And the best Black and White movie ever is:

[ronmac]

Hall, didn't see, The Big Clock, but I think I got it confused with, The Clock with Orson Welles and Edward G. Robinson. I think Ron likes that one to. Charles Laughton was an excellent actor.

I've never seen it.

Yes, Laughton was one of the greats. Speaking of Elsa Lanchester, the two were married until the day he died. His bisexuality was notorious.

[Staun]

I've never seen it.

Yes, Laughton was one of the greats. Speaking of Elsa Lanchester, the two were married until the day he died. His bisexuality was notorious.

Once again, I find out something about these actors I didn't know. The Clock, was good. Welles' was a Nazi and Robinson was chasing him down.

[Staun]

I've never seen it.

Yes, Laughton was one of the greats. Speaking of Elsa Lanchester, the two were married until the day he died. His bisexuality was notorious.

I'm losing it. It's, The Stranger and not, The Clock.

[nycsteve]

I'm losing it. It's, The Stranger and not, The Clock.

Caught yourself before I did .
Wells unravels nicely. Very good movie.
Poor Fritz , even after he found god.

[ronmac]

I'm losing it. It's, The Stranger and not, The Clock.

Okay, that movie I know and have seen. Once I saw your description, I paused. It's actually on TCM fairly often.

[Joe F.]

Fun fact: Seattle has one of the three remaining Cinerama movie theaters in the world. I saw the "Star Wars" premiere there in 1977.

Are you sure about that? I saw Star Wars a couple of weeks after it was released, and I swear it was at either the UA150 or UA70.

[Hal...]

Speaking of Elsa Lanchester, the two were married until the day he died.

If I ever knew that I'd forgotten it; and it doesn't ring a bell. Elsa & Chuck, huh? Now that I think about it, they seem like a good fit.

The thing that still blows my mind is the fact that Elsa often played nutty or flaky characters - I don't think I've ever seen her in a dramatic role (with one exception) - and yet she was the female monster in Bride of Frankenstein. Now that's a movie I need to see again. I think I was 11 or 12 the last time I saw it.

His bisexuality was notorious.

I thought he was gay but closeted. Apparently, you are right.

I still say the only movie he ever directed (The Night of the Hunter) is one of the best movies I've ever seen.

I'm losing it. It's, The Stranger and not, The Clock.

I can see how you could make that mistake. Welles was some kind of clock enthusiast in the movie.

But check out The Big Clock. It has a really interesting premise and the plot is laid out well. It kind of reminds me in some strange way of D.O.A., another film noir with Edmond O'Brien. Both are must-see movies.

[nycsteve]

Hal "
But check out The Big Clock. It has a really interesting premise and the plot is laid out well. It kind of reminds me in some strange way of D.O.A., another film noir with Edmond O'Brien. Both are must-see movies. "

DOA has a unique premise and is definitely a must see. It got it all , cultured evil vilians , sadistic henchmen and enough plot twists to produce whiplash.
Continuing the "reminds me of " thread , DOA reminds me of KIss Me Deadly a 1955 Mike Hammer film with Ralph Meeker. Starts out wit a very young , very naked Cloris Leachman running on a deserted coast road at night , picked up by Hammer and subsequently caught and killed by the badies. A brutal violent film for its time , again with a fairly unique premise. Perhaps the link to DOA is radioactive. The clim ax , wherein the McGuffin is finally revealed is great. A meltdown if you will.

[ronmac]

Bride of Frankenstein. Now that's a movie I need to see again. I think I was 11 or 12 the last time I saw it.

Fifty lashes for that.

[Staun]

Caught yourself before I did .
Wells unravels nicely. Very good movie.
Poor Fritz , even after he found god.

I'm amazed how everyone here keeps this stuff together and has all this back ground information.

[Staun]

Hal "
But check out The Big Clock. It has a really interesting premise and the plot is laid out well. It kind of reminds me in some strange way of D.O.A., another film noir with Edmond O'Brien. Both are must-see movies. "

DOA has a unique premise and is definitely a must see. It got it all , cultured evil vilians , sadistic henchmen and enough plot twists to produce whiplash.
Continuing the "reminds me of " thread , DOA reminds me of KIss Me Deadly a 1955 Mike Hammer film with Ralph Meeker. Starts out wit a very young , very naked Cloris Leachman running on a deserted coast road at night , picked up by Hammer and subsequently caught and killed by the badies. A brutal violent film for its time , again with a fairly unique premise. Perhaps the link to DOA is radioactive. The clim ax , wherein the McGuffin is finally revealed is great. A meltdown if you will.

Always liked DOA. How desperate he was in trying to find out who killed him. Sounds weird to say but that's exactly how this great film is. Does it remind you of the people in England poisoned by Russians some time back?

[Staun]

If I ever knew that I'd forgotten it; and it doesn't ring a bell. Elsa & Chuck, huh? Now that I think about it, they seem like a good fit.

The thing that still blows my mind is the fact that Elsa often played nutty or flaky characters - I don't think I've ever seen her in a dramatic role (with one exception) - and yet she was the female monster in Bride of Frankenstein. Now that's a movie I need to see again. I think I was 11 or 12 the last time I saw it.


I thought he was gay but closeted. Apparently, you are right.

I still say the only movie he ever directed (The Night of the Hunter) is one of the best movies I've ever seen.


I can see how you could make that mistake. Welles was some kind of clock enthusiast in the movie.

But check out The Big Clock. It has a really interesting premise and the plot is laid out well. It kind of reminds me in some strange way of D.O.A., another film noir with Edmond O'Brien. Both are must-see movies.

Right. He was trying to restore this old clock which finally was the instrument of his death. His wife must have had a lot of faith in him even though she finally found out he was trying to kill her. Great story. I've mentioned I'm not big on the human monsters but I have to give in to, The Brides of Dracula. The color is beautiful and the story and acting are great. David Pell is a great Dracula.

[Hal...]

I'm amazed how everyone here keeps this stuff together and has all this back ground information.

Haven't you ever heard of Wikipedia?

Seriously, I was blessed with a great memory so I remember a lot. But it also depends. With most movies I remember certain details like the director, actors/actresses, sometimes the studio (e.g. Warner Bros were known for making gritty crime movies, MGM was known for big musical productions), and usually the year of release (give or take a year; altho, the older the movie, the less I'm accurate). But often there are things I can't remember. For instance, I thought the star of D.O.A. was Dana Andrews, but not being sure I looked it up on Wikipedia first. Edmond O'Brien is not an actor I've seen very much of so he's easy to forget (plus I often confuse him with Pat O'Brien; I'm the same way with Maureen O'Sullivan, Maureen O'Hara, Margaret O'Brien, and Catherine O'Hara, especially the first two). Also, as I've mentioned before, I have a bunch of books on movies and have read even more. You know how some people here on PE know gads of info about music? I'm that way with movies.

In the off chance anyone's interested, these are the books I have related to cinema:

American Film Institute Desk Reference
Blessings in Disguise, the biography of Alex Guinness (it was a gift)
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
LM's 2008 Movie Guide
LM's 2011 Movie Guide
LM's Movie Encyclopedia (this book is indispensable! I don't know why he hasn't updated it)
New York Times Guide to the Best 1000 Movies Ever Made (a collection of critic reviews that appeared in the NYT from 1927-1998)
A book about vampires in the movies. I can't remember the title. My mom threw it away when she discovered pictures of nude women in it; ironically, that was the sole reason I got it; I was 17, what do you expect? )

Text books I have or had (I minored in film studies):
The American Movie
The Birds (an academic book by Camille Paglia given to me by my wife at the time; I gave it back. lol)
The Documentary Idea: A Critical History of English Language Documentary Film
Dreams of Chaos, Visions of Order: Understanding American Avant-Garde Cinema
How to Read a Film
Film Noir Reader
The Films of Ingmar Bergman (which I sold back to the univ bookstore)
Final Cut
New Challenges for Documentary
Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde 1943-1978
A book on the French New Wave (which I sold back)
A book on Italian Neorealism (which I sold back)

Plus, I have a board game of movie trivia called "Applause". It's pretty fun.

[nycsteve]

Haven't you ever heard of Wikipedia?

Seriously, I was blessed with a great memory so I remember a lot. But it also depends. With most movies I remember certain details like the director, actors/actresses, sometimes the studio (e.g. Warner Bros were known for making gritty crime movies, MGM was known for big musical productions), and usually the year of release (give or take a year; altho, the older the movie, the less I'm accurate). But often there are things I can't remember. For instance, I thought the star of D.O.A. was Dana Andrews, but not being sure I looked it up on Wikipedia first. Edmond O'Brien is not an actor I've seen very much of so he's easy to forget (plus I often confuse him with Pat O'Brien; I'm the same way with Maureen O'Sullivan, Maureen O'Hara, Margaret O'Brien, and Catherine O'Hara, especially the first two). Also, as I've mentioned before, I have a bunch of books on movies and have read even more. You know how some people here on PE know gads of info about music? I'm that way with movies.

In the off chance anyone's interested, these are the books I have related to cinema:

American Film Institute Desk Reference
Blessings in Disguise, the biography of Alex Guinness (it was a gift)
Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide
LM's 2008 Movie Guide
LM's 2011 Movie Guide
LM's Movie Encyclopedia (this book is indispensable! I don't know why he hasn't updated it)
New York Times Guide to the Best 1000 Movies Ever Made (a collection of critic reviews that appeared in the NYT from 1927-1998)
A book about vampires in the movies. I can't remember the title. My mom threw it away when she discovered pictures of nude women in it; ironically, that was the sole reason I got it; I was 17, what do you expect? )

Text books I have or had (I minored in film studies):
The American Movie
The Birds (an academic book by Camille Paglia given to me by my wife at the time; I gave it back. lol)
The Documentary Idea: A Critical History of English Language Documentary Film
Dreams of Chaos, Visions of Order: Understanding American Avant-Garde Cinema
How to Read a Film
Film Noir Reader
The Films of Ingmar Bergman (which I sold back to the univ bookstore)
Final Cut
New Challenges for Documentary
Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde 1943-1978
A book on the French New Wave (which I sold back)
A book on Italian Neorealism (which I sold back)

Plus, I have a board game of movie trivia called "Applause". It's pretty fun.

I don't think I have ever used info from Wikipedia here without crediting them. I will use IMBD to verify a year , or verify a title , just had to verify Kiss Me Deadly. I had way more command of titles , years , actors , directors etc a few years ago. Things get muddled as one ages. I've loved movies , particularly those of Hollywoods classic and golden years since before my teens. So many great movies aired right after school , in NY. I also read lots of books on the subject . Especially noir. I guess when you really enjoy something , retaining its details is second nature. My favorite part of a TCM airing of a film is the post andpre movie trivia on the film. Most I have heard or read before , but I am still delighted by a new factoid.

[NogbadTheBad]

I just ask Guitargeek.

[Staun]

I don't think I have ever used info from Wikipedia here without crediting them. I will use IMBD to verify a year , or verify a title , just had to verify Kiss Me Deadly. I had way more command of titles , years , actors , directors etc a few years ago. Things get muddled as one ages. I've loved movies , particularly those of Hollywoods classic and golden years since before my teens. So many great movies aired right after school , in NY. I also read lots of books on the subject . Especially noir. I guess when you really enjoy something , retaining its details is second nature. My favorite part of a TCM airing of a film is the post andpre movie trivia on the film. Most I have heard or read before , but I am still delighted by a new factoid.

It seems as though if I have a question about a film or actor, all I have to do is wait as the answer will come here. It's the background info I pick up that I really enjoy but yes, I need to read a few books on the subject.

[Hal...]

I don't think I have ever used info from Wikipedia here without crediting them.

I haven't either. Many a quote I've started with according to Wikipedia or ended with (Wikipedia), or some other source. And I often include in-text links to articles of various sources, usually Wikipedia. Here are just a few examples of posts where I've done that: #245, #1357, #75, #1106, #1095, #119, #3052. In fact, I've also taken to using superscript numbers, which are normally associated with footnotes, but I provide a link so if you want to see where I got the information or want to learn more, simply click that superscript number (see #119 as an example; I used three in that post).

But that mention of Edmond O'Brien in my other post isn't worthy of a citation.

I've loved movies , particularly those of Hollywoods classic and golden years since before my teens.

Me too. I was 10 when I saw High Sierra. I always liked movies before that but those were current movies. High Sierra is the one that made me a lover of the oldies.

Edit: My oldest brother was a big influence on me, too. He was always telling us (my mom and other siblings) about some good horror movie that was going to be on the late show or some sci-fi flick on a Saturday afternoon.

[nycsteve]

I used to read the Leonard Maltin review books page by page. Not only to see comments on what I had already seen , but to get ideas on what I might want to see.
It might be my predudice , but I think overall the quality of the older movies were better . In that they relied ( as a group) more on plot and dialoge more than on CGI and explosions. Threres plenty of exceptions to this throughout the spectrum . But take High Sierra. Dialogue and character driven. Theres action but its not the central draw of the film. No outlandish car chases , ridiculously huge explosions, overly complex thievery. But there is Bogey and Lupino and great dialogue. Where the stars brighter then? Maybe.

[ronmac]

I used to read the Leonard Maltin review books page by page.

His book about The Little Rascals is great.

[Staun]

I used to read the Leonard Maltin review books page by page. Not only to see comments on what I had already seen , but to get ideas on what I might want to see.
It might be my predudice , but I think overall the quality of the older movies were better . In that they relied ( as a group) more on plot and dialoge more than on CGI and explosions. Threres plenty of exceptions to this throughout the spectrum . But take High Sierra. Dialogue and character driven. Theres action but its not the central draw of the film. No outlandish car chases , ridiculously huge explosions, overly complex thievery. But there is Bogey and Lupino and great dialogue. Where the stars brighter then? Maybe.

With CGI, on screen, you can do almost anything and yes, there is a place for this. But 50, 60 or 70 years from now, how will these films be viewed? I would guess that a lot of us here are more interested in story driven movies. Again, nothing wrong with CGI but I fear those who look for story, won't have a great deal to choose from. They will probably have to seek out the films we've been talking about here.

[Staun]

I think the first film that really started me down this path as a really young kid was, Dark Passage. The way it was done blew me away. I had no understanding of a voice without a face or body. The story would not let me leave. I was hooked!!

[Hal...]

Speaking of Maltin reviews, there's one I happened across that I earmarked. I'd never even heard of the movie before but something about the review caught my eye. Here it is:

Twentynine Palms (2003) C-119m. Rating: BOMB
Smarmy, ultra-pretentious "road" picture with dialogue that sounds like it was recorded from a cell phone is a Zabriskie (without a) Point for a new generation.

Photographer and his unemployed girlfriend, ostensibly scouting locales for a photo shoot, drive endlessly through the California desert, frequently stopping for sexual favors on picturesque rocky slopes or in nondescript motel rooms until their idyllic interludes turn graphically violent because... well, that's art.

TV viewing could actually improve [the] film as nothing much happens for chunks of time, making it ideal to watch while paying bills, sorting laundry, talking to friends, or writing your memoirs.

I love that review.

[Hal...]

I think the first film that really started me down this path as a really young kid was, Dark Passage. The way it was done blew me away. I had no understanding of a voice without a face or body. The story would not let me leave. I was hooked!!

I recognized the title but had to look it up since I'd forgotten the story and actors. Yeah, I saw that when I was a kid, too. I was probably more like a teenager, tho. I remember liking it a lot.

Film Noir (and Neo-noir) is my 2nd favorite genre. I know TCM has a night or time slot devoted to FN, but I never remember to look up when. Perhaps I should do that now.

"Noir Alley". Saturdays at midnight, with an encore Sundays at 10am ET. Here's the schedule:

SEPTEMBER
7 - The Big Clock (1948) (see this one!)
14 - Nocturne (1946). Stars George Raft. This one sounds good.
21 - The Woman on the Beach (1947). 1½ stars. That's a shame given the director and actors.
28 - The Harder They Fall (1956). Bogey's last movie. 3½ stars!

OCTOBER
5 - Trapped (1949). 2½ stars. A "so-so thriller."
12 - Clash By Night (1952). Directed by Fritz Lang and stars Barbara Stanwyck, Paul Douglas, Robert Ryan, Marilyn Monroe. 3 stars.
19 - This Gun For Hire (1942). Alan Ladd (in his debut as a bad guy) and Veronica Lake. 3 stars.
26 - Force of Evil (1949). 3 stars. Stars John Garfield.

NOVEMBER
2 - Sweet Smell of Success (1957). Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis. 3½ stars!
9 - Johnny Eager (1942). 3 stars. With a hell of a cast: Robert Taylor, Lana Turner, Edward Arnold, and Van Heflin.
16 - The Hitch-Hiker (1953). Directed by Ida Lupino and stars Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman (better known as Hamilton Burger on Perry Mason). I saw this about a year and half ago. I thought it was pretty good but the ending was just okay. 2½ stars.
23 - Kansas City Confidential (1952). Stars John Payne. See this one!
30 - The Mask of Dimitrios (1944). 3 stars. With Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet!!! I gotta see this one!

DECEMBER
7 - Berlin Express (1948). "Taut, suspenseful spy story set in post WW2 Europe." Merle Oberon and Robert Ryan. 3 stars.
14 - Criss Cross (1949). Burt Lancaster (who Maltin says is miscast) and Yvonne de Carlo (Lily Munster!). Also, Tony Curtis' first screen appearance in a bit part. 3 stars.
21 - Cash on Demand (1961). Stars Peter Cushing. Nothing in Maltin's books about it. Sounds good, tho.
28 - Repeat Performance (1947). 3 stars. With Joan Leslie and Louis Hayward.

JANUARY 2020
4 - The Big Sleep (1946). 4 stars. You all have probably seen this one.
11 - The Big Night (1951). 2½ stars. Stars John Barrymore Jr.
18 - The Captive City (1952). Stars John Forsythe. "Based-on-fact drama is earnest and intelligent with fine noir-style photography." 3 stars.
25 - Try and Get Me (1950). "Very impressive independent film noir... Based on a true story that took place in 1930s California." Stars Lloyd Bridges. 3 stars.

[Hal...]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see The Big Clock this morning because of an F1 race. Hopefully I'll be able to stream it on TCM's website if it becomes available.

Anyone else watch or record it?

[nycsteve]

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see The Big Clock this morning because of an F1 race. Hopefully I'll be able to stream it on TCM's website if it becomes available.

Anyone else watch or record it?

I didn't see this airing but have seen it multiple times. Its a good flic.