A Reel Retro Review: KEEPER OF THE FLAME (1942)

Reel Speak’s Retro Reviews will randomly review a classic film from the TCM library every week, with the intention of introducing some overlooked and perhaps forgotten screen gems from the past to those of us who may be unfamiliar or unawares of their existence. 

 

The 1942 drama/mystery film KEEPER OF THE FLAME was not without its controversy. It was heavily criticized for leftist politics, and famed MGM Studios head Louis B. Mayer reportedly stormed out of a screening; angered at the film connecting wealth with fascism. It was called propaganda at the time, but it’s also a noir film with two of old Hollywood’s biggest stars. 

 

Famed journalist Stephen O’Malley (Spencer Tracy), sets out to write a biography of national hero Robert Forrest, who had died by driving his car over a collapsed bridge. After finding his way into the mansion, he encounters Forrest’s widow Christine (Katharine Hepburn), and discovers most of Forrest’s life shrouded in mystery. 

 

Directed by George Cukor and based on the novel of the same name by I.A.R. Wylie, KEEPER OF THE FLAME starts off as a journalistic venture which quickly dives into a mystery. O’Malley finds resistance at every step, beginning with finding a way around the locked gates of the estate, and ending with Forrest’s still-employed staff hiding and burning paperwork at every turn. O’Malley eventually makes a connection with Christine, and even though she may also be hiding something, the two begin to fall for each other. 

 

While the plot is thick enough to sustain things, KEEPER OF THE FLAME plays out as very dull. Even when O’Malley and Christine discover a spark between them, the film just doesn’t have much energy or a decent buildup of drama. Even when the big secret is finally revealed (which is shocking, even for today’s standards), the buildup towards it is weak and somewhat lessens it. Filmed mostly on soundstages, director George Cukor makes great use of lights and shadows and presents a great looking picture in every frame. 

 

Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn are wonderful in the film together. Filmed right when the two were starting their real-life love affair, there is a chemistry there that leaps off the screen. The two of them are actually better than what the film deserves. 

 

The objections that KEEPER OF THE FLAME met in 1942 are well-founded considering the time period, and even today the ideas the film puts out there, along with what Forrest was up to, can be a scary thing. This is a bold film for the 1940’s that still carries meaning today; it just lacks some power to really get the point across. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Rent it 

 

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Reel Facts: GOP members of Congress objected to the film and demanded that the president of the Motion Picture Production Code establish guidelines for propaganda films. George Cukor would later win Best Director for MY FAIR LADY in 1964. 

 

 

A Reel Opinion: The 93rd Oscars - The Good, The Bad, & The Glorious

The 93^rd Academy Awards Ceremony, the final word on the wrecked cinematic year that was 2020, were held last night in an event that can be described as non-traditional at best. It provided plenty of moments ranging from Good, Bad, and Glorious. Here is how it all landed: 

 

THE GOOD

 

-The year in film 2020 was decimated thanks to a pandemic left to run free, and the ceremony reflected that. The ceremony was relocated to the Los Angeles Union Station and taken out of the traditional Dolby Theatre. The setting was something different and fresh to see, and the smaller crowd made it feel like an intimate dinner event. 

 

-For the third consecutive year, the ceremony ran without a host and it worked just fine. The show also cut to the Dolby Theatre for an extended bit with Bryan Cranston honoring healthcare workers and first responders in a very nice touch. 

 

-This year the show dove into the backstories of the nominees, with everyone having their love for film explained and how they were inspired to become filmmakers. There was a notable shift from honoring the movies to the individuals. Again; different, new, and fresh. 

 

-Not necessarily Good, Bad or Glorious but worth noting: With most theatres shuttered last year, streaming services became the home to movie releases. With that said, 16 of the 23 Oscars went to films that at the very least simultaneously premiered on the small screen. 

 

THE BAD

 

-While it was neat to hear the nominees speak about the first movies they saw in the theatre (which in a roundabout way, provided some film history), the shift away from the nominated films meant very few clips were shown. Categories such as visual effects needed to be seen, and not seeing acting clips was also a noticeable omission. 

 

-Due to pandemic restrictions, the traditional musical performances were pre-taped and run before the ceremony. While this made for a tighter show, there was no opportunity for another glorious Shallow moment or a Queen-like rock-the-house number. 

 

-Anthony Hopkins winning Best Actor. Hopkins became the oldest winner ever at the age of 83; 30 years after his previous win for THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS. While Hopkins was deserving for his towering performance in THE FATHER, his win is somewhat tainted by the absolute bizarre and stupid gamble that the producers took in shifting the Best Actor category to the final award of the night. This was a gamble seemingly done in anticipation of the late great Chadwick Boseman to have a posthumous win and an emotional powerhouse ending to the show. It backfired and it backfired badly, with Hopkins not even in attendance and an abrupt end to the show. So much for the long-running theory that the producers know the winners in advance. 

 

-The In Memoriam segment, which honors filmmakers and actors who have passed on since the last Oscars, was a complete mess…with parts of it flying by way too fast and barely enough time to read the titles. 

 

THE GLORIOUS

 

-There were two recipients of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award; Tyler Perry for his efforts to combat homelessness, and the Motion Picture & Television Fund which offers relief services to members of the entertainment industry. Both recipients were highlighted nicely and were eye-openers. 

 

-It was a night of history. Daniel Kaluuya’s win for Best Supporting Actor made him only the 6^th black actor to win in that category. Chloe Zhao’s became the first woman of color, and the second woman in history to win Best Director. Frances McDormand’s win for Best Actress makes her the seventh person to win a third acting Oscar. Youn Yuh-jung’s win for Best Supporting Actress makes her the first Korean to win in that category. 

 

-NOMADLAND winning Best Picture. Directed by Chloe Zhao and produced by Frances McDormand, the intimate look at real-life nomads eking out a living in America was the expected winner, and win it did. It had been there from the very beginning of Awards Season, and it was there at the end. It was a non-traditional film winning in a non-traditional year; a year that ended as messed up as it started. 

 

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The 94^th Academy Awards will be held on February 27^th, 2022. 

A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks - Part 2

Despite a bizarre year that nearly decimated the theatre and film industry, 2020 still managed to eke out some most-excellent films, with any one of the eight nominees well-deserving of Best Picture. Picking the winners of the major categories, the vital elements of filmmaking, is always a challenge. Educated guesses include looking at past histories, endless statistics, and a close look at the Guild Awards; Screen Actors (SAG), Writers (WGA), Producers (PGA), and Directors (DGA)…all of which have a strong overlap in the Academy voting block. And it’s still worth looking at the British Film Awards (BAFTA), and the Golden Globes. And of course, picking the winners can also be done by dart-boards, tea-leaves, and good old fashioned gut-instinct. For this second part of Oscar Picks, Reel Speak will pick the winners in the most important categories on the road to Best Picture. 

 

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

No film has won Best Picture without a Screenplay nomination since TITANIC in 1997, so it’s safe to say the Academy values writing. Of all films, BORAT: SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM won this category at the WGA this year, but it seems unlikely to repeat at the Oscars. NOMADLAND may have received a boatload of wins this season, but did not get nominated in this category at the WGA. The lack of guild support leaves the door open for THE FATHER to sneak in and steal one. 

 

Winner: THE FATHER

 

 

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is the favorite here, having won this category at WGA and BAFTA this year. Aaron Sorkin’s THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 would be the next best bet, having won here at the Globes. As great as CHICAGO 7 is, the industry really seems to love PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN; if it doesn’t win in Best Actress, it’ll win here. 

 

Winner: PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN 

 

 

BEST EDITING

How important is Editing? Two-thirds of the 92 Best Picture winners also won for Editing. THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 won Best Edited Film at the American Cinema Editors (ACE) this year, and its non-linear style of extended flashbacks, as presented in a courtroom…is quite masterful. 

 

Winner: THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 

 

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Since its inception in 1948, the DGA has only failed to match the Academy eight times. NOMADLAND director Chloe Zhao is in a position to complete a sweep; having won at DGA, Globes, and BAFTA. Zhao could be only the second woman, after Kathryn Bigelow in 2009, to take home Best Director…and the Academy does love to make history. 

 

Winner: Chloe Zhao 

 

 

BEST PICTURE

Going through a process of elimination, no film that is lacking nominations in Editing or Screenplay is a serious contender, so that eliminates MANK, MINARI, and JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH. THE FATHER could pull off some surprises, but other than BAFTA has not won very much the entire season. The same goes for SOUND OF METAL, which looks to be honored in the technical categories. We’re left with a three-horse race between NOMADLAND, PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN, and THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7. PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN won Best British Film at BAFTA and a host of other awards, but most of those have been restricted to the acting and writing. The intimate and understated NOMADLAND feels like the safe bet, already having won all the major prizes at Globes, BAFTA, DGA, and PGA. It did not win the Best Ensemble at SAG, but since it doesn’t have an ensemble cast, that doesn’t matter much. CHICAGO 7 is in the same exact position PARASITE was a year ago, which lost out to 1917 in all the precursors, but then pulled out the win at the Oscars. The difference is CHICAGO 7, as good as it is, just isn’t the phenomenon PARASITE was. It’s a bit showy, but sometimes understated is better. 

 

Winner: NOMADLAND 

 

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Read Reel Speak’s picks in the acting categories HERE

The 93^rd Academy Awards will be held this coming Sunday. 

A Reel Opinion: Oscar Picks - Part 1

The 93^rd Academy Awards are finally upon us; honoring the best achievements in film in the unprecedented year that was 2020. With a pandemic left to run amuck, theatres across the world were shuttered, sending our beloved movies scattershot to who-knows-what streaming service, making many of this year’s nominees unseen and unheard of. Despite this, we still have some excellent films and performances to consider. In this first part of Oscar Picks, Reel Speak will pick the winners in the acting categories. 

 

Best Actress

This is the most difficult category to pick this year, with Viola Davis from MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and Carey Mulligan from PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN the two favorites. Mulligan has been honored with nearly 30 awards for her performance this season, but Davis’ surprise win at the Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG) in this category makes her the new favorite. If the vote is very close, it could allow Frances McDormand from the Best Picture favorite NOMADLAND to sneak in. McDormand has won here twice, and Davis just won in 2016 for FENCES. A win for Mulligan would be her first, and the Academy does love those first-time winners. 

 

Winner: Carey Mulligan

 

 

Best Supporting Actress

No film in 2020 got shafted as much as MINARI. The film about a South Korean family trying to make it in the rural U.S. in the 1980’s was expected to be another PARASITE (last year’s Best Picture winner), but the lack of big-screen time and wide release has had it flying under the radar. The favorite here is Yuh-Jung Youn, who has won in this category at SAG and the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA). It’s rare that someone doesn’t complete a sweep, so MINARI will get some deserved recognition in this category. 

 

Winner: Yuh-Jung Youn

 

 

Best Actor

Speaking of sweeps, the late great Chadwick Boseman is primed to complete a sweep of his own. The Academy loves those big emotional moments, and this is a lock to be one of them…and it would be well-deserved. This will be a tribute to not only Boseman’s electric performance in MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, but to the millions of lives he has touched in his BLACK PANTHER role. Grab the tissues. 

 

Winner: Chadwick Boseman

 

 

Best Supporting Actor

Another clear-cut pick, as Daniel Kaluuya is also in position to complete a sweep, having won at SAG, BAFTA…and Golden Globes. His co-star Lakeith Stanfield could sneak in, but this is all Kaluuya. 

 

Winner: Daniel Kaluuya

 

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Read Reel Speak's picks in the elemental categories leading to Best Picture HERE

The 93rd Academy Awards will be held this Sunday. 

 

 

A Reel Retro Review: HIGH NOON (1952)

With the 93^rd Academy Awards approaching, this month’s Retro Reviews will look back at Oscar nominees and winners from the past. 

It’s Oscar Week! Every year the buildup leading to the Academy Awards involves conversations around all the times the wrong film was selected for Best Picture. The most egregious of them all was in 1998 when SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE bested the heavy favorite, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN. Prior to that, one of the biggest all-time upsets came at the 25^th Academy Awards in the Spring of 1953, when Cecil B. DeMille’s THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH won over the favored Western, HIGH NOON. How good is/was HIGH NOON? Let’s strap on the six-shooters and find out…

 

In a small town in the New Mexico territory, Marshal Will Kane (Gary Cooper), is set to retire after marrying Amy (Grace Kelly). Just when he turns in his badge, word comes that Frank Miller (Ian MacDonald), a vicious outlaw that Kane had once sent to prison, will be arriving in town on the noon train to team-up with his old gang to get revenge.

 

Directed by Fred Zinnemann and based on The Tin Star by John W. Cunningham, HIGH NOON takes place in real-time, counting down the minutes until the noon train arrives with a vengeful Miller. During this time, Kane looks to recruit townsfolk to his side, but doesn’t have an easy time doing so. Miller still has friends in town who are harboring some resentment towards Kane, and others seem to dislike the iron-fisted way the marshal had been running things over the years. On top of that, Kane’s new wife Amy, a devout Quaker, simply doesn’t understand the need for gunplay and her new husband’s desire to put their lives on hold for one last mission of justice. 

 

HIGH NOON surprised audiences in 1952 as it wasn’t a typical Western, and it still holds that element. Most audiences going into a Western expect wild shootouts and chases, and HIGH NOON doesn’t get around to that until the very end. The picture is very much a talkie, with characters debating the need for more bloodshed, Kane’s past, and his reluctance to hang up the tin star for civilian life. This was deep stuff for 1952, and it still works. 

 

The entire cast puts in great performances. Gary Cooper is perfect in the role. He was 51 at the time but plays the part older; a world-weary man who isn’t quite done with gunfighting even though that world is telling him otherwise. Grace Kelly, who was only 21 at the time of filming, lights up the screen every time, and gets the honor of being the heroine who saves the day; again, new territory for 1950’s Westerns. The film also includes future stars such as Harry Morgan (MASH), and Lee Van Cleef (THE GOOD, THE BAD, & THE UGLY)…along with a minor role from the legend Lon Chaney Jr. (THE WOLF MAN). 

 

The big shootout finally comes around in the final minutes, and has a weight to it because the work was done throughout the film to make it matter…and the final resolution is a surprise. There is a lot in HIGH NOON that would provide material and inspiration for the Western in the decades to come; inspiring filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Clint Eastwood. It can be said that HIGH NOON is ground-zero for the modern Western, and that is the highest honor any film can ask for. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

Reel Facts: HIGH NOON would win four of its seven Oscar nominations, including Best Actor for Gary Cooper. It would be his second and final win before his Honorary Academy Award in 1961. Director Fred Zinnemann would have better luck the following year, when his drama/romance FROM HERE TO ETERNITY would win eight Oscars, including Best Picture and Director. 

 

 

 

A Reel 70: THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD

“There are no enemies in science; only phenomena to be studied.”

 

This month marks the 70^th anniversary of Christian Nyby and Howard Hawks’ THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD. 

 

Based on the 1938 novella Who Goes There? by John W. Campbell, THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD told the fantastic tale of a team of scientists and an Air Force crew who find a crashed flying saucer in the Arctic ice, and later find themselves fighting for survival when the lone alien survivor is revealed to multiply on human blood. Although a monster-movie at heart, THE THING also capitalized on the national feelings in America at the time, which ranged from American bravado (recently winning WWII), to skepticism towards scientists who mess with things they shouldn’t mess with (like atomic bombs). The film reflected this, as the scientists who want to study the creature are shown to be somewhat naïve, while the day is won by military action. 

 

The film was mostly directed by Christian Nyby, with producer Howard Hawks stepping in on occasion. Hawks’ primary role for THE THING was producer, although two of his trademarks are dominant in the film; American ingenuity and strong, tough-talking female characters…with the latter a rarity for a horror film of the early 1950’s. The cast was led by Kenneth Tobey as the captain of the Air Force crew, who was at odds with the leader of the scientific expedition, as played by Robert Cornthwaite. Margaret Sheridan has a strong role as a love interest for Tobey, and true to Hawks’ style, was the character who figures out how to slay the beast. Douglas Spencer provides comic relief as a wise-cracking reporter, and the rest of the cast is filled out by James Young, Dewey Martin, Robert Nichols, and Wiliam Self. James Arness plays the imposing alien creature. The fantastic score is provided by Dimitri Tiomkin. 

 

THE THING FROM ANOTHER WORLD was the highest grossing sci-fi film of 1951, even beating out its kindred alien-visitation film, THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL. Today the film is considered to the best of its era. In 2001 it was deemed “culturally significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. 

 

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In 1982, director John Carpenter unleashed his remake of THE THING; a film that is now considered to be one of the best horror films of all time. It is indeed a great film, but this Blogger will always lean towards the black-and-white original from 1951. It’s simplicity is part of its charm, and despite its age…can still bring on the scares (the battle with the alien in a burning room still impresses to this day). The film has had tremendous influence on not only the Carpenter version, but in other classic sci-fi/horror films such as ALIEN (1979), and its 1986 sequel. When sci-fi and horror collide, it owes its beginnings to a thing that came out of the ice.

 

“Keep watching the skies!”

A Reel Retro Review: LENNY (1974)

With the 93^rd Academy Awards approaching, this month’s Retro Reviews will look back at Oscar nominees and winners from the past. 

There is little argument that the 47^th Academy Awards, held in 1975, featured one of the strongest classes of nominees, with four of the five Best Picture contenders destined to become legends. First and foremost was the big winner, Francis Ford Coppola’s THE GODFATHER PART II, along with Roman Polanski’s mystery film CHINATOWN, the Steve McQueen-led thriller THE TOWERING INFERNO, and another Coppola film, THE CONVERSATION. The fifth film was the now forgotten LENNY; a biographical movie that has taken a long-time backseat to its fellow Best Picture classmates. 

 

Based on the true story of controversial stand-up comedian Lenny Bruce (Dustin Hoffman), Lenny causes an uproar nearly every time he is on stage; using vulgar language to tell jokes about race and sex…which often lands him in hot water with police. He is pressured to tone down his act but refuses, which puts pressure on his marriage to his stripper-wife Honey (Valerie Perrine). 

 

Directed by Bob Fosse and based on the stage play of the same name, LENNY operates with a unique structure. The story is told through the recollections of Honey and other people in Lenny’s life as they are interviewed. The film flashes back and is then amplified by one of Lenny’s stand-up shows, as he uses chapters of his life as material for his act. Lenny’s style of commenting on sex and society makes him a hit, even when it gets him into trouble. Fosse has a lot going on here; not only telling a life story, but tackling the touchy issues of free speech as Lenny is often arrested for his choice of words. 

 

The film is driven by stellar performances from Dustin Hoffman and Valerie Perrine. Hoffman is relentless in his delivery, and gives the complicated character of Lenny a human element that really works. Valerie Perrine, only a few years away from her role as Miss Teschmacher in SUPERMAN (1978), is spectacular as the troubled wife who struggles with drugs and her difficult role as a support system for Lenny. 

 

Anyone who is familiar with the true story of Lenny Bruce will not be surprised by the tragic ending that the film wraps up with, as the film sticks close to the true story. Lenny has been considered to be one of the top three greatest comedians of all time, behind Richard Pryor and George Carlin…and this film certainly shows why. LENNY is a gripping piece, and in any other year when it wasn’t going up against cinematic goliaths, would have had a better place in Oscar history. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it 

 

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Reel Facts: LENNY was nominated for six Oscars; Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography, Actor (Hoffman), and Actress (Perrine). It would not win any category. Valerie Perrine would be named Best Actress at the 1975 Cannes Film Festival. 

A Reel 40: EXCALIBUR

“What is the greatest quality of knighthood?”

This month marks the 40^th anniversary of John Boorman’s EXCALIBUR. 

 

A retelling of the legend of King Arthur, the knights of the round table, the sorcerer Merlin, and the sword of power known as Excalibur, director John Boorman had been looking to bring his version of the story to the big screen as far back as 1969. His original script, which was a three-hour epic, was rejected as being too costly. Boorman was offered to make a screen-adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings instead. Boorman never let go of his desire to bring his King Arthur to the screen, and after many years would secure a deal to make his film. Much of the imagery that would make it into his final cut was created for his vision of The Lord of the Rings.

 

EXCALIBUR was filmed in Ireland, utilizing ancient castles that are still standing to this day. By employing Irish actors and crew, the production has been acknowledged for igniting the Irish filmmaking industry; an effect still felt today. The film would also be noted for launching the film careers of Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, and Ciaran Hinds…who all appeared in minor roles. 

 

The major roles would be filled out by Nigel Terry (Arthur), Helen Mirren (Morgana), Nicol Williamson (Merlin), Cherie Lunghi (Guenevere), and Nicholas Clay (Lancelot). The soundtrack featured the music of Richard Wagner, with an original score by Trevor Jones. 

 

EXCALIBUR was the no. 1 film during its opening weekend of April 1981. It was nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography. John Boorman would win the prize for Best Artistic Contribution at the Cannes Film Festival. 

 

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EXCALIBUR did not conquer the known world in 1981, but over the years it has earned a reputation as perhaps the definitive King Arthur film. The acting from the entire cast is excellent, the battle scenes impressively staged, and the uses of Wagner’s classic operatic music brings the chills every time. The film has a magical look to it; cinematographer Alex Thomson makes everything glow…almost like a dream. The third act of the film does begin a little wonky, but it finishes strong. For this Blogger, it has been a favorite since I was a squire, and many from my generation would also see it’s worthiness. Many attempts at King Arthur have been tried over the last four decades, and all have them have found it difficult to match the dream of Camelot in EXCALIBUR. 

 

“A dream to some. A nightmare to others!”

A Reel Retro Review: BLITHE SPIRIT (1945)

With the 93^rd Academy Awards approaching, this month’s Retro Reviews will look back at Oscar nominees and winners from the past. 

 

As this Blogger and every other film historian has noted before, no director in history had a three-film streak like David Lean; directing the Oscar-winning classics THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957), LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962), and DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965). His trifecta of epics were, and still are breathtaking. But every journey has a first step, and some of Lean’s earlier, smaller works are always worth a look. Here now is Lean’s BLITHE SPIRIT from 1945. 

Novelist Charles Condomine (Rex Harrison), invites eccentric medium Madame Arcati (Margaret Rutherford), to a dinner party to perform a séance which brings about the ghost of Charles’ dead wife Elvira (Kay Hammond). 

Based on the 1941 play of the same name by Noel Coward, BLITHE SPIRIT begins innocently enough, with the skeptical Charles and his wife Ruth (Constance Cummings), inviting the good medium over to do her spiritual thing. Both Charles and his wife are dis-believers, and are only hosting the séance for material for Charles’ next novel. When the séance summons the ghost of Elvira, comedy ensues as Charles is the only one who can see or hear her. This leads to more shenanigans as Ruth becomes convinced that Charles is either trying to pull an elaborate prank, has gone mad, or is simply very drunk. 

Ruth eventually comes around to the fact that Charles is indeed speaking to a ghost, and this leads to Elvira getting into a competition with her. It moves into a love triangle and is effective enough, although the script feels like it could go deeper into the relationship that Charles once had in his first marriage. Director David Lean, who relied a lot on the original stage-play, utilizes the complicated dialogue very well…and times the laughs and confusion nicely. 

With a ghost or two lurking about causing trouble, BLITHE SPIRIT uses visual effects which were trail-blazing at the time. For a 1945 film, the effects of floating objects and people passing through ghosts are done very well. There is also some very clever and effective lighting done to give the ghosts an ethereal glow that really works. 

Acting is charming as the entire cast (ahem) leans into their characters. The dialogue takes a lot from the original stage-play and is very dense, yet fun to listen to. The film belongs to Margaret Rutherford, who chews up the scenery and is a laugh a minute. 

The finale differs from the original stage-play in a huge way (which was a sticking point between Lean and Coward), but it works and is appropriate for all the characters. BLITHE SPIRIT is a tight and fun little romp, playing for good laughs and a little peek at the bigger things that Lean would move on to. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: See it. 

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Reel Facts: BLITHE SPIRIT would win an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Margaret Rutherford’s stage and film career would span four decades, and she would win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her part in THE V.I.P.’s in 1963. She passed away in 1972 at the age of 80. Rex Harrison would win an Oscar for Best Actor for his part in MY FAIR LADY in 1964. He passed on in 1990 at the age of 82. 

 

A Reel Review: GODZILLA VS. KONG

GODZILLA VS. KONG, the fourth film in the ongoing “monster-verse” franchise, is a film that has a chance to make up for a lot. Although the series has more than it’s share of fans, the common complaints for the previous three entries range from too many characters, convoluted plots, and stupid happenings. For director Adam Wingard, the epic showdown between two of cinema’s longest-running titans is a monster opportunity to go out with a bang. 

 

Five years after the events of KING OF THE MONSTERS, Godzilla turns inland and attacks Apex Cybernetics. To battle the monster, Apex’s CEO Guillermin (Lance Reddick), and his daughter Maia (Eiza Gonzalez), recruit cartographer Dr. Nathan (Alexander Skarsgard), and Kong’s caretaker Dr. Ilene (Rebecca Hall), to journey to the center of the Earth (called Hollow Earth), to find a power source that can fire up a weapon Apex is developing. Meanwhile, Madison (Millie Bobby Brown), with her friend Josh (Julian Dennison), and conspiracy theorist podcaster Bernie (Brian Tyree Henry), sneak into Apex to find out what they’re up to. 

 

If all that sounds way too complicated for a movie that’s supposed to be about giant monsters fighting, it is. Director Adam Wingard and his team of writers weave a way-too complex and dull storyline involving burrowing into the Earth to find a power source they know nothing about which they think/hope will bring the Apex Weapon to life. To make all this happen, the film uses a massive amount of sci-fi. This world seems to take a giant leap forward in it’s tech in just five years, with massive hologram domes, tunnels and pathways through the planet, and spaceships that can burrow underground. It’s jarring to see, and it’s a lot to swallow. 

 

When we’re not trying to get our head around the sci-fi and its loose logic, we’re bored to tears with (once again), too many characters. Madison and her team only serve the purpose of taking the audience on tour of Apex and easily could have been omitted, and others are less like  characters and more like tools to move the plot forward. 

 

When the monster fights do come, they are a welcome break from the dull humans. Kong and Godzilla slug it out twice in stunning fashion; once in the middle of the ocean and the other in Hong Kong. Both are a thrill and are executed nicely, although the ocean-fight has a stupid resolution. CGI ranges from good to cartoonish. 

 

Director Adam Wingard gets decent performances out of his cast, even though most of the dialogue is ham-fisted garbage. A lot of the script makes no sense; they have underground spaceships can fly through the Earth but they can’t power-up the Apex Weapon, and when they do find the power source at the center of the Earth, they somehow WiFi it up to the surface where it is replicated virtually in 20 seconds. Dumb and lazy. The concept of the Hollow Earth is hard to swallow, especially since this is the first mention we’ve had of it; it’s just too huge of a concept to not have been built up over the course of the last three films. 

 

There is a lot of silliness to GODZILLA VS. KONG, and that may be forgivable if the film didn’t take itself so seriously; a little bit of self-awareness of the ridiculous situations would have gone a long way. And for a grand finale, the film feels a lot smaller than its predecessor, KING OF THE MONSTERS…as the threat Godzilla poses seems to be restricted to the Apex company. This is a film with two or three battles of great spectacle, held together by crap. That’s not enough to go out with a bang. 

 

BOTTOM LINE: Fuck it