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Number Seventeen (1932)
An early film from director Alfred Hitchcock shows he had quite a distance to go before becoming the Master of Suspense. "Number Seventeen" is a comedy crime drama story of a quirky group of detectives, jewel thieves, and a Cockney hobo's search for a stolen necklace. [..]
Cavalcade (1933)
The Best Picture of 1933 is....."Cavalcade." This is the story of an English couple and their friends, family, and servants from 1899 to 1933, with all of the big events included like the Boer War, death of Queen Victoria, sinking of the Titanic, and World War [..]
Scarface (1932)
Paul Muni delivers a stunning performance as mob boss Tony Camonte, loosely based on the life of Al Capone, in "Scarface." Director Howard Hawks pulled out all the stops to make this pre-Code gangster action film quite a roller coaster ride for the 95 minute running [..]
Strike Up the Band (1940)
"Strike Up the Band" is a musical film about a high school musician and his gal pal who work together staging big band shows in hopes of making it big as professional musicians. Director Busby Berkeley ("Babes in Arms" 1939) once again works with Judy Garland and Mickey [..]
Caddyshack II (1988)
"Caddyshack II" is a comedy film revisiting the infamous Bushwood Country Club (of "Caddyshack" 1980) and we discover that a new millionaire owner bought the place to retaliate for being rejected for membership. The feuds with elitist members proceeds from there, sloppily directed by Allan Arkush [..]
Backdraft (1991)
"Backdraft" is an action thriller film following Chicago firefighters on the trail of a serial arsonist. Director Ron Howard ("Parenthood" 1989) also put in a subplot about two feuding brothers apparently to liven things up. This seemed to work as the 137 minute running time went [..]
Babes in Arms (1939)
"Babes in Arms" is the story of children of vaudevillians who decide to put on their own show to prove their talents and hopefully have a big hit on Broadway. Director Busby Berkeley ("Gold Diggers of 1937" 1936) put together a top-rate musical featuring pairing [..]
Grand Hotel (1932)
The Best Picture of 1931-1932 is....."Grand Hotel." This black-and-white melodrama was the first major all-star ensemble film. The story is set over two days in a luxury Berlin hotel following five intertwined lives, well directed by Edmund Goulding. The excellent screenplay by [..]
Cimarron (1931)
The Best Picture of 1930-1931 is....."Cimarron." This is the story of a newspaper editor who moves to an Oklahoma boom town with his reluctant wife in the 1890's. Director Wesley Ruggles and screenwriters Howard Estabrook and Louis Sarecky adapted the 1930 novel of the same name by Edna [..]
Up the River (1930)
"Up the River" is a pre-Code comedy film where Humphrey Bogart and Spencer Tracy play veteran convicts who repeatedly break in and out of jail to save a fellow inmate from a blackmailing crook. The film is only mildly humous and marginally interesting due to lack of [..]