Netflix has a lot of new content for July, this is what I plan on checking out.
Stranger Things Season 1(July15, 2016) A Netflix drama series set in 1980's Indiana where a boy vanishes into thin air. Winona Ryder and Matthew Modine star.
Back to the Future(July1, 2016) A Netflix drama series depicting the exploits of Marco Polo at Kublai Khan's court.
The Big Short - Unbelievable and infuriating.
The Big Short(July6, 2016) A very smart movie. It's part absurdist humor,investigative exploration, and fraud expose. It tackles the prediction and downfall of the economy from multiple angles, providing a clear and comprehensive picture of what happened. Read my review.
Bad Boys II(July1, 2016) Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are two cops in an over the top and mindless Michael Bay action movie.
Big Trouble in Little China(July1, 2016) A cult movie that is one of my favorites. It's got more one liners than you can remember and the typical American hero that isn't very cocompetent. It's and understated and underrated comedy by John Carpenter.
Gladiator(July1, 2016) Ridley Scott directs Russell Crowe in this ancient Rome epic. That and gladiator fights!
Lethal Weapon(July1, 2016) Riggs and Murtaugh (Mel Gibson and Danny Glover) redefined the buddy cop and action movie genres.
Marco Polo Season 2(July1, 2016) A Netflix drama series depicting the exploits of Marco Polo at Kublai Khan's court.
Bojack Horsman Season 3(July22, 2016) A Netflix animated comedy with Will Arnett voicing a horse... who's a man... a horse man.
Marcella Season 1(July15, 2016) A Netflix distributed British cop drama.
Created by:Joseph Weisberg Starring:Keri Russell, Matthew Rhys, Noah Emmerich Rating: TV-14 Buy The Americans Season 3
The Americans Season 3
Plot: Two Soviet spies, Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phillip (Matthew Rhys), pose as a married couple with kids in Washington D.C. during the Cold War.
In season three the struggle with the decision of whether to tell their daughter the truth with the gray morality in which they operate, gray even for Russian spies.
Verdict: I really liked the first two seasons, but season three feels watered down. It's treading the same ground as season two. In season two, suspicious Paige was the family drama and there was an ongoing murder investigation of their fellow spies that bolstered the story line. This season, Paige is still suspicious and Phillip and Elizabeth struggle with whether to tell her the truth. Paige was annoying in season two, and she still is. I don't know if it's the story of the character. The espionage wasn't as strong. We've had some great sequences in previous seasons of dispatching threats or buzzer beater swipes, but this season was lacking. There just wasn't the big mission that this season needed. I still enjoyed this season, but while it's the worst of the first three seasons, it's not far behind. It's still good television. Watch it.
Season 3 Recap Season three does open with Elizabeth fighting Agent Gaad. She beats him of course, but they've had some close calls and the FBI might be putting it all together. This story line fizzles out pretty quickly.
Elizabeth and Phillip with their new handler Frank Langella.
Paige criticizes her parents while getting deeper into religion. Will Phillip and Elizabeth tell her the truth? Phillip doesn't want to, but Elizabeth sees it as a way to connect with her daughter. Phillip lashes out at Elizabeth for seducing men, while trying to win Paige over by supporting her baptism.
Elizabeth begins to prepare Paige for the truth, telling her how she's pushed civil rights issues and reveals Gregory, though not all of those facts.
Phillip is chasing younger women.
Phillip is also balancing Martha and Kimberly. Kimberly is a fifteen year old that he'd prefer to ditch, but can't due to the cause. Elizabeth is training an agent a few years her junior. I would have liked the show to delve into this a bit more, though it has gotten into this side of their work in previous seasons.
Martha's not long for this show I suspect.
Agent Gaad finds the surveillance bug in his pen, which freaks Martha out. Phillip reassures her, but Martha is a weak link Phillip has gotten good information out of her, and with the internal investigation it's not like she can be of much more use. He's formed an attachment, and that's going to have to end.
Episode eight has a ghastly image of a a man being burned to death. Elizabeth and Phillip do nothing to stop it as their associate gets revenge.
Paige will ruin them all!
Paige confronts her parents and they reveal the truth. It's a crazy moment in episode ten. This leads to Paige questioning everything. Paige could bring them down, and I don't buy that their handlers don't have a problem with this. Ultimately Paige confides to her pastor's wife about her parents. That's the big cliff hanger, but I couldn't help but think Russia might want to eradicate the potential threat that is Paige. She's not going to join the family business, and thus she may have an unfortunate accident when a Peugot hits her. That's going to be the story that opens season four, but we need something espionage related to unify the next season. I don't want another Paige-centric season.
I took a while deciding what film to write about for the Olivia de Havilland Centenary Blogathon. I love so many of her films and wish I could write about all of them. I wrote about one of them last month for the Royalty in Film Blogathon - Princess O'Rourke.
After waiting and seeing what everyone else was covering, and seeing that no one was covering (by itself) They Died with Their Boots on (1942), the first Errol Flynn/Olivia de Havilland movie I saw (I saw part of The Adventures of Robin Hood when I was young but all I remembered from it was the balcony kissing scene and that Maid Marion was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen), I decided to go with it.
They Died with Their Boots on is the last film Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland made together, out of a total of eight beginning in 1936. Because of this, there is an added poignancy to the film that otherwise would not be there.
One of America's Immortals! Custer's last stand...and the story of his life...his love and his death-defying courage!
A somewhat loose biopic of General George Armstrong Custer, the film follows Custer (Flynn) from his early days at West Point up to the infamous Custer's Last Stand (1857-1876). Like all biopics, the film is long, especially for 1940s standards, running a total of 139 min. But with such a great cast, including supporting actors Hattie McDaniel, Sydney Greenstreet, Anthony Quinn, John Litel, Gene Lockhart, and Regis Toomey the film doesn't feel long.
The film also features a beautiful score by Max Steiner and is directed by the great Raoul Walsh (138 directing credits including several Flynn and de Havilland films, High Sierra (1940), and Battle Cry (1955). Hal B. Wallis produced the film and his brother-in-law, Wally Kline, wrote the screenplay, along with Aeneas MacKenzie. Kline also contributed to Hard to Get (1938) starring de Havilland and Dick Powell and a few other films. MacKenzie has a slightly larger resume, including The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1939), a couple John Wayne films, and The Ten Commandments (1956).
The film opens on Custer's first day at West Point. His entrance (above) says a lot about him. His reason for joining the army? That's where the glory is! One sees far more statues of soldiers than of civilians.
A year before his graduation, the Civil War breaks out. However, because of Custer' record - he has the lowest marks and the highest demerits in the history of the Academy - he is not allowed to graduate early with the rest of his class... at first. While the heads of the school are deciding who else to graduate early, Custer meets a very important young lady.
Custer first meets Libby while doing a punishment tour for his latest "escapade." Libby is looking for Col. Sheridan's office and asks Custer where it is. Since he is not allowed to speak, he ignores her and keeps walking.
I've never been so outrageously treated in all my life!
Once he is allowed to speak though, he explains the situation and she is, of course, smitten with his charm and good looks.
Custer: Do you think if I were to come strolling past your house around nine o'clock at night you might be just sitting around on the veranda?
Libby: Life is full of surprises.
Custer: And if I did find you sitting on the porch perhaps you and I could go for a walk together.
Libby: [laughs] We seem to have been walking together ever since we met.
Custer: Well, I can't imagine, ma'am - if I may say so - any pleasanter journey, ma'am, than walking through life with you beside me, ma'am.
Even when he doesn't show up for that walk, Libby has definite plans for him. To her father, who is upset that the young man his daughter was waiting for didn't show up and threatens to report him:
Libby: You musn't talk about him like that!
Mr. Bacon: Why not?
Libby: Because he's the man I'm going to marry!
The reason Custer didn't show up is because it was finally decided to graduate him, as he is their best swordsman and he is the kind of man that inspires loyalty in his men, and he must leave for Washington immediately. He has to overcome the spiteful actions (or inactions) of some enemies from West Point, but he eventually gets assigned to the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, just as he wanted. He is just in time to fight in the Battle of Bull Run, at Manassas (which I've been to). He disobeys orders to retreat and wins the battle, getting wounded in the process and receiving a medal for it (as well as a letter of introduction to Mr. Bacon).
Custer is a favorite of the nurses ;)
After Custer leaves the hospital, he heads straight to Monroe and the Bacon residence. On the way there he stops at a saloon and inadvertently meets Mr. Bacon, who is there to collect the rent, who insults him. Custer calls him a "fat little pip-squeak" among other things.
Libby, meanwhile, who has been waiting for Custer's return, is in the act of having her maid (Hattie McDaniel) read her tea leaves. It works, and Custer appears on the doorstep. Libby is excited to finally see him again but acts a little cold, at least, for a few minutes.
And I'm not really angry. I just thought I should pretend to be.
After hearing his explanation, she says wisely, "And a train won't wait, but a woman will."
When her father comes home, he discovers who he daughter's sweetheart is and kicks Custer out of the house. Custer sneaks back after dark and meets Libby on her balcony. Unfortunately he already has orders to rejoin his regiment, but not before he proposes marriage. However, he wants to become a General first, that way her father will be proud of him.
As luck, or fate, would have it, he is mistakenly made a Brigadier General of the Michigan Calvary Brigade, by none other then his enemy, the Adjutant General. By the time they realize their mistake, Custer is already leading him men in charge after charge against the enemy, contrary to the orders to go the other way. After winning the battle, and saving the war, Custer becomes a hero and returns to Monroe with a hero's welcome, including the welcome of Mr. Bacon. Custer and Libby marry that same day, with Col. Sheridan as best man.
After the wedding however, not all is rosy. Custer is frustrated at his inactivity, and living off of his wife's estate. Libby visits his old friend, General Scott (Greenstreet), to ask that her husband be put back into active service.
The next day Custer gets the letter that says he is assigned to a regiment at Fort Lincoln, where he will protect 100,000 square miles of territory from the Indians. He is overjoyed to be put in command once again. De Havilland as Libby is wonderful in this scene, as she eagerly awaits her husbands reaction to his appointment, which she got for him, and her enthusiasm for him, even though she knows this means she will have to leave her genteel life behind. She thinks only of her husband.
On their way to their new home, they are attacked by Indians, led by none other than Crazy Horse himself (Anthony Quinn). Custer has him arrested and thrown in the guardhouse, from which he quickly escapes.
The Fort is in terrible disarray, with the soldiers drinking and rifles being sold to the Indians. He soon turns it into one of the finest regiments in the United States.
It doesn't take long for Custer's enemies to strike again. They fix it so that the treaty with the Indians, one protecting the Black Hills, is broken. Custer fights back and gets sent to Washington to be court marshaled. He talks President Grant into pushing back the date and reinstating his command.
The best and most touching scene of the entire film is when Custer says goodbye to Libby for the last time. He knows he won't come back and she knows it.
Walking through life with you, ma'am, has been a very gracious thing.
He then goes off to fight what became known as the Battle of Little Big Horn. The day: June 25, 1876 (140 years ago). You can watch the battle below.
To Hell or to Glory. It depends on ones point of view.
They Died with Their Boots on will air on TCM on the 8th at 9:45pm ET and again on the 27th at 4pm.
Trivia:
Because of new union laws, producers were forced to use regular screen extras without stunt experience. In the opening days of shooting 80 were injured and 3 were killed. The filming of the "Last Stand" sequence from this movie involved some 200 horsemen charging around in pretend battle and was so dangerous that one day during filming Anthony Quinn, who played Crazy Horse, arranged as a gag for a hearse to show up at the filming location.
Jim Thorpe, famous Native American athlete, was an extra in the film and had an off-camera fight with Flynn. He knocked Flynn out with one punch.
Another athlete, Louis Zamperini, Olympic athlete and subject of Unbroken (2014), was an extra in this film just before being drafted into the United States Armed Forces during World War II.
Libby Bacon Custer died in 1933, just eight years before this film was made.
When shown on Swedish TV in the mid 90s there was an additional scene between the scene where Custer, California Joe and Lt. Butler leaves Custer's tent on the night before the final battle and when Custer subsequently frees Sharpe at the wagon where he is held "kidnapped". It contained two shots, first an Indian banging a drum, then a shot of Crazy Horse, on a hill overlooking the Indian camp, addressing the spirits. The scene is missing in present DVD copies.
If you want to learn more about the real General Custer, the Landmark book Custer's Last Stand by Quentin Reynolds is very good and an easy read. However, it barely mentions Libby.
If you want to read about the historical inaccuracies of the film, click here.
You can watch a lecture on Custer and this film here. I haven't had a chance to watch it.
"Um... what is a non-classic movie doing on Phyl's blog??" you might be asking yourself right now. You may even be accompanying it by the look above. Well, I'll tell you. It's because I couldn't pass up writing about one of my favorite comedies for The Mel Brooks Blogathon hosted by The Cinematic Frontier in honor of Brooks 90th birthday.
"But how are you going to justify writing about it on THIS blog?" Because I'm going to talk about how it is actually quite similar to the famous 1938 The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn!!
The story of Robin Hood: Men in Tights is your basic Robin Hood tale but with a Mel Brooks twist (If you don't like Mel Brooks humor but are intrigued in this film I suggest you watch it next time it comes on TV, as several parts that may offend are removed).
The film opens with Robin of Loxley in jail. He is given a fake beard so that he blends in with the rest of the prisoner, tortured, and finally locked up. There he meets a fellow prisoner, in for jaywalking, called Asneeze, father of Ahchoo. "Bless you." "No, no, no. Ahchoo is my son. He is an exchange student."
You must go now, or you will miss the tide!
Robin helps Asneeze (and the rest of the prisoners) escape from prison with a feat of great strength, or as Asneeze puts it, "Great strength of feet!" and swims back to England. When he washes up on the beach, he is met by this impressive sight.
Robin then rents a horse and begins his journey to his family home. On his way he meets Ahchoo, who is getting beat up by the Sheriff of Rottingham's men. He helps Ahchoo, who then joins him on his journey.
Upon arriving at Loxley Hall, Robin discovers that his entire family is dead, including his goldfish Goldy, and his family home is being taken away for failure to pay back taxes. All that is left is Blinkin, the family's blind, faithful servant.
Blinkin: I thought it felt a bit drafty!
As they continue on their journey, now to avenge what has happened to his family, they meet Little John and Will Scarlet. But wait! Scarlet is his middle name. His full name is Will Scarlet O'Hara. "We from Georgia."
Once Robin has earned the respect of Little John, they too join his group of Merry Men. Robin then visits the castle, bursting in on a feast in practically the same way was Errol Flynn did 55 years before. It was this scene that had the most similarities with the 1938 film. It also points out a very important difference:
Robin: I'll lead the people in a revolt against you.
Prince John: And why should the people listen to you?
This of course pokes fun that Errol Flynn was not actually from England, but from Australia.
Robin also meets Maid Marion at the feast (who can't hold a candle to Olivia). Later, she comes to visit him at his camp to warn him of a "foul plot afoot." There is to be an archery contest to lure Robin out of hiding and where Dirty Ezio (who just so happens to look a lot like Clint Eastwood) will shoot him.
Robin goes to the tournament disguised as an old man - he looks like Mark Twain! - and... loses.
Robin wins, using his Patriot Arrow, and is arrested. To save him, Maid Marion promises to marry the Sheriff of Rottingham, the "most disgusting thing I can think of." But don't worry, everything works out in the end.
Mel Brooks clearly loved the original Robin Hood film when he made this one. Though not in glorious Technicolor, the film still has the feel of the original, but with Mel Brooks' signature stamp of humor.
