Myra Hudson is a woman in control of her life. As a successful playwright, and an heiress to a significant fortune that she doesn’t particularly want or need, her life seems to be perfect. She knows how to confidently assert her opinions, she doesn’t back down—and people listen. This confidence causes problems for her though, …
While FX’s Feud may have made an unsavory introduction of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis to non-classic movie fans, some theaters took the show’s popularity as an opportunity to highlight the earlier work that made them stars. Here in Los Angeles, the Egyptian Theatre programmed a Bette vs. Joan series of four films over two nights: Bette Davis in All About …
This post is part of the Cinemascope Blogathon, hosted by Wide Screen World and Classic Becky Brain Food. More widescreen goodness continues through March 16th—check out the whole schedule here! The Long, Hot Summer is a sticky Southern drama based on a combination of works by William Faulkner. It’s very much in the vein of Cat …
It takes a lot of skill to make a movie look easy, and when Billy Wilder’s at his best, his films can appear almost effortless, moving forward so naturally that I’m often surprised, and a bit disappointed, when they’re over. One stunning example of his prowess in that regard is Witness for the Prosecution, the …
The late 1960s were a turbulent time of new cultures, changing norms, and shifting values, and one place that was immediately obvious was in Hollywood. With the downfall of the studio system, the impending doom of the Code, and the radical growth of political cinema around the world, the American movie industry was working hard to alter its …
The Manchurian Candidate is a heady, political thriller from a heady, political time. Released in 1962, the film is set a decade prior, in 1952, yet still manages to tell a tale that rings recognizable for the past, present, and future; often prophetically ahead of its time, it dealt with political anxiety, conflicting ideologies, individual free-will, assassination, and conspiracy, creating a lasting …