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You can rate and share your favorite classic movie posts here.
The Sea Beast (Millard Webb, 1926)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Apr 24, 2011
Since reading Moby Dick a few years ago, I’ve been interested in seeing different film and stage versions of it. I was especially intrigued to see John Barrymore playing Ahab, as sadly only one of his full Shakespearean roles survives on film (Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet). It is often said read more
Topaze (Harry d’Abbadie d’Arrast, 1933)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Apr 17, 2011
I’m always saying that I plan to write more shorter postings, but now I’m really going to do it, as I’m so busy these days that it’s a choice between writing short postings or not updating this blog at all. Anyway, I will hopefully put a good selection of pictures with each p read more
James Cagney (2)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Mar 30, 2011
I’ve been thinking about James Cagney a lot today, because I realised it was the 25th anniversary of his death. There are many classic actors that I love and admire, but he has to be at the top of my list, as anyone who reads this blog probably realises already! I think it’s a combinat read more
A Farewell to Arms (Frank Borzage, 1932)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Mar 13, 2011
After seeing Borzage’s Depression drama Man’s Castle, I was keen to see more of his pre-Code work – and, having now seen A Farewell to Arms twice, must say I think it is a masterpiece. I’ll admit that I don’t remember Hemingway’s novel very well and am not sure read more
Grand Hotel (Edmund Goulding, 1932)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Feb 23, 2011
I’ve been getting increasingly interested in the Barrymores recently and watching a lot of their films, so I want to write about some more of them here. Glossy drama Grand Hotel is one of three films made in 1932 which starred brothers John and Lionel together – the others were Arsene read more
A Star is Born (William A Wellman, 1937)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Feb 9, 2011
I’m going to write about the whole plot in this review – so, if you haven’t seen this famous movie, be warned! William A Wellman’s earlier films often tend to focus on outcasts in society – wandering from one town to the next and struggling to make a living. His great pre-Codes Heroes For read more
What Price Hollywood? (George Cukor, 1932)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Jan 28, 2011
Constance Bennett, Lowell Sherman and Gregory Ratoff in What Price Hollywood? I’ll admit I originally wanted to see What Price Hollywood? because I knew it was an important influence on William A Wellman’s masterpiece A Star Is Born, released just five years later. (David O Selznick prod read more
State’s Attorney (George Archainbaud, 1932)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Jan 15, 2011
John Barrymore and Helen Twelvetrees I’ll soon be writing about Wellman’s A Star Is Born (1936), but first wanted to post a few thoughts about a couple of earlier movies which have links with it. One, of course, is What Price Hollywood? (1932), George Cukor’s great pre-Code drama read more
Wellman’s last silent/first talkie: Chinatown Nights (1929)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Jan 9, 2011
Florence Vidor in 'Chinatown Nights' No time tonight to write a long posting, but I just wanted to say that I’ve seen yet another Wellman pre-Code. This one, Chinatown Nights, a romantic gangster melodrama starring Wallace Beery, Florence Vidor and Warner Oland, isn’t a great read more
Small Town Girl (1936)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Jan 2, 2011
I saw in the New Year with yet another 1930s William Wellman movie which isn’t available on DVD! After seeing this one twice, I can hardly believe that it hasn’t had an official release. It is a highly entertaining romantic comedy-drama and has close links with Wellman’s Oscar-winn read more
Our Vines Have Tender Grapes (1945)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Dec 19, 2010
Agnes Moorehead, Margaret O'Brien and Edward G Robinson in Our Vines Have Tender Grapes I was looking for a different Christmas film to watch, and this gentle MGM family movie directed by Roy Rowland, set in a small Norwegian-American community in Wisconsin and released just after the end of th read more
The Robin Hood of El Dorado (1936)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Dec 5, 2010
Warner Baxter in 'The Robin Hood of El Dorado' I’ll admit I was expecting an awful lot from The Robin Hood of El Dorado – yet another 1930s William A Wellman film (this one made for MGM rather than Warner or RKO) which isn’t as yet officially available on DVD. I knew that read more
Howard Hawks season coming up at the BFI
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Dec 4, 2010
Ceiling Zero is among the films in the BFI Howard Hawks season I was excited today to discover that the British Film Institute in London has a comprehensive-looking Howard Hawks season coming up in January. The list of movies is on their site with an introduction by David Thomson. It will include Ha read more
Chimes at Midnight (1965)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Nov 21, 2010
After watching a great production of Shakespeare’s Henry IV Part I at the Globe Theatre in London this autumn (sadly I didn’t make it to Part II), I was keen to see Orson Welles’ take on Falstaff, Chimes at Midnight. This film is less well-known than Welles’ other Shakespeare read more
A Bill of Divorcement (1932)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Nov 7, 2010
John Barrymore and Katharine Hepburn John Barrymore may be best-known for his work in the theatre and in films of the silent era. But, every time I see him in an early talkie, I’m struck by how great he was in these too – and A Bill of Divorcement (1932), a melodrama directed by George read more
The Call of the Wild (1935)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Oct 24, 2010
I’m finally getting on to writing about William A Wellman films made after the Hays code was enforced – although there are still just a few more of his pre-Codes which I hope to track down in the future! His 1935 drama The Call of the Wild, very loosely adapted from Jack London’s c read more
Central Airport (1933)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Oct 11, 2010
Central Airport is yet another of William Wellman’s lesser-known pre-Codes – but the good news is that this one is available on DVD, released as one of a batch of Warner Archive features starring Richard Barthelmess. It’s not one of Wellman’s very greatest, but it is still hi read more
‘College Coach’ now on Warner Archive
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Oct 6, 2010
I’m pleased to see that another early 1930s William A Wellman title has just been announced as one of the latest batch of Warner Archive releases – this one is College Coach (1933), which I recently reviewed here, starring Pat O’Brien, Ann Dvorak, Lyle Talbot and Dick Powell and wi read more
Dangerous Paradise (1930)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Oct 2, 2010
Dangerous Paradise is yet another very obscure early William A Wellman film – it isn’t on DVD, is never shown on TV, and the copy I got hold of has a dodgy picture and a lot of soundtrack noise. Nevertheless, I really like it. Once again, as very few people are likely to see it, I’ read more
Looking for Trouble (1934)
Movie Classics Posted by Judy on Sep 25, 2010
Spencer Tracy and Jack Oakie Looking for Trouble must be one of William Wellman’s most obscure pre-Codes – not officially available on DVD and never shown on TV. I’m going to try to keep this piece fairly short, as it’s a good bet that almost nobody reading this will get a ch read more