Citizen Rules...Cinemaesque Chat-n-Review

Very underrated movie...it's somewhere in the top five of my list of best sequels.

I need to get on those Psycho sequels...

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Director: Vincente Minnelli
Cast: Howard Keel, Ann Blyth, Dolores Gray,
Genre: Adventure, Musical, Fantasy
Studio: MGM

In 1955 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer released the fourth and finally version of Kismet based on the successful stage play of 1911. However this time around MGM broke with tradition and made a musical with their version. Filming was done in the new wide screen Cinemascope process and using the newly available Eastman Color Film. Kismet stars one of movie musical greats, Howard Keel.

Set in ancient Arabia, a poor but charming street beggar, who fancies himself a poet is caught stealing. But his sharp wit and charm helps him talk his way out of punishment and into the good graces of a rich man and powerful man, the Wazir. His trick is he pretends to be a great a magician. The beggar also has a beautiful daughter who meets and falls in love with a mysterious man, who might be a prince.



As a secondary story line, we're introduced to the poet's daughter Marsinah played by the lovely Ann Blyth as she is wooed by the young handsome prince, the young Caliph (Vic Damone). The Caliph has snuck into the garden and their love is a secret one. They share a duet on the ballad Stranger in Paradise.


One look at that above photo and you can tell the art direction is under the supervision of one the greats, Vincente Minnelli. Kismet is not a widely known musical probably because the story is more of a fable than modern audiences are use to. It does have some great songs with lavish productions as one would expect from a MGM musical.

Best of all it has Howard Keel and Dolores Gray both who can belt out a tune! and so can Ann Blyth. The colors of the film with their rich pastels are amazing, and it's a fun & lively movie thanks to Howard Keel.

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Always beautiful layout work, Citizen! And though I may not agree or have seen every movie you inspect and present, I really dig your style and appreciate your thoughts and intelligence on these. Thanks!

Thanks, I made that top 3 panel photo too. I spend way too much time on photos!

Director: John Ford
Writers: William White (book), Frank Wead (screenplay)
Cast: Robert Montgomery, John Wayne, Donna Reed, Jack Hold, Ward Bond
Genre: Drama War

They Were Expendable is based on a novel written by William L. White. White's novel while fictional, was based on his own war time experience with 'Torpedo Boat Squadron Three'....The PT boats were used in the South Pacific during WWII to guard against Japanese invasion during the Battle of the Philippines.


The movie follows the novel and offers up a dramatized and exciting account of the role of the American PT Boats in the defense of the Philippines in World War II

If your not a war buff, then this film might not have much to offer you. There's little in the way of character development and little characterization, it's more like a documentary, which I thought was cool. But after watching the film, I asked myself what was John Wayne and Robert Montgomery characters all about?

On the other hand this is a 'technical' film...most all of the outside shots are done on location in the Florida Keys which to me looked like the infamous shores of Bataan and Karigador in the Philippines, much better than on being shot on a back of a studio lot.

Real Navy PT boats were used which really added to the reality of the film. It's a good film for learning a part of WWII U.S. history in the Pacific Theater. Not surprising then, the movie was Oscar nominated for Best Special Effects.


A nod to Donna Reed who aptly plays a field nurse stationed in Bataan. I shudder to think what would have happened to her character in real life.

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Director: John Hughes
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: John Candy, Macaulay Culkin, Jean Louisa Kelly
Genre: Comedy

Uncle Buck, confirmed bachelor and all round slob, is asked to babysit his brother's unruly teenage daughter and the two younger kids. A task that he takes very seriously, but in his own Uncle Buck way.

In the 1980's director/writer/producer/ John Hughes was on a role, giving us some of the best loved comedies of the 1980s: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles are among his greats.


Uncle Buck stars the ever likable goof, John Candy. Hughes who's famous for discovering his muse Molly Ringwald, gave another teen age actresses her first big staring role here, Jean Louisa Kelly...She's good but doesn't have the comedy ability of Molly Ringwald, which is OK because John Candy has more than enough laughs for the entire movie.

The film is full of funny bits. Everyone knows the drill scene. One of my favorites was the 'how many questions', funny! So was the bit with John Candy talking to the school assistant principal about her mole.


Maybe this isn't my favorite Hughes film and it's not my favorite John Candy film, but it's a fun watch that made me smile and even laugh at times.

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Uncle Buck IS good fun. Been some time since I see it though

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Uncle Buck was on pretty regular rotation at my house when I was young. My dad loved John Candy. Buck and Suimmer Rental were the go to movies for him. I have fond memories of both but no real desire to revisit them.

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I've been working on watching all of John Candy's movies. I've only got a few more to go and if I would stop joining those pesky Hofs (differently joking)! I'd be finished by now If there's ever another comedy Hof, a Candy movie might be in order...but not Uncle Buck it's not a fav. More like Summer Rental or Only the Lonely would be my top Candy movies.

My favorite Candy role was Del Griffith from Planes, Trains and Automobiles. I thought the movie was Hughes's best, too. Very funny and moving (if not a bit of overkill on the manipulation with Ira Newborn's overdone music score).

Yup good one, I gave that a 4/5 here's my review of it:
Planes, Trains and Automobiles

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The Great Outdoors (1988)
Director: Howard Deutch
Writer: John Hughes
Cast: Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening
Genre: Comedy

John Candy is a hard working family man from Chicago. Who heads to the great outdoors for an old fashion family vacation. But wouldn't you know it, his rich loudmouth in-law Dan Aykroyd drops in with his family and the two mismatched families then have to get along and share the vacation.


OK so it's not an original movie idea...and sure it sounds a lot like Christmas Vacation (1989)...but it's got a comedy powerhouse duo in John Candy and Dan Aykroyd. Written and produced by John Hughes, The Great Outdoors shares a lot in common with his other films...This one can be more over the top and slap stick...and yet it still works if you don't look for logic...and why would you in this type of film?

Both the wives are as funny as their more famous husbands. I liked Stephanie Farcy as John Candy's sweet and done to earth wife. She has real charm on the screen and helps to balance the mad cap comedy. Annette Bening in her first movie role plays Dan Aykroyd's wife and they're both well to do snobs, very funny too. The kids however were through away characters but ah they made good bear bait!


Some great scenes in this one! From the bat in the face, to the bald giant bear, to the water skiing and lets not forget the 96 ounce steak that John Candy has to eat if he wants his dinner free.

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Always thought the same thing about the teenage romance subplot. Goes absolutely nowhere...in very dull and eye rolling fashion. Still really enjoy the movie, though. Nice review!

I still have Planes, Trains and Automobiles on my watchlist from when you and Capt. Steel recommended it. Hopefully I'll get to it soon, now that I finished watching movies for the 1940s countdown.

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OPEN FLOOR.

It's a good movie to watch shortly before Thanksgiving (since that's when the movie takes place).

Rules, I don't remember what you rated Summer Rental, but which was better in your opinion? (I still have never watched The Great Outdoors.)

Thanks for the info. I'll try to watch it around then if possible.

I have to confess that The Great Outdoors is a guilty pleasure of mine.