Film 30: The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

Netflix Summary: Wrapped in a classic tale of adventure, this Academy Award winner helmed by John Huston follows a trio of gold prospectors who set out to strike it rich and agree to split the take … until paranoia and greed consumes one of them. Delivering superb performances as the three miners are Humphrey Bogart, Tim Holt and Walter Huston, who copped a Best Supporting Actor Oscar while son John scored statuettes for his direction and screenplay.

From Wikipedia: Director Stanley Kubrick listed The Treasure of Sierra Madre as his 4th favorite film of all time in his list of his top ten favorite films, and director Paul Thomas Anderson watched it at night before bed while writing his film There Will Be Blood.

Film Viewing Due Date: 3/3

Out of the Past (1947) Review

Out of the Past scored a perfect 10 by Cinema Cram.


girl by locker says: I loved this movie. Loved it. I loved seeing a young Kirk Douglas gracing the screen as a crooked gangster. I loved seeing the onscreen chemistry between Robert Mitchum and Jane Greer and the witty banter between the two. I loved the story - a detective (Mitchum) going in search of a gangster's mistress only to fall in love with her himself and then to discover how rotten she is. I loved how Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) is the perfect femme fatale - beautiful, smart and wicked though not done as a caricature. I loved how the movie ended (which I won't give away). I loved how beautiful the movie looked. The cinematography was amazing. There isn't a single thing I didn't like about this movie except perhaps some of the logistics to the "set-up", but I forgive because I was along for the ride. I give this movie a 5/5 on my Netflix queue.


Juror #3 says: I'm really loving the Film Noir genre.  Out of the Past is created in the same great mold as Double Indemnity, and I really enjoyed it.  There was fantastic acting by everyone involved, the cinematography is dark and gritty, and the script is witty and mysterious.  I may go so far as to say that this film had the best acting cast-wide of any of our previous movies.  I was extremely impressed with the flow of the film and how smoothly the characters and storylines intertwine.  Jane Greer plays a different kind of femme fatale in Out of the Past - seductive in a wide-eyed innocent way, as opposed to an overtly sexual way.  All the characters were well-rounded, in particular the lead role of Jeff Bailey played by Robert Mitchum - a former detective running from the ghosts of his past.  The ending provides a dark twist, which normally I would love, but in this case I felt disappointed a bit.  It's as if they weren't sure how to wrap it all up.  In any case, I highly recommend Out of the Past and rate it 5/5 stars on Netflix.  

Film 29: Out of the Past (1947)

Netflix Summary: Jacques Tourneur directs this definitive noir classic (remade in 1984 as Against All Odds) about a trio to reckon with -- troubled private investigator Jeff Bailey (Robert Mitchum), drop-dead beauty Kathie Moffat (Jane Greer) and moneyed mobster Whit Sterling (Kirk Douglas). Bailey is hired to find the missing Moffat, who is Sterling's former mistress. But when he finally locates her, the unexpected occurs.



Film Viewing Due Date: 2/13

The Big Sleep (1946) Review

girl by locker says: It was our first Bogart/Bacall film, and I have to say that they were the best part of the movie. Their onscreen chemistry is notorious and not without reason. Sparks fly and they have some great scenes together, in particular one with the two of them in a night club speaking in double entendres about horseracing. It’s fun. It’s sharp. It’s why we watch the movie.
Bacall: Speaking of horses, I like to play them myself. But I like to see them work out a little first. See if they’re front-runners or come from behind…I’d say you don’t like to be rated. You like to get out in front, open up a lead, take a little breather in the back stretch and then come home free.
Bogart: You’ve got a touch of class, but I don’t know how far you can go.
Bacall: A lot depends on who’s in the saddle.
Beyond the Bogart/Bacall romance, I found the plot terribly confusing. Everything revolves around a dying, wealthy old man, his two daughters who are out of control and their gambling debts. The family is getting blackmailed and Bogart is brought in to find out who is doing it and have it stopped. But in addition to the blackmail, there is the disappearance of Sean Regan, a gentleman who worked for the family, the murder of the family’s chauffeur and sexual improprieties that the youngest daughter is apparently photographed doing. It’s not that it seemed too improbable, but it just didn’t resonate with me. It was too convoluted, and I felt I needed an org chart to keep track of what was going on and how everyone was connected. Overall, I give this movie 3/5 on Netflix.
 
Juror #3 says: I watched this film with my parents during a recent visit. About five minutes into the film, upon the realization it was a "who done it" my mother said that we should all write down who we thought "did it", along with the time, and see who guessed right first.  So now you all can see where my geek roots stem from.  Unfortunately The Big Sleep is not the best movie with which to play this little game.  Talk about confusing.  Not only could I not guess who "did it" but I couldn't even figure out what had "been done."  The film is well shot and the chemistry between Bogart and Bacall is everything it's known to have been.  But it didn't quite overcome the script flaws - for instance, the love between the two characters happened, seemingly, in seconds and I didn't buy it.  That wasn't due to the acting, it was never created in the script (or through the production possibly).  Either way, it bothered me.  Overall I enjoyed the acting and the cinematography.  I'll rate it 3/5 stars on Netflix.