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Classic of the Week: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes is a 1953 American musical comedy film based on the 1949 stage musical of the same name. It was directed by Howard Hawks and starred Jane Russell and Marilyn Monroe.

The film follows Lorelei Lee (Monroe) and Dorothy Shaw (Russell), American showgirls and best friends. Lorelei has love for diamonds, believing that finding a rich husband is one of the few ways a lady can be successful money-wise. Dorothy, is searching for a different type of love, only attracted to men who are good looking physically fit.

This a charming and fun filled movie that never fails to bore. It is filled with memorable songs like “Bye Bye Bye,” “A Little Girl from Little Rock” and “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Marilyn is pretty much typecast in her role as Lorelei Lee, being another ditsy high maintenance and flirty blonde. Jane Russell does far better in her role as Dorothy Shaw who could care less about jewels and money.

Arts of this film are over the top cheesy, especially when Lorelei and Dorothy flirt and several of the dance numbers, particularly the dance number with the men in swim trunks. The best scene is of course is “Diamond s Are a Girl’s Best Friend,” which inspired Madonna’s “Material Girl” video. Although Marilyn was not a great singer, dancer, or actress, she portrayed a]her typecast characters well. She had a sex appeal that people still talk about today. Jane Russell had a sex appeal too, even though she was not nearly as pretty as Monroe in my opinion, she was a better singer and actress as well.

This movie is filled with singing and dancing, flirting, drinking and mischief. Lorelei is accused of stealing a tiara, but it is revealed that it is a man that is in love with her who plots it out, also spying on her in her cabin and taking pictures. Dorothy pretends to be Lorelei in court and pretends to be in love with Malone the plotter of the crime. It is revealed that the man the real Lorelei is supposed to marry has the tiara and she is acquitted.

Yes, this is a total lady’s movie. Men may not like it, as it does talk about how women should marry a man only for their money or looks. The two main characters are almost always scene in fancy attire, as they are showgirls, so it does paint that a woman can only catch a man in a dress, which isn’t true at all. If the main characters would have been seen in at least two or three scenes without makeup or fancy attire, then that picture wouldn’t have been so negative. This is definitely not a feministic film, but it is girly to the max.

There is lots of flirting, gambling, smoking and drinking. There is also some revealing dresses, crime, cheating and lust. But overall, this is great movie musical that can be enjoyed for years to come. 13 & up 3.5/5

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Classic of the Week: Drugstore Cowboy (1989)

 

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Drugstore Cowboy is a 1989 American crime drama film directed by Gus Van Sant, based on the autobiographical novel by James Fogle. It stars Matt Dillon,  Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham and William S. Burroughs. At the time the film was being Mae, the source novel was unpublished and later published in 1990, by which Fogle had been released from prison.

The film follows Bob Hughes who leads a group of drug addicts in the 70s – his wife Dianne, best friend Rick and Rick’s teenage girlfriend Nadine- traveling across the Pacific Northwest, robbing pharmacies and hospitals to help their drug addictions.

This film has an indie feel to it and takes you into the life of a crew of drug addicts and dealers and does it so well. Parts are very slow, so the film is boring at times, but you get to take a trip into a life of drug related crimes and health issues. Every single character is both alike in their dope obsession bot also very different. Matt Dillon is great as Bob Hughes the ring leader of the bunch, Kelly Lynch is equally great as Dianne Hughes, his wife. James LeGros is excellent as their best friend Rick and Heather Graham does a fine job as his girlfriend Nadine.

This film stakes you for a long dope filled ride into a an intense world of drug addiction, theft and drug dealing. The characters are so addicted the most feed their habits all the time and in order to do that, they must beg, borrow and steal. At first, they are very clever at being sneaky and stealing the drugs and hiding them, but then they are eventually caught and sent to prison.

This movie is filled with of course with drugs and substance abuse, crime, homelessness, money issues and illnesses. It is done quite well, although much of the movie is a bit boring. Some scenes have .little or no dialogue, but it fits the story. There is nothing exciting about this film at all, it is one horrible event after another.    Despite being rather dull in some scenes, the acting is fantastic, the soundtrack perfect, but the cinematography is rather dull so much of the time, making it seem like a cheap documentary, rather than a drama movie. I guess this was got make it seem more realistic, although it is an independent film. This is only Gus Van Sant’s second film.

This isn’t the most engaging film. In fact, I found much of it to be very dull, almost to the point of nt wanting to continue watching it, but it does get better not outstanding but a lot better. But what do you expect from a movie based off a book with this story? Not a musical that’s for sure.

Overall, this movie is very good, but not great. For a story like this, I was expecting a bit more action. There is violence is some parts, but much of this film just plain slow. They spend too much time in one setting in some scenes. I wasn’t expecting a wildly entertaining motion picture, but definitely not one that bored me nearly to sleep at times. Great plot, well done film. Adults only 3/5

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Shirley (2020)

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Shirley is a 2020 American biographical drama film directed by Josephine Decker based on the novel of the same name by Susan Scarf Morrell. It stars Elizabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg Odessa Young and Logan Lerman. The film follows a young couple that moves in with Shirley Jackson and her Bennington College professor husaband, Stanley Hyman, hooping to start a new life. Instead they find themselves in a psycho thriller drama that inspires her next book.

You learn a lot about the life of thriller and mystery writer Shirley Jackson and her mental and physical health. She was a heavy drinker, had severe manic depression, was paranoid schizophrenic, agoraphobic, selfish and often times mean, speaking exactly what she was thinking. She was married to Stanley Hyman from 1940-1965 when she died.

Shirley (Moss) never leaves the house and studies the young wife, Rose Nemser who is living in the house and helping out around the home while going to school and looking for a job. Rose’s husband is Fred Nemser and he eventually becomes a professor at Bennington too, like Stanley. The young couple discover that Shirley is mentally ill and needs 24/7 care but Stanley refuses it telling them to just leave her alone and let her do her writing alone. Rose finds a page of Shirley’s newest novel in progress, starts to read it, discovering it’s about Fred and her,  gets upset and offended. Shirley walks in and finds her reading it and they both get angry and fight. Shirley hits Rose across the face.

Rose tells Fred about what happened and he doesn’t believe her until one evening at dinner when Shirley acts out dark and twisted scene, pointing a knife at both of them. The couple tell Stanley they can’t continue living there with Shirley in the house and they both beg him to send her to a mental institution, which he turns down, saying she is better off at home with him. Other parts of the film read and reenact scenes from Jackson’s book Hangsaman.

Elizabeth Moss is fantastic as Shirley Jackson and Michael Stuhlbarg is outstanding as Stanley Hyman. Odessa Young and Logan Lerman are very good, not great as Rose and Fred Nemser. The chronicles the life of Shirley and Stanley and the Nemsers that live with them and her latest novel.

Them film is fairly spectacular but would have be better if it had started from her childhood but it’s not a documentary. But you still get to know Shirley well as in her mental illnesses, her drinking problem and her inspirations and writing style. She may have been ill, but she was a fantastic writer and has inspired many ther writers.

This film is filled with illnesses, selfishness, drinking, smoking, fighting and sex. There is full frontal nudity in a couple of scenes as well, so no young viewers at all, only adults. The role of Shirley was one hundred percent perfect for Moss. No other person could have played her but Elizabeth. This a dark, pretty disturbing (at times) film. It shows how how mental health issues affect people and the ones around them and how a writer comes up with their stories. Some parts are a bit slow, but overall an  excellent movie. 18 & up 4.5/5

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Classic of the Week: It Happened One Night. (1934)

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It Happened One Night is a 1934 pre-code American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Capra. It follows the story of spoiled socialite (Claudette Colbert) tries to get away from her protective father and falls in love with a mischievous reporter (Clark Gable).

This romantic comedy is one that was considered a bit racy for the time period, but by today’s standards is extremely mild. There are references to love making and having a one night stand, but it does not happen and Ellie flashes her thigh to catch a driver’s attention in one scene. Peter Warne (Gable) smokes throughout and there is few scenes of drinking. There is slapstick violence throughout as well.

This is a lively, fun and humorous filled film. Colbert and Gable are outstanding together, making them one of the greatest movie couples in cinema history. Never is there a dull moment. A few things could have been done without like Ellie’s father slapping her for back talking, but other than that, this is a truly wonderful film. It has the right amount oof humor and romance without being too cheesy.

Despite the fact it received so-so reviews at the time of release and even from critics since then, I absolutely love this movie. It has a simple plot, that never bores and always entertains every time.

Peter paid to marry Ellie, but ends up falling in love with her and she with him. She calls off her wedding with a pilot, revealing that she is in love with Peter and their story to her father. She instead marries Peter and they spend the night in a motor court in Glen Falls, Michigan.

This film will make you laugh and warm your heart. It’s not your average love story, nothing like today’s Nicolas Sparks style stuff. It has roughness, humor and heart. How many movies from today have all that? It’s not overly sweet or mushy gushy and there is n sex. It has the right amount oof raciness, making it just sexy enough.

This is one of the few romantic Oscar Best Picture Winners and it deserved it and still would if had been directed in this decade. Everything about this movie is picture perfect. If you want a great date night film, here is one that won’t disappoint. Rough, yet lovely and laugh out loud funny.  Wonderful! Wonderful! Wonderful! 8 & up 5/5

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Classic of the Week: Rear Window (1954)

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Rear Window is a 1954 American mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and stars James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr.

The film follows the story of photographer L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries (Stewart) who is confined to a wheelchair in his Chelsea apartment. His rear window looks out into the courtyard and several apartments. During a heat wave, he watches his neighbors, who are keeping their windows open to be cool. He sees many different things going on, but is convinced one of his neighbors has committed murder.

This film has been said to one of Hitchcock’s best. It starts outs slow, but does pick up. It also isn’t Hitchcock ‘s most action packed film, but it is still fairly entertaining despite being a bit slow at times. But that’s because it takes place almost entirely in Jefferies’ apartment.

This film at times is a bit boring and could some some action or more interesting scenes than just L.B. Looking out his window the whole time, but that’s what you get from a character that is supposed to be wheelchair bound. James Stewart is great as L.B. Jefferies and Grace Kelly is equally great as his girlfriend Lisa Carroll Fremont. They worked together perfectly throughout the movie.

This isn’t Hitchcock’s most exciting film and much of it far too slow. It could have use some action of some sort to make it more enjoyable, but that doesn’t make it a bad film, just not anything outstanding in my opinion, although many film critics and scholars would say differently.

There are some some good parts of this movie, like the supposed murder scene and the exuberant dancer, just the ordinary people is what is uninteresting and that they could have done without.  But being the doctor’s orders that Jeff keep his leg elevated, we’re sadly stuck in his apartment with him. Had this film had more settings, it would have been more captivating, even though film experts will probably say otherwise.

Overall the acting is fantastic, but the story lacking a bit of the excitement factor it deserves from such a great cast and director. It’s not terrible, but it’s not outstanding. Alfred. Could have done better. 18 & up 3.5/5

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Classic of the Week: The Odd Couple (1968)

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The Odd Couple is a 1968 American Technicolor buddy comedy film written by Neil Simon, based on his 1965 platypus of the same name. It was directed by Gene Saks and starred Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau. The film follows the story of divorced men, neurotic neat freak Felix Unger and fun filled slob Oscar Madison, who decide to live together, despite their personality differences.

 

Felix Unger (Lemmon) checks into a roach motel near Times Square and attempts. To kill himself by jumping out the window, but fails to get it open and pulls a muscle in his back. He limps back on the street and tries to get drunk at a dance bar and ends up hurting his neck when throws down a shot. He contemplates jumping in to the river.

In the unkempt Upper West Side apartment of divorced sportswriter Oscar Madison (Matthau) on blistering hot summer evening, Oscar and his buddies are playing poker  and discussing their friend Felix Unger, who is unusually late for the game. They also complain about how messy the apartment is. A friend’s wife calls and tells them Felix is missing. Oscar calls Felix’s wife, who says they have split up. Worried Felix might commit suicide, he shows up not knowing his friends already know about his wife kicking him out of the house.

Felix starts crying and his friends comfort him. Oscar then suggests that Felix move in with him, since Oscar has lived alone since his split up with his own wife, Blanche, several months before. Felix agrees and tells Oscar to let him know is he gets on his nerves. Within only a week, Oscar is going crazy.

This is a hilarious movie that many can relate to. Living with someone who has different personality can be difficult, especially when one is tidy and the other isn’t. You both want things a certain way and they often causes chaos. Sometimes you either learn to compromise or just live it and sometimes that works and sometimes, it doesn’t, like in this film. Oscars grows fed up and kicks Felix out for his obsessive compulsive ways. Eventually Oscar lets Felix back in and two realize best friends should have each other’s backs.

This film is filled with laugh out loud humor, fighting and bickering, but it also at times, has heart when the two realize messiness and tidiness isn’t the end of the world, that friendship is more important.

This move will have you laughing at time, but also it will warm your heart at other moments. It teaches you family and friends are the most important thing in life. That despite all their hardships they had to endure living together, Felix and Oscar, remained best friends and vowed to always be there for each other, through thick and thin.

This not just a humorous film, but also one that teaches not just about friendship, but also about how to overcome  misfortune and to never be afraid to ask for help, especially when needed the most. Underneath all the confrontation, this story has true heart. A wonderful film that has inspired two television spin offs. Outstandingly written, directed and acted. A perfectly imperfect movie from beginning to end that never disappoints. 10+ 5/5

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Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics (2020)

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Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, is a 2020  documentary directed by Donick Cary. It features many different types of celebrities talking about experiences taking psychedelic drugs. Some of the stories are funny, some are serious and some a mixture of both. Each story is different from the others and is reenacted by actors, animation, or a combination of both. Nick Offerman is main star of the film, who plays the scientist, explaining who different hallucinogenic drugs affect the mind and body.

The science behind the drugs is the most interesting part of this film. The celebs mostly talk about what it’s like to on particular drugs, a few actually tell stories of being on them. Many of the tales are like being in Wonderland or My Little Pony World and are not interesting, probably unless you have experienced it for yourself as well. Other tales have seriousness combined with humor, like having fun until something bad happens to someone or something or both. Maybe this film would be enjoyable under the influence of a hallucinogenic or alcohol.

 

There are celebrities from actors, musicians, comedians, television show hosts, writers, etc., so you get a variety of different people, many whom you wouldn’t think would ever do drugs. This documentary takes a deep nose dive into a serious subject and the majority of it feels more like a comedy film rather than something to learn from.

Grateful Dead drummer Bill Kreutzmann and hippie singer Donovan do appear in the movie and talk not just about their experiences on psychedelics but also how drugs shaped the 1960s and 70s. They provide their encounter with more seriousness than the rest of the guests, also providing historical facts with their happenings.

The film does go into a brief segment about the history of psychedelic drugs and another segment talks about Timothy Leary the clinical psychologist that helped form the Harvard Psilocybin Project from 1960-62 and is considered a pioneer in psychedelic drugs research. This is one of the few interesting parts of this movie, because you actually learn, unlike the majority of the famous guests’ stories.

If you want to learn watch a real documentary on drugs, not this where you learn some, but not enough. If you want to know what it’s like to be on hallucinogenic antidotes, than you will likely enjoy this one.  If you already know what it’s like to live in a yellow submarine, you definitely will be entertained. Major documentary fans, may want to steer clear of this one

The drug tales are entertaining but many are too silly to be in a documentary movie, even though they’re factual, you’re not actually learning about what the drugs do to you only what someone has done under the influence of it, although Nick Offerman explains it.

Not the best documentary I’ve ever seen, but definitely not the worst. At times it feels bad to laugh at someone whacked out on an illegal substance where they’re frying their brain cells. You think they’re stupid for doing it, but you end up laughing anyway, which isn’t exactly a good thing, since the substances are an addictive.

Bottom line, you learn some, but not enough from this movie. More science and history is definitely what this film needs to be an excellent one. It feels like a few of the celebrities interviewed are endorsing hallucinatory drug usage. I know the famous people’s stories are the main point of the film, but it needed more facts and history, to be considered a document style film. Adults only. 3/5

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Classic of the Week: Animal Crackers (1930)

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Animal Crackers is a 1930 American pre-code comedy and musical film directed by Victor Heerman and stars the Marx Brothers, Groucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo with Lillian Roth and Margaret DuPont. It was based on their Broadway musical of the same name. The film follows the story of how a valuable painting goes missing during a party in honor of famous African explorer Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding.

This is not only a Marx Brothers and comedy classic, but it is truly one of the funniest films of all time. It is clever and funny. There musical numbers and Groucho and Zeppo sing as well and Harpo and Chico both play the piano, Harpo also plays the harp. Like most of the Marx Brothers’ films, Groucho is the ringleader. There is lots of cheesy, yet fun songs (except for one love song), slapstick fighting, clever humor, tricks and flirting.

Groucho is fantastic as Captain Jeffrey T. Spaulding, Harpo is great as the professor, Chico is also great as Signor Emanuel Ravelli and Zeppo does a fine job as Horacio Jamison. Margaret Dumont does a fine job in her role as Mrs. Rittenhouse, owner of the house (on Long Island) and Lillian Roth does equally god as her daughter Arabella.

There are many fun musical numbers in this film such as, “Hello, I Must Be Going,” “Hooray For Captain Spaulding” and “He’s One of Those Men.” There’s also the love song, “Why. Am I So Romantic?” The songs give this film the right amount cheese and excitement.

There is also a lot of jokes, some that have become famous with the brothers like Groucho saying, “One morning I shot an elephant in my pajamas. How he got in my pajamas, I don’t know” and when the party guests are giving three cheers to Captain Spaulding, Harpo brings in three chairs. Harpo is the only Marx brother that doesn’t speak in their films, although he occasionally laughs and whistles, he is also very gullible and naive.

This movie will have you laughing, cheering and dancing. There is mild sexual innuendo and flirting and slapstick violence, but no one is seriously injured. There is drinking and smoking throughout, Groucho is seen with his trademark cigar. But other than that, it is very mild and okay for older children, as younger ones won’t understand the jokes.

Never once is this film boring. It is truly hilarious and entertaining and gets that way more and more after viewing. The Marx Brothers were and still are some of not just the funniest, but greatest actors and movie makers of all time. They, to this day, can put a smile on a person’s face and brighten a day with laughter. This is a wonderful movie that is just as quick-witted as it an enjoyment. With music, dancing, humor, peril and romance, this one will never disappoint. 8 & up 5/5

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The Night Clerk (2020)

The Night Clerk is a 2020 American crime drama film written and directed by Michael Cristofer. It stars Tye Sheridan, Ana de Armas, John Leguizamo Abdul Helen Hunt. The film follows the story of front desk clerk at a hotel that is suspected of a murder that happens after his shift.

Bart Bromley is a twenty- three year old man with Aspergers Syndrome who lives with his mom, Ethel. He works as a front desk clerk at night at a local hotel. He studies guests staying at the hotel with hidden cameras to help with his social skills. At home in his room, he has several screens set up to watch what he records from work. The videos start out innocent, but take a dark turn when he witnesses a man hit a woman and the murder of another female guest.

He meets a young lady, Andrea Rivera, who is a guest at the hotel and after spending hanging with her for the next few days, he becomes infatuated with her, even going the length to buy a new a car, get a haircut and dress clothes. But his work goes down the drain when he sees her with another man and becomes jealous. He soon forgives her after she cones to him at the front desk saying it was over with the man. She leads him, first acting a friend, then flirts with him and leaves with another man, that Bart knows is the murderer of the other lady.

Bart is found sitting on the bed of crime scene room when his coworker finds him and tells him not to touch anything, he’s going to call the police. Bart disobeys him, touching the blood of the dead woman, taking the chip out of his hidden camera and other things, leaving his fingerprints as evidence, as wel as the blood on his shirt. Because of this, police consider him a likely suspect.

Bart loses his job, confronts the man Andrea has been seeing, after catching him hurt her in her hotel room. Andrea and Bart escape to his house, where he shows her the hidden camera footage. She decides to play it safe and stay the night with Bart. Bart awakes to find her gone.

There have been many films involving autistic characters, some better than others. Some hit the nail on the head as far as mannerisms, lifestyle, etc., but many stereotype. This film gets Aspergers almost perfectly. Tye Sheridan is outstanding as Bart Bromely, portraying a socially awkward, autistic young man so well, making him seem like a real person. Helen Hunt is great as his mother Ethel Bromely, who is a little bit of sheltering mother, but also protective and loving. Ana de Armas is also great as Andrea Rivera, who plays with Bart’s mind throughout the film. John Leguizamo is fantastic as Detective Espada, who at first is iffy about making Bart a likely suspect, because of his disability, but is forced to do it.

Autistic people have trouble reading people’s emotions and the often have trouble understanding what a person has said. The often act or say inappropriately as well. Bart is prime example of that. He knew it was wrong to tamper with the evidence, but he wanted to get the camera and the footage out. He didn’t realize that Andrea was just playing him and trying to frame him until closer to the end of the film.

While the acting is superb in this movie, it does focus a little too much on Bart, his condition and him being likely guilty by police, rather than trying to find more evidence and reasons to arrest or not arrest him. This film starts out rather slow, but does pick up, other scenes are pretty slow too. You want Bart to get over Andrea, but he can’t, that’’s the way he thinks. He tries so hard to be more social, but it doesn’t always work.This isn’t action packed, but some scenes are pretty intense, some disturbing

You don’t have to relate to Bart or know anyone with Aspergers to enjoy this film. Although I don’t think is movie is fantastic, it is pretty good. It makes you wonder about howe disabled people get accused of crimes they didn’t commit. The acting is great, but there could have been a little less Andrea and Bart’s crush on her, could’ve been focused on less, it’s a crime drama, not a romance. I didn’t love this film, nor did I hate it. It was only petty good, because it did need some changes to be excellent. 18 & up 3.5/5

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Classic of the Week: Alfie (1966)

 

Alfie is a 1966 British romantic comedy drama film directed by Lewis Gilbert. It is an adaptation by Bill Naughton of his own play of the same name. It says Michael Caine. The film tells the story of a young womanizing man who lives a self centered life, for own enjoyment, until things force him to ask himself about his selfishness, loneliness and his priorities. He cheats on numerous women through the film, treats them with disrespect and calls them each “It.” He uses them purely for sex and private occasions. The Film breaks the forth wall with Alfie talking directly at the camera and arguing about his actions.

This was the first film to receive the “suggest for mature audiences” rating in the United States by the Motion Picture Association of America, which turned into PG or “Parental Guidance.”

Alfie Elkins is a good looking Cockney chauffeur that enjoys women just a little too much, but refuses commitment to all of them. He has an affair with a married woman, gets his girlfriend pregnant, but refuses to marry her and bans him from seeing their son after he is born. Alfie becomes attached to his son, but his refusal to marry his son’s mother Gilda, causes her to break up with him and marry an older man named Humphrey, a bus conductor who is willing to call Malcolm his own son.

After spending a period of time at a rehabilitation house for tubular shadows on his lugs, depressed he becomes friends with another patient, Harry and his wife Lily. He then begins an affair with her while her husband is away, after be released from the center. Drives her home and has a one night stand.

Later, Alfie stops and picks up Annie, a young hitchhiker, who wants to turn her life around in London and moves in with him. She is still in love with a man she left behind. Shen ends up doing all his chores. He gets mad and kicks her out, but the regrets it. Around the same time, Lily informs him that she is pregnant from the one night stand and she plans on having an illegal abortion.

He encounters many misfortunes like these throughout the entire film. He leaves a woman, finds another, over and over, gets two pregnant, leaves both and finds he is in love with one woman, only to find out she has been seeing a younger man. After all the women abandon Alfie, he left wonder about his life decisions.

This was a very adult film for time period and certainly for the “suggested for mature audiences” classification, although it still has a PG rating today, much like other that should be PG-13 like The Graduate and Annie Hall, but that was before the birth of PG-13. They aren’t too mature for an adult rating, but certainly for a family type rating. Lots of adult subjects throughout the film from, affairs, sex, abortion, sleeping around, drinking , smoking and mild violence. So this is certainly not a film for young children.

Michael Caine is outstanding as Allie Elkins, far better than Jude Law in the 2004 remake (although that version is far more adult). His cockney accent and and how he portrays all the main female actresses are great to, all unique but all lead on by Alfie.

This is certainly not a date movie, because the lead character doesn’t find true. He sleeps around because he can’t commit to one woman. Unlike in The Graduate, where even though Benjamin Braddock has an affair with a much older married woman, he gets forgiven and gets love in the end. This one doesn’t start or end happily. Both films have excellent soundtracks, this one being jazz musician Sonny Rollins and the theme sung by Cher in the US version and Millicent Martin in the UK release. Cilla Black and Dionne Warwick also recorded the song right after Cher did.

Sure a film about a womanizing young man may not sound like a good motion picture, but Lewis Gilbert directed this story so well, making it both pleasant and unpleasant, with sexy jazz music and sad theme song and beautiful London. It’s not laugh out loud funny, but more sassy and tongue in cheek humor, some that only people that watch a lot of British stuff or just Brits may get, since Caine talks in a cockney accent. This not just one of the best British films, but best ever. Clever and fantastic. I say watch this one first before you watch the remake. 13 & up 4.5/5