Director: Leslie Goodwins
Cast: Lon Chaney, Jr., Peter Coe, Virginia Christine
Yes, Leslie Goodwins is a man.
This week, Sven is returning to his regular horror programming with a Lon Chaney, Jr. film (you might know him from THE WOLFMAN).
PLOT: In the bayous of Louisiana, two representatives of the Scripps Museum, Dr. James Halsey (Dennis Moore) and Dr. Ilzor Zandaab (Peter Coe) come to investigate the swamps, which are going to be drained but are being hampered by the workers, who claim they are haunted.
A black worker becomes frantic and says that a man has been killed. Pat Walsh (Addison Richards), the head of the swamp project, tells him to alert Cajun Joe (Kurt Katch), a Frenchman who knows a lot about these things. At the site of the murder, the men find an imprint on the ground which they think is a man's body (mind you, this thing looks like a frickin puzzle piece, not a man's body).
Dr. Zandaab turns out to be - GASP! - a channeler who is sent to revive Kharis (Lon Chaney, Jr.). Together, he and his assistant Ragheb (Martin Kosleck) recite an ancient story, than feed Kharis the elixir, bringing the mummy back to life. A caretaker intrudes and the mummy immediately goes to work, killing the intruder.
Meanwhile, Princess Ananka (Virginia Christine) rises and is rescued by Cajun Joe. Kharis chases after her, because according to the story, she is his love, but unfortunately for him, she doesn't remember him and he ends up killing Tante Berthe, the cafe singer, instead. The next day, she wakes up coherently speaking, but has no idea who she is or what has happened to her. Dr. Halsey puts her to work in his lab, where he is shocked that she knows who Kharis is and even more shocked when she begins to call his name.
That night, the mummy comes for Ananka and the doctor and ends up killing Dr. Cooper. The mummy breaks into the tent and takes Ananka with him. Ragheb and Betty Walsh (Kay Harding) go to the tomb to rescue her. Ananka dies and the men with guns show up and Dr. Halsey, despite there being thankfully no love scenes in this film, walks away with Betty. The End.
REVIEW: This movie only lasted 57 minutes, which explains why I only found it mediocre. The plot seemed very basic: bad guys revive mummy, climax, end. It had great, spooky music though. 3 out of 5 stars.
Director: Robert Gordon
Cast: Kenneth Tobey, Faith Domergue, Donald Curtis
Don't you wish that Curtis would change to O'Connor?
Anyway, I'm making it up TO you and FOR Sven by reviewing...another campy 50s sci-fi film, this one starring people that no one, not even me, has heard of.
PLOT: A giant octopus attacks Navy sailors in a submarine in the San Francisco Harbor, captained by Commander Pete Mathews (Kenneth Tobey). They are able to get away, recovering a small bit of tissue. A pair of marine biologists, Lesley Joyce (Faith Domergue) and John Carter (Donald Curtis), are called in to Pearl Harbor, where the ship is docked. They determine the tissue to be that of an octopus. Of course, it is Pete's responsibility to play the creepy old man and provide the gratuitous love story, hitting on Lesley.
Robert David Chase visits the team and is skeptical when Dr. Carter presents the octopus (a normal-sized one) as the villain, causing Lesley to become rightly pissed. Later that night, the giant octopus attacks another boat of sailors, who escape in a dinghy. The unlucky few left on the ship get devoured by Cthulhu. Carter and Lesley are supposed to go to Cairo, but after they kiss, Pete's boss informs them that their ship has been attacked and they will not be able to go.
Meanwhile, the survivors of the octopus' latest attack tell the doctor what happened to them, and of course he's skeptical. Lesley has the idea to use her sex appeal to her advantage. She puts the admiral on the phone and tells the patient to recount his story, finally convincing the admiral to close off trade in the Pacific and begin a search.
The admiral, Chase, Pete, Lesley and Carter meet to discuss possible avenues of investigation to catch the beast. They decide to investigate the scenario most likely: a marine station off the coast of Canada that has lost contact with land, and Lesley asks that they consider the second likely: deep-sea fishermen in the Pacific Northwest complaining about lack of fish. Pete asks to go with Lesley, but his boss objects until he receives a telegram telling him that an Oregon family has been taken into the Pacific Ocean.
One night, while having sexy time on the beach, Pete and Lesley receive a visit from Dr. Carter, who confirms that it really is an octopus. The dopey sheriff gets attacked by the thing and the entire West coast prepares for an attack. Lesley takes the press down to the San Fran Naval Yards to see the warhead that will be aimed at the monster's brain, its one vulnerable spot.
The monster strikes at the Golden Gate Bridge, taking hold of it. Carter tries to hurry and pull the switch, but not before the monster crushes a cop car. In a cool scene, the fiend breaks through the pavement and the bridge, destroying the man-made structures. Then, strangely, it disappears into the sea.
Taking a breather here to say that stupidity was just as rampant in the 50s as it is today. If the guy says the ferry boats are closed, then THE FERRY BOATS ARE CLOSED. That means DON'T RUN UP TO THE FERRY EXPECTING A RIDE. Sheesh...
In probably a few of the most famous scenes in sci-fi cinema history, the local fishermen become terrified when the monster rears its ugly tentacles. Its tentacles are now on land, threatening the locals and their buildings. Its tentacle sneaks through the entrance of the Oakland Ferry, destroying it (I actually support this move. Maybe people won't be as stupid now).
When the monster hits the city, it destroys everything in sight, until the fire department comes and picks up the Navy's slack by using flamethrowers on the beast. The sub fires a torpedo that lodges into the creature's skin. After a diver goes out with a spear but does not return, Carter goes out for himself, armed with a harpoon gun. The following sequence takes place:
JOHN used HARPOON GUN!
It's super effective!
SUBMARINE used TORPEDO!
It's super effective!
Enemy OCTOPUS has fainted!
NAVY and JOHN gain x points for winning!
The End.
REVIEW: Okay, I have to admit: neither this film, nor the CREATURE films, are campy. They just seem that way. They really are genuinely scary and terrifying. I feel sorry for these poor San Franciscans. They never have it easy when it comes to natural disasters. First in 1906 and then in 1955. Poor things. Some of the music was unexplainable, such as the score played when the monster attacks the city. I liked this film and was generally terrified by it. 4 out of 5 stars.
The film was filmed in black and white, but is in color on YouTube. Part 1:
Director: Norman Z. McLeod
Cast: Groucho Marx, Chico Marx, Harpo Marx, Zeppo Marx, Thelma Todd, Reginald Barlow
This week, Svengoolie isn't airing a horror film. Rather, he's airing a Marx Brothers film! Nice change of pace, yeah?
PLOT: Wagstaff (Zeppo Marx) is in his 12th year of college at Huxley. His father Professor Wagstaff (Groucho Marx - "I'm ashamed to be your father") wants them to win the big Thanksgiving Day football game against Darwin.
The professor goes to a speakeasy in an attempt to find football players and finds them in Baravelli the Ice Man (Chico Marx) and his assistant Harpo, a dog catcher. His son, meanwhile, visits his girl and tells her that his dad wants him to give her up.
Professor Wagstaff insists that they tear down the college and focus on football. He interrupts a biology class and gives the students false information. We all know which class they're gonna fail this semester. Baravelli and Harpo start a spitball war with him and he is forced to leave.
Professor Wagstaff flirt with his son's love interest (Thelma Todd), and so does Baravelli. It is in this scene that Chico shows off his amazing piano skills.
Professor Wagstaff and Baravelli plot to kidnap some football players, but Baravelli is offered $500 to steal the Huxley signals. He brushes it off and it falls on the college widow to get the signals from the professor. The two go out in a boat and Quincey foils the widow and sends her overboard.
Baravelli and Harpo go kidnap the Darwin players. Or at least, they TRY to kidnap the Darwin players; after a fight, the players strip them of their clothes and leave them in their apartment. But they escape and head to the big game.
At the game, Harpo scores touchdown after touchdown by doing what Harpo does best: by getting footballs off of a chariot and putting them in the endzone. Huxley wins and the three boys get married to Thelma. The End.
REVIEW: I think this film is cool because each of the Marxes get to show off what they can do: Groucho and Zeppo sing, Chico plays piano, and Harpo plays...well...harp. Groucho's one-liners are spot on and hilarious as usual. I highly recommend any Marx Brothers comedy; you will be laughing right when the opening credits start. Speaking of the opening credits, I love the musical numbers in this film, though apparently Groucho himself didn't. 4 out of 5 stars. Very funny.
Director: Jack Arnold
Cast: John Agar, Lori Nelson
This week we're reviewing the sequel to CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
PLOT: The sequel finds Lucas, the crusty boat captain from the first CREATURE, journeying to the Amazon with two new men. He tells them the story of the Gill Man. Nervous, the men dive for and capture the beast and transfer him to the Oceanarium in Florida. Clete Ferguson (John Agar) a psychologist there, is sent with Joe Hayes, the Gill Man's keeper, to look after the creature.
The creature is put into a dolphin show and Clete goes out with Helen Dobson (Lori Nelson), an ichthyology student. They dive to observe the creature. The creature takes an immediate like to Helen and the revenge begins. The creature ends up escaping, causing a nationwide panic.
Clete and Helen go to a party in Jacksonville where the creature unexpectedly lurks. They narrowly escape the creature's grasp after making out. The creature invades the party, causing terror. A manhunt is called and everyone is to go indoors. Helen's body is found by two college students who are attacked by the creature, who subsequently carries the limp Helen away.
The police captain calls out a massive search for the creature. They catch the fiend who finally releases Helen. The End.
REVIEW: Hey look, another campy 50s sci-fi sequel that was just as campy as the first, although I liked the first CREATURE better. Of course, it was hard to pay attention with the Mystery Science Theatre 3000 crew making wisecracks the entire time. 3 out of 5 stars.
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Cast: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day, Herbert Marshall, George Sanders, Albert Basserman, Robert Benchley
Alexander Granach has a small role in this film as a valet.
PLOT: Let me begin by saying that this film's opening credit music is far too cheerful for a film about Nazis, or, for that matter, a Hitchcock film.
Mr. Powers (Harry Davenport), the editor of the New York Morning Globe, wants a decent reporter to cover the "crisis" (understatement) in Europe. He drafts Johnny Jones (Joel McCrea) as a foreign correspondent. He gives him the pen name of Huntley Haverstock, claiming that it's a good name for a foreign correspondent (more like a good name for a square British kid).
Huntley arrives in London and meets Stebbins (Robert Benchley) who thankfully decides to call him Jones. Jones receives a telegram from Powers telling him that it is absolutely crucial that he attend a luncheon that will feature a man named Van Meer (Albert Basserman), a Dutch diplomat. He, being a crazy old man, ignores Jones' questions, but he does say he feels helpless about the prospect of war.
The luncheon is put on by Stephen Fisher (Herbert Marshall), leader of the Universal Peace Party, and his daughter Carol (Laraine Day), who talks way too much. She reveals her real name is Smith. Fisher makes a speech, revealing that Van Meer is not able to attend, but rather, is at a political conference in Amsterdam, which Jones finds suspicious. While he's listening to Carol speak, Jones becomes smitten. He embarrasses himself by clapping when no one else does. What a dunce.
Jones is ordered to head to Amsterdam to cover Van Meer at the press conference that he is attending. At the conference, Van Meer doesn't seem to remember Jones, being an old man and all. When a photographer asks for his picture, Van Meer agrees. When the photographer snaps the camera, he fires a gun, killing Van Meer and initiating a killing spree. Jones jumps into a getaway car where he is reunited with Carol and meets Scott ffolliott (George Sanders), another reporter (the capital F in his last name was dropped in memory of a deceased ancestor). This is really the first car chase/car shooting, as the assassin shoots at the good guys from his vehicle.
The good guys lose the getaway car and end up in a windmill farm. Jones tells Scott and Carol to get the police because he believes that the assassin is in one of the windmills. Left alone, Jones investigates the windmill. After finding the assassin, he finds the real Van Meer, who explains that the man shot was a doppelganger.
Jones gets the police to come with him to the mill to catch the assassin, but they have escaped. Instead, he finds a man who will not identify himself and the assassin's car nowhere in sight.
When he returns to his hotel, two men disguised as policemen ask him to come down to the station for questioning. Confirming that they are crooks about to kill him, he sneaks into Carol's room. She doesn't believe him when he says he's in trouble. He throws a pity party, which eventually gets her to tell him not to leave (if you're new to classic film, this trick always works).
Jones and Carol board a ship back to England. As usual, there's a romantic scene en route to a destination, as Jones proposes to Carol and she agrees. At Stephen's home back in London, Jones recognizes one of the men he saw at the windmill. Fisher orders Jones to keep the story about Van Meer being kidnapped quiet until further notice. Fisher sends a bodyguard, Rowley (Edmund Gwenn) to protect him. Rowley pushes Jones in the way of an oncoming truck, trying to kill him, but Jones keeps out of danger. Rowley's second attempt at murdering Jones comes on the Tower of London. In an expert plot twist, Jones throws Rowley over the edge, and that's the end of corrupt bodyguards.
Jones and Scott decide that Fisher is a traitor, so they decide to kidnap Carol. Scott tails Fisher and tells him that Carol is being held hostage and demands to know where Van Meer is being held. Carol is reunited with her father and learns that she is going back to America the next day. Fisher and the windmill man interrogate Van Meer, but just as the Dutchman is about to spill the beans, Scott interrupts them. Van Meer is tortured into telling everything. Just as that happens, in a wicked cool scene, Scott jumps out a window and Jones enters, but the crooks have escaped.
Scott takes the case to arrest Fisher to Scotland Yard, believing there is enough proof, but is denied. In the meantime, war is declared on Germany by France and England, so everyone performs the natural human response: they get on a plane to America. Fisher mans up and confesses his wrongdoings to Carol. Jones decides to do the same, but Carol plays the typical annoying female lead who gets mad because she thinks her husband doesn't love her.
The plane is bombed by a German U-boat. Carol, amazingly (and thankfully), does not play the typical annoying female lead who screams in the face of danger. Instead, she tells the team what they need to do to stay safe. The plane makes an emergency landing in the Atlantic Ocean. The gang gets picked up by an American ship and get taken back to London. To a captain who is determined to retain American neutrality by not letting Jones print his story, they relate the story while Powers and the New York crew listen in. The film ends with Jones and Carol doing a radio broadcast in London while the city is being bombed.
REVIEW: Interesting that this film has nothing to do with Nazis, though they are mentioned. I absolutely love Jones' ending quote: "America, hang on to your lights. They're the only lights left in the world."
I really do not think that this is Hitchcock's best work, though it isn't nearly as terrible as NOTORIOUS. I found it very good, but not his best. 3 out of 5 stars.
Trailer. For Spanish speakers, the full film is available in Spanish on YouTube.
This week's Silent Sunday is a good one featuring Norma Shearer as a con artist.
PLOT: Dolly 'Angel Face' Morgan (Norma Shearer) is a phone operator in a ritzy hotel. Her character is hard-hitting from the start, telling a man who asks her if she's ever met a gentleman, "I never met one."
When two rival con artists, Gwen and Brad (I highly doubt parents were naming their kids Bradley in the 20s, or in this case, the 1880's or 90's, at least), spot her working, she runs away. Brad sends two phony cops that "wise" Angel Face thinks are real. Brad convinces her to join forces with him and Gwen, who are plotting to steal money from Old Man Hammond, a rich old gentleman. She gives in and convinces Hammond to call on her. The next morning, Hammond reports ten grand missing to the police. While he says that he gave away ten grand because of his wife being suspicious, he says he begins to feel irregular.
Brad and Gwen try to trick Angel Face that there's no money to be split, but Angel Face looks under Gwen's pillow and finds the money. Brad vows to get her back, saying that she has made "the greatest mistake of her life."
In Atlantic City, Angel Face meets All-American boy Steve Crandall, who is literally Jimmy Stewart before there even was a Jimmy Stewart, and unknowingly pays for his telegram. They begin to date. Angel Face makes up a BS excuse that her ankle is sprained to get Steve to come to her apartment with her. They kiss and he asks her to marry him. She consents. Here's to the happy couple.
Brad, meanwhile, wants his money back, so he confronts Angel Face. He reluctantly agrees to be a part of Angel Face's plan to con Steve. Poor kid doesn't know what's gonna hit him. Luckily, Angel Face uses her wits to get away again.
Steve and Angel Face head south for the wedding and Dolly is shocked to see that Steve isn't as rich as he said he was, being the owner of a cement company. His parents live in a ramshackle old house next to a plantation. Thinking she's impressed by stupidity, he shows her Enduro cement ("takes five minutes to settle but lasts five hundred years"). "Steve's factory" turns out to be a hole-in-the-wall cement barn.
One night, Dolly confesses that she doesn't really love Steve and decides to leave. However, Steve finds Dolly in his room and rejoices because she really does love him. Brad catches up to her, though, and yet again demands his money. Brad and Gwen plot to get a line on Dolly and a line on Steve.
Steve has sold his formula for a hundred grand and his family is now rich. At dinner, Dolly pulls Gwen away to try and convince her that she really does love Steve, but Gwen doesn't buy it and still plans to tell Steve all about her past.
Steve informs Dolly that "Cousin" Brad has invited the couple to stay at his place. Steve lavishes gifts on Dolly, gifts that she doesn't want. Dolly has an idea to call the police to turn herself in and stops Steve from signing up with Brad to tell him that the deal is crooked and that she herself is a crook and wanted by the police. She tells Steve that she married him to cheat him out of his money. Steve doesn't want the marriage to end (and they say women are the clingy ones), but the film ends with Dolly being hauled away by the cops and being questioned by the Warden. However, there is a happy ending, as Dolly's parole is granted by Steve and she gets to spend her life with him.
REVIEW: One thinks that this film will be a suspense, but really, it is a comedy. A comedy that encompasses the '20s lifestyle perfectly, through slang, dress, slight racism and other things. It's a great early gangster film even though it doesn't have any gunfights or car chases. It's a nice pre-code film. 4 out of 5 stars.
Director: Jack Arnold
Cast: Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno
This week for SNH, me and some of the guys met in chat for CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON.
PLOT: Icthyologist Dr. David Reed (Richard Carlson) and his girlfriend, Kay Lawrence (Julia Adams) head to the Amazon to meet up with Dr. Reed's friend, Colonel Saunders look-a-like Dr. Carl Maia (Antonio Moreno), who has uncovered a fossilized hand from the Devonian period. Dr. Reed persuades Dr. Mark Williams (Richard Denning) to fund an expedition to the Amazon to search for the rest of the skeleton. The expedition consists of Drs. Reed, Maia and Williams, as well as Kay and Dr. Edwin Thompson (Whit Bissell). They happen upon a camp that has been attacked by what Lucas (Nestor Paiva), the captain, calls jaguars, but the men suspect foul play.
Upon hearing of the Black Lagoon from Lucas, Dr. Reed decides to go and investigate. Kay takes a swim, oblivious to the creature following her. When she gets back on the boat, it begins to shake as the creature tries to get the girl. The scientists catch a claw that it left behind and examine it. Dr. Reed and Dr. Williams go to investigate and they confirm that yes, there is some sort of humanoid monster down there. Meanwhile, the creature comes on board the ship and attack one of Lucas' crew members, who reminds me an awful lot of Andy from Twin Peaks, who claims it was a demon.
The gang spots the creature finally as it dives underwater. Reed and Williams go to investigate. They finally end up catching the creature when it tries to attack Kay. The creature proceeds to attack everyone on board until Dr. Thompson sets it on fire. Dr. Williams wants to keep exploring, but Reed says that the team can go on another expedition later. Williams is dead set though, a much different tune being sung from his demeanor earlier in the film.
The gang runs into a tree blocking the lagoon, and Reed goes to investigate again. The creature kidnaps Kay, and that's when Reed has had enough. He dives to the bottom of the lagoon and shoots the pest. The film ends with Reed stoning the creature and cowering in fear (how brave) and the creature floats to the bottom of the lagoon. Is it dead? You make the call.
REVIEW: What I really loved about this film besides Richard Carlson (and he's no Gene Kelly) was the music. Great haunting music and great close-ups of the creature, which was very innovative for its time, though I found it laughable that the creature's movements bore great human resemblance.
One thing I found contradicting was the introduction with a reading from the Book of Genesis, and then goes on to explain some scientific mumbo-jumbo. And speaking of scientific mumbo-jumbo, don't you find it hilarious when actors have to talk about things they must have no clue about. Richard Carlson does it in this movie. A similar example is Kyle Maclachlan pretending to know everything about crime investigating techniques in TWIN PEAKS.
I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars. Yet another cheesy but good 50s sci-fi thriller.
Director: Jean Negulesco
Cast: Joan Crawford, John Garfield
A real treat for you John Garfield fans and a real treat for us Oscar Levant fans.
PLOT: Paul Boray (John Garfield) is a noted New York City violinist whose performance is cancelled one night. He longs to be a happy child again (don't we all), and the film flashes back to a time when he was. His father Rudy (J. Carroll Naish) is a grocer. He goes out with his dad to choose what he wants for his birthday at Jeffers' (Harlan Briggs) department store. There, he plays violin while his friend Sid Jeffers (Oscar Levant) plays piano. His father wants him to get something that "normal" boys like: a baseball bat, a fire engine or a windmill (how many little boys play with a windmill? None I know), but Paul wants a violin. His father drags him out of the store with nothing. Gee, I thought it was Paul's birthday, not Rudy's birthday, so shouldn't Paul get to choose what he wants?
Lucky for Paul, his mother is a kind, caring, compassionate woman who forces Rudy to buy him the violin. Of course, all his friends think he's crazy, but he doesn't care. He practices day and night and eventually gets to be in a symphony.
After hearing his brother Phil (Tom D'Andrea) complain about his lack of a job, Paul goes to Sid, asking for a job (mind you, this is 1930). For once in his life, Oscar Levant stops being a sarcastic curmudgeon and gives real advice. Paul joins Sid in a studio recording, but when they run over time and the conductor chooses to cut out the best part of the concerto, Paul objects, and the director kicks him out. He plays the cut part and an interesting Hitchcock-like montage occurs.
Sid tells Paul about the Wrights, a high-society family who throw parties where two-bit musicians get noticed. When an annoying as hell guest teases him about not being able to play violin, he does so and catches the eye of Helen Wright (Joan Crawford). After being rude to him at the party, Helen sends him a gold cigarette case. Paul meets up with her and she tells him he should have a manager and refers him to Frederic Bauer (Richard Gaines).
Helen gives Paul the chance to play for Hagstrom and scolds him for being ungrateful. Aside: why is Sid on parole? Poor Oscar...
Anyway, Paul and Helen go horseback riding, and when Helen falls off her horse, Paul kisses her. Later that night, Helen admits she can't fight him any longer and tells him that she is in love with him. When he gets home, Paul faces the wrath of his mother.
After his tour, Paul runs into an old flame and fellow musician, Gina Romney (Joan Chandler), and they have lunch. Gina mentions that Paul has changed dramatically. It looks like romance is in the air for Sid and Gina, as Sid pecks her on the temple and calls her "baby." Yay for Oscar! He never gets the girl.
Paul gives another concert, and it's very interesting to see how Gina's and Paul's mother's (Ruth Nelson) eyes stray occasionally to Helen, who is sitting in the balcony. All of a sudden, Gina freaks out and leaves, confusing Sid.
Paul and Sid get a nice apartment together. When Paul's parents come to visit, Esther (Paul's mother) reveals to her son her iffy feelings about Helen. Paul responds negatively, receiving a slap from his mother.
Meanwhile, Victor (Paul Cavanaugh), Helen's husband, seems to think that a rumor about his wife is grounds for divorce. I mean, I know in this case it's true, but in other cases, you should always do your own digging before you start accusing.
Helen shows up to one of Paul's rehearsals and slips the doorman a note for Paul to see him immediately, saying she has wonderful news. He snubs her and begins to play again. Later on, Paul finds Helen at a bar drunk and offers to take her home.
Helen visits the Borays' grocery store and receives a lecture from Esther about what is best for her son. Helen seems to have listened, because she refuses to go to Paul's concert even though she really wants to, claiming that it's too quiet and too peaceful where she is to deal with all the crowds and the music. Even though I don't really like her, I find myself really wanting her dress.
The concert goes on and Helen drinks more and more. In a few beautiful shots, Helen walks along the beach, stricken with grief. This film has a heartbreaking ending, one of the most heartbreaking I've ever seen, as Helen walks into the ocean, letting the tide taker her away to the depths of the ocean, and we return to present day; Paul and Sid walk along the beach at Helen's funeral.
REVIEW: I wonder if John Garfield knew how to play the violin before this film? If not, I find it hard to believe that he's that good if he just learned for the film. Also, during the course of a 120-minute film, I have never seen people light a cigarette and smoke it as many times as it occurs in this film.
I liked the There's No Business Like Show Business feel to this film: the many trials a musician must face in order to achieve his dream. This film is real and it was nice to see Oscar Levant as well as see him maintain a balance between sarcasm and being real. I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars, minus one-half for the bitchiness of Helen Wright.
_01.jpg)