Last night's movie was "I'll Get You", an espionage film similar in content to "Night People" (reviewed a few days ago). It takes place in London instead of Berlin, in 1953 instead of '45, but we're at the height of the Cold War and someone is kidnapping scientists (instead of soldiers). Once again, the kidnappers are likely Nazis or Russians. George Raft stars as "Steve Rossi", an American aerospace engineer who, for some reason known only to the screenwriter, flies across the pond to investigate. What - he's never heard of Scotland Yard?
In London, he goes in search of a man named "Mr. Grand". After asking around, he finally obtains an address, but when he gets there, he finds only Grand's wife (Sally Gray), who informs him that Grand is out of the country. "This apartment is only temporary. Can't you tell? It's furnished."
By now, we've been watching for about 20 minutes, waiting for things to gel, but we're about to get sidetracked with a romance that goes flat before it ever carbonates. Part of the problem is that, because Raft doesn't believe Mr. Grand is away, he starts engaging the wife in banter, only it isn't the usual back-and-forth repartee, with inflection and body language. Instead, it's as cue-card as could possibly be. Remember Alan Baxter, the actor from "Submarine Base"? We said he was reading cue-cards in that movie. Well, in this sequence to set up a romantic duo, George Raft makes Baxter look like Al Pacino. Whoo-ah! He might as well be reading his lines at the rehearsal table (or in the morgue). His monotone makes it hard to follow the plot because it's very distracting.
However, the story gets back up to speed once Raft and Gray get out and about in London. Before they depart, she pulls a gun, he wrestles it away, then she gets him in a hammerlock because Raft is a shrimp. Now they are almost in love. Gray admits she isn't Grand's wife, which Raft suspected all along. Okay, fine. Then who is she?
Trying to find out, Raft goes on his own to a beauty salon, to talk to "Irma Brooks" (Patricia Laffan), owner of the apartment building. She claims to have no information on anyone named Grand, and as soon as Raft leaves, she makes a phone call. Is he being set up to be kidnapped? So far, everything at least looks great, with non-stop London action. The actors (except Raft) couldn't be more Brrrittish, but the plot is just kind of treading water. Okay already; who the heck is Mr. Grand and why can't you find him? The movie's 35 minutes old, get with it! Up to now, it's been an uninspired but well-shot spy flick, centered on Raft's own awareness of his suaveness, which is so far under the radar that he might as well be acting from a bunker.
Finally, at the 56 minute mark, there's a major league reveal. Had the film been written by a more talented screenwriter, he'd have worked this information in gradually, and we wouldn't have had to twiddle our thumbs for an hour. Or maybe it was the director's fault, but I don't think so. He's saddled with an aging George Raft, who is still stylish enough to carry his own water, but he ain't what he once was.
The reveal, which I cannot remotely tell you about, sets the climax in motion, and if the whole thing had this much energy we'd be talking a Two Huge Thumbs Up picture. One ridiculous thing at the end; having Raft appear to perform stunts like jumping off of a freight elevator to tackle a much younger bad guy, then winning a karate-style punchout. Get real. Still, because we like Raft, and because we hung out with his grandson in 1986, and went to a Celtic Frost concert with him and Sean, the movie gets Two Big Thumbs. If it had anything resembling a big league schcript, we'd be talking Two Huge. But then Raft wouldn't have phoned it in in the first place. I'll give you a hint - there's kind of a "Third Man" deal at the end. Definitely recommended, the picture is DVD quality. ////
The previous night, we saw a movie about the effects of divorce on a child. In "Tomorrow's Youth"(1934), 8 year-old Dickie Moore plays "Tommy Hall", the son of a corporate executive. As the movie opens, "Thomas Hall Sr." (John Miljan) is in his penthouse office when a call comes in summoning him to Florida. His secretary scowls. She knows that "a meeting in Florida" is code for "your bimbo is coming to pick you up." Indeed, Hall's bimbo is waiting in her car by the curb when he exits the building. They leave for a weekend at his retreat.
Now, it just so happens that "Mrs. Hall" (Martha Sleeper) and little Tommy drive up just after Dad and the bimbo leave. The secretary gives Mom the Florida routine, but she's not stupid and files for divorce the next day. While waiting for the case to go to trial (because Dad has contested the divorce), Mom has custody of Tommy. In her company, he's an upright boy. He gets assigned to be a playground monitor at school, in charge of stopping fights. Tommy has a Boy Scout mentality, instilled by his momma, who leads him in prayer every night before bed.
But it's a whole different kettle with his Dad. When Dad wins a temporary injunction, giving him shared custody while the divorce is pending, Tommy goes to live with him at his countryside mansion and his behavior changes drastically. Now, he's rebellious and running from the cops. He has a manservant (Franklin Pangborn at his most flaming) who calls him "little man" and treats him like an irritant in his underwear. There's a great scene where Tommy runs away and organizes a football game with the kids from the wrong side of the tracks. The police try to nab him but are left holding his football flag and a shoe. Eventually he's returned to Dad, but Dad's bimbo is a problem. She claims she wants to bond with Tommy, by reading to him and taking him to the movies, but really she's a gold digger who's after Dad's money. When alone, she strikes classic smoking poses.
When Dad's custody is up, Mom comes to claim Tommy, and the marriage is almost rekindled with the encouragement of the family's long time cook (Jane Darwell). Mr. and Mrs. Hall share a patio breakfast, but then the bimbo walks in and insinuates that she's Tommy's mom from now on. That ruins everything; the divorce is back on with a vengeance, and now it's going to trial. Mrs. Hall is concerned with Tommy's welfare; she doesn't want him living around the bimbo and is demanding sole custody. That's all I'm going to tell you, but Two Huge Thumbs Up. Dickie Moore was a tremendous child actor. Here, he's at the top of his tearjerking game, and only four years into the sound era. Amazing. His big scene in the last five minutes makes the movie. The picture is very good. ////
Okay, we've been meaning to do a Top Ten for 2022, so here it is, though it might not be a typical ten film format. For instance, because we saw at least 100 60 Minute Westerns, we'll probably include them as a whole genre. Let's do it, then, in no particular order.
Ten Great Films From 2022:
1) "Elvis"
2) "Top Gun: Maverick"
3) Our Sixty Minute Westerns with Johnny Mack Brown, Tim McCoy, Tom Tyler, et al.
4) "That Hamilton Woman" (1941)
5) The Original Disney Animated Films ("Snow White", "Pinocchio", "Sleeping Beauty", "Peter Pan", "Cinderella", "Alice in Wonderland")
6) "Hobson's Choice" (1954)
7) "The Thief of Baghdad" (1940)
8) "Romeo and Juliet" (1968)
9) "Samson and Delilah" (1949)
10) "The Fighting Sullivans" (1944)
Honorable Mention : "The Fabelmans"
There were many good ones, so maybe we'll do some more in the next blog. My music tonight is ELP Live at Nassau Colosseum in 1978 (on Youtube). I've been immersed in The Nice this week, and of course ELP is in our DNA, but even though we've always known how great they were, it's really sinking in the last couple of days that they were giants, really, in a league of their own, and Keith may have been the greatest rock musician of all-time. Even though I'd be unable to name one single "favorite" band, if anyone asked me who the "greatest" band was, I'd have to say Emerson, Lake and Palmer. They were in another universe.
My late night music is Handel's "Deborah" oratorio. He did a whole bunch of 'em based on Biblical characters. I wish you a nice weekend and I send you Tons of Love, as always.
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
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