As we rest at home, slowly but surely recovering from a bout of heart surgery, we couldn't think of a better way to heal than with a non-stop binge of the most eclectic titles we could pile up.....
As they say on TCM......let's movie.....
Toys In The Attic (1963).....based on a Lillian Hellman play, this feels more like pseudo-Tennessee Williams, an overheated serving of Southern Fried Family Dysfunction.
But damn, we had ourselves a good ole time takin' it all in.......veteran stage titans Wendy Hiller and Geraldine Page play two down-on-their-luck New Orleans sisters....(Hiller the world-weary one, while Page goes full delusional Blanche Dubois). They anxiously await a visit from their wayward, ne'er-do-well brother (none other than the Dino himself.....Dean Martin, more than holding his own against the powerhouse duo.)
Dino, a dubious business wheeler-dealer suddenly flush with cash,, shows up with his sweet, childlike bride (Yvette Mimieux, sort of the Elle Fanning of the 1960's), The marriage doesn't sit well with big sis Geraldine, who's been nursing the forbidden hots for her little bro since who knows when. And his attempt to rescue a former lover from an evil rich guy touches off no end of feverish melodrama and a turning point for everyone involved. One of the films that wears its loud theatricality right on its sleeve and a fine showcase for the whole cast. . 3 stars (***)
March Of Die (1977) One of those big pre-packaged international productions assembled by British impresario Sir Lew Grade and an early producing credit for Popcorn Junk mogul Jerry Bruckheimer.
We guess this must have looked great on paper.......sweeping action-romance about the 1920's French Foreign Legion struggling to maintain colonial control over hostile Arab tribes.
But, no, it mostly lies there inert and by-the numbers until the Legionnaires finally meet their Alamo-Custer's Land Stand as the hands of the howling tribesmen.
Indifferent bored performances from Catherine Deneuve and of all people, Gene Hackman, who looks like he's counting the days until he could escape the set. And yet another failed attempt to make a big star out of the Spaghetti Western prettyboy, Terence Hill. Mostly dull 1 & 1/2 stars (*1/2)
Brannigan (1975) By far the better of John Wayne's two attempts to jump on the "Dirty Harry" bandwagon of Tough Cops Who Take No Prisoners. (the other being "McQ") The Duke goes to London where he tries to extradite a Chicago kingpin (John Vernon) who's taken up British residence with his slippery scheming lawyer (Mell Ferrer.)
Well that doesn't sit well with the Duke, especially when Vernon's kidnapped under the not-so-watchful eye of a Scotland Yard commander (Richard Attenborough), who's not crazy about Wayne's freewheeling policing. (Call us old-fashioned, but we loved the cornball pub brawl that features Wayne and Attenborough doing Wild West Saloon punch-outs.)
Don't mind admitting, we enjoyed this one, as standard and predictable as it was. Throws in all the expected Bull-In-A-China-Shop tropes as the two fisted Wayne outrages the stiff upper lip Attenborough, but still charms his young policewoman minder (the ultra-cute starlet Judy Geeson). And director Douglas Hickok really moves it along. 3 stars (***)
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