Pirates

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

Aarrrggh! Avast, me maties. Shiver me timbers. Where do they get this gibberish? Did any real pirate really say things like that? Yes, it’s pirate movies this month. Swash your buckle or buckle your swash. Suspend your belief. Enjoy, for Hollywood never let the truth get in the way of a good pirate movie. And, for all the pirate movies made, very few are in the “A” category. In your heart you know that pirates were never so appealing, so clean cut, so polite or so fair in their dealings.  You can like these pirates—not so their real-life counterparts. You know they were low-life, scurvy, double-dealing cut-throats.  Notice how many pirates end up being governors of Jamaica.

Treasure Island (1934, 1950, 1972, 1990, 2012): Robert Louis Stevenson’s tale is the classic pirate film. My favorite is the 1950 version with Sir Robert Newton as Long John Silver. This was Disney’s first live-action movie. Bobby Driscoll played the boy.

Captain Blood (1935): Errol Flynn plays Dr. Blood who is enslaved by Basil Rathbone on his plantation. He escapes, joins a pirate gang, rescues the girl, Olivia de Havilland, and somehow becomes the governor of Jamaica.

The Buccaneer (1938, 1958): The 1938 version by Cecil B. De Mille stars Frederic March. The 1958 version stars Yul Brynner as Jean Lafitte, the pirate who helped General Andrew Jackson fight the British at New Orleans. As a result Lafitte earned a pardon for his piratical ways. Claire Bloom and the great Charles Boyer co-star.

Reap the Wild Wind (1942): You knew John Wayne would show up sometime. Here he is fighting pirates in Key West in the 1840s. Paulette Goddard and Ray Milland support the Duke. This film did earn an Oscar for Best Effects (Wayne fighting a giant squid before Kirk Douglas fought his in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea; maybe it was the same one).

The Black Swan (1942): The best part of this film is watching Tyrone Power. Household name Laird Cregar plays pirate Henry Morgan. Power plays his lieutenant and Maureen O’Hara the girl. Morgan becomes the governor of Jamaica and vows to get rid of the pirates. This film is rather fun to watch.

Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd (1952): And now for something completely different. Put Abbott and Costello in a movie, then add Capt. Kidd and you’re in for a really delightful ride. Through a switched letter, the duo gets a hold of a treasure map. Shiver me timbers, Capt. Kidd kidnaps them and insists they find the treasure.

Against All Flags (1952): Here’s Errol Flynn as a British officer who infiltrates a pirate gang in Madagascar. He becomes enamored of Maureen O’Hara who’s a pirate. What’s a bloke to do?

Crimson Pirate (1952): Here is a romp with Burt Lancaster as the pirate gang leader. He and his band of merry pirates pretend to have scurvy. Somehow this attracts royal ships to help, and bob’s-your-uncle, they get pillaged. Will they never learn?

Golden Hawk (1952): The great non-actor Stirling Hayden plays a French privateer. [A pirate works for himself; a privateer works for a country.] He takes Rhonda Fleming from a Spanish ship. She wants him dead, but, lo and behold, he turns out to be the governor’s son. Go figure.

High Wind in Jamaica (1965): Anthony Quinn and James Coburn star in this movie about pirates hijacking a ship full of children on their way to England to be brought up properly—full of swashbuckling fun.

Pirates of Penzance (1983): Based on Gilbert and Sullivan’s operetta, this film is absolutely delightful. Kevin Kline as the pirate displays his physical sense of humor. Linda Ronstadt is the demure young maiden. Angela Lansbury is the mysterious lady with a secret. Rex Smith is the male ingénue. Great music and good fun.

Pirates of the Caribbean (2003, 2006, 20011): These films have very good music and little else. They are silly to the point of embarrassment. Errol Flynn would be appalled.

Cutthroat Island (1995): Statuesque Geena Davis takes over her father’s pirate ship in the 1600s. Matthew Modine co-stars. This movie misses the mark on several levels.

Hook (1991): Here’s another miss. Great cast includes Robin Williams, Dustin Hoffman, Bob Hoskins and Maggie Smith. Another Spielberg disaster.

The Black Pirate (1926): Douglas Fairbanks, the king of the heroic pirates, stars in this silent film.

The Light at the Edge of the World (1971): Kirk Douglas and Yul Brynner star as pirates who capture a lighthouse in Argentina. The plan, dastardly it is too, is to lure ships to ground and then pillage.

Master and Commander (2003): This is not your typical pirate movie. The hero, Russell Crowe, is the master and commander who must fight a renegade French frigate from Napoleon’s navy. This film is sweeping in scope, beautifully photographed, and well-acted. Above average.

Scalawag (1973): Kirk Douglas again in a Robert L. Stevenson tale of a peg-legged pirate and his pixilated parrot who knows where the treasure is, but isn’t telling.

The Sea Hawk (1940): To me, this is the classic pirate movie. Errol Flynn plays a British privateer hired by Queen Elizabeth I to harass the Spanish fleet and the New World colonies. Brenda Marshall plays a Spanish lady Flynn falls for. He is captured by the Spanish, but escapes to warn England before all is lost. Claude Rains and Gilbert Roland co-star. If you only see one pirate movie, this is the one to see.

Tearjerkers

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

Get out your delicate hankies, manly handkerchiefs or just plain tissues. It’s time for tearjerkers. I have never been sure why we subject ourselves to the inexpressively sad movie. The fact that we do says something about our humanity.

What makes us cry? For me, loss and courage are the triggers. Sometimes cruelty will cause tears, but most often it causes anger. Almost all the holocaust films make me cry with anger. I’ve only included two here.

Sometimes a good cry cleanses our hearts. Sometimes we find ourselves watching a film that we didn’t suspect was sad. I hate it when that happens. Sometimes, in order to watch a superior film, we have to pay a small price.

The list is long and varied and in no particular order.  Try to keep a dry eye as you read.

Elephant Man (1980): David Lynch directs this saddest of all sad movies. John Hurt plays the title role with Sir Anthony Hopkins, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, and Dame Wendy Hiller filling out the cast. I’m sure there was a puddle full of tears under my seat. It is even worse knowing that it was based on a true story.   

Brian’s Song (1971): James Caan stars as Brian Piccolo, a Chicago Bears football player with cancer. Billy Dee Williams is his friend, Gale Sayers. A true and sad story.

Sophie’s Choice (1982): Meryl Streep at her usual best plays Sophie—who was forced to make a terrible choice during the holocaust. Kevin Kline plays the love interest.

                    

Imitation of Life (1959): The cast includes Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee, and Mahalia Jackson. Two single mothers raise their daughters. Jackson’s daughter resents the fact that her mother is black, while she is much lighter. Sadder than it sounds.

The Champ (1979): Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway and Rickie Schroeder (Golden Globe winner) head up the cast for this weep fest. Voight, a retired boxer, must go back in the ring to earn money for a custody battle.

Terms of Endearment (1983): How can you lose with a cast that includes Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, and Jack Nicholson? This film cleaned up in the Oscars: Best Picture, Best Actress (MacLaine), Director (James L. Brooks), Best Actor (Nicholson). Two hankies at least.

Life is Beautiful (1997): The second holocaust film stars Roberto Benigni (Oscar winner), his real-life wife Nicoletta Braschi, and Giorgio Cantarini. Incarcerated in a concentration camp, Benigni pretends it’s all a game for his young son. With a tank as the grand prize, the boy is delighted to play along.

Brief Encounter (1945): This movie is about impossible love between Trevor Howard as a middle-aged doctor and Celia Johnson as a suburban housewife. The two meet on a train platform and start a love affair. Ending it is another matter.

Dead Poets Society (1989): Robin Williams (nominee for Best Actor) is an unconventional teacher who uses poetry to inspire his students. Sounds harmless, doesn’t it?

Gone with the Wind (1939): I know, I know, but I did cry.

A Star is Born (1954): This is the Judy Garland and James Mason version. There were also movies made in 1937 and 1976. As much as I like Kris Kristofferson, the 1976 version was not very good.

Ordinary People (1980): Robert Redford’s directorial debut earned him an Oscar for this film about a terribly dysfunctional family. Mary Tyler Moore plays a repressed wife who mourns the death of her favorite son while barely tolerating the existence of her living one. Timothy Hutton plays the living son and Donald Sutherland is the father. This film also won Oscars for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Hutton) and Best Adapted Screenplay.

The Red Pony (1949): Based on a John Steinbeck story, this unbearably sad film still haunts me. Robert Mitchum, Myrna Loy and Peter Miles star. Not for children.

Phar Lap (1983): This film about an Australian race horse has but one decent human being in it. This horse gave everything and was probably murdered by gambling interests.

The Yearling (1946): Another teary story about a boy and his deer. This one takes place following the Civil War when times were tough and food hard to come by. Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman play the parents.

The Way We Were (1973): My daughter and I had to sit in the first row and literally had tears in our ears from having to tilt our heads upward. Even from that angle Redford was beautiful. The movie sort of lost its way, but everyone I knew cried. Imagine, putting a cause over Redford. Unthinkable!

Bambi (1942): Everyone cried during this cartoon, right? Don’t deny it.

Hugo the Hippo: Not many of you have seen this cartoon. I hate to admit that I cried. My young son was rather embarrassed. I don’t blame him, but…

Little Women (1933, 1949, 1994): I prefer the 1949 version with June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Margaret O’Brien, Elizabeth Taylor, Janet Leigh and Mary Astor. This is a great classic film based on a classic book.

Separate Tables (1958): The film centers on a group of lonely people at a remote English hotel trying to connect. With a cast including Burt Lancaster, Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, David Niven (Oscar winner), Dame Wendy Hiller and Rod Taylor, one wonders what the problem was.

The Old Man and the Sea (1958): Oscar nominee Spencer Tracy stars as the old man who fights the sea and a huge marlin to a Quixote finish.

Dances with Wolves (1990): Oscar winner as Best Director, Kevin Costner is a Civil War veteran with nothing to live for until he is sent to the frontier. He makes friends with wolves, Indians and a very special horse. Needless to say that most are taken from him by cruel acts of men.

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree.  I hope to hear from all of you.

Throughout our lives, there have been movies that we had to see. Sometimes, we felt we needed to see them for their merit and sometimes so that we could say that we had seen them and our opinion is…

Some of these films are epics and some are little films. Whatever their scope, they are memorable.  Some are very good and some are barely adequate. But, they have been talked about, certain lines have entered daily conversation, and they remain in our movie memory bank.

I’m sure the ones I pick will not be the ones you might pick. Generation, gender and inclination play their roles in selection. Let’s see how many we have in common.

Casablanca: How many famous lines can you remember from this classic? Every time I see this movie, and I have seen it many times, I cry when the Marseilles is sung. I am always shocked to find out gambling is allowed in Rick’s place.

Gone with the Wind: Not a great movie but still very watchable. Why couldn’t Scarlett have seen what millions of women have seen—Clark Gable is more desirable than Leslie Howard.

The Wizard of Oz: It’s not just for children. I watch it every few years and still enjoy it. I love the munchkins. There are several lines that remain a part of our everyday conversations, my pretty.

The Graduate: Ah, Mrs. Robinson. She knew what she wanted and went for it. But—Dustin Hoffman? Simon and Garfunkel provided the perfect music.

Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark: Who can forget the snakes or smile at the gun/whip episode? I still see a few of Harrison Ford-type hats. I believe my husband has one.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest: This film is brilliant and funny and impossibly cruel. I’ll never forget or forgive Big Nurse.

Easy Rider: This is a film that symbolized to me that I was past my youth—motorcycles, men without jobs, drugs, oh my, what were they doing? Even so, they sure didn’t deserve their demise.

Terms of Endearment: This is your basic tear jerker, plain and simple.

The Godfather: What did any of us know about the mafia? This movie paints a romantic but violent picture. Great acting, beautiful cinematography, flawless story lift this film to classic. 

Psycho: Whoever saw this film will never forget the Bates Hotel. I think it is still the scariest film I ever saw and ever hope to see.

Lawrence of Arabia: My favorite movie (next to Paul Newman’s The Hustler) has so much scope it is past cinemascope. Each scene in the desert combined with the score make for an indelible memory. Not to mention Peter O’Toole’s blue eyes. Did you know he broke the bank at Monte Carlo?

On the Waterfront: All together now, “I coulda been a contender.” This is a gritty movie  based on the Budd Schulberg book. Brando is at his mumbly best. Karl Malden sure can play the bad guy well.

Peyton Place: I lived in a small town, but I can’t remember it being anything like this. It’s steamy and wonderfully trashy. Everyone was talking about this movie.

The Usual Suspects: I hate to admit it, but I was completely taken in, as I suppose were most viewers. What a clever plot. This movie has to be seen twice to really appreciate it.

Grapes of Wrath: No one talks about this film much anymore, but when I was young, it was both admired and reviled for its depiction of the “Okies.”

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: This is an enjoyable film, both for the acting and the subject matter. It was nice that Tracy and Hepburn were sophisticated parents. Otherwise…

The Big Lebowski: The Coen brothers made a big, rollicking, whacky, lovable film. And I love them for so doing. My son and I refer to it often.

In the Heat of the Night: Winner of an Academy Award among four other strong contenders, this film was discussed frequently among my friends. I would never call Sidney Poitier anything but Mr. Poitier.

Fargo: The Coen brothers again with this quirky, to say the least, film about a pregnant sheriff on the trail of a killer. I could never think of a woodchipper in a benign way again. And, I can still say you betcha with the best of them.

2001: A Space Odyssey: And thus Spake Stanley Kubrick and Hal. I enjoyed this film. I don’t think I fully understood though. All my friends had a different interpretation. Maybe that’s what made it a must see.

Apocalypse Now: Everyone was talking about this movie years ago. I finally saw it. Do I detect something burning?

Judgment at Nuremberg: I think this was the best holocaust film. I remember being so depressed after I saw it that I spent three days in bed crying.

The Birds: Every time I see a crow I look around for more. I just hope no crows ever see the film. I’ve been in many discussions about this Hitchcock film.

And, at least one film in the following series:

Charlie Chan: Who can remember number one son?

The Three Stooges: Let’s all get goofy.

Sherlock Holmes: Elementary.

The Thin Man: Sophisticated humor, a tiny mystery, banter, and Asta.

The Marx Brothers: Just plain silliness. Good for the soul.

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

 Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

 I believe that more dramatic films were made on stories from World War II than any other event in history. Because it was a truly world war, we have films from the European theater, the Baltic, Africa, the British Isles, the United States, and the Pacific, just to name the most obvious.

 Although some comedic films were made, the seriousness of the war lent itself to real drama. This month, I will share with you some of my favorites from the European Theater of Operations (interesting that it should be called a theater). And, did you ever notice what great casts these films have?

 Best Days of Our Lives (1946): This film won seven Academy Awards. The storyline involves three returning GIs trying to adjust to everyday life. The most heart-wrenching tale is portrayed by Harold Russell who lost his hands in combat.

 Twelve O’Clock High (1949): Gregory Peck plays a tough, heartless general who is charged with turning a discouraged group of pilots into an effective fighting unit. In doing so, he learns the true meaning of leadership. Dean Jagger, Hugh Marlowe, and Gary Merrill round out the cast.

  The Longest Day (1962): This Academy Award winner is the definitive film about the D-Day invasion. It gives a perspective on what went into the planning and execution for both sides. Look at this cast: John Wayne, Sean Connery, Robert Mitchum, Henry Fonda, Rod Steiger, Peter Lawford, Mel Ferrer, Robert Wagner and a army of thousands.  

Stalag 17 (1953): Oscar-winner William Holden heads cast of Otto Preminger, Robert Strauss, and Peter Graves in this prisoner-of-war-camp film. The film works largely because of Holden. After a series of escapes fail, the prisoners start to suspect there’s a mole. Billy Wilder directed this movie which is a mixture of wit and pathos.

 To Hell and Back (1955): Real life hero Audie Murphy stars as himself in this biopic. Murphy earned every medal that America gives, including the Congressional Medal of Honor. It’s not a great movie, but Murphy deserved this final honor before he started playing cowboys.

 Dam Busters (1954): This is an interesting true story about the invention and use of the “bouncing bomb” that caused havoc for the Germans. The bomb was dropped into a river behind a dam and bounced to the dam and destroyed it. “Water, water everywhere.” Michael Redgrave and Richard Todd star.

 Go For Broke (1951): This poignant film is about Japanese-American soldiers who must prove their worth and loyalty to their fellow fighters. Van Johnson is their officer who takes a lot of proving. They do prove themselves, but at a terrible cost.  

Battleground (1949): Van Johnson, James Whitmore, James Arness and John Hodiak find themselves with many others in the early days of the “Battle of the Bulge.” Whitmore as a crusty sergeant shines in this tense drama. The film earned a Best Screenplay Oscar.  

Dirty Dozen (1985): For a war movie, this was a lot of fun. The cast is terrific: Lee Marvin must control Telly Savalas, John Cassavetes, Donald Sutherland, Charles Bronson, Robert Ryan and seven other hardened convicts. Their task is to raid a Nazi villa and kill the occupants.  

Great Escape (1963): This movie is on many lists of best films. I didn’t particularly like it. The cast was good: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Charles Bronson and Richard Attenborough. The story was boring.

 Patton (1970): When a great story and a great actor and great everything else comes together, you get a great movie. Winner of 10 Academy Awards, including a Best Actor for George C. Scott (which he refused to accept), Patton is a film worth watching again and again and…  

A Bridge Too Far (1977): This movie is full of historical inaccuracies but still enjoyable to watch. The story revolves around an Allied attempt to win the war by seizing key bridges in Holland. I don’t understand how they failed with the likes of Sir Michael Caine, Sir Sean Connery, Gene Hackman, Sir Anthony Hopkins, Robert Redford, and Sir Laurence Olivier leading the charge.  

The Young Lions (1958): Marlon Brando as a Nazi officer (can you believe it?) must deal with anti-Semitism. Montgomery Clift, Dean Martin, Hope Lange, and Lee Van Cleef co-star in this glossy but not true-to-the-book film.  

Saving Private Ryan (1998): Even the acting skills of Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Ted Danson and Paul Giamatti can’t save this mess of a movie. See The Longest Day instead.  

Inglourious Basterds (2009): With this film, we go from just bad to horrendous. This is a slimy, creepy film that I didn’t want to watch. I don’t care for Tarantino films to begin with, but this is too bad even for him.  

Guns of Navarone (1961): British soldiers are under attack in Greece and face total destruction unless help arrives. The problem is that the dreaded guns of Navarone can stop any ship within range. The solution is to send in the commandos. Are Gregory Peck, Anthony Quinn and David Niven up to the task?

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

“Take me out to the ballgame…”

It’s that time of year again. To me, spring means baseball, and that brings to mind baseball movies. Other sports might be more popular, but baseball has been so enduring in America’s history that the two are inseparable. George Carlin’s wonderful bit about the difference between baseball and football is the best I’ve ever heard, especially the line: “Football is played on a gridiron and baseball is played on a field.” Let’s play ball.

Pride of the Yankees (1942): Nicknamed the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig played in 2,100 consecutive games until he was struck down by the disease that bears his name. Gary Cooper quietly displays all the qualities that made Gehrig a great player and man. Each time I see this film I marvel at his character and cry for his loss.

The Jackie Robinson Story (1950): Jackie Robinson plays himself in this film about the first black player in major league baseball. The film is adequate but not inspired in depicting this Hall of Famer and Branch Rickey’s Brooklyn Dodger organization which hired him. One major criticism of the movie was that it glossed over how much abuse Robinson took.

Bang the Drum Slowly (1973): This movie is a real tearjerker about baseball player Bruce Pearson, played by Robert De Niro, who has Hodgkin’s disease. The only team player who knows this is the star pitcher, Henry Wiggen, played by Michael Moriarty. As the disease progresses and the pitcher’s playing gets worse, his friend cannot cover for him. Vincent Gardenia, as the coach, received an Academy Award nomination. Not a dry eye in the house.

Bull Durham (1988): A truly delightful film stars Kevin Costner as the seasoned veteran, Tim Robbins as the unpredictable pitcher and Susan Sarandon as the groupie. Robbins is the hope of the pitiful Durham Bulls, but he is undisciplined. Kostner is called in to steady him. Sarandon can’t decide which one she wants.

Bad News Bears (2005): Walter Matthau is a former minor league pitcher roped into coaching a group of low-talent kids. Matthau’s bear-like personality and the cuteness and despair of the kids makes this a charming film. Too bad Hollywood couldn’t stop at one.

The Rookie (2002): Jim Morris (Dennis Quaid) makes a deal with the high school team he coaches. If the team makes the playoffs he will try out for the majors. He is a talented pitcher and does get a spot on a minor-league team. This is a true and inspiring story.

The Natural (1984): Roy Hobbs aka Robert Redford is a 35-year old rookie who helps his last place team get back in the game. This is just a silly movie. It seems to be a vehicle for Redford to be backlit and looking golden. Watch the real rookie instead.

Field of Dreams (1989): Kevin Costner plays an Iowa farmer who hears voices. The voices tell him to build a baseball diamond in his cornfield. He does and a bunch of dead players show up. Puleeeze.

Cobb (1994): A sports writer is assigned to do a biography of Detroit Tiger legend Ty Cobb. While researching, he discovers that Cobb was as rough as his name implies. Traits, such as being a racist, bully, cheat, womanizer, surface. Today, these traits are not so shocking. He was not Lou Gehrig, but he was a truly great ballplayer.

The Babe Ruth Story (1948); The Babe (1992): This film was rushed into production and released three months before the Babe died. His widow hated it and the critics were none too pleased. William Bendix was miscast. John Goodman in the Babe, played him like a goofy, overgrown kid. This was not a serious biopic. Ruth, arguably the best player ever, deserves better.

Damn Yankees (1958): An ordinary guy, Tab Hunter, makes a deal with the devil, Ray Walston. Hunter gets to become a homerun hitter for the Washington Senators, but he must make sure his team loses to the Yankees in the World Series. When Hunter wants to back out of the deal, the devil send Gwen Verdon (Lola, who gets what she wants), to convince him to uphold his part of the bargain. Great music and dancing (choreography by Bob Fosse).

Fear Strikes Out (1957): Poor Jimmy Piersall, the troubled Boston Red Sox outfielder who suffered a nervous breakdown in 1952. Most of the problem seems to be his over-bearing and demanding father, played by Karl Malden. A true story of what can happen when a parent drives a child and adult too far.

Eight Men Out (1988): Ah, the “Black Sox” scandal of 1919. Underpaid and disgruntled, Chicago White Sox players allow themselves to be bought by gambler Arnold Rothstein and friends. Heavily favored, they throw the 1919 World Series and allow the Cincinnati Reds to win. John Cusack, Charlie Sheen and D.B. Sweeney star.

The Stratton Story (1949): This is true story about Monty Stratton (Jimmy Stewart), a Chicago White Sox pitcher who lost his leg in a hunting accident. Fitted with a peg-leg, he made a comeback in 1946 pitching in minor leagues. The film won an Oscar for Best Screenplay. This film is genuinely inspiring.

Moneyball (2011): The story is important as it tells of a turning point in how teams pick players. Hollywood wants us to believe it is epic. Why else take 133 minutes to tell a 90-minute story? The acting is adequate. Fortunately, Brad Pitt is not called on to do much more than look pensive and throw things around. The bits with his daughter were out of place and distracting. But I did watch the whole thing without too much pain.

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

It’s time to get Sirius. A big applause for the dog stars.

I’ve loved dogs my entire life, so I think it is time I honor them with a blog. My first memories of a movie dog were of Rin Tin Tin. His was a heroic story. Rescued in France at the end of World War I, he was brought to live in Los Angeles by Lee Duncan. He went on to star in 23 adventure films, and after he died a series of German Shepherd Dogs continued his legacy. He may not have been the first dog to be in movies, but he is remembered as the first “great” dog actor. There was a film, Finding Rin Tin Tin, made about him in 2007.

I think Hollywood should create a new rating called ET for extremely traumatical (sic). Some movies are just too sad for tender, young souls.

There is a list of movies about dogs that is so long I could never include them all. But let’s see what we can do.

Lassie: Here was a beautiful, well-trained, heroic star. Although a number of Collies were used in the films, they all looked and acted the same. I remember Lassie Come Home (1943) with humans Roddy McDowall and Elizabeth Taylor. I still recollect crying and crying.

Asta: My all-time favorite movie dog was Asta from the Thin Man series in the 30s. He was a true Terrier, full of fun and mischief. He fit in perfectly with co-stars William Powell and Myrna Loy.

Old Yeller (1957): Many critics write that this is a film that demonstrates real life to a young boy. I think it should have an ET rating. This story about the tragic life of a yellow Lab is too harsh for young children and too sad for adults. I hated this film and wish I could erase it from my memory.

Greyfriars Bobby (1961): Another sad film, but in a bittersweet way. It is based on a true story, although there is speculation that it was just a publicity stunt. I prefer it to be true. I have seen the statue of this Skye Terrier in Edinburgh. This is the story of a dog who refused to leave his owner’s side, even after death. Bobby guarded his owner’s grave in Greyfriar’s church cemetery for 14 years until his own death in 1872. He has become a symbol of loyalty.

My Dog Skip (2000): Here’s another film based on a true story. The boy is shy and awkward, has no friends and does not do well in sports. He desperately wants a dog. His mother gets him one on his 9th birthday, although his father has repeatedly said no. The smart little Jack Russell Terrier (is there any other kind?) helps transform the boy’s life and teaches him the meaning of loyalty. This is a lovely film co-starring Kevin Bacon, Diana Lane and Frankie Muniz (as the boy).

Call of the Wild (1935): Based on a novella by Jack London written in 1903, this film is a testament to the cruelty of human beings. Buck, a St. Bernard/sheepdog mix, is taken from his pleasant home in Santa Rosa and sold as a sled dog in the Yukon. The Klondike gold rush is going on and sled dogs are in great demand. Buck is treated horribly until his rescue by Thornton, an outdoorsman. Buck does amazing things for Thornton, even saving his life. After Thornton dies, Buck hears the call of the wild and joins a wolf pack. Whew. This movie is a workout. It has been made into several versions, but the one I like is the original made with Clark Gable and Loretta Young.

Cujo (1983): This film based on the Stephen King novel of the same name is truly scary. A St. Bernard gets the call of the wild and sticks his nose in a bat cave. Rabies is the result. He traps his loving family, Dee Wallace and Danny Pintauro, in a car. Will they ever get out?

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993): Here is a fairly safe and sweet road trip by a Golden Retriever, an American Bulldog and a Himalayan cat. Thinking they have been abandoned when their families leave them at a ranch to go on vacation, they decide to make the trip home. Thus begins the incredible journey.

It seems to me that many movies that featured dogs made in the last several years focused on misbehaving, obnoxious, unpleasant dogs. Gone are the dignified and heroic animals of early filmdom. Think of the Beethoven series, Turner and Hooch, Marley and Me.

Cartoon dogs can be just as loveable as real ones: 101 Dalmations, Scooby-Doo, Bolt, Doogal and Lady and Tramp.

This year’s Oscar winner for best film, The Artist, was a black-and-white silent that featured Uggie, a Jack Russell Terrier. He was onstage for the acceptance speech, I believe he barked his delight.

A terrific film about dog shows is Best in Show. It is funny and irrevent and the dogs come off looking better than their owners.

As a moviegoer for more than 70 years, I’ve seen some great movies, some not so great, some really bad ones, some trying but failing to be deep and meaningful, some reveling in their shallowness. I was born the year The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind were released. My mother started taking me to the movies shortly after that. I saw some movies that were definitely not PG rated. I can still remember being afraid of The Thing and delighting in An American in Paris.

Many times I disagree with the critics. I don’t call them and tell him what I think of their reviews, so now that there is an internet for anyone to babble on, I add my voice. I’m sure there are many of you who will disagree with my assessments. Some of you will agree. I hope to hear from all of you.

“Twinkle, twinkle little star…”

For several years, my husband and I have had a running conversation about a phenomenon we call “The Twinkle.” This is one of those concepts that is utterly subjective. It requires a smart-ass attitude, a bit of the con, and loads of charm. Questions: Who has it; who doesn’t; who can turn it off; who can’t; who has it more often, actors or actresses?

For some reason, actors seem to have the twinkle far more often than actresses. The only actress that had it without question was Mae West. An argument can be made that Goldie Hawn has it.

More actors with blue eyes seem to have it than those with brown eyes. But there are plenty of actors with brown eyes that twinkle.

The actor who displayed the twinkle most obviously was Paul Newman. Think of him in such movies as Rally ‘Round the Flag, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (Redford does not have the twinkle), and The Sting. Newman could also turn it off. Remember him in Mr. and Mrs. Bridge with Joanne Woodward, The Verdict, From the Terrace, and The Hustler? He’s the twinkle champion.

Then there is Robert Wagner. His twinkle was permanent and very engaging. Unfortunately, this limited his acting roles. His performances in war movies, such as What Price Glory, The War Lovers,and The Frogmen, were particularly good. His work with Paul Newman in Winning and Harper was fine. Now, he is selling mattresses on television and that sparkling twinkle is diminished.

Jack Nicholson is another actor who can turn it on and off. In One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Terms of Endearment, he displays this ability. The twinkle was quite evident in Five Easy Pieces and Chinatown. He toned it down in About Schmidt and Ironweed, and the dreadful The Departed.

Kevin Kline is a great actor who can twinkle on cue. In A Fish Called Wanda (for which he earned an Oscar), Soapdish, and Dave you could see the twinkle. In Emperor’s Club, Ice Storm and Cry Freedom, you could not.

With his great charm, one would think that Cary Grant had it, but he didn’t. Beneath that slick exterior, I believe there was darkness. He could have played a great villain, given the chance. Watch his eyes closely in such films as Charade, North by Northwest and Destination Tokyo and you will see a noticeable lack of twinkle. Even in his madcap comedies those dark eyes stayed dark.

Among the current crop of actors, I think George Clooney comes the closest to having a twinkle. His performances in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Ocean’s Twelve, and Batman and Robin demonstrate a glimmer of a twinkle. It’s gone in Up in the Air, Michael Clayton and The Good German. He has enormous charm but little smart ass and no con.

British actors who spring to mind are Hugh Grant, Ian McShane, Ian Richardson and Sir Alec Guiness.

Hugh Grant, that bumbling, blue-eyed, charming actor from such films as Four Weddings and a Funeral, About a Boy, and Mickey Blue Eyes is the Brit who defines the twinkle.

Although Ian McShane made several movies, his twinkle was most evident in his long-running television series Lovejoy. However, in another television series, Deadwood, there is little evidence of a twinkle. He was in the campy Pirates of the Caribbean: Stranger Tides which required a twinkle.

Ian Richardson’s most blatant display of the twinkle was in television’s House Cards, one of the most deliciously wicked series ever. Hints of the twinkle can be found in the movie Canterville Ghost.

Sir Alec Guiness, known for his serious roles, could produce a twinkle if the role called for it. Remember him in Murder by Death, The Horse’s Mouth, and The Lavender Hill Mob?

I see hints in James Garner, Denzel Washington and Christopher Walken. Who else do you think has the twinkle? Please post your comments and I will discuss them in a future blog.