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Verdict (1974)
A strangely very rare film, despite the cast....
Yes, I have always been astonished that this great French film starring Jean Gabin and Sophia Loren was so rarely - if never - aired on French Tv and never released in VHS nor DVD. A pure mystery. Some folks succeeded in their search thru some foreign DVD or VHS stuff, never French.... Andre Cayatte delivers here his pure and genuine trademark around justice plots. Jean Gabin offers one of his last performances, and that's the first time he and Sophia Loren co starred. This is a rather good thriller drama that grabs you and never let you foresee what will happen in the next sequence. That's just a shame that this film was not better released, the same with Claude Pinoteau's L'HOMME NE COLERE, starring Lino Ventura. Some lines here remind me Richard Marquand's JUGGED EDGE. I mean for the final part.
Germinal (1993)
Terrific, powerful French social film
This is a big budget film, especially if you consider the cast, and a very rare role for Renaud, the famous French singer. Adapted from the also famous Emile Zola's masterpiece, the most powerful social movie that you can imagine. It is also a semi documentary about the coal miners, as terrififc as as Martin Ritt's MOLLY MAGUIRES, but less from a political point of view. It is riveting, gripping and Claude Berri gives here one of his best films. It was a big success in France and was aired many times on sunday evenings. Gerard Depardieu has his character nearly stolen by the jaw dropping performance of Renaud the singer.
Cop Land (1997)
Best Sly's role since F.I.S.T
I have never seen such a Sylvester Stallone's performance since 1978 FIST, twenty years earlier. And he seems the very same age. Twenty years in between. I love him in such roles, and besides I hate him in all his super heroes trash - ROCKY and FIRST BLOOD - RAMBO film franchise. Stallone had the gift to be a real actor, unlike for instance Arnold, who had only his charm, and presence, his charisma. Stallone had more than this but he wasted it in junkk films, actionners very popular but still garbage. So, back to COP LAND, this movie is also exceptional because you have Stallone co starring Bob De Niro, but also the likes of Ray Liotta, Robert Patrick, Harvey Keitel.... Stallone has never been so moving, poignant than in this very film. Unfortunately one of the weakest ending ever.
The Hoodlum (1951)
The great Larry Tierney, a long time before RESERVOIR DOGS
This is an unfairly underrated crime noir from the late forties. The director Max Nosseck already gave us DILLINGER one year earlier with the same Lawrence Tierney, absolutely fabulous. This one is more drama oriented, though the intentions and atmosphere of violence are the same. It is short, sharp, and the story with those two boys raised by their old Mom is very touching. Those two brothers story has something that we have seen before, in westerns mainly. The overall film may you think of some kind of CRIME DOESN'T PAY material. The film maker made only a handful of films in the USA and Germany besides this one and DILLINGER, including BRIGHTON STRANGLER and KILL OR BE KILLED.
The Adventures of Hajji Baba (1954)
A cult movie, where John Derek nearly matches Jon Hall.
At least, in France, this adventure film from One Thousand and One Nights tales was very famous, and I understand why after watching it. Full of charm because of the photograpjy, production design, music score and above all Nat King Cole's song. No matter the story, the plot, focus only on the overall film, not details. The best material from director Don Weis, forget the rest. Anyway this director was especially a TV director, more than a big screen film maker. Even if his real influence was not important for this film, it is still a good adventure film and it is very important to consider it in terms of other movies of this kind, as good - but different though - as the Universal ones from the forties and fifties, starring Maria Montez and Jon Hall or Yvonne De Carlo or Maureen O'Hara.
Trajet de Nuit (2024)
Brilliant short story
This short film is outstanding because of the scheme, dialogues and the social and modern issue it evokes. A young man, whose both forearms has been amputated, asks for a night cab in Paris. When the driver realizes his client is amputated, he tries to become polite, maybe more than whith any other client. And the handicaped man then feels being offfended and becomes bitter, precisely because he thinks the divrer offers him pity. Then the dialogues between the two men rapidly deteriorate. That's here that the story become suddenly so unpredictable. It is an awesome glance on the handicap today. The handicaped character is played by a French handicaped swimmer, who attended the Olympic Games in Paris.
The Savage (1952)
Charlton Heston as an Indian !!!
Let us never forget that director George Marshall was maybe like Richard Thorpe a very prolific film maker, beginning his career during the silent period, and then resuming his filmography with all kinds of movies, comedies - even with Laurel and Hardy - dramas, adventures, crime and above all westerns: THE SAVAGE, THE SHEEPMAN, GUNS FOR FORT PETTICOAT, and a segment of HOW THE WEST WAS WON, PILLARS OF THE SKY and the two versions of DESTRY; as George Miller with his both MAD MAX, decades later. That said this western is verry rare in terms of topic. I try to remember a western with a reverse scheme, an Indian raised by White folks....
Cloverfield (2008)
CLOVER what?
I hardly remember watching this movie when it was released, back in 2008. Long time after CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST, a little less after BLAIR WITCH PROJECT and during the same year as REC, CLOVERFIELD explores the endless options to tell a horror flick thru the found footage, and of course associated with the long take processs. It was not new at the time it was released, and now, in 2024, it nearly looks old fashioned. But from time to time, it may be agreeable, entertaining to watch such film, even for an old timer like me. I guess this time of scheme, concept enjoyed thousands and thousands of audiences. That's the reason why two years later, you'll have MONSTERS and SKYLINE, with very close plots but without the subjective camera and footage.
The Searchers (1956)
John Ford's masterpiece
If there is only one western that you must see from John Ford, I would say it is this one; though THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE is also absolutely unique, outstanding too. The element that makes those two films so stunning is not only the directing but the plot. This scheme was never made before and rarely copied since. Of course THE SEARCHERS plot will more or less inspire THE PROFESSIONALS, one decade later, from director Richard Brooks; just the overall scheme and especially ending, moral. The settings, landscape, music, acting, characters, everything is jawdropping and provokes emotion for anyone sensitive enough to feel all the power of this terrififc western. John Wayne gives his best performance, even better than in WAKE OF THE RED WITCH. One of the greatest ending ever.
Le jeune homme et le lion (1976)
Charlemagne and Roland's last stand
As far as I know, this TV movie is the only feature speaking of Charlemagne and - or - Roland. But maybe I am wrong; however if there is another film about one of those two History of France figures, this must be French, not American, because I would have heard about it. But French movie?...not necessarly, and I am French !!!. That said, this nearly three hours material is not uninteresting, maybe because it is directed by Jean Delannoy, the vet film maker who gave us NOTRE DAME DE PARIS, more than one decade earlier. I don't know the rate of historical accuracy to the true history of France, but the story doens't emphasize too much of the greatness of this king of France. Charlemagne is not shown in a "shining armor". That's what I like. Far from Hollywood standards. Some gritty and rough sequences. No super heroes schemes. Roland's last stand reminded me THE WILD BUNCH finale. Powerful piece of work.
Singapore (1947)
One of the many many CASABLANCA rip-offs
I don't know if you have noticed, but the movie CASABLANCA, directed by Michael Curtiz in 1942, a huge success as you already know, opened the way to a new kind of films: adventure, espionage drama taking place in a big town in an exotic - or not country; but not a Scandinavian country though. Adventure and romance, and always in a city, not the jungle nor the desert. So, after CASABLANCA, you had TANGIERS, SINGAPORE, ISTAMBUL, CALCUTTA, SIROCCO...All those features were produced with more or less success. The main interest was the atmosphere, music score, production design, certainly not the story, the intrigue. Here, Ava Gardner steals the show, Fred McMurray is just her co star. Nothing special.
Men in War (1957)
Among the best war films ever made, and from a great western specialist
For me, this war films remains of of the best ever, and the best concerning war in Korea. It looks like a Lewis Milestone's or Samuel Fuller's film, the directors of PORK CHOP HILL and CHINA GATE or THE BIG RED ONE; but I highly prefer this one. Lewis Milestone was the specialist of war movies, and Anthony Mann a western specialist, the best besides Delmer Daves, John Ford and John Sturges. And despite this, he delivers us this pure masterrpiece, the pure example of a flawless war movie. Photography, cast, directing, story telling, only jawdropping stuff. Aldo Ray is outstanding here, his performances announces him for Raoul Walsh's THE NAKED AND THE DEAD. Robert Keith in one of his best performances too, very gripping character for unforgettable moving scenes.
Mystery Street (1950)
Taut and solid early John Sturges' gem.
Not masterpiece, but surely a gem, this John Sturges' film made for Metro Goldwyn Mayer. It is tense, riveting, never boring, and a story which provides nothing that you can foresee in any way. Strangely, that's the second film from GUNFIGHT AT OK CORRAL director which the title in french contains the word Plage - beach - ; the first one was JEOPARDY, where it was also question of a beach. But for another totally different story. I would have prefered this film a bit more gritty and dark, downbeat. But the most important is that the suspense is present all long the film. It's great to see that MGM, the biggest major of Hollywood, was very good in terms of grabe B pictures.
The Great White Hope (1970)
Great Martin Ritt, hope for ostracized people.
Only such a daring director had the guts, the courage to make such a film in the late sixties, early seventies, the period of the tough, hard struggle for Civil Rights concerning the Black community. But if you know Martin Ritt's career, you won't be so surprised. Only Norman Jewison will give us HURRICANE CARTER, decades later, starring Denzell Washington, for a very similar subject. But it was far, far later, not the "hot" late sixties. This role permitted to James Earl Jones to give one of his best performances. You can feel his wrath, his anger, his rage, his inner pain against this world he despises, you can feel all this spreading under your skin, thanks to Jones' tremendous performance, and above all his voice. This Black man rejected by his own folks because he was married to a White woman, and in the same time also rejected by the White people for exactly the same reasons. Some talking sequences - those for instance between the main lead and his bride - strongly evoke a stage play; and this story seems to have been inspirred from precisely a stage play. Very strange for a movie speaking of the life of a prize fighter...
Swamp Fire (1946)
Tarzan vs Tarzan but not in a Tarzan movie
It is so unlikely that both Buster Crabbe and Johnny Weissmuller were Tarzan on screen during the early thirties; one was more famous than the other and proceeded for several pictures starring the ape man. Johnny Weissmuller forged his career and legend because of TARZAN and not Buster Crabbe, or only just a part. There was the same scheme with Gordon Scott and Jock Mahoney, TARZAN characters in the sixties or late fifties, and in one film of the series, Jock Mahoney was the villain fighting against Scott. TARZAN THE MAGNIFICENT. So, here, there is no Tarzan character but an adventure film, not so bad to watch and endure. The final fight between the two "TARZAN" is the most worth seeing.
The Black Arrow (1948)
Gordon Douglas in his Columbia period
I regularely confound this movie in Gordon Douglas' filmography with ROGUES OF SHERWOOD FOREST, made two years later and speaking of a very close story, settings and atmosphere. Both features are obviously ROBIN HOOD films rip-offs, and excellent ones. In this medieval swashbuckler, Louis Hayward fights against...Guess who.... The main and unique villain of Columbia swashbucklers of the forties and fifties: George Mc Ready himself. Who else? Louis Haywad against George Mc Ready is like Errol Flynn vs Basil Rathbone. It was made in black and white, such a shame, but it was colorized. And guess what, for once, I appreciate a colorized film. And what a good surprise to see a Columbia Pictures swashbuckler not produced by the infamous Sam Katzman. Gordon douglas would have not survived to such a doomed situation.
Serf blan (2024)
Cute little French drama
The peculiarity of this sweet little French film is that it takes place in La Réunion island, a French territory which is in the Indian Ocean. This is a poignant and charming little story, the unlikely relation between a lonesome man living in the wilderness and a young woman. I think it is an engrossing psychological study, an analysis that anyone can understand and appreciate. Of course, the film was made in natural settings. It is not too long, only fifty minutes, and I think it could make a good film. The intentions are really honest but I am sure that some audiences will find this film a bit empty, meaningless. I don't.
Interlude (1957)
Rare Douglas Sirk's film
Rossano Brazi and June Allyson in a romance drama is so obvious as John Wayne and Lee Marvin in a western or a war flick. Rossano Brazzi, I don't even know if he ever played in something else than romance dramas, maybe not after all; and June Allyson, I can't even imagine her in a gritty crime film noir...She was not Barbara Stanwyck despite a little resemblance. This movie is pure Douglas Sirk's product, especially with his fetish producer Ross Hunter. Only Rock Hudson was missing but as the conductor, Rossano Brazzi was the perfect choice. This movie is rarely shown in festivals about Douglas Sirk. It is unfair. There is a very rare situation here where a woman in love with a married man feels so much empathy for the wife of her lover, she even prevents her to commit sucide. This is so marvelous, so exceptional. And also Françoise Rosay-'s character - the aunt of the suicidal wife - who advises June Allyson to marry Rosay's son in law....
Very rare, so beautiful.
La cloche tibétaine (1974)
Good French adventure series
Inspired from actual events, this fiction adventure tv show from France actually hired some foreign actors, such Wolfgang Preiss and Bill Kearns - but as an American, Kearns often starred US folks in French movies, as Jacques Marin was the typical French for the American films. And what a surprise to have here Coluche in a role which - as you can guess - let him some comical lines. It is an interesting but sometimes unlikely and ankward piece fo work; it shows the thousands of problems that these men encountered during this long, long, long and perilous journey. All the ransoms, bribes, they had to pay to be left alone, not being attacked by bandits of all kinds. All the dangerous passages which they had to get through in the Himalaya mountains, the water, thirst issues when they had to cross the Gobi desert. It is never boring, and the peculiarity of this film is that one episode out of two presents a different crew, different characters, who are supposed to meet in the end. But will they make it in the end?
Harry Brown (2009)
Michael Caine plays Dirty Harry (Brown)
Forty years after the was playing in Andre de Toth's PLAY DIRTY - a war film which has nothing to do with this one - Michael Caine is back with this time some kind a very moving DEATH WISH British rip-off. A pure jewel from the UK film industry, so rare those days. I speak of the crime films, but this one is rather a thriller drama, with - so much in the British manner - some social settings. It is a moving, brutal flick, explaining how the situation is in UK, concerning poverty and drug dealers, violence and lack of security in the streets. I prefer seeing Michael Caine in such a movie instead in a stupid caper heist comedy where he plays an old timer gangster who decides to get back "to work" for the last time because he is bored and wants to meet his old pals again.... Here, only the ending is a bit disappointing for me. The best ever for Caine will forever remain GET CARTER.
Sword of Venus (1953)
As Count Monte Cristo, this movie was probably kept in a dungeon
I had never heard of this movie, never, and after watching it, I understand why.... I won't say any harm about this little cute swashbuckler from RKO Pictures. Howard Hughes' company did not provide so many of such films, besides AT SWORDS POINT, from director Lewis Allen, with Cornel Wilde. This one is definitely below this level, but it remains agreeable and deserves respect, despite the low budget and bland performances. The title may let you expect a science fiction film, beware, not a swashbuckler. I hardly know any of the actors and actresses. Just try, it will only cost you seventy two minutes of your time.
Maléfices (1962)
Leopard woman
This kind of plot, scheme, would have pleased to Jacques Tourneur, because this rare French yarn is obviously inspired by the Val Lewton's productions, some drama with eerie atmosphere. I had never heard about it, and I am pleased to have filled up this blank. Juliette Greco should have been chosen for more films like this, but in France, there was not so many. Daryl Zanuck, her boyfriend for a short period of time, could have used her in more roles like this one. Her presence, and the leopard too, steal the show. A daring plot for the French movie industry of this period. It deserves to be seen by the largest audiences.
Simba (1955)
British colonialism cinema period
Useless to say that the British film industry doesn't make any films of this kind any more, and this since the mid sixties and the likes of KARTHOUM. Since the end of the British colonial empire; now the UK film industry focuses on social - comedies, crime, dramas - movies, a domain where they are excellent. This gritty and poignant adventure yarn is also excellent and I can't prevent myself to compare it with SOMETHING OF VALUE, SAFARI, BEYOND MOMBASA.... It is one of the best in this genre and also my favourite from director Brian Desmond Hurst, among those I saw from him. Dirk Bogarde as terrific as usual, convincing, especially with his co star Virginia McKenna.
Jeopardy (1953)
Excellent little adventure yarn
I could confound this plot and its settings with Roy Ward Baker's INFERNO, but INFERNO was more crime and thriller oriented. This one is actually an adventure thriller. And I also confounded this one with another flick from director John Sturges: MYSTERY STREET, because in both films, it was question of a beach and the French titles for both films included the word plage - beach in english. MYSTERY STREET was also a thriller. So, yes, I highly recommend this film, short and sharp, never boring. T²he only drawback is the ending, though it is not that predictable. Just a bit cheesy. Good early John Sturges' film.
À l'Épreuve (2024)
Realistic comedy drama
I hesitate between calling this a comedy or a drama; maybe more comedy. Anyway it is light hearted, but realistic, showing the true face of daily life of many folks now, in France. And not only in France, I guess. A young lady in her early twenties, jobless, alone to raise her only son, finally finds a job as a garbage collector; it is entertaining, refreshing, fun, cool to watch. Nothing gritty here, and we also can see this as a semi documentary about those workers without whom the life for populations would be unbearable. Just watch it with your kids, mother in law, the whole neighborhood and friends. Before forgetting it. I will.