An angel is sent from Heaven to help a desperately frustrated businessman by showing him what life would have been like if he had never existed. I thought it was very poetic that my watch day for It’s a Wonderful Life just happened to land on Christmas eve, the night that my father and I would always have a viewing of this film. For those that … Continue reading 20. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946 )
An Oklahoma family driven off their farm by the poverty and hopelessness of the Dust Bowl joins the westward migration to California, suffering the misfortunes of the homeless in the Great Depression. Don’t you hate it when a movie made in the 1940s is still relevant 81 years later? The Grapes of Wrath starred Henry Fonda, Jane Darwell and Russell Simpson as members of the Joad … Continue reading 23. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
An insurance representative lets himself be talked by a seductive housewife into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. To me, Double Indemnity is the quintessential film noir. Although, this film was made before that term had ever even been used. It has everything that a film noir should have: narration, a femme fatale, an air of mystery, dramatic lighting, fast dialogue, … Continue reading 29. Double Indemnity (1944)
A private detective takes on a case that involves him with three eccentric criminals, a gorgeous liar, and their quest for a priceless statuette. I wonder if John Huston had any idea how much of a classic his directorial debut would be? The Maltese Falcon stars Humphrey Bogart as Private Investigator Sam Spade, Mary Astor as the femme fatale Brigid O’Shaughnessy, Gladys George as Iva Archer, Peter … Continue reading 31. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
This past weekend, I went to the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. I bought a popcorn and a drink and settled in to my seat. The theater began to fill with people. There were teenagers, young adults, people in middle age and older. They all got comfortable and settled in for what we were about to watch. We were about to see a film on … Continue reading The Importance of the American Cinematheque
