Subversive Preston Sturges and Morgan’s Creek

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Bill Wren

Eddie Bracken just looks funny. It’s not in a physically distorted way; it has something to do with the innocent, cherubic quality of his face that makes you smile. And when he starts moving? You start to laugh.

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The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944)

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Preston Sturges “What Preston tried to do was obey the letter of the law for the Production Code, but ignore, in its entirety, the very spirit of that law.” – Sandy Sturges, wife of Preston Sturges – Without … Read more →

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Errol Flynn loses a step, gains some gravity

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Bill Wren

No snide comment is implied by “Errol Flynn … gains some gravity,” though by the time this movie was made the older Flynn had put on a few pounds. Rather, his performance has a bit of weight that wasn’t there … Read more →

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Hondo (1953)

Posted on May 28, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by John Farrow You don’t get more John Wayne than 1953′s Hondo. It’s a great Wayne western and that is surprising because it had two things going against it. First is the fact that Wayne had his onscreen persona … Read more →

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When style beats the pants off of story

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Bill Wren

Among the many fascinating and, in this case, amazing things about The Maltese Falcon is that it was the first film for Sydney Greenstreet who was 62 years old at the time. Can you imagine any actor today getting a … Read more →

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The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by John Huston Has any movie ever produced as many imitations, and such an array of imitations, as The Maltese Falcon? * The movie itself has been imitated both in live action and animation. The characters have been imitated … Read more →

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Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

Posted on April 9, 2011 by Bill Wren

Directed by Richard Brooks Two things occur to me when I think about this movie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The first is that the theme is mendacity and yet, ironically, the movie itself is a bit mendacious. Paul … Read more →

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