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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 12, 2024 12:13:30 GMT
![]() As you said, there are so many B movies which have stood the test of time. Likewise, there are plenty of "major releases" which have sunk like a stone. I remember this one from the old AMC days, when they played practically the whole Universal back catalog, and also watched it just recently on Jeanne Crain's SUTS day, a welcome and unusual choice from her filmography but, as you pointed out, also not her best showcase. Great job capturing the flavor of the movie and especially the nuances of the performances. You're so right about Jack Carson's versatility. So cheery in those musical comedies and so slimy and/or menacing in other, darker roles. In A Star is Born he was so ready to kick Norman Maine when he was down. |
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Post by NoShear on Sept 17, 2024 16:45:01 GMT
TOKYO STORY, Yasujiro Ozu's 1953 gray yield, is a depressing take on depressive post-WWII Japanese family life. The men, mostly older, are the tired disillusioned while their female counterparts, mostly young, still retain some spirit, suggesting a self-contained resiliency possessed by Japanese women.
The seppuku undertone element was cleverly shot at sake table elevation but maybe only 'enjoyed' one time around.
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Post by Fading Fast on Sept 17, 2024 18:38:37 GMT
TOKYO STORY, Yasujiro Ozu's 1953 gray yield, is a depressing take on depressive post-WWII Japanese family life. The men, mostly older, are the tired disillusioned while their female counterparts, mostly young, still retain some spirit, suggesting a self-contained resiliency possessed by Japanese women. The seppuku undertone element was cleverly shot at sake table elevation but maybe only 'enjoyed' one time around. |
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Post by NoShear on Sept 17, 2024 18:53:38 GMT
TOKYO STORY, Yasujiro Ozu's 1953 gray yield, is a depressing take on depressive post-WWII Japanese family life. The men, mostly older, are the tired disillusioned while their female counterparts, mostly young, still retain some spirit, suggesting a self-contained resiliency possessed by Japanese women. The seppuku undertone element was cleverly shot at sake table elevation but maybe only 'enjoyed' one time around. I look forward to reading your review of it, Fading Fast... |
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Post by Fading Fast on Sept 18, 2024 9:19:19 GMT
The Steel Trap from 1952 with Joseph Cotten and Teresa Wright
If you've ever wondered what a TV episode of The Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents would look like done as a B-movie, then The Steel Trap is the picture for you.
Its plot of a regular, middle-class family guy letting his inner "steal a ton of money and flee the country" daydream go wild is right out of the script department of either of those TV shows, which often were just low-budget film noir or crime drama stories done for the small screen.
Here, Joseph Cotten plays a mid-level bank employee with a nice house, nice wife, played by Teresa Wright, and an adorable six-year-old daughter. Cotten's life seems pretty darn good even if he does have the not unusual "wouldn't it be wonderful to be super rich" fantasy.
It would have probably stayed a pretty good life with some harmless daydreams if he didn't work for a bank, which – with his ingenuity and guile – affords him an opportunity to try to live out his fantasy with a late-Friday afternoon "appropriation" of the bank's weekly deposits.
Director Andrew L. Stone delivers a tension-filled scene as Cotten nervously opens the gigantic vault door, fumbles with lock-box combinations and hurriedly stuffs tons of money into a suitcase, all in the austere atmosphere of a bank vault with a few stressful close calls.
After that, it's an unbelievable number of challenges to get his completely unaware wife – she thinks Cotten has a new posting with the bank in Brazil – the money, and himself out of the country before Monday when the bank opens. He plans to have his daughter follow later.
The bulk of the movie is one travel hurdle after another starting with a big one at the Brazilian embassy over his and his wife's passports. Cotten chose Brazil because of an odd wrinkle in the law leaving Brazil without an extradition treaty with the U.S. – Cotten did some homework.
It is one long, exhausting, and frustrating weekend filled with rushed cab rides to the airport, frantic attempts to get on full flights, which connect to other full flights, and "questions" about his big suitcase full of money at customs.
Cotten has a couple of near meltdowns as he bosses people around, offers ridiculous amounts of money to speed things up, pushes clerks relentlessly and snaps people's heads off all with his unaware wife wondering what the hell has happened to her usually calm and nice husband.
This becomes the turning point as Wright slowly realizes something isn't right. You might wonder why she takes so long to figure things out, but would you think your kind, law-abiding-until-now spouse, who seemed content with his or her life, just pulled a bank job?
Wright and Cotten exemplify the entire tension and appeal of the movie's insane juxtaposition of a normal – mundane – middle-class American man attempting a massive heist and getaway, all without making a sound, while his wife thinks the family is just moving.
When Wright finally forces the truth out of Cotten, the movie has its come-to-Jesus moment. That powerful scene in a claustrophobic hotel room has Wright's will proving more than equal to her husband's. She was the docile wife until her inner girl power said "enough!"
That confrontation and the ensuing denouement scenes are a combination of an Ethics 101 class and a frantic attempt to unwind the heist that would make any The Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode proud.
The story has too many holes to count, but it doesn't matter as the daydream fantasy – having all the money you'd ever need – is so common and compelling that we still enjoy seeing it play out, especially from the safety of our living rooms.
You are also willing to see past the flaws because Cotten and Wright are engaging personalities and talented actors who shepherd you over those plot holes. It helps, too, that Cotton looks more like your slightly awkward neighbor than a traditional Hollywood leading man.
The Steel Trap is enjoyable in the same "dark" way those earlier noted TV shows are when they are at their best: a mix of noir, crime drama, and moral dilemmas raining down on a relatable family.
The movie is not a major motion picture, but it is a solid hit of entertainment that still works today as the fantasy at its core – having all the money you'd ever need – is a perennial one. Plus, the peek it provides at middle-class 1950s life is fun time travel for modern audiences. |
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Post by Andrea Doria on Sept 18, 2024 10:49:19 GMT
That's the reason I never watch, "The Amazing Race," even though everyone says it's very good.
I will definitely watch, "The Steel Trap," though!
For years I worked at a big credit union and was in charge of their four ATM's. Before long weekends I would fill each one to the max, which meant $100,000 each, in 20's. The money came in 4 'bricks' about 18 inches long and all four would fit nicely in a big gym bag. I figured I could put enough in each machine to keep the colonel's from having temper fits for an hour or two. It was close to an airport.
That's as far as any fantasy went. Long before my brain would get to the trust and honesty part there would be the thought of all that airport hassle you mention.
I can't wait to watch this.
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Post by topbilled on Sept 18, 2024 15:01:46 GMT
Recently I watched COUNT THE HOURS! (1953), which also features Teresa Wright. She later said in an interview that when she rebelled against Sam Goldwyn after she made ENCHANTMENT (1948), he broke her contract and she was forced to do some B films like THE STEEL TRAP and COUNT THE HOURS.
It's interesting that in both these films she is re-teaming with Joseph Cotten and Macdonald Carey, the leading men from her previous hit SHADOW OF A DOUBT. I guess if your career is in trouble you try to recapture what worked ten years earlier with the same costars.
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Post by Fading Fast on Sept 18, 2024 15:03:06 GMT
That's the reason I never watch, "The Amazing Race," even though everyone says it's very good.
I will definitely watch, "The Steel Trap," though!
For years I worked at a big credit union and was in charge of their four ATM's. Before long weekends I would fill each one to the max, which meant $100,000 each, in 20's. The money came in 4 'bricks' about 18 inches long and all four would fit nicely in a big gym bag. I figured I could put enough in each machine to keep the colonel's from having temper fits for an hour or two. It was close to an airport.
That's as far as any fantasy went. Long before my brain would get to the trust and honesty part there would be the thought of all that airport hassle you mention.
I can't wait to watch this. |
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Post by I Love Melvin on Sept 18, 2024 16:22:32 GMT
........
For years I worked at a big credit union and was in charge of their four ATM's. Before long weekends I would fill each one to the max, which meant $100,000 each, in 20's. The money came in 4 'bricks' about 18 inches long and all four would fit nicely in a big gym bag. I figured I could put enough in each machine to keep the colonel's from having temper fits for an hour or two. It was close to an airport.
That's as far as any fantasy went......
You two are perfect casting for a remake of Marnie. I'd definitely pay to see it. |
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nickandnora34
Full Member
I saw it in the window and couldn't resist it.
Posts: 103
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Post by nickandnora34 on Sept 18, 2024 22:00:40 GMT
Just a quick update on my Old Hollywood actress project (attempting to watch 5 movies from 20 different Old Hollywood and newer Hollywood actresses for fun)
I have officially finished both Ida Lupino and Suzanne Pleshette. Jean Simmons is one away from being done... I feel like I might lose motivation for this, but hopefully I will finish by December 31 lol. My last Lupino was the 1945 "Pillow to Post," which I have seen years ago, but wanted to revisit. I wish Ida had done more comedies; she was so adorable in this one.
Since it feels rather daunting to write up reviews for all of these, I think I will just stick to photos and brief "reviews." 
Pillow to Post (1945) 3/5*
Out of the Fog (1941) 3/5*
Deep Valley (1947) 3/5*
Woman in Hiding (1950) 3/5*
They Drive by Night (1940) 3.5/5*
As you can see, I am a tough critic haha. Most movies I watch receive a 3 or 3.5 out of 5 star rating. I wish I wasn't so selective.  |
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Post by Andrea Doria on Sept 18, 2024 22:13:38 GMT
In college in the '80s, I worked summers in the "cage" of a Wall St. brokerage firm - the cage is where all the physical securities (in those days they were all physical) and money were kept and processes. Back then, an insane amount - a truly insane amount - of money and securities came in and out of the brokerage firms every day to "square up" the trades done between firms and firms' customers. One of my jobs was "clipping coupons" from bearer bonds. An insanely tedious task, but I could easily have tens of millions of dollars worth of bonds on my desk on any given day. And most were what are called bearer bonds (which played a part in the plot of "Beverly Hills Cop"), which are almost the same as cash, as whoever holds them, effectively, can cash them in. You two are perfect casting for a remake of Marnie. I'd definitely pay to see it. |
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nickandnora34
Full Member
I saw it in the window and couldn't resist it.
Posts: 103
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Post by nickandnora34 on Sept 19, 2024 0:48:32 GMT
Old/Newer Hollywood Project: Suzanne Pleshette
I have enjoyed seeing Suzanne onscreen since I was about 4 years old and watched Disney's "The Ugly Dachshund" for the first time, so she seemed like a perfect option for this project. Now I feel like I need to watch her on Newhart... Below are the five films I picked for her:
A Rage to Live (1965) 2.5/5* I wasn't overly enamored with this, but I think it was fairly progressive for the time period. If I'm being honest, I don't recall much of the plot...
The Ugly Dachshund (1966). Rewatched due to sentimental reasons; just as cute as I remembered. 3.5/5*
Blackbeard's Ghost (1968) 3.5/5* Absolutely loved Dean Jones and Suzanne Pleshette together. I have also seen them in The Shaggy D.A. although may have to revisit at some point since it's been years...
The Power (1968) 2/5*
Hot Stuff (1979). TCM was airing this one and I managed to DVR it in time.  Not the funniest or best movie I've seen, but an easy way to pass the time. Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars, I think.
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Post by topbilled on Sept 19, 2024 1:49:15 GMT
I've been watching episodes of The F.B.I. on Tubi, and Suzanne Pleshette appears in a few of them. She's particularly good in espionage plots. It's a shame Hitchcock didn't use her again, after THE BIRDS, before she became so strongly associated with comedies. She was a fine dramatic actress who was typecast by Hollywood in the late 60s and 70s.
One performance of hers that I never forget is when she played Leona Helmsley in the TV movie LEONA HELMSLEY: THE QUEEN OF MEAN in 1990. She proved she could still do more serious roles, when given the chance.
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Post by topbilled on Sept 19, 2024 3:00:01 GMT
I've been watching episodes of The F.B.I. on Tubi, and Suzanne Pleshette appears in a few of them. She's particularly good in espionage plots. It's a shame Hitchcock didn't use her again, after THE BIRDS, before she became so strongly associated with comedies. She was a fine dramatic actress who was typecast by Hollywood in the late 60s and 70s.
One performance of hers that I never forget is when she played Leona Helmsley in the TV movie LEONA HELMSLEY: THE QUEEN OF MEAN in 1990. She proved she could still do more serious roles, when given the chance.
ok.ru/video/3932607547951 |
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Not the funniest or best movie I've seen, but an easy way to pass the time. Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 stars, I think.