dannyreviews

[dannyreviews]

A Man And A Woman (Un homme et une femme) (1966)

Five years ago, I had purchased a ticket to see the great French director Claude Lelouch speak in a post-screening Q&A of his 1966 magnum opus “A Man and a Woman” at the Film Forim in Manhattan. There was just one problem; the entire world was being hit by the COVID pandemic. Lelouch was forced to cancel his appearance, but the screening went on as planned. Imagine my shock and surprise when I read that Lelouch was making his long overdue rain check appearance with the same planned program at the same venue as before. It only took one minute for me to purchase my ticket a second time and here’s the rundown of both the film and the Q&A session from yesterday (4/5/2025) that followed.

Jean-Louis Trintignant and Anouk Aimee play Jean-Louis and Anne, two widowers who meet when they drop their kids off at the same boarding school. The two become very close to one another and even their kids bond in the process. Unfortunately, both of them are still haunted by their pasts and tread very carefully in how they proceed with their whirlwind romance.

You might be asking yourself, why the short synopsis? Because "A Man and a Woman" is the most unconventional romantic film ever made; one where the genre itself may not even apply because the romance element is actually secondary to the plot, which is at best minimalist. And yet, it is one of the greatest love stories ever put to film. We get to understand both Jean-Louis and Anne's pain of losing a loved one, but not emphasized through schmaltzy monologues, but rather simply told flashbacks that explain everything. We also get to see both protagonists at their day jobs; Jean-Louis as a race car driver, Anne as a script girl on film shoots and how both their occupations played a role in why they are widowed. So to answer the question "A Man and a Woman" is not about the romance itself, but the individual lives of both participants, hence the title of the film.

The genesis of how "A Man and a Woman" all came from one shot; a woman with her child and their dog walking on the beach early in the morning, identical to the first scene in the film. During the Q&A, Lelouch brought the audience back to 1965 when he was a struggling filmmaker with a string of flops behind him. Heavily in debt and at risk of becoming another failed auteur, he walked to the local shoreline for inspiration and that scene was staring him in the face. Then Lelouch took the train and once the trip was finished, the idea for "A Man and a Woman" was born. The idea was to cast two actors who would be seen as regular folks and not movie stars, which meant that the original choices to play Jean-Louis and Anne; Alain Delon and Romy Schneider, were put aside. As great as Delon and Schneider were as actors, they would have been all wrong for the main roles. Trintignant and Aimee emulated the sufferings of widowhood just with the expressions on their faces that are not hackneyed, melodramatic or movie star looking. The reason why Anouk Aimee was such a favorite during the awards season was how she was able to convey just about every emotion not just on her face, but her entire body, and not even speak for key parts of the film. Had it not been for the amazing performance of Elizabeth Taylor in "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" that won Best Actress for 1966, Aimee might have been the winner, and rightfully so.

Not only is "A Man and a Woman" an unconventional romantic film, it is also a music video precursor, children's entertainment and sports documentary all rolled into one and perfect in each area. Pierre Barouh who played Anne's husband in flashbacks sings a Samba song as a backdrop to their marriage. Lelouch mentioned how Barouh, a songwriter and the film's composer Francis Lai were dear friends and collaborators whose working relationship spanned over 30 films and how they shaped Lelouch as the legend he is today. Next were the children playing Jean Louis' son Antoine and Anne's daughter Francoise. Lelouch told the kids to lead the conversations that they were in and have Trintignant and Aimee just react. The scene with the four characters in the restaurant is one of the most organically created moments in the film where it seems that none of them are playing fictional people. Finally, the scenes of Jean-Louis on the racetrack give us a first hand look of auto racing that a documentarian might have captured. Lelouch as cinematographer, but also Michel Fano and Jean Barronet's impeccable sound design are able to transport the audience to the venue with revving engines and loud crashes.

"A Man and a Woman" was a huge hit in America playing for 1-2 year stretches in New York and Los Angeles which helped it become a favorite in the Oscar and Golden Globe races. Lelouch would win the Oscar Best Screenplay along with his co-writer Pierre Uytterhoeven, which the moral of that story is to win that award is not have a screenplay period. It also won the Oscar and Golden Globes for Best Foreign Film and Anouk Aimee would win the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Actress and receive her only Oscar nomination in the same category. The biggest award it received was the Palme D'or at the Cannes Film Festival. For a DIY film with a shoestring budget and a small cast and crew, "A Man and a Woman" has become a moment in the history of cinema that is not merely a footnote, but a cultural phenomenon that is still beloved after nearly 60 years.

10/10

[dannyreviews]

Moonlighting (1982)

About 10 years ago, I was on vacation somewhere in New England, and one day, I was tuning into the television. One of the films showing on either HBO or Showtime was Jerzy Skolimowski's "Moonlighting" which impressed me. The problem was that the film was about halfway through so we were getting only a portion of the plot. Fast forward to the present, and finding the film in its entirety on Tubi and getting the full treatment. Here's the full verdict.

Jeremy Irons plays Nowak, an English speaking Polish native tasked with renovating an apartment in London for a famous politician. He hires three workers who do not speak English to complete the work, but there's one hitch. The work they are about to embark on is illegal because they are visitors and not citizens. Nowak has to deal with a tight schedule, a limited budget and a city of strangers. But when Poland is in the middle of martial law and there's no travel or phone calls to be made, Nowak must persevere by staying on top of the renovations, not tell his workers about the uprising back home, and even steal and haggle food and merchandise in order to stay afloat.

"Monnlighting" is a dull film with characters that are listless, generic and plastic. The lighting is even duller and the atmosphere bleak. And yet, the film is very fascinating at the same time. Coming out a few years after Werner Herzog's "Strozsek", "Moonlighting" improves on the "stranger in a strange land" theme and does it one better. Where "Strozsek" was able to put its title character in an alien like world with wacky overtones, "Moonlighting" makes those same scenes more mature and therefore taken more seriously, despite there being elements of Chaplin and Keaton style slapstick. When you see Nowak shoplifting food from the local supermarket, there’s a lighthearted tone but hidden behind the action is the will to survive and it’s done beautifully.

Jeremy Irons’ performance as Nowak can be viewed as underwhelming but considering his character’s predicament, it’s an appropriate choice to play it in that context. While it’s not one of his greatest performances, Irons nonetheless makes Nowak into a person we can identify with and care about. Nowak is the only character in the film who is solely focused on as the people he surrounds himself merely pass by. However, I would like to highlight the impressive acting by Eugene Lipinski who played one of the workers named Banaszak. Lipinski is a UK born, Canadian bred actor known for his convincing portrayals of Eastern European characters and his performance in “Moonlighting” is mesmerizing. Not uttering one word in English, Lipinski has not only the Polish language mastered, but its inflections and flow. It’s that carefully crafted characterization that distinguishes “Moonlighting” from being just another average film consisting of poorly written stereotypes like Mickey Rooney’s Japanese character in “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”

“Moonlighting” was a big hit at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Best Screenplay award that year. While it’s wasn’t a major awards contender, critics raved about the film. In a year of major hits like “Gandhi”, “Tootsie” and “The Verdict”, Gene Siskel called “Moonlighting” the best film of 1982 and also made his Top 10 movies of the 1980s list as well. Since then, Jeremy Irons has become one of the most recognized faces and voices of contemporary cinema and “Moonlighting” is a great way to see his career from the very beginning.

8/10

[dannyreviews]

Food In Cinema

Here are some of the best film stills showing food and cuisine.

A Chef In Love (1996)

The Apartment (1960)

Babette’s Feast (1987)

Big Night (1996)

Chef (2014)

Chocolat (2000)

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

Eat Drink Man Woman (1994)

Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

The Godfather (1972)

Goodfellas (1990)

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

Inglorious Basterds (2009)

Julie And Julia (2009)

Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

Lady And The Tramp (1955)

Like Water For Chocolate (1992)

The Menu (2022)

Mildred Pierce (1945)

My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002)

Parasite (2019)

Pulp Fiction (1994)

Soul Food (1997)

Spirited Away (2001)

Tampopo (1985)

The Taste Of Things (2023)

Tortilla Soup (2001)

Waitress (2007)

Who is Killing the Great Chefs of Europe? (1978)

[dannyreviews]

Let Him Have It (1991)

"Let Him Have It". Four simple words, but put in different contexts can mean completely different actions and motivations. Does it mean, take the officer out or give the gun to the officer? That would be the statement that could make or break the freedom and life of a mentally deficient 19 year old on trial for the murder of a cop. Peter Medak's 1991 film with the very appropriate title of "Let Him Have It" chronicles one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in the English legal system and the weight that those four words have in the study of law and jurisprudence to this very day.

In 1953 England, 19 year old Derek Bentley (Christopher Eccleston) lives with his very supportive family that includes his parents William and Lillian (Tom Courtenay and Eileen Atkins) and sister Iris (Clare Holman). Derek has a history of petty crime which is caused by him being taken advantage of by local criminals. After being expelled from an Approved School, Derek is lonely and secludes himself from the outside world. That all changes when he crosses paths with the teenaged but more dominant Christopher Craig (Paul Reynolds). Christopher comes from a broken home that consists of a criminal older brother Nevin (Mark McGann). When Nevin is sent to prison for robbery, Christopher develops a hatred for all authority. That hatred culminates one night when Derek and Christopher break into private property and are confronted by police. Christopher kills one cop and wounds another while Derek utters the four words that becomes the center of the entire trial and sad aftermath.

"Let Him Have It" is a film where the viewer already knows the ending before the opening credits have rolled if they did research on the case before. Derek Bentley would be found guilty of murder, despite not being the one who fired the fatal shot, and would be sentenced to death by hanging. Christopher Craig, who was the actual murderer, was only 16 and therefore ineligible for the death penalty, instead receiving an indeterminate sentence. Craig was released after 10 years inside and by all accounts has since become a productive member of society. Bentley would sadly not live into old age and would die by hanging despite a huge campaign to free him.

Peter Medak's recreation of the era in which this crime occurred is impeccable. Everything from the working class atmosphere, to the organized crime underworlds and especially the rigidness of the Old Bailey courthouse. It's the latter of these three characteristics that is the most impressive. All the trial scenes are played straight, without the forced language or histrionics that one might find in a primetime show on one of the major networks. The performance by Michael Gough as the judge is one of natural authority, whose strict demeanor invokes tension one can cut with a knife. It's the smaller details like that which only heightens why "Let Him Have It" is a cut above the rest

Christopher Eccleston gives a breathtaking performance as Derek Bentley, completely filled with pathos and hubris. He does not ham up his character and finds the right underplayed tone. Tom Courtenay as William Bentley also finds that same tone to play a parent who is controlled and headstrong, while Eileen Atkins is the right counterpart as the more emotive parent. Clare Holman as Iris is a great combination of her parent's traits as she is the glue that holds the family together. The last scene when they huddle together and cry as the clock strikes to the minute of their son's execution is hauntingly scary and gives you goosebumps. Paul Reynolds as Christopher Craig is a standout and a once in a blue moon performance that hits all the right notes. He's a hoodlum that acts tough and fearless, but deep down is still a child with insecurities. To play those two types of people simultaneously is something that is underused in today's films. It's one of those performances that stays with you long after the film ends and especially one that the Academy Awards should have taken notice of at the time. It's a shame that he didn't become a bigger name in films and television like Eccleston, but he at least makes his mark in a great way.

"Let Him Have It" premiered at the 1991 Toronto Film Festival, the stepping stone of the Academy Awards season and unfortunately, that's as far as it got. My guess is that it was not promoted well like Medak's previous hit "The Krays" and possibly, audiences saw it as a carbon copy of that film. Awards aside, the best thing this film could have done was drum up more interest in the Derek Bentley case. The epilogue mentions how the fight to clear Derek's name was spearheaded by his parents until their deaths in the 1970s, in which Iris later took the reins. Her persistence paid off, albeit after her death, because in 1998, 45 years after his execution, the courts overturned Bentley's conviction, giving him the vindication that he should have gotten when he was alive. "Let Him Have It", is one the best true crime films about a miscarriage of justice and while it leave you angry that such damage could have been done, acknowledging these wrongs years later is better than sweeping it under the rug.

9/10

[dannyreviews]

Secrets (1971)

Going through my list of "Watch Later" files on my YouTube account, I came across the subject of this post. 1970s British cinema is among the cream of the crop in the history of film and having people like Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Powell as the stars would be an advantage. Unfortunately, Philip Saville's "Secrets", which also includes Swedish film legend Per Oscarsson and Oscar nominated actress Shirley Knight, is part of the bargain basement collection of leftover soap opera bits and faux Ingmar Bergman scenarios.

The story takes place in less than 24 hours and involves a faltering marriage between two closed minded people Jennifer (Bisset) and Allan (Powell) and their daughter Judy (Tarka Kings). The opening scene shows Jennifer and Judy at the laundromat and like a scene out of "Rugrats", Jennifer leaves Judy behind for some fresh air. While she's being wooed by wealthy businessman Raoul (Oscarsson), because she reminds him of his late wife, Judy is led to the house of a fellow laundromat customer named Raymond (Thomas Ellice). On the other side of town, Alan is taking an exam for his job and strikes up a conversation with the female proctor named Beatrice (Knight). For the duration of the afternoon, the 3 members of this family are in the companies of complete strangers where betrayals and passions are prevalent.

"Secrets" has the formula for a fascinating story, but not much character development and plot progression is thought out. Director and writer Saville creates a trio of stories where none of the characters are fascinating, and you gradually care less and less about them while the film drudgingly goes on. Part of it is that the film is less than 90 minutes and leaves little to no room for the characters to gain any kind of sympathy with the audience. Most insulting is that of the plot involving the daughter, who is put in a situation of possible harm by a complete stranger while her mother is at another stranger's house. There is a moment where Judy straddles Raymond like two lovers making out that is done in the most trivialized and tasteless manner. The worst thing is that there is no consequence of this terrible act put forth on any of the parents or the girl herself. By the end of the film, every single character is held at the highest levels of contempt.

Bisset, Powell, Oscarsson and Knight are four acting legends all held in great regard in much better content, but in this schlock, they are maneuvering a script not worthy of their talents. Bisset, in particular, acts in the same passive monotone voice from start to finish, like her character commits adultery and neglects her child on a daily basis. Powell's booming voice is put to waste with boring voiceover monologues, that only demonstrate how childish his character really is. As the two respective home-wrecking lovers, Knight and Oscarsson bring little chemistry to the bedroom, with limp sex scenes that lack passion. Oscarsson does have a good scene where he recounts how his wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness after giving birth to their child and for only a few minutes, you'd think you were watching an adequate film.

The big secret about "Secrets" is that it's a terrible film that no one knows about, nor should ever see it and take seriously as a work of art. It's best viewed with Servo, Crow, Statler and Waldorf in the peanut gallery making wisecracks.

3/10

[dannyreviews]

Cinema Legends Over 100 Years Old Still Alive (as of 1/1/2025)

Here are the century old survivors of film in 2025.

María Cristina Camilo - actress (b. 1917)

Elisabeth Waldo - actress, musician (b. 1918)

Eileen Bennett - actress (b. 1919) + 3/9/2025

Caren Marsh Doll - dancer, actress (b. 1919)

Maj-Britt Håkansson - actress (b. 1919)

Juan Mariné - cinematographer (b. 1920) + 2/17/2025

Francis Rigaud - director (b. 1920)

Patricia Wright - actress (b. 1921)

Beulah Garrick - actress (b. 1921)

Edgar Morin - director, screenwriter, philosopher (b. 1921)

Elisabeth Kirby - actress (b. 1921)

Elizabeth Kelly - actress (b. 1921)

Georg Stefan Troller - director, screenwriter (b. 1921)

Joe Caroff - film poster artist (b. 1921)

Ray Anthony - musician, actor (b. 1922)

Jacqueline White - actress (b. 1922)

Annette Warren - singer, actress (b. 1922)

Helen Colvig - costume designer (b. 1922)

Sara Luzita - dancer, actress (b. 1922) + 2/14/2025

Annabel Maule - actress (b. 1922)

George Morrison - director (b. 1922)

Stella Greka - singer, actress (b. 1922) + 1/6/2025

Bess Meisler - actress (b. 1922)

Aram Boyajian - editor, producer, director (b. 1922)

Virginia Fleener - animator (b. 1922)

Manos Zacharias - director (b. 1922)

Alexandra Myskova - actress (b. 1922)

Vincent Ball - actor (b. 1923)

Ralph Senensky - director (b. 1923)

Johnny Pate - film composer (b. 1923)

Vera Linnecar - director, animator (b. 1923)

Enid Wizig - animator (b. 1923)

Jozef Hen - screenwriter, director (b. 1923)

Kim Yaroshevskaya - actress (b. 1923) + 1/12/2025

Ruth Geller - actress (b. 1923)

Paul Harding - actor (b. 1923)

David D. Osborn - screenwriter (b. 1923)

David Lawton - actor (b. 1923)

Lina Murolo - actor (b. 1923)

Adeline Leonard Seakwood - production coordinator (b. 1923)

Jimmy Thompson - actor (b. 1923)

Maria Victoria - actress (b. 1923)

Eva Marie Saint - actress (b. 1924)

Lee Adams - lyricist (b. 1924)

Priscilla Pointer - actress (b. 1924) + 4/28/2025

Ann Vernon - actress (b. 1924)

Krishnaveni - actress (b. 1924) + 2/26/2025

Maria Riva - actress (b. 1924)

Ted Hartley - actor, producer (b. 1924)

Woody Woodbury - actor, comedian (b. 1924)

Meta Velander - actress (b. 1924)

Pia Velsi - actress (b. 1924)

Yatsuko Tan'ami - actress (b. 1924)

Bo Bjelfvenstam - director, screenwriter, actor (b. 1924)

Jean Harlez - director (b. 1924)

Madeline Anderson - director (b. 1924)

Kang Cheng - director (b. 1924)

Walter Schultheiss - actor (b. 1924)

Donald Pelmear - actor (b. 1924) + 1/11/2025

Teresa Cunillé - actress (b. 1924)

Ip Chun - martial artist, actor (b. 1924)

Rolf Schimpf - actor (b. 1924) + 3/22/2025

Terry Gibbs - film score musician (b. 1924)

Elaine Schreyeck - continuity supervisor (b. 1924) + 3/2025

Robert Porter - producer (b. 1924)

Pat Jaffe - producer, editor (b. 1924)

Norbert Terry - director, producer (b. 1924)

Alice Toen - actress (b. 1924)

Richard Gilbert - director, producer (b. 1924)

Ronald Spencer - director, producer (b. 1924)

Ti Lu - actor (b. 1924)

Donald P. Desmond - set constructor (b. 1924)

Mario Carbone - director, cinematographer (b. 1924)

Marianne Lindberg - actress (b. 1924)

[dannyreviews]

Cinema Legends Turning 100 in 2025

Another year, another group of possible centenarians.

Dick Van Dyke - actor, singer

June Lockhart - actress

Lee Grant - actress, director

Thelma Ruby - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Pete Murray - actor, DJ

Michael Beint - actor

Lise Bourdin - actress

Kerima - actress

Brigitte Auber - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Alan Bergman - lyricist

Les Colodny - screenwriter

Peggy Webber - actress, screenwriter

Janette Bertrand - actress, screenwriter (Update: Made it to 100)

Alan Shayne - actor, casting director

Joe Hale - animator, producer (center) (Update: Died on January 29, 2025 at age 99)

Phyllis Dalton - costume designer (Update: Died on January 9, 2025 at age 99)

Hal Gurnee - director, producer (Update: Made it to 100)

Yoshiki Onoda - director

Barthold Halle - director

Bathsheba Garnett - actress

Noel De Souza - actor

Eve Brenner - actress

Hilkka Kinnunen - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Al Hyslop - producer

Adele Addison - actress, opera singer, playback singer

Blanche Marvin - actress, screenwriter, critic

Erich Scholz - actor

Jose Torres - actor

Lao Shen - actor

Bob Graham - actor, singer

Ewa Krasnodebska - actress

(no photo available)

Masao Hayama - actor

(no photo available)

Hubert Frank - director

(no photo available)

Shelia Mitchell - actress

(no photo available)

Yoshihiro Ishikawa - screenwriter

(no photo available)

Larry Kostroff - production manager

(no photo available)

Leonard S. Smith Jr. - production manager/assistant director

(no photo available)

Nicholas Sgarro - director, script supervisor

(no photo available)

Piet Kamerman - actor

(no photo available)

[dannyreviews]

Veteran British born/based film/TV actors born before and including 1937 still alive:

With the recent death of Dame Maggie Smith, I thought I'd detail the legendary actors of UK cinema and television that are still living.

Beulah Garrick (b. 1921)

Elizabeth Kelly (b. 1921)

Elisabeth Kirkby (b. 1921)

Annabel Maule (b. 1922)

Paul Harding (b. 1923)

Vincent Ball (b. 1923)

David Lawton (b. 1923)

Anne Vernon (b. 1924)

Laurie Webb (b. 1924)

Thelma Ruby (b. 1925)

Pete Murray (b. 1925)

Michael Beint (b. 1925)

Shelia Mitchell (b. 1925)

Kerima (b. 1925)

David Attenborough (b. 1926)

Elizabeth Benson (b. 1926)

Margaret Barton (b. 1926)

Terry Kilburn (b. 1926)

Stanley Baxter (b. 1926)

David Frankham (b. 1926)

William Glover (b. 1926)

Josephine Stuart (b. 1926)

Patricia Davidson (b. 1926)

Glen Michael (b. 1926)

Araby Lockhart (b. 1926)

Eileen Page (b. 1926)

Rosemary Harris (b. 1927)

Cleo Laine (b. 1927)

Neville Phillips (b. 1927)

Jean Lodge (b. 1927)

Barbara Ashcroft (b. 1927)

Jill Freud (b. 1927)

Jean Southern (b. 1927)

Antonia Pemberton (b. 1927)

Peter Cellier (b. 1928)

Jeanette Landis (b. 1928)

Sheila Ballantine (b. 1928)

Dorothea Phillips (b. 1928)

Hazel Ascot (b. 1928)

Brenda Hogan (b. 1928)

Raymond Llewelyn (b. 1928)

Pauline Brailsford (b. 1928)

Leonard Weir (b. 1928)

Kevin Scott (b. 1928)

Sylvia Wynter (b. 1928)

Patricia Routledge (b. 1929)

Colin Jeavons (b. 1929)

Michael Craig (b. 1929)

Thelma Barlow (b. 1929)

Peter Myers (b. 1929)

Paul Williamson (b. 1929)

Phillip Ross (b. 1929)

Jimmy Fagg (b. 1929)

Hazel Phillips (b. 1929)

Mignon Elkins (b. 1929)

Margaret Stallard (b. 1929)

Maya Koumani (b. 1929)

Roy Evans (b. 1930)

Una McLean (b. 1930)

Roddy Maude-Roxby (b. 1930)

Ruth Trouncer (b. 1930)

Vera Frances (b. 1930)

Gary Watson (b. 1930)

Keith Alexander (b. 1930)

Pauline Jefferson (b. 1930)

Sheila Shand Gibbs (b. 1930)

Shirley Abicair (b. 1930)

Claire Bloom (b. 1931)

Leslie Caron (b. 1931)

Carroll Baker (b. 1931)

Virginia McKenna (b. 1931)

Vivian Pickles (b. 1931)

Stanley Meadows (b. 1931)

Gerald Harper (b. 1931)

Patricia Greene (b. 1931)

Ellen McIntosh (b. 1931)

Maureen Connell (b. 1931)

June Laverick (b. 1931)

Denyse Alexander (b. 1931)

Arthur Nightingale (b. 1931)

Eileen Derbyshire (b. 1931)

Carl Held (b. 1931)

Shelia Bernette (b. 1931)

Corinne Skinner-Carter (b. 1931)

Tusse Silberg (b. 1931)

John Swindells (b. 1931)

Petula Clark (b. 1932)

Prunella Scales (b. 1932)

Phyllida Law (b. 1932)

Ray Cooney (b. 1932)

Edward De Souza (b. 1932)

Alan Dobie (b. 1932)

John Turner (b. 1932)

Roland Curram (b. 1932)

Gabriel Woolf (b. 1932)

Johnnie Wade (b. 1932)

Eileen Moore (b. 1932)

Laurie Leigh (b. 1932)

William Roache (b. 1932)

Athol Fugard (b. 1932)

Carmen Munroe (b. 1932)

Norman Bowler (b. 1932)

Marcia Ashton (b. 1932)

Thelma Holt (b. 1932)

Sally Bazely (b. 1932)

Ronald France (b. 1932)

Edwina Carroll (b. 1932)

Libby Morris (b. 1932)

Michael Caine (b. 1933)

Joan Collins (b. 1933)

Sian Phillips (b. 1933)

Sheila Hancock (b. 1933)

Elizabeth Seal (b. 1933)

Shani Willis (b. 1933)

Patrick Godfrey (b. 1933)

Caroline Blakiston (b. 1933)

Donald Douglas (b. 1933)

Ann Firbank (b. 1933)

Vera Day (b. 1933)

Tsai Chin (b. 1933)

Geoffrey Frederick (b. 1933)

Marla Landi (b. 1933)

Monte Landis (b. 1933)

Mary Germaine (b. 1933)

Ruth Posner (b. 1933)

Barbara Archer (b. 1933)

W.B. Brydon (b. 1933)

Robert Gillespie (b. 1933)

Brian Patton (b. 1933)

Arthur White (b. 1933)

Barbara Archer (b. 1933)

Sally Bazley (b. 1933)

Madhur Jaffrey (b. 1933)

Jeanette Sterke (b. 1933)

Ann Rogers (b. 1933)

Barbara Knox (b. 1933)

John Boorman (b. 1933)

Derek Martin (b. 1933)

Michael Aspel (b. 1933)

Bill Edwards (b. 1933)

Ninette Finch (b. 1933)

Una Kay (b. 1933)

Pat Galloway (b. 1933)

David Sumner (b. 1933)

Judi Dench (b. 1934)

Eileen Atkins (b. 1934)

Tom Baker (b. 1934)

Alan Bennett (b. 1934)

Annette Crosbie (b. 1934)

Wendy Craig (b. 1934)

Millicent Martin (b. 1934)

John Standing (b. 1934)

Vernon Dobtcheff (b. 1934)

Nanette Newman (b. 1934)

David Burke (b. 1934)

Geraldine Newman (b. 1934)

Renny Lister (b. 1934)

Priscilla Morgan (b. 1934)

Audrey Dalton (b. 1934)

Leila Hoffman (b. 1934)

Simone Lovell (b. 1934)

Magda Miller (b. 1934)

Robert Aldous (b. 1934)

Ram John Holder (b. 1934)

Jamila Massey (b. 1934)

Margaretta D’Arcy (b. 1934)

Leslie Saeward (b. 1934)

Maurice Podbrey (b. 1934)

Steve Emerson (b. 1934)

Peter Bland (b. 1934)

Michael Darlow (b. 1934)

Barbara Archer (b. 1934)

Joy Webster (b. 1934)

Jacqueline Ellis (b. 1934)

Jacqueline Jones (b. 1934)

Diana Payan (b. 1934)

Gillian Eddison (b. 1934)

Suzanne Lloyd (b. 1934)

Gilbert Wynne (b. 1934)

Jean Challis (b. 1934)

Julie Andrews (b. 1935)

Julian Glover (b. 1935)

Jim Dale (b. 1935)

Anne Reid (b. 1935)

James Bolam (b. 1935)

Christina Pickles (b. 1935) 

Judy Parfitt (b. 1935)

Wanda Ventham (b. 1935)

Amanda Barrie (b. 1935)

Derren Nesbitt (b. 1935)

Nadim Swalha (b. 1935)

Gary Raymond (b. 1935)

Janet Henfrey (b. 1935)

Melvyn Hayes (b. 1935)

Susan Engel (b. 1935)

Amanda Walker (b. 1935)

Delena Kidd (b. 1935)

Derek Partridge (b. 1935)

Allister Bain (b. 1935)

Derry Power (b. 1935)

Phyllis MacMahon (b. 1935)

Rowena Cooper (b. 1935)

Lisa Gastoni (b. 1935)

Derek Partridge (b. 1935)

Jill Dixon (b. 1935)

Des Keough (b. 1935)

Barbara Angell (b. 1935)

Lucille Soong (b. 1935)

Anita West (b. 1935)

June Watson (b. 1935)

David Daker (b. 1935)

Shirley Cain (b. 1935)

Bobby Pattinson (b. 1935)

George Roubicek (b. 1935)

Glenn Beck (b. 1935)

Shirley Greenwood (b. 1935)

Isabella Rye (b. 1935)

Anna Barry (b. 1935)

David Andrews (b. 1935)

Michael Danvers-Walker (b. 1935)

Alibe Parsons (b. 1935)

Brian Blessed (b. 1936)

Richard Wilson (b. 1936)

Tommy Steele (b. 1936)

Edward Petherbridge (b. 1936) 

Ursula Andress (b. 1936)

John Leyton (b. 1936)

Jess Conrad (b. 1936)

Elizabeth Shepherd (b. 1936)

Sandra Voe (b. 1936)

Doug Sheldon (b. 1936)

John Golightly (b. 1936)

Peter Ellis (b. 1936)

Andria Lawrence (b. 1936)

Jon Laurimore (b. 1936)

Tony Scoggo (b. 1936)

Barry MacGregor (b. 1936)

Frank Barrie (b. 1936)

Kenneth Farrington (b. 1936)

Eileen McCallum (b. 1936)

Frederick Pyne (b. 1936)

Marian Diamond (b. 1936)

Anthony Higginson (b. 1936)

Elsie Kelly (b. 1936)

Ann Taylor (b. 1936)

Heidi Erich (b. 1936)

Keith Faulkner (b. 1936)

Ruth Meyers (b. 1936)

Julia Blake (b. 1936)

Heather Downham (b. 1936)

Robin Gammell (b. 1936)

Auriol Smith (b. 1936)

Frances White (b. 1936)

Diana Davies (b. 1936)

Fred Pearson (b. 1936)

Anthony Hopkins (b. 1937)

Edward Fox (b. 1937)

Vanessa Redgrave (b. 1937)

Tom Courtenay (b. 1937)

Steven Berkoff (b. 1937)

Susan Hampshire (b. 1937)

Barbara Steele (b. 1937)

Shirley Eaton (b. 1937)

Kenneth Colley (b. 1937)

Ian Hogg (b. 1937)

Sheila Reid (b. 1937)

Valerie Singleton (b. 1937)

Suzy Kendall (b. 1937)

Gawn Grainger (b. 1937)

Tom Georgeson (b. 1937)

Alan Rothwell (b. 1937)

Michael Knowles (b. 1937)

Jocelyn Lane (b. 1937)

Michael Kilgarriff (b. 1937)

Clifton Jones (b. 1937)

Paul Collins (b. 1937)

Anna Dawson (b. 1937)

Marlene Sidaway (b. 1937)

Jeremy Spenser (b. 1937)

Freddie Davies (b. 1937)

Justine Lord (b. 1937)

Davyd Harries (b. 1937)

Hugh Futcher (b. 1937)

Anne Cunningham (b. 1937)

Anne Aubrey (b. 1937)

Vic Taliban (b. 1937)

Dorothy Paul (b. 1937)

Denis Tuohy (b. 1937)

Claire Neilson (b. 1937)

Patricia Collins (b. 1937)

Jan Waters (b. 1937)

Dorothy Paul (b. 1937)

Brian Grellis (b. 1937)

Kenneth Alan Taylor (b. 1937)

Yvonne Buckingham (b. 1937)

Eileen Helsby (b. 1937)

Ray Donn (b. 1937)

Terrence Scammell (b. 1937)

Pauline Devaney (b. 1937)

Rosie Bannister (b. 1937)

Jeanne Roland (b. 1937)

William Gaunt (b. 1937)

Rosaleen Linehan (b. 1937)

Norman Coburn (b. 1937)

Rosie Bannister (b. 1937)

Luciana Paluzzi (b. 1937)

Roy Wordsworth (b. 1937)

[dannyreviews]

Golden Age of Hollywood Actors Born Before (And Including) 1937 Still Alive

This only includes actors that had at least one credited role in a Hollywood feature film or short up to 1959.

Elisabeth Waldo (b. 1918)

Caren Marsh Doll (b. 1919)

Patricia Wright (b. 1921)

Jacqueline White (b. 1922)

Annette Warren (b. 1922)

Ray Anthony (b. 1922)

Jimmy Thompson (b. 1923)

Eva Marie Saint (b. 1924)

Anne Vernon (b. 1924)

Maria Riva (b. 1924)

June Lockhart (b. 1925)

Lee Grant (b. 1925)

Peggy Webber (b. 1925)

Lise Bourdin (b. 1925)

Brigitte Auber (b. 1925)

Kerima (b. 1925)

Bob Graham (b. 1925)

Terry Kilburn (b. 1926) 

Marilyn Erskine (b. 1926)

Bambi Linn (b. 1926)

David Frankham (b. 1926)

Tommy Morton (b. 1926)

Jill Jarmyn (b. 1926)

Marilyn Knowlden (b. 1926)

Genevieve Page (b. 1927)

Donna Martell (b. 1927)

William Smithers (b. 1927)

Peter Walker (b. 1927)

H.M. Wynant (b. 1927)

Betty Harford (b. 1927)

Marilyn Granas (b. 1927)

Ann Blyth (b. 1928)

Nancy Olson (b. 1928)

Peggy Dow (b. 1928)

Kathleen Hughes (b. 1928)

Colleen Townsend (b. 1928)

Marion Ross (b. 1928)

Gaby Rodgers (b. 1928)

Walter Maslow (b. 1928)

Tom Troupe (b. 1928)

Sidney Kibrick (b. 1928)

Garry Watson (b. 1928)

Fay Chaldecott (b. 1928)

Mark Rydell (b. 1929)

Terry Moore (b. 1929)

Vera Miles (b. 1929)

Ann Robinson (b. 1929)

Liseotte Pulver (b. 1929)

James Hong (b. 1929)

Rachel Ames (b. 1929)

Michael Forest (b. 1929)

Vikki Dougan (b. 1929)

Steve Terrell (b. 1929)

Margaret Kerry (b. 1929)

James Congdon (b. 1929)

Betsy Gay (b. 1929)

Jack Betts (b. 1929)

Clint Eastwood (b. 1930)

Joanne Woodward (b. 1930)

Mara Corday (b. 1930)

Nita Talbot (b. 1930)

Taina Elg (b. 1930)

Robert Wagner (b. 1930)

John Astin (b. 1930)

Tommy Cook (b. 1930)

Mary Costa (b. 1930)

Lois Smith (b. 1930)

Peggy King (b. 1930)

Lynn Hamilton (b. 1930)

Don Burnett (b. 1930)

Clark Burroughs (b. 1930)

Robert Hinkle (b. 1930)

Sheila Connolly (b. 1930)

Barbara Bestar (b. 1930)

Rita Moreno (b. 1931)

Leslie Caron (b. 1931)

Carroll Baker (b. 1931)

William Shatner (b. 1931)

Mamie Van Doren (b. 1931)

Robert Colbert (b. 1931)

Barbara Eden (b. 1931)

Angie Dickinson (b. 1931)

Claire Bloom (b. 1931)

Marianne Koch (b. 1931)

Sylvia Lewis (b. 1931)

Carmen De Lavallade (b. 1931)

Zohra Lampert (b. 1931)

Michael Dante (b. 1931)

Ann McCrea (b. 1931)

Jack Grinnage (b. 1931)

Maralou Gray (b. 1931)

Billy Mindy (b. 1931)

Sugar Dawn (b. 1931)

Joanne Arnold (b. 1931)

Joel Grey (b. 1932)

George Chakiris (b. 1932)

Felicia Farr (b. 1932)

Abbe Lane (b. 1932)

Steve Rowland (b. 1932)

Ron Hagerthy (b. 1932)

Jacqueline Beer (b. 1932)

Colleen Miller (b. 1932)

Joanne Gilbert (b. 1932)

Neile Adams (b. 1932)

Jacqueline Duval (b. 1932)

Edna May Wonnacott (b. 1932)

Richard Tyler (b. 1932)

Mickey Roth (b. 1932)

Leon Tyler (b. 1932)

Peggy McIntyre (b. 1932)

Christiane Martel (b. 1932)

Elsa Cardenas (b. 1932)

Claude Bessy (b. 1932)

Carlos Fernández (b. 1932)

Kim Novak (b. 1933)

Julie Newmar (b. 1933)

Debra Paget (b. 1933)

Constance Towers (b. 1933)

Joan Collins (b. 1933)

Kathleen Nolan (b. 1933)

Brett Halsey (b. 1933)

Robert Fuller (b. 1933)

Pat Crowley (b. 1933)

Barrie Chase (b. 1933)

Jackie Joseph (b. 1933)

Geoffrey Horne (b. 1933)

Tsai Chin (b. 1933)

Lita Milan (b. 1933)

Vera Day (b. 1933)

Diana Darrin (b. 1933)

Ziva Rodann (b. 1933)

Jeanette Sterke (b. 1933)

Marti Stevens (b. 1933)

Annette Dionne (b. 1933)

Cecile Dionne (b. 1933)

Patti Hale (b. 1933)

Gary Clarke (b. 1933)

Charlotte Austin (b. 1933)

Shirley MacLaine (b. 1934) 

Sophia Loren (b. 1934)

Shirley Jones (b. 1934)

Brigitte Bardot (b. 1934)

Russ Tamblyn (b. 1934)

Pat Boone (b. 1934)

Audrey Dalton (b. 1934)

Tina Louise (b. 1934)

Karen Sharpe (b. 1934)

Joyce Van Patten (b. 1934)

May Britt (b. 1934)

Joby Baker (b. 1934)

Jamie Farr (b. 1934)

Myrna Hansen (b. 1934)

Priscilla Morgan (b. 1934)

Aki Aleong (b. 1934)

Robert Fields (b. 1934)

Dani Crayne (b. 1934)

Donnie Dunagan (b. 1934)

Richard Hall (b. 1934)

Charles Bates (b. 1934)

Marilyn Horne (b. 1934)

Marilee Earle (b. 1934)

Don Crichton (b. 1934)

Jolene Brand (b. 1934)

Johnny Western (b. 1934)

Rod Dana (b. 1935) 

Pippa Scott (b. 1935)

Ruta Lee (b. 1935)

Barbara Bostock (b. 1935)

Johnny Mathis (b. 1935)

Leslie Parrish (b. 1935)

Salome Jens (b. 1935)

Yvonne Lime (b. 1935)

Jean Moorehead (b. 1935)

Marco Lopez (b. 1935)

Joyce Meadows (b. 1935)

Richard Harrison (b. 1935)

Christopher Severn (b. 1935)

Richard Nichols (b. 1935)

Carol Coombs (b. 1935)

Patricia Prest (b. 1935)

Dawn Bender (b. 1935)

John Considine (b. 1935)

Jerry Farber (b. 1935)

Clyde Willson (b. 1935)

Bob Burns (b. 1935)

Joel Newfield (b. 1935)

Marlene Cameron (b. 1935)

Lisa Gastoni (b. 1935)

Susan Kohner (b. 1936)

Millie Perkins (b. 1936)

Burt Brickenhoff (b. 1936)

Mason Alan Dinehart (b. 1936)

Anna Maria Alberghetti (b. 1936)

Lisa Davis (b. 1936)

Joan O'Brien (b. 1936)

Tommy Ivo (b. 1936)

John Wilder (b. 1936)

Gary Conway (b. 1936)

Michael Chapin (b. 1936)

Carol Morris (b. 1936)

Fernando Alvarado (b. 1936)

Jack Nicholson (b. 1937)

Tommy Sands (b. 1937)

William Wellman Jr. (b. 1937)

Elinor Donahue (b. 1937)

Paul Hampton (b. 1937)

George Takei (b. 1937)

Margaret O’Brien (b. 1937)

Connie Francis (b. 1937)

Carol Nugent (b. 1937)

Patti Brady (b. 1937)

June Hedin (b. 1937)

Paul Collins (b. 1937)

Maureen Hingert (b. 1937)

Ingrid Goude (b. 1937)

Luciana Paluzzi (b. 1937)

Jocelyn Lane (b. 1937)

Barbara Luna (b. 1937)

[dannyreviews]

I Am Celine Dion (2024)

Two weeks ago, Celine Dion managed with all her strength to steal the show at the Olympic Opening Ceremony amidst her bout with Stiff Person Syndrome. Whether this performance turns out to be her swan song or not, it shows the courage that she had to appear in front of the entire world. The new documentary "I Am Celine Dion" is an up close look at the diva as you've never seen her before, and my reaction is to see her in her prime instead.

The documentary opens in 2021 when Celine is coming to terms with her recent diagnosis of Stiff Person Syndrome. She has had to cancel an upcoming Vegas residency to her dismay, but her lack of strength and lethargic singing has forced her away from the stage. However, Celine is not one to stay at home and away from the public eye. She makes online appearances, cuts a song or two and dubs a film. Interweaved into the present are archive footage of her performances, old interviews and TV appearances and home videos of her with her late husband Rene and their three sons.

The average person wants to eavesdrop on their favorite celebrity, whether it's their home life or going out to dinner. But when it comes to them being sick and at their most vulnerable, it's nothing short of depressing. "I Am Celine Dion" should really be retitled "I Am Suffering" because for more than half of the film, we are subjected to her "poor poor me" mentality. I'm not putting her bout with the disease down, but when every other scene is about her saying how she can't perform or have a productive life interspersed with footage of the Celine Dion of the 1990s that took on the world, the content borders more on pathetic. Near the end of the film, we see Celine have a seizure during a physical therapy session. Talk about depressing the viewer even more when we've already been subjected to a wealth of TMI. I thought the documentary about Roger Ebert had its depressing moments, but at least with that film, there was a fine balance between the past and the present. With Celine Dion, we really don't get to know more of her upbringing, her big breaks, her marriage to Rene and collaborations with her peers. All we get is the soap opera aspect of her life, backed by a mix of opulence and narcissism.

There is one part of the documentary that put a smile on my face and that was Celine's admiration of Australia's Voice John Farnham, whose documentary "Finding The Voice" I recently reviewed. As a respite to the depressing content, we see Celine come alive as she views a Youtube video of Farnham performing his cover of The Beatles' "Help" and marveling over his singing and musicianship. If the Farnham documentary doesn't get him more exposure in the US, then Celene Dion's doc might do the trick. The segment concludes with Celine being interviewed for the Farnham documentary and footage of the two performing at one of her shows. I would also have liked to see more about her collaboration with French singer/songwriter Jean-Jacques Goldman who is only seen for a few seconds on film and is never mentioned by name once. Goldman is another legendary figure whose fame eluded American audiences and should have been given his due as well. How about mentions of her other collaborators like Quebecois singer Rene Simard or more well known singers like Barbra Streisand or Luciano Pavarotti? Again, we learn very little about Celine's past and that's what the audience should have been subjected to instead.

Going back to the Olympic Opening ceremony, I think it would have more prudent to put off releasing the documentary until after the ceremony and use the performance as an epilogue to leave the viewer with some hope for the future. Instead, the last line is Celine blurting out the following statement, "If I can't walk, I'll crawl". This could have been the portrait of a musical legend that gently broached upon her current health problems, but instead we get more of the baggage and less of the music.

6/10

[dannyreviews]

Ordinary People (1980)

Yesterday, news came out that Hollywood legend Donald Sutherland had passed away. In a career lasting 60 years, he played a myriad of roles, leading and supporting, comedic and dramatic and everything else in between. Out of the wide breadth of his filmography, his best performance came from Robert Redford's Oscar winning masterpiece "Ordinary People", probably one of the best tearjerkers since the Golden Age of Hollywood.

The plot revolves around the Jarretts, an upper class family living in the Chicago suburbs. They seem like the normal family next door, but are marred by a family tragedy, the death of the eldest son Buck. Mom Beth (Mary Tyler Moore) copes by acting as the dutiful housewife to her attorney husband Calvin (Sutherland) and their surviving son Conrad (Timothy Hutton). When Conrad is released from a mental hospital due to a suicide attempt, he is referred to psychologist Dr. Berger (Judd Hirsch). It is through subsequent therapy sessions that Conrad opens up about the demons that plague his family in the aftermath of Buck's death, such as blame that he puts on himself for the tragedy, how his mother favored Buck over himself and his father's unwavering love and attempt to keep the family together. Over a one year period, the Jarrett family is pushed to the breaking point and their lives are irrevocably changed.

"Ordinary People" is a rarity as it treats its characters like human beings and doesn't trivialize their plights. The dialogues, the fighting and the tears are all realistic, almost to the highest degree. Redford, in his directorial debut, puts together a top notch ensemble that not only play these roles, but live and breathe the trials and tribulations of a grieving family. At times, when it's just the three main characters on screen, the drama is at its rawest the tension is as sharp as a knife. This isn't a Lifetime Movie of the Week, or an After School Special, where you can predict the next line in some paint-by-numbers scenario. It isn't even like a Douglas Sirk melodrama where the performances are too theatrical in nature. "Ordinary People" is a whole different drama that removes itself from the sugar-coated cliche factory and makes the tragedy of losing a child relatable.

As stated before, the ensemble of "Ordinary People" is at the highest level of acting. Mary Tyler Moore as Beth runs the gamut of emotions that make you both hate and empathize with her at the same time. To see this actress, best known for her comedic performances on television, transform into a character without a funny characteristic in her body goes far and beyond ones versatility. Timothy Hutton, in his Academy Award winning performance, portrays Conrad not as a pathetically over-emotional mess, but level-headed in the face of strife. There are moments of calm where he rolls with the punches, and then there are the gut-punching scenes where the loss of his brother is still fresh in his mind. Judd Hirsch's provides the perfect balance as the stern but caring psychiatrist who gradually unravels the root of Conrad's issues. And then there is Donald Sutherland, in the role of his career, as the almost too controlled Calvin, whose vulnerability slowly seeps out and culminates in a heartbreaking monologue that puts everything in perspective.

"Ordinary People" won Best Picture in a contentious race with Scorsese's "Raging Bull", Michael Apted's "Coal Miner's Daughter" and David Lynch's "The Elephant Man", but nonetheless a well deserved honor. Timothy Hutton won Best Supporting Actor in an indisputably amazing performance that is still talked about positively to this day. Robert Redford's win for Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay round out the film's 4 Oscar wins. Unfortunately, Mary Tyler Moore was nominated in the wrong year for Best Actress because Sissy Spacek's performance as Loretta Lynn in "Coal Miner's Daughter" was too great to beat and sadly, Donald Sutherland would never get an acting nomination in his career, and was robbed of a nomination for Best Actor. "Ordinary People" is the kind of film that once its over, you feel the impact of its characters for hours on end and that is a credit to the 4 main actors. The only other films to rival this in a non-melodramatic, and realistic intensity are Mike Leigh's "Secrets and Lies", and Michael Haneke's "Amour". As far as I'm concerned, drama has yet to reach heights like these masterpieces.

10/10

[dannyreviews]

Cinema Legends Over 100 Years Old Still Alive (as of 1/1/2024)

A few days late here, but here are the century old survivors of film in 2024.

Norman Spencer - producer (b. 1914) + 8/16/2024

María Cristina Camilo - actress (b. 1917)

Caren Marsh Doll - dancer, actress (b. 1919) + 11/8/2024

Betty Brodel - singer, actress (b. 1919) + 3/3/2024

June Spencer - actress (b. 1919)

Maj-Britt Håkansson - actress (b. 1919)

Eileen Bennett - actress (b. 1919)

Arnold Yarrow - actor (b. 1920) + 12/9/2024

Juan Mariné - cinematographer (b. 1920)

Robert Marcy - actor (b. 1920) + 9/8/2024

Francis Rigaud - director (b. 1920)

Patricia Wright - actress (b. 1921)

Jack Rader - actor (b. 1921)

Beulah Garrick - actress (b. 1921)

Barbra Fuller - actress (b. 1921) + 5/15/2024

Edgar Morin - director, screenwriter, philosopher (b. 1921)

Elisabeth Kirby - actress (b. 1921)

Elizabeth Kelly - actress (b. 1921)

Georg Stefan Troller - director, screenwriter (b. 1921)

Ray Lawler - playwright, screenwriter (b. 1921) + 7/27/2024

Joe Caroff - film poster artist (b. 1921)

Ray Anthony - musician, actor (b. 1922)

Micheline Presle - actress (b. 1922) + 2/21/2024

Janis Paige - actress (b. 1922) + 6/3/2024

Jacqueline White - actress (b. 1922)

Annette Warren - singer, actress (b. 1922)

Helen Colvig - costume designer (b. 1922)

Sara Luzita - dancer, actress (b. 1922)

Annabel Maule - actress (b. 1922)

George Morrison - director (b. 1922)

Stella Greka - singer, actress (b. 1922)

Bess Meisler - actress (b. 1922)

Aram Boyajian - editor, producer, director (b. 1922)

Alexandra Myskova - actress (b. 1922)

Virginia Fleener - animator (b. 1922)

Manos Zacharias - director (b. 1922)

Vincent Ball - actor (b. 1923)

Ralph Senensky - director (b. 1923)

Johnny Pate - film composer (b. 1923)

Phil Nimmons - film composer (b. 1923) + 4/5/3024

Vera Linnecar - director, animator (b. 1923)

Enid Wizig - animator (b. 1923)

Jozef Hen - screenwriter, director (b. 1923)

Kim Yaroshevskaya - actress (b. 1923)

Ruth Geller - actress (b. 1923)

Paul Harding - actor (b. 1923)

David D. Osborn - screenwriter (b. 1923)

David Lawton - actor (b. 1923)

Adeline Leonard Seakwood - production coordinator (b. 1923)

[dannyreviews]

Steamboat Willie (1928)

2024 had opened with the greatest rejoicing among fans of Disney and old school animation. After 95 years, the earliest version of Mickey Mouse is now in the public domain and is owned by the public. Immediately after midnight, YouTube account "Corridor" uploaded the iconic Disney short "Steamboat Willie" and as of this writing, the video has 376,000 views and is sure to go up. I thought I would celebrate by reviewing this 7 minute masterpiece which shows the inception of an American icon.

The cartoon opens with the famous shot of Mickey commanding a steamboat down the river, although without the permission of his boss, the giant Peg-Leg Pete (although without the Peg-Leg). Mickey is forced to do his chores while Pete's parrot taunts him. The steamboat picks up a bunch of animals including a cow and a goat. Minnie is also picked up and the two have fun playing music when the goat eats sheet music of "Turkey In The Straw" that Minnie brought aboard. The fun continues as Mickey and Minnie play the animals like musical instruments, using a duck quack, the cow's teats and a bull's set of teeth. Pete discovers the jam and orders Mickey to peel potatoes, again with the parrot taunting over him, but Mickey throws one of the potatoes to shut the parrot up, ending the cartoon.

"Steamboat Willie" is every bit the piece of film that is found in every montage celebrating the cinema of the 20th century. Mickey at the helm of the Steamboat is as iconic as Charles Foster Kane whispering "Rosebud" or Rick Blaine saying "Here's looking at you kid". And yet, the animation is primitive, the music by future Looney Tunes/Merrie Melodies composer Carl W. Stalling is generic and the dialogue is unintelligible. All of that can be excused due to the art of animation being in the developmental stages and that it was the first animated sound film. Taken for what it is, "Steamboat Willie" resonates with people of all ages just for the very idea that it was Mickey Mouse's debut to the world and that's what really matters. It's the same thing with "The Jazz Singer", despite being the first full length talkie, it is really a mediocre film, and had it not been for the history, no one would care for it. If anything, the flaws are actually the most fascinating part.

Back in 1928, "Steamboat Willie" was the warmup feature for a now lost film called "Gang War" starring Jack Pickford (brother of Mary) and Olive Borden. The audience were blown away by Mickey Mouse, for the sheer brilliance of the cartoon as if it was other worldly. Also, the fact that "Gang War" was another early talkie that most likely was devoid of a musical score and the dialogue tended to be bland and inaudible. The film was panned by critics calling it another cliche flick. The critics had all the kind words for the cartoon preceding the feature which was more revolutionary. The audience demanded "Steamboat Willie" be repeated and the rest is history. I wonder if a copy of "Gang War" will surface and if it will find a new audience who might be receptive due to its association with "Steamboat Willie". Maybe, maybe not.

What will come from this new public domain status for early Mickey Mouse? Much like the plays of Shakespeare or the art of Leonardo Da Vinci, there is an audience willing to put their interpretation of the classic character in their own art, literature or parody. 2024 and beyond should and will be filled with endless possibilities.

9/10

[dannyreviews]

John Farnham: Finding The Voice (2023)

Crocodile Dundee, Yahoo Serious, The Wiggles and Steve Irwin. Four of the most legendary imports from Australia that have penetrated the American Pop Culture consciousness. Unfortunately, one of the great figures from Down Under has not received the same attention and that is the singer known by fans as "The Voice"; John Farnham. Director Poppy Stockell has created one of the best music documentaries in recent years that has yet to reach the Netflix or Amazon Prime audience, but luckily is available on iTunes. Even if you've never heard of John Farnham or heard one note of his songs, you are in for a feel-good rock and roll tale.

The film opens in 1966 with Farnham, then a teenage plumber’s apprentice, being discovered while singing at a local musical event. After contributing to a few jingles, he became an overnight success under the name "Johnny Farnham" with the novelty song "Sadie (The Cleaning Lady)" which went to #1, beating The Beatles and other internationally recognized acts of the day. Suddenly, Farnham was the most recognized person in Australia and living the high life. Unfortunately, fame eluded him overseas and his matinee idol status became outdated by the mid-70s. Bordering on has-been, Farnham takes a job as lead singer of the already famous Australian group Little River Band in order to regain his status, but clashes with his fellow band members occurred and he came out of his tenure in debt. That's where his manager Glenn Wheatley comes to Farnham's side to institute the comeback of a lifetime. Mortgaging his house and shopping the album "Whispering Jack" to record companies and radio stations that wrote the singer of "Sadie..." off years earlier, Wheatley puts everything on the line to help his best friend. The gamble paid off and "Whispering Jack" became the biggest selling album by an Australian in the country's history and its hit song "You're The Voice" became an anthem for world peace. After struggling to regain his popularity, John Farnham was on top of the world, with endless tours of Australia and Europe that continued for years to follow.

"Finding The Voice" is as good a biography as you can get because not only do you get the full story that doesn't seem as stilted as a Wikipedia article, you walk in the subject's shoes. Director Stockell shows us John Farnham as both celebrity and regular human being. There are moments where you can picture Farnham at his lowest and the descriptions of a mid-life crisis backed up by depression, panic attacks and tears. Then there's the confidence of recording an album like "Whispering Jack", sifting through thousands of demos and eventually finding the song that becomes his signature tune, originally over the objection of its songwriter. The result is a biography that puts every episode of “Behind The Music” to shame, and honors its subject as a survivor of the music industry’s cutthroat system of instant fame and inevitable rejection.

This documentary also touches on the importance of Glenn Wheatley and his wife Gaynor in shaping Farnham’s life and helping his sanity when he was at his lowest point. Singer Richard Marx mentioned in the film that the music industry is not a place known for friendships, but John Farnham and Glenn Wheatley’s relationship ran so deep that even when Wheatley found himself in legal trouble, Farnham did not abandon him. If anything, their bond deepened. Sadly, Wheatley died in early 2022, around the same time as frequent collaborator Olivia Newton-John. The last 10 minutes acts as an elegy to the two and gives them the deserved credit for being integral parts of Farnham’s life and success.

One of John Farnham’s biggest hits with the Little River Band “Playing To Win” defines his pursuit to conquer the world:

If you want me, come and get me You don't have a chance if you don't move now I'm not waiting any longer You know that I'm playing to win this time

Well John, you won the battle and are reaping the rewards of your success.

9.5/10

[dannyreviews]

Animation Professionals Over 90 Still Alive

10 years ago, Cartoon Brew had an article about animators from the Golden Age and beyond over a certain age still living.

https://www.cartoonbrew.com/animators/who-are-the-oldest-living-animation-artists-88196.html

Unfortunately, the lion's share of that group have since passed away, save for a handful of names. For this post, I would like to highlight (in age order) those from studios like Disney, Warner Brothers as well as independent bases that are around today who represent the last living links to old school animation. These include artists, directors and writers. Exclusive voice actors or animated music composers are not counted.

Vera Linnecar (b. 1923) Halas/Bachelor, Bob Godfrey

Enid Wizig (b. 1923) Warner Brothers

Joe Hale (b. 1925) Disney (Update: Passed Away on January 29, 2025)

Lillian Schwartz (b. 1927) Independent (Update: Passed Away on October 12, 2024)

Witold Giersz (b. 1927) Independent

Bob Singer (b. 1928) Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera

Yoji Kuri (b. 1928) Independent (Update: Passed Away on November 24, 2024)

Robert Verrall (b. 1928) National Film Board of Canada (Update: Passed Away on January 17, 2025)

Peter Maddocks (b. 1928) Independent (Update: Passed Away on November 20, 2024)

Zdeňka Deitchová (b. 1928) Gene Deitch

Art Leonardi (b. 1929) Warner Brothers, MGM

Jules Feiffer (b. 1929) Paramount, Terrytoons (Update: Passed Away on January 17, 2025)

Don Iwerks (b. 1929) Disney

Phil Roman (b. 1930) Chuck Jones, Fox, Independent

Howard Beckerman (b. 1930) Famous Studios, Terrytoons, Independent (Update: Passed Away on June 29, 2024)

R.O. Blechman (b. 1930) Terrytoons, Independent

Stan Hayward (b. 1930) Bob Godfrey

Joseph Koenig (b. 1930) National Film Board of Canada

Jack Heiter (b. 1930) Warner Brothers, Nickelodeon, UPA

Rein Raamat (b. 1931) Independent

Ed Seeman (b. 1931) Paramount (Update: Passed Away on February 14, 2025)

Fred Wolf (b. 1932) Independent

Brian Trueman (b. 1932) BBC (Update: Passed Away on September 1, 2024)

Fumio Kurokawa (b. 1932) Nippon Animation (Update: Passed Away on April 10, 2024)

Yvonne Andersen (b. 1932) Independent

Masaki Tsuji (b. 1932) Mushi, Toen, TMS

Dean Tavoularis (b. 1932) Disney

Doris A. Plough (b. 1932) Disney, Don Bluth, Hanna-Barbera, Fox

Inessa Kovalevskaya (b. 1933) Soyuzmultfilm

Boris Kolar (b. 1933) Independent (no other photo available)

Update (12/23): Adding Virginia Fleener (b. 1922) Disney

[dannyreviews]

The Age of Innocence (1993)

1993 was the second coming of 1939 when it came to the number of American films that were released. Martin Scorsese's "The Age of Innocence" remains one of that year's absolute gems, a departure (no pun intended) from the famed director's usual gritty nature. Replacing gunfire with passing glances and mafia dealings with upper class gossip, "The Age of Innocence" is classic Scorsese and in my opinion, among his best films ever.

Based on the novel by Edith Wharton, "The Age of Innocence" , focuses on the impending union of the two most important families in New York society. Lawyer Newland Archer (Daniel Day-Lewis) is engaged to be married to the sweet and quiet May Welland (Winona Ryder) and their marriage is the talk of the town. At the same time, May's cousin Ellen (Michelle Pfeiffer) has returned to New York to non-stop gossip pertaining to her impending divorce. Steeped in a world of customs and tradition, Newland is drawn to Ellen's unconventional lifestyle and while handling the matters of her divorce, the two begin an affair. Newland must decide which moral route to take, one that will maintain his place in the hierarchy of the upper crust, or the other sizzling in passion, yet tainted in scandal.

"The Age of Innocence" may be gentile in its appearance, but it's every bit the nail biter as "Raging Bull" or "Goodfellas". The adaptation by Scorsese and Jay Cocks shows dynasties pitted up against one another like mob families, favors that are made to keep up appearances and a family matriarch and high end couple with all the power in the world like mafia dons. At the same time, the art direction by Dante Ferrets and costume design by Gabrielle Pessucci, doesn't merely recreate late 19th century New York, but embraces every facet it possesses, from vast estates filled with art collections, fine china and chandeliers to ornate opera houses where their audience and actors don the most glamorous haute couture. When it comes to matching the authenticity of its period, there is not one false note. Having culminated from decades of prior period pieces, "The Age of Innocence" takes the genre to a whole new level of appearance that has rarely ever been repeated.

Scorsese assembled one of the most diverse casts of recent years. In addition to the 3 main actors, there are Golden Age of Hollywood stars (Norman Lloyd, Alexis Smith), veteran British actors (Michael Gough, Alec McCowen) and the new crop (Richard E. Grant, Robert Sean Leonard) and each brings their own craft to this unique film. Robert De Niro or Joe Pesci would have seemed out of place if they were included in the cast, so it was wise to delve further in the variety of acting styles and backgrounds and have each of them adapt to the lingo of Edith Wharton's New York. Also, to have the calming voice of Joanne Woodward narrate the story transitions the film into Merchant-Ivory territory, which I'm sure Scorsese studied up on prior to filming.

As for the main cast, Daniel Day-Lewis is absolutely terrific in playing the emotionally repressed Newland Archer, who must balance his double life amidst its open secrecy. Winona Ryder also shines in an Oscar nominated turn as May in all of its Golden Age of Hollywood charm. And then there's Michelle Pfeiffer, who is absolutely mesmerizing in portraying Ellen's liberal personality, in a performance that the Academy should have considered. The supporting cast standouts include Stuart Wilson as Ellen's "other man" Julius Beaufort, a lecherous scoundrel, Miriam Margoyles' BAFTA winning performance as Mrs. Mingott, May's grandmother, and Sian Phillips as Newland's mother.

"The Age of Innocence", along with Jane Campion's "The Piano", Jim Sheridan's "In The Name of the Father" (also with Daniel Day-Lewis) and James Ivory's "The Remains of the Day", represent in my opinion, the best of cinema in 1993. Out of those films, "The Age of Innocence" isn't the top one (that honor belongs to "The Piano"), but it represents the most expertly made. The acting, direction, novel adaptation and authentically honored period are all building blocks to the neatly tied packaged result.

9/10

[dannyreviews]

Cinema Legends Turning 100 in 2024

Even though there is one more month to go in 2023, I thought I would get a head start on this post. Without further ado, the centenarians for 2024.

Eva Marie Saint - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

William Russell - actor (Update: Died on June 3, 2024 at 99)

Robert M. Young - director (Update: Died On February 6, 2024 at 99)

Lee Adams - lyricist (Update: Made it to 100)

Priscilla Pointer - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Ann Vernon - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Krishnaveni - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Mimis Plessas - film composer (Update: Died On October 5, 2024 at 99)

Maria Riva - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Joyce Randolph - actress (Update: Died On January 13, 2024 at 99)

Ted Hartley - actor, producer (Update: Made it to 100)

Nadia Cattouse - actress (Update: Died on October 28, 2024 at 99)

Woody Woodbury - actor, comedian (Update: Made it to 100)

Meta Velander - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Pia Velsi - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Yatsuko Tan'ami - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Bo Bjelfvenstam - director, screenwriter, actor (Update: Made it to 100)

Jean Harlez - director (Update: Made it to 100)

Madeline Anderson - director (Update: Made it to 100)

Kang Cheng - director (Update: Made it to 100)

Fada Santoro - actress (Update: Made it to 100, Died on December 15, 2024)

Walter Schultheiss - actor (Update: Made it to 100)

Donald Pelmear - actor (Update: Made it to 100)

Teresa Cunillé - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

Ip Chun - martial artist, actor (Update: Made it to 100)

Rolf Schimpf - actor (Update: Made it to 100)

Terry Gibbs - film score musician (Update: Made it to 100)

Elaine Schreyeck - continuity supervisor (Update: Made it to 100)

Gloria Stroock - actress (Update: Died On May 5, 2024 at 99)

(no photo available)

Robert Porter - producer (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Pat Jaffe - producer, editor (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Norbert Terry - director, producer (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Alice Toen - actress (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Richard Gilbert - director, producer (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Ronald Spencer - director, producer (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Ti Lu - actor (Update: Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Donald P. Desmond - set constructor (Made it to 100)

(no photo available)

Update: 1/1/2025

30 made it to 100

6 died at 99

1 made it to 100 and then died