Starring Jimmy Stewart as Glyn McLyntoch, Bend of the River is a 1952 Western about several Missouri farmers and their families as they move to Oregon. Set after the War Between the States, the audience quickly gathers that Glyn is a former Kansas/Missouri boarder ruffian. He acts as the guide across the west, leading the wagon train into Oragon and helping get the community established. Conflict arises when gold is struck around Portland and the settlers supplies are in essence held hostage by a leading Portland citizen. Glyn must prove his mettle, and his changed heart, in order to get those supplies to the farmers before winter sets in. Among the postives of this film is Jeremy Baile, the head of the wagon train. He is a good man--brave, yet not rash...wise and kind. He also is a humble man who is willing to learn and can admit when he is wrong. Being an early 50's Western, the dialouge is clean and the movie in general wholesome and without any thing to really worry about children viewing. There is but one kiss...and it is used, I think, more to wordlessly demonstrate a situation than anything. (And in fact, from the angle it was shot at, I'm not sure the actor and actress were actually kissing each other...) I enjoyed this movie quite a bit though I did think some of the costuming/hair/etc. could have been more historically accurate--but one really can't expect that in a 50's Western. And of course, there is Jimmy Stewart. The man had such a unique voice and really played this kind of role well...almost awkward, but confident at the same time.
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Produced in 1944 and starring Van Johnson as Ted Lawson, Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a story of Doolittle's famous raid made in April 1942. The story told in this film is also true...Ted Lawson is the pilot of a B-25 bomber. The story begins as he and his men are shipped to Eglin Air base in Florida to train for an extremely secretive mission. Which includes learning how to take off with only 500 feet of runway... Ted's beloved wife follows him and we discover a blooming, solid relationship between the two. "Tell me honey, why are you so cute?" Ted asks multiple times. "So I could get such a good looking fellow..." Ellen always responds. This interchange is playful, but says much about them. Ellen is a wonderful military wife. She sends her man off with a smile, even while the tears lurk behind her eyelids. I very much appreciated this portrayal of an army wife. I also liked that the romance is between husband and wife. (There is enough kissing to cover the bases.) After a successful bombing run, things go haywire...the rest of the story covers the men's return to the United States...along the way, they meet with rainstorms: Injuries: And some very kind Chinese: Among the stars in this film are Robert Mitchum and Spencer Tracy as James Doolittle himself.
One gets the sense of actually being in the airplane during the flights...one can almost get motion sickness. Like many war movies of the era, it includes actual footage of the planes taking off, flying, and dropping their ordinance. There is no language and nothing objectionable--unless you really cannot stand kissing in movies. Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo is a fine movie. I give it a 5-star. The Story of Dr. Wassell is based on a true story. The movie weaves together two threads of Dr. Wassell's life. The one is backstory, shown throughout the film as flashbacks. The second is the heroics of a humble country doctor turned Navy medical officer. Dr. Wassell is a Navy doctor on the Island of Java when the Japenese land in 1942. The men under his care are sailors from the ships USS Marblehead and USS Houston. When the island is evacuated, only the walking wounded are shipped out. Dr. Wassell refues to leave, so with the remaining stretcher cases, he braves the coming trouble. Each of the wounded men have their own part in the story. Without them, The Story of Dr. Wassell would not exist. The only material that might be objectional in this film is the Javanese girls clothing (which really isn't bad). There are only two instances of kissing and that isn't overly dramatic. There is no language and the blood and/or violence is very tastefully handled. The element of romance is several cases is probably very much Hollywood, though for some reason I suspect based on actual fact. I might not suggest this film for very young children--for starters they wouldn't understand everything going on--though they could certainly get a laugh out of sailor Johnny Leeweather's hijinks. I first saw this movie when I was upwards of 10 (I can't place it exactly) and remember finding certain scenes somewhat disturbing. Even now they are, but more because I understand the gravity of the situation, than out of childish upset. There is one scene that some might object to where Dr. Wassell addresses a statue of Buddah...almost like he's praying. I am not sure really how that was intended by the either the character or the director, but I found it almost comical while also understanding that prayer to anyone or thing beside God is sinful. While the story is of serious import, it does have the moments of humor that good directors always seem to manage to slip into their films to lighten a dark moment. All told, this movie ranks up there among my favorites. I give it a 5-star for engaging story, clean language, acting, and special effects. Made in 1944, the special effects are outstanding. You honestly think you just saw the road explode into black dust when a bomb lands. The Story of Dr. Wassell is a movie I certainly plan on watching again sometime....
Pork Chop Hill is the story of one company's daring and bravery in taking and holding the titlular hill. The film is based on a true account of the Korean War. Gregory Peck plays the lead part of 1st Lt. Joe Clemons, commanding officer of King Company. With a murderously high casualty rate, they take and hold Pork Chop while the diplomats parley. Within that main framework are the small pieces of human interest woven in...boys becoming men, cowards faced with their own fear, men reacting to the loss of a buddy. One gets the sense, while watching the film, that some things are missing--but seeing as it is based in reality that does account for some of the 'missing' time. If one had a fuller understanding of the situation as it was, the odd moment of "I missed something" would not be there. This film does have a smattering language; but for a war movie it is quite clean (of course, pre-60's movies in general were fairly light on the inappropriate). The blood doesn't get much gorier than in the above picture.
This ranks up there as one of 'good' war movies I have seen... The basic plot of this film is as follows: a platoon of American soldiers land on the beaches of Italy during WWII. Their assigned target--a farm house six miles inland. A Walk in the Sun is a slow moving film. From the instant it opens until the second it closes, one gets the sense of the old Army cliche, "Hurry up and wait." However, I believe that is what makes this such a great movie. For those of my generation who have short attention spans, it might bore them, but if one really pays attention to the story--these G.I.'s morning "walk in the sun"--one easily gets emotionally involved with the characters and their own quirks. From the loquacious machine gunner from Brooklyn to the Sgt. who is really a farmer, the men make the story...they are the story. This is very much a story of soldiers and their fears and how they face them. The men who have seen war and continue to fight--because they know they are right. I find this movie to grip me and hold me...I feel anxious with them and compassionate with them when one of the characters--a good soldier--completely breaks down. This is a clean movie--there is no profanity and no gratuitous violence. There is some action, but nothing overly frightening. In other words, this is a film that a young child could watch (a family movie, so to speak). Made in 1945 and starring Dana Andrews (among others), this film gets a 5-star rating from me. It is one of those movies one can watch multiple times and get something new out of it each time.
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RachealA Reformed Presbyterian girl who enjoys a good movie or a good book any ol' time. Archives
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