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‘D.O.A.’ reveals the ultimate inspiration to solve a murder: when it’s your own

D.O.A./1950/United Artists/83 min. “I don’t think you fully understand, Bigelow,” says a doctor to his shocked patient, “you’ve been murdered.” This is the premise for 1950’s “D.O.A.,” directed by Rudolph Maté, a classic noir about a standup, solid guy from Banning, Calif., named Frank Bigelow (Edmond O’Brien) who, while on a trip to San Francisco, […]

Désirée

Director Henry Koster and writer Daniel Taradash speculate mightily in this historical tableau charting the rise and fall of Napoleon (Marlon Brando), all due to his unrequited love for noblewoman Desiree (Jean Simmons). The film takes a chronological view of Napoleon’s reign and posits Napoleon’s love of a woman he wanted to marry as a […]

Phil Stern, Photographer Who Shot Top Stars, Dies at 95

If you’ve enjoyed photos of Marlon Brando from the mid 1950s (most notably on the sets of The Wild One and Guys and Dolls) you’ve no doubt enjoyed the fantastic photography of Mr. Phil Stern. A legend in the business of celebrity photography from Hollywood’s golden era, a google images search will take you down […]

Successful Premiere of New Marlon Brando Documentary

The world premiere of Listen to Me Marlon at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival was a big success. Built around Marlon Brando’s personal archive, the film has been getting a wonderful response (see review links below), and will receive a world wide release later this year. Variety: http://variety.com/2015/film/reviews/sundance-film-review-listen-to-me-marlon-1201420110/ Hollywood Reporter: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/listen-me-marlon-sundance-review-770073

LISTEN TO ME MARLON

Stevan Riley’s acclaimed LISTEN TO ME MARLON is the definitive Marlon Brando documentary. On the heels of its celebrated premieres at Sundance Film Festival, New Directors, Film Forum (NY) and The Landmark (LA), LISTEN TO ME MARLON will open in theaters across the US. Described as “Revelatory” by the Los Angeles Times, “A masterpiece” by the Village […]

Cozy travel candles are perfect little gifts

Nearly every time I go holiday shopping, I have the same problem: I find item after item that I can’t seem to live without and the list for other people languishes at the bottom of my bag. It’s uncanny – however detailed and thoughtful my list, its contents can slip my mind completely unless I […]

Quick hit: ‘The Damned Don’t Cry’

The Damned Don’t Cry/1950/Warner Bros./103 min. A quintessential film noir and one of Crawford’s crowning roles. She plays Ethel Whitehead, a housewife stuck with her dreary, damaged hubster (Richard Egan). Ethel leaves him and tries to build a better life for herself in New York City. Short on actual career skills, her path instead leads […]

‘Double Indemnity’ quick hit

Double Indemnity/1944/Paramount/106 min. A hands-down noir favorite. Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck are adulterous lovers who plot to get rid of Stanwyck’s husband in a seamless “accident” and pounce on his insurance policy. Knock-out performances and marvelous direction from Billy Wilder. Based on a James M. Cain novel, the script, by Wilder and Raymond Chandler, crackles with wit and […]

Feel-good news for FNB

Yesterday I was named at the top of a list of stylish bloggers by the lovely Marya, who runs Cinema-Fanatic.com: http://bit.ly/fpwHd2. How cool!

‘Out of the Past’ quick hit

Out of the Past/1947/RKO Radio Pictures/97 min. Juggling men is a key skill for any femme fatale. Jane Greer tries to keep seductive gangster and ex-boyfriend Kirk Douglas at bay while she explores new opportunities with laconic, cavalier Robert Mitchum. Not as easy as it sounds, given that Douglas hires Mitchum to track her down. […]

Catherine Deneuve stars in comic confection ‘Potiche’

This week, the French comedy, “Potiche,” directed by François Ozon, opens nationwide. Potiche is French for arm candy/trophy wife or husband. It stars Gérard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve, who recently came to the LA County Museum of Art for a Q&A after a preview of the movie. She was magnificent! Granted, “Potiche” is not a […]

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