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The Big Store (1941)
The Marx Brothers' shenanigans continue in "The Big Store." Director Charles Reisner has Groucho, Chico, and Harpo Marx trying to save a department store from being stolen from its owner, played by Margaret Dumont, a frequent co-star in the trio's pictures, this one being her last. This was [..]
Cheers for Miss Bishop (1941)
"Cheers for Miss Bishop" is a drama film about a retired school teacher reminiscing about her decades in the classroom and the many students she influenced. Director Tay Garnett ("My Favorite Spy" 1942) put together a warm and sentimental and inspiring story for all ages to [..]
Dumbo (1941)
"Dumbo" is Walt Disney's enduring story of a circus elephant whose large ears draw unwanted attention and gives him a chance to learn to fly. Director Ben Sharpsteen ("Pinocchio" 1940) expertly assembled this classic movie which is the 4th Animated Feature Film of the Walt Disney [..]
Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
Joel McCrea plays a movie director who becomes dissatisfied with putting together his popular comedies and longs to direct a "socially relevant" drama in "Sullivan's Travels." He goes undercover as a hobo to experience hardship, only to discover the ways comedy helps people socially. Director-screenwriter Preston Sturges ("The [..]
The Little Foxes (1941)
"Catch us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines - For our vines have tender grapes." This Biblical passage from Song of Solomon 2:15 inspired the title of the film "The Little Foxes," a story about a struggle among members of a wealthy Southern family over [..]
Meet John Doe (1941)
"Meet John Doe" is a classic Frank Capra yarn about a newspaper reporter who accidentally sparks a major grassroots political movement when she publishes a fake letter to the editor. Director Capra and screenwriters Richard Connell and Robert Presnell put together an excellent drama with good writing and [..]
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1941)
MGM released a glossy version of the old horror story "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" starring Spencer Tracy. It is generally recognized that his performance as a friendly doctor who turns into a monster was inferior to Fredric March's offering in the 1931 Paramount Pictures production of the [..]
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (1941)
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith" is a screwball comedy film about a couple who find out that their three year marriage is not valid due to a clerical error. The comedy is well directed by Alfred Hitchcock ("Rebecca" 1940), who is known for his suspense-filled thrillers. This is the [..]
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
"The Maltese Falcon" is the story of a private detective who has several clients who all seem to be interested in the same thing: A priceless, jewel-encrusted statuette of a falcon. First-time director John Huston did an excellent job of creating what many consider to [..]
High Sierra (1941)
"High Sierra" is a film noir drama about an aging ex-convict who gets involved in a jewelry heist in a small town in California's Sierra Nevada mountain region. Director Raoul Walsh ("They Drive by Night" 1940) put together a classy melodrama with excellent production values, memorable [..]