Centennial Summer (1946)

Centennial Summer is a sweet, Technicolor period musical (set in 1876) starring Jeanne Crain and Linda Darnell, who play sisters vying for the affection of Cornel Wilde's character, a Frenchman visiting Philadelphia during the World's Fair.

Dorothy Gish plays the mother of Jeanne & Linda; her character has most of the comical moments in the film. Walter Brennan plays her husband, a railroad worker who dreams of new inventions and loves to argue politics and rip on Republicans. Dorothy has funny lines to say such as "put your pants on!" to a pajama-clad Brennan walking around the house. Unfortunately, Ms. Gish's screen time is limited, and she often has to compete with Constance Bennett who plays her socialite sister and tends to be a scene-stealer, saying things like "I'm simply livid with envy over your heavenly family!".  But Dorothy brings the most to her matriarch character, and is very down-to-earth and supportive.

In one of the best scenes in the film, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant comes to Philadelphia and speaks to a large crowd. Dorothy Gish and her family are all way in the back of the crowd where nobody can can hear a thing (no microphones yet!). It was one of the moments that remind you of the setting and time.

This film is the most lighthearted film I've ever seen by director Otto Preminger, primarily known for his edgy films. The "edgiest" moments in gleeful Centennial Summer  include a single woman visiting an obstetrician and a scene where characters call each other "stupid asses".

In the 1946 New York Times review of the film, the reviewer said this film was "an obvious attempt to copy "Meet Me in St. Louis"" and that it "limps along heavily and slowly ".

I wont't be that harsh on the movie, but I did think it could have used a bit more of Dorothy Gish, and a bit more comedy, too.

But the costumes and music are good, including the Oscar-nominated song "All Through The Day" (by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein). Another song, "I Woke Up with the Lark This Morning", is the sunniest, happiest, pie-in-the-sky song you may ever hear. Another snappy musical number - "Cinderella Sue", performed by a black family led by Cotton Club singer Avon Long - is one of the film's highlights.

Recommended! Available to watch on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NSxrXh4vNg

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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.

Fallen Angel (1946)

A good film noir starring Linda Darnell (one of her first films) and Alice Faye. Dana Andrews is a drifter who finds himself in a remote California beach town near San Francisco. He's a con man who starts his act almost from the moment he gets off the greyhound. But as the film progresses, he actually becomes the one to bring justice to the town.

Supporting performances by Anne Revere as Faye's overprotective sister, Charles Bickford as a lawman, and John Carradine as the strange fortune teller who comes passing through town -- he and Dana Andrews try to out-con each other, followed by a strange seance that exposes the fortune teller for the fraud he is.

This was Alice Faye's last film appearance for 16 years. She retired from films and divided her time between her radio show with husband Phil Harris and raising their family.

More reviews at other blogs here:

Film Noir Archive: Review of Fallen Angel

Classic Movies Digest: Review of Fallen Angel

Laura's Misc Musings: Review of Fallen Angel