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Classic Movies

I could never 'get' John Mills either. I certainly wouldn't describe him as one of the best actors ever.

Not best ever actor but...

Ice Cold In Alex
Oh What A Lovely War
Hobsons Choice

Ryans Daughter ( towering performance )
 
Not best ever actor but...

Ice Cold In Alex
Oh What A Lovely War
Hobsons Choice

Ryans Daughter ( towering performance )
I said 'one of' which I stand by. The field is quite large, I would also put Alfred Burke right up there.
 
Wow, have never seen that. I do really like Kenneth Moore though, if you ever get the chance to see 'The comedy man' I urge you to do so.

I saw the Kenneth More '39 Steps' many years ago, possibly on TV. Have never heard of 'The Comedy Man'. Will check it out.
 
I saw the Kenneth More '39 Steps' many years ago, possibly on TV. Have never heard of 'The Comedy Man'. Will check it out.
A genuinely great film. A little dated in parts, gender politics a bit iffy but illustrates the struggles of a jobbing actor really well.

Wonderful scene where Moore watches another actor rehearsing & the camera cuts back to him mouthing the words, one of the best pieces of acting I've ever seen. At the time his own career was on the slide as he didn't really fit into the 60s scene, a bit too charming & posh.
 
I'd just re read 39 steps (mistake) and dug out my old DVD with Moore in the role. That film portrays Hannay as a brit gentleman (he was scots/ south african), introduces women to the plot (shudder), and encourages Moore to stroll through with a brave smile and a jaunty whistle, wheras the book has a bored ex pat thrown into a deadly political adventure, scraping through by his wits. I like Moore in 'Reach for the sky', that role suited the character he usually plays very well, but not this role for that character IMO.

Anyway, continuing the classic theme...

The other best (old, pre spag western) cowboy movies for me are:
John Wayne's 'El Dorado' with excellent support from Mitchum and James Caan.
'High Noon' ofc. Shot in real time...first movie to do so I think and an excellent Gary Cooper in charge throughout.
'The man who shot liberty valance' starring James Stewart, supported by Wayne and an excellent Lee Marvin as Valance.

Other Americana has to include:
'Casablanca' and 'The African Queen' for Bogart fans (the latter being Bogarts only Oscar I think).
'Some like it hot' for the best of the Monroe films (NOT just for the dress under the spotlight in the cabaret scene, cough) with Lemmon and Curtis, the former on his best form outside 'The Apartment'
and of the more intellectual stuff, John Ford's 'The grapes of wrath' stands out for me.
 
On classic must-sees, Am I alone in being unmoved watching ‘Citizen Kane’?

Maybe it’s on the back of hearing everywhere how brilliant is, and the resultant expectation bias?
 
On classic must-sees, Am I alone in being unmoved watching ‘Citizen Kane’?

Maybe it’s on the back of hearing everywhere how brilliant is, and the resultant expectation bias?
I think it is a great film but has become a victim of imitation
 
On classic must-sees, Am I alone in being unmoved watching ‘Citizen Kane’?

Maybe it’s on the back of hearing everywhere how brilliant is, and the resultant expectation bias?

I was blown away by it the first time I saw it in my early teens, with no expectations or preconceptions, but I can see that it's so often hyped as 'the best film ever made' that it's almost bound to be underwhelming for many people.
 
On classic must-sees, Am I alone in being unmoved watching ‘Citizen Kane’?

Maybe it’s on the back of hearing everywhere how brilliant is, and the resultant expectation bias?
You're not alone. I think it's more about what it was when it came out and what had gone before. The same applies to the Beatles, "Love Me Do" is hardly the pinnacle of pop precision but at the time nobody had ever heard the like. Tracey Emin's work is lauded (I'm not sure why but that's just me). However if I, 20-odd years later, exhibit a tent with the names of everyone I've ever slept with written upon it, it's not innovative art but old news.
 
A bit like 'rear window' for me...everyone raves about its classic status, but 'Psycho' was far far better IMO. Kane was 'ok' as a film, although the photography was first rate, if heavily influenced by 'Dr Caligari's cabinet'. Now that was innovative! :)
 
I remember watching Citizen Kane for the first time, knowing it was supposed to be great and being really confused initially as it was nothing like what I expected. I did enjoy it and the Rosebud thing got me as well.
 
Q for Woodface. Can you suggest a cut off date for 'classic' status? I have a huge list but was wondering what you thought about status approval? 50 years old? As in 'antique'?
 
Wow, have never seen that. I do really like Kenneth Moore though, if you ever get the chance to see 'The comedy man' I urge you to do so.

The Kenneth More 39 Steps was the first I saw...possibly at the cinema. It wasn't bad for that era. Other notable More films include the delightfully middle class and 50s soaked Genevieve ..and North West Frontier which is a 'ripping yarn'.. well shot and with many genuinely exciting scenes. Suffers a bit now from colonial attitudes. I also recall seeing a More comedy called Man in the Moon... not great. His role as Douglas Bader in 'Reach For The Sky' has not aged well IME.
 


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