The Sound of Music 50th Anniversary

So in keeping with my Best Picture movie reviews, I thought that I would write about my favorite movie of all time, that won Best Picture for 1965, The Sound of Music. It isn't really so much a review, as it is a post about how great of a movie it is and why it is my favorite.

For those that don't know, The Sound of Music is about a real family called the Von Trapps who escaped their home to find freedom during the war. This movie is based off the book that the real Maria von Trapp wrote in 1949 titled, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. First there was a stage musical, then came the movie, which is considered by many to the greatest musical ever made. It helped save 20th Century Fox from bankruptcy and it was the most successful Rodgers and Hammerstein musical as well.

The reason that I think it has lasted as long as it has is because of the message that it sends. Perseverance in times of turmoil and hope for freedom and survival. That if you just face your problems and live the life you were born to live, you will find your dream.

The reason it is my favorite movie is for a lot of those same reasons, but also because no matter how bad of a day i've had, it always makes me feel better. Also just the message that it sends, you have to live your life, face your problems and find your destiny. Plus, the music, scenery, adventure and romance make it amazing too. So many things were done right with this movie, Robert Wise definitely knew what he was doing. Mistakes that he left in that ended up making it more realistic and how Christopher Plummer played Captain von Trapp. Everything just worked out perfectly. It really has everything you would want in a film. I've seen a lot of musicals, but to me, none will compare with this one.

Best Picture Winners: Schindler's List

Next on my list of Best Picture Winners is Schindler's List, the Spielberg directed drama about the horrors of the holocaust. 

While it was a very sad movie, it is also very important and powerful. It is probably the most realistic depiction of the Holocaust over any other film. 

Oskar Schindler was a German who came from nothing and ended up a very wealthy businessman. He didn't have to do what he did and at first, he was doing it because of the money, but he ended up turning his factory into a safe place for the Jews. 

The scene where Liam Neeson breaks down saying that he could have saved more if he had just saved more money and then Stern saying "1100 people are alive because of you, look at them." It is definitely one of the highlights of the film for me and i'm sure for others as well. 

Ralph Fiennes played Amon Goeth to perfection, so much so that Mila Pfefferberg (who was a survivor) started shaking uncontrollably when she met him because he looked so much like the real Amon Goeth. 

Spielberg made a wise decision filming this movie in black and white because I feel like it brought out the realism and made it seem more grim, which was true for the situation. The only part of it that was in color was the beginning with the Jewish family lighting the candles before the Holocaust and the little girl in the red coat. Both are very symbolic of what is going on. 

I feel like whatever I say about this will not do it justice, so I will just leave with, it is an amazing movie and it's one of Spielberg's finest films. It truly deserved the Oscar. 

Best Picture Winners: Patton

Patton is a true story about a man who cared about his country and the troops that he commanded. While he was quite the controversial figure, he is well respected in history as the General who led his men to victory. Although, as seen within this biopic directed by Franklin Schaffner with a script co-written by Francis Ford Coppola - whose Oscar win gave him reign of the Godfather films - Patton wasn't without questionable methods as to how he treated the troops under his strict, abrasive and, in one pivotal scene, perhaps even abusive command.

Patton, the 1970 Best Picture Winner about his military career, deals with the General on and off the battlefield, in and out of backroom meetings, without delving into his personal life before or after the war. He was an intense man with a hot temper. In one scene, he starts firing at a German warplane with his own pistol. It's as if he felt he could win the war alone.

Part of the fun of Patton is witnessing this unpredictable behavior, often balanced by the loyal friendship between Patton and the more even-keeled General Bradley. played by Karl Malden, who could handle and stand by his friend even if he didn't always agree with his methods. Malden brilliantly underscores George C. Scott's mesmerizing performance.

Behind the scenes during the Second World War, General Bradley was probably a lot easier for the Brass to handle, and Patton isn't without his share of detractors. But cinema often provides the last word on legendary figures. Although his methods can be questioned, he was on the right side of history. And whatever you think of General George S. Patton after watching this movie, he was the man important, memorable and downright entertaining enough to base an entire epic motion picture on.

Best Picture Winners: You Can't Take It With You

In keeping with the Best Picture movie posts that I do, and with the Oscars coming up, this movie is another Frank Capra great, You Can't Take It With You, telling the story of a man, Tony Kirby (James Stewart), who comes from a rich family. He falls for a girl named Alice Sycamore (Jean Arthur) whose family is very down to earth yet also very eccentric. They fall in love, but Tony’s family doesn’t approve of her family, and are strongly against him marrying Alice.

When Tony introduces his parents to the Sycamores, they’re embarrassed since the Sycamores embrace life and enjoy things, no matter how weird or spontaneous. Like setting off fireworks, which cause them to get arrested for disturbing the peace. Well the Kirby's are taken to jail along with everyone else, and they go on and on about how these people are fools.

 What I tend to like about Frank Capra movies are the way they deal with the everyman, the ordinary people. Alice's family is really eccentric and very sweet people, and don’t have a lot of money but they’re happy being with the people they loved. Martin Vanderhof (played to perfection by Lionel Barrymore) gives a speech to Anthony Kirby (Edward Arnold), saying he’s a fool and he won't have any friends because all he cares about is money. And that these other people have a few friends and that he was a failure as a father.

Tony ends up walking out on his father because of everything that is going with his big business deal, and the rift it caused in his and Alice's relationship. Anthony starts to see what it means to be the way the Sycamore family is, and that they aren't miserable and unhappy like he thought. So he asks Martin Vanderhof what to do. He wants to fix it and be a better father – so Martin tells him that in a situation like this he plays his harmonica. They end up playing "Polly Walla Do La Day" which is kind of the family song, causing everyone to start dancing. Tony and Alice finally get his father's approval. Mr. Kirby realizes that what matters is being with the people that you love, and being a good father is more important than getting the next big business deal.

It was interesting to learn that Jean Arthur left show business at the height of her career in the 1940s because she was a great comedic actress. James Stewart was quoted as saying: "She was the finest actress I ever worked with. No one had her humor, her timing."

It has all the makings of a Best Picture movie. So I am not at all surprised that it did win in 1938. You Can't Take It With You is a feel good movie that shows that being ordinary isn't so bad, and having a lot of money doesn't make you happy. You're more wealthy if you have friends and family that care.

Best Picture Winners: The Bridge on the River Kwai

Well, i'm back with another post and it's another Best Picture Winner. I finally got around to see The Bridge on the River Kwai. I ended up watching it because it was the anniversary of William Holden's death, I thought it would be a nice way to honor him by seeing one of his films.

The movie had it's good points. I did like that it showed the conditions in the camps and how they (the Japanese and really anyway that was a POW) were treated. For most of the film I was trying to figure out what was going on and William Holden, amazing actor that he is, I felt should have had more, but he did great with what he was given of course. What he said to the Colonel who was limping, that he didn't care about the bridge, he just wanted them to do this together was great and typical for Holden's characters. It was sad that he died, but it is war and that's what happens. Also after he got rescued, what was his purpose? Just to help with the mission? I mean he did have a job, but it just felt like they held back a bit. (Sorry to take some of your opinions on this James, but I do agree) he died doing the right thing thing though, so that's always nice.

It was funny that Alec Guinness fell on the plunger, but it had to happen some way. He did really shine in the film though, you don't always know where he stands, but the bridge ends up being blown up anyway in the end.

David Lean did a great job of capturing the scenery and the angles that he shot at were good as well (i'm still new with the camerawork and director stuff) and while there were parts where it dragged on, like most epic/war movies do at times, I thought it was a decent film. It did feel like there were things they could have shortened in places and I don't know if it deserved Best Picture, but it is a great movie that deserves to be seen.

Best Picture Winners: Chariots of Fire

So I watched this a few weeks ago and I was planning on posting a review on it since it is a Best Picture Winner and i'm doing a lot of my posts on those. Anyway, I really enjoyed this film a lot. It was really special and I was really inspired by it.

The determination that they both had, but especially Eric. The speech that he told those people about running the race and faith was just so relevant for me since that same week I had a lesson on that in the girls small group that I am in.

Eric Liddell: You came to see a race today. To see someone win. It happened to be me. But I want you to do more than just watch a race. I want you to take part in it. I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - especially if you've got a bet on it. But how long does that last? You go home. Maybe you're dinner's burnt. Maybe you haven't got a job. So who am I to say, "Believe, have faith," in the face of life's realities? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? From within. Jesus said, "Behold, the Kingdom of God is within you. If with all your hearts, you truly seek me, you shall ever surely find me." If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race.

Really that determination and that spirit comes from within. If you run the race just because you enjoy it and you feel joy when you do it, then I believe that is the mark of a true champion. That's definitely what Eric Liddell did. That's why he won.

I just enjoyed the movie on so many levels. The theme. The message of hope. The inspiration. It made me happy and it definitely deserved to win Best Picture. :)

Best Picture Winners: The Artist

So I finally got around to watching The Artist. I had been wanting to watch it for a long time, but I just didn't get around to it. Then it became available to stream on netflix so I watched it tonight. It was very cute, but you definitely have to be the right mood to watch a silent film. I liked that there was some sound in it though and the story was very cute. I liked the vintage style of it and that they made a film like this in modern day.

Also Bernice Bejo looks a lot like Bethany Joy Lenz, it's weird they both can fit in vintage era movies or shows. :)

It was sweet how she was trying to help him and she believed in him when he felt like no one else did. I really enjoyed it. It was well acted for being a silent film, it didn't need to have words to have the emotions and everything shown.

I'm not doing a very good job of reviewing this, but I thought it was a great movie and it's another Best Picture winner that I have seen now! :D

American Flyers

I've decided to take a break from the Favorite Movie Scenes for a while and make a post about a movie I saw a few days ago. It's not a Best Picture or anything (although i'm working on seeing more of those) this was just a feel good 80s movie called American Flyers starring Kevin Costner. I knew that it was about a bike race before I watched it, but after seeing it, I have to say that it was definitely one of those movies that you can see anytime. It's one of those feel good, determined to show you are worthy type movies.

Kevin Costner plays Marcus, a Sports Physician who persaudes his unstable brother David to come and train with him for the annual bike race that he has competed in for many years. Well they have issues with their parents and their dad died from a cerebral tumor. David thinks he has it, but it turns out it's actually Marcus and he doesn't tell him until on Day 2 of the race Marcus starts bleeding and showing signs of the tumor. David doesn't want to finish the race, but Marcus convinces him to do it and David ends up winning. It was a great story and it brought the brothers together again and helped David discover that he was good at something.

I really enjoyed the music in the film too. I always love 80s films for that reason, because they always have epic soundtracks. Plus the scenery was also gorgeous since a lot of it was filmed in Colorado. So if you're looking for a feel good film that is just fun, but also has drama and humor, this is for you.

Blazing Saddles

Well I have now seen Blazing Saddles (shocking I know), but i'm not really someone who likes parodies that much. Sometimes they can be really stupid and come off really offensive, but this was just hilarious. You really can't take a movie like this too seriously because it's all for fun.

I really enjoyed Cleavon Little and Gene Wilder in the movie. There scenes were my favorite. Harvey Korman was also hilarious as Hedley Lamar. Also seeing John Hillerman in this movie was fun since i'm used to him as Higgins on Magnum P.I. I was enjoying myself the whole time that I was watching it. Mel Brooks isn't really my favorite director/writer, but then again i've only seen this film that he's done.

I will probably watch others though now. :) This movie is on 10 lists on the icheckmovies.com site. So glad that I finally watched it. Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Best Picture Winners: Annie Hall

Well I just finished watching another Best Picture winner. :) It's the first Woody Allen movie i've seen. It was pretty good. I didn't know if I would like it that much, but I laughed at parts. He was so neurotic though, my goodness! I thought Diane Keaton was really endearing as Annie with her ditzyness. It was an interesting take on life and relationships and now different people can be together or in their case, still be friends at the end.

I could relate to Alvy with some of his neurosis. I can't go see a movie if it's already started and with Annie when she had to have someone come and kill a spider that was in her bathroom. I can't kill spiders and i'm very afraid of them too. Part of it was that she just wanted to see him again because she missed him.

I thought it was interesting how he couldn't try anything new and he couldn't be happy, he had this pessimistic view of life and I know that I can be pessimistic quite a bit, but I don't stay that way, I like to try things and be happy because what is life if you can't enjoy it and make a difference? Anyway, at the end when he says that relationships are just absurd and all these other things, that may be the case, but like he said "people continue to do it for the eggs" or something like that. They want that companionship and love. They don't want to be alone, that's why no matter how ridiculous and painful relationships can be, we still want to be in them. They can also be great too. :)

Now i'm just kind of going off on my own little ramble. While I tend not to really care all that much for 70s films (with the exception of Grease) I thought this was pretty good. I mean there is a reason why it won Best Picture. :) Overall rating: 3 out of 5.

Best Picture Winners: The Sting

So I just watched The Sting on TCM tonight for the first time. Now I have seen 31 of the Best Picture Winners. I've decided to mention whenever I see a new movie that I was a Best Picture Winner. Since there are still a lot of them that I haven't seen. That way everyone can be included in the experience of me seeing them for the first time, even if it is through a post on a blog, lol. 

Anyway, what I loved about this movie was the soundtrack. The Scott Joplin music fit perfectly for 1930's Chicago. Plus, I just like jazzy/blues music and that time period as well. It's also cool that it was based on a real story about these characters that Robert Redford and Paul Newman play. 

Of course if it takes place in Chicago in the 1930s, you have to have con men and gambling and all that stuff going on. It was a lot of fun to watch though and entertaining. I enjoyed seeing Robert and Paul work together again. I think I liked it more than Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid! :D 

Overall rating: 4 out of 5 

Murphy's Romance

So on Friday I watched Murphy's Romance. I had been wanting to see it for a while and I moved it up in the netflix queue and I had it at home when a friend came to visit this weekend and so we all watched it. James Garner movies always make me happy. He's such an amazing actor and makes it all seem so effortless. Sally Field does as well. She's always enjoyable to watch in films because she brings so much to it and at the same time makes it look natural as well.

I thought it was interesting that Sally Field's character (Emma) came from Modesto and was starting over in Arizona since I am from Modesto myself and eventually might go to Arizona. :) Although I wouldn't know how to run a farm lol.

Her Ex husband (Brian Kerwin) was fun to watch and wouldn't leave her alone. I liked how Murphy put him in his place and the dancing scene with the two of them was hilarious.

I like romantic movies and James Garner does them well no matter how old he is. I thought that the older man/younger woman plot in this film was nice, you don't always get to see that. There wasn't really anything about this movie that I didn't like. Some of the language I didn't care for, but I can deal with it. Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Lincoln

So yesterday I went to see Lincoln. I wanted to see it because Abraham Lincoln was one of my favorite presidents and because it was directed by Steven Spielberg. I thought it was very interesting, the beginning of it was a little slow, but it keep my interest the whole time. It just cemented my love for this man even more. He was so kind and cared about people, that's why he wanted to end slavery. It was nice to see that he was able to accomplish ending slavery and ending the Civil War before his life ended. I think he consider his life lived. "It's not the years in your life that matter, it's the life in your years." :) 

It was nice to see some familiar faces in the film, like Sally Field, who I think gave a really amazing performance (like she always does) as Mary Todd Lincoln. I didn't really know that much about her, so a lot of the things regarding her were new to me. Based off that, I don't know how much of it was accurate, i'm sure that they had a good relationship, but the heartache of losing her son took it's toll on her mentally. When the argument happened, you heard how Lincoln felt. He just hid it and he was also devastated too, but dealt with it differently than Mary did.

The two men that were talking to the Dems were pretty funny, although I didn't like the use of their language all that much. It was cool to see Bruce McGill (since I know him from MacGyver) in a role like this. Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens was great. I don't remember much about Thaddeus Stevens from my history classes, but he was portrayed in a great way here. 

I know there were some things that weren't the most accurate, such as having the 13th Amendment be the thing that helps end the Civil War. It was part of it, but it wasn't what ulitmately ended it. It also seems like Steven Spielberg's favorite curse word to use in his movies is God with the D word. It was said more than any other curse word in the film. I think the F word was said a few times too. Can't you just say "Damn" and not make it against God. Sorry, i'm going off on a rant now. I just don't feel like it's necessary. Anyway, I enjoyed the movie and even though it might not have been completely accurate with some things (it is a movie after all) it still showed who Lincoln really was and I loved his insight on life and of course his speeches. :) He was a truly beautiful human being. Overall rating: 4 out of 5. :) 

The Last Starfighter

Another 80s Sci-fi movie, I am a person that isn't really into sci-fi (except for the Back to the Future movies and the Star Trek movies) but most of the ones from the 80s are really good no matter how corny people seem to think 80s movies are. This was an exception. I think the effects are just enough to wear it still seems realistic and even though it's sci-fi you feel like you're a part of it because of the simplicity (if that even makes sense lol)

I thought this was a great film and it reminded me of War Games in some ways because it's dealing with a videogame. I liked the message, he was a guy who wanted to get out and he got his dream by helping to defend the evil forces. :) Oh and Robert Preston was phenomenal as always. He will always be Prof. Harold Hill to me though. :D Another great 80s movie to add to my list of movies that i've seen. I always say that the 1980s had the best of everything; TV shows, movies, music... :) Overall I give this a 4 out of 5

A Musical, A Child Star and A Tearjerker

Kind of a weird title for a post, but I watched 3 movies this weekend that I hadn't seen before and I wanted to update this blog.

So the first movie that I saw was Pal Joey with Frank Sinatra, Kim Novak and Rita Hayworth. I mostly wanted to see it because it is a musical and those are my favorite, but also I enjoy listening to Frank Sinatra sing. It wasn't the best musical that i've seen, but it was decent enough. Of course with most Frank Sinatra movies, he was a playboy. Rita Hayworth was the older woman he was using Frank Sinatra's character as her "boy toy." Kim Novak played a chorus girl who was the "good" one in the sense that she didn't do the strip number (she was going to do it for Joey because he suggested it) but otherwise it wasn't really her thing. I thought it was a cute film and like I said, not the best musical i've seen, but it was still good. Overall I'd give it about a 3 out of 5 stars. :)

The next movie that I saw was the Shirley Temple movie called Bright Eyes I had it out to watch, but what really got me to see it was meeting Jane Withers at the Hollywood Show earlier this month. She was the really mean girl in the movie who treated Shirley's character bad. It is also the movie where Shirley sings her famous song "On the Good Ship Lollipop" I thought it was a cute movie, like most of her movies are when she was young, It's just another one of those great classic films to watch with your whole family. Overall rating: 5 out of 5.

The last movie that I watched is called October Baby. GMC (Gospel Music Channel) showed it for the World Premiere Movie on Sunday. I had wanted to see it in theatres, but wasn't able to so I was glad that it was shown on TV. It was a really beautiful film that showed every life is beautiful and has meaning and purpose. Hannah, was a survivor of an abortion attempt and she has a lot of health issues because of it. Her parents tell her that she was adopted and she sets out to find her birth mother. When she does find her, her mother says she doesn't know what she is talking about. The only guy who really cares about her is Jason and he helps her and stays with her on her journey to find her real mother. Anyway, her dad finds her and brings her back home. She is still upset, she thought the journey would change things, but she felt like they were the same as before. She still felt unwanted and still had lots of questions. Anyway, she goes into a church and talks to the priest. She tells him her story and he says that she needs to forgive. Forgiveness is the key to getting over the guilt and hurt that she feels. So she left her birth certificate and her mom's ID bracelet from the hospital in her office and wrote on the back that she forgave her. It had a nice ending with Hannah going to college and telling her parents thank you for wanting her and loving her. :) For those that like inspirational movies, this is definitely one to check out. Overall rating: 5 out of 5.

All About Eve Review

Sorry that I haven't been posting and keeping up this blog again. In some ways I probably shouldn't have even made one because I don't really post on it that much and I don't a lot of comments either. Anyway, I probably will still keep it, but I just need to remember to come on it more often. :D

On Sunday I saw All About Eve for the first time. I thought it was a great film. It deserved all the awards that it won. Bette Davis was amazing as usual. Anne Baxter played Eve well too. She should have gotten an award for it! She was so believable as Eve Harrington. At first you totally believe she is this innocent, starstruck girl that wants to be famous, but once she is, it goes to her head and she becomes conniving and will do anything to get what she wants. I really liked Celeste Holme's character in it. She was very good as Karen. Overall, I would give the film 4 stars out of 5. It is a great film and very interesting. It has a good story. :)

Hopefully I will remember to come here to post my reviews and just other things related to classic hollywood. :D

Love is a Many Splendored Thing Review

So I saw Love is a Many Splendored Thing tonight. I thought it was a really great film. It's the second Jennifer Jones film that i've seen. William Holden is amazing as always. :)

I had a feeling that I was going to like it a lot and I did. It was super sad though at the end. I cried. :( I think it was a really great story and the costumes were great and so was the location.

Obviously the song is awesome too. I thought that William Holden and Jennifer Jones had good chemistry together in the movie as well. After I finished the movie, I watched a biography about William Holden that was on the special features of the movie. called Biography: William Holden An Untamed Spirit. It was really interesting and it showed clips from a lot of his films. I really want to see Picnic now. GAH he is just such a good actor. I think he's becoming my favorite. I love you Cary Grant, but I William Holden is taking the number 1 spot. They are both great great actors though and I love all the movies that i've seen them in. I've seen more of Cary Grant's, but I definitely want to see many more of William Holden's.

I thought that Jennifer Jones portrayed Han Suyin very well. Not letting herself feel except the people that she treated and forcing herself not to fall in love with Mark, but then she does(who wouldn't? It's William Holden!) I thought it was a very passionate love story.

Miracle In the Rain Review

I was thinking of making this the first movie I saw for the 365 Movies thing, but I don't know. I want to do that. Hopefully I can watch something everyday. I don't know. It will take up a lot of my blog. Maybe i'll just put reviews of movies that I haven't seen before on here and not do the 365 days cause I don't know if I can watch a movie everyday. I might forget or get busy and not be able to. So yeah. I'll just right about new movies that I haven't seen and stuff. :)


So, this movie takes place in New York City in 1942 and stars Van Johnson as Private Arthrur "Art" Hugenon and he's a happy go lucky guy whose dream is to be a newspaperman after the war and he loves the rain He also likes to tell stories. Jane Wyman plays Ruthie Wood, the quiet, lonely woman whose never really been with a man. In a lot of ways I saw myself relating to her character. Well, they meet each other when it's raining out and they spend a lot of time together and he tells her all these stories and he gets a story put in The New York Times and then he has to go overseas for the war and stuff and he tells her to write to him. Well she does and she doesn't hear from him for months. Then she gets a letter that he died and it's really sad. I'm not explaining the movie the best, but yeah. Then she has to take of her mother whose husband left her and stuff. Just watch it if you haven't seen it. lol.

I thought the movie was pretty good. I thought the ending was okay. Maybe could have been a little better. I felt bad for Ruthie. At least she got to see him again in like a dream type thing though. Overall I thought it was a good movie.