1930s Hall of Fame Part 2

If you watched more older films, like 1930s films, you would develop a frame work in your mind and then be able to appreciate the greatness of films past.

That would be astute criticism of a modern film, but this film was ground breaking, it was literally the first of it's type and IMO deserves much credit for that. It's based on a true story, so true...that at the time the man featured in the movie was actually on the run and hiding out during the filming of this movie. The film then helped to earn him a pardon and bring an end to the cruel chain gangs. I think that is worth a popcorn barrel or two.


I support everyone's right to view and rate any film they watch as they see fit, but really? you're going to knock it because it's been copied in the present?

Ha! LMAO...good one

Not exactly because of that. For me it just doesn't offer anything new or even be especially good in its peer group. I'm quite sure I'd have rated it higher in 1930s but sadly it's 2010s now and I can't forget my past experiences every time I watch a new film (as fantastic as that might actually be).

Like I've said in the past for me the movie is only as good as the experience of watching it. I'm not going to Google historic significance, contemporary reactions or anything like that to to adjust my score.

So no, I'm not knocking it because it's been copied but because (in my opinion) many of those copies are actually better films and I was only rather mildly entertained by it.

I'll have to read that review AFTER I see Red Dust.

We do have our first review for I am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang.
I definitely get your feeling about watching a film that has been repeated so many times since then, @pahaK. I found myself doing that with The Roaring Twenties and had to fight the urge and watch it as is, not as subject matter I've seen so many times previously.

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What I actually said to win MovieGal's heart:
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that is a VERY COOL bit of trivia!!

Roaring Twenties



A pretty good movie. I felt the crime related scenes were the weak point though as they weren't all that realistic for me for whatever reason. Regardless, I thought Bogart and Cagney played well off of one another, and Priscilla Lane was pretty good in her role too. From a historical standpoint I think it did a good job in being realistic about how prohibition played out during this time period, I just felt it did a little injustice to the mobs that were present around this time. Then again, this was made nearly 80 years ago so maybe it should be given some slack from me. I felt more drawn towards the story of the film in the first half for whatever reason as we got to learn about the characters. Once the action and shoot em ups started it surprisingly lost a bit of it's luster. I don't have a lot to say other than that but I am glad that I got around to finally seeing it.

Did I mention that Ian Wolfe, better known as Mr Atoz to Star Trek fans, was the father in Mad Love

you HAVE now lol

Hey guys, I found a better copy of Of Mice and Men if anyone wants a link...

Of Mice and Men (1939)

1939 was stacked. The fact that I'm still finding films I enjoy from '39 is testament to its greatness. Add Of Mice and Men to that list despite having a couple of issues with it.

Burgess Meredith is excellent as George Milton and his performance drives the plot. Essentially the character is at the crux of these peoples lives, acting as a shoulder or moral compass so to speak. Watching him play off other characters is what drew me in to the story. I was also impressed by Lon Chaney Jr as Lennie who I only know for the monsters he would go on to play. This role led to him being type cast in future films. Every other character feels a little bit off. I think that comes down to quite a bit of the dialogue being played as stagy or over dramatic. Which I wasn't keen on. Also, not a fan of Curley's characterisation who is like the walking embodiment of an alien or something. He just doesn't seem like an actual human being. Probably Steinbeck's intention. The story does have some nice poignant moments though.

Knowing when to settle or provide a unique angle can be a challenge for some directors from this period but this was a good watch on the visual front. Some scenes towards the end really stood out and I can see them sticking with me. There's a reverse tracking shot there that's perfect and it kind of blew me away.

I was just thinking while watching Red Dust that I see a lot of these old movies with prostitutes, but in many of them I only know the character is a prostitute because it says so in the synopsis. There's no getting around it in this movie as that's the whole story. Of course, it could all have to do with censorship differences between countries. I have no idea.

I liked how the main character is squarely portrayed as a victim. It seems that over 80 years later, in reality, are we now just seeing laws and society view these girls as victims rather than criminals. Also, the children are often the unseen victims, except in this movie we do see it. It's an important piece that is too often an afterthought. I was surprised to see this woman end up with a pimp, another aspect that seems rare in old films. I also thought that was handled pretty well. It may seem odd to some that she ended up involved with that guy. It is in a way in that she's no rookie so she obviously knows about these predators, and she may have had one previously before the action in the movie starts. Unfortunately for her, once he saves her from arrest, she owes him, or at least that's what the code of the streets say. It's like being in jail; don't let anyone do any favors for you. These worlds and the people who live in them abide by their own sets of rules. These girls, except in very rare instances, do not seek help from the police either. I think that is starting to finally change a little bit now, at least in America, as law enforcement has started to go after the pimps as human traffickers.

The lead actress is fantastic and the rest of the cast as good as needed. The way the subtitles were presented, at least in the version I watched, were extremely easy to read. I'm not doing backflips or anything after watching this but it's an extremely effective and well done movie.

I believe Chyp was and yes, I would love one as well. THANK YOU SO MUCH Mija!!

cricket MAY be in making of a record for Fastest Participation in a Hall of Fame!!!
What's it been, like four days and he his at 8/11?

I feel slow as a snail this go around. I won't even have time to get to my third until Sunday night or Monday with a busy weekend ahead

I'm putting another on now but still about 10 days until I finish.

i feel you pain, looking at how many I've done while sitting between cricket and citizen on the front page I'm like a valley between two mountain peaks

I think I will go with Humanity and Paper Balloons next though, although I thought about a rewatch of It Happened One Night next too. Think the next go around will be my sixth watch!

I watched this last night, I hadn't seen it in like 15 years. I remember when I first seen it I was blown away by the story! This is one of those 1930s films that got me hooked on movie watching. When I joined MoFo and started doing Hofs I made me a list of movies that I might nominate and this was one of them. Well I never did nominate it, but was glad to see it here.

I like to say I was still blown away, but that wouldn't be true. No, it's not the fault of the film that I didn't experience the same impact as before. It happens to me with most mystery-thrillers, I already knew how this turned out, so the punch that this film delivered was somewhat subdued. Perhaps if it had spent more time in the chain gang prison, or spent more time on character development, it might have been the 1930s equivalent of The Shawshank Redemption.

But as it was, it goes straight for the chase and I already know what happens. But I bet audiences in 1932 were shocked out of their seats by this exposé on the corruption & abuse of the southern prison system. Hell, if this was the 1930s and I had just seen this movie, I would NEVER EVER set foot in Georgia.

So did I like it? Yes! Paul Muni was great in this and it was totally great to see how a chain gang operated, yikes!...

Kudos to Glenda Farrell, the blonde girlfriend who knives him in the back. I've never seen her play a role like this one, usually she's in comedies and is the likable brassy blonde with a sharp wit and a big heart.

BTW do you guys know this was based on a very true story and the man who wrote the book was actually on the lam during the making of this film.

@Pussy Galore very cool nomination!

Attachments

 

Spoilers, I say, spoilers

A worthwhile crime drama that helped lift the lid on pitiless penal practises.

Paul Muni puts in a very good shift as the unfairly-done-by protagonist, showing a suitable mix of both strength and weakness, and the support he is given is mostly fine though for me Hale Hamilton's performance as his brother is a little weak.

The economy of storytelling is quite nice in places but the balance isn't perfect imo with the first escape sequence feeling rather rushed (kudos for the very nice water sequence though) and what should be one of the most emotionally affecting parts of the tale, the second stint on the chain gang, far too brief which is also a shame as the prison and chain-gang scenes were generally nicely staged.

That events are based in reality certainly gives proceedings an extra gravitas and whilst some may find the lack of closure a little frustrating, for me it ends on the perfect note that indicts a system completely uninterested in potential rehabilitation.

Overall it's a very worthy nomination that it turns out I had actually seen at least most of before (decades ago) and one I'm very glad was nominated.

It's one of the best films of its kind.

No. No! Nooooo!!! Don't use this annoying, normie argument. This film is outstanding compared to so many new films similar to it. Very few (if any) contemporary prison films get to this level. When he says these few final lines while slowly descending into shadows - this is what cinema is all about. Which contemporary director would have had balls big enough to direct this scene this way? It's both terrifying and beautiful.
That's obvious. However, in this case the what-has-happened in real world is a meta message of the film, so it is a part of it.

Then you have crap taste. Simple as that. And your TOP 10 isn't even that bad... What happened?


I can't fight off the impression that you lack enthusiasm and don't really love watching these films, guys. But maybe that's just a matter of wording. I too often come off as way less excited and in love than I really am. You sound so distant, so removed from it. As if you were saying, yep it's good, but nothing great. Yeah, you know, it was okayish.
Blah. More love for cinema, please! Some of you also give me this "I'm just getting into cinema" vibe and this might be true for some of you in some ways! Yes, I'm done whining.

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Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.