Treasure Island (1951)

I watched this recently with a group and enjoyed it for the most part; it's notable for being Walt Disney's first full-length live-action film without any animation (not even the Long John Silver's parrot). Robert Newton was very good as Silver. Bobby Driscoll was OK; he was probably the most famous child actor at the time, hence his casting. The last five or ten minutes of the film seemed very "rushed" to me for some reason. Another thing that's noticeable by today's standards is that it is pretty violent. I wasn't expecting to see so much blood for early 1950s - a guy gets shot in the face, and several others stabbed and shot. After all, pirates are pirates but for a Disney film it seemed to push the envelope; apparently the censors didn't object to the scene when the young boy shoots a pirate in self defense. But overall I enjoyed watching this version, especially Newton's performance.

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

Based on a Tennessee Williams play, this searing drama is a multiple Oscar winner. It is most memorable fro the Oscar-winning turn by Vivien Leigh, as the fragile Blanche Dubois. Who could forget Marlon Brando, in one of his greatest roles. Kim Hunter as his wife and Karl Malden as Blanche's naive suitor complete the picture. Intense and tremendously moving.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)

The movie poster's tagline reads: "A Hollywood Story". It certainly is one of the most famous and best movies ever made about Hollywood life, even though fictional, and brilliantly co-written by Billy Wilder, who also directed. Much like "Streetcar Named Desire", it's a film that is just as much about the emotionally-needed and mentally-troubled leading lady (Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond) as it is about the man in her life who feels trapped and caught in the middle of something he never asked for (William Holden). Holden is an unemployed Hollywood screenwriter who accidentally enters the life of has-been silent film actress Norma Desmond, who lives in her own world and pays Holden to write her comeback film. Co-star Nancy Olsen has never been better as Holden's love interest, completely unaware that Holden has moved into Desmond's home and treated like a king while being smothered by the reclusive's love hungry tendencies. A morality play, about jealousy, neediness, fame, wealth. Billy Wilder was able to recruit some well known silent stars to appear in cameos: HB Warner ("Lost Horizon") and Buster Keaton, as well as director Cecil B. DeMille, who plays an important role in the story. Arguably, DeMille is probably most remembered for his role in this film than any of his other movies outside of "The Ten Commandments". Gloria Swanson herself was a silent film star, and this also her most famous role. Holden and Wilder worked together again in one of my favorites: "Stalag 17" two years later.

High Noon (1952)

President Bill Clinton's favorite movie (as he said on the AFI 100 Years...100 Movies special on CBS-TV)

On the verge of retirement, newly married lawman Will Kane (Gary Cooper) is forced to confront a murderer he once sent to prison who now seeks revenge.

Receiving no help from the townspeople, he bravely takes on the criminal and his gang.

Cooper won his second Academy Award for his portrayal of the brave hero.

With Grace Kelly, Lloyd Bridges, and Katy Jurado.

Viva Zapata! (1952)

OK movie about  Mexican Emiliano Zapata who led the fight to restore land taken from the people during the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz during the period between 1909 and 1919.

Starring Marlon Brando as Zapata, Jean Peters and Anthony Quinn (Oscar Winner - Best Supporting Actor). Directed by Elia Kazan.

I wish I could say this is a memorable film.

The Miniver Story (1950)

Filmed on location in England, 8 years after the original "Mrs. Miniver".

The director, HC Potter brings us the continuing story of the Minivers (Greer Garson and Walter Pidgeon).

It's not as good as the first movie, in my opinion.

As the film opens, it's VE Day. We hear an actual radio address by Winston Churchill announcing the news.

Clem returns home from service. But we also see Mrs. Miniver going to the doctor's office, which doesn't appear to be a good sign right from the start.

There is no mention of Vincent, their son from the first movie. Did he die at war? Suicide? The writers could have at least given us just a little bit of info. It's a much sadder film than the original.

And missing is a character like Henry Travers' in the original, who provided some comedic lighthearted relief, which would have been nice to see in this film, in my opinion.

Le Plaisir (1952) directed by Max Ophuls

Translated into English, "Le Plaisir" means "The Pleasure".

The film is a compilation of three short stories, and features a fine cast of French actors: Pierre Brasseur, Danielle Darrieux, Jean Servais, Simone Simon, and Jean Gabin.

According to the Criterion website, the film "pinpoints the cruel ironies and happy compromises of life with a charming and sophisticated breeziness."

Story 1: Le Masque (The Mask): Takes place in a dance hall. A rubber mask reveals an old man who loves to dance.

Story 2: Le Maison Tellier. (The Tellier House) A madame by the name of Tellier closes her brothel for the day and travels to the countryside with her workers for a Catholic mass. Meanwhile, a Jewish girl is touched by the serenity of the service.

Story 3:  Le Modele.(the model)  An artist meets Simon Simone in the Louvre and falls in love.

Fluid camerawork by cinematographers Philippe Agostini and Christian Matras.
Written by Guy de Maupassant. Directed by Max Ophuls.

Come Back, Little Sheba (1952)

Booth and Lancaster are both fascinating to watch;
they are both affected by the arrival of
their new tenant in different ways.

Burt Lancaster and Shirley Booth play a childless couple whose lives are changed after they rent out a room to a young, energetic college student played by Terry Moore.

Lancaster's character (a recovering alcoholic) sees the new tenant as a daughter-figure and becomes overly protective. When his emotions are stirred by her jock boyfriend (Richard Jaeckel) he thinks about going back to the bottle. For Booth, the young tenant's stay causes her to reflect upon the happiness of her youth.

The loss of her beloved dog Sheba years ago played a major factor in her loneliness.

Booth won the Oscar for Best Actress, and she is wonderful in the part as the simple-minded, long-suffering housewife, not unlike the TV character that Jean Stapleton played on the 1970s series All in the Family (as the Edith Bunker character).

In the beginning of the film, Lancaster attends a meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous, which is the first time a meeting of AA was depicted in a Hollywood film or mentioned by name  (source: Journal of Studies on Alcohol, Vol. 50, No. 4, 1989).

Also, Lancaster plays a chiropractor in the film; this may be one of the earliest references to the chiropractic profession in a Hollywood film (at least I'm not familiar with any chiropractors in the movies before this).

Directed by Daniel Mann (The Rose Tattoo, BUtterfield 8)

Come Back, Little Sheba (1952) | Diary of A Movie Maniac (wordpress.com)

The Caine Mutiny (1954)

An exciting and compelling drama featuring memorable performances by Humphrey Bogart, Van Johnson and Fred MacMurray, set during WWII.

In the first part of the film, a naval captain (Bogart) pushes his crew to the limits, forcing the crew - believing him to be mentally unstable - to stand against him and his orders. In the second part of the film, the officers are brought to trial, and in his testimony the captain's true state-of-mind is revealed.

The movie is brilliantly told from the perspective of an Ensign, played by Robert Francis (1930-1955). Mr. Francis died very young at the age of 25 in a plane crash, and only had 4 films to his credit: They Rode West (1954, with Donna Reed), The Long Gray Line (1955, with Tyrone Power), and The Bamboo Prison (1954, with Dianne Foster).

Another promising young star in the film is May Wynn (1928 - ), who plays the Ensign's girlfriend. She retired from films after the 1950s; this was her best-known film. More about May Wynn here at the blog Captain Critic.

Van Johnson, Robert Francis, and Fred MacMurray

Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Best Actor (Bogart), Best Supporting Actor (Tom Tully), Best Screenplay, and Best Score (Max Steiner).

Directed by Edward Dmytryk.  Co-starring Jose Ferrer, Tom Tully, EG Marshall, and James Edwards. A number of other recognizable actors have smaller roles aboard the ship, including Lee Marvin, James Best, Claude Akins, Jerry Paris, and Todd Karns, who played brother Harry Bailey in It's A Wonderful Life.

Based on the acclaimed novel by Herman Wouk (1915 - 2019).

Trivia: Herman Wouk served in the U.S. Navy as Executive Officer on the Destroyer-Minesweepers U.S.S. Zane and U.S.S. Southard. This later became the inspiration for his novel The Caine Mutiny. (IMDb)

Further Reading:
Greenbriar Picture Shows: The Caine Mutiny, Part 1
Greenbriar Picture Shows: Part 2: Exhibitor Memories of The Caine Mutiny

Wagon Master (John Ford, 1950)

While I was in Palo Alto this past Spring, I went to the Stanford Theater and watched Wagon Master, which was playing that week.

The titular wagon master is played by Ben Johnson.

He's hired by a Mormon pioneer (Ward Bond) to lead his wagon train through the desert to their "promised land'. Jane Darwell (Grapes of Wrath) plays one of the Mormons.

Any film about a slow-moving wagon train in the blistering heat needs to have a good story and interesting characters to hold my interest. The film gets interesting when the group meets a family of gypsy performers and let them travel along. Ben Johnson even falls for the daughter, played by Joanne Dru).

There's an interesting sequence where a group of Native Americans invite the entire group to their campsite.

The film gets even more interesting when the Clegg Family - a group of fugitive brothers - gets involved.  The leader of the group is the ruthless "Uncle Shiloh" (Charles Kemper), a nasty villain.

Co-starring Harry Caray Jr.  Directed by John Ford.

Read a review from Laura of Laura's Misc Musings

Read another blog post from Just Hit Play here

La Strada (1954)

In Fellini's masterpiece, La Strada (The Road), Anthony Quinn plays a traveling performing artist, the great Zampano, and his sidekick is Gelsomina, played beautifully by Guiellta Massina. They travel from place to place. At one circus they meet a daredevil clown named "Il Matto"/"The Fool" played by Richard Basehart, who has a pivotal scene with Gelsomina. Fellini insisted on having Quinn and Basehart in these roles; he thought they were perfect for these parts, and I agree, they are. Their dialogue is dubbed by Italian actors (actually all the dialogue is dubbed, even the Italian-language roles) and their appearances made this an international hit film.

Some think this sequence is critical
of religion because it shows the
procession in a pompous way.
I didn't take it that way.
I think this scene shows further
development of her
character's spirituality and morality.

There's much that could be written about this allegorical film, and much has. The first time I saw this was in a film appreciation class devoted to Fellini. The course instructor said that ever since the movie came out, people have been arguing over its meaning.

In this post, I will share my take on some of the scenes discussed in the class, especially those that have kept me thinking ever since I first saw it. Note: there will be spoilers ahead.



To me, Gelsomina represents impressionible, childlike innocence. When she first watches Zampano perform, she doesn't even know how to react, and looks around for the cue of others. Zampano and The Fool can represent two sides of the nature of man, the bad and the good.

Here are some other thought provoking questions that I continue to ask myself about this film.
This is sometimes described as a "neorealist" film. Is it really?

My take: No. In a neo-realistic film you will find a political message and/or a statement about society, and we don't see that in this film. Like in I Vitelloni, this film is has no specific setting, and could take place in a number of locales.


How did Rosa die?

I might have missed it, but I don't think it was explained. Could Rosa have been beaten to death by Zampano? It's possible.

During the wedding scene, what did you make of the part when the little kids take Gelsomina up to see the little boy in the attic, and she looks at him and smiles? Why is she so interested in him?

I think the boy reminded her of herself when she was his age. I think she might have been bedridden and hidden from other people too. I thought there would be a follow up scene with Gelsomina going back up to see him again, but Fellini doesn't show the upstairs room again. It's interesting to note that right after this scene, Gelsomina decides to run away from the brutal Zampano. Something inside of her told her to get out.

What did you make of Catholic procession scene?

Why does Fellini frame the shot like this?

It looks like Fellini filmed a real procession here for this sequence. Such processions can be found in Mexico and other countries with a large Catholic population. In this part of the story, Gelsomina has escaped from Zampano, and she is experiencing a new freedom for the first time. She's also alone for the first time, and very impressionable. I love the shots of her delighting in a small bug she picks from the ground, or looking into a storefront. Such an innocent creature. I think this scene is meant to show her budding spirituality. Fellini implies that she goes to the mass because we see the inside of the church, and the scene cuts; we don't see Gelsomina praying or experiencing the mass. I also find this overheard shot with the saloon's sign to be an interesting juxstaposition; why does Fellini frame this shot this way? Perhaps it is to show that Gelsomina could head down several roads now that she is free from Zampano – she could become involved with the church, perhaps play music or even become a nun herself, or she could choose to be a saloon performer, and associate with a different crowd.

When Gelsomina and Zampanò spent the night in the convent, did they steal the silver?

I think they did, which is why she cries when they pull away from the convent. Zambano was so forceful that he likely forced her into stealing them. Fellini never shows them doing the deed (or not doing it).

Why does The Fool tease Zampano?

I'm not sure why. Fellini only tells us that they knew of each other before, and they clearly don't like each other when they are reunited. I think Zampano must have said or done something to him in the past to make him disrupt the circus like that. It could have been a physical fight, or he might have said something to really offend him.

Why does Zampanò go to the beach at the end? And why does he look into the sky?

I think he's suddenly realizing that he's totally alone in the world. This might even be a spiritual moment for him. Why does he go into the water? I think perhaps he wanted to go to the beach where Gelsomina died, so he could be there in some way to pay his respects. Some people in the class though he was trying to cleanse himself, which is why he walks into the water, but I don't think so. He breaks down because this is the lowest point in his life. He's in so much inner pain. I think he's realizing what Gelsomina really meant to her. Also, I'm wondering if he felt the same way when Rosa died. It's interesting that the movie begins and ends on the beach.

Another review from the blog Wide Screen World

Another take from the blog Confessions of a Film Philistine

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Note: this post has been submitted to a special series of posts devoted to understanding Catholicism at Jackie's blog My Mother Wears Combat Boots. The series is called Catholicism 101 and if you are interested in Catholicism you can check out more here: http://2jackies.blogspot.com/2010/11/catholicism-101_25.html

Eddie Fisher (1928-2010)

Legendary singer Eddie Fisher has passed away at the age of 82. [LA Times story] His huge hits in the 1950s include:

1951: "Any Time" (#2 hit)
1952: "Tell Me Why" (#4 hit)
1952: "Wish You Were Here" (#1 hit)
1953: "I'm Walking Behind You" (#1)
1953: "Oh! My Pa-pa" (#1 hit)
1954: "I Need You Now" (#1 hit)

He acted in only two films, the drama Butterfield 8 (1960) and the musical-comedy Bundle of Joy (1956). Dawn posted a nice tribute today on her blog Noir & Chick Flicks.

Some of you youngsters might not remember his hit songs, so have a listen to a few of them...

No Way Out (1950) with Sidney Poitier

No Way Out is a really great, underrated film from 1950. It features the film debut of Sidney Poitier, who plays a young doctor who has to treat Richard Widmark's racist character. I think it was ahead of its time in tackling race and racism on screen; few other movies in this same period were touching the subject. There are quite a few uses of the N word, also surprising to hear back in 1950 in movies. 

Sidney playing a doctor in his first film is something truly groundbreaking.  The movie, even though it is a bit dated, is still watchable today, and holds up better than many films of the same era. 

Also starring Linda Darnell. Available on DVD/Netflix.

Stalag 17 (1953)

Earlier today, some other bloggers (I won't mention any names) were writing on another site how much they "hate" this movie and called it "incredibly stupid" and said they "hate" Animal. What!? I love this movie. And I love Animal. LOVE it! LOVE IT! One of my absolute favorties.



The recent DVD re-release has an great commentary with real WW2 vets Richard "Hoffy" Erdman and Gil "Cookie" Stratton.

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1954

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars in the USA, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. John Wayne

2. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis

3. Gary Cooper

4. James Stewart

5. Marilyn Monroe

6. Alan Ladd

7. William Holden
8. Bing Crosby

9. Jane Wyman

10. Marlon Brando

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |

1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |

1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |

1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1953

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars in the USA, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. Gary Cooper

2. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis

3. John Wayne

4. Alan Ladd

5. Bing Crosby

6. Marilyn Monroe

7. James Stewart

8. Bob Hope

9. Susan Hayward

10. Randolph Scott

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |

1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |

1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |

1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1952

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. Dean Martin & Jerry Lewis



2. Gary Cooper



3. John Wayne



4. Bing Crosby 5. Bob Hope



6. James Stewart



7. Doris Day



8. Gregory Peck 9. Susan Hayward



10. Randolph Scott

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Little Fugitive (1953) or... A Kid in Coney Island

I saw Little Fugitive at a screening at a revival house; after the show I asked a few people if they had ever heard of it before this screening, but no one did.

Another suitable title for the film could be "A Kid in Coney Island", since that's basically what it's about. A boy  spends an entire day and night exploring the amusement park, all by himself.

It begins with him running away from neighborhood bullies; he leaves with some grocery money that his mom left on the counter. There's more to the story, but I don't want to give it all away.

It's fun to watch him wander aimlessly through the streets of Brooklyn, eventually boarding a subway that takes him to Coney Island. I have never been to New York, but this film really gave me a glimpse of what it might like to be there during this time.

This is not like Home Alone: Lost in New York - no slapstick or lowbrow humor. The kid, whose name is Joey (played by Richie Andrusco), is about 5 or 6 years old (actually younger than Macauley Culkin was in those 1990s films).

Joey plays every game, goes on all the rides, buys watermelon, cotton candy, etc. There are some very humorous moments throughout the film, especially when his brother comes looking for him. There are many candid shots of people and scenes that you feel like it's almost a documentary.

The film is even said to have inspired the filmmakers of the French New Wave, and such films like The 400 Blows, which I thought of throughout this movie; you can see the influence.

None of the child actors in the film ever became famous, though the movie's posters promoted the young star to be the next big thing. I don't know what happened to them.

You can find the DVD on a Kino Edition DVD. It might even be played on Turner Classics from time to time.

The Earrings of Madame de... (1953) directed by Max Ophuls

Director: Max Ophuls. Language: French. Based on the short novel by Louise de Vilmorin. Setting: Paris, late 19th Century.


Before the film began, our instructor started off with a brief lecture, informing us of the "circular structure" of the film, which I didn't understand until after seeing it. In the film, a pair of earrings passes through the hands of several owners, which makes for very amusing entertainment. The earrings were originally a wedding present from General Andre (Charles Boyer) to his vain wife Countess Louisa (Danielle Darrieux). After years of marriage, they both end up having affairs, and the earrings are passed along to other people: Louisa sells them to pay off her gambling debts, Boyer gives them to his mistress, and Louisa gets them again as a present from her lover, a diplomat (Vittorio di Sica).

Similar to Caught, this is a film about a woman who is caught between two men - one, her husband, and the other, her lover. It's also the story of a woman caught in a web of her own lies. From the very first scenes we realize she's a chronic deceiver. Boyer's character is not all that sympathetic either. Holding our interest throughout are the earrings, which take on more meaning throughout the film. By the end of the film Lousia has fetishized them to the point where they have overtaken her life.


---- The novel vs. the film version -----

I was curious about why this film was called "Madame de..." and why we are not told the last names of the characters. According to the synopsis from TCM Imports,

(Louise) Vilmorin (the author of the novel) left the characters unnamed, using the abbreviated Madame de and General de in a tribute to 19th century novelists who had used the same device to suggest their stories were based on real-life events. She did not give her story any clear setting in time or place, however, leaving the details to the reader's imagination. In his adaptation, Ophüls kept the naming, creating the suggestion that his characters could represent anybody from the story's milieu. He also fleshed out the other details. In particular, he set the story in Paris during the 1890s, a period with which he felt a strong personal connection. And as a tribute to the author, he gave his leading lady her first name, Louise.


---- The Famous Ballroom Dance Scene -----

In perhaps the greatest sequence in the film, di Sica and Louisa meet in a ball one night and they spend all night dancing. Reminiscent of Letter From An Unknown Woman, one of the band players anxious to go home observes, "Those two are always the last." An analysis of a part of this scene at the blog VCR-chaeology; read the post here.

Roger Ebert, in his review, wrote "On the dance floor, they observe it has been three weeks since they danced together....and then they are dancing still and no time has passed. The dialogue and costumes indicate the time transitions, but the music plays without interruption, as do their unbroken movements together...The economy of storytelling here--a courtship all told in a dance--resembles the famous montage in ''Citizen Kane'' where a marriage dissolves in a series of breakfasts."


---- Final thoughts -----

The camera work is once again incredible, and there are some interesting transitions. In one shot, Louisa tears up a letter, and throws the pieces out of a train window. The pieces fly through the sky and dissolve into snow in the next shot, set in winter.

The ending of the film leaves it open to further speculation, and in the class we had a good time discussing what might have happened next. A few people debated the outcome of a dual that was to happen at the end.



---- For more about this movie -----

Recommended, and available on DVD/Netflix. The Criterion DVD (which I have not checked out yet) has an audio commentary, interviews, analysis of the film, and a booklet. Further reviews of this film could be found at Criterion Confessions, Movie Ramblings, and The Molten Notebook.