1954

Three Coins in the Fountain

temporalparadoxLeave a comment
Three Coins in the Fountain. 20th Century Fox 1954.
Three Coins in the Fountain. 20th Century Fox 1954.

Before watching the movie:

This is one of those movies that seem to boil down to a log line and nothing more enters the general consciousness. This is three romances centered wishes at Trevi Fountain. I know nothing more than this. It was shot on location because all the big Hollywood pictures were shot in Italy in those days. It seems to be a particularly fondly remembered example, but nobody seems to talk about much other than “shot on location” and “three American women in Rome wish for love”.

It’s in color and CinemaScope, so the Italian views won’t be squandered. In fact, I get the impression they’re the best part of the movie for a lot of people.

Continue reading →

Fast and Loose

temporalparadoxLeave a comment
Fast and Loose. Group Film Productions 1954.
Fast and Loose. Group Film Productions 1954.

Before watching the movie: Automatically recommended to me based on titles like The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown and Monkey Business, this appears to be somewhere between manners comedy and code-compliant titillation farce. A happily married man and a happily married woman who used to date get separated from their spouses, have to share a room at an inn, and find themselves in increasingly compromising situations.

What caught my attention are the words “British” and “Farce”. And Stanley Holloway, although I’m not sure if I’ve actually seen him in anything, or if his name is just close to Sterling Holloway. None of the other people involved ring any bells, although apparently Kay Kendall was a Name at the time. I’m just not familiar enough with that era, most likely. Continue reading →

Suddenly

temporalparadoxLeave a comment
Suddenly. Hal Roach Pictures 1954.
Suddenly. Libra Productions 1954.

Before watching the movie:

One from my grandparents’ library, highly recommended for Sinatra’s performance as a hired assassin. It sounds like a tight-knit drama, since it concerns a hitman taking over a small-town household, but it has the potential to be a political thriller, since it concerns an attempt to assassinate the president. Either way it seems like a movie I’ll be gladder to have seen than to watch, but it comes highly recommended.

There was a poster I liked better showing a Sinatra that looked more like a killer than like he’s crooning about what he’s going to do to this woman, but I try to keep to posters that have a traditional poster shape.

Continue reading →

Beat the Devil

temporalparadoxLeave a comment

beat the devilBefore watching the movie:

Another movie from the collection loaned to me by my grandparents.

Apparently there are some crooks trying to get out of an Italian port to get to Africa. I think I can see the humor potential here, but it wouldn’t have caught my attention if the booklet hadn’t noted that the director intended the movie to spoof The Maltese Falcon.

I’m interested in seeing Humphrey Bogart and Peter Lorre spoofing their types.

Continue reading →

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

temporalparadoxLeave a comment
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1954.
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 1954.

Before watching the movie:

I’ve heard of this movie, and the basic synopsis, but I never got the impression it was a musical. So I don’t know much of anything. I’d even forgotten until I looked it up that the reason it reminds me of the legend of the Rape of the Sabine Women is because it’s based on it.

When I think of frontier musicals, I think of the infamy of Paint Your Wagon. Which I haven’t actually seen and would probably like better than its reputation.

I think Howard Keel wore the same mustache that’s pictured in the last movie I saw him in. I think I’d like him better without it.

Continue reading →