Cary Grant made 73 films from 1932 to 1966. His thematic range went from high adventure, action thrillers, and screwball comedies, to romance and drama. He is chiefly remembered for his collaboration with Alfred Hitchcock on four of his best films: SUSPICION, NOTORIOUS, TO CATCH A THIEF and NORTH BY NORTHWEST, and also from his screwball comedies of the late thirties and early forties. Some of his best works combined romance, drama and comedy, such as HIS GIRL FRIDAY, ONLY ANGELS HAVE WINGS, GUNGA DIN, PENNY SERENADE and CHARADE and in all of them, the unmistakable Cary Grant persona and sophisticated charm always came through.
Showing posts with label thrillers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thrillers. Show all posts
Monday, October 25, 2021
MY FAVORITE CARY GRANT
Out of his enormous output, I have chosen these 30 films, which are the ones I revisit and enjoy over and over again.
Saturday, October 23, 2021
THE JAMES BOND FILMS: My Personal Ranking.
I went to see my first Jame Bond movie on the big screen around 1964. It was GOLDFINGER, and later I had the chance to see the first other two on a double feature at a local second run theater. I saw THUNDERBALL early in 1966 at the height of the spy craze. The movies and TV shows at the time, were full of secret agents and cloak-and-dagger themes. I loved the Bond films and all its imitations, including OUR MAN FLINT, MATT HELM, THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E., I SPY, GET SMART, MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE, and all the rest of the lesser known spin-offs.
The Bond of old suddenly seemed out of place in the era of #MeToo and PC bylaws. Craig and the producers of the James Bond franchise made the necessary adjustments to place 007 in a contemporary setting without disturbing the prevailing status quo. Bond became an angry man, often going rogue and ditching his job with Her Majesty's Secret Service. His personal life and background began to take precedence in the stories and he stopped being the dashing, womanizing, elegant debonair spy with a license to kill. He was now made more human, more sentimental, more caring, more down to earth and less elegant. He became a mixture of Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt and Peter Parker.
This is my personal ranking of the James Bond films. I love them all but I do play favorites. Not an official list but as far as I know none of them are, as this is purely a matter of taste and done just for fun, which means that no other criteria applies. You may certainly disagree with the ranking positions but again, this is just a very personal choice.
Labels:
Albert R. Broccoli,
Daniel Craig,
George Lazenby,
Harry Saltzman,
Ian Fleming,
James Bond,
nostalgia,
Pierce Brosnan,
rankings,
Roger Moore,
Sean Connery,
secret agent,
spy films,
thrillers,
Timothy Dalton
Thursday, October 21, 2021
NO TIME TO DIE...
Just came back from watching NO TIME TO DIE. What a huge disappointment!!!! The theme song, unremarkable, dull and forgettable. Brings you completely down. The villain is pathetic. Blofeld has no weight whatsoever in the plot. Ana De Armas is easily the best thing in the entire movie. It’s obvious the producers are taking 007 into a very different direction, one that I am not interested in following. Good bye 007, and good riddance! I’ll keep watching Sean Connery and Roger Moore over and over till I die!!
Labels:
007,
action movies,
Albert R. Broccoli,
Ana De Armas,
Daniel Craig,
Harry Saltzman,
Ian Fleming,
James Bond,
NO TIME TO DIE,
reviews,
Roger Moore,
Sean Connery,
secret agent,
spy films,
thrillers
Wednesday, August 25, 2021
Wednesday, June 23, 2021
About the JAMES BOND film franchise.
I'm a big fan of all the James Bond films but after 1971, I always regret it's not Sean Connery who's playing 007.
Somehow, the image set in my mind of how should James Bond look and act, is of Sean Connery which is understandable, since my first encounter with Ian Fleming's super spy was in the film DR. NO, in 1962. As I read Fleming's novels, I always pictured Sean Connery as Bond and whenever I heard the James Bond theme, it was the image of Connery that popped into my mind. When he retired from the role, it became apparent that no one would ever replace him. And to this day, James Bond still looks like Sean Connery to me!
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
STEVE McQUEEN : The King of Cool!
March 24, 1930 marks the birth of Steve McQueen, one of the truly great stars of the 60s and 70s. McQueen died in 1980 at the very early age of 50, due to a rare form of lung cancer, associated with asbestos exposure. However, his film legacy will keep his name alive for generations to come.
Today would have been his 92nd birthday and in his memory, I will post this list of some of my favorite McQueen films. I have already seen most of his filmography and, to be perfectly honest, I admire all of his performances, although these few here are the ones that stand higher in my very personal preference.
THE BLOB (1958)
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN (1960)
THE GREAT ESCAPE (1963)
LOVE WITH THE PROPER STRANGER (1963)
THE CINCINNATI KID (1965)
NEVADA SMITH (1966)
THE SAND PEBBLES (1966)
THE THOMAS CROWN AFFAIR (1968)
BULLITT (1968)
LE MANS (1971)
THE GETAWAY (1972)
"Punch it, baby!" -
PAPILLON (1973)
THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974)
TOM HORN (1980)
THE HUNTER (1980)
STEVE McQUEEN
Forever, the King of Cool!
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