AH, WILDERNESS! (1935)

This delightful little film takes place on July 4th, 1906 in a quiet neighborhood in Connecticut.  Young Eric Linden is head over heels in love with his neighbor Cecilia Parker, but when he sends her some racy poems to her, her father forbids her to see him.  He's heartbroken.  At the same time his drunken uncle (Wallace Beery) comes home for the holidays and brings all kinds of comedic antics home with him.  He's also been courtin' Aline MacMahon for 18 years now and she hasn't budged an inch.  Brother Mickey Rooney blasts off a ton of fireworks in the front yard.  Father Lionel Barrymore and mother Spring Byington try to keep everything under control.

I really liked this film.  The story was fun and the acting lively, but I think the thing that I liked the absolute most was seeing Lionel Barrymore and Wallace Beery together.  As you remember, just three years earlier they were at each others throats in GRAND HOTEL, but her they are laughing and having a great time together if.  I really enjoyed that.

Quick pace, good feelings, an absolutely stunning supporting cast, I can't really think of anything not to like about AH, WILDERNESS! besides the one scene of a dog with firecrackers tied to his tail.  That was some goddamn bullshit right there. Pissed me the fuck off. Poor dog.

Animal cruelty. 

MISS PINKERTON (1932)

MISS PINKERTON is a fun film starring Joan Blondell as a bored nurse who's hired to take care of a rich old woman who just found her nephew's corpse after he committed suicide...or was he murdered?  After Joan settles in at the old mansion a young, handsome detective asks her if she would keep and eye out for anything suspicious.  Well, she's got her work cut out for her cause all kinds of suspicious stuff happens from creepy creepers creeping around in the shadows to her being attacked to the old lady herself dying...from the pills Joan gave her!

For it's age MP is pretty entertaining and Joan is gorgeous!  Quick pace, cool looking mansion, humor that's still actually funny, good chemistry between Blondell and Brent, good mystery elements, nice photography with great shadows.  A film this old isn't for everybody, but I thought it was a lot of fun.  Will definitely watch again.

I DIED A THOUSAND TIMES (1955)

This is one of the best remakes I've ever seen.  The original HIGH SIERRA is a great film, but I think this retelling of the same story might even be better!  Jack Palance plays the Bogart role as a tough gangster with a noble soul who's sprung from prison by his old friend and mob boss (Lon Chaney Jr.). Chaney wants him to pull a heist on a private resort's safety deposit boxes.  Along the way, Palance falls in love with a crippled woman who's using him for his money.  Added to his problems is the crew of amateurs hired to help him.  One of them even brought a dame!  And to make matters even worse the dame falls for him. 

Being made 14 years later, the subject matter is a little more mature and fleshed out than the original and it helps a lot.  Jack Palance and Shelley Winters' performances were so good that I'm surprised that they weren't both nominated for an Academy Awards, but then again 1955 was a really good year for the movies....MISTER ROBERTS didn't even win!  (MARTY won.)

Beautiful colour photography, faithful retelling of the story, interesting camera angles/movements, cute dog, very strong supporting cast and quick glimpse of a young Dennis Hopper!  Excellent movie that deserves a much wider audience.  Check it out.

Original - High Sierra (1941)
Remake 1 -Colorado Territory (1955)