Ronzique Reviews

The Lady Says No (1951)

While She Says No, I Say Yes...

[8/10 · 25 February 2017]

The Lady Says No is the type of post World War II film that tackled issues the movies would not focus on. In this case, it's feminism. Beautiful Joan Caulfield (Blue Skies, The Unsuspected) was directed by her husband, Frank Ross, to play a man-hating writer of a book telling women to be cautious of a man's desires. David Niven is a photographer for a magazine who tries to do a story on her, but romance steps in...with complications. He gets embarrassed for whistling at her, she takes the heat for her book causing a marital break-up. But, ultimately, things turn around, as a sergeant reunites with his wife and writer and photographer get back together, as well.

Also in the cast are Francis Bavier (Aunt Bee-The Andy Griffith Show), James Robertson Justice, Henry Jones, Lenore Lonergan, and Peggy Malley, with Bavier and Justice as Caulfield's aunt and uncle, Jones and Lonergan as a military couple, and Malley as a friend of the military couple.

Mostly hilarious and predictable (Caulfield's dream of her fighting off jungle women to get to Niven), but stoic in some areas (Niven's lack of comic response), the film was written as a showpiece for Caulfield, who carried the movie. Wouldn't mind seeing it again. In other words, I would love to see Caulfield flaunt her style in Orry-Kelly fashions, while she defends her position of feminism, while a different actor could have been used as a comic foil, maybe Fred MacMurray. A film slightly ahead of its time.

Her First Romance (1951)

Interesting Look at a Slightly Older Margaret O'Brien

[7/10 · 17 February 2011]

I saw "Her First Romance" today, and was impressed by how Margaret O' Brien, at age 16, still could entertain an audience despite her getting a little older. Her Betty Foster was a girl who goes through the things that young teen-age girls go through...dating the guys, competing with other girls for the attention of a guy, and so on. What I found strange was her robbing her father's safe to get her boyfriend's attention. Elinor Donahue, who had co-starred with O'Brien in 1947's "The Unfinished Dance," dyed her brunette hair blonde to play the girl who competes with O'Brien's Foster for Allen Martin, Jr.'s Bobby Evans, the athletic young heartthrob they fight over at their summer camp.

Ann Doran and Arthur Space did a manageable job as Foster's parents. While the film comes during O'Brien's post MGM days, leading to public opinion of her not being as entertaining as she was as an adorable child star, and in spite of her chubby figure at the time the movie was filmed, there was no mistaking that lovely innocent face and sweet demeanor. I felt entertained by "Her First Romance." Hope to see it on video. Also, if you liked O'Brien in "Her First Romance," you'll also like her, at age 21, in 1956's "Glory," a musical about a girl who helps to raise a thoroughbred to championship status. It was O'Brien's last film, to my knowledge, and also a little entertaining.

The Petty Girl (1950)

Joan Caulfield...so gorgeous....so forgotten

[8/10 · 14 January 2010]

I saw "The Petty Girl" the other day, and it was my first time viewing the film. While Bob Cummings came through big as the artist in search of a model, I was captivated by the golden-haired beauty and charm of the late actress, Joan Caulfield ("Blue Skies," "Dear Ruth"). She was gorgeous. I liked her in "Blue Skies," with her blonde hair worn in a pompadour, and such an innocent look that I admired greatly. But in "The Petty Girl," she went beyond my expectations. She looked great in the blue bathing suit she wore, and her hair was in a pony-tail tied with a gold and, later, a blue scarf. It was the best that I have seen her in the few movies I've seen her do. I wish she would be better remembered by today's movie enthusiasts (critics). She was so radiant in her prime. But that's Hollywood. They want the public to remember the ones with the greatest fame as opposed to those whose careers were short or were transferred to television, like Joan's was. She will always be the beautiful, innocent blonde from the '40's. Some videos of her are in order. RIP, dear one.

See the Sea (1997)

See The Sea a prelude to real life infant kidnappings....

[6/10 · 10 July 2008]

When watching See The Sea on DVD recently, I saw a trend from the movie that was actually done a few times in real life since its 1997 release. In the United States, there were reports of mentally unstable women, usually those who had a bad experience with the birth of a child or the child was aborted for some reason, who broke into homes where other women lived with their newborns, leading them to murder the mother and kidnap the child. In those cases, the kidnapper/murderer was arrested by the authorities. However, in one other incident, the kidnapper/murderer committed suicide.

When Sasha Hails character invites Tatiana (Marina de Van) into her beach side home, she invites her own death and the kidnapping of her little Samantha (played by Hails' real life daughter, who was born prior to the making of the film). What Francois Ozon does well is to slowly unravel the Tatiana character's intentions as the film progressed. Even Sasha finds out late in the story about the real person behind the backpacker who admitted that she had lost her child. To make matters worse, Sasha is a victim of her naivety.

Amazingly, this film lasts only 51 minutes. You would think that this thriller would go, at least 90 minutes, but not enough material was written to extend the movie's length. However, I would have been happy to have seen the kidnapper/murderer get caught by the police to put closure on the case. But the film ends with a crime committed, the perpetrator running free with the baby. Apparently, European films deal more with unsolved answers to problems than finding solutions. How sad.

The Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special (1971 TV Special)

My take on the Doris Day Special (1971)

[10/10 · 22 April 2007]

I just bought the DVD of the Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff Special and it brought back some memories that I may have forgotten over the years. I was 12 years old when this program aired on CBS in March, 1971, and I recall seeing some segments. I enjoyed seeing the middle-aged (45 at the time the program was taped; 46 when it aired) Doris Day become a renaissance woman with her wearing the latest "mod" clothes of the day (including wearing knee-socks...smile), riding a bicycle with the energy and bounce of a child, duets with Perry Como, etc. She seemed so..."young." In fact, Doris Day was probably the most contemporary of her World War II generation of entertainers. She wasn't afraid to venture into new things, including singing new songs in addition to old pop standards. And remember, she was still in her prime when doing this special, so she hadn't lost the voice that made her a star in movies and on the record charts. Do I love Doris Day? Always have...always will. All this as her 83rd birthday approaches. Long live America's "Girl-Next-Door!"

Secretary (2002)

Very Interesting Black Comedy.....

[7/10 · 5 November 2005]

"Secretary" was a very unique black comedy dealing with a taboo subject...sexual harassment. James Spader's sleazy lawyer and Maggie Gyllenhaal's young secretary hit it off on screen, adding sexual sparks, as well as romantic interludes. We see innocence in the eyes of the young secretary when she endures the rigors of working for a demanding boss, and with time, she loses that innocence. And we also see a lawyer in search of a sexual outlet to make him feel good, or feel dominant, as well as to feel loved as a person.

I saw this movie as a possible prelude to James Spader's future appearance on "The Practice" and its spin off series, "Boston Legal." Spader's ability to pull off such a performance of note in "Secretary" may have established him as a master of black comedy as an actor, I might be wrong, but that was my impression.

All in all, I enjoyed "Secretary" very much and hope to own it on video one day.