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Basil33
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Outside the Law (1920)
Average crime melodrama
As a fan of Lon Chaney since childhood, I chanced upon this film but was rather disappointed. His characterisations in this case were good but Caucasian actors just cannot convince as Chinese characters. The plot was dense and contrived. Priscilla Dean did well and carried much of the impetus of the film. Chaney was not on screen enough and his crook persona was rather one-dimensional. This film needed sound and the music was totally unsuited, it sounded like a funeral march. There is no comparison with The Unholy Three or other Browning-Chaney collaborations which had an appealing subversive quality and real sense of the macabre that was totally lacking here.
Sahara (1943)
Excellent war film with a great cast
This a wonderful film with a stellar cast headed by Humphrey Bogart. Seldom did a war film reflect so well the combined effort of the countries involved. There seemed to be a greater understanding of the wider struggle, and genuine understanding and mutual respect between the nations. Great to see Dan Duryea in a heroic role, with marvellous support from Rex Ingram, J. Carrol Naish, Bruce Bennett and the lesser known actors such as Carl Harbord and Louis Mercier. The movie has a lot of humanity, reflected especially when they don't let the Italian prisoner onto the overcrowded truck, but then change their mind. It brings to mind Ice Cold in Alex in which the greater enemy for both sides is the desert.. Not seen the remake, but I think I will pass on it.