The 39 Steps, 1935

Repost! (original post: September 27, 2011)


Director: Alfred Hitchcock (Dial 'M' for Murder, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, Rope, Saboteur, etc......)

Stars: Robert Donat, Madeleine Carroll

Hannay (Donat) is taken by surprise at the theater (where, incidentally, he is watching an interesting spectacle of a man nicknamed "Memory" who will answer any question from the audience, because he memorizes 50 facts every day) when a woman comes to him and asks him to take her home. When she discovers that there are men on the street watching his apartment, she begins to tell him about the "39 Steps" and how she must go see someone in Scotland or the UK's secrets will get out of the country. (I don't think they were specific on secrets; I think we are just supposed to know that these are super important secrets. Or it could be I wasn't paying attention. Except I'm pretty sure I was.)

Then the mysterious woman comes to his room in the night and tells him to run or he'll be next. And when she falls over, he sees she has a knife in her back!

This incident convinces him that she was telling the truth, so, still unsure of what to do, but knowing he's headed to see a professor in Scotland, Hannay loses the goons after him by hopping a train. But at the next station, he discovers they're still after him. To escape them, he gets into a young woman's compartment and starts kissing her! (Classic escape! Maybe it was Hitch who started the trend?) The woman, Pamela (Madeleine Carroll), does not believe Hannay, and instantly tries to turn him in, but he is able to get off the train and run.

Well, this summary is getting long. I really liked this movie! I can't believe I've never seen it before! The cover for it (at least the one on Netflix) is a bit scary-looking, with a bunch of bloody hand-prints. The film has nothing to do with that! Except for when the mysterious woman is stabbed in the beginning, but it's not bloody! I don't want to say anything more, except that Pamela and Hannay eventually get hand-cuffed together, and are on the run from the guys trying to kill Hannay, and end up sharing a hotel room. How was this allowed on the screen in the 30s!!!!?? I mean, nothing happens, but still!

It's thrilling! :)

April: A month of Hitchcock

This is NOT an April Fool. The only reviews of the month of April will be Hitchcock films! (Except for the ones on Thursday, of course, which will be the Thursday movie connections.)

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock was born on August 13, 1899, in Leytonstone, London, England. In his film-making career, spanning six decades, he directed over 50 films. From "No. 13" in 1922 to "Family Plot" in 1976. Hitch changed the way movies were made and stories were told. He is referred to as "The Master of Suspense".

Among other things, he is noted for making a cameo appearance in each of his films. And as I review them, I'll mention each cameo, so you won't have to search if you're a new fan.

Hitch died on April 29, 1980, at the age of 80. So, that's why April is dedicated to his films. Plus, I just don't like any other director like I like Hitch. I don't like horror films (I've never seen Psycho, and probably never will- and I had to stop watching Frenzy because it was just too awful), but suspense, and action, and romance- I love. Hitch directed most of my favorite movies!

Get ready for a month of suspense, romance, adventure, wrongful accusations of guilt, shocking discoveries, and wonderful, exciting endings on great National monuments and statues, etc.

Hello, Dolly! 1969

Director: Gene Kelly

Choreographer: Michael Kidd

Stars: Barbra Streisand, Walter Matthau, Michael Crawford

With a director like Gene Kelly and a choreographer like (my favorite) Michael Kidd, how can you go wrong?)

I'm ending my month of musicals with one of the very, very best.

Matchmaker and widow Dolly Levi (Streisand) has set her sights on Horace Vandergelder (Matthau), and it's quite an adventure, how she wins his heart. And while Vandergelder's gone to New York to woo a different woman, his employees Cornelius (Crawford) and Barnaby ditch their store duties and escape to New York for some adventure, and they won't come home until they've each kissed a girl. Well, when you make that vow, something great is bound to happen, right?

My favorite part is the dancing waiters in the Harmonia Gardens restaurant, and when they dance with Dolly and sing "Hello, Dolly". And "Sunday Clothes" runs a close second. Wonderful movie!

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, 1967

repost (original post: May 17, 2011)

Director: David Swift

Choreographer: Bob Fosse

Stars: Robert Morse, Michele Lee, Rudy Vallee

James Pierpont Finch (Robert Morse), a window washer, begins reading a book that will forever change his life- How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Soon he is lying and deceiving his way to the top of the World Wide Wickets Corporation, in his own wonderfully entertaining style. (Don't ask what a "wicket" is- nobody knows!)

It's BRILLIANT!

A few things I love: 1. Robert Morse's goofiness. His physical comedy is just astounding- I laugh at practically everything he does. "Groundhog!" "Finch, F-I-N-C-H" (You'll see what I mean.) 2. Finch's girl's name is Rosemary (played by Michele Lee), and he even sings a song about her entitled "Rosemary", which is just SO cool! 3. There's a song entitled "A Secretary is Not a Toy". Enough said. 4. The dancing. Wow, the choreography in the "Brotherhood of Man" number at the end literally makes me laugh OUT LOUD! I've probably said "hilarious" several times already, but it's just so true! (Okay, so maybe I didn't say "hilarious" several times. It deserves it, though.)

The list doesn't end there, but I'll stop. There's too much to love in this "feel-good" musical comedy!

The Princess Bride, 1987

THURSDAY MOVIE CONNECTION!!!!

Christopher Guest-- Robin Wright

Director: Rob Reiner

Stars: Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Billy Crystal, Peter Cook, Fred Savage, Carol Kane, Peter Falk

Now that's an all-star cast!

When Buttercup (Wright) learns that her love Westley (Elwes) has been murdered by the dread Pirate Roberts, she vows never to love again; not even 5 years later when Prince Humperdinck (Sarandon) chooses her as his bride. Before the wedding, she is kidnapped by 3 men, who've been hired to help Humperdick start a war with their sworn enemy across the sea. But following these three is a man wearing black (even a mask), whose goal is to take Buttercup from them.

But when he kidnaps her, and they're running from the Prince, she finds out his true identity: the man in black is her true love, Westley!

Okay, so there's much more to it. It's very funny- so many memorable lines! This one is an absolute MUST SEE, ESSENTIAL, whatever you want to call it, for EVERYONE! Watch it!

One of the best movies ever, and today is my birthday, so happy birthday to me!

The Sound of Music, 1965

Director: Robert Wise

Choreographer: Marc Breaux

Stars: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Charmian

Novice nun Maria (Andrews) is sent to the home of retired Navy Captain Von Trapp (Plummer) to be the governess of his seven children. When his wife died many years ago, the Captain stopped singing and didn't let his children sing either, because it only reminded him of her. But Maria can't help but sing, and she soon brings healing to this family with "the sound of music".

Wow, could I have possibly been cheesier? But anyway, there's more to the story: the Captain has to deal with growing feelings for Maria, as his fiance comes to visit; as well as being forced to join the navy again in the coming war. As a kid I didn't get what was going on, and why the story ends with the family crossing the mountains. But of course now I get it- he was escaping from the Germans/crazy Austrians. It's not exactly as happy as you think it is when you're a kid. But at least they all lived.

My favorite musical. Ever. I think. I know, I say that about every single one of them, pretty much. But this is it!

My Fair Lady, 1964

Director: George Cukor

Choreography: Hermes Pan

Stars: Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway

Professor Henry Higgins (Harrison) makes a bet that he can take "gutter snipe" Eliza Doolittle (Hepburn) and pass her off as a duchess at an embassy ball, simply by teaching her how to speak proper English.

And along the way, there's plenty of music and dancing. I love this movie!

Favorite song: "I Could Have Danced All Night". It's "loverly".