Author: John Welsh
-
The Caine Mutiny: A Novel & Two Movies
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: The Caine Mutiny: A Novel & Two MoviesThe Caine Mutiny, a 1952 novel by Herman Wouk The Caine Mutiny, a 1954 movie, directed by Edward Dmytryk The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial 2023 ,directed by William Friedkin It is worth noting the original 1954 Broadway production was directed by Charles Laughton Cast: Henry Fonda as Barney Greenwald, John Hodiak as Steve Maryk, Lloyd Nolan…
-
Hollywood Novels
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: Hollywood NovelsIt is a sad truth in life that you can’t watch movies all the time. Believe me, I know, I’ve tried. So, is there an alternative? I’ve tried to maintain my dedication to the ideal of ”Cinema is my religion and the theater is my church” (a line I borrowed from Victor Hugo. He was…
-
Dangerous Friends, A Memoir by Peter Viertel
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: Dangerous Friends, A Memoir by Peter ViertelWhite Hunter, Black Heart, a novel by Peter Viertel Decision Before Dawn, a film directed by Anatol Litvak White Hunter, Black Heart, a film directed by Clint Eastwood Peter Viertel was the kind writer Hollywood enjoyed in the 1930s and 1940s. Expats, mostly Jews, who had fled Hitler and were welcomed in Tinsel Town and…
-
The English: Lost In A Wilderness
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: The English: Lost In A WildernessThe gross silliness of Heaven’s Gate reminded me to always cast critical eye on even Westerns. They should not get a go-bye simply because I love Westerns, that’d just be goofy. Although goofy is in vogue these days, it’s best to subscribe to the old values. So, when Amazon Prime offers a Western staring Emily…
-
The Big Knife
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: The Big KnifeA hundred years ago the gentleman detective in the form of Philo Vance was extremely popular. The crimes he solved tended to be artificial and complex. The hard-boiled detective in the form of Sam Spade and the Continental Op were a reaction to this artificiality. Raymond Chandler wrote The Simple Art of Murder in reaction).…
-
Memorable Movie Reflections: The Marx Brothers
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: Memorable Movie Reflections: The Marx BrothersHooray for Captain Spaulding, The African explorer. He brought his name undying fame and that is why we say, Hooray, Hooray, Hooray. Yes, hooray for Captain Spaulding upon his return from the last trip to Africa, complete with entourage (Yes my friends, an entourage is required, even for the terminal mediocrity of today. The intrepid…
-
Memorable Movie Scenes: Part 11
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: Memorable Movie Scenes: Part 11Movie: The Grapes Of Wrath Charles Dickens saw it clearly. ”It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” In 1933 a group of businessmen unhappy with FDR’s policies enlisted the aid of retired Marine Corps Major General Smedley Butler…
-
Duel In The Sun (1946)
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: Duel In The Sun (1946)David O. Selznick wanted another big blockbuster like Gone With the Wind. He had room for plenty more Oscars on the ego shelf where his awards were available for all to ”ooh and aah” and offer praise like, ”You did a hell of a job on that one, Mister Selznick”. There for all to see,…
-
The Fountainhead (1949)
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: The Fountainhead (1949)Lines and shadows, shadows and lines. The Fountainhead is all sharp angles defined by shadows defined by shadows so sharp they could cut through the self-servicing philosophy of the artless Rand on the airless moon. Only one director could have made sense of this!!! King Vidor of Galveston Texas. He cut through the angles when…
-
That’ll Be The Day
Tag(s):
Author:
Read more: That’ll Be The DayIn his entertaining and insightful piece, Stop this Sketch. It’s Silly, Dave Franklin states Ethan Edwards “drops the ball” at the end of The Searchers. “That’ll be the day.” The Searchers was directed by the great John Ford (a director not much admired by some here at Ruthless. If you have seen the footage of…