Marshall Efron, Wendy Fulton, and compelling, if you like Godard’s later Raymond Patterson, Wallace Shawn, Wendie work; otherwise, it will seem like a waste of Jo Sperber, Cathryn Damon. Surprisingly intime and celluloid. ▼●쩠 telligent, funny portrait of virginal, movieFirst Nudie Musical, The (1976) C-100m. ★★ D: Mark Haggard, Bruce Kimmel. Steloving college freshman Choate. A cut above phen Nathan, Cindy Williams, Bruce Kimother films of its type, and a promising debut [ 463 ]

for young Loventhal, a prote´ge´ of Brian De Fish Hawk (1980-Canadian) C-95m. ★★ D: Palma. Aka DOIN’ IT. [R]▼ Donald Shebib. Will Sampson, Charlie Fields, ★★1 First to Fight (1967) C-97m. ⁄2 D: Geoffrey Bowes, Mary Pirle, Don Francks, Christian Nyby. Chad Everett, Marilyn Chris Wiggins. Bland family film about an Devin, Dean Jagger, Bobby Troup, Claude alcoholic Indian who tries to mend his Akins, Gene Hackman. Conventional WW2 ways—and becomes a companion to an imyarn with Everett the one-time hero who pressionable young farm boy. This is the kind almost loses his courage on the battleof unchallenging, inoffensive fare that gives field. Panavision.▼ G-rated movies a bad reputation. [G]▼쩠 First Traveling Saleslady, The (1956) Fish That Saved Pittsburgh, The (1979) ★★ C-92m. D: Arthur Lubin. Ginger RogC-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Gilbert Moses. Julius ers, Barry Nelson, Carol Channing, David Erving, James Bond III, Stockard Channing, Brian, James Arness, Clint Eastwood. RogJonathan Winters, Margaret Avery, Jack ers and Channing try to elevate this plodding Kehoe, Meadowlark Lemon, Nicholas comedy of girdle-sellers in the old West, but Pryor, Flip Wilson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. barely succeed. Carol and Clint make one of Losing basketball team tries astrology to the oddest couples in screen history. put them in winners’ circle; low-grade First Wives Club, The (1996) C-102m. comedy with disco soundtrack. Game ★★1⁄2 D: Hugh Wilson. Goldie Hawn, Bette hijinks are only saving grace. [PG]▼ Midler, Diane Keaton, Maggie Smith, Dan F.I.S.T. (1978) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: NorHedaya, Stockard Channing, Sarah Jessica man Jewison. Sylvester Stallone, Rod Parker, Victor Garber, Stephen Collins, Steiger, Peter Boyle, Melinda Dillon, David Elizabeth Berkley, Marcia Gay Harden, Huffman, Tony Lo Bianco, Kevin Conway, Bronson Pinchot, Jennifer Dundas, Eileen Cassie Yates, Henry Wilcoxon, Brian Heckart, Philip Bosco, Rob Reiner, James Dennehy. Stallone’s one-dimensional perNaughton, Debra Monk, Kate Burton. Three formance prevents this well-produced epic college pals meet up years later at a mutual about a Hoffa-like labor kingpin from susfriend’s funeral and discover they have sometaining a strong first half. Peter Boyle does thing in common: husbands who’ve dumped well with a role inspired by former Team(or dumped on) them. Predictable, but still ster boss Dave Beck. Screenplay by Stalpretty entertaining, thanks to three lively stars lone and Joe Eszterhas. [PG]▼●쩠 and an impressive supporting cast. Diluted Fistful of Chopsticks, A SEE: They Call from Olivia Goldsmith’s novel. Heather Me Bruce? Locklear appears unbilled. [PG]▼●쩠 Fistful of Dollars (1964-Italian) C-100m. ★★★ Fish Called Wanda, A (1988) C-108m. D: Sergio Leone. Clint Eastwood, Gian ★★★ Maria Volonte´, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang D: Charles Crichton. John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Lukschy, Mario Brega, Carol Brown. SagePalin, Maria Aitken, Tom Georgeson, Pabrush remake of YOJIMBO single-handtricia Hayes, Geoffrey Palmer. Funny edly invented the ‘‘spaghetti Western,’’ farce about an uptight British barrister made an international superstar of Eastwho becomes involved with a sexy con wood, and boosted the careers of Leone artist (Curtis), her mindlessly macho boyand composer Ennio Morricone as well. friend (Kline), and their ambitious bank Clint plays the laconic Man With No robbery and getaway scheme. Cleese’s Name, a tough gunslinger manipulating script includes enough bad-taste gags to (and manipulated by!) two rival families either repel or delight his audience, dewarring over small frontier town. Amuspending on one’s personal point of view. ing, violent, and very stylish. Released in Kline won an Oscar for his flamboyant the U.S. in 1967. Sequel: FOR A FEW comic performance. The cast later reunited DOLLARS MORE. Techniscope. ▼●쩠 for FIERCE CREATURES. [R] ▼●쩠 Fistful of Dynamite, A SEE: Duck, You Fisher King, The (1991) C-137m. ★★★ D: Sucker Terry Gilliam. Robin Williams, Jeff BridFist in His Pocket (1966-Italian) 105m. ★★★★ ges, Amanda Plummer, Mercedes Ruehl, D: Marco Bellochio. Lou Castel, Michael Jeter, Harry Shearer, John de Paola Pitagora, Marino Mase, Liliana Lancie, David (Hyde) Pierce. Expansive, Gerace, Pier Luigi Troglio. Brilliant oneemotional fable of a smart-aleck, self-abof-a-kind about a mad family of epileptics sorbed radio personality driven into a deep whose protagonist kills his mother and funk by an unexpected tragedy—and his undrowns his younger brother, while his sis likely rescue by a strange street vigilante merely settles for repressed incest. One of who’s in desperate need of rescue himself. the great, if largely unheralded, foreign Unusual and absorbing, both comic and films of the ’60s, with Castel more than up tender, this takes the viewer on quite a jourto the demands of the difficult role.쩠 ney. Ruehl won Best Supporting Actress Fist of Fear, Touch of Death (1980) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Matthew Mallinson. Fred Oscar as Bridges’ girlfriend. Look fast for Kathy Najimy. Written by Richard LaGraWilliamson, Ron Van Clief, Adolph Caevenese. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 sar, Aaron Banks, Bill Louis. Boring chop[ 464 ]

socky film chronicling the happenings at a set in WW2 Middle Europe. Five girls Madison Square Garden martial arts tourscorned by partisans for consorting with nament. Highlighted are short clips of legNazis prove their patriotism. endary Bruce Lee. Aka DRAGON AND Five Came Back (1939) 75m. ★★★ D: THE COBRA. [R]▼쩠 John Farrow. Chester Morris, Lucille Ball, Fist of Fury SEE: Chinese Connection, The Wendy Barrie, John Carradine, Allen Fist Right of Freedom SEE: Fox and His Jenkins, Joseph Calleia, C. Aubrey Smith, Friends Patric Knowles. This sleeper shows its Fists of Fury (1971-Hong Kong) C-103m. age a bit, but remains interesting for color★★ D: Lo Wei. Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, Han ful character studies among passengers Ying Chieh, Tony Liu, Miao Ker Hsiu. on plane downed in headhunter-infested Lee, in his initial Kung Fu actioner, plays Amazon jungle. Remade by Farrow as a young fellow who takes a job in an ice BACK FROM ETERNITY.▼● house, and discovers his boss is a drug 5 Card Stud (1968) C-103m. ★1⁄2 D: Henry smuggler. Feeble. Original title: THE BIG Hathaway. Dean Martin, Robert Mitchum, BOSS. Dyaliscope. [R]▼●쩠 Inger Stevens, Roddy McDowall, KatherFitzcarraldo (1982) C-157m. ★★★★ D: ine Justice. Dino is a gambler and Mitchum Werner Herzog. Klaus Kinski, Claudia virtually repeats his NIGHT OF THE Cardinale, Jose Lewgoy, Miguel Angel HUNTER role in surprisingly disappointFuentes, Paul Hittscher. Vivid, fascinating ing Western; Maurice Jarre’s Dr. Zhivagoportrait of a man obsessed (made by a man on-the-range musical score doesn’t help. obsessed—see BURDEN OF DREAMS) Probably Hathaway’s worst Western. [M/ who’s determined to capture a shipping PG] ▼쩠 route on the Amazon, even though it means Five Corners (1988) C-92m. ★★★ D: Tony hauling a boat over a mountaintop, through Bill. Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, Todd hostile tribal territory. Then he’s going to Graff, John Turturro, Elizabeth Berridge, bring in grand opera! Astonishing and capRose Gregorio, Gregory Rozakis, John tivating movie, in spite of its length; admitSeitz. Moody piece about young people tedly not to everyone’s taste. [PG]▼쩠 whose lives converge in a Bronx neighborFitzwilly (1967) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Delbert hood in 1964. One of them, just released Mann. Dick Van Dyke, Barbara Feldon, from prison, stirs trouble for the others. Edith Evans, John McGiver, Harry Townes, Unexpectedly melodramatic but potent and John Fiedler, Norman Fell, Cecil Kellaway, believable . . . and seemingly the only 1960s Sam Waterston. Ordinary fluff about butperiod film not to use oldies to evoke the ler who has to rob Gimbel’s on Christmas era. James Newton Howard’s moody score Eve to save his employer. Van Dyke’s is much more effective, anyway. Written by screen career was hurt by too many films John Patrick Shanley. [R]▼●쩠 like this one. This was Feldon’s film debut. Five Day Lover (1961-French-Italian) 86m. Panavision.▼ ★★★ D: Philippe De Broca. Jean Seberg, ★★★ D: Arch Oboler. WilFive (1951) 93m. Micheline Presle, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Franliam Phipps, Susan Douglas, James Anderc¸ois Perier. Perceptive, flavorful bedroom son, Charles Lampkin, Earl Lee. Intriguing, comedy featuring Seberg as a bored houseoffbeat film by famed radio writer-director wife-mother who has an affair with Cassel, Oboler about the survivors of an atomic holowho’s being kept by her friend (Presle). caust. Talky (and sometimes given to purple Five Days from Home (1978) C-109m. prose) but interesting. Filmed in and around ★★ D: George Peppard. George Peppard, Oboler’s Frank Lloyd Wright house.쩠 Neville Brand, Savannah Smith, Sherry 5 Against the House (1955) 84m. ★★★ D: Boucher, Victor Campos, Robert Donner. Phil Karlson. Guy Madison, Kim Novak, Peppard breaks out of Louisiana prison, Brian Keith, Kerwin Mathews, William determined to reach L.A. and see his hospiConrad, Alvy Moore. ‘‘Perfect crime’’ talized son. Well-intentioned but improbcaper has five friends set out to rob Reno, able film. [PG] Nevada, casino. Execution of robbery, along Five Days One Summer (1982) C-108m. with gorgeous Novak, keep this film roll★★ D: Fred Zinnemann. Sean Connery, ing along. Based on a novel by Jack Finney.쩠 Betsy Brantley, Lambert Wilson, Jennifer Five Angles on Murder SEE: Woman in Hilary, Isabel Dean, Gerald Buhr, Anna Question, The Massey. Middle-aged man brings a young Five Ashore in Singapore SEE: Singawoman—ostensibly his wife—on Swiss pore, Singapore vacation in the early 1930s where their Five Bloody Graves SEE: Gun Riders ★★ D: hesitant relationship is explored against 5 Branded Women (1960) 106m. the natural drama of mountain climbing. Martin Ritt. Van Heflin, Silvana Mangano, Adaptation of a Kay Boyle story doesn’t Jeanne Moreau, Vera Miles, Barbara Bel come off, despite impeccable production. Geddes, Richard Basehart, Harry Guardino, Slow, ethereal, ultimately unsatisfying. Carla Gravina, Alex Nicol, Steve Forrest. Overambitious production, badly miscast, Zinnemann’s last film. [PG] ▼ [ 465 ]

Five Easy Pieces (1970) C-98m. ★★★★ D: Field Marshal Rommel (von Stroheim). Bob Rafelson. Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Billy Wilder–Charles Brackett script manBilly Green Bush, Fannie Flagg, Susan ages to incorporate wit and humor into Anspach, Sally Struthers, Ralph Waite, Lois genuinely exciting wartime yarn. A reSmith. Brilliant character study of musician make of HOTEL IMPERIAL.▼ with great promise who gave up a career to Five Guns West (1955) C-78m. ★★ D: work on an oil rig. Nicholson’s performance Roger Corman. John Lund, Dorothy Mais superb, but Black, Anspach, Smith, and lone, Touch (Mike) Connors, Jack Ingram. Bush all contribute heavily. Helena KalliaFair Corman Western, which he coscripted, niotes is hilarious as a malcontent hitchabout a group of Rebel soldiers who hold hiker; this is the film with Jack’s famous up a Yankee stagecoach. This was Corman’s first film as director.▼쩠 ‘‘chicken salad sandwich’’ speech. Beautifully written by Adrien Joyce (Carole EastFive Heartbeats, The (1991) C-120m. ★★★ man). [R]▼●쩠 D: Robert Townsend. Robert TownFive Finger Exercise (1962) 109m. ★★1⁄2 send, Michael Wright, Leon, Harry J. D: Daniel Mann. Rosalind Russell, Jack Lennix, Tico Wells, Diahann Carroll, HarHawkins, Maximilian Schell, Richard old Nicholas, John Canada Terrell, Chuck Beymer, Lana Wood, Annette Gorman. Patterson, Hawthorne James, Paul BenjaPeter Shaffer’s play suffers from change of min. Corny but entertaining saga of a locale and alteration of original ideas; now 1960s singing group’s rise to fame; loosely it becomes embarrassing soap opera of based on R&B group The Dells. Awfully possessive mother in love with daughter’s predictable, but star/director/cowriter Towntutor. Stars are miscast but try their best. send and his cast are so likable they make up 5 Fingers (1952) 108m. ★★★ D: Joseph for it. The scene in which a youthful belter L. Mankiewicz. James Mason, Danielle named Tressa Thomas helps Townsend Darrieux, Michael Rennie, Walter Hamppiece together a song on the spot is worth den, Oscar Karlweis, Herbert Berghof, the price of admission. Coscripted by John Wengraf, Michael Pate. ExceptionKeenen Ivory Wayans. [R]▼●쩠 ally intelligent spy thriller with Mason as a Five Miles to Midnight (1962) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anatole Litvak. Tony Perkins, cool customer selling high-priced secrets right under the noses of his British governSophia Loren, Gig Young, Jean-Pierre ment employers during WW2. Based on Aumont, Pascale Roberts. Jumbled murder true-life events! Followed by a short-lived mystery with Perkins convincing wife Loren TV series.▼● to collect insurance money when it’s thought Five Fingers of Death (1973-Hong Kong) he’s been killed, with ironic results.▼ C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Cheng Chang Ho. Lo Lieh, Five Million Years to Earth SEE: QuaterWang Ping, Wang Ching-Feng. Only intermass and the Pit: Five Million Years to esting in that it is the Kung Fu film that Earth began the craze in America. Family honor Five Minutes to Live SEE: Door-to-Door defended with every part of the body except Maniac the mouth, which is horrendously dubbed. Five Obstructions, The (2003-Danish-SwissBelgian-French) C/B&W-88m. ★★★ D: Jørgen Shawscope.[R]▼쩠 Five Golden Dragons (1967-British) CLeth, Lars von Trier. Unusual, stimulating ★★ 93m. semidocumentary in which von Trier mischieD: Jeremy Summers. Bob Cummings, Margaret Lee, Maria Perschy, Brian vously dares his former teacher, Danish filmDonlevy, Christopher Lee, George Raft, maker Leth, to remake THE PERFECT Dan Duryea. Cummings is naive AmeriHUMAN, a 12m. film he directed in 1967, can caught up in international crime in with a proviso: Leth must create several verHong Kong; conventional actioner. Technisions, each with a different set of restricscope. ▼ tions (or ‘‘obstructions’’) concocted by von Five Golden Hours (1961-British-Italian) Trier. Not for all tastes, but noteworthy as ★★ 90m. an exploration of the varying styles filmD: Mario Zampi. Ernie Kovacs, Cyd Charisse, George Sanders, Kay Hammakers employ and the artistic choices they make. 쩠 mond, Dennis Price, Finlay Currie, Ron Moody. Con man Kovacs fleeces wealthy Five on the Black Hand Side (1973) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Oscar Williams. Clarice widows, but his luck is sure to change after falling for Charisse, whose husband Taylor, Leonard Jackson, Virginia Capers, has just died. Limp comedy wastes the D’Urville Martin, Glynn Turman, Godfrey talents of its cast.▼ Cambridge. Black family comedy about Five Graves To Cairo (1943) 96m. ★★★1⁄2 patriarchal barber was once refreshing amidst D: Billy Wilder. Franchot Tone, Anne many black exploitation films, now seems Baxter, Akim Tamiroff, Erich von Strofoolish. [PG]▼쩠 heim, Peter Van Eyck, Fortunio Bonanova. Five Pennies, The (1959) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 WW2 intrigue situated in Sahara oasis D: Melville Shavelson. Danny Kaye, Barhotel run by Tamiroff and Baxter; Tone bara Bel Geddes, Tuesday Weld, Louis attempts to obtain secrets from visiting Armstrong, Bob Crosby, Harry Guardino, [ 466 ]

Ray Anthony, Shelley Manne, Bobby Troup. fails on the screen; story of unjustly imprisDanny plays jazz trumpeter Red Nichols in oned Jewish handyman in turn-of-the-centhis sentimental biography. Only bright spots tury Russia concerns itself too much with are musical numbers, especially duets with the thoughts of its main character to be efKaye and Armstrong. VistaVision. ▼●쩠 fective as film. [M/PG]▼ Five Senses, The (1999-Canadian) C-104m. Flags of Our Fathers (2006) C-131m. ★★★ D: Jeremy Podeswa. Mary-Louise Parker, ★★★1⁄2 D: Clint Eastwood. Ryan Phillippe, Pascale Bussieres, Richard Clarkin, Brendan Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach, John BenjaFletcher, Marco Leonardi, Nadia Litz, Daniel min Hickey, John Slattery, Barry Pepper, MacIvor. Intricately woven comedy-drama Jamie Bell, Paul Walker, Robert Patrick, centers on the inhabitants of an office/apartNeal McDonough, Melanie Lynskey, Tom ment building in Toronto. Though the interMcCarthy, Chris Bauer, Judith Ivey, Joseph connected stories deal individually with the Cross, Scott Reeves, David Patrick Kelly, five senses, they’re never tricky or scheBeth Grant, Jon Polito, Gordon Clapp, Tom matic, but instead revealing, amusing, and Verica, David Clennon, David Rasche, moving. [R]▼쩠 Jason Gray-Stanford, George Grizzard, 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T., The (1953) Harve Presnell, George Hearn, Len Cariou. C-88m. ★★★ D: Roy Rowland. Peter Lind Intimate, involving portrait of the men who Hayes, Mary Healy, Tommy Rettig, Hans landed on Iwo Jima island in 1945, encounConried. A boy who hates to practice the tered death and unspeakable horrors, raised piano has a vivid nightmare about a land the U.S. flag, then were labeled heroes and where his officious teacher, Dr. Terwilliger put on display for a U.S. bond-selling tour. (Conried), rules over hundreds of boys and Told in flashback as the son of one such a gigantic keyboard. Imaginative fantasy man—who came home and never spoke conceived by Dr. Seuss with clever songs about his experiences—goes in search of his by Seuss and Frederick Hollander. Major father’s story. Stirring, sad, often profound weakness: conventional ‘‘grown-up’’ leads in its simplicity and directness, with a hellplayed by then-popular performers Healy ish depiction of combat one didn’t see in and Hayes. Look for George Chakiris WW2 movies of the 1940s. Well cast and among the dancers.▼●쩠 crafted on every level. Reeves, who has a 5x2 (2004-French) C-90m. ★★★ D: Franc¸ois small part as a Marine, is Eastwood’s son. Ozon. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi, Ste´phane Screenplay by William Broyles, Jr., and Paul Freiss, Ge´raldine Pailhas, Franc¸oise Fabian, Haggis, from the book by James Bradley Michael Lonsdale, Antoine Chappey, Marc with Ron Powers. Followed by LETTERS Ruchmann. Simple, effective drama chartFROM IWO JIMA. Panavision. [R]쩠 ing the anatomy of a marriage; the gimmick Flame and the Arrow, The (1950) C-88m. ★★★ is that the story is told in five episodes and D: Jacques Tourneur. Burt Lancaster, in reverse chronological order, starting with Virginia Mayo, Robert Douglas, Aline the characters’ divorce proceeding and endMacMahon, Nick Cravat. Bouncy, coloring with their initial meeting at a vacation ful action with Lancaster romping through resort. With a wisp of sadness, Ozon peels his gymnastics as rebel leader in medieval away the gradations of the relationship and Italy leading his people on to victory. the secrets and lies that tear it apart. [R] ▼쩠 Mayo is gorgeous heroine.▼●쩠 Five Weeks in a Balloon (1962) C-101m. Flame and the Flesh, The (1954) C-104m. ★★1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Irwin Allen. Red Buttons, Barbara D: Richard Brooks. Lana Turner, Pier Eden, Fabian, Cedric Hardwicke, Peter Angeli, Carlos Thompson, Bonar Colleano, Lorre, Richard Haydn, Barbara Luna. InCharles Goldner, Peter Illing. Pointless nocuous entertainment with formula script Turner vehicle filmed in Europe involving from Jules Verne tale of balloon expedition brunette Lana being romanced by continental to Africa. Buoyed by fine cast, including Thompson, which causes a lot of misery. veterans Billy Gilbert, Herbert Marshall, Flamenco (1995-Spanish) C-100m. ★★★1⁄2 Reginald Owen, Henry Daniell. CinemaD: Carlos Saura. Saura’s love of flamenco Scope.▼●쩠 saturates this ecstatic, beautifully made perFixed Bayonets! (1951) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Samformance film featuring flamenco singers, uel Fuller. Richard Basehart, Gene Evans, dancers, and guitarists of all ages, the best Michael O’Shea, Richard Hylton, Craig of whom are nothing short of dazzling. Hill. Taut Korean War drama of platoon There are neither subtitles nor dialogue— and none are needed!▼쩠 cut off from the rest of its outfit; typical tough Fuller production. James Dean is Flame of Araby (1951) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: one of the soldiers. 쩠 Charles Lamont. Maureen O’Hara, Jeff Fixer, The (1968) C-132m. ★★ D: John Chandler, Maxwell Reed, Susan Cabot. Frankenheimer. Alan Bates, Dirk Bogarde, O’Hara, looking fetching as ever, rides Georgia Brown, Hugh Griffith, Ian Holm, through this costumer of the Far East, involving battle over a prize horse.▼ Jack Gilford, Elizabeth Hartman, David Warner, Carol White. Good acting helps, Flame of New Orleans, The (1941) 78m. ★★★ D: Rene ´ Clair. Marlene Dietrich, Bruce but Bernard Malamud’s acclaimed novel [ 467 ]

Cabot, Roland Young, Laura Hope Crews, Mischa Auer, Andy Devine. Dietrich can have her pick of any man in New Orleans, can’t decide between wealthy Young or hard-working Cabot. Picturesque, entertaining. Clair’s first American film.▼쩠 Flame of the Barbary Coast (1945) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joseph Kane. John Wayne, Ann Dvorak, Joseph Schildkraut, William Frawley, Virginia Grey. Hick rancher Wayne competes with slick Schildkraut for savvy saloon singer Dvorak; undemanding fluff, with Republic Pictures’ version of the San Francisco earthquake. Also shown in computer-colored version. ▼쩠 Flame Over India (1959-British) C-130m. ★★★ D: J. Lee Thompson. Lauren Bacall, Kenneth More, Herbert Lom, Wilfrid Hyde-White. Fast-paced actioner set on northern frontier of India as British soldiers and governess Bacall seek to speed an Indian prince to safety aboard a run-down train. Originally titled NORTH WEST FRONTIER. CinemaScope.▼ Flamingo Kid, The (1984) C-100m. ★★★ D: Garry Marshall. Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, Hector Elizondo, Jessica Walter, Fisher Stevens, Janet Jones, Bronson Pinchot, Martha Gehman, Brian McNamara, Steven Weber, Eric Douglas, Marisa Tomei, Tracy Reiner, John Turturro. Very likable film set in 1963, about a Brooklyn boy from a working-class family whose head is turned by a slick sharpie who holds court at the beach club where he works. Crenna scores a bull’s-eye as the fat cat (and catches a glimpse of himself in The Real McCoys while testing his remote control TV in one scene). Nice coming-of-age story written by Neal Marshall (no relation to director). Tomei’s film debut. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Flamingo Road (1949) 94m. ★★★ D: Michael Curtiz. Joan Crawford, Zachary Scott, Sydney Greenstreet, David Brian, Gertrude Michael, Gladys George. Crawford is excellent as tough carnival dancer ditched in small town where she soon is loving Scott and Brian and matching wits with corrupt politician Greenstreet. Remade as TVM in 1980, which later spun off a TV series.

her feelings, driving her into the arms of another. He goes off to war and she becomes pregnant. Compelling, vividly etched portrait of the cruelty of war and human existence, featuring inarticulate characters who are incapable of thinking or controlling their lives. Punctuated by jarring scenes of passionless, animalistic sex and senseless violence. Written by the director. Hawk-Scope.쩠 Flannel Pajamas (2006) C-124m. ★★★ D: Jeff Lipsky. Justin Kirk, Julianne Nicholson, Rebecca Schull, Jamie Harrold, Chelsea Altman, Stephanie March. Two people meet, fall madly in love, get married, and almost immediately find that their diverging personalities are tearing the relationship apart. Intelligent, engaging character study with good performances and many moments that ring true, but the couple’s transition from blissful to wildly dysfunctional seems implausibly quick. [R]쩠 Flap (1970) C-106m. ★★ D: Carol Reed. Anthony Quinn, Claude Akins, Tony Bill, Victor Jory, Shelley Winters. Uneven story of Indian outcast Quinn. You’re supposed to pity Flapping Eagle, but script is so weak that the chances are you won’t. At times funny, but supposedly tragic. Panavision. [PG] Flareup (1969) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Neilson. Raquel Welch, James Stacy, Luke Askew, Don Chastain, Ron Rifkin, Jean Byron. Go-go dancer gets stalked from Las Vegas to L.A. by psychopathic ex-husband of friend who blames her for breakup of the marriage. Fast melodrama is helped by good location footage. [M/PG] ▼ Flashback (1990) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Franco Amurri. Dennis Hopper, Kiefer Sutherland, Carol Kane, Cliff De Young, Paul Dooley, Michael McKean, Richard Masur. Young straight-arrow FBI agent (Sutherland) is ordered to transport a recently captured ‘‘underground’’ political fugitive to the scene of his ’60s crime—disruption of a Spiro Agnew rally. Enervatingly predictable until its (surprisingly) bloody climax. Masur and McKean, who seem to be winging it, amuse as onetime political activists now trapped in a middle-class environment. [R]▼●쩠 Flashbacks of a Fool (2008-U.S.-British) ▼●쩠 C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Baillie Walsh. Daniel Flaming Star (1960) C-91m. ★★★ D: Don Craig, Jodhi May, Claire Forlani, Harry Siegel. Elvis Presley, Barbara Eden, Steve Eden, Olivia Williams, Miriam Karlin, Forrest, Dolores Del Rio, John McIntire. Mark Strong. Adult male’s emotional age is Elvis is excellent as a half-breed Indian who stunted when, at 15, a traumatic event must choose sides when his mother’s people causes him to run away from home. Craig is go on the warpath. No songs after the first on the mark as the now-successful Hollyten minutes but lots of action; along with wood star who’s boozing, womanizing, and JAILHOUSE ROCK, Presley’s best film. drugging himself into oblivion. May stands CinemaScope.▼쩠 out among a cast of top-notch actors. Flanders (2006-French) C-91m. ★★★ D: Scripted by Walsh, whose quiet, compelling Bruno Dumont. Ade´laı¨de Leroux, Samuel direction helps give this soap-opera tale Boidin, Henri Cretel, Jean-Marie Bruveart, added dimension. Panavision. [R]쩠 David Poulain. Pretty teen Leroux loves Flashdance (1983) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Adrian farmer Boidin, but he is unable to reciprocate Lyne. Jennifer Beals, Michael Nouri, Lilia [ 468 ]

Skala, Sunny Johnson, Kyle T. Heffner, by uninteresting presentation. Bonus: the Lee Ving, Ron Karabatsos, Belinda Bauer, worst title song of 1984 (sung over closing Cynthia Rhodes, Liz Sagal, Robert Wuhl. credits). [R]▼●쩠 How to turn a rock video into a feature Flatfoot SEE: Knock Out Cop, The film—with glitzy images, high energy, an Flatliners (1990) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel arresting music score (principally by Giorgio Schumacher. Kiefer Sutherland, Julia RobMoroder), and the stupidest story this side of erts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, OliBusby Berkeley. Still, this concoction about a ver Platt, Kimberly Scott, Hope Davis. Offgirl with the perfect fantasy life (macho beat but sophomoric supernatural drama (with welder by day, sexy dancer by night, courted touches of horror and humor) about medical by the rich and handsome boss, watched over students experimenting with life after death. by a patron-saint ballerina) was a smash. Title Slick camerawork and effects can’t camousong won an Oscar. [R]▼●쩠 flage the superficiality of the script, which Flash Fire SEE: Dangerous Summer, A undermines an intriguing idea. Panavision. Flash Gordon (1980) C-110m. ★★★ D: [R]▼●쩠 Mike Hodges. Sam J. Jones, Melody AnFlawless (1999) C-110m. ★★ D: Joel Schuderson, Topol, Max von Sydow, Ornella macher. Robert De Niro, Philip Seymour Muti, Brian Blessed, Timothy Dalton, Hoffman, Barry Miller, Chris Bauer, Skipp Mariangela Melato. Updated version of Sudduth, Daphne Rubin-Vega. N.Y.C. cop comic strip is better than expected, thanks suffers a stroke, and gets speech therapy to eye-filling production/costume design lessons from the unlikeliest source imaginby Danilo Donati, amusing rock score by able, a drag queen he can’t stand who hapQueen. Jones and Anderson are liabilities pens to live in the same apartment house. as Flash and Dale Arden, but Muti’s evil Meanwhile, a local crimelord is searching Princess Aura (who would make any male for stolen money that’s stashed somewhere stray from Right) leads a strong supporting in the building. Overlong, overplotted film cast. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼●쩠 (written by Schumacher) is kept afloat by Flash of Genius (2008) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: the talent of its stars, De Niro and Hoffman. Marc Abraham. Greg Kinnear, Lauren GraPanavision. [R]▼●쩠 ham, Dermot Mulroney, Jake Abel, Daniel Flawless (2008-British) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roebuck, Tim Kelleher, Bill Smitrovitch, Michael Radford. Michael Caine, Demi Alan Alda, Mitch Pileggi. In the 1960s DeMoore, Lambert Wilson, Nathaniel Parker, troit science teacher and inventor Robert Shaughan Seymour, Nicholas Jones, David Kearns (Kinnear) pitches his intermittent Barras, Joss Ackland. In the kind of film he windshield washer to the Ford Motor Comcould have made in the ’60s (and did, only pany. When they steal the invention he bebetter), Caine’s latest gambit finds him as a comes obsessed with seeing justice done— janitor who decides his retirement gift from and sacrifices everything (including his wife the London Diamond Corp. should include and six children) to that end. A true-life some of their product. He enlists an underDavid and Goliath story with a twist: David appreciated female exec at the office to help isn’t very likable. Interesting for a while, him with the heist. Caine could do this in with good period flavor, but wears thin as his sleep but he’s still fun to watch; Moore we lose rooting interest. Super 35. [PGhas learned a lot about acting since she 13]쩠 played Caine’s daughter in 1984’s BLAME Flash of Green, A (1984) C-131m. ★★ D: IT ON RIO. A pleasant enough diversion. Victor Nunez. Ed Harris, Blair Brown, Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Richard Jordan, George Coe, Helen StenFlea in Her Ear, A (1968-U.S.-French) borg, John Glover. Reporter in a small C-94m. ★★ D: Jacques Charon. Rex HarriFlorida coastal town gets in over his head son, Rosemary Harris, Louis Jourdan, Rawhen he plays footsie with a scheming chel Roberts. Unfunny farce about philcounty commissioner who’s behind a shady andering barrister. Some of the slapstick land-fill development racket. Capable pergags go on interminably. Panavision. formances and refreshingly offbeat subject [M/PG] matter are eventually negated by overlength Fled (1996) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Kevin Hooks. and plot redundancies. Made for American Laurence Fishburne, Stephen Baldwin, Will Playhouse and produced by costar Jordan. Patton, Robert John Burke, Salma Hayek, Based on John D. MacDonald’s book.▼ Michael Nader, David Dukes, Brittney Flashpoint (1984) C-94m. ★★ D: William Powell, RuPaul, Taurean Blacque. FishTannen. Kris Kristofferson, Treat Williams, burne and Baldwin escape prison chained Rip Torn, Kevin Conway, Miguel Ferrer, together in DEFIANT ONES style, leading Jean Smart, Roberts Blossom, Tess Harper. to an extended chase that involves trains, Two maverick Texas Border Patrol offitrucks, cycles, cable cars, and the cliche´d cers stumble into volatile territory when like. Self-conscious movie references abound they discover a cache of money that figin a story dealing with a secret computer ures in a long-dormant mystery. Intriguing overall premise (and good cast) defeated disk that has the goods on a Cuban mobster. [ 469 ]

Final gag isn’t that great, but it’s the best inson sequence, based on Oscar Wilde’s thing in the movie. [R]▼●쩠 Lord Arthur Saville’s Crime, is the most Fleet’s In, The (1942) 93m. ★★★ D: Vicinteresting. Coproduced by Duvivier and tor Schertzinger. Dorothy Lamour, WilBoyer. Look for Peter Lawford as a Mardi liam Holden, Eddie Bracken, Betty Hutton, Gras reveler in the first sequence. Fourth epiBetty Jane Rhodes, Leif Erickson, Cass sode, dropped before release, subsequently Daley, Gil Lamb, Barbara Britton, Rod expanded into feature titled DESTINY. Cameron, Lorraine and Rognan, Jimmy Flesh and Flame SEE: Night of the QuarDorsey Orchestra with Bob Eberly and ter Moon Flesh and Fury (1952) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Helen O’Connell. Bouncy wartime musical with reputed romeo Holden trying to Joseph Pevney. Tony Curtis, Jan Sterling, melt iceberg Lamour. Sensational score Mona Freeman, Wallace Ford, Harry (composed by director Schertzinger and Guardino. Curtis gives presentable performJohnny Mercer) includes ‘‘Tangerine,’’ ‘‘I ance as deaf prizefighter who seeks to Remember You,’’ and ‘‘Arthur Murray regain hearing and love of decent girl. Flesh and the Devil (1927) 112m. ★★★ D: Taught Me Dancing in a Hurry.’’ Feature debuts of Hutton (in a hilarious performClarence Brown. John Gilbert, Greta Garbo, ance that made her an instant star) and Lars Hanson, Barbara Kent, William Daley. Previously filmed as TRUE TO Orlamond, George Fawcett, Eugenie BesTHE NAVY and LADY BE CAREFUL; serer. Garbo at her most seductive as remade as SAILOR BEWARE. temptress who comes between old friends Flesh (1932) 95m. ★★★ D: John Ford. Gilbert and Hanson. Pulsatingly romantic, Wallace Beery, Karen Morley, Ricardo beautifully filmed, probably the best Cortez, Jean Hersholt, Herman Bing, John Garbo-Gilbert love match. But talk about Miljan. Unusual, melancholy drama with surprise endings!▼쩠 Beery as simple-minded German wrestler Flesh and the Fiends, The SEE: Mania in love with Morley—who tries to hide Flesh Eaters, The (1964) 87m. ★1⁄2 D: her shady relationship with no-good Cortez. Jack Curtis. Martin Kosleck, Rita Morley, Byron Sanders, Barbara Wilkin. Group Flesh + Blood (1985) C-126m. ★★ D: Paul Verhoeven. Rutger Hauer, Jennifer trapped on island with deranged scientist is Jason Leigh, Tom Burlinson, Jack Thompmenaced by tiny but plentiful sea creatures that son, Susan Tyrrell, Ronald Lacey, Brion eventually mass to make one giant monster. James, Bruno Kirby. Rowdy adventure set Occasionally tense, but gruesome and generally boring. Longer version on video.▼쩠 in 16th century: Leigh is betrothed to young Prince Burlinson but falls into clutches of Flesh Feast (1970) C-72m. BOMB D: B. F. Hauer and his motley band of warriors. Grinter. Veronica Lake, Phil Philbin, Plenty of flesh and blood, but it’s all Heather Hughes, Chris Martell, Martha rather foul and nasty; Verhoeven (in his Mischon. Lake’s final film (which she first American English-language effort) coproduced) is embarrassing, amateurish does score points for sheer audaciousgorefest. As a mad scientist working on reness. Aka THE ROSE AND THE SWORD. juvenation, she tortures Hitler to death at Technovision. [R]▼쩠 film’s climax (maggots eat at his face in Flesh and Bone (1993) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: close-up), then addresses us directly, shouting a patriotic, anti-Nazi diatribe! [R]▼쩠 Steve Kloves. Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan, James Caan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scott Wilson, Flesh for Frankenstein SEE: Andy WarChristopher Rydell, Betsy Brantley, Julia hol’s Frankenstein Mueller. Moody but murky ‘‘sins of the faFletch (1985) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael ther’’ drama, with Quaid well cast as a vendRitchie. Chevy Chase, Dana Wheelering machine supplier who discovers that the Nicholson, Tim Matheson, Joe Don Baker, tough-luck case he’s been driving around Richard Libertini, Geena Davis, M. EmTexas figured in the childhood tragedy that met Walsh, George Wendt, Kenneth Mars. has dominated his life. Absolutely no draChase plays a smart-ass undercover rematic payoff, but simply oozing in portent. porter (with a penchant for disguises) who Undeniable standouts are Philippe Rousselgoes after major drug ring. Good mystery ot’s photography and the performance of absolutely smothered in wisecracks, some Paltrow as a sexy con woman. [R]▼●쩠 funny, some tiresome; if you’re not a fan Flesh and Fantasy (1943) 93m. ★★★ D: of Chevy, stay clear! Watchable but never Julien Duvivier. Charles Boyer, Edward credible. Screenplay by Andrew Bergman G. Robinson, Barbara Stanwyck, Robert from Gregory McDonald’s novel. Followed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 Benchley, Betty Field, Robert Cummings, Thomas Mitchell, Charles Winninger. ThreeFletch Lives (1989) C-95m. ★★ D: Mipart film of supernatural linked by Benchchael Ritchie. Chevy Chase, Hal Holbrook, ley; Field is ugly girl turned beauty by Julianne Phillips, Cleavon Little, R. Lee Cummings’ love; Robinson’s life is changed Ermey, Richard Libertini, Randall (Tex) by fortune-teller Mitchell; Boyer is psyCobb, George Wyner, Patricia Kalember, chic circus star haunted by Stanwyck. RobGeoffrey Lewis, Richard Belzer. Chase [ 470 ]

returns as Fletch, the multi-personality L.A. become its country’s national film epic, reporter, in silly sequel. He finds himself in but falls short of greatness. Stays in the Louisiana, dealing with a parade of stereotypimemory, however, despite the fact that the cal Southern morons. For diehard Chase fans second half of a lengthy running time deals only. [PG]▼●쩠 only with three men freezing to death in ★★★ Flicka (2006) C-95m. the snow. Simultaneously filmed as a D: Michael Mayer. Alison Lohman, Tim McGraw, Maria Bello, miniseries for Swedish TV. An Oscar Ryan Kwanten, Dallas Roberts, Nick Searcy, nominee for Best Foreign Film.▼● Danny Pino, Dey Young. Teenage Lohman Flight of the Innocent (1992-ItalianFrench) C-105m. ★★★ D: Carlo Carlei. Manhas no interest in school and only comes alive when she’s home on her family’s uel Colao, Federico Pacifici, Sal Borgese, ranch. Then she encounters a wild horse and Giusi Cataldo, Lucio Zagaria, Massimo Loclaims it as her own—in spite of her stern dolo, Francesa Neri, Jacques Perrin. Excitfather’s warnings to leave the animal alone. ing, fast-paced thriller about a little Sicilian First-rate modern-day adaptation of Mary boy (well played by Colao) who finds himO’Hara’s novel My Friend Flicka (filmed self immersed in Mafia warfare and is before in 1943) is ideal family fare. It’s nice forced to flee for his life. Immensely enterto see veteran Western actor Buck Taylor as taining, this film also observes the stranglethe rodeo clerk. Super 35. [PG]쩠 hold that organized crime can have over a Flight Command (1940) 116m. ★★ D: society. Excellent debut feature for director/ Frank Borzage. Robert Taylor, Ruth Hussey, coscripter Carlei. [R]▼●쩠 Walter Pidgeon, Paul Kelly, Nat PendleFlight of the Intruder (1991) C-113m. ★1 ton, Shepperd Strudwick, Red Skelton, ⁄2 D: John Milius. Danny Glover, Willem Dick Purcell. Hackneyed story with good Dafoe, Brad Johnson, Rosanna Arquette, cast as upstart Taylor tries to make the Tom Sizemore, J. Kenneth Campbell, Dann grade in naval flight squadron. Look fast for Florek, Madison Mason, Ving Rhames, John Raitt as a cadet. David Schwimmer. Dull adaptation of SteFlight for Freedom (1943) 99m. ★★ D: phen Coonts’ novel, chronicling the exploits Lothar Mendes. Rosalind Russell, Fred and frustrations of bombardiers in the VietMacMurray, Herbert Marshall, Eduardo nam war. It plays like one of those 1950s Ciannelli, Walter Kingsford. Stilted tale of service dramas that was ‘‘filmed in cooperadedicated aviatrix Russell (loosely based tion with the U.S. military,’’ and this is inon Amelia Earhart), who gains worldwide congruous given the story’s setting. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 fame, and is romanced by self-centered flier MacMurray. Flight of the Navigator (1986) C-90m. ★★1 Flight From Ashiya (1964) C-100m. ★★ ⁄2 D: Randal Kleiser. Joey Cramer, VeD: Michael Anderson. Yul Brynner, Richronica Cartwright, Cliff De Young, Sarah ard Widmark, George Chakiris, Suzy ParJessica Parker, Matt Adler, Howard Hesseker, Shirley Knight. Slow movie dealing man. 12-year-old boy is whisked away by with three aviators in rescue attempt over an alien spaceship and returns home eight Pacific. Big name cast will attract; stiff years later—still a 12-year-old boy. That’s script. Panavision. when the adventure really begins. Yet anFlight of Rainbirds, A (1981-Dutch) other film featuring a youthful hero and a C-94m. ★★★ D: Ate de Jong. Jeroen Krabbe´, cute robot; adequate entertainment for kids. Marijke Merckens, Henriette Tol, Huib The voice of the robot, billed as Paul Mall, Rooymans, Claire Wauthion. Thoughtful, is actually Paul Reubens, aka Pee-wee whimsical tale of sex, death, and religion, Herman. [PG]▼●쩠 with Krabbe´ in a dual role as an inept, Flight of the Phoenix, The (1965) C34-year-old biologist who’s never had a 147m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Aldrich. James date, let alone slept with a woman, and his Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Alter Ego, who informs him that he has Hardy Kruger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, seven days to seduce a woman; otherwise Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Durhe’ll die and end up in hell.▼ yea, George Kennedy. A plane crash leaves a Flight of the Doves (1971-British) C-105m. group of men stranded in the Sahara desert; ★★ D: Ralph Nelson. Ron Moody, Jack Wild, film avoids cliche´s as tension mounts among Dorothy McGuire, Stanley Holloway, Helen the men. Stewart as the captain, AttenborRaye, William Rushton. Calculated cuteness ough as the navigator stand out in uniformly fine cast. Remade in 2004. ▼●쩠 mars tale of two Liverpool children who flee to Ireland to visit their grandmother; good cast Flight of the Phoenix (2004) C-113m. ★★ isn’t seen to best advantage. [G] D: John Moore. Dennis Quaid, Tyrese GibFlight of the Eagle, The (1982-Swedish) son, Miranda Otto, Giovanni Ribisi, Tony C-139m. ★★★ D: Jan Troell. Max von Curran, Hugh Laurie, Kirk Jones (Sticky Sydow, Goran Stangertz, S. A. Ousdal, Fingaz), Jacob Vargas, Scott Michael CampEva von Hanno. Beautifully shot true story bell, Jared Padalecki. Remake of the 1965 about a foolhardy but heroic balloon misfilm has a plane crashing (this time) in the sion to the North Pole in 1897 strives to Gobi Desert, with captain Quaid and fellow [ 471 ]

passengers running out of water, patience, Taylor, Dann Florek, Richard Moll, Jonaand hope. Solid but unspectacular and, unthan Winters; voices of Harvey Korman, like the original, cliche´d. Panavision. [PGSheryl Lee Ralph, Laraine Newman, Jay 13] ▼쩠 Leno. If you’re going to make a live-action Flight of the Red Balloon (2008-French) feature from a one-note, two-dimensional ★★★ C-115m. TV cartoon series, this is about as good as D: Hou Hsiao-hsien. Juliette Binoche, Simon Iteanu, Song Fang, Hippoyou could hope for: a bouncy concoction with lyte Girardot, Louise Margolin. Harried Paan enthusiastic cast, including a surprisingly risian working mother tries to juggle her funny Taylor as Fred Flintstone’s nagging career in puppet theater while raising her mother-in-law. Mainly for kids, who should young son, Simon. Bringing some calm into understandably lap it up. Series creators Bill her life is a new nanny, a young Asian who Hanna and Joe Barbera, and Wilma’s origitells Simon of the beloved 1956 short film by nal voice, Jean Vander Pyl, have cameos. Followed by a prequel. [PG]▼●쩠 Albert Lamorisse, ‘‘The Red Balloon’’ (which features a boy Simon’s age). Plot developFlintstones in Viva Rock Vegas, The (2000) C-91m. ★★ D: Brian Levant. Mark ment is surrendered to exploration of character and the artistic temperament in this wellAddy, Stephen Baldwin, Kristen Johnston, made if laid-back domestic drama. A red balJane Krakowski, Thomas Gibson, Joan Colloon plays a peripheral role here, appearing to lins, Alan Cumming, Harvey Korman, Alex be almost another hovering caregiver for the Meneses, John Taylor; voice of Rosie still-innocent boy. Emotionally powerful O’Donnell. Silly FLINTSTONES prequel story, full of symbolic and cross-cultural featuring Fred and Barney as unmarried emtouchstones, though not for all tastes.쩠 ployees of the Bedrock Quarry; they court Flightplan (2005) C-98m. ★★ D: Robert Wilma and Betty, while Wilma is pressured Schwentke. Jodie Foster, Peter Sarsgaard, to wed snooty, slimy rich boy Chip RockeErika Christensen, Sean Bean, Kate Beafeller. The cast is game, but the result is one han, Marlene Lawston, Greta Scacchi, Jubig cliche´ that only will appeal to undisdith Scott, Michael Irby, Stephanie Faracy. criminating youngsters. [PG]▼쩠 Grieving mother (Foster, solid as always) Flipper (1963) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: James takes her young daughter home on a jumbo Clark. Chuck Connors, Luke Halpin, Kathplane that’s also carrying her husband’s cofleen Maguire, Connie Scott. Typical wholefin. When she wakes up from a nap, her some family fare about a boy who belittle girl is missing and no one believes friends a dolphin. Spun off into a TV series that the youngster ever boarded the plane! in 1964 (with Halpin) and another in 1995. Suspenseful at first, this thriller becomes reRemade in 1996. ▼쩠 mote and uninvolving; by the climax it’s Flipper (1996) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan Shajust plain ridiculous. Too bad Miss Froy piro. Paul Hogan, Elijah Wood, Chelsea wasn’t along. Super 35. [PG-13] 쩠 Field, Isaac Hayes, Jonathan Banks, Jason Flight to Fury (1966) 76m. ★★ D: Monte Fuchs, Jessica Wesson. Low-key but agreeHellman. Dewey Martin, Fay Spain, Jack able time-filler about a teenage boy who Nicholson, Jacqueline Hellman, Vic Diaz. spends the summer with his unruly uncle in Odd group of adventurers headed for Coral Key, Florida, and is befriended by a Philippines location and hidden diamonds supersmart dolphin. Simplistic storytelling when plane crashes. Low-budgeter has its aimed at a juvenile crowd. Luke Halpin, star points, but never really comes across. Initially of the earlier film and TV series, appears briefly. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 released at 62m., later reedited.▼ Flight to Mars (1951) C-72m. ★★ D: Flipper’s New Adventure (1964) C-103m. ★★ Lesley Selander. Marguerite Chapman, D: Leon Benson. Luke Halpin, Pamela Cameron Mitchell, Virginia Huston, ArFranklin, Helen Cherry, Tom Helmore, Brian thur Franz. Adequate sci-fi about scientists Kelly. Further exploits of everybody’s favoand newspapermen who land on Mars and rite dolphin: Flipper and Halpin thwart discover a lost civilization. Special effects escaped convicts’ efforts to blackmail milhampered by modest budget.▼쩠 lionaire Helmore. Pleasant, inoffensive fare Flim-Flam Man, The (1967) C-104m. for kids, filmed in the Bahamas and Key ★★★ D: Irvin Kershner. George C. Scott, Biscayne.▼쩠 Sue Lyon, Michael Sarrazin, Harry MorFlirt (1995-U.S.-German-Japanese) C-85m. ★★1 gan, Jack Albertson, Alice Ghostley, Al⁄2 D: Hal Hartley. Bill Sage, Parker bert Salmi, Slim Pickens. Scott is engaging Posey, Martin Donovan, Dwight Ewell, as a veteran Southern con man who takes Geno Lechner, Peter Fitz, Miho Nikaidoh, on Sarrazin as apprentice in his travels, but Toshizo Fujisawa, Chikako Hara. Quirky finds the novice a bit too honest. Entertainthree-part film in which the same miniing comedy. Panavision. ▼ drama is told three different ways: Flirt Flintstones, The (1994) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: leaves lover to head off on a job, but the Brian Levant. John Goodman, Elizabeth lover demands a commitment before the dePerkins, Rick Moranis, Rosie O’Donnell, parture. The stories are set in N.Y.C., Berlin Kyle MacLachlan, Halle Berry, Elizabeth (with the characters gay), and Tokyo (with [ 472 ]

the male-female roles reversed). The point: working-class life involving love, money, male, female, gay, straight, and across the crime, and morality. Set and shot in Pennglobe, people experience the same feelings sylvania; the Florentine is a neighborhood and romantic crises. More interesting as an bar and meeting place. Based on a stage exercise than as entertainment.▼ play. Released direct to video. [R]▼쩠 ★★1 Flirtation Walk (1934) 97m. ⁄2 D: Floundering (1994) C-97m. ★★★ D: Peter Frank Borzage. Dick Powell, Ruby KeeMcCarthy. James LeGros, John Cusack, ler, Pat O’Brien, Ross Alexander, Guinn Ethan Hawke, Maritza Rivera, Kim WayWilliams, Henry O’Neill, Tyrone Power. ans, Ebbe Roe Smith, Steve Buscemi, Billy West Point plot is cliche´d and trivial as Bob Thornton, Alex Cox, Lisa Zane, Nelcadet Powell falls in love with officer’s son Lyon, Olivia Barash, Sy Richardson, daughter Keeler; some fairly good numbers Jeremy Piven, Nina Siemaszko, Viggo Morhighlighted by ‘‘Mr. and Mrs. Is the tensen. Eye-opening sleeper with LeGros in Name.’’ ▼쩠 a bravura performance as John Boyz, a senFlirting (1990-Australian) C-100m. ★★★ sitive and compassionate Southern CaliforD: John Duigan. Noah Taylor, Thandie nian whose spirit is slowly being killed by Newton, Nicole Kidman, Bartholomew the everyday injustices of modern urban Rose, Felix Nobis, Josh Picker, Liri life; through a series of bureaucratic blunParamore, Marc Gray, Greg Palmer, Joshua ders, he finds his own life in crisis. McCarMarshall, David Wieland, Craig Black, thy’s script is thoughtful and perceptive, Leslie Hill, Naomi Watts. Charming sequel and written with an acid pen. One of the to Duigan’s THE YEAR MY VOICE most radical American films of the early BROKE, which finds shy Taylor at board1990s.▼●쩠 ing school where he falls in love with a Flower Drum Song (1961) C-133m. ★★★ Ugandan girl (Newton) who goes to a D: Henry Koster. Nancy Kwan, James Shinearby girls’ school. Nothing particularly geta, Miyoshi Umeki, Benson Fong, Jack new but still a warm, perceptive look at the Soo, Juanita Hall, Reiko Sato, Patrick Adipains of adolescence, with winning perforarte, Victor Sen Yung. Rodgers and Hammances from everyone in the cast. Director merstein’s Broadway musical becomes a Duigan also wrote the screenplay.▼●쩠 bright Technicolor confection about life and Flirting With Disaster (1996) C-92m. love in San Francisco’s Chinatown, where ★★1 Old World traditions clash with modern ⁄2 D: David O. Russell. Ben Stiller, Patricia Arquette, Te´a Leoni, Alan Alda, Mary American sensibilities. Songs include ‘‘I Tyler Moore, George Segal, Lily Tomlin, Enjoy Being a Girl.’’ All-Asian cast was a Josh Brolin, Richard Jenkins, Celia Weston, rarity in Hollywood at that time. Opera Glenn Fitzgerald, David Patrick Kelly, John singer Marilyn Horne dubs Sato’s voice on Ford Noonan. Married and now a father, ‘‘Love, Look Away.’’▼●쩠 adopted Stiller decides to seek out his birth Flower in His Mouth, The (1975-Italian) parents, with the help of a psychology grad C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Luigi Zampa. Jennifer student; taking his wife in tow, they embark O’Neill, James Mason, Franco Nero, Orazio on a cross-country trek that leads to calamOrlando. O’Neill moves to small Italian ity at every turn. Determinedly offbeat and town, finds its people paralyzed by fear but full of comic twists, not all of which pay unwilling to tell why. Murky thriller isn’t off; still, a cut above the norm for contemworth time it takes to figure out. porary comedy. Moore and Segal make a Flower of Evil, The (2003-French) C104m. ★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Nathalie Baye, great neurotic Jewish couple, matched by Tomlin and Alda as middle-aged flower Benoıˆt Magimel, Me´lanie Doutey, Suzanne children. [R] ▼●쩠 Flon, Bernard Le Coq, Thomas Chabrol. LowFloating Weeds (1959-Japanese) C-119m. key Chabrol melodrama, coscripted by the di★★★1 ⁄2 D: Yasujiro Ozu. Ganjiro Nakamura, rector, is set in contemporary Bordeaux, where Machiko Kyo, Haruko Sugimura, Ayako a prosperous family harbors more twisted geWakao. Struggling acting troupe visits renealogical secrets than you can count. Film mote island, where its leader (Nakamura) makes reference to France’s murky WW2 hisvisits his illegitimate son and the boy’s tory, but comes out flat; Baye’s character, a mother, with whom he had an affair years local politician, is underwritten and her young, before. Powerful drama is meticulously sexy costars’ storyline doesn’t add up to directed, solidly acted. Ozu directed the much. Longtime Chabrol devote´es may boost rating of this cerebral film.▼쩠 same story, as a silent film, in 1934. Aka DRIFTING WEEDS.▼●쩠 Flower of My Secret, The (1995-SpanishFlorentine, The (2000) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pedro Almodo´Nick Stagliano. Michael Madsen, Chris var. Marisa Paredes, Juan Echanove, ImPenn, Hal Holbrook, Mary Stuart Masanol Arias, Carmen Elias, Rossy de Palma, terson, Virginia Madsen, Jeremy Davies, Chus Lampreave, Joaquin Cortes, Manuela Tom Sizemore, Luke Perry, James Belushi, Vargas. A middle-aged woman (Paredes), Burt Young, Maeve Quinlan, Lillo Branwho has been happy and a successful writer, cato. Agreeable if unremarkable slice of seems to be suffering a breakdown. Her work [ 473 ]

and marriage (to an often absent militarygarbage-scow captain (Winslet) and helps strategist husband) are meaningless, and she her evade the clutches of a menacing toad. must relearn the joys of living. A more foGood fun with clever gags to please both cused, somber portrait than usual for Almogrown-ups and kids, and an unlikely cast of do´var—although not without farcical flareheroes—including some very funny singing ups—which seems strangely reminiscent of slugs. First computer-generated film from the Douglas Sirk–Jane Wyman collaborathe clay-animation geniuses at Aardman studios. [PG]쩠 tions of 1950s Hollywood. [R]▼●쩠 Flowers in the Attic (1987) C-95m. ★★ D: Fly, The (1958) C-94m. ★★★ D: Kurt Jeffrey Bloom. Louise Fletcher, Victoria Neumann. Al (David) Hedison, Patricia Tennant, Kristy Swanson, Jeb Stuart AdOwens, Vincent Price, Herbert Marshall, ams, Ben Granger, Lindsay Parker, MarKathleen Freeman. Improbable but divertshall Colt. Disappointing adaptation of the ing sci-fi (screenplay by James Clavell!) V.C. Andrews best-seller tones down the inabout scientist who experiments with discest and sadomasochism of the story about integration machine and has his atomic four youngsters kept locked up by evil granny pattern mingled with that of a fly. ‘‘Help (Fletcher) in the family mansion. Material is me! Help me!’’ Two sequels—RETURN strangely compelling nonetheless; benefits OF THE FLY and CURSE OF THE FLY. from effective casting. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Remade in 1986. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Flubber (1997) C-93m. ★★ D: Les MayFly, The (1986) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: David field. Robin Williams, Marcia Gay Harden, Cronenberg. Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, Christopher McDonald, Raymond J. Barry, John Getz, Joy Boushel. Goldblum is just Clancy Brown, Ted Levine, Wil Wheaton, right as slightly crazed scientist who tests Edie McClurg, voice of Jodi Benson. Surprishimself in a genetic transporter machine— ingly dull remake of Disney’s THE ABSENT and starts to evolve into a human fly. MINDED PROFESSOR, with Williams as Extremely intense, sharply written remake the fragile genius who accidentally invents of the 1958 movie that (unfortunately) flubber—flying rubber—but forgets to atgoes over the line to be gross and disgusttend his own wedding. Needlessly compliing. Written by Charles Edward Pogue and cated by John Hughes’ heavily rewritten director Cronenberg. An Oscar winner for script, which manages to leave out most of makeup (Chris Walas, Stephan Dupuis). Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 the funny stuff from the original, except for the springy basketball game. Nancy Olson Fly II, The (1989) C-104m. BOMB D: (the female lead in 1961) has a cameo as a Chris Walas. Eric Stoltz, Daphne Zuniga, secretary. [PG]▼●쩠 Lee Richardson, John Getz, Frank Turner, Fluffy (1965) C-92m. ★★ D: Earl Bellamy. Ann Marie Lee, Gary Chalk, Saffron HenTony Randall, Shirley Jones, Edward Anderson, Harley Cross, Matthew Moore. A drews, Ernest Truex, Howard Morris, Dick case of ‘‘like father, like son’’; too bad Sargent. Silly film dealing with professor director Walas isn’t like David Cronenberg. Randall experimenting with a lion; he can’t Stoltz, son of deceased Jeff Goldblum, has shake the beast, causing all sorts of repercusattained puberty at five with the intellect to sions, even winning Jones’ affection. match; now he’s being unknowingly exFluke (1995) C-96m. ★★★ D: Carlo Carlei. ploited by—here’s a novel twist—the Matthew Modine, Nancy Travis, Eric scientists in whose care he’s entrusted. Stoltz, Max Pomeranc, Ron Perlman, Jon Alternately dull and messy but mostly dull. [R]▼●쩠 Polito, Bill Cobbs, Collin Wilcox Paxton; voice of Samuel L. Jackson. Touching, Fly Away Home (1996) C-107m. ★★★ D: beautifully filmed story of a young family Carroll Ballard. Jeff Daniels, Anna Paquin, man killed in a mysterious car accident and Dana Delany, Terry Kinney, Holter Grareincarnated as a dog named Fluke—while ham, Jeremy Ratchford. First-rate family film on his way to rejoin his wife and son. More about a girl who goes to live with her esappropriate for older audiences than for tranged father in Canada after the death of young kids, who might be disturbed by cerher mom and only finds happiness when she tain scenes and themes within the picture. adopts a flock of baby geese. Then father and Samuel L. Jackson provides the voice of daughter embark on the adventure of teachFluke’s dog friend, Rumbo. Based on James ing the birds how to migrate! Credible, involving story (inspired by a real-life Herbert’s best-selling novel. [PG]▼●쩠 Flushed Away (2006-U.S.-British) C-84m. incident), sparked by Paquin’s and Daniels’ ★★★ D: David Bowers, Sam Fell. Voices of strong performances. Photographed by Hugh Jackman, Kate Winslet, Ian McKelCaleb Deschanel, who previously collabolen, Jean Reno, Bill Nighy, Andy Serkis, rated with director Ballard on THE BLACK Shane Richie, Kathy Burke, David Suchet, STALLION. [PG]▼●쩠 Miriam Margolyes. A pampered pet mouse Flyboys (2006) C-139m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tony is flushed into the sewers of London by a Bill. James Franco, Martin Henderson, Jean rowdy rat. While struggling to find a way Reno, David Ellison, Jennifer Decker, Tyler back home, he teams up with an intrepid Labine, Abdul Salis, Philip Winchester, [ 474 ]

Daniel Rigby. Agreeably old-fashioned record . . . but there are complications and yarn about the diverse young Americans repercussions. Potentially rousing story is who went to France in 1916 to serve in the pleasant at best, but mostly episodic and uninspiring. [PG-13]쩠 Lafayette Escadrille, long before the U.S. officially entered WW1. They bond, bicker, Flying Tigers (1942) 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: David find love on the ground and danger in the Miller. John Wayne, John Carroll, Anna air. No surprises here, but this modern upLee, Paul Kelly, Mae Clarke, Gordon Jones, date of films like THE DAWN PATROL James ‘‘Jimmie’’ Dodd. Good war film in still entertains, and offers cutting-edge CG which Wayne commands the volunteer Flyimagery to make the aerial sequences more ing Tigers in China prior to Pearl Harbor vivid than ever before. Despite a formulaic while contending with egotistical ace pilot screenplay, the writers did their homework: Carroll. Exciting dog-fight scenes. Also most of the characters in this story really shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 existed. HD Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 FM (1978) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: John A. Flying (1986-Canadian) C-94m. ★★ D: Paul Alonzo. Michael Brandon, Martin Mull, Lynch. Olivia d’Abo, Rita Tushingham, Eileen Brennan, Cleavon Little, Cassie Yates, Keanu Reeves, Jessica Steen, Renee MurAlex Karras, Norman Lloyd, James Keach. phy. Minor imitation of FLASHDANCE Hip comedy (which could well have inspired has statuesque d’Abo overcoming a leg TV’s WKRP) about various conflicts at injury to become a medal-winning gymnast; maverick radio station, chiefly against its proTushingham (with shocking carrot-colored fit-hungry parent company. More a series of hair) is her tough coach. This formula has sketches than a movie, but nicely captures whiskers, but d’Abo is easy to watch, feel of ’70s L.A. and Mull is marvelous as even though her full figure is unconvincthe station’s craziest dj. Good rock sounding for a gymnast. Video title: TEENAGE track, plus concert appearances by Linda DREAM. ▼ Ronstadt, Jimmy Buffett, Tom Petty, and Flying Aces SEE: Flying Deuces, The REO Speedwagon. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Flying Deuces, The (1939) 65m. ★★★ D: Focus (2001) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Neal Slavin. A. Edward Sutherland. Stan Laurel, Oliver William H. Macy, Laura Dern, David PayHardy, Jean Parker, Reginald Gardiner, mer, Meat Loaf Aday, Kay Hewtrey, Michael Charles Middleton, James Finlayson. Stan and Copeman. Gentile personnel director is deOllie join the Foreign Legion so Ollie can moted at work and shunned in his WW2-era forget Parker; usual complications result. Brooklyn neighborhood because his new Good fun, faster paced than most L&H films, glasses supposedly make him look Jewish. includes charming song and dance to ‘‘Shine Well-acted relic, adapted from Arthur MilOn, Harvest Moon.’’▼●쩠 ler’s 1945 novel, establishes a concrete feel Flying Down to Rio (1933) 89m. ★★★ D: for its tight neighborhood milieu, even though Thornton Freeland. Dolores Del Rio, Gene it was shot in Toronto on a budget. Otherwise, Raymond, Raul Roulien, Ginger Rogers, it’s heavy-handed and ‘‘small’’—a lethal Fred Astaire, Blanche Frederici, Eric Blore, combination. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Franklin Pangborn. Slim Del Rio vehicle Fog, The (1980) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: John memorable for its scene of dancing girls Carpenter. Adrienne Barbeau, Jamie Lee cavorting on plane wings, plus Astaire and Curtis, Hal Holbrook, Janet Leigh, John Rogers doing ‘‘The Carioca’’ in their first Houseman, Tommy Atkins, Nancy Loomis, screen teaming. Also shown in computerCharles Cyphers. Carpenter’s follow-up to colored version.▼●쩠 HALLOWEEN is a well-directed but obFlying Leathernecks (1951) C-102m. ★★★ vious ghost story about a California coastal D: Nicholas Ray. John Wayne, Robert town cursed by a hundred-year-old shipRyan, Jay C. Flippen, Janis Carter, Don wreck. Remade in 2005. Panavision. [R] Taylor, William Harrigan. Major Wayne ▼●쩠 is exceedingly tough on his Marines; execFog, The (2005-U.S.-British) C-100m. ★1⁄2 utive officer Ryan thinks he should be a D: Rupert Wainwright. Tom Welling, Maglittle nicer. Guess who wins this argument. gie Grace, Selma Blair, DeRay Davis, KenSolid, if not especially original, WW2 neth Welsh, Adrian Hough, Sara Botsford, actioner, with good aerial scenes and nice Rade Sherbedgia. A dense fog from the Paturn by Flippen as crafty sergeant.▼●쩠 cific creeps over a Northwest seaside village, Flying Scotsman, The (2006-Britishbringing with it murderous, vengeful ghosts. German) C-98m. ★★ D: Douglas Mackinnon. Lame remake of John Carpenter’s 1980 Jonny Lee Miller, Billy Boyd, Laura Fraser, movie alters the plot slightly but is no imMorven Christie, Steven Berkoff, Brian Cox. provement. Carpenter and longtime partner Based-on-fact triumph-of-the-underdog tale Debra Hill produced this. Alternate version involving Graeme Obree (Miller), a young also available. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 outsider for whom bicycling is an escape, a Fog of War, The (2003) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 salvation. He is inspired to build a new kind D: Errol Morris. Unique, memorable docuof cycle, using homemade materials, which mentary about the life of Robert S. McNahe hopes will allow him to set a world speed mara, the controversial former secretary of [ 475 ]

defense who played a pivotal role during Follow That Camel (1967-British) C-95m. ★★1 the Vietnam War. Director Morris explores ⁄2 D: Gerald Thomas. Phil Silvers, Jim myriad political, social, and moral issues Dale, Peter Butterworth, Charles Hawtrey, that resonate even more tellingly today, and Kenneth Williams, Anita Harris, Joan Sims. McNamara—85 when the film was made— Silvers as conniving sergeant livens up remains an outspoken and forceful personalotherwise standard CARRY ON outing with ity who refuses to provide any easy answers Foreign Legion setting.▼ about the history he helped to shape. An Follow That Dream (1962) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 emotional powerhouse for anyone who lived D: Gordon Douglas. Elvis Presley, Arthur through the era depicted here so vividly. O’Connell, Anne Helm, Joanna Moore, Oscar winner for Best Documentary Feature. Jack Kruschen, Simon Oakland. Presley Film carries the subtitle ELEVEN LESand family move to southern Florida where SONS FROM THE LIFE OF ROBERT S. they intend to homestead, despite all opMcNAMARA. [PG-13]▼쩠 position. Easygoing comedy from Richard Fog Over Frisco (1934) 68m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilPowell’s book Pioneer Go Home. Elvis sings liam Dieterle. Bette Davis, Lyle Talbot, ‘‘Home Is Where the Heart Is’’ and ‘‘On Top Margaret Lindsay, Donald Woods, Henry of Old Smokey’’! Panavision. ▼●쩠 O’Neill, Arthur Byron, Hugh Herbert, Alan Follow the Boys (1944) 110m. ★★★ D: A. Hale, William Demarest. Snappy meloEdward Sutherland. Marlene Dietrich, drama of deceitful, thrill-a-minute partyGeorge Raft, Orson Welles, Vera Zorina, girl Davis involved in stolen-securities Dinah Shore, W. C. Fields, Jeanette Macscheme; stepsister Lindsay tries to help. Donald, Maria Montez, Andrews Sisters, Folies Bourgeoises SEE: Twist, The Sophie Tucker, Nigel Bruce, Gale Sonder(1976) gaard. Universal Pictures’ entry in all-star Folks! (1992) C-107m. BOMB D: Ted WW2 series has Raft organizing USO Kotcheff. Tom Selleck, Don Ameche, Anne shows, Welles sawing Dietrich in half, Jackson, Christine Ebersole, Wendy CrewMacDonald singing ‘‘Beyond the Blue son, Robert Pastorelli, Michael Murphy. Horizon,’’ Fields doing classic pool-table Excruciating comedic misfire about stockroutine, etc. Lots of fun.▼ broker Selleck trying to deal with aging Follow the Boys (1963) C-95m. ★★ D: dad Ameche’s senility and death wish. An Richard Thorpe. Connie Francis, Paula outrageous number of mishaps to Selleck Prentiss, Ron Randell, Janis Paige, Russ give slapstick a bad name. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Tamblyn, Dany Robin. Dumb comedy unFolks at Red Wolf Inn, The SEE: Terror spiked by Francis’ singing or antics as quarHouse tet of girls chase around the French Riviera seeking husbands. Panavision.● Following (1999-British) 71m. ★★★ D: Christopher Nolan. Jeremy Theobald, Alex Follow the Fleet (1936) 110m. ★★★★ D: Haw, Lucy Russell, John Nolan. Interesting Mark Sandrich. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogultra-low-budget precursor to Nolan’s MEers, Randolph Scott, Harriet Hilliard (NelMENTO: another nonlinear story about a son), Astrid Allwyn, Betty Grable. Delightyoung aimless man who decides to follow ful musical with sailors Astaire and Scott people, just for the hell of it . . . until one of romancing sisters Rogers and Hilliard. Irhis ‘‘subjects’’ turns the tables and lures ving Berlin songs include ‘‘Let’s Face the him into his world, where he robs empty Music and Dance,’’ ‘‘Let Yourself Go,’’ apartments and invades his victims’ lives. ‘‘We Saw the Sea.’’ A reworking of Provocative and original. [R]▼쩠 SHORE LEAVE, a 1925 Richard BarFollow Me, Boys! (1966) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 thelmess silent, and the 1930 musical HIT D: Norman Tokar. Fred MacMurray, Vera THE DECK. That’s Lucille Ball as Kitty. Miles, Lillian Gish, Charlie Ruggles, El▼●쩠 liott Reid, Kurt Russell. Mile-high Disney Follow the Sun (1951) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: corn about simple fellow who settles in Sidney Lanfield. Glenn Ford, Anne Baxsmall town during 1930s and starts Boy ter, Dennis O’Keefe, June Havoc. FictionScout troop, devoting his life to this inspiralized biopic of golfer Ben Hogan with ing pursuit. A little less syrup would have hokey dramatics to fill in lean spots. helped, but at least it’s done with great Folly to Be Wise (1952-British) 91m. ★★★ conviction.▼쩠 D: Frank Launder. Alastair Sim, Elizabeth Follow Me Quietly (1949) 59m. ★★★ D: Allan, Roland Culver, Martita Hunt. GenRichard O. Fleischer. William Lundigan, erally amusing nonsense with Sim an Army Dorothy Patrick, Jeff Corey, Nestor Paiva, chaplain trying to enliven service life with Charles D. Brown, Paul Guilfoyle. Solid litvarious unique entertainment programs. tle film noir about police manhunt for selfFond Kiss, A (2004-British-Belgian-Germanrighteous psychopathic killer called The Italian-Spanish) C-104m. ★★★ D: Kenneth Judge. Packs style and substance into just Loach. Atta Yaqub, Eva Birthistle, Shabana 59 minutes.▼ Bakhsh, Shamshad Akhtar, Ahmad Riaz, GhiFollow That Bird SEE: Sesame Street zala Avan, Pasha Bocarie. Provocative, rePresents Follow That Bird freshingly unformulaic drama about the ins [ 476 ]

and outs of a mixed-race relationship between part concert film, total disaster. Story cena second-generation Pakistani (Yaqub) living ters around a comic who feels he is not with his Muslim family in Glasgow and a using his talents wisely and throwing away Catholic schoolteacher (Birthistle). All the his potential. Yeah, that’s right; he coulda characters are vividly etched, and Loach been a contender. Alas, nothing he says is and screenwriter Paul Laverty offer no simeven remotely funny. Film is also meant to ple solutions to the problems their characcapitalize on the success of hip hop star ters encounter. Original title is AE FOND Master P, who also executive-produced. KISS . . . [R] ▼쩠 The title says it all. [R]▼●쩠 Food of the Gods (1976) C-88m. BOMB Foolish Wives (1922) 107m. ★★★ D: Erich D: Bert I. Gordon. Marjoe Gortner, Pamela von Stroheim. Erich von Stroheim, Maud Franklin, Ida Lupino, Jon Cypher, Ralph George, Mae Busch, Cesare Gravina, Meeker. Dreadful adaptation of H. G. Malvine Polo. Von Stroheim’s third film Wells’ novel. Strange substance causes as director is a typically sophisticated, giant growth in wasps, worms, chickens and fascinating tale of seduction, fake counts, rats. Not for the squeamish. Similar to VILblackmail, suicide, lechery, and murder. LAGE OF THE GIANTS, filmed by GorGreat photography by William Daniels and don 11 years earlier. [PG]▼쩠 Ben Reynolds, and an incredible set deFood of the Gods II (1989-Canadian) picting the Monte Carlo casino designed by von Stroheim and Richard Day.▼●쩠 C-91m. BOMB D: Damian Lee. Paul Coufos, Lisa Schrage, Jackie Burroughs, Fool Killer, The (1965) 100m. ★★★ D: Colin Fox, Frank Moore. This time, giganServando Gonzalez. Anthony Perkins, Edtic laboratory rats terrorize a college camward Albert, Dana Elcar, Henry Hull, pus. No connection to the first film, or Salome Jens, Arnold Moss. Set in post(goodness knows) H. G. Wells’ novel. Ugh! Civil War South, film relates unusual adAka GNAW.▼●쩠 ventures of runaway orphan (Albert) and Fool and His Money, A (1988) C-84m. his meeting with strange young man (PerBOMB D: Daniel Adams. Jonathan Penner, kins). Interesting and offbeat.▼ Sandra Bullock, Gerald Orange, George Fools (1970) C-97m. BOMB D: Tom Gries. Plimpton, Jerzy Kosinski, Tama Janowitz, Jason Robards, Katharine Ross, Scott Jose Torres. Plimpton as ‘‘God’’ tells exHylands, Roy C. Jenson, Mark Bramhall. musician/ex-ad man Penner to start his own Wretchedly acted, written, and directed business, so he founds the ‘‘Preferent drama about love affair in San Francisco Church,’’ a religion whose main tenet is between horror movie star and beautiful, selfishness. Embarrassing attempt at satire neglected wife of a lawyer. Storyline is features Bullock on the video box, but she vaguely similar to PETULIA but the exeonly has about eight minutes on screen as a cution certainly isn’t. [PG]▼ public defender who can’t believe her boyFools for Scandal (1938) 81m. ★★1⁄2 D: friend has turned into such a jerk. [R]▼쩠 Mervyn LeRoy. Carole Lombard, Fernand ★★ D: Fool for Love (1985) C-106m. Gravet, Ralph Bellamy, Allen Jenkins, Robert Altman. Sam Shepard, Kim BasingIsabel Jeans, Marie Wilson. Generally a er, Harry Dean Stanton, Randy Quaid. misfire, despite lovely Lombard as movie Altman’s inventive direction tries to breathe star who meets impoverished Paris nobleman life into what is ultimately a photographed Gravet; Bellamy plays the sap again. play, Shepard’s examination of two exFool’s Gold (2008) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andy lovers who find themselves inextricably Tennant. Matthew McConaughey, Kate bound together. Biggest problem is generHudson, Donald Sutherland, Alexis Dziena, ating some interest in these characters. Very Ewen Bremner, Ray Winstone, Kevin Hart, much of a piece with Shepard’s other work; Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Brian Hooks, David if you’re a fan, you might adjust our rating Roberts. Newly divorced McConaughey and Hudson get back together when he gets upward. [R]▼●쩠 ★★ Foolin’ Around (1980) C-111m. a bead on some sunken treasure they’ve D: Richard T. Heffron. Gary Busey, Annette been trying to find for years . . . but they O’Toole, Cloris Leachman, Eddie Albert, aren’t the only ones after it. Needlessly John Calvin, Tony Randall, W. (William) plotty romantic comedy is notably unfunny H. Macy. Dumb 1950s-style comedy about at first but gets livelier and more engaging a good-hearted klutz who pursues a wealthy as the treasure hunt kicks in. Beautiful scenery helps. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 girl, although she’s already engaged. Cardboard characters and clumsy slapstick. Fools of Fortune (1990-British) C-109m. ★1 [PG]▼ ⁄2 D: Pat O’Connor. Mary Elizabeth Foolish (1999) C-96m. BOMB D: Dave Mastrantonio, Iain Glen, Julie Christie, Meyers. Eddie Griffin, Master P, Amy PetMichael Kitchen, Sean McClory, Frankie ersen, Frank Sivero, Daphnee Lynn McCafferty. Muddled, haphazardly organDuplaix, Jonathan Banks, Andrew Dice ized family chronicle set against decades Clay, Marla Gibbs, Bill Nunn, Bill Duke, of fighting between the British army and Traci Bingham. Part drama, part comedy, the IRA, from 1920 on. Very difficult to [ 477 ]

sort out who’s doing what to whom. Maslawed—and confronts hellfire minister trantonio, who shows up quite late (despite (Lithgow) in effort to bring it back. Too her billing), is awkward as Glen’s love inmuch emphasis on hackneyed story in soterest. Based on William Trevor’s novel. called musical (though the soundtrack did [PG-13]▼● spawn a number of Top 10 hits). Bacon’s ★★ Fools’ Parade (1971) C-98m. charisma sparks innocuous film. Later a D: Andrew V. McLaglen. James Stewart, George Broadway musical. [PG] ▼●쩠 Kennedy, Anne Baxter, Strother Martin, Footsteps in the Dark (1941) 96m. ★★1⁄2 Kurt Russell, William Windom, Kathy CanD: Lloyd Bacon. Errol Flynn, Brenda Marnon. Another great Stewart performance shall, Ralph Bellamy, Alan Hale, Lee Patcan’t save melodramatic treatment of Davis rick, Allen Jenkins. Flynn leads double life Grubb novel. Story of three ex-cons stalked as happily married businessman and mysby their former prison guard is unintentery writer. Silly but genial.▼ tionally funny too many times to be taken Footsteps in the Fog (1955-British) C-90m. ★★★ seriously. [PG] D: Arthur Lubin. Stewart Granger, Fools Rush In (1997) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Simmons, Finlay Currie, Bill Travers, Andy Tennant. Matthew Perry, Salma Ronald Squire. Cat-and-mouse battle inHayek, Jon Tenney, Carlos Gomez, Tomas volving servant girl who blackmails her Milian, Siobhan Fallon, John Bennett Perry, employer for having murdered his wife. Stanley DeSantis, Suzanne Snyder, Jill Fine acting, rich Victorian atmosphere. Clayburgh. Hard-working New Yorker For a Few Dollars More (1966-Italian) C-130m. ★★★ D: Sergio Leone. Clint EastPerry chances to meet self-reliant MexicanAmerican photographer Hayek in Las wood, Lee Van Cleef, Gian Maria VolVegas, and it’s lust at first sight . . . but onte´, Jose Egger, Mara Krup, Rosemarie when she becomes pregnant, it’s hard for Dexter, Klaus Kinski, Mario Brega. Seeither of them to know what course to take. quel to FISTFUL OF DOLLARS finds two Pleasant if unexceptional romantic comedygunslingers forming an uneasy alliance in drama with appealing and credible perfortheir quest for outlaw Indio (Volonte´) —almances by the two stars. [PG-13]▼●쩠 though their reasons for chasing him are 1 ★ Foot Fist Way, The (2008) C-83m. ⁄2 markedly different. Slightly draggy but still D: Jody Hill. Danny McBride, Mary Jane fun; don’t miss the scene where Van Cleef Bostic, Ben Best, Spencer Moreno, Carlos strikes a match on the back of Kinski’s Lopez IV, Jody Hill, Ken Aguilar, Collette neck! Trademark atmospheric score by Wolfe. Meandering, one-note account of Ennio Morricone. Released in the U.S. in self-deluded, painfully insufferable tae1967. Followed by THE GOOD, THE kwondo instructor McBride. This crude, BAD, AND THE UGLY. Techniscope. cringe-inducing comedy barely sustains in[R—originally rated M]▼●쩠 terest and seems overlong even at 83m.! For All Mankind (1989) C-80m. ★★★ D: However, fans of JACKASS: THE MOVIE Al Reinert. Excellent documentary on the may feel otherwise. [R]쩠 Apollo moon flights, culled from a zillion Footlight Parade (1933) 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: hours of NASA footage seamlessly edited into Lloyd Bacon. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, one representative journey. Impressive, if a bit Ruby Keeler, Dick Powell, Guy Kibbee, on the cold side; end credits inform us film was shot ‘‘on location.’’ Let us hope.▼●쩠 Ruth Donnelly, Hugh Herbert, Frank McHugh. Cagney plays a stage director For Better, For Worse SEE: Zandy’s who tries to outdo himself with spectacuBride lar musical numbers. Fast-paced Warner Forbidden (1932) 81m. ★★ D: Frank Capra. Bros. opus winds up with three incredible Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe Menjou, Ralph Busby Berkeley numbers back-to-back: Bellamy, Dorothy Peterson, Henry Armetta. ‘‘Honeymoon Hotel,’’ ‘‘By a Waterfall,’’ A spinster schoolteacher takes a cruise and falls in love with a man who can never and ‘‘Shanghai Lil.’’ ▼●쩠 Footlight Serenade (1942) 80m. ★★★ D: marry her. Fine performances and stunGregory Ratoff. Betty Grable, Victor Maning Joseph Walker photography buoy this ture, John Payne, Jane Wyman, Phil SilBACK STREET soap opera until its ridicvers, James Gleason, Mantan Moreland, ulous conclusion. Forbidden (1953) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rudolph Cobina Wright, Jr. Cute backstage musical with cocky boxer Mature turning to Mate´. Tony Curtis, Joanne Dru, Lyle Broadway and trying to woo Grable, who’s Bettger, Marvin Miller, Victor Sen Yung. secretly engaged to Payne. Good fun.▼ OK suspenser in which two-fisted Curtis arFootloose (1984) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Herbert rives in Macao, hired by a gangland chief to Ross. Kevin Bacon, Lori Singer, John uncover the whereabouts of Dru (who just Lithgow, Dianne Wiest, Christopher Penn, so happens to be Curtis’ ex-girlfriend). Sarah Jessica Parker, John Laughlin, ElizaForbidden Alliance SEE: Barretts of beth Gorcey, Frances Lee McCain, Jim Wimpole Street, The (1934) Young, Brian Wimmer. City kid moves to Forbidden Choices SEE: Beans of Egypt, small town where dancing has been outMaine, The [ 478 ]

Forbidden Dance, The (1990) C-97m. Forbidden World (1982) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: BOMB D: Greydon Clark. Laura Herring, Allan Holzman. Jesse Vint, June Chadwick, Jeff James, Sid Haig, Richard Lynch, BarDawn Dunlap, Linden Chiles, Fox Harris. bara Brighton, Kid Creole. Brazilian junRoger Corman-produced ALIEN rip-off is gle princess treks to America on behalf of followup to (and uses sets from) his her endangered rain forests, ends up on a GALAXY OF TERROR as well as battle TV special as . . . a lambada dancer?!? Marscenes lifted from his BATTLE BEYOND ginally lesser of two ‘‘ ‘L’-word’’ quickies THE STARS. Lots of gore, weak special that opened the same week. Inability of exeffects. Aka MUTANT. [R]▼● Miss USA Herring to dance is good for Forbidden Zone (1980) 76m. ★1⁄2 D: Richa few chuckles. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ard Elfman. Herve Villechaize, Susan Forbidden Games (1951-French) 87m. Tyrrell, Marie-Pascale Elfman, Viva. Pas★★★1 ⁄2 D: Rene´ Clement. Brigitte Fossey, tiche film set in the Sixth Dimension, an Georges Poujouly, Louis Herbert. During underground kingdom ruled by Villechaize WW2, young Parisian girl is orphaned and and Tyrrell. Mostly a collection of bizarre, taken in by simple peasant family; she campy musical numbers, done in the style develops friendship with their youngest of 1930s Max Fleischer cartoons. If only son, and shares with him a private world everything about the film weren’t so ugly! which the grown-ups cannot understand. Has an inevitable cult following. [R]▼쩠 Sad, intensely moving drama earned a Forbin Project, The SEE: Colossus: The Best Foreign Film Oscar.▼●쩠 Forbin Project Forbidden Kingdom, The (2008-U.S.Forced March (1989-U.S.-Hungarian) 1 ★★ Chinese) C-105m. ⁄2 D: Rob Minkoff. C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rick King. Chris SaranJackie Chan, Jet Li, Michael Angarano, don, Renee Soutendijk, Josef Sommer, Collin Chou, Liu Yifei, Li Bing Bing. BosJohn Seitz. American actor Sarandon faces ton boy is magically transported to a mystichallenge after traveling to Budapest to cal kingdom, bearing a golden staff that star in a film about Miklos Radnoti, must be returned to its rightful owner. He Hungarian-Jewish poet who fell victim to acquires a valuable ally in a seemingly the Holocaust. Ambitious, potentially podrunken kung-fu master (Chan), and before tent drama mostly falls flat; scenes of the long they encounter a silent monk (Li) who actor are pointlessly interspersed with those of the film in which he is starring.▼● may or may not be on their side. Uninspired story unfolds against magnificent Chinese Forced Vengeance (1982) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: scenery and ornate sets, photographed by James Fargo. Chuck Norris, Mary Louise Peter Pau. Chan and Li square off for one Weller, Camilla Griggs, Michael Cavagreat fight (choreographed by Woo-Ping naugh, David Opatoshu, Seiji Sakaguchi. Yuen) but the film as a whole is just lukeCliche´d karate nonsense with Norris, badly warm. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 in need of an acting lesson, taking on Forbidden Planet (1956) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 Hong Kong mobster Cavanaugh. [R]▼쩠 D: Fred McLeod Wilcox. Walter Pidgeon, Force: Five (1981) C-95m. ★★ D: Robert Anne Francis, Leslie Nielsen, Warren Clouse. Joe Lewis, Pam Huntington, MasStevens, Jack Kelly, Richard Anderson, ter Bong Soo Han, Richard Norton, Benny Earl Holliman, George Wallace, James ‘‘The Jet’’ Urquidez. Lewis and company Drury. Sci-fi version of Shakespeare’s The attempt to rescue girl from the clutches of Tempest remains one of the most ambireligious-cult-head Han. Retread of Clouse’s tious and intelligent films of its genre; only much-used martial arts formula, with slow, deliberate pacing works against it, gimmick of disparate five-person ‘‘team’’ as Nielsen and fellow space travelers visit as the collective hero. Remake of HOT planet where expatriate Pidgeon has built a POTATO. [R]▼ one-man empire with daughter Francis and Force of Arms (1951) 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: obedient Robby the Robot. Great effects, Michael Curtiz. William Holden, Nancy eerie electronic score. Beware 95m. reisOlson, Frank Lovejoy, Gene Evans, Dick sue prints. Lavish use of wide-screen Wesson. Updating of Hemingway’s A CinemaScope is severely diminished on FAREWELL TO ARMS to WW2 Italy, with unmemorable results. Reissued as A television.▼●쩠 GIRL FOR JOE.▼ Forbidden Street, The (1949-British) 91m. ★★ D: Jean Negulesco. Dana Andrews, Force of Evil (1948) 78m. ★★★ D: AbraMaureen O’Hara, Sybil Thorndike, Wilfrid ham Polonsky. John Garfield, Beatrice PearHyde-White, Fay Compton. Fanciful meloson, Thomas Gomez, Roy Roberts, Marie drama, set in Victorian England, of wealthy Windsor, Howland Chamberlin, Beau BridO’Hara defying her family by marrying ges. Rock-solid film noir about a racketeer’s beneath her class; Andrews has a dual role, lawyer (Garfield, in a stunning performance), as a down-and-out artist (with his voice whose ideals have been obscured by his dubbed) and an ex-barrister. Scripted by greed. Beautifully photographed (by George Ring Lardner, Jr. Originally titled BRITBarnes) and lit; this has become something of ANNIA MEWS. a cult item. Polonsky, who coscripted with [ 479 ]

Ira Wolfert, was blacklisted and didn’t make in middle of spy ring with reporters Sanders another film until 1969’s TELL THEM WILand Benchley, innocent Day, suspicious father LIE BOY IS HERE.▼●쩠 Marshall. Tremendously entertaining film Force of One, A (1979) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: with several vintage Hitchcock showpieces. Paul Aaron. Chuck Norris, Jennifer O’Neill, Scripted by Charles Bennett and Joan HarClu Gulager, Ron O’Neal, James Whitmore rison; dialogue by James Hilton and BenchJr., Clint Ritchie, Pepe Serna. Follow-up to ley. ▼●쩠 GOOD GUYS WEAR BLACK has karate Foreign Intrigue (1956) C-100m. ★★ D: champ Norris using his expertise to help Sheldon Reynolds. Robert Mitchum, GeneCalifornia town combat drug trafficking. vieve Page, Ingrid Thulin, Frederick O’Brady. OK action fare. [PG]▼쩠 Colorful location filming throughout EuForces of Nature (1999) C-104m. ★★ D: rope enlivens this otherwise plodding susBronwen Hughes. Sandra Bullock, Ben Afpenser, with stolid press agent Mitchum fleck, Maura Tierney, Steve Zahn, Blythe investigating the death of his wealthy, mysDanner, Ronny Cox, Michael Fairman, Janet terious employer. Based on a syndicated TV Carroll, David Strickland, Anne Haney, Bert series of the same name. Remsen. About-to-be-wed Affleck is stranded Foreign Student (1994) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: in N.Y. with fellow passenger Bullock when Eva Sereny. Robin Givens, Marco Hofschtheir plane crashes. The two strangers decide neider, Rick Johnson, Charlotte Ross, Edto travel together, by land, to their intended ward Herrmann, Jack Coleman, Charles S. destination: Savannah, GA. What promises Dutton, Hinton Battle, Anthony Herrera. to be a standard road picture with two likable Mild, but fairly individualized, low-budget stars veers off-course early on thanks to Bulnostalgia piece about an 18-year-old Parilock’s erratic character and a threadbare sian’s taboo romance with a beautiful black story; a disappointment. [PG-13]▼●쩠 schoolteacher/domestic while attending a Force 10 From Navarone (1978-British) small college in Virginia’s Shenandoah C-118m. BOMB D: Guy Hamilton. RobValley in r&b 1956. Spotty little film mixes ert Shaw, Harrison Ford, Edward Fox, it up with subplots involving football, WilFranco Nero, Barbara Bach, Carl Weathliam Faulkner, and blues greats Howlin’ ers, Richard Kiel. Awful sequel to classic Wolf and Sonny Boy Williamson; from wistGUNS OF NAVARONE, poor in all deful memoirs of filmmaker Philippe Labro, a huge best-seller in France. [R]▼● partments, although Shaw, Ford, and Nero try to give it a lift. Mixed group (naturalForever Amber (1947) C-140m. ★★★ D: ly), hindered by traitor Nero, attempt to Otto Preminger. Linda Darnell, Cornel blow a bridge vital to Nazis. They blew Wilde, Richard Greene, George Sanders, the film instead. Based on the Alistair Jessica Tandy, Anne Revere, Leo G. Carroll. MacLean novel. Restored to 128m. on las‘‘Musical beds’’ costumer, taken from Katherdisc. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 leen Winsor’s once-scandalous novel, about Foreign Affair, A (1948) 116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: blonde Darnell’s ascension to the court of Billy Wilder. Jean Arthur, Marlene Dietrich, Charles II. Lengthy but colorful and enterJohn Lund, Millard Mitchell, Peter Von taining, with David Raksin’s outstanding Zerneck, Stanley Prager. Staid Arthur is sent score.▼● to Berlin to investigate post-WW2 condiForever and a Day (1943) 104m. ★★★ D: tions, finds romance instead, with hot compeRene´ Clair, Edmund Goulding, Cedric tition from Dietrich. Marlene sings ‘‘Black Hardwicke, Frank Lloyd, Victor Saville, Market,’’ ‘‘Ruins of Berlin,’’ but Jean ArRobert Stevenson, Herbert Wilcox. Brian thur’s Iowa State Song equally memorable Aherne, Robert Cummings, Ida Lupino, in great Wilder comedy. Written by Charles Charles Laughton, Herbert Marshall, Ray Brackett, Billy Wilder, and Richard Breen.▼ Milland, Anna Neagle, Merle Oberon, Foreign Body (1986-British) C-108m. Claude Rains, Victor McLaglen, Buster ★★1⁄2 D: Ronald Neame. Victor Banerjee, Keaton, Jessie Matthews, Roland Young, C. Warren Mitchell, Trevor Howard, GeralAubrey Smith, Edward Everett Horton, Elsa dine McEwan, Amanda Donohoe, Denis Lanchester, Edmund Gwenn. Eighty-odd BritQuilley, Eve Ferret, Anna Massey. In a ish (and American) stars contributed their serreal casting switch, A PASSAGE TO INvices to this episodic film, about a house and DIA star Banerjee has a field day as an its inhabitants over the years, to raise funds itinerant Indian in London who poses as a for British War Relief. Uneven result, but has doctor and soon finds all the women dying many fine moments and star-gazing galore; to get him into bed. Throwback to the style once-in-a-lifetime cast.▼쩠 of 1950s British sex comedies. [PG-13]▼ Forever, Darling (1956) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Foreign Correspondent (1940) 119m. ★★★★ Alexander Hall. Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz, D: Alfred Hitchcock. Joel McCrea, Laraine James Mason, Louis Calhern. Ball’s madDay, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Alcap antics nearly drive husband Arnaz to bert Basserman, Robert Benchley, Edmund divorce, but guardian angel Mason saves Gwenn, Eduardo Ciannelli, Harry Davenport, the day. Contrived but enjoyable.▼●쩠 Martin Kosleck. McCrea in title role caught Forever Female (1953) 93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: [ 480 ]

Irving Rapper. Ginger Rogers, William but it’s hard to resist, thanks to a charismatic Holden, Paul Douglas, Pat Crowley, James cast. [PG] ▼●쩠 Gleason, Jesse White, Marjorie Rambeau, Forget Paris (1995) C-101m. ★★★ D: Billy George Reeves, King Donovan, Marion Crystal. Billy Crystal, Debra Winger, Joe Ross. Top-notch show business comedy, Mantegna, Cynthia Stevenson, Richard with Rogers the star who finally realizes Masur, Julie Kavner, William Hickey, Robshe is too old for the ingenue role, allowert Costanzo, John Spencer, Cathy Moriing writer Holden to cast Crowley in the arty, Tom Wright. Crystal plays a basketball part. Film captures flavor of the Broadway, referee who falls head over heels for Winger, summer stock milieux. Scripted by Philip while burying his father in Paris. Sharply writand Julius Epstein; suggested by James M. ten comedy (by Crystal and Lowell Ganz and Barrie’s play Rosalind.▼● Babaloo Mandel) about the trials and tribulaForever, Lulu (1987) C-85m. BOMB D: tions of making a marriage work—after Amos Kollek. Hanna Schygulla, Deborah falling in love. Many top basketball stars Harry, Alec Baldwin, Annie Golden, Paul appear as themselves; Dan Castellaneta apGleason, Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Embarpears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 rassing, amateurish imitation of DESPERForgetting Sarah Marshall (2008) CATELY SEEKING SUSAN has budding 112m. ★★★ D: Nicholas Stoller. Jason Segel, novelist Schygulla becoming embroiled in a Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Paul Rudd, Bill real-life mystery in N.Y.C. involving drugs Hader, Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Jack and killers. Despite having the title role, singMcBrayer, Maria Thayer, William Baldwin, ing star Harry makes only a brief cameo apJason Bateman, Steve Landesberg, Gedde pearance. Israeli director Kollek also turns in Watanabe. After his TV-star girlfriend leaves a poor acting job as Schygulla’s agent. Baldhim for another man, a self-pitying composer win’s first film. Aka CRAZY STREETS. goes to Hawaii to mend his broken heart. [R]▼●쩠 Then his ex and her new boyfriend turn up at Forever Mine (2000-Canadian-British-U.S.) the same resort! Another entry from proC-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Schrader. Joseph ducer Judd Apatow’s comedy crew, this Fiennes, Gretchen Mol, Ray Liotta, Vincent smart, funny comedy hits all the right notes, Laresca, Myk Watford, John Henry Canapushing the envelope for sexual content but van, Lindsey Connell. Florid, stylized ronever losing sight of real emotions. Segel mantic saga about a Florida cabana boy who wrote the screenplay and gives himself a falls deeply in love with a beautiful married great star vehicle, with plenty of room for guest and refuses to be deterred by her hotother cast members to shine. Unrated vertempered husband. An homage to the lush sion runs 118m. [R]쩠 1950s Douglas Sirk melodramas, this film Forgiven Sinner, The (1961-French) 116m. isn’t perfect, and demands a leap of faith, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Jean-Paul but offers the kind of passionate romance Belmondo, Emmanuele Riva, Patricia Gozzi, they don’t make anymore. Written by the Irene Tunc. Belmondo gives subdued, offbeat director. Made for theaters, U.S. debut on performance as clergyman trying to set shady cable TV. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 woman onto the path of righteousness. Aka For Ever Mozart (1996-French-Swiss) LEON MORIN, PRIEST. ▼ C-84m. ★★★ D: Jean-Luc Godard. MadeForgotten, The (2004) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joleine Assas, Frederic Pierrot, Ghalia Laseph Ruben. Julianne Moore, Dominic West, croix, Vicky Messica, Harry Cleven. One Gary Sinise, Anthony Edwards, Alfre Woodof Godard’s better latter-career films is the ard, Linus Roache, Robert Wisdom, Jessica complex, poetic account, set in four secHecht. Woman still grieving for her son, tions, of a director attempting to mount a who died more than a year ago, is told the movie. Here, Godard insightfully deals with boy never really existed! She refuses to beone of his more prominent themes: how art lieve this and doggedly seeks the truth, (and, specifically, the art of cinema) relates which leads her into unexplored territory. to politics (in this case, the political implicaThriller goes way off base for a while, testtions of the war in Bosnia).▼쩠 ★★★ ing our patience and credulity, before tying D: Forever Young (1992) C-102m. things up with an interesting payoff. A couSteve Miner. Mel Gibson, Jamie Lee Curtis, ple of real jolts along the way keep it from Elijah Wood, Isabel Glasser, George Wendt, ever getting dull. Alternate version on DVD Joe Morton, Nicolas Surovy, David Marruns 94m. [PG-13] ▼쩠 shall Grant, Art LaFleur. The year is 1939, For Heaven’s Sake (1926) 58m. ★★★★ D: and test-pilot Gibson (whose girlfriend is Sam Taylor. Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, comatose after being hit by a car) volunNoah Young, James Mason, Paul Weigel. teers to be frozen as part of a cryogenics Screamingly funny silent comedy has Lloyd experiment. He’s accidentally thawed out a blase young millionaire whose crush on Ralin 1992, and becomes involved in the lives ston inspires him to help attract ‘‘customers’’ of a young boy (Wood) and his mom (Curtis). for her father’s Bowery Mission. Even THE This romantic comedy-fantasy may play out by the numbers as it tugs at your heartstrings, FRENCH CONNECTION hasn’t dimmed [ 481 ]

the luster of Lloyd’s chase climax on L.A. Blue, Horace (Stephen) McNally, Keenan streets.쩠 Wynn, Richard Quine. Music sustains old-hat For Keeps (1988) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: John G. plot of vaudeville couple determined to play Avildsen. Molly Ringwald, Randall BatPalace, circa WW1. Kelly’s film debut; he inkoff, Kenneth Mars, Miriam Flynn, Conand Garland sing title tune and other old fachata Ferrell, Sharon Brown, Renee Estevez, vorites. Also shown in computer-colored Larry Drake. Studious teen Ringwald beversion. ▼●쩠 comes pregnant, and must quickly face adult Formula, The (1980) C-117m. ★★ D: responsibilities. Subject matter is most worthJohn G. Avildsen. George C. Scott, Marlon while, but the result is predictable and phony. Brando, Marthe Keller, John Gielgud, G. D. Tim Kazurinsky coauthored the screenplay. Spradlin, Beatrice Straight, Richard Lynch, [PG-13]▼●쩠 John Van Dreelen, Craig T. Nelson. AmazFor Love Alone (1986-Australian) Cingly matter-of-fact thriller about a cop who in102m. ★★★ D: Stephen Wallace. Helen vestigates a friend’s murder and finds him Buday, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving, Hugh linked to a mysterious plot involving a formula Keays-Byrne, Naomi Watts. Nicely filmed for synthetic fuel. Scott and Brando are always romantic drama, set in the 1930s, with Ausworth watching, but writer-producer Steve Shagan telegraphs all his punches. [R]▼●쩠 tralian university student Buday falling in love with her professor (Weaving); even Formula 51 (2001-British-Canadian) C-91m. ★★1 though he treats her poorly, she follows him ⁄2 D: Ronny Yu. Samuel L. Jackson, Robto England. Neill does well as an altogether ert Carlyle, Emily Mortimer, Rhys Ifans, different man who enters her life. Based on Meat Loaf, Sean Pertwee, Ricky Tomlinson, the novel by Christina Stead. ▼ Paul Barber. Wild, tongue-in-cheek Hong For Love of Ivy (1968) C-102m. ★★ D: Kong–style yarn loaded with action and vioDaniel Mann. Sidney Poitier, Abbey Linlence. Jackson plays a pharmaceutical whiz coln, Beau Bridges, Leon Bibb, Nan Marwho develops the ultimate narcotic, then tin, Lauri Peters, Carroll O’Connor. Family double-crosses his L.A. connection (Meat wants to keep maid, so they find her a Loaf) and flies to Liverpool to make a more beau; ho-hum black romance. [G]▼쩠 lucrative deal there. Needless to say, things For Love of the Game (1999) C-137m. don’t go smoothly. An indefensible guilty ★★1⁄2 D: Sam Raimi. Kevin Costner, Kelly pleasure that offers no intellectual stimulus Preston, John C. Reilly, Jena Malone, Brian whatsoever. Mortimer is fun as a gun-toting, Cox, J. K. Simmons, Vin Scully. Likable motorcycle-riding hit woman. Jackson also vehicle for Costner as a 20-year baseball coexecutive-produced. Original British title: veteran who looks back on the last five THE 51ST STATE. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 years of his life during an eventful end-ofFor Pete’s Sake (1974) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: season game. Effectively played for star Peter Yates. Barbra Streisand, Michael value and sentiment, but goes into extra inSarrazin, Estelle Parsons, William Redfield, nings for no apparent reason, stretching out Molly Picon, Louis Zorich, Vincent Schiaa conclusion that comes as no surprise. Pavelli, Anne Ramsey. Amiable, feathernavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 weight comedy about devoted wife who For Love or Money (1963) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 tries to raise money for her ambitious cabD: Michael Gordon. Kirk Douglas, Mitzi driver husband, and gets involved with asGaynor, Gig Young, Thelma Ritter, Wilsorted nuts and underworld types. Streisand liam Bendix, Julie Newmar. Comedy strains is fine in forgettable film. [PG]▼쩠 to be funnier than it is. Widow Ritter hires For Queen & Country (1988-British) Clawyer Douglas to find spouses for her 105m. ★★★ D: Martin Stellman. Denzel three daughters. Washington, Dorian Healey, Amanda Red★★ For Love or Money (1993) C-95m. D: man, Sea Chapman, Bruce Payne. Striking, Barry Sonnenfeld. Michael J. Fox, Gabrielle laced-in-acid contemporary thriller of life in Anwar, Anthony Higgins, Michael Tucker, Thatcherite England. Washington is well cast Bob Balaban, Isaac Mizrahi, Udo Kier, as a former paratrooper who struggles for Simon Jones, Dianne Brill, Dan Hedaya, survival in an atmosphere of racism, poverty, Fyvush Finkel, Bobby Short. Tepid and corruption—and then loses his British APARTMENT variation about aggressive, citizenship because of an immigration-law ambitious Fox, concierge at an upscale technicality. The director also cowrote the N.Y.C. hotel, who’ll do anything to please screenplay. [R]쩠 his guests. Trouble brews when he finds Forrest Gump (1994) C-142m. ★★1⁄2 D: himself attracted to beautiful Anwar, the Robert Zemeckis. Tom Hanks, Robin mistress of married Higgins (a Donald Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field, Mykelti Trump clone). Fox and a fine cast try their Williamson, Michael Humphreys, Hanna best, but this comedy runs out of steam long Hall, Haley Joel Osment. A slow-witted boy grows to adulthood, floating through life— before its predictable finale. [PG]▼●쩠 1 ★★ For Me and My Gal (1942) 104m. like a feather—with only a vague under⁄2 D: Busby Berkeley. Judy Garland, George standing of the tumultuous times he’s living Murphy, Gene Kelly, Marta Eggerth, Ben through. (He manages to be on hand for [ 482 ]

virtually every socio-pop-political phenomAnn Mobley, Milton Berle, Lana Wood, enon of the formative Baby Boomer deMark Richman, Chris Noel, The Nitty cades, from the rise of Elvis to the fall of Gritty Dirt Band. Certainly not for those Nixon.) Either you accept Hanks in this part who like good movies. Two girls move and go with the movie’s seriocomic sense of into singles apartment where Berle is sowhimsy, or you don’t (we didn’t)—but either cial director; result is a rape, an attempted way it’s a long journey, filled with digitized suicide, and several songs. Fort Apache (1948) 127m. ★★★ D: John imagery that puts Forrest Gump into a wide variety of backdrops and real-life events. Ford. John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Shirley Based on the (more satiric) novel by Winston Temple, Pedro Armendariz, John Agar, Groom. Oscar winner for Best Film, Best Ward Bond, George O’Brien, Victor McActor (Hanks), Director, Film Editing, Visual Laglen, Anna Lee, Irene Rich, Dick Foran, Effects, and Adapted Screenplay. Panavision. Guy Kibbee, Mae Marsh, Hank Worden. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Fonda is effectively cast against type as For Richer or Poorer (1997) C-115m. stubborn martinet who rubs his own men— ★★1 as well as neighboring Indians—the wrong ⁄2 D: Bryan Spicer. Tim Allen, Kirstie Alley, Jay O. Sanders, Michael Lerner, way. First of Ford’s cavalry trilogy tells its Wayne Knight, Larry Miller, Miguel A. story slowly, deliberately, with time for comNunez, Jr., Megan Cavanagh, Carrie Presedy and telling characterizations. Followed by ton, Katie Moore. Crass, filthy-rich New SHE WORE A YELLOW RIBBON. Also Yorkers Allen and Alley, whose marriage is shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 on the rocks, are forced to take it on the Fort Apache The Bronx (1981) C-125m. ★★★ lam when they’re accused of tax fraud— D: Daniel Petrie. Paul Newman, Edand hide out on an Amish farm, where they ward Asner, Ken Wahl, Danny Aiello, pretend to be cousins of farmer Sanders. Rachel Ticotin, Pam Grier, Kathleen Beller. Spoiled and lazy, they’re forced to do hard, Taut urban drama about a policeman’s life honest work, and actually come to like it. in a ravaged N.Y.C. neighborhood; crediPredictable in every way, but pleasant ble and exciting, with a fine star performenough. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ance from Newman. [R]▼●쩠 1 ★★ For Roseanna (1997-British) C-95m. ⁄2 For the Boys (1991) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Paul Weiland. Jean Reno, Mercedes Mark Rydell. Bette Midler, James Caan, Ruehl, Polly Walker, Mark Frankel, Giuseppe George Segal, Patrick O’Neal, ChristoCederna, Renato Scarpa. Sweet, well-intenpher Rydell, Arye Gross, Norman Fell, tioned film about a man who has promised Rosemary Murphy, Dori Brenner, Bud his wife, who’s terminally ill, that she will Yorkin, Jack Sheldon, Melissa Manchesbe buried in their village churchyard ter, Brandon Call, Billy Bob Thornton, cemetery . . . but with only a few vacant Xander Berkeley, Vince Vaughn. Midler is plots left, he takes it upon himself to keep in top form as U.S.O. singer who becomes the other townspeople healthy! Winning a star while performing during WW2 with performances and vivid Italian atmosphere Caan, a sexist, self-involved king of comhelp compensate for a script (by veteran TV edy; scenario follows their tumultuous relacomedy writer Saul Turteltaub) that strains tionship over the decades. Occasionally credibility to the bursting point. Panavision. hokey but mostly entertaining. Arliss How[PG-13] ▼●쩠 ard appears unbilled as Bette’s G.I. husForsaken, The (2001) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: J.S. band. [R]▼●쩠 Cardone. Kerr Smith, Brendan Fehr, JohnFor the First Time (1959) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 athon Schaech, Izabella Miko, Phina OruD: Rudolph Mate´. Mario Lanza, Johanna che, Simon Rex, Carrie Snodgress. StraightVon Koszian, Kurt Kasznar, Zsa Zsa Gabor, arrow Smith drives east from L.A., heading Hans Sohnker. Lanza is typecast as fiery for Miami, but quickly discovers the Southopera singer who falls in love with beautiful west has become infested with creepy nocdeaf girl in Capri. Not bad, with plenty of turnal predators, led by Schaech. This music to satisfy Lanza fans; this was his last vampire film offers no surprises. [R]▼쩠 film. Technirama. ▼● Forsaking All Others (1934) 84m. ★★1⁄2 For the Love of Benji (1977) C-84m. ★★★ D: W. S. Van Dyke II. Clark Gable, Joan D: Joe Camp. Benji, Patsy Garrett. Cynthia Crawford, Robert Montgomery, Charles Smith, Allen Fiuzat, Ed Nelson, Peter Butterworth, Billie Burke, Frances Drake, Bowles, Bridget Armstrong. Moviedom’s Rosalind Russell, Arthur Treacher. Gable, smartest pooch since Lassie in his second just back from Spain, is about to propose to delightful screen adventure, this time scamCrawford but learns she’s set to wed flaky pering through the streets of Athens with Montgomery. Star trio sparkles in this sosecret agents in pursuit, trying to get the so romantic comedy, scripted by Joseph L. formula tattoed on his paw. Fine family Mankiewicz. Butterworth is a treat, as entertainment. Followed by OH, HEAVENLY DOG! [G]▼쩠 always.▼●쩠 For Singles Only (1968) C-91m. BOMB For Those Who Think Young (1964) C96m. ★★ D: Leslie H. Martinson. James D: Arthur Dreifuss. John Saxon, Mary [ 483 ]

Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Paul Lynde, Tina Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Louise, Bob Denver, Robert Middleton, Ron Rich, Cliff Osmond, Judi West, Lurene Nancy Sinatra, Claudia Martin, Ellen McRae Tuttle. Biting Wilder comedy about TV cam(Burstyn), Woody Woodbury, Louis Quinn, eraman (Lemmon) injured during football Sammee Tong, Addison Richards, Mousie game and shyster lawyer (Matthau) who exGarner, Benny Baker, Anna Lee, Jack La aggerates damages for insurance purposes. Rue, Allen Jenkins, Robert Armstrong, Matthau’s Oscar-winning performance hits Lada Edmund, Jr. Great time-capsule cast home. Scripted by Wilder and partner I.A.L. in a silly time-waster about college high Diamond. Panavision.▼●쩠 jinks. Notable for taking its title from a Fort Utah (1968) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Lesley Pepsi slogan at the time—making this a Selander. John Ireland, Virginia Mayo, milestone in the history of product placeScott Brady, John Russell, Robert Strauss, ment! George Raft and Roger Smith appear James Craig, Richard Arlen, Jim Davis, unbilled. Techniscope. Don ‘‘Red’’ Barry. Former gunfighter IreFortress (1993) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Stuart Gorland fights Brady, who is stirring up Indidon. Christopher Lambert, Loryn Locklyn, ans around Fort Utah. See it only if you Kurtwood Smith, Lincoln Kilpatrick, Cliflike the cast. Techniscope. ton Gonzalez Gonzalez, Jeffrey Combs. Fort Worth (1951) C-80m. ★★ D: Edwin Husband and wife flee futuristic society L. Marin. Randolph Scott, David Brian, Phyl(which forbids them from having a second lis Thaxter, Helena Carter. Scott learns that child) because she is pregnant again. pen is not mightier than the sword; he’s a They’re captured and sent to a high-tech gunslinger who becomes newspaper editor but maximum security prison run by a sadistic can only rid town of outlaws via six-shooter.쩠 warden. (Is there any other kind?) Intriguing 40 Carats (1973) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Milpremise is sabotaged by weak acting and a ton Katselas. Liv Ullmann, Gene Kelly, weaker script. Incredible international sucEdward Albert, Binnie Barnes, Deborah cess resulted in a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Raffin, Billy Green Bush, Nancy Walker, Fort Saganne (1984-French) C-190m. Don Porter, Rosemary Murphy, Natalie ★★1⁄2 D: Alain Corneau. Ge ´ rard Depardieu, Schafer, Claudia Jennings, Brooke Palance. Philippe Noiret, Catherine Deneuve, Michel Bright Broadway comedy adapted from Duchaussoy, Roger Dumas, Sophie MarFrench farce suffers in transference to ceau, Jean-Louis Richard. Handsomely screen, mainly from miscasting of Ullmann mounted but cliche´d and overlong epic deas 40-ish New York divorcee, pursued by tailing the exploits of Charles Saganne, a 20-ish Albert. Glossy, mildly amusing; French officer of modest background who pepped up by Barnes and Kelly. [PG]▼ is posted to the Sahara in the years before 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002) C-95m. ★1⁄2 WW1. Depardieu is quietly impressive, D: Michael Lehmann. Josh Hartnett, Shanmany of the desert sequences are well done, nyn Sossamon, Vinessa Shaw, Paulo Cosand Philippe Sarde’s score adds to the atmotanzo, Griffin Dunne, Maggie Gyllenhaal, sphere. Depiction of Depardieu’s affair with Michael Maronna, Glenn Fitzgerald, Mary journalist Deneuve is especially trite. TechGross, Stanley Anderson, Adam Trese, novision. ▼쩠 Barry Newman. Young stud with an insatiaFort Ti (1953) C-73m. ★★ D: William ble appetite for women—but no idea how to Castle. George Montgomery, Joan Vohs, build a relationship—is so stung by his latIrving Bacon, James Seay. Best facet of est dumping that he decides to give up sex this oater set during French-Indian war of for Lent. Then he meets Miss Right—and 1760s is its 3-D gimmickry; otherwise, can’t explain to her why he’s unable to constandard stuff. summate their relationship. Inane comedy, Fortune, The (1975) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: full of stupid, obnoxious characters. [R]▼쩠 Mike Nichols. Jack Nicholson, Warren Forty Deuce (1982) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul Beatty, Stockard Channing, Scatman CroMorrissey. Orson Bean, Kevin Bacon, Mark thers, Florence Stanley, Richard B. Shull. Keyloun, Harris Laskaway, Tommy Citera. Nicholson and Beatty make like Laurel Heavyhanded, poorly directed drama of teenand Hardy in this uneven 1920s comedy age hustler Bacon attempting to sell runaway about two bumblers who plan to murder a to wealthy Bean; complications arise when dizzy heiress to get her money. Worth the boy overdoses on heroin. From an offseeing if only for Nicholson’s wonderful Broadway play by Alan Bowne. Second half of film is in widescreen.쩠 comic performance. David Shire’s period music is nice, too. Panavision. [PG]▼ 48HRS. (1982) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Walter Fortune and Men’s Eyes (1971-Canadian) Hill. Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O’Toole, James Remar, Frank McRae, David C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harvey Hart. Wendell Burton, Michael Greer, Zooey (David) Hall, Patrick Kelly, Sonny Landham, Brion James, Danny Freedman. Homosexuality in prison James Keane, Jonathan Banks, Denise Crosby, is the theme; sincere but exploitative, unOlivia Brown, Jim Haynie, The Busboys. pleasant. [R]▼ Slam-bang mix of action and comedy; weary Fortune Cookie, The (1966) 125m. ★★★ D: cop Nolte springs Murphy out of the jug for [ 484 ]

two days to help him catch Murphy’s escaped puts everything into what may be his final (and really disturbed) partner. Naturally, they show, then leading lady Daniels twists her hate each other’s guts at first, but. . . . Murphy, ankle! Good thing Ruby Keeler’s on hand. in his screen debut, is nothing short of sensaHarry Warren-Al Dubin songs include title tional, but so is Nolte in his low-key, raspy tune, ‘‘Young and Healthy,’’ ‘‘You’re Getting way; scene where Murphy terrorizes a redto Be a Habit With Me,’’ ‘‘Shuffle Off to neck bar is the standout. Written by Roger Buffalo.’’ Busby Berkeley’s ground-breaking Spottiswoode, Larry Gross, Steven E. de production numbers are sensational. Scripted Souza, and Hill. Sequel: ANOTHER 48HRS. by Rian James and James Seymour, from [R]▼●쩠 Bradford Ropes’ story. Adapted for the Forty Guns (1957) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Samuel Broadway stage 50 years later. Also shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Fuller. Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sullivan, Dean Jagger, John Ericson, Gene Barry. 47 Ronin, Part I, The (1941-Japanese) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kenji Mizoguchi. Chojuro Florid, wildly dramatic Sam Fuller Western with Stanwyck as self-appointed land Kawarazaki, Yoshizaburo Arashi, Utaemon baroness of Tombstone Territory—until marIchikawa, Mieko Takamine. Legendary shal Sullivan shows up. CinemaScope.쩠 samurai warriors scheme to gain revenge 40 Guns to Apache Pass (1966) C-95m. for the death of their leader, who was ★★ D: William Witney. Audie Murphy, tricked and forced to commit suicide. Based Michael Burns, Kenneth Tobey, Laraine on a famous Japanese story, and fascinatStephens, Michael Blodgett, Michael Keep. ing as both cinema and as propaganda Standard Murphy Western with every horse(remember, this was made during WW2). opera cliche´ intact: plot centers around First of Mizoguchi’s two-part epic, also missing shipment of rifles. known as THE LOYAL 47 RONIN. Sev49th Parallel (1941-British) 123m. ★★★1⁄2 eral dozen versions of this same story have been filmed in Japan.▼쩠 D: Michael Powell. Anton Walbrook, Eric Portman, Leslie Howard, Raymond Mas47 Ronin, Part II, The (1942-Japanese) sey, Laurence Olivier, Glynis Johns, Niall 113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Kenji Mizoguchi. Chojuro MacGinnis, Finlay Currie. Taut, exciting Kawarazaki, Yoshizaburo Arashi, Utaemon WW2 yarn of Nazi servicemen whose Ichikawa, Mieko Takamine. The 47 Ronin U-boat is sunk off the Canadian coast. gain vengeance for their master’s death. Top-notch cast, rich suspense and characTogether with its predecessor, this was the terizations. Oscar winner for Best Story most impressive Japanese film produced (Emeric Pressburger); screenplay by Pressduring WW2; the finale is especially stirburger and Rodney Ackland. U.S. title: ring and revealing.▼쩠 THE INVADERS. First released in the U.S. Forty Shades of Blue (2005) C-108m. ★★★1 at 107m. ▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Ira Sachs. Rip Torn, Dina Korzun, 49 Up (2006-British) C/B&W-135m. ★★★ Darren Burrows, Paprika Steen, Red West. D: Michael Apted. Seventh installment in Longtime girlfriend of a famous but washedthe unique and remarkable series that began up music producer finds her life shaken up with the TV documentary 7 UP in 1964. by the arrival of the producer’s estranged Apted revisits most of the young people son. Torn and Korzun give knockout perforwho first participated in the series and mances in this gem, which should have brings us up to date on their lives, which in earned more attention than it got. Sachs’ some cases have taken highly unexpected camera pays close attention to nuances of turns. Several of the interviewees talk about human behavior, and each shot and sethe impact these documentaries have had on quence adds another layer of emotional their privacy and sense of self. Thoroughly depth to the story. Almost painful to watch absorbing.쩠 at times, but highly rewarding. 쩠 40 Pounds of Trouble (1963) C-106m. 43: The Petty Story SEE: Smash-Up Alley ★★1⁄2 D: Norman Jewison. Tony Curtis, Phil 42 Up (1999-British) C/B&W-130m. ★★★ Silvers, Suzanne Pleshette, Larry Storch, D: Michael Apted. Picking up where 35 UP Howard Morris, Stubby Kaye, Claire Willeft off, Apted revisits all but three of his cox, Jack La Rue. ‘‘Cute’’ Curtis comedy lifelong subjects as they settle into middle of casino manager who ‘‘adopts’’ little girl age. As compelling as ever. Followed by 49 UP. ▼쩠 with endless complications occurring. Disneyland locations and fine character actors 40 Year Old Virgin, The (2005) C-116m. ★★1 pep it up. Carbon copy of LITTLE MISS ⁄2 D: Judd Apatow. Steve Carell, CatherMARKER. Panavision. ▼ ine Keener, Paul Rudd, Romany Malco, 42nd Street (1933) 89m. ★★★★ D: Lloyd Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Leslie Mann, Bacon. Warner Baxter, Ruby Keeler, Jane Lynch, Nancy Walls, Mo Collins, CeGeorge Brent, Bebe Daniels, Dick Powell, dric Yarbrough, David Koechner. When Guy Kibbee, Una Merkel, Ginger Rogers, some rowdy, randy coworkers at an elecNed Sparks, George E. Stone. The definitive tronics store discover that the nerd in their backstage musical still has plenty of sass— midst is still a virgin, they make it their along with its cliche´s. Ailing director Baxter mission to coach him to manhood. Mean[ 485 ]

while, he awkwardly begins a relationship C-97m. ★★ D: Wolfgang Petersen. Nastassia with a nice woman (who’s got three kids) Kinski, Christian Quadflieg, Judy Winter, and doesn’t want sex to be a stumbling Klaus Schwarzkopf. Young student Kinski block. Carell’s first starring vehicle, which has an affair with a teacher, then kills the he cowrote with director Apatow, is funny, man who tries to blackmail and seduce but its startlingly raunchy gags clash with her. Turgid soap opera. Made for German the sweet romantic-comedy approach to its TV; theatrical release in 1982. ▼ love story. Alternate unrated version runs Foul Play (1978) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Colin 133m. [R]▼쩠 Higgins. Goldie Hawn, Chevy Chase, BurFor Whom the Bell Tolls (1943) C-130m. gess Meredith, Dudley Moore, Rachel Rob★★★1 ⁄2 D: Sam Wood. Gary Cooper, Ingrid erts, Eugene Roche, Marilyn Sokol, Billy Bergman, Akim Tamiroff, Arturo de CorBarty, Marc Lawrence, Brian Dennehy. dova, Joseph Calleia, Katina Paxinou, VlaInnocent woman (Hawn) gets caught in dimir Sokoloff, Mikhail Rasumny, Fortunio strange murder plot in San Francisco; no Bonanova. Hemingway story of U.S. merone believes her except detective Chase, cenary Cooper fighting for Spain with motwho’s falling in love with her. Likable ley crew of peasants, including Bergman; stars, good fun, but protracted story, tastetense action, beautiful color, great love less comedy, and Hitchcock plagiarism scenes, marvelous Victor Young score. detract. Followed by a short-lived TV series. [PG] ▼●쩠 Paxinou won Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Originally released at 170m.; archivally reFountain, The (2006) C-95m. ★★ D: Darstored version runs 156m.▼●쩠 ren Aronofsky. Hugh Jackman, Rachel For Your Consideration (2006) C-86m. ★★★ Weisz, Ellen Burstyn, Cliff Curtis, Mark D: Christopher Guest. Catherine O’Hara, Margolis, Sean Patrick Thomas, Stephen Harry Shearer, Parker Posey, Christopher McHattie, Donna Murphy, Ethan Suplee. Guest, Fred Willard, Jane Lynch, Bob BalaAmbitious film about a man (Jackman) in ban, Michael McKean, Jennifer Coolidge, three different time frames—16th-century Eugene Levy, John Michael Higgins, Ed Spain, the modern day, and the 26th Begley, Jr., Ricky Gervais, Larry Miller, Paul century—who seeks to understand the esDooley, Don Lake, Michael Hitchcock, sence of life. The contemporary research Christopher Moynihan, Sandra Oh, Richard scientist is driven to cure his wife (Weisz), Kind, John Krasinski, Jim Piddock, Carrie whose life is ebbing away from cancer. SinAizley, Mary McCormack, Craig Bierko, cere but overwrought new-age drama (mixKevin Sussman, Rachael Harris, Deborah ing science fiction and soap opera) will Theaker, Scott Williamson. While making a elicit a wide range of opinion; the ultimate film called HOME FOR PURIM, aging acepiphany is the kind of thing that might tress O’Hara, veteran leading man Shearer, work in a novel but doesn’t play well onscreen. Written by the director. [PG-13]쩠 and costar Posey all buy into selfperpetuating ‘‘buzz’’ about their chances Fountainhead, The (1949) 114m. ★★1⁄2 for Oscars. Uncanny in its dead-on parodies D: King Vidor. Gary Cooper, Patricia Neal, of TV and radio talk shows and other follies Raymond Massey, Kent Smith, Robert of show business, though not as resonant as Douglas, Henry Hull, Ray Collins, Jerome Guest’s other films, perhaps because HollyCowan. Ambitious but confused version wood is just too easy a target. Guest’s usual of Ayn Rand philosophic novel, spotlighting cohorts (and some talented newcomers) dean idealistic architect’s clash with comliver the goods, but O’Hara takes the cake promises of society; cast does what it can as a self-deluded star. Written by Guest and with the script.▼●쩠 Levy. [PG-13]쩠 Four Adventures of Reinette and MiraFor Your Eyes Only (1981-British) Cbelle (1986-French) C-99m. ★★★ D: Eric 127m. ★★★ D: John Glen. Roger Moore, Rohmer. Joelle Miquel, Jessica Forde, Carole Bouquet, (Chaim) Topol, Lynn-Holly Philippe Laudenbach, Yasmine Haury, MaJohnson, Julian Glover, Jill Bennett, Casrie Riviere, Beatrice Romand. Typically sandra Harris, Desmond Llewelyn, Lois charming, perceptive Rohmeresque slice Maxwell, Walter Gotell. After years of of life, chronicling the friendship between space-age gadgetry, cartoon villains, fecountry girl Reinette (Miquel) and city girl male mannequins, and giants with steel Mirabelle (Forde), who become roommates teeth came this one-shot return to the old in Paris. At its best when focusing on their days of Ian Fleming minimalism. No other contrasting viewpoints, and the manner in James Bond film has provoked so much dewhich their friendship evolves.▼ bate among 007 fans (even us); judge for Four Brothers (2005) C-108m. ★★★ D: John yourself. The chases and stuntwork are Singleton. Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, spectacular; debuting helmer Glen directed Andre´ Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence 2nd-unit on some earlier Bonds. Look for Howard, JoshCharles, Sofia Vergara, Fionnula Charles Dance as gunman. Panavision. Flanagan, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Barry Shabaka Henley, Taraji P. Henson. Four incorrigible [PG]▼●쩠 For Your Love Only (1976-German) adopted brothers—two black, two white— [ 486 ]

reunite when their mother is murdered in bootleggers. Palance is a gang lord whose Detroit and swear revenge, whatever the mob and casino bear the film’s title; Lynley consequences. Violent, somewhat overlong is the moll he loves and fights for. [R]▼쩠 action-thriller veers toward melodrama but Four Faces West (1948) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: maintains rooting interest for its rough-andAlfred E. Green. Joel McCrea, Frances tumble ‘‘heroes’’ from start to finish. FlanaDee, Charles Bickford, Joseph Calleia. gan is a standout in her few scenes as the Quiet Western of fugitive pursued by deboys’ good-hearted mother. As widely termined sheriff, with cast giving intellinoted, this plays like an updated urban vergent interpretation to standard formula. sion of THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER. Original, and more appropriate, title: THEY Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 PASSED THIS WAY.▼쩠 Four Christmases (2008) C-88m. ★★ D: Seth Four Feathers, The (1939-British) CGordon. Vince Vaughn, Reese Witherspoon, 115m. ★★★★ D: Zoltan Korda. John ClemRobert Duvall, Sissy Spacek, Jon Voight, Jon ents, Ralph Richardson, C. Aubrey Smith, Favreau, Mary Steenburgen, Dwight YoaJune Duprez, Allan Jeayes, Jack Allen, kam, Tim McGraw, Kristin Chenoweth, Katy Donald Gray, Clive Baxter. Grand advenMixon, Colleen Camp, Peter Billingsley. ture from A. E. W. Mason story of traditionUnsatisfying holiday comedy involving a bound Britisher who must prove he’s not a couple (Vaughn, Witherspoon) forced to coward by helping army comrades quell visit each of their divorced parents in one Sudan uprising. Smith is just wonderful as day. Main characters are unusual for this tale-spinning army veteran. Screenplay by type of fare: they’re unmarried, alienated R. C. Sherriff, Lajos Biro, and Arthur from their families, and don’t want kids. Wimperis. Score by Miklos Rozsa. Original Even so, the film is predictable, the finale is release ran 130m. Previously filmed in 1921 illogical, and the stellar cast is wasted. Carol and 1929; remade as STORM OVER THE Kane appears unbilled. [PG-13]쩠 NILE, as a TVM in 1978 with Beau Bridges, 4 Clowns (1970) 97m. ★★★★ D: Roband in 2002. ▼●쩠 ert Youngson. Laurel and Hardy, Buster Four Feathers, The (2002-U.S.-British) CKeaton, Charley Chase. A must for view130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Shekhar Kapur. Heath Leders of all ages: some of the best silent ger, Kate Hudson, Wes Bentley, Djimon comedy ever. Interesting solo footage of Hounsou, Michael Sheen, Lucy Gordon, Laurel and Hardy; Keaton’s classic SEVEN Rupert Penry-Jones, Nick Holder, Alex JenCHANCES; hilarious sequences with undernings, Tim Pigott-Smith. Well-crafted rerated Chase including his best short, LIMmake of the A.E.W. Mason story, set in the OUSINE LOVE. One of compiler Younglate 1800s, about a young British soldier son’s very best efforts. [G] who is branded a coward and then has to Four Daughters (1938) 90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: redeem himself. Ledger is excellent (and Michael Curtiz. Claude Rains, Rosemary credible) in the leading role, and the battle Lane, Lola Lane, Priscilla Lane, Gale Page, scenes are impressive . . . but the story is John Garfield, Jeffrey Lynn, Frank McHugh, confusing at times, the character motivaMay Robson, Dick Foran. Believable, beautions muddy, and a touch of humor (so tifully acted soaper of small-town life; four memorably supplied in the 1939 version by young women with musical father Rains C. Aubrey Smith) is sorely missed. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 have lives altered by four young men. Garfield is superb in first film, matched Four Flies on Grey Velvet (1971-ItalianFrench) C-101m. ★★ D: Dario Argento. Miby fine cast. Followed immediately by DAUGHTERS COURAGEOUS and sechael Brandon, Mimsy Farmer, Bud Spencer, quels FOUR WIVES and FOUR MOTHFrancine Racette. Unabsorbing psychological ERS. Remade as YOUNG AT HEART.▼쩠 murder-mystery with performers who walk Four Days in September (1997-Brazilian) through their roles in a very disinterested fashion. Techniscope.[PG] C-106m. ★★★ D: Bruno Barreto. Alan Arkin, 4 for Texas (1963) C-114m. ★★★ D: RobPedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres, Luiz Fernando Guimaraes, Selton Mello, Claudia ert Aldrich. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Abreu, Nelson Dantas, Fisher Stevens. Anita Ekberg, Ursula Andress, Charles Emotion-charged, based-on-fact account of Bronson, Victor Buono, Richard Jaeckel, the events surrounding 1969 kidnapping of Mike Mazurki, Jack Elam, The Three American ambassador (Arkin) by an idealStooges, Yaphet Kotto. Nonsensical Sinatraistic yet diverse group of young Brazilian Martin romp set in the old West, with their revolutionaries. All sides are given a voice antics only outdone by Buono as villainous in this empathetic and well-detailed political banker. Ekberg and Andress both outstanddrama. [R]▼쩠 ing scenery attractions.▼●쩠 Four Deuces, The (1975) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 Four Friends (1981) C-115m. ★★★ D: D: William H. Bushnell, Jr. Jack Palance, Arthur Penn. Craig Wasson, Jodi Thelen, Carol Lynley, Warren Berlinger, Adam Jim Metzler, Michael Huddleston, Reed Roarke, E. J. Peaker, Gianni Russo. Action Birney, James Leo Herlihy, Glenne Headly, comedy/drama involving Prohibition Era Mercedes Ruehl. A journey of self-dis[ 487 ]

covery for an idealistic young Yugoslavian immigrant (Wasson), who lives through the turbulent American 1960s. Charming, coy, powerful, sentimental, and sometimes astonishingly old-fashioned—a real mixed bag, with many rewards and not a few flaws. Largely autobiographical script by Steve Tesich. [R]▼쩠 Four Girls in Town (1956) C-85m. ★★★ D: Jack Sher. George Nader, Julie Adams, Gia Scala, Marianne Cook (Koch), Elsa Martinelli, Sydney Chaplin, Grant Williams, John Gavin. Cliche´d but absorbing account of four contrasting would-be stars coming to Hollywood seeking fame and romance; excellent musical score by Alex North. CinemaScope. Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, The (1921) 131m. ★★★ D: Rex Ingram. Rudolph Valentino, Alice Terry, Alan Hale, Jean Hersholt, Nigel de Brulier, Wallace Beery. Famous silent spectacle cemented Valentino’s popularity via legendary tango scene, but aside from that it’s a relentlessly grim anti-war story of cousins who end up fighting on opposite sides during WW1. Extremely well made, with imagery that still staggers and message that cannot be overlooked. Based on the Blasco Ibanez novel. Remade in 1962.▼● Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse (1962) C-153m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vincente Minnelli. Glenn Ford, Ingrid Thulin, Charles Boyer, Lee J. Cobb, Paul Henreid, Paul Lukas, Yvette Mimieux, Karl Boehm. Glossy, padded trash, losing all sense of reality in its telling of a family whose members fight on opposite sides during WW2. Loose remake of the 1921 silent film based on a novel by Vincent Blasco Ibanez. Angela Lansbury dubbed in Thulin’s lines. CinemaScope.

William A. Seiter. Kay Francis, Carole Landis, Martha Raye, Mitzi Mayfair, Phil Silvers, Dick Haymes, Jimmy Dorsey and His Orchestra; guest stars Betty Grable, Alice Faye, Carmen Miranda, George Jessel. Contrived wartime entertainment with four leading ladies reenacting their actual experiences entertaining soldiers overseas (which Landis turned into a popular book of the same name). Some good musical moments but nothing to shout about.▼쩠 Four Kinds of Love SEE: Bambole! 4 Little Girls (1997) C-102m. ★★★★ D: Spike Lee. Shattering documentary about the fatal bombing of a black Birmingham, Alabama church on September 15, 1963, which not only killed four innocent children but galvanized the entire nation and accelerated the civil rights movement. Remembering its young (ages 11 to 14) victims are families, now-grown-up friends, ministers, reporters, political activists, and the lawyer who, years later, helped convict the key perpetrator. One of filmmaker Lee’s finest hours. Produced for HBO but also given theatrical release.▼쩠 Four Men and a Prayer (1938) 85m. ★★★ D: John Ford. Loretta Young, Richard Greene, George Sanders, David Niven, C. Aubrey Smith, William Henry, J. Edward Bromberg, Alan Hale, Reginald Denny, John Carradine. Compelling story of four brothers determined to unravel mystery behind their father’s murder; handsome, well-paced production. Remade as FURY AT FURNACE CREEK.쩠 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (2007Romanian) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Cristian Mungiu. Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu, Vlad Ivanov, Alex Potocean, Ioan Sapdaru, Teo Corban, Tania Popa. In totalitarian Romania, 1987, a student agrees to help her ▼●쩠 Four Hundred Blows, The (1959-French) roommate obtain an illegal abortion, never 99m. ★★★★ D: Franc¸ois Truffaut. Jeansuspecting that it will turn into an emotional Pierre Le´aud, Patrick Auffay, Claire ordeal, as much for her as for her friend. Maurier, Albert Remy, Jeanne Moreau, Told in a series of long, unbroken takes Jean-Claude Brialy, Jacques Demy, Franc¸ois with a fly-on-the-wall camera, this forceful Truffaut. Captivating study of Parisian youth film illustrates a society’s moral decay, as who turns to life of small-time crime as a well as one woman’s awakening to reality. reaction to derelict parents. First of TrufIts matter-of-fact tone makes it all the more faut’s autobiographical Antoine Doinel sedevastating. Written by the director. Winner ries; followed by the ‘‘Antoine et Colette’’ of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festiepisode in LOVE AT TWENTY. Dyalival. Super 35.쩠 scope.▼●쩠 Four Mothers (1941) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilFour Jacks and a Jill (1942) 68m. ★★ D: liam Keighley. Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Jack Hively. Ray Bolger, Desi Arnaz, Lane, Lola Lane, Gale Page, Claude Rains, Anne Shirley, June Havoc, Eddie Foy, Jr., Jeffrey Lynn, May Robson, Eddie Albert, Jack Durant, Henry Daniell, Fritz Feld. Frank McHugh, Dick Foran. FOUR DAUGHStruggling hoofer/pianist Bolger and his TERS formula wearing thin in soapy musician pals take in singing waif Shirley tale of McHugh going bankrupt. in this lackluster musical. Bolger’s dancFour Musketeers, The (1975) C-108m. ★★★ D: Richard Lester. Oliver Reed, Raquel ing is always a pleasure to watch, but Arnaz is wasted as an exiled king turned Welch, Richard Chamberlain, Frank Fintaxi driver. Remake of STREET GIRL and lay, Michael York, Christopher Lee, JeanTHAT GIRL FROM PARIS.▼ Pierre Cassel, Geraldine Chaplin, Simon Four Jills in a Jeep (1944) 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ward, Faye Dunaway, Charlton Heston. [ 488 ]

Second half of Lester’s irreverent but amusMoorehead, Robert Keith, Howard da Silva, ing approach to Dumas with less emphasis Jeffrey Hunter, Martin Gabel, Grace Kelly, on slapstick this time around. Rich cast in Jeff Corey. Well-made suspense drama about top form. Filmed in 1973, at the same a man threatening to jump off the ledge of time as THE THREE MUSKETEERS. a building, told in semidocumentary fashion. Followed by THE RETURN OF THE Look for Harvey Lembeck and Ossie Davis MUSKETEERS. [R]▼●쩠 as cabbies, Joyce Van Patten as Paget’s girlfriend. Grace Kelly’s film debut.쩠 Four Nights of a Dreamer (1971-French) C-83m. ★★★ D: Robert Bresson. Isabelle 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992-U.S.British-French-Spanish) C-145m. ★★ D: Weingarten, Guillaume des Foreˆts, Maurice Monnoyer, Je´roˆme Massart, Lidia Biondi. Ridley Scott. Ge´rard Depardieu, Sigourney Slow-moving but beautifully filmed adaptaWeaver, Armand Assante, Frank Langella, tion of Dostoyevsky’s White Nights, upLoren Dean, Angela Molina, Fernando dated to modern Paris. A painter meets a Rey, Michael Wincott, Tche´ky Karyo. The girl on a bridge as she’s about to commit second of 1992’s Christopher Columbus suicide and falls in love with her over the epics, this effort is beautifully mounted, but next few nights; then the lover who abana long haul in steerage. The burden falls on doned her returns. Possessed of Bresson’s Depardieu as the famed explorer, a French usual lyrical qualities, the film also contains actor cast as an Italian working for Spain in an unexpected sense of humor and romance. an English-language movie—and an actor Four Poster, The (1952) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: who speaks English like Bela Lugosi readIrving Reis. Rex Harrison, Lilli Palmer. ing from cue cards. Might have been better Jan de Hartog play is tour de force for stars had the action aped director Scott’s finale to who enact various phases of married couTHELMA & LOUISE, by having Columple’s life; warm, witty script; superb perbus and crew sail off the edge of the world. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 formances enhanced by ingenious animated interludes by UPA studio. Later became the 1408 (2007) C-104m. ★★★ D: Mikael Ha˚fsstage musical I Do! I Do! tro¨m. John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Four Rooms (1995) C-98m. BOMB D: AlMary McCormack, Tony Shalhoub, Len lison Anders, Alexandre Rockwell, Robert Cariou, Isiah Whitlock, Jr., Jasmine Jessica Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino. Tim Roth, Anthony, Kevin Dobson. There have been Antonio Banderas, Jennifer Beals, Paul Cal56 deaths, natural and otherwise, in the title deron, Sammi Davis, Amanda de Cadenet, room, located in a Kafkaesque N.Y.C. Valeria Golino, Kathy Griffin, Marc Lawhotel-from-hell. Intrepid occult writer Curence, Madonna, David Proval, Ione Skye, sack is determined to spend the night there. Quentin Tarantino, Lili Taylor, Marisa Genuinely scary chiller, nicely paced with Tomei, Tamlyn Tomita, Alicia Witt, Lana clever touches, brings new meaning to the McKissack, Danny Verduzco, Salma Hayek. Carpenters’ song ‘‘We’ve Only Just Begun.’’ What a cast . . . what a waste! Embarrassingly Based on a Stephen King short story. Unrated awful compilation consisting of four short director’s cut runs 112m. Super 35. [PGfilms, with the sole point of interest being 13]쩠 which one is the worst. Set in an L.A. hotel Fourth Man, The (1983-Dutch) C-104m. ★★★1 on New Year’s Eve, and linked by the par⁄2 D: Paul Verhoeven. Jeroen Krabbe´, ticipation of Ted the Bellhop (Roth). Bruce Renee Soutendijk, Thom Hoffman, Dolf Willis appears unbilled in the final episode, De Vries, Geert De Jong. Sexy blonde hairby Tarantino. [R]▼●쩠 dresser Soutendijk may or may not have murFour’s a Crowd (1938) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Midered three husbands but definitely does screw chael Curtiz. Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, up the mind of gay writer Krabbe´ when he Rosalind Russell, Patric Knowles, Hugh Hertries to find out. Stylish dream-vs.-reality bert, Lana Turner. Lightheaded romance in black comedy deserved its art-house success; which everyone loves another; straight comeflashy direction, eroticism to spare. ▼●쩠 dy’s a switch for Flynn. Pleasant.쩠 Fourth Protocol, The (1987-British) CFour Seasons, The (1981) C-107m. ★★★ 119m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Mackenzie. Michael D: Alan Alda. Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Caine, Pierce Brosnan, Joanna Cassidy, Len Cariou, Sandy Dennis, Rita Moreno, Ned Beatty, Betsy Brantley, Peter CartJack Weston, Bess Armstrong. Four stages wright, David Conville, Matt Frewer, Ray of friendship among three middle-aged couMcAnally, Ian Richardson. Pretty good ples who vacation together. As comedy it spy thriller adapted by Frederick Forsyth scores, with warmly winning cast, but like its from his best-selling novel. Caine plays a main character, it professes to discuss serious British spy who’s assigned to foil a Rusissues while pulling back after just touching sian plot that would destroy relations bethe surface. Alda scripted, made feature ditween the U.S. and England by setting off a nuclear bomb near an American air base recting debut; later a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★★ Fourteen Hours (1951) 92m. in the U.K. Brosnan does well as a RusD: Henry Hathaway. Paul Douglas, Richard Basehart, sian agent. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼● Barbara Bel Geddes, Debra Paget, Agnes Fourth War, The (1990) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: [ 489 ]

John Frankenheimer. Roy Scheider, Ju¨rgen tionship is put to the test by their emerging Prochnow, Tim Reid, Harry Dean Stanton, instincts. Warm and brimming with personLara Harris, Dale Dye. Well-done but everable characters, this one approaches the old so-familiar Cold War thriller in which an Disney magic at times. Followed by a American colonel (Scheider) and his Soviet direct-to-video sequel. [G]▼쩠 counterpart (Prochnow) engage in a private, Foxes (1980) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Adrian potentially disastrous war. Best for fans of Lyne. Jodie Foster, Cherie Currie, Marilyn the genre. Stanton looks very out of place as Kagan, Kandice Stroh, Scott Baio, Sally Kellerman, Randy Quaid, Lois Smith, Scheider’s commanding general. [R]▼● Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994-BritLaura Dern. Four teenaged girls try coping ish) C-117m. ★★★ D: Mike Newell. Hugh with the standard non-Our Town problems Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott brought by growing up in San Fernando ValThomas, Simon Callow, Rowan Atkinson, ley. Capable cast; apparently sincere intenJames Fleet, John Hannah, Charlotte Coletions undermined by choppy storyline that man, David Bower, Corin Redgrave, Kenjust isn’t compelling enough. [R]▼●쩠 neth Griffiths, Jeremy Kemp, Rosalie Foxes of Harrow, The (1947) 117m. ★★1⁄2 Crutchley. Delightful contemporary comD: John M. Stahl. Rex Harrison, Maureen edy about a young man who can’t sustain a O’Hara, Richard Haydn, Victor McLaglen, relationship, while all his friends seem to be Vanessa Brown, Patricia Medina, Gene getting married. Then he hits it off with Lockhart. Lavish but lumbering tale of another wedding guest, and the plot thickphilanderer breaking up his marriage to ens. Fine ensemble, headed by the engaging seek affluence and fame in New Orleans in Grant, keep this buoyant under Newell’s 1820. Pretty stale despite the trimmings. Foxfire (1996) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Annette sure-handed direction. Richard Curtis’ screenplay may not bear close scrutiny (that Haywood-Carter. Hedy Burress, Angelina final conversation really seems out of Jolie, Jenny Lewis, Jenny Shimizu, Sarah place), but it’s certainly fun. [R]▼●쩠 Rosenberg, Peter Facinelli, Dash Mihok, Four Wives (1939) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiCathy Moriarty, Richard Beymer, John chael Curtiz. Claude Rains, Eddie Albert, Diehl. Knee-deep adaptation of Joyce Carol Priscilla Lane, Rosemary Lane, Lola Lane, Oates’ novel about four high school girls Gale Page, John Garfield, May Robson, who form a gang when an enigmatic female Frank McHugh, Jeffrey Lynn. Sentimental drifter comes to town. The cast tries hard but well-acted sequel to FOUR DAUGHbut they’re done in by a heavy-handed TERS, further chronicling the lives and script; plays like an R-rated After School Speloves of the title quartet. Garfield appears cial. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 briefly in flashback. Max Steiner’s score inFoxtrap (1986-U.S.-Italian) C-88m. ★1⁄2 cludes his Symphonie Moderne. D: Fred Williamson. Fred Williamson, Fox, The (1968) C-110m. ★★★ D: Mark Chris Connelly, Arlene Golonka, Donna Rydell. Sandy Dennis, Keir Dullea, Anne Owen, Beatrice Palme, Cleo Sebastian, Heywood, Glyn Morris. Nicely crafted Lela Rochon. Low-budget actioner of Wiltale of lesbians Dennis and Heywood, and liamson hired to bring runaway Owen back what happens when intruder Dullea haphome from Europe to her family. Little pens among them. Scripted by Lewis John more than a fashion show by director Carlino and Howard Koch; based on a Williamson spotlighting his favorite acD.H. Lawrence novella. Filmed in Canada. tor: Williamson. [R]▼ Fox and His Friends (1975-German) Foxtrot (1976-Mexican-Swiss) C-91m. ★★ C-123m. ★★★★ D: Rainer Werner FassD: Arturo Ripstein. Peter O’Toole, Charbinder. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Peter lotte Rampling, Max von Sydow, Jorge Chatel, Karlheinz Bohm, Adrian Hoven, Luke, Helen Rojo, Claudio Brook. O’Toole Ulla Jacobsson. Compassionate, politically and his wife flee Rumania in the late astute melodrama by German wunderkind 1930s and retreat to an island paradise to Fassbinder about gay lower-class carnival isolate themselves from a world about to performer winning lottery fortune only to erupt into war. Shallow, predictable drama; have his upper-class lover exploit him. filmed in Mexico. Alternate version with Fassbinder is brilliant in title role. Aka FIST additional sex footage titled THE OTHER RIGHT OF FREEDOM.▼쩠 SIDE OF PARADISE. [R]▼ Fox and the Hound, The (1981) C-83m. Foxy Brown (1974) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Jack ★★★ Hill. Pam Grier, Peter Brown, Terry Carter, D: Art Stevens, Ted Berman, Richard Rich. Voices of Mickey Rooney, Kurt RusKathryn Loder. Violence and little else in tale sell, Pearl Bailey, Jack Albertson, Sandy of nurse Grier and her vendetta against drug Duncan, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, John ring that killed her lover. [R]▼●쩠 Fiedler, John McIntire, Paul Winchell, Fracture (2007) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gregory Corey Feldman. Charming Disney animated Hoblit. Anthony Hopkins, Ryan Gosling, feature about the childhood friendship beDavid Strathairn, Rosamund Pike, Billy tween two natural enemies, a fox cub and a Burke, Fiona Shaw, Bob Gunton, Embeth Dahound pup; as they grow older their relavidtz, Cliff Curtis, Xander Berkeley, Josh [ 490 ]

Stamberg, Joe Spano. Hopkins plays a cold, ING? and in the independent feature COMcalculating man who shoots his wife after he MITTED. Look for Kevin Costner, who discovers she’s been sleeping with an L.A. has one line in an alley. [R]▼●쩠 police lieutenant. But there is no concrete eviFrancesco (1989-Italian-German) C-105m. dence, which makes the case an unexpected BOMB D: Liliana Cavani. Mickey Rourke, challenge for assistant D.A. Gosling, who’s Helena Bonham Carter, Andrea Ferreol, just about to move on to a cushy job at a Hans Zischler, Mario Adorf, Paolo Bonahigh-end law firm. Decent thriller has some celli. Laughably inept historical drama with surprises up its sleeve but takes a long time to a miscast Rourke muttering his way through lay them all out. Super 35. [R]쩠 his role as Francis of Assisi(!), son of a rich Fra Diavolo SEE: Devil’s Brother, The Italian merchant, who undergoes a spiritual Fragment of Fear (1971-British) C-96m. rebirth. The narrative is often confusing, the ★★ D: Richard C. Sarafian. David Hemmdirection is slipshod, and the result is a real snooze. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ings, Gayle Hunnicutt, Flora Robson, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Daniel Massey, RoFrancis (The Talking Mule) series SEE: land Culver, Adolfo Celi, Mona WashLeonard Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide bourne. Hemmings is good in disappointFrancis of Assisi (1961) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: ing murder mystery that begins well, then Michael Curtiz. Bradford Dillman, Dolofalls apart. Photographed by the great res Hart, Stuart Whitman, Cecil Kellaway, Oswald Morris. [PG] Finlay Currie, Pedro Armendariz. Lavish Frailty (2002) C-99m. ★★ D: Bill Paxton. religious epic dealing with story of founder Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powof school of monks with sympathetic perers Boothe, Matt O’Leary, Luke Askew, formance by Dillman. Good cast and atJeremy Sumpter, Derk Cheetwood, Melissa mosphere. Script tends to sag at wrong Crider. A Texas widower tells his two young moments. CinemaScope.▼쩠 sons that he has had a vision: they have Frank and Ollie (1995) C-89m. ★★★ D: been chosen to destroy demons who are Theodore Thomas. Charming documentary walking the earth in human form. His boys about Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston, are then forced to witness—and participate friends since the early 1930s, next-door in—a brutal series of axe murders. Story is neighbors, and longtime animators at the told in flashback by Paxton’s now grownWalt Disney studio, where they created up son (McConaughey) to FBI agent Boothe. some of the most memorable and expressive Twisty mood piece is well crafted by firstcharacters ever brought to life . . . from time director Paxton, but difficult to digest— Thumper in BAMBI to Baloo and Mowgli especially for a parent. [R]▼쩠 in THE JUNGLE BOOK. Affectionate (and Framed (1947) 82m. ★★ D: Richard Walinformative) portrait by Thomas’s son and lace. Glenn Ford, Janis Carter, Barry Suldaughter-in-law, Kuniko Okubo. [PG]▼쩠 livan, Edgar Buchanan, Karen Morley. Frankenhooker (1990) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Rootless patsy Ford falls for scheming CarFrank Henenlotter. James Lorinz, Patty ter but is kept in the dark as she hatches Mullen, Charlotte Helmkamp, Shirley a robbery plan with banker Sullivan. Not Stoler, Louise Lasser. Grim, gory, and especially stylish but efficient noir-ish seldom funny horror comedy about a novmelodrama. ice mad scientist (Lorinz) who needs body Framed (1975) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil parts to sew onto the severed head he has Karlson. Joe Don Baker, Conny Van Dyke, on ice back at the lab. When he sells Gabriel Dell, John Marley, Brock Peters, N.Y.C. 42nd Street hookers a deadly Roy Jenson. Railroaded to jail, Baker ‘‘supercrack,’’ they explode—giving him vows revenge on the corrupt cops who put all the spare limbs and organs he desires. him there. The writer, director, and star of Offensive, cheap, and ugly—even by splatter genre standards.▼●쩠 WALKING TALL, old hands at this kind of action melodrama, make the most of the Frankenstein (1931) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 D: James situation. [R]▼ Whale. Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, Boris Frances (1982) C-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: Graeme Karloff, John Boles, Edward Van Sloan, Clifford. Jessica Lange, Kim Stanley, Sam Dwight Frye, Frederick Kerr, Lionel BelShepard, Bart Burns, Jeffrey DeMunn, more. Definitive monster movie, with Clive Jordan Charney, Lane Smith, Anjelica as the ultimate mad scientist, creating a Huston. Biography of 1930s movie star man-made being (Karloff) but inadvertently Frances Farmer—who wound up in a bargiving him a criminal brain. It’s creaky at baric insane asylum—chronicles her tragic times, and cries for a music score, but it’s life in some detail, but doesn’t help us still impressive . . . as is Karloff’s perforunderstand the reasons for her self-destrucmance in the role that made him a star. tive tendencies. Well crafted but cold and Long-censored footage, restored in 1987, depressing, despite impressive performances enhances the impact of several key scenes, by Lange and Stanley, as Frances’ crazed including the drowning of a little girl. mother. Her story is also told in the TVM, Based on Mary Shelley’s novel. Followed WILL THERE REALLY BE A MORNby BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN.▼●쩠 [ 491 ]

Frankenstein (1994) SEE: Mary Shelley’s cold-blooded here than usual, as he forces Frankenstein young couple to help his brain transplant exFrankenstein and the Monster From Hell periments. One of the best in Hammer series. (1974-British) C-93m. ★★ D: Terence FishFollowed by THE HORROR OF FRANer. Peter Cushing, Shane Briant, Madeline KENSTEIN. [M/PG]▼●쩠 Smith, Dave Prowse, John Stratton. Guess Frankenstein—1970 (1958) 83m. BOMB who runs a hospital for the criminally D: Howard W. Koch. Boris Karloff, Tom insane? Hammer’s final entry in their Duggan, Jana Lund, Donald Barry. As last Frankenstein cycle is amusing if you catch of the Frankenstein scientists, Karloff uses it in the right frame of mind. [R] ▼쩠 money from TV production shooting in his Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965castle to revive original monster with atomic Japanese) C-87m. ★★ D: Ishiro Honda. Nick energy. Film is slow, monster unexciting, Adams, Tadao Takashima, Kumi Mizuno. and Karloff hammy. CinemaScope.▼ Grade-C horror film, with Adams a scientist Frankenstein’s Daughter (1959) 85m. in Tokyo trying to combat giant, newly BOMB D: Richard Cunha. John Ashley, grown Frankenstein monster terrorizing the Sandra Knight, Donald Murphy, Sally Todd, countryside; poor special effects. TohoHarold Lloyd, Jr. Low-grade descendant scope. ▼쩠 of famed monster series with a new female Frankenstein Created Woman (1967horror-robot being created with typical results; tinsel sets.▼쩠 British) C-92m. ★★ D: Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, Susan Denberg, Robert MorFrankenstein Unbound (1990) C-85m. ★1 ris, Barry Warren, Thorley Walters, Dun⁄2 D: Roger Corman. John Hurt, Raul can Lamont. Sequel to EVIL OF FRANKJulia, Bridget Fonda, Nick Brimble, CathSTEIN finds Dr. Frankenstein (Cushing) erine Rabett, Jason Patric, Michael Huttring to put the soul of recently (and wrongchence, Catherine Corman, Mickey Knox, ly) executed man into body of scarred voice of Terri Treas. Thoroughly expendlover (Denberg). Everything goes wrong, able horror outing casts Hurt as a 21stincluding script. Followed by FRANKENcentury scientist, not really mad, whose STEIN MUST BE DESTROYED!▼●쩠 implosion experiments zap him back to the Frankenstein ’88 SEE Vindicator, The days of Doc Frankenstein (Julia) and Mary Frankenstein Island (1981) C-89m. BOMB Shelley (Fonda). Capable cast goes slumD: Jerry Warren. John Carradine, Andrew ming in schlockmeister Corman’s first diDuggan, Cameron Mitchell, Steve Brodie, rectorial effort in nearly 20 years. HutRobert Clarke, Katherine Victor. Lowchence, here Percy Shelley, was lead singer budget filmmaker Warren’s first feature in of Australian rock band INXS.▼●쩠 15 years reunites some of his old hands (like Frankie and Johnny (1966) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 Clarke and Victor) for a sort of remake of D: Frederick de Cordova. Elvis Presley, TEENAGE ZOMBIES, with a monster who Donna Douglas, Harry Morgan, Sue Ane only shows up at the end, and who may or Langdon, Nancy Kovack. Saloon song exmay not be Frankenstein! [PG]▼쩠 panded into feature film story for Elvis. Frankenstein Meets the Space Monster Riverboat setting, cohort Morgan, several (1965) 78m. BOMB D: Robert Gaffney. pretty starlets, and tuneful songs make this James Karen, David Kerman, Nancy Mara satisfactory time-filler.▼●쩠 shall, Marilyn Hanold. Low-grade horror Frankie and Johnny (1991) C-118m. ★★★ entry dealing with interplanetary robot that D: Garry Marshall. Al Pacino, Michelle goes berserk. Bizarre, Flash Gordon–esque Pfeiffer, Hector Elizondo, Nathan Lane, aliens also involved. Has gained a peculiar cult Kate Nelligan, Jane Morris, Greg Lewis, reputation. Aka MARS INVADES PUERTO Al Fann, K Callan, Phil Leeds. Winning RICO.▼쩠 (if overlong) Hollywoodization of Terrence Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943) McNally’s Off-Broadway play Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune. Pacino (never 72m. ★★★ D: Roy William Neill. Lon Chaney, Jr., Patric Knowles, Ilona Massey, more appealing) plays a man recently reBela Lugosi, Maria Ouspenskaya, Lionel leased from prison who gets a job as a shortAtwill, Dennis Hoey, Rex Evans, Dwight order cook and falls in love with a waitress Frye. Sequel to both THE GHOST OF who tries to keep all social contact at arm’s FRANKENSTEIN and THE WOLF MAN length. Pfeiffer manages to overcome her finds werewolf Chaney seeking Dr. Franmiscasting with an equally affecting perkenstein, hoping to be put out of his misery. formance. A moving ode to loneliness. He finds the scientist is dead—but the Monster Screenplay by the playwright. [R]▼●쩠 isn’t. Slick, atmospheric, fast-paced fun; Frankie & Johnny Are Married (2004) Lugosi’s only stint as the Monster. Followed C-95m. ★★★ D: Michael Pressman. Michael by HOUSE OF FRANKENSTEIN.▼●쩠 Pressman, Lisa Chess, Alan Rosenberg, SteFrankenstein Must Be Destroyed! (1969phen Tobolowsky, Jillian Armenante. TV 1 ★★ British) C-101m. producer-director Pressman decides to direct ⁄2 D: Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, Simon Ward, Veronica his wife in a small-theater production of TerCarlson, Freddie Jones. Cushing is more rence McNally’s Frankie and Johnny in the [ 492 ]

Clair de Lune to help restore her self-esteem dled with a nerdy ‘‘brother’’on a pleasure as an actress and possibly bring the two of trip to Palm Springs, bet a rival they can them closer together. Forget reality TV: here’s be the first to score with an aloof, beautiful a winning, perceptive, truth-is-stranger-thanblond. Less strident, and thus less offenfiction story, filmed documentary-style, about sive, than many of its ilk, but still nothing to enrich our moviegoing heritage. [R]▼쩠 people worth getting to know. A number of TV and show-business notables play themFraulein Doktor (1969-Italian-Yugoslavian) selves. [R]쩠 C-102m. ★★★ D: Alberto Lattuada. Suzy Frankie Starlight (1995-U.S.-Irish) CKendall, Kenneth More, Capucine, James 101m. ★★★ D: Michael Lindsay-Hogg. Matt Booth, Alexander Knox, Nigel Green, Dillon, Anne Parillaud, Gabriel Byrne, Rudi Giancarlo Giannini. Big cast and budget in Davies, Corban Walker, Alan Pentony, Georrarely seen European antiwar film centergina Cates. Engagingly offbeat drama, the tale ing on career of real-life double-agent durof an Irish dwarf (a man imprisoned in a child’s ing WW1. Some of the battle sequences body) who writes a revealing, autobiographiimpressive. Same story has been filmed cal novel in which he describes his youth; many times before, in Hollywood as his mother (Parillaud), a WW2 refugee from STAMBOUL QUEST and in France as France; and the two men (Byrne and Dillon) MADEMOISELLE DOCTEUR. [M] who love her and become his role models. A Freaked (1993) C-79m. ★★ D: Alex Wingentle, flavorful film that moves seamlessly ter, Tom Stern. Alex Winter, Megan Ward, from the past to the present. [R]▼● Michael Stoyanov, Randy Quaid, Mr. T, Frank McKlusky, C.I. (2002) C-82m. Brooke Shields. Bratty movie star and entouBOMB D: Arlene Sanford. Dave Sheridan, rage fall into the hands of mad circus owner Randy Quaid, Enrico Colantoni, Kevin Polwho mutates them and adds them to his colleclak, Orson Bean, Cameron Richardson, Andy tion of freaks. Wildly inventive makeup and, Richter, Tracy Morgan, Joanie Laurer, Dolly well, freakish ideas are undercut by an in-yourParton, George Lopez. Son of a daredevil face directorial style that hammers home every grows up hyper-safety conscious, becoming joke. It would make a terrific short. Winter’s a claims investigator for an insurance comBILL & TED compatriot Keanu Reeves appears unbilled as Dog Boy. [R]▼●쩠 pany. Crude, clumsy comedy barely got theatrical release. Many cameos include Scott Freakmaker SEE: Mutations, The Freaks (1932) 64m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Tod BrownBaio, Emmanuel Lewis, Gary Owens, Lou Ferrigno. [PG-13]▼쩠 ing. Wallace Ford, Olga Baclanova, Leila Frank’s Greatest Adventure SEE: FearHyams, Harry Earles, Roscoe Ates, Johnny less Frank Eck, Daisy and Violet Hilton, Prince RanFrantic (1958-French) SEE: Elevator to dian, Zip and Pip, Schlitze. A unique the Gallows movie about a traveling sideshow and the Frantic (1988) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roman camaraderie of its unusual performers, Polanski. Harrison Ford, Emmanuelle goaded to vengeance by cruel trapeze star Seigner, Betty Buckley, John Mahoney, Baclanova. Horror-film master Tod Browning Jimmie Ray Weeks, Yorgo Voyagis, David gathered an incredible cast of real-life sideHuddleston, Gerard Klein. American docshow freaks for this bizarre and fascinating tor is drawn into espionage, and the underfilm. Severely cut in U.S. during release and world, when his wife disappears on the banned in the U.K. for 30 years, some reissue first day of their trip to Paris. Carefully prints are missing brief epilogue; aka NATURE’S MISTAKES. ▼●쩠 controlled suspense thriller never really cuts loose but keeps its grip thanks to Freaky Friday (1977) C-97m. ★★★ D: Ford’s believable performance. [R]▼●쩠 Gary Nelson. Barbara Harris, Jodie FosFraternity Row (1977) C-101m. ★★★ D: ter, John Astin, Patsy Kelly, Dick Van Thomas J. Tobin. Peter Fox, Gregory HarPatten, Sorrell Booke, Marie Windsor, rison, Scott Newman, Nancy Morgan, RobCharlene Tilton. Harris and Foster shine as ert Emhardt, Wendy Phillips. Well-done mother and daughter who magically switch drama of campus life at exclusive Eastern personalities for a day; their performances college, 1954. Writer-producer Charles make this exceptional Disney fare, even Gary Allison used USC students and crew, though Mary Rodgers’ script winds up got professional Hollywood advice for polwith formula slapstick chase. Same premise ished look at tragic, fact-based, fraternity was the basis of the 1948 movie VICE hazing. Cliff Robertson narrates, Don VERSA and several later Hollywood comeMcLean did original score. Costar Newman dies (including LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON is the late son of Paul Newman. [PG] and the 1988 VICE VERSA). Remade in 2003 and for TV in 1995. [G] ▼●쩠 Fraternity Vacation (1985) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: James Frawley. Stephen Geoffreys, Freaky Friday (2003) C-97m. ★★★ D: Mark Sheree J. Wilson, Cameron Dye, Leigh Waters. Jamie Lee Curtis, Lindsay Lohan, McCloskey, Tim Robbins, John Vernon, Mark Harmon, Harold Gould, Chad Michael Britt Ekland, Nita Talbot, Max Wright, Murray, Stephen Tobolowsky, Christina Amanda Bearse. Two frat animals, sadVidal, Rosalind Chao, Ryan Malgarini. En[ 493 ]

tertaining, souped-up remake of the 1977 D finale that didn’t even look good in theDisney comedy about a stressed-out mother aters. A total yawner. Cameos by Alice Cooand her teenage daughter, who magically per, Roseanne and Tom Arnold, and Johnny switch bodies and have to somehow cope Depp, whose film debut was the first NIGHTwith their new identities. Good fun, with MARE. Followed by WES CRAVEN’S NEW NIGHTMARE. [R]▼●쩠 top-notch performances by Curtis and Freddy Vs. Jason (2003) C-97m. ★★ D: Lohan as the mixed-up duo. [PG] ▼쩠 Fred Claus (2007) C-115m. ★1⁄2 D: David Ronny Yu. Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger, Dobkin. Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, John Monica Keena, Jason Ritter, Kelly RowMichael Higgins, Miranda Richardson, Rachel land, Christopher George Marquette, BrenWeisz, Kathy Bates, Trevor Peacock, Chris dan Fletcher. Freddy Krueger (Englund), ‘‘Ludacris’’ Bridges, Kevin Spacey, Elizabeth from the NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET Banks, Allan Corduner. Ho, ho, ho? No, no, series, is stuck in Hell because the Elm no. Tepid comedy about a motor-mouth ChiStreet kids don’t believe in him anymore. cago hustler (Vaughn) who’s forced to borSo he uses hockey-masked, macheterow a sizable sum from his much more wielding Jason Voorhees, from the FRIsuccessful younger brother—Santa Claus DAY THE 13TH series, to rouse the fear of (Giamatti). Laughs aren’t exactly plentiful Freddy. Tricky setup for a simple story as the ne’er-do-well older sibling pays off that’s basically a NIGHTMARE with Jason the loan (and, of course, becomes a much added. The fight promised by the title is a better person) while working alongside long time coming. OK of its sort, but mostly elves at the North Pole. It doesn’t help that for fans (who were numerous, making this a the special effects are strikingly shoddy. major hit). Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Super 35. [PG]쩠 Free and Easy (1930) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: EdFreddie as F.R.O.7 (1992-British) C-90m. ward Sedgwick. Buster Keaton, Anita Page, ★★ Robert Montgomery, Edgar Dearing, LioD: Jon Acevski. Voices of Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, Brian Blessed, Nigel nel Barrymore, Dorothy Sebastian, Trixie Hawthorne, Michael Hordern, Edmund Friganza. Interesting early-talkie musiKingsley, Phyllis Logan, Victor Maddern, comedy about Keaton becoming movie Jonathan Pryce, Prunella Scales, Billie star; many guest appearances by Cecil B. Whitelaw. If James Bond was green, and DeMille, William Haines, et al. to boost uneven film. Retitled: EASY GO.▼●쩠 animated, he might have turned out like Freddie. This toon saga of a secret agent Freebie and the Bean (1974) C-113m. ★1 frog is lively, but often difficult to follow. ⁄2 D: Richard Rush. James Caan, Alan Reedited with James Earl Jones narration Arkin, Loretta Swit, Jack Kruschen, Mike and retitled FREDDIE THE FROG. [PG]▼ Kellin, Alex Rocco. Some good action, Freddie the Frog SEE: Freddie as F.R.O.7 but mostly repellent humor as San FranFreddy Got Fingered (2001) C-87m. cisco cops Arkin and Caan nearly wreck BOMB D: Tom Green. Tom Green, Rip the city trying to get the goods on a numbers Torn, Marisa Coughlan, Eddie Kaye Thomas, racketeer. Valerie Harper has a nice cameo Harland Williams, Stephen Tobolowsky, Anas Arkin’s Latin wife. Later a short-lived TV series. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 thony Michael Hall, Julie Hagerty, Drew Barrymore. Instantly notorious word-of-mouth Freedomland (2006) C-112m. ★★ D: Joe debacle became the poster child for all that’s Roth. Samuel L. Jackson, Julianne Moore, wrong with movie comedy. Next to unemEdie Falco, Ron Eldard, William Forsythe, ployable at 28, but with vague hopes of beAunjanue Ellis, Anthony Mackie, LaTanya coming a cartoonist, live-at-home Green Richardson Jackson, Philip Bosco. Affecleaves for California to seek success and, tionately regarded white teacher with a sadhopefully, romance (which he finds with a sack personal history claims a black man wheelchair-bound simpleton who lives only abducted her young son. This exacerbates to give him oral sex). Gags include the maimcommunity-police testiness from vocal black ing of an innocent child and a newborn spun neighborhood dwellers who say the cops are around in the air by its umbilical cord—compaying undue attention because the child is pounded by the almost unimaginable ineptiwhite; investigating cop Jackson is caught in the middle. Richard Price adapted his tude with which they’re executed. [R]▼쩠 Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare own praised novel in unwieldy fashion, (1991) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Rachel Talalay. while Roth’s pedestrian direction underRobert Englund, Lisa Zane, Shon Greenmines the story throughout. Moore’s histriblatt, Lezlie Deane, Ricky Dean Logan, onics throw the film off balance and make it increasingly tough to watch. Super 35. [R]쩠 Breckin Meyer, Yaphet Kotto, Elinor Donahue. Don’t believe the title. This Freedom Writers (2007) C-123m. ★★★ D: NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET entry Richard LaGravenese. Hilary Swank, Patrick has Freddy Krueger trying to break out of Dempsey, Scott Glenn, Imelda Staunton, the town where he’s been slaughtering teens April Lee Hernandez, Deance Wyatt, Mario, in their dreams. Now the stage is set for the Vanetta Smith, John Benjamin Hickey, Pat end-all Freddy showdown—a 10-minute 3Carroll. Idealistic young woman gets her first [ 494 ]

teaching job at a Long Beach, California, high book about her father. Remade as THE GIRL WHO HAD EVERYTHING. ▼쩠 school: she’s to teach freshman English to Freeway (1988) C-91m. ★★ D: Francis Delia. the worst students on the campus, hardened Darlanne Fluegel, James Russo, Billy Drago, by life and divided on racial lines. She turns Richard Belzer, Michael Callan, Joey Palese, their lives around by respecting and beSteve Franken, Kenneth Tobey, Clint Howard. lieving in them. Based on the real-life expeA nurse whose husband was the victim of a riences of Erin Gruwell. LaGravenese’s freeway shooting becomes obsessed with screenplay captures the raw emotions of its finding the Bible-quoting murderer, who habityoung characters and their indomitable ually phones a radio psychiatrist from his car teacher without condescension or phony Holwhile cruising L.A. looking for new victims. lywood histrionics. Swank also coexecutiveBased on a novel but prompted by similar produced. [PG-13]쩠 real-life crimes in L.A., this film is surprisFree Enterprise (1999) C-116m. ★★★ D: ingly nonexploitive, but slow and unconvincRobert Meyer Burnett. William Shatner, ing. [R]▼●쩠 Rafer Weigel, Eric McCormack, Audie EnFreeway (1996) C-102m. ★★★ D: Matthew gland, Patrick Van Horn, Jennifer SommerBright. Reese Witherspoon, Kiefer Sutherfield, Phil LaMarr, Deborah Van Valkenburgh. land, Brooke Shields, Wolfgang Bodison, Long-time friends and major sci-fi movie and Dan Hedaya, Amanda Plummer, Michael T. TV buffs McCormack and Weigel are stunned Weiss, Bokeem Woodbine, Brittany Murto be befriended by William Shatner. But he phy, Conchata Ferrell. Corrosive modern has problems of his own, like his desire to version of Little Red Riding Hood in which stage Julius Caesar with himself in all the a teenage girl, on her way to grandma’s, roles. Uneven but entertaining comedy gives hitchhikes a ride with a psychotic child psyShatner a great, self-spoofing role. Written by chiatrist (Sutherland). Extremely violent director Burnett and Mark Altman, who based satire is bolstered by Witherspoon’s one-ofthe lead characters on themselves. [R]▼●쩠 a-kind lethal Lolita performance and a Freejack (1992) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Geoff Mursmart screenplay by debut director Bright. phy. Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Not for the faint of heart. Deliciously oddRusso, Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Banks, ball score by Danny Elfman. Followed by a David Johansen, Amanda Plummer, Grand L. direct-to-video sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Bush, Frankie Faison, Esai Morales, John Free Willy (1993) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Simon Shea. Good cast is wasted in this mindless acWincer. Jason James Richter, Lori Petty, Mitioner, in which race car driver Estevez dies in chael Madsen, Jayne Atkinson, Michael 1991 and finds his body snatched into the year Ironside, Richard Riehle, August Schellen2009 so that it may house the soul of ruthless berg, Mykelti Williamson. Wayward 12-yeartycoon Hopkins. Tiresome, superficial fare. old, ordered to remove paint from aquarium Based on the novel Immortality, Inc. by Robert walls, befriends and helps train an orca whale, Sheckley. Jagger plays a bounty hunter; it’s his eventually exploited by his seedy owner. Agfirst screen acting role since PERFORgressively marketed sleeper hit is perfectly OK MANCE in 1970. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 children’s fare, with an appealing performance Free Money (1999-Canadian) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: by young Richter. Michael Jackson sings Yves Simoneau. Marlon Brando, Charlie ‘‘Will You Be There’’ over closing credits. Sheen, Thomas Haden Church, Donald SutherFollowed by two sequels and an animated land, Mira Sorvino, Martin Sheen, David ArTV series. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 quette, J. P. Bergeron, Christin Watson, Holly Free Willy 2: The Adventure Home Watson. How does a movie with a cast like this (1995) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dwight Little. get rejected for theatrical release and go Jason James Richter, August Schellenberg, straight to cable? By being a frantically unJayne Atkinson, Jon Tenney, Elizabeth Pena, funny ‘‘comedy’’ that’s shrill and desperate Michael Madsen, Francis Capra, Mary Kate from the word go. A gargantuan, bald-headed, Schellhardt, Mykelti Williamson, M. Emmet bushy-mustached Brando has his biggest role Walsh. Richter has younger half-brother in years as a psychotic, small-town prison warCapra forced upon him, finds young love with den whose two idiot sons-in-law try to rob a Schellhardt, and helps his orca friend Willy train. Often embarrassing to watch. ▼쩠 (and Willy’s relatives) when an oil spill enFree Soul, A (1931) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clarence dangers the cetaceans. Overplotted children’s Brown. Norma Shearer, Lionel Barrymore, film lacks the spark of the first, but is still Clark Gable, Leslie Howard, James Gleason. good entertainment of its kind. The killer A hard-drinking, free-swinging attorney sucwhales are almost all miniatures or computer cessfully defends gangster Gable on a murder graphics. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 rap—then finds to his dismay that his equally Free Willy 3: The Rescue (1997) C-85m. ★★ D: Sam Pillsbury. Jason James Richter, free-spirited daughter has fallen in love with him. Dated morality play–melodrama retains August Schellenberg, Annie Corley, Vincent interest because of its cast and Barrymore’s Berry, Patrick Kilpatrick, Tasha Simms. Richfamous courtroom finale, which clinched him ter, now a teenager, gets a summer job on a an Oscar. Based on Adela Rogers St. Johns’ marine biology research boat and clashes with [ 495 ]

a group of poachers who want to make whale sushi out of Willy and his pregnant girlfriend Nikki (or at least their animatronic/computergraphic likenesses). Shortest entry in the series is easy to take, but utterly predictable and formulaic. [PG]▼●쩠 Free Woman, A (1972-German) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Volker Schlondorff. Margarethe ¨ von Trotta, Friedhelm Ptok, Martin Luttge, Walter Sedlmayer. Von Trotta divorces Ptok, has trouble adjusting to life apart from husband and son as she tries to liberate herself from her traditional functions. Truthful but boring drama. Free Zone (2005-Israeli-Belgian-FrenchSpanish) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Amos Gitai. Natalie Portman, Hana Laszlo, Hiam Abbass, Carmen Maura, Makram Khoury, Aki Avni, Uri Klauzner. Young American woman living in Jerusalem breaks up with her Israeli boyfriend, jumps into a cab, and asks the female driver to take her ‘‘anywhere.’’ Eventually they head to Jordan’s Free Zone, where the cabbie (Laszlo) is to meet a mysterious person called The American, her husband’s Palestinian business associate. A labor of love for Israeli-born Portman, the film turns out to be a showcase for Laszlo, who won a Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival. Dialogue heavy and sometimes over the top, but worth it for the performances. Opening sequence in which the camera remains on a close-up of the anguished Portman is riveting. 쩠 French Cancan (1955-French) C-93m. ★★★ D: Jean Renoir. Jean Gabin, Franc¸oise Arnoul, Maria Felix, Edith Piaf. Not topdrawer Renoir, but still an impressive, enjoyable fiction about beginnings of the Moulin Rouge and impresario Gabin’s revival of the cancan. Originally released in the U.S. in 1956; a brilliantly beautiful restored version, with approximately 10m. of additional footage, opened theatrically in 1985. Originally released in France as ONLY THE FRENCH CAN at 102m.

determined to nail narcotics king (Rey) who eluded him in America. Enjoyable opening and riveting chase finale are separated by long, agonizing drug addiction segment that weighs whole film down. [R]▼●쩠 French Conspiracy, The (1973-FrenchItalian-German) C-124m. ★★ D: Yves Boisset. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean Seberg, Gian Maria Volonte´, Roy Scheider, Michel Piccoli. Realistic but unexciting political drama centering around left-wing reporter Trintignant, pawn in a plot to assassinate Third World leader Volonte´. [PG] French Detective, The (1975-French) C-93m. ★★★ D: Pierre Granier-Deferre. Lino Ventura, Patrick Dewaere, Victor Lanoux. Neat, entertaining police story with Ventura a tough, independent, middleaged cop who, with exuberant young partner Dewaere, determinedly pursues a hood working for politician Lanoux. ▼ French Kiss (1995) C-111m. ★★ D: Lawrence Kasdan. Meg Ryan, Kevin Kline, Timothy Hutton, Jean Reno, Franc¸ois Cluzet, Victor Garrivier, Susan Anbeh. Charmless contrivance about a jilted woman who follows her fiance´ to Paris and hooks up with a French rogue. Will these opposites ultimately attract one another? Duh! The stars’ comic savvy can only carry this so far . . . though they’re good, and the French scenery is nice. Soundtrack harmonica by the great Toots Thielemans. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 French Lieutenant’s Woman, The (1981British) C-123m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Karel Reisz. Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Leo McKern, Hilton McRae, Emily Morgan, Charlotte Mitchell, Lynsey Baxter. A scandalous romance between a gentleman and a tainted woman in Victorian England is contrasted with a contemporary affair between the actor and actress who are playing those roles in a movie. The juxtaposition is jarring at first, but becomes more engaging as the film progresses. Beautifully visualized, with rich period detail, superb performances; script by Harold Pinter, from John Fowles’ novel. [R]▼●쩠 ▼●쩠 French Connection, The (1971) C-104m. French Line, The (1954) C-102m. ★★ D: ★★★★ D: William Friedkin. Gene Hackman, Lloyd Bacon. Jane Russell, Gilbert RoFernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Loland, Arthur Hunnicutt, Mary McCarty, Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi. Landmark urban Craig Stevens, Steven Geray, Joyce Mcaction film detailing attempted international Kenzie, Paula Corday, Scott Elliot. Rusheroin smuggle into N.Y.C., and maverick sell’s bust in 3-D was the gimmick to sell detective who stops it. Five Oscars include this dull musical. All that’s left is flat tale Best Picture, Actor, Director, Screenplay of wealthy Texas girl in Paris being ro(Ernest Tidyman) and Editing (Jerry Greenmanced by Parisian. McCarty’s wisecrackberg), the latter particularly for one of the ing is a blessing. If you blink, you’ll miss Kim Novak modeling a gown.▼ most exciting car chases ever filmed. Followed by a sequel and, in 1986, a TV French Postcards (1979) C-92m. ★★ D: movie, POPEYE DOYLE. [R]▼●쩠 Willard Huyck. Blanche Baker, Miles French Connection II (1975) C-119m. Chapin, Debra Winger, Mandy Patinkin, Val★★1⁄2 D: John Frankenheimer. Gene Hackerie Quennessen, David Marshall Grant, man, Fernando Rey, Bernard Fresson, JeanMarie-France Pisier, Jean Rochefort. Kind of Pierre Castaldi, Charles Millot, Philippe follow-up to AMERICAN GRAFFITI from Leotard, Ed Lauter, Cathleen Nesbitt. Gruff that film’s authors (Huyck and Gloria Katz), N.Y. cop Popeye Doyle goes to Marseilles, detailing romantic misadventures of group of [ 496 ]

college students spending junior year abroad. Pleasant but forgettable comedy. [PG]▼쩠 French Provincial (1974-French) C-91m. ★★ D: Andre´ Te´chine´. Jeanne Moreau, Michel Auclair, Marie-France Pisier, Claude Mann, Orane Demazis. Moreau, as a laundry woman who marries into a bourgeois family, shines in this otherwise flaky, superficially symbolic saga of economic change in France from the 1930s through 1970s. French Quarter (1978) C-101m. ★★★ D: Dennis Kane. Bruce Davison, Lindsay Bloom, Virginia Mayo, Alisha Fontaine, Lance LeGault, Laura Misch Owens, Ann Michelle, Becky Allen, Barry Sullivan, William Sims. Neglected drive-in treat is a genuine curiosity; tongue-in-cheek melodrama mixes PRETTY BABY plot with FRENCH LIEUTENANT’S WOMAN structure (but predates both!). Tale of young Fontaine, growing up in New Orleans as Storyville prostitute at the turn of the century, is paralleled by present-day story with same cast, linked by voodoo plot device. Ends bizarrely with narrator reminding us to ‘‘hang up your speakers and drive home safely.’’ And Dick Hyman did the music! [R]▼쩠 French, They Are a Funny Race, The (1956-French) 83m. ★★ D: Preston Sturges. Jack Buchanan, Noel-Noel, Martine Carol, Genevieve Brunet. Director-writer Sturges’ last film is a misfire, with Buchanan as veddy-British major whose marriage to Frenchwoman sparks continuing nationalistic arguments. Original title: LES CARNETS DU MAJOR THOMPSON at 105m. French Twist (1995-French) C-100m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Josiane Balasko. Victoria Abril, Josiane Balasko, Alain Chabat, Ticky Holgado, Miguel Bose´, Catherine Hiegel, Catherine Samie. Bouncy comedy written and directed by French star Balasko (TOO BEAUTIFUL FOR YOU), who plays a gay van driver/drifter who accidentally meets a jolly housewife (Abril) and her philandering husband (Chabat). What follows is a very French twist on the old love triangle theme. Enjoyable farce is liberal to a fault but loses credibility as it unfolds. Still, Abril shines, as usual, in a terrific role. Original title: GAZON MAUDIT. ▼●쩠 French Way Is, The SEE: Love at the Top Frenzy (1944) SEE: Torment Frenzy (1972-British) C-116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Hitchcock. Jon Finch, Barry Foster, Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Anna Massey, Alec McCowen, Vivien Merchant, Billie Whitelaw, Clive Swift, Jean Marsh. Hitchcock in high gear, telling story of suave London strangler (Foster) and innocent man (Finch) suspected of murder spree. All classic Hitchcock elements are here, including delicious black humor, several astounding camera shots. Script by Anthony Shaffer. [R]

Hoblit. Dennis Quaid, Jim Caviezel, Andre Braugher, Elizabeth Mitchell, Noah Emmerich, Shawn Doyle, Jordan Bridges. N.Y.C. cop whose fireman father died when he was six digs out his dad’s old ham radio set, and by freakish fluke, finds he can communicate with his old man! Soon the father realizes he can help his son prevent crimes that are about to happen—and the son begins to wonder if he can keep his father from perishing in a flaming building. Entertaining at first but never quite convincing (like Quaid’s unfortunate New York accent), this convoluted Twilight Zone–ish story misses the mark. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Fresh (1994-U.S.-French) C-112m. ★★★ D: Boaz Yakin. Sean Nelson, Giancarlo Esposito, Samuel L. Jackson, N’Bushe Wright, Ron Brice, Jean LaMarre, Luis Lantigua. Disturbing, controversial chronicle of 12-year-old black youth who divides his time between school and his duties as a busy heroin courier. When he witnesses a playground killing, young Fresh (unforgettably played by Sean Nelson) must use his street smarts to fight for survival. An unflinching look at the urban narcotics nightmare; some may be disturbed by the ambivalent view of the bright young protagonist as drug dealer, victim, survivor, and hero. Impressive debut for writer-director Yakin. Music by Stewart Copeland. [R]

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Fresh Horses (1988) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Anspaugh. Molly Ringwald, Andrew McCarthy, Patti D’Arbanville, Molly Hagan, Viggo Mortensen, Doug Hutchison, Ben Stiller, Leon Russom. Collegian McCarthy, engaged to a wealthy dullard, falls for Ringwald’s underage no-no, a semi-shantytramp who lives across the river from his Cincinnati campus. Slightly better than expected, thanks to fine Midwest location work from the director of HOOSIERS. Ringwald isn’t totally convincing in the kind of role Gloria Grahame invented. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Freshman, The (1925) 76m. ★★★★ D: Sam Taylor, Fred Newmeyer. Harold Lloyd, Jobyna Ralston, Brooks Benedict, James Anderson, Hazel Keener. One of Lloyd’s bestremembered films casts him as collegiate patsy who’ll do anything to be popular on campus, unaware that everyone is making fun of him. Football game finale is one of several comic highlights. A real audiencerouser.▼쩠 Freshman, The (1990) C-102m. ★★★ D: Andrew Bergman. Marlon Brando, Matthew Broderick, Maximilian Schell, Bruno Kirby, Penelope Ann Miller, Frank Whaley, Paul Benedict, B. D. Wong, Bert Parks. New York University film student Broderick falls in with loony mob family headed by Brando in this infectious, off-center comedy. Not an outstanding film per se, but strong cast and New York flavor, plus Berg▼●쩠 Frequency (2000) C-117m. ★★ D: Gregory man’s original and amusing screenplay, put it [ 497 ]

over. Best of all: Marlon’s knockout performance (remind you of anyone?), and his rapport with Matthew. [PG]▼●쩠 Freud (1962) 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Huston. Montgomery Clift, Susannah York, Larry Parks, David McCallum, Susan Kohner, Eileen Herlie. Intelligent, unglamorous account of Sigmund Freud as young doctor, focusing on his early psychiatric theories and treatments and his struggle for their acceptance among Viennese medical colleagues. Fascinating dream sequence. Originally released at 139m. Also known as FREUD: THE SECRET PASSION. Frida (1984-Mexican) C-108m. ★★★ D: Paul Leduc. Ofelia Medina, Juan Jose Gurrola, Max Kerlow, Salvador Sanchez, Claudio Brook. Solid biography effectively captures the spirit of an extraordinary woman: Frida Kahlo (Medina), Mexican artist and radical who dealt with various physical crises (resulting from polio and a paralyzing accident). Also central to her story are her relationships with Diego Rivera and Leon Trotsky. Visually captivating, with superior cinematography by Angel Goded and an unstructured narrative that not so much traces the incidents in its subject’s life but paints a portrait of her.▼쩠 Frida (2002) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Julie Taymor. Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Geoffrey Rush, Ashley Judd, Antonio Banderas, Edward Norton, Valeria Golino, Mia Maestro, Roger Rees, Diego Luna, Patricia Reyes Spindola, Margarita Sanz, Saffron Burrows, Didi Conn. Ambitious biography of Mexican artist and activist Frida Kahlo, who fought both physical and emotional challenges throughout her life, while her work remained in the shadow of her husband, Diego Rivera. Hayek, who shepherded this project to fruition, does a good job; Molina is superb as the robust, womanizing Rivera, and Rush is equally good in a small part as Leon Trotsky. Despite the efforts of four credited writers, rich source material, and Taymor’s visual embellishments, the movie never really soars . . . but it certainly covers a lot of ground. Oscar winner for Best Makeup and Score (Elliot Goldenthal). [R] ▼쩠 Friday (1995) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: F. Gary Gray. Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tiny ‘‘Zeus’’ Lister, Jr., John Witherspoon, Anna Maria Horsford, Regina King, Paul Jai Parker, Bernie Mac, Angela Means, Faizon Love, LaWanda Page. Rap star/actor Ice Cube coproduced, cowrote, and stars in this comedy, revealing the fun side he never showed in films like BOYZ N THE HOOD and TRESPASS. Talented cast can’t rescue this practically plotless film about youth trying to survive life in L.A.’s South Central ’hood. Followed by NEXT FRIDAY. [R]

Marcus Raboy. Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Don ‘‘D.C.’’ Curry, Anna Maria Horsford, Clifton Powell, BeBe Drake, Terry Crews. Slipshod comedy from the ’hood follows FRIDAY and NEXT FRIDAY. After a scummy Santa Claus robs Cube and Epps, they’re forced to get jobs as security guards in order to pay for a Christmas party. That’s about it for story; the rest of the film is filled with notably foul language (including overuse of the ‘‘n’’ word), and enough stereotypes to set back civil rights a hundred years. Cube scripted and coproduced. [R] ▼쩠 Friday Foster (1975) C-90m. ★★ D: Arthur Marks. Pam Grier, Yaphet Kotto, Godfrey Cambridge, Thalmus Rasulala, Eartha Kitt, Jim Backus, Scatman Crothers, Ted Lange, Carl Weathers. Black bubblegum nonsense based on comic strip about fashion photographer who gets involved in mystery and intrigue; here she tries to foil assassination/conspiracy plot against black politicians. [R]▼쩠 Friday Night (2002-French) C-90m. ★★★ D: Claire Denis. Vale´rie Lemercier, Vincent Lindon, He´le`ne de Saint-Pe`re, Gre´goire Colin. Seductive, dazzlingly visual account of a night in the life of a young Parisian (Lemercier) who is preparing to move out of her apartment and has an unusual encounter with a stranger. Using very little dialogue, Denis deftly employs the camera to tell her story, recording the minutest details of everyday life and creating a sense of intimacy that is purely cinematic. ▼쩠 Friday Night Lights (2004) C-117m. ★★★ D: Peter Berg. Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, Jay Hernandez, Lucas Black, Garrett Hedlund, Tim McGraw, Connie Britton, Lee Thompson Young, Lee Jackson, Grover Coulson. Tough-minded sports movie about a real-life high school football team from Odessa, Texas, and the coach who drove them during their 1988 season. Expected cliche´s are surmounted by a hard look at small-town Church of Football mentality, exciting action, and a cast that scores (led by Thornton and country singer McGraw, impressive as a onetime player whose son is now on the team). Also nice to see Thornton reunited with his young SLING BLADE costar Black. Based on H. G. (Buzz) Bissinger’s highly regarded book. Later a TV series. Super 35. [PG-13]

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Friday the 13th (1980) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Sean S. Cunningham. Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Harry Crosby, Laurie Bartram, Mark Nelson, Jeannine Taylor, Kevin Bacon. Palmer, who figures in an admittedly bravura finale, slaughters teens holed up in woodsy summer camp. Young folks unexpectedly made this gory, cardboard thriller a box-office smash—one more clue to why SAT scores continue to decline. Rates ▼●쩠 Friday After Next (2002) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: higher than BOMB simply because it’s [ 498 ]

slightly better than part 2. Unrated DVD adds endless series. Pretty, blonde Lincoln foolishly travels to Crystal Lake (with her mom a few seconds of carnage. Followed by a and her shrink) where her talent for telekiseemingly never-ending series of sequels and nesis brings the monstrous Jason back up a TV series. Remade in 2009. [R] ▼●쩠 from his watery grave. [R]▼●쩠 Friday the 13th (2009) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Marcus Nispel. Jared Padalecki, Danielle Manhattan (1989) C-100m. ★★ D: Rob Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Hedden. Jensen Daggett, Kane Hodder, Peter Winkle, Aaron Yoo, Derek Mears, Jonathan Mark Richman, Scott Reeves, Barbara BinSadowski. The 12th FRIDAY isn’t a sequel gham, V. C. Dupree. The best film in the but something like a remake of the 1st and ‘‘Friday’’ series, imaginatively directed and 3rd. As before, some annoying teenagers written by Hedden, is still just a slasher film, encounter the silent, murderous Jason, who though less gruesome than most. Despite the chops, stabs, and bludgeons his way through title, most of the film takes place on a cruise the cast, though without as much gore as in ship. Too long and not really for fans of the previous entries. Plodding, dull, and repetiseries. Followed by JASON GOES TO tive, this is only occasionally creepy and HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY. [R] ▼●쩠 never scary. Yes, there’s a setup for a seFried Green Tomatoes (1991) C-130m. quel, if anyone cares. Panavision. [R]쩠 ★★★ D: Jon Avnet. Kathy Bates, Jessica Friday the 13th, Part 2 (1981) C-87m. Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, MaryBOMB D: Steve Miner. Betsy Palmer, Amy Louise Parker, Cicely Tyson, Chris O’DonSteel, John Furey, Adrienne King, Kirsten nell, Stan Shaw, Gailard Sartain, Tim Scott, Baker, Stu Charno, Warrington Gillette. More Gary Basaraba, Lois Smith, Grace Zabriskie. nubile campers, more bloody executions. If Enjoyable story-within-a-story film, in you loved Part 1 . . . [R]▼●쩠 which repressed Southern wife Bates meets Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982) C-96m. ★★ elderly Tandy at a nursing home and beD: Steve Miner. Dana Kimmell, Paul comes captivated by her tale-spinning about Kratka, Tracie Savage, Jeffrey Rogers, two feisty female friends and their escaCatherine Parks, Larry Zerner. Strictly amapades in the 1920s and ’30s. First-rate teur night in terms of acting and writing, adaptation of Fannie Flagg’s novel Fried but this entry deemphasizes explicit gore Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe in favor of shocks, and delivers a few— with just one problem: a couple of endings especially in 3-D and widescreen. [R]▼●쩠 too many. Impressive feature directorial Friday the 13th—The Final Chapter debut for producer Avnet. Flagg has an (1984) C-91m. BOMB D: Joseph Zito. amusing cameo. Alternate unrated version Crispin Glover, Kimberly Beck, Barbara runs 137m. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Howard, E. Erich Anderson, Corey FeldFriendly Persuasion (1956) C-140m. ★★★★ man, Ted White, Bruce Mahler, Lawrence D: William Wyler. Gary Cooper, Dorothy Monoson. Why bother with a new script? McGuire, Marjorie Main, Anthony Perkins, Jason finally gets his—except that (title notRichard Eyer, Robert Middleton, (Peter) Mark withstanding) the door is left open for yet Richman, Walter Catlett, William Schallert. another sequel! [R]▼●쩠 Charming account (from Jessamyn West Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginnovel) of Quaker family struggling to mainning (1985) C-102m. BOMB D: Danny tain its identity amid confusion and heartbreak Steinmann. John Shepard, Melanie Kinnaof Civil War. Warm, winning performances in man, Shavar Ross, Richard Young, Carol this beautifully made film. Music by Dimitri Lacatell, Corey Parker, Corey Feldman. A Tiomkin. Though no screenplay credit apclever title (after . . . THE FINAL CHAPpears, film was written by blacklisted Michael TER) for more gore galore, as gruesome Wilson; he received posthumous credit in and disgusting as ever. [R]▼●쩠 1996. Remade for TV in 1975 with Richard Friday the 13th, Part VI: Jason Lives Kiley and Shirley Knight.▼●쩠 (1986) C-87m. BOMB D: Tom McLoughFriends (1971-British) C-102m. BOMB lin. Thom Mathews, Jennifer Cooke, David D: Lewis Gilbert. Sean Bury, Anicee Kagan, Renee Jones, Kerry Noonan, C.J. GraAlvina, Pascale Roberts, Sady Rebbot, ham, Tony Goldwyn, Ron Palillo. Jason’s Ronald Lewis. Yucky early-teen romance summer camp has enjoyed years of tranquility about French boy and girl who run off to after changing its name, but watch out! If you the seashore, set up housekeeping, and really think there’s something to gain from have a baby . . . then Mommy and Daddy watching Jason rise from the grave again, show up to take them home. Popular in its good luck! The pits. [R]▼●쩠 day, primarily due to Elton John song Friday the 13th Part VII—The New score. Buy the album instead. Sequel (!): Blood (1988) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: John Carl PAUL AND MICHELLE. [R]▼ Buechler. Lar Park Lincoln, Terry Kiser, Friends and Lovers (1999) C-104m. ★1⁄2 Susan Blu, Kevin Blair, Susan Jennifer D: George Haas. Stephen Baldwin, Danny Sullivan, Elizabeth Kaitan. Makeup expert Nucci, George Newbern, Claudia Schiffer, Buechler fails to inject much life into this Alison Eastwood, Suzanne Cryer, David [ 499 ]

Rasche, Neill Barry, Leon, Robert Downey, tor/cowriter Jackson. Director’s cut runs 123m. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Jr., Ann Magnuson. Group of friends gather Fright Night (1985) C-105m. ★★★ D: Tom for a Christmas ski holiday that quickly Holland. Chris Sarandon, William Ragsfinds them coupled in unlikely romantic dale, Amanda Bearse, Roddy McDowall, pairings. Embarrassing on every level, a Stephen Geoffreys, Jonathan Stark. Teengood group of actors is wasted in this age boy enlists the aid of TV horror-movie would-be farce that sets its sights low and host (and erstwhile actor) to kill suave, misses the mark anyway. In her first major cunning vampire who’s moved in next film role, Schiffer proves that as an actress door. Entertaining, old-fashioned horror she’s a mighty fine model.▼쩠 outing energized by Richard Edlund’s Friends of Eddie Coyle, The (1973) spectacular special effects and highlighted C-102m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter Yates. Robert by two wonderful performances, by McMitchum, Peter Boyle, Richard Jordan, Dowall and Sarandon. Written by Holland. Steven Keats, Alex Rocco, Mitchell Ryan. Followed by a sequel. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Ultrarealistic depiction of criminals and Fright Night Part 2 (1989) C-104m. ★★ police, as hardened con labors to supply D: Tommy Lee Wallace. Roddy McDowall, guns and make deal with cops. Bleak nightWilliam Ragsdale, Traci Lin, Julie Carmare picture of underworld enhanced by men, Jonathan Gries, Russell Clark, Brian numerous Boston locations, flawless perThompson, Merritt Butrick, Ernie Sabella. formances. Only liabilities: film’s offbeat Sister of the vampire who met a grisly end low-key narrative approach and finale. in FRIGHT NIGHT seeks revenge on the Adapted by Paul Monash from George V. duo who destroyed him. More-of-the-same Higgins’s novel. [R]쩠 sequel is definitely a comedown from the ★★★ Friends With Money (2006) C-88m. earlier film, though well produced. PanaD: Nicole Holofcener. Catherine Keener, vision. [R]▼●쩠 Jennifer Aniston, Frances McDormand, Fringe Dwellers, The (1986-Australian) Joan Cusack, Simon McBurney, Jason ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Kristina C-98m. Isaacs, Scott Caan, Ty Burrell, Bob SteNehm, Justine Saunders, Bob Maza, Kylie phenson, Greg Germann. Wry slice of life Belling, Denis Walker, Ernie Dingo. Amexamining the fault lines in the friendship bitious young aborigine woman convinces of four women, three of whom are married her family to move out of their shantytown and prosperous, one of whom (Aniston) is and into a prosperous, mostly white middlesingle, unhappy, and resentful. Good perforclass neighborhood in present-day Ausmances and sharp observations about martralia; the expected readjustment woes riage, money, and middle age make this a follow. Sincere, very well-acted drama winner. Super 35. [R]쩠 (especially by Nehm) is undercut by senti★★ Fright (1971-British) C-87m. D: Peter mental, dramatically dishonest conclusion. Collinson. Susan George, Honor BlackOverall, worth a look. [PG]▼● man, Ian Bannen, John Gregson, George Frisco Kid (1935) 77m. ★★ D: Lloyd Cole, Dennis Waterman. Young babysitter Bacon. James Cagney, Margaret Lindsay, (George) spends terror-filled evening at Ricardo Cortez, Lili Damita, Fred Kohler, country house, menaced by mental hospiGeorge E. Stone, Donald Woods. Routine tal escapee. Contrived, mechanical direcdrama of Barbary Coast with Cagney fighttion and so-so script. [PG]▼쩠 ing his way to the top, almost dethroned Frightened City, The (1961-British) 97m. by local gangs but saved by blueblood ★★1 ⁄2 D: John Lemont. Herbert Lom, John Lindsay. Gregson, Sean Connery, Alfred Marks, Frisco Kid, The (1979) C-122m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yvonne Romain. Interesting inside look at Robert Aldrich. Gene Wilder, Harrison a London racketeer amalgamating various Ford, Ramon Bieri, Val Bisoglio, George city gangs for master plan syndicate. ▼쩠 Ralph DiCenzo, Leo Fuchs, Penny Peyser. Frighteners, The (1996-New ZealandOffbeat story of Polish rabbi crossing U.S. U.S.) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Jackson. Miin 1850 and developing friendship with chael J. Fox, Trini Alvarado, Peter Dobson, young bank robber. Wilder’s performance John Astin, Jeffrey Combs, Dee Wallace and some charming vignettes make up for Stone, Jake Busey, Chi McBride, Jim Fyfe, many other shortcomings. [PG]▼쩠 Troy Evans, Julianna McCarthy, R. Lee Fritz The Cat (1972) C-78m. ★★★ D: Ermey. Overlong, but original blend of paraRalph Bakshi. X-rated animated feature normal, horror, and black-comedy ingredients. somewhat based on Robert Crumb’s unFox plays a psychic investigator/exterminator derground comics character. Flawed but on the trail of an otherworldly serial killer. engaging, irreverent look at radical-hip Zigzags from grisly humor to slasher-movie lifestyles of the 1960s, geared for people horror. Combs (of RE-ANIMATOR fame) who experienced that era. Imaginatively has a scenery-chewing role as a wacked-out conceived cartoon. Sequel: THE NINE FBI agent on the case. Definitely not for all LIVES OF FRITZ THE CAT. [X]▼쩠 tastes. Filmed in New Zealand, home of direcFriz Freleng’s Looney Looney Looney [ 500 ]

Bugs Bunny Movie SEE: Looney Looney G.Q. (grossout quotient). Rodriguez and Looney Bugs Bunny Movie screenwriter/actor Tarantino seem to be Frogmen, The (1951) 96m. ★★★ D: having fun, especially in their casting Lloyd Bacon. Richard Widmark, Dana choices, but this is just a celebration of exAndrews, Gary Merrill, Jeffrey Hunter, cess. In fact, it might be retitled NATURAL Robert Wagner, Jack Warden. Intriguing BORN VAMPIRES. Followed by two dilook at underwater demolition squads in rect-to-video sequels. [R] ▼●쩠 action in the Pacific during WW2.쩠 From Hell (2001) C-122m. ★★★ D: The Frogs (1972) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Hughes Brothers. Johnny Depp, Heather GraMcCowan. Ray Milland, Sam Elliott, Joan ham, Ian Holm, Robbie Coltrane, Ian RichVan Ark, Adam Roarke, Judy Pace. Patriardson, Jason Flemyng, Katrin Cartlidge, archal Milland has been destroying bayou Susan Lynch. Eccentric London police inwildlife and now all the swamp critters are spector Depp is determined to capture Jack out to destroy his whole family. Dumb but the Ripper despite a growing sense that there enjoyable thriller. [PG]▼쩠 is a cover-up at hand to protect some very Frogs for Snakes (1999) C-98m. ★★ D: important people. Gothic thriller treads familAmos Poe. Barbara Hershey, Robbie Coliar ground (for Ripperphiles) but is colorful trane, Harry Hamlin, Ian Hart, John Leguiand entertaining; an impressive showing for zamo, Lisa Marie, Debi Mazar, Ron the Hughes Brothers. Only Graham seems out Perlman, Clarence Williams III. Another of place as a weathered Whitechapel prostiTarantino wannabe, this black comedy has tute. Based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 a clever conceit: Struggling N.Y. actors who’ll do anything for a good part make From Hell to Borneo (1964) C-96m. ★★ money on the side as hit men for a Russian D: George Montgomery. George Montgomracketeer (Coltrane). Story goes nowhere, ery, Julie Gregg, Torin Thatcher, Lisa despite a good cast. [R]▼ Moreno. Filmed in the Philippines, tale From a Whisper to a Scream SEE: Offrecounts Montgomery’s efforts to maintain spring, The sanctity of his private island against aggressive crooks and smugglers.▼ From Beyond (1986) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stuart Gordon. Jeffrey Combs, Barbara From Hell to Victory (1979-French-ItalianCrampton, Ted Sorel, Ken Foree, Carolyn Spanish) C-100m. ★★ D: Hank Milestone Purdy-Gordon, Bunny Summers, Bruce (Umberto Lenzi). George Peppard, George McGuire. The RE-ANIMATOR team reHamilton, Horst Buchholz, Capucine, turns to H. P. Lovecraft territory for this Sam Wanamaker, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Anny similarly demented film based on a scienDuperey. Friends of various nationalities tist’s search for a sixth sense . . . which, are torn apart by the coming of WW2. Unin time, causes his associates to go berserk. distinguished, superficial actioner. Technovision. [PG]▼쩠 Takes its time getting revved up, but then cuts loose in outrageous fashion. As beFrom Here to Eternity (1953) 118m. ★★★★ fore, this is not for the squeamish, but if D: Fred Zinnemann. Burt Lancaster, you liked RE-ANIMATOR . . . [R]▼●쩠 Montgomery Clift, Deborah Kerr, Donna From Beyond the Grave (1973-British) Reed, Frank Sinatra, Philip Ober, Ernest C-97m. ★★★ D: Kevin Connor. Peter Borgnine, Mickey Shaughnessy, Jack WarCushing, Margaret Leighton, Ian Bannen, den, Claude Akins, George Reeves. TonedDonald Pleasence, David Warner, Diana down but still powerful adaptation of James Dors, Angela Pleasence, Nyree Dawn Jones’ novel of Army life in Hawaii just Porter, Lesley-Anne Down. Neat multibefore Pearl Harbor. Depiction of Japanstoried horror pic. Visitors to Cushing’s ese sneak attack combines unforgettable antique shop, Temptations Ltd., meet terrible action scenes with actual combat footage. fates. Leighton excels as wacky clairvoyant. Brilliantly acted by entire cast, including Sinatra in his ‘‘comeback’’ role as the Retitled: CREATURES. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★ From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) C-108m. ill-fated soldier Maggio. Eight Oscars inD: Robert Rodriguez. Harvey Keitel, clude Best Picture, Director, Screenplay George Clooney, Quentin Tarantino, Juli(Daniel Taradash), Cinematography (Burette Lewis, Salma Hayek, Cheech Marin, nett Guffey), and Supporting Actors Sinatra Tom Savini, Fred Williamson, John Saxon, and Reed. Remade in 1979 as a TV miniKelly Preston, Marc Lawrence, Michael series, which in turn spun off a brief series.▼●쩠 Parks, Ernest Lui, Danny Trejo, Tito Larriva. Two out-of-control criminal brothers From Justin to Kelly (2003) C-81m. ★1⁄2 mow their way through Texas, heading for D: Rob Iscove. Kelly Clarkson, Justin Guara rendezvous in Mexico, and take a family ini, Katherine Bailess, Anika Noni Rose, (and their RV) hostage. But the rendezvous Greg Siff, Brian Dietzen, Jason Yribar. Guzlocation turns out to be a hellish biker bar zle sunscreen instead of sitting through this inhabited by vampires! Indefensible trash insipid musical vehicle for TV’s American certainly works on a visceral level; how Idol stars, which finds them trying to make a much you can take will depend on your love connection during Miami spring break. [ 501 ]

No one was expecting Shakespeare, but Hurt, who’s accused of murder. Hurt’s flamthere’s less heft here than in an Archie boyant performance can’t save this mongrel of comic book. Justin and Kelly belt and gya movie. J-D-C Scope. [PG] ▼●쩠 rate through a series of forgettable numbers From the Life of the Marionettes (1980but generate no chemistry, even in a chaste German) C/B&W-104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ingmar Frankie-Annette sort of way. [PG] ▼쩠 Bergman. Robert Atzorn, Christine BuchegFrom Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in ger, Martin Benrath, Rita Russek, Lola China (1980) C-84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Murray Muethel, Walter Schmidinger, Heinz BenLerner. Isaac Stern, David Golub, Tan nent. Powerful, provocative drama about a Shuzhen. Moving documentary about viorespectable, successful businessman (Atlinist Stern’s ’79 tour of China. Most memzorn), who ravishes and strangles a prostiorably, he tutors talented Chinese students, tute. He has also been obsessed with killing encouraging them to feel their playing. his wife (Buchegger), with whom he conShuzhen, deputy director of the Shanghai stantly quarrels. Not coincidentally, both Conservatory of Music, describes his inwere minor characters in SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE. [R]▼● carceration during the Cultural Revolution. Deservedly won Best Documentary AcadFrom the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil emy Award. [G]▼쩠 E. Frankweiler (1973) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: From Nashville With Music (1969) CFielder Cook. Ingrid Bergman, Sally Prager, ★1 87m. ⁄2 D: Eddie Crandall. Marilyn MaxJohnny Doran, George Rose, Georgann well, Leo G. Carroll, (Pedro) GonzalezJohnson, Richard Mulligan, Madeline Kahn. Gonzalez, Marty Robbins, Merle Haggard, Fanciful tale of New Jersey kids Prager Buck Owens. Some good C&W music, but and Doran who hide out in N.Y.C.’s one is better off buying one of the performMetropolitan Museum, creating a dream ers’ albums instead of suffering through this world and befriending recluse Bergman, story of a N.Y.C. couple who go to the seen too briefly. Best for children. Blanche Grand Ole Opry by mistake. Hanalis adapted E. L. Konigsburg’s novel. From Noon Till Three (1976) C-99m. Reissued as THE HIDEAWAYS. Remade ★★1⁄2 D: Frank D. Gilroy. Charles Bronson, in 1995 for TV with Lauren Bacall. [G]▼쩠 Jill Ireland, Douglas Fowley, Stan Haze, From the Terrace (1960) C-144m. ★★★ Damon Douglas, Anne Ramsey. Likably D: Mark Robson. Paul Newman, Joanne offbeat story (adapted by Gilroy from his Woodward, Myrna Loy, Ina Balin, Leon own novel) about a two-bit robber who enAmes, Elizabeth Allen, Barbara Eden, George joys a brief tryst with a woman who—after Grizzard, Patrick O’Neal, Felix Aylmer, Mae he is thought dead—fictionalizes their roMarsh. John O’Hara’s ironic chronicle of mance and turns him into a legendary hero. young war veteran’s rise to financial and A kind of shaggy dog joke, which while social success is superficial film. Woodward pleasant, doesn’t quite work. A nice change is chic and Newman wooden; Loy is superb of pace for Bronson, though. [PG]▼ as drunken mother, Ames fine as bitter dad. From Russia With Love (1963-British) CinemaScope.▼●쩠 C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Terence Young. Sean Front, The (1976) C-94m. ★★★★ D: MarConnery, Daniela Bianchi, Lotte Lenya, tin Ritt. Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Pedro Armendariz, Robert Shaw, Bernard Herschel Bernardi, Michael Murphy, Andrea Lee, Lois Maxwell. Second James Bond Marcovicci, Remak Ramsay, Joshua Shelley, film is one of the best; plenty of suspense Lloyd Gough, Danny Aiello, Charles and action, and one of the longest, most Kimbrough, Josef Sommer. Bull’s-eye comexciting fight scenes ever staged. Lenya edy with serious theme. Allen is a schnook makes a very sinister spy.▼●쩠 enlisted by blacklisted writers to put his From the Earth to the Moon (1958) name on their scripts during 1950s witchC-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Byron Haskin. Joseph hunt era, leading to various complications. Cotten, George Sanders, Debra Paget, Don Allen’s casting is perfect, and Mostel is Dubbins, Patric Knowles, Melville Cooper, standout as ‘‘tainted’’ comic fighting for Carl Esmond, Henry Daniell. Jules Verne’s survival. Original script by blacklisted Walfiction doesn’t float well in contrived sci-fi of ter Bernstein; Ritt, Mostel, Bernardi, Shelearly rocket flight to the moon. Veteran cast ley, and Gough were also blacklisted in looks most uncomfortable.▼● real life. [PG]▼●쩠 From the Hip (1987) C-112m. BOMB D: Frontier Hellcat (1966-German) C-98m. ★★1 Bob Clark. Judd Nelson, Elizabeth Perkins, ⁄2 D: Alfred Vohrer. Stewart Granger, John Hurt, Darren McGavin, Ray Walston, Elke Sommer, Pierre Brice, Gotz George. Dan Monahan, David Alan Grier, Nancy Another Karl May Winnetou story, which Marchand, Allan Arbus, Edward Winter. captures flavor of Old West in adventure of Once again, Nelson plays a character only a pioneers passing through Rockies. Ultramother could love: a lawyer who’s made a scope. name for himself by winning a hopeless Frontier Marshal (1939) 71m. ★★★ D: case through outrageous courtroom tactics. Allan Dwan. Randolph Scott, Nancy Kelly, Now he’s given another challenge: defending Cesar Romero, Binnie Barnes, John Car[ 502 ]

radine, Lon Chaney, Jr., Chris-Pin MarFrozen Assets (1992) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: tin, Eddie Foy, Jr. Colorful retelling of events George Miller. Shelley Long, Corbin leading to legendary gunfight at the O.K. CorBernsen, Larry Miller, Dody Goodman, ral. Scott is fine as Tombstone’s new marshal, Matt Clark, Paul Sand, Teri Copley, Gloria Wyatt Earp; Romero is more moody than Camden, Gerrit Graham. Low-octane comic cold-blooded as Doc Halliday, and Kelly is trifle, in which Bernsen is transferred to a the girl from his past who reminds Doc of his new bank—only to discover it’s a sperm earlier, saner days as—an obstetrician! Many bank (get it?). He meets repressed biologist scenes and bits of dialogue were used in the Long and after a lot of potency jokes they 1946 remake, MY DARLING CLEMfind themselves drawn to each other. MisENTINE. Ward Bond, who plays Earp’s guided movie vehicle for two proven TV brother in the later film, appears briefly as a stars. Corbin’s mother, The Young and the cowardly town marshal.쩠 Restless’ Jeanne Cooper, has a small role. [PG-13]▼ Front Page, The (1931) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Milestone. Adolphe Menjou, Pat Frozen Dead, The (1966-British) C-95m. ★★ O’Brien, Mary Brian, Edward Everett D: Herbert J. Leder. Dana Andrews, Horton, Walter Catlett, Mae Clarke, George Anna Palk, Philip Gilbert, Kathleen Breck, E. Stone. First filming of Hecht-MacArthur Karel Stepanek, Edward Fox. Bizarre acplay is forceful, funny, and flamboyantly count of scientist Andrews who froze group directed, with Menjou and O’Brien a good of top Nazis, now trying to revive them and pair as battling editor and reporter in Chithe Third Reich; sloppy production values cago. Stands up quite well alongside remar tale. Released theatrically in b&w. make HIS GIRL FRIDAY.▼쩠 Frozen River (2008) C-96m. ★★★ D: CourtFront Page, The (1974) C-105m. ★★★ ney Hunt. Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, MiD: Billy Wilder. Jack Lemmon, Walter chael O’Keefe, Charlie McDermott, Mark Matthau, Carol Burnett, Susan Sarandon, Boone Junior, James Reilly, Jay Klaitz. The Vincent Gardenia, David Wayne, Allen setting is upstate New York near the CanaGarfield, Austin Pendleton, Charles Durndian border. Working-class Leo, whose husing, Harold Gould, Herb Edelman, Dick band has run off with their money—leaving O’Neill, Jon Korkes, Martin Gabel. Third her with broken dreams and two kids to filming of the Hecht-MacArthur play about raise—gets an offer she can’t refuse from a wild and woolly Chicago newspapermen sullen young Mohawk woman (Upham) to in the 1920s has hardly anything new to make ‘‘easy’’ money transporting people offer (except four-letter words) but reacross the border under perilous conditions. mains an enjoyable vehicle for this fine Low-key but utterly compelling drama with cast. Only Burnett misses the boat as patwo finely etched performances. Based on thetic hooker Molly Malloy. Remade again writer-director Hunt’s 2004 short subject of the same name. [R]쩠 (!) in 1988 as SWITCHING CHANNELS. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Fruit Machine, The (1988-British) C1 ★★ Front Page Woman (1935) 82m. ⁄2 D: 103m. ★★★ D: Philip Saville. Emile Michael Curtiz. Bette Davis, George Brent, Charles, Tony Forsyth, Robert Stephens, Winifred Shaw, Roscoe Karns, Joseph Claire Higgins, Bruce Payne, Robbie Crehan. Breezy yarn of rival reporters Davis Coltrane. Diverting contemporary thriller and Brent trying to outdo each other covering about two gay but very different Liverpool unusual murder and trial. Prime ingenue Davis teens (Charles and Forsyth, in spirited perfare. formances) who witness a gangland mur★★★★ Frost/Nixon (2008) C-122m. D: Ron der and must flee for their lives. Scripted Howard. Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, by Frank (LETTER TO BREZHNEV) Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Toby Jones, Clarke. Video title: WONDERLAND.▼● Matthew Macfadyen, Oliver Platt, Sam F.T.A. (1972) C-94m. ★★ D: Francine Rockwell, Patty McCormack, Joe Spano, Parker. Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, Clint Howard, Andy Milder. Ebullient TV Len Chandler, Holly Near, Pamela Donhost David Frost, in a career lull, persuades egan, Michael Alaimo. Unusual, rarelydisgraced former President Richard Nixon seen documentary of Fonda and Sutherland’s to agree to a series of television interviews. Free (or F***) the Army revue, presented His backup team hopes to elicit a public near Army bases and featuring antiwar skits apology for his misdeeds, while Nixon’s and songs. Interesting only as a curio.쩠 loyalists intend to restore his tarnished repuFuel (2008) C-112m. ★★★ D: Joshua Ticktation. Incredibly gripping drama conceived ell. Documentary about the odyssey of by Peter Morgan, who wrote THE QUEEN, activist-turned-filmmaker Tickell, a longand so effectively reinvented as a movie— time exponent of biofuel as a source of clean by Morgan and director Howard—that energy. Revised after its 2008 Sundance you’d never know it originated on the stage. debut (as FIELDS OF FUEL), when biofuel Langella and Sheen are superb and utterly got a black eye in the media. Interviewees believable, even if you remember the realinclude scientists, cutting-edge innovators, life figures they portray. Super 35. [R]쩠 and proactive celebrities (including Julia [ 503 ]

Roberts, Sheryl Crow, Woody Harrelson, Fuller Brush Man, The (1948) 93m. ★★1⁄2 Larry Hagman, and Neil Young). More inD: S.Sylvan Simon. Red Skelton, Janet teresting for its content than its fluidity as Blair, Don McGuire, Adele Jergens, Ross cinema, but undeniably educational and Ford, Hillary Brooke. Usual Skelton slapprovocative. stick, with Red involved in murder while 1 ★★★ Fugitive, The (1947) 104m. valiantly trying to succeed as a door-to⁄2 D: John Ford. Henry Fonda, Dolores Del Rio, door salesman.▼● Pedro Armendariz, J. Carrol Naish, Leo Full Fathom Five (1990) C-82m. BOMB Carrillo, Ward Bond. Brooding drama set D: Carl Franklin. Michael Moriarty, Maria in Mexico with revolutionist priest turned Rangel, Michael Cavanaugh, John LaFayin by man who once sheltered him. Suette, Todd Field, Daniel Faraldo, Orlando perbly shot by Gabriel Figueroa. Also Sacha. Roger Corman’s ‘‘Red October’’ is shown in computer-colored version.▼● a waterlogged mess: a group of renegades Fugitive, The (1993) C-127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: seize a Russian sub and threaten the nuAndrew Davis. Harrison Ford, Tommy Lee clear annihilation of Houston, while the Jones, Sela Ward, Julianne Moore, Joe PanU.S. is preparing to invade Panama. Far toliano, Jeroen Krabbe´, Andreas Katsulas, too cheap for its ambitions. [PG]▼ Daniel Roebuck, L. Scott Caldwell. Slick, Full Frontal (2002) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Steven solid update of the 1960s TV series about a Soderbergh. Julia Roberts, David Duchovny, doctor wrongly convicted of murdering his David Hyde Pierce, Catherine Keener, Nicky wife; he takes it on the lam, with a dogged Katt, Mary McCormack, Blair Underwood, federal marshal (Jones, in an Oscar-winning Brad Pitt, David Fincher, Terence Stamp, Enperformance) and his team on his trail. rico Colantoni, Erika Alexander, Brad Rowe, Great action and stunts, including an eyeCynthia Gibb, Jerry Weintraub, Sandra Oh. popping bus crash/train wreck, but it’s the Self-indulgent, Hollywood-insider piffle ofcat-and-mouse game between two strong fers a film within a film as we meet such L.A. personalities—Ford and Jones—that makes denizens as a magazine writer and a movie this work. Scripted by Jeb Stuart and David star (both played by Roberts), an unhappily Twohy from Twohy’s story; based on married couple (Pierce and Keener), and a coexecutive producer Roy Huggins’ origimovie producer (Duchovny) who’s invited nal TV premise. Followed by U.S. MAReveryone to his 40th birthday party. OccaSHALS. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 sional moments of genuine emotion are unFugitive Kind, The (1959) 121m. ★★1⁄2 dermined by showing us that it’s ‘‘only a D: Sidney Lumet. Marlon Brando, Anna movie’’ after all. An unsatisfying mess. Magnani, Joanne Woodward, Maureen Shot on digital video. [R] ▼쩠 Stapleton, Victor Jory, R. G. Armstrong. Full Metal Jacket (1987) C-116m. ★★★ Uneven filming of Tennessee Williams’ D: Stanley Kubrick. Matthew Modine, Orpheus Descending, with strange casting. Adam Baldwin, Vincent D’Onofrio, Lee Wandering bum (Brando) arrives in SouthErmey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, ern town, sparking romances with middleKevyn Major Howard, Ed O’Ross. Adapaged married woman (Magnani) and spunky tation of Gustav Hasford’s The Short TimWoodward. Movie goes nowhere. Remade ers is divided into two sections: a harrowing for cable TV in 1990 as ORPHEUS DElook at Marine basic training on Parris SCENDING.▼쩠 Island; and combat experiences in VietFugitive Pieces (2008-Canadian-Greek) Cnam. The first half is so strong (thanks in 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeremy Podeswa. Stephen part to real-life former D.I. Ermey) that Dillane, Rade Sherbedgia, Rosamund Pike, the second half suffers in comparison, as it Ayelet Zurer, Robbie Kay, Ed Stoppard, covers more familiar ground, while keepRachelle Lefevre, Themis Bazaka, Nina ing emotions in check. Still, it’s compelDobrev. Jewish writer (Dillane) deals with ling, well acted, and supremely well crafted, his present-day demons while immersed in certainly in keeping with Kubrick’s recurthe memory of his boyhood during WW2: ring theme of dehumanization. Original witnessing his parents’ slaughter, wondermusic by Abigail Mead, aka Vivian Kuing about the fate of his sister, being rescued brick, the director’s daughter. Filmed in Enby a kindly Greek archaeologist (Sherbedgland. [R]▼●쩠 gia). Somber mood perfectly reflects the Full Monty, The (1997-British-U.S.) mind-set of the main character, but the film C-95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter Cattaneo. Robert is too drawn out and one-dimensionally Carlyle, Tom Wilkinson, Mark Addy, Lesdownbeat. Podeswa scripted, based on ley Sharp, Emily Woof, Steve Huison, Paul Anne Michaels’ acclaimed novel. [R]쩠 Barber, Hugo Speer, Deirdre Costello. Full Circle SEE: Haunting of Julia, The Bull’s-eye comedy about unemployed ShefFuller Brush Girl, The (1950) 85m. ★★ D: field steel-mill workers who, out of desperaLloyd Bacon. Lucille Ball, Eddie Albert, Jeff tion, the need for money, and an equal need Donnell, Jerome Cowan, Lee Patrick. Lowto have something to do, decide to become grade slapstick with energetic Lucy as doormale strippers. Funny, well cast, and never to-door salesgirl, mixed up with thieves.▼● mean spirited, this film earns its laughs hon[ 504 ]

estly. Clever screenplay by Simon Beaufoy. ented young leads. A biting commentary on ‘‘celebrity’’ in America. ▼쩠 Oscar-winning score by Anne Dudley. Funeral, The (1984-Japanese) C-124m. Later a Broadway musical. [R]▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Juzo Itami. Nobuko Miyamoto, Full Moon High (1981) C-94m. ★★★ D: Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kin Sugai, Ichiro Larry Cohen. Adam Arkin, Ed McMahon, Zaitsu, Nekohachi Edoya. Itami’s debut Elizabeth Hartman, Roz Kelly, Bill Kirfeature is an on-target black comedy that chenbauer, Kenneth Mars, Joanne Nail, chides solemn, traditional Japanese funeral Alan Arkin. Infectiously silly teenage rites. The scenario details what ensues werewolf comedy, with Arkin as a highwhen a modern family is compelled to hold school football star whose strange, righta Buddhist funeral for its patriarch—who wing father (McMahon) takes him to happened to own a brothel.▼쩠 Transylvania and inadvertently changes his Funeral, The (1996) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Abel life. Lots of off-the-wall laughs and cameos Ferrara. Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, by various comedy performers. [PG]▼ Annabella Sciorra, Isabella Rossellini, VinFull Moon in Blue Water (1988) C-93m. ★★ D: Peter Masterson. Gene Hackman, cent Gallo, Benicio Del Toro, Gretchen Mol, John Ventimiglia, Paul Hipp, Victor Teri Garr, Burgess Meredith, Elias Koteas, Argo, Edie Falco. Moody 1930s gangster Kevin Cooney, David Doty. Hackman is film which follows what happens as thug wallowing in self-pity over his drowned wife, siblings Walken and Penn respond to the as creditors duplicitously plot foreclosure on murder of their Communist kid brother his coastal Texas bar. Also involved in the (Gallo). Occasionally meanders, and the talky interchange are feisty bus driver Garr, flashbacks are confusing, but there’s atmoHackman’s elderly father-in-law Meredith, sphere to spare, and Ferrara vividly depicts and mentally shaky employee Koteas. This a macho world in which one must be unfeelscreen original by playwright Bill Bozzone ing and conquer his fears in order to attain feels like bad theater. [R]▼●쩠 ‘‘manhood.’’ He also deals with his familiar Full Moon in Paris (1984-French) Cthemes of God and religion in a world of 102m. ★★★ D: Eric Rohmer. Pascale Ogier, brutality. [R] ▼●쩠 Fabrice Luchini, Tcheky Karyo, Christian Funeral Home (1982-Canadian) C-93m. Vadim, Virginie Thevenet. Neat little com★★ D: William Fruet. Lesleh Donaldson, edy from Rohmer about a headstrong young Kay Hawtrey, Barry Morse, Dean Garbett, woman (Ogier), and her relationships with Stephen Miller, Harvey Atkin. Teenager three men. Wonderful dialogue and charDonaldson investigates when guests begin acterizations, with a charming Ogier perdisappearing from grandmother Hawtrey’s formance. [R]▼쩠 summer motel. OK of its type; aka CRIES Full of It (2007) C-93m. ★★ D: Christian IN THE NIGHT. [R]▼쩠 Charles. Ryan Pinkston, Kate Mara, Teri Funeral in Berlin (1966) C-102m. ★★ D: Polo, Craig Kilborn, John Carroll Lynch, Guy Hamilton. Michael Caine, Eva Renzi, Cynthia Stevenson, Amanda Walsh, Derek Paul Hubschmid, Oscar Homolka, Guy McGrath, Joshua Close, Matt Gordon, CarDoleman. Second of three Harry Palmer men Electra. Passable teen comedy was films (based on Len Deighton’s novels) probably pitched as LIAR, LIAR set in high featuring Caine as the British spy arrangschool. Loser student with an active imagiing for defection of Russian officer in nation suddenly finds all the whoppers he’s charge of Berlin war security. Caine and been telling start coming true, making him Homolka are good, Renzi attractive, but the most popular guy on campus. Largely slow-moving tale just doesn’t click. Foluninspired gags deal with every possible lowed by BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN. teenage fantasy. [PG-13]쩠 Panavision.▼●쩠 ★★★ Full of Life (1956) 91m. D: Richard Funhouse, The (1981) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Quine. Judy Holliday, Richard Conte, SalTobe Hooper. Elizabeth Berridge, Cooper vatore Baccaloni, Esther Minciotti. HolliHuckabee, Miles Chapin, Largo Woodruff, day’s pregnant wife antics almost matched Sylvia Miles, William Finley, Kevin Conby Baccaloni’s as excitable father-in-law way. Intense drama about four teenagers who with his own way of running things. ▼ decide to spend night in funhouse of a sleazy Full Treatment, The SEE: Stop Me Betraveling carnival. Once inside, there is sex, fore I Kill! violence, suspense and an increasing tenFun (1993) C-105m. ★★★ D: Rafal Zielinsion as they encounter the unknown. Stylish ski. Alicia Witt, Renee Humphrey, William visuals help create an eerie atmosphere in R. Moses, Leslie Hope, Ania Suli. Jarring this not entirely successful chiller. Panaviaccount of seemingly average young subursion. [R]▼●쩠 ban teens who have just murdered a trusting Fun in Acapulco (1963) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: elderly woman, for the ‘‘fun’’ of it! A Richard Thorpe. Elvis Presley, Ursula Anthoughtful, disquieting film, every bit as imdress, Paul Lukas, Alejandro Rey. Scenery pressive as HEAVENLY CREATURES, outshines story of Presley working as lifefeaturing riveting performances by its talguard and entertainer in Mexican resort city [ 505 ]

and performing the likes of ‘‘No Room to Starr, Sarah Michelle Gellar. Oddly easygoRhumba in a Sports Car’’ and ‘‘You Can’t ing—and thus mildly endearing—Chase comSay No in Acapulco.’’ Lukas is amusing as edy about a N.Y. sportswriter who discovers, temperamental chef.▼쩠 MR. BLANDINGS style, that country living Fun Loving SEE: Quackser Fortune Has isn’t quite what it’s cracked up to be. Has a Cousin in the Bronx the look of quality (it was photographed by Miroslav Ondricek, designed by Henry Funny About Love (1990) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Leonard Nimoy. Gene Wilder, ChrisBumstead) but too many gags fizzle. Final tine Lahti, Mary Stuart Masterson, Robert episode is the best. [PG]▼●쩠 Prosky, Stephen Tobolowsky, Anne JackFunny Games (1997-Austrian) C-104m. ★★ son, Susan Ruttan, Jean De Baer, David D: Michael Haneke. Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Margulies. Cartoonist Wilder and caterer Mu¨he, Arno Frisch, Frank Giering, Stefan Lahti can’t conceive, despite the latest Clapczynski, Doris Kunstmann, Christoph techniques of their laugh-a-minute fertility Bantzer, Wolfgang Glu¨ck. Two repugnant doctor; ensuing problems force Gene to creeps bully their way into the country house take up with college sorority sister Masterof a middle-class family, who find themselves son, obviously many years younger. Terunder siege physically and psychologically. minally mild comedy with odd, ham-handed Writer-director Haneke attempts to offer punflickers of black humor. [PG-13]▼●쩠 gent commentary on the way contemporary Funny Bones (1995-British-U.S.) C-126m. society has been desensitized by violent im★★1 ⁄2 D: Peter Chelsom. Oliver Platt, Lee ages on TV and in movies, but this film is Evans, Richard Griffiths, Leslie Caron, barely credible—and highly unpleasant. ReJerry Lewis, Oliver Reed, Ian McNeice, made by Haneke in 2008. ▼쩠 George Carl, Freddie Davies, Ruta Lee, Funny Games (2008-French-Italian-British) Harold Nicholas. Son of a famous and beC-107m. ★★ D: Michael Haneke. Naomi loved comedian tries to make it on his own; Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corwhen he fails, he goes back to Blackpool, bet, Devon Gearhart, Boyd Gaines, Siobhan England, to search for material—and his Fallon Hogan, Robert LuPone. Suburban roots. Extraordinarily strange movie has family is terrorized and systematically tormany endearing moments (especially when tured by two seemingly normal young men it resurrects nuggets of show business past) who gain entry into their vacation home. but so many oddities that it never adds up— Shot-by-shot remake of Haneke’s 1997 or figures out what it wants to be. Jerry is Austrian thriller has been transported to a great, as Platt’s father, and Caron is a depicturesque U.S. lakeside setting but still light as well. [R]▼●쩠 leaves a sickening aftertaste. With characFunny Face (1957) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ters breaking the fourth wall and speaking Stanley Donen. Audrey Hepburn, Fred directly to the audience, the filmmaker is Astaire, Kay Thompson, Michel Auclair, trying to make a comment on extreme vioSuzy Parker, Ruta Lee. Stylish and highly lence in movies in a story that provides stylized musical with Astaire as fashion plenty itself. Effectively made, but for photographer who turns Hepburn into chic strong stomachs only. [R]쩠 Paris model. Top Gershwin score (‘‘How Funny Girl (1968) C-155m. ★★★ D: WilLong Has This Been Going On,’’ ‘‘He liam Wyler. Barbra Streisand, Omar Loves and She Loves,’’ ‘‘S’Wonderful,’’ Sharif, Kay Medford, Anne Francis, Waltitle tune), striking use of color, entertainter Pidgeon, Lee Allen, Gerald Mohr. ing performance by Thompson as magaStreisand’s Oscar-winning film debut as zine editor. Cinematography by Ray June Fanny Brice, singer-comedienne whose unand John P. Fulton. Leonard Gershe based happy private life contrasted comic antics his screenplay on an unproduced stage onstage. Bad as biography, but first-rate as musical—and Astaire’s role was based on musical, including fine Bob Merrill–Jule Richard Avedon, who’s credited as visual Styne score (‘‘People,’’ title tune), memoraconsultant. VistaVision.▼●쩠 ble tugboat finale to ‘‘Don’t Rain on My Funny Farm, The (1982-Canadian) C-95m. Parade,’’ plus Brice standards ‘‘My Man’’ ★★ D: Ron Clark. Miles Chapin, Eileen and ‘‘Second Hand Rose.’’ Sequel: FUNNY Brennan, Jack Carter, Tracy Bregman, LADY. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Howie Mandel, Marjorie Gross, Lou Dinos, Funny Lady (1975) C-137m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Aykroyd. Young man from Ohio Herbert Ross. Barbra Streisand, James comes to L.A. to make it as a stand-up comic. Caan, Omar Sharif, Roddy McDowall, Slow-moving film introduces many unknown Ben Vereen, Carole Wells, Colleen Camp. comics who do short bits at a ‘‘comedy FUNNY GIRL sequel shows Fanny Brice at store’’ owned by Brennan. Some funny moheight of career, meeting and marrying ambiments, but overall is nothing much. [R]▼ tious showman Billy Rose (Caan). Disjointed Funny Farm (1988) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: film has fine moments of music and comedy, George Roy Hill. Chevy Chase, Madolyn but a cliche´-ridden script to contend with. Smith, Joseph Maher, Jack Gilpin, Brad SulliPanavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 van, MacIntyre Dixon, Glenn Plummer, Mike Funnyman (1967) C-98m. ★★★ D: John [ 506 ]

Korty. Peter Bonerz, Sandra Archer, Carol exander. Attempting to explore famed Androsky, Larry Hankin, Barbara Hiken, photographer Arbus’ artistic awakening in Gerald Hiken. Winning little film about metaphoric terms, this film (set in 1958) improvisational comic (Bonerz) who’s follows her evolution from a stifled uppernagged by the idea that he should be doing class N.Y.C. wife and mother to an artist something more ‘‘important.’’ Features great who’s open to a world of society’s outcasts skits by The Committee and funny animated that her parents taught her to shun. Downey spoofs by director Korty. plays a fugitive from a freak show with a Funny Money (2007-German) C-98m. ★1⁄2 furry body who moves in upstairs. He’s a D: Leslie Greif. Chevy Chase, Penelope fictitious character in this ‘‘imaginary porAnn Miller, Armand Assante, Robert Logtrait’’ that tells us little about a very interestgia, Christopher McDonald, Alex Meneses, ing woman. Ambitious and intriguing, with Kevin Sussman, Guy Torry, Rebecca WiKidman perfectly cast, but a strange, unsatsocky, Tim Stack. Droning worker bee at a isfying film. ‘‘Inspired by’’ Patricia Boswax-fruit factory (Chase) accidentally worth’s biography of Arbus. [R]쩠 brings home the wrong briefcase one Furies, The (1950) 109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Annight—filled with 5 million dollars. Foreign thony Mann. Barbara Stanwyck, Walter crooks, a crooked cop, a horny boss, a randy Huston, Wendell Corey, Gilbert Roland, art dealer, a comedic cabdriver, and asJudith Anderson, Beulah Bondi, Thomas sorted others descend upon Chase’s home Gomez, Albert Dekker, Blanche Yurka, in the ruckus that follows. Ray Cooney’s Wallace Ford. Fiery Stanwyck has always lowbrow British stage farce doesn’t transbeen able to sweet-talk her cattle-baron falate well to film. Made in 2005—mostly in ther, who presides over a vast New Mexico Romania! [R]쩠 ranch called The Furies—but lately he isn’t Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the listening, and she locks horns with him. Forum, A (1966) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Operatic-style Western saga of love and Lester. Zero Mostel, Phil Silvers, Buster Keahate, adapted by Charles Schnee from a ton, Jack Gilford, Michael Crawford, Annette Niven Busch novel and directed with flair Andre, Michael Hordern. Frenzied adaptation by Mann. Striking cinematography by Victor Milner. This was Huston’s final film.쩠 of Broadway musical about conniving slave (Mostel) in ancient Rome; tries too hard, Further Adventures of Tennessee Buck, The (1988) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Keith. comes off forced. Still, with great comic cast, there’s plenty worth seeing. Self-spoof on David Keith, Kathy Shower, Brant van song ‘‘Lovely’’ is a highlight; score by SteHoffman, Sydney Lassick, Tiziana Stella, phen Sondheim.▼●쩠 Patrizia Zanetti. Fun imitation of the INFun With Dick and Jane (1977) C-95m. DIANA JONES films; big white hunter ★★1 ⁄2 D: Ted Kotcheff. Jane Fonda, George Keith goes on safari in Borneo with former Segal, Ed McMahon, Dick Gautier, Allan Playboy Playmate of the Year Shower and Miller, John Dehner. Lightly amusing comher rich nerd husband van Hoffman. They edy about Segal losing his job, he and wife meet up with a cannibal tribe whose women Fonda trying to cope with no income and give Shower a vivid oil rubdown (the film’s finally turning to crime. Falls apart after promhighlight). Actor-director Keith maintains a ising start, becoming fragmented and pointbreezy tone. [R]▼● less. Watch for Jay Leno in a bit. Remade in Further Adventures of the Wilderness Fam2005. [PG]▼쩠 ily, The (1978) C-105m. ★★★ D: Frank Zuniga. Fun With Dick and Jane (2005) C-90m. Robert Logan, Susan D. Shaw, Heather Rat★★1 ⁄2 D: Dean Parisot. Jim Carrey, Te´a Leoni, tray, Ham Larsen, George (Buck) Flower, Alec Baldwin, Richard Jenkins, Angie HarBrian Cutler. This clone of 1975’s family hit mon, John Michael Higgins, Richard Burgi, ADVENTURES OF . . . has same cast, same Laurie Metcalf, Clint Howard. Not exactly a elements, same magnificent Colorado scenery. leader in the ‘‘crying need of remaking’’ So who’s to argue with success? Aka THE department, this is obviously an EnronWILDERNESS FAMILY, PART 2; folinfluenced riff on the 1977 original about an lowed by MOUNTAIN FAMILY ROBINupward middle-class couple who turn robSON.▼쩠 bers after they’re caught in an economic Further Perils of Laurel and Hardy, The (1968) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Youngson. squeeze. Carrey gets promoted to VP in a company that barely exists, about a day beLaurel and Hardy, Charley Chase, Max fore boss Baldwin helicopters away with the Davidson, James Finlayson. Repetitious profits. Fitfully amusing comedy gets off to format of ‘‘episodes’’ dulls edge of great a fair start but loses its way into scattershot material, but still fun, with rare L&H farce. Leoni makes a good fit with Carrey’s silent footage, pleasing interludes by Chase manic persona. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 and Davidson.▼쩠 Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Fury (1936) 94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fritz Lang. ★★ Arbus (2006) C-120m. Sylvia Sidney, Spencer Tracy, Walter Abel, D: Steven Shainberg. Nicole Kidman, Robert DowBruce Cabot, Edward Ellis, Walter Brenney, Jr., Ty Burrell, Harris Yulin, Jane Alnan, Frank Albertson. Still timely drama [ 507 ]

of lynch mobs and mob rule in small town, for Reynolds fans. Script by Evan Hunter making an embittered man of innocent Tracy, from one of his 87th Precinct stories, spoiling his love for sweetheart Sidney. written as ‘‘Ed McBain.’’ [PG]▼쩠 Lang’s first American film; he also scripted F/X (1986) C-106m. ★★★ D: Robert Manwith Bartlett Cormack, from a Norman del. Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, Diane Krasna story. Also shown in computer-colVenora, Cliff De Young, Mason Adams, ored version.▼●쩠 Jerry Orbach, Joe Grifasi, Josie DeGuzman, Fury, The (1978) C-118m. ★★★ D: Brian De Martha Gehman. Movie special-effects man Palma. Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Carrie is hired to stage a phony ‘‘hit’’ with a Mafia Snodgress, Amy Irving, Fiona Lewis, Anman the target—but quickly learns that he’s drew Stevens, Charles Durning, Gordon been double-crossed. Fast-moving, enterJump, Dennis Franz. Stylish trash about taining yarn that’s a lot of fun, as long as young woman (Irving) with psychokinetic you don’t think about it for a moment afterpowers, and Douglas’ desperate attempt to ward. Dennehy and Grifasi make a hilarious save his similarly gifted son from being used— pair of Mutt and Jeff cops. Angela Bassett’s or destroyed. Bloody and violent—the ultifilm debut. Followed by a sequel and a TV mate litmus test for those who prefer form over series. [R]▼●쩠 content. Film debut of Daryl Hannah; look fast F/X2 (1991) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard for James Belushi as an extra. [R] ▼●쩠 Franklin. Bryan Brown, Brian Dennehy, RaFury at Smuggler’s Bay (1961-British) chel Ticotin, Joanna Gleason, Philip Bosco, 92m. ★★ D: John Gilling. Peter Cushing, Kevin J. O’Connor, Tom Mason, Dominic Michele Mercier, Bernard Lee, George Zamprogna, Josie DeGuzman, John Walsh, Coulouris, Liz Fraser. Sea yarn of pirates James Stacy. Special-effects whiz Brown scavenging passing ships and reaping reagrees to use his skills in a police case, but wards off the English coastline. Panascope. when things go wrong he finds himself emFuture Cop SEE: Trancers broiled in a deadly coverup—and calls on his ★★ Future Shock (1994) C-93m. D: Eric ex-cop pal Dennehy to help. Amiable sequel Parkinson, Francis ‘‘Oley’’ Sassone, Matt has some engaging gimmickry, but the story Reeves. Vivian Schilling, Scott Thompson, gets too lumpy. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Martin Kove, Sam Clay, Bill Paxton, Brion James, Sidney Lassick, James Karen, G (2005) C-96m. ★★ D: Christopher Scott Amanda Foreman, Tim Doyle. This threeCherot. Richard T. Jones, Blair Underwood, story film’s setup: Evil experimenters test Andre Royo, Chenoa Maxwell, Laz Alonso, virtual-reality scenarios on unsuspecting psyNicoye Banks, Andrew Lauren, Jillian Lindchiatric patients. A frightened woman can’t sey. Shady character in the music industry get her husband to understand her fears of rediscovers the great love from his past . . . urban violence and wolves in Malibu; a mild but she’s got a new man. Uncredited renerd is victimized by his punkish new roommake of THE GREAT GATSBY moves mate; a photographer becomes obsessed with Fitzgerald’s Jazz Age tragedy farther east on guarding against accidental death. Only the Long Island to the Hamptons, where the hipfinal segment shows real imagination. Unhop–inflected romance remains faithful to its rated version runs 97m. [PG-13]▼●쩠 source in spirit if not in word (and that word Futureworld (1976) C-104m. ★★★ D: Richwould begin with F). Attractive, ultra-glam ard T. Heffron. Peter Fonda, Blythe Danner, mounting with catchy music helps, but a Arthur Hill, Yul Brynner, Stuart Margolin, bland Jones is no Redford—or Alan Ladd, for John Ryan. Suspenseful sequel to WESTthat matter. Written by the director. Shot in WORLD has overtones of INVASION OF 2002. Super 35. [R]쩠 THE BODY SNATCHERS as robot duGabbeh (1996-Iranian-French) C-75m. plicates try to take over. Short on action ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Shaghaybut intelligently done. [PG]▼● 1 egh Djodat, Hossein Moharami, Roghieh Futz (1969) C-92m. ★ ⁄2 D: Tom O’Horgan. Moharami, Abbas Sayahi. Simple, sweet alSeth Allen, John Bakos, Mari-Claire Charba, legory in which an elderly woman washes a Peter Craig, Sally Kirkland. Director gabbeh (carpet) by the side of a river. From O’Horgan, whose youthful touch made the gabbeh emerges a young woman, a this a mild off-Broadway hit, brings bimember of a nomadic tribe who recounts a zarre tale to screen with disastrous results. series of related stories. This elegantly lyriNo plot worth describing, except that there’s cal, stunningly visual fable allows a peek a man in love with a pig.▼ ★★ into a non-Western culture and the way it Fuzz (1972) C-92m. D: Richard A. records its history.▼쩠 Colla. Burt Reynolds, Raquel Welch, Yul Gable and Lombard (1976) C-131m. Brynner, Jack Weston, Tom Skerritt, Peter BOMB D: Sidney J. Furie. James Brolin, Bonerz, Steve Ihnat, James McEachin, Jill Clayburgh, Allen Garfield, Red ButBert Remsen. Oddball film tries to mix tons, Joanne Linville, Melanie Mayron. laughs and excitement, to be the MASH Pure tripe about offscreen romance of two of police dramas, but doesn’t have the style to pull it off; another disappointment great stars. Brolin and Clayburgh are game [ 508 ]

but one-dimensional; script and direction are hopeless. [R]쩠 Gabriela (1983-Brazilian-Italian) C-102m. ★★ D: Bruno Barreto. Marcello Mastroianni, Sonia Braga, Antonio Cantafora, Ricardo Petraglia. Obvious tale of barkeeper Mastroianni taking on luscious, free-spirited Braga as a cook and lover. Braga’s body and smile are the main interests here. Based on Jorge Amado’s novel, which was developed into a top soap opera on Brazilian television. [R]▼ Gabrielle (2005-French-Italian-German) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Patrice Che´reau. Isabelle Huppert, Pascal Greggory, Claudia Coli, Thierry Hancisse, Chantal Neuwirth, Thierry Fortineau. In fin-de-sie`cle France, a smug and wealthy publisher who thinks of his wife as his prized possession is shocked when she suddenly leaves him for another man. But she returns later that day, leading to an unexpected conclusion. Polished, penetrating, but cold and talky series of scenes from a marriage; expanded from Joseph Conrad’s short story ‘‘The Return,’’ changing the setting from London to Paris and shifting the dramatic focus from the pompous husband to the repressed wife. Che´reau coscripted. Panavision.쩠 Gabriel Over the White House (1933) 87m. ★★★ D: Gregory La Cava. Walter Huston, Karen Morley, Franchot Tone, C. Henry Gordon, Samuel S. Hinds, Jean Parker, Dickie Moore. Dizzying Depression fantasy of crooked Huston elected President, experiencing mysterious change that turns him into Superpresident, determined to eliminate racketeers, find world peace. Bizarre, fascinating.

of Gypsy villagers, becomes ‘‘adopted’’ by a loud old drunk, and falls in love with a peasant woman. Things get complicated when the drunk’s real son, a Gypsy mafioso, arrives fresh from jail. Overdone and melodramatic, this story too often plays on one note. Aka CRAZY STRANGER.▼쩠 Gaily, Gaily (1969) C-107m. ★★ D: Norman Jewison. Beau Bridges, Melina Mercouri, Brian Keith, George Kennedy, Hume Cronyn, Margot Kidder, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Melodie Johnson. Ben Hecht’s colorful memories of apprenticeship on Chicago newspaper are destroyed by silly, hollow script that even changes ‘‘Hecht’’ to ‘‘Harvey.’’ Expensive sets, period flavor are only bright spots in contrived comedy. Kidder’s film debut. [M] Galaxina (1980) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: William Sachs. Stephen Macht, Dorothy R. Stratten, James David Hinton, Avery Schreiber. Cheap STAR WARS/STAR TREK spoof reeks of low production values, boring scenario, and non-acting. Definitely not a vehicle for the late Ms. Stratten, though the film is of interest for her appearance as a robot. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Galaxy of Terror (1981) C-80m. ★1⁄2 D: B. D. Clark. Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Bernard Behrens, Zalman King, Sid Haig. Astronauts are killed off by monsters while on mission to aid spaceship marooned on another planet. A Grade D ALIEN clone. Aka MINDWARP: AN INFINITY OF TERROR and PLANET OF HORRORS. Followed by FORBIDDEN WORLD. [R]▼● Galaxy Quest (1999) C-104m. ★★★ D: Dean Parisot. Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, ▼● Gaby (1956) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Curtis BernAlan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub, Sam Rockhardt. Leslie Caron, John Kerr, Sir Cedric well, Daryl Mitchell, Enrico Colantoni, Hardwicke, Taina Elg. Remake of WARobin Sachs, Patrick Breen, Missi Pyle. EnTERLOO BRIDGE, telling of ballerina gaging comedy about the washed-up cast of Caron and her romance with soldier Kerr a Star Trek–like TV show now reduced to in WW2 England. Not bad but not up to making personal appearances at fan convenoriginal. CinemaScope. tions; suddenly they’re whisked off to a Gaby—A True Story (1987) C-110m. ★★★ starship where an alien civilization (beD: Luis Mandoki. Liv Ullmann, Norma lieving their television adventures to be Aleandro, Robert Loggia, Rachel Levin (Chareal) seeks their help to save the aliens from gall), Lawrence Monoson, Robert Beltran, oblivion. By Grabthar’s hammer, it’s clever, Tony Goldwyn. Incredible true story of Gaby funny, and sweet. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Brimmer, born with cerebral palsy to wealthy Galileo (1973-British) C-145m. ★★★ D: European refugee parents in Mexico, leaving Joseph Losey. Topol, Edward Fox, Colin her body almost completely paralyzed—but Blakely, Georgia Brown, Clive Revill, Marnot affecting her mind. Levin, who is not disagaret Leighton, John Gielgud, Michael bled in real life, gives a stunning performance Gough, Judy Parfitt, Patrick Magee, Tom in the lead (matched by Monoson as her boyConti. Bertolt Brecht’s play, whose 1947 friend), with Aleandro a tower of strength as U.S. premiere was staged by director Losey, the woman who devotes her life to Gaby. An turned into unremarkable but generally satoften painful but worthwhile film. Brimmer isfactory film. Topol is a little much as the executive-produced. [R]▼● scientist whose theories of the universe Gadjo Dilo (1998-French-Romanian) Cconfound the church, but supporting actors 97m. ★★ D: Tony Gatlif. Romain Duris, Rona are excellent. An American Film Theatre Hartner, Izidor Serban, Ovidiu Balan, Angela Production. [PG]▼쩠 Serban. During a bleak Romanian winter, a Gallant Hours, The (1960) 111m. ★★★ D: young Frenchman hoping to track down a legRobert Montgomery. James Cagney, Denendary folk singer gets involved with a group nis Weaver, Ward Costello, Richard Jaeckel. [ 509 ]

Sincere, low-key biog of WW2 Admiral making her first big-screen appearance since 1943’s HOSTAGES). [R]▼쩠 ‘‘Bull’’ Halsey played documentary-style. Gambling Lady (1934) 66m. ★★1⁄2 D: Archie Cagney is reserved and effective, but proMayo. Barbara Stanwyck, Joel McCrea, Pat duction needs livening.▼ O’Brien, Claire Dodd, C. Aubrey Smith. Gallery of Horror SEE: Return From the Honest professional gambler Stanwyck weds Past society boy McCrea; her motives are suspect Gallipoli (1981-Australian) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 because, after all, she’s from ‘‘the other side D: Peter Weir. Mark Lee, Mel Gibson, Bill of the tracks.’’ So-so drama picks up in its Kerr, Robert Grubb, David Argue, Tim second half. And isn’t that Tyrone Power in a McKenzie. Youthful idealists Lee and Gibbit in the Park Avenue gambling scene? son enlist in the military, meet their fate in Gamblin’ Man SEE: Cockfighter title WW1 battle. Engrossing human drama Game, The (1997) C-128m. ★★ D: David with meticulous direction, striking feel for Fincher. Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, Carroll period detail. Final freeze-frame shot is Baker, Deborah Kara Unger, Armin Muellerreminiscent of Robert Capa’s classic SpanStahl, Peter Donat, James Rebhorn. Coldish Civil War photo of soldier at the mohearted financial whiz (Douglas) gets an unment of death. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 usual birthday present from his brother Gal Young ’Un (1979) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: (Penn)—a gift certificate for a sophisticated Victor Nunez. Dana Preu, David Peck, J. recreational company that stages a ‘‘game,’’ Smith, Gene Densmore, Jenny Stringfellow, the nature of which is never revealed. Before Tim McCormick. Low-budget gem about long, Douglas’ entire existence is stripped Prohibition-era widow Preu charmed and away, on a roller-coaster ride heading straight then exploited by foppish hustler Peck. down. Unusually mean-spirited film offers no Effective performances, use of locales (near letup—and has no sense of humor, either. Gainesville, Florida), depiction of the era. Filmed in San Francisco. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 From Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings story.▼ Game for Vultures (1979-British) C-106m. Gambit (1966) C-109m. ★★★ D: Ronald BOMB D: James Fargo. Joan Collins, RichNeame. Michael Caine, Shirley MacLaine, ard Harris, Richard Roundtree, Ray Milland, Herbert Lom, Roger C. Carmel, John AbJana Cilliers, Sven-Bertil Taube, Denholm Elbott. Gimmicky robbery yarn with scounliott, John Parsonson, Ken Gampu. Tired cast drel Caine hiring Eurasian MacLaine to in a dreadful drama about racial strife in Rhocarry out perfect heist of invaluable piece desia. The subject matter may be worthy, but of sculpture; great fun. Techniscope.▼ the result couldn’t be more ponderous. [R]▼ 1 ★★ Gamble, The (1988-Italian) C-105m. ⁄2 Game Is Over, The (1966-French) C-96m. D: Carlo Vanzina. Matthew Modine, Faye ★★1 ⁄2 D: Roger Vadim. Jane Fonda, Peter Dunaway, Jennifer Beals, Corinne Clery, McEnery, Michel Piccoli, Tina Marquand, Federica Moro, Ana Obregon, Vernon Jacques Monod. Fonda marries wealthy PicWells, Feodor Chaliapin, Ian Bannen. So-so coli, falls in love with and seduces his son adventure in the TOM JONES mold, in (McEnery). Handsome, updated version of which roguish Modine gambles with sinisZola’s La Cure´e is not bad; at the time, best ter countess Dunaway. The stakes: his life, performance of Jane’s career. Panavision. for the family fortune she won from his [R]▼쩠 father. Hokey and irrational, and the endGamekeeper, The (1980-British) C-84m. ing doesn’t work, but still amusing. [R]▼ ★★★ D: Kenneth Loach. Phil Askham, Rita Gambler, The (1974) C-111m. ★★ D: Karel May, Andrew Grubb, Peter Steels, MiReisz. James Caan, Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutchael Hinchcliffe. Simple, effectively subton, Morris Carnovsky, Jacqueline Brookes, tle tale of conservative young gamekeeper Burt Young, Carmine Caridi, Vic Tayback, Askham, who sublimates his anger at being Steven Keats, London Lee, M. Emmet Walsh, unable to crack the British class system. James Woods, Stuart Margolin. Misfire about Game of Death, A (1946) 72m. ★1⁄2 D: college prof Caan’s compulsion to gamble; Robert Wise. John Loder, Audrey Long, much inferior to Altman’s CALIFORNIA Edgar Barrier, Russell Wade, Russell SPLIT. Written by James Toback. [R]▼●쩠 Hicks, Jason Robards (Sr.), Noble Johnson. Gambler, The (1997-Hungarian-French) Second official version of THE MOST C-97m. ★★ D: Ka´roly Makk. Michael GamDANGEROUS GAME—madman Barrier bon, Jodhi May, Polly Walker, Dominic West, hunts humans shipwrecked on his island. Luise Rainer, William Houston. An adaptation Moves well, but indifferently acted; noof Dostoevsky’s 1866 novel, this is as much where nearly as exciting as the 1932 origiabout the writing of that book as the story the nal. Next remake: RUN FOR THE SUN. author was trying to tell. Fiction and reality Game of Death (1978) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: merge as Dostoevsky, with huge debts from his Robert Clouse. Bruce Lee, Gig Young, Hugh gambling habit, signs away rights to his life’s O’Brian, Colleen Camp, Dean Jagger, Karwork unless he can deliver a new novel in just eem Abdul-Jabbar, Chuck Norris. Lee died 27 days. Lacks emotional power, despite fine midway through production of this karate performances by Gambon and Rainer (who’s thriller. Six years later, Clouse reassembled [ 510 ]

the surviving actors and, with the use of doudaily struggle of existence in Manhattan and bles, completed the film. Standard fare until his beleaguered Red Sox’s chance to win a final, incredible half hour, when Lee goes World Series against the Mets. Consistently one-on-one with each of the villains in some interesting, if not quite successful; a writer’s of the most explosive fight scenes ever filmed. film if there ever was one, marking the first Aka BRUCE LEE’S GAME OF DEATH. screenplay by novelist Don DeLillo. CoproPanavision. [R]▼●쩠 duced by Dunne. [R]쩠 Game of Their Lives, The (2005) C-96m. Gammera, The Invincible (1966-Japa★★ D: David Anspaugh. Gerard Butler, Wes nese-U.S.) 88m. ★1⁄2 D: Noriaki Yuasi. Bentley, Jay Rodan, Gavin Rossdale, Costas Brian Donlevy, Albert Dekker, John BaraMandylor, Louis Mandylor, Zachery Ty grey. A giant, jet-propelled fire-breathing Bryan, Patrick Stewart, Terry Kinney, John space turtle terrorizes the earth following Rhys-Davies, Freddy Adu. The director (Anatomic explosion. First in a series of juvespaugh) and screenwriter (Angelo Pizzo) of nile sci-fi films. Original Japanese verHOOSIERS and RUDY try for the same resion—without American actors and titled GAMERA—runs 82m. Daieiscope.▼●쩠 sults with this story of an Italian-American soccer team from St. Louis that becomes the Gandhi (1982-British-Indian) C-188m. 1⁄2 D: Richard Attenborough. Ben Kings★★★ core of an underdog U.S. squadron sent to Brazil for the 1950 World Cup games. Alas, ley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox, John Gielall the emotions are told (in speeches) and gud, Trevor Howard, John Mills, Martin heard (in the overbearing music) rather than Sheen, Rohini Hattangandy, Ian Charleson, felt. Widescreen. [PG]쩠 Athol Fugard, Roshan Seth, Saeed Jaffrey, Game Plan, The (2007) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Ratzenberger, Geraldine James, Michael Andy Fickman. Dwayne ‘‘The Rock’’ Hordern, Marius Weyers, Om Puri. Sweeping Johnson, Madison Pettis, Kyra Sedgwick, account of the life and times of Mohandas K. Roselyn Sanchez, Morris Chestnut, Paige Gandhi, who rose from a position of simple Turco, Gordon Clapp. Egocentric superstar lawyer to become a nation’s leader and a quarterback (Johnson) becomes a better worldwide symbol of peace and understandperson—and a better player—after he spends ing. Storytelling at its best, in the tradition of quality time with the 8-year-old daughter great Hollywood epics, though film’s second (Pettis) he never knew he had. Predictable half is less riveting than the first. Kingsley gives mix of rib-tickling and heart-tugging elean unforgettable performance in the lead. Eight ments; this family-friendly comedy sticks Oscars include Best Picture, Actor, Director, close to the rulebook for movies about selfScreenplay (John Briley). Look for Daniel absorbed workaholics suddenly saddled Day-Lewis as one of three youths who accost Gandhi in the street. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 with parental responsibilities. Johnson enlivens the tired material with megawatt chaGang Related (1997) C-111m. ★★ D: Jim risma and first-rate comic timing. Super 35. Kouf. James Belushi, Tupac Shakur, Dennis [PG]쩠 Quaid, Lela Rochon, James Earl Jones, David Games (1967) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Curtis Paymer, Wendy Crewson, Gary Cole, T. C. Harrington. Simone Signoret, James Caan, Carson, Brad Greenquist. Corrupt cops BeKatharine Ross, Don Stroud, Estelle Winlushi and Shakur sell coke to dealers, then kill wood. After arrival of mysterious Signoret them and recycle the drugs, but their scam at kinky newlywed N.Y.C. apartment, borstarts to unravel when one of their victims derline pranks become deadly conspiracy. turns out to be an undercover DEA agent. The trick: guess who’s double-crossing Sleazy crime thriller maintains some interwhom. Attempts at deeper meanings unfulest for a while, but falls apart due to its filling, despite good cast. Techniscope.▼ laughably contrived script and a schizoGames, The (1970-British) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: phrenic tone that alternates faux-nihilism Michael Winner. Michael Crawford, Stanley with shameless sentimentality. The late Baker, Ryan O’Neal, Charles Aznavour, JerShakur shows some talent in his last role, emy Kemp, Elaine Taylor, Kent Smith, Sam but Belushi gives an embarrassingly hammy Elliott, Mona Washbourne. Dull film on poperformance. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 tentially interesting subject: preparation of Gang’s All Here, The (1943) C-103m. ★★1 four runners for grueling 26-mile marathon in ⁄2 D: Busby Berkeley. Alice Faye, Carthe Olympics. Rafer Johnson plays one of the men Miranda, Phil Baker, Benny Goodman commentators. Panavision. [G] and Orchestra, Eugene Pallette, Charlotte Game 6 (2006) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Greenwood, Edward Everett Horton, Tony Hoffman. Michael Keaton, Robert Downey, DeMarco, James Ellison, Sheila Ryan. Corny Jr., Ari Graynor, Bebe Neuwirth, Griffin but visually dazzling wartime musical, with Dunne, Shalom Harlow, Catherine O’Hara, soldier Ellison going off to battle while both Harris Yulin, Nadia Dajani, Tom Aldredge, Faye and Ryan believe they’re engaged to Lillias White, Roger Rees. N.Y.C. in 1986: him. Two socko musical numbers courtesy a playwright and rabid baseball fan whose of Berkeley: ‘‘The Lady with the Tutti-Frutti newest show is about to open tries to deal Hat’’ (featuring Miranda at her best) and the with a variety of conflicts, including the finale, ‘‘The Polka Dot Polka.’’ Faye does [ 511 ]

‘‘No Love, No Nothin’.’’ And, as an added bubble-gum cards which feature creatures kitsch treat, Benny Goodman sings! Watch with names like Greaser Greg and Valerie for June Haver as a hat-check girl, Jeanne Vomit. They all live in a garbage pail, Crain by the swimming pool.●쩠 where they are destined to be joined by the Gangs of New York (2002) C-168m. ★★★1⁄2 negative of this movie. [PG]▼쩠 D: Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio, DanGarbo Talks (1984) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: iel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Liam Neeson, Sidney Lumet. Anne Bancroft, Ron SilJim Broadbent, John C. Reilly, Henry Thomas, ver, Carrie Fisher, Catherine Hicks, SteBrendan Gleeson, Gary Lewis, David Hemven Hill, Howard da Silva, Dorothy mings, Alec McCowen, Cara Seymour, BarLoudon, Harvey Fierstein, Hermione Ginbara Bouchet. Epic-scale film about rivalries gold, Mary McDonnell. Silver sets out to among warring factions of New Yorkers in fulfill his dying mother’s last request: to the 1860s. A young man who’s been away for meet Greta Garbo. Bancroft is a treat as 16 years returns to his home turf determined to the feisty mom, but film is just a series of avenge his father’s death at the hands of Bill vignettes, occasionally poignant but overthe Butcher (Day-Lewis), the self-appointed all self-conscious and contrived, further leader of the nationalistic ‘‘Native Ameriundermined by Cy Coleman’s saccharine cans.’’ Visceral, cinematic storytelling, acted score. That’s writer-performer Betty Comden out on Dante Ferretti’s extraordinary sets by a as Garbo in the last scene. [PG-13]▼● solid cast, led by a brilliant Day-Lewis as the Garde a` Vue (1981-French) C-87m. ★★★ eccentric—and ferocious—Bill. Introduction D: Claude Miller. Lino Ventura, Michel of the notorious draft riots toward the end Serrault, Romy Schneider, Guy Marchand. seems abrupt, but the overall impact of the Prominent lawyer Serrault, suspected of film is still formidable. Screenplay by Jay raping and murdering two girls, is interroCocks, Steven Zaillian, and Kenneth Lonergated by police inspectors Ventura and gan, suggested by Herbert Asbury’s 1928 Marchand. Tense, involving drama, with book. Magnificently photographed by Mifine performances by all. chael Ballhaus. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Garden, The (1990-British) C/B&W-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Derek Jarman. Tilda Swinton, Gangster, The (1947) 84m. ★★★ D: Gordon Wiles. Barry Sullivan, Belita, Joan Johnny Mills, Philip MacDonald, Roger Cook, Lorring, Akim Tamiroff, Harry Morgan, Kevin Collins, Pete Lee-Wilson, Spencer Lee, John Ireland, Fifi D’Orsay, Shelley WinJody Graber, Michael Gough. Surreal, deeply ters. Sullivan gives strong performance as personal union of images and sound, which man who falls victim to his slum environtells (in very abstract terms) the story of the ment and ends up a vengeful crook.▼ Passion of Christ; however, the Christ figure Gangster No. 1 (2000-British-German) Cis replaced by a pair of homosexual lovers, 105m. ★★ D: Paul McGuigan. Malcolm Mcwho are destined to experience suffering and Dowell, David Thewlis, Paul Bettany, Saffron humiliation. As with most of Jarman’s work, Burrows, Kenneth Cranham, Eddie Marsan. some will find it thought provoking while An aging mobster thinks back about his life, others will be bored (if not offended). ▼ and how he went from being a street hood Garden of Allah, The (1936) C-80m. ★★ to a powerful racketeer. Stylish and interestD: Richard Boleslawski. Marlene Dietrich, ing, with strong performances, but loses its Charles Boyer, Tilly Losch, Basil Rathstory momentum and becomes repellently bone, Joseph Schildkraut, Henry Kleinbach brutal. [R]▼쩠 (Henry Brandon), John Carradine. FlaGangster Story (1959) 65m. ★1⁄2 D: Walter grantly silly romance set in the Algerian Matthau. Walter Matthau, Carol Grace, Bruce desert; full of ripe dialogue, troubled McFarlan, Gerrett Wallberg. Matthau’s lone glances, beauty shots of Marlene in a varifilm as director is a low-quality, ultra-lowety of gorgeous sheaths and flowing gowns, budget chronicle of the plight of a bank robber and some wonderful Technicolor scenery and killer. Grace, as a librarian who falls for (which helped win its cameramen, W. the thug, is real-life Mrs. Matthau.▼쩠 Howard Greene and Harold Rosson, a speGang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight, The cial Oscar). It just isn’t very good. ▼쩠 (1971) C-96m. ★★ D: James Goldstone. Garden of Evil (1954) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jerry Orbach, Leigh Taylor-Young, Jo Van Henry Hathaway. Gary Cooper, Susan HayFleet, Lionel Stander, Robert De Niro, ward, Richard Widmark, Hugh Marlowe, Herve Villechaize. Film version of Jimmy Cameron Mitchell, Rita Moreno. MeanBreslin’s best-seller about comical, twelfthdering adventure set in 1850s Mexico, rate N.Y.C. crooks is well cast, but adapted with trio escorting Hayward through bandit territory to save her husband. CinemaScope.쩠 in slapdash fashion and directed without Garden of the Finzi-Continis, The (1971much feeling for the material. [PG] ▼쩠 Garbage Pail Kids Movie, The (1987) Italian) C-95m. ★★★★ D: Vittorio De Sica. C-100m. BOMB D: Rod Amateau. AnDominique Sanda, Lino Capolicchio, Helmut thony Newley, MacKenzie Astin, Katie Berger, Fabio Testi, Romolo Valli. ExquiBarberi. Crude live-action kiddie film ‘‘insitely photographed drama about aristocratic spired’’ by the popular and controversial Jewish family in WW2 Italy which conve[ 512 ]

niently ignores the spectre of the concentration camp until it’s too late. Sad, haunting film boosted Sanda to stardom and won an Oscar as Best Foreign Film. Screenplay by Vittorio Bonicelli and Ugo Pirro; from novel by Giorgio Bassani. [R]▼●쩠 Gardens of Stone (1987) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Francis Coppola. James Caan, Anjelica Huston, James Earl Jones, D. B. Sweeney, Dean Stockwell, Mary Stuart Masterson, Dick Anthony Williams, Lonette McKee, Sam Bottoms, Larry Fishburne. Well-acted story about life in Arlington National Cemetery’s home guard during the thick of the Vietnam war—and one young soldier’s determination to go into battle. Strong performances keep it going most of the way, but toward the end the dialogue sounds hollow, like the sentiment itself. Carmine Coppola’s funereal music doesn’t help. Jones steals the show in a warm-hearted role; young leading lady Masterson’s reallife parents, Peter Masterson and Carlin Glynn, play her folks on-screen. [R]▼●쩠 Garden State (2004) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Zach Braff. Zach Braff, Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Ian Holm, Ron Leibman, Jean Smart, Method Man. After his mother’s death, a wannabe actor returns to his New Jersey hometown and is slowly brought out of a numbed (and overmedicated) existence by a free-spirited young woman. Interesting debut feature from actor-writer-director Braff, who has an eye for original, quirky detail but slides into self-conscious whimsy a bit too often. Sarsgaard and, especially, Portman shine. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Garfield (2004) C-80m. ★★ D: Pete Hewitt. Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Stephen Tobolowsky; voices of Bill Murray, Nick Cannon, Alan Cumming, David Eigenberg, Brad Garrett, Jimmy Kimmel, Debra Messing. Murray is an ideal voice for the world’s laziest (and hungriest) cat in this innocuous, uninspired comedy combining computer-generated animation and live action. Meyer is Garfield’s hapless owner, who tries to woo attractive veterinarian Hewitt by adopting Odie, a homeless mutt, which spurs Garfield into defensive action. Based on Jim Davis’ comic strip and animated TV series. Followed by a sequel. [PG]

FIELD: A TAIL OF TWO KITTIES. [PG]

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Gas (1981-Canadian) C-94m. BOMB D: Les Rose. Donald Sutherland, Susan Anspach, Howie Mandel, Sterling Hayden, Sandee Currie, Peter Aykroyd, Helen Shaver. Noisy, moronic garbage about the effect of a phony gas shortage on an ‘‘average’’ American town. Car crashes ad nauseam, with Sutherland wasted as Nick the Noz, a hip disc jockey. [R]▼ Gas Food Lodging (1992) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Allison Anders. Brooke Adams, Ione Skye, Fairuza Balk, James Brolin, Robert Knepper, David Lansbury, Jacob Vargas, Donovan Leitch, Chris Mulkey, Tiffany Anders. Truck-stop waitress struggles to raise two daughters in a Laramie, N.M., trailer park, with the older one already jaded by men and the younger idealistic to the end. Overrated by some, but still fairly passionate despite a slender budget and minimalist cinematics. Good performances extend to Brolin’s, as a wandering dad. Skye (Trudi) and Leitch (Darius) are real-life sister and brother. [R]▼●쩠 Gaslight (1940-British) 84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Thorold Dickinson. Anton Walbrook, Diana Wynyard, Frank Pettingell, Cathleen Cordell, Robert Newton, Jimmy Hanley. First version of Patrick Hamilton’s play about an insane criminal who drives his wife crazy in order to discover hidden jewels. Electrifying atmosphere, delicious performances, and a succinctly conveyed sense of madness and evil lurking beneath the surface of the ordinary. Screenplay by A. R. Rawlinson and Bridget Boland. U.S. title: ANGEL STREET.▼쩠 Gaslight (1944) 114m. ★★★ D: George Cukor. Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer, Joseph Cotten, Dame May Whitty, Angela Lansbury, Terry Moore. The bloom has worn off this classic chiller about a man trying to drive his wife insane, but lush production, Victorian flavor, and fine performances remain intact. Bergman won Oscar; Lansbury’s film debut. Filmed before in 1940. Also shown in computercolored version.▼●쩠 Gas-s-s-s (1970) C-79m. ★★★ D: Roger Corman. Bud Cort, Cindy Williams, Robert Corff, Ben Vereen, Tally Coppola ▼쩠 (Talia Shire), Elaine Giftos. Insane, often Garfield 2 (2006) C-78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tim uproarious story focusing on reactions of Hill. Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, youngsters in crisis: a gas kills everyone Billy Connolly, Ian Abercrombie, Roger on Earth over 25. Reedited against Corman’s Rees, Lucy Davis, Jane Carr; voices of Bill wishes, causing much disjointedness, but stay Murray, Bob Hoskins, Sharon Osbourne, with it. Aka GAS! OR IT BECAME NECESTim Curry, Jane Leeves, Jane Horrocks, SARY TO DESTROY THE WORLD IN Richard E. Grant, Vinnie Jones, Rhys Ifans, ORDER TO SAVE IT. [PG]▼쩠 Jim Piddock; narrated by Roscoe Lee Gate, The (1987) C-92m. ★★ D: Tibor TaBrowne. While tagging along with Meyer kacs. Stephen Dorff, Christa Denton, Louis on a trip to London, Garfield is mistaken Tripp, Kelly Rowan, Jennifer Irwin, Deborah for a look-alike cat who’s come into a big Grove, Scot Denton. It’s a boring weekend: inheritance. Minor but amusing. Alternate Dorff is grounded, his sister is babysitting version runs 86m. Advertised as GARwhile the parents are away—then he and a pal [ 513 ]

discover the gate to hell in their suburban backtwo in store for them. A tedious tease of a yard. Worthless first half is somewhat refilm, with moments of truly repellent viodeemed by amusing/scary special effects in the lence. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼ second. Followed by a sequel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Gator Bait II: Cajun Justice (1988) C-95m. ★1 Gate II (1992) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Tibor ⁄2 D: Ferd and Beverly C. Sebastian. Jan Takacs. Louis Tripp, Simon Reynolds, MacKenzie, Tray Loren, Jerry Armstrong, Pamela Segall, James Villemaire, Neil Paul Muzzcat, Ben Sebastian. Just what you’ve Munro. Demons of the underworld are rebeen waiting for: a sequel, with Loren as the summoned by now-teenaged Tripp to grant brother of the character played in the original his wishes. Though his intentions are on the by the late Claudia Jennings. City girl Macnaive side, it’s safe to say that all hell breaks Kenzie is his new wife; after being harassed loose. None of THE GATE’s goofy fright by some stereotypically slobbering backmade its way into this unnecessary sequel. woods boors, she goes into action. [R]▼● This spent three years on the shelf. [R]▼● Gattaca (1997) C-112m. ★★★ D: Andrew Gate of Hell (1953-Japanese) C-86m. Niccol. Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude ★★★1 Law, Gore Vidal, Loren Dean, Alan Arkin, ⁄2 D: Teinosuke Kinugasa. Machiko Kyo, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata, Xander Berkeley, Blair Underwood, Ernest Koreya Senda. Stark, stunning historical Borgnine, Tony Shalhoub, Jayne Brook, Elias drama, set in 12th-century Japan, about a Koteas. In the near future, parents can choose Samurai who falls in love with—and then to have all genetic imperfections eliminated tragically shames—a married woman. This from their children prior to birth. This has beautiful production earned Oscars for Cosgiven rise to a new form of discrimination: tume Design and Best Foreign Film.▼ the genetically perfected ‘‘Valids’’ vs. the natGates of Heaven (1978) C-82m. ★★★1⁄2 D: urally born ‘‘In-Valids.’’ In-Valid Hawke pays Errol Morris. Delightfully offbeat yet piercdisabled Valid Law for the rights to his idening documentary about a pet cemetery in— tity. Bracingly intelligent, wittily ironic, and where else?—California. At once hilarious very well acted. Given the premise, however, and an allegory about the absurdity of the dull, conformist society depicted seems unAmerican priorities. Not to be confused convincing. Notable directing debut for Niccol, who also scripted. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 with Michael Cimino’s HEAVEN’S GATE, or Stephen King’s PET SEMAGaucho, The (1927) 96m. ★★ D: F. Richard TARY, for that matter.▼쩠 Jones. Douglas Fairbanks, Lupe Velez, Eve Gathering of Eagles, A (1963) C-115m. Southern, Gustav von Seyffertitz, Nigel de ★★★ Brulier, Geraine Greear (Joan Barclay). D: Delbert Mann. Rock Hudson, Rod Taylor, Mary Peach, Barry Sullivan, Corny melodramatics and moralizing and Kevin McCarthy, Henry Silva, Leif Ericknot enough action hamper this lesser Fairson. Crisp Strategic Air Command drama banks vehicle, in which he plays a famed, with novelty of peacetime setting; Hudson egocentric South American cowboy. Mary gives one of his best performances as less Pickford, Fairbanks’ wife, appears as ‘‘Our Lady of the Shrine.’’▼●쩠 than likable colonel whose wife struggles to adjust to being a military spouse. Good Gaudi Afternoon (2002-Spanish) C-90m. ★★ D: Susan Seidelman. Judy Davis, Marcia script by Robert Pirosh. Look for Louise Fletcher as a patient’s wife.▼ Gay Harden, Lili Taylor, Juliette Lewis, ★1 Gatling Gun, The (1972) C-93m. ⁄2 D: Marı´a Barranco, Christopher Bowen, CourtRobert Gordon. Guy Stockwell, Woody ney Jines. Overbaked, gender-bending mishStrode, Patrick Wayne, Robert Fuller, Barbara mash with oddball American Harden arriving Luna, John Carradine, Pat Buttram, Phil Harin Barcelona, hiring translator Davis to help ris. Cavalry, renegade soldiers, Apaches, fight her find a missing person. Davis is shrill and over Gatling gun. Standard, forgettable WestTaylor doesn’t so much act as yell, but ern. Aka KING GUN. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Harden is a hoot in a most unusual role. Gator (1976) C-116m. ★★ D: Burt ReynBased on a book by Barbara Wilson. [R] olds. Burt Reynolds, Jack Weston, Lauren ▼쩠 Hutton, Jerry Reed, Alice Ghostley, Mike Gauntlet, The (1977) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Douglas, Dub Taylor. Not-so-hot sequel Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Sondra to WHITE LIGHTNING, about Justice Locke, Pat Hingle, William Prince, Bill Dept. agent Weston and moonshiner ex-con McKinney, Mara Corday. Eastwood stars Reynolds out to get the goods on corrupt as a none-too-clever cop escorting hooker Southern politicians. Some good action, but Locke to trial; corrupt officials are deteroverlong and poorly constructed. Reynolds’ mined to stop them, whatever the cost. directing debut. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼●쩠 Exciting at times, but not meant to be taken Gator Bait (1976) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Ferd seriously. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 and Beverly C. Sebastian. Claudia JenGay Divorcee, The (1934) 107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: nings, Sam Gilman, Doug Dirkson, Clyde Mark Sandrich. Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Ventura, Bill Thurman. All the menfolk are Alice Brady, Edward Everett Horton, Erik after sexy swamp-girl (Playboy Playmate of Rhodes, Eric Blore, Betty Grable. Top Astairethe Year Jennings) but she has a surprise or Rogers froth with usual needless plot and un[ 514 ]

usual musical numbers, including Oscar-windone; Disney did same story in 1956 as THE GREAT LOCOMOTIVE CHASE. ▼●쩠 ning ‘‘Continental’’ and Cole Porter’s ‘‘Night General, The (1998-Irish) 124m. ★★1⁄2 D: and Day.’’ Rhodes is memorable as would-be John Boorman. Brendan Gleeson, Jon Voight, corespondent in divorce case. Incidentally, the Adrian Dunbar, Sean McGinley, Maria Doyle Broadway hit on which this was based was Kennedy, Angeline Ball, Eamonn Owens. called The Gay Divorce, but the Hollywood Boorman scripted this character study of a Production Code disapproved. ▼●쩠 true-life Dublin working-class criminal known Gay Purr-ee (1962) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Abe as the General, who evaded police capture Levitow. Voices of Judy Garland, Robert for years. Following his own skewed code of Goulet, Red Buttons, Hermione Gingold, ethics, he masterminds robberies both large Paul Frees, Morey Amsterdam. A naive and small, extracts loyalty from his soldiers, cat’s misadventures in Paris. Stylish cartoon loves two women simultaneously, and from UPA studio, written by Chuck and matches wits with a hard-nosed cop (Voight) Dorothy Jones, lacks storytelling oomph. who is determined to nail him. Interesting, Chief assets are Garland and Goulet perwell made, but overlong. Filmmaker Jim forming original songs by Harold Arlen and Sheridan has a bit part. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 E. Y. Harburg, who wrote THE WIZARD General Della Rovere (1959-Italian) 129m. OF OZ score for Judy years earlier.▼●쩠 ★★★1⁄2 D: Roberto Rossellini. Vittorio De ★★★ Gazebo, The (1959) 100m. D: George Sica, Hannes Messemer, Sandra Milo, Marshall. Glenn Ford, Debbie Reynolds, Giovanna Ralli, Anne Vernon. De Sica is Carl Reiner, Doro Merande, John McGiver, brilliant as a con man forced by the Nazis Mabel Albertson. Offbeat comedy involvto impersonate a just-deceased Italian gening murder and a backyard gazebo that eral and find out the identity of a Resiscovers up crime. Character actors McGiver tance leader. Will this charade somehow and Merande wrap this up, but stars are transform a coward into a hero?▼쩠 competent. Also shown in computer-colored General Died at Dawn, The (1936) 97m. version. CinemaScope.▼ ★★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Milestone. Gary Cooper, Gazon Maudit SEE: French Twist Madeleine Carroll, Akim Tamiroff, DudGeisha Boy, The (1958) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: ley Digges, Porter Hall, William Frawley. Frank Tashlin. Jerry Lewis, Marie McFine, atmospheric drama of Oriental inDonald, Sessue Hayakawa, Nobu McCartrigue, with mercenary Cooper falling in thy, Suzanne Pleshette, Barton MacLane, love with spy Carroll while battling evil Robert Hirano. Jerry, an inept magician, warlord Tamiroff. Author John O’Hara travels to Japan with disastrous consehas cameo as reporter on train. Another celquences. Imaginative visual gags; there’s a ebrated writer, Clifford Odets, scripted from cute sequence featuring the Los Angeles Charles Booth’s novel.▼쩠 Dodgers (and, in particular, Gil Hodges). General’s Daughter, The (1999) C-125m. Pleshette’s film debut. VistaVision.▼ ★★1 ⁄2 D: Simon West. John Travolta, MadeGene Krupa Story, The (1959) 101m. leine Stowe, James Cromwell, Timothy Hut★★1 ⁄2 D: Don Weis, Sal Mineo, Susan ton, Leslie Stefanson, Daniel von Bargen, Kohner, James Darren, Susan Oliver, Clarence Williams III, James Woods, John Yvonne Craig, Lawrence Dobkin, Red Frankenheimer. Army investigator Travolta Nichols, Buddy Lester. Hackneyed veruncovers more than he ever imagined when sion of great jazz drummer’s life, his ups and he looks into the murder of a popular generdowns, his siege of dope addiction.▼●쩠 al’s daughter, herself a captain. As evidence Genealogies of a Crime (1997-French) Cof a major scandal grows, it becomes clear 114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raul Ruiz. Catherine Dethat the Army’s only concern is keeping a neuve, Michel Piccoli, Melvil Poupaud, Anlid on the matter. Slickly done, but this drzej Seweryn, Bernadette LaFont. Deneuve twisty tale (from Nelson DeMille’s bestis dazzling in a dual role as the lawyer for and seller) has a heavy air of contrivance about victim of a strange young man who’s accused it. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 of murdering his psychiatrist aunt after she Generation, A (1954-Polish) 88m. ★★★ allegedly subjected him to radical mind-conD: Andrzej Wajda. Ursula Modrzinska, trol treatments. Well-acted but pretentious, inTadevsz Lomnicki, Zbigniew Cybulski. tentionally confusing mixture of mystery, Strong, necessarily downbeat drama about satire, and surrealism; tricked up with the Polish Resistance during World War 2 meaningless flashbacks within flashbacks and what happens when a young man falls and other narrative and visual gimmicks.쩠 in love with the woman who leads the General, The (1927) 75m. ★★★★ D: Buster Resistance group. Wajda’s first film and Keaton, Clyde Bruckman. Buster Keaton, the first of a trilogy that includes the Marion Mack, Glen Cavender, Jim Farley, even better KANAL and ASHES AND Joseph Keaton. One of Keaton’s best silent DIAMONDS. Young Roman Polanski is features, setting comedy against true Civil featured in the cast.▼쩠 War story of stolen train, Union spies. Not as Generation (1969) C-104m. ★★ D: George fanciful as other Keaton films, but beautifully Schaefer. David Janssen, Kim Darby, Carl [ 515 ]

Reiner, Peter Duel, Andrew Prine, James understated as the butler; you get the feeling Coco, Sam Waterston. Darby helps othhe’s doing it only because his wife, Trudie erwise dreary comedy based on Broadway Styler, produced the film. Original title: play about just-married couple who infuriTHE GROTESQUE. Video title: GRAVE ate the girl’s father when husband plans to INDISCRETIONS. [R]▼● deliver their soon-to-arrive baby himself; Gentlemen Marry Brunettes (1955) Cplays like a TV sitcom. [M/PG]▼ 97m. ★★ D: Richard Sale. Jane Russell, Genevieve (1953-British) C-86m. ★★★1⁄2 Jeanne Crain, Alan Young, Rudy Vallee, D: Henry Cornelius. Dinah Sheridan, John Scott Brady. Anita Loos’ follow-up to Gregson, Kay Kendall, Kenneth More, GeofGENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES has frey Keen, Joyce Grenfell, Michael Medwin. Russell and Crain, two sisters in show biz Lively, colorful comedy (by William Rose) in Paris, trying to avoid romances. Not up pits two couples and their vintage roadsters to original. CinemaScope. against one another in a cross-country race. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) C-91m. ★★★ D: Howard Hawks. Jane Russell, Uniquely British, brimming with charm and humor; a huge success in its day. Music score Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn, Elliott by harmonica virtuoso Larry Adler.▼ Reid, Tommy Noonan, George ‘‘Foghorn’’ Genghis Khan (1965) C-124m. ★1⁄2 D: Winslow. Slick, colorful bauble of enterHenry Levin. Omar Sharif, Stephen Boyd, tainment with two sassy leading ladies James Mason, Eli Wallach, Franc¸oise Dortantalizing the men of two continents; Marleac, Telly Savalas, Robert Morley, Yvonne ilyn is at her best as fortune-hunter Lorelei Mitchell, Woody Strode. Laughable epic with Lee, and Russell gives a sly, knowing gross miscasting and juvenile script, loosely comic performance as her pal. Based on based on legend of Mongol leader. No sweep the Broadway adaptation of Anita Loos’ or spectacle, but radiant Dorleac and earnest venerable story, with sprightly Leo Robin– Sharif. Panavision. Jule Styne songs including ‘‘Diamonds ★★★ Gentle Giant (1967) C-93m. D: James Are a Girl’s Best Friend.’’ Sequel: GENNeilson. Dennis Weaver, Vera Miles, Clint TLEMEN MARRY BRUNETTES.▼●쩠 Howard, Ralph Meeker, Huntz Hall. FeaGeorge A. Romero’s Diary of the Dead ture film which hatched TV series Gentle SEE: Diary of the Dead Ben is appealing children’s story of boy George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker and his pet bear.▼ SEE: Nutcracker, The (1993) Gentleman Jim (1942) 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George of the Jungle (1997) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 Raoul Walsh. Errol Flynn, Alexis Smith, Jack D: Sam Weisman. Brendan Fraser, Leslie Carson, Alan Hale, John Loder, William Mann, Thomas Haden Church, Holland TayFrawley, Minor Watson, Ward Bond, Arthur lor, John Bennett Perry, Abraham Benrubi, Shields. Sassy biography of polished boxer Greg Cruttwell, Richard Roundtree, voice of Jim Corbett in fight game’s early days. Flynn John Cleese; narrated by Keith Scott. Liveis dynamic in title role (reportedly his favoraction Disney comedy feature based on Jay ite), supported by colorful cast—especially Ward’s 1960s cartoon show about a clumsy Bond in larger-than-life role as legendary king of the jungle. Aimed at kids, who should champ John L. Sullivan. Scripted by Vincent enjoy it thoroughly; for adults its one-note Lawrence and Horace McCoy. Also shown in silliness wears thin, with a preponderance of computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 story climaxes, but Fraser and Mann are imGentleman’s Agreement (1947) 118m. ★★★ mensely likable. Why couldn’t they come D: Elia Kazan. Gregory Peck, Dorothy Mcup with at least a few funny lines for the Guire, John Garfield, Celeste Holm, Anne ReApe named Ape? Followed in 2003 by a vere, June Havoc, Albert Dekker, Jane Wyatt, direct-to-video sequel. [PG] ▼●쩠 Dean Stockwell, Sam Jaffe. Sincere OscarGeorge Raft Story, The (1961) 106m. ★★1⁄2 winningadaptation of Laura Z. Hobson’s novel D: Joseph M. Newman. Ray Danton, Jayne of writer (Peck) pretending to be Jewish, disMansfield, Barrie Chase, Julie London, Nevcovering rampant anti-Semitism. Holm won ille Brand, Frank Gorshin. Danton is good in Supporting Actress Oscar as chic but lonely title role of fast-moving account of Raft’s rise fashion editor, as did Kazan for his direction. from Broadway dancer to top Hollywood star. Then-daring approach to subject matter is tame How much is true, who can say?쩠 now. Screenplay by Moss Hart. ▼●쩠 George’s Island (1991-Canadian) C-90m. Gentlemen Don’t Eat Poets (1995-British) ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Donovan. Nathaniel Moreau, C-97m. ★★ D: John-Paul Davidson. Alan Ian Bannen, Sheila McCarthy, Maury Bates, Sting, Theresa Russell, Lena Headey, Chaykin, Vicki Ridler, Brian Downcy. Steven Mackintosh, Anna Massey, Trudie Young Nova Scotia boy is taken from his Styler, Maria Aitken. An English butler, in crusty grandpop—who has regaled him cooperation with the mistress of the house, with tales of pirate ghosts and local buried frames his master for murder in this blacktreasure from Captain Kidd’s raids—and est of black British comedies. Other than its must escape from a grim foster home to clever (and somewhat prophetic) title, this lacks the necessary wit to succeed. Sting is complete his treasure quest. Modest tale [ 516 ]

dwells too long on adult caricatures and too film with her mother, Barbara Turner (who little on boyhood adventures.▼● wrote the screenplay). Winningham is excelGeorge Stevens: A Filmmaker’s Jourlent as the serene older sister and also does her own very appealing vocals. [R]▼●쩠 ney (1984) C/B&W-110m. ★★★ D: George Stevens, Jr. Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Georgia, Georgia (1972) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel McCrea, Elizabeth Taylor, Fred AsStig Bjorkman. Diana Sands, Dirk Benedict, taire, Ginger Rogers, and Warren Beatty are Minnie Gentry. Black singer’s involveamong those who help create vivid document with white photographer and Amerimentary portrait of director Stevens. Great can defectors. Interesting but uneven. [R]▼ clips from ALICE ADAMS, SWING TIME, Georgia Rule (2007) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Garry GUNGA DIN, THE MORE THE MERMarshall. Jane Fonda, Lindsay Lohan, FelicRIER, A PLACE IN THE SUN, SHANE, ity Huffman, Dermot Mulroney, Cary Elwes, GIANT, etc. Stevens, Jr., supplies personal Garrett Hedlund, Hector Elizondo, Laurie insights, plus fascinating home movies Metcalf, Rance Howard. Huffman takes her taken by his father on film sets—and color difficult, sexually precocious teenage daughter footage shot during WW2 in Europe.▼●쩠 to live with her mother in Idaho for the sumGeorge Washington (2000) C-89m. ★★★ mer. Grandma (Fonda) is a character in her D: David Gordon Green. Candace Evanofown right whose own daughter can barely ski, Donald Holden, Damian Jewan Lee, stand to be in the same room with her. What Curtis Cotton III, Rachael Handy, Paul might seem like a multigenerational story of Schneider, Eddie Rouse, Janet Taylor. Eyewomen clearing the clutter from their relationopening debut feature from writer-director ships turns into a strange story involving moGreen, spotlighting a small group of prelestation, alcoholism, sexuality, and religion! teens in a lazy North Carolina town and Odd in the extreme, with a trio of characters how they individually and collectively react who aren’t easy to like, let alone understand. to a terrible accident. Strikingly original, The polar opposite of a feel-good movie. dreamlike film is filled with beautiful imagSuper 35. [R]쩠 ery and naturalistic performances, hamGeorgy Girl (1966-British) 100m. ★★★1⁄2 pered only by the constraints of its low D: Silvio Narizzano. James Mason, Alan budget. J-D-C Scope. ▼쩠 Bates, Lynn Redgrave, Charlotte Rampling, George Washington Slept Here (1942) Bill Owen, Claire Kelly, Rachel Kempson. 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Keighley. Jack Benny, Delightful, adult British comedy of modernAnn Sheridan, Charles Coburn, Percy Kilday morals, with Redgrave as ugly-duckling bride, Hattie McDaniel, William Tracy, Joyce Georgy, Mason as the wealthy, aging marReynolds, Lee Patrick, Charles Dingle, John ried man who wants her for his mistress. Emery. Sheridan (never more beautiful) surEntire cast is excellent, with Rampling scorprises her city-dweller husband Benny by ing as Georgy’s bitchy roommate. Faithful buying a dilapidated country house and pouradaptation of Margaret Forster novel; scripted ing all their money—and patience—into the by Forster and Peter Nichols. ▼●쩠 process of fixing it up. Pleasant but predictGerminal (1993-French) C-158m. ★★★ D: able adaptation of the Kaufman-Hart play, Claude Berri. Renaud, Ge´rard Depardieu, with Benny in good form, and Kilbride reMiou-Miou, Jean Carmet, Judith Henry, creating his Broadway role as the hayseed Jean-Roger Milo, Laurent Terzieff, Jeancontractor.▼● Pierre Bisson, Bernard Fresson, Jacques George White’s Scandals (1945) 95m. Dacqmine, Anny Duperey. Sprawling adap★★ tation of classic 1884 Emile Zola novel, this D: Felix E. Feist. Joan Davis, Jack Haley, Phillip Terry, Martha Holliday, Bettejane manages to tell both the epic tale of a bleak (Jane) Greer, Margaret Hamilton, Glenn rural community and the personal story of Tryon. Mild musical centering around the coal miner Depardieu’s impoverished fammounting of a ‘‘Scandals’’ stageshow, and ily. The action begins when a young jobchronicling the romances of Davis-Haley and seeker (played by French singer Renaud, in Holliday-Terry. Tryon plays George White; his feature acting debut) stirs up the workthe real impresario produced.▼ force in the mining village and begins to Georgia (1995) C-117m. ★★ D: Ulu Grospoliticize the populace. Impressively rebard. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mare Wincreates the period, though the characters ningham, Ted Levine, Max Perlich, John sometimes seem a bit hollow. Still, it’s hard Doe, John C. Reilly, Jimmy Witherspoon, to come away unaffected. Previously filmed in France in 1963. Panavision.▼● Jason Carter, Tom Bower, Smokey Hormel. A strung-out, self-destructive young woman Geronimo (1962) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arnold lives in the shadow of her older sister, a Laven. Chuck Connors, Kamala Devi, Pat popular singer, and wants to be her— Conway, Armando Silvestre, Lawrence though the younger sister has no talent. Dobkin, Ross Martin, Denver Pyle, Adam Leigh is as brilliant as ever getting inside an West. Connors fares well as the noble intense and difficult character (she does her Apache warrior who refuses to submit to own vocals, too), but that doesn’t mean we the U.S. Army. Connors later married leadcare about her much. She also coproduced the ing lady Devi. Panavision. ▼● [ 517 ]

Geronimo: An American Legend (1993) music, though there is also some vintage footC-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Walter Hill. Jason Patric, age of The Beatles. Director Lester made Robert Duvall, Gene Hackman, Wes Studi, more imaginative use of McCartney when he Matt Damon, Rodney A. Grant, Kevin directed him and his compadres in A HARD Tighe, Steve Reevis, Carlos Palomino, VicDAY’S NIGHT and HELP! [PG]▼쩠 tor Aaron, Stuart Proud Eagle Grant, SteGet Bruce! (1999) C-73m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anphen McHattie, Richard Martin, Jr., Roger drew J. Kuehn. Slight but very amusing Callard, Scott Wilson. Stately, intelligent— look at Hollywood comedy writer and selfbut dramatically slack—chronicle of the U.S. styled character Bruce Vilanch, whose credArmy’s attempts to subjugate the great its range from the Academy Awards to HolApache warrior. Strong performance by lywood Squares. Not what you’d call a Studi in the lead, and rich characterizations probing character profile (especially since it by Hackman (as General Crook) and Duvall was done with its subject’s complete coop(as a veteran Indian scout), sustain interest eration), but the interviews with Robin Wilfor quite a while—along with magnificent liams, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, and others are often hysterically funny. [R]▼쩠 Moab, Utah, scenery. Eventually, the film’s point is made, and there’s nothing left to Get Carter (1971-British) C-112m. ★★★ maintain audience involvement. Screenplay D: Mike Hodges. Michael Caine, Ian by John Milius. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Hendry, Britt Ekland, John Osborne, Tony Gerry (2003) C-103m. ★★ D: Gus Van Sant. Beckley, George Sewell. Austere, brutal Matt Damon, Casey Affleck. Two friends go crime drama about a cheerless hit man who for a hike and leave the marked path. Before goes to Newcastle to investigate his brother’s long they realize they’re lost and must adopt death. Caine perfectly embodies his amoral increasingly challenging tactics to survive character, and the film’s violence still packs a and stay sane. The screenplay, such as it is, wallop. Based on a novel by Ted Lewis, is credited to both stars and the director, adapted by Hodges. Remade a year later (as although Van Sant devises clever and creHIT MAN) and again in 2000. [R]▼쩠 ative ways of staging and filming his charGet Carter (2000) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steacters’ odyssey. Some may find this phen Kay. Sylvester Stallone, Miranda existential poppycock stimulating; others Richardson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Alan Cumwill run for the exits. Arriscope. [R]▼쩠 ming, Mickey Rourke, John C. McGinley, MiGetaway, The (1972) C-122m. ★★★ D: chael Caine, Rhona Mitra, Johnny Strong. Las Sam Peckinpah. Steve McQueen, Ali Vegas enforcer goes home to Seattle to investiMacGraw, Ben Johnson, Sally Struthers, gate his brother’s death and meets one sleazy Al Lettieri, Slim Pickens, Dub Taylor, Bo character after another who may have been inHopkins. Exciting, enjoyable film built volved. Routine crime drama, enlivened by around a chase. Bank robber McQueen high-powered car chases but burdened by and wife MacGraw take it on the lam when show-offy visual gimmicks. Remake of the robbery goes haywire. Many fine vignettes, far superior 1971 film that starred Caine, including hair-raising episode on garbage whose role here is thankless. Gretchen Mol truck. Written by Walter Hill from a Jim appears unbilled. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Thompson novel. Music by Quincy Jones. Get Crazy (1983) C-92m. ★★★ D: Allan Remade in 1994. Todd-AO 35. [PG] ▼●쩠 Arkush. Daniel Stern, Malcolm McDowell, ★★ Getaway, The (1994) C-115m. Gail Edwards, Allen Goorwitz (Garfield), D: Roger Donaldson. Alec Baldwin, Kim BaEd Begley, Jr., Miles Chapin, Lou Reed, singer, Michael Madsen, James Woods, Stacey Nelkin, Bill Henderson, Franklyn David Morse, Jennifer Tilly, James Stephens, Ajaye, Bobby Sherman, Fabian Forte, Lori Richard Farnsworth, Philip Seymour HoffEastside, Lee Ving. Arkush’s years workman, Burton Gilliam, Royce D. Applegate. ing at Fillmore East rock palace form the He’s nailed for robbery and thrown in basis for wonderful cartoonlike comedy prison; she frees him by playing up to a set at a trouble-plagued New Year’s Eve crime kingpin; he spends the rest of the concert. Gags fly at machine-gun pace, inmovie resenting her. Or something like that. terspersed with delightful musical numbers; Action, violence, and sex by the numbers in superb take-offs on Mick Jagger (McDowthis halfhearted remake of the 1972 hit; ell), Bob Dylan (Reed), and Muddy Waters even the usually dynamic Woods seems to (Henderson), plus many familiar rock stars be just going through the motions. Watchand character actors in bits. [R]▼ ing real-life couple Baldwin and Basinger Get on the Bus (1996) C-120m. ★★★ D: make love is uncomfortably voyeuristic. It Spike Lee. Ossie Davis, Charles S. Dutton, takes Farnsworth, in the film’s closing moAndre Braugher, DeAundre Bonds, Albert ments, to bring it to life. One sexy scene Hall, Isaiah Washington, Thomas Jefferson added for video. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Byrd, Hill Harper, Harry Lennix, Bernie Get Back (1991) C-89m. ★★ D: Richard Mac, Richard Belzer, Gabriel Casseus. ViLester. Adequate rockumentary of Paul brant, highly energized film about a busload McCartney’s 1989–90 Get Back world tour. of black men heading from L.A. to the MilRecommended only for fans of McCartney’s lion Man March in Washington, D.C., in [ 518 ]

October 1995. Not a polemic, but a series of Paymer, Martin Ferrero, Miguel Sandoval. character studies and vignettes; occasional Clever black comedy about a small-time, speechifying and contrivances are forgivcool-as-ice Miami enforcer coming to L.A. on able because, overall, the film deals so well business, hooking up with a slick, grade-Z with issues facing all Americans. Screenproducer who can fulfill his dream of being play by Reggie Rock Bythewood. Kudos to connected with the movies. Ingenious plotDutton as the bus company rep and Davis as ting, tip-top performances, and some delithe senior member of the brigade. This lowcious digs at Hollywood are offset by a budget film was financed by 15 Africancertain aloofness. Scott Frank scripted from American men, including Danny Glover, Will Elmore Leonard’s novel. Bette Midler apSmith, and Wesley Snipes. Randy Quaid pears unbilled; other famous faces turn up appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 in amusing cameos. Followed by BE Get Out Your Handkerchiefs (1978COOL. [R]▼●쩠 French-Belgian) C-109m. ★★★1⁄2 D: BerGet Smart (2008) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter trand Blier. Ge´rard Depardieu, Patrick Segal. Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dewaere, Carole Laure, Riton, Michel Dwayne Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Serrault, Eleonore Hirt. Disarming black Stamp, James Caan, Masi Oka, Nate Torcomedy about a man who will do almost rence, Ken Davitian, Terry Crews, David anything to keep his sexually frustrated Koechner, Dalip Singh, Bill Murray, Larry wife happy; highly unconventional. Oscar Miller, Kevin Nealon, Blake Clark, Patrick winner for Best Foreign Film. [R]▼쩠 Warburton, Bernie Kopell. Update of the Get Over It (2001) C-86m. ★★ D: Tommy much-loved 1960s spy-spoof TV series O’Haver. Kirsten Dunst, Ben Foster, Me(created by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry) lissa Sagemiller, Colin Hanks, Sisqo´, Marstars Carell as CONTROL Agent 86 Maxtin Short, Shane West, Swoosie Kurtz, Ed well Smart, who’s sent into ‘‘the field’’ for Begley, Jr., Carmen Electra, Kylie Bax, Zoe¨ the first time alongside worldly Agent 99 Saldan˜a. Teen variation of A Midsummer (Hathaway) to expose a nuclear weapon Night’s Dream, with Foster unable to deal plot hatched by KAOS. The stars’ likability with being dumped by his girlfriend, ignoring carries this overlong feature, which pays rethe fact that his best friend’s kid sister is in spect to the TV show but never equals it. love with him. Cute film can’t stay focused, Overblown action finale seems to belong which dampens the fun, but Short is hilariin some other movie. Oka and Torrence’s ous as a high school drama coach. Opens characters, Bruce and Lloyd, star in a companion DVD movie. [PG-13]쩠 with a dynamic musical number under the main titles. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Getting Away With Murder (1976) SEE: Get Real (1999-British) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: End of the Game Simon Shore. Ben Silverstone, Charlotte BritGetting Away With Murder (1996) Ctain, Brad Gorton, Louise J. Taylor, Tim Har92m. BOMB D: Harvey Miller. Jack Lemris, Stacy Hart. Teenage schoolboy in England mon, Dan Aykroyd, Lily Tomlin, Bonnie realizes he’s gay but can’t admit it to his parHunt, Brian Kerwin, Jerry Adler, Andy Roents, teachers, or schoolmates. Then he falls mano. Ethics professor Aykroyd discovers in love with the class jock. Sincere and well that his next-door neighbor (Lemmon) is a acted, but tends to plod at times. Scripted by notorious Nazi war criminal who is plotting Patrick Wilde from his play What’s Wrong to leave the country. Strictly for those who With Angry? Panavision. [R]▼쩠 found JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG a Get Rich or Die Tryin’ (2005) C-117m. laugh riot; a career nadir for the comic tal★★ D: Jim Sheridan. Curtis ‘‘50 Cent’’ Jackents on both sides of the camera. [R]▼●쩠 son, Terrence Howard, Joy Bryant, Bill Getting Even With Dad (1994) C-108m. ★1 Duke, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Omar ⁄2 D: Howard Deutch. Macaulay Culkin, Benson Miller, Viola Davis, Leon, Sullivan Ted Danson, Glenne Headly, Saul Rubinek, Walker, Russell Hornsby. The director of MY Gailard Sartain, Hector Elizondo, Ron CanLEFT FOOT and IN AMERICA tackles a ada. Ex-con cake decorator steals a rare coin gangsta-rap saga, which isn’t as jarring as it collection with his two doofus pals, just as might seem given Sheridan’s obvious afhis 11-year-old son shows up for an exfection for societal underdogs. Cliche´s and tended visit. Touchy-feely comedy didn’t undeveloped story lines sink a promising betouch many paying customers, despite Culginning in which a fatherless youngster with kin’s modified HOME ALONE-ing of commusical inclinations tags along with a manical villains Rubinek and Sartain; Danson’s magnet mom as she deals drugs on the street. unlikely romance with policewoman Headly is as drab as the rest. [PG]▼●쩠 Jackson eventually takes over this autobiographical role and isn’t commanding enough Getting It Right (1989) C-102m. ★★★ D: to carry a long movie. Super 35. [R]쩠 Randal Kleiser. Jesse Birdsall, Helena Get Shorty (1995) C-105m. ★★★ D: Barry Bonham Carter, Peter Cook, Lynn RedSonnenfeld. John Travolta, Gene Hackman, grave, Jane Horrocks, Richard Huw, John Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, Dennis Farina, Gielgud, Shirley Anne Field, Pat HeyDelroy Lindo, James Gandolfini, David wood, Judy Parfitt, Bryan Pringle. Sweetly [ 519 ]

comic story of a 31-year-old virgin and his performances. Final film for Richard Jorattempts to cope with people—women in dan, who has the most poignant role in the particular—seems mundane and meandering picture as General Armistead. Superb score at first, and just gets better as it goes along. by Randy Edelman. Also released on video Some wonderful characterizations, especially in 271m. director’s cut. Followed by a preRedgrave as a wealthy woman with a worldquel: GODS AND GENERALS. [PG] weary facade who just wants to be loved. ▼●쩠 Screenplay by Elizabeth Jane Howard, from Get Yourself A College Girl (1964) C-88m. ★1 her novel. Made in England by an American ⁄2 D: Sidney Miller. Chad Everett, Nancy director and producer. [R]▼● Sinatra, Mary Ann Mobley, Dave Clark Getting of Wisdom, The (1977-Australian) Five, The Animals. Songwriter who is C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Suundergraduate at a staid girls’ school falls sannah Fowle, Hilary Ryan, Alix Longman, in love with a music publisher at resort Sheila Helpmann, Patricia Kennedy, Barry hotel. Strictly for dropouts. Humphries, John Waters. A spirited, senGhidrah, The Three-Headed Monster (1964-Japanese) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ishiro sitive 13-year-old girl (Fowle) from the outback matures on her own terms at a snobHonda. Yosuke Natsuki, Yunko Hoshi, Hirbish Victorian ladies college. Fowle is oshi Koizumi, Akiko Wakabayashi, Tamiscast; however, the era is carefully recrekashi Shimura, Emi Ito, Yumi Ito. Beautiful ated. Based on autobiographical novel by princess, feared killed in a plane crash, reapone Henry Handel Richardson.▼ pears, claiming to be from Mars and warnGetting Straight (1970) C-124m. ★★1⁄2 D: ing that we’re about to be attacked by a Richard Rush. Elliott Gould, Candice space dragon. Darned if she isn’t right. Bergen, Jeff Corey, Max Julien, Cecil Debut of King Ghidorah (whose name was Kellaway, Robert F. Lyons, Jeannie Bermisspelled by the original U.S. distributor) lin, John Rubinstein, Brenda Sykes, Haris one of the better Toho monster rallies, rison Ford. A period piece, but central with Godzilla, Rodan, and Mothra calling a issue of graduate student Gould choosing truce to battle this new foe. Akira Ifukube’s between academic double-talk and his bedynamic score is a plus, as is the warm liefs remains relevant. Gould’s personality presence of the illustrious Shimura. Japapropels glossy film. Bob Kaufman adapted nese running time is 92m. Tohoscope.▼쩠 Ken Kolb’s novel. [R]▼쩠 Ghost, The (1963-Italian) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Get to Know Your Rabbit (1972) C-91m. D: Robert Hampton (Riccardo Freda). Bar★★1 bara Steele, Peter Baldwin, Leonard El⁄2 D: Brian De Palma. Tom Smothers, John Astin, Suzanne Zenor, Samantha liott (Elio Jotta), Harriet White. In 1910 Jones, Allen Garfield, Katharine Ross, Scotland, adulterous wife Steele and doctorOrson Welles. Offbeat comedy was barely lover are seemingly haunted by the vengereleased, and heavily tampered with at ful ghost of her crippled husband, whom that; starts with great premise of Smothers they murdered. Measured, moody horror, dropping out of establishment life to belet down by routine plot; still atmospheric come tap-dancing magician, then loses itand watchable. Follow-up to THE HORRIBLE DR. HICHCOCK.▼쩠 self. Still has some inventive moments, funny ideas. Filmed in 1970. [R]▼ Ghost (1990) C-122m. ★★★ D: Jerry Gettysburg (1993) C-248m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Zucker. Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Ronald Maxwell. Tom Berenger, Jeff DanWhoopi Goldberg, Tony Goldwyn, Rick iels, Martin Sheen, Sam Elliott, Maxwell Aviles, Vincent Schiavelli, Gail Boggs, Caulfield, Kevin Conway, C. Thomas HowArmelia McQueen, Phil Leeds. Overlong ell, Richard Jordan, Royce D. Applegate, but enjoyable mix of fantasy, thriller, and John Diehl, Patrick Gorman, Cooper Huckromance. Swayze is killed, and when he abee, James Lancaster, Brian Mallon, Andrew learns (in his ghostly state) that he was the Prine, Stephen Lang, Richard Anderson, Bo victim of a botched hit, he tries to warn his Brinkman, Kieran Mulroney, George Lagrieving girlfriend (Moore) that she’s in danzenby, Dwier Brown, Buck Taylor. Ted ger too. Storefront medium Whoopi (in an Turner’s answer to GONE WITH THE Oscar-winning role) turns out to be the only WIND, a magnificent re-creation of the one who can convey his messages to her. Civil War’s most famous battle. Based on Swayze runs the gamut of expressions from A Michael Shaara’s Pulitzer Prize–winning to B, but the relationships are credible and as novel, The Killer Angels, this long but ena result the fantasy works. Oscar winner for grossing slice of history was filmed on the Best Original Screenplay (Bruce Joel Rubin). [PG-13]▼●쩠 battlefields of the Gettysburg National Military Park using over 5,000 Civil War ‘‘reGhost and Mr. Chicken, The (1966) enactors’’ in the battle scenes. Look fast for C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alan Rafkin. Don Knotts, filmmaker Ken Burns as General Hancock’s Joan Staley, Skip Homeier, Dick Sargent, aide and Turner as a Reb foot soldier during Reta Shaw, James Milhollin, Phil Ober, Pickett’s Charge. Elliott, and especially Liam Redmond, Lurene Tuttle, Charles Daniels, stand out in a cast full of great Lane. Featherweight comedy with Knotts a [ 520 ]

would-be reporter who seizes his big chance tors’’ who go into business flushing out for a scoop by spending a night in a supposghosts and spirits in N.Y.C.—and find their edly haunted house. Full of familiar characbusiness booming! Engagingly offbeat, even ter faces. Techniscope.▼●쩠 subdued at times, with Murray’s flippant Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The (1947) 104m. personality nicely contrasting Richard Ed★★★1 lund’s eye-popping special effects. Great ⁄2 D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Gene Tierney, Rex Harrison, George Sanders, fun all the way; written by Aykroyd and Edna Best, Vanessa Brown, Anna Lee, Ramis. Followed by a sequel and an aniRobert Coote, Natalie Wood. A lonely mated TV series. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 widow is romanced by the ghost of a sea Ghostbusters II (1989) C-102m. ★★★ D: captain in her ‘‘haunted’’ English cottage. Ivan Reitman. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Charming, beautifully made fantasy, a disSigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Rick tant cousin to later TV sitcom; lovely score Moranis, Ernie Hudson, Peter MacNicol, by Bernard Herrmann. Philip Dunne David Margulies, Annie Potts, Ben Stein, scripted, from the R.A. Dick novel.▼●쩠 Janet Margolin, Harris Yulin, Philip Baker Ghost and the Darkness, The (1996) CHall. Amiable, entertaining sequel has the 109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen Hopkins. Michael ghostbusting boys reteaming five years after Douglas, Val Kilmer, Tom Wilkinson, John their last adventure to save N.Y.C. from a Kani, Bernard Hill, Brian McCardie, Henry slime attack of gargantuan proportions, generCele, Emily Mortimer, Om Puri. In 1896, ated by all the ‘‘negative energy’’ in the air of an Irish bridge builder heads to Africa for the Big Apple. Longish but good-natured, his latest project, but the campsite is soon with some solid laughs along the way. Chloe cursed by violent and unexplainable attacks Webb has a funny unbilled cameo as a guest by a pair of man-eating lions. Eventually, on Murray’s cable TV show. Panavision. renowned big-game hunter Douglas is [PG]▼●쩠 called in. What begins as a rousing, oldGhost Dad (1990) C-84m. ★★ D: Sidney fashioned adventure somehow loses its Poitier. Bill Cosby, Kimberly Russell, Deway—and its impact. Screenplay by Wilnise Nicholas, Ian Bannen, Christine liam Goldman. Based on the same true story Ebersole, Barry Corbin, Salim Grant, that inspired BWANA DEVIL. Panavision. Brooke Fontaine, Dakin Matthews, Dana [R]▼●쩠 Ashbrook, Arnold Stang. Overworked busiGhost Breakers, The (1940) 85m. ★★★ D: nessman (and widower) Cosby dies in a George Marshall. Bob Hope, Paulette Godtaxi accident, and learns he has only a few dard, Richard Carlson, Paul Lukas, Andays to try to straighten out his finances so thony Quinn, Willie Best, Noble Johnson, his three kids will be secure. Positive famTom Dugan, Lloyd Corrigan. More plot ily message aside, this effects-laden fanthan usual for a Hope film as Bob and Pautasy plays like an extended sitcom. Younger kids may like it—others beware. [PG]▼●쩠 lette investigate eerie Cuban castle that she’s inherited. Some real chills as well as Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai laughs in this first-rate film. Remade as (1999-U.S.-French) C-116m. ★★★ D: Jim SCARED STIFF (1953).▼●쩠 Jarmusch. Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, 1 ★★ Ghost Brigade (1994) C-80m. Cliff Gorman, Henry Silva, Isaach de Ban⁄2 D: George Hickenlooper. Corbin Bernsen, kole´, Tricia Vessey, Victor Argo. Ghost Adrian Pasdar, Ray Wise, Martin Sheen, Dog (Whitaker), a solitary hit man who lives Cynda Williams, Billy Bob Thornton, by the code of the Samurai, finds himself a David Arquette, Matt LeBlanc. Yankees target after a job gone wrong. Typically origiand Rebs team up to confront supernatural nal (though sometimes pretentious) Jarmusch brigade of evil soldiers that’s been wreaking mix of mysticism, action, and even comedy, gruesome slaughter on both sides. Odd mix anchored by Whitaker’s quiet, intense perof Civil War and horror genres aspires to a formance. Very bloody at times, and not for Peckinpah–type brutality but generally opts all tastes. Written by the director. [R]▼쩠 for mere shock value. Putting APOCAGhost in the Invisible Bikini, The (1966) LYPSE NOW star Sheen and HEARTS OF C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: Don Weis. Tommy Kirk, DARKNESS documentary director HickenDeborah Walley, Aron Kincaid, Quinn looper together gives viewer an unmistakO’Hara, Nancy Sinatra, Claudia Martin, able feeling of de´ja` vu, as if you’re back up Harvey Lembeck, Jesse White, Susan Hart, the delta in Cambodia looking for Col. Basil Rathbone, Boris Karloff, Patsy Kelly, Kurtz. Aka GREY NIGHT and THE KILLFrancis X. Bushman, Benny Rubin. SevING BOX. [R]▼●쩠 enth (and final) BEACH PARTY movie Ghostbusters (1984) C-107m. ★★★ D: failed to provide a shot in the arm with Ivan Reitman. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, entirely new set of characters (save LemHarold Ramis, Sigourney Weaver, Rick beck’s Eric Von Zipper); larger-than-usual Moranis, Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, roster of veteran movie greats might attract William Atherton, Reginald VelJohnson. masochistic film buffs. Panavision. 쩠 The first multimillion-dollar scare comedy, Ghost in the Machine (1993) C-95m. ★1⁄2 about a trio of flaky ‘‘paranormal investigaD: Rachel Talalay. Karen Allen, Chris Mul[ 521 ]

key, Ted Marcoux, Wil Horneff, Jessica Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Walter, Brandon Quintin Adams, Rick DuWashington, Karl Urban. A salvage crew commun. The spirit of a dying serial killer learns that a long-lost ocean liner is adrift in is sucked into a computer mainframe in the vicinity, offering a potential windfall. Cleveland, from which he continues to purOnce aboard, they face a decidedly eerie sue his latest target, single mother Allen, by environment and an alarming mortality rate. killing her friends and ruining her credit. Flat, by-the-numbers horror fare, with some graphically gory scenes. [R] ▼쩠 Both obvious and ludicrous. [R]▼●쩠 Ghost in the Noonday Sun (1973-British) Ghosts—Italian Style (1967-Italian) C92m. ★★ D: Renato Castellani. Sophia C-89m. BOMB D: Peter Medak. Peter Sellers, Anthony Franciosa, Spike Milligan, Loren, Vittorio Gassman, Mario Adorf, Clive Revill, Peter Boyle, Richard Willis. Margaret Lee, Aldo Guiffre. Newlyweds Absolutely atrocious pirate comedy which unLoren and Gassman move into haunted derstandably never got full-fledged theatrical house. Weak vehicle for engaging stars. [G] release. Milligan, who’s credited with ‘‘addiGhosts of Girlfriends Past (2009) C-100m. ★★ tional dialogue,’’ appears in one sequence with D: Mark Waters. Matthew McConaughey, his onetime Goon Show colleague Sellers, but Jennifer Garner, Michael Douglas, Breckin even their chemistry can’t save this turkey.▼ Meyer, Lacey Chabert, Robert Forster, Anne Ghost of Frankenstein, The (1942) 68m. Archer, Emma Stone, Daniel Sunjata. Tepid ★★1 reimagining of A Christmas Carol as a ro⁄2 D: Erle C. Kenton. Cedric Hardwicke, Lon Chaney, Jr., Lionel Atwill, Ralph Bellmantic comedy, with McConaughey typecast amy, Bela Lugosi, Evelyn Ankers, Dwight as a roguish lothario who’s encouraged to Frye. Sequel to SON OF FRANKENSTEIN. change his charming-wastrel ways while visYgor (Lugosi) tries to convince Dr. Franited by various apparitions—including his kenstein (Hardwicke) to put his brain into late playboy uncle (scene stealer Douglas)— the Monster. Good cast manages to save the night before his brother’s wedding. Game stale plot. Followed by FRANKENSTEIN actors aren’t helped by flat cinematography MEETS THE WOLF MAN.▼●쩠 (even Garner, as McConaughey’s once and Ghost Rider (2007) C-110m. ★★ D: Mark future sweetie, looks drab) and predictable Steven Johnson. Nicolas Cage, Eva Menwriting. Super 35. [PG-13] des, Wes Bentley, Sam Elliott, Donal Ghosts of Mars (2001) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Logue, Matt Long, Peter Fonda, Brett CulJohn Carpenter. Natasha Henstridge, Ice len. Daredevil motorcyclist makes a deal Cube, Pam Grier, Clea DuVall, Jason Stawith the Devil (Fonda) in order to save his tham, Liam Waite, Joanna Cassidy, Wanda father’s life, then tries to adjust to living a De Jesus, Duane Davis, Robert Carradine. cursed existence. In time he finds his true In the near future, Mars has been colonized, identity as a cycle vigilante who rides enbut there’s an outbreak of mass murder in gulfed in flames, his head a burning skull! some remote settlements. People are posAdaptation of the Marvel comic book set out sessed by vengeful Martian ghosts; it’s up to West might have been better if it didn’t take the team of a lady cop and a hardened crimiso long to spell out its premise and get up a nal to battle them. Routine, predictable, and head of steam. Unrated version runs 127m. dull; unimaginatively, the Martian-possessed Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 people adopt a punk/grunge look. Basically a Ghosts Can’t Do It (1990) C-95m. BOMB remake of Carpenter’s early ASSAULT ON D: John Derek. Bo Derek, Anthony Quinn, PRECINCT 13. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Leo Damian, Don Murray, Julie Newmar, Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) C-130m. ★★★ Dee Krainz. And neither (at least on film) D: Rob Reiner. Alec Baldwin, Whoopi can John and Bo. Standard Derek atrocity Goldberg, James Woods, Craig T. Nelson, involves Bo’s international search for the Susanna Thompson, Lucas Black, William perfect male body to house the spirit of her H. Macy, Terry O’Quinn, Virginia Madsen, beloved but deceased husband (Quinn). Bonnie Bartlett, Wayne Rogers, Diane Ladd. Tony looks as if he’s been photographed Straightforward drama about Mississippi asthrough the Lucille Ball MAME filter for sistant D.A. Bobby DeLaughter (Baldwin), the supernatural scenes. Just when you who reopens the case against the murderer of think it can’t get any worse, Donald Trump civil rights leader Medgar Evers 30 years shows up in a cameo. [R]▼● after the fact. Reminiscent of 1960s movies Ghost Ship, The (1943) 69m. ★★★ D: in its earnestness and sobriety, it still works, Mark Robson. Richard Dix, Russell Wade, but lacks the edge and energy to make it Edith Barrett, Ben Bard, Lawrence Tierney. soar. Goldberg is surprisingly good as Evers’ Offbeat Val Lewton melodrama about young widow, and Woods has a showy part (in man who signs on merchant ship run by heavy makeup) as the aged murderer, Byron power-crazy captain (Dix) who’s obsessed De La Beckwith. [PG-13]▼●쩠 with ‘‘authority.’’ Absorbing mood piece Ghost Story (1981) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: with unfortunately abrupt conclusion.▼●쩠 John Irvin. Fred Astaire, Melvyn Douglas, Ghost Ship (2002) C-91m. ★★ D: Steve Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., John Houseman, Beck. Julianna Margulies, Gabriel Byrne, Craig Wasson, Alice Krige, Patricia Neal, [ 522 ]

Ken Olin. Four elderly New Englanders ing ‘‘monster’’ in Cushing’s secluded home. are tormented by a 50-year-old secret, which Fairly interesting, nongory thriller, with now visits evil on one of their sons as well. Hurt as Cushing’s crazed gardener.▼ Absorbing if not altogether satisfying Ghoulies (1985) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: Luca simplification of Peter Straub’s best-seller, Bercovici. Peter Liapis, Lisa Pelikan, Miwhich loses steam as it nears its resolution. chael Des Barres, Jack Nance, Peter Risch, Tamara de Treaux. Boring, ridiculous film Astaire’s last film. [R]▼●쩠 Ghost Town (1988) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richabout young man who invokes Satanic ard Governor. Franc Luz, Catherine Hickspirits in the form of gremlinlike creatures land, Jimmie F. Skaggs, Penelope Windust, (who look like muppets dipped in shellac) Bruce Glover, Blake Conway, Laura at a creepy old mansion. Followed by three sequels. [PG-13]▼쩠 Schaefer. Imaginative fantasy thriller has modern-day Western sheriff Luz chosen to Giant (1956) C-201m. ★★★★ D: George rid a century-old town of its curse by Stevens. Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, avenging its dead sheriff in HIGH NOON James Dean, Carroll Baker, Jane Withers, fashion. Fine special effects distinguish Chill Wills, Mercedes McCambridge, Denthis modest sleeper. [R]▼● nis Hopper, Sal Mineo, Rodney (Rod) ★★★ D: David Ghost Town (2008) C-102m. Taylor, Earl Holliman. Near-legendary epic Koepp. Ricky Gervais, Te´a Leoni, Greg based on Edna Ferber’s novel about two Kinnear, Billy Campbell, Kristen Wiig, generations of larger-than-life Texans holds Dana Ivey, Aasif Mandvi, Alan Ruck, Brian up beautifully, although still very much of d’Arcy James. Acerbic, people-phobic its time. Hudson’s best performance, close N.Y.C. dentist Gervais is haunted by a ghost to Taylor’s best, and Dean’s last film. Ste(Kinnear) who needs to resolve issues with vens won Oscar for direction. Screenplay by his widow (Leoni) before he can rest in Fred Guiol and Ivan Moffat. ▼●쩠 peace. Then the unexpected happens: the Giant Gila Monster, The (1959) 74m. ★1⁄2 dentist falls in love with her. This is the D: Ray Kellogg. Don Sullivan, Lisa Simone, kind of fantasy-comedy ‘‘they don’t make Shug Fisher, Jerry Cortwright, Beverly anymore,’’ buoyed by Gervais’ distinctive Thurman, Don Flourney, Pat Simmons. comic persona and his hilarious mutterings. Big, beaded lizard menaces small Texas Funny and heartfelt; written by director town. Not as good as it sounds. Has a couple of wildly inappropriate songs.▼●쩠 Koepp and John Kamps. [PG-13]쩠 Ghost World (2001) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Giant Spider Invasion, The (1975) C-82m. Terry Zwigoff. Thora Birch, Scarlett JoBOMB D: Bill Rebane. Steve Brodie, hansson, Steve Buscemi, Brad Renfro, IlBarbara Hale, Leslie Parrish, Alan Hale, leana Douglas, Bob Balaban. A sour Robert Easton, Bill Williams. Veteran cast teenage iconoclast (Birch) finds her only can’t do much for this tacky horror opus filmed in Wisconsin. [PG]▼쩠 friend (Johansson) drifting away after their high school graduation, so she attaches herself Giant Steps (1992-Canadian) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 to geeky record collector Buscemi. A wellD: Richard Rose. Billy Dee Williams, observed study of alienation, coscripted by Michael Mahonen, Robyn Stevan, Ted Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes from the latter’s Dykstra, Ranee Lee. Idealistic teen trumcomic book . . . but it’s difficult to care peter Mahonen befriends his idol, Slate about a character who refuses to be cared Thompson (Williams), a legendary, selfabout. Zwigoff’s first fictional feature, foldestructive jazz pianist attempting to remain lowing CRUMB; in fact, R. Crumb contribtrue to his art. Well meaning but obvious uted a drawing to this film. Teri Garr and preachy.▼ appears unbilled. [R] ▼쩠 G.I. Blues (1960) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: NorGhoul, The (1933-British) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: man Taurog. Elvis Presley, Juliet Prowse, T. Hayes Hunter. Boris Karloff, Cedric Robert Ivers, Leticia Roman, Ludwig Hardwicke, Ernest Thesiger, Dorothy Stossel. Prowse’s versatile performance as Hyson, Anthony Bushell, Ralph Richarda cabaret dancer uplifts this standard Presley son, Kathleen Harrison. England’s answer fare about a guitar-playing G.I. in West to Hollywood’s horror films: Egyptologist Germany. Elvis sings ‘‘Tonight Is So Right Karloff wishes to be buried with a jewel for Love,’’ ‘‘Wooden Heart,’’ ‘‘Blue Suede he believes will allow him eternal life. It’s Shoes,’’ and title song.▼●쩠 stolen, and he rises from the dead in search G.I. Bro SEE: Inglorious Bastards of the culprit. Slow going until Karloff’s Gideon of Scotland Yard (1958-British) resurrection; then it really hums. RichardC-91m. ★1⁄2 D: John Ford. Jack Hawkins, son’s film debut. Remade as 1962 comedy Dianne Foster, Cyril Cusack, Andrew Ray, James Hayter, Ronald Howard, Anna MasNO PLACE LIKE HOMICIDE! ▼쩠 Ghoul, The (1975-British) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 sey, Anna Lee, Laurence Naismith. A typiD: Freddie Francis. Peter Cushing, John cal day in the life of a Scotland Yard inspecHurt, Alexandra Bastedo, Gwen Watford, tor; Hawkins is likable but the film is Veronica Carlson, Steward Bevan. Innocent unbelievably dull. A surprising dud from people fall victim to a mysterious flesh-eatdirector Ford. British version, titled GID[ 523 ]

EON’S DAY, runs 118m. Originally reD: Compton Bennett. Trevor Howard, Richleased theatrically in the U.S. in b&w. ard Attenborough, Sonny Tufts, James DonGideon’s Day SEE: Gideon of Scotland ald, Joan Rice, Bernard Lee, Dora Bryan, Yard Hugh Williams, Sidney James. Solid WW2 Gidget (1959) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul drama with Howard as a troublesome ship’s Wendkos. Sandra Dee, James Darren, Cliff captain, disliked by his crew, who comes Robertson, Arthur O’Connell, Joby Baker, into his own while battling a German UYvonne Craig, Doug McClure, Tom Laughboat. Also known as GLORY AT SEA.▼ lin. California teenage girl hits the beach Gift of Love, The (1958) C-105m. ★★ D: one summer and falls in love with two Jean Negulesco. Lauren Bacall, Robert surfer boys. Dee is spirited in the title role Stack, Evelyn Rudie, Lorne Greene, Anne of this hit movie (based on Frederick KohnSeymour. If you could put up with SENer’s novel about his daughter), which led to TIMENTAL JOURNEY you might bear a number of sequels and two different TV this remake, which isn’t even as good. series! CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Bacall dies but returns to earth as guiding Gidget Goes Hawaiian (1961) C-102m. spirit for her husband and daughter. Re★★ D: Paul Wendkos. James Darren, Mimade again for TV as SENTIMENTAL chael Callan, Deborah Walley, Carl ReinJOURNEY. CinemaScope. er, Peggy Cass, Eddie Foy, Jr. Inane Gig, The (1985) C-92m. ★★★ D: Frank D. follow-up has teenager off to the Islands, Gilroy. Wayne Rogers, Cleavon Little, with embarrassing results for all.▼쩠 Andrew Duncan, Jerry Matz, Daniel Gidget Goes to Rome (1963) C-101m. ★★ Nalbach, Warren Vache, Joe Silver, Jay D: Paul Wendkos. Cindy Carol, James Thomas. Perceptive, touching comedyDarren, Jessie Royce Landis, Cesare Dadrama about dreams, compromises, disapnova, Jeff Donnell. Mild follow-up has pointments—what it means to be alive. A fetching teenager off to Italy, involved in group of middle-class, middle-aged men predictable romancing.▼쩠 play jazz both to amuse themselves and to Gift, The (1982-French-Italian) C-105m. escape from the pressures of their lives; ★★ D: Michel Lang. Pierre Mondy, Clauthey are hired for their first professional dia Cardinale, Clio Goldsmith, Jacques engagement at a small resort, and the exFrancois, Cecile Magnet, Remi Laurent. perience proves to be unexpectedly unsettling. Gilroy also wrote the script.▼ Bank employees chip in to buy their colleague a surprise retirement gift: a beautiGigantic (2009) C-98m. ★★★ D: Matt Aselful prostitute. A ‘‘good clean sex farce,’’ ton. Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, John strained and silly, with no sex, very little Goodman, Ed Asner, Jane Alexander, Ian nudity, and the improbable casting of beauRoberts, Robert Stanton, Clarke Peters, tiful Cardinale as Mondy’s wife. [R]▼ Susan Misner, Zach Galifianakis. Dano Gift, The (2000) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sam plays the son of older parents (Asner and Raimi. Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi, Alexander) and baby brother of two robust Keanu Reeves, Katie Holmes, Greg Kinnear, siblings; his only goal in life is to adopt a Hilary Swank, Michael Jeter, Kim Dickens, baby from China. Then he meets Deschanel, Gary Cole, Rosemary Harris, J. K. Simmons, who lives in the shadow of her bombastic Chelcie Ross. Young widow and mother father (Goodman). Quirky, hip, sexy New Blanchett earns money doing psychic readYork–based comedy with a disarmingly ings for her Georgia neighbors, but incurs oblique sense of humor. Feature directing the wrath of an abusive Reeves . . . and then debut for Aselton, who scripted with Adam becomes a key witness in a murder trial. Nagata. Super 35. [R] Uneven blend of Southern gothic/psychic/ Gigantis, the Fire Monster (1959-Japanese) courtroom/whodunit ingredients, made watch78m. ★★ D: Motoyoshi Oda, Hugo Griable by a strong ensemble. Written by Billy maldi. Hiroshi Koizumi, Setsuko Makayama. A new Godzilla, here called Gigantis, Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson. [R]▼쩠 ★★★ Gift From Heaven, A (1994) C-102m. battles spiny Angorous, trashing another D: Jack Lucarelli. Sharon Farrell, Gigi Rice, Japanese city. First sequel to GODZILLA, David Steen, Sarah Trigger, Gene Lythgow, KING OF THE MONSTERS!, retitled: Mark Ruffalo, Nicholas Worth, Molly McGODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN.▼ Clure. Solid characterizations add immeaGigi (1948-French) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jacquesurably to this complex, impassioned drama line Audry. Daniele Delorme, Frank Vilabout an emotionally scarred backwoods lard, Yvonne de Bray, Gaby Morlay, Jean North Carolina mother (Farrell). She gave Tissier, Madeleine Rousset. Original verbirth to the eldest of her two grown children sion of Colette’s novel is not a musical but (Steen) when she was twelve, after being a drolly amusing (if talky and uncinematic) seduced by her preacher uncle: the emocomedy of manners. Delorme, who starred tional sparks begin to fly upon the arrival of in two more films based on Colette stories, an orphaned cousin (Trigger). Actor Steen is delightful as Gigi, the girl trained to be a also scripted the film. courtesan by her aunt and grandmother in fin de sie`cle Paris. Originally 109m.쩠 Gift Horse, The (1952-British) 100m. ★★★ [ 524 ]

Gigi (1958) C-116m. ★★★★ D: Vincente Gilda Live (1980) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike Minnelli. Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Nichols. Gilda Radner, Father Guido Sarducci Louis Jourdan, Hermione Gingold, Jacques (Don Novello). Filmization of Radner’s Bergerac, Eva Gabor. Charming turn-ofBroadway show, with the comedienne doing the-century musical based on Colette’s story uncensored versions of her familiar Saturday of a French girl who’s groomed to be a Night Live TV characters. Best song: ‘‘Let’s courtesan. Exquisitely filmed, perfectly cast, Talk Dirty to the Animals.’’ [R]▼ with memorable Lerner & Loewe score: title Gilded Lily, The (1935) 80m. ★★★ D: tune, ‘‘Thank Heaven for Little Girls,’’ Wesley Ruggles. Claudette Colbert, Fred ‘‘I Remember It Well.’’ Winner of nine MacMurray, Ray Milland, C. Aubrey Smith, Academy Awards including Best Picture, Edward Craven, Luis Alberni, Grace BradDirector, Writing (Alan Jay Lerner), Cineley. Colbert has to choose between aristomatography (Joseph Ruttenberg), Costumes cratic Milland and down-to-earth MacMurray. (Cecil Beaton), Song (‘‘Gigi’’), and Scoring Fine romantic fluff. MacMurray’s breezy (Andre Previn). Chevalier received an honperformance here made a strong impression orary Oscar. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 and boosted him to stardom. Gigli (2003) C-124m. ★1⁄2 D: Martin Brest. Gilles’ Wife (2004-French-Belgian-Swiss) Jennifer Lopez, Ben Affleck, Justin Bartha, C-108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fre´de´ric Fonteyne. EmLainie Kazan, Al Pacino, Christopher Walmanuelle Devos, Clovis Cornillac, Laura ken, Missy Crider, Lenny Venito. UnderSmet, Colette Emmanuelle, Gil Lagay. A world functionary Affleck is hired to kidnap simple, happily married woman in a small the brother of a federal prosecutor; then, Belgian village begins to suspect that her inexplicably, Affleck’s boss sends Lopez to husband is seeing another woman—namely, keep an eye on him! Sorry excuse for a her sister. Exquisite rendering of Madeleine script (by Brest) lurches from one boring, Bourdouxhe’s 1937 novel recalls French silly, illogical, and/or unpleasant sequence films of that period; much of the story is to another, when in fact it exists merely to told through Devos’ expressive face and the show off its sexy female star, who (in the painterly images of cinematographer Virfilm’s most memorable scene) talks dirty ginie Saint-Martin. Deliberate in both its while performing yoga. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 pacing and attention to detail. Fonteyne coGigot (1962) C-104m. ★★★ D: Gene Kelly. wrote the screenplay with Philippe Blasband and Marion Ha¨nsel.쩠 Jackie Gleason, Katherine Kath, Gabrielle Dorziat, Albert Remy, Yvonne Constant. Gimme Shelter (1970) C-91m. ★★★★ D: Sentimental, well-acted tale of a deaf mute David Maysles, Albert Maysles, Charlotte (Gleason) and a young girl in Paris. SimZwerin. Rolling Stones, Jefferson Airplane, ple film, well done; Gleason is excellent. Tina Turner, Melvin Belli. Outstanding Remade for TV as THE WOOL CAP documentary of the Rolling Stones and the MAN (2004). famous Altamont Speedway free concert that G.I. Jane (1997) C-124m. ★★ D: Ridley resulted in chaos and murder. Chilling, beauScott. Demi Moore, Viggo Mortensen, tifully handled, with the Stones performing Anne Bancroft, Scott Wilson, Jason Beghe, their best songs of the period (‘‘SatisfacDaniel Von Bargen. Contrived movie about tion,’’ ‘‘Sympathy for the Devil,’’ etc.). Rea woman selected as a test case for admitissued in PG form at 90m., then reedited for reissue in 2000 at 91m. [R]▼●쩠 ting females into naval combat. She undergoes the unbelievable rigors of Navy Gina SEE: Death in the Garden SEALs training, determined not to be Ginger and Fred (1986-Italian) C-126m. ★★★ shown favored treatment. Pumped-up D: Federico Fellini. Giulietta Masina, Moore is perfect for the part, though it’s a Marcello Mastroianni, Franco Fabrizi, Fredtoss-up as to which scenes are more offerick Von Ledenberg, Martin Blau, Toto putting—her body-building workouts or her Mignone. Fellini satirizes TV, and the cult physical abuse at the hands of her Master of instant celebrity, in this relaxed and Chief (Mortensen). Typically dense Scott amusing film. Ginger and Fred are, in soundtrack renders much of the dialogue fact, two small-time entertainers who used unintelligible—but it’s no loss. Too bad to imitate Rogers and Astaire and who are they didn’t lose the anticlimactic final action being reunited by an unctuous TV show. sequence. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 The targets are a bit obvious and the pace a Gilda (1946) 110m. ★★★ D: Charles Vidor. bit leisurely, but the climactic sequence is Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Mafun, and the two stars are wonderful to cready, Joseph Calleia, Steven Geray. watch, as always. [PG-13]▼쩠 Highly charged story of emotional triangle— Gingerbread Man, The (1998) C-115m. ★★ D: Robert Altman. Kenneth Branagh, mysterious South American casino owner Macready, his new man-Friday Ford, and Embeth Davidtz, Robert Downey, Jr., Daryl Macready’s alluring wife (Hayworth)—unHannah, Tom Berenger, Famke Janssen, fortunately cops out with silly resolutions. Mae Whitman, Jesse James, Robert Duvall. Rita has never been sexier, especially when Cocky Savannah lawyer (Branagh, with a singing ‘‘Put the Blame on Mame.’’▼●쩠 terrific accent) sleeps with a woman he’s [ 525 ]

just met (Davidtz, in a strong performance), warm, winning performance helps likable but uneven film over rough spots. [PG]▼ then gets into hot water when he tries to protect her from her lunatic father. If he’s Girl From Jones Beach, The (1949) 78m. ★★1 so smart, how could he leave himself so ⁄2 D: Peter Godfrey. Ronald Reagan, vulnerable? Ask John Grisham, who wrote Virginia Mayo, Eddie Bracken, Dona Drake, this thriller, which grows more implausible Henry Travers, Lois Wilson, Florence Bates. with each new story twist. Final showdown Breezy comedy about an artist trying to find is especially weak. Screenplay credited to a living embodiment of the perfectly proporpseudonymous Al Hayes. [R]▼●쩠 tioned female in his illustrations. Capable roGinger in the Morning (1973) C-89m. mantic-comedy performance by Reagan. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Gordon Wiles. Sissy Spacek, Monte Girl From Lorraine, The (1980-FrenchSwiss) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claude Goretta. Markham, Mark Miller, Susan Oliver, Slim Pickens. So-so romantic comedy about a Nathalie Baye, Bruno Ganz, Angela Winklonely salesman who picks up a comely ler, Patrick Chesnais. Unemployed draughtshitchhiker. He’s attracted to her young, woman Baye, from the provinces, mainfresh independence; she’s drawn to his tains her dignity in lonely, unfriendly Paris. old-fashioned romanticism. [PG]▼쩠 Quietly rewarding drama with an extremely Girl Can’t Help It, The (1956) C-99m. likable heroine; however, sometimes as ★★1⁄2 D: Frank Tashlin. Tom Ewell, Jayne dreary as some of the characters she meets. Mansfield, Edmond O’Brien, Julie LonOriginally titled LA PROVINCIALE. don. One-joke film about press agent EwGirl From Missouri, The (1934) 75m. ★★★ ell trying to hype gangster’s girlfriend D: Jack Conway. Jean Harlow, Lionel (Mansfield) to stardom. Some good Tashlin Barrymore, Franchot Tone, Lewis Stone, sight gags; classic performances by Fats Patsy Kelly, Alan Mowbray. Delightful Domino (‘‘Blue Monday’’), The Platters fluff about good girl Harlow trying to win (‘‘You’ll Never Know’’), Gene Vincent a millionaire without sacrificing her integand His Blue Caps (‘‘BeBop A Lula’’), rity. Wise-cracking Kelly as her girlfriend Little Richard (‘‘She’s Got It,’’ ‘‘Ready is a treat.▼ Teddy,’’ and ‘‘The Girl Can’t Help It’’). Girl From Petrovka, The (1974) C-104m. ★★ D: Robert Ellis Miller. Goldie Hawn, CinemaScope.▼쩠 Girl Crazy (1943) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: NorHal Holbrook, Anthony Hopkins, Gregoire man Taurog. Mickey Rooney, Judy GarAslan, Anton Dolin. Old-fashioned comedyland, Gil Stratton, Robert E. Strickland, drama about a bittersweet affair between ‘‘Rags’’ Ragland, June Allyson, Nancy American correspondent Holbrook and RusWalker, Guy Kibbee, Tommy Dorsey and His sian Hawn. Filmed in Vienna and Hollywood. Panavision. [PG]▼ Orchestra. Rooney sent to small Southwestern school to forget girls, but meets Garland and Girl From 10th Avenue, The (1935) 69m. ★★★ that’s that. Great Gershwin score includes ‘‘I D: Alfred E. Green. Bette Davis, Ian Got Rhythm,’’ ‘‘Embraceable You,’’ ‘‘But Hunter, Colin Clive, Alison Skipworth, Not For Me.’’ Busby Berkeley (the original John Eldredge, Philip Reed, Katherine Aldirector) staged the finale. Filmed before in exander. Honest working girl Davis gets 1932; remade as WHEN THE BOYS MEET alcoholic, recently jilted society lawyer THE GIRLS. ▼●쩠 Hunter back on his feet; then his exgirlfight (2000) C-113m. ★★★ D: Karyn Kugirlfriend decides she wants him back. sama. Michelle Rodriguez, Jaime Tirelli, Davis shines in this engrossing soaper. Girl-Getters, The (1966-British) 79m. ★★★ Paul Calderon, Santiago Douglas, Ray Santiago, Elisa Bocanegra. A hotheaded Latina D: Michael Winner. Oliver Reed, Jane teenager who lives in Brooklyn finds a way Merrow, Barbara Ferris, Julia Foster, Dato channel her anger—in the boxing ring. vid Hemmings. Realistic study of hoodMaking her way in a male-dominated sport lum youths at British seaside resort, their is no easy matter, especially when she falls prankish games and romances; intelligently in love with a fellow boxer. Rodriguez is portrayed. Retitled: THE SYSTEM.▼ utterly believable in this entertaining debut Girl Happy (1965) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Boris feature for writer-director Kusama. John Sagal. Elvis Presley, Shelley Fabares, HarSayles, who coexecutive-produced, has a old J. Stone, Gary Crosby, Joby Baker, small part as a science teacher. [R] ▼쩠 Nita Talbot, Mary Ann Mobley, Chris Girl for Joe, A SEE: Force of Arms Noel, Jackie Coogan. Formula Presley muGirlfriends (1978) C-88m. ★★★ D: Clausical with tiresome plot of Elvis in Fort dia Weill. Melanie Mayron, Anita SkinLauderdale chaperoning Fabares, daughter ner, Eli Wallach, Christopher Guest, Bob of Chicago mobster. Panavision.▼쩠 Balaban, Amy Wright, Viveca Lindfors, Girl He Left Behind, The (1956) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Butler. Tab Hunter, Natalie Mike Kellin, Ken McMillan, Kathryn Walker, Kristoffer Tabori. A young woman Wood, Jessie Royce Landis, Jim Backus, tries to cope with love, a career, and Henry Jones, Murray Hamilton, Alan King, personal independence after roommate/girlJames Garner, David Janssen. Hunter is friend leaves to get married. Mayron’s new recruit in Army. Reminiscent of SEE [ 526 ]

HERE, PRIVATE HARGROVE, without Girl Named Tamiko, A (1962) C-110m. ★★1 any of the warmth or humor. ⁄2 D: John Sturges. Laurence Harvey, Girl Hunters, The (1963-British) 103m. France Nuyen, Martha Hyer, Gary Mer★★1 rill, Michael Wilding. Miyoshi Umeki, ⁄2 D: Roy Rowland. Mickey Spillane, Lloyd Nolan, Shirley Eaton, Hy Gardner. Lee Patrick. Overblown soaper set in Tokyo. Spillane plays his own fictional detective Harvey charms Hyer into proposing marMike Hammer in this rugged murder mysriage so he can get U.S. citizenship. Nuyen tery. Since the disappearance of his devoted is sweet Oriental whom Harvey really loves. secretary, Hammer has been wallowing in Panavision. Girl Next Door, The (1953) C-92m. ★★★ alcohol; he sobers up, and goes into action, upon learning she might be alive. PanaD: Richard Sale. Dan Dailey, June Haver, vision. ▼쩠 Dennis Day, Billy Gray, Cara Williams, Girl in a Swing, The (1989-U.S.-British) Natalie Schafer. Minor but cheerful musical C-112m. BOMB D: Gordon Hessler. Meg about a chorus-girl-turned-star who moves Tilly, Rupert Frazer, Nicholas Le Prevost, next door to a widower and his son and Elspet Gray, Lorna Heilbron, Helen Cherry. threatens to break up their buddy relationAntique dealer marries a mysterious Gership. Great set design, clever use of animaman woman after a whirlwind courtship tion (by the UPA studio), bright Harry and pays the consequences, surviving her Warren–Josef Myrow songs, and eyehallucinations and related erratic behavior. popping film noir production number ‘‘NoDespite lots of simulated (and unrated) where Guy’’ spark this likable confection. Haver’s last film before retiring.쩠 screen sex, this is absolutely unwatchable— though Frazer looks just enough like Regis Girl Next Door, The (2004) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 Philbin to give this stinker some unexD: Luke Greenfield. Emile Hirsch, Elisha pected subtext. [R]▼● Cuthbert, Timothy Olyphant, James Remar, Girl in Every Port, A (1952) 86m. ★★ D: Chris Marquette, Paul Dano, Timothy BotChester Erskine. Groucho Marx, Marie Wiltoms, Jacob Young. Straight-arrow high school son, William Bendix, Don DeFore, Gene senior breaks out of his nerdy routine when Lockhart, George E. Stone. Nonsense of he falls head over heels for his new next-door two gobs who become involved with a lame neighbor, a blonde knockout who turns out to racehorse. Good cast is wasted.▼● be a porn star trying to go straight. Excellent Girl, Interrupted (1999) C-127m. ★★★ D: casting and some good laughs are mitigated James Mangold. Winona Ryder, Angelina by film’s overreliance on ideas ‘‘borrowed’’ Jolie, Clea DuVall, Brittany Murphy, Whoopi from RISKY BUSINESS, key scenes that Goldberg, Vanessa Redgrave, Jared Leto, don’t ring true, and a storyline that’s much more complicated than it has to be. [R]▼쩠 Jeffrey Tambor, Mary Kay Place, Joanna Kerns, Kurtwood Smith, Ray Baker. Vivid Girl of the Golden West, The (1938) 120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Z. Leonard. Jeaadaptation of Susanna Kaysen’s autobiographical book (set in the late 1960s) about nette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Walter a girl who enters a mental institution at the Pidgeon, Leo Carrillo, Buddy Ebsen, Leonage of 18, thinking she’s normal compared ard Penn. Oft-produced tale of love affair to most of the others—though she did try to of good girl MacDonald and bandit Eddy, kill herself. Jolie is incandescent in an with tuneful Gus Kahn–Sigmund Romberg score that didn’t produce any hits.▼ Oscar-winning performance as the firebrand of the ward, who, like most of the others, Girl on a Motorcycle (1968-BritishFrench) C-91m. ★★ D: Jack Cardiff. Marihides her true emotions. [R]▼쩠 Girl in the Red Velvet Swing, The (1955) anne Faithfull, Alain Delon, Roger Mutton, C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Fleischer. Ray Marius Goring, Catherine Jourdan. Cardiff Milland, Joan Collins, Farley Granger, also photographed this oddity: a mod, psycheCornelia Otis Skinner, Glenda Farrell, Ludelic, existential tale of a woman who leaves ther Adler. Glossy, fictionalized account her husband and rides her motorcycle to visit of Evelyn Nesbit–Stanford White–Harry her ex-lover. From Andre´ Pieyre De MandiThaw escapade of early 20th-century N.Y.C. argues’s novel. Trimmed from X-rated verShowgirl falls in love with prominent arsion titled NAKED UNDER LEATHER. [R] chitect, which upsets mentally disturbed ▼●쩠 millionaire. CinemaScope.쩠 Girl on the Bridge (1951) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Girl Most Likely, The (1957) C-98m. Hugo Haas. Hugo Haas, Beverly Michaels, ★★★ Robert Dane, Johnny Close, Anthony Jochim. D: Mitchell Leisen. Jane Powell, Cliff Robertson, Keith Andes, Tommy Noonan, Kindly shopkeeper saves young woman Kaye Ballard, Una Merkel. Musical refrom suicide and takes her in—along with make of TOM, DICK AND HARRY comes her baby. Typical Haas melodrama but betoff as bright, cheerful entertainment. A ter than most.▼ girl must decide which one of the trio Girl on the Bridge, The (1999-French) 92m. ★★★ D: Patrice Leconte. Daniel Aushe’ll wed; Kaye Ballard does very well in supporting role. Choreography by Gower teuil, Vanessa Paradis, Demetre Georgalas, Champion.▼● Bertie Cortez. A mysterious knife-thrower [ 527 ]

(Auteuil) saves a young woman from jumpNoreen Corcoran, Peter Brooks, Lana Wood, The Beach Boys, Lesley Gore, Dick Miller. ing off a bridge and recruits her for his Three coeds promise they’ll get The Beatles death-defying act. Their success together is to make a personal appearance and then have based not just on his skill, but on their ala mite of trouble delivering. The Beach Boys most telepathic (and sensual) sense of onesing two tunes in this predictable comedy. ness. Stylish, provocative fable, shot in Reissued as SUMMER OF ’64. widescreen b&w, opens with real-life pop Girls Town (1959) 92m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles star Paradis delivering a mesmerizing monoHaas. Mamie Van Doren, Mel Torme, logue. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Paul Anka, Ray Anthony, Maggie Hayes, Girls, The (1968-Swedish) 90m. ★★★ D: Cathy Crosby, Gigi Perreau, Gloria Talbott, Mai Zetterling. Bibi Andersson, Harriet Jim Mitchum, Elinor Donahue, Sheilah GraAndersson, Gunnel Lindblom, Gunnar ham, The Platters, Harold Lloyd, Jr. WiseBjornstrand, Erland Josephson, Ulf Palme. cracking bad girl is sent to title correctional Trenchant study of modern marriages and institution, where she learns that she doesn’t female roles, loaded with fantasy sehave all the answers. Absurd in the extreme, quences. Fabulous cast drawn by actressbut has definite camp value just for the cast turned-director Zetterling from Ingmar alone . . . plus, Anka sings ‘‘Ave Maria’’! As Bergman’s repertory company. Aka Mamie says, it’s ‘‘cool, crazy, fantabulous.’’ FLICKORNA. 쩠 Aka INNOCENT AND THE DAMNED. ▼ Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 Girls Town (1996) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jim D: Norman Taurog. Elvis Presley, Stella McKay. Lili Taylor, Bruklin Harris, Anna Stevens, Laurel Goodwin, Jeremy Slate, Grace, Aunjanue Ellis, Guillermo Diaz, Benson Fong, Robert Strauss, Ginny Tiu. Ernestine Jackson, Tara Carnes, Michael Presley is chased by a mass of girls and Imperioli. Disparate clique of teenage girlcan’t decide which one he prefers. Along friends discover the depths of their individual the way, he sings ‘‘Return to Sender’’ secrets when one of their group inexplicably and some other less memorable numbers commits suicide. A largely improvised (like ‘‘Song of the Shrimp’’).▼쩠 script results in realistic dialogue that conGirl Shy (1924) 81m. ★★★ D: Fred Newsiders the issues of teenage boredom, friendmeyer, Sam Taylor. Harold Lloyd, Jobyna ship, victimization of women, solidarity, Ralston, Richard Daniels, Carlton Griffin. and empowerment. A painfully unsentimenEnjoyable Lloyd vehicle mixes comedy tal, sometimes humorous, coming-of-age in and sentiment with a spectacular chase the ’90s story. [R]▼● finale. Harold is a small-town boy who’s Girl 27 (2007) C-80m. ★★★ D: David Stenn. petrified of women but writes book on Fascinating, highly personal documentary lovemaking secrets! Fantasy scenes of his by Hollywood historian-biographer Stenn love life mark highlight.▼쩠 about a forgotten woman named Patricia Girl 6 (1996) C-105m. ★★ D: Spike Lee. Douglas, who was raped during an MGM Theresa Randle, Isaiah Washington, Spike sales convention in 1937. Stenn does admiLee, Jenifer Lewis, Debi Mazar, Peter Berg, rable detective work piecing this longMichael Imperioli, Dina Pearlman, Maggie buried story together, and reveals his disRush, Kristen Wilson, Naomi Campbell, coveries one by one. Use of 1930s movie Desi Moreno, John Turturro, Madonna, scenes to parallel the true-life story told here Quentin Tarantino, Halle Berry, Richard doesn’t always work, but the overall result Belzer, Ron Silver, Susan Batson, Gretchen is excellent.쩠 Mol. A frustrated young actress takes (and Girl Who Couldn’t Say No, The (1968becomes addicted to) a job as a phone-sex Italian) C-83m. ★★ D: Franco Brusati. worker. Done in by its predictability and Virna Lisi, George Segal, Lila Kedrova, lack of insight into the character of Girl 6. Akim Tamiroff, Paola Pitagora, Felicity Worth a look for Randle’s appealing perforMason. Square Segal and childhood friend mance and Lee’s vivid depiction of the Lisi fall for each other, but just can’t phone-sex world. [R]▼●쩠 maintain a permanent relationship; mild Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1985) comedy. Techniscope. [M/PG] 1 ★★ C-87m. ⁄2 D: Alan Metter. Sarah Jessica Girl Who Had Everything, The (1953) Parker, Lee Montgomery, Morgan Woodward, 69m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Thorpe. Elizabeth Jonathan Silverman, Helen Hunt, Holly GagTaylor, Fernando Lamas, William Powell, nier, Ed Lauter, Shannen Doherty. Likable, upGig Young, James Whitmore, Robert Burbeat teen comedy about girl with reactionary ton. Good cast uplifts murky remake of A father who wants to enter dance contest. CliFREE SOUL. Independent-minded Taylor che´s and contrivances are counterbalanced by is attracted to gambling kingpin Lamas, the believable portrayal of teenage girls, appealclient of her trial-lawyer father (Powell). ingly played by Parker and Hunt. [PG]▼쩠 Young has another of his thankless ‘‘other Girls of Summer SEE: Satisfaction man’’ roles.▼ Girls on the Beach, The (1965) C-80m. Girl Who Knew Too Much, The SEE: ★1⁄2 D: William N. Witney. Martin West, Evil Eye, The [ 528 ]

Girl Who Knew Too Much (1969) C-96m. Give ’Em Hell, Harry! (1975) C-102m. ★★ ★★★ D: Francis D. Lyon. Adam West, Nancy D: Steve Binder. James Whitmore. Kwan, Nehemiah Persoff, Robert Alda. Straight reproduction of Whitmore’s one-man Adventurer who is hired to find the killer stage triumph as Harry Truman, covering of a syndicate boss discovers Communist high points in both the political and personal plot to infiltrate organized crime. [R] life of our 33rd President. Video-taped and Girl With a Pearl Earring (2003-Britishtransferred to film for theatrical release, Luxembourgian) C-99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter but original tape version used for TV. [PG]▼ Webber. Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansson, Give Me a Sailor (1938) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tom Wilkinson, Judy Parfitt, Cillian MurElliott Nugent. Martha Raye, Bob Hope, phy, Essie Davis, Joanna Scanlan, Alakina Betty Grable, Jack Whiting, Clarence Kolb, Mann. Exquisite rendering of Tracy ChevaJ. C. Nugent. Fast-moving comedy with lier’s best-selling novel about the circumRaye an ugly duckling constantly upstaged stances that lead a scullery maid to pose for by her prettier, self-centered sibling (Graone of Johannes Vermeer’s most famous ble); Hope and Whiting are Navy brothers portraits. First-time feature director Webber who play out a comic/romantic scenario inand his team create a breathtaking sense of volving the sisters.▼쩠 time and place (Delft in the 17th century), Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984and Johansson is perfect as the unassuming British) C-108m. ★★ D: Peter Webb. Paul girl who seeks to find her place in the comMcCartney, Bryan Brown, Ringo Starr, Barbustible Vermeer household. Screenplay by bara Bach, Linda McCartney, Tracey Ullman, Olivia Hetreed. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Ralph Richardson. Vanity film with silly Girl With a Suitcase (1960-Italian) 111m. ‘‘plot’’ about a missing album tape connecting ★★★1 a number of music video–type numbers ⁄2 D: Valerio Zurlini. Claudia Cardinale, Jacques Perrin, Luciana Angelillo, Cor(‘‘Ballroom Dancing,’’ ‘‘No More Lonely rado Pani. Impressive film of devoted but Nights’’). Some of the music is good (and shady girl Cardinale following her ex-lover McCartney reprises a couple of Beatles to Parma, only to fall in love with his adosongs) but mostly it’s a big snooze. [PG] lescent brother. Confusing at times, but ex▼●쩠 tremely well acted. Original Italian running Gizmo (1977) C/B&W-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Howard Smith. Entertaining compilation time 135m. ▼쩠 Girl With Green Eyes (1964-British) 91m. of film clips on 20th-century ‘‘inventors’’ ★★★ D: Desmond Davis. Rita Tushingham, and their often outlandish contraptions. Peter Finch, Lynn Redgrave, T. P. McGood fun, though it can’t quite sustain Kenna, Marie Kean, Julian Glover. Movfeature length. [G]▼ ing drama of young farm girl falling in love Gladiator (1992) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Rowdy with writer Finch, highlighted by winning Herrington. Cuba Gooding, Jr., James MarTushingham performance. Redgrave scores shall, Robert Loggia, Ossie Davis, Brian Dennehy, Cara Buono, John Heard, Jon as her roommate. Filmed in Dublin.▼쩠 Girl With the Red Hair, The (1981-Dutch) Seda, Lance Slaughter. Pubescent ROCKY wannabe about a tough Chicago teenager C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ben Verbong. Renee Soutendijk, Peter Tuinman, Loes Luca, becoming involved in the tawdry underJohan Leysen, Robert Delhez, Ada Bouwground boxing scene. Builds to ludicrous man. Determined student becomes a killer climax with crooked fight promoter Denof Nazi informers during WW2. Tense, nehy actually getting in the ring! [R]▼●쩠 chilling, sober, but overlong and too often Gladiator (2000) C-154m. ★★★ D: Ridley slow; good score by Nicola Piovani helps. Scott. Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Based on a true story. [PG] Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Girly SEE: Mumsy, Nanny, Sonny and Hounsou, Richard Harris, David Hemmings. Girly Impressive tale from the days of the Roman Giro City SEE: And Nothing But the Empire, with Crowe as a dedicated soldier who Truth refuses to transfer his loyalty to the new emperor Commodus (Phoenix) and suffers the Give a Girl a Break (1953) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stanley Donen. Marge and Gower consequences, winding up a gladiator in the Champion, Debbie Reynolds, Helen Wood, Roman Colosseum. Crowe is so good in his Bob Fosse, Kurt Kasznar, Richard AnderAcademy Award–winning performance—and son, William Ching, Larry Keating. Innocuhis character so compelling—that one is willous musical fluff about three young women ing to forgive story lulls; the spectacle is competing for the starring role in a Broadgrand, but the opening battle scene stresses way musical. Watching Marge and Gower chaos over coherence. Reed’s last film; he dance is always a treat, but the real highlight died during production. Also won Oscars is seeing two of the greatest choreographers for Best Picture, Costume Design, Sound, of all time (Champion and Fosse) dancing and Visual Effects. Extended edition runs together. Undistinguished score by Ira 171m. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Glass Bottom Boat, The (1966) C-110m. Gershwin and Burton Lane.▼● [ 529 ]

★★★

D: Frank Tashlin. Doris Day, Rod John Malkovich, Karen Allen, James Taylor, Arthur Godfrey, Paul Lynde, Eric Naughton. Respectable, well-made version Fleming, Alice Pearce, Ellen Corby, John of Tennessee Williams’ now legendary play, McGiver, Edward Andrews, Dom De Luise, with Woodward fine as Amanda Wingfield Dick Martin. Above-average Day nonsense, and Malkovich superb as son Tom. Woodwith widow Doris hired by research scienward, Allen, and Naughton had appeared in tist Taylor as his biographer. He tries to two regional stage productions of Williams’ seduce her; she’s mistaken for a Russian play prior to making this film. [PG] ▼● spy. Lots of Tashlin’s trademark slapstick. Glass Shield, The (1995) C-108m. ★★ D: Panavision.▼●쩠 Charles Burnett. Michael Boatman, Lori ★★1 Glass House, The (2001) C-106m. ⁄2 D: Petty, Richard Anderson, Ice Cube, Bernie Daniel Sackheim. Leelee Sobieski, Stellan Casey, Elliott Gould, Michael Ironside, Don Skarsga˚rd, Diane Lane, Bruce Dern, Kathy Harvey, Michael Gregory, M. Emmett Baker, Trevor Morgan, Chris Noth, Michael Walsh, Sy Richardson, Natalija Nogulich, O’Keefe, Rita Wilson, Gavin O’Connor. Wanda de Jesus, Victoria Dillard. Young, When their well-off parents are killed in an wide-eyed Boatman is the first black man auto accident, late-teen Sobieski and her assigned to a tight-knit office of the L.A. younger brother are adopted by family friends Sheriff’s Department; he soon discovers just whose financial overextension makes the how dirty this precinct really is. A polemic kids’ trust fund look mighty attractive. Sobiemasquerading as a movie, with heavy-handed ski seems more sullen than vulnerable as the ‘‘villains’’ and a story that eventually loses its script degenerates into often-laughable chillerfocus and its momentum. [PG-13]▼●쩠 melodrama cliche´s. As a drug-addicted mom, Glass Sphinx, The (1967-Italian-Spanish) Lane’s underdeveloped character compels C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Luigi Scattini. Robert Taymore than the rest. Followed by a DVD lor, Anita Ekberg, Gianna Serra, Jack Stusequel. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 art, Angel Del Pozo, Jose Truchado. WorldGlass Houses (1972) C-90m. ★★ D: Alexfamous archaeologist Taylor is on the trail ander Singer. Jennifer O’Neill, Bernard of the tomb of a glass sphinx containing Barrow, Deirdre Lenihan, Ann Summers, magic elixir; foreign agents have similar Phillip Pine, Lloyd Kino. Low-grade drama idea. Confusing and forgettable. Techniabout infidelity and incestuous desire is scope. ▼쩠 mildly interesting in a lurid kind of way; Glass Web, The (1953) 81m. ★★★ D: Jack O’Neill’s first film, but released after RIO Arnold. Edward G. Robinson, John ForLOBO and SUMMER OF ’42. [R] sythe, Kathleen Hughes, Marcia Henderson, Richard Denning, Hugh Sanders. Glass Key, The (1935) 80m. ★★★ D: Frank Tuttle. George Raft, Claire Dodd, Edward Robinson is fine as criminal research auArnold, Rosalind Keith, Ray Milland, Guinn thority for TV mystery show, who’s caught Williams. Solid Dashiell Hammett story up in murder utilized as basis for one of the about politician Arnold getting involved in programs. Kathleen Freeman and Beverly mysterious murder, Raft trying to dig out Garland have bits. Originally shot in 3-D. the facts. Drags during second half, but Gleaming the Cube (1989) C-104m. ★★ still quite good. Remade in 1942. D: Graeme Clifford. Christian Slater, SteGlass Key, The (1942) 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ven Bauer, Ed Lauter, Micole Mercurio, Stuart Heisler. Brian Donlevy, Veronica Richard Herd, Charles Cyphers, Le Tuan. Lake, Alan Ladd, Joseph Calleia, William Rebellious young skateboarder sets out to Bendix, Bonita Granville, Richard Denfind his brother’s murderers with the help of ning. Fast-moving remake of 1935 film, a street-smart detective. Skateboard stunts with wardheeler Donlevy accused of murare sensational, but the story is by-the-numder, henchman Ladd bailing him out. Lake bers TV stuff. The title is skateboarding jarfine as mysterious love interest, Bendix gon for reaching the ultimate—which this effective as brutal bodyguard. Akira Kuromovie never does. Retitled A BROTHER’S sawa claims this was his inspiration for JUSTICE for TV. [PG-13]▼●쩠 YOJIMBO. Dashiell Hammett novel neatly Glen and Randa (1971) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 adapted by Jonathan Latimer.▼● D: Jim McBride. Steven Curry, Shelley Glass Menagerie, The (1950) 107m. ★★1⁄2 Plimpton, Woodrow Chambliss, Garry D: Irving Rapper. Jane Wyman, Kirk DougGoodrow. Years after nuclear destruction las, Gertrude Lawrence, Arthur Kennedy. of world, teenage lovers follow comicMore notable for its cast and intention than book ‘‘clues’’ and look for Metropolis. results. Slow-moving version of Tennes[R—originally rated X]▼●쩠 see Williams’ drama of lame girl, her Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) C-100m. ★★★ faded Southern belle mother, and idealistic D: James Foley. Al Pacino, Jack Lemmon, brother, all living in their own fragile Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Alan Arkin, Kevin dream worlds. Remade twice. Spacey, Jonathan Pryce, Bruce Altman, Glass Menagerie, The (1987) C-134m. Jude Ciccolella. David Mamet’s scorch★★★ D: Paul Newman. Joanne Woodward, ing, profane, Pulitzer Prize–winning play [ 530 ]

about an office full of desperate real-estate Robert Sterling, John McGiver, Lilo Pulver. salesmen-cum-con-artists is faithfully reUnwitty Hope vehicle has Bob in charge produced (Mamet did the adaptation himof a baby found at U.N., with female self) with a gallery of stunning perforrepresentative from each nation demandmances. Pacino is dynamic as the office ing the child. Also shown in computerhotshot, Lemmon totally credible as the colored version. Metroscope.▼ loser, and Baldwin is dynamite (in a part Global Heresy SEE: Rock My World created especially for the film) as an insulting Gloomy Sunday (1999-German-Hungarian) ‘‘motivator.’’ Never succeeds in being anyC-112m. ★★★ D: Rolf Schu¨bel. Erika Marothing but a photographed play, but when the zsa´n, Joachim Kro´l, Ben Becker, Stefano play and the actors are this good it’s hard to Dionisi, Andra´s Ba´lint, Ge´za Boros, Rolf complain. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Becker, Ilse Zielstorff. Old-fashioned love Glenn Miller Story, The (1954) C-116m. triangle set in Budapest during the 1930s ★★★ and ’40s, built around the title tune (made D: Anthony Mann. James Stewart, June Allyson, Charles Drake, George famous in the U.S. by Billie Holiday), which Tobias, Harry Morgan, Frances Langford, came to be known as ‘‘The Suicide Song.’’ Louis Armstrong, Gene Krupa. Stewart is A genial restaurateur hires a moody young convincingly cast as the popular bandleader man to play piano in his establishment, little in this extremely sentimental (and largely dreaming that the woman he loves will be fictitious) account of his life. Music’s the torn between them. Romantic, sexy, and real star here, with most of Miller’s hit evocative of an earlier era (and its films). Based on a novel by Nick Barkow.쩠 records re-created.▼●쩠 Glen or Glenda (1953) 61m. BOMB D: Gloria (1980) C-121m. ★★ D: John CassaEdward D. Wood, Jr. Bela Lugosi, Dolovetes. Gena Rowlands, Buck Henry, John res Fuller, Daniel Davis, Lyle Talbot, TimAdames, Julie Carmen, Lupe Guarnica. Exothy Farrell, ‘‘Tommy’’ Haynes, Charles mob mistress goes on the lam with a young Crafts, Conrad Brooks. Sensational but sinneighbor-boy after gangland hit-men wipe cere ‘‘docu-fantasy’’ about transvestism out his parents. Good-looking but way overcould well be the worst movie ever made. long melodrama, which Cassavetes may or Legendarily awful director Wood stars may not be playing for laughs. Remade in (under the name Daniel Davis) as Glen, 1999. [PG]▼●쩠 who can’t decide how to tell his fiance´e he Gloria (1999) C-108m. ★★ D: Sidney wants to wear her clothes. Dizzying hodgeLumet. Sharon Stone, Jean-Luke Figueroa, podge of stock footage, demented dream seJeremy Northam, George C. Scott, Cathy quences, and heartfelt plea for tolerance Moriarty, Bonnie Bedelia, Mike Starr. Unlinked by campy Lugosi narrating from necessary, sentimental remake of 1980 John haunted house. ‘‘Bevare!’’ Even more inept Cassavetes melodrama with Stone stepping and hilarious than Wood’s infamous PLAN into Gena Rowlands’ pumps as a tough 9 FROM OUTER SPACE. Also released as ex–gun moll on the lam with an adorable I CHANGED MY SEX, I LED 2 LIVES, Puerto Rican tyke (Figueroa) in tow. Still watchable, thanks to Stone’s funny, fulland HE OR SHE. Reissued at 67m.▼●쩠 1 ★ Glimmer Man, The (1996) C-92m. ⁄2 bodied performance (once you get over her D: John Gray. Steven Seagal, Keenen Ivory barely credible Noo Yawk accent) and her Wayans, Michelle Johnson, Brian Cox, Bob cuddly costar. Scott’s final theatrical film. Gunton, John Jackson, Stephen Tobolow[R]▼●쩠 sky. Seagal and Wayans team up to track Glory (1989) C-122m. ★★★★ D: Edward down a serial killer who is terrorizing the Zwick. Matthew Broderick, Denzel WashL.A. area. Tired buddy/cop picture, even by ington, Cary Elwes, Morgan Freeman, Seagal’s fairly low standards; he also coproJihmi Kennedy, Andre Braugher, John Finn, duced. [R]▼●쩠 Donovan Leitch, John David Cullum, Bob Glitter (2001) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Vondie Gunton, Cliff DeYoung. Exceptional story Curtis Hall. Mariah Carey, Max Beesley, of America’s first unit of black soldiers Da Brat, Tia Texada, Valarie Pettiford, Ann during the Civil War and the young, inexMagnuson, Terrence Howard, Dorian Hareperienced Northerner (Broderick) who’s wood, Grant Nickalls, Padma Lakshmi, Eric given the job of training and leading them. Bene´t. In 1980s N.Y.C. a backup singer is Based in part on the letters of that young discovered by an ambitious club d.j. (Beesofficer and brought to life with astonishing ley) who vows to make her a star. That’s skill and believability. Grand, moving, fine with her, but if only she could reconcile breathtakingly filmed (by veteran cinemawith the mother who abandoned her when tographer Freddie Francis) and faultlessly she was a child. . . . Vehicle for pop star performed. One of the finest historical Carey is tiresome at best and awash in clidramas ever made. Oscar winner for Cinematography, Sound, and Supporting Actor che´s. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Global Affair, A (1964) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: (Washington). Screenplay by Kevin Jarre. Jack Arnold. Bob Hope, Yvonne De Carlo, Jane Alexander (as Broderick’s mother) and [ 531 ]

Raymond St. Jacques (as Frederick DougAlthough raised by an underworld figure, lass) appear unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 Cagney joins F.B.I. when a pal is killed by Glory Alley (1952) 79m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raoul gangsters, puts his first-hand knowledge to Walsh. Ralph Meeker, Leslie Caron, Giluse. Exciting film, beautifully shot by Sol bert Roland, Louis Armstrong, John McPolito; prologue with David Brian added Intire. Just before the championship bout, for 1949 reissue. Also shown in computerboxer Meeker quits the fight game, then colored version.▼쩠 goes from skid row to war hero. New OrGnaw SEE: Food of the Gods II leans backgrounds allow for some good muGnome-Mobile, The (1967) C-90m. ★★★ sical interludes. D: Robert Stevenson. Walter Brennan, MatGlory at Sea SEE: Gift Horse, The thew Garber, Karen Dotrice, Richard DeaGlory Boy SEE: My Old Man’s Place con, Tom Lowell, Sean McClory, Ed Wynn. Glory Guys, The (1965) C-112m. ★★ Crusty businessman Brennan, his niece, and D: Arnold Laven. Tom Tryon, Harve Presnephew discover gnomes in redwood fornell, Michael Anderson, Jr., Senta Berest, try to protect them from freak-show ger, James Caan, Slim Pickens, Wayne entrepreneur and land-destroyers. Lively Rogers. Lumbering Cavalry Western with Disney fantasy outing with top special a love triangle thrown in. Screenplay by effects, broad comedy highlights. Based Sam Peckinpah. Panavision.▼ on Upton Sinclair novel.▼쩠 Glory Road (2006) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Gnome Named Gnorm, A (1994) C-84m. ★★ Gartner. Josh Lucas, Derek Luke, Austin NichD: Stan Winston. Anthony Michael Hall, ols, Jon Voight, Evan Jones, Schin A.S. Kerr, Jerry Orbach, Claudia Christian, Eli Danker, Alphonso McAuley, Mehcad Brooks, Sam Mark Harelik, Robert Z’Dar. An especially Jones III, Damaine Radcliff, Emily Deschanel, strange cop-and-partner action comedy teams Al Shearer, Tatyana Ali. Jerry Bruckheimer–eccentric young detective Hall with a gnome produced feel-good movie about an obscure who’s just burrowed up from his underground basketball coach named Don Haskins, who reworld. Short on action, whimsy, and wackicruits raw but promising players—including a ness. Special effects maestro Winston relarge number of blacks—for a community colturned to what he did best after this sat on the shelf for five years. [PG]▼ lege in El Paso, Texas, and heads for the 1966 NCAA championship. Echoing REMEMBER GO (1999) C-103m. ★★ D: Doug Liman. THE TITANS, this film pushes the right butSarah Polley, Katie Holmes, Desmond tons, and dramatizes the historic game in Askew, Taye Diggs, William Fichtner, J. E. which an all-black team faced an all-white Freeman, Jane Krakowski, Breckin Meyer, opponent . . . but glosses over some of the Jay Mohr, Timothy Olyphant, Scott Wolf, most interesting aspects of the real-life James Duval. A frenetic twenty-four hours story. Super 35. [PG]쩠 in the lives of some hedonistic L .A. teens, Glory Stompers, The (1967) C-85m. as seen from several points of view. EnerBOMB D: Anthony M. Lanza. Dennis gized, well cast, and cleverly contrived, this Hopper, Jody McCrea, Chris Noel, Jock paean to a what-the-hell lifestyle is geared Mahoney, Lindsay Crosby. Hopper, preto appeal to like-minded young people . . . EASY RIDER, stars as motorcycle-gang but others may find it too much like a junior leader who wears a swastika patch and PULP FICTION. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 mouths lines like, ‘‘Hey, like, ya know, I Goalie’s Anxiety at the Penalty Kick, wanna dance with you, baby.’’ And, from The (1971-German) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Noel: ‘‘I just want something better than Wim Wenders. Arthur Brauss, Erika Pluhar, being a Stompers girl.’’ Hilariously bad; Kai Fischer, Libgart Schwarz, Marie Barsee if you can count how many times dischewski. Exceptionally knowing, hauntHopper says ‘‘man.’’ Colorscope.▼ ing portrait of alienation, following a proGlove, The (1978) C-91m. ★★ D: Ross fessional soccer goalie (Brauss), who Hagen. John Saxon, Rosey Grier, Joanna abandons his team and sets out on an Cassidy, Joan Blondell, Jack Carter, Aldo odyssey. Stunningly directed; a film you Ray, Keenan Wynn. Violent action flick will not soon forget. Scripted by Peter (with episodic comic diversions by various Handke, based on his novel.▼ ‘‘guest’’ veterans), pitting a world-weary Goal! The Dream Begins (2006) C-118m. ★★★ bounty hunter against a vengeful ex-con D: Danny Cannon. Kuno Becker, Aleswho commits mayhem with a leather-laced sandro Nivola, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel, steel riot glove. Also shown as THE Marcel Iures, Sean Pertwee, Lee Ross, CasGLOVE: LETHAL TERMINATOR and sandra Bell, Kieran O’Brien, Tony Plana, LETHAL TERMINATOR. [R] ▼쩠 Miriam Colon. Since there have been ‘‘inGlove: Lethal Terminator, The SEE: spirational’’ sports movies on everything exGlove, The cept contract bridge, another one about soccer ‘‘G’’ Men (1935) 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: William (or football, as it’s known internationally) was Keighley. James Cagney, Ann Dvorak, Marprobably inevitable. Entertaining story of a garet Lindsay, Robert Armstrong, Barton poor Mexican-American player who travels MacLane, Lloyd Nolan, William Harrigan. from L.A. to England against his father’s [ 532 ]

wishes for a chance to play in the big leagues. King, Mariana Hill, Troy Donahue, Joe SpiLess about the game than the young man’s nell, Abe Vigoda, Fay Spain, Harry Dean family and team relationships, providing Stanton, Danny Aiello, Roger Corman, Domiplenty of heart and pluck. Real-life soccer sunic Chianese, James Caan. They said it perstars appear in cameos. Followed by two couldn’t be done, but cowriter-director Copsequels. Super 35. [PG]쩠 pola made a sequel that’s just as compelling. Goat, The SEE: La Chevre This one contrasts the life of melancholy Go-Between, The (1970-British) C-116m. ‘‘don’’ (Pacino) with early days of his father ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Joseph Losey. Julie Christie, (De Niro) as an immigrant in N.Y.C. Winner Alan Bates, Dominic Guard, Margaret of six Oscars including Best Picture, Director, Leighton, Michael Gough, Michael RedScreenplay (Coppola, Mario Puzo), Supportgrave, Edward Fox. Beguiling film from ing Actor (De Niro), Score (Nino Rota, CarL. P. Hartley story of boy who becomes mine Coppola), Art Direction/Set Decoration messenger for love notes between aristo(Dean Tavoularis, Angelo Graham, George cratic Christie and farmer Bates. Lushly R. Nelson). [R]▼●쩠 filmed, full of nuances, fine performances. Godfather Part III, The (1990) C-161m. ★★★ Script by Harold Pinter. A mood piece, D: Francis Ford Coppola. Al Pacino, not for all tastes. [PG]▼ Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, Andy Garcia, Eli GoBots: Battle of the Rock Lords (1986) Wallach, Joe Mantegna, George Hamilton, C-75m. ★1⁄2 D: Ray Patterson. Voices of Bridget Fonda, Sofia Coppola, Raf Vallone, Margot Kidder, Roddy McDowall, MiFranc D’Ambrosio, Donal Donnelly, Richard chael Nouri, Telly Savalas. Hanna-Barbera Bright, Helmut Berger, Don Novello, John and Tonka Toys present a 75-minute aniSavage, Mario Donatone, Al Martino. Only a mated commercial about the war between filmmaker like Coppola (teamed with writer good GoBots versus evil Renegades, and Mario Puzo) could extend his history-making the struggle of innocent Rock people against Mafioso saga and make it work so well. Abwicked Rock Lords. Electronically altered sorbing story of Pacino’s attempt to remove soundtrack makes it difficult to hear bighimself from the world of crime, and how fate name voice cast. [G]▼ and circumstance draw him back in, with his ★★★ Goddess, The (1958) 105m. trigger-happy nephew (Garcia) and the rest of D: John Cromwell. Kim Stanley, Lloyd Bridges, his family in tow. Longish, but masterfully Steven Hill, Betty Lou Holland, Patty Duke. told, with one almost-fatal flaw: the casting of Absorbing biography of an ambitious girl Coppola’s daughter Sofia (an amateur) in the seeking Hollywood fame. Author Paddy pivotal role of Pacino’s daughter. Video release Chayefsky based his story on Marilyn is so-called ‘‘final director’s cut,’’ 9m. longer than theatrical version. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Monroe; the film captures tragedy of the real-life Monroe with fine acting by Stanley God Forgives, I Don’t (1969-ItalianSpanish) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Giuseppe Colizzi. and Bridges, among others. Film debuts of Stanley and Duke.▼● Terence Hill, Bud Spencer, Frank Wolff, Godfather, The (1972) C-175m. ★★★★ Gina Rovere, Jose Manuel Martin. In spite D: Francis Ford Coppola. Marlon Brando, of colorful title, this spaghetti Western Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, about an attempt to find some buried loot John Cazale, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, is like a thousand others. Hill’s and Spencer’s first film together. Techniscope. [M]쩠 Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Al Lettieri, Abe God Grew Tired of Us: The Story of Lost Boys of Sudan (2006) C-89m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Vigoda, Al Martino, Morgana King, Alex Rocco. The 1970s’ answer to GONE WITH Christopher Dillon Quinn. Narrated by NiTHE WIND, from Mario Puzo’s novel on cole Kidman. The subject of 2003’s THE the violent life and times of Mafia patriLOST BOYS OF SUDAN is given a new, arch Don Corleone (Brando). Pulp fiction perhaps more human perspective in this raised to the highest level; a film of epic documentary as we learn what happened proportions, masterfully done, and set to when three survivors came to the U.S. after Nino Rota’s memorable music. Absolutely spending time in a Kenyan refugee camp. irresistible. Academy Award winner for Scenes featuring the three are alternately Best Picture, Actor (Brando), and Screentouching and surprisingly funny and show play (Coppola and Puzo). Baby in baptism the true meaning of life in America as seen scene is actually Coppola’s infant daughter through outsiders’ eyes. [PG]쩠 Sofia—who later costarred in THE GODGod Is Great, I’m Not (2001-French) CFATHER PART III. Followed by two se95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pascale Bailly. Audrey Tautou, quels. [R]▼●쩠 Edouard Baer, Julie Depardieu, Catherine Godfather Part II, The (1974) C-200m. Jacob, Philippe Laudenbach, Cathy Verney, ★★★★ D: Francis Ford Coppola. Al Pacino, Mathieu Demy. Tautou is winning as a flaky Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De 20-year-old model who flits from relationship Niro, John Cazale, Talia Shire, Lee Strasberg, to relationship and religion to religion; she Michael V. Gazzo, G.D. Spradlin, B. Kirby, embraces Judaism, even though her newest Jr. (Bruno Kirby), John Aprea, Morgana boyfriend is a nonpracticing Jew. Ambitious [ 533 ]

attempt to reflect on how individuals search turned six years later to update the lives of his subjects.쩠 for meaning in their lives, but it’s not as Godsend, The (1979-British) C-93m. ★★ emotionally involving as it ought to be. D: Gabrielle Beaumont. Cyd Hayman, MalVideo title: GOD IS GREAT, AND I’M colm Stoddard, Angela Pleasence, Patrick NOT. ▼쩠 ★★1⁄2 D: Barr. OMEN/EXORCIST-type horror film God Is My Co-Pilot (1945) 90m. about an angelic little blonde girl who is Robert Florey. Dennis Morgan, Raymond left at a family farm on a rainy night by a Massey, Andrea King, Alan Hale, Dane strange woman. In the years that follow, Clark, John Ridgely, Stanley Ridges, Dondeath, disaster, and hostility are visited ald Woods. Well-intentioned drama of WW2 upon the family in this medium thriller. [R]▼ pilots bogs down in cliche´s, still has many Godsend (2004-U.S.-Canadian) C-102m. good scenes.▼ ★★1 ⁄2 D: Nick Hamm. Greg Kinnear, Rebecca God Said, ‘‘HA!’’ (1999) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Romijn-Stamos, Robert De Niro, Cameron Julia Sweeney. Julia Sweeney. Faithful film Bright, Jenny Levine. A couple grieving over record of Sweeney’s one-woman show in the loss of their 8-year-old son is approached which she describes, with disarming good by a medical researcher who promises that he humor, her experience caring for her brother can enable the woman to give birth to the as he died of cancer—then discovering that identical child all over again—using a revolushe had a rare form of cervical cancer hertionary (if illegal) cloning method he’s perself. Quentin Tarantino coexecutive-profected. Good performances and an interestduced. [PG-13]▼쩠 ing premise reel us in, but then the filmGods and Generals (2003) C-223m. ★★1⁄2 makers string us along, teasing us about D: Ronald F. Maxwell. Jeff Daniels, Stephen where the story is headed. It doesn’t pay off. Lang, Robert Duvall, Mira Sorvino, Kevin Filmed in Canada, which never looked Conway, C. Thomas Howell, Frankie Faison, more unlike the U.S. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Matt Letscher, Jeremy London, William God’s Little Acre (1958) 117m. ★★★ D: Sanderson, Kali Rocha, Bruce Boxleitner, Anthony Mann. Robert Ryan, Tina Louise, Robert Easton. Writer-director Maxwell’s Aldo Ray, Buddy Hackett, Jack Lord, Fay prequel to GETTYSBURG is not in the same Spain, Michael Landon, Vic Morrow, Rex league but does manage to capture some of the Ingram. Picaresque Americana from Ersights, sounds, and personalities of the Civil skine Caldwell’s best-selling book about a War’s early years, with an emphasis on the lusty, eccentric Georgia family. Amusing, South. Lion’s share of the story is devoted to passionate, and highly charged; quite sexy Lang’s pious ‘‘Stonewall’’ Jackson. Telling vifor its time. Some censored moments were gnettes and vivid battle scenes make up for restored years after its original release. some ponderousness, speechiness, and overWonderful score by Elmer Bernstein. ▼쩠 length (it’s even longer—231m.—on video). Gods Must Be Crazy, The (1981-BotFilm’s backer, media mogul Ted Turner, has a swana) C-108m. ★★★ D: Jamie Uys. Marcameo as a Confederate soldier. Based on the ius Weyers, Sandra Prinsloo, N!xau, Louw Jeff Shaara novel. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Verwey, Michael Thys. Highly original, Gods and Monsters (1998) C-105m. offbeat comedy about cultural clashes in ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Bill Condon. Ian McKellen, BrenAfrica, involving a bushman who encoundan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave, Lolita Davidoters civilization for the first time, a pretty vich, David Dukes, Kevin J. O’Connor. schoolteacher whose new assignment is a Exceptional (if entirely fictional) character remote village, and a bumbling scientist study of film director James Whale (best whose attempts to make her welcome result remembered for FRANKENSTEIN and in slapstick catastrophes. Film itself is clumsy BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN), alone at at times, but completely disarming. A U.S. the end of his life in the 1950s, and fearful sensation in 1984. Uys, who also wrote and of losing his mind. An exquisite rendering produced, plays the reverend. Followed by a of time and place, with a superb perforsequel. Techniscope. [PG]▼●쩠 mance by McKellen, matched by Fraser as Gods Must Be Crazy II, The (1989a gardener who catches his fancy, and RedU.S.-Botswana) C-97m. ★★★ D: Jamie Uys. grave as his hilariously severe but loving N!xau, Lena Farugia, Hans Strydom, Eiros, housekeeper. A quiet, deliberately paced Nadies, Erick Bowen. Follow-up to the film; beautifully rendered, with a unique surprise smash-hit farce is just as funny blend of flashback and hallucination. Direcand endearing. N!xau returns as the bushtor Condon won an Oscar for adapting man; here, his two young children are Christopher Bram’s novel Father of Franaccidentally transported to ‘‘civilization’’ kenstein. Super 35. ▼●쩠 by a pair of poachers, and he follows them God’s Country (1985) C-88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: with the expected, comic result. This started Louis Malle. Poignant, insightful, occashooting in 1985 and sat on the shelf for sionally hilarious look at life in Glencoe, several years. [PG]▼●쩠 Minnesota, a small, conservative farming Gods of the Plague (1969-German) 91m. ★★★ D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Hanna community. Mostly shot in 1979; Malle re[ 534 ]

Schygulla, Margarethe von Trotta, Harry nondevotees. Informally known as GMK. Super 35. [PG-13] 쩠 Baer, Gunther Kaufmann, Ingrid Caven. Godzilla 1985 (1985-Japanese) C-91m. A pair of pals plot a robbery, only to have BOMB D: Kohji Hashimoto, R. J. Kizer. their scheme disrupted by two women (both Raymond Burr, Keiju Kobayashi, Ken of whom love one of the men). Low-key, Tanaka, Yasuko Sawaguchi, Shin Takuma. noirish gangster film is an ode to the Supposed update of original GODZILLA Hollywood films of the genre, with a French is just a retread, with the atomic-fueled monNew Wave sensibility. At the same time, ster threatening Tokyo again. Burr is back in it’s a knowing portrait of an aimless, aliencheaply filmed insert sequences making like ated post-war German generation.▼쩠 ★★1 Greek chorus. Too straight to be funny; the ⁄2 D: David Godspell (1973) C-103m. Big Fella is just a Big Bore. [PG]▼● Greene. Victor Garber, David Haskell, Godzilla on Monster Island (1972-JapJerry Sroka, Lynne Thigpen, Katie Hananese) C-89m. ★★ D: Jun Fukuda. Hiroshi ley, Robin Lamont. Sophomoric updating Ishikawa, Tomoko Umeda, Yuriko Hishimi, of Jesus’ life with young bouncy disciples Minoru Takashima. Garbo talks? Ha! In following their leader around modern-day this harmless, toylike movie, Godzilla talks, N.Y.C. Energetic adaptation of popuas he and spiny Angillus battle alienlar stage musical; brilliant use of N.Y.C. summoned Ghidrah and new playmate locations, good score by Stephen Schwartz Gigan, who has a buzz saw in his belly. including ‘‘Day by Day,’’ but hollow and Standard colorful Toho monster hijinks. unmoving. [G]▼쩠 Aka GODZILLA VS. GIGAN. Tohoscope. God Told Me To SEE: Demon [G]▼●쩠 Godzilla (1954-Japanese) SEE: Godzilla, Godzilla Raids Again SEE: Gigantis, the King of the Monsters! Fire Monster Godzilla (1998) C-139m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roland Godzilla’s Revenge (1969-Japanese) CEmmerich. Matthew Broderick, Hank Aza69m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ishiro Honda. Kenji Saria, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, Harry Shearer, hara, Tomonori Yazaki, Machiko Naka, Kevin Dunn, Michael Lerner, Vicki Lewis, Sachio Sakai, Chotaro Togin, Yoshibumi Doug Savant, Arabella Field, Bodhi ElfTujima. Fantasy of child daydreaming of man. Giant lizard monster moves swiftly adventures with Godzilla’s son and other from the Pacific to N.Y. harbor, and terrormonsters. Battle scenes are mostly stock izes the Big Apple. Biologist Broderick footage from GODZILLA VS. THE SEA hooks up with mystery man Reno and his MONSTER and SON OF GODZILLA. team to stop it. Giant-scale, fx-driven noGood juvenile sci-fi. Tohoscope. [G]▼●쩠 brainer doesn’t make much sense, has shalGodzilla 2000 (1999-Japanese) C-99m. low characters, and goes on too long—but ★★★ D: Takao Okawara. Takehiro Murata, still offers a surprising amount of fun. Super Naomi Nishida, Mayu Suzuki, Hiroshi Abe, 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Shiro Sano, Tsutomu Kitagawa. Lively, wellGodzilla, King of the Monsters! (1954made series entry centers on the discovery of Japanese) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terry Morse, Ishiro a centuries-old alien craft designed to convert Honda. Raymond Burr, Takashi Shimura, Earth’s environment into one suitable for its Momoko Kochi, Akira Takarada. A firecreators. Godzilla is tricked into saving the breathing lizard threatens civilization: the speplanet again. Engaging film with fine effects cial effects are the star in this, the original and sharp script, weighed down only by a GODZILLA movie. Originally released in drawn-out monster-clash climax. Reworked, Japan in 1954 as GOJIRA (a far superior redubbed and rescored for U.S. release from film), at 98m; over 20m. were eliminated, the 107m. original. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 and inserts with Burr were added. Updated Godzilla vs. Gigan SEE: Godzilla on Monin 1985 and reworked in 1998. Original Japster Island anese version restored in 2004. ▼●쩠 Godzilla vs. Hedorah SEE: Godzilla vs. Godzilla Mothra King Ghidorah (2001the Smog Monster Japanese) C-105m. ★★★ D: Shusuke KaGodzilla vs. Mechagodzilla SEE: Godzilla neko. Chiharu Nıˆyama, Ryudo Uzaki, Masahvs. the Cosmic Monster iro Kobayashi, Shiroˆ Sano, Takashi Nishina. Godzilla vs. Megalon (1976-Japanese) Writer-director Kaneko was brought in to C-80m. ★1⁄2 D: Jun Fukuda. Katsuhiko ‘‘shake things up,’’ and he certainly sucSasaki, Hiroyuki Kawase, Yutaka Hayashi, ceeded with this dark, very violent epic, which Robert Dunham. Series sinks to new low as reverts Godzilla to a soulless, nuclear-created Godzilla teams up with robot superhero killing machine. Mothra, Baragon, and even against Megalon and his pal Gigan. Incredibly King Ghidorah are now ‘‘guardian spirits’’ cheap, with lots of unintended laughs. A hoho who are awakened to stop his wave of defrom Toho in Tohoscope. [G]▼쩠 struction. The 25th Godzilla movie is conGodzilla vs. Monster Zero SEE: Monsidered by many fans to be the apex of the ster Zero series, with terrific special effects and a conGodzilla vs. Mothra SEE: Godzilla vs. sistently adult tone; worth seeing even for the Thing [ 535 ]

Godzilla vs. the Bionic Monster SEE: Team, composed mostly of JapaneseGodzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster Americans (Nisei). Crammed with ironic Godzilla vs. the Cosmic Monster (1974touches, and uncompromising in its point Japanese) C-80m. ★★ D: Jun Fukuda. Masaaki of view (reflecting the Nisei’s collective heroic Daimon, Kazuya Aoyama, Reiko Tajima, war record). Pirosh also scripted. ▼쩠 Barbara Lynn, Akihiko Hirata. Godzilla Go-Getter, The (2008) C-93m. ★★ D: Martin battles robot duplicate of himself, built by Hynes. Lou Taylor Pucci, Zooey Deschanel, alien apes intent on conquering the world. Jena Malone, William Lee Scott, Maura TierHe’s helped this time by ancient Okinawan ney, Judy Greer, Bill Duke, Julio Oscar monster Kingseesar. Pokey until zappityMechoso, Jsu Garcia. Recently orphaned pow climax. Aka GODZILLA VS. THE teenager who can’t get his act together impulBIONIC MONSTER and GODZILLA VS. sively steals a car and embarks on a road MECHAGODZILLA, and remade in 1993 trip, hoping to find his elusive stepbrother under that title. Tohoscope. [G] ▼●쩠 (whom he hasn’t seen in years) . . . but Godzilla Vs. The Sea Monster (1966along the way he develops a relationship Japanese) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jun Fukuda. via cell phone with the owner of the car. Akira Takarada, Kumi Mizuno, Chotaro Picaresque road movie benefits from strong Togin, Hideo Sunazuka, Toru Watanabe, lead performances, but its supposed spontaAkihito Hirata, Toru Ibuki. Four people are neity too often seems studied, and many shipwrecked on a South Seas island, where fine actors appear in cameos that are frusthey not only have to avoid a terrorist orgatratingly brief. Feature debut for writerdirector Hynes. [R]쩠 nization called the Red Bamboo, but also Godzilla, Mothra, and a giant crablike creaGohatto SEE: Taboo Goin’ Cocoanuts (1978) C-96m. ★★ D: Howture called Ebirah. Seventh Godzilla movie (the first directed by Fukuda) is also the first ard Morris. Donny and Marie Osmond, Herto do away with trademark scenes of urban bert Edelman, Kenneth Mars, Chrystin destruction. Splendid use of color and nice, Sinclaire, Ted Cassidy, Marc Lawrence, Khigh change-of-pace jazzy score by Masaru Sato Dhiegh, Harold Sakata. Bad guys go after make this one of the more entertaining enMarie’s necklace in Hawaii, but the villainy, tries. Japanese running time is 87m. Aka like the story, is strictly kindergarten level. Of EBIRAH, HORROR OF THE DEEP. Tocourse, Donny and Marie get to sing. [PG] hoscope. [PG] ▼쩠 Goin’ Down the Road (1970-Canadian) Godzilla vs. the Smog Monster (1972C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Donald Shebib. Doug Japanese) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Yoshimitu McGrath, Paul Bradley, Jayne Eastwood, Banno. Akira Yamauchi, Hiroyuki Kawase, Cayle Chernin, Nicole Morin. AwardToshio Shibaki. Godzilla freelances as dowinning film made for less than $100,000 gooder in ridding Japan of monster born of puts most Hollywood blockbusters to shame; waste, fed on factory fumes and smog. modest tale of two unlucky Nova Scotians and Dubbed and daffy. Aka GODZILLA VS. their near-tragic finish packs a memorable HEDORAH. Tohoscope. [G—edited from punch. McGrath and Bradley are remarkably original PG rating]▼●쩠 good. [PG—edited from original R rating] Going All the Way (1997) C-110m. ★★ D: Godzilla vs. the Thing (1964-Japanese) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ishiro Honda. Okira TakarMark Pellington. Jeremy Davies, Ben Afada, Yuriko Hoshi, Hiroshi Koizumi, Yu fleck, Amy Locane, Jill Clayburgh, Lesley Fujiki. Vivid special effects highlight battle Ann Warren, Rose McGowan, Rachel between reptile Godzilla and Mothra, giant Weisz. Listless screen version of Dan moth. Aka GODZILLA VS. MOTHRA. Wakefield’s popular memory novel about Tohoscope. ▼●쩠 two young army vets who become friends Go Fish (1994) 87m. ★★★ D: Rose Troche. in 1950s Indianapolis despite having existed V. S. Brodie, Guinevere Turner, T. Wendy on wholly different social planes during McMillan, Anastasia Sharp, Migdalia Meltheir high school years. A good book but an endez. A romantic tale about finding a soulindifferent (and familiar-seeming) comingmate; the difference here is that both of-age movie, despite a Wakefield script. partners are women. Funny, intelligent Set in 1954, film opens with a huge 1957 comedy about brash Turner forging a relapop hit—never a good sign. [R]▼●쩠 tionship with shy Brodie. Only quibble: the Going Ape (1970) SEE: Where’s Poppa? heavy-handed political correctness of the secGoing Ape! (1981) C-87m. BOMB D: ondary characters. Made on a practically nonJeremy Joe Kronsberg. Tony Danza, Jesexistent budget; Troche (who coscripted with sica Walter, Stacey Nelkin, Danny De Turner) is a talent to watch. [R] ▼●쩠 Vito, Art Metrano, Joseph Maher. Inept Go for Broke! (1951) 92m. ★★★ D: Robert comedy, with Danza set to inherit $5 milPirosh. Van Johnson, Lane Nakano, Henry lion if he cares for a trio of orangutans. Nakamura, George Miki, Henry Oyasato, Directorial debut for screenwriter Kronsberg, Warner Anderson. Fine WW2 drama with who also penned Clint Eastwood’s EVERY Johnson, a bigoted Texan, assigned to train WHICH WAY BUT LOOSE—with an orangutan prominently featured. [PG]▼ and lead the 442nd Regimental Combat [ 536 ]

Going Berserk (1983-Canadian) C-85m. Henry Jaglom. Victoria Foyt, Rob Morrow, BOMB D: David Steinberg. John Candy, Lee Grant, Mae Whitman, Bruce Davison, Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, Alley Mills, Jennifer Grant, Cynthia Sikes, Martha GehPat Hingle, Richard Libertini, Paul Dooley, man, Juliet Landau, Pamela Bellwood, RobMurphy Dunne, Dixie Carter, Ernie Hudert Romanus. Santa Monica boutique is son. Awesomely inept comedy about the threatened with foreclosure unless its owner misadventures of a young dolt (Candy) can come up with some quick cash. To do this who’s set to marry the daughter of a pompshe throws the mother of all Mother’s Day ous congressman. Only a performer as sales. Means to explore women’s obsession likable as Candy could survive such a with shopping as EATING dealt with female debacle; his SCTV colleagues Flaherty and food issues. This stitched-together film— Levy have little to do. [R]▼●쩠 indulgent even by Jaglom standards—stars Going Hollywood (1933) 80m. ★★★ D: the director’s ex (Foyt, who also cowrote) and Raoul Walsh. Marion Davies, Bing Crossome of his usual troupe. At best a clearanceby, Fifi D’Orsay, Stuart Erwin, Ned Sparks, sale item. [PG-13]쩠 Patsy Kelly. Enjoyable fluff with Davies Goin’ South (1978) C-109m. ★★★ D: Jack following crooner Crosby to Hollywood Nicholson. Jack Nicholson, Mary Steendetermined to win him away from tempesburgen, Christopher Lloyd, John Belushi, tuous screen star D’Orsay. Kelly all but Veronica Cartwright, Richard Bradford, steals film from stars. Songs include Danny DeVito, Luana Anders, Ed Begley, ‘‘Temptation,’’ ‘‘We’ll Make Hay While Jr., Anne Ramsey. Amusing Western comthe Sun Shines,’’ and the title tune.▼● edy, not for all tastes, with Nicholson saving Going Home (1971) C-97m. ★★★ D: himself from lynch mob by marrying a spinHerbert B. Leonard. Robert Mitchum, Janster. Steenburgen is refreshingly offbeat and Michael Vincent, Brenda Vaccaro, Jason Belushi’s disappointingly small role is a real hoot. Film debuts of both. [PG] ▼●쩠 Bernard, Sally Kirkland, Josh Mostel. Powerful, if downbeat, study of young man’s Goin’ to Town (1935) 74m. ★★★ D: Alextroubled relationship with his father, who’s ander Hall. Mae West, Paul Cavanagh, just been released from prison after servIvan Lebedeff, Marjorie Gateson, Tito Coral. ing time for killing his wife. [PG]▼● Good West vehicle of dance-hall girl trying Going in Style (1979) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: to crash society, highlight: Mae doing ‘‘Samson and Delilah’’ scenes.▼쩠 Martin Brest. George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg, Charles Hallahan, Pamela Go Into Your Dance (1935) 89m. ★★1⁄2 Payton-Wright. Three retirees in Queens D: Archie L. Mayo. Al Jolson, Ruby Keeget more than they bargain for when they ler, Glenda Farrell, Helen Morgan, Patsy rob a bank in Manhattan to relieve their Kelly, Benny Rubin, Phil Regan, Barton boredom. Unexpected gem from a 28-yearMacLane. Flimsy backstage plot allows realold writer-director is predictably funny but life husband and wife Jolson and Keeler (in unpredictably moving, with Burns standing their only film together) to sing and dance out in a terrific cast. [PG]▼쩠 through seven listenable Harry Warren–Al Going My Way (1944) 126m. ★★★★ D: Dubin tunes, including ‘‘About a Quarter to Nine’’ and ‘‘A Latin From Manhattan.’’● Leo McCarey. Bing Crosby, Barry Fitzgerald, Rise Stevens, Frank McHugh, James Go, Johnny, Go! (1958) 75m. ★★ D: Paul Brown, Gene Lockhart, Jean Heather, PorLandres. Jimmy Clanton, Alan Freed, Sandy ter Hall, Fortunio Bonanova, Stanley ClemStewart, Chuck Berry, Jo-Ann Campbell, ents, Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer. Sentimental The Cadillacs, Ritchie Valens, Eddie story of down-to-earth priest Father O’MalCochran, Harvey (Fuqua), The Flamingos, ley (Crosby) winning over aging superior Jackie Wilson. Orphan Clanton, booted (Fitzgerald) and sidewalk gang of kids is out of church choir for playing rock ’n’ roll, is hard to resist—thanks to the skills of writertransformed by Freed into ‘‘Johnny Melody,’’ director McCarey, who won two Oscars. teen idol. (‘‘He’s dreamy. Oh wow, he’s the Academy Awards also went to Crosby, living end.’’) Not very good, but an artifact of Fitzgerald, Best Picture, and Best Song: its era. Berry, who acts as well as sings, per‘‘Swinging on a Star.’’ Sequel: THE forms ‘‘Memphis, Tennessee,’’ ‘‘Little Queenie,’’ and ‘‘Johnny Be Good,’’ Cochran BELLS OF ST. MARY’S. ▼●쩠 Going Places (1974-French) C-117m. ★★★ performs ‘‘Teenage Heaven,’’ and Wilson D: Bertrand Blier. Ge´rard Depardieu, Patdoes ‘‘You’d Better Know It.’’▼● rick Dewaere, Miou-Miou, Jeanne Moreau, Gold (1974-British) C-120m. ★★★ D: Peter Brigitte Fossey, Isabelle Huppert. Crude, Hunt. Roger Moore, Susannah York, Ray overgrown juvenile delinquents Depardieu Milland, Bradford Dillman, John Gielgud. and Dewaere commit petty crimes, terrorGrand-scale adventure action yarn about plot ize and share women. Funny, earthy, someto control price of gold on world market by times even lyrical examination of aliendestroying South African mine. Moore is ation; Moreau appears briefly as an ex-con stalwart hero. Long but entertaining. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 who trysts with the boys. [R]▼쩠 Going Shopping (2005) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) 96m. ★★★1⁄2 [ 537 ]

D: Mervyn LeRoy. Joan Blondell, Ruby sprightly, entertaining Arabian Nights adventure; amusing and imaginative.쩠 Keeler, Aline MacMahon, Dick Powell, Golden Bowl, The (2001-British) C-130m. Guy Kibbee, Warren William, Ned Sparks, ★★★ D: James Ivory. Uma Thurman, Nick Ginger Rogers, Sterling Holloway. Another Nolte, Kate Beckinsale, Jeremy Northam, spectacular Busby Berkeley dance outing Anjelica Huston, Madeleine Potter. Comwith familiar let’s-produce-a-Broadwaypelling adaptation of Henry James’ novel show plot. Highlights: Blondell’s ‘‘Forabout an Italian prince and an American gotten Man,’’ Rogers’ ‘‘We’re In The woman, both impoverished, who must forMoney’’ (with pig-Latin chorus), chorus sake their love in order to marry for money— girls’ ‘‘Shadow Waltz.’’▼●쩠 ★★★ but find themselves entangled just the same: D: Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935) 95m. he weds the sheltered daughter of an AmeriBusby Berkeley. Dick Powell, Adolphe can billionaire, and she marries the father. Menjou, Gloria Stuart, Alice Brady, Glenda Excellent performances amidst the beautiful Farrell, Frank McHugh, Winifred Shaw. settings one expects from a Merchant-Ivory Big-scale Berkeley musical with stereoperiod piece. Screenplay by Ruth Prawer types providing plot line and laughs between Jhabvala. Panavision.▼쩠 fantastic precision production numbers, inGolden Boy (1939) 99m. ★★★ D: Rouben cluding ‘‘The Words Are In My Heart,’’ Mamoulian. Barbara Stanwyck, Adolphe and classic, Oscar-winning ‘‘Lullaby of Menjou, William Holden, Lee J. Cobb, Broadway,’’ sung by Wini Shaw.▼●쩠 1 ★★ Joseph Calleia, Sam Levene, Don Beddoe. Gold Diggers of 1937 (1936) 100m. ⁄2 Italian immigrant’s son is torn between his D: Lloyd Bacon. Dick Powell, Joan Blonlove of the violin—instilled by his insistent dell, Glenda Farrell, Victor Moore, Lee father—and his passion for prizefighting. Dixon, Osgood Perkins. Those gold-diggers Clifford Odets’ story may seem like one won’t give up; this time it’s a group of giant cliche´ by now but it’s played with insurance salesmen backing a show. Top gusto (perhaps too much gusto by Cobb as song: ‘‘With Plenty of Money and You.’’쩠 the Henry Armetta–ish father) and benefits Gold Diggers: The Secret of Bear Mounfrom Stanwyck’s heartfelt performance. tain (1995) C-94m. ★★ D: Kevin James This role propelled an unknown Holden to Dobson. Christina Ricci, Anna Chlumsky, stardom.▼●쩠 Polly Draper, Brian Kerwin, Diana ScarGolden Braid (1990-Australian) C-88m. wid, David Keith. New girl in town (Ricci) ★★★ D: Paul Cox. Chris Haywood, Gosia makes an unlikely friend—an aggressive, Dobrowolska, Paul Chubb, Norman Kaye, unpopular kid (Chlumsky) who’s prone to Robert Menzies, Jo Kennedy. Thoughtful, telling lies. However, her tallest tale may gentle film about a clockmaker (Haywood), not be bogus, and leads them on a search obsessed with all things past, and what for long-buried treasure in a watery cave. happens when he finds a braid of blonde Unsatisfying conclusion shortchanges this hair in an 18th-century cabinet. A film story; its strongest asset (sure to appeal to with a refreshing point of view: clocks preteen girls) is the depiction of the girls’ may stop ticking, and human hearts may friendship. [PG]▼● stop beating, but time still goes on—and Golden Age of Comedy, The (1957) 78m. human beings must celebrate life. ★★★★ D: Compiled by Robert Youngson. Golden Child, The (1986) C-96m. BOMB Laurel and Hardy, Carole Lombard, Ben D: Michael Ritchie. Eddie Murphy, CharTurpin, Will Rogers, Harry Langdon. Peerlotte Lewis, Charles Dance, Victor Wong, less grouping of some of silent comedy’s Randall ‘‘Tex’’ Cobb, James Hong, J.L. greatest moments, including Rogers’ clasReate. Top candidate for the worst megahit sic spoofs of silent stars, and ending with of all time. A ‘‘perfect’’ child (Reate) is Laurel and Hardy’s legendary pie fight kidnapped despite his magical powers; as from BATTLE OF THE CENTURY.▼●쩠 foretold by an ancient oracle, only Murphy Golden Arrow, The (1936) 68m. ★★1⁄2 D: can rescue him. Lewis is more wooden than Alfred E. Green. Bette Davis, George Brent, most ex-models; entire reels go by with nary Eugene Pallette, Dick Foran, Carol Hughes, a chuckle. A box-office smash—but have you Catherine Doucet. Pleasant but featherweight ever met anyone who liked it? [PG-13] ▼●쩠 comedy of ‘‘heiress’’ Davis and down-toGolden Coach, The (1952-Italian) Cearth reporter Brent establishing marriage 101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean Renoir. Anna Magof convenience. nani, Odoardo Spadaro, Nada Fiorelli, Golden Blade, The (1953) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dante Rino, Duncan Lamont, Jean DebuNathan Juran. Rock Hudson, Piper Laurie, court. Delightful film about an acting troupe Gene Evans, George Macready, Kathleen touring South America in the 18th century Hughes, Steven Geray. Hudson, with the and the amorous adventures of its leading help of the magical Sword of Damascus, lady. Theatrical and stylized, this is one of helps Baghdad princess Laurie battle her cathe great films about acting—and a stunning liph father’s grand vizier (Macready) and achievement in the use of color. Ironically, his strong-arm son (Evans). Typical but it was a flop when first released, then [ 538 ]

critically rediscovered. Photographed by Minnie Driver as the Russian nightclub singer. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Claude Renoir; music by Vivaldi.▼●쩠 Golden Gate (1993) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: John Golden Compass, The (2007) C-118m. ★★★ Madden. Matt Dillon, Joan Chen, Bruno D: Chris Weitz. Nicole Kidman, Dakota Kirby, Teri Polo, Tzi Ma, Stan Egi, Jack Blue Richards, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Shearer. Young FBI agent Dillon pursues Eva Green, Christopher Lee, Tom Coursubversives in San Francisco during the tenay, Derek Jacobi, Ben Walker, Simon McCarthy witchhunts, when guiltless ChiMcBurney, Jim Carter, Magda Szubanski; nese were harassed simply for mailing voices of Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, money to their families back home. PotenFreddie Highmore, Kathy Bates, Kristin tially compelling film is hampered by listScott Thomas. Epic juvenile fantasyless direction and David Henry Hwang’s adventure, based on the first book in Philip meandering, melodramatic screenplay. An Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy called American Playhouse coproduction. [R] Northern Lights. Richards is persuasive as a ▼●쩠 plucky 12-year-old who ventures to the Arctic Goldengirl (1979) C-104m. ★★ D: Joseph Circle in search of a vanished friend—and Sargent. Susan Anton, Curt Jurgens, Robevidence of a conspiracy to make children ert Culp, Leslie Caron, Harry Guardino, conform to the wishes of the all-powerful Jessica Walter. Statuesque Anton is more Magisterium. Does a good job of introducor less turned into a robot so she can ing us to an unfamiliar world (where every become a star in the Olympics. So-so. human has an animal companion), and its [PG]▼ computer-generated creatures seem quite Golden Heist, The SEE: Inside Out (1975) real, especially the great white bear voiced Golden Needles (1974) C-92m. ★★ D: by McKellen. Oscar winner for Visual EfRobert Clouse. Joe Don Baker, Elizabeth fects. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Ashley, Jim Kelly, Burgess Meredith, Ann Golden Door (2006-Italian-German-French) Sothern. Everyone seems out of place in C-118m. ★★★ D: Emanuele Crialese. Charthis Hong Kong-L.A. filmed action pic lotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato, Aurora about a scramble for golden statue conQuattrocchi, Francesco Casisa, Filippo Puctaining youth-restoring acupuncture needles. illo, Isabella Ragonese, Vincent Schiavelli. Silly. Retitled THE CHASE FOR THE Heartfelt, dreamlike account of a dirt-poor GOLDEN NEEDLES. Panavision. [PG] Italian family that treks from rural Old Golden Rendezvous (1977) C-103m. ★★ World Sicily to Ellis Island and the U.S., D: Ashley Lazarus. Richard Harris, Ann where they enter a new, modern world. AlTurkel, David Janssen, Burgess Meredith, though it is set at the dawn of the 20th John Vernon, Gordon Jackson, Keith Baxcentury, the film is a poetic ode to the aspiter, Dorothy Malone, John Carradine. Atrations of immigrants of all eras. Filled with tractive cast in pointless adaptation of stunning images, it begs for a sequel followAlistair MacLean’s novel about gambling ing these characters into the New World. ship held hostage by terrorists. Retitled Original Italian title: NUOVOMONDO. NUCLEAR TERROR for television.▼ Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Golden Salamander (1950-British) 96m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Golden Earrings (1947) 95m. ★★★ D: Ronald Neame. Trevor Howard, Mitchell Leisen. Ray Milland, Marlene Anouk Aime´e, Walter Rilla, Herbert Lom, Dietrich, Murvyn Vye, Dennis Hoey, QuenWilfrid Hyde-White. Courting a Tunisian tin Reynolds. Incredible yet enjoyable esgirl, Howard becomes involved in gun capism set in WW2 Europe has Milland smuggling; taut actioner.▼ joining gypsy Dietrich for espionage work; Golden Seal, The (1983) C-95m. ★★★ D: Dietrich most convincing. Gypsy Vye sings Frank Zuniga. Steve Railsback, Michael the title song.▼쩠 Beck, Penelope Milford, Torquil Campbell, GoldenEye (1995) C-130m. ★★★ D: Martin Seth Sakai, Richard Narita, Sandra Seacat. Campbell. Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, IzaStraightforward family film about a young bella Scorupco, Famke Janssen, Joe Don couple and their son, living in the Aleutian Baker, Judi Dench, Robbie Coltrane, Tche´ky islands, cut off from the world. Like the Karyo, Gottfried John, Alan Cumming, Aleut natives, the father (Railsback) has Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond. Broslong pursued the golden seal, a near-mythinan’s debut as 007 is a slam-bang action cal creature with an enormous bounty on its adventure in the best Bond tradition, with head, but it’s the boy (Campbell) who finds eye-popping stunts, sexy women, and interhim, and tries to protect him. Dialogue is national intrigue. (There are also P.C. restiff, but when the action picks up it’s abmarks about Bond being sexist and/or an sorbing and enjoyable. [PG]▼쩠 anachronism.) The crux of the story is interGolden Voyage of Sinbad, The (1974nal sabotage within Russia, and Bond’s atBritish) C-104m. ★★★ D: Gordon Hessler. tempt to figure out who’s behind it—and John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom how to stop them before they use their stoBaker, Douglas Wilmer, Gregoire Aslan, len weapons to harm the free world. That’s John Garfield, Jr. Delightful rehash of ear[ 539 ]

lier Sinbad adventures that evokes SaturGoldsmith’s Shop, The SEE: Jeweller’s day matinee fare of the 1950s, with Ray Shop, The Harryhausen’s finest ‘‘Dynamation’’ effects: Goldstein (1965) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Benjamin a ship’s figurehead comes to life, and a Manaster, Philip Kaufman. Lou Gilbert, six-armed statue does sword battle with Ellen Madison, Thomas Erhart, Benito CarSinbad in action highlights. Grand enterruthers, Severn Darden, Nelson Algren. The tainment. [G]▼●쩠 prophet Elijah (Gilbert) emerges from Lake Goldfinger (1964-British) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 Michigan, is pursued by sculptor Erhart. D: Guy Hamilton. Sean Connery, Gert Quirky, inventive film made on a shoestring Frobe, Honor Blackman, Shirley Eaton, in Chicago. Based on a story by Martin Bernard Lee, Lois Maxwell, Harold Sakata, Buber. Original running time: 115m. 쩠 Tania Mallet. Entertaining, exciting James Goldwyn Follies, The (1938) C-120m. ★1 Bond adventure, third in the series. Full of ⁄2 D: George Marshall. Adolphe Menjou, ingenious gadgets and nefarious villains, Andrea Leeds, Kenny Baker, The Ritz Brothwith hair-raising climax inside Fort Knox. ers, Zorina, Helen Jepson, Bobby Clark, Frobe (Goldfinger) and Sakata (Oddjob) Edgar Bergen & Charlie McCarthy. Dreadful are villains in the classic tradition.▼●쩠 hodgepodge as producer Menjou hires Leeds Gold for the Caesars (1964-French-Italian) as ‘‘Miss Humanity,’’ to judge his movies from average person’s point of view. She C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Andre de Toth. Jeffrey Hunter, Mylene Demongeot, Ron Randell, probably would have skipped this one. Ritz Massimo Girotti, Giulio Bosetti, Ettore Bros. come off best, while Baker sings ‘‘Love Manni. Still another Roman slave epic starWalked In’’ about 30 times. George Balanring an American actor who’d look more at chine’s ballet is a matter of taste. Look for Alan Ladd as an auditioning singer.▼●쩠 home in David and Ricky Nelson’s fraternity. Nothing special. Original French runGolem, The (1920-German) 75m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ning time: 95m. CinemaScope. Paul Wegener, Carl Boese. Paul Wegener, Gold Is Where You Find It (1938) C-90m. Albert Steinruck, Ernst Deutsch, Lyda Salm★★1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. George Brent, onova. Chilling, visually dazzling story of the Olivia de Havilland, Claude Rains, Marsupernatural, based on a famous Jewish folkgaret Lindsay, John Litel, Barton MacLane. tale of the 16th century. Rudolph of HapsAnd gold-rush miners find it on California burg has exiled the Jews, blaming them for a farmland, starting bitter feud in brisk film, plague; a rabbi conjures up a golem (a clay perked by good cast. monster, played by Wegener) in order to conGold of Naples (1954-Italian) 107m. ★★★ vince the king to repeal the edict. This classic D: Vittorio De Sica. Sophia Loren, Vittorio of German Expressionist cinema is also a De Sica, Toto`, Silvana Mangano, Paolo forerunner of FRANKENSTEIN, from the Stoppa. Four vignettes—poignant, perceptive, way the golem is brought to life to his athilarious in turn: Loren as philandering wife traction to a child. The sets were designed by of pizza baker; De Sica as avid cardplayer famed architect Hans Poelzig. The story has upstaged by 8-year-old; Toto as Milquetoast been filmed many times; Wegener also codifamily man; Mangano as prostitute involved rected versions in 1914 and 1917, and Julien in unusual marriage. ▼쩠 Duvivier filmed it in 1938, with Harry Baur. Gold of the Seven Saints (1961) 88m. ★★1⁄2 Aka THE GOLEM: HOW HE CAME INTO THE WORLD. ▼쩠 D: Gordon Douglas. Clint Walker, Roger Moore, Leticia Roman, Robert Middleton, Goliath and the Vampires (1961-Italian) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Giacomo Gentilomo. GorChill Wills, Gene Evans, Roberto Contreras. Fur-trappers Walker and Moore (the don Scott, Jacques Sernas, Gianna Maria latter sporting blond hair and an Irish Canale. Cloak-and-sandal nonsense; spotty brogue) find 125 lbs. of gold nuggets and special effects add only color to film. U.S. release 1964. Totalscope.▼쩠 are pursued across the desert by several parties who want to pry it loose from them. Go, Man, Go! (1954) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Enjoyable Western knockoff of THE TREAWong Howe. Dane Clark, Pat Breslin, SURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, featuring Sidney Poitier, Edmon Ryan. Imaginasome striking Utah scenery and a tangy script tive telling of the formation of Harlem cowritten by Leigh Brackett. WarnerScope. Globetrotters and their rise as famed basGold Rush, The (1925) 82m. ★★★★ D: ketball team. A rare directorial effort by Charlie Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin, Georgia celebrated cinematographer Howe. Hale, Mack Swain, Tom Murray. ImmorGo Masters, The (1982-Chinese-Japanese) tal Chaplin classic, pitting Little Tramp C-123m. ★★★ D: Junya Sato, Duan Jishun. against Yukon, affections of dance-hall Rentaro Mikuni, Sun Dao-Lin, Shen Guangirl, whims of a burly prospector. Dance Chu, Misako Honno, Tsu Kasa Itoh. of the rolls, eating leather shoe, cabin Sprawling, involving romance-mysterytottering over cliff—all highlights of wonsuspenser, set between the 1920s and ’50s derful, timeless comedy. Chaplin reedited and focusing on the relationships between two film in 1942; that version, with his narrafamilies, one Japanese and the other Chinese. tion and music, runs 72m.▼●쩠 Most fascinating is various characters’ obses[ 540 ]

sion with Go, a chesslike strategy game. The dies off to the Florida Everglades where first Sino-Japanese co-production, and a their dream fishing vacation is a catastrophe smash hit in both countries.▼ from beginning to end. This film really smells. [PG]▼●쩠 Gomorrah (2008-Italian) C-137m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Matteo Garrone. Salvatore Abruzzese, Gone in 60 Seconds (1974) C-103m. ★★ Gianfelice Imparato, Maria Nazionale, Toni D: H. B. Halicki. H. B. Halicki, Marion Servillo, Carmine Paternoster, Salvatore Busia, Jerry Daugirda, James McIntire, Cantalupo, Gigio Morra, Marco Macor, Ciro George Cole, Parnelli Jones. Muddled Petrone. Stark drama based on Roberto Savidrama about a car-theft ring is highlighted ano’s best-selling expose´ of the Neapolitan by a 40-minute-long chase sequence, which crime organization Camorra, which permeis well made—but so what? Remade (in name only) in 2000. [PG]▼쩠 ates every facet of life in the region. Separate stories follow a pair of SCARFACEGone in Sixty Seconds (2000) C-117m. ★1 obsessed teenage thugs who want to be ac⁄2 D: Dominic Sena. Nicolas Cage, Giocepted as mobsters, an even younger boy vanni Ribisi, Angelina Jolie, Robert Duvall, who’s heading in the same direction, a tailor Delroy Lindo, TJ Cross, William Lee Scott, whose moonlighting activities spell trouble, Scott Caan, James Duval, Will Patton, Tima bagman who tries to stay out of the line of othy Olyphant, Christopher Eccleston, Chi fire, and a businessman’s scheme to dump McBride, Jaime Bergman, Frances Fisher, toxic waste quickly and cheaply. Absence Bodhi Elfman, Arye Gross. Relentlessly of a music score helps achieve a level of stupid remake of the 1974 drive-in hit about authenticity in this film that feels like a a reformed car thief who—to save his kid punch to the gut. Italian title: GOMORRA. brother—agrees to marshal a mass theft in Super 35. 48 hours’ time, while cop Lindo is hot on Go Naked in the World (1961) C-103m. his trail. Even for a no-brainer this is pretty ★★ poor, with low-octane action and a preposD: Ranald MacDougall. Gina Lollobrigida, Anthony Franciosa, Ernest Borgterous finale. Jolie is barely in it; Duvall nine, Luana Patten. Turgid melodrama badly and Lindo are wasted. Unrated version also cast. Easy-loving Lollobrigida hooks Franavailable. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 ciosa, much to his father’s (Borgnine’s) Gone To Earth SEE: Wild Heart, The dismay. CinemaScope. Gone With the Wind (1939) C-222m. ★★★★ Gone Are the Days (1963) 97m. ★★★ D: D: Victor Fleming. Clark Gable, Nicholas Webster. Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Vivien Leigh, Leslie Howard, Olivia de Sorrell Booke, Godfrey Cambridge, Alan Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara O’Neil, Alda, Beah Richards. Davis’ satiric fable Victor Jory, Laura Hope Crews, Hattie McPurlie Victorious survives cheap adaptation, Daniel, Ona Munson, Harry Davenport, Ann thanks to buoyant performances and basic Rutherford, Evelyn Keyes, Carroll Nye, Paul story: self-appointed preacher schemes to Hurst, Isabel Jewell, Cliff Edwards, Ward undo a despotic plantation owner, as a symBond, Butterfly McQueen, Rand Brooks, bolic freeing of his people from ways of the Eddie Anderson, Oscar Polk, Jane Darwell, Old South. Alda’s film debut.▼쩠 William Bakewell, L. Kemble-Cooper, Eric Gone Baby Gone (2007) C-115m. ★★★ D: Linden, George Reeves. If not the greatest Ben Affleck. Casey Affleck, Michelle Momovie ever made, certainly one of the greatest naghan, Morgan Freeman, Ed Harris, John examples of storytelling on film, maintaining Ashton, Amy Ryan, Titus Welliver, Amy interest for nearly four hours. Margaret MitchMadigan. Private detectives Affleck and ell’s story is, in effect, a Civil War soap opera, Monaghan are asked to help investigate the focusing on vixenish Southern belle Scarlett disappearance of a 4-year-old girl from a O’Hara, brilliantly played by Leigh; she won working-class Boston neighborhood. They Oscar, as did the picture, McDaniel, director discover that the truth is elusive as they deal Fleming, screenwriter Sidney Howard (postwith police, drug dealers, and tangled comhumously), many others. Memorable music munity ties. Tense, gritty drama loses steam by Max Steiner in this one-of-a-kind film by the end, but an atmosphere of regional meticulously produced by David O. Selznick. clannishness and thick moral rot is impresFollowed over five decades later by a TV sively conveyed by first-time director Afminiseries, Scarlett. ▼●쩠 fleck (who also has a great eye and ear for Gong Show Movie, The (1980) C-89m. Boston ‘‘types’’). His brother Casey stands tall BOMB D: Chuck Barris. Chuck Barris, in a terrific cast, with Ryan particularly good Robin Altman, Mabel King, Murray Langas the young girl’s less-than-ideal mother. The ston, Jaye P. Morgan, Jamie Farr, Rip director and Aaron Stockard adapted Dennis Taylor. Barris created a bizarre TV show Lehane’s novel. [R]쩠 that belongs in a time capsule, but this Gone Fishin’ (1997) C-94m. BOMB D: movie (which dwells on Chuck’s pressures Christopher Cain. Joe Pesci, Danny Glover, and problems as host and producer of the Rosanna Arquette, Lynn Whitfield, Nick show) belongs in the trash bin. [R] Brimble, Carol Kane, Willie Nelson. AnnoyGonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson (2008) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ingly unfunny gambit of two bungling bud[ 541 ]

Alex Gibney. Running the full politicalGoodbye Charlie (1964) C-117m. ★1⁄2 D: commentary gamut from George McGovVincente Minnelli. Tony Curtis, Debbie ern to Patrick J. Buchanan, director GibReynolds, Pat Boone, Walter Matthau, ney’s first outing following TAXI TO THE Martin Gabel, Ellen McRae (Burstyn). DARK SIDE examines the volatile career Tasteless, flat version of George Axelrod’s of celebrity journalism’s most iconoclastic play; crude gangster dies and comes back figure. Though it skimps on Thompson’s to earth as Reynolds. Even Matthau formative years growing up as a Louisville struggles for laughs. James Brolin is an outsider, this kinetic portrait is staggering extra in big party scene. CinemaScope.▼ on an ‘‘access’’ level, from both of ThompGoodbye, Children SEE: Au Revoir, les son’s wives to writer Tom Wolfe to Rolling Enfants Goodbye, Columbus (1969) C-101m. ★★★ Stone publisher Jann Wenner to illustrator Ralph Steadman to Hells Angel Sonny D: Larry Peerce. Richard Benjamin, Ali MacBarger to Jimmy Carter. Johnny Depp reads Graw, Jack Klugman, Nan Martin, Michael passages from Thompson’s classic Fear and Meyers. Philip Roth’s stinging portrait of sucLoathing in Las Vegas against clips from the cessful suburban Jewish family as seen screen version, in which he starred. [R]쩠 through eyes of young man (Benjamin, in his ★★ D: Good (2008-British-German) C-96m. film debut) who falls in love with daughter Vicente Amorim. Viggo Mortensen, Jason (MacGraw, in her first starring role). Meyers Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker, Mark Strong, Gemma steals the show as Ali’s brother. Director’s Jones, Steven Mackintosh, Rick Warden. Gerfather Jan Peerce has a cameo role at a wedman university professor (Mortensen) resists ding; look for Jaclyn Smith as a model. Music the rise of Nazism in the early 1930s but composed and performed by The Association. [PG—originally rated R]▼●쩠 ultimately finds himself caught in its tide . . . to the astonishment of his best friend, a JewGoodbye Girl, The (1977) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 ish psychiatrist (Isaacs) whose life is made D: Herbert Ross. Richard Dreyfuss, Marsha more hellish with each passing year. InefMason, Quinn Cummings, Paul Benedict, Barfectual and unsatisfying, considering the bara Rhoades. Neil Simon’s warmest comedy dramatic ingredients. Based on a stage play to date puts young actor Dreyfuss and dumpedby C. P. Taylor. Super 35. on divorce´e Mason together as unwilling tenGood Boy! (2003) C-88m. ★★ D: John Hoffants of the same N.Y.C. apartment, explores man. Molly Shannon, Liam Aiken, Kevin their growing relationship. High-caliber script Nealon, Brittany Moldowan, Hunter Elliot, and performances to match; Dreyfuss won Mikhael Speidel; voices of Matthew BroderOscar. Nicol Williamson appears unbilled. ick, Vanessa Redgrave, Delta Burke, Donald Later a Broadway musical. Remade for TV in 2004. [PG] ▼●쩠 Faison, Cheech Marin, Carl Reiner, Brittany Murphy. Lonely boy finds a ‘‘best friend’’ in Good Bye, Lenin! (2003-German-French) C-119m. ★★★ D: Wolfgang Becker. Daniel a dog from the neighborhood pound, but this canine is actually from another planet, fulfilling Bru¨hl, Katrin Sass, Chulpan Khamatova, a mission on Earth. What’s more, he enables Maria Simon, Florian Lukas, Alexander the boy to hear what he and all his fellow Beyer, Burghart Klaussner. An East Berlin dogs have to say. Mild fantasy-comedy may teenager (Bru¨hl) feels liberated when the appeal to very young children. [PG] ▼쩠 Wall comes down in 1989; his mother, a Good Burger (1997) C-95m. ★★ D: Brian divorce´e who has become an ardent ComRobbins. Kel Mitchell, Kenan Thompson, munist, falls into a coma just as WesternizaSinbad, Abe Vigoda, Shar Jackson, Dan tion is being welcomed. So the teen, with Schneider, Jan Schwieterman, Ron Lester, his older sister, decides to dupe his recuperCarmen Electra, Shaquille O’Neal, Robert ating mother into believing German reuniWuhl. Broad, juvenile comedy aimed at fication never happened! Leisurely paced, fans of Kenan and Kel from their Nickellighthearted film deals with the transient naodeon TV series. The existence of a scruffy ture of history as well as coming of age in a fast-food establishment (‘‘Welcome to single-parent household. This was a boxGood Burger, home of the good burger, office smash in Germany. [R]▼쩠 may I take your order?’’) is threatened by Goodbye Lover (1999) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: the arrival of all-powerful Mondo Burger Roland Joffe´. Patricia Arquette, Dermot across the street. Like fast food itself, this Mulroney, Don Johnson, Ellen DeGeneres, film offers no real nourishment, but will apMary-Louise Parker, Ray McKinnon, Andre peal to kids just the same. [PG]▼●쩠 Gregory, John Neville, Lisa Eichhorn, Barry Goodbye Again (1961) 120m. ★★★ D: Newman. It’s double-cross upon double-cross Anatole Litvak. Ingrid Bergman, Tony Perin this comic noir exercise of battling brothers kins, Yves Montand, Jessie Royce Landis, Mulroney and Johnson—and the wacko Diahann Carroll. Francoise Sagan’s chic femme fatale/realtor in their lives (Arquette), soaper becomes teary Bergman vehicle of who takes her marriage vows loosely, to say middle-aged woman having affair with Perthe least. So bad it’s almost fun, from a serikins, still craving playboy Montand. Set in ously slumming director. DeGeneres’ sarParis.▼ donic detective seems to have wandered in [ 542 ]

from another movie altogether. Telltale trouopen a tropical drink stand on some illble sign: Alex Rocco and Max Perlich are located beach property. Gardner’s A THOUSbilled, but hard to spot. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 AND CLOWNS may strike some as sentiGoodbye, Mr. Chips (1939-U.S.-British) mental and dated, but this one doesn’t 114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sam Wood. Robert Donat, even have comedy to carry it. A mawkish Greer Garson, Paul von Hernreid (Henreid), disaster, long on the shelf. [PG]▼● Terry Kilburn, John Mills. Donat won Goodbye Pork Pie (1981-New Zealand) well-deserved Oscar for memorable porC-105m. ★★★ D: Geoff Murphy. Kelly trayal of shy schoolmaster who devotes his Johnson, Tony Barry, Claire Oberman, life to ‘‘his boys,’’ only coming out of his Bruno Lawrence, John Beach, Frances Edshell when he meets Garson. Extreme length mond. Amiable comedy/road movie about works against film’s honest sentiment, but pair of alienated men, one (Johnson) in his Donat makes it all worthwhile. Garson’s teens and the other (Barry) about twice his film debut made her a star overnight. Based age, who trek across New Zealand in a stolen on James Hilton’s novel; scripted by R. C. car, the police on their trail. [R]▼ Sherriff, Claudine West, and Eric MaschGoodbye Solo (2009) C-91m. ★★★ D: witz. Remade as a musical in 1969. Also Ramin Bahrani. Soule´ymane Sy Savane´, shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Red West, Carmen Leyva, Diana Franco Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969) C-151m. ★★ Galindo, Lane ‘‘Roc’’ Williams, Mamadou D: Herbert Ross. Peter O’Toole, Petula Lam. Solo (Savane´) is a garrulous cabdriver Clark, Michael Redgrave, George Baker, Sian from Senegal who lives and works in Phillips, Michael Bryant. Lumbering musical Winston-Salem, North Carolina. A taciturn remake of 1939 classic. O’Toole is good as passenger named William (West) hires him prim schoolteacher, but Clark’s role as showfor a future date for a trip far out of town to girl is shallow, ludicrous. Mediocre songs a spot where he plans to end his life. Solo don’t help; what emotion there is gets lost refuses to mind his own business and insinwhen film plods on to modern-day anticlimax. uates himself into William’s life. Vivid slice Ross’ directorial debut. Some prints are of life, with acute details of character and 133m. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 setting, from the director and cowriter of Goodbye, My Fancy (1951) 107m. ★★★ D: MAN PUSH CART and CHOP SHOP, and Vincent Sherman. Joan Crawford, Robert inspired by Abbas Kiarostami’s A TASTE Young, Frank Lovejoy, Eve Arden. ConOF CHERRY. gresswoman Crawford returns to her old colGood Companions, The (1956-British) lege, more to see former boyfriend Young C-104m. ★★★ D: J. Lee Thompson. Eric than to receive honorary degree. Lovejoy is Portman, Celia Johnson, Hugh Griffith, callous newsman. Film debut of Janice Janette Scott, John Fraser, Joyce Grenfell, Rule.쩠 Bobby Howes, Rachel Roberts, Thora Hird, Good-bye, My Lady (1956) 95m. ★★1⁄2 Mona Washbourne, Alec McCowen, John D: William Wellman. Walter Brennan, Phil Le Mesurier, Anthony Newley, Shirley Harris, Brandon de Wilde, Sidney Poitier. Anne Field. Fabulous cast adds luster to James Street novel of small boy (de Wilde), this entertaining chronicle of a group of inan elderly man (Brennan), and the basenji dog dividuals who combine their resources to that brings joy into their lives is basis for easysave a failing ‘‘concert party’’ (musical going, poignant film, set in the South.▼● troupe). Based on a novel by J. B. Priestley; Goodbye, New York (1985-U.S.-Israeli) first filmed in 1933. CinemaScope. C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Amos Kollek. Julie HagerGood Die First, The SEE: Beyond the ty, Amos Kollek, David Topaz, Aviva Ger, Law (1968) Shmuel Shiloh, Jennifer Babtist. Cute but Good Die Young, The (1954-British) 100m. slight, sometimes flat chronicle of New ★★ D: Lewis Gilbert. Laurence Harvey, Yorker Hagerty, a Jewish American PrinGloria Grahame, Richard Basehart, Stanley cess of Irish extraction who finds herself Baker, Margaret Leighton, John Ireland, Joan penniless and stranded in Israel. She eventuCollins. Solid cast fails to enhance standard ally adjusts to life on a kibbutz, getting to robbery tale, with a quartet of strangers know part-time soldier Kollek. [R]▼● coming together to commit a holdup. Goodbye, Norma Jean (1976) C-95m. Good Earth, The (1937) 138m. ★★★★ D: BOMB D: Larry Buchanan. Misty Rowe, Sidney Franklin. Paul Muni, Luise Rainer, Terence Locke, Patch Mackenzie, Preston Walter Connolly, Charley Grapewin, JesHanson. Sleazy look at adolescent Marilyn sie Ralph, Tilly Losch, Keye Luke, HarMonroe and her rocky road to stardom. An old Huber. Mammoth Pearl Buck novel utter piece of tripe. Techniscope. [R]▼쩠 recreated in detail, telling story of greed Goodbye People, The (1984) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Herb Gardner. Judd Hirsch, Martin ruining lives of simple Chinese farming couple. Rainer won Oscar as the everBalsam, Pamela Reed, Ron Silver, Mipatient wife of Muni, as did Karl Freund chael Tucker, Gene Saks. Absolute torture for his cinematography. Screenplay by Tal(adapted by Gardner from his play) about Balsam’s begging-for-bankruptcy scheme to bot Jennings, Tess Slesinger, and Clau[ 543 ]

dine West. The special effects are outtian Oliver. War correspondent Clooney standing.▼●쩠 returns to Berlin in 1945 on the eve of the Good Fairy, The (1935) 97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Potsdam conference and discovers a city in William Wyler. Margaret Sullavan, Herbert ruins, both physically and morally. His Marshall, Frank Morgan, Reginald Owen, driver-escort (Maguire) has mastered the Alan Hale, Beulah Bondi, Cesar Romero. black market, and a woman Clooney knew Sparkling romantic comedy, adapted from before (Blanchett) has done God knows Molnar play by Preston Sturges; wide-eyed what in order to survive the war. Now Sullavan tries to act as ‘‘good fairy’’ to Clooney finds himself knee-deep in internastruggling lawyer Marshall, while hotly purtional intrigue and murder—and still emosued by wealthy Morgan. Hilarious, charming; tionally connected to Blanchett. Shot on the movie spoof near beginning is priceless. Warner Bros. back lot in order to invoke Remade as I’LL BE YOURS.▼쩠 1940s Hollywood movies, this is an interGood Father, The (1987-British) C-90m. esting stylistic exercise for Soderbergh ★★1 ⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Anthony Hopkins, (who also shot and edited, under pseudJim Broadbent, Harriet Walter, Fanny onyms) and pretty entertaining, but it lacks, Viner, Simon Callow, Joanne Whalley, in Rick Blaine’s words, a ‘‘wow finish.’’ Michael Byrne. Hopkins is excellent in the Paul Attanasio adapted Joseph Kanon’s role of a father who loses custody of his novel. [R]쩠 child and takes out his incredible anger by Good Girl, The (2002) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: befriending Broadbent and funding latMiguel Arteta. Jennifer Aniston, Jake Gylter’s court case to regain his kid’s custody. lenhaal, John C. Reilly, Zooey Deschanel, Callow is terrific as an unscrupulous lawTim Blake Nelson, Mike White, Deborah yer. Dramatically uneven, but worth a Rush, John Carroll Lynch. A 30-year-old look. Made for British TV. [R]▼●쩠 woman who feels her life is at a dead end GoodFellas (1990) C-146m. ★★★1⁄2 D: becomes intrigued with a 20-ish loner, and Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro, Ray winds up putting her marriage at risk. A rare Liotta, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul film that manages to make a transition from Sorvino, Frank Sivero, Tony Darrow, Mike comedy to poignant drama, with a denoueStarr, Frank Vincent, Chuck Low, Frank ment that’s nearly heartbreaking—thanks to DiLeo, Christopher Serrone, Samuel L. good writing and wonderful acting by the Jackson, Henny Youngman, Jerry Vale, leads. Screenplay by White, who costars as Debi Mazar, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Ima security guard. [R] ▼쩠 perioli, Illeana Douglas. A boy grows up in Good Guys and the Bad Guys, The (1969) an Italian-American neighborhood of BrookC-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Burt Kennedy. Robert lyn and dreams of becoming part of the Mob. Mitchum, George Kennedy, David CarraFascinating look at the allure—and the realdine, Tina Louise, Douglas Fowley, Lois ity—of day-to-day life in a Mafia family, Nettleton, Martin Balsam, John Carradine. based on experiences of Henry Hill (Liotta), Mild Western comedy-drama has aging who wound up in the Federal witness promarshal Mitchum going after lifelong foe tection program. The violence is (necessarKennedy, who has been abandoned by his ily) harsh and off-putting, like the film itself outlaw gang for being over the hill. at times, but it’s brilliantly realized by Panavision. [M/PG]▼쩠 Scorsese and cinematographer Michael Good Guys Wear Black (1979) C-96m. ★★ Ballhaus. Major criticism: It goes on too D: Ted Post. Chuck Norris, Anne Archer, long. Bracco and Oscar winner Pesci stand James Franciscus, Lloyd Haynes, Dana out in an exceptional cast; that’s Scorsese’s Andrews, Jim Backus. Norris jumps feet mother as Pesci’s mom. Screenplay by the first through a windshield and threatens to director and Nicholas Pileggi, based on the rearrange the face of bellman Backus—all in latter’s book Wiseguy. [R]▼●쩠 the name of national security. Silly political Good Fight, The (1983) C/B&W-98m. paranoia thriller kills time easily enough. Fol★★★1⁄2 D: Mary Dore, Sam Sills, Noel low-up: A FORCE OF ONE. [PG]▼●쩠 Buckner. Incisive, often moving documenGood Humor Man, The (1950) 79m. ★★1 tary of the 3,200 American men and women ⁄2 D: Lloyd Bacon. Jack Carson, Lola who were among 40,000 volunteers batAlbright, Jean Wallace, George Reeves, Richtling Fascism in the Spanish Civil War. ard Egan. Broad slapstick comedy about iceFranco may have won and they may have cream vendor Carson, who stumbles into a crime ring. Written by Frank Tashlin.▼ been harassed by their own government, but they are ultimately both authentic AmeriGood Idea! SEE: It Seemed Like a Good can patriots and survivors. Cut to 85m. Idea at the Time Good Luck (1997) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richfor PBS showings.▼●쩠 Good German, The (2006) 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: ard LaBrie. Gregory Hines, Vincent D’OnoSteven Soderbergh. George Clooney, Cate frio, James Earl Jones, Max Gail, Joe Blanchett, Tobey Maguire, Beau Bridges, Theismann, Roy Firestone, Maria O’Brien, Tony Curran, Leland Orser, Jack ThompSara Trigger. ROCKY-like story of a blind son, Robin Weigert, Ravil Isaynov, Chrisman and a paraplegic who decide to enter a [ 544 ]

white-water rafting race in order to prove eral generations, small-town spinster schooltheir own self-worth. The theme of triumph teacher has touched and helped shape lives over adversity is familiar, but the film’s heart of her students. Now hospitalized, her past is in the right place. Some genuinely raucous is revealed through flashbacks. Sentimenand entertaining scenes. [R]▼●쩠 tal, warm, and wonderful. CinemaScope. Good Luck Chuck (2007) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Good Morning, Vietnam (1987) C-120m. ★★★ D: Barry Levinson. Robin Williams, Mark Helfrich. Dane Cook, Jessica Alba, Dan Fogler, Troy Gentile, Chelan SimForest Whitaker, Tung Thanh Tran, Chinmons. A lifelong curse is placed on playboy tara Sukapatana, Bruno Kirby, Robert Cook that makes him the last man to sleep Wuhl, J.T. Walsh, Noble Willingham, Floyd with a woman before she meets and marries Vivino. Williams is the whole show here, her true love. When he falls head over heels playing an Army disc jockey who turns for Alba he must keep from consummating Armed Forces radio inside out when he’s the relationship or risk losing her. Really brought to Saigon in 1965. His manic monodumb premise is even worse than it sounds. logues are so uproarious that they carry the Cook and Alba fumble every comic opporrest of the film, which has a weakly developed tunity. Unrated version runs 101m. [R]쩠 ‘‘story’’ and often irrelevant musical interGood Luck, Miss Wyckoff (1979) C-105m. ludes. Apparently the real-life Adrian CroBOMB D: Marvin J. Chomsky. Anne Heynauer, on whom story was based, wasn’t nearly wood, Donald Pleasence, Robert Vaughn, as funny or outrageous as Williams. [R]▼●쩠 Carolyn Jones, Dorothy Malone, Ronee Good Mother, The (1988) C-103m. ★★ Blakley, John Lafayette, Earl Holliman. ReD: Leonard Nimoy. Diane Keaton, Liam pressed schoolteacher’s first taste of sex comes Neeson, Jason Robards, Ralph Bellamy, via rape, in awkward adaptation of William Teresa Wright, James Naughton, Asia Inge novel. Good cast generally wasted. Vieira, Joe Morton, Katey Sagal, Tracy Video titles: THE SIN, THE SHAMING, and Griffith, Charles Kimbrough. Keaton is SECRET YEARNINGS. [R]▼ excellent as usual in the role of a divorced Good Man in Africa, A (1994) C-93m. woman who finds sexual fulfillment for ★1⁄2 D: Bruce Beresford. Colin Friels, Jothe first time in her life . . . but unwitanne Whalley-Kilmer, Sean Connery, John tingly jeopardizes her ability to raise her Lithgow, Louis Gossett, Jr., Diana Rigg, daughter in the process. Tedious adaptaSarah-Jane Fenton, Maynard Eziashi, Jackie tion of the Sue Miller novel. Film debut of Mofokeng. Crass, slapdash filming of WilMatt Damon (as an extra). [R]▼●쩠 liam Boyd’s novel about a weak-willed (and Good Neighbor Sam (1964) C-130m. ★★★ all-too-often insufferable) British diplomat D: David Swift. Jack Lemmon, Romy (Friels) in a new African nation; the sceSchneider, Edward G. Robinson, Michael nario accomplishes little more than to depict Connors, Dorothy Provine, Neil Hamilton, blacks as silly, unbelievable stereotypes. Joyce Jameson, Robert Q. Lewis. Good comConnery is sorely wasted in the role of a edy of Lemmon’s adventures pretending he’s sympathetic doctor. Boyd scripted and also not married to his real wife but to luscious coproduced with Beresford. [R]▼● neighbor Schneider. Plenty of sight gags and Good Marriage, The SEE: Le Beau chase scenes make this a lot of fun. Based on Mariage a novel by Jack Finney. ▼ Good Morning Babylon (1987-ItalianGood News (1947) C-95m. ★★★ D: Charles French-U.S.) C-117m. ★★★ D: Paolo and Walters. June Allyson, Peter Lawford, PaVittorio Taviani. Vincent Spano, Joaquim tricia Marshall, Joan McCracken, Ray McDe Almeida, Greta Scacchi, Desiree Donald, Mel Torme, Donald MacBride, Becker, Charles Dance, Omero Antonutti, Tom Dugan, Clinton Sundberg. Spirited reDavid Brandon. Two Italian brothers, make of the 1920s collegiate musical (by whose artisan family has shaped and reDeSylva, Brown, and Henderson), given a stored cathedrals for generations, come to new coat of varnish by screenwriters Betty America in 1915 and wind up working for Comden and Adolph Green. Lawford is Tait D. W. Griffith on his epic film INTOLERCollege’s cocky football hero, and Allyson is ANCE. A valentine to the early days of the brainy girl who catches him on the removiemaking, and a statement about the bound. Vintage songs include ‘‘The Best immortality of art, be it sculpture or film. Things in Life are Free,’’ ‘‘Just Imagine,’’ Beguilingly naive, like the period (and the ‘‘Varsity Drag’’; new numbers include ‘‘The people) it depicts, with a surprising turn of French Lesson’’ and ‘‘Pass That Peace Pipe.’’ events for its denouement. Dance is a standFilmed previously in 1930.▼●쩠 out as D.W. Griffith. [PG-13]▼● Good Night, The (2007-U.S-BritishGood Morning, Miss Dove (1955) CGerman) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jake Paltrow. Pe107m. ★★★ D: Henry Koster. Jennifer Jones, ne´lope Cruz, Martin Freeman, Michael Robert Stack, Kipp Hamilton, Robert DougGambon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Simon Pegg, las, Peggy Knudsen, Marshall Thompson, Danny DeVito, Keith Allen, Lucy DeVito. Chuck Connors, Biff Elliot, Jerry Paris, Pleasant enough Tylenol PM fantasy about Mary Wickes, Richard Deacon. For seva former pop star, now a bored composer [ 545 ]

for TV commercials, who yearns to find his Quinn Culkin. Superficial BAD SEED–type (literal) dream girl. Then she becomes a tad thriller, which exploitively casts HOME too real. Somewhat like THE SCIENCE OF ALONE star Culkin as an unremorseful, SLEEP without the metaphysics or VERpre-teen sociopath who terrorizes his cousin TIGO without the murder. Easy to take but (Wood), among many others. What’s next: leaves you wanting more. A brunette Gwybringing back Shirley Temple and having her neth dials down her glow to ‘‘dim’’ in this place high-tech explosives on the Good Ship debut film from her younger brother, who Lollipop? Macaulay’s sister Quinn plays his also scripted. Third-billed Gambon barely sibling, and his brother Rory can be glimpsed in a key photograph. [R]▼●쩠 appears. Lucy DeVito is Danny’s real-life daughter. [R]쩠 Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, The (1966-Italian-Spanish) C-161m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Good Night, And Good Luck. (2005) 93m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: George Clooney. David Strathairn, Sergio Leone. Clint Eastwood, Lee Van Patricia Clarkson, George Clooney, Jeff DanCleef, Eli Wallach, Rada Rassimov, Maiels, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Langella, Ray rio Brega, Chelo Alonso. Third and best of Wise, Robert John Burke, Reed Diamond, Leone’s ‘‘Dollars’’ trilogy, set during Civil Tate Donovan, Alex Borstein. Vivid dramatiWar; three disparate low-lifes search for zation of newscaster Edward R. Murrow’s Confederate government treasure chest, each groundbreaking on-the-air confrontation with possessing only partial whereabouts. Long, Commie-hunting Senator Joseph R. McCarfunny, and flamboyant, with memorable thy in the 1950s. Skillful production design Ennio Morricone score; the quintessential (by Jim Bissell), cinematography (Robert spaghetti Western. Followed by ONCE Elswit), and editing (Stephen Mirrione) UPON A TIME IN THE WEST. Technicombine with pitch-perfect performances to scope. Restored version (newly dubbed by make us feel like a fly on the wall as CBS Eastwood and Wallach) runs 180m. [R— originally rated M]▼●쩠 television journalists confer, converse, carouse, and put history-making television Good Thief, The (2003-British-Irish-Frenchprograms on the air. Strathairn is superb Canadian) C-109m. ★★ D: Neil Jordan. Nick as Murrow; McCarthy ‘‘plays’’ himself in Nolte, Tche´ky Karyo, Said Taghmaoui, Nutsa vintage kinescope footage. Written by Kukhianidze, Gerard Darmon, Ouassini EmClooney and producer Grant Heslov. [PG]쩠 barek, Emir Kusturica, Marc Lavoine, Mark Good Sam (1948) 113m. ★★ D: Leo Polish, Mike Polish, Ralph Fiennes. Sleepy McCarey. Gary Cooper, Ann Sheridan, remake of Jean-Pierre Melville’s BOB LE Ray Collins, Edmund Lowe, Joan Lorring, FLAMBEUR, with Nolte as a mumbling, Ruth Roman. Almost complete misfire, heroin-addicted gambler and thief based in despite cast and director. Cooper is an Nice who reluctantly takes part in a Riviera incurable good Samaritan in this lifeless casino heist in order to replenish his ficomedy. Some prints run 128m.▼ nances. Colorfully cast and photographed Good Shepherd, The (2006) C-167m. (by Chris Menges), with Nolte making Rob★★★1⁄2 D: Robert De Niro. Matt Damon, ert Mitchum seem frenzied by comparison. Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, Tammy Some regard this film as the ultimate in Cool; we find it lethargic. [R]▼쩠 Blanchard, Billy Crudup, Robert De Niro, Keir Dullea, Michael Gambon, Martina Good Times (1967) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: WilGedeck, William Hurt, Timothy Hutton, liam Friedkin. Sonny and Cher, George Mark Ivanir, Gabriel Macht, Lee Pace, Joe Sanders, Norman Alden, Larry Duran. Back Pesci, Eddie Redmayne, John Sessions, when the singing duo was considered kooky, Oleg Stefan, John Turturro. Gripping story they made this enjoyable little film, with of an emotionally repressed young man who Sonny fantasizing their potential movie roles is recruited at Yale to do espionage work and he and Cher singing ‘‘I Got You Babe.’’ Friedkin’s first film.▼쩠 during WW2 and then to join the nascent Central Intelligence Agency, even though it Good to Go (1986) C-87m. ★★ D: Blaine means an enormous sacrifice to his family Novak. Art Garfunkel, Robert Doqui, Harlife. Eric Roth’s fictional screenplay (based ris Yulin, Reginald Daughtry, Richard heavily on fact) covers a lot of ground and Brooks, Hattie Winston, Anjelica Huston. provides great insight into the nature of the Forgettable fare about journalist Garfunkel, ‘‘spy business.’’ De Niro’s treatment uses who’s framed on a rape-murder charge. THE GODFATHER as its dramatic temOf interest mainly for its go-go music, plate, quite successfully. Damon is excellent which came out of the Washington D.C. and surrounded by well-chosen actors in ghetto . . . and did not become the naevery part, no matter how small. Exceptional music fad of its time. Highlighted tional cinematography by Robert Richardare the performances of such go-go groups son. Super 35. [R]쩠 as Redds & the Boys, Trouble Funk, Chuck Good Son, The (1993) C-87m. ★★ D: JoBrown & the Soul Searchers, among others. Video title: SHORT FUSE. [R]▼ seph Ruben. Macaulay Culkin, Elijah Wood, Wendy Crewson, David Morse, Good Wife, The (1986-Australian) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ken Cameron. Rachel Ward, Bryan Daniel Hugh Kelly, Jacqueline Brookes, [ 546 ]

Brown, Sam Neill, Steven Vidler, Jennifer Goofy takes his son, Max, on a road-trip vacaClaire, Bruce Barry. Isolated, bored wife tion, but it’s a culture clash between the ’90s Ward becomes obsessed with the new man boy and his old-fashioned father. Simple, in town (Neill). Predictable and a bit slow straightforward Disney cartoon feature for kids but also well made and well acted. Overwith a handful of serviceable songs and a nice all, a very mixed bag. Original Australian ‘‘message’’ about father-son relationships. No title: THE UMBRELLA WOMAN. [R]▼쩠 Disney classic, but pleasant enough. Followed by a direct-to-video sequel. [G]▼●쩠 Good Will Hunting (1997) C-126m. ★★★ D: Gus Van Sant. Matt Damon, Robin WilGoonies, The (1985) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: liams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Richard Donner. Sean Astin, Josh Brolin, Jeff Skarsga˚rd, Casey Affleck, Cole Hauser. Cohen, Corey Feldman, Kerri Green, Martha Four working-class friends hang out toPlimpton, Ke Huy Quan (Jonathan Ke Quan), gether in South Boston, but one of them, John Matuszak, Anne Ramsey, Joe Pantolipugnacious Will Hunting (Damon), has an ano. A bunch of kids go in search of hidden unusual gift: he’s a genius. When M.I.T. treasure in this old-fashioned adventure yarn math professor Skarsga˚rd gets wind of this, (from a story by Steven Spielberg, who may he insists that the young man stop wasting have recalled Our Gang’s MAMA’S LITTLE his talents, and sends him to psychologist/ PIRATE). Big, lively, and exceptionally teacher Williams to try to crack his brittle noisy, aimed squarely at kids, with a likable shell. Well-acted fiction written by costars bunch of kids onscreen. Also makes approDamon and Ben Affleck doesn’t bear close priate use of Max Steiner’s swashbuckling scrutiny but certainly entertains, with an theme from ADVENTURES OF DON array of good performances. Oscar nods for JUAN. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Best Original Screenplay and Best SupportGor (1988) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Fritz Kiersch. ing Actor (Williams). [R]▼●쩠 Urbano Barbarini, Oliver Reed, Rebecca Good Woman, A (2005-U.S.-SpanishFerratti, Larry Taylor, Graham Clarke, ArItalian-British-Luxembourg) C-93m. ★★ D: nold Vosloo, Chris Du Plessis, Paul L. Mike Barker. Helen Hunt, Scarlett JohansSmith, Jack Palance. Ordinary sword-andson, Milena Vukotic, Stephen Campbell sorcery adventure in which meek AmeriMoore, Mark Umbers, Roger Hammond, can professor is magically whisked off to John Standing, Tom Wilkinson, Diana Hard‘‘counter-Earth’’ Gor, where he becomes castle. Ill-conceived version of Oscar Wilde’s a hero and battles chuckling, tyrannical Lady Windermere’s Fan (filmed several Reed. Based on the first in ‘‘John Nortimes across the decades), set in Italy rather man’s’’ series of Edgar Rice Burroughsthan England and updated from the 1890s inspired adventure fantasies. Palance’s role to the 1930s. A number of Wilde’s British is just a cameo setting up the sequel, characters now are Americans; one of them OUTLAW OF GOR. [PG]▼ is Mrs. Erlynne (a sorely miscast Hunt), an Gordon’s War (1973) C-90m. ★★★ D: insolvent adventuress who arrives in Amalfi Ossie Davis. Paul Winfield, Carl Lee, and determines to seduce filthy-rich, newly David Downing, Tony King. When a Vietmarried Robert Windermere (Umbers). Renam vet comes home to find his wife leased in the U.S. in 2006. [PG]쩠 hooked on drugs, he trains four-man army Good Year, A (2006) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: to destroy the pushers. Good action, but gets lost toward the end. [R]▼ Ridley Scott. Russell Crowe, Albert Finney, Marion Cotillard, Abbie Cornish, Didier Gordy (1995) C-90m. ★★ D: Mark Lewis. Bourdon, Tom Hollander, Freddie HighDoug Stone, Kristy Young, Michael more, Isabelle Gardener, Archie Panjabi, Roescher, Tom Lester, Deborah Hobart, Rafe Spall, Kenneth Cranham, Valeria Ted Manson. Gordy is a talking pig who Bruni Tedeschi. Ruthless London commodsomehow becomes involved in big busiities trader learns that a beloved uncle has ness—and a quest to save his family from died and left him his property in Provence; the slaughterhouse. Very undemanding kids’ when he goes back to this scene of happy film has its moments. Based on a story by childhood memories he slowly experiences Green Acres veterans Jay Sommers and a change in his outlook on life. Based on the Dick Chevillat. Besides top-billed Stone the book by Peter Mayle (who also wrote A film features such other country music stars as Year in Provence), story takes a backseat to Roy Clark, Mickey Gilley, Jim Stafford, Box atmosphere, and while it’s attractive, the Car Willie, and Moe Bandy. [G] ▼●쩠 film needs a light touch that neither Crowe Gorgeous Hussy, The (1936) 102m. ★★1⁄2 nor director Scott can provide. Super 35. D: Clarence Brown. Joan Crawford, Robert [PG-13]쩠 Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Franchot Tone, Goofy Movie, A (1995) C-78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Melvyn Douglas, James Stewart, Alison Kevin Lima. Voices of Bill Farmer, Jason Skipworth, Beulah Bondi, Louis Calhern, Marsden, Jim Cummings, Kellie Martin, Rob Melville Cooper, Sidney Toler, Gene LockPaulsen, Wallace Shawn, Jenna Von Oy, hart. Star-studded cast in strained, fictionalFrank Welker, Jo Anne Worley, Julie Brown, ized historical drama of Peggy O’Neal, Joey Lawrence, Pat Buttram. Ever-lovable President Andrew Jackson’s controversial [ 547 ]

confidante. Crawford et al. are beautifully lippe, Maggie Smith, Geraldine Somerville, costumed in well-appointed settings. Based Kristin Scott Thomas, Sophie Thompson, on the novel by Samuel Hopkins Joyce.▼ Emily Watson, James Wilby. Another of AltGorgo (1961-British) C-78m. ★★★ D: Euman’s multicharacter mosaics, painting a colgene Lourie. Bill Travers, William Sylvesorful picture of life upstairs and down during ter, Vincent Winter, Bruce Seton, Joseph a weekend at an English country estate in O’Conor. Good sci-fi story of captured 1932, where murder rears its head. Great cast baby sea monster put into London circus and telling details can’t mask the film’s superand gigantic parent coming to rescue it. ficiality, made worse by a poky pace and ovExciting special effects.▼●쩠 erlength. Balaban (who conceived the idea for ★★1 Gorgon, The (1964-British) C-83m. ⁄2 D: the film with Altman) plays the producer of Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, Christopher Charlie Chan mysteries; too bad no one reLee, Richard Pasco, Barbara Shelley, membered that those films run about an hour Michael Goodliffe. In 19th-century Baland a quarter. Nevertheless, Julian Fellowes’ kan village, one of the snake-headed Gorscript won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 gons still survives, turning her victims to stone—but who is she by day? Good HamGospel (1982) C-92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Leimer production.▼●쩠 vick, Frederick A. Ritzenberg. James CleveGorilla at Large (1954) C-84m. ★★★ D: land and the Southern California Community Harmon Jones. Cameron Mitchell, Anne Choir, Walter Hawkins and the Hawkins FamBancroft, Lee J. Cobb, Raymond Burr, Peter ily, Mighty Clouds of Joy, Shirley Caesar, Whitney, Lee Marvin, Warren Stevens. OffTwinkie Clark and the Clark Sisters. Inspiring, beat murder mystery at amusement park, with tremendously entertaining concert film spotexceptionally able cast. Filmed in 3-D.쩠 lighting top gospel performers. Each number is Gorillas in the Mist (1988) C-129m. ★★★ more rousing than the last. Followed in 2004 D: Michael Apted. Sigourney Weaver, by OH HAPPY DAY (which is mostly a comBryan Brown, Julie Harris, John Omirah pilation of unused footage from this film).▼쩠 Miluwi, Iain Cuthbertson, Constantin AlexGospel, The (2005) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Rob androv, Waigwa Wachira. Absorbing drama Hardy. Boris Kodjoe, Idris Elba, Nona based on the life of Dian Fossey, who Gaye, Clifton Powell, Aloma Wright, Donjourneyed to Africa in 1967 and, with no nie McClurkin, Omar Gooding, Tamyra prior experience, set out to document the Gray, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Sean Nelson. vanishing breed of mountain gorillas for Upon hearing that his preacher father has National Geographic. Her transformation cancer, a rock star returns home to come to from diligent researcher to obsessive madterms with his dad, his best-friend-turnedwoman is a bit more abrupt than it ought to rival, and his mother’s death. Surprisingly be, but it’s still a good film, and Weaver is (or not) he still has time to begin a relationcompelling in the lead. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ship with a single mother and stage a glitzy Gorky Park (1983) C-128m. ★★★ D: Mifund-raiser to help open a new church. Techael Apted. William Hurt, Lee Marvin, dious, predictable, and composed entirely of Brian Dennehy, Ian Bannen, Joanna Pacula, cliche´s; at least the gospel numbers are well Alexander Knox. Absorbing murder mysperformed. [PG]▼쩠 tery set in Russia, where police investigaGospel According to St. Matthew, The (1964-Italian-French) 135m. ★★★★ D: Pier tor Hurt doggedly pursues the case of three bodies buried in Gorky Park. Lots of twists Paolo Pasolini. Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita and turns, vivid atmosphere (with Helsinki Caruso, Susanna Pasolini, Marcello Mordoubling for Moscow) . . . marred someante, Mario Socrate. Unconventional, auswhat by unconvincing romance and protere film on life and teachings of Christ, tracted finale. Dennis Potter adapted Martin based solely on writings of the Apostle, Cruz Smith’s novel. [R]▼●쩠 Matthew. Amateur cast (including direcG.O.R.P. (1980) C-90m. BOMB D: Joseph tor’s mother) is expressive and moves with Ruben. Michael Lembeck, Dennis Quaid, quiet dignity. Ironically, director of this Philip Casnoff, Fran Drescher, David Hudmasterpiece was a Marxist.▼●쩠 dleston, Robert Trebor, Julius Harris, RoGospel According to Vic, The (1985-Britsanna Arquette. Sophomoric, depressingly ish) C-92m. ★★ D: Charles Gormley. Tom unfunny drug-oriented comedy set in a sumConti, Helen Mirren, David Hayman, Brian mer camp. Makes MEATBALLS seem like Pettifer, Jennifer Black. Very minor comHamlet; for people who think the word edy of Catholic schoolteacher Conti and ‘‘Quaalude’’ is automatically funny. [R]▼ the series of miracles that befall him. Mirren Gosford Park (2001-U.S.-British) Cis wasted as a music teacher/love interest. Aka HEAVENLY PURSUITS. [PG-13]▼ 137m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Altman. Eileen Atkins, Bob Balaban, Alan Bates, Charles Gospel of John, The (2003-CanadianDance, Stephen Fry, Michael Gambon, British) C-180m. ★★1⁄2 D: Philip Saville. Richard E. Grant, Tom Hollander, Derek Henry Ian Cusick, Stuart Bunce, Daniel Jacobi, Kelly Macdonald, Helen Mirren, Kash, Stephen Russell, Diana Berriman, Jeremy Northam, Clive Owen, Ryan PhilAlan Van Sprang, Scott Handy; narrated by [ 548 ]

Christopher Plummer. Overlong but surprisPene´lope Cruz, Charles S. Dutton, John ingly compelling retelling of Jesus’ life. AlCarroll Lynch, Bernard Hill, Dorian Harethough the material is obviously familiar wood. A mental health professional wakes up and well-worn movie fodder, Cusick’s fresh in the psychiatric ward of the prison where and utterly believable performance as Jesus she works, accused of a brutal murder she ranks favorably with any other cinematic indoesn’t remember committing. Take an earterpretation. Effectively narrated by Plummer. nest Berry, add a senseless script and mis129m. version also available. [PG-13] ▼쩠 guided direction, and you get this horror/ Gospel Road, The (1973) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 suspense/supernatural thriller/murder mystery/SNAKE PIT hodgepodge. [R] ▼쩠 D: Robert Elfstrom. Johnny Cash, June Carter, Robert Elfstrom. Musical journey through Go Tigers! (2001) C-103m. ★★★ D: KenHoly Land follows story of Jesus from his neth A. Carlson. Entertaining documentary birth to his death and resurrection. Sincere but about Massillon, Ohio, a working-class not especially good. [G] ▼쩠 town where high school football has been a Gossip (2000) C-91m. BOMB D: Davis mania for 106 years. Now the team’s very Guggenheim. James Marsden, Lena Headey, existence is at stake as a controversial Norman Reedus, Joshua Jackson, Kate school levy is put to the voters. An empaHudson, Marisa Coughlan, Eric Bogosian, thetic, close-up, cine´ma ve´rite´–style view of Edward James Olmos, Sharon Lawrence. the star athletes, coaches, teachers, parents, Inane tale of three college roomies who boosters, and even naysayers over the hatch a rumor as a class project that (natucourse of one crucial season. P.S. The filmmaker grew up in Massillon. [R]▼쩠 rally) gets way out of hand. Any dropout could guess these plot twists; viewer has an Governess, The (1998-British) C-112m. ★★1 easier choice. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Sandra Goldbacher. Minnie Driver, Gosta Berling’s Saga SEE: Atonement of Tom Wilkinson, Florence Hoath, Jonathan Gosta Berling, The Rhys-Meyers, Harriet Walter, Arlene CockGotcha! (1985) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff burn, Emma Bird. Intriguing but somewhat Kanew. Anthony Edwards, Linda Fiorenunfocused film, set in the 1800s, about a tino, Nick Corri, Alex Rocco, Marla spirited young Jewish woman who leaves Adams, Klaus Loewitsch, Christopher Ryher newly impoverished London family to dell. Nerdy college kid goes to Paris on take a job as governess on a remote Scottish vacation, meets seductive older woman who island. There she develops an unusual relainvolves him in espionage in East Berlin. tionship—both cerebral and passionate— Very nearly a good movie, with some sharp with the master of the house. Slow-moving dialogue to start, but loses its appeal as it film has interesting passages but never gels. loses its credibility. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Written by the director, who bites off more Go Tell the Spartans (1978) C-114m. than she can chew. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Ted Post. Burt Lancaster, Craig Go West (1925) 69m. ★★1⁄2 D: Buster KeaWasson, Jonathan Goldsmith, Marc Singer, ton. Buster Keaton, Howard Truesdale, Joe Unger, David Clennon, Dolph Sweet, Kathleen Myers, Brown Eyes. Buster plays James Hong. Perceptive, moving Vieta greenhorn named Friendless who winds nam War picture, set in early 1964; Burt up working on a cattle ranch out West, and shines as ‘‘advisory group’’ commander finding his soulmate in a cow named Brown who is already starting to have his doubts Eyes. Not one of Buster’s best silents, this about the conflict. More realistic in diastill has plenty of good scenes, especially logue and situation than other, more publithe climactic stampede, executed with typicized, popular films on the subject. Wendell cally Keatonesque comic skill. ▼●쩠 Mayes’ cynically funny script is right on Go West (1940) 81m. ★★ D: Edward target. Based on Daniel Ford’s novel InciBuzzell. Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx, dent at Muc Wa. [R]▼●쩠 John Carroll, Diana Lewis, Walter Woolf Gothic (1986-British) C-90m. ★★ D: Ken King, Robert Barrat. Big letdown from Russell. Gabriel Byrne, Julian Sands, Marxes, until hilarious train-ride climax. Natasha Richardson, Miriam Cyr, TimoOccasional bits sparkle through humdrum script.▼●쩠 thy Spall. That night in 1816 when Mary Shelley (author of Frankenstein) and Dr. Go West, Young Man (1936) 82m. ★★★ Polidori (The Vampyre) were inspired to D: Henry Hathaway. Mae West, Randolph write their Gothic classics—previously deScott, Warren William, Alice Brady, Elizpicted in THE BRIDE OF FRANKENabeth Patterson, Lyle Talbot, Isabel Jewell. STEIN—is given the wild Ken Russell Movie queen Mae is stuck in the sticks, but treatment here. Too weird for some, too passes time nicely with handsome farm boy. highbrow for many horror fans, but full of Not top-notch West, but still fun.▼쩠 Russell’s hallucinatory visuals. Same story Goya in Bordeaux (1999-Italian-Spanish) was told two years later in HAUNTED C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Carlos Saura. Francisco SUMMER. [R]▼●쩠 Rabal, Jose´ Coronado, Eulalia Ramo´n, MarGothika (2003) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Mathieu ibel Verdu´, Dafne Ferna´ndez, Emilio GutierKassovitz. Halle Berry, Robert Downey, Jr., rez Caba, Joaquin Climent, Manuel de Blas, [ 549 ]

Cristina Espinosa, Jose´ Marı´a Pou. Vivid, Grace Quigley (1985) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: highly theatricalized vision of exiled SaraAnthony Harvey. Katharine Hepburn, Nick gossan painter Francisco Goya’s waning Nolte, Elizabeth Wilson, Chip Zien, Kit Le days in France, as he wanders through Fever, William Duell, Walter Abel, Denny deathbed memories of the women and the Dillon. Abysmal misfire that manages to be wars that inspired his work. Sumptuously both bland and tasteless, about lonely, elderly shot by Vittorio Storaro, but directed with a Hepburn, who hires hit man Nolte to kill pervasive melancholy that makes for slow her—and then others of her set who would all drama. Some nudity, but not nearly enough. rather be dead. Filmed in 1983, first shown at Aka GOYA. Univision. [R] ▼쩠 1984 Cannes Film Festival at 102m. HowGoya’s Ghosts (2007-U.S.-Spanish) C-113m. ever, another version of this exists, titled THE ★★1 ULTIMATE SOLUTION OF GRACE ⁄2 D: Milos Forman. Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Randy QUIGLEY and put together by its scriptQuaid, Jose´ Luis Go´mez, Michael Lonsdale. writer, A. Martin Zweiback. Despite an unThe kind of oddball movie only Forman can even second half, it is a touching, funny, make. Two-part story begins during the Spansurreal black comedy about the problems of ish Inquisition, as a Goya model (Portman) the elderly and the right of choice. This cut runs 94m. and is rated ★★1⁄2. [PG]▼ is unjustly imprisoned and raped in her cell by a hypocritical Catholic Church Brother Gracie (2007) C-95m. ★★ D: Davis Gug(Bardem). Returning 15 years later from genheim. Carly Schroeder, Elisabeth Shue, Napoleonic France, the Brother is asked by Dermot Mulroney, Andrew Shue, Jesse Lee Goya (Skarsga˚rd) to help track down a Soffer, Joshua Caras, Julia Garro, Hunter daughter conceived by the rape. Cowritten Schroeder. Shue plays her mother in this by Forman and Jean-Claude Carrie`re, plotsports biopic based on her own teenage heavy result is fairly zippy and not without years. Schroeder is adequately spunky as entertainment value, but the tone is shaky the future actress who wants nothing more and the wildly multinational casting disthan to play competitive soccer, circa 1978, tracts. Which isn’t to say that Quaid as just like her scrappy brothers. Extremely Spain’s King Carlos IV isn’t without its lightweight and predictable (and very amusements. [R]쩠 loosely based on the facts), this should apGrace Is Gone (2007) C-85m. ★★★ D: peal to preteen girls. Elisabeth, her costar James C. Strouse. John Cusack, She´lan brother Andrew, and director Guggenheim O’Keefe, Gracie Bednarczyk, Alessandro (Elisabeth’s husband) all coproduced. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Nivola. Midwestern working-class father learns that his wife has died while serving in Graduate, The (1967) C-105m. ★★★★ D: the U.S. Army in Iraq. Unable to confront his Mike Nichols. Anne Bancroft, Dustin Hofftwo young daughters with the news, he takes man, Katharine Ross, Murray Hamilton, them on a road trip instead, trying to seize William Daniels, Elizabeth Wilson, Brian every opportunity for happiness. Touching Avery, Norman Fell, Marion Lorne, Alice film never goes overboard with sentiment; Ghostley. Landmark film of the late ’60s that’s Cusack strikes just the right note, and the still just as pungent—and funny—as ever. girls who play his daughters seem absoHoffman, in his first major film role, plays lutely genuine. Marisa Tomei and Mary ultra-naive college grad who’s seduced by a Kay Place make eyeblink-long appearances. middle-aged woman, then falls in love with her Score by Clint Eastwood. Written by firstdaughter. Perfect song score by Simon and time director Strouse. [PG-13]쩠 Garfunkel. Script by Buck Henry (who plays ★★1 Grace of My Heart (1996) C-115m. ⁄2 the desk clerk) and Calder Willingham from D: Allison Anders. Illeana Douglas, John Charles Webb’s novel. Nichols won Best DiTurturro, Eric Stoltz, Matt Dillon, Patsy rector Oscar. Look fast for Mike Farrell in hotel Kensit, Bruce Davison, David Clennon, lobby and Richard Dreyfuss in Berkeley roomChristina Pickles, Amanda De Cadenet, ing house. Later a Broadway play and a referChris Isaak, Bridget Fonda, voice of Peter ence point for the 2005 movie RUMOR HAS Fonda. Disappointing film about a great IT . . . Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 subject: the pop music world centered Graduation Day (1981) C-96m. BOMB around N.Y.C.’s Brill Building in the 1950s D: Herb Freed. Christopher George, Patch and ’60s. Aspiring singer-songwriter DougMackenzie, E. Danny Murphy, Michael las finds doors closed to her as a performer Pataki, E. J. Peaker, Vanna White. A but becomes a successful pop tunesmith inbloody FRIDAY THE 13TH clone, done stead; her destiny is then linked to a succeswith no talent or imagination. [R]▼쩠 sion of men in the music business. Nice Graffiti Bridge (1990) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: moments here and there but superficial at Prince. Prince, Morris Day, Jerome Benevery turn—a real shame. Full of pleasant ton & The Time, Jill Jones, Mavis Staples, sound-alike songs from the period, plus one George Clinton, Ingrid Chavez, Robin showstopper, ‘‘God Give Me Strength,’’ Power, T.C. Ellis, Tevin Campbell. Furwritten by Elvis Costello and pop veteran ther auteur antics from the rocker-filmmaker Burt Bacharach. [R]▼●쩠 (and nonactor), a sequel of sorts to PUR[ 550 ]

PLE RAIN, but with murky religious overdant. Beautiful performances enhance an tones. Even the musical numbers, source eloquent script (by Renoir and Charles of the film’s socko CD soundtrack, are Spaak). Edited to 94m. for U.S. release in botched here. If you don’t even like Prince’s 1938. Beware of other versions with varimusic, you’d better convert our rating to ant running times.▼●쩠 BOMB. Purple piffle. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Grandma’s Boy (1922) 56m. ★★★ D: Grand Canyon (1991) C-134m. ★★ D: Fred Newmeyer. Harold Lloyd, Mildred Lawrence Kasdan. Danny Glover, Kevin Davis, Anna Townsend, Charles StevenKline, Steve Martin, Mary McDonnell, Maryson, Noah Young, Dick Sutherland. Lloyd’s Louise Parker, Alfre Woodard, Jeremy Sisto, first great success casts him as a mousy Tina Lifford, Patrick Malone. Ruminations on small-town type inspired to fight for his why and how Life is Lousy, especially in L.A., girl—and his honor—by his grandma’s as a handful of disparate lives intersect: a lawtales of family heritage. Very entertaining.쩠 yer who feels distant from his wife, a wife Grandma’s Boy (2006) C-96m. ★★ D: Niwho’s discovered an abandoned baby, a towcholaus Goossen. Allen Covert, Linda Cartruck driver who’s worried about his sister’s dellini, Shirley Jones, Shirley Knight, Doris survival in a violent neighborhood, etc. Give Roberts, Peter Dante, Kevin Nealon. Slacker Kasdan (and cowriter Meg Kasdan) credit for accountant Covert moves in with granny Robattempting to make a serious film that deals erts and her golden-girl friends while taking a with matters of importance . . . but the results new job as a tester at a video game company are mushy, superficial, and unconvincing. Pasupervised by babe Cardellini. Stoner comenavision. [R]▼●쩠 dy’s crude humor (coscripted by Covert) Grande Bouffe, The (1973-French-Italian) occasionally engenders more chuckles than C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marco Ferreri. Marcello expected. As a veteran showbiz groupie Mastroianni, Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Piccoli, whose liaisons included one with Don Philippe Noiret, Andrea Ferreol. Four bored Knotts, Jones’ raunchy role may color your middle-aged men decide to commit group suifuture viewings of CAROUSEL or The cide by eating themselves to death. Outrageous Partridge Family. Coproduced by Covert idea, but overbaked—no pun intended—and and Adam Sandler; several comedy cronies appear unbilled. Super 35. [R]쩠 excessively, graphically gross. [X]▼쩠 Grand Highway, The (1987-French) CGrand Prix (1966) C-175m. ★★ D: John 104m. ★★★ D: Jean-Loup Hubert. Anemone, Frankenheimer. James Garner, Eva Marie Richard Bohringer, Antoine Hubert, Vanessa Saint, Yves Montand, Toshiro Mifune, Guedj, Christine Pascal. Fine, subtle, sliceBrian Bedford, Jessica Walter, Franc¸oise of-life tale of a fragile nine-year-old boy Hardy. Big cast is saddled with rambling (Hubert, son of the director) and his experiscript about personal lives of auto racers ences while spending three weeks in a and their loves; spectacular action scenes rural village while his mother is off giving and use of split screen are best appreciated birth. Guedj is a delight as the tomboy on the big screen. Deservedly won Oscars who becomes his friend. Original title: LE for the editing and sound effects people. GRAND CHEMIN. Remade in U.S. as Mifune’s English dialogue is dubbed by Paul Frees. Super Panavision 70.▼●쩠 PARADISE. [R] ▼ Grand Hotel (1932) 113m. ★★★★ D: EdGrand Slam (1967-Italian-U.S.) C-120m. ★★★ mund Goulding. Greta Garbo, John BarryD: Giuliano Montaldo. Edward G. more, Joan Crawford, Wallace Beery, Robinson, Janet Leigh, Adolfo Celi, Klaus Lionel Barrymore, Lewis Stone, Jean HersKinski, Georges Rigaud, Robert Hoffman. holt, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Tully Marshall, International jewel-heist film, with all the Mary Carlisle. Vicki Baum’s novel and play trappings. Nothing new, but smoothly done, of plush Berlin hotel where ‘‘nothing ever most enjoyable. Techniscope.쩠 happens.’’ Stars prove the contrary: Garbo Grand Theft Auto (1977) C-85m. ★★ D: as lonely ballerina, John B. her jewel-thief Ron Howard. Ron Howard, Nancy Morlover, Lionel B. a dying man, Crawford an gan, Marion Ross, Pete Isacksen, Barry ambitious stenographer, Beery a hardened Cahill. Howard’s directorial debut (he also businessman, Stone the observer. Scripted coscripted with his actor-father Rance) is by William A. Drake. Best Picture Oscar typical unsophisticated car-crash action fare, winner; a must. Plot reworked many times no better or worse than most. [PG]▼●쩠 (in HOTEL BERLIN, WEEK-END AT Grand Tour, The (1992) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: THE WALDORF, etc.). Later a Broadway David N. Twohy. Jeff Daniels, Ariana Richmusical. ▼●쩠 ards, Emilia Crow, Jim Haynie, David Grand Illusion (1937-French) 117m. ★★★★ Wells, Nicholas Guest, Robert Colbert, D: Jean Renoir. Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Marilyn Lightstone. The proprietor of a Erich von Stroheim, (Marcel) Dalio, Dita small-town hotel fears that his unexpected Parlo, (Julien) Carette, Gaston Modot, guests are tourists from the future, visiting Jean Daste´. Renoir’s classic treatise on for a frightening reason. Intelligent, low-key war, focusing on French prisoners during sci-fi, well acted and consistently surprising, WW1 and their cultured German commanbut too drawn-out. From the novella ‘‘Vin[ 551 ]

tage Season’’ by Lawrence O’Donnell and wealthy aunt and her lightheaded sister. ExC. L. Moore. Filmed for theatrical release quisite performance by Laurie as the boy’s but debuted on cable TV instead. Aka DIfree-spirited soulmate, matched by Spacek SASTER IN TIME. [PG-13]▼●쩠 as a woman who’s been hardened by life. Grandview, U.S.A. (1984) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 Director Matthau appears as a customer in McDowall’s barbershop. [PG] ▼●쩠 D: Randal Kleiser. Jamie Lee Curtis, C. Thomas Howell, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grasshopper, The (1970) C-95m. ★★★ D: Jason Leigh, Ramon Bieri, Carole Cook, Jerry Paris. Jacqueline Bisset, Jim Brown, Troy Donahue, William Windom, ElizaJoseph Cotten, Corbett Monica, Ramon Bieri. beth Gorcey, M. Emmet Walsh, John Episodic but fairly compelling chronicle of Cusack, Joan Cusack, Michael Winslow. how a beautiful 19-year-old from British CoSo-so slice of Americana, focusing on lumbia ends up as a burned-out Vegas call girl several characters in archetypal Midwestern at age 22. Better than expected melodrama actown: a young boy coming of age, an tually features Brown in a sympathetic role. independent young woman trying to make Look fast for Penny Marshall. Aka THE PASSION OF EVIL and PASSIONS. [R] ▼쩠 it on her own running her father’s demolition-derby business, and a lovesick sap Grass Is Greener, The (1961) C-105m. ★★★ who’s her ace driver. Passable time-filler D: Stanley Donen. Cary Grant, Deborah but nothing more. [R]▼ Kerr, Robert Mitchum, Jean Simmons. Chic Gran Torino (2008) C-117m. ★★★ D: Clint drawing-room fare that suffers from stagiEastwood. Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney ness. Grant-Kerr marriage is threatened by Her, Christopher Carley, Brian Haley, GeralSimmons and Mitchum romancing the two, dine Hughes, Brian Howe, Dreama Walker, respectively. Technirama. ▼●쩠 John Carroll Lynch. With the death of his Grass Is Singing, The (1981-Britishbeloved wife, retired auto worker Walt KoSwedish) C-108m. ★★★ D: Michael Raewalski (Eastwood) is crankier than ever. Inburn. Karen Black, John Thaw, John Kani, tolerant of the Asians who have taken over John Moulder Brown, Patrick Mynhardt. his Detroit neighborhood, he slowly develBlack is excellent as a lonely woman who ops a relationship with two youngsters who marries farmer Thaw and cannot adjust to live next door and ultimately becomes prolife in the African woodland. Filmed in tective of them. Eastwood channels Archie Zambia; based on a novel by Doris LesBunker (and to some degree Dirty Harry) in sing. Released in U.S. in 1984 as KILLthis disarming fable about a man out of ING HEAT.▼쩠 touch with a changing world who unexpectGrave Indiscretions SEE: Gentlemen edly finds purpose to his life. Only Clint Don’t Eat Poets could have pulled this off—for an audience Grave Robbers From Outer Space SEE: that’s watched him grow and change over Plan 9 From Outer Space the years. Panavision. [R]쩠 Graveyard, The SEE: Persecution Grapes of Wrath, The (1940) 129m. Graveyard Shift (1989) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: ★★★★ D: John Ford. Henry Fonda, Jane Gerard Ciccoritti. Silvio Oliviero, Helen Darwell, John Carradine, Charley Grapewin, Papas, Cliff Stoker, Dorin Ferber, Dan Dorris Bowden, Russell Simpson, John QuaRose, Don Jones. Oliviero has the perfect len, O. Z. Whitehead, Eddie Quillan, Zeffie occupation for a modern vampire: an allTilbury, Darryl Hickman, Ward Bond, night cabdriver. His only victims are those in Charles Middleton, Tom Tyler, Mae Marsh, ‘‘their cycle of death,’’ but things get out of Jack Pennick. One of the great American hand anyway. Intelligent, well-acted lowfilms, an uncompromising adaptation of John budgeter harmed only by not knowing when Steinbeck’s novel about impoverished Okie to quit. Filmed in 1985. Aka CENTRAL farmers making the trek to California during PARK DRIFTER. Followed by a sequel: THE UNDERSTUDY. [R] ▼●쩠 the Depression, where the good life they’ve hoped for is well out of reach. Fonda is great Graveyard Shift (1990) C-87m. BOMB in his defining role as an ex-con whose social D: Ralph S. Singleton. David Andrews, conscience is aroused; Darwell is unforgettaKelly Wolf, Stephen Macht, Brad Dourif, ble as the matriarch Ma Joad. She and Ford Andrew Divoff, Vic Polizos. Bottom-ofwon well-deserved Oscars. Screenplay by the-barrel, cliche´-ridden shocker chroniNunnally Johnson.▼●쩠 cling the goings-on in a mysterious mill, Grass Harp, The (1996) C-107m. ★★★ D: whose workers are disappearing within its Charles Matthau. Piper Laurie, Sissy rat-infested bowels. Poorly directed, with Spacek, Walter Matthau, Edward Furlong, even worse special effects. Based on a short story by Stephen King. [R]▼●쩠 Nell Carter, Jack Lemmon, Mary Steenburgen, Sean Patrick Flanery, Joe Don Baker, Gravy Train, The (1974) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Charles Durning, Roddy McDowall, Doris D: Jack Starrett. Stacy Keach, Frederic Roberts, Scott Wilson; narrated by Boyd Forrest, Margot Kidder, Barry Primus, RichGaines. Thoughtful drama based on Truman ard Romanus, Denny Miller. OK blend Capote’s evocative memoir of his boyhood of fast-moving action and comedy as West in the South, where he was raised by his Virginia brothers Keach and Forrest de[ 552 ]

velop a liking for crime. Aka THE DION Didi Conn, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Joan BROTHERS. [R] Blondell, Edd Byrnes, Alice Ghostley, Dody Goodman, Lorenzo Lamas, Michael Tucci, Grayeagle (1978) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles B. Pierce. Ben Johnson, Iron Eyes Cody, Dinah Manoff, Barry Pearl. Energetic, Lana Wood, Jack Elam, Paul Fix, Alex imaginative filming of long-running BroadCord. Interesting if flawed rehash of THE way show fantasizes 1950s life; spirited SEARCHERS with Johnson tracking the cast, clever ideas, and Patricia Birch’s choIndian (Cord) who kidnapped his daughter. reography make it fun. Hit songs (written for Good classic Western style an asset, slugmovie) include ‘‘You’re the One That I gish pacing a drawback. Produced, directed, Want,’’ ‘‘Hopelessly Devoted To You,’’ and written by Pierce, who also appears. Panatitle number, sung by Frankie Valli. Followed vision. [PG]▼ by a sequel. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Gray Lady Down (1978) C-111m. ★★ D: Grease 2 (1982) C-114m. BOMB D: PaDavid Greene. Charlton Heston, David tricia Birch. Maxwell Caulfield, Michelle Carradine, Stacy Keach, Ned Beatty, Ronny Pfeiffer, Adrian Zmed, Lorna Luft, Didi Cox, Rosemary Forsyth. Tired drama about Conn, Eve Arden, Sid Caesar, Dody Goodrescue of nuclear submarine, captained by man, Tab Hunter, Connie Stevens, ChristoHeston. Good special effects, and colorful pher McDonald. Mindless sequel to the performance by Carradine as designer of musical hit; opens with a great back-to-school experimental diving craft. Look for Chrisnumber, then goes downhill. Pedestrian topher Reeve as one of the officers. Panamusic, clumsy comedy, uncharismatic leads; vision. [PG]▼쩠 only the supporting players (like newcomer Gray Matters (2007) C-96m. ★★ D: Sue Luft and veteran Arden) shine through. InausKramer. Heather Graham, Tom Cavanagh, picious directing debut for choreographer Bridget Moynahan, Alan Cumming, Molly Birch. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 Shannon, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Shelley, GloGreased Lightning (1977) C-94m. ★★ D: ria Gaynor. Gray—yes, that’s her name— Michael Schultz. Richard Pryor, Beau Bridlives with her brother in Manhattan; they’re ges, Pam Grier, Cleavon Little, Vincent Garinseparable, and most people think they’re a denia, Richie Havens, Julian Bond. Spirited ‘‘couple.’’ Then he meets a beautiful woman cast does little to enliven plodding, episodic and asks her to marry him. Gray is genuinely bio of Wendell Scott, the first black racing car happy for her brother, then finds herself powdriver. A waste of Pryor, both dramatically erfully attracted to his fiance´e. Artificial in the and comically. [PG]▼쩠 extreme, this attempt to emulate and update Greaser’s Palace (1972) C-91m. ★★★ D: 1930s/’40s screwball comedies stays afloat Robert Downey. Allan Arbus, Albert Henonly because its stars are so likable. Written derson, Luana Anders, George Morgan, Larry Moyer, Michael Sullivan, James Anby the director. [PG-13]쩠 Gray’s Anatomy (1996) C/B&W-80m. tonio, Ron Nealy. Super-offbeat Jesus Christ ★★★ D: Steven Soderbergh. Spalding Gray. parody with Western setting. Drifter (Arbus) Gray’s brilliance as a raconteur shines discovers ‘‘true identity’’ and heals ‘‘sick’’ through in this witty, inventively directed cowboys in crazy, tiny town. Seven-yearmonologue charting his experience of passing old Robert Downey, Jr., appears as a mutihis 50th birthday and finding himself afflicted lated child! Aka ZOOT SUIT JESUS.▼쩠 with a rare eye disease. His encounters with Great Adventure, The (1975-Italiantraditional and alternative medicine are both Spanish) C-87m. ★★ D: Paul Elliotts funny and frightening.▼쩠 (Gianfranco Baldanello). Jack Palance, Joan Grbavica: The Land of My Dreams (2006Collins, Fred Romer (Fernando Romero), Austrian-Herzegovinian-German-Croatian) CElisabetta Virgili, Manuel de Blas, Remo de Angelis. Middling Jack London tale of a 90m. ★★★ D: Jasmila Zbanic. Mirjana Karanovic, Luna Mijovic, Leon Lucev, Kenan boy and his dog trying to make it in the Catic, Bogdan Diklic. Bosnian writer-director wilds of gold-rush Alaska—fighting the Zbanic (in her feature-film debut) provides a odds, marauding wolves, sinister town boss revealing look at life in postwar Sarajevo and Palance, dancehall queen Collins.▼쩠 the lingering impact it has on a struggling Great American Broadcast, The (1941) single mother and her rebellious 12-year-old 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Archie Mayo. Alice Faye, John daughter, who live in the city’s Grbavica disPayne, Jack Oakie, Cesar Romero, The Four trict (the site of a former prison camp where Ink Spots, James Newill, Mary Beth Hughes. torture and rape were commonplace). An esFictional fun of development of radio induscalating rift between mother and daughter try, with such musical guests as zany Wiere forces them to confront the harsh realities of Brothers. Entertaining; bright cast.쩠 their lives, and the war’s continuing emotional Great American Cowboy, The (1974) toll. Impressive and powerful.쩠 C-90m. ★★★ D: Kieth Merrill. Narrated by Grease (1978) C-110m. ★★★ D: Randal Joel McCrea. Exciting documentary on Kleiser. John Travolta, Olivia Newtonrodeo life focuses on rodeo superstar Larry John, Stockard Channing, Jeff Conaway, Mahan and his competition with newcomer [ 553 ]

Phil Lyne. Oscar winner as Best Docukins, Akim Tamiroff. Terrible adaptation mentary Feature. [G]▼ of George Bernard Shaw’s comedy about Great Balloon Adventure, The SEE: Catherine the Great wastes capable cast; Olly, Olly, Oxen Free wait for Dietrich’s THE SCARLET EMGreat Balls of Fire! (1989) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 PRESS. D: Jim McBride. Dennis Quaid, Winona Great Day in Harlem, A (1994) C-60m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean Bach. Dizzy Gillespie, Milt Ryder, Alec Baldwin, Lisa Blount, Trey Wilson, John Doe, Steve Allen, Stephen Hinton, Marian McPartland, Art Blakey, Tobolowsky, Lisa Jane Persky, Michael Gerry Mulligan, Sonny Rollins, Horace SilSt. Gerard, Peter Cook. Slick, highly stylver, Bud Freeman, Art Farmer; narrated by ized cartoon about the rise (and temporary Quincy Jones. Joyous celebration of a fafall) of ’50s rocker Jerry Lee Lewis, a mous photo taken for Esquire magazine in twice-married hellraiser whose doom was 1958, which gathered dozens of jazz greats sealed when he took his 13-year-old secon a Harlem sidewalk. What could have ond cousin as wife No. 3. Quaid’s amusbeen a prosaic ‘‘talking head’’ documentary ing but verrrry broad lead performance is becomes instead a lively collage of sights, balanced by Ryder’s more even-keeled porsounds, and memories, with charming intertrayal of cousin Myra. Reasonably enterviews, fascinating home movies of the taining but falls far short of its potential. event, and vintage performance footage of [PG-13] ▼●쩠 these musicians at work. Film director RobGreat Bank Robbery, The (1969) C-98m. ert Benton—then Esquire’s art director—is ★1 one of the interviewees.▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Hy Averback. Zero Mostel, Kim Novak, Clint Walker, Claude Akins, Akim Great Day in the Morning (1956) C-92m. ★★1 Tamiroff, Larry Storch. Bogus preacher ⁄2 D: Jacques Tourneur. Virginia Mayo, and company, Mexican gang led by TamiRobert Stack, Ruth Roman, Alex Nicol, roff, and local outlaws all compete for Raymond Burr. Good cast, beautiful color control of the town of Friendly. Spoof of scenery help so-so story of pre–Civil War Westerns is a total dud. Be warned. PanaColorado, when gold rush fever and separavision. [M/PG]쩠 tionist sentiments clashed. SuperScope.▼ Great Battle, The (1978-German-YugoGreat Debaters, The (2007) C-123m. ★★★ slavian) C-97m. BOMB D: Humphrey D: Denzel Washington. Denzel WashingLongan (Umberto Lenzi). Helmut Berger, ton, Nate Parker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Samantha Eggar, Giuliano Gemma, John Whitaker, Jermaine Williams, Forest WhiHuston, Stacy Keach, Henry Fonda, Edwige taker, Gina Ravera, John Heard, Kimberly Fenech. Amateurish muddle about WW2 Elise. At all-black Wiley College in rural combines tired vignettes with well-known Texas, circa 1935, radical professor Melvin stars, dubbed sequences with others, and B. Tolson (Washington) motivates his stunewsreel footage narrated by Orson Welles. dent debate team to work through their perA waste of everybody’s time. Aka THE sonal problems in order to excel. Eventually GREATEST BATTLE, BATTLE FORCE, they travel to Harvard for a precedentTHE BATTLE OF MARETH, and THE shattering debate. Inspiring true-life drama BIGGEST BATTLE. [PG]▼ plays with the facts and succumbs to formuGreat Buck Howard, The (2009) C-90m. laic storytelling at times but never loses sight ★★★ of its goal: to remind us that education—and D: Sean McGinly. John Malkovich, Colin Hanks, Emily Blunt, Ricky Jay, Tom determination—can help ordinary people surHanks, Debra Monk, Steve Zahn, Griffin mount even the most formidable obstacles. Dunne, Wallace Langham, Adam Scott. Coproduced by Oprah Winfrey. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 Young man quits law school and stumbles into a job as road manager for a self-absorbed Great Dictator, The (1940) 128m. ★★★1⁄2 stage performer whose career peaked years D: Charles Chaplin. Charles Chaplin, ago on The Tonight Show with Johnny CarPaulette Goddard, Jack Oakie, Reginald son. Small but entertaining film is worth Gardiner, Maurice Moscovich, Billy Gilseeing for Malkovich’s endearing and perbert, Henry Daniell. Chaplin’s first full suasive performance as a ‘‘mentalist,’’ intalkie; unusual comedy combines slapstick, spired by The Amazing Kreskin. Tom satire, and social commentary, as he plays Hanks coproduced the film and plays his dual role of Jewish ghetto barber and dictator real-life son Colin’s dad. [PG] Adenoid Hynkel of Tomania. Unique, surprisGreat Caruso, The (1951) C-109m. ★★★ ingly effective film also features Oakie in unD: Richard Thorpe. Mario Lanza, Ann forgettable portrayal of ‘‘Benzino Napaloni’’ Blyth, Jarmila Novotna, Dorothy Kirsten. of rival country Bacteria.▼●쩠 Biographical fiction about the legendary Great Escape, The (1963) C-168m. ★★★★ singer, entertainingly done. Fine music D: John Sturges. Steve McQueen, James makes cliche´s endurable.▼● Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Great Catherine (1968-British) C-98m. Bronson, James Coburn, David McCallum, ★1⁄2 D: Gordon Flemyng. Peter O’Toole, Donald Pleasence, James Donald, Gordon Jeanne Moreau, Zero Mostel, Jack HawJackson, John Leyton, Angus Lennie, Nigel [ 554 ]

Stock. Allied POWs plot massive escape from Nazi prison camp. Based on true story, this blockbuster was beautifully photographed by Daniel Fapp on location in Germany. Rip-roaring excitement with marvelous international cast; script by James Clavell and W. R. Burnett, from Paul Brickhill’s book. Rousing score by Elmer Bernstein. Followed by a TV sequel 25 years later. Panavision.

Frank, Theodore St. John, Frank Cavett).

▼●쩠

Greatest Story Ever Told, The (1965) C-193m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Stevens. Max von Sydow, Charlton Heston, Carroll Baker, Angela Lansbury, Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, John Wayne, Ed Wynn, Jose Ferrer, Van Heflin, Claude Rains, Telly Savalas, many others. Some of the most spectacular scenes ever filmed lose all validity because of inces▼●쩠 ★1 sant cameos that run throughout film. Would Greatest, The (1977) C-101m. ⁄2 D: you believe John Wayne as a Roman centurion Tom Gries. Muhammad Ali, Ernest Borgsupervising Christ’s crucifixion? Carl Sandnine, John Marley, Robert Duvall, James burg is listed in credits as a Creative Associate. Earl Jones, Roger E. Mosley, Ben JohnOriginally shown at 225m., then cut to 141m. son, Paul Winfield, Lloyd Haynes, Dina Ultra Panavision 70.▼●쩠 Merrill, David Clennon. Potentially excitGreat Expectations (1934) 102m. ★★1⁄2 ing screen bio of the great heavyweight D: Stuart Walker. Jane Wyatt, Phillips champ becomes an episodic mess sufferHolmes, George Breakston, Henry Hull, ing from a script devoid of dramatic focus Florence Reed, Alan Hale, Francis L. Suland ham-handed direction. Ironically, Moslivan. Acceptable version of Dickens’ story ley (as Sonny Liston) has the charisma Ali about a young boy and unknown benefaclacks. Soundtrack features George Benson’s tor is dwarfed by ’46 classic. Sullivan ‘‘The Greatest Love of All.’’ [PG]▼쩠 plays Jaggers in both films. ▼ Greatest Battle, The SEE: Great Battle, Great Expectations (1946-British) 118m. The ★★★★ D: David Lean. John Mills, Valerie Greatest Game Ever Played, The (2005) Hobson, Bernard Miles, Francis L. SulliC-120m. ★★★ D: Bill Paxton. Shia LaBeouf, van, Finlay Currie, Martita Hunt, Anthony Stephen Dillane, Josh Flitter, Peyton List, Wager, Jean Simmons, Alec Guinness, Elias Koteas, Marnie McPhail, Stephen Ivor Barnard, Freda Jackson, Torin ThatMarcus, Luke Askew, Peter Firth, Len Cacher, Eileen Erskine, Hay Petrie. One of riou, Joe Jackson, Dawn Upshaw. Winning the greatest films ever made, a vivid adapstory of sportsmanship and class struggle tation of Dickens’ tale of a mysterious surrounding the 1913 U.S. Open Tournabenefactor making poor young orphan a ment in Brookline, Massachusetts, where a gentleman of means. Opening graveyard caddy, Francis Ouimet (LaBeouf), is alsequence is a gem. Oscars went to cinemalowed to play opposite the much-admired tographer Guy Green and art director John British champion Harry Vardon (Dillane). Bryan. Lean, Kay Walsh, Cecil McGivern, Solid, old-fashioned storytelling with a and producers Anthony Havelock-Allan and modern eye; golf has never been portrayed Ronald Neame all contributed to script. like this before. Screenplay by Mark Frost, Filmed in 1934, 1974, and updated in 1998. from his book. Eye-catching title sequence Jean Simmons played Miss Havisham in a uses vintage photographs and footage to set 1989 miniseries. ▼●쩠 the stage for this meticulously produced peGreat Expectations (1998) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 riod picture. [PG]쩠 D: Alfonso Cuaro´n. Ethan Hawke, GwyGreatest Love, The (1951-Italian) 110m. neth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft, Chris Cooper, ★1 ⁄2 D: Roberto Rossellini. Ingrid BergHank Azaria, Robert De Niro, Josh Mostel, man, Alexander Knox, Giulietta Masina, Kim Dickens, Nell Campbell, Stephen SpiTeresa Pellati, Ettore Giannini. Bergman nella. Modern story based on the Dickens plays a wealthy American living in Rome, classic has Finn (ne´ Pip) helping a convict who feels compelled to help people in order on the Florida marshes, then being sumto restore meaning to her own life after her moned to the decrepit mansion of equally son’s suicide. Obvious, slow-moving story. decrepit Ms. Dinsmoor (ne´e Havisham), Originally titled EUROPA ’51.▼ where he meets the love of his life, the beauGreatest Show on Earth, The (1952) tiful but heartless Estella. Eventually, he’s C-153m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Cecil B. DeMille. Betty whisked off to N.Y.C. to find fame and forHutton, Charlton Heston, Cornel Wilde, tune as an artist. So stylishly crafted that Dorothy Lamour, Gloria Grahame, James it’s a shame it doesn’t add up to much of Stewart, Henry Wilcoxon, Lawrence Tieranything. The skeleton of Dickens is there, ney, Lyle Bettger. Big package of fun but no resonance. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 from DeMille, complete with hokey perGreat Flamarion, The (1945) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anthony Mann. Erich von Stroformances, cliche´s, big-top excitement, and a swell train wreck. Stewart well cast heim, Mary Beth Hughes, Dan Duryea, as circus clown with mysterious past. Some Stephen Barclay, Lester Allen, Esther funny surprise guests appear. Oscar winner Howard. Better than most von Stroheim for Best Picture and Story (Fredric M. cheapies, this one casts him as a vaudeville [ 555 ]

star who becomes romantically entangled Gorshin. Incredible story of Ferdinand Dewith his scheming married assistant. ▼쩠 mara, who succeeded in a variety of profesGreat Garrick, The (1937) 91m. ★★★ D: sional guises. Film is episodic and pat.▼ James Whale. Brian Aherne, Olivia de Great Lie, The (1941) 107m. ★★★ D: Havilland, Edward Everett Horton, MelEdmund Goulding. Mary Astor, Bette Davis, ville Cooper, Lionel Atwill, Lana Turner, George Brent, Lucile Watson, Hattie McMarie Wilson. Members of the Come´die Daniel, Grant Mitchell, Jerome Cowan. Brent Franc¸aise perpetrate a hoax to deflate the marries Davis when alliance with Astor is ego of pompous David Garrick (Aherne) annulled. He is lost in plane crash, leaving in this entertaining, fictionalized yarn about Davis and pregnant Astor to battle each other real-life British actor.쩠 and the elements. Well-mounted soaper won Astor an Oscar as fiery concert pianist.▼●쩠 Great Gatsby, The (1949) 92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Elliott Nugent. Alan Ladd, Betty Field, Great Locomotive Chase, The (1956) C-85m. ★★★ D: Francis D. Lyon. Fess Macdonald Carey, Barry Sullivan, Ruth Hussey, Shelley Winters, Howard da Silva. Parker, Jeffrey Hunter, Jeff York, John Misguided adaptation of F. Scott FitzgerLupton, Eddie Firestone, Kenneth Tobey. ald’s book about a mysterious young milTrue story of Andrews’ Raiders (filmed lionaire who crashes Long Island society before by Buster Keaton as THE GENin the 1920s. Too talky and much too ERAL) comes to life in colorful Disney literal-minded. Ladd is pretty good, but film; Parker is famous Union spy who Field (as Daisy Buchanan) gives a strangely leads a rowdy band in capturing and ‘‘kidpetulant performance. Filmed before in napping’’ a Confederate railroad train dur1926, again in 1974, and for TV in 2001. ing Civil War. Retitled ANDREWS’ RAIDERS. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Great Gatsby, The (1974) C-144m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Clayton. Robert Redford, Mia Great Lover, The (1949) 80m. ★★★ D: Farrow, Bruce Dern, Karen Black, Scott Alexander Hall. Bob Hope, Rhonda FlemWilson, Sam Waterston, Lois Chiles, ing, Roland Young, Roland Culver, George Howard da Silva, Edward Herrmann, Reeves, Jim Backus. Vintage Hope; Bob’s Patsy Kensit, Roberts Blossom. Bland adapa boy scout leader on ship filled with his tation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s jazz-age novel troop, luscious Fleming, and murderer about a golden boy in Long Island society; Young.▼쩠 faithful to the book, and visually opulent, Great Man, The (1956) 92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: but lacks substance and power. Script by Jose Ferrer. Jose Ferrer, Dean Jagger, Francis Ford Coppola; Theoni V. AlKeenan Wynn, Julie London, Jim Backus, dredge’s costumes and Nelson Riddle’s Ed Wynn. Well-loved TV star dies and score earned Oscars. [PG]▼●쩠 Ferrer prepares memorial show, only to Great Georgia Bank Hoax, The SEE: discover star was a despicable phony. HardGreat Bank Hoax, The bitten look at TV industry; top performances Great Gilbert and Sullivan, The (1953by senior and junior Wynns. Ferrer and Al British) C-105m. ★★★ D: Sidney Gilliat. Morgan adapted Morgan’s thinly veiled Robert Morley, Maurice Evans, Eileen Hernovel about Arthur Godfrey. lie, Peter Finch, Martyn Green. Agreeable Great Manhunt, The SEE: State Secret production is only a superficial biography of Great Man’s Lady, The (1942) 90m. ★★1 the legendary operetta composers, but does ⁄2 D: William Wellman. Barbara Stanoffer many highlights from their wonderful wyck, Joel McCrea, Brian Donlevy, Thurworks. Their lives are probed more inciston Hall, K. T. Stevens, Lucien Littlefield. sively in TOPSY-TURVY. Original British Saga of the West is no great shakes as title: THE STORY OF GILBERT AND McCrea dreams of oil wells, Donlevy takes SULLIVAN. his girl. Stanwyck ages to 100 years to frame story.▼ Great Guns (1941) 74m. ★★ D: Monty Banks. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Sheila Great Man Votes, The (1939) 72m. ★★★1⁄2 Ryan, Dick Nelson, Edmund MacDonald. D: Garson Kanin. John Barrymore, Peter Later L&H Army comedy is weak, not as Holden, Virginia Weidler, Donald Macbad as some but far below their classic Bride, William Demarest. Simple, sincere, films. Look quickly for Alan Ladd.▼쩠 delightful film of Barrymore, once a proGreat Guy (1936) 75m. ★★ D: John G. fessor, now a souse, fighting for custody Blystone. James Cagney, Mae Clarke, James of his children, suddenly elevated to new Burke, Edward Brophy, Henry Kolker, stature when election time rolls around. Bernadene Hayes, Edward McNamara. MacBride fun as small-time politico, Demarest an energetic campaign promoter. ▼ Second-rate Cagney in low-budget production about inspector crusading against corGreat McGinty, The (1940) 81m. ★★★ D: ruption in meat business.▼쩠 Preston Sturges. Brian Donlevy, Muriel Great Impostor, The (1961) 112m. ★★1⁄2 Angelus, Akim Tamiroff, Allyn Joslyn, D: Robert Mulligan. Tony Curtis, Karl MalWilliam Demarest, Louis Jean Heydt, Arthur den, Raymond Massey, Edmond O’Brien, Hoyt. Sturges’ directorial debut (and OscarArthur O’Connell, Gary Merrill, Frank winning screenplay) isn’t up to his later com[ 556 ]

edy classics, but Donlevy is excellent as bum humor and insight to emphasize the importance of living a life that has meaning. [R]쩠 who is manipulated into governor’s chair by crooked political machine—then blows it all Great Northfield Minnesota Raid, The (1972) C-91m. ★★★ D: Philip Kaufman. when he tries to be honest. Typically sharp dialogue, plus fine work by Sturges’ stock Cliff Robertson, Robert Duvall, Luke Askew, company of character actors. Donlevy and R. G. Armstrong, Dana Elcar, Donald Moffat, Tamiroff reprised their roles as a gag in Elisha Cook, Jr., Royal Dano, Mary-Robin Sturges’ THE MIRACLE OF MORGAN’S Redd. Revisionist Western depicts the last CREEK. ▼●쩠 major raid by the James gang, led by fanatic Great Moment, The (1944) 83m. ★★ D: Jesse (Duvall) and easygoing Cole Younger Preston Sturges. Joel McCrea, Betty Field, (Robertson). Fictionalized, but more factual Harry Carey, William Demarest, Franklin than most movie depictions of the famous Pangborn, Grady Sutton, Louis Jean Heydt. raid. Robertson is genial in the leading role, Confused biography of anesthesia pioneer Duvall amusingly intense as the brutal Jesse. wavers from comedy to drama; ineffectual, Occasional comedic moments don’t work terribly well. Written by the director. [PG]▼쩠 filled with frustrating flashbacks. Very offbeat for writer-director Sturges, although Great O’Malley, The (1937) 71m. ★1⁄2 D: film was taken out of his hands and reedited. William Dieterle. Pat O’Brien, Humphrey Bogart, Ann Sheridan, Donald Crisp, Mary Filmed in 1942.▼●쩠 Great Moments in Aviation SEE: Shades Gordon, Frieda Inescort, Sybil Jason. Syrof Fear upy film of ruthless cop O’Brien and poor Great Mouse Detective, The (1986) Cman Bogart who has lame daughter and ★★★ 80m. D: John Musker, Ron Clements, turns to crime to support her. Pretty sticky. Great Outdoors, The (1988) C-90m. ★1⁄2 Dave Michener, Burny Mattinson. Voices of Vincent Price, Barrie Ingham, Val Bettin, D: Howard Deutch. Dan Aykroyd, John Susanne Pollatschek, Candy Candido, Eve Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening, Brenner, Alan Young, Melissa Manchester. Chris Young, Ian Giatti, Hilary Gordon, Brisk animated adaptation of Eve Titus’ Rebecca Gordon, Robert Prosky. Joyless book Basil of Baker Street, about a Sherscattershot comedy about disintegration of lockian mouse who matches wits with the Candy clan’s summer vacation by the uninnefarious Prof. Ratigan (whose role is pervited appearance of boorish in-law Aykroyd formed with gusto by Price). Not much depth and family. Written by John Hughes, apparto this Disney cartoon feature, but it is a lot of ently with something else on his mind. Bening’s first film. [PG]▼●쩠 fun. Reissued in 1992 as THE ADVENTURES OF THE GREAT MOUSE DEGreat Profile, The (1940) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: TECTIVE. [G]▼●쩠 Walter Lang. John Barrymore, Mary Beth Great Muppet Caper, The (1981-British) Hughes, Gregory Ratoff, John Payne, Anne C-95m. ★★★ D: Jim Henson. The Muppet Baxter, Lionel Atwill, Edward Brophy. BarryPerformers (Jim Henson, Frank Oz, Dave more on downslide provides some laughs in Goelz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt), Charles self-parodying tale of aging, conceited actor. Grodin, Diana Rigg, John Cleese, Robert Great Race, The (1965) C-150m. ★★1⁄2 Morley, Peter Ustinov, Jack Warden. The D: Blake Edwards. Tony Curtis, Natalie Muppets try to solve a London jewel robWood, Jack Lemmon, Peter Falk, Keenan bery in their second feature film. Clever Wynn, Larry Storch, Dorothy Provine, Arthur gags and ideas plus hilarious musical numO’Connell, Vivian Vance, Ross Martin, bers with Miss Piggy make up for meanGeorge Macready. Long, sometimes funny, dering script with more than its share of often labored comedy, not the greatest ever slow spots. [G]▼●쩠 made, as advertised. Duel sequence and barGreat New Wonderful, The (2006) Croom brawl are highlights, but pie fight falls 87m. ★★★ D: Danny Leiner. Olympia Duflat, other gimmicks don’t work. Definitely kakis, Jim Gaffigan, Judy Greer, Maggie a mixed bag (although Natalie never looked Gyllenhaal, Tom McCarthy, Sharat Saxena, better); one good song, ‘‘The Sweetheart Naseeruddin Shah, Tony Shalhoub, Stephen Tree.’’ Panavision.▼●쩠 Colbert, Dick Latessa, Will Arnett, Anita Great Raid, The (2005) C-132m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gillette, Edie Falco. Striking drama, set one John Dahl. Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, year after 9/11, focuses on an array of New Joseph Fiennes, Connie Nielsen, Marton Yorkers who are either struggling to deal Csokas, Motoki Kobayashi, Robert Mamwith their feelings about that horrific day or mone, Natalie Mendoza, Cesar Montano, going about their lives as if nothing had Mark Consuelos, Dale Dye. Dramatization happened. They include a couple with a dysof a remarkable, little-known episode from functional son, an elderly woman trapped in WW2: the dramatic rescue of 500 Americans an unhappy marriage, a pair of security from a Japanese POW camp in the Philipguards, and an outwardly affable accountant pines in 1945, involving an elite corps of who worked at the World Trade Center and freshly trained U.S. Rangers, Filipino guerrilla survived 9/11, unlike many of his coworkers. fighters, and members of the local resistance Subtle, incisive study of suppressed rage uses movement. Admirably old-fashioned in many [ 557 ]

ways, with impeccable staging of the cli(1966-British) C-94m. ★★ D: Frank Launmactic raid, but not nearly as good as the der, Sidney Gilliat. Frankie Howerd, Reg story it’s re-creating. Completed in 2003. Varney, Richard Wattis, Dora Bryan. Super 35. [R]쩠 Overly droll entry in popular series begins Great Rock ’n Roll Swindle, The with the real Great Train Robbery, then (1980-British) C-103m. ★★★ D: Julien Teminjects political satire with usual hijinks ple. Malcolm McLaren, Johnny Rotten (John as crooks’ hiding place for loot becomes new Lydon), Sid Vicious, Steve Jones, Paul Cook, site for infamous girls’ school. Alastair Ronnie Biggs, Liz Fraser. Controversial, outSim’s presence is sorely missed.▼ rageously cynical free-form documentary Great Texas Dynamite Chase, The (1977) about the infamous, ground-breaking punkC-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael Pressman. Claudia rock band Johnny Rotten and The Sex Pistols. Jennings, Jocelyn Jones, Johnny Crawford, Film also shows how Pistols’ manager MalChris Pennock, Tara Strohmeier. A pair of colm McLaren cleverly marketed the group. sexy female bank robbers take to the roads in One of the many highlights: the late Sid Vithis all-too-typical low-budget outing. [R]▼쩠 cious’ version of ‘‘My Way.’’▼●쩠 Great Train Robbery, The (1979-British) Great Santini, The (1979) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 C-111m. ★★★ D: Michael Crichton. Sean D: Lewis John Carlino. Robert Duvall, Connery, Donald Sutherland, Lesley-Anne Blythe Danner, Michael O’Keefe, Lisa Down, Alan Webb, Malcolm Terris, Wayne Jane Persky, Stan Shaw, Theresa Merritt, Sleep, Robert Lang. Stylish fun as an David Keith. Character study of a career elegant trio conspire to pull off the greatest Marine who, in 1962, is ‘‘a warrior withheist of all time, in the mid-1800s: stealing out a war,’’ except for the one he wages shipment of gold from a moving train! with his adolescent son. Compelling perCrichton based his script on true incident, formances give film its meat, but dramatic filmed it against beautiful Irish countrystructure and resolutions are not nearly as side. British title: THE FIRST GREAT strong. Adapted by Carlino from Pat ConTRAIN ROBBERY. [PG]▼●쩠 roy’s novel. Aka THE ACE. [PG]▼●쩠 Great Waldo Pepper, The (1975) C-107m. Great Scout and Cathouse Thursday ★★★ D: George Roy Hill. Robert Redford, (1976) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Taylor. Lee Bo Svenson, Bo Brundin, Susan Sarandon, Marvin, Oliver Reed, Robert Culp, ElizaGeoffrey Lewis, Edward Herrmann, Margot beth Ashley, Howard Platt, Strother Martin, Kidder, Scott Newman. Box-office disapSylvia Miles, Kay Lenz. Broad comedy set pointment from director of BUTCH CASin Colorado of 1908 involves swindles, deSIDY and THE STING is a much more fanged snake, kidnapped prostitutes, and personal film, even though brilliantly photorobbery of proceeds from big boxing match. graphed story of aviation pioneers wavers unCould have been funnier, but Reed is a decomfortably between slapstick and drama. light as an Indian(!). [PG]▼ Worth a look. Todd-AO 35. [PG] ▼●쩠 ★★1 Great Sinner, The (1949) 110m. ⁄2 D: Great Wall, A (1986) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Siodmak. Gregory Peck, Ava GardPeter Wang. Peter Wang, Sharon Iwai, ner, Melvyn Douglas, Walter Huston, Ethel Kelvin Han Yee, Li Qinqin, Hy Xiaoguang. Barrymore, Frank Morgan, Agnes MooreGood-natured story of culture clash that head. Lavishly produced but murky, talky results when Chinese-American family costumer of writer Peck falling for beautiful makes its first trip to mainland China. Gardner and becoming obsessed with gamAmiable but hardly inspired. First U.S.bling. Screenplay by Christopher Isherwood. Chinese coproduction is also Wang’s first Great Smokey Roadblock, The (1976) feature as cowriter, director, and star (he C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Leone. Henry Fonda, played the chef in CHAN IS MISSING by Eileen Brennan, John Byner, Dub Taylor, Wayne Wang—no relation). [PG]▼●쩠 Susan Sarandon, Melanie Mayron, Austin Great Waltz, The (1938) 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Pendleton. Innocuous story of aging trucker Julien Duvivier. Luise Rainer, Fernand (Fonda) attempting one perfect cross-country Gravet, Miliza Korjus, Hugh Herbert, Lirun before his truck is repossessed; his onel Atwill, Curt Bois. Music outdoes haul is a houseful of evicted prostitutes. drama in this elaborately produced biograSome nice vignettes. Originally titled THE phy of composer Johann Strauss, with plenty LAST OF THE COWBOYS, running 106m. of waltzes covering up a standard triangle Coproduced by Sarandon. [PG]▼쩠 tale. Joseph Ruttenberg’s lovely cinemaGreat Spy Mission, The SEE: Operation tography earned an Oscar.▼● Crossbow Great Waltz, The (1972) C-135m. BOMB Great St. Louis Bank Robbery, The (1959) ★1⁄2 D: Charles Guggenheim, John D: Andrew L. Stone. Horst Buchholz, Mary 86m. Costa, Rossano Brazzi, Nigel Patrick, Stix. Steve McQueen, David Clarke, Crahan Yvonne Mitchell, James Faulkner. Bio of Denton, Molly McCarthy, James Dukas. Johann Strauss is unintentionally funny in Modest robbery caper with virtue of Mcthe way director Stone’s SONG OF NORQueen in cast.▼●쩠 Great St. Trinian’s Train Robbery, The WAY was, but after 135 minutes, even the [ 558 ]

laughs begin to subside. Filmed on locaremains a stunning work, one of the greatest tion in Austria. Panavision. [G] of all silent films. The final sequences in Great White Hope, The (1970) C-101m. Death Valley are unforgettable. Reconstructed ★★★ in 1999, using stills to cover long-lost footage; D: Martin Ritt. James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Lou Gilbert, Joel Fluellen, Chesthis version runs 242m.▼● ter Morris, Robert Webber, R. G. ArmGreedy (1994) C-113m. ★★ D: Jonathan strong, Hal Holbrook, Beah Richards, MoLynn. Michael J. Fox, Kirk Douglas, Nancy ses Gunn. Supercharged adaptation of Travis, Olivia d’Abo, Phil Hartman, Ed Broadway success with Jones and AlexanBegley, Jr., Jere Burns, Colleen Camp, Bob der (in her film debut) repeating stage Balaban, Joyce Hyser, Mary Ellen Trainor, roles as Jack Jefferson, famed heavyweight Siobhan Fallon, Kevin McCarthy, Tom champion, and white mistress. Not a boxMason, Austin Pendleton, Kirsten Dunst. ing film or social doctrine, but emotional Venal family can’t wait for a crotchety uncle character study. Holds up until final scene, to die, so they can get their hands on his which doesn’t ring true. Howard Sackler money, but when he threatens to give it all to adapted his own play. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 a sexy young companion, they dig up longGreat White Hype, The (1996) C-90m. estranged nephew Fox. Naming the family ★★1⁄2 D: Reginald Hudlin. Samuel L. JackMcTeague (after von Stroheim’s GREED) is son, Jeff Goldblum, Damon Wayans, Peter the cleverest thing in Lowell Ganz and BabaBerg, Jon Lovitz, Corbin Bernsen, Cheech loo Mandel’s wearisome script—which isn’t Marin, Jamie Foxx, Salli Richardson, John helped by Lynn’s slack-paced direction. (The Rhys-Davies, Rocky Carroll. Flamboyant director also appears as Kirk’s put-upon butboxing promoter Jackson needs a new gimler.) Based, believe it or not, on Charles Dickens’ Martin Chuzzlewit. [PG-13]▼●쩠 mick: his champ (Wayans) isn’t drawing the big money anymore, so he realizes a white Greek Tycoon, The (1978) C-106m. ★1⁄2 contender is required. Berg is amusing as D: J. Lee Thompson. Anthony Quinn, the dumb-but-earnest rival. Occasionally Jacqueline Bisset, Raf Vallone, Edward very funny, often snidely cynical, but the saAlbert, Charles Durning, Camilla Sparv, tire is not as pointed as intended. Written by James Franciscus, Luciana Paluzzi, KathRon Shelton and Tony Hendra. [R]▼●쩠 ryn Leigh Scott, Roland Culver, Linda Great World of Sound (2007) C-106m. Thorson, Lucy Gutteridge, Henderson For★★★ sythe. Pointless fabrication about romance D: Craig Zobel. Pat Healy, Kene Holliday, Robert Longstreet, Rebecca Mader, and marriage of Aristotle Onassis and a cerJohn Baker, Tricia Paoluccio. Two hucktain president’s widow. Beautiful settings sters travel the country signing ‘‘undiscovadd only luster to tepid script that doesn’t ered’’ singing talent to a bogus record label. even rate as good trash. Alternate version Comedy mixes its fictional scenario with runs 112m. Technovision. [R]▼ candid-camera–style real-life auditions, earnGreen Berets, The (1968) C-141m. BOMB ing this clever independent film extra points D: John Wayne, Ray Kellogg. John Wayne, as it merges originality and smart dialogue David Janssen, Jim Hutton, Aldo Ray, with believable situations. Holliday is a Raymond St. Jacques, Bruce Cabot, George standout as a weathered salesman who has Takei, Jack Soo, Patrick Wayne, Mike seen it all. [R]쩠 Henry. Politics aside, this overlong, inGreat Ziegfeld, The (1936) 176m. ★★★1⁄2 credibly cliche´d salute to the Special Forces D: Robert Z. Leonard. William Powell, has enough absurd situations and unfunny Myrna Loy, Luise Rainer, Frank Morgan, comedy relief to offend anyone; don’t miss Fanny Brice, Virginia Bruce, Reginald Owen, now-famous final scene, where the sun sets in the East. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Ray Bolger, Stanley Morner (Dennis Morgan). Spectacular, immensely entertaining biGreen Card (1990-Australian-French) ography of flamboyant impresario Florenz C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Weir. Ge´rard Ziegfeld, with Powell quite dashing in the Depardieu, Andie MacDowell, Bebe Neutitle role. However, Rainer (as Anna Held) is wirth, Gregg Edelman, Robert Prosky, Jesstunning, and won an Academy Award; her sie Keosian, Ann Wedgeworth, Ethan Philtelephone scene is a classic. Also won Oscars lips, Mary Louise Wilson, Lois Smith, Simon for Best Picture and Dance Direction (the ‘‘A Jones. Young woman agrees to marry FrenchPretty Girl Is Like a Melody’’ number, superman—in name only—so he may legally remain in this country . . . but when Immigration vised by Seymour Felix).▼●쩠 Greed (1925) 140m. ★★★★ D: Erich von authorities begin to investigate, she’s forced to Stroheim. Gibson Gowland, ZaSu Pitts, Jean spend time with the man. Thin, scarcely crediHersholt, Chester Conklin, Dale Fuller. Powble romantic comedy, written by the director; erful adaptation of Frank Norris’ novel worth watching for Depardieu, who’s charmMcTeague, about a simple man whose wife’s ing in English-language debut. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 obsession with money eventually drives him Greendale (2004) C-87m. ★★★ D: Bernard to madness. Even though von Stroheim’s verShakey (Neil Young). Sarah White, Eric sion was taken from him and severely cut by Johnson, Ben Keith, Erik Markegard, Elizathe studio (it originally ran eight hours), this beth Keith, Pegi Young, James Mazzeo. [ 559 ]

Provocative, free-flowing music video/rock Green Horizon, The SEE: Afurika Monogatari opera about events that befall the Green Green Ice (1981-British) C-115m. ★★ D: family of Greendale, California. The script Ernest Day. Ryan O’Neal, Anne Archer, consists of lyrics from ten songs written and Omar Sharif, Domingo Ambriz, John Larrosung by Young, lip-synched by the actors; quette. Emerald smuggling, with good guy their content is deeply personal and political, O’Neal, bad guy Sharif, Archer the woman tackling such issues as corporate corruption, in between. Painless time-killer. [PG]▼● ecological abuse, and media overkill. Those Green Light, The (1937) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: who caringly recall 1960s and ’70s social acFrank Borzage. Errol Flynn, Anita Louise, tivism (and Young’s tenure with Buffalo Margaret Lindsay, Cedric Hardwicke, Springfield) will likely find this most apHenry O’Neill, Spring Byington, Erin pealing. Filmed in Super 8, to look like a O’Brien-Moore. Genuinely odd blend of poorly shot home movie. Young appears in melodrama, religion, purple prose, and a cameo, as ‘‘Wayne Newton.’’쩠 medical drama with Flynn as an idealistic Green Dolphin Street (1947) 141m. ★★1⁄2 doctor who makes a career sacrifice and D: Victor Saville. Lana Turner, Van Hefthen tries to understand the larger meaning lin, Donna Reed, Richard Hart, Frank of his life. Adaptation of a Lloyd C. DougMorgan, Edmund Gwenn, Dame May las novel is entertaining enough but awWhitty, Reginald Owen, Gladys Cooper, fully hard to swallow seriously. Moyna MacGill, Linda Christian, Gigi Green Man, The (1957-British) 80m. ★★★ Perreau. If only for its glossy production D: Robert Day. Alastair Sim, George Cole, and Oscar-winning special effects (earthTerry-Thomas, Jill Adams, Avril Angers, quake and resultant tidal wave), this plodColin Gordon. Droll comedy of a seemingly ding costumer has merit. Story of two timid clockmaker who prefers his part-time sisters (Turner, Reed) after the same man in job as paid assassin. 19th-century New Zealand is tedious. ▼● Green Mansions (1959) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Greenfingers (2001-British-U.S.) C-91m. Mel Ferrer. Audrey Hepburn, Anthony ★★1 ⁄2 D: Joel Hershman. Clive Owen, Helen Perkins, Lee J. Cobb, Sessue Hayakawa, Mirren, David Kelly, Natasha Little, Warren Henry Silva, Nehemiah Persoff. W. H. Clarke, Danny Dyer, Adam Fogerty, Paterson Hudson’s romance set in South America Joseph. Minor but diverting film inspired by suffers from miscast Hepburn as Rima the the real-life inmates at a progressive British Bird Girl, whom fate decrees shall not prison who began gardening and wound up leave her sanctuary. Perkins properly puzcompeting at England’s leading flower show zled as male lead. CinemaScope.▼● at Hampton Court. Owen plays a loner who’s Green Mile, The (1999) C-188m. ★★1⁄2 D: persuaded to try getting back to the soil by his Frank Darabont. Tom Hanks, David Morse, aged, canny cellmate (Kelly). A bit too pat, Bonnie Hunt, Michael Clarke Duncan, but pleasant. [R] ▼쩠 James Cromwell, Michael Jeter, Graham ★★1 Green Fire (1954) C-100m. ⁄2 D: Andrew Greene, Doug Hutchison, Sam Rockwell, Marton. Grace Kelly, Stewart Granger, Paul Barry Pepper, Jeffrey DeMunn, Patricia Douglas, John Ericson, Murvyn Vye. Hokum Clarkson, Harry Dean Stanton, Dabbs Greer, about love and conflict between emerald prosEve Brent, Gary Sinise. An elderly man repector (Granger) and coffee-plantation owner calls the incident that changed his life, in (Kelly), set in Colombia, South America. At1935, when he supervised Death Row at a tractive stars, hot love scenes, slimy villain Louisiana state prison and encountered a gen(Vye). CinemaScope.▼ tle black behemoth (movingly played by DunGreen for Danger (1946-British) 93m. can) with an unusual gift. Well-made film has ★★★★ D: Sidney Gilliat. Alastair Sim, Sally powerful moments, but they’re needlessly Gray, Trevor Howard, Rosamund John, Leo stretched over three hours . . . and the central Genn, Judy Campbell, Megs Jenkins. Excitconceit isn’t easy to buy. Repeated scenes of ing whodunit set in a rural English emergency executions are tough to take. Based on Stehospital during WW2. Tension neatly counterphen King’s best-seller. [R]▼●쩠 balanced by droll wit of Sim as implacable Green Room, The (1978-French) C-95m. ★★ Scotland Yard inspector; a must-see classic. D: Franc¸ois Truffaut. Franc˛ois Truffaut, Written by Gilliat and Claude Guerney.▼●쩠 Nathalie Baye, Jean Daste, Jean-Paul MouGreengage Summer, The SEE: Loss of lin, Jeanne Lobre. Truffaut stars as a deathInnocence obsessed journalist who converts a runGreen Grow the Rushes (1951-British) down chapel into a memorial for his de80m. ★★ D: Derek Twist. Richard Burton, ceased WW1 comrades. Dreary, lifeless, Honor Blackman, Roger Livesey, Geofdisappointing, with Truffaut’s character enfrey Keen, Archie Duncan. Talky, fitfully gulfed in his own rhetoric. Based on writfunny comedy of a Kent community inings of Henry James; coscripted by Truffaut volved in brandy smuggling. Of interest and Jean Gruault. [PG]▼ solely for the presence of Burton, in his Green Slime, The (1969-Japanese-U.S.) last British film before going Hollywood.▼ C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Kinji Fukasaku. Robert [ 560 ]

Horton, Richard Jaeckel, Luciana Paluzzi, Dante. Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates, Hoyt Bud Widom. On space station, title subAxton, Frances Lee McCain, Polly Hollistance—exposed to blood—grows into redday, Glynn Turman, Dick Miller, Keye eyed, tentacled monsters that quickly mulLuke, Scott Brady, Judge Reinhold, Jackie tiply and threaten to spread to Earth. Not Joseph, Harry Carey, Jr., Corey Feldman. as much fun as it sounds. Toeiscope. [G]▼ A teenager’s unusual new pet spawns a Green Street Hooligans (2005-U.S.-British) legion of vicious, violent monsters who C-106m. ★★ D: Lexi Alexander. Elijah turn picture-postcard town into living hell. Wood, Charlie Hunnam, Claire Forlani, Comic nightmare is a cross between CaMarc Warren, Leo Gregory, Henry Goodpra’s IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE and man, Geoff Bell, Rafe Spall. American boy THE BLOB; full of film-buff in-jokes but (Wood) who’s unfairly expelled from Harnegated by too-vivid violence and mayhem. vard flees to England, where his sister is Cameos range from animator Chuck Jones living. He quickly falls in with his brotherto Robby the Robot—but you have to look in-law’s rowdy sibling (Hunnam), the leader fast for executive producer Steven Spielof a ‘‘firm’’ that regularly engages in bloody berg. Howie Mandel is the voice of Gizmo. combat with rival gangs who support various Followed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 football teams. To his surprise, the Yank finds Gremlins 2 The New Batch (1990) Cthat he likes living on the edge and engaging 106m. ★★★ D: Joe Dante. Zach Galligan, in mayhem. Intriguing film plays out badly, Phoebe Cates, John Glover, Robert Prosky, with story contrivances and changes in tone Robert Picardo, Christopher Lee, Haviland submerging some of its better qualities. PainMorris, Dick Miller, Jackie Joseph, Gedde fully violent at times. Super 35. [R]쩠 Watanabe, Keye Luke, Kathleen Freeman; Greenwich Village (1944) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 voice of Tony Randall. Not so much a horD: Walter Lang. Carmen Miranda, Don ror film as a goofy sendup of itself, this Ameche, William Bendix, Vivian Blaine, sequel turns the slimy creatures loose in Felix Bressart, Tony and Sally DeMarco, The N.Y.C. Filled with gags, movie in-jokes, saFour Step Brothers. Silly but amiable musical tiric barbs, and gratuitous cameo appearabout a ‘‘serious’’ composer (Ameche) perances. Glover is especially funny as a suaded to adapt his songs for a Broadway Donald Trump/Ted Turner type, and Lee is revue starring Blaine. When it’s supposed to a delight as a genetic scientist. Be sure to be 1922 N.Y.C. and Carmen Miranda turns stay with this through the closing credits. up, you know not to expect stark realism. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Look fast in both party scenes to spot The Grendel, Grendel, Grendel (1980-AusRevuers (Betty Comden, Adolph Green, Judy tralian) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alexander Stitt. Holliday, Alvin Hammer).쩠 Voices of Peter Ustinov, Keith Michell, Green Years, The (1946) 127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Dignam, Ed Rosser, Bobby Bright, Victor Saville. Charles Coburn, Tom Drake, Ric Stone. Crude but appealing animation Hume Cronyn, Gladys Cooper, Dean highlights this fable about Grendel, a mediStockwell, Jessica Tandy, Norman Lloyd, eval monster only a mother could love, Wallace Ford. Sentimental A. J. Cronin and his observations about the creatures he weeper of orphaned Irish lad and his expecalls ‘‘man’’—who murder and pillage. riences growing up with his mother’s famBased on a novel by John Gardner. Score by harmonica great Toots Thielemans.▼ ily in Scotland. Coburn is wonderful as his great-grandfather, an irascible teller of tall Grey Fox, The (1982-Canadian) C-92m. ★★★ tales. Tandy plays Cronyn’s daughter here. D: Phillip Borsos. Richard Farnsworth, Greetings (1968) C-88m. ★★★ D: Brian Jackie Burroughs, Wayne Robson, Ken De Palma. Jonathan Warden, Robert De Pogue, Timothy Webber. Low-key account Niro, Gerrit Graham, Richard Hamilton, of real-life robber Bill Miner, who switched Megan McCormick, Allen Garfield. Loose, from stagecoaches to trains after spending informal, improvisational satire about the 33 years in jail. Director Borsos may be draft, sex, the counterculture. Exudes just a bit too laid back, but Farnsworth’s a late ’60s N.Y.C.–Greenwich Village ambicharming and commanding performance ence not to be found in any Hollywood feamakes up for that. The scene in which he ture. Sequel: HI, MOM! [R—edited from watches THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY original X rating]▼●쩠 is a gem. [PG]▼● Gregory’s Girl (1981-Scottish) C-91m. Greyfriars Bobby (1961) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 ★★★ D: Bill Forsyth. Gordon John Sinclair, D: Don Chaffey. Donald Crisp, Laurence Dee Hepburn, Chic Murray, Jake D’Arcy, Naismith, Alex Mackenzie, Kay Walsh, Alex Norton, John Bett. Bright, winning Duncan Macrae, Gordon Jackson. British comedy of wimpy teenager Sinclair’s love Disney film based on true story of a Skye for Hepburn, who takes his place on the terrier who became ‘‘neighborhood pet’’ school soccer team. Enjoyable, if perhaps a in Edinburgh during 19th century through bit overrated. Followed in 1999 by GREGunusual circumstances. Great charm, fine performances offset by slow pacing. A ORY’S TWO GIRLS. [PG] ▼쩠 Gremlins (1984) C-106m. ★★ D: Joe remake of CHALLENGE TO LASSIE, [ 561 ]

which also features Crisp (who played the ized but still powerful, as it poses the question dog’s master in the earlier film). Remade in of how far someone will go in order to surEngland in 2006. ▼쩠 vive. Keitel coexecutive-produced. Adapted by Nelson from his stage play. [R] ▼쩠 Grey Gardens (1976) C-95m. ★★★ D: David and Albert Maysles. Tasteless, susGridiron Gang (2006) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: pect, but riveting documentary about Edith Phil Joanou. Dwayne ‘‘The Rock’’ JohnBouvier Beale (79) and daughter Edie son, Xzibit, L. Scott Caldwell, Leon Rippy, (57)—aunt and cousin of Jacqueline OnasKevin Dunn, Jade Yorker, David V. sis—filmed in their rotting, filthy 28-room Thomas, Trever O’Brien, Setu Taase, Mo, mansion in East Hampton, N.Y., which Jurnee Smollett. The Rock, emoting more was officially declared a health hazard. than usual, is a counselor at a detention faFascinating for voyeurs, but film would cility for wayward kids who decides to form have had more depth had we been given a a football team. The program is threatened better picture of mother and daughter in when bad outside influences take hold of their youth. Later transformed into a stage some team members. Filled with sportsmusical and the basis for a 2009 cable TV movie cliche´s and stereotypical characters, movie. In 2006, Albert Maysles selected but has extra weight since it’s based on a 90m. of outtakes of Edith and Edie to create true story. Based on a documentary of the entire new documentary, THE BEALES OF same name. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 GREY GARDENS. [PG]▼쩠 Gridlock’d (1997) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vondie Grey Night SEE: Ghost Brigade Curtis Hall. Tupac Shakur, Tim Roth, ThanGrey Owl (1999-British-Canadian) Cdie Newton, Charles Fleischer, Howard ★★ 117m. D: Richard Attenborough. Pierce Hesseman, James Pickens, Jr., John Sayles, Brosnan, Annie Galipeau, Nathaniel Arcand, Eric Payne, Tom Towles, Vondie Curtis Vlasta Vrana, David Fox, Charles Powell, Hall, Kasi Lemmons, Lucy Alexis Liu. OcGraham Greene. It’s difficult to accept Broscasionally spunky comedy (a poor cousin nan as the title character, a celebrated North to TRAINSPOTTING) about drug-addicted American Indian and conservationist whose musicians Shakur and Roth, who struggle true identity is discovered by a reporter in (mostly against an uncaring bureaucracy) to 1936; the rest of the story unfolds in flashkick their habits after their singer friend (Newback. Sincere but ineffectual telling of this ton) overdoses. The two leads offer solid perinteresting tale went straight to video in the formances. Feature directorial debut for actor U.S. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Curtis Hall (who also scripted). Elizabeth Pen˜a appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord ★★★ of the Apes (1984) C-129m. D: Hugh Grifters, The (1990) C-114m. ★★★ D: Hudson. Christopher Lambert, Andie MacStephen Frears. Anjelica Huston, John CuDowell, Ian Holm, Ralph Richardson, sack, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, Henry James Fox, Cheryl Campbell, Ian Charleson, Jones, Michael Laskin, Eddie Jones, J.T. Nigel Davenport. Retelling of Tarzan tale, Walsh, Charles Napier, Stephen Tobolowsky, liberally adapted from Edgar Rice BurSandy Baron, Gailard Sartain. Icy cold adaproughs’ original. Infant son of shipwrecked tation of Jim Thompson’s novel about con couple is raised by apes, discovered at manartists, with steely ‘‘working-woman’’ Huston hood by a Belgian explorer, and returned to coming back into the life of her grown son civilization—and his doting grandfather (Richafter many years of estrangement . . . and ardson, who’s just wonderful in his final finding that he’s taken up with a woman much film performance). At its best in the jungle, like herself. Bleak and fascinating, with three with Rick Baker’s incredible makeup effirst-rate performances. Screenplay by Donald fects; more sluggish back in Britain, and E. Westlake. Coproduced and narrated by hampered by obvious signs of prerelease Martin Scorsese. [R]▼●쩠 cutting. Leading lady MacDowell’s voice Grimm Brothers’ Snow White, The SEE: was dubbed by Glenn Close. Alternate verSnow White: A Tale of Terror sion runs 135m. Super Techniscope. Grim Prairie Tales (1990) C-94m. ★★ D: [PG]▼●쩠 Wayne Coe. James Earl Jones, Brad Dourif, Grey Zone, The (2002) C-108m. ★★★ D: Will Hare, Marc McClure, Michelle Joyner, Tim Blake Nelson. David Arquette, Steve William Atherton, Lisa Eichhorn, Wendy Buscemi, Harvey Keitel, Mira Sorvino, NaCooke. Lame, low-budget horror/Western tasha Lyonne, Daniel Benzali, Allan Coranthology framed by Jones and Dourif spinduner, David Chandler, Lisa Benavides. ning scary tales around a campfire. The four Potent drama about day-to-day life at stories vary widely: a cowboy is buried Auschwitz, based on the memoirs of Dr. alive by Indians; a traveling man is seduced Miklos Nyiszli, a Jewish doctor who carried by a pregnant, supernatural wanderer; a out Josef Mengele’s experiments in order to homesteader pursues a nocturnal hobby of preserve his own life and his family’s. Aiding lynching black men; and a gunslinger is haunted by one of his victims. [R]▼● him are the Sonderkommandos, Jewish prisoners who extend their lives by leading fellow Grim Reaper, The (1981-Italian) C-81m. ★1⁄2 D: Joe D’Amato. Tisa Farrow, Saverio Jews into the gas chambers. Episodic and styl[ 562 ]

Vallone, Vanessa Steiger, George Eastman. humor; otherwise, solid action fare. Remake Farrow and friends are stalked by killer on a of 1948 British film NO ORCHIDS FOR Greek island. Trifling shocker. [R]▼●쩠 MISS BLANDISH. [R]▼쩠 Grind (1997) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chris Grizzly (1976) C-92m. ★★ D: William Kentis. Billy Crudup, Adrienne Shelly, Paul Girdler. Christopher George, Andrew Prine, Schulze, Frank Vincent, Saul Stein, Amanda Richard Jaeckel, Joan McCall, Joe DorPeet. Flawed but arresting drama about an exsey. OK rip-off of JAWS about an 18-foot, con/race car driver wannabe who moves in 2000-pound grizzly bear who launches sewith his blue-collar brother and sister-inries of attacks on campers in national park. law and becomes involved in an insurance Might be subtitled ‘‘Claws.’’ Aka KILLER scam. Predictable, but offers a thoughtful GRIZZLY. Todd-AO 35. [PG] ▼쩠 look at working-class lives, dreams and Grizzly Man (2005) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: frustrations. Shot in 1994.▼쩠 Werner Herzog. Amazing documentary about Grind (2003) C-105m. BOMB D: Casey La self-styled animal rights activist Timothy Scala. Mike Vogel, Vince Vieluf, Adam Treadwell, who spent thirteen summers filmBrody, Joey Kern, Jennifer Morrison, Randy ing his own exploits as he communed with Quaid, Bam Margera, Summer Altice, Chad bears in Alaska’s Katmai National Park and Fernandez, Christine Estabrook, Erin Murphy, Preserve before getting killed by one of them. Jason London, Christopher McDonald, Dave Herzog (who also narrates) is the perfect diFoley. What should (and could) have been an rector for this remarkable, empathetic study of innocuous teen movie about four skateobsession, identity, and the relationship beboarding friends who want to go pro is torpetween a filmmaker and his subject. Treadwell, doed by a weak script that wallows in crass whom we see in extensive footage from his humor and sexism. Cameos by such comic luown videos, is an amusing, confounding charminaries as Tom Green and Bobcat Goldthwait acter. Footage of Treadwell on David Letterman’s TV show is cut from the DVD. [R] 쩠 can’t compete with vomit jokes. [PG-13]▼쩠 Grindhouse (2007) C-192m. ★★★ D: RobGrizzly Mountain (1997) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: ert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino. ‘‘Planet Jeremy Haft. Dan Haggerty, Dylan HagTerror’’: Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodrigerty, Nicole Lund, Kim Morgan Greene, guez, Josh Brolin, Marley Shelton, Michael Perry Stephens, Martin Kove, Megan HagBiehn, Jeff Fahey, Michael Parks, Naveen gerty. While camping in the Oregon mounAndrews, Nicky Katt, Stacy Ferguson, Quentains, two city kids go into a cave and are tin Tarantino. ‘‘Death Proof’’: Kurt Russell, transported back to 1870, where they help a Rosario Dawson, Vanessa Ferlito, Jordan friendly mountain man (guess who) battle Ladd, Rose McGowan, Sydney Poitier, Tracie greedy developers who want to destroy saThoms, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Zoe¨ Bell, cred Indian land. Ultra-innocuous family Michael Parks, Eli Roth, Quentin Tarantino. film, but worthy message is lost amidst amHomage to exploitation double features of ateurish acting, cheesy production values, yore is long but a lot of fun. Rodriguez offers and lamebrained comedy relief. [G]▼●쩠 an unabashedly gory mutant-zombie yarn Groomsmen, The (2006) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: with plenty of action and a memorable prosEdward Burns. Edward Burns, Brittany thetic for victim-turned-heroine McGowan. Murphy, John Leguizamo, Jay Mohr, MatTarantino lingers on chick-power chatter bethew Lillard, Donal Logue, Shari Albert, fore paying it off in his car-chase homage Jessica Capshaw. Five lifelong pals reunite to VANISHING POINT, with real-life stunt on the eve of Burns’ nuptials to Murphy, woman Bell earning her paycheck. Faux trailstirring up a lot of unfinished business and ers (by Rodriguez, Eli Roth, Rob Zombie, reopening old wounds. The setup couldn’t and Edgar Wright) are virtual replicas of ’70s be more transparent, and the characters sleaze fare—more so than the features themaren’t very deep, but they do ring true for selves. Bruce Willis appears unbilled; other the most part and the cast is first-rate. Writfamiliar faces are in the trailers. Both features ten by the director. [R]쩠 were expanded for separate release. Super 35/ Groove (2000) C-83m. ★★★ D: Greg HarHD Widescreen. [R]쩠 rison. Lola Glaudini, Hamish Linklater, Denny Grip of the Strangler SEE: Haunted Kirkwood, Mackenzie Firgens, Rachel True, Strangler, The Steven Van Wormer, DJ John Digweed. Grisbi SEE: Touchez Pas au Grisbi Lively, ingratiating saga of a weekend rave in San Francisco, from start to finish, and the Grissom Gang, The (1971) C-127m. ★★★ D: Robert Aldrich. Kim Darby, Scott disparate characters whose lives crisscross Wilson, Irene Dailey, Tony Musante, Ralph there. Good spirits and vivid re-creation of the Waite, Connie Stevens, Robert Lansing, rave scene make up for the simplistic qualWesley Addy, Gary Grimes. Outlandish, ity of director Harrison’s script. [R]▼쩠 extremely violent comic-book thriller set in Groove Tube, The (1974) C-75m. ★★1⁄2 the 1920s. Heiress Darby is kidnapped by D: Ken Shapiro. Ken Shapiro, Lane Sarafamily of drooling grotesques, whose leader sohn, Chevy Chase, Richard Belzer, Mary (Wilson) starts to fall in love with her. Very Mendham, Bill Kemmill. Sometimes funny, funny if you appreciate the Aldrich sense of sometimes stupid collection of satirical [ 563 ]

episodes about television. Definitely has Ground Truth, The (2006) C-77m. ★★★1⁄2 its heart in the right place, but a mixed D: Patricia Foulkrod. A roster of the bag. Originally X-rated, later trimmed; maimed, the burned, and the spiritually Chase’s feature debut. [R]▼쩠 fried incisively describes life and death in Gross Anatomy (1989) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: the killing fields of Iraq. American youth, Thom Eberhardt. Matthew Modine, Daphne brainwashed by recruiters’ lies and brutalZuniga, Christine Lahti, Todd Field, John ized by boot camp sadists, morph into peerScott Clough, Alice Carter, Robert Deapproved mass murderers as they fight a siderio, Zakes Mokae. Doctor-in-training war without armor, intel, or a clue. Using Modine doesn’t take his studies as seriously interviews strictly from the GIs’ point of as he should. Not bad, but not particularly view, without input from generals or politidistinguished; Lahti is wasted as the aspircians, this film depicts a place where mading doctors’ demanding instructor. Viewers ness is the norm and the daily grind is worse who’ve attended medical school may apthan any horror movie. No sanctimony here. preciate this more. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Unnerving soundtrack has contributions from Mos Def and Tom Waits. [R]쩠 Grosse Fatigue (1994-French) C-87m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michel Blanc. Michel Blanc, Ground Zero (1987-Australian) C-109m. ★★★ D: Michael Pattinson, Bruce Myles. Carole Bouquet, Philippe Noiret, Josiane Balasko, Christian Clavier, Charlotte GainsColin Friels, Jack Thompson, Donald bourg. French variation of STARDUST Pleasence, Natalie Bate, Simon Chilvers, MEMORIES, with Blanc finding his celebNeil Fitzpatrick, Bob Maza, Peter Cumrityhood turning into a bad dream after he is mins. Cameraman learns that his father accused of defiling Balasko. Intriguing, selfmay have died because he saw—and involved, crammed with guest appearances by photographed—too much during British familiar faces from French cinema. Blanc, A-bomb testing in Australia in the 1950s. Balasko, and Bouquet all play ‘‘themselves.’’ Exciting political paranoia thriller, though Video title: DEAD TIRED. [R]▼쩠 sluggish in spots. Pleasence is excellent in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 supporting role as hermitlike survivor of D: George Armitage. John Cusack, Minnie those tests. A fictional story based on factual events. Panavision. [PG]▼● Driver, Alan Arkin, Dan Aykroyd, Joan Cusack, Hank Azaria, K. Todd Freeman, Group, The (1966) C-150m. ★★★ D: SidMitchell Ryan, Jeremy Piven, Barbara Harney Lumet. Candice Bergen, Joan Hackett, ris, Jenna Elfman. Professional hit man Elizabeth Hartman, Shirley Knight, Joanna combines business with pleasure when he Pettet, Mary-Robin Redd, Jessica Walter, attends his 10-year high school reunion while Kathleen Widdoes, James Broderick, Larry on assignment . . . but the girl he dumped (and Hagman, Richard Mulligan, Hal Holbrook, all his friends) want to know why and how he Carrie Nye, Leora Dana, George Gaynes. disappeared. Cusack cowrote and coproduced Uneven, but generally good adaptation of this sharp black comedy, brimming with hip Mary McCarthy’s high-class soap opera dialogue and loaded with attitude. But the cliabout eight graduates of Vassar-type colmactic violence leaves a bad taste and underlege. Knight and Hackett stand out in excelmines the comedy. [R]▼●쩠 lent cast. Film debuts of Bergen, Hackett, Groundhog Day (1993) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Pettet, Widdoes, and Holbrook.▼ Harold Ramis. Bill Murray, Andie MacGroup Marriage (1972) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dowell, Chris Elliott, Stephen Tobolowsky, Stephanie Rothman. Victoria Vetri, ClauBrian Doyle-Murray, Marita Geraghty, Andia Jennings, Aimee Eccles, Zack Taylor, gela Paton, Rick Ducommun, Rick Overton, Jeff Pomerantz, Jayne Kennedy, Milt Robin Duke, Michael Shannon. Smug TV Kamen. Engaging drive-in comedy with weatherman Murray goes to Punxsutawney, something to say. Group of young CaliforPa., to cover the Groundhog Day ceremony nians sets up a communal housekeeping and finds himself trapped in a daily replay situation, gradually adding new members. of the same 24 hours. Near classic comedyNeedless to say, the neighbors are less than fantasy improves on each viewing, with thrilled. Nicely done, attractive cast. [R]▼ endless twists and turns that are funny, Grudge, The (2004-U.S.-Japanese) C-91m. ★★1 moving, and even profound. Murray, per⁄2 D: Takashi Shimizu. Sarah Michelle fectly cast, provides just the right combinaGellar, Jason Behr, William Mapother, Clea tion of edginess and incipient humanity. DuVall, Grace Zabriskie, Bill Pullman, Ted Director-cowriter Ramis has a brief scene as Raimi, Ryo Ishibashi, Yuya Ozeki, Takako a local neurologist. [PG] ▼●쩠 Fuji, KaDee Strickland. In Tokyo, a young Groundstar Conspiracy, The (1972American woman finds her life (and her friends’ as well) in danger from ghosts Canadian) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lamont Johnson. George Peppard, Michael Sarrazin, haunting a modest home where murders took Christine Belford. When explosion smashes place. Remake of JU-ON: THE GRUDGE secret space project, espionage work first (2003) by same director (with some of the begins. Tightly made, but poor dialogue. same cast) tells a more linear story than the Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 original; it’s a shade less effective, but still [ 564 ]

imaginative and intelligent. Alternate version runs 98m. Followed by THE GRUDGE 2 and a DVD sequel. [PG-13]

▼쩠

Brown, Carey Lowell, Brad Hall, Miguel Ferrer, Natalia Nogulich. Yuppie couple hires a nanny for their newborn child, but we know there’s something odd about her: she feeds babies to a tree in a nearby gully. Friedkin’s first return to horror after THE EXORCIST has a few good scenes, but a ludicrous story and a humorless approach. Seagrove is very good in an almost unplayable role. Cowritten by the director from novel The Nanny by Dan Greenburg. [R]

Grudge 2, The (2006) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Takashi Shimizu. Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, Jennifer Beals, Edison Chen, Christopher Cousins, Teresa Palmer, Misako Uno, Joanna Cassidy, Sarah Roemer, Matthew Knight, Takako Fuji, Shaun Sipos, Jenna Dewan, Sarah Michelle Gellar. The same creaking ghosts terrorize teenage girls (and ▼●쩠 others) in Japan and Chicago. Plodding, Guardian, The (2006) C-139m. ★★★ D: confusing mess, much inferior to the first, Andrew Davis. Kevin Costner, Ashton switching clumsily from Japan to the U.S. Kutcher, Melissa Sagemiller, Bonnie Bramrepeatedly. The two threads are unlinked until lett, Clancy Brown, Sela Ward, Neal the last few minutes—that is, if anyone’s still McDonough, John Heard, Brian Geraghty, watching. Unrated version runs 108m. FolDule´ Hill, Omari Hardwick. After a tragic lowed by a DVD sequel. [PG-13]쩠 accident, veteran Coast Guard rescue swimGrumpier Old Men (1995) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 mer Costner is reassigned to teach new D: Howard Deutch. Jack Lemmon, Walter recruits—and is especially hard on a young Matthau, Ann-Margret, Sophia Loren, hotshot (Kutcher) with whom he has more Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Burgess Merin common than either one might suspect. edith, Ann Guilbert, Max Wright, James Strictly formulaic military yarn is reminisAndelin. Now reconciled, the longtime cent of everything from AN OFFICER neighbors/nemeses argue over their offAND A GENTLEMAN to G.I. JANE, but springs’ impending wedding, while a new goes through its paces with energy and conarrival in town (Loren) turns their bait shop viction. Rescue scenes at sea are especially into a restaurant. Agreeable sequel, though exciting. If only it didn’t have three endings! [PG-13]쩠 it’s discouraging to see two great comic actors reduced to getting cheap laughs by Guarding Tess (1994) C-98m. ★★★ D: spouting epithets at one another. Loren is a Hugh Wilson. Shirley MacLaine, Nicolas breath of fresh air as Matthau’s unlikely Cage, Austin Pendleton, Edward Albert, love interest. Meredith is back in form as James Rebhorn, Richard Griffiths, John RoLemmon’s horny dad. [PG-13]▼●쩠 selius, David Graf, Dale Dye. Secret SerGrumpy Old Men (1993) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 vice agent tries to get out of his demanding D: Donald Petrie. Jack Lemmon, Walter and frustrating assignment, protecting a forMatthau, Ann-Margret, Burgess Meredith, mer First Lady—but she won’t let him go. Daryl Hannah, Kevin Pollak, Ossie Davis, Extremely satisfying comedy-drama buoyed Buck Henry, Christopher McDonald. Enby two perfect performances, by MacLaine gagingly performed but malnourished comedy and Cage. Incidentally, that’s director/coabout two mateless Minnesota retirees, rabid writer Wilson as the voice of the President ice-fishermen, whose lifelong feud escalates on the phone. [PG-13]▼●쩠 when an attractive widow moves in across Guardsman, The (1931) 89m. ★★★ D: Sidthe street. Walter and Jack are fun as usual, ney Franklin. Alfred Lunt, Lynn Fontanne, but a few too many plot threads get wrapped Roland Young, ZaSu Pitts, Maude Eburne, up in the final 15 minutes. Compensations Herman Bing. The Lunts’ only starring film is are a funny end-credit sequence and the sincharming tour de force from Molnar’s comgular chance to hear Meredith (as Lemedy of jealous husband testing his wife’s fimon’s father) make endless salacious delity. Remade as THE CHOCOLATE wordplays on the male organ of love. FolSOLDIER and LILY IN LOVE. ▼ lowed by a sequel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Guess Who (2005) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Guadalcanal Diary (1943) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rodney Sullivan. Bernie Mac, Ashton Lewis Seiler. Preston Foster, Lloyd Nolan, Kutcher, Zoe¨ Saldan˜a, Judith Scott, Hal WilWilliam Bendix, Richard Conte, Anthony liams, Kellee Stewart, Robert Curtis Brown, Quinn, Richard Jaeckel, Lionel Stander. RonReaco Lee, Sherri Shepherd, Richard WW2 actioner based on a reporter’s bestLawson, Jessica Cauffiel. Modern spin on selling account of the Marines taking a PaGUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, cific island stronghold. This hasn’t aged eswith Saldan˜a bringing fiance´ Kutcher home pecially well, with archetypes instead of to her mom and her demanding, overproteccharacters, from Bendix’s Brooklyn cabbie tive dad—without telling them that he’s to Jaeckel (in his film debut) as the ultimate white. Comedy quotient is fairly mild but mama’s boy. Still watchable, but for an it’s all pleasant enough. [PG-13]▼쩠 overload of racial slurs. ▼●쩠 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) CGuardian, The (1990) C-93m. ★★ D: Wil108m. ★★★ D: Stanley Kramer. Spencer liam Friedkin. Jenny Seagrove, Dwier Tracy, Katharine Hepburn, Sidney Poitier, [ 565 ]

Katharine Houghton, Cecil Kellaway, Beah TO TREAT A LADY; it’s also fun to watch Richards, Roy E. Glenn, Sr., Virginia ChrisIsaac Hayes as one of his henchmen. Stylishly tine, Isabel Sanford. Glossy tale of mixed directed by first-timer Irvin. [R]▼쩠 marriage as Houghton (Hepburn’s real-life Guilty as Sin (1993) C-107m. ★★ D: Sidney niece) brings home fiance´ Poitier to meet Lumet. Rebecca De Mornay, Don Johnson, her perplexed parents. Fluff is given Stephen Lang, Jack Warden, Dana Ivey, Ron strength by Oscar-winning Hepburn and White, Norma Dell’Agnese, Sean McCann, Tracy in his last film appearance. William Luis Guzman, Robert Kennedy. Clever Rose also took home an Oscar for his story lawyer De Mornay, obsessed with winning and screenplay. Remade in 2005 as GUESS (whether or not her clients are guilty), takes WHO. ▼●쩠 the case of sleek womanizer Johnson, who’s Guest, The (1964-British) 105m. ★★★ D: accused of murdering his wife. Then she Clive Donner. Alan Bates, Donald Pleasence, learns she may have made a bargain with a Robert Shaw. Derelict Pleasence invades killer—who now has designs on her. The the world of mentally ill Shaw and his sadidea of intelligent opponents going head to istic brother Bates. Superior cast and superb head is intriguing, but Larry Cohen’s script performances, but claustrophobically diis underplotted and ordinary. [R]▼●쩠 rected by Donner. Screenplay by Harold Guilty by Suspicion (1991) C-105m. ★★ Pinter, based on his play The Caretaker, D: Irwin Winkler. Robert De Niro, Anwhich was also this film’s title in Britain. nette Bening, George Wendt, Patricia Guide for the Married Man, A (1967) Wettig, Sam Wanamaker, Luke Edwards, 1 C-89m. ★★★ ⁄2 D: Gene Kelly. Walter Chris Cooper, Ben Piazza, Martin Scorsese, Matthau, Inger Stevens, Robert Morse, Barry Primus, Gailard Sartain, Stuart Sue Ane Langdon, Claire Kelly, Elaine Margolin, Barry Tubb, Tom Sizemore, IlDevry; guest stars Lucille Ball, Jack Benny, leana Douglas, Jon Tenney. Hollywood Polly Bergen, Joey Bishop, Sid Caesar, Blacklist drama, set in 1951, is earnest, suArt Carney, Wally Cox, Jayne Mansfield, perficial, and numbingly bland. De Niro is Hal March, Louis Nye, Carl Reiner, Phil hotshot director who can’t comprehend seSilvers, Terry-Thomas, Ben Blue, Ann verity of Communist witch hunt; Bening is Morgan Guilbert, Jeffrey Hunter, Marty his sympathetic ex-wife, and Wettig (way Ingels, Sam Jaffe. Consistently funny, imagover the top), an actress friend. Viewers uninative adult comedy of Morse trying to familiar with this dark chapter of history teach faithful husband Matthau the ABC’s may find film as fascinating as intended. of adultery, with the aid of many guest Wanamaker, who spent this era in exile in stars who demonstrate Morse’s theories. England, plays a villainous attorney. VetJoke of it all is that Matthau is married to eran producer Winkler’s (mediocre) writing gorgeous Inger Stevens! Panavision.▼쩠 and directing debut. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A Guinevere (1999-Canadian-U.S.) C-104m. (2006) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dito Montiel. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Audrey Wells. Stephen Rea, Sarah Robert Downey, Jr., Shia LaBeouf, Chazz Polley, Jean Smart, Gina Gershon, Paul Palminteri, Dianne Wiest, Channing Tatum, Dooley, Francis Guinan, Sandra Oh, Jasmine Melonie Diaz, Martin Compston, Eric RobGuy, Gedde Watanabe. Well-played tale of a erts, Rosario Dawson, Adam Scarimbolo, charming but iconoclastic photographer who Julia Garro, Peter Tambakis, Scott Michael acquires younger, female prote´ge´es, schooling Campbell. Montiel also scripted this autothem in the world of art as well as sex. His biographical slice-of-life in which a suclatest is a 20-year-old girl whose highly strung cessful L.A. writer (Downey, Jr.) returns to family doesn’t understand her. Story sags at his Queens, N.Y., home for the first time in times, but is buoyed by Rea and Polley’s many years when he learns his father is serienormously ingratiating performances. Writously ill. Jumps between the present and past, ten by the director. [R]▼쩠 when he’s a rough-and-tumble teen who Gulliver’s Travels (1939) C-74m. ★★1⁄2 hangs out with his aimless friends and is inD: Dave Fleischer. Singing voices of Lanny spired to escape into a better life. Ambitious Ross, Jessica Dragonette. Max Fleischer’s film means to be cutting-edge, but often feature-length cartoon version of Jonathan seems awkwardly improvisational and tends Swift tale suffers from weak scripting, never to ramble. [R]쩠 getting audience involved in story. Towncrier Guilty as Charged (1992) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 Gabby is obnoxious, but he’s got film’s most D: Sam Irvin. Rod Steiger, Lauren Hutton, memorable song, ‘‘All’s Well.’’▼●쩠 Heather Graham, Lyman Ward, Isaac Hayes, Gulliver’s Travels (1977-British-Belgian) Zelda Rubinstein, Irwin Keyes, Michael C-80m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter R. Hunt. Richard Beach. Religious zealot turns out to be a Harris, Catherine Schell, Norman Shelley, self-made executioner who does away with Meredith Edwards; voices of Julian Glover, criminals in his own homemade electric Murray Melvin, Bessie Love, others. Unchair. Very black comedy seems a likely imaginative retelling of the Jonathan Swift candidate for a cult following. Steiger’s performance calls to mind his work in NO WAY classic. Part live-action, part animation; [ 566 ]

the songs are the most forgettable since Kantor and Millard Kaufman (who was the 1973 LOST HORIZON. [G]▼ ‘‘fronting’’ for then-blacklisted writer DalGulliver’s Travels Beyond the Moon ton Trumbo), from Kantor’s Saturday Eve(1966-Japanese) C-78m. ★★ D: Yoshio ning Post story. Aka DEADLY IS THE Kuroda. OK animated feature has Gulliver FEMALE. Loosely remade in 1992.▼쩠 and companions going into outer space; Gun Crazy (1969) SEE: Talent for Lovacceptable kiddie fare. ing, A Gumball Rally, The (1976) C-107m. ★★★ D: Guncrazy (1992) C-96m. ★★★ D: Tamra Chuck Bail. Michael Sarrazin, Tim McIntire, Davis. Drew Barrymore, James LeGros, Raul Julia, Normann Burton, Gary Busey, Billy Drago, Rodney Harvey, Joe DalleNicholas Pryor, Susan Flannery, Steven sandro, Michael Ironside, Ione Skye. Keats, J. Pat O’Malley, Tricia O’Neil, Med Noirish tale of an abused teenager from the Flory. First of the cross-country road-race wrong side of the tracks who falls for a comedies is still the only good one, with genborn-again-Christian ex-con trying to go uinely funny characters, great cars, and loads straight, ending up on a crime spree with him. of cartoon-like action. Julia steals the film as Written by Matthew Bright but bearing a lecherous Italian who throws out his rear-view more than slight resemblance to a pair of 1949 mirror because ‘‘what’s behind me is not favorites, the similarly titled GUN CRAZY important.’’ Definitely superior to CANNONand THEY LIVE BY NIGHT. Made for theaters, but debuted on cable. [R]▼●쩠 BALL and the later CANNONBALL RUN movies, which were all inspired by the same Gunfight, A (1971) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lamont real-life event. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Johnson. Kirk Douglas, Johnny Cash, Jane Gumby the Movie (1995) C-90m. ★★ D: Alexander, Raf Vallone, Karen Black, Keith Art Clokey. Voices of Charles Farrington, Carradine. Off-beat Western about two aging Art Clokey, Gloria Clokey, Manny LaCargunfighters who meet and decide to sell ruba. Episodic clay-animated feature startickets for a winner-take-all final shoot-out. ring the popular character is slow going for Cash is good in his acting debut; also Carradine’s first film. [PG]▼쩠 all but the green guy’s biggest fans. Convoluted story concerns Gumby’s rock group, Gunfight at Comanche Creek (1964) C90m. ★1⁄2 D: Frank McDonald. Audie Murthe Clayboys, and their benefit concert to help farmers thwarted by the Blockheads. phy, Colleen Miller, Ben Cooper, DeForest Parodies of STAR WARS, TERMINATOR Kelley, Jan Merlin, John Hubbard. Undis2, and various swashbuckling epics do not tinguished Western. Detective Murphy infilhelp. Aka GUMBY 1.▼ trates gang of outlaws forcing wanted men to Gummo (1997) C-89m. BOMB D: Harparticipate in robberies, then killing them to mony Korine. Jacob Reynolds, Nick Sutton, collect reward money. Panavision. Jacob Sewell, Darby Dougherty, Chloe¨ SevGunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) C-122m. ★★★ D: John Sturges. Burt Lanigny, Carisa Bara, Linda Manz, Max Perlich. Plotless, clueless, mind-numbingly caster, Kirk Douglas, Rhonda Fleming, Jo awful directorial debut for Korine (the 23Van Fleet, John Ireland, Lee Van Cleef, year-old scriptwriter of KIDS) about a cirFrank Faylen, Kenneth Tobey, DeForest cle of pathetic poor white trash in a small Kelley, Earl Holliman, Dennis Hopper, Ohio town. Tries to be shocking and outraMartin Milner, Olive Carey. Stimulating geous—two of the characters kill cats and Western filled with tense action sequences sell their corpses to a supermarket—but sucin recreation of Doc Holliday–Wyatt Earp ceeds only in being trite, with scenes pointbattle in streets of Tombstone with Clanton lessly dragging on . . . and on. [R]▼●쩠 gang. Written by Leon Uris. Frankie Laine sings title song. VistaVision.▼●쩠 Gumshoe (1971-British) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen Frears. Albert Finney, Billie WhiteGunfighter, The (1950) 84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: law, Frank Finlay, Fulton Mackay, Janice Henry King. Gregory Peck, Helen WestRule, Carolyn Seymour. Whimsical crimecott, Millard Mitchell, Jean Parker, Karl comedy of small-time British vaudevillian Malden, Skip Homeier, Verna Felton, Elwho has seen too many Bogart films and delen Corby, Richard Jaeckel, Alan Hale, Jr. cides to play private eye. Music score by AnPeck is most impressive as gunslinger trying drew Lloyd Webber. Finney also produced. to overcome his bloody past. Classic psy[PG]▼쩠 chological Western scripted by William Gun Crazy (1949) 86m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Joseph Bowers and William Sellers; story by BowH. Lewis. Peggy Cummins, John Dall, ers and Andre de Toth. Exteriors shot in Berry Kroeger, Morris Carnovsky, Anabel Lone Pine, California. Catch this one!▼●쩠 Shaw, Harry Lewis, Nedrick Young, Gunfight in Abilene (1967) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 Rusty (Russ) Tamblyn. Knockout of a D: William Hale. Bobby Darin, Emily sleeper in the BONNIE AND CLYDE Banks, Leslie Nielsen, Michael Sarrazin. tradition, stylishly (and sometimes starUndistinguished post-Civil War account of tlingly) directed. Cummins is femme fagun-shy Darin, town sheriff, taking up tale who leads gun-crazy Dall into life of arms against outlaws. Techniscope.▼ crime. Screenplay credited to MacKinlay Gunfire (1978) SEE: China 9, Liberty 37 [ 567 ]

Gun for a Coward (1957) C-73m. ★★1⁄2 William Forsythe, Cathy Moriarty, JuliD: Abner Biberman. Fred MacMurray, anne Moore, Andy Romano, Ray McKinnon, Jeffrey Hunter, Janice Rule, Chill Wills, Xander Berkeley, Michael O’Neill, Billie Dean Stockwell, Josephine Hutchinson. Neal, Gale Mayron, Faye Grant, Marian MacMurray is rancher whose two younger Seldes, Meat Loaf, Catherine Keener, Corbrothers have contrasting personalities; predell Jackson. Now there’s a box-office title. dictable results. CinemaScope. Meek mouse Miller stumbles onto the title Gun Fury (1953) C-83m. ★★★ D: Raoul murder weapon, accidentally fires it in a Walsh. Rock Hudson, Donna Reed, Phil public restroom, then capitalizes on her Carey, Lee Marvin, Neville Brand, Leo newfound attention by falsely confessing to Gordon. Hudson goes after men who have the crime. Miller’s considerable charm is kidnapped his fiance´e (Reed); formidable tested and found wanting in this blandly tryvillainy, beautiful Arizona locations. Origiing comedy from Disney. [PG-13]▼●쩠 nally shown in 3-D.▼●쩠 Gunman’s Walk (1958) C-97m. ★★★ D: Gunga Din (1939) 117m. ★★★★ D: George Phil Karlson. Van Heflin, Tab Hunter, Stevens. Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Kathryn Grant (Crosby), James Darren. Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Joan Fontaine, Sam Rancher Heflin tries to train sons Hunter and Jaffe, Eduardo Ciannelli, Montagu Love, Darren to be respectable citizens, but clashing Abner Biberman, Robert Coote, Lumsden personalities cause outburst of violence. Tight-knit Western. CinemaScope.▼ Hare, Cecil Kellaway. The Hollywood action-adventure yarn, vaguely based on Gunmen (1994) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Deran SarRudyard Kipling’s famous poem, about afian. Christopher Lambert, Mario Van Peethree soldier-comrades in 19th-century Inbles, Denis Leary, Patrick Stewart, Kadeem dia battling the savage thuggee cult when they Hardison, Sally Kirkland, Richard Sarafian, aren’t busy carousing and getting into trouble. Robert Harper, Brenda Bakke, Deran SaraWater boy Jaffe saves the day in rousing clifian. U.S. agent Van Peebles and smuggler max. Splendid comic adventure whose story is Lambert set out to recover the loot of drug credited to Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur lord Stewart (who’s also responsible for the (who based the relationships of the central murder of Van Peebles’ father). Strictly bycharacters on the same marriage/rivalry device the-numbers actioner is often pointlessly viused in The Front Page); scripted by Joel Sayre olent; the in-your-face direction is no help. and Fred Guiol. For years most prints ran 96m., Real-life rappers (including Big Daddy until film was archivally restored. Shot on locaKane, Dr. Dre, and Ed Lover) appear as themselves. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 tion in Lone Pine, California. Also shown in computer-colored version. Remade as SERGun Moll SEE: Jigsaw (1949) Gunn (1967) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Blake EdGEANTS THREE. ▼●쩠 Gung Ho! (1943) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ray wards. Craig Stevens, Laura Devon, EdEnright. Randolph Scott, Grace McDonward Asner, Sherry Jackson, Helen Traubel, ald, Alan Curtis, Noah Beery, Jr., J. Carrol Albert Paulsen. Unsuccessful attempt to Naish, David Bruce, Robert Mitchum, Sam recapture flavor of Peter Gunn TV series; Levene. Typical WW2 action film is marked Herschel Bernardi, Lola Albright sorely by outrageous jingoism, celebrating the missed, along with quiet understatement bloodthirsty misfits of the ‘‘gung ho’’ squadand wit that made it memorable. New ron as great American patriots. A jawstory is tasteless, violent whodunit involvdropping experience. Also shown in coming curious madam. Screenplay by Edputer-colored version.▼쩠 wards and William Peter Blatty. Revived Gung Ho (1986) C-111m. ★★★ D: Ron again for TV in 1989 as PETER GUNN. Howard. Michael Keaton, Gedde WataGunner Palace (2005-German-U.S.) Cnabe, George Wendt, Mimi Rogers, John 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Tucker, Petra EpTurturro, Soh Yamamura, Sab Shimono, perlein. Terrific documentary offers a firstClint Howard, Michelle Johnson. Cocky hand, close-up look at daily life for a Keaton convinces Japanese company to squadron of U.S. soldiers who are headquarreopen shuttered auto factory in his economitered at Uday Hussein’s former pleasure cally depressed hometown—but doesn’t count palace in Baghdad. Blending interviews, on culture clash that follows. Extremely lightfly-on-the-wall footage taken during ‘‘rouweight but entertaining comedy. Later a TV tine’’ patrols and overtly dangerous assignments, and even inspired commentary in rap series. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Gun Hawk, The (1963) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: form, this film allows the soldiers’ experiEdward Ludwig. Rory Calhoun, Rod Camences to speak for themselves. Filmed in eron, Ruta Lee, John Litel, Rod Lauren, Morlate 2003 and early 2004. [PG-13]쩠 gan Woodward, Robert J. Wilke. Outlaw Gunpoint (1966) C-86m. ★★ D: Earl BelCalhoun attempts to reform Lauren, who’s lamy. Audie Murphy, Joan Staley, Warren heading for criminal life. Stevens, Edgar Buchanan. Murphy as sherGun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, The (1992) iff gathers a posse to catch outlaw gang C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Allan Moyle. Penelope who have kidnapped saloon girl. Ann Miller, Eric Thal, Alfre Woodard, Gun Riders (1970) C-98m. BOMB D: Al [ 568 ]

Adamson. Jim Davis, Scott Brady, Robert Compact Western with Murphy reforming Dix, John Carradine. Ruthless gunman terto run a ranch and marry his employer’s rorizes settlers one more time, but his heroic daughter.▼ counterpart is there to stop him. Cast is full of Guns of August, The (1964) 99m. ★★★ D: Western veterans, but they’re not much help. Nathan Kroll. Straightforward documenAlso known as FIVE BLOODY GRAVES tary about World War 1 spans the period and LONELY MAN. Techniscope. [PG— from Edward VII’s funeral (1910) through edited from original R rating]▼쩠 the final Armistice eight years later. Highly Gun Runner, The (1984-Canadian) C-92m. competent, if not exceptional, adaptation of ★1 Barbara Tuchman’s best-seller utilizes lots ⁄2 D: Nardo Castillo. Kevin Costner, Sara Botsford, Paul Soles, Gerard Parkes, of rare combat footage from the time. Well worth a look.▼● Ron Lea, Mitch Martin, Larry Lewis, Aline Van Dine, Ruth Dahan. Murky gangster Guns of Darkness (1962-British) 95m. ★★1 melodrama about idealistic Costner, seek⁄2 D: Anthony Asquith. David Niven, ing guns for Chinese rebellion during the Leslie Caron, David Opatoshu, James Rob1920s, returning to native Canada and beertson Justice, Eleanor Summerfield, Ian coming involved with liquor smugglers. Hunter. Civilized drama of Niven searching Tedious, to say the least, this film was for life’s meaning, set in South America. (understandably) shelved until Costner’s Guns of Fort Petticoat, The (1957) C-82m. ★★★ stardom prompted a 1989 video release . . . D: George Marshall. Audie Murphy, but he isn’t very good in this one. [R] ▼● Kathryn Grant (Crosby), Hope Emerson, Gun Runners, The (1958) 83m. ★★ D: Jeff Donnell, Isobel Elsom. Most enjoyaDon Siegel. Audie Murphy, Eddie Albert, ble Western, with Army deserter Murphy Patricia Owens, Everett Sloane, Jack Elam. supervising a group of Texas women in the Murphy is involved with gun-smuggling to art of warfare against impending Indian Cuba in this bland remake of TO HAVE attack. AND HAVE NOT. Guns of Navarone, The (1961) C-157m. ★★★1⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. Gregory Peck, Guns at Batasi (1964-British) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Guillermin. Richard Attenborough, David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Jack Hawkins, Mia Farrow, Flora Robson, Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, John Leyton. Acting is all in this intelliIrene Papas, Gia Scala, James Robertson gent if predictable account of British miliJustice, Richard Harris, Albert Lieven, tary life in present-day Africa. CinemaBryan Forbes, Walter Gotell. Explosive Scope.▼쩠 action film about Allied commandos durGuns for San Sebastian (1968) C-111m. ing WW2 plotting to destroy German guns; ★★ high-powered adventure throughout this D: Henri Verneuil. Anthony Quinn, Anjanette Comer, Charles Bronson, Sam first-rate production, highlighted by OscarJaffe, Silvia Pinal. Quinn plays a popular winning special effects. Script by Carl bandit who helps Mexican village defeat Foreman from the Alistair MacLean novel. some Yaqui Indians after he is mistaken Sequel: FORCE 10 FROM NAVARONE. for a priest, but he can’t conquer ridiculous CinemaScope.▼●쩠 script. Franscope. Guns of the Magnificent Seven (1969) Gun Shy (2000) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eric BlaC-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Wendkos. George keney. Liam Neeson, Oliver Platt, Sandra Kennedy, Monte Markham, James WhitBullock, Jose Zuniga, Richard Schiff, Andy more, Reni Santoni, Bernie Casey, Joe Lauer, Mitch Pileggi, Paul Ben-Victor, Mary Don Baker, Scott Thomas, Michael Ansara, McCormack, Frank Vincent, Taylor Negron. Fernando Rey. Third time out, the ‘‘Seven’’ Neeson gives a wonderful comic perforplot to free Mexican revolutionary leader mance as an undercover DEA agent who’s from a well-guarded fortress. Nothing new, suffering from stress and goes to group therbut well done, with plenty of action. apy while working on a major sting operaPanavision. [G]▼쩠 tion. Platt is equally good as a not-tooGuns of the Timberland (1960) C-91m. ★★1 bright hood, and Bullock (who produced the ⁄2 D: Robert D. Webb. Alan Ladd, film) has a relatively minor role as Neeson’s Jeanne Crain, Gilbert Roland, Frankie Avopen-minded love interest. Plot-heavy but alon. Pat telling of loggers vs. townpeople. underdeveloped; written by the director. Guns, Sin and Bathtub Gin SEE: Lady in Red, The [R]▼쩠 Gun the Man Down (1956) 78m. ★★ D: Gunslinger (1956) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger Corman. John Ireland, Beverly Garland, Andrew V. McLaglen. James Arness, Angie Allison Hayes, Martin Kingsley. Strange Dickinson, Robert Wilke, Emile Meyer. little Western of female marshal trying to Wounded outlaw swears vengeance on comaintain law and order in outlaw-ridden horts who left him during holdup. Routine. Retitled: ARIZONA MISSION.쩠 town.▼ 1 ★★ Gunsmoke (1953) C-79m. ⁄2 D: NaGuru, The (1969) C-112m. ★★ D: James than Juran. Audie Murphy, Susan Cabot, Ivory. Michael York, Rita Tushingham, Paul Kelly, Charles Drake, Jack Kelly. Utpal Dutt, Saeed Jaffrey, Madhur Jaffrey. [ 569 ]

Sincere but uninvolving story of rock star Blaine, Stubby Kaye, B. S. Pully, Veda York who goes to India to learn sitar, Ann Borg, Sheldon Leonard, Regis Toomeditation from guru Dutt. Director Ivory mey. Lavish Hollywoodization of classic dwells on Indian lifestyle, settings; TushBroadway musical based on Damon Runingham provides welcome lighter moments yon’s colorful characters with Blaine, Kaye, in slow-moving film. [G] Pully, and Johnny Silver reprising their Guru, The (2003-U.S.-British) C-91m. stage performances and Brando making a ★★1⁄2 D: Daisy von Scherler Mayer. Heather not-bad musical debut as gambler Sky Graham, Marisa Tomei, Jimi Mistry, Michael Masterson. Tuneful Frank Loesser score McKean, Christine Baranski, Rob Morrow, includes ‘‘Fugue for Tinhorns,’’ ‘‘If I Were Emil Marwa, Malachy McCourt, Ajay Naidu, a Bell,’’ ‘‘Luck Be a Lady,’’ Blaine’s Anita Gillette. Innocuous comedy about an memorable ‘‘Adelaide’s Lament,’’ and Indian dance teacher (Mistry) who comes to Stubby’s showstopping ‘‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat.’’ CinemaScope.▼●쩠 America seeking fame and fortune in the movies; instead, he lands a job in a porno Guy Thing, A (2003) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: film, is befriended by its beautiful star Chris Koch. Jason Lee, Julia Stiles, Selma (who’s actually a ‘‘good girl’’ leading a Blair, James Brolin, Shawn Hatosy, Lochdouble life), then inadvertently becomes a lyn Munro, Julie Hagerty, Diana Scarwid, celebrity as the ‘‘guru of sex.’’ Some funny Thomas Lennon, Jackie Burroughs. It took gags, a likable leading man, and good comic four writers to concoct this tiresome, derivaperformances by Graham and Tomei entive comedy of embarrassment about a guy hance this uneven feel-good movie. The who sleeps with a girl after his bachelor faux Bollywood number is fun. [R] ▼쩠 party—little dreaming she’s his fiance´e’s Gus (1976) C-96m. ★★★ D: Vincent Mccousin. Senseless from start to finish; even Eveety. Edward Asner, Don Knotts, Gary the likable leading ladies are wasted. Larry Miller appears unbilled. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Grimes, Tim Conway, Liberty Williams, Dick Van Patten, Dick Butkus. FootballGuyver, The (1992-U.S.-Japanese) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Screaming Mad George, Steve kicking mule catapults a last-place team to victory; crooks try to kidnap Gus with usual Wang. Mark Hamill, Vivian Wu, Jack Armresults (like slapstick chase in a supermarket). strong, David Gale, Jimmie Walker, MiEntertaining Disney comedy. [G]▼●쩠 chael Berryman, Peter Spollos, Spice Guyana: Cult of the Damned (1980Williams, Willard Pugh, Jeffrey Combs, Mexican-Spanish-Panamanian) C-90m. ★1⁄2 David Wells, Linnea Quigley. All-American D: Rene Cardona, Jr. Stuart Whitman, Gene Armstrong, infected by an alien gadget, beBarry, John Ireland, Joseph Cotten, Bradcomes an armored superhero; good thing, ford Dillman, Jennifer Ashley, Yvonne De since almost everyone else in the movie can Carlo. Not easy to turn the awesomeness of turn into a nightmarish monster. (CIA agent the Jonestown tragedy—where cult followers Hamill turns into a big cockroach.) Clumsy committed mass suicide—into lackluster clumps of humor only make the contrived drama, but that’s what they’ve done here. [R] plot seem even more foolish. From a JapaGuy Named Joe, A (1943) 120m. ★★1⁄2 D: nese comic book. Followed by GUYVER: DARK HERO. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Victor Fleming. Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, Van Johnson, Ward Bond, James Guy Who Came Back, The (1951) 91m. ★★ Gleason, Lionel Barrymore, Barry Nelson, D: Joseph M. Newman. Paul Douglas, Esther Williams, Don DeFore. Good cast Linda Darnell, Joan Bennett, Don DeFore, flounders in meandering fantasy about WW2 Zero Mostel. Cast is above such material pilot Tracy coming back to Earth to give but does well by it: ex-football star tries to young serviceman Johnson a hand in his ‘‘find himself.’’ romance with Tracy’s girlfriend Dunne. Guy With a Grin SEE: No Time for Remade in 1989 as ALWAYS.▼● Comedy Guys, The (2003) C-88m. ★★★ D: Jim Gymkata (1985) C-90m. BOMB D: RobSimpson. Sigourney Weaver, Anthony Laert Clouse. Kurt Thomas, Tetchie Agbayani, Paglia. A N.Y.C. fire department captain Richard Norton, Edward Bell. Champion who lost eight men in the 9/11 World Trade gymnast Thomas stars in this silly martialCenter disaster gets help from a professional arts potboiler, shot in Yugoslavia by the folks writer as he prepares to deliver eulogies for who brought you ENTER THE DRAGON. the deceased. Based on Anne Nelson’s play, Amateurish stuff, based on Dan Tyler Moore’s novel, The Terrible Game. [R]▼쩠 this works surprisingly well as a film, thanks to restrained emotions, honest performances Gypsy (1962) C-149m. ★★★ D: Mervyn by the two stars, and the nobility it finds in LeRoy. Rosalind Russell, Natalie Wood, the lives of ordinary hardworking people. Karl Malden, Paul Wallace, Betty Bruce, Director Simpson coscripted with Nelson; Parley Baer, Harvey Korman. Entertaining screen version of bittersweet Broadway Weaver is his wife. [PG]▼쩠 ★★★ Guys and Dolls (1955) C-150m. musical about the ultimate stage mother, D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Marlon Brando, Mama Rose, and her daughters Baby June Jean Simmons, Frank Sinatra, Vivian (Havoc) and Gypsy Rose Lee. Can’t lose [ 570 ]

with that Stephen Sondheim–Jule Styne score. Suzanne Cupito (Morgan Brittany) and Ann Jilliann (Jillian) both play young June. Remade as a TVM in 1993 with Bette Midler. Technirama. ▼●쩠 Gypsy Colt (1954) C-72m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew Marton. Donna Corcoran, Ward Bond, Frances Dee, Larry Keating. Tender film of faithful horse who returns to mistress after parents sell it to racing stable. Remake of LASSIE COME HOME.▼ Gypsy Girl (1966-British) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Mills. Hayley Mills, Ian McShane, Laurence Naismith, Geoffrey Bayldon. Brooding account of backward Hayley Mills finding her first romance with McShane; atmospheric but meandering. Originally titled SKY WEST AND CROOKED. Gypsy Moths, The (1969) C-110m. ★★★ D: John Frankenheimer. Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Gene Hackman, Scott Wilson, Bonnie Bedelia, William Windom, Sheree North. Story of three skydivers in Kansas captures the Midwest well; Kerr, Wilson, and Bedelia help raise potential soap opera to a higher plane. [R]▼쩠

Nelson, who get costar billing, have a total of six minutes’ screen time. [PG]▼쩠 Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll SEE: Chuck Berry Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll Hail, Hero! (1969) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: David Miller. Michael Douglas, Arthur Kennedy, Teresa Wright, John Larch, Louise Latham, Charles Drake, Peter Strauss, Deborah Winters, Virginia Christine, John Qualen, Carmen Zapata. Talky, overblown drama about a well-scrubbed hippie (Douglas) who confronts his family as he sorts out his feelings about Vietnam war. Notable only as screen debuts for Douglas and Strauss, and a rare film contribution by musician Gordon Lightfoot, who composed and sings two songs. Originally 100m. [M/PG]▼ Hail, Mafia (1965) 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raoul Levy. Henry Silva, Jack Klugman, Eddie Constantine, Elsa Martinelli, Micheline Presle. Fairly interesting melodrama about hired killers going after a witness to gangland mayhem; has some good European players and nice photography by Raoul Coutard. ▼ Hail Mary (1985-French-Swiss) C-107m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Jean-Luc Godard. Myriem Roussel, Thierry Rode, Philippe Lacoste, Manon Anderson, Juliette Binoche. Boring, overblown updating of the story of Christ’s birth, with Mary a student/basketball player/ gas station attendant and Joseph her cabdriver boyfriend; although still a virgin, she finds herself pregnant. This film sparked much controversy and was even condemned by the Pope; however, all the fuss was much ado about very little. A variety of running times have been credited to this film, so beware; has been screened with THE BOOK OF MARY, an infinitely superior featurette about a girl and her bickering parents, directed by Godard associate Anne-Marie Mieville.▼●쩠 Hail the Conquering Hero (1944) 101m. ★★★★ D: Preston Sturges. Eddie Bracken, Ella Raines, Raymond Walburn, William Demarest, Bill Edwards, Elizabeth Patterson, Jimmy Conlin, Franklin Pangborn, Jack Norton, Paul Porcasi, Al Bridge, Freddie Steele. Frail Bracken, rejected by Marine Corps, is mistaken for war hero by home town. Satirical Sturges at his best, with Demarest and Pangborn stealing much of the crazed proceedings.

Hackers (1995-U.S.-British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Iain Softley. Jonny Lee Miller, Angelina Jolie, Fisher Stevens, Matthew Lillard, Laurence Mason, Jesse Bradford, Renoly Santiago, Alberta Watson, Lorraine Bracco, Wendell Pierce, Penn Jillette, Felicity Huffman, Marc Anthony. A group of young computer fanatics is framed for crimes committed by computer whiz and would-be master criminal Stevens, and have to use their own hacking skills to prove themselves innocent. No great shakes, but fast pace and vivid direction make it fun. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Hadley’s Rebellion (1984) C-96m. ★★ D: Fred Walton. Griffin O’Neal, William Devane, Charles Durning, Adam Baldwin, Lisa Lucas. Another teenage-problem picture, this one centering on wrestling-obsessed O’Neal. Bland and superficial. [PG]▼ Haiku Tunnel (2001) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jacob Kornbluth, Josh Kornbluth. Josh Kornbluth, Warren Keith, Helen Shumaker, Amy Resnick, Brian Thorstenson, Sarah Overman, Harry Shearer. Small, fitfully amusing film about a temporary office ▼●쩠 worker and the struggle between ‘‘temps’’ Hair (1979) C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: Milos and ‘‘perms.’’ Leading actor/director Josh Forman. John Savage, Treat Williams, Bevalso cowrote the screenplay. [R]▼쩠 erly D’Angelo, Annie Golden, Dorsey Hail Caesar (1993) C-97m. BOMB D: AnWright, Don Dacus, Cheryl Barnes, Nichothony Michael Hall. Anthony Michael Hall, las Ray, Charlotte Rae, Miles Chapin, Robert Downey, Jr., Frank Gorshin, Samuel Michael Jeter. James Rado–Gerome Ragni– L. Jackson, Judd Nelson, Nicholas Pryor. Galt MacDermot’s hit musical play celeRepulsive rock-star wannabe (Hall) is in brated the ’60s as the Age of Aquarius; love with an obnoxious debutante, whose unfortunately, it’s now a period piece and father is involved in a plot to sabotage a its impact considerably muffled. Story of peace conference. Astonishingly bad movie straitlaced midwesterner who falls in with without a single likeable character; an inausN.Y. hippies has exciting musical moments, picious directing debut for Hall. Downey and but doesn’t hang together. Choreography [ 571 ]

by Twyla Tharp. Among the singers: Nell Shankman. John Travolta, Michelle PfeifCarter, Melba Moore, Ellen Foley, Ronnie fer, Nikki Blonsky, Christopher Walken, Dyson, Charlaine Woodard. [PG]▼●쩠 Queen Latifah, Amanda Bynes, Zac Efron, Hairdresser’s Husband, The (1992-French) Elijah Kelley, Brittany Snow, James MarsC-84m. ★★★ D: Patrice Leconte. Jean den, Allison Janney, Paul Dooley, Taylor Rochefort, Anna Galiena, Roland Bertin, Parks, Jerry Stiller. Candy-colored musical Maurice Chevit, Philippe Clevenot. Young based on the Broadway adaptation of John boy with a fixation on a bosomy haircutter Waters’ 1988 movie about Tracy Turnblad, grows up to marry a woman who’s practia perpetually cheerful teenage girl (newcally a reincarnation of his childhood dream. comer Blonsky) in 1962 Baltimore whose Skillfully assembled comedy-drama makes can-do attitude helps bring about change all great use of Rochefort’s basset-hound face; around her—even on the local teen-dance slight but charming. Definite U.S. remake TV show where whites and blacks appear possibilities. Panavision. [R]▼● separately. Taking a cue from the original Hair High (2006) C-75m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill Plympfilm and show, Tracy’s mother Edna is ton. Voices of Sarah Silverman, Eric Gilliplayed by a man in drag (Travolta). land, Dermot Mulroney, Beverly D’Angelo, Director-choreographer Shankman keeps Zak Orth, Keith Carradine, David Carradine, things moving; Waters and Ricki Lake (who Martha Plimpton, Tom Noonan, Craig played Tracy in 1988) have cameos. Marc Bierko, Ed Begley, Jr., Matt Groening. The Shaiman and Scott Wittman added new rose-colored high school world of GREASE songs to their Broadway score. Super 35. [PG]쩠 and Happy Days is reimagined by animator Plympton, though his fascination with anaHalf Angel (1951) C-77m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richtomical grotesquerie doesn’t seem an ideal fit ard Sale. Loretta Young, Joseph Cotten, for this subject matter. Story tells of misCecil Kellaway, Basil Ruysdael, Jim Backus, matched high school classmates Spud, the Irene Ryan, John Ridgely. Pleasant comedy bumbling new kid in town, and Cherri, the of Young blessed with sleepwalking troupampered cheerleader, and how they become bles, leading to romantic complications. sweethearts. A virtual one-man production, Half A Sixpence (1967) C-148m. ★1⁄2 D: as usual, for the talented animator-writerGeorge Sidney. Tommy Steele, Julia Fosdirector-producer. ter, Penelope Horner, Cyril Ritchard, Grover Hair Show (2004) C-105m. BOMB D: Dale. Boisterous but cardboard musical based Leslie Small. Mo’Nique, Kellita Smith, on show adapted from H. G. Wells’ Kipps, Gina Torres, David Ramsey, Vivica A. Fox, about draper’s assistant who inherits fortune, Tiny Lister, James Avery, John Salley, Rostries to crash society. Colorfully filmed in Enhumba Williams, Taraji P. Henson. Insipid gland, but totally without charm. Story first comedy finds loud, overbearing hairstylist filmed in Britain (sans music) as KIPPS in 1941. Panavision.▼쩠 (Mo’Nique) running to her sister’s L.A. salon to escape the I.R.S. Happy coincidence: there’s Half Baked (1998) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Tamra a hair design contest where the prize money is Davis. Dave Chappelle, Jim Breuer, Harthe exact amount she owes. (Taxes on winland Williams, Guillermo Diaz, Clarence nings not included.) Yes, that’s tennis star SeWilliams III, Rachel True. Three potheads rena Williams in her film debut. Coexecutivetry to raise money for their buddy’s release produced by Earvin ‘‘Magic’’ Johnson. [PGfrom jail by selling marijuana, without 13] 쩠 Chappelle’s girlfriend finding out. Some Hairspray (1988) C-96m. ★★★ D: John surprisingly clever touches and attempts to Waters. Sonny Bono, Ruth Brown, Dimoralize against drugs, completely overvine, Colleen Fitzpatrick, Michael St. Geshadowed by Breuer’s irritating character rard, Debbie Harry, Ricki Lake, Leslie and general plot stupidity. Cameos include Ann Powers, Jerry Stiller, Shawn ThompSteven Wright, Willie Nelson, Snoop son, Pia Zadora, Ric Ocasek, John WaDoggy Dogg, Tommy Chong and Janeane ters. Shock/schlock merchant Waters goes Garofalo. [R]▼●쩠 PG, with irresistible nostalgia satire about Half-Breed, The (1952) C-81m. ★★ D: the integration of a TV teen dance program Stuart Gilmore. Robert Young, Janis Carin 1962 Baltimore. ‘‘Name’’ performances ter, Jack Buetel, Barton MacLane, Reed include Harry as the shellac-haired mother Hadley, Porter Hall. Unscrupulous profiof a deposed local celebrity, Zadora as a teer incites Apaches to attack white settlers in this predictable Western.▼ pot-smoking Bohemian, Brown as the owner of an r & b record store, and direcHalf Moon Street (1986) C-90m. BOMB tor Waters as the deranged psychiatrist. D: Bob Swaim. Michael Caine, Sigourney Loses steam toward the end, but still fun. Weaver, Keith Buckley, Patrick KavRich soundtrack mixes chestnuts and deanagh, Nadim Sawalha, Angus MacInnes. servedly unearthed oldies. Later a BroadIntriguing premise has Weaver playing a way musical, which in turn was made into a Ph.D researcher by day and glorified call girl by night, Caine a British diplomat who theatrical film in 2007. [PG]▼●쩠 Hairspray (2007) C-115m. ★★★ D: Adam becomes an extra special client. Sounds as if [ 572 ]

it can’t miss, but is worthless on every level; rambunctious temperance leader out to stop perennially fresh Weaver gives the first stilted cavalry-guarded shipment of whiskey en performance of her career. Adapted from Docroute to thirsting Denver miners; amiable tor Slaughter, the first half of Paul Theroux’s but lumbering western satire goes on and two-part novella Half Moon Street. Look for on. Ultra Panavision 70.▼●쩠 Janet McTeer as a secretary. [R] ▼●쩠 Halloween (1978) C-91m. ★★★ D: John Half Nelson (2006) C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Carpenter. Donald Pleasence, Jamie Lee Ryan Fleck. Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Curtis, Nancy Loomis, P. J. Soles, Charles Anthony Mackie, Deborah Rush, Jay O. Cyphers, Kyle Richards. Low-budget chiller Sanders, Tina Holmes, Denis O’Hare, Monabout psychotic murderer who struck on Halique Curnen. Dedicated Brooklyn gradeloween as a child, and threatens to do so again school teacher tries to make a difference in 15 years later. Well made, with lots of scares, the lives of his kids, and pays special attenplus in-joke references for film buffs. Altertion to 13-year-old Drey (Epps), whom he nate 104m. version prepared for network TV fears is at risk of making the wrong choices. is available on video. Followed by several But she knows her teacher’s darkest secret: sequels and myriad clones. Curtis’ feature he’s a hopeless drug addict. Outstanding film debut. Remade in 2007. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 performances by Gosling and Epps anchor this riveting, intimate drama. Fleshed out Halloween (2007) C-109m. ★★ D: Rob from a short subject by director Fleck and Zombie. Malcolm McDowell, Brad Dourif, cowriter Anna Boden. [R]쩠 Tyler Mane, Daeg Faerch, Sheri Moon Half Past Dead (2002) C-99m. BOMB D: Zombie, William Forsythe, Udo Kier, RichDon Michael Paul. Steven Seagal, Ja Rule, ard Lynch, Clint Howard, Danny Trejo, Morris Chestnut, Nia Peeples, Bruce Weitz, Leslie Easterbrook, Bill Moseley, Sybil Tony Plana, Stephen J. Cannell, Claudia Danning, Dee Wallace, Micky Dolenz, Tom Christian. Seagal is an undercover FBI agent Towles, Sid Haig. Umpteenth rehash of the who arrives as an inmate at a prison on the 1978 movie retells the story of Michael same day a team of crooks—get this—break Myers, who kills his family and spends 17 into the joint, to get a condemned man to tell years in a mental institution before escaping. them where there’s a hidden stash of gold As he searches for his younger sister he sets bars. To call this bad is an understatement . . . off on a rampage, treating the town of Hadeven by Seagal standards. Followed by a donfield to his latest murderous tricks. Aldirect-to-video sequel. [PG-13]▼쩠 though horror fanatic Zombie remains faithful Hallelujah (1929) 106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: King to the premise (with more backstory on Myers Vidor. Daniel L. Haynes, Nina Mae Mcthan ever before), it’s clearly just an excuse Kinney, William Fountaine, Everett McGarto show off the latest advances in movie rity, Victoria Spivey. King Vidor’s early gore. Unrated version runs 121m. Super 35. [R]쩠 talkie triumph, a stylized view of black life focusing on a Southern cotton-picker who Halloween II (1981) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Rick becomes a preacher but retains all-too-human Rosenthal. Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald weaknesses. Dated in some aspects and unPleasence, Charles Cyphers, Jeffrey Kramer, abashedly melodramatic, but still quite Lance Guest, Pamela Susan Shoop, Dana moving. Beautifully filmed on location, Carvey. Explicitly bloody sequel is as bad with outstanding musical sequences.▼●쩠 as any of HALLOWEEN’s countless clones, Hallelujah I’m a Bum (1933) 82m. ★★★1⁄2 with maniac continuing to stalk Curtis on the D: Lewis Milestone. Al Jolson, Madge same night on which the original ends. Evans, Frank Morgan, Harry Langdon, Scripted by John Carpenter and Debra Hill. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Chester Conklin, Tyler Brooke, Edgar Connor. Fascinating Depression curio about Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1983) a hobo who tries to ‘‘reform’’ for the sake C-96m. BOMB D: Tommy Lee Wallace. of a beautiful woman. Provocative, politiTom Atkins, Stacey Nelkin, Dan O’Herlihy, cally savvy script by Ben Hecht and S. N. Ralph Strait, Michael Currie. Genuinely Behrman, rhyming dialogue and lovely repellent ’80s-style horror film, with gore songs by Rodgers and Hart (who also make galore (after a slow start), about a maniacal plot cameo appearances as a photographer and a to murder millions of children on Halloween. bank clerk, respectively), and winning perNice, huh? No relation to either of the earlier formances all around. Beware edited prints HALLOWEEN films, but owes more than a (reissue title: THE HEART OF NEW bit to INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHYORK) and the frequently screened British ERS. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 version, cut and redubbed as HALLELUHalloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) C-88m. ★★ D: Dwight H. LitJAH I’M A TRAMP.▼●쩠 Hallelujah Trail, The (1965) C-165m. tle. Donald Pleasence, Ellie Cornell, Danielle ★★1⁄2 D: John Sturges. Burt Lancaster, Lee Harris, George P. Wilbur, Michael Pataki, Remick, Jim Hutton, Brian Keith, Martin Beau Starr, Kathleen Kinmont. Unkillable Landau, Donald Pleasence, Pamela Tiffin; monster is back, this time mindlessly headed narrated by John Dehner. Remick is for his hometown to murder his niece (young [ 573 ]

Harris). Standard horror thriller is technically D: Lewis Milestone. Richard Widmark, well made but offers little novelty. [R]▼●쩠 Karl Malden, Walter (Jack) Palance, RegiHalloween 5 (1989) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Domnald Gardiner, Robert Wagner, Richard inique Othenin-Girard. Donald Pleasence, Hylton, Richard Boone, Skip Homeier, Jack Danielle Harris, Donald L. Shanks, Wendy Webb, Bert Freed, Neville Brand, Martin Kaplan, Ellie Cornell, Jeffrey Landman. Milner, Philip Ahn. Gung-ho salute to the Slightly more plot than before but still just U.S. Marines as a squadron embarks on a a sequential slaughter of teenagers as Mitypically rugged WW2 Pacific island invachael Myers (Shanks) again sets out to kill sion, with flashbacks to various men’s civilhis young niece (Harris). Routine and plodian lives. Especially notable for a cast filled ding, with too many endings and unneceswith future stars . . . including real-life exsary setup for sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Marine Brand.▼쩠 Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) Hambone and Hillie (1984) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 ★★★ C-85m. D: Steve Miner. Jamie Lee D: Roy Watts. Lillian Gish, Timothy BotCurtis, Adam Arkin, Josh Hartnett, Mitoms, Candy Clark, O. J. Simpson, Robert chelle Williams, Adam Hann-Byrd, Jodi Walker, Jack Carter, Alan Hale, Anne Lyn O’Keefe, Janet Leigh, LL Cool J, Chris Lockhart. Elderly Gish loses her devoted Durand, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Twenty mutt at an airport and he races crossyears after the killings in HALLOWEEN, country to find her. Sugar-coated soaper is Laurie Strode (Curtis) has built a new life no dog, but is also no BENJI. [PG]▼ for herself and her son, but her psychotic Hamburger Hill (1987) C-110m. ★★ D: brother Michael Myers is after her again John Irvin. Anthony Barrile, Michael Patrick with a big sharp knife. Surprisingly good Boatman, Don Cheadle, Michael Dolan, Don belated sequel is plenty scary, and has a nice James, Dylan McDermott, M. A. Nickles, sense of humor (note Leigh’s car), but the Tim Quill, Courtney B. Vance, Steven plot could have used more complications. Weber. Cold, clinical, yet occasionally Curtis, who suggested this project, gives a preachy recreation of some true-life 1969 terrific performance. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Vietnam carnage, with troops of the 101st Halloween: Resurrection (2002) C-89m. Airborne Division encountering the enemy in ★1 mutual slaughter for the title reward. Authen⁄2 D: Rick Rosenthal. Jamie Lee Curtis, Brad Loree, Busta Rhymes, Bianca Kajlich, tic, with expertly staged battle scenes—but Sean Patrick Thomas, Daisy McCrackin, limited in its emotional power. Scripted by Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tyra Banks, Ryan MerJim Carabatsos. [R] ▼●쩠 riman. Six young people are chosen to spend a Hamlet (1948-British) 153m. ★★★★ D: Launight in Michael Myers’ childhood home, with rence Olivier. Laurence Olivier, Eileen Web cams watching their every move. MayHerlie, Basil Sydney, Felix Aylmer, Jean hem ensues. Forget logic, story construction, Simmons, Stanley Holloway, Peter Cushconsistency of characterization—the filming. Brilliant adaptation of Shakespeare’s makers certainly did! This movie franchise play about Danish prince ‘‘who just couldn’t shoulda stayed dead. Curtis is only here for make up his mind.’’ Won Oscars for Best Picher name value; the director appears as a ture, Best Actor (Olivier), Art Direction-Set college professor. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Decoration, and Costumes.▼●쩠 Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers Hamlet (1969-British) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: (1995) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Joe Chappelle. DonTony Richardson. Nicol Williamson, Gorald Pleasence, Paul Stephen Rudd, Maridon Jackson, Anthony Hopkins, Judy Parfitt, anne Hagan, Mitchell Ryan, Kim Darby, Mark Dignam, Marianne Faithfull. RichBradford English, Keith Bogart, Mariah ardson and Williamson moved their boisO’Brien. Pursued by the masked killer, Miterous interpretation of the Shakespeare chael’s niece escapes from mysterious cataplay from stage to screen with only fair combs with her newborn baby. Then he results; perhaps the irritating overuse of starts killing a family which has the misforclose-ups will play better on TV. Interesttune merely to live in his former home. ing casting of Faithfull as Ophelia. [G]▼ Routine slash-fest, of interest only to the Hamlet (1990) C-135m. ★★★ D: Franco dedicated, even though this time it links MiZeffirelli. Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonchael to the Druids! [R]▼●쩠 Halloween Party SEE: Night of the ham Carter, Stephen Dillane, Nathaniel ParDemons ker, John McEnery. Agreeable re-do of the Halls of Anger (1970) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Shakespeare staple with Gibson giving an enPaul Bogart. Calvin Lockhart, Janet Macergetic interpretation of the Melancholy Dane. Lachlan, James A. Watson, Jr., Rob ReinIn fact, Mel comes off better than costar Close er, Jeff Bridges, Edward Asner. Standard (Gertrude); Bates, as Claudius, is the standout violence-in-school story, but with a racial in the stellar cast. Never as enthralling or perangle. No better or worse than a dozen ceptive as Kenneth Branagh’s HENRY V, but other similar films. [M/PG] still worthwhile. [PG]▼●쩠 Hamlet (1996-U.S.-British) C-242m. ★★★ Halls of Montezuma (1951) C-113m. ★★★ [ 574 ]

D: Kenneth Branagh. Kenneth Branagh, jobs, gets A Second Chance with a shot at Julie Christie, Derek Jacobi, Kate Winslet, making the Olympic boxing team. Modest, Rufus Sewell, Richard Briers, Brian Blessed, likable sports comedy trots out every cineGe´rard Depardieu, Charlton Heston, Rosematic underdog cliche´, but comedian–radio mary Harris, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, host Carolla (who wrote the story and is a Robin Williams, Richard Attenborough, former Golden Gloves fighter) keeps things Nicholas Farrell, John Gielgud, John Mills, percolating with his sardonic working-class Rowena King. Branagh’s unexpurgated Bard persona and scores some genuine laughs. workout is a movie of moments and mixed [R]쩠 blessings, with the story’s updating—to the Hammersmith Is Out (1972) C-108m. ★★ second half of the 19th century—doing a lot D: Peter Ustinov. Elizabeth Taylor, to defuse any criticism of its stunt casting. Richard Burton, Peter Ustinov, Beau BridJacobi (Claudius), Christie (Gertrude), and ges, Leon Askin, Leon Ames, John Schuck, Winslet (Ophelia) come off extremely well, George Raft. Grotesque comedy about menthough Branagh essentially gives a stage pertal patient, his male nurse, and a hash formance that’s nearly as cinematically over slinger proves once again that Liz and the top as some of his directorial touches. Dick would do anything for money; cast Guest star turns are extremely variable. Gorhas more fun than viewers in this variation geously shot in 70mm by Alex Thomson. on the Faust legend. [R]▼ Panavision Super 70. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Hammers Over the Anvil (1994Hamlet (2000) C-112m. ★★ D: Michael Australian) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ann Turner. Almereyda. Ethan Hawke, Kyle MacLachCharlotte Rampling, Russell Crowe, Alexlan, Sam Shepard, Diane Venora, Bill Murander Outhred, Frankie J. Holden, Frank ray, Liev Schreiber, Julia Stiles, Karl Geary, Gallacher. Too much narration hampers this Steve Zahn, Dechen Thurman, Jeffrey heartfelt tale of a crippled boy coming of Wright, Paul Bartel, Casey Affleck. Transage in early-20th-century rural Australia. plant of Shakespeare’s timeless play to Crowe exudes charisma as a free-spirited modern-day N.Y.C., where the head of the but emotionally vulnerable horse breaker. Denmark Corporation has died, adds nothWatch this and you’ll see why he became an international star.▼쩠 ing to our understanding or appreciation of the story. Some clever gags and stunt castHammett (1983) C-97m. ★★★ D: Wim ing score occasional points. Hawke, sportWenders. Frederic Forrest, Peter Boyle, ing a ski cap through much of the action, is Marilu Henner, Elisha Cook, R. G. Armeasily outshone by Schreiber (as Laertes), strong, Richard Bradford, Roy Kinnear, MacLachlan (as Claudius), and Stiles (an Lydia Lei, Sylvia Sidney, Samuel Fuller, impressive Ophelia). [R]▼쩠 Royal Dano. Wenders’ first American film Hamlet 2 (2008) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew is a real treat for detective buffs: an adaptaFleming. Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, tion of Joe Gores’ fiction about famed David Arquette, Amy Poehler, Melonie author Dashiell Hammett’s involvement in Diaz, Joseph Julian Soria, Skylar Astin, a real-life mystery (elements of which would Phoebe Strole, Elisabeth Shue, Marshall find their way into his later stories). You Bell; narrated (uncredited) by Jeremy Irons. couldn’t ask for a more faithful re-creation Twisted comedy about an overly earnest— of 1930s studio look; a magnificent-looking (and sounding) film. [PG]▼쩠 but spectacularly untalented—high school drama teacher. When he’s given notice, he Hamster of Happiness, The SEE: Seconddecides to go out with a bang, and stirs up Hand Hearts his unmotivated students to join him in a Hamsun (1996-Norwegian-Swedish-German) C-152m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jan Troell. Max von painfully autobiographical, and plainly blasphemous, concoction called Hamlet 2. Sydow, Ghita Nørby, Anette Hoff, Asa Wildly inconsistent, this does have some Soderling, Gard B. Eidsvold, Eindride Eidsvery funny moments, with Coogan perfectly vold. Famed Norwegian author Knut Hamcast as the clueless hero. The film also ofsun (von Sydow), winner of the 1920 Nobel fers a neat showcase for Shue, playing Prize, supported the Nazi takeover of his ‘‘herself.’’ [R]쩠 own country. This thoughtful film illumiHammer (1972) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Bruce nates the combination of naı¨vete´, arrogance Clark. Fred Williamson, Bernie Hamilton, and nationalism that led to his sorry choice. Vonetta McGee, William Smith, Charles Entire cast is excellent, but von Sydow and Lampkin. Black boxer takes on the syndiNorby (as his ego-starved wife) are brilliant, cate in fast, but mindless melodrama. Some and the movie deserves to be better known. Based on a book by Thorkild Hansen.▼쩠 violence may be cut. [R]쩠 Hammer, The (2008) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hana-Bi SEE: Fireworks Charles Herman-Wurmfeld. Adam Carolla, Hancock (2008) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter Berg. Oswaldo Castillo, Heather Juergensen, HarWill Smith, Charlize Theron, Jason Bateold ‘‘House’’ Moore, Tom Quinn, Jonathan man, Eddie Marsan, Johnny Galecki, Hernandez. A once promising fighter, now Thomas Lennon, Jae Head. Foul, wrong40 and aimlessly working at construction headed ‘‘comedy’’ about a drunken, antiso[ 575 ]

cial superhero and a struggling p.r. man D: Mitchell Leisen. Carole Lombard, Fred (Bateman) who tries to rehabilitate him. It’s MacMurray, Ralph Bellamy, Astrid Allwyn, bad enough that the material stinks, but diMarie Prevost. Lombard sparkles as fortunerector Berg shoots it in nausea-inducing hunting manicurist who has to choose behandheld style, with pointless macro-closetween MacMurray and Bellamy.▼쩠 ups of the actors. Woe to parents who share Hands of a Stranger (1962) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: this with their kids in the misguided belief Newton Arnold. Paul Lukather, Joan Harthat it’s going to be fun. Film’s coproducers vey, James Stapleton, Irish McCalla, Barry Michael Mann and Akiva Goldsman appear Gordon, Sally Kellerman. Entertaining and briefly. HD Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 well-directed little chiller is an unacknowlHand, The (1981) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Oliver edged fourth version of THE HANDS OF Stone. Michael Caine, Andrea Marcovicci, ORLAC. Brilliant young pianist’s hands are Annie McEnroe, Bruce McGill, Viveca Lininjured in a car accident; idealistic surgeon dfors, Rosemary Murphy, Mara Hobel, Pat replaces them with those of a just-deceased Corley, Charles Fleischer. Cartoonist Caine’s criminal.▼쩠 drawing hand is severed in auto accident, Hands of Death SEE: Beyond the Living which destroys his career and places addiHands of Orlac, The (1925-German) 81m. ★★★ D: Robert Wiene. Conrad Veidt, Fritz tional strain on his shaky marriage. Life becomes even more nightmarish when the hand Kortner, Carmen Cartellieri, Alexandra Sorreturns on a murderous spree; unfortunately it ina, Fritz Strassny. Veidt is an eerie presdidn’t get Caine or writer-director Stone. ence as Paul Orlac, a celebrated pianist Stone plays a bum who gets killed. [R] ▼●쩠 whose hands are crushed in a train wreck; a Handful of Dust, A (1988-British) C-118m. strange doctor replaces them with those of ★★★1 an executed killer. Genuinely spooky ⁄2 D: Charles Sturridge. James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves, Judi chiller, adapted from Maurice Renard story Dench, Anjelica Huston, Alec Guinness, and made by the director of THE CABIPip Torrens, Cathryn Harrison. Rich adapNET OF DR. CALIGARI. Remade in 1935 tation of Evelyn Waugh’s ironic story about (as MAD LOVE) and 1961.▼쩠 a doomed marriage among England’s smart Hands of Orlac, The (1961-British-French) 95m. ★★ D: Edmond T. Greville. Mel set in the early 1930s, and the unexpected results for both the stiflingly traditionFerrer, Lucile Saint-Simon, Christopher bound husband (brilliantly and movingly Lee, Dany Carrel, Felix Aylmer, Basil played by Wilby) and the nonchalantly Sydney, Donald Wolfit, Donald Pleasence. selfish wife (perfectly essayed by Thomas). Pianist gets hand transplant from a strange Superior script by Tim Sullivan, Derek doctor—and finds he has the impulse to Granger, and Sturridge is matched by an kill. Flat remake of Maurice Renard’s faunerring eye for period detail. [PG]▼쩠 mous story, filmed before in 1925 and (as Handgun SEE: Deep in the Heart MAD LOVE) in 1935. French-language Handle With Care (1977) C-98m. ★★★ D: version runs 105m. Also known as HANDS Jonathan Demme. Paul LeMat, Candy Clark, OF THE STRANGLER.▼쩠 Ann Wedgeworth, Marcia Rodd, Charles Hands of the Ripper (1971-British) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Sasdy. Eric Porter, Angharad Napier, Alix Elias, Roberts Blossom, Ed Begley, Jr. Fine character studies and viRees, Jane Merrow, Keith Bell, Derek gnettes make up for shortcomings in bright, Godfrey. Early believer in Freud tries to original film. Loosely revolves around help young daughter of Jack the Ripper. LeMat and his obsession with C.B. radio; Great atmosphere, solid performances, but subplot with bigamist truckdriver is hilariafter good start, dissolves into series of bloody murders. [R]▼ ous. Written by Paul Brickman. Originally released as CITIZENS BAND. [PG]▼ Hands of the Strangler SEE: Hands of Handmaid’s Tale, The (1990) C-109m. Orlac, The ★★1⁄2 D: Volker Schlondorff. Natasha RichHands over the City (1963-Italian) 101m. ¨ ★★★ ardson, Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway, D: Francesco Rosi. Rod Steiger, Salvo Aidan Quinn, Elizabeth McGovern, VicRandone, Guido Alberti, Marcello Cannatoria Tennant, Blanche Baker, Traci Lind. vale, Dante Di Pinto, Alberto Conocchia, Intriguing story set in a near-future world Carlo Fermariello, Terenzio Cordova. The in which young, healthy white women are collapse of a building in a Naples slum trigbrainwashed to become bearers of babies gers a series of shady political schemes and for a new, ‘‘pure’’ generation. Richardson backroom deals, as a ruthless land develmust overcome the jealousy of an infertile oper (Steiger) uses his position as a city wife (Dunaway) while fending off the adcouncilman to manipulate the investigation vances of her high-powered husband (Duto his advantage. Fiery critique of civic corvall). Interesting but best described as sterruption and capitalist greed in the name of ile. Scripted by Harold Pinter from the ‘‘progress’’ is vividly filmed on location, novel by Margaret Atwood. David Dukes using many real-life Neapolitan politicians appears unbilled as a doctor. [R]▼●쩠 in the cast.쩠 Hands Across the Table (1935) 80m. ★★★ Hand That Rocks the Cradle, The (1992) [ 576 ]

C-110m. ★★ D: Curtis Hanson. Annabella Swenson, Ben Piazza, Virginia Gregg. Literate, low-key Western with outstanding perforSciorra, Rebecca De Mornay, Matt McCoy, mance by Schell as a blind girl nursed by Ernie Hudson, Julianne Moore, Madeline Cooper, a frontier doctor with a past. Not for Zima, John de Lancie, Mitchell Laurance. all tastes. Scott’s first film.▼ Demented, revenge-seeking nanny De MorHanging Up (2000) C-94m. BOMB D: nay takes a job with unsuspecting married Diane Keaton. Meg Ryan, Diane Keaton, couple Sciorra and McCoy—guess what Lisa Kudrow, Walter Matthau, Adam happens next. Some good performances Arkin, Duke Moosekian, Ann Bortolotti, (especially by De Mornay) boost this othCloris Leachman. Three sisters live most of erwise derivative shocker. Tension builds, their lives via cell phone, but Ryan finds but gruesome finale is fairly predictable. herself the only one willing to bear responMcCoy may be the most sensitive screen sibility for their father, who’s hospitalized husband of the early ’90s. [R]▼●쩠 and senile. It’s hard to think of a movie with Handyman, The (1980-Canadian) C-99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Micheline Lanctot. Jocelyn Bemore strident, obnoxious characters, or a script that makes so little sense from scene rube, Andree Pelletier, Jannette Bertrand, to scene. Three appealing stars are hung out Paul Dion, Marcel Sabourin. Shy, boyish, to dry in this seriocomedy, written by Nora romantic Berube—he’s not exactly short, and Delia Ephron, from Delia’s book. Matbut other men seem to tower over him— thau’s final film. [PG-13]▼쩠 has a love affair with a married woman. A Hangin’ With the Homeboys (1991) sad, beautifully made little film about peo★★★ C-88m. D: Joseph P. Vasquez. Doug ple who can never get what they want E. Doug, Mario Joyner, John Leguizamo, because they are unable to take stands. Nestor Serrano, Kimberly Russell, Mary B. Hangar 18 (1980) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: James Ward. Jarringly honest, energetically directed L. Conway. Darren McGavin, Robert and acted account of a day in the lives of Vaughn, Gary Collins, James Hampton, several young African-Americans and Puerto Philip Abbott, Joseph Campanella, Pamela Ricans who’ve grown up on the mean streets Bellwood, Steven Keats, Tom Hallick, of the South Bronx. Each is different, but all William Schallert. This Sunn Classic Picare linked in that they’re traveling down a ture alleges that the U.S. government is road to nowhere. [R] ▼●쩠 concealing a captured UFO. Slickly made, Hangman, The (1959) 86m. ★★ D: Michael but about as credible as THE THREE Curtiz. Robert Taylor, Tina Louise, Fess ParSTOOGES IN ORBIT; shown on TV as ker, Jack Lord, Mickey Shaughnessy, Shirley INVASION FORCE with new ending that Harmer. Rugged Taylor is the lawman who undermines entire film! [PG]▼●쩠 must buck the entire Western town defending a ★★1 ⁄2 D: Hang ’em High (1968) C-114m. man wanted for murder. Ted Post. Clint Eastwood, Inger Stevens, Ed Hangman’s House (1928) 72m. ★★★ D: Begley, Pat Hingle, Arlene Golonka, James John Ford. June Collyer, Larry Kent, Earle MacArthur, Ruth White, Ben Johnson, Charles Foxe, Victor McLaglen, Hobart Bosworth. McGraw, Bruce Dern, Alan Hale Jr., Dennis Florid melodrama of frustrated romance and Hopper, Bob Steele. Slick American attempt family honor, with Collyer acceding to her at spaghetti Western comes off fairly well. father’s wishes and marrying blackguard Eastwood survives his own hanging, swears Foxe despite her love for Kent. Elevated by vengeance on nine men who lynched him. sumptuous production and Ford’s sure direcFine supporting cast; nice cameo by James tion, with McLaglen playing a character who Westerfield as a fellow dungeon prisoner. is the polar opposite of his role in THE IN[M]▼●쩠 FORMER. Steeplechase scene predates the Hanging Garden, The (1997-Canadian) one in THE QUIET MAN and you can spot C-91m. ★★★ D: Thom Fitzgerald. Chris Leayoung John Wayne as one of the animated vins, Kerry Fox, Seana McKenna, Peter spectators along the racetrack railing!▼쩠 McNeill, Christine Dunsworth, Troy VeiHangman’s Knot (1952) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: notte, Sarah Polley, Joel S. Keller, Joan OrRoy Huggins. Randolph Scott, Donna Reed, enstein. Strikingly original, multi-layered Claude Jarman, Jr., Richard Denning, Lee psychological drama about Sweet William, Marvin. Above-par Scott Western involving the product of a dysfunctional family, who Rebs robbing gold shipment and officer Scott returns home after a ten-year absence to atdeciding they should return it. ▼쩠 tend his sister’s wedding. The film moves in Hangmen Also Die! (1943) 131m. ★★1⁄2 D: and out of reality, and between present and Fritz Lang. Brian Donlevy, Walter Brenpast; a telling exploration of the complexinan, Anna Lee, Gene Lockhart, Dennis ties and emotional truths of family relationO’Keefe, Lionel Stander. OK WW2 drama, ships. [R]▼쩠 loosely based on fact and spotlighting the Hanging Tree, The (1959) C-106m. ★★★ resistance by Czech citizens against their D: Delmer Daves. Gary Cooper, Maria Nazi occupiers and the plight of Donlevy Schell, Karl Malden, George C. Scott, Karl after he assassinates Reinhard Heydrich, [ 577 ]

Nazi governor of Prague. Based on a story ture version of popular Disney Channel TV by Lang and Bertolt Brecht, which is also series about a girl named Miley who leads a told in HITLER’S MADMAN.▼쩠 double life, as an average teen and (with Hangover Square (1945) 77m. ★★★ D: blond wig) as pop star Hannah Montana. But John Brahm. Laird Cregar, Linda Darnell, when her dad (played by real-life dad Cyrus) George Sanders, Glenn Langan, Faye Martakes her home to her grandmother’s farm in lowe, Alan Napier, Frederic Worlock. Tennessee she finds it difficult to shed her Cregar (in his final film) is delicious as alter ego and the trappings that go with it. unhinged composer who goes off his top Innocuous song-filled fare should please the and kills women whenever he hears loud, show’s young fans—but it’s too bad the discordant noises. Barre Lyndon’s script slapstick gags are staged so poorly. [G] bears little relation to the Patrick Hamilton Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007) C-83m. novel, but result is still entertaining, with BOMB D: Joe Swanberg. Greta Gerwig, Kent superb Victorian London sets and evocative Osborne, Andrew Bujalski, Ry Russo-Young, Bernard Herrmann score.쩠 Mark Duplass. Patience-testing time-waster is Hangup (1974) C-94m. ★★ D: Henry every bit as unfocused and self-indulgent as Hathaway. William Elliott, Marki Bey, its eponymous heroine, a Chicago production Cliff Potts, Michael Lerner, Timothy Blake. company employee (gratingly played by GerDisappointing black-oriented actioner about wig) who wanders through a series of shorta drug racket; Hathaway has done many lived relationships that aren’t romances so fine films, but this, his last, isn’t one. much as crushes with benefits. If you’re cuBey is good as a doomed prostitute. Aka rious about the so-called Mumblecore genre SUPER DUDE. [R] of improvised indie films about aimless 20Hanky Panky (1982) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: somethings you’re better off checking out Sidney Poitier. Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Bujalski’s MUTUAL APPRECIATION.쩠 Kathleen Quinlan, Richard Widmark, RobHanna K. (1983-French) C-108m. ★★ D: ert Prosky, Josef Sommer, Johnny Sekka. InConstantine Costa-Gavras. Jill Clayburgh, nocent architect Wilder is chased by spies, Jean Yanne, Gabriel Byrne, Mohammed cops, etc. Predictable, barely funny comedyBakri, David Clennon. Intriguing but unthriller, with Radner miscast as the love intersatisfying melodrama about flaky lawyer est. (The film was intended to be a follow-up Clayburgh and her conflicting relationto STIR CRAZY, but Richard Pryor’s part ships with ex-husband Yanne, Israeli district was rewritten for Gilda.) You’ve seen it all attorney Byrne and Palestinian Bakri, who’s before, and better. [PG]▼●쩠 attempting to reclaim his ancestral home. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) C-106m. Controversial because of its pro-Palestinian ★★★1 stand, but on artistic terms a major disap⁄2 D: Woody Allen. Woody Allen, Michael Caine, Mia Farrow, Carrie Fisher, pointment from Costa-Gavras. [R]▼ Barbara Hershey, Lloyd Nolan, Maureen Hanna’s War (1988) C-148m. ★1⁄2 D: O’Sullivan, Daniel Stern, Max von Sydow, Menahem Golan. Ellen Burstyn, Maruschka Dianne Wiest, J.T. Walsh, Richard Jenkins, Detmers, Anthony Andrews, Donald PleaJulie Kavner, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, John sence, David Warner, Denholm Elliott, Turturro, Joanna Gleason, Bobby Short. Vincenzo Ricotta, Ingrid Pitt. The true story Allen strikes gold as he examines some of Hungarian freedom fighter Hanna Senesh typically interesting and neurotic New (Detmers), based in part on her diaries, is a Yorkers whose lives intertwine. Superbly misguided mess. The young, Jewish WW2 cast with Woody in peak form as Farrow’s martyr deserved a far better production than hypochondriac ex-husband; Wiest in a powthis overlong, uninspiring melodrama. Hanerhouse performance as Mia’s self-conna’s prison-issue designer blouses don’t help sumed, self-destructive sister. There’s also matters. Panavision. [PG-13]▼● an atypical Allen touch of warmth, even Hannibal (1960-U.S.-Italian) C-103m. ★★ D: Edgar G. Ulmer. Victor Mature, sentiment, as frosting on the cake—all of it set to some wonderful old songs. Academy Rita Gam, Gabriele Ferzetti, Milly Vitale. Award winner for Best Supporting Actor Cardboard costume saga follows Hannibal (Caine), Best Supporting Actress (Wiest), and his elephants across the Alps and into and Woody’s Original Screenplay. Tony Rome . . . but you may not last that long. SuperCinescope.쩠 Roberts and Sam Waterston appear unbilled. One of the children at the Thanksgiving celeHannibal (2001) C-132m. ★★ D: Ridley brations is Soon-Yi Previn. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Scott. Anthony Hopkins, Julianne Moore, Hannah Lee SEE: Outlaw Territory Ray Liotta, Giancarlo Giannini, Gary OldHannah Montana: The Movie (2009) Cman, Frankie R. Faison, Francesca Neri, Zˇeljko Ivanek, Hazelle Goodman. A big, 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Chelsom. Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Emily Osment, Jason long tease of a movie, quite unlike its predeEarles, Mitchel Musso, Moises Arias, Lucas cessor, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, though Till, Vanessa Williams, Margo Martindale, mostly faithful to Thomas Harris’ novel. Peter Gunn, Melora Hardin, Barry Bostwick, Hannibal Lecter, now at large in Florence, Jane Carr, Taylor Swift, Rascal Flatts. FeaItaly, reenters the life of FBI agent Clarice [ 578 ]

Starling (Moore, taking over for Jodie FosHans Christian Andersen (1952) C-112m. ★★1 ter) at a troubled time in her career. A ⁄2 D: Charles Vidor. Danny Kaye, Fartwisted, unfocused black comedy, stylish ley Granger, Jeanmaire, Roland Petit, John but slowly paced, with several key grossQualen. Melodic Frank Loesser score out moments. Scripted by David Mamet and (‘‘Inchworm,’’ ‘‘Ugly Duckling,’’ ‘‘ThumSteven Zaillian. Followed by a prequel: belina,’’ etc.) can’t save musical biograRED DRAGON. [R]▼쩠 phy of vagabond tale-teller. Glossy and Hannibal Brooks (1969-British) C-101m. completely fabricated—has no relation to ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Winner. Oliver Reed, real Andersen’s life story. ▼●쩠 Michael J. Pollard, Wolfgang Preiss, Helmut Hansel & Gretel (2002) C-88m. BOMB Lohner, Karin Baal, Peter Karsten. Pleasant, D: Gary J. Tunnicliffe. Jacob Smith, Taylor forgettable film of British P.O.W. Reed asMomsen, Lynn Redgrave, Howie Mandel, signed to evacuate valuable elephant from Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, Dakota FanMunich zoo during WW2; forced to go on ning; voices of Sinbad, Tom Arnold, Bobcat foot, he turns trip into escape plan. Wavers Goldthwait. Lame live-action rendition of the from comedy to melodrama, with Pollard classic tale is not particularly faithful to the major comic character; good action climax. Brothers Grimm. It’s also cheap-looking, lowbrow, and jokey. Arriscope. [PG] ▼쩠 [M/PG] Hannibal Rising (2007-Italian-U.S.-FrenchHanussen (1988-German-Hungarian) C115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Istvan Szabo. Klaus Maria Czech-Italian) C-121m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter Webber. Gaspard Ulliel, Rhys Ifans, Gong Li, Brandauer, Erland Josephson, Ildiko BanHelena Lia Tachovska, Dominic West, Aaron sagi, Walter Schmidinger, Karoly Eperjes. Thomas, Kevin McKidd, Richard Brake. The Brandauer offers a compelling performance Secret Origin of Hannibal Lecter: as a child as the title character, a WW1 Austrian soldier at the end of WW2 he had to watch while who is shot in the head—and develops the Nazi collaborators ate his younger sister! ability to read minds and foretell the future. As a young adult (Ulliel), inspired by his An intriguing, insightful, based-on-fact tale; Japanese aunt, he hunts down the killers third in a trilogy, following MEPHISTO and and exacts brutal revenge. Handsome but COLONEL REDL. [R]▼● ponderous, dull and self-important, though Happening, The (1967) 101m. ★★ D: Elnever as gory as might be expected. liot Silverstein. Anthony Quinn, George Scripted by Thomas Harris from his own Maharis, Michael Parks, Robert Walker, Faye novel. Ulliel never recalls Brian Cox, much Dunaway, Milton Berle, Oscar Homolka, less Anthony Hopkins. Super 35. [R]쩠 Jack Kruschen, Clifton James, Eugene Hannie Caulder (1971-British) C-85m. Roche. Lighthearted and lightheaded ca★★1 per story centering around kidnapping of a ⁄2 D: Burt Kennedy. Raquel Welch, Robert Culp, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam, now respectable former gangster (Quinn). Strother Martin, Christopher Lee, Diana Dors. Turns unpleasantly serious towards end. Bizarre, mystical Western about raped/widDunaway’s film debut. The title song beowed/homeless woman who begs bounty came a No. 1 hit for The Supremes. hunter Culp to teach her to shoot so she can Happening, The (2008) C-89m. ★★ D: M. seek vengeance. Neat idea to have bad guys Night Shyamalan. Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Borgnine, Elam, and Martin play it a la The Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Betty BuckThree Stooges, but laughter is vitiated by their ley, Frank Collison, Ashlyn Sanchez, Spengory killings. Nice turn by Lee as sympathetic cer Breslin, Robert Bailey, Jr., Alan Ruck. gunsmith. Panavision. [R]▼● Philadelphia schoolteacher Wahlberg, his Hanoi Hilton, The (1987) C-130m. ★1⁄2 wife, and friends flee after a strange virus D: Lionel Chetwynd. Michael Moriarty, overtakes the city . . . but what’s causing it Paul LeMat, Jeffrey Jones, Lawrence Pressand where can they be safe? Tense, even man, Stephen Davies, David Soul, Rick Fitts. frightening at first, but then spins its wheels What may have been a sincere effort to drawith nowhere to go. Shyamalan’s signature matize the plight of American POWs in Vietportentousness is punctuated by moments so nam becomes an unbearably dull, impossibly absurd they inspire unintended laughter; the overlong, and embarrassingly cliche´d drama, director also appears in a small role. [R]쩠 which does a real disservice to its subject . . . Happenstance (2000-French) C-97m. ★★★ and throws in right-wing polemics and potD: Laurent Firode. Audrey Tautou, Faudel, shots at Jane Fonda to boot. [R]▼●쩠 Eric Savin, Lysiane Meis, Ire`ne Ismailoff, Hanover Street (1979) C-109m. ★★ D: Eric Feldman. Sweet, thoughtful allegory in Peter Hyams. Harrison Ford, Lesley-Anne which a group of strangers become linked Down, Christopher Plummer, Alec Mcby a series of small, seemingly disconnected Cowen, Richard Masur, Michael Sacks. encounters, all of which lead to a ‘‘chance’’ WW2 romance between married Englishmeeting between two potential soul mates. woman and American soldier who’s sent This winning exploration of destiny is sparked on daring mission behind enemy lines is by a solid ensemble (including Tautou, as a slick but contrived and unconvincing. Script wide-eyed salesgirl). [R] ▼쩠 by director Hyams. Panavision.[PG]▼●쩠 Happiest Days of Your Life, The (1950[ 579 ]

British) 84m. ★★★ D: Frank Launder. person to an eternally hopeful young woman Alastair Sim, Margaret Rutherford, Guy named Joy whose life is a perpetual mess. Middleton, Joyce Grenfell, Edward Rigby, Any film that tackles such topics as masturbaMuriel Aked, John Bentley, Bernadette tion and pederasts isn’t going to appeal to O’Farrell, Richard Wattis, Pat (Patricia) everyone, but writer-director Solondz makes Owens. Funny comedy involving a boys’ them real people and tempers everything with school sharing quarters with a displaced humor. A truly remarkable film.▼●쩠 girls’ academy, with frantic situations reHappiness Cage, The (1972) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 sulting. Launder and John Dighton scripted, D: Bernard Girard. Christopher Walken, from the latter’s play.▼ Joss Ackland, Ralph Meeker, Ronny Cox, Happiest Millionaire, The (1967) C-118m. Marco St. John, Tom Aldredge. Uneven but ★★1 thought-provoking drama about doctor in ⁄2 D: Norman Tokar. Fred MacMurray, Tommy Steele, Greer Garson, Geraldine Germany who utilizes shock treatment on Page, Gladys Cooper, Hermione Baddeley, soldiers to stabilize aggressive behavior. Lesley Ann Warren, John Davidson. Lively Video titles: THE MIND SNATCHERS and THE DEMON WITHIN. [PG]▼쩠 but overlong and uninvolving Disney musical (the last film he personally oversaw) about Happy Accidents (2001) C-110m. ★★ D: Philadelphia household of eccentric millionBrad Anderson. Marisa Tomei, Vincent aire Anthony J. Drexel Biddle (MacMurray). D’Onofrio, Nadia Dajani, Holland Taylor, Lightly entertaining. Originally tradescreened Tovah Feldshuh, Sean Gullette, Anthony at 164m., then released at 141m.; reissued in Michael Hall. Fantasy-romance about a guy 1984 at 159m.▼쩠 who tells a girl he is a time traveler from the Happily Ever After (1990) C-74m. ★★ D: future who fell in love with her old photo John Howley. Voices of Irene Cara, Edand just had to visit her era in order to meet ward Asner, Carol Channing, Dom Deher. Has some amusing moments, but someLuise, Phyllis Diller, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Linda how we just can’t shake the feeling that we Gary, Jonathan Harris, Michael Horton, have seen this all before. [R]▼쩠 Sally Kellerman, Malcolm McDowell, Happy Birthday, Gemini (1980) C-107m. ★★ D: Richard Benner. Madeline Kahn, Tracey Ullman, Frank Welker. All-star voice cast gives major boost to this otherRita Moreno, Robert Viharo, Alan Rosenwise undistinguished sequel to the story of berg, Sarah Holcomb, David Marshall Grant, Snow White, who’s surrounded here by Timothy Jenkins. Disappointing adaptation dwarfelles. (Don’t ask.) Produced by Filmaof Albert Innaurato’s long-running Broadway tion Studios with noticeably better animaplay Gemini, centering on young man’s tion than their Saturday morning product sexual identity crisis. Colorful stage characters are lost on film. [R]▼ can boast. Aka SNOW WHITE IN THE LAND OF DOOM. [G]▼●쩠 Happy Birthday to Me (1981-Canadian) Happily N’Ever After (2006-GermanC-108m. BOMB D: J. Lee Thompson. U.S.) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul J. Bolger, Yvette Melissa Sue Anderson, Glenn Ford, Tracy Kaplan. Voices of George Carlin, Andy Bregman, Jack Blum, Matt Craven, LawDick, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jon Polito, Sirence Dane. Is or is not Anderson killing gourney Weaver, Rob Paulsen, Freddie off her classmates at Crawford Academy Prinze, Jr., Wallace Shawn, Phil Proctor, because they inadvertently caused her Patrick Warburton, Laraine Newman, Tom mother’s death four years earlier? More Kenny, Tress MacNeille, Kath Soucie. Notkillings, more blood, more exploitation; so-clever storybook takeoff finds evil Frieda Ford, as Anderson’s psychiatrist, hit rock (Weaver) plotting to take over Fairy Tale bottom with this appearance. [R]▼●쩠 Land, battling against stepdaughter Ella (GelHappy Birthday, Wanda June (1971) lar), who fears she will be erased forever unC-105m. ★★★ D: Mark Robson. Rod Steiger, less she takes matters into her own hands. Susannah York, George Grizzard, Don Routine animation and a by-the-numbers Murray, William Hickey, Pamelyn Ferdin, script torpedo this low-budget ’toon that Steven Paul. Stagy but enjoyable film of even kids will see right through. Followed Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., play. Male chauvinist exby a DVD sequel. [PG]쩠 plorer, returning home after eight years, finds Happiness (1965) SEE: Le Bonheur his wife matured (and engaged), and his valHappiness (1998) C-140m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Todd ues now obsolete. Fine performances of Solondz. Jane Adams, Jon Lovitz, Philip SeyVonnegut’s funny black-humor situations mour Hoffman, Dylan Baker, Lara Flynn and dialogue; Hickey hilarious as Steiger’s Boyle, Cynthia Stevenson, Molly Shannon, Jerry Lewis-esque buddy. [R] Happy Ending, The (1969) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 Louise Lasser, Ben Gazzara, Camryn Manheim, Jared Harris, Elizabeth Ashley, Marla D: Richard Brooks. Jean Simmons, John Maples. Portrait of an unhappy family—three Forsythe, Lloyd Bridges, Shirley Jones, sisters, their mother and father—and others Teresa Wright, Dick Shawn, Nanette Fabray, who come into their orbit, each dealing with Robert (Bobby) Darin, Tina Louise. Inipersonal demons. They range from a teletially intriguing view of modern marriage phone stalker who can’t confront women in drones on interminably, as Simmons walks [ 580 ]

out on husband and family trying to find memorable Marsan), who may explode at herself. Michel Legrand score highlighted any moment. More a character study than a by ‘‘What Are You Doing the Rest of story, the film meanders a bit but Hawkins’ Your Life?’’ Panavision. [M/PG]▼ genuine performance makes it worthwhile. Happy Endings (2005) C-130m. ★★★ D: Super 35. [R]쩠 Don Roos. Lisa Kudrow, Maggie GyllenHappy Hooker, The (1975) C-96m. ★★ haal, Tom Arnold, Jesse Bradford, Laura D: Nicholas Sgarro. Lynn Redgrave, JeanDern, Steve Coogan, Jason Ritter, Bobby Pierre Aumont, Lovelady Powell, NichoCannavale, Sarah Clarke, David Sutcliffe. las Pryor, Elizabeth Wilson, Tom Poston, Kudrow has been living a lie for years, having Conrad Janis, George Dzundza, Vincent given up a son for adoption; now a young Schiavelli, Mason Adams, Anita Morris. would-be filmmaker essentially blackmails Xaviera Hollander’s best-seller about her her into cooperating on a documentary. But rise as N.Y.C.’s most prominent madam is everyone who has even tangential contact so heavily sanitized that one wonders just with these characters carries secrets around what audience scripter William Richert with them as well. Interesting mosaic-style had in mind; moderately amusing, and cast comedy-drama wryly explores the nature seems to be having a good time. Followed by two fictitious sequels. [R]▼●쩠 (and consequences) of lies, half-truths, and hypocrisy in our contemporary culture. Peter Happy Hooker Goes Hollywood, The (1980) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Alan Roberts. Martine Horton appears unbilled. Written by the director. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Beswicke, Chris Lemmon, Adam West, Phil Happy Feet (2006-U.S.-Australian) C-108m. Silvers, Richard Deacon, Lindsay Bloom, ★★1 ⁄2 D: George Miller. Voices of Elijah Army Archerd, Edie Adams. Now Xaviera is Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, a brunette; she and her girls rush to the aid of Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weava corruption-riddled movie studio in this limp ing, Anthony LaPaglia, E. G. Daily, Magda rehash of SILENT MOVIE. Fine comic cast Szubanski, Miriam Margolyes, Steve Irwin, is wasted, although film buffs might enjoy Chrissie Hynde. An Antarctic penguin is osseeing cult actors Beswicke and Dick Miller tracized from his tribe because he can’t sing in bed together. [R]▼●쩠 a mating call—but he sure can dance! EnHappy Hooker Goes to Washington, The dearing characters, beautifully animated in a (1977) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: William A. Levey. breathtaking landscape, make this an eyeful, Joey Heatherton, George Hamilton, Ray and there’s vintage pop music galore on the Walston, Jack Carter, Phil Foster, Billy Barty, soundtrack . . . but the story becomes proDavid White. Xaviera (a blonde this time) is tracted as it tries to drive home an ecologicalled before Congress to answer charges that cal message. Savion Glover’s dancing and sex is ruining the country and subsequently body language are successfully transposed gets involved in a CIA escapade. A few to Mumble. Williams is very funny as the chuckles here and there, but overall, more voice of Ramo´n. Oscar winner as Best Anisilly than sexy; Hamilton and writer Bob mated Feature. Digital Widescreen. [PG]쩠 Kaufman did considerably better with their Happy Gilmore (1996) C-92m. ★★ D: Dennext film, LOVE AT FIRST BITE. [R]▼쩠 nis Dugan. Adam Sandler, Christopher McHappy Hour (2004) C-93m. ★★ D: Mike Donald, Carl Weathers, Julie Bowen, Alan Bencivenga. Anthony LaPaglia, Eric Stoltz, Covert, Bob Barker, Frances Bay, Joe FlaCaroleen Feeney, Robert Vaughn, Mario herty, Kevin Nealon, Richard Kiel, Dennis Cantone, Malachy McCourt. Uninspired Dugan. Sporadically funny vehicle for Sandnovelist LaPaglia spends his days toiling at ler, as a would-be hockey player whose inan ad agency and his nights in a bar. Then ability to skate leads him to the pro golf he befriends school teacher Feeney, who also tour, where he turns game on its ear with his loves to drink, and his life is no longer the unsportsmanlike antics. Highpoint: a brawl same. Good performances save this often between Sandler and The Price Is Right’s slow, dark film about relationships, emotional Barker. Sandler cowrote the script. Ben baggage, and mortality.쩠 Stiller appears unbilled. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Happy Mother’s Day Love, George (1973) Happy-Go-Lucky (2008-British) C-118m. C-90m. ★★ D: Darren McGavin. Patricia ★★★ D: Mike Leigh. Sally Hawkins, Eddie Neal, Cloris Leachman, Bobby Darin, Ron Marsan, Alexis Zegerman, Andrea RiseborHoward, Simon Oakland. Unconvincing ough, Sine´ad Matthews, Kate O’Flynn, horror tale, despite some clever attempts Sarah Niles, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Karina by director McGavin to spice it up. Strange Fernandez. Schoolteacher Poppy (Hawkins) doings in seaside house include two great goes through life spreading good cheer— gory murders, but everything else is weak. even where it isn’t welcome—and refusing Retitled: RUN, STRANGER, RUN. [PG]▼ to dwell on the negative. Potentially annoying Happy New Year (1973-French) C-112m. ★★★ D: Claude Lelouch. Lino Ventura, Franat first, we come to learn that Poppy isn’t a fool; she’s bright and compassionate and c¸oise Fabian, Charles Gerard, Andre Falchooses to take an upbeat approach to con. Two thieves plot a robbery, but one falls life . . . unlike, say, her driving instructor (a hard for the liberated charmer who runs [ 581 ]

the antique shop next to the target. Bright developing feelings for the blind stepdaughromantic caper film is easy to take. Reter (Dong Jie) of the emotional abuser he’s made in Hollywood in 1987. Retitled: THE been dating. With his equally ragtag budHAPPY NEW YEAR CAPER.▼쩠 dies, he acquires an abandoned warehouse, Happy New Year (1987) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: tells the young woman it’s part of a hotel he John G. Avildsen. Peter Falk, Wendy owns and ‘‘hires’’ her with fake paper Hughes, Charles Durning, Tom Courtenay, money to be its masseuse, piping in street Joan Copeland. Falk is a treat to watch in sounds through a boom box as she gives this pleasant Americanization of Claude chaste, no-nonsense backrubs to cohorts Lelouch’s French comedy caper about a posing as customers. Sentimental, but not pair of sophisticated crooks and their plans overly so, movie holds its emotions in check until the affectingly wistful finale. [PG] ▼쩠 to hit a jewelry store in West Palm Beach, Florida. Hughes is charming in her first Happy Together (1989) C-102m. ★★ D: American film; Lelouch has a cameo in the Mel Damski. Patrick Dempsey, Helen opening scene. [PG]▼ Slater, Dan Schneider, Marius Weyers, BarHappy New Year Caper, The SEE: Happy bara Babcock, Brad Pitt. Slight, predictable New Year (1973) romantic comedy in which college students Happy Road, The (1957) 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dempsey and Slater are accidentally paired Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly, Barbara Laage, Mias roommates. You can just guess how this one turns out. [PG-13]▼● chael Redgrave, Bobby Clark, Brigitte Fossey. Two single parents—American Kelly and Happy Together (1997-Hong Kong) C/B&W-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wong Kar-Wai. LesFrenchwoman Laage—are drawn together when their children run away from school tolie Cheung, Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Chang gether. Pleasant but minor family fare, enChen. Polished production overshadows a hanced by location filming in French predictable, paper-thin chronicle of a deeply countryside. troubled relationship between a constantly Happy, Texas (1999) C-99m. ★★★ D: Mark bickering Hong Kong gay couple in Buenos Illsley. Jeremy Northam, Steve Zahn, WilAires. The filmmaker won a Best Director liam H. Macy, Ally Walker, Illeana Douglas, prize at Cannes for this, but pointedly the M.C. Gainey, Ron Perlman, Paul Dooley, Mo script did not.▼●쩠 Gaffney. Engaging comedy about two prison Happy Years, The (1950) C-110m. ★★★ escapees who steal a van and assume the idenD: William Wellman. Dean Stockwell, tities of its owners, gay partners who stage Scotty Beckett, Darryl Hickman, Leo G. kiddie talent contests. Holed up in a small Carroll, Margalo Gillmore, Leon Ames. Texas town, they’re forced to assume those High-spirited boy in turn-of-the-century prep lives while getting more involved with the school finds he has trouble fitting in. Famillocals than they ever intended. Shot on a shoeiar comedy-drama, adapted from Owen string, but it doesn’t show; Zahn is a comic Johnson’s Lawrenceville Stories, is hardly standout in the first-rate cast. [PG-13]▼쩠 typical Wellman fare, but well done. Robert 1 ★★ ⁄2 Happy Thieves, The (1962) 88m. Wagner makes his film debut. D: George Marshall. Rex Harrison, Rita Hardball (2001) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Brian Hayworth, Joseph Wiseman, Gregoire Aslan, Robbins. Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane, John Alida Valli. Sad pairing of star duo, out of Hawkes, Bryan Hearne, Julian Griffith, Michplace in museum theft caper, set in Spain. ael B. Jordan, A. Delon Ellis, Jr., DeWayne Happy Time, The (1952) 94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Warren, Mike McGlone, D.B. Sweeney, GraRichard Fleischer. Charles Boyer, Louis ham Beckel. Addictive gambler Reeves hits Jourdan, Bobby Driscoll, Marsha Hunt, Kurt rock bottom and a friend agrees to bail him Kasznar, Linda Christian, Marcel Dalio, Jeaout if he will coach a kids’ baseball team in nette Nolan, Richard Erdman. Charming the Chicago projects. Naturally, he regains his film about a boy’s coming of age in 1920s own self-esteem as he steers these emotionOttawa, Canada, amidst a colorful and ecally needy kids onto the right path. Call it centric family. Driscoll is the adolescent corny, but it works surprisingly well and emwho develops a crush on pretty magician’s phasizes the fact that one person can make a assistant Christian. Boyer is his understanddifference in the world around him. Based on ing father, eternally forgiving of his two Daniel Coyle’s experiences, as related in his wayward brothers (Jourdan and Kasznar, rebook. [PG-13]▼쩠 creating his Broadway role). Earl Felton Hard-Boiled (1992-Hong Kong) C-126m. ★★★ adapted Samuel A. Taylor’s play, based in D: John Woo. Chow Yun-Fat, Tony turn on Robert Fontaine’s autobiographical Leung, Teresa Mo, Philip Chan, Anthony stories. Wong, Kwan Hoi-Shan, A-Lung. Stylish, Happy Times (2000-Chinese) C-102m. ultra-violent story of police inspector (Yun★★★ D: Zhang Yimou. Zhao Benshan, Dong Fat) who teams up with a mysterious hit Jie, Dong Lihua. The director of RAISE man (Leung) to stop a gang of arms dealers. THE RED LANTERN and TO LIVE inStandard plot of revenge and male bonding dulges his sense of humor this time out. A is springboard for unbelievable action se50-ish strikeout with women (Zhao) starts quences that are bloody, comic, and hypno[ 582 ]

tic. Yun-Fat is a perfectly assured hero, and idea of a typical day in the group’s life. He director Woo (who wrote the original story) lets his imagination run wild; result is a visual appears as a bartender.▼●쩠 delight, with many Beatles songs on the Hard Bounty (1995) C-89m. ★★ D: Jim soundtrack (including ‘‘Can’t Buy Me Wynorski. Matt McCoy, Kelly LeBrock, Love,’’ ‘‘And I Love Her,’’ ‘‘I Should John Terlesky, Felicity Waterman, Jay Have Known Better,’’ and the title tune). Richardson, Ross Hagen, Kimberly Kelley. Original screenplay by Alun Owen. Reissued in 1982 with a short prologue. ▼●쩠 Languid, corpse-laden Western, in which whore LeBrock and her entourage saddle Hard Driver SEE: Last American Hero, up and seek revenge after tragedy strikes. The McCoy is an Eastwoodesque bounty hunter Hard Eight (1997) C-101m. ★★★ D: Paul known as The Holy Ghost. [R]▼쩠 Thomas Anderson. Philip Baker Hall, John ★★1 Hard Candy (2006) C-103m. ⁄2 D: David C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Slade. Patrick Wilson, Ellen Page, Sandra Oh, Jackson, Phillip Seymour Hoffman. Spare Jennifer Holmes. Essentially a two-character but accomplished Nevada mood piece about drama, supremely intense story has a 14-yeara minor gambling pro who, for reasons that old girl meeting a 32-year-old photographer remain tantalizingly obscure for threeshe has flirted with on the Internet. When they fourths of the movie’s length, elects to tutor go back to his place, her real purpose is rea much younger man in eking out a minimal vealed as she traps him in a personal sting operliving ‘‘working’’ casinos. Punctuated by ation to extract a major price for what she sporadic and deftly timed spurts of viobelieves is his criminal past. Watching her turn lence; Paltrow is successfully cast against the tables on this sexual predator gives this tale type as a cocktail waitress and sometime a certain perverse fascination. While it has echhooker with no brains at her disposal. Aka oes of thrillers like FATAL ATTRACTION SYDNEY. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 and MISERY, Page’s brutal vengeance seeker Harder They Come, The (1973-Jamaican) makes Kathy Bates’ character seem like Pippi C-103m. ★★★ D: Perry Henzell. Jimmy Longstocking. Super 35. [R]쩠 Cliff, Janet Barkley, Carl Bradshaw, Ras Hard Contract (1969) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Daniel Hartman, Bobby Charlton. CountryS. Lee Pogostin. James Coburn, Lee Remick, boy Cliff comes to Kingston to make it as a Lilli Palmer, Burgess Meredith, Patrick singer; ironically, it isn’t until he turns to a Magee, Sterling Hayden, Karen Black. Hired life of crime that his record starts to climb killer Coburn starts to have self-doubts when the charts. Crude but powerful film almost a woman (Remick) humanizes him. Film is single-handedly launched reggae music’s too concerned with making an ‘‘important popularity in America; still a major cult fastatement’’ to become particularly entertainvorite. Terrific song score includes ‘‘You ing or involving. Panavision. [PG] Can Get It If You Really Want,’’ ‘‘Many Rivers to Cross,’’ title tune. [R]▼●쩠 Hardcore (1979) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Schrader. George C. Scott, Peter Boyle, SeaHarder They Fall, The (1956) 109m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mark Robson. Humphrey Bogart, son Hubley, Dick Sargent, Leonard Gaines, David Nichols. Calvinistic Midwesterner Rod Steiger, Jan Sterling, Mike Lane, Scott (in powerful performance) searches for Max Baer, Edward Andrews. Bogart’s last teenage daughter who’s inexplicably dropped feature casts him as cynical sportswriterout. He’s heartsick after viewing porno film turned-press agent who realizes for the starring her, and his journey into netherworld first time how badly prizefighters are maof prostitution and porn is at times fascinating, nipulated by their unfeeling managers. Powsad, and repellent. Marred by unbelievable erful drama by Budd Schulberg.▼쩠 conclusion. [R]▼●쩠 Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951) 79m. ★★ Hard Country (1981) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Ida Lupino. Claire Trevor, Sally David Greene. Jan-Michael Vincent, Kim Forrest, Carleton Young, Robert Clarke, Basinger, Michael Parks, Gailard Sartain, Kenneth Patterson. Domineering mother Tanya Tucker, Ted Neeley, Daryl Hanpushes daughter into world of competitive nah, Richard Moll. Good ole boy Vincent tennis. Straightforward story, awkwardly works all day, parties all night; his girlfriend filmed (and acted) at times. Director Lupino (Basinger) wants to marry him, but also and Robert Ryan make cameo appearances. wants out of Texas. Overshadowed by Hard Knocks (1980-Australian) C-85m. ★★★ D: Don McLennan. Tracey Mann, URBAN COWBOY, but not bad and done with conviction. Music by Michael Martin John Arnold, Bill Hunter, Max Cullen, Murphey. Film debuts of Basinger and Tony Barry. Gritty, powerful drama cenNashville star Tucker. [PG]▼●쩠 tering on the efforts of ex-con Mann to Hard Day’s Night, A (1964-British) 85m. straighten out her life, highlighted by a ★★★★ D: Richard Lester. John Lennon, brilliant, multifaceted lead performance.▼ Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Hardly Working (1981) C-91m. ★★ D: Starr, Wilfrid Brambell, Norman RossingJerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Susan Oliver, ton, John Junkin, Victor Spinetti, Anna Roger C. Carmel, Deanna Lund, Harold J. Quayle. First Beatles film is director Lester’s Stone, Steve Franken, Buddy Lester. Jer[ 583 ]

ry’s ‘‘comeback’’ (filmed in Florida in care about the story? Followed by PI1979) is typical lamebrain comedy (about CASSO TRIGGER. [R]▼쩠 an unemployed circus clown who bumbles Hard Times (1975) C-97m. ★★★ D: Walter from one job to another), but an older Hill. Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Jill IreJerry wavers between playing the oafish land, Strother Martin, Maggie Blye, Michael kid of yore and a more ‘‘mature’’ characMcGuire. Bronson is a tight-lipped streetter. Not a very good movie; the opening fighter and Coburn is the sharpster who armontage from earlier films is much funnier ranges his bare-knuckled bouts in 1930s New than anything that follows. Trimmed from Orleans. Colorful (but violent) entertainment. European release length. [PG]▼ Hill’s directorial debut. Panavision. [PG— Hard Promises (1992) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: edited from original R rating]▼●쩠 Martin Davidson. Sissy Spacek, William Hard to Get (1938) 80m. ★★★ D: Ray Petersen, Brian Kerwin, Mare Winningham, Enright. Dick Powell, Olivia de Havilland, Jeff Perry, Olivia Burnette, Peter MacNicol, Charles Winninger, Allen Jenkins, Bonita Ann Wedgeworth, Amy Wright, Lois Smith. Granville, Penny Singleton. Good variaPetersen gets the invitation to ex-wife tion on spoiled-rich-girl-meets-poor-butSpacek’s new marriage one day before the hardworking-boy idea. Winninger, as Olivceremony, and rushes home to small Texas ia’s wealthy father, and Singleton, as their town to disrupt the proceedings. Surprisingly maid, are hilarious. Film is full of great unpleasant comedy, with Petersen’s loutish supporting comics (Grady Sutton, Thurston behavior in the establishing scenes mitigating Hall, Arthur Housman, etc.), and includes against any potential fun. Rip Torn (Spacek’s ‘‘You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby.’’쩠 cousin) appears unbilled. [PG] ▼●쩠 Hard to Handle (1933) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hard Rain (1998) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mikael Mervyn LeRoy. James Cagney, Mary Brian, Salomon. Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, Ruth Donnelly, Allen Jenkins, Emma Dunn, Randy Quaid, Minnie Driver, Ed Asner, MiClaire Dodd, Robert McWade. Cagney sparchael Goorjian, Mark Rolston, Richard Dykles in this otherwise so-so Depression-era sart, Betty White. As a small Midwest town comedy as a fast-talking promoter/hustler who disappears under rising flood waters, a crimcourts pretty Brian; Donnelly is aces as her inal gang headed by Freeman tries to catch mom. The ‘‘Grapefruit Acres’’ and diet armored car guard Slater, who’s hidden the schemes are homages of sorts to Cagney’s money they’re after. The cast is above averlegendary scene with Mae Clarke in THE age, the effects are impressive, and the setPUBLIC ENEMY. ting is unusual, but a routine script barely Hard to Hold (1984) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Larry keeps this afloat. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Peerce. Rick Springfield, Janet Eilber, Patti Hard Ride, The (1971) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hansen, Albert Salmi, Bill Mumy. PamBurt Topper. Robert Fuller, Sherry Bain, pered rock star collides (literally) with Tony Russel, Marshall Reed, Biff Elliot, spirited young woman who doesn’t know— William Bonner. Ex-sergeant Fuller accomor care—who he is . . . so naturally he falls panies the body of a black buddy home from in love with her. Tiresome romance designed Vietnam and tries to persuade the vet’s white as star vehicle for teen idol Springfield, and sweetheart and the Indian leader of his motorretitled ‘‘Hard to Watch’’ by some wags. cycle gang to attend his funeral. Not just an[PG—edited from original R rating]▼●쩠 other cycle flick, and not bad. [PG]▼ Hard to Kill (1990) C-95m. ★★ D: Bruce Hard Target (1993) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Malmuth. Steven Seagal, Kelly LeBrock, Woo. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Lance Bill Sadler, Frederick Coffin, Bonnie BurHenriksen, Arnold Vosloo, Yancy Butler, roughs, Zachary Rosencrantz, Dean Norris. Kasi Lemmons, Wilford Brimley, Chuck Police detective Seagal uncovers a major Pfarrer. Acclaimed action-director Woo’s political corruption ring and is shot and left U.S. debut is a disappointing thriller featurfor dead; when he awakens from a sevening Van Damme as a sailor aiding hard-luck year coma, he’s ripe for revenge. Full of the veterans being exploited by sadistic Henrikusual violence and chases for this genre, but sen (who by now can play this kind of role Seagal is fun to watch. LeBrock, who in his sleep). Not bad of its type, but doesn’t nurses him back to health, was then the realmatch Woo’s highly touted Hong Kong– life Mrs. Seagal. [R] ▼●쩠 made efforts. [R]▼●쩠 Hard Traveling (1985) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hard Ticket to Hawaii (1987) C-96m. ★★ Dan Bessie. J. E. Freeman, Ellen Geer, D: Andy Sidaris. Dona Speir, Hope Marie Barry Corbin, James Gammon, Jim Haynie. Carlton, Ronn Moss, Harold Diamond, Occasionally touching but ultimately disRodrigo Obregon, Cynthia Brimhill, Patty appointing drama about a gentle, decent, Duffek, Wolf Larson. Typical Andy Sidaris but uneducated and disadvantaged man mix of action, beautiful scenery, and buxom (Freeman) who finds love and stability bimbos baring their breasts. The story? with widow Geer, but commits murder when Something about female undercover agents unable to support her. Done in by too running a sting operation that gets them in hot water with drug lords. Does anyone many flashbacks. Based on the novel Bread [ 584 ]

and a Stone by Alvah Bessie, father of the against the Eastover Mining Company, a director. [PG]▼ subsidiary of Duke Power. Memorable Hardware (1990-British-U.S.) C-92m. ★★ scene of miner and Brooklyn cop having a ‘‘conversation.’’ [PG]▼쩠 D: Richard Stanley. Dylan McDermott, Stacy Travis, John Lynch, Iggy Pop, WilHarlem Globetrotters, The (1951) 80m. ★★ liam Hootkins, Mark Northover. SomeD: Phil Brown. Thomas Gomez, Dorowhere in the post-nuke future, desert thy Dandridge, Bill Walker, Angela Clarke. scavenger McDermott presents some anVehicle built around famed basketball team, droid remains to Travis; eventually, the with a few romantic interludes. Harlem Nights (1989) C-115m. ★★ D: stuff rekindles what is apparently its life mission—to destroy all living things (and Eddie Murphy. Eddie Murphy, Richard the Travis pad, besides). Surprisingly well Pryor, Redd Foxx, Danny Aiello, Michael made, but recalls many earlier (and better) Lerner, Della Reese, Berlinda Tolbert, Stan films. Heavy violence nearly earned this an Shaw, Jasmine Guy, Lela Rochon, Arsenio X rating, before it was trimmed. [R]▼● Hall, Robin Harris. Proprietor of an afterHard Way, The (1942) 109m. ★★★ D: hours club in 1930s Harlem (Pryor) and his Vincent Sherman. Ida Lupino, Dennis Moradopted son (Murphy) try standing up to a gan, Joan Leslie, Jack Carson, Gladys white mobster determined to cut in on their George, Julie Bishop. Intriguing but artifitake or put them out of business. Murphy’s cial story of strong-willed Lupino pushing debut as writer-director is skimpily scripted younger sister Leslie into show business and completely devoid of energy. Even Prycareer. Holds up until improbable finale, or’s effortless charisma can’t breathe much although it seems unlikely that Broadway life into this one. [R]▼●쩠 would cheer Leslie as the greatest discovHarlequin (1980-Australian) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 ery of the age. Morgan and Carson (in first D: Simon Wincer. Robert Powell, David of several teamings) match Lupino’s fine Hemmings, Carmen Duncan, Broderick performance. ▼● Crawford, Gus Mercurio, Alan Cassell. Hard Way, The (1991) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Faith-healer Powell helps politician HemJohn Badham. Michael J. Fox, James mings’ son, who has leukemia; however, his Woods, Stephen Lang, Annabella Sciorra, wife (Duncan) is also attracted to the healer. Penny Marshall, John Capodice, Luis GuzMiddling drama updating story of Rasputin, man, LL Cool J, Delroy Lindo, Christina Nicholas, and Alexandra. Retitled DARK Ricci, Karen Lynn Gorney. Long, loud, FORCES. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 loose cannon of a movie about a spoiled-brat Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man Hollywood star who attaches himself to a (1991) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Simon Wincer. reckless N.Y.C. street cop to prepare for his Mickey Rourke, Don Johnson, Chelsea next movie role. Some laughs, lots of action, Field, Daniel Baldwin, Giancarlo Esposito, but it all goes out of control. Panavision. Vanessa Williams, Tom Sizemore. An[R]▼●쩠 other title in search of a movie. Drifter Hard Word, The (2002-Australian-British) Rourke and onetime rodeo cowboy Johnson rob a bank to help their pal, whose C-103m. ★★★ D: Scott Roberts. Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths, Robert Taylor, Joel EdgerRock ’n’ Roll Bar and Grill is about to be ton, Damien Richardson, Rhondda Findleton, closed by strong-armed creditors. ModerKate Atkinson, Vince Colosimo. Violent ately futuristic comic-adventure moves fast crime caper with a tough attitude, a sly sense enough, but even some unexpectedly silly of humor, and some neat story twists. Three encounters can’t distinguish it. Touted in convicts (led by Pearce, the brains of the the studio press material as ‘‘the lighter side of Mickey Rourke.’’ [R]▼●쩠 outfit) commit a string of robberies with the help of their crooked warden and a slick Harlow (1965) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon lawyer—but a series of double-crosses Douglas. Carroll Baker, Peter Lawford, leads to bitterness and a hunger for revenge, Red Buttons, Michael Connors, Raf Vallone, even if the score takes time to settle. Written Angela Lansbury, Martin Balsam, Leslie by the director. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Nielsen. Slick, colorful garbage will hold Harem (1985-French) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: your interest, but doesn’t ring true. Baker Arthur Joffe. Nastassja Kinski, Ben Kingscould never match the real Harlow, but ley, Dennis Goldson, Zohra Segal, Michel Vallone and Lansbury are good as her Robin, Julette Simpson. Thin, boring drama stepfather and mother. Rushed through proabout Arab prince Kingsley, who kidnaps duction to compete with the slipshod Carol Kinski and adds her to his harem. Solid Lynley version. Panavision.▼ production values can’t take the place of a Harlow (1965) 109m. ★★ D: Alex Segal. coherent scenario and fully fleshed-out Carol Lynley, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Barry characterizations. Panavision.▼● Sullivan, Hurd Hatfield, Ginger Rogers, Harlan County, U.S.A. (1977) C-103m. Hermione Baddeley, Lloyd Bochner, Au★★★1⁄2 D: Barbara Kopple. Gripping, human drey Totter, John Williams, Robert Strauss. documentary (an Academy Award winner) Amateurish off-the-cuff tedium loosely based about the strike of Kentucky mine workers on screen star of the 1930s. Rogers as Mama [ 585 ]

Harlow is best. This quickie production made Harold Lloyd, Bebe Daniels, Mildred Davis. news in 1965 because it was produced in an Delightful comedy scenes show why Lloyd unusual manner: staged as a live television was so popular in the 1920s. Highlights show and recorded as a kinescope. include classic building-climbing episode Harmonists, The (1997-German-Austrian) and other great sight gags. A real gem.쩠 ★★★ C-116m. D: Joseph Vilsmaier. Ben Harold Robbins’ The Betsy SEE: Betsy, Becker, Heino Ferch, Ulrich Noethen, HeinThe rich Schafmeister, Max Tidof, Kai Wiesinger, Harper (1966) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jack Meret Becker, Katja Riemann. StraightforSmight. Paul Newman, Lauren Bacall, Juward telling of a fascinating story about the lie Harris, Shelley Winters, Robert Wagner, formation of an innovative vocal group whose Janet Leigh, Arthur Hill, Pamela Tiffin, enormous popularity in late 1920s–early ’30s Robert Webber, Strother Martin, Harold Germany almost seems impervious to growGould. High-grade action-mystery has Newing Nazi dictums—but inevitably runs afoul man as private eye hired by Bacall to investiof the new government, as three of the singers gate disappearance of her husband; blowsy are Jewish. The same story was chronicled in Winters, frustrated Harris are involved in a German documentary, THE COMEDIAN fast-paced, sophisticated yarn. Screenplay by HARMONISTS, which was this film’s title in William Goldman, from Ross Macdonald’s Europe. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 The Moving Target. Sequel: THE DROWNING POOL. Panavision.▼●쩠 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Jon HurHarper Valley P.T.A. (1978) C-102m. ★★ witz, Hayden Schlossberg. John Cho, Kal D: Richard Bennett. Barbara Eden, Penn, Rob Corddry, Jack Conley, Roger Bart, Ronny Cox, Nanette Fabray, Susan Swift, Neil Patrick Harris, Danneel Harris, Eric Ron Masak, Louis Nye, Pat Paulsen, AuWinter, Paula Garce´s, Jon Reep, Missi Pyle, drey Christie, John Fiedler, Bob Hastings. Beverly D’Angelo, David Krumholtz, ChrisBubblegum comedy from hit Jeannie C. Riley topher Meloni, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Ed song about small-town mother who arouses Helms. Appalling follow-up to the 2004 comlocal wrath for her free-thinking ways, retaliedy finds the pot-smoking slackers mistaken ates with series of elaborate revenges. Old for terrorists. Corddry plays a Homeland Sepros eke some chuckles out of threadbare macurity Chief who’s on their trail. The first terial. Later a TV series. [PG]▼쩠 film was benign and goofy, but this one is Harp of Burma SEE: Burmese Harp, The determined to be as raunchy as possible . . . Harrad Experiment, The (1973) C-88m. ★★1 to an astonishing degree. Harris again plays ⁄2 D: Ted Post. Don Johnson, James Whit‘‘himself,’’ a drug-addled sexaholic. Altermore, Tippi Hedren, B. Kirby, Jr. (Bruno nate version runs 107m. [R]쩠 Kirby), Laurie Walters, Robert MiddleHarold & Kumar Go to White Castle ton, Victoria Thompson. Fair adaptation (2004-U.S.-Canadian) C-87m. ★★ D: Danny of offbeat best-seller by Robert Rimmer in Leiner. Kal Penn, John Cho, Paula Garce´s, which experimental coed college pushes Neil Patrick Harris, David Krumholtz, Eddie policy of sexual freedom. Two pairs of Kaye Thomas, Christopher Meloni, Ryan relationships singled out as in book, but Reynolds, Fred Willard, Ethan Embry, Jamie film actually should’ve been longer! ImKennedy, Malin Ackerman. Two friends try provisational group Ace Trucking Co. apto satisfy a craving by driving to a White pears as itself. Melanie Griffith (Hedren’s Castle hamburger stop in New Jersey but have daughter) was an extra in this—at age 14. a nightlong series of misadventures instead. Look for young Gregory Harrison. Sequel: Good actors in the leads and a distinctive HARRAD SUMMER. [R]▼쩠 goofball vibe are definite assets, but a spotty Harrad Summer (1974) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 script too often fails to deliver on its promise. D: Steven H. Stern. Richard Doran, Victo(We won’t even mention the toilet scene.) ria Thompson, Laurie Walters, Robert Anthony Anderson appears unbilled; Harris Reiser, Bill Dana, Marty Allen. Fair seplays himself. Unrated version runs 90m. Folquel to THE HARRAD EXPERIMENT, lowed by a sequel. [R] ▼쩠 about sex-education school for young stuHarold and Maude (1971) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 dents that sends them home, where they D: Hal Ashby. Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon, can apply what they’ve learned. Aka STUDENT UNION. [R]▼ Vivian Pickles, Cyril Cusack, Charles Tyner, Ellen Geer. Black comedy focuses on lovHarriet Craig (1950) 94m. ★★★ D: Vining relationship between 20-year-old Cort, cent Sherman. Joan Crawford, Wendell who’s obsessed with death, and 79-year-old Corey, Lucile Watson, Allyn Joslyn, Ellen swinger Gordon. Dismissed at time of release, Corby. Remake of CRAIG’S WIFE is well this has become a cult favorite, and the corcast, with Crawford in title role of perfecnerstone of writer Colin Higgins’ reputationist wife who’ll stop at nothing to have tion. Cort’s phony suicides are hilarious. her house and life run as she wishes.▼ Music by Cat Stevens. [PG]▼●쩠 Harriet the Spy (1996) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harold Lloyd’s World of Comedy (1962) Bronwen Hughes. Michelle Trachtenberg, ★★★ 94m. Vanessa Lee Chester, Gregory Smith, Rosie Compiled by Harold Lloyd. [ 586 ]

O’Donnell, J. Smith-Cameron, Robert Joy, Caine, Charles Durning, Lesley Ann Warren, Eartha Kitt. Young girl is encouraged by Val Avery, Jack Gilford, Carol Kane. Lavish her eccentric nanny (O’Donnell) to keep a but lopsided period farce with Caan and journal of everything she sees, which evenGould as low-grade vaudevillians in the 1890s tually gets her into trouble with friends and who wind up trying their luck as safecrackers foes alike. Gets lost somewhere in the midin N.Y. Spirited but strenuous comedy misses dle, but makes an impressive recovery in the mark. Nice art direction by Harry Horner. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 the final third, when an insightful look at childhood relationships comes to the fore. Harry in Your Pocket (1973) C-103m. ★★★ Based on the popular juvenile novel by D: Bruce Geller. James Coburn, MiLouise Fitzhugh. [PG]▼●쩠 chael Sarrazin, Trish Van Devere, Walter Harrison’s Flowers (2002-French) C-130m. Pidgeon. Engaging story of group of super★★ D: Elie Chouraqui. Andie MacDowell, pickpockets and how they prey upon innoDavid Strathairn, Elias Koteas, Adrien Brody, cent victims. Pidgeon steals the film as Brendan Gleeson, Alun Armstrong, Diane sleazy professional crook. Baker, Marie Trintignant. When MacDowell Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is told that her photographer-husband has (2002) C-161m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chris Columbus. died in war-torn Yugoslavia, she refuses to Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watbelieve it and goes there to find him. Vivid son, Kenneth Branagh, John Cleese, Robbie look at life in the midst of a chaotic, seemColtrane, Warwick Davis, Richard Griffiths, ingly senseless war, and the way photojourRichard Harris, Jason Isaacs, Alan Rickman, nalists thrust themselves into the thick of that Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Julie Walters, tumult . . . but surrounding story is woefully Shirley Henderson, Miriam Margolyes, Mark underwritten. Main character’s odyssey is Williams, Gemma Jones. J. K. Rowling’s more grueling than inspiring. Super 35. saga of witchcraft and wizardry continues in a [R]▼쩠 darker vein as Harry, Ron, and Hermione Harry and Son (1984) C-117m. ★★ D: Paul enter their sophomore year at Hogwarts, Newman. Paul Newman, Robby Benson, where they battle a mysterious evil force that Joanne Woodward, Ellen Barkin, Wilford threatens the school’s very existence. Second Brimley, Judith Ivey, Ossie Davis, Morgan verse, pretty much the same as the first, with Freeman. Newman directed, coproduced and a plethora of engaging action set pieces (incowrote this contrived, meandering drama cluding another Quidditch match, a flying car, about the relationship between a widower a CGI elf named Dobby, talking spiders, and father (who’s just lost his job—and his selfa climactic battle with a formidable serpent), respect) and son (who hasn’t gotten his life but the film suffers from overlength and uninin order yet). Newman isn’t really convincing spired transcription from page to screen. New as the old man; Benson has played the cast members Branagh (as a pompous profesyounger role a bit too often. [PG]▼● sor) and Isaacs (Draco Malfoy’s malevolent Harry and the Hendersons (1987) C-110m. father) add some spark. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 ★★1⁄2 D: William Dear. John Lithgow, MeHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire linda Dillon, Margaret Langrick, Joshua (2005) C-157m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mike Newell. Rudoy, Kevin Peter Hall, David Suchet, Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma WatLainie Kazan, Don Ameche, M. Emmet son, Robbie Coltrane, Ralph Fiennes, MiWalsh. Family encounters a Bigfoot-type chael Gambon, Brendan Gleeson, Jason monster in the woods and takes it home, Isaacs, Gary Oldman, Miranda Richardson, thinking it’s dead. When it comes alive, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Timothy Spall, the family finds itself becoming attached Frances de la Tour, Pedja Bjelac, David Bradto the hairy fellow. Amusing but fatally ley, Warwick Davis, Robert Hardy, Robert overlong, this sweet-natured variation on Pattinson, Shirley Henderson. Harry’s fourth E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL runs year at Hogwarts is marked by the Quidditch hot and cold; best recommended for kids. World Cup and a Triwizard Tournament in Lithgow is terrific as always. Rick Baker’s which students from three schools compete in makeup earned an Academy Award. Later a series of increasingly challenging contests. a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 By far the most intense installment in the seHarry and Tonto (1974) C-115m. ★★★ D: ries, dealing not only with the magical aspects Paul Mazursky. Art Carney, Ellen Burstyn, of the characters’ lives but also the trials of Chief Dan George, Geraldine Fitzgerald, adolescence. Again, Steve Kloves tries to Larry Hagman, Arthur Hunnicutt, Joshua compress the contents of J. K. Rowling’s Mostel, Melanie Mayron, Herbert Berghof, hefty book into a cohesive screenplay, and Barbara Rhoades. An old man takes a crosswhile some avid fans of the novel may feel country trip with his cat as companion. Art unfulfilled, the action, storytelling, and perforCarney won an Oscar for his performance in mances are excellent. The familiar players are this bittersweet, episodic comedy. [R]▼쩠 joined here by several world-class newcomers. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Harry and Walter Go to New York Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoe(1976) C-123m. ★★ D: Mark Rydell. James nix (2007) C-138m. ★★★ D: David Yates. Caan, Elliott Gould, Diane Keaton, Michael [ 587 ]

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert the charm of Rowling’s characters and ideas, Grint, Gary Oldman, Imelda Staunton, Robespecially in the hands of a peerless British ert Hardy, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, cast. Known outside U.S as HARRY POTTER Ralph Fiennes, Katie Leung, Helena Bonham AND THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE. First Carter, Robbie Coltrane, Brendan Gleeson, of series. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 Richard Griffiths, Jason Isaacs, Alan RickHarry’s Machine SEE: Hollywood Harry man, Fiona Shaw, David Thewlis, Emma Harry’s War (1981) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kieth Thompson, David Bradley, Warwick Davis, Merrill. Edward Herrmann, Geraldine Page, Tom Felton, Julie Walters, Robert Pattinson. Karen Grassle, David Ogden Stiers, Salome The longest Potter novel turned shortest Potter Jens, Elisha Cook. Easygoing postman Herrmovie begins with Harry in trouble: standing mann battles the IRS after his aunt (Page) is in front of a tribunal for using his magical unfairly billed for $190,000 in back taxes. powers in front of a civilian. This sets a bumCapra-esque one-man-against-the-bureaucracy luck tone for its protagonist in a screenplay tale is sometimes touching but mostly overthat seems in a rush to get on to the next entry; baked. Herrmann performs earnestly; Merrill also wrote the screenplay. [PG]▼ one senses some Harry midlife crisis in the wings. Acceptable slice of dank gloom-andHarry Tracy, Desperado (1982-Canadian) doom, minus some of the fun of earlier epiC-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: William A. Graham. sodes. Highlighted by Staunton’s outlandish Bruce Dern, Helen Shaver, Michael C. but dead-on portrayal of the kind of shrew Gwynne, Gordon Lightfoot. Saga of outlaw teacher everybody has had at least once. Prowho lives by his own moral code. Laid-back duction finesse and ‘‘event’’ aura made this but worthwhile for Dern’s fine performance entry one of the more watchable summer and vivid re-creation of Western life at the 2007 blockbusters. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 turn of the 20th century. Original Canadian Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkatitle: HARRY TRACY. [PG]▼쩠 ban (2004) C-142m. ★★★ D: Alfonso CuaHarsh Times (2006) C-117m. ★★ D: David ro´n. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Ayer. Christian Bale, Freddy Rodrı´guez, Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael GamEva Longoria, Terry Crews, Noel Gugliemi, bon, Richard Griffiths, Gary Oldman, Alan Chaka Forman, Michael Monks, J. K. SimRickman, Fiona Shaw, Maggie Smith, Timmons. Brutally intense drama about a forothy Spall, David Thewlis, Emma Thompson, mer soldier, experienced in cold-blooded Tom Felton, Julie Walters, David Bradley, killing, who wants to join the L.A.P.D. but Dawn French, Warwick Davis, Lenny Henry, is much more interested in getting into trouPam Ferris, Julie Christie. J. K. Rowling’s ble with his lifelong pal and keeping him much-loved characters Harry, Hermione, and from his responsibilities (including a promRon, now entering adolescence, begin their ise to his girlfriend to go job-hunting). Bale third year at Hogwarts School. Harry tanmakes yet another psychotic character utgles with Sirius Black (Oldman), an evil terly believable in this ugly, visceral portrait wizard–escaped convict who was supposof society’s underbelly. Gripping but emoedly involved in the death of his parents. tionally draining. Directorial debut for Episodic as ever, loaded with fantasy and speTRAINING DAY writer Ayer, who also scripted. [R]쩠 cial effects, but more foreboding and psychologically complex—and far more cinematic— Hart’s War (2002) C-125m. ★★★ D: Gregthan the first two offerings, a result of Cuaro´n ory Hoblit. Bruce Willis, Colin Farrell, Tertaking over director’s reins. Thompson and rence Howard, Cole Hauser, Marcel Iures, Thewlis add spunk as new Hogwarts profesLinus Roache, Vicellous Shannon, Adrian sors. Screenplay by Steve Kloves. A mildGrenier, Joe Spano, Rory Cochrane. Amerimannered Gambon replaces the late Richard can soldier who’s never seen action is taken Harris as Dumbledore. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 prisoner during WW2 and wages a battle of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone wits with the ranking officer at his POW camp. The plot thickens when two black (2001) C-152m. ★★1⁄2 D: Chris Columbus. Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watsoldiers arrive on the scene and racism son, Richard Harris, Robbie Coltrane, Maggie flares up. Entertaining yarn is a good showSmith, Ian Hart, Alan Rickman, John Hurt, case for Farrell and a perfect fit for Willis, John Cleese, Fiona Shaw, Richard Griffiths, though its message about honor is a bit Sean Biggerstaff, Tom Felton, Warwick muddy. There’s still no villain quite like an Davis, Julie Walters, Zoe Wanamaker, David urbane, educated Nazi. Based on a novel by John Katzenbach. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Bradley. At age 11, J. K. Rowling’s bespectacled hero is freed from the custody of his miserHarum Scarum (1965) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: able aunt and uncle to fulfill his destiny at Gene Nelson. Elvis Presley, Mary Ann Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Mobley, Fran Jeffries, Michael Ansara, where he makes friends and enemies, learns Jay Novello, Philip Reed, Theo Marcuse, dangerous secrets, and has many high-flying Billy Barty. Visiting the Middle East gives adventures. Begins with a real sense of wonder usual Presley musical formula a change of and magic, winds up an overlong, bombastic scenery, via back-lot desert locations.▼●쩠 special-effects movie . . . but nothing can erase Harvard Man (2002) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: [ 588 ]

James Toback. Adrian Grenier, Sarah MiHasty Heart, The (1949-British) 99m. ★★★1 chelle Gellar, Joey Lauren Adams, Eric ⁄2 D: Vincent Sherman. Ronald Reagan, Stoltz, Rebecca Gayheart, Gianni Russo, Patricia Neal, Richard Todd, Anthony Ray Allen, John Neville. Harvard basketball Nicholls, Howard Crawford. Sensitive film player who’s sleeping with his philosophy version of John Patrick play, focusing on professor (Adams) as well as the daughter proud Scottish soldier who discovers he (Gellar) of a Mafioso borrows money from has short time to live and friendships he the don—mistake #1—then tries out a finally makes among his hospital mates. Refriend’s new batch of LSD—mistakes #2, 3, made in 1983 for cable TV.▼쩠 and 4. Typically edgy, in-your-face Toback Hatari! (1962) C-159m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Howmovie; arresting at first, but then goes comard Hawks. John Wayne, Elsa Martinelli, pletely haywire, with unbelievable and absurd Red Buttons, Hardy Kruger, Gerard Blain, story twists. Al Franken makes a very funny Bruce Cabot. Marvelous lighthearted acunbilled appearance. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 tion film of wild-animal trappers in Africa, Harvest (1937-French) 127m. ★★★★ D: with just-right mixture of adventure and Marcel Pagnol. Gabriel Gabrio, Orane comedy. Wayne is at his best. Notable Demazis, Fernandel, Edouard Delmont, Henry Mancini score. Filmed in TanganHenri Poupon. Simple, stark tale of peasyika; title is Swahili for ‘‘Danger!’’▼●쩠 ants Gabrio and Demazis struggling against Hatchet (2007) C-83m. ★★ D: Adam all odds to till the land and give life to the Green. Joel David Moore, Tamara Feldman, earth. Magnificent, with Fernandel memoDeon Richmond, Kane Hodder, Tony Todd, rable as Demazis’ comical husband.▼ Joel Murray, Patrika Darbo, Robert EnHarvey (1950) 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Henry glund. Horror fans might have a few guiltyKoster. James Stewart, Josephine Hull, Peggy pleasure giggles with this crude but knowDow, Charles Drake, Cecil Kellaway, Victoing homage to ’80s slasher movies. Mardi ria Horne, Jesse White, Wallace Ford, Ida Gras revelers are methodically (and graphiMoore. Stewart gives one of his best perforcally) murdered by a misshapen psycho mances as tippler Elwood P. Dowd, whose after they venture into a ‘‘haunted’’ Louisicompanion is a six-foot invisible rabbit named ana swamp. Also available in unrated ver1 sion. [R]쩠 Harvey (actually, he’s 6 feet, 3 ⁄2 inches). Hull won Oscar as distraught sister. Mary Chase Hatchet for the Honeymoon (1971-ItalianSpanish) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mario Bava. and Oscar Brodney adapted Chase’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play. Hull and White re-create Stephen Forsyth, Dagmar Lassander, Laura their Broadway roles. Remade for TV in Betti, Gerard Tichy, Femi Benussi. Char1998. ▼●쩠 acteristic Bava horror thriller: strong on vivid Harvey Girls, The (1946) C-101m. ★★★ imagery, shot in fluid, cinematic style, with a D: George Sidney. Judy Garland, Ray screwy, hard-to-follow plot about a madman Bolger, John Hodiak, Angela Lansbury, who murders brides, while haunted by the Preston Foster, Virginia O’Brien, Marjoghost of his own wife. [PG]▼쩠 rie Main, Kenny Baker, Cyd Charisse, Hatchet Man, The (1932) 74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Catherine McLeod. Westward expansion William Wellman. Edward G. Robinson, brings with it Fred Harvey’s railroad staLoretta Young, Dudley Digges, Blanche tion restaurants, and proper young waitresses Frederici, Leslie Fenton. Fascinating yarn who have civilizing influence on rowdy about Chinatown tongs, and Robinson’s communities. Silly script made entertaining attempts to Americanize himself. Potent by good cast and a few musical highlights melodrama, once you get past obvious (like Oscar-winning ‘‘On the Atchison, barrier of Caucasian cast. Topeka, and the Santa Fe’’).▼●쩠 Hatchet Murders, The SEE: Deep Red Harvey Middleman, Fireman (1965) CHate (1995-French) 95m. ★★★ D: Mathieu 75m. ★★ D: Ernest Pintoff. Gene Troobnick, Kassovitz. Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Hermione Gingold, Patricia Harty, Arlene Said Taghaoui, Karim Belkadra, Edouard Golonka, Will MacKenzie, Charles Durning. Montoute. Two-fisted tale of three young Low-key comedy about mildmannered firehoods (an Arab, a Jew, and a black), living man trying to coordinate fantasy and real in the projects outside of Paris, who seek life; amiable but unfocused film was aniretribution when their best friend is beaten mator Pintoff’s first live-action feature. into a coma by the cops. Basically an antiHas Anybody Seen My Gal (1952) C-89m. police polemic, this is short on subtlety but ★★1 still powerfully effective. Bravura cam⁄2 D: Douglas Sirk. Charles Coburn, Piper Laurie, Rock Hudson, Gigi Perreau, Lynn erawork is reminiscent of Spike Lee, but Bari, William Reynolds, Larry Gates, Skip Kassovitz’s mise-en-sce`ne is his own and Homeier. Pleasant, lightweight 1920s nosaptly reflects the alienated world of lowertalgia about rich old Coburn planning to class kids without keys to their own city. leave his fortune to the family of a woman Winner of Best Director award at Cannes. who turned down his marriage proposal Original title: LA HAINE. [R]▼쩠 years earlier. Coburn’s performance is the Hatful of Rain, A (1957) 109m. ★★★ D: whole show; look fast for James Dean.쩠 Fred Zinnemann. Eva Marie Saint, Don [ 589 ]

Murray, Anthony Franciosa, Lloyd Nolan, D: Roger Corman. Vincent Price, Debra Henry Silva, Gerald S. O’Loughlin, WilPaget, Lon Chaney, Jr., Frank Maxwell, liam Hickey. Realistic melodrama of the Leo Gordon, Elisha Cook, Jr., John Dierkes. living hell dope addict Murray undergoes, When a man arrives in New England town to and the effects on those around him; fine claim family castle, he discovers the town performances. Scripted by Michael V. populated by mutants and the castle under an Gazzo, Alfred Hayes, and Carl Foreman ancestor’s evil spell, which soon possesses from Gazzo’s play. CinemaScope. him. Good-looking but minor film from Cor1 ★★ Hatter’s Castle (1941-British) 90m. ⁄2 D: man’s Edgar Allan Poe cycle, although based Lance Comfort. Deborah Kerr, James Mason, mainly on H. P. Lovecraft’s The Strange Robert Newton, Emlyn Williams. Fine cast Case of Charles Dexter Ward. Script by must support fair material in tale of poor man Charles Beaumont. Panavision.▼●쩠 who relentlessly pursues his dream of social Haunted Strangler, The (1958-British) acceptance; from A. J. Cronin’s novel. 81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Day. Boris Karloff, Hatter’s Ghost, The (1982-French) CAnthony Dawson, Elizabeth Allan, Jean 120m. ★1⁄2 D: Claude Chabrol. Michel Kent, Derek Birch. Offbeat story set in Serrault, Charles Aznavour, Monique 1880; socially conscious author Karloff inChaumette, Aurore Clement. Disappointing vestigates the case of a man who was exemurder mystery from Chabrol, based on a cuted 20 years earlier. Original British title: Georges Simenon novel. Tailor Aznavour GRIP OF THE STRANGLER. ▼●쩠 learns that nephew Serrault is a mass killer, Haunted Summer (1988) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 but is too scared to inform the police. D: Ivan Passer. Phillip Anglim, Laura Dern, Potentially exciting thriller is badly handled. Alice Krige, Eric Stoltz, Alex Winter. Flawed Haunted Honeymoon (1940-British) 83m. film version of Anne Edwards’ novel about ★★1 ⁄2 D: Arthur B. Woods. Robert Montthe fabled and emotional meeting between gomery, Constance Cummings, Leslie poets Lord Byron and Percy Shelley, novelist Banks, Seymour Hicks, Robert Newton, Mary Godwin, and Dr. John Polidori in Italy Googie Withers. Famed amateur criminolin 1816. The psychedelic ’60s had nothing on ogist Lord Peter Wimsey (Montgomery) this ‘‘summer of love’’ and experimentation. marries mystery writer (Cummings) and Beautifully filmed, and better than Ken Russettles down to quiet honeymoon—until sell’s similar GOTHIC, but it’s still forced murder enters the picture and demands and unconvincing. [R]▼● their involvement. Montgomery miscast as Haunting, The (1963) 112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Dorothy L. Sayers’ witty sleuth. OrigiRobert Wise. Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, nally titled BUSMAN’S HONEYMOON. Richard Johnson, Russ Tamblyn, Lois MaxHaunted Honeymoon (1986) C-82m. well, Fay Compton. 90-year-old New England BOMB D: Gene Wilder. Gene Wilder, haunted house is setting for chosen group being Gilda Radner, Dom DeLuise, Jonathan introduced to the supernatural, with hair-raisPryce, Paul L. Smith, Peter Vaughan, Bryan ing results. Don’t see this one alone! Filmed Pringle. Tediously unfunny ‘‘scare movie’’ in England; Nelson Gidding adapted Shirley farce inspired by old Bob Hope/Red SkelJackson’s The Haunting of Hill House. Reton comedies; set in an old dark house full made in 1999. Panavision. ▼●쩠 of creepy people (with one great gag lifted Haunting, The (1999) C-114m. ★1⁄2 D: Jan from Fred MacMurray’s MURDER, HE De Bont. Liam Neeson, Catherine ZetaSAYS). When you put Dom DeLuise in Jones, Owen Wilson, Lili Taylor, Bruce Dern, drag and still can’t get laughs, you know Marian Seldes, Virginia Madsen. Three peosomething’s wrong. [PG]▼●쩠 ple are lured to a creepy mansion under false Haunted House of Horror, The SEE: pretenses by a psychological researcher (NeeHorror House son). Incredibly dull chiller has all the special ★★ Haunted Mansion, The (2003) C-98m. effects money can buy but no sense, no logic, D: Rob Minkoff. Eddie Murphy, Terence and virtually no scares. Taylor’s performance Stamp, Wallace Shawn, Marsha Thomason, as a lonely woman who feels a kinship with Jennifer Tilly, Nathaniel Parker, Dina Wathe house is the only redeeming feature of this ters, Marc John Jefferies, Aree Davis. clunker, which has little in common with the Workaholic real estate salesman Murphy 1963 movie or Shirley Jackson’s novel, on brings his family along when his wife is which it’s supposedly based. Panavision. [PGsummoned to a creepy old mansion. It 13] ▼●쩠 seems the master of the house thinks she Haunting Fear (1991) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: is his long-lost love. Flat, poky attempt at Fred Olen Ray. Brinke Stevens, Jay Richghostly comedy, inspired by the great Disardson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Karen Black, ney theme park attraction; too scary for Della Sheppard, Robert Clarke, Robert small children, too boring for adults, despite Quarry, Michael Berryman. Stevens fears Murphy’s trademark energy. Super 35. being buried alive, her husband has a sexy [PG] ▼쩠 1 ★★ Haunted Palace, The (1963) C-85m. ⁄2 mistress, and Vincent is lurking around in [ 590 ]

the street. Odd plot tries to bring it all Haven (2004-U.S.-British-German-Spanish) C-98m. ★★ D: Frank E. Flowers. Bill Paxton, together, but motivation is absent. Hasty, Orlando Bloom, Stephen Dillane, Zoe Salempty film allegedly based on Poe’s ‘‘Predana, Razaaq Adoti, Agnes Bruckner, Victor mature Burial.’’▼● Rasuk, Lee Ingleby, Anthony Mackie, Robert Haunting in Connecticut, The (2009) C1 ★ Wisdom, Joy Bryant, Bobby Cannavale, Se92m. ⁄2 D: Peter Cornwell. Virginia Madrena Scott Thomas. Slickly directed but consen, Kyle Gallner, Elias Koteas, Amanda fusing, connect-the-dots story that opens with Crew, Martin Donovan. Creaky horror picPaxton and his teen daughter fleeing to the ture show, purportedly based on fact, about Cayman Islands when the Feds show up on a family that learns the hard way why they his doorstep. Who is he? Why is he on the got such a great deal on a rental property run? More important, why should we care? with ‘‘a bit of a history.’’ Long on spooky Annoyingly fragmented narrative tries to be atmosphere, short on drama. There’s nothclever but succeeds only at being convoing here you haven’t seen done better, and luted. Bloom coproduced. [R]쩠 scarier, in other haunted house dramas. Have Rocket—Will Travel (1959) 76m. Super 35. [PG-13] ★★1 ⁄2 D: David Lowell Rich. The Three Haunting of Julia, The (1976-BritishStooges, Jerome Cowan, Anna Lisa, Bob Canadian) C-96m. ★★ D: Richard Loncraine. Colbert. Good slapstick as the Stooges acciMia Farrow, Keir Dullea, Tom Conti, Jill dentally launch into space, meet a unicorn, Bennett, Robin Gammell, Cathleen Nesbitt. and go on to become national heroes. This Occult thriller about a young woman who was the trio’s first starring feature after tries to start a new life after the death of her being rediscovered on TV, though Joe Dedaughter and moves into a house inhabited by Rita had, by this time, filled the Curly/ a troubled spirit. A good (if familiar) start, Shemp slot.▼ but soon lapses into unsatisfying contrivance. Having a Wild Weekend (1965-British) From a Peter Straub story. Originally titled 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Boorman. Dave Clark FULL CIRCLE. Panavision. [R]▼ Five, Barbara Ferris, Lenny Davidson, Rick Haunting of Molly Hartley, The (2008) Huxley, Mike Smith, Denis Payton, David C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Mickey Liddell. Haley BenLodge. Just as The Dave Clark Five tried to nett, Jake Weber, Chace Crawford, Shansteal some of the Beatles’ thunder, this fastnon Marie Woodward, Shanna Collins, paced trifle tried to capture success of A AnnaLynne McCord, Marin Hinkle, Nina HARD DAY’S NIGHT. The Five star as Siemaszko. After being stabbed by her psystuntmen who, along with a model (Ferris), cho mom, Bennett is dispatched to a hoitysearch for a dream island. Songs include toity prep school, where she comes to be‘‘Having a Wild Weekend,’’ ‘‘Catch Us If lieve she may be demonic. Dull, clumsy You Can,’’ ‘‘I Can’t Stand It.’’ Director horror thriller. [PG-13]쩠 Boorman’s first film. Originally titled Haunts (1977) C-98m. ★★★ D: Herb Freed. CATCH US IF YOU CAN.▼ May Britt, Cameron Mitchell, Aldo Ray, Having Wonderful Crime (1945) 70m. William Gray Espy, Susan Nohr. You have to ★★1⁄2 D: A. Edward Sutherland. Pat O’Bristay with it to appreciate this offbeat horror en, George Murphy, Carole Landis, Lenore pic fully, but it’s well worth the effort. Writers Aubert, George Zucco. Lively mysteryAnne Marisse and Herb Freed and a good cast comedy in which a trio of friends—brash have vividly captured small-town atmosphere lawyer O’Brien and wise-cracking newlywhen a series of murders grips the countryweds Murphy and Landis—become involved side. As a farm woman with demons of her with a magician who disappears and his mysown, Britt gives the best performance of her terious assistant. Based on characters created erratic career. [PG]▼쩠 by Craig Rice, though the film bears no rela★★1 ⁄2 D: Sydney Havana (1990) C-140m. tion to Rice’s novel of the same name.▼ Pollack. Robert Redford, Lena Olin, Alan Having Wonderful Time (1938) 71m. Arkin, Tomas Milian, Daniel Davis, Tony ★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Santell. Ginger Rogers, Plana, Betsy Brantley, Lise Cutter, Richard Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Peggy Conklin, LuFarnsworth, Mark Rydell. No masterpiece, cille Ball, Lee Bowman, Eve Arden, Dorothea overly reminiscent of CASABLANCA, and Kent, Richard (Red) Skelton, Donald Meek, a huge box-office disaster, but still unJack Carson, Allan Lane, Grady Sutton. OK justly maligned as a stinker. Redford (aging, film about Catskills resort hotel; Ginger wants but marvelous) plays a professional gamculture on summer vacation but gets Doug inbler hoping to score in the waning hours of stead. Arthur Kober adapted his own BroadBatista’s Cuba; Olin (surprisingly stiff) is way comedy, but the original’s satiric the married Swede who takes his mind off depiction of Jewish New Yorkers is comthe game. Production designer’s dream is pletely homogenized. Skelton sparkles in his very entertaining for about 90 minutes, feature debut; Dean Jagger plays Ginger’s then tails off. Similar to the underrated brother and Ann Miller is visible among the Richard Lester film CUBA. Raul Julia apcampers.▼●쩠 pears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 Havoc (2005-U.S.-German) C-85m. ★★ D: [ 591 ]

Barbara Kopple. Anne Hathaway, Bijou tries to find meaning in his life by capturing Phillips, Shiri Appleby, Michael Biehn, Joand attempting to train a red-tailed hawk. seph Gordon-Levitt, Matt O’Leary, Freddy Unceasingly intense drama is done in by Rodriguez, Laura San Giacomo, Mike pretension and confusion . . . and is an orVogel, Cecilia Peck, Sam Bottoms. Welldeal to sit through. Giamatti rises way meaning but overwrought chronicle of a above the material. Based on a novel by bright, wealthy, bored teen who’s sleepHarry Crews.쩠 walking through her life. She and her Hawks (1988-British) C-107m. ★★ D: Robfriends attempt to adopt a gangsta lifestyle ert Ellis Miller. Timothy Dalton, Anthony but don’t know what they’re getting into Edwards, Janet McTeer, Camille Coduri, when they mix with real inner-city Latinos. Jill Bennett, Sheila Hancock, Connie Booth. Potentially intriguing exploration of race, Heavy-handed black comedy about British class, and teen lifestyles goes way over the lawyer Dalton and American jock Edwards, top. Rare non-documentary effort by Kopboth terminally ill with cancer but still equally ple, scripted by another Oscar winner, Stered-blooded; they rip off an ambulance and phen Gaghan. Released direct to DVD in head for the brothels of Amsterdam for one the U.S. Unrated version runs 93m. Folfinal fling. Uneasy mixture of humor and lowed by a direct-to-DVD sequel. [R]쩠 touchy-feely emotion does not work. Barry Hav Plenty (1998) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: ChristoGibb (of the Bee Gees, who did the music) pher Scott Cherot. Christopher Scott Cherot, is coauthor of the story upon which this is Chenoa Maxwell, Hill Harper, Tammi based. [R]▼ Katherine Jones, Betty Vaughn. Smug, selfHawk the Slayer (1980-British) C-93m. ★1 satisfied romantic comedy about down-and⁄2 D: Terry Marcel. Jack Palance, John out writer who finds unexpected sparks with Terry, Bernard Bresslaw, Ray Charleson, his best friend when he spends New Year’s Peter O’Farrell, Harry Andrews, Roy weekend with her crazy friends and family. Kinnear, Ferdy Mayne. Brothers Palance Maxwell gives a truly irritating performance and Terry vie for a magical family sword as the inexplicable girl of Cherot’s dreams, in this period costumer. Labored, with but the writer-director-editor-star has chagimmicky direction.▼●쩠 risma; it’s his filmmaking skills that need Hawmps! (1976) C-113m. ★★ D: Joe Camp. polishing. Dopey movie-within-a-movie endJames Hampton, Christopher Connelly, Slim ing features Shemar Moore, Nia Long, TLC’s Pickens, Jack Elam, Denver Pyle. Amusing Chili, The Fugees’ Lauryn Hill, and Mekhi idea based on real life incident: camels trained Phifer. [R]▼쩠 as Army mounts in Texas desert. Some comHawaii (1966) C-171m. ★★★ D: George edy results, but how far can you stretch one idea? Originally released at 126m. [G]▼쩠 Roy Hill. Julie Andrews, Max von Sydow, Richard Harris, Torin Thatcher, Gene Head (1968) C-86m. ★★★ D: Bob Rafelson. Hackman, Carroll O’Connor, Jocelyne The Monkees, Terry (Teri) Garr, Vito Scotti, LaGarde, John Cullum, George Rose, MiTimothy Carey, Logan Ramsey, Frank chael Constantine. Sprawling filmization of Zappa, Jack Nicholson. Far-out film debut James Michener’s novel. Story (adapted by for TV rock group was written (or conDalton Trumbo and Daniel Taradash) follows cocted) by Rafelson and Nicholson before growth of Hawaii in 1800s as fierce but wellthey made big splash with FIVE EASY intentioned missionary tries to bring religion PIECES; this overlooked item is a delightto the undeveloped islands. Uneven but generful explosion of crazy ideas with no coherally entertaining epic. Originally released at ent plot, many old film clips, some good 189m.; some prints 151m. Look for Bette songs, and such unlikely guest stars as Midler as a passenger on the Hawaii-bound Sonny Liston and Victor Mature. Well ship. Sequel: THE HAWAIIANS. Panaworth seeing. [G]▼●쩠 vision. ▼●쩠 Head Above Water (1996-U.S.-British) Hawaiians, The (1970) C-134m. ★★★ D: C-92m. ★★ D: Jim Wilson. Harvey Keitel, Tom Gries. Charlton Heston, Geraldine Cameron Diaz, Craig Sheffer, Billy Zane, Chaplin, John Phillip Law, Tina Chen, Shay Duffin. Black comedy–thriller about Alec McCowen, Keye Luke, Mako. Selovely substance abuser Diaz; she’s married quel to HAWAII is epic narrative of seato judge Keitel, but her male friends still faring Heston returning home to a restless, carry a torch for her, with disastrous consechanging Hawaii. Film follows several dequences. Convoluted plot twists abound, but cades of relationships, conflict, hardship, you don’t really care what happens to any of progress, sex, leprosy—you name it. Comthese characters. Remake of same-named pelling, colorful storytelling, with outstand1993 Norwegian film. U.S. debut on cable ing performance by Chen. Panavision.[PG] TV. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Hawk Is Dying, The (2006) C-107m. ★1⁄2 Heading South (2005-Canadian-French) D: Julian Goldberger. Paul Giamatti, MiC-108m. ★★★ D: Laurent Cantet. Charlotte chelle Williams, Robert Wisdom, Rusty Rampling, Karen Young, Louise Portal, Schwimmer, Ann Wedgeworth, Michael Me´nothy Cesar, Lys Ambroise, Jackenson Pitt. Amid much angst, a stressed-out man Pierre Olmo Diaz. Absorbing, politically [ 592 ]

loaded drama set in Haiti during the late is the story development, but the director, 1970s, where pampered, sexually frustrated cowriter and star deliver the laughs. [PGmiddle-aged female tourists have hunky 13] ▼쩠 young native boys service them, blissfully Head-On (2004-German-Turkish-French) ¨ nel, Sibel unaware of the pressures they face under C-121m. ★★★ D: Fatih Akin. Birol U the brutal dictatorship of ‘‘Baby Doc’’ DuKekilli, Catrin Striebeck, Gu¨ven Kirac, Melvalier. The spotlight is on Rampling and tem Cumbul, Zarah McKenzie, Stefan GebelYoung, who vie for the attention of a handhoff. Two Turks, one a late-30s alcoholic some local (Cesar). Based on short stories nightclub employee, the other a young but by Dany Laferriere. 쩠 far-from-innocent woman determined to esHead in the Clouds (2004-Canadiancape her traditional family, meet in a hospiBritish) C-133m. ★★ D: John Duigan. Chartal in their adopted country of Germany. lize Theron, Pene´lope Cruz, Stuart Townsend, They embark on a paper marriage and live Thomas Kretschmann, Steven Berkoff, David as roommates, but drugs and other influLa Haye, Gabriel Hogan. Forthright young ences cause their lives to intertwine in unexwoman (Theron) lives a Bohemian life in pected ways. Harsh, powerful drama of 1930s Paris, some of it in a me´nage a` trois stubborn determination and immigrant culwith a photographer’s model (Cruz) and an ture provides a glimpse into a seedy milieu uptight Irish beau (Townsend) who is drawn that never seems phony.쩠 to the plight of the Spanish Republicans. Head Over Heels (1979) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Duigan’s screenplay bites off more than it Joan Micklin Silver. John Heard, Mary can chew, spanning 20 years, the evolution Beth Hurt, Peter Riegert, Kenneth McMilof two relationships, and a character’s politlan, Gloria Grahame, Nora Heflin, Griffin ical awakening. WW2 section rings hollow; Dunne. Low-key story of Heard’s obsesartificial backdrops don’t help. Theron and sion with winning back former girlfriend Cruz are quite good, and very sexy. Super Hurt; the kind of film that engenders strictly 35. [R]▼쩠 personal reactions—it will either charm or Headless Body in Topless Bar (1996) Cannoy you. Based on Ann Beattie’s novel CHILLY SCENES OF WINTER, and re101m. ★1⁄2 D: James Bruce. Raymond Barry, Jennifer MacDonald, Rustam Branaissued under that name at 93m. Jazz harman, April Grace, Taylor Nichols, David monica great Toots Thielemans is prominently featured on the soundtrack. [PG]▼ Selby, Paul Williams, Biff Yeager. This ‘‘psychological dark comedy’’ based on the Head Over Heels (2001) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: infamous 1983 New York Post headline is a Mark Waters. Monica Potter, Freddie Prinze, talky character piece about an ex-con who Jr., Shalom Harlow, Ivana Milicevic, Sarah takes the inhabitants of a topless bar hostage O’Hare, Tomiko Fraser, China Chow, Timafter killing the bartender. Might have othy Olyphant. Klutzy, unlucky-in-love art worked better as a one-act play—or, better restorer Potter falls for nice-guy fashion yet, left on the newsstand.▼쩠 exec Prinze, whose apartment is next door ★★ D: Ken Head Office (1986) C-86m. to the one she’s sharing with four fashion Finkleman. Judge Reinhold, Eddie Albert, models. While peeping in on him, she thinks Jane Seymour, Danny DeVito, Rick Moranis, she sees him commit murder. Forget REAR Don Novello, Michael O’Donoghue, WalWINDOW: this is an addlebrained, cliche´lace Shawn, Lori-Nan Engler. Naive Reinladen romantic comedy-farce-thriller. Super hold is hired by world’s most powerful 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 multinational conglomerate after his father Health (1979) C-100m. ★★ D: Robert Altpulls strings, falls for board chairman’s reneman. Carol Burnett, Glenda Jackson, James gade daughter. Episodic, wildly uneven Garner, Lauren Bacall, Diane Stilwell, Henry comedy wastes good cast, though Novello, Gibson, Donald Moffat, Paul Dooley, Dick Albert, and O’Donoghue have their funny Cavett, Alfre Woodard. Offbeat political moments, Seymour some sexy ones. Panasatire using health-food convention in Florvision. [PG-13]▼쩠 ida hotel as basis for various backroom sheHead of State (2003) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: nanigans. Non-Altman buffs may like this Chris Rock. Chris Rock, Bernie Mac, Dylan more than devotees; Woodard steals the Baker, Nick Searcy, Lynn Whitfield, Robin film—no easy feat considering that incrediGivens, Tamala Jones, James Rebhorn, Keith ble cast—as hotel’s ultra-patient manager. David, Stephanie March, Nate Dogg, Jude Shelved for two years. Title is acronym for Ciccolella, Tracy Morgan. A hardworking Happiness, Energy, And Longevity Through community activist and alderman from WashHealth. Panavision. [PG] ington, D.C., is drafted as a last-minute reHear My Song (1991-U.S.-British) Cplacement candidate for president. He soon 104m. ★★★ D: Peter Chelsom. Ned Beatty, tires of following orders and begins to speak Adrian Dunbar, Shirley Anne Field, Tara his mind. Rock is the whole show here, and Fitzgerald, David McCallum, William he’s on top of his game, spouting the kind Hootkins, Harold Berens, James Nesbitt. of straight talk we’d all like to hear from Wheeler-dealer nightclub owner must recandidates. The filmmaking is sloppy, as deem himself with his girlfriend—and his [ 593 ]

community—by finding expatriate Irish for John Larroquette. Cassady’s life is also explored in NEAL CASSADY. [R]▼쩠 tenor Josef Locke and bringing him back to England for an engagement. Charmingly offbeat, Heartbeeps (1981) C-79m. ★1⁄2 D: Allan old-fashioned film written by its first-time feaArkush. Andy Kaufman, Bernadette Peters, ture director and leading man Dunbar, very Randy Quaid, Kenneth McMillan, Melaloosely based on real-life story. If Beatty (as nie Mayron, Christopher Guest; voice of Jack Locke) didn’t pull off the climactic scene, it Carter. Two robots fall for each other in this wouldn’t work—but he does. [R]▼● misfired futuristic comedy. Students of Hear No Evil (1993) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Robmakeup might want to take a peek at Stan Winston’s work. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 ert Greenwald. Marlee Matlin, D. B. Sweeney, Martin Sheen, John C. McGinley, Heartbreakers (1984) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christina Carlisi, Greg Elam, Charley Lang, Bobby Roth. Peter Coyote, Nick Mancuso, Marge Redmond. Plotline reminiscent of Carole Laure, Max Gail, James Laurenson, WAIT UNTIL DARK, except the terrorCarol Wayne, Kathryn Harrold, Jamie ized young woman here is deaf, not blind. Rose. Moody, provocative film about two You can fill in the blanks. Grade-Z thriller, male friends (avant-garde artist Coyote, only partly redeemed by the presence of second-generation businessman Mancuso) Matlin. [R]▼●쩠 seeking creative and sexual fulfillment and Hearse, The (1980) C-100m. ★★ D: George trying to define their relationships with Bowers. Trish Van Devere, Joseph Cotten, others. Highly personal, occasionally inDavid Gautreaux, Donald Hotton, Med sightful film invites highly personal reacFlory, Donald Petrie. Passably engrossing tions. Bull’s-eye performances, great use yarn right off the woman-in-distress/houseof L.A. locations. [R]▼ inhabited-by-spirits assembly line, with Heartbreakers (2001) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: an unsatisfying conclusion. [PG]▼쩠 David Mirkin. Sigourney Weaver, Jennifer Heartaches (1981-Canadian) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 Love Hewitt, Gene Hackman, Ray Liotta, D: Donald Shebib. Margot Kidder, Annie Jason Lee, Anne Bancroft, Jeffrey Jones, Potts, Robert Carradine, Winston Rekert, Nora Dunn, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Carrie George Touliatos, Guy Sanvido. Pregnant Fisher, Ricky Jay, Sarah Silverman, Shawn Potts abandons husband Carradine—who Colvin, Kevin Nealon, Elya Baskin. Sleazy is not the baby’s father—and becomes the if watchable comedy about mother-andunwilling buddy of man-hunting screwball daughter con artists who marry men and Kidder. Fine lead performances spark this then take them for everything they’re worth minor comedy. [R]▼● in divorce settlements. Cast seems to be Heart and Souls (1993) C-104m. ★★★ D: having a good time; wonderful performance Ron Underwood. Robert Downey, Jr., by Hewitt’s breasts. Panavision. [PG-13] Charles Grodin, Alfre Woodard, Kyra Sedg▼쩠 wick, Tom Sizemore, David Paymer, ElisaHeartbreak Hotel (1988) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 beth Shue, Eric Lloyd, Bill Calvert, Lisa D: Chris Columbus. David Keith, Tuesday Lucas, Richard Portnow, B. B. King. Four Weld, Charlie Schlatter, Jacque Lynn Colton, disparate San Franciscans die in a bus acciAngela Goethals, Chris Mulkey, Karen dent in 1959, and find themselves inexoraLandry. A reliable test of your whimsy threshbly linked with a baby who’s been born at old, as an Ohio teen (Schlatter) kidnaps Elvis that same exact moment; what’s more, only in 1972, then transports him home to the dihe can see and hear them. A great showcase vorced mom (Weld) who’s carried a torch for for Downey—whose body is inhabited, at the King since the mid-1950s. Keith’s Presvarious times, by his heavenly friends— ley, like the entire film, is fun, though the though Woodard is equally good, as usual. premise is so hard to swallow that you’re Fans of mushy, sentimental, old-fashioned likely to go with this—or reject it—all the Hollywood fantasies (like us) should enjoy way. Pair this with WILD IN THE COUNthis fable; others beware. Based on a 9-minTRY or ROCK, ROCK, ROCK for a compatute short subject by the coauthors of this ible video double bill. [PG-13]▼●쩠 script. Look fast to see Bob Newhart’s son, Heartbreak Kid, The (1972) C-104m. ★★★ Robert William Newhart, impersonating his D: Elaine May. Charles Grodin, Cybill dad. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Shepherd, Jeannie Berlin, Eddie Albert, Heart Beat (1980) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: John Audra Lindley. Neil Simon’s supreme comByrum. Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, John edy of embarrassment, adapted from Bruce Heard, Ray Sharkey, Anne Dusenberry, Jay Friedman’s short story ‘‘A Change of Kent Williams, Tony Bill, Steve Allen. Plan.’’ Jewish boy (Grodin) gets married (to Hapless chronicle of the relationship beBerlin) but meets beautiful WASP blonde tween Jack Kerouac (Heard) and Carolyn (Shepherd) on honeymoon, and determines to (Spacek) and Neal (Nolte) Cassady. Byrum’s juggle plans. Either hilarious or horrifying, deflaky script (based more on fiction than on pending on your point of view; directed for fact) has no continuity whatsoever. Sharkey maximum impact by May, whose daughter stands out as the Allen Ginsbergesque Ira; plays Grodin’s bride. Remade in 2007. [PG] good period score by Jack Nitzsche. Watch ▼●쩠 [ 594 ]

Heartbreak Kid, The (2007) C-116m. Sincere adaptation of Carson McCullers’ ★★1 novel, set in the Deep South, benefits from ⁄2 D: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly. Ben Stiller, Malin Akerman, Michelle Momoving performances—including Arkin, naghan, Jerry Stiller, Rob Corddry, Carlos Locke (whose debut film this was), and comic Mencia, Scott Wilson, Polly Holliday, Lesactor McCann, in a revelatory change-of-pace lie Easterbrook, Eva Longoria. Eligible San part as Arkin’s simple-minded mute friend. Francisco bachelor Stiller chances to meet a Also marked film debut for Keach. [G]▼쩠 beautiful blonde dream girl (Akerman) and Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, The in no time flat gets married. Only on their (2004-U.S.-British-French-Japanese) C-97m. ★★ honeymoon to Mexico does he discover that D: Asia Argento. Asia Argento, Jimmy she’s the bride from hell . . . while striking Bennett, Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse, up a warm relationship with an American Peter Fonda, Ben Foster, Ornella Muti, Kip tourist (Monaghan) staying at the same Pardue, Michael Pitt, Marilyn Manson, Jerhotel. Reinvention of the 1972 hit plays suremy Sisto. Pretentious drama about a prisingly well, given the Farrellys’ usual woman who is ill equipped for parenthood penchant for overlength and gross-out gags but gains custody of her young son, who (though this one flopped). Super 35. [R]쩠 has been in foster care. He’s justifiably 1 ★★ ⁄2 Heartbreak Ridge (1986) C-130m. angry; she callously toys with his feelings, D: Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Marwith no regard for his safety. One-note film sha Mason, Everett McGill, Moses Gunn, may be read as an outsider’s warped view Eileen Heckart, Bo Svenson, Boyd Gaines, of an American heartland populated by abuMario Van Peebles, Arlen Dean Snyder. Eastsive parents, perverts, and hypocritical wood is so enjoyable to watch, as a hellBible-thumping rednecks. Argento also raising career marine sergeant who whips a scripted. Winona Ryder appears unbilled. squadron of young recruits into shape, that [R]쩠 he makes this predictable and protracted film Heartland (1979) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Richworthwhile. But it’s still pretty thin stuff and ard Pearce. Rip Torn, Conchata Ferrell, takes longer to play out than the real-life invaBarry Primus, Lilia Skala, Megan Folson, Amy Wright. Simple, well-told story of sion of Grenada it depicts. [R]▼●쩠 ★★★ Heartburn (1986) C-108m. hearty Americans surviving the rigors of D: Mike Nichols. Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson, frontier life, circa 1910. Ferrell plays a Jeff Daniels, Maureen Stapleton, Stockard young widow who accepts a job as houseChanning, Richard Masur, Catherine O’Hara, keeper for dour rancher Torn in the wilds Steven Hill, Milos Forman, Karen Akers, of Wyoming. Well acted, well filmed, and Anna Maria Horsford, Mercedes Ruehl, Jobeautifully understated; based on the actual diaries of a pioneer woman. [PG]▼쩠 anna Gleason, Yakov Smirnoff, Kevin Spacey, Natasha Lyonne. Nora Ephron Heartland Reggae (1980-Canadian) Cadapted her own best-selling (and autobio87m. BOMB D: J. P. Lewis. Bob Marley graphical) book about a sophisticated couand the Wailers, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller ple whose marriage seems just fine until she and the Inner Circle Band, Althea and learns he’s been having an affair—while Donna. Shoddy documentary of ’78 concert she’s pregnant! Lightweight, superficial commemorating a visit to Jamaica by Haile story is supercharged by two charismatic Selassie. Even the music can’t save it.▼쩠 stars, who make it a must-see. Director Heart Like a Wheel (1983) C-113m. ★★1 Forman’s acting debut. [R]▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Jonathan Kaplan. Bonnie Bedelia, Heart Condition (1990) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Beau Bridges, Leo Rossi, Hoyt Axton, James D. Parriott. Bob Hoskins, Denzel Bill McKinney, Anthony Edwards, Dean Washington, Chloe Webb, Roger E. MosPaul Martin, Paul Bartel, Dick Miller, ley, Ja’net DuBois, Alan Rachins, Ray Terence Knox. Well-made but curiously Baker, Jeffrey Meek. Superficial but enteruninspiring bio of race-car driver Shirley taining yarn about a crass, bigoted L.A. Muldowney, who had to fight sexism— cop who gets a heart transplant and learns, and the conflict of career vs. marriage—to to his dismay, that the donor was the slick become a champion on the track. Bedelia’s black lawyer he’d been stalking. What’s performance is outstanding, but disjointed more, the deceased appears as a ghost/comnarrative—particularly where her relationpanion who wants the cop to help avenge his ship with racer Connie Kalitta (Bridges) is murder. Outlandish premise made palatable concerned—is a handicap. [PG]▼●쩠 by its two dynamic leads. [R]▼●쩠 Heart of Dixie (1989) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, The (1968) Martin Davidson. Ally Sheedy, Virginia C-125m. ★★★ D: Robert Ellis Miller. Alan Madsen, Phoebe Cates, Treat Williams, Arkin, Sondra Locke, Laurinda Barrett, Don Michael Paul, Kyle Secor, Francesca Stacy Keach, Jr., Chuck McCann, Biff Roberts, Kurtwood Smith, Richard BradMcGuire, Percy Rodriguez, Cicely Tyson, ford, Barbara Babcock. Forgettable story Jackie Marlowe. Heart-rending drama of a of Alabama college sorority in the late deaf mute’s lonely world, and how he helps 1950s and one girl’s awakening to larger an adolescent girl struggling to find herself. realities of life—including the mistreatment [ 595 ]

of blacks in the South. Superficial and unincestuous relationship of Cooper and his redvolving, to say the least. [PG]▼●쩠 headed daughter Regan. Pretentious drama Heart of Glass (1976-German) C-93m. benefits from good acting, tense musical score ★★★ by Leonard Rosenman. [R]▼쩠 D: Werner Herzog. Josef Bierbichler, Stefan Autter, Clemens Scheitz, Volker Hearts and Armour (1982-Italian) C101m. ★★ D: Giacomo Battiato. Tanya Prechtel, Sonia Skiba. A glassblower has died without revealing the secret formula Roberts, Barbara De Rossi, Zeudi Araya, of his craft, and this has a profound, disRick Edwards, Leigh McCloskey, Ron turbing effect on his fellow townspeople. Moss. Well-mounted but confusing fanThematically muddled but visually stuntasy based on the 1516 classic Orlando ning; crammed with stark, graphic, beautiFurioso by Ludovico Ariosto. De Rossi is ful images. Based on a Bavarian legend; a sexy female warrior in knight’s armor Herzog each day put his cast into a hypfighting in the war between Christians and notic trance, to attempt to achieve an efMoors. American stars such as Roberts fect of collective hysteria.▼쩠 and McCloskey add little to a film (also Heart of Me, The (2003-British) C-96m. shot in TV miniseries form) aimed at an ★★1 ⁄2 D: Thaddeus O’Sullivan. Helena Boninternational audience. Technovision. ▼ ham Carter, Olivia Williams, Paul Bettany, Hearts and Minds (1974) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 Eleanor Bron, Luke Newberry, Tom Ward, D: Peter Davis. Oscar-winning documenGillian Hanna, Andrew Havill, Alison Reid. tary about our misguided involvement in A fine cast enlivens this earnest soap opera Vietnam was political hot potato for a while, about an upper-class gent in 1930s London but may rate more frequent showings now falling into an indiscreet affair with his that the country has caught up with it. wife’s sister. Well made, with good period Packs a wallop, regardless of one’s politidetail, this film works mainly as a showcase cal persuasion. [R]▼●쩠 for its actors. Based on the novel by RosaHearts in Atlantis (2001) C-101m. ★★ D: mond Lehmann. [R] ▼쩠 Scott Hicks. Anthony Hopkins, Hope Davis, Heart of Midnight (1988) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: David Morse, Anton Yelchin, Mika Boorem, Matthew Chapman. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Alan Tudyk, Celia Weston, Tom Bower. An Peter Coyote, Gale Mayron, Sam Schacht, Deimpressionable boy, being raised by his nise Dummont, Frank Stallone, Brenda Vacmother—who resents single parenthood— caro, Steve Buscemi. Psychological thriller falls under the spell of a mysterious, charisabout a young woman teetering on the edge of matic stranger who comes to board with sanity, who inherits a seedy sex club which them. Mushy mumbo-jumbo, nostalgically attracts a sick clientele. Good performance by set in 1960. Adapted by William Goldman Leigh and artsy approach to subject are minor from two short stories—Stephen King’s— diversions in this muddled and unpleasant but not the one that bore this title! Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 film. Written by the director. [R]▼● Heart of the Game, The (2006) C-97m. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apoc★★★1⁄2 D: Ward Serrill. Narrated by Chris alypse (1991) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fax Bahr, ‘‘Ludacris’’ Bridges. Filmmaker Serrill spent George Hickenlooper. Top-notch documenseven years filming a Seattle-area high tary detailing the disaster-laden producschool girls’ basketball team, and his first tion of Francis Coppola’s 1979 Vietnam gift was finding its unorthodox coach (colepic, APOCALYPSE NOW. Expertly lege tax prof Bill Resler, moonlighting). mixes footage shot by Eleanor Coppola Eventually, he was awarded a second (the director’s wife) during the film’s shoot(player Darnellia Russell, gifted but a buning in the Philippines and decade-later dle of emotions) and the kind of unanticiinterviews with crew and cast (excluding pated personal/legal plot twist that has to Marlon Brando, who declined to particibe the dream of all documentarians. HOOP pate). Revealing peek into the filmmaking DREAMS originated this kind of movie, process and a record of events during this but this is an extraordinary story and it gets particular film’s chaotic shoot. [R]▼●쩠 the crowd-pleasing rendering it deserves. Hearts of Fire (1987) C-95m. BOMB D: [PG-13]쩠 Richard Marquand. Fiona (Flanagan), RuHeart of the Matter, The (1953-British) pert Everett, Bob Dylan, Julian Glover, 105m. ★★★ D: George More O’Ferrall. Suzanne Bertish, Ian Dury, Richie HaTrevor Howard, Elizabeth Allan, Maria vens, Larry Lamb, Maury Chaykin. PerSchell, Denholm Elliott. Graham Greene’s fectly dreadful account of the rise of a rock novel of inner and outward conflict set in singer (Fiona), and her relationships with Sierra Leone, with Howard as police offiher mentors: a British pop star (Everett) cer on verge of mental collapse. and a cynical, retired rock legend (who Heart of the Stag (1984-New Zealand) else but Dylan). Dylan’s first screen apC-91m. ★★ D: Michael Firth. Bruno Lawpearance since 1978’s RENALDO AND rence, Mary Regan, Terence Cooper, Anne CLARA; Marquand’s final credit as direcFlannery. Lawrence is mysterious stranger tor. This turkey played briefly in England who signs on as a farmhand and disrupts inin 1987, and was released to video in [ 596 ]

1990. There are 19 songs on the soundtrack formances. Screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, from her novel. [R]▼쩠 (but none memorable enough to raise its rating). J-D-C Scope. [R]▼● Heat and Sunlight (1988) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 Hearts of the West (1975) C-102m. ★★★ D: Rob Nilsson. Rob Nilsson, Consuelo D: Howard Zieff. Jeff Bridges, Andy Faust, Don Bajema, Ernie Fosselius, Bill Griffith, Donald Pleasence, Blythe Danner, Bailey, Bill Ackridge. Photographer Nilsson Alan Arkin, Richard B. Shull, Herb Edelmust deal with his feelings and obsessions man, Alex Rocco, Marie Windsor, Dub as his love affair with dancer Faust ends. Taylor, William Christopher. Offbeat comLively in its best moments, but also meanedy. Starry-eyed Bridges comes to 1930s Holders and lacks structure. Characters are the lywood hoping to be a Western writer, winds most interesting element here. ▼●쩠 up starring in cheap cowboy films instead. Heathers (1989) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Enjoyable but low-key. [PG]▼ Lehmann. Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Heat (1972) C-100m. ★★★ D: Paul MorShannen Doherty, Lisanne Falk, Kim Walker, rissey. Sylvia Miles, Joe Dallesandro, Penelope Milford, Glenn Shadix, Lance FenAndrea Feldman, Pat Ast, Ray Vestal. ton. Sharp, somewhat smug satire of high Andy Warhol meets SUNSET BOULEschool social strata, with Ryder in a terrific VARD in this hot and heavy tale of unemperformance as a girl who hangs out with the ployed actor Dallesandro taking up with school’s bitch-queens but doesn’t feel quite faded star Miles. Even nonfans of the comfortable about their reign of terror. OutraWarhol group might like this. [R]▼쩠 geous black humor works at first, but isn’t Heat (1987) C-101m. BOMB D: R. M. sustained; uneven script goes far astray. Slater Richards. Burt Reynolds, Karen Young, is commanding in his Jack Nicholson-esque Peter MacNicol, Howard Hesseman, Neill performance. Feature debut for director LehBarry, Diana Scarwid, Joe Mascolo, Alfie mann and writer Daniel Waters, with many virtues as well as flaws. [R]▼●쩠 Wise. Dim, dingy, scattershot film (written by William Goldman, of all people) about a Las Heat of Desire (1980-French) C-90m. ★★ Vegas tough, whose exact livelihood is never D: Luc Beraud. Patrick Dewaere, Clio defined, but who knows how to handle the Goldsmith, Jeanne Moreau, Guy Marchand, low-lifes—and teaches ‘‘prote´ge´’’ MacNicol Pierre Dux, Jose-Luis Lopez Vasquez. Hapall he knows. So what? [R]▼●쩠 pily married university professor is whisked Heat (1995) C-172m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael away for spontaneous sex by mysterious, Mann. Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Killoose-living free spirit, who soon destroys mer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Diane his marriage and scuttles his career. Silly Venora, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, but sometimes sexy heavy-breather; several Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levscreen-filling shots of Goldsmith’s ample ine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, frame. U.S. release: 1984. [R]▼● Natalie Portman, Tom Noonan, Kevin Heat’s On, The (1943) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: GregGage, Hank Azaria, Henry Rollins, Tone ory Ratoff. Mae West, Victor Moore, Loc, Jeremy Piven. Dynamite cops-andWilliam Gaxton, Lester Allen, Mary Roche, robbers saga, with Pacino an obsessive, suHazel Scott, Xavier Cugat, Lloyd Bridges. persmart L.A. detective on the trail of highMae’s last starring vehicle (for several dectech, high-precision robber De Niro and his ades) is a routine show-biz musical about tight-knit gang. It turns out that the two a star involved with conniving producers. have more in common than either one might Befuddled Moore and colorful Cugat are think. A fascinating, multilayered character fun, but there isn’t enough of West in this study studded with gripping (and often viofilm; when she’s on screen, she’s just as funny as ever.▼ lent) action scenes, plus a chance to see two of the world’s greatest actors working Heatwave (1983-Australian) C-99m. ★★★ together—even though they share precious D: Phillip Noyce. Judy Davis, Richard little screen time. Overlength is the only Moir, Chris Haywood, Bill Hunter, John criticism of this crackerjack contemporary Gregg, Anna Jemison. Radical Davis prodrama. Mann scripted, reworking his 1989 tests destruction of neighborhood for $100 TV movie L.A. TAKEDOWN. Bud Cort million redevelopment project by firm which might have mob connections. Situation appears unbilled. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 Heat and Dust (1983-British) C-130m. further complicated by attraction between ★★★ D: James Ivory. Julie Christie, Greta her and project architect Moir in this Aussie Scacchi, Christopher Cazenove, Julian counterpart to CHINATOWN. From a realGlover, Susan Fleetwood, Shashi Kapoor, life incident, which also inspired THE KILLING OF ANGEL STREET. [R]▼ Madhur Jaffrey, Barry Foster, Zakir Hussain, Patrick Godfrey. Englishwomen Heaven (1987) C-80m. ★★ D: Diane Scacchi and great-niece Christie, 60 years Keaton. Nothing if not bizarre, this perapart, fall in love with India and become sonal project of Keaton’s intersperses oddly pregnant by natives—yet still remain outshot interviews with non sequitur clips siders in a land they can never fully from old movies on the subject of Heaven: comprehend. Intelligent drama, lovely perhow to get there, what it will be like, if it [ 597 ]

exists, etc. Clips range from METROPOEugene Pallette, Signe Hasso, Louis CalLIS to THE HORN BLOWS AT MIDhern. Excellent comedy-fantasy told in NIGHT—what’s the point? [PG-13] ▼●쩠 flashback. Ameche, who believes he’s lived Heaven (1998) C-103m. ★★ D: Scott Reyna life of sin, recalls his past as he requests olds. Martin Donovan, Danny Edwards, admission to Hades. Witty Samson RaphaelRichard Schiff, Joanna Going, Patrick Mason script helps make this a delight. Based lahide, Karl Urban. An intriguing premise on the play Birthdays by Laszlo BusFekete.▼●쩠 goes unrealized in this muddled psychological thriller about a deeply troubled architect Heaven Can Wait (1978) C-100m. ★★★ (Donovan) with a severe gambling problem D: Warren Beatty and Buck Henry. Warwho’s been rejected by his wife. Endless, ren Beatty, Julie Christie, Jack Warden, confusing plot twists are set into motion Dyan Cannon, Charles Grodin, James when he mixes with Heaven (Edwards), a Mason, Buck Henry, Vincent Gardenia. transvestite stripper who is also clairvoyant. Gentle, pleasing remake of HERE COMES Super 35. [R]▼쩠 MR. JORDAN with Beatty as good-natured Heaven (2002-U.S.-German) C-96m. ★★★ football player who is taken to heaven D: Tom Tykwer. Cate Blanchett, Giovanni ahead of schedule, and has to return to Ribisi, Mattia Sbragia, Alberto Di Stasio, ‘‘life’’ in another man’s body. Amiable Remo Girone, Alessandro Sperduti, Franbut never moving, with Christie miscast as cesca Neri. English schoolteacher living in the woman who inspires Beatty. Scripted by Italy, frustrated by a corrupt drug culture Beatty and Elaine May. This was remade as DOWN TO EARTH (2001). [PG] ▼●쩠 that’s harming her students, plants a bomb in the office of a local bigwig and suffers Heaven Help Us (1985) C-104m. ★★★ D: the consequences. During her police interroMichael Dinner. Donald Sutherland, John gation, a young, naı¨ve translator falls in love Heard, Andrew McCarthy, Mary Stuart with her and helps her escape. Ethereal, exMasterson, Kevin Dillon, Malcolm Danare, istential drama takes us on a surprising jourJennie Dundas, Kate Reid, Wallace Shawn, ney—with the always-riveting Blanchett at Philip Bosco, Patrick Dempsey, Christoits core. This was the final screenplay writpher Durang. Very funny evocation of ten by Krzysztof Kieslowski with his partCatholic high school life in Brooklyn, ner, Krzysztof Piesiewicz. [R]▼쩠 circa 1965, with solid ring of truth Heaven and Earth (1990-Japanese) Cthroughout. Shawn has hilarious cameo as 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Haruki Kadokawa. Takaai priest who kicks off school dance with Enoki, Masahiko Tsugawa, Atsuko Asano, denunciation of lust. Impressive feature Tsunehiko Watase, Naomi Zaizen, Binpachi debuts for writer Charles Purpura and director Dinner. [R]▼●쩠 Ito; narrated by Stuart Whitman. Physically impressive, large-scale Samurai epic, notable Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957) C107m. ★★★ D: John Huston. Deborah Kerr, for budget (reportedly over $40 million) and because much of it was shot in Canada! Lacks Robert Mitchum. Marvelous, touching tale the mastery of a Kurosawa at the helm, but of nun Kerr and Marine Mitchum stranded fans of big battle scenes may enjoy it anyway. together on a Japanese-infested Pacific isReleased in Japan at 119m.▼● land during WW2. Solid performances by Heaven & Earth (1993) C-140m. ★★1⁄2 D: the stars. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Oliver Stone. Tommy Lee Jones, Hiep Thi Heavenly Creatures (1994-New Zealand) Le, Joan Chen, Haing S. Ngor, Debbie C-99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter Jackson. Melanie Reynolds, Dustin Nguyen, Conchata FerLynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Peirse, Diana rell, Vivian Wu, Dale Dye, Liem Whatley. Kent, Clive Merrison, Simon O’Connor. Vietnamese woman’s painful odyssey from Dark, exhilarating story based on the truea peaceful childhood in a peasant village to life case of New Zealand teenagers Pauline a lifetime of upheaval both in Vietnam and Parker and Juliet Hulme, whose obsessive the U.S. This true story (based on two pubrelationship drove them to murder. Very lished memoirs by Le Ly Hayslip) tells of a well acted, and stunningly directed by Jackwoman forever caught between forces of son, who plunges us into the bizarre fantasy North and South in her native country; beworld that the girls create for themselves. tween the spiritual and the practical; beThe real-life Hulme, it was later discovered, tween Vietnamese and American ways. A has written best-selling murder mysteries jumbled narrative, difficult to watch at times, for years under the pseudonym Anne Perry. but writer-director Stone lets us share the Jackson also cowrote the screenplay with character’s emotional catharsis at the concluFrances Walsh. Director’s cut runs 109m. sion. Hayslip can be seen briefly as a jewelry Original New Zealand running time: 108m. broker; Jeffrey Jones appears unbilled as a Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 priest. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Heavenly Kid, The (1985) C-89m. ★1⁄2 Heaven Can Wait (1943) C-112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Cary Medoway. Lewis Smith, Jason D: Ernst Lubitsch. Gene Tierney, Don Gedrick, Jane Kaczmarek, Richard MulliAmeche, Charles Coburn, Marjorie Main, gan, Mark Metcalf. Embarrassingly amaLaird Cregar, Spring Byington, Allyn Joslyn, teurish fantasy-comedy about a greasy [ 598 ]

teen of the early ’60s who dies in a chicken coming her boyfriend and savior. There is a race and can’t get into heaven—until he sense of sadness and eloquence to Victor, helps out a young nerd in the 1980s. [PGbut not quite enough. ▼●쩠 13]▼쩠 Heavy Metal (1981-Canadian) C-90m. ★★★ Heavenly Pursuits SEE: Gospel AccordD: Gerald Potterton. Voices of Richard ing to Vic, The Romanus, John Candy, Joe Flaherty, Don Francks, Eugene Levy, Harold Ramis, John Heavens Above! (1963-British) 105m. ★★★ D: John Boulting. Peter Sellers, Cecil ParVernon. Episodic animated feature is unker, Isabel Jeans, Eric Sykes, Bernard even, but great fun on a mindless, adolesMiles, Ian Carmichael, Irene Handl, Brock cent level. Sexy sci-fi stories and vignettes Peters, William Hartnell, Roy Kinnear, in a variety of graphic styles, many set to Joan Hickson. Wry satire on British clergy rock music. Our favorites: ‘‘Harry Canyon,’’ life; Sellers top-notch as the reverend who about a N.Y.C. cabbie of the future, and becomes bishop in outer space. Originally ran ‘‘Den,’’ a boy’s macho fantasy. Film is actu118m. Produced by Roy Boulting.▼쩠 ally the work of many animation studios, direcHeaven’s Gate (1980) C-149m. ★★ D: tors, and writers around the world. Followed in Michael Cimino. Kris Kristofferson, Chris2000 by an in-name-only direct-to-video setopher Walken, Isabelle Huppert, Jeff quel. [R] ▼●쩠 Bridges, John Hurt, Sam Waterston, Brad Heavy Petting (1988) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dourif, Joseph Cotten, Geoffrey Lewis, Obie Benz. David Byrne, Sandra BernRichard Masur, Terry O’Quinn, Mickey hard, Allen Ginsberg, Ann Magnuson, SpaldRourke, Willem Dafoe. Writer-director Ciing Gray, Josh Mostel, Laurie Anderson, mino’s now-notorious spectacle is missing John Oates, Abbie Hoffman, Jacki Ochs. just one thing: a story. It deals, more or ATOMIC CAFE–style look at sexual less, with the conflict between immigrant mores in the 1950s, punctuated by celebrity settlers of 19th-century Wyoming and the interviews and highlighted by hysterical ruthless American empire-builders who period film clips. Scattershot quasi-docuwant them eliminated. Stunningly photomentary lacks strong point of view, but it’s graphed (by Vilmos Zsigmond) on magtough to knock a film in which such ‘‘witnificent locations, with incredible period nesses’’ as David Byrne, William S. Burdetail—all to little effect, since the narraroughs, and Zoe Tamerlis (of MS. 45 cultdom) offer their views on teen dating. [R]▼●쩠 tive, character motivations, and soundtrack are so hopelessly muddled. Originally Heavy Traffic (1973) C-76m. ★★★1⁄2 D: shown at 219m. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Ralph Bakshi. Animated feature is someHeaven’s Prisoners (1996) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 what pretentious and largely gross in telling D: Phil Joanou. Alec Baldwin, Mary Stuart of young New Yorker depressed by sights Masterson, Kelly Lynch, Eric Roberts, Teri and sounds around him, finding refuge at Hatcher, Vondie Curtis Hall. Alcoholic fordrawing-board. Dazzling cinematic treatmer New Orleans cop Baldwin and his wife ment, with often revolutionary combination Lynch rescue a little girl from a wrecked of live-action and animation. Some brilliant aircraft, but this leads to involvement with set-pieces within loose story framework. [R—edited from original X rating]▼쩠 drug runners and murder. Adaptation of James Lee Burke’s popular novel about a Heavyweights (1994) C-97m. ★★ D: Steven Cajun detective is too long and slow, and Brill. Tom McGowan, Aaron Schwartz, captures little of the regional atmosphere; Ben Stiller, Shaun Weiss, Tom Hodges, except for the miscast Baldwin, the cast is Leah Lail, Paul Feig, Max Goldblatt, Jeffrey excellent, especially Masterson as a stripper Tambor, Jerry Stiller, Anne Meara. Yet anand Roberts as a drug lord. Tommy Lee other summer camp movie, this one about a Jones later played detective Dave Robihaven for overweight kids where, as the cheaux in IN THE ELECTRIC MIST. press release said, ‘‘big is beautiful and thin isn’t in.’’ That is, until campers meet up with [R]▼●쩠 1 ★★ Heaven With a Gun (1969) C-101m. the fitness counselor of their nightmares. This ⁄2 D: Lee H. Katzin. Glenn Ford, Carolyn heavy-handed comedy’s intended ‘‘mesJones, Barbara Hershey, John Anderson, sage’’ about self-esteem is undermined by a David Carradine. Peace-loving man is forced barrage of fat jokes! [PG] ▼●쩠 to return to world of violence in the Old Hedda (1975-British) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: West. Uneven. Panavision. [M] Trevor Nunn. Glenda Jackson, Peter Eyre, Heavy (1996) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Timothy West, Jennie Linden, Patrick StewMangold. Pruitt Taylor Vince, Liv Tyler, art. Royal Shakespeare Company producShelley Winters, Deborah Harry, Joe Grition of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler attains a fasi, Evan Dando. Somber character study modicum of vitality from Jackson’s showy about Victor (Vince), a chubby, balding, performance in the title role. So-so. [PG]▼ hopelessly shy pizza chef who toils in a Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) C91m. ★★★ D: John Cameron Mitchell. John rural eatery run by his widowed mother (Winters). Enter a pretty teen (Tyler), the Cameron Mitchell, Miriam Shor, Stephen new waitress; Victor fantasizes about beTrask, Theodore Liscinski, Rob Campbell, [ 599 ]

Michael Aronov, Andrea Martin. Hedwig is for Terrio, adapted by Amy Fox from her an ‘‘internationally ignored’’ rock star, the one-act play. A Merchant-Ivory presentasurvivor of a botched sex-change operation tion. [R] 쩠 whose dumping by the boy-toy rock idol Heimat (1984-German) C/B&W-940m. ★★★ he helped nurture has left him dazed and D: Edgar Reitz. Marita Breuer, Dieter embittered. Very offbeat off-Broadway muSchaad, Rudiger Weigang, Karin Rasenack, sical is cleverly filmed by its author-star in Willi Burger, Gertrud Bredel, Mathias an impressive directing debut. Even wary Kniesbeck. No, that running time is not a viewers might be pulled in by the terrific typo! This is an ambitious epic, almost 16 score (by costar Trask) and inventive musihours in length, about life in a provincial cal numbers. Imaginative animation by German village between 1919 and 1982. Emily Hubley. [R]▼쩠 First few hours are generally more comHe Got Game (1998) C-136m. ★★1⁄2 D: pelling than the last. Has its boring stretches, Spike Lee. Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, and after a while it does seem like a Milla Jovovich, Rosario Dawson, Hill Harper, glorified soap opera, but at its best, perZelda Harris, Ned Beatty, Jim Brown, Joseph ceptive, comic, even poetic. Gernot Roll’s Lyle Taylor, Bill Nunn, John Turturro, Locinematography is exquisite. Followed by two sequels. ▼쩠 nette McKee. A prisoner is freed for one week to convince his son—the country’s hottest Heiress, The (1949) 115m. ★★★★ D: Wilhigh school basketball player—to sign with liam Wyler. Olivia de Havilland, Ralph the state governor’s favorite college. FarRichardson, Montgomery Clift, Miriam fetched premise is played out with conviction, Hopkins, Vanessa Brown, Mona Freeman, but its points are obvious and hammered Ray Collins, Selena Royle. Henry James’ home redundantly. Redeemed by strong charnovel Washington Square receives superacterizations and powerful moments. Many lative screen treatment with Oscar-winning basketball stars and coaches appear as themde Havilland as spinster wooed by fortuneselves; young Allen is himself an NBA hunter Clift in 19th-century N.Y.C., deplayer. [R]▼●쩠 spite warnings from her cruel father, RichHeidi (1937) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Allan Dwan. ardson. Aaron Copland’s music score also Shirley Temple, Jean Hersholt, Arthur won an Oscar. Adapted by Ruth and AuTreacher, Helen Westley, Mady Christians, gustus Goetz from their stage play. Remade in 1997 as WASHINGTON SQUARE. ▼●쩠 Sidney Blackmer, Sig Ruman, Marcia Mae Jones, Mary Nash. Classic children’s story Heir to Genghis Khan, The SEE: Storm set in 19th-century Switzerland is good Over Asia vehicle for Shirley, playing girl taken from Heist, The (1979-Italian) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: grandfather (Hersholt) to live with cruel Sergio Gobbi. Charles Aznavour, Virna Nash. Nice tear-jerker for children. Also Lisi, Robert Hossein. Typical cop-chasingshown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 gangster mishmash wastes its cast but is Heidi (1965-Austrian-German) C-95m. ★★★ distinguished by some great stunt drivD: Werner Jacobs. Eva Marie Singhammer, ing. Video version runs 92m.▼ Gertraud Mittermayr, Gustav Knuth, Lotte Heist (2001) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Ledi. Fine retelling of classic children’s Mamet. Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito, Delstory about young girl who leaves her cozy roy Lindo, Sam Rockwell, Rebecca Pidgeon, home in Swiss Alps for adventures in the Ricky Jay, Patti LuPone, Jim Frangione. Caworld below.▼ reer criminal is ready to retire with his girlHeidi’s Song (1982) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Robfriend, but his backer insists on one more ert Taylor. Voices of Lorne Greene, Sammy robbery—a daring heist of a Swiss cargo Davis, Jr., Margery Gray, Michael Bell, plane. Hackman and his crew aren’t just Peter Cullen. Animated feature from Hannathieves, they’re master con artists, so the Barbera studio reprises all-too familiar Heidi film is overloaded with cons, twists, twists tale. Despite songs by Sammy Cahn and on cons, etc. Mamet’s script is sharp and Burton Lane, awkward continuity, lifeless funny but perhaps too clever for its own animation and an excess of cute animals good; by the end it’s no longer satisfying. leave this little better than most Saturday [R] ▼쩠 morning fare. [G]▼ He Knows You’re Alone (1981) C-94m. ★1 Heights (2005) C-93m. ★★★ D: Chris Ter⁄2 D: Armand Mastroianni. Don Scardino, rio. Glenn Close, Elizabeth Banks, James Caitlin O’Heaney, Elizabeth Kemp, Tom Marsden, Jesse Bradford, Matt Davis, John Rolfing, Patsy Pease, Tom Hanks, Dana Light, Andrew Howard, Eric Bogosian, Barron, Paul Gleason. Yet another entry in George Segal, Isabella Rossellini, Rufus slice-and-dice genre, this one with minor Wainwright, Tom (Thomas) Lennon. Comnovelty of brides-to-be as victims. A bit pelling look at 24 hours in the life of hip, less bloody than others of its ilk; otherwise, young Manhattanites, both gay and straight, business as usual. Hanks’ film debut. Aka BLOOD WEDDING. [R]▼쩠 and their tumultuous romantic relationships. Anchored by Close’s bravura turn as an He`las Pour Moi (1993-French-Swiss) Caging theater legend. Stylish feature debut 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Luc Godard. Ge´rard De[ 600 ]

pardieu, Laurence Masliah, Bernard Verley, horror fare. Still, after years of watching movJean-Louis Loca. Pensive account of an avies where straight people act stupid and get erage married couple (Depardieu and Maskilled, gay horror fans may welcome a mediocre genre picture to call their own. [R]쩠 liah) who reside in a Swiss village, and what happens when the husband’s body supposedly Hellbound (1993-U.S.-Canadian-Israeli) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Aaron Norris. Chuck Norris, is borrowed by a ‘‘god.’’ Of interest as an examination of the meaning of faith, but Calvin Levels, Christopher Neame, Sheree the narrative is much too fragmented and J. Wilson, David Robb, Cherie Franklin, the film too cluttered with declarations and Jack Adalist, Erez Atar. After being imprisepisode headings. Godard based his screenoned by Richard the Lion-Hearted in 1186, play in part on Greek legend. Video title: Satan’s emissary (Neame) is freed in modOH, WOE IS ME.▼쩠 ern times to face a more formidable foe: Held Up (2000) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Steve Rash. Chuck Norris. Too much acting from Jamie Foxx, Nia Long, Barry Corbin, John Neame, not enough from Norris, and a silly Cullum, Jake Busey, Michael Shamus story with little action. This sat on the shelf Wiles, Eduardo Yanez, Sarah Paulson, Julie for two years before going direct to video. Hagerty. While vacationing in the Grand Some attractive Israeli settings. [R] ▼●쩠 Canyon, Long dumps her fiance´ (Foxx) Hellbound: Hellraiser II (1988-British) upon learning that he’s spent their nest egg C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Tony Randel. Ashley Lauon a vintage Studebaker. Then the car is rence, Clare Higgins, Kenneth Cranham, stolen . . . and finally, Foxx is taken hostage. Imogen Boorman, Sean Chapman, Doug The real crime is that time-wasters like this Bradley, William Hope. Confusing, tedious make it to the screen. [PG-13]▼쩠 sequel begins immediately after first film ends. Helen Morgan Story, The (1957) 118m. Teenage heroine literally goes to Hell in ★★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Ann Blyth, Paul effort to rescue ill-fated father, but encounNewman, Richard Carlson, Gene Evans, Alan ters opposition from her revived stepmother King, Cara Williams. Fiction about dynamic and an occult-obsessed psychiatrist. But 1920s and ’30s torch singer, dwelling on her Hell is a boring, dusty labyrinth. Almost as romances and alcoholism; Blyth never capgruesome as HELLRAISER (it’s not a sequel tures the star’s pathos or greatness. She’s to HELLBOUND), but nowhere near as endubbed by Gogi Grant. CinemaScope.▼쩠 tertaining. Followed by HELLRAISER III: HELL ON EARTH. [R]▼●쩠 Helen of Troy (1956) C-118m. ★★ D: Robert Wise. Stanley Baker, Rossana Podesta, BriHellboy (2004) C-125m. ★★★ D: Guillermo gitte Bardot, Jacques Sernas, Cedric Harddel Toro. Ron Perlman, John Hurt, Selma wicke, Harry Andrews. Sweeping pageantry, Blair, Rupert Evans, Karel Roden, Jeffrey but empty script spoils this version of story Tambor, Doug Jones, Ladislav Beran, Bridget about the woman who caused the Trojan War. Hodson. Explosive adaptation of Mike MigFilmed in Italy. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 nola’s comic book about a powerful creature Hell and High Water (1954) C-103m. born during a (literally) hellish confrontation ★★1⁄2 D: Samuel Fuller. Richard Widmark, during WW2; nowadays he works as a ‘‘seBella Darvi, Victor Francen, Cameron cret weapon’’ for the U.S. government. Only Mitchell, Gene Evans, David Wayne, Steproblem: he’s a bit of a wiseguy. Enough phen Bekassy, Richard Loo. Uneven mixeffects and imaginative ideas for at least two ture of romance, espionage, and a demovies stuffed into one, leavened by a dismolition caper, stemming from submarine arming sense of humor. Perlman is terrific mission to Arctic. Tame film got a boost as the cigar-chomping, emotionally vulnerafrom being shot in CinemaScope.쩠 ble Hellboy. Del Toro also scripted. David Hellbenders, The (1967-Italian-Spanish) Hyde Pierce provides the uncredited voice C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Sergio Corbucci. Joseph for Abe Sapien. Director’s cut runs 145m. Cotten, Norma Bengell, Julian Mateos, Followed by an animated series and a seGino Pernice, Angel Aranda, Maria Marquel. [PG-13] ▼쩠 tin. Dreary spaghetti Western in which Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008) Ccrazed ex-Confederate officer Cotten schemes 110m. ★★★ D: Guillermo del Toro. Ron Perlto rekindle the rebel cause, facing a variety man, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor, Doug Jones, John Alexander, James Dodd, Luke of complications and crises.▼쩠 Hellbent (2005) C-85m. ★★ D: Paul EtheredgeGoss, Anna Walton, John Hurt, Roy DoOuzts. Dylan Fergus, Bryan Kirkwood, trice; voice of Seth MacFarlane. Now marHank Harris, Andrew Levitas, Matt Phillips, ried but just as ornery as ever, Hellboy (or Wren T. Brown. A group of gay men find Red, as his wife Liz calls him) and his parathemselves stalked by a serial killer during normal partners battle a power-hungry West Hollywood’s Halloween parade. This ‘‘dark prince’’ who’s determined to awaken ‘‘first gay slasher film’’ (as its ads pro- a slumbering army of mechanical soldiers claimed) has moments that cleverly combine and take over the world. This one’s all about and send up slasher movie conventions and the journey, not the destination; filled with gay stereotypes, but it isn’t much scarier or wildly imaginative creatures, special effects more entertaining than typical made-for-video set pieces, and the snarky sense of humor [ 601 ]

shared by del Toro and Mike Mignola, who Japanese, confront each other on deserted created the Hellboy comic books. Only WW2 Pacific island. Gripping idea well excomplaint: it goes on too long. [PG-13]쩠 ecuted, with two dynamic actors; only the finale disappoints. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Hellcats of the Navy (1957) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nathan Juran. Ronald Reagan, Nancy Davis Hellions, The (1962-British) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 (Reagan), Arthur Franz, Harry Lauter, D: Ken Annakin. Richard Todd, Anne Selmer Jackson. Satisfactory actioner of Aubrey, Lionel Jeffries, Zena Walker, Jamie WW2 exploits of U.S. submarine and its Uys, Marty Wilde. Western revenge plot crew. Ronald and Nancy Reagan’s only transferred to 19th-century South Africa; screen appearance together.▼쩠 inevitable shoot-out intact. Technirama. Hell Comes to Frogtown (1987) C-88m. Hell Is for Heroes (1962) 90m. ★★★ D: ★1 Donald Siegel. Steve McQueen, Bobby ⁄2 D: R. J. Kizer, Donald G. Jackson. Roddy Piper, Sandahl Bergman, Rory CalDarin, Fess Parker, Harry Guardino, James houn, Cec Verrill, William Smith, Nicholas Coburn, Mike Kellin, Nick Adams, Bob Worth, Kristi Sommers. Goofy post-holoNewhart. Tough, taut WW2 film about a caust tale with wrestler ‘‘Rowdy’’ Roddy small squadron forced to hold off a Geras the only fertile male left on earth, who man attack by pretending they’re larger—and sets out to rescue women being held capmore powerful—than they really are. Takes tive by froglike mutants. At least the frog its time getting started but builds in intensity masks are good. 1992 sequel: RETURN TO to a riveting climax. Only incongruous note: FROGTOWN. [R]▼●쩠 presence of young Newhart, who even interHell Divers (1932) 113m. ★★ D: George polates a variation on one of his telephone Hill. Wallace Beery, Clark Gable, Conrad monologues into the story! Cowritten by WW2 specialist Robert Pirosh.▼●쩠 Nagel, Dorothy Jordan, Marjorie Rambeau, Marie Prevost, Cliff Edwards. Beery and Hell Night (1981) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Tom Gable are boisterous rivals in the Naval DeSimone. Linda Blair, Vincent Van PatAir Force in this often lively but overlong ten, Peter Barton, Jenny Neumann, Kevin MGM effort, with some still-exciting aeBrophy, Suki Goodwin. How’s this for rial action. Watch for young Robert Young originality? Four college fraternity/sorority as a sailor. pledges must spend a night in Garth ManHell Drivers (1957-British) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: sion, which is haunted by ghost of retarded Cy Endfield. Stanley Baker, Herbert Lom, killer. Unfortunately, reports of his death Peggy Cummins, Patrick McGoohan, Jill were greatly exaggerated. No nudity or exIreland, Gordon Jackson, David McCallum, plicit violence, which makes one wonder Sean Connery. Taut account of ex-con just what audience they had in mind. Extremely dull. [R]▼쩠 trucker carrying heavy cargoes over rugged roads and trying to expose boss’ racket. Hello Again (1987) C-96m. ★★ D: Frank British running time: 108m. VistaVision. Perry. Shelley Long, Judith Ivey, Gabriel Heller in Pink Tights (1960) C-100m. Byrne, Corbin Bernsen, Sela Ward, Aus★★1⁄2 D: George Cukor. Sophia Loren, tin Pendleton, Carrie Nye, Robert Lewis, Anthony Quinn, Margaret O’Brien, Steve Madeleine Potter, Illeana Douglas. Long IsForrest, Edmund Lowe. Colorful tale of land housewife chokes to death but is theatrical troupe that travels throughout brought back to life by her witchlike sister the Old West—with the law often in purone year later . . . and soon discovers that she suit. Based on a Louis L’Amour novel.▼쩠 can’t simply pick up her life where she left off. Hellfighters (1968) C-121m. ★★ D: AnContemporary comedy written by Susan Isaacs drew V. McLaglen. John Wayne, Kathadoesn’t develop its premise with any logic or rine Ross, Jim Hutton, Vera Miles, Bruce momentum, and quickly sags. Long tries Cabot, Jay C. Flippen. Broadly acted adher best. [PG]▼●쩠 venture about men who fight oil fires is made Hello, Dolly! (1969) C-146m. ★★1⁄2 D: endurable by good cast. Wayne’s character is Gene Kelly. Barbra Streisand, Walter based on real-life oil well firefighter Red Matthau, Michael Crawford, E. J. Peaker, Adair. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Marianne McAndrew, Tommy Tune, Louis Hellfire Club, The (1961-British) C-93m. Armstrong, Danny Lockin. Splashy treatment ★★★ D: Robert S. Baker, Monty Berman. of smash Broadway play with Jerry Herman’s Keith Michell, Adrienne Corri, Peter Cushing, popular score. Dolly Levi insists on playing Peter Arne, Kai Fischer, David Lodge, Martin matchmaker, even when she herself gets Stephens, Miles Malleson, Francis Matthews. matched. Overblown and unmemorable, but Lively, entertaining 18th-century swashbuckcolorful diversion. Based on Thornton Willer with familiar rightful- vs. wrongful-heir der’s The Matchmaker (filmed in 1958). plot; acrobatic Michell makes a dashing hero. Oscar winner for Sound, Art Direction, and The depraved, powerful, real-life club of the Score (Lennie Hayton and Lionel Newman). title serves as backdrop. DyaliScope. ▼쩠 Some prints run 118m. Todd-AO. [G]▼●쩠 ★★★ Hell in the Pacific (1968) C-103m. Hello Down There (1969) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: D: John Boorman. Lee Marvin, Toshiro Jack Arnold. Tony Randall, Janet Leigh, Mifune. Two men, one American, one Jim Backus, Roddy McDowall, Ken Berry, [ 602 ]

Merv Griffin, Richard Dreyfuss. So-called Michael Beach, Laura Cayouette, Francesco comedy about family living in experimenQuinn. Generally dreadful Tarantino wantal underwater home might entertain chilnabe, charting the swagger and antics of a dren if you pay them to watch it. Reissued band of aging bikers. Oh yes, there’s plenty as SUB-A-DUB-DUB. [G]쩠 of female nudity, with the babes collectively ★★ Hello Frisco, Hello (1943) C-98m. young enough to be the bikers’ offspring. D: H. Bruce Humberstone. Alice Faye, John Bishop (the star of 1960s and ’70s biker Payne, Jack Oakie, Lynn Bari, Laird Cregar, films) also scripted and produced. Quentin June Havoc, Ward Bond. Hackneyed Tarantino, in fact, is one of the executive producers. Super 35. [R]쩠 musicomedy of Payne getting too big for his britches as Barbary Coast entrepreneur; Hell’s Angels (1930) 127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: HowOscar-winning song, ‘‘You’ll Never Know.’’ ard Hughes. Ben Lyon, James Hall, Jean Big comedown from earlier musicals with Harlow, John Darrow, Lucien Prival, Roy star trio.▼쩠 Wilson. Hughes’ expensive, indulgent WW1 Hello-Goodbye (1970-British) C-107m. aviation film is in a class by itself; slowBOMB D: Jean Negulesco. Michael Crawmoving and sometimes corny storywise, ford, Curt Jurgens, Genevieve Gilles, Ira but unmatched for aerial spectacle. Also Furstenberg, Lon Satton. Abysmal love the film that launched Harlow (‘‘Would triangle goes nowhere, makes no sense. you be shocked if I put on something Awful, loose, and annoying. [PG] more comfortable?’’) to stardom. TwoHello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987color Technicolor party scene and tinted Canadian) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Pittman. night sequences were restored in 1989. Lisa Schrage, Michael Ironside, Wendy James Whale, credited as dialogue direcLyon, Justin Louis. No relation to PROM tor, actually wrote and directed much of NIGHT. Lyon, who looks great in or out the film. Beware shorter prints.▼쩠 of costume, is possessed by the spirit of Hell’s Angels on Wheels (1967) C-95m. ★★1 a murdered prom queen and becomes her ⁄2 D: Richard Rush. Adam Roarke, Jack instrument of revenge. [R] ▼●쩠 Nicholson, Sabrina Scharf, Jana Taylor, Hellraiser (1987-British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Garwood. Excellent photography by Clive Barker. Andrew Robinson, Clare then-unknown Laszlo Kovacs, and NichHiggins, Ashley Laurence, Sean Chapolson’s characterization as gas station atman, Oliver Smith, Robert Hines. Robintendant named Poet, make this one tough son and Higgins move into a roomy British to resist on a trash level. Famed Angel Sonny Barger was technical advisor.▼쩠 dwelling, unaware that his half brother— and her former lover—is hiding upstairs in Hell’s Bloody Devils (1970) C-92m. ★★ a kind of gelatinous/skeletal state; soon the D: Al Adamson. Broderick Crawford, Scott beast is forcing her to lure stray men back Brady, John Gabriel, Kent Taylor, John to the house so he can replenish himself Carradine, Robert Dix, Keith Andes, Jack with their blood. Grisly but stylish directoStarrett, Anne Randall, Vicki Volante. Travrial debut by famed horror novelist Barker; eling the low road to action with, believe it or ugly fun all the way. Followed by HELLnot, a gang of sadistic bikers, a band of neoBOUND: HELLRAISER II. [R]▼●쩠 Nazis, the Vegas mob, a sinister dude named Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth (1992) Count von Delberg—all beating one another C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Anthony Hickox. Terry to a pulp. Add a cast of veteran actors and, Farrell, Doug Bradley, Paula Marshall, incredibly, a score by Nelson Riddle! Aka Kevin Bernhardt, Ken Carpenter, Ashley THE FAKERS, SMASHING THE CRIME Laurence. Further adventures of the grossSYNDICATE, and SWASTIKA SAVAGES. [PG]쩠 out Pinhead goes for the jokes, not the jugular. This time Pinhead crosses paths with Hell’s Island (1955) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil an ambitious TV newswoman who winds up Karlson. John Payne, Mary Murphy, Franwith the grisliest (if not the biggest) story of cis L. Sullivan, Eduardo Noriega, Paul her career. Freddy and Jason are starting to Picerni. Tough-talking melodrama about look good by comparison. [R]▼●쩠 Payne’s pursuit of stolen gem and relaHellraiser: Bloodline (1996) C-85m. tionship with deceitful former girlfriend; BOMB D: Alan Smithee. Bruce Ramsay, script has echoes of THE MALTESE FALValentina Vargas, Doug Bradley, Adam CON, and even a Sydney Greenstreet figScott, Charlotte Chatton. Pinhead matches ure in the person of Sullivan. VistaVision. wits with a demon lover/cohort, ironically Hell’s Long Road (1963-Italian) C-89m. ★★1 named Angelique (Vargas). Dull and plot⁄2 D: Charles Roberti. Elena Brazzi, heavy, even if you’re a Clive Barker devotee. Kay Nolandi, Berto Frankis, Bela Kaivi, Re-caulk your bathtub instead. Followed by Marcello Charli. Offbeat costume sudser five direct-to-video sequels. [R] ▼●쩠 set in ancient Rome during rule of Nero Hell Ride (2008) C-84m. ★1⁄2 D: Larry (Frankis), focusing on personal life of arch Bishop. Larry Bishop, Michael Madsen, senator (Charli) and romance with splendiEric Balfour, Vinnie Jones, Leonor Varela, ferous Brazzi; vivid settings. David Carradine, Dennis Hopper, Julia Jones, Hellstrom Chronicle, The (1971) C-90m. [ 603 ]

★★1

⁄2 D: Walon Green. Lawrence Pressman. Help Me Dream (1981-Italian) C-112m. ★★★ Documentary about man’s impending strugD: Pupi Avati. Mariangela Melato, gle against insects somehow beat THE Anthony Franciosa, Paola Pitagora, JeanSORROW AND THE PITY for the Oscar, Pierre Le´aud, Alexandra Stewart. Intriguing, but sappy narration and repetitive structure original, winningly nostalgic musical rolessen its effect. Still, microphotography is mance centering on affable American flyer incredible; enjoyed brief vogue as a ‘‘head’’ Franciosa hiding out with Italian Melato movie. [G]▼ and children in a farmhouse during WW2. An Hell to Eternity (1960) 132m. ★★1⁄2 D: ode to an idealized America, with period Phil Karlson. Jeffrey Hunter, David Janssen, songs and choreography by Hermes Pan. Vic Damone, Patricia Owens, Sessue Hemingway’s Adventures of a Young Man (1962) C-145m. ★★ D: Martin Ritt. Hayakawa. Straightforward drama based on true story of WW2 hero Guy Gabaldon, Richard Beymer, Diane Baker, Paul Newwho was raised by Japanese foster parents; man, Corinne Calvet, Fred Clark, Dan battle scenes galore.▼쩠 Dailey, James Dunn, Juano Hernandez, Hell Up in Harlem (1973) C-96m. BOMB Arthur Kennedy, Ricardo Montalban, SuD: Larry Cohen. Fred Williamson, Julius san Strasberg, Jessica Tandy, Eli Wallach, W. Harris, Gloria Hendry, Margaret Avery, Simon Oakland, Michael (J.) Pollard. D’Urville Martin. Excessively violent, Loosely based on autobiographical data poorly filmed sequel to BLACK CAESAR from his stories, this pretentious, drawnas Fred makes N.Y.C. a decent place to out memory of the famed author is overlive by annihilating all who stand in his blown, cornball, and embarrassing. Fine way. [R]▼쩠 cast mostly wasted. Aka ADVENTURES OF A YOUNG MAN. CinemaScope.쩠 Hell With Heroes, The (1968) C-95m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Joseph Sargent. Rod Taylor, ClauHennessy (1975-British) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 dia Cardinale, Harry Guardino, Kevin McD: Don Sharp. Rod Steiger, Lee Remick, Carthy, Peter Duel, William Marshall. OK Richard Johnson, Trevor Howard, Peter pulp fiction about WW2 flyers Taylor and Egan, Eric Porter. Interesting but unbeDuel who run air-cargo service, become lievable thriller about Irish man whose involved with notorious smuggler Guardino wife and child are killed in Belfast vioand his mistress (Cardinale). Unprofound, lence, stirring him to plan bombing of but slickly done. Techniscope. Parliament on opening day when the Royal Hellzapoppin’ (1941) 84m. ★★★ D: H. C. Family attends. [PG]▼ Potter. Ole Olsen, Chic Johnson, Martha Henry Aldrich series SEE: Leonard MalRaye, Mischa Auer, Jane Frazee, Hugh tin’s Classic Movie Guide Henry & June (1990) C-134m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Herbert, Robert Paige, Shemp Howard, Elisha Cook, Jr. Famous madcap Broadway Philip Kaufman. Fred Ward, Uma Thurshow is conventionalized by Hollywood, man, Maria de Medeiros, Richard E. Grant, with romantic subplot and too many songs, Kevin Spacey, Jean-Philippe Ecoffey, Bruce but still has many inspired moments of Myers, Jean-Louis Bunuel. Stylish, atmolunacy, from a throwaway CITIZEN KANE spheric, and surprisingly unerotic adaptagag to the mutterings of Hugh Herbert. tion of the Anais Nin diaries dealing He Loves Me . . . He Loves Me Not (2002specifically—and in sexually explicit fashFrench) C-96m. ★★★ D: Laetitia Colombani. ion—with her lover (author Henry Miller) Audrey Tautou, Samuel Le Bihan, Isabelle and Henry’s wife June. Performed with Carre´, Cle´ment Sibony, Sophie Guillemin, gusto (in Ward’s case, broad gusto) and Eric Savin. Evocative psychological thriller distinguished by brilliant production deabout a young art student (Tautou) who is sign of randy Paris, circa 1931. Screenobsessively in love with a married cardioloplay by Philip and Rose Kaufman. Controgist (Le Bihan) and is convinced he’s about versy over the adult material in this film to leave his wife for her. Then the story is finally caused the MPAA to create a new told from his point of view. Most enjoyable, NC-17 rating. [NC-17]▼●쩠 and an assured feature debut for director/ Henry Fool (1998) C-137m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hal coscreenwriter Colombani.▼쩠 Hartley. Thomas Jay Ryan, James UrHelp! (1965-British) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: baniak, Parker Posey, Maria Porter, James Richard Lester. John Lennon, Paul McSaito, Kevin Corrigan, Liam Aiken, Miho Cartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Nikaido, Gene Ruffini. Hartley just misses Leo McKern, Eleanor Bron, Victor Spinetti, the mark with this characteristically offbeat Roy Kinnear, Patrick Cargill. Crazy, funny tale of Simon Grim (Urbaniak), a bashful film, the Beatles’ second. Lots of wild garbageman, and the title character (Ryan), gags, many songs (including ‘‘Ticket to a free spirit who encourages him to begin Ride,’’ ‘‘Another Girl,’’ ‘‘You’ve Got to writing poetry. An allegory that, in its best Hide Your Love Away,’’ title tune). The moments, serves as an ode to nonconforstory: a religious sect attempts to recover a mity and risk-taking; but it’s uneven and sacrificial ring from Ringo. Written by overlong. Scripted by Hartley. Followed a decade later by FAY GRIM. [R]▼쩠 Charles Wood and Marc Behm.▼●쩠 [ 604 ]

Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1973Wilson is dour and dreary throughout, but British) C-125m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Waris HusBarraza is wonderful as a gentle true besein. Keith Michell, Donald Pleasence, Charliever. Simple story of a man’s spiritual lotte Rampling, Jane Asher, Lynne Frederick. awakening is well told but not particularly Adapted from BBC-TV series, historical pagcompelling. Super 35. [PG]쩠 eant divides time evenly among the wives, Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990) Rampling and Frederick coming off best. MiC-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John McNaughton. Michell is exceptional as the King. [PG]쩠 chael Rooker, Tracy Arnold, Tom Towles. Henry V (1945-British) C-137m. ★★★★ D: Unpleasant, unexploitive, and brilliantly Laurence Olivier. Laurence Olivier, Robdirected portrayal of diseased minds (not ert Newton, Leslie Banks, Renee Asherson, just Henry’s), loosely based on the life of Esmond Knight, Leo Genn, Ralph Truman, self-confessed Texas mass murderer Henry Harcourt Williams, Ivy St. Helier, Ernest Lee Lucas. As disturbing as Michael PowThesiger, Max Adrian, George Cole, Felix ell’s PEEPING TOM, which it in many Aylmer, Robert Helpmann, Freda Jackson, ways resembles. Definitely not for everyJimmy Hanley, John Laurie. Olivier’s masone, with some very graphic scenes; a terful rendition of Shakespeare play is a cinepowerful (if minimalist) movie experience. matic treat, filmed in rich color and framed Screenplay by director McNaughton and by ingenious presentation of a typical perRichard Fire. Filmed in 1986. Followed by formance at the Globe theater during 1500s. a 1997 sequel. [X]▼●쩠 This earned Olivier a special Academy Her Alibi (1989) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Award ‘‘for his outstanding achievement as Beresford. Tom Selleck, Paulina Porizkova, actor, producer, and director in bringing William Daniels, James Farentino, Hurd HENRY V to the screen.’’▼●쩠 Hatfield, Patrick Wayne, Tess Harper, Joan Henry V (1989-British) C-137m. ★★★1⁄2 Copeland. Successful mystery writer hopes D: Kenneth Branagh. Kenneth Branagh, to cure his career slump by providing a Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed, Alec Mcfake alibi for accused murderer Porizkova Cowen, Ian Holm, Richard Briers, Robert (by putting her up in his dreamy country Stephens, Robbie Coltrane, Christian home and observing her behavior). AmiaBale, Judi Dench, Paul Scofield, Michael ble but awkwardly directed comedy benefits Maloney, Emma Thompson, Geraldine from attractive leads and amusing supportMcEwan. Stunning revitalization of Shakeing cast; would you believe Wayne in a speare’s play about the warrior-king, with ponytail and loud golf pants? [PG]▼●쩠 Branagh (in an incredible directorial deHe Ran All the Way (1951) 77m. ★★1⁄2 D: but) breathing fire and meaning into the John Berry. John Garfield, Shelley Winters, worthy text. A different reading from OliviWallace Ford, Selena Royle, Gladys George, er’s but no less impressive; when he finishes Norman Lloyd. Taut but predictable thriller his speech before leading his men into battle with on-the-lam cop killer Garfield hiding out at Agincourt, you’re ready to enlist! Superb in Winters’ home. Garfield’s final film. music by Patrick Doyle. Supporting cast is Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) C-101m. ★★★ peppered with familiar faces from the elite D: Angela Robinson. Lindsay Lohan, Miof British theater and film. Won Costume chael Keaton, Matt Dillon, Justin Long, Design Oscar.▼●쩠 Breckin Meyer, Cheryl Hines, Jill Ritchie. ★★ D: Henry IV (1984-Italian) C-95m. Single father Keaton takes daughter Lohan Marco Bellochio. Marcello Mastroianni, to an auto junkyard so she can pick out a car Claudia Cardinale, Luciano Bartoli, Latou as a college graduation present; instead, a Chardons, Leopoldo Trieste. Disappointing car (Herbie) picks her. In fact, the Volkswaupdate of Pirandello’s brilliant satirical play gen Beetle steers her into a rivalry with on the nature of madness and illusion. cocky NASCAR driver Dillon. FamilyWhen a nobleman falls off his horse, he friendly reprise of the Disney series that comes to believe he’s Emperor Henry began with THE LOVE BUG, and a good IV . . . or does he? The two stars do what vehicle for Lohan. Real-life racers and they can to extract a few moments of lucidsportscasters appear as themselves; cowriter ity from the confusion. [PG-13]▼쩠 Thomas Lennon plays Dillon’s hapless Henry Poole Is Here (2008) C-99m. ★★ brother. [G] 쩠 D: Mark Pellington. Luke Wilson, Radha Herbie Goes Bananas (1980) C-100m. Mitchell, Adriana Barraza, Cheryl Hines, ★1⁄2 D: Vincent McEveety. Charlie Martin George Lopez, Richard Benjamin, Morgan Smith, Steven W. Burns, Cloris Leachman, Lily, Rachel Seiferth, Beth Grant. DeJohn Vernon, Elyssa Davalos, Harvey pressed man dumps his fiance´e and business Korman, Richard Jaeckel, Alex Rocco, when he believes he is dying and moves Fritz Feld. Fourth Disney LOVE BUG back to the neighborhood where he grew epic finds Smith and Burns driving ol’ ’53 up, wanting to be left alone. When neightoward a race in Brazil, but encountering bors think they see a stucco image of Christ all sorts of ‘‘hilarious’’ obstacles along the on his property, his serenity is interrupted by constant visitors in search of a miracle. way. One amusing scene where the VW [ 605 ]

turns matador; otherwise, strictly scrap animated TV series and a video sequel. [G] metal. A TV series followed. [G]▼●쩠 ▼●쩠 Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1977) Hercules II (1985-Italian) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: C-91m. ★★ D: Vincent McEveety. Dean Lewis Coates (Luigi Cozzi). Lou Ferrigno, Jones, Don Knotts, Julie Sommars, Roy Milly Carlucci, Sonia Viviani, William Kinnear, Jacques Marin. Spy ring hides Berger, Carlotta Green, Claudio Cassinelli. diamond in Herbie the Volkswagen’s gas Sequel to HERCULES (1983). Recomtank while Jones is racing in Europe. Dismended for nondiscriminating viewers too ney’s LOVE BUG formula is starting to young to read this. Video title: THE ADVENTURES OF HERCULES. [PG]▼쩠 run out of gas. [G]▼●쩠 Herbie Rides Again (1974) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 Hercules in New York (1970) C-91m. ★1 D: Robert Stevenson. Helen Hayes, Ken ⁄2 D: Arthur Allan Seidelman. Arnold Berry, Stefanie Powers, Keenan Wynn, Stang, Arnold Strong (Schwarzenegger), John McIntire, Huntz Hall. OK sequel to Taina Elg, James Karen, Deborah Loomis, THE LOVE BUG with similar special efErnest Graves, Tanny McDonald. Hercules fects, as Herbie the Volkswagen tries to journeys to Earth from Mt. Olympus and help Hayes and Berry steer clear of evil gets mixed up with wrestling promoters— Alonzo Hawk (Wynn). Typical Disney and mobsters—in this lumbering comedy. slapstick. [G]▼●쩠 Inept, but irresistible for the opportunity to Her Bridal Night SEE: Bride Is Much watch a young, badly dubbed SchwarzenegToo Beautiful, The ger in his movie debut. (His original dialogue Her Brother (1960-Japanese) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 track was restored for the DVD.) Reissued D: Kon Ichikawa. Keiko Kishi, Hiroshi as HERCULES—THE MOVIE at 82m., and Kawaguchi, Kinuyo Tanaka, Masayuki Mori. HERCULES GOES BANANAS at 75m. Troublesome family is brought together when [G]▼●쩠 immature brother-son Kawaguchi contracts Hercules in the Haunted World (1961tuberculosis; central to the scenario is his Italian) C-83m. ★★ D: Mario Bava. Reg warm relationship with his older sister (Kishi). Park, Christopher Lee, Leonora Ruffo, Sentimental drama. Daieiscope. Giorgio Ardisson, Ida Galli. Occasionally 1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Hercules (1959-Italian) C-107m. sparked by atmospheric settings, this swordPietro Francisci. Steve Reeves, Sylva and-sandal epic narrates adventures of Koscina, Gianna Maria Canale, Fabrizio Park in the devil’s kingdom. Totalscope Mioni, Ivo Garrani, Gina Rovere, Luciana Super/100.▼쩠 Paoluzzi (Paluzzi). This Italian import beHercules Unchained (1960-Italian) Ccame a surprise U.S. hit, and served as the 101m. ★★ D: Pietro Francisci. Steve Reeves, prototype of all cloak-and-sandal pictures to Sylva Koscina, Primo Carnera, Sylvia come: Reeves is musclebound mythical hero Lopez. Par-for-the-course entry featuring in essentially a retelling of the story of Jason the muscleman hero and his princess bride and the Golden Fleece. Sequel: HERCULES setting off for the city of Thebes; along the UNCHAINED. Dyaliscope. ▼●쩠 way he will bid to prevent a war and tangle Hercules (1983-Italian) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: with a sinister queen. Dyaliscope.▼●쩠 Lewis Coates (Luigi Cozzi). Lou Ferrigno, Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) 93m. ★★★★ Mirella D’Angelo, Sybil Danning, Ingrid D: Alexander Hall. Robert MontAnderson, William Berger, Brad Harris, gomery, Evelyn Keyes, Claude Rains, Rita Rossana Podesta. Silly, special-effects-laden Johnson, Edward Everett Horton, James epic with Hercules (Ferrigno) attempting to Gleason, John Emery. Excellent fantasyrescue kidnapped Princess Anderson. Howcomedy of prizefighter Montgomery acciever, the ex-Incredible Hulk is undeniably dentally sent to heaven before his time, well cast. Followed by a sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 forced to occupy a new body on earth. Hercules (1997) C-93m. ★★★ D: John Hollywood moviemaking at its best, with Musker, Ron Clements. Voices of Tate first-rate cast and performances; Harry Donovan, Susan Egan, James Woods, Segall won an Oscar for his original story, Danny DeVito, Rip Torn, Samantha Eggar, as did Sidney Buchman and Seton I. Miller Bobcat Goldthwait, Matt Frewer, Hal Holfor their screenplay. Characters used again brook, Barbara Barrie; opening narration by in DOWN TO EARTH (1947); film remade Charlton Heston. Entertaining Disney caras HEAVEN CAN WAIT in 1978 and toon feature based on Greek mythology. DOWN TO EARTH (2001). Look fast for a young Lloyd Bridges.▼●쩠 Baby Hercules is stolen from Mount Olympus by the bungling henchmen of Hades; Here Comes the Groom (1951) 113m. ★★★ raised as a mortal with extraordinary strength, D: Frank Capra. Bing Crosby, Jane he must prove himself a real hero to regain Wyman, Franchot Tone, Alexis Smith, entry to the home of the gods. Funny, wellJames Barton, Anna Maria Alberghetti. paced story is peppered with gags and songs Crosby contrives to keep former fiance´e (by Alan Menken and David Zippel), and a Wyman from marrying millionaire Tone in standout characterization by Woods as the this lightweight musical outing. Guest apgarrulous and glib villain. Followed by an pearances by Louis Armstrong, Dorothy [ 606 ]

Lamour, Phil Harris, and Cass Daley, plus constant dead-end. Amusing, often clever Oscar-winning song, ‘‘In the Cool, Cool, adolescent romp; music by Stevie Winwood Cool of the Evening.’’▼●쩠 & Traffic, Spencer Davis Group. Here Comes the Navy (1934) 86m. ★★1⁄2 Her Majesty Mrs. Brown SEE: Mrs. D: Lloyd Bacon. James Cagney, Pat O’BriBrown Hero, The (1970) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richen, Gloria Stuart, Dorothy Tree, Frank McHugh. Enjoyable but standard tale of ard Harris. Richard Harris, Romy Schneicocky Cagney who becomes Navy hero; der, Kim Burfield, Maurice Kaufman, Yossi nothing new, but well done. Yadin. Old-fashioned film about a soccer Here Come the Co-Eds (1945) 87m. ★★1⁄2 star and the young boy who idolizes him; D: Jean Yarbrough. Bud Abbott, Lou partly filmed in Israel. [PG]▼ Costello, Peggy Ryan, Martha O’Driscoll, Hero (1992) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen June Vincent, Lon Chaney (Jr.), Donald Frears. Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Cook. Pretty zany Abbott and Costello Garcia, Joan Cusack, Kevin J. O’Connor, comedy of two wacky caretakers turning Maury Chaykin, Stephen Tobolowsky, Chrisformerly staid girls’ school on its ear.▼쩠 tian Clemenson, Tom Arnold, Warren BerHere Come the Girls (1953) C-78m. ★★1⁄2 linger, Susie Cusack, James Madio, Darrell D: Claude Binyon. Bob Hope, Arlene Dahl, Larson. Seriocomic yarn about a ne’er-doRosemary Clooney, Tony Martin, Fred well (Hoffman) who saves lives after a plane Clark, Robert Strauss, the Four Step Brothcrash, barely giving it a thought, until an imers. At times amusing romp with Hope a postor (Garcia) takes credit for the good deed, naive show biz-ite who becomes involved and becomes lionized by the public—and the with killer on the loose.▼● media. Flawed but entertaining, with some Here Come the Nelsons (1952) 76m. ★★ glib, funny potshots at television. How many D: Frederick de Cordova. Ozzie, Harriet, times did they watch MEET JOHN DOE beDavid, Ricky Nelson, Rock Hudson, Ann fore filming this? Chevy Chase, Edward HerrDoran, Jim Backus, Barbara Lawrence, Shelmann, Barney Martin, and Fisher Stevens don Leonard, Gale Gordon. Expanded version appear unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 of radio’s Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Hero (2002-Hong Kong-Chinese) C-96m. ★★★ D: Zhang Yimou. Jet Li, Tony Leung spotlighting a series of typical, comical situations. Light, predictable fare that paved the Chiu-wai, Maggie Cheung, Zhang Ziyi, way for the long-running TV series.▼ Chen Dao Ming, Donnie Yen, Liu Zhong Here Come the Waves (1944) 99m. ★★★ Yuan. A ruthless, ambitious king is atD: Mark Sandrich. Bing Crosby, Betty tempting to merge the conflicting Chinese Hutton, Sonny Tufts, Ann Doran, Gwen municipalities into a united empire in 3rdcentury A.D., and the title character (Li, perCrawford, Noel Neill, Catherine Craig, Mae Clarke. Zippy wartime music-comedy fectly cast), a warrior called Nameless, rewith Crosby cleverly cast as a Sinatra-like lates how he overpowered the king’s three crooner, the idol of bobby-soxers, who most potent enemies. Different versions are joins the Navy, and becomes involved with offered in a RASHOMON-like manner, and twin sisters (played by Hutton—and one’s each unfolds using a different color scheme. even demure!). Harold Arlen–Johnny Mercer Action-packed, visually sumptuous saga score includes ‘‘Let’s Take the Long Way also charts a love triangle between two of Home,’’ ‘‘(That Old) Black Magic’’ (rethe enemy warriors (Cheung, Leung Chiuprised from STAR SPANGLED RHYTHM), wai) and a servant (Ziyi). A bit confusing at and ‘‘Ac-cent-u-ate the Positive,’’ which is times, but visually dazzling. Aka JET LI’S performed in blackface! Yvonne De Carlo HERO. Released in the U.S. in 2004. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 and Mona Freeman have bit parts.▼쩠 Here on Earth (2000) C-96m. ★★ D: Mark Hero Ain’t Nothin’ But a Sandwich, A Piznarski. Chris Klein, Leelee Sobieski, (1978) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ralph Nelson. Josh Hartnett, Michael Rooker, Bruce GreenCicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, Larry B. ´ nnie Corley, wood, Annette O’Toole, A Scott, Helen Martin, Glynn Turman, David Elaine Hendrix, Stuart Wilson. Spoiled prepGroh. Well-meaning drama (from Alice pie Klein falls for small-town girl Sobieski Childress’ book) about intelligent but while rooming with her boyfriend’s family alienated black ghetto youth who takes up for the summer. Fateful teen romantic triandrugs. Moralistic film may get PTA recgle is strictly by-the-numbers. Sobieski gets ommendations, but doesn’t really deliver: points for radiantly dangling two hunky young Scott’s performance is major guys along; if she were any more angelic asset. [PG]▼●쩠 she’d explode. [PG-13]▼쩠 Hero and the Terror (1988) C-96m. ★1⁄2 Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush D: William Tannen. Chuck Norris, Brynn (1968-British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clive DonThayer, Steve W. James, Jack O’Halloran, ner. Barry Evans, Judy Geeson, Angela Ron O’Neal, Billy Drago. Flat melodrama Scoular, Sheila White, Vanessa Howard, proves to be an unwise change of pace for Denholm Elliott. British teenager Evans action star Norris, here playing a ‘‘sensiis hung up on girls, but finds his pursuits a tive’’ police detective who must exorcise [ 607 ]

his personal demons by doing battle one man Cotten in undistinguished romance, last time with his larger-than-life maniac brightened by Deanna’s singing. Songs: nemesis O’Halloran. Film’s cowriter, for‘‘Begin The Beguine,’’ etc. He Said, She Said (1991) C-115m. ★★ D: mer actor Michael Blodgett, has an endless cameo in a restaurant scene. [R]▼●쩠 Ken Kwapis, Marisa Silver. Kevin Bacon, ★★1 Hero At Large (1980) C-98m. Elizabeth Perkins, Sharon Stone, Nathan ⁄2 D: Martin Davidson. John Ritter, Anne ArchLane, Anthony LaPaglia, Stanley Anderer, Bert Convy, Kevin McCarthy, Harry son, Charlaine Woodard, Danton Stone. Bellaver, Anita Dangler. Unemployed actor We say, piffle. Gimmick comedy charts the Ritter is mistaken for do-gooding ‘‘Capdissolution of a romance between two Baltitain Avenger’’; political hucksters Convy more journalists who parlay their rival and McCarthy attempt to co-opt him. Winpoint/counterpoint columns into a popular ning if naive satire. Look fast for Kevin local TV spot. Kwapis’ half (marginally funBacon. [PG]▼쩠 nier) is shown from Bacon’s point of view; Heroes, The (1972-Italian) C-99m. ★★ D: Silver’s (marginally better, thanks to PerDuccio Tessari. Rod Steiger, Rod Taykins) takes overlong story from the opposite lor, Rosanna Schiaffino, Claude Brasseur, perspective. About as contemporary as a Terry-Thomas. A middling script sinks ’60s TV sitcom, with clumsy fantasy sethis forgettable actioner about a motley quences. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 crew that bands together to pull off a heist He’s Just Not That Into You (2009) Cof ‘‘lost’’ military money. Techniscope. [PG] 129m. ★★★ D: Ken Kwapis. Ginnifer GoodHeroes (1977) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeremy win, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Paul Kagan. Henry Winkler, Sally Field, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, BradHarrison Ford, Val Avery, Olivia Cole, ley Cooper, Ben Affleck, Kevin Connolly, Hector Elias. Innocuous film marked WinJustin Long, Kris Kristofferson, Busy Philkler’s first starring role, as crazy Vietnam vet ipps, Leonardo Nam, Sasha Alexander, who chases a dream of wealth and success Wilson Cruz. Men send signals to women— cross-country; Field is appealing as the girl he more than ever in the age of electronic meets and wins along the way. [PG]▼쩠 devices—but some women don’t know how ★★★ Heroes for Sale (1933) 73m. to read them. That’s what needy Goodwin D: William A. Wellman. Richard Barthelmess, tries to learn with help from self-styled masLoretta Young, Aline MacMahon, Robert ter of communication Long. Other attractive Barrat, Grant Mitchell, Douglass Dumbrille, couples face a variety of crises in this epiCharles Grapewin, Ward Bond. Potent sodic comedy with unexpectedly serious melodrama with Barthelmess as an Ameriundertones. Not another airheaded romantic can Everyman who manages to survive one comedy but a ‘‘battle of the sexes’’ for our calamity after another—from morphine addictimes, based on the book by Greg Behrendt tion (as a result of a WW1 injury) to joband Liz Tuccillo. Luis Guzma´n appears unhunting during the Depression—and continbilled. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 ues to endure, like the country itself. AmbiHe’s My Girl (1987) C-104m. ★★ D: tious script by Wilson Mizner and Robert Gabrielle Beaumont. T.K. Carter, David Lord tackles everything from the hypocrisy of Hallyday, Misha McK, Jennifer Tilly, Dahero worship to Communism! A fascinating vid Clennon. A few amusing moments social document of the early 1930s.▼쩠 cannot save this silly comedy about Carter Heroes of Telemark, The (1965-British) dressing in drag to accompany pal Hallyday C-131m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anthony Mann. Kirk on a free trip to Hollywood. Lots of enDouglas, Richard Harris, Michael Redgrave, ergy, but it’s mostly for naught. [PG-13]▼ Mervyn Johns, Eric Porter. Douglas and Hester Street (1975) 92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Joan Harris spend more time battling each other Micklin Silver. Steven Keats, Carol Kane, than the Nazis overrunning Norway in this Mel Howard, Dorrie Kavanaugh, Doris pictorially striking (filmed on location), Roberts, Stephen Strimpell. Young Jewish predictable blow-up-the-German-factory yarn. immigrant (Kane) joins her husband in Panavision.▼ N.Y.C. at turn of the century, only to Hero’s Island (1962) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: find that he has forsaken his Old World Leslie Stevens. James Mason, Kate Manx, ways and expects her to do the same. Neville Brand, Rip Torn, Warren Oates, Disarmingly simple story, outstanding peBrendan Dillon, (Harry) Dean Stanton. riod flavor. [PG]▼쩠 Peculiar mixture of adventure and soap He Walked by Night (1948) 79m. ★★★ D: opera set in 18th-century on island near Alfred L. Werker. Richard Basehart, Scott North Carolina, involving pirates and homeBrady, Roy Roberts, Whit Bissell, Jack Webb. steaders. Mason coproduced. Panavision. Grade-A drama of killer hunted by police; told Hers to Hold (1943) 94m. ★★ D: Frank in semi-documentary style (and partially diRyan. Deanna Durbin, Joseph Cotten, rected by Anthony Mann). Great climax in Charles Winninger, Nella Walker, Gus L.A. storm drains; photographed by the great Schilling, Ludwig Stossel, Irving Bacon. John Alton. This clearly inspired Webb’s creation of Dragnet.▼●쩠 Grown-up Durbin is in love with service[ 608 ]

He Was Her Man (1934) 70m. ★★ D: Lloyd Bacon. James Cagney, Joan Blondell, Victor Jory, Frank Craven, Sarah Padden. Disappointing drama of safecracker Cagney on the lam, meeting Blondell, who’s engaged to fisherman Jory. One of Cagney’s weakest Warner Bros. vehicles. He Who Gets Slapped (1924) 85m. ★★★ D: Victor Seastrom. Lon Chaney, Norma Shearer, John Gilbert, Tully Marshall, Marc McDermott, Ford Sterling. Brilliant scientist tries to bury personal tragedy under mask of circus clown, who falls in love with beautiful bareback rider (Shearer). Famous story becomes Pagliacci-type vehicle for Chaney.▼● He Who Rides a Tiger (1966-British) 103m. ★★ D: Charles Crichton. Tom Bell, Judi Dench, Paul Rogers, Kay Walsh, Ray McAnally. Cat burglar is nice to children and is further softened by love, but he still has professional problems; OK programmer. Hex (1973) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Leo Garen. Keith Carradine, Tina Herazo (Cristina Raines), Hilarie Thompson, Gary Busey, Robert Walker, Dan Haggerty, John Carradine, Scott Glenn. Off-the-wall bike movie that involves a motorcycle gang with occultism in post-WW1 Nebraska. You’ve been warned. Video title: THE SHRIEKING. [PG]▼● Hexed (1993) C-90m. ★★ D: Alan Spencer. Arye Gross, Claudia Christian, Adrienne Shelly, Ray Baker, R. Lee Ermey, Michael Knight, Robin Curtis, Brandis Kemp, Norman Fell, Teresa Ganzel. Hotel clerk with delusions of grandeur gets involved with a once overweight fashion model whose long-ago act of arson killed 32 people. Very hit-and-miss—and at worst, terrible—but at least it isn’t bland. Christian, as the model, is a stitch. [R]▼●쩠 Hey Arnold! The Movie (2002) C-76m. ★★ D: Tuck Tucker. Voices of Spencer Klein, Francesca Marie Smith, Jamil Smith, Dan Castellaneta, Tress MacNeille, Paul Sorvino, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Lloyd, Vincent Schiavelli, Maurice LaMarche, Kath E. Soucie. Arnold leads his friends and neighbors in a protest when an industrialist threatens to tear down their neighborhood to build an elaborate mall. Straightforward adaptation of the popular animated TV series plays like an extended episode; OK for young children. [PG]

from the sexy Swedish classic SHE ONLY DANCED ONE SUMMER. [R]▼●쩠 Hey Boy! Hey Girl! (1959) 81m. ★1⁄2 D: David Lowell Rich. Louis Prima, Keely Smith, James Gregory, Henry Slate, Asa Maynor, Sam Butera and The Witnesses. Minor lowbudget musical about a singer (Smith) who will join Prima and The Witnesses only if they appear at a church bazaar. Louis sings the unforgettable ‘‘A Banana Split for My Baby (And a Glass of Water for Me).’’ Hey Good Lookin’ (1982) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: Ralph Bakshi. Voices of Richard Romanus, David Proval, Jesse Welles, Tina Bowman. Animated feature dips into ‘‘nostalgia’’ for street gangs in 1950s Brooklyn, and a sense of deja vu hangs over the proceedings. More interesting visually than Bakshi’s other later films, because this one wasn’t completely traced from live-action footage, but as entertainment it’s vulgar and pointless. Originally made in 1975, then largely redone for 1982 release. [R]▼ Hey, Let’s Twist! (1961) 80m. BOMB D: Greg Garrison. Joey Dee, The Starliters, Peppermint Loungers, Jo Ann Campbell, Zohra Lampert, Teddy Randazzo, Allan Arbus. Let’s not. This minor film about the rise, decline, and rise of the Peppermint Lounge nightclub came out at the height of the Twist dance rage and wasn’t very good then . . . now it’s just a bad way to kill 80 minutes. Try spotting a young Joe Pesci (then a Starliters guitarist, making his film debut) as an extra. Hey There It’s Yogi Bear (1964) C-89m. ★★ D: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera. Voices of: Mel Blanc, J. Pat O’Malley, Julie Bennett, Daws Butler, Don Messick. First full-length cartoon from Hanna-Barbera studio stars Yogi Bear in amusing musical tale for younger folk.▼●쩠 H.G. Wells’ The War of the Worlds (2005) C-179m. BOMB D: Timothy Hines. Anthony Piana, Jack Clay, James Lathrop, Darlene Sellers, John Kaufmann, Jamie Lynn Sease, Susan Goforth, W. Bernard Bauman. One of three 2005 movies based on Wells’ classic novel about a Martian invasion, this is easily the worst, though also the most ambitious in terms of fidelity to its source. The script essentially is the novel, retaining the 1890s setting, and proving conclusively that fidelity is not in itself a virtue. CGI effects ▼쩠 Hey Babu Riba (1986-Yugoslavian) Care below video-game level. No tension, ex109m. ★★★ D: Jovan Acin. Gala Videnovic, citement, or interest, amateurish acting, and Relja Basic, Nebojsa Bakocevic, Marko lousy, gold-toned color; what’s more, it’s Todorovic, Dragan Bjelogrlic, Milos Zutic. three hours long. Shot in and around Seattle. Perceptive film combines nostalgia and Director’s cut runs 135m.! [R] ▼쩠 political commentary in flashback story of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds (2005) Cfour men recalling their pranks in the early 90m. ★1⁄2 D: David Michael Latt. C. Thomas 1950s when all were in love with dream Howell, Rhett Giles, Andy Lauer, Tinarie girl Videnovic. Film buffs will appreciate Van Wyk-Loots, Jake Busey, Dash Howell, picture being built around kids’ fascination Peter Greene. Invading aliens in tanklike, with Esther Williams in BATHING multilegged fighting machines ravage the BEAUTY; also features vintage footage countryside. Scientist Howell struggles to [ 609 ]

reach Washington, D.C., in hopes of finding Brian Cox, Brad Dourif, Mai Zetterling, Jim his wife and son. Direct-to-video adaptation Norton, Maurice Roeves. American human of Wells’ novel is respectable but dull with rights activist McDormand and British police scant, mediocre effects. In this variation, it’s inspector Cox (both excellent) try to unravel our hero who finds a way to defeat the aliens. mystery surrounding police ambush and One of three 2005 movies based on the Wells cover-up in strife-ridden Belfast during the novel. Followed by a cable TV sequel. [R]쩠 early 1980s. Effective political thriller set Hickey & Boggs (1972) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 amidst the battleground of Northern Ireland. D: Robert Culp. Robert Culp, Bill Cosby, If not exactly unbiased (director Loach is Rosalind Cash, Sheila Sullivan, Isabel Sanknown for films which are critical of the ford, Ta-Ronce Allen, Lou Frizzell. Tough U.K.), it is believable. Many small roles melodrama by Walter Hill about two weary, played by Belfast non-actors. [R]▼●쩠 hard-luck private eyes whose search for a Hidden Eye, The (1945) 69m. ★★1⁄2 D: missing girl brings death to almost everyone Richard Whorf. Edward Arnold, Frances around them. Well made but extremely vioRafferty, Ray Collins, Paul Langton, Raylent and downbeat; a sharp contrast to the mond Largay, William Phillips. Followstars’ tongue-in-cheek antics on their I Spy up to EYES IN THE NIGHT, with blind TV series. Many now-familiar faces appear detective Arnold making good use of other in bits: Robert Mandan, Michael Moriarty, senses to solve murder mystery; fast-moving, Vincent Gardenia, James Woods, and Ed entertaining mystery. Lauter. [PG]쩠 Hidden Fortress, The (1958-Japanese) 1 Hidalgo (2004) C-135m. ★★★ ⁄2 D: Joe John126m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Akira Kurosawa. Toshiro ston. Viggo Mortensen, Omar Sharif, Louise Mifune, Misa Uehara, Minoru Chiaki, Lombard, Saı¨d Taghmaoui, Peter Mensah, J.K. Kamatari Fujiwara, Susumu Fujita, Takashi Simmons, Zuleikha Robinson, Silas Carson, Shimura. Autocratic young Princess Uehara Joshua Wolf Coleman, Adam Alexi-Malle, and loyal general Mifune must make danFloyd Red Crow Westerman, C. Thomas gerous journey to their homeland with royal Howell. Mortensen is perfect as disenchanted fortune, with only bare minimum of help real-life cowboy Frank T. Hopkins, who parfrom two bumbling misfits hoping to make ticipates in the world’s longest, most grueling off with a share of the gold. Solid comedyhorse race across the Arabian Desert with his adventure with great deadpan performance trusty steed Hidalgo. An old-fashioned high by Mifune; one of Kurosawa’s personal adventure, set in 1890, with the added kick of favorites. Acknowledged by George Lucas desert veteran Sharif as the sheik who sponsors as a primary inspiration for STAR WARS. the race. There are doubts about the inspiraSome U.S. prints cut to 90m.; released in tion for this ‘‘true story,’’ but there’s no quesJapan at 139m., and reissued in the U.S. tion about its entertainment value. Written by in 1984 at that length. Tohoscope.▼●쩠 John Fusco. Malcolm McDowell appears unHidden Room, The (1949-British) 98m. billed. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 ★★★ D: Edward Dmytryk. Robert Newton, ★★★ D: Jack Hidden, The (1987) C-96m. Sally Gray, Naunton Wayne, Phil Brown, Sholder. Michael Nouri, Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Balfour, Olga Lindo. Very effecEd O’Ross, Clu Gulager, Claudia Christian, tive suspenser involving Newton’s plan to Clarence Felder, William Boyett, Richard eliminate a man threatening his marriage; Brooks. L.A. cop Nouri pursues an alien crimnifty climax. Retitled: OBSESSION.▼쩠 inal that loves violence, fast cars, and rock Hide and Seek (2005) C-101m. ★★ D: John music—and can pass from one human body Polson. Robert De Niro, Dakota Fanning, to another. FBI agent MacLachlan, helping Famke Janssen, Elisabeth Shue, Amy Irout, is really an alien cop. Smart, fast-paced ving, Dylan Baker, Melissa Leo. After psythriller effectively blends horror, sci-fi, and chologist De Niro’s wife commits suicide, action with humor; good acting and savvy he and his traumatized daughter (Fanning) direction. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 move to the country to start life anew; Hidden II, The (1994) C-95m. BOMB D: strange incidents begin occurring when the Seth Pinsker. Raphael Sbarge, Kate Hodge, child befriends a noxious ‘‘imaginary’’ Jovin Montanaro, Christopher Murphy, Miplaymate. So-called thriller has a paper-thin chael Weldon, Michael A. Nickles, Tony script, limp pacing, and a less-than-inspired Di Benedetto, Tom Tayback. Fifteen years De Niro performance. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 after the events in the original, the daughter Hideaway (1995) C-112m. BOMB D: of the L.A. cop who chased down the bodyBrett Leonard. Jeff Goldblum, Christine switching alien teams up with another alien Lahti, Alfred Molina, Jeremy Sisto, Rae cop, here to save us from more of the evil Dawn Chong, Kenneth Welsh, Alicia Silvisitors. Cheap, slow-paced sequel distorts verstone. Horror film from best-selling novel the premise of the original; result is stilted by Dean R. Koontz about a man resuscitated and routine, utterly devoid of the wit and after ‘‘dying,’’ who returns psychically linked energy that sparked the first. [R]▼●쩠 to a psychotic killer who’s also back from Hidden Agenda (1990-British) C-108m. ★★★ D: Ken Loach. Frances McDormand, the beyond—and intent on making the man’s [ 610 ]

family his next victims. This goes nowhere the lam from thugs. He hides out by dyeing for nearly two interminable hours; Koontz had his hair and becoming an instant highthe good sense to try and have his name taken school senior. Jon’s real-life mother, actress/ off the picture. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 writer Gretchen Cryer, plays Aunt Lucy. Hideaways, The SEE: From the Mixed[PG-13]▼쩠 Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler Hiding Place, The (1975) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: James F. Collier. Julie Harris, Eileen Hide in Plain Sight (1980) C-98m. ★★★ D: James Caan. James Caan, Jill Eikenberry, Heckart, Arthur O’Connell, Jeanette Clift, Robert Viharo, Joe Grifasi, Barbra Rae, Robert Rietty, Pamela Sholto. Well-meanKenneth McMillan, Josef Sommer, Danny ing, sometimes effective, but draggy, preAiello. Caan made a creditable directing dictable story of Dutch Christians aiding debut with this true story about a divorced Jews in WW2. Produced by Billy Graman whose children are swept away by the ham’s Evangelistic Association. [PG]▼쩠 U.S. government when their new father is High and Low (1963-Japanese) 142m. ★★★ moved underground by the Justice DepartD: Akira Kurosawa. Toshiro Mifune, ment’s witness relocation program. StraightTatsuya Mihashi, Yutaka Sada, Tatsuya forward and well done. Panavision. [PG]▼ Nakadai, Kyoko Kagawa. Carefully paced Hideous Kinky (1999-British-French) Cstudy of business executive Mifune, who is financially ruined when he nobly pays 97m. ★★★ D: Gillies MacKinnon. Kate Winslet, Saı¨d Taghmaoui, Bella Riza, Carrie ransom money to kidnappers who misMullan, Pierre Cle´menti, Sira Stampe. Intertakenly stole his chauffeur’s son. Based on esting story about an immature young an Ed McBain story; one color sequence. woman who’s left her lover, and her life, Tohoscope.▼●쩠 in England to seek spiritual satisfaction in High and the Mighty, The (1954) CMorocco—with her two young daughters 147m. ★★★ D: William A. Wellman. John in tow. Well-observed study of selfishness, Wayne, Claire Trevor, Laraine Day, Robert spontaneity, and social mores set in the Stack, Jan Sterling, Phil Harris, Robert early 1970s, anchored by Winslet’s fine perNewton, David Brian, Paul Kelly, John formance. Based on an autobiographical Howard, Stanley Blackmer, Julie Bishop, novel by Esther Freud. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Wally Brown, Doe Avedon, Karen Sharpe, Hideous Sun Demon, The (1959) 74m. John Smith, William Campbell, Douglas ★1 Fowley, (Pedro) Gonzales Gonzales, John ⁄2 D: Robert Clarke, Tom Boutross. Robert Clarke, Patricia Manning, Nan Peterson, Qualen, Ann Doran, Paul Fix, Joy Kim, Patrick Whyte, Fred La Porta. Doctor exCarl Switzer, William Hopper, Regis posed to radiation discovers that sunlight Toomey. Granddaddy of all airborne disasturns him into ghastly lizard creature. Hidter films and more fun than most of them eously low-budget production stars codirecput together: a GRAND HOTEL cast of tor Clarke himself as demon of title.▼쩠 characters boards a flight from Honolulu to Hide-Out (1934) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: W. S. Van San Francisco, little dreaming of the trouble Dyke. Robert Montgomery, Maureen O’Sulliin store or the tensions in the cockpit. Corny van, Edward Arnold, Elizabeth Patterson, at times, but still entertaining, bolstered by Whitford Kane, Mickey Rooney, C. Henry Dimitri Tiomkin’s Oscar-winning music Gordon,Edward Brophy. Big-cityracketeer re(including the title song, which became a covers from gunshot wound on idyllic farm big hit). Written by Ernest K. Gann, from where he falls in love (of course) with fetching his novel. CinemaScope. 쩠 O’Sullivan. Opens and closes great, with some High Anxiety (1977) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mel humdrum stuffing in between; wonderful supBrooks. Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Cloris porting cast (including Henry Armetta and Leachman, Harvey Korman, Dick Van PatHerman Bing as nightclub co-owners!). Reten, Ron Carey, Howard Morris, Murphy made in 1941 as I’LL WAIT FOR YOU.▼ Dunne, Jack Riley, Charlie Callas. AffecHider in the House (1991) C-109m. ★1⁄2 tionate, well-made but uneven spoof of D: Matthew Patrick. Gary Busey, Mimi Hitchcock films with Brooks as psychiatrist Rogers, Michael McKean, Kurt Christowho walks into trouble as new head of sanipher Kinder, Candy Hutson, Elizabeth tarium. Isolated moments of great comedy Ruscio, Bruce Glover. Disturbed Busey bolster so-so film. Future RAIN MAN director creates a secret living space in the home of Barry Levinson, who coscripted this film, a family he admires, but his efforts to try appears as a hostile hotel bellman. Kahn’s to ingratiate himself with them lead to father is played by special effects maestro violence. Routine thriller with a ludicrous (and real-life Hitchcock collaborator) Albert J. Whitlock. [PG]▼●쩠 premise; Busey is fine as the psycho. [R]▼● Hiding Out (1987) C-98m. ★★ D: Bob High Art (1998-Canadian) C-101m. ★★★ D: Giraldi. Jon Cryer, Keith Coogan, AnnaLisa Cholodenko. Ally Sheedy, Radha Mitchbeth Gish, Gretchen Cryer, Oliver Cotton, ell, Patricia Clarkson, Tammy Grimes, GaTim Quill, Anne Pitoniak, John Spencer. briel Mann, Bill Sage, David Thornton. OffSilly, thoroughly unbelievable teen comedyputting at first, but a clear-eyed character thriller about stockbroker Cryer, who’s on study of a naive young woman whose stock [ 611 ]

rises at a pretentious art magazine because twists coming around the corner. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 of her budding relationship with a once brilHigher and Higher (1943) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: liant photographer who had a breakdown Tim Whelan. Michele Morgan, Jack Haley, years ago. The question is how deeply Frank Sinatra, Leon Errol, Marcy McGuire, Mitchell is willing to immerse herself in Victor Borge, Mary Wickes, Mel Torme. Sheedy’s hedonistic, heroin-infused, lesbian Bright, breezy, generally witless musical, lifestyle. Sheedy is solid and understated; with good cheer compensating for lack of Clarkson is a hoot in a wonderfully showy material, as once-wealthy Errol schemes performance as her companion, an eccenwith his own servants to raise money. tric, egomaniacal German actress. Sarita Sinatra’s songs are fine: ‘‘The Music Choudhury appears unbilled. [R]▼쩠 Stopped,’’ ‘‘I Couldn’t Sleep a Wink Last High-Ballin’ (1978-U.S.-Canadian) CNight.’’ This was his starring debut.▼●쩠 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Carter. Peter Fonda, Higher Learning (1995) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jerry Reed, Helen Shaver, Chris Wiggins, John Singleton. Omar Epps, Kristy SwanDavid Ferry, Chris Longevin. Good-buddy son, Laurence Fishburne, Michael Rapatruckdrivers Fonda and Reed battle a rival port, Jennifer Connelly, Ice Cube, Jason kingpin’s goons who want to force them Wiles, Tyra Banks, Cole Hauser, Bradford off the road for good. Predictable action English, Regina King, Busta Rhymes, Jay fare, with added spice from female trucker Ferguson. Provocative drama of life at a Shaver. [PG]▼ ★★ big university where problems tend to break High Barbaree (1947) 91m. D: Jack down along racial and sexual lines. Epps Conway. Van Johnson, June Allyson, plays a young black athlete searching for Thomas Mitchell, Marilyn Maxwell, Camdirection and, sometimes blindly, raging at eron Mitchell. Navy flier’s life story told injustice. Fishburne is a political science in flashback as he awaits rescue in plane in professor who tries to help him see the ocean. Good cast in inferior story. world as it is. Credible, well-acted film goes High Bright Sun, The SEE: McGuire, awry when writer-director Singleton steers Go Home! it toward melodrama and focuses on a group High Commissioner, The (1968-British) of extremist skinheads. [R]▼●쩠 C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. ChristoHigh Fidelity (2000) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stepher Plummer, Rod Taylor, Lilli Palmer, phen Frears. John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Camilla Sparv, Daliah Lavi, Clive Revill, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, CathFranchot Tone. Wonderful cast is wasted erine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, in tired spy thriller about diplomat involved Lili Taylor, Joelle Carter, Natasha Gregson in murder at height of Cold War negotiaWagner, Sara Gilbert, Bruce Springsteen. tions. British title: NOBODY RUNS FORAfter his girlfriend leaves, a music-obsessed EVER.쩠 Chicago record store owner (Cusack) reflects High Cost of Loving, The (1958) 87m. on his failed relationships. Adaptation of Nick ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jose Ferrer. Jose Ferrer, Gena Hornby’s novel (originally set in London) is Rowlands, Joanne Gilbert, Jim Backus, alternately insightful and annoying, embodied Bobby Troup, Edward Platt, Werner Klemby Cusack’s direct-to-camera chats and the perer, Nancy Kulp. Lots of familiar faces fanatically detailed depiction of the music in this very mild romantic comedy about scene and its inhabitants. Cusack coproduced tensions that threaten marriage of Ferrer and and cowrote the screenplay. [R]▼쩠 Rowlands. Enjoyable but innocuous semiHigh Frequency (1988-Italian) C-105m. satire. Rowlands’ film debut. CinemaScope. ★★ D: Faliero Rosati. Vincent Spano, OliHigh Crime (1973-Italian) C-100m. ★★ ver Benny, Anne Canovas, Isabelle Pasco, D: Enzo G. Castellari. Franco Nero, James David Brandon. Satellite relay station attendWhitmore, Fernando Rey, Delia Boccardo. ant Spano and young ham operator Benny see Energetic but superficial action drama. Narc a murder on a satellite monitor and try to Nero going up against Mafioso Rey. You’ve warn a woman they believe will be the killer’s seen it all before. ▼ next victim. Ersatz REAR WINDOW lifts High Crimes (2002) C-115m. ★★★ D: Carl ideas—but not substance—from the HitchFranklin. Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, cock classic. Italian production released Jim Caviezel, Amanda Peet, Adam Scott, with English-language soundtrack. [PG]▼● Tom Bower, Bruce Davison, Juan Carlos High Heels (1972-French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 Hernandez, Jude Ciccolella, Michael ShanD: Claude Chabrol. Jean-Paul Belmondo, non. Successful lawyer defends her husband Mia Farrow, Laura Antonelli, Daniel when he’s revealed to be a Marine who’s Ivernel. Well-acted but disappointing Chabeen wanted for 15 years for a massacre he brol comedy-mystery about a playboy docsupposedly committed in El Salvador. Then tor (Belmondo) attracted to women other she enlists the aid of a man who knows his men find unappealing. Originally titled way around a military courtroom, eccentric DR. POPAUL. Aka SCOUNDREL IN lawyer Freeman. Slick and entertaining, WHITE. ▼ even though you can see some of the story High Heels (1991-Spanish) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 [ 612 ]

D: Pedro Almodo´var. Victoria Abril, Marisa encircling shield, but years later, the shield’s Paredes, Miguel Bose´, Feodor Atkine, Bibi the problem. At least, that seems to be the Andersen, Rocio Munoz. So-so Almodo´var setup; hard to tell in a film so awesomely dull. concoction about the conflicts and intricaConnery is dull, too, and in it very briefly. cies in the relationship between a famous, We learn new stuff about the immortals that egocentric actress (Paredes) and her TV contradicts the first film without adding anynewscaster daughter (Abril). First half is thing interesting. Even those who liked the vintage Almodo´var, but film becomes a bit first one hated this. Some video versions run more serious (than necessary) as it un108m. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 folds. Still, there are plenty of the direcHighlander: Endgame (2000) C-88m. tor’s outlandish touches—check out that BOMB D: Douglas Aarniokoski. Adrian women’s prison—and also some interestPaul, Christopher Lambert, Bruce Payne, ing views on celebrity. Leading man Bose´ Lisa Barbuscia, Donnie Yen, Ian Paul Cas(son of Italian actress Lucia Bose´ and sidy, Sheila Gish. Tedious sequel in which Spanish bullfighter Luis Miguel Dominguin) 500-year-old Lambert goes up against felis a pop music star in Spain. [R]▼ low immortal Payne, a vengeance-seeking, High Heels and Low Lifes (2001-Britishpower-hungry rogue. Also involved is Lam1 ★★ ⁄2 D: Mel Smith. Minnie U.S.) C-86m. bert’s clan brother (Paul, from the TV seDriver, Mary McCormack, Michael Gambon, ries). Of interest only to die-hard series Danny Dyer, Kevin McNally, Mark Wilfans. Fifth in the series—HIGHLANDER: liams, Julian Wadham. Broad British import THE SOURCE. Video runs 101m. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 about a pair of down-on-their-luck best friends who accidentally discover a bank robbery in Highlander: The Final Dimension (1994progress and decide to blackmail the burglars U.S.-Canadian) C-99m. BOMB D: Andy into giving up the money. Clever setup and Morahan. Christopher Lambert, Mario Van appealing lead performances make this frisky Peebles, Deborah Unger, Mako, Raoul Trufun, even though the violent climax puts a jillo, Martin Neufeld, Michael Jayston. damper on things—and strains credulity. EnConor McCloud, the wanderer from medijoyable female buddy caper is more OUTRAeval Scotland, does battle in today’s N.Y. GEOUS FORTUNE than THELMA & with evil fellow immortal from the past, the LOUISE. [R]▼쩠 Mongol magician Cane (Van Peebles). FoolHigh Hopes (1988-British) C-112m. ★★★1⁄2 ish, badly written piffle is a sequel only to the D: Mike Leigh. Philip Davis, Ruth Sheen, first film, ignoring the second and the TV Edna Dore, Philip Jackson, Heather Tobias, series. Lambert is glum, Van Peebles shameLesley Manville, David Bamber. Extraorlessly hammy. Dozens of unexplained eledinary slice-of-life comedy-drama about ments, starting with Cane’s perfect English. love, alienation, and responsibility, centered Video version rated R. Super 35. [PG-13] on a young, laid-back working-class couple, ▼●쩠 his aged mother and manic sister. WriterHigh Noon (1952) 84m. ★★★★ D: Fred director Leigh offers a provocative, highly Zinnemann. Gary Cooper, Thomas Mitchoriginal view of life’s misfits in modernell, Lloyd Bridges, Katy Jurado, Grace day England, and offers food for thought Kelly, Otto Kruger, Lon Chaney (Jr.), along with some very hearty laughs.▼쩠 Henry (Harry) Morgan, Lee Van Cleef, Highlander (1986) C-111m. ★1⁄2 D: RusRobert Wilke, Sheb Wooley. On his wedsell Mulcahy. Christopher Lambert, Roxding—and retirement—day, marshal Cooper anne Hart, Clancy Brown, Sean Connery, learns that a gunman is coming seeking reBeatie Edney, Alan North. Immortal being venge. Though he has good excuses for is tracked from 16th-century Scotland to leaving, he feels a responsibility to stay and modern-day America by his eternal archface the gunman—but no one in town is willing enemy. Interesting notion made silly and to help. The story appears to unfold in ‘‘real boring. Connery, at least, shows some time,’’ as the many on-screen clocks will verstyle in smallish role as Lambert’s survival ify. Legendary Western drama about a crisis of tutor. Former rock video director Mulcahy’s conscience, written by Carl Foreman, underrelentlessly showy camera moves may cause scored by Tex Ritter’s performance of Oscaryou to reach for the Dramamine. Ran 17m. winning Dimitri Tiomkin–Ned Washington longer outside U.S. (and reportedly made song, ‘‘Do Not Forsake Me, Oh My Darmore sense). Director’s Cut edition is 5m. lin’.’’ Oscars also went to Cooper, Tiomkin’s longer. Followed by three sequels, a TV score, and Elmo Williams’ and Harry Gersseries, an animated TV series, and an anime tad’s editing. Followed by 1980 TV sequel feature. [R]▼●쩠 with Lee Majors; remade for TV in 2000. Highlander II: The Quickening (1991) Also shown in computer-colored version. C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Russell Mulcahy. Christo▼●쩠 pher Lambert, Virginia Madsen, Michael High Plains Drifter (1973) C-105m. ★★★ Ironside, Sean Connery, John C. McGinley, D: Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Verna Allan Rich, Phil Brock, Rusty Schwimmer. Bloom, Marianna Hill, Mitchell Ryan, Jack Lambert has saved the world by a globeGing, Stefan Gierasch. Moody, self-con[ 613 ]

scious but compelling story of drifter hired man, Olesya Rulin, Alyson Reed, Jemma by townspeople to protect them from vengeMcKenzie-Brown, Matt Prokop. Senior year ful outlaws who have just been released at East High brings new challenges as basketfrom prison. Half-serious, half tongue-inball star Efron is persuaded to participate in cheek, with great role for midget Billy the school musical and girlfriend Hudgens Curtis. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 has to decide whether to pursue early admisHighpoint (1980-Canadian) C-88m. BOMB sion to college, among other story threads. All D: Peter Carter. Richard Harris, Christothe stars of the first two wildly successful pher Plummer, Beverly D‘Angelo, Kate Disney Channel TV movies are reunited for Reid, Peter Donat, Saul Rubinek. Conthis lively, energetic teen musical, executed fused and sloppy comedy thriller (reedited on a larger scale than its predecessors. by a film doctor) has Harris as an accounStory-wise, this hearkens back to Archie tant mixed up in a CIA plot and internaand Veronica, but it’s cheerful and upbeat tional intrigue. An excuse for frequent chases throughout. Extended version runs 117m. culminating in a poorly photographed stunt [G]쩠 fall off Toronto’s CN tower. ▼● High Season (1987-British) C-92m. ★★ D: High Risk (1981) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: StewClare Peploe. Jacqueline Bisset, James Fox, art Raffill. James Brolin, Cleavon Little, Irene Papas, Sebastian Shaw, Kenneth Bruce Davison, Chick Vennera, Anthony Branagh, Lesley Manville, Robert Stephens. Quinn, Lindsay Wagner, James Coburn, Romantic misfire has Bisset (stunningly Ernest Borgnine. Preposterous movie about lovely as always) as a photographer regroup of normal Americans becoming mersiding in Rhodes who becomes involved cenaries, flying to South America, parawith obnoxious tourists, a spy, and her chuting into jungle to rip off dope dealers egotistical ex-hubbie Fox. Fluff offers lit. . . and that’s just the beginning, because tle more than luscious views of Bisset and the Greek island setting. [R]▼●쩠 they soon run into bandidos. Ridiculous story, but good fun. [R]▼●쩠 High Sierra (1941) 100m. ★★★ D: Raoul High Road to China (1983) C-120m. ★★ Walsh. Ida Lupino, Humphrey Bogart, Alan D: Brian G. Hutton. Tom Selleck, Bess Curtis, Arthur Kennedy, Joan Leslie, Henry Armstrong, Jack Weston, Wilford Brimley, Hull, Henry Travers, Barton MacLane, Jerome Robert Morley, Brian Blessed. Low road Cowan, Cornel Wilde, Donald MacBride, John to escapism, with Selleck (in his first Eldredge, Isabel Jewell, Willie Best. Bogey is starring feature) as a boozy ex-WW1 aerial Mad Dog Earle, killer with a soft heart on the ace hired by heiress Armstrong to find her lam from police, in rousing (if not exactly credfather. Strictly mediocre, with substandard ible) gangster caper. Lupino as the moll and action scenes, and the flattest dialogue this Leslie as the lame innocent Bogart befriends side of the Great Wall. [PG]▼● offer interesting contrast. Screenplay by John High School Confidential! (1958) 85m. Huston and W. R. Burnett based on Burnett’s ★1 ⁄2 D: Jack Arnold. Russ Tamblyn, Jan novel. Remade as I DIED A THOUSAND Sterling, John Drew Barrymore, Mamie TIMES, and in Western garb as COLOVan Doren, Diane Jergens, Ray Anthony, RADO TERRITORY. Also shown in comJerry Lee Lewis, Jackie Coogan, Charles puter-colored version. ▼●쩠 Chaplin, Jr., Lyle Talbot, William WellHigh Society (1956) C-107m. ★★★ D: man, Jr., Michael Landon. Amateurish, Charles Walters. Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, hilariously awful marijuana expose´, with Frank Sinatra, Celeste Holm, John Lund, young undercover agent Tamblyn obtainLouis Calhern, Louis Armstrong, Sidney ing evidence against dope pushers. A most Blackmer. Fluffy remake of THE PHILAfascinating cast. Retitled YOUNG HELDELPHIA STORY is enjoyable, but has LIONS; followed by COLLEGE CONlost all the bite of the original. Kelly is FIDENTIAL! CinemaScope.▼●쩠 about to marry Lund when ex-hubby High School High (1996) C-86m. ★★ D: Crosby arrives, along with reporters Sinatra Hart Bochner. Jon Lovitz, Tia Carrere, Louand Holm. Cole Porter songs include ‘‘True ise Fletcher, Mekhi Phifer, Malinda WilLove,’’ ‘‘Did You Evah?,’’ ‘‘You’re Sensaliams, John Neville. Lovitz plays an tional,’’ plus Bing and Satchmo’s ‘‘Now idealistic teacher who finds himself in an You Has Jazz.’’ Grace Kelly’s last acting role. VistaVision.▼●쩠 urban high school so mean it even has its own cemetery! Farcical at times, uncomHigh Spirits (1988) C-97m. BOMB D: fortably realistic at other moments, this film Neil Jordan. Peter O’Toole, Daryl Hansuffers from a severe identity crisis. AIRnah, Steve Guttenberg, Beverly D’Angelo, PLANE/NAKED GUN veterans David Liam Neeson, Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Zucker and Pat Proft were among the writTilly, Ray McAnally, Donal McCann, Coners. [PG-13]▼●쩠 nie Booth, Liz Smith. Two yuppie stereoHigh School Musical 3: Senior Year types and a pair of 200-year-old ghosts ★★★ (2008) C-109m. romp around in an Irish castle threatened D: Kenny Ortega. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, with foreclosure, with O’Toole—looking Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, Monique Colea bit ghostly here himself—playing ring [ 614 ]

master. Head-splitting farce full of col102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce McDonald. Don lapsing sets and lots of wind-machine action; McKellar, Valerie Buhagiar, Earl Pastko, cast members complained that film’s proPeter Breck, Jello Biafra. An odd couple— ducers crudely altered the original whimsiintroverted, inexperienced small-town barcal intentions of writer-director Jordan. ber McKellar and eccentric, on-the-lam Unbearable. [PG-13]▼●쩠 roadie Buhagiar—find themselves travelHigh Strung (1991) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger ing from Ontario to New Orleans, along Nygard. Steve Oedekerk, Denise Crosby, the highway immortalized by Bob Dylan, Fred Willard, Thomas F. Wilson, Ed Wilwith a coffin strapped to the roof of their liams, Jani Lane, Kirsten Dunst, Tony Sawcar. Quirky rock ’n roll road movie is yer. A day in the life of chronic whiner strangely likable, depending on your taste Oedekerk (who cowrote film with Robert and tolerance for the material. McKellar Kuhn). Grating comedy was rereleased in also wrote the script. [R]▼●쩠 1994 to capitalize on the success of Jim Highway to Hell (1992) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Carrey, who has a very small (about 5 minAte de Jong. Patrick Bergin, Chad Lowe, utes), unbilled role. [PG]▼● Kristy Swanson, Richard Farnsworth, C. J. High Tension (2003-French) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 Graham, Lita Ford, Kevin Peter Hall. D: Alexandre Aja. Ce´cile de France, Maı¨Newlyweds Lowe and Swanson have their wenn (Maı¨wenn Le Besco), Philippe Nahon, honeymoon ruined when she’s abducted Franck Khalfoun, Andrei Finti, Oana Pellea. by a cop from hell . . . literally! Lowe French import about two girls trying to esthen learns that local legend gives him 24 cape from a perverted serial killer in the hours to rescue his bride. Oddball yarn is isolated countryside was one of the most unexciting and unfunny; even comic Gilbert acclaimed entries in a seemingly endless seGottfried in a cameo as Hitler can’t salvage ries of ’70s slasher-film revivals. While this one. Filmed in 1989. [R] ▼● many of its frightening images and susHigh, Wide, and Handsome (1937) 112m. ★★1 penseful, cleverly orchestrated sequences live ⁄2 D: Rouben Mamoulian. Irene Dunne, up to its title, an unsatisfying final twist Randolph Scott, Dorothy Lamour, Elizamakes it seem even more dated than the beth Patterson, Charles Bickford, Raymond movies it emulates. Cut for U.S. theatrical Walburn, Alan Hale, Akim Tamiroff, Wilrelease. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 liam Frawley. Jerome Kern–Oscar HamHigh Tide (1987-Australian) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 merstein old-time musical of determined D: Gillian Armstrong. Judy Davis, Jan Scott drilling for oil in 19th-century PennAdele, Claudia Karvan, Colin Friels, John sylvania, fighting corrupt Hale. Corny plot Clayton, Frankie J. Holden, Monica Trapput over by energetic cast; result is enteraga, Mark Hembrow. Quietly emotional taining. Songs include ‘‘The Folks Who story of a woman who inadvertently enLive on the Hill.’’ counters the teenage daughter she abanHigh Wind in Jamaica, A (1965-British) doned years ago. Truthfully told, well acted, C-104m. ★★★ D: Alexander Mackendrick. and set against bleakness of an Australian Anthony Quinn, James Coburn, Dennis coastal town, but hampered by a leading Price, Gert Frobe, Lila Kedrova, Nigel character we don’t necessarily care about. Davenport, Kenneth J. Warren, Deborah It’s fun to see Davis in the opening scenes Baxter. Excellent cast and intelligent script playing a backup singer for a crummy about group of children who reveal their Elvis impersonator! [PG-13]▼● basic natures when left adrift aboard a pirate High Time (1960) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Blake vessel. Score composed by harmonica virtuEdwards. Bing Crosby, Fabian, Tuesday oso Larry Adler. CinemaScope.쩠 Weld, Nicole Maurey. Middling Crosby Hilary and Jackie (1998-British) C-120m. ★★★ vehicle has Bing a widower resuming colD: Anand Tucker. Emily Watson, Ralege career and trying to be one of the chel Griffiths, James Frain, David Morboys; forced comedy. CinemaScope. rissey, Charles Dance, Celia Imrie, Rupert Highwayman Rides, The SEE: Billy the Penry-Jones, Bill Paterson. Highly charged Kid (1930) portrait of British cellist Jacqueline du Pre´ Highway Patrolman (1993-U.S.-Mexican) (Watson) and her complex relationship with her sister, Hilary (Griffiths), which grows C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alex Cox. Roberto Sosa, Bruno Bichir, Vanessa Bauche, Zaide Silvia more troubled as Jackie becomes a star in Gutierrez, Pedro Armendariz, Jr., Malena the classical music world. Told in nonlinear Doria. Portrait of an idealistic young highfashion, with arresting performances by both way patrolman (Sosa), who is committed women; Watson’s cello work is extraordito upholding the law but gradually allows narily convincing. The facts (disputed by himself to be corrupted. Mildly entertaining some relatives and colleagues) come from Hilary’s memoir. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 and more straightforward than one might expect from filmmaker Cox; if anything, the Hilda Crane (1956) C-87m. ★★ D: Philip problem is the story’s lack of dramatic Dunne. Jean Simmons, Guy Madison, Jeantension.▼ Pierre Aumont, Judith Evelyn, Evelyn Highway 61 (1991-Canadian-British) CVarden. Twice-divorced Simmons returns [ 615 ]

to the college town that used to be her porting to be a recollection by a dog! Filmed in 1983. [R]▼●쩠 home, starts the local gossips to fluttering Hills Have Eyes, The (2006) C-107m. with her behavior. Not much overall, but title ★★1 ⁄2 D: Alexandre Aja. Michael Bailey character is surprisingly liberated for her time, Smith, Tom Bower, Ted Levine, Kathleen making her one of the ’50s’ more interesting Quinlan, Dan Byrd, Aaron Stanford, Vinessa screen heroines. CinemaScope. Shaw, Emilie de Ravin, Robert Joy, Billy Hildegarde Withers series SEE: Leonard Drago. A family follows a creepy gas station Maltin’s Classic Movie Guide ★★ attendant’s shortcut and gets stranded in the Hi-Life (1998) C-82m. D: Roger Heddesert, surrounded by a community of deden. Katrin Cartlidge, Charles Durning, formed killers who inevitably attack. ReDaryl Hannah, Moira Kelly, Peter Riegert, maining family members must fend for Campbell Scott, Eric Stoltz, Anne De themselves and avenge their loved ones. Salvo, Saundra Santiago, Bruce McVittie, Certainly not for all (or even most) audiCarlos Alban. Characters and complications ences; gruesome, disturbing, and finally sort abound in this contrived Christmastime tale of hokey. Still, Aja deserves credit for a about a N.Y.C. bartender (Scott) and his horror remake that—for once—manages to attempt to raise sufficient funds to pay for retain much of the original’s intensity. Unwhat he has been led to believe is his sister’s rated version also available. Followed by a abortion. MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET it sequel. Super 35. [R]쩠 ain’t, but the talented cast makes it watchHills Have Eyes II, The (2007) C-89m. able. [R]▼쩠 ★1 ⁄2 D: Martin Weisz. Michael McMillian, Hill, The (1965) 122m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sidney Jessica Stroup, Daniella Alonso, Jacob VarLumet. Sean Connery, Harry Andrews, gas, Lee Thompson Young, Ben Crowley, Ian Hendry, Michael Redgrave, Ian Bannen, Eric Edelstein, Flex Alexander, Reshad Strik, Alfred Lynch, Ossie Davis, Roy Kinnear, Michael Bailey Smith. A National Guard Jack Watson. Powerful drama of military troop training in the Southwestern desert prison camp, with superb performances by comes up against that tribe of radioactively all. One problem: British actors bark at mutated cannibals from the previous film. Beeach other and much dialogue is unintelligins well but becomes predictable and rougible to American ears (though if you can tine, especially when everyone ends up in make it through the first reel, hang on). mine tunnels favored by the mutants. Good Written by Ray Rigby. Also shown in if grisly makeup effects. Written by Wes computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Craven and his son Jonathan. Not a remake Hillbillys in a Haunted House (1967) of THE HILLS HAVE EYES PART II. C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Jean Yarbrough. Ferlin Filmed in Morocco. Unrated version also Husky, Joi Lansing, Don Bowman, John available. Super 35. [R]쩠 Carradine, Lon Chaney, Jr., Basil RathHills of Home (1948) C-97m. ★★★ D: bone, Molly Bee, Merle Haggard, Sonny Fred M. Wilcox. Edmund Gwenn, Donald James. Country singers Husky and LanCrisp, Tom Drake, Rhys Williams, Janet sing spend a night in an old mansion, Leigh. Fine Lassie movie about doctor conbecome involved with an espionage ring. vincing Scottish father to urge son to study Moronic comedy with an elderly, tired medicine. ▼ cast; a follow-up to LAS VEGAS HILLHills Run Red, The (1966-Italian) C-89m. BILLYS. Sorry to say, Rathbone’s last ★★ D: Carlo Lizzani. Thomas Hunter, film.▼쩠 Henry Silva, Dan Duryea, Nando Gazzola. Hills Have Eyes, The (1977) C-89m. Civil War Western of stolen payrolls; poorly ★★1 ⁄2 D: Wes Craven. Susan Lanier, Robdubbed and loosely acted. Techniscope.쩠 ert Houston, Virginia Vincent, Russ Grieve, Hi-Lo Country, The (1998) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 Dee Wallace, Martin Speer, Michael BerryD: Stephen Frears. Woody Harrelson, Billy man. Typical American family on campCrudup, Patricia Arquette, Sam Elliott, Cole ing trip is harassed by savage, cannibalistic Hauser, Penelope Cruz, Darren Burrows, mutants. Above average of its type, with Jacob Vargas, James Gammon, Lane Smith, compact direction and plenty of amusing Katy Jurado. Story of two cowboy friends plot twists. Extremely gory film has acquired in post-WW2 New Mexico who happen to a cult following. Followed by a sequel. Refall in love with the same woman—though made in 2006. [R]▼●쩠 she’s already married. A paean to the cowHills Have Eyes Part II, The (1985boy way of life and the joys of true friendU.S.-British) C-88m. BOMB D: Wes Craship, this film has so much going for it ven. Michael Berryman, John Laughin, (including Harrelson’s terrific performance as Tamara Stafford, Kevin Blair, John Bloom. a hell-raiser and Oliver Stapleton’s cinemaLame sequel has a group of young mototography) that it’s a shame it doesn’t hit the cross enthusiasts stranded in the desert, bull’s-eye . . . and Arquette is so dull. Screenpreyed upon by primitive family. Loaded play by Walon Green from the novel by Max with flashback footage from 1977 film, Evans. 2.35 Research PLC. [R] ▼●쩠 including one sequence ludicrously purHi, Mom! (1970) C/B&W-87m. ★★★1⁄2 D: [ 616 ]

Brian De Palma. Robert De Niro, Allen Pierre Barbaud, Bernard Fresson. Resnais’ Garfield, Lara Parker, Jennifer Salt, Gerrit first feature is a thoughtful, complex study Graham, Charles Durning. Sequel to GREETof a French film actress (Riva) and Japanese INGS! is funny satire of the late ’60s, with architect (Okada), each with a troubled past, Vietnam veteran De Niro making dirty movwho have a brief affair in postwar Hiroshima. Scripted by Marguerite Duras.▼쩠 ies and bombing apartment houses. Aka CONFESSIONS OF A PEEPING JOHN and His Brother’s Wife (1936) 90m. ★★ D: BLUE MANHATTAN. [R]▼쩠 W. S. Van Dyke, II. Barbara Stanwyck, Hindenburg, The (1975) C-125m. ★★ D: Robert Taylor, Jean Hersholt, Joseph Robert Wise. George C. Scott, Anne BanCalleia, John Eldredge, Samuel S. Hinds. croft, William Atherton, Roy Thinnes, Gig Glossy soaper of dedicated scientist Taylor Young, Burgess Meredith, Charles Durning, scorning Stanwyck, who marries his brother Richard A. Dysart, Robert Clary, Rene Eldredge for spite. Stanwyck and Taylor Auberjonois, Katherine Helmond. Intrimarried in real life three years later. guing premise, that 1937 airship disaster His Girl Friday (1940) 92m. ★★★★ D: was an act of sabotage, undermined by Howard Hawks. Cary Grant, Rosalind Russilly Grand Hotel–type characters and sell, Ralph Bellamy, Gene Lockhart, Helen unexciting denouement combining original Mack, Ernest Truex, Clarence Kolb, Porter newsreel footage and newly shot material. Hall, Roscoe Karns, Abner Biberman, Cliff This earned special Oscars for its visual and Edwards, John Qualen, Frank Jenks, Billy sound effects. 5m. were added to film for Gilbert. Splendid comedy remake of THE network showing. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 FRONT PAGE with Grant as conniving Hips, Hips, Hooray (1934) 68m. ★★★ D: editor, Russell as star reporter (and his Mark Sandrich. Bert Wheeler, Robert ex-wife), Bellamy as mama’s boy she’s Woolsey, Dorothy Lee, Thelma Todd, Ruth trying to marry amid hot murder story. Etting, George Meeker. One of Wheeler & Terrific character actors add sparkle to Woolsey’s best vehicles is a lavish, risque´ must-see film, scripted by Ben Hecht and musical comedy about their attempts to Charles Lederer. Remade (with the same save Todd’s ailing beauty business. Wild gender twist) in 1988 as SWITCHING CHANNELS.▼●쩠 production numbers, plus a nice song from Etting, ‘‘Keep Romance Alive.’’▼● His Kind of Woman (1951) 120m. ★★★ Hired Hand, The (1971) C-93m. ★★★ D: D: John Farrow. Robert Mitchum, Jane Peter Fonda. Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Russell, Vincent Price, Tim Holt, RayVerna Bloom, Robert Pratt, Severn Darden. mond Burr, Charles McGraw, Marjorie First-rate photography by Vilmos ZsigReynolds, Jim Backus. Mitchum blindly mond and good performances by Oates goes to Mexico for a payoff of 50 grand, and Bloom aid this offbeat, sometimes discovers he’s the soon-to-be-dead chump pretentious Western about cowboy who whose identity will help deported gangster goes to work for the wife he deserted Burr re-enter the country. Cult film is seven years before. [PG]▼쩠 overlong, but its spoofing of he-man heroHired to Kill (1990) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Nico ics predates the more celebrated BEAT Mastorakis, Peter Rader. Brian ThompTHE DEVIL by three years; Price is hilarison, Oliver Reed, George Kennedy, Jose ous as a ham actor.▼쩠 Ferrer, Michelle Moffett, Barbara Lee AlHis Majesty O’Keefe (1953) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 exander, Jordana Capra, Kendall Conrad, D: Byron Haskin. Burt Lancaster, Joan Kim Lonsdale, Jude Mussetter, Penelope Rice, Benson Fong, Philip Ahn, Grant Reed. Mercenary Thompson poses as a Taylor. Another athletic Lancaster buccaneer romp, set in the South Seas.▼쩠 gay fashion designer to spring rebel leader Ferrer from Latin American prison. His History Boys, The (2006-British-U.S.) Ccommando squad: six gorgeous women 109m. ★★★ D: Nicholas Hytner. Richard posing as fashion models! Well produced, Griffiths, Stephen Campbell Moore, Franbut awesomely silly. [R]▼ ces de la Tour, Samuel Barnett, Dominic Hireling, The (1973-British) C-108m. Cooper, Samuel Anderson, James Corden, ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Alan Bridges. Robert Shaw, Sarah Andrew Knott, Sacha Dhawan, Jamie Parker, Miles, Peter Egan, Elizabeth Sellars, CaroRussell Tovey, Clive Merrison, Penelope Willine Mortimer, Patricia Lawrence. Artistic ton, Georgia Taylor. Screen adaptation of rivadaptation of L. P. Hartley novel of stieting, Tony Award–winning Alan Bennett fling class system of England. Chauffeur play arrives with director and its London/ (Shaw) helps upper-class woman (Miles) Broadway cast intact. Eight gifted goof-offs out of mental depression, mistakenly asface university exam prep with two consumes she’s interested in him. Ensemble trasting profs: a wildly idiosyncratic veteran British cast, good direction. Screenplay by who gives them life lessons (Griffiths) and Wolf Mankowitz. [PG] a humorless younger man hired to drill them Hiroshima, Mon Amour (1959-Frenchon test-taking tactics. Hardly cinematic, but Japanese) 91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alain Resnais. anyone who has ever loved GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS won’t mind. [R]쩠 Emmanuele Riva, Eiji Okada, Stella Dassas, [ 617 ]

History Is Made at Night (1937) 97m. loy. Smith is a date doctor who coaches ★★★1 timid, nerdy New York guys on how to woo ⁄2 D: Frank Borzage. Charles Boyer, Jean Arthur, Leo Carrillo, Colin Clive, women, using several ‘‘basic principles.’’ Ivan Lebedeff, George Meeker, Lucien His latest client (James) is madly in love Prival, George Davis. Arthur, fleeing from with a celebrated heiress (Valletta), but a jealous husband she doesn’t love, falls in Smith doesn’t see her as unattainable. Then love with Parisian headwaiter Boyer. Elehe sets his own sights on gossip columnist gant, adult romantic drama, seamlessly Mendes. Likable at first, this romantic comdirected by Borzage, with incredible shipedy becomes needlessly complicated and board climax and flawless performances overlong. Smith also coproduced. Super 35. by the two leads.▼● [PG-13] ▼쩠 History of the World—Part 1 (1981) Hitcher, The (1986) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: RobC-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Mel Brooks. Mel Brooks, ert Harmon. Rutger Hauer, C. Thomas Gregory Hines, Dom DeLuise, Madeline Howell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jeffrey Kahn, Harvey Korman, Cloris Leachman, DeMunn, John Jackson. Hitchhiker Hauer Ron Carey, Sid Caesar, Pamela Stephenson, keeps reappearing in Howell’s life—is he Mary-Margaret Humes, Howard Morris, real, or an hallucination? Reminiscent of Spike Milligan, Barry Levinson, many other movies, except all those other movguest stars; narrated by Orson Welles. Scaties (DUEL, NIGHT OF THE HUNTER) tershot comedy wanders from the Stone are better. Not without interest, but some Age to Roman Empire to French Revoluof the violence is genuinely grisly and tion, dispensing gags ranging from hilarious unappealing. Followed in 2002 by a directto hideous. After a while momentum’s gone, to-video sequel. Remade in 2007. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 and it all just lies there, despite efforts of a large comic cast. Caesar scores highest as a Hitcher, The (2007) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Dave caveman in opening scenes. Hines’ film Meyers. Sophia Bush, Sean Bean, Zachary debut. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Knighton, Neal McDonough. Unnecessary History of Violence, A (2005-U.S.-Canadian) remake of the 1986 horror film in which a hitchhiker terrorizes a young couple who C-95m. ★★★ D: David Cronenberg. Viggo Mortensen, Maria Bello, William Hurt, Ed wish they’d never picked him up in the first Harris, Ashton Holmes, Stephen McHattie, place. Some good car stunts and a credible Peter MacNeill. Soft-spoken man who runs performance from Bean as the evildoer a small-town luncheonette is suddenly conaren’t enough to justify revisiting this matefronted by two violent strangers—and is rial. Apparently the most original change more than ready to respond. His actions lead filmmakers could think of was switching the to questions and repercussions. Sexually pogender in the notorious body ‘‘stretching’’ tent, harshly violent story based on the scene we first saw 20 years earlier. Super 35. [R]쩠 graphic novel by John Wagner and Vince Locke is arresting entertainment that means Hitch-Hiker, The (1953) 71m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ida to hit us right between the eyes, and does. Lupino. Edmond O’Brien, Frank Lovejoy, William Talman, Jose Torvay. Well-made [R]▼쩠 Hit! (1973) C-134m. ★★★ D: Sidney J. suspense yarn about two men on a hunting Furie. Billy Dee Williams, Paul Hampton, trip whose car is commandeered by a murRichard Pryor, Gwen Welles. Detailed and derous fugitive. Good performances, espeoverlong, but exciting story of black U.S. cially by a venal Talman in the title role, but agent who seeks revenge on top drug imthe film’s once-powerful impact has been porters in Marseilles who are indirectly muted by decades of more graphic and imaginative films.▼●쩠 responsible for his daughter’s death. Panavision. [R]▼ Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Hit, The (1984-British) C-98m. ★★★ D: (2005) C-110m. ★★★ D: Garth Jennings. Stephen Frears. Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Martin Freeman, Sam Rockwell, Mos Def, Tim Roth, Laura Del Sol, Bill Hunter, Zooey Deschanel, Bill Nighy, Anna ChancelFernando Rey, Jim Broadbent. Sly, offbeat lor, John Malkovich, Simon Jones, David film about a criminal stool pigeon (Stamp) Leamer; voices of Alan Rickman, Helen Mirwho’s been in hiding for ten years but ren, Richard Griffiths, Ian McNeice, Thomas whose time has just run out: two hit men Lennon; narrated by Stephen Fry. Clever if have tracked him down. Sharp, often very low-key screen adaptation of Douglas funny, and doggedly unpredictable. Written Adams’ much-loved book (which began as by Peter Prince; memorable theme music by a BBC radio serial) about an ordinary bloke Eric Clapton. Film debut of Tim Roth. who finds himself having an intergalactic adventure after earth is destroyed . . . and [R]▼●쩠 Hitch (2005) C-117m. ★★ D: Andy Tenencountering other species in search of the nant. Will Smith, Eva Mendes, Kevin Big Answers. Visually and verbally witty, James, Amber Valletta, Michael Rapaport, though the energy lags at times. Filmed as a Adam Arkin, Julie Ann Emery, Kevin Sussminiseries in 1981. Super 35. [PG]쩠 man, Robinne Lee, Philip Bosco, Matt MalHitler (1962) 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stuart Heisler. [ 618 ]

Richard Basehart, Cordula Trantow, Maria Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, Ulrich Thomsen, Emo, Martin Kosleck, John Banner, Carl Henry Ian Cusick. Every bit as visually flashy Esmond. Basehart gives a cerebral interand dramatically sketchy as you would expect pretation to the career of the leader of the a video-game–inspired action-adventure to be. Third Reich.▼ Still, some genuinely rousing run-and-gun Hitler—Dead or Alive (1943) 70m. ★★ D: sequences—enhanced with rapid-fire editNick Grinde. Ward Bond, Dorothy Tree, ing, slo-mo flourishes, and very loud Warren Hymer, Paul Fix, Russell Hicks, music—generate interest as prolifically leFelix Basch, Bobby Watson. Low-budget thal but increasingly self-doubting Agent 47 nonsense, with con men shooting for high (Olyphant), a bald-pated, bar-code–tattooed stakes by attempting to kill Hitler.▼쩠 assassin, dashes about Russia after being Hitler Gang, The (1944) 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: betrayed by his employers. Unrated version John Farrow. Robert Watson, Martin also available. Super 35. [R]쩠 Kosleck, Victor Varconi, Luis Van Rooten, Hitman, The (1991) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Aaron Sig Ruman, Tonio Selwart, Ludwig Donath. Norris. Chuck Norris, Michael Parks, Al Historical drama of Hitler’s rise to power Waxman, Alberta Watson, Salim Grant, had greatest impact on WW2 audiences Ken Pogue, Marcel Sabourin. Fairly awful but is still fairly interesting, though dwarfed Chuck Norris vehicle in which the star by recent documentaries. goes undercover to infiltrate an organized Hitler’s Children (1943) 83m. ★★★ D: crime ring. Norris gets to play a heavy Edward Dmytryk, Irving Reis. Tim Holt, —even though we know all along it’s a Bonita Granville, Kent Smith, Otto Kruruse. This acting ‘‘stretch’’ still isn’t enough ger, H. B. Warner, Lloyd Corrigan. Ento distinguish the film. Stuntwork remains the only redeeming quality. [R]▼●쩠 grossing exploitation film of young people forced to live life of horror in Nazi GerHit Team, The SEE: Company of Killers Hit the Deck (1955) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: many. Quite sensational in its day.▼ Hitler’s Gold SEE: Inside Out (1975) Roy Rowland. Jane Powell, Tony Martin, Hitler’s Madman (1943) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Debbie Reynolds, Ann Miller, Vic Damone, Douglas Sirk. Patricia Morison, John Russ Tamblyn, Walter Pidgeon, Kay Armen, Carradine, Alan Curtis, Ralph Morgan, Gene Raymond. Second-string MGM musiHoward Freeman, Ludwig Stossel, Edgar cal of sailors on shore leave is pleasant timeKennedy. Vintage WW2 propaganda of citfiller, no more, with nice Vincent Youmans izens in small Czech village and their fate songs like ‘‘Hallelujah,’’ ‘‘Sometimes I’m against their Nazi tormentors. Carradine is Happy,’’ ‘‘More Than You Know.’’ Filmed appropriately depraved as Reinhard Heybefore in 1930. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 drich, Nazi governor of Prague. Coscripted Hit the Ice (1943) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles by Yiddish playwright Peretz Hirchbein; Lamont. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Ginny look for Ava Gardner in a small part. Simms, Patric Knowles, Elyse Knox, ShelLoosely based on fact; the story is also told don Leonard, Marc Lawrence, Joseph Sawin HANGMEN ALSO DIE! yer. Bud and Lou are newspaper photogHitler: The Last Ten Days (1973-Britishraphers involved with gang of thugs in zany Italian) C-108m. ★★ D: Ennio de Concini. comedy with good gags on skating rink. Alec Guinness, Simon Ward, Adolfo Celi, ▼●쩠 Diane Cilento, Gabriele Ferzetti, Eric PorH. M. Pulham, Esq. (1941) 120m. ★★★1⁄2 ter, Doris Kunstmann. Strange treatment D: King Vidor. Hedy Lamarr, Robert of Hitler’s final tyrannies is grimly amusYoung, Ruth Hussey, Charles Coburn, Van ing at times; muddled film doesn’t really Heflin, Fay Holden, Bonita Granville, Leif work. [PG]▼쩠 Erickson, Sara Haden. Intelligent, mature, Hit List (1989) C-87m. ★★ D: William and witty film (based on John P. MarLustig. Jan-Michael Vincent, Lance Henquand story) about a man who’s lived his riksen, Rip Torn, Leo Rossi, Jere Burns, life as he was supposed to—not as he Ken Lerner. Familiar urban thriller of ordichose to. Lamarr is excellent as the spirnary guy whose child is mistakenly kidited career woman who coaxes proper Bosnapped by cold-eyed hit man working for tonian Young out of his shell, ever so flamboyant mobster Torn. Hero teams up briefly. Scripted by Elizabeth Hill and direcwith the real target, an informer. Lots of tor Vidor. Anne Revere has unbilled bit as a violent action. Torn and Henriksen are secretary in flashback scenes. Look fast for good, but you’ve seen it all before. [R]▼● Ava Gardner on the dance floor behind LaHit Man (1972) C-90m. ★★ D: George marr and Young.쩠 Armitage. Bernie Casey, Pamela Grier, Hoax, The (2007) C-115m. ★★★ D: Lasse Lisa Moore, Don Diamond, Roger E. MosHallstro¨m. Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, ley. Reworking of GET CARTER in black Hope Davis, Marcia Gay Harden, Stanley mold. Big rubout is key to crime story, Tucci, Julie Delpy, Eli Wallach, Zeljko Ivaand it loses steam before long. [R] nek, John Bedford Lloyd, Mamie Gummer. Entertaining look at one of the greatest frauds Hitman (2007) C-93m. ★★ D: Xavier Gens. Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga of the 20th century, when, in 1971, failed [ 619 ]

author Clifford Irving convinced a major pubJeremy Bulloch, Ruth Dunning. Very odd, lisher that he was the conduit to an autobioglow-key dual character study with Sellers raphy of eccentric, elusive billionaire Howard blackmailing attractive young bride-to-be Hughes. Gere brilliantly captures Irving’s brato spend week with him. Slightly overlong; vado, and his anxieties; Molina is funny as great performances. [PG]쩠 his hapless partner in crime. Hallstro¨m and Holcroft Covenant, The (1985-British) screenwriter William Wheeler’s treatment of C-112m. ★★ D: John Frankenheimer. Mithe material is unexpectedly complex and chael Caine, Anthony Andrews, Victoria challenging, presenting a mental puzzle in Tennant, Lilli Palmer, Mario Adorf, Micinematic form. [R]쩠 chael Lonsdale. Muddy, twisty, unbelievHobson’s Choice (1954-British) 107m. able tale from Robert Ludlum novel. Caine’s ★★★ D: David Lean. Charles Laughton, late father (a comrade-in-arms of Adolf John Mills, Brenda de Banzie, Daphne AnHitler) has left a fortune behind, supposedly derson, Prunella Scales, Richard Wattis, to make amends for his wrongdoing—and Helen Haye. Laughton is selfish, overbearing leading Caine on a globe-trotting series of adowner of bootshop in 1890s who’s used to ventures. Just old-fashioned enough to be being tended to by his three subservient watchable—but not very good. [R]▼●쩠 daughters; then his eldest (De Banzie) decides Hold Back the Dawn (1941) 115m. ★★★1⁄2 to take matters into her own hands. BeautiD: Mitchell Leisen. Charles Boyer, Olivia de fully staged and photographed (by Jack HildHavilland, Paulette Goddard, Victor Francen, yard), with Laughton having a field day in the Walter Abel, Rosemary DeCamp. First-rate lead. Loses momentum along the way, but soaper with Billy Wilder-Charles Brackett still entertaining. Filmed before in 1920 and script of gigolo Boyer marrying spinsterish 1931; remade as a TVM in 1983. ▼●쩠 Olivia to get into U.S. That’s director Leisen Hockey Night (1984-Canadian) C-77m. in the Hollywood soundstage sequence, di★★1 ⁄2 D: Paul Shapiro. Megan Follows, recting Veronica Lake and Brian Donlevy Rick Moranis, Gail Youngs, Yannick in I WANTED WINGS. Catch this one. Bisson, Henry Ramer, Sean McCann. A girl Hold Back Tomorrow (1955) 75m. ★★ D: goalie makes the boys’ hockey team in a Hugo Haas. Cleo Moore, John Agar, Frank de small Canadian town. Unexceptional but Kova, Harry Guardino, Jan Englund. Another still likable, and ideal nonexploitation fare of writer-director-producer Haas’ oddball for pre- and early teens.▼쩠 low-budget dramas, this one about a conHocus Pocus (1993) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Kenny demned murderer who marries a girl on the Ortega. Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, night before his execution. Fairly ambitious Kathy Najimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, for a film clearly made on a shoestring. Vinessa Shaw, Amanda Shepherd, Larry Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me (1992) Bagby III, Tobias Jelinek, Stephanie FarC-92m. ★★★ D: Joel Hershman. Max Paracy, Charlie Rocket, Kathleen Freeman, rish, Adrienne Shelly, Sean Young, Diane Don Yesso. Lonely male teen in Salem, Ladd, Timothy Leary, Andrea Naschak, Mass., conjures up three long-deceased Bela Lehoczky. Parrish goes on the lam witches who can only sustain themselves by after shooting his fiance´e (Young), a wealthy sucking the life out of children. Someone weirdo, and becomes involved with an certainly sucked the humor out of this oversexed, abusive stripper and her virghoulish, effects-laden concoction. Hammy ginal kid sister, who live in a trailer park to the extreme, and a discredit to Disney inhabited by assorted oddballs. Funky, ex‘‘family entertainment.’’ [PG]▼●쩠 tremely entertaining comedy. Fans of Pe1 ★★ Hoffa (1992) C-140m. ⁄2 D: Danny dro Almodo´var, John Waters, and early DeVito. Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, David Lynch will really go for this. Also Armand Assante, J. T. Walsh, John C. available in unrated version. [R]▼● Reilly, Frank Whaley, Kevin Anderson, Hold On! (1966) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Arthur John P. Ryan, Robert Prosky, Natalija Lubin. Peter Noone, Herman’s Hermits, Nogulich, Nicholas Pryor, Karen Young, Sue Ane Langdon, Karl Green, Shelley Cliff Gorman. Scattershot (and sanitized) Fabares. Will NASA name a spaceship biography of legendary Teamster boss after Herman’s Hermits? That’s the burnJimmy Hoffa, transformed into a must-see ing question in this awful musical, set by the galvanizing performance of Nicholwhile the group is on a U.S. tour. One of son. DeVito indulges in visual flourishes but their songs is titled ‘‘A Must to Avoid,’’ seldom engages our emotions; nor does which sums up this loser. Panavision. David Mamet’s script, which never gives us Hold That Ghost (1941) 86m. ★★★ D: much insight into the man or his motivaArthur Lubin. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, tions. Nicholson’s daughter, Jennifer NichRichard Carlson, Joan Davis, Mischa Auer, olson, has a bit as a nursing nun in white. Evelyn Ankers, Marc Lawrence, Shemp Bruno Kirby appears unbilled as a nightclub Howard, Ted Lewis, The Andrews Sisters. comic. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Prime A&C, with the boys inheriting a Hoffman (1970-British) C-116m. ★★★ D: Alvin Rakoff. Peter Sellers, Sinead Cusack, haunted house. Fine cast includes hilarious [ 620 ]

Davis as professional radio screamer. Highing his match in Hepburn (who had underlight: the moving candle.▼●쩠 studied the role in the original Broadway Hold Your Man (1933) 86m. ★★★ D: Sam company a decade earlier). Screenplay by Wood. Jean Harlow, Clark Gable, Stuart Donald Ogden Stewart and Sidney BuchErwin, Elizabeth Patterson, Blanche Friman. Delightful film.▼●쩠 derici. Delightful film that effectively Holiday, The (2006) C-135m. ★★1⁄2 D: makes the transition from comedy to drama Nancy Meyers. Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, with Harlow falling for jailbound Gable. Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach, Edward Burns, Rufus Sewell, Miffy Englefield, The stars are at their best here.▼ Hole, The (2001-British) C-102m. ★★ D: Emma Pritchard, Shannyn Sossamon, Bill Nick Hamm. Thora Birch, Desmond HarMacy, Shelley Berman, Kathryn Hahn, rington, Daniel Brocklebank, Laurence Fox, John Krasinski. Stressed-out L.A. workaKeira Knightley, Embeth Davidtz. Private holic Diaz, who’s just split with her longtime school student Birch stumbles onto campus boyfriend, impulsively decides to swap after she and fellow classmates have been houses for Christmas with Winslet, a Brit missing for over two weeks. She tells a tale who’s trying to get over her hopeless infatuaof how she and three teens ditched a weektion with Sewell. Each woman moves into a end field trip to hang out in an underground dream house and meets a dream guy in this bunker, only to find themselves trapped and highly attractive—but needlessly overlong— at the mercy of a troubled soul. Birch’s piece of fluff. Not without its charms, but complex performance is the best part of this awfully contrived. Written by the director. [PG-13]쩠 lackluster psychological horror film. Released direct to video in the U.S. in 2004. Holiday Affair (1949) 87m. ★★★ D: Don Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Hartman. Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Hole in the Head, A (1959) C-120m. ★★ Wendell Corey, Gordon Gebert, Griff BarD: Frank Capra. Frank Sinatra, Edward G. nett, Esther Dale, Henry O’Neill, Henry Robinson, Eleanor Parker, Carolyn Jones, (Harry) Morgan. Well-done Christmastime Thelma Ritter, Eddie Hodges, Keenan Wynn, story of war widow Leigh, with a young son, Joi Lansing. Sticky story of a ne’er-do-well who’s courted by nice-guy Corey. Fate inter(Sinatra) and his son (Hodges) doesn’t seem venes when she meets articulate, kindly rollsincere. Only distinction is Oscar-winning ing stone Mitchum. Remade in 1997. ▼쩠 song, ‘‘High Hopes.’’ CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Holiday for Lovers (1959) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 Holes (2003) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Andrew D: Henry Levin. Clifton Webb, Jane Davis. Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Shia Wyman, Jill St. John, Carol Lynley, Paul LaBeouf, Khleo Thomas, Patricia Arquette, Henreid, Gary Crosby, Jose Greco. Arch Tim Blake Nelson, Dule´ Hill, Henry Winkler, Dr. Webb and Wyman escort attractive Nate Davis, Rick Fox, Scott Plank, Eartha daughters on South American vacation, Kitt, Siobhan Fallon Hogan, Brenden Jefferwith predictable mating. CinemaScope. son, Jake M. Smith. Boy from an eccentric Holiday in Mexico (1946) C-127m. ★★★ family is sent to a strange desert detention D: George Sidney. Walter Pidgeon, Ilona camp where it’s believed that digging holes Massey, Roddy McDowall, Jose Iturbi, builds character. As he gets to know the other Xavier Cugat, Jane Powell. Engaging, wellmisfits—among the kids and staff—pieces of cast musical comedy of daughter of ambassador falling for noted musician.▼ his life begin to come together and make sense. Louis Sachar’s adaptation of his popuHoliday Inn (1942) 101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Mark lar, award-winning novel should please his Sandrich. Bing Crosby, Fred Astaire, Marjuvenile audience, but adults may grow impajorie Reynolds, Virginia Dale, Walter Abel, tient as the artificial, incident-laden story plays Louise Beavers. Entertaining musical built out over two hours’ time. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 on paper-thin plot about a romantic triangle, Holiday (1930) 96m. ★★★ D: Edward H. and the establishment of a country inn that’s Griffith. Ann Harding, Robert Ames, Mary open only on holidays. That’s the cue for a Astor, Edward Everett Horton, Hedda Hopraft of Irving Berlin holiday songs (there’s per, Monroe Owsley. First version of Philip even one for George Washington’s birthday!) Barry’s play about nonconformity is a pleasincluding the timeless Oscar winner ‘‘White ant surprise; an unstodgy early talkie with Christmas.’’ Good fun, and snappier than parcasting that in some cases (Astor, Owsley) tial remake WHITE CHRISTMAS. Bing’s even tops the more famous 1938 version original Rhythm Boys partner, Harry Barris, (Horton plays the same role in both movies). plays the orchestra leader. Also available in Holiday (1938) 93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: George computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Cukor. Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Hollow Man (2000) C-114m. ★★ D: Paul Doris Nolan, Lew Ayres, Edward Everett Verhoeven. Kevin Bacon, Elisabeth Shue, Horton, Henry Kolker, Binnie Barnes, Jean Josh Brolin, William Devane, Greg GrunDixon, Henry Daniell. Fine, literate adapberg, Mary Jo Randle, Joey Slotnick, Steve tation of Philip Barry’s play (filmed before Altes, Kim Dickens. New twist on The Inin 1930) about nonconformist Grant convisible Man has cocky research lab genius fronting stuffy N.Y.C. society family, findBacon deciding to try his revolutionary for[ 621 ]

mula on himself, with incendiary results. days in Hollywood (based, very loosely, on Starts out fun, then turns nasty (in true VerMack Sennett and Mabel Normand) starts hoeven style) and stupid. A shame, considout fun, with some lively recreations of siering how great the special effects are. Fine lent slapstick comedies, but gets bogged score by Jerry Goldsmith. Alternate version down in cliche´d dramatics later on.쩠 runs 122m. Followed in 2006 by a direct-toHollywood Dreams (2007) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Henry Jaglom. Tanna Frederick, Justin video sequel. [R]▼쩠 Hollow Point SEE: Wild Pair, The Kirk, Zack Norman, Karen Black, David Hollow Reed (1996-British-German) CProval, Melissa Leo, Jon Robin Baitz, Sey104m. ★★★ D: Angela Pope. Martin Donomour Cassel, Sally Kirkland, Eric Roberts. van, Joely Richardson, Jason Flemyng, Ian Jaglom hits rock bottom with this familiar Hart, Sam Bould. Doctor Donovan, who is tale of a young midwestern wannabe star divorced, senses that his young son is being who comes to Hollywood and hooks up abused by his ex-wife’s live-in boyfriend. with a couple of producers who promise to He decides to petition for custody, but put her in a movie. Eventually she falls for knows his concern for his son’s safety will an attractive actor. Dialogue is so corny and be obscured by the fact that he is gay. Incontrived, the whole film sinks under its weight. [R]쩠 tensely dramatic, extremely well-acted psychological drama works on two levels: as a Hollywood Ending (2002) C-112m. ★★★ D: top-notch suspense thriller and a no-holdsWoody Allen. Woody Allen, Te´a Leoni, barred indictment of homophobia. [R]▼ Debra Messing, Treat Williams, Mark RyHolly and the Ivy, The (1952-British) dell, George Hamilton, Tiffany Thiessen, 80m. ★★★ D: George More O’Ferrall. Ralph Marian Seldes, Isaac Mizrahi, Doug McRichardson, Celia Johnson, Margaret LeighGrath. Often hilarious comedy about a ton, Denholm Elliott, Hugh Williams, Rohighly neurotic, washed-up movie director land Culver. Straightforward adaptation of who gets a shot at making a comeback thanks Wynyard Browne play revolving around to his ex-wife (Leoni) . . . but can’t get over Christmas holiday with Richardson, the the fact that he now has to work for her small-town cleric, learning about his three fiance´, studio head Williams. Woody is in grown-up children; nicely acted. fine fettle here as writer, director, and star, Hollywood Boulevard (1976) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 and offers many laugh-out-loud moments D: Joe Dante, Allan Arkush. Candice as well as a fine showcase for leading ladies Rialson, Mary Woronov, Rita George, JefLeoni and Messing. [PG-13]▼쩠 frey Kramer, Dick Miller, Paul Bartel. Hollywood Harry (1985) C-99m. ★★ D: Shameless low-budgeter splices shots from Robert Forster. Robert Forster, Joe Spinell, various Roger Corman films into the ‘‘story’’ Shannon Wilcox, Marji Martin, Kathrine of a would-be actress who goes to work for Forster, Mallie Jackson. Down-the-tubes some schlock moviemakers. Engaging nonprivate eye Forster hires on to find a young sense and some funny gags (especially for girl who’s turned up in an X-rated movie. film buffs and Corman devotees)—though Strictly standard fare. Forster also pronot enough to completely hide the fact that duced and scripted; his 14-year-old daughthis is a schlock movie. Miller and Bartel ter Kathrine plays Harry’s niece. Aka HARare great fun as an agent and a motivationRY’S MACHINE. [PG-13]▼ minded director. Don’t miss gag after closHollywood Homicide (2003) C-115m. ★1⁄2 ing credits. [R]▼쩠 D: Ron Shelton. Harrison Ford, Josh HartHollywood Canteen (1944) 124m. ★★1⁄2 nett, Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood, Isaiah D: Delmer Daves. Bette Davis, John GarWashington, Lolita Davidovich, Keith David, field, Joan Leslie, Robert Hutton, Dane Martin Landau, Master P, Gladys Knight, Clark, Janis Paige; many guest stars inLou Diamond Phillips, Dwight Yoakam, cluding Joan Crawford, Ida Lupino, BarEric Idle. Odd-couple L.A. cops (one a partbara Stanwyck, Eddie Cantor, Jack Carson, time realtor, the other an aspiring actor) are Eleanor Parker, Alexis Smith, S. Z. Sakall. obliged to concentrate on a case when Amiable all-star silliness set in Hollywood’s there’s a bloody shoot-out at a prominent real-life haven for WW2 servicemen, feahip-hop club. The stars are good, but if turing cofounders Davis and Garfield. director-cowriter Shelton set out to make a Hutton plays G.I. with a crush on lovely Big Dumb Hollywood Movie, he succeeded Leslie. Best bits: Peter Lorre and Sydney all too well. Trying to have us care about Greenstreet; Jack Benny and violinist Jothe story and turning it into a farce at the seph Szigeti. Roy Rogers introduces ‘‘Don’t same time was not a good plan. Several Fence Me In,’’ later reprised by the Anstars and celebrities appear in cameos. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 drews Sisters.▼●쩠 Hollywood Cavalcade (1939) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Hollywood Hotel (1937) 109m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Irving Cummings. Alice Faye, Don Busby Berkeley. Dick Powell, Rosemary Ameche, J. Edward Bromberg, Al Jolson, Lane, Lola Lane, Ted Healy, Johnnie Mack Sennett, Stuart Erwin, Buster Keaton, ‘‘Scat’’ Davis, Alan Mowbray, Frances Rin-Tin-Tin, Jr. Colorful saga of pioneering Langford, Louella Parsons, Hugh Herbert, [ 622 ]

Glenda Farrell, Edgar Kennedy. Silly, paperprints run 63m. and are missing appearance thin plot about Powell winning Hollywood by Mickey Mouse and color Disney cartoon talent contest but finding stardom elusive, HOT CHOC-LATE SOLDIERS.▼● buoyed by bright Johnny Mercer–Richard Hollywood Revue of 1929, The (1929) Whiting score, including ‘‘Hooray for Hol130m. ★★ D: Charles Riesner. Conrad Nagel, lywood’’ and historic numbers by the Benny Jack Benny, John Gilbert, Norma Shearer, Goodman band (‘‘Sing Sing Sing’’) and Joan Crawford, Laurel and Hardy, Bessie quartet (with Gene Krupa, Lionel HampLove, Lionel Barrymore, Marion Davies, ton, Teddy Wilson). Ronald Reagan has Buster Keaton, Marie Dressler, Polly Moran, brief bit as radio announcer.쩠 many others. MGM’s all-star revue introducHollywood Knights, The (1980) C-95m. ing its silent-film stars as talkie personalities, ★1 cohosted by Benny and Nagel. Definitely a ⁄2 D: Floyd Mutrux. Tony Danza, Michelle Pfeiffer, Fran Drescher, Leigh French, curio for film buffs, rough sledding for others. Randy Gornel, Robert Wuhl, Stuart Pankin, Surviving 116m. print is missing some mateP. R. Paul, Richard Schaal, Debra Feuer. rial; several scenes originally filmed in color. A punk answer to AMERICAN GRAFFITI, ● which follows a band of high-school hellHollywood Shuffle (1987) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 raisers on Halloween Night, 1965, when their D: Robert Townsend. Robert Townsend, favorite drive-in hangout is about to close. Anne-Marie Johnson, Starletta Dupois, Sophomoric humor to spare, only a small part Helen Martin, Craigus R. Johnson. Unof it funny. Danza’s feature debut. [R]▼쩠 even but enjoyable comedy about young Hollywoodland (2006) C-127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: black actor trying to get a foothold in Allen Coulter. Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Hollywood, but running into problems of Ben Affleck, Bob Hoskins, Lois Smith, stereotyping at every turn. Townsend (who Robin Tunney, Larry Cedar, Jeffrey Dealso directed and cowrote, with Keenen Munn, Caroline Dhavernas, Brad William Ivory Wayans) is so appealing, and his Henke, Dash Mihok, Molly Parker, Kathmessage is so dead on-target, that it’s hard leen Robertson, Joe Spano. Seedy, smallto dislike this film, even though it’s strictly time private eye (Brody) whose life is a hit-or-miss. [R]▼●쩠 mess takes on a significant case when Hollywood Vice Squad (1986) C-100m. George Reeves’ mother claims her son’s BOMB D: Penelope Spheeris. Trish Van death wasn’t a suicide. As he pieces toDevere, Ronny Cox, Frank Gorshin, Leon gether the actor’s story—from the time he Isaac Kennedy, Carrie Fisher, Ben Frank, met his longtime lover Toni Mannix, wife Robin Wright, Joey Travolta. Stupid comic of a powerful MGM executive, to his sudvariation on VICE SQUAD with Van Devere den fame as TV’s Superman, to his mysteriasking help of the cops to find her runaway ous demise—he does some soul-searching daughter, who’s now a hooker and heroin addict. Wright’s film debut. [R]▼●쩠 of his own. Nuanced, well-written and -realized period piece, with Brody, Lane, HosHolocaust 2000 SEE: Chosen, The (1978) kins, and especially Affleck turning in Holy Lola (2004-French) C-128m. ★★★ D: flawless performances. Feature directing Bertrand Tavernier. Jacques Gamblin, Isadebut for Coulter. Screenplay by Paul Bernbelle Carre´, Bruno Putzulu, Lara Guirao, baum. [R]쩠 Fre´de´ric Pierrot, Maria Pitarresi, Jean-Yves Hollywood or Bust (1956) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 Roan. A French couple travels to Cambodia D: Frank Tashlin. Dean Martin, Jerry to adopt a baby; there they join a commuLewis, Anita Ekberg, Pat Crowley. Starnity of temporary expatriates, all desperstruck Lewis teams up with gambler Marately trying to deal with the bureaucracy, tin on trek to crash the movie capital; corruption, endless waiting, and turbulent typical comedy by the frantic team. Dean emotions that are all part of the process. and Jerry’s last film together opens with Heartrending and utterly credible at every Jerry’s ‘‘tribute’’ to movie fans around the turn; in fact, it’s difficult to endure at times world. VistaVision.▼쩠 for just those reasons. Tavernier cowrote Hollywood Party (1934) 68m. ★★1⁄2 No with his daughter Tiffany and son-in-law director credited. Jimmy Durante, Laurel Dominique Sampiero. and Hardy, Lupe Velez, Polly Moran, Holy Man (1998) C-114m. ★★ D: Stephen Charles Butterworth, Eddie Quillan, June Herek. Eddie Murphy, Jeff Goldblum, Clyde, George Givot, Jack Pearl, Ted Healy Kelly Preston, Robert Loggia, Jon Cryer, and The Three Stooges, many others. MuEric McCormack, Sam Kitchin. Slick prosical comedy hodgepodge built around screen ducer for a home shopping TV network star Durante throwing a gala party. Rostumbles onto a spiritual man named G who mantic subplot is for the birds, but Stan says he’s on a pilgrimage. Before long, G and Ollie battling fiery Velez, Durante as has affected every part of the man’s life and Schnarzan, befuddled Butterworth and openbecome a sensation on the air. Promising ing title tune make it worthwhile. Richard movie wanders all over the place and squanBoleslawski, Allan Dwan, Roy Rowland ders Murphy’s likable performance. It’s still directed various scenes without credit; some watchable, thanks to him, Goldblum, and [ 623 ]

Preston. Various celebrities appear in cameos, including, most curiously, designer Nino Cerutti. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Holy Matrimony (1943) 87m. ★★★ D: John M. Stahl. Monty Woolley, Gracie Fields, Laird Cregar, Una O’Connor, Alan Mowbray, Melville Cooper, Franklin Pangborn. Delightful tale of artist Woolley assuming late butler’s identity to avoid publicity, finding many complications. Remake of 1933 film HIS DOUBLE LIFE. Holy Matrimony (1994) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Leonard Nimoy. Patricia Arquette, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Tate Donovan, John Schuck, Lois Smith, Courtney B. Vance, Jeffrey Nordling. Arquette, on the lam for robbery, hides out in a Hutterite community and (through contrived circumstances) ends up married to 12-yearold Gordon-Levitt. Bland, juvenile, comedic variation on WITNESS, but GordonLevitt is charming. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Holy Smoke (1999-U.S.-Australian) C114m. ★★ D: Jane Campion. Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel, Julie Hamilton, Tim Robertson, Daniel Wyllie, Sophie Lee, Kerry Walker, Pam Grier. When a young Australian woman falls under the spell of an Indian guru, her family hires an expert American cult deprogrammer to bring her back to her senses. She turns the tables and finds him surprisingly susceptible to her mind games and sexual teasing. Naked performances—in every sense of the word— by the two leads and a layered script rife with quirky humor and sexual politics can’t bring credibility to Keitel’s character. This is supposed to be his 190th case; what were the other 189 like? [R]▼쩠 Holy Terror (1977) C-96m. ★★ D: Alfred Sole. Brooke Shields, Tom Signorelli, Louisa Horton, Paula Sheppard, Mildred Clinton, Linda Miller, Lillian Roth. Does 12-year-old Alice (Sheppard) kill her sister, parents, aunt, etc.? OK murder mystery is noteworthy mainly as Shields’ feature debut—and she’s bumped off in the first reel. Filmed in Paterson, N.J.; cameo appearance by Roth as a pathologist. Originally 108m. Aka ALICE, SWEET ALICE and COMMUNION. [R]

Billie Bird, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Hope Davis. Wildly successful comedy about an eight-year-old boy whose family inadvertently leaves him behind when they go to Paris for Christmas vacation. The plucky kid then proceeds to fend off two bumbling burglars with a variety of elaborate boobytraps. Culkin is terrific, but the film has its ups and downs; the violence, even for a cartoonish farce, is a bit extreme. Climactic scene with forbidding neighbor Blossom is certainly the film’s high point. Macaulay’s brother Kieran plays his cousin Fuller. Followed by two sequels and a made-for-TV movie. [PG]▼●쩠 Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992) C-120m. ★★ D: Chris Columbus. Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, Daniel Stern, Catherine O’Hara, John Heard, Tim Curry, Brenda Fricker, Devin Ratray, Hillary Wolf, Eddie Bracken, Dana Ivey, Rob Schneider, Kieran Culkin, Gerry Bamman. Culkin boards the wrong plane at Christmastime, is separated from his family, and ends up in N.Y.C., where he befriends pigeon-lady Fricker and contends with nitwits Pesci and Stern, more than ever a pair of cartoon characters come to life. Essentially a reworking of its smash-hit predecessor, but it manages to be even more violent. There are also shameless plugs for the Plaza Hotel, replete with a walk-on by owner Donald Trump. Written and produced by John Hughes. [PG]▼●쩠 Home Alone 3 (1997) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raja Gosnell. Alex D. Linz, Olek Krupa, Rya Kihlstedt, Lenny von Dohlen, David Thornton, Haviland Morris, Kevin Kilner, Marian Seldes, Scarlett Johansson. Another little boy left home alone battles another gang of crooks, but this time they’rehigh-tech industrial thieves after an important computer chip. Unexpectedly funny follow-up (rather than sequel), helped by an appealing little boy (Linz), smarter crooks, and a less sappily sentimental subplot. Written by John Hughes. [PG] ▼●쩠 Home and the World, The (1984-Indian) C-130m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Satyajit Ray. Soumitra Chatterjee, Victor Banerjee, Swatilekha Chatterjee, Gopa Aich, Jennifer Kapoor. Wealthy, liberated estate owner allows ▼●쩠 ★★★ Hombre (1967) C-111m. his wife to break with the tradition of D: Martin Ritt. Paul Newman, Fredric March, Richfemale seclusion—and she falls in love ard Boone, Diane Cilento, Cameron Mitchwith his best friend, a nationalist leader. ell, Barbara Rush, Martin Balsam. InterSet in early 20th-century Bengal, and based esting Western (from an Elmore Leonard on a novel by Rabindranath Tagore; a story) of Indian-raised Newman trying masterful and poignant film, made by a world-class filmmaker.▼ to survive in white man’s world in Arizona circa 1880. Encounters with various charHome at Seven (1952-British) 85m. ★★★ acters on a stagecoach provide basis for D: Ralph Richardson. Ralph Richardson, film’s action and drama; well acted, enterMargaret Leighton, Jack Hawkins, Camptaining. Panavision.▼●쩠 bell Singer. Taut thriller of club treasurer Home Alone (1990) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: who can’t account for a day in his life Chris Columbus. Macaulay Culkin, Joe when a murder and a robbery occurred. Pesci, Daniel Stern, John Heard, Roberts Aka MURDER ON MONDAY.▼ Blossom, Catherine O’Hara, John Candy, Home at the End of the World, A (2004) C[ 624 ]

93m. ★★★ D: Michael Mayer. Colin Farrell, Amy Yasbeck, Shawn Hatosy. Dreary Robin Wright Penn, Dallas Roberts, Sissy ‘‘comedy’’ about a woman at loose ends who Spacek, Matt Frewer, Erik Smith, Harris flies home to spend Thanksgiving with her Allan, Andrew Chalmers. Two male friends wildly dysfunctional family. Filled with unexplore their sexuality during an event-filled pleasant (and in some cases unfathomable) adolescence in late 1960s Cleveland. After characters who are neither funny nor interestyears apart, they wind up living in a Greening. Why would anybody want to spend time with these people? [PG-13] ▼●쩠 wich Village apartment in the early 1980s with a free-spirited older woman. Michael Home Fries (1998) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Dean Cunningham adapted his novel about unconParisot. Drew Barrymore, Luke Wilson, ventional relationships that redefine the noCatherine O’Hara, Jake Busey, Shelley tion of family. Impressive debut film for Duvall, Kim Robillard, Daryl ‘‘Chill’’ stage director Mayer. Farrell is excellent, Mitchell. Black-comedy misfire has two playing an uncharacteristically gentle soul. brothers giving their stepfather a unique Tom Hulce coproduced. Wendy Crewson scare at the behest of Mom. As a result, his appears unbilled. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 pregnant mistress (Barrymore) is left withHome Before Dark (1958) 136m. ★★★ D: out a father for her child; matters grow comMervyn LeRoy. Jean Simmons, Dan O’plicated when one of the brothers shows Herlihy, Rhonda Fleming, Efrem Zimbalist, interest. She’s a Podunk fast-food waitress, Jr. Shiny but poignant telling of Simmons’ which explains the title, but not why this readjustment to life after nervous breakfarce is so poky—and laughless. [PG-13] down; on-location shooting in Massachusetts. ▼●쩠 ★★1 Homebodies (1974) C-96m. ⁄2 D: Larry Home From the Hill (1960) C-150m. ★★★ Yust. Frances Fuller, Ian Wolfe, Ruth D: Vincente Minnelli. Robert Mitchum, McDevitt, Paula Trueman, Peter Brocco, Eleanor Parker, George Peppard, George William Hansen. Bizarre horror-comedy Hamilton, Luana Patten, Everett Sloane, will depend on one’s taste for scenario. Constance Ford. Strong drama, set in SouthElderly tenants of condemned building resort eastern Texas during the 1950s, centering on to murder to keep their home. Good cast, most prominent family in a small town. Patriincluding Douglas Fowley as the builder. arch Mitchum is estranged from wife, Parker, Made in Cincinnati.▼ and takes over raising their son, Hamilton, Homeboy (1976) SEE: Black Fist when he comes of age. Peppard is a likable, Homeboy (1988) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mifatherless local important to both the older chael Seresin. Mickey Rourke, Christoman and his son. Low-key, involving, and inpher Walken, Debra Feuer, Thomas Quinn, telligent; well directed by Minnelli, handling Kevin Conway, Antony Alda, Ruben uncharacteristic material. Cast is very good, Blades. Downbeat, rainy tale of aging, including Peppard and Hamilton in what alcoholic boxer Rourke, his relationship may be career-best performances for both. with flashy, philosophical crook Walken, From the best-selling novel by William Humphrey. ▼쩠 and his romance with a carousel owner. Very well made, with fine, quirky performances Homegrown (1998) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steby the leads, but so unrelentingly grim it can phen Gyllenhaal. Billy Bob Thornton, Hank scarcely be called entertainment. [R]▼● Azaria, Kelly Lynch, Jon Bon Jovi, Ryan Homecoming (1948) 113m. ★★ D: Mervyn Phillippe, Judge Reinhold, Jon Tenney, Jamie LeRoy. Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Anne Lee Curtis, John Lithgow, Ted Danson. Baxter, John Hodiak, Ray Collins, CamWhen a big-time drug dealer is assassinated, eron Mitchell. Gable and Turner have exthree of his worker bees try to cover up the citing WW2 romance in the trenches, but death so they can cash in on his latest marithat can’t support 113 minutes of dreary juana crop. Needless to say, they find themdrama; one of Gable’s lesser efforts.▼쩠 selves in way over their heads. Alternately Homecoming, The (1973) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 funny and serious, this unfocused film has a D: Peter Hall. Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, strong cast and interesting, often amusing Michael Jayston, Vivien Merchant, Tervignettes, but never quite comes together. ence Rigby, Paul Rogers. Jayston, long The director’s children, Maggie and Jacob separated from his London family, brings (Jake) Gyllenhaal, appear in small roles. [R]▼●쩠 wife Merchant home to meet his father and two brothers. Film version of the Harold Home Is Where the Heart Is SEE: Square Pinter play is among the most satisfactory Dance of all stage-to-screen adaptations. An AmerHome Movies (1979) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Brian ican Film Theater Production. [PG]▼쩠 De Palma. Keith Gordon, Nancy Allen, ★★ Home for the Holidays (1995) C-103m. Kirk Douglas, Gerrit Graham, Vincent D: Jodie Foster. Holly Hunter, Robert DowGardenia, Mary Davenport. Flaky farce ney, Jr., Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, reminiscent of De Palma’s early work. NebDylan McDermott, Geraldine Chaplin, Cynbish Gordon, an ‘‘extra in his own life,’’ is thia Stevenson, Steve Guttenberg, Claire given Star Therapy treatment by egomaniaDanes, Austin Pendleton, David Strathairn, cal director Douglas (who has his own life [ 625 ]

filmed constantly), and sets out to woo Allen Tilly, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Steve Buscemi, Esaway from his nutsy older brother (Graham). telle Harris, Charles Dennis, Charles Haid, Original in concept but tiresome in execuCarole Cook, Joe Flaherty, G.W. Bailey, tion, although nobody eats a hamburger like Ja’net DuBois. Three cows set out to capture Allen. Most of the production crew was an elusive rustler and use the reward money made up of De Palma’s filmmaking students to save their beloved farm from foreclosure. from Sarah Lawrence College. Aka THE A refreshingly ‘‘cartoony’’ Disney animated MAESTRO. [PG]▼●쩠 feature set in the Old West. Filled with colorHome of Our Own, A (1993) C-104m. ful characters, funny gags, and lively songs by ★★1 Alan Menken and Glenn Slater. Good fun for ⁄2 D: Tony Bill. Kathy Bates, Edward Furlong, Soon-Teck Oh, Tony Campisi, kids and grown-ups alike. Digital Widescreen. [PG]▼쩠 Clarissa Lassig, Sarah Schaub, Miles Feulner, Amy Sakasitz, T. J. Lowther. Bates is a Homer and Eddie (1990) C-99m. BOMB determined single mother in 1962 L.A. who D: Andrei Konchalovsky. James Belushi, uproots her six children and settles in a desWhoopi Goldberg, Karen Black, Ernestine olate Idaho town; she has almost no money McClendon, Nancy Parsons, Anne Ramsey, but a lot of energy and a fierce fighting Beah Richards. He’s been mentally imspirit. Young Furlong is the reluctant ‘‘man paired since getting smacked in childhood of the family.’’ Avoids becoming overly by a flying baseball; she’s dying of brain sentimental, but film is still basically Disney cancer; theirs is an odyssey-by-auto punctufare with an edge. Campisi—Bates’ persisated by service-station knock-offs and a tent boyfriend—is the actress’ real-life husmusical interlude where they dance with band. Director Bill has an unbilled cameo paper bags on their heads. Not to be conas a doctor. [PG]▼●쩠 fused with Homer & Jethro or Flo & Eddie, Home of the Brave (1949) 85m. ★★★ D: though you may be praying for any and all to show up. [R] ▼●쩠 Mark Robson. James Edwards, Douglas Dick, Steve Brodie, Jeff Corey, Lloyd Home Room (2003) C-132m. ★★★ D: Paul Bridges, Frank Lovejoy. More daring when F. Ryan. Busy Philipps, Erika Christensen, made than now, but still hard-hitting account Victor Garber, Holland Taylor, Ken Jenkins, of black soldier Edwards suffering more Raphael Sbarge, James Pickens, Jr., Richard abuse from fellow G.I.’s than the enemy Gilliland, Rick Lenz. Thoughtful drama about while on a mission during WW2. From an the aftermath of a high school shooting ramArthur Laurents play.▼● page, focusing on three characters: an antisoHome of the Brave (1986) C-90m. ★★★ cial eyewitness (Philipps), who apparently D: Laurie Anderson. Laurie Anderson, had some relationship with the shooter; a Adrian Belew, Richard Landry, Joy Askew, straight-arrow classmate (Christensen), who Dolette McDonald, Janice Pendarvis, Wilsurvived with physical injuries and major liam S. Burroughs. Concert film pretty well emotional scars; and a compassionate cop duplicates what fans of performance artist (Garber), who’s trying to make sense of the Anderson have been seeing for years; mix incident. Writer-director-editor Ryan wisely of music and provocative visuals doesn’t concentrates on his specific characters and quite add up to another STOP MAKING doesn’t try to drive home too many universal SENSE, but it’s a generally rewarding introtruths. [R] ▼쩠 duction for the uninitiated. Mostly accessiHometown USA (1979) C-93m. BOMB ble, but the middle section will test your D: Max Baer. Gary Springer, David Wilopenness to unconventional music. ▼ son, Brian Kerwin, Pat Delaney, Julie Home of the Brave (2006) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 Parsons, Sally Kirkland. Yet another nosD: Irwin Winkler. Samuel L. Jackson, Jestalgic look at teenagers in the late 1950s is sica Biel, Brian Presley, Curtis ‘‘50 Cent’’ just a sloppy, sleazy, unfunny AMERIJackson, Christina Ricci, Chad Michael CAN GRAFFITI rip-off.▼쩠 Murray, Victoria Rowell, Joyce M. CamHomeward Bound: The Incredible Joureron, Jeffrey Nordling. Story of returning ney (1993) C-84m. ★★★ D: DuWayne DunIraq war vets visits the same territory as ham. Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Jean Smart, such films as THE BEST YEARS OF OUR Benj Thall, Veronica Lauren, Kevin ChevLIVES and COMING HOME but fails to alia; voices of Michael J. Fox, Sally Field, pack their emotional punch. Focusing priDon Ameche. Three beloved household marily on three vets as they readjust to life pets, separated from their youthful masin Seattle, film has an episodic and sudsy ters, embark on an almost impossible trek feel, particularly in a scene where a drunken over mountainous terrain to rejoin them. Samuel Jackson disrupts his family’s Remake of 1963’s THE INCREDIBLE Thanksgiving dinner. Biel is touching as a JOURNEY enables us to hear the animals wounded soldier struggling to establish new talking, and in true ’90s fashion, their relationships. HD Widescreen. [R]쩠 dialogue is overstuffed with lowbrow wise★★★ Home on the Range (2004) C-76m. cracks. Still, the story is compelling, and D: Will Finn, John Sanford. Voices of Rosethe vocal performances excellent, especially anne Barr, Randy Quaid, Judi Dench, Jennifer Ameche, as the older, more faithful canine. [ 626 ]

Sure-fire Disney family entertainment. Folhere. Good script by James Edward Grant, lowed by a sequel. [G]▼●쩠 from a story by Louis L’Amour. OrigiHomeward Bound II: Lost in San Frannally shown in 3-D. Later a short-lived cisco (1996) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: David R. TV series. ▼쩠 Ellis. Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Veronica Honey (2003) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bille WoodLauren, Kevin Chevalia, Benj Thall, Miruff. Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil’ chael Rispoli, Max Perlich; voices of MiRomeo, Joy Bryant, David Moscow, Lonchael J. Fox, Sally Field, Ralph Waite, ette McKee, Zachary Isaiah Williams, LauSinbad, Jon Polito. Congenial sequel has the rie Ann Gibson, Anthony Sherwood, Missy three household pets forced to fend for themElliott, Shawn Desman, Ginuwine. Sweet selves in the City by the Bay, where Chance, story of a good-hearted girl who dreams of Sassy, and Shadow find themselves dodging being a dancer and teaches inner-city kids at both canine and human adversaries on the city a community center. A music video director streets. Enough snappy dialogue to amuse parspots her and opens a door to her dream ents as well as their kids. [G]▼●쩠 job—but also wants to own her. Alba is Homework (1982) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: James sincere and charismatic, which gives a big Beshears. Joan Collins, Michael Morgan, boost to an all-too-predictable story. [PGShell Kepler, Lanny Horn, Lee Purcell, Car13] ▼쩠 rie Snodgress, Wings Hauser, Mel Welles, Honeydripper (2007) C-122m. ★★★ D: Beverly Todd, Betty Thomas. Atrocious, John Sayles. Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamwildly inconsistent ‘‘comedy’’ about a ilton, Yaya DaCosta, Charles S. Dutton, teenage boy’s sexual awakening—and emVondie Curtis Hall, Gary Clark, Jr., Dr. barrassment. Filmed mostly in 1979, it Mable John, Stacy Keach, Mary Steenburunderwent major surgery, including atgen, Sean Patrick Thomas, Keb’ Mo’, Kel tempt to simulate nude scenes with Joan Mitchell. Leisurely, entertaining slice of Collins (using an alleged double) so it Southern life, circa 1950. Hard-luck Glover could be promoted as a young boy–older runs a threadbare bar and restaurant in a small woman sex comedy a` la PRIVATE LESAlabama town, and seizes his last chance to SONS and MY TUTOR. [R] ▼●쩠 make good by hiring a popular bluesman to Homicidal (1961) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: William play his establishment. Less concerned with Castle. Jean Arless, Joan Marshall, Patristory than with character and atmosphere, this cia Breslin, Glenn Corbett, Eugenie Leonpicaresque film is brimming with juicy pertovitch, Alan Bunce, Richard Rust. One of formances and good music. Writer-director Castle’s less gimmicky shockers, about Sayles has a cameo as a liquor delivery man. pretty but rather strange young nurse who [PG-13]쩠 presides over creepy household consisting Honey I Blew Up the Kid (1992) C-89m. of mute stroke victim and decidedly meek ★★★ D: Randal Kleiser. Rick Moranis, young man. Shamelessly steals a great deal Marcia Strassman, Robert Oliveri, Daniel from PSYCHO, and much of the dialogue is and Joshua Shalikar, Lloyd Bridges, John ludicrous, but still manages to deliver some Shea, Keri Russell, Ron Canada, Gregory shudders. 쩠 Sierra, Julia Sweeney, Ken Tobey. Bull’s1 ★★ Homicide (1991) C-102m. ⁄2 D: David eye sequel to the surprise Disney hit Mamet. Joe Mantegna, William H. Macy, HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS. This Natalija Nogulich, Ving Rhames, Rebecca time, absentminded scientist Moranis acciPidgeon, Vincent Guastaferro, Lionel Mark dentally enlarges his two-year-old son, who Smith, Jack Wallace, J. J. Johnston. Urgrows to gargantuan proportions and stalks ban homicide detective is pulled off a the streets of Las Vegas! Good, clean fun major case to take care of a seemingly with terrific special effects and a lot of genroutine murder of an elderly shopkeeper, uine laughs; wears a bit thin after a while, but soon finds himself embroiled in a but its upbeat spirit makes up for that. Video strange, conspiracy-like situation that causes sequel: HONEY, WE SHRUNK OURhim to question his own motives and his SELVES. [PG]▼●쩠 identity as a Jew. Provocative material is Honey, I Shrunk the Kids (1989) Cunderdeveloped by writer-director Mamet, 93m. ★★★ D: Joe Johnston. Rick Moranis, and laid on with too heavy a hand . . . but Matt Frewer, Marcia Strassman, Kristine the ‘‘Mametspeak’’ and lead performance Sutherland, Thomas Brown, Jared Rushare still quite commanding. [R]▼● ton, Amy O’Neill, Robert Oliveri. Cute Hondo (1953) C-84m. ★★★ D: John Farcomedy-fantasy about a quartet of kids row. John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward who accidentally trigger Moranis’s exBond, Michael Pate, James Arness, Rodolfo perimental ray gun and find themselves Acosta, Leo Gordon, Lee Aaker, Lassie. reduced to microscopic size—and stranded Rousing, well-done Western with Wayne across the yard from their home. Enthe tough, wily cavalry scout who comes joyable family fare, with engaging special upon Page and her young son living in effects (by such whizzes as Phil Tippett the wilderness, unalarmed about a pending Apache uprising. Wayne is in top form and David Allen). Followed by HONEY, [ 627 ]

I BLEW UP THE KID and later, a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 Honeymoon Academy (1990) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Gene Quintano. Kim Cattrall, Robert Hays, Leigh Taylor-Young, Charles Rocket, Lance Kinney, Christopher Lee. Time waster about a secret agent (Cattrall) who tries to take time off for a honeymoon in Madrid, but finds herself involved in espionage business all the same. Attempt at lighthearted chase comedy/romance doesn’t come off . . . and incidentally, the film’s title has nothing to do with the story. [PG-13]▼● Honeymooners, The (2005) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: John Schultz. Cedric the Entertainer, Mike Epps, Gabrielle Union, Regina Hall, Eric Stoltz, Jon Polito, John Leguizamo. Recasting the classic Jackie Gleason–Art Carney TV hit as an urban comedy might have looked good on paper, but what lands on-screen is a pale version of the original. Ralph Kramden is still a bus driver with big get-rich-quick schemes, but things never go as he plans. The jokes are lame and the actors try awfully hard to wring what life they can out of them. At least there’s a cute dog. PG version also available. [PG-13]

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told in Arturo Ripstein’s DEEP CRIMSON and LONELY HEARTS (2006). [R]▼●쩠 Honeymoon Machine, The (1961) C87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Thorpe. Steve McQueen, Jim Hutton, Paula Prentiss, Brigid Bazlen, Dean Jagger, Jack Weston. Pleasant comedy with a spirited cast about two sailors who find a way to beat the roulette table in Venice. Easy to take, easy to forget. CinemaScope.▼ Honey Pot, The (1967) C-131m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Rex Harrison, Susan Hayward, Cliff Robertson, Capucine, Edie Adams, Maggie Smith, Adolfo Celi. Director/writer Mankiewicz updates Volpone in sly blend of high comedy and whodunit. Harrison pretends to be dying, sends for former mistresses to see their reactions; hoax evolves into elaborate murder scheme. Never as amusing as one would like it to be. Aka IT COMES UP MURDER.▼ Honeysuckle Rose (1980) C-119m. ★★★ D: Jerry Schatzberg. Willie Nelson, Dyan Cannon, Amy Irving, Slim Pickens, Joey Floyd, Charles Levin, Priscilla Pointer, Mickey Rooney, Jr., Diana Scarwid. Appealing, low-key film about a country music star and his lifestyle at home in Texas and on the road, which begins to come apart when he starts fooling around with the young daughter of his longtime musical sidekick. Lots of good music by Willie, fiddler Johnny Gimble, and guest star Emmylou Harris. Officially based on INTERMEZZO, believe it or not! Retitled ON THE ROAD AGAIN. Panavision. [PG]

Honeymoon Hotel (1964) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Henry Levin. Robert Goulet, Jill St. John, Nancy Kwan, Robert Morse, Elsa Lanchester, Keenan Wynn. Asinine shenanigans with bachelors Goulet and Morse arriving at resort for newlyweds. Lanchester is fun despite all. Panavision. Honeymoon in Vegas (1992) C-95m. ▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Andrew Bergman. James Caan, Hong Kong (1951) C-92m. ★★ D: Lewis Nicolas Cage, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pat R. Foster. Ronald Reagan, Rhonda FlemMorita, Johnny Williams, John Capodice, ing, Nigel Bruce, Marvin Miller, Lee MarRobert Costanzo, Anne Bancroft, Peter vin. Mediocre account of Reagan trying to Boyle, Burton Gilliam, Seymour Cassel, heist a valuable antique from orphaned boy Jerry Tarkanian, Tony Shalhoub, Natasha but going straight before finale. Strictly Lyonne, Ben Stein. Cage and Parker finally backlot Hong Kong. decide to tie the knot—in Las Vegas—but Honkers, The (1972) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: he loses her in a rigged poker game to mobSteve Ihnat. James Coburn, Lois Nettleton, ster Caan! Engaging farce from writer-direcSlim Pickens, Anne Archer, Richard Antor Bergman has enough twists, turns, and derson, Joan Huntington, Jim Davis. Theme cockeyed humor to keep things lively from about aging rodeo performer was handled start to finish . . . including a corps of ‘‘flying better in J. W. COOP and JUNIOR BONElvises.’’ Presley music (performed by evNER (all made same year!); actor Ihnat died eryone from Billy Joel to Bono) fills the shortly after directing this film. [PG] soundtrack. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Honky (1971) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Honeymoon Killers, The (1970) 108m. A. Graham. Brenda Sykes, John Nielson, ★★★ D: Leonard Kastle. Shirley Stoler, William Marshall, Maia Danziger, Marion Tony LoBianco, Mary Jane Higby, Doris Ross, Lincoln Kilpatrick. Not-bad drama Roberts. Taut, based-on-fact account of the of budding romance between black Sykes Lonely Hearts Killers: Martha Beck (Stoler), and white Nielson, and the problems they a rotund nurse, and Ray Fernandez (LoBiencounter. Score by Quincy Jones. Panavianco), a gigolo. Together, they scheme to sion. [R]▼ swindle and murder wealthy, lonely women. Honky Tonk (1941) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Low-budget item has deservedly developed a Conway. Clark Gable, Lana Turner, Frank cult reputation over the years. Martin Scorsese Morgan, Claire Trevor, Marjorie Main, was the original director; he was replaced by Albert Dekker, Chill Wills, Veda Ann Donald Volkman, who in turn was replaced Borg. Good-gal Lana loves gambler Gable by Kastle (who also scripted). Same story rein romantic Western that’s fun for a spell, [ 628 ]

then drags into talky marathon. Morgan ther Williams, Angela Lansbury, James and Wills offer fine character performances. Gleason, Lewis Stone, ‘‘Rags’’ Ragland, Remade for TV in 1974. Also shown in Frank McHugh, Slim Summerville. Confuscomputer-colored version.▼●쩠 ing mishmash with Powell a cynical, Honky Tonk Freeway (1981) C-107m. money-obsessed WW1 vet who, between ★★ schemes, falls for pretty Williams. This one D: John Schlesinger. William Devane, Beverly D’Angelo, Beau Bridges, Jessica squeaks by solely on Powell’s charm. Tandy, Hume Cronyn, Geraldine Page, Hoods (1999) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mark Malone. George Dzundza, Teri Garr, Joe Grifasi, Joe Mantegna, Kevin Pollak, Joe Pantoliano, Howard Hesseman, Paul Jabara, Frances Vincent Berry, Jennifer Tilly, Robert CosLee McCain, John Astin, David Rasche, tanzo, Richard Foronjy, John Capodice, JoDaniel Stern. An absurdist view of contemseph Maher. Wry look at N.Y.C. mobsters porary America, in fragmented vignettes of and a hapless functionary who’s stuck carvarious oddballs whose lives converge in rying out orders for his mentally incompeTiclaw, Florida, a tiny town determined to tent father. Some genuinely funny scenes attract tourists despite the lack of an exit ramp and ingratiating performances by an A-1 enfrom the new freeway. As a statement on life, semble make this worth a look, even though it’s a failure; as a silly comedy, it sometimes the payoff is weak. Seymour Cassel and succeeds. Reminiscent (in its narrative Charles Martin Smith appear unbilled. Made for theaters, debuted on cable. [R]▼쩠 style) of NASHVILLE. [PG]▼쩠 Honkytonk Man (1982) C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: Hoodwinked (2005) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cory Clint Eastwood. Clint Eastwood, Kyle Edwards, Todd Edwards, Tony Leech. Eastwood, John McIntire, Alexa Kenin, Voices of Anne Hathaway, Patrick WarburVerna Bloom, Matt Clark, Barry Corbin. ton, Glenn Close, Jim Belushi, David The kind of film that gives ‘‘change-ofOgden Stiers, Chazz Palminteri, Anthony pace’’ a bad name. Clint is Depression-era Anderson, Andy Dick, Xzibit. In a storycountry singer hoping to make it to the book forest a froggy police detective tries to Grand Old Opry before he dies of tubercuget the real story behind a well-known fairylosis; son Kyle plays his nephew, who tags tale plot, told RASHOMON-style by its along. Artificial and overlong; many music leading characters: Red Riding Hood, The greats appear in bits, including Marty RobWolf, Granny, and the Woodsman. Each bins, who provides film’s sole touching mocharacter breaks stereotypes with updated ment and, ironically, died himself only days backstories and modern pop-culture referbefore the picture opened. [PG]▼●쩠 ences. Low-budget computer-animated feaHonor Among Thieves SEE: Farewell, ture makes up for artistic shortcomings with Friend witty script and clever vocal performances. Honor Guard, The SEE: Wolf Lake Several songs by cowriter-director Todd Edwards are funny and unobtrusive. [PG]쩠 Hoodlum (1997) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill Duke. Laurence Fishburne, Tim Roth, Hook, The (1963) 98m. ★★★ D: George Vanessa L. Williams, Andy Garcia, Cicely Seaton. Kirk Douglas, Robert Walker, Jr., Tyson, Chi McBride, Clarence Williams III, Nick Adams, Nehemiah Persoff. Film exRichard Bradford, William Atherton, Loamines men at war (Korean) and the taking retta Devine, Queen Latifah. GODFATHER of one life, face-to-face, as opposed to wannabe about 1930s Harlem racketeer Ellskilling many in battle. Earnest, thoughtworth ‘‘Bumpy’’ Johnson, who locks horns provoking. Music by harmonica virtuoso with Dutch Schultz (Roth) and Lucky LuLarry Adler. Panavision. ciano (Garcia), and tries to carve his own Hook (1991) C-144m. ★★ D: Steven niche in the numbers game. Well-crafted, Spielberg. Dustin Hoffman, Robin Wilmulti-character gangster saga has its moliams, Julia Roberts, Bob Hoskins, Maggie ments, but takes a long time to tell its story Smith, Caroline Goodall, Charlie Korsmo, and never builds the emotional punch it Amber Scott, Phil Collins, Arthur Malet, seeks. One welcome novelty: a ’30s-style Dante Basco, Gwyneth Paltrow. Unfortumontage illustrating Bumpy’s rise to power. nate cheapening of the beloved James Bar[R] ▼●쩠 rie tale of Peter Pan, with Williams as a Hoodlum Priest, The (1961) 101m. ★★★ heartless corporate takeover honcho who D: Irvin Kershner. Don Murray, Larry must rediscover his true identity—as Pan— Gates, Keir Dullea, Logan Ramsey, Cindi in order to save his children, who’ve been Wood. Based on real-life clergyman who kidnapped by Captain Hook. Great casting devoted himself to trying to help would-be in key roles is dissipated by a script that criminals, focusing on Murray’s efforts to offers no joy, and very little magic—with a rehabilitate delinquent Dullea (in film troupe of TV-generation Lost Boys who’d be debut); splendidly acted. Murray copromore at home in a McDonald’s commercial. duced and cowrote (latter under pseudonym (Musician David Crosby and an unrecognizDon Deer).▼쩠 able Glenn Close have bit parts as pirates.) Hoodlum Saint, The (1946) 91m. ★★ If this is Peter Pan for the ’90s, give us the ’50s instead. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 D: Norman Taurog. William Powell, Es[ 629 ]

Hooked Generation (1969) C-92m. BOMB pro-ecology message. Shriner adapted the D: William Grefe. Jeremy Slate, Willie novel by Carl Hiaasen, who coproduced, as Pastrano, Steve Alaimo, John Davis Chandid Buffett (who composed the score and dler, Socrates Ballis. Narcotics peddlers plays a marine science teacher). [PG]쩠 slaughter Cuban contacts, kidnap innocent Hootenanny Hoot (1963) 91m. ★★ D: victims; poor excuse for a film. [R]▼쩠 Gene Nelson. Peter Breck, Joby Baker, Hook, Line & Sinker (1969) C-91m. Ruta Lee, Pam Austin, Johnny Cash, Sheb BOMB D: George Marshall. Jerry Lewis, Wooley, The Brothers Four, Judy Henske. Peter Lawford, Anne Francis, Pedro GonPredictable comedy about college hootenzalez-Gonzalez, Jimmy Miller, Kathleen anny show brought to TV is made bearFreeman. Potentially funny premise about able only by presence of Cash and other supposedly dying man who runs up $100,000 country/folk performers. One of producer in credit card debts, only to discover he’s Sam Katzman’s ‘‘topical’’ low-budgeters. healthy, is totally botched; even Lewis Hope and Glory (1987-British) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Boorman. Sarah Miles, fans will be bored. [G] Hooker Cult Murders, The SEE: Pyx, The David Hayman, Derrick O’Connor, Susan Hoop Dreams (1994) C-169m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Wooldridge, Sammi Davis, Ian Bannen, Steve James. Exceptional documentary folSebastian Rice-Edwards, Jean-Marc Barr, lows two Chicago inner-city kids (Arthur Annie Leon. A loving look back at British Agee and William Gates), who have dreams family life during the first years of WW2, of basketball stardom, over four years’ time. as seen through the eyes of a young boy to This intimate and engrossing film plays like whom the whole thing is a great advendrama, not documentary, except that it takes ture. Boorman’s autobiographical tale (he unexpected twists and turns no writer could scripted and produced, as well) is funny, invent. A searing commentary on our social moving and richly detailed; no one has capsystem, the indomitable strength of the famtured the experience of living through the ily unit, and the unpredictability of life. London air raids and bombings so well. Overlong, perhaps, but fascinating most of Charley Boorman (the director’s son, who the way. Produced by Steve James, Frederstarred in THE EMERALD FOREST) apick Marx, and Peter Gilbert. [PG-13]▼●쩠 pears briefly as a German pilot who’s been Hooper (1978) C-100m. ★★★ D: Hal Needshot down. [PG-13]▼●쩠 ham. Burt Reynolds, Jan-Michael Vincent, Hope Floats (1998) C-114m. ★★★ D: Forest Sally Field, Brian Keith, John Marley, James Whitaker. Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick, Best, Adam West, Robert Klein. Lighthearted Jr., Gena Rowlands, Mae Whitman, Milook at aging ace Hollywood stunt man Reynchael Pare´, Cameron Finley, Kathy Najimy, olds, his freewheeling lifestyle, and the young Bill Cobbs. Learning her husband has been tyro who gets him to try the biggest stunt of unfaithful, Bullock moves back to her Texas all. [PG] ▼●쩠 hometown, taking along her lonely daugh★★★ D: David Hoosiers (1986) C-114m. ter, Whitman. Her mother immediately tries Anspaugh. Gene Hackman, Barbara Hershey, to set her up with Connick, but Bullock is Dennis Hopper, Sheb Wooley, Fern Parsons, having a hard time just learning about herBrad Boyle, Steve Hollar, Brad Long, David self. Well acted, particularly by Whitman, Neidorf. Hackman gets a last-chance job with inventive direction, the movie is entercoaching a small-town Indiana high school taining throughout, but as shapeless as soup. basketball team in the 1950s, and faces the Excellent song score. Rosanna Arquette apdual challenge of bringing the team to the pears unbilled. [PG-13]▼●쩠 state championship—and redeeming himself. Hope Springs (2003-U.S.-British) C-92m. Thoroughly ingratiating (and just as thor★★ D: Mark Herman. Colin Firth, Heather oughly calculated), this well-made slice of Graham, Minnie Driver, Mary Steenburgen, Americana is hard to resist. Hackman is terOliver Platt, Frank Collison. Having just rific as usual; Hopper is fine in a showy role been dumped by his fiance´e (Driver), Britas an alcoholic basketball nut. Written by Anish artist Firth heads to the U.S. and falls gelo Pizzo. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★1 for Graham. Then, wouldn’t you know it, ⁄2 D: Wil Shriner. Hoot (2006) C-93m. Minnie shows up. Spirited performances Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Cody Linley, from everyone, but not enough laughs for a Luke Wilson, Tim Blake Nelson, Jessica romantic comedy. Based on the novel New Cauffiel, Jimmy Buffett, Neil Flynn, Eric Cardiff by Charles (The Graduate) Webb. Phillips, Clark Gregg, Robert Wagner, Kin Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Shriner. Well-meaning but strictly formuHoppity Goes to Town (1941) C-77m. laic family comedy-drama in which Ler★★1⁄2 D: Dave Fleischer. Pleasant animated man, the new kid in middle school, copes feature about residents of bug-ville and their with everything from a class bully to the various problems—living in a human world, vandalizing of a construction site that is and threatened by villainous C. Bagley Beetle. home to endangered owls. Preteens may Good-looking but uncompelling story-wise, overlook plot holes and be amused by the innocuous lowbrow humor and the worthy with unmemorable Frank Loesser–Hoagy [ 630 ]

Carmichael score. Originally titled MR. BUG Chiller about a demented WW2 victim GOES TO TOWN. Aka BUGVILLE. ▼●쩠 running rampant in a Rhine castle, using Hopscotch (1980) C-104m. ★★★ D: Ronassorted torture chamber devices on unsusald Neame. Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackpecting people. Effect is numbing. Aka THE son, Sam Waterston, Ned Beatty, Herbert VIRGIN OF NUREMBERG and TERROR Lom. Entertaining contrivance about a mavCASTLE. British title: THE CASTLE OF erick CIA operative who’s fed up with his TERROR.▼쩠 idiotic boss (Beatty) and decides to teach Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus, The him a lesson by publishing his volatile memSEE: Eyes Without a Face oirs. Barely believable, but fun to watch, Horror Creatures of the Prehistoric thanks largely to Matthau. From the novel by Planet SEE: Vampire Men of the Lost Brian Garfield, who coproduced and coPlanet scripted the film. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Horror Express (1972-Spanish-British) C88m. ★★★ D: Eugenio Martin. Christopher Horizons West (1952) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Budd Boetticher. Robert Ryan, Julia (Julie) Adams, Lee, Peter Cushing, Telly Savalas, Silvia TorRock Hudson, Raymond Burr, James Arness, tosa, Jorge Rigaud. Crackerjack horror movie, John McIntire, Dennis Weaver. Standard ingeniously staged and well acted by the Western of brothers Ryan and Hudson on opgenre’s superstars. Turn-of-the-century chiller posite sides of the law; the latter attempts to has a long-frozen monster coming to life block the former’s efforts to ruthlessly acquire while being transported from Asia to the power in post–Civil War Texas.▼ West. Lee and Cushing are rival anthropoloHorizontal Lieutenant, The (1962) C-90m. gists aboard the train and Savalas is a power★★ D: Richard Thorpe. Jim Hutton, Paula crazed Cossack officer. Aka PANIC ON THE TRANS-SIBERIAN EXPRESS. [R]▼쩠 Prentiss, Miyoshi Umeki, Jim Backus, Jack Carter, Marty Ingels, Charles McGraw. ArHorror House (1969-British) C-79m. ★1⁄2 tificial service comedy about inept army inD: Michael Armstrong. Frankie Avalon, telligence officer Hutton and his misJill Haworth, Dennis Price, George Sewell, adventures in the Pacific during WW2. Gina Warwick, Richard O’Sullivan. Belowstandard thriller using dog-eared ‘‘let’s-spendCinemaScope.▼ Horn Blows at Midnight, The (1945) a-night-in-a-haunted-house’’ script. Frankie 78m. ★★★ D: Raoul Walsh. Jack Benny, should have stayed on the beach with AnAlexis Smith, Dolores Moran, Allyn Joslyn, nette. Original British title: THE HAUNTReginald Gardiner, Guy Kibbee, John ED HOUSE OF HORROR. [M/PG] Alexander, Margaret Dumont, Franklin Horror of Dracula (1958-British) C-82m. ★★★ Pangborn, Bobby (Robert) Blake. EnjoyD: Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, able, original comedy-fantasy about an anChristopher Lee, Melissa Stribling, Migel (Benny) sent to destroy earth with a chael Gough, Carol Marsh, John Van blast from Gabriel’s horn. Broad, funny, Eyssen, Valerie Gaunt, Miles Malleson. no classic, but not the turkey Benny so Probably Hammer Films’ best shocker, a often joked about either. Franklin Pangborn handsomely mounted retelling of the Stoker is especially funny as a flustered hotel tale, with fantasy elements deemphasized. detective.▼● Lee is smooth as the Count, and Cushing Hornets’ Nest (1970) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: perfect as tireless Professor Van Helsing. Phil Karlson. Rock Hudson, Sylva Koscina, Script by Jimmy Sangster; full-blooded Sergio Fantoni, Jacques Sernas, Giacomo score by James Bernard. Released in Rossi Stuart, Tom Felleghi. Hudson and Britain as DRACULA; followed by six group of Italian children plot to blow up sequels, the first of which was DRACULA —PRINCE OF DARKNESS.▼●쩠 Nazi-controlled dam. Reasonably well done and exciting. [M]▼ Horror of Frankenstein, The (1970Horrible Dr. Hichcock, The (1962-Italian) British) C-95m. ★★ D: Jimmy Sangster. Ralph Bates, Kate O’Mara, Graham Jones, C-76m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Hampton (Riccardo Freda). Robert Flemyng, Barbara Veronica Carlson, Bernard Archard, DenSteele, Teresa Fitzgerald, Maria Teresa nis Price, Joan Rice. New kind of Dr. Vianello. Unaware her doctor husband is a Frankenstein: he arranges murder of fa(gulp!) necrophiliac, woman accompanies ther, cheats on his lover, kills his best him to the mansion where his first wife friend, while creating new, laughable monapparently died 12 years earlier during sexster. Semi-spoof remake of CURSE OF ual games. Eerie, handsome horror, with unFRANKENSTEIN. For aficionados only. dertones of Poe. British version, TERROR Followed by FRANKENSTEIN AND THE MONSTER FROM HELL. [R]▼●쩠 OF DR. HICHCOCK, runs 88m. and is also available on tape. Followed by THE Horror of Party Beach, The (1964) 72m. GHOST. Panoramic.▼ BOMB D: Del Tenney. John Scott, Alice Horror Castle (1964-Italian) C-83m. ★1⁄2 Lyon, Allen Laurel, Marilyn Clark, EulaD: Anthony Dawson (Antonio Margheriti). belle Moore. Radioactive waste is dumped Christopher Lee, Rossana Podesta, George off-shore, resulting in scaly monsters who Riviere, Jim Nolan, Anny Belli Uberti. disrupt the fun of a bunch of Connecticut [ 631 ]

beach bunnies. One of the earliest anti-nuProvence locations help boost this adventure clear warning films, although for some saga, based on Jean Giono’s 1951 novel—a strange reason the message fails to come literary classic in France. Depardieu has a across. Billed as ‘‘The First Horror Musical’’ humorous cameo as an unorthodox police by its producers, who evidently never saw superintendent. Technovision. [R]▼●쩠 Liberace in SINCERELY YOURS.▼쩠 Horsemasters, The (1961) C-87m. ★★ D: Horror of the Blood Monsters SEE: VamWilliam Fairchild. Annette Funicello, Janpire Men of the Lost Planet et Munro, Tommy Kirk, Donald PleasHorror on Snape Island (1972-British) ence, Tony Britton, Jean Marsh, John FraC-85m. BOMB D: Jim O’Connolly. Bryant ser, Millicent Martin. Minor family fare Haliday, Jill Haworth, Anna Palk, Jack (originally shown on Disney TV show) Watson, Mark Edwards, Derek Fowlds. about Annette learning horsemanship—and One of the horrors is a series of brutal to overcome her fear of jumping—at exclumurders masterminded by lunatic; another sive British riding school. Filmed in Enone is the film itself. Retitled TOWER OF gland; released as a feature in Europe.▼ EVIL and BEYOND THE FOG. [R]▼쩠 Horsemen, The (1971) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Horror Planet (1982-British) C-86m. John Frankenheimer. Omar Sharif, Leigh BOMB D: Norman J. Warren. Robin Clark, Taylor-Young, Jack Palance, David De Jennifer Ashley, Stephanie Beacham, SteKeyser, Peter Jeffrey. Sharif enters grueling ven Grives, Barry Houghton, Victoria Tenbuzkashi tournament to please his demanding nant, Judy Geeson. Obnoxious, gory garbage father (Palance) and prove his machismo. about male and female space travelers and Old-fashioned action-adventure mixes untheir discovery of a crawling terror. Incomfortably with soul-searching in Dalton teresting cast wasted in this awful ALIEN Trumbo’s script. Filmed in Afghanistan and clone. Cut for U.S. release. Original title: Spain. Beautiful photography by Claude ReINSEMINOID. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼●쩠 noir in Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Horror Show, The (1989) C-95m. BOMB Horsemen (2009-U.S.-Canadian) C-91m. ˚ kerlund. Dennis Quaid, D: James Isaac. Lance Henriksen, Brion BOMB D: Jonas A James, Rita Taggart, Thom Bray, Matt Clark, Ziyi Zhang, Lou Taylor Pucci, Clifton ColDedee Pfeiffer, Lewis Arquette, Lawrence lins, Jr., Patrick Fugit, Paul Dooley, Barry Tierney, Alvy Moore. Henriksen gives typiShabaka Henley, Eric Balfour, Chelcie cally strong performance as cop pursued by Ross, Peter Stormare, Liam James. Overmurderous—and already executed—maniac worked, recently widowed detective Quaid James, who’s intent on wiping out the cop’s investigates a series of gruesome murders family by turning nightmares into reality. that are linked to the Book of Revelations Confused, silly and boring. Known outside and the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Preposterous, sickening mystery-thriller is U.S. as HOUSE III. [R]▼ Horse Feathers (1932) 68m. ★★★1⁄2 D: only for those who are entertained by Norman Z. McLeod. Groucho, Harpo, Chico, graphic images of torture. [R]쩠 and Zeppo Marx, Thelma Todd, David LanHorse Named Comanche, A SEE: Tonka dau, Robert Greig, Nat Pendleton. Groucho is Horseplayer, The (1990) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: head of Huxley College, building up football Kurt Voss. Brad Dourif, Sammi Davis, team to play rival Darwin U. in crazy Marx M. K. Harris, Vic Tayback. Extremely odd nonsense. The password is ‘‘swordfish.’’ story of an artist and his seductive sister who interrupt the life of a recluse when they move Originally released at 70m.▼●쩠 Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, The (1968) into his apartment building. No one is quite what they seem—but who cares? [R]▼● C-113m. ★★★ D: Norman Tokar. Dean Jones, Diane Baker, Lloyd Bochner, Fred Clark, Horse’s Mouth, The (1958-British) C-93m. ★★★1 Ellen Janov, Kurt Russell. Cheerful Disney ⁄2 D: Ronald Neame. Alec Guinness, comedy about advertising man (Jones) who Kay Walsh, Renee Houston, Mike Morfinds a way to link his daughter’s devotion to gan, Michael Gough, Ernest Thesiger. Guinhorses with an ad campaign. [G]▼쩠 ness adapted Joyce Cary’s story into this droll Horseman on the Roof, The (1995screenplay about a brilliant, eccentric, egocenFrench) C-122m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Paul Raptric—and perpetually starving—artist whom pennau. Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez, some consider a genius. Many others, who Pierre Arditi, Franc¸ois Cluzet, Jean Yanne, know him more intimately, think of him as a Ge´rard Depardieu. Gorgeous but rather leimajor irritant. Score makes ideal use of Prosurely spectacle, set in 1832, of Italian cavalry kofiev’s ‘‘Lieutenant Kije’’ suite.▼●쩠 officer (Martinez), part of an underground netHorse Soldiers, The (1959) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 work spread throughout southern France, who D: John Ford. John Wayne, William is trying to force Austrian overlords out of Holden, Constance Towers, Althea Gibson, Italy. On top of everything else, a cholera Hoot Gibson, Anna Lee, Russell Simpson, epidemic is ravaging the French countryside. Ken Curtis, Denver Pyle, Strother Martin, Binoche is noblewoman who becomes the Hank Worden. Ford’s only feature set durhorseman’s traveling companion. Exquisite ing the Civil War, based on actual incidents. [ 632 ]

Union Colonel Wayne leads sabotage party deep into Rebel territory, accompanied by somewhat pacifistic doctor Holden. Largescale actioner rates only a ‘‘medium’’ by Ford buffs; others may like it better.▼●쩠 Horse Whisperer, The (1998) C-169m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Redford. Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Sam Neill, Dianne Wiest, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Cooper, Cherry Jones, Ty Hillman, Jeanette Nolan, Don Edwards. Exquisite rendering of Nicholas Evans’ novel about a teenaged girl, traumatized in a horse-riding accident, whose domineering mother drives them both (and the horse) to Montana, where a renowned horse trainer tries to rehabilitate the animal— and simultaneously, the girl. Story offers a tailor-made part for Redford and an opportunity for mature romance, but like his character, Redford the filmmaker takes his time telling the story. It’s risky, but it works. Screenplay by Eric Roth and Richard LaGravenese. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Horse Without a Head, The (1963) C-89m. ★★★ D: Don Chaffey. Leo McKern, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Herbert Lom, Pamela Franklin, Vincent Winter. Excellent cast in entertaining British-made Disney film (first shown on the Disney TV show) about kids mixed up with bad guys on the trail of stolen loot. First-rate family fare.

Hospital of Terror SEE: Beyond the Living Host, The (2006-Korean-Japanese) C119m. ★★★ D: Bong Joon-ho. Song Kangho, Byeon Hie-bong, Park Hae-il, Bae Duna, Ko Ah-sung, Scott Wilson. An American callously dumps toxic waste down a drain that leads to the Han River. Years later, a huge monster gallops out of the river and wreaks havoc on the populace; what’s more, it may be hosting a new plague. When it carries away a little girl (Ah-sung), her somewhat dysfunctional family unites to get her back. Effective monster thrills and great CGI effects blend with satire, comedy, tragedy, and family values, sometimes all at once. A monster movie for the 21st century, this owes a lot to previous films, yet isn’t like anything else. Korea’s biggest-grossing home-grown movie to date. [R]쩠 Hostage, The (1967) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Russell S. Doughton, Jr. Don O’Kelly, (Harry) Dean Stanton, John Carradine, Ron Hagerthy, Ann Doran. Well-done low-budget film about a six-year-old who stows away on moving van driven by two killers. Shot on location in Iowa.▼쩠 Hostage (1983-Australian-German) C-90m. ★1 ⁄2 D: Frank Shields. Kerry Mack, Ralph Schicha, Judy Nunn, Clare Binney. Young, carefree Mack is blackmailed into marriage by Nazi Schicha, and her life becomes ▼쩠 Horton Hears a Who! (2008) C-88m. hell on earth. Intriguing scenario, based on ★★1 a true story and set in the ’70s, but the ⁄2 D: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino. Voices of Jim Carrey, Steve Carell, Carol result is disjointed, repetitive, boring. OrigBurnett, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen, Dan inal title: HOSTAGE: THE CHRISTINE Fogler, Isla Fisher, Jonah Hill, Amy Poehler, MARESCH STORY. Video title: SAVJaime Pressly, Jesse McCartney; narrated by AGE ATTRACTION.▼ Charles Osgood. Another bloated movie Hostage (1992-British) C-101m. ★★ D: based on a classic Dr. Seuss book—in this Robert Young. Sam Neill, Talisa Soto, case, the beloved story of good-hearted James Fox, Michael Kitchen, Art Malik, Horton the elephant, who hears the teenyCristina Higueras, Jean Pierre Reguerraz. tiny citizens of Whoville, while no one else British secret agent Neill wants out of the believes they exist. Seuss’ gentle tale is exService, but his slimy superiors won’t let panded and vulgarized, though it has its mohim go. Mildly interesting morality tale of ments, and the CG animation from Blue kidnapping and ethical considerations in the Sky Studios is first-rate. Stick with Chuck world of international politics. [R]▼ Jones’ 1970 half-hour TV adaptation. Aka Hostage (2005-U.S.-German) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 DR. SEUSS’ HORTON HEARS A WHO! D: Florent Emilio Siri. Bruce Willis, Kevin [G]쩠 Pollak, Ben Foster, Jonathan Tucker, Marshall Hospital, The (1971) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Allman, Michelle Horn, Jimmy Bennett, Kim Arthur Hiller. George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Coates, Serena Scott Thomas. After fatally Barnard Hughes, Nancy Marchand, Richmiscalculating an assignment as the LAPD’s ard A. Dysart, Stephen Elliott, Jordan hostage negotiator, Willis relocates with esCharney, Roberts Blossom, Robert Walden, tranged wife and daughter to what he thinks is Lenny Baker, Frances Sternhagen, Stockard a sleepier burg. Instead, he gets himself inChanning, Katherine Helmond. Sardonivolved with two abductions (one an offshoot cally funny view of modern city hospital of the other), the first a household takeover by where bitterly discouraged doctor (Scott) three teen carjackers, one of whom turns out is drawn into chaos by crazy girl (Rigg) and to be a psycho. Filmed with style and a genuher scheming father. Paddy Chayefsky’s ine camera eye, picture goes over the top even Oscar-winning script makes fun of serious siton a melodramatic level, though the central uation by turning it into Marx Brothers–ish house provides the coolest movie digs in a lunacy; ultimate truth in what’s being said while. Willis’ real-life daughter Rumer plays his daughter here. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 leaves viewer somewhat sad. [PG]▼●쩠 [ 633 ]

Hostage: The Christine Maresch Story very broad comedy, with the now-usual dose SEE: Hostage (1983) of crudities, but when it tries to get warm and Hostel (2006) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Eli Roth. Jay fuzzy that’s asking too much. Recognize that Hernandez, Derek Richardson, Eythor Gudbathroom attendant? It’s ’60s comic icon Dick jonsson, Barbara Nedelja´kova´, Jan Vlasa´k. Gregory. Schneider coscripted. Adam SanThree buddies on a European vacation backdler, who coexecutive-produced the film, pack to a small Slovakian village lured by the appears unbilled. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 promise of sex and drugs. Instead (of course) Hot Dog . . . The Movie (1984) C-96m. ★1⁄2 they encounter violence and bloodshed. Starts D: Peter Markle. David Naughton, Patrick out promisingly as an atmospheric, ominously Houser, Tracy N. Smith, John Patrick Reger, suggestive horror-mystery that pokes fun at a Frank Koppola, Shannon Tweed. Hijinks at a certain kind of dense, young American tourski resort: an updating of ’60s Beach Parist, but quickly descends into seemingly ty–type movies, just as dumb, but now much endless sequences of torture that are as borraunchier. Good ski sequences, but that’s ing as they are gruesome and painful to about it. Film is so titled to avoid confusion with HOT DOG . . . THE OPERA. [R]▼쩠 watch. Quentin Tarantino coexecutive produced. A slightly gorier unrated version is Hotel (1967) C-124m. ★★ D: Richard Quine. available on DVD. Followed by a sequel. Rod Taylor, Catherine Spaak, Karl Malden, Melvyn Douglas, Richard Conte, Michael Super 35. [R]쩠 Hostel: Part II (2007) C-93m. BOMB D: Rennie, Merle Oberon, Kevin McCarthy. AdEli Roth. Lauren German, Heather Mataaptation of still another Arthur Hailey multirazzo, Roger Bart, Bijou Phillips, Richard charactered novel is not all that inferior to Burgi, Jay Hernandez, Jordan Ladd, Vera AIRPORT, but that’s faint praise; Douglas has some good scenes. Later a TV series.▼ Jordanova. Dreary, pointless sequel to Roth’s original ‘‘torture porn’’ bloodbath. In this Hotel (2002-British-Italian) C-109m. BOMB variation, it’s three beautiful young girls on D: Mike Figgis. Rhys Ifans, David Schwimvacation in Europe who come upon a chammer, Salma Hayek, Max Beesley, John Malber of horrors when they meet the wrong kovich, Saffron Burrows, George DiCenzo, guys. Once inside they manage to turn the Valeria Golino, Danny Huston, Jason Isaacs, tables on their captors, American businessLucy Liu, Mı´a Maestro, Chiara Mastroianni, men who pay big bucks to engage in sadoOrnella Muti, Burt Reynolds, Julian Sands. masochistic activities. Here’s hoping there Figgis returns to TIMECODE territory (with won’t be a PART III. Unrated version also new, much-touted handheld riggings for picavailable. Super 35. [R]쩠 ture, sound, and even night-vision photogra★★1 Hostile Guns (1967) C-91m. ⁄2 D: R. phy, which is pointlessly exploited throughout) G. Springsteen. George Montgomery, for another largely improvised story about a Yvonne De Carlo, Tab Hunter, Brian foredoomed film troupe attempting to shoot a Donlevy, John Russell. U.S. marshal, transversion of The Duchess of Malfi in Venice. porting prisoners to penitentiary, discovers Only Ifans, astheegomaniacal director, hasany that female prisoner is a woman he once real spark. This astonishing indulgence loved. Typical. Techniscope. ▼● prompts two repeated questions from the viewer: ‘‘Is it over yet?’’ and ‘‘Why not?’’▼쩠 Hot Blood (1956) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Nicholas Ray. Jane Russell, Cornel Wilde, Luther Hotel Colonial (1983-Italian-U.S.) C-104m. Adler, Joseph Calleia. Jane Russell shakes her BOMB D: Cinzia Torrini. John Savage, tambourines and drives Cornel Wilde, in this Rachel Ward, Robert Duvall, Massimo supremely silly (not to mention unbelievable) Troisi. International mishmash wastes a gypsy yarn. CinemaScope. good cast in downbeat tale of Savage going Hot Box, The (1972) C-85m. ★★ D: Joe to Colombia to investigate the death of his Viola. Margaret Markov, Andrea Cagan, brother, aided by embassy attache´ Ward Ricky Richardson, Laurie Rose, Charles and thwarted by evil Duvall. Pretty MexiDierkop. Filipino-shot women’s prison film can scenery is film’s only merit. [R]▼● adequately runs through the standard Hotel for Dogs (2009) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: changes, as heroines break out and foment Thor Freudenthal. Emma Roberts, Jake T. a local revolution. Cowritten and proAustin, Kyla Pratt, Lisa Kudrow, Kevin Dilduced by Jonathan Demme. [R]▼ lon, Don Cheadle, Johnny Simmons, Troy Hot Car Girl SEE: Hot Rod Girl Gentile, Ajay Naidu. Cute film for kids Hot Chick, The (2002) C-104m. ★★ D: about an orphaned brother and sister, now Tom Brady. Rob Schneider, Anna Faris, living with flaky, irresponsible foster parMatthew Lawrence, Eric Christian Olsen, ents, who manage to keep the existence of Robert Davi, Melora Hardin, Alexandra their pet dog a secret. Then they discover an Holden, Rachel McAdams, Maritza Murray, abandoned hotel that becomes a refuge not Tia Mowry, Tamera Mowry, Michael only for their pooch but for every stray in O’Keefe. Ancient earrings cast a magical spell the city. Likable bit of make-believe with and put spoiled high school girl McAdams appealing canine costars and some nifty into scuzzy Schneider’s body—and vice Rube Goldberg–like devices. [PG]쩠 versa. Schneider is surprisingly good in this Hotel New Hampshire, The (1984) C[ 634 ]

110m. ★★★ D: Tony Richardson. Rob Lowe, key individuals in his life. A fine companion Jodie Foster, Beau Bridges, Nastassja piece to Ophuls’ THE SORROW AND Kinski, Paul McCrane, Jennie Dundas, THE PITY.▼● Dorsey Wright, Matthew Modine, Wilford Hot Enough for June SEE: Agent 83⁄4 Brimley, Amanda Plummer, Wallace Hot Fuzz (2007-British-U.S.) C-120m. ★★ Shawn, Anita Morris, Joely Richardson. D: Edgar Wright. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Faithful adaptation of John Irving’s sprawlJim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Timothy ing seriocomic novel about an unconvenDalton, Billie Whitelaw, Edward Woodtional family and its bizarre adventures— ward, Rafe Spall, Olivia Colman, Paul Freesocial, sexual, and political—on both sides man, Martin Freeman, Bill Nighy, Kenneth of the Atlantic. Some fine vignettes and Cranham, Stuart Wilson, Lucy Punch, good performances make this worth watchDavid Threlfall. SHAUN OF THE DEAD ing, though characters eventually wear out team reunites for a protracted, disappointing their welcome. [R]▼●쩠 spoof of crime/buddy movies. Pegg (who Hotel Paradiso (1966-British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 cowrote with director Wright) plays a byD: Peter Glenville. Alec Guinness, Gina the-book London cop who’s so outstanding Lollobrigida, Robert Morley, Akim Tamirhe makes everyone else look bad, so his off. Pretentious farce of manners is only superiors transfer him to a quiet country vilfitfully amusing; meek Guinness tries to lage. It seems resolutely dull, but Pegg soon carry on his rendezvous with gorgeous discovers otherwise. Some funny gags scatneighbor Gina, but everything interferes. tered about can’t compensate for unevenness Based on the Georges Feydeau play. and extreme overlength. Cate Blanchett and Panavision.▼ Steve Coogan appear unbilled. Super 35. [R]쩠 Hotel Rwanda (2004-South African-BritishHot Lead SEE: Run of the Arrow Italian) C-123m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Terry George. Hot Lead and Cold Feet (1978) C-90m. Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Joaquin ★★★ D: Robert Butler. Jim Dale, Darren Phoenix, Nick Nolte, Desmond Dube, David McGavin, Karen Valentine, Jack Elam, O’Hara, Cara Seymour, Fana Mokoena, HaDon Knotts, John Williams. Amiable Diskeem Kae-Kazim. The slaughter of nearly ney Western spoof with lots of slapstick one million Tutsis in the African nation of features British comic Dale in three roles: Rwanda in 1994 is dramatized through the tough patriarch, tougher gunfighter son, experiences of Paul Rusesabagina, a careerand meek twin, a Salvation Army lad. The minded hotel manager who becomes a hero, brothers participate in a wild obstacle race sheltering innocent people within the walls to gain possession of the town, then to of his establishment. Powerful film avoids defeat villainous Mayor McGavin. Good being overly didactic by focusing on one Oregon location filming. [G]▼쩠 compelling character, believably brought to Hot Line SEE: Day the Hot Line life by Cheadle. Written by director George Got Hot, The and Keir Pearson. Jean Reno appears unHot Millions (1968-British) C-105m. ★★★ billed. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 D: Eric Till. Peter Ustinov, Maggie Smith, Hotel Sahara (1951-British) 96m. ★★1⁄2 Karl Malden, Bob Newhart, Robert Morley, D: Ken Annakin. Yvonne De Carlo, Peter Cesar Romero. Wry piece of fluff about UstiUstinov, David Tomlinson, Roland Culnov using a computer to siphon off big bucks ver. Pleasant fluff about North African from huge American conglomerate. Good hotel owner and beautiful fiance´e who performers aid pleasant romp, which became must shift ‘‘loyalties’’ every time new one of the biggest sleepers of its year. Ustiarmy marches into town during WW2. nov cowrote script. [G]▼ Hotel Sorrento (1995-Australian) C-112m. Hot Potato (1976) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Oscar ★★★ D: Richard Franklin. Caroline Goodall, Williams. Jim Kelly, George Memmoli, Caroline Gillmer, Tara Morice, Joan PlowGeoffrey Binney, Irene Tsu, Judith Brown. right, John Hargreaves, Ben Thomas, Ray Idiotic action film in which karate expert Barrett. Atmospheric, well-acted drama, set Kelly and two cohorts try to rescue kidin a small seaside Australian town, focusing napped Senator’s daughter from Oriental on the reunion of a trio of very different villain. Comic-book stuff. Filmed in Thaisisters, one of whom has just published a land. Remade as FORCE: FIVE. [PG]▼ highly successful autobiographical novel. Hot Pursuit (1987) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Steven What follows may be predictable, but the Lisberger. John Cusack, Robert Loggia, result is compelling nonetheless. Also Wendy Gazelle, Jerry Stiller, Monte Markham, known as SORRENTO BEACH. [R] ▼ Shelley Fabares, Ben Stiller. Student Cusack, Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of 1 ★★★ grounded by bad grades, has been prevented Klaus Barbie (1987) C-267m. ⁄2 D: from taking a dream vacation with the family Marcel Ophuls. Sobering, Oscar-winning of his wealthy girlfriend. Then he gets lastdocumentary about the infamous Nazi war minute reprieve from a kindly prof, and tries criminal who, decades after WW2, was exto catch up with them on the road. Silly compelled from Bolivia and returned to France for trial. Filled with incisive interviews with edy will probably remind you of Cusack’s [ 635 ]

earlier THE SURE THING—and the comCaffaro (whose husband produced the film). Aka T&A ACADEMY. [R]▼쩠 parison isn’t favorable. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Hot Shots! (1991) C-85m. ★★★ D: Jim Hot Rock, The (1972) C-105m. ★★★ D: Abrahams. Charlie Sheen, Cary Elwes, Peter Yates. Robert Redford, George Segal, Valeria Golino, Lloyd Bridges, Kevin Ron Leibman, Paul Sand, Zero Mostel, Moses Dunn, Jon Cryer, William O’Leary, Kristy Gunn, William Redfield, Charlotte Rae, Swanson, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Bill Irwin, Topo Swope. Light, funny caper comedy Judith Kahan, Pat Proft, Heidi Swedberg. where inept robbers blunder every step of Sheen plays a pilot trying to overcome his carefully planned jewel heist. Best bit: the father’s disastrous reputation in the cockpit raid on the police station. Screenplay by in this zany, often hilarious takeoff on William Goldman from Donald Westlake’s ‘‘flyboy’’ movies from ONLY ANGELS novel; followed by BANK SHOT. PanaHAVE WINGS to TOP GUN. Surprisingly vision. [PG]▼●쩠 1 ★ high quotient of successful gags, including Hot Rod (2007) C-88m. ⁄2 D: Akiva sendups of movies ranging from DANCES Schaffer. Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, Isla WITH WOLVES to ROCKY, help this Fisher, Jorma Taccone, Will Arnett, Chris comedy soar at times. Bridges is a riot as Parnell, Chester Tam, Sissy Spacek, Ian an admiral with a loose propeller. Followed McShane. In order to raise money for his by a sequel. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 abusive father’s heart operation, a young Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993) C-89m. Evel Knievel–style daredevil plans a major ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jim Abrahams. Charlie Sheen, stunt in which he must jump over 15 buses. Lloyd Bridges, Valeria Golino, Richard Smart-aleck humor and thin script short on Crenna, Brenda Bakke, Miguel Ferrer, laughs make this an ordeal to sit through, Rowan Atkinson, Jerry Haleva, Mitchell even though it’s under 90 minutes. Saturday Ryan, Gregory Sierra. Obligatory sequel Night Live’s digital shorts star Samberg with Rambo-like Sheen called into action proves he is not quite ready for feature to rescue U.S. soldiers who tried to rescue films. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 soldiers (and so on . . .) held captive after Hot Rod Gang (1958) 72m. ★1⁄2 D: Lew Desert Storm. Plenty of gags and countless Landers. John Ashley, Gene Vincent, Jody movie parodies, but just as many misses as Fair, Steve Drexel. Low-budget relic of its hits this time around, especially in the second era, about hot-rod-happy Ashley joining Vinhalf. The cast acquits itself nicely, particularly cent’s band to earn money to enter big race. Sheen, Bridges, and Crenna (who kids his Hot Rod Girl (1956) 75m. BOMB D: own RAMBO series role). [PG-13]▼●쩠 Leslie H. Martinson. Lori Nelson, Chuck Hot Spell (1958) 86m. ★★ D: Daniel Connors, John Smith, Frank Gorshin, RoxMann. Shirley Booth, Anthony Quinn, Shiranne Arlen, Dabbs Greer. Blah juvenile deley MacLaine, Earl Holliman, Eileen Heckart, linquency potboiler, with sympathetic cop Warren Stevens. Quinn—not just a pig but a Connors establishing drag strip to keep hotblue-ribbon hog—cheats on wife Booth, who rodding teens off the streets. Aka HOT spouts irritating platitudes like Hazel on CAR GIRL.▼쩠 speed. Well-acted but dated drama about the Hot Rod Rumble (1957) 79m. ★1⁄2 D: breakup’s effect on their children; MacLaine Leslie Martinson. Brett Halsey, Richard shines as their daughter. Set in New Orleans. Hartunian, Joey Forman, Leigh Snowden. VistaVision ▼ Title tells all in this formula programmer Hot Spot SEE: I Wake Up Screaming of juvenile delinquents. Hot Spot, The (1990) C-130m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hot Rods to Hell (1967) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dennis Hopper. Don Johnson, Virginia John Brahm. Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain, Madsen, Jennifer Connelly, Charles MarMimsy Farmer, Laurie Mock. Fast-paced tin Smith, William Sadler, Jerry Hardin, actioner has Andrews and family tormented Barry Corbin, Leon Rippy, Jack Nance. by hot-rod-happy juvenile delinquents. OrigSounds as if it can’t miss, but does: drifter inal title: 52 MILES TO MIDNIGHT.쩠 Johnson, selling used cars in a nowhere H.O.T.S. (1979) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Gerald Texas burg, gets involved with boss’ wife Seth Sindell. Susan Kiger, Lisa London, Madsen, an R-rated descendant of Barbara Pamela Jean Bryant, Kimberly Cameron, Stanwyck from DOUBLE INDEMNITY. Lindsay Bloom, Mary Steelsmith, Angela Overlong by 30 minutes and never once Aames, Danny Bonaduce, Ken Olfson. hits the bull’s-eye, but there’s so much Lame-brained knock-off of ANIMAL ornery sex that you may be compelled to HOUSE with two sororities at each other’s keep watching. Connelly plays the mystethroats until they settle their differences rious ‘‘nice girl’’ (with a sensuous body) with a strip football game. Leering sexwho handles the car lot’s financing. Based ploitation fare at least has gorgeous girls on Charles Williams’ 1952 novel Hell Hath (including several Playboy playmates) and No Fury. [R]▼●쩠 decent production, making this best watched Hot Stuff (1979) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dom with the sound off. Written by two women, DeLuise. Dom DeLuise, Suzanne Pleshette, believe it or not, one of them actress Cheri Jerry Reed, Luis Avalos, Ossie Davis, Marc [ 636 ]

Lawrence. Four Miami cops set up a Whitman, Arthur O’Connell, Dodie Ste‘‘Sting’’-like operation to fence stolen goods. vens, Betty Field, Royal Dano, Margo Unexceptional but pleasant trifle that surMoore, Claude Akins, Edgar Buchanan, prises by treating its characters as real Jane Darwell, L.Q. Jones. Pleasant tale of human beings instead of cartoon stereotypes. Southern country boys Fabian (in film deCowritten by Donald Westlake. [PG]▼● but) and Whitman courting Stevens and Hot Sweat SEE: Keetje Tippel Lynley. Fabian is surprisingly good; of Hottest State, The (2007) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 course, he also sings. CinemaScope. D: Ethan Hawke. Mark Webber, Catalina Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1939) 80m. ★★★ D: Sidney Lanfield. Basil RathSandino Moreno, Ethan Hawke, Michelle Williams, Sonia Braga, Laura Linney, Frank bone, Nigel Bruce, Richard Greene, Wendy Whaley. Adapting his own semiautobioBarrie, Lionel Atwill, John Carradine, Beryl graphical novel, writer-director Hawke inMercer, Mary Gordon, E. E. Clive. Rathfuses raw emotional intensity into a familiar bone made his first appearance as Sherlock story about the turbulent romance of two atHolmes in this grade-A production based tractive twentysomethings—an aspiring actor on Conan Doyle’s story about mysterious (Webber) from Texas and a Latina pop singer murders taking place at a creepy mansion (Sandino Moreno) from Connecticut—who on the moors (though he’s off-screen for a fall madly in love much too quickly in good part of the story). Fairly faithful to N.Y.C. Best moments of uneven drama focus the source material with the now classic on male lead’s increasingly frantic and selfclosing line from cocaine-user Holmes: humiliating attempts at reconciliation after ‘‘Quick Watson, the needle!’’ (Fourth screen he’s dumped. Director Richard Linklater version of the oft-filmed novel.)▼●쩠 appears in a brief cameo. [R]쩠 Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1959Hottie & The Nottie, The (2008) C-90m. British) C-84m. ★★★ D: Terence Fisher. BOMB D: Tom Putnam. Paris Hilton, Joel Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee, Andre Moore, Christine Lakin, Adam Kulbersh, Morell, Maria Landi, Miles Malleson, John The Greg Wilson, Johann Urb. Vehicle for LeMesurier. Cushing is well cast as Sherlock dubious acting talents of real-life celebrity Holmes and Lee is fine as Sir Henry Baskerheiress Hilton is complete nonsense as a ville in this atmospheric Hammer Films adapyoung man tries to woo the ‘‘hottie,’’ only tation of the Conan Doyle classic.▼●쩠 to find true love could be with her incrediHound of the Baskervilles, The (1978bly ugly childhood friend, the ‘‘nottie.’’ Get British) C-84m. BOMB D: Paul Morrissey. it? Actually, forget it. [PG-13]쩠 Dudley Moore, Peter Cook, Denholm Elliott, Hot to Trot (1988) C-83m. BOMB D: Joan Greenwood, Spike Milligan, Jessie MatMichael Dinner. Bob Goldthwait, Virginia thews, Roy Kinnear. Dreadful spoof of Conan Madsen, Dabney Coleman, Cindy Pickett, Doyle story scripted by Cook (who plays Jim Metzler, Tim Kazurinsky, Gilbert Sherlock Holmes), Moore (as both Watson Gottfried, Jack Whitaker; voices of John and Holmes’ mother), and director Morrissey. Candy, Burgess Meredith. Here’s a fresh After a few laughs it descends into dreariness concept for the 1980s: a comedy about a and never recovers. What a waste of talent! talking horse. Goldthwait plays a semiU.S. version runs 78m., with sequences out of imbecile who gets stock tips from a whinorder. Technovision.▼쩠 nying pal with the voice of John Candy. Hour of the Assassin (1987) C-93m. ★★ As comedies go, this is the equivalent of D: Luis Llosa. Erik Estrada, Robert Black Monday. Coleman, courtesy of the Vaughn, Alfredo Alvarez Calderon, Lourmakeup department, wears a pair of horse des Berninzon. OK political thriller has teeth here; they are funny. [PG]▼● Estrada called back from L.A. to South Hot Water (1924) 60m. ★★★ D: Sam TayAmerican nation of San Pedro to assassilor, Fred Newmeyer. Harold Lloyd, Jobyna nate the newly elected democratic presiRalston, Josephine Crowell, Charles Stedent. Vaughn is the CIA agent assigned to venson, Mickey McBan, Pat Harmon. Typistop him. Filmed in Peru. [R]▼ cally entertaining silent comedy feature Hour of the Gun (1967) C-100m. ★★ D: with Lloyd, atypically, as a put-upon husJohn Sturges. James Garner, Jason Robards, band. Not as strong as Lloyd’s best comedies; Robert Ryan, Albert Salmi, Charles Aidbuilt instead on three lengthy set pieces, but man, Steve Ihnat, Michael Tolan, William they’re very funny indeed—especially the Windom, William Schallert, Monte Markride on the trolley and a trouble-prone autoham, Frank Converse, Jon Voight. Westmobile outing with the family.▼쩠 ern about Ike Clanton and the Earp Brothers Houdini (1953) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: George after O.K. Corral shoot-up begins well, beMarshall. Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Torin comes increasingly tedious. Robards has a Thatcher, Ian Wolfe, Sig Ruman. Fanciful good time as Doc Holliday; flavorful score biography of famed escape artist; more by Jerry Goldsmith. Panavision.▼●쩠 fiction than fact, but entertaining.▼●쩠 Hour of the Star, The (1986-Brazilian) Hound-Dog Man (1959) C-87m. ★★★ D: C-96m. ★★★ D: Suzana Amaral. Marcelia Don Siegel. Fabian, Carol Lynley, Stuart Cartaxo, Jose Dumont, Tamara Taxman, [ 637 ]

Fernanda Montenegro. Amaral’s debut feagoings-on and efforts by her brother-in-law to ture (made when she was 52 years old) is a get her out. Slow, overlong, thrill-less, this subtle, touching neorealist drama about a lurches from comedy to horror, and can’t even plain, awkward, virginal country orphan match the shoddy effects of the first two. Al(Cartaxo) and her experiences in Sa˜o Paolo. though Katt has the same character name as Slow in spots, but still worthwhile.쩠 in HOUSE, he doesn’t seem to be playing Hour of the Wolf (1968-Swedish) 88m. ★★★ the same person. [R]▼● D: Ingmar Bergman. Liv Ullmann, Max von House Arrest (1996) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sydow, Erland Josephson, Gertrud Fridh, Harry Winer. Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin PolGudrun Brost. Lesser Bergman about painter lak, Jennifer Tilly, Kyle Howard, Christovon Sydow, wife Ullmann, and apparitions he pher McDonald, Sheila McCarthy, Wallace sees when they retreat to deserted island. The Shawn, Ray Walston, Caroline Aaron, Mooky acting, as usual, is first-rate.▼●쩠 Arizona, Colleen Camp, Russel Harper, JenHours, The (2002) C-114m. ★★★ D: Stephen nifer Love Hewitt, Amy Sakasitz, Ben Stein. Daldry. Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, JuliSensitive, put-upon teenage boy is so shocked anne Moore, Ed Harris, Toni Collette, Claire that his parents are separating that he locks Danes, Jeff Daniels, Stephen Dillane, Allison them in the basement, hoping to force them Janney, John C. Reilly, Miranda Richardson, to talk out their problems; soon his scheme Eileen Atkins, Margo Martindale. Demanding escalates as other kids bring their parents to adaptation of Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer join them. Not as bad as it sounds, a somePrize–winning novel about three women times thoughtful comedy that should have been a one-hour TV show. [PG] ▼●쩠 whose emotional lives intersect: novelist Virginia Woolf (an unrecognizable Kidman in an Houseboat (1958) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: MelOscar-winning performance), 1950s Ameriville Shavelson. Cary Grant, Sophia Loren, can housewife Moore, and contemporary New Martha Hyer, Harry Guardino, Eduardo Yorker Streep, who’s throwing a party—much Ciannelli, Murray Hamilton. Loren becomes like Woolf’s fictional Mrs. Dalloway—for a Grant’s housekeeper and takes his three dying friend (Harris). Emotionally draining, to motherless kids in hand. Predictable rosay the least, but redeemed by the luminescent mance ensues, in this delightful comedy. performances of its three stars. Screenplay by Guardino hilarious as houseboat handyDavid Hare, with a memorable score by Philip man. VistaVision.▼●쩠 Glass. [PG-13] ▼쩠 House Bunny, The (2008) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: House (1986) C-93m. ★★ D: Steve Miner. Fred Wolf. Anna Faris, Colin Hanks, Emma William Katt, George Wendt, Richard Moll, Stone, Kat Dennings, Katharine McPhee, Kay Lenz, Michael Ensign, Susan French, Rumer Willis, Monet Mazur, Kiely Williams, Mary Stavin. Horror novelist Katt, simultaneTyson Ritter, Beverly D’Angelo, Christopher ously suffering from the split-up of his marMcDonald, Nick Swardson, Hugh Hefner. riage, son’s disappearance, and Vietnam memDitzy but endearing Faris has had a perfect ories, is plagued by demonic fantasies when life as a Playmate at the Playboy mansion, he moves to the Victorian home where his so when she’s kicked out she feels she has aunt hanged herself. Lots of horror effects no identity. She becomes a den mother to that don’t hang together, but a quirky attitude, the worst sorority at a nearby college, vowand a sense of humor, buoy things enough to ing to revamp its image and help its eccenmake this moderately entertaining. Followed tric members fit in. Silly and predictable, by several sequels. [R]▼●쩠 but Faris and her castmates make this goofy House II: The Second Story (1987) C-88m. yarn enjoyable. There are cameos by celeb★1 ⁄2 D: Ethan Wiley. Arye Gross, Jonathan rities and Hefner’s harem. HD Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 Stark, Royal Dano, Lar Park Lincoln, Bill Maher, John Ratzenberger. A follow-up House by the Lake (1977-Canadian) Crather than a sequel to HOUSE, this inco89m. ★1⁄2 D: William Fruet. Brenda Vacherent mess is, if anything, a step down. caro, Don Stroud, Chuck Shamata, Richard Another young hero moves into another Ayres, Kyle Edwards. Violent, ugly thriller. weird house, and finds himself involved Four morons led by Stroud invade weekend with living-dead gunslingers, crystal skulls, retreat of lovers Vaccaro and Shamata. Stroud Aztec sacrifices, pterodactyls, and a swordand Vaccaro good, though. Original title: wielding electrician. Busy, but chaotic and DEATH WEEKEND. [R]▼ boring. [PG-13]▼●쩠 House by the River, The (1950) 84m. ★★★ House III SEE: Horror Show, The D: Fritz Lang. Louis Hayward, Jane House IV (1992) C-100m. BOMB D: Wyatt, Lee Bowman, Ann Shoemaker, Lewis Abernathy. Terri Treas, Scott BurkKathleen Freeman. Strange, moody tale of holder, Denny Dillon, Melissa Clayton, Willarcenous husband (Hayward) who spins web liam Katt, Ned Romero, Ned Bellamy, Dabbs of evil that involves his wife (Wyatt) and Greer, John Santucci. When her husband is brother (Bowman). Overwrought at times— killed and her daughter confined to a wheelparticularly near the end—but full of fascinatchair in a car wreck, a young wife holds onto ing touches, striking atmosphere.쩠 the old house he inherited, despite spooky House Calls (1978) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: How[ 638 ]

ard Zieff. Walter Matthau, Glenda Jackson, its two leads. French title: UNE FEMME DE ME´NAGE. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Art Carney, Richard Benjamin, Candice Azzara, Dick O’Neill, Thayer David. Matthau Housekeeper’s Daughter, The (1939) 79m. ★★ plays recently widowed doctor who tries to D: Hal Roach. Joan Bennett, Victor woo feisty Jackson without sacrificing his indeMature, Adolphe Menjou, William Gargan. pendence, in this laughing-out-loud contempoPleasant murder mystery enhanced by chic rary comedy. Cowritten by Max Shulman and Bennett, who helps crack a homicide case. Julius J. Epstein. Carney hilarious as addleMature’s film debut. brained head of surgery at Matthau’s hospital. Housekeeping (1987) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: Later a TV series. [PG]▼●쩠 Bill Forsyth. Christine Lahti, Sara Walker, ★★ Houseguest (1995) C-109m. D: Randall Andrea Burchill. Two orphaned girls meet Miller. Sinbad, Phil Hartman, Jeffrey Jones, their aunt for the first time when she comes to Kim Greist, Stan Shaw, Tony Longo, Paul live with them; she turns out to be a free spirit Ben-Victor, Mason Adams, Kim Murphy, who shuns responsibility and has a profound Chauncey Leopardi, Talia Seider, Ron effect on the sisters’ own relationship. ForGlass. Deep-in-debt dreamer pursued by syth’s first American film, set in the 1950s, is a thuggish money collectors poses as a worldquiet, offbeat, and melancholy story that unrenowned oral surgeon and childhood friend folds like a novel but lacks a certain momenof a suburban advertising exec. Sinbad is tum. Still, there are many touching moments. likable, but no funnier than the desperate Lahti is wonderful as always, and the girls rest. Woefully overextended comedy is (both movie newcomers) are excellent. Based on Marilynne Robinson’s book. [PG]▼ mired in uninvolving subplots and burdened by two of the unfunniest break-ya-fingas House of Angels (1992-Swedish) C-126m. ★★1 comical thugs in screen history. The kind of ⁄2 D: Colin Nutley. Helena Bergstrom, movie that opens in January. [PG]▼●쩠 Rikard Wolff, Per Oscarsson, Sven Wollter, Householder, The (1963-U.S.-Indian) Viveka Seldahl, Reine Brynolfsson, Jacob 100m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Ivory. Shashi Kapoor, Eklund. Contemporary tale of sexy and libLeela Naidu, Durga Khote, Hariendernath eral Bergstrom who, with her avant-garde Chattopadaya. Fair comedy about perpal, descends on a rural Swedish village to plexed schoolteacher Kapoor, coping with claim an inheritance and throws the straithis arranged marriage and new obligalaced townfolk for a loop. Easygoing, offtions. Ivory’s first fiction feature, and inibeat (if longish) film is really not all that tial collaboration with longtime producer different from those classic Ealing comedies Ismail Merchant and scriptwriter Ruth coming from 1950s Britain. U.S. theatrical Prawer Jhabvala; from her novel.▼●쩠 version ran 119m. Aka COLIN NUTLEY’S HOUSE OF ANGELS. [R] ▼ Household Saints (1993) C-124m. ★★★ D: Nancy Savoca. Tracey Ullman, Vincent House of a Thousand Dolls (1967-BritishSpanish) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Jeremy Summers. D’Onofrio, Lili Taylor, Judith Malina, Michael Rispoli, Victor Argo, Michael Imperioli, Vincent Price, Martha Hyer, George Nader, Illeana Douglas, Joe Grifasi. Rich, almost Anne Smyrner, Wolfgang Kieling, Sancho folkloric portrait of three generations of Italian Garcia. Vacationing couple in Tangiers beworking-class N.Y.C. women: elderly immifriended by young man convinced that his grant Malina, whose life is ruled by old fiance´e has been abducted into white slavery wives’ tales; her daughter-in-law (Ullman), an ring. Incredible dialogue, with Price walking old-maid-in-training won by Malina’s son through film in a daze. Techniscope. ▼ (D’Onofrio) in a pinochle game; and their House of Bamboo (1955) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 religion-obsessed daughter (Taylor). As in her D: Samuel Fuller. Robert Ryan, Robert first feature, TRUE LOVE, director Savoca Stack, Shirley Yamaguchi, Cameron Mitch(who scripted with her husband, Richard ell, Sessue Hayakawa. Picturesque if not Guay, from Francine Prose’s novel) depicts credible story of army officers and Japanese Italian New Yorkers with uncanny accuracy. police tracking down a gang of former [R]▼ soldiers working for a well-organized House in Nightmare Park SEE: Crazy syndicate. CinemaScope.쩠 House (1973) House of Cards (1969) C-105m. ★★ D: John Housekeeper, The (2002-French) C-91m. Guillermin. George Peppard, Inger Stevens, ★★1 Orson Welles, Keith Michell, Ralph Michael, ⁄2 D: Claude Berri. Jean-Pierre Bacri, E`milie Dequenne, Brigitte Catillon, Jacques Maxine Audley. Down-and-out boxer/ Frantz, Axelle Abbadie, Catherine Breillat. adventurer (Peppard) hired by rich widow Shortly after separating from his wife a man (Stevens) to tutor her young son becomes hires a new housekeeper who does more pawn of Fascist millionaires and generals for him than change the sheets. Typically intent on retaking Europe. Sound familiar? French in attitude and style, this amusing if One good chase, though. Techniscope. [G] minor effort from director Berri manages House of Cards (1993) C-109m. ★★ D: to explore the ultimate male fantasy. Never Michael Lessac. Kathleen Turner, Tommy fully meets the potential of its concept deLee Jones, Park Overall, Shiloh Strong, spite fine, understated performances from Asha Menina, Esther Rolle, Michael Horse, [ 639 ]

Anne Pitoniak. Architect Turner and her film work; this is the worst of the lot. Aka two children return to the U.S. after sevDANCE OF DEATH and SERANATA eral years of living among Mayan ruins MACABRA. [PG]▼쩠 (and the eerie spirituality of the Mayan House of Exorcism, The SEE: Lisa and Indians) of Central America. When her the Devil House of Fear, The (1945) 69m. ★★★ D: young daughter becomes increasingly withdrawn and shows signs of autism, Turner Roy William Neill. Basil Rathbone, Nigel battles child psychologist Jones over therBruce, Dennis Hoey, Aubrey Mather, Paul apy. Pokey story is less a treatise on the Cavanagh, Holmes Herbert, Gavin Muir. girl’s trauma than it is on the benefits of Sherlock Holmes is called in to investigate having a well-to-do parent with lots of free when members of an eccentric Scottish time and a big backyard. [PG-13]▼●쩠 gentleman’s club are knocked off one by one. House of Crazies SEE: Asylum (1972) Liberal, but ingenious, adaptation of Conan Doyle’s ‘‘The Five Orange Pips.’’▼●쩠 House of D (2005) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Duchovny. Anton Yelchin, David DuHouse of Flying Daggers (2004-Hong KongChinese) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Zhang Yimou. chovny, Robin Williams, Te´a Leoni, Erykah Badu, Frank Langella, Zelda Williams, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Andy Lau, Zhang Ziyi, Mark Margolis, Magali Amadei, Harold Song Dandan. China, A.D. 859: The notoriCartier, Orlando Jones. Duchovny’s debut ous Flying Daggers have won renown for as writer-director is a semiautobiographical stealing from the rich and giving to the story about a man looking back on his childpoor. Mei (Ziyi), a blind beauty and martial hood growing up in 1970s Greenwich Village arts expert who is the daughter of the deand the life-altering choice he makes when ceased leader of the Daggers, becomes the tragedy intervenes. Overly sentimental and love object of two dashing Tang Dynasty shot with so many close-ups it can’t be recgovernment deputies; they compete for her ommended for claustrophobics, this awkamid many battles and fight scenes. Dazwardly structured memory play still has zling set pieces, special effects, and use of laughs and touching moments. Yelchin is a color, but long, boring at times, and downreal find as the younger version of the man, right silly toward the end; still, it’s great to played by Duchovny; Williams is good as the look at. Zhang’s second foray into the marboy’s mentally challenged friend and cotial arts genre, following HERO. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 worker. Williams’ real-life daughter Zelda makes a charming first-love interest. [PGHouse of Fools (2002-Russian) C-104m. ★★1 13]쩠 ⁄2 D: Andrei Konchalovsky. Yuliya VyHouse of Dark Shadows (1970) C-96m. sotskaya (Julia Vysotsky), Bryan Adams, ★★★ Sultan Islamov, Stanislav Varkki, Vladas BagD: Dan Curtis. Jonathan Frid, Grayson Hall, Kathryn Leigh Scott, Roger Davis, donas, Yevgeni Mironov. This thoroughly Joan Bennett, John Karlen, Thayer David, Russian film is set in a mental hospital where Louis Edmonds, Nancy Barrett. Feature verone of the patients is fixated on a fantasy life sion of popular TV serial, recounting vampire with pop singer Bryan Adams, only to see her Barnabas Collins’ (Frid) quest for a cure so he dreams shattered by the real-life Chechen war can wed lovely Scott. Nothing new scriptin her midst. An odd cross between NO wise, but beautiful locations, flashy direction MAN’S LAND and ONE FLEW OVER THE and camerawork, and some nice jolts make it CUCKOO’S NEST; the actors shine in spite of an enjoyable chiller. Followed by NIGHT OF the film’s dreary tone. Adams appears throughDARK SHADOWS. [PG]▼● out, singing his hit ‘‘Have You Ever Really House of Dracula (1945) 67m. ★★1⁄2 D: Loved a Woman’’ perhaps three times too Erle C. Kenton. Onslow Stevens, Lon many for his (and the film’s) own good. [R] Chaney, Jr., John Carradine, Martha O’ ▼쩠 Driscoll, Jane Adams, Lionel Atwill, Glenn House of Frankenstein (1944) 71m. ★★1⁄2 Strange, Skelton Knaggs. Sequel to HOUSE D: Erle C. Kenton. Boris Karloff, J. Carrol OF FRANKENSTEIN takes different tack: Naish, Lon Chaney, Jr., John Carradine, Elena Stevens tries ‘‘real’’ science to cure various Verdugo, Anne Gwynne, Lionel Atwill, Peter Universal monsters, but finds that some of Coe, George Zucco, Glenn Strange, Sig Rutheir bad habits begin to rub off. Acting, direcmann. Episodic all-star monster opus linked tion, eerie set design compensate for overby evil scientist Karloff and hunchback Naish posing as traveling horror show operators. ambitious script, hasty resolution. ▼●쩠 House of Evil (1971-Mexican-U.S.) CFirst third has them dealing with Dracula 80m. BOMB D: Juan Ibanez, Jack Hill. (wonderfully played by Carradine), the rest Boris Karloff, Julissa, Andres Garcia, Anpicks up where FRANKENSTEIN MEETS gel Espinosa, Beatriz Baz. The old heirsTHE WOLF MAN left off. Contrived, to say being-killed-one-by-one story, involving the least, but tough to dislike. Strange’s first crazy composer Karloff, his old house, appearance as the Frankenstein Monster. Sekiller toys, and an organ melody that herquel: HOUSE OF DRACULA.▼●쩠 alds death. One of four films Karloff made House of Fright SEE: Two Faces of Dr. back to back in 1968, constituting his last Jekyll, The [ 640 ]

House of Games (1987) C-102m. ★★★1⁄2 D: tertaining chronicle of famed banking family, David Mamet. Lindsay Crouse, Joe Manwith Arliss as Nathan Rothschild at time of tegna, Mike Nussbaum, Lilia Skala, J.T. Napoleonic Wars, Loretta his daughter, Walsh, Willo Hausman, Ricky Jay, Meshach R. Young her suitor, Karloff as civilized Taylor, W. (William) H. Macy. Uptight fevillain. Finale shot in color. male psychiatrist (and best-selling author) beHouse of Sand, The (2005-Brazilian) Ccomes involved with a slick confidence man 115m. ★★★ D: Andrucha Waddington. Ferand his ‘‘team,’’ and quickly gets in over her nanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Ruy head. Fascinating Hitchcockian tale by David Guerra, Seu Jorge, Luiz Melodia, Enrique Mamet, which also marks his film directing Dı´az, Steˆnio Garcia, Emiliano Queiroz. debut. Many of his stage cronies are on hand, Sensuous story begins as a crazed man notably Mantegna, in a dynamic performance, drags his wife (and her mother) to a remote and Crouse, then Mamet’s wife. [R]▼●쩠 spot in the Brazilian desert where he plans House of God, The (1979) C-108m. ★1⁄2 to build a home. The women remain and D: Donald Wrye. Tim Matheson, Charles create a life for themselves away from civiHaid, Bess Armstrong, Michael Sacks, Lisa lization, spilling into the next generation— Pelikan, George Coe, Ossie Davis, Howard and in spite of the daughter’s determination Rollins, Jr., James Cromwell, Sandra Bernto get out. The female stars (who are realhard. Misfire black comedy about bunch of life mother and daughter) exchange roles in young interns coming to grips with reality of a near-mystical passage of 59 years as this hospital pressures. A few scattered laughs, but unique, cosmic drama unfolds. Super 35. [R]쩠 mostly a waste of terrific (and then-unknown) talent. Adapted by Wrye from Samuel House of Sand and Fog (2003) C-126m. ★★★1 Shem’s novel; never released theatrically. [R] ⁄2 D: Vadim Perelman. Jennifer ConHouse of Mirth, The (2000-British-U.S.) Cnelly, Ben Kingsley, Ron Eldard, Frances 140m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terence Davies. Gillian AnFisher, Kim Dickens, Shohreh Aghdashloo, derson, Eric Stoltz, Dan Aykroyd, Eleanor Jonathan Ahdout, Navi Rawat. A lost soul Bron, Terry Kinney, Anthony LaPaglia, Laura (Connelly) is evicted from her house overLinney, Elizabeth McGovern, Jodhi May. looking the ocean. The county sells it, at a Faithful but mirthless adaptation of Edith bargain price, to an Iranian ex-colonel now Wharton novel about a beautiful woman who living in diminished circumstances who is ostracized from N.Y. society at the turn of hopes to resell it for a profit. This sets Conthe 20th century because she doesn’t ‘‘play the nelly and Kingsley on a collision course game.’’ Deadly slow, the film gets more interthat wreaks havoc neither one can foresee. esting as it goes along . . . but a more charisThere’s not a false move or a wasted momatic leading actress might have helped. ment in this exquisitely rendered, emotionExquisitely mounted production. Arriscope. ally devastating film. Impressive feature [PG]▼쩠 debut for director Perelman, who adapted House of Mystery (1961-British) 56m. the screenplay with Shawn Otto from Andre ★★1⁄2 D: Vernon Sewell. Jane Hylton, Peter Dubus III’s best-selling novel. [R] ▼쩠 Dyneley, Nanette Newman, Maurice KaufHouse of Seven Corpses, The (1973) C-90m. ★★ D: Paul Harrison. John Ireland, man, John Merivale. Nifty little story of haunted house, with its new owners learnFaith Domergue, John Carradine, Carole ing the mysterious history of the premises; Wells, Charles Macaulay, Jerry Strickler. A supernatural played up well.▼ movie crew uses a house with a notorious past House of 1000 Corpses (2003) C-88m. for location work on a horror film, and learns BOMB D: Rob Zombie. Sid Haig, Bill Moseto regret it; low budget, but not bad. [PG]▼쩠 ley, Sheri Moon, Karen Black, Chris HardHouse of Strangers (1949) 101m. ★★★ D: wick, Erin Daniels, Jennifer Jostyn, Rainn Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Edward G. RobinWilson, Tom Towles, Dennis Fimple, Michael son, Susan Hayward, Richard Conte, LuJ. Pollard, Jeanne Carmen. A night of bloodther Adler, Efrem Zimbalist, Jr., Debra drenched terror begins when two morons and Paget, Hope Emerson, Esther Minciotti. their girlfriends pay a visit to Captain SpauldDynamic drama of ruthless financier Robing’s Museum of Monsters and Madmen. inson who uses his four sons to suit his own This infantile ROCKY HORROR PICTURE schemes. Unique plot line has been utilized in SHOW/TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE various disguises for many subsequent wannabe sacrifices genuine scares for gratufilms—most memorably, five years later in the Western BROKEN LANCE. ▼쩠 itous gore and nonstop profanity. Rocker Zombie, who has a genuine fondness for horHouse of the Black Death (1965) 80m. ★1 ror films, pointlessly sprinkles in vintage ⁄2 D: Harold Daniels. Lon Chaney, Jr., movie/TV clips. Filmed in 2000. Followed by John Carradine, Andrea King, Tom Drake, THE DEVIL’S REJECTS. [R]▼쩠 Dolores Faith, Sabrina. Warlock holds peoHouse of Rothschild (1934) 88m. ★★★ D: ple captive in a creepy old house; terribly dragged out, grade-Z stuff.▼ Alfred L. Werker. George Arliss, Boris Karloff, Loretta Young, Robert Young, FloHouse of the Dead (2003-U.S.-Germanrence Arliss, C. Aubrey Smith. Elaborate, enCanadian) C-92m. BOMB D: Uwe Boll. [ 641 ]

Jonathan Cherry, Tyron Leitso, Clint Howtions. Aka FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 ard, Ona Grauer, Ellie Cornell, Will SandHouse of Usher, The (1988) C-90m. ★1⁄2 erson, Enuka Okuma, Ju¨rgen Prochnow. D: Alan Birkinshaw. Oliver Reed, Donald Low-grade horror movie, based on the Pleasence, Romy Windsor, Rufus Swart, Norvideo-game series, which charts the all-tooman Coombes, Anne Stradi. Yet another tellpredictable fates of some addle-brained ing of the Edgar Allan Poe saga is one big young people drawn to an island inhabited yawn, with Reed as Roderick Usher, and by zombies. Sloppily made and mindWindsor as his prey—the woman who can numbingly inept. Prochnow’s character is bear him a son and continue the family name. named Captain Kirk. How clever! Followed Filmed in South Africa. [R]▼● by a TVM, HOUSE OF THE DEAD 2. House of Wax (1953) C-88m. ★★★ D: [R] ▼쩠 Andre de Toth. Vincent Price, Frank House of the Long Shadows (1983-British) Lovejoy, Phyllis Kirk, Paul Picerni, Carolyn C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Pete Walker. Vincent Price, Jones, Paul Cavanagh, Charles Buchinsky Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Desi (Bronson). Remake of MYSTERY OF THE Arnaz, Jr., John Carradine, Sheila Keith, WAX MUSEUM stars Price as vengeful Julie Peasgood, Richard Todd. Arnaz, Jr. sculptor who rebuilds his fire-destroyed single-handedly sinks this sixth screen vershowplace by using human victims as wax sion of George M. Cohan’s spoof, SEVEN figures. Jones excellent as an early victim. KEYS TO BALDPATE, miscast as a mysMost popular of the era’s 3-D films, a status it tery writer staying the night in a spooky retains today. This is the film that launched mansion on a bet with Todd. Notable only Price on his horror film cycle after 15 years of for its historic teaming of four all-time horror ‘‘straight’’ roles. Love that paddleball man! masters, all wasted in small roles. [PG]▼ Remade in 2005. ▼●쩠 House of the Seven Gables, The (1940) House of Wax (2005-U.S.-Australian) C★★★ 89m. D: Joe May. George Sanders, 105m. ★★ D: Jaume Collet-Serra. Elisha Margaret Lindsay, Vincent Price, Nan Grey, Cuthbert, Chad Michael Murray, Brian Van Alan Napier, Cecil Kellaway, Dick Foran. Holt, Paris Hilton, Jared Padalecki, Jon Good adaptation of Hawthorne’s classic Abrahams, Robert Ri’chard, Damon Herrinovel. Set in 19th-century New England; man. A group of friends heading to a colconniving Sanders frames his brother, Price, lege football game take a shortcut, find for murder of their father in effort to cheat themselves stranded, get separated, stumble him out of inheritance. Fine performances into a deserted town, and enter a house of from all. Price also appeared in TWICEwax with a ‘‘closed’’ sign on the door. TOLD TALES, which includes abbreviated Plays like a mediocre 1970s slasher flick, version of Seven Gables novel.▼ but with contemporary, ‘‘fleshed-out’’ charHouse of the Spirits, The (1993-Germanacters. An in-name-only remake of the 1953 Danish-Portuguese-U.S.) C-138m. ★★ D: movie, though the wax sculptor is named Bille August. Jeremy Irons, Meryl Streep, Vincent. [R]▼쩠 Glenn Close, Winona Ryder, Vanessa RedHouse of Women (1962) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: grave, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Antonio BandWalter Doniger. Shirley Knight, Andrew eras, Maria Conchita Alonso, Miriam Colon, Duggan, Constance Ford, Barbara NichVincent Gallo, Jan Niklas, Teri Polo. Epic ols, Margaret Hayes, Virginia Gregg. Trite South American saga that follows a prominent rendition of conditions in a women’s prison family’s turbulent life from the 1920s through elevated by good cast and fast pacing. the early ’70s. Heavy with portent—and Remake of CAGED. clearly written by someone for whom English House of Yes, The (1997) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 is not a first language—this sprawling story D: Mark Waters. Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, tries to incorporate the mysticism of Isabel AlTori Spelling, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Genevieve lende’s bestselling novel with sputtering reBujold, Rachael Leigh Cook. On a stormy sults. Streep is badly miscast, and Irons night in 1983, a young man brings his fiance´e struggles with his Hispanic role. Mamie Gumhome to meet his cracked Washington, D.C., mer, Streep’s daughter, plays her character as a family, including his demented twin sister, child. Opened in Europe at 145m. Panavision. Jackie-O, whose fantasies about Jacqueline [R]▼●쩠 Kennedy have extended to reenacting the JFK House of Usher (1960) C-85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: assassination—with real bullets. Well-wrought Roger Corman. Vincent Price, Mark Damon, black comedy, based on the stage play by Myrna Fahey, Harry Ellerbe. First-rate horror Wendy MacLeod, never quite escapes being a film based on classic tale by Edgar Allan Poe. ‘‘play on film.’’ Strong performances, led by When beautiful young girl’s suitor arrives to Posey’s, make this worth a look. [R] ▼●쩠 ask her hand in marriage, the doors of the House on Carroll Street, The (1988) house of Usher fling open, and terror begins. C-100m. ★★ D: Peter Yates. Kelly McGillis, Filmed several times before and since, but Jeff Daniels, Mandy Patinkin, Christopher never this effectively; a great tour de force for Rhode, Jessica Tandy, Jonathan Hogan, Trey Price. First of Corman’s eight Poe adaptaWilson. McGillis, who’s just lost her job after [ 642 ]

being branded a subversive during the Mcleading up to (and following) a house party Carthy era, stumbles onto a strange espionage one night. Upbeat and imaginative, cast plot that’s being covered up, and gradually with real-life music rappers (including Reid, persuades FBI agent Daniels that she’s on to who plays the leading role of Kid). A solid something big. Finely detailed period piece feature debut for young writer-director set in 1950s N.Y.C. starts off well, then Hudlin. Followed by animated TV series chucks its relevance (and believability) for a Kid ’n Play and three sequels. [R]▼●쩠 melodramatic finale filmed a` la Hitchcock at House Party 2 (1991) C-94m. ★★ D: Doug Grand Central Station . . . leaving a passel of McHenry, George Jackson. Christopher Reid, plot holes and unanswered questions. A real Christopher Martin, Eugene Allen, George disappointment from onetime blacklisted Anthony Bell, Georg Stanford Brown, Tony writer Walter Bernstein. Patinkin is excellent Burton, Tisha Campbell, Iman, Kamron, as Roy Cohn–type attorney. [PG]▼●쩠 Queen Latifah, Martin Lawrence, William House on Haunted Hill (1958) 75m. ★★★ Schallert. Uninspired sequel has Kid (Reid) D: William Castle. Vincent Price, Carol Ohmheading off to college—if he can just hold on art, Richard Long, Alan Marshal, Elisha to the money his church congregation has Cook, Jr., Carolyn Craig, Leona Anderson. raised to send him there. Reid is still appealing, Zillionaire Price offers group of people but this fragmented film has little to offer, in $10,000 each if they’ll spend a night in spite of its social-consciousness rhetoric and get-an-education ‘‘message.’’ [R] ▼●쩠 spooky old mansion with murder-laden history; he even provides loaded guns as party House Party 3 (1994) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Eric favors. Campy fun. Originally presented theMeza. Christopher Reid, Christopher Martin, atrically with flying skeleton gimmick ‘‘EmDavid Edwards, Angela Means, Tisha Campergo.’’ Remade in 1999. ▼●쩠 bell, Bernie Mac, Gilbert Gottfried, Ketty House on Haunted Hill (1999) C-93m. Lester. Kid, amid jitters over his impending ★1 marriage, is trying to make it in music man⁄2 D: William Malone. Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Taye Diggs, Bridgette Wilagement by signing a feisty female rap group son, Peter Gallagher, Chris Kattan, Ali and dodging a vindictive tour promoter. ScatLarter, Max Perlich, Jeffrey Combs, Lisa tershot chuckles, but coarse, crude, and miLoeb. Dreary remake of the 1958 movie, sogynistic, unlike the original. More hangover with two obnoxious ‘‘hosts’’—a venomous than beer blast. [R]▼●쩠 married couple (Rush, Janssen)—having a HouseSitter (1992) C-102m. ★★ D: Frank party whose guest list is comprised of five Oz. Steve Martin, Goldie Hawn, Dana strangers. Each one can win a million dolDelany, Julie Harris, Donald Moffat, Pelars for surviving the night in a former saniter MacNicol, Richard B. Shull, Laurel tarium with a bloodstained past. HeavyCronin, Christopher Durang, Cherry Jones. handed, and no fun at all. Followed by a Unusual hybrid of comedy, farce, and direct-to-DVD sequel. [R]▼●쩠 screwball romance that doesn’t know what House on 92nd Street, The (1945) 88m. it’s trying to be. Martin plays a New En★★★1⁄2 D: Henry Hathaway. William Eythe, gland architect who meets kooky nonconLloyd Nolan, Signe Hasso, Gene Lockhart, formist Hawn; in no time she’s moved into Leo G. Carroll, Lydia St. Clair. Exciting, the vacant dream home he’d intended for trend-setting documentary-style drama— Delany and begun spinning lies about being based on fact and staged on actual his Mrs. Laughs throughout, and the stars locations—about FBI counterespionage acdo their best, but the film is painfully Hollywood-cookie-cutter in form. [PG]▼●쩠 tivities during WW2: Nazi agents, operating in N.Y.C., attempt to pilfer part of the atom House That Dripped Blood, The (1970British) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Duffell. bomb formula. Charles G. Booth earned an Oscar for his original story. Screenplay by John Bennett, John Bryans, Denholm ElBooth, Barre Lyndon, and John Monks, Jr. liott, Joanna Dunham, Tom Adams, Peter Look for E. G. Marshall, in film debut. FolCushing, Christopher Lee, Nyree Dawn lowed by THE STREET WITH NO Porter, Jon Pertwee, Ingrid Pitt. EntertainNAME. ▼쩠 ing four-part horror film written by Robert House on Telegraph Hill, The (1951) Bloch with a bit too much tongue in cheek, revolving around suitably creepy-looking 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Wise. Richard Basehart, Valentina Cortese, William Lundigan, mansion purchased by new, hesitant owner. Fay Baker. Good cast in intriguing tale of Best segments: first and last. [PG]▼쩠 WW2 refugee assuming dead woman’s House That Screamed, The (1970-Spanish) identity so that she can come to San FranC-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Narciso Ibanez Serrador. cisco where wealthy relatives reside.쩠 Lilli Palmer, Chistina Galbo, John MoulderHouse Party (1990) C-100m. ★★★ D: RegBrown, Mary Maude, Candida Losada. Grisly inald Hudlin. Christopher Reid, Robin Harhorror at a home for troubled girls, where ris, Christopher Martin, Martin Lawrence, disciplinarian Palmer and her sex-starved son Tisha Campbell, A. J. Johnson, Paul An(Brown) make life difficult—to say the thony. Infectiously good-natured comedy least—for the young ladies. Franscope. [PG]쩠 about urban black teenagers and the events House Where Evil Dwells, The (1982) [ 643 ]

C-88m. ★★ D: Kevin Connor. Edward Albert, tuan production produces gargantuan headache. Executive produced, but disowned, by Susan George, Doug McClure, Amy Barrett, George Lucas. [PG]▼● Mako Hattori, Toshiyuki Sasaki, Toshiya MarHow Do I Love Thee? (1970) C-110m. uyama. American family moves into stylishold ★1 ⁄2 D: Michael Gordon. Jackie Gleason, house in Kyoto, Japan, ignoring warnings that Maureen O’Hara, Shelley Winters, Rosemary it’s haunted by ghosts of doomed 19th-century Forsyth, Rick Lenz, Clinton Robinson. Plealove triangle. A few new twists can’t relieve sant cast can’t do much for sloppily sentifamiliar formula and general air of silliness. mental film about Gleason’s inability to relate Quite violent at times. [R]▼쩠 to his son, a philosophy professor. Plays Housewife (1934) 69m. ★★ D: Alfred E. like a TV show, a bad one at that. [PG]▼ Green. Bette Davis, George Brent, Ann How Funny Can Sex Be? (1976-Italian) Dvorak, John Halliday, Ruth Donnelly. C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dino Risi. Giancarlo Little punch in story of struggling copyGiannini, Laura Antonelli, Alberto Liowriter Brent deserting wife Dvorak for nello, Duilio Del Prete, Paola Borboni, old-flame Davis (playing unsubtle vamp). Carla Mancini. Eight bawdy episodes on How About You . . . (2007-Irish) C-91m. ★★ D: Anthony Byrne. Vanessa Redgrave, love, sex, and marriage. More misses than hits, but buoyed by Giannini’s comic Imelda Staunton, Brenda Fricker, Hayley prowess and Antonelli’s tantalizing Atwell, Joss Ackland, Orla Brady, Joan beauty. Released here after Giannini’s O’Hara. Young Atwell comes to work in a success in Wertmuller films. [R]▼ residential home whose aging inhabitants How Green Was My Valley (1941) 118m. are mostly eccentric or crotchety. What ★★★★ D: John Ford. Walter Pidgeon, Maumight have been an appealing tale of interreen O’Hara, Donald Crisp, Anna Lee, generational bonding is ill conceived and Master Roddy McDowall, John Loder, Sara often downright silly. Livens up in Atwell’s Allgood, Barry Fitzgerald, Patric Knowles, all-too-brief scenes with elderly, dying Rhys Williams, Arthur Shields, Ann Todd, O’Hara. Based on a short story by Maeve Mae Marsh. Narrated by Irving Pichel; Binchy. Super 35. 쩠 United Kingdom version narrated by Rhys Howards End (1992-British) C-140m. Williams. Moving drama from Richard ★★★★ D: James Ivory. Anthony Hopkins, Llewellyn’s story of Welsh coal miners, Vanessa Redgrave, Helena Bonham Carter, centering on Crisp’s large, close-knit famEmma Thompson, James Wilby, Sam West, ily. Beautifully filmed, lovingly directed, Jemma Redgrave, Nicola Duffett, Prunella winner of five Academy Awards: Best PicScales. Sumptuous, stimulating adaptation of ture, Director, Supporting Actor (Crisp), CinE. M. Forster’s novel of class distinction— ematography (Arthur Miller), Art Direction. and what happens when members of different Screenplay by Philip Dunne. ▼●쩠 social strata collide in 1910 England. ThompHow High (2001) C-93m. ★★ D: Jesse Dylan. son won an Oscar for her terrific performance Method Man, Redman, Lark Voohries, Obba as an audacious and independent young Babatunde, Mike Epps, Fred Willard, Anna woman of no means who is ever-so-subtly Maria Horsford, Chuck Davis, Jeffrey Jones, seduced by Hopkins, a successful man whose Spalding Gray, Hector Elizondo, Tracey Walsocial veneer masks an insidious (and even ter. With Willard playing the chancellor of cruel) nature. Extraordinarily good on every Harvard and Bob Dylan’s son directing, this level. Also won Oscars for Best Screenplay rare Ivy League stoner comedy has a curio (by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala) and Art Direcadvantage going in. Film’s rapper leads play tion–Set Decoration. Simon Callow appears goof-offs who finesse their entrance exams unbilled as a lecturer. Super 35. [PG] ▼●쩠 by smoking the mind-expanding ashes of a Howards of Virginia, The (1940) 122m. dead friend. (Who says the spirit of Lub★★1 ⁄2 D: Frank Lloyd. Cary Grant, Martha itsch is dead?) Movie has enough low-grade Scott, Cedric Hardwicke, Alan Marshal, Richlaughs to sustain its length, though there ard Carlson, Paul Kelly, Irving Bacon. Historhave probably been cockfights with more ical account of Revolutionary War is OK, but redeeming social value. [R]▼쩠 too long for such standard retelling. Look for How I Got Into College (1989) C-89m. ★★ young Peter Cushing.▼쩠 D: Savage Steve Holland. Anthony EdHoward Stern’s Private Parts SEE: Priwards, Corey Parker, Lara Flynn Boyle, Finn vate Parts Carter, Charles Rocket, Christopher Rydell, Howard the Duck (1986) C-111m. BOMB Brian Doyle-Murray, Richard Jenkins, Nora D: Willard Huyck. Lea Thompson, Jeffrey Dunn, Phil Hartman. Aimless senior applies Jones, Tim Robbins, Paul Guilfoyle, Holly to a small college because his high-achiever Robinson, Miles Chapin, Virginia Capers, dream girl is doing the same, and gets caught David Paymer, Thomas Dolby, and voice up in the cutthroat recruitment machine. Mild of Richard Kiley. Steve Gerber’s sarcastic execution of ripe satirical premise, buoyed by comic-book creation is (unwisely) turned fantasy set pieces associated with director into a live-action character for this hopeless Holland’s previous work. Has its moments, mess of a movie set in Cleveland. Garganbut not enough of them. [PG-13]▼●쩠 [ 644 ]

How I Killed My Father (2001-FrenchHowling IV: The Original Nightmare Spanish) C-95m. ★★★ D: Anne Fontaine. (1988-British) C-92m. BOMB D: John Michel Bouquet, Charles Berling, Natacha Hough. Romy Windsor, Michael T. Weiss, Re´gnier, Amira Casar, Ste´phane Guillon, Anthony Hamilton, Susanne Severeid. Being Hubert Kounde´, Karole Rocher, Franc¸ois based somewhat more closely on Gary BradBerle´and. A doctor (Berling) whose spener’s original novel doesn’t save this film cialty is slowing down the aging process from being a turkey in wolf’s clothing. Isoamong his wealthy clientele learns that his lated in a distant cabin, a young woman batlong-estranged father (Bouquet) has died tles werewolves, including her boyfriend, a unexpectedly. In a flash, he recalls their last newly minted howler. Shot in South Africa, extended meeting—or is this reunion all in unsuccessfully passing itself off as California. his mind? Quietly devastating character Poor makeup effects. [R]▼●쩠 study emphasizes the enduring impact parHowling V: The Rebirth (1989) C-99m. ★★ ents have on children. Aka MY FATHER D: Neal Sundstrom. Victoria Catlin, AND I.쩠 Elizabeth Silverstein, Mark Faulkner, StephHow I Won the War (1967-British) anie Shockley, William Stavin. Much betC-109m. ★★★ D: Richard Lester. Michael ter than II or IV, this still suffers from a Crawford, John Lennon, Roy Kinnear, Jack very low budget—so low there are no wereMacGowran, Michael Hordern, Lee Monwolves to be seen! All the hairy monster stuff tague, Alexander Knox. Pungent, if occatakes place off-screen in this variation on Ten sionally overbaked, account of a middleLittle Indians, as a group in a picturesque old aged veteran whose pompous reminiscenses castle is knocked off one by one by the secret of his wartime heroics cannot obscure his werewolf among them. Some suspense, OK ineptitude in battle. A deliciously cynical performances, and a genuine surprise at the parody of the lunacy of war. Interesting to end. [R]▼●쩠 see Lennon in one of his very few acting Howling VI—The Freaks (1991) C-102m. roles, as the Cockney Gripweed.▼● ★1 ⁄2 D: Hope Perello. Brendan Hughes, Howling, The (1981) C-91m. ★★★ D: Joe Michelle Matheson, Bruce Martyn Payne, Dante. Dee Wallace, Patrick Macnee, DenJered Barclay, Sean Gregory Sullivan, Annis Dugan, Christopher Stone, Belinda tonio Fargas, Carlos Cervantes. This time Balaski, Kevin McCarthy, John Carradine, the werewolf is the hero, a drifter who Slim Pickens, Elisabeth Brooks, Robert turns up in a Southwestern desert town just Picardo, Noble Willingham, Kenneth Tobey, ahead of a circus full of monsters. IntelliDick Miller, Meshach Taylor. A female TV gently written, especially for this series, news reporter is sent to a strange California but pretentious, with vague Ray Bradencounter-group community to recover from buryesque overtones. Awkward and cona sexual trauma, unaware that virtually everyfusing, of appeal to buffs only. [R]▼●쩠 one there is a werewolf. A hip, well-made Howl’s Moving Castle (2004-Japanese) Chorror film, brimming with film-buff jokes ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Hayao Miyazaki. Voices of 119m. (almost every character is named after a Christian Bale, Jean Simmons, Billy Cryswerewolf-movie director) and Rob Bottin’s tal, Lauren Bacall, Emily Mortimer, Blythe amazing wolf transformations. Only comDanner, Josh Hutcherson, Jena Malone, plaint: Why set the horror against such a patMoosie Drier. A girl falls under the spell of ently bizarre backdrop? Coscripter John a witch and is transformed into a wrinkled Sayles has a funny cameo as a morgue attenold woman . . . but in her new form she dant. Followed by several so-called sequels. acquires a sense of daring and wisdom she [R]▼●쩠 never had before, especially when she disHowling II: Your Sister Is a Werewolf covers a magical moving castle. This mysti(1985) C-90m. BOMB D: Philippe Mora. cal fable offers a unique experience. It asks Christopher Lee, Annie McEnroe, Reb Brown, the viewer to take a leap of faith—and then Sybil Danning, Marsha A. Hunt, Ferdy Mayne. offers constant surprise, turning from humor Ridiculous sequel is set in Transylvania where to sadness to a sense of wonder in the blink unlikely siblings Danning and Lee head up a of an eye. Animation master Miyazaki family of werewolves. Attempt at sending up adapted Diana Wynne Jones’ novel. Simthe genre falls flat. [R]▼●쩠 ★★ mons, Bacall, and Crystal contribute rich Howling III (1987-Australian) C-94m. D: vocal performances to the U.S. version. Philippe Mora. Barry Otto, Imogen Anne[PG]쩠 sley, Dasha Blahova, Max Fairchild, Frank How She Move (2008-Canadian) C-91m. Thring, Michael Pate, Barry Humphries. OK ★★ D: Ian Iqbal Rashid. Rutina Wesley, Tre ´ horror spoof stars Annesley, a Kim BasingerArmstrong, Cle´ Bennett, Melanie Nichollslike beauty, as an Australian marsupial King, Brennan Gademans, Dwain Murphy, werewolf, who gives birth to a cute little creaKeyshia Cole, DeRay Davis. Utterly preture that lives in a pouch on her belly. Unusual dictable story about a young girl who, after addition to werewolf genre features some her sister’s death, returns to her old neighfunny cameos, including Thring as an Alfred borhood in the Caribbean projects of ToHitchcock–style director. [PG-13]▼●쩠 [ 645 ]

ronto. To earn college tuition money she How the West Was Won (1962) C-155m. ★★★1 decides to compete in step-dancing compe⁄2 D: John Ford (‘‘The Civil War’’), titions. Mediocre in every way; the dancing Henry Hathaway (‘‘The Rivers, The Plains, and music are uninspired, and they’re supThe Outlaws’’), George Marshall (‘‘The Railroad’’). Carroll Baker, Henry Fonda, Gregory posed to drive the film. [PG-13]쩠 How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998) Peck, George Peppard, Carolyn Jones, Eli C-124m. ★★ D: Kevin Rodney Sullivan. AnWallach, Robert Preston, Debbie Reynolds, gela Bassett, Taye Diggs, Regina King, James Stewart, John Wayne, Richard WidWhoopi Goldberg, Suzzanne Douglas, Mimark, All-Star Cast; narrated by Spencer chael J. Pagan, Sicily, Richard Lawson, Barry Tracy. Blockbuster epic about three generaShabaka Henley, Glynn Turman, Carl Lumtions of Western pioneers isn’t same experibly. Tight-midriffed San Francisco stockence seen at home as it is on a Cinerama screen, broker, age 40, romances the 20-year-old but great cast, first-rate photography and lovely med-school hopeful she meets while vacaAlfred Newman score still make it top entertioning in Jamaica, setting off a wave of tsktainment. Peppard stands out with excellent tsk-ing among her friends and his parents. portrayal. This won Oscars for Story and Overlong and dull, this occasionally lush Screenplay (James R. Webb) and Editing (Harversion of Terry McMillan’s novel might be old F. Kress). Cinerama. ▼●쩠 more convincing if Bassett didn’t look more How to Beat the High Co$t of Living like a 25-year-old knockout. Subplot about (1980) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Scheerer. Goldberg’s illness and subsequent hospitalSusan Saint James, Jane Curtin, Jessica ization helps keep the film from getting into Lange, Richard Benjamin, Cathryn Damon, a groove. [R]▼●쩠 Fred Willard, Dabney Coleman, Eddie ★1 How Sweet It Is! (1968) C-99m. ⁄2 D: Albert, Art Metrano, Garrett Morris. ThorJerry Paris. James Garner, Debbie Reynolds, oughly blah caper comedy by Bob Kaufman Maurice Ronet, Paul Lynde, Marcel Dalio, about three housewives who plot a heist at the Terry-Thomas. Married couple with teenage local shopping center. Worth a glance to see son goes to Europe to revitalize themselves, Coleman in rare romantic lead . . . and Saint but Mom starts to dally with sexy Frenchman. James and Curtin years before they clicked Bland comedy looks like a TV show and is together as Kate and Allie. [PG]▼쩠 about as memorable. Watch for Penny MarHow to Be Very, Very Popular (1955) shall as one of the Tour Girls. Panavision.▼ C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nunnally Johnson. Betty How the Garcia Girls Spent Their SumGrable, Robert Cummings, Charles Coburn, ★★★ mer (2008) C-128m. Sheree North, Fred Clark, Alice Pearce, D: Georgina Garcia Riedel. Elizabeth Pen˜a, America Orson Bean. Grable and North on the lam Ferrera, Lucy Gallardo, Steven Bauer, Jorge hide in a college fraternity in this semiCervera, Jr., Leo Minaya. Sharply observed remake of SHE LOVES ME NOT. Sheree and sympathetically detailed dramedy about does wild ‘‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’’ numthe romantic entanglements of three generaber, stealing Grable’s spotlight. This was tions of Mexican-American women—aging Betty’s last movie. CinemaScope. grandmother (Gallardo), divorced mother How to Commit Marriage (1969) C-95m. ★★ (Pen˜a), 17-year-old daughter (Ferrera)—in D: Norman Panama. Bob Hope, Jackie a sleepy Arizona border town. Funny and Gleason, Jane Wyman, Maureen Arthur, Tim insightful, but be forewarned: this SUMMER Matheson, Leslie Nielsen, Tina Louise, Irwin proceeds at the pace of someone amiably Corey. Above average for later Hope movies, drifting through a hot August afternoon. but still a far cry from great comedy. Hope Filmed before, but released after, Ferrera hit it and Wyman are about to divorce when their big on TV’s Ugly Betty. Panavision. [R]쩠 daughter announces plans to marry Gleason’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000) son. ‘‘Mod’’ elements of script were already ★1 C-105m. ⁄2 D: Ron Howard. Jim Carrey, dated when film came out. [M/PG]▼쩠 Jeffrey Tambor, Christine Baranski, Bill Irwin, How to Deal (2003) C-101m. ★★ D: Clare Molly Shannon, Clint Howard, Taylor MomKilner. Mandy Moore, Allison Janney, sen; narrated by Anthony Hopkins. Cheerless Trent Ford, Alexandra Holden, Dylan bastardization of the beloved children’s book Baker, Nina Foch, Mackenzie Astin, Conby Dr. Seuss about a dastardly creature’s nie Ray, Mary Catherine Garrison. Dealing attempt to rob Whoville of its yuletide holiwith a divorced mom and a pregnant best day. Carrey is good, but the film is loud and friend, a teenage girl vows never to fall in cluttered, losing all the charm of the sweet, love. Dull attempt at dramedy isn’t helped simple source material. Only good songs are by Moore’s uninteresting lead performance. two holdovers from the vastly superior 1966 Only the older generation here—Janney, animated TV special. Rick Baker and Gail Baker, and Foch as a grandmother who Ryan won Oscars for Best Makeup. Full title tokes marijuana for ‘‘medicinal’’ reasons— is DR. SEUSS’ HOW THE GRINCH STOLE have any fun, though the dotty grandma bit CHRISTMAS. Later a Broadway musical. has been overdone by now. Based on two of Sarah Dessen’s popular teen novels. Peter Bah, humbug! [PG]▼쩠 [ 646 ]

Gallagher appears unbilled as Moore’s hipwho takes on the challenge of attracting— ster radio DJ dad. [PG-13]▼쩠 and then driving away—a man, for the sake How to Eat Fried Worms (2006) C-83m. of an article, never dreaming that the man ★★1 she chooses has taken a bet that he can woo ⁄2 D: Bob Dolman. Luke Benward, Hallie Kate Eisenberg, Adam Hicks, Austin Rogand win her. The stars are attractive, though ers, Alexander Gould, Ryan Malgarini, Philip Hudson is obliged to act obnoxious—and Daniel Bolden, Clint Howard, Ty Panitz, is apparently shot through layers of gauze. Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Tom Cavanagh, Diverting for a while, but overlong, and James Rebhorn. Cooked in Crisco. Mixed there’s barely an honest moment in the film. [PG-13]▼쩠 with marshmallow. Peanut butter and worm sandwich. These are some of the ways that How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008-U.S.-British) C-109m. ★★★ D: Robert the new kid in school must dine on phylum Annelida to win a bet and prove a point. Weide. Simon Pegg, Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Brightly adapted from Thomas Rockwell’s Bridges, Danny Huston, Gillian Anderson, 1973 classic novel of preadolescent crudity, Megan Fox, Miriam Margolyes, Bill Paterthis is one big gross-out joke that, while a son, Max Minghella, Diana Kent, Thandie family movie, is so not a popcorn movie. Newton. Snarky British journalist Pegg desYoung Benward is an appealing hero. Super perately wants to be on the inside of the 35. [PG]쩠 glamour scene and gets the opportunity How to Frame a Figg (1971) C-103m. ★★ when N.Y. magazine editor Bridges hires D: Alan Rafkin. Don Knotts, Joe Flynn, him. His obnoxious, bull-in-a-china-shop Elaine Joyce, Edward Andrews, Yvonne behavior is nearly his undoing until he Craig. Simplistic chap (Knotts) finds troulearns to play the game—and gets to score ble behind every doorway as he is made with a sexy starlet (Fox). Drawn from Toby patsy for crooked politicians. Usual unsubYoung’s book about working for Vanity tle Knotts comedy. [G]▼쩠 Fair, with Bridges having fun as a Graydon How to Get Ahead in Advertising (1989Carter type. A sharp look at our celebrity British) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Robinson. culture. Alternately silly and clever; well Richard E. Grant, Rachel Ward, Richard Wilcast from top to bottom. [R]쩠 son, Jacqueline Tong, John Shrapnel, Susan How to Make an American Quilt (1995) Wooldridge, Mick Ford. Advertising hotshot C-116m. ★★ D: Jocelyn Moorhouse. Winona Grant is under so much pressure—and has Ryder, Ellen Burstyn, Anne Bancroft, Maya become so negative about his manipulative Angelou, Kate Nelligan, Jean Simmons, Saprofession—that his anxiety brings forth a mantha Mathis, Alfre Woodard, Lois Smith, talking boil on his shoulder with a mind of Kate Capshaw, Johnathon Schaech, Holland its own! Certifiably weird comedy by writerTaylor, Maria Celedonio, Claire Danes, Loren director Robinson (reunited with the star of Dean, Melinda Dillon, Dermot Mulroney, Derhis first film, WITHNAIL AND I) has its rick O’Connor, Esther Rolle, Rip Torn, Myshare of funny and bizarre moments, but its kelti Williamson, Alicia (Lecy) Goranson, attack on advertising is so heavy-handed that Adam Baldwin, Richard Jenkins, Jared Leto. as satire it fizzles. [R]▼●쩠 Aimless young woman leaves her fiance´ beHow to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog (2001hind to spend the summer with her grandU.S.-German) C-107m. ★★★ D: Michael Kalemother and great-aunt. Soon she’s delving into sniko. Kenneth Branagh, Robin Wright Penn, their lives and the experiences of their female Suzi Hofrichter, Lynn Redgrave, Jared Harris, friends who work together in a nonstop quilting Lucinda Jenney, Peter Riegert, Peri Gilpin, bee. Episodic ‘‘woman’s film’’ (based on Tamala Jones, David Krumholtz, Johnathon Whitney Otto’s novel) offers at least one Schaech. Sardonic playwright whose career flashback too many in its quiltlike pattern. It’s is in a slump grapples with his wife’s desire genteel, good looking, and well acted, but has no narrative momentum. [PG-13]▼●쩠 to have a baby. Meanwhile, a cute little girl moves in across the street and begins to How to Make It SEE: Target: Harry affect the man’s outlook—and even his How to Marry a Millionaire (1953) work. Glib and funny, Kalesniko’s screenC-95m. ★★★ D: Jean Negulesco. Marilyn play deepens as it progresses with fine perMonroe, Betty Grable, Lauren Bacall, Wilformances by Branagh, Penn, and young liam Powell, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Hofrichter. Refreshingly unconventional Alex D’Arcy, Fred Clark, Cameron Mitchell. comedy made its U.S. debut on cable TV. Terrific ensemble work in dandy comedy Daniel Stern appears unbilled. [R]▼쩠 of three man-hunting females pooling reHow to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003) Csources to trap eligible bachelors. Nunnally 115m. ★★ D: Donald Petrie. Kate Hudson, Johnson scripted and produced this remake Matthew McConaughey, Michael Michele, of THE GREEKS HAD A WORD FOR Shalom Harlow, Adam Goldberg, Bebe THEM, which is preceded by Alfred NewNeuwirth, Robert Klein, Kathryn Hahn, man conducting his famed ‘‘Street Scene’’ Thomas Lennon, Annie Parisse, Celia Westheme (a prologue designed to show off steton, Liliane Montevecchi. Airy romantic reophonic sound). CinemaScope.▼●쩠 comedy about a women’s-magazine writer How to Murder Your Wife (1965) C[ 647 ]

118m. ★★★ D: Richard Quine. Jack LemO’Connell, Gary Merrill. Little of Mark Twain mon, Virna Lisi, Terry-Thomas, Eddie Mayeis left in this handsome but empty-headed muhoff, Claire Trevor, Sidney Blackmer, Max sical version of his classic story. Score by RichShowalter, Jack Albertson, Mary Wickes. Enard and Robert Sherman is as forgettable as gaging comedy that almost holds up to finale. their script. Panavision. [G] ▼●쩠 Cartoonist Lemmon marries Lisi while drunk Hucksters, The (1947) 115m. ★★★ D: and spends rest of film devising ways to get Jack Conway. Clark Gable, Deborah Kerr, rid of her. Mayehoff is standout as LemSydney Greenstreet, Adolphe Menjou, Ava Gardner, Keenan Wynn, Edward Arnold. mon’s lawyer friend.▼●쩠 How to Save a Marriage (And Ruin Glossy dig at advertising and radio indusYour Life) (1968) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: Fielder tries, with Gable battling for integrity among Cook. Dean Martin, Stella Stevens, Eli Walyes-men. Greenstreet memorable as deslach, Anne Jackson, Betty Field, Jack Albertpotic head of soap company; Kerr’s first son. Typical 1960s sex farce has swinging American movie. Also shown in computerbachelor Dino mistaking Stella for his best colored version.▼● friend’s mistress, with predictable complicaHud (1963) 112m. ★★★★ D: Martin Ritt. tions. Stevens wasted again. Panavision. 쩠 Paul Newman, Patricia Neal, Melvyn DougHow to Steal a Million (1966) C-127m. las, Brandon de Wilde, John Ashley. Excel★★★ D: William Wyler. Audrey Hepburn, lent story of moral degradation set in modern Peter O’Toole, Charles Boyer, Eli Wallach, West, with impeccable performances by all. Hugh Griffith. Hepburn and O’Toole are a deNeal won Best Actress Oscar as family houselightful match in this sophisticated comedy keeper who doesn’t want to get involved with about a million-dollar theft in a Paris art muno-account Newman. Douglas received Best seum. Boyer, O’Toole’s boss, and Griffith, Supporting Oscar as Newman’s ethical, unHepburn’s father, are equally good. Panavicompromising father, and James Wong sion. ▼●쩠 Howe’s cinematography also earned a statuHow to Stuff a Wild Bikini (1965) C-93m. ette. Irving Ravetch and Harriet Frank, Jr. ★★ D: William Asher. Annette Funicello, scripted from Larry McMurtry’s novel HorseDwayne Hickman, Brian Donlevy, Buster man, Pass By. Panavision.▼●쩠 Keaton, Mickey Rooney, Harvey Lembeck, Hudson Hawk (1991) C-95m. ★★ D: MiBeverly Adams, Jody McCrea, John Ashley, chael Lehmann. Bruce Willis, Danny Bobbi Shaw. The fatigue is palpable in Aiello, Andie MacDowell, James Coburn, this sixth BEACH PARTY movie, which Richard E. Grant, Sandra Bernhard, Dontries out another new leading man (with ald Burton, Don Harvey, David Caruso, AnFrankie Avalon again shunted to a cameo drew Bryniarski, Lorraine Toussaint, Frank role). As usual, the veterans—especially Stallone, Leonardo Cimino. Wildly overblown Rooney—liven things a little, but overall, vanity film (Willis cowrote the story and the pretty mediocre. Followed by GHOST IN title song) about a cat burglar, just sprung from THE INVISIBLE BIKINI. Panavision.▼쩠 prison, who’s blackmailed into performing How to Succeed in Business Without several daring art heists, including one from the Vatican! Blissfully incoherent, with some good Really Trying (1967) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: David Swift. Robert Morse, Michele Lee, action scenes, but nothing to hang them on exRudy Vallee, Anthony Teague, Maureen Arcept a steady stream of Willis wisecracks, only some of which are funny. [R] ▼●쩠 thur, Sammy Smith, Robert Q. Lewis. Delightful musical from Broadway hit about Hudson’s Bay (1940) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Irambitious window-washer (Morse) who uses ving Pichel. Paul Muni, Gene Tierney, wiles, and a handbook, to rise to prominence Laird Cregar, John Sutton, Virginia Field, in Vallee’s Worldwide Wicket Co. Superb Vincent Price, Nigel Bruce. Muni’s good, but farce, good Frank Loesser songs (including life of founder of Hudson Bay fur-trading ‘‘Brotherhood of Man’’ and ‘‘I Believe in company lacks punch. Expansive production. You’’), imaginative staging of musical numHudsucker Proxy, The (1994) C-111m. ★★★ bers by Bob Fosse. Panavision.▼●쩠 D: Joel Coen. Tim Robbins, Jennifer How U Like Me Now (1992) C-109m. ★★★ Jason Leigh, Paul Newman, Charles Durning, D: Darryl Roberts. Darnell Williams, Salli John Mahoney, Jim True, William Cobbs, Richardson, Raymond Whitfield, Daniel GardBruce Campbell, Joe Grifasi, Peter Gallagher, ner, Byron Stewart, Darryl Roberts, Charnele Noble Willingham, Steve Buscemi, Anna NiBrown. Likable comedy of middle and workcole Smith, Jon Polito. A country bumpkin aring-class African-American twenty-somerives in the Big City and becomes the unwitting things in Chicago, with the focus on live-in pawn in a scheme to ruin a thriving corporalovers Williams and Richardson, whose relation. The Coen brothers’ most extravagant cretionship is at a crossroads. Refreshingly, none ation to date, an eye-popping ’50s fantasy of of the characters are stereotypical ghetto carbig business gone berserk, with Robbins absolutely perfect as the wide-eyed patsy who mitoons. [R]▼쩠 ★★ Huckleberry Finn (1974) C-118m. raculously rises to the top. Newman is a crafty D: J. Lee Thompson. Jeff East, Paul Winfield, villain, and Leigh is fun (if a bit one-note) as a Harvey Korman, David Wayne, Arthur fast-talking, Kate Hepburn–ish reporter. Writ[ 648 ]

ten by Ethan and Joel Coen with Sam Raimi; played by Ashcroft) are attempting to acthe Coens rival Fellini in the selection of unquire several miniature paintings. Deftly usual faces to populate their films. [PG]▼●쩠 scripted by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala. Originally produced for British television.▼쩠 Hue and Cry (1946-British) 82m. ★★★ D: Charles Crichton. Alastair Sim, Jack Warner, Human Beast, The SEE: La Beˆte Humaine Valerie White, Harry Fowler, Jack Lambert, Human Comedy, The (1943) 118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Clarence Brown. Mickey Rooney, Frederick Piper, Joan Dowling. Snappy romp as young Fowler suspects that details in the Frank Morgan, Jackie ‘‘Butch’’ Jenkins, stories published in his favorite weekly pulp James Craig, Marsha Hunt, Fay Bainter, Ray magazine are being used as a code by a gang Collins, Darryl Hickman, Donna Reed, Van of crooks. Nicely filmed on location on the Johnson. Memorable Americana, faithfully streets of post-WW2 London. The first of adapted from William Saroyan’s sentimental many good Ealing comedies; written by T.E.B. Oscar-winning story of life in a small town durClarke. Released in the U.S. in 1950.▼ ing WW2. Unfolds like a novel, with many Huggers SEE: Crazy Moon lovely vignettes, and one of Rooney’s best perHugo Pool (1997) C-94m. ★★ D: Robert formances as a teenager with growing responDowney. Alyssa Milano, Patrick Dempsey, sibilities. Screenplay by Howard Estabrook. Cathy Moriarty, Malcolm McDowell, RobP.S.: Keep an eye out for those three soldiers ert Downey, Jr., Richard Lewis, Sean Penn, on leave: Barry Nelson, Don DeFore, and Bert Remsen, Chuck Barris, Ann MagnuRobert Mitchum! Also shown in computerson. Strained whimsy about an L.A. pool colored version.▼● cleaner (Milano) and her dealings with her Human Condition, The SEE: No Greater dysfunctional parents and assorted oddball Love, Road to Eternity, and Soldier’s clients, one of whom—a man suffering from Prayer, A Lou Gehrig’s disease—she falls in love with. Human Desire (1954) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fritz Self-indulgent shaggy-dog farce comes off Lang. Glenn Ford, Gloria Grahame, Brodlike an actors’ improv exercise and varies erick Crawford, Edgar Buchanan, Kathwildly from deadpan absurdist comedy to leen Case, Diana DeLaire. Lang’s follow-up mawkish sentimentality. Laura Downey to THE BIG HEAT is a well-directed but (the director’s wife) coscripted. [R]▼●쩠 muddled account of railroad engineer Ford, Hugo the Hippo (1976) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: just back from Korea, who becomes mixed William Feigenbaum. Voices of Burl Ives, up with married Grahame and murder. Marie and Jimmy Osmond, Robert Morley, Based on Zola’s La Beˆte Humaine, filmed in 1938 in France by Jean Renoir.▼ Paul Lynde. OK children’s cartoon musical about a youngster’s attempt to save a hippo Human Duplicators, The (1965) C-82m. ★★ from extinction in ancient Zanzibar. [G]▼ D: Hugo Grimaldi. George Nader, BarHulk (2003) C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ang Lee. bara Nichols, Richard Kiel, George MaEric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, Sam Elliott, cready, Dolores Faith, Hugh Beaumont, RichJosh Lucas, Nick Nolte, Kevin Rankin, ard Arlen. An alien giant paves the way for a Celia Weston. Research scientist Bruce major invasion by duplicating people—but Banner represses painful childhood memothen falls in love. Some imagination here, but low-budget production sinks it.▼쩠 ries that eventually explode and turn him into The Hulk. Only his ex-girlfriend seems Human Experiments (1980) C-82m. ★1⁄2 to understand his agony, while her father, a D: Gregory Goodell. Linda Haynes, Geofgeneral with an age-old chip on his shoulfrey Lewis, Ellen Travolta, Aldo Ray, der, wants to bring the big green guy down. Jackie Coogan, Darlene Craviotto. As the Takes its time building character and story, title says . . . [R]▼ then spoils it with cardboard villains, a Human Factor, The (1975-British-Italian) heavy-handed KING KONG homage, and a C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Edward Dmytryk. George climax where the Hulk bounces around like Kennedy, John Mills, Raf Vallone, Rita a video-game character. Even director Lee’s Tushingham, Barry Sullivan, Arthur Franz. ingenious comic-book graphic style wears Violent, bloody chronicle of Kennedy trackout its welcome in this overlong, overly seriing down the killers of his family. Decent ous saga. Lou Ferrigno (TV’s The Incredible cast wasted. [R]▼쩠 Hulk) and Marvel’s Stan Lee have an amusHuman Factor, The (1979) C-115m. ★★ ing cameo together. Based on the comic book D: Otto Preminger. Nicol Williamson, Iman, created by Lee and Jack Kirby. See also THE Derek Jacobi, Richard Attenborough, Robert INCREDIBLE HULK (2008). [PG-13] ▼쩠 Morley, Ann Todd, John Gielgud. Dry, unexHullabaloo Over Georgie and Bonnie’s citing filmization of Graham Greene’s spy Pictures (1978-British) C-89m. ★★★ D: novel about a British double agent (WilliamJames Ivory. Peggy Ashcroft, Victor Banerson) who’s forced to defect to Russia. Top jee, Larry Pine, Saeed Jaffrey, Aparna cast, script by Tom Stoppard, but results are Sen, Jane Booker. Wry comedy about the mediocre. Preminger’s final film. [R]▼ purpose and significance of art, set in an Human Gorilla, The SEE: Behind Locked Indian palace where various people (inDoors cluding a British aristocrat, wonderfully Human Highway (1982) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: [ 649 ]

Bernard Shakey (Neil Young), Dean Stockwell. Neil Young, Russ Tamblyn, Dennis Hopper, Sally Kirkland, Dean Stockwell, Charlotte Stewart, Devo. Young and Tamblyn run a gas station in the middle of nowhere in this wacked-out, anti-nuke comedy. Notable for footage of Young in concert plus rock group Devo performing with a red, radioactive glow about them (caused by the nuclear power plant in the vicinity). ▼● Humanite´ (2000-French) C-148m. ★★★ D: Bruno Dumont. Emmanuel Schotte´, Se´verine Caneele, Philippe Tullier, Ghislain Ghesque`re, Ginette Alle`gre. Morose police superintendent (Schotte´) with a troubled past investigates the rape and murder of an 11year-old girl in a rural French town. Slow but never boring, and more a character study than a mystery or crime drama; a potent portrait of loneliness and depravity in a quietly ugly world. Written by the director. Hawk-Scope.

class-struggle drama about a businessschool student who becomes a trainee at the factory where his father works, only to find that he has to fire him. Cantet achieves a seamless Ken Loach–style social realism. Cast of nonprofessionals—except for boyishly handsome lead Lespert—is impressive.쩠 Human Stain, The (2003) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Benton. Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise, Wentworth Miller, Jacinda Barrett, Harry Lennix, Clark Gregg, Anna Deavere Smith, Lizan Mitchell, Phyllis Newman, Margo Martindale, Mili Avital, Mimi Kuzyk. Moving, intelligent adaptation (by Nicholas Meyer) of Philip Roth’s novel about a distinguished college professor whose life is shattered by a chance remark. As he reveals more about himself to a newfound friend (Sinise), we learn that he has been living a lie for most ▼쩠 of his adult life. His chance for rebirth and Human Jungle, The (1954) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: redemption comes through an unlikely afJoseph M. Newman. Gary Merrill, Jan fair with a working-class woman much Sterling, Paula Raymond, Emile Meyer, younger than he. Rich in nuance, filled with Regis Toomey, Chuck Connors, Lamont pitch-perfect performances, and beautifully Johnson, Claude Akins. Documentary-style shot by the late Jean Yves Escoffier. Super account of a typical day at a busy police 35. [R] ▼쩠 precinct house; nicely done. Human Traffic (1999-British) C-86m. ★★ Human Monster, The (1939-British) 73m. D: Justin Kerrigan. John Simm, Lorraine ★★ D: Walter Summers. Bela Lugosi, Hugh Pilkington, Shaun Parkes, Nicola Reynolds, Williams, Greta Gynt, Edmon Ryan, WilDanny Dyer, Dean Davies. Deeply unorigifred Walter. Absurd, sometimes engaging nal Gen X fare about five Welsh twentyEdgar Wallace tale of evil Lugosi using somethings stuck in dead-end jobs; they blind men as pawns in elaborate murder work for the weekend, when life becomes scheme. Original British title: DARK EYES one big Ecstasy-drenched, debauched rave. OF LONDON. Remade in West Germany Meant to be adrenaline-pumped, nihilistic, as DEAD EYES OF LONDON. ▼●쩠 TRAINSPOTTING meets Tarantino, but it’s Human Nature (2001-French-U.S.) Cway too desperate to be rebel cool. [R] ▼쩠 1 ★★ 96m. ⁄2 D: Michel Gondry. Tim RobHumboldt County (2008) C-96m. ★★★ D: bins, Patricia Arquette, Rhys Ifans, Miranda Darren Grodsky, Danny Jacobs. Jeremy Otto, Rosie Perez, Robert Forster, Mary Strong, Fairuza Balk, Peter Bogdanovich, Kay Place, Miguel Sandoval, Paul Giamatti, Brad Dourif, Frances Conroy, Madison DavHilary Duff. Loopy film from Charlie Kaufenport, Chris Messina. Abandoned by his flaky man, who wrote BEING JOHN MALKOVone-night stand, an uptight medical school stuICH, about a tunnel-visioned research dent (Strong) finds himself among unreconscientist (Robbins) who hooks up with a structed hippies and second-generation fringe woman just back from the wild (where she dwellers who farm marijuana in the ‘‘Lost had moved because of embarrassment over Coast’’ region of Northern California. There’s her hairy body) to attempt to civilize a mana distinctively ’70s flavor to this easygoing beast (Ifans). Too laid back, but engagingly and ingratiating indie, a character-driven silly and unpredictable. [R]쩠 comedy-drama with standout performances Humanoids from the Deep (1980) C-80m. ★★★ by Dourif and Conroy as laid-back leaders D: Barbara Peeters. Doug McClure, of the counterculture community. Written Ann Turkel, Vic Morrow, Cindy Weintraub, by the directors, who also appear as Bob Anthony Penya, Denise Galik. Mutated and Steve. [R]쩠 salmon monsters with penchant for bikinied Humongous (1981-Canadian) C-93m. ★1⁄2 beachgoers commit rape and other (graphic) D: Paul Lynch. Janet Julian, David Wallace, mayhem in small oceanside town. Fast, occaJanit Baldwin, John Wildman, Joy Boushel, sionally hilarious gutter trash from the Roger Layne Coleman. Slow-moving horror film Corman stable. The finale is not for squeamish opens with brutal rape and follows with viewers. Remade in 1996 for TV. [R]▼●쩠 every cliche´ in the book. A group of youths Human Resources (2000-French) C-100m. ★★★ D: Laurent Cantet. Jalil Lespert, Jeanwho wreck their boat on a small island are picked off one at a time by a raving manClaude Vallod, Chantal Barre´, Ve´ronique de Pandelae`re, Michel Begnez. Engrossing beast. Most of the action occurs in com[ 650 ]

plete darkness and you never even get a Susan Sarandon, Cliff DeYoung, Beth good look at the monster. [R]▼ Ehlers, Dan Hedaya. Kinky trash masquerHumoresque (1946) 125m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean ading as a horror film, with Deneuve as a Negulesco. Joan Crawford, John Garfield, vampire who needs fresh blood to survive. Oscar Levant, J. Carrol Naish, Craig Stevens, Bowie’s quite good as Deneuve’s comTom D’Andrea, Peggy Knudsen, Paul Cavapanion—with an aging scene that’s the nagh. Ambitious violinist Garfield gets infilm’s highlight. As for the rest, bevolved with wealthy, unstable patroness ware, unless seeing Deneuve and SaranCrawford. No cardboard soap opera this; sudon in bed together is your idea of a good perb performances, handsome production, hitime. Look for Ann Magnuson and Willem larious support from Levant, and a knockout Dafoe in small roles. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 finale. Perhaps Crawford’s finest hour. Young Hunger (2008-British-Irish) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 Robert Blake plays Garfield as a child, and D: Steve McQueen. Michael Fassbender, that’s Isaac Stern’s violin on the soundtrack. Liam Cunningham, Stuart Graham, Brian Filmed before in 1920.▼●쩠 Milligan, Liam McMahon. Raw, riveting, Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1923) minimalist account of jailed Irish Republi117m. ★★★ D: Wallace Worsley. Lon Chaney, can Army members who are horrifically Patsy Ruth Miller, Ernest Torrence, Tully abused by their British jailors. Based on the Marshall, Norman Kerry. Lavish filming events surrounding the 1981 Maze Prison of Hugo classic, capturing flair of medihunger strike, during which various IRA deeval Paris and strange attraction of outcast tainees, including Bobby Sands (played Chaney for dancing girl (Miller). Silent here by Fassbender), starved themselves to classic holds up well, with Chaney’s makeup death. Not for the faint of heart. Super 35. Hunk (1987) C-102m. ★★ D: Lawrence still incredible. Various prints survive with different running times. ▼●쩠 Bassoff. John Allen Nelson, Steve Levitt, Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1939) Deborah Shelton, Rebeccah Bush, James 115m. ★★★1⁄2 D: William Dieterle. Charles Coco, Robert Morse, Avery Schreiber. Laughton, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Thomas Youthful nerd sells his soul to become a Mitchell, Maureen O’Hara, Edmond O’Brien, California hunk—but still has to deal with Alan Marshal, Walter Hampden, Harry Davthe Devil (Coco) and his beautiful emisenport, George Zucco, Curt Bois, George sary (Shelton). Silly stuff benefits from an attractive and colorful cast. [PG] ▼●쩠 Tobias, Rod La Rocque. Superb remake of Lon Chaney silent is even better than the origHunted (1952) SEE: Stranger in Beinal. Laughton, as Victor Hugo’s misshapen tween bell-ringer Quasimodo, is haunting and unforHunted, The (1995) C-118m. ★1⁄2 D: J. F. gettable. Magnificently atmospheric studio Lawton. Christopher Lambert, John Lone, recreation of 15th-century Paris also a big Joan Chen, Yoshio Harada, Yoko Shimada. plus. Film debut of O’Brien and U.S. debut N.Y. businessman is chased by masked ninja of O’Hara. Also shown in computer-colored assassins who actively conceal their identities, version. ▼●쩠 which at least puts them one-up on some of Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1957their fellow cast members. Slicing and dicing French) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Delannoy. via DTS sound technology suggests an episode Gina Lollobrigida, Anthony Quinn, Jean of The Montel Williams Show gone terribly Danet, Alain Cuny. Quinn makes a valiant wrong: titles of bona fide Japanese classics intry in lead, but film misses scope and flavor of dicate what it’s like sitting through this: GATE Hugo novel. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 OF HELL, STREET OF SHAME and—in Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1996) Lambert’s case—AN ACTOR’S REVENGE. [R] ▼●쩠 C-85m. ★★★ D: Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise. Voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore, Kevin Hunted, The (2003) C-94m. ★★★ D: WilKline, Tony Jay, Jason Alexander, Heidi liam Friedkin. Tommy Lee Jones, Benicio Mollenhauer, Paul Kandel, Charles KimDel Toro, Connie Nielsen, Leslie Stefanson, brough, Mary Wickes, Jane Withers, David John Finn, Jose Zuniga, Ron Canada, Ogden Stiers. Intensely dramatic, involving Lonny Chapman, Rex Linn. When a soldier story about the pathetic, put-upon Quasi(Del Toro) is suspected in a series of brutal modo, his evil guardian Frollo, and the one murders, the FBI calls on the man (Jones) person who shows him kindness, the gypsy who helped train him as part of an elite Esmeralda. Disney’s all-time strangest choice corps of killers in Kosovo. Solid action/susfor an animated feature turns out surprisingly pense yarn with breathtaking hand-to-hand well: handsomely designed, dynamically combat scenes and kinetic camerawork (by staged, with songs that (if unmemorable) Caleb Deschanel). Jones and Del Toro apwork within the fabric of the story; comic parently did much of their own physical relief, however, involving Quasi’s three garaction—and it shows. [R] ▼쩠 goyle friends, seems contrived. Followed by Hunter, The (1980) C-97m. BOMB D: a direct-to-video sequel. [G]▼●쩠 Buzz Kulik. Steve McQueen, Eli Wallach, Hunger, The (1983) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Tony Kathryn Harrold, LeVar Burton, Ben Scott. Catherine Deneuve, David Bowie, Johnson. Incomprehensible bio of real-life [ 651 ]

contemporary bounty hunter Ralph (Pappy) Scott Anderson’s experiences) but deflates at the finale. Super 35. [R]쩠 Thorson has plot holes that Hannibal could have led elephants through. McQueen’s last hurlyburly (1998) C-122m. ★★ D: Anthony film and probably his worst. [PG]▼●쩠 Drazan. Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Robin Hunters, The (1958) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wright Penn, Chazz Palminteri, Garry ShandDick Powell. Robert Mitchum, Robert ling, Anna Paquin, Meg Ryan. A seamy Wagner, Richard Egan, Mai Britt, Lee slice of life about a circle of L.A. friends— Phillips. Veteran pilot falls for wife of self-absorbed, smart-assy, driven, drugyounger flyer—who crashes behind enemy infused people desperately looking for haplines. Fair of its type. CinemaScope.▼쩠 piness in all the wrong places. David Rabe Hunt for Red October, The (1990) adapted his much-admired 1984 play, but it C-135m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John McTiernan. Sean loses something in the transition to film, Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, Sam becoming more realistic and less funny despite a powerhouse cast. [R]▼●쩠 Neill, James Earl Jones, Joss Ackland, Richard Jordan, Peter Firth, Tim Curry, Hurricane, The (1937) 102m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Courtney B. Vance, Jeffrey Jones, Fred DalJohn Ford. Dorothy Lamour, Jon Hall, ton Thompson, Timothy Carhart. Exciting, Mary Astor, C. Aubrey Smith, Raymond complex thriller from the best-seller by Massey, Thomas Mitchell, John Carradine, Tom Clancy. Connery stars as a Soviet subJerome Cowan. First-rate escapism on isle marine captain who may (or may not) be of Manikoora, where idyllic native life of planning to defect to the U.S. during the Hall and Lamour is disrupted by vindictive maiden voyage of a supersecret nuclear sub; governor Massey. Climactic hurricane efBaldwin is the American intelligence ace fects have never been equaled. Lovely score who tries to anticipate his every move. by Alfred Newman. Screenplay by Dudley Long, potentially confusing at times, but alNichols and Oliver H. P. Garrett, from the ways manages to make a course correction novel by Charles Nordhoff and James Norin the nick of time . . . and deliver another man Hall. Remade in 1979. ▼●쩠 direct hit. Oscar winner for sound-effects Hurricane (1979) C-119m. BOMB D: Jan editing. Followed by PATRIOT GAMES. Troell. Jason Robards, Mia Farrow, Max Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Dayton Ka’ne, Hunting (1990-Australian) C-97m. ★★ D: Timothy Bottoms, James Keach. Look what Frank Howson. John Savage, Kerry Armjust blew in: a $22 million remake of the strong, Guy Pearce, Jeffrey Thomas, Re1937 classic that may well put you to sleep! Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼쩠 becca Rigg, Rhys McConnochie. Ambitious but overwrought exercise in style, about Hurricane, The (1999) C-125m. ★★1⁄2 D: beautiful but deeply troubled secretary Norman Jewison. Denzel Washington, ViArmstrong, who forsakes her self-pitying cellous Reon Shannon, Deborah Kara husband, and becomes involved with allUnger, Liev Schreiber, John Hannah, Debbi powerful (and predictably evil, hypocritical) Morgan, Dan Hedaya, Clancy Brown, Harris empire-builder Savage. Panavision. [R]▼ Yulin, David Paymer, Rod Steiger. WashingHunting Party, The (1971) C-108m. ton’s powerful performance as wrongly imBOMB D: Don Medford. Oliver Reed, prisoned prizefighter Rubin ‘‘Hurricane’’ Candice Bergen, Gene Hackman, Simon Carter makes this otherwise conventional Oakland, L. Q. Jones, Ronald Howard, drama worth seeing. Shannon plays a ghetto G. D. Spradlin. When his wife is kidnapped teenager who reads Carter’s autobiography and raped by Reed and his gang, Hackman and determines to find a way to set him sets out to kill them one by one. Fine cast free. The boy’s Canadian guardians are illwasted in repellently violent Western that defined characters and weaken the story, adds nothing new to tired plot, unless you along with heavy-handed portrayals of Carter’s victimizers. [R]▼●쩠 count the bordello-equipped train. [R]쩠 Hunting Party, The (2007) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 Hurricane Streets (1998) C-88m. ★★★ D: D: Richard Shepard. Richard Gere, TerMorgan J. Freeman. Brendan Sexton III, rence Howard, Jesse Eisenberg, James Shawn Elliott, Isidra Vega, David Roland Brolin, Ljubomir Kerekesˆ, Kristina Krepela, Frank, L. M. ‘‘Kit’’ Carson, Heather MatarDiane Kruger, Joy Bryant, Dylan Baker. TV azzo, Edie Falco. Moving drama of adolesproducer Howard returns to Bosnia 5 years cents whose underlying decency is put to the after the end of the war that he covered as test in a world of petty thievery in N.Y.C.’s a cameraman with daredevil reporter Gere. East Village. Realistic, unsentimental acting Reluctant at first, he allows himself (and highlights this excellent first feature from tyro newsman Eisenberg) to be talked into writer-director Freeman (not to be confused joining a now-disgraced Gere on a wild with the actor), who puts both angst and hope into his story. [R]▼● scheme to flush out the world’s most wanted war criminal, who’s still at large in Hurry Sundown (1967) C-142m. ★★ D: the Balkans. Gripping, forceful storytelling, Otto Preminger. Michael Caine, Jane Fonda, dotted with absurdly funny moments; rings John Phillip Law, Diahann Carroll, Robert true (and is based on real-life journalist Hooks, Faye Dunaway, Burgess Mere[ 652 ]

dith, Robert Reed, George Kennedy, Frank Aldrich. Burt Reynolds, Catherine Deneuve, Converse, Loring Smith, Beah Richards, Ben Johnson, Paul Winfield, Eileen BrenMadeleine Sherwood, Rex Ingram, Jim nan, Eddie Albert, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Backus. Often ludicrous, overripe meloCarter, Catherine Bach. Pretentious, fouldrama with ruthless Southerner Caine demouthed, foul-minded story about an L.A. termined to buy up cousin’s land, stopping cop and a high-class call-girl who dream of at nothing to achieve goal. A curio for escaping from their gritty life but never make it. This one’s the pits. [R]▼쩠 Fonda and Caine’s offbeat casting, not to mention Horton Foote as one of the scriptHustle & Flow (2005) C-115m. ★★★ D: ers. Jane’s saxophone ‘‘solo,’’ though, is Craig Brewer. Terrence Howard, Taryn worth checking out. Panavision. Manning, Anthony Anderson, Taraji P. Husbands (1970) C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Henson, Paula Jai Parker, Elise Neal, DJ Cassavetes. Ben Gazzara, Peter Falk, John Qualls, Isaac Hayes, Ludacris (Chris BridCassavetes, Jenny Runacre, Jenny Lee ges). Potent drama about a small-time pimp Wright, Noelle Kao. Cassavetes’ followin Memphis who, frustrated with his deadup to FACES is not nearly as good; story end life, pursues his improbable dream to deals with trio of middle-aged buddies become a rap star. Despite the squalid setwho take off for Europe when their best ting and dialogue, this is a surprisingly oldfriend dies. Some good scenes, but plagued fashioned (even corny) movie at times. by Cassavetes’ habitual self-indulgence. First-time director Brewer lets his script and Originally released at 154m. [PG]▼ talented actors put it across without reHusbands and Wives (1992) C-107m. sorting to flashy editing techniques. Howard ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Woody Allen. Woody Allen, has a commanding presence from the film’s Blythe Danner, Judy Davis, Mia Farrow, opening monologue to the final shot. Oscar Juliette Lewis, Liam Neeson, Sydney winner for Best Song, ‘‘It’s Hard Out Here Pollack, Lysette Anthony, Cristi Conaway, for a Pimp.’’ [R] 쩠 Timothy Jerome, Ron Rifkin, Jerry Zaks, Hustler, The (1961) 135m. ★★★★ D: RobBruce Jay Friedman, Benno Schmidt, Carert Rossen. Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, oline Aaron, Nora Ephron. Long-married Piper Laurie, George C. Scott, Myron couple startles their best friends by anMcCormick, Murray Hamilton, Michael nouncing they’re going to split up; meanConstantine, Jake LaMotta, Vincent Garwhile, the friends start to stray themselves. denia. Newman is outstanding as disenPerceptive, witty, knowing script by Allen chanted drifter and pool hustler who chalis brilliantly performed (especially by Davis lenges legendary Minnesota Fats (Gleason). and Pollack), though Woody and Mia’s Dingy pool-hall atmosphere vividly realheadline-making scandal at the time of the ized in this incisive film. Cinematografilm’s release made it difficult not to gripher Eugen Shuftan won an Oscar. Walter mace at some pointed dialogue. Only negative Tevis novel adapted by Sidney Carroll and note: amateurish hand-held camera and jumpdirector Rossen. Followed years later by THE cuts are jarring and distracting. [R]▼●쩠 COLOR OF MONEY. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Hush (1998) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Jonathan Darby. Hustler Squad SEE: Doll Squad, The Jessica Lange, Gwyneth Paltrow, Johnathon Hysteria (1965-British) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: FredSchaech, Nina Foch, Debi Mazar, David die Francis. Robert Webber, Anthony NewThornton, Hal Holbrook. Paltrow and wealthy lands, Jennifer Jayne, Maurice Denham, boyfriend Schaech are manipulated by his Lelia Goldoni, Peter Woodthorpe, Sandra neurotic horse-rancher mother (Lange). ViewBoize. After a car accident, an amnesiac ers could read a novel while watching this Yank in London finds himself entangled in ‘‘thriller’’ and still not miss anything. Lange a complex murder plot that may or may not appears to believe she’s doing Blanche Dube a figment of his imagination. Twisty, reabois all over again. [PG-13]▼●쩠 sonably intriguing Hammer thriller starts out Hush . . . Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) promisingly, but gets bogged down.▼ ★★★ 133m. D: Robert Aldrich. Bette Davis, Hysterical (1983) C-87m. BOMB D: Chris Olivia de Havilland, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Bearde. William, Mark and Brett Hudson, Moorehead, Cecil Kellaway, Victor Buono, Cindy Pickett, Richard Kiel, Julie NewMary Astor, Bruce Dern. Macabre story of mar, Bud Cort, Robert Donner, Murray a family with a skeleton in its closet, Hamilton, Clint Walker, Franklin Ajaye, confusing at times but worth watching for Charlie Callas, Keenan Wynn, Gary Owens. its cast. Bette is Olivia’s victimized cousLame parody of AMITYVILLE/EXORCIST in; Cotten is Olivia’s boyfriend.▼●쩠 type pictures; the start and finish of the HudHussy (1980-British) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: Matsons’ screen career. [PG]▼●쩠 thew Chapman. Helen Mirren, John Shea, Murray Salem, Paul Angelis, Jenny RunI Accuse! (1958-British) 99m. ★★1⁄2 D: acre. Muddled, poorly directed melodrama Jose Ferrer. Jose Ferrer, Anton Walbrook, centering on hooker Mirren, boyfriend Shea, Emlyn Williams, Viveca Lindfors, David and illicit drugs. [R]▼쩠 Hustle (1975) C-120m. BOMB D: Robert Farrar, Leo Genn, Herbert Lom, Harry [ 653 ]

Andrews, Felix Aylmer, George Coulouris, Charlie Tahan, Salli Richardson, Willow Donald Wolfit. Sincere but pretentious treatSmith, Darrell Foster, Dash Mihok. In the ment of the treason trial of Alfred Dreyfus year 2012, scientist Smith is apparently the (Ferrer), with Williams as his defender, world’s only human survivor, alone on the Emile Zola. Screenplay by Gore Vidal. island of Manhattan, following a horrifying CinemaScope. plague spread by the use of a chemical that I Aim at the Stars (1960) 107m. ★★★ D: was supposed to cure cancer. The only thing J. Lee Thompson. Curt Jurgens, Victoria that keeps him going is his blind determinaShaw, Herbert Lom, Gia Scala. Low-key tion to find an antidote to the virus before fictional history of Nazi missile scientist he’s destroyed by rampaging mutants. Third Wernher von Braun and his problems adscreen version of Richard Matheson’s novel justing to life in America. (following THE LAST MAN ON EARTH I Am a Camera (1955-British) 98m. ★★★1⁄2 and THE OMEGA MAN) benefits from D: Henry Cornelius. Julie Harris, Laurence Smith’s charisma and physicality but falls Harvey, Shelley Winters, Ron Randell, back on horror cliche´s when it comes to the Anton Diffring, Patrick McGoohan, Peter zombies. Emma Thompson appears unProwse. Intelligent adaptation of John van billed. Alternate version runs 107m. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 Druten’s play (based on Christopher Isherwood stories) about prewar Berlin, with Harris i am sam (2001) C-132m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jessie a delight as a fun-loving young woman who’ll Nelson. Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Diaccept anything from anyone. Screenplay by anne Wiest, Dakota Fanning, Richard John Collier. Basis of Broadway musical Schiff, Loretta Devine, Doug Hutchison, and film CABARET.▼ Laura Dern, Stanley DeSantis, Rosalind I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang Chao, Mary Steenburgen, Brent Spiner. A (1932) 93m. ★★★★ D: Mervyn LeRoy. Paul sweet, mentally retarded man becomes a faMuni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson, Presther, but his devotion to his loving daughter ton Foster, Edward Ellis, Allen Jenkins. Still runs aground when she reaches the age of packs a wallop after all these years, with Muni seven and a social services agency insists he as innocent man brutally victimized by crimiisn’t capable of raising her anymore. Then nal justice system. Haunting finale is justly he finds an unlikely ally: a high-powered, famous. Scripted by Sheridan Gibney and self-absorbed attorney whose own life is a Brown Holmes, from Robert E. Burns’ automess. Fine entertainment, with a great perbiographical story. Burns’ plight is also dramformance by Penn and equally good work atized in the made for cable TVM THE MAN by Pfeiffer and adorable young Fanning. WHO BROKE 1,000 CHAINS.▼●쩠 Penn’s fixation on the Beatles is reflected in I Am Cuba (1964-Russian-Cuban) 141m. a terrific soundtrack, with cover versions of ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Mikhail Kalatozov. Sergio Cortheir classic songs. [PG-13] ▼쩠 rieri, Salvador Vud, Jose Gallardo, Raul I Am the Cheese (1983) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Garcia. Luz Maria Collazo, Jean Bouise. Robert Jiras. Robert MacNaughton, Hope Sweeping, eye-popping ode to Cuba and the Lange, Don Murray, Robert Wagner, CynCastro revolution. Vignettes idealize hardthia Nixon, Lee Richardson, John Fiedler, working but exploited peasants and Castro’s Sudie Bond. Paper-thin but occasionally staunch, freedom-loving revolutionaries, appealing tale of alienated teenager who has depicting Americans as decadent, sexist witnessed his parents’ death, and his fantasies swine. And the images are consistently dazwhile under psychiatric care. From Robert zling; the film demands to be seen and saCormier’s novel. Remade as LAPSE OF vored by any lover of pure cinema. Scripted MEMORY. [PG]▼쩠 by Yevgeny Yevtushenko and Enrique Pineda I Am the Law (1938) 83m. ★★1⁄2 D: AlexBarnet; released in the U.S. in 1995. ▼●쩠 ander Hall. Edward G. Robinson, Otto I Am David (2004) C-95m. ★★★ D: Paul Kruger, Wendy Barrie, John Beal, Louis Feig. Ben Tibber, Joan Plowright, Jim CaJean Heydt, Fay Helm, Barbara O’Neil. viezel, Marie Bonnevie, Viola Carinci, SilNo surprises in this story of D.A. Robinvia De Santis. In 1952, a young boy escapes son fighting corrupt city government, but from a Bulgarian labor camp and has to it’s done so smoothly you forget you’ve make his way through Italy and Switzerland seen it before. Don’t miss E.G. dancing to Denmark, and safety. The only life he’s the Big Apple at the beginning.▼● ever known is one of brutality, so he’s easI Became a Criminal SEE: They Made ily rattled—and confused—during his jourMe a Fugitive ney. Genuinely moving story avoids cheap I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1951) 90m. ★★★ D: Michael Gordon. Susan Haysentimentality and earns our emotional involvement, with a remarkable perforward, Dan Dailey, Sam Jaffe, George Sandmance by young Tibber. Impressive feature ers, Randy Stuart, Marvin Kaplan, Harry directing debut for Feig, who adapted Anne Von Zell. Hayward is aces as a modelHolm’s novel. [PG] ▼쩠 turned dress designer determined to make it in I Am Legend (2007) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: N.Y.C.’s garment industry. Jerome WeidFrancis Lawrence. Will Smith, Alice Braga, man’s flavorful novel was adapted by Vera [ 654 ]

Caspary and scripted by Abraham Polondream to start a musical ice revue, she goes sky. Aka: ONLY THE BEST. off on her own and becomes a movie star I Capture the Castle (2003-British) Covernight! Strange pastiche obviously con113m. ★★★ D: Tim Fywell. Romola Garai, cocted by MGM to showcase Shipstad and Rose Byrne, Henry Thomas, Marc Blucas, Johnson’s Ice Follies show—complete with a (boring) Technicolor finale. ●쩠 Bill Nighy, Tara Fitzgerald, Sine´ad Cusack, Henry Cavill. In the mid-1930s, a wildly Ice Harvest, The (2005) C-88m. ★★ D: Hareccentric family living in a drafty old castle old Ramis. John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, in the English countryside is changed by the Connie Nielsen, Oliver Platt, Randy Quaid, arrival of two wealthy American brothers. Mike Starr, T. J. Jagodowski. A recounting Intelligent, involving comedy-drama from of how a ‘‘perfect’’ crime goes awry one the novel by Dodie Smith (of One Hundred Christmas Eve introduces us to a variety and One Dalmatians fame). Beautifully of lowlifes in Wichita, Kansas, including photographed (by Richard Greatrex) and inlawyer Cusack and porn purveyor Thornteresting throughout, but just a shade smug. ton, who’ve been skimming money from Super 35. [R]▼쩠 their boss. Mostly unfunny black comedy Ice Age (2002) C-81m. ★★★ D: Chris must have worked better on the pages of Wedge. Voices of Ray Romano, John LeguiScott Phillips’ novel, adapted by the film’s zamo, Denis Leary, Goran Visnjic, Jack Black, coexecutive producers, Richard Russo and Tara Strong, Cedric the Entertainer, Stephen Robert Benton. [R] ▼쩠 Root, Jane Krakowski. Funny, imaginative Iceman (1984) C-99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fred computer-animated feature that’s sort of a Schepisi. Timothy Hutton, Lindsay Crouse, prehistoric THREE GODFATHERS, with a John Lone, Josef Sommer, David Stratwoolly mammoth and a loopy sloth named hairn, Danny Glover, James Tolkan. A Sid trying to return a human baby to its tribe. Neanderthal man is found frozen in ice. SciThey’re joined by a saber-toothed tiger whose entists manage to bring him back to life, but motives aren’t so altruistic. Distinctively deonly Hutton is interested in him as a human signed, with humor geared for young and old being and not a lab specimen. Fascinating, alike. Leguizamo’s vocal performance as Sid credible science fiction made all the more is a riot. Wonderful score by David Newman. involving by Schepisi’s fine direction. HauntFollowed by a sequel. [PG] ▼쩠 ing score by Bruce Smeaton; remarkable perIce Age: The Meltdown (2006) C-90m. formance as the caveman by Lone. Story by ★★1 ⁄2 D: Carlos Saldanha. Voices of Ray John Drimmer; scripted by Chip Proser and Drimmer. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Queen Latifah, Seann William Scott, Josh Iceman Cometh, The (1973) C-178m. ★★★1 Peck, Will Arnett, Jay Leno, Stephen Root, ⁄2 D: John Frankenheimer. Lee MarRenee Taylor, Joseph Bologna. In this sevin, Fredric March, Robert Ryan, Jeff quel, our heroes learn that the ice around Bridges, Martyn Green, Moses Gunn, Bradthem is melting and they’d better move or ford Dillman, Evans Evans. Remarkably be flooded out. Along the way, Manny, fearsuccessful film of Eugene O’Neill’s play ful that he’s the last of his species, encounabout assorted barflies in a 1912 saloon; ters a fetching female wooly mammoth who Marvin’s Hickey is only adequate, but thinks she’s a possum! CG-animated family Ryan dominates an outstanding supporting fare lacks the freshness of the original (and cast. An American Film Theatre producmakes Diego the sabertooth tiger rather toothtion. First shown at 239m. This was March’s last film. [PG]▼쩠 less), but it’s enjoyable enough. The misadventures of Scrat, the hapless rodent from the Ice Palace (1960) C-143m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vinfirst film, punctuate this story. [PG]쩠 cent Sherman. Richard Burton, Robert Ryan, Ice Castles (1979) C-109m. ★★★ D: DonCarolyn Jones, Martha Hyer, Jim Backus, ald Wrye. Lynn-Holly Johnson, Robby Ray Danton, Shirley Knight, Diane McBain, Benson, Colleen Dewhurst, Tom Skerritt, Karl Swenson, George Takei. Typically Jennifer Warren, David Huffman. Successsprawling (and silly) Edna Ferber saga of ful ice skating career of Iowa farm girl is two men whose friendship turns to bitter interrupted after she is blinded in freak accirivalry, and whose lives parallel the develdent. Tops for the disease/affliction genre, opment of Alaska. Watchable, to be sure, with well-photographed skating sequences but hokey from start to finish.▼ and good performances by all. [PG]▼쩠 Ice Pirates, The (1984) C-91m. ★★ D: Ice Cold in Alex SEE: Desert Attack Stewart Raffill. Robert Urich, Mary Crosby, Ice Follies of 1939, The (1939) 93m. ★★ D: Michael D. Roberts, John Matuszak, Reinhold Schunzel. Joan Crawford, James Anjelica Huston, Ron Perlman, John Stewart, Lew Ayres, Lewis Stone, Bess Carradine, Robert Symonds. Spoofy blend Ehrhardt, Lionel Stander, Roy Shipstad, of space opera and swashbuckler, set in an Eddie Shipstad, Oscar Johnson. Stewart and arid future where water has become the Ayres are skating partners who split after most precious of commodities. Script vacilJimmy marries Joan; rather than risk hurting lates between clever and half-baked; claustheir act and getting in the way of Jimmy’s trophobic direction keeps this from being [ 655 ]

more than passable rainy-afternoon fare. Nichetti’s BICYCLE THIEF–type drama [PG]▼●쩠 being presented on TV with so many comIce Princess (2005) C-92m. ★★★ D: Tim mercials that soon no one can separate the Fywell. Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall, Miprogram from the ads . . . including the chelle Trachtenberg, Hayden Panettiere, actors in the film! Nichetti plays with his Trevor Blumas, Connie Ray, Kirsten Olson, audience, often amusingly, but pulls the rug Juliana Cannarozzo, Jocelyn Lai. High out from under a bit too often.▼ school science whiz applies her intellectual I Come in Peace (1990) C-92m. ★★ D: curiosity to a study of ice skating and unexCraig R. Baxley. Dolph Lundgren, Brian pectedly becomes a competitive skater, to Benben, Betsy Brantley, Matthias Hues, the chagrin of her mom, a feminist teacher David Ackroyd, Jay Bilas, Michael J. Polwho has no respect for the sport. Entertainlard, Jesse Vint. Black-clad alien, who looks ing film for young audiences realistically like a giant surfer, arrives to harvest people portrays teenage life, parental pressures, the for their endorphins; his race is addicted to harsh reality of competition, and the exhilathem. Basically just another cop (Lundgren) ration of pursuing something you love. and new partner (FBI agent Benben) movie, Real-life Olympic skating champs Michelle with lots of explosions. Routine and unimaginative. [R]▼● Kwan and Brian Boitano appear as themselves. [G] ▼쩠 I Confess (1953) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alfred Ice Rink, The (1999-French-Belgian-Italian) Hitchcock. Montgomery Clift, Anne BaxC-77m. ★★★ D: Jean-Philippe Toussaint. Tom ter, Karl Malden, Brian Aherne, Dolly Novembre, Mireille Perrier, Bruce Campbell, Haas, O. E. Hasse. A priest hears a murderDolores Chaplin, Marie-France Pisier, Jeaner’s confession and is himself accused of Pierre Cassel, Gilbert Melki, Dominique the crime. Lesser Hitchcock film, made in Deruddere. Cineastes will savor this witty, Quebec, is nevertheless intriguing for its allegorical film about the making of a stark photography and symbolism. See also movie, completely set in the title locale. Cast LE CONFESSIONNAL. ▼●쩠 includes a sultry French leading lady (ChapI Could Go on Singing (1963-British) lin, granddaughter of Charlie), a Hollywood C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ronald Neame. Judy Garaction-hero leading man, and Lithuanian land, Dirk Bogarde, Jack Klugman, Aline hockey players; the filmmaking process is MacMahon, Gregory Phillips. Garland is amusingly portrayed as organized chaos. 쩠 famed singer returning to England to claim Ice Station Zebra (1968) C-148m. ★★1⁄2 D: illegitimate son living with real father John Sturges. Rock Hudson, Ernest Borgnine, (Bogarde). Garland is exceptional in singPatrick McGoohan, Jim Brown, Tony Bill, ing sequences revealing the true Judy; sadly, this was her last film. Panavision.▼●쩠 Lloyd Nolan. Standard Cold War nail-biter with all-male cast has Hudson a sub comI Could Never Be Your Woman (2007) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Amy Heckerling. Michelle mander sailing for North Pole to await orders, not knowing that Cold War incident will Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd, Saoirse Ronan, Fred ensue; McGoohan a British agent out to trap a Willard, Jon Lovitz, Tracey Ullman, Stacey Russian spy. Based on the Alistair MacLean Dash, Sarah Alexander, Sally Kellerman, novel; originally in Cinerama. Infamous as Wallace Shawn. Desperately unfunny mix of Howard Hughes’ favorite movie! Super Patoothless showbiz satire, romantic-comedy navision 70. [G]▼●쩠 cliche´s, and charm-free fantasy, about a 40Ice Storm, The (1997) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: something TV producer (Pfeiffer) who falls Ang Lee. Kevin Kline, Joan Allen, Sigourfor the 29-year-old star (Rudd) of her teenney Weaver, Christina Ricci, Elijah Wood, centric TV series. Despite marquee names Henry Czerny, Adam Hann-Byrd, Tobey on both sides of the camera, this received Maguire, Jamey Sheridan, Kate Burton, no U.S. theatrical release. Henry Winkler appears unbilled. [PG-13]쩠 Larry Pine, Katie Holmes, Allison Janney. Icy adaptation of Rick Moody’s muchI Cover the War (1937) 68m. ★★ D: praised novel about a real-life ice storm in Arthur Lubin. John Wayne, Gwen Gaze, 1973 and how it parallels activities in upMajor Sam Harris, James Bush, Don Barclay. scale New Canaan, Connecticut. A sober Second-rate pulp fiction about correspondent and absorbing chronicle of sexuality—reWayne tangling with Arab rebel leader. pressed and unleashed—in ’70s suburbia I’d Climb the Highest Mountain (1951) (love those clothes!), but also somewhat C-88m. ★★★ D: Henry King. Susan Hayclinical and off-putting, until the heartrendward, William Lundigan, Rory Calhoun, ing finale. A film one can admire without Gene Lockhart, Ruth Donnelly, Barbara actually enjoying. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Bates, Lynn Bari, Alexander Knox. SimIcicle Thief, The (1989-Italian) C-85m. ple good-hearted slice of Americana filmed ★★1⁄2 D: Maurizio Nichetti. Maurizio Nichetti, on location in Georgia, with Lundigan as a Caterina Sylos Labini, Heidi Komarek, preacher whose bride must learn a new way of life in Southern hill country. ▼ Renato Scarpa. Ingenious satire of contemporary commercialism—and disrespect Ideal Husband, An (1948-British) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alexander Korda. Paulette Godfor the art of film on television—has [ 656 ]

★★ dard, Michael Wilding, Diana Wynyard, D: Stuart Heisler. Jack Palance, ShelC. Aubrey Smith, Glynis Johns, Michael ley Winters, Lori Nelson, Lee Marvin, Medwin. Oscar Wilde’s drawing room comEarl Holliman, Lon Chaney (Jr.), Dennis edy receives classy presentation but is slowHopper. Overblown remake of Bogart’s moving. Remade in 1999.▼ HIGH SIERRA with Palance as mad killer Ideal Husband, An (1999-British-U.S.) Cwith soft spot for crippled girl (Nelson). Winters is his moll in this gangster run96m. ★★★ D: Oliver Parker. Cate Blanchett, through. CinemaScope. ▼● Rupert Everett, Jeremy Northam, Julianne Moore, Minnie Driver, John Wood, Jeroen Idiocracy (2006) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mike Krabbe´, Peter Vaughan, Lindsay Duncan. Judge. Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Delightful revision of Oscar Wilde’s classic Shepard, Terry Alan Crews, David Herman, 1895 comedy about a stalwart Member of Andrew Wilson, Brad ‘‘Scarface’’ Jordan, Parliament who becomes a blackmail tarJustin Long, Thomas Haden Church, Sara get—and can’t stand the idea that his deRue; narrated by Earl Mann. It’s as simple voted wife will find him less than perfect. as this: stupid people procreate at a much One couldn’t ask for a more attractive or greater rate than smart people, so in just a appealing cast, though Everett practically few years the U.S. will be overpopulated steals the film. [PG-13]▼쩠 with idiots. When a military experiment I Deal in Danger (1966) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 sends Wilson and Rudolph 500 years into D: Walter Grauman. Robert Goulet, Christhe future, even they are stupefied by the tine Carere, Donald Harron, Werner moronic state of affairs that has all but paraPeters. Feature version of TV series Blue lyzed society. Smart, funny ideas by Judge Light involves adventures of Goulet preand cowriter Etan Cohen can’t quite keep tending to be Nazi convert in order to this scattershot movie afloat, but it’s got help Allies. 쩠 some laugh-out-loud moments. Barely reIdentification of a Woman (1982-Italianleased to theaters. Stephen Root appears unFrench) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michelangelo billed. [R]쩠 Antonioni. Tomas Milian, Daniela Silverio, Idiot, The (1951-Japanese) 166m. ★★★ D: Christine Boisson, Sandra Monteleoni, GiAkira Kurosawa. Toshiro Mifune, Masayuki ampaolo Saccarola. A familiar Antonioni Mori, Setsuko Hara, Takashi Shimura. theme—alienation and the difficulty of iniKurosawa coscripted this updated version tiating relationships in contemporary sociof the Dostoyevsky novel, about a prince ety—is explored in this low-key tale of a and his friend who both love the same movie director (Milian) and his involvewoman. Dramatically uneven (because the ment with two women. Atmospheric, allerelease version was edited down from gorical film of interest mostly to Antonioni Kurosawa’s original cut), but there are diehards. Released in the U.S. in 1996.▼ enough flashes of brilliance to make it worthwhile.▼쩠 Identity (2003) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: James Mangold. John Cusack, Ray Liotta, Amanda Peet, Idiots, The (1998-Danish-French) C-114m. ★1⁄2 D: Lars von Trier. Bodil Jorgensen, John Hawkes, Rebecca De Mornay, Alfred Molina, John C. McGinley, Clea DuVall, Jake Jens Albinus, Anne Louise Hassing, Troels Busey, William Lee Scott, Leila Kenzle, PruLyby, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Henrik Prip. Preitt Taylor Vince, Matt Letscher, Bret Loehr, tending to be mentally handicapped, a group Holmes Osborne. A group of seemingly unreof 20-ish dropouts boorishly disrupt restaulated people find themselves holed up in a rants and swimming pools to gain gratis fleabag motel on a stormy night with a psycho treatment. Too dull to be controversial, this killer on the loose—or so it seems. Means to was the first Danish film shot under the be clever but at its core is a harsh, unrelent‘‘pure cinema’’ manifesto called Dogma ingly ugly rip-off of Agatha Christie’s Ten 95; the results look about as groundbreaking Little Indians. Also hampered by cliche´d charin a modern context as Vitaphone. One acters and some truly dumb dialogue. A good character talks about trying to find his cast is wasted. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 ‘‘inner idiot,’’ which, of course, Jerry Lewis Identity Crisis (1990) C-98m. BOMB D: has been doing for half a century. [R]▼ Melvin Van Peebles. Mario Van Peebles, Idiot’s Delight (1939) 105m. ★★★ D: Ilan Mitchell-Smith, Nicholas Kepros, ShelClarence Brown. Norma Shearer, Clark ley Burch, Rick Aviles, Stephen J. Cannell, Gable, Edward Arnold, Charles Coburn, Olivia Brown, Larry ‘‘Bud’’ Melman, Joseph Schildkraut, Burgess Meredith, VirBobby Rivers. Crude, messy pseudo-farce, ginia Grey. Disparate characters—including in which the spirit of a white, stereotypia tacky vaudevillian and his one-time flame, cally effeminate fashion designer is mysteriwho’s come up in the world—are forced ously transferred into the body of black, to share each other’s company in a hotel stereotypically superhip rapper. Excruciatnear the Italian border as WW2 is about to ing and, ultimately, boring. Scripted by erupt. Robert E. Sherwood’s Pulitzer Prize– Mario; produced by Melvin (who appears winning play is badly dated, an interesting as a police inspector). [R]▼ period piece, notable for its pacifist ideals I Died a Thousand Times (1955) C-109m. . . . but frankly more interesting for Ga[ 657 ]

ble’s famous song-and-dance routine to edy boasts a likable cast but slides too easily into caricature and stereotype. [PG]▼●쩠 ‘‘Puttin’ on the Ritz.’’ Alternate ending for European release was added to U.S. laserI Don’t Care Girl, The (1953) C-78m. ★★1 disc. ▼●쩠 ⁄2 D: Lloyd Bacon. Mitzi Gaynor, David Idle Hands (1999) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Rodman Wayne, Oscar Levant, Warren Stevens. Flender. Devon Sawa, Seth Green, Elden Premise of George Jessel preparing film Henson, Jessica Alba, Fred Willard, Jack bio of Eva Tanguay is vehicle to re-create Noseworthy, Vivica A. Fox. Lazy, dopefacets in life of the vaudeville star. smoking teenager Sawa discovers that his I Don’t Want to Be Born SEE: Devil right hand is possessed and a killer. He, Within Her, The or it, murders his parents and his two best I Don’t Want to Talk About It (1994Argentine) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Maria Luisa friends, then he tries to remedy matters. Horror comedy (with ideas reminiscent of Bemberg. Marcello Mastroianni, Luisina many other films, notably EVIL DEAD II) Brando, Alejandra Podesta. Memorable but is doomed by too many crude and genuinely not altogether compelling fable about a tasteless jokes. [R] ▼●쩠 polished Casanova who finds himself atIdlewild (2006) C-120m. ★1⁄2 D: Bryan tracted to a small town’s most cultured Barber. Andre´ Benjamin, Antwan A. (Big woman—a dwarf whose physically attracBoi) Patton, Paula Patton, Terrence Howtive but repellently possessive mother has ard, Malinda Williams, Macy Gray, Ben her own eyes set on this eligible bachelor. Vereen, Ving Rhames, Faizon Love, Patti At 70, Mastroianni remains dashing. [PG13]▼● LaBelle, Cicely Tyson, Bill Nunn, Paula Jai Parker. Train wreck of a musical featuring I Dood It (1943) 102m. ★★ D: Vincente Minthe hip-hop duo OutKast set in Prohibitionnelli. Red Skelton, Eleanor Powell, Richard era Georgia. Big Boi Patton is a smooth Ainley, Patricia Dane, Lena Horne, Hazel talker who runs a nightclub and performs; Scott, Sam Levene, Butterfly McQueen, John Benjamin is a stifled mortician’s son who Hodiak, Jimmy Dorsey and Orchestra. moonlights as a pianist and songwriter. Strained, overlong musicomedy about a taiWriter-director Barber’s self-consciously lor’s assistant obsessively in love with a stage cool shots can’t make up for long-winded, star; good songs include ‘‘Star Eyes’’ and heavy-handed storytelling and cliche´d dia‘‘Taking a Chance on Love,’’ but patchwork logue. Fragmented song-and-dance numfilm lifts its big finale from Powell’s earlier bers unsuccessfully try to merge 1930s BORN TO DANCE! A remake (more or less) of Buster Keaton’s SPITE MARRIAGE.▼ swing and hip-hop. Benjamin’s climactic song—performed during an embalming I’d Rather Be Rich (1964) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 ceremony—has to be seen to be disbeD: Jack Smight. Sandra Dee, Maurice lieved. Super 35. [R]쩠 Chevalier, Andy Williams, Robert Goulet, Idol, The (1966) 107m. ★★ D: Daniel Gene Raymond, Charles Ruggles, HerPetrie. Jennifer Jones, Michael Parks, John mione Gingold, Allen Jenkins, Rip Taylor. Leyton, Jennifer Hilary, Guy Doleman. Airy remake of IT STARTED WITH Trash about worthless type who makes it EVE. Dee finds substitute fiance´ to please with both mother and girl of his best friend; dying grandfather who wants to see her interesting only as chance to see latter-day happy. Only Chevalier-Gingold scenes Jones and watch Parks try to ape James have spice. Dean. Filmed in England.▼ I Dreamed of Africa (2000) C-112m. ★★ Idolmaker, The (1980) C-119m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Hugh Hudson. Kim Basinger, Vincent Taylor Hackford. Ray Sharkey, Tovah Perez, Eva Marie Saint, Liam Aiken, GarFeldshuh, Peter Gallagher, Paul Land, Joe rett Strommen, Daniel Craig. Story of Kuki Pantoliano, Maureen McCormick, OlymGallmann, an Italian who moves with her pia Dukakis. Fictionalized bio of rock proyoung son and new husband to remote Afriducer Bob Marcucci, who guided (pushed?) can ranch. She is determined to triumph Frankie Avalon and Fabian to stardom in over adverse conditions, and becomes pasthe late ’50s. A great idea overcome sionate about animal rights. Basinger (an by a script that builds momentum and animal activist herself) is effective, but biothen drops the ball. Good performances, pic is never quite as compelling as intended. sharp direction, though little period flavor Hawk-Scope. [PG-13]▼쩠 (even in rock vet Jeff Barry’s slick music I Drink Your Blood (1970) C-72m. ★★ D: score). [PG]▼●쩠 David Durston. Bhaskar, Jadine Wong, I Don’t Buy Kisses Anymore (1992) Ronda Fultz, George Patterson. To get C-112m. ★★ D: Robert Marcarelli. Jason Alrevenge on sadistic band of hippies, young exander, Nia Peeples, Lainie Kazan, Lou boy gives them meat pies infected with Jacobi, Eileen Brennan, Larry Storch. rabies and they go homicidally crazy. Chubby shoestore owner Alexander is beNuff said. [R]▼쩠 friended by psychology student Peeples; he I Eat Your Skin (1970) 82m. BOMB D: wants romance, but she wants to study his Del Tenney. William Joyce, Heather Hewitt, compulsive eating disorder. Romantic comBetty Hyatt Linton, Dan Stapleton, Walter [ 658 ]

Coy, Robert Stanton. Scientifically created James, Carmen Miranda, Phil Silvers, Edzombies menace two-fisted hero on Caribgar Buchanan, Reed Hadley. James’ band bean island. Worthless. Filmed in 1964. Aka is broke and unemployed, and becomes VOODOO BLOODBATH. [PG]▼쩠 involved with politician Buchanan’s ‘‘comI Escaped from Devil’s Island (1973) mon man’’ campaign. Paper-thin remake of C-89m. BOMB D: William Witney. Jim THANKS A MILLION, occasionally upBrown, Christopher George, Paul Richlifted by Silvers’ and Miranda’s spunk.쩠 ards, Rick Ely, Richard Rust, Jan Merlin. If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium Produced by the Corman boys (Roger and (1969) C-99m. ★★★ D: Mel Stuart. SuGene) in Mexico and the Caribbean, this zanne Pleshette, Ian McShane, Mildred actioner is an insult to vet director Witney’s Natwick, Murray Hamilton, Sandy Baron, standing with buffs who know his earlier Michael Constantine, Norman Fell, Peggy work. Violent, vulgar. [R] Cass, Joan Collins. Funny study of Ameriif. . . . (1968-British) C/B&W-111m. ★★★★ cans abroad on quickie tour; filmed throughD: Lindsay Anderson. Malcolm McDowell, out Europe. Host of cameos sprinkled David Wood, Richard Warwick, Robert throughout. Rehashed as a TV movie in Swann, Christine Noonan, Arthur Lowe, 1987. [G]▼●쩠 Mona Washbourne, Graham Crowden, If I Were King (1938) 101m. ★★★ D: Simon Ward. Magnificent, surrealistic study Frank Lloyd. Ronald Colman, Frances of students at boarding school who plot Dee, Basil Rathbone, Ellen Drew, C. V. revolution—or do they? Originally X-rated, France, Henry Wilcoxon, Heather Thatcher, later trimmed for wider acceptance. Written Sidney Toler. Colman (with that inimitable by David Sherwin. [R]▼●쩠 voice) is ideally cast as the French poetIf a Man Answers (1962) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 rogue Franc¸ois Villon, who matches wits D: Henry Levin. Sandra Dee, Bobby with the crafty King Louis XI (Rathbone) Darin, Micheline Presle, John Lund, and falls hopelessly in love with a lady-inCesar Romero, Stefanie Powers, Chriswaiting (Dee). Forget historical accuracy; topher Knight, Charlene Holt. Trite pap this is just good entertainment. Scripted by of Dee and Darin (then married in real Preston Sturges. Filmed before in 1920 and, life) trying to outdo each other with as the operetta THE VAGABOND KING, jealousy-baiting antics.쩠 in 1930 and again in 1956. Villon was also If Ever I See You Again (1978) C-105m. played by John Barrymore in THE BE★1 ⁄2 D: Joe Brooks. Joe Brooks, Shelley LOVED ROGUE (1927).▼ Hack, Jimmy Breslin, Jerry Keller, George If Looks Could Kill (1991) C-88m. ★★ D: Plimpton, Danielle Brisebois. ProducerWilliam Dear. Richard Grieco, Linda Hunt, director-writer-composer-arranger-conducRoger Rees, Robin Bartlett, Gabrielle tor Brooks’ follow-up to his mediocre YOU Anwar, Geraldine James, Carole Davis, LIGHT UP MY LIFE is even worse; this Roger Daltrey. Class clown is mistaken time he stars, as a songwriter trying to for a top undercover agent while touring rekindle old flame with Hack (in her starParis with his high school class; standard ring movie debut). Breslin should stick to flunk-out slapstick ensues. Negligible, writing. [PG]▼ though Hunt adds a touch of class as a If He Hollers, Let Him Go (1968) C-106m. whip-wielding villainess. [PG-13]▼● ★1 ⁄2 D: Charles Martin. Raymond St. If Lucy Fell (1996) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Eric Jacques, Kevin McCarthy, Barbara McNair, Schaeffer. Sarah Jessica Parker, Eric Dana Wynter, Arthur O’Connell, John RusSchaeffer, Ben Stiller, Elle Macpherson, sell, Ann Prentiss, Royal Dano. Prison James Rebhorn, Robert John Burke, David escapee St. Jacques tries to clear himThornton, Dominic Chianese, Mujibur Rahself of false rape-murder charge. Lots of man, Sirajul Islam, Scarlett Johansson. Puerile cliche´s, plus McNair’s celebrated nude ‘‘romantic comedy,’’ with writer-director Schaeffer playing an artist of arrested emoscenes. Aka DEAD RIGHT. [R]▼ 1 ★★★ If I Had a Million (1932) 83m. tional development who shares an apart⁄2 D: James Cruze, H. Bruce Humberstone, Stement with Parker, a therapist (!) with whom phen Roberts, William A. Seiter, Ernst he also shares a ‘‘death pact,’’ if neither one Lubitsch, Norman Taurog, Norman Z. has found the perfect mate by the age of 30. McLeod. Gary Cooper, George Raft, Mary Any resemblance between these characters Boland, Charles Laughton, W. C. Fields, and actual human beings is strictly coinciWynne Gibson, Gene Raymond, Charlie dental. Schaeffer isn’t dumb, however; he Ruggles, Alison Skipworth, Jack Oakie, wrote himself a makeout scene with supermodel Macpherson. [R]▼●쩠 Frances Dee, Richard Bennett. Wealthy Bennett gives that sum to various people; If Winter Comes (1947) 97m. ★★ D: all the episodes are good, but the most faVictor Saville. Walter Pidgeon, Deborah mous are Laughton’s worm-turning and Kerr, Angela Lansbury, Binnie Barnes, Fields’ revenge on road hogs.● Janet Leigh, Dame May Whitty, Reginald If I’m Lucky (1946) 79m. ★★ D: Lewis Owen. Good cast fails to enliven wooden Seiler. Vivian Blaine, Perry Como, Harry drama about a crisis in the life of kindly, [ 659 ]

highly principled Pidgeon, living in a stuffy whole hood when they get their hands on a small town outside London and trapped in a truckload of ‘‘hot’’ beepers and cell phones. marriage to coldhearted Lansbury. Dopey vehicle for rapper/producer Master If You Can’t Say It, Just See It SEE: P, and an unremarkable feature debut for Whore R&B video director Martin. Makes FRIDAY look like RASHOMON. [R]▼●쩠 If You Could Only Cook (1935) 70m. ★★★ D: William A. Seiter. Herbert MarI Hate Actors (1986-French) C/B&W90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gerard Krawrzyk. Jean shall, Jean Arthur, Leo Carrillo, Lionel Stander, Alan Edwards. Arthur and MarPoiret, Michel Blanc, Bernard Blier, Michel shall are superb team in this delightful comGalabru, Guy Marchand, Dominique Laedy of wealthy automobile tycoon/inventor vanant. Cute, slight little satire on Hollyand penniless woman, who, for complex wood, with a series of murders comically reasons, become mobster Carrillo’s maid disrupting the filming of a costume epic; and butler. This film wrongly carried Frank agent Poiret is the prime suspect. Based on Capra’s name as director in many European a novel by Ben Hecht and filmed mostly in prints as a fraudulent studio effort to exploit beautiful black-and-white; set in Tinseltown, his massive popularity.쩠 yet all of the dialogue’s in French. Look If You Could See What I Hear (1982very carefully for Ge´rard Depardieu. [PG] I Hate Blondes (1981-Italian) C-89m. ★★★ Canadian) C-103m. ★★ D: Eric Till. Marc Singer, R. H. Thompson, Sarah Torgov, D: Giorgio Capitani. Enrico Montesano, Shari Belafonte Harper, Douglas Campbell, Jean Rochefort, Corinne Clery, Marina Helen Burns. Well-intentioned but overly Langner, Paola Tedesco, Ivan Desny. Funny cute, ultimately unreal biography of Tom comedy about ghostwriter Montesano, whose Sullivan (Singer), the writer, composer, work inspires a series of real-life heists. athlete, TV personality and Renaissance Crammed with sight gags; highlighted by a man who happens to be blind. [PG]▼● sequence in which Montesano searches for Igby Goes Down (2002) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: stolen jewels at a party.▼ Burr Steers. Kieran Culkin, Ryan Phillippe, I Hate Your Guts! SEE: Intruder, The Claire Danes, Amanda Peet, Jeff Goldblum, i ♥ huckabees (2004) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Susan Sarandon, Bill Pullman, Celia WesDavid O. Russell. Jason Schwartzman, Duston, Bill Irwin, Rory Culkin, Jared Harris. tin Hoffman, Lily Tomlin, Jude Law, Mark Somber comedy-drama about a screwed-up Wahlberg, Naomi Watts, Isabelle Huppert, rich kid with a nutty mother and a schizoJean Smart, Tippi Hedren, Bob Gunton, phrenic father; he refuses to stay in school Shania Twain. Young man seeking the and won’t listen to anyone, least of all his source of coincidences in his life hires a preppie older brother. As a result, he’s husband-and-wife team of existential deteckicked around by life in general and most of tives who try to show him that everything in the people he meets. Some striking vilife is interconnected. Amusing, impudent gnettes but not a successful film on the comedy about the search for life’s imponwhole; Culkin’s fine performance helps, derables resonates with the fun of watching along with a talented cast. Written by the so many good actors bring oddball characdirector. Gore Vidal makes a cameo appearters to life. Doesn’t necessarily lead anyance. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 where, but the journey is enjoyable enough. I Girasoli SEE: Sunflower (1969) Jon Brion offers an appropriately odd music Igor (2008) C-87m. ★★ D: Anthony score. Talia Shire, Schwartzman’s real-life Leondis. Voices of John Cusack, Jennifer mom, plays his mother. Richard Jenkins apCoolidge, John Cleese, Steve Buscemi, pears unbilled. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Molly Shannon, Sean Hayes, Eddie Izzard, Ikarie XB1 SEE: Voyage to the End of Jay Leno, Christian Slater. Mad scientist’s the Universe hunchbacked lab assistant takes over when I Killed Rasputin (1967-French-Italian) Chis master unexpectedly dies. With the help 95m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Hossein. Gert Frobe, of a sarcastic laboratory rabbit and a fussy Peter McEnery, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert robot, Igor creates a she-monster and later Hossein, Ira Furstenberg, Ivan Desny. Wellsaves the kingdom from an evil ruler. Lots mounted but ponderous story of the men of lightning and electrical effects . . . but who befriended and then murdered Rasputin. Frobe is simply awful. Franscope.▼ nothing comes to life. Mediocre computergenerated animated feature feels like a Tim Ikiru (1952-Japanese) 143m. ★★★★ D: Burton wannabe without any of Burton’s Akira Kurosawa. Takashi Shimura, Nobuo style or appeal. [PG]쩠 Kaneko, Kyoko Seki, Miki Odagiri, YunoI Got the Hook Up (1998) C-93m. BOMB suke Ito. Minor bureaucrat Shimura, dying D: Michael Martin. Master P, A.J. Johnson, of cancer, searches for meaning in his life. Gretchen Palmer, Tommy ‘‘Tiny’’ Lister, Thoughtful, poignant examination of loneliHelen Martin, John Witherspoon, Ice Cube, ness, with a brilliant performance by Shimura. Mia X, Snoop Doggy Dogg. Witless, interServes as inspiration for LIFE AS A minable blaxploitation comedy about South HOUSE. ▼●쩠 Central L.A. con artists who hoodwink the I Know What You Did Last Summer [ 660 ]

(1997) C-100m. ★★ D: Jim Gillespie. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Freddie Prinze, Jr., Johnny Galecki, Bridgette Wilson, Anne Heche, Muse Watson. In coastal North Carolina, four friends accidentally run down a pedestrian on a lonely road. They dump the body into the sea and vow never to mention it again. But a year later, they each begin receiving the title message in the mail, and then the murders begin. . . . Scripter Kevin Williamson’s attempt at a SCREAM follow-up is too routine to succeed overall. Followed by I STILL KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER. Panavision. [R]

law. Subdued satirical remake of TOPAZE, with Sellers the timid schoolteacher who becomes an unscrupulous businessman. British title: TOPAZE. CinemaScope. I Live My Life (1935) 92m. ★★ D: W. S. Van Dyke II. Joan Crawford, Brian Aherne, Frank Morgan, Aline MacMahon, Eric Blore, Fred Keating, Jessie Ralph, Arthur Treacher, Frank Conroy, Sterling Holloway, Vince Barnett, Hedda Hopper, Lionel Stander. Crawford and Aherne are in love, but she’s flighty and he’s an archeologist. Glossy and empty. Scripted by Joseph L. Mankiewicz.▼ Il Ladro di Bambini SEE: Stolen Children I’ll Be Home for Christmas (1998) C▼●쩠 I Know Where I’m Going! (1945-British) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arlene Sanford. Jonathan ★★★★ D: Michael Powell, Emeric 91m. Taylor Thomas, Jessica Biel, Adam LaVorPressburger. Wendy Hiller, Roger Livesey, gna, Sean O’Bryan, Gary Cole, Kathleen Finlay Currie, Pamela Brown, Valentine Freeman, Amzie Strickland. Conniving colDyall, Petula Clark. Simple film of headlege kid tries to make his way cross-country strong girl (Hiller) who plans to marry for to be home for Christmas dinner, only bemoney, stranded in Scottish seacoast town for cause his dad has promised him a Porsche if a week, where she meets and slowly falls in he does. Fairly predictable boy-gets-girl, love with Livesey. Very little plot, but an boy-loses-girl, boy-gets-girl-again-and-learnsabundance of charm and wit. A quiet gem. a-lesson comedy aimed at young fans of the Beautifully scripted by the filmmakers. teenage star. [PG]▼●쩠 I’ll Be Seeing You (1945) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: ▼●쩠 I Know Who Killed Me (2007) C-105m. William Dieterle. Ginger Rogers, Joseph BOMB D: Chris Sivertson. Lindsay Lohan, Cotten, Shirley Temple, Spring Byington, Julia Ormond, Neal McDonough, Brian Tom Tully, John Derek. Overblown David Geraghty, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, SpenSelznick schmaltz. Rogers, convict home cer Garrett, Gregory Itzin. Hopeless thriller on parole, meets disturbed soldier Cotten and they fall in love. 쩠 in which a young woman is kidnapped and terrorized by a serial killer. When she wakes I’ll Be Yours (1947) 93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wilup in a hospital, she tries to convince everyliam A. Seiter. Deanna Durbin, Tom Drake, one she is not who they think she is. WoeAdolphe Menjou, William Bendix, Frankfully inept, with an incoherent plot and lin Pangborn. Pleasant but undistinguished incompetent cinematography. HD Wideremake of THE GOOD FAIRY with Descreen. [R]쩠 anna in hot water after telling white lie to Il Bell’ Antonio SEE: Bell’ Antonio wealthy and amorous Menjou.▼ Il Bidone SEE: Swindle, The (1955) I’ll Cry Tomorrow (1955) 117m. ★★★1⁄2 Il Grido (1957-Italian) 115m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiD: Daniel Mann. Susan Hayward, Richard chelangelo Antonioni. Steve Cochran, Alida Conte, Jo Van Fleet, Ray Danton, Eddie Valli, Dorian Gray, Betsy Blair, Lyn Shaw. Albert, Margo. Superlative portrayal by Leisurely paced yet compelling study of Hayward of star Lillian Roth, her assorted Cochran’s mental disintegration due to lack of marriages and alcoholic problems. Everything communication with those he loves; Cochran a movie biography should be. Helen Rose is quite good. Aka THE OUTCRY. ▼쩠 won an Oscar for her costumes. Also shown I Like It Like That (1994) C-105m. ★★★ in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 D: Darnell Martin. Lauren Velez, Jon Seda, I’ll Do Anything (1994) C-115m. ★★ D: Tomas Melly, Desiree Casado, Isaiah GarJames L. Brooks. Nick Nolte, Albert cia, Jesse Borrego, Lisa Vidal, Griffin Brooks, Julie Kavner, Joely Richardson, Dunne, Rita Moreno. Fresh, vibrant little Tracey Ullman, Whittni Wright, Jeb Brown, film about a Latino woman from the Bronx Joely Fisher, Ian McKellen, Suzzanne whose tumultuous, love/hate relationship Douglas, Robert Joy, Harry Shearer, Rosie with her husband and three kids is rocked O’Donnell, Ken Page, Woody Harrelson, when she stumbles into a job—an exciting Patrick Cassidy, Anne Heche. Self-abone, no less—in the record business. sorbed actor whose career is on the ropes is Writer-director Darnell Martin examines suddenly forced to care for his six-year-old real, everyday issues with zest, humor, and daughter. Writer-director Brooks tries to the ring of truth. [R]▼●쩠 weave a tale of fatherhood into a cutting I Like Money (1960-British) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 look behind the scenes of Hollywood, with D: Peter Sellers. Peter Sellers, Nadia Gray, discouragingly spotty results. Some great Herbert Lom, Leo McKern, Martita Hunt, ‘‘in’’ material shares screen time with an John Neville, Michael Gough, Billie Whitearray of truly dislikeable characters. Kavner [ 661 ]

and Albert Brooks come off best, as a neurotic D: Ingmar Bergman. Maj-Britt Nilsson, match made in heaven. Shot as a musical, Alf Kjellin, Birger Malmsten, Georg Funkbefore test screenings indicated all the musical quist. Moody film using flashback retells Nilsnumbers should come out! [PG-13]▼●쩠 son’s romance with now-dead lover, and its Illegal (1955) 88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lewis Allen. relationship to her present frame of mind. Edward G. Robinson, Nina Foch, Hugh Original title: SUMMERPLAY; video title: Marlowe, Jayne Mansfield, Albert Dekker, SUMMER INTERLUDE.▼ Ellen Corby, DeForest Kelley, Howard Ill Met By Moonlight SEE: Night AmSt. John. Former D.A. Robinson becomes bush criminal attorney with gangster client, but I’ll Never Forget What’s ’Isname (1967lays reputation—and life—on the line to British) C-99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Windefend former assistant Foch for homicide. ner. Orson Welles, Oliver Reed, Carol Valiant attempt to recapture spark of earWhite, Harry Andrews, Michael Hordern, lier Robinson vehicles; remake of THE Wendy Craig, Marianne Faithfull, Peter MOUTHPIECE.▼쩠 Graves, Frank Finlay, Edward Fox. Excellent Illegal in Blue (1994) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stu comedy-drama in which one man rebels Segall. Stacey Dash, Dan Gauthier, Louis against his good life and tries vainly to go Giambalvo, Trevor Goddard, Michael Durback to simpler days. Script by Peter Draper. rell, Sandra Reinhardt, David Groh, Raye ▼쩠 Birk. Cop Gauthier, on leave without pay I’ll See You in My Dreams (1951) 110m. ★★1 after turning in some crooked coworkers, ⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Doris Day, Danny becomes involved with a sultry nightclub Thomas, Frank Lovejoy, Patrice Wymore, singer (Dash) who may or may not have James Gleason. Warner Bros. formula murdered her husband. Atmospheric 1990s musical biography at its hokiest: trite tellfilm noir is occasionally illogical but fun ing of Gus Kahn’s life and times; songs nonetheless, and quite sexy. Unrated verinclude ‘‘Ain’t We Got Fun,’’ ‘‘It Had to sion also available. [R]▼ Be You.’’▼●쩠 Illegal Tender (2007) C-108m. ★★ D: I’ll sleep when I’m dead (2004-U.S.Franc. Reyes. Rick Gonzalez, Wanda De British) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Mike Hodges. Jesus, Dania Ramirez, Antonio Ortiz, Tego Clive Owen, Charlotte Rampling, Jonathan Calderon, Jessica Pimentel, Manny Perez. Rhys Meyers, Malcolm McDowell. Sudden N.Y.C. drug dealer is gunned down the death of a young would-be hustler brings same night his wife gives birth. Twenty his brother—a former local crime boss— years later, the mother is living a nice life in out of isolation, looking for explanations a suburb with her college-student son. and revenge. Lugubrious drama doesn’t When thugs arrive to finish off a job started lead anywhere especially interesting, and two decades earlier, she shows her true coltakes its time getting there, to boot. A disapors, turning into a pistol-packing mama. pointing reunion for the director and star of Pulpy, Latin-flavored melodrama has lots of CROUPIER. [R] 쩠 fireworks and a good performance by De I’ll Take Sweden (1965) C-96m. ★★ D: Jesus, but is brought down by mindless vioFrederick de Cordova. Bob Hope, Dina lence and an incredible plotline that walMerrill, Tuesday Weld, Frankie Avalon, lows in stereotypes. Super 35. [R]쩠 Jeremy Slate. Pseudo-sexy Hope vehicle, Illegally Yours (1988) C-102m. BOMB with everyone frantic over life and love; D: Peter Bogdanovich. Rob Lowe, Colwitless proceedings.▼쩠 leen Camp, Harry Carey, Jr., Kenneth illtown (1998) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Nick Gomez. Mars, Kim Myers. Juror Lowe is shocked Michael Rapaport, Lili Taylor, Adam Trese, to see that defendant Camp was once the Kevin Corrigan, Paul Schulze, Angela Feathgirl he lusted for in elementary school, and erstone, Saul Stein, Tony Danza, Isaac Hayes. snoops around on his own to clear her of Good cast flounders in this downer of a the charge. Barely released, painfully unfunny drama about drug dealers Rapaport, Taylor, farce, with Bogdanovich still trying to and Corrigan—they’re the good guys—and emulate Howard Hawks; how bizarre to see a vengeance-seeking ex-partner (Trese) pratfalling Lowe (in glasses) aping Ryan who’s just been released from jail. PretenO’Neal in WHAT’S UP DOC?—who, in tious, boring, and crammed with fuzzy morturn, was aping Cary Grant in BRINGING alizing. Of note for Danza’s offbeat casting as a gay crimelord. Filmed in 1995. [R]▼● UP BABY. [PG]▼쩠 Illicit (1931) 81m. ★1⁄2 D: Archie Mayo. Illuminata (1999) C-111m. ★★ D: John Barbara Stanwyck, James Rennie, Ricardo Turturro. John Turturro, Katherine BoroCortez, Joan Blondell, Charles Butterworth, witz, Susan Sarandon, Christopher Walken, Natalie Moorhead. Independent-minded Rufus Sewell, Beverly D’Angelo, Donal Stanwyck loves Rennie, but doesn’t want McCann, Georgina Cates, Ben Gazzara, marriage to taint her happiness. Boring, Aida Turturro. Life, love, lust, and ambition badly directed, overly talky ‘‘talkie.’’ Rein a theatrical troupe in turn-of-the-20thcentury N.Y.C. (although the flavor is dismade two years later as EX-LADY.▼● Illicit Interlude (1951-Swedish) 94m. ★★1⁄2 tinctly European). Playwright Turturro is in [ 662 ]

love with the company’s star/manager, and longs to have her perform his latest play. Lively, even campy, roles for a fine cast spark this good-looking but often lumbering production, which plays like a French farce in slow motion. Turturro coscripted with Brandon Cole, based on the latter’s play. [R]▼쩠 Illusionist, The (2006) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Neil Burger. Edward Norton, Paul Giamatti, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell, Edward (Eddie) Marsan, Jake Wood, Tom Fisher. In turnof-20th-century Vienna the imperious Crown Prince Leopold (Sewell) sees a master stage magician (Norton) as a threat— especially when it’s clear that the Prince’s fiance´e (Biel) is smitten with the illusionist. Intriguing story lets down toward the end and becomes disappointingly ordinary. Giamatti is especially good as a tenacious police inspector. Based on a short story by Steven Millhauser. Music by Philip Glass. [PG-13]쩠 Illusion Travels by Streetcar (1953Mexican) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Luis Bun˜uel. Lilia Prado, Carlos Navarro, Domingo Soler, Fernando Soto, Agustin Isunza. Two transit workers steal a streetcar destined for the scrap heap, take it on one last run, picking up odd assortment of passengers. Agreeable (if lesser) Bun˜uel fable.▼쩠 Illustrated Man, The (1969) C-103m. ★★ D: Jack Smight. Rod Steiger, Claire Bloom, Robert Drivas, Don Dubbins, Jason Evers, Tim Weldon, Christie Matchett. Young wanderer Drivas meets tattooed man Steiger, searching for the strange woman (Bloom), who ‘‘illustrated’’ his entire body. The wanderer sees futuristic tales in three of the illustrations, all of which also star Steiger and/or Bloom and Drivas. Disappointing, slow-paced adaptation of stories from Ray Bradbury. Panavision. [M/PG]

romancing Blair while searching for her missing sister-in-law. I Love Trouble (1994) C-123m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Shyer. Julia Roberts, Nick Nolte, Saul Rubinek, James Rebhorn, Robert Loggia, Kelly Rutherford, Olympia Dukakis, Marsha Mason, Eugene Levy, Charles Martin Smith, Dan Butler, Paul Gleason, Nora Dunn, Keith Gordon, Dorothy Lyman, Stuart Pankin, Megan Cavanagh, Jessica Lundy, Robin Duke. Rival Chicago newspaper reporters reluctantly join forces to investigate a mysterious train wreck—and, naturally, fall in love. A likable homage to vintage Hollywood bickering/bantering romantic comedies with a touch of adventure and suspense thrown in; there are even oldfashioned ‘‘wipes’’ between shots. Unfortunately, the film’s overlength hampers its cuteness, and reveals the degree of contrivance at work. [PG]▼●쩠 I Love You (1981-Brazilian) C-104m. ★1⁄2 D: Arnaldo Jabor. Sonia Braga, Paulo Cesar Pereio, Vera Fischer, Tarcisio Meira, Maria Lucia Dahl, Regina Case. Silly, pretentiously arty chronicle of relationship between Braga and Pereio, each of whom tries to manipulate the other. Sonia, however, is lovely to look at. [R]▼ I Love You Again (1940) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: W. S. Van Dyke II. William Powell, Myrna Loy, Frank McHugh, Edmund Lowe, Donald Douglas, Nella Walker. Hilarious story of amnesiac Powell—solid citizen in a small town—reverting to former life as con-man, but trying to forestall divorce proceedings by ‘‘his’’ wife (Loy). Ingenious script by Charles Lederer, George Oppenheimer, and Harry Kurnitz.▼●쩠 I Love You, Alice B. Toklas (1968) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Hy Averback. Peter Sellers, Jo Van Fleet, Leigh Taylor-Young, Joyce Van Patten. Excellent comedy about the freaking out of mild-mannered L.A. lawyer. ▼●쩠 I Love Melvin (1953) C-76m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Sellers has never been better. Written by Larry Tucker and Paul Mazursky. [R]▼●쩠 Weis. Donald O’Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Una Merkel, Allyn Joslyn, Richard AnderI Love You, I Love You Not (1979) SEE: son, Noreen Corcoran, Jim Backus, Robert Together? Taylor. N.Y.C. location filming enhances I Love You, I Love You Not (1996French-German-British-U.S.) C-92m. ★★ this cute musical, spotlighting lowly photo assistant O’Connor’s attempt to impress D: Billy Hopkins. Jeanne Moreau, Claire ambitious dancer Reynolds by pretending Danes, Jude Law, James Van Der Beek, Kris that he can get her picture in Look magaPark, Lauren Fox, Emily Burkes-Nossiter, zine. ▼● Robert Sean Leonard, Julia Stiles. DisapI Love My . . . Wife (1970) C-95m. ★★ pointingly overwrought drama about a shy D: Mel Stuart. Elliott Gould, Brenda teen (Danes) who attends a Manhattan prep Vaccaro, Angel Tompkins, Dabney Coleschool; she has a crush on the school hunk man, Joan Tompkins. The kind of comedy (Law), and encounters anti-Semitism when for which the word ‘‘vehicle’’ was inventher classmates learn that her beloved granded. Rarely funny chronicle of Gould’s lifemother (the ever-resplendent Moreau) is a long sexual hangups suffers from witless Holocaust survivor. Scripted by Wendy script, bland direction. [R]▼ Kesselman, based on her play; Danes also I Love Trouble (1948) 94m. ★★★ D: S. plays the grandmother (as a young woman) in the Holocaust sequences.▼●쩠 Sylvan Simon. Franchot Tone, Janet Blair, Janis Carter, Adele Jergens, Glenda FarI Love You, Man (2009) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 rell. Flippant mystery with private-eye Tone D: John Hamburg. Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, [ 663 ]

Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J. K. Simsurprise: the story is imaginative, scary and mons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau, Jaime funny, the effects are clever, and the cast Pressly, Rob Huebel, Thomas Lennon, Sarah above average; there’s also a wow of an ending. If it only made sense . . . [R]▼●쩠 Burns, Lou Ferrigno. Straight-arrow nice guy Rudd plans to wed girlfriend Jones, but Imagemaker, The (1986) C-93m. ★★ D: comes to realize he doesn’t have any real Hal Wiener. Michael Nouri, Jerry Orbach, buddies—and no one to serve as best man. In Jessica Harper, Anne Twomey, Farley his quest to make friends he bonds with overGranger, Maury Povich, Marcia Gay Harden. age adolescent Segel, who’s fun to be with The President’s ex-media adviser, still reelbut turns out to be a very loose cannon. The ing from his wife’s death, has an audio two main characters are sharply drawn and tape that could incriminate his former boss; well played in this comedy but the raunch genuine or bogus, people are literally dying factor is uncomfortably high. Incredible Hulk to get their hands on it. A muddled mess, TV star Ferrigno plays . . . himself. [R] though a sometimes entertaining one; high I Love Your Work (2005) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 point is a hilariously melodramatic scene D: Adam Goldberg. Giovanni Ribisi, Franka on a Washington talk show. Twomey Potente, Joshua Jackson, Marisa Coughlan, good as an ambitious TV reporter. [R]▼ Christina Ricci, Jared Harris, Elvis Costello, Images (1972-U.S.-British) C-101m. ★★★1⁄2 Jason Lee, Nicky Katt, Randall Batinkoff, D: Robert Altman. Susannah York, Rene Haylie Duff, Judy Greer, Shalom Harlow, Auberjonois, Marcel Bozzuffi, Hugh Millais, Vince Vaughn, Lake Bell. Hot young film Cathryn Harrison. Difficult but fascinating actor (Ribisi) has a tempestuous relationship film about a troubled woman who tries to with his movie-star wife while being consort out her life; images of reality and stantly pawed at in public; as he yearns for fantasy clash in a kind of continuous halan ordinary life, he becomes convinced he’s lucination. Off-putting at first, but worth being stalked by a fan. Obvious, occasionthe effort to hang on. Filmed in Ireland. ally rambling, but still an attention-grabbing Panavision. [R]쩠 exploration of the pitfalls of celebrity. GoldImaginary Crimes (1994) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 berg cowrote, coproduced, and collaborated D: Anthony Drazan. Harvey Keitel, Fairuza on the music. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Balk, Kelly Lynch, Vincent D’Onofrio, I Love You to Death (1990) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 Elisabeth Moss, Diane Baker, Chris Penn, D: Lawrence Kasdan. Kevin Kline, Tracey Amber Benson, Seymour Cassel, Annette Ullman, Joan Plowright, River Phoenix, O’Toole. Thoughtful, moving (if ultimately William Hurt, Keanu Reeves, James Gamoverly familiar) coming-of-age story with mon, Victoria Jackson, Miriam Margolyes, Keitel doing well as a hustler-dreamer who Heather Graham. Lumpy black comedy tries to be the best father he can to his two about a gregarious Italian-American pizzeria motherless daughters: drab 17-year-old owner whose constant womanizing remains a Balk and younger sister Moss. Lynch shines secret to his wife—until one day when she in her few flashback scenes as the family’s deceased wife-mother. [PG]▼●쩠 learns the truth, and then attempts to murder him, with spectacular lack of success. Kline Imaginary Heroes (2004) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 is fun, Plowright is hilarious as his mordant, D: Dan Harris. Sigourney Weaver, Emile Slavic mother-in-law, but unfortunately, the Hirsch, Jeff Daniels, Michelle Williams, film goes flat. Director Kasdan plays a lawyer Kip Pardue, Deirdre O’Connell, Ryan Doin the closing scenes; Kline’s real-life wife, nowho, Suzanne Santo, Jay Paulson. A Phoebe Cates, has an unbilled part as one of shape-shifting drama laced with dark humor his one-night stands. Amazingly, based on a about a suburban family struck by tragedy. real-life couple! [R]▼●쩠 A strong-willed mother, a disconsolate faIl Postino SEE: Postman, The (1994) ther, and an emotionally fragile brother each Il Posto (1961-Italian) 93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Erstruggles to cope with his own demons and manno Olmi. Sandro Panseri, Loredana each other. Writer-director Harris (in his Detto, Tullio Kezich, Mara Revel. This feature debut) presents a dysfunctional famearly Olmi feature has something of the feel ily to match any in ancient Greek tragedy, of early Truffaut and Milos Forman in its with mixed results—but superior perforportrayal of everyday life with its tiny trimances. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 umphs and failures. Simple story concerns a Imagine: John Lennon (1988) C-103m. ★★1 teenaged boy getting his first job and meet⁄2 D: Andrew Solt. Narrated by John Lening a girl, but the beauty of the film is in the non. Unusual documentary, produced by Solt loving and perceptive observation of human and David L. Wolper, assembled from 240 behavior. A small-scale gem. 쩠 hours of footage from Yoko Ono’s personal I, Madman (1989) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Tibor archives. Not exactly a puff job, but a bit Takacs. Jenny Wright, Clayton Rohner, discomforting given the obvious calculation Randall William Cook, Steven Memel, that went into the project. Not to be missed Stephanie Hodge. A young woman’s readare Lennon’s confrontations with Al Capp ing of a novel brings its murderous, superand journalist Gloria Emerson. [R]▼●쩠 natural author back to life. A nice, small Imagine Me & You (2006-British-German) [ 664 ]

C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ol Parker. Piper Perabo, Talbott notices that husband Tryon (as Lena Headey, Matthew Goode, Celia Imrie, well as some of his friends) has been beAnthony (Stewart) Head, Darren Boyd, Sue having very peculiarly of late. Some nice, Johnston, Eva Birthistle, Ruth Sheen. Amicreepy moments in chiller which has slowly able romance with a twist: Perabo weds her developed a cult following. Remade for TV in 1998.▼●쩠 longtime boyfriend, only to question her feelings for him when she senses a mutual I Married an Angel (1942) 84m. ★★ D: attraction with the woman hired to provide W. S. Van Dyke II. Jeanette MacDonald, flowers for their nuptials. Generally winning Nelson Eddy, Edward Everett Horton, exploration of the unpredictability of life and Binnie Barnes, Reginald Owen, Douglass love is hampered only by the formulaic (and Dumbrille. Playboy Eddy dreams he marries highly unlikely) finale. Super 35. [R]쩠 angel MacDonald in this bizarre adaptation of Imagining Argentina (2004-British-SpanishRodgers and Hart musical. MacDonald and U.S.) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher HampEddy’s last film together. Songs include ton. Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson, ‘‘Spring Is Here,’’ title tune.▼ Rube´n Blades, Marı´a Canals, Kuno Becker, I Married a Shadow (1982-French) CJohn Wood, Claire Bloom. A military dicta110m. ★★★ D: Robin Davis. Nathalie Baye, torship rules Argentina in 1976, and Francis Huster, Richard Bohringer, Madejournalist-activist Thompson is among the leine Robinson, Guy Trejan. Engrossing if thousands whom the authorities indiscrimisometimes overwrought drama of abannately kidnap and imprison—or murder. doned, pregnant Baye taking on the identity Husband Banderas searches for her in vain, of another after a train wreck. Baye is then begins having visions of the fates of radiant, particularly in the scenes with her other victims. Sobering, well-intentioned newborn baby. Based on a Cornell Woolrich drama pointedly parallels the plight of Arstory previously filmed as NO MAN OF gentineans during this period to victims of HER OWN (1950). Remade in 1996 as the Holocaust . . . but despite some powerful MRS. WINTERBOURNE. Aka I MARsequences, the story lacks dramatic coheRIED A DEAD MAN. [PG]▼ sion. Hampton scripted, based on a muchI Married a Strange Person! (1998) C74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bill Plympton. Voices of lauded novel by Lawrence Thornton. Barely released in the U.S. [R]쩠 Charis Michelson, Tom Larson, Richard I’m All Right Jack (1959-British) 104m. Spore, Toni Rossi, J. B. Adams, John Russo. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: John Boulting. Ian Carmichael, Animator-director-cowriter Plympton invokes Terry-Thomas, Peter Sellers, Richard AttenPicasso’s famous quote disdaining ‘‘good borough, Margaret Rutherford, Dennis taste,’’ and follows through with this wild, Price, Irene Handl, Miles Malleson. Carfreeform story of a man who acquires strange michael works for his uncle and unwitpowers—and an overactive imagination—just tingly upsets an elaborate and crooked busias he embarks on married life. Brash, bizarre, ness scheme in this memorable comedy. full of deliberately ‘‘gross’’ sight gags involvSellers wonderful as labor leader. Scripted ing body parts, and often howlingly funny . . . by Frank Harvey, John Boulting, and Alan but not for prudish viewers. Plympton fans should revel in it.▼쩠 Hackney, from Hackney’s novel Private Life. Sequel to PRIVATE’S PROGRESS. I Married a Witch (1942) 76m. ★★★ D: Produced by Roy Boulting.▼쩠 Rene´ Clair. Fredric March, Veronica Lake, I Married a Communist (1950) 73m. ★★ Robert Benchley, Susan Hayward, Cecil D: Robert Stevenson. Laraine Day, Robert Kellaway, Elizabeth Patterson. Witch burned Ryan, John Agar, Thomas Gomez, Janis in Salem centuries ago (Lake) comes back Carter, Richard Rober, William Talman. to haunt descendants of Puritan (March) Cornball acting and a ‘‘better-dead-thanwho sent her to her death. Saucy comedyRed’’ scenario sink this noirish melodrama, fantasy based on a story by Thorne (Topper) which has become a relic of its era. Ryan is Smith. Good special effects, too.▼● a shipping executive and former political I’m Dancing as Fast as I Can (1982) radical whose past comes back to haunt C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jack Hofsiss. Jill Clayhim. The ‘‘commies’’ (headed by Gomez) burgh, Nicol Williamson, Dianne Wiest, are depicted as two-bit gangsters, but TalDaniel Stern, Joe Pesci, Geraldine Page, man is especially good as a killer-for-hire. James Sutorius, Cordis Heard, Richard Retitled THE WOMAN ON PIER 13. Masur, Ellen Greene, John Lithgow. SucI Married a Dead Man SEE: I Married cessful Valium-addicted TV documentary a Shadow filmmaker Clayburgh undergoes harrowI Married a Monster from Outer Space ing ordeal when she quits pills cold-turkey. Searing because of subject matter, but not (1958) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gene Fowler, Jr. Tom Tryon, Gloria Talbott, Ken Lynch, John particularly well made; still, Clayburgh Eldredge, Jean Carson, Maxie Rosenbloom. and costars are first-rate. Screenplay by One of the silliest titles in film history David Rabe (Clayburgh’s husband), based obscures pretty good little rehash of on Barbara Gordon’s memoir. [R]▼●쩠 INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS: I’m Going Home (2001-French-Portuguese) [ 665 ]

C-90m. ★★★ D: Manoel de Oliveira. Michel Elizabeth Perkins, Amanda Donohoe, Buck Piccoli, Catherine Deneuve, John MalkovHenry, Laraine Newman, Daniel von Bargen. ich, Antoine Chappey, Jean Koeltgen. PoiInteresting, adult film about a Hollywood gnant, carefully observed account of a producer who learns he’s dying just as his celebrated actor (Piccoli) and his solitude grown children (Arquette, McCarthy) are upon learning that his family has been going through crises of their own. Full of wiped out in a car crash, leaving only his incisive vignettes, though one is left wanting grandson behind. A beautifully realized to know more about some of the characters. film, from a 93-year-old filmmaker, about A creditable directing debut for Wagner, who the need to maintain one’s personal and aradapted his own novel. Gina Gershon aptistic integrity, the passage of time, and the pears unbilled. [R]▼쩠 fleeting nature of life. ▼쩠 Immediate Family (1989) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 I’m Gonna Git You Sucka (1988) C-87m. D: Jonathan Kaplan. Glenn Close, James ★★★ Woods, Mary Stuart Masterson, Kevin DilD: Keenen Ivory Wayans. Keenen Ivory Wayans, Bernie Casey, Antonio lon, Linda Darlow, Jane Greer, Jessica Fargas, Steve James, Isaac Hayes, Jim James, Mimi Kennedy. Well-off profesBrown, Ja’net DuBois, Dawnn Lewis, John sional marrieds yearn for a child and hook Vernon, Clu Gulager, Kadeem Hardison, up with a pregnant, underprivileged teenDamon Wayans, Jester Hairston, Anne ager via an adoption agency. Watchable Marie Johnson, Gary Owens, Eve Plumb, change of pace from a pair of often angstClarence Williams III, David Alan Grier, ridden leads but more slick and rose-colored Kim Wayans, Robin Harris, Chris Rock. than need be. Masterson stands out in a Hip spoof of ’70s blaxploitation films with solid acting quartet. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Wayans (who also wrote and directed) as Immortal Bachelor, The (1979-Italian) CJack Spade, vowing to avenge the death of 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marcello Fondato. Monica his brother, who died of an o.g. (overdose Vitti, Giancarlo Giannini, Vittorio Gassof gold chains). Loose and good-natured, man, Claudia Cardinale, Renato Pozzetto. with some laugh-out-loud gags. Jim Brown Cleaning woman Vitti is on trial for killing and Isaac Hayes, who made so many philandering husband Giannini; jury memstraight-faced films of this kind, contribute ber Cardinale decides she’d prefer him to some of the funniest moments. Look for her boring husband (Gassman). Slight NeaRobert Townsend in a cameo. [R]▼●쩠 politan comedy.▼ Imitation General (1958) 88m. ★★ D: Immortal Battalion, The SEE: Way George Marshall. Glenn Ford, Red ButAhead, The tons, Taina Elg, Dean Jones, Kent Smith, Immortal Beloved (1994) C-121m. ★★★ D: Tige Andrews. Tepid, occasionally tasteBernard Rose. Gary Oldman, Jeroen less WW2 comedy defeats its game cast. Krabbe´, Isabella Rossellini, Johanna Ter Ford is a sergeant who impersonates supeSteege, Marco Hofschneider, Miriam Marrior officer. CinemaScope. golyes, Barry Humphries, Valeria Golino. Imitation of Life (1934) 109m. ★★1⁄2 D: Handsome, absorbing biography is told in John M. Stahl. Claudette Colbert, Warren picture-puzzle style, as Beethoven’s most William, Rochelle Hudson, Louise Beaardent admirer and confidant (Krabbe´) tries vers, Fredi Washington, Ned Sparks, Alan to learn the identity of the composer’s ‘‘imHale, Henry Armetta. Believable but dated mortal beloved,’’ addressed in a passionate first version of Fannie Hurst’s soaper of letter found after his death. Filmed in and working-girl Colbert who makes good with around Prague, it’s a sumptuous-looking and Beavers’ pancake recipe; Washington is sumptuous-sounding tale, but apparently takes fine as latter’s daughter who passes for as many liberties with the facts as those corny white. Ultrasentimental. Adapted for the Hollywood composer biopics of yore. Oldscreen by Preston Sturges.▼쩠 man is ideal in the leading role. The director Imitation of Life (1959) C-124m. ★★★1⁄2 also scripted. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 D: Douglas Sirk. Lana Turner, John Gavin, Immortal Sergeant, The (1943) 91m. ★★1⁄2 D: John M. Stahl. Henry Fonda, Sandra Dee, Dan O’Herlihy, Susan Kohner, Robert Alda, Juanita Moore, Mahalia JackMaureen O’Hara, Thomas Mitchell, Allyn son, Troy Donahue, Jack Weston. Plush Joslyn, Reginald Gardiner, Melville Cooremake of Fannie Hurst story, with Turner per. OK wartime drama of inexperienced as career-driven actress; Moore is the goodcorporal who is forced to take command of hearted black woman who shares her life, patrol in Africa after sergeant dies.▼쩠 and whose troubled daughter (Kohner) Immortal Story, The (1968-French) C63m. ★★★ D: Orson Welles. Orson Welles, passes for white. Fine performances and direction overcome possible soapiness to Jeanne Moreau, Roger Coggio, Norman make this quite credible and moving.▼쩠 Eshley, Fernando Rey. Intriguing tale (from I’m Losing You (1999) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: an Isak Dinesen story) about a morally Bruce Wagner. Frank Langella, Rosanna bankrupt merchant (Welles) who contrives Arquette, Salome Jens, Andrew McCarthy, to make a myth about a sailor seducing a [ 666 ]

wealthy man’s wife come true. Generally well done and, at times, dazzling; originally made for French television. ▼ I’m No Angel (1933) 87m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Wesley Ruggles. Mae West, Cary Grant, Edward Arnold, Gertrude Michael, Kent Taylor. West is in rare form as star of Arnold’s sideshow who chases after playboy Grant. Builds to a hilarious courtroom climax. Mae gets sole screenplay credit for this, one of her all-time best.

gangster Cochran and events in his crimefilled life. Full title: I MOBSTER . . . THE LIFE OF A GANGSTER. CinemaScope.▼쩠 I, Monster (1971-British) C-74m. ★★ D: Stephen Weeks. Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Mike Raven, Richard Hurndall, George Merritt, Kenneth J. Warren. Good, atmospheric production and ensemble performances cannot completely redeem boring adaptation of Stevenson’s Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. This time, early student of Freud ▼●쩠 I’m Not Rappaport (1996) C-136m. ★★1⁄2 develops serum to relieve human inhibitions. D: Herb Gardner. Walter Matthau, Ossie Intended to be shown in 3-D, which explains some of the camera movements. [PG]쩠 Davis, Amy Irving, Martha Plimpton, Craig T. Nelson, Guillermo Diaz, Boyd Gaines, Impact (1949) 111m. ★★★ D: Arthur Lubin. Ron Rifkin, Irwin Corey. Too long—and Brian Donlevy, Ella Raines, Helen Walker, too literal—adaptation of Gardner’s 1986 Charles Coburn, Anna May Wong, Robert Tony Award–winning Broadway play about Warwick, Mae Marsh. Nice-guy Donlevy’s a pair of old codgers who develop an adwife is cheating on him. She and her lover versarial friendship in Central Park. Strong plot to do him in . . . but there are compliperformances by Matthau, as an aged radications. Entertaining, thoughtful drama will keep you guessing at every turn.▼쩠 cal and congenital tale-spinner, and Davis, as a nearly blind building superintendent Importance of Being Earnest, The (1952British) C-95m. ★★★ D: Anthony Asquith. just trying to hang on. The characters are so good and so likable that they almost overMichael Redgrave, Michael Denison, Richcome the silliness of the climactic sequence ard Wattis, Edith Evans, Margaret Ruther(standing up to drug pusher Nelson) . . . but ford, Joan Greenwood, Dorothy Tutin. Oscar not quite. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Wilde’s peerless comedy of manners set in I’m Not Scared (2003-Italian-SpanishVictorian England is given admirable treat★★★ ment. Remade in 2002. ▼●쩠 British) C-101m. D: Gabriele Salvatores. Aitana Sa´nchez-Gijo´n, Dino Abbrescia, GiorImportance of Being Earnest, The (2002British-U.S.) C-94m. ★★ D: Oliver Parker. gio Careccia, Giuseppe Cristiano, Mattia Di Pierro, Diego Abatantuono. A ten-year-old Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Frances O’Con(Cristiano) inadvertently discovers a boy nor, Reese Witherspoon, Judi Dench, Tom hidden away in a covered hole in the ground Wilkinson, Anna Massey, Edward Fox. Two near a spot where he and his friends play; lotharios pursue their women by adopting false neither one understands what’s going on or identities in this remake of the Oscar Wilde why, though we in the audience put the comedy by the writer-director of AN IDEAL pieces together one by one. Understated yet HUSBAND. This time, unfortunately, the tone evocative film, set in rural Southern Italy in is all wrong: the actors are terribly, terribly coy, 1978, is told from an innocent child’s point the comedy much too self-aware. Fox fares of view. Based on Nicco`lo Ammaniti’s best as a wry butler—but he’s barely in the best-selling book. Super 35. [R]쩠 film. Witherspoon comes off quite well, British I’mNot There (2007-U.S.-German) C/B&Waccent and all. Lively score by Charlie Mole. 135m. ★★1⁄2 D: Todd Haynes. Christian Dench’s real-life daughter Finty Williams Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, plays her mother’s character in flashback Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Ben Whishaw, scene. Panavision. [PG] ▼쩠 Charlotte Gainsbourg, David Cross, Bruce Impossible Object SEE: Story of a Love Greenwood, Julianne Moore, Michelle WilStory liams, Richie Havens; narrated by Kris Impossible Years, The (1968) C-92m. Kristofferson. Fragmented portrait of Bob BOMB D: Michael Gordon. David Niven, Dylan, with six actors (including Blanchett, Lola Albright, Chad Everett, Ozzie Nelwho is extraordinary) playing different asson, Cristina Ferrare. Stupid, leering sex pects of the musician’s biographical and farce from hit Broadway play about psychiafictional personas. Provocative attempt to trist who has problems of his own with nubile circumvent the cliche´s of a biopic; exyoung daughter; the most obscene G-rated tremely well filmed and acted, but becomes film of all. Panavision. [G]▼ an exercise that provides little insight into Impostor (2002) C-95m. BOMB D: Gary Dylan, his work, or his cultural impact. Fleder. Gary Sinise, Madeleine Stowe, VinDylan fans may find more to enjoy; film cent D’Onofrio, Tony Shalhoub, Mekhi buffs will have fun spotting references to Phifer, Tim Guinee, Lindsay Crouse, ElizaFellini, Godard, and other directors. Super beth Pen˜a. Is Sinise an alien spy impersonating a scientist married to Stowe in 2079? The 35. [R]쩠 1 ★★ I Mobster (1958) 80m. movie’s distributor apparently didn’t think ⁄2 D: Roger Corman. Steve Cochran, Lita Milan, Robert anyone cared enough to find out, because this Strauss, Celia Lovsky. Rugged account of malnourished Philip K. Dick adaptation sat on [ 667 ]

the shelf for more than a year. Most interestImpulse (1990) C-108m. ★★★ D: Sondra ing features are the neat home appliances in Locke. Theresa Russell, Jeff Fahey, George the early scenes, which include a voiceDzundza, Alan Rosenburg, Nicholas Mele, activated wall-screen TV that shuts off on Eli Danker, Charles McCaughan, Lynne command. You should be so lucky when Thigpen, Shawn Elliott. Half-standard, halfwatching this movie at home. Director’s cut fresh, and always tough: honest narc Rusruns 102m. and is rated R. [PG-13] ▼쩠 sell, moonlighting as an L.A. streetwalker Impostors, The (1998) C-100m. ★★★ D: for the vice squad, briefly but fatefully Stanley Tucci. Stanley Tucci, Oliver Platt, Alyields to corruption after lousy hours and fred Molina, Lili Taylor, Tony Shalhoub, Steve failed relationships combine to wear her Buscemi, Allison Janney, Richard Jenkins, Isadown. Underrated sleeper doesn’t exactly bella Rossellini, Campbell Scott, Billy Conexpand parameters of the cop genre, but nolly, Dana Ivey, Hope Davis, Lewis J. has a memorable central character; arguably Russell’s best performance. [R]▼● Stadlen. A rare bird for our time: an oldfashioned farce, written and directed by and Impulsion SEE: Stepmother, The Impure Thoughts (1985) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 starring Tucci, who’s teamed (providentially) with Platt, as unemployed actors D: Michael A. Simpson. Brad Dourif, whose audacious behavior toward popular Lane Davies, Terry Beaver, John Putch, ham actor Molina sends them scurrying— Joe Conley, Mary McDonough, Mary Nell and hiding out on a luxury liner. Doors Santacroce; narration by Dame Judith Anslam, people trip over each other and fall in derson. A quartet of men has died; they love at the drop of a hat. A treat to watch . . . meet in purgatory and recall their lives especially with this cast of supremely gifted together as Catholic school students when actors (including one surprise). [R]▼●쩠 JFK was president and no one had ever heard Impromptu (1991-British) C-109m. ★★★1⁄2 of Vietnam. Occasionally funny and insightD: James Lapine. Judy Davis, Hugh Grant, ful, with some truly wonderful moments, Mandy Patinkin, Bernadette Peters, Julian but it just doesn’t hold together. [PG]▼ Sands, Ralph Brown, Georges Corraface, I’m the One That I Want (2000) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Lionel Coleman. Margaret Cho. Anton Rodgers, Emma Thompson, Anna Massey. Intellectual romp, in the SMILES Terrific concert film of Cho’s one-woman OF A SUMMER NIGHT mold, about 19thshow at San Francisco’s Warfield Theater century superstars—Chopin, Liszt, Deladetails her rise, fall, and rebirth after barely croix, George Sand, and the like—on a living through All-American Girl, a TV sitcountry holiday. Spirited performances and com based on her Korean-American family. some timeless satire of culture vultures on Alternately poignant and hilarious material the make; compared to A SONG TO REtackles the double standard that women— MEMBER, they do make them better than especially minority women—face in the entertainment industry. [R]▼쩠 they used to. Film debut of stage director Lapine; screenplay by Sarah Kernochan, his Inadmissible Evidence (1968-British) 96m. 1⁄2 D: Anthony Page. Nicol Williamson, ★★ wife. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Improper Channels (1981-Canadian) CEleanor Fazan, Jill Bennett, Peter Sallis, 1 ★★ 92m. David Valla, Eileen Atkins. John Osborne’s ⁄2 D: Eric Till. Alan Arkin, Mariette Hartley, Sarah Stevens, Monica Parker, play about barrister who has reached satuHarry Ditson. OK comedy with oddball ration point with everyone and everything architect Arkin erroneously accused of child preserves Williamson’s fine stage perforabuse. Stevens, as his 5-year-old daughmance, but still a photographed play, not a ter, is cute; Hartley, as his estranged wife, film. Music by Dudley Moore. [R] In a Lonely Place (1950) 91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: is wasted. [PG]▼● Impulse (1974) C-91m. BOMB D: WilNicholas Ray. Humphrey Bogart, Gloria liam Grefe. Ruth Roman, William Shatner, Grahame, Frank Lovejoy, Robert Warwick, Harold Sakata, Kim Nicholas, Jenifer Jeff Donnell, Martha Stewart. Mature, powBishop, James Dobson. Distasteful Floridaerful drama about a feisty, self-destructive made cheapie with Shatner overacting as a screenwriter (Bogart) who has an affair lothario who cons, then kills, women. Truly with starlet Grahame while trying to clear awful. Originally titled WANT A RIDE, himself of a murder rap. Excellent performLITTLE GIRL? [PG]▼쩠 ances in this study of two turbulent characters Impulse (1984) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Graham set against realistic and cynical Hollywood backdrop. Written by Andrew Solt.▼쩠 Baker. Tim Matheson, Meg Tilly, Hume Cronyn, John Karlen, Bill Paxton, Amy In America (2003-Irish-British) C-115m. ★★★1 Stryker. Matheson visits girlfriend Tilly in ⁄2 D: Jim Sheridan. Samantha Morton, a small farming community, finds the citiPaddy Considine, Djimon Hounsou, Sarah zens are robbing banks, shooting children, Bolger, Emma Bolger, Juan Hernandez. urinating on cars. Plodding reverse variaPoignant, bittersweet fable of survival based tion on INVASION OF THE BODY on writer-director Sheridan’s own experiSNATCHERS—here, everyone exhibits too ences emigrating to the U.S. (through Canmuch emotion. [R]▼●쩠 ada) with his family. Seen largely through [ 668 ]

the eyes of two young sisters, who filter out ceptional score by Carter Burwell. Ciara´n Hinds appears unbilled. Super 35. [R]쩠 the grunginess of their N.Y.C. existence (human and otherwise) and make a special In Celebration (1975-British) C-110m. ★★★ connection with a seemingly hostile neighbor D: Lindsay Anderson. Alan Bates, (Hounsou). Sheridan, always a gifted storyJames Bolam, Brian Cox, Constance Chapteller, wrote this very personal film with his man, Gabrielle Day, Bill Owen. Overly daughters Naomi and Kirsten, and cast retheatrical but still taut, vivid drama depictmarkable, real-life sisters as the children. ing the pain, anger, and intense relation[PG-13]▼쩠 ship of three brothers who return to the In & Out (1997) C-90m. ★★★ D: Frank Oz. coal mining town of their youth for their Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck, Matt parents’ 40th anniversary. Based on a play Dillon, Debbie Reynolds, Wilford Brimley, by David Storey, which Anderson had Bob Newhart, Gregory Jbara, Shalom Harlow, directed on the stage; an American Film Theatre production. [PG]▼쩠 Lewis J. Stadlen, Ernie Sabella, Dan Hedaya, Joseph Maher, Shawn Hatosy, Selma Blair. Incendiary (2008-British) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: When a young actor (Dillon) wins an Oscar, Sharon Maguire. Ewan McGregor, Michelle he thanks his small-town high school Williams, Matthew Macfadyen, Nicholas teacher—who, he says, is gay. The popular Gleaves, Sidney Johnston, Usman Khokhar, teacher, days away from his wedding, denies Sasha Behar. Suicide bombers attack a North this emphatically but still has to deal with the London stadium during a high-profile soctumult and media frenzy that erupt. Very funny cer match. One of the victims is Williams’ script by Paul Rudnick, played to a fare-theeyoung son; as she mourns, she fixates on a well by an expert cast. Enjoyable cameos by boy whose father she believes was one of Whoopi Goldberg and Glenn Close at the the terrorists. Barely watchable drama acmock Oscar ceremony. [PG-13]▼●쩠 complishes the near impossible: It portrays In a Shallow Grave (1988) C-92m. BOMB issues relating to terrorism and its impact on D: Kenneth Bowser. Michael Biehn, Mauindividual lives as hackneyed soap opera. reen Mueller, Michael Beach, Patrick DempWilliams’ gutsy performance is the sole insey, Thomas Boyd Mason. Gloomy, slowterest here. Maguire scripted, from Chris Cleave’s 2005 novel. Panavision. [R]쩠 moving tale of WW2 veteran Biehn, disfigured at Guadalcanal, who has retreated to his Incense for the Damned SEE: Bloodsuckfamily’s desolate Virginia homestead to brood ers (1970) about his condition (and wallow in self-pity). Inchon! (1982-Korean-U.S.) C-105m. Biehn tries hard but is overpowered by film’s BOMB D: Terence Young. Laurence Olivsnaillike pacing and bizarre, romantic storyier, Jacqueline Bisset, Ben Gazzara, Toshiro line (involving drifter Dempsey, whose charMifune, Richard Roundtree. Empty-headed acter is weird in the extreme). One of the Korean war epic produced by Rev. Sung oddest and most maudlin dramas ever made. Myung Moon’s Unification Church. OlivAn American Playhouse presentation. [R]▼ ier looks like a wax museum figure in In a Year with 13 Moons (1978-German) his makeup as Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Laughable script punctuated by epic-scale C-129m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Volker Spengler, Ingrid Caven, Gottbattle scenes. Cut from 140m. length. [PG] fried John, Elisabeth Trissenaar, Eva Mattes. Incident, The (1967) 107m. ★★★ D: Larry Extraordinary performance by Spengler in Peerce. Tony Musante, Martin Sheen, Beau the difficult role of a pathetic transsexual Bridges, Jack Gilford, Thelma Ritter, Brock conceived and abandoned by his mother Peters, Ruby Dee, Ed McMahon, Diana while her husband was in a prison camp. Van Der Vlis, Mike Kellin, Jan Sterling, Powerful, disturbing tale of loneliness, Gary Merrill, Donna Mills. Tough, brutal alienation, rejection, winningly written and story of two drunken hoods who terrorize directed by Fassbinder.▼쩠 passengers in N.Y.C. subway. Well made In Bruges (2008-U.S.-British) C-107m. but unpleasant—and still topical. Film de★★★ D: Martin McDonagh. Colin Farrell, buts of Sheen and Mills.▼● Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Cle´mence Incident at Oglala (1992) C-89m. ★★★ D: Poe´sy, Je´re´mie Re´nier, Thekla Reuten, JorMichael Apted. Narrated by Robert Reddan Prentice, Zˇeljko Ivanek. Black comedy ford. Incisive documentary detailing the about two hit men who are exiled to the alleged framing of Leonard Peltier, Native Belgian tourist city of Bruges until things American who was jailed in the wake of a cool off after a bungled job at home. Easy1975 ‘‘incident’’ at South Dakota’s Pine going Gleeson is content to take in the sights Ridge Reservation that resulted in the deaths but hotheaded Farrell is bored—and itchy. of two FBI agents. Must viewing in tandem Eventually their mercurial boss (Fiennes) is with the thematically related THUNDERforced to follow them there. Ingenious feature HEART, also directed by Apted. Redford debut for playwright McDonagh, who creates also is executive producer. [PG]▼●쩠 truly original characters: hard-core criminals, Incognito (1997-U.S.-British) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Badham. Jason Patric, Ire ` ne each with his own moral code. All three leading actors are on top of their game. ExJacob, Rod Steiger, Thomas Lockyer, Ian [ 669 ]

Richardson, Simon Chandler. An art forger lege lab where he first experimented on (Patric) who’s hired to create a fake Remhimself (and fell in love). Straightforward brandt goes to Europe and falls for an art comic-book movie has energy to spare and expert (Jacob) who happens to be the world’s a first-rate performance by Norton. Monforemost Rembrandt authority, and forces strous street-fight finale is reminiscent of her to go on the run with him after he’s the climax of TRANSFORMERS. Offers framed for murder. Barely released, wouldpleasing nods to the vintage TV series and be Hitchcockian thriller. Ian Holm appears its stars. Robert Downey, Jr., appears ununbilled. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 billed. The Hulk’s cocreator Stan Lee camIn Cold Blood (1967) 134m. ★★★★ D: eos. See HULK (2003). Panavision. [PGRichard Brooks. Robert Blake, Scott Wil13]쩠 son, John Forsythe, Paul Stewart, Gerald S. Incredible Invasion SEE: Sinister InO’Loughlin, Jeff Corey, Will Geer. Excellent vasion semidocumentary adaptation of Truman CaIncredible Journey, The (1963) C-80m. ★★★ pote’s book, tracing stories of two young killD: Fletcher Markle. Emile Genest, ers (Blake, Wilson), their motives and eventual John Drainie, Tommy Tweed, Sandra Scott. arrest after slaughtering innocent family. InciEntertaining, well-made Disney story of sive, engrossing, unsensational; masterful three pets—two dogs and a cat—who make script, direction by Brooks, fine black-and250-mile journey across Canada on their white photography by Conrad Hall. Remade as own to be with their family of humans. Rea TV miniseries in 1996. The story of Capote made by Disney in 1993 as HOMEWARD researching this book is recounted in CABOUND: THE INCREDIBLE JOURNEY. POTE and INFAMOUS. Panavision.▼●쩠 ▼●쩠 Inconvenient Truth, An (2006) C-96m. Incredible Melting Man, The (1978) ★★★ D: Davis Guggenheim. Intelligent C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: William Sachs. Alex Rebar, filmed version of Al Gore’s multimedia preBurr DeBenning, Myron Healey, Michael sentation on the phenomenon of global cliAldredge, Ann Sweeney, Lisle Wilson. mate change, in which the former vice Rebar is only survivor of outer space mispresident clearly, succinctly explains global sion which has turned his body into a warming and its potentially disastrous conmelting muck. Cheap, old-fashioned B horsequences. While the film persuasively exror film whose only saving grace is Rick Baker’s excellent makeup effects. [R]▼ plores an issue that is relevant to the future of planet earth, it also serves as a celluloid Incredible Mr. Limpet, The (1964) C102m. ★★ D: Arthur Lubin. Don Knotts, press release for Gore by spotlighting the major events in his life, stressing his deep Jack Weston, Carole Cook, Andrew Duggan, commitment to the issue at hand. Oscar Larry Keating. Knotts plays a milquetoast winner for Best Documentary and Original who dreams of becoming a fish—and miSong ‘‘I Need to Wake Up’’ by Melissa raculously gets his wish (turning into an Etheridge. [PG]쩠 animated cartoon figure). What’s more, he 1 ★ In Country (1989) C-120m. ⁄2 D: Norhelps the Navy spot Nazi submarines durman Jewison. Bruce Willis, Emily Lloyd, ing WW2. Innocuous family fare goes on too long.▼●쩠 Joan Allen, Kevin Anderson, John Terry, Peggy Rea, Judith Ivey, Richard HamilIncredibles, The (2004) C-115m. ★★★ D: ton, Patricia Richardson, Jim Beaver. DisBrad Bird. Voices of Craig T. Nelson, Holly appointing, poorly executed film of VietHunter, Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Lee, Walnam vet Willis and niece Lloyd, two Kenlace Shawn, Sarah Vowell, Spencer Fox, tuckians trying to come to terms with the Elizabeth Pen˜a, John Ratzenberger. Dywar. Willis is good as a cynical, shellnamic computer-animated film from Pixar shocked recluse, but script, from Bobbie about a family of superheroes who now live Ann Mason’s acclaimed novel, is flawed: in a witness-protection program and have character relationships are uneven, and too to suppress their superpowers . . . until a many questions are left unanswered (like mysterious source calls on Mr. Incredible Willis’ medical condition). Beautifully hanfor help. Starts out as sharp comedy, then dled concluding scenes, leading up to Washmorphs into a comic-book–style action film; ington, D.C., Veterans Memorial visit, can’t result is a shift in tone and a lengthening of redeem film. [R]▼●쩠 the story, but it all comes together. WriterIncredible Hulk, The (2008) C-112m. ★★★ director Bird provides the voice of costume D: Louis Leterrier. Edward Norton, Liv designer Edna Mode, and includes a cameo Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake by (and tribute to) legendary Disney animaNelson, Ty Burrell, Christina Cabot. Bruce tors Frank Thomas and Ollie Johnston. Banner lives in exile in Brazil, trying to Snazzy music score by Michael Giacchino. figure out what causes him to become the Oscar winner for Best Animated Feature Hulk when he gets angry. Then his old nemand Sound Editing. Digital widescreen. esis, General Ross (Hurt), tracks him down, [PG] ▼쩠 with a ferocious fighting man (Roth) in tow, Incredible Sarah, The (1976) C-106m. ★★ D: Richard Fleischer. Glenda Jackson, and sends him on the run—back to the col[ 670 ]

Daniel Massey, Yvonne Mitchell, DougMaggenti. Laurel Holloman, Nicole Parker, las Wilmer, David Langton, Simon WilMaggie Moore, Kate Stafford, Sabrina liams. Broadly sketched portrait of legenArtel. A grungily dressed, white tomboy dary French actress Sarah Bernhardt; from a lesbian household falls for a finanJackson chews the scenery in a flamboyant cially secure black beauty—a reciprocated performance, but someone should have romance that has the latter’s snooty high chewed up the script instead. Filmed in school pals reeling. Given the physical charEngland. [PG]▼● acteristics of the two leads and the script’s Incredible Shrinking Man, The (1957) lack of mean streak, the tolerant may overlook 81m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jack Arnold. Grant Wilthis meagerly budgeted comedy’s total lack liams, Randy Stuart, April Kent, Paul Langof cinematic interest. Otherwise, it’s more interminable than incredible. [R] ▼쩠 ton, William Schallert, Billy Curtis. Accidents result in Williams shrinking ever smaller; ‘‘In’’ Crowd, The (1988) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 trapped in his own basement, he has memoraD: Mark Rosenthal. Donovan Leitch, Jenble encounters with a cat and (even smaller) a nifer Runyon, Scott Plank, Joe Pantoliano, spider. Intelligent, serious approach, excepBruce Kirby, Wendy Gazelle, Page Hantional effects for the period, and a vigorous nah. Surprisingly likable look at the lives leading performance result in a genuine sci-fi and loves of those guys and gals who classic, unsurpassed by later attempts. No diadanced their hearts out on daily TV dance logue in the last third, just Williams’ occa- shows in the 1960s. Not as hip as John sional narration. Director Arnold’s best movie. Waters’ similarly themed HAIRSPRAY Screenplay by Richard Matheson, from his but fun anyway. Leitch is the son of ’60s own novel. ▼●쩠 recording star Donovan. [PG]▼● Incredible Shrinking Woman, The (1981) In Crowd, The (2000) C-104m. BOMB D: C-88m. ★★ D: Joel Schumacher. Lily Mary Lambert. Lori Heuring, Susan Ward, Tomlin, Charles Grodin, Ned Beatty, Henry Nathan Bexton, Matthew Settle, Daniel Hugh Gibson, Elizabeth Wilson, Mark Blankfield, Kelly, Taylor Negron, Tess Harper, Jay R. Pamela Bellwood, John Glover, Mike Ferguson. Sub-par cross between a slasher Douglas. Semi-spoof of SHRINKING pic and Aaron Spelling sludge about a trouMAN with Tomlin in three roles, princibled girl, fresh out of the loony bin, who pally as a suburban housewife whose contakes a summer job at an exclusive country stant exposure to household products causes club. There she falls in with a homicidal, her to dwindle; she becomes a media darbisexual young woman and her 90210 hottie ling, then the target of an evil corporation. friends. The pinup cast pouts, glares, and Never as funny or pointed as it would like shows off its tan lines with minimal conviction. [PG-13]▼쩠 to be, but worth catching for really peculiar color schemes and an amazing perforIncubus (1966) 74m. ★★★ D: Leslie Stemance by Rick Baker as a gorilla named vens. William Shatner, Allyson Ames, EloSidney. Schumacher’s directorial debut. ise Hardt, Robert Fortier, Ann Atmar, Milos [PG]▼● Milos. First—and so far only—movie ever Incredible 2-Headed Transplant, The made in the language of Esperanto concerns (1971) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Anthony M. Lanza. a beautiful succubus who tries to corrupt a Bruce Dern, Pat Priest, Casey Kasem, Albert pure soul, only to fall in love instead. LongCole, John Bloom, Berry Kroeger. The head lost, genuinely creepy curio written and diof an insane murderer is attached to the head rected by the creator of The Outer Limits of a mental retardate. Which head made this plays like a feature-length episode of that film? [PG]▼쩠 series—as made by Ingmar Bergman. ConIncredibly Strange Creatures Who rad Hall’s expressionistic b&w photography Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up of the striking Big Sur locations is a major Zombies!!?, The (1963) C-82m. ★★1⁄2 D: asset.▼쩠 Ray Dennis Steckler. Cash Flagg (Ray Incubus, The (1982-Canadian) C-90m. Dennis Steckler), Brett O’Hara, Atlas BOMB D: John Hough. John Cassavetes, King, Sharon Walsh, Madison Clarke, Son Kerrie Keane, Helen Hughes, Erin FlanHooker. Legendary (thanks to that title) nery, Duncan McIntosh, John Ireland. low-budget horror film about hideous goingsRepulsive, poorly made horror thriller about on at a carny sideshow, with lots of rock numsex murders in small Wisconsin town. bers thrown in. Truly bizarre film features gor[R]▼●쩠 geously saturated color, awful acting, hideous In Custody (1993-British-Indian) C-123m. ★★ dialogue, haunting atmosphere and little plot. D: Ismail Merchant. Shashi Kapoor, ShaCinematography by Joe Micelli (author of bana Azmi, Om Puri, Sushma Seth, Neena American Cinematographers’ Manual) with Gupta, Tinnu Anand, Yacov Freedman. very young Laszlo Kovacs and Vilmos ZsigSilly tale of a doltish college lecturer and mond helping. Aka THE TEENAGE PSYintellectual (Puri) who writes poetry no one CHO MEETS BLOODY MARY.▼쩠 will publish; he sets out to interview India’s Incredibly True Adventures of Two Girls ‘‘greatest living Urdu poet’’ (Kapoor), in Love, The (1995) C-94m. ★★ D: Maria which quickly proves to be a disheartening [ 671 ]

experience. Means to be an allegory about Howard, Peter Bogdanovich, and Roger Corthe lack of respect for history, intellectuman, along with Stiller’s wife, Anne Meara, alism, and scholarship in modern India, but and son, Ben. Stay through the credits for the entire Fineman filmography. [R] ▼쩠 the result is only nonsensical. Disappointing feature directorial debut from Merchant Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) C-122m. ★★★ D: Ste(better known as James Ivory’s longtime ven Spielberg. Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, producer). [PG]▼쩠 ★★ Indecent Proposal (1993) C-118m. Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim D: Adrian Lyne. Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Broadbent, Shia LaBeouf, Igor Jijikine. After Woody Harrelson, Oliver Platt, Seymour a 19-year hiatus, Indy returns with the same Cassel, Billy Bob Thornton, Rip Taylor, brand of high adventure that marked the origJoel Brooks, Billy Connolly, Sheena Easton, inal RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. In Herbie Hancock. A cocky high roller offers 1957 the intrepid archaeologist-professor destitute couple Harrelson and Moore a milruns afoul of Russian spies (including a wily lion dollars to sleep with her for one night. Blanchett), then follows a young man (LaThey accept, but are immediately plunged Beouf) who bears a letter from an old into a whirlpool of remorse, jealousy, and friend, now lost in the jungles of Peru, that bitterness. Intriguing premise bogged down may lead them to the Crystal Skull of by sheer silliness (not to mention overlength), Akator—and the lost city of El Dorado. though it remains watchable. [R]▼●쩠 Opens with slam-bang action, falls into a Independence Day (1983) C-110m. ★★ lull of exposition, then revs into high gear D: Robert Mandel. Kathleen Quinlan, Dafor an eye-filling finale. Ford reclaims the vid Keith, Frances Sternhagen, Cliff Derole he invented in fine fashion. Written by Young, Dianne Wiest, Josef Sommer, Bert David Koepp from a story by George Lucas Remsen, Richard Farnsworth, Brooke and Jeff Nathanson. Panavision. [PG-13]쩠 Alderson, Noble Willingham, Susan Ruttan. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade Interesting but unfocused little picture about (1989) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steven Spielberg. a young woman who’s aching to leave her Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elclaustrophobic hometown but held back liott, Alison Doody, John Rhys-Davies, Ju(in part) by romance with car mechanic lian Glover, River Phoenix, Michael Byrne, Keith. Subplot about battered wife (suAlex Hyde-White. Follow-the-numbers adperbly played by Wiest) seems to be a venture spectacle has Ford in fine form and separate film altogether. [R]▼ Connery adding panache as Indy’s archaeoloIndependence Day (1996) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 gist father, whose mysterious disappearance D: Roland Emmerich. Will Smith, Bill Pull(while searching for the Holy Grail) sets the man, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell, story in motion. This deliberately oldJudd Hirsch, Margaret Colin, Randy Quaid, fashioned Saturday matine´e yarn has everyRobert Loggia, James Rebhorn, Harvey thing money can buy, but never really generFierstein, Adam Baldwin, Brent Spiner, ates a sense of wonder and excitement. A James Duval, Vivica A. Fox, Lisa Jakub, definite improvement over the second IndiRoss Bagley, Bill Smitrovich, Harry Conana Jones outing, but it still bears the mark of nick, Jr. Spectacular—and spectacularly one too many trips to the well. Oscar winner stupid—sci-fi saga of alien ships hovering for sound effects editing. Followed by INDIover the earth and apparently planning to ANA JONES AND THE KINGDOM OF attack. U.S. President Pullman tries to deTHE CRYSTAL SKULL. Panavision. [PG13]▼●쩠 termine how best to fight, as the stakes keep changing on an hour-to-hour basis. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) C-118m. ★★ D: Steven Spielberg. Big, Oscar-winning special effects are impressive, but the human stories are so Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Ke Huy Quan dumb, the writing so lame, and some of (Jonathan Ke Quan), Amrish Puri, Roshan the performances so broad they make Seth, Philip Stone, Dan Aykroyd. Headachesome silly ’50s sci-fi movies look brilliant inducing prequel to RAIDERS OF THE by comparison. 15m. added for special LOST ARK, but this time the 1930s edition. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 archaeologist-adventurer has a weaker story Independent, The (2001) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: and wimpier heroine. Re-creates (and outStephen Kessler. Jerry Stiller, Janeane Gardoes) a bunch of great cliffhanger stunts, but ofalo, Max Perlich, Andy Dick, John never gives us a chance to breathe . . . and Lydon, Ginger Lynn Allen, Billy Burke, tries to top the snake scene in RAIDERS by Fred Dryer, Richard Paul, Larry Hankin. coming up with a variety of new ‘‘gross-out’’ Mockumentary about legendary schlock gags. Oscar winner for Visual Effects. Folfilm producer Morty Fineman (Stiller), who lowed by INDIANA JONES AND THE LAST CRUSADE. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 enlists his estranged daughter to save his bankrupt production company. Uneven, but Indian Fighter, The (1955) C-88m. ★★★ the cast is game and the clips from Morty’s D: Andre de Toth. Kirk Douglas, Walter extremely prolific oeuvre are very funny. Matthau, Elsa Martinelli, Walter Abel, Many cameos from filmmakers like Ron Lon Chaney. Exciting account of Douglas [ 672 ]

leading wagon train through rampaging Hubschmid, Walther Reyer, Claus Holm, Indian country. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Sabine Bethmann, Rene´ Deltgen. The pace Indian in the Cupboard, The (1995) Cpicks up a bit in this second of Lang’s 96m. ★★★ D: Frank Oz. Hal Scardino, LiteIndian diptych, chronicling the events leadfoot, Lindsay Crouse, Richard Jenkins, ing up to lovers Paget and Hubschmid’s Rishi Bhat, Steve Coogan, David Keith, escape from the clutches of maharajah Sakina Jaffrey, Vincent Kartheiser, Nestor Reyer. Paget’s exotic dance is a highlight. Serrano. A boy (Scardino) receives an old This and Part One (THE TIGER OF cupboard as a birthday present, and finds ESCHNAPUR) were originally dubbed, that when he puts a plastic Indian inside and edited down to 95m., and released in the U.S. turns the key, the Indian comes to life. Then as JOURNEY TO THE LOST CITY.쩠 he learns that the Indian is not a toy, but Indige`nes SEE: Days of Glory (2006) a real person, and complications ensue— Indiscreet (1958) C-100m. ★★★ D: Stanespecially when his best friend conjures up ley Donen. Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman, a real-life cowboy. First-rate adaptation of Cecil Parker, Phyllis Calvert, David KossLynne Reid Banks’ popular children’s off, Megs Jenkins. Bergman is renowned book, scripted by Melissa Mathison (of E.T. actress whom American playboy Grant rofame); full of wonder and simple wisdom mances and can’t forget. Delightful comedy . . . if a few too many giant closeups of the from Norman Krasna play Kind Sir. Made in boy’s face. [PG] ▼●쩠 England. Remade as a 1988 TVM with RobIndian Love Call SEE: Rose Marie (1936) ert Wagner and Lesley-Anne Down.▼쩠 Indian Paint (1964) C-91m. ★★ D: NorIndiscretion of an American Wife (1953man Foster. Johnny Crawford, Jay SilverU.S.-Italian) 63m. ★★1⁄2 D: Vittorio De Sica. heels, Pat Hogan, Robert Crawford, Jr., Jennifer Jones, Montgomery Clift, Gino George J. Lewis. Fifteen-year-old Arikara Cervi, Richard Beymer. Turgid melodrama (Crawford), his foal, and his coming-toset in Rome’s railway station, with Jones manhood. Harmless, forgettable.▼쩠 the adulterous wife meeting lover Clift for Indian Runner, The (1991) C-125m. ★★★ one more clinch. De Sica’s original 87m. D: Sean Penn. David Morse, Viggo Morversion, titled TERMINAL STATION, was tensen, Valeria Golino, Patricia Arquette, restored in 1983. Remade in 1998 for TV. Charles Bronson, Sandy Dennis, Dennis ▼쩠 Hopper, Benicio Del Toro, Kenny Stabler. Indochine (1992-French) C-155m. ★★ D: Mood piece about a young man’s desperate Re´gis Wargnier. Catherine Deneuve, Vinattempts to understand—and get closer to— cent Perez, Linh Dan Pham, Jean Yanne, his troubled kid brother, who’s just returned Dominique Blanc, Henri Marteau, Carlo from Vietnam. Lethargic at times, but filled Brandt, Gerard Lartigau. Soap opera set with emotion and truth, and ultimately quite against political upheaval in French Indomoving. Strong performances all around, china during the 1930s. Deneuve plays a with offbeat but effective casting of Bronwealthy French landowner who’s raised an son as the boys’ melancholy father. Impresorphaned Indochinese girl, and now must sive achievement for first-time writer/ contend with the fact that she’s grown—and director Penn. Penn’s real-life mother, achas a mind of her own. Interesting historical tress Eileen Ryan, plays Mrs. Baker. Inspired elements, set against a fascinating landscape, by Bruce Springsteen’s song ‘‘Highway Pabut story is mostly tripe. Even so, nabbed the trolman.’’ [R]▼●쩠 Foreign Film Oscar. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Indian Scout SEE: Davy Crockett, InIndomitable Teddy Roosevelt, The (1983) dian Scout C-94m. ★★★ D: Harrison Engle. Narrated Indian Summer (1993) C-97m. ★★★ D: by George C. Scott. Excellent and innovaMike Binder. Alan Arkin, Matt Craven, tive documentary about the remarkable, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Elizabeth Perlarger-than-life figure who became our kins, Kevin Pollak, Vincent Spano, Julie 26th president. Artfully mixes newsreel Warner, Kimberly Williams. Good-natured footage with meticulous recreations featuryuppie nostalgia about thirtysomethings who ing Bob Boyd in the role of T.R. Set to the return to the beloved summer camp of stirring music of John Philip Sousa.▼쩠 their youth for a reunion weekend. Arkin In Dreams (1999) C-99m. ★★ D: Neil Joris wonderful as the camp director, and the dan. Annette Bening, Robert Downey, Jr., cast couldn’t be more appealing. WriterAidan Quinn, Stephen Rea, Paul Guilfoyle, director Binder based this on his own memDennis Boutsikaris, Katie Sagona, Krystal ories, and filmed at the actual Camp Benn. Massachusetts woman is haunted by Tamakwa he attended in Canada. That’s didisturbing dreams which turn out to be the rector Sam Raimi playing Arkin’s flunky. Pathoughts of a sick man who’s abducting and navision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 murdering children. Is she insane, or someIndian Summer (1995) SEE: Alive and how psychically connected to the killer ? Kicking Extremely unpleasant adult horror film is Indian Tomb, The (1959-German) C-97m. well made but hard to watch. It’s also hard ★★1⁄2 D: Fritz Lang. Debra Paget, Paul to top the opening sequence, based on the [ 673 ]

real-life incident of a town being flooded to then learns that the gang has planted a mole in create a reservoir. Jordan coscripted with the police department for the same amount of Bruce Robinson. [R]▼●쩠 time. Tense game of cat and mouse ensues as In Enemy Country (1968) C-107m. ★★ each one tries to discover the other’s identity. D: Harry Keller. Tony Franciosa, Anjanette Stylish, character-driven thriller delivers Comer, Guy Stockwell, Paul Hubschmid, plenty of action while dealing with philoTom Bell, Emile Genest. So-so programsophical notions of morality, identity, and mer of WW2 intrigue, set in France and loyalty. Followed by a prequel and a sequel. England, filmed on Universal’s backlot. Remade by Martin Scorsese as THE DEPARTED. Arriscope. [R] 쩠 Not very convincing. Techniscope. I Never Promised You a Rose Garden Infernal Idol, The SEE: Craze Inferno (1953) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roy (1977) C-96m. ★★★ D: Anthony Page. Bibi Andersson, Kathleen Quinlan, Ben Piazza, (Ward) Baker. Robert Ryan, Rhonda FlemLorraine Gary, Reni Santoni, Susan Tyrrell, ing, William Lundigan, Henry Hull, Carl Signe Hasso, Jeff Conaway, Diane Varsi, BarBetz, Larry Keating. Fleming plots rich bara Steele, Sylvia Sidney, Dennis Quaid. Inhusband Ryan’s demise, with surprising retelligent adaptation of Hannah Green’s book sults. Good desert sequences. Originally in 3-D. Remade as a TV movie, ORDEAL.쩠 about her treatment for schizophrenia as a teenager, focusing on relationship between her Inferno (1980-Italian) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: (Quinlan) and dedicated psychiatrist (AndersDario Argento. Leigh McCloskey, Irene Mirson). Graphic, clinical approach is often disacle, Sacha Pitoeff, Daria Nicolodi, Eleonora turbing. [R] ▼쩠 Giorgi, Veronica Lazar, Alida Valli. AmeriI Never Sang for My Father (1970) can returns to N.Y. from studies in Rome to C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Gilbert Cates. Melvyn investigate the gruesome murder of his sister, Douglas, Gene Hackman, Dorothy Stickney, and discovers ‘‘evil mothers’’ wreaking suEstelle Parsons, Elizabeth Hubbard, Lovepernatural havoc on both sides of Atlantic. lady Powell. Sensitive adaptation of RobSurreal, hypnotic shocker by Italian horror ert Anderson play about grown man (Hackmaestro Argento is short on sense, but long man) faced with problem of caring for on style. Second in Argento’s Three Mothers elderly father (Douglas). Fine job all around, trilogy, following SUSPIRIA; followed by but extremely depressing. Scripted by the MOTHER OF TEARS. [R]▼쩠 playwright. [PG]▼●쩠 Infinity (1996) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Matthew Inevitable Grace (1994) C-103m. BOMB D: Broderick. Matthew Broderick, Patricia ArAlex Canawati. Maxwell Caulfield, Stephanie quette, Peter Riegert, Dori Brenner, Peter Knights, Jennifer Nicholson, Tippi Hedren, Michael Goetz, Zˇeljko Ivanek, Matt Mulhern, Samantha Eggar, Sandra Knight, Rob SheifJoyce Van Patten, James LeGros. Sweet but fele, Taylor Negron. Lame psychological uneven movie based on the life of Richard thriller about a psychiatrist at a mental instituFeynman, whose relationship with Arline tion who gets involved in a nasty (and ludiGreenbaum (Arquette) in pre-WW2 N.Y.C. crous) triangle with her patient and the takes a fateful turn when he is recruited to woman’s husband. Seemingly endless movie work on the Manhattan Project. (The theoretioffers a chance to check out Jack Nicholson cal physicist won the Nobel Prize in 1965.) and Sandra Knight’s daughter Jennifer, but Effective when dealing with the love story, but that’s not much of a recommendation.▼ meanders when Feynman moves to Los Infamous (2006) C-118m. ★★★ D: Douglas Alamos. Broderick’s directorial debut; scripted by his mother, Patricia Broderick. [PG]▼●쩠 McGrath. Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Daniels, Sigourney Weaver, Daniel Craig, Informer, The (1935) 91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Hope Davis, Isabella Rossellini, Juliet SteFord. Victor McLaglen, Heather Angel, Presvenson, Lee Pace, Gwyneth Paltrow, Peter ton Foster, Margot Grahame, Wallace Ford, Bogdanovich, John Benjamin Hickey. Writer Una O’Connor, J. M. Kerrigan, Joseph Sauers Truman Capote (a superb Jones), darling of (Sawyer), Donald Meek. Dated but still potent 1950s New York society, heads to Kansas study of human nature tells of hard-drinking with novelist pal Nelle Harper Lee (BulMcLaglen, who informs on buddy to collect lock) when a random murder spree piques reward during Irish Rebellion of 1922. Powerhis interest. Based on a George Plimpton ful drama, based on Liam O’Flaherty’s novel, book, this film covers the same ground as with a memorable Max Steiner score. McLag2005’s CAPOTE, but on a broad canvas, len’s performance won the Oscar, as did Ford, with more humor and panache. Written by Steiner, and Dudley Nichols (for Best Screenthe director. [R]쩠 play). Filmed before in England in 1929. ReInfernal Affairs (2002-Hong Kong) C-101m. made as UP TIGHT.▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Andrew Lau, Alan Mak. Tony Leung Informers, The (1965-British) SEE: UnChiu-wai, Andy Lau, Anthony Wong, Eric derworld Informers Tsang, Chapman To, Lam Ka-tung, Ng TingInformers, The (2009) C-98m. BOMB D: yip, Wan Chi-keung. Hong Kong cop goes Gregor Jordan. Billy Bob Thornton, Kim deep undercover to infiltrate a Triad crime Basinger, Mickey Rourke, Winona Ryder, gang and spends 10 years rising to the top, Brad Renfro, Jon Foster, Amber Heard, Rhys [ 674 ]

Ifans, Chris Isaak, Austin Nichols, Lou TayPryor, who plays God. Feldman also cowrote the script. [PG]▼ lor Pucci, Mel Raido, Theo Rossi. Returning to the bored, drug-addled, sex-obsessed L.A. In Good Company (2004) C-109m. ★★★ D: deadheads he made famous in Less Than Paul Weitz. Dennis Quaid, Topher Grace, Zero, author and coscreenwriter Bret Easton Scarlett Johansson, Marg Helgenberger, Ellis’ collection of familiar and wasted HollySelma Blair, David Paymer, Clark Gregg, wood types adds up to way less than zero this Philip Baker Hall, Frankie Faison, Ty Burrell, time. A good cast is lost in the fog of cliche´d Kevin Chapman, Amy Aquino, Colleen writing and indifferent direction. There’s the Camp, Lauren Tom. Successful, happily marsinister studio exec, the neglected wife having ried, 50-ish sales exec Quaid has his world an affair with the pool boy, the aging newsturned inside out when a young 20-ish hotshot caster, the low-level hood, and a host of with no experience is installed as his boss— beautiful, vapid young people who spend and even starts seeing Quaid’s college-age their days doing drugs and their nights in daughter. Smart, relevant social comedy tackbed with each other. Yecccch. This was les a variety of modern-day ills in a consisRenfro’s last film. Super 35. [R] tently entertaining way. Breakout role for In for Treatment (1979-Netherlands) C-99m. Grace, who’s perfect as the corporate climber ★★★1⁄2 D: Eric van Zuylen, Marja Kok. Helmert who finds that his life is empty. Weitz’s Woudenberg, Frank Groothof, Hans Man In’t solo debut as writer-director. Malcolm McDowell appears unbilled. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Veld, Marja Kok, Joop Admiraal. Simple, pointed, powerful story of a middle-aged man In Harm’s Way (1965) 165m. ★★1⁄2 D: who checks into a hospital for tests but is really Otto Preminger. John Wayne, Kirk Dougdying of cancer; he must deal with a distant, las, Patricia Neal, Tom Tryon, Paula Prentiss, maddeningly impersonal hospital system. Henry Fonda, Brandon de Wilde, Jill Haworth, Hard to watch because of the subject, but still Dana Andrews, Stanley Holloway, Burgess poignant and never maudlin; a production of Meredith, Franchot Tone, Patrick O’Neal, Carthe Werkteater, a Dutch theater collective.▼ roll O’Connor, Slim Pickens, Barbara Infra-Man (1976-Hong Kong) C-92m. ★★★ Bouchet, Hugh O’Brian, George Kennedy, D: Hua-Shan. Li Hsiu-hsien, Wang Hsieh, Bruce Cabot, Larry Hagman. Overlong, meloYuan Man-tzu, Terry Liu, Tsen Shu-yi, dramatic account of warfare in the South PaHuang Chien-lung, Lu Sheng. Princess cific at the outset of WW2, focusing on the Dragon Mom (Liu) and her odd assortment exploits of larger-than-life naval officer Wayne of monster underlings attempt to take over (whose character is nicknamed ‘‘Rock’’). the earth—and it’s Infra-Man (Hsiu-hsien) Most interesting for its cast of old-timers and to the rescue. Action-packed, with gloriup-and-coming stars. Panavision.▼쩠 ously corny dialogue (dubbed), outlandish Inheritance, The (1976-Italian) C-105m. ★★1 costumes and sets, adequate special ef⁄2 D: Mauro Bolognini. Anthony Quinn, fects. Great fun. Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Dominique Sanda, Fabio Testi, Adriana Inglorious Bastards (1978-Italian) CAsti, Luigi Proietti. Moody melodrama 100m. ★★ D: Enzo G. Castellari. Ian Banabout dying patriarch (Quinn) who wants nen, Bo Svenson, Fred Williamson, Peter to disown everyone but his calculating Hooten, Michael Pergolani. Five soldiers daughter-in-law (Sanda), who offers him about to be court-martialed during WW2 sexual comforts. Well-acted, handsome protake off through France, hoping to make the duction with emphasis on eroticism. OrigiSwiss border. Far-fetched story with a few nally 121m. Techniscope. [R]▼쩠 good action scenes. Aka COUNTERFEIT Inheritors, The (1998-Austrian) C-95m. ★★★ COMMANDOS and G.I. BRO. [R]▼쩠 D: Stefan Ruzowitzky. Simon Schwarz, In God’s Hands (1998) C-96m. ★★ D: ZalSophie Rois, Lars Rudolph, Julia Gschnitzer, man King. Matt George, Matty Liu, Patrick Ulrich Wildgruber, Elizabeth Orth, Tilo PruckShane Dorian, Shaun Tomson, Maylin ner, Susanne Silverio. A landowner dies and Pultar, Bret Michaels. Three world-class bequeaths his assets to the seven lowly peassurfers (played by three actual world-class ants who worked his farm. Spirited, pointed (if surfers) embark on the ultimate global tour predictable) political allegory, set in an Ausof duty. Fictional film suffers from amateurtrian village in the 1930s. Vivid characterizaishness of its cast of nonperformers, but is tions add punch to the proceedings. [R]▼쩠 marginally worth seeing for gorgeous cineInherit the Wind (1960) 127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: matography and, of course, some breathtakStanley Kramer. Spencer Tracy, Fredric ing wave riding. A change of pace for softMarch, Gene Kelly, Florence Eldridge, core auteur King. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Dick York, Harry Morgan, Donna AnderIn God We Tru$t (1980) C-97m. BOMB son, Elliott Reid, Claude Akins, Noah D: Marty Feldman. Marty Feldman, Peter Beery, Jr., Norman Fell. Vocals by Leslie Boyle, Louise Lasser, Richard Pryor, Andy Uggams. Absorbing adaptation of Jerome Kaufman, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Severn Lawrence–Robert E. Lee play based on Darden. Naive monk Feldman treks to notorious Scopes Monkey Trial of 1925, L.A. to raise money for his monastery. A when Clarence Darrow defended and comedy that is tragically unfunny—including William Jennings Bryan prosecuted a [ 675 ]

schoolteacher arrested for teaching DarHarry Dean Stanton, Peter J. Lucas, Karowin’s Theory of Evolution. Names are lina Gruszka, Jan Hench, Grace Zabriskie, changed (Kelly’s character is based on Diane Ladd, Julia Ormond, Ian Abercromacid-tongued H. L. Mencken), but the isbie, William H. Macy, Mary Steenburgen, sue is real and still relevant. An acting tour Laura Harring, Nastassja Kinski, Michael de force, with solid support from Morgan Pare´; voice of Naomi Watts. Demanding, as the judge, Reid as a lawyer, Eldridge as surreal Lynchian experiment is almost imMarch’s devoted wife. Only offbeat castpossible to describe. Suffice it to say that ing of Kelly doesn’t quite come off. ScreenDern offers staggering performances in sevplay by Nathan E. Douglas (Nedrick Young) eral roles (which may or may not be the and Harold Jacob Smith. Remade as 1988 same character), most prominently as an acTVM with Kirk Douglas and Jason Robards. tress who is cast as the lead in a new movie. Also remade as a TVM in 1999 with Jack A digitally shot companion piece to MULLemmon and George C. Scott.▼●쩠 HOLLAND DR. Not for every filmgoer; In Her Shoes (2005) C-129m. ★★★ D: CurLynch buffs will probably rate this higher. tis Hanson. Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette, Dern also coproduced. [R]쩠 Shirley MacLaine, Mark Feuerstein, Ken In-Laws, The (1979) C-103m. ★★★ D: Howard, Candice Azzara, Brooke Smith, Arthur Hiller. Peter Falk, Alan Arkin, Francine Beers, Norman Lloyd, Jerry Adler. Richard Libertini, Nancy Dussault, Penny A woman who struggles with her self-image Peyser, Arlene Golonka, Michael Lembeck, is constantly undone by her sexy sister, whose Ed Begley, Jr., Rosana (de) Soto, Art life is an even bigger mess. Then her sibling Evans, David Paymer. Wacky comedy travels to Florida and looks up their longabout a dentist (Arkin) who becomes inestranged grandmother, who’s living at a sevolved in the bizarre intrigues of his daughnior community; here, of all places, she finds ter’s father-in-law-to-be (Falk), who claims direction and purpose for the first time in her to be a CIA agent. Andrew Bergman’s life. First-rate adaptation of Jennifer Weiner’s script commendably unpredictable start to best-seller by Susannah Grant, ideally cast with finish; Libertini hilarious as Latin dictator with a great part for Diaz. MacLaine scores espea Sen˜or Wences fetish. Enjoyable score by cially well by underplaying. Super 35. [PGJohn Morris. Remade in 2003. [PG]▼●쩠 13]쩠 In-Laws, The (2003) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: AnInitiation: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 drew Fleming. Michael Douglas, Albert SEE: Silent Night, Deadly Night 4 Brooks, Robin Tunney, Ryan Reynolds, CanInkheart (2008-U.S.-German) C-106m. ★★ dice Bergen, David Suchet, Lindsay Sloane, D: Iain Softley. Brendan Fraser, Paul BetMaria Ricossa. Needless but amusing-enough tany, Helen Mirren, Jim Broadbent, Andy remake of the fondly remembered 1979 comSerkis, Eliza Hope Bennett, Rafi Gavron; edy, bolstered by its well-cast stars. Douglas narrated by Roger Allam. When Fraser reads is a reckless CIA agent—and neglectful father aloud he brings characters from books to of groom-to-be Reynolds—who takes Brooks, life—with often frightening results. He and a timid, nebbishy father of the bride, on the adhis daughter go to Europe in search of the venture of his life in the days leading up to their rare book that can free her mother from imkids’ wedding. Suchet is a standout as the prisonment within its pages. Elaborate fancrazed French arms buyer and megalomaniac. tasy based on Cornelia Funke’s novel [PG-13]▼쩠 borrows from other, better, stories (including In Like Flint (1967) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: The Wizard of Oz) and never coalesces into a Gordon Douglas. James Coburn, Lee J. great yarn of its own. Nice in-joke has JenniCobb, Jean Hale, Andrew Duggan, Anna fer Connelly, Bettany’s real-life wife, doing Lee. Weak sequel to OUR MAN FLINT a cameo as his spouse. Panavision. [PG]쩠 finds our hero going against secret society Inkwell, The (1994) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: Matty of women plotting to take over the world. Rich. Larenz Tate, Joe Morton, Suzzanne CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Douglas, Glynn Turman, Vanessa Bell CalIn Love SEE: Falling in Love Again loway, Adrienne-Joi Johnson, Morris ChestIn Love and War (1996-U.S.-British) Cnut, Jada Pinkett, Duane Martin, Mary Alice, 115m. BOMB D: Richard Attenborough. Phyllis Yvonne Stickney. A 16-year-old, Sandra Bullock, Chris O’Donnell, Mackenwhose toy doll confidante naturally worries his zie Astin, Emilio Bonucci, Ingrid Lacey, parents, learns about love, SUMMER OF Margot Steinberg. Lumbering catastrophe ’42–style, in this Summer of ’76 nostalgia chronicles Ernest Hemingway’s WW1 love piece set in a black section of Martha’s Vineaffair with Red Cross nurse Agnes von Kuryard. Clumsily written and directed and (doll owsky, eight years his senior and the inspiaside) irritatingly derivative. Filmmakers ration for the character Catherine Barkley groused that the result would have been better in A Farewell to Arms. Miscast O’Donnell without studio interference. [R] ▼●쩠 might actually be more credible playing ErInland Empire (2006-U.S.-Polish-French) nest Borgnine, and the leads have no chemC/B&W-179m. ★★1⁄2 D: David Lynch. Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux, istry. The film leans on what used to be [ 676 ]

called ‘‘scenic values’’ like a bookie who’s the body of hypochondriac Short. Heady been stiffed. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 combination of science fiction and comIn My Country (2005-U.S.-British-Irish) edy, with an off-the-wall sensibility that C-102m. ★★ D: John Boorman. Samuel L. keeps things unpredictable . . . though tightJackson, Juliette Binoche, Brendan Gleeening would have helped. Short is a delight son, Menzi Ngubane, Sam Ngakane, Lionel as the comic hero. Oscar winner for Best Newton. Reporter Jackson and poet BiVisual Effects. [PG]▼●쩠 noche are covering the Truth and ReconciliInnocence (2000-Australian-Belgian) Cation Commission hearings in South Africa, 94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Paul Cox. Julia Blake, Charles an event where opposing sides from the ‘‘Bud’’ Tingwell, Terry Norris, Robert MenApartheid era confront each other. Despite a zies, Marta Dusseldorp, Kristien Van Pellitalented cast and director, important subject com, Chris Haywood, Norman Kaye. matter, and a provocative setting, it all goes Complex, poignant tale of a long-widowed awry and winds up being a 3-D movie: dull, man and a long-married woman (Tingwell, dreary, and disappointing. Even Jackson is Blake) who rekindle a romance that first blosbland. Original British title: COUNTRY OF somed four decades earlier. This wise, nuMY SKULL. [R]▼쩠 anced tale explores the meaning of love, and ★★★ D: John In Name Only (1939) 94m. dares to be both tender and sensuous while Cromwell. Carole Lombard, Cary Grant, dealing with characters who are in the twilight of their lives. Cox also scripted.▼쩠 Kay Francis, Charles Coburn, Helen Vinson, Peggy Ann Garner. Solid soaper with Innocent, The (1976-Italian) C-127m. ★★★★ wealthy, married Grant falling for widowed D: Luchino Visconti. Giancarlo Lombard, trying desperately to obtain a Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O’Neill. divorce from bitchy, manipulative social Director Visconti’s final film is among his climber Francis. Beautifully acted.▼● greatest, a lavishly mounted tragedy about Inner Circle, The (1991) C-134m. ★★1⁄2 a Sicilian aristocrat who has the tables D: Andrei Konchalovsky. Tom Hulce, Loturned on him by the luscious wife he has lita Davidovich, Bob Hoskins, Alexandre chosen to ignore. Digitally released in the Zbruev, Feodor Chaliapin, Jr., Bess Meyer, U.S. at 115m. Technovision. [R]▼쩠 Maria Baranova. Intriguing if ultimately Innocent, The (1985-British) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 obvious, disappointing saga of life in the D: John Mackenzie. Andrew Hawley, Kika Soviet Union under the iron rule of Stalin. Markham, Kate Foster, Liam Neeson, PatStory follows naive, humble projectionist rick Daley, Tom Bell, Clive Wood, Mi(Hulce) who gets to screen a film for the randa Richardson. Medium drama about a dictator. Much more subtlety is in order young boy (Hawley) on the edge of puhere, as Hulce’s performance soon beberty, growing up in a Yorkshire town durcomes grating and one-dimensional. Based ing the Depression. Occasionally striking on a true story; some sequences were shot but too often slow. inside the Kremlin, and even KGB headInnocent, The (1993-British-German) C107m. ★★ D: John Schlesinger. Isabella Rosquarters. [PG-13]▼● Inner Life of Martin Frost, The (2007sellini, Anthony Hopkins, Campbell Scott, U.S.-French-Spanish-Portuguese) C/B&WRonald Nitschke, Hart Bochner, James Grant, 93m. ★★★ D: Paul Auster. David Thewlis, Jeremy Sinden. Blah Cold War/paranoia thrilIre`ne Jacob, Michael Imperioli, Sophie Ausler, set in the 1950s, about an ingenuous Britter. Work-weary novelist Thewlis, decomish circuitry expert (Scott) sent to Berlin to pressing alone in a borrowed country home, help set up a complicated phone-tapping apis startled to wake up one morning next to paratus to be used against the East Germans; lovely, cheerful Jacob. Romance blooms— along the way, he becomes involved in a pashow could it not?—but soon he learns she’s sionate romance. Hopkins is fine as usual (alnot what she appears to be. Intriguing Orthough he’s miscast as a blustery American phic fable intimately addresses large themes CIA official). The characters are strictly oneof literature, philosophy, and the creative dimensional; a minor credit for all concerned. process, while delicately tiptoeing across Unreleased in U.S. till 1996. [R]▼●쩠 the balance beam of fantasy. Adapted from Innocent and the Damned SEE: Girls his own novel and austerely narrated by diTown Innocent Blood (1992) C-112m. ★★★ D: rector Auster.쩠 Innerspace (1987) C-120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joe John Landis. Anne Parillaud, Robert LogDante. Dennis Quaid, Martin Short, Meg gia, Anthony LaPaglia, David Proval, Don Ryan, Kevin McCarthy, Fiona Lewis, VerRickles, Chazz Palminteri, Rocco Sisto, non Wells, Robert Picardo, Wendy Schaal, Tony Sirico, Tony Lip, Kim Coates, Angela Harold Sylvester, William Schallert, Henry Bassett, Luis Guzman, Leo Burmester, LinGibson, Orson Bean, Kevin Hooks, Kathnea Quigley, Frank Oz. Guilty-pleasure leen Freeman, Dick Miller, Ken Tobey. time: a sexy French vampire (Parillaud) Diverting tale of rambunctious Navy test sinks her teeth into mob boss Loggia and pilot (Quaid) who undergoes miniaturization unwittingly unleashes a brood of bloodexperiment and is accidentally injected into sucking gangsters! Meanwhile, good cop [ 677 ]

LaPaglia tries to figure out just what’s going well acted, but wears out its welcome. on. Wild and woolly crossbreed of urban Based on a novel by Ruth Rendell. Origiaction thriller and vampire movie, with a nal British title: TREE OF HANDS.▼ wicked sense of humor; doesn’t always Innocent Voices (2005-Mexican-U.S.-Puerto make sense, but fun to watch (if you can Rican) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Luis Mandoki. take the blood). Rickles is terrific as LogCarlos Padilla, Leonor Varela, Gustavo gia’s loyal lawyer. Landis casts other film Mun˜oz, Jose´ Marı´a Yazpik, Ofelia Medina, directors, as usual, in cameo roles, including Daniel Gime´nez Cacho, Jesu´s Ochoa. Dario Argento, Michael Ritchie, and Sam Heartfelt story of an 11-year-old boy who, Raimi. [R]▼●쩠 with his brother, sister, and hardworking Innocent Bystanders (1973-British) Cmother, struggles to survive in the midst of 111m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Collinson. Stanley the civil war in 1980s El Salvador. It’s not a Baker, Geraldine Chaplin, Donald Pleasence, matter of choosing sides when bullets fly Dana Andrews, Sue Lloyd, Derren Nesbitt. through their makeshift house or when the Baker plays James Bond–like character ingovernment recruits schoolboys at the age volved in international manhunt for Rusof 12. Based on the experiences of writer sian scientist who has escaped from Siberia. Oscar Torres; simplistic at times, but still has the ring of truth and sincerity. [R]쩠 Well-made but standard fare, with heavy doses of sadism and violence. [PG] Inn of the Damned (1974-Australian) C-118m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terry Bourke. Judith Innocent Man, An (1989) C-113m. ★★ D: Peter Yates. Tom Selleck, F. Murray AbraAnderson, Alex Cord, Michael Craig, Joham, Laila Robins, David Rasche, Richseph Furst, Tony Bonner, John Meillon. ard Young, Badja Djola. Happily married Bounty hunter Cord investigates the disapairline mechanic is mistaken for a drug pearances of travelers at an inn operated contact by a pair of on-the-take cops who’ve by sickies Anderson and Furst. Fair of its burst into his home; victim gets a hearty type, uplifted immeasurably by Anderson’s course of ‘‘Slammer 101’’ after both slugs entertaining performance.▼쩠 frame him. Slick and soft at the center, despite Inn of the Frightened People (1971some potentially compelling script elements; British) 89m. ★★ D: Sidney Hayers. Joan not too strong on credibility, either. [R]▼●쩠 Collins, James Booth, Ray Barrett, Sinead Innocents, The (1961-British) 100m. ★★★1⁄2 Cusack, Tom Marshall, Kenneth Griffith. D: Jack Clayton. Deborah Kerr, Michael Parents of young girl who was raped and murRedgrave, Peter Wyngarde, Megs Jenkins, dered take revenge on man they believe guilty. Pamela Franklin, Martin Stephens. FirstSordid, low-budget thriller with some interestrate thriller based on Henry James’ ‘‘The ing moments. British title: REVENGE. Aka TERROR FROM UNDER THE HOUSE. ▼ Turn of the Screw,’’ with Kerr as governess haunted by specters that may or may not be Inn of the Sixth Happiness, The (1958) C-158m. ★★★ D: Mark Robson. Ingrid real. Script by William Archibald and Truman Capote, brilliantly realized on film. PhoBergman, Curt Jurgens, Robert Donat, Rontographed by Freddie Francis. Remade in ald Squire, Athene Seyler, Richard Wattis. 1992 as THE TURN OF THE SCREW. True story of English servant (Bergman) CinemaScope.▼●쩠 who, despite her lack of credentials, realizes Innocent Sleep, The (1996-British) C-95m. her dream of becoming a missionary in ★★ China. Bergman is wonderful and Donat D: Scott Michell. Rupert Graves, Annabella Sciorra, Michael Gambon, Franco Nero, memorable in final screen performance. John Hannah, Graham Crowden. A drunken Simple, effective score by Malcolm Arnold. derelict in London finds himself being pursued CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 by a corrupt cop after witnessing a murder and In Old California (1942) 88m. ★★ D: stumbling onto a high-level international conWilliam McGann. John Wayne, Binnie spiracy. Old-fashioned, would-be HitchBarnes, Albert Dekker, Helen Parrish, Patsy cockian ‘‘innocent-man-on-the-run’’ thriller Kelly, Edgar Kennedy, Dick Purcell, Harry is extremely slow moving and murkily plotShannon. Wayne moves into Western town ted, with a cop-out finale that fails to wrap controlled by shifty Dekker, with inevitaup the myriad loose ends. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ble confrontation. Also shown in computerInnocents with Dirty Hands SEE: Dirty colored version. ▼쩠 Hands In Old Chicago (1938) 95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Innocent Victim (1989-British) C-89m. Henry King. Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, ★★1 Don Ameche, Alice Brady, Andy Devine, ⁄2 D: Giles Foster. Helen Shaver, Lauren Bacall, Malcolm Stoddard, Peter Firth, Brian Donlevy, Phyllis Brooks, Tom Brown, Paul McGann, Katie Hardie, Tony HayBerton Churchill, Sidney Blackmer, Gene garth, Phyllida Law. When the young son Reynolds, Bobs Watson. Lavish period of unmarried writer Shaver unexpectedly piece building up to Chicago fire of 1871; dies, her disturbed mother (Bacall) kidOscar-winning Brady is Mrs. O’Leary, naps another boy, the abused son of a whose sons Power, Ameche, and Brown would-be singer (Hardie). Deliberately find their own adventures in the Windy paced thriller with too many plot twists; City. Scripted by Lamar Trotti and Sonya [ 678 ]

Levien, based on a story by Niven Busch. recalls nearly two decades’ worth of conOriginally released at 115m.▼쩠 quests, all of whom are paraded across the In Old Oklahoma (1943) 102m. ★★1⁄2 screen in various stages of undress. Strasberg D: Albert S. Rogell. John Wayne, Martha and Stewart are particularly praiseworthy, Scott, Albert Dekker, Gabby Hayes, Marbut nothing else is in this tease of a movie. Remade in 1997. [R]▼쩠 jorie Rambeau, Sidney Blackmer, Dale Evans. Slugger Wayne brooks no nonsense Inquiry, The (1987-Italian) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 in this oil-drilling yarn; good action, obligD: Damiano Damiani. Keith Carradine, atory romance. Aka WAR OF THE WILDHarvey Keitel, Phyllis Logan, Lina Sastri. CATS. ▼ Intriguing story treats the resurrection of In Our Time (1944) 110m. ★★1⁄2 D: VinChrist as a mystery thriller. Carradine is a cent Sherman. Ida Lupino, Paul Henreid, hardnosed investigator sent from Rome to Nazimova, Nancy Coleman, Mary Boland, find out what happened to the missing body Victor Francen, Michael Chekhov. Lupino of Jesus Christ; an official cover-up is preand Henreid try to save Poland from Nazi sumed. Offbeat point of view holds interest. takeover in plush soaper that seeks to be Excellent dubbing of the Italian supporting meaningful propaganda; Nazimova is touchcharacters, but it’s still distracting to hear Keitel’s Bronx accent as Pontius Pilate. ▼ ing as Henreid’s aristocratic mother. Never quite hits the mark. In Search of Gregory (1970-BritishItalian) C-90m. ★★ D: Peter Wood. Julie I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry (2007) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: Dennis Dugan. Christie, John Hurt, Michael Sarrazin, AdAdam Sandler, Kevin James, Jessica Biel, olfo Celi, Paola Pitagora. Muddled film set Dan Aykroyd, Ving Rhames, Steve Busin Geneva, about two potential lovers who cemi, Nicholas Turturro, Allen Covert, Rafantasize about, but never meet, each other. chel Dratch, Richard Chamberlain, Mary [M/PG] Pat Gleason, Rob Corddry, Lance Bass, In Search of the Castaways (1962) CBlake Clark. In order to overcome bureau100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Stevenson. Hayley cratic red tape two single, heterosexual Mills, Maurice Chevalier, George SandBrooklyn firefighters, one (Sandler) a laers, Wilfrid Hyde-White, Michael Anderdies’ man and the other (James) a widower, son, Jr., Keith Hamshire. Expedition tries pretend to be a gay couple. Generally idiotic to locate missing sea captain, in journey comedy hypocritically lambastes homophobia that encounters fire, flood, earthquake and while featuring characters who are flagrant other disasters. Disney adaptation of Jules gay stereotypes. Rob Schneider and David Verne suffers from muddled continuity; Spade appear unbilled. [PG-13]쩠 good cast does its best.▼●쩠 In Person (1935) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Insect SEE: Blue Monkey Seiter. Ginger Rogers, George Brent, Alan Inseminoid SEE: Horror Planet Mowbray, Grant Mitchell, Samuel S. Inserts (1975-British) C-99m. BOMB D: Hinds, Joan Breslau. In between TOP HAT John Byrum. Richard Dreyfuss, Jessica and FOLLOW THE FLEET, Rogers made Harper, Veronica Cartwright, Bob Hosthis formula comedy about a movie star kins, Stephen Davies. Pretentious, unending who’s had a nervous breakdown; while nonsense played out by five characters on recuperating, she spars romantically with one set: decaying Hollywood mansion in Brent. Trivial, but pleasant.▼● early thirties where once-famous director In Praise of Love (2001-French-Swiss) now makes porno films. Dreadful. The British version runs 117m. [X]▼쩠 C/B&W-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Luc Godard. Bruno Putzulu, Ce´cile Camp, Jean Davy, Inside (1996) C-94m. ★★ D: Arthur Penn. Franc¸oise Verney, Audrey Klebaner, JerEric Stoltz, Nigel Hawthorne, Louis Gosemy Lippman, Jean Lacouture. Two-part sett, Jr., Ian Roberts, Jerry Mofokeng. South film is a return to form for the everAfrican university professor Stoltz is acprovocative director. Part one deals with cused of conspiring against the apartheid discussions of a project in the works called government and is subjected to ruthless in‘‘E´loge de L’amour,’’ from which the film terrogation by a sadistic colonel (Hawtook its original French title. In part two, set thorne). Years later, the colonel is subject to two years earlier, an elderly couple attempt questioning by Gossett. The cast is first rate to sell their story of fighting in the French and the subject matter is interesting, but film Resistance to Hollywood. Doesn’t always hit lacks dramatic spark. First shown on cable TV. [R]▼●쩠 its mark, particularly when it takes potshots at Steven Spielberg and SCHINDLER’S Inside Daisy Clover (1965) C-128m. ★★1⁄2 LIST, but this challenging film is worth D: Robert Mulligan. Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, Christopher Plummer, Roddy seeing, especially for Godard fans. [PG]▼쩠 In Praise of Older Women (1978-CanaMcDowall, Ruth Gordon, Katherine Bard. dian) C-108m. BOMB D: George KacPotentially biting account of Wood’s rise zender. Tom Berenger, Karen Black, Susan as Hollywood star in 1930s misfires; pat Strasberg, Helen Shaver, Alexandra Stewsituations with caricatures instead of people. Panavision.▼●쩠 art, Marilyn Lightstone. Hungarian stud [ 679 ]

Inside Deep Throat (2005) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 Mason, Robert Culp, Aldo Ray, Charles D: Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato. Narrated Korvin. Savalas engineers break-in at maxby Dennis Hopper. Saga of DEEP THROAT, imum security prison in East Germany to the 1972 porno film that became a landfree notorious war criminal who knows mark: the first such movie to enjoy huge whereabouts of a secret cache of gold. Not mainstream success and a lightning rod for bad international caper. Retitled HITLER’S government attacks on obscenity. Neatly GOLD and THE GOLDEN HEIST. [PG] ▼ mixes archival footage, interviews with the Insider, The (1999) C-157m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Miparticipants (actors Linda Lovelace and chael Mann. Al Pacino, Russell Crowe, Harry Reems, director Gerard Damiano), Christopher Plummer, Diane Venora, Philip and popular-culture commentators (Hugh Baker Hall, Lindsay Crouse, Debi Mazar, Hefner, Erica Jong, Norman Mailer, Helen Stephen Tobolowsky, Colm Feore, Bruce Gurley Brown, John Waters, et al.). InterestMcGill, Gina Gershon, Michael Gambon, ing, to be sure, but not as profound as its Rip Torn, Lynne Thigpen, Hallie Kate Eisenfilmmakers would have you believe. R-rated berg, Wings Hauser, Pete Hamill. Dynamic version also available. [NC-17]쩠 fact-based story of a gutsy segment producer Inside I’m Dancing SEE: Rory O’Shea for TV’s 60 Minutes (Pacino) who sniffs out Was Here a story in disaffected scientist Crowe, who’s just been fired by a major tobacco company. Inside Man (2006) C-128m. ★★★ D: Spike Lee. Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Compelling, adult entertainment that finds Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem great drama in the real-life machinations of Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Carlos Andre´as TV journalism (and big business). Great perGo´mez, Kim Director, James Ransone, Berformances all around. Screenplay by Mann nard Rachelle, Peter Gerety, Victor Coland Eric Roth, based on a magazine story by icchio, Peter Frechette, Daryl ‘‘Chill’’ Marie Brenner. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Mitchell. Clever reinvention of a bank-heist Insignificance (1985-British) C-110m. ★★★1 story with a streetwise N.Y.C. detective ⁄2 D: Nicolas Roeg. Gary Busey, Tony (Washington) trying to figure out the real Curtis, Theresa Russell, Michael Emil, motive of the wily robber (Owen) who is Will Sampson. Striking, gloriously cinestaked out inside the bank building. Laced matic examination of the meaning of fame with uniquely New York–flavored moments in America and the perils of atomic warfare. of humor and character riffs, though it overThe stars are cast as unnamed celebrities—a plays its hand and goes on too long. Foster ballplayer, senator, actress, and professor— brings no color whatsoever to her role as a who resemble Joe DiMaggio, Joseph Mchigh-stakes power broker. Super 35. [R]쩠 Carthy, Marilyn Monroe, and Albert EinInside Monkey Zetterland (1992) C-93m. stein, and meet in a N.Y.C. hotel room in ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jefery Levy. Steven Antin, Kather1954. Funny, ironic, thought provoking. ine Helmond, Patricia Arquette, Tate DonoWonderfully acted by all. Screenplay by van, Sandra Bernhard, Sofia Coppola, Terry Johnson. [R] ▼●쩠 Rupert Everett, Bo Hopkins, Martha PlimpIn Society (1944) 75m. ★★ D: Jean Yarton, Debi Mazar, Ricki Lake, Lance Loud, brough. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, MarFrancis Bay. Hit-and-miss L.A. comedy ion Hutton, Arthur Treacher, Thomas about the title character (Antin), a young Gomez, Thurston Hall, Kirby Grant. Minor screenwriter, and his complex connections A&C, with the boys as plumbers mistaken with family (most tellingly, soap opera star for members of society; hectic slapstick mom Helmond) and friends. Filled with finale. Includes chase footage lifted from moments of humor and insight, and tolerNEVER GIVE A SUCKER AN EVEN BREAK.▼쩠 ance for its various offbeat characters, but at other times affected and formulaic. Loosely Insomnia (1997-Norwegian) C-97m. ★★★ autobiographical; star Antin scripted and D: Erik Skjoldbjaerg. Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Sverre Anker Ousdal, Gisken Armand, coproduced. [R]▼●쩠 Inside Moves (1980) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bjorn Floberg, Maria Bonnevie, Kristian FiRichard Donner. John Savage, David genschow. Moody police thriller with two Morse, Diana Scarwid, Amy Wright, Tony criminal investigators traveling to remote, Burton, Bill Henderson, Bert Remsen, Hararctic Norway on a murder case; soon the old Russell. Offbeat drama about a young relentless midnight sun and tactical missteps suicide survivor (Savage) who falls in cause one of the men to unravel. Skarsga˚rd is with a group of upbeat misfits and learns good, as always, in this psychological maelabout self-esteem. A well-meaning film strom. Remade in 2002.▼쩠 with some excellent performances and emoInsomnia (2002) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Christional highpoints but a few too many story topher Nolan. Al Pacino, Robin Williams, flaws—including the final scene. Russell’s Hilary Swank, Maura Tierney, Martin Donofirst film since THE BEST YEARS OF OUR van, Nicky Katt, Paul Dooley, Jonathan JackLIVES. [PG]▼●쩠 son. Famous LAPD detective Pacino and his Inside Out (1975-British) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 partner (Donovan) are sent to small town in D: Peter Duffell. Telly Savalas, James Alaska to help solve a grisly murder—and to [ 680 ]

get them away from the firing line of a departInspiration (1931) 74m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clarence ment controversy. It turns out that whodunit is Brown. Greta Garbo, Robert Montgomery, not the problem, but how to catch the culprit .. . Lewis Stone, Marjorie Rambeau, Beryl especially when he starts playing a cat-andMercer. Lesser Garbo vehicle about beautimouse game with Pacino. Multilayered story is ful Parisian woman whose past makes her enhanced by Nolan’s cunning use of visual and decide to leave Montgomery, even though aural devices, plus top-notch performances. she still loves him. A modern version of Remake of 1997 film of the same name, Alphonse Daudet’s Sappho. ▼● adapted by Hillary Seitz. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Instinct (1999) C-124m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jon TurInspecteur Lavardin (1986-French) C-99m. teltaub. Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Gooding, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Claude Chabrol. Jean Poiret, JeanJr., Donald Sutherland, Maura Tierney, Claude Brialy, Bernadette Lafont, Jacques George Dzundza, John Ashton, John AylDacqmine, Jean-Luc Bideau, Hermine ward. Ambitious psychiatric resident Claire, Pierre-Francois Dumeniaud, Florent (Gooding) evaluates brilliant and/or insane Gibassier, Guy Louret, Jean Depusse. primatologist (Hopkins), who’s been living Crime and comedy make for an unusual among the Rwandan gorillas he studied and mix in this tale of quirky police detective who may have murdered some park rangers. Poiret’s murder investigation in a French Talky drama sets off a few sparks whenever seaside village. Lafont—newly widowed, the two leads square off, and has some wealthy, and an old flame of the inspector’s— CUCKOO’S NEST flourishes throughout. and her wacky brother (Brialy) head the Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 list of suspects. A sequel to Chabrol’s COP Insurance Man, The (1985-British) CAU VIN/POULET AU VINAIGRE (1984) 77m. ★★★ D: Richard Eyre. Robert Hines, which introduced Poiret’s Lavardin character Daniel Day-Lewis, Jim Broadbent, Hugh in a supporting role.쩠 Fraser, Tony Haygarth. Dramatically unInspector Calls, An (1954-British) 80m. even yet still ambitious, impressive ac★★★ D: Guy Hamilton. Alastair Sim, Arthur count of a young dyeworker named Franz Young, Olga Lindo, Eileen Moore. J. B. (Hines), whose body develops a rash, and Priestley play detailing British police detechis dealings with both the bureaucracy and tive Sim’s investigation of girl’s suicide. a man named Mr. Kafka (Day-Lewis), a Via flashbacks he learns a family’s responclaims assessor who also writes. A tribute sibility for her fate. Clever plot finale. to Kafka and his work, with a screenplay Inspector Clouseau (1968) C-94m. ★★ D: by Alan Bennett. Bud Yorkin. Alan Arkin, Delia Boccardo, Intacto (2001-Spanish) C-108m. ★★ D: Juan Frank Finlay, Patrick Cargill, Beryl Reid, Carlos Fresnadillo. Max von Sydow, LeoBarry Foster. Scotland Yard calls on inept nardo Sbaraglia, Eusebio Poncela, Mo´nica French detective to crack potential robLo´pez, Antonio Dechent, Guillermo Toledo. bery; in spite of Arkin’s talents, Peter Ambitious but muddled thriller involving an Sellers is too well identified with the role aging high-stakes gambler/Holocaust survi(from other Pink Panther movies) for one vor (von Sydow) who enjoys, and appears to fully accept this characterization. Beto be able to control, good fortune; he takes sides, film isn’t particularly funny. Made away the luck of an underling who’s anin England. Panavision. [G]쩠 nounced his wish to go off on his own. Means Inspector Gadget (1999) C-80m. ★★ D: to be eerie and compelling, but is pretentious David Kellogg. Matthew Broderick, Rupert and confusing instead. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Everett, Joely Fisher, Michelle TrachtenIntended, The (2003-Danish-British) Cberg, Andy Dick, Cheri Oteri, Michael G. 110m. ★★ D: Kristian Levring. Janet McTeer, Hagerty, Dabney Coleman, Rene AuberjoOlympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker, Tony nois, Frances Bay; voices of D. L. Hughley, Maudsley, JJ Feild, David Bradley, Philip Don Adams. Desperate gimmick comedy Jackson. In 1920s Malaya, a miserable wretch for kids based on the 1980s animated TV who works as an ivory trading-post overseer series. After a severe accident, Broderick’s (Fricker) makes life intolerable for one and body is pieced back together with cuttingall, including a youthful surveyor (Feild) and edge technology, just right for chasing bad his older fiance´e (McTeer). An altogether guys like Everett (aka Claw). Gizmos and unpleasant—and unnecessary—experience, slapstick galore, but precious few laughs in despite some good performances. Levring this Disney concoction. Followed by a and McTeer coscripted. [R]쩠 direct-to-video sequel. [PG]▼●쩠 Interiors (1978) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Woody Inspector General, The (1949) C-102m. ★★★ Allen. Diane Keaton, Geraldine Page, D: Henry Koster. Danny Kaye, WalE. G. Marshall, Maureen Stapleton, Kristin ter Slezak, Barbara Bates, Elsa Lanchester, Griffith, Mary Beth Hurt, Richard Jordan, Gene Lockhart, Alan Hale, Walter Catlett. Sam Waterston. Allen’s first screen drama Kaye plays a buffoon who pretends to be a as writer-director is an Ingmar Bergvisiting bureaucrat in an Eastern European manesque study of a family full of unhappy, village. Entertaining musical adaptation of frustrated men and women; drama of anthe Gogol story.▼쩠 [ 681 ]

guished lives is not for all tastes, but exter has surprisingly little resonance. Super 35. [R]쩠 tremely well done. [PG] ▼●쩠 International House (1933) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 Interlude (1968-British) C-113m. ★★★ D: D: A. Edward Sutherland. W. C. Fields, Peggy Kevin Billington. Oskar Werner, Barbara Hopkins Joyce, Stuart Erwin, George Burns, Ferris, Virginia Maskell, Donald SutherGracie Allen, Bela Lugosi, Franklin Pangborn, land, Nora Swinburne, Alan Webb, John Rudy Vallee, Sterling Holloway, Cab CalCleese. Charming, sentimental tale of symloway, Baby Rose Marie. Offbeat, delightful phony conductor and reporter who have an film with early television experiment bringing affair; told in flashback. Previously filmed people from all over the world to large Orienas WHEN TOMORROW COMES and tal hotel. Spotlight alternates between Fields INTERLUDE (1957). [M/PG] and Burns & Allen, all in rare form, with Intermezzo (1939) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Gregguest spots by various radio entertainers. ory Ratoff. Leslie Howard, Ingrid Bergman, Short and sweet, a must-see film. Calloway Edna Best, Cecil Kellaway, John Halliday. sings the memorable ‘‘Reefer Man.’’▼●쩠 One of the best love stories ever filmed, as International Squadron (1941) 87m. ★★1⁄2 married Howard, renowned violinist, has D: Lothar Mendes. Ronald Reagan, James an affair with musical prote´ge´e Bergman Stephenson, Olympe Bradna, William Lundi(in her first English-speaking film). Short gan, Joan Perry, Julie Bishop, Cliff Edwards. and sweet, highlighted by Robert Henning– Air Force straightens out no-account Reagan Heinz Provost love theme. Original title: INand turns him into fighting ace. Standard war TERMEZZO, A LOVE STORY; Bergman story, a remake of CEILING ZERO. played same role in Gustav Molander’s 1936 International Velvet (1978-British-U.S.) Swedish version. Remade, after a fashion, C-127m. ★★★ D: Bryan Forbes. Tatum as HONEYSUCKLE ROSE.▼●쩠 O’Neal, Christopher Plummer, Anthony Intermission (2003-Irish-British) C-102m. Hopkins, Nanette Newman, Dinsdale Lan★★★ D: John Crowley. Colin Farrell, Shirley den. Long overdue sequel to NATIONAL Henderson, Kelly Macdonald, Colm Meaney, VELVET has Velvet (Newman) a grown Cillian Murphy, Ger Ryan, Brı´an F. O’Byrne, woman with a live-in lover (Plummer) and Barbara Bergin, Michael McElhatton, Deirdre a niece (O’Neal) primed to follow in her O’Kane, David Wilmot. A lively mosaic of footsteps as an Olympic horsewoman. Too stories in modern-day Dublin involving lengthy and shunned by the critics, but working-class people whose dysfunctional deftly played by Hopkins and Plummer; exlives collide as they search for love, vent quisitely filmed, entertaining. [PG]▼쩠 their anger, and commit crimes that can’t Internecine Project, The (1974-British) possibly pay. Alternately furious and funny, ★★ D: Ken Hughes. James Coburn, C-89m. shot with a great feeling of spontaneity on Lee Grant, Harry Andrews, Ian Hendry, high-definition video by a first-time direcMichael Jayston, Keenan Wynn. Lacklustor. The girl with the ice cream cone in ter espionage drama with Coburn as opporthe film’s first scene is Emma Bolger, who tunist who tries to eliminate skeletons in costars in IN AMERICA. [R]▼쩠 his closet by having a handful of industrial Internal Affairs (1990) C-117m. ★★ D: spies kill each other off. [PG]▼ Mike Figgis. Richard Gere, Andy Garcia, Interns, The (1962) 120m. ★★★ D: David Nancy Travis, Laurie Metcalf, Richard Swift. Michael Callan, Cliff Robertson, Bradford, William Baldwin, Michael Beach, James MacArthur, Nick Adams, Suzy ParAnnabella Sciorra, Elijah Wood. Smarmy, ker, Haya Harareet, Stefanie Powers, Buddy overripe, and overlong drama about a Ebsen, Telly Savalas. Glossy, renovated young cop who joins L.A.’s Internal Affairs DR. KILDARE soap opera, kept afloat by Dept. and becomes obsessed with nailing a an interesting young cast. Followed by cocky, corrupt officer (Gere) who’s a past sequel THE NEW INTERNS.▼● master at manipulating people. Intriguing Interpreter, The (2005-U.S.-German) Cideas get lost, and illogic takes over pretty 128m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sydney Pollack. Nicole Kidquickly. [R]▼●쩠 man, Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper International, The (2009-U.S.-German) Christensen, Yvan Attal, Earl Cameron, MiC-118m. ★★ D: Tom Tykwer. Clive Owen, chael Wright, George Harris, Clyde Kusatsu, Naomi Watts, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ulrich Hugo Speer. U.N. interpreter Kidman overThomsen, Brian F. O’Byrne, Jack McGee, hears what sounds like an assassination plot Felix Solis, James Rebhorn. Interpol agent against the leader of her homeland, Matobo, Owen teams up with Manhattan D.A. Watts who’s about to visit N.Y.C. Federal agent in an effort to get the goods on an internaPenn is assigned to investigate the credibility tional bank that’s involved in all sorts of of her claim and becomes emotionally indirty deals. Slick suspense thriller circles volved. Star wattage and filmmaking craftsthe globe but is discouragingly sparse on manship help compensate for many loose ends suspense or thrills, except for a long, brain this thriller (credited to three separate screenvura shootout inside N.Y.C.’s Guggenheim writers, ‘‘with the help of’’ a novel), but it Museum. Its seemingly topical subject matseems neither the CIA, FBI, Secret Service, [ 682 ]

U.N. security, nor the NYPD can keep an eye pire Chronicles (1994) C-122m. ★1⁄2 D: on a suspect for long! Pollack has a small role Neil Jordan. Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Antonio as Penn’s boss. Technovision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Banderas, Stephen Rea, Christian Slater, Interrupted Melody (1955) C-106m. ★★★ Kirsten Dunst, Domiziana Giordano, ThanD: Curtis Bernhardt. Eleanor Parker, Glenn die Newton, Indra Ove. In contemporary Ford, Roger Moore, Cecil Kellaway, Ann San Francisco, a young man grants an interCodee, Stephan Bekassy. Fine biography view about his 200-year existence as a of Marjorie Lawrence, Australian opera vampire—a ‘‘life’’ with which he has never star, who made a comeback after being felt completely comfortable. Likely to satcrippled by polio. Eileen Farrell sings for isfy fans of Anne Rice’s popular novel, and Parker. William Ludwig and Sonya Levien female fans of its star ‘‘hunks,’’ but this won Oscars for their story and screenplay. descent into the netherworld is unappealing, CinemaScope.▼●쩠 unrelenting, and (after a while) downright Intersection (1994) C-98m. ★1⁄2 D: Mark boring. The actors can’t be faulted, nor can Rydell. Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Lolita the handsome production design. Followed by QUEEN OF THE DAMNED. [R]▼●쩠 Davidovich, Martin Landau, David Selby, Jenny Morrison, Ron White. Dreary romanIntervista (1987-Italian) C-108m. ★★★ D: tic triangle of wealthy architect Gere, who Federico Fellini. Sergio Rubini, Antonella has drifted apart from his aloof wife Ponziani, Maurizio Mein, Paola Liguori, (Stone), and taken up with spunky DavidoLara Wendel, Antonio Cantafora, Nadia vich. Meanwhile, all involved feel terribly Ottaviani, Anita Ekberg, Marcello Masguilty about the teenage daughter they’re troianni, Federico Fellini. Engaging, illuhurting. Title comes from an accident site, minating mock-documentary about the makwhich prompts all this moping around in a ing of a film about Fellini; the master is series of flashbacks. Derived from a 1970 depicted in production of an adaptation of French feature, LES CHOSES DE LA VIE Kafka’s Amerika. Mastroianni and Ekberg (THE THINGS OF LIFE), directed by (who costarred almost 30 years before in Claude Sautet. [R]▼●쩠 LA DOLCE VITA) appear as themselves. Interval (1973-Mexican) C-84m. ★★ D: The film also serves as an homage to Daniel Mann. Merle Oberon, Robert WoldCinecitta`, the studio where Fellini shot all ers, Claudio Brook, Russ Conway, Charles of his classics. ▼쩠 Bateman, Barbara Ransom. A globetrotIn the Army Now (1994) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: ting woman, running from her past, finds Daniel Petrie, Jr. Pauly Shore, Lori Petty, true love with a much younger man David Alan Grier, Andy Dick, Esai Morales, (Wolders, who became Oberon’s husband Lynn Whitfield, Art LeFleur, Tom Villard, in real life). Drippy May-December roKeith Coogan. Pauly is a pacifist who joins mance, filmed in Mexico and produced by the army so he can ‘‘be all that he can be Oberon, whose last film this was. [PG] ▼ for free,’’ only to learn that there’s more to Interview (2007) C-86m. ★★★ D: Steve Busenlisting than receiving complimentary room cemi. Sienna Miller, Steve Buscemi. Political and board. Latest in a long line of barracks reporter reluctantly carries out an assignment comedies proves no competition for BUCK to interview a beautiful young actress who’s PRIVATES. Pauly’s fans might disagree. put off by his obvious indifference to the Brendan Fraser appears unbilled. [PG] ▼●쩠 task. Over the course of an evening, they In the Bedroom (2001) C-138m. ★★★ D: take turns seducing and bamboozling each Todd Field. Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, other. Remake of Theo van Gogh’s Dutch Nick Stahl, Marisa Tomei, William Mamovie of the same name, shot in a series of pother, William Wise, Celia Weston, Karen lengthy handheld takes, ebbs and flows but Allen. An avuncular small-town Maine docnever completely loses its momentum betor and his wife, who teaches music in the cause of the two stars’ compelling perforlocal school, don’t approve of the ‘‘older’’ mances. Buscemi and David Schechter woman their son has fallen in love with . . . adapted Theodor Holman’s original screenbut no one is prepared for the events that play. [R]쩠 then unfold. Quiet, observant film explores Interview With the Assassin (2002) C-88m. how grief affects a longtime married couple ★★★ D: Neil Burger. Raymond J. Barry, Dylan and the people around them. Rock-solid Haggerty, Renee Faia, Kelsey Kemper, Denperformances by all the lead actors. Field’s nis Lau, Jared McVay. An unemployed camfeature directing debut; he also coscripted eraman interviews and tapes his terminally with Rob Festinger, from a story by Andre ill next-door neighbor (Barry, in a riveting Dubus. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 performance), who claims to be the soIn the Bleak Midwinter SEE: Midwincalled second gunman who assassinated ter’s Tale, A John F. Kennedy. This documentary-style In the Company of Men (1997) C-93m. ★★ D: Neil LaBute. Aaron Eckhart, Stacy film is a bit gimmicky, but still interesting and disturbing, a worthy companion piece Edwards, Matt Malloy, Mark Rector. Provocto Oliver Stone’s JFK.▼쩠 ative but stark and discomfiting low-budget Interview With the Vampire: The Vamfilm about two yuppie office workers who— [ 683 ]

frustrated by the world around them, and women in particular—make a pact that while they’re on assignment in another city, they’ll both date a woman and then dump her, just for the satisfaction of it. The slicker of the two (Eckhart) turns out to have a hidden agenda, however. Alternately absorbing, humdrum, and distasteful. Eckhart’s creepy character does get under your skin. Highly praised in some circles. Written by the director. [R]

117m.). John Sayles has a hilarious cameo as a foulmouthed movie director. Alec Baldwin played Robicheaux in 1996’s HEAVEN’S PRISONERS. Panavision. [R]쩠 In the French Style (1963) 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Parrish. Jean Seberg, Stanley Baker, Addison Powell, James Leo Herlihy, Philippe Forquet, Claudine Auger. Two short stories by Irwin Shaw are basis for this overlong account of American girl who discovers tran▼●쩠 In the Cool of the Day (1963-British) sient affairs are marring her life. C-89m. ★★ D: Robert Stevens. Peter Finch, In the Good Old Summertime (1949) C-102m. ★★★ D: Robert Z. Leonard. Judy Jane Fonda, Angela Lansbury, Arthur Hill, Constance Cummings, Alexander Knox, Garland, Van Johnson, S. Z. ‘‘Cuddles’’ Nigel Davenport, Alec McCowen. Good Sakall, Spring Byington, Clinton Sundberg, cast flounders in turgid soaper, with Finch Buster Keaton. Musical remake of THE (who is married to bitchy Lansbury) mediatSHOP AROUND THE CORNER, with ing marital rift between Hill and his emoGarland and Johnson the pen pals who fall tionally and physically fragile wife Fonda; in love. Not up to most MGM Garland soon Finch and Fonda fall in love. Location vehicles, but pleasant. That’s young Liza Minnelli with Judy in the finale.▼●쩠 filming in Greece helps. Panavision. In the Cut (2003-U.S.-Australian) C-118m. In the Heat of Passion (1992) C-102m. ★★1 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Jane Campion. Meg Ryan, Mark ⁄2 D: Rodman Flender. Sally Kirkland, Ruffalo, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Damici, Nick Corri, Jack Carter, Michael Greene, Sharrieff Pugh. An English teacher becomes Gloria LeRoy, Carl Franklin. Low-budget involved with a homicide detective who’s but diverting film noir, with Corri a young investigating a series of brutal murders of garage mechanic who puts the moves on women in her Manhattan neighborhood. A wealthy, mysterious Kirkland. When her daring look at a sexual relationship between husband gets in the way, what’s a lover to two emotionally fragile people, set against do? Twisty tale encompasses a serial rapist the backdrop of a murder mystery. Provocaand the reality-TV show tracking him, with tive and doggedly antiromantic, the storytellCorri’s assistance. Genuinely suspenseful, ing is faulty and drawn out, but the sexually frank film hindered by mediocre atmosphere and performances are first-rate. production values. [R]▼● Adapted by Campion and Susanna Moore In the Heat of the Night (1967) C-109m. ★★★★ from the latter’s novel. Kevin Bacon appears D: Norman Jewison. Sidney Poitier, unbilled. Unrated version runs 119m. [R] ▼쩠 Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant, In the Devil’s Garden (1971-British) CScott Wilson, Larry Gates, Quentin Dean, 89m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney Hayers. Suzy Kendall, James Patterson, Anthony James, William Frank Finlay, Freddie Jones, Lesley-Anne Schallert. Redneck Southern sheriff grudgDown, James Laurenson, Tony Beckley. Uningly accepts help from big-city black detecdistinguished thriller of rapist-killer in girls’ tive in solving bizarre murder. Marvelous school; of interest mainly for the presence of social thriller hasn’t dated one bit—tough, Down, in an early role as one of the victims. funny, and atmospheric, with unbeatable actAka ASSAULT, THE CREEPERS, TOWER ing and splendid Quincy Jones score. Five OF TERROR and SATAN’S PLAYOscars include Best Picture, Actor (Steiger), THINGS. Panavision. [R]▼ Screenplay (Stirling Silliphant), Editing (Hal In the Electric Mist (2009-U.S.-French) CAshby). Poitier reprised his character in 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bertrand Tavernier. Tommy THEY CALL ME MISTER TIBBS! and Lee Jones, John Goodman, Mary SteenburTHE ORGANIZATION. Followed by a TV gen, Peter Sarsgaard, Kelly Macdonald, series 20 years later. ▼●쩠 Pruitt Taylor Vince, Justina Machado, Ned In the Land of Women (2007) C-98m. ★★ Beatty, James Gammon, Levon Helm, D: Jonathan Kasdan. Adam Brody, Kristen Buddy Guy, Julio Ce´sar Cedillo. RecovStewart, Meg Ryan, Olympia Dukakis, Maering alcoholic Louisiana detective Dave kenzie Vega, Elena Anaya, Clark Gregg, Robicheaux (Jones) is trying to solve a seJoBeth Williams, Dustin Milligan, Ginnifer ries of gruesome murders when the corpse Goodwin. A 26-year-old L.A. writer, feeling of a black man killed 40 years ago surfaces he’s a failure, moves to Michigan to care for in a nearby marsh. Atmospheric and well his elderly (i.e., frail but feisty) grandmother cast, this police procedural with mystical and soon gets to know/help/save an upscale undertones is highly watchable, although (i.e., cold and empty) family across the street. some of the characters and relationships Oh, yes—he also finds himself in the process. seem a bit sketchy (and may come to life Brody (The O.C.) is good in his first film lead, more fully in James Lee Burke’s novel or but this is pretty predictable stuff. Feature Tavernier’s European cut, which runs writing and directing debut for Jonathan Kas[ 684 ]

dan (son of Lawrence, brother of Jake). Super tensen. From his padded cell, desperate Neill 35. [PG-13]쩠 relates his story to Warner: Hired to locate In the Line of Fire (1993) C-128m. ★★★1⁄2 reclusive horror writer Prochnow, Neill finds D: Wolfgang Petersen. Clint Eastwood, him in a small New England town. But then John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan Mcpeople, places, and even reality begin underDermott, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompgoing horrific transformations. The first twoson, John Mahoney, Jim Curley, Clyde thirds is among Carpenter’s best work as a Kusatsu, Patrika Darbo, John Heard. Crackdirector, and Neill is outstanding, but the last ling, well-made thriller about a would-be third becomes pointlessly obscure, and the presidential assassin who pulls Secret Serending is a pretentious letdown. Derived, vice agent Eastwood—who failed to protect without credit, from concepts created by H. P. Lovecraft. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 President Kennedy in 1963—into a cruel game of cat-and-mouse as he plans to murIn the Name of the Father (1993-U.S.Irish) C-127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jim Sheridan. der the current president. Eastwood, as an older, vulnerable, piano-playing loner, has Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma never been better, and Malkovich matches Thompson, John Lynch, Corin Redgrave, Beahim as the superintelligent loony. Steve tie Edney, Daniel Massey. Searing, fact-based Railsback appears unbilled. Written by Jeff account of youthful Belfast no-good who’s Maguire. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 picked up—along with a friend and most of his In The Mix (2005) C-95m. BOMB D: Ron family—by British police and accused of a terUnderwood. Usher, Chazz Palminteri, Robrorist bombing he had nothing to do with. Diert Costanzo, Robert Davi, Matt Gerald, rector Sheridan grabs you by the collar and Emmanuelle Chriqui, Anthony Fazio, Kevin never lets go; Day-Lewis is extraordinarily inHart, Nick Mancuso, Deezer D, Geoff Stults. tense and believable, Postlethwaite every bit as Lame vehicle for rap star Usher, who is good as his simple, straightforward dad. Gerry adequate—and nothing more—in this gangsta Conlon’s book Proved Innocent adapted by nap about a club deejay recruited to guard a Sheridan and Terry George. [R]▼●쩠 mob boss’ daughter. When they get inIn the Name of the King: A Dungeon volved romantically, Dad gets ticked off. Siege Tale (2008-German-Canadian) CPredictable comedy-drama merges the 126m. BOMB D: Uwe Boll. Jason Statham, worlds of hip-hop and the Mob in pedesJohn Rhys-Davies, Ray Liotta, Matthew trian manner. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Lillard, Leelee Sobieski, Burt Reynolds, In the Mood (1987) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Kristanna Alden Robinson. Patrick Dempsey, Talia Loken. Reluctant warrior Statham joins Balsam, Beverly D’Angelo, Michael Conforces with a brave king (Reynolds) to batstantine, Betty Jinette, Kathleen Freeman, tle a treacherous usurper (Lillard) and a Peter Hobbs, Edith Fellows. Engaging if wicked wizard (Liotta). Another videolow-key comedy based on true story of game–inspired fiasco from the unfortunately 1944’s ‘‘woo woo kid’’ Sonny Wisecarver, prolific Boll. Even with a bigger budget and a 15-year-old California boy who made better actors than usual, this is a plodding headlines because of his affairs with two patchwork of derivative fantasy-adventure, ‘‘older’’ women, one of whom he actually with substandard CGI effects and haphazmarried. Dempsey is ideal and Robinson’s ardly edited action sequences. Alternate version runs 162m. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 script is delightfully wry, but film lacks a certain punch. The real-life Wisecarver apIn the Navy (1941) 85m. ★★1⁄2 D: Arthur pears as a mailman in newsreel sequence Lubin. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dick (narrated by an uncredited Carl Reiner). Powell, The Andrews Sisters, Claire Dodd, Wonderful score by Ralph Burns, incorpoDick Foran. Bud and Lou are somehow in rating many vintage songs. [PG-13]▼● the Navy; Lou has hallucinations and nearly In the Mood for Love (2000-Hong Kongwrecks the entire fleet. Powell and Andrews Sisters provide songs, and Costello shows French) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wong Kar-wai. Abbott how 7 × 13 = 28. ▼●쩠 Maggie Cheung, Tony Leung, Lai Chin, Rebecca Pan, Siu Ping-lam, Chin Tsi-ang. In In the Realm of Passion SEE: Empire of 1962 Hong Kong, two lonely, married people Passion are drawn to each other, but dare not pursue In the Realm of the Senses (1976-JapaneseFrench) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Nagisa Oshima. their feelings. An intriguing study of repressed emotions, ingeniously filmed so we’re often Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda, Aio Nakajima, peeking around corners, only partially seeing Meika Seri. Sexually insatiable Matsuda what is going on. An exceptional mood piece will do anything to possess husband Fuji. that, like its characters, too often keeps us at Explicit, controversial, often erotic and wellan emotional distance. [PG]▼쩠 acted, but overall a pretentious film. The story In the Mouth of Madness (1995) C-95m. was previously told in A WOMAN CALLED ★★1⁄2 D: John Carpenter. Sam Neill, Jurgen SADA ABE: BEYOND THE REALM OF ¨ THE SENSES.▼쩠 Prochnow, Charlton Heston, David Warner, John Glover, Julie Carmen, Bernie Casey, In the Shadow of the Moon (2007-U.S.Peter Jason, Frances Bay, Hayden ChrisBritish) C-100m. ★★★★ D: David Sington. [ 685 ]

The story of the Apollo space program, as dunit takes us into dark, difficult terrain, all told by ten of the men who flew to (and in of it mirrored on Jones’ haunted face; his some cases walked on) the moon, illustrated exceptional performance anchors this outby breathtaking NASA footage, some of standing film. Haggis scripted from a story which has never been seen before. The ashe wrote with Mark Boal, inspired by reallife events. Super 35. [R]쩠 tronauts are candid, articulate, and reflective, nearly 40 years after their otherworldly In the White City (1983-Swiss-Portuguese) exploits. (The most impressive: Mike ColC-108m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alain Tanner. Bruno lins, who’s kept a low profile since Apollo Ganz, Teresa Madruga, Julia Vonderlinn, 11.) An unexpectedly moving reminder of a Jose Carvalho. Involving, thought-provoking, time when Americans were united in justiKafkaesque tale of seaman Ganz’s experifiable pride over a towering human achieveences while in Lisbon, highlighted by his ment. [PG]쩠 relationship with chambermaid Madruga. In the Shadow of the Stars (1991) C-93m. The work of a filmmaker in complete ★★★ D: Irving Saraf, Allie Light. Absorbing command of his art.▼ documentary about members of the chorus of In This Our Life (1942) 97m. ★★★ D: John the San Francisco Opera Company—the drive Huston. Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, that makes them want to sing, the yearning George Brent, Dennis Morgan, Charles Coto take center stage, the sacrifices made, the burn, Frank Craven, Billie Burke, Hattie Mcdreams fulfilled. Even nonopera lovers will be Daniel, Lee Patrick, Ernest Anderson. Fine caught up in this very human story, simply drama of neurotic family with husband-stealbut eloquently told (with a healthy selection ing Davis ruining sister de Havilland’s life, of operatic excerpts). Oscar winner for Best and eventually her own; Davis at histrionic Documentary Feature.▼쩠 height. Based on Ellen Glasgow novel. Walter In the Soup (1992) C/B&W-90m. ★★1⁄2 Huston has cameo role as bartender in one D: Alexandre Rockwell. Steve Buscemi, scene. Also shown in computer-colored Seymour Cassel, Jennifer Beals, Pat Moya, version.▼●쩠 Will Patton, Sully Boyar, Jim Jarmusch, Carol In This World (2003-British) C-90m. ★★★ Kane, Stanley Tucci, Rockets Redglare, ElizaD: Michael Winterbottom. Jamal Udin Torbeth Bracco, Debi Mazar, Sam Rockwell. Ababi, Enayatullah. Teenage Jamal and his surdist comedy about a naive, ambitious writer slightly older uncle Enayat pool their re(Buscemi) who’s penned a 500-page screensources for cross-country transportation play and the eccentric small-time hood (Cassel, from an Afghan refugee camp to London. in a canny, award-caliber performance) who They travel by truck, train, and boat with promises to produce his film. At times very surprisingly few complications—but those funny, but also downright silly; coscripted by few can be deadly. Intriguing, unscripted Rockwell. Filmed in color, released in b&w. film was shot as the two protagonists, playBoth versions available on video.▼쩠 ing themselves, actually made the journey. In the Spirit (1990) C-94m. ★★ D: Sandra This, coupled with handheld photography, Seacat. Marlo Thomas, Elaine May, Peter creates a powerful sense of realism. EnFalk, Jeannie Berlin, Olympia Dukakis, grossing, almost hypnotic at times, though Melanie Griffith, Michael Emil, Christothe ultimate point remains elusive. Digital pher Durang. Oddball throwback to black Video Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 comedies of the 1970s, as mystic Thomas Intimate Affairs SEE: Investigating Sex and house guest May get targeted by the Intimate Lighting (1965-Czech) 72m. ★★★ mysterious killer who’s murdered the prosD: Ivan Passer. Vera Kresadlova, titute next door. Packed with characters Zdenek Brezusek, Karel Blazek, Jaroslava and performances that tend to grate on the Stedra, Jan Vostrcil, Vlastmila Vlkova, nerves, though it is fun to see Thomas and Karel Uhlik. Unpretentious, day-in-the-life May doing Abbott and Costello (or is it a story of two old friends, professional neurotic version of Lucy and Ethel?). Grifmusicians, reuniting after long absence at fith has just one scene. [R]▼ country home. Excellent performances.▼ In the Valley of Elah (2007) C-120m. Intimate Relations (1996-British-Cana★★★1 ⁄2 D: Paul Haggis. Tommy Lee Jones, dian) C-105m. ★★★ D: Philip Goodhew. Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon, Jason PaJulie Walters, Rupert Graves, Matthew tric, James Franco, Josh Brolin, Frances Walker, Laura Sadler, Holly Aird, Les DenFisher, Jonathan Tucker, Mehcad Brooks, nis, Elizabeth McKechnie. Black comedy/ Wes Chatham, Jake McLaughlin, Victor melodrama of romantic obsession in 1954 Wolf, Barry Corbin. Retired Army investiEngland. Housewife Walters (wickedly efgator Jones takes matters into his own hands fective) takes in sailor Graves as a lodger, when his son, just returned from duty in and in no time passions are aroused Iraq, is reported AWOL. In time he conthroughout the household. Interesting Britvinces police detective Theron that his susish Empire tale (fact based, and for mature picions are worth checking out, in spite of viewers) reminiscent in many ways of both stonewalling from Army officials and the A PRIVATE FUNCTION and HEAVENLY CREATURES. [R]▼● young man’s fellow soldiers. Riveting who[ 686 ]

Intimate Stranger, The SEE: Finger of Guilt Intimate Strangers (2004-French) C-105m. ★★★ D: Patrice Leconte. Fabrice Luchini, Sandrine Bonnaire, Michel Duchaussoy, Anne Brochet, Gilbert Melki, Laurent Gamelon. A woman forces her way into a psychiatrist’s office and pours her heart out about her marital woes; he doesn’t have the heart to tell her that she’s come to the wrong office, as he is a mere tax adviser. Their relationship blossoms just the same in this charming, often piquant film, with two masterly performances guided by the gifted Leconte. The girl who asks a question in the library is Aurore Auteuil, daughter of Daniel Auteuil and Emmanuelle Be´art. Panavision. [R]▼쩠 Intolerable Cruelty (2003) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel Coen. George Clooney, Catherine ZetaJones, Geoffrey Rush, Cedric the Entertainer, Edward Herrmann, Paul Adelstein, Richard Jenkins, Billy Bob Thornton, Julia Duffy, Jonathan Hadary, Tom Aldredge. A swaggering divorce attorney meets his match in a gold digger who sets her cap for him as the ultimate conquest. Clooney is terrific, Zeta-Jones is luminous, and they’re supported by canny costars and faces out of Fellini’s old casting directory . . . but the fun turns sour after a while, as no one is ‘‘real’’ enough to root for. Still, there are many funny moments, especially with Herrmann, Rush, and Thornton. Bruce Campbell appears unbilled. [PG-13]

covers a heretofore unexplored subject: the extraordinary efforts to place Jewish children from Germany, Austria, and Czechoslovakia out of harm’s way by sending them to live with families in England during WW2. Told in large part by the people who lived through this experience, with the help of some incredibly rare footage from the period. From the same writer-director responsible for THE LONG WAY HOME. Oscar winner for Best Documentary. [PG]▼쩠 Into the Blue (2005) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: John Stockwell. Paul Walker, Jessica Alba, Scott Caan, Ashley Scott, Josh Brolin, James Frain, Tyson Beckford. While diving in the Bahamas, a quartet of Beautiful People encounters the remains of a crashed plane laden with a cache of cocaine. Picturesque scenery and plenty of eye candy don’t compensate for a half-baked storyline, routine suspense, and mindless violence. Followed by a DVD sequel. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Into the Fire (1987-Canadian) C-93m. ★★ D: Graeme Campbell. Susan Anspach, Olivia d’Abo, Art Hindle. Old-fashioned murder/sex triangle thriller has the novelty of a wintry Canadian setting where lodge owner Anspach is an impressive seductress. Almost outdone by one too many plot twists. Precocious d’Abo is also a stunning, contrasting femme fatale. Aka LEGEND OF WOLF LODGE. [R]▼●쩠 Into the Night (1985) C-115m. ★★★ D: John Landis. Jeff Goldblum, Michelle ▼쩠 Intolerance (1916) 178m. ★★★★ D: D. W. Pfeiffer, Richard Farnsworth, Irene Papas, Griffith. Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Mae Kathryn Harrold, Paul Mazursky, Roger Marsh, Constance Talmadge, Bessie Love, Vadim, Dan Aykroyd, David Bowie, Bruce Seena Owen, Alfred Paget, Eugene PalMcGill, Vera Miles, Clu Gulager. Engaglette, many others. Landmark American ing, episodic film about a middle-class epic interweaves four stories of prejudice nerd who helps a beautiful woman who’s and inhumanity, from the Babylonian era being chased by killers. Convoluted story to the modern day. Melodramatic, to be filled with offbeat vignettes and colorful sure, but gains in momentum and power as characters, many of them played by Hollyit moves toward its stunning climax. That’s wood directors (Don Siegel, Jonathan Lillian Gish as the mother rocking the Demme, Jack Arnold, Lawrence Kasdan, cradle; Constance Talmadge gives a most Paul Bartel, David Cronenberg, Richard appealing and contemporary performance Franklin, Colin Higgins, Andrew Marton, as the sprightly Mountain Girl. Shown in a Jonathan Kaufer, Amy Heckerling). Landis variety of prints with variant running himself is very funny as one of the Iranian times—as long as 208m.▼●쩠 bad guys. Probably more appealing to film In Too Deep (1999) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mibuffs than general audiences. [R]▼●쩠 chael Rymer. Omar Epps, LL Cool J, Nia Into the Sun (1992) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Long, Stanley Tucci, Hill Harper, Pam Fritz Kiersch. Anthony Michael Hall, Grier, Veronica Webb. Police academy grad Michael Pare´, Deborah Maria Moore, Terry (Epps) goes undercover to take on a ruthless Kiser, Brian Haley. Hall plays a conceited crimelord known as ‘‘God’’ (LL Cool J) actor who tags along with U.S. pilot Pare´ in but finds he can’t get out. Gritty, realistic order to research an upcoming film role. gangsploitation actually avoids most of the Virtually identical in plot to the Michael cliche´s of the genre and has a commanding, J. Fox/James Woods comedy THE HARD understated performance from Epps at its WAY, with a change in milieu (and budget). core. Hip-hoppers Jermaine Dupri, Mya and Aerial stunts aren’t bad considering the Nas appear in cameos. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 threadbare production values, but it’s only Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the for those who’ll try anything. [R]▼● Kindertransport (2000) C/B&W-117m. Into the West (1993-Irish) C-97m. ★★★ D: ★★★1⁄2 D: Mark Jonathan Harris. Narrated Mike Newell. Gabriel Byrne, Colm by Judi Dench. Well-crafted documentary Meaney, Ellen Barkin, Ciaran Fitzgerald, [ 687 ]

Ruaidhri Conroy, David Kelly, Johnny physical, as he leaves his hearty life behind Murphy, John Kavanagh, Pauline Delaney. on the French-Swiss border, arranges for a Dark, melancholy fable about two young heart transplant, and moves to a remote brothers who flee their drab Dublin life South Seas island. Denis demands a great (with a morose, widowed father) on the deal of the viewer as she interweaves past, back of a mystical white horse. A highly present, and future and alternates between original film with equal parts charm, dour reality and a kind of dream-state. Difficult Irish moods, and the theme of family and its and fascinating at the same time; beautifully inexorable pull on us all. Written by Jim shot by Agnes Godard. Inspired by JeanSheridan. [PG]▼●쩠 Luc Nancy’s memoir. Super 35.쩠 Into the Wild (2007) C-148m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Intruder in the Dust (1949) 87m. ★★★ D: Sean Penn. Emile Hirsch, William Hurt, Clarence Brown. David Brian, Claude Marcia Gay Harden, Jena Malone, CatherJarman, Jr., Juano Hernandez, Porter Hall, ine Keener, Vince Vaughn, Kristen Stewart, Elizabeth Patterson. Black man (Hernandez, Hal Holbrook, Brian Dierker, Zach Galifiin a solid performance) is accused of muranakis, Thure Lindhardt. Recent college der in a Southern town, and a gathering graduate Chris McCandless spurns his mob wants to lynch him. First-rate adaptaparents—and America’s capitalist society— tion of William Faulkner novel. Surprisin search of quieter, more personal fulfillingly strong for a mainstream Hollywood ment in the Alaskan wilderness. But along film of that period; good use of locations, the road he meets a variety of people who superbly photographed by Robert Surtees. become something like extended family. IdBiggest problem: Brian’s character is aliosyncratic melding of hippie sensibility ways speechifying and moralizing. Screenand nature documentary results in writerplay by Ben Maddow. ▼ director-coproducer Penn’s most artistic and Invaders, The SEE: 49th Parallel powerful release to date—and a heartbreaker. Invaders From Mars (1953) C-78m. Working on a large canvas, Penn elicits ★★★ D: William Cameron Menzies. Helena some wonderful vignettes and expert perCarter, Arthur Franz, Jimmy Hunt, Leif formances and punctuates it all with music Erickson, Hillary Brooke, Bert Freed. by Eddie Vedder, among others. Based on Starkly stylish sci-fi told from little boy’s the nonfiction bestseller by Jon Krakauer. point of view, as he alone witnesses arrival Super 35. [R]쩠 of aliens who capture and brainwash resiIntroducing the Dwights (2007-Australian) dents of average small town. Remade in C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Cherie Nowlan. Brenda 1986. Alternate British version runs 83m.— Blethyn, Rebecca Gibney, Khan Chittenand changes the ending!▼●쩠 den, Richard Wilson, Frankie J. Holden, Invaders From Mars (1986) C-100m. ★1⁄2 Russell Dykstra, Emma Booth, Katie Wall, D: Tobe Hooper. Karen Black, Hunter Philip Quast. A soft-spoken teenage boy has Carson, Timothy Bottoms, Laraine Newput his own life on hold in order to shuttle man, James Karen, Louise Fletcher, Bud his mother—a force of nature not to be triCort, Jimmy Hunt. Remake of ’50s fantasy fled with—to engagements in comedy clubs favorite about a boy’s nightmarish experiaround greater Sydney. But when he acquires ences when aliens land in his back yard and a girlfriend for the first time, Mom goes ballisovertake everyone around him—even his partic. Mild comedy-drama about a messed-up ents. Starts fine, rapidly goes downhill toward family is easy to take and offers Blethyn a utter disaster. Hunt, the youngster in the origigreat showcase. Original Australian title: nal film, plays a police chief here; the boy this CLUBLAND. [R]쩠 time is real-life son of costar Black. J-D-C Intruder, The (1962) 80m. ★★★ D: Roger Scope. [PG] ▼●쩠 Corman. William Shatner, Frank Maxwell, Invasion, The (2007) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: OliBeverly Lunsford, Robert Emhardt, Leo ver Hirschbiegel. Nicole Kidman, Daniel Gordon, Jeanne Cooper, Charles Beaumont, Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond, VeGeorge Clayton Johnson, William F. Nolan. ronica Cartwright, Jeffrey Wright, Josef Racist Shatner drifts from one small SouthSommer, Celia Weston, Roger Rees, Eric ern town to another inciting townspeople to Benjamin, Adam LeFevre. Third remake of riot against court-ordered school integraINVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHtion. Corman’s only ‘‘message’’ film—and ERS is not the charm, as this mess never one of his few box-office flops—still packs comes together as both the sci-fi thriller and a punch; low budget and location filming human drama it seeks to be. Kidman is a aid authenticity. Script by Charles BeauWashington, D.C., psychiatrist who slowly mont. Reissued as I HATE YOUR GUTS! discovers that a mysterious disease taking and SHAME.▼쩠 over the planet may be alien-inspired. With Intruder, The (2005-French) C-129m. ★★★ the help of doctor Craig she must find the D: Claire Denis. Michel Subor, Gre´goire antidote before most of humankind is lost. Colin, Katia Golubeva, Bambou, Florence Widely reported reshoots couldn’t salvage Loiret-Caille, Beatrice Dalle. Unusual drama of one man’s journey, both literal and metathis film. [PG-13]쩠 [ 688 ]

Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. SEE: Daleks— Invasion Earth 2150 A.D. Invasion Force SEE: Hangar 18 Invasion of the Animal People (1962) 73m. ★1⁄2 D: Virgil Vogel, Jerry Warren. Robert Burton, Barbara Wilson, Sten Gester, Bengt Bomgren. John Carradine is narrator and American link for Swedishmade 1958 production about rampaging monster who escapes from spaceship and terrorizes Lapland. Low-grade nonsense. Original Swedish version, TERROR IN THE MIDNIGHT SUN, available on DVD.

anna Going, Kathy Baker, Will Patton, Barbara Williams, Alessandro Nivola, Shawn Hatosy. Two working-class brothers try to woo the beautiful and wealthy Abbott sisters in 1950s Midwest America. Aspires to be a classic coming-of-ager like SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS, but despite a very attractive cast, the proceedings are pretty flaccid. Lush surroundings can’t compensate for dull scripting; plays like an anemic Douglas Sirk melodrama or a return to Peyton Place. Michael Keaton narrates unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 Investigating Sex (2006-U.S.-German) C108m. ★★ D: Alan Rudolph. Dermot Mulro▼쩠 Invasion of the Bee Girls (1973) C-85m. ney, Julie Delpy, Robin Tunney, Neve ★★★ Campbell, Jeremy Davies, Alan Cumming, D: Denis Sanders. Victoria Vetri, William Smith, Anitra Ford, Cliff Osmond, Til Schweiger, John Light, Nick Nolte, TerWright King, Ben Hammer. Wonderfully rence Dashon Howard, Tuesday Weld, campy (and sexy) sci-fi outing about a Emily Bruni. Talky film, set in the 1920s, in strange force that’s transforming women which a group of artists and intellectuals into dangerous creatures who you-knowinitiate a discourse on the subject of sexualwhat men to death in a small California ity. Occasionally tart dialogue is overshadtown. Written by Nicholas Meyer preowed by long stretches of boredom and an SEVEN-PER-CENT SOLUTION. [R]▼쩠 outdated sense of daring. Hart Bochner apInvasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) pears unbilled. Completed in 2001. Aka INTIMATE AFFAIRS. [R]쩠 80m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Don Siegel. Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Investigation of a Citizen Above SuspiDonovan, Carolyn Jones, Virginia Christine. cion (1970-Italian) C-115m. ★★★ D: Elio Classic, influential, and still very scary Petri. Gian Maria Volonte´, Florinda Bolkan, science-fiction (with McCarthy-era subtext) Salvo Randone, Gianni Santuccio, Arturo about small-town residents who are being reDominici. Oscar-winning foreign film about placed by duplicates hatched from alien powerful police chief who slashes the throat ‘‘pods.’’ Tense script by Daniel Mainwarof his mistress, then waits entire movie to ing from Jack Finney’s The Body Snatchers; see if he’ll be caught. Interesting, but not Sam Peckinpah can be glimpsed as a meter overly gripping. Superbly creepy score by reader. Appropriately frightening musical Ennio Morricone. [R] score by Carmen Dragon. Reissued in 1979 Invincible (2002-British-German) C-127m. ★★ at 76m., minus unnecessary, studio-imposed D: Werner Herzog. Tim Roth, Jouko prologue and epilogue with Whit Bissell and Ahola, Anna Gourari, Jacob Wein, Max Richard Deacon. Remade in 1978 and 1994 Raabe, Gustav Peter Wo¨ehler, Udo Kier. A (as BODY SNATCHERS), and in 2007 as sweetly naı¨ve young Polish Jew becomes a THE INVASION. Also shown in computerfalse symbol of hope for Jewry in pre-Hitler colored version. SuperScope.▼●쩠 Berlin upon winning fame as a strongman Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) in a cabaret show staged by Hanussen C-115m. ★★★ D: Philip Kaufman. Donald (Roth), the magician-clairvoyant. This factSutherland, Brooke Adams, Leonard Nimoy, based account is overlong and by the numJeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright. Chillbers; it’s a compelling tale that deserves a ing remake of 1956 classic with many new far more subtle, pointed treatment. Hanustwists and turns; unfortunately, it runs out sen’s story is told much more forcefully in Istvan Szabo’s HANUSSEN. [PG-13] ▼쩠 of steam and offers one climax too many. Kevin McCarthy and Don Siegel, star and Invincible (2006) C-104m. ★★★ D: Ericson director of original film, have significant Core. Mark Wahlberg, Greg Kinnear, Elizacameo roles; look fast for Robert Duvall. beth Banks, Kevin Conway, Michael RisWeird score by Denny Zeitlin. [PG] ▼●쩠 poli, Michael Nouri, Kirk Acevedo, Dov Invasion Siniestra SEE: Sinister Invasion Davidoff, Michael Kelly, Sal Darigo, NiInvasion U.S.A. (1985) C-107m. BOMB coye Banks. Working-class stiff who’s been D: Joseph Zito. Chuck Norris, Richard laid off from his job and dumped by his Lynch, Melissa Prophet, Alex Colon. wife pursues a whim when the new coach Political-paranoia action film about retired of the Philadelphia Eagles football team CIA agent (Norris) back on the job when Rusholds an open tryout. Fact-based story of sian terrorists invade Florida, try to overtake Vince Papale (well played by Wahlberg) entire country by causing panic and turmoil. captures the hold a team can have on its Repellent in the extreme. [R]▼●쩠 hometown fans, especially when they have ★★ Inventing the Abbotts (1997) C-120m. little else to believe in. Solid entertainment. D: Pat O’Connor. Liv Tyler, Joaquin PhoeSuper 35. [PG]쩠 nix, Jennifer Connelly, Billy Crudup, JoInvincible Six, The (1970) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 [ 689 ]

D: Jean Negulesco. Stuart Whitman, Elke Sommer, Curt Jurgens, James Mitchum, Ian Ogilvy. Energetic action film about a motley crew on the lam who come to the aid of isolated villagers under the thumb of a bandit gang. It’s THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN transplanted to present-day midEast in this Iranian-made production. Widescreen. ▼ Invisible, The (2007) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: David S. Goyer. Justin Chatwin, Margarita Levieva, Marcia Gay Harden, Chris Marquette, Alex O’Loughlin, Callum Keith Rennie, Michelle Harrison, Ryan Kennedy, Andrew Francis. Dreary teen ghost story about a promising high school senior who is caught in limbo between life and death, ‘‘invisible’’ to all around him and headed for expiration unless he can solve the mystery of his own murder. Sort of a cross between GHOST and RIVER’S EDGE, this tries to be a spiritual whodunit but winds up a whydidtheymakeit instead. Based on a 2002 Swedish film of the same name. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Invisible Boy, The (1957) 89m. ★★★ D: Herman Hoffman. Richard Eyer, Philip Abbott, Diane Brewster, Harold J. Stone, Robert H. Harris; voice of Marvin Miller. The movies’ first supercomputer not only helps scientist Abbott’s lonely son Eyer become invisible (briefly) but also makes him smarter, so he can reassemble FORBIDDEN PLANET’s Robby the Robot. However, the computer wants to use Robby to control the world. Robot-loving kids will take this straight, but it’s an amusing, intelligent, low-key spoof of itself.쩠 Invisible Circus, The (2001) C-92m. ★★ D: Adam Brooks. Jordana Brewster, Christopher Eccleston, Cameron Diaz, Blythe Danner, Patrick Bergin, Camilla Belle, Moritz Bleibtreu. A teenage girl tries to retrace the footsteps of her older sister, a free spirit who died mysteriously in Europe seven years earlier. Diaz is excellent, but Brewster hits just one note in this unsatisfying film. Brooks adapted Jennifer Egan’s novel. [R]

of murder charge. Considered by many to be Price’s first horror film.▼●쩠 Invisible Man’s Revenge, The (1944) 77m. ★★ D: Ford Beebe. Jon Hall, Alan Curtis, Evelyn Ankers, Leon Errol, John Carradine, Gale Sondergaard, Ian Wolfe, Billy Bevan. Hall allows unsuspecting scientist Carradine to make him invisible so he can seek vengeance on former business partners. Mixed-up script, unfunny comic relief (Errol), and slightly below par special effects add up to weakest INVISIBLE MAN sequel. ▼●쩠 Invisible Ray, The (1936) 81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lambert Hillyer. Boris Karloff, Bela Lugosi, Frances Drake, Frank Lawton, Walter Kingsford, Beulah Bondi. Scientist Karloff contracts radiation poisoning that gives him touch of death (and makes him glow in the dark). Interesting yarn, but a notch below other Karloff-Lugosi vehicles.

▼●쩠

Invisible Stripes (1939) 82m. ★★★ D: Lloyd Bacon. George Raft, Jane Bryan, William Holden, Flora Robson, Humphrey Bogart, Paul Kelly, Moroni Olsen, Tully Marshall. Earnest account of parolee Raft trying to go straight, protecting brother Holden from gangster Bogart; subdued acting is effective.

쩠

Invisible Woman, The (1941) 72m. ★★★ D: A. Edward Sutherland. John Barrymore, Virginia Bruce, John Howard, Charlie Ruggles, Oscar Homolka, Margaret Hamilton, Donald MacBride, Edward Brophy, Shemp Howard, Charles Lane, Thurston Hall. Great cast in likable comedy about screwy professor Barrymore turning model Bruce invisible, arousing the curiosity of playboy sponsor Howard, as well as the more monetary interests of gangster Homolka. Slick and sprightly, with Ruggles terrific as Howard’s long-suffering butler; Maria Montez has a bit as one of Bruce’s fellow models.▼●쩠 Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964) C-92m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Richard Wilson. Yul Brynner, George Segal, Janice Rule, Pat Hingle, ▼쩠 Brad Dexter. Cast surpasses turgid, talky ★★★1 ⁄2 Invisible Man, The (1933) 71m. script about town that hires gunslinger to D: James Whale. Claude Rains, Gloria kill an outcast, with surprising results.▼쩠 Stuart, Una O’Connor, William Harrigan, Invitation to the Dance (1956) C-93m. ★★1 E. E. Clive, Dudley Digges, Dwight Frye. ⁄2 D: Gene Kelly. Gene Kelly, Igor H. G. Wells’ fantasy brilliantly materialYouskevitch, Claire Sombert, David Paltenizes on screen in tale of mad scientist ghi, Daphne Dale, Claude Bessy, Tommy who makes himself invisible, wreaking Rall, Carol Haney, Tamara Toumanova, havoc on British country village. Rains’ Belita. Kelly’s ambitious film tells three starring debut is dated but still enjoystories entirely in dance. Earnest but uninable. Look fast for John Carradine phonspired, until final ‘‘Sinbad’’ segment with ing in a ‘‘sighting’’; that’s Walter Brennan Kelly in Hanna-Barbera cartoon world. whose bicycle is stolen. ▼●쩠 Music by Jacques Ibert, Andre Previn, and Invisible Man Returns, The (1940) 81m. Rimsky-Korsakov. Filmed in 1952.▼ ★★★ D: Joe May. Cedric Hardwicke, VinIn Which We Serve (1942-British) 115m. ★★★★ D: Noel Coward, David Lean. Noel cent Price, John Sutton, Nan Grey, Cecil Kellaway, Alan Napier. Fine follow-up, Coward, John Mills, Bernard Miles, Celia with Price going invisible to clear himself Johnson, Kay Walsh, Joyce Carey, Michael [ 690 ]

Wilding, James Donald, Richard Attenphen Fry, Tony Shalhoub, Frank Whaley, borough. Unlike many WW2 films, this Keene Curtis, Charles Durning, Alice masterpiece doesn’t date one bit; superb Playten, Danny Zorn. Pleasant romantic film about men on a British fighting ship, comedy (perhaps too ‘‘cute’’ for some told through flashback. Written, codirected, viewers) about a garage mechanic who falls and scored by costar Coward (who was in love with a customer at first sight, and given a special Oscar ‘‘for his outstanding gets some unusual matchmaking help from production achievement’’). Lean’s first diher uncle—Albert Einstein! Likable perforrecting credit. Film debuts of Johnson, mances by well-matched Robbins and Attenborough, young Daniel Massey, and Ryan, with Matthau having fun as the cagey infant Juliet Mills.▼●쩠 Professor. Set in 1950s Princeton, N.J. Super 35. [PG]▼●쩠 I Only Want You to Love Me (1976-West German) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Rainer Werner Ira & Abby (2007) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: RobFassbinder. Vitus Zeplichal, Elke Aberle, ert Cary. Chris Messina, Jennifer Westfeldt, Alexander Allerson, Ernie Mangold, JoFrances Conroy, Judith Light, Jason Alexhanna Hofer. Intriguing morality tale of ander, Robert Klein, Fred Willard, Maddie decent, hardworking young bricklayer, Corman, Darrell Hammond, Chris Parnell, whose Bavarian upbringing was noticeably Jon Hamm, B. D. Wong. Westfeldt (KISSlacking in parental affection. When he marING JESSICA STEIN) wrote this ‘‘comedy ries and moves to Munich, the lure of the of divorce’’ about neurotic New Yorker Ira big-city consumer society (and the ability to (Messina), who can’t ever make a decision. buy on credit) proves disastrous. DeliberAt the other end of the spectrum, Abby ately paced but offbeat examination of a (Westfeldt) wants to get married minutes shattered psyche. Made for TV; unreleased after meeting him. She’s a warmhearted, in the U.S. until 1994.▼ outgoing person, and he gets caught up in I Ought to Be in Pictures (1982) C-107m. her upbeat life—at least for a while. Light ★★ D: Herbert Ross. Walter Matthau, Annand Klein are funny as Messina’s analyst Margret, Dinah Manoff, Lance Guest, parents, as are Conroy and Willard as WestLewis Smith, Martin Ferrero, David Fausfeldt’s sunny mom and dad. Uneven but tino, Michael Dudikoff. Poor formula Neil often very funny. Donna Murphy appears Simon sitcom, adapted from his play: unbilled. [R]쩠 19-year-old Brooklynite Manoff hitches to Iraq in Fragments (2006) C-94m. ★★★ D: L.A. to make it in movies—and estabJames Longley. Documentary takes its camlishes connection with her father (Matthau), eras from southern to northern Iraq to see screenwriter turned gambler-drinker. Matthe effect war—and opposing religious thau and Manoff do their best; Ann-Margret philosophies—has taken on the country, in wasted as Walter’s mistress. [PG]▼ three segments that spotlight Shiites, Ipcress File, The (1965-British) C-108m. Sunnis, and Kurds. Using no intruding nar★★★1 ⁄2 D: Sidney J. Furie. Michael Caine, ration, filmmaker Longley tells the story Nigel Green, Guy Doleman, Sue Lloyd, through the eyes and words of the Iraqi peoGordon Jackson. First and best of Len ple, painting a compelling portrait of a trouDeighton’s Harry Palmer series, with Caine bled country and presenting a largely as unemotional Cockney crook turned secret nonpolitical view Americans have rarely agent, involved in grueling mental torture seen. Longley photographed, coedited, cocaper. Eerie score by John Barry. Folproduced, and scored the film.쩠 lowed by two sequels—FUNERAL IN I Remember Mama (1948) 134m. ★★★1⁄2 BERLIN and BILLION DOLLAR BRAIN D: George Stevens. Irene Dunne, Barbara —and a pair of cable TV follow-ups in 1997, Bel Geddes, Oscar Homolka, Philip Dorn, BULLET TO BEIJING and MIDNIGHT IN Cedric Hardwicke, Edgar Bergen, Rudy ST. PETERSBURG. Techniscope.▼●쩠 Vallee, Barbara O’Neil, Florence Bates, Ellen Iphigenia (1977-Greek) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Corby. Beautifully realized, exquisitely deMichael Cacoyannis. Irene Papas, Tatiana tailed filming of John Van Druten’s play, Papamoskou, Costa Kazakos, Costa Carras, based on Kathryn Forbes’ memoirs about Christos Tsangas. Ambitious but overgrowing up with her Norwegian immigrant directed adaptation of Euripides’ Iphigenia family in San Francisco. A bit long, but richly in Aulis, in which Agamemnon becomes rewarding, with top performances in each and convinced that, to earn military victory, he every role. Screenplay by DeWitt Bodeen. will have to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia Followed by the TV series Mama. Also (impressively played by young Papashown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 moskou). The elements of high drama are Irina Palm (2008-Belgian-French-Germanpresent, but Cacoyannis opts for eyeBritish-Luxembourgian) C-100m. ★★★ D: popping visuals rather than focusing on the Sam Garbarski. Marianne Faithfull, Miki heart of the story.▼쩠 Manojlovic, Kevin Bishop, Siobhaˆn Hew★★★ I.Q. (1994) C-95m. lett, Dorka Gryllus, Jenny Agutter. A sixD: Fred Schepisi. Tim Robbins, Meg Ryan, Walter Matthau, tyish widow (Faithfull), in a financial bind Lou Jacobi, Gene Saks, Joseph Maher, Stedue to her grandson’s illness, takes a job as [ 691 ]

a ‘‘hostess’’ (translation: sex worker) in a contemporary moviemaking. The title, incidentally, is an anagram.▼●쩠 Soho, London, club. Simple, no-frills drama I, Robot (2004) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alex presents a hardnosed look at human relaProyas. Will Smith, Bridget Moynahan, tions in a cold, cynical world while offering Bruce Greenwood, James Cromwell, Chi an unusual, nonexploitive spin on the sex McBride, Shia LaBeouf, Adrian L. Ricard, industry. Only falters during a couple of Alan Tudyk. In the year 2035, Chicago cop unnecessary scenes near the finale. [R]쩠 Smith harbors a deep resentment toward the Iris (2001-British-U.S.) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: robots that have become ubiquitous as serRichard Eyre. Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent, vants and laborers in American society. Kate Winslet, Hugh Bonneville, Penelope When a prominent scientist dies, he (and he Wilton, Juliet Aubrey, Samuel West, Timoalone) suspects foul play, and won’t rest thy West, Eleanor Bron. Dench plays noted until he connects the dots at the monopolisBritish author and psychologist Dame Iris tic corporation that manufactures and sells Murdoch, with Broadbent as her devoted the robots. Interesting premise is squanhusband; Winslet and Bonneville play the dered in this obvious and overlong film, characters in flashbacks to the 1950s when with cartoonish special effects and too they first met at Oxford. As Iris descends many Will Smith–isms. ‘‘Suggested’’ by into the world of Alzheimer’s, her husband Isaac Asimov’s classic short story collecloses his grip, and the results become diffition. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 cult to watch, despite the fine performances. Iron Cowboy SEE: Fade-In Broadbent won an Oscar for Best SupportIron Curtain, The (1948) 87m. ★★★ D: ing Actor. [R] ▼쩠 William Wellman. Dana Andrews, Gene Irish in Us, The (1935) 84m. ★★ D: Lloyd Tierney, June Havoc, Berry Kroeger, Edna Bacon. James Cagney, Pat O’Brien, Olivia Best. Well-made, based-on-fact ‘‘antide Havilland, Mary Gordon, Frank McHugh, commie’’ saga of Igor Gouzenko (AnAllen Jenkins. Pretty stale comedy about ridrews), who with wife Tierney attempts to valry between policemen and prizefighters, defect to the West with top-secret docuwith good cast to hold one’s interest. ments. Filmed on location in Canada. ReIrishman, The (1978-Australian) C-108m. titled: BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN. ★★★ D: Donald Crombie. Michael Craig, Iron Eagle (1986) C-119m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney Simon Burke, Robin Nevin, Lou Brown, J. Furie. Louis Gossett, Jr., Jason Gedrick, Andrew Maguire. Effective, wonderfully David Suchet, Tim Thomerson, Larry G. acted drama of teamster Craig, his wife Scott, Caroline Lagerfelt, Jerry Levine. Dumand sons, and his refusal to accept change dum comic-book movie about an 18-year-old and progress during the 1920s. A touching who commandeers an F-16 fighter jet and portrait of a family in turmoil.▼쩠 flies to the Middle East (playing rock music ★★1 Irma la Douce (1963) C-142m. ⁄2 D: on his Walkman all the way) in order to save Billy Wilder. Shirley MacLaine, Jack his dad, who’s been taken prisoner. Full of Lemmon, Lou Jacobi, Herschel Bernardi, jingoistic ideals, dubious ethics, and people Joan Shawlee, Hope Holiday, Bill Bixby. who die and miraculously come back to life. Wilder’s straight comedy adaptation of Not boring, just stupid. Followed by three seBroadway musical is a Parisian fairytale quels. [PG-13]▼●쩠 for adults. Gendarme Lemmon falls for Iron Eagle II (1988-Canadian-Israeli) prostitute MacLaine and will do anything to C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney J. Furie. Louis keep her for himself. Red Light District is Gossett, Jr., Mark Humphrey, Stuart Marvividly recreated, but reteaming of stars golin, Alan Scarfe, Sharon H. Brandon, and director can’t equal THE APARTMaury Chaykin. Equally idiotic sequel, with MENT. Andre´ Previn won an Oscar for General Gossett recruiting pilot Humphrey to his scoring. Look fast for young James team with his Soviet counterparts on a secret Caan in walk-on. Panavision.▼●쩠 mission in the Mideast. Humphrey may be a Irma Vep (1996-French) C-96m. ★★★ D: Tom Cruise clone, but the film makes TOP Olivier Assayas. Maggie Cheung, JeanGUN seem like FROM HERE TO ETERPierre Le´aud, Nathalie Richard, Alex DesNITY. Sequels: ACES: IRON EAGLE III cas, Nathalie Boutefeu, Dominique Faysse, and IRON EAGLE IV. [PG]▼●쩠 Bulle Ogier, Arsine´e Khanjian, Lou Castel. Iron Giant, The (1999) C-86m. ★★★ D: Keen, insightful satire of movies and the Brad Bird. Voices of Jennifer Aniston, Eli disorder surrounding the moviemaking proMarienthal, Harry Connick, Jr., Vin Diesel, cess. Hong Kong action-film star Cheung Christopher McDonald, James Gammon, (cast as herself ) comes to Paris to star in Cloris Leachman, John Mahoney, M. Emmet a reworking of Louis Feuillade’s 1915–16 Walsh. Striking and original animated feaserial LES VAMPIRES. However, the inture gently pokes fun at 1950s paranoia (and spiration for her character is not so much sci-fi movies), as a boy befriends a huge Feuillade as Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman robotic creature from outer space. That in BATMAN RETURNS. Crammed with writer-director Bird and his animators can cinematic references and biting criticisms of bring such feeling to a metallic character is [ 692 ]

★★★ just one of this film’s triumphs. Based on D: Yuen Wo Ping. Yu Rong Guang, Donthe book The Iron Man by Ted Hughes. nie Yen, Jean Wang, Tsang Sze Man, Yuen Celco-Widescreen. [PG]▼●쩠 Shun Yi, James Wong, Yen Yee Kwan. In meIron Hand, The SEE: Chinese Connecdieval China, a kindly village doctor masquertion, The ades as Iron Monkey, a Robin Hood type who ★★★ Iron Horse, The (1924) 119m. fights a corrupt governor and helps the downD: John Ford. George O’Brien, Madge Beltrodden. Made years before CROUCHING lamy, Cyril Chadwick, Fred Kohler, Gladys TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON (and directed by Hulette, J. Farrell MacDonald. Epic-scale its action choreographer), this anticipates some silent film about building of transcontinenof its high-flying action techniques but has no tal railroad, intertwined with predictable pretensions: just a fast, entertaining action yarn human-interest subplots involving surveyor with the exaggerated acting style of Hong O’Brien, sweetheart Bellamy, traitor Kohler, Kong escapist fare. Pure fun. Cowritten byTsui etc. May seem hackneyed today, but it’s Hark. New music score added for slightly edimportant to note that this movie invented ited U.S. release in 2001. [PG-13]▼쩠 what later became cliche´s. ▼쩠 Iron Petticoat, The (1956-British-U.S.) CIron Man (2008) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jon 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ralph Thomas. Bob Hope, Favreau. Robert Downey, Jr., Jeff Bridges, Katharine Hepburn, James Robertson JusGwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Leslie tice, Robert Helpmann, David Kossoff. CuBibb, Shaun Toub, Faran Tahir, Clark rious comedy made in England tries to Gregg, Bill Smitrovich, Jon Favreau, Peter update NINOTCHKA theme with Hepburn Billingsley, Tim Guinee; voice of Paul Betas humorless Russian and Hope as Ameritany. When wealthy weapons manufacturer can military man who tries to win her over. Tony Stark is taken prisoner on a trip to Stars’ surprising rapport is film’s chief Afghanistan he cobbles together a supervalue; mediocre script and direction kill the suit . . . and vows to get out of the arms rest. VistaVision. business, having seen the misery it produces Iron Triangle, The (1989) C-91m. ★★ D: firsthand. Not-bad adaptation of the Marvel Eric Weston. Beau Bridges, Haing S. Ngor, comic book, with Downey in good form as Johnny Hallyday, Liem Whatley, James the brainy billionaire, but there are too Ishida. A U.S. Army captain, serving in many misfired ideas (like the Middle EastVietnam in 1969, is captured by a 17-yearern setting, uncomfortably real for a piece old Vietcong soldier, and the pair develop of escapist entertainment) and a retro heroa bond. Intriguing as a look at the war ine in Paltrow’s lovesick Girl Friday. As from the side of the ‘‘enemy,’’ but the usual there’s a cameo by the character’s coresult is confused and slight. [R]▼● creator Stan Lee. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Ironweed (1987) C-144m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hector Iron Mask, The (1929) 87m. ★★★ D: Babenco. Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep, Allan Dwan. Douglas Fairbanks, Belle Carroll Baker, Michael O’Keefe, Diane Bennett, Marguerite De La Motte, DoroVenora, Fred Gwynne, Margaret Whitton, thy Revier, Vera Lewis, William Bakewell, Tom Waits, Jake Dengel, Nathan Lane, Nigel de Brulier, Ullrich Haupt. EntertainJames Gammon, Joe Grifasi, Bethel Lesing Dumas tale (later filmed as THE MAN lie, Ted Levine, Frank Whaley. William IN THE IRON MASK) told from point of Kennedy adapted his Pulitzer Prize–winning view of D’Artagnan (Fairbanks), who novel about street people, set in Albany, becomes Louis XIV’s protector from birth N.Y., 1938. Nicholson plays a man trying to later time when scheming Rochefort to come to terms with the life he turned his (Haupt) tries to pass off twin brother as heir back on years ago. Streep is his longtime to throne. Lavish silent swashbuckler origcompanion who, like him, can’t stay off the inally had talkie sequences. Final scenes bottle for long. Babenco’s first American are especially poignant as this was Doug’s film is strong on atmosphere and filled with farewell to the swashbuckling genre. Most haunting images . . . but it’s long and unrecurrent prints are of the 1940 reissue with mittingly bleak, with a few too many dranarration by Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.▼●쩠 matic peaks. The salvation is Nicholson and Iron Maze (1991-U.S.-Japanese) C-102m. Streep, whose rich performances are a privi★1 ⁄2 D: Hiroaki Yoshida. Jeff Fahey, Bridget lege to watch. [R]▼●쩠 Fonda, Hiroaki Murakami, J. T. Walsh, Iron Will (1994) C-109m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles Gabriel Damon, John Randolph. Japanese Haid. Mackenzie Astin, Kevin Spacey, Auindustrialist Murakami, hoping to build an gust Schellenberg, David Ogden Stiers, amusement park in a Pennsylvania steel Brian Cox, George Gerdes, John Terry. town, is near-fatally assaulted; his AmeriYoungster enters a Winnipeg-to-St. Paul can wife (Fonda) and a laid-off steelworker dog-sled race in the WW1 era; result is so (Fahey) offer different perceptions of events ‘‘by the numbers’’ that you almost expect leading to the incident. Muddled, pretenthe numerals to start flashing on the screen, tious RASHOMON remake, coexecutivea` la John Waters’ POLYESTER. Two addiproduced by Oliver Stone. [R]▼●쩠 tional writers polished the original script by Iron Monkey (1993-Hong Kong) C-87m. veteran John Michael Hayes (REAR WIN[ 693 ]

DOW), presumably to make it more like a parents’ nursing home. His life changes bad Disney Channel entry. There’s a faint with the arrival of the Amazing Clarence pulse whenever Spacey (as a journalist) (Caine), a retired magician. Agreeable, if shows up on screen. [PG]▼●쩠 unremarkable, film buoyed by its two lead Irreconcilable Differences (1984) C-117m. performances. British title: IS THERE ★★★ ANYBODY THERE? Super 35. [PG-13] D: Charles Shyer. Ryan O’Neal, Shelley Long, Drew Barrymore, Sam WanaI Saw What You Did (1965) 82m. ★★★ D: maker, Allen Garfield, Sharon Stone, DaWilliam Castle. Sara Lane, Andi Garrett, vid Paymer. Bittersweet comedy about a John Ireland, Joan Crawford, Leif Erickson, bright young couple who marry and prosPatricia Breslin. Tense, gimmick-free Casper, until success in Hollywood causes tle shocker about two teenage girls who them to lose sight of what’s really impordial phone numbers at random and whisper tant in their lives. Result: Their ten-year-old film’s title; one of their ‘‘victims’’ is daughter sues them for divorce! Perceptive Ireland—who’s just murdered his wife! script by Nancy Meyers and first-time direcLook out! Remade for TV in 1988.▼쩠 tor Shyer, with especially funny jabs at HolI See a Dark Stranger SEE: Advenlywood. Also the only film in memory to turess, The drop the name of Sig Rumann! [PG]▼●쩠 I Sent a Letter to My Love (1981-French) Irre´versible (2002-French) C-95m. ★1⁄2 D: C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Moshe Mizrahi. Simone Gaspar Noe´. Monica Bellucci, Vincent CasSignoret, Jean Rochefort, Delphine Seyrig. sel, Albert Dupontel, Philippe Nahon, Jo A woman (Signoret) cares for her paraPrestia. ‘‘Controversial’’ does not begin to lyzed brother (Rochefort); through a newsdescribe this ugly, over-the-top rape-andpaper personals column, they unknowingly revenge tale, told in reverse a la MEbegin a romantic correspondence. PercepMENTO, spotlighting events surrounding the tive character study, highlighted by brildefiling of beautiful Bellucci. Graphically violiant Signoret performance; fine work by lent, even by contemporary standards, this Rochefort and Seyrig (as their spinsterish glorified exploitation film features an exfriend). Director Mizrahi and Gerard Brach tended rape sequence and brutal murder that’s adapted Bernice Rubens’ novel. [PG]▼ hard to stomach. Though gimmicky and reI Served the King of England (2006pugnant, some will admire the film for its Czech) C-119m. ★★★ D: Jirı´ Menzel. Ivan audacity. Nahon’s character, a butcher, apBarnev, Oldrich Kaiser, Julia Jentsch, Marpears in the director’s earlier I STAND tin Huba, Maria´n Labuda, Milan Lasica, ALONE. Bellucci and Cassel are married in Josef Abrha´m, Istva´n Szabo´. Wide-eyed real life. Super 16.▼쩠 young man works as a waiter in increasIsadora (1968-British) C-131m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ingly posh establishments during the 1930s, Karel Reisz. Vanessa Redgrave, James hoping to become a millionaire . . . but Fox, Jason Robards, Ivan Tchenko, John when the Germans invade Czechoslovakia Fraser, Bessie Love, Cynthia Harris. Exhis eye for pretty women gets him entremely long but gripping study of Isadora meshed in politics that will affect the rest of Duncan, first of modern dancers and most his life. Told in flashback as the leading prominent free-thinker of her time. Intercharacter, now an old man just released esting technique and carefully studied perfrom prison, looks back on his life. Alterformances combine together in this offbeat nately whimsical, sexy, and pointed parable biography. Originally released at 168 minabout life in a country that has undergone utes, later recut to 131 minutes and retitled more than its share of upheavals. Menzel THE LOVES OF ISADORA. A third veradapted the novel by Bohumil Hrabal, who sion, supervised by the director, was realso wrote the director’s signature film, leased to television in 1987 under the CLOSELY WATCHED TRAINS.쩠 original title. [M/PG]▼ I Shot Andy Warhol (1996-U.S.-British) I Sailed to Tahiti with an All Girl Crew C-106m. ★★★ D: Mary Harron. Lili Taylor, 1 ★ (1968) C-95m. ⁄2 D: Richard L. Bare. Jared Harris, Stephen Dorff, Martha PlimpGardner McKay, Fred Clark, Diane McBain, ton, Danny Morgenstern, Lothaire Bluteau, Pat Buttram, Edy Williams. One of the allMichael Imperioli, Reg Rogers, Donovan time camp classics, if only for its title. Leitch, Tahnee Welch, Eric Mabius. In Unfortunately, film doesn’t live down to 1968, Valerie Solanas shot pop art icon its expectations. Warhol, seriously wounding him. This film Is Anybody There? (2009-U.S.-British) Ctraces her bizarre life leading to that mo1 ★★ 92m. ⁄2 D: John Crowley. Michael Caine, ment, including the writing of her ‘‘SCUM Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff, David MorManifesto’’ decreeing males biologically rissey, Rosemary Harris, Elizabeth Spriggs, obsolete. Taylor is brilliant as the delusional Leslie Phillips, Sylvia Syms, Peter Vaughan, Solanas, and the film depicts Warhol (HarLinzey Cocker. Ten-year-old boy (Milner, ris, son of actor Richard), his ‘‘Factory,’’ from SON OF RAMBOW) has an insatiaand the period in convincing detail. Not for ble curiosity about death, not surprising all tastes and slightly pretentious, but well since he lives among elderly people in his made and fascinating. [R]▼●쩠 [ 694 ]

I Shot Jesse James (1949) 81m. ★★ D: increasingly unbelievable action scenes and Samuel Fuller. Preston Foster, Barbara an unconvincing plot similar to that of Britton, John Ireland, Reed Hadley, J. PARTS: THE CLONUS HORROR. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Edward Bromberg. Flamboyant directorial touches (in Fuller’s first film) cannot redeem Island at the Top of the World, The (1974) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Stevenson. essential dullness of story about Bob Ford, David Hartman, Donald Sinden, Jacques the man who plugged Jesse in the back.▼쩠 ★★ Ishtar (1987) C-107m. Marin, Mako, David Gwillim, Agneta D: Elaine May. Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Eckemyr. Disney’s attempt to score again Isabelle Adjani, Charles Grodin, Jack Wesin Jules Verne territory misses bull’s-eye; ton, Tess Harper, Carol Kane, Aharon simplistic, derivative story of Arctic expeIpale. The HEAVEN’S GATE of movie dition which stumbles across ‘‘lost’’ Vikcomedies made headlines because of its ing civilization. Mainly for kids. [G]▼쩠 huge expense and costly delays, but the only Island in the Sky (1953) 109m. ★★★1⁄2 D: thing wrong with it is that it isn’t very William A. Wellman. John Wayne, Lloyd funny. Beatty and Hoffman go the Hope Nolan, Walter Abel, James Arness, Andy and Crosby route as untalented singer-songDevine, Allyn Joslyn, Jimmy Lydon, Harry writers who get involved with international Carey, Jr., Hal Baylor, Sean McClory, intrigue in North Africa (shades of ROAD Wally Cassell, Regis Toomey, Louis Jean TO MOROCCO!). A blind camel and a Heydt, Bob Steele, Darryl Hickman, Touch flock of vultures steal the show. Paul Wil(Mike) Connors, Gordon Jones, Frank Fenliams’ deliberately awful songs are funny, ton, Paul Fix, Carl Switzer, Ann Doran. too, but not funny enough to overcome the Transport plane goes down in snowy Labraflatness of director May’s script. Produced dor, and the crew’s flying buddies devote all by Beatty. [PG-13]▼● their energies to locating them. Meanwhile, Island, The (1962-Japanese) 96m. ★★★ D: pilot Wayne has to keep his crew’s spirits Kaneto Shindo. Nobuko Otowa, Taiji up as they try to survive in frigid weather Tonoyama, Shinji Tanaka, Masanori Horiwith little food and no heat. Moving drama moto. Engrossing documentary-style study with a striking score by Emil Newman. Erof peasant family living on rocky island nest K. Gann based his screenplay (and near Japan, struggling to survive. Visually novel) on a real-life incident from WW2. stunning film contains not a single word Gann, Wellman, and Wayne reteamed a of dialogue.▼ year later for THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY. Look fast for Fess Parker. 쩠 Island, The (1980) C-114m. BOMB D: Michael Ritchie. Michael Caine, David Island in the Sun (1957) C-119m. ★★ D: Warner, Angela Punch McGregor, Frank Robert Rossen. James Mason, Joan FonMiddlemass, Don Henderson, Zakes Mokae, taine, Dorothy Dandridge, Joan Collins, Jeffrey Frank. Absolutely awful thriller Michael Rennie, Diana Wynyard, John about magazine reporter who investigates Williams, Stephen Boyd, Harry Belafonstrange doings in the Caribbean and winds te. Misfire adaptation of Alec Waugh’s up a prisoner of primitive island tribe. You book about idyllic West Indies island torn know you’re in trouble when David Warby racial struggle. Good cast can’t do ner plays the most normal guy on the much with unconvincing script. CinemaScope.▼쩠 island! Peter Benchley scripted from his own novel. Panavision. [R]▼● Island of Dr. Moreau, The (1977) C104m. ★★★ D: Don Taylor. Burt LancasIsland (1989-Australian) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paul Cox. Irene Papas, Eva Sitta, Anoja ter, Michael York, Nigel Davenport, BarWeerasinghe, Chris Haywood, Francois bara Carrera, Richard Basehart. HandBernard. Three women—each struggling somely produced remake of ISLAND OF with a personal emotional crisis—meet on LOST SOULS with Lancaster heading a a remote Greek island. Knowing they are solid cast as demented doctor who has only to cross paths briefly, they unburden spent years creating half-man, half-beast their innermost feelings to each other. At‘‘humanimals.’’ Good horror-fantasy chiller, mospheric psychological drama lacks a based on H. G. Wells’ novel. Remade in strong central core. 1996. [PG]▼쩠 Island, The (2005) C-136m. ★★ D: Michael Island of Dr. Moreau, The (1996) C-95m. ★1 Bay. Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, ⁄2 D: John Frankenheimer. Marlon Djimon Hounsou, Sean Bean, Steve Buscemi, Brando, Val Kilmer, David Thewlis, FairMichael Clarke Duncan, Ethan Phillips, Brian uza Balk, Ron Perlman, Marco HofStepanek. In a futuristic underground city, soschneider, Temuera Morrison. Heavyciety is rigidly controlled and a lottery dehanded retelling of H. G. Wells’ novel, as cides who’ll get to move to an idyllic island. Thewlis is rescued at sea and brought to When McGregor suspects something is Dr. Moreau’s island, where he’s horrified to amiss, he enlists Johansson’s aid to escape discover experiments turning animals into into a world they didn’t expect. Well-cast humans. Grotesque in the extreme, obvious, but overheated thriller burns itself up with and ultimately pointless, but Brando devo[ 695 ]

tees will want to check out his flamboyantly Islands in the Stream (1977) C-105m. ★★1 silly performance, and makeup buffs should ⁄2 D: Franklin J. Schaffner. George C. admire Stan Winston’s remarkable creScott, David Hemmings, Claire Bloom, ations. Director’s cut version runs 99m. Susan Tyrrell, Gilbert Roland, Richard Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Evans, Hart Bochner, Julius Harris. Film Island of Lost Souls (1933) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 version of Hemingway novel about an D: Erle C. Kenton. Charles Laughton, island-dwelling sculptor and his three sons Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Kathleen begins well but falls apart completely in Burke, Stanley Fields, Leila Hyams. Strong the final third. Still one of the better adapadaptation of H. G. Wells’ novel of a mad tations of this author, with one of Scott’s scientist isolated on a remote island, where best performances. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 he transforms jungle beasts into half-human Isle of Fury (1936) 60m. ★★ D: Frank abominations (‘‘. . . are we not men?’’). McDonald. Humphrey Bogart, Margaret Laughton hams it up a bit, but despite more Lindsay, Donald Woods, Paul Graetz, Gordon explicit horror films of late, this retains its Hart, E. E. Clive. Mild remake of Somerset frightening aura, particularly in the grisly fiMaugham novel The Narrow Corner, involvnale. Remade as THE ISLAND OF DR. ing love triangle on South Sea island. MOREAU in 1977 and 1996.▼● Isle of Lost Women SEE: 99 Women Island of Love (1963) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Isle of the Dead (1945) 72m. ★★★ D: Morton Da Costa. Robert Preston, Tony Mark Robson. Boris Karloff, Ellen Drew, Randall, Giorgia Moll, Walter Matthau, Marc Cramer, Katherine Emery, Helene Betty Bruce, Michael Constantine. Con Thimig, Jason Robards (Sr.). Eerie horror artist Preston sets out to transform a Greek tale of assorted characters stranded on isle into a tourist trap while evading the Greek island during quarantine—one of clutches of vengeful gangster Matthau. them possibly a vampire. Good Val Lewton production.▼●쩠 Silly, unfunny comedy wastes the talents of all concerned. Panavision. Isle of the Snake People SEE: Snake Island of Terror (1966-British) C-90m. People ★★ D: Terence Fisher. Peter Cushing, EdIsn’t She Great (2000) C-95m. ★★ D: Anward Judd, Carole Gray, Niall MacGinnis. drew Bergman. Bette Midler, Nathan Lane, Sci-fi tale about cancer research gone wild Stockard Channing, David Hyde Pierce, and mutations that result is directed and John Cleese, John Larroquette, Amanda acted by veterans of the field, but result is Peet. Ill-conceived film about highly driven nothing special.▼ actress turned authoress Jacqueline Susann Island of the Blue Dolphins (1964) C-93m. (Valley of the Dolls) and the one man who ★1 believes in her, her press agent husband, ⁄2 D: James B. Clark. Celia Kaye, George Kennedy, Ann Daniel, Carlos Romero, Larry Irving Mansfield. Not funny enough to sucDomasin. True story of Indian girl (Kaye) ceed as a comedy, not serious or solid abandoned on small island, befriended only enough to work as a biography; Lane is by wild dogs. Set in early 19th century. Well awfully hard to resist, however, as the irremeaning but not very good. Based on the pressibly upbeat Mansfield. Screenplay by novel by Scott O’Dell.▼ Paul Rudnick, from Michael Korda’s magaIsland of the Burning Damned SEE: Iszine article. [R]▼쩠 land of the Burning Doomed Is Paris Burning? (1966-French-U.S.) Island of the Burning Doomed (1967173m. ★★ D: Rene´ Clement. Jean-Paul British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Terence Fisher. Belmondo, Charles Boyer, Leslie Caron, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Patrick Jean-Pierre Cassel, Claude Dauphin, Alain Allen, Sarah Lawson, Jane Merrow, WilDelon, Kirk Douglas, Glenn Ford, Gert liam Lucas. Aliens cause a massive heatFrobe, Daniel Gelin, Yves Montand, Anwave during winter. Good sci-fi, with Lee thony Perkins, Simone Signoret, Robert and Cushing at their best. Also known as Stack, Orson Welles. Rambling pseudo-docISLAND OF THE BURNING DAMNED umentary-style recreation of WW2 France, and NIGHT OF THE BIG HEAT.▼ showing liberation of Paris and Nazis’ attempt Island of the Lost (1967) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: to burn the city. Cameos by international playJohn Florea; Underwater sequences, Ricou ers confuse blotchy film made in Europe. Browning. Richard Greene, Luke Halpin, Screenplay by Gore Vidal and Francis Ford Mart Hulswit, Jose De Vega, Robin MattCoppola, from the Larry Collins-Dominique Lapierre book. Panavision.▼●쩠 son, Irene Tsu. Anthropologist Greene takes his family on an expedition to find an I Spy (2002) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Betty Thomas. uncharted South Sea isle but becomes shipEddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, Famke Janswrecked. Clean-cut, highly innocuous travsen, Malcolm McDowell, Gary Cole, Phill elogue from the Ivan Tors studio, cowritten Lewis. In-name-only reincarnation of the by Tors and actor Richard Carlson. Undersmart 1960s TV show (which starred Robert water expert Browning appeared with Culp and Bill Cosby). Here, Wilson is an Carlson years before as the CREATURE inept NSA operative who uses cocky prizeFROM THE BLACK LAGOON. ▼쩠 fighter Murphy as his cover to locate a se[ 696 ]

cret weapon in Budapest. An object lesson Paul Maxwell, Aubrey Richards. McDowall in bad screenwriting, with an incoherent brings hulking stone statue—the Golem, no story, and characters that make no sense; less—to life and soon finds it makes a great murderer. Kill it! Filmed in England.쩠 only the occasional comic riffs by Murphy and Wilson keep this from complete disasIt Ain’t Hay (1943) 80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Erle C. ter. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Kenton. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Patsy Istanbul (1957) C-84m. ★★ D: Joseph PevO’Connor, Grace McDonald, Leighton Noble, ney. Errol Flynn. Cornell Borchers, John Cecil Kellaway, Eugene Pallette, Eddie QuilBentley, Torin Thatcher, Leif Erickson, lan. Pretty good A&C from Damon Runyon Martin Benson, Nat ‘‘King’’ Cole, Werner story, ‘‘Princess O’Hara,’’ of racehorse TeaKlemperer. Dull drama of flyer Flynn rebiscuit; good supporting cast helps.쩠 turning to Istanbul, discovering his ladylove I Take This Woman (1940) 97m. ★★ D: (whom he believed had perished in a fire) to W. S. Van Dyke II. Spencer Tracy, Hedy be alive and an amnesiac. Sole bright spot: Lamarr, Verree Teasdale, Kent Taylor, Cole singing ‘‘When I Fall in Love.’’ ReLaraine Day, Mona Barrie, Louis Calhern, make of SINGAPORE. CinemaScope.▼ Marjorie Main, Frances Drake, Jack CarIstanbul (1990-Turkish-Swedish) C-88m. son. Disappointing soaper with dedicated BOMB D: Mats Arehn. Timothy Bottoms, doctor Tracy sacrificing all for Lamarr, Twiggy, Emma Kilberg, Robert Morley, who at first isn’t grateful. Long in producLena Endre, Sverre Anker Ousdal. Jourtion, with innumerable behind-the-scenes nalist Bottoms arrives in Istanbul with his changes, this was a notorious dud in 1940. Italian, The (2005-Russian) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 daughter to seek information on family of his wife’s son, becomes enmeshed in conD: Andrei Kravchuk. Kolya Spiridonov, fusing intrigue. Twiggy is a mystery Maria Kuznetsova, Nikolai Reutov, Yriy Itwoman. Murky, clumsy, international coskov, Denis Moiseenko. Six-year-old Vanya production is about as interesting as watch(Spiridonov) resides in an orphanage in coning camel spit dry. [PG-13] ▼● temporary Russia, whose administrators sell Is There Sex After Death? (1971) C-97m. their charges for profit. Even though an Ital★★★ D: Jeanne Abel, Alan Abel. Buck Henry, ian couple has adopted him, he remains deAlan Abel, Marshall Efron, Holly Woodtermined to find his birth mother, who lawn, Earle Doud. Crude but funny satire abandoned him. Dickensian slice-of-life of porn films. Famous hoaxer Abel (who, about a youngster who is wise beyond his with his wife, also produced and scripted) years and whose childhood has been stolen plays a traveling sexologist; Efron hilarifrom him. Occasionally affecting, but not as ous as an X-rated-film director. [R—edited involving as it should be. [PG-13] 쩠 from original X rating]▼쩠 Italian Connection, The (1973-Italian) I Still Know What You Did Last Summer C-92m. ★★ D: Fernando Di Leo. Henry Silva, (1998) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Danny Cannon. Woody Strode, Mario Adorf, Luciana PaJennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze, Jr., luzzi, Sylva Koscina, Adolfo Celi. Violent Brandy, Mekhi Phifer, Muse Watson, Matgangster meller has Milanese hood Adorf set thew Settle, Bill Cobbs, Jeffrey Combs, Jenniup by gang boss Celi for the blame in a sixfer Esposito, John Hawkes. Hewitt and friends million-dollar heroin heist. For action fans win a vacation to a Caribbean island, where only. Aka MANHUNT (1973). [R]▼쩠 they are pursued by the killer with a hook Italian for Beginners (2000-Danish) Cfrom the first movie, I KNOW WHAT YOU 99m. ★★★ D: Lone Scherfig. Anders W. BerDID LAST SUMMER. Another film in thelsen, Anette Støvelbaek, Peter Gantzler, which the cast runs around screaming while Ann Elonora Jørgensen, Lars Kaalund, Sara being killed, one by one. Plotless mess lacks Indrio Jensen, Bent Mejding. Sweet, upbeat any suspense, and makes the original look romantic comedy in which several lonely, like a classic. Jack Black appears unbilled. vulnerable thirty-something singles mix and Followed by DVD sequel, I’LL ALWAYS match while taking an Italian-language adult KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMeducation class. Most enjoyable, and defiMER. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 nitely not for cynics! Filmed using the It (1927) 72m. ★★1⁄2 D: Clarence Badger. ‘‘pure cinema’’ rules of Dogma 95. OrigiClara Bow, Antonio Moreno, William Ausnally shown at 112m. [R]▼쩠 tin, Jacqueline Gadsdon (Jane Daly), PrisItalian Job, The (1969-British) C-101m. ★★1 cilla Bonner. Bow is dazzling in this ⁄2 D: Peter Collinson. Michael Caine, otherwise ordinary tale of a spirited, goldNoel Coward, Maggie Blye, Benny Hill, digging department-store salesgirl with deTony Beckley, Raf Vallone. $4,000,000 signs on her handsome boss (Moreno). in gold bullion’s the object in average Based on Elinor Glyn’s trendy story of the caper film about prison-based mastermind same title; Madame Glyn appears briefly Coward’s plan to divert authorities in Turin, as herself. Look for Gary Cooper in a Italy, causing ‘‘history’s biggest traffic jam.’’ walk-on as a reporter.▼●쩠 Wild chases galore, plus truly bizarre ending, It! (1967) C-96m. ★★ D: Herbert J. Leder. but characterizations are pat, forgettable. Remade in 2003. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Roddy McDowall, Jill Haworth, Ernest Clark, [ 697 ]

Italian Job, The (2003) C-110m. ★★★ D: F. Aykroyd, John Candy, Cheech and Chong, Gary Gray. Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Gilda Radner. Contemporary comedy stars Edward Norton, Seth Green, Jason Statham, are spectacularly unfunny introducing and Mos Def, Franky G, Donald Sutherland. narrating clips from some of Hollywood’s Entertaining caper starts out with a daring worst movies—most of which are funny robbery, then a traitor disrupts business as enough without additional wisecracks. usual with the otherwise loyal band of What’s more, this pointless, poorly conthieves. Winds up in L.A. with a wild chase structed compilation includes scenes from sequence through the city’s streets and subgood movies like WAR OF THE WORLDS way system. Slick script, superior action and THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING scenes, and an array of colorful, well-drawn MAN! Even so, howlers like MARS characters make this fun from start to finish. NEEDS WOMEN and PLAN 9 FROM Remake of the 1969 film includes a brief OUTER SPACE still offer some genuine laughs. [PG]▼● homage to its star, Michael Caine. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 It Came From Outer Space (1953) 81m. ★★★ It All Came True (1940) 97m. ★★1⁄2 D: D: Jack Arnold. Richard Carlson, BarLewis Seiler. Ann Sheridan, Humphrey bara Rush, Charles Drake, Russell Johnson, Bogart, Jeffrey Lynn, ZaSu Pitts, Jessie Joe Sawyer, Kathleen Hughes. Intriguing Busley, Una O’Connor, Grant Mitchell, science-fiction based on a Ray Bradbury Felix Bressart. Offbeat story combines comstory. An alien ship crashes in the Arizona edy, drama, music, and sentiment as gangdesert; its passengers assume the identities of ster Bogart hides out in quaint boardingnearby townspeople so they can effect repairs house. Fine showcase for Sheridan, who unnoticed—they think. Remarkably sober for sings ‘‘Angel in Disguise’’ and ‘‘The Gauits era, with crisp performances and real recho Serenade.’’ straint, even in its use of 3-D. The 1996 TV It All Starts Today (1999-French) Cmovie IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE II 117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bertrand Tavernier. Philis a much inferior remake, rather than the ippe Torreton, Maria Pitarresi, Nadia Kaci, sequel the title suggests.▼●쩠 Ve´ronique Ataly, Nathalie Be´cue, EmmanuIt Came Without Warning SEE: Without elle Bercot. Wrenchingly believable study of Warning a dedicated schoolteacher in a working-class It Comes Up Murder SEE: Honey Pot, The It Conquered the World (1956) 68m. ★★1⁄2 French community who tries to overcome one hurdle after another—from government buD: Roger Corman. Peter Graves, Beverly reaucracy to negligent parents—to provide Garland, Lee Van Cleef, Sally Fraser, Jonahis children with a decent education. No than Haze, Dick Miller. Low-budget sci-fi false dramatics here, just a potent slice of which intelligently attempts to create atmolife. Written by the director, his daughter spheric excitement in yarn of carrot-shaped Tiffany, and her husband, Dominique Sammonster from Venus, Paul Blaisdell’s finest piero (based on his experience as a teacher). creation. One of Corman’s best early quickies, Super 35.▼쩠 well acted and interesting but awkwardly plotIt Always Rains on Sunday (1947-British) ted. Remade as ZONTAR, THE THING FROM VENUS.▼ 92m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Hamer. Googie Withers, Jack Warner, John McCallum, It Could Happen to You (1994) C-101m. ★★★ Edward Chapman, Jimmy Hanley, John D: Andrew Bergman. Nicolas Cage, Carol, John Slater, Susan Shaw, Sydney Bridget Fonda, Rosie Perez, Wendell Tafler, Alfie Bass, Betty Ann Davies, Jane Pierce, Isaac Hayes, Victor Rojas, Seymour Hylton, Hermione Baddeley. Excellent moCassel, Stanley Tucci, J. E. Freeman, Red saic of characters whose lives intertwine in Buttons, Richard Jenkins. Charming romana drab London neighborhood. McCallum tic comedy about a Good Samaritan cop is escaped convict seeking refuge with his who shares a lottery ticket with a hard-luck ex-lover, Withers. (In real life, the two waitress—little dreaming it will make them stars married the following year.) Arthur both millionaires. Warm, winning perforLa Bern’s novel was scripted by Henry mances by Cage and Fonda carry this N.Y.Cornelius, Angus MacPhail, and Hamer. based fairy tale, with a plot not intended It Came From Beneath the Sea (1955) for close scrutiny. Inspired by a true-life 80m. ★★★ D: Robert Gordon. Kenneth story. [PG]▼●쩠 Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis, I Thank a Fool (1962-British) C-100m. ★★ Ian Keith, Harry Lauter. Breathtaking speD: Robert Stevens. Susan Hayward, cial effects highlight this sci-fi thriller. Peter Finch, Diane Cilento, Cyril Cusack, Huge octopus emerges from Pacific Ocean Kieron Moore, Athene Seyler. Dreary, farand wreaks havoc on San Francisco. First film fetched story about Hayward spending a made by the team of Ray Harryhausen and year and a half in prison for mercy-killing, producer Charles H. Schneer. Also available then becoming involved with lawyer Finch, in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 who prosecuted her case, with bizarre results. It Came From Hollywood (1982) C-80m. CinemaScope. ★1⁄2 D: Malcolm Leo, Andrew Solt. Dan It Happened at the World’s Fair (1963) [ 698 ]

C-105m. ★★★ D: Norman Taurog. Elvis on tomorrow’s headlines, leading to unPresley, Joan O’Brien, Gary Lockwood, expected complications. Low key, often Yvonne Craig. Entertaining Presley vehicle charming.▼쩠 set at Seattle World’s Fair, with Elvis and It Happens Every Spring (1949) 87m. ★★★1 O’Brien brought together by little Ginny Tiu. ⁄2 D: Lloyd Bacon. Ray Milland, Jean Listenable tunes (including ‘‘One Broken Peters, Paul Douglas, Ed Begley, Ted de Heart for Sale,’’ ‘‘A World of Our Own’’ Corsia, Ray Collins, Jessie Royce Landis, and ‘‘Happy Ending’’) help make this most Alan Hale, Jr., Debra Paget. Clever little enjoyable. Young Kurt Russell, who later comedy of chemistry professor (Milland) played Elvis in a TV movie, makes his film accidentally discovering a chemical mixdebut in a small role. Panavision.▼쩠 ture which causes baseballs to avoid all It Happened Here (1966-British) 95m. ★★★ wooden surfaces, namely baseball bats. D: Kevin Brownlow, Andrew Mollo. PauHe takes leave from academia and emline Murray, Sebastian Shaw, Fiona Lelard, barks on meteoric pitching career. A most Honor Fehrson. Imaginative fable of Britain enjoyable, unpretentious picture. Story taken over by the Nazis during WW2, made by Shirley W. Smith and Valentine Davies; in semidocumentary style by two ingenious scripted by Davies.▼ young filmmakers. To get along in a harsh I, the Jury (1953) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Harry time, most Brits collaborate with the invaders, Essex. Biff Elliot, Preston Foster, Peggie including nurse Murray, who has personal Castle, Margaret Sheridan, Alan Reed, Mary reasons to hate the resistance movement.▼쩠 Anderson, Tom Powers, Joe Besser, Paul It Happened in Brooklyn (1947) 105m. ★★ Dubov, Elisha Cook, Jr., John Qualen. Screen D: Richard Whorf. Frank Sinatra, Kathryn debut of Mickey Spillane’s Mike Hammer Grayson, Jimmy Durante, Peter Lawford, (and Elliot as well) finds the thuggish sleuth Gloria Grahame. Hokey musical with Brookspending his Christmas holidays hunting lynite Sinatra returning to his beloved bordown the killer of a close pal. Naturally, ough after WW2; complications follow as more corpses ensue. Dark-humored fun, he falls for music teacher Grayson. Some with a moody Franz Waxman score and good songs, including ‘‘Time After Time’’ stunning 3-D photography by John Alton, and wonderful Sinatra-Durante duet, ‘‘The including some eye-popping shots inside Song’s Gotta Come From the Heart.’’ ▼●쩠 L.A.’s famed Bradbury Building. ScreenIt Happened One Night (1934) 105m. ★★★★ play by Essex. Remade in 1982. D: Frank Capra. Clark Gable, Claudette I, the Jury (1982) C-111m. ★★ D: RichColbert, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, ard T. Heffron. Armand Assante, Barbara Alan Hale, Ward Bond. Legendary romantic Carrera, Alan King, Laurene Landon, Geofcomedy doesn’t age a bit. Still as enchanting frey Lewis, Paul Sorvino, Judson Scott. as ever, with reporter Gable and runaway Mickey Spillane’s hard-boiled Mike Hamheiress Colbert falling in love on rural bus mer seems out of place in this updated trip. Hitch-hiking travails, the Walls of Jericho, remake, though contemporary levels of other memorable scenes remain fresh and violence and nudity suit the material. Lots delightful. First film to win all five major of action and some truly beautiful women Oscars: Picture, Actor, Actress, Director, help camouflage the holes in Larry Cohen’s and Screenplay (Robert Riskin). Based on script; Assante is a sulky Hammer. [R]▼ Samuel Hopkins Adams’ story ‘‘Night I Think I Love My Wife (2007) C-94m. ★1 Bus,’’ originally published in Cosmopolitan. ⁄2 D: Chris Rock. Chris Rock, Kerry Remade as musicals EVE KNEW HER Washington, Gina Torres, Steve Buscemi, APPLES and YOU CAN’T RUN AWAY Edward Herrmann, Welker White, Michael FROM IT.▼●쩠 K. Williams, Stephen A. Smith, Wendell It Happened One Summer SEE: State Pierce. Director-cowriter-coproducer Rock Fair (1945) plays a successful but bored suburban family man who is contacted at his N.Y.C. ofIt Happened to Jane (1959) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Quine. Doris Day, Jack Lemfice by an old pal’s smoking-hot former mon, Ernie Kovacs, Steve Forrest, Teddy flame (Washington). Her flirty afternoon Rooney, Russ Brown, Mary Wickes, Parvisits become more frequent, and he is ker Fennelly. Breezy, likable comedy: Doris sorely tempted to stray. Rock has loosely runs a Maine lobstery, and Jack is her updated Eric Rohmer’s CHLOE IN THE lawyer; together they tangle with ultracheap AFTERNOON with dismal results. His own villain Kovacs (who hams mercilessly). Aka performance is leaden, and even WashingTWINKLE AND SHINE.쩠 ton’s femme fatale is wasted here. [R]쩠 It Happened Tomorrow (1944) 84m. ★★★ It Lives Again (1978) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: D: Rene´ Clair. Dick Powell, Linda Darnell, Larry Cohen. Frederic Forrest, Kathleen Jack Oakie, Edgar Kennedy, John Philliber, Lloyd, John Ryan, John Marley, Andrew Edward Brophy, George Cleveland, Sig Duggan, Eddie Constantine. Sequel to IT’S Ruman, Paul Guilfoyle. Diverting if someALIVE offers not one but three murderous what static fantasy yarn about a turn-ofbabies. More of a horror film than a thriller— the-century reporter who gets inside track and not a very good one. Constantine’s first [ 699 ]

American film in many years. Aka IT’S ple and places in U.S. Other segments make ALIVE II; followed by IT’S ALIVE III: ISup for it in very uneven film. LAND OF THE ALIVE. [R]▼●쩠 It’s a Bikini World (1967) C-86m. ★1⁄2 D: It Only Happens to Others (1971-FrenchStephanie Rothman. Deborah Walley, Italian) C-88m. ★★ D: Nadine Trintignant. Tommy Kirk, Bob Pickett, Suzie Kaye, Marcello Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, The Animals, The Gentrys. Superlover Kirk Serge Marquand, Dominique Labourier, loves bikinied Debbie, but she doesn’t dig Catherine Allegret. Loss of young child him until he masquerades as an intellectucauses happily married couple to withdraw al. Not among the best of its kind, if there from society. Heavy on the syrup. Paneven is a best of its kind. The Animals, oramica. [PG] however, do perform ‘‘We Gotta Get Out It Runs in My Family (1994) C-85m. ★★ of This Place.’’ Techniscope. D: Bob Clark. Charles Grodin, Kieran CulIt’s a Date (1940) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: William kin, Mary Steenburgen, Christian Culkin, A. Seiter. Deanna Durbin, Walter Pidgeon, Al Mancini, Troy Evans, Roy Brocksmith, Kay Francis, Eugene Pallette, Lewis HowGlenn Shadix, Dick O’Neill, Wayne Grace. ard, S. Z. Sakall, Samuel S. Hinds, Cecilia Follow-up to A CHRISTMAS STORY— Loftus. Durbin faces unique growing pains with a new cast—is a huge disappointment, when she’s offered a Broadway role inchronicling the same family’s adventures in tended for her mother (Francis) and then is the early ’40s—from the boy’s efforts to courted by a man her mother’s age (Pidwin at top-spinning to the Old Man’s feud geon). Star trio shines brightly in this enwith his hillbilly neighbors. Culkin and joyable contrivance, which unfortunately Grodin are no match for Peter Billingsley goes on too long and ends (incongruously) and Darren McGavin in the earlier film, and with Deanna singing ‘‘Ave Maria’’! Remany of writer/narrator Jean Shepherd’s made as NANCY GOES TO RIO.▼ nostalgic musings don’t come off nearly as It’s a Gift (1934) 68m. ★★★★ D: Norman well as they do in his writings and broadZ. McLeod. W. C. Fields, Baby LeRoy, casts. Barely released theatrically; retitled Kathleen Howard, Tommy Bupp, Morgan Wallace. Fields is a grocery store owner who MY SUMMER STORY. [PG]▼쩠 ★★ It Runs in the Family (2003) C-109m. goes West with his family. Beautiful comedy D: Fred Schepisi. Michael Douglas, Kirk routines in one of the Great Man’s unforgettaDouglas, Cameron Douglas, Diana Douglas, ble films. Charles Sellon as a blind man, T. Roy Bernadette Peters, Rory Culkin, Michelle MoBarnes as a salesman looking for Carl LaFong, naghan, Sarita Choudhury. Superficial story contribute some hilarious moments. A remake about conflicts between fathers, sons, girlof Fields’ silent film IT’S THE OLD ARMY GAME.▼●쩠 friends, and spouses serves merely as an excuse to bring three generations of DougIt’s a Great Feeling (1949) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 lases together on-screen (not to mention D: David Butler. Dennis Morgan. Doris Kirk’s ex, Diana). But this contrivance is Day, Jack Carson, Bill Goodwin. Gentle just that, with a script that might not pass spoof of Hollywood with Carson’s ego muster as a TV movie. Michael Douglas making filming difficult for himself and also produced. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 partner Morgan; guest appearances by many I Trust You to Kill Me (2006) C/B&WWarner Bros. players and directors, includ90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Manu Boyer. While on hiatus ing Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper, Michael from shooting his hit TV series 24, Kiefer Curtiz, Jane Wyman, Sydney Greenstreet, Sutherland acts as road manager on a EuroDanny Kaye, Edward G. Robinson, King pean tour for Rocco DeLuca & The Burden, Vidor, Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal, Raoul the group he’s signed to his independent Walsh, Ronald Reagan—and even Reagan record label. Frank, revealing documentary and Wyman’s daughter Maureen!▼●쩠 offers a candid look at a celebrity after It’s Alive! (1974) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Larry hours, but is most effective when conCohen. John Ryan, Sharon Farrell, Antrasting a famous face and a bunch of taldrew Duggan, Guy Stockwell, James Dixon, ented but unknown wannabes. Bogs down Michael Ansara. Schlocky thriller about in parts, but holds your interest most of the a baby who goes on a murderous rampway. Film’s title is the name of one of Deage. Has a devoted following, but not Luca’s songs. [R]쩠 for all tastes. Effective score by BerIt’s a Big Country (1951) 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: nard Herrmann. Sequels: IT LIVES AGAIN Charles Vidor, Richard Thorpe, John and IT’S ALIVE III: ISLAND OF THE Sturges, Don Hartman, Don Weis, ClarALIVE. [PG]▼●쩠 ence Brown, William Wellman. Ethel BarIt’s Alive II SEE: It Lives Again rymore, Keefe Brasselle, Gary Cooper, It’s Alive III: Island of the Alive (1987) Nancy Davis (Reagan), Gene Kelly, Keenan C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: Larry Cohen. Michael Wynn, Fredric March, Van Johnson, James Moriarty, Karen Black, Laurene Landon, Whitmore; narrated by Louis Calhern. Dore Gerrit Graham, James Dixon, Neal Israel, Schary’s plug for America uses several Macdonald Carey. Part 3 makes serious pointless episodes about the variety of peocomments on issues ranging from the AIDS [ 700 ]

crisis to abortion as Moriarty, father of a ces Goodrich, Albert Hackett, and Jo monster baby, succeeds in preventing society Swerling expanded Philip Van Doren from exterminating all the monster infants, Stern’s short story ‘‘The Greatest Gift’’ who are quarantined on a desert island. (which had originally been written by Stern Wild fun, loaded with dark humor.▼쩠 as a Christmas card!). Remade for TV as ★★★ It’s All True (1993) C/B&W-87m. IT HAPPENED ONE CHRISTMAS. Also D: Richard Wilson, Myron Meisel, Bill Krohn. shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 Fascinating assemblage of the remaining It’s a Wonderful World (1939) 86m. ★★★ ‘‘lost’’ footage from Orson Welles’ abanD: W. S. Van Dyke II. Claudette Colbert, doned three-part documentary he was shootJames Stewart, Guy Kibbee, Nat Pendleton, ing in Brazil in 1942 as RKO brass was taking Frances Drake, Edgar Kennedy, Ernest a knife to THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERTruex, Sidney Blackmer, Hans Conried. SONS back in Hollywood. Only tantalizing Screwball comedy with Colbert a runaway snippets remain of the My Friend Bonito epipoetess, Stewart a fugitive chased by cops sode (shot in Mexico by Norman Foster under Pendleton and Kennedy. Very, very funny, Welles’ supervision) and of the seductive Carwith Stewart having a field day. Scripted by naval footage (some in color); virtually intact Ben Hecht, from his and Herman J. Mankieis what would have been the original’s centerwicz’ story. We swear by our eyes! piece: the Four Men on a Raft tribute to BraIt Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time (1975-Canadian) C-106m. ★★ D: John zilian fishermen. A major contribution to movie history, albeit one for specialized Trent. Anthony Newley, Stefanie Powers, tastes; film concludes with an audio track of Isaac Hayes, Lloyd Bochner, Yvonne De Welles with Carmen Miranda. For film buffs Carlo, Henry Ramer, Lawrence Dane, John who think they’ve experienced it all.▼●쩠 Candy. Tired comedy with a mostly tired cast, It’s Always Fair Weather (1955) C-102m. centering on Newley’s attempts to woo back ★★★ his remarried ex-wife. Dane and Candy apD: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen. Gene Kelly, Dan Dailey, Michael Kidd, Cyd pear as a pair of bumbling cops, characters Charisse, Dolores Gray, David Burns. Three they replayed a year later in FIND THE WW2 buddies meet ten years after their LADY. Aka GOOD IDEA! [PG]▼쩠 discharge and find they have nothing in It Should Happen to You (1954) 87m. ★★★ D: George Cukor. Judy Holliday, Peter common. Pungent Comden and Green script falls short of perfection but still has wonLawford, Jack Lemmon, Michael O’Shea, derful moments, and some first-rate musiVaughn Taylor. Holliday is Gladys Glover cal numbers (like Cyd’s ‘‘Baby, You Knock of Binghamton, N.Y., who has come to Me Out’’ and Dolores’ ‘‘Thanks a Lot But N.Y.C. to make a name for herself—and No Thanks’’). Best: the ash-can dance in does so, by plastering her moniker across a widescreen. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Columbus Circle billboard. Judy is radiant It’s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (1963) in this charming romantic comedy/satire, C-154m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stanley Kramer. Spenscripted by Garson Kanin. Lemmon’s first cer Tracy, Edie Adams, Milton Berle, Sid film.▼●쩠 Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Ethel Merman, It Shouldn’t Happen to a Vet SEE: All Mickey Rooney, Dick Shawn, Dorothy ProThings Bright and Beautiful vine, Phil Silvers, Jonathan Winters, Peter It’s in the Bag! (1945) 87m. ★★★ D: RichFalk, Jimmy Durante, Terry-Thomas, Eddie ard Wallace. Fred Allen, Binnie Barnes, ‘‘Rochester’’ Anderson, William Demarest, Robert Benchley, Sidney Toler, Jack Benny, many guest stars. Supercomedy cast in atDon Ameche, Victor Moore, Rudy Vallee, tempt at supercomedy, about group of people William Bendix. Story similar to THE racing to find hidden bank loot under watchful TWELVE CHAIRS with flea-circus proeye of detective Tracy. Big, splashy, generally moter Allen entitled to inheritance; plot soon funny, but bigness doesn’t equal greatness. goes out the window in favor of unrelated Homevideo version restored to 175m. Ultra but amusing episodes, including hilarious Panavision 70. ▼●쩠 encounter between Allen and Benny.▼ It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) 129m. ★★★★ It’s Love I’m After (1937) 90m. ★★★ D: D: Frank Capra. James Stewart, Donna Archie Mayo. Bette Davis, Leslie HowReed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchard, Olivia de Havilland, Patric Knowles, ell, Henry Travers, Beulah Bondi, Frank Eric Blore, Bonita Granville, Spring ByFaylen, Ward Bond, Gloria Grahame, H.B. ington, Veda Ann Borg. Delightful, witty Warner, Frank Albertson, Todd Karns, comedy of ego-struck actor Howard and Samuel S. Hinds, Mary Treen, Sheldon his fiance´e/costar Davis, who explodes Leonard, Ellen Corby. Sentimental tale of when he becomes involved with infatuated Stewart, who works all his life to make good admirer de Havilland. Reminiscent in spirit in small town, thinking he’s failed and tryof TWENTIETH CENTURY; Blore is maring to end his life. Guardian angel Travers velous as Howard’s ultra-dedicated valet.쩠 comes to show him his mistake. Only Capra It’s My Party (1996) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: and this cast could pull it off so well; this Randal Kleiser. Eric Roberts, Gregory Harfilm seems to improve with age. Capra, Franrison, Margaret Cho, Bruce Davison, Lee [ 701 ]

Grant, Devon Gummersall, Marlee Matlin, match, but they do their best. Attractive fluff. VistaVision.▼쩠 Roddy McDowall, Olivia Newton-John, Bronson Pinchot, Paul Regina, George It Started With a Kiss (1959) C-104m. ★★1 Segal, Dimitra Arlys (Arliss), Christopher ⁄2 D: George Marshall. Glenn Ford, Atkins, Ron Glass, Victor Love, Joel Polis, Debbie Reynolds, Eva Gabor, Fred Clark, Nina Foch, Sally Kellerman, Greg LouEdgar Buchanan, Harry Morgan. Airy comganis. Roberts portrays a successful L.A. edy about wacky Reynolds and her Army designer suffering from AIDS, who decides officer husband Ford, trying to make a go he’d prefer to die with dignity and throws of marriage; set in Spain. CinemaScope.▼ himself a wild weekend party for a final It Started With Eve (1941) 90m. ★★★ D: fling. Quite moving and often very funny. Henry Koster. Deanna Durbin, Charles Roberts is excellent in the lead. [R]▼●쩠 Laughton, Robert Cummings, Guy Kibbee, It’s My Turn (1980) C-91m. ★★★ D: Margaret Tallichet, Walter Catlett. DelightClaudia Weill. Jill Clayburgh, Michael ful romantic comedy; Deanna poses as Douglas, Charles Grodin, Beverly Garland, Cummings’ fiance´e to please his dying Steven Hill, Teresa Baxter, Joan Copeland, father (Laughton). Trouble starts when John Gabriel, Charles Kimbrough, Jennifer Laughton shows signs of recovery. Remade as I’D RATHER BE RICH.▼●쩠 Salt, Daniel Stern, Dianne Wiest. Enjoyable, low-key romantic comedy-drama It’s the Rage (2000) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: James about a young woman trying to balance her D. Stern. Joan Allen, Jeff Daniels, Andre life as a career woman, mate, and daughter. Braugher, Gary Sinise, Josh Brolin, Robert A quirky and consistently surprising little Forster, Anna Paquin, Giovanni Ribisi, film with good performances, especially David Schwimmer. The lives of a group of from Grodin as Clayburgh’s aloof lover. seemingly disparate people are connected Film debut of Dianne Wiest. [R]▼● by personal crises . . . which lead to resoluIt’s Not the Size That Counts (1974tions with guns. Loud, heavy-handed satire British) C-90m. BOMB D: Ralph Thomabout individual and cultural violence gets as. Leigh Lawson, Elke Sommer, Denholm worse as it goes along, despite the efforts of Elliott, Vincent Price, Judy Geeson, George a good cast, of whom only Allen and Forster Coulouris, Milo O’Shea. Abominable sequel emerge unscathed. Keith Reddin adapted his to PERCY, even worse, if that’s possible; own play. Made for theaters, but U.S. debut on cable TV. [R]▼쩠 Lawson replaces Hywel Bennett as penistransplant recipient. Original title PERCY’S It Takes All Kinds (1969-U.S.-Australian) C-98m. ★★ D: Eddie Davis. Robert Lansing, PROGRESS. [R]▼ It’$ Only Money (1962) 84m. ★★★ D: Frank Vera Miles, Barry Sullivan, Sid Melton, Tashlin. Jerry Lewis, Joan O’Brien, Zachary Penny Sugg. Fair double-cross drama about Scott, Jack Weston, Jesse White, Mae Miles’ shielding of Lansing when he acciQuestel. TV repairman Jerry wants to be a dentally kills sailor in a brawl in Australia. detective like his idol (White!), so he sets It Takes Two (1995) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: out to locate a missing heir—and guess who Andy Tennant. Kirstie Alley, Steve Gutit turns out to be? Slick mystery-comedy is tenberg, Mary-Kate Olsen, Ashley Olsen, one of Lewis’ best vehicles, thanks to solid Philip Bosco, Jane Sibbett, Michelle Grison, script (by John Fenton Murray) and direction, Desmond Robertson, Ernie Grunwald, Lawfine cast, and memorable climax involving rence Dane. Surprisingly well-wrought runaway army of robot lawn mowers. comedy for kids about lookalikes who trade It’s Pat (1994) C-77m. BOMB D: Adam places in order to help each other. The fabuBernstein. Julia Sweeney, David Foley, lously wealthy girl has a father who’s about Charles Rocket, Kathy Griffin, Julie Hayto marry a patently awful woman, while the den, Kathy Najimy, Larry Hankin, Tim orphan is about to lose her best friend, the Meadows, Camille Paglia. Sweeney’s social worker who supervises the orphanage. cheerfully obnoxious, androgynous characThe twins give very likable performances, as ter from Saturday Night Live skits was do their adult costars. A cross between THE never a prime candidate for feature-film PRINCE AND THE PAUPER and THE stardom. If you can get through the first five PARENT TRAP. [PG]▼●쩠 minutes, you may get through the whole It! The Terror From Beyond Space (1958) 69m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edward L. Cahn. Marshall movie, as Pat finds true love with the equally androgynous Chris (Foley). Barely Thompson, Shawn Smith, Kim Spalding, released theatrically. Sweeney coscripted. Ann Doran, Dabbs Greer. The second [PG-13]▼●쩠 spaceship to Mars heads for Earth with the It Started in Naples (1960) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 sole survivor of the first expedition, accused D: Melville Shavelson. Clark Gable, Soof murdering his crewmates—but the real phia Loren, Vittorio De Sica, Marietto, killer is a Martian monster (Ray ‘‘Crash’’ Paolo Carlini, Claudio Ermelli. Gable is Corrigan), which has crept aboard the reAmerican lawyer, in Italy to bring nephew turning ship. ALIEN owes a lot to this tidy, susback to America, but sexy Aunt Sophia penseful, but underproduced movie, scripted by sci-fi writer Jerome Bixby. ▼●쩠 won’t agree. Star duo never clicks as love [ 702 ]

Ivanhoe (1952) C-106m. ★★★ D: Richard Thorpe. Robert Taylor, Joan Fontaine, Elizabeth Taylor, Emlyn Williams, George Sanders, Robert Douglas, Finlay Currie, Felix Aylmer, Francis de Wolff, Guy Rolfe, Norman Wooland, Basil Sydney. Almost a classic spectacular, marred by draggy scripting of Walter Scott’s epic of England in Middle Ages, in days of chivalrous knights; beautifully photographed on location in Great Britain. Remade as a TVM in 1982.▼●쩠 Ivan’s Childhood (1962-Russian) 94m. ★★★ D: Andrei Tarkovsky. Kolya Burlaiev, Valentin Zubkov, Ye Zharikov, Nikolai Grinko. Taut, poignant account of 12-yearold Burlaiev, whose family is slaughtered during WW2, and his plight as he’s sent as a spy into Nazi territory. Tarkovsky’s first feature. Retitled: THE YOUNGEST SPY.

Mara, Stephanie Bachelor. Heartfelt romantic drama (from the master of the genre, Borzage) about a young woman who studies to be a concert pianist with a brilliant but harsh taskmaster—and falls in love with him. Beautifully photographed in Technicolor, with Artur Rubinstein providing the actual piano renditions on the soundtrack. That’s young Andre Previn as a piano student in the opening scene. ▼● I’ve Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987Canadian) C-81m. ★★1⁄2 D: Patricia Rozema. Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon, Ann-Marie McDonald, John Evans. Wistful, original comedy-drama about a young woman who’s never been successful at anything but lands a job as assistant to a chic, intelligent art gallery owner whom she comes to idolize. McCarthy’s winning and empathetic performance, in her film debut, ▼●쩠 ivansxtc. (2002) C-94m. ★★★ D: BernardRose. keeps us hooked even when the movie starts Danny Huston, Peter Weller, James Merento wander, which it does, more than once, dino, Adam Krentzman, Lisa Enos, Joanne before redeeming itself with the final shot. Duckman, Caroleen Feeney, Valeria Golino, A slight but impressive first feature for Robert Graham, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Vicwriter-director Rozema.▼●쩠 toria Silvstedt. Raw, emotionally intense look I’ve Loved You So Long (2008-Frenchat the last few weeks of a Hollywood talent German) C-117m. ★★★ D: Philippe Claudel. agent. Inspired by real-life agent Jay Moloney Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, and based on Tolstoy’s The Death of Ivan IlySerge Hazanavicius, Laurent Gre´vill, Fre´dich, the film is shot as if it were a cinema-verite´ e´ric Pierrot, Lise Se´gur, Jean-Claude Ardocumentary and never hits a false note. Husnaud. Zylberstein brings her sister (Scott ton is astonishingly good as the slick, hedonisThomas) home to live with her husband and tic Hollywood agent who finally encounters family, to whom she is a stranger: she’s something he can’t finesse or ‘‘handle’’—his been away for 15 years. As details of her mortality. [R] absence are revealed we come to empathize Ivan the Terrible, Part One (1943-Ruswith this fragile woman’s tentative reentry sian) 99m. ★★★★ D: Sergei Eisenstein. into society. The story can’t bear much Nikolai Cherkassov, Ludmila Tselikovskaya, scrutiny but it’s worth seeing for Scott Serafima Birman. Film spectacle of the Thomas, who conveys so much through her highest order. Eisenstein’s incredibly lavfacial expressions and body language; Zylish, detailed chronicle of Czar Ivan IV’s berstein is also quite good as her welllife from coronation to defeat to reinstatemeaning sister. Directing debut for novelist ment, forging fascinating image of the and screenwriter Claudel. [PG-13]쩠 man and his country. Enhanced by ProkoI Vitelloni (1953-Italian) 107m. ★★★★ D: fiev’s original score. Heavy going, but Federico Fellini. Alberto Sordi, Franco worthwhile; the story continues in IVAN Interlenghi, Franco Fabrizi, Leopoldo TriTHE TERRIBLE, PART TWO.▼●쩠 este. Magnificent comedy-drama—arguably Ivan the Terrible, Part Two (1946Fellini’s masterpiece—about five shiftless Russian) 88m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sergei Eisenstein. male adolescents in a small Adriatic town Nikolai Cherkassov, Serafima Birman, who have to cope with emerging adulthood. Mikhail Nazvanov, Pavel Kadochnikov, Film’s episodic structure brings to mind Andrei Abrikosov. Continuation of the saga AMERICAN GRAFFITI; its love of huof Czar Ivan IV, in which he takes on the manity anticipates the director’s own boyars in a battle for power. Impressive AMARCORD two decades later. In any film is just a shade below its predecessor. event, a lovely film.▼●쩠 Banned by Stalin because of controversial I Wake Up Screaming (1941) 82m. ★★★ depiction of Ivan’s secret police, and not D: H. Bruce Humberstone. Betty Grable, released until 1958. (The director had Victor Mature, Carole Landis, Laird Cregar, planned to shoot Part Three—which, needWilliam Gargan, Alan Mowbray, Allyn Josless to say, he never did.) Banquet-dance lyn, Elisha Cook, Jr. Entertaining whodunit sequence was originally in color.▼●쩠 with Grable and Mature implicated in murI’ve Always Loved You (1946) C-117m. der of Betty’s sister, pursued by determined ★★★ D: Frank Borzage. Philip Dorn, Cathercop Cregar. Good twist finish. Remade as VICKI; originally titled HOT SPOT.▼쩠 ine McLeod, Bill Carter, Maria Ouspenskaya, Felix Bressart, Elizabeth Patterson, I Walk Alone (1947) 98m. ★★ D: Byron Vanessa Brown, Lewis Howard, Adele Haskin. Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, [ 703 ]

Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey, Kristine City comedy troupe. Silverman is a standout as a crazy/sexy ice cream parlor waitress.쩠 Miller, George Rigaud, Marc Lawrence. I Want to Go Home (1989-French) CA prison term changes Lancaster’s outlook 101m. BOMB D: Alain Resnais. Adolph on life, and return to outside world makes Green, Ge´rard Depardieu, Linda Lavin, him bitter. Good cast, weak film. Laura Benson, Micheline Presle, Geraldine I Walked with a Zombie (1943) 69m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jacques Tourneur. Frances Dee, Chaplin, John Ashton, Ludivine Sagnier. Musical writer-performer Green (SINGIN’ Tom Conway, James Ellison, Edith BarIN THE RAIN) plays a neurotic American rett, Christine Gordon, Theresa Harris, cartoonist who travels to Paris for an art James Bell. Nurse Dee comes to Caribgallery show—and to see his estranged bean island to treat zombielike wife of daughter (Benson). Depardieu, an exuberant troubled Conway, finds skeletons in famadmirer, brings him to his mother’s country ily closet, plus local voodoo rituals and home for the weekend. Written by Jules legends that cannot be ignored. Exceptional Feiffer, with a score by John Kander, this Val Lewton chiller with rich atmosphere, Franco-American curio is appallingly bad, mesmerizing story. Loosely adapted from marked by amateurish performances and Jane Eyre! Read small-print disclaimer in stilted dialogue.쩠 opening credits carefully. Remade as RITI Want to Live! (1958) 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: UAL. ▼●쩠 Robert Wise. Susan Hayward, Simon OakI Walk the Line (1970) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: land, Virginia Vincent, Theodore Bikel, John Frankenheimer. Gregory Peck, TuesJohn Marley, Dabbs Greer, Gavin Macday Weld, Estelle Parsons, Ralph Meeker, Leod. Hayward won an Oscar for her Lonny Chapman, Charles Durning. Rural gutsy performance as prostitute-crook Barsheriff Peck falls for moonshiner’s daughbara Graham who (according to the film) ter Weld, thereby destroying both his prois framed for murder and goes to gas fessional and personal life. Offbeat but chamber. Smart presentation, fine acting, aimless drama, helped by excellent Weld memorable jazz score by Johnny Mandel. performance. Johnny Cash sings five songs. Nelson Gidding and Don Mankiewicz based Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 script on articles about Graham. Look fast for I Wanna Hold Your Hand (1978) C-104m. Jack Weston, Brett Halsey. Remade as a 1983 ★★★ D: Robert Zemeckis. Nancy Allen, TVM with Lindsay Wagner. ▼●쩠 Bobby DiCicco, Marc McClure, Susan I Want What I Want (1972-British) Kendall Newman, Theresa Saldana, Eddie C-91m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Dexter. Anne HeyDeezen, Wendie Jo Sperber, Will Jordan. wood, Harry Andrews, Jill Bennett, Nigel Teenagers connive to get tickets for the Flatley, Paul Rogers. Interesting little piece Beatles’ first appearance on The Ed Sulliabout sexual crisis in the life of man who van Show. If this original comedy seems wants a sex-change operation.▼ occasionally silly and overbearing, that’s I Want You (1951) 102m. ★★★ D: Mark the price it pays for being a generally Robson. Dana Andrews, Dorothy McGuire, accurate portrayal of a raucous event. CoFarley Granger, Peggy Dow, Robert Keith, median Jordan is as hilariously SullivanMildred Dunnock, Martin Milner, Ray like as ever. Steven Spielberg was executive Collins, Jim Backus. Dated yet still touchproducer. [PG]▼●쩠 ing Americana detailing effects of the Ko★★ D: I Wanted Wings (1941) 131m. rean War on a small-town family. An artifact Mitchell Leisen. Ray Milland, William of its era, with fine performances all around. Holden, Wayne Morris, Brian Donlevy, Screenplay by Irwin Shaw.▼ Constance Moore, Veronica Lake, Hedda I Was a Communist for the FBI (1951) Hopper. Stale plot of three men undergo83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gordon Douglas. Frank ing Air Force training served to introduce Lovejoy, Dorothy Hart, Philip Carey, James Lake as star material; that remains only Millican. Documentary-style counterspy real point of interest. However, the special caper, low key and effective.쩠 effects for this did garner an Oscar. I Was a Male War Bride (1949) 105m. ★★★ I Want Her Dead SEE: W D: Howard Hawks. Cary Grant, Ann I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With Sheridan, Marion Marshall, Randy Stuart, (2007) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff Garlin. Jeff William Neff, Ken Tobey. Delightful comGarlin, Sarah Silverman, Bonnie Hunt, Amy edy of errors has French Army officer Sedaris, David Pasquesi, Gina Gershon, Elle Grant trying to accompany WAC wife Fanning. Garlin makes an unassumingly enSheridan back to U.S. with hilarious regaging impression as an overweight, unluckysults. Grant in drag makes this one worth in-love comic who thinks he would be perfect watching.▼쩠 for the lead role in a proposed remake of I Was a Teenage Boy SEE: Something MARTY (and not just because he still lives Special with his mother). Mildly amusing ensemble I Was a Teenage Frankenstein (1957) comedy (based on Garlin’s stage show) in72m. ★1⁄2 D: Herbert L. Strock. Whit cludes fellow alumni of the famed Second Bissell, Gary Conway, Phyllis Coates, Rob[ 704 ]

ert Burton. Campy junk about mad scienVampira, Steven Weber. An unproduced tist who pulls young Conway from an auto screenplay by Edward D. Wood, Jr., served as wreck and ‘‘repairs’’ him. Doesn’t live up the ‘‘inspiration’’ for this tedious chronicle of to that title; worth catching only for Bissell’s a thief (Zane) who breaks out of a mental inimmortal line, ‘‘Answer me! You have a stitution. The intention was to make a bad civil tongue in your head! I know—I sewed (read: unintentionally funny) movie in the it in there!’’ One sequence is in color.▼ style of Ed Wood, but the result is just boring. I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957) 75m. Made as a silent movie, with sound effects ★★★ D: Gene Fowler, Jr. Michael Landon, and music. Zane coproduced.▼ Yvonne Lime, Whit Bissell, Vladimir I Wonder Who’s Killing Her Now? (1976) Sokoloff, Guy Williams. Landon plays a C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steven H. Stern. Bob hair-trigger-temper teen who’s got a nut Dishy, Joanna Barnes, Bill Dana, Vito (Bissell) for a psychotherapist with dangerScotti. Luckless husband hires someone to ous ideas about hypnotic regression and bump off his wife for insurance money, then man’s prehistoric past. Result: a werewolf tries to call it off; uneven but often funny in a high school jacket. As good as a lowfarce, written by Woody Allen’s one-time budget drive-in monster movie gets; it collaborator Mickey Rose. [PG]▼ launched Landon’s career. ▼ I Wouldn’t Be in Your Shoes (1948) 70m. ★★1⁄2 D: William Nigh. Don Castle, Elyse I Was a Teenage Zombie (1987) C-92m. BOMB D: John E. Michalakias. Michael Knox, Regis Toomey, Charles D. Brown, Ruben, George Seminara, Steve McCoy, Rory Mallinson, Robert Lowell, Bill KenCassie Madden. Low-grade horror spoof nedy. Knox teams with cop Toomey to save concerns teen zombie Ruben battling Mcher tap-dancer husband, who was railroaded Coy, the zombie version of a drug pusher after throwing a pair of shoes out the winwho’s been preying on adolescents. Amadow to silence a wailing cat, only to be teur night at the movies.▼●쩠 convicted of murder after police find his I Was Happy Here SEE: Time Lost and shoe prints near the corpse of a rich man. Time Remembered Minor film noir based on a Cornell WoolI Was Monty’s Double (1958-British) rich story has good shabby atmosphere and 100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Guillermin. M. E. fairly engrossing story; twist ending is Clifton-James, John Mills, Cecil Parker, pretty obvious, but still satisfying. Marius Goring, Michael Hordern, Leslie Phillips, Bryan Forbes. Exciting, true WW2 Jabberwocky (1977-British) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 story of actor persuaded to pose as Gen. D: Terry Gilliam. Michael Palin, Max Montgomery in order to divert German Wall, Deborah Fallender, John Le Mesurier, intelligence in North Africa. Cast is first-rate. Annette Badland. Gilliam and Palin of I Went Down (1997-Irish-British) CMONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY 107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Paddy Breathnach. Brendan GRAIL fame give us another satire of Gleeson, Peter McDonald, Tony Doyle, Peter medieval times, but the humor is even Caffrey, Antoine Byrne. A good but downmore spotty than its predecessor’s. For on-his-luck guy is forced to pull off a kidnapfans. [R]▼●쩠 ping in order to work off a large debt he owes J’Accuse (1937-French) C-95m. ★★★ D: Abel some gangsters. Quirky Irish action comedy Gance. Victor Francen, Jean Max, Delaitre, has genuine affection for its unlikely heroes Renee Devillers. Very good—but not great— but never really catches fire, despite a wily antiwar film, focusing on exploited war vetperformance from Gleeson as an aging petty eran Francen; in a vivid sequence, he calls thug who can’t even steal a car properly. A on war casualties to rise from their graves. Previously filmed by Gance in 1918.▼ big hit in Ireland. [R]▼ I Will, I Will . . . For Now (1976) Jack (1996) C-113m. ★★ D: Francis Ford C-96m. ★★ D: Norman Panama. Elliott Coppola. Robin Williams, Diane Lane, JenGould, Diane Keaton, Paul Sorvino, Vicnifer Lopez, Brian Kerwin, Fran Drescher, toria Principal, Robert Alda, Warren BerBill Cosby, Michael McKean, Don Novello, linger, Madge Sinclair, Candy Clark. Fair Allan Rich, Adam Zolotin, Todd Bosley. A satire on frigidity, infidelity, marriage counboy born prematurely—but fully developed— selling and a sex clinic. Gould and ex-wife turns out to be aging at four times normal rate. Keaton spend film rediscovering each other. At 10, with the physical characteristics of a 40-year-old man, he leaves his cloistered Panavision. [R]▼ I Woke Up Early the Day I Died (1999) home to go to school and deal with other kids C/B&W-90m. BOMB D: Aris Iliopulos. his age for the first time in his life. Williams Billy Zane, Abraham Benrubi, Sandra Bernis the perfect choice to play this man-child, hard, Karen Black, Conrad Brooks, Tippi but the script goes nowhere. Overlong, too Hedren, Eartha Kitt, Ann Magnuson, Anadult for kids, too redundant for grown-ups; drew McCarthy, Ron Perlman, Will Patton, destined to please no one. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Max Perlich, Summer Phoenix, Tara Reid, Jackal, The (1997) C-124m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiChristina Ricci, John Ritter, Rick Schroeder, chael Caton-Jones. Bruce Willis, Richard Nicolette Sheridan, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora, Tess [ 705 ]

Harper, J. K. Simmons, Mathilda May, Stephen Spinella, Richard Lineback, Jack Black, Sophie Okonedo. When the FBI and the KGB are stumped as to how to capture an international assassin called The Jackal, they turn to the one man who knows him—an Irish terrorist (Gere) who’s serving time in a U.S. prison. Watchable globe-trotting thriller is weakened by lapses of credibility, but boosted by Gere’s charismatic performance. Venora is also a standout as a no-nonsense Russian agent. Bears only the slightest resemblance to the superior THE DAY OF THE JACKAL, despite being ‘‘officially’’ based on that screenplay. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Jackals, The (1967) C-105m. ★★ D: Robert D. Webb. Vincent Price, Diana Ivarson, Robert Gunner, Bob Courtney, Patrick Mynhardt. William Wellman’s striking YELLOW SKY reset in the South African Transvaal, with six bandits terrorizing a grizzled old miner (Price) and his granddaughter into surrendering their gold.▼쩠 Jack & Sarah (1995-British-French) C110m. ★★1⁄2 D. Tim Sullivan. Richard E. Grant, Samantha Mathis, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen, Cherie Lunghi, Eileen Atkins, Imogen Stubbs. A London lawyer is crushed when his young wife dies in childbirth, but he finds a reason to live in his infant daughter. He hires a young American as a nanny, which leads to romance—and complications. Good performances, particularly by the two leads, keep this uneven film watchable and pleasant. Also available in PG version. [R]▼●쩠 Jack and the Beanstalk (1952) C/B&W78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Yarbrough. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, Dorothy Ford, Barbara Brown, Buddy Baer. A&C version of fairy tale OK for kids, but not as funny as their earlier films. Begins in sepiatone, then changes to color, like THE WIZARD OF OZ.▼●쩠 jackass: the movie (2002) C-85m. ★★ D: Jeff Tremaine. Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Chris Pontius, Steve-O, Dave England, Ryan Dunn, Jason ‘‘Wee Man’’ Acun˜a, Preston Lacy, Ehren McGhehey. R-rated expansion of the mysteriously popular MTV show in which guys gleefully injure themselves doing all manner of stupid, raunchy, goofball stunts. Artless frat-house–level humor that some people find hilarious . . . especially the participants. Followed by a sequel. [R]

that cross the line and a cast willing to do anything—and we mean anything—for a laugh, this tasteless but sometimes hilarious collection of body-bashing gags is not for everyone—and you all know who you are. Don’t try this at home! Unrated version runs 93m. [R]쩠 Jack Be Nimble (1993-New Zealand) C93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Garth Maxwell. Alexis Arquette, Sarah Smuts-Kennedy, Bruno Lawrence, Tony Barry, Elizabeth Hawthorne. Weird, clever little chiller in which the title character is adopted into a family of cretins and abused beyond endurance; he sets out to find his long-lost sister, and also to seek revenge. Doesn’t quite work when it takes itself too seriously; otherwise, this is devilishly entertaining, and has cult possibilities. [R]▼●쩠 Jacket, The (2005-U.S.-German-Scottish) C-103m. ★★ D: John Maybury. Adrien Brody, Keira Knightley, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kris Kristofferson, Daniel Craig, Kelly Lynch, Brad Renfro, Mackenzie Phillips, Jason Lewis. Following a violent 1991 incident while serving in the Gulf War, soldier Brody ends up in Vermont and later in a time-travel journey to 2007. There he deals with the ramifications of a good Samaritan deed he performed—before another act of violence—in his previous life. Ugly to look at and apparently conceived from body parts of previous movies, modest head-case story (with the obligatory shady shrink) is only worth the time if you’re curious to see the normally well-scrubbed Knightley sporting the goth look. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Jack Frost (1998) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Troy Miller. Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy, Joseph Cross, Henry Rollins, Dweezil Zappa. A neglectful dad dies in a car accident and comes to life one year later as a snowman in his son’s front yard! Warm, likable performances and an absence of treacle make this an OK family film, but it never overcomes its fundamental problem: a very strange premise. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Jackie Brown (1997) C-154m. ★★★ D: Quentin Tarantino. Pam Grier, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Forster, Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, Robert De Niro, Michael Bowen, Chris Tucker, Sid Haig. Leisurely paced but enjoyable adaptation of Elmore Leonard’s crime caper Rum Punch, reset in Southern California. Grier (in a standout performance) plays a flight attendant who’s been trafficking in hot money for lowlife ▼쩠 jackass number two (2006) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 Jackson; when caught, she plays all the D: Jeff Tremaine. Johnny Knoxville, Bam angles she can think of to keep herself out Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Preston of jail, managing to keep the cops, her chief Lacy, Ryan Dunn, Ehren McGhehey, Jason client, and everyone else on ice. Dynamite ‘‘Wee Man’’ Acun˜a, Jay Chandrasekhar, performances all around sustain film Tony Hawk, Spike Jonze, Mike Judge, John through its periodic lulls. [R]▼●쩠 Waters, Luke Wilson, Rip Taylor. The tagJackie Chan’s First Strike (1996-Hong line, ‘‘When was the last time a movie Kong) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stanley Tong. made you beg for mercy?’’ pretty much Jackie Chan, Chen Chun Wu, Jackson Lou, sums up this sequel, a spinoff from the enorBill Tung, Jouri Petrov. Hong Kong’s most mously successful MTV series. With stunts physically agile cop finds himself in a [ 706 ]

James Bond–like intrigue involving the Jack of Diamonds (1967-U.S.-German) C105m. ★1⁄2 D: Don Taylor. George HamilCIA, Russian mafia, a nuclear device, and of course, a good-looking female scuba ton, Joseph Cotton, Marie Lafont, Maurice diver. The dubbing here is typically Evans, Carroll Baker, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Lilli wretched, yet in a lark like this it really Palmer. Hamilton plays a cat burglar who doesn’t matter; the last two thirds is almost robs jewels from Baker, Gabor, and Palmer, wall-to-wall action, including a doozy of a who are ‘‘special guests’’ in this sorry film. donnybrook in which Chan makes memoraSkip this and wait for TO CATCH A ble use of a ladder. Technovision and PaTHIEF instead. Jackpot, The (1950) 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Walter navision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Jackie Chan’s Police Story SEE: Police Lang. James Stewart, Barbara Hale, James Story (1985) Gleason, Fred Clark, Natalie Wood. Dated, Jackie Chan’s Who Am I? (1998-Hong minor comedy, uplifted by stars; Stewart Kong) C-108m. ★★★ D: Jackie Chan, Benny is winner of radio contest but can’t pay Chan. Jackie Chan, Michelle Ferre, Mirai taxes on winnings.▼ Yamamoto, Ron Smerczak, Ed Nelson, Tom Jackpot (2001) C-96m. ★★ D: Michael PolPompert. Chan is part of a secret military ish. Jon Gries, Daryl Hannah, Garrett Morteam sent on a fatal mission; although he surris, Peggy Lipton, Crystal Bernard, Anthony vives, he loses his memory, and can’t underEdwards, Mac Davis, Adam Baldwin. An stand why so many people are pursuing him. over-the-hill desert rat (Gries) ditches his Lame dialogue and cardboard performances wife and baby daughter to become a traveling are outshone by one fantastic action scene karaoke cowboy, playing the Nevada circuit after another, including a unique episode inwith his clingy, overambitious manager (Morvolving wooden shoes in Rotterdam. Chan ris). Shot on high-definition video, the film also wrote the screenplay. Filmed in English. looks even more fantastic than Mark and Originally 117m. Aka WHO AM I? PanaMichael Polish’s first feature, TWIN vision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 FALLS, IDAHO, but this irony-drenched Jackie Robinson Story, The (1950) 76m. movie about a failed American dream gets ★★★ D: Alfred E. Green. Jackie Robinson, pretty dreary once we realize we’re stuck in Ruby Dee, Minor Watson, Louise Beathe company of an irredeemable loser. HD vers, Richard Lane, Harry Shannon, Ben 24P Widescreen. [R] ▼쩠 Lessy, Joel Fluellen. Straightforward bio Jack’s Back (1988) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Rowdy of Robinson, the first black man to play Herrington. James Spader, Cynthia Gibb, major-league baseball. Fascinating as a Rod Loomis, Rex Ryon, Robert Picardo, social history; pointed in its presentation Chris Mulkey, Danitza Kingsley. Umpof the racial issues involved. Interestingly, teenth retelling of the JACK THE RIPPER Robinson’s Negro League ball club is called saga is updated to contemporary L.A. where the Black Panthers! Dee plays Robinson’s young doctor Spader is the #1 suspect wife; 40 years later, she was cast as his when prostitutes are killed in grisly fashmother in the TV movie THE COURTion 100 years to the day after Bloody MARTIAL OF JACKIE ROBINSON.▼쩠 Jack’s legendary crimes. Plot twist halfJack London (1943) 94m. ★1⁄2 D: Alfred way through is preposterous; Spader is Santell. Michael O’Shea, Susan Hayward, earnest but miscast. [R]▼● Osa Massen, Harry Davenport, Frank CraJackson County Jail (1976) C-89m. ★★1⁄2 ven, Virginia Mayo. Hokey, episodic ‘‘biD: Michael Miller. Yvette Mimieux, ography’’ of famed writer spends too much Tommy Lee Jones, Robert Carradine, Fredtime maligning Japanese—which was superic Cook, Severn Darden, Howard Hesseposed to give topical slant to this period man, Mary Woronov. Prisoner Yvette, drama in 1943. Aka THE ADVENTURES dumped on by everyone she meets, goes on OF JACK LONDON and THE LIFE OF the lam with fellow inmate in yet another chase pic. Livelier than most, this one has JACK LONDON.▼쩠 Jack London’s Klondike Fever SEE: eveloped a cult reputation. Miller later remade Klondike Fever it for TV as OUTSIDE CHANCE; it was Jacknife (1989) C-102m. ★★★ D: David remade again in 1996 as MACON COUNTY Jones. Robert De Niro, Ed Harris, Kathy JAIL. [R]▼●쩠 Baker, Charles Dutton, Loudon Wainwright Jack the Bear (1993) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: III. Simple and involving story of a Vietnam Marshall Herskovitz. Danny DeVito, Robvet (De Niro) who looks up an old Army ert J. Steinmiller, Miko Hughes, Gary buddy (Harris) and tries to get him to face Sinise, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Reese Witherup to his repressed memories of Nam, and spoon, Bert Remsen, Andrea Marcovicci. their mutual best friend who died there. Sporadically affecting, but mostly mudMeanwhile, a romance blossoms between dled comedy-drama about the emotional De Niro and Harris’ wallflower sister, with unraveling of a widowed TV horror-movie whom he lives. Three terrific performances host whose neighbor is a pro-Nazi psycho make this a must. Stephen Metcalfe adapted who poses a threat to children. Kept on his play Strange Snow. [R]▼●쩠 track at least some of the time by Steinmiller’s [ 707 ]

★★★1 exceptional performance as DeVito’s older ⁄2 D: Agne´s Varda. Philippe Maron, son (age 12). Set in 1972; based on Dan Edouard Joubeaud, Laurent Monnier, BriMcCall’s novel. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 gitte de Villepoix. Deeply moving chroniJack the Giant Killer (1962) C-94m. ★★★ cle of the sum of a man’s life, as Varda D: Nathan Juran. Kerwin Mathews, Judi creates a portrait of her late husband, French Meredith, Torin Thatcher, Walter Burke. filmmaker Jacques Demy. Varda cuts from Marvelous Fantascope special effects make interviews with Demy (lovingly photothis costume adventure yarn (in the SINBAD graphed in extreme close-up), to clips from tradition) great fun. Beware reissue, which his films, to the re-created story of young was dubbed into an ersatz musical!▼●쩠 ‘‘Jacquot’’ growing up in Nantes during Jacob’s Ladder (1990) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: the 1940s and developing a passion for Adrian Lyne. Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena, cinema. A heartfelt valentine from one life Danny Aiello, Matt Craven, Pruitt Taylor partner to another. Released in U.S. in 1993 Vince, Jason Alexander, Patricia Kalember, as JACQUOT. Varda has since directed Eriq La Salle, Ving Rhames. Brooding, several other celluloid tributes to Demy.▼ often effective tale of Vietnam vet who Jade (1995) C-101m. ★★ D: William suffers from hallucinations, which may or Friedkin. David Caruso, Linda Fiorentino, may not be linked to his everyday life in Chazz Palminteri, Michael Biehn, Richard N.Y.C. Nightmarish story leads to a cliCrenna, Donna Murphy, Ken King, Holt max that—like a bad shaggy-dog joke— McCallany, David Hunt, Angie Everhart, negates the entire film! Bruce Joel Rubin’s Kevin Tighe. While investigating the brutal script is reminiscent of Ambrose Bierce’s murder of a wealthy San Franciscan, assisclassic ‘‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek tant D.A. Caruso realizes to his dismay that Bridge,’’ only not as good. Macaulay his old flame (Fiorentino, married to his Culkin appears unbilled in a key supportgood friend Palminteri) may be involved. ing role. Two deleted scenes were added Sordid mystery/thriller from the seedy pen for the film’s cable TV debut. [R]▼●쩠 of Joe Eszterhas; has its moments (includJacob the Liar (1974-East German) Cing an exciting S.F. car chase) but never rises above the mire. Unrated video edition 95m. ★★★ D: Frank Beyer. Vlastimil Brodhas 12m. additional footage. [R] ▼●쩠 sky, Erwin Geschonneck, Manuela Simon, Henry Hubchen, Blanche Kommerell, Jagged Edge (1985) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Armin Mueller-Stahl. Touching, sometimes Richard Marquand. Jeff Bridges, Glenn comic tale of Polish Jew Brodsky, whose Close, Peter Coyote, Robert Loggia, John false tales to fellow ghetto dwellers give Dehner, Leigh Taylor-Young, Karen Aussome hope against their Nazi captors. Retin, Lance Henriksen, James Karen, Mimade in 1999 as JAKOB THE LIAR.▼쩠 chael Dorn. Wealthy publishing magnate Jacob Two Two Meets the Hooded Fang is accused of murdering his wife; hotshot (1977-Canadian) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: Theolawyer Close will defend him only if she dore J. Flicker. Stephen Rosenberg, Alex believes he’s innocent. Not only is she Karras, Guy L’Ecuyer, Joy Coghill, Earl convinced—she immediately falls in love Pennington, Claude Gail. Engaging fanwith him! Credibility goes out the window in tasy for kids written by Mordecai Richler, this otherwise well-made, often gripping comabout a boy who dreams he’s sent to chilbination of thriller and courtroom drama. How dren’s prison. Low-budget production valcould such a ‘‘smart’’ movie allow so many ues are unfortunate detriment. [G]▼ silly loopholes? Loggia is terrific as usual as Close’s street-smart leg man. [R]▼●쩠 Jacqueline Susann’s Once Is Not Enough (1975) C-121m. BOMB D: Guy Green. Jaguar Lives! (1979) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: ErKirk Douglas, Alexis Smith, David Janssen, nest Pintoff. Joe Lewis, Christopher Lee, Deborah Raffin, George Hamilton, Melina Donald Pleasence, Barbara Bach, Capucine, Mercouri, Brenda Vaccaro. Trashy film Joseph Wiseman, Woody Strode, John Husbased on Susann’s trashy novel of jet-set ton. Karate champ Lewis is featured in this intrigue, and a blossoming young woman predictable action cheapie as a special (Raffin) with a father-fixation. Incurably agent sent to dispatch narcotics biggies in stupid, and surprisingly dull. Vaccaro ofvarious world capitals. Top cast, but don’t fers brightest moments as unabashed manbe fooled. [PG]▼ chaser. Panavision. [R]▼ Jail Bait (1954) 70m. ★1⁄2 D: Edward D. Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and LivWood, Jr. Timothy Farrell, Lyle Talbot, ing in Paris (1975) C-98m. ★★ D: Denis Steve Reeves, Herbert Rawlinson, DoloHeroux. Elly Stone, Mort Shuman, Joe res Fuller, Clancey Malone, Theodora Masiell, Jacques Brel. Musical revue feaThurman, Mona McKinnon. Farrell leads turing 26 bittersweet songs on life, love, young Malone into life of crime; when the war and death by Belgian balladeer Jacques law closes in, he forces Malone’s plastic Brel. No plot, no dialogue. Based on 1968 surgeon father to change his face. Misleadstage show. An American Film Theater ingly titled thriller is less inept than Wood’s ‘‘classics,’’ and thus less funny, but inProduction. [PG]▼쩠 Jacquot de Nantes (1991-French) C-118m. spired teaming of Talbot and Reeves (in [ 708 ]

his first speaking part) as cops is good for Susan Sarandon, Miriam Margolyes, David a few giggles.▼●쩠 Thewlis. Wondrous adaptation of Roald Jail Bait (1972-German) C-99m. ★★★ D: Dahl’s fantasy about a beleaguered boy, Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Eva Mattes, tended by two harridan aunts, who discovers a Harry Baer, Jorg von Liebenfels, Ruth magic pathway inside a giant peach. Together Drexel, Kurt Raab, Hanna Schygulla. Anwith a grasshopper, a spider, a centipede, a other provocative, controversial exploration worm, a glowworm, and a ladybug, he sets of emptiness in post-WW2 Germany from sail for the city of his dreams—N.Y. Starts in the prolific Fassbinder. Here, a seductive 14live action, then segues to stop-motion animayear-old (Mattes) becomes involved with tion to bring Dahl’s (typically) bizarre but deBaer, eventually coaxing him into murdering lightful story to life. Gets better and better as her father. Originally made for German teleit goes along, with impeccable voice characvision; not released in the U.S. until 1977. terizations and charming songs by Randy Jailhouse Rock (1957) 96m. ★★★ D: RichNewman. A rare movie that creates a world ard Thorpe. Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, all its own, and an even rarer children’s film that has real wit and imagination. [PG]▼●쩠 Vaughn Taylor, Dean Jones, Mickey Shaughnessy. Elvis learns to pick a guitar in the James Dean Story, The (1957) 82m. ★★ D: Big House, later becomes a surly rock star. George W. George, Robert Altman. Narrated Presley’s best film captures the legend in all by Martin Gabel. Uninspired use of available his nostril-flaring, pre-Army glory. Great material makes this a slow-moving documenLeiber-Stoller score, including ‘‘Treat Me tary on life of 1950s movie star.▼●쩠 Nice,’’ ‘‘Don’t Leave Me Now,’’ and terrific Jamo´n Jamo´n (1992-Spanish) C-93m. ★★★ title song. Also shown in computer-colored D: Jose´ Juan Bigas Luna. Pene´lope Cruz, version. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 Stefania Sandrelli, Anna Galiena, Juan Jake Speed (1986) C-104m. BOMB D: Diego, Jordi Molla, Javier Bardem. Clever, Andrew Lane. Wayne Crawford, Dennis erotic black comedy-melodrama about sex Christopher, Karen Kopins, John Hurt, Leon and food, which also serves to mirror SpanAmes, Roy London, Donna Pescow, Barry ish society in transition. The scenario foPrimus, Monte Markham. Utter waste of time cuses on the various members of two about a paperback hero who turns up in real families from different classes, and what life to help a damsel in distress. Crawford, who follows after beautiful Cruz falls for (and has all the star appeal of a can of tuna, presumbecomes pregnant by) her boss’ spoiled son ably got the lead role because he also cowrote (Molla). A delight from start to finish, and a sleeper hit in Europe.▼ and coproduced the film. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★1 Jakob the Liar (1999) C-114m. ⁄2 D: Jane Austen Book Club, The (2007) C106m. ★★★ D: Robin Swicord. Maria Bello, Peter Kassovitz. Robin Williams, Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Hannah Taylor Gordon, Armin Emily Blunt, Kathy Baker, Amy BrenneMueller-Stahl, Liev Schreiber, Michael Jeter, man, Maggie Grace, Jimmy Smits, Hugh Nina Siemaszko, Mathieu Kassovitz. In a Dancy, Marc Blucas, Kevin Zegers, Lynn Polish ghetto in 1944, a wistful widower Redgrave, Nancy Travis. Agreeable fare (Williams) raises hopes among his fellow about five women—and one unlikely townspeople after he accidentally hears an man—who form a book club devoted to optimistic report about the war on a Nazi Jane Austen’s novels, only to discover that radio. Soon, he is besieged for more ‘‘radio the storylines parallel their own dealings reports,’’ which he is forced to invent. Modwith marriage, divorce, fidelity, etc. Likable est film from Jurek Becker’s novel is only cast propels this easy-to-take material, with mildly successful, though Williams does his Blunt a standout as a repressed (yet snooty) best. Mueller-Stahl also appeared in the schoolteacher. Directing debut for screen1974 version. [PG-13]▼쩠 writer Swicord, who also adapted Karen Joy Jamaica Inn (1939-British) 98m. ★★ D: Fowler’s novel. [PG-13]쩠 Alfred Hitchcock. Charles Laughton, MauJane Austen in Manhattan (1980) Creen O’Hara, Leslie Banks, Robert New108m. ★1⁄2 D: James Ivory. Robert Powell, ton, Emlyn Williams, Mervyn Johns. Stodgy Anne Baxter, Michael Wager, Tim Choate, Victorian costumer of cutthroat band headed John Guerrasio, Katrina Hodiak, Kurt Johnby nobleman Laughton; O’Hara is lovely, son, Sean Young. Dreary, confusing oddbut plodding Hitchcock film is disappointing. ity about charismatic acting-teacher PowBased on Daphne du Maurier novel; Hitch ell and his rival Baxter, each trying to had far more success a year later with du produce a newly discovered play written Maurier’s Rebecca. Remade for British by Jane Austen. Overlong; a disappointTV in 1985 with Jane Seymour and Patrick ment from director Ivory. Hodiak is the McGoohan. ▼●쩠 daughter of Baxter and John Hodiak.▼쩠 James and the Giant Peach (1996) CJane Austen’s Mafia! (1998) C-84m. ★★1⁄2 80m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Henry Selick. Paul Terry, D: Jim Abrahams. Jay Mohr, Billy Burke, Miriam Margolyes, Joanna Lumley, Pete Christina Applegate, Lloyd Bridges, Pamela Postlethwaite, Mike Starr; voices of Simon Gidley, Olympia Dukakis, Jason Fuchs, Joe Callow, Richard Dreyfuss, Jane Leeves, Viterelli, Tony Lo Bianco. Parody from the [ 709 ]

AIRPLANE/NAKED GUN school takes tralia where her company operates. They aim at THE GODFATHER and CASINO share unexpected adventures and eventually but throws in gags referring to everything break through their professional reserve; from FORREST GUMP to JURASSIC then fate steps in. Intriguing story about the PARK. Disorganized, to say the least, but role of chance in our lives; deliberately pulls full of funny stuff—funny enough to overthe rug out from under the audience, but look many of its shortcomings. Bridges’ last doesn’t fully compensate us for that jarring film. Aka MAFIA! [PG-13]▼●쩠 experience. Collette is excellent as usual. Jane Eyre (1934) 67m. ★★ D: Christy Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Cabanne. Virginia Bruce, Colin Clive, Jarhead (2005) C-123m. ★★★ D: Sam MenBeryl Mercer, Aileen Pringle, David Tordes. Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie rence, Lionel Belmore. Thin version of the Foxx, Lucas Black, Brian Geraghty, Jacob oft-filmed Bronte¨ novel, produced by Vargas, Laz Alonso, Evan Jones, Chris CooMonogram, of all studios, with Bruce in the per, Dennis Haysbert. Visual diary of a raw title role and Clive as Mr. Rochester. Still, Marine recruit who’s shipped to the Arabian it’s not uninteresting as a curio.▼쩠 desert in 1990, where he and fellow newbies Jane Eyre (1944) 96m. ★★★ D: Robert are placed in a holding pattern called OperaStevenson. Orson Welles, Joan Fontaine, tion Desert Shield, waiting to fight in what Margaret O’Brien, Henry Daniell, John Sutton, eventually became Operation Desert Storm. Agnes Moorehead, Elizabeth Taylor, Peggy Absurdities mount up on a daily basis in Ann Garner, Sara Allgood, Aubrey Mather, this surreal, sun-baked atmosphere. William Hillary Brooke. Artistically successful if slowBroyles, Jr., adapted Anthony Swofford’s moving version of Charlotte Bronte¨ novel best-selling memoir; Mendes consciously about orphan girl who grows up to become a echoes FULL METAL JACKET, APOCAgoverness in mysterious household. One of LYPSE NOW, and others in this offbeat Elizabeth Taylor’s early films.▼●쩠 but compelling war film in which there is Jane Eyre (1996-French-Italian-U.S.-Britprecious little combat. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ish) C-117m. ★★ D: Franco Zeffirelli. WilJason and the Argonauts (1963-British) liam Hurt, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anna C-104m. ★★★ D: Don Chaffey. Todd ArmPaquin, Geraldine Chaplin, Fiona Shaw, strong, Gary Raymond, Nancy Kovack, Elle Macpherson, John Wood, Joan PlowHonor Blackman, Nigel Green. Great speright, Amanda Root, Charlotte Attenborcial effects (by Ray Harryhausen) and colorough. Unremarkable remake of Bronte¨’s ful backgrounds in fable about Jason’s classic romance features Gainsbourg as a very search for golden fleece. Encounters with credible Jane. Unfortunately, there is a lack of mythic monsters and gods highlight this chemistry between the leads, and a rushed sweeping adventure. Rich score by Bernard ending that is completely out of sync with Herrmann. Remade for TV in 2000. ▼●쩠 the rest of the film. The 1944 version reJason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday mains the best attempt. [PG]▼●쩠 (1993) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Adam Marcus. John Janis (1975) C-96m. ★★★ D: Howard Alk, D. LeMay, Kari Keegan, Kane Hodder, SteSeaton Findlay. Documentary on Janis Jopven Williams, Steven Culp, Erin Gray, lin was filmed with cooperation of her Rusty Schwimmer, Billy Green Bush. Ninth family, so it ignores the singer’s dark side. entry in the FRIDAY THE 13TH series, igOK within its limits, with a dozen or so nores the plots of the last six or so, and opens songs performed (including ‘‘Piece of My with Jason being blown to pieces in an amHeart,’’ ‘‘Me and Bobby McGee,’’ ‘‘Kozbush. However, his evil spirit takes over a mic Blues,’’ ‘‘Mercedes Benz’’). [R]▼ convenient bystander, and reborn, he heads January Man, The (1989) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: for home to confront his (hitherto unmenPat O’Connor. Kevin Kline, Mary Elizationed) sister. Erratic, illogical, and pointlessly beth Mastrantonio, Susan Sarandon, Harcruel; some fans liked it because of its delight vey Keitel, Danny Aiello, Rod Steiger, in including elements from other contempoAlan Rickman, Faye Grant, Tandy Cronyn. rary horror movie series. Followed in 2002 Appallingly wrongheaded mix of cop by JASON X. [R]▼●쩠 movie, romantic drama, and offbeat comJason’s Lyric (1994) C-119m. ★★ D: Doug edy written by John Patrick Shanley, with McHenry. Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett, Forest Kline as a self-styled eccentric whose Whitaker, Bokeem Woodbine, Treach, Lisa brother, the police commissioner of N.Y.C., Carson, Suzzanne Douglas, Eddie Griffin, is forced to hire him to help catch a serial Lahmard Tate. Overly familiar (not to menkiller. Fine cast founders in this unfunny, tion confusing) tale of good-and-evil brothillogical mess. [R]▼●쩠 ers. Jason (Payne) is an honest and dependJapanese Story (2003-Australian) C-99m. able workingman; Joshua (Woodbine) is a ★★1⁄2 D: Sue Brooks. Toni Collette, Gotaro drug-abusing thief. Jason falls in love with Tsunashima, Matthew Dyktynski, Lynette an attractive waitress named Lyric (PinCurran, Yumiko Tanaka, Kate Atkinson. kett)—more a romantic male fantasy than a Geologist Collette is chosen to escort a Japreal person—and you know what’s coming. anese businessman to a remote area of AusSeveral sex scenes were trimmed to avoid [ 710 ]

an NC-17 rating, but gruesome violence reeffects. Retitled JAWS III for TV and homevideo. ArriVision. [PG]▼●쩠 mains intact. [R]▼●쩠 Jaws the Revenge (1987) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Jason X (2002) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Jim Isaac. Joseph Sargent. Lorraine Gary, Lance Kane Hodder, Lexa Doig, Lisa Ryder, Chuck Guest, Mario Van Peebles, Karen Young, Campbell, Jonathan Potts, Peter Mensah, Michael Caine, Lynn Whitfield. Watchable Melyssa Ade. In this, the tenth FRIDAY THE but mediocre retread of JAWS, the fourth 13TH installment (and first since 1993’s time around, with Gary as the widow of JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIsheriff Scheider (from the original film) DAY), cryogenically frozen Jason (Hodder) who’s convinced the great white shark is deand a sexy scientist (Doig) are thawed while liberately seeking out and killing off members on board a spacecraft in the year 2455. You of her family. Marginal movie really sunk by can guess what happens next. For dedicated stupid, abrupt finale; Caine wasted in frivoslasher fans only. David Cronenberg aplous supporting role. Set mostly in the Bapears briefly as Dr. Wimmer. Not to be conhamas. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 fused with MALCOLM X. Followed by Jaws of Death, The SEE: Mako: The FREDDY VS. JASON. [R]▼쩠 Jaws of Death Jawbreaker (1999) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Darren Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001) CStein. Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, 104m. ★★ D: Kevin Smith. Kevin Smith, Julie Benz, Judy Evans Greer, Carol Kane, Jason Mewes, Ben Affleck, Shannon ElizaWilliam Katt, Jeff Conaway, Tatyana Ali, beth, Ali Larter, Eliza Dushku, Jennifer Pam Grier, Brian Warner (Marilyn Manson), Schwalbach, Jason Lee, Will Ferrell, Judd P.J. Soles, The Donnas. Monotonous—and Nelson, Seann William Scott, Carrie Fisher, unpleasant—black comedy about a tight-knit Jon Stewart, Jason Biggs, James Van Der band of girls who rule their high school— Beek, Chris Rock, Mark Hamill, Morris until an accidental murder forces them to Day. The two crude doper-slackers from ‘‘adopt’’ a geeky student who could cause CLERKS, MALLRATS, etc., journey to trouble for them. A short-subject idea padHollywood to stop a movie being made ded to feature length. [R]▼●쩠 about them—or at least collect some dough. Jaws (1975) C-124m. ★★★★ D: Steven Giant in-joke comedy where the people on Spielberg. Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, screen are clearly having a better time than Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray we are in the audience. Moviemaking scene Hamilton, Jeffrey Kramer, Susan Backwith Affleck and Matt Damon is arguably linie, Carl Gottlieb. A rare case of a bubblethe funniest; many cameos include stars of gum story (by Peter Benchley) scoring as a earlier Smith films. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 terrific movie. The story: New England Jazz on a Summer’s Day (1959) C-85m. shore community is terrorized by shark ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Bert Stern. Louis Armstrong, attacks; local cop (Scheider), ichthyologist Big Maybelle, Chuck Berry, Dinah Wash(Dreyfuss) and salty shark expert (Shaw) ington, Gerry Mulligan, Thelonious Monk, determine to kill the attacker. Hold on to Anita O’Day, Mahalia Jackson, Sonny Stitt, your seats! Screenplay by Benchley and Jack Teagarden. Candid, enjoyable filmed Gottlieb. Three Oscars include John Wilrecord of the 1958 Newport Jazz Festival. liams’ now-classic score, Verna Fields’ A must for jazz aficionados.▼쩠 sensational editing. Benchley has cameo Jazz Singer, The (1927) 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: as reporter on beach. Followed by three Alan Crosland. Al Jolson, May McAvoy, sequels. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Warner Oland, Eugenie Besserer, Otto LedJaws 2 (1978) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeannot erer, William Demarest, Roscoe Karns. LegSzwarc. Roy Scheider, Lorraine Gary, Murray endary first talkie is actually silent with several Hamilton, Joseph Mascolo, Jeffrey Kramer, sound musical and talking sequences. Story of Collin Wilcox. Just when you thought it was Cantor Oland’s son (Jolson) going into show safe to turn on your TV set again, here comes business is creaky, but this movie milestone another gratuitous sequel. The shark scenes deshould be seen once. Songs: ‘‘My Mammy,’’ liver the goods, but Robert Shaw and Richard ‘‘Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye,’’ ‘‘Blue Skies,’’ Dreyfuss are sorely needed when film is on etc. Look fast for Myrna Loy as a chorus girl. land. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Remade twice (so far!).▼●쩠 Jaws 3-D (1983) C-97m. ★★ D: Joe Alves. Jazz Singer, The (1953) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dennis Quaid, Bess Armstrong, Simon Michael Curtiz. Danny Thomas, Peggy MacCorkindale, Louis Gossett, Jr., John Lee, Mildred Dunnock, Eduard Franz, Putch, Lea Thompson. Road-company IrTom Tully, Allyn Joslyn. Slick remake win Allen-type disaster film, unrelated to benefits from Curtiz’ no-nonsense direcfirst two JAWS except by contrivance; this tion and presence of Lee and Dunnock time a shark’s on the loose in Florida’s Sea . . . but it’s still just so schmaltzy.▼ World. (Does this make it an unofficial Jazz Singer, The (1980) C-115m. BOMB remake of REVENGE OF THE CREAD: Richard Fleischer. Neil Diamond, LauTURE?) Might play on TV, but in theaters rence Olivier, Lucie Arnaz, Catlin Adams, its only real assets were excellent 3-D Franklyn Ajaye, Paul Nicholas, Sully Boyar, [ 711 ]

Mike Kellin. Cantor Olivier shouts, ‘‘I hef Brennan, Brandon Smith, Peggy Sheffield. no son!’’—one of the highpoints of this mothA brother and sister driving across the balled sudser in which Diamond becomes a American South stop to investigate what rock star in about as much time as it takes looks like a murder, but turns out to be to get a haircut. This remake may actually something far worse. Well directed and excontain more cliche´s than the 1927 version! citing, with an imaginatively conceived [PG]▼●쩠 monster. This is genuinely scary at times, JCVD (2008-Belgian-Luxembourgian-French) but the ending is unsatisfying and unpleasC-96m. ★★★ D: Mabrouk El Mechri. Jeanantly cynical. Written by the director. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼쩠 Claude Van Damme, Franc¸ois Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra, JeanJeepers Creepers 2 (2003) C-106m. ★★ D: Franc¸ois Wolff, Anne Paulicevich, Franc¸ois Victor Salva. Ray Wise, Jonathan Breck, Beukelaers, Saskia Flanders. Down-on-hisGarikayi Mutambirwa, Eric Nenninger, luck action hero ditches Hollywood (and a Nicki Aycox, Travis Schiffner, Lena Cardcostly child custody case) and returns to his well, Billy Aaron Brown, Diane Delano, European roots. By chance he walks straight Luke Edwards. The Creeper returns to atinto a bloody bank heist and becomes a celebtack a school bus filled with teenagers rerity, a hostage, and a suspect. Dour, desaturturning from a football game. Well-crafted ated art-house thriller—partly scripted, partly film creates a tangible sense of fear and improvised—seems set in an alternate reality. dread, and has plenty of good scares . . . but Van Damme, playing ‘‘himself’’ but not after a while its bag of tricks empties out. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 himself, proves he’s a real actor as well as a movie star. Who’da thunk it? Super 35. [R]쩠 Jefferson in Paris (1995) C-144m. ★★ D: J. D.’s Revenge (1976) C-95m. ★★ D: James Ivory. Nick Nolte, Greta Scacchi, Arthur Marks. Glynn Turman, Joan Pringle, Thandie Newton, Gwyneth Paltrow, Seth Lou Gossett, Carl Crudup, James Louis Gilliam, James Earl Jones, Simon Callow, Watkins, Alice Jubert. Black horror meloMichael Lonsdale, Nancy Marchand, Jeandrama: possession of innocent man by vengePierre Aumont, Daniel Mesguich. While servful spirit. Fairly well executed. [R]▼쩠 ing as U.S. Ambassador to France in the Jean de Florette (1986-French) C-122m. 1780s, a widowed Thomas Jefferson (Nolte) ★★★1⁄2 D: Claude Berri. Yves Montand, Ge ´rard begins to fall in love with an Italian-born EnDepardieu, Daniel Auteuil, Elisabeth Deparglishwoman (Scacchi), but also finds himself dieu, Ernestine Mazurowna, Marcel Champel, attracted to a black, teenaged slave (Newton) Armand Meffre. Proud, cocky French farmer on his household staff; meanwhile, his strongschemes with his simple-minded nephew to acwilled daughter (Paltrow) seems to want to be quiresome nearbyfarmland bymaking sure the the only woman in his life. Story is framed, in new owners never discover an all-important flashback, by Jones as free black man who natural spring on the property. Richly textured, claims to be Jefferson’s son. Ambitious, wellemotionally powerful adaptation of Marcel appointed drama is also long and sluggish. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Pagnol novel, exquisitely and meticulously filmed, with galvanizing performances—espeJeffrey (1995) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: Christopher cially by Depardieu as the doggedly optimistic Ashley. Steven Weber, Michael T. Weiss, novice farmer. Story continues in MANON OF Patrick Stewart, Bryan Batt, Sigourney THE SPRING. Technovision. [PG] ▼●쩠 Weaver, Nathan Lane, Olympia Dukakis, Jeanne and the Perfect Guy (1999Christine Baranski, Robert Klein, Kathy French) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Olivier Ducastel. Najimy, Irma St. Paule, Camryn Manheim. Virginie Ledoyen, Mathieu Demy, Valerie Thirtyish New Yorker Jeffrey (Weber), who is Bonneton, Jacques Bonnaffe. Musical comgay, has sworn off sex in this era of AIDS— edy about a beautiful young woman who fionly to meet hunky gym rat Weiss. They nally meets the love of her life, only to lose launch into a relationship and encounter just him when he disappears after learning he is about every sort of ‘‘type’’ (gay or straight) HIV-positive. Unusual subject matter for a imaginable, including Stewart (very good as a musical, to say the least, but Ducastel (seemhomosexual interior designer with a biting ingly inspired by Jacques Demy films) almost wit). Paul Rudnick’s off-Broadway success pulls it off. Downbeat subject is eclipsed by works best when going for laughs; the ininventive use of songs and ultimately lifetended poignancy of this very ’90s romantic comedy is more forced. Kevin Nealon apaffirming message. Panavision. ▼쩠 pears unbilled. [R] ▼●쩠 Jeanne Eagels (1957) 109m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Sidney. Kim Novak, Jeff ChanJekyll & Hyde . . . Together Again (1982) dler, Agnes Moorehead, Gene Lockhart, C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Jerry Belson. Mark BlankVirginia Grey. Novak tries but can’t rise to field, Bess Armstrong, Krista Errickson, Tim demands of portraying famed actress of Thomerson, Michael McGuire, George Chak1920s. Chandler is her virile love interest. iris. Nothing here that Jerry Lewis’s Nutty ★★1⁄2 D: Jeepers Creepers (2001) C-90m. Professor didn’t do better, as Blankfield exagVictor Salva. Gina Philips, Justin Long, gerates on his druggist character from Fridays Jonathan Breck, Patricia Belcher, Eileen TV show in tasteless excursion into cheap sex [ 712 ]

and drug jokes. A few scattered laughs in disapJeremy (1973) C-90m. ★★★ D: Arthur pointing directorial debut by veteran comedy Barron. Robby Benson, Glynnis O’Conwriter Belson. [R]▼쩠 nor, Len Bari, Leonard Cimino, Ned WilJennifer (1978) C-90m. ★★ D: Brice Mack. son, Chris Bohn. Two shy teenagers in Lisa Pelikan, Bert Convy, Nina Foch, Amy N.Y.C. meet, fall in love, then sepaJohnston, John Gavin, Jeff Corey, Wesley rate. Poignant and real; situations, characEure. Unusually good cast in blatant ripters, and atmosphere are memorable. [PG] off of CARRIE, with Pelikan as ostracized ▼쩠 high-school girl whose powers include abilJericho SEE: Dark Sands ity to unleash deadly snakes on her vicJerk, The (1979) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Carl tims. Retitled JENNIFER (THE SNAKE Reiner. Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, GODDESS) for TV. [PG]▼ Catlin Adams, Mabel King, Richard Ward, Jennifer Eight (1992) C-127m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dick Anthony Williams, Bill Macy, Jackie Bruce Robinson. Andy Garcia, Uma ThurMason. Martin’s first starring feature is a man, Lance Henriksen, Kathy Baker, Graham hit-or-miss comedy about the misadvenBeckel, Kevin Conway, John Malkovich, tures of a terminally stupid man. Some very Perry Lang, Lenny von Dohlen. Taut, enterfunny moments, but after a while they’re taining thriller in which burned-out L.A. cop spread pretty thin. Martin later produced a TV Garcia relocates to a small Northern California version, THE JERK, TOO. Rob Reiner has an town, where he promptly finds himself investiunbilled cameo. [R]▼●쩠 gating a series of brutal murders. Will the next Jerky Boys, The (1995) C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: victim be beautiful, blind Thurman? Strong James Melkonian. John G. Brennan, Kamal performances and eerie snowbound locations Ahmed, Alan Arkin, William Hickey, Alan are plusses, but unfortunately, credibility dwinNorth, Brad Sullivan, James Lorinz. Crankdles as the story plays out. [R]▼●쩠 Jennifer on My Mind (1971) C-90m. call practitioners (who in real life had a hit BOMB D: Noel Black. Michael Brandon, record in N.Y.C.) who describe themselves Tippy Walker, Lou Gilbert, Steve Vinovich, as ‘‘two low-lifes from Queens’’ palm Peter Bonerz, Renee Taylor, Chuck Mcthemselves off as Chicago hit men, thorCann, Barry Bostwick, Jeff Conaway. Proboughly confusing N.Y. mobster Arkin. Reably the worst of many drug films released sult may appeal to the type of person who in the early ’70s; rootless American drifter enjoys vandalizing suburban mailboxes. and rich American girl smoke grass in [R]▼● Venice, advance to hard drugs back home. Jerrico, The Wonder Clown SEE: 3 Ring Awful script by Erich Segal; of interest Circus mainly for presence of Robert De Niro, in Jerry and Tom (1999) C-92m. ★★ D: Saul small, prophetic role of gypsy cab driver. [R] Rubinek. Joe Mantegna, Sam Rockwell, Jennifer (The Snake Goddess) SEE: Maury Chaykin, Ted Danson, Charles DurnJennifer ing, William H. Macy, Peter Riegert, Sarah Jenny (1970) C-88m. BOMB D: George Polley. Flashback film about a couple of hit Bloomfield. Marlo Thomas, Alan Alda, men: a mentor and his prote´ge´. A fine cast Marian Hailey, Elizabeth Wilson, Vincent fires expectations, but despite some good Gardenia, Stephen Strimpell. Sappy soaper moments, the film never really delivers. about filmmaker who marries pregnant girl Rubinek’s first directing effort debuted on in order to avoid the draft. Opening scene U.S. cable. [R]▼쩠 includes a clip from A PLACE IN THE Jerry Maguire (1996) C-138m. ★★★1⁄2 D: SUN, which is best thing in film. [M/PG]▼ Jeopardy (1953) 69m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Cameron Crowe. Tom Cruise, Cuba GoodSturges. Barbara Stanwyck, Barry Sulliing, Jr., Rene´e Zellweger, Kelly Preston, van, Ralph Meeker, Lee Aaker. Uneven Jerry O’Connell, Jay Mohr, Bonnie Hunt, thriller with Stanwyck, on vacation in MexRegina King, Jonathan Lipnicki, Glenn ico, attempting to save husband Sullivan from Frey, Eric Stoltz, Jann Wenner, Alexandra drowning—and then being kidnapped herself Wentworth, Lucy Alexis Liu. Cocky, superby killer-on-the-lam Meeker. Starts off well, successful sports agent has a crisis of conbut then fizzles. Paging Alex Trebek!쩠 science, which costs him his job and all but ★★★ Jeremiah Johnson (1972) C-116m. one of his clients—the most difficult one on D: Sydney Pollack. Robert Redford, Will the roster (Gooding, in a charismatic, OscarGeer, Stefan Gierasch, Allyn Ann McLerie, winning performance). His only ally is a Charles Tyner, Josh Albee. Atmospheric young woman (with a little boy) who’s dechronicle of life of a mountain man, survoted to him professionally and personally. viving wintry wilderness, Indians, rival Intelligent, original, layered screenplay (by trappers. Unfortunately, film doesn’t know Crowe) with characters who are actually inwhere to quit, rambling on to inconclusive teresting and three-dimensional. Cruise’s ending. Geer is delightful as feisty mounearnestness is perfect for the part, and Zelltain hermit. Script by John Milius and weger is a real find. Various sports figures Edward Anhalt. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 [ 713 ]

play themselves; Beau Bridges appears unJesus Camp (2006) C-87m. ★★★ D: Heidi billed. Only complaint: It goes on too long. Ewing, Rachel Grady. Fascinating and Some prints have a faux athletic shoe comfrightening look at the evangelical movemercial at the end. [R]▼●쩠 ment as seen through the eyes of three kids Jersey Girl (2004) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Kevin from Missouri who spend the summer at a Smith. Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Jennifer Lopez, camp for future Jerry Falwells. Artfully George Carlin, Jason Biggs, Raquel Castro, shows the indoctrination of children with Mike Starr, Stephen Root, Jason Lee, Matt ideas about politics and religion at an early Damon, Will Smith. High-powered musicage, demonstrating how the movement industry publicist is shattered by his wife’s plans to spread its word to future generadeath in childbirth and moves back to his tions. Curriculum includes lectures on the father’s house in New Jersey to raise his evils of homosexuality and abortion and the daughter and lick his wounds . . . until he importance of working toward a Supreme Court populated by ‘‘believers.’’ [PG-13]쩠 meets a free-spirited video-store clerk (Tyler) who shakes him out of his stupor. UltraJesus Christ Superstar (1973) C-103m. ★★★ sentimental modern-day fairy tale is false D: Norman Jewison. Ted Neeley, Carl and hollow—and played that way by everyAnderson, Yvonne Elliman, Barry Dennen, one but Tyler. Writer-director Smith’s most Joshua Mostel, Bob Bingham. From recatypical movie to date—and his worst. Paord album to Broadway show to motion navision. [PG-13]▼쩠 picture—film retains the Tim Rice–Andrew Jerusalem (1996-Swedish-Danish) C-166m. Lloyd Webber score, adds some interest★★1 ing settings and visual trappings. It’s ⁄2 D: Bille August. Maria Bonnevie, Ulf Friberg, Lena Endre, Pernilla August, Svennot everyone’s cup of religious experience, Bertil Taube, Reine Brynolfsson, Olympia but certainly innovative. Watch for ubiquiDukakis, Max von Sydow. In late 19thtous porno star Paul Thomas in the chorus. Todd-AO 35. [G]▼●쩠 century Sweden, a poor, rural community is swept up in religious fervor; the town becomes Jesus of Montreal (1989-Canadian-French) bitterly divided, separating a pair of young C-119m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Denys Arcand. Lothaire sweethearts (Friberg, Bonnevie). When the Bluteau, Catherine Wilkening, Johanneconverted emigrate to a Christian commune in Marie Tremblay, Remy Girard, Robert Palestine, led by American Dukakis, they find Lepage, Gilles Pelletier, Marie-Christine new strife and strain. Long, fact-based epic Barrault. A group of actors come together (from Selma Lagerlof’s novel) is earnest to a to stage an unconventional production of fault. Made for Swedish TV. [PG-13]▼ the Passion Play, and find themselves Jesse James (1939) C-105m. ★★★ D: Henry embroiled in controversy. Writer-director King. Tyrone Power, Henry Fonda, Nancy Arcand takes on religious hypocrisy, comKelly, Randolph Scott, Henry Hull, Brian mercialism, and other social ills in this wise, Donlevy, John Carradine, Jane Darwell. profoundly moving and sometimes savagely Sprawling, glamorous Western with Power funny film. A real gem. Arcand also appears in the role of the judge. [R]▼●쩠 and Fonda as Jesse and Frank James; movie builds a case that the Old West’s most notoJesus’ Son (1998-Canadian) C-109m. ★★ D: rious outlaw was misguided. Sequel: THE Alison Maclean. Billy Crudup, Samantha RETURN OF FRANK JAMES. ▼●쩠 Morton, Denis Leary, Jack Black, Will Patton, Jesse James Meets Frankenstein’s DaughGreg Germann, Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopter (1966) C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: William Beauper, Mike (Michael) Shannon, Miranda July. dine. John Lupton, Narda Onyx, Cal Bolder, A stream-of-consciousness reminiscence by Estelita, Jim Davis, Steven Geray, William one young man who’s swallowed up in the Fawcett. Low-budget nonsense mixes horror drug culture of the 1970s. Told in nonlinear and Western genres, with Dr. Frankenstein’s flashback style, with vignettes involving a vadaughter practicing brain experiments—inriety of characters who cross his path (played cluding turning Jesse’s pal into a new monby Leary, Hopper, Hunter). Main problem: ster. ▼쩠 it’s hard to care about the leading character. Jessica (1962) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jean Based on Denis Johnson’s acclaimed collecNegulesco. Angie Dickinson, Maurice Chetion of short stories. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 valier, Noel-Noel, Gabriele Ferzetti, Sylva Jet Lag (2002-French-British) C-91m. ★★1⁄2 Koscina, Agnes Moorehead. Dickinson is D: Danie`le Thompson. Juliette Binoche, Jean an Italian midwife who has men in her Reno, Sergi Lo´pez. A beautician and a chef village lusting for her, with Chevalier as meet randomly during an airport layover and the local priest. Malarkey. Panavision. over the course of 24 hours fall in love. FeathJesus (1979) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Sykes, erweight romance is just an excuse to see two John Krish. Brian Deacon, Rivka Noiman, star performers at the height of their charm . . . Yossef Shiloah, Niko Nitai, Gadi Roi, but what’s wrong with that? Veteran screenDavid Goldberg; narrated by Alexander writer Thompson (COUSIN, COUSINE, Scourby. Straightforward but unmemorable QUEEN MARGOT) cowrote with her son retelling of Jesus’ life, produced by The Christopher. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Genesis Project; filmed in Israel. [G] ▼쩠 Jet Li’s Fearless (2006-Hong Kong-Chinese[ 714 ]

U.S.) C-103m. ★★★ D: Ronny Yu. Jet Li, STONE can’t capture charm of original, Shido Nakamura, Li Sun, Yong Dong, Hee because the characters are set—and charChing Paw, Nathan Jones, Brandon Rhea, acter change (particularly Turner’s) is what Anthony De Longis. Li apparently caps his made the first movie fun. Some good career in this genre playing martial arts legstunts and funny lines, but it all rings hollow. Widescreen. [PG]▼●쩠 end Huo Yuanjia, China’s most famous fighter at the turn of the 20th century, who Jewel Robbery (1932) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Wilnearly dies in a tragic incident in which he liam Dieterle. William Powell, Kay Francis, loses most of his family. In time he returns Hardie Albright, Henry Kolker, Spencer to the ring and is pitted against four imposCharters, Alan Mowbray, Helen Vinson. ing fighters who represent the major foreign Lubitsch-like bauble with wealthy, married powers dominating China at that time. Francis (who aches for excitement in her life) Emotionally charged and visually striking; being captivated by debonair burglar Powell. Li shows why he is a master of the art. Breathlessly paced, witty and charming. Unrated version runs 104m. Aka FEARScreenplay by Erwin Gelsey, based on a play LESS. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 by Ladislaus Fodor. Jet Li’s Hero SEE: Hero (2002) Jezebel (1938) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: William Jet Pilot (1957) C-112m. ★★ D: Josef von Wyler. Bette Davis, Henry Fonda, George Sternberg. John Wayne, Janet Leigh, Jay Brent, Margaret Lindsay, Donald Crisp, Fay C. Flippen, Paul Fix, Richard Rober, RoBainter, Spring Byington, Richard Cromwell, land Winters, Hans Conried. One of HowHenry O’Neill. Davis won her second Oscar ard Hughes’ movie curios, updating his as tempestuous Southern belle who goes too HELL’S ANGELS interest in aviation with far to make fiance´ Fonda jealous; Bainter also cold war theme, as American pilot Wayne received Oscar as Davis’ sympathetic aunt. falls in love with Russian jet ace Leigh. RidicFine production, entire cast excellent. John ulous, to say the least, though some of its Huston was one of the writers. Also shown in humor seems to have been intentional. Comcomputer-colored version.▼●쩠 pleted in 1950, unreleased for seven years! Jezebels, The SEE: Switchblade Sisters Incidentally, some of the stunt flying was JFK (1991) C/B&W-188m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Olidone by Chuck Yeager.▼●쩠 ver Stone. Kevin Costner, Sissy Spacek, Jetsons: The Movie (1990) C-81m. ★★ Kevin Bacon, Tommy Lee Jones, Laurie D: William Hanna, Joseph Barbera. Voices Metcalf, Gary Oldman, Michael Rooker, of George O’Hanlon, Penny Singleton, Jay O. Sanders, Beata Pozniak, Joe Pesci, Mel Blanc, Tiffany, Don Messick, Patric Donald Sutherland, John Candy, Jack Zimmerman. Disappointing expansion of Lemmon, Walter Matthau, Ed Asner, Vinthe 1960s animated TV sitcom has nothing cent D’Onofrio, Sally Kirkland, Brian to offer now-grown-up fans of the series, Doyle-Murray, Wayne Knight, Tony Plana, but remains a palatable offering for very Tomas Milian, Sean Stone. Absolutely rivyoung children, with pro-social messages eting film about New Orleans D.A. Jim thrown in at the end. [G]▼● Garrison and his gradual involvement (and Je Vous Aime (1981-French) C-105m. eventual obsession) with finding the truth ★1⁄2 D: Claude Berri. Catherine Deneuve, about President Kennedy’s assassination. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ge´rard Depardieu, Full of startling scenes, and bravura acting; Alain Souchon, Christian Marquand, Serge as dramatic moviemaking, it’s superb. Not Gainsbourg. Shallow, solemn tale of libto be mistaken for a documentary, however, erated career woman Deneuve, who is unable despite its sanctimonious attitude toward to remain monogamous. Good cast can do the truth. Oscar winner for Robert Richardlittle with material; disappointing. son’s cinematography and Joe Hutshing and Jeweller’s Shop, The (1987-Italian-CanaPietro Scalia’s phenomenal editing. Screendian) C-97m. ★★ D: Michael Anderson. Burt play by Oliver Stone and Zachary Sklar. Lancaster, Ben Cross, Olivia Hussey, AnThe real Garrison can be glimpsed playing drea Occhipinti. Lancaster is a mysterious Earl Warren. Lolita Davidovich and Frank old Polish jeweler at the start of WW2 who Whaley appear unbilled. Director’s cut runs brings together two pairs of lovers. Of par205m. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 ticular interest both as one of the star’s last Jigsaw (1968) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: James Goldfilm appearances and for the fact that it’s stone. Harry Guardino, Bradford Dillman, based on a play by Karol Wojtyla, who later Hope Lange, Pat Hingle, Diana Hyland, became Pope John Paul II. Aka THE Victor Jory, Paul Stewart, Susan Saint GOLDSMITH’S SHOP. James, Michael J. Pollard, James Doohan, Jewel of the Nile, The (1985) C-104m. ★★ Kent McCord. Fast-paced, utterly confusing D: Lewis Teague. Michael Douglas, Kathyarn about amnesiac Dillman trying to figure leen Turner, Danny DeVito, Spiros Focas, out his past and unravel murder caper he was Avner Eisenberg, The Flying Karamazov involved in. Frantic editing and music don’t Brothers. Contrived ‘‘high adventure’’ inhelp viewer; remake of MIRAGE. Made volving an evil potentate and a precious for TV but shown theatrically first. ‘‘jewel.’’ Sequel to ROMANCING THE Jigsaw Man, The (1984-British) C-91m. [ 715 ]

★★

D: Terence Young. Michael Caine, computer-generated cartoon produced by Laurence Olivier, Susan George, Robert Nickelodeon. When a young inventor inadPowell, Charles Gray, Michael Medwin. vertently causes alien invaders to kidnap all Caine, an ex-British Secret Service honcho the parents in the neighborhood, it’s up to him who defected to Russia, comes back to and his classmates to travel through space and England (following rejuvenating plastic surmount a rescue. Cute kids’ film with plenty gery) for one final mission. Will he serve of visual and verbal humor, but lavish settings one country, the other, or play both ends (particularly in outer space) clash with weak against the middle? Unfortunately this character designs and low-budget animation. Followed by a TV series. [G]▼쩠 Caine-Olivier pairing is no SLEUTH, so you won’t care. [PG]▼● Jimmy the Gent (1934) 67m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jim Buck SEE: Portrait of a Hitman Michael Curtiz. James Cagney, Bette Davis, Jimi Hendrix (1973) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alice White, Allen Jenkins, Philip Reed, Joe Boyd, John Head, Gary Weis. DocuMayo Methot. Crooked businessman Cagney mentary on life of noted black rock guitarpretends to refine himself to impress Davis ist; good segments from various concerts, in this bouncy comedy. interviews with those who knew him well. Jimmy the Kid (1983) C-85m. ★1⁄2 D: Gary Songs include ‘‘Purple Haze,’’ ‘‘Wild Nelson. Gary Coleman, Paul LeMat, Walter Olkewicz, Dee Wallace, Ruth Gordon, Don Thing,’’ ‘‘Johnny B. Goode.’’ [R]▼쩠 Jiminy Glick in La La Wood (2005Adams, Cleavon Little, Avery Schreiber. Canadian) C-90m. ★★ D: Vadim Jean. MarBored, brilliant son of wealthy husband-andtin Short, Jan Hooks, John Michael Higgins, wife singing team is kidnapped by gang of paElizabeth Perkins, Linda Cardellini, Janeane thetically incompetent bunglers who teach him Garofalo, Corey Pearson, Peter Breck. Illhow to enjoy being a kid. Coleman returns conceived extension of Primetime Glick, favor by bringing good cast down to his level Short’s TV series, in which he plays a characof nonacting, consisting of endless mugging ter introduced on The Martin Short Show: a and exaggerated eyeball rolling, in this lame thickheaded, roly-poly celebrity interviewercomedy. Based on a Donald Westlake novel, critic from Butte, Montana. Here, Jiminy and with LeMat as the same character played by Robert Redford in THE HOT ROCK. [PG]▼ his family attend the Toronto Film Festival and become involved in a complicated murder Jim Thorpe—All-American (1951) 107m. ★★1 plot. Film buffs will enjoy Short’s imperson⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. Burt Lancaster, ation of David Lynch, and Jiminy is always Charles Bickford, Steve Cochran, Phyllis hilarious, but he and guest star Steve Martin Thaxter, Dick Wesson. The life of the provide the only bright spots in this painfully famed American Indian athlete who was unfunny comedy. Other stars appear on camstripped of his Olympic medals for playing era, caught at the Toronto festivities. [R]쩠 professional baseball. Lancaster lends digJimmy Carter: Man from Plains (2007) nified vigor to title role; Bickford is espeC-126m. ★★★ D: Jonathan Demme. Intimate cially outstanding as Thorpe’s mentor, documentary portrait of the former U.S. legendary coach Pop Warner.▼●쩠 president follows him on his 2006–07 book Jindabyne (2006-Australian) C-123m. ★★★ tour for Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, in D: Ray Lawrence. Laura Linney, Gabriel which he stresses that a Middle East peace Byrne, Deborra-lee Furness, John Howard, only will come when the Israelis and PalesLeah Purcell, Stelios Yiakmis, Simon Stone, tinians agree to live in harmony. CompelBetty Lucas. Gas station owner (Byrne) and ling account of Carter’s life since leaving three pals take off for an annual fishing weekoffice in 1981. [PG]쩠 end at a remote spot where there isn’t cell Jimmy Hollywood (1994) C-109m. ★★ D: phone reception. They come upon a woman’s Barry Levinson. Joe Pesci, Christian Slater, dead body floating in the river, and while Victoria Abril, Jason Beghe, John Cothran, they’re shocked they figure there’s nothing Jr., Rob Weiss, Chad McQueen. Wellthey can do to help her, so they continue fishmeaning but one-note tale of hard-luck ing. That decision has unexpected repercusmiddle-aged dreamer Pesci, a would-be actor sions not only with their families but with the who earns fame by playing out the role of a community at large. Absorbing, multifaceted lifetime: Jericho, an urban vigilante. Obvious drama flavored by aboriginal mysticism. look at life in seedy, contemporary Hollywood, Based on Raymond Carver’s story ‘‘So Much which once was a ‘‘mecca of dreams.’’ Pesci is Water So Close To Home,’’ which was also good, but his character quickly becomes weadramatized in Robert Altman’s SHORT rying. Watch for director Levinson at the finale. CUTS. Super 35. [R]쩠 Levinson also scripted. [R] ▼●쩠 Jingle All the Way (1996) C-88m. ★★ D: Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001) CBrian Levant. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sin83m. ★★1⁄2 D: John A. Davis. Voices of bad, Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Robert ConMegan Cavanagh, Mark DeCarlo, Debi Derryrad, Martin Mull, James Belushi, Harvey berry, Patrick Stewart, Martin Short, Rob Korman, Laraine Newman, Jake Lloyd. NePaulsen, David L. Lander, Laraine Newman, glectful father promises his son a Turbo Man Andrea Martin, Mary Hart, Bob Goen. Clever action figure, then frantically searches to find [ 716 ]

the sold-out toy the day before Christmas. His Ward Bond, Shepperd Strudwick, Hurd chief rival in the search (Sinbad) turns out to Hatfield, Gene Lockhart, John Emery, Cebe not just a competitor but a major sicko. cil Kellaway, George Coulouris, John IreEven at 88 minutes this feels prolonged and land. Bergman is staunchly sincere in this protracted, a dubious ’90s addition to the overlong, faithful adaptation of Maxwell canon of holiday movies. Arnold gives it his Anderson’s play. Not enough spectacle to best, but he simply isn’t funny. [PG] ▼●쩠 balance talky sequences. Originally released theatrically at 145m.▼●쩠 Jinnah (1998-U.S.-Pakistani-British) C94m. ★★★ D: Jamil Dehlavi. Christopher Joan of Paris (1942) 91m. ★★★1⁄2 D: RobLee, James Fox, Maria Aitkin, Shashi Kaert Stevenson. Michele Morgan, Paul poor, Shireen Shah, Richard Lintern, Robert Henreid, Thomas Mitchell, Laird Cregar, Ashby, Sam Dastor. Lee is outstanding as the May Robson, Alexander Granach, Alan dedicated, brittle and reserved Mohammed Ladd. Excellent WW2 tale of dedicated Ali Jinnah, founder of Pakistan, in this odd Morgan giving herself up so Henreid and biography in which, on the verge of death, fellow pilots can return to Allied lines. U.S. debuts for both Morgan and Henreid.▼ he’s shown the events of his past in Ebenezer Scrooge style. Fox, Ashby, and Dastor are Jocks (1987) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Steve Carver. also fine as Mountbatten, Nehru, and Gandhi. Scott Strader, Perry Lang, Mariska HarA worthwhile, intelligent movie that deserves, gitay, Richard Roundtree, R. G. Armlike its subject, to be better known.▼ strong, Christopher Lee, Stoney Jackson, Jinxed! (1982) C-103m. ★★ D: Don Siegel. Adam Mills, Katherine Kelly Lang, TriniBette Midler, Ken Wahl, Rip Torn, Val dad Silva, Don Gibb. Silly teen comedy of Avery, Jack Elam, Benson Fong. Messy college tennis team’s hijinx in Las Vegas. black comedy about a Vegas lounge singer, Despite oddball roles for vets Lee and Armthe lout she lives with, and a young blackstrong, picture only comes to life on the tennis court. Filmed in 1984. [R]▼쩠 jack dealer the lout has managed to jinx at his own table. Though a characteristically Joe (1970) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: John G. ripped Rip provides some amusement, the Avildsen. Peter Boyle, Dennis Patrick, K. much-reported lack of rapport between Callan, Audrey Caire, Susan Sarandon, PatMidler/Wahl and Midler/Siegel comes rick McDermott. Sleeper film brought Boyle through on the screen. Screenwriter ‘‘Bert to prominence as hardhat bigot who practices Blessing’’ is really Frank D. Gilroy. [R]▼쩠 genteel blackmail on executive Patrick, Jitterbugs (1943) 74m. ★★ D: Mal St. Clair. who’s murdered his daughter’s hippie boyStan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Vivian Blaine, friend. Overrated film owes much to Boyle’s Robert Bailey, Douglas Fowley, Noel Madicharacterization, not to contrived plot. Sarandon’s film debut. [R]▼●쩠 son. One of the team’s better later efforts, with Blaine sharing the spotlight and doing quite Joe Cocker: Mad Dogs and Englishmen (1971-British) C-119m. ★★★ D: Pierre nicely. Ollie’s scene with Southern belle Lee Patrick is a gem. Previously filmed as ARIAdidge. Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Chris ZONA TO BROADWAY.쩠 Stainton, Carl Radle, John Price, Bobby Keys, J-Men Forever! (1979) 75m. ★★★ D: RichRita Coolidge, Claudia Linnear. Excellent ard Patterson. Philip Proctor, Peter Bergrockumentary of Cocker’s ’70 American tour, man, voice of M. G. Kelly. Clever stunt highlighted by Cocker, Russell, and Linnear that really works—scenes from countless in performance. Songs include ‘‘Feelin’ AlRepublic serials are re-edited into new right,’’ ‘‘With a Little Help from My feature, with redubbed soundtrack and a Friends,’’ ‘‘Darlin’ Be Home Soon,’’ many few new scenes. Story (by Firesign Theaothers. Aka MAD DOGS AND ENGLISHMEN. Multiple Screen. [PG]▼쩠 tre’s Proctor and Bergman) has The Lightning Bug (‘‘From the Moon, Baby!’’) out to conJoe Dirt (2001) C-91m. ★1⁄2 D: Dennie Gorquer Earth by flooding radio airwaves with don. David Spade, Dennis Miller, Brittany rock; various heroes try to make the world Daniel, Adam Beach, Kid Rock, Jaime safe for Lawrence Welk. Amazing job of editPressly, Christopher Walken, Caroline Aaron, ing by Gail Werbin; one great gag involves a Fred Ward. One would need more than a spade young Leonard Nimoy. [PG]▼쩠 to dig up laughs in this mucky saga of a whiteJoanna (1968-British) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: trash loser with a big heart and an even bigger Michael Sarne. Genevieve Waite, Christian mullet hairdo who’s on a quest to find the parDoermer, Calvin Lockhart, Donald Sutherents who ditched him when he was eight. land, Glenna Forster-Jones. Flashy story of Charming comic bits involve frozen animal wide-eyed girl falling in with loose-living testicles, incest, excrement, vomit, and the amLondon crowd, growing up through heartputation of limbs. Joe Don Baker, Rosanna Arbreak, conflict. Sutherland steals film in quette, Kevin Nealon, and Carson Daly all flamboyant role as frail, wealthy young man appear sans credit, while Walken (as taptrying to enjoy life to fullest. Panavision. [R] dancing janitor Gert E. Frobe) may wish he had 1 ★★ done the same. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Joan of Arc (1948) C-100m. ⁄2 D: Victor Fleming. Ingrid Bergman, Jose Joe Gould’s Secret (2000) C-104m. ★★★ Ferrer, Francis L. Sullivan, J. Carrol Naish, D: Stanley Tucci. Ian Holm, Stanley Tucci, [ 717 ]

Patricia Clarkson, Hope Davis, Steve Marthe director. Based on a short that first aired on MTV in 1992. [PG-13]▼●쩠 tin, Susan Sarandon, Patrick Tovatt, Celia Weston, Allan Corduner. New Yorker proJoe Somebody (2001) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: John file writer Joseph Mitchell (Tucci) is introPasquin. Tim Allen, Julie Bowen, Kelly duced to ‘‘the king of the Bohemians,’’ Lynch, Hayden Panettiere, Jim Belushi, street savant Joe Gould (Holm), and beGreg Germann, Robert Joy, Patrick Warcomes fascinated (and sucked in) by this burton. Beaten-down corporate worker fibombastic Greenwich Village habitue. Nonally stands up for his rights by fighting table for its loving re-creation of 1940s with a bully in the company parking lot— N.Y.C. and the world that Mitchell docuand discovers that he suddenly has the attenmented so vividly. Holm is simply superb. tion, and respect, of coworkers who never Screenplay by Howard A. Rodman. [R]▼쩠 noticed him before. Allen is good in his Joe Hill (1971-Swedish) C-114m. ★★★ D: comedic everyman role, but the concept is hazy and underdeveloped. [PG] ▼쩠 Bo Widerberg. Thommy Berggren, Ania Schmidt, Kelvin Malave, Everl Anderson, Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten (2007-Irish-British) C-125m. ★★★ D: Julien Cathy Smith. Fabricated story of legendary labor leader has usual Widerberg matterTemple. Compelling documentary traces of-taste glossiness, but also some affecting the life and death of Clash front man, showscenes and pleasant performances. Joan ing his vast influence both musically and Baez sings title song. [PG] personally on those around him. Employing Joe Kidd (1972) C-88m. ★★ D: John Super 8 home movies, photos, and current Sturges. Clint Eastwood, Robert Duvall, John interviews (with everyone from Bono to Saxon, Don Stroud, Stella Garcia, James Johnny Depp), Temple presents a telling Wainwright. Eastwood is hired to hunt down portrait of a pioneering musician from his some Mexican-Americans by land baron Duchildhood influences to his heyday in the vall in ordinary Western; nice photography late ’70s and ’80s to his latter-day life as a and a rousing scene where Eastwood drives a star, husband, and father. Musical setrain through a barroom. Written by Elmore quences are superbly chosen and edited in Leonard. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 this worthwhile look at a true rock music ★★ legend.쩠 Joe Louis Story, The (1953) 88m. D: Robert Gordon. Coley Wallace, Paul StewJoe the King (1999) C-83m. ★★ D: Frank art, Hilda Simms, James Edwards, John Whaley. Noah Fleiss, Val Kilmer, Karen Marley, Dots Johnson. Biopic of the heavyYoung, Ethan Hawke, John Leguizamo, weight champ is interesting historically Austin Pendleton, Max Ligosh, James but dramatically hokey; Wallace looks the Costa, Camryn Manheim, Amy Wright. A part of Louis, but is no actor.▼쩠 14-year-old boy’s life is one long, losing Joe Macbeth (1955-British) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: battle. With a drunken, irresponsible father Ken Hughes. Paul Douglas, Ruth Roman, (Kilmer) and an absentee mother (Young), Bonar Colleano, Gregoire Aslan, Sidney he’s descended into a life of theft and antiJames. Occasionally amusing variation on social behavior. He’s not really a bad kid, Shakespeare’s Macbeth, with Douglas a but there is no relief, and certainly no hope, 1930s gangster whose wife (Roman) nags in sight for him. Actor Whaley’s writinghim into murdering his way to the top of directing debut is a vivid portrait of workhis ‘‘profession.’’ ing-class life, but is so dismal it might be Joe Panther (1976) C-110m. ★★★ D: Paul retitled THE 800 BLOWS. [R]▼쩠 Krasny. Brian Keith, Ricardo Montalban, Joe Versus the Volcano (1990) C-102m. ★★1 Alan Feinstein, Cliff Osmond, A Martinez, ⁄2 D: John Patrick Shanley. Tom Hanks, Ray Tracey. Good family film about Meg Ryan, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, modern-day Seminole youth (Tracey) strivDan Hedaya, Abe Vigoda, Ossie Davis, ing to make his way in the white man’s Barry McGovern, Amanda Plummer, Carol Kane, Nathan Lane. Pleasant if pointless world. [G]▼ 1 ★★ Joe’s Apartment (1996) C-80m. fable about a stressed-out nerd who learns ⁄2 D: John Payson. Jerry O’Connell, Megan Ward, he has six months to live, and accepts an Robert Vaughn, Don Ho, Shiek Mahmudeccentric millionaire’s offer to enable him Bey, Jim Sterling, Sandra Denton, Toukie to live like a king—so long as he jumps Smith, Scott ‘‘Bam Bam’’ Bigelow, Paul into a volcano at the end of his ‘‘vacation.’’ Bartel; voices of Billy West, Reginald HudUnfortunately, the story also takes a dive. lin, Dave Chappelle, B. D. Wong. Joe Writer Shanley’s directorial debut turns out (O’Connell) lives in a N.Y.C. slum apartment to be a shaggy-dog story that doesn’t pay infested by thousands of singing, dancing, and off. However, it is fun watching Ryan play talking cockroaches, who help him defeat the three distinctively different women . . . and schemes of his evil landlord (Don Ho). To put remember, luggage is everything. Panaviit mildly, not for all tastes, but if you can sion. [PG] ▼●쩠 handle break-dancing vermin, the effects are Joey (1985) C-97m. ★★ D: Joseph Ellison. excellent, the musical numbers inventive, and Neill Barry, James Quinn, Elisa Heinsohn, the whole thing harmlessly silly. Written by Linda Thorson, Ellen Hammill, Dan Gri[ 718 ]

maldi, Frankie Lanz. Hokey but harmless nold, Virginia Field. Genial adaptation of ode to Oldies and Doo Wop, chronicling Norman Krasna’s Broadway hit about a the troubled personal life of teen rock musoldier (Reagan) who does his pal a favor sician Barry and his relationship with his by marrying the fellow’s British girlfriend, dad (Quinn), who used to turn out hit recso she can come to the U.S.—intending to ords but now toils in a gas station and get divorce upon arrival. Naive fluff was drinks away his paycheck. Otherwise miNeal’s film debut.▼쩠 nor item features cameo appearances by Johnny Angel (1945) 79m. ★★★ D: Edwin The Limelights (who perform ‘‘Daddy’s L. Marin. George Raft, Claire Trevor, Home’’), Silhouettes (‘‘Get a Job’’), AdSigne Hasso, Lowell Gilmore, Hoagy Libs (‘‘Boy From New York City’’), EleCarmichael, Marvin Miller, Margaret gants (‘‘Little Star’’), Screamin’ Jay Wycherly, J. Farrell MacDonald. Tough, Hawkins (‘‘I Put a Spell on You’’) and, well-done melodrama, with Raft cleaning fleetingly, Jimmy Merchant and Herman up notorious mob, solving mystery of father’s Santiago, the only surviving Teenagers murder. Trevor lends good support.▼● (‘‘Why Do Fools Fall in Love?’’). [PG]▼ Johnny Apollo (1940) 93m. ★★★ D: Henry Joey Breaker (1993) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: SteHathaway. Tyrone Power, Dorothy Lamour, ven Starr. Richard Edson, Cedella Marley, Edward Arnold, Lloyd Nolan, Charles Fred Fondren, Erik King, Gina Gershon, Grapewin, Lionel Atwill, Marc Lawrence. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Michael ImpeGood-natured Power turns crook, resentful of rioli, Parker Posey. Astute, candid, but too father Arnold, white-collar thief. Good acting, especially by Lamour as the girlfriend.▼쩠 often dramatically static portrait of a suave, self-absorbed N.Y. talent agent (Edson), Johnny Be Good (1988) C-84m. BOMB and how his consciousness is raised. Marley D: Bud Smith. Anthony Michael Hall, Rob(the daughter of Bob Marley) plays the roert Downey, Jr., Paul Gleason, Uma Thurmantic interest, a Jamaican nursing student. man, Steve James, Seymour Cassel, Howard Starr, an ex-William Morris agent, also Cosell, Jim McMahon, Robert Downey, scripted and coproduced. [R]▼ Sr., Jennifer Tilly. Offensive, bottom-ofJohn and Mary (1969) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: the-barrel comedy about star high-school Peter Yates. Dustin Hoffman, Mia Farjock Hall and how various colleges atrow, Michael Tolan, Sunny Griffin, Stantempt to illegally recruit him. The seriousley Beck, Tyne Daly, Alix Elias, Marian ness of the issue completely eludes the Mercer, Olympia Dukakis, Cleavon Little, makers of this turkey. R-rated scenes were Kristoffer Tabori. John and Mary meet, added for homevideo version. [PG-13— make love, but don’t know if the relationlater reedited to R]▼●쩠 ship should end right there. Innocuous, Johnny Belinda (1948) 103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: uncompelling trifle. Hoffman seems to be Jean Negulesco. Jane Wyman, Lew Ayres, sleepwalking; audience may join him. Charles Bickford, Jan Sterling, Agnes MoorePanavision. [PG—originally rated R]쩠 head, Stephen McNally, Rosalind Ivan, John Carpenter’s Escape From L.A. Alan Napier, Dan Seymour. Sensitively SEE: Escape From L.A. acted, atmospheric drama of young deafJohn Carpenter’s Ghosts of Mars SEE: mute girl (Wyman) and doctor (Ayres) who Ghosts of Mars works with her. Setting of provincial fishJohn Carpenter’s Vampires SEE: ing-farming community vividly realized. Vampires Wyman won an Oscar for her fine perforJohn Goldfarb, Please Come Home mance. Elmer Harris play was scripted by ★1 (1965) C-96m. ⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. Irmgard von Cube and Allen Vincent. ReShirley MacLaine, Peter Ustinov, Richard made for TV in 1982 with Rosanna ArCrenna, Scott Brady, Jim Backus, Charles quette. Also shown in computer-colored Lane, Jerome Cowan, Wilfrid Hyde-White, version.▼쩠 Fred Clark, Harry Morgan, Telly Savalas, Johnny Come Lately (1943) 97m. ★★1⁄2 Richard Deacon, Jackie Coogan, Jerome D: William K. Howard. James Cagney, (Jerry) Orbach, Barbara Bouchet. Trapped Grace George, Marjorie Main, Marjorie in desert kingdom, two Americans (pilot, Lord, Hattie McDaniel, Ed McNamara. woman reporter) conspire to help Arabian Tame but amusing Cagney vehicle, with chief Ustinov’s football team beat Notre Jimmy as wandering newspaperman who Dame. Notre Dame University found this helps elderly editor George in small-town political battle.▼● spoof so offensive it sued in court; the viewer has an easier alternative. ScreenJohnny Concho (1956) 84m. ★★1⁄2 D: play by William Peter Blatty. Look for Don McGuire. Frank Sinatra, Keenan Wynn, Teri Garr. CinemaScope. William Conrad, Phyllis Kirk, Wallace John Grisham’s The Rainmaker SEE: Ford, Dorothy Adams, Jean Byron, Claude Rainmaker, The (1997) Akins, John Qualen. Plodding Western ★★1⁄2 D: John Loves Mary (1949) 96m. with novelty of Sinatra as cowardly soul David Butler. Ronald Reagan, Jack Carson, who must build courage for inevitable shootPatricia Neal, Wayne Morris, Edward Arout. Adapted from a Studio One TV play. [ 719 ]

Johnny Cool (1963) 101m. ★★★ D: WilWalter Hill. Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, liam Asher. Henry Silva, Elizabeth MontElizabeth McGovern, Morgan Freeman, gomery, Sammy Davis, Jr., Richard AnForest Whitaker, Lance Henriksen, Scott derson, Jim Backus, Wanda Hendrix, Brad Wilson, Blake Clark. Disfigured Rourke is Dexter, Joey Bishop, Marc Lawrence, John imprisoned after his abandonment by felMcGiver, Mort Sahl, Telly Savalas, Elisha low lowlifes during a heist; a doctor then Cook, Jr. Sadistic study of vicious gangproposes performing plastic surgery on his ster seeking revenge. Brutal account, realfeatures, hoping to lower his recidivism istically told. potential. Eccentric, to say the least, and Johnny Dangerously (1984) C-90m. ★1⁄2 not totally without interest given the cast, D: Amy Heckerling. Michael Keaton, Joe but eventually wears out its welcome. Given Piscopo, Marilu Henner, Maureen StapleRourke’s standard appearance, this must ton, Peter Boyle, Griffin Dunne, Richard be the only skull surgery ever performed without benefit of a shampoo. [R]▼●쩠 Dimitri, Glynnis O’Connor, Byron Thames, Danny DeVito, Dom DeLuise, Ray WalJohnny in the Clouds SEE: Way to the ston, Sudie Bond. Lame comedy about Stars, The Prohibition-era gangsters; looks like a TV Johnny Mnemonic (1995-Canadian) C98m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Longo. Keanu Reeves, show and plays that way, too, with scattershot jokes (only a few of them funny) Dolph Lundgren, Takeshi, Ice-T, Dina instead of a script. [PG-13]▼쩠 Meyer, Udo Kier, Denis Akiyama, Henry Johnny Eager (1941) 107m. ★★★ D: Mervyn Rollins, Tracy Tweed, Don Francks. In the LeRoy. Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edvery ugly future of 2021, a world-weary ward Arnold, Van Heflin, Robert Sterling, courier (who carries info in his head) takes Patricia Dane, Glenda Farrell, Barry Nelone final run from Beijing to Newark, his son. Slick MGM melodrama with convostorage capacity dangerously overloaded luted plot about sociology student (and with volatile data sought by a huge, ruthless daughter of D.A. Arnold) Turner falling in corporation. Intriguing premise, written by love with unscrupulous racketeer Taylor. William Gibson and directed by artist Heflin won Best Supporting Actor Oscar Longo, goes absolutely nowhere, as uninteras Taylor’s alcoholic friend.▼쩠 esting characters mouth laughable dialogue Johnny English (2003-British-U.S.) Cagainst a landscape of urban hell. Despite 86m. ★★★ D: Peter Howitt. Rowan Atkinthe computer graphics, this is cyberclaptrap. son, John Malkovich, Natalie Imbruglia, Runs about 15m. longer in Japan. [R] ▼●쩠 Ben Miller, Douglas McFerran, Tim PigottJohnny O’Clock (1947) 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Smith, Kevin McNally, Greg Wise. Very Robert Rossen. Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, funny James Bond spoof with Atkinson as a Lee J. Cobb, Ellen Drew, Nina Foch, Jeff hopelessly clumsy office functionary who Chandler. Cast and director make script gets to live out his fantasy and become a about high-class gambler in trouble with secret agent. His adversary: a wily French the law seem better than it is; Powell is criminal named Pascal Sauvage, played with fine in lead role. brio by Malkovich. Atkinson is in prime form Johnny Reno (1966) C-83m. BOMB D: in this engagingly silly sight-gag comedy. R.G. Springsteen. Dana Andrews, Jane Based on a series of British TV commerRussell, Lon Chaney (Jr.), John Agar, Lyle cials from the 1990s. [PG]▼쩠 Bettger, Tom Drake, Richard Arlen, Robert Johnny Got His Gun (1971) C-111m. ★★ Lowery. Laughably cliche´d Western has MarD: Dalton Trumbo. Timothy Bottoms, shal Andrews trying to save accused killer Kathy Fields, Marsha Hunt, Jason Robards, from lynching. Only for buffs who want to play ‘‘spot the star.’’ Techniscope.▼쩠 Donald Sutherland, Diane Varsi, David Soul, Tony Geary. Morbid film version of Johnny Stecchino (1991-Italian) C-100m. ★★★ Trumbo’s novel about WW1 basket case D: Roberto Benigni. Roberto Benigni, has moving opening and climax, but everyNicoletta Braschi, Paolo Bonacelli, Ignazio thing in the middle is either talky, prePappalardo, Franco Volpi. A mild and tentious, or amateurish. [PG]▼●쩠 meek school bus driver is the spitting imJohnny Guitar (1954) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: age of a notorious gangster—Johnny StecNicholas Ray. Joan Crawford, Sterling Haychino (‘‘Toothpick’’). When the latter’s den, Scott Brady, Mercedes McCambridge, luscious girlfriend drags the naive lookWard Bond, Ben Cooper, Ernest Borgnine, alike down to her Sicilian villa all sorts of Royal Dano, John Carradine, Paul Fix, shenanigans ensue. Bright physical comFrank Ferguson. The screen’s great kinky edy was Italy’s most successful film ever at Western, a memorable confrontation bethe box office, and director-cowriter-star Between saloonkeeper Crawford and righnigni has thrown in a wide array of his tradeteous hellion McCambridge, who wants mark physical gags. Material wears a little her run out of town and/or hanged. Simply thin after a while, but it’s hard to dislike a film fascinating with symbolism rampant throughwith a heroine whose favorite exclamation is out. Script by Philip Yordan.▼● ‘‘Holy Cleopatra!’’ [R]▼● Johnny Handsome (1989) C-94m. ★★ D: Johnny Suede (1991) C-95m. ★★★ D: [ 720 ]

Tom DiCillo. Brad Pitt, Calvin Levels, Harvey, Christopher B. Duncan, Jennifer FreeAlison Moir, Catherine Keener, Tina Louman, Gabby Soleil, Wade Williams, Aloma ise, Nick Cave, Samuel L. Jackson. Pitt is Wright, Shari Headley. Uptight insurance man perfectly cast as Johnny Suede, who sports takes his family—including his estranged a glorious pompadour and dreams of starwife—on a disaster-prone motor trip from dom as a Ricky Nelson–type pop singer. L.A. to Missouri for a family reunion and Clever, winningly hip little film; at its best competition. Amateurish comedy is played contrasting Johnny’s dream world with the so broadly you expect Kingfish Stevens to reality that surrounds him.▼●쩠 turn up at any minute. Cedric stars and also Johnny Tiger (1966) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: plays a bombastic, mush-mouthed character Paul Wendkos. Robert Taylor, Geraldine named Uncle Earl. Followed by two DVD sequels. [PG-13]▼쩠 Brooks, Chad Everett, Brenda Scott. Set in Florida, tame tale of teacher Taylor, John Tucker Must Die (2006) C-90m. ★1⁄2 doctor Brooks, and half-breed Seminole D: Betty Thomas. Jesse Metcalfe, Brittany Everett trying to come to conclusions about Snow, Ashanti, Sophia Bush, Arielle KebIndians’ role in modern world.▼ bel, Jenny McCarthy, Penn Badgley, FatsoJohnny Tremain (1957) C-80m. ★★★ D: Fasano, Kevin McNulty, Patricia Drake. Robert Stevenson. Hal Stalmaster, Luana When three high school girls discover they Patten, Jeff York, Sebastian Cabot, Dick have all been dating the same two-timing Beymer, Walter Sande. Excellent Disney lothario, they convince an innocent classfilm, from Esther Forbes’ novel about a mate to seduce the smooth-talking jock and young boy who gets involved in the Rebreak his heart. Charmless and predictable volutionary War; sprinkles fiction with fact teen comedy loses touch with reality about to bring history to life.▼●쩠 halfway through and winds up a ludicrous John Paul Jones (1959) C-126m. ★★1⁄2 D: mess. Any similarity between these characJohn Farrow. Robert Stack, Marisa Pavan, ters and actual human beings is purely coinCharles Coburn, Erin O’Brien, Macdonald cidental. [PG-13]쩠 Carey, Jean-Pierre Aumont, Peter Cushing, Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986) Bruce Cabot, Bette Davis. Empty spectacle C-97m. ★★ D: Richard Pryor. Richard of 18th-century American naval hero, with Pryor, Debbie Allen, Art Evans, Fay cameo by Davis as Russian empress, Catherine Hauser, Barbara Williams, Carmen McRae, the Great. Look for Mia Farrow (daughter of Paula Kelly, Diahnne Abbott, Scoey film’s director and Maureen O’Sullivan) in Mitchell, Billy Eckstine, Wings Hauser, film debut. Technirama.▼ E’lon Cox, Virginia Capers, Dennis Fa★★1 John Q (2002) C-118m. ⁄2 D: Nick Casrina. Pryor examines his life, with the help savetes. Denzel Washington, James Woods, of an alter-ego character; largely autobioRobert Duvall, Anne Heche, Ray Liotta, graphical film only sparks when chroniKimberly Elise, Eddie Griffin, Shawn Hatosy, cling the comedian’s early life and first Obba Babatunde, Troy Beyer, Paul Johansshow-biz encounters. From there it’s downson, Daniel E. Smith. Factory worker who’s hill: jumbled, at arm’s-length, and boring. struggling to make ends meet learns that his Pryor’s directorial debut, if you don’t count insurance will not cover his son’s heart transan earlier concert film (he also coscripted plant surgery. Assaulted by red tape and unand produced). Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 caring bureaucrats, he commandeers the Joke of Destiny, A (1983-Italian) C-105m. ★1 hospital’s emergency room—willing to do ⁄2 D: Lina Wertmuller. Ugo Tognazzi, anything to save his child’s life. Story ingrediPiera Degli Esposti, Gastone Moschin, ents ring true, but the film shamelessly pushes Renzo Montagnani, Valeria Golino. A high emotional buttons, with speechifying and government official is accidentally locked two-dimensional supporting characters. Rein his computer-controlled limousine, and deemed, to a surprising extent, by Washinghis dilemma is dealt with as if it’s a national crisis. Loud, overwrought satire has ton’s powerful performance. [PG-13]▼쩠 ★★ johns (1996) C-94m. a couple of laughs but will either put you D: Scott Silver. Lukas Haas, David Arquette, Arliss Howto sleep or give you a headache. Full title: ard, Keith David, Christopher Gartin, Elliott A JOKE OF DESTINY, LYING IN WAIT Gould, Terrence Dashon Howard, Richard AROUND THE CORNER LIKE A BANDIT. [PG]▼ Kind, John C. McGinley. Depressing tale of friendship between two hustlers on the L.A. Joker Is Wild, The (1957) 126m. ★★★ D: scene, set on the day before Christmas. Charles Vidor. Frank Sinatra, Mitzi Gaynor, Gritty and bleak with solid performances by Jeanne Crain, Eddie Albert, Beverly Haas and Arquette, but the subject and tone Garland, Jackie Coogan, Sophie Tucker. will remind viewers of the far superior Sinatra is fine in biography of nightclub MIDNIGHT COWBOY. [R]▼쩠 performer Joe E. Lewis, with Crain and Johnson Family Vacation (2004) C-97m. Gaynor diverting as his two loves. Cahn and BOMB D: Christopher Erskin. Cedric the Van Heusen song ‘‘All the Way’’ won an Entertainer, Vanessa Williams, Bow Wow, Oscar; in fact, the film was reissued as ALL Shannon Elizabeth, Solange Knowles, Steve THE WAY. VistaVision. [ 721 ]

Jokers, The (1966-British) C-94m. ★★★ photography allows us to take bird’s point of D: Michael Winner. Michael Crawford, view as he forsakes his flock to explore wonOliver Reed, Gabriella Licudi, Harry Anders of flying. Dialogue doesn’t work nearly drews, James Donald, Daniel Massey, as well, nor does Neil Diamond’s overbearing Michael Hordern, Frank Finlay, Rachel score. Panavision. [G]▼쩠 Kempson, Edward Fox. Droll satire on the Joni (1980) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: James F. Establishment with Reed and Crawford Collier. Joni Eareckson, Bert Remsen, Kathtwo brothers from upper classes, putting erine De Hetre, Cooper Huckabee, John everyone on and carrying out perfect caMilford, Michael Mancini, Richard Lineper; ironic results. back. Earnest account of Eareckson’s acJolson Sings Again (1949) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 tual struggle to rebuild her life and find D: Henry Levin. Larry Parks, Barbara religion after breaking her spine in a divHale, William Demarest, Ludwig Donath, ing mishap. Based on a book by Eareckson; Tamara Shayne. Attempt to continue THE financed by Billy Graham. [G]▼ JOLSON STORY only partially succeeds, Joseph and His Brethren (1962) C-103m. ★★ D: Irving Rapper. Marietto, Geoffrey and is a curio at best . . . especially when Parks (playing Jolson) meets Parks (playHorne, Belinda Lee, Finlay Currie, Antoing Parks). Jolson standards (‘‘Baby nio Segurini, Charles Borromel, Carlo Face,’’ ‘‘Sonny Boy,’’ ‘‘Back In Your Giustini. Juvenile biblical tale, lavishly Own Back Yard,’’ and many others) are produced but empty-headed. Totalscope.▼쩠 still great. ▼●쩠 Joseph Andrews (1977-British) C-103m. 1 Jolson Story, The (1946) C-128m. ★★★ ⁄2 ★★ D: Tony Richardson. Ann-Margret, D: Alfred E. Green. Larry Parks, Evelyn Peter Firth, Michael Hordern, Beryl Reid, Keyes, William Demarest, Bill Goodwin, Jim Dale, Natalie Ogle, Peter Bull, Karen Ludwig Donath, Tamara Shayne. Hokey Dotrice. Director Richardson returns to but very entertaining biography of all-time Henry Fielding but TOM JONES lightning great Al Jolson, with Parks giving his all fails to strike again; well-photographed in story of brash vaudeville performer’s farce based on concealed identities is dull rise in the show biz world. Songs: ‘‘April throughout. [R]▼쩠 Showers,’’ ‘‘Avalon,’’ ‘‘You Made Me Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent SEE: Love You,’’ ‘‘My Mammy’’ plus many Secret Agent, The (1996) others, all dubbed by Jolson; that’s the real Josh and S.A.M. (1993) C-98m. ★★ D: Jolson in long shot on the runway during Billy Weber. Jacob Tierney, Noah Fleiss, the ‘‘Swanee’’ sequence. Morris Stoloff Martha Plimpton, Stephen Tobolowsky, earned an Oscar for his scoring. Sequel: Joan Allen, Chris Penn, Maury Chaykin, JOLSON SINGS AGAIN.▼●쩠 Udo Kier, Allan Arbus, Amy Wright, Jake Jonah: a VeggieTales Movie (2002) CGyllenhaal. Odd, unsatisfying road movie 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki. about a pair of emotionally put-upon brothVoices of Phil Vischer, Mike Nawrocki, Tim ers, the offspring of otherwise occupied (as Hodge, Lisa Vischer, Dan Anderson, Kriswell as divorced) parents, who end up stealtin Blegen. The VeggieTales gang learns a ing a car and picking up hitchhiker Plimpton. lesson in compassion and mercy in the story The scenario strains credibility, if only beof Jonah, the messenger of God who is cause the boys are aged 12 and 7. There’s swallowed by a whale, then given a second the germ of an engaging film here, but the chance to deliver his message to the wayresult is just too silly. [PG-13]▼● ward people of Nineveh. A feature-length Joshua (1976) C-75m. ★1⁄2 D: Larry spin-off from a popular series of direct-toSpangler. Fred Williamson, Isela Vega, video programs, this low-budget computerBrenda Venus, Stacy Newton, Kathryn generated Bible-themed animated feature is Jackson. Modest Western of Williamson OK for young kids. [G]▼쩠 patiently tracking down and killing one by Jonah Who Will Be 25 in the Year 2000 1 one the bandits who murdered his mother, ★★★ ⁄2 D: Alain Tan(1976-Swiss) C-115m. maid to a frontier family. Embarrassing, ner. Myriam Boyer, Jean-Luc Bideau, Mioucynical script by Williamson insults the Miou, Roger Jendly, Jacques Denis. Senaudience; Mexican superstar Vega is wastsitive, literate, engaging comedy about ed. Originally titled: THE BLACK RIDER. eight individuals affected by the political [PG—reedited from original R rating]▼쩠 events of the late ’60s. Miou-Miou is lovely Joshua (2002) C-91m. ★★ D: John Purdy. as supermarket clerk with no qualms about Tony Goldwyn, F. Murray Abraham, Kurt liberating groceries. A companion to TanFuller, Stacy Edwards, Colleen Camp, Giner’s later NO MAN’S LAND (1985). ▼ ancarlo Giannini. Bland religious parable of Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973) Caffable drifter Goldwyn, a woodworker whose 120m. ★★1⁄2 D: Hall Bartlett. Voices of presence in small American town makes James Franciscus, Juliet Mills, Hal Holbrook, nearly everyone happier except grumpy, disKelly Harmon, Dorothy McGuire, Richard trustful Catholic priest Abraham. Giannini Crenna. Unique film based on Richard Bach’s best-seller about an existential seagull. Superb plays the Pope! Music by Christian pop star [ 722 ]

Michael W. Smith. A good substitute if the types seeking to leave. Offbeat romance babysitter cancels. [G]▼쩠 between Kerr and Communist officer BrynJoshua (2007) C-106m. ★★ D: George Ratner. Film debuts of Robards and Howard. liff. Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Jacob Journey (1972-Canadian) C-87m. BOMB Kogan, Celia Weston, Dallas Roberts, MiD: Paul Almond. Genevieve Bujold, John chael McKean, Haviland Morris. A precoVernon, Gale Garnett, George Sperdakos, cious 9-year-old in an upper-middle-class Elton Hayes. Young woman, saved from N.Y.C. household appears to deeply resent drowning by head of wilderness commune, the arrival of his newborn baby sister. believes that she brings bad luck to everyStrong performances by indie faves Rockwell one with whom she comes in contact. and Farmiga, as the understandably stressedIncluding the people who made this film. Heavy going. [PG]▼ out parents, compensate for a storyline that, though chilling, is also a bit repetitious. Strong Journey Back to Oz (1974) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 on atmosphere and production design but D: Hal Sutherland. Voices of Liza Minnelli, weak on logic. Young couples with dreams Milton Berle, Margaret Hamilton, Jack E. of enlarging their families might want to Leonard, Paul Lynde, Ethel Merman, steer clear of young Josh. [R]쩠 Mickey Rooney, Rise Stevens, Danny Joshua Then and Now (1985-Canadian) Thomas, Mel Blanc. Long-delayed (made in 1964) animated sequel without the C-118m. ★★★ D: Ted Kotcheff. James Woods, Gabrielle Lazure, Alan Arkin, MiWizard. Okay for the kids; main interest chael Sarrazin, Linda Sorenson, Alan Scarfe, for grownups is familiar voices, including Minnelli in her late mother’s role. [G]▼쩠 Alexander Knox, Robert Joy. Unorthodox life and times of a Jewish writer in Canada whose Journey for Margaret (1942) 81m. ★★★ father was a small-time gangster and who D: W. S. Van Dyke II. Robert Young, Laraine marries into a politically and socially promiDay, Fay Bainter, Nigel Bruce, Margaret nent WASP family. Uneven but entertainO’Brien, William Severn. Heartfelt WW2 ing comedy-drama, based on Mordecai drama about American journalist Young deRichler’s semiautobiographical novel; Woods veloping an attachment to children orphaned is fine in one of his first leading-man roles, in London bombings. O’Brien is very appealArkin terrific as his colorful dad. [R]▼ ing scene-stealer, Young her adopted father. Josie and the Pussycats (2001) C-95m. ★★ ▼ D: Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan. Rachael Journey Into Autumn SEE: Dreams (1955) Leigh Cook, Tara Reid, Rosario Dawson, Journey Into Fear (1943) 69m. ★★★ D: Alan Cumming, Parker Posey, Gabriel Mann, Norman Foster. Orson Welles, Joseph Paulo Costanzo, Missi Pyle, Alex Martin, Cotten, Dolores Del Rio, Ruth Warrick, Carson Daly, Jann T. Carl, Russ Leatherman. Agnes Moorehead, Everett Sloane, Jack Live-action treatment finds the Archie Comics Moss, Hans Conried. Often baffling WW2 girl group used by record execs and the governspy drama started by Welles, taken out of ment to front subliminal marketing campaigns his hands. Much of tale of smuggling to kids. Goofy send-up of trendy teen pop culmunitions into Turkey still exciting. Cotten ture often misses the mark, but the occasional and Welles scripted this adaptation of the hit is straight on. Best part comes early on with Eric Ambler novel. Remade in 1975. Also the top boy band Dujour (Word!). Breckin shown in computer-colored version.▼● Meyer, Seth Green, Donald Faison, and EuJourney Into Fear (1975-Canadian) Cgene Levy appear unbilled. [PG-13]▼쩠 103m. ★★ D: Daniel Mann. Sam Waterston, Jour de Fete (1949-French) 70m. ★★★1⁄2 Zero Mostel, Yvette Mimieux, Scott MarD: Jacques Tati. Jacques Tati, Guy Decomble, lowe, Ian McShane, Joseph Wiseman, ShelPaul Frankeur, Santa Relli, Maine Vallee, ley Winters, Stanley Holloway, Donald Roger Rafal. In this exquisite feature-film diPleasence, Vincent Price. Muddled remake rectorial debut French comedian/mime Tati of 1943 film, shot throughout Europe, plays a postman whose attempts to modernize with Waterston as research geologist involdelivery link up a series of delightful gags ved in international intrigue. [R]▼ built around a small town’s Bastille Day celeJourney of August King, The (1995) C95m. ★★★ D: John Duigan. Jason Patric, bration. Tati’s cleverness and timing make him one of the most accomplished cinematic Thandie Newton, Larry Drake, Sam Wacomedians since Buster Keaton. Originally terston, Sara-Jane Wylde, Eric Mabius. filmed in color, but released in b&w with Troubled, widowed farmer August King color tinting. Restored to its original color (Patric) comes to the assistance of Annalees version in 1997. Some prints run 87m. Aka Williamsburg (Newton), a vulnerable young THE BIG DAY.▼● slave who has run away from her master Journey, The (1959) C-125m. ★★★ D: in 1815 North Carolina. Contemplative and Anatole Litvak. Deborah Kerr, Yul Brynner, civilized tale, beautifully filmed and richly Jason Robards, Jr., Robert Morley, E. G. humanistic. Waterston (cast as a landowner) Marshall, Anne Jackson, Ronny Howard, also coproduced. Scripted by John Ehle, Kurt Kasznar, Anouk Aime´e. Heady melobased on his novel. [PG-13]▼●쩠 drama set in 1956 Budapest, with assorted Journey of Hope (1990-Swiss) C-110m. [ 723 ]

★★★1

⁄2 D: Xavier Koller. Necmettin Cobthe intended 3D, imaginatively used throughout. [PG]쩠 anoglu, Nur Surer, Emin Sivas, Erdinc Akbas, Journey to the Center of Time (1967) Yaman Okay. Heartbreaking, based-on-fact C-82m. ★1⁄2 D: D. L. Hewitt. Scott Brady, account of what happens when a poor Turkish Gigi Perreau, Anthony Eisley, Abraham couple and their young son set off for SwitzerSofaer, Poupee Gamin, Lyle Waggoner. land, in the hope of finding a better life. This Very cheap sci-fi time travel adventure to could have wallowed in sentiment and clifuture and past, using plot elements from che´s, but director-coscripter Koller consisearlier THE TIME TRAVELERS. Aka tently keeps it on the right emotional track. TIME WARP. ▼쩠 Deserving Best Foreign Film Academy Journey to the Far Side of the Sun Award winner packs a real wallop.▼● (1969-British) C-99m. ★★★ D: Robert ParJourney of Natty Gann, The (1985) rish. Roy Thinnes, Lynn Loring, Herbert C-101m. ★★★ D: Jeremy Kagan. Meredith Lom, Patrick Wymark. Entertaining exSalenger, John Cusack, Ray Wise, Lainie ploration of planet hidden behind the sun. Kazan, Barry Miller, Scatman Crothers, The ending makes the movie. Originally tiVerna Bloom. Girl travels cross-country tled DOPPELGANGER. [G]▼●쩠 during the hardest days of the Depression, Journey to the Lost City SEE: Indian in order to be with her father; along the way Tomb, The and Tiger of Eschnapur she acquires an unlikely companion and Journey to the Seventh Planet (1961protector—a wolf. Low-key but entertainDanish) C-83m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney Pink. John ing Disney film travels smoothly to exAgar, Greta Thyssen, Ann Smyrner, Mimi pected conclusion. Rich 1930s atmosphere Heinrich, Carl Ottosen. In year 2001, exhelps a lot, and the wolf (actually played by pedition to Uranus discovers hostile alien a dog!) is great. Widescreen. [PG]▼●쩠 brain that can turn thoughts into reality. Journey Through the Past (1972) C-78m. Cheap, clumsy, dull, with just a smidge of ★1⁄2 D: Bernard Shakey (Neil Young). imagination. ▼●쩠 Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Buffalo Joyeux Noe¨l (2005-French-German) CSpringfield, Carrie Snodgress, Jack Nitzsche. 116m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Christian Carion. Diane Overblown, phony, pseudo-hip home movie Kruger, Benno Fu¨rmann, Guillaume Canet, centering on rock superstar Young. [R] Gary Lewis, Dany Boon, Alex Ferns, Daniel Journey to Shiloh (1968) C-101m. ★1⁄2 D: Bru ¨ hl, Bernard Le Coq, Michel Serrault, SuWilliam Hale. James Caan, Michael Sarrazanne Flon, Ian Richardson. Potent dramatizazin, Brenda Scott, Don Stroud, Paul tion of a real-life incident in which French, Petersen, Harrison Ford. Limp Civil War German, and Scottish soldiers on the front programmer about young Texans anxious lines in WW1 decide to risk court-martial— to engage in battle. Veterans Rex Ingram, or worse—and call a one-night Christmas Eve John Doucette, and Noah Beery are lost in truce. This simple act demonstrates a clear this jumble. Techniscope. reason why sometimes the ‘‘rules of engageJourney to the Beginning of the World ment’’ should be broken, despite what superiSEE: Voyage to the Beginning of the World ors far from the battlefields dictate. With a Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959) flawless international cast, this delivers a les★★★ C-132m. D: Henry Levin. James son worth remembering in any era. Written Mason, Pat Boone, Arlene Dahl, Diane Baker, by the director. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Thayer David, Alan Napier. Entertaining, oldJoy House (1964-French) 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: fashioned fantasy-adventure, from Jules Rene´ Clement. Jane Fonda, Alain Delon, Verne’s story of daring expedition headed by Lola Albright, Sorrell Booke. Living on Mason; long in telling, with silly digressions, his looks, a playboy on the run seeks but generally fun. Remade in 1999 (for TV), refuge in gloomy French mansion run by 2008, and as WHERE TIME BEGAN. Best two American women. Fate and quicker wits enjoyed in CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 than his control this brooding tale of irony. Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008) Aka THE LOVE CAGE. Franscope.▼쩠 C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Eric Brevig. Brendan FraJoy in the Morning (1965) C-103m. ★★ ser, Josh Hutcherson, Anita Briem, Seth D: Alex Segal. Richard Chamberlain, Yvette Meyers. Hoping to salvage the reputation of Mimieux, Arthur Kennedy, Sidney Blackhis vanished brother, scientist Fraser heads mer. Betty Smith’s gentle novel of strugfor Iceland with his bored nephew Hutchergling law student and his marital problems son. They join forces with an attractive becomes mild vehicle for Chamberlain, who guide (Briem) and set out hiking, as the crusades for human dignity amid stereotypes title says, on a journey to the earth’s center, of a college town. evading dinosaurs and other menaces along Joy Luck Club, The (1993) C-135m. ★★★ the way. Lively, ingratiating family-friendly D: Wayne Wang. Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, comedy-adventure is so loosely based on France Nuyen, Lisa Lu, Ming-Na Wen, TamJules Verne’s novel that a copy of the book lyn Tomita, Lauren Tom, Rosalind Chao, Anis a plot element. Good effects and design drew McCarthy, Diane Baker, Chao-Li Chi, help, especially when the movie is seen in Melanie Chang, Victor Wong, Irene Ng. Rich [ 724 ]

tapestry of eight stories; the incredible saga of the Saddle with this Western OTHELLO: four women who survived—and prevailed— when jealous rancher Borgnine seeks some against all odds in China, and their assimilated lovemaking advice from cowhand Ford, along American daughters, whose troubles seem alcomes Steiger hinting that Ford’s giving Borgmost trivial by comparison. Starts losing its nine’s wife (French) a few ‘‘lessons’’ as well. grip in the penultimate sequence, but soars Brooding, intense drama is pretty good on its again for a powerhouse finale that will have own terms, more intriguing if you know the original. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 you reaching for a crying towel. Screenplay by Amy Tan and Ronald Bass, from Tan’s Jubilee Trail (1954) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: best-selling novel. [R]▼●쩠 Joseph Kane. Vera Ralston, Joan Leslie, Joy of Living (1938) 90m. ★★★ D: Tay Forrest Tucker, John Russell, Ray MiddleGarnett. Irene Dunne, Douglas Fairbanks, ton, Pat O’Brien. Expansive Republic WestJr., Alice Brady, Guy Kibbee, Jean Dixon, ern vehicle for Ralston as heart-of-gold Eric Blore, Lucille Ball. Delightful screwchanteuse sorting out rancher’s life in old ball musicomedy with gay-blade Fairbanks California.▼ wooing singing star Dunne.▼●쩠 Judas Kiss (1999) C-97m. ★★★ D: SebasJoy of Sex (1984) C-93m. BOMB D: tian Gutierrez. Carla Gugino, Hal Holbrook, Martha Coolidge. Michelle Meyrink, CamEmma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Roscoe eron Dye, Lisa Langlois, Charles Van Lee Browne, Lisa Eichhorn, Greg Wise, Eman, Christopher Lloyd, Colleen Camp, Philip Baker Hall, Gil Bellows, Simon Baker. Ernie Hudson. Virgin Meyrink, believing Young New Orleans pick-up gang kidnaps an she has weeks to live, decides to ‘‘do it important official of a computer company for all’’ before she dies. Nothing of Alex a big ransom payoff—but there’s more to this Comfort’s book—including his name—is caper than first meets the eye. Sexy Gugino left (and despite the title, no one seems to (who also coproduced the film) sparks a good be having a good time) in embarrassingly cast, but the real treat is watching Thompson bad high-school comedy. [R]▼ and Rickman drawling together as Southern Joyride (1977) C-92m. ★★ D: Joseph Ruben. investigators (one Federal, one local) on the Desi Arnaz, Jr., Robert Carradine, Melacase. Written by the director. Made for theaters; debuted on cable. Panavision. [R]▼ nie Griffith, Anne Lockhart, Tom Ligon, Cliff Lenz. Meandering tale of two youngJudas Was a Woman SEE: La Beˆte and-footloose couples on the road to Alaska Humaine looking for adventure but drifting into crime. Jude (1996-British) C-123m. ★★ D: MiFour show-biz offspring play the leads: the chael Winterbottom. Christopher Eccleston, sons of Desi Arnaz (and Lucy) and John Kate Winslet, Rachel Griffiths, Liam CunCarradine, the daughters of Tippi Hedren ningham, June Whitfield, Ross Colvin Turnand June Lockhart. [R]▼쩠 bull. Dour, generally uninvolving adaptation Joy Ride (2001) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: John Dahl. of Thomas Hardy’s final novel, Jude the ObPaul Walker, Leelee Sobieski, Steve Zahn, scure, about an unschooled but intellectually Jessica Bowman. Egged on by his no-account ambitious 19th-century stonemason who enbrother (Zahn), a young man (Walker) plays a dures a lifetime of smashed dreams. The early prank on a trucker using his CB radio—but going wobbily telescopes many of the book’s the victim of the joke doesn’t find it funny events into the opening half hour; the movie and exacts terrifying revenge by stalking the then gets a desperately needed shot in the two and the girlfriend who joins them on the arm when Winslet (terrific) shows up as the road. Lots of action and suspense in this imcousin, lover, and academic rebel trying to probable yarn, but the fun drains a bit toward exist in a society that systematically crushes rebels. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 the end. Followed by a direct-to-DVD sequel. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Judge and the Assassin, The (1975J. R. SEE: Who’s That Knocking at My French) C-121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bertrand TavDoor ernier. Philippe Noiret, Michel Galabru, ★★★ D: William Juarez (1939) 132m. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Claude Brialy, Renee Dieterle. Paul Muni, Bette Davis, Brian Faure. In a way, the title tells all in this inciAherne, Claude Rains, John Garfield, Gale sive, expertly directed and acted drama: Judge Sondergaard, Donald Crisp, Gilbert RoNoiret must determine whether murderer Galand, Louis Calhern, Grant Mitchell. Inlabru is insane or faking. Fascinating from teresting biography of Mexican leader start to finish. Panavision.▼● (Muni), with unforgettable performance Judge Dredd (1995) C-96m. ★★ D: Danny by Rains as Napoleon III; also notable is Cannon. Sylvester Stallone, Armand AsGarfield’s offbeat casting as Mexican Gensante, Diane Lane, Rob Schneider, Joan eral Diaz. Elaborately done, but never as Chen, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Max von Sydow, inspiring as it’s intended to be.▼ Balthazar Getty, Joanna Miles, Mitchell Jubal (1956) C-101m. ★★★ D: Delmer Ryan. Loud, ugly adaptation of the comic Daves. Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod book set in a future world of urban chaos Steiger, Valerie French, Felicia Farr, Noah where new-age police are empowered to Beery, Jr., Charles Bronson. It’s Bard in ‘‘judge’’—and kill, if need be—on the spot. [ 725 ]

Judge Dredd (Stallone) is caught in a conbut surprisingly absorbing in the early spiracy much bigger and more insidious going. Leary is a standout as the chief than he realizes. Some interesting plotting is heavy. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 lost in a sea of hard-edged violence, video Judith (1966) C-109m. BOMB D: Daniel game–like special effects, and overripe actMann. Sophia Loren, Peter Finch, Jack ing. James Earl Jones reads opening narraHawkins, Hans Verner, Zharira Charifai. tion; James Remar and Scott Wilson appear Austrian Jewess Loren survives prison camp unbilled. Panavision. [R] ▼●쩠 with makeup intact, comes to Israel in Judgement in Stone, A (1986-Canadian) 1948 to locate Nazi husband who betrayed C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Ousama Rawi. Rita her. Film is both dull and unbelievable, a bad Tushingham, Ross Petty, Tom Kneebone, combination. Video title: CONFLICT. Panavision.▼ Shelley Peterson, Jessica Stern, Jonathan Crombie, Jackie Burroughs. Tushingham Ju Dou (1989-Chinese-Japanese) C-95m. ★★★1 is well cast in this otherwise tiresome, ⁄2 D: Zhang Yimou. Gong Li, Li Wei, drawn-out chiller as a repressed, illiterate, Li Bao-Tian, Zhang Yi, Zhen Ji-an. Striking, and psychotic spinster who takes a job as a visually magnificent drama, set during the housemaid with tragic results. Aka THE 1920s, telling the tragic story of a young peasHOUSEKEEPER. Remade in France as LA ant woman who’s forced to wed an elderly, CE´RE´MONIE. [R] ▼● bitter factory owner, and commences an affair Judge Priest (1934) 80m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John with his nephew. Banned in China, supposFord. Will Rogers, Tom Brown, Anita edly because of its focus on individual values Louise, Henry B. Walthall, Stepin Fetchit, and unflattering depiction of the old man (in a Hattie McDaniel. Exceptional slice of Amernation ruled by a small elite group of old icana with Rogers as commonsensical yet men); authorities feared audiences would see controversial judge in small town; full of it as a metaphor for the way China’s leaders warm and funny character vignettes, incontrol society. First Chinese film ever to earn cluding Walthall’s stirring courtroom scene. a Best Foreign Film Academy Award nomiFord remade it in 1953 as THE SUN nation—and those responsible for entering it SHINES BRIGHT.▼쩠 in the competition were disciplined by their Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) 178m. superiors. Controversy aside, a powerful, pro★★★★ D: Stanley Kramer. Spencer Tracy, vocative film. ▼●쩠 Burt Lancaster, Richard Widmark, MarJudy Berlin (2000) 96m. ★★★ D: Eric Menlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, Maximilian delsohn. Barbara Barrie, Bob Dishy, Edie Schell, Montgomery Clift, William Shatner. Falco, Carlin Glynn, Aaron Harnick, Bette Superior production revolving around U.S. Henritze, Madeline Kahn, Julie Kavner, Anne judge Tracy presiding over German warMeara, Novella Nelson. Cross-section of resicriminal trials. Schell, who originated the role dents of Long Island town dream of happiness in Abby Mann’s 1959 TV play, won Oscar as while facing bleak reality—and a lingering defense attorney, as did Mann for his screensolar eclipse. Original, often eloquent (if play. Fine performances by Dietrich as widow slow-paced) statement on contemporary life of German officer, Garland as hausfrau, Clift and love, depicted by top-notch cast of N.Y. as unbalanced victim of Nazi atrocities. Later actors, including Kahn in her final film. a Broadway play. ▼●쩠 Writer-director Mendelsohn’s feature directing debut. ▼쩠 Judgment in Berlin (1988) C-92m. ★★ D: Leo Penn. Martin Sheen, Sam Wanamaker, Juggernaut (1974-British) C-109m. ★★★ Sean Penn, Max Gail, Juerger Hemrich, D: Richard Lester. Richard Harris, Omar ShaCarl Lumbly, Max Volkert Martens. U.S. rif, David Hemmings, Anthony Hopkins, judge Sheen, thrown into one of those Shirley Knight, Ian Holm, Roy Kinnear, FredSpencer Tracy/Nuremberg situations, has die Jones. Surprisingly effective thriller about to determine if the hijacking of an East bomb threat on luxury ocean liner, and demoGerman jet into Berlin is justified. Ragged lition experts’ attempts to avoid disaster. Harbut just watchable, with actor Penn (the ris is first-rate and so is Lester’s direction of a director’s son) turning in one unexpectedly formula story. [PG]▼쩠 heartfelt cameo during some climactic courtJuggler, The (1953) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edroom testimony. Shown on TV as ESCAPE ward Dmytryk. Kirk Douglas, Milly Vitale, TO FREEDOM. [PG]▼●쩠 Paul Stewart, Alf Kjellin, Beverly WashJudgment Night (1993) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: burn. Sentimental account of Jewish refugee Stephen Hopkins. Emilio Estevez, Cuba Douglas going to Israel to rebuild his life, Gooding, Jr., Denis Leary, Stephen Dorff, overcoming bitterness from life in a concenJeremy Piven, Peter Greene. Sporadically tration camp. Filmed in Israel. tense, competently directed programmer Juice (1992) C-92m. ★★ D: Ernest R. about four suburban buddies who end up Dickerson. Omar Epps, Jermaine Hopbeing chased through tenements and sewers kins, Tupac Shakur, Khalil Kain, Cindy after driving their fancy RV over a shooting Herron, Vincent Laresca, Samuel L. Jackvictim in a very tough part of Chicago. Ultison. Impressively shot but overly conmately done in by standard genre cliche´s, trived (and extremely violent) tale of four [ 726 ]

black teenage friends whose lives take a a woman whose life splits in two, leaving tragic turn when a store robbery goes out her caught between a happily married exisof control. Promising directorial debut tence with Byrne and a dangerous affair for Spike Lee’s talented cinematographer. with photographer Sting. Intriguing, wellCostar Herron (from the group En Vogue), acted psychological thriller that unfortuQueen Latifah, and other rap stars appear, nately leads nowhere. Handsomely photoand perform on the soundtrack. [R]▼●쩠 graphed by Giuseppe Rotunno, this theatJuke Girl (1942) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Curtis rical release was made on high-definition Bernhardt. Ann Sheridan, Ronald Reagan, video, then transferred to film. [R]▼● Richard Whorf, Gene Lockhart, Betty Julia Has Two Lovers (1991) C-86m. ★★1 Brewer, Faye Emerson, George Tobias, ⁄2 D: Bashar Shbib. Daphna Kastner, Alan Hale, Howard da Silva, Donald MacDavid Duchovny, David Charles, Tim Ray, Bride, William B. Davidson, Fuzzy Knight, Clare Bancroft, Martin Donovan. ChilWillie Best. Exploitation of farmers is the dren’s author, who’s ‘‘involved’’ with a subject of this robust Warner Bros. film, man but convinced she can do better, dewhich is spoiled by typecasting of the bad velops a fantasy relationship with a teleguys and a melodramatic script that veers phone wrong number, who ends up engaging way off-course. It does provide Reagan her in mutually stimulating chats. Cheaply with one of his most interesting parts, howmade, unevenly acted, but solid-enough premise keeps you engrossed to the end. [R]▼ ever, as an itinerant worker who becomes a farmers’ rights activist(!), battling for unJulia Misbehaves (1948) 99m. ★★★ D: derdog Tobias against fat-cat Lockhart. Jack Conway. Greer Garson, Walter PidJules and Jim (1961-French) 104m. ★★★★ geon, Peter Lawford, Elizabeth Taylor, D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Cesar Romero, Mary Boland, Nigel Bruce. Werner, Henri Serre, Marie Dubois, Vanna Bouncy account of showgirl Garson returnUrbino. Truffaut’s memorable tale of three ing to dignified husband Pidgeon when people in love, and how the years affect daughter Taylor is about to marry; Romero their interrelationships. A film of rare beauty is fun as bragging acrobat. Stars seem and charm. Screenplay by Truffaut and Jean right at home with slapstick situations.▼ Gruault, based on novel by Henri-Pierre Julie (1956) 99m. ★★ D: Andrew L. Roche´. Americanized by Paul Mazursky in Stone. Doris Day, Louis Jourdan, Barry WILLIE AND PHIL. Franscope.▼●쩠 Sullivan, Frank Lovejoy, Jack Kelly, Ann Julia (1977) C-118m. ★★★★ D: Fred ZinneRobinson, Jack Kruschen, Mae Marsh. mann. Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Overbaked soaper in which Day contends Jason Robards, Maximilian Schell, Hal with jealous, psychopathic spouse JourHolbrook, Rosemary Murphy, Meryl Streep, dan, who strangled her first husband and Lisa Pelikan, Cathleen Nesbitt, John Glover. now threatens to kill her. Sometimes tense, Fonda plays Lillian Hellman in adaptation but too often unintentionally funny. Also of author’s story in Pentimento about her shown in computer-colored version.▼ exuberant, unusual friend Julia, and how Julien Donkey-Boy (1999) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: she drew Hellman into involvement with Harmony Korine. Ewen Bremner, Chloe¨ European resistance movement in 1930s. Sevigny, Werner Herzog, Evan Neumann, Fine storytelling in beautifully crafted film; Joyce Korine, Chrissy Kobylak, Alvin Law. Robards (as Dashiell Hammett), screenwriter Korine (of KIDS fame and GUMMO infamy) Alvin Sargent, and radiant Redgrave won Osscripted this disgustingly sordid freak show cars. Streep’s feature debut. [PG]▼●쩠 about a dysfunctional family including a Julia (2008-French-U.S.-Mexican) C-138m. schizophrenic (Bremner), his pregnant sis ★★★ (Sevigny), and their sadistically cruel father D: Erick Zonca. Tilda Swinton, Aidan Gould, Saul Rubinek, Kate del Castillo, Jude (Herzog). The first American film to utilize Ciccolella, Bruno Bichir. Swinton commands the cinematic rules of Dogma 95. [R]▼쩠 our attention playing a character unlike any Juliet of the Spirits (1965-Italian) C-148m. ★★★ D: Federico Fellini. Giulietta Masina, she’s tackled before: a self-destructive alcoholic and party girl. She’s so desperate she Sandra Milo, Mario Pisu, Valentina Cortese, hatches a harebrained scheme to kidnap a Lou Gilbert, Sylva Koscina. Surrealistic Mexican neighbor’s young son and collect fantasy triggered by wife’s fears that her a ransom payoff from his wealthy grandfawell-to-do husband is cheating on her. A film ther. You never know where this audacious, requiring viewer to delve into woman’s psyfast-paced film is heading next, and it’s a che via a rash of symbolism; counterbalanced wild ride . . . but even at its most outlandish with rich visual delights.▼●쩠 Swinton keeps it firmly anchored. French Julius Caesar (1953) 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: filmmaker Zonca made this as an homage to Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Marlon Brando, John Cassavetes’ GLORIA. Super 35. [R] James Mason, John Gielgud, Louis Calhern, Edmond O’Brien, Greer Garson, Deborah Julia and Julia (1987-Italian) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Del Monte. Kathleen Turner, Kerr, George Macready, Michael Pate, Gabriel Byrne, Sting, Gabriele Ferzetti, Alan Napier, Ian Wolfe, Douglass DumAngela Goodwin. Turner is compelling as brille, Edmund Purdom. Superior adapta[ 727 ]

tion of William Shakespeare’s play of pofor plenty of sight gags when they join military paratroop squad.▼●쩠 litical power and honor in ancient Rome. Jumpin’ Jack Flash (1986) C-100m. ★1⁄2 Lavishly produced (by John Houseman), D: Penny Marshall. Whoopi Goldberg, with an excellent cast and Oscar-winning Stephen Collins, John Wood, Carol Kane, art direction-set decoration. Screenplay by Annie Potts, Peter Michael Goetz, Roscoe director Mankiewicz.▼●쩠 Lee Browne, Sara Botsford, Jeroen Krabbe´, Julius Caesar (1970) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jonathan Pryce, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Stuart Burge. Charlton Heston, Jason Tracy Reiner, Jim Belushi, Paxton WhiteRobards, John Gielgud, Richard Johnson, head, Tracey Ullman, Jamey Sheridan. Robert Vaughn, Richard Chamberlain, Diana Computer programmer is pulled into interRigg, Jill Bennett, Christopher Lee, Minational intrigue when spy who wants in chael Gough, Andre Morell. Technically from the cold contacts her on her terminal. ragged, but acceptable version of ShakesLively but stupid star vehicle for Goldpeare play, negated somewhat by Robards’ berg, who’s infinitely better than the script. zombielike portrayal of Brutus. The 1953 Feature directing debut for Marshall, who version (also starring Gielgud) is much cast her producer-director brother Garry as a better. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 police detective and former TV costar MiJumanji (1995) C-104m. ★★ D: Joe Johnchael McKean in an unbilled cameo as a ston. Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten British party guest. [R]▼●쩠 Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Bebe Neuwirth, JonJump Tomorrow (2001-U.S.-British) Cathan Hyde, David Alan Grier, Patricia 95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joel Hopkins. Tunde AdeClarkson, Adam Hann-Byrd. In 1969 New bimpe, Natalia Verbeke, Hippolyte Girardot, England, a boy finds a board game buried James Wilby, Patricia Mauceri, Isiah Whitunderground and soon discovers that by lock, Jr. Sweet, slight romantic comedy about playing it a world of terror is unleashed; 26 an uptight office worker on his way to a years later, in the same house, two kids start family-planned marriage (to a girl from his playing the very same game and bring that homeland, Nigeria). When he chances to meet boy—now a full-grown man—back to life. a charming Latina, he’s smitten. .. and encourA phantasmagoria of digital special effects aged to pursue her by a lovesick Frenchman. (a virulent vine, a stampede of wild animals, Debut feature for writer-director Hopkins giant attacking mosquitoes, etc.) seems to takes its time to win you over, but succeeds. be this film’s raison d’eˆtre. Unfortunately, Based on Hopkins’ own award-winning short we’re all too aware that they are special subject called JORGE. [PG] ▼쩠 effects. The story doesn’t seem to have much June Bride (1948) 97m. ★★★ D: Bretaigne of a point, except perhaps that one shouldn’t Windust. Bette Davis, Robert Montgomplay with ancient board games. Based on ery, Fay Bainter, Tom Tully, Barbara Bates, Chris Van Allsburg’s book. Followed by an Jerome Cowan, Mary Wickes. Flippant animated TV series. [PG] ▼●쩠 comedy of magazine writers Davis and Jumbo SEE: Billy Rose’s Jumbo Montgomery inspired by story they are Jumper (2008) C-90m. ★★ D: Doug Liman. doing on June brides. Breezy script by RaHayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, nald MacDougall. Don’t blink or you’ll Diane Lane, Jamie Bell, Rachel Bilson, miss Debbie Reynolds in her film debut.▼ Michael Rooker, AnnaSophia Robb, Max Junebug (2005) C-106m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Phil Thieriot, Tom Hulce, Kristen Stewart. Sci-fi Morrison. Amy Adams, Embeth Davidtz, and action-thriller genres awkwardly blend Benjamin McKenzie, Alessandro Nivola, in this overblown (albeit fast-paced) acFrank Hoyt Taylor, Celia Weston, Scott count of Christensen, who can transport Wilson. Exceptional character study of a sohimself from locale to locale at will—but phisticated Chicago art dealer and her husnot without complications. Based on Steven band, who travel to his North Carolina Gould’s novel. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 home after a long absence and meet head-on Jumpin at the Boneyard (1992) C-107m. with family pressures and chasms in culture. ★1⁄2 D: Jeff Stanzler. Tim Roth, Alexis Direct, spare, and moving in a way that is Arquette, Danitra Vance, Samuel L. Jackmost unusual for an American film, with son, Kathleen Chalfant, Luis Guzman, Elizdirector Morrison (making his feature debut) abeth Bracco, Jeffrey Wright. Divorced, and screenwriter Angus MacLachlan quiunemployed Bronx father’s further burden: etly and powerfully examining the effects his younger brother, a crack addict he’s reof environment on people and relationships. united with after three years. Honorably intenAdams stands out in a perfect cast. [R] 쩠 tioned but stillborn drama taking place over Jungle Book (1942) C-105m. ★★★ D: 24 hours. Thematically and aesthetically for Zoltan Korda. Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John masochists only. [R]▼● Qualen, Frank Puglia, Rosemary DeCamp, Jumping Jacks (1952) 96m. ★★1⁄2 D: NorNoble Johnson. Colorful Kipling fantasy of man Taurog. Dean Martin, Jerry Lewis, boy (Sabu) raised by wolves. Exciting family Mona Freeman, Don DeFore, Robert fare, fine Miklos Rozsa score. Remade Strauss. Daffy duo has good opportunity twice (by Disney).▼●쩠 [ 728 ]

Jungle Book, The (1967) C-78m. ★★★ D: dictable, Disney comedy about a careerWolfgang Reitherman. Voices of Phil Harobsessed New Yorker who goes to the Amris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George azon to get final divorce papers signed by Sanders, Sterling Holloway, J. Pat O’Malley, his ex-wife and comes back with a son he Verna Felton, Bruce Reitherman. Genial never knew he had. The boy’s jungle inDisney animated feature freely adapted stincts are no match for life in Manhattan— from Rudyard Kipling’s stories. Mowgli, though he does manage to score some the boy raised by wolves, is befriended by points along the way. Good laughs througha laid-back bear named Baloo (memorably out this family-oriented feature, a remake voiced by Harris) who joins him in his of the French hit LITTLE INDIAN, BIG jungle adventures. Hand-picked cast of actors CITY. [PG]▼●쩠 help create some vivid characterizations in Jungle Warriors (1984-German-Mexican) this easygoing film. Songs include ‘‘The Bare C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Ernst R. von Theumer. Necessities,’’ ‘‘I Wanna Be Like You,’’ Nina Van Pallandt, Paul L. Smith, John ‘‘Trust in Me.’’ Followed by a sequel 36 Vernon, Alex Cord, Sybil Danning, Woody years later. Remade in 1998 as a live-action Strode, Dana Elcar, Louisa Moritz, Marjoe direct-to-video movie: THE JUNGLE Gortner. How’s this for a plot: fashion BOOK: MOWGLI’S STORY. ▼●쩠 models are taken prisoner by South AmeriJungle Book 2, The (2003) C-72m. ★★ D: can drug kingpin and tortured by his kinky Steve Trenbirth. Voices of John Goodman, half-sister (Danning). Credible cast stuck Haley Joel Osment, Mae Whitman, Connor in sub-par action yarn.▼ Funk, Bob Joles, Tony Jay, John RhysJunior (1994) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ivan ReitDavies, Jim Cummings, Phil Collins, David man. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Danny DeOgden Stiers. Retread of the 1967 Disney Vito, Emma Thompson, Frank Langella, feature has Mowgli leaving the village Pamela Reed, Judy Collins, James Eckhouse, where he now lives to rejoin his old friends Aida Turturro, Welker White. Pleasantin the jungle—in spite of the ever-present enough comedy about a straitlaced scientist threat of the tiger Shere Khan. Sound-alikes (Schwarzenegger) who’s persuaded by an agfor Phil Harris, George Sanders, and other gressive colleague (DeVito) to try injecting voices from the original film, and reuse of sperm into his body and becoming pregnant. its hit songs, only emphasize how pointless Unexpected result: he doesn’t want to give up this sequel really is. [G] ▼쩠 his baby! This ‘‘politically correct farce’’ Jungle Book, The (1994) SEE: Rudyard boasts enthusiastic performances from its three Kipling’s The Jungle Book stars, and precious few laughs after the initial ★★★ Jungle Fever (1991) C-132m. D: ‘‘joke’’ is presented. Instead, Arnold becomes Spike Lee. Wesley Snipes, Annabella a better man by experiencing childbearing like Sciorra, Spike Lee, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, a woman. Sheesh. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Samuel L. Jackson, Lonette McKee, John Junior Bonner (1972) C-100m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Turturro, Frank Vincent, Anthony Quinn, Sam Peckinpah. Steve McQueen, Robert Halle Berry, Tyra Ferrell, Veronica Webb, Preston, Ida Lupino, Ben Johnson, Joe Don Tim Robbins, Brad Dourif, Debi Mazar, Baker, Barbara Leigh, Mary Murphy. Totally Nicholas Turturro, Queen Latifah. Encaptivating rodeo comedy-drama as an aging grossing look at a love affair that crosses McQueen returns to his home and family to over racial, ethnic, cultural, and geographic take part in a local contest. Peckinpah’s most boundary lines, when upwardly mobile, gentle film is full of natural performances, happily married Snipes has a fling with his particularly by Preston and Lupino as new temp secretary Sciorra. Less than perMcQueen’s estranged parents. Written by Jeb Rosebrook. Todd-AO 35. [PG]▼쩠 fect, with a drug subplot that throws the film off-kilter toward the end—but still utterly Junkman (1982) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: H. B. compelling. Lee doesn’t have all the anHalicki. H. B. Halicki, Christopher Stone, swers, but he certainly raises interesting Susan Shaw, Lang Jeffries, Hoyt Axton, questions. Terrific songs by Stevie Wonder Lynda Day George. Cars speed, crash, and score by Terence Blanchard, although and practically bring each other to orgasm. the music practically drowns out the diaOh, yes, there is a story . . . [PG]▼쩠 logue in some scenes. What’s the point of Juno (2007) C-96m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jason Reitthat? [R]▼●쩠 man. Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer GarJungle Fighters SEE: Long and the Short ner, Jason Bateman, Allison Janney, J.K. and the Tall, The Simmons, Olivia Thirlby, Rainn Wilson, Jungle Heat SEE: Dance of the Dwarfs Cameron Bright. Precocious 16-year-old girl Jungle Jim series SEE: Leonard Maltin’s discovers she is pregnant, and decides to Classic Movie Guide deal with the situation herself, choosing the Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) C-105m. ★★★ D: couple she wants to adopt her baby. With John Pasquin. Tim Allen, Martin Short, Joher too-cool demeanor and lingo, Juno may Beth Williams, Lolita Davidovich, David be off-putting at first, but we soon discover Ogden Stiers, Bob Dishy, Valerie Mahafthat she’s all too human. Exceptional, fey, Leelee Sobieski. Very likable, if preOscar-winning screenplay by Diablo Cody [ 729 ]

grows warmer at every turn, and leads us in seph Mazzello, Ariana Richards, Samuel surprising directions. Janney and Simmons L. Jackson, Wayne Knight. Billionaire are terrific as Juno’s straight-shooting parAttenborough invites paleontologists Dern ents, and Page is peerless in the title role. and Neill and mathematician Goldblum to Great title sequence and use of music inspect his island amusement park, poputhroughout. [PG-13]쩠 lated with living dinosaurs; he even has his Juno and the Paycock (1930-British) 96m. grandchildren tag along, blissfully uncon★★ D: Alfred Hitchcock. Sara Allgood, vinced that anything could go wrong. SlamEdward Chapman, Sidney Morgan, Marie bang thriller delivers the goods with action, O’Neill, John Laurie, Dennis Wyndham, suspense, hair-raising chills, and landmark John Longden. Faithful but dull, stagebound special effects: the dinosaurs seem alive. adaptation (by Hitchcock and Alma Reville) The story can’t bear such close scrutiny, but of Sean O’Casey’s play about a poor Dublin while this thrill ride is going, you won’t family’s travails during the civil war. The mind. Michael Crichton cowrote the screenstraightforward material defeats the direcplay from his own novel. Won three Oscars, tor; however, Allgood is a standout as Juno. for Visual Effects, Sound, and Sound EfThat’s Barry Fitzgerald as ‘‘The Orator,’’ in fects Editing. Followed by THE LOST his screen debut.▼쩠 WORLD: JURASSIC PARK. [PG-13] Ju-on: The Grudge (2003-Japanese) C▼●쩠 92m. ★★★ D: Takashi Shimizu. Megumi Jurassic Park III (2001) C-93m. ★★★ D: Okina, Misaki Ito, Misa Uehara, Yui IchiJoe Johnston. Sam Neill, William H. Macy, kawa, Kanji Tsuda, Takako Fuji, Kayoko Te´a Leoni, Alessandro Nivola, Trevor MorShibata, Yukako Kukuri, Takashi Matsuyama, gan, Michael Jeter, John Diehl, Bruce A. Yuya Ozeki. Ghosts of a brutally murdered Young, Laura Dern. Entertaining popcorn mother and her son vengefully terrorize and movie that takes a formula and plays it for kill a series of people who have a connection all it’s worth: professor-paleontologist Neill with the modest Tokyo home where the muris persuaded to lead an air expedition to the ders took place. Not a story as such, but a forbidden island where dinosaurs roam, but of series of eerie images, some quietly creepy, course he hasn’t been told the truth, and the others outright terrifying; made in the same plane lands there . . . a very bad idea. Full of unnerving style as RINGU. Part of a Japanese scares, and lots of fun: proof that a thrill-ride series with a dedicated following. The imagitype of movie doesn’t have to be dumb . . . or native director remade the movie for Hollyoverlong. Script by Peter Buchman, Alexander Payne, and Jim Taylor. [PG-13]▼쩠 wood as THE GRUDGE. Followed by a sequel. [R] ▼쩠 Juror, The (1996) C-116m. ★★ D: Brian Jupiter’s Darling (1955) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gibson. Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, JoGeorge Sidney. Esther Williams, Howard seph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Heche, James Keel, George Sanders, Marge and Gower Gandolfini, Lindsay Crouse, Tony Lo BiChampion, Norma Varden. Lavish musical anco, Michael Constantine, Matt Craven, of Robert Sherwood’s Road to Rome, which Todd Susman, Michael Rispoli, Jack Gilbogs down in tedium: Williams is temptress pin. Shady (and, it turns out, psychopathic) who dallies with Hannibal (Keel) to prevent underworld figure Baldwin victimizes an attack on Rome. CinemaScope.▼● unsuspecting Moore so that she will sway Jupiter’s Thigh (1979-French) C-90m. fellow jurors into acquitting a Mafia boss. ★★ D: Philippe De Broca. Annie Girardot, Comparisons to TRIAL BY JURY are apt, Philippe Noiret, Frances Perrin, Catherine but this one goes on (much) longer and gets Alric. Blah sequel to DEAR DETECTIVE, more ridiculous by the minute. The stars with sleuth Girardot and professor Noiret can’t be faulted, but the script certainly can. becoming involved in intrigue while honPanavision. [R]▼●쩠 eymooning in Greece. [PG]▼ Jury Duty (1995) C-85m. BOMB D: John Jupiter’s Wife (1994) C-78m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Fortenberry. Pauly Shore, Tia Carrere, StanMichel Negroponte. Compelling documenley Tucci, Brian Doyle-Murray, Abe Vitary about a middle-aged homeless woman goda, Charles Napier, Richard Edson, whom filmmaker Negroponte chanced to Richard Riehle, Alex Datcher, Shelley Winencounter in N.Y.’s Central Park. She ters, Dick Vitale, Andrew (Dice) Clay. claims to have ESP and be the wife of the ‘‘BOMB’’ may be too high a rating for this god Jupiter and daughter of the late actor inane, insulting ‘‘comedy’’ featuring Shore Robert Ryan! Negroponte delves into her as a jerk who would much rather face duty past and discovers quite a few surprises in on a sequestered jury (and get a free hotel this extremely moving portrait of a shatroom) than find himself a job. Loaded with tered life. Shown on cable TV prior to its tasteless, gratuitous references to the O. J. Simpson trial. [PG-13]▼●쩠 theatrical premiere. ▼쩠 Jurassic Park (1993) C-126m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jury of One (1974-French-Italian) C-97m. ★★ Steven Spielberg. Sam Neill, Laura Dern, D: Andre´ Cayatte. Sophia Loren, Jean Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Gabin, Henri Garcin, Julien Bertheau, Peck, Martin Ferrero, B. D. Wong, JoMichel Albertini. Plodding melodrama about [ 730 ]

a woman who goes to outrageous extremes D: Irving Cummings. Shirley Temple, Joan to protect her son, on trial for murder and Davis, Charles Farrell, Amanda Duff, Bill rape. Gabin plays the judge. Aka THE VERRobinson, Bert Lahr, Claude Gillingwater. DICT. [R] Simpleminded corn with Shirley singleJust a Gigolo (1979-West German) Chandedly ending the Depression, manipulat1 ★★ 105m. ing pessimistic tycoon Gillingwater into creat⁄2 D: David Hemmings. David Bowie, Sydne Rome, Kim Novak, David ing new jobs. But the musical numbers with Hemmings, Maria Schell, Curt Jurgens, Robinson are still a delight. Also shown in Marlene Dietrich. Very interesting cast is computer-colored version.▼쩠 chief attraction of weird melodrama starJust Ask for Diamond (1988-British) ring Bowie as Prussian war vet who drifts C-94m. ★★★ D: Stephen Bayly. Susannah from job to job in Berlin before finally York, Patricia Hodge, Roy Kinnear, Midiscovering his true calling. Dietrich, in chael Medwin, Peter Eyre, Nickolas Grace, her last film appearance, pops in long enough Dursley McLinden, Colin Dale, Bill Paterto croak the title song; Rome’s spirited son, Jimmy Nail, Saeed Jaffrey. Clever, if performance gives lift to uneven film that occasionally cartoonish, detective-film parpossibly made more sense in original 147m. ody, about the kid brother of a dumbbell version released in Europe. [R]▼● private eye and the mystery surrounding a Just a Kiss (2002) C-90m. ★★ D: Fisher box of candy. Best for older children (alStevens. Patrick Breen, Ron Eldard, Kyra though they might not get all the referSedgwick, Marisa Tomei, Marley Shelton, ences to 1940s Hollywood detective dramas). Taye Diggs, Zoe Caldwell, Sarita ChoudScreenplay by Anthony Horowitz, from hury, Ron Rifkin. Love, sex, infidelity, and his novel The Falcon’s Malteser. Aka DIAMOND’S EDGE. [PG]▼쩠 betrayal among a group of N.Y.C. hipsters, showing how a simple kiss between a phiJust Between Friends (1986) C-110m. ★★1 landerer (Eldard) and the girlfriend of his best ⁄2 D: Allan Burns. Mary Tyler Moore, pal (Breen) leads to a bizarre chain of disasTed Danson, Christine Lahti, Sam Waterters and deaths. Well-acted feature directing ston, Salome Jens, Jane Greer, James debut for actor Stevens is yet another selfMacKrell. Genteel tearjerker about two indulgent indie riff on LA RONDE, pointwomen who strike up a friendship, unlessly gimmicked up with animation, surreal aware that they share the same man—one flashbacks and flash-forwards, and a third-act as wife, one as lover. Too pat, too neat rewind where the characters get a second and clean to really hit home, though the actchance. Unattractive digital video cinemaing is first-rate, and Lahti is terrific as the tography doesn’t help. Written by Breen, single career woman. Nice role for Jane based on his play. [R] ▼쩠 Greer, too, as Mary’s mom. Directing debut Just a Little Harmless Sex (1999) C-98m. for writer Burns. [PG-13]▼쩠 ★★1 ⁄2 D: Rick Rosenthal. Alison Eastwood, Just Cause (1995) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Arne Lauren Hutton, Kimberly Williams, Jonathan Glimcher. Sean Connery, Laurence FishSilverman, Jessica Lundy, Rachel Hunter, burne, Kate Capshaw, Blair Underwood, Ed William Ragsdale. After a wife kicks her husHarris, Christopher Murray, Ruby Dee, band out of the house (when he reluctantly Scarlett Johansson, Daniel J. Travanti, Ned picks up a hooker one night) their marriage Beatty, Liz Torres, Lynne Thigpen, Kevin is thrust into crisis mode. She calls her girlMcCarthy, Hope Lange, Chris Sarandon, friends together for advice, and he does the George Plimpton. Eminent Harvard Law same with the guys; they all converge at School professor is persuaded to help a a local club. Minor but entertaining, even black man in Florida who’s about to be exeinsightful, low-budget romantic comedy cuted for a heinous crime he swears he with a very attractive cast. [R]▼쩠 didn’t commit. Starts out as an engrossing Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1993) story, but goes so far afield—and becomes so preposterous (not to mention unpleasant) C-92m. ★1⁄2 D: Leslie Harris. Ariyan Johnson, Kevin Thigpen, Ebony Jerido, Chequita by the swampy climax that it winds up a huge Jackson, William Badget, Jerard Washwaste of time. John Katzenbach’s novel considerably changed. [R]▼●쩠 ington. A bright, sassy 17-year-old AfricanAmerican (Johnson) desires to escape from Just for You (1952) C-104m. ★★★ D: her stifling Brooklyn housing project by Elliott Nugent. Bing Crosby, Jane Wyman, going to college and then medical school, but Ethel Barrymore, Bob Arthur, Natalie her dreams are shattered when she finds herWood, Cora Witherspoon, Regis Toomey. self pregnant. Cinematically, this is strictly Zesty musical of producer Crosby who amateur night; plus, the film’s two white can’t be bothered with his growing children, characters are thoughtless, mean-spirited till Wyman shows him the way. Pleasant stereotypes (proving that an African-American Harry Warren–Leo Robin score, highlighted filmmaker can be as insensitive and racist as by ‘‘Zing a Little Zong.’’ Based on Stephen Vincent Benet novel Famous. ▼●쩠 a white one). Sole merit: Johnson, who ofJust Friends (2005-U.S.-Canadian) Cfers a spirited performance. [R] ▼쩠 94m. ★1⁄2 D: Roger Kumble. Ryan ReynJust Around the Corner (1938) 70m. ★★ [ 731 ]

olds, Amy Smart, Anna Faris, Chris Klein, ate but disappointing memory trip plays out Julie Hagerty, Stephen Root, Christopher like an ethnic episode of TV’s The Wonder Marquette. An unlikely airplane breakdown Years. [R]▼쩠 traps a handsome music industry bigwig (who Just Married (2003) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: was overweight and unpopular as a kid) and a Shawn Levy. Ashton Kutcher, Brittany deranged teen pop sensation in his New JerMurphy, Christian Kane, David Moscow, sey hometown. When he tries to get back Monet Mazur, David Rasche, Veronica together with his best friend from high school, Cartwright, Raymond J. Barry. Young couple who never returned his affections, the exsets off for a European honeymoon, where pected hijinks ensue. Caricatures, cliche´s, and one disaster follows another—and the bride is painfully unfunny slapstick sequences ruin a pursued by her onetime boyfriend. Surprispotentially sweet love story. [PG-13] ▼쩠 ingly likable formula comedy, with Murphy Just Imagine (1930) 109m. ★1⁄2 D: David and Kutcher giving it 100 percent. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Butler. El Brendel, Maureen O’Sullivan, John Garrick, Marjorie White, Frank AlJust My Luck (2006) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: bertson, Hobart Bosworth. Famous but Donald Petrie. Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, utterly disappointing sci-fi musical set in Faizon Love, Missi Pyle, Bree Turner, Sa1980, with Brendel, officially dead since maire Armstrong, Tovah Feldshuh, Carlos 1930, suddenly revived and unable to get Ponce, Makenzie Vega, McFly. At a masked used to phenomenal changes in living. ball, the world’s most naturally fortunate Futuristic sets, gags, costumes made tregirl kisses a handsome stranger, who just mendous impression on everyone who saw happens to be the most ill-fated fellow alive. film in 1930, but alas, it doesn’t wear well Their karmas magically cross, and the girl at all. Songs by DeSylva-Brown-Henderson. who used to beat the odds every time stumJustine (1969) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: George bles through the rest of the movie trying to Cukor. Anouk Aime´e, Dirk Bogarde, Robert figure out what to do about the guy who Forster, Anna Karina, Philippe Noiret, Mistole her luck. Romantic comedy’s gimchael York, John Vernon, Jack Albertson, micky switcheroo script has both good and Cliff Gorman, Michael Constantine, Marcel bad gags, but it’s Lohan who makes it a star vehicle. [PG-13]쩠 Dalio, Michael Dunn, Abraham Sofaer. Jews and Moslems equal topicality, but this is Just One of the Guys (1985) C-100m. ★★★ merely exotic kitsch (though Cukor makes D: Lisa Gottlieb. Joyce Hyser, Claygreat use of widescreen). Tunisian settings and ton Rohner, Billy Jacoby, Toni Hudson, a lush brothel scene can’t rescue this condensaWilliam Zabka, Leigh McCloskey, Sherilyn tion of Lawrence Durrell’s Alexandria QuarFenn, Arye Gross. Pretty high school setet. [R]▼ nior, convinced that looks have kept paJust Like a Woman (1994-British) C-102m. tronizing male teachers from supporting her in ★★1 citywide journalism competition, dons male ⁄2 D: Christopher Monger. Julie Walters, Adrian Pasdar, Paul Freeman, Gordon Kendisguise and tries again at another school. Ennedy, Susan Wooldridge. Amiable (if a bit gagingly eccentric characterizations take this overlong) comedy featuring Pasdar as Gerfast-paced sleeper out of the ordinary; perald, a heterosexual American in London who formed with gusto by a cast that’s aiming to derives pleasure from becoming ‘‘Geralplease. [PG-13]▼●쩠 dine’’ and wearing women’s clothes. The Just Tell Me What You Want (1980) film works because it’s never condescending C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney Lumet. Ali toward Gerald; he’s not a caricature, but a MacGraw, Alan King, Myrna Loy, Keenan guy with an unusual predilection. ▼ Wynn, Tony Roberts, Peter Weller, Judy Just Like Heaven (2005) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kaye, Dina Merrill, Joseph Maher, Michael Mark Waters. Reese Witherspoon, Mark Gross, Leslie Easterbrook, David Rasche, Ruffalo, Donal Logue, Ben Shenkman, Jon John Gabriel. Obnoxious tycoon King drives Heder, Dina Waters, Rosalind Chao, Ivana long-time mistress MacGraw into arms of Milicevic. Widower Ruffalo moves into an younger man, then does everything he can apartment inhabited by Witherspoon’s spirit to get her back. Bitchy upper-class comedy and an unlikely connection begins. Amiable may be too strident for some tastes, but fluff is sustained by charming performances King’s flamboyant performance is sensafrom the leads and a solid supporting cast. tional, as is Loy’s quiet one as his longsuffering secretary. Screenplay by Jay [PG-13] ▼쩠 Just Looking (2000) C-97m. ★★ D: Jason Presson Allen, from her novel. Loy’s last Alexander. Ryan Merriman, Gretchen Mol, theatrical feature. [R]▼ Patti LuPone, Peter Onorati, Amy BraverJust the Ticket (1999) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: man. Bland coming-of-age sexcom about a Richard Wenk. Andy Garcia, Andie Mac14-year-old Jewish kid (Merriman) who gets Dowell, Richard Bradford, Laura Harris, sent to his aunt and uncle in the country (read: Andre Blake, Elizabeth Ashley, Patrick Queens) for the summer. His mission is to Breen, Fred Asparagus, Ron Leibman, Chris watch two people in the act of love, so he Lemmon, Don Novello, Abe Vigoda, Bill starts spying on a pretty neighbor. AffectionIrwin. Mostly likable but lumpy comedy[ 732 ]

drama about ne’er-do-well ticket scalper Gardine Page, Cristina Ferrare, R. G. Armcia and his on-again, off-again relationship strong, John Crawford. Vivid character with MacDowell—who loves him but can’t study of none-too-bright drifter who sets tolerate his utter irresponsibility. Nice charhis sights on becoming No. 1 rodeo star. acterizations, vivid filming on the streets of Tour de force: director/cowriter/star Robertson scores in all departments. [PG]▼쩠 N.Y.C.; hurt by uneven narrative and overlength. Garcia produced the film and composed much of its music. Written by the Kabloonak (1994-Canadian-French) C105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Claude Massot. Charles director. [R]▼●쩠 Just the Way You Are (1984) C-94m. Dance, Adamie Quasiak Knukpuk, David ★★★ Bursztein, Patty Hannock, Philippe Freturn, D: Edouard Molinaro. Kristy McNichol, Michael Ontkean, Kaki Hunter, Andre Peter Hudson, Geoffrey Bateman. Dance Dussolier, Catherine Salviat, Robert Carr(who played D.W. Griffith in GOOD adine, Lance Guest, Alexandra Paul, TimMORNING, BABYLON) here portrays piothy Daly, Patrick Cassidy. Episodic but oneer documentarian Robert Flaherty, who likable film about crippled musician (Mcspends one year in Alaska befriending Inuit Nichol) who goes to French ski resort with eskimos in order to make NANOOK OF her leg in a cast—to see, for once, what it’s THE NORTH (1922). Interesting throughlike when people don’t know she’s handiout, if not particularly inspired. Aka THE capped. Elements of sharp comedy, escapist STRANGER.▼ romance, and travelogue aren’t seamlessly Kabluey (2008) C-86m. ★★ D: Scott Prenconnected, but results are extremely pleasant, dergast. Lisa Kudrow, Scott Prendergast, and McNichol has never been more appealChristine Taylor, Conchata Ferrell, Jeffrey ing. Script by Allan Burns. [PG]▼쩠 Dean Morgan, Chris Parnell, Teri Garr, Just Visiting (2001-French) C-89m. ★★ D: Cameron Wofford, Landon Henninger. Jean-Marie Gaubert. Jean Reno, Christina Burnt-out Kudrow is attempting to raise her Applegate, Christian Clavier, Malcolm Mctwo bratty kids while her husband is fightDowell, Matthew Ross, Tara Reid, Bridgette ing in Iraq. Her loser brother-in-law arrives Wilson-Sampras, John Aylward, George on the scene to help out and gets a job that Plimpton. A 12th-century French knight and requires him to wear a large blue suit that his valet are transported to the 21st century, makes him look like an overgrown extraterwhere their only ally is the descendant of the restrial. Bizarre, ambitious, but mostly nobleman’s bride-to-be. Americanization of downright silly; doesn’t know if it wants France’s 1993 box-office smash LES VISIto be a quirky farce, a cynical portrait of TEURS with the same director and stars, and corporate culture, or a social commentary screenplay revisions by John Hughes. Reno on the inanity of contemporary America. [PG-13]쩠 and Clavier (the film’s cowriter) are terrific, but this remake is heavy-handed and only ocKadosh (1999-Israeli) C-117m. ★★★1⁄2 D: casionally funny. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Amos Gitai. Yael Abecassis, Yoram HatJust You and Me, Kid (1979) C-95m. tub, Meital Barda, Sami Hori, Uri Ran ★1⁄2 D: Leonard Stern. George Burns, Brooke Klausner, Yussef Abu Warda, Lea Koenig. Shields, Lorraine Gary, Nicolas Coster, Thoughtfully made, involving peek into the Burl Ives, Ray Bolger, Leon Ames, Carl world of the Orthodox Jew, centering on Ballantine, Keye Luke. Burns struggles to two deeply troubled sisters who live in an keep awful comedy afloat, but it ain’t ultra-religious community in Jerusalem and easy. Shields plays a runaway who comes are oppressed by the dictates of their faith. to stay with the ex-vaudevillian. CommerA trenchant exploration of the nature of cial interruptions might help this one. [PG] spirituality and the impact of blindly followJuwanna Mann (2002) C-91m. ★★ D: ing the strictures of religion without considJesse Vaughan. Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., Vivering the consequences.▼쩠 ica A. Fox, Kevin Pollak, Tommy DavidKafka (1991) C/B&W-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Steson, Ginuwine, Kim Wayans, Jenifer Lewis, ven Soderbergh. Jeremy Irons, Theresa Lil’ Kim (Kimberly Jones), Annie Corley. Russell, Joel Grey, Ian Holm, Jeroen Egocentric basketball star torpedoes his Krabbe´, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Alec Guinown career and no one in the NBA will hire ness, Brian Glover, Robert Flemyng. Strikhim—until he disguises himself as a woman ingly photographed and designed film about and joins a female team. Naturally, he’s atmild-mannered insurance clerk Franz Kafka tracted to one of his colleagues—and pre(Irons), who becomes both curious and dictably, he suffers a crisis of conscience as assertive for the first time when he begins the experience turns him into a better man. investigating a friend’s disappearance. TeasThis is TOOTSIE light—or is it TOOTSIE ing, darkly comic tale takes elements from dark? Similarities to that classic comedy are various Kafka stories about oppression and superficial at best. Several real-life sports paranoia, and weaves them into an expresfigures appear as themselves. [PG-13] ▼쩠 sionistic tapestry. Set in 1919 Prague. Not J. W. Coop (1972) C-112m. ★★★1⁄2 D: a total success, and not for all tastes, but Cliff Robertson. Cliff Robertson, Geraloffers many delights, including some choice [ 733 ]

character vignettes. Written by Lem Dobbs; 7-year-old Knapskog and the world around photographed on location in Prague by her: most distressingly, her constantly squabWalt Lloyd. [PG-13]▼● bling parents; most specially, the secret Kagemusha (1980-Japanese) C-159m. ★★★★ world she shares with a little boy. Knapskog D: Akira Kurosawa. Tatsuya Nakadai, is remarkable, and the film can be favorTsutomu Yamazaki, Kenichi Hagiwara, ably compared to SMALL CHANGE and Jinpachi Nezu, Shuji Otaki. SixteenthFORBIDDEN GAMES, the celluloid mascentury thief is spared execution if he will terpieces about childhood. pose as secretly deceased warlord whose Kanal (1956-Polish) 97m. ★★★ D: Andrzej throne is coveted by others. Grand combiWajda. Teresa Izewska, Tadeusz Janczar, nation of humanism and spectacle from a Wienczylaw Glinski, Wladyslaw (Vladek) great filmmaker in the twilight of his career. Sheybal. Intense, almost unrelentingly Released outside the U.S. at 179m. Aka graphic account of the final days of the SepKAGEMUSHA (THE SHADOW WARtember, 1944, Warsaw uprising in NaziRIOR). [PG]▼●쩠 occupied Poland. This is the second of WajKairo SEE: Pulse (2001) da’s war trilogy, after A GENERATION Kaleidoscope (1966) C-103m. ★★ D: Jack and before ASHES AND DIAMONDS. Smight. Warren Beatty, Susannah York, Aka THEY LOVED LIFE. Not shown in Clive Revill, Eric Porter, Murray Melvin. U.S. until 1961.▼쩠 Idea of Beatty-York teaming can’t miss, Kandahar (2001-Iranian-French) C-85m. ★★1 but does, in bland comedy about American ⁄2 D: Mohsen Makhmalbaf. Nelofer Pazplayboy/card-shark forced to capture narira, Sadou Teymouri, Hassan Tantaı¨, Hayacotics smuggler or go to jail. Flashy but talah Hakimi. A journalist who fled forgettable. Filmed in England.▼쩠 Afghanistan during one of its many civil Kalifornia (1993) C-117m. ★★★ D: Domiwars returns to her birthplace after receiving nic Sena. Brad Pitt, Juliette Lewis, David a suicidal letter from her despondent sister, Duchovny, Michelle Forbes, Sierra Pechwho remained behind. Timely film of opeur, Gregory Mars Martin. Offbeat roadpression and hypocrisy in a religiously movie thriller about a writer and a photogracharged country is hurt by amateur actors pher, researching a coffee-table book on seand an underdeveloped script. The stark rial killers, who get a harsh dose of reality photography, simultaneously showing the when they hook up with Pitt and Lewis. beauty and desolation of that part of the Effectively ironic, and well acted by its talworld, is a plus. Loosely based on Pazira’s real life.▼쩠 ented cast. Unrated version runs 118m. Super 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Kangaroo (1986-Australian) C-105m. ★★ Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love (1996-InD: Tim Burstall. Colin Friels, Judy Davis, ★★★ dian) C-114m. D: Mira Nair. Indira John Walton, Julie Nihill, Hugh KeaysVarma, Sarita Choudhury, Naveen Andrews, Byrne. Muddled account of controversial Ramon Tikaram, Rekha, Pearl Padamsee, British writer (Friels) who exiles himself Arundhati Rao. Frankly erotic, spirited femand wife Davis to Australia in the early inist saga of sex and sexual politics in 16th1920s, and develops an intellectual attachcentury feudal India, telling the story of ment to a group of Fascists. Potentially Maya (Varma), an independent-minded serfascinating, insightful portrait of a man of vant who seduces a young king. He beletters and his difficulties in dealing with comes obsessed with her, but weds a the real world, but there’s little feel for the princess whom he does not love. A pointed characters and their motivations. Adapted portrait of a woman who is unwilling to from D. H. Lawrence’s autobiographical accept a woman’s ‘‘destiny’’ of being her novel. Friels and Davis are real-life husband father’s property one day and her husband’s and wife. Panavision. [R]▼ property the next. R-rated version runs Kangaroo Jack (2003) C-89m. ★★ D: David McNally. Jerry O’Connell, Anthony 113m. [NC-17] ▼●쩠 Kamikaze ’89 (1982-German) C-106m. Anderson, Estella Warren, Michael Shan★★★ D: Wolf Gremm. Rainer Werner non, Christopher Walken, Bill Hunter, MarFassbinder, Gunther Kaufmann, Boy Goton Csokas. Lifelong odd-couple pals are bert, Arnold Marquis, Richy Mueller, ordered (by O’Connell’s mob-boss stepfaBrigitte Mira, Frank Ripploh, Franco ther) to deliver an envelope of money to Nero. Police lieutenant Fassbinder (in Australia—but a kangaroo makes off with his final screen role) attempts to foil the cash. Juvenile comedy has a terrible an alleged bomb plot, set in a futuristic script, but kids may still respond to the amiGermany. Exciting if sometimes confusable leads and the Australian setting. Don’t blink or you’ll miss Dyan Cannon in the ing thriller, from Per Wahloo novel.▼ Kamilla (1981-Norwegian) C-100m. ★★★ opening flashback as O’Connell’s mother. D: Vibeke Lokkeberg. Nina Knapskog, Followed by an animated direct-to-video sequel. Panavision. [PG] ▼쩠 Vibeke Lokkeberg, Helge Jordal, Kenneth Johansen, Karin Zetlitz Haerem. Briskly Kangaroo: The Australian Story (1952) paced yet quietly disturbing chronicle of C-84m. ★★ D: Lewis Milestone. Maureen [ 734 ]

O’Hara, Peter Lawford, Finlay Currie, Richabashedly old-fashioned, manipulative movie ard Boone. Uninspired blend of romance is a real audience-pleaser; from director of the and adventure, salvaged by Australian landoriginal ROCKY. Winning performances by scapes and fetching O’Hara.▼ Macchio and Morita. If only they’d trimmed Kansas (1988) C-108m. BOMB D: David it a bit. Followed by three sequels (last is THE Stevens. Matt Dillon, Andrew McCarthy, NEXT KARATE KID) and animated TV seLeslie Hope, Brent Jennings, Brynn Thayer, ries. [PG]▼●쩠 Kyra Sedgwick. McCarthy gets stranded Karate Kid, Part II, The (1986) C-113m. ★★1 in the Midwest after his car and posses⁄2 D: John G. Avildsen. Ralph Macchio, sions blow up on the road, and takes it on Noriyuki (Pat) Morita, Nobu McCarthy, the lam after boxcar acquaintance (and Danny Kamekona, Yuji Okumoto, Tamlyn punk) Dillon implicates him in a bank Tomita, Martin Kove. Purposeless sequel robbery. Goes into fast free-fall around the takes main characters from original film to time McCarthy rescues the governor’s Japan, where they’re confronted by Morita’s daughter from drowning (!)—and falls for long-ago arch-enemy and his nasty nephew. the kind of farmer’s daughter who wears Corny in the extreme (all that’s missing from makeup and pearls in the field. Second climax is hounds and ice floes), but made only to Toto as the Sunflower State’s top palatable by performances of Macchio and movie dog. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 Morita. Aimed strictly at kids. [PG]▼●쩠 Kansas City (1996-U.S.-French) C-115m. Karate Kid III, The (1989) C-111m. ★★ D: Robert Altman. Jennifer Jason Leigh, BOMB D: John G. Avildsen. Ralph Macchio, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, MiNoriyuki (Pat) Morita, Robyn Elaine Lively, chael Murphy, Dermot Mulroney, Steve Thomas Ian Griffith, Martin Kove, Sean Buscemi, Brooke Smith, Jane Adams, A. C. Kanan, Jonathan Avildsen. Utterly stupid seSmith. Vividly atmospheric but dramatiquel has the ‘‘kid’’ (27-year-old Macchio) cally lackluster portrait of K.C. in the being set up for slaughter by nemesis Kove 1930s, a hotbed of racketeering, political (in an obligatory appearance). When Morita machines, and jazz, focusing on local mob refuses to train him, Macchio turns instead to kingpin Belafonte, young upstart Mulroney, Griffith—a sadistic millionaire Vietnam vet and his wife, Leigh. Lots of flavor but little (who also turns out to be a buddy of Kove’s!). substance and a redundant storyline. Best Will Morita save him? Naturally . . . but this film is hopeless. [PG]▼●쩠 part: the jazz, which is played almost continuously (often on-camera) by an all-star lineup Kate & Leopold (2001) C-121m. ★★1⁄2 D: including Nicholas Payton, Joshua Redman, James Mangold. Meg Ryan, Hugh JackMark Whitfield, Christian McBride, Cyrus man, Liev Schreiber, Breckin Meyer, NaChestnut, and Ron Carter. [R]▼●쩠 tasha Lyonne, Bradley Whitford, Paxton Kansas City Bomber (1972) C-99m. ★★ Whitehead, Spalding Gray, Philip Bosco, D: Jerrold Freedman. Raquel Welch, Kevin Viola Davis. A genial crackpot (Schreiber) McCarthy, Helena Kallianiotes, Norman manages to find a portal in time and transAlden, Jeanne Cooper, Dick Lane, Jodie port a 19th-century gentleman to 21stFoster. Once you’ve seen five minutes, it century N.Y.C., where he meets a driven doesn’t pay to stay through the rest. Raquel career woman who’s as foreign to his acstars as good-hearted roller derby star who quaintance as he is to her. Cute, funny romanhas female colleagues jealous, male emtic comedy goes on longer than it should— ployers drooling. Dialogue, situations often given that the finale is a foregone conclusion. unintentionally funny. [PG]쩠 Jackman is charming, and Meyer is very Kansas City Confidential (1952) 98m. ★★★ funny as Ryan’s actor brother. [PG-13] ▼쩠 D: Phil Karlson. John Payne, Coleen Gray, Kathleen (1941) 88m. ★★ D: Harold S. Preston Foster, Neville Brand, Lee Van Bucquet. Shirley Temple, Herbert Marshall, Cleef, Jack Elam, Dona Drake. Tough acLaraine Day, Gail Patrick, Felix Bressart. tion drama with hard-luck ex-con Payne imPredictable story of neglected daughter Templicated in a bank heist, determined to quite ple bringing widower father Marshall and literally unmask the real culprits. Quentin Day together. Tarantino must have seen this one prior to Katie’s Passion SEE: Keetje Tippel Katyn (2007-Polish) C-118m. ★★★1⁄2 D: scripting RESERVOIR DOGS!▼쩠 Karate Cop SEE: Slaughter in San Andrzej Wajda. Andrzej Chyra, Maja OsFrancisco taszewska, Artur Zmijewski, Danuta Stenka, Karate Kid, The (1984) C-126m. ★★★1⁄2 Jan Englert, Magdalena Cielecka, Agnieszka D: John G. Avildsen. Ralph Macchio, Glinska. Intense, epic drama set in Poland Noriyuki (Pat) Morita, Elisabeth Shue, during and immediately following WW2. In Randee Heller, Martin Kove, William 1940, thousands of Polish officers and civilZabka, Chad McQueen, Tony O’Dell, Larry ians are massacred by the Russians in the Drake. Teenager is beset by bullies until Katyn forest, an event that the Germans use an unlikely mentor (the Japanese handyto propagandize the Poles while occupying man in his apartment house) teaches him the country. Once the war ends, the Soviets about self-confidence—and karate. Un(who are building their postwar powerbase) [ 735 ]

attribute the atrocity to the Nazis . . . and Arthur Lubin. Bud Abbott, Lou Costello, heaven help anyone who disagrees. SceCarol Bruce, Martha Raye, William Gargan, nario focuses on various individuals caught Dick Foran. Good A&C mixed in with in the chaos; the final, extended sequence is cliche´d plot of stunt pilot Foran unable to heartbreaking. Octogenarian Wajda coaccustom himself to Air Force discipline. Raye is fun playing twins.▼●쩠 scripted (based on Andrzej Mularczyk’s novel); his father, a captain in the Polish inKeeper of the Flame (1943) 100m. ★★★ fantry, died in the massacre. Super 35.쩠 D: George Cukor. Spencer Tracy, KathaKatzelmacher (1969-German) 88m. ★★ D: rine Hepburn, Richard Whorf, Margaret Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Hanna Schygulla, Wycherly, Forrest Tucker, Frank Craven, Lilith Ungerer, Elga Sorbas, Doris Mattes, Audrey Christie, Horace (Stephen) McNally, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Harry Baer. FassDarryl Hickman, Howard da Silva, Donbinder’s second film is an aimless seriocomic ald Meek. Reporter Tracy sets out to write look at a group of suburban Munich slackers the true story of a beloved, just-deceased who spend their days sitting on the sidewalk American patriot. Dated, somewhat heavywhile bitching, bickering, and putting down handed treatment of a still-timely theme: a Greek immigrant (Fassbinder). Interesting the pitfalls of blind hero worship. Scripted as an experiment in minimalism, but an arby Donald Ogden Stewart, with some intistic and dramatic dead end. Based on a teresting echoes of CITIZEN KANE.▼● play by the filmmaker. ▼쩠 Keeper: The Legend of Omar Khayyam, Kazaam (1996) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Paul M. The (2005) C-95m. ★★★ D: Kayvan MasGlaser. Shaquille O’Neal, Francis Capra, Ally hayekh. Adam Echahly, Bruno Lastra, MoWalker, Marshall Manesh, James Acheson, ritz Bleibtreu, Rade Serbedzija, Vanessa Fawn Reed. Threadbare urban fantasy has a Redgrave, Christopher Simpson, Marie Estroubled kid accidentally summoning a pinosa, Diane Baker, C. Thomas Howell, friendly genie from his home—a boom box. Daniel Black. Family-friendly double feature: Vehicle for basketball star O’Neal confirms first, a Houston 12-year-old of Iranian descent his pleasing personality but gets mired in a embarks on a vision quest to find his roots; story full of grimy and unpleasant characters; then, the epic story of the 11th-century Perfar from ideal family entertainment. Glaser sian poet-scientist of Rubaiyat fame. Eastern also wrote the story. [PG] ▼●쩠 and Western halves—seamlessly and subtly Kazablan (1974-Israeli) C-114m. ★★★ D: braided—are equally engaging, tied toMenahem Golan. Yehoram Gaon, Arie gether by the theme of passing cultural Elias, Efrat Lavie, Joseph Graber. Enterknowledge to successive generations. In a taining musical made in Old Jaffa and perfectly cast film, Bleibtreu stands out as the callow sultan. [PG]쩠 Jerusalem, in English, based on a popular show. Gaon repeats his stage role as Keeping Mum (2005-British) C-103m. ★★★ streetwise war hero out to save his neighD: Niall Johnson. Rowan Atkinson, Kristin borhood from being torn down. Excellent Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith, Patrick color and location work. Panavision. [PG]쩠 Swayze, Tamsin Egerton, Toby Parkes, Liz Keane (2005) C-93m. ★★★ D: Lodge KerriSmith. British black comedy set in Little gan. Damian Lewis, Amy Ryan, Abigail Wallop, where vicar Atkinson, his sexually Breslin. Harrowing portrait of a desperately frustrated wife, and their two children weldriven man who (we learn) fell apart after come an eccentric new housekeeper (Smith). losing sight of his 6-year-old daughter at the Small but delightfully realized fun, sparked Port Authority bus terminal in Manhattan by a sterling cast. Scripted by American many months ago. A chance meeting with a novelist Richard Russo but transposed to single mom and her young daughter offers bucolic English countryside by directorhim the first link to stability, and reality, cowriter Johnson. Panavision. [R]쩠 he’s had in a long time. A tour-de-force Keeping the Faith (2000) C-129m. ★★1⁄2 performance by Lewis propels this lean, inD: Edward Norton. Ben Stiller, Edward Nortense, ultimately satisfying drama shot enton, Jenna Elfman, Anne Bancroft, Eli Waltirely with a handheld camera. Written by lach, Ron Rifkin, Milos Forman, Holland the director. [R]쩠 Taylor, Lisa Edelstein, Rena Sofer, Ken Keep, The (1983) C-96m. ★1⁄2 D: Michael Leung, Brian George. N.Y.C. boyhood pals Mann. Scott Glenn, Ian McKellen, Algrow up to be a priest and a rabbi, both conberta Watson, Ju¨rgen Prochnow, Robert temporary thinkers with great appeal to their Prosky, Gabriel Byrne. German soldiers congregations. Into their lives comes a savvy try to defend a Rumanian mountain pass woman who was their best friend at age during WW2 by headquartering in an eight, before she moved away; now they ancient fortress—ignoring villagers’ warnbecome caught in a most unusual triangle. ings of a strange presence inside. OutSmart (if predictable) comedy goes on landish, incoherent, and mostly awful; much too long and wears out its welcome, recommended only for connoisseurs of though the trio of stars is likable throughout. Strange Cinema. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Norton’s directorial debut. [PG-13]▼쩠 Keep ’Em Flying (1941) 86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Keeping Up with the Steins (2006) C[ 736 ]

90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Scott Marshall. Jeremy Piven, Minor but spirited frontier adventure set Jami Gertz, Garry Marshall, Daryl Hannah, in 1820s with Lancaster (doing double duty Daryl Sabara, Doris Roberts, Larry Miller, as star and director) traveling to Texas with Cheryl Hines, Richard Benjamin. Utterly his son, hoping to start new life. Based on likable, if somewhat loose-jointed, comedy Felix Holt’s novel The Gabriel Horn. Matthau’s film debut. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 about a Hollywood overachiever (Piven) whose rivalry with an arch-nemesis (Miller) Kentucky (1938) C-95m. ★★★ D: David reaches its apex as he plans a spectacular Butler. Loretta Young, Richard Greene, bar mitzvah for his son. But when the boy Walter Brennan, Douglass Dumbrille, Karen invites his long-estranged grandfather (MarMorley, Moroni Olsen, Russell Hicks. shall) to stay with the family in the days Lushly filmed story of rival horsebreeding leading up to the big bash, the older mensch families in blue-grass country, with lovers sets the kid on a different path. A comedy Young and Greene clinching at finale. Brennan won Best Supporting Actor Oscar.▼ of recognition for its target audience, though first-time director Marshall (like his Kentucky Fried Movie, The (1977) C84m. ★★★ D: John Landis. Evan Kim, father, Garry) is in fact a goy. Filmed in 2004. [PG-13]쩠 Master Bong Soo Han, Bill Bixby, George Keep Your Powder Dry (1945) 93m. ★★ Lazenby, Henry Gibson, Donald SutherD: Edward Buzzell. Lana Turner, Laraine land, Tony Dow, Boni Enten, Ursula DiDay, Susan Peters, Agnes Moorehead, Bill gard. Vulgar, often funny skits strung toJohnson, Natalie Schafer, Lee Patrick, Jess gether. Best: a lengthy Bruce Lee takeoff, a Barker, June Lockhart. Hackneyed tale of b&w spoof of the old courtroom TV shows. playgirl Turner, by-the-book Day, and solIdea originated with Kentucky Fried Theatre, a dier’s wife Peters, and their exploits as they Madison, Wisconsin, satirical group whose join the WACS during WW2. key members—Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Keetje Tippel (1975-Dutch) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 and Jerry Zucker—went on to do AIRPLANE! D: Paul Verhoeven. Rutger Hauer, Monique Followed a decade later by AMAZON van de Ven, Eddie Brugman, Hannah De WOMEN ON THE MOON. [R] ▼●쩠 Leeuwe, Andrea Domburg. Slickly proKentucky Kernels (1934) 75m. ★★★ D: duced tale of a poor-but-determined young George Stevens. Bert Wheeler, Robert woman (van de Ven), and her struggles as Woolsey, Mary Carlisle, Spanky McFarland, she rises up the social ladder in 19thNoah Beery, Lucille LaVerne. Wheeler & century Amsterdam. Superficial social comWoolsey take little Spanky into the deep mentary on working class life. However, South to collect inheritance, but find themvan de Ven is excellent as Keetje. Aka A selves in the midst of a family feud. Good GIRL NAMED KATJE TIPPEL, KATIE’S vehicle for the team with great slapstick PASSION, CATHY TIPPEL, and HOT finale.▼● SWEAT. [R] ▼●쩠 Kes (1969-British) 113m. ★★★ D: Kenneth Kelly’s Heroes (1970) C-145m. ★★1⁄2 D: Loach. David Bradley, Lynne Perrie, FredBrian G. Hutton. Clint Eastwood, Telly die Fletcher, Colin Welland, Brian Glover, Savalas, Don Rickles, Donald Sutherland, Bob Bowes. Refreshingly unsentimental acCarroll O’Connor, Gavin MacLeod, Stuart count of a young working-class boy who Margolin, (Harry) Dean Stanton. Large-scale finds release from the dreariness of his life WW2 film tries for Sergeant Bilko-ish by looking after and training a falcon. This atmosphere with middling results; hippie is no typical boy-and-his-pet story; rather, soldier Sutherland isn’t credible in 1940s it’s a pointed commentary on the lack of setting. Action-filled aspects of Savalas and opportunities for the lower classes in EnEastwood’s far-fetched gold heist behind gland—a theme that’s been a constant in enemy lines make film worth watching. Padirector Loach’s work. Key, The (1958-British) 125m. ★★1⁄2 D: navision. [PG]▼●쩠 Kennel Murder Case, The (1933) 73m. Carol Reed. William Holden, Sophia Loren, ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Curtiz. William Powell, Trevor Howard, Oscar Homolka, Kieron Mary Astor, Eugene Pallette, Ralph MorMoore, Bernard Lee. Jan de Hartog novel gan, Helen Vinson, Jack LaRue, Robert becomes pointless romance tale. Loren is Barrat, Arthur Hohl, Paul Cavanagh. The disillusioned woman passing out key to definitive Philo Vance mystery, about an her room to series of naval captains during apparent suicide which Vance believes was WW2, hoping to make their dangerous really murder, tied to intrigue among rilives a little happier. Michael Caine has a vals competing in a Long Island dog show. small role. CinemaScope.▼● Stylish direction and photography and a Key Exchange (1985) C-90m. ★★★ D: fine cast make this top-notch by any Barnet Kellman. Ben Masters, Brooke Adstandard.▼●쩠 ams, Daniel Stern, Danny Aiello, Nancy Kentuckian, The (1955) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mette, Tony Roberts. Masters plays a neuBurt Lancaster. Burt Lancaster, Diana Lynn, rotic New Yorker who exchanges apartDianne Foster, Walter Matthau, John ment keys with Adams but can’t commit McIntire, Una Merkel, John Carradine. himself to her alone. Amusing adaptation [ 737 ]

of Kevin Wade’s off-Broadway play with cle unfortunately lost in the shadow of fine performances and good use of N.Y.C. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Olivier is eerily locations. [R]▼ effective as an 1885-era Osama bin Laden, Key Largo (1948) 101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: John Heston is first-rate as ‘‘Chinese’’ Gordon, Huston. Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. with solid support from a charismatic Richard Robinson, Lauren Bacall, Lionel BarryJohnson. Fabulous battle sequences were more, Claire Trevor, Thomas Gomez, Jay staged by the legendary Yakima Canutt. Ultra Panavision 70. ▼●쩠 Silverheels, Marc Lawrence, Dan Seymour, Harry Lewis. Dandy cast in adaptation of Kickboxer (1989) C-105m. ★1⁄2 D: Mark Maxwell Anderson’s play about tough gangDiSalle, David Worth. Jean-Claude Van ster (Robinson) holding people captive in Damme, Denis Alexio, Dennis Chan, Tong Florida hotel during tropical storm. Trevor Po, Haskell Anderson, Rochelle Ashana. Dull, won Best Supporting Actress Oscar as Robdumb martial-arts time-killer. Van Damme inson’s boozy moll. Script by Huston and seeks revenge against Thai fighter who cripRichard Brooks. Score by Max Steiner. Also pled his brother. Strictly by the numbers. Followed by several unrelated sequels. [R]▼●쩠 shown in computer-colored version. ▼●쩠 Keys of the Kingdom, The (1944) 137m. Kicked in the Head (1997) C-88m. ★★★ D: John M. Stahl. Gregory Peck, BOMB D: Matthew Harrison. Kevin CorriThomas Mitchell, Vincent Price, Edmund gan, Linda Fiorentino, Michael Rapaport, Gwenn, Roddy McDowall, Cedric HardJames Woods, Lili Taylor, Burt Young. Woewicke, Peggy Ann Garner. Peck is fine in fully inept N.Y. comedy about a would-be authis long but generally good film about misthor of a meaning-of-life book and the tiresome sionary’s life (played as boy by McDowall); characters he meets in the passing parade— from A. J. Cronin novel.▼●쩠 among them motormouthed uncle Woods and Keys to the House (2004-Italian-French) Cflight attendant Fiorentino. Scripted by the director and his star. [R]▼●쩠 105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gianni Amelio. Kim Rossi Stuart, Andrea Rossi, Charlotte Rampling, Alla Kicking and Screaming (1995) C-96m. ★★ D: Faerovich, Pierfrancesco Favino. WellNoah Baumbach. Josh Hamilton, Eric Stoltz, meaning, low-key story has a young father Olivia d’Abo, Chris Eigeman, Parker Posey, meeting his teenage handicapped son for the Jason Wiles, Cara Buono, Carlos Jacott, Elliott first time, slowly trying to establishthe relationGould, Jessica Hecht. Guess what? It’s another ship they never had, and would never have had we-just-graduated-from-college-what-do-weuntil fate intervened. Rampling is moving as do-now film! This one centers on a group of a woman with a disabled daughter who young men and their life-and-death crises conteaches the man the joy of caring and responcerning relationships, jobs, parents, etc. Sucsibility. Film might have had more impact if cessful in spots, but should have been better. the performance of leading actor Stuart were Funniest scene is the opening—a grad night more affecting. Young Rossi, who is disabled lawn party. Eigeman virtually reprises the roles in real life, does an exceptional job. ▼쩠 he had in Whit Stillman’s METROPOLITAN 1 ★ Keys to Tulsa (1997) C-113m. ⁄2 D: Lesand BARCELONA. [R]▼●쩠 lie Greif. Eric Stoltz, James Spader, DeboKicking & Screaming (2005) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jesse Dylan. Will Ferrell, Robert rah Kara Unger, Joanna Going, Michael Rooker, Randy Graff, Mary Tyler Moore, Duvall, Mike Ditka, Kate Walsh, Musetta James Coburn, Peter Strauss, Cameron Vander, Dylan McLaughlin, Josh HutcherDiaz. Or, Time Spent with Low-lifes in son, Jeremy Bergman, Elliot Cho, Steven Oklahoma. Tiresome crime melodrama Anthony Lawrence, Laura Kightlinger. Freabout a perpetual screw-up (Stoltz) who netic family sports comedy is a perfect vehicle gets involved with a blackmail scheme infor Ferrell’s everyman appeal and ballistic stigated by seedy Spader, who also happens comic style. When his u¨ber-competitive father to be married to Stoltz’s longtime heartthrob (Duvall) dumps his own grandson from his Unger. Diaz is fun in the first scene, but kids’ soccer team, Ferrell is drafted to coach then disappears—and with her, all hope for their ragtag competitors. Less about moviesome form of entertainment. [R]▼●쩠 cute kids than out-of-control parents who Key to the City (1950) 101m. ★★1⁄2 D: adopt a ‘‘win at all cost’’ attitude, this upGeorge Sidney. Clark Gable, Loretta Young, beat trifle has some hilarious moments, as Frank Morgan, Marilyn Maxwell, Raymond when an overcaffeinated Ferrell goes nuts Burr, James Gleason. Bland romance bein a coffee store. Former Chicago Bears legtween Gable and Young, two mayors who end Ditka has a sizeable and amusing role meet at convention in San Francisco.▼ as himself, recruited to juice up Ferrell’s Khartoum (1966-British) C-134m. ★★★ D: timid coaching style. Super 35. [PG]▼쩠 Basil Dearden. Charlton Heston, Laurence Kickin’ It Old Skool (2007) C-108m. Olivier, Richard Johnson, Ralph RichardBOMB D: Harv Glazer. Jamie Kennedy, son, Alexander Knox, Johnny Sekka, MiMaria Menounos, Miguel A. Nunez, Jr., Michael Hordern, Nigel Green, Hugh Williams, chael Rosenbaum, Christopher McDonald, Ralph Michael; narrated by Leo Genn. IntelliDebra Jo Rupp, Bobby Lee, Alan Ruck, Aris gent, compelling widescreen historical spectaAlvarado, Vivica A. Fox. Think of it as BIG [ 738 ]

meets BREAKIN’ 2: ELECTRIC BOOGAC-96m. ★★★ D: Carol Reed. Celia Johnson, LOO, but then again thinking about this abysDiana Dors, David Kossoff, Jonathan Ashmal break-dancing comedy is not advised. more, Brenda De Banzie, Primo Carnera, SidKennedy falls off a stage while bustin’ some ney Tafler, Lou Jacobi. Imaginative fable of a fancy moves at the age of 10 and doesn’t poor little London boy (Ashmore) with a wake from a coma until 20 years later. With vivid imagination; he looks for a unicorn he his mind still in the ’80s he puts together his believes will work miracles, and finds instead old dance team to challenge a new generation a sick, one-horned goat. Script by Wolf Manof fancy foot-steppers. This moronic exercise kowitz, based on his novel.▼쩠 gets its only laughs from a David Hasselhoff Kid From Brooklyn, The (1946) C-113m. ★★★ cameo. TV’s Webster, Emmanuel Lewis, also D: Norman Z. McLeod. Danny Kaye, appears. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Virginia Mayo, Vera-Ellen, Steve Cochran, Kid, The (1921) 60m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Charles Eve Arden, Walter Abel, Lionel Stander, Chaplin. Charlie Chaplin, Jack (Jackie) CooFay Bainter. Comedy of milkman accidengan, Edna Purviance, Chuck Reisner, Lita tally turned into prizefighter is often overGrey. Chaplin’s first real feature mixes slapdone but still a funny Kaye vehicle; remake stick and sentiment in a winning combination, of Harold Lloyd’s THE MILKY WAY.▼● as the Tramp raises a streetwise orphan. WonKid Galahad (1937) 101m. ★★★ D: Miderful film launched Coogan as major child chael Curtiz. Edward G. Robinson, Bette star, and it’s easy to see why.▼●쩠 Davis, Humphrey Bogart, Wayne Morris, Kid, The (2000) SEE: Disney’s The Kid Jane Bryan, Harry Carey, Veda Ann Borg. Kid and I, The (2005) C-93m. ★★ D: PeWell-paced yarn with promoter Robinson nelope Spheeris. Tom Arnold, Eric Gores, making naive bellhop Morris a boxing star, Richard Edson, Linda Hamilton, Henry tangling with mobster Bogart at every turn. Winkler, Joe Mantegna, Brenda Strong, Remade in 1941 (as THE WAGONS ROLL Shannon Elizabeth, Arielle Kebbel, PenelAT NIGHT) and in 1962. Shown on TV for ope Spheeris. Arnold plays a despondent, years as BATTLING BELLHOP. ▼쩠 down-on-his-luck actor who reluctantly Kid Galahad (1962) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Phil agrees to write and appear in a film with a Karlson. Elvis Presley, Gig Young, Lola nonpro: a 17-year-old boy with cerebral Albright, Joan Blackman, Charles Bronson, palsy (Gores) whose father is bankrolling Ned Glass. This remake lacks wallop of the movie. Comedy mixes fact and fiction the original. Elvis stars as a boxer who (in real life Gores proposed the idea to Arwins championship—and sings six forgetnold, who wrote and coproduced) and table songs—but prefers quiet life as gaavoids becoming overly maudlin without rage mechanic. ▼●쩠 excelling in any other way. A number of Kid Glove Killer (1942) 74m. ★★★ D: familiar faces appear in cameos. [PG-13]쩠 Fred Zinnemann. Van Heflin, Lee BowKid Blue (1973) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: James man, Marsha Hunt, Samuel S. Hinds, Frawley. Dennis Hopper, Warren Oates, Ben Cliff Clark, Eddie Quillan. Solid B film about Johnson, Peter Boyle, Janice Rule, Lee Purpolice chemist Heflin uncovering the killer of cell, Ralph Waite, Clifton James, Howard a mayor, with taut direction by Zinnemann. Hesseman, M. Emmet Walsh. Pseudo-hip Look for Ava Gardner as a car hop. Western comedy about misfit Hopper’s falKid in King Arthur’s Court, A (1995) Ctering attempts to exist in small Texas town 89m. ★★1⁄2 D: Michael Gottlieb. Thomas Ian in early 20th century. Laughs, excitement, Nicholas, Joss Ackland, Art Malik, Paloma and interest are at a minimum here in spite of Baeza, Kate Winslet, Ron Moody, Daniel cast; Hopper is too old for his role. PanaviCraig. Innocuous kids’ comedy about a teension. [PG] aged boy who’s magically transported to anKid Brother, The (1927) 82m. ★★★★ D: cient Camelot, where he helps to redeem the Ted Wilde, J. A. Howe. Harold Lloyd, doddering King Arthur and undo the archJobyna Ralston, Walter James, Leo Wilvillain Lord Belasco. Parents may yawn, but lis, Olin Francis. Delightfully winning, beauit’s a pleasant-enough outing for kids. Young tifully filmed silent comedy with Harold as Nicholas is engaging and Ackland is solid as Cinderella-type kid brother in robust alla rock, playing the good King. [PG]▼●쩠 male family, who gets to prove his mettle Kidnapped (1938) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Alfred in exciting finale where he subdues beefy L. Werker. Warner Baxter, Freddie Bartholvillain. One of Lloyd’s all-time best.▼쩠 omew, Arleen Whelan, C. Aubrey Smith, Kidco (1984) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ronald F. Reginald Owen, John Carradine, Nigel Bruce. Maxwell. Scott Schwartz, Cinnamon Idles, Good adventure yarn of 1750s Scotland and Tristine Skyler, Elizabeth Gorcey. Okay comEngland but not Robert Louis Stevenson; fine edy about the problems of preteen entreprecast in generally entertaining script. neur Schwartz and his cohorts, yuppies-inKidnapped (1948) 80m. ★★ D: William training all. Ideal fare for the money-obsessed Beaudine. Roddy McDowall, Sue England, ’80s yet barely released theatrically. Based on Dan O’Herlihy, Roland Winters, Jeff Corey. a true-life story; filmed in 1982. [PG]▼ Kid for Two Farthings, A (1955-British) Disappointing low-budget adaptation of Rob[ 739 ]

ert Louis Stevenson novel. Look for Hugh mogul and ladies man, Robert Evans has O’Brian as a sailor.쩠 lived a colorful (and often public) life. This Kidnapped (1960) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robdocumentary allows him to tell his story, ert Stevenson. Peter Finch, James MacArbut his self-absorption grows tiresome after thur, Bernard Lee, Niall MacGinnis, John a while, and only vintage video and film Laurie, Finlay Currie, Peter O’Toole. Disclips bring it to life. Not nearly as much fun ney feature filmed in England is faithful to as listening to Evans’ audiobook version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, his autobiography. Highlight: Dustin Hoffbut surprisingly dull. Good cast and vivid man’s impression of Evans, shown during the closing credits.▼쩠 atmosphere are its major assets.▼●쩠 Kidnapped (1971-British) C-100m. ★★ D: Kid Vengeance (1977) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Joe Delbert Mann. Michael Caine, Trevor HowManduke. Lee Van Cleef, Jim Brown, ard, Jack Hawkins, Donald Pleasence, GorJohn Marley, Leif Garrett, Glynnis O’Condon Jackson, Vivien Heilbron, Lawrence nor, Matt Clark. Bloody, gory, obnoxious Douglas. Disappointing version of Stevenson Western about young Garrett seeking retale is made endurable by Caine’s pleasing venge against outlaws who killed his parperformance as Alan Breck. Panavision. [G] ents and kidnapped his sister.▼쩠 Kidnapping of the President, The (1980Kika (1993-Spanish) C-111m. ★★★ D: Pedro U.S.-Canadian) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: George Almodo´var. Peter Coyote, Veronica Forque, Mendeluk. William Shatner, Hal Holbrook, Victoria Abril, Alex Casanovas, Rossy de Van Johnson, Ava Gardner, Miguel FernanPalma, Santiago Lajusticia, Anabel Alonso, des, Cindy Girling. The title tells all: Third Bibi Andersson. Wacky, very adult story World terrorists kidnap president Holbrook, about free-spirited makeup artist Kika with Secret Service chief Shatner interven(Forque, whose performance is positively ining. OK actioner is certainly topical; based fectious) and the men in her life, including an on Charles Templeton’s novel. [R]▼쩠 American expatriate writer (Coyote) and a Kid Rodelo (1966) 91m. ★1⁄2 D: Richard psychotic prison escapee. Almodo´var has Carlson. Don Murray, Janet Leigh, Broderick given his favorite actress, Abril, the role of Crawford, Richard Carlson. After jail term, a lifetime: a tabloid TV hostess who cruises cowboys go off to search for hidden $50,000 Madrid with a camera strapped to her head, in gold. You’ve seen it all before. Based on a seeking to capture criminal acts on videotape. Louis L’Amour novel. Filmed in Spain. Very funny, explicitly sexual film doesn’t Kids (1995) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Larry Clark. quite sustain its momentum to the end, but remains fresh and certainly different. ▼●쩠 Leo Fitzpatrick, Justin Pierce, Chloe Sevigny, Rosario Dawson, Yakira Peguero, Harold Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989-Japanese) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Hayao Miyazaki. Voices Hunter, Sarah Henderson. Photographer/ skateboardist Clark’s filmmaking debut is a of Kirsten Dunst, Phil Hartman, Matthew cinema verite´–style look at aimless N.Y.C. Lawrence, Debbie Reynolds, Janeane Garoteens, focusing on Telly (Fitzpatrick), who falo, Tress MacNeille, Edie McClurg. Enloves to deflower virgins, and Jennie (Sevchanting coming-of-age fable about a igny), who’s facing the consequences of one friendly, precocious witch who must leave such encounter. A telling portrait of ’90shome on her 13th birthday to find her place style hedonism and the results of kids growin life. With her talking cat in tow, she ing up without parents to guide them. Utmakes friends (and uses her powers and terly matter-of-fact and nonjudgmental flying broom) as the delivery girl for a about its sexual frankness and violence, small-town bakery. Another beautifully ani(which is precisely what disturbed many mated, kindhearted gem from filmmaker Miyazaki. [G] ▼쩠 viewers). Is it purely exploitive, or true to life? You be the judge. ▼●쩠 Kikujiro (1999-Japanese) C-116m. ★★ D: Kids Are Alright, The (1979) C-108m. Takeshi Kitano. Beat Takeshi, Yasuke Seki★★★ D: Jeff Stein. Overlong and disjointed, guchi, Kayoko Kishimoto, Yuko Daike, Beat yet frequently exhilarating documentary Kiyoshi. Half road movie, half variation on on The Who that manages to capture the the unhappy child/crusty adult genre, a listless anarchic spirit of the group—and of rock story of a young boy’s journey to seek out his ’n’ roll. Brief appearances by Steve Marlong-gone mother—with a low-life chapertin, Tom Smothers, and Ringo Starr, along one. Title character (played by the director with wild interviews with Townshend, under his ‘‘Beat Takeshi’’ monicker) is an Daltrey, Moon, and Entwistle. Songs inunsympathetic bully, while young Sekiguchi clude ‘‘Magic Bus,’’ ‘‘Happy Jack,’’ and is a bit of a lump. By the time this very several numbers from Tommy. [PG]▼●쩠 protracted story tries turning fanciful by inKids in the Hall Brain Candy SEE: Brain troducing two of the most unlikely bikers in Candy history, a cutting-edge action filmmaker has Kid Stays in the Picture, The (2002) Clost control of his picture. [PG-13]▼쩠 93m. ★★ D: Nanette Burstein, Brett Morgen. Kill and Kill Again (1981) C-100m. ★★ Narrated by Robert Evans. From garmentD: Ivan Hall. James Ryan, Anneline Kriel, center hotshot to screen actor to movie Ken Gampu, Norman Robinson, Michael [ 740 ]

Meyer. OK chop-socky actioner, with Ryan drama achieves near-operatic grandeur, foiling scientist Meyer’s plot to take over thanks to multileveled characterizations and the world. Filmed in South Africa. [PG]▼쩠 story, creative direction, and phenomenal Kill, Baby, Kill (1966-Italian) C-83m. ★★★ action scenes that make most American D: Mario Bava. Erika Blanc, Giacomo films look anemic by comparison. Woo also wrote the screenplay.▼●쩠 Rossi Stuart, Fabienne Dali, Giana Vivaldi, Piero Lulli, Max Lawrence. One of horror Killer: A Journal of Murder (1996) Cmaestro Bava’s best films, spoiled only by 91m. ★1⁄2 D: Tim Metcalfe. James Woods, his overuse of a zoom lens. Suicide victims Robert Sean Leonard, Steve Forrest, Robert in a small Transylvanian village are found John Burke, Cara Buono, Ellen Greene, Jefwith gold coins embedded in their hearts. frey DeMunn, Christopher Petrosino, RichStylish, witty and colorful, with many asard Riehle, Harold Gould. In 1929, young tonishing sequences. Also shown in cut verJewish prison guard Leonard befriends sion under title CURSE OF THE LIVING Leavenworth convict Carl Panzram (Woods), DEAD. [PG]▼쩠 smuggling him forbidden writing supplies. Kill Bill Vol. 1 (2003) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Panzram, a habitual killer, writes his story, Quentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman, Lucy which we see in flashbacks. Woods is brilLiu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen, Daryl liant, but the point of view is hackneyed Hannah, David Carradine, Sonny Chiba, Chiand outmoded. Badly written and directed. [R] ▼●쩠 aki Kuriyama, Gordon Liu (Chia-hui), Michael Parks, Julie Dreyfus, Bo Svenson. A Killer Bats SEE: Devil Bat, The Killer Elite, The (1975) C-122m. ★★ D: blood-spattered bride vows revenge on her former boss and colleagues, a team of elite Sam Peckinpah. James Caan, Robert Duvall, assassins who left her for dead. Tarantino Arthur Hill, Bo Hopkins, Mako, Burt channels a dizzying array of pop culture Young, Gig Young. Mercenary Duvall influences, including spaghetti Westerns, double-crosses partner Caan, leading to samurai films, vintage Hong Kong chopcharacteristic but lesser Peckinpah bloodsocky vehicles, and anime, but the result is all bath involving the CIA. Trashy script slightly his own: a wild, adrenaline-charged, operatiredeemed by director’s flair for action sequences. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 cally violent, comic-book action yarn. This would be indefensible if it pretended to be Killer Fish (1979-Italian-Brazilian) C101m. ★★ D: Anthony M. Dawson (Antonio anything other than what it is. The women are all terrific, and the climactic swordfight Margheriti). Lee Majors, Karen Black, is a knockout. Ends with a cliffhanger leadJames Franciscus, Margaux Hemingway, ing to VOL. 2, though originally planned to Marisa Berenson, Gary Collins. Pursuit of be one long film. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 stolen jewels dumped in lake full of deadly Kill Bill Vol. 2 (2004) C-137m. ★★★ D: piranha fish forms basis for this predictaQuentin Tarantino. Uma Thurman, David ble outing filmed in Brazil. Same fishy Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen, predators were used in much more enjoyable Gordon Liu (Chia-hui), Michael Parks, Larry film, PIRANHA. Also known as DEADLY Bishop, Sid Haig, Samuel L. Jackson, Jeannie TREASURE OF THE PIRANHA. [PG]▼ Epper, Bo Svenson. Perfect companion Killer Force (1975) C-101m. ★★ D: Val piece to VOL. 1 doesn’t have the same enGuest. Peter Fonda, Telly Savalas, Hugh ergy or enormous set pieces but establishes O’Brian, Christopher Lee, Maud Adams, its own pace and style. Thurman must elimO. J. Simpson, Ian Yule. Dirty doings at inate two more assassins (Madsen and Handiamond syndicate’s desert mine in South nah) before her ultimate showdown with the Africa. Has cast and potential but overly diffuse and complex. [R]▼ boss, Bill. Carradine gives the performance of his career as Thurman’s wily, articulate, Killer Grizzly SEE: Grizzly and deadly mentor. Parks and Liu play (alKiller Inside Me, The (1976) C-99m. ★★★ D: Burt Kennedy. Stacy Keach, Susan beit briefly) entirely different roles than in VOL. 1. Tarantino continues to pay homage Tyrrell, Keenan Wynn, Tisha Sterling, Don to favorite films and genres; there’s even a Stroud, Charles McGraw. Bizarre opus quick shot of Roy Rogers in a William Witabout a psychotic deputy sheriff (flashney Western. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 backs accounting for his present state) about Killbots SEE: Chopping Mall to go off the deep end; saved and made Kill Castro SEE: Cuba Crossing believable by strong performance from Keach. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 Killer SEE: Bulletproof Heart Killer, The (1989-Hong Kong) C-110m. Killer Is Loose, The (1956) 73m. ★★★ D: ★★★1 ⁄2 D: John Woo. Chow Yun-Fat, Sally Budd Boetticher. Joseph Cotten, Rhonda Yeh, Danny Lee, Kenneth Tsang, Chu Fleming, Wendell Corey, Alan Hale, Michael Kong, Lam Chung, Shing Fui-On. SpecPate. Cop Cotten accidentally kills the wife tacular thriller about a hit man (Yun-Fat) of quiet bank-clerk-turned-robber Corey, who who forms an unusual relationship with a later escapes from prison with eye-for-an-eye singer (Yeh) he accidentally blinds and the revenge in mind. Fast-paced suspenseful cop (Lee) assigned to stop him. Pulp melosleeper, with excellent L.A. location photog[ 741 ]

raphy and perhaps Corey’s best performance: Killers From Space (1954) 71m. BOMB he’s both scary and pathetic. D: W. Lee Wilder. Peter Graves, James Killer Klowns From Outer Space (1988) Seay, Steve Pendleton, Barbara Bestar, C-88m. ★★1⁄2 D: Stephen Chiodo. Grant Frank Gerstle. Scientist Graves, killed in a Cramer, Suzanne Snyder, John Vernon, John plane crash, is brought back to life by Allen Nelson, Peter Licassi, Michael Siegel, aliens from the planet Astron Delta. They’re Royal Dano. One-of-a-kind alien invasion sciplanning to invade Earth and want him to fi featuring blood-drinking alien clowns harpilfer atomic data. Poor in all departments— vesting a small city. Routinely plotted, but and too dull to be funny. ▼쩠 vividly designed, with cheeky humor, it plays Killer’s Kiss (1955) 67m. ★★ D: Stanley its premise to the hilt, all circus bases touched. Kubrick. Frank Silvera, Jamie Smith, Irene A cult favorite. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Kane, Jerry Jarret. Meandering account of Killer McCoy (1947) 104m. ★★★ D: Roy revenge when boxer’s courting of workingRowland. Mickey Rooney, Brian Donlevy, girl causes her boss to commit murder. Ann Blyth, James Dunn, Tom Tully, Sam Interesting early Kubrick; the inspiration Levene. Good drama of fighter Rooney for the film-within-a-film of STRANGERS accidentally involved in murder, with fine KISS. Leading lady Kane became TV and newspaper journalist Chris Chase.▼●쩠 supporting cast of promoters and racketeers. Remake of THE CROWD ROARS (1938). Killers Three (1968) C-88m. BOMB D: Killer of Sheep (1977) 81m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bruce Kessler. Robert Walker, Diane Varsi, Charles Burnett. Henry Gayle Sanders, Dick Clark, Norman Alden, Maureen Arthur, Kaycee Moore, Charles Bracy, Angela BurMerle Haggard. Knock-off of BONNIE AND nett, Eugene Cherry, Jack Drummond. CLYDE doesn’t offer much by way of comStarkly simple series of documentary-style parison, unless you find the idea of Dick Clark vignettes set in the Watts district of L.A., in wirerims a gas. [M/PG] Killing, The (1956) 83m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Stanfocusing primarily on a working-class man (Sanders) who’s become emotionally numb, ley Kubrick. Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, especially with his wife. Could it be the Vince Edwards, Jay C. Flippen, Ted de Corresult of his job at a slaughterhouse? These sia, Marie Windsor, Joe Sawyer, Elisha Cook, quiet slices of black ghetto life are conTimothy Carey. The film that really put Kunected by the thinnest possible thread, but brick on the map—a case study of a racetrack offer a portrayal that’s both profound and heist, with a colorful cast of characters, inpoetic. Barely released in 1977, when it was cluding the ultimate nebbish (Cook, married a thesis project at UCLA film school; theatto vixenish Windsor) and an ultra-cool killer rically released in 2007. Soundtrack feafor hire (Carey). Major flaw: the Dragnettures black artists ranging from Paul style narration. Kubrick scripted from Lionel Robeson to Earth Wind & Fire. Burnett also White’s novel Clean Break.▼●쩠 photographed and edited.쩠 Killing Affair, A (1988) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Killers, The (1946) 105m. ★★★★ D: Robert David Saperstein. Peter Weller, Kathy Siodmak. Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Baker, John Glover, Bill Smitrovich. Dreary Edmond O’Brien, Albert Dekker, Sam goings on in the Southern backwoods, Levene, Virginia Christine, William Concirca 1943, where Weller kills Baker’s rad, Charles McGraw. Compelling crime hateful husband, and then develops a turdrama (based on Hemingway story) of bulent relationship with her. Based on Robex-fighter found murdered, subsequent ert Houston’s novel Monday, Tuesday, investigation. Film provides fireworks, early Wednesday, this marks writer Saperstein’s success of Lancaster (in film debut) and directing debut. Filmed in 1985. [R]▼●쩠 Gardner. Miklos Rozsa’s dynamic score Killing Box SEE: Ghost Brigade features the familiar dum-da-dum-dum Killing Fields, The (1984-British) C-141m. ★★★1 theme later utilized by Dragnet. Screen⁄2 D: Roland Joffe´. Sam Waterston, play by Anthony Veiller (and, uncredited, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich, Julian John Huston). Reworked in 1964.▼●쩠 Sands, Craig T. Nelson, Bill Paterson, Killers, The (1964) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Don Athol Fugard, Spalding Gray. Highly Siegel. Lee Marvin, John Cassavetes, Angie charged drama based on the memoirs of Dickinson, Ronald Reagan, Clu Gulager, N.Y. Times reporter Sidney Schanberg, Claude Akins, Norman Fell. Two inquisiwho remained in Cambodia after Ameritive hit men piece together the story of the can evacuation—putting his native translaman they’ve just murdered, in this free tor and assistant Dith Pran in great jeopardy. adaptation of Hemingway’s short story. Frighteningly realistic depiction of a counOriginally shot for TV, it was rejected as try torn apart by war and terrorism; an ‘‘too violent’’ and released to theaters inemotional powerhouse. Long but worthstead. Some latter-day notoriety derives while. Impressive feature debut for Malkovfrom Reagan’s casting as a brutal crime ich and documentary director Joffe´; Ngor kingpin; it was his last movie role. Marvin (who lived through Cambodian turmoil in real life) won Best Supporting Actor Oscar has a great closing line.▼쩠 Killer’s Curse SEE: Beyond the Living for his acting debut. Oscars also went to [ 742 ]

cinematographer Chris Menges, editor Jim her evil husband (Rogers). DOUBLE INDEMNITY it ain’t! [R]▼●쩠 Clark. [R]▼●쩠 Killing Game, The (1967-French) C-94m. Killing Zoe (1994) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roger ★★1 Avary. Eric Stoltz, Jean-Hugues Anglade, ⁄2 D: Alain Jessua. Jean-Pierre Cassel, Claudine Auger, Michael Duchaussoy, ElJulie Delpy, Tai Thai, Bruce Ramsey, Kario eanore Hirt. Mystery comic strip writer Salem, Salvator Xurev, Gary Kemp, Martin comes up with his ultimate puzzler. Not Raymond, Cecilia Peck. Writer-director bad.▼ Avary, coscripter of PULP FICTION, spreads Killing Heat SEE: Grass Is Singing, The mayhem and body tissue in his own Paris-set Killing Me Softly (2002-U.S.-British) Cdirectorial debut—a Bastille Day bank caper 100m. ★★ D: Chen Kaige. Heather Graham, in which some participants are preoccupied Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone, Ulrich with drugs, and their imported Yank safeThomsen, Ian Hart, Jason Hughes, Kika cracker is preoccupied with a call girl who Markham. American Graham, living in has surpassed all expectations. Plot twists and London and already in a relationship, is stylistic flourishes notwithstanding, zippy drawn to a handsome stranger. Will this atmelodrama is too little, too late. Extremely traction be fatal? Potentially intriguing tale of violent. [R] ▼●쩠 desire, obsession, and the fine line between Kill! Kill! Kill! (1972-French-Spanishecstasy and terror starts off promisingly but German-Italian) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Romain falls apart, becoming just another predictable Gary. Jean Seberg, James Mason, Stephen thriller. Kaige’s English-language debut. ReBoyd, Curt Jurgens, Daniel Emilfork. leased direct to video in the U.S. Also availInterpol agent Mason, on the trail of Italian able in an unrated version. [R]▼쩠 drug kingpins, gets competition from felKilling of a Chinese Bookie, The (1976) low agent Boyd, who believes in playing C-109m. ★1⁄2 D: John Cassavetes. Ben dirty. Hardened violence clashes with writerGazzara, Timothy Agoglia Carey, Seymour director Gary’s purple prose. Original title Cassel, Azizi Johari, Meade Roberts, Alice KILL, at 102m. Friedland. Strange, self-indulgent (even Kill Me Again (1989) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: for Cassavetes) home movie centering John Dahl. Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalleyaround the owner of a strip joint, the mob Kilmer, Michael Madsen, Jonathan Gries, and what used to be called ‘‘B-girls.’’ Pat Mulligan, Nick Dimitri, Bibi Besch. Small cult may take to this; others beFemme fatale Whalley-Kilmer makes like ware. [R]▼●쩠 Jane Greer in this contemporary film noir, Killing of Angel Street, The (1981-Aussexily scamming her way through the Netralian) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Donald Crombie. vada desert (and a couple of big cities) Liz Alexander, John Hargreaves, Alexantrying to steal gangland booty. Fans of der Archdale, Reg Lye, Gordon McDougall. detective genre will enjoy this mild send-up Fair melodrama about corrupt real estate of crime flicks. Fun, but also inherently manipulators harassing homeowners to sell derivative. [R]▼쩠 their property. Communist Hargreaves and Kill Me Later (2001) C-105m. ★★★ D: geologist Alexander take on the villains Dana Lustig. Selma Blair, Max Beesley, when her activist father mysteriously dies. O’Neal Compton, Lochlyn Munro, D.W. Supposedly based on actual events that Moffett, Brendan Fehr, Tom Heaton. Young also inspired HEATWAVE (1983).▼ woman who’s sour on life is about to end it Killing of Sister George, The (1968) all when she’s taken hostage by a bungling C-138m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Aldrich. Beryl bank robber, who takes it on the lam. In Reid, Susannah York, Coral Browne, Rontime (of course), they drop their defenses ald Fraser, Patricia Medina. Overwrought and actually bring out the best qualities in but entertaining drama, with comedy touches, each other, even as the cops close in. Modabout soap opera actress Reid who fears est but entertaining mix of black comedy her character (Sister George) is due to be and romance with good performances by ‘‘killed.’’ Story follows her deteriorating the two leads. Director Lustig appears as lesbian relationship with dependent, childBeesley’s ex-wife. [R]▼쩠 like York, who’s caught the eye of network Kill-Off, The (1990) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: executive Browne. Very good performances Maggie Greenwald. Loretta Gross, Andrew in this adaptation of Frank Marcus’ play. Lee Barrett, Jackson Sims, Steve Monroe, [R—originally rated X]▼쩠 Cathy Haase, William Russell. A miserable, Killing Time, The (1987) C-94m. ★★ D: manipulative, bedridden woman terrorizes Rick King. Beau Bridges, Kiefer Sutherher small seaside town by spreading maliland, Wayne Rogers, Joe Don Baker, Cacious gossip over the phone. Clearly, this melia Kath, Janet Carroll, Michael Madsen, cannot last. First-rate realization of Jim Gracie Harrison. Stale noir-ish thriller about Thompson’s novel in this modest, moody sex, sin, violence and duplicity in a small film noir, scripted by Greenwald, perfectly California town. Sutherland has murdered photographed by Declan Quinn, with an a deputy, assumed his identity, while new ideal score by Evan Lurie. [R]▼ sheriff Bridges and mistress Kath plot to do in Kill or Be Killed (1980) C-90m. ★★ D: [ 743 ]

Ivan Hall. James Ryan, Norman Combes, Kind of Loving, A (1962-British) 112m. ★★★ Charlotte Michelle, Danie DuPlessis. Karate D: John Schlesinger. Alan Bates, June Ritchie, champions lock limbs as ex-Nazi coach seeks Thora Hird, Bert Palmer, Gwen Nelson, revenge against Japanese counterpart who Malcolm Patton, Leonard Rossiter, Peter bested him in a tournament during WW2. A Madden. Intelligent account of young couple cut above the usual martial arts fodder. [PG]▼ forced to marry when girl becomes pregnant, Killshot (2009) C-95m. ★★ D: John Maddetailing their home life; well acted.▼ den. Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Thomas Kindred, The (1987) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jane, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosario DawStephen Carpenter, Jeffrey Obrow. Rod son, Lois Smith, Don McManus, Hal HolSteiger, Kim Hunter, David Allen Brooks, brook. Routine crime thriller based on Amanda Pays, Talia Balsam, Timothy Gibbs, Elmore Leonard’s novel about a divorcing Peter Frechette, Julia Montgomery. Enjoyable couple (Lane, Jane) forced to enter the Fedhorror flick of teens in danger from a scientific eral Witness Protection Program after runexperiment that resulted in a grotesque monning afoul of a weary, half-Indian hit man ster. OK special effects in a film marking (Rourke) and his psychotic young partner Steiger’s latter-day entry into Donald Pleas(Gordon-Levitt). Quintessential B-movie ence–type horror roles. [R]▼● material is drained of action and suspense King, The (2006) C-105m. ★★ D: James via pretentious treatment from the director Marsh. Gael Garcı´a Bernal, William Hurt, Pell of SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, although James, Laura Harring, Paul Dano, Derek Alvainteresting cast keeps it watchable. Made rado, Milo Addica. A 21-year-old dreamer, just in 2006 and barely released theatrically (at out of the Navy, returns to his hometown to 84m.), film underwent extensive reshoots seek outthe father he has only heard about from and recutting. Super 35. [R]쩠 his deceased Mexican mother. Now a happily Kim (1950) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Victor married minister with two all-American kids, Saville. Errol Flynn, Dean Stockwell, Paul Dad wants nothing to do with him. Then the Lukas, Thomas Gomez, Cecil Kellaway. young man shatters taboos by taking up roRousing actioner based on Kipling classic, mantically with his unwitting half-sister. set in 1880s India, with British soldiers Dreary tale isn’t helped by Bernal’s less-thancombatting rebellious natives. Flavorful appealing character and the sick nature of the production. Remade for TV in 1984 with film’s evolving relationships. Predictably vioPeter O’Toole.▼쩠 lent events unravel what little interest the film Kindergarten Cop (1990) C-111m. ★★1⁄2 holds in its first half. Super 35.쩠 D: Ivan Reitman. Arnold Schwarzenegger, King: A Filmed Record . . . MontgomPenelope Ann Miller, Pamela Reed, Linda ery to Memphis (1970) 180m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Hunt, Richard Tyson, Carroll Baker, Cathy No director credited. Superior documentary Moriarty, Park Overall, Richard Portnow, covering life of Dr. Martin Luther King Angela Bassett. Macho cop is forced to from 1955 until his death in 1968 is marred masquerade as a kindergarten teacher in only by the pretentious and unnecessary order to find a youngster who’s living with ‘‘bridges’’ featuring stars Paul Newman, his mother incognito. Amusing but overly Joanne Woodward, James Earl Jones, Harry contrived Schwarzenegger vehicle blends Belafonte, Charlton Heston, Clarence Wilelements of comedy, cop thriller, and roliams III, Ruby Dee, Ben Gazzara, Burt mance. Despite the presence of cute kids, Lancaster, and Anthony Quinn. Otherwise, this is definitely not for children—espewell-chosen compilation of news footage cially the finale. [PG-13]▼●쩠 carries tremendous wallop. Sidney Lumet Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949-British) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz directed portions of the film. ● 104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Hamer. Dennis Price, Alec Guinness, Valerie Hobson, King & Country (1964-British) 90m. ★★★1 Joan Greenwood, Miles Malleson, Hugh ⁄2 D: Joseph Losey. Dirk Bogarde, Tom Griffith, Jeremy Spenser, Arthur Lowe. Courtenay, Leo McKern, Barry Foster, James Peerless black comedy of castoff member Villiers, Peter Copley. Vivid antiwar treatise of titled family setting out to eliminate beautifully acted by strong supporting cast. them all. Guinness plays all eight victims! Bogarde is detached Army captain lawyer Hamer and John Dighton adapted Roy assigned to defend deserter private CourHorniman’s novel Israel Rank.▼●쩠 tenay during WW1. Score composed by harKind Lady (1951) 78m. ★★★ D: John Sturges. monica virtuoso Larry Adler. ▼쩠 Ethel Barrymore, Maurice Evans, Angela King and Four Queens, The (1956) Lansbury, Betsy Blair, Keenan Wynn, John C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: Raoul Walsh. Clark Gable, Williams, Doris Lloyd. Creepy little chiller Eleanor Parker, Jo Van Fleet, Jean Willes, about a genteel older woman (Barrymore) Barbara Nichols, Sara Shane, Jay C. who is victimized by a charmer (Evans), who Flippen. Static misfire with Gable on the takes over her home—and her life. Wynn is search for money hidden by husbands of four particularly effective as a thug/butler. Coswomen he encounters. CinemaScope.▼ cripted by Edward Chodorov and based on King and I, The (1956) C-133m. ★★★1⁄2 his play; filmed previously in 1936. D: Walter Lang. Deborah Kerr, Yul Bryn[ 744 ]

ner, Rita Moreno, Martin Benson, Terry Saunders, Rex Thompson, Alan Mowbray. Excellent film adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway musical, based on book filmed in 1946 as ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM (and remade as ANNA AND THE KING). Kerr plays widowed English schoolteacher who travels to Siam to teach the King’s many children, and finds dealing with His Highness her greatest challenge. Brynner gives the performance of a lifetime, and won an Oscar recreating his Broadway role. Kerr is charming; her singing voice was dubbed by Marni Nixon. Songs include ‘‘Hello, Young Lovers,’’ ‘‘Getting to Know You,’’ ‘‘Shall We Dance.’’ Also won Oscars for art direction-set decoration, Irene Sharaff’s costumes, Alfred Newman and Ken Darby’s scoring. Screenplay by Ernest Lehman. CinemaScope 55.

Woodward, Alice Krige, Denis Quilley, Niall Buggy, Cherie Lunghi, Hurd Hatfield, Jack Klaff. Solid biblical story traces young David’s life from boyhood battle with Goliath to uneasy reign as king; only goes awry in second half, where abruptness undermines narrative. Visually striking, with Donald McAlpine’s photography, Carl Davis’ music strong assets—along with outstanding performance by Woodward as deposed King Saul. Panavision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Kingdom, The (1994-Danish) C-271m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Lars von Trier. Ernst-Hugo Jaregard, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Norby, Soren Pilmark, Holger Juul Hansen, Annevig Schelde Ebbe, Jens Okking, Otto Brandenburg, Baard Owe, Solbjorg Hojfeldt. Four-hour film is actually four Danish TV episodes strung together, set and shot at the real National State Hospital in Copenhagen (known as ‘‘The ▼●쩠 King and I, The (1999) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kingdom’’). As virtually every critic has Richard Rich. Voices of Miranda Richardpointed out, this is ER meets Twin Peaks, with son, Christiane Noll, Martin Vidnovic, Ian crackpot doctors, paranormal goings-on, sex, Richardson, Darrell Hammond, Adam Wylie, black humor, etc. A must for those who think Allen D. Hong. Condensed animated kiddie they’ve seen everything. Note: The unusual version of classic Rodgers and Hammerstein look of the film (a brownish, dirty-looking musical now includes romps with animal print texture) was achieved by shooting on chums, black magic by the king’s evil minis16mm, transferring to video, editing on video, ter, and unfunny slapstick with his racially transferring back to 16mm, and finally blowstereotyped sidekick. Artwork and settings are ing up to 35mm! Alternate version runs 291m. colorful and lavish, but animation is erratic. Remade as a miniseries for TV in 2004. FolEight songs (out of twenty) survive somewhat lowed by THE KINGDOM, PART 2. ▼●쩠 unscathed; Barbra Streisand sings medley Kingdom, The (2007) C-110m. ★★★ D: Peter over end credits. [G] ▼●쩠 Berg. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Chris King Arthur (2004-U.S.-British-Irish) CCooper, Jason Bateman, Ashraf Barhom, 126m. ★★1⁄2 D: Antoine Fuqua. Clive Owen, Ali Suliman, Jeremy Piven, Danny Huston, Keira Knightley, Ioan Gruffudd, Stephen Richard Jenkins, Frances Fisher, Anna Dillane, Stellan Skarsga˚rd, Ray Winstone, Deavere Smith, Tim McGraw. The political Hugh Dancy, Til Schweiger, Mads Mikthriller reinvented as an action movie: kelsen, Ray Stevenson. Camelot is nowhere blood-pumping story of an elite FBI team in sight in this revisionist look at the legend that travels surreptitiously to Riyadh, Saudi of King Arthur: the dark, gritty story conArabia, to investigate a massacre at a U.S. cerns a warrior who fights long and hard, compound. Special Agent Foxx teams up only to be betrayed by his sovereign. Better with a sympathetic Saudi colonel (Barhom) than one might expect, with Owen an ideal who cuts through red tape to find the perpelead and Winstone supplying welcome roughtrator of this atrocity. Plays like escapist acand-tumble comedy relief, but Knightley is tion fare—except that the setting and too young for the role of Guinevere (and her political climate are all too real. Director skimpy costume in the climactic battle scene Berg makes a cameo early on. Super 35. is laughable). Unrated director’s cut runs [R]쩠 138m. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Kingdom Come (2001) C-92m. ★★★ D: King Creole (1958) 116m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiDoug McHenry. LL Cool J, Jada Pinkett chael Curtiz. Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, Smith, Vivica A. Fox, Whoopi Goldberg, Dolores Hart, Dean Jagger, Liliane MonLoretta Devine, Anthony Anderson, Toni tevecchi, Walter Matthau, Paul Stewart, Vic Braxton, Cedric the Entertainer, Darius Morrow. Elvis is quite good as young New McCrary, Richard Gant, Masasa, Clifton Orleans nightclub singer who is eventually Davis. A funeral brings a raucous family todragged into the criminal underworld. Tonedgether, but nothing can quell the tumult. down adaptation of Harold Robbins’ A Stone Warmhearted, often broadly funny comedyFor Danny Fisher (which was set in Chidrama, adapted from the play Dearly Decago), coscripted by Michael V. Gazzo. Songs parted by its authors, David D ean Bottrell include ‘‘Hard Headed Woman,’’ ‘‘Trouble,’’ and Jessie Jones. Impressive performance by title number. VistaVision.▼●쩠 LL Cool J as a man coming to terms with his King David (1985) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: feelings about his father. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 Bruce Beresford. Richard Gere, Edward Kingdom of Heaven (2005-British-Spanish[ 745 ]

U.S.-German) C-145m. ★★★ D: Ridley Scott. beauty-and-beast theme is a moviegoing Orlando Bloom, Liam Neeson, Eva Green, must, with Willis O’Brien’s special effects Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeand animation of monster ape Kong still son, Marton Csokas, Ghassan Massoud, Edunsurpassed. Final sequence atop Empire ward Norton, Jon Finch, Iain Glen, Michael State Building is now cinema folklore; Sheen. A blacksmith, reeling from personal Max Steiner music score also memorable. tragedy, is persuaded to join the Crusades by Followed immediately by THE SON OF an illustrious knight, who reveals himself to be KONG. Remade in 1976 and 2005. Also the young man’s father. The new recruit shows shown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 his mettle by proving himself a man of the peoKing Kong (1976) C-134m. ★1⁄2 D: John ple who struggles to achieve peace between the Guillermin. Jeff Bridges, Charles Grodin, Muslims and the Christians while defending Jessica Lange, John Randolph, Rene Jerusalem. Impressive, epic-scale film manAuberjonois, Julius Harris, Jack O’Hallages to find nobility in the Crusades, but never oran, Ed Lauter, John Lone. Addle-brained loses sight of its main character’s personal remake of 1933 classic has great potential journey. Like the man he portrays, Bloom but dispels all the mythic, larger-than-life definitely carries his weight. Director’s cut runs qualities of the original with idiotic charac194m. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 ters and campy approach. Highly touted Kingdom of the Spiders (1977) C-94m. special effects (which earned a special ★★★ Oscar) run hot-and-cold; real marvel is Rick D: John (Bud) Cardos. William Shatner, Tiffany Bolling, Woody Strode, Lieux Baker in a gorilla suit. Extra footage added Dressler, Altovise Davis. Unsurprising but for network showing. Lange’s film debut; well-made chiller about veterinarian Shatner Joe Piscopo has a small role; look fast for and entomologist Bolling discovering that Corbin Bernsen playing a reporter. Foltarantulas are going on the warpath in lowed a decade later by KING KONG LIVES. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Arizona. [PG]▼쩠 Kingfisher Caper, The (1975-South AfKing Kong (2005) C-187m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Peter rican) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dirk DeVilliers. Jackson. Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Hayley Mills, David McCallum, Jon CyBrody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks, pher. Typical tale of intrigue, love and Andy Serkis, Evan Parke, Jamie Bell, Kyle passion interwoven with a family feud Chandler. In Depression-era N.Y.C. connivover the running of a South African diaing movie producer Carl Denham (Black) mond empire. Aka DIAMOND LUST. shanghais a crew, a screenwriter (Brody), [PG] ▼ and a leading lady (Watts) for an ocean voyKing Gun SEE: Gatling Gun, The age to Skull Island on the biggest gamble of King in New York, A (1957-British) 100m. his career. They soon find themselves in a ★★1 ⁄2 D: Charles Chaplin. Charles Chaplin, desperate struggle to survive in a jungle inDawn Addams, Oliver Johnston, Maxine habited by predatory prehistoric creatures, Audley, Harry Green, Michael Chaplin. while Kong is distracted by the feisty blonde Unseen in U.S. until 1973, supposedly girl. A rare remake that reinvents the original anti-American film is rather mild satire of film while honoring it at the same time. Jack1950s sensibilities, witch hunts, and techson pulls us into a world of wonder, both on nology. Chaplin over-indulges himself, and Skull and Manhattan island, and takes us on film lacks focus, but there are good moa long but thrilling adventure that’s hard to ments, and interesting performance by son beat. He also cowrote with Fran Walsh and Michael as young malcontent.▼●쩠 Philippa Boyens. Oscar winner for Sound King is Alive, The (2000-Danish-U.S.) CMixing, Sound Editing, and Visual Effects. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 108m. ★1⁄2 D: Kristian Levring. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Janet McTeer, Bruce Davison, King Kong Escapes (1967-Japanese) CMiles Anderson, Romane Bohringer, David 96m. BOMB D: Ishiro Honda. Rhodes Bradley, David Calder, Brion James, Peter Reason, Mie Hama, Linda Miller, Akira Kubheka, Vusi Kunene, Chris Walker, Lia Takarada. Contrived new plot involving Williams. Dreary, sun-baked drama about girl who wins ape’s heart, battle against a group of exceptionally unpleasant people would-be world conqueror. Kong never stranded in the African desert who, to pass had it so bad. Tohoscope. [G]쩠 the time, stage a production of King Lear. King Kong Lives (1986) C-105m. BOMB Supposedly inspired by Lear, it plays more D: John Guillermin. Brian Kerwin, Linda like a cross between a Greek tragedy and Hamilton, John Ashton, Peter Michael an episode of Survivor. A Dogma 95 film, Goetz, Frank Maraden, Alan Sader. Dino written and directed by one of the moveDe Laurentiis sequel gives the ape a mate ment’s founders. [R]▼쩠 with everything he loves: She’s tall, King Kong (1933) 103m. ★★★★ D: Merian statuesque, with great mossy teeth. The C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack. Fay Army tries to kill them (naturally), but not Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, before a finale that actually rips off the Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Noble Johnfinal scene in SPARTACUS. Desperate. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13]▼●쩠 son, James Flavin. Classic version of [ 746 ]

King Kong Vs. Godzilla (1963-Japanese) Lewis. Written by Paul D. Zimmerman. Filmed in 1981. [PG]▼●쩠 C-90m. ★★ D: Ishiro Honda, Thomas Montgomery. Tadao Takashima, Kenji Sahara, King of Hearts (1966-French-British) C-102m. ★★★ D: Philippe De Broca. Alan Yu Fujiki, Ichiro Arishima, Mie Hama, Akihiko Hirata, Jun Tazaki. Essentially a Bates, Pierre Brasseur, Jean-Claude Brialy, KONG remake, with Tokyo subbing for Genevieve Bujold, Francoise Christophe, N.Y.C. and Godzilla showing up to make that Adolfo Celi. Scotsman Bates walks into mess even bigger. (Oh yes, there’s also a giFrench town in WW1 that has been abangantic octopus.) Third Godzilla movie—the doned by everyone except those in the first in color and widescreen—was originally insane asylum. Stylish film isn’t for all a clever satire of the worst excesses of TV tastes, but has become a cult favorite. Offbeat. Techniscope.▼●쩠 journalism, but the U.S. version eliminates most of this (as well as Akira Ifukube’s King of Kings, The (1927) 155m. ★★★ D: thrilling score), and adds awful new scenes Cecil B. DeMille. H. B. Warner, Ernest Torwith Michael Keith, Harry Holcombe, rence, Jacqueline Logan, Joseph Schildkraut, Byron Morrow, and Victor Milian. Still Victor Varconi, Robert Edeson, William worth a look. (P.S.: Despite urban legend, Boyd. Lavish silent film benefits from Deonly one ending was shot.) Japanese runMille’s superb storytelling skills and reverning time 98m. Tohoscope. ▼쩠 ence for the subject. The Resurrection King Lear (1971-British) 137m. ★★★1⁄2 D: sequence is in two-color Technicolor. Some Peter Brook. Paul Scofield, Irene Worth, prints run 112m. Remade in 1961.▼●쩠 Jack MacGowran, Alan Webb, Cyril CuKing of Kings (1961) C-168m. ★★★1⁄2 D: sack, Patrick Magee. This version of Nicholas Ray. Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McShakespeare tragedy could be heavy going Kenna, Robert Ryan, Hurd Hatfield, Viveca for the uninitiated, but often a strong and Lindfors, Rita Gam, Rip Torn; narrated by rewarding experience. Starkly photographed Orson Welles. The life of Christ, intelliin Denmark. [PG]▼ gently told and beautifully filmed; full of King Lear (1987-U.S.-Swiss) C-91m. ★1⁄2 deeply moving moments, such as the SerD: Jean-Luc Godard. Peter Sellars, Burmon on the Mount, Christ’s healing of the gess Meredith, Molly Ringwald, Jean-Luc lame, and many others. Memorable Miklos Godard, Woody Allen, Norman Mailer, Rozsa score. Not without flaws, but well Kate Mailer. Bizarre, garish, contemporary worthwhile; grandly filmed in widescreen. punk-apocalyptic updating of Shakespeare SuperTechnirama 70.▼●쩠 classic. Little to be said about this pretentious King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters, The mess except . . . avoid it. [PG]▼ (2007) C-82m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Seth Gordon. Vastly King of California (2007) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 entertaining documentary about Billy MitchD: Mike Cahill. Michael Douglas, Evan Raell, who has held the world’s record for highchel Wood, Willis Burks II, Laura Kacherest score on the first-generation video game gus, Paul Lieber, Kathleen Wilhoite. Donkey Kong since 1982, and unassuming Sixteen-year-old Wood’s life turns chaotic Seattle schoolteacher Steve Wiebe, who when her father is released from a mental threatens to rob him of his title. Although institution. A free spirit (to say the least), he the film takes us deep inside the video-game is obsessed with locating an ancient Spanish community it isn’t really about the game at treasure right under their noses in California all, but a portrait of some amazing characters. and pulls her into his crazy scheme—against Gordon wisely allows the viewer to make his own judgments. [PG-13]쩠 her better judgment. Whimsically inventive story isn’t easily pigeonholed, embracing King of Kong Island (1978-Italian) comedy and drama, dreams and reality, and C-92m. BOMB D: Robert Morris. Brad contrasting individuality vs. ‘‘progress.’’ A Harris, Esmeralda Barros, Marc Lawrence, genuine original, and an impressive debut Adrianna Alben, Mark Farran. Mercenary film for writer-director Cahill. Douglas has Harris on the trail of loony scientist Lawnever been better. [PG-13]쩠 rence, who’s been monkeying around with King of Comedy, The (1983) C-109m. the brains of apes, making them act like ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Martin Scorsese. Robert De Niro, robots. Couldn’t be any worse; not even Jerry Lewis, Diahnne Abbott, Sandra Berngood for laughs. Aka KONG ISLAND.▼쩠 hard, Shelley Hack, Tony Randall, Ed King of Marvin Gardens, The (1972) Herlihy, Fred de Cordova. Pungent black C-104m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bob Rafelson. Jack comedy about a show-business hanger-on Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn, and world class loser who idolizes AmerJulia Anne Robinson, Scatman Crothers. ica’s top TV comedian/talk-show host and Pretentious but genuinely haunting, origifigures out a bizarre scheme to get on the nal drama about Nicholson’s failure to program. The denouement is a wow! Too discourage brother Dern’s outlandish fimordant and ‘‘sick’’ for many viewers’ nancial schemes. Burstyn’s performance taste, though it’s all been done with a minias an aging beauty is chilling in its perfecmum of exaggeration . . . and a pair of tion, and Laszlo Kovacs’ photography rates knock-out performances by De Niro and with the best of the decade. [R]▼●쩠 [ 747 ]

King of Masks, The (1997-Chinese) Cfor himself in the depths of the Great De101m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Wu Tianming. Chu Yuk, pression, using his wits to survive against Chao Yim Yin, Zhang Riuyang, Zhao Zhiextraordinary odds. One of the most vivid gang. Beautifully realized story, set in depictions of the Depression ever captured 1930s Sichuan, about an aged street perforon film; full of rich, often harrowing detail mer who realizes he has no heir to whom that draws us in to vicariously experience he can pass on his ancient tradition (and everything young Aaron (Bradford) is going secrets) . . . so he purchases a child on the through. Director Soderbergh also scripted black market. Simple, eloquent, and movthis adaptation of the memoir by A. E. ing. Written by Wei Minglun.▼쩠 Hotchner. Exceptional in every way. SuperKing of New York (1990) C-103m. ★★ D: 35. [PG-13]▼● Abel Ferrara. Christopher Walken, David King of the Khyber Rifles (1953) C-100m. ★★1 Caruso, Larry Fishburne, Victor Argo, Wes⁄2 D: Henry King. Tyrone Power, Terry ley Snipes, Janet Julian, Joey Chin, Steve Moore, Michael Rennie, John Justin. Power Buscemi, Paul Calderon, Giancarlo Esposis half-caste British officer involved in ito. Fidgety Walken plays the ex-con lord to native skirmishes, Moore the general’s a band of black drug dealers who regularly daughter he loves. Film version of Talbot annihilate their Colombian-Italian-Chinese Mundy’s novel lacks finesse or any sense of rivals. Cult director Ferrara offers style and Kipling-style reality-fantasy. CinemaScope. little more in this ultraviolent outing; one exKing of the Mountain (1981) C-90m. ★★ tended monsoon shootout makes this preD: Noel Nosseck. Harry Hamlin, Joseph sumably tongue-in-cheek effort worth a Bottoms, Deborah Van Valkenburgh, Richglance on a very draggy night. Walken’s ard Cox, Dennis Hopper, Dan Haggerty, improbable headquarters, the Plaza Hotel, Seymour Cassel. Garage mechanic Hamlin begs for a scene between his low-rent minand friends guzzle beer and race their cars ions and Ivana Trump in the service elevadown L.A.’s treacherous Mulholland Drive. tor. [R]▼●쩠 Pretentious, cliche´d script and situations, King of the Grizzlies (1970) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 with superficial and obvious finale. Hopper D: Ron Kelly. John Yesno, Chris Wigoveracts outrageously as a burned-out forgins, Hugh Webster, Jack Van Evera; narmer king of the Drive. Inspired by David rated by Winston Hibler. Standard Disney Barry’s feature in New West magazine. animal-adventure about Indian who was [PG]▼ ‘‘brother’’ to bear as a cub, and who now King of the Roaring 20’s—The Story of faces the full-grown grizzly in a different Arnold Rothstein (1961) 106m. ★★1⁄2 D: light. Filmed in the Canadian Rockies. Joseph M. Newman. David Janssen, Di[G]▼쩠 anne Foster, Jack Carson, Diana Dors, King of the Gypsies (1978) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 Mickey Rooney. Slow-paced narrative of D: Frank Pierson. Eric Roberts, Judd famous gambler’s rise and fall miscasts Hirsch, Susan Sarandon, Sterling Hayden, lead role (real Rothstein was short and fat), Annette O’Toole, Brooke Shields, Shelley slightly whitewashes him, and gets most of Winters, Annie Potts, Michael V. Gazzo, the facts wrong. Stray gangster-movie eleMichael Higgins, Mary Louise Wilson, ments are inappropriately added. ▼쩠 Matthew Laborteaux, Danielle Brisebois, King of the Underworld (1939) 69m. ★★ Patti LuPone, Linda Manz, Tom Mason, D: Lewis Seiler. Humphrey Bogart, Kay Rachel Ticotin. Loose adaptation of Peter Francis, James Stephenson, John Eldredge, Maas’ best-seller about three generations of Jessie Busley. Far-fetched tale of doctor gypsies in N.Y.C. Dying Hayden passes Francis, falsely linked to gangster Bogart, tribe leadership to grandson Roberts (in his the ‘‘last of the public enemies,’’ setting out film debut), skipping over sleazy son to prove her innocence. Remake of DR. Hirsch, who promptly sets out to kill his SOCRATES. offspring. Initially fascinating melodrama Kingpin (1996) C-113m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter Farturns into conventional chase thriller, but relly, Bobby Farrelly. Woody Harrelson, still intriguing, with fine acting, moody Randy Quaid, Vanessa Angel, Bill Murray, Sven Nykvist photography, and infectious Chris Elliott, William Jordan, Richard score by David Grisman and Stephane Tyson, Rob Moran, Lin Shaye, Zen Gesner, Grappelli (who also appear in the film). Prudence Wright Holmes. Once-promising [R]▼쩠 bowling champ whose career was ruined King of the Hill (1993) C-103m. ★★★1⁄2 D: by a sleazy competitor sees his chance for Steven Soderbergh. Jesse Bradford, Jeroen reflected glory when he discovers a potenKrabbe´, Lisa Eichhorn, Karen Allen, Spaldtial ace, who turns out to be Amish. Stupid ing Gray, Elizabeth McGovern, Joseph and proud of it, this comedy goes the grossChrest, Adrien Brody, Cameron Boyd, out route and then, halfway through, asks Amber Benson, Kristin Griffith, Remak us to care about these pinhead characters! Ramsay, Katherine Heigl. A 12-year-old St. Setups for laugh lines or visual punch lines Louis boy, whose mother is ill and whose flaky father is often away, is forced to fend are muffed time and time again. What a [ 748 ]

waste. 117m. R-rated version debuted on slow, introspective, disarming tale (written video in 1999. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 by the director) of itinerant cinema meKing, Queen, Knave (1972-British) Cchanic Vogler, traveling with Zischler along 92m. BOMB D: Jerzy Skolimowski. Dathe underpopulated, forgotten border revid Niven, Gina Lollobrigida, John Mouldergions between East and West Germany—a Brown, Mario Adorf. Coarse, heavy-handed dying area that serves as a metaphor for the adaptation of Vladimir Nabokov novel about decline of the German film industry. It’s a klutzy youth who falls in love with his also about cars, rock ’n’ roll, and the Amerisexy aunt (Lollobrigida). Never released can cultural imperialism of Wenders’ hometheatrically in the U.S. [R]▼ land. The last (and best) in Wenders’ ‘‘road King Ralph (1991) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Damovie’’ trilogy, after ALICE IN THE vid S. Ward. John Goodman, Peter O’Toole, CITIES and WRONG MOVE.▼ John Hurt, Camille Coduri, Richard GrifKings of the Sun (1963) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: fiths, Leslie Phillips, James Villiers, Joely J. Lee Thompson. Yul Brynner, George Richardson, Niall O’Brien, Julian Glover, Chakiris, Shirley Anne Field, Richard Judy Parfitt. Mild, one-joke comedy about Basehart, Brad Dexter. Skin-deep spectaa Las Vegas lounge entertainer who is cle, badly cast, telling of Mayan leader found to be the only living heir to the who comes to America with surviving throne of England. Inoffensive but hardly tribesmen and encounters savage Indians. inspired; Goodman’s likability has to carry Filmed in Mexico. Panavision.쩠 this a long, long way. Based on Emlyn King Solomon’s Mines (1937-British) 80m. Williams’ novel Headlong. [PG]▼●쩠 ★★★ D: Robert Stevenson. Paul Robeson, King Rat (1965) 133m. ★★★ D: Bryan Cedric Hardwicke, Roland Young, John Forbes. George Segal, Tom Courtenay, Loder, Anna Lee. Robust adventure given James Fox, Patrick O’Neal, Denholm Elliott, full-blooded treatment by fine cast, explorJames Donald, John Mills, Alan Webb. James ing Africa in search of treasure-filled mines. Clavell novel of WW2 Japanese POW camp, One of Robeson’s best screen roles even focusing on effect of captivity on Allied prisallows him to sing. H. Rider Haggard oners. Thoughtful presentation rises above story remade in 1950, 1985, and for TV cliche´s; many exciting scenes.▼쩠 in 2004.▼쩠 King Richard and the Crusaders (1954) King Solomon’s Mines (1950) C-102m. ★1 C-114m. ⁄2 D: David Butler. Rex Harrison, ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Compton Bennett, Andrew MarVirginia Mayo, George Sanders, Laurence ton. Deborah Kerr, Stewart Granger, RichHarvey, Robert Douglas. Cardboard cosard Carlson, Hugo Haas. Remake of H. tumer of Middle Ages, with laughable script. Rider Haggard story is given polished proIndeed, Sanders as The Lion Heart and duction, with Granger-Kerr-Carlson trio Harrison as a Saracen warrior do appear leading safari in search for legendary diato be having a good time. CinemaScope.▼ mond mines. Scripted by Helen Deutsch. Kings and Desperate Men (1983-CanaThis won Oscars for Cinematography (Rob★1⁄2 D: Alexis Kanner. Patdian) C-118m. ert Surtees) and Editing; excess footage rick McGoohan, Alexis Kanner, Andrea used in WATUSI and other later jungle Marcovicci, Margaret Trudeau, Robin Spry, films. ▼●쩠 Frank Moore. Abrasive talk-show host King Solomon’s Mines (1985) C-100m. McGoohan is held hostage in his studio by ★1⁄2 D: J. Lee Thompson. Richard Chamamateurish terrorists seeking public forum berlain, Sharon Stone, Herbert Lom, John to debate plight of their comrade, conRhys-Davies, Ken Gampu. H. Rider Hagvicted of manslaughter. Interesting premgard’s adventure yarn is updated for the ise sabotaged by poor direction, choppy Indiana Jones generation, but the results editing. McGoohan overacts shamelessly. are unsuccessful. Cartoon characters and Trudeau has limited footage as his wife. outlandish cliffhanger situations abound— [PG-13]▼ ★★★ but where’s the charm? Followed by sequel D: Kings Go Forth (1958) 109m. (shot simultaneously), ALLAN QUATERDelmer Daves. Frank Sinatra, Tony Curtis, MAIN AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD. Natalie Wood, Leora Dana, Karl Swenson. J-D-C Scope. [PG-13]▼쩠 Soapy but well-done three-cornered romance, King Solomon’s Treasure (1977-Canadset in WW2 France. Two GI buddies both fall ian-British) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Alvin Rakoff. for same girl, unaware that she is half-black. David McCallum, John Colicos, Patrick Script by Merle Miller; several jazz greats, Macnee, Britt Ekland, Yvon Dufour, Ken including Red Norvo and Pete Candoli, put Gampu, Wilfrid Hyde-White. Silly, lowin appearances.▼●쩠 budget adaptation of H. Rider Haggard’s King’s Mistress, The SEE: King’s Whore, Allan Quatermain has miscast trio of The Colicos, McCallum (with comedy-relief Kings of the Road (1976-German) 176m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Wim Wenders. Rudiger Vogler, stutter) and Macnee hunting for African treasure, fighting off dinosaurs and meetHanns Zischler, Lisa Kreuzer, Rudolf Schundler, Marquard Bohm. Deliberately ing Phoenician queen Ekland. Despite ob[ 749 ]

vious similarities, this is no RAIDERS OF tion. Also involved is a Japanese businessTHE LOST ARK.▼쩠 man, newly come to L.A., whose daughter is King’s Pirate, The (1967) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 kidnapped by the pimp. Some interesting ideas, but mostly formulaic. [R]▼●쩠 D: Don Weis. Doug McClure, Jill St. John, Guy Stockwell, Mary Ann Mobley. Kinky Boots (2005-British) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 Cardboard, juvenile swashbuckler set in D: Julian Jarrold. Joel Edgerton, Chiwetel 18th century, with McClure the nominal Ejiofor, Sarah-Jane Potts, Jemima Rooper, hero. Remake of AGAINST ALL FLAGS. Linda Bassett, Nick Frost, Robert Pugh, Mona Hammond, Stephen Marcus. Comedy King’s Ransom (2005) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Jeff Byrd. Anthony Anderson, Jay Mohr, Kellita in the mold of such feel-good films as THE Smith, Nicole Parker, Regina Hall, Loretta FULL MONTY and CALENDAR GIRLS, Devine, Donald Faison, Charlie Murphy, about a transvestite club entertainer who Jackie Burroughs. Stereotypes abound in this comes to the aid of a young man who’s entirely unfunny comedy. A wealthy mogul inherited his father’s failing shoe factory. (Anderson), hated by everyone around him, When they hatch an idea of creating outattempts to get out of paying off his ex-wiferageous boots for man-sized feet they set a to-be by having himself kidnapped, uncourse for reinventing the business and savaware that someone else is really planning ing the soul (or is that sole?) of the company to abduct him. Screwball antics and obvious and its workforce. Worth seeing for the mix-ups add up to naught, even with this high-octane performance of Ejiofor, who talented cast. [PG-13]▼쩠 looks great in heels and gets to perform Kings Row (1942) 127m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sam such songs as ‘‘These Boots Were Made for Wood. Ann Sheridan, Robert Cummings, Walking.’’ Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Ronald Reagan, Betty Field, Charles CoKinsey (2004) C-118m. ★★★ D: Bill Conburn, Claude Rains, Judith Anderson, Madon. Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris ria Ouspenskaya. Forerunner of PEYTON O’Donnell, Peter Sarsgaard, Timothy Hutton, PLACE still retains its sweep of life in John Lithgow, Tim Curry, Oliver Platt, Dylan pre-WW1 Midwestern town, with the fates Baker, Julianne Nicholson, William Sadler, of many townsfolk intertwined. Beautiful Heather Goldenhersh, John McMartin, VeErich Wolfgang Korngold music score backs ronica Cartwright, Kathleen Chalfant, Dagmup plush production, fine characterizations. ara Dominczyk, Lynn Redgrave, Katharine Notable, too, as Reagan’s finest performHoughton. Provocative look at the life of Alance. Screenplay by Casey Robinson, from fred Kinsey, who during a sexually repressed Henry Bellamann’s best-selling book. Also childhood developed a keen interest in biolshown in computer-colored version.▼●쩠 ogy that ultimately led to his great mission in King’s Thief, The (1955) C-78m. ★★★ D: life: freeing Americans from ignorance about Robert Z. Leonard. Ann Blyth, Edmund sex, and publishing the results of a massive Purdom, David Niven, George Sanders, survey about sexual behavior. Startlingly Roger Moore, John Dehner, Sean McClory. frank, evocative biopic boasts superior perforThe king is England’s Charles II (Sanders) mances and a keen sense of period detail, and the thief is brash Purdom, whose pilferalthough it tries to cover too much ground, ing of a valuable book sets off plenty of and much like its leading character, loses its intrigue in this lavish costumer. Niven way toward the end. Written by the director. J-D-C Scope. [R]▼쩠 makes a fine villain. CinemaScope. ▼ King’s Whore, The (1990-French-AustrianKipperbang (1982-British) C-80m. ★1⁄2 D: British-Italian) C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Axel Michael Apted. John Albasiny, Alison Corti. Timothy Dalton, Valeria Golino, Steadman, Gary Cooper, Abigail CruttenStephane Freiss, Feodor Chaliapin, Margaden, Maurice Lee. Annoyingly lightweight ret Tyzack, Eleanor David, Robin Renucci. comedy detailing the romantic fantasies Lavishly filmed but dramatically uneven and predicaments of young teens and their historical melodrama. In the royal court of elders—particularly, their English teacher— Piedmont in Northern Italy, king Dalton in 1948 Britain. Originally made for Britbecomes consumed by his burning desire ish television, released here theatrically in for beautiful but unwilling Golino, the 1984. Original title: P’TANG YANG KIPwife of his chamberlain. Scripted by Corti, PERBANG. [PG]▼ Frederic Raphael, and Daniel Vigne. Aka Kippur (2000-Israeli) C-117m. ★★★ D: THE KING’S MISTRESS. [R]▼●쩠 Amos Gitai. Liron Levo, Tomer Ruso, Uri Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects (1989) CRan Klauzner, Yoram Hattab, Guy Amir, Ran ★★ 97m. D: J. Lee Thompson. Charles Kauchinsky. A unique vision of the Yom KipBronson, Juan Fernandez, James Pax, pur War as seen through the eyes of two Kumiko Hayakawa, Perry Lopez, Peggy Lipvolunteer soldier brothers, both completely ton, Amy Hathaway, Bill McKinney, Sy unprepared for battle. A painstaking, gruelRichardson, Alex Hyde-White, Richard Egan, ing picture of war.▼쩠 Jr. Glum urban thriller pitting supercop BronKismet (1944) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: William son against scummy pimp Fernandez, who Dieterle. Ronald Colman, Marlene Dietrich, specializes in turning teenage girls to prostituEdward Arnold, Florence Bates, James [ 750 ]

Craig, Joy Ann Page, Harry Davenport. Lee, Adam Horovitz. Almost completely Colman tries a change of pace playing the ineffectual thriller about an ambitious young ‘‘king of beggars,’’ a wily magician whose sicko who charms—and murders—his way daughter is wooed by the handsome young into a powerful family. Young plays twin Caliph in this plot-heavy Arabian Nightssisters, enabling us to watch her give two type tale. Passably entertaining but nothbad performances. Writer-director Dearden ing special, despite opulent MGM produceven dares to have her looking at Hitchtion. Best of all is Dietrich, with tongue in cock’s VERTIGO on TV, a reminder (as if cheek and body painted gold for one fawe needed one) of the right way to make mous dance scene. Filmed before in 1920 this kind of film. Ira Levin’s novel was and 1930; remade in 1955 after the Broadfilmed before in 1956. [R]▼●쩠 way musical version. Retitled ORIENTAL Kiss Daddy Good Night (1987) C-89m. ★1⁄2 DREAM.▼ D: Peter Ily Huemer. Uma Thurman, Paul Kismet (1955) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: VinDillon, Paul Richards, Steve Buscemi, Annacente Minnelli. Howard Keel, Ann Blyth, belle Gurwitch, David Brisbin. Vague, forgetDolores Gray, Monty Woolley, Sebastian table melodrama-thriller about a young vamp Cabot, Vic Damone. Handsome but un(Thurman, in her screen debut), who seduces inspired filming of the Broadway musical and robs men, and her strange relationship of this Arabian Nights–type tale. Robert with older bohemian Richards. [R] ▼쩠 Wright–George Forrest songs (based on Kissed (1996-Canadian) C-73m. ★1⁄2 D: Borodin themes) include ‘‘Stranger in Lynne Stopkewich. Molly Parker, Peter Paradise,’’ ‘‘Baubles, Bangles, and Beads.’’ Outerbridge, Jay Brazeau, Natasha Morley, CinemaScope.▼●쩠 Jessie Winter Mudie. A woman infatuated Kiss, The (1929) 62m. ★★★ D: Jacques with corpses since childhood gets her dream Feyder. Greta Garbo, Conrad Nagel, Anjob working in a mortuary, then meets a dres Randolf, Holmes Herbert, Lew Ayres, man who becomes obsessed with her flirtaGeorge Davis. Married Garbo gives young tion with death. Dull, occasionally repulsive Ayres, who is smitten with her, an innothought provoker seeks poetry in necrocent goodnight kiss, which leads to misphilia. Only pluses are Parker and Morley’s understanding and tragedy. Sleek, fluidly transfixing performances. Educational value: filmed Garbo vehicle was her last silent everything you ever wanted to know about embalming.▼쩠 and Ayres’ first starring role. Farfetched but very enjoyable.▼●쩠 Kisses for My President (1964) 113m. ★★1 Kiss, The (1988) C-101m. ★★ D: Pen ⁄2 D: Curtis Bernhardt. Fred MacMurray, Densham. Joanna Pacula, Meredith SalenPolly Bergen, Arlene Dahl, Edward Anger, Mimi Kuzyk, Nicholas Kilbertus, Jan drews, Eli Wallach. Thirties-style comedy Rubes. Occasionally scary horror film builds of Bergen becoming President of the U.S., up to but downplays the sexual implicawith MacMurray her husband caught in tions of its CAT PEOPLE–style story of a unprecedented protocol. Sometimes funny, often witless.▼● family curse passed down to each generation by a woman-to-woman kiss. Salenger is Kiss for Corliss, A (1949) 88m. ★★ D: the unlucky target of beautiful aunt Pacula’s Richard Wallace. Shirley Temple, David evil smooch. [R]▼●쩠 Niven, Tom Tully, Virginia Welles. PuffedKiss and Kill SEE: Blood of Fu Manup comedy of teenager Temple convincchu, The ing everyone that she and playboy Niven are Kiss and Tell (1945) 90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richgoing together; naı¨ve fluff. Limp follow-up ard Wallace. Shirley Temple, Jerome to KISS AND TELL with Shirley as Corliss Courtland, Walter Abel, Katherine AlexArcher; this was her final film. Retitled ander, Robert Benchley, Porter Hall. Film ALMOST A BRIDE.▼쩠 of successful Broadway play about wacky Kiss From Eddie, A SEE: Arousers, The teenager Corliss Archer is a bit forced but Kissin’ Cousins (1964) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: generally funny; one of Temple’s better Gene Nelson. Elvis Presley, Arthur O’Congrown-up roles. Sequel: A KISS FOR nell, Glenda Farrell, Jack Albertson, PaCORLISS. mela Austin, Yvonne Craig, Donald Woods. Kiss Before Dying, A (1956) C-94m. ★★★ Elvis has a dual role as military officer D: Gerd Oswald. Robert Wagner, Virginia trying to convince yokel relative to allow Leith, Jeffrey Hunter, Joanne Woodward, missile site to be built on homestead; good Mary Astor, George Macready. Effective supporting cast, usual amount of singing— chiller with Wagner superb as psychomostly forgettable—and dancing. Panavision.▼쩠 pathic killer and Astor his devoted mother; well paced. Based on an Ira Levin novel. Kissing a Fool (1998) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Doug Remade in 1991. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Ellin. David Schwimmer, Jason Lee, Mili Kiss Before Dying, A (1991) C-95m. ★1⁄2 Avital, Bonnie Hunt, Vanessa Angel, Kari D: James Dearden. Matt Dillon, Sean Wuhrer, Bitty Schram. Thoroughly charmYoung, Max von Sydow, Diane Ladd, James less romantic comedy, told via flashback in Russo, Martha Gehman, Ben Browder, Joie an irritating narrative form, about a be[ 751 ]

trothed Chicago sportscaster who badgers directors, and one of Aldrich’s best films. a novelist buddy into testing his fiance´e’s Leachman’s film debut. Some video versions fidelity as he himself is playing around. have 82 seconds of additional footage that completely change the finale. ▼●쩠 Subliminally sleazy but wrapped in a cozily sentimental veneer, which means the film Kiss Me Goodbye (1982) C-101m. ★★ D: doesn’t even have the courage of its convicRobert Mulligan. Sally Field, James Caan, tions. Avital is appealing as the pretty book Jeff Bridges, Paul Dooley, Claire Trevor, editor who deserves better. Schwimmer also Mildred Natwick, Dorothy Fielding, Wilcoexecutive-produced. [R]▼●쩠 liam Prince. Strained romantic comedyKissing Bandit, The (1948) C-102m. ★★ fantasy about young woman who’s visited D: Laslo Benedek. Frank Sinatra, Kathryn by her dead husband just as she’s about to Grayson, Ann Miller, J. Carrol Naish, remarry. Attractive cast is pretty much Ricardo Montalban, Mildred Natwick, Cyd wasted in this reworking of the Brazilian Charisse, Billy Gilbert. Frail Sinatra vehifilm DONA FLOR AND HER TWO cle about son of Western kissing bandit HUSBANDS. [PG]▼쩠 who picks up where Dad left off; song Kiss Me, Guido (1997) C-86m. ★★1⁄2 D: ‘‘Siesta’’ sums it up.▼쩠 Tony Vitale. Nick Scotti, Anthony Barrile, ★★★ Kissing Jessica Stein (2002) C-97m. Anthony DeSando, Craig Chester, Dominick D: Charles Herman-Wurmfeld. Jennifer Lombardozzi, Molly Price, Christopher LawWestfeldt, Heather Juergensen, Scott Cohen, ford. Earnest comedy about a heterosexual Tovah Feldshuh, Jackie Hoffman, Michael Pacino/De Niro wannabe (Scotti) from the Mastro, Carson Elrod, David Aaron Baker. Bronx who moves to Manhattan and unA single Jewish woman in N.Y.C., tired of knowingly takes a gay roommate. Occalooking for Mr. Right, answers a personal sionally funny, even though the set-up is ad and hooks up with a woman, which leads artificial and the characters are stereotypes. to unexpected emotional consequences. Later a TV series: Some of My Best Smart, funny romantic comedy that balFriends. [R]▼●쩠 ances sitcom-style moments with clever inKiss Me Kate (1953) C-109m. ★★★1⁄2 D: sights, good supporting characters, and George Sidney. Kathryn Grayson, Howterrific chemistry between Westfeldt and ard Keel, Ann Miller, Bobby Van, Keenan Juergensen, who cowrote the screenplay Wynn, James Whitmore, Bob Fosse, based on their play Lipschtick. [R]▼쩠 Tommy Rall, Kurt Kasznar, Ron Randell. Kiss Kiss-Bang Bang (1966-Spanish) CBright filmization of Cole Porter’s Broad90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Duccio Tessari. Giuliano way musical, adapted from Shakespeare’s Gemma, George Martin, Antonio Casas, The Taming of the Shrew. Grayson and Daniel Vargas. Routine spy yarn of British Keel are erstwhile married couple whose Secret Service efforts to prevent sale of secret off-stage and on-stage lives intertwine. formula to foreign powers. Techniscope. Songs include ‘‘So in Love,’’ ‘‘Always Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang (2005) C-102m. ★★ True to You in My Fashion,’’ ‘‘Brush Up D: Shane Black. Robert Downey, Jr., Val Your Shakespeare’’ (delightfully performed Kilmer, Michelle Monaghan, Corbin Bernby Wynn and Whitmore); the ‘‘From This sen, Dash Mihok, Larry Miller, Shannyn Moment On’’ number, highlighting Fosse and Sossamon. Thief-turned-actor and a gay deCarol Haney, is outstanding. Originally in 3-D.▼●쩠 tective team up with an aspiring actress (the actor’s old flame) to solve several murders. Kiss Me, Stupid (1964) 122m. ★★ D: Uneven neo-noir/screwball comedy starts Billy Wilder. Dean Martin, Ray Walston, out as mindless entertainment but quickly Kim Novak, Felicia Farr, Cliff Osmond, grows confusing and tiresome. LETHAL Barbara Pepper, Doro Merande, Henry WEAPON scribe Black seems awfully imGibson, John Fiedler, Mel Blanc. Martin pressed with himself for repeatedly having plays womanizing crooner named ‘‘Dino’’ the protagonist break away from the story to whose interest in unsuccessful songwriter mock the film’s use of narrative and genre Walston might increase if he gets a crack cliche´s. Enjoyably pulpy characters and at his wife. Lewd farce (by Wilder and charismatic stars make it somewhat bearI. A. L. Diamond) was condemned as able. Downey’s real-life son plays his char‘‘smut’’ when first released, and hasn’t acter as a boy. Loosely based on a Brett improved very much—although it does have its defenders. DVD features the alternate EuHalliday novel. Super 35. [R]쩠 ropean ending. Panavision. ▼●쩠 Kiss Me Deadly (1955) 105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Robert Aldrich. Ralph Meeker, Albert DekKiss of Death (1947) 98m. ★★★ D: Henry ker, Paul Stewart, Cloris Leachman, Wesley Hathaway. Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Addy, Nick Dennis, Maxine Cooper, Gaby Coleen Gray, Richard Widmark, Karl Rodgers, Jack Elam, Strother Martin, Jack Malden, Taylor Holmes, Mildred Dunnock. Lambert. Meeker is a perfect Mike Hammer Famous gangster saga is showing its age, in moody, fast, and violent adaptation of with both the cops and robbers a little too Mickey Spillane novel. Years ahead of its polite—except, of course, for Widmark, time, a major influence on French New Wave in his notorious film debut as giggling, [ 752 ]

psychopathic killer who shoves a wheelwho take it on the lam after their latest dupe chair-bound old woman down a flight of unexpectedly dies. The style, impudence, stairs! Mature is solid as thief who turns and unusual characters overcome the formulaic story. [R]▼● state’s evidence. Scripted by Ben Hecht and Charles Lederer; filmed on authentic Kiss the Blood off My Hands (1948) 80m. ★★ N.Y.C. locations. Remade in 1995.▼쩠 D: Norman Foster. Joan Fontaine, Burt Kiss of Death (1995) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lancaster, Robert Newton. Disappointing Barbet Schroeder. David Caruso, Nicolas romance-thriller follows the plight of two Cage, Samuel L. Jackson, Helen Hunt, Kathlost souls, lonely nurse–war widow Fonryn Erbe, Stanley Tucci, Michael Rapaport, taine and deeply troubled ex-POW LancasVing Rhames, Philip Baker Hall, Anthony ter, who’s on the lam for murder in London. Heald, Anne Meara, Kevin Corrigan, Hope Some potent scenes and good Miklos Rozsa Davis. Mediocre ’90s remake of ’40s crime score cannot salvage tepid film. Kiss the Girls (1997) C-116m. ★★1⁄2 D: yarn (with Richard Price script) has Caruso as an ex-con trying to go straight who’s swept Gary Fleder. Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, back into the underworld—then forced to turn Cary Elwes, Tony Goldwyn, Bill Nunn, Brian stoolie for the D.A. Caruso is OK—nothing Cox, Jeremy Piven, Roma Maffia, Jay O. more—in first starring film, but Cage is a Sanders, Alex McArthur, Mena Suvari. When parody of a mad-dog bad guy. Jackson shines, a police forensic psychologist learns that his as usual, in a solid supporting role. Jay O. niece has been abducted, he uses his considSanders appears unbilled as a Federal erable skills to try and identify the culprit— agent. [R]▼●쩠 a devious sicko who doesn’t kill all his victims, Kiss of the Dragon (2001-U.S.-French) Cbut holds them captive instead. Surprisingly 98m. ★★ D: Chris Nahon. Jet Li, Bridget discreet for a ’90s film—but in its final segFonda, Tche´ky Karyo, Ric Young, Burt ments, increasingly conventional and formuKwouk, Laurence Ashley. In Paris on a selaic. And too long. Freeman is—typically— cret mission, Chinese agent Li is framed for solid as a rock; Judd is very good as a doctor murder by a corrupt French official and has who refuses to be treated as a victim. Folto go on the run. His only ally is mistreated lowed by ALONG CAME A SPIDER. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 prostitute Fonda. Lots of fights, but not as well staged or photographed as Jet Li’s Kiss the Girls and Make Them Die Hong Kong movies. A convoluted plot (1966-Italian) C-101m. BOMB D: Henry slows the action, although Karyo is an enLevin. Michael Connors, Dorothy Provine, tertaining villain. Overall, highly forgettaTerry-Thomas, Raf Vallone, Beverly ble. Cowritten and coproduced by Luc Adams, Oliver McGreevy. Dull spy spoof Besson. Technovision. [R] ▼쩠 about power-crazy industrialist who has a Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985-U.S.satellite capable of sterilizing the world, Brazilian) C/B&W-119m. ★★★ D: Hector which is something Bond, Flint, and Matt Babenco. William Hurt, Raul Julia, Sonia Helm wouldn’t mind. Awful film. Braga, Jose Lewgoy, Nuno Leal Maia, Kiss Them for Me (1957) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 Denise Dumont. Adaptation of Manuel D: Stanley Donen. Cary Grant, Jayne MansPuig’s highly regarded novel actually gets field, Leif Erickson, Suzy Parker, Larry better as it goes along, revealing layers in Blyden, Ray Walston. Forced comedy about story of gay man and political activist romantic entanglements of navy officers locked together in South American prison on shore leave. CinemaScope.쩠 cell. Hurt is superb in Oscar-winning Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye (1950) 102m. ★★1 performance as man whose only food ⁄2 D: Gordon Douglas. James Cagney, for survival is his memory of tacky HollyBarbara Payton, Luther Adler, Ward Bond, wood movies. Script by Leonard Schrader. Helena Carter, Steve Brodie, Barton MacLater a Broadway musical. [R]▼●쩠 Lane, Rhys Williams, Frank Reicher, John Kiss of the Vampire, The (1963-British) CLitel, William Frawley, Neville Brand, 1 ★★ 88m. Kenneth Tobey. Violent thriller in the wake ⁄2 D: Don Sharp. Clifford Evans, Edward DeSouza, Noel Willman, Jennifer of WHITE HEAT, with Cagney as crimiDaniel. Luckless honeymooners run out of nal so ruthless he even blackmails crooked petrol in eastern Europe and take refuge in cops! Despite impressive cast, Jimmy’s the castle of Count Ravna, leader of a vampractically the whole show; only Adler as pire cult. Ornate masked ball anticipates Poshyster lawyer gives him any competition. lanski’s FEARLESS VAMPIRE KILLERS. Cagney’s brother William produced—and Intelligent Hammer production with many also plays his brother.▼●쩠 chilling sequences.▼●쩠 Kitchen Stories (2003-Norwegian-Swedish) Kiss or Kill (1997-Australian) C-93m. ★★★ C-95m. ★★★ D: Bent Hamer. Joachim CalD: Bill Bennett. Matt Day, Frances O’Conmeyer, Tomas Nordstro¨m, Bjørn Floberg, nor, Chris Haywood, Barry Otto, Andrew Reine Brynolfsson, Sverre Anker Ousdal. S. Gilbert, Barry Langrishe, Max Cullen. Offbeat but warm human comedy set in a Neat, noirish murder mystery with Day and remote town in post-WW2 Norway has a O’Connor well cast as a pair of scam-artists research institute sending scientific ‘‘ob[ 753 ]

servers’’ to sit in tall chairs in the kitchen nabe senator Forsythe and forcing him to corner to study the cooking habits of single drive to Mexico.▼ men. Although not allowed to speak to the Kitty (1945) 104m. ★★★ D: Mitchell Leisen. subjects or interrupt any activities, one anaPaulette Goddard, Ray Milland, Patric lyst bends the rules and learns more about Knowles, Reginald Owen, Cecil Kellaway, himself in the process than he ever possibly Constance Collier. Overlong but entertainimagined. Quirky, completely original movie ing costumer of girl’s rise from guttersnipe grows on you as it goes along. Written by to lady in 18th-century England with help Hamer and Jo¨rgen Bergmark.▼쩠 of impoverished rake Milland; one of GodKitchen Toto, The (1987) C-96m. ★★★ D: dard’s best roles. Harry Hook. Edwin Mahinda, Bob Peck, Kitty Foyle (1940) 107m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Sam Phyllis Logan, Robert Urquhart, Kirsten Wood. Ginger Rogers, Dennis Morgan, Hughes, Edward Judd. Moving account of James Craig, Eduardo Ciannelli, Ernest Kenya’s final break from British rule in Cossart, Gladys Cooper. Tender love story the mid-1950s. This complicated and viowon Rogers an Oscar as Christopher Morlent struggle for freedom is told through ley’s working-girl heroine; Ciannelli memthe eyes of a young ‘‘kikuyu’’ boy slowly orable as speakeasy waiter.▼●쩠 drawn into these events when he goes to KKK SEE: Klansman, The work in the household of the British police Klansman, The (1974) C-112m. BOMB D: chief after his father is murdered by terrorTerence Young. Lee Marvin, Richard Burists. Demanding but ultimately rewarding; ton, Cameron Mitchell, Lola Falana, Luciana first-rate debut for director Hook, who Paluzzi, Linda Evans, O. J. Simpson. grew up in Kenya during the period deThoroughly trashy racial melodrama casts picted here. [PG-13]▼● Marvin as a Southern sheriff and Burton as Kite Runner, The (2007) C-128m. ★★★ D: a local landowner who get involved in a Marc Forster. Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun hotbed (and hot beds) of racial activity. Ershadi, Zekiria Ebrahimi, Ahmad Khan Original director Sam Fuller (who is still Mahmoodzada, Shaun Toub, Nabi Tanha, credited as coscripter) wisely took an Saı¨d Taghmaoui, Atossa Leoni. Iranian man early hike. Aka THE BURNING CROSS living in San Francisco receives a phone call and KKK. [R]▼쩠 summoning him home, where he tries to Klimt (2007-Austrian-German-Britishundo a wrong he committed years earlier. In French) C-97m. ★1⁄2 D: Rau´l Ruiz. John flashback we learn about his boyhood friendMalkovich, Veronica Ferres, Stephen Dilship with the son of his father’s household lane, Saffron Burrows, Sandra Ceccarelli, servant, their participation in Kabul’s kiteNikolai Kinski. Gorgeous but faux-artsy biflying competition, and the incident that opic of the Symbolist radical Gustav Klimt changes both their lives. David Benioff is fop cinema, set in fin de sie`cle Vienna. adapted Khaled Hosseini’s best-selling novel. Pretentious, factually questionable, and Well done, although it never reaches the annoyingly hallucinatory, elevated only by emotional heights the story calls for. The actthe luminous paintings and abundant nuing is exceptional, and the faces of the two dity. A somnolent Malkovich makes not the boys are unforgettable. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 slightest effort to sound anything but pure Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008) Illinoisan. Written by the director, whose C-100m. ★★★ D: Patricia Rozema. Abigail version runs 131m. 쩠 Breslin, Joan Cusack, Glenne Headly, Jane Klondike Annie (1936) 80m. ★★★ D: Raoul Krakowski, Chris O’Donnell, Julia OrWalsh. Mae West, Victor McLaglen, Philip mond, Wallace Shawn, Stanley Tucci, Max Reed, Helen Jerome Eddy, Harry Beresford, Thieriot, Willow Smith, Zach Mills. UnusuHarold Huber, Soo Young, Lucille Webally smart family film with Breslin as a ster Gleason. West and McLaglen are rugplucky 10-year-old (and aspiring newspaper ged team, with Mae on the lam from reporter) who experiences the effects of the police, going to the Yukon and masquerGreat Depression firsthand in 1934 Cincinading as Salvation Army worker. West nati. Her father leaves home in search of chants ‘‘I’m An Occidental Woman in An work and her mother is forced to take in Oriental Mood For Love.’’ ▼●쩠 boarders, including a magician (Tucci) who Klondike Fever (1980) C-106m. ★1⁄2 D: bears watching—and not just when he’s Peter Carter. Rod Steiger, Angie Dickinperforming tricks. Evocative look at everyday son, Jeff East, Lorne Greene, Barry Morse. life in the 1930s has entertainment value for Jack London (East) in Alaska during the grown-ups as well as kids. Based on Valerie Gold Rush. Poorly made adventure yarn. Tripp’s stories, which were inspired by a popAka JACK LONDON’S KLONDIKE ular line of dolls and books. [G]쩠 FEVER. [PG]▼쩠 Kitten With a Whip (1964) 83m. ★★ D: Klute (1971) C-114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alan J. Douglas Heyes. Ann-Margret, John ForPakula. Jane Fonda, Donald Sutherland, sythe, Patricia Barry, Peter Brown, Ann Charles Cioffi, Roy Scheider, Dorothy Tristan, Doran. Uninspired account of delinquent (Ann-Margret) and friends victimizing wanRita Gam, Jean Stapleton. Fine combination [ 754 ]

detective-thriller/character-study, with SutherKing Arthur’s Court, revealing famous love triangle. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 land a private-eye searching for suburban Knight’s Tale, A (2001) C-132m. ★★ D: husband last seen in N.Y.C. Fonda won Oscar as call girl who once saw man in Brian Helgeland. Heath Ledger, Mark Addy, Rufus Sewell, Paul Bettany, Shannyn Sossaquestion. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 mon, Alan Tudyk, Christopher Cazenove. Knack . . . and How to Get It, The (1965High-concept moviemaking at its screwiest: a British) 84m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Richard Lester. gleefully anachronistic medieval tale of a Rita Tushingham, Ray Brooks, Michael would-be knight who becomes a jousting Crawford, Donal Donnelly. One of the champion, set to rock ’n’ roll music. If it had funniest comedies ever imported from gone completely over the top it might be fun, Britain. One man’s a whiz with the ladies, but writer-director Helgeland wants us to care and his buddy simply wants to learn his about his characters and story—while unsecret. Fast-moving, constantly funny. dermining them at every turn. Almost rescued Charles Wood adapted Ann Jellicoe’s play. by Ledger’s star quality and strong supporting Look sharp for Charlotte Rampling (as a performances. (P.S. The jousting itself bewater skier) and Jacqueline Bisset.▼●쩠 comes surprisingly monotonous.) Super 35. Knife in the Head (1978-German) C-113m. ★★★1 [PG-13]▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Reinhard Hauff. Bruno Ganz, Knight Without Armour (1937-British) Angela Winkler, Hans Christian Blech, Hans 101m. ★★★ D: Jacques Feyder. Marlene Honig, Hans Brenner. Ganz is excellent as Dietrich, Robert Donat, Irene Vanbrugh, a biogeneticist who is paralyzed after being Herbert Lomas, Miles Malleson, David shot in the head in a police raid, then Tree. Secret agent Donat helps countess used as a pawn by both police and political Dietrich flee Russian revolutionaries. Sumpradicals. Fascinating, disturbing drama.▼ tuous production, charismatic stars.▼● Knife in the Water (1962-Polish) 94m. K-9 (1989) C-102m. BOMB D: Rod Dan★★★★ D: Roman Polanski. Leon Niemczyk, iel. James Belushi, Mel Harris, Kevin Tighe, Jolanta Umecka, Zygmunt Malanowicz. Ed O’Neill, Jerry Lee, James Handy, Cotter Absorbing drama grows out of the tensions Smith. Cop Belushi teams with a German created when a couple off for a sailing weekend shepherd (Jerry Lee) to crack a drug case. pick up a student hitchhiker. Polanski’s first Dubbing this one a dog would be much feature film is a brilliant piece of cinematic stotoo kind. Followed by two direct-to-video rytelling, and a must-see movie.▼●쩠 sequels. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Knight Moves (1992) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: K-19 The Widowmaker (2002) C-138m. Carl Schenkel. Christopher Lambert, Di★★1 ⁄2 D: Kathryn Bigelow. Harrison Ford, ane Lane, Tom Skerritt, Daniel Baldwin. Liam Neeson, Peter Sarsgaard, Joss AckChess master Lambert finds himself a murland, John Shrapnel, Donald Sumpter, Tim der suspect during a competition on an Woodward. In 1961, a patriotic Russian island in Washington state. Meanwhile, naval officer (Ford) takes out a nuclear subthe killer teases Lambert by providing the marine on its maiden voyage, having just chess champion with clues he must deciusurped command from a well-liked captain pher for himself. OK thriller; has its mo(Neeson) who stays on as executive officer. ments, but also more than its share of lulls. But the sub, and its crew, are ill prepared Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 for the challenges they will face. Tense and Knight of the Dragon, The SEE: Star exciting at times, but its main characters’ Knight motivations are not always understandable— Knightriders (1981) C-145m. ★★★ D: even less so after a climactic showdown. George A. Romero. Ed Harris, Gary Lahti, Much Sturm und Drang in this very long Tom Savini, Amy Ingersoll, Patricia Tallmovie, but not enough meaning. Based on a man, Christine Forrest, Warner Shook, real-life incident. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Brother Blue. Ambitious, unusual film about Knockaround Guys (2002) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: a traveling band that stages medieval fairs David Levien, Brian Koppelman. Barry Pepat which knights joust on motorcycles, and per, John Malkovich, Vin Diesel, Seth Green, their self-styled King Arthur, who tries to Andrew Davoli, Dennis Hopper, Tom Nooget his followers to live under an oldnan. Interesting variation on the usual gangfashioned code of honor. Finely crafted ster saga, examining the younger generation little change-of-pace for horror master of today’s remaining gangland dinosaurs. Romero, who also wrote the screenplay; Pepper, the son of mob boss Hopper, doesn’t Stephen King has a funny cameo as a have his father’s respect, or a career to call his beer-guzzling spectator. [R]▼●쩠 own. He begs for the chance to do something Knights of the Round Table (1953) important, so his father finally gives him an C-115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Richard Thorpe. Robert assignment, which goes completely awry, Taylor, Ava Gardner, Mel Ferrer, Stanley sending him and his Brooklyn-based cousins Baker, Felix Aylmer. MGM’s first wideto the wilds of Montana. Good cast and offscreen film (made in England) was excuse beat setting keep this lively, but the finale for this pretty but empty mini-spectacle of doesn’t entirely add up. Filmed in 1999; re[ 755 ]

leased in Italy in 2001 as DANGEROUS live-action comic strip with tough, beefy COMPANY. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 police inspector Spencer on the hunt Knocked Up (2007) C-129m. ★★★ D: Judd for drug smugglers. For prepubescent Apatow. Seth Rogen, Katherine Heigl, Paul boys only. Originally titled FLATFOOT. Rudd, Leslie Mann, Jason Segel, Harold Video title: TRINITY: TRACKING FOR Ramis, Jay Baruchel, Joanna Kerns, Jonah TROUBLE.▼ Hill, Alan Tudyk, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader. Knowing (2009) C-121m. ★★ D: Alex ProFast-rising entertainment reporter (Heigl) yas. Nicolas Cage, Rose Byrne, Chandler finds herself pregnant after a drunken oneCanterbury, Ben Mendelsohn, Lara Robinson, night stand with an amiable, scruffy goof-off Nadia Townsend, Alan Hopgood, Danielle (Rogen). She decides to have the baby and, Carter. In 1959, students in a Boston-area to the surprise of both, a wobbly relationship school draw pictures to put in a time capsule, develops between them. Overlong but often but one spooky little girl scribbles down a hysterically funny comedy is also sweet, robunch of numbers on a paper. Fifty years mantic, and, despite the exceedingly foullater, the paper winds up with a boy whose mouthed dialogue, downright moral. Writfather, M.I.T. astrophysics professor Cage, ten by the director. Numerous celebrities discovers that the numbers accurately preappear as themselves. Unrated version also dicted the dates, locations, and death tolls of available. [R]쩠 major catastrophes of the past—and quite Knock Off (1998-U.S.-Hong Kong) Cpossibly the future. Intriguing premise would 91m. ★1⁄2 D: Tsui Hark. Jean-Claude Van have made a great Twilight Zone episode, but Damme, Rob Schneider, Lela Rochon, Mithis New Age doomsday thriller becomes inchael Fitzgerald Wong, Paul Sorvino, Carmen creasingly dour and tedious, with a particuLee. Van Damme teams up with American larly preposterous finale blending science agents to combat terrorists. Having Van fiction and biblical prophecy. Shot mostly Damme play a Hong Kong clothing dein Australia. HD Widescreen. [PG-13]쩠 signer/importer in an action film pinned to a Knute Rockne All American (1940) 96m. plot about designer jeans is peculiar but not ★★★ D: Lloyd Bacon. Pat O’Brien, Gale interesting . . . which also describes the Page, Donald Crisp, Ronald Reagan, Almovie. Director Hark abandons his usual bert Bassermann, John Qualen. Corny but vivid fight choreography for standard swift entertaining bio of famed Notre Dame footintercutting instead. Samo Hung appears ball coach (O’Brien, in a standout performunbilled. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 ance), with Reagan as his star player, Knock on Any Door (1949) 100m. ★★1⁄2 George Gipp. Several long-excised scenes, D: Nicholas Ray. Humphrey Bogart, John including O’Brien’s famous locker-room Derek, George Macready, Allene Roberts, pep talk and Reagan’s ‘‘win just one for Susan Perry. More a showcase for young the Gipper’’ speech have now been reDerek—as a ‘‘victim of society’’ who turns stored to most prints. Also shown in to crime—than a vehicle for Bogart, as computer-colored version.▼쩠 conscience-stricken attorney who defends Kolya (1996-Czech-British) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 him. Serious but dated drama. Sequel: D: Jan Sverak. Zdenek Sverak, Andrej LET NO MAN WRITE MY EPITAPH.▼● Chalimon, Libuse Safrankova, Ondrez Knock on Wood (1954) C-103m. ★★★ D: Vetchy, Stella Zazvorkova, Ladislav SmolNorman Panama, Melvin Frank. Danny Kaye, jak, Irena Livanova. Sentimental tale of a Mai Zetterling, Torin Thatcher, David Burns, mid-fiftyish cellist, an unattached lothario Leon Askin, Abner Biberman. Superior Kaye who unexpectedly is made guardian of a vehicle, with ventriloquist Danny involved small Russian boy. Set in 1988 Prague, on with beautiful Zetterling and international the eve of independence from the Russians, spies; good Kaye routines. this is a sweet-natured love story that unforKnockout (2000) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Lorenzo tunately seems too pat and manufactured. Doumani. Sophia-Adella Hernandez, Eduardo You’ll laugh and certainly cry, but same Yanez, Tony Plana, William McNamara, essential story has been told on film many Maria Conchita Alonso, Paul Winfield. Btimes before. Lead actor/screenwriter is the movie about an East L.A. homegirl (Herdirector’s father. Oscar winner as Best Fornandez) who becomes a boxer, following in eign Film. [PG-13]▼●쩠 the footsteps of her dad (Plana), who gave Konga (1961-British) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: John up life in the ring to become a cop. PotenLemont. Michael Gough, Margo Johns, tially intriguing subject matter KO’d by Jess Conrad, Claire Gordon. Very mad scihammy performances (especially McNaentist Gough, intent on creating a plant-animara as a yuppie sleaze promoter), flat dimal hybrid, occasionally enlarges his rection, and a cliche´d script that would chimpanzee friend to gorilla size, then sends shame Syd Field. [R]▼쩠 the ape out to kill his enemies. A climactic Knock Out Cop, The (1978-Italian-Ger★★ overdose makes Konga king-sized for an D: Steno. Bud Spencer, man) C-113m. exceptionally dull rampage. Brassy, silly Werner Pochat, Enzo Cannavale, Joe Stewardson, Bodo, Dagmar Lassander. Silly Herman Cohen–produced knockoff of [ 756 ]

KING KONG has only Gough’s juicy, nutcase is brought to a N.Y.C. mental instihammy performance to recommend it.▼쩠 tution, claiming to be a visitor from the adKong Island SEE: King of Kong Island vanced planet K-Pax. Psychiatrist Bridges Kon-Tiki (1951) C-68m. ★★★ D: No director tries to figure him out, but begins to wonder credited. Narrated by Ben Grauer, Thor Heyif the guy isn’t telling the truth. Is this erdahl. Oscar-winning documentary based on movie a warm, fuzzy wish-fulfillment fanHeyerdahl’s best-selling book about his raft tasy or a psychiatric case study? Ultimately trip from Peru to Tahiti, which substantiated it fails on both counts, despite the best efhis theory that ancient sailing boats crossed forts of its cast. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 the Pacific Ocean. Revised and rescored in Krakatoa East of Java (1969) C-101m. ★★1 1995; that version runs 58m. ▼쩠 ⁄2 D: Bernard Kowalski. Maximilian Kontroll (2003-Hungarian) C-106m. ★★★ Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara D: Nimro´d Antal. Sa´ndor Csa´nyi, Sa´ndor Werle, John Leyton, Rossano Brazzi, Sal Bada´r, Zolta´n Mucsi, Zsolt Nagy, Csaba PinMineo. Muddled epic-adventure of disparate droch, Eszter Balla. Highly original thriller set group sailing for location of treasure-laden entirely in the Budapest underground system, sunken ship. Attempt at Jules Verneish saga where a ticket inspector has to deal with gangs hampered by shallow characterizations, diaof rival workers, a mystery woman who’s logue, but action footage is first-rate, climaxed caught his eye, and a fiendishly clever, elusive by volcanic explosion and tidal wave. Heavily murderer. Cowriter-director Antal creates a cut after premiere, leaving story more jumbled dense, dynamic universe all his own. [R] ▼쩠 than before. P.S.: Krakatoa was West of Java. Kopek and Broom SEE: Find the Lady Retitled VOLCANO. Originally 136m. Super Korczak (1990-Polish) 118m. ★★★ D: AnPanavision 70. [G]▼●쩠 drzej Wajda. Wojtek Pszoniak, Ewa DalKramer vs. Kramer (1979) C-104m. ★★★★ kowska, Teresa Budzisz-Krzyzanowska, D: Robert Benton. Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Piotr Kozlowski, Jan Peszek. Tremendously Streep, Jane Alexander, Justin Henry, Howmoving, real-life story of a truly remarkable ard Duff, George Coe, JoBeth Williams. man: Janusz Korczak (Pszoniak, in a powerWife walks out on upwardly mobile husful performance), a respected doctor, writer band, leaving him to fend for himself and and children’s rights advocate who operated young son; intelligent, beautifully crafted, ina house for Jewish orphans in Warsaw durtensely moving film. Adapted by Benton from ing the 1930s and maintained his moral Avery Corman’s novel and acted to perfection standards after the Nazis invaded his homeby entire cast. Oscar winner for Best Picture, land. Simple, poignant script by Agnieszka Actor, Screenplay, Director, Supporting AcHolland.▼ tress (Streep). [PG]▼●쩠 Kotch (1971) C-113m. ★★★ D: Jack LemKrays, The (1990-British) C-119m. ★★★ mon. Walter Matthau, Deborah Winters, FeliD: Peter Medak. Billie Whitelaw, Gary cia Farr, Charles Aidman, Ellen Geer, Darrell Kemp, Martin Kemp, Susan Fleetwood, Larson, Lucy Saroyan, Larry Linville. MatCharlotte Cornwell, Jimmy Jewel, Avis thau is the entire show in this winning Bunnage, Kate Hardie, Alfred Lynch, Tom comedy-drama about a friendly, childBell, Steven Berkoff, Victor Spinetti, Barloving septuagenarian who is out of sync bara Ferris, Julia Migenes, John McEnery, with the coolness of the contemporary world, Sadie Frost. Brutal but stylish bio of the and who helps a young unwed mother-to-be. real-life twins (one gay, one straight) who Lemmon’s lone film as director; look fast for ruled London’s underworld in the 1960s, him as a mustachioed sleeping passenger on aided immeasurably by the title-role casting a bus. Farr is Lemmon’s wife; Saroyan is of two sibling members (not twins) of the Brit Matthau’s stepdaughter. [PG] ▼쩠 pop group Spandau Ballet. Picks up, after an ★★★★ D: Koyaanisqatsi (1983) C-87m. iffy beginning, when the Kemps take over Godfrey Reggio. Spellbinding, sensesfrom an assortment of child actors; would staggering nonnarrative film soars across the have been even stronger had it gone beyond United States in search of vistas both natural character study and dealt more with the lowand man-made. Much of the photography is life Mod milieu. Whitelaw is good, as usual, slow-motion or time-lapse (the title is Hopi as the boys’ smothering mother. [R]▼● Indian for ‘‘life out of balance’’), all of it set Kremlin Letter, The (1970) C-120m. ★1⁄2 to a mesmerizing score by Philip Glass. So D: John Huston. Bibi Andersson, Richard rich in beauty and detail that with each viewBoone, Max von Sydow, Orson Welles, Pating it becomes a new and different film. rick O’Neal, Barbara Parkins, Dean Jagger, Should be seen in a theatre for maximum George Sanders, Raf Vallone. Dull, compliimpact. Followed by POWAQQATSI and cated thriller based on best-seller concerns efNAQOYQATSI. ▼쩠 forts to retrieve bogus treaty supposedly K-PAX (2001) C-120m. ★★ D: Iain Softsigned by U.S. and Soviet Union that will pit ley. Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, Mary them against Red China. Good cast is thrown McCormack, Alfre Woodard, David Patrick away; film does provide rare opportunity to Kelly, Saul Williams, Peter Gerety, Celia Weston, Ajay Naidu, John Toles-Bey. A see Sanders in drag. Panavision. [M/PG]쩠 [ 757 ]

Kriemhild’s Revenge SEE: Die Nibecia Charbonneau, Luca Bercovici, Julia lungen Nickson-Soul, Jamal Shah. A Seattle asKrippendorf’s Tribe (1998) C-94m. ★★ D: sistant D.A. (brash) and his physics-prof pal Todd Holland. Richard Dreyfuss, Jenna Elf(gentle) attempt to climb the world’s steepest man, Natasha Lyonne, Gregory Smith, Carl and most remote mountain. Gritty outdoor Michael Lindner, Stephen Root, Elaine expansion of Patrick Meyers’ play, which Stritch, Tom Poston, David Ogden Stiers, Lily won a Tony for its impressive mountain set; Tomlin, Zakes Mokae. Widowed anthropolmagnificent outdoor footage compensates ogy professor, who’s spent all his grant for that, but not for the stock movie characmoney, is forced to present his findings on an terizations. Film never tops its first 15 minunknown tribe in New Guinea. Trouble is, utes, which are spellbinding. [R]▼●쩠 he never found such a tribe, so he makes Kuffs (1992) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Bruce Evone up, then shoots bogus videos with his ans. Christian Slater, Tony Goldwyn, Milla three kids to back up his claims. Farcical Jovovich, Bruce Boxleitner, George De La comedy fizzles with wildly inconsistent Pena, Troy Evans, Lu Leonard, Leon Rippy, characters (particularly Elfman) and desperMary Ellen Trainor, Ashley Judd. Smarmy ate plot devices. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Slater desperately needs a job after abandonKristin Lavransdatter (1995-Norwegian) ing his pregnant girlfriend; as luck would have it, his brother gets shot in the line of duty C-144m. ★★ D: Liv Ullmann. Elisabeth Matheson, Bjorn Skagestad, Sverre Anker as a private policeman in San Francisco. Ousdal, Henny Moan, Rut Tellefsen, Erland Unbearably flip, especially during frequent Josephson, Lena Endre. Intense, plodding breaks for Slater’s straight-to-camera narradrama, set in the 14th century, about the title tion. You keep waiting for Dirty Harry to character (Matheson) and how pressures from show up and toss this kiddie cop one of family and society thwart her from being with his patented glares. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 her true love and steer her to marry another Kull the Conqueror (1997) C-95m. ★★ D: man instead. It’s a conflict between religious John Nicolella. Kevin Sorbo, Tia Carrere, obligation and ‘‘the sin of passion,’’ and well Karina Lombard, Thomas Ian Griffith, Liteacted, but never as profound or involving as foot, Roy Brocksmith, Harvey Fierstein, intended. Ullmann also scripted, based on Edward Tudor-Pole, Douglas Henshall, novel by Nobel Prize winner Sigrid Undset. Sven Ole Thorsen. In ancient times, Kull, a Originally shown at 180m.▼쩠 barbarian from Atlantis, unexpectedly beKronos (1957) 78m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kurt Neucomes king of a troubled country, and soon mann. Jeff Morrow, Barbara Lawrence, finds himself involved in swordfights, magic, John Emery, George O’Hanlon, Morris and palace intrigue. Passionless, incoherent, Ankrum. Diverting science-fiction with and routine, with a few good performances, unique monster: an enormous metallic walkvery uneven effects and makeup, and not ing machine capable of absorbing the enough sorcery. Based on a character creEarth’s energy. Occasionally shaky speated by Conan creator Robert E. Howard; in cial effects are compensated for by nice fact, this began life as a script for a third touch of mysterioso and convincing perConan movie. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 formances, especially by Emery as the Kundun (1997) C-134m. ★★★ D: Martin alien’s catspaw. Regalscope.▼●쩠 Scorsese. Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Gyurme Kronos (1974) SEE: Captain Kronos: Tethong, Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin, TenVampire Hunter zin Yeshi Paichang, Tencho Gyalpo, Tsewang Krull (1983) C-117m. ★★ D: Peter Yates. Migyur Khangsar, Sonam Phuntsok, Robert Ken Marshall, Lysette Anthony, Freddie Lin. The fascinating saga of the 14th Dalai Jones, Francesca Annis, David Battley, Lama begins with the discovery that he has Liam Neeson, Robbie Coltrane. Overly been reincarnated in the body of a two-yearfamiliar story elements and plodding treatold boy. We follow his journey through life, ment keep this traditional fantasy quest including education, exile, and a confrontation from going anywhere, despite its elaborate with the Chinese government, led by Mao Tsetrappings. Marshall is the young hero who tung. Search in vain for a Scorsese ‘‘edge’’— must recover a magic ornament to save damthis is just good, solid storytelling, from Melissa Mathison’s script (written with the Dalai sel and kingdom. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 Krush Groove (1985) C-97m. ★★ D: MiLama’s cooperation). A cast of nonprofeschael Schultz. Blair Underwood, Joseph sional actors is simply remarkable, and so is Philip Glass’ score. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Simmons, Sheila E., Fat Boys, Daryll McDaniels, Kurtis Blow. Yet another rap musiKung Fu Hustle (2005-Hong Kong) Ccal, with a silly (almost nonexistent) story 99m. ★★ D: Stephen Chow. Stephen Chow, but lots of music, rapping, and street culture Yuen Wah, Yuen Qiu, Leung Siu Lung, Dong artifacts. Aficionados of this kind of music Zhi Hua, Chiu Chi Ling, Xing Yu, Chan Kwok Kwan, Lam Tze Chung. In Pig Sty Alley, the rate the soundtrack very highly. [R]▼●쩠 1 ★★ K-2 (1992-British) C-111m. brutal Axe Gang terrorizes the locals but ⁄2 D: Franc Roddam. Michael Biehn, Matt Craven, doesn’t know what to make of a young Raymond J. Barry, Hiroshi Fujioka, Patrigangster-wannabe (Chow). Less a story than [ 758 ]

a series of action sequences, this heavyhanded mix of martial arts and slapstick (with a dollop of romance) pays homage to everything from THE SHINING and Road Runner cartoons to TOP HAT! The novelty of liveaction cartoon violence wears thin pretty fast. Chow cowrote and coproduced; choreographed by Yuen Wo Ping (CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, THE MATRIX). Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 Kung Fu Panda (2008) C-91m. ★★★ D: John Stevenson, Mark Osborne. Voices of Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Ian McShane, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong, Dan Fogler, Michael Clarke Duncan, Laura Kightlinger. Entertaining animated feature about a panda who dreams of being a martial arts hero, instead of the son of a dumpling chef. Then, through a quirk of fate, he is chosen as the Dragon Warrior to help save a city that’s about to be attacked by a ferocious leopard. Uncommonly handsome production design and exciting action scenes enhance a simple storyline. Black’s engaging performance as the schlump who wants to make good is matched by Hoffman’s deadpan delivery as his kung fu master. Digital Widescreen. [PG]쩠 Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (2002) C-81m. ★1⁄2 D: Steve Oedekirk. Steve Oedekirk, Lung Fai, Leo Lee, Chen Hui Lou, Jennifer Tung. Writer-director Oedekirk redubs, and adds deliberately clunky new footage to, a 1976 Hong Kong martial arts movie, TIGER & CRANE FISTS (directed by Jimmy Wang Yu), turning the original into a parody of itself, with a nonstop barrage of gags—occasionally funny, but obvious and repetitive. Oedekirk also stars, as The Chosen One. Not nearly as good as WHAT’S UP, TIGER LILY?, but if you do watch, stay till the end of the credits. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 Kwaidan (1964-Japanese) C-164m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Masaki Kobayashi. Rentaro Mikuni, Michiyo Aratama, Keiko Kishi, Tatsuya Nakadai, Takashi Shimura. Four tales of the supernatural, based on works by Lafcadio Hearn, focusing on samurais, balladeers, monks, spirits. Subtle, moody, well staged; stunning use of color and widescreen. Released in U.S. in 1965 at 125m., with the second episode (featuring Kishi and Nakadai) deleted. Tohoscope.▼●쩠

Cesar Awards (France’s Oscar) including Best Picture. [R]▼쩠 La Bamba (1987) C-108m. ★★★ D: Luis Valdez. Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosana De Soto, Elizabeth Pena, Danielle von Zerneck, Joe Pantoliano, Rick Dees, Marshall Crenshaw, Brian Setzer. Solid musical biography of Ritchie Valens, a poor Mexican-American who became a rock ’n’ roll sensation at age 17. Writerdirector Valdez can’t avoid some standard Hollywood bio trappings, but good-time music and Phillips’ commanding, sympathetic performance more than compensate. Morales is excellent as Ritchie’s troubled brother. Valens’ music is performed by Los Lobos on soundtrack—they appear as the Tijuana band. Original music by Carlos Santana and Miles Goodman. [PG-13]▼●쩠 La Belle Noiseuse (1991-French) C-240m. ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Jacques Rivette. Michel Piccoli, Jane Birkin, Emmanuelle Be´art, Marianne Denicourt, David Bursztein, Gilles Arbona, Bernard Dufour. Riveting story of the relationship between a once-famed artist and the young woman who inspires him to paint after 10 years of inactivity, and becomes his model. A stunning examination of the artistic process and its accompanying obsessions, with outstanding performances by Piccoli as the artist and gorgeous Be´art as his subject. Extremely long, deliberately paced but always involving; beautifully directed by Rivette and photographed by William Lubtchansky. Screenplay by Rivette, Pascal Bonitzer, and Christine Laurent. Dufour, by the way, supplies the artist’s hand. A new version, reworked and with a new perspective, was released in 1993. Its title: DIVERTIMENTO, running 125m. ▼쩠 La Beˆte Humaine (1938-French) 99m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean Renoir. Jean Gabin, Julien Carette, Simone Simon, Fernand Ledoux, Blanchette Brunoy, Gerard Landry. Locomotive engineer Gabin displays fits of uncontrollable violence against women. When he forms a liaison with the flirtatious wife of a deputy stationmaster, he becomes entangled in a plot to kill the husband. Sublimely atmospheric adaptation of Emile Zola’s novel suited the fatalistic mood of Europe in 1938, as the Nazis overran Czechoslovakia. That’s Renoir himself in the role of Cabuche; he also scripted. Aka THE HUMAN BEAST and JUDAS WAS A WOMAN. Fritz Lang remade it in the U.S. as HUMAN DESIRE.▼쩠 La Balance (1982-French) C-102m. ★★★ D: Bob Swaim. Nathalie Baye, Philippe La Boum (1981-French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Leotard, Richard Berry, Maurice Ronet, Claude Pinoteau. Claude Brasseur, Brigitte Christophe Malavoy, Jean-Paul Connart. Fossey, Sophie Marceau, Denise Grey, BerExtremely tough, violent Parisian cop movie nard Giraudeau. Cliche´d but harmless chroni(directed and cowritten by an American) cle of the life of pretty 13-year-old Marceau, about effort to nail criminal kingpin by whose parents (Brasseur, Fossey) are having forcing one-time associate (Leotard) to turn marital difficulties. A French box-office informer. Baye is excellent as prostitute in smash. Sequel: LA BOUM 2.▼ love with victimized pimp. Winner of many La Boum 2 (1982-French) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 [ 759 ]

D: Claude Pinoteau. Sophie Marceau, (Tognazzi) and his female-impersonator Claude Brasseur, Brigitte Fossey, Pierre housemate (Serrault) become involved with Cosso, Shiela O’Connor, Denise Grey. a spy ring in this mild sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Here teenager Marceau is two years older La Cage aux Folles 3: The Wedding (1985and has a romance with another student. French-Italian) C-87m. ★1⁄2 D: Georges Her parents are still squabbling. A formula Lautner. Michel Serrault, Ugo Tognazzi, film, no better or worse than the original. Michel Galabru, Benny Luke, Stephane La Buche (1999-French) C-107m. ★★★ D: Audran, Antonella Interlenghi. Pointless Daniele Thompson. Charlotte Gainsbourg, sequel has drag queen Albin (Serrault) Emmanuelle Be´art, Sabine Azema, Claude in line for big inhertance—if he marries Rich, Franc¸oise Fabian, Christopher Thompand produces a son. This farce has been milked dry by now. [PG-13]▼● son, Jean-Pierre Darroussin. Penetrating examination of three sisters who must deal La Ce´re´monie (1995-French-German) C111m. ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Isabelle with their problems and differences (not to mention their long-estranged parents) as the Huppert, Sandrine Bonnaire, Jacqueline BisChristmas holiday approaches. A refreshing set, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Virginie Ledoyen, Vaantidote to all those sugary seasonal films. lentin Merlet. Slow-moving but effective Directorial debut for Thompson, a top Chabrol thriller, with Huppert and Bonnaire French screenwriter, who coscripted with as lower-class pals in rural Brittany, who her son Christopher (who also plays Joresent the wealthy household in which Bonseph). Super 35.▼쩠 naire is employed as maid. Nice turn by Bisset, as sympathetic matriarch. ▼쩠 Labyrinth (1986) C-101m. ★★★ D: Jim Henson. David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly, La Che`vre (1982-French) C-91m. ★★★ D: Toby Froud. Teenage girl’s baby brother Francis Veber. Pierre Richard, Ge´rard is kidnapped by the King of the Goblins Depardieu, Michel Robin, Pedro Armen(Bowie); in order to rescue him she must dariz, Jr., Corynne Charbit, Andre Valardy. navigate a devilish labyrinth. Entertaining No-nonsense sleuth Depardieu sets out to lovariation on Alice in Wonderland written cate an industrialist’s daughter who’s disapby Monty Python’s Terry Jones, executive peared in Mexico, finds himself comically produced by George Lucas, and filtered hampered by his employer’s accountant (Richthrough the sensibilities of The Muppets’ ard), an amateur detective. Amiable, amusing Jim Henson. A treat for kids and the young comedy was a box-office smash in France. at heart (Muppet fans in particular); only Veber also scripted. Aka THE GOAT. Americanized remake: PURE LUCK. ▼쩠 weakness is that it does get slow at times. J-D-C Scope. [PG]▼●쩠 La Chienne (1931-French) 95m. ★★★★ D: Labyrinth of Passion (1982-Spanish) Jean Renoir. Michel Simon, Janie Mareze, C-100m. ★★★ D: Pedro Almodo´var. Celia Georges Flamant, Madeleine Berubet. ReRoth, Imanol Arias, Helga Line, Antonio noir’s first sound film, and first sound-film Banderas. Zany, energetic sex farce, most masterpiece: a terse, somber drama of mildof which is beyond the power of descripmannered bank cashier Simon, with an tion. It does involve a gallery of comically overbearing wife, who plays into the hands outlandish characters scurrying about Maof prostitute Mareze and her scheming drid, including transvestites, punk rockers, pimp. Renoir coscripted; Mareze died in a nymphomaniacs—and Islamic fundamentacar accident a couple of weeks after filmlists. Occasionally crude, and always rude, ing was completed. Fritz Lang redid this but that’s all part of the fun.▼● as SCARLET STREET; what a double bill La Cage aux Folles (1978-French-Italian) they would make!▼● C-91m. ★★★ D: Edouard Molinaro. Ugo La Chinoise (1967-French) C-95m. ★★★ Tognazzi, Michel Serrault, Michel Galabru, D: Jean-Luc Godard. Anne Wiazemsky, Claire Maurier, Remy Laurent, Benny Luke. Jean-Pierre Le´aud, Michel Semianko, Lex A gay couple tries to act straight for the sake de Bruijn, Juliet Berto. Five young Maoists of Tognazzi’s son, who’s bringing home his share an apartment and try to apply their fiance´e and her parents. Entertaining adaptapolitics to the reality of their lives. Godard tion of French stage farce, with some hilarious aficionados will be fascinated; others may moments and a wonderful performance by be bored.쩠 Serrault as the more feminine half of the midLa Ciudad SEE: City, The dle-aged twosome—but why this became La Collectionneuse (1971-French) C-88m. ★★★ such a raging success is a mystery. Followed D: Eric Rohmer. Patrick Bauchau, by two sequels, as well as a hit Broadway Haydee Politoff, Daniel Pommerulle, Alain musical. Remade in 1996 as THE BIRDJouffroy, Mijanou Bardot. No. 3 of Rohmer’s ‘‘Six Moral Tales’’ is less compelCAGE. [R] ▼●쩠 La Cage aux Folles II (1980-French) ling than later films, still intriguing for C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Edouard Molinaro. fans of contemplative stories in this series, Michel Serrault, Ugo Tognazzi, Marcel focusing on young man’s attraction to aloof Bozzuffi, Michel Galabru, Paola Borboni, young girl sharing summer villa on the Mediterranean. Made in 1967. ▼쩠 Benny Luke. St. Tropez nightclub owner [ 760 ]

Lacombe Lucien (1974-French) C-137m. washes ashore one morning near their sea★★★★ side Cornwall cottage. Not a great film by D: Louis Malle. Pierre Blaise, Aurore Clement, Holger Lowenadler, Therese any means, but it’s as cozy and inviting as a Giehse. Brilliant, perceptive account of warm blanket on a cold winter night. Actor opportunist French peasant Blaise, who Dance’s screenwriting and big-screen directing debut. [PG-13]쩠 joins the Gestapo during the Nazi Occupation—after setting out to join the ResisLadies in Retirement (1941) 92m. ★★★ tance—and falls in love with a Jewish D: Charles Vidor. Ida Lupino, Louis Haytailor’s daughter. Subtle, complex tale of ward, Evelyn Keyes, Elsa Lanchester, Edith guilt, innocence, and the amorality of power; Barrett, Isobel Elsom, Emma Dunn. Static masterfully directed. [R]쩠 but well-made gothic melodrama about L.A. Confidential (1997) C-136m. ★★★1⁄2 housekeeper Lupino’s attempt to cover up D: Curtis Hanson. Kevin Spacey, Russell murder in eccentric British household. Not Crowe, Guy Pearce, James Cromwell, as potent—or as shocking—as it must have David Strathairn, Kim Basinger, Danny Debeen in 1941, but still good. Remade as Vito, Graham Beckel, Brenda Bakke, Paul THE MAD ROOM. Guilfoyle, Ron Rifkin, Simon Baker. VivLadies’ Man, The (1961) C-96m. ★★★ idly atmospheric tale of L.A. in the early D: Jerry Lewis. Jerry Lewis, Helen Traubel, 1950s, run by corrupt cops—one of whom Kathleen Freeman, Hope Holiday, Pat (Spacey) works hand in hand with the pubStanley, Jack Kruschen, Doodles Weaver, lisher of a sleazy tabloid (DeVito). SelfHarry James and His Band. Pretty funny righteous Pearce, however, thinks he can rise comedy with Jerry the handyman in a above the muck in the department. Director girls’ boardinghouse run by Miss WellenHanson and Brian Helgeland’s Oscarmelon (Traubel). Enormous set is the real winning adaptation of the James Ellroy star; Buddy Lester and George Raft have amusing cameo appearances.▼●쩠 novel is overlong but compelling and richly detailed; a bleak worldview, to be sure. BaLadies Man, The (2000) C-84m. ★★ D: singer won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar Reginald Hudlin. Tim Meadows, Karyn as the Veronica Lake–ish call girl, but she’s Parsons, Billy Dee Williams, Kevin Mcsurrounded by Oscar-worthy costars. Super Donald, Tiffani (Amber) Thiessen, Lee 35. [R] ▼●쩠 Evans, Will Ferrell, Jimmy Fallon, Julianne Ladder 49 (2004) C-114m. ★★★ D: Jay RusMoore, Eugene Levy. Kinky comedy about sell. Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda a sex-driven radio talk-show host who has a Barrett, Robert Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Balbad habit of sleeping with married women. thazar Getty, Tim Guinee. Straightforward Meadows is exceedingly funny, but the film story of a Baltimore fireman, from the day once again proves that Saturday Night Live he reports for work as a rookie to his ultiTV skits are meant to be just that: skits. Meadows coscripted. [R]▼쩠 mate challenge inside a burning factory. Warm depiction of firemen’s lives as brothLadies of Leisure (1930) 98m. ★★1⁄2 D: ers in an extended family. Full of whiteFrank Capra. Barbara Stanwyck, Ralph knuckle sequences depicting daring (but reGraves, Lowell Sherman, Marie Prevost, alistic) rescue operations, which cumulaNance O’Neill, George Fawcett. Stanwyck tively pay tribute to some of the bravest falls in love with playboy-artist Graves, men on earth. Solid, old-fashioned storytellbut cannot shake her reputation as golding. [PG-13]▼쩠 digger. Creaky story made worthwhile by Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stanwyck’s believable performance and Stains (1982) C-87m. ★★ D: Lou Adler. Capra’s fluent filmmaking technique. Remade as WOMEN OF GLAMOR.▼ Diane Lane, Ray Winstone, Peter Donat, David Clennon, John Lehne, Cynthia Sikes, Ladies of the Chorus (1949) 61m. ★★ D: Laura Dern, John (Fee) Waybill, Christine Phil Karlson. Adele Jergens, Rand Brooks, Lahti. Antisocial teenage girl decides to Marilyn Monroe, Eddie Garr, Nana Bryant. become a punk rock star and takes to the Cheapie musical about mother/daughter burroad. Unreleased major studio film is strilesque chorines, with young Monroe seemdent and unappealing, despite good cast. ingly headed for the same romantic blunder Lahti shines in her two scenes. Members of that mom Jergens made. Worth a look for Clash and The Sex Pistols appear as a BritMM in her first sizable role. Garr (who plays a burlesque clown) is the father of Teri.▼ ish punk band. [R]쩠 Ladies in Lavender (2004-British) C-103m. Ladies They Talk About (1933) 69m. ★★★ ★★1 D: Charles Dance. Judi Dench, Maggie ⁄2 D: Howard Bretherton, William Smith, Natascha McElhone, Daniel Bru¨hl, Keighley. Barbara Stanwyck, Preston FosMiriam Margolyes, Freddie Jones, David ter, Lyle Talbot, Dorothy Burgess, Maude Warner, Clive Russell. Dames Dench and Eburne, Lillian Roth, Ruth Donnelly. StanSmith add luster to this lightly likable drama wyck is terrific in this punchy but occasionabout a pair of aging sisters in pre-WW2 ally silly pre-Code women’s prison picture. England whose lives are changed when a She’s a tough cookie who’s sent up the river handsome young Polish man mysteriously after participating in a bank heist. ▼● [ 761 ]

La Discre`te (1990-French) C-94m. ★★★ D: Tramp who helps pedigreed canine named Christian Vincent. Fabrice Luchini, Judith Lady out of a jam—and into a romance. Henry, Maurice Garrel, Francois ToumarElements of adventure and drama are maskine. Insightful allegory about a heartless terfully blended with comedy and music in writer/Don Juan (Luchini) who allows vengethis stylish film, the Disney studio’s first ful publisher Garrel to convince him to toy feature cartoon in CinemaScope. Songs by with the emotions of typist Henry, to extract Sonny Burke and Peggy Lee (who’s the raw material for a book. Solid performances voice of Peg, Darling, Si and Am, the Sia(especially by Henry) help put this one mese cats). Followed in 2001 by a direct-tovideo sequel. CinemaScope.▼●쩠 over.▼ ★★★1 La Dolce Vita (1960-Italian) 175m. ⁄2 Lady Be Good (1941) 111m. ★★★ D: D: Federico Fellini. Marcello Mastroianni, Norman Z. McLeod. Eleanor Powell, Ann Anita Ekberg, Anouk Aime´e, Yvonne Sothern, Robert Young, Lionel Barrymore, Furneaux, Magali Noel, Alain Cuny, John Carroll, Red Skelton, Virginia O’BriAnnibale Ninchi, Walter Santesso, Lex en, Dan Dailey, Jimmy Dorsey and His Barker, Jacques Sernas, Nadia Gray. Orchestra. Spunky musical of married Lengthy trend-setting film, not as ambigusongwriters Sothern and Young, with Powell ous as other Fellini works—much more and Skelton along for good measure. Fine entertaining, with strong cast. Mastroianni score: title tune, ‘‘Fascinating Rhythm,’’ stars as tabloid reporter who sees his life ‘‘You’ll Never Know,’’ Oscar-winning in shallow Rome society as worthless but ‘‘Last Time I Saw Paris.’’ ▼●쩠 can’t change. Story and screenplay by Lady Beware (1987) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fellini, Ennio Flaiano, and Tullio Pinelli, Karen Arthur. Diane Lane, Michael Woods, with Brunello Rondi. Piero Gherardi’s cosCotter Smith, Viveca Lindfors, Peter Nevartumes won an Oscar. Totalscope.▼●쩠 gic, Edward Penn, Tyra Ferrell. Lane’s Ladro´n que roba a ladro´n . . . (2007) mildly kinky store-window displays arouse a C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joe Menendez. Fernando married psychotic; he soon graduates from Colunga, Miguel Varoni, Gabriel Soto, Julie irritating phone calls and mail interception to Gonzalo, Ivonne Montero, Sonya Smith, Sau´l breaking into her window-barred loft. ImperLisazo. Innocuous U.S.-produced Spanishfect, but compelling, feminist exploitation language OCEAN’S ELEVEN–inspired caper film builds to a satisfying (and surprisingly comedy in which a pair of Robin Hood–like nonviolent) conclusion; Lane’s performance thieves plot to rip off a pompous L.A. inis uneven, but her rage convincing. Filmed and set in Pittsburgh. [R]▼● fomercial king, who has built his fortune by duping poor Latino immigrants. OccasionLadybird, Ladybird (1994-British) C102m. ★★★ D: Kenneth Loach. Crissy Rock, ally clever, but mostly covers familiar ground. Title’s English translation is A Vladimir Vega, Ray Winstone, Sandie LaTHIEF WHO STEALS FROM A THIEF; velle, Mauricio Venegas, Clare Perkins. the main actors are veterans of SpanishShattering, based-on-fact account of a duralanguage telenovelas. [PG-13]쩠 ble but deeply troubled single mother of Lady and the Duke, The (2001-French) Cfour (extremely well played by Rock), who 125m. ★★★ D: Eric Rohmer. Lucy Russell, has a history of being abused by men; she Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Alain Libolt, Charlotte becomes involved with kindly Vega, but Ve´ry, Le´onard Cobiant, Franc¸ois Marthis relationship will not be without its share thouret, Caroline Morin. Intelligent, provocof crises. Another impassioned look at British working class life from Loach. ▼ ative historical drama set during the French Revolution. The lady of the title is Grace Ladybug Ladybug (1963) 84m. ★★★ D: Elliott (Russell), a Scottish blueblood expaFrank Perry. Jane Connell, William Dantriate; the duke is Philippe d’Orleans (Dreyiels, James Frawley, Richard Hamilton, fus), a cousin to Louis XVI. The two share Kathryn Hays, Jane Hoffman, Elena Karam, a complex relationship as the politics and Judith Lowry, Nancy Marchand, Estelle events of the period swirl around them. Parsons, Miles Chapin, Alice Playten. AmConversation is the hallmark of a Rohmer bitious and provocative (if a bit too obvious) film, and here it is never less than illuminataccount of some rural schoolchildren and ing. Shot in digital video; the 81-year-old their reactions when a civil defense system filmmaker also scripted (based on Elliott’s warns of an impending nuclear attack. Screenplay by Eleanor Perry; a follow-up of memoirs). [PG-13]▼쩠 Lady and the Outlaw, The SEE: Billy sorts to DAVID AND LISA. Based on an Two Hats actual incident. Ladybugs (1992) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Sidney Lady and the Tramp (1955) C-75m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Hamilton Luske, Clyde Geronimi, WilJ. Furie. Rodney Dangerfield, Jacke´e, Jonfred Jackson. Voices of Peggy Lee, Barathan Brandis, Ilene Graff, Vinessa Shaw, bara Luddy, Bill Thompson, Bill Baucon, Tom Parks, Jeanetta Arnette, Nancy ParStan Freberg, Verna Felton, Alan Reed. sons, Blake Clark, Tommy Lasorda. To plaOne of Walt Disney’s most endearing anicate his boss and secure a promotion, mated features about a rakish dog named Rodney becomes the coach of a girls’ soc[ 762 ]

cer team—complete with an in-drag male Parker, Walter Connolly, Ned Sparks, Nat player (the son of his fiance´e). Slapdash exPendleton. Wonderful Damon Runyon fable ecution of what sounds like a sure-fire Danof seedy apple vendor Robson transformed gerfield premise; the best zingers concern into perfect lady by softhearted racketeer Wilrival female coach Parsons. [PG-13]▼●쩠 liam. Robert Riskin adapted Runyon’s story Lady Caroline Lamb (1972-British) C‘‘Madame La Gimp.’’ Sequel: LADY BY 118m. BOMB D: Robert Bolt. Sarah Miles, CHOICE. Remade by Capra as POCKETJon Finch, Richard Chamberlain, John Mills, FUL OF MIRACLES. ▼●쩠 Margaret Leighton, Ralph Richardson, LauLady for a Night (1942) 87m. ★★ D: Leigh rence Olivier. Wretched filmization of faJason. Joan Blondell, John Wayne, Ray mous story; wife of English politician Middleton, Philip Merivale, Blanche Yurka, scandalizes everyone by her open affair with Edith Barrett, Hattie Noel. Plodding cosLord Byron. Bolt’s banal script is often unintume drama of wealthy, status-seeking gamtentionally funny. Panavision. [PG]▼ bling queen Blondell and her plight upon Lady Chatterley (2006-French-Belgian) marrying impoverished society drunk Middleton. Good cast seems out of place.▼ C-168m. ★★★ D: Pascale Ferran. Marina Hands, Jean Louis Coullo’ch, Hippolyte GiLady Frankenstein (1971-Italian) C-84m. rardot, He´le`ne Alexandridis, He´le`ne Fillie`res, BOMB D: Mel Welles. Joseph Cotten, Bernard Verley, Sava Lolov. Beautifully Mickey Hargitay, Sarah Bey, Paul Muller, filmed, leisurely adaptation of D. H. LawPeter Whiteman. Poor horror entry with rence’s erotic novel about a wealthy womCotten a tired, ill-fated Baron; his daughan’s affair with the gamekeeper on her ter (Bey) takes up where he leaves off in paralyzed husband’s estate. Sensuous and the monster-making department. [R]▼쩠 startlingly fine performance by Hands as the Lady From Louisiana (1941) 82m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lady who explores her sexual feelings. Bernard Vorhaus. John Wayne, Ona MunGraphic, but tasteful, telling of the onceson, Ray Middleton, Henry Stephenson, notorious book milks its romantic content Helen Westley, Jack Pennick, Dorothy Danfor everything it’s worth. Winner of five dridge. Wayne and Munson fall in love, then Ce´sar awards including Best Film. Eurodiscover they’re on opposite sides of gambling controversy; so-so period piece.▼ pean TV version runs 220m. Also available in R-rated version.쩠 Lady From Shanghai, The (1948) 87m. ★★★ Lady Chatterley’s Lover (1981-FrenchD: Orson Welles. Rita Hayworth, Orson British) C-105m. BOMB D: Just Jaeckin. Welles, Everett Sloane, Glenn Anders, Sylvia Kristel, Nicholas Clay, Shane Briant, Ted de Corsia, Erskine Sanford, Gus SchillAnn Mitchell, Elizabeth Spriggs, Peter Bening. The camera’s the star of this offbeat nett. Dull, cheap version of the D. H. Lawthriller, with the cast incidental in bizarre rence classic, with Kristel as the lady and murder mystery about an Irish adventurer Clay as the lover. Kristel is beautiful, but still (Welles) who joins seductive Hayworth cannot act. From the director of EMMANUand her husband (Sloane) on a Pacific ELLE. Previously filmed in France in 1955; cruise. The famous hall of mirrors climax remade in 2006. [R]▼●쩠 is riveting. Cinematography by Charles Lady Dances, The SEE: Merry Widow, Lawton, Jr. Based on novel by Sherwood The (1934) King; scripted and produced by Welles. Lady Dracula (1973) C-80m. BOMB D: That’s Errol Flynn’s yacht, Zaca, in the Richard Blackburn. Cheryl Smith, Lesley seagoing scenes.▼●쩠 Gilb, William Whitton, Richard Blackburn. Lady Gambles, The (1949) 98m. ★★★ D: Perfectly awful low-budgeter about a lady Michael Gordon. Barbara Stanwyck, Robert vampire with lesbian tendencies. Bring Preston, Stephen McNally, Edith Barrett, back Gloria Holden! Aka LEGENDARY John Hoyt, Leif Erickson. The LOST CURSE OF LEMORA and LEMORA, WEEKEND of gambling films, a well-acted drama chronicling Stanwyck’s decline from THE LADY DRACULA. [PG]쩠 1 ★★★ Lady Eve, The (1941) 94m. respectable writer’s wife to desperate, ad⁄2 D: Preston Sturges. Barbara Stanwyck, Henry dicted gambler and all-around screwup. Fonda, Charles Coburn, Eugene Pallette, Look for Tony Curtis—then billed as ‘‘AnWilliam Demarest, Eric Blore, Melville thony’’—as a bellboy. Lady Godiva (1955) C-89m. ★★ D: ArCooper. Stanwyck is a con artist who sets her eyes on wealthy Fonda—the dolt to thur Lubin. Maureen O’Hara, George Nader, end all dolts, who proclaims ‘‘snakes are Victor McLaglen, Torin Thatcher, Robert my life.’’ Sometimes silly and strident, this Warwick. Cardboard costumer of famed lady film grows funnier with each viewing— and her horseback ride set in Middle Ages thanks to Sturges’s script, breathless pace, England—What a dull ride! Look for Clint and two incomparable stars. Remade as Eastwood, billed as ‘‘First Saxon.’’ ▼ THE BIRDS AND THE BEES.▼●쩠 Lady Hamilton SEE: That Hamilton ★★★★ Lady for a Day (1933) 96m. Woman D: Frank Capra. Warren William, May RobLadyhawke (1985) C-124m. ★★★ D: Richson, Guy Kibbee, Glenda Farrell, Jean ard Donner. Matthew Broderick, Rutger [ 763 ]

Hauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Leo McKern, Moss Hart Broadway show (minus most of John Wood, Ken Hutchison, Alfred Molina. the Kurt Weill–Ira Gershwin songs) about a Overlong but generally entertaining medieval career woman who undergoes psychoanalysis fantasy adventure about star-crossed lovers to find the root of her problems. Intriguing but caught in an evil spell—and a young thief ultimately ponderous. Lady in the Lake (1946) 103m. ★★1⁄2 D: who becomes their unlikely ally. Hauer and Pfeiffer are perfectly cast as stalwart hero and Robert Montgomery. Robert Montgomery, heroine, but Broderick’s manner and dialogue Audrey Totter, Lloyd Nolan, Tom Tully, seem better suited to a Woody Allen movie! Leon Ames, Jayne Meadows. Raymond Thunderous music by Andrew Powell. TechChandler whodunit has novelty of camera novision. [PG-13]▼●쩠 taking first-person point of view of detecLady Ice (1973) C-93m. ★★ D: Tom Gries. tive Philip Marlowe (Montgomery); unforDonald Sutherland, Jennifer O’Neill, Robtunately, confusing plot is presented in more prosaic (and dated) manner.▼●쩠 ert Duvall, Patrick Magee, Eric Braeden, Jon Cypher. Dull caper film pairs insurLady in the Water (2006) C-110m. ★1⁄2 D: ance investigator Sutherland and wealthy M. Night Shyamalan. Paul Giamatti, Bryce O’Neill, whose father is a major ‘‘fence’’ Dallas Howard, Jeffrey Wright, Bob Balafor stolen jewels. Good cast wasted. Panaban, Sarita Choudhury, Cindy Cheung, M. vision. [PG]▼쩠 Night Shyamalan, Freddy Rodriguez, Bill Lady in a Cage (1964) 93m. ★★★ D: Walter Irwin, Mary Beth Hurt, Jared Harris, Tovah Grauman. Olivia de Havilland, Ann SothFeldshuh. Superintendent in an apartment ern, Jeff Corey, James Caan, Jennifer Billcomplex discovers an ethereal young woman ingsley, Rafael Campos, Scatman Crothers. in the swimming pool and senses that she Bone-chilling psychological drama in needs protection. As this fable (or bedtime which incapacitated widow de Havilland story, as Shyamalan would have it) unfolds, finds herself stuck in an elevator in her we’re given more and more ‘‘information’’ home, then is terrorized by thugs. Allegorito swallow until it becomes laughably abcal tale of alienation and mindless cruelty in surd. Giamatti’s empathetic performance an impersonal society; unpleasant to watch, helps, but writer-director Shyamalan was but undeniably truthful and prophetic. Starkly unwise to put himself in a key role—as directed and well acted.▼쩠 mankind’s savior! [PG-13]쩠 Lady in Cement (1968) C-93m. ★★ D: Lady in White (1988) C-112m. ★★★ D: Gordon Douglas. Frank Sinatra, Raquel Frank LaLoggia. Lukas Haas, Len Cariou, Welch, Dan Blocker, Richard Conte, MarAlex Rocco, Katherine Helmond, Jason tin Gabel, Lainie Kazan, Richard Deacon, Presson, Jared Rushton, Renata Vanni, Joe E. Lewis. Sequel to TONY ROME finds Angelo Bertolini. Sleeper film combines Sinatra discovering nude corpse with feet en1960s nostalgia with supernatural horror in cased in cement. Typical private-eye hokum, original fashion. An inquisitive youngster with heavy doses of violence, leering sex. Pa(Haas) becomes involved with ghosts in navision. [PG—originally rated R]▼●쩠 mystery story about an unsolved murder Lady in Red, The (1979) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: and the legendary Lady in White (Helmond) Lewis Teague. Pamela Sue Martin, Robert residing in a spooky house nearby. VilConrad, Louise Fletcher, Robert Hogan, Laulain’s identity is a bit too easy to guess, but rie Heineman, Glenn Withrow, Christopher there are plenty of chills and great period Lloyd, Dick Miller. Martin suffers a life on atmosphere along the way. Director’s cut version runs 6m. longer. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 the lam, before and after her period of notoriety as girlfriend of John Dillinger (Conrad). Lady Is Willing, The (1942) 92m. ★★★ D: Lurid, low-budget retread of familiar material Mitchell Leisen. Marlene Dietrich, Fred is handled with surprising verve. A Roger MacMurray, Aline MacMahon, Arline Corman production; screenplay by John Judge, Stanley Ridges, Roger Clark. AgreeSayles. Robert Forster appears uncredited in able comedy; glamorous Dietrich wants to key supporting role. Retitled GUNS, SIN adopt a baby, so she marries pediatrician AND BATHTUB GIN. [R]▼쩠 MacMurray. Dramatic segment near the Lady in the Car With Glasses and a Gun, end spoils lively mood.▼ The (1970-French) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Anatole Lady Jane (1985-British) C-142m. ★★★ Litvak. Samantha Eggar, Oliver Reed, John D: Trevor Nunn. Helena Bonham Carter, McEnery, Stephane Audran, Billie Dixon. Cary Elwes, John Wood, Michael Hordern, Eggar is best thing about otherwise unexcepJill Bennett, Jane Lapotaire, Sara Kesteltional film. Psychological thriller about atman, Patrick Stewart, Warren Saire, Joss tempt to drive young woman crazy is only Ackland, Ian Hogg, Richard Johnson. Aboccasionally interesting. Panavision. [R] sorbing historical drama about the machiLady in the Dark (1944) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 nations that put a 16-year-old girl on the D: Mitchell Leisen. Ginger Rogers, Ray Milthrone of England for just nine days. Exquisite land, Jon Hall, Warner Baxter, Barry Sullivan, looking, well acted, just a trifle slow at times. Gail Russell, Mischa Auer. Overproduced Same story told before in a 1936 film, TUDOR ROSE. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Technicolor adaptation of the groundbreaking [ 764 ]

Lady Killer (1933) 74m. ★★★ D: Roy Del with Deanna witnessing a murder, then Ruth. James Cagney, Mae Clarke, Leslie getting involved with nutty family of the Fenton, Margaret Lindsay, Henry O’Neill, deceased tycoon. You’ll never guess killer’s Raymond Hatton, George Chandler. Vinidentity in neatly plotted yarn which even tage Cagney, with tangy tale of mobster allows Deanna to sing a few tunes. Based on a Leslie Charteris story.▼쩠 becoming Hollywood actor, torn between two professions; Cagney repeats his Clarke Lady on the Bus (1978-Brazilian) C-102m. ★1⁄2 D: Neville D’Almedia. Sonia Braga, slapfest.▼●쩠 Ladykillers, The (1955-British) C-90m. Nuno Leal Maia, Paulo Cesar Pereio, Jorge ★★★1 Doria, Yara Amaral, Claudio Marzo. Braga, ⁄2 D: Alexander Mackendrick. Alec Guinness, Katie Johnson, Cecil Parker, the least likely of all actresses to project Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, frigidity, is unresponsive on her wedding Frankie Howerd. Droll black comedy of night—but wait! Soon she begins sampling not-so-bright crooks involved with seemingly other men, and sampling, and sampling. . . . harmless old lady. Guinness scores again Follow-up to DONA FLOR AND HER (even his teeth are funny) with top-notch supTWO HUSBANDS has even more sex but porting cast in this little Ealing Studios gem, far less wit and charm. A dull ride. [R]▼ written by William Rose. Original British Lady Sings the Blues (1972) C-144m. ★★1⁄2 D: Sidney J. Furie. Diana Ross, Billy running time: 97m. Remade in 2004.▼쩠 Ladykillers, The (2004) C-104m. ★★★ D: Dee Williams, Richard Pryor, James CalJoel Coen, Ethan Coen. Tom Hanks, Irma P. lahan, Paul Hampton, Sid Melton. Black Hall, Marlon Wayans, J.K. Simmons, Tzi Ma, version of Hollywood cliche´-biography, Ryan Hurst, George Wallace, Diane Delano, sparked by superb performance by Ross (in Stephen Root. Obsequiously polite Southern her acting debut) as Billie Holiday, legendgentleman rents a room from a churchgoing ary jazz singer whose life was ruined by widow, then plots a daring heist in her basedrug addiction. Valueless as biography, ment with an ill-chosen group of accomplices. but OK as soap opera, with excellent supThe Coens keep a sure hand on this farcical port from Pryor as ‘‘Piano Man.’’ Panablack comedy with impeccable casting, finely vision. [R]▼●쩠 tuned performances, and a bedrock of Southern Lady Takes a Chance, A (1943) 86m. ★★★ D: William A. Seiter. Jean Arthur, gospel music (produced by T-Bone Burnett). Remake of the well-remembered Ealing comJohn Wayne, Charles Winninger, Phil Silvers, edy of 1955. [R] ▼쩠 Mary Field, Don Costello. Wayne and Arthur Lady L (1965-British) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 D: make fine comedy team as burly rodeo star Peter Ustinov. Sophia Loren, Paul Newman, and wide-eyed city girl who falls for him; Silvers adds zip as bus-tour guide.▼쩠 David Niven, Claude Dauphin, Philippe Noiret, Michel Piccoli. Stars and sets are Lady Takes a Flyer, The (1958) C-94m. ★★1 elegant, but this wacky comedy set in ⁄2 D: Jack Arnold. Lana Turner, Jeff early 20th-century London and Paris fizzles, Chandler, Richard Denning, Andra Mardespite Ustinov’s writing, directing, and tin. Different-type Turner fare. Lana is lady flier who marries pilot Chandler, each cameo appearance. Panavision.▼ Lady Liberty (1972-Italian) C-95m. ★1⁄2 finds it hard to settle down to married life. D: Mario Monicelli. Sophia Loren, WilCinemaScope. liam Devane, Luigi Proietti, Beeson CarLady Vanishes, The (1938-British) 97m. ★★★★ roll, Danny DeVito, David Doyle, RichD: Alfred Hitchcock. Margaret ard Libertini, Edward Herrmann, Alan Lockwood, Michael Redgrave, Paul Lukas, Feinstein, Christopher Norris, Susan SaranDame May Whitty, Googie Withers, Cecil don. Dull comedy of immigrant brideParker, Linden Travers, Catherine Lacey. to-be who tries to get an enormous sausage An old woman’s disappearance during a through U.S. customs. Watch for Warhol’s train ride leads baffled young woman into Candy Darling in transvestite cameo; origa dizzying web of intrigue. Delicious inally titled MORTADELLA. [PG] mystery-comedy; Hitchcock at his best, Lady of Burlesque (1943) 91m. ★★★ D: with a witty script by Frank Launder and William Wellman. Barbara Stanwyck, MiSidney Gilliat, and wonderful performances chael O’Shea, J. Edward Bromberg, Iris by Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford, Adrian, Marion Martin, Pinky Lee, Frank who scored such a hit as a pair of twits that Conroy, Gloria Dickson. Stanwyck attempts they repeated those roles in several other to uncover—no pun intended—killer of films! Based on Ethel Lina White’s novel strippers in this amusing adaptation of The Wheel Spins. Remade in 1979.▼●쩠 Gypsy Rose Lee’s G-String Murders.▼쩠 Lady Vanishes, The (1979-British) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Anthony Page. Elliott Gould, Cybill Lady on a Train (1945) 93m. ★★★ D: Charles David. Deanna Durbin, Ralph Shepherd, Angela Lansbury, Herbert Lom, Bellamy, Edward Everett Horton, George Arthur Lowe, Ian Carmichael. Remake of Coulouris, Allen Jenkins, David Bruce, Hitchcock classic retains basic story but is Patricia Morison, Dan Duryea, William sabotaged by the obnoxious characterizaFrawley. Excellent comedy/murder-mystery tions of its ‘‘screwball’’ stars, Gould [ 765 ]

and Shepherd. Screenplay by George Axelrod. Panavision. [PG]▼● Lady Vengeance (2005-Korean) C-115m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Park Chan-wook. Lee Yeong-ae, Choi Min-sik, Kim Si-hu, Nam Il-woo, Kim Byeong-ok, Oh Dal-Su. Conclusion of the director’s ‘‘revenge trilogy’’ (preceded by SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE and OLDBOY) focuses on a woman, wrongfully imprisoned for kidnapping and murdering a young boy when she was 19, who is released after serving 13 years. While trying to reunite with the daughter she was forced to give up for adoption, she executes an elaborate and grisly revenge against the killer for whom she took the fall. Dazzlingly directed film is an undeniable display of cinematic virtuosity, but also a deeply unpleasant experience that seems to revel in brutality and torture, much of it involving children. Super 35. [R]쩠 Lady With a Dog (1959-Russian) 90m. ★★★ D: Josif Heifits. Iya Savvina, Alexei Batalov, Ala Chostakova, N. Alisova. Middle-aged man and young woman, both married, meet and fall in love on vacation. Intelligent tale of adulterous love, sensibly handled, with no contrived ending. Based on the short story by Anton Chekov, also partly the basis of DARK EYES. ▼쩠 Lafayette (1962-French) C-110m. ★★ D: Jean Dreville. Jack Hawkins, Orson Welles, Howard St. John, Edmund Purdom, Vittorio De Sica, Michel Le Royer. Overblown, badly scripted costumer of famed 18thcentury Frenchman; an episodic minor spectacle. Super Technirama 70. ▼ Lafayette Escadrille (1958) 93m. ★★ D: William Wellman. Tab Hunter, Etchika Choureau, William Wellman, Jr., Jody McCrea, Dennis Devine, Marcel Dalio, David Janssen, Paul Fix, Will Hutchins, Clint Eastwood, Tom Laughlin, Brett Halsey. Wellman’s final film is a well-intentioned but flat account of the celebrated French flying legion of WW1, spotlighting the coming to maturity of wayward Hunter. Mostly of interest for its cast, with Wellman, Jr., playing his father (who actually was a pilot during the war). Wellman, Sr., wrote the story and narrates. ▼ La Femme Infide`le (1969-French-Italian) C-98m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Claude Chabrol. Stephane Audran, Michel Bouquet, Maurice Ronet, Stephen Di Napolo, Michel Duchaussoy. Razor-sharp thriller about a husband who thinks his wife is cheating on him. Audran and Bouquet are well cast in one of writerdirector Chabrol’s finest films, which chips away at the fac¸ade of a seemingly ordinary marriage. Remade in 2002 as UNFAITHFUL. Aka THE UNFAITHFUL WIFE. [R]

Slick, ultra-violent saga of a hedonistic young woman who runs with a punked-out gang— until she’s recruited by a French intelligence officer, determined to make her an undercover agent and ‘‘hit man.’’ Stylish and compelling, if not always believable, with a star-making role for Parillaud. Remade in the U.S. as POINT OF NO RETURN, and in Hong Kong as BLACK CAT; later a U.S. cable TV series. Technovision. [R]▼●쩠 Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001Indian) C-224m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ashutosh Gowariker. Aamir Khan, Gracy Singh, Rachel Shelley, Paul Blackthorne, Suhasini Mulay, Kulbhushan Kharbanda, Raghuveer Yadav. India, 1893: an arrogant British military commander offers to cancel the crippling land tax in a drought-ridden farming village for three years if the locals, led by defiant peasant Khan (who also produced the film) can beat his team in a cricket match. If the villagers lose, they’ll have to pay triple tax! Long but entertaining historical drama is a quintessential Bollywood epic, expertly combining action, romance, humor, and songs in a resplendent widescreen package. Arriscope. [PG]▼쩠 L’Age d’Or (1930-French) 63m. ★★★★ D: Luis Bun˜uel. Gaston Modot, Lya Lys, Max Ernst, Pierre Pre´vert. Bishops turn into skeletons and the cow wanders into the bedroom in Bun˜uel’s first feature, a surrealistic masterpiece coscripted by Salvadore Dali. Rightwing agitators caused a riot at the film’s first (and for a long time, only) public screening; its anticlericalism put it into the ‘‘banned film’’ category for decades. Still has the power to delight, if no longer shock.▼●쩠 La Grande Bouffe SEE: Grande Bouffe, The La Grande Bourgeoise (1974-Italian) C115m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mauro Bolognini. Catherine Deneuve, Giancarlo Giannini, Fernando Rey, Tina Aumont, Paolo Bonicelli. Strong cast adds some punch to true story about Giannini’s murder of sister Deneuve’s loutish husband and the political storm it generates. Stylish but not terribly compelling. [R]▼ La Guerre Est Finie (1966-French-Swedish) 121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Alain Resnais. Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Genevieve Bujold, Jean Daste, Michel Piccoli. Aging, tired leftist Montand travels from Spain to Paris, reports to his political associates, and visits mistress Thulin. Complex, emotionally powerful drama, with striking direction, performances. Screenplay by Jorge Semprun.▼쩠 Lair of the White Worm, The (1988British) C-94m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ken Russell. Amanda Donohoe, Hugh Grant, Catherine Oxenberg, Peter Capaldi, Sammi Davis, Stratford Johns, Paul Brooke, Christopher Gable. Typically outrageous Ken Russell farce, ▼쩠 La Femme Nikita (1990-French-Italian) adapted from a novel by Bram Stoker (of ★★★ C-117m. Dracula fame). Strange doings begin when an D: Luc Besson. Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tche´ky Karyo, archaeologist unearths a huge wormlike skull Jeanne Moreau, Jean Reno, Jean Bouise. on the grounds of an estate; they get curiouser [ 766 ]

and curiouser when it turns out worms are the billed. Followed by 2007 TV sequel. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 stuff of legend in that area. Bizarre, campy, Lakeview Terrace (2008) C-106m. ★★1⁄2 and altogether outlandish. [R]▼●쩠 D: Neil LaBute. Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Lakeboat (2001) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Joe ManWilson, Kerry Washington, Ron Glass, Justegna. Peter Falk, Tony Mamet, Robert Fortin Chambers, Jay Hernandez, Robert Pine. ster, Charles Durning, Denis Leary, J.J. Mixed-race couple moves into a suburban Johnston, Jack Wallace, George Wendt, Saul cul-de-sac next door to an angry veteran Rubinek. A series of vignettes about the crew L.A. cop (and single father) who feels emof a cargo freighter that travels Lake Michigan. powered to impose his moral code on everyDavid Mamet adapted his play, with younger one around him. Provocative and well acted, brother Tony taking one of the leading roles as but film’s constantly shifting sympathies a student who signs on for the summer. Never make it difficult to know what the point is quite becomes a movie, but does offer wondersupposed to be. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 ful dialogue and superb performances. Forster La Lectrice (1988-French) C-98m. ★★★ D: is particularly good. Andy Garcia appears unMichel Deville. Miou-Miou, Christian Ruche´, billed. Feature directing debut for veteran Sylvie Laporte, Michel Raskine, Brigitte CatilMamet actor Mantegna. [R]▼쩠 lion, Re´gis Royer, Maria Casare´s, Pierre Dux. Lake House, The (2006) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Fascinating, multi-textured account of MiouAlejandro Agresti. Keanu Reeves, Sandra BulMiou reading a book aloud to her boyfriend lock, Dylan Walsh, Shohreh Aghdashloo, and imagining herself the heroine in the story: Christopher Plummer, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, a professional reader who becomes involved Willeke van Ammelrooy, Lynn Collins. Chiin the lives of her various clients. Scripted by cago architect Reeves moves into a striking Deville and his wife, Rosalinde. [R]▼● lakefront glass house and finds a letter from its La Marseillaise (1938-French) 130m. former occupant—doctor Bullock—waiting ★★★1 ⁄2 D: Jean Renoir. Pierre Renoir, Louis for him. They begin to correspond, leaving Jouvet, Julien Carette, Lisa Delamare. Retheir letters in the old-fashioned mailbox at the noir scripted this stirring account of the front of the property, and eventually discover French Revolution, featuring dialogue exthat they are living two years apart. Romantic tracted from documents of the 1790s. Begins drama stretches credulity (to put it mildly) but with news of the fall of the Bastille reaching still creates a moodiness that’s intriguing . . . Louis XVI, ends with the Marseilles Battalion enough to allow a willing viewer to go along of the French Revolutionary Army storming for the ride. Based on a Korean film, IL the Tuilleries and marching to Valmy. Renoir MARE (2000). Super 35. [PG]쩠 opted for a humanist approach to history, Lake of Fire (2007) 152m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Tony avoiding what he considered the false solemKaye. It’s shot in stark b&w, but this scrunity of most historical epics. ▼쩠 pulously balanced and profoundly troubling Lamb (1985-British) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: documentary depicts the ongoing debate over Colin Gregg. Liam Neeson, Hugh O’Conor, abortion in painfully ambiguous shades of Ian Bannen, Rouan Wilmot, Frances Togray. Filmed over a 17-year period, Kaye’s melty, Dudley Sutton. Neeson is good in emotionally and intellectually challenging this otherwise obvious drama spotlighting film forces viewers on both sides of the issue the complex relationship between an idealto rethink assumptions while exposing them istic Brother who teaches at a Roman Cathto archival footage, on-the-street interviews, olic school for problem boys and a deeply and sometimes dispassionate, sometimes fatroubled pupil (O’Conor) who is maltreated natical testimony from journalists, activists, by the authoritarian headmaster. Not rephilosophers, academics, ministers–-and, of leased in the U.S. until 1995.▼쩠 course, women who have chosen (and, in Lambada (1990) C-98m. BOMB D: Joel some cases, regretted their decisions) to Silberg. J. Eddie Peck, Melora Hardin, have abortions.쩠 Shabba-Doo, Ricky Paull Goldin, Basil Lake Placid (1999) C-82m. ★★ D: Steve Hoffman, Dennis Burkley. By day, Peck Miner. Bill Pullman, Bridget Fonda, Oliver teaches math to snots in a posh Beverly Platt, Brendan Gleeson, Betty White, David Hills high school; by night, he tries to Lewis, Mariska Hargitay, Meredith Salenger. ‘‘reach’’ barrio kids in an East L.A. The creature terrorizing a Maine lake (which lambada club. In other words, it’s STAND is not Lake Placid, N.Y.) turns out to be a AND DELIVER with better buns; avoid at very large crocodile. Between arguments, paall costs unless you never miss a Shabbaleontologist Fonda, game warden Pullman, Doo movie. Super 35. [PG-13]▼●쩠 sheriff Gleeson, and irritating, wealthy acaLamerica (1994-Italian-French) C-110m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Gianni Amelio. Enrico Lo Verso, demic Platt try to figure out what to do about it. David E. Kelley, writing down to the material, Michele Placido, Carmelo Di Mazzarelli, provides lots of wisecracks, but few scares. Piro Milkani, Elida Janushi. Deeply touchBrief but tiresome film tries—but fails—to be ing, laced-in-acid drama, set in the wake of a monster movie and environmentally correct Albania’s emancipation from communism at the same time. Adam Arkin appears unand detailing the manner in which fate links [ 767 ]

up a young, arrogant Italian capitalist (Lo Mackintosh, Tom Georgeson, Maureen Verso) and the just-liberated political prisO’Brien, Gerald Down. Disappointing soap oner (Di Mazzarelli) he is attempting to exopera based on the potentially fascinating story ploit. A politically savvy account of how of the Women’s Land Army, formed in 1941 to the downtrodden go from one kind of exput women to work on English farms whose ploitation to another as political systems men had gone off to war. The three attractive change. Amelio effectively captures the young women who come to live with farmer feeling of what it’s like to be a poor and Georgeson wind up dallying with his randy powerless refugee. Technovision.▼쩠 son (Mackintosh), and after a while it all La Moustache (2005-French) C-84m. ★★★ seems rather silly. Leland coscripted from a D: Emmanuel Carre`re. Vincent Lindon, novel by Angela Huth. Panavision. [R]▼● Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric, HipLandlord, The (1970) C-113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: polyte Girardot, Cylia Malki, Macha PoliHal Ashby. Beau Bridges, Pearl Bailey, Diana karpova, Fantine Camus. On a whim, a man Sands, Louis Gossett, Lee Grant, Susan Anshaves off his moustache and no one respach, Bob (Robert) Klein, Patricia (Trish) members that he ever had one—beginning Van Devere. Vibrant comedy-drama with with his wife. Disturbing, challenging alleBridges as aimless rich-kid who buys Brookgorical drama that ponders the nature of inlyn tenement planning to renovate it for himtimate human relationships and asks how self, changing plans when he meets tenants. well two people ever really know each Delightful comic touches combined with perother. Carre`re adapted his own novel with ceptive sidelights on black experience. AshJe´roˆme Beaujour. 쩠 by’s first film as director. [PG—originally Lancelot and Guinevere SEE: Sword of rated R]▼ Lancelot Land of Fury SEE: Seekers, The Land and Freedom (1995-U.S.-SpanishLand of Plenty (2004-U.S.-German) C119m. ★★1⁄2 D: Wim Wenders. John Diehl, German) C-109m. ★★★ D: Kenneth Loach. Ian Hart, Rosana Pastor, Iciar Bollain, Tom Michelle Williams, Richard Edson, WenGilroy, Marc Martines, Frederic Pierrot, Andell Pierce, Gloria Stuart, Burt Young, gela Clarke. Perceptive, passionate account of Shaun Toub, Bernard White. Psychologithe Spanish Civil War, centered on a young, cally disconnected Vietnam veteran (Diehl) working-class British Communist (Hart) who cruises around L.A., looking for suspected comes to Spain to join the anti-fascists in their terrorists. He and his niece (Williams), battle against Franco. Rich human drama of newly arrived in town and working in a political idealism and reality, if a bit too morhomeless shelter, investigate the drive-by alistic at times. Highlight: that pseudo-docushooting of a destitute Middle Easterner. mentary ad hoc town meeting. ▼● This mournful meditation on paranoia, Land Before Time, The (1988) C-69m. homelessness, and violence in America is at ★★1 best a plea for peace and understanding in ⁄2 D: Don Bluth. Voices of Pat Hingle, Gabriel Damon, Helen Shaver, Candace our post-9/11 world, but it meanders and is Hutson, Judith Barsi, Will Ryan, Burke way overlong. Digital Video Widescreen.쩠 Barnes. A young dinosaur is orphaned and Land of the Dead (2005-U.S.-CanadianFrench) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: George A. Romero. must make his way to a valley green with vegetation where he and his tribe can surSimon Baker, John Leguizamo, Dennis Hopvive. Along the way he meets other young per, Asia Argento, Robert Joy, Eugene Clark, friends of different dinosaur species, and Joanne Boland, Tony Nappo. Survivors of a they make the trek together. Enjoyable if disaster that turned the dead into flesh-eating leisurely paced (and plotted) cartoon feature zombies hole up in a city on a river with for younger viewers. Followed by far too barricades to keep the zombies out. Inside, many video sequels. [G]▼●쩠 tensions increase while outside the dead are Land Before Time II: The Great Valley getting smarter. Romero’s fourth walking dead movie is well produced and suspenseful, Adventure, The (1994) C-74m. ★★★ D: Roy Allen Smith. Voices of Jeff Bennett, with a dose of social satire and a standout Heather Hogan, Kenneth Mars, John Ingle, performance by Leguizamo . . . but we’ve Linda Gary, Candace Hutson, Scott McAfee. seen it all before, and it never really catches Charming direct-to-video sequel to earlier fire. Title on-screen is GEORGE A. ROMEanimated feature has young brontosaurus RO’S LAND OF THE DEAD. Also availLittlefoot and his dino pals contending with able in unrated version. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 omnivores and a baby T-Rex who wants to Land of the Minotaur (1976-U.S.-British) join their group! Kids will identify with the C-88m. ★1⁄2 D: Costa Carayiannis. Donyoung reptiles in this delightful adventure. ald Pleasence, Luan Peters, Peter Cushing, Songs by The Roches; original theme music Nikos Verlekis, Costas Skouras. Tourists are by James Horner. Followed by several more kidnapped by Greek Minoan devil-worship cult, and a local priest tries to save them, in video sequels. [G]▼●쩠 Land Girls, The (1998-British-French) Cthis draggy, uninteresting yarn. Aka MINO110m. ★★ D: David Leland. Catherine McTAUR. Released in England at 94m. as THE DEVIL’S MEN. [PG]▼쩠 Cormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel, Steven [ 768 ]

Land of the Pharaohs (1955) C-106m. pearance of a woman whose own marriage is ★★1 in jeopardy. Beautifully nuanced at every turn. ⁄2 D: Howard Hawks. Jack Hawkins, Joan Collins, James Robertson Justice, Dewey Screenplay by Andrew Bovell from his play Speaking in Tongues. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 Martin, Alexis Minotis, Sydney Chaplin, James Hayter. Entertaining, if fruity spectacle La Nuit de Varennes (1982-Italian-French) C-133m. ★★★ D: Ettore Scola. Marcello about building of the Great Pyramid, filmed on an epic scale. Hawks claimed neither he Mastroianni, Jean-Louis Barrault, Hanna nor his writers (including William Faulkner Schygulla, Harvey Keitel, Jean-Claude and Harry Kurnitz) ‘‘knew how a pharaoh Brialy. Witty historical fable allows such talked’’ . . . and it shows. Still worth catching famous figures as Casanova and Thomas for great revenge ending and now-campy vilPaine to cross paths at the time of the lainy by Collins. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 French Revolution. Original French runLand Raiders (1970) C-100m. ★★ D: Naning time 150m. Technovision. [R]▼ than Juran. Telly Savalas, George Maharis, La Passante (1982-French-German) CArlene Dahl, Janet Landgard, Jocelyn Lane, 106m. ★★★ D: Jacques Rouffio. Romy SchGeorge Coulouris, Guy Rolfe. Even if you neider, Michel Piccoli, Wendelin Werner, can accept Savalas and Maharis as brothHelmut Griem, Gerard Klein, Dominique ers, this Western about family feuds Labourier, Mathieu Carriere, Maria Schell. amidst Indian attacks has little to offer.▼쩠 Why does nonviolence advocate Piccoli kill Landru SEE: Bluebeard (1962) a Paraguayan ambassador, an ex-Nazi living Land That Time Forgot, The (1975-Britunder an assumed name? Interesting drama ish) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Kevin Connor. Doug is ambitious in scope, but could have been McClure, John McEnery, Susan Penhalibetter. Schneider, in her final film, plays gon, Keith Barron, Anthony Ainley. Edboth Piccoli’s wife and the woman who gar Rice Burroughs’ 1918 sci-fi novel sheltered him as a boy. ▼● about Germans and Americans in WW1 subLa Pelle (1981-Italian-French) C-131m. ★1 marine discovering unknown land in South ⁄2 D: Liliana Cavani. Marcello MastroAmerica is not bad as adventure yarn, but ianni, Burt Lancaster, Claudia Cardinale, special effects (dinosaurs, volcanic eruption) Ken Marshall, Alexandra King, Carlo are not convincing. Sequel: THE PEOPLE Giuffre. Distastefully bitter panorama of THAT TIME FORGOT. [PG]▼쩠 American troops in Naples after the LiberLangrishe, Go Down (1978-British) Cation, based on the memoirs of Curzio 112m. ★★★ D: David Jones. Judi Dench, JerMalaparte (played here by Mastroianni). emy Irons, Annette Crosbie, Harold Pinter, Overlong; poorly directed and scripted (by Margaret Whiting, Susan Williamson. Dench Cavani and Robert Katz). A disaster. is superb in this understated drama, set in La Permission SEE: Story of a Three Day the 1930s, as one of the daughters of a faded Pass, The aristocratic Irish family; she experiences an La Petite Lili (2003-French-Canadian) Carray of emotions while immersing herself in 104m. ★★★ D: Claude Miller. Nicole Garcia, an affair with a calculating Bavarian intellecBernard Giraudeau, Jean-Pierre Marielle, tual (Irons). Starts off slowly and becomes Ludivine Sagnier, Robinson Ste´venin, Julie more involving as it goes along. Scripted by Depardieu, Yves Jacques, Michel Piccoli. A Pinter, from a novel by Aidan Higgins. Origifamily’s country retreat becomes charged nally made for British television, this opened with emotion when the hotheaded son—an theatrically in the U.S. in 2002. 쩠 aspiring filmmaker/artiste—discovers that his La Notte (1961-French-Italian) 120m. ★★1⁄2 girlfriend is intrigued with his mother’s boyD: Michelangelo Antonioni. Jeanne Mofriend, a successful director of mainstream reau, Marcello Mastroianni, Monica Vitti, movies. Ingenious film inspired by Chekhov’s Bernhard Wicki. Moreau is bored and trouThe Seagull, exploring the line between art bled by one-dimensional husband Mastroand life, and how the two affect each other. ianni in this study of noncommunication. Screenplay by Miller and Julien Boivent. 쩠 Moody, introverted, abstract—and superfiLa Prisonniere (1969-French) 104m. ★★ cial—filled with ‘‘empty, hopeless images.’’ D: Henri-Georges Clouzot. Laurent Terzieff, The second of a trilogy, preceded by L’AVBernard Fresson, Elsabeth Wiener, Dany VENTURA and followed by L’ECLISSE. Carrel, Dario Moreno, Daniel Riviere. Aka THE NIGHT.▼쩠 From the director of DIABOLIQUE comes Lantana (2001-Australian-German) Cthis obscure, confused study of woman 121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Ray Lawrence. Anthony Laobsessed with a photographer of sadoPaglia, Geoffrey Rush, Barbara Hershey, masochism. Strikingly photographed. Kerry Armstrong, Rachael Blake, Vince ColLa Promesse (1996-Belgian-French-Luxosimo, Daniela Farinacci, Peter Phelps. Movembourgian-Tunisian) C-93m. ★★★1⁄2 D: ing, adult story of relationships thwarted by Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne. Je´re´mie boredom, habit, and lack of communication. Renier, Olivier Gourmet, Assita Ouedraogo, LaPaglia plays a cop whose marriage has Rasmane´ Ouedraogo. Harrowing tale of a boy stagnated, leading him to sleep with another being raised by a father who mercilessly exwoman; meanwhile, he investigates the disapploits illegal immigrants—as their supposed [ 769 ]

★★★1 savior, landlord, and employer. Trouble be⁄2 D: Robert Bresson. Christian Patey, gins when the boy, who’s always obeyed Sylvie van den Elsen, Michel Briguet, his father unquestioningly, develops a Caroline Lang, Jeanne Aptekman. How the friendship with one of the illegals. Moving petty maneuverings of some upper-class boys in its understated, matter-of-fact look at a and shopkeepers result in the ruin of workingyoung man at a moral crossroads in his life. man Patey: the rich lie, and get their workers Remarkably raw . . . and real. Written by to lie for them, but are aghast when the the directors.▼쩠 workers lie to them. Subtle, powerful film, La Provinciale SEE: Girl From Lorraine, simply and effectively directed by a master The filmmaker; based on a Tolstoy story. ▼쩠 Laputa: Castle in the Sky (1986-Japanese) Larger Than Life (1996) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: C-124m. ★★★★ D: Hayao Miyazaki. Voices of Howard Franklin. Bill Murray, Janeane James Van Der Beek, Anna Paquin, Cloris Garofalo, Matthew McConaughey, Linda Leachman, Mark Hamill, Mandy Patinkin, Fiorentino, Keith David, Pat Hingle, Jeremy Andy Dick. Magnificent animated adventure Piven, Maureen Mueller, Harve Presnell, fantasy about an orphan girl who is pursued Lois Smith, Tai. Disappointing comedic by sky pirates and an evil government agent misfire of motivational speaker Murray trywho want to get their hands on the magical ing to get an elephant cross-country in a crystal that allows her to float—and also holds hurry. One hysterical sequence of Murray’s the secret to finding a mythical treasure-laden mishandling of a truck is the only real island above the clouds. Stunning visuals, laugh. Promising possibilities fall flat, with thrilling set pieces and compelling characters McConaughey way over the top and Fiorenmake this a masterpiece of action filmmaking, tino completely wasted. [PG] ▼●쩠 animated or otherwise, inspiring a true sense La Ronde (1950-French) 97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: of awe. Aka CASTLE IN THE SKY. ▼쩠 Max Ophuls. Anton Walbrook, Serge ReggiLara Croft Tomb Raider (2001) C-100m. ani, Simone Simon, Simone Signoret, Daniel ★1 ⁄2 D: Simon West. Angelina Jolie, Jon Gelin, Danielle Darrieux, Fernand Gravet, Voight, Noah Taylor, Iain Glen, Daniel Odette Joyeux, Jean-Louis Barrault, Isa MiCraig, Christopher Barrie, Richard Johnson, randa, Ge´rard Philipe. Wise, witty account of Leslie Phillips. Jolie plays the sexy British various people having affairs, forming a chain archeologist-adventurer who follows her late that eventually comes full circle, all held tofather’s instructions to find—and destroy— gether by sarcastic Walbrook. A film of style both pieces of an ancient relic that can control and charm, based on an Arthur Schnitzler time. Perhaps the dullest action-adventure play. Screenplay by Jacques Natanson and difilm ever made, with flat writing and perforrector Ophuls. Remade as CIRCLE OF mances (save for Jolie) and lifeless direction, LOVE and CHAIN OF DESIRE.▼●쩠 sparked now and then by some flashy setLarry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector pieces. Voight, Jolie’s real-life father, plays (2006) C-89m. ★1⁄2 D: Trent Cooper. Larry Croft’s dad. Based on a popular computer the Cable Guy (Dan Whitney), Iris Bahr, game. To quote a character in the film itself, Bruce Bruce, Joanna Cassidy, Brooke Dill‘‘Enough of this twaddle!’’ Followed by a man, Tony Hale, David Koechner, Lisa Lamsequel. Super 35. [PG-13] ▼쩠 panelli, Megyn Price, Tom Wilson, Joe Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Pantoliano, Kid Rock, Jerry Mathers. Whitney Life (2003) C-117m. ★1⁄2 D: Jan De Bont. brings his blue-collar ‘‘Larry’’ character—a Angelina Jolie, Gerard Butler, Noah Taylor, beer-bellied, foulmouthed, endlessly flatulent Ciara´n Hinds, Djimon Hounsou, Til Schweidimwit—to the screen in this low-rent, lowger, Christopher Barrie, Simon Yam. Pouting laugh-quotient comedy about a bungling and plundering in a variety of revealing outfits, health inspector who investigates a series Jolie returns as the video-game adventuress of restaurant food poisonings. ‘‘Larry’’ fans who teams up with her shady ex in a race to and aficionados of redneck humor may rate find Pandora’s Box before it falls into the this higher. [PG-13]쩠 hands of an evil scientist who wants to harLars and the Real Girl (2007) C-106m. ness its power to create biological weapons. ★★★ D: Craig Gillespie. Ryan Gosling, Astonishingly inept and interminable sequel Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Kelli gives new meaning to the word ‘‘boring.’’ Garner, Paul Schneider. Sweet film about Game over. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 socially traumatized Gosling, who purLarceny, Inc. (1942) 95m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Lloyd chases a life-sized doll and treats her as if Bacon. Edward G. Robinson, Jane Wyman, she’s real—to the dismay of his older Broderick Crawford, Jack Carson, Anthony brother and sister-in-law (who feel protecQuinn, Edward Brophy. Hilarious little tive of him) and the neighbors in their tightcomedy of ex-cons Robinson, Crawford, knit community. Fortunately, a sympathetic and Brophy using luggage store as front doctor (Clarkson) steers them in the right for shady activities; villain Quinn tries to direction. This could have been written as horn in. Look for Jackie Gleason in a farce, but instead it’s a story about caring small role as a soda jerk.쩠 L’Argent (1983-French-Swiss) C-81m. and compassion in the face of genuinely [ 770 ]

odd behavior . . . and it’s disarmingly effecwith the Duke, even after he brings the dog tive. Written by Nancy Oliver. [PG-13]쩠 to his Glasgow estate, and makes the long Larsen, Wolf of the Seven Seas SEE: journey home, meeting a variety of colorful Wolf Larsen characters along the way. Pleasing, straightLa Salamandre (1971-Swiss) 125m. ★★★ forward retelling of Eric Knight’s story, D: Alain Tanner. Bulle Ogier, Jean-Luc filmed before as LASSIE COME HOME Bideau, Jacques Denis. Simple, funny ex(1943). Super 35. [PG]쩠 amination of truth: journalist Bideau and Lassie Come Home (1943) C-88m. ★★★1⁄2 writer Denis research facts behind the case D: Fred M. Wilcox. Roddy McDowall, of mysterious Ogier, accused by her uncle Donald Crisp, Dame May Whitty, Edmund of attempted murder. Fine performances Gwenn, Nigel Bruce, Elsa Lanchester, Elizby the three leads.▼ abeth Taylor. Winning, wonderful film from La Separation (1994-French) C-85m. ★★★ Eric Knight’s book about a poor family D: Christian Vincent. Isabelle Huppert, forced to sell their beloved dog, who underDaniel Auteuil, Jerome Deschamps, Karin takes several tortuous journeys to return to Viard, Laurence Lerel. Knowingly detailed, them. A tearjerker of the first order, and one beautifully acted chronicle of the simmering of the all-time great family films. Lassie is tensions between a married couple (Huppert played—quite remarkably—by a male coland Auteuil) as their relationship disintelie named Pal. Sequel: SON OF LASSIE. grates. In its best moments, this sobering Remade as GYPSY COLT, THE MAGIC film compares favorably with Bergman’s OF LASSIE, and LASSIE (2005).▼●쩠 SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE. Released Lassiter (1984) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Roger in the U.S. in 1998.▼쩠 Young. Tom Selleck, Jane Seymour, Laserblast (1978) C-90m. ★★1⁄2 D: MiLauren Hutton, Bob Hoskins, Joe Regalchael Raye. Kim Milford, Cheryl Smith, buto, Ed Lauter, Warren Clarke. A secondRoddy McDowall, Ron Masak, Keenan story man is shanghaied into doing espioWynn, Dennis Burkley. Low-budget sci-fi nage work in London on the eve of WW2. with teen Milford finding alien ray gun which Stylish and nicely acted, but too plodding enables him to become a creature who can to overcome its basic problem of ordinaridestroy his enemies. David Allen’s stop-moness. Selleck’s second star vehicle is at tion effects are a highlight. [PG]▼●쩠 least an improvement over his first (HIGH Laser Mission (1989-German-South AfricanROAD TO CHINA). [R]▼● U.S.) C-83m. ★★ D: Beau Davis. Brandon Last Action Hero (1993) C-130m. ★★ D: Lee, Debi Monahan, Ernest Borgnine, WerJohn McTiernan. Arnold Schwarzenegger, ner Pochath, Graham Clarke, Maureen F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Lahoud, Pierre Knoessen. Freelance seDance, Frank McRae, Tom Noonan, Robert cret agent Lee and tough Monahan travel Prosky, Anthony Quinn, Mercedes Ruehl, across a South African desert to rescue laser Austin O’Brien, Ian McKellen, Toru Tanaka, expert Borgnine, kidnapped by the Soviets. Joan Plowright, Tina Turner, Rick DucomLee is appealing, but this low-rent 007-type mun, Michael V. Gazzo. Noisy, smug, selfadventure has nothing new to offer.▼●쩠 conscious blockbuster-wannabe about a boy ★★★ Lassie (1994) C-92m. D: Daniel Petrie. whose ‘‘magic ticket’’ transports him into an Helen Slater, Thomas Guiry, Jon Tenney, action movie alongside his No. 1 hero, Jack Brittany Boyd, Frederic Forrest, Richard Slater (Schwarzenegger). Genuinely bad writFarnsworth, Michelle Williams, Charlie ing and an overall air of unpleasantness torHofheimer. A city family with some probpedo this film; good action scenes and lems decides to start over again at the old occasional clever ideas can’t save it. (And family farm; along the way, a remarkably how exactly did an Ingmar Bergman picture smart dog ‘‘adopts’’ them. Young Guiry is work its way into the story?) A raft of cameo a standout as the troubled boy who (quite appearances add to the in-joke tone of the credibly) changes under the influences of picture. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 Lassie and his new country environment. Last Adventure, The (1967-French) CPainted in broad strokes, for its intended ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Enrico. Alain Delon, 102m. youthful audience. [PG]▼●쩠 Lino Ventura, Joanna Shimkus, Hans Meyer. Lassie (2005-British-Irish-French-U.S.) C★★★ Two adventurers and a beautiful woman D: Charles Sturridge. Peter 100m. go on a very engaging treasure hunt. TechO’Toole, Samantha Morton, John Lynch, niscope.▼ Peter Dinklage, Steve Pemberton, Jemma Last American Hero, The (1973) C-100m. Redgrave, Jonathan Mason, Edward Fox, ★★★ D: Lamont Johnson. Jeff Bridges, John Standing, Gregor Fisher, Robert Hardy, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Art Kelly Macdonald, Nicholas Lyndhurst. The Lund, Gary Busey, Ed Lauter, Ned Beatty. setting is Yorkshire, 1938: young Joe (Mason) Unusual, engrossing saga of Junior Jackson, is heartbroken when his impoverished parNorth Carolinan moonshiner and racing faents are forced to sell his beloved collie to natic, pitting his ability against the System. the Duke of Rudling (O’Toole, in fine fettle). But Lassie has no intention of staying Three-dimensional, believable characters en[ 771 ]

hance cynical point of view. Retitled HARD Brolin, Eileen Atkins, Richard Schiff, Liane DRIVER. Panavision. [PG] ▼쩠 Balaban. A poor shlub (Hoffman) whose caLast Angry Man, The (1959) 100m. ★★★ reer is on the skids flies to London for his D: Daniel Mann. Paul Muni, David Wayne, daughter’s wedding but feels alienated from Betsy Palmer, Luther Adler, Joby Baker, the festivities, presided over by his ex-wife Joanna Moore, Godfrey Cambridge, Billy and her new husband. Then he chances to meet Dee Williams. Sentimental story of an old, a middle-aged working woman (Thompson) dedicated family doctor in Brooklyn whose and strikes up a conversation. A poignant life is going to be portrayed on TV. Muni portrait of two mature people who form a (in his last film) makes it worth seeing. kinship; this shows off the two stars at their Adapted by Gerald Green from his novel. very best. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Look fast for a young Cicely Tyson. ReLast Chase, The (1981-Canadian) Cmade as 1974 TVM with Pat Hingle.▼ 101m. ★1⁄2 D: Martyn Burke. Lee Majors, Last Boy Scout, The (1991) C-105m. ★★ Burgess Meredith, Chris Makepeace, AlexD: Tony Scott. Bruce Willis, Damon andra Stewart, Ben Gordon. Oil shortage Wayans, Chelsea Field, Noble Willingham, causes the demise of auto travel during the Taylor Negron, Danielle Harris, Halle 1980s; 20 years later, ex-race-car driver Berry, Bruce McGill. Hardcore action film Majors reassembles his Porsche and bewith Willis as a fired Secret Service agent comes a ‘‘symbol of freedom’’ as he races now supporting himself through sticky gumacross the country. Flimsy drama that reeks shoe hire-outs; Wayans is his buddy in bondof Reaganomics. [PG]▼ ing (and an ex-pro-football quarterback) who Last Command, The (1928) 88m. ★★★★ helps him investigate gridiron corruption. D: Josef von Sternberg. Emil Jannings, More of the same from LETHAL WEAPON Evelyn Brent, William Powell, Nicholas screenwriter Shane Black. Violent, even by Soussanin, Michael Visaroff, Jack Raythis genre’s standards, but zippy enough to mond, Fritz Feld. Stunning silent drama of make it an OK view. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 refugee Russian general Jannings, who is Last Butterfly, The (1991-Czech-British) now reduced to working as a Hollywood extra—and destined to appear in a movie C-110m. ★★★ D: Karel Kachyna. Tom Courtenay, Brigitte Fossey, Ingrid Held, depicting the Russian revolution. A fasciFreddie Jones, Milan Knazko, Josef Kemer, nating story laced with keen perceptions of Linda Jablonska. Acidly ironic drama of life and work in Hollywood. Lajos Biros’ famous French mime Courtenay, who is story was based on an actual person; ‘‘hired’’ by the Nazis to give one perforJannings’ gripping performance won him mance for the children of Terezin, the an Oscar (shared for his work in THE WAY OF ALL FLESH).▼ infamous ‘‘city of the Jews,’’ during WW2. It’s meant for propaganda purposes, to show Last Command, The (1955) C-110m. ★★1 the world that Jews in concentration camps ⁄2 D: Frank Lloyd. Sterling Hayden, were living the Life of Riley. Occasionally Anna Maria Alberghetti, Richard Carlson, heavy going because of subject matter, but Arthur Hunnicutt, Ernest Borgnine, J. Carrol Naish, Ben Cooper, John Russell, Virginia always moving. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Last Castle, The (2001) C-131m. ★★ D: Grey, Jim Davis, Eduard Franz, Otto Kruger, Rod Lurie. Robert Redford, James GandolSlim Pickens. Elaborate, sweeping account of fini, Mark Ruffalo, Steve Burton, Delroy the battle of the Alamo, hampered by tedious Lindo, Paul Calderon, Clifton Collins, Jr., script. Story centers on wandering adventurer Samuel Ball, Frank Military. After a controJim Bowie (Hayden), who is galvanized by versial court-martial, a highly respected Mexican threats against Texas. All the historigeneral is sent to a military prison, where he cal Alamo set pieces are here, with Hunnicutt squares off against the warden and ultia refreshingly rustic Davy Crockett. Music by mately leads a revolt. Redford plays the Max Steiner; ‘‘Jim Bowie’’ sung by Gordon kind of quiet rebel he virtually invented in MacRae.▼ the 1970s, but the script is swimming in Last Dance (1996) C-103m. ★★1⁄2 D: Bruce movie cliche´s, and Gandolfini is too obviBeresford. Sharon Stone, Rob Morrow, ous a target. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Randy Quaid, Peter Gallagher, Jack ThompLast Challenge, The (1967) C-96m. ★★ son, Jayne Brook, Pamala Tyson, Skeet UlD: Richard Thorpe. Glenn Ford, Angie rich. Younger brother of governor’s chief of Dickinson, Chad Everett, Gary Merrill, staff arrives in state capitol and gets a makeJack Elam, Delphi Lawrence, Royal Dano. work job in the Clemency Office. He throws Punk Everett is out to get Marshal Ford in himself into his first case, launching a crusade well-cast but routine Western; Angie plays to save a woman convicted of double murder saloon-keeper, which makes one wonder from being executed. Stone gives a creditable why the two men don’t just settle their performance in this severely deglamorized problems over a drink. Panavision. role, though it’s hard to empathize with a murLast Chance Harvey (2008-U.S.-British) derer heroine. (By film’s end, you can’t help C-90m. ★★★ D: Joel Hopkins. Dustin Hoffbut feel something.) Morrow is good, too, but man, Emma Thompson, Kathy Baker, James his character’s motivations are muddy. Suffers [ 772 ]

from comparison to the previous year’s supeout from under the creep’s thumb—as a rior DEAD MAN WALKING. Charles S. screenwriter. Unsympathetic characters in a Dutton appears unbilled. [R]▼●쩠 harsh and violent world, spouting quirky diLast Days, The (1999) C-90m. ★★★1⁄2 D: alogue amidst the L.A. porn scene; yet anJames Moll. Exceptional documentary other PULP FICTION wannabe. Debuted on U.S. cable TV. [R]▼쩠 about five survivors of the Holocaust who suffered through Hitler’s ‘‘final solution’’ Last Days of Man on Earth, The (1973in the last year of the war in Hungary. BrilBritish) C-78m. ★1⁄2 D: Robert Fuest. Jon liantly compiled from archive footage, vivid Finch, Jenny Runacre, Sterling Hayden, interviews and contemporary visits to GerPatrick Magee, Hugh Griffith, Harry Anmany and Hungary, with five well-chosen drews. Muddled sci-fi comedy set in subjects whose stories gradually meld into Lapland, London and Turkey as world a mosaic. Produced by Steven Spielberg’s nears its end. A few scattered laughs. Shoah Foundation. Oscar winner as Best Longer, original British version (called Documentary. [PG-13]▼쩠 THE FINAL PROGRAMME, running 89m.) Last Days (2005) C-97m. ★★ D: Gus Van has more substance. Based on one of Michael Sant. Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas, Asia ArMoorcock’s ‘‘Jerry Cornelius’’ stories; film gento, Scott Green, Nicole Vicius, Ricky has gained cult reputation. [R]▼●쩠 Jay, Ryan Orion, Harmony Korine, Kim Last Days of Pompeii, The (1935) 96m. ★★★ Gordon. Ambitious but ineffective miniD: Ernest B. Schoedsack. Preston malist drama chronicling the final hours in Foster, Basil Rathbone, Dorothy Wilson, the life of a Kurt Cobain–like rock star David Holt, Alan Hale, John Wood, Louis (Pitt). Van Sant attempts to get inside the Calhern. Former blacksmith Foster aspires to character’s head and explore his mental and wealth and power as gladiator; climactic specemotional state; despite some striking imtacle scenes are expertly done, by the same ages, the result is meandering . . . and the special effects team responsible for KING religious references are preposterous. [R] 쩠 KONG. Also shown in computer-colored Last Days of Chez Nous, The (1993version.▼●쩠 Australian) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Gillian ArmLast Days of Pompeii, The (1960-Italian) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mario Bonnard. Steve strong. Lisa Harrow, Bruno Ganz, Kerry Fox, Miranda Otto, Kiri Paramore, Bill Reeves, Christine Kaufmann, Barbara CarHunter. Aspiring novelist with a teenage roll, Anne Marie Baumann, Mimmo Paldaughter endures marital discord when her mara. New version of venerable tale foaimless younger sister moves in. Director cuses on muscleman Reeves and synthetic Armstrong returns to her roots for this interestaccount of Christian martyrs. Very little spectacle. SuperTotalscope.▼쩠 ing, if not entirely successful, film about relationships—between spouses, siblings, children Last Detail, The (1973) C-105m. ★★★1⁄2 and parents. (Biggest problem: an enigmatic D: Hal Ashby. Jack Nicholson, Otis Young, and unappealing lead character.) A movie for Randy Quaid, Clifton James, Carol Kane, real grown-ups, though it lacks the emotional Michael Moriarty, Nancy Allen. Superior power of MY BRILLIANT CAREER. Offers comedy-drama about two career sailors a view of Sydney (the bleaker part) that other ordered to transport a kleptomaniac prismovies usually don’t show. [R]▼ oner to the brig. Robert Towne’s brilliant Last Days of Disco, The (1998) C-113m. off-color dialogue contributes to a quintes★★★ D: Whit Stillman. Chloe¨ Sevigny, Kate sential Nicholson performance. Based on a Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman, Mackenzie Darryl Ponicsan novel. Look quickly for Astin, Matt Keeslar, Robert Sean Leonard, Gilda Radner. [R]▼●쩠 Jennifer Beals, Burr Steers, David Thornton, Last Dragon, The (1985) C-109m. ★★ D: Jaid Barrymore, Carolyn Farina. Two friends, Michael Schultz. Taimak, Vanity, Chris naive but smart Sevigny and critical BeckinMurney, Julius J. Carry 3rd, Faith Prince, sale, hang out at a trendy disco in the early Ernie Reyes, Jr., Keshia Knight (Pulliam), 1980s, trying—like everyone they know—to William H. Macy. Juvenile film about wouldmake the transition from group activity to be martial arts master who gets involved with pairing off. Sardonic but sympathetic to its glamorous video deejay (Vanity) and some characters, the movie is amusing and well overwrought gangsters. Campy and heavyacted but not particularly insightful. Said to be handed; strictly kid stuff, except for one gag: the last in Stillman’s romantic-yuppies trilogy the name of the Chinatown warehouse. Rewith METROPOLITAN and BARCELONA; leased theatrically as BERRY GORDY’S some of the characters from those films turn THE LAST DRAGON. Look fast for Chazz Palminteri as a thug. [PG-13] ▼쩠 up here. [R]▼●쩠 Last Days of Frankie the Fly, The (1997) Last Embrace (1979) C-102m. ★★★ D: C-95m. BOMB D: Peter Markle. Dennis Jonathan Demme. Roy Scheider, Janet Hopper, Daryl Hannah, Kiefer Sutherland, Margolin, John Glover, Sam Levene, ChrisMichael Madsen, Dayton Callie. Hopper is topher Walken, Charles Napier. CIA agent a lowly runner for a neighborhood thug Scheider sees wife ambushed, spends rest of (Madsen, surprise!) who’s looking to get the picture believing he’s next. One of the [ 773 ]

better Hitchcock-influenced suspense thrillers by Ernest K. (THE HIGH AND THE MIGHTY) Gann. [G] ▼쩠 offers good performances and a punchy Last Frontier, The (1956) C-98m. ★★1⁄2 climax at Niagara Falls. Fine Miklos Rozsa D: Anthony Mann. Victor Mature, Guy score; watch for Mandy Patinkin. [R]▼● Madison, Robert Preston, James Whitmore, Last Emperor, The (1987-Italian-BritishAnne Bancroft. Three wilderness scouts Chinese) C-165m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bernardo Bersee their lives change with the coming of tolucci. John Lone, Joan Chen, Peter cavalry outpost and military martinet (PresO‘Toole, Ying Ruocheng, Victor Wong, Denton). Offbeat characterizations in this cavnis Dun, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Maggie Han, Ric alry drama. Aka SAVAGE WILDERYoung. Remarkable film inspired by true NESS. CinemaScope.▼쩠 story of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China, who Last Gangster, The (1937) 81m. ★★★ D: is crowned at age three and lives a cloistered Edward Ludwig. Edward G. Robinson, life in the Forbidden City until he is deposed James Stewart, Rosa Stradner, Lionel (as a young man) during the revolution and Stander, Douglas Scott, John Carradine, forced to fend for himself in the outside world Sidney Blackmer, Louise Beavers, Edfor the first time. A magnificent journey to ward Brophy, Grant Mitchell. Robinson’s another time and place, hampered by unandynamic performance, and slick MGM proswered questions in the narrative and a main duction, elevate this tale of an underworld character who remains somewhat cold. Nothchief who’s sent away for ten years, obing can top the spectacle of life in the Forbidsessed by the thought of the son he’s never den City (where scenes were actually met. Entertaining story by William Wellman filmed)—or the twists of fate that fill Pu Yi’s and Robert Carson was originally to have life. Photographed by Vittorio Storaro; music been called Another Public Enemy. by Ryuichi Sakamoto, David Byrne, and Last Good Time, The (1994) C-91m. ★★★ Cong Su. Winner of nine Academy Awards D: Bob Balaban. Armin Mueller-Stahl, including Best Picture, Director, Adapted Maureen Stapleton, Lionel Stander, Olivia Screenplay (Mark Peploe, Bertolucci), Cined’Abo, Adrian Pasdar, Zohra Lampert, matography, Art Direction, Editing, Costume Kevin Corrigan. Well-observed little chamDesign, and Original Score. Hong Kong–ber drama about an elderly widower who produced version, based on Pu Yi’s autobiogtakes in a young woman hiding from her raphy, predates this. Alternate version runs lowlife boyfriend. Well acted all around, 218m. Technovision. [PG-13] ▼●쩠 and nicely detailed, with a fine score by Last Escape, The (1970) C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Jonathan Tunick. [R]▼● Walter Grauman. Stuart Whitman, John Last Hard Men, The (1976) C-103m. ★1⁄2 Collin, Pinkas Braun, Martin Jarvis, Gunther D: Andrew V. McLaglen. Charlton Heston, Neutze, Margit Saad. O.S.S. Captain WhitJames Coburn, Barbara Hershey, Michael man is ordered to sneak rocket expert out Parks, Jorge Rivero, Larry Wilcox, Thalmus of Germany near the end of WW2 with Rasulala, Morgan Paull, Robert Donner, predictable results. [G] Christopher Mitchum. Outlaw Coburn leads Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989-W. German) a gang of men on a jailbreak, then sets into C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Uli Edel. Stephen Lang, motion plan of vengeance on sheriff Heston: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Burt Young, Peter kidnapping daughter Hershey and threatenDobson, Jerry Orbach, Stephen Baldwin, ing to gang-rape her. Repellently violent Sam Rockwell, Ricki Lake, John Costelloe, and tasteless Western, loosely based on a Alexis Arquette. Gritty, brutal but stylish Brian Garfield novel, saved only by Parks’ adaptation of Hubert Selby, Jr.’s notorious interesting performance as reform-minded slice-of-life novel set on the mean streets sheriff. Panavision. [R] of 1952 Brooklyn, where violence—verbal, Last Holiday (1950-British) 89m. ★★★ D: physical, sexual, and otherwise—rules. Henry Cass. Alec Guinness, Beatrice CampCrammed with local color, but all the charbell, Kay Walsh, Bernard Lee, Wilfrid acters are thoroughly repellent and the film Hyde-White, Sidney James, Ernest Thesiger. is difficult to like and to take. Selby himself Ordinary man is told he is dying and appears as a cab driver. [R]▼● decides to live it up at a swank resort. A Last Flight of Noah’s Ark, The (1980) droll, biting script by J. B. Priestley (who C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Charles Jarrott. Elliott also coproduced), with sterling performances Gould, Genevieve Bujold, Ricky Schroder, by all. Remade in 2006.▼ Tammy Lauren, John Fujioka, Yuki ShiLast Holiday (2006) C-112m. ★★1⁄2 D: moda, Vincent Gardenia. Typical Disney Wayne Wang. Queen Latifah, LL Cool J, sentimentality, somewhat effective. Pilot Timothy Hutton, Giancarlo Esposito, Alicia Gould, missionary Bujold, stowaway chilWitt, Ge´rard Depardieu, Jane Adams, Mike dren, and a planeload of animals are forced Estime, Susan Kellermann, Ranjit Chowdhry, down in the Pacific, where they unite with Michael Nouri, Emeril Lagasse, Smokey two Japanese soldiers, who didn’t know Robinson. Affable reworking of the 1950 WW2 was over, to convert the plane into an Alec Guinness film (written by J. B. Priestark. Filmed largely on Waikiki Beach. Story ley), with Latifah in good form as a shy [ 774 ]

department store salesclerk who decides to loosely based on life of Boston’s mayor go for broke when she learns she is termiJames Curley who in this story is mounting nally ill. Squanders its good vibes by going his final election campaign. Top-notch veteran on too long toward an obvious conclusion, cast makes film sparkle. Remade for TV in but Latifah’s warmhearted performance car1977 by (and with) Carroll O’Connor.▼●쩠 ries it most of the way. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Last King of Scotland, The (2006-BritishLast Hour, The (1991) C-85m. ★★1⁄2 D: German) C-121m. ★★★ D: Kevin MacdonWilliam Sachs. Michael Pare´, Shannon ald. Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Tweed, Bobby Di Cicco, Robert Pucci, RobWashington, Gillian Anderson, Simon Mcert Miano, George Kyle, Danny Trejo, Raye Burney, David Oyelowo, Stephen RwangyHollitt. A gangster kidnaps the ex-wife of cop ezi. Aimless young Scottish doctor (McAvoy) Pare´ and current wife of high-living Pucci, travels to Uganda and, through odd circumwho previously double-crossed the gangster, stances, finds himself personal physician to and holds her hostage in an old L.A. building. General Idi Amin (Whitaker). He lives the Pretty good low-rent imitation DIE HARD high life until the dictator’s brutal nature is with atmospheric photography and occasionrevealed. Provocative story goes exactly ally amusing dialogue. [R]▼● where you expect it to but is powered by Last House on the Left, The (1972) C-84m. Whitaker’s mesmerizing, Oscar-winning per★1⁄2 D: Wes Craven. David Hess, Lucy Grantformance, which captures all of Amin’s ham, Sandra Cassel, Marc Sheffler, Jeramie charm and danger. Peter Morgan and Jeremy Rain, Fred Lincoln. Group of thugs rapes and Brock adapted Giles Foden’s novel. Fiction kills two girls, then meets bloody vigilante feature debut for documentary filmmaker justice from one girl’s parents. Cheap, and Macdonald. Super 35. [R]쩠 looks it. Repellent but admittedly powerful Last Kiss, The (2001-Italian) C-114m. ★★★ and (for better or worse) influential horror D: Gabriele Muccino. Stefano Accorsi, Gioshocker. Surprisingly, based on Bergman’s vanna Mezzogiorno, Stefania Sandrelli, THE VIRGIN SPRING. First film by director Claudio Santamaria, Marco Cocci, Giorgio Wes Craven. Also available in unrated verPasotti, Martina Stella, Pierfrancesco Favino. sion. Remade in 2009. [R] ▼●쩠 A man about to turn 30—and become a father Last House on the Left, The (2009) Cwith his lover—begins to regret that he no 110m. ★1⁄2 D: Dennis Iliadis. Garret Dillalonger feels great passion. Meanwhile, his hunt, Michael Bowen, Joshua Cox, Riki friends plan a way to escape their lives and flee, Lindhome, Aaron Paul, Sara Paxton, Monica and his lover’s mother (Sandrelli), wracked Potter, Tony Goldwyn, Spencer Treat Clark, by fear of growing old, attempts to leave her Martha MacIsaac. Attractive teenage girl husband. A very passionate, very Italian drama. Remade in 2006. Super 35. [R]▼쩠 leaves her parents’ vacation home with a friend, but they’re captured by brutal prison Last Kiss, The (2006) C-104m. ★★★ D: escapees with rape and murder on their Tony Goldwyn. Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, minds. Later, the killers take refuge from a Casey Affleck, Rachel Bilson, Michael Wesstorm—with the girl’s parents. Remake of the ton, Blythe Danner, Tom Wilkinson, Eric 1972 horror film is better made but lacks its Christian Olsen, Marley Shelton, Lauren Lee crude, direct power; this wastes such good Smith, Harold Ramis. Braff has a good job actors as Dillahunt and Goldwyn. Not as vioand comfortable life, and is contemplating lent as the original, but still more gruesome marriage to his pregnant girlfriend . . . but than some recent slasher movies. [R] he and his pals are suffering a collective panic Last House on the Left, Part II SEE: attack as they near the age of 30, still wary Twitch of the Death Nerve of accepting adult responsibility. Meanwhile, Last Hunt, The (1956) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: Braff’s future in-laws (Danner and WilkinRichard Brooks. Robert Taylor, Stewart son) are going through a crisis of their own. Granger, Lloyd Nolan, Debra Paget, Russ The characters are refreshingly human in this Tamblyn, Constance Ford. In the Old West, satisfying drama set in Madison, Wisconsin. Granger and Taylor form an uneasy partnerPaul Haggis scripted this remake of the ship to hunt the last remaining herds of buffalo; 2001 Italian film. Panavision. [R]쩠 Granger is sick of killing, Taylor likes it all too Last Laugh, The (1924-German) 87m. ★★★1 well. Complex characters and good dialogue ⁄2 D: F. W. Murnau. Emil Jannings, help, but overlength and slow pace damage this Maly Delschaft, Max Hiller, Hans Unterserious Western. CinemaScope. ▼ kirchen. Silent-film classic told entirely by Last Hurrah, The (1958) 121m. ★★★1⁄2 D: camera, without title cards. Jannings plays John Ford. Spencer Tracy, Jeffrey Hunter, Diproud doorman at posh hotel who is sudanne Foster, Basil Rathbone, Pat O’Brien, denly demoted; film details his utter and Donald Crisp, James Gleason, Ed Brophy, grievous humiliation. Brilliantly filmed by John Carradine, Ricardo Cortez, Frank pioneer cameraman Karl Freund, with towMcHugh, Jane Darwell, Anna Lee, Charles ering performance by Jannings. Remade in FitzSimmons, Ken Curtis, O. Z. Whitehead, Germany in 1955.▼●쩠 Jack Pennick, Dan Borzage. Sentimental verLast Legion, The (2007-British-Frenchsion of Edwin O’Connor novel of politics, Italian) C-102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Doug Lefler. [ 775 ]

Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, Rainn Wilson, Kathryn Hahn, Michael Peter Mullan, John Hannah, Thomas SangsClarke Duncan. Two Seattle kids find a box ter, Kevin McKidd, Iain Glen, Rupert sent back from the future; the devices inside Friend. After barbarian hordes invade the increase their intelligence and give them crumbling Roman Empire in A.D. 476, a abilities to help them change the future for loyal military officer (Firth) and his brave the better. Treacly misfire tosses science men escort the newly crowned 12-year-old fiction and fantasy elements into the same emperor (Sangster) to relative safety in farhopper; wants to be the new E.T. but falls off Britannia. There are faint echoes of Robfar short. Loosely based on the short story ert Louis Stevenson in this fitfully rousing, ‘‘Mimsy Were the Borogoves’’ by Lewis amusingly retro action-adventure. Kingsley Padgett. The director’s day job is running is well cast as a cryptic sage (and occasional New Line Cinema. Super 35. [PG]쩠 wizard) who serves as mentor to Sangster’s Last Mogul: The Life and Times of Lew resilient young hero. Super 35. [PG-13]쩠 Wasserman, The (2005-U.S.-Canadian) CLast Man on Earth, The (1964-U.S.110m. ★★1⁄2 D: Barry Avrich. Compelling Italian) 86m. ★★ D: Sidney Salkow. Vindocumentary chronicles the life and career cent Price, Franca Bettoia, Emma Danieli, of MCA-Universal kingpin Wasserman Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, Tony Cerevi. Often from his early days to his huge success as crude chiller with Price the sole survivor of an agent to his years as head of one of plague, besieged by victims who arise at Hollywood’s most important studios. Told night thirsting for his blood; erratic proin straightforward fashion, this unauthoduction. Based on Richard Matheson’s I Am rized look does not shy away from controLegend; remade as THE OMEGA MAN versial areas of his life, including his and I AM LEGEND. CinemaScope. ▼●쩠 reputed association with mob figures. Still, Last Man Standing (1996) C-101m. ★★ D: while well made and researched, the film Walter Hill. Bruce Willis, Christopher Waldoesn’t appear to cover the whole picture; ken, Bruce Dern, Alexandra Powers, David key people, including family members and Patrick Kelly, William Sanderson, Karina longtime associates, are conspicuous by Lombard, Ned Eisenberg, Michael Imperioli, their absence. [PG-13]쩠 R. D. Call, Leslie Mann. Willis chances to pass Last Movie, The (1971) C-108m. ★1⁄2 D: through a dreary Texas town where two ChiDennis Hopper. Dennis Hopper, Julie cago gangs are at each other’s throats—and Adams, Peter Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, tries to work both sides of the street to his own Sylvia Miles, John Phillip Law, Rod Camadvantage. Remake of YOJIMBO (which iteron, Sam Fuller. Hopper’s fatally pretenself became FISTFUL OF DOLLARS), set in tious follow-up to EASY RIDER is interthe 1930s, is rife with gunplay, but overcome esting only as curio; incomprehensible story by sheer boredom. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 of small Peruvian village after a movie Last Married Couple in America, The company pulls out has lovely photogra1 ★ (1980) C-103m. ⁄2 D: Gilbert Cates. phy, good acting by Adams. Otherwise, George Segal, Natalie Wood, Richard Benyou’ve been warned. Among the supportjamin, Valerie Harper, Bob Dishy, Dom ing cast: Dean Stockwell, Russ Tamblyn, DeLuise. Likable cast in stupid sex comMichelle Phillips. Kristofferson’s film deedy about happily married couple so upset but (he also wrote the music). Also known by breakup of married friends that they as CHINCHERO. [PG]▼ begin to question their own relationship. Last Night (1998-Canadian-French) CSmutty and ridiculous. [R]▼ ★★ 93m. D: Don McKellar. Don McKellar, Last Metro, The (1980-French) C-133m. Sandra Oh, Sarah Polley, Callum Keith ★★1 ⁄2 D: Franc˛ois Truffaut. Catherine DeRennie, David Cronenberg, Robin Gammel, neuve, Ge´rard Depardieu, Jean Poiret, Heinz Genevieve Bujold, Jackie Burroughs. RuBennent, Andrea Ferreol, Paulette Dubost. mination on the last night of civilization, A beautiful actress struggles to keep her and how various people deal with their im‘‘exiled’’ husband’s theater alive during pending demise. Not exactly profound, the German occupation of Paris. A film with though Oh’s heartrending performance alcharm and style but no point—a problem unmost makes this worth watching. Written by derscored by its abrupt and quizzical finale. leading actor McKellar, making his directoWatching the elegant Deneuve provides most rial debut. [R]▼쩠 of this film’s appeal. [PG]▼●쩠 Last Night at the Alamo (1983) 80m. Last Mile, The (1959) 81m. ★★1⁄2 D: ★★★ D: Eagle Pennell. Sonny Davis, Lou Howard W. Koch. Mickey Rooney, ClifPerry, Steve Matilla, Tina Hubbard, Doris ford David, Harry Millard, Don ‘‘Red’’ Hargrave. The last night at the Alamo, no Barry, Ford Rainey, Leon Janney. The famous battle site but a small, obscure ‘‘big house’’ oldie dusted off as a dramatic Houston bar. A fascinating portrayal of the vehicle for Rooney. Filmed before in 1932. 1 ★ modern-era ‘‘cowboy’’ as henpecked, alLast Mimzy, The (2007) C-90m. ⁄2 D: coholic, ultimately pathetic. Independently Bob Shaye. Chris O’Neil, Rhiannon Leigh Wryn, Joely Richardson, Timothy Hutton, produced, with a hilariously profane script [ 776 ]

by Kim Henkel, author of THE TEXAS Last of the Mobile Hot-Shots (1970) C-108m. ★★ D: Sidney Lumet. James CHAINSAW MASSACRE.▼ Last of Mrs. Cheyney, The (1937) 98m. Coburn, Lynn Redgrave, Robert Hooks, ★★★ Perry Hayes, Reggie King. Ambitious flop D: Richard Boleslawski. Joan Crawford, William Powell, Robert Montgomery, from Tennessee Williams’ Seven Descents Frank Morgan, Jessie Ralph, Nigel Bruce. of Myrtle about volatile interracial trianGlossy remake of Norma Shearer’s 1929 gle set in Deep South. (‘‘Mobile’’ refers success, from Frederick Lonsdale’s play to the Alabama town.) [R—edited from about a chic American jewel thief in Enoriginal X rating]▼ gland. Great fun for star watchers, though it Last of the Mohicans, The (1936) 91m. ★★★ was considered a dated dud in 1937. ReD: George B. Seitz. Randolph Scott, made in 1951 as THE LAW AND THE Binnie Barnes, Heather Angel, Hugh BuckLADY.▼ ler, Henry Wilcoxon, Bruce Cabot, Phillip Last of Sheila, The (1973) C-120m. ★★★1⁄2 Reed, Robert Barrat. Effective and excitD: Herbert Ross. James Coburn, James ing adaptation of James Fenimore Cooper Mason, Dyan Cannon, Ian McShane, Joan novel about conflicts between British Army Hackett, Raquel Welch, Richard Benjaand Colonial settlers during the French and min. Super murder-puzzler about jet-set Indian War. Scott is a stout Hawkeye, gamester who devises what turns into a Cabot an appropriately hissable Magua. deadly game of whodunit. Many red herScreenplay by Philip Dunne. Also shown in rings make it all the more fun. Script by computer-colored version. ▼● Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, Last of the Mohicans, The (1992) Creal-life puzzle fans. [PG]▼쩠 113m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Michael Mann. Daniel Last of the Cowboys, The SEE: Great Day-Lewis, Madeleine Stowe, Russell Smokey Roadblock, The Means, Eric Schweig, Jodhi May, Steven Last of the Dogmen (1995) C-120m. ★★ D: Waddington, Wes Studi, Maurice Roe¨ves, Tab Murphy. Tom Berenger, Barbara HerPatrice Chereau, Colm Meaney, Peter Posshey, Kurtwood Smith, Steve Reevis, Antlethwaite. Rousing, kinetic update of the drew Miller, Gregory Scott Cummins, James Fenimore Cooper classic, replete Molly Parker; narrated by Wilford Brimley. with 1990s sensibilities, potent depiction of Annoyingly cliche´d, eminently forgettable violence, and a charismatic central perforadventure with crackerjack tracker Bemance by Day-Lewis as Hawkeye. Wavers renger setting out to bring back a trio of between sweep of historical fiction and prison escapees who meet a horrible fate as smaller canvas of its love story, but never fails he nears their campsite. Could it have been to entertain. Oscar winner for Best Sound. the work of the mysterious, legendary Screenplay by Mann and Christopher Crowe Cheyenne ‘‘dog soldiers’’? You may not from Philip Dunne’s script for the 1936 film. want to stick around to find out. Panavision. Evocative score by Trevor Jones and Randy [PG] ▼●쩠 Edelman. Expanded version runs 117m. Last of the Finest, The (1990) C-106m. Panavision. [R]▼●쩠 ★★ D: John Mackenzie. Brian Dennehy, Last of the Red Hot Lovers (1972) C-98m. Joe Pantoliano, Jeff Fahey, Bill Paxton, BOMB D: Gene Saks. Alan Arkin, Sally Deborra-Lee Furness, Guy Boyd, Henry Kellerman, Paula Prentiss, Renee Taylor. Darrow, Lisa Jane Persky. Honest, inAppalling film version of typical Neil Simon dependent-minded L.A. cop Dennehy and play concerns Arkin’s unsuccessful attempts his comrades discover sinister forces at to carry on sneaky love affair with three work while attempting to bust drug trafdifferent women (not all at once). Actors fickers. Dennehy’s usual solid performance scream at each other for more than an hour can’t overcome occasionally outlandish sceand a half in shoddy production for which nario, with obvious parallels to the Iranthe term ‘‘photographed stage play’’ must have been invented. [PG]▼●쩠 Contra affair. [R]▼● Last of the High Kings, The (1996-IrishLast of the Secret Agents?, The (1966) Danish) C-104m. ★★★ D: David Keating. C-90m. ★1⁄2 D: Norman Abbott. Marty Gabriel Byrne, Catherine O’Hara, Jared Allen, Steve Rossi, John Williams, Nancy Leto, Christina Ricci, Colm Meaney, SteSinatra, Lou Jacobi. Tiring spoof on spy phen Rea, Lorraine Pilkington, Emily Mormovies ends up unintentional self-mockery. timer, Jason Barry, Ciaran Fitzgerald. Solid Strictly for Allen and Rossi fans. Look for coming-of-age tale, set in Dublin, which Harvey Korman as a German colonel. tells the story of idealistic 17-year-old Last of the Vikings, The (1961-Italian) C-102m. ★★ D: Giacomo Gentilomo. CamFrankie (Leto) and the individuals who affect his life—beginning with his eccentric, eron Mitchell, Edmund Purdom, Isabelle egocentric actor father (Byrne) and his comCorey, Helene Remy. Filmed with gusto, ically pro-Protestant mom (O’Hara, who has elaborate epic deals with Mitchell out to never been better). Loaded with charm and punish the Norse for devastating his homethoughtfully scripted by Keating and Byrne. lands; poorly acted. Dyaliscope.▼쩠 Aka SUMMER FLING. [R]▼쩠 Last Orders (2001-British) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 [ 777 ]

D: Fred Schepisi. Michael Caine, Tom Leachman for sensitive performances, but Courtenay, David Hemmings, Bob Hoskins, entire cast works at same level. Beautifully Helen Mirren, Ray Winstone, JJ Field, photographed in b&w by Robert Surtees. Cameron Fitch, Anatol Yusef, Kelly Reilly, Shepherd’s film debut. Sequel: TEXStephen McCole, George Innes, Laura MoASVILLE. ‘‘Special Edition’’ reedited by relli, Sally Hurst, Denise Black, Sue James, Bogdanovich in 1990 includes 7m. of mateMeg Wynn Owen. Four longtime friends rial originally cut from the film. [R] ▼●쩠 agree to take a pal’s remains to be scattered La Strada (1954-Italian) 115m. ★★★★ D: into the sea and recall their sometimesFederico Fellini. Anthony Quinn, Giulietta rocky relationships. Inevitably entertaining, Masina, Richard Basehart, Aldo Silvani, with such a strong cast, but not completely Marcella Rovere, Livia Venturini. Decepsatisfying. Director Schepisi adapted prizetively simple tale of brutish strongman Quinn winning novel by Graham Swift. That’s taking simple-minded Masina with him as Hemmings’ look-alike son Nolan playing he tours countryside, where he encounters him as a young man. Super 35. [R] ▼쩠 gentle acrobat Basehart. Best Foreign Film L.A. Story (1991) C-95m. ★★1⁄2 D: Mick Oscar winner; stunning performances, haunJackson. Steve Martin, Victoria Tennant, ting Nino Rota score. Story and screenplay by Richard E. Grant, Marilu Henner, Sarah Fellini and Tullio Pinelli. ▼●쩠 Jessica Parker, Kevin Pollak, Sam McLast Rebel, The (1971) C-89m. BOMB Murray, Patrick Stewart, Iman. Martin D: Denys McCoy. Joe Namath, Jack Elam, wrote this amusing piece of fluff about a Woody Strode, Ty Hardin, Victoria George. wacky TV weatherman trying to sort out Namath plays Confederate soldier who raises his life. Slender story thread allows Martin havoc in small Missouri town after the to make comic observations about living in Civil War. Film has obvious camp value, trend-conscious L.A., some of them mild, but it’s not enough; Joe makes Ty Hardin some of them worthy of laughing out loud. look like John Gielgud. [PG] Several of Martin’s comedy cronies make Last Remake of Beau Geste, The (1977) C-83m. ★★1⁄2 D: Marty Feldman. Marty cameo appearances. A deleted scene with John Lithgow was added for the film’s Feldman, Ann-Margret, Michael York, Peter cable-TV debut. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Ustinov, James Earl Jones, Trevor HowLast Outpost, The (1951) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 ard, Henry Gibson, Terry-Thomas, Spike D: Lewis R. Foster. Ronald Reagan, Rhonda Milligan, Roy Kinnear. After uproarious Fleming, Bruce Bennett, Bill Williams, first half, Feldman’s Foreign Legion spoof Peter Hanson, Noah Beery, Jr. Burst of falters and gropes its way to weak concluaction saves wornout yarn of two brothers sion. Enough belly-laughs to make it worthon opposite sides of Civil War, teaming up while, and sidesplitting performance by to fight off Indian attack. This was Reagan’s butler Milligan. Feldman also cowrote this, his directorial debut. [PG]▼ first starring Western. Video title: CAVALRY CHARGE.▼쩠 Last Resort (1986) C-80m. ★★1⁄2 D: ★★★ D: Last Party, The (1993) C-96m. Zane Buzby. Charles Grodin, Robin PearMark Benjamin, Marc Levin. Robert Dowson Rose, John Ashton, Ellen Blake, Megan ney, Jr., takes his video camera on an odyssey Mullally, Christopher Ames, Jon Lovitz, of America, focusing on 1992 Democratic and Gerrit Graham, Mario Van Peebles, Phil Republican national conventions, to get a Hartman. Newly unemployed Grodin desense of the country and its political atticides, on impulse, to take his family to a tudes. Along the way he interviews such Club Med–type vacation resort, with precolleagues as Sean Penn and Mary Stuart dictably comic results. Likable but iffy Masterson, and such varied notables as Olicomedy does have some genuine laughs. ver Stone, Spike Lee, G. Gordon Liddy, First-time director Buzby also appears as resort’s baby sitter. [R]▼●쩠 Jerry Falwell, and even his father, filmmaker Robert Downey, Sr. Not quite a docLast Resort (2000-British) C-73m. ★★★ D: umentary, but an entertaining journey (in Pawel Pawlikowski. Dina Korzun, Artiom the ROGER & ME vein); ultimately, we Strelnikov, Paddy Considine, Lindsey Honey. learn more about Downey, Jr., than we do Abandoned by her British fiance´, a Russian about the state of the union.▼● woman and her young son are detained in Last Picture Show, The (1971) 118m. England at a holding area for refugees and ★★★★ D: Peter Bogdanovich. Timothy befriended by an arcade manager. Spare, Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Ben Johnson, Cloris affecting story has few surprises, but is Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Cybill Shepherd, compellingly told in quasi-naturalistic style Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, Sam Bottoms, and very well acted. Randy Quaid, John Hillerman, Noble Last Rites (1988) C-103m. ★★ D: Donald Willingham. Brilliant study of life in small P. Bellisario. Tom Berenger, Daphne Texas town during 1950s, and how charZuniga, Chick Vennera, Anne Twomey, acters’ lives intertwine, from Larry McDane Clark, Paul Dooley, Vassili LamMurtry’s novel (he and Bogdanovich wrote brinos. Routine drama of a priest who uses the script). Oscars went to Johnson and the auspices of the church to protect a girl [ 778 ]

on a Mafia hit list. Of course, he falls in NITY look like Snow White! Sizzling, sexy love with her. Of course, he also happens to thriller from modern film noir expert Dahl be the son of a Mafia chieftain himself. And and writer Steve Barancik. Unrelenting meanof course, the studio sent this one straight to ness wears it down a bit toward the end. Made video. [R]▼●쩠 U.S. debut on cable. Followed by a direct-tovideo sequel. [R]▼●쩠 Last Roman, The (1968-German-RumaLast September, The (1999-British-Irishnian) 92m. ★★ D: Robert Siodmak. LauFrench) C-103m. ★★ D: Deborah Warner. rence Harvey, Orson Welles, Sylva Koscina, Honor Blackman, Michael Dunn, Harriet Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, Jane BirAndersson, Lang Jeffries, Robert Hoffman. kin, Fiona Shaw, Lambert Wilson, Keeley Big cast in spears and togas look baffled at Hawes, David Tennant, Gary Lydon. A what has become of Felix Dann’s German less-than-compelling look at the last days of bestseller Kamf um Rom about the decline the Anglo-Irish, the British ruling class who of the Roman Empire. Edited down from a live in cloistered elegance in Ireland as a two-part spectacular. Techniscope.▼ storm brews all around them. The year is Last Run, The (1971) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: 1920, and a wealthy couple’s young ward Richard Fleischer. George C. Scott, Tony (Hawes) enters into a forbidden relationship Musante, Trish Van Devere, Colleen with a young Irishman who’s wanted for Dewhurst. Mediocre tale of aging gangmurder. Based on Elizabeth Bowen’s novel. [R]▼쩠 land driver who has to make one more run for his ego. Great photography by Sven Last Shot, The (2004) C-93m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeff Nykvist. Started by John Huston, who left Nathanson. Matthew Broderick, Alec Baldearly on. Panavision. [PG] win, Toni Collette, Tony Shalhoub, Calista Last Safari, The (1967-British) C-110m. Flockhart, Tim Blake Nelson, Buck Henry, ★★ D: Henry Hathaway. Kaz Garas, Stewart Ray Liotta, James Rebhorn, Jon Polito, Pat Granger, Gabriella Licudi, Johnny Sekka, Morita. Entertaining farce, inspired by a Liam Redmond. Uninteresting action tale true story, about an FBI agent (Baldwin) with depressed professional hunter (Stewwho pretends to produce a movie in order art) coming to terms with himself and rich to snare a mobster with ties to the Teamsters young couple who hire him. Good cast union. Baldwin begins to like his ‘‘role’’ as can’t handle script.▼ producer, as he brings hope into the life Last Samurai, The (2003) C-154m. ★★★ D: of sincere, would-be filmmaker Broderick. Edward Zwick. Tom Cruise, Ken WataUneven, but has some hilarious moments. nabe, Tony Goldwyn, Timothy Spall, Billy Directing debut for screenwriter Nathanson. Connolly, Hiroyuki Sanada, Masato HarJoan Cusack appears unbilled; other actors turn up in gag cameos. [R]쩠 ada, Koyuki, Scott Wilson, William Atherton. Burnt-out U.S. cavalry officer is hired Last Starfighter, The (1984) C-100m. ★★1 to go to Japan in 1876 and train the emper⁄2 D: Nick Castle. Lance Guest, Robert or’s soldiers to fight the last samurai warPreston, Dan O’Herlihy, Catherine Mary riors, who oppose their emperor’s decision Stewart, Barbara Bosson, Norman Snow, to abandon their traditional way of life. Cameron Dye, Wil Wheaton. Sci-fi for kids, When the American is taken prisoner, he about a youngster whose video-game prowand captor Watanabe develop a mutual reess makes him a prime recruit to help save spect as fellow warriors, and Cruise comes real-life planet under attack. Likable but to appreciate traditional Japanese customs, toothless adventure (with an arch-villain who especially their code of honor. Epic-scale simply disappears from the proceedings) film flirts with greatness but falls short bebenefits greatly from performances of old cause it succumbs to Hollywood cliche´s a pros Preston and O’Herlihy, who’s unrecogfew times too many. (There’s even a scene nizable in lizardlike makeup. Preston’s last film. Panavision. [PG] ▼●쩠 uncomfortably reminiscent of a famous Cruise moment in RISKY BUSINESS!) Last Summer (1969) C-97m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Still, there is much to admire, including Frank Perry. Richard Thomas, Barbara Herstrong performances and a vivid sense of shey, Bruce Davison, Cathy Burns, Ralph time and place. Zwick coscripted; Cruise Waite, Conrad Bain. Powerful story based on coproduced. Panavision. [R] ▼쩠 Evan Hunter novel of teenagers playing on Last Seduction, The (1994) C-110m. ★★★ the beach in a summer resort. Film follows D: John Dahl. Linda Fiorentino, Peter Berg, their games, sexual awakenings, and how evil J. T. Walsh, Bill Nunn, Bill Pullman, Mimanifests itself with calculated determination. chael Raysses, Zach Phifer. PathologicalCathy Burns a standout. [R—edited from original X rating]▼ ly evil—and stunningly sexual—woman ditches her husband, grabs the cash he’s Last Summer in the Hamptons (1995) Cmade in a drug deal, and flees N.Y.C., en105m. ★★ D: Henry Jaglom. Victoria Foyt, camping in a small upstate town where she Viveca Lindfors, Jon Robin Baitz, Savanattracts and mystifies a local man—her latnah Boucher, Roscoe Lee Browne, Andre est patsy. Fiorentino’s fiery femme fatale Gregory, Nick Gregory, Melissa Leo, Roddy makes Stanwyck in DOUBLE INDEMMcDowall, Martha Plimpton, Holland Taylor, [ 779 ]

Ron Rifkin, Brooke Smith, Diane Salinger, logue and slow stretches; still worthwhile, Kristoffer Tabori. An insecure young movie with a genuine feeling for time and place star (Foyt) arrives in the summer commuthat helps make the story vivid and real. Music by Peter Gabriel. [R]▼●쩠 nity of East Hampton, Long Island, and becomes involved with the assorted theater Last Time, The (2007) C-96m. ★★ D: Mifolk who comprise a circle of friends-lovchael Caleo. Michael Keaton, Brendan Fraers-colleagues. Another of Jaglom’s occaser, Amber Valletta, Daniel Stern, Neal sionally insightful talk-fest/confessionals in McDonough, Michael G. Hagerty, Michael which the characters reveal their jealousies, Lerner, William Ragsdale. Country bumpkin neuroses, and feelings. For inveterate JagFraser is transferred to the N.Y. home office lom fans only. Scripted by Jaglom and Foyt of a business where sales exec Keaton prides (who are husband and wife). [R]▼●쩠 himself on his take-no-prisoners tactics. He Last Sunset, The (1961) C-112m. ★★★ mentors the naı¨ve newcomer and winds up D: Robert Aldrich. Rock Hudson, Kirk in bed with his beautiful wife. There’s more Douglas, Dorothy Malone, Joseph Cotten, going on than meets the eye . . . though Carol Lynley, Neville Brand, Regis Toomey, the setup is awfully obvious. Minor-league Jack Elam. Strange on the Range, courtesy stuff, but Keaton is good. Super 35. [R]쩠 Aldrich and scripter Dalton Trumbo; philoLast Time I Committed Suicide, The sophical outlaw Douglas and pursuing sher(1997) C-93m. ★1⁄2 D: Stephen Kay. iff Hudson play cat-and-mouse with each Thomas Jane, Keanu Reeves, Adrien Brody, other during lengthy cattle drive. Throws John Doe, Claire Forlani, Jim Haynie, Marg in everything from incest to Indians!쩠 Helgenberger, Lucinda Jenney, Gretchen Mol. Last Supper, The (1996) C-94m. ★★ D: Mordantly stylized, cliche´-laden story of beat Stacy Title. Cameron Diaz, Ron Eldard, Anicon Neal Cassady, ostensibly based on a letnabeth Gish, Jonathan Penner, Courtney B. ter he once wrote to Jack Kerouac. Totally Vance, Nora Dunn, Ron Perlman, Bill Paxunsympathetic, angst-filled characters are ton, Charles Durning, Mark Harmon, Jason put to even greater disadvantage by a jittery camera and harsh lighting. [R]▼●쩠 Alexander, Bryn Erin. Five grad student friends decide to rid the world of antisocial Last Time I Saw Archie, The (1961) 98m. ★★ D: Jack Webb. Robert Mitchum, extremists who don’t happen to conform to their worldview. Intriguing premise plays Jack Webb, Martha Hyer, France Nuyen, itself out too soon and stretches credibility Louis Nye, Richard Arlen, Don Knotts, in the name of satire; ultimately unpleasant Joe Flynn, Robert Strauss. Webb’s sole and unsatisfying, though the cast is excelattempt at comedy is less funny than some lent and some of the cameos (Paxton, Durnof his more serious films; a pity, because ing, Harmon, Perlman) are first-rate. Filmed William Bowers’ script—based on his own in 1994. [R] ▼●쩠 Army experiences—had real potential, and Last Tango in Paris (1973-French-Italian) Mitchum nicely underplays as the titular C-129m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Bernardo Bertolucci. con man. (By the way, the real Archie Hall Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider, Jeansued for invasion of privacy!) Pierre Le´aud, Darling Legitimus, CatherLast Time I Saw Paris, The (1954) ine Sola, Mauro Marchetti, Dan Diament. C-116m. ★★★ D: Richard Brooks. ElizaExpatriate American in Paris tries purging beth Taylor, Van Johnson, Donna Reed, himself of bad memories after his wife’s Walter Pidgeon, Eva Gabor, George Dosuicide, enters into a tragic ‘‘no questions lenz, Roger Moore. Updated version of F. asked’’ sexual liaison with a chance acScott Fitzgerald story, set in post-WW2 quaintance. The most controversial film of Paris, of ruined marriages and disillusioned people. MGM gloss helps.▼●쩠 its era is still explicit by today’s standards, though it’s mellowed somewhat with age. Last Train From Gun Hill (1959) C-94m. ★★★ A sterling showcase for Bertolucci’s camD: John Sturges. Kirk Douglas, Anera mastery; Brando’s performance is thony Quinn, Carolyn Jones, Earl Holliman, among the best of his career. [X—also Brad Dexter, Brian Hutton, Ziva Rodann. shown in R-rated version]▼●쩠 Superior Western of staunch sheriff deLast Temptation of Christ, The (1988) termined to leave Gun Hill with murder suspect, despite necessity for shoot-out. C-164m. ★★★ D: Martin Scorsese. Willem VistaVision.▼쩠 Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Harry Dean Stanton, David Bowie, Verna Last Tycoon, The (1976) C-125m. ★★★1⁄2 Bloom, Andre Gregory, Juliette Caton, D: Elia Kazan. Robert De Niro, Tony Curtis, Roberts Blossom, Irvin Kershner, Nehemiah Robert Mitchum, Jeanne Moreau, Jack Persoff, Barry Miller. Thought-provoking Nicholson, Donald Pleasence, Peter Strauss, and deeply felt drama adapted from Nikos Ingrid Boulting, Ray Milland, Dana AnKazantzakis’ book which speculates about drews, Theresa Russell, John Carradine, Jesus’ self-doubts when he realizes he has Anjelica Huston. Low-keyed but effective been chosen by God to carry His message. Harold Pinter adaptation of F. Scott FitzMoments of great power and beauty are gerald’s final novel benefits immeasurably diminished somewhat by mundane diafrom De Niro’s great, uncharacteristic per[ 780 ]

formance as 1930s movie producer (inlawyer (Chamberlain) defending aborigine spired by Irving Thalberg) who is slowly accused of murder. Modern symbolism and working himself to death. Along with Joan ancient tribal rituals make for unusual and absorbing film. [PG]▼쩠 Micklin Silver’s TV film BERNICE BOBS HER HAIR, the best Fitzgerald yet put on Last Will of Dr. Mabuse, The SEE: the screen. Lew Ayres appears unbilled; KaTestament of Dr. Mabuse, The Last Woman, The (1976-French) C-112m. zan’s final feature as director. [PG] ▼●쩠 ★★ D: Marco Ferreri. Ge ´ rard Depardieu, Last Unicorn, The (1982-British) C-92m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Arthur Rankin, Jr., Jules Bass. Ornella Muti, Michel Piccoli, Zouzou, Voices of Alan Arkin, Jeff Bridges, Mia Renato Salvatori, David Biffani, Nathalie Farrow, Tammy Grimes, Robert Klein, AnBaye. Provocative subject matter is superfigela Lansbury, Christopher Lee, Keenan cially handled in this pointlessly sensationWynn, Paul Frees, Rene Auberjonois. Set alistic drama about macho, self-absorbed in the time of Robin Hood, this pleasing engineer Depardieu, insensitive to women animated fable tells of the adventures of a and confused by a world of changing roles beautiful white unicorn who enters a forest and relationships. His final act of selfin search of others of its kind. The weakest mutilation is as ridiculous as it is shockelement: those bland, forgettable Jimmy ing. [X] Webb songs. Scripted by Peter S. Beagle, Last Woman on Earth, The (1960) C-71m. and based on his novel. [G]▼쩠 BOMB D: Roger Corman. Antony Carbone, Last Valley, The (1970-British) C-128m. Edward Wain, Betsy Jones-Moreland. Dull ★★ three-cornered romance involving last surviD: James Clavell. Michael Caine, Omar Sharif, Florinda Bolkan, Nigel Davenport, vors on Earth after unexplained disaster. Per Oscarsson, Arthur O’Connell. ThinkScreenplay by Robert Towne—his first. He ing man’s adventure epic is an unfortunate also costars, using acting pseudonym Edward Wain. Shot in Puerto Rico. Vistascope.▼쩠 misfire; 17th-century story brings warrior Caine and his soldiers to peaceful valley Last Year at Marienbad (1961-Frenchwhich has remained untouched by the Thirty Italian) 93m. ★★★ D: Alain Resnais. DelYears War. Todd-AO. [PG]▼쩠 phine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi, Sacha ★★★ Last Voyage, The (1960) C-91m. Pitoeff. Murky, difficult but oddly fasciD: Andrew L. Stone. Robert Stack, Dorothy nating tale in which Albertazzi confronts Malone, George Sanders, Edmond O’Bribewildered Seyrig, claiming they’d had an en, Woody Strode. Engrossing drama of affair ‘‘last year at Frederiksbad, or perluxury ship that goes down at sea, and the haps at Marienbad.’’ An art-house hit in ways the crew and passengers are affected. its day, beautifully photographed (by Sacha (To heighten the realism of the film, they Vierny); scripted by Alain-Robbe Grillet. really sank a ship.) Sanders is ill-fated Dyaliscope.▼쩠 captain, Stack and Malone a married couLas Vegas Hillbillys (1966) C-90m. ★1⁄2 ple in jeopardy.▼●쩠 D: Arthur C. Pierce. Ferlin Husky, Jayne Last Wagon, The (1956) C-99m. ★★★ D: Mansfield, Mamie Van Doren, Richard Delmer Daves. Richard Widmark, Felicia Kiel, Sonny James, Del Reeves, Bill Farr, Susan Kohner, Tommy Rettig, StephAnderson, Connie Smith. How does counanie Griffin, Ray Stricklyn, Nick Adams, try hick Husky become a big-time Las Timothy Carey. Widmark is condemned Vegas entrepreneur? You don’t want to killer who saves remnants of wagon train know. A once-in-a-lifetime cast. Sequel: after Indian attack, leading them to safety. HILLBILLYS IN A HAUNTED HOUSE. Cliche´d plot well handled. CinemaScope.쩠 ▼쩠 Last Waltz, The (1978) C-117m. ★★★★ Las Vegas Lady (1976) C-87m. BOMB D: Martin Scorsese. The Band, Bob Dylan, D: Noel Nosseck. Stella Stevens, Stuart Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, Whitman, George DiCenzo, Lynne Moody, Eric Clapton, Neil Diamond, The Staples, Linda Scruggs, Joseph Della Sorte, Jesse Muddy Waters, Emmylou Harris, Paul White. Substandard heist pic about a Butterfield, Dr. John, Ronnie Hawkins, security guard who flips for title femme. Ringo Starr, Ron Wood. Truly wonderful Even LAS VEGAS HILLBILLYS is better. documentary about The Band’s Thanks[PG]▼쩠 giving, 1976, farewell concert, filmed by La Symphonie Pastorale (1946-French) state-of-the-art Hollywood talent. A pair 105m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean Delannoy. Pierre of studio-shot numbers involving The StaBlanchar, Michele Morgan, Jean Desailly, ples and Harris are as exciting to watch as Line Noro, Andree Clement. Quietly powlisten to, but the whole film is beautifully erful classic about pastor Blanchar’s allconsuming passion for blind girl Morgan, done. [PG]▼●쩠 Last Wave, The (1977-Australian) C-106m. whom he takes under his wing and edu★★★ D: Peter Weir. Richard Chamberlain, cates. This sensitive study of moral and Olivia Hamnett, (David) Gulpilil, Frederick spiritual corruption was coscripted by the Parslow, Vivean Gray, Nanjiwarra Amdirector, and based on an Andre Gide novel.▼ agula. Fascinating chiller about Australian [ 781 ]

L’Atalante (1934-French) 89m. ★★★★ D: six-year-old daughter. Intriguing film contains graphic sexual scenes and nudity. ▼쩠 Jean Vigo. Michel Simon, Dita Parlo, Jean Daste´, Gilles Margaritis, Louis Lefe`vre, La Terra Trema (1947-Italian) 154m. ★★★★ Diligent Raya. Naturalism and surrealist D: Luchino Visconti. Narrated by fantasy blend beautifully in all-time masLuchino Visconti, Antonio Pietrangeli. terpiece about a young couple who begin Powerful, lyrical neorealist classic about a poor their life together sailing down the Seine family in a Sicilian fishing village, exploited by on a barge. Ultimate in romantic cinema fish wholesalers and boat owners. Filmed on also anticipated neorealist movement by location, and in Sicilian dialect, with a nonmore than a decade; Vigo died at 29, just professional cast. Francesco Rosi and Franco as film premiered. Restored in 1990 to its Zeffirelli were Visconti’s assistant directors. Beware of severely edited versions.▼쩠 full length; avoid 82m. version, which circulated for years.▼쩠 Late Show, The (1977) C-94m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Late August, Early September (1999Robert Benton. Art Carney, Lily Tomlin, ★★★ French) C-112m. D: Olivier Assayas. Bill Macy, Eugene Roche, Joanna Cassidy, Mathieu Amalric, Virginie Ledoyen, Franc¸ois John Considine, Howard Duff. Carney is Cluzet, Jeanne Balibar, Arsine´e Khanjian, an aging private eye who tries to solve Alex Descas, Nathalie Richard. Bittersweet, murder of his ex-partner (Duff), ‘‘helped’’ subtly rendered slice of life about various by flaky, aimless young woman (Tomlin). friends, lovers, and acquaintances who are unEchoes of Chandler and Hammett resound able to set down roots—professionally, perin Benton’s complex but likable script; sonally, or romantically. The specter of chemistry between Carney and Tomlin is mortality hangs over the proceedings as one of perfect. Later a short-lived TV series called Eye to Eye. [PG]▼●쩠 them, a novelist (Cluzet) who has just turned 40, suffers from an unnamed illness. A heartLatin Lovers (1953) C-104m. ★★1⁄2 D: felt and potent portrait of self-involvement Mervyn LeRoy. Lana Turner, Ricardo and emotional stagnation.▼쩠 Montalban, John Lund, Louis Calhern, Late Autumn (1960-Japanese) C-127m. Jean Hagen, Rita Moreno. Hokey romance ★★★ D: Yasujiro Ozu. Setsuko Hara, Yoko yarn set in South America, with Turner seeking true love; pointless script.▼ Tsukasa, Mariko Okada, Keiji Sada, Shin Saburi. Widowed Hara seeks a husband Latino (1985) C-105m. ★★★ D: Haskell for unmarried daughter Tsukasa. Solid Ozu Wexler. Robert Beltran, Annette Cardona, drama reworking his LATE SPRING.쩠 Tony Plana, Ricardo Lopez, Luis TorLate for Dinner (1991) C-99m. ★★1⁄2 D: rentes, Juan Carlos Ortiz, Julio Medina, W. D. Richter. Brian Wimmer, Peter Berg, James Karen. Gut-wrenching drama of VietMarcia Gay Harden, Peter Gallagher, Colnam replayed, with Chicano Green Beret leen Flynn, Kyle Secor, Michael Beach, Beltran ‘‘advising’’ the U.S.-backed ConBo Brundin, Janeane Garofalo. Two tras in their war against the Sandanistas in friends, on the lam and in need of help, Nicaragua. Unabashedly left-wing; to some are frozen by a doctor who’s experimenting it will be propaganda, while to others it with cryonics; when they’re awakened 29 will be truth. Striking direction with a fine years later, physically unchanged, they sense of irony; however, Beltran’s relationstumble to put their lives back together. Offship with Cardona just doesn’t ring true. beat, to say the least, and movingly acted, Filmed in Nicaragua; Wexler’s first ‘‘ficbut the transition from loopy comedy to tion’’ film since MEDIUM COOL.▼● deeply felt sentiment (in the film’s denoueLatitude Zero (1969-Japanese) C-99m. ★★ ment) doesn’t quite come off. [PG]▼● D: Ishiro Honda. Joseph Cotten, Cesar Late George Apley, The (1947) 98m. Romero, Richard Jaeckel, Patricia Medi★★★ D: Joseph L. Mankiewicz. Ronald na, Linda Haynes, Akira Takarada. Better Colman, Peggy Cummins, Vanessa Brown, than average imported cast helps usual Richard Haydn, Charles Russell, Richard wide-eyed sci-fi adventure of underwater Ney, Percy Waram, Mildred Natwick, Edna civilization of benevolent geniuses fighting Best. John P. Marquand’s gentle satire of legions of Malic (Romero), out to control Boston bluebloods is smoothly entertainworld. Some good sets, but action and ing. Colman is perfectly cast as the stuffy suspense poorly handled. Based on the old patriarch who strives to uphold his fami(American) radio series. Tohoscope. [G]쩠 ly’s social status. L’Atlantide SEE: Journey Beneath the Late Marriage (2001-Israeli-French) CDesert 102m. ★★1⁄2 D: Dover Kosashvili. Lior AshLa Traviata (1982-Italian) C-112m. ★★★★ kenazi, Ronit Elkabetz, Moni Moshonov, D: Franco Zeffirelli. Teresa Stratas, Placido Lili Kosashvili, Aya Steinovits Laor, Rozina Domingo, Cornell MacNeil, Alan Monk, Cambus. Handsome bachelor is caught in the Axelle Gail. Verdi’s opera, adapted from cross fire of tradition and emotion. His Georthe Alexandre Dumas Camille saga, makes gian Jewish heritage dictates that he must a magnificent film. If Domingo looks too choose a young virgin to marry, but he is old for Alfredo, he still sings beautifully, secretly in love with a divorce´e who has a while Stratas’ performance as the tragic [ 782 ]

Violetta matches her brilliant voice. The cinematography and production design are the equal of anything from the Golden Age of moviemaking in a film that even those who dislike opera will enjoy. [G]▼●쩠 La Truite SEE: Trout, The Latter Days (2004) C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: C. Jay Cox. Steve Sandvoss, Wes Ramsey, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rebekah Johnson (Jordan), Amber Benson, Khary Payton, Erik Palladino, Mary Kay Place, Dave Power, Jacqueline Bisset. A young Mormon missionary gets involved with a sexually aggressive gay party boy, causing lots of friction within his archconservative family. Very low budget independent effort doesn’t score a dramatic bull’s-eye, but interesting premise and solid acting from its attractive, mostly unknown cast make it worthwhile viewing for discerning adult audiences. [R]▼쩠 L’Auberge Espagnole (2002-French-Spanish) C-116m. ★★ D: Ce´dric Klapisch. Romain Duras, Judith Godre`che, Audrey Tautou, Ce´cile de France, Kelly Reilly, Cristina Brondo. A 25-year-old French grad student goes to Spain for his year abroad and winds up living in a cramped apartment with seven strangers of all different nationalities. Fictitious version of The Real World is bland and overlong despite an appealing cast. Disappointing follow-up from the writer-director of the infinitely more charming WHEN THE CAT’S AWAY. Title translates literally to SPANISH APARTMENT, or in French slang, EURO PUDDING. [R]▼쩠 Laughing Policeman, The (1974) C-111m. ★★1 ⁄2 D: Stuart Rosenberg. Walter Matthau, Bruce Dern, Lou Gossett, Albert Paulsen, Anthony Zerbe, Anthony Costello, Cathy Lee Crosby, Joanna Cassidy. Reasonably engrossing San Francisco cop drama about search for mass slayer of bus passengers. Matthau and Dern are good as cops with contrasting styles. Based on the Martin Beck novel by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo. [R]

cruciating film from Nabokov novel about wealthy married man (Williamson) whose fascination with young girl (Karina) backfires at every turn, eventually ruining his life. Exceedingly unpleasant, and seemingly interminable. [X] Laura (1944) 85m. ★★★★ D: Otto Preminger. Gene Tierney, Dana Andrews, Clifton Webb, Vincent Price, Judith Anderson, Grant Mitchell, Lane Chandler, Dorothy Adams. Classic mystery with gorgeous Tierney subject of murder plot; detective Andrews trying to assemble crime puzzle. Fascinating, witty, classic, with Webb a standout as cynical columnist Waldo Lydecker and Price in his finest non-horror performance as suave Southern gigolo. Based on the Vera Caspary novel; also features David Raksin’s theme. Rouben Mamoulian started directing film, Preminger took over. Screenplay by Jay Dratler, Samuel Hoffenstein, and Betty Reinhardt. Joseph LaShelle’s cinematography earned an Oscar. Several minutes of dialogue were cut from all prints after initial release; this footage has now been restored.▼●쩠 Laurel and Hardy’s Laughing 20’s (1965) 90m. ★★★1⁄2 Compiled by Robert Youngson. Stan Laurel, Oliver Hardy, Charley Chase, Edgar Kennedy, James Finlayson, Anita Garvin. Some of L&H’s best moments on film are included, with everything from pie-throwing to pants-ripping. Also some excellent sequences of Charley Chase, adding to the fun.▼● Laurel Canyon (2003) C-101m. ★★1⁄2 D: Lisa Cholodenko. Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale, Natascha McElhone, Alessandro Nivola, Louis Knox Barlow, Russell Pollard. Med-school grad Bale and prim fiance´e Beckinsale reluctantly move in with his flaky mother (McDormand), a rock-music producer. Soon the uptight young woman is seduced by the free-spirited lifestyle of her future mother-in-law . . . while the son is attracted to a beautiful doctor. Su▼쩠 Laughing Sinners (1931) 72m. ★★ D: perficial but diverting hijinks with an attracHarry Beaumont. Joan Crawford, Clark tive cast, and McDormand in a role unlike Gable, Neil Hamilton, John Mack Brown, any she’s done before. Follows the same Marjorie Rambeau, Guy Kibbee, Roscoe pattern as Cholodenko’s previous, more Karns. Crawford attempts suicide after Hamilrichly textured film, HIGH ART. [R] ▼쩠 ton dumps her; Salvation Army preacher Gable Lavender Hill Mob, The (1951-British) (!) stops her. The rest is predictable.▼쩠 82m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Charles Crichton. Alec Laughter in Paradise (1951-British) 95m. Guinness, Stanley Holloway, Sidney James, ★★1 ⁄2 D: Mario Zampi. Alastair Sim, Joyce Alfie Bass, Marjorie Fielding, John GregGrenfell, Hugh Griffith, Fay Compton, son, Edie Martin. Excellent comedy with John Laurie. Notorious practical joker dies, droll Guinness a timid bank clerk who has and leaves hefty sum to four relatives if perfect scheme for robbing a gold bullion they will carry out his devilish instructions. truck, with a madcap chase climax. Won Pleasant little comedy. Audrey Hepburn an Oscar for Best Story and Screenplay appears fleetingly as cigarette girl. Remade (T.E.B. Clarke); look for Audrey Hepburn in opening scene.▼●쩠 in 1969 as SOME WILL, SOME WON’T. Laughter in the Dark (1969-British) La Venexiana SEE: Venetian Woman, The 1 ★ C-101m. ⁄2 D: Tony Richardson. Nicol L’Aventure, C’est L’Aventure SEE: Williamson, Anna Karina, Jean-Claude Money Money Money Drouot, Peter Bowles, Sian Phillips. ExLa Vie Continue (1982-French) C-93m. [ 783 ]

★1

⁄2 D: Moshe Mizrahi. Annie Girardot, inique Blanchar, James Addams. Massari Jean-Pierre Cassel, Pierre Dux, Giulia Salvamysteriously disappears on an uninhabited tori, Emmanuel Gayet, Rivera Andres. Dreary island after arguing with boyfriend Ferzetti, sudser wastes Girardot as middle-aged impelling him and her friend Vitti to look for woman whose husband suddenly drops dead her. Subtle, incisive allegory of spiritual and of a heart attack; she struggles with her newmoral decay makes for demanding viewing. found widowhood. Loosely remade in U.S. as Antonioni’s first international success was MEN DON’T LEAVE. [PG]▼ also the first of a trilogy (followed by LA La Vie de Bohe`me (1992-Finnish-FrenchNOTTE and L’ECLISSE).▼●쩠 Swedish-German) 100m. ★★★ D: Aki KauLaw, The SEE: Where the Hot Wind rismaki. Matti Pellonpaa, Andre Wilms, Kari Blows! Law and Disorder (1974) C-103m. ★★★ Vaananen, Christine Murillo, Evelyne Didi, Samuel Fuller, Louis Malle, Jean-Pierre D: Ivan Passer. Carroll O’Connor, Ernest Le´aud. Pleasantly offbeat comic/absurdist Borgnine, Ann Wedgeworth, Anita Danslice-of-life about three poor, struggling artgler, Leslie Ackerman, Karen Black, Jack ists: a painter, composer and writer. While at Kehoe. Intelligent, original comedy-drama best mediocre talent-wise, each is dedicated to of two middle-aged New Yorkers incensed the artistic life and values his books, piano, or at rising crime who become auxiliary cops. paint over all else. A loose updating of a novel At first they treat it as a lark, but soon it by Henri Murger, which was the inspiration becomes deadly serious. Full of fine perfor Puccini’s La Bohe`me. ▼ ceptions, interesting vignettes. [R]▼쩠 La Vie de Chateau SEE: Matter of ReLaw and Order (1953) C-80m. ★★ D: sistance, A Nathan Juran. Ronald Reagan, Dorothy La Vie en Rose (2007-French-British-Czech) Malone, Alex Nicol, Preston Foster, Ruth C-140m. ★★★ D: Olivier Dahan. Marion CotilHampton, Russell Johnson, Dennis Weavlard, Clotilde Courau, Jean-Paul Rouve, Syler, Jack Kelly. Lawman Reagan wants to vie Testud, Pascal Greggory, Jean-Pierre retire to marry Malone, but first must tame Martins, Emmanuelle Seigner, Ge´rard Debad guy Foster. Standard Western was pardieu, Catherine Alle´gret. Not a convenfilmed far more successfully in 1932. ▼쩠 tional biography, but a series of snapshots Lawless Breed, The (1952) C-83m. ★★★ D: (jumbled out of chronological order) about the Raoul Walsh. Rock Hudson, Julia (Julie) difficult life and transcendent talent of French Adams, John McIntire, Mary Castle, Hugh singer Edith Piaf. Randomness of the narraO’Brian, Lee Van Cleef, Dennis Weaver, tive is a liability, but a must-see for Cotillard’s Michael Ansara. Solid Western drama that astonishing Academy Award–winning perrecounts the life and times of legendary formance. She transforms herself into the (and misunderstood) outlaw John Wesley Little Sparrow in her youth, at her peak, and Hardin (well played by Hudson, in his starring debut).▼쩠 during her precipitous decline . . . and does a remarkable job lip-synching Piaf (and a Lawless Heart (2001-British) C-86m. ★★★ soundalike who recorded songs from her D: Neil Hunter, Tom Hunsinger. Douglas early years). Oscar winner for Best Makeup Henshall, Tom Hollander, Bill Nighy, Cle´m(Didier Lavergne, Jan Archibald). Piaf’s relaentine Ce´larie´, Josephine Butler, Ellie Hadtionship with boxer Marcel Cerdan, which is dington, Stuart Laing, Sukie Smith. Clever detailed here, is also depicted in EDITH AND three-part story about lives that intersect in ˆ ME. MARCEL. Original French title: LA MO a small seaside town when friends and famSuper 35. [PG-13]쩠 ily gather for a young man’s funeral: first La Vie Prive´e SEE: Very Private Affair, A one person’s story is told, then two others La Vie Promise (2002-French) C-93m. ★★ that overlap in interesting and unpredictable D: Olivier Dahan. Isabelle Huppert, Pascal ways. Satisfying, well written, and original, Greggory, Maud Forget, Andre´ Marcon, Fawith rich performances throughout. Written bienne Babe. A hooker must flee Nice when by the directors. [R]▼쩠 her estranged daughter commits a violent Lawless Street, A (1955) C-78m. ★★1⁄2 D: crime. A new bond develops between the Joseph H. Lewis. Randolph Scott, Angela two women as they travel the French counLansbury, Warner Anderson, Jean Parker, tryside, where the mother comes face-toWallace Ford, Ruth Donnelly, Michael face with gut-wrenching decisions she made Pate. Hard-bitten marshal Scott tries to in the past as well as an uncertain future. eliminate evil forces from western town, then Exquisite cinematography, eclectic music confronts his bittersweet past when musical score, and a fine performance from Huppert star Lansbury comes to town. Entertaining Western with disappointing resolution.▼쩠 (as always) can’t redeem this earnest but slow-moving and mostly uninvolving story Lawman (1971) C-98m. ★★★ D: Michael of a woman at the crossroads of a life that Winner. Burt Lancaster, Robert Ryan, Lee didn’t go the way she planned. Super 35.쩠 J. Cobb, Robert Duvall, Sheree North, L’Avventura (1960-French-Italian) 145m. Albert Salmi, Joseph Wiseman, J.D. Can★★★1⁄2 D: Michelangelo Antonioni. Monica non, Richard Jordan, John McGiver, Ralph Vitti, Gabriele Ferzetti, Lea Massari, DomWaite, John Beck, John Hillerman. Intri[ 784 ]

guing thought-Western about stoic marLaw of the Lawless (1964) C-88m. ★★1⁄2 shal (Lancaster) who comes into unfamiliar D: William F. Claxton. Dale Robertson, town to bring back wanted men, refusing Yvonne De Carlo, William Bendix, Bruce to sway from duty even though entire town Cabot, Richard Arlen, John Agar, Lon turns against him. Unsatisfactory resoluChaney (Jr.), Kent Taylor. Veteran cast is tion mars otherwise compelling story; Ryan chief interest here, with Robertson an exgives one of his finest performances as gunman turned judge. Techniscope. timid sheriff. [PG]▼●쩠 Lawrence of Arabia (1962-British) CLawn Dogs (1998-U.S.-British) C-100m. 216m. ★★★★ D: David Lean. Peter O’★★1 Toole, Alec Guinness, Anthony Quinn, ⁄2 D: John Duigan. Kathleen Quinlan, Sam Rockwell, Christopher McDonald, Bruce Jack Hawkins, Claude Rains, Anthony McGill, Tom Aldredge, Mischa Barton. Odd Quayle, Arthur Kennedy, Omar Sharif, but intriguing story of the unlikely relationship Jose Ferrer. Blockbuster biography of enigthat develops between a misfit kid who lives matic adventurer T. E. Lawrence is that in an antiseptic, gate-guarded community, rarity, an epic film that is also literate. and a drop-out gardener who grew up in the Loses some momentum in the second half, area but has long been an outcast in the but still a knockout—especially in 1989 community. Sometimes uneasy mix of reissue version, which restored many cuts black comedy and social satire, but marked made over the years (and made a few by good performances and a piquant sense judicious trims in the process). Still, the of humor. [R]▼●쩠 only way to really appreciate this film is Lawnmower Man, The (1992) C-105m. on a big screen. Screenplay by Robert Bolt ★1 ⁄2 D: Brett Leonard. Jeff Fahey, Pierce and Michael Wilson, based on Lawrence’s Brosnan, Jenny Wright, Mark Bringleson, book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Seven Geoffrey Lewis, Jeremy Slate, Dean NorOscars include Best Picture, Director, Cineris, Austin O’Brien. Scientist Brosnan needs matography (Freddie Young), Score (Maurice a guinea pig for hitherto failed experiments Jarre), Editing, and Art Direction. O’Toole’s in drug therapy and computer instruction; first leading role made him an instant star. who better than the grinning mental defecBeware of shorter prints. Originally 222m. Super Panavision 70. ▼●쩠 tive who mows his lawn? At least the pyrotechnics at the end (simulating ‘‘virtual Laws of Attraction (2004-British-Irish) C90m. ★★1⁄2 D: Peter Howitt. Pierce Brosnan, reality’’) are full of visual buzz. Fahey in a blond wig is really tough to take. Has nothing Julianne Moore, Frances Fisher, Parker to do with the Stephen King short story it’s Posey, Michael Sheen, Nora Dunn, David ostensibly based on. Alternate version runs Kelly. N.Y.C. divorce lawyer Moore has 140m. Followed by a sequel. [R]▼●쩠 never lost a case but meets her match in Lawnmower Man 2: Beyond Cyberspace wily opposing counsel Brosnan, who also (1996-U.S.-British-Japanese) C-93m. ★★ D: manages to get her to let her guard down. Farhad Mann. Patrick Bergin, Matt Frewer, Romantic comedy never nears the bull’sAustin O’Brien, Ely Pouget, Camille Cooper, eye, but showcases Brosnan’s easygoing Patrick La Brecque, Crystal Celeste Grant, charm and gives Moore a rare comedic opKevin Conway. Moron-turned-genius Jobe is portunity. There are worse ways to spend back, still intent on ruling the world from cysome time than in their company. Panavision. [PG-13]▼쩠 berspace. This involves ruthless billionaire Conway, reclusive computer expert Bergin, Laws of Gravity (1991) C-100m. ★★★ D: doctor Pouget, and young O’Brien, returning Nick Gomez. Peter Greene, Adam Trese, from the original film. The plot is both comEdie Falco, Arabella Field, Paul Schulzie. plicated and simpleminded, and aimed primarIntense, vivid chronicle of three momenily at teenage computer fans—but the tous days in the lives of a pair of young standardized BLADE RUNNER future, roublue-collar Brooklyn thieves and their tine action, and only intermittent computer girlfriends. Shot on a minuscule budget, graphics will likely leave them as disinterested and distinguished by gritty, Scorsese-like as everyone else. Aka: LAWNMOWER realism. The performances are collectively MAN 2: JOBE’S WAR. Panavision. [PGterrific, and Jean de Segonzac’s hand-held camera is a major plus. [R]▼ 13]▼●쩠 Law of Desire (1987-Spanish) C-100m. Lawyer, The (1970) C-117m. ★★1⁄2 D: ★★★ D: Pedro Almodo´var. Eusebio Poncela, Sidney J. Furie. Barry Newman, Harold Carmen Maura, Antonio Banderas, MiGould, Diana Muldaur, Robert Colbert, guel Molina, Bibi Andersson, Manuela Kathleen Crowley. Lively story loosely based Velasco, Nacho Martinez. Surreal, hedoon famous Dr. Sam Sheppard murder case; nistic, and hilarious comedy focusing on a Newman is stubborn young lawyer defending gay love triangle, with equal doses of doctor accused of murdering his wife, battling passion, sex, fantasy, and tragedy. Maura legal protocol and uncooperative client. Unis a standout as a free-spirited transsexual; exceptional but diverting; Newman later this film helped to cement Almodo´var’s inrevived role in TV series Petrocelli. [R] ternational reputation. ▼●쩠 Layer Cake (2004-British) C-105m. ★★1⁄2 [ 785 ]

D: Matthew Vaughn. Daniel Craig, Colm bank heist. High-class British humor makes Meaney, Kenneth Cranham, George Harris, this tale of crime a delight. Forbes also Jamie Foreman, Sienna Miller, Michael Gamwrote the script. Look for Oliver Reed as a ballet dancer!▼● bon, Marcel Iures, Tom Hardy, Jason Flemyng, Sally Hawkins. London drug dealer who League of Their Own, A (1992) C-128m. ★★★ tries to approach what he does on a strictlyD: Penny Marshall. Tom Hanks, Geena business basis comes to learn that he has no Davis, Madonna, Lori Petty, Jon Lovitz, control over his life or the actions of the peoDavid Strathairn, Garry Marshall, Megan Caple around him. Superficial crime yarn vanagh, Rosie O’Donnell, Renee Coleman, boasts a good cast but travels an all-tooAnn Cusack, Tracy Reiner, Janet Jones, Te´a familiar path. First-time director Vaughn Leoni, Bill Pullman. Thoroughly entertaining (who produced LOCK, STOCK AND comedy about the women’s baseball league TWO SMOKING BARRELS and that sprang up when male ballplayers were off SNATCH) indulges in look-at-me camera fighting in WW2. Davis and Madonna stand shots that add nothing. Adapted by J. J. out in a first-rate cast, with Hanks giving a terConnolly from his novel. J-D-C Scope. rific comedy performance as the drunken ex[R]▼쩠 baseball star who manages their team. Good1 ★★★ ⁄2 D: GorLeadbelly (1976) C-126m. natured fiction that sheds light on a neglected don Parks. Roger E. Mosley, Paul Benjachapter of real-life sports history. Later, briefly a TV series. Panavision. [PG]▼●쩠 min, Madge Sinclair, Alan Manson, Albert P. Hall, Art Evans, Loretta Greene. PoiLean on Me (1989) C-109m. ★★1⁄2 D: gnant biography of the legendary folksinger John G. Avildsen. Morgan Freeman, BevHuddie Ledbetter, master of the 12-string erly Todd, Robert Guillaume, Alan North, guitar and long-time convict on Texas and Lynne Thigpen, Robin Bartlett, Michael Louisiana chain gangs. Stunning musical Beach, Ethan Phillips, Regina Taylor. The performances (including ‘‘Rock Island story of ‘‘Crazy Joe’’ Clark, the real-life Line,’’ ‘‘Goodnight Irene’’ and many more baseball bat, bullhorn toting high school classics), with Mosley effectively restrained principal from New Jersey who whips his in the title role. Superior entertainment. [PG] students into shape by alternately bolsterLeading Man, The (1997-British) Cing and bullying them. Freeman is riveting 100m. ★★★ D: John Duigan. Jon Bon Jovi, in the central role, making up for script’s Anna Galiena, Lambert Wilson, Thandie shortcomings and Avildsen’s all-too-familiar Newton, Barry Humphries, David Warner. approach. That’s Michael Imperioli as one British backstage theater romance about an of the kids being kicked out of the school. American movie star who seduces a play[PG-13]▼●쩠 wright’s lonely wife and his leading-lady Leap Into the Void (1979-Italian) C-120m. ★★★ mistress. While it can’t quite make up its D: Marco Bellocchio. Michel Piccoli, mind whether it’s a comic drama or a light Anouk Aime´e, Michele Placido, Gisella thriller, it’s still very entertaining stuff. Bon Burinato, Antonio Piovanelli. A compasJovi is good as the brash, amoral Yankee, sionate comedy about a very unusual topic: and Galiena and Newton are fetching as the suicide. Magistrate Piccoli uses Placido to women caught in his web. [R]▼●쩠 try to induce his mentally ill sister (Aime´e) League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, to do herself in. Leap of Faith (1992) C-108m. ★★1⁄2 D: The (2003) C-110m. ★★ D: Stephen Norrington. Sean Connery, Shane West, StuRichard Pearce. Steve Martin, Debra Wingart Townsend, Naseeruddin Shah, Richard er, Lolita Davidovich, Liam Neeson, Lukas Roxburgh, Peta Wilson, Tony Curran, Jason Haas, Meat Loaf, Philip Seymour HoffFlemyng, David Hemmings, Max Ryan. Intriman, M. C. Gainey, Delores Hall. Nicely guing premise—a gathering of notorious textured look at an evangelist’s traveling 19th-century fictional figures, from Dr. Jekyll tent show—but Martin is never credible as and Dorian Gray to Dracula’s Mina Harker, a religious pitchman who connects with his whose various attributes combine to form a gullible audiences. Director Pearce has a kind of Justice League—is undone by lumpy keen eye for detail and atmosphere, but the storytelling, poorly staged action, and outfilm’s story flaws are hard to overlook. The sized, cartoonish special effects sequences. real treat: watching Winger as Martin’s Connery is charismatic as ever playing Allan savvy partner-in-crime. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Quatermain. Based on a graphic novel by Learning Tree, The (1969) C-107m. ★★1⁄2 Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill. Panavision. D: Gordon Parks. Kyle Johnson, Alex [PG-13] ▼쩠 Clarke, Estelle Evans, Dana Elcar, Mita League of Gentlemen, The (1960-British) Waters. Parks called virtually every shot in brilliantly photographed but surprisingly 114m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Basil Dearden. Jack Hawkins, Nigel Patrick, Roger Livesey, Richmild film version of his autobiographical ard Attenborough, Bryan Forbes, Kieron novel about young black growing up in Moore, Robert Coote, Nanette Newman. Kansas. Film’s appeal lies more in its Ex-army colonel enlists the aid of former intentions than in what it actually accomplishes. Panavision. [M/PG]▼ officers (through blackmail) to pull off big [ 786 ]

Leather Boys, The (1963-British) 105m. expertly handled all around with Tierney ★★★ breathtakingly photographed in Technicolor D: Sidney J. Furie. Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell, Dudley Sutton, Gladys by Oscar winner Leon Shamroy. And how Henson. Uncompromising study of impulabout those incredible homes in New Mexsive Tushingham’s incompatible marriage ico and Maine! Remade for TV as TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE in 1988.▼●쩠 to motorcycle-loving mechanic, focusing on their opposing viewpoints and sleazy Leave It to Beaver (1997) C-89m. ★★★ D: environment. CinemaScope.▼쩠 Andy Cadiff. Christopher McDonald, JanLeatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre ine Turner, Cameron Finley, Erik von DetIII (1990) C-81m. ★1⁄2 D: Jeff Burr. Kate ten, Adam Zolotin, Barbara Billingsley, Hodge, Ken Foree, R. A. Mihailoff, Viggo Ken Osmond, Frank Bank, Erika ChrisMortensen, William Butler, Joe Unger. tensen, Alan Rachins. Cute family comedy Mostly a remake of the first film: cannibal based on the vintage TV series, with Finley clan battles three would-be dinners. Sean appealing Theodore Cleaver, for whom verely damaged by prerelease cuts designed things never seem to go quite right . . . to reduce gore but which only make the especially when he volunteers to play footfilm incoherent. Followed by TEXAS ball in order to please his dad. Brother CHAINSAW MASSACRE: THE NEXT Wally (who experiences his first taste of GENERATION. [R]▼●쩠 puppy love) and unctuous Eddie Haskell Leatherheads (2008) C-113m. ★★1⁄2 D: are here, too. Billingsley, Osmond, and George Clooney. George Clooney, Rene´e Bank (June, Eddie, and Lumpy from the Zellweger, John Krasinski, Jonathan Pryce, original show) make token appearances. Peter Gerety, Jack Thompson, Stephen [PG]▼●쩠 Root, Wayne Duvall, Marian Seldes, Max Leaving Las Vegas (1995) C-111m. ★★★1⁄2 Casella, Blake Clark. Hotshot gridiron D: Mike Figgis. Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth player Clooney, desperate to keep his team Shue, Julian Sands, Richard Lewis, Steven afloat in the early ragtag days of pro football Weber, Valeria Golino, Graham Beckel, in 1925, recruits a WW1 hero (Krasinski) Carey Lowell, R. Lee Ermey, Mariska Harwho’s become a star college player. Meangitay, Laurie Metcalf, Julian Lennon, Lou while, hotshot reporter Zellweger is assigned Rawls, Ed Lauter, Xander Berkeley, Susan to attach herself to the hero and expose him Barnes. Cage is a hopeless alcoholic who as a fraud. Attempt to replicate a smart, sassy moves to Las Vegas, determined to drink 1930s Hollywood movie succeeds only spohimself to death, while Shue is a prostitute radically; likable enough but overlong and who demeans herself on a nightly basis. slow. Film’s composer, Randy Newman, apTheir attachment to one another (and their pears briefly as a pianist. [PG-13]쩠 willingness to accept each other as they are) Leather Jackets (1991) C-90m. BOMB makes this an unusually powerful and movD: Lee Drysdale. D. B. Sweeney, Bridget ing love story, in spite of the seamy trapFonda, Cary Elwes, Craig Ng, Marshall pings. Cage and Shue give brave, honest Bell, Christopher Penn, Jon Polito, James performances (Cage won the Best Actor LeGros, Neil Giuntoli. Leather-jacketed Oscar). Figgis scripted from John O’Brien’s Elwes and friends rip off and murder a novel and also composed the score, with Vietnamese mob bagman, whose associvocals by Sting. Ironically, O’Brien comates vow vengeance—and plenty of it. mitted suicide after selling the movie rights Newly engaged Sweeney and Fonda try to to his book. [R] ▼●쩠 help, and get caught in the crossfire, which Leaving Normal (1992) C-110m. ★★1⁄2 D: they deserve for being in such a turkey. Edward Zwick. Christine Lahti, Meg Tilly, What a bloody mess! [R]▼● Lenny Von Dohlen, Maury Chaykin, James Leave All Fair (1985-New Zealand) CGammon, Patrika Darbo, Eve Gordon, 88m. ★★★ D: John Reid. John Gielgud, James Eckhouse, Brett Cullen, Rutanya Jane Birkin, Feodor Atkine, Simon Ward. Alda. An aggressively cynical cocktail waitIntelligent, rewarding account of the elress and her quieter, twice-wed friend take derly John Middleton Murry (Gielgud), off for Alaska after failing to find fulfillhusband and editor of Katherine Mansfield, ment in Normal, Wyoming. Smug collecand his manipulative relationship with her. tion of on-the-road episodes fails to build She’s portrayed in flashback by Birkin, a solid foundation, though the film does who also appears as a young woman who reimprove marginally once the characters minds Murry of her. Stick with this one. settle down at their destination. Tilly is Leave Her to Heaven (1945) C-110m. well cast, but Lahti is atypically insuffer★★★ able. Cinematographer Ralf Bode’s color D: John M. Stahl. Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain, Vincent Price, vistas help. [R]▼● Mary Philips, Ray Collins, Darryl HickLe Bal (1982-Italian-French) C-112m. ★★★ man, Gene Lockhart. Tierney’s mother D: Ettore Scola. Christophe Allwright, Marc says, ‘‘There’s nothing wrong with Ellen. Berman, Regis Bouquet, Chantal Capron, It’s just that she loves too much.’’ In fact, Nani Noel, Jean-Franc¸ois Perrier. Original, she loves some people to death! Slick trash, stylish panorama of life, love, loneliness, [ 787 ]

war and peace, from the mid-’30s to ’80s. velously played by Bourvil). Another winSet in a ballroom, with no major characters; ner from the star and writer-director of LE the actors play different roles, in different SAMOURAI. Cut to 100m. for initial U.S. release, restored in 2003. ▼쩠 time periods. No dialogue, just music and sound effects. Quite different, but most L’Eclisse SEE: Eclipse definitely worthwhile.▼ Le Confessionnal (1995-Canadian-BritishLe Beau Mariage (1982-French) C-97m. French) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: Robert Lepage. ★★★1⁄2 D: Eric Rohmer. Beatrice Romand, Lothaire Bluteau, Patrick Goyette, JeanAndre Dussollier, Feodor Atkine, Hugette Louis Millette, Kristin Scott Thomas, RichFaget, Arielle Dombasle. Headstrong young ard Frechette, Marie Gignac. Elaborate, woman rather arbitrarily decides she will challenging, but only intermittently successbe married (to no one in particular), initiful tale which intercuts two scenarios set ates an embarrassing pursuit of male with years apart, involving a pregnant adolescent other ideas. If you can accept this hard-toin 1952 Quebec (as Alfred Hitchcock is in swallow premise, film is a beautifully acted town shooting I CONFESS) who is detercomedy of humiliation. Romand, incidenmined not to reveal her lover’s identity, and tally, is the now-grown-up adolescent from the adopted brother (Bluteau) of her natural Rohmer’s CLAIRE’S KNEE, made 11 father. Fluidly directed, with clever visual years earlier. Aka THE GOOD MARreferences to Hitch, but the result somehow RIAGE. [PG]▼쩠 seems disconnected and unnecessarily comLe Beau Serge (1958-French) 97m. ★★★ plex. Worth a look, especially for Hitchcock D: Claude Chabrol. Jean-Claude Brialy, aficionados. Stage director Lepage’s debut Ge´rard Blain, Michele Meritz, Bernadette feature; he also scripted.▼ Lafont, Edmond Beauchamp. Considered Le Corbeau (1943-French) 92m. ★★★1⁄2 to be the first New Wave film, this rural D: Henri-Georges Clouzot. Pierre Fresnay, tale also marked the feature directing deGinette Leclerc, Helena Manson, Noel but of Cahiers du Cine´ma film critic Claude Roquevert, Sylvie, Louis Seigner. IngeChabrol. When Brialy returns to his tiny nious suspenser detailing what happens home town, he is stunned to find how when a series of mysterious poison pen drastically his old school chum (Blain) has letters begins circulating in a small French changed. Perceptive examination of the tritown. Quite controversial in its day, because als of life in a poor farming community it was financed by a German movie company and the moral questions raised by how one and considered to be anti-French propaganda. treats a friend. Brialy, Blain, and young Remade in Hollywood as THE 13TH LETLafont (a teenaged nymphet) continued to TER. Aka THE RAVEN.▼쩠 collaborate with Chabrol (who also wrote Le Crabe Tambour (1977-French) Cand produced) for three decades.▼ 120m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Pierre Schoendoerffer. Le Bonheur (1965-French) C-87m. ★★1⁄2 Jean Rochefort, Claude Rich, Jacques D: Agne´s Varda. Jean-Claude Drouot, Claire Dufilho, Jacques Perrin, Odile Versois, Drouot, Sandrine Drouot, Oliver Drouot, Aurore Clement. Expertly directed, deMarie-France Boyer. Happily married cartailed chronicle, mostly told in flashback, penter Drouot falls for postal clerk Boyer, of the complex relationship between dying feels he can love both her and wife and they naval captain Rochefort and legendary offiwill share him. Intriguing, but emotionally cer Perrin, a character out of Soldier of uninvolving and unbelievable. Drouot’s real Fortune magazine. Both, along with Rich wife and children portray his cinematic spouse as the doctor and Dufilho as the chief and offspring. Aka HAPPINESS.▼쩠 engineer, offer top-notch performances, Le Bossu SEE: On Guard and Raoul Coutard’s cinematography is Le Boucher (1969-French-Italian) C-93m. breathtaking.▼● ★★★ D: Claude Chabrol. Stephane Audran, Leda SEE: Web of Passion Jean Yanne, Antonio Passallia, Mario Le Dernier Combat (1984-French) 90m. ★★ D: Luc Besson. Pierre Jolivet, Jean Beccaria, Pasquale Ferone. Another good psychological thriller from Chabrol, focusing Bouise, Fritz Wepper, Christiane Kruger, on sympathetic murderer and his relationship Jean Reno. Wildly overpraised science-ficwith beautiful schoolteacher in small French tion film is basically another post-apocavillage. Aka THE BUTCHER. [PG] ▼●쩠 lypse epic. Jolivet is curious survivor Le Cercle Rouge (1970-French-Italian) Cwandering around a devastated landscape 140m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Alain having odd, pointless encounters with strange Delon, Gian-Maria Volonte´, Andre´ Bourvil, people. Novelty item is without dialogue, in Yves Montand, Franc¸ois Pe´rier, Rene b&w, with stereo sound. Widescreen CineBerthier. Super-cool gangster Delon is remaScope. [R]▼쩠 leased from prison on the same day another Le Deuxie`me Souffle (1966-French) 150m. ★★★1⁄2 D: Jean-Pierre Melville. Lino Venhood (Volonte´) makes a daring escape from custody. The two hook up, along with Montura, Paul Meurisse, Raymond Pellegrin, tand, for an ambitious heist, all the while Christine Fabre´ga, Marcel Bozzufi, Paul Franhumiliating a patient police inspector (markeur, Michel Constantin. Ventura means busi[ 788 ]

ness as Gu, a tough crook who escapes from Newman. Penn’s first feature, based on a jail and becomes involved in a big heist, but 1955 Philco Playhouse TV play by Gore is duped into helping the cops. Melville Vidal in which Newman starred. See also GORE VIDAL’S BILLY THE KID. ▼쩠 pulls out all the cinematic stops in his definitive caper film, a major reworking of his Left-Handed Woman, The (1978-German) C-119m. ★★ D: Peter Handke. Edith Clevfavorite themes of criminal loyalty, beer, Bruno Ganz, Michel Lonsdale, Markus trayal, and professionalism.쩠 Le Divorce (2003-U.S.-French) C-117m. Muhleisen, Angela Winkler, Ines de Long★★ D: James Ivory. Kate Hudson, Naomi champs, Bernhard Wicki, Ge´rard DeWatts, Leslie Caron, Stockard Channing, pardieu. Clever, as The Woman, demands Glenn Close, Thierry Lhermitte, Sam Wathat husband Ganz leave her. He complies. terston, Melvil Poupaud, Stephen Fry, MatTime passes . . . and the audience falls thew Modine, Bebe Neuwirth, Romain Duris, asleep. Jean-Marc Barr, Samuel Labarthe, Thomas Left Hand of God, The (1955) C-87m. ★★★ Lennon, Nathalie Richard, Daniel Mesguich. D: Edward Dmytryk. Humphrey Bogart, Large, impressive cast flounders in this paperGene Tierney, Lee J. Cobb, Agnes Moorethin comedy-of-manners about the sexual and head, E. G. Marshall, Benson Fong. Bogart romantic plight of an inexperienced Amerimanages to be convincing as American can in Paris (Hudson) and her pregnant, caught in post-WW2 China, posing as clerabandoned sister (Watts). There are plenty of gyman with diverting results. Cinemaplot complications, but they don’t add up to Scope.▼ much; the potential for exploring the cultural Left Luggage (1998-Dutch-Belgian-U.S.) differences between Americans and the C-97m. ★★1⁄2 D: Jeroen Krabbe´. Isabella French is wasted. Scripted by Ivory and Ruth Rossellini, Maximilian Schell, Laura Fraser, Prawer Jhabvala, based on Diane Johnson’s Jeroen Krabbe´, Marianne Sa¨gebrecht, David novel. Panavision. [PG-13] ▼쩠 Bradley, Adam Monty, Chaim Topol, MirLe Doulos (1962-French) 108m. ★★★ D: iam Margolyes. In 1972 Antwerp, a freeJean-Pierre Melville. Jean-Paul Belmondo, spirited Jewish woman (Fraser), the daughSerge Reggiani, Jean Desailly, Fabienne ter of Holocaust survivors, hires on as Dali, Michel Piccoli, Rene´ Lefe`vre, Monnanny for a Hasidic family and immediately ique Hennessy. Hard-boiled crime tale cenbonds with a mute, cherubic five-year-old tering on the search for hidden loot stolen who is terrified of his rigid father. Emotionby Reggiani and whether or not fellow ally charged drama explores a host of iscrook Belmondo ratted him out to the cops. sues, but despite some powerful moments, Slick Melville imitation of an American is far too obvious and even schmaltzy at times. Opened in the U.S. in 2000.▼쩠 film noir is a notch below his best, but still an entertaining study of duplicity and honor Legacy, The (1979) C-100m. ★★1⁄2 D: among thieves. Aka DOULOS—THE FINRichard Marquand. Katharine Ross, Sam GER MAN. ▼쩠 Elliott, John Standing, Ian Hogg, Marga1 ★ Leech Woman, The (1960) 77m. ⁄2 D: ret Tyzack, Charles Gray, Lee Montague, Edward Dein. Coleen Gray, Grant WilRoger Daltrey. Two Americans find themliams, Phillip Terry, Gloria Talbott, John selves among group of people shanghaied Van Dreelen. In Africa, an aging woman obto British mansion where strange deaths tains power that restores her youth, but reand an occult ceremony await. Acceptable quires her to murder—including her rotten fare for fans of this genre. Filmed in husband. Back in L.A. it’s more of the same. England; aka THE LEGACY OF MAGGIE Gray is very good; the movie isn’t.▼●쩠 WALSH. [R]▼쩠 Left Behind (2000) C-100m. ★1⁄2 D: Vic Legacy of Blood SEE: Blood Legacy Sarin. Kirk Cameron, Brad Johnson, Janaya Legacy of Maggie Walsh, The SEE: Stephens, Chelsea Noble, Clarence Gilyard. Legacy, The What do religion, international bankers, Legacy of Rage (1986-Hong Kong) Ccontrol of the world’s food supply, and the 87m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ronny Yu. Brandon Lee, Misudden disappearance of millions of people chael Wong, Regina Kent, Onno Boelee have in common? They’re all pieces of a (Bolo Yeung), Tanya George, Wai-Man puzzle intrepid reporter Cameron is trying Chan, Randy Mang. Lee’s debut film has to put together. Intriguing story (based on a him framed for the murder of a cop by a best-selling book inspired by biblical prophmobster ‘‘friend’’ who then tries to steal his ecies) is defeated by one-dimensional treatfiance´e; eight years later he’s released from ment. Debuted on home video before prison and is out for blood. Martial arts theatrical release. Followed by two sequels. mayhem is surprisingly kept to a bare mini[PG-13] ▼쩠 mum in this imitation John Woo crime Left Handed Gun, The (1958) 102m. drama filled with gory shootouts, bone★★1⁄2 D: Arthur Penn. Paul Newman, Lita crushing violence and hyperkinetic car chases and explosions.▼●쩠 Milan, John Dehner, Hurd Hatfield. Faltering psychological Western dealing with Legal Eagles (1986) C-114m. ★★1⁄2 D: Ivan Billy the Kid’s career, method-acted by Reitman. Robert Redford, Debra Winger, [ 789 ]

Daryl Hannah, Brian Dennehy, Terence Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Bruce McGill, Stamp, Steven Hill, David Clennon, John Joel Gretsch, Lane Smith, Harve Presnell, J. McMartin, Jennie Dundas, Roscoe Lee Michael Moncrief. A once-promising golfer Browne, Christine Baranski, Jay Thomas. from Savannah, Georgia, shattered by his exUnderwritten, overproduced romantic comperiences in WW1, is goaded into competing edy about assistant D.A. who becomes inagainst champions Bobby Jones and Walter volved with flaky lawyer (Winger) and her Hagen in an exhibition match . . . with the even flakier client (Hannah). Redford’s chahelp of a mysterious caddy named Bagger risma is at its brightest, which helps make up Vance. Leisurely paced, beautifully rendered for lack of spark between him and Winger, fable; fortunately, some undercooked mystiand film’s other weaknesses. Panavision. cism doesn’t get in the way. Jack Lemmon appears unbilled. [PG-13]▼쩠 [PG]▼●쩠 Legally Blonde (2001) C-96m. ★★1⁄2 D: Legend of Billie Jean, The (1985) C-96m. ★★ Robert Luketic. Reese Witherspoon, Luke D: Matthew Robbins. Helen Slater, Wilson, Selma Blair, Matthew Davis, Victor Keith Gordon, Christian Slater, Richard Garber, Jennifer Coolidge, Holland Taylor, Ali Bradford, Peter Coyote, Martha Gehman, Larter, Jessica Cauffiel, Alanna Ubach, Oz Dean Stockwell. Texas girl and her brother Perkins, Raquel Welch. A way-perky sorority are implicated in a shooting; unjustly acgirl gets accepted at Harvard Law School in cused of other crimes, they run from poorder to win her ex-boyfriend back, then lice and soon become rebel heroes. Slater discovers she has the right stuff to become is very good, and film is watchable, but its a lawyer. Witherspoon is practically the adult characters come out as caricatures whole show in this very predictable but enand the ‘‘message’’ gets muddy. Christian Slater’s first feature film. [PG-13]▼ gagingly silly comedy that, like its heroine, has more smarts than you’d expect. Later a Legend of Boggy Creek, The (1972) C-90m. ★★ D: Charles B. Pierce. Willie E. Broadway musical. Followed by a sequel. Super 35. [PG-13]▼쩠 Smith, John P. Nixon, John W. Gates, Legally Blonde 2: Red White & Blonde Jeff Crabtree, Buddy Crabtree. Docudrama about sightings of a horrifying swamp mon(2003) C-94m. ★1⁄2 D: Charles HermanWurmfeld. Reese Witherspoon, Sally Field, ster in an Arkansas community. This modRegina King, Jennifer Coolidge, Bruce Mcest but well-touted endeavor became a Gill, Dana Ivey, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Jessica huge success, inspiring many similar films— Cauffiel, Alanna Ubach, Bob Newhart, Luke including RETURN TO BOGGY CREEK Wilson. Appallingly imbecilic sequel sends and THE BARBARIC BEAST OF BOGGY Witherspoon’s effervescent Elle Woods to CREEK PART II (which is actually the third in the series). Techniscope. [G]▼쩠 Washington (like Mr. Smith, who is briefly invoked) to push through a bill that will Legend of Drunken Master, The SEE: prevent chemical testing on animals. She Drunken Master II gets some quick lessons on ‘‘playing the Legend of Frenchie King, The (1971French-Spanish-Italian-British) C-97m. ★1⁄2 game,’’ capitol-style. Any film that begins with its heroine hiring a detective to locate D: Christian-Jaque, Guy Casaril. Brigitte her dog’s birth mother isn’t going for Bardot, Claudia Cardinale, Michael J. Pollard, credibility . . . but this one can’t even give Patty Shepard, Micheline Presle. Clumsy atus an emotionally satisfying climax when tempt at bawdy Western in the style of VIVA Elle addresses Congress! Followed by a MARIA, with Bardot and her sisters as female DVD sequel. [PG-13] ▼쩠 outlaws at a French settlement in New MexLegend (1985-British) C-89m. ★★ D: Ridley ico, circa 1880. Badly dubbed. Aka PETROLEUM GIRLS. [R]▼ Scott. Tom Cruise, Mia Sara, Tim Curry, David Bennent, Alice Playten, Billy Barty. Legend of Gosta Berling, The SEE: Lavishly mounted fantasy, in the Grimm’s Atonement of Gosta Berling, The Fairy Tale mold, about the demon DarkLegend of Hell House, The (1973-British) ness trying to gain control over young girl C-95m. ★★★ D: John Hough. Roddy Mcwho represents absolute innocence. InDowall, Pamela Franklin, Clive Revill, credibly handsome but story lacks moGayle Hunnicutt, Roland Culver, Peter mentum and characters are not well Bowles. Harrowing story of occult phedefined. Kids might enjoy it. Released in nomena as four researchers agree to spend U.S. in 1986 with Tangerine Dream score; one week in house known to be inhabited European version had a Jerry Goldsmith by malignant spirits. Not the usual ghost score. Director’s cut runs 113m. J-D-C story, and certain to curl a few hairs. MiScope. [PG] ▼●쩠 chael Gough turns up as a corpse at concluLegendary Curse of Lemora SEE: Lady sion. Written by Richard Matheson from his Dracula novel Hell House. [PG]▼●쩠 Legend in Leotards SEE: Return of CapLegend of Lylah Clare, The (1968) C-130m. ★★ D: Robert Aldrich. Kim Novak, tain Invincible, The Legend of Bagger Vance, The (2000) CPeter Finch, Ernest Borgnine, Milton Selz★★★ 127m. D: Robert Redford. Will Smith, er, Valentina Cortese, Michael Murphy, [ 790 ]

Lee Meriwether, Coral Browne, Ellen Perry, John Hart. A middling effort to tell Corby. Has-been Hollywood director fashthe origin of the Masked Man, which waions young woman into the image of his vers between seriousness and tongue-inlate wife for screen biography; flamboycheek. Some fine action, great scenery, antly awful, but some think it’s so bad it’s and a promising storyline, but sabotaged good. Judge for yourself. Based on a 1963 by awkward handling, uncharismatic leads Dupont Show of the Week TV play by (Spilsbury was dubbed to no great effect), Robert Thom. [R] and an awful ‘‘ballad’’ narration by Merle Legend of Nigger Charley, The (1972) Haggard. Bring back Clayton Moore and C-98m. ★★1⁄2 D: Martin Goldman. Fred Jay Silverheels! Panavision. [PG]▼쩠 Williamson, D’Urville Martin, Don Pedro Legend of the Lost (1957) C-109m. ★★ Colley, Gertrude Jeanette, Marcia McD: Henry Hathaway. John Wayne, Sophia Broom, Alan Gifford. Violent, routine Loren, Rossano Brazzi, Kurt Kasznar, Sonia black Western about Virginia slave who Moser. Incredibly insipid hodgepodge inbecomes a fugitive after killing treacherous teresting as curio: Wayne and Brazzi on overseer; Lloyd Price sings title tune. Setreasure hunt in Sahara battle over rights to quel: THE SOUL OF NIGGER CHARLoren. Technirama.▼쩠 LEY. [PG] Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, The Legend of 1900, The (1998-Italian) CSEE: Seven Brothers Meet Dracula, The 116m. ★★ D: Giuseppe Tornatore. Tim Legend of the Werewolf (1975-British) Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Bill Nunn, ClarC-87m. ★★ D: Freddie Francis. Peter ence Williams III, Melanie Thierry, Harry Cushing, Ron Moody, Hugh Griffith, Ditson. Expansive fable about an infant Roy Castle, David Rintoul, Lynn Dalby. named 1900, born (and abandoned) on a Trite version has handsome Rintoul as the huge ocean liner at the turn of the 20th cenhairy guy, working in French zoo, tracked tury; he spends his entire life on that ship, down by coroner-investigator Cushing. and turns out to be a uniquely gifted pianist. Man-to-Wolf transformation scenes are Ambitious tale has some wonderful mosubpar.▼ ments—including a piano duel with Jelly Legend of Wolf Lodge SEE: Into the Fire Roll Morton (Williams)—but rambles inLegend of Zorro, The (2005) C-129m. conclusively. Italian title: THE LEGEND ★★1 ⁄2 D: Martin Campbell. Antonio BandOF THE PIANIST ON THE OCEAN, eras, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rufus Sewell, which runs 170m. Technovision. [R]▼쩠 Nick Chinlund, Julio Oscar Mechoso, Shuler Legend of Rita, The (2000-German) CHensley, Michael Emerson, Adrian Alonso, 103m. ★★★ D: Volker Schlo¨ndorff. Bibiana Mary Crosby. In this sequel to THE MASK Beglau, Martin Wuttke, Nadja Uhl, Harald OF ZORRO, our hero, now married and the Schrott, Alexander Beyer, Jenny Schilly, father of a son, is persuaded to retire by his Mario Irrek. Trenchant look at the youthful wife as Californians vote to become part idealism of headline-grabbing political fireof the U.S., but the arrival of a mysterious brands who were active in West Germany stranger from Europe signals a need for him during the 1970s. The fictional title characto return to action. Escapism with a capital ter (Beglau) is a radical/zealot who finds E, made with a family audience in mind, herself in East Germany living under a false full to overflowing with grandiose action identity and toiling alongside drab, disconand stunts . . . but like the first film, there’s tented fellow workers. With much irony, too much of everything. The charismatic Schlo¨ndorff examines the era’s politics, stars do their best to combat a plot-heavy passions, and harsh realities.▼쩠 script. Super 35. [PG] ▼쩠 Legend of Sea Wolf SEE: Wolf Larsen Legend of Zu, The SEE: Zu Warriors Legend of the Bayou SEE: Eaten Alive Legends of the Fall (1994) C-134m. ★★ D: Legend of the Holy Drinker, The (19881 Edward Zwick. Brad Pitt, Anthony HopItalian) C-125m. ★★★ ⁄2 D: Ermanno Olmi. kins, Aidan Quinn, Julia Ormond, Henry Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle, Sandrine Thomas, Karina Lombard, Gordon Tootosis, Dumas, Dominique Pinon, Sophie Segalen. Tantoo Cardinal, Paul Desmond. Sprawling Subtle, poetic tale of a down-and-out man family saga about three brothers raised in (Hauer, in a very uncharacteristic perforMontana by their iconoclastic father—a formance), who drinks too much, sleeps under mer cavalry officer who turned his back on a bridge, and is haunted by his past. The bloodshed and the exploitation of Indians. scenario chronicles what happens when he’s Lumbering, Edna Ferber-esque plot is rife presented 200 francs by a stranger. As in with sibling rivalry, pregnant looks, and Olmi’s best films, there are often long siheated exchanges. Many moviegoers—eslences—but those silences are golden. pecially fans of red-hot Pitt—embraced this Legend of the Lone Ranger, The (1981) film, but its earnest, straight-faced story gets C-98m. ★★ D: William A. Fraker. Klinton sillier as it goes along. Performances are Spilsbury, Michael Horse, Christopher fairly one-note, as well, except for Thomas Lloyd, Jason Robards, Matt Clark, Juanin Clay, Richard Farnsworth, John Bennett as the youngest brother. Based on a novella [ 791 ]

by Jim Harrison. Oscar winner for John Maxwell, Lloyd Nolan, Jane Darwell, WilToll’s cinematography. [R]▼●쩠 liam Frawley. Hope is hilarious as raceLegionnaire (1998) C-99m. ★1⁄2 D: Peter track tout who owes big money to gangster MacDonald. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Adand must pay or else. Adapted from Damon ewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Steven Berkoff, Runyon story, filmed before in 1934. Film Nicholas Farrell, Jim Carter, Ana Sofrenovic. introduced Livingston-Evans Christmas hit Boxer Van Damme joins the French Foreign ‘‘Silver Bells.’’ ▼●쩠 Legion in 1925 and flees to Morocco after Lemon Sisters, The (1990) C-93m. ★1⁄2 defying a mobster who orders him to take a D: Joyce Chopra. Diane Keaton, Carol dive. The script is so dated and unintentionKane, Kathryn Grody, Elliott Gould, Rually hilarious that you keep expecting to see ben Blades, Aidan Quinn, Estelle Parsons, Ramon Novarro show up in a turban, or at Richard Libertini, Nathan Lane. Dopey least Marty Feldman; but alas, it’s all played female buddy comedy revolving around with numbing seriousness and a lack of style the relationships of three women; doesn’t and imagination. Released straight to video in take off despite an impressive cast. Althe U.S. Super 35. [R]▼●쩠 though the laughs are few, the scene in Le Grand Chemin SEE: Grand Highwhich Kane sings ‘‘Rawhide’’ is almost way, The worth a look. This film sat on the shelf Le Haine SEE: Hate awhile before its desultory release to theLe Jouet (1976-French) C-92m. ★★1⁄2 D: aters. [PG-13]▼●쩠 Francis Veber. Pierre Richard, Michel Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) C-107m. ★★★ D: Brad Bouquet, Fabrice Greco, Suzy Dyson, Jacques Francois. To show up his cutSilberling. Jim Carrey, Liam Aiken, Emily throat father, a rich boy buys a human toy. Browning, Kara Hoffman, Shelby Hoffman, Sometimes funny, sometimes not . . . but Meryl Streep, Jude Law, Timothy Spall, Cathit’s miles ahead of the American remake, erine O’Hara, Billy Connolly, Luis Guzman, THE TOY. Veber also scripted. [PG] Jamie Harris, Craig Ferguson, Jennifer CooLe Jour Se Le`ve (1939-French) 93m. lidge, Jane Adams, Cedric the Entertainer. ★★★1⁄2 D: Marcel Carne ´ . Jean Gabin, JacThree newly orphaned siblings are sent to queline Laurent, Jules Berry, Arletty, Mady live with their very strange uncle, would-be Berry. A staple of French cinema, from actor Count Olaf, who intends to do them the writer-director team that later created in and steal their inheritance. When they CHILDREN OF PARADISE; factory workmanage to escape from his clutches, they er Gabin, trapped in a building, flashes back are taken in by a series of odd and unusual on events that drove him to murder. Generally guardians. Grand Guignol family fodder holds up, while going a long way toward debased on three Lemony Snicket novels fining Gabin’s screen persona. Written by (written by Daniel Handler), impeccably deJacques Pre´vert, from Jacques Viot’s story. signed by longtime Tim Burton colleague U.S. title: DAYBREAK. Later remade here Rick Heinrichs. Unbeatable cast strikes just as THE LONG NIGHT.▼쩠 the right darkly comic tone, led by Carrey Le Mans (1971) C-106m. ★★★ D: Lee H. in one of his richest performances. Oscar Katzin. Steve McQueen, Siegfried Rauch, winner for Valli O’Reilly and Bill Corso’s Elga Andersen, Ronald Leigh-Hunt. Exmakeup. Stick around for the ingenious, entertaining closing credits. [PG]▼쩠 citing study of Grand Prix auto racing with exceptionally fine camera work on the Lemora, The Lady Dracula SEE: Lady track. Panavision. [G]▼●쩠 Dracula Le Mentale SEE: Code, The (2002) L’Enfant (2005-Belgian-French) C-95m. ★★★ Le Million (1931-French) 85m. ★★★1⁄2 D: D: Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc DarRene´ Clair. Annabella, Rene´ Lefevre, denne. Je´re´mie Renier, De´borah Franc¸ois, Vanda Greville, Paul Olivier, Louis AlliJe´re´mie Segard, Fabrizio Rongione, Olivier bert. A chase after a lost lottery ticket Gourmet. A young, amoral thief and his girlpropels this charming, whimsical, innovafriend have a baby, but responsibility is