Thin Ice (1937) Review

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(More customer reviews)"Thin Ice" is a delightful concoction from 1937 and was the film that really catapulted Sonja Henie to top stardom at Twentieth Century Fox. Having the sparkling Tyrone Power as her attractive leading man certainly also helped at the Box Office. The two were destined to co star together twice in films and both times showed a real screen chemistry.
No expense was spared in this production and it shows in the truly lavish skating numbers where Sonja really shows her skill on the ice. Tyrone Power plays Prince Rudolph who masquerades as a reporter at the resort while romancing Henie's skating instructor character. Tyrone, I feel always shows a great flair for comedy and he is totally at home in this part of the handsome prince who just wants to get out on the slopes,do some skiiing and find romance.
The stars are ably supporting by wonderful character actors such as Arthur Treacher, a regular in the Shirley Temple vechicles, and the always excellent Alan Hale..a regular of almost every Errol Flynn film of the 30's and early 40's. There are a couple of largely unnecessary musical comedy numbers to showcase Joan Davis that tend to get in the way of the main story but they are not too distracting.
Tyrone and Sonja make a stunning couple and this production really compliments them both to perfection. Despite Sonja's lack of real acting ability she is well cast here and as always on screen she has a sweet persona that goes very well with a handsome leading man who has a bit of spark to him like Tyrone Power has on screen.
"Thin Ice" is a pleasant vechicle to watch.Twentieth Century Fox was expert at creating this genre of film making and used a regular roster of stars to fill them. I in particular enjoy when Power and Henie were co starred as they really projected old fashioned star power and glamour from the Golden age of Hollywood. Enjoy!

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The Black Swan (1942) Review

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(More customer reviews)What is perhaps the most perfect thing about this movie is that it captures the true essence of the swashbuckling films. "The Black Swan" is both directed and acted with a refreshing abandonment. Everything is let loose and blown up and had fun with, and it's quite a ride from beginning to end. Even such props as the costumes, which can overshadow the people in them, or the script, which can sometimes seem too lofty, only compliment the overall treat. We're given a daring adventure, vibrant characters, and exquisite scenery, and all we're asked is to have fun while we're visiting.
Tyrone Power (as Captain Jamie Waring) and Maureen O'Hara (as Margaret Denby) create the ultimate classic pirate/noblewoman couple, complete with Tyrone's charismatic charm and Maureen's signature spitfire nature. Their scenes together spark with that unique chemistry and also with an effortless humor that is more intelligent than slapstick and yet remains by and large unpredictable. They take turns being abused by just about everyone, including each other, and what should have been the most romantic moment (in bed together, a distinct no-no in Hollywood at the time) is rather a tense moment with death leering over them literally. They make a memorable couple, surrounded by a host of splendid actors.
George Sanders is once again a convincing villain, though far removed from his customary suave and sophisticated roles, and his coarse red beard helps those who might have trouble with this new image. Anthony Quinn is his nasty sidekick, alternately grinning maliciously at Jamie or leering over Margaret. Laird Cregar is wonderful as Captain Morgan, alternately proud of and frustrated with Jamie. Thomas Mitchell is perfectly cast as Jamie's right hand man and the would-be source of wisdom for all of Jamie's women troubles.
You must watch this movie in the same spirit that it was made, with your hair down and your heart open to excitement and your mind turned away from somber matters. Watch it if you want to lose a foul mood, or if you want to see some marvelous (award-winning) cinematography, or if you simply want to escape back into this fantasy world that Hollywood created so long ago--when leading men were as beautiful as their female counterparts, and when leading ladies always wore impeccable makeup, and when grand adventures didn't need to start or end on a tragedy.

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Fox Western Classics (Rawhide / The Gunfighter / Garden of Evil) Review

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(More customer reviews)Three long overdue for DVD Westerns are together in one collection. Each of these movies are great individually, but together, makes this a must-have Western film. Here are the three films -
Rawhide - Rawhide deserves not only a DVD release, but recognition as one of the greatest Westerns ever. Taut, masterful direction by the great Henry Hathaway, and excellent perfomances by everyone makes this a must have film for anyone who loves the Western genre.
Tyrone Power and Susan Hayward are trapped at a stage way station by a gang of desperate criminals. Surprises and tragedy unfold as Power, Hayward, and Hayward's baby try to survive and outwit the criminals.
There are scenes in this film that are so tense that even today's hardened, jaded moviegoers will appreciate. This was not a film with larger than life heroes or cardboard cutout villains, but real people well portrayed with great lines from a magnificent script.
The Gunfighter - Gregory Peck, with his natural, spare acting style, and his folksy, plain demeanor, was a natural for Westerns, and his greatness in this genre was never more evident in this 1950 film, which was one of the earlier psychological Westerns.
Peck plays Jimmie Ringo, the most notorious gunfighter in the West, is running from the brothers of a man he killed. He shows up in a town where his ex-wife lives with their young son. Ringo holds up in the town saloon as a favor to the town marshal, who an old friend, while he waits for an opportunity to see his wife.
Meanwhile, the town is taken over with the nervous enthusiasm of people wanting to see a celebrity, a shootout, or a dead celebrity. At the same time, a young punk, would-be gunfighter has heard that Ringo is in town, and is itching to make his reputation off of killing Ringo.
Everyone delivers excellent performances, and the movie has a lot to say about voyeurism, celebrity, longing, and regret. This is a fantastic movie, and without question, one of the best Westerns ever made.
Garden of Evil - This great Western was never even released on VHS, much less video, which is a shame since it had great performance from two great Western actors, Gary Cooper and Richard Widmark. Cooper, Widmark, and two other soldiers of fortune, played by Cameron Mitchell and Victor Manuel Mendoza, arrive in Mexico having responded to an add to make lots of money. They are greeted by Susan Hayward, who takes them on a perilous journey to rescue her husband, who has been injured in a mining accident. If the journey and the rescue weren't hard enough, the location of the mine in in Indian territory. Soon, alliances are made, broken, and remade, and emotions, greed, and violence ensues.
This film may be regarded as the least of the three by some, but it has terrific acting by all, and is a wonderful showcase of Cooper beginning the twilight phase of his magnificent career, where he tended to play veteran loners who find that they still have lots to live for, and who usually finds love and renewed courage along the way.
All three films are excellent, and should have merited individual releases, making this release combining all three is even more special.

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Disc 1: Garden of Evil (1954) Feature Film Disc 2: The Gunfighter (1951) Feature Film Disc 3: Rawhide (1951) Feature Film

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