Reviews

OK, the viewer has to first get over the artistic license. Dinosaurs predated even the most primitive humans by about 60 million years and stone age guys and gals didn't trim their animal hides into bikinis and speed trunks---like stoned age ones might. A protective "momma" dinosaur and cute baby sibling dinosaur who think one of the bikini babes is part of their litter? And respond to human voice commands? Well, maybe that's how the Flintstones civilization got started. The film's dialogue is strictly in a "caveman" language consisting mostly of the words "akeeta" and "neesho". The Imdb. Description states that the producers devised a 27 word vocabulary taken from Phoenician, Latin, and Sanskrit.

Be the above as it may, this film is still a lot more realistic in many ways than similar ones. It is a fairly credible depiction of a late Paleolithic tribe in a coastal environment with complex social and religious practices. And their material culture seems to have at least some basis in archaeology as well as in anthropological studies of more recent hunter/gatherer societies. The spear shafts are often less than straight and the stone spearheads are irregularly shaped and varied. The nets, cordage, and huts really do appear to have been made entirely of natural plant fibers. Even the combats with the dinosaurs believably demonstrate how humans may have dealt with such situations if they ever had to. Although I doubt humans (unless tree dwelling and more apelike) could have survived in a dinosaur habitat prior to the invention of firearms.

The photography is great, with some stunning views of a very varied and sometimes otherworldly landscape---filmed in the Canary Islands, where a day hike can take one to tropical forest, rocky beachfront, and arid desert habitats. Another interesting and little known connection to "cavemen" are the native inhabitants of the Canary Islands, called collectively "Guanches", although the term originally referred only to those from Tenerife. They were a Caucasian people possibly related to the Berbers but no longer exist as a separate ethnic entity, although their genes survive, some people claim their ancestry, and there have been recent attempts to rediscover their heritage. Their origins are mysterious, but they were often depicted wearing animal skins like "cavemen". Not subdued until around 1500, they were a Neolithic culture that practiced agriculture, raised pigs and goats, mummified their dead, and built low stone buildings. However, they do not appear to have had any watercraft at all, much less the seaworthy rafts depicted in the movie. In fact, there was almost no contact between the seven islands, even though some could see others in clear weather. Pretty strange for an island people. Even if they really were the rebellious North Africans exiled there by the Romans as indicated by the chronicler Suetonius. He doesn't specify the location of the exile islands, but since the Canary Islands are less than 200 miles from the west coast of Morocco, this origin seems the most plausible.

An entertaining film experience for those who like this kind of movie. Real thrills, hot women---and some laughs.

My memory of the show is too vague to offer specific comment, but I recall watching and liking it at ages 3-4. Albert Aley, who wrote a number of episodes, was a distant cousin, and arranged for my family and I to attend the filming of an episode. I was 4 at the time, so it would have been 1955. The cast were all very nice to us. Astro in particular, horsing around (post shoot) with my brother and I, and letting me sit and climb on some of the props.

Of course, at that age I remember the occasion a lot better than the show itself. And, by reading this imdb description of the show, I just learned that Frank Sutton, Sgt. Carter from Gomer Pyle, was one of the space cadets. An unexpected connection from the earliest days of TV. Live and learn!

I do recall that the cadets were all straight arrow, level headed types which was standard for 50's television heroes. Pretty ironic that the term "space cadet" has come to mean a drug addled or simply absentminded person.

This one checks all the worst boxes with regard to stereotypes. Mostly portraying black people as clownish simpletons with superior rhythm and dancing prowess. Rufus (a seven year old Sammy Davis Jr.) offers anyone who votes for him not one but 2 porkchops. When he takes power, presiding over an all black government, the most pressing issues are laying in a good supply of porkchops, fried chicken and watermelon. And the legislative chamber has a razor check booth. A reminder that among themselves they're not always funny.

Some of this is a real howl, despite it's crude racism. Nevertheless, it's a great illustration of how African Americans faced not just the ethnic or religious biases that afflicted many disfavored groups, but true dehumanization. It's still a gas, yet the laughter it produces is a guilty pleasure. But it also teaches a real history lesson and acts as a great counterpoint to those claiming blacks didn't have it any worse than Jews, Italians, Irish, and other white immigrant groups when it came to discrimination. Even Native Americans, who to this day are the poorest and most deprived group in the country, and also often negatively portrayed in film, were still human beings to be taken seriously. Despite the fact that it could be due to their often unfair portrayal as bloodthirsty savages. But black people were generally comic relief, their sole purpose to serve and sometimes amuse others. Not quite human. Sort of like talking animals in children's books. Hilarious in spots but very sad upon reflection.

On second thought, it's no longer as dated as it has been for the past 20-30 years, now that our formerly deracializing society seems to be in the process of re-racializing itself. At the time this was a very topical comedy---quite risque and over the "top" for 1969.

The humor is sophisticated, sharp, and sometimes a bit racist, though mostly in a surrealistic sense. This film should remind us in these dogmatic, hypersensitive times that satire, irreverence, and ridicule are often much better antidotes for racism and other social pathologies than self righteousness and scolding. Think Blazing Saddles. The actors do a great job and the film is both humorous and memorable.

This was a standard feature on the Bullwinkle Show (often called Rocky and Bullwinkle) a seemingly juvenile cartoon show which sometimes appeared to have been scripted more for adults. At the time, it was fairly popular with college students. Mr. Peabody is an erudite, bespectacled dog (he appears to be a beagle) who is, in effect, the master of Sherman, a credulous, bespectacled boy, whom he often gently chides and criticizes. I always found it funny and amusing, both as a child and as an adult.

The same theme is closely followed in the film version of Harlan Ellison's novella "A Boy and his Dog" (1975) featuring a polished, yet acerbic telepathic dog and his "boy"---a young Don Johnson, who later starred in Miami Vice. This is a sick, twisted, at times darkly funny movie about a ravaged, post nuclear world which is definitely not for children. But the parallels with the old cartoon are quite striking for those familiar with the Bullwinkle Show.

In some ways this is s standard "formula" mystery. Yet it's a very interesting and off beat film in other respects. A young Mickey Spillane; looking like a near clone of Sean Penn; plays himself as a rather inept detective.

The action takes place in the real Clyde Beatty Circus, where a homicidal maniac is on the loose. Clyde Beatty, who also plays himself, was perhaps the most skilled animal trainer of all time and in the 40s and 50s ran his own circus, a serious competitor to Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey. The best parts of the film (at least from my perspective) were closeups of him performing with lions and tigers, often several at a time. You can actually see the highly specific and technical body poses and behaviors he uses to control multiple animals that would love to tear him to pieces. A fascinating peek into the psyches of large carnivores.

Entertaining and quite out of the ordinary.

A stark, unsentimental tale of the 1957 uprising against the French in Algiers, one of the earliest conflicts based on the urban terrorism and "intifada tactics" that seem so commonplace today.

Although the film was made in Algeria only 3 years after independence I was "pleasantly" (perhaps not the best adverb) surprised at how objective and free of propaganda it was. The French are the villains, yet their point of view gets a fair hearing. Even Colonel Massu, commander of the French paratroops, is shown to be a cold, yet intelligent man rather than an evil brute. He is an apolitical soldier carrying out the policy of his government, and will stop at nothing to do so. The FALN are depicted as flawed heroes without halos. Just as ruthless as their enemies despite their righteous cause. I find it ironic that the present day French are so critical of Israel, although the Israelis are a lot more restrained than they were and are fighting a much less unified and more bloodthirsty enemy. If the present day Palestinian groups were as disciplined and goal oriented as the FALN (at least as portrayed in the movie) there would probably be a viable Palestinian state and at least a cold peace with Israel.

It was quite interesting to see both secular and more traditional Muslims uniting in nationalism without the mindless hatred, blatant corruption, and atavistic religious fanaticism we see today. A great history lesson and great cinema, even for those who don't agree with the film's point of view.

This is one of the earliest examples of a "docu-drama" and one of the best. It's realism causes the viewer to feel true empathy for the participants---especially for the Scottish Jacobites.

While it's certainly true that the English and their Scottish allies were better equipped and had a more disciplined, unified command structure, the circumstances of the Highlanders weren't quite as dire as indicated. Many were indeed poor and malnourished, but generally not to the degree depicted in the film, where almost all are dressed in rags and covered in filth. It is also claimed that most didn't have firearms, yet the majority were armed with pistols or muskets of local or French manufacture. Their lack of discipline and cohesive command caused them to rely on the shock tactics that served them so well at the Battle of Prestonpens, and many dropped their muskets and charged after firing a volley. Interestingly, the English tally of captured weapons after the battle contained many more guns than swords. Swords; especially claymores; were expensive, and most of the poorer men without guns carried axes or pikes.

The contingent of French trained Scots and Irish, equipped and drilled in the same manner as the Redcoats, was larger than shown in the film. And the English forces contained significant numbers of both lowland and highland Scots. Although the English were well provided with artillery, most of their cannons were small three pounders used in urban street fighting or in the American woodlands where they were known as "grasshoppers". The standard light field gun was the six pounder. Despite these qualifications, the battle scenes are graphic and realistic.

Watkins makes it seem as if the Scots were true revolutionaries asserting their ethnic identity, when, in actual fact, Prince Charlie was simply a wannabe monarch seeking to restore the Stuarts, and probably as disdainful of the Highlanders as the Hanoverians were. The modern parallels he tries to draw simply aren't there.

Despite the above, this is a great movie that should be on every history buff and cinema enthusiast's list.

The Bad Old Days indeed! As a New Yorker, I found this film to be a grim reminder of how much more lawless and dilapidated New York was during this time period.

I won't rehash the generally accurate comments of the previous reviewers other than to say that this is one of the best cinematic deglamorizations of crime (and law enforcement) ever.

Anthony Franciosa is just great as a Mafia enforcer. He's still the same nice, personable guy people my age remember from 60s and 70s television. You really want to be his friend. A great smile and a comforting manner. A demeanor he maintains without a crease while he maims, tortures and kills! One of the most skilled---and frightening---performances of all time. Anthony Quinn is also excellent as a corrupt police captain who has deluded himself into believing that he still has some ethics.

The graphic violence, sex, profanity, and ethnic slurs take it light years out of the family viewing category and I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with a weak stomach. I don't think the "blaxploitation" label many apply to this film is accurate. The best I can think of is "noir verite". If you're a fan, don't miss this one. If you're squeamish, make a point of doing so!

A literate and highbrow series about a medieval herbalist monk who uses his knowledge to solve crimes. More interesting and much less voyeuristic than CSI and kindred shows.

Most of the previous reviewers did a good job of describing the nature of the series and how truly well acted and off beat it is. Rather than reiterate their commentary, I would like to focus on the show's realistic portrayal of the times. The vast majority of medieval films and/or shows go to inaccurate extremes. In the 50s and 60s, all the women wore brassieres and had Lady Clairol hairdos. The guys were all clean shaven Brylcream men with slicked back pompadours. And everyone's clothes looked freshly pressed and drycleaned. In the 70s, the trend went to the other extreme. All, even the well off, were dressed in filthy, tattered clothes and looked as if they did indeed bathe daily---in a vat of manure. Lots of teeth were missing from every mouth and every face covered with running sores. There was no middle ground between the squeaky clean people and places of the 50s "Robin Hood" series (a good adventure show nonetheless) and the comically exaggerated filth and squalor of Monty Python's "Jabberwocky."

The Cadfael series provided that balance. The set designs and costumes were very accurate renderings of what actually existed at the time, and the series credibly demonstrated how people of that era went about their daily business and social lives. Many, especially the poor, were certainly ragged and unkempt, but few, rich or poor, were oblivious to the appearance of their homes or themselves. Another aspect of this show missing from most similar efforts was it's attempt to show how the tradespeople and middle class of the time worked and lived. Most "medieval" films perpetuate the myth that society was strictly divided into "have everythings" and "have nothings". Everyone is either an aristocrat or a starving, oppressed serf dressed in rags. This show actually gives the viewer an idea of how much more varied and complex medieval society really was.

A first rate show, even more so for the historically literate. Although some of the later episodes hobbled their plots with ponderous soap opera "blasts from the past" from Cadfael's former life as a crusader, I was sad to see the series end. I never read any of the books, but understand that there are still a few that have not been filmed. I would love to see the series revived, although this winning combination of casting and production would be hard to repeat and harder still to beat.

A well acted depiction of life in White Rhodesia from the European point of view, and a rather disturbing story of an irreconcilable conflict between a good man's justifiable need for revenge and the necessity of upholding the law. Parents, and those sensitive to violence, should be cautioned that this is an extremely gruesome film with explicit scenes of rape, murder, torture, and mutilation.

The film credibly portrays the lives of European settlers determined to remain in their adopted land despite the increasing danger of rebellion. Most of them honestly believe that it is possible to live in peace with the Africans as long as they are willing to accept their "civilizing" guidance. The rebels are presented as bloodthirsty thugs who terrorize other Africans and have no real program of true revolution other than savage hatred of the White Man. Most of the Africans are more or less loyal to the Whites and are usually shown to be strong, honorable, and trustworthy, although often in a patronizing manner.

Christopher Lee is quite good as a police chief determined to prevent vigilante justice when a group of terrorists led by an albino (pronounced "albeeno" in the film) witch doctor (Horst Frank) rape and murder the fiancée of a man recently retired from the police force. He (James Faulkner); along with a couple of equally vengeful African servants of the victim's elderly father (Trevor Howard); takes off into the bush to find and kill those responsible. These are not evil men out to indiscriminately slaughter Africans but people who feel that there can be no rest for their souls until they spill the blood of The Albino and his crew. Lee sympathizes with their feelings but is firm in his determination to maintain law and order and bring the killers to justice legally. This, of course, also means hunting down the revenge party, causing the settler's militia to mutiny and withdraw from the operation.

The pursuit of both the killers and the posse is grim and realistic, causing the viewer to actually perceive the stresses and fatigue of the participants. Although somewhat cheaply done, subtly racist, and overly clipped and trite in spots, the film is of great interest from both the historical and moral perspective. I saw it many years ago, but, unfortunately, it; like a surprising number of other quality films; hasn't been made commercially available on either VHS or DVD.

A real tease that doesn't deliver. Just like the probable real life Cleopatra to any man without an empire to offer. The beautiful and realistic sets and costumes never go beyond a soap opera display. While some of the supporting actors (particularly Rex Harrison as Caesar) do a credible job, Richard Burton is a rather wooden Marc Anthony and Elizabeth Taylor is terrible. She seems more like a spoiled sixties era suburban brat than a ruthless but skilled queen accustomed to wielding power.

I always thought that Marie Windsor; although 10 years older than Taylor; would have been perfect for this role and might have rescued the film. Her age would even have been closer to the real Cleopatra's by the time she and Marc Anthony became joint rulers. I couldn't help giggling when people acted frightened of Queen Liz. She reminded me of a bossy older sister, whereas Queen Marie really would have made the audience shudder if she was angry. I could never understand why Windsor was relegated to B movies, but that's a subject of it's own.

The lack of good battle scenes was also disappointing. A real waste when you think of all the extras and money spent on authentic looking arms and armor. The vaunted sea battle was pretty ho-hum, not nearly as good as the one in Ben Hur. I actually enjoyed the overly melodramatic and less historically accurate 1934 "Cleopatra" much more. Some of the sexual metaphors; both verbal and visual; were really funny, and it was much more entertaining.

Lots of glitz and even some true dazzle. But not much substance, and pretty tedious for four freakin' hours. It didn't have to be this way. What a shame!

It's never ceased to amaze me that this show made it to the air. Especially in the 60s! A show about a funny POW camp run by funny Nazis?! At a time when World War II was fresh in the minds of anyone over the age of 30 and actually experienced by many over the age of 40! Crazier still that all the "Nazis" were Jews. Werner Klemperer (Klink),was the son of symphony conductor Otto Klemperer, who was rich and prescient enough to flee Germany in time. Werner ended up in the US Army. In the Pacific. John Banner (Schultz) and Leon Askin (Burkhalter) were Austrian Jews who barely escaped. "Schultz" served as a supply sergeant in the US Army Air Corps. "Burkhalter" also served as a sergeant in the USAAC with the unique job of teaching European culture and manners to American officers! Probably one of the cushiest jobs in the armed forces. Howard Caine (Hochstedter) was an American Jew, also well known as a bluegrass banjo player. French POW Le Beau (Robert Clary) was a French Jew who survived a concentration camp.

The show was well written, acted and directed and most episodes were hilarious, especially to the historically literate. Although the scripts were often a little too cute and avoided direct mention of genocide and death camps, there was never any doubt that the Nazis were truly evil. The worst inaccuracy from my point of view was the portrayal of "average" Germans as terrified, unwilling pawns of the Nazis, many of whom belonged to an "underground" which was, in reality, almost nonexistent in Germany proper. And, of course, in reality POW camps always strictly segregated officers and enlisted men, often in different camps entirely. The Germans (but not the Japanese) also kept soldiers from different allied armies separate; at least in different barracks.

The show really did have a moral---that totalitarian systems are inherently very weak. People often say that such societies may lack freedom, but that they're "efficient" and "well ordered". This show was great at illustrating how untrue this is. Fear based societies that are intolerant of criticism and enforce accountability in an arbitrary, unjust manner cause people to do and say what they think those above them want to hear, regardless of how this affects real issues or long term goals. And they will withhold critical information that may have a great bearing on events, if that information could cause them to be blamed for something. The consequences of even the most minor infractions are too serious to risk, so people will readily let the whole ship sink to save their own posteriors.

Whenever Klink found a radio transmitter or discovered one of Hogan's other capers the star would often say something like: "OK ya got me Klink. Call the Gestapo. I guess they'll transfer me to a punishment camp. But what will they do to you? They'll want to know how this happened in YOUR camp. What will YOU tell THEM?" This was usually enough to resign Klink to no more than an angry expression and air-punching fist as Hogan scooped up a handful of his cigars, pawed Fraulein Hilda, and swaggered out of the commandant's office. Schultz's solution was simple---to see and hear NOTHING---no matter what he heard or saw. Burkhalter would just blame Klink for everything and Hogan's main job was making Klink look good enough to remain commandant. That's why Hogan always made sure there was never a single escape---despite tunnels that seemingly went everywhere and transported the "Heroes" to nearby Hammelburg for hofbrau, hot frauleins and cloak and dagger operations. With this, Le Beau's gourmet cooking, and a fine wine cellar, who would want to leave and go back to the war?

One interesting tidbit is that Bob Crane married Klink's secretary, actress Sigrid Valdis. And, more significantly, that there really was a Stalag 13 at Hammelburg. Late in the war, General Patton sent "Force Baum" commanded by Major Abraham Baum (a Jew) in a rapid strike behind enemy lines to rescue American and Yugoslav prisoners from the Stalag. Patton claimed that he ordered the attack as a diversion, but his son in law was a prisoner at Stalag 13 and this may have been part of the reason. Force Baum consisted of a few Sherman tanks and some other light tanks and halftracks with about 300 men. It was too large to conceal itself and preserve the element of surprise, and too small to defend itself once German reinforcements arrived. Despite inflicting significant damage to the German rear support area, the mission was a failure. Few prisoners escaped and Patton's son in law was severely wounded and remained a prisoner. Most of the attacking force was killed or captured as was Baum, who was also wounded.

I highly recommend the film "Auto Focus" to fans of this show. A depressing but interesting movie about actor Bob Crane's ultimately fatal obsessions and an unexpected yet interesting look at the early history of home video recorders.

Hogan's Heroes is a successful mix of high comedy and deep meaning. Perhaps the best television comedy of all time.

I loved this show as a kid but did NOT want to be Cuffy! Not that I didn't fantasize about being Captain Gallant's little sidekick. But, in my daydreams I was a child prodigy, rifle toting, kickass legionnaire, not a little "mascot". Cullen Crabbe was in fact Buster Crabbe's real life son, but in the series he is actually the son of a dead comrade and calls Captain Gallant "Uncle Mike". In one particularly poignant episode, Cuffy's imperious, snobby aunt arrives at the fort with a court order granting her custody of the boy fathered by her "black sheep" nephew and born to "some kind of an entertainer". Gallant immediately and angrily cuts her off with "A good woman and a fine mother". While the circumstances of his parents' deaths are never specified, it is implied that they were killed in a massacre of some type. I won't say what ultimately happens, but in 50's TV Land, things usually work out for the best.

The first year of the series was great. It was filmed on location in Morocco and many of the extras were real legionnaires or other French colonial troops. While many episodes were a bit too sappy for adults, some of them had good action sequences and more adult themes. The opening scenes feature a powerfully orchestrated version of "Le Boudin", the signature march of the Foreign Legion, and are about as stirring as anything ever televised. Unfortunately, the series morphed into more of a true kiddie show the second season, when political turmoil culminating in the independence of Morocco forced the series onto the back lots of California. In some of the later shows they even cut out the impressive opening.

I once got to meet Buster Crabbe when I was a teenager. A former Olympic swimming champion, he was giving a swimming exhibition at a resort where I was staying with my family. When I tried to speak to him privately after the show, he rather gruffly asked me what I wanted. Needless to say, I was very hurt and said that I just wanted to talk to Captain Gallant and was sorry to have bothered him. As I quickly and angrily turned away, he told me to wait and apologized for being so rude. When I told him how much I liked the show and admired his character, he became quite maudlin and even misty eyed. He spent some time telling me about how much he loved doing the show and what a great time he and Cuffy had traveling around North Africa. Although he didn't come out and say so, it seemed that he considered the show to have been the peak of his career. This made me forgive his initial shortness with me, since I realized that he was now reduced to giving poolside swimming demonstrations. A dream come true that made me happy and sad at the same time. Crabbe's fortunes did subsequently improve and he became a big wheel with the U.S. Olympic Committee. He died in 1983.

In it's first season, a fine show, but not one that would appeal to today's kids and probably even less so to politically correct parents.

Windsor plays a conniving, unfaithful wife whose fed up husband wants to marry a "nice" girl and is willing to make her a fair offer in exchange for a divorce. She makes an exorbitant demand and ups the price by 100 grand after he responds by throwing a drink in her face. This is followed by her shocked father-in-law's remark "no matter how you look at it, that woman is a witch!" To which his son replies "no matter how you spell it either." A good example of some of the clever (not to mention funny) pseudo-profanity and "no-no" innuendo script writers had to develop back then.

As usual, Windsor plays her part to the hilt and makes a very credible villain. Unfortunately, the script writers went overboard with her character, almost making her a caricature of herself. They exaggerate her "W" or "B"ness to such a degree that it becomes unrealistic and even comical. What self-respecting cold, calculating gold-digger would publicly commit adultery with her secretary's fiancée before she was done squeezing her husband? Windsor herself seems to display an inner grin even with her nastiest facial expressions. She no doubt realized how ridiculous some of the script was. In the movie, she owns and lives in an art gallery. Since the real Marie Windsor was a multi-talented individual who achieved some success as a painter and sculptress, I wonder if this is simply coincidental.

I guess one purpose served by making her such a larger than life meanie is to make all the suspects seem equally likely to have killed her.

A mix of true "noir" and standard "whodunit" hurt by overdone melodramatics, yet still worth seeing.

This is one of the greatest comedies of all time. I laugh so hard every time I see it (at least a dozen) that it really does seem that my sides might split! I won't add to the well earned praise heaped upon the film. Nor will I analyze it in the minute detail that other reviewers have done so well.

But, people always seem amazed when I point out the fact that Bialystock & Bloom are characters straight out of a Nazi propaganda movie. One is a sniveling, somewhat effeminate nerd and the other a loudmouthed pushy sleazebag who would cause anyone who shook hands with him to count their fingers. All ethnic groups have their charlatans,swindlers, and even rich old lady seducers. But an anti-semite would tell you that only Jews would be so cravenly amoral as to profit from their own people's misery. And Bialystock gives the impression that he would pull the old lady routine on his own mother. They don Nazi armbands, and sing old beer hall songs with their arms around the author of "Springtime for Hitler", all the while assuring him that they only want to show the world what a kind and gentle man Hitler was!?!

This is exactly what a Nazi would tell you is wrong with Jews. Some of the more academically inclined anti-semites of the past even expressed a degree of sympathy for this behavior. You see, not having a nation state, the poor Jews couldn't help being liars and cheats oblivious to everything but survival and making a buck. Nothing, not even their own people's suffering; much less abstract notions of honor and human decency; could be allowed to get in the way. Mel Brooks (himself a Jew) seems to understand this and makes it an important component of this riotously funny, yet extremely dark comedy.

Please understand that this writer is NOT anti-semitic. In fact, I'm a member of the "Tribe". The wry, cynical, iconoclastic sense of humor that has become a part of Jewish culture is also one of the causes of the disproportionately high involvement of Jews in progressive and humanistic endeavors. It has allowed them to see beyond the blind loyalties and literalism that often retard social progress. Not to mention getting them through more than three thousand years of conquest and persecution.

I guess I'm just surprised at how few have this perspective.

Or..."Post Time for Topper". You won't see Ward, Wally or The Beaver. But you DO get to see Barbara Billingsly (June) as the fall guy's secretary. AND Carl (Alfalfa) Switzer as his younger daughter's dizzy boyfriend. This is the story of an honest, widowed family man and bank officer who becomes addicted to off track horse betting, loses large sums of money, and is lured deeper into the abyss by his bookie's vampish courier, played by Marie Windsor-----Filmland's best, sexiest, and probably most prolific villainess.

The rare contrast of authentic noir and sappy "back at the homestead" scenes provides for some unintentional humor, giving the movie the flavor of a high school dope-scare film from the 60s. However, this film isn't in the "so bad it's good" category. The performances and scripting are top notch, even though some of the melodramatic plot elements are quite implausible and even a bit ridiculous. Nevertheless, the film is effectively paced and truly suspenseful. Plenty of thrills....and a few giggles.

Highly entertaining

This excuse for a film has no plot or anything resembling a story line. The characters are smarmy little nonentities who are so lacking in substance that one can't even dislike them. There are some good special effects, but even these quickly wear thin and lose their shock effect. After a while, the viewer feels as if he's watching a home movie of a nightmarish amusement park water ride.

The one worthwhile, yet negative aspect of this film is it's portrayal of how selfish and egocentric our society has become. Sure, the original version's stereotypical characters, cornball scripting and preachy, self righteous tone were a bit tedious. BUT, Gene Hackman's charismatic clergyman character tried to convince the others to join him in attempting escape through the upside down hull of the ship. In this version, the character who hits upon the idea (a gambler) indirectly suggests it to another within earshot. These two then embark upon the mission with their loved ones, making no attempt at sharing their insight or convincing the others to follow.

An absolute waste as entertainment, but a concise, albeit unintentional, statement of much that is wrong with our time.

So sappy one's brain cells become glued together! Much worse than it's progeny "The Waltons" (which did have some decent episodes). This tale of lovable, yet curmudgeonly and occasionally drunk Henry Fonda as the father of a poor but happy family living in a company mining town, is less believable than any fairy tale. It's only cinematic competition is "The Human Comedy". At least that one was absurd enough to be quite funny in spots, but this film has no edge of any kind.

"Spencer's Mountain" purports to portray a slice of Americana that never existed. This company town is a peaceful little community where no one grumbles about the high prices and enslaving credit rates of the company store. The mine president is just tickled pink about the romance between his daughter and miner Fonda's son, and their possible "union" is the only one either dad seems concerned about. The State University cheerfully accepts walk-in applicants and has plenty of full scholarships for the asking.

This film is more than a waste of time. I found it's flaccid, phony whimsy a true insult to my intelligence. One of the all time worst!!

After disposing of the fact that this film was significantly under budgeted, and, in spots, more than a bit overacted, what remains is a realistically cold and existential account of the first day of the American Revolution. While the principal characters have decided to take a stand against British domination, most are a bit vague in their feelings and haven't judged exactly how far they are willing to go. Yet, the events of the Day assume a life of their own and sweep everyone along.

I was most impressed by the way the film depicts the confusion of war and the mostly improvised pattern of resistance against the redcoats. Firing is heard all around, though no one is exactly sure from where or by whom. Men move through the woods with their guns, forming ad hoc groups to ambush the roadbound British columns---whose primary mission was the confiscation of privately owned firearms. The tactics are historically accurate. They fire, and retreat to concealed positions to reload. Most of these men are reluctant warriors, resigned to an unpleasant task, yet resolved to carry it through. A fine illustration of the ultimate Check and Balance of an armed citizenry; a concept enshrined in our Constitution yet too readily dismissed by many who claim to believe in democratic principles.

Another interesting and rather rare touch is the fact that the scriptwriters made a real effort to have the characters speak as people of the time would have. I have found that in many "historical" films the actors use words, sentence structure and alliterative devices from modern times. In some instances, well intentioned editors concerned with realism overcompensate to the point where the dialogue is overly formalized, archaic, and stilted. Not so here. The actors really sound like what one would read in contemporary, primary sources describing the event. This by itself gives the film considerable educational value.

A good "war is hell" movie still suitable for younger viewers due to its lack of gratuitous gore, and a memorable portrayal of ordinary people facing up to the bold task of confronting tyranny.

Extremely (though unintentionally) funny "teen delinquent" movie from the 50's. Except here, the gangsters are a tough girl's gang drenched with lesbian innuendo. The story centers around a straight, clean cut "new kid" at the school targeted for recruitment by the gang. The new girl can't believe her good fortune. So new at the school and suddenly all these neat girls want to be her friends! One of the funniest scenes is when her parents momentarily ask each other if there isn't something a little strange about their daughter's new friends, and then casually shrug off their suspicions, despite the very obvious fact that these rather masculine girls aren't quite normal, to put it mildly. Good Ward and June Cleaver style naiveté.

Great escapist laugh material. Not for everyone, but fans of this type of film won't be disappointed.