The Swan Princess (1994)

"Whenever I have to do something in a hurry, I'll always bring a turtle."

Princess Odette (Nicastro) and Prince Derek (McGillin) are betrothed, but hate each other.  After Odette was born, her father King William (Matthews) and Queen Uberta (Duncan), from the neighboring kingdom, planned to have her marry Uberta's son Prince Derek (McGillin).  Every summer William and Odette travel to Uberta's kingdom, but Odette and Derek grow up hating each other.  All of that changes one summer when they realize they are in love.  Derek proposes, but Odette questions his feelings and they leave the kingdom.

On the way home, their caravan is attacked by a Great Animal that kidnaps Odette and kills everyone else.  Sorcerer Rothbart (Palance) hated Odette's father and used his dark magic to change into the Great Animal.  He places an enchantment on Odette that makes her a swan by day, only turning human in the moonlight.  Odette befriends the local animals, including frog Jean-Bob (Cleese) who claims to be an enchanted frog, sarcastic turtle Speedy (Wright), and drill sergeant Puffin (Vinovich), while trying to find a way back home.  Meanwhile, Derek and his sneaky best friend Bromley (McKinnon Miller) are training to fight the Great Animal.  Can Derek and Odette find each other and break the curse?


Based on the ballet Swan Lake.  Swan Lake was written by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky in 1875 and based on Russian folk tales.  The show was initially failure, but has since become one of the most famous ballets.

While the story is based on the ballet, it deviates in several areas.  First, many of the character names are changed, such as Prince Siegfried becomes Derek.  Second, Odile (the black swan) is replaced by Rothbart's assistant, who does not have a name in this film.  Third, the other swans are replaced by Jean-Bob, Speedy, and Puffin.  The film does not feature any of the music from the ballet... and the ending is different.

The songs are written by Lex de Azevedo.  They aren't great, but a few have some nice moments.  He was nominated for a Golden Globe for the song "Far Longer Than Forever."

Director, Richard Rich, was an animator at Disney where he directed 2 animated films.  This film marked his first time to also write and produce a film.  He also wrote, directed, and produced all of the sequels to this film: The Swan Princess II: Escape from Castle Mountain, The Swan Princess III: The Mystery of the Enchanted Kingdom, The Swan Princess Christmas, and The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale.

The animation is good, especially the scenes of Odette's transformation.  There are nice moments, but it isn't a good film.  The main characters don't have personalities after childhood... and there are too many minor characters that are corny comic relief, but only on screen for a minute.  Jack Palance is a good choice to voice the villain... but the rest of the film isn't worth it.

The Swan Princess (1994) 90 minutes
Director: Richard Rich
Starring: Michelle Nicastro as Odette
Liz Callaway as Odette (singing voice)
Howard McGillin as Prince Derek
Sandy Duncan as Queen Uberta
Jack Palance as Rothbart
John Cleese as Jean-Bob
Steven Wright as Speedy
Steve Vinovich as Puffin
Dakin Matthews as King William
Mark Harelik as Lord Rogers
Joel McKinnon Miller as Bromley
James Arrington as Chamberlain

A Good Year (2006)

"You'll come to see that a man learns nothing from winning. The act of losing, however, can elicit great wisdom. Not least of which is, uh... how much more enjoyable it is to win. It's inevitable to lose now and again. The trick is not to make a habit of it."

Max Skinner (Crowe) is a top investment banker in London.  He takes big risks which usually results in big rewards.  He doesn't like people and makes enemies easily.  The only person he truly cares about is his Uncle Henry (Finney), who is his only living relative.  After a particularly risky financial stunt, he gets that news that Henry has passed away.

Max travels to Henry's home and vineyard in France, which he has inherited.  Despite happy memories from his childhood (Highmore) at Henry's, he plans to sell the place.  The house needs repairs and the vineyard produces disgusting wine, despite the best efforts of dedicated winemaker Francis Duflot (Bourdon).  He is put on suspension at work and meets Christie (Cornish), who claims to be Henry's illegitimate child.


When director Ridley Scott wanted to make a film near his home in France, he turned to Peter Mayle's novel A Good Year.  Mayle declined the opportunity to write the screenplay, so they turned to screenwriter Marc Klein who made some changes to the story / characters to make it better suited to film.  The final product feels like an authentic French film and decidedly different from other films by Scott.

Taking the lead is Scott's usual leading man, Russell Crowe.  Scott and Crowe started working together in 2000 on The Gladiator and have made 5 films together (this is the second collaboration).  Crowe is unexpectedly good in the role and seems to relish the chance to play a comedic role.  Albert Finney is the perfect choice to bring Uncle Henry to life.  He and Freddie Highmore have excellent chemistry.

The plot keeps you guessing and the cast is game for everything that is thrown at them.  A well-made and interesting film.

A Good Year (2006) 117 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for language and some sexual content
Director: Ridley Scott
Starring: Russell Crowe as Max Skinner
Albert Finney as Uncle Henry
Marion Cotillard as Fanny Chenal
Abbie Cornish as Christie Roberts
Didier Bourdon as Francis Duflot
Isabelle Candelier as Ludivine Duflot
Freddie Highmore as Young Max Skinner
Tom Hollander as Charlie Willis
Rafe Spall as Kenny
Richard Coyle as Amis
Archie Panjabi as Gemma

Pursuit to Algiers

"Well, if one isn't willing to pay the penalty, one shouldn't play the game."

Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) and Dr. John Watson (Bruce) are preparing for a much needed holiday.  Their plans change when they are approached by the Prime Minister of Rovinia, who wants to hire them to escort the heir to the Rovinian throne, Prince Nikolas (Vincent) home.  His father was murdered and they are concerned that others will try to kill Nikolas.

The three travel by ship, with Nikolas posing as Watson's nephew.  The other passengers on the ship are shady characters.  The young singer Sheila Woodbury (Riordan) hides from Holmes, health enthusiast Agathan Dunham (Ivan) carries a gun in her purse, the Steward (Lowry) is always underfoot, Jodri (Abbott) and Kingston (Hamer) are always talking conspiratorially and writing in a notebook, and the three new passengers, Mirko (Kosleck), Gregor (Evans), and Gubec (Davis) arrive at night and have alterior motives.  Can Holmes and Watson get Nikolas home safely?


This is the 12th of 14 Sherlock Holmes films to star Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce.  It is also considered one of the worst entries in the series.

The story, written by Leonard Lee, is based on characters from several of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Holmes stories... but is an entirely original story.  The majority of the film takes place on board the ship, alternating between 3 different settings: their room, the dinning area, and the deck.  Limited settings don't have to be a problem, they can show the claustrophobia of the setting and add to the tension, but this film doesn't do that.  The script isn't terrible, but it isn't great either... it isn't memorable.

Rathbone and Bruce are still good here.  Bruce even gets to sing a lovely rendition of "Loch Lomond."  Most of the cast are red herrings, which is more apparent as the story moves along.  But they are enjoyable in their roles.  Morton Lowry, who appeared with Rathbone and Bruce in The Hound of the Baskervilles, plays a very different character here.

It is still a passable detective / Holmes story, but not as good as other entries in the series.

Pursuit to Algiers (1945) 65 minutes
Director: Roy William Neill
Starring: Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson
Marjorie Riordan as Sheila Woodbury
Rosalind Ivan as Agatha Dunham
Morton Lowry as Steward
Leslie Vincent as Prince Nikolas
Martin Kosleck as Mirko
Rex Evans as Gregor
John Abbott as Jodri
Gerald Hamer as Kingston
William "Wee Willie" Davis as Gubec

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)

"There's no doubt of it in my mind. Or perhaps I should say, my imagination. For that's where crimes are conceived and they're solved - in the imagination."

According legend, the Baskerville family of Devonshire are cursed.  The curse began in 1650 when Hugo Baskerville was killed by a demonic dog, and it's most recent victim was Sir Charles Baskerville.  His best friend, Dr. James Mortimer (Atwill), turns to Sherlock Holmes (Rathbone) and Dr. John Watson (Bruce) to protect the last of Baskervilles, Sir Henry (Greene), who is arriving from Canada.

Holmes scoffs at the legend, but suspects that someone is planning to murder Sir Henry.  He sends Watson with Dr. Mortimer and Sir Henry, to report everything that happens and protect Sir Henry.  At Baskerville Hall, they meet the neighbors and suspects: the Baskerville's mysterious butler Barryman (Carradine) and his unhappy wife (Malyon), cranky Frankland (Borland) who is always threatening to sue someone, scientist John Stapleton (Lowry) and his beautiful sister Beryl (Barrie).  Can Holmes and Watson solve the case and save Sir Henry?


Beginning 1939, actors Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce starred in 14 Sherlock Holmes films.  The first film in the series was The Hound of the Baskervilles, based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's most famous story. 

Doyle initially wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles in 1901 as a serialized story and was published as a novel a year later.  Doyle did not initially plan to write another Holmes story, as he had killed Holmes 8 years before, but realized that Holmes was needed for this story.  The popularity of this novel led to Doyle resurrecting the character for more stories.

Rathbone is the definitive Holmes.  Many other actors have and will portray Holmes, but to many people (including me), Rathbone is the best.  The studio and Doyles' estate felt Rathbone was the perfect choice for Holmes, but disagreed about casting Bruce as Watson.  Bruce's portrayal of Watson is different from Doyle's characterization, making him more bumbling and a comic foil (which grew stronger with each subsequent film).  They are great here.

Director Sidney Lanfield made some good choices with the film, such as subtle camera angles especially for Lionel Atwill's Dr. Mortimer.  The set is good, especially for the moor.  But he also made some bizarre choices, such as the lack of music throughout the film (which would heighten the tension during some scenes).  The screenplay, written by Ernest Pascal, made some changes to Doyle's story.  One character was completely removed and a new character was added, and the motivations of a few characters are change.  If you have read the novel or seen any other version of the story, you will pick up on the changes.  I understand the desire to streamline the story, but it also changes Doyle's original story.

There have been over 20 film and TV adaptations of this story.  It has also been reimagined in several novels, such as The Moor by Laurie R. King and Pierre Bayard's Sherlock Holmes Was Wrong that proposes a different murderer.

The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) 80 minutes
Director: Sidney Lanfield
Starring: Richard Greene as Sir Henry Baskerville
Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes
Nigel Bruce as Dr. John Watson
Wendy Barrie as Beryl StapletonLionel Atwill as Dr. James Mortimer
John Carradine as Barryman
Morton Lowry as John (Jack) Stapleton
Eily Malyon as Mrs. Barryman
Barlowe Borland as Frankland

Please Don't Eat the Daisies

"You act as if we were monsters or something."

"Well, you are. You're just lucky that I happen to be peculiar and love monsters."

Larry MacKay (Niven) is an esteemed theater professor turned powerful theater critic.  His first review is of his friend Alfred North's (Haydn) new play, which he hates.  His review angers Alfred and causes the leading lady, Deborah Vaughn (Paige), to slap his face in public.  The slap is captured by a photographer and published in the paper, making Larry big news.

Larry and his family, wife Kate (Day), and four mischievous sons, live in a cramped apartment in the city and dream of a home in the country.  That dream comes true as Larry's star continues to rise.  With the demands for Larry's job in the city, along with the deadlines for his new book, and revitalizing the run-down mansion they purchased, can they really have it all?


The story is based on the 1957 book "Please Don't Eat the Daisies" by Jean Kerr.  Kerr was a successful playwright and wrote a series of essays about her life and raising four sons, which became her first book.  After the success of "Please Don't Eat the Daisies", she wrote two additional books: "The Snake Has All the Lines" and "Penny Candy."  The book and this film were popular enough to also inspire a TV series in 1965, also called Please Don't Eat the Daisies, that starred Patricia Crowley and Mark Miller.

It is an entertaining, if outdated, film.  Doris Day is charming as Kate.  She is the main focus of the film and even gets to sing a few songs, including the cute title song.  She has good chemistry with David Niven, who plays her husband Larry.  The boys that play their sons (Charles Herbert, Stanley Livingston, Flip Mark, and Baby Gellert) are believable hellions.  Each of the boys went on to star/appear in TV shows and other films.  Janis Paige was a Broadway star, who rose to stardom in The Pajama Game on Broadway (Doris Day starred in the film adaptation).  She had a film career, but is better known for her Broadway credits.  The supporting cast are strong character actors.

A good, rainy day comedy.

Please Don't Eat the Daisies (1960) 112 minutes
Director: Charles Walters
Starring: Doris Day as Kate Robinson MacKay
David Niven as Larry MacKay
Janis Paige as Deborah Vaughn
Spring Byington as Suzie Robinson
Richard Haydn as Alfred North
Patsy Kelly as Maggie
Jack Weston as Joe Positano
Charles Herbert as David MacKay
Stanley Livingston as Gabriel MacKay
Flip Mark as George MacKay
Baby Gellert as Adam MacKay

Bowery Bombshell

"You seek to misinterpret my indications"

Louie Dumbrowski (B. Gorcey) needs $300, so Slip (L. Gorcey) and the boys try to sell their dilapidated old car to help him out.  They are talking to their photographer friend Cathy (Loring) outside of the bank when it is robbed.  Cathy takes a picture of Sach (Hall) just as he is holding a bag of money that the robbers dropped.  This picture ends up in the hands of Detective O'Malley (Burke) who believes that Sach is behind the robbery.

When Sach's photograph is published in the newspaper, the real criminals, led by Ace Deuce Baker (Leonard), decide to further frame him for the crime.  Can Slip, Bobby (Jordan), Whitey (Benedict), Chuck (D. Gorcey), and Cathy clear Sach's name and save Louie?

The Bowery Boys made a series of 48 films, beginning in 1945.  Prior to that, they starred together in 6 films as The Dead End Kids, 12 as The Little Tough Guys, and 21 as The East Side Kids.  This is the third entry in the Bowery Boys series.

Like most of the films in the series, the main focus is on Leo Gorcey's fast talking Slip Mahoney and Huntz Hall's lovable goof Sach Jones.  Gorcey gets the chance to really shine when the boys pose as gangsters to bust Ace Deuce and his goons.  His character, Slip, likes to be the man in charge and get everyone to listen to him, and making him a "gangster" is a stroke of genius and really lets him go big with the character.  Hall doesn't get to join in the gangster fun, as he is in hiding, but becomes increasingly and humorously paranoid as the film progresses, which provides ample opportunities for laughs.  As usual, Slip's entertaining way of misusing words is on display, "Wait'll I dehydrate my brain."

The rest of the cast are just there to set up the situations.  Bobby Jordan and Teala Loring each get some nice moments in the gangster scene.  James Burke's Detective O'Malley and Sheldon Leonard's Ace Deuce Baker are nice matches for Slip.  O'Malley is smart enough to keep up with Slip, while still not quite catching onto the scheme... and Leonard is just menacing enough to pose a hazard.  I always love the pairing of Sach with Bernard Gorcey's (Leo and David Gorcey's father) Louie.

Their car is also a character in it's own right.  It has a lot of character and nuance, and it's entertaining to watch them interact with the car (by showing it off, or how they get in and out of it).

There are a few nice callbacks to their previous series, such as the spare tire on the back of their car which reads "Dead End".  It is funny if you know the previous series, but it is also used to setup a sight-gag at the end of the film (that doesn't require any previous experience with the series).

An entertaining film from a comedy group that never grows old.

Bowery Bombshell (1946) 65 minutes
Director: Phil Karlson
Starring: Leo Gorcey as Slip Mahoney
Huntz Hall as Sach Jones
Bobby Jordan as Bobby
Billy Benedict as Whitey
David Gorcey as Chuck
Teala Loring as Cathy
Sheldon Leonard as Ace Deuce Baker
Dawn Kennedy as Maizie
James Burke as Detective O'Malley
Bernard Gorcey as Louie Dumbrowski

Anchors Aweigh (800th post)

Heere's 800!

It's about time Gene Kelly appeared in a milestone post.

Check out the previous milestones: 100 ... 200 ... 300 ... 400 ... 500 ... 600 ... 700.

"Oh, it was I who saved your life, so now I owe *you* something! Hey look, have you gone crazy?"
"Look, I didn't ask you to save my life, but you did. So now I feel you are responsible for me."
  "Well I don't!"
"Well, what's the good of having a life saved when you can't have any fun with it?"

Clarence "Brooklyn" Doolittle (Sinatra) and Joe Brady (Kelly) are given a four day pass from their duties in the Navy.  They are best friends and Joe saved Clarence's life.  Joe is planning to see his girl Lola, but agrees to help Clarence find a girl.  Their search is interrupted when they meet Donald Martin (Stockwell), a young boy who wants to join the Navy like his late father.

Joe and Clarence take Donald home and meet his aunt Susan Abbott (Grayson), and Clarene is smitten.  Joe agrees to help set things up between the two.  Susan wants an audition with famed conductor Jose Iturbi (as Himself), and Joe tells her that they already arranged an audition for her.  Can they find a way to make things work out right so Clarence can get the girl?


I grew up watching this film.  We loved watching musicals, and this was in the regular rotation of films we watched.  My grandparents even had a piano roll of the song for their player piano (they probably still have it).  We knew all the words to the songs (not that I remember watching any of Kathryn Grayson's songs).

This film is the first of three pairings of Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly (followed by Take Me Out to the Ball Game and On the Town), it also served as Sinatra's first starring role.  The film was nominated for five Academy Awards (Best Picture, Best Actor for Kelly, Best Cinematography, Best Song for "I Fall In Love Too Easily") and won Best Original Music Score for Georgie Stoll.

This film is best known for the scene below when Kelly dances with Jerry.

The scene is cute and memorable.  Kelly plays the cad, while Sinatra is the shy singer (a formula they would repeat in future collaborations), while Kathryn Grayson shows off her operatic pipes in 2 numbers.  Dean Stockwell is adorable as Donald and gets some very funny moments.  Jose Iturbi has a lot of charisma in this film.

The songs are catchy, especially the title song and the Kelly / Sinatra duet "We Hate to Leave" and Kelly gets a cute dance with Sharon McManus to "Las Chiapanecas".  It's definitely dated and the cast all went on to do better films, but it is still an enjoyable ride.

Anchors Aweigh (1945) 143 minutes
Director: George Sidney
Starring: Frank Sinatra as Clarence "Brooklyn" Doolittle
Kathryn Grayson as Susan Abbott
Gene Kelly as Joseph "Joe" Brady
Jose Iturbi as Himself
Dean Stockwell as Donald Martin
Billy Gilbert as Cafe Manager
Pamela Britton as The Girl From Brooklyn

Laura (1944)

"I suspect nobody and everybody. I am strictly trying to get at the truth."

Police Detective Mark McPherson (Andrews) is investigating the death of advertising executive Laura Hunt (Tierney).  The beautiful and successful Hunt was shot in the face inside her apartment.  McPherson starts by investigating the people in Hunt's life.  His first interview is with Waldo Lydecker (Webb), a popular newspaper columnist and long-time friend of Hunt's.  She was engaged to Shelby Carpenter (Price), a penniless playboy who worked at her advertising agency.  Her relationship with Shelby was a disappointment to both Lydecker and her socialite aunt, Ann Treadwell (Anderson), who was in love with Shelby and supporting him financially.

The more he investigates, the more McPherson starts to fall in love with Hunt.  But as all of his suspects continually lie and mess with evidence, can he find Laura's killer?


A film noir classic.  This film is based on the novel 1943 Laura by Vera Caspary.  Caspary initially published the story the year before as a seven part serial called Ring Twice for Laura, and sold the film rights after the book was published.  Director Otto Preminger clashed with studio head Darryl Zanuck over casting and other aspects of the film, but ultimately both were satisfied with the film.

This film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Director for Otto Preminger and Best Supporting Actor for Clifton Webb, but only won Best Black and White Cinematography for Joseph LaShelle.

The plot twists and turns and keeps the audience guessing, only giving the information the information as McPherson gets it.  The score by David Raksin is hauntingly beautiful.  Later lyrics were added to the song "Laura" and it become a jazz classic.  The cast is incredible.  Gene Tierney is mysterious and beautfiul as Laura.  Dana Andrews is the hard-boiled detective, not quite as dark as other noir detectives.  Clifton Webb is the standout as Waldo Lydecker.  Webb is charismatic and owns every scene, and had a strong film career after this film (prior to this he was a Broadway star).  Vincent Price and Judith Anderson also excel in their roles.

An excellent, suspenseful film that keeps you on your toes with it's script and performances (along with the haunting score and stellar cinematography).

Laura (1944) 88 minutes
Director: Otto Preminger
Starring: Gene Tierney as Laura Hunt
Dana Andrews as Mark McPherson
Clifton Webb as Waldo Lydecker
Vincent Price as Shelby Carpenter
Judith Anderson as Ann Treadwell

I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story

Two of the most beloved characters on Sesame Street are Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.  People around the world know the characters, but most don't even know the name of the man who brings them to life.  Since Sesame Street began in 1969, puppeteer Caroll Spinney has performed Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch.

Spinney began making and working puppets during his childhood.  Jim Henson was impressed and hired him to join a new TV show: Sesame Street.  Children everywhere love his characters, and the people that love him share about his life.


Like most kids, I grew up watching (and loving) Sesame Street.  Big Bird and Oscar hold a special place in my heart, I even had a Big Bird that read children's books.  Sesame Street has been around for over 40 years, and making a documentary about a beloved character that has been around from the beginning could be risky.

But Caroll Spinney has a sunny personality and just exudes joy.  Clearly the people involved think Spinney is great, and lovingly show his life.  It also shows some of the inner-workings of the Muppets, especially in the TV show Sesame Street.  It is remarkable the kind of work it takes to perform as Big Bird (it's more physically demanding than it looks).

An interesting documentary about an interesting man.



I Am Big Bird: The Caroll Spinney Story (2014) 90 minutes
Director: Dave LaMattina & Chad N. Walker
Starring: Caroll Spinney
Debra Spinney
Matt Vogel

Pixels (2015)

"We're the only ones who can do this! I'm kidding, we're all gonna die."

In 1982 NASA launched a capsule into orbit containing a cassette of popular arcade games.  Years later the capsule is found by an alien race that think the arcade games are a declaration of war.  In 2015, the aliens attack earth in the form of video games.

The military don't know how to stop the problem.  U.S. President William Cooper (James) calls his longtime best friend Sam Brenner (Sandler).  In 1982, Sam was one of the top video gamers in the country with a bright future ahead, but he never met his potential and now works as IT support for a local tech store.  Brenner and gaming prodigy Ludlow Lamonsoff (Gad) are called as consultants to assist the military.  With 1982 gaming champion Eddie Plant (Dinklage) and Lieutenant Colonel Violet van Patten (Monaghan), can they save the earth?


This film has an intriguing premise.  It is unique and provides ample opportunities for nostalgia for 1980s arcade gamers. It isn't a bad film, but it isn't good either... it's ok in the moment but mostly forgettable later.

The film mostly ignores the female cast.  Jane Krakowski is completely wasted the First Lady.  She is a talented comedic performer (see 30 Rock or The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt among other roles), but doesn't get to do anything here.  Michelle Monaghan is the female lead and does get in on the action towards the end of the movie, but the story focuses more on the male characters.

The male cast are fine... Adam Sandler and Kevin James are comfortable in their roles.  Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage are scene stealers and get some of the funnier moments.

Again, it's not a bad movie, but in other hands this could be better... although I did enjoy seeing classic arcade games (like Pac Man and Donkey Kong, among others).

Pixels (2015) 106 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some language and suggestive comments
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Adam Sandler as Sam Brenner
Kevin James as President William Cooper
Michelle Monaghan as Lieutenant Colonel Violet van Patten
Peter Dinklage as Eddie Plant
Josh Gad as Ludlow Lamonsoff
Matt Lintz as Matty