ANATOMY OF A MURDER

ANATOMY OF A MURDER - 1959

RATED - NR but probably PG for adult themes including frank but not graphic discussion of rape in the courtroom.

RATINGS - 82 Amazon (4.5/5), 141,689 Netflix (4.0/5), 10,101 IMDB (8.1/10).

STARRING - James Stewart, Lee Remick, Ben Gazzara, Eve Arden, Arthur O'Connell. Directed by Otto Preminger.

AWARDS - 7 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR (Stewart). AFI Top 100 THRILLS & Top 100 MOVIES nominations. Recently named AFI All Time Top 10 COURTROOM DRAMA. BAFTA nominee for BEST PICTURE & BEST ACTOR. 4 Golden Globe nominations including BEST MOTION PICTURE.

STORY - This Otto Preminger directed film is vintage Jimmy Stewart who plays a country lawyer recently voted out of the county prosecutors office he held for many years. Fishing seems to have replaced legal work and as the film opens his long time secretary (Arden) is asking for enough money to cover her pay check. He needs a case to bring in some fees. Laura Manion (Remick) shows up looking for a lawyer to defend her Army officer husband, Lt. Frederick Manion (Gazzara) who is accused of murdering a local bartender who apparently raped Mrs. Manion. Nothing seems to be like it appears. A lie detector test on Mrs. Manion says one thing and the forensic evidence taken after the alleged rape seems to say the opposite. They seem to be happily married but Mrs. Manion is often seen in public without her husband and in the company of other men. Lt. Manion seems a solid citizen soldier but is he always that way in private? Can Stewart defend him on the basis of temporary insanity? A great performance by Stewart as well as by everyone else with many surprise turns. As great as Stewart's performance is, the movie would not be what is without a terrific, albeit somewhat minor, performance by Joseph Welch as the retired judge who is filling in for the regular judge. With a dry sense of humor and perfect timing, he makes the courtroom scenes so outstanding. A genuine classic. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TRAILER

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION - 1957

RATED - NR but probably PG for brief, strong language and adult themes.

RATINGS - 81 Amazon (5/5), 114,897 Netflix (4.1/5), 11,245 IMDB (8.2/10).

STARRING - Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich,Charles Laughton & directed by Billy Wilder.

AWARDS - 6 Academy Award nominations including BEST PICTURE and BEST ACTOR (Charles Laughton), BAFTA BEST ACTOR (Laughton) nominee and 5 Golden Globe nominations including BEST ACTOR, BEST ACTRESS & BEST MOTION PICTURE. Just recently named to AFI All Time Top 10 Courtroom Dramas.

STORY - I'm not going to spoil the plot since this Agatha Christie-based movie directed by Billy Wilder takes so many twists and turns, especially at the end. The AWARDS speak for themselves as to the quality of this film. Charles Laughton portrays the huge hunk of a man, barrister Sir Wilfrid, who, as the film opens, is returning home from an extended stay in the hospital for a near fatal heart attack. He is accompanied by his eccentric nurse whose sole job is to keep him away from everything he craves-cigars, brandy, women and high stress criminal cases. Of course, he immediately becomes intrigued with the case of Leonard Vole (Power) who is accused of killing a wealthy widow. His curiosity gets the best of him when he meets Christine Helm/Vole (Dietrich), Leonard's wife and only alibi, and so he decides to take Leonard's case. The rest of this fast-paced film concentrates on the courtroom drama with it famous surprises and great acting and is spiced with some very funny scenes and lines. Definitely one of the all time great courtroom films-put this at the top of the list. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-21-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON

IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON - 2007

RATED - PG for mild language, brief violent images and incidental smoking.

RATINGS - 67 Amazon (5/5), 45,356 Netflix (4.0/5), 1,594 IMDB (8.3/10), Roger Ebert (4/4).

STARRING - The APOLLO astronauts and NASA.

STORY - When we think of the 1960's today we so often think of the assassinations, the race riots, the Vietnam War, the Beatles, etc. We often forget this was also the decade of the race to the moon. In 1961 the Russians officially launched the space race by launching the first human into orbit soon followed by a 15 minute manned flight by the U.S. The newly elected president of the United States, John F. Kennedy laid down the gauntlet by challenging our country to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, at that time a more than ambitious (some thought impossible) goal. This film is the story, in the APOLLO astronaut's own words and incredible archival footage of how the U.S. became the first to land on the moon. As Roger Ebert says, we tend to focus on the accomplishment and not on the journey. This is about the journey as well as the incredible achievement. The clips, many seen on film for the first time, especially those walking on the moon's surface, are spectacular. This is a story that should be seen by everyone, especially those who did not grow up in the sixties. We may have forgotten that the first three astronauts were killed in a fire on the launchpad that could have stopped the whole mission dead in its tracks. These are the only men in the history of our planet who have seen earth from another celestial location. One final note. This was an achievement that united, literally the whole world. As the astronauts traveled the world afterwards, they were struck by the fact that everywhere, people referred to the achievement as 'WE' did it, not you did it. It was something that everyone was proud of, regardless of their country. How different that seems from the world culture today. Is there anything we could conquer today that could unite the world into saying WE did it. You will not be disappointed in watching this great film. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/14/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, ROGER EBERT, TCM, TRAILER.

THE TRAIN

THE TRAIN - 1964

RATED - NR but probably PG for violence including some scenes of military style executions.

RATINGS - 78 Amazon (4.5/5), 36,113 Netflix (3.7/5), 3,250 IMDB (7.8/10).

STARRING - Burt Lancaster, John Frankenheimer (Director)

AWARDS - Nominated for 1966 Academy Award Best Writing Original Screenplay as well as AFI Top 100 Thrills and 1965 BAFTA Best Film.

STORY - It's 1944 and WWII is in its last days. The Nazis are trying to take anything they can out of the rich art treasures in France. There is a warehouse in Paris full of Van Goghs, Picassos, etc. A German Colonel loads them on to a train for Germany. The French Resistance learns of this and goes into action to sabotage the train and save the treasures. Paul Labiche (Lancaster), a French train engineer is not interested at first (he is counting on the Allies to show up at any moment and save Paris) but when he sees the patriotism and heroics of the Resistance fighters, he becomes a part of the resistance and uses his courage and skills to try and thwart the German Colonel. In the end it becomes a one on one match of wits and ingenuity between the two men-a microcosm of the good versus evil that was symbolic of the greater war. A lot of action but real action, not the computer generated stuff of today's films. Burt Lancaster does all his own stunts which are not insignificant. A terrific view of another slice of life during WWII. Did I mention that Burt Lancaster and I co-starred in AIRPORT. Actually........if you're really quick with your pause button you might be able to spot me walking across the airport lobby. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06-14-2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, TCM.

TRIUMPH OF THE WILL

TRIUMPH OF THE WILL - 1934

RATED - NR

RATINGS - 34 Amazon (4.5/5), 29,604 Netflix (3.6/5), 3,828 IMDB (7.9/10).

THEME - Propaganda

STORY - This is the infamous documentary produced by Leni Riefenstahl of the 1934 Nazi Party rally in Nuremberg, Germany. Working with an unlimited budget, she created the almost perfect propaganda film to promote the Nazi Party in Germany. Fascinating today, just for the historical interest, it has been the model over the decades for others wanting to understand the power of propaganda film. It was a powerful influence in establishing Hitler as the messiah for Germany. It was shown in part or whole in every theater throughout Germany during WWII. Of course, today we see it thru the lens of history and the unspeakable evil that was committed by Hitler and his regime but the people watching in 1934 did not have that insight. At the very least, it is a powerful warning to those of us who have the benefit of history to be more discerning in our falling for those who would seek to use this same kind of propaganda to push a cause, no matter how noble or good it might seem and the Nazi Party certainly seemed to be a noble cause for the German people. Riefenstahl used 30 cameras and 120 technicians during the filming. Hitler was always filmed separately so he could be edited in and out of the crowd pictures for maximum manipulation of imagery and seduction of the mind. While it runs a little long and is a little repetitive in places, this is an amazing piece of history and very much worthwhile of your time. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/07/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB

SOUL OF THE GAME

SOUL OF THE GAME - 1996

RATED - PG-13 for language and brief sensuality. Take the rating seriously for younger children.

RATINGS - 15 Amazon (4.5/5), 17,525 Netflix (3.6/5), 363 IMDB (7.4/10).

THEMES - Racial prejudice, courage, reconciliation.

STORY - This HBO movie is almost a docudrama. While the facts aren't necessarily historically accurate, the people involved are historical and the overall story happened. It's 1945 and it's time for baseball to integrate. There are two 'separate but unequal' professional baseball leagues. There is the Negro League and the Major League. Everyone knows integration has to happen and it will be sooner rather than later. But Judge Landis, the Major League Commissioner keeps trying to stop it. Some of the greatest players in America are being kept out of Major League baseball because of the color of their skin. Branch Rickey, general manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, is anxious to bring Negroes into the league, not only because he knows they belong there, but he knows what they can do for his team. Under the pretext of wanting to start another team in Brooklyn for the Negro League, he begins to seriously 'scout' the Negro League for talent. He's really looking for the right one to break the color barrier. He knows it will take a very special player, not only talented, but someone who has the courage NOT to fight back. The film centers around three of the top, if not the top, candidates to be that pioneer: Satchell Paige, the legendary and colorful pitcher, Josh Gibson, a catcher and one of the greatest hitters ever to play the game (white or black) and Jackie Robinson, the college graduate and football star as well as tank commander in the Army who is new to the Negro League. We all know, of course, that Jackie Robinson became the first Negro Major League player and what an amazing career he had and how he opened the doors for scores of great black players to follow. In this film, we see the competition between these three legendary players as they begin to understand what might be happening when a certain white scout keeps showing up at the games. We see the genius of Branch Rickey as he goes through the decision making process, knowing that the first player must be the right one or it will set the cause back for decades perhaps. A terrific movie with a good historical basis as well as some creative imagination about the relationships between these three great players. Language might be a little rough for younger children but older teens and up will definitely enjoy this outstanding made for TV movie. CHECK OUT THE LINK BELOW TO THE 2008 MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL 'RIGHTING A WRONG' NEGRO LEAGUE DRAFT. My claim to fame is being the freshman coach when Dave Winfield was a freshman at the U of M. Fotunately, for him, he had the good sense not to listen to my advice. Lu G. for Lu's Reviews. 06/07/2008.

LINKS - AMAZON, IMDB, 2008 MLB NEGRO LEAGUE DRAFT