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551,233
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59,729
6
A slender plot , spiked by jazzy visuals and snappy Poitier performance
A college student who volunteers one night a week at a crisis help center receives a call from a woman who has just taken an overdose of barbiturates . . . can he keep her on the line long enough for the police to find and rescue her ? Slim plot puffed up with importance by director Sydney Pollack , making his feature ...
553,242
989,035
36,855
6
Uneven ( but Oscar-winning ! ) Ingrid Bergman performance
In Victorian London , a young woman is being driven mad by her own husband , who hopes to find the whereabouts of some hidden jewels . Thin plot given gossamer treatment by overrated director George Cukor ; Cukor knows a great many things on how to showcase an actress , but he doesn't handle the men quite as well and h...
550,834
989,035
105,665
6
Sinks deftly into the crawlspace between nightmares and reality . . .
Blistering account of insanity - - surely meant for die-hard David Lynch addicts ; all others are likely to get left behind . Lynch , the creator-director of the acclaimed late-'80s TV series " Twin Peaks " , also helmed this critically-drubbed theatrical prequel , an expansive chronicle of lives in a sleepy lumber tow...
552,789
989,035
51,994
6
A surprise : a well-written and realized adventure
British-made depiction of the infamous 1912 sinking of the ocean-liner Titanic , with a screenplay adapted from Walter Lord's book , crediting some of the real-life survivors of the sea-disaster as advisers . After the standard character-introductions , the film becomes a gripping , harrowing adventure , with surprisin...
553,715
989,035
105,695
6
Mangy scoundrels , shaky gunslingers , and one vicious sheriff . . .
Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning western " Unforgiven " is said by some to be an elegy to the genre , an honest and probing examination of killing . The murders in the film spring from injustice and lawlessness , and while the picture certainly has a deep texture and rich performances , it isn't always graceful - - nor o...
550,550
989,035
114,369
6
It cuts and slices away , but still follows police-movie formula . . .
Is Morgan Freeman our greatest living actor ? He may in fact be , and his mere presence here ( solid , noble , and pure ) is reassuring , but even Freeman can't overcome the usual cat - & - mouse / killer-toying-with-detectives stew that " Se7en " serves up . There's a serial killer loose in rainy New York City , and a...
550,659
989,035
24,704
6
Well-mounted fantasy with a cameo by The Three Stooges !
This is the type of fantasy Frank Capra put his stamp on just a few years later . It stars Lee Tracy as a working-class guy who begins to regret his humble life after meeting up with old friends who have become wealthy ; he gets his chance to go back in time and live his life over again . Premise has since been used ti...
551,967
989,035
86,525
6
The set-up is old news , but the kids are engaging . . .
Two Los Angeles-area teens from the opposite side of the tracks fall in love , much to the concern , jealousy , and resentment of their friends . Low-budget but rambunctious comedy with a serious undercurrent ( which is pretty much decimated by the sloppy final act ) . Aside from their clothes and haircuts , there does...
553,492
989,035
44,502
6
Another one of Stanwyck's hard-bitten women
Barbara Stanwyck is so good at playing rough-hewn women , characters with a cynical edge , that it's easy to take her presence here for granted . Once again , she is remarkably good as tough cookie returning to her hometown along the waterfront and eventually reuniting with her estranged brother . Marilyn Monroe is als...
552,114
989,035
227,277
6
Although it pilfers from American noir , it is more courageous than most Hollywood films . . .
Well-acted , stylish Spanish crime-drama from Ricardo Piglia's book is allegedly based on factual account from 1965 involving estranged gay lovers in Argentina who re-energize their relationship with successful , brutal crime sprees ( they call themselves " The Twins " ) ; after one particular robbery ends in gunfire a...
550,557
989,035
52,129
6
Another forgotten heavy breather from Universal . . .
Of all the major Hollywood studios , Universal's vault is probably the one most filled with lost artifacts from the 1950s and ' 60s . If it's shame that's keeping Universal from re-releasing these drive-in classics , they needn't be so worried ; there's always appreciative audiences out there for angst-ridden teen tale...
553,000
989,035
79,757
6
Another acting triumph for Marsha Mason . . .
A teenage girl is treated for a leg injury , but it's soon discovered she has an aggressive form of cancer , which begins taking its toll - - physically and emotionally - - on the victim , her family , and the female doctor who forms a bond with the youngster . Kathleen Beller plays the unfortunate girl with a mix of b...
550,410
989,035
86,312
6
Full of pomp and prestige , but never very enlightening . . .
Somewhat fictionalized true-account of 1970's nuclear-parts worker Karen Silkwood , who was mysteriously killed in a car accident while in the midst of preparing to go public with an exposé on the faulty plant where she worked . Another real-life American Tragedy , helmed with intimidating seriousness by director Mike ...
551,196
989,035
201,128
6
Inconsistently developed and predictable . . . but with pleasant moments and a star-turn from La Fawcett
Lawrence Naumoff's book turned into a sketchy , meandering vehicle for star Farrah Fawcett , playing a ne'er-do-well good-time girl who pops into her rural hometown only to find she's missed her beloved mama's funeral and that her sister is planning to sell off the old homestead . She decides to work at the local facto...
553,212
989,035
36,696
6
Smooth , leisurely-paced charmer . . .
Jules Dassin directed this adaptation of Oscar Wilde's story , a charming fantasy about the ghost of a coward haunting an English castle , aided by a relative who must perform a heroic deed to save the spirit from eternal misery . Despite a reportedly troubled production , the cast ( including big scene-stealer Charles...
553,374
989,035
44,357
6
I know how to get things out of people . . .
Jean Simmons doesn't exactly have the face of an angel , but that doesn't mean she's miscast in " Angel Face " ; on the contrary , Simmons ' hard , placid neuroses get a worthy workout in this glossy noir , turning the film's title into an ironic gag . Even though Simmons is not a juicy or sympathetic villainess , she'...
552,711
989,035
52,207
6
Fairly intriguing melodrama from Hammer Films ; some possibilities missed . . .
British-made film from Anthony Dawson's book about a collegiate young miss who believes her mother's " suicide " was orchestrated by her suave , slimy stepfather , whom she also believes killed her real father some years prior . Simple plot ( young girl playing detective ) is heightened by fine European locales , decen...
551,803
989,035
59,796
6
Old-fashioned , somewhat solemn drama from Disney
Do-gooder piece from the Disney Studios , based on the novel " Swiftwater " , has a farm family in Vermont at odds with the rest of the town over their attempts to save a flock of geese from game-hunters . Mixes elements of folksy adventure , family melodrama , teen romance , and nature asides but has too little humor ...
551,034
989,035
79,826
6
Frustrating vehicle for Midler is part heartbreak and part balderdash
A predictable triumph for Bette Midler in Janis Joplin-like role of hard-working , hard-partying rock star trying to stand up for herself while also pleasing the masses , placating her managers , and finding room in her schedule for the men who are partly drawn to her and partly repulsed . There's lots of repulsive stu...
553,568
989,035
86,355
6
An interesting failure
When director Bob Fosse set out to make a movie about murdered Playboy Playmate Dorothy Stratten , he obviously saw much of the main plot-potential in Stratten's deranged husband / manager Paul Snider . . . and , distressingly , that's who he seems to identify with throughout . The picture's narrative is immediately sh...
552,776
989,035
59,487
6
Joey Heatherton : baby doll thespian !
One of our local TV channels used to show this movie frequently on the late show - - but not at all in the last 10 years , so it appears " My Blood Runs Cold " is another in the long line of forgotten ' 60s potboilers . Too bad , because it's dopey fun . Joey Heatherton proves she's quite the little thespian here , por...
552,692
989,035
114,580
6
Simon reworking Simon . . . this time , it almost works
Neil Simon's cantankerous comedy about old show-biz team of Lewis and Clark reuniting in the modern day for one more performance - - and picking up right where they left off , by arguing - - didn't quite work in 1975 , despite lots of acclaim . Walter Matthau was ill-suited for the larger role of Willie Clark , though ...
552,304
989,035
51,756
6
Satisfying suburban sci-fi . . .
On the eve of his wedding , insurance salesman Tom Tryon is abducted by an alien being on a forest road ; the hideous-looking creature neatly duplicates Tryon's human form and goes through with the nuptials the following morning ! Interesting twist on " Invasion of the Body Snatchers " from 1956 has many of the small t...
552,415
989,035
79,367
6
I don't care about the money . . . it's all the stuuufff
Comedian Steve Martin went from cult TV personality to big-screen star with this bright , silly / witty comedy about the adopted white son of a black sharecropper who goes from poor to rich to poor again in the invention market . Martin , who also co-wrote the screenplay with Carl Gottlieb and Michael Elias , has a wob...
551,536
989,035
51,744
6
Hokey hysteria ; fun if approached in the proper spirit . . .
Vincent Price , with the fabulous name of Frederick Loren , invites a disparate group of people to his spooky estate , offering each of them $10 , 000 if they can withstand one night of his ( rather juvenile ) demented tricks . Reconceived ( poorly ) in 1999 as a full-throttle horror show , this version was probably me...
550,687
989,035
70,748
6
Intimate strangers , unfamiliar relations . . .
Uptight , possibly frigid , panic-stricken middle-aged New York housewife has to learn to let go of the past , a refuge which doesn't necessarily bring her happiness but does provide her life with some kind of stability . Joanne Woodward gives a good performance here ; not at all vain , and unafraid to let herself be p...
551,006
989,035
70,735
6
Old-fashioned and polished . . . but with an artificial look and a draggy midsection
In 1936 Chicago , a con-artist and a cocky grifter team up to ' 86 ' the slimy racketeer who killed the grifter's best friend . Handsome production , fun ragtime music score ( courtesy of Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch , via Scott Joplin ) and lots of star-wattage from a first-rate cast helped make " The Sting " hugely p...
550,649
989,035
86,154
6
Spacy Meg Tilly : the perfect ally for Norman Bates !
Anthony Perkins reportedly felt threatened as an actor playing opposite Meg Tilly ( portraying a slightly-dazed cupcake who befriends Norman Bates , just out of the asylum ) ; if true , he had good reason , for Tilly is very appealing in her role and this sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's classic screamer gains a spirit of ...
551,953
989,035
51,819
6
Hollywood's overfed fascination with WWII continues . . .
Frank Sinatra made an awful lot of World War II pictures , though he never looked terribly convincing dressed in battle uniform ( especially the helmet , which covers most of him ) . Here , he's a no-nonsense Lieutenant with the U . S . Army stationed in France , fighting the Germans as well as Corporal Tony Curtis , a...
553,573
989,035
51,813
6
Everything negative can be redeemed with love
When I read a synopsis for " Kathy O ' " and learned it was about a bratty child star who keeps adults rushing around to please her , I pictured something screechy and inane . " Kathy O ' " is actually a plush little comedy-drama that does nearly the impossible : it illustrates how the pressures of Hollywood can be pai...
551,804
989,035
114,681
6
Sly satire
Nicole Kidman is riveting as self-obsessed suburban nutcase who has big dreams of finding fame and fortune , even at the expense of her husband . Icy , satirical black comedy from Nancy Maynard's book , directed by Gus Van Sant in his usual cobbled-together manner ( here he uses hoary , quasi-documentary devices to pro...
552,279
989,035
51,776
6
The only reason it was made was to to jerk tears - - but is that a criticism or a recommendation ?
One of those absolutely horrendous concoctions that strives only to move audiences to tears . It is cast strictly for effect ( with glowing Swede Ingrid Bergman cast as a glowing Brit who wants nothing but to serve God and help children - - how about that ? - - or Brit Robert Donat playing a Chinese governor ! ) . It e...
551,780
989,035
79,510
6
Hard on the ears
Exceptionally brassy , brawling comedy set mostly in the boxing ring . Barbra Streisand is a perfume executive with the # 1 nose for business ( " It's the kind of scent a man can give to a woman , a woman can give to a man , a man can give to a man , a woman can give to a woman , have I left anybody out ? " ) . Unfortu...
551,526
989,035
70,909
6
A funny - - if sick - - one-joke idea
Despite a cramped budget , " Westworld " looks pretty good and is well-cast , with Yul Brynner in particular giving a fabulous performance , a variation on his role in 1960's " The Magnificent Seven " , a good in-joke . The plot , about a fantasy vacation resort for grown-ups that goes haywire , is just a set-up for th...
552,983
989,035
114,436
6
Full of fabricated dramatics - - and highly enjoyable to boot !
Showgirls has the mark of unadulterated amateurism . If I didn't know that Paul Verhoeven was a director of some considerable skill and that Joe Eszterhas was a writer of occasional merit , I would believe " Showgirls " was written and directed by kids out of film school ( no , make that drop-outs from film school ) ...
553,642
989,035
51,878
6
Frettin ' and begettin ' in long-ago Mississippi
Paul Newman as a drifter stud , Joanne Woodward as a 23-year-old spinster ( ! ) , and Orson Welles as a rich blow-hard are the main treats of this adaptation of two William Faulkner short stories concerning boyish troublemaker who arrives in small river-front town and immediately moves up the ladder to success ( he ain...
553,351
989,035
59,616
6
Unblinking , unflinching inquisition of the Maid of Orleans
French filmmaker Robert Bresson used the actual transcripts from the trial of Jeanne d'Arc in order to reveal her character through her words in these final days . Bresson keeps leading actress Florence Carrez , a non-professional as are the others in the cast , speaking in a forthright monotone , without much vocal in...
551,903
989,035
44,079
6
Hitchcock suspense drama has great style but lots of dross . . .
Robert Walker admirably goes all out as a psychotic daddy-hater who befriends tennis pro Farley Granger and discovers the rather naive young man hates his estranged wife ; Walker suggests swapping murders . Lots of intricate plotting in the set-up , but this Alfred Hitchcock thriller is relieved of tension by its banal...
551,046
989,035
44,125
6
I wouldn't trust him with Whistler's Mother !
Perky , freshly-scrubbed , impertinent Jane Wyman trains to be a airline stewardess with American Airlines ; once in the air , she clashes lightly with pilot Howard Keel and passenger Van Johnson , while on the ground she has a slight run-in with Barry Sullivan . All three men - - all named Mike - - quickly come around...
553,425
989,035
473,705
6
Journalistic ethics vs . sensationalism . . . with former friends as news sources
Americanization of the highly-regarded television mini-series from Britain is , at its heart , the exploration of newspaper journalists ( working under even greater pressure today to grab the major headlines first ) having to deal with police procedure once they've gotten hold of an explosive story - - and to sort out ...
553,086
989,035
105,764
6
Entertaining history lesson . . .
Documentary on the art of cinematography , with a handful of revered directors of photography reflecting on their heroes and mentors , on films which inspired them and ( selected ) projects they've worked on . Despite a lot of smart talk and amusing anecdotes , this project is colorful and entertaining without being es...
552,887
989,035
94,731
6
Potentially explosive subject matter manufactured for depressing results
Federal agent Debra Winger goes undercover in rural Texas as a combine operator , infiltrating a group of down-home guys and their families in the hopes of linking them to white supremacy and the murder of a shock-talk radio host . Winger is romanced by the group's ringleader ( Tom Berenger ) , and very quickly seems t...
552,648
989,035
59,573
6
Moving , well-acted , but a bit of an over-achiever . . .
Hard-luck case Elizabeth Hartman is not only blind but living with a monster of a mama ( Shelley Winters , playing a shrew-of-all-shrews , and winning a Supporting Oscar as " Rose-Ann " years before her TV role as Roseanne's grandma ) . Guy Green directed and adapted the script from Elizabeth Kata's book , and possibly...
551,686
989,035
44,158
6
Let's put on a show !
Old-fashioned without being embarrassing , " Broadway " features Janet Leigh as a sparkling small town lass who moves to the Big Apple to work in theater , falling in league with other young hopefuls and staging their own revue . Not too far-fetched ( Carol Burnett did the same thing in real-life ) and Janet bounces ha...
551,097
989,035
79,613
6
An attraction for obliteration . . .
Magazine editor Hal Holbrook , husband to a manic depressive and father to three kids who ignore him , contemplates killing himself with a rifle after first eliminating each member of his family . Technically adept , solidly performed drama is decidedly grim , occasionally insufferable , but undeniably potent - - and s...
553,436
989,035
114,558
6
Gleefully mad . . .
Director Kathryn Bigelow's over-the-top thriller depicting life on Earth in late-1999 as war-torn hell . Ralph Fiennes is perfectly cast as a dealer in mini-discs which can record human experience and be replayed by anyone with a headset ; naturally , he gets hold of the wrong disc , one that could bring down the entir...
552,410
989,035
70,794
6
Dryly humorous , engaging and well-cast . . .
Ryan O'Neal gives one of his better , looser performances in this crime-caper , a handsome comedy-drama involving a high society thief planning a major heist . Warren Oates is the investigator in dogged pursuit , Jacqueline Bisset ( at her most lovely ) plays a love-interest in on the action , Austin Pendleton is very ...
552,728
989,035
59,314
6
Curiously sinister and overwrought expose looks great but isn't particularly satisfying . . .
Brassy , singing tomboy near Hollywood in the 1930s gets a screen test and is soon thrust into the crazy spotlight of Tinsel Town . Ham-handed soaper intends to paint show business as cool , decadent and uncaring , but director Robert Mulligan is unable to set an appropriate tone , and his bad guys are enigmatic shadie...
552,199
989,035
33,045
6
Some missteps , but otherwise very pleasant
Ernst Lubitsch comedy , adapted from the play " Parfumerie " by Nikolaus Laszlo , involves two sour gift-shop workers ( in Budapest , Hungary ! ) who are unknowingly each other's secret romantic pen-pal . Despite the odd locale , a blithe , easy romantic comedy , well-tailored for stars James Stewart and Margaret Sulla...
550,992
989,035
102,926
6
It tries to build a crawling sense of dread and menace , but . . .
Jonathan Demme's " The Silence Of the Lambs " is just a spook show , and one without any sympathy for its victims ( or for the audience , who get a good hammering on the head ) . Yes , the performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster have become legendary ( and for good reason , they are both intensely focused and ...
551,943
989,035
59,297
6
Enjoyable , one-box-of-popcorn thriller
Kids left alone in the house inadvertently play a phone prank on psychopath John Ireland , who has just murdered his trampy Mrs . in the shower ! Whenever you see a biography of Joan Crawford's career , this title usually gets left out . True , she has a minor role in it ( playing Ireland's neighbor , hoping to blackma...
552,470
989,035
102,945
6
Tired scares , little suspense , but as a showcase for Julia's adorableness - - - not bad
Julia Roberts ' style of acting never wavers : she's resilient and adorable - - always . This brainless vehicle for her - - a monster movie dressed up as an abusive marriage thriller - - has the requisite dopey pleasures , and it's well-produced and moves right along at a fast clip ( even if the viewer is always ten st...
552,630
989,035
80,319
6
Occasionally perceptive office comedy eventually becomes arms-flailing cartoon
It had to happen : for two-thirds of its length , " Nine to Five " is a sharp , satirical , recognizable put-down of work-a-day life " at the office " , but in its later stages it becomes a silly revenge comedy , and then a message piece . The messagey last act is the real bummer , with three secretaries taking over th...
551,922
989,035
102,979
6
Liza's lovely , but film is minor and cartoonish
Every now and then , " Stepping Out " touches down on some heartfelt emotions that most viewers will relate to ; whether it's Liza Minnelli's jerk of a boyfriend , her loyalty to her tap dance students or the anxieties within the group , the script is surprisingly evocative once it gets down to the heart of the matter ...
551,891
989,035
50,560
6
Another actress learns that Broadway doesn't go for booze and dope . . .
Young waitress from Kansas City in the early 1920s hitches up with a traveling carnival with the fervent , starry-eyed hope of breaking into show business ; once in New York City , she gets herself a drama coach and lands a plum part in a Broadway show after the original actress falls ill . Fabrication of real-life Bro...
550,484
989,035
50,526
6
Far-fetched , but intriguing prison-break nonsense
San Quentin inmate Jack Palance hatches quite a scheme to get out of jail - - get his lookalike brother to trade places with him in prison for a day while he constructs a foxhole to hide in , leading to his and his brother's escape . Filmed on-location in Cinemascope at San Quentin prison , with officers and inmates us...
551,047
989,035
59,170
6
Russ Meyer jawbreaker may silence even the toughest critics . . .
Russ Meyer's " Faster Pussycat " has echoes of other , more popular films in its set-up and design , certainly in its overall impact - - yet this picture is the precursor to those , and as influential cult flicks go , it still stuns today . Three bosomy go-go dancers hit the desert in their sports cars for a little row...
551,080
989,035
33,152
6
Handsome but hokey . . .
Despite the talents of numerous directors ( including Ludwig Berger , the estimable Michael Powell , and Tim Whelan , as well as the uncredited contributions of producers Alexander and Zoltan Korda and William Cameron Menzies ) , " The Thief of Bagdad " is a variable collection of adventures structured in the style of ...
550,940
989,035
41,959
6
Atmospheric thriller in the Hitchcock vein . . .
Carol Reed directed this handsome Hitchcockian thriller about an American author arriving in post-World War II Vienna and learning his best friend was recently killed in a car accident . . . or was he ? After some detective work , the writer uncovers the dark truth . Filmed in chilly black-and-white , Reed's picture ha...
550,792
989,035
50,549
6
Worth sitting through the racial tensions to hear Harry Belafonte sing
The wealthy whites are the hissable ones once again , lording their money-driven power over the black Caribbean field workers in this timely but talky issue-film . The Barbados locations are just beautiful , and so is Harry Belafonte's buttery voice , crooning Jamaican songs at sunset ( his acting isn't bad either , an...
551,190
989,035
33,190
6
My , she's acting queer ! . . . " That's not an act ! "
A mystical bust of a turbaned god gives a bickering , unsatisfied married couple exactly what they want : they switch bodies . . . but unfortunately not voices , which means the husband - - who is one-third of a partnership in a big city advertising firm - - talks like a girl and prances around his office complete with...
553,429
989,035
59,253
6
You're a national institution . . . like the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty !
The rise of Hollywood's first blonde bombshell , Jean Harlow , who died tragically at the age of 26 . Magna Pictures distributed this low-budget venture , which was first shot on an early form of videotape and then transferred to film . It competed with Paramount's version of Harlow's story ( also entitled " Harlow " a...
553,587
989,035
59,252
6
Carroll Baker takes on the heady task of portraying the screen siren . . .
From a bit actress in the late 1920s to stardom in the ' 30s as a Hollywood bombshell , actress Jean Harlow's triumphs and pitfalls are cartoonishly documented ; it's as if the filmmakers were quite satisfied dishing out movie-magazine nonsense instead of headier truths , with most of the names changed to protect the e...
553,024
989,035
250,494
6
Cheerfully ridiculous . . .
Shapely California blonde cleverly maneuvers her way into Harvard Law School ; soon , the plucky lass is involved in trying her first legal case alongside her professor and associates . . . and you can guess the rest . Perky , though surprisingly not obnoxious fantasy-comedy with jokes leaning towards " Clueless " terr...
551,054
989,035
110,752
6
Ross is the reason to watch
Diana Ross is gripping as a 42-year-old woman just finished with her third year of medical school who is sidelined by a particularly destructive bout of paranoid schizophrenia , a condition she's aware of and has lived with since her mid-20's . The delusions and voices come and go , but when a kindly doctor intervenes ...
552,081
989,035
50,487
6
Moving , hard-hitting , tender when it needs to be , and well-acted . . .
An ex-soldier / now unemployed junkie in New York City keeps his addiction secret from his pregnant wife and his visiting father ; his adoring brother acts as an enabler , and eventually things come to a boil when the guy needs a hit and can't scrape together the twenty dollars to get himself through the night . Playwr...
552,598
989,035
90,037
6
Strange mix of growing-pains drama and psychological study
Laura Dern is perfect as lanky lass in a small town sparring with her parents , estranged from her older sister , desperate to be liked and to be with boys . Opening moments of this adaptation of Joyce Carol Oates ' story " Where Are You Going , Where Have You Been " - - with Dern and friends doing the mall - - are rea...
551,726
989,035
212,346
6
There are 100 things wrong with it . . . but you may catch yourself smiling after thinking it over
It's over-the-top , it's occasionally offensive - - to men , to women , to gays , to lesbians , and to poor Miss Hawaii - - but " Miss Congeniality " has Sandra Bullock , and she's wonderful . The opening moments , with FBI agent Bullock busting Russians in a restaurant sting operation , are so good that the movie migh...
550,729
989,035
59,224
6
This beach sure is crowded ! . . . " So is that bikini ! "
Ft . Lauderdale frolic has Elvis Presley cast as a Chicago rock-'n-roller who , along with his outfit-matching band members , takes on assignment to secretly chaperone the boss ' daughter as she vacations with her girlfriends down in Florida . Plush M-G-M musical with a dandy production design , lots of fun slapstick a...
553,203
989,035
59,227
6
Slicker than the A . I . P . " Beach Party " flicks , though still not as good . . .
Sorority beach babes in Balboa , CA have to raise $10 , 000 to save their order , eventually resorting to desperate measures ( like entering a cooking contest , a beauty contest , and trying to get The Beatles to perform at the local hot spot ) . Charmingly dim-witted surf-sand - & - sexy girls opus , obviously a knock...
550,624
989,035
50,490
6
Not up to " The African Queen " , but not bad
Hardened WWII Marine is shipwrecked on an island in the Pacific with a nun so saintly she glows . Sure , the set-up is contrived but the actors ( Robert Mitchum and Deborah Kerr ) play up the screenplay's strengths and bring humor to the scenario . The narrative rambles and some scenes don't add up ( as when drunken Mi...
553,145
989,035
539,225
6
The Heart of New York ? ?
Leisurely-paced episode from the classic television series finds the Angels attempting to protect a legendary movie actress from someone who is apparently trying to drive her crazy . Ida Lupino plays the Gloria Swanson-like movie star who has fallen on hard times , but is about to make a comeback in a remake of one of ...
552,643
989,035
50,383
6
Tasteful , well-acted , but padded with generic melodrama and flagging sentiment . . .
Adaptation of Jim Piersall's memoir about growing up with an insensitive father , a tirelessly ambitious man with baseball dreams for his talented son - - and impossible to please even after his kid is recruited as shortstop for the Boston Red Sox . Piersall's eventual nervous breakdown is mounted in careful yet someho...
553,580
989,035
332,379
6
Defiance of authority is always good for a few laughs . . .
A rock music-loving slacker impersonates a substitute teacher at a rigid prep school - - initially just for the $650 a week but , upon learning that his 10-year-old students have musical talent , he ends up teaching the class the history of rock ' n roll and puts them to work in a smokin ' hot band . Director Richard L...
551,819
989,035
250,797
6
Elegant , but curiously lacking in suspense or danger . . .
Overly-familiar , curiously bland flip-side to " Fatal Attraction " from " Fatal " director Adrian Lyne concerns wife and mother Diane Lane traveling from the New York suburbs into SoHo where she ' meets cute ' with a handsome stud ; she's drawn to him and soon returns , beginning a lusty secret affair that her husband...
553,167
989,035
340,012
6
You have a performance for everyone - - I'm not sure you really exist !
Celebrated stage actress in 1930's West End London ( British by way of Jersey ) is tired of giving a nightly tour-de-force at her own theater and longs for something more ; she becomes involved with a young American gigolo , is counseled by the ghost of her dramatic tutor , and trades bits of business with her husband ...
550,629
989,035
120,787
6
Slick , glossy , shallow
Remake of Hitchcock's " Dial M For Murder " ( with a worse title ) has the unfaithful wife of a New York City businessman targeted for murder . Unsurprising twists in this updated version do allow Michael Douglas to play a mean SOB again ( after too many years of playing the victimized good guy ) , but the plot feels h...
551,847
989,035
120,815
6
For war-movie aficionados , a personal epic . . .
Director Steven Spielberg's usual homey touch ( which infiltrated even " Schlinder's List " in its final act ) is thankfully in slight evidence here , as WWII soldiers attempt to locate one particular man whose siblings have all been killed in combat . The set-up for the plot is a bit formulaic ( and layered with Spiel...
550,530
989,035
80,094
6
Goldie and Giancarlo : a hot match !
Scrappy Italian comedy is made up of bits and pieces , never quite coming together . Goldie Hawn ( vivacious as ever ) is an American actress vacationing in Rome who gets mixed up with her friend's married lover ( a smoldering Giancarlo Giannini ) . They have little screwball mishaps and misunderstandings before making...
553,070
989,035
110,932
6
So tasteful it becomes mummified . . .
Dramatization of the TV quiz show scandal of the late 1950's , wherein the popular program " Twenty-One " was found to be fixed . Based on the book by Richard N . Goodwin , Paul Attanasio's screenplay takes great liberties with the facts , but is still exceptionally entertaining for the first hour . Director Robert Red...
552,127
989,035
50,422
6
The three leads are more charming than this scenario . . .
Haughty blonde movie star , about to premiere her latest picture " The Kidnapped Bride " , is kidnapped herself by two would-be ruffians who are actually just a couple of nice guys out to catch a break . United Artists comedy-drama , produced on the cheap and with perplexing changes in tone . Jane Russell , Ralph Meeke...
551,262
989,035
314,412
6
Making death more convenient for everybody . . .
Working-class wife and devoted mother to two small girls finds out she has ovarian tumors which have spread , leaving her with only two months to live ; she decides not to tell anyone her prognosis , instead writing out a list of things to do before she dies and making voice-tapes to her loved ones expressing her emoti...
551,699
989,035
41,514
6
Another ' Miracle ' story from Valentine Davies . . .
Lloyd Bacon directed this swift , compact major-league fantasy featuring a fine cast . Ray Milland is engaging as a college professor who invents a wood-repelling substance . . . which he then applies to a baseball . Soon , he's the star pitcher on a professional ball team , and what appears to be a succession of unqua...
550,489
989,035
50,307
6
So . . . how much DOES the Earth weigh ?
One of the better Spencer Tracy-Katharine Hepburn films : a light comedy which doesn't necessitate his anger or her stridency . Hepburn heads up a charming group of gals in the research department of a broadcasting firm ; Tracy is a computer man eager to install his latest creation in their office . Adapted from the Br...
550,923
989,035
418,773
6
It has a sweet sensibility that , when looked at in a different light , seems almost sinister . . .
Worldly , willowy art dealer from Chicago , a newlywed hoping to sign a notoriously shy , eccentric artist to her gallery , travels with her spouse down to North Carolina for the meeting ; her husband's family , whom he hasn't seen in three years , happens to live nearby , and the husband's pregnant sister-in-law devel...
550,746
989,035
59,084
6
Cynically amusing fluff dressed up with pseudo-pungent observations
Director John Schlesinger is so anxious to score points against the British that he almost forgets to make the leading character's childish angst worth watching . Julie Christie , a curious Best Actress Oscar winner ( must've been her work that same year in " Dr . Zhivago " ) , is lovely but ( intentionally ? ) one-not...
550,677
989,035
41,503
6
A buried gem . . .
Crafty little B-flick has devoted husband Brian Donlevy finding out the hard way that his wife ( the inimitable Ella Raines ) wants her freedom - - she's been conspiring with her lover to have him rubbed out ! Intricate plot twists and involving characters , courtesy screenwriters Dorothy Reid and Jay Dratler , make fo...
553,361
989,035
28,505
6
Top talents vs . an unsurprising script . . .
Clark Gable gives a giddy , frisky performance as a happily-married magazine magnate in New York City who works closely but professionally with efficient though somewhat demure secretary Jean Harlow ; his wife ( Myrna Loy ) and her fiancée ( James Stewart ) misconstrue the business-only relationship as something more v...
553,293
989,035
120,646
6
Why does it have to have that all encompassing , feel-good ending ?
Noble , decent film about a crises in suburbia : a boy , kidnapped nine years ago from a nice , normal family , is returned to them - - a virtual stranger . This premise was done great justice in the grittier TV-film , " I Know My First Name Is Steven " . This theatrical drama has fabulous , full-throttle performances ...
550,566
989,035
120,679
6
Surrealistic storybook presented in sweeping , romantic fashion . . . at the expense of the art
Mexican artist Frida Kahlo ( 1907-1954 ) painted self-portraits and surreal acts of God and madness like a woman possessed by a half-demon / half-angel ; a book of her paintings is almost difficult to look through , as her singular sense of color ( such as bloody crimson-reds and inky , staring blacks ) and unflinching...
552,069
989,035
403,455
6
Rollerskatin ' & celebratin ' . . .
Engaging disco fantasy set in 1978 from writer Norman Vance , Jr . , who seems to have overdosed on a mixture of roller-boogie movies and reruns of " What's Happening ! ! " Five teenage friends from the Southside of Chicago are let down after their local skating rink is closed for good , forcing them into the city's de...
551,888
989,035
790,623
6
Eckhart's fabulous comic performance nearly saves strident send-up of human principles . . .
Whoever could have guessed that suave , manicured , handsome-devil Aaron Eckhart would become our next great sad-sack comedian ? The rubber-face which Eckhart uses here , playing a disgruntled , disappointed , directionless human resources exec at his father-in-law's bank , is nothing short of remarkable . Cast as midd...
553,169
989,035
243,134
6
Streisand on the stilted side . . .
Now on DVD , this one-hour CBS television special from 1973 has the fatigued conceit of mostly being built around one song ( " I Got Rhythm " ) , with La Streisand changing costumes , hairstyles and personas to become tantalizing women from different countries . Barbra enchants , tempts , and coos to the viewer with un...
552,794
989,035
72,272
6
Nostalgic grab-bag with silly movie star introductions isn't very useful today . . .
America was so high on nostalgia in the early 1970s that Roaring Twenties dances were being taught at Arthur Murray and even a remake of " The Great Gatsby " was pulling in viewers . M-G-M , on the verge of financial ruin ( and about to liquidate its assets ) , finally found a way to turn a profit very cheaply : edit t...
551,374
989,035
41,650
6
Mighty silly , but the effects rival " Kong " . . .
A return to " King Kong " territory , with Oscar-winning special effects by " Kong " ' s main wizard Willis O'Brien , is bubblegum , bubble-headed nonsense , though viewed strictly as matinée fodder does entertain in its gaudy fashion . Campy plot has Terry Moore and her humongous pet gorilla lured out of their African...
552,374
989,035
72,289
6
Very smart TV-movie with an amazing cast . . .
James L . Brooks wrote this funny / sad , grown-up television movie about two poker pals ( Gene Wilder and Bob Newhart ) who inadvertently neglect their spouses in search of deeper meaning in their lives . Filmed in 1971 , " Game " is a beautifully nuanced and sardonic middle-age-crazy tale with a sensational ensemble ...
553,325
989,035
120,633
6
Straightforward legal case with environmental overtures . . .
John Travolta gives a dandy performance as a cocky Boston personal injury lawyer who heads up a small but burgeoning firm , almost passing up on headline-making case of a major food company subsidiary found to be dumping toxic chemicals into the water supply of a small-town Massachusettes town , causing many of the chi...
550,731
989,035
58,972
6
Patty is a whirling dervish of energy
Scrappy theatrical comedy filmed on a television budget , with Patty Duke putting the high school jocks to shame with her athletic abilities ( seems sneaky Pat has been running track to a secret " beat " in her head ! ) . Nothing memorable , but worth-watching for the always-good Jim Backus as Patty's politician father...
552,544
989,035
51,198
6
Bringing air power to the Navy . . .
Frank " Spig " Wead's life story , as directed by real-life friend John Ford , starring John Wayne as the hot-shot aviation expert who transforms the U . S . Navy in the 1920s with his piloting prowess , rivaling ( but not alienating ) the Army in aviation power ; later , after suffering a spinal cord injury and a sepa...
550,981
989,035
51,193
6
Clandestine passions well-presented but not altogether convincing . . .
Anthony Quinn is solid playing a sheep-farmer near Reno - - still grieving after the death of his beloved wife - - who marries his sister-in-law and brings her over from Italy . Vittorio Nino Novarese's story , which turns into a love-triangle after the new wife falls for the farmer's unofficially-adopted son , may hav...