Top 10 Disc Releases Of 2021

By now, I think it’s safe to say that most of you know that I enjoy watching classic movies via physical media like Blu-ray and DVD (I’m not trying to knock streaming necessarily, it’s just that most of what I like is more readily available on disc). 2021 has been another really good year for seeing fantastic movies given the bump up to Blu-ray, so here’s my list of what I personally think are the best releases of the year! As usual, I must remind everyone that I do NOT receive screeners of any kind (nor, quite frankly, would I want to, as I prefer to support the movies I like in the hopes of more of them being made available), so I can only work with what I have seen. I am making this list from all the 2021 releases I have seen as of 12/1/2021. Much like my list for 2020, I am working mainly from movies released on disc through October 2021 (due to my own constraints of budget and time, plus the fact that, without being given screeners, I have no way to comment on December releases ahead of time). So, this list is what it is (but, I will give a shout-out to some other releases afterwards). I’m experimenting by changing the format a little this year, so if any of these appeal to you, be sure to click on the movie on the left side to use my affiliate links to go to Amazon and buy them (or, if you want to read the reviews, click on the movie titles to go there)!!

Broadway Melody Of 1940 (1940) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- Fred Astaire, Eleanor Powell and George Murphy star in this last entry of the Broadway Melody series. A case of mistaken identity results in the wrong member of a dance team getting his big chance on the Broadway stage (but, when the team is two men and Fred Astaire was the other partner, you KNOW that he’ll get his chance as well). Working from a 4K scan of nitrate preservation elements, the good people at Warner Archive have given us a new and improved transfer that shows off this film’s detail and really allows us to enjoy these spectacular dancers looking better than they have in a long time! Great movie, great transfer!

San Francisco (1936) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- In this film that teams up Clark Gable, Jeanette MacDonald and Spencer Tracy, we have a nightclub owner (Gable) who runs for town supervisor to help the people on the Barbary Coast, while falling for his new singer (MacDonald) (and all ahead of the infamous 1906 San Francisco earthquake). Another Warner Archive release, making use of a French-dubbed nitrate fine grain second generation element (and some domestic elements as well), which amounts to this movie looking better than it has in a long time! Throw in the original 1936 ending (with the 1948 reissue ending as an extra), and this is one release that is well worth it!

Show Boat (1951) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- In 2020, we got the 1936 version of Show Boat (from Criterion Collection). For 2021, we got the 1951 version with Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel. Kathryn Grayson stars as the daughter of showboat owner Cap’n Andy (Joe E. Brown), who falls for riverboat gambler Gaylord Ravenal (Howard Keel). Long in need of restoration (as much as the film relies on its Technicolor imagery), Warner Archive created a new 4K master from the original three-strip Technicolor negatives, and it looks SUPERB!! Compared to how it has looked before, I still think this is the restoration of the year, making the Blu-ray well worth it for fans of the film!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game (1949) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- Frank Sinatra, Esther Williams and Gene Kelly star in this classic musical! The returning baseball champs find themselves with a new owner (Williams), with two of the players falling for her. Warner Archive has given this movie a new restoration, and it looks to be one of the best-looking examples of the three-strip Technicolor process, as the color just pops, revealing all the wonderful details of the picture!

A Night At The Opera (1935) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- In the first Marx Brothers film from MGM, the trio find themselves helping a couple of operatic singers to make it big in America. The film was cut for re-release during World War II (removing references to Italy), with the deleted scenes supposedly destroyed. Warner Archive haven’t located any of those deleted scenes, but they’ve given us a 4K scan of the best surviving preservation elements, and this film looks great! Until any of the deleted scenes are found in any usable form (if that ever happens), this is the best release one can hope for on this film!

In The Good Old Summertime (1949) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- Judy Garland and Van Johnson star in this musical remake of The Shop Around The Corner. They play the bickering co-workers who are unknowingly falling for each other as pen pals. Another Yuletide classic featuring Judy singing the holiday tune “Merry Christmas!” Working from 4K scans of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives and preservation separations, this film looks great, and is a wonderful movie to watch around the holidays (or during the summer, too, I suppose 😉 )!

Annie Get Your Gun (1950) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- Betty Hutton and Howard Keel star in this film version of the Broadway show (with music by Irving Berlin)! In this movie, Annie Oakley (Hutton) rises from a nobody to being an internationally renowned sharpshooter! This release features a 4K scan of most of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives (with two reels’ worth coming from positive safety separations due to those reels being burned in the infamous Eastman house fire), which brings out the color and detail!

Bringing Up Baby (1938) (Criterion Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- In 2021, one of the biggest and best-known screwball comedies FINALLY made it to Blu-ray! In this movie, Cary Grant is an engaged paleontologist who accidentally gets mixed up with a flighty young woman (Katharine Hepburn). Madcap adventures ensue, including panthers, buried dinosaur bones, and jail time! The original camera negative may be long gone, but this transfer came from 4K scans of a 35 mm nitrate duplicate negative (from the British Film Institute) and a 35 mm safety fine-grain positive, resulting in a better transfer than what’s been available for a long time (and is certainly worth recommending)!

Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- Screen legends Cary Grant and Myrna Loy are paired up for the third and final time, with Melvyn Douglas joining. Grant plays an advertising executive who wants a full-sized house for his family (instead of a cramped apartment), but when he remodels his new place, the costs start to skyrocket! Working from a 4K scan of the original camera negative, Warner Archive has another superlative release on their hands with a fantastic transfer!

After The Thin Man (1936) (Warner Archive Collection, Blu-ray, My Rating: 10/10)
- After releasing the first film in the Thin Man series on Blu-ray in 2019, Warner Archive has finally continued the series, starting with that film’s (kinda-sorta) direct sequel! William Powell and Myrna Loy return as Nick and Nora Charles, who have arrived in San Francisco, only to find themselves trying to solve the murder of Nora’s cousin’s husband! Warner Archive made use of a 4K scan of safety fine grain film elements for this transfer, and it looks quite good! Certainly a worthy follow-up release after the first film was treated so well on Blu-ray!

Special Honorable Mention:

The Little Rascals: The ClassicFlix Restorations, Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3
- For the most part, my list tends towards movie releases, as those are the vast majority of what I buy. However, as you may have seen, I also enjoy looking into various theatrical short collections. In 2020, ClassicFlix announced (via crowdfunding campaign) their desire to restore the Hal Roach-owned Little Rascals shorts. While their campaign fell short, they went through with their plans anyway. They now have three volumes of Little Rascals shorts available on Blu-ray, uncut and fully restored. I’ve seen the first two volumes, which each contain eleven shorts starting with their first talkie, and continuing on from there. The shorts in these first two volumes look absolutely fantastic, and while I haven’t gotten around to the third volume yet, I’ve heard it looks just as good (if not even better)! With more on the way, I have a hard time not wanting to call these sets the releases of the year!

Honorable Mentions: Another Thin Man (1939) (Warner Archive, Blu-ray), Dinner At Eight (1933) (Warner Archive, Blu-ray), (tie) Mad About Music (1938) (Universal Studios, Blu-ray), (tie) Nice Girl? (1941) (Universal Studios, Blu-ray)

While the pandemic has still been raging on in places throughout 2021, physical media enthusiasts have had quite a good year! I would have to say that, once again, Warner Archive has won the year amongst the various labels. They continued to release a slew of musicals (with actress Doris Day getting well-represented), three-strip Technicolor films and various other classics, finally digging into more of Errol Flynn’s filmography (including the public domain Santa Fe Trail from 1940) and continuing the Thin Man series! Like I already said, I haven’t gotten any farther than their October releases, but November releases include the second-to-last film in the Thin Man series (The Thin Man Goes Home), another Doris Day musical (Lullaby Of Broadway), a Barbara Stanwyck pre-Code (Ladies They Talk About), a Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin film (Some Came Running), National Velvet and several others, with December seeing the long-awaited Angels With Dirty Faces (previously held back from being released because of right issues that popped up within the last decade) and Ivanhoe. Personally, I’m thrilled with their musical output for the year (especially with TWO Fred Astaire musicals represented). Honestly, the only complaint I have is that there was a rumor that at least one of the Astaire-Rogers films would be coming (but nothing showed up). I know, I know, internet rumors and all that, but when the source of that rumor claimed that there would be some Arthur Freed musicals (there were), some Val Lewtons (again, there were) and some Marx Brothers (and we got one), it’s disappointing that what I wanted most of the bunch was what DIDN’T come out (but, hopefully 2022 will bring at least one of them out on Blu-ray). Like last year, I want to throw in a plug for a film that, while I personally am not interested in it due to its genre, certainly is appealing for others: the 1932 horror film Dr. X, which, like 2020’s release of The Mystery Of The Wax Museum, was filmed in the Two-Color Technicolor process, with those elements nearly gone. But, in collaboration with UCLA Film & Television Archive and the Film Foundation, the film has been restored in the process (and the black-and-white version is included as well) for the Blu-ray release, which, from what I have heard, is highly recommended for those interested in that aspect of film history!

Personally, I would say that, apart from Warner Archives, I have mixed feelings about this year. Kino Lorber has been continuing to make deals with Universal and MGM, bringing out a lot of films (some of which they have remastered/restored themselves). I’m thrilled to see more W. C. Fields movies (four this year) that came from them (especially after having seen their Insider talking on multiple forums in the past about how their previous W. C. Field releases weren’t great sellers), with three more being worked on for next year (plus a few other non-W. C. Fields titles that were announced but are getting new 2K or 4K remasters that have pushed them into next year). We also got more Bob Hope from Kino, although I’m disappointed that their release of Nothing But The Truth was missing some of the film’s footage that had previously been included on Universal’s DVD, and the missing stereo sound on Thoroughly Modern Millie (for its overture, entr’acte and exit music) is also disappointing (and there have been a handful of other releases from them with a few mistakes this year as far as I’ve heard). And while I’m disappointed that Kino’s three-film set of Deanna Durbin films from the previous year was a poor seller (enough so that they dropped the other six films of hers that they had licensed, which I can’t say as I blame them for doing), I was thrilled to see Universal step up with their own MOD Blu-ray releases and release all six of those films (plus one more that I didn’t see coming!), along with the likes of State Of The Union and a Woody Woodpecker Screwball Collection in what was their most appealing lineup (to me) since their first year of releasing anything on Blu-ray via that line! Criterion has finally gotten into the UHD game, but (since I haven’t upgraded to that technology yet), they’ve really only had two releases this year that appealed to me (Bringing Up Baby and High Sierra). To be fair, with their higher prices, I don’t mind, given how much Warner Archive and others have been releasing. ClassicFlix has mainly been focusing a lot of their time, money and effort in their restorations of the Our Gang/Little Rascals shorts, but they’ve also finished out their DVD-only run of Hal Roach streamliners, along with a few other DVD-only films (due to lack of decent film elements), along with their Blu-ray and DVD of International Lady (they also announced a Blu-ray and DVD release for the 1949 Black Magic that was originally scheduled to come out this fall, but has since been delayed into next year). Overall, I think that 2021 has been filled with a great many releases on disc (too many in my book, both in terms of budget and time to watch everything), and what I’m hearing/seeing coming in 2022 looks to be just as good (if not better)!

Previous years:

2020

2019

2018

“Star Of The Month (May 2021)” Featuring Cary Grant in… Wedding Present (1936)

As we continue on with Cary Grant as the featured Star Of The Month, we come to another film from 1936, the comedy Wedding Present, also starring Joan Bennett! But first, we’ve got a theatrical short!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Homesteader Droopy (1954)

(Available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 7 minutes, 31 seconds)

Droopy and his homesteading family find resistance from Dishonest Dan when they make a home in cattle country. A fun companion cartoon to Drag-A-Long-Droopy, as another wolf takes on Droopy. Of course, we have the recurring gag of his child wanting milk, and the different ways it’s given to him. As usual, Droopy beats the Wolf for most of the cartoon (which, considering the chemistry, always works). After all, “it’s the laaaaaw of the West” (and always fun to see)!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Chicago newspaper reporters Monica “Rusty” Fleming (Joan Bennett) and Charlie Mason (Cary Grant) are about to get married, but his pranks result in them being unable to get the license before closing time. Their newspaper editor, Pete Stagg (George Bancroft), is frustrated with all their practical jokes, and sends them to get an interview from Archduke Gustav Ernest (Gene Lockhart). Not only do they manage to get an exclusive interview from the archduke, but Charlie rescues New York gangster “Smiles” Benson (William Demarest) (who promises to pay off for the rescue), and both Charlie and Rusty help rescue a ship lost in a storm. They are both given medals for their work, and Rusty gets to enjoy a month’s vacation in New York. While she’s away, Pete Stagg resigns as editor, and, instead of being fired completely, Charlie becomes the editor. In the process, he becomes a hard worker, and doesn’t let anybody else get away with the type of things he had previously done. When Rusty comes back, she tries to bring him back to his senses, only for him to fire her. As a result, she decides to return to New York City. At the airport, she meets author Roger Dodacker (Conrad Nagel), and they start going out together. Without Rusty at the newspaper, Charlie comes to his senses, resigns, and goes after her. In New York, he is met by “Smiles” Benson, who tries to help bring the two back together to return the favor for saving his life (but without success). Will Charlie and Rusty be together again, or will she stick with the boring author?

Wedding Present is based on the short story (of the same name) by Paul Gallico that originally ran in The Saturday Evening Post in September 1935. The movie is toward the end of Cary Grant’s contract with Paramount. As such, we can see that he has essentially gotten his screen persona together. He’s quite suave, and yet, he can be a bit of a screwball, too. I’ve seen a number of comparisons to his better known classic His Girl Friday (made a few years later), and it is a fitting one. Once again, he’s a character willing to get involved in the news story (and help create one), as we see him become friendly with the Archduke, and push a pilot to go help a lost ship (and give the pilot credit for being a hero, even though he and his partner had knocked out the pilot to keep the search going).

Now, I will definitely grant (pun intended) that Wedding Present is certainly no match for the far better His Girl Friday, but it is fun on its own terms. I certainly enjoyed some of the various practical jokes that Cary Grant’s Charlie and Joan Bennett’s Rusty played in the course of getting their stories at the beginning of the movie. Not to mention the stuff they pulled on their bosses (both the editor and the owner of the paper). Everything that Charlie tried to do to win back Rusty upon his arrival in New York was certainly enjoyable as well. But I probably got the most solid laughs out of the stuff that occurred at the film’s finale (I wish I could say what, but to do so would be to spoil it, so I won’t go there). All in all, this was a very fun screwball comedy. I think most (if not all) of the later screwball comedies that Cary Grant did were better, but this one was still worth seeing! So, I would indeed recommend it!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… Wedding Present (1936)

This movie is available on Blu-ray as part of the three film Cary Grant Collection from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Like Big Brown Eyes in the set, the opening credits start out looking rough, with a lot of dirt and debris, but, once things get going, everything settles down. Of the three films in the set, this one looks the best, and it’s certainly worth seeing this way.

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… Cary Grant Collection

The Cary Grant Collection includes the movies Ladies Should Listen, Big Brown Eyes and Wedding Present. All three films have HD scans, with some variation in quality. None have been completely cleaned up, but that shouldn’t stop anybody from looking into this set. I think this set is worth it. I will admit, none of these are “Cary Grant with his screen persona” good, but they all manage to be fun, especially seeing him try to develop that persona, with some good co-stars. Again, this set is recommended!

Film Length: 1 hour, 22 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Big Brown Eyes (1936) – Cary Grant – The Awful Truth (1937)

Big Brown Eyes (1936) – Joan Bennett – Father Of The Bride (1950)

Star Of Midnight (1935) – Gene Lockhart – A Christmas Carol (1938)

Big Brown Eyes (1936) – Cary Grant Collection

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“Star Of The Month (May 2021)” Featuring Cary Grant in… Big Brown Eyes (1936)

Next up in our run of Cary Grant films as we celebrate him as the Star Of The Month, we have his 1936 film Big Brown Eyes, also starring Joan Bennett!

Coming Up Shorts! with… The Three Little Pups (1953)

(Available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of Tex Avery Screwball Classics Volume 2 from Warner Archive Collection)

(Length: 6 minutes, 44 seconds)

Three little pups (including Droopy) take on a dogcatcher. This one is a fun variation on the whole “Three Little Pigs” idea (with the narrator even briefly, “mistakenly” referring to them as pigs). Of course, the wolf as the dogcatcher is quite a bit of fun, especially once he reveals himself as a slightly different, more laidback character than we first see. That alone adds to the hilarity (and one can even see the time and influence of television in its early years here). A very fun cartoon (as have been most of the Droopys) and one worth coming back to periodically!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Some jewelry has been stolen from the wealthy Mrs. Chesley Cole (Marjorie Gateson). All the gossip is that the police are highly unlikely to recover it, so she turns to private detective Richard Morey (Walter Pidgeon), who has been successful in recovering stolen items. However, the police still try to help find the jewelry, and assign detective Danny Barr (Cary Grant) to investigate. Mrs. Cole is enamored with him (much to his dismay), and things get worse when Danny’s girlfriend, manicurist Eve Fallon (Joan Bennett) walks in on them. She assumes the worst about Danny, and returns to the barber shop where she works. Danny follows her to explain, but she ends up getting fired for yelling at him. However, another job is waiting, as her friend Jack Sully (Joseph Sawyer) has offered her a job as a reporter at the local newspaper, and she takes him up on it. Meanwhile, as we (the audience) quickly find out, Richard Morey is not really a private detective, but a mobster, and he pushes his lieutenant, Russ Cortig (Lloyd Nolan), to go meet the thieves in the park and pay them for the jewelry. However, they balk at the amount offered to them, and, in his anger, Russ takes a shot at them. He misses, instead hitting a baby in a stroller, and he runs off. The case of the baby killer becomes a big thing, and Danny is soon assigned to the case. Eve has forgiven him, and decides to help him out. Between the two of them, they find another thug who squeals on Russ when they push him hard enough. However, at the trial, there isn’t enough evidence to convict Russ, and he goes free. In frustration, Danny resigns from the force, planning to go after Russ on his own. Unable to publish what she believes to be the truth, Eve also resigns as a reporter and goes back to her old job as a manicurist. With Richard Morey hiding in the shadows as the leader of this gang (and willing to double-cross anyone), can Danny and Eve discover the truth, or will crime pay for this racketeer?

Big Brown Eyes was based on the two short stories “Hahsit Babe” and “Big Brown Eyes” by James Edward Grant. I myself haven’t read either of those stories (and so cannot comment on how well they were adapted). What I do know is that this movie seems to cover a few different genres, including comedy, gangster, and mystery. Especially with the two leads working together to solve the crime, it almost seems like one of the Thin Man clones that came about in the wake of that film’s success. My own opinion is that it’s an inferior film compared to that classic, but there is some fun to be had here. I enjoyed some of the comic moments that started the film, including a bit of ventriloquism as Cary Grant’s Danny attempts to reconcile with Joan Bennett’s Eve (whether that was actually Cary Grant doing some ventriloquism or just somebody else dubbing the other voice, I have no idea). The other fun moment is later in the film, with Danny packing, and Eve trying to figure out where he is going so that she can join him (and getting nowhere in the conversation). As for the mystery, it’s more or less of the Columbo variety, where we the audience quickly learn the culprits, and it’s just a matter of how they will be caught.

As the detective, Cary Grant does a fairly good job. It’s still not quite the persona we’re used to, but he’s still proving that he can act. You can see how much he wants to catch the crooks, and how much it bothers him when one gets away with murder at the trial. Not to mention he shows how uncomfortable he is when trying to interview Mrs. Cole (you know, the moment he gets in trouble with his girlfriend). It’s not Cary at his best, but he does well enough here. Overall, I’d say it’s still worth trying this movie out as something different for him.

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… Big Brown Eyes (1936)

This movie is available on Blu-ray as part of the three film Cary Grant Collection from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. This release makes use of an HD scan of the movie. It has its moments where it looks pretty good, and some moments don’t look as well (I’d sooner say middle of the road than completely awful). It’s not as cleaned up as one would prefer, but it’s mainly the start of the (original) Paramount credits that really looks rough, along with a few shots later in the movie. But, it looks about as good as I would begin to hope for (especially considering its relative obscurity), so it’s probably the best way to see it for now.

Film Length: 1 hour, 17 minutes

My Rating: 7/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Ladies Should Listen (1934) – Cary Grant – Wedding Present (1936)

Mississippi (1935) – Joan Bennett – Wedding Present (1936)

Walter Pidgeon – The Girl Of The Golden West (1938)

Ladies Should Listen (1934) – Cary Grant Collection – Wedding Present (1936)

Coming Up Shorts! with… The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1

Welcome back for another full post of Coming Up Shorts! This time, I’m going with theatrical shorts starring The Pink Panther, featuring the shorts from 1964 through 1966 that have been released together on disc in The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1.

Here’s a list and quick plot description for each of the cartoons included in this set (for my comments on the individual cartoons, click on the title to go to my previous reviews):

The Pink Phink (1964) (Length: 6 minutes, 47 seconds)
- The Pink Panther fights with the Little Man over the color scheme of a house being painted.
Pink Pajamas (1964) (Length: 6 minutes, 19 seconds)
- A tired Pink Panther finds a place to spend the night, only to find the home belongs to an alcoholic Little Man.
We Give Pink Stamp s (1965) (Length: 7 minutes, 1 second)
- The Pink Panther wanders around a closed department store, periodically trying to avoid the Little Man working as a janitor.
Dial “P” For Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 31 seconds)
- A klutzy safecracker tries to rob a safe that the Pink Panther has taken up residence in.
Sink Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 21 seconds)
- The Pink Panther faces off against a hunter trying to recreate Noah’s ark so he can hunt all the animals.
Pickled Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 22 seconds)
- A drunk invites the Pink Panther into his home, but they have to avoid his wife, who threatens to throw any of her husband’s “friends” out of the house.
Pinkfinger (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 15 seconds)
- The Pink Panther takes on a ring of spies.
Shocking Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 43 seconds)
- The Pink Panther tries to relax, but the narrator keeps pushing him to work on some things around the house.
Pink Ice (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)
- The Panther is operating a diamond mine, but a pair of rival miners steal his diamonds.
The Pink Tail Fly (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)
- An exhausted Pink Panther tries to get some sleep, but is interrupted by a persistent fly.
Pink Panzer (1965) (Length: 5 minutes, 50 seconds)
- The Pink Panther and his neighbor are slowly being turned against each other by the narrator.
An Ounce Of Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 2 seconds)
- The Pink Panther runs across a coin-operated talking weight and fortune-telling machine, and he buys it to keep with him.
Reel Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)
- The Pink Panther buys a group of worms to go fishing, but one of them keeps giving him trouble.
Bully For Pink (1965) (Length: 6 minutes, 2 seconds)
- The Pink Panther decides to try being an amateur bullfighter, and borrows a magician’s cape to use.
Pink Punch (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 27 seconds)
- The Pink Panther has come up with a health drink of his own, and tries to promote it. He is thwarted, however, by an asterisk from one of his signs that turned green and keeps turning everything green.
Pink Pistons (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 2 seconds)
- The Pink Panther buys a compact car (with a mind of its own) and ends up in a drag race.
Vitamin Pink (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 25 seconds)
- The Pink Panther is selling some pep pills out west, but finds himself stuck as a deputy when he gives some to an escaped convict.
The Pink Blueprint (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 25 seconds)
- The Pink Panther competes with the Little Man on a construction site.
Pink, Plunk, Plink (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 24 seconds)
- The Pink Panther tries to get himself into the orchestra at a concert, but the conductor keeps throwing him out.
Smile Pretty, Say Pink (1966) (Length: 6 minutes, 9 seconds)
- The Pink Panther takes on an amateur photographer visiting a national park.

Like I said when discussing The Ant And The Aardvark, Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie formed DePatie-Freleng Enterprises in 1963. They were approached by director Blake Edwards to design a panther character for his then-upcoming film The Pink Panther (1963), which would appear during the opening credits. That initial appearance proved to be quite popular with audiences, and United Artists ordered a series of theatrical cartoons using that character. The first cartoon put together was the 1964 The Pink Phink, which made use of Henry Mancini’s classic “Pink Panther Theme” music, and established the relationship of the Pink Panther and the Little Man. The cartoon would win an Oscar for Best Animated Short Film, the only Oscar win not only for the series, but also for DePatie-Freleng Enterprises.

The Pink Panther cartoons are among the few I can still remember seeing on TV as a child (beyond the Disney, Looney Tunes and Tom & Jerry cartoons). This first set was a lot of fun for me, reliving my childhood. Admittedly, the only one that I really remember was the first one, The Pink Phink (and with them using the classic theme song for the entire score of that one, as opposed to just the opening credits on the rest, really helps set it apart). But, there is still some enjoyment to be found here with the rest, as well. I do confess to the idea that these early cartoons are all over the place, as they try to figure out what to do with the character. Most are completely silent, a few have some other characters talking, and two of them (Sink Pink and Pink Ice) even have the Panther speak! There is a good deal of variety within these shorts (even if at least one does seem close to being a remake of an earlier Looney Tunes short)! The Pink Panther is still one cool cat, and I always enjoy coming back to these cartoons, both for the music and the comedy! They aren’t necessarily restored here, but they look pretty good, and that’s good enough for me to recommend them!

The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber. The whole set has a runtime of two hours, eight minutes.

“Star Of The Month (May 2021)” Featuring Cary Grant in… Ladies Should Listen (1934)

For my first entry of the May 2021 Star Of The Month blogathon featuring Cary Grant, we’ve got his 1934 comedy Ladies Should Listen, also starring Frances Drake. As always, I’ve got a theatrical short to start things off!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Smile Pretty, Say Pink (1966)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 9 seconds)

The Pink Panther takes on an amateur photographer visiting a national park. It’s another cartoon with the Pink Panther going against the Little Man, to great effect! The gags are fun, as the Panther keeps ruining photos, much to the consternation of the Little Man (of course, the Little Man pulls off a small victory in the end). I enjoyed this one, and it’s certainly worth seeing periodically!

And Now For The Main Feature…

Bachelor Julian De Lussac (Cary Grant) has arrived home in Paris after a trip to Chile. He is greeted by his friend Paul Vernet (Edward Everett Horton) and Paul’s “friend” (although he wants to marry her) Susi Flamberg (Nydia Westman). While they give Julian a ride home, he tells them about a nitrate mine concession he had bought in Chile. However, they are interrupted by a flirtatious female driver, whom Julian goes off with. Later on, she calls Julian to tell him she is leaving him, and he threatens to kill himself (not really, but he hopes the sound of the gunshot over the phone will bring her running). It brings somebody running alright: telephone operator Anna Mirelle (Frances Drake)! She reveals that she had been listening in on his calls, and reveals the full name of the girl he was going with (he had only known her first name previously): Marguerite Cintos (Rosita Moreno). Not only that, Marguerite is a married woman! Still, much to Anna’s dismay, Julian is interested in Marguerite, even when her husband Ramon Cintos (Rafael Corio) comes around looking for his wife. On her own time, Anna finds out from other telephone operators that Marguerite and Ramon are trying to get the nitrate option, either by getting Julian out of the country to let it expire, or by forcing him to give it to them. Since Julian won’t listen to her, Anna decides to try another method. She gets Susi to keep him around, but Susi’s father, Joseph Flamberg (George Barbier), comes in and threatens a shotgun wedding (which was not in Anan’s plan). Will Julian be able to get out of all this trouble, or will he be shot/ have to go through with the wedding (much to Paul’s dismay)?

This movie is still fairly early in Cary Grant’s career, and it indeed feels that way, as his screen persona is still not fully formed. Don’t get me wrong, he definitely shows a flair for comedy, which is necessary in this movie. Admittedly, some of the differences in his performance may have to do with the film’s timing, as far as the Code being in effect. His character is a bit sleazier than we would normally expect, in between his fake suicide, plus the device he and his butler have rigged up that will simulate the sounds of a thunderstorm (in order to keep his lady friends from leaving, of course). Still, it’s fun to see how he slowly pulled together the persona that he would soon become famous for!

As a whole, this is a decent movie in my opinion. The story itself isn’t really the reason to see the movie, as it’s only so-so. The cast are what makes this movie worth giving a try. As I said, Cary Grant is good, and pretty ably carries the film. Edward Everett Horton is, as always, a hoot, as his character hopes to marry Nydia Westman’s character (and then becomes frustrated with his own friend when he ends up engaged to her instead). And, speaking of Nydia Westman, she’s also very good here, from her klutziness as she falls into Cary Grant’s arms several times, to her own actions as she tries to gain his affections. Frances Drake is decent here as Grant’s love interest, but, compared to the other three, not as good. There is some fun humor to be enjoyed with this movie (not as much as Cary Grant’s later, and far better, screwball comedies, but still some). I enjoyed getting the chance to see it, and I would certainly recommend giving it a try!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… Ladies Should Listen (1934)

This movie is available on Blu-ray as part of the three film Cary Grant Collection from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. It’s a decent HD transfer, one that certainly seems crisp most of the time. There are some spots that don’t look quite as good, and there are some other minor imperfections, but, considering it’s not a well-known movie, it’s likely as good as we can hope for (especially only being available in that three-film Blu-ray set).

Film Length: 1 hour, 1 minute

My Rating: 7/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Alice In Wonderland (1933) – Cary Grant – Big Brown Eyes (1936)

Alice In Wonderland (1933) – Edward Everett Horton – The Devil Is A Woman (1935)

Cary Grant Collection – Big Brown Eyes (1936)

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2021) on…Easy Living (1937)

For the second half of today’s double-feature on movies written by Preston Sturges, we’ve got the 1937 screwball comedy Easy Living, starring Jean Arthur and Edward Arnold.

Rich banker J. B. Ball (Edward Arnold) is furious with his wife for buying a very expensive fur coat. He tries to take it from her, but she won’t let him have it, saying it can’t be returned. However, he is still furious, and once he finally catches up to her, he takes it and throws it off the side of the building. It falls to the ground, landing on Mary Smith (Jean Arthur), a passenger on a passing bus. It ruins her hat, and she gets off to try to return the coat. J. B. runs into her on his way to work, and he tells her she can keep it. He also takes her to a hat shop, and buys her a new hat. The owner of the hat shop, Van Buren (Franklin Pangborn), recognizes J. B. and privately assumes that Mary is J. B.’s mistress. J. B. and Mary part ways (but she has no idea who he is). She goes to her job at The Boys’ Constant Companion magazine, but with everyone whispering about her new fur and hat, she is fired for loose morals (so as to protect the clean reputation of the magazine). Meanwhile, at the bank, J. B. has to deal with Louis Louis (Luis Alberni), who is the owner of Hotel Louis and owes the bank a great deal on several mortgages. Louis is unable to pay at the moment, so J. B. gives him an extension of one week. Upon returning to his hotel, Louis is met by his friend Van Buren, who tells him about J. B. and his “mistress” coming to his shop. Figuring that J. B. wouldn’t dare foreclose on the place where his mistress is staying, Louis sends a telegram to Mary, asking her to come to the hotel. She comes, and he manages to convince her to stay in one of his most luxurious suites (but has to give her a REALLY good deal to convince her to stay). Not having any food, she goes to the automat. There, she runs into J. B.’s son, John Ball, Jr. (Ray Milland), who is working as a waiter there to prove to his father that he can make good. He becomes smitten with her, and tries to give her some free food. He is caught however, and, in the process, starts a fight that results in all the food becoming available (and a mad rush by customers to get the “free food”). Now that he’s been fired, Mary invites him to come stay at her new apartment. Meanwhile, with his son not home (and his wife having left for a warmer climate), J. B. decides to stay at the Hotel Louis overnight. In the hotel lobby, he runs into Mary, and orders a special dinner for her before leaving (on his own). The next day, it becomes common gossip that they are together at the hotel, and the place becomes quite popular. Mary starts getting calls from everybody, including stockbroker E. F. Hulgar (Andrew Tombes), who asks her what Mr. Ball thinks steel will do. Since she still doesn’t know about J.B., she assumes he meant her roommate, John, and she asks him. When he tells her steel will go down, Mr. Hulgar leaves, promising to make her money. With everybody selling (and J.B. trying to buy), everything collapses, leaving J.B. nearly broke. Can this mess be corrected, or will J.B.’s life be in ruins?

Having signed a new contract with Paramount Studios at the time, Preston Sturges’ first assignment was to adapt the story of Easy Living (by Vera Caspary), although, when all was said and done, all that was retained of the story was the title and the fur coat. Preston Sturges wanted very much to make the movie a comedy, but the producer at the time, Maurice Revnes, disagreed, feeling that it was not a time for comedies. Refusing to abandon the idea, Preston Sturges took his screenplay to director Mitchell Leisen, and the movie ended up being done anyway (although the final credited producer was Arthur Hornblow, Jr.).

The movie seems to be considered one of the better screwball comedies, and I would definitely agree with that! I’m coming off my first time seeing it, but I certainly got quite a few laughs out of the movie! Whether it was Edward Arnold’s J.B. trying to explain monetary interest to Mary, or the whole fracas at the automat when all the food doors were opened, or just the whole finale, there were many hilarious moments that stuck with me! I feel like the cast as a whole worked quite well, as they all contributed to the overall mirth and merriment of the tale! I don’t care how different this may have been from the original story that Preston Sturges was *supposed* to adapt, I’m glad he did it his way (and I’m also glad that he ignored the original producer). This is a fun film, and one I highly recommend!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2019) with… Easy Living (1937)

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. While the case doesn’t make any claims about the transfer, I would definitely say it looks quite good. The picture has been mostly cleaned up (outside of minor dirt and debris, if that even). The detail is quite good. The movie certainly looks as good as I could hope for, and that makes this release recommended!

Film Length: 1 hour, 28 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

Audience Rating:

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Jean Arthur – You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

Edward Arnold – You Can’t Take It With You (1938)

Thoughts From The Music(al) Man (2021) on… The Good Fairy (1935)

Today, we’ve got another double-feature! This one will be focusing on two movies that were written by Preston Sturges. The first one is the 1935 film The Good Fairy, starring Margaret Sullavan and Herbert Marshall! But first, we have a theatrical short to get through!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Pink, Plunk, Plink (1966)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 24 seconds)

The Pink Panther tries to get himself into the orchestra at a concert, but the conductor keeps throwing him out. Of course, the fun here is in the orchestra trying to do Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, but the Panther keeps trying to do the Pink Panther Theme. The chemistry between the Panther and the Little Man as the conductor is still as good as always, and makes for a great deal of the fun. Throw in a quick cameo at the end from Henry Mancini (through live-action footage), and this one is a lot of fun to come back to every now and then!

And Now For The Main Feature…

When Maurice Schlapkohl (Alan Hale), the owner of a big movie theater, comes to the municipal orphanage (for girls), he hires orphan Luisa Ginglebusher (Margaret Sullavan) to be one of his ushers. The head of the orphanage, Dr. Schultz (Beulah Bondi), tries to give her advice, both on how to deal with men, as well as the hope that she will try to do good deeds for those around her. One night, when Luisa leaves the theater, she is accosted by a man, and her only hope is to pretend that the passing Detlaff (Reginald Owen) (whom she had met in the theater) is her husband. After she explains herself and her situation to Detlaff over sandwiches, he gives her an invitation to a fancy party. When she arrives, she finds out that he is the waiter there (and therefore cannot speak to her very easily without getting in trouble). She at first confuses the owner of a South American meat packing company, Konrad (Frank Morgan), for a waiter, until he tells her who he is and tries to seduce her. To get herself out of trouble, she again claims to be married, but Konrad is still interested, and promises to help make her “husband” rich (if only to get him out of the picture). Figuring it to be a possible way to do a good deed for others, like Dr. Schultz had suggested, Luisa picks a random name out of the phone book when Konrad is distracted. The next day, he goes to see her “husband,” a lawyer named Dr. Max Sporum (Herbert Marshall) to offer him a five-year contract that would take him to South America (but he obviously doesn’t give the exact reason why he is doing this). Dr. Sporum believes this is essentially karma, as he has long tried to be honest and ethical in all his dealings, and finally things are going right for him. A bit later, Luisa tries to see him to tell him the truth, only to see how happy this has made him, and she can’t bring herself to disillusion him. They spend some time together, spending the money he has been given due to his new account, and they fall for each other. However, Luisa still has to meet with Konrad later, so that Dr. Sporum will be able to keep his position. Will she be able to go through with it, or will everything still work itself out for all involved?

The movie was based on the 1930 play A jó tündér (or The Good Fairy) by Ferenc Molnár (which had been translated and adapted by Jane Hinton for the 1931 Broadway show). Preston Sturges adapted it for the big screen, and tailored the script for actress Maureen Sullavan for her third film. In spite of many behind-the-scenes issues (such as Preston Sturges generally getting the script to everyone a day before they would shoot it, or quarrels between Maureen Sullavan and director William Wyler), the movie turned out to be a hit. The screenplay would be the basis for the 1951 Broadway musical Make A Wish, and the story would be remade onscreen as the 1947 Deanna Durbin film I’ll Be Yours and a 1956 TV movie for Hallmark Hall Of Fame.

I’m coming off my first time seeing this movie. I was willing to try it, having seen a few other films that Preston Sturges was involved with, and this one sounded like fun. Having Frank Morgan in the cast didn’t hurt, either, as he is usually fun to see (outside of in Fast And Loose, although I blame that one on the early sound technology and how it affected everybody’s acting). And, having seen it, I still maintain my opinion of Frank Morgan, as he is just as fun (and funny) here as I would expect! And he’s not the only one. Reginald Owen as the waiter Detlaff, who takes on an almost fatherly role for Margaret Sullavan’s character, provides some humor as well. Margaret Sullavan herself is quite a bit of fun, able to handle most of the comedy well as her character tries to navigate the whole situation. Eric Blore makes an enjoyable (if not altogether too short) appearance as the drunken Dr. Metz, the Minister of Arts and Decorations. I will admit, Herbert Marshall seems to be the weak link for me in the main cast, but even he’s enough fun (especially when he is being pushed to get rid of his facial hair at Luisa’s insistence).

It’s an understatement to say that this movie has a number of memorable moments within it! I know I get a chuckle out of the “movie-within-a-movie” scene early on, with its melodramatic tone and one character basically saying “Go” with different inflections the whole time (seriously, it seems like the type of thing that Singin’ In The Rain made fun of). And, honestly, the dynamic between Frank Morgan and Reginald Owen’s characters (Konrad and Detlaff, respectively) provides quite a few laughs throughout the movie. Of course, the two standout moments for this pair are when Konrad tries to order dinner for two (and Detlaff keeps looking for reasons to get Margaret Sullavan’s Luisa out of the private dining room to get her out of trouble), and the end, when everything gets explained. Plain and simple, I really enjoyed this movie, and had quite a few good laughs with it! So I would indeed recommend this one!

What’s Old Is A New Release Again (2020) with… The Good Fairy (1935)

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics, featuring a new 4K master. This transfer looks wonderful! The detail is superb! There are a few (very few) specks here and there, but so few that it’s hardly worth mentioning. It’s safe to say this wonderful film has been given the treatment it deserves, and the Blu-ray is well worth it!

Film Length: 1 hour, 38 minutes

My Rating: 8/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Margaret Sullavan – The Shop Around The Corner (1940)

Herbert Marshall – Mad About Music (1938)

The Cat And The Fiddle (1934) – Frank Morgan – Naughty Marietta (1935)

Stingaree (1934) – Reginald Owen – Rose-Marie (1936)

Eric Blore – Top Hat (1935)

“Star Of The Month (March 2021)” Featuring Gene Kelly in… Marjorie Morningstar (1958)

It’s the last Sunday of the month, and so we’ve got one last Gene Kelly film to end out his run as Star Of The Month! This time, it’s the 1958 movie Marjorie Morningstar (based on the 1955 novel of the same name by Herman Wouk), which also stars Natalie Wood! But first, we have a fun theatrical short!

Coming Up Shorts! with… Vitamin Pink (1966)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 25 seconds)

The Pink Panther is selling some pep pills out west, but finds himself stuck as a deputy when he gives some to an escaped convict. Of course, the fun here is in watching those pep pills work, first for an older man who is given new life to chase after a young and attractive woman (in one of the short’s more dated moments), and then the bandit, who gets away with a lot of money. It does admittedly repeat itself a little while the bank robber steals from a second and third bank, but the way that the Panther captures the villain is rather amusing, and a proper ending for the short (with everything coming full circle for the robber). I certainly know I enjoyed seeing it again!

And Now For The Main Feature…

College student Marjorie Morgenstern (Natalie Wood) is unsure of what direction in life to take. She wants to be an actress on the stage, but her parents, Arnold (Everett Sloane) and Rose Morgenstern (Claire Trevor), want her to marry and raise a family. Her mother is particularly thrilled when Marjorie’s boyfriend, Sandy Lamm (Edward Byrnes), proposes, but Marjorie turns him down. Her family is planning a summer vacation with Sandy’s family, but Marjorie wants to be apart from them. She ends up taking a job as the dramatic counselor at Camp Tamarack in the Catskills, along with her college friend Marsha Zelenko (Carolyn Jones). One night, at Marsha’s insistence, they take a canoe to the South Wind resort on the other side of the lake. Since they aren’t guests at the resort, they sneak into the theatre there, where Marsha runs off with a musician, and Marjorie stays to watch the rehearsals. She meets the director, Noel Airman (Gene Kelly) and his assistant Wally Wronken (Marty Milner). Wally is instantly smitten with her, but she only has eyes for Noel. Later that night, while waiting for Marsha to return, Marjorie is caught by resort owner Mr. Greech (George Tobias), but Noel bails her out by offering her a job. Soon, her uncle Samson (Ed Wynn) comes to the resort to work in the kitchen (and keep an eye on Marjorie for her parents). Marjorie and Noel become close, but trouble arises when uncle Samson dies of a heart attack when entertaining visitors. Marjorie returns to the city and finishes college. After she graduates, she runs into Noel, who has now become an advertising executive and seems to be doing well. However, his insecurities come to light when his former assistant Wally becomes a success on Broadway, and so Noel starts drinking. Again, Marjorie tries to leave him, especially after discovering him with another woman. Soon, Marjorie’s friend Marsha gets married, but she tells Marjorie off for leaving Noel, who very obviously loves her. Noel returns, announcing that he has finished a musical play that he had been working on, and Marjorie gets Marsha’s new husband to help finance it. Things still don’t go right, as the critics attack the show savagely, and Noel disappears once again. Can Marjorie find him this time, or will she let him be?

I’m now coming off my first time seeing Marjorie Morningstar (unlike the other Gene Kelly films that I’ve reviewed this month, which I’ve generally seen quite a few times at this point). I will readily admit to the fact that he is the main reason I wanted to see this movie. At the time he made this movie, Gene was coming off of his contract at MGM ending after nearly fifteen years. I’ve mainly seen his musicals from that era (and at least two of his non-musical roles), and this film feels like quite a departure. He’s not playing his usual cocky and self-assured self here. Instead, his character is full of insecurities, as he tries to figure out what to do with his life, especially as his new love for Marjorie pushes him to try and be better (although without much success). It’s a different role than I’m used to seeing from him, and yet, his performance here works for me. He does do some dancing here. It’s nothing big, and certainly nothing that would make us forget all the wonderful dances he had already done earlier in his career. Still, it doesn’t take away from the movie.

For actress Natalie Wood, this film was part of her transition from mostly childish roles into adult characters. I feel that she does a fairly good job here with the role. We do see in her a character that is trying to break the mold, trying to break away from tradition (mainly the old idea of getting married, settling down and raising a family instead of having a career). I wouldn’t say that her performance is anything special, necessarily, but she does well enough to sell the movie. Admittedly, she does have one dance routine (and not even with Gene), and it does feel awkward to watch. Quite frankly, I wonder why they even bothered putting it in the movie, as it would be just as good (if not better) without it.

Overall, though, I do enjoy the movie. Ed Wynn’s appearance in the movie is fun. Definitely different from many of the (mostly Disney) roles I’ve known him for most of my life, but he’s still entertaining, and makes you like his character. The movie’s main song, “A Very Precious Love” (by Sammy Fain and Paul Francis Webster) ended up being nominated for an Oscar. Personally, it didn’t stick with me after one viewing, but we’ll see in the future. Like I said, this is a decent movie, and one I’m glad was pulled out of the vaults so that it could be seen again. It’s not as good as many of Gene’s earlier films, but it’s still one I would recommend giving a chance!

This movie is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber Studio Classics (although last I knew, it was part of their “While Supplies Last” sale, so when it’s gone, it’s gone).

Film Length: 2 hours, 3 minutes

My Rating: 7/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

Les Girls (1957) – Gene Kelly

Miracle On 34th Street (1947) – Natalie Wood – Kings Go Forth (1958)

Raw Deal (1948) – Claire Trevor – Two Weeks In Another Town (1962)

Silk Stockings (1957) – George Tobias – The Glass Bottom Boat (1966)

“Star Of The Month (February 2021)” Featuring Clark Gable in… Run Silent, Run Deep (1958)

Well, it’s the last Sunday in February, and I have one last Clark Gable film, as we end our celebration of him as the Star Of The Month! That film would be the 1958 movie Run Silent, Run Deep, which also stars Burt Lancaster. But first, let’s get through our theatrical short.

Coming Up Shorts! with… Reel Pink (1965)

(available on Blu-ray and DVD as part of The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection: Volume 1 (1964-1966) from Kino Lorber)

(Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)

The Pink Panther buys a group of worms to go fishing, but one of them keeps giving him trouble. Honestly, that description doesn’t fully describe what goes on in this cartoon. For the second half, the Panther faces off against a crab that he catches, while the worm just disappears completely. Both parts are somewhat amusing with the worm sabotaging him and the crab trying to fight him (even with a cannon from inside his shell), but the change just feels too abrupt, and throws off the fun of the cartoon. If it had been more consistent, it would be easier to recommend this one.

And Now For The Main Feature…

In World War II, Commander P. J. Richardson (Clark Gable) captains a submarine through the Bungo Straits near Japan, where the submarine is sunk by the Japanese destroyer Akikaze. Richardson survives, but is relegated to a desk job in Pearl Harbor. A year later, he learns from yeoman 1st class “Kraut” Miller (Jack Warden) that the Akikaze has sunk a fourth submarine in the Bungo Straits, and sends in a request to be returned to active duty. Meanwhile, the submarine Nerka returns to Pearl Harbor. With its captain out of commission due to injury, the members of the crew hope that Lieutenant James Bledsoe (Burt Lancaster) will take over. However, that idea is short-lived when they are informed that the Nerka will be captained by Commander Richardson. Jim is less than thrilled, and goes to Richardson’s home to tell him off and request a transfer (which he is denied). When they go to sea, the crew finds out that they have been assigned to patrol Area 7 (where the Bungo Straits are, much to their dismay). Richardson starts to run drills, pushing the crew to improve their timing. After about a week, they spot a Japanese sub, but Richardson chooses to ignore it. This act leaves the crew pondering whether he is a coward, with some of the officers starting to consider a mutiny (but Jim puts an end to the idea). A few days later, after doubling down on the drills, they come across a Japanese tanker and destroyer, and take them on successfully. However, they end up avoiding another convoy (on Richardson’s orders), and Jim goes to see him to find out why. Richardson then reveals that they will be going to the Bungo Straits (which their orders had told them NOT to do), and Jim deduces that it is to go after the Akikaze. Richardson thinks they have a surprise advantage, but when they come across the Akikaze protecting a convoy, they discover that the enemy is ready for them. They are forced to evade an errant torpedo, and the Akikaze drops depth charges, some of which cause damage, killing a few crew members (and giving Richardson a concussion). Richardson has them jettison some debris to help convince the Japanese that their sub had been destroyed, so that they can work on repairs. Richardson’s concussion causes him to lose consciousness, and the doctor tells him to take it easy (not that he wants to listen or let anybody else know about the problem). When Jim hears that Richardson wants to try again after the repairs have been completed, he decides that enough is enough, and assumes command himself (with plans to return to Pearl Harbor). However, when he hears on the radio from Tokyo Rose that they believe the Nerka has been sunk (and figures out how they were detected), he reconsiders his decision. Now, he figures they can try again, but will they be any more successful (and survive whatever other surprises may be in store)?

Run Silent, Run Deep is based on the novel (of the same name) by Commander Edward L. Beach. The film rights were acquired by United Artists (apparently the first time they bought the property first and then delegated it to somebody else later), and it ended up being given to Hill-Hecht-Lancaster Productions (Burt Lancaster’s production company). Burt Lancaster wanted the part of Lieutenant James Bledsoe, and they brought in Clark Gable to play the older commander. An attempt was made to keep the movie as authentic as possible, in between trying to use realistic submarine talk, combat incidents taken from the Navy archives, and learning about the equipment. Critics took to the movie, heaping a lot of praise upon it, although it wasn’t as big of a hit (at the time) with movie audiences.

I’ve seen a handful of submarine movies over time, but, so far, it’s mainly been the comedies that have stuck with me. So, when I say that I like Run Silent, Run Deep (after one viewing), you can bet I have a high opinion of the movie! I saw the movie mainly because of Clark Gable, and he did not disappoint! His character certainly seems to echo Captain Ahab of Moby Dick fame, as he is obsessed with trying to figure out how to take down the ship that sunk his submarine. He tries, as much as he can, to come up with a strategy to defeat it, and, once given another sub to work with, drills the men in the very methods he has determined would work. And, to continue it further, he wants ONLY to get that ship (and, at best, uses others like it as a test run to see if his methods have a hope of working). Of course, I can’t say whether he can be redeemed or not without giving away the film’s ending, but, suffice to say, Clark Gable made this movie worth seeing for me! All the special effects are well done, and certainly help to convey everything that’s going on! It just feels, to me, like a well-done submarine/war movie, and it’s one I would have no trouble whatsoever recommending!

This movie is available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber.

Another month down, and thus the end of my celebration of Clark Gable! Tune in tomorrow as we start the celebration of Gene Kelly as the star for the month of March!

Film Length: 1 hour, 33 minutes

My Rating: 9/10

List Of Actor/Actress Filmographies/Collections

The King And Four Queens (1956) – Clark Gable – It Started In Naples (1960)

Coming Up Shorts! with… The Ant And The Aardvark

Welcome back for another full post of Coming Up Shorts! This time around, I’m going with theatrical shorts featuring the complete run of The Ant And The Aardvark from 1969 to 1971, all of which have been put together for The Ant And The Aardvark collection.

Here’s a list and quick plot description for each of the cartoons included in this set (for my comments on the individual cartoons, click on the title to go to my previous reviews):

The Ant And The Aardvark (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 15 seconds)
- The ant finds a nearby picnic and tries to bring home some food, but is constantly being interrupted by the aardvark.
Hasty But Tasty (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 16 seconds)
- The aardvark tries to catch the ant, who is using a small motorcycle to get the food away from the picnic.
The Ant From Uncle (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 7 seconds)
- The ant complains about a lack of relaxation, while the aardvark tries to hunt him down.
I’ve Got Ants In My Plans (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 17 seconds)
- The aardvark has to contend with a green aardvark chasing after the same ant.
Technology, Phooey (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 8 seconds)
- The aardvark consults a computer for help catching the ant.
Never Bug An Ant (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 13 seconds)
- The aardvark tries to catch the ant using various methods (particularly using the attraction of sugar).
Dune Bug (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 34 seconds)
- The ant is trying to vacation on the beach, but the aardvark keeps coming for him.
Isle Of Caprice (1969) (Length: 6 minutes, 14 seconds)
- A marooned aardvark tries to get to another island where the ants are, but is stopped by a hungry shark.
Scratch A Tiger (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 15 seconds)
- When the aardvark arrives with a hungry look about him, the ant turns to a tiger he helped out for protection.
Odd Ant Out (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 7 seconds)
- The blue aardvark competes with a green aardvark for a can of chocolate ants.
Ants In The Pantry (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 7 seconds)
- The aardvark tries to act as pest control to get rid of the ant in a house.
Science Friction (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 16 seconds)
- The ant has been captured by a scientist, and the aardvark tries to get him away for a snack.
Mumbo Jumbo (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 10 seconds)
- The aardvark is chasing after the ant, but the ant is being helped by other animals in his forest lodge.
The Froze Nose Knows (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 12 seconds)
- With an unexpected snowfall, the aardvark goes hunting for the ant.
Don’t Hustle An Ant With Muscle (1970) (Length: 6 minutes, 9 seconds)
- The ant tries taking some vitamins, which gives him super strength against the aardvark.
Rough Brunch (1971) (Length: 6 minutes, 18 seconds)
- The ant gets help from a termite to avoid the aardvark.
From Bed To Worse (1971) (Length: 6 minutes, 13 seconds)
- After getting hit in the road, the ant and the aardvark end up in an animal hospital.

In 1963, Friz Freleng and David H. DePatie, both of whom had worked at Warner Brothers Cartoons, formed DePatie-Freleng Enterprises when Warners closed their animation division. With the success of The Pink Panther theatrical shorts (which I’ll be commenting on later), they started branching out with some other series. The Ant And The Aardvark features a blue aardvark (who was never really given a name beyond “Aardvark”) and Charlie Ant. Both characters were voiced by John Byner. The theatrical shorts later became a part of the package show The New Pink Panther Show on TV starting in 1971, and the series proved to be quite popular (although no new shorts were produced for it). The series was revived twice, the first time for The Pink Panther TV series in 1993-1995 (with John Byner returning to voice both Charlie Ant and the Aardvark again) and the second time in 2010 for the show Pink Panther And Pals (with Kel Mitchell voicing the Ant, and the Aardvark mainly being voiced by Eddie Garvar, with John Over also doing some voice work for the character).

Besides the Pink Panther cartoons, The Ant And The Aardvark shorts are the only ones of the DePatie-Freleng group of cartoons that I have any fondness for. I enjoy John Byner’s portrayal of both characters, with the Aardvark’s voice sounding like comedian Jackie Mason and Charlie Ant being based on Dean Martin. The shorts may all be formulaic, in the category of “predator vs. prey” like much of the Sylvester and Tweety or Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote cartoons. They’re not *quite* as good as some of those earlier types (not helped by one or two feeling like remakes of some of those earlier cartoons), but they are still well-done and manage to be quite hilarious. The supporting cast also generally makes things better (with the green aardvark being the main recurring character that I can think of), and they keep the formula from getting too stale. These shorts haven’t necessarily been given a full-fledged restoration for the Blu-ray and DVD release, but they still look good enough to keep me happy. The out-of-sync audio on the “Technology, Phooey” cartoon is the only real complaint I have with the set. As I said, I enjoy these shorts, and I have no trouble whatsoever in recommending them for a fun time!

The Ant And The Aardvark Collection is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Kino Lorber. The whole set has a runtime of one hour, forty-seven minutes.