Showing posts with label Anatole Litvak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anatole Litvak. Show all posts

Thursday, 16 July 2020

Anastasia (1956)



An opportunistic Russian businessman tries to pass a mysterious impostor as the Grand Duchess Anastasia. But she is so convincing in her performance that even the biggest skeptics believe her.

Well-produced Hollywood entertainment, typically without any sense for historical accuracy, works due to its excellent cast, but does have some over-the-top melodramatic moments.

Halliwell**: "Slick, highly theatrical entertainment for the upper classes; it dazzles and satisfies without drawing any light on history."

Maltin****: "Inspired casting makes this film exceptional...High point: confrontation scene in which Hayes as grand duchess must determine if girl is her relative." 

Sunday, 15 May 2016

City For Conquest (1940)


A young man is a content truck driver, but his girl shows potential as a dancer and hopes he too can show ambition, so acquiesces and pursues boxing to please her, but the two begin to spend more time working than time together.

Tuesday, 29 March 2016

The Night of the Generals (1967)



In 1942, a Polish prostitute is murdered in Warsaw, and suspicion falls on three generals, and a major of German Intelligence seeks justice despite the ongoing atrocities committed during WWII.

Despite good pruduction value the movie goes on way too long at a slow pace, mixes too much historic events with the plot and never really arouses much interest for its crime mystery.

Halliwell**: "A curiously bumpy narrative which is neither mystery nor characzer study but does provide a few effective sequences and impressive performances. The big budget seems well spent."

Maltin*1/2: "A WW2 whodunit, film has potential but gets lost in murky script, lifeless performances. A dud."