Classic Movie Reviews

Set in the south, during a time of segregation, The Defiant Ones tells the tale of two escaped convicts, chained together and running for their lives. Directed by Stanley Kramer and starring Sidney Poitier, Tony Curtis, Theodore Bikel, Charles McGraw, Lon Chaney Jr., and Cara Williams it pulls no punches in showing the racism of the time. Depending on the review you read you'll either think it's a...

We made it! 100 episodes! We spend our time talking through why we started the podcast, what it means to us, our top favorite and top worst movies and a bit of our plans for the next 100.  Thank you to each of you for listening. It means a lot to us. We love hearing your thoughts and feedback.

"The Gunfighter" tells the tale of Jimmy Ringo and his final days as he searches for a way out of his life as a “gunny”, a big time gunfighter. He tries to connect with his estranged wife and a son that doesn’t even know that the famous Jimmy Ringo is his father. Excellent dialog, fantastic music, and top notch acting all directed by Henry King. There’s a lot to like in the movie and the sense of...

Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger direct Deborah Kerr, Flora Robson, Kathleen Byron, Sabu, David Farrar, Jean Simmons and more in an epic tale filled with ghosts of the past, the power of nature and the futility of trying to fight either force. Filmed in glorious Technicolor, almost completely on a soundstage, the film triumphs as a master work of cinema. In what turns out to be almost a doubl...

We're joined by a special guest this episode, Hailey, my daughter and Bob's grand-daughter! Hailey and I watched "Murder At The Gallop" on Christmas Eve together. A totally fun way to spend the evening! We can't get enough of the scene with the cat jumping out of the closet. I mean, check out the screen grab of that amazing cat! Anyway, this movie is a hoot. We all three really enjoyed Margaret Ru...

There's a great one liner on the movie poster for "Where Eagles Dare". "One weekend Major Smith, Lieutenant Schaffer, and a beautiful blonde named Mary decided to win World War II" But really, they didn't say "a tall handsome blue eyed man named Schaffer." Ugh. Things haven't changed much in 50 years.  Anyway, the movie is an exciting roller coaster of action. And despite the trite description of...

Ester Williams headlines this drama, comedy, cartoon about the exploits of the Higgins family as they train for the English Channel swim. It's the whole family picking up from rural Arkansas and heading the the south coast of England to train and prepare for this epic swim. And why you ask are they training for this incredibly challenging swim? Well, to buy a prize bull of course! Well, that's not...

Angela Lansbury, Basil Rathbone, Glynis Johns, and Mildred Natwick, among others, round out the cast. Danny Kaye for sure carries the day with his witty one liners, crazy rhyming scenes and especially his suave portrayal of Giacomo, when he’s hypnotized and under the influence of Griselda. You’re in for a treat with “The Court Jester”. There are also some great musical numbers, surprising choreogr...

It's a creature feature double-feature. Two classics from the golden age of cinema science fiction. Aliens and giant ants in the desert threatening humanity with utter destruction. "It Came From Outer Space" and "Them!" are classics that bring back a lot of great memories for both of us. And Bob surprises me with his rating of Them!

Considered a classic western, included in several top 100 films of all times lists, and often quoted and imitated, Shane brings it all, the acting, the direction, the script, the cinematography, and on and on. It really is a great film and Bob and I couldn't stop talking about it.

Considered a classic western, included in several top 100 films of all times lists, and often quoted and imitated, Shane brings it all, the acting, the direction, the script, the cinematography, and on and on. It really is a great film and Bob and I couldn't stop talking about it.

Directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Joan Crawford and Betty Davis “What ever happened to Baby Jane?” is a strange tale of twisted fate between two sisters. The slow strange ride comes to an end on the beach with ice cream and a dance number? Well, not really, but maybe, in Baby Jane's mind anyway. 

Directed by Robert Aldrich and starring Joan Crawford and Betty Davis “What ever happened to Baby Jane?” is a strange tale of twisted fate between two sisters. It’s a slow weird ride into madness ending with a trip for ice cream to the beach! No, seriously, really.

Oliver! won 5 Oscars in 1969 including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Music. Carol Reed was once described as being able to put a picture together liked a clock maker and it shows in Oliver! The direction is top notch, the acting is outstanding, the sets are huge and amazing and the music is Oscar worthy. And yet… there’s something about the story that just doesn’t click with me and Bob. Gi...

No Way Out is a movie that is as relevant today as it was in 1950. Director Joseph L. Mankiewicz delivers an outstanding film with an all star cast including Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell and Sidney Poitier in his first major motion picture appearance. This film is brutal in its honesty and in the depiction of the state of race relations. Set mainly in and around an urban hospital it tells the st...

The Clanton’s and the Earp’s have the final showdown at the O.K. corral. Based on real life events, the film covers the lives of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday leading up to the fateful gunfight. In fact the gunfight is really only a small part of the whole movie. It’s a film more about the relationship between the two main characters, the meaning of loyalty and friendship, and the lengths to which o...

We’re wrapping up 2016 with one of our favorite all time Christmas movies appropriately title “A Christmas Story”. 

Bad Day At Black Rock is as relevant today as it was when it was released in 1955. Spencer Tracy stars as John McCreedy, on a mission to deliver a medal to the father of a man that saved his life in Italy in World War II. The people of Black Rock have secrets. They are not happy to see a stranger roll into town on the train, which hasn’t stopped in over 4 years, asking questions about a certain ho...

Genevieve, oh Genevieve, why must you be so fickle. Breaking down every few miles. It’s only 60 miles from London to Brighton but in these turn of the 20th century cars it feels more like 600! Hijinks and pranks ensue along the way. Directed by Henry Cornelius, with some sweet mouth organ tunes provided by Larry Adler, starring Dinah Sheridan, John Greyson, Kay Kendall and Kenneth More. It’s part...

Please somebody help us! We’ve wandered into the cemetery at midnight and the ghouls are out cavorting in the radiant moonlight. They’ve tied us to a post and forced us to watch “Orgy of the Dead”.

What do a contract killer, a bumbling night club owner, a corrupt chemical company CEO, and a magician/singer/patriot all have in common? Find out as we review “This Gun For Hire” starting Veronica Lake and Alan Ladd and directed by Frank Tuttle. Great directing, acting and cinematography all combine to elevate this noir thriller above the average film.

Directed by Roger Corman and starring Ray Milland, Diana Van der Vlis, Harold J. Stone and Don Rickles star in a tale of science gone wrong.

Plan 9 From Outer Space truly lives up to its reputation. Bad in almost every aspect it becomes comical to the point of almost being entertaining. Almost.

Murder On The Orient Express is the big screen adaptation of the Agatha Christie’s novel of the same title, directed by Sidney Lumet and starring, well, a LOT of top names actors and actresses with stand out performances by Albert Finney, Marin Balsam, and Ingrid Bergman (to name just a few). It’s a murder mystery set on a train but that’s just the beginning. It’s a character study, a story of rev...

The Harvey Girls tells the story of a group of women that help to open a restaurant along the Santa Fe rail line in the late 1800’s.