Randy_D Reviews

PlayMania (2006– )

Great Show To Watch

[10/10 · 14 July 2006]

Playmania is the American version of TV quiz shows that are popular in the UK. It's a great show to watch even if you don't enter the games, mostly because of the hosts. Shandi Finnessey, Miss USA 2004, is fun and easy on the eyes. But Mel Peachey (and that is the proper way to spell her last name, with two "e"s) is something else. She was brought over as a veteran of the British quiz programs, and it's a good thing, too! I could watch her read the phone book for two hours. She is easily the best import from the UK since Doctor Who.

Some of the games are better than others but that is to be expected in a format like this. Some of my favorites are Missing Link, AlphaBucks and the Top 5 surveys. I'm not too keen on Crosswords because there is no way to narrow down the possibilities. There could be ten wrong guesses and you are no closer than you were at the start. And whatever happened to Lingo? You'd think GSN would keep it for the cross-promotional opportunity.

Randy from Michigan

National Lampoon's Animal House (1978)

This is a classic?

[3/10 · 23 April 2004]

After hearing all the hype about the "classic" comedy Animal House I figured it was time to watch this movie and see for myself.

Well, if you like unlikable characters and unfunny comedy then this is your kind of movie. It makes Revenge of the Nerds seem like a masterpiece.

In fact, Nerds was funnier, had a better plot and more likable characters.

Even the nude scenes in Revenge of the Nerds were handled better, so to speak.

Animal House? Vastly overrated.

Here is some filler so it meets IMDb's quota. I guess I should criticize more of Animal House, if that's what IMDb wants.

Appointment in Honduras (1953)

Should've Listened To Maltin

[6/10 · 6 June 2003]

Unfortunately, disAppointment in Honduras does a good job of wasting talent. The only thing worth watching in this movie is Ann Sheridan, who looks fabulous but is given much too little to do.

On a minor side note, it was interesting to see Ann Sheridan and Zachary Scott teamed up again as a couple with marital problems, as in the 1947 release The Unfaithful.

Leonard Maltin's 1987 movie guide pretty much summed up this movie when it said, "Sheridan is not focal point, and a pity."

Dust Be My Destiny (1939)

John Garfield and Priscilla Lane

[9/10 · 19 March 2003]

Down on his luck John Garfield finally sees his fortunes improve, and I do mean improve, when he teams up with Priscilla Lane. But the bad luck returns and the two end up on the lam for what turns out to be a pretty good movie.

A few scenes shot on location spice things up a bit and there are some very nice supporting performances as well.

The lead actors, John Garfield and the beautiful Priscilla Lane, work well together, as evidenced in their previous work on Four Daughters and Daughters Courageous.

I Was a Male War Bride (1949)

Have A Good Time Watching A Movie

[9/10 · 16 January 2003]

I Was a Male War Bride is an enjoyable movie with two stars that seem to be enjoying themselves as well.

While not the most realistic of plots, this movie breezes along at a pretty good clip and is the type of movie that you can get carried along with, if you don't take it too seriously.

Contrary to what appears to be the more popular belief, I Was a Male War Bride is superior to many other movies of its kind, i. e. Bringing Up Baby, which is vastly overrated. Give me Ann Sheridan over Katharine Hepburn any day!

Angels Wash Their Faces (1939)

Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan

[8/10 · 3 November 2002]

A sequel to Angels With Dirty Faces in name only, The Angels Wash Their Faces suffers somewhat from the usual shenanigans of the Dead End Kids. As a matter of fact, with the presence of the Dead End Kids and Ann Sheridan this should have been treated as an actual sequel to Angels With Dirty Faces, at least for continuity's sake.

Speaking of Ann Sheridan, she is the one true shining light of this movie. To paraphrase a cliché, Ann Sheridan could read from a phone book for two hours and I would buy the DVD!

Another virtue of this movie is the chemistry between Ann Sheridan and Ronald Reagan. Unfortunately , this aspect of the film is kept too far in the background. For a better example of the Sheridan-Reagan duo I would recommend Juke Girl or Kings Row.

Broadway Musketeers (1938)

Enjoyable Remake of Three on a Match

[8/10 · 18 June 2002]

I found this remake of Three on a Match to be a bit more enjoyable than the original, thanks in no small part to the presence of Ann Sheridan.

Nobody could pull off (no pun intended) an above-the-shoulder striptease like Miss Sheridan. Wowser! I know she didn't care much for her well-known nickname but you can see why the name stuck.

Elsewhere in the movie John Litel does his usual job of providing solid support and little Janet Chapman is something else. She has to be one of the most likable child actors that I've ever seen in the movies.

It's interesting to note that the very last scene in Broadway Musketeers, Ann Sheridan and Janet Chapman embracing, is nearly identical to the final shot of Little Miss Thoroughbred, also directed by John Farrow.

Women in the Wind (1939)

Soar With Kay Francis!

[8/10 · 5 March 2002]

Women in the Wind is an enjoyable movie that is briskly paced and features some interesting airplane sequences. Don't expect a strong story or deep characterization, though, just a good time at the movies. Besides, with Kay Francis in it how can you go wrong?

She Loved a Fireman (1937)

She's Better Off Without Him!

[7/10 · 3 March 2002]

The only thing worth watching in She Loved a Fireman is Ann Sheridan, and it's really too bad for this movie's sake that she's hardly in it. Instead we get a too-large dose of Dick Foran. Blah.

While watching this movie I couldn't help but think why on Earth would someone like Ann fall for a guy like this? It reminded me of a couple of Priscilla Lane movies where she gets stuck with another Warner Brothers buffoon Wayne Morris.

I'm just glad that both Ann and Priscilla got to work with the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and James Cagney. It definitely made doing movies like this more tolerable knowing that better things were on the horizon.

Saboteur: A Closer Look (2001 Video)

I Think They Forgot Somebody

[5/10 · 16 September 2001]

While Norman Lloyd's commentary about Saboteur is interesting and insightful, it seems to me that the writer could have done a better job acknowledging the two stars of Saboteur.

Norman Lloyd refers to Robert Cummings one time, and Priscilla Lane, the top-billed performer in the movie, is not even mention once!

If this was Saboteur: A Closer Look From Norman Lloyd's Perspective, then I would not have expected anything more. But Saboteur: A Closer Look needed to look a little closer at the stars of the movie.

Four Wives (1939)

Hi Lemp...Hello Dietz

[10/10 · 1 September 2001]

On the strength of an outstanding performance by Priscilla Lane, Four Wives succeeds as a sequel to the popular Four Daughters.

Priscilla Lane gives a performance that any of the more acclaimed actresses of her time would be hard-pressed to match. She does an outstanding job of portraying a woman whose life has been completely turned upside down. How she reconciles the past, which keeps intruding on the present, will determine how well she handles the future.

There is an examination of certain issues in this movie, grief, guilt, depression, and loyalty, for example, that goes a bit deeper than one might expect at first glance. At the core of Four Wives, however, is the stunningly beautiful Priscilla Lane, whose beauty is at least the equal to any of Hollywood's actresses of that era, or any era.

As for the rest of the cast, Jeffrey Lynn does a nice job opposite Miss Lane, and Eddie Albert and Claude Rains both do a fine job in support. And, lest I forget, Priscilla's real life sisters Rosemary and Lola, and the "fourth" Lane sister Gale Page.

After the next sequel, Four Mothers, it's too bad they didn't make one more movie to finish the series. Four Sisters has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

City for Conquest (1940)

Cagney and Sheridan Conquer Again!

[9/10 · 1 August 2001]

'Cagney, James' (qv) and 'Sheridan, Ann' (qv) are once again a winning screen team in City for Conquest.

A good cast in this one: Cagney and Sheridan, as in their other screen team ups, have a chemistry that is undeniable. While Anthony Quinn is suitably slimy as Sheridan's dance mentor who tries to do more than just mentor, if you know what I mean.

This time around Cagney plays a more laid back character compared to some of his other movies at the time, which is a bit unfortunate because, after some of the events in this movie, a little bit of Cagney the gangster would have come in handy!

And then there's Ann Sheridan. Gorgeous and talented Ann Sheridan. Any movie gets a few extra points just for having Miss Sheridan in it.

After _Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)_ (qv) and _Torrid Zone (1940)_ (qv), it's unfortunate that Cagney and Sheridan never made another movie together.

Regardless, City for Conquest is a good time at the movies.

Yes, My Darling Daughter (1939)

Priscilla Lane Leads Ensemble Cast

[8/10 · 1 August 2001]

While this story of an unmarried couple's weekend together is obviously tame by today's standards, Yes, My Darling Daughter does have a moment or two that is a bit on the racier side. Well, at least for the time it was made.

Led by the beautiful and unfairly underrated 'Lane, Priscilla' (qv), this movie has a good ensemble cast, with maybe the exception of Jeffrey Lynn.

While Lynn has been likable in his other movies with Priscilla Lane, i. e. _Four Daughters (1938)_ (qv) and _Roaring Twenties, The (1939)_ (qv), he doesn't come across as the most likeable character. Or the brightest, either. In other words, if Priscilla Lane asked me to spend a weekend with her, platonic or otherwise, I think I would show a little more enthusiasm than he did!

Anyway, Yes, My Darling Daughter is worth watching, thanks in no small part to the aforementioned Miss Lane.

Men Are Such Fools (1938)

Priscilla Lane Smashes the Glass Ceiling

[8/10 · 1 August 2001]

Being an unabashed 'Lane, Priscilla' (qv) fan, Men Are Such Fools would be a delight to watch if only for the wonderful Miss Lane alone. But as a neat little bonus you get 'Bogart, Humphrey' (qv) in a rare, at that time, non-gangster role.This combination makes for an enjoyable movie about a young woman determined to succeed in the advertising business.

However, the one problem I have with this movie is Wayne Morris, or at least the character he plays.

As in another movie Mr. Morris was in with Miss Lane, _Love, Honor and Behave (1938)_ (qv), there is this undercurrent that seems to imply that you can show a woman how much you love her by physically pushing her around.

I understand that things were different back then, but it is still a bit difficult to watch any guy resort to physical contact with a woman in order to win her over. This is by no means a big part of this movie, but it is noticeable after seeing it happen over a series of films from that era.

That being said, the positives far outweigh any of the negatives. With Priscilla Lane starring and Humphrey Bogart in support, you can't go wrong spending your time with Men Are Such Fools.

Love, Honor and Behave (1938)

This one misses the mark.

[8/10 · 1 August 2001]

While this movie's intentions might have been good, the execution of it is where it fails, primarily because of some thankfully outdated notions.

It's a shame, too, that 'Lane, Priscilla' (qv)'s performance gets a bit overshadowed by the content of the film. She is an absolute delight and her performance during the end sequence is both hilarious and beautiful at the same time.

This just goes to prove something that I've learned recently while watching movies from the 1930s and 40s: Priscilla Lane makes any movie that much better.

Hollywood Extra Girl (1935)

Two Actresses, Two Different Paths

[8/10 · 1 August 2001]

This film short details the efforts of 'Emery, Suzanne' (qv) and her struggle to make it in Hollywood.

Using the filming of Cecil B. DeMille's _Crusades, The (1935)_ (qv) as a backdrop, Hollywood Extra Girl is notable for the two divergent paths of two of the actresses featured in this short: Suzanne Emory and Ann Sheridan. It's ironic that this short film is based around Miss Emory, and The Crusades ends up being her only credit on IMDb.

While 'Sheridan, Ann' (qv), who was also cast as an extra in The Crusades and has a brief appearance in Hollywood Extra Girl, would later go on to superstardom.

In hindsight, this short film should have featured Ann Sheridan as the starlet trying for film success. Of course, there was no way of knowing who would "make it" and who wouldn't.

All in all an interesting few minutes, with it's own small place in movie history.

Rocky Mountain Mystery (1935)

Early Ann Sheridan

[7/10 · 1 August 2001]

My primary interest in seeing this movie was to catch an early appearance by 'Sheridan, Ann' (qv) where she actually appears in a few scenes and not just in a bit part. She does a nice job with this early effort but is hampered by some fairly clunky dialog. I'd dare any actress to make this dialog come alive, never mind one who is just starting out.

Aside from Miss Sheridan, Randolph Scott is good as the lead but he is also a victim of a story, and script, that doesn't have much to offer. But at a running time of only an hour and combined with an early glimpse of a future star, there are worse ways you could spend an hour.

Mandalay (1934)

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures...

[8/10 · 1 August 2001]

...for 'Francis, Kay' (qv) while she is stuck in Rangoon, Burma. After being dumped by her crud of a boyfriend Kay resorts to a few unsavory deeds in order to survive, but ends up hating herself as result. While it's hard to condone the crimes she commits, specifically the "hostess" part, the victims of her other dark deeds, well, deserve what they get. That goes for police officials as well as cruds.

The lovely Miss Francis gives another fine performance in Mandalay. I've managed to catch a handful of her movies recently and she has yet to disappoint.

On a side note, I found it interesting that Turner Classic Movies gave Mandalay a "G" rating. Hmmm, prostitution, murder, blackmail, gunrunning, etc... I wonder what their definition of "PG" is!

Brother Rat and a Baby (1940)

OK Sequel To Brother Rat

[7/10 · 30 June 2001]

This slightly less amusing sequel to Brother Rat is hampered by two performances. Wayne Morris' overzealousness and Eddie Albert's airheadedness (if that's even a word) tended to be more annoying than amusing. If their situations were written differently, perhaps, then maybe their characters' traits would have come across better. As it is, the only likeable Rat of the trio is the put-upon Dan Crawford, played by Ronald Reagan.

The women of Brother Rat and a Baby play a lesser role is this movie, much as they did in Brother Rat. That's a shame, too, since they are a very appealing trio, especially the beautiful 'Priscilla Lane' (qv), one of my all-time favorites. Although she does get top billing in this film, she doesn't have much to do. Too bad.

More interaction between the three main couples and less nonsense could've made this a much better movie.

Wings for the Eagle (1942)

These Wings Fail To Soar

[7/10 · 16 June 2001]

A good cast goes to waste in this story of two pals, Dennis Morgan (qv) and Jack Carson (qv), dueling for the affections of Ann Sheridan (qv).

Make no mistake about it -- Ann Sheridan is definitely worth fighting for. It's just too bad that Wings for the Eagle doesn't put up much of a fight when it comes to telling a story.

If you want to see the starring trio in a much better movie then check out _Shine On, Harvest Moon (1944)_ (qv). Or, to a lesser degree, _One More Tomorrow (1946)_ (qv).

Juke Girl (1942)

I Loves To Love This Movie

[9/10 · 16 June 2001]

While similar in plot to _They Drive by Night (1940)_ (qv), Juke Girl stands on its own as an enjoyable movie, thanks primarily to its lead actors.

As in their previous films together, _The Angels Wash Their Faces (1939)_ (qv) and _Kings Row (1942)_ (qv), Ronald Reagan (qv) and the wonderful Ann Sheridan (qv) make a nice film couple. Heck, in a perfect world Ann Sheridan would have been First Lady, but that's another story.

Good acting, good characters, and a good story. Toss in a quick song by Miss Sheridan and you have the makings of a pretty good movie. Enjoy.

My Bill (1938)

A New Kay Francis Fan

[8/10 · 1 June 2001]

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this movie. I hadn't intended on watching it but the TV was on while I was surfing the Internet and I found myself paying more attention to the movie instead of the computer.

Dickie Moore (qv) and the lovely Kay Francis (qv) make a pretty tough mother-son duo. They need to be tough when it comes to dealing with the other members of their family.

At a little over an hour in length, My Bill is easily worth you time. Heck, it's better than most hour long TV shows, and if you catch it on one of the classic movie channels you won't have to sit through any commercials!

I was unfamiliar with Kay Francis' work before My Bill but it didn't take long for me to become a fan. And for what it's worth, I love her speaking voice!

Little Miss Thoroughbred (1938)

Thoroughly Enjoyable

[8/10 · 1 June 2001]

Little Miss Thoroughbred is a nice little film with an absolutely adorable performance by Janet Chapman (qv) as the title character.

Movies with children this young run the risk of being too cutesy, but to her credit little Miss Chapman keeps her performance on the positive side.

This movie was on my to-watch list because of Ann Sheridan (qv) and, as usual, she doesn't disappoint. As talented as she is beautiful, Miss Sheridan makes any movie worth watching and she does a nice job working with Miss Chapman.

If you don't mind the whole using-a-kid-to-win-at-the-races angle, then I'm sure you'll find this movie Thoroughly enjoyable. (Pun intended :-)

Cowboy from Brooklyn (1938)

Priscilla Lane and Ann Sheridan

[7/10 · 25 May 2001]

While fairly average as far as musicals go, this movie is noteworthy for me because it is the only film that features my two favorite actresses, Priscilla Lane and Ann Sheridan.

While they don't have any scenes together, unfortunately, there is a scene where Priscilla looks at a picture of Ann. It's not much, but I'll take what I can get!

It's too bad The Cowboy from Brooklyn does not do a good enough job in showcasing Priscilla Lane in the female lead. And Ann Sheridan is barely featured at all.

I can only imagine what could have been...

Servant of Mankind (1940)

Interesting History Lesson

[8/10 · 22 March 2001]

A quick and interesting look at the inventions of Thomas Edison. The sheer number and importance of Edison's inventions is truly staggering and this short film does a nice job telling Edison's story.

At the beginning of this short is probably one of the quickest recaps of American history I've ever seen. Quite amusing in its brevity.

Also of interest is the brief mention of Michigan's Greenfield Village. Edison's laboratory is still there some 60 years later. Definitely worth the trip.