Nightmare Alley, 1947 (Grade C+)

Director: Edmund Goulding
Awards--none that we know of...
Starring: Tyrone Power; Joan Blondall;  Coleen Gray

sez says: This is a bit of a hidden treasure. It is not a fabulous, wonderful, ya gotta see it right now sort of treasure--but more of a it is worth seeing sometime sort of treasure. It has a touch of noir style--focusing on the underbelly of society.  The acting is a bit hokey--but the story is interesting. Tyrone Power plays a 'natural born' con artist--who find his calling working in a carnival. He does all sorts of underhanded things to become famous--then he gets his come-up-ance. It held my attention eve though it was clear where it was going. (My grade is C+ --and might have been higher if the acting wasn't so silly in places)

Kiss of Death, 1947 (Grade C+)

Director: Henry Hathaway
Awards: nominated for Academy Awards Best Writing (Ben Hecht) and best supporting actor (Richard Widmark) --didn't win
stars: Victor Mature; Richard Widmark, Brian Donlevy, Karl Malden, Coleen Gray

sez says: Italian gangsters (pre Godfather)...go to prison rather than rat on their pals. But here the pals really are not such great guys --they 'make-it' with your wife behind your back, and don't take care of your family when you take the wrap and get locked-up to protect them.  Nick Bianco (Victor Mature) is behind bars when he discovers his wife has killed herself (because of poverty--and guild over messing around with Nick's old pal) and Nick's two daughters have thus been sent to an orphanage.  He then realizes the the gangster's code has less hold on him then does his responsibility as a father.  So he rats.  Then, conveniently, a love interest appears...and with some high drama pertaining to mob activity ...he gets to go be the dad he want's to be with a brand new wife.  But it doesn't end there.  His old life is waiting to entrap him...and you'll need to watch the movie to see what happens.  Mature proves himself to be a much better actor than I ever gave him credit for. But the real pull in this movie is Richard Widmark. He plays a sociopath and indeed, he in one sinister dude.  Not a great masterpiece but it certainly has its moments.  Grade C+ 

Johnny Apollo, 1940 (Grade C+)

Director:  Henry Hathaway
Starring: Tyrone Powers; Dorothy Lamour; Edward Arnold, Loyd Noland

sez says: The son of a jailed Wall Street broker turns to crime  to pay for his father's release. Dad (Arnold) is a rich guy embezzler--but is also a hard working stand-up guy.  Sonny boy (Powers) is a college jock who must  come to terms with his father's downfall. This is a father and son - love ya / hate ya / love ya again story--Freud might have something to say about all of this.  But love and goodness wins out when both daddy and sons debt to society are properly paid. This has lots of twists and turns--and Dorothy aka Lucky sings and dances--and she really is 'a good girl' even if she is a gangster's love interest. GRADE C+

Going My Way, 1944 (Grade D)

Director: Leo McCarey
Starring: Bing Crosby and Barry Fitzgerald
Awards: Lots of Academy Award
IMDB Link:  Going My Way

sez says: hokey schmaltz, darling this is not my cup of tea! Fitzgerald does create a character which has become iconic for its type --so I guess that is something to see. And, maybe some folks like this sort of music--but not me.  Or, possibly you can glean some vaguely  interesting discussion out of thinking about why this might have appealed to Americans during the depths of WW2.  It says: Going to church can be good for you and it might even make you happy but you don't have to go to church to be good ... AND the greatest happiness can be found in doing good for others.  Nice sentiment, and it is great materiel for a sermon--but not so much for a movie. GRADE D  in my book / no doubt a legit higher mark from some one else.  

mjc says:  this is the kind stuff that gives religion a bad name--so completely divorced from reality.  Although, I have to say, when I was in and out of parishes in New York in the 1960s there were rectories that felt just like the one pictured here.  Of course, what was going on in those rectories is another thing altogether.  Anyway, I guess Bing was a huge star in those days and everyone was looking for relief from the horrors of war.