Dec 26
Advanced Teen Top Ten List
Cats: Top Ten Lists|Once the first course of study is completed, let’s try these. If a teen made it through most of the basic list and liked what he or she saw, now it’s time to be more adventurous.
- Sweet Smell Of Success One of the greatest movies ever made. I have personally seen it over 400 hundred times. Clifford Odetts wrote some of the greatest dialogue ever. A harsh biting look at the world of journalism that existed once upon a time. Columnists had incredible power and their columns were where people and careers lived or died. Loosely based on Walter Winchell and his slightly off relationship with his daughter Walda, the picture was not well recieved when it was released. No one dared to like it least they be killed in the papers. Tony Curtis as Sidney Falco,a dog like press agent desperate to curry the favor of all powefull J.J. Hunesucker (Burt Lancaster) is brilliant. A performance that I hope that he will be remembered for. Burt Lancaster is tremendous, a force to be reckoned with. Although there was only three weeks of location shooting here (you would never know it) New York never looked better. I love this dirty town.
- Miracle Of Morgan’s Creek “No American soldier would ever get a woman pregnant” said the Hollywood office of the War Department during World War II. The picture was completed in 1943 but Paramount held the film from being released for almost a year. However, a woman does get pregnant by an American soldier in this comic masterpiece from the genius of Preston Sturges. Betty Hutton goes out with a some soldiers the night before they ship out and after a head injury and a great deal of drinking, she remembers getting married but can’t remeber the soldier’s name. That is were the fun begins.
- Out Of the Past The text book film noir. See the post.
- Night Of The Hunter Charles Laughton called up Robert Mitchum and said “I would like you to play an incredible cur”. Mr. Mitchum said “yes”. See the post.
- Maltese Falcon It is in my “noir list” but this is such a great example of the genre that the kids should see it. Humphrey Bogart in one of his defining roles.
- Lady Eve It’s a rather randy picture for 1941. But it’s 1941 randy, I’ve seen Friends episodes with a higher randyness level but with no where near the charm or class. Henry Fonda is Charles Pike, a very rich young man who is just returning from a year up the Amazon. His voyage home puts him on an ocean liner with con artist Jean Harrington. Remember he has been up the Amazon for a year. Some quite shocking dialogue follows with these two falling in love. A misunderstanding causes them to split up. To torment Charles and win him back, Jean disguises herself as the English Lady Eve.� The writer / director is again Preston Sturgis
- Manchurian Candidate Cold war paranoia or a real possiblity? Who are”the bad guys” here? Many questions posed and some of the greatest editing ever put forth. A brilliant nightmare. Frank is great and he even got his close personal friend Jilly Rizzo’s saloon used as a location.
- Double Indemnity This one is also on my “noir list”. As a kid I became aware that Fred MacMurray had a huge and important career prior to “My Three Sons”. This is a highlight of his and Barbara Stanwyck’s careers. The pinacles of evil and gullible.
- On The Waterfront Now they will get the “I shoulda been a contender” reference. Elia Kazan’s ode to doing the right thing. Hmmm . . . I won’t go there. A great introduction to Marlon Brando, Karl Malden and Eva Marie Saint. Of course Brando is terrific as Terry but Karl Malden should not be over looked. Life on the New York docks that used to be here, where the new condo’s are.
- Best Years Of Our Lives One of the greatest pictures ever made. I defy any jaded teenager to not shed a tear during the wedding sequence. See the post.
