This is a fun, if dated, romantic comedy from 1948, starring Cary Grant, and Betsy Drake (in her debut film). The two stars went on to get married afterwards, which probably explains why there was so much chemistry between them here. Drake plays Anabel Sims, a young woman whose sole ambition in life is to [...]
Archive for November, 2011
Every Girl Should Be Married
Posted in Film Reviews, tagged betsy drake, cary grant, franchot tone, romantic comedy on November 29, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
‘French Lessons’ by Ellen Sussman
Posted in Book Reviews, tagged grief, loss, love, Paris, students, tutors on November 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This book covers one single day in Paris, when three French tutors each walk around Paris with their student for that day. Sensitive poet Nico’s student is Josie, who has come to Paris to try and mend her broken heart. Womanising Phillipe’s student is Riley, who has moved to Paris when her husband’s job relocated [...]
The Gunfighter
Posted in Film Reviews, Period drama/comedy reviews, tagged drama, gregory peck, helen westcott, jean parker, millard mitchell, western on November 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This Western is loosely based on a real story. Gregory Peck plays notorious gunslinger Jimmy Ringo, who is tired of the life and has come to Cayenne in the hope of reuniting with his estranged wife, and the young son who has never known him. However, Jimmy’s reputation has preceded him, and there are plenty [...]
Freedom Writers
Posted in Film Reviews, TV/Film adaptation reviews, tagged erin gruell, freedom writers, gang culture, high school, los angeles, real life, school on November 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This movie is based on the real life story of Erin Gruwell, a teacher at a tough school in Los Angeles. Her English class is filled with students who have slipped through the cracks, who have become caught up in gang culture and who are often lucky to make it through the day alive. [...]
Carefree
Posted in Film Reviews, tagged comedy, fred and ginger, fred astaire, ginger rogers, luella gear, musical, romance, screwball on November 18, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers made 10 films together, and this one from 1938 is probably one of the least well known. There’s less dancing in this one than in some of the others (only four numbers), but the film itself is still highly enjoyable, being something of a screwball comedy. Astaire plays psychiatrist Tony [...]
‘One Day’ by David Nicholls
Posted in Book Reviews, tagged fantastic, funny, july 15th, life, love, sad on November 15, 2011 | 2 Comments »
This books opens on July 15th 1988, when Emma Morley and Dexter Mayhew have just met for the first time, and are at the start of a lifelong friendship. The book then tells the story of Emma and Dexter through every subsequent July 15th, right up until the mid-noughties. Sometimes they happen to be together [...]
It Happened In Brooklyn
Posted in Film Reviews, tagged comedy, frank sinatra, jimmy durante, kathryn grayson, musical, peter lawford, romance on November 14, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
This charming musical features Frank Sinatra as Danny Miller, a young Soldier fresh out of the army, who can’t wait to get back home to Brooklyn, where he hopes to become a successful singer. Danny moves in with school janitor Nick, and meets Anne Fielding (Kathryn Grayson), a music teacher who dreams of becoming an [...]
Dark Passage
Posted in Film Reviews, tagged agnes moorehead, film noir, humphrey bogart, lauren bacall on November 14, 2011 | 1 Comment »
This film noir is one of the four films that real life couple Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall made together. It’s probably the least popular of the four, which seems fair. There’s a lot to enjoy here, but its mainly because of the quality of the cast – the storyline itself – while an interesting [...]
The Country Girl
Posted in Film Reviews, tagged alcoholism, bing crosby, grace kelly, grief, love, marriage, musical, william holden on November 13, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In this 1954 film, William Holden plays Bernie Dodd, director of a new musical who wants to hire Frank Elgin (Bing Crosby) to be the main character. Elgin used to be something of a big star, but due to tragedy in his life has become an alcoholic. Neither Elgin nor anybody else knows if he [...]
Moulin Rouge
Posted in Film Reviews, Period drama/comedy reviews, tagged comedy, dancing, Ewan McGregor, fantastic, jim broadbent, john leguizamo, musical, nicole kidman, romance, Tragedy on November 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
I haven’t seen this film since it was in the cinema (10 years ago!!), but yesterday decided to revisit it on the small screen. How glad I am that I did. I loved it when I first saw it, and wondered if I would still enjoy it – the answer is an emphatic yes! Nicole [...]
