Hello, I’m A.C. Miller—the author of the Young Adult Dystopian series, The Perfect Circle Trilogy. Since the last book in the trilogy, Umbra, came out last year, I’ve been working on a Neo-Noir novel set in 1946. It’s currently untitled, but I’m hoping to have the first draft done within the next six months. But while I procrastinate on that, I’ll keep watching movies—something I cannot live without.
During the month of September, I watched 17 new-to-me films. Of those 17, I’ve narrowed it down to five that I would whole-heartedly recommend to any movie buff.
In no particular order, here are my favorites:
HE RAN ALL THE WAY (’51)
Starring: John Garfield, Shelley Winters, Wallace Ford, Selena Royle, Gladys George, Norman Lloyd, and Robert Hyatt
Director: John Berry
Writers: Dalton Trumbo and Hugo Butler (under the name Guy Endore due to blacklisting), Sam Ross (original novel by)
Based on the novel by Sam Ross, this film follows Nick Robey (Garfield) as he does everything he can to evade the police after a holdup goes wrong. He first seeks shelter at a pool where he meets Peg (Winters). She eventually agrees to let Nick walk her home, where he ultimately decides to hold her and her family captive in their apartment in order to stay out of sight.
For days, Garfield terrorizes Peg’s family. Her father, Fred (Ford), urges Nick to leave, says he won’t say anything, but Nick’s too paranoid to listen. He simply feels safest in the home of someone the law can’t tie him to.
After days of hiding out and trying to convince Peg to run away with him, all hell breaks loose. That’s all I’ll say without spoiling too much more of the film.
After watching this one at the beginning of the month, I knew it’d make any list I made regarding not only my favorite films of September, but of the year. John Garfield was utterly convincing as Nick Robey; his facial tics, his mannerisms, his attitude—everything showed how talented of an actor he truly was. Mix his paranoia with Peg’s fearful devotion to him, and you have a hell of a film. Shelley Winters played the apprehensive Peg as well as anyone could have. She made the audience feel her timidity, her trepidation in allowing such a man, who at once seemed kind and genuine, into her home.
It’s one of those movies where you almost want to root for the supposed bad guy because you can’t help but feel sorry for him, and you don’t even know why. He’s holding a nice family hostage, he shot and killed someone, he robbed a business. Everything says you shouldn’t root for this guy, but Garfield makes you want to. He’s just that good.
Without giving anything else away, all I can say is, if you haven’t seen this movie, drop everything you’re doing right now and watch it.
WE’RE NO ANGELS (’55)
Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Aldo Ray, Peter Ustinov, Joan Bennett, Leo G. Carroll, Basil Rathbone, Gloria Talbott, and John Baer
Director: Michael Curtiz
Writers: Ranald MacDougall, Albert Husson (wrote the play)
Set in the 1890’s around Christmastime, We’re No Angels follows three escaped prisoners (Bogart, Ray, and Ustinov) who hide out at the home of a merchant named Felix Ducotel (Carroll), and ultimately help him and his family (Bennett and Talbott) out of several sticky situations.
Originally, when these three Devil’s Island escapees show up at Felix’s shop, they intend to rob it. However, after a little eavesdropping, they learn about several dilemmas in the Ducotel household/business and decide maybe they can do a little good before they blow town.
It’s during these moments where the viewer learns everyone’s backstory, and like the previous film, makes you sympathize with the supposed bad guy(s). Maybe it’s because you never see them commit a violent crime, and instead are only exposed to their kind-hearted gestures. Or maybe it’s because it’s Bogie, Aldo, and Peter, and they’re just so dang likeable. Whatever it may be, Curtiz utilized these three to perfection in this Christmas comedy.
Overall, this was one of those pictures I can see myself watching every holiday season. It’s so full of humor (albeit, a bit dark at times), warmth, and heart. It’s one I would recommend double featuring with It’s a Wonderful Life because by the end of the showing, you’ll be full of joy and warmth. Maybe some mirth, too.
BULLETS OVER BROADWAY (’94)
Starring: John Cusack, Diane Wiest, Jennifer Tilly, Chazz Palminteri, Mary-Louise Parker, Jack Warden, Jim Broadbent, Joe Viterelli, and Rob Reiner
Director: Woody Allen
Writers: Woody Allen and Douglas McGrath
In 1928, a struggling New York playwright named David Shayne (Cusack) finally gets one of his plays produced. Unfortunately, it’s backed by a mobster, and the only way he’ll keep his money invested is if his untalented girlfriend, Olive (Tilly), gets to play the lead. With her shrill voice and lack of acting chops, it eats at David, but ultimately he accepts it because it could be his big break. Plus, he gets to fill all the other roles with actors and actresses he’s adored on stage for years.
David casts Helen (Wiest) as one of the major players, and during rehearsals falls in love with her. With that, he wants to expand her role in the show, but he knows his limitations. This is where Cheech (Palminteri) steps in. Acting as Olive’s bodyguard, Cheech is forced to attend every rehearsal to ensure nothing changes in the script and Olive remains the lead. However, Cheech has a knack for writing and the longer he watches rehearsals, the more he gets fed up with Olive’s talentless acting. This leads to him throwing out a few suggestions during rehearsals the cast loves so much, they ensure David adds them to the play. Over time, Cheech gets overly involved in re-writing the script to the point where he deems Olive as being expendable because she’s ruining “his” work. This leads to a delightfully humorous ending in which either the play comes together perfectly with a new lead, or remains dead in the water with Olive at the helm.
As a writer, this movie resonated with me. Granted, I don’t write plays, and don’t plan to, but no writer wants to see something they worked so hard on fall to pieces right in front of their eyes. I can’t imagine if I had a novel that was going to be turned into a movie, and the studio wanted to cast Pauly Shore as the lead. I’d die.
Aside from the writing aspect of the film, Allen once again shows his love for Old Hollywood by creating an atmosphere I wish I could step into. While not on par with his other films like Midnight in Paris, The Purple Rose of Cairo, or Radio Days, Bullets Over Broadway still leaves you wishing you could step through the screen and see everything firsthand.
THE HUMAN COMEDY (’43)
Starring: Mickey Rooney, Frank Morgen, James Craig, Marsha Hunt, Fay Bainter, Van Johnson, Donna Reed, Ray Collins, and Jackie Jenkins
Director: Clarence Brown
Writers: Howard Estabrook, William Saroyan (story by)
This film landed on my watchlist immediately following the death of Marsha Hunt on September 7th. I’d heard of it, but never seen it, so I figured why not dive into a two-hour family drama I’ve heard makes some people cry?
Anyways, the film takes place during World War II, and it follows Homer Macauley (Rooney) while he works at the telegraph office following the enlistment of his brother, Marcus (Johnson). There, he meets Tom (Craig) and Willie (Morgan) who run the place. Tom’s in charge and Willie decodes messages for telegrams—usually from the war office. However, Willie’s a drunk, so it’s up to Homer to keep him sober enough to type the messages, so Homer can deliver them.
While Homer’s working, the film moves about the town of Ithaca, showing the audience the deserted streets while family’s await news on their sons, brothers, or husbands in war. It also occasionally jumps to Marcus and his fellow servicemen while they prepare to fight.
It’s during these moments where one feels transported in time. You can almost feel the pain in the faces of mothers who learn their son(s) won’t be coming home. And if that’s not enough, any time one of these comes through, Homer gets more and more anxious thinking the next one will have his brother’s name on it. I can’t imagine the worry, the anxiety of not knowing if your loved one is alive. In this day and age, if I don’t hear back on a text the same day, I get worried—but to not know anything for weeks or even months? I don’t know how they did it. I just know they’re tougher than I am.
In the end, this is a wartime film everyone should see at least once, if not thirty times minimum. It’ll warm your heart and break it . . . all in less than two hours. I mean, what else do you need in cinema?
PRESCRIPTION: MURDER (’68)
Starring: Peter Falk, Gene Barry, Katherine Justice, Nina Foch, William Windom, Virginia Gregg, and Andrea King
Director: Richard Irving
Writers: Richard Levinson and William Link
It only took 31 years of being alive, but I finally started the acclaimed TV series, Columbo. Well, the TV movie that started it all (aside from an early 60’s play) . . . and let’s just say, Columbo (Falk) makes most detectives not named Nick Charles look like amateurs.
In the movie, Dr. Ray Flemming (Barry) has an affair with a patient and together, the two of them come up with a scheme to kill Flemming’s wife, Carol (Foch). After getting every element of the murder scheduled to a T, Flemming murders his wife, and feels there’s no evidence in the world that can bring him down.
Enter: Lt. Columbo.
Columbo and Flemming meet at the scene of the crime (Flemming’s apartment) and Columbo asks him a series of questions, as any good detective would. Flemming avoids admitting anything too damning and that’s that. However, Columbo has this sense that something’s up. As the film progresses, the two of them find themselves in many situations until it becomes clear Flemming will never admit anything. So, Columbo takes it on himself to get an answer out of Flemming’s mistress, Joan Hudson (Justice) . . . and let’s just say, she’s not as stone-faced as the doctor.
For fear of spoiling anything for anyone else who’s reading this and hasn’t seen a Columbo episode, I just want you to know you’re not alone. I received some flak for mentioning I’d never seen Columbo and honestly, they were right in doing so. It’s just so good! Falk is a menace as a detective, but he does it almost more psychologically. He continually shows up when Flemming least expects him and prods at him until he slips up. He’s basically a shark. He sees one drop of blood and nobody stands a chance. Honestly, the more I type about this TV movie, the more I just want to drop everything and go watch some of the show. So, I think I will.
Honorable Mention:
PHONE CALL FROM A STRANGER (’52)
This article is brought to you by Breakfast At Dominique’s, a coffee company bringing you officially licensed signature coffee blends of icons throughout history including James Dean, Joan Crawford, Hedy Lamarr, Boris Karloff, Cara Williams, and Jean Harlow. Visit our shop to order a bag of coffee featuring your favorite classic Hollywood icon.
