Family Friendly Movies

Moontide

by user
February 20, 2016February 10, 2024

Moontide (1942) starring Jean Gabin, Ida Lupino, Thomas Mitchell, directed by Fritz Lang and Archie Mayo

Moontide is a variety of things — a forgotten movie with excellent acting, a character study, a film noir. It’s the story of a French wanderer named Bobo (Jean Gabin). Bobo is a handsome, hard-drinking man who considers himself a wandering gypsy. He wanders from place to place and job to job. His best friend Tiny (Thomas Mitchell) tails him. But this friend is more of a leech. He blackmails Bobo into paying his bills so that Tiny doesn’t have to work for a living.

Until they come to a small fishing town, and Bobo falls for a beautiful waitress (Ida Lupino). And after Bobo rescues her from an attempted suicide by drowning, the two begin falling in love. Then, Bobo begins to think about settling down for the first time … But that doesn’t fit in with Tiny’s plans. And an old man has been murdered. But Bobo remembers nothing about it since he was drinking at the time …

Thirty Seconds over Tokyo

by user
February 19, 2016March 4, 2023

Thirty Seconds over Tokyo (1944) starring Van Johnson, Phyllis Thaxter, Spencer Tracy, Robert Walker, Robert Mitchum

The old adage says that you shouldn’t judge a book by its’ cover — and that goes for DVD cases as well. Judging from the DVD case, you would think that Thirty Seconds over Tokyo is starring Spencer Tracy — and you would be wrong. Spencer Tracy does appear, and he does a fine job portraying James Doolittle, the man behind the World War II raid on Tokyo. But the central character in this movie is pilot Ted Lawson. Van Johnson portrays him excellently. The movie breaks into three parts:

I Married a Witch

by user
February 17, 2016July 8, 2023

I Married a Witch (1942) starring Fredric March, Veronica Lake, Susan Hayward, Cecil Kellaway

I Married a Witch is a screwball comedy with a magical twist. The men in the Woolsey family are cursed — to marry the wrong woman. Ever since a pilgrim ancestor was instrumental in burning a father and daughter witch at the stake. Their evil spirits have been captured in a tree ever since. Until a lightning bolt strikes the tree, and frees them, and they decide to have their revenge on the last of the Woolseys … But something goes wrong!

Modern Times

by user
February 17, 2016March 27, 2022

Summary of Modern Times, (1936), starring Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard

Modern Times begins with Charlie Chaplin as Charlie the Little Tramp gainfully employed at a factory. However, the strict regimentation is driving him to the brink … Then over the brink, when the factory owner has him as the “guinea pig” for a “time-saving” feeding machine. This leads to Charlie spending time in a mental hospital. Cured after his breakdown. But then he is arrested and jailed when …. He innocently picks up a red flag that has fallen off the back of a truck and runs down the street to return it …. Just when a communist demonstration comes around the corner. He meets Paulette Goddard as ‘The Gamin’ (a street urchin) in the back of the police van. She is arrested for stealing bread. From then on the theme is about the two trying to get along in … modern times

A King in New York

by user
February 16, 2016November 3, 2021

movie review of A King in New York (1957) starring Charlie Chaplin, Dawn Addams There are some people who consider A King in New York… Read More »A King in New York

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse

by user
February 16, 2016June 12, 2022

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938), starring Edward G. Robinson, Humphrey Bogart, Claire Trevor, Allen Jenkins

Editorial review of The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse, courtesy of Amazon.com

The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse is a stylish, often amusing crime drama, this 1938 feature revolves around a central, improbable plot twist that consciously serves its casting against type: as the eponymous doctor, Edward G. Robinson, who had helped define the Warner Bros. style for gritty gangster sagas, jettisons his signature snarl in favor of a plummy, vaguely English accent that underlines his urbane sophistication. Dr. Clitterhouse is a creature of privilege who embarks on a criminal life not out of desperation, but rather through intellectual curiosity; instead of slouch hats and suits, he has marcelled hair and first appears in white tie and tails. He begins pulling off “perfect” jewel thefts as research into the criminal mind, but his gradual immersion in New York’s shadowy demimonde of thieves and fences eventually finds the good doctor between those two worlds.

Black Legion

by user
February 16, 2016April 9, 2021

Black Legion (1936) starring Humphrey Bogart, Dick Foran, Ann Sheridan, directed by Michael Curtiz

Editorial review of Black Legion, courtesy of Amazon.com

Black Legion – One of Humphrey Bogart‘s earliest starring vehicles, this 1936 melodrama typifies the Warner Bros. touch in its modest but potent production values and Depression-era social acumen. Prompted by contemporary news reports of new neofascist groups targeting political and religious minorities, the script conjures up a shadowy, Klan-like organization preying on factory workers to set them against blue-collar immigrants. Bogart is Frank Taylor, a hard-working drill-press operator hoping for a promotion that can help him better provide for his adoring wife and cherubic young son. Frank’s coworkers reassure him he’ll snag the foreman’s post, but when a studious young Polish American gets the nod, Frank’s bitter disappointment sets the stage for the tragedy that follows. Read More »Black Legion

Predictions for the series finale of Gravity Falls

by user
February 15, 2016May 2, 2022

Since the series finale of Gravity Falls is about to air, I wanted to post my predictions:

Babes in Toyland (1961) starring Ray Bolger, Annette Funicello, Tommy Kirk, Ed Wynn

Babes in Toyland [Annette Funiceello]

by user
February 14, 2016June 12, 2022

Babes in Toyland (1961) starring Ray Bolger, Annette Funicello, Tommy Sands, Ed Wynn

I am a large fan of Laurel and Hardy’s March of the Wooden Soldier. It’s a wonderful children’s story for adults. Which, among other things, had a live-action version of Mickey Mouse appear. This was done with Walt Disney’s permission, since he and producer Hal Roach were close friends. In the same way, Walt Disney’s version of the story, Babes in Toyland had a comedy team impersonating Laurel and Hardy. And although I saw it many years ago as a child, I was eager to see it again as an adult.

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

by user
February 14, 2016February 1, 2022

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961) starring Walter Pidgeon, Joan Fontaine, Barbara Eden, Peter Lorre, Robert Sterling, Frankie Avalon, produced by Irwin Allen

Walter Pidgeon, Robert Taylor and Peter Lorre discuss the Admiral's plan in Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

First, I’d like to point of the positive points of Irwin Allen‘s Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. And that begins with the fine acting by all involved. Some of my favorite actors appear here, including Walter Pidgeon (Forbidden Planet), Peter Lorre (M), etc. Also the special effects, and the sets are fine. The scenes on board the submarine actually look like what we would expect a submarine to look like. Even the fantastic effects (giant squid, etc.) look “right.”