Blu-ray Review: Little Miss Marker (1934)
A legendary newspaper columnist and author, Damon Runyon’s biggest contribution to film is his short story “Little Miss Marker.” It was first filmed in 1934, then remade as a Bob Hope vehicle Sorrowful Jones (1939), reworked as a Tony Curtis movie, 40 Pounds of Trouble (1962), and finally remade again as Little Miss Marker starring […]
Blu-ray Review: Days of Wine and Roses (1962)
Uncomfortable to watch more than fifty years after its theatrical release, Days of Wine and Roses remains a powerful portrait of a co-dependent couple and their painful slide into alcoholism. PR man Joe Clay’s (Jack Lemmon, Some Like It Hot) high pressure, unsatisfying job requires him to wine and dine clients. He meets a young […]
Blu-ray Review: The Farmer’s Daughter
[amazon_link asins=’B07FPYV371′ template=’ProductAd’ store=’moviegazett03-20′ marketplace=’US’ link_id=’ff34ec6f-c4f5-11e8-8e1e-67c9fab36c08′]Based on a Finnish play, The Farmer’s Daughter was purchased by David O. Selznick (Gone with the Wind) specifically for Ingrid Bergman. When she wasn’t interested, producer Dory Schary suggested Loretta Young (Call of the Wild). Some were skeptical that Young, then known for her glamorous roles, was right for […]
Blu-ray Review: The Court Martial of Billy Mitchell
Based on a true story, this Otto Preminger courtroom drama recreates the court-martial of World War I hero Brigadier General Billy Mitchell (Gary Cooper). In 1925, in an effort to gain support for the use of air power, Mitchell gave a statement to the press insinuating that the War department was not only incompetent, but […]
DVD Review: A Big Hand for the Little Lady (Warner Archive Collection)
Produced and directed by Fielder Cook from a screenplay by Sidney Carroll, adapted from their TV play Big Deal in Laredo (which had originally aired on the DuPont Show of the Week in 1962), A Big Hand for the Little Lady (1966) stars Henry Fonda as Meredith, a gambler trying to resist the urge to […]
Blu-ray Review: The Big Country
The Big Country may not be William Wyler’s best work, but it’s certainly illustrative of his style. The rather simple story is dwarfed by the breathtaking scenery, with its wide vistas and rugged canyon. In fact, its vastness is a running joke throughout the film. Gregory Peck’s character, James McKay, declares he’s seen such vastness […]
DVD Review: Leading Ladies Collection Volume 2
Warner Brothers has released Leading Ladies Collection Volume 2. The set consists of A Big Hand for the Little Lady starring Joanne Woodward, Henry Fonda and Jason Robards, I’ll Cry Tomorrow starring Susan Hayward, Rich and Famous starring Candice Bergen and Jacqueline Bisset, Shoot the Moon starring Diane Keaton and Albert Finney and Up the […]