Noir-vember: Fortune Is A Woman (1957)

A film noir that focuses on an insurance investigator who has his head turned by a beautiful woman. I must admit that I thought I knew how everything would play out when I pressed play on Fortune Is A Woman. It's not hard to predict the beats when a noir sets itself up in ways that lead to comparisons with one or two of the all-time greats. Surprisingly, things didn't play out exactly as I thought they would, although I did start to get in step with everything as the second half unfolded.

Jack Hawkins is Oliver Branwell, the aforementioned insurance investigator. When sent to deal with one Mr. Tracey Moreton (Dennis Price) he encounters an old flame, now married, Sarah Moreton (Arlene Dahl). After some conversation that includes some talk about arson, Oliver moves on to other work, although he enjoys being reconnected with Sarah. Things sadly get a bit too coincidental when Oliver spots a painting elsewhere that he believes belongs to the Moretons, just before there's some arson and a death, leading to a large windfall for Sarah.

There are a number of reasons to watch, and enjoy, Fortune Is A Woman, with the dialogue and plotting being quite an obvious draw. Adapted by Val Valentine from a novel by Winston Graham, the screenplay written by director Sidney Gilliat and Frank Launder maintains a great feeling of fun and a frisson of danger for the majority of the runtime. A big plus, however, is the inherent British politeness of the character played by Hawkins. There are at least two occasions that have him ready to fall on a sword that hasn't necessarily been placed directly in front of him.

Aside from Hawkins, who is a delight in his role, Dahl is also very good, and is allowed to work within an area of pleasing ambiguity while viewers try to figure out who is the real villain of the piece. Price is fine in his small role, Violet Farebrother is very good as his mother, and there are enjoyable performances from Ian Hunter, Geoffrey Keen, Bernard Miles, John Phillips, Greta Gynt (a scene-stealer), and even Christopher Lee, sadly only in the film for a couple of minutes.

There's a comforting cosiness to this. It's not one of those many noirs that will have you awaiting the ending with dread. It does still have stakes for the main characters though, and there's at least one corpse thrown into the mix. I had a great time with it, and the pacing of the 95-minute runtime is helped by the way in which the plot is almost broken up into a number of mini-vignettes (the set-up, the crime, and some investigative work only takes you to just over the halfway point, there is a bit more bobbing and weaving on the way to the end credits). The very last scenes may feel a bit underwhelming, but they don't do enough to spoil everything that came along before them.

7/10

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Prime Time: The Haunted House Of Horror (1969)

Dated, groovy, and mildly diverting fun, The Haunted House Of Horror is a film I have seen more than once, mainly because I always forget exactly how things play out. Once the finale unfolds, and the end credits start to roll, I then remember that there is good reason for this being so forgettable. It’s not that good.

But it is a Tigon film, and I always have a soft spot for Tigon (who gave us a couple of British horror greats, as well as a few more like this).

A bunch of lively young things decide to head to an allegedly haunted house and get up to what can only be described as shenanigans. That is all well and good until things take a dark turn when someone ends up dead. One of the group must have committed the murder, or maybe someone else joined them in the house, just waiting for their perfect moment to strike.

A whodunnit that doesn’t even bother about getting viewers invested in the solving of the mystery, The Haunted House Of Horror is best watched as a fun curio piece, especially when you consider that the cast features a main role for both Frankie Avalon and UK sitcom stalwart Richard O’Sullivan (a combination I don’t think is ever recreated in any other film).

Director Michael Armstrong, who also wrote the screenplay that was rewritten by Gerry Levy, seems to be more interested in allowing his cast to have fun than he is in creating any atmosphere and tension. Okay, the death may feel like an interesting “twist”, but the reactions of the other characters, who simply want to distance themselves from the corpse and hope to eventually find out who did it, makes everything feel much more relaxed and unimpactful (a word? it is now) than it should.

It doesn’t help that the cast isn’t full of great performers. Avalon may have been a successful pop star, but he doesn’t really work when placed in this particular film. O’Sullivan fares a bit better, the film making use of his easygoing and cheeky persona. Mark Wynter is slightly annoying in his role, but that is down to his character more than his performance, George Sewell adds potential threat as an older man obsessed with a young woman he has had a very brief affair with, and Julian Barnes is there to look sweet and soulful for many of his scenes. Jill Haworth, Gina Warwick, Carol Dilworth, and Veronica Doran generally do a bit better than their male counterparts, perhaps because they don’t just become one homogenized mass of swinging youngsters (as most of the men do).

I will never hate this film, I just can’t do it, despite knowing how much of it doesn’t really work. The two main songs on the soundtrack are irritating, the score by Reg Tilsley is even more forgettable than the murky visuals, and the slow pace is another nail in the coffin. As a horror movie, considering the lack of atmosphere, blood, and/or tension, it is a complete failure. But as a small slice of 1960s UK grooviness, I can still find enough to keep me amused and entertained.

5/10

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Filmstruck Friday: Tunes Of Glory (1960)

When you think of a film starring Alec Guinness that focuses on a battle of wills between two commanding officers then I would be very surprised if you didn't think of The Bridge On The River Kwai. That film is a gold-plated classic, and if you have yet to see it then please do so immediately. Tunes Of Glory, however, is no slouch. It may be a lesser-known film, certainly compared to "Kwai", but it's almost as good, and arguably more interesting in the way it shades the two main characters.

Guinness plays Jock Sinclair, a Colonel due to step down from his commanding position as another man steps in to take charge. That other man is Basil Barrow, a Lt. Col. played by John Mills, and he's very different from Sinclair. Barrow likes order and for his men to be on their best behaviour at all times, Sinclair prefers to let his men have fun, and thinks that people will easily forgive any perceived rudeness or social indiscretions committed by soldiers in high spirits. A lot of the soldiers side with Sinclair, who obviously has popularity, but a few support their new commander, and don't appreciate the friction being caused by Sinclair.

Director Ronald Neame (who had also used Guinnes so well in his previous film, The Horse's Mouth) has the great benefit of a near-perfect cast doing their best with a fantastic screenplay, written by James Kennaway, adapting his own novel. Which isn't to take anything away from Neame's work. He knows exactly how he wants each scene to play out and paces everything perfectly to give viewers plenty of time to chop and change their minds about the good or bad standing of various characters.

With his bright red hair and fine Scottish brogue, Guinness provides yet another acting masterclass in his portrayal of Sinclair. He's an obstinate, proud, man who is unwilling to consider compromise as anything other than a repudiation of all that he stands for. Mills is equally good in his role, although he has to sweat and twitch a bit too much during the moments that see his unflappable demeanour being pushed to the . . . flappable. Gordon Jackson also excels, playing a decent soldier trying to help the new commander in his role. It's testament to both the script and the performance that Jackson never comes across as a sycophant or goody-two-shoes. He's stuck between two men he admires in different ways. Dennis Price also gives a great turn, taking on the role of the one man who will call out both Sinclair and Barrow on their mis-steps. Kay Walsh gets the one main female role, although Susannah York has a small part to play too, and there's a fine selection of supporting actors, including John Fraser, Duncan Macrae, Percy Herbert, and Allan Cuthbertson, as well as many other wonderful faces.

Full of pipe music, whisky, and moments in which tempers flare, Tunes Of Glory is steeped in Scottish flavour throughout, yet also remains a quintessentially British film. It's about doing your duty, about being in a position that you wish to see as being beyond reproach, and about the overriding need to save face above all else. Yep, quintessentially British.

8/10

You can buy the DVD here.
Americans can get a Criterion edition here.

OR, as some people did the other day (and I thank you for it), you can click on either of those links and then just shop for whatever else may take your fancy, and that helps me immensely.

School For Scoundrels (1960)

Based on a popular series of comedic novels, School For Scoundrels is a constant pleasure from start to finish, mixing the best of British with a familiar tale of one poor zero trying to turn himself into a bit of a hero.

Ian Carmichael is Henry Palfrey, the poor schmuck who finds himself in the doldrums when he realises just how much of a schmuck he actually is. He's a polite, nice guy. Which leads to him being patronised by hiw workforce (mainly one man, played by Edward Chapman), having the wool pulled over his eyes by some dodgy car salesmen (Dennis Price and Peter Jones), and, most importantly, being overshadowed in a competition for the woman he loves (Janette Scott) by a charismatic bounder (Terry-Thomas). Hoping to make himself a better man, Henry enrols at The School Of Lifemanship, an institution run by Dr. Potter (Alastair Sim) to teach people all of the tricks required to maintain a position of superiority in any social situation. It might just help him become a winner, but maybe not in the way that he had always envisioned.

Considering the quality of the final product, it seems redundant to comment on how troubled the production was behind the scenes. So I won't. I'll just say that Robert Hamer is credited as director, with Patricia Moyes and Hal E. Chester being the named writers. And, taken at face value (judging by the final result - which is really all there is to do in many instances), they all did their bit to create a minor classic of comedy.

But let's not underestimate the value of the perfect cast. Whether being walked all over or asserting his dominance, Carmichael is, essentially, a very likable lead. This makes his mistreatment all the more affecting, and his attempts to achieve success all the more enjoyable. A good hero, however, needs a good villain, and that spot is taken by the irreplacable Terry-Thomas. Few people, if anybody, could play a charming rogue like Thomas, and he's in his element here. As is Alastair Sim, who fades into the background for most of the main scenes, yet remains memorable thanks to the strong impression he manages to make in the first 10-15 minutes. Scott is suitably lovely as the woman who drives our hero to such extreme "self-improvement", and every other player fits perfectly in their respective roles, with John Le Mesurier also deserving a mention for his wonderfully disdainful head waiter.

Timeless, charming, often outright hilarious, cutting, and smart. School For Scoundrels is essential viewing if you're a fan of any of the cast members, a fan of British cinema, or just a fan of great comedy. You could even call it educational.

8/10

School For Scoundrels was digitally restored for the Studio Canal DVD (August 31st) and Blu-Ray (October 5th) release here in the UK. Extra features include interviews with Peter Bradshaw and Chris Potter (about the film and the source material), and an interview with Graham McCann (about Terry-Thomas). There's also a stills gallery and a trailer.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00Y0HMYAS?keywords=school%20for%20scoundrels&qid=1441135534&ref_=sr_1_2&s=dvd&sr=1-2

Theatre Of Blood (1973)

Vincent Price stars as a wronged Shakespearean actor, named Edward Kendal Sheridan Lionheart, in this comedic horror that brilliantly heaps the macabre upon the macabre with every subsequent sequence, and also allows Price to portray a number of roles from many of those classic Shakespeare plays.

It all starts with the death of a critic, a single murder that the police investigate with little idea of the motive. When other critics start to die, however, it quickly becomes clear that all of the people have something in common. They all have their own little clique, and they've all greatly upset (to say the least) an actor they thought had died some time ago. But Lionheart isn't dead, and his flair for the theatrical means that those critics are going to help him realise perhaps his greatest repertory season yet.

Directed by Douglas Hickox, Theatre Of Blood benefits enormously from the fun script by Anthony Greville-Bell and the magnificence of such a great ensemble cast. That's not to take anything away from Hickox, who shows such great judgment in the way he treats the material, leading viewers deeper and deeper into territory that becomes surprisingly unpleasant in tone while also making it all just bearable enough to amuse and horrify in equal measure.

Price is the star of the show, and oh how he shines. He gets to recite many famous lines, dress up as a variety of characters, and simply revel in the inspired lunacy of his character in a way that's infectious whenever he appears onscreen. Diana Rigg is lovely and suspicious in the role of his daughter, a woman who resents all those who she thinks drove her father to his death. And Milo O'Shea and Eric Sykes are both enjoyable enough as two of the main police officers trying to stop more brutal murders on their patch. But it's in the casting of the critics that the film gains more bonus points. Michael Hordern, Robert Morley, Arthur Lowe, Coral Browne, Jack Hawkins, Dennis Price, Harry Andrews, Robert Coote and Ian Hendry all prove to be great entertainment, portraying a bunch of smug, nasty critics who don't seem entirely undeserving of their fates. Hendry is the man who pieces everything together, and helps the police to see just what's going on, but everyone gets at least one great scene apiece.

Price considered this film a personal favourite and it's not hard to see why. He always wanted to stretch his wings a bit more, but was so solidly typecast in the prime of his career that it wasn't to be. This film allowed him to stay within the genre that had won him such a loyal army of fans, while also letting him deliver so many great speeches that he would otherwise not had the chance to perform onscreen. It's a win win situation for the star and his fans, making this a film that you won't want to miss.

9/10

This is the disc I recommend purchasing - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Theatre-Blood-Blu-ray-Vincent-Price/dp/B00IJE1QU2/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1411828432&sr=1-1&keywords=theatre+of+blood

Twins Of Evil (1971)

The third of the Karnstein trilogy, loosely connected movies from Hammer based on "Carmilla" by Sheridan Le Fanu, Twins Of Evil isn't too bad. Okay, I wouldn't exactly call it good, but it's certainly made more interesting thanks to the premise and yet another sterling performance from the great Peter Cushing.

The movie presents Cushing as a kind of witchfinder general type, Gustav Weil, quick to rouse his followers into a state of fervour before leading them off to burn some young woman at the stake. While this is a regular occurrence, it doesn't really deal with the main problem in his area, the nefarious Baron Karnstein (Damien Thomas). The Baron is a bad man, an evil man, but he's also well connected. Set against this backdrop of menace and paranoia, Gustav and his wife, Katy (Kathleen Byron), find themselves taking charge of their two nieces (the twins, played by Mary and Madeleine Collinson). The two girls quickly find themselves incurring the ire of their stern uncle, and one of them decides to retaliate by indulging in some shenanigans that would definitely not meet with approval.

As you may have already been able to guess, Twins Of Evil succeeds largely because of the twins. I'm not going to pretend that I kept up with exactly who was who, but that's fine because the movie does enough to keep viewers just informed enough to enjoy the twists of the plot (with a lot of the fun coming from the fact that the twin who turns to evil can then make use of the good twin to help protect her from Gustav and his band of followers). So I may not have remembered who was Maria (played by Mary) and who was Frieda (played by Madeleine) at all times, but I knew who was evil and who was good . . . . and then who was evil but pretending to be good and who was good being made to look evil.

The script by Tudor Gates isn't too bad, and the direction by John Hough throws in some nice, surprisingly atmospheric moments of spookiness. The acting is a mixed bag, with Cushing being his usual great self while Mary and Madeleine Collinson are . . . . . . . . . . well, they're okay, but obviously chosen more for their ability to be twins than any major acting chops. David Warbeck, Dennis Price and Kathleen Byron do pretty well, Katya Wyeth has a small, but memorable, role and Damien Thomas fails to impress as the dastardly Baron.

There are a few decent moments of gore, some nudity and a number of typical Hammer moments to keep fans amused, making this a solid piece of entertainment for those who already favour the style and ethos of the studio.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Twins-Evil-DVD-Peter-Cushing/dp/B000I0QSUS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1373970895&sr=8-1&keywords=twins+of+evil

Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949)

Oh, how embarrassing it is when the chance comes along to finally view a movie recommended by many, many others over the years and it turns out to be an easy favourite because, guess what, everyone has been recommending it with good reason. Kind Hearts And Coronets is that film for today and I am that person who put off viewing this masterpiece for far too long. Shame on me.

Dennis Price stars as Louis Mazzini, the child of a woman who was deemed by her family to have married beneath her. Due to the judgment made by the rest of the family, Louis and his mother are left to make their own way in life and when his mother dies with no display of remorse or warmth from her estranged family, Louis decides to take matters into his own hands. He sets out to take his rightful place in the family tree and to pull himself up to the higher strata of society. This will involve killing every one of his main relatives (all played by Alec Guinness) until he is left, the sole heir to the family fortune and title.

I'd heard SO much about Kind Hearts And Coronets over the years that I must admit to being a little worried when I didn't love it from the very opening second. People had praised it sky high and I may have been expecting too much.

Balderdash.

Within minutes I was relishing each and every perfectly formed line of dialogue (written for the screen by director Robert Hamer and John Dighton, from the book by Roy Horniman) and dying to find out just what would happen to each character populating the movie.

Dennis Price is superb in the lead role and he's able to play off two very different women, one being the ambitious and manipulative Sibella Holland, played by Joan Greenwood, and the other being the beautiful and gracious Edith D'Ascoyne, played by Valerie Hobson. Audrey Fildes, Clive Morton, Miles Malleson and John Penrose all do fine work in their roles, small or large, but everyone on-screen plays second fiddle to the versatile and hilarious Alec Guinness. Whether he's playing an arrogant cad, a priest with a love for an occasional tipple or even a female heavily involved in the suffragette movement, Guinness is never less than absolutely brilliant.

Hamer, in his directorial role, keeps everything mixed just perfectly. Most importantly, he manages to keep the black comedy throughout without it ever feeling too mean-spirited or just downright grim. This is helped by the casting - despite Guinness doing such sterling work, let's not deny how likable Price is in the lead role - but it's really the result of every single component being put together perfectly.

If you haven't seen Kind Hearts And Coronets then reschedule whatever you had planned and watch it right now. Don't make the same mistake of leaving it as long as I did.

10/10

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The Horror Of Frankenstein (1970)

Frankenstein for a new generation. This movie doesn't have any of the elderly Hammer stalwarts (and they're sorely missed) but it does have an energy to it and a lot of positives thanks to a witty script and a great central performance from Ralph Bates. He may be no Cushing but he gives an enjoyable, youthful take on Victor Frankenstein and carries the film through some of its lean patches.

Directed by Jimmy Sangster (who also co-wrote the film with Jeremy Burnham), this movie may upset the purists but it's hard to see how anyone can come to hate it. Yes, it's essentially a rehash of The Curse Of Frankenstein but that's not the worst cinematic crime in the world. Young Victor upsets a number of people, from his father to his lecturers, as he grows from a boy into a man obsessed with the idea of bringing the dead back to life.

The pacing is brisk, the acting is all enjoyable (highlights = Kate O'Mara playing a great, lusty housekeeper, Dennis Price as a professional graverobber and Veronica Carlson as the fragile beauty this time around) and everything still feels lovingly crafted and unrushed, even if it is aiming for a younger audience.

I felt, as many others surely did, that I would miss many of the more seasoned Hammer stars this time but I actually managed to put them aside and enjoy almost every moment of the movie, a testament to just how many things the movie gets right. The one, big, negative point is the monster itself when it finally appears. Dave Prowse just doesn't cut it as the creature and it's in the moments featuring his lacklustre performance that the movie falters.

I'm sure that I'm not going to change the minds of any die-hard fans here but I liked this film a fair bit and think it deserves a bit more praise than it gets. It maintains a balance between nastiness and dark comedy from the first scene right up to the wonderful punchline just before the end credits roll and, personally, I think it's a much better way to push the character to modern audiences than the approach that was attempted with Dracula A.D. 1972.

Of course, I may be completely wrong (it wouldn't be the first time). Give it a look and see what you think. If you enjoy it then I can put on my smug face for a day, if you hate it then I can go back to hiding behind the false beard and dark glasses.

7/10

Yet another movie available in this bargain boxset - http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Ultimate-Hammer-Collection-Disc/dp/B000HN31KQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1354487105&sr=8-1