doufus Reviews

The Horizontal Lieutenant (1962)

My bit about The Horizontal Lieutenant

[7/10 · 27 October 2006]

I thought the movie at the time of its release was a great comedy. I watched it and was completely entertained.

I was always a fan of Jim Hutton and to this day I think Paula Prentiss was one of the sexiest females in Hollywood. This statement comes at a time when Marilyn Monroe ruled that venue. So I was a fan of Hutton and had a crush on Prentiss. You could probably deduce that my consideration of this movie is influenced by those facts and you would probably be right.

But, that is what made the movies like The Horizontal Lieutenant popular. Nice guys who were capable of drawing the audience into his predicaments and a beautiful co-star who usually got him out of his jam. Hutton and Prentiss could have done this forever as far as I am concerned and I would have gone babbling back to the movie. No matter how bad the movie was a 90 minute look at Prentiss was worth the pain.

This movie was not directed by some artist from a European country and it was not considered to be an artistic accomplishment. It was meant to be entertaining for a couple of hours and nothing more. It accomplished its goal hands down and need not hide its head in shame because it did not reach some haughty artitistic level.

I will admit that the fact that I thought that Paula Prentiss was a sexy woman may have something to do with my appreciation of this movie but I truly believe that I would have enjoyed it as much if Mary Wickes had been placed into Paula's role. If Mary Wickes had starred I would have to simply sit back and wait for the next Prentiss film.

Come to think of it Mary Wickes ain't that bad if she would only get a better make-up person. I have seen pictures of Mary Wickes when she was in her early twenties and she was a very attractive woman. If Mary Wickes had just come on the scene during the past 15 years she would have gotten Sarah Jessica Parker's part on Sex in the City.

But I digress...

Dave

From Here to Eternity (1953)

From Here to Eternity

[10/10 · 14 March 2006]

I will not try to emulate the profuse language of those who precede me on this comment page. I will simply say that From Here to Eternity belongs , at least, in the top ten of all movies ever made. In every category of movie making from screenplay to cinematography this movie excels.

When I am surfing movie channels and come across From Here to Eternity I am compelled to watch at least a few scenes. After all, I have probably watched it in its entirety a dozen times.

It is the one movie that Hollywood has produced which combined realism with romanticism in a perfect combination. When watching I can smell the barracks, the streets of Honolulu, and the beach. And, I can cry with Prew as well as be shocked at the stoutness of his character that borders on the incredulous. Realism plus romanticism equals perfectionism in film-making.

Would be filmmakers could learn a lot from an in depth study of this movie.

Dave

Backlash (1956)

Donna Reed's Clothes

[10 March 2006]

Where does Donna Reed keep the many beautiful dresses she wears? She travels on horse-back...

I would like to submit the fact that Donna Reed never wore a dress in the movie Backlash. As a matter of fact in the early part of the movie she was in slightly tight trousers and for the remainder of the movie she was in culottes.

She did use her blouse to dress Richard Widmark's wound earlier and one must wonder where she got a blouse to wear for the rest of the movie. But, who's counting.

But that doesn't matter with regard to the above comment as Donna Reed was an extremely beautiful woman who always acted to the extent that was required of her. She did so very well in this movie even though she only contributed a blouse from her saddle bag to dress Richard Widmarks wound.

Was the scene where she dressed Widmark's wound believable? No, of course not. Was it sexy, yes very much so. Was its sexiness out of order for the fifties? Of course not.

You put the beautiful Donna Reed in a movie and leave out her sexiness and you have committed the most grievous of sins.

It was a good movie.

Doufus