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Reviews (131)
Oct 16, 2007
Sherlock Holmes - The Leading Lady
This mystery has Christopher Lee in the lead role of Sherlock Holmes and the fine veteran actor Patrick Macnee (of The Avengers, among many credits) as Dr. Watson. There is romance also, with Morgan Fairchild playing the Ms. Irene Adler, which is a character from another Sherlock Holmes adventure years earlier called "The Scandal in Bohemia". Filmed as a mini series in 1991, it has been edited down to about 1 1/2 hours. It was produced primarily in Luxemburg, and accordingly, the scenery is beautiful. If you are an ardent
Sherlock Holmes enthusiast as I am, then this film may disappoint a bit. There are quite a few liberties taken with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's character. And it does drag a bit from time to time. But if you are just interested in decent acting, especially by Lee and Macnee, a feasible plot, and beautiful scenery, this will do well.
Feb 28, 2007
Duck Soup
Duck Soup, produced in 1933, was the 5th movie made by the famous Marx Brothers. The four comedians are in this delightful movie; Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo.
Arguably one of the three best movies they ever made, along with "Horse Feathers" and "A Night at the Opera", the plot is rediculous but the actors are believable enough and do an adequate job. But it isn't about the storyline or acting; it is about the unique brand of comedy that only the Marx brothers could do. The sight gags and one-liners are terrific. Margaret Dumont is absolutely wonderful as the recipient of Groucho's barbs. The scene with Harpo and the lemonade vendor is worth the price of the DVD by itself. And the mirror sequence where two of his brothers impersonate Groucho is perfect.
This is pretty straightforward. Get this movie; absolutely everyone will enjoy it.
Sep 11, 2006
Animal Crackers
Groucho, Harpo and Chico are joined in this 1930's film with their brother Zeppo, who was in their first six productions and later went on to other business ventures in 1935. This is the second movie the brothers did; the first was "The Coconuts" the year before.
It is a musical, but don't let that scare you away. There are plenty of antics, gags and dialog to withstand a song or two. Groucho is a famous African explorer,Capt. Spaulding, and is the guest of honor of Mrs. Rittenhouse, of course played by Margaret Dumont. Zeppo shows up first as Groucho's secretary; there is a good scene later on Groucho dictating a letter to Zeppo. Chico arrives as one of the musicians. There is a wonderful verbal duel between Chico and Groucho about Chico's charges for playing. Harpo shows up next as "The Professor", but professor of what is hard to fathom. Before you know it, Harpo is in his underwear shooting up the place until he spots a blond and decides to give chace.
Another great skit is Chico trying to get a flashlight from Harpo and all the stuff Harpo has in his famous raincoat. And speaking of raincoats, the silverware episode at the end of the movie is terrific, especially for the timing.
If you like old time comedy and nonsense, this is a good one. The Marx Brothers make a lot of movies and this one is certainly one of their best.