Welcome to the 892nd Edition of my series. I'm a little later than usual, I have had limited wi-fi access. It has been a great weekend where on Friday and Saturday I got to the Squared Circle Expo in Indianapolis. This was a wrestling convention which also had a wrestling show and I got to meet a lot of people in the industry. I will shut up now and get to my selections.
Down in the Valley (2005): David Jacobson wrote and directed this independent film. Evan Rachel Wood stars as the 16 year old Tobe and meets the delusional cowboy Harlan, played by Edward Norton. They form a relationship much to the dismay of her father Wade, played by David Morse. Harlan and Wade become very determined and are on opposite sides of what is good for Tobe. Rory Culkin, Bruce Dern, John Diehl, Geoffrey Lewis, Elizabeth Pena, Kat Dennings, Hunter Parrish, Aviva Baumann, Aaron Fors, Heather Ashleigh, Jennifer Echols, and many others co-star in this film. When watching this movie, it reminded some of the movie FEAR but on a far more low-key level. Norton is great in his role of a slow-minded person and works well with Wood.
Hideous Kinky (1998): This is part five of my six-part Kate Winslet series. Gillies MacKinnon directed this film which is based on the novel by Esther Freud. Winslet stars as Julia who is the mother of two daughters Bea and Lucy, played by Bella Riza and Carrie Mullan. She burns out from living in London and relocates with her girls to a town in Morocco. While they enjoy various adventures, they also struggle to make ends meet. Said Taghmaoui co-stars as street performer Bilal who has an affair with Julia but also has his own problems. Pierre Clementi, Abigail Cruttenden, Ahmed Boulane, Amidou, Michelle Fairley, Kevin McKidd, Peter Youngbood Hills, and many others co-star in this film. This came out with Winslet fresh off her success of TITANIC and made far less in this movie. This was an artistic success though with the beautiful scenery and the performances. It is a good look at a single mom trying to keep her sanity. This is available to watch on much of the free streaming apps like Freevee, Plex, Pluto TV, the Roku Channel, and Tubi.
For Your Eyes Only (1981): This is part one of a trilogy for Topol who recently left us. John Glen directed this 007 film that is based on the novel by Ian Fleming. Roger Moore takes the helm as James Bond who must look for a communication device before it gets into Russian hands. He teams with Melina Havelock, played by Carole Bouquet, whose parents are brutally murdered and is determined to get revenge. They must deal with with Aristotle Kristatos, played by Julian Glover, and Milos Colombo, played by Topol, who are mortal enemies and accuse each other of having Russian ties. Lynn-Holly Johnson, Cassandra Harris, Jill Bennett, Michael Gothard, John Wyman, Jack Hedley, Lois Maxwell, Desmond Llewelyn, Geoffrey Keen, Walter Gotell, James Villiers, Charles Dance, and many others co-star in this action film. This is possibly the best of this era and Moore's best. It has some really good action and is might be a little more realistic and other Bond films. Bill Conti of ROCKY fame does the score and some of the other songs in the soundtrack. This is available to watch on MGM + and Paramount +.
Waldo's Last Stand (1940): This is my comedy short for the week and part of a trilogy for Robert Blake who recently left us. This was during his youth days where he played Mickey in a lot of shorts for the OUR GANG group. The gang decides to stage a talent show in hopes of bringing business to a young boy trying to sell lemonade and went through rather extreme measures to do so. Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, Darla Hood, Billie "Buckwheat" Thomas, George "Spanky" McFarland, Darwood Kaye, and Billy "Froggy" Laughlin, co-star in this short. I don't know how the gang managed to get as many dancers as they did for the talent show on seemingly short notice but I'll let that go. This can be seen on Youtube.
Big Brown Eyes (1936): Raoul Walsh directed this mystery comedy. Cary Grant stars as police detective Danny Barr and teams with his manicurist turned reporter girlfriend Eve Fallon, played by Joan Bennett, as they investigate the murder of a baby. They get frustrated when the one they are convinced is the killer gets acquitted. Walter Pidgeon, Lloyd Nolan, Alan Baxter, Marjorie Gateson, Isabel Jewell, Douglas Fowley, Henry Brandon, Joe Sawyer, and many others co-star in this film. This is an interesting mix of a romantic comedy and dealing with a very serious situation. This is some good earlier work by a younger Cary Grant. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Orphan Train (1979): This is my tv movie for the week which was directed by William Graham. Jill Eikenberry stars as Emma Simms who hates seeing children being abandoned and screwed by the system. She gets the idea to obtain a train and get them to the midwest where she thought the kids would have a better change. Kevin Dobson co-stars as reporter Frank Carlin who helps obtain the train and tags along with hopes of getting a good story. Linda Manz, Graham Fletcher-Cook, Charles Fields, John Femia, Glenn Close, Morgan Farley, Severn Darden, Hallie Foote, and many others co-star in this tv movie. Being in a play about this historic event, I decided to check this movie out. This is a fictional look in the early days of the Orphan Train in 1854 which went until 1929 where orphan children would be transported by train and there were a lot of ups and a lot of downs for the children being transported. After watching this, I would suggest looking more into the history of these events. This is available to watch on Youtube.
Nightmare Alley (2021): Guillermo Del Toro directed this film based on the novel by William Lindsay Graham. Bradley Cooper stars as Stanton Carlisle who is a grifter joining a traveling circus in the '40s. He learns how a clairvoyant act works with Madame Zeena, played by Toni Collette. He also becomes attracted to fellow performer Molly, played by Rooney Mara, who agrees to go with him on the road. Cate Blanchett rounds out the female trio as psychologist Dr. Lilith Ritter who looks to expose Stan and has other motives. Willem Dafoe, Richard Jenkins, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, David Strathairn, Mark Povinelli, Peter MacNeill, Holt McCallany, Paul Anderson, Lara Jean Chorostecki, Jim Beaver, Clifton Collins Jr., Tim Blake Nelson, David Hewlett, and many others co-star in this film. My last edition features the original version from 1947 which was also quite good but they were limited to what they could do with the code. This is a very intense and compelling film with Del Toro putting a great spin on it. This is available to watch on HBO Max.
Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962): This was shown as part of the Cinemuncie series that Dennis the Library Menace puts on every month. Agnes Varda wrote and directed this French film. Corrine Marchand stars as Cleo who is a singer and is concerned she might have cancer. While awaiting the results, she has a difficult time dealing with friends and acquaintances. Dominique Davray, Dorothee Blanck, Michel Legand, Jose Luis de Vilallonga, Loye Payen, and many others co-star in this French film. This takes place in real time from 5 to more like 6:30 which is about how long the movie is and shows how someone might deal with this situation. It is hard to really explain any further. This is part of the French New Wave if that means anything. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and HBO Max.
I Shot Jesse James (1949): This is my western for the week which was directed by Samuel Fuller. John Ireland stars as Bob Ford who kills Jesse James, played by Reed Hadley, in order for him to get the pardon to marry his girlfriend Cynthy, played by Barbara Britton. Bob learns that love is not that simple and must deal with John Kelley, played by Preston Foster, who also has affection for Cynthy. J. Edward Bromberg, Victor Kilian, Tom Tyler, Tommy Noonan, Eddie Dunn, and many others co-star in this film. This is Fuller's directorial debut in this fictional account of the infamous historical event. Fuller made this film on account of all the other folklore that turned James into a hero and did not see James that way. Many years later, they would make one of my favorite movies in THE ASSASSINATION OF JESSE JAMES BY THE COWARD ROBERT FORD which was similar but a lot more researched. This was still a pretty well done film and these could make for a good double feature. This is available to watch on HBO Max and the Criterion Channel.
The Big Sick (2017): This is part two of a possible four-part Zoe Kazan series. Michael Showalter directed this film on comedy and sickness. Kumail Nanjiani plays himself who is a Pakistani comedian whose family moved to Chicago when he was a kid. He meets grad student Emily Gardner, played by Kazan, and while they fall in love, they also struggle as their cultures clash. Things get really difficult when Emily has a rare disease and must be put into a coma to do what the doctors must do. In this process, Kumail gets to know Emily's parents, played by Ray Romano and Holly Hunter, and must get to figure out what he wants in life. Anupam Kher, Zenobia Shroff, Adeel Akhtar, Bo Burnham, Aidy Bryant, Kurt Braunohler, Vella Lovell, Myra Lucretia Taylor, Jeremy Shamos, David Alan Grier, Ed Herbstman, Shenaz Treasury, Rebecca Naomi Jones, Kuhoo Verma, and many others co-star in this film. This was written by Nanjiani and the real-life Emily Gordon. This is semi-autobiographical with some things written in for dramatic effect. The comedy really comes from the characters and most notably from the stand-up comedians. Other than that, this is more of a drama and is a pretty moving story. This is available to watch on Prime.
Well, that is it for this week but read on for the return of Fun and Useless Facts. Tell me what you like and and dislike and I will be back in two weeks which will include Kate Winslet, Zooey Deschanel, Harold Lloyd, and many others.
FUN AND USELESS FACTS
I decided to bring back this segment for the week. Keep in mind these are all cross-connections and I did not look for actors in the same movie. I always stop at 25 facts so I am sure there are a lot of others so please feel free to chime in if you see something missed.
Evan Rachel Wood (Down in the Valley) and Kate Winslet (Hideous Kinky) were daughter and mother in the 2011 mini-series MILDRED PIERCE.
Evan Rachel Wood (Down in the Valley) and Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley) were mother and daughter in the 2003 movie THE MISSING
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Evan Rachel Wood (Down in the Valley) and Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2007 animated movie BATTLE FOR TERRA.
John Diehl (Down in the Valley) was in the 1989 episode THE HOLLOW MEN of the tv series BEAUTY AND THE BEAST which starred Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley) as the Beast.
Elizabeth Pena (Down in the Valley) and Holly Hunter (The Big Sick) were in the 2004 animated superhero movie THE INCREDIBLES.
Edward Norton (Down in the Valley) and Kate Winslet (Hideous Kinky) were in the 2016 film COLLATERAL BEAUTY.
Edward Norton (Down in the Valley) and Willem Dafoe (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2019 film MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN and in the 2021 film THE FRENCH DISPATCH.
Edward Norton (Down in the Valley) plays Bruce Banner aka Hulk in 2008 superhero film THE INCREDIBLE HULK. Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley) does the voice of Banner in 1996 episode HULK BUSTER in the animated series IRON MAN as well as other animated series.
Edward Norton (Down in the Valley) and David Strathairn (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2012 action movie THE BOURNE LEGACY.
Edward Norton (Down in the Valley) and Holt McCallany (Nightmare Alley) were in the 1999 film FIGHT CLUB.
David Morse (Down in the Valley) and Holt McCallany (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2015 film CONCUSSION.
Kate Winslet (Hideous Kinky) and Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick) were in the 2008 film REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.
Said Taghmaoui (Hideous Kinky) and Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2013 film AMERICAN HUSTLE.
Abigail Cruttenden (Hideous Kinky) and Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2001 film CHARLOTTE GRAY.
Kevin McKidd (Hideous Kinky) and Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2010 movie BUNRAKU and the 2013 DC animated film JUSTICE LEAGUE: THE FLASHPOINT PARADOX.
Julian Glover (For Your Eyes Only) and Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2022 film TAR.
Charles Dance (For Your Eyes Only) and David Strathairn (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2019 film GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS.
Lloyd Nolan (Big Brown Eyes) and Severn Darden (Orphan Train) were in the 1975 mini-series LINCOLN.
Lloyd Nolan (Big Brown Eyes) and Richard Jenkins (Nightmare Alley) were in the 1986 film HANNAH AND HER SISTERS and would be Nolan's last movie.
Glenn Close (Orphan Train) and Bradley Cooper (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2014 superhero film GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.
Glenn Close (Orphan Train) and Holly Hunter (The Big Sick) were in the 2005 movie NINE LIVES.
Glenn Close (Orphan Train) and Ron Perlman (Nightmare Alley) were in the 2005 animated movie TARZAN 2: THE LEGEND BEGINS.
Richard Jenkins (Nightmare Alley) and Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick) were in the 2014 mini-series OLIVE KITTERIDGE.
Peter MacNeill (Nightmare Alley) and Holly Hunter (The Big Sick) were in the 1996 movie CRASH.
Tim Blake Nelson (Nightmare Alley) and Holly Hunter (The Big Sick) were in the 2000 comedy O BROTHER WHERE ARE THOU.
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