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Classic of the Week: What’s Up Doc? (1972)

What’s Up Doc? is a 1972 American romantic screwball comedy film directed by Petrer Bogdanovich and starring Barbara Streisand and Ryan O’Neal. It was intended to pay homage to the comedy films of the 30s and 40s, particularly Bringing Up Baby and Warner Bros. Bugs Bunny cartoons. The film was loosely based on A Glimpse of Tiger by Herman Raucher.

Dr. Howard Bannister, a musicologist from the Iowa Conservatory of Music, has made a trip to San Fransisco to compete for a research grant offered by Frederick Larrabee. Howard is accompanied by his oppressive fiancee Eunice Burns. As the two check into the Hotel Bristol, Howard runs into the charming troublemaker Judy Maxwell in the hotel’s drugstore. She never finished college, but has collected a considerable amount of knowledge from all the academic institutions from which she has been expelled. She begins to pursue Howard and checks into a room in the hotel without paying.

Coincidentally, four parties are staying on the same floor of the hotel, all carrying identical plaid overnight bags. Howard’s bag has igneous “tambula” rocks have certain musical properties. The mysterious “Mr. Smith” has a bag containing top-secret government papers, which he has gotten illegally. Wealthy socialite Mrs. Van Hoskinshas a bag containing her sizable collection of valuable jewels. Judy’s bag is filled with her clothing and a large dictionary.

Over the course of the evening, the bags are switched randomly from room to room as the four parties unwittingly take one other’s bags. Howard ends up withe jewels, judy with the documents, Mr. Smith with Judy’s clothes, and thieves with the rocks.

Judy pretending to be Eunice at the musicologists’ banquet, uses her humor and academic knowledge to charm everyone except Howard’s competitor Hugh Simon. Unable to get over Judy’s masquerade – realizing Larrabee’s infatuation with her might win him the grant – Howard denies knowing the real Eunice when she hysterically tries to enter the banquet. Judy later sneaks into Howard’s hotel room. His attemps to try and hide Judy from Eunice lead to a fire and the destroying of the room.

The next day, everyone makes their way to a reception in the Larrabee’s fancy Victoriian house, where a fight breaks out, involving guns, furniture, and pies. Howard and Judy take all four bags and escape the fight, first on a delivery bike, and a Volkswagen Beetle, stolen from a wedding, chased by Mr, Smith and Mr. Jones, the jewel thieves.

Everyone ends up in court, where Judge Maxwell, already close to a nervous breakdown, tires to clear up the matter, but only advances in finding his daughter Judy the cause of all the trouble.

This film is a lot like classic screwball comedies. It is both hilarious and romantic, but also nothing but one shenanigan after another. There is no drama and Streisand’s character Judy is very annoying for a vast majority of the film. She won’t leave Howard alone to save her life, and yes, O’Neal’s Howard was a handsome fella, but he was not interested in her (at first) and was very annoyed by her. Although Howard is engaged to Madeline Kahn’s Eunice, he doesn’t seem to love her much as he treats her at times, like an annoyance and often ignores her and doesn’t seem like he really wants to marry her . Eunice’s wig is a redhead, flipped out bob with bangs and you can tell it’s a wig. Eunice is a worrywart and wants to control Howard. Howard and Eunice do not go together, but that is probably the point.

Kenneth Mars’s Hugh Simon, Howard’s rival, is super competitive, self-centered, and pretentious. Austin Pendelton’s Frederick Larrabee is extremely nerdy and wealthy, but weak as far as defending himself or others go.

This is a very silly movie, with no seriousness at all. There is some romance, but it is briefly shown. The main characters spend almost the entire runtime getting in trouble, which is entertaining, but it cuts the storyline short. Had there been less action and more dramedy type scenes, the story would have been better and the film would have been more enjoyable. The film jumps right into the screwball comedy too fast and you really don’t learn much about the characters. The acting is great from the majority of the cast, but that still doesn’t make this a great movie. Yes, it is funny, and fairly romantic, but that is all.

The characters disaters are funny, but that is all this story is, nothing more. There is no real depth, not much heart is more like Chaplin or Keaton film mixed with the Three Stooges, mixed with a rom-com, which doesn’t make for a great movie, although it is quite entertaining, it lacks a lot in the plot. There is very little you get to know about the characters, making them all rather dull and not interesting at all, even stylish Judy. This is a very one dimensional film with far too much humor and very little heart. 10+ 3.5/5

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Classic of the Week: The Man With the Golden Arm (1955)

The Man With the Golden Arm is a 1955 American drama and film noir film directed by Otto Preminger, based on the novel of the same name by Nelson Algren. Starring Frank Sinatra, Eleanor Parker, Kim Novak, Arnold Stang and Darren McGavin, it tells the story of a drug addict who gets clean while in prison, but struggles to to stay clean outside of jail. Although the drug is never mentioned in the film, according to the American Film Institute “most contemporary and modern sources assume that it is heroin,” although in Algren’s book it is morphine. The film’s initial release was controversial for its treatment of the then taboo themes of drug addiction and infidelity

Frankie Machine is released from the Federal Narcotic Farm in Lexington, Kentucky, with a set of drums and a new outlook on life, and returns to his decrepit neighborhood on the North Side of Chicago. A drug addict, Frankie becomes clean in prison. On the outside, he greets friends and acquaintances. Sparrow, who runs a sting selling homeless dogs, clings to him like a younger brother, but Schwiefka, whom Frankie used to deal for in his illegal card games, has more menacing reasons for welcoming him back, as does Louie, Machine’s former drug dealer. 

Frankie returns home to his wife Zosh, who supposedly needs to use a wheelchair after a car accident some years before that was caused by Frankie driving drunk. Zosh secretly recovered, but pretends to be unable to walk to keep making Frankie feel guilty so he will stay with her. Frankie comments on the whistle she wears around her neck, a tool she used when Frankie was gone to call for a neighbor, Vi, when needed. With Frankie home, Zosh traps him in their small apartment and blocks his attempt to make something of himself. He thinks he has what it takes to play drums for a big band. While calling to make appointment, he bumps into an old flame, Molly, who works in a local strip joint as a hostess and lives in the apartment below Frankie’s. Unlike Zosh, Molly encourages him to follow his dream of being a drummer. 

Frankie soon gets himself an audition and asks Sparrow to get him a new suit, but the suit is a stolen one and he ends up back in jail. Schwiefka offers to pay the bail. Frankie refuses, but soon changes his mind when his sees a drug addict on the edge becomes too much for him.  Now, to repay the debt, he must deal cards for Schwiefka again. Louie is trying to hook him on drugs again, and with no job and Zosch to please, pressure is building from all directions.

Soon Frankie gives in and is back on drugs and dealing all-night card games for Schwiefka. Molly sees he is using drugs again and runs away from him. He gets an audition as a drummer but spends 24 hours straight dealing a poker game, during which he is found cheating and beaten up. Desperately needing a fix, Frankie follows Louie home, attacks him, and destroys his house, but cannot  find his drug stash. At the audition, with withdrawal coming on, Frankie can’t keep the beat and ruins his chance of getting the drummer job. When Louie goes to see to find Frankie, Louie finds out that Zosch has been faking her paralysis and can walk. Zosh, scared of being found out, pushes Louie over the railing of the stairs to his death, but things rebound when Frankie is pursued for Louie’s murder. 

Frank Sinatra is mostly known for his music, but people either don’t know or forget that his was also an equally talented actor. Though this film is from is the 50’s, it is just as relevent today as it was then. It shows the way drug additction can completely destroy a person and their relationships. In the film, Frankie Machine’s life is totally destroyed by his addiction, to what is most likely heroin or morphine. He is also addicted to gambling. He wants to be a drummer, but ruins every tryout. He also frequently leaves his wife Zosch alone in their tiny apartment, stays out all night drugging, drinking, or gambling, sometimes all three and he cheats on his wife with night club employee, Molly. 

Frankie eventually quits drugs and drinking cold turkey, after Molly convinces him if he wants to stand a chance with the police. Throughout the movie, you see him doped up and drunk, and in a few scenes you see him go through withdrawal from not having the substances his body is craving. Frank Sinatra is fantastic as Frankie Machine, making the character seem so so real, you forget that he isn’t. You really believe that Frank is wasting his life away on drugs, booze, gambling, and an affair. You forget this is the man that was also a popular crooner of songs such as “Come Fly With Me” and “Strangers in the Night,” that is how talented Frank was, or I should say he was multi-talented. Sinatra spent time in drug rehabilitation clinics observing addicts going cold turkey to prepare for his role. He also learned to play drums from drummer Shelley Manne. 

Eleanor Parker does a great job as Sophia “Zosch” Machine, Frankie’s wife. Kim Novack is also great as Molly Novotny the nightclub worker. Arnold Stang is does a fine job as Sparrow, Frankie’s friend  who sells strays dogs illegally. Darren McGavin does a good job as “Nitty Louie,” and Robert Strauss is equally good as Zero Schwiefka. 

Otto Preminger had a hard time getting a Code seal of approval, because of the films content dealing with drug usage, gambling, heavy drinking, and scenes dealing with an affair. Many theaters banned the film, but many still showed it, despite the lack of Code. The movie did receive the Production Code in 1961. Despite the all the controversy, even from the Catholic Church and other conservative religious groups, the film was a critical success. 

This film is very slow for the majority of its two hour runtime, but the stellar acting is what makes this film one of the greatest on the subject of addiction. This film could have had more action, to make it more exciting, for those that don’t like super slow and dramatic movies, and yes, I agree to a point, but I also think Sinatra’s acting skills in this picture, make up for that for the most part. Had the lead role gone to Marlon Brando as originally intended, it likely would have had more action, and he would’ve done a really good job, but I don’t think he could have gotten the musician part down. The role was made for Sinatra, though the author wanted Brando and they weren’t satisfied with the end production because of this. Like how Truman Capote who wrote “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” wanted Marilyn Monroe for the lead character in the film version and not Audrey Hepburn. 

This movie proved that some singers can do more than just sing. Sinatra proved he could be more than a Rat Pack member, he could sing, dance, and act. He could be romantic, funny, and dramatic. He could do serious and not so serious roles. There is not one happy moment in this entire film, it is depressing and deep, but in ways that make it terrific. You see addiction through the eyes and mind of the addicted, you can almost feel their pain, their sadness, their anger, all their emotions, as well as their highs and lows, great filmmaking does this. It took a really brave and first class director to produce such a film for the time period and he did it with such expertise, on such powerful and controversial subject matters. Not many other films today that deal with the same topic(s), conquer it quite as ingeniously as this one, as they usually go straight to the subject matter and there’s not much else to the plot. 

The Man With the Golden Arm goes deep, really deep, then climbs its way out, then digs, and climbs out again, taking you on a two hour ride through the mind and heart of a junkie and gambler. A truly superb and gripping motion picture. 18+ 4.5/5 

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Classic of the Week: Psycho (1960)

Psycho is a 1960 American thrilleer film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, based on the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam. The story centers on an encounter between embezzler Marion Crane (Leigh) and shy motel worker Norman Bates (Perkins) and its aftereffects, in which a private investigator (Balsam), Marions lover Sam Loomis (Gavin), and her sister Lila (Miles) investigate her disappearance. 

During a Friday afternoon engagement in a Phoenix hotel, real estate secretary Marion Crine and her boyfriend Sam Loomis discuss their inability to get married because of Sam’s debs. Marion returns to work, steals a cash payment of $40,000 entrusted to her for deposit, and drives to Sam’s house in Fairvale, California. She pulls over and falls asleep and is woken up by a police officer the next morning. Her anxious behavior makes him question her reasons and asks to see her license but lets her go. Marion quickly trades her car with Arizona plates for a car with California plates. 

Marion stops for a night at the Bates Motel, located off the main highway, and hides the stolen money inside a newspaper. Owner Norman Bates walks out of a large house ovetrlooking the motel, registars Marion under an alias, and invites her to dinner. After Norman returns to his house, Marion overhears he and his mother arguing over Marion being there. Norman returns with the meal and apologizes for his mother’s anger. He tells her about his hobby as taxidermist, and his mother’s “illness.” Marion decides to drive back to Phoenix in the morning to return the stolen money. As Marion showers, a shadowy figure appears and stabs her. 

This film has its thrills, but at times comes off as a low-budget exploitation film. Many times throughout the film, there is no dialogue, just music, adding to the eerieness and intensity, which isn’t a bad thing, as we can still what’s going on. It is more disturbing than scary. At the time of its release, this movie was considered super scary, but it is very tame by today’s standards. 

Bates is very dark and very slow for its nearly two hour runtime. It has the thrill factor, the intensity, and the fine acting from all of its lead cast, but at times it comes off as cheaply made. It is only slightly entertaining, even though there have several remakes of the film and a TV series version.

This is definitely one of Hitchcock’s more gruesome films even though the gore is pretty mild, and even after learning that the blood in the shower scene was actually chocolate syrup, the scene is still disturbing enough and well done that it could still keep one up at night. Most of the movie takes place at the motel, so not much change of scenery, which may bore some viewers. Though this may not be Hitchcock’s best film in my opinion, it’s not his worst either. The plot may be simple, but the movie is well directed, well acted, and the effects are good too. 

Only Hitchcock could’ve taken such a basic storyline and turned it into what many consider a masterpiece. He knew how to shock and amaze then and his films still do to this day. 18+ 3.5/5 

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Classic of the Week: Sex and the Single Girl (1964)

Sex and the Single Girl is a 1964 American Technicolor comedy film directed by Richard Quine and starring Natalie Wood, Tony Curtis, Henry Fonda, Lauren Bacall, and Mel Ferrer. The film is very loosely based on Helen Gurley Brown’s 1962 non-fiction book of the same name. 

Bob Weston works for Stop, a tabloid magazine whose owner and staff are proud of being known as the filthiest read in the U.S. One of Bob’s colleagues has just written an article about Dr. Helen Gurley Brown, a young psychologist and author of the best-selling book Sex and the Single Girl, a self-help guide with advice to single women on how to deal with men. The article raises doubts on her experience with sex and relationships. Helen is very offended, having lost six appointments with patients due to the article discrediting her as a “23-year-old virgin.” Bob wants to follow up by interviewing her, but she turns him down. 

Bob’s friendand neighbor, stocking manufacturer Frank Broderick, is having marriage issues with his strong-willed wife Sylvia, but cannot find time to go to a counselor. Therefore, Bob decides to imitate Frank and go to Helen as a patient, with the goal of getting close to her in order to gather more information. Meanwhile, he will report back to Frank on her advice. During their first couple of sessions, Bob acts shy and infatuated, and tries to slowly seduce Helen. She seems to respond to Bob’s polite advances, all while insisting that it is a transfer and that she will play the role of Sylvia to the benefit of his therapy. After he fakes a suicide attempt, the two of them end up making out at her apartment, with Bob realizing he is actually falling in love with Helen, which is the reason he has still not written anything about her, prompting a proposition from his boss. 

Helen panics at the idea that she is falling for a married man, and upon suggestion from her mother, she meets Sylvia and encourages her to go back to work at Frank’s office, where the two of them first met and could stand together against Frank’s business rivals. Sylvia agrees. 

A very lovesick Bob forces another meeting eith Helen and tries to convince her his marriage is not legal, but Helen insists on hearing it from his wife and secretly asks her to come to her office. In the meantime, Bob asks his girlfriend, nightclub singer Gretchen, to pose as his wife (or rather, Frank Broderick’s wife), and when she cancels at the last minute because of an audition, he asks his secretary Susan to go instead. WIthout telling him, Gretchen decides to forgo her audition, so she shows up at Helen’s office. Witnessing three different women claiming to be Mrs. Broderick, Helen becomes extemely confused, while an angry Sylvia calls the police on Frank, who is arrested for bigamy. 

Helen comes to visit Sylvia with fellow psychiatrist Rudy DeMeyer, who has had a crush ever since the article hinted she might be a virgin. In trying to convince Sylvia to pardon Frank, she finally discovers the man who has been coming to her office was not Frank Broderick at all, but rather Stop magazine’s managing editor Bob Weston.

Like said above, this film is VERY LOOSELY based on the 1962 book of the same name, that is supposed to be a non-fiction advice book that encouraged women to become financially independant and experience sexual relationships before or without marriage. The film seems much more unrealistic than a self-help book, like if it is based off a book, even loosely, than it be a comedy book. This film is only partly based on Helen Gurley Brown’s book, the rest is basically about a woman that’s supposed to be Helen, only a semi-fictional version, as she wrote the book from a psychologist and marriage therapist point of view, but was never either one, unlike Natalie Wood’s character. 

Natalie Wood’s “Helen” is smart, sassy, flirty, adorable, funny, and sexy. The perfect role for her and she does it perfectly, even though this movie is anything but. Tony Curtis’s “Bob Weston” is sexy, smart, sleazy, and secretive and he plays the character outstandingly. There are multiple times throughout the movie that make reference to his 1959 film with Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe Some Like it Hot, which are very clever jokes and one may not get them if they haven’t seen that film as well or at least know what it is. Henry Fonda’s “Frank Broderick” is womanizing, a workaholic, and a cheater. Fonda plays the character fantastically. Lauren Bacall’s “Sylvia Broderick” is naive, yet hard working and Bacall plays her well, though this is not her finest performance. Fran Jeffries does a fabulous job as Gretchen, Bob’s girlfriend, much better than Bacall and just as good as Wood in her role. Mel Ferrer does a fine job as psychiatrist and colleague of Helen’s Rudy DeMeyer. 

This film is a romantic comedy all the way. One would not believe (if they didn’t know already) that it’s fairly based on a sex guide book for single working women. It is a very feminist movie, just like the book, but it is also very silly for much of its runtime of nearly two hours. The film does not paint psychology or marriage counselling well, as Helen refuses to help for certain problems. The film also makes light of serious issues like cheating, suicide, and bigamy. The film also pokes fun of the fact that the main character is a virgin and still single at 23, even though that is still very young, although most women at that age back then were already married and most had at least two children. It was still the age of housewives, so many women didn’t have careers and were “Suzy Homemakers,” so it is interesting to see a lady with a full-time job in the early 1960’s. 

This is a very entertaining movie, but there is far too much silliness and talking about affairs and cheating. The film gets even sillier towards the end. The acting is great, but film itself is graceless and rediculous for the most part. There is literally no sex, only implied, despite the title. The closest you’ll see is kissing and one make out scene. Had the film had actually sex scenes would it have been better? No, it would have actually made it worse. This is a comedy film, though I found myself mostly laughing at the Some Like it Hot jokes. 

This was supposed to be a fodder for the Sexual Revolution of the 1960’s, and it is to an extent, but with some slapstick and fairly offensive humor thrown in. Though the entertainment factor is there, the whole film is pretty much a rushed up mess, with some fine acting added that is the only thing that makes it fairly enjoyable. Had this film dialed back on the goofines and been more dramatic and been more like the book, it could get an A rating, instead it is almost nothing like the book and relies too much on bad humor and tries to make it up with a well acted cast, which barely works.

The real Helen Gurley Brown thought the movie version was awful and couldn’t believe she gave them rights to film it. I wouldn’t call this one awful, but great is not the word either. It is somewhat enjoyable, has a bit of sexiness and sassiness, but very little else. If you’re looking for a classic rom-com with sex, this isn’t it. Natalie Wood’s attractiveness and sex appeal won’t save you from this pile of mess. 17+ 2.5/5 

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Classic of the Week: Holiday Inn (1942)

Holiday Inn is a 1942 American musical film starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, with Marjorie Reynolds, Virginia Davis, and Walter Abel. It was directed by Mark Sandrich with music by Irving Berlin. Berlin wrote twelve songs especially for the film, the best known one being “White Christmas.” The film hallmarks a reuse of the song “Easter Parade”, written by Berlin for the 1933 Broadway revue As Thousands Cheer and used as a title track for the 1948 film Easter Parade starring Astaire and Judy Garland. Holiday Inn‘s choreography was by Danny Dare. 

Him Hardy, Ted Hanover, and Lila Dixon have a popular New York City song and dance ac. On Christmas Eve Jim prepares for his last performance before retiring to be husband to Lila and life on a farm in Connecticut. Lila tells jim she has fallne in love with the infamous smooth talker Ted instead; heartbroken, Jim tells them goodbye. 

He tries to take a shot at working on the farm but ends up in a santitarium instead. The following Christmas Eve Jim is back in New York City with plans to turn his farm into “Holiday Inn,” an entertainment venue open only on holidays, to the interest of Ted and his agent Danny Reed. In a flower shop Danny is coaxed by sales girl and aspiring performer Linda Mason; he directs her to Holiday Inn and Ted’s club. Later that night Linda and Jim accidentally meet at a performance by Ted and Lila. Jim pretends to own a rival club. while Linda poses as a celebrity friend of Ted’s, only to leave when Ted and Lila near. 

On New Year’s Eve Holiday Inn opens to a packed house. Back in New York City Ted learns that Lila is leaving him for a Texas millionaire. Drinkig heavily, he arrives at Holiday Inn at midnight and bumps into Linda. They dance and, and the drunk dancer and innocent young woman recieve lots of applause from the audience who believe it was all a rehearsed act. Danny arrives and and is overjoyed that Ted has found a new partner, but in the morning Ted doesn’t remember Linda. Jim hides her, scared Ted will steal her away. 

On Lincoln’s birthday Ted and Danny look for Linda, but Jim convinces Linda to play the minstrel show number “Abraham” in blackface together to fool them. While applying makeup Jim asks her to stay with him between holidays, which she comprehends as a propsal. He declares it, but explains that only when he can afford to. Leaving empty-handed, Ted and Danny plan to return. 

Rehearsing for Valentine’s Day, Jim presents Linda with a new song, “Be Careful, It’s My Heart.” Ted arrives and goes into an unchoreographed dance with Linda. Recognizing her from New Year’s Eve, he demands that Jim prepare a number for them to perform in the next show. 

At Easter romance grows between Jim and Linda. They are met by Ted, who asks to remain in Jim’s shows to experience “the true happiness” they found. Linda is charmed, but Jim is suspicious. 

Thanksgiving finds the Inn closed and Jim filled with self-pity. As he prepares to mail off his new song his housekeeper Mamie coaxes him to fight to win Linda back. 

Bing Crosby’s singing, Fred Astaire’s footwork, Marjorie Reynolds’ and Virginia Dale’s dancing, and Irving Berlin’s songs, are the only thing great about this movie. You’d think with a great story, great soundtrack, and choreography, this has to be a fantastic movie, but it’s barely that. Entertaining yes, but it just jumps from one holiday song and dance number to the next with very little story in between. You do learn about Jim working on the farm and him turning the farm into the inn, and how both Jim and Ted are in love with the same ladies, but hardly anything else. You don’t see much rehearsing of the performances, which to me, would have made the story far more interesting. 

There is racism in the “Abraham” number where blackface is used, which is offensive nowadays and many television channels choose to omit the scene, but most DVD versions still have it. Yes, the scene should have never happened, but it did and times were different then, so you have to either watch it on regular TV, skip through it, or suck it up and watch it, which is really hard to do. 

The acting is really good, but not fantastic,  but the singing and dancing overshadows that. It does have the typical 1940’s romantic musical tone, so the storyline doesn’t feel very original. The part of the story of two guys trying to woo the same women, has been done to death, even before this movie came out. 

There are some great scenes like the “Be Careful, It’s My Heart” sequence where Ted and Linda dance to Jim’s song and at the end of the routine, they jump through at big paper heart prop. Also the Independance Day scene where Ted dances with firecrackers is fabulous. 

The movie treats every holiday that shown as just musical theater productions, though some of the numbers go into the history or what they think is the history of the holiday, they don’t celebrate the holidays they way they are meant to be like having a Thanksgiving meal with family friends, opening presents with family and friends on Christmas Day, going to church on Easter Sunday, etc., which conservative Christians may find blasphemous. 

There is lots of drinking and smoking throughout and several instances where a character is drunk. Despite the racism, blasphemy, and heavy uses of booze and tobacco, it is still a really entertaining movie. Though this is considered a Christmas film, it covers most of the major holidays celebrated in America, though not Hanukkah for some reason, so I don’t call this an Xmas movie, but more of a motion picture honoring many holidays. 12+ 3.5/5 

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Classic of the Week: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987)

Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a 1987 American comedy film written, produced and directed by John Hughes. It stars Steve Martin as Neal Page, a temperamental marketing executive, and John Candy as Del Griffith, a kindhearted, but irritating salesman. In spite of their differences, they share three days of adventures and mishaps trying to get Neal home to Chicago in time for Thanksgiving Day dinner with his family. 

Neal is advertising executive on a business trip in New York City, anxious to get back home to his family in Chicago before Thanksgiving, which is in two days’ time. After a late-running buisness meeting with a hesitant client, Neal struggles to hail a cab during rush hour. As he bribes a man to let him have a cab he has hailed, it is unintentionally taken by a third man. Neal arrives at JFK Airport just as his flight is delayed. While waiting, he meets the man who “stole” the cab, Del Griffith, a talkative man who sells shower curtain rings. To his annoyance and Del’s delight, Neal is then assigned a seat next to Del on the crowded flight to O’Hare. 

Due to a blizzard in Chicago, their plane is diverted to Witchita, where they must stay overnigt. Neal is unable to book a room, but Del has successfully reserved one. Neal hesitantly accepts Del’s promise of a room if Neal pays for their cab ride to the motel. During check-in, Del mistakenly takes Neal’s credit card. Neal loses his temper over Del’s aggravating behavior and criticizes him. Del is hurt by Neal’s insults, but they calm down and awkwardly share the only bed. As they sleep, their cash is stolen by a robber. 

The next day, with their plane trip still delayed, Neal buys them both train tickets to Chicago, but with seats in seperate cars. However, the train breaks down near Jefferson City, leaving it’s passgengers stranded. Neal feels sorry for Del struggling with his trunk, and they reunite, The ride on a crowded bus to St. Louis, where Del raises cash by selling curtain ring samples to passers-by. Neal offends Del at lunch snd the two part ways again. 

At the St. Louis airport, Neal atempts to rent a car, but it is not there when he gets back to the lot. After a long and treacherous walk back to the terminal, Neal vents his anger in a profane rage at the rental agent, but all for nothing. He tries to book a taxi to Chicago, but impatiently criticizes the dispatcher, who punches him.By chance, Del arrives with his own rental car, and takes tired Neal with him. Many catastrophes happen to them and the rental car before they get to Chicago. 

This film is equal parts laugh out loud funny and heartwarming. All the disasters the two go through are hilarious, but at the same time, you feel sorry for them and their bad luck. Martin and Candy are perfectly cast and do such a great job as the uptight career man and the easy going simple guy. Neal is definitely smarter than Del, but they end up realizing that smarts and money, are really not important when it comes to family and friendship. This is not your typical John Huges film, there is are no teenagers, no romance, just two funny men for 90 percent of the runtime. This is the actors in two of their very best roles. No other actors could play these characters better than them. 

With such a simple plotline, you’d think this movie wouldn’t be very good, but it is outstanding. It is very entertaining and wildly funny. Some will see this film as just plain silly, and yes it is a bit silly, but not over the top. The two men, who are complete opposites, learn how to deal with each other, how to get along, and they eventually become friends, despite all they went through in just three days. I believe the worst thing about this movie is the awful musical score by the band King Crimson, it just didn’t fit at all. Huey Lewis & the News or Bryan Adams might have been a better choice, but that’s just my oppinion. 

Martin and Candy aren’t the best actors, but they are two of the funniest people of all time. They can take such simple stories, and even if the film isn’t that great, they make it enjoyable. Planes probably would have turned out terrible without them. The two characters clash, but in such a way that makes this movie different than most comedies. it has hilarity and heart among the disasters of most of the runtime. You learn that sometimes you have to go through chaos in life and that it’s good to have someone to help you out along the way. This is one of, if not the best Thanksgiving and fall film(s) ever. 18+ 4.5/5 

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Top 75 Films That Deal With Addiction and Recovery

  1. A Star is Born – 2018
  2. Notorious – 1946
  3. Drugstore Cowboy – 1989
  4. When a Man Loves a Woman – 1994
  5. Requiem for a Dream – 2000
  6. Sid & Nancy – 1986
  7. The Hustler – 1961
  8. The Panic in Needle Park – 1971
  9. Ray – 2004
  10. Leaving Las Vegas – 1995
  11. The Basketball Diaries – 1995
  12. Phantom Thread – 2017
  13. Shame – 2011
  14. Rocketman – 2019
  15. Uncut Gems – 2019
  16. Ben is Back – 2018
  17. The Man With the Golden Arm – 1955
  18. Clean & Sober – 1988
  19. Don Jon – 2013
  20. Half Nelson – 2006
  21. Flight – 2012
  22. Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot – 2018
  23. Traffic – 2000
  24. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas – 1998
  25. Another Round – 2020
  26. Rachel Getting Married – 2008
  27. Beautiful Boy – 2018
  28. 6 Balloons – 2018
  29. Factotum – 2005
  30. Crazy Heart – 2009
  31. Rush – 1991
  32. Betty – 1992
  33. Trainspotting – 1996
  34. Gia – 1998
  35. Tender Mercies – 1983
  36. Barfly – 1987
  37. The Lost Weekend – 1945
  38. Days of Wine and Roses – 1962
  39. The Rose – 1979
  40. The Way Back – 2020
  41. Christiane F. – 1981
  42. Pay it Forward – 2000
  43. Basquiat – 1996
  44. Lenny – 1974
  45. The Sound of Metal – 2019
  46. Gridlock’d – 1997
  47. Judy – 2019
  48. Once Were Warriors – 1994
  49. Her Smell – 2018
  50. Nil By Mouth – 1997
  51. Clockers – 1995
  52. Down to the Bone – 2004
  53. Tarnation – 2003
  54. Jesus’ Son – 1999
  55. Devdas – 2002
  56. Midnight Cowboy – 1969
  57. Silver Linings Playbook – 2012
  58. Gone Baby Gone – 2007
  59. I’ll Cry Tomorrow – 1955
  60. The Gambler – 1974
  61. Bigger Than Life – 1956
  62. Easy Rider – 1969
  63. Julia – 2008
  64. Affliction – 1997
  65. Destroyer – 2018
  66. Long Day’s Journey into Night – 1962
  67. Drunken Angel – 1948
  68. Smashed – 2012
  69. A Star is Born – 1954
  70. A Star is Born – 1937
  71. I Walk the Line – 2005
  72. The Wolf of Wall Street – 2013
  73. My Left Foot – 1989
  74. Oslo, August 31st – 2011
  75. The Shining – 1980

Posted on by chloetalksfilm

Classic of the Week: Duck Soup (1933)

Duck Soup is a 1933 American pre-Code black comedy film directed by Leo McCarey. It stars the Marx Brothers: Goucho, Chico, Harpo and Zeppo in final Marx Brothers’ movie. It also features Margaret Dumont, Louis Calhern, Raquel Torres, and Edgar Kennedy. Groucho plays the newlt elected president of the mythical country of Freedonia. Zeppo is his secretary, while Harpo and Chico are Sylvanian spies. Realtions between Groucho and the Sylvanian ambassador disintegrate and they go to war. 

The wealthy Mrs. Teasdale insists that Rufus T. Firefly be appointed leader of the small, financially struggling country of Freedonia before she will continue to provide financial aid. Meanwhile, the neighboring country of Sylvania is plotting to append Freedonia. Sylvanian ambassador Trentino tries to bring about a revolution and court Mrs. Teasdale as he tries to dig up dirt on Firefly by sending in spies Chicolini and Pinky. 

After failing to collect any useful information against Firefly, Chicolini and Pinky are able to pervade the government when Chicolini is appointed Secretary of War after Firefly notices him selling peanuts outside his window. A little while later, Firefly’s secretary, Bob Roland, tells Firefly he suspects Trentino’s incentives and advises him to get rid of the touchy Tretino by insulting him. Firefly agrees and to the plan, but after a series of personal insults exchanged between Firefly and Trentino, the plan backfires when Firefly hits him. As a result, the countries go to war. Adding to international strife is the fact that Firefly is also pursuing Mrs. Teasdale, and, like Trentino, hoping to get his hands on her late husband’s fortune. 

Trentino learns from the very attractive spy Vera Marcal that Freedomia’s plans of war in Mrs. Teasdale’s safe and he tells her to assist Chicolini and Pinky in stealing them. Chicolini is eventually caught by Firefly and put on trial, during which war is officially declared, and everyone is overcome by war frenzy, breaking into song and dance. Chicolini and Pinky join Firefly and Bob Roland in anarchic battle, resulting in general mayhem. 

This film was not a box office failure, but it recieve lukewarm reception, because it was released during the Great Depression. Audiences were stunned by such absurd polical negligence, foolishness and cynicism at a time of a political and economic crisis. Some didn’t like the comedic Mussolini types in the film and found that offensive. Benito Mussolini  found the film to a personal attack at him and banned it Italy, though the Marx Brothers were delighted about it. Despite the so-so response at the time, Duck Soup is now seen as a classic politcal comedy. Many critics today see it as one of the best war comedies along with Chaplin’s The Great Dictator and Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove. The only difference with Duck Soup, is that it doesn’t seem to realize it is nothing more than  innocent drivel. 

This a hilarious political comedy and very smartly written and acted. The brothers make this film laugh out loud funny, though Groucho is the comedic ringleader as he always was in their movies. With the political theme and many of the jokes, this film most likely couldn’t be filmed in the current era. Being this was made before the Motion Picture Production Code censorship guidelines, it got away with a lot of things it wouldn’t have after it was really enforced. 

This film is filled with political, Jewish, flirty and random humor. The slapstick comedy and Groucho’s puns make it a really entertaining film for the most part, though this one is a tad more serious with the diplomatic theme. Though I don’t think this is the Marx Brothers’ best film, it is still a comedic masterpiece that goes down as one of the greatest films of all time. 

Groucho’s jokes will go over young childrens’ heads, but teens and adults will probably get them, so this one is better suited for older children and above. There is smoking as usual, Grouch and his signiture cigar, and others smoke cigars. There is no sex or nudity, only a woman a bra and man watching her undress. There is slapstick violence, though young kids will not understand it’s fake and for laughs. There is out of date derogatory nicknames for certain types of people used a few times, but no really foul language other than that. 

There is a very racist joke that references a hit 1931 song that satirizes racism and it is unexpected upon first watch, so you have to look out for things like that in this movie, but you also have to realize times were different then. There is sexual innuendo in the opening scene, so it starts out with adult humor, though some may find this a bit much, especially if this is their Marx Brothers movie and don’t realize this is common for the brothers. 

Some scenes are focused on too much like the scene where Chicolini is selling peanuts and tormenting another vender.  Despite the adult innuendos, it is still a great film with great musical numbers and choreography. The film is very pessimistic to the point of preachiness and that might turn viewers off, especially after seeing it many times. The film criticizes arbitrary, brutal policies that created disasters, Prohibition, World War I and The Great Depression. Some may think that this movie is making light of the issues at the time and it is, but it is also showing that it is better to sing, dance, laugh, fall in love and try to get along with your enemies, rather than fight, cause chaos, or make terrible laws that tear people apart. 

Overall, a comedy masterpiece that everyone should see at least once in their life. It has its flaws, just like any movie, but it will not cease to bore you or make you laugh. Its out of date farce can be overlooked if you see the film for what it really is. A genius musical comedy with both grit and hilarity.  10+ 4.5/5