Cinecon Review Page

This was one of the best Cinecon's in years. My favorite Cinecon is still Cinecon 31, but this one was really good too. Lots of good films, few that were really bad, and everything shown on schedule (unlike usual) - Hurrah!. Only bad things this year is first and foremost: the cell phones that kept ringing during movie after movie. Believe it or not - a man sitting down the row from me during one of the silent film screenings actually answered his cell phone and had a fairly loud, ten to fifteen minute (!!) conversation while the person in front of him kept turning around and glaring. Absolutely unbelievable. I say, have everyone check the cell phones at the door. One other minor negative this year - no programs available when I picked up my package, I saw other people with them later but they never seemed to have them when I went up there to get one until finally midday on Friday - bad timing for me, I guess. Seemed like more girls in attendance this year - first time I had to wait in a line at the girl's b-room (several times too, usually none!).
Luckily, I only missed two films over the weekend - The Dark Horse and Transatlantic (both shown late night - a bit too late for me, what with catching the subway train, getting all the way home, getting some sleep, and making it back for the early morning screening). Here is my review of the films shown:

Favorite silents of the weekend:

AFTER MIDNIGHT (1927) - All about two sisters, Mary (played by Norma Shearer) and Maizie (Gwen Lee). Mary earns $25 a week but still manages to save to get a $1000 Liberty Bond. Maizie is forever the party girl - at one point she actually takes the girls rent money to buy herself a rather expensive party dress. Mary is coming home from work one night, gets mugged by handsome Lawrence Gray, who forces her to pay $10 to him for a piece of lead pipe. When he walks away, she clobbers him on the back of the head with the pipe. When she sees the blood on his head (now here's the weird part - girls, don't do this at home) she actually feels sorry for the thug and drags his unconcious body home to heal him! Well, gee, guess what happens? She thinks he's CUTE (I just knew when I saw that handsome face up on the screen he was going to play a big part in this). He reforms and looks for a job. But soon through a few misunderstandings, Mary thinks he is back to his life of crime, so she suddenly decides to become a wild party girl like her sister (well, sis Maizie did at one point go to a party where the rich host gave all the girl "guests" free $1000 Liberty Bonds, which Mary had had to work SO hard to save for). This party girl life does not work out well for Mary as tragedy strikes the very night of her first night of party and drinks. Loved, loved, loved this film. The last screening of the Thursday evening, I stayed late just 'cause I LOVE Norma Shearer - I am really glad I did. (4 stars)

DOUGLAS FAIRBANKS IN ROBIN HOOD (1922) - Seen this one before, but still really enjoyed seeing this on the big screen. The music by Jon Mirsalis was super good, really enjoyed it. The earlier part of the film (like the first hour) was, admittedly a bit slow - but the second half was great. Now Douglas Fairbanks is hardly my idea of a handsome leading man or ideal Robin Hood for that matter (hmm - in my mind, someone a bit hunkier is better, like say the later version with beautiful / hunky Errol Flynn in the role). But I love when he does all his stunts - like sliding down the curtain, etc. Really enjoyed this. (4 stars)

THE CARDBOARD LOVER (1928) - Marion Davies, autograph fiend, is on holiday in the French Riviera. She is in a sort of Grand Hotel, spotting celebrities to sign her book (already signed by such notables as The Dolly Sisters and John Gilbert). Coming across a famous tennis star, played by Nils Asther, she begs for his autograph. Her ink pen not working, he is annoyed - so she doesn't get the autograph. Meanwhile he is obsessed with his girlfriend (Jetta Goudal) the Vamp. When Marion confronts him again later for the autograph they come up with this idea that she pretend to be his new girlfriend so that he can lose interest in Vamp Girl. There are several really good scenes in this film including a great scene of her chasing around after him where the camera shows just close-ups of the legs of everyone. Also, Marion does an impersonation of Vamp Girl that is really, really funny. There is also a scene I enjoyed where Marion dresses as the bellboy. Super enjoyable movie. (4 stars)

THE HOODLUM (1919) - Mary Pickford, a favorite of mine, is a young girl (not tot - but young teenager or thereabouts, maybe) - sort of being raised by her Granddaddy. The Grandfather is going to take her on an ocean voyage to Europe, and, well, being a pampered, spoiled young rich girl, she first is excited about the trip, then when daddy comes home, she suddenly doesn't want to go on the trip. Poor grandpa has to go it alone. She goes off with Papa (a real social philanthropist guy, it seems) to live in the slums of New York. Well, she didn't really know in advance what it would be like, and spoiled little rich girl is appalled at the people, the dirt, the poverty, etc. She soon learns to adapt to the situation though, gets herself a street urchin outfit to wear, complete with really wild big bead necklace, and starts swearing and rolling dice with the other young street urchins. She befriends a young man in the window across the way, who by coincidence spent time in jail because of being railroaded by her Granddaddy. Well, young Mary comes to change her ways in the world and soon teaches Grandpa the right way too. Loved this movie. (4 stars)

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MORE Silents I saw:

THE CAT AND THE CANARY (1927) - A warhorse, yes, but a really gorgeous print, tinted yellow, with a good new orchestral score by Neil Brand. Having seen this before, still this new print looked so great - I REALLY enjoyed this one. The family gathers together in a spooky old house to hear the reading of the will of the dead, rich, eccentric relation who lived in the house. When the will is read, pretty little Laura La Plante is named to inherit the entire estate - provided that the doctor (who when he arrives seems TRULY crazy to me) affirms she is NOT insane. If she is found to be insane, a second, unnamed person will inherit all. Of course, the safe with the original will has been found to have been opened by someone and the will papers tampered with - so "someone" knows who is to inherit if she is found to be insane. Gee - guess what happens. They all bed down for the night, and all kinds of "spooky stuff" keeps happening all night long. All so familiar - classic spooky house with guests staying the night stuff. Ya know - walls opening, secret sliding panels, claw-like hands coming out of nowhere, people disappearing, etc. Super. (3.75 stars)

K THE UNKNOWN (1924) - Two young men, one pudgy, one handsome but geeky, both love the same girl, played by Virginia Valli. They are seen in the beginning vying for her attentions. Meanwhile, seems her family has taken in a mysterious boarder, known only as "K". Pudgy young boyfriend is jealous, but she says there is no need as K is an old gray-hair guy. Well, he shows up and is not as gray hair as she indicated, but certainly mysterious. She works at a hospital and a new doctor arrives in town, famous 'cause he is the only person who can perform (hmm - here's yet another mystery) the "Edward's Operation". Since this is yet another film where the girl wants a "successful" guy - someone who has done something "important in the world" - she is soon dating the new doctor, but his nurse is totally in love with Doctor and soon gives the wrong drug (or something like that) to a poor patient (seen writhing in agony!) so that Virginia gets the blame and gets fired. Later, the mysterious K is revealed to be someone no one knew he was (!) and gee, guess who ends up with him? The print of this looked pretty, and the movie was very good too. (3.5 stars)

SHARP SHOOTERS (1928) - One of those 3 sailors on leave movies (gosh, seems like there is a lot of those - why is it always 3 guys, never four or two - hmm?) They hit the bars of France and boastful, conceited, braggart George O'Brien (shucks - not exactly this girl's idea of a hunk - I prefer the skinny, boyish, intellectual, film buff, bookworm type myself, actually) boasts that he can even get beautiful young Lois Moran, apparently a girl unreachable to any man. Well apparently his conceit was correct, he seduces her, they are inseparable at the docks when he must return to ship, and then she actually leaves France and chases after him - much to his chagrin. Well, she takes a job at some nightclub in the states, longing to run into her "Love" and then in the same club, actually does run into him (after dancing with one sailor after the next). Alls well that ends well, you might say, in the end. Enjoyable. (3 stars)

THE CAPTIVE (1915) - Blanche Sweet and her little brother live on a farm. Prisoners of War are assigned farms to work while the local men are off fighting. Handsome House Peters is assigned their farm and Blanche treats him like a criminal, locking him in at night, etc. Little Bro really likes him though, so unlocks said door for him. Of course, these two, plus Little Bro, walk off into the sunset together. Quite good film. (3 stars)

THAT CERTAIN THING (1928) - The Box Lunch movie. Young Ralph Graves' father owns a chain of restaurants. Viola Dana, one of those girls in search of a millionaire you keep seeing in movie after movie, lands him and marries him the first night. Her family is thrilled - his isn't, and his father promptly disinherits him. He takes a job - some sort of digging ditch kind of work. Wifey brings him a box lunch. Then - the big idea! He quits his job the first day, then sets out to start a box lunch company. Soon "Molly Box Lunch" is HUGE - a big warehouse producing box lunch after box lunch with an assembly line of workers. Dad tries to buy Molly Box Lunch (which is cutting into his restaurant biz 'cause his ham is cut too thin) - all ends well in the end. (3 stars)

RICHARD M. ROBERTS SIXTH ANNUAL CAVALCADE OF STUFF - An enjoyable bunch of silent shorts was shown this year, with the exception of a terrible Ham and Bud short in which they are MEAN to dogs, a rotten shame! The plots of these shorts all sort of run together in my mind now, but I did like them as I watched them. Included:

SOLD AT AUCTION (1923) - A good Hal Roach short with Snub Pollard and James Finlayson - all about trying to trick people into buying various items at an auction. Lots of street scenes through the streets of Culver City and Palms in this; these same streets can be seen in many Hal Roach silents. (3 stars)

HAM AND THE SAUSAGE FACTORY (1915) - Awful, just awful, poor puppies. That is all I have to say. (1/2 star)

Also shown was CHICKEN FEATHERS (1927) - Involving a search for money that has been stuffed into a pillow and given to some sort of sale at which all the pillows look just like the one with the cash!, JONAH JONES (1925), and BRIDGE WIVES (1931) which were all pretty good shorts. (3 stars for all)

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Favorite Talkies:
THE LETTER (1929) - This started a bit slow for me, the print seemed a bit shaky, with odd sound gaps, etc. Plus, when Jeanne Eagels first started speaking I thought she sounded harsh, old for her age, and I, at first, didn't care for her acting. But this did end up being one of my favorites of the weekend. It quickly progressed into a really interesting plot all about a guy who is sent a letter by Jeanne to come see him. She relates her love to him and wonders why he hasn't been around lately. He gets into, after some argument, that he doesn't love her and prefers his Asian woman that he is having a love affair with. She goes crazy and starts shooting him - again and again and again! Then this gets into her on trial for murder. Really great film. (4 stars)

NICE WOMEN (1931) - Yet another movie with a girl who is going to marry a millionaire. This one is all about two sisters, the older one (just nineteen years old), played by Frances Dee, is being "forced" by her family (they need the money) into a marriage to an older man (as she says "He's an OLD MAN - he must be over forty." which got plenty of laughs from the audience). Well actually he soon reveals his age to be forty-one years old, is seen busily calculating the difference between the numbers 41 and 19, and the littler sister, played by Sidney Fox, is only seventeen but actually seems to fancy him. Big sis meanwhile has a dumb young cluck of a boyfriend that she is in love with. She ends up at one point spending an hour alone in his apartment one day - and when they show the two of them fully clothed, but lounging back on his bed (not even touching each other though) - well, you just have to guess what happened. Well, now she is a soiled woman it seems, but she ends up with the young boyfriend in the end. Guess what? The "old" forty-one year old guy has NO problem suddenly switching his love to the SEVENTEEN year old little sis, who you just knew would end up with him anyway. This was really, quite a good movie. Really liked it. (3.75 stars)

SHE LOVES ME NOT (1934) - Miriam Hopkins as perky chorus girl who witnesses a murder, then takes it on the lam - ending up hiding out in young straight-laced student / piano player / singer's room at Princeton, played by Bing Crosby. Bing and his pal Buzz, another student, decide she should disguise herself as a boy so they crop her hair very badly (yet it still comes out lookin' cute after a few strokes of her comb - hmmm) and put her into one of their fellow students (named Shorty - heh) suit. Kitty Carlisle shows up at one point. She is the dean's daughter and as straight-laced as Bing. They fall for each other as they sing one of his new songs together. Miriam Hopkins is bubbly and full of fun in this including a high kickin' dance number scene in Bing's PJ's. I am normally not that keen on Miriam Hopkins, but I really enjoyed her in this role. I really enjoyed this movie a lot. Very nice looking print too. (3.75 stars)

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MORE Talkies I saw:

WOMEN'S PRISON (1955) - Audrey Totter (here in person for Q&A, second Cinecon appearance I have seen her at) plays bad girl wifey blonde, locked on the other side of a kind of coed (not coed by the fact they are fenced in together - coed by the fact that a clever convict can figure out how to get across to the other side). Her hubby, main perpetrator of their crime, is locked on the boys side. Ida Lupino is the ice cold / tough as nails / blondey prison matron - a weird stickler for rules, kind of a Nurse Ratched from One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest ala 50s bad girl. Lots of blonde bad girls in this prison, all with hearts of gold, of course. This movie is basically the prison girls, who really stick together, versus the prison guards and matrons, a crazy group. Enjoyed this film a lot, I may have seen it once before, but nice to see on the big screen. (3 stars)

SAN ANTONIO ROSE (1941) - Two gals, Eve Arden and Jane Frazee, are showgirls who hit a new small town looking for jobs. They end up at this nightclub / restaurant and try out as singers. While singing on the stage, the place is shut down, lights put out, and there they are, left all alone in the joint. Next day, the Merry Macs arrive, the two girls meet them, have cat fights with the lone female singer of the Merry Macs group, and all decide to reopen the club on their own. Two thugs, Shemp Howard and Lon Chaney Jr., end up taking jobs as waiters for opening night, steal some tuxedos, and trash up the joint. Now, Shemp Howard is far from being my favorite Stooge - but still, a Stooge is a Stooge, and I quite enjoyed him in this role. For some reason that I can't remember, the two thugs are trying to close down the joint the first night, so they do their best to give terrible service to the diners. At one point, Shemp is attempting to slip a mickey into one table's set of Sherry Cobbler's (well, that is the drink I remember anyway) - he can't remember which glass he put the mickey in, and of course ends up drinking it himself. There is all sorts of stuff with the two fake waiters fighting on the floor, knocking stuff around, serving overcooked or undercooked food, etc. The guests think it all part of the floor show - so the joint is a success. In between all this melee going on - the Merry Macs, along with Jane Frazee, sing some really great numbers up on stage. I really, really loved the musical numbers in this film. The Merry Macs were great. (3 stars for the main part of the film; 4 stars for all the song numbers by the Merry Macs)

THE OLD-FASHIONED WAY (1934) - W.C. Fields film I have seen many times before, but the print looked great, and seeing him on the big screen with such a good print I really noticed how big and red W.C. Fields nose really was! All about a 19th century theatrical troupe arriving in a small town to put on a performance of The Drunkard. I love the early scenes in the train, including a part where W.C. sleeps in an upper berth using a ticket he swipes from some poor sap. Another funny scene involves an older lady, Cleopatra Pepperday (played by Jan Duggan) , who is auditioning for W.C. and sings a quite long and bad rendition (well, it really wasn't THAT bad, but he certainly thought so) of "Gathering Up the Shells by the Seashore" The Seashell Song. And I really LOVE the dinner scene in this movie with annoying little Baby Leroy being excessively bratty to W.C. including throwing food at him and dipping his watch in a bowl of honey. W.C. Fields gives the baby a small boot in the rear end when no one is looking - a hoot. (3.25 stars)

MY SISTER EILEEN (1955) - I am a big fan of musicals, so I have seen this movie a number of times before, but this was my first viewing of this one on the big screen. With Technicolor, Cinemascope, and stereo sound (although hard to notice the stereo from where I was sitting, near front left) - this was a real treat to see. Another movie about two sisters, Ruth and Eileen. Ruth (played by Betty Garrett who was there in person for Q&A - hurrah! Great for me - I love, love, love On the Town and Take Me Out to the Ballgame) is the smarter sister, who wants to be a writer and doesn't think she is as pretty as her sister. Eileen (played by Janet Leigh) is a beautiful blonde who, what else, wants to be an actress. The sisters arrive in New York City to make their fortune and end up living in a rather horrible basement apartment complete with window to the street with people peeking in at the girls and a street cleaning machine going by each day and drenching anyone standing near the window with water. Eileen soon meets many men - Ruth meets one too, adorable young Jack Lemmon who she submitted one of her stories to. The story Ruth wrote is all about Eileen and her many love affairs with various men. Jack Lemmon is very interested in the idea of hot young Eileen - so Ruth (who clearly thinks Jack is as attractive as I do) lies and says Eileen is really herself. He is sceptical, yet one night he comes across Ruth, Eileen, and two young men in a ritzy nightclub, so wonders if the story that Ruth gave him is true or not. All of this, mixed with lots of good musical numbers, and neighbor football player (played by Dick York, aka Darren Stevens) who ends up living in their tiny basement with them for a few weeks. Really fun movie - enjoyable. (3.25 stars)

GIRL WITHOUT A ROOM (1933) - Naive hick dud guy, Charles Farrell, newly arrived in Paris to study art ends up in this cheap apartment building sharing a room with Marguerite Churchill, who first appears looking pretty loose with her negligee wide open and bra out for all to see. She is out to get him for his "money" but soon her ways are changed as she falls for him, and she starts suddenly wearing very good girl / secretary looking outfits. What a change in personality overnight! There is some stuff about a strange group of Russians who also live in the apartment and keep trouping in and out, although I can't remember the details about that plot element. Dud guy's first painting in this film is of a nude girl which he "did not have a model for", he just "imagined" what a naked woman looks like. Later he is encouraged to go more modern and abstract and then is offended when his painting is judged in a contest upside down. There is a funny and pretty risque man/woman wrestling scene in this movie. Pretty good film, though not particularly memorable. (2.75 stars)

THE HOUSTON STORY (1956) - Crime noir with a plot that I am having a really hard time remembering. The film was good, but did drag a bit. Star of the film, Gene Barry, was there for Q&A. (2.75 stars)

THE INTRUDER (1961) - Big racist William Shatner is a stranger who arrives in a small Southern hick town, flirts with a young blonde cutie (seemed much younger than himself - he seemed a bit pervy to me) and starts up trouble. Seems the black youngins' are going to be allowed to go to the regular classes at the all-white high school and some folks don't like it. William Shatner starts giving pep talks in front of the easily persuaded dummies of the town, and all soon are riled up about what is happenin' with the black folk in town. Later, little blondey lures a poor defenseful black youth down to the school basement, tricking him into thinking he is helping her with boxes, then she screams rape. Soon the angry mob is ready to lynch the poor kid, but luckily she reveals her deception and all comes out okay. Director Roger Corman appeared in person to answer questions. (2.5 stars)

THE MARK OF THE RENEGADE (1951) - Ricardo Montalban rides into town (Los Angeles circa 1820s), with a black kerchief tied around his forehead to hide the "R' carved in his head - the mark of the renegade. I can't remember too much of the plot of this one - but there were several beefcake shots of Ricardo with his shirt off (well he's not my idea of a hunk, but they seemed to be trying to show off his body). There was an enjoyable tango number in this movie. Nice to see a pretty-looking Technicolor print on the big screen, but this movie wasn't anything to write home about. (2.5 stars)

OKAY, AMERICA (1932) - Even though this was shown the last day of Cinecon, my memories of it are really vague. About a newspaper guy and a missing heiress or something? Hmm, now doesn't that plot sound familiar. Well, I just can't remember this one, but I remember thinking it was so-so, not horrible or anything. (2 stars)

VILLAGE TALE (1935) - Not very good, and the fact that this was missing the last reel so we couldn't find out the ending didn't bother me in the least. Please to the powers that be - DON'T rescreen this next year so we can see the ending. (1.5 stars)

LIFE BEGINS AT FORTY (1934) - Awful Will Rogers film, and unfortunately, the first film shown to start Cinecon 40. I can't remember the plot at all - except there seemed to be a lot of really old looking guys (like eighty or so) talking like they were barely over forty, hmmm. Will Rogers, though interesting to see on film, was really bad and slow talking in this, and I really like Will Rogers normally. I have several books about him, have been to his old home and grounds near Pacific Palisades, like his quotes etc., I just don't like this movie! Blah. (1.5 stars)

I also saw many shorts over the weekend. Here's a brief rundown:

LIBERTY (1916) / YOUNG DEER'S BRAVERY (1909) - Fragments and really old - - I don't remember the plots much of these, but I always enjoy seeing something made before 1910 no matter what it is like! (3 stars)

THE HOLLYWOOD YOU NEVER SEE (1934) - Behind the scenes and on the set with Cecil B. DeMille during the filming of Cleopatra. He is seen to be very annoyed over the cheap props being used. Ha! (2.75 stars)

WAR MAMAS (1931) - Well, I like stuff out of Hal Roach Studios, but this wasn't really that good. It stars Thelma Todd and Zasu Pitts and is about two gals during the War who end up across German lines in this big house where they are disguised as nieces from " " (can't remember). German officers arrive for dinner and the gals try to lure them down one by one to the wine cellar to be konked out. At one point the girls get two officers involved in a fake strip poker game in which only the men end up taking off any clothes. This short has moments, but all in all is nothing special. The worst part was that they screened this twice. Once was enough for me. (2.75 stars)

ONE A.M. - Charlie Chaplin short in which he comes home drunk and is struggling and struggling to get himself up the stairs to bed. Not very funny, nice-looking print though. Chaplin is the only actor in this short - it is far from one of my favorites. (2.75 stars)

SCRAPPY'S TELEVISION (1934) - Cartoon with Scrappy and some other animals watching this tv set Scrappy built - switching to different shows, etc. Okay - nothing great. (2.5 stars)

WHEN DO WE EAT (1934) - I remember little of this short except the part where for some reason a nude diner is opened where the waitresses are supposed to be naked but are kind of hidden behind this counter where they serve diners by reaching down to the tables below. (2 stars)

HERE COMES FLOSSIE (1933) - Another one with Shemp Howard. A bit of silliness about a mixup between a newly arrived cow and woman (mail-order bride? I forget) both named Flossie. (2 stars)

POPEYE THE SAILOR MEETS SINBAD THE SAILOR (1936) - Nice-looking print of this Technicolor cartoon. I liked Popeye when I was a kid, but I just can't get into liking Popeye now. (2 stars)

THE IRON CLAW, CHAPTER 3 (1941) - Third year in a row showing an episode of this snore-inducer. Since this serial gets shown first in the morning I seem to use the 20 minutes to catch up on my sleep. I just CAN'T get into this thing - try as I might. (1 star)

THE RUNT PAGE (1932) - Dreadful little short with babies in diapers playing grownups and the worst part was that instead of the kids being allowed to talk (like in the Shirley Temple Baby Burlecks series) they use adults to dub the kids. Blah! Shirley Temple is in this and is cute as ever, but this was really bad. (1 star)
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Wow - what a lot of winners this weekend. I had a really great time, and anxiously await next year's Cinecon.