As anyone who knows me can tell you, I am a teetotaler. I have no problem admitting that at 26 years old I have never once consumed alcohol (except in the form of Ny-Quill or other medicines.) I strongly support anti-drinking campaigns and I feel that if prohibition had been handled better we could've defeated Satan's syrup much earlier.

Anyway, tonight's film is about a young teetotaling family man named Joe Morgan. Joe is a teetotaler and grew up in a family where his father was a drunk. Sadly he too falls prey to the lure of intoxication and the movie shows his decline from a casual drinker to a full blown alcoholic.

Much as I support the cause of this film, its execution is something to be lacking. While the melodramatic style of acting may have worked well on the stage in the early part of the 20th century, it seems stiff and unnatural to

The one redeeming part of this film is that it made me think of the Mickey Mouse cartoon, Nifty Nineties. Any movie that makes me think of that cartoon is worth watching. Your mileage will vary, though.

This film was part of a collection I partially reviewed a while back.

Labels: 31 days of film, Drama

Now here's a obscure little film. This pre-code talkie starring William Powell has been scarcely seen since its original theatrical run 76 years ago. Due to some legal issues with RKO and Merian C. Cooper it was shelved save for a very limited re-release in the late 50s. TCM unearthed the film and sorted out the legal issues and it finally received a TV debut back in 2007. Since then it's been scarcely shown.

Since this film has a somewhat legendary reputation and the fact that I love William Powell films, I had to take advantage of its TV showing tonight.

William Powell is John Fletcher, a young playboy. He has inherited a huge shipping industry but he'd rather play polo than take care of business. Ann Harding plays Joan, a woman who feels marriage is a business and she thinks the best business oppertunity for her is the rich John.

Double Harness is a decent film but for an "almost lost" film, it's rather bland. What is interesting about the film is its risque nature. Being pre-code it has many double-entendres and even references to extra-marital affairs. While this may seem tame nowadays, back in 1933 this was wild stuff.

I'd say if you can catch it on TCM sometime, there's no harm in spending 70 minutes in watching it. I wouldn't seek it out, though. It's available on DVD on TCM's website but just wait for it to be on TCM.

Sources for this blog post include Wikipedia and TCM's movie database.

Labels: 31 days of film, Drama

"Watch something happy today." That was a request from one of my closest friends when I asked what I should watch tonight for my month long experiment. Well, what could be happier than watching a movie about Miriam Yeung getting breast cancer? In all serious while the film has an obvious message it does succeed in keeping my attention for 98 minutes and it even made me think about a serious topic for a while.

Miriam Yeung plays Bingo: a single 30 year old professional who, by chance, runs into V (Richie Ren) after some hanky panky starts up at her place V suddenly discovers that Bingo has a lump in her left breast and we see in all the things that Bingo must go through both physically and emotionally as she battles her disease.

Strangely with a plot like that you'd expect it to be a Lifetime TV movie complete with dramatic music, the ignorant evil man-like character that appears in all of those types of films as well as the washed up former TV has-beens. Instead what we get is a rather silly and contrived comedy along with some inspirational scenes as well.

Since I have a lot of random notes jotted down about this film and no real concise way to tie them together I am going to end this review with some things I learned while watching 2 Become 1.
* If a tumor is close to the nipple then a radical masectomy is required
* Suicide hotlines numbers are printed on bags of charcoal in Hong Kong
* People sing Psalm 23 in Cantonese
* Psalm 23 in Cantonese to Engrish subs gives us some interesting results
* Miriam Yeung looks hot in a bra
* If a woman invites you back to her place you have a better chance of getting with her if you start doing the dishes
* I get a strange feeling seeing a hot woman driving a Hyundai.

I suppose if you are a big Miriam Yeung fan you will enjoy this film. For the casual Hong Kong fan you might want to stay away. Still, it might also be a good film to show your girlfriend if you want to get her into the genre.

Labels: 31 days of film, Drama, Hong Kong

If ever was there a more appropriate title for a movie, I don't know of it. This 1960 M.P. & G.I film delivers a well rounded story of the lives of three women living together and their happy times and sorrows. The trio consists of a writer who is living in her romantic past, a younger girl unhappy with her arranged marriage and infatuated with her pen-pal and an older woman whose husband went astray and despite the pleading of him and her sick child she cannot forgive and move on.

Between Tears and Laughter is, at its core, a nice romantic comedy and drama. I found myself at times, despite the troubles of the characters, of wanting to jump into the film into this rather inviting and comfortable setting. Friendship, I believe, is one of the few things that is universal and the friendship between these women to help each other out in times of need is something to really look at with admiration.

Cathay films are, to me, like an favorite old shirt; while I know not everyone can appreciate them, I get a sort of cozy feeling watching them. While I know that at the time they were made, most in Hong Kong were not living the sort of middle class lifestyle that was always showcase dbut yet, they seemed to show that life can be comfortable with just a little romance and good friends. In this age of movies with explosions, CGI and explicit sex, maybe Hollywood could learn a little from this film.

Labels: Cathay, Drama, Hong Kong, Romance