Mr. and Mrs. Smith (1941) Movie Classic

In the 1941 black and white film Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Robert Montgomery and beautiful and talented Carole Lombard star in this polished, classic comedy.

Mr. (David) and Mrs. (Ann) Smith are a well off couple who find that through some mishap they are not legally married. When David is given this information, does he tell his wife? No way. Instead he chooses to toy with her first. Ann and David talk on the telephone; she asks about his day, he does not mention their invalid marriage, but he does tell her that they are going to what used to be their favorite restaurant. As David is talking, he writes "Mrs." on a pad, then crosses it off and replaces it with "Mistress" and smiles. Unbeknownst to David, Ann and her mother have received the same information. Ann's mother worries and makes her daughter promise that, now, as an unmarried woman she won't -----?!. 'Of course not' Ann says. Ann waits for her husband David to tell her what she already knows and is furious when he says nothing. This unshared information starts a wonderful, sexy cat and mouse game between Lombard and Montgomery.

The getting ready for bed scene is just hilarious. Gene Raymond as Jeff Custer, David's best friend and law partner is full of southern charm and is wonderfully sly as he double crosses David at every turn. Jack Carson as the hard drinking womanizing, club friend Chuck, who helps to land David in hotter water than he is already in, is perfect for this role. One of my favorite scenes takes place in the restaurant where David and Chuck are on dates with two of Chuck's lady friends. By coincidence, Ann is dining at the same restaurant. You have to watch David's face and his actions as he pretends that he is with the beautiful woman sitting opposite his real date; and later as he desperately tries to make his nose bleed. When arrangements are made for Ann and David's friend Jeff to spend some time together, David follows them to make trouble and get his wife back. It is our loss that they don't make sophisticated screwball comedies like this any more.

Movie classic

Movies for Mother's Day

I was reading one of the magazine's I receive and they had a list of momma movies to rent:

• Steel Magnolias (1989)
• Anywhere But Here (1999)
• Freaky Friday (2003)
• I Remember Mana (1948)
• Little Women (1994)

I have added a couple of my favorites to the list:

• Baby Boom (1987)
• Georgia Rule (2007)

Laura (1944 B/W) Movie Classic

If there is anyone out there who has not seen the film classic Laura, run, do not walk, to your closest rent-a-movie shop. This is film-making at its best.

Police Detective Mark McPherson (Dana Andrews) investigates the murder of a beautiful woman and becomes obsessed with her portrait. The woman, Laura Hunt, is played superbly the actress Gene Tierney. The story unfolds through a series of voice-overs and replays of her past with the men and women in her life. Her career as a high fashion artist begins with a snub from the very uptight and snobbish Waldo Lydecker, a society newspaper columnist. The Lydecker character is played to the hilt by Clifton Webb. Webb brings his comedic nose-in-the-air Mr. Belvedere character to Waldo Lydecker, except here he is not just a witty snob, he is obnoxious and controlling. His wit is mean spirited.

After a faulty start, Lydecker becomes Laura's mentor and eventually falls in love with her. Under Lydecker's wing Laura Hunt goes to the right parties and meets the right people. Along the way she meets Shelby Carpenter (Vincent Price) who is involved with wealthy Ann Treadwell (Judith Anderson) but also has his eye on Laura. Laura now tired of being under the watchful eye of Waldo Lydecker befriends Carpenter. She is aware that he is a has no money of his own and is a gigolo but he is elegant and charming. She enjoys his company.

So who killed Laura? Was it Ann Treadwell in a fit of jealousy? Was it Waldo Lydecker, the man who brought her to where she is now or was it Shelby Carpenter because she spurned his advances? It's up to Lt. Mark McPherson to find out. This may be one of Dana Andrews finest performances as the love stricken cop trying to get to the truth, while trying also to get past Laura's lovely face in the portrait hanging on her living room wall.

This is is top notch Otto Preminger. This is a lighter noir, the only darkness here is the obsessive behaviors of the characters. Much of the mood of this film comes from its music that flows through the film. Song writer Johnny Mercer was brought in to write the words to David Raskin's haunting melody. It was his job to write the words that would fit the music and the theme of the movie. The result is a perfect match of music, lyrics and film. Lt. Mcpherson stares at the portrait of Laura, a woman he has never met - [lyrics] Laura is the face in the misty light, Footsteps that you hear down the hall, The laugh that floats on a summer night That you can never quite recall. And you see Laura on the train that is passing through, Those eyes, how familiar they seem; She gave your very first kiss to you, that was Laura but she's only a dream. [end lyrics].

Movie classic.

88 Minutes (2008) Al Pacino

Al Pacino is doomed professor Jack Gramm in 88 Minutes. Apparently someone does not like Professor Gram sticking his knowledgable nose into police matters.

The FBI often asks Gramm for assistance when they need help in the area of forensic psychiatry. According to the Merriam-Webster online dictionary, forensic psychiatry is the application of psychiatry in courts of law (as for the determination of criminal responsibility or liability to commitment for insanity).

Based on this information, we know where this is going and that the professor is in real danger, he has received a cryptic message that he will be killed in 88 minutes. Can he locate the person or persons who have given him just over one hour to live?

I did not recognize Al Pacino in this trailer, he is much thinner than I remember him, and like everyone else has aged a bit. I am anxious to see this film, I have finally admitted to myself that I like man-on-the-run-to-find-justice flicks. 88 Minutes will be in theaters April 18. Others in the cast are Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski and Neal McDonough. The early reviews have not been good for the film, however, I often like what the masses do not.

When the film 88 Minutes trailer was first shown on television and in movie theaters I imagine other classic film fans first thoughts were similar to mine, this sounds like the old Edmond O'Brien movie, DOA.

DOA, the 1950 black and white noir classic is about a man (Edmond O'Brien) who finds out that he has been poisoned and is determined to find his killer before his time runs out. His first step is to report his own murder to the local police. Dennis Quaid is the protagonist in the 1988 remake of the same name.