dicklynch-79647 Reviews

The Bedroom Window (1987)

Pretty good until....

[6/10 · 17 February 2024]

This movie kept my interest--the story was good, and it had its share of good atmosphere--rainy streets of Baltimore, bars, reenactments.

A decent courtroom scene. And there was a segment at the Ballet where director Hansen intercuts between the action outside and the performance inside. And Elizabeth McGovern is good and feisty in her role.

(spoilers!)---but when McGovern and Guttenberg begin their plan to trap the real attacker, the movie becomes an inept action picture.

It's as if the producer came in 3 quarters of the way into the movie and fired Hansen and hired a less-than-talented action director.

It just wasn't necessary. Having everything go wrong made the plot go ridiculous. Too bad. See it for the good stuff and make up your own ending.

Sweet and Lowdown (1999)

almost perfect

[8/10 · 29 December 2023]

Samantha Morton is wonderful in this--a great creation by her and Allen. Her interaction with Sean Penn is the heart of the movie.

Sean Penn as the fictional Emmett Ray is abrasive, and as Woody Allen's commentary suggests, pathetic. That doesn't mean he's likeable, but he's watchable. You don't have to be a jazz fan to like this, but if you are, you might be distracted by Penn's inaccurate guitar playing--most of the time, you can just tell it's not him playing-his fingers don't match the notes heard. There's only been one other comment about this, so most people weren't bothered by it.

This movie also has a similar story-line to Fellini's "La Strada". A performer who has a relationship with a woman who's somewhat off-center, yet wonderful. But the performer doesn't see that, and there's a tragic end to him in both movies. But it's a Woody Allen movie, and pretty good.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: My Neighbor's Husband's Other Life (1964) Season 3, Episode 30

real and funny

[9/10 · 30 August 2022]

What I liked most about this episode was the scene where Laura wanted to find out how Millie was---it was actually very moving--Ann Morgan Guilbert's acting was great---her slow revealing of her true feelings. And the final bursting of the truth. It had a realism to it. It was touching while still being in a sit-com mode.

It also has a good scene with Buddy and Sally, with Buddy giving one of his great off-the-wall observations.

I know some episodes were dedicated to one characters---the episode could called "all about the Helpers". The other one was "All About Eavesdropping". A classic.

Another reason why this show has a special place in my memory.

Vengeance Is Mine (1984 TV Movie)

Brooke is good

[5/10 · 7 June 2022]

But I had questions about her character's behavior. We meet her husband early on, and he's a complete jerk---bossy, needy, controlling. Despite their separation, he wants to sleep with her, an action that Brooke (Jo) obviously doesn't want to happen---yet the next scene is them in a hotel room. Why would she even consider that? When she changes her mind about sex, the husband gets mad--they drive away together (why does she get in the car with him?) He drives like a maniac, scaring Jo who starts throwing the contents of his glove compartment out the window. He stops in a rage, they argue--then he takes a pair of scissors and starts hacking her hair off. Yes--this really happens.

Gladly, that's the last we see of her husband.

She then becomes embroiled with a dysfunctional family--unpredictably hostile mother, suffering husband and daughter. This husband isn't violent--he's just dull as dishwater. The daughter is great--well played by the young actress. Brooke Adams does her best acting as this daughter's protector. But after awhile I wondered why didn't she just leave---the husband was there---and she had a job waiting in Seattle. Just leave, Jo. You don't need this nightmare.

This is a grim story---well acted, yes. But I started to wonder what was the point? The whole story of her adoptive mother and her real mother was never really explored like it could've been--so why have it in there at all?

The Dick Van Dyke Show: Baby Fat (1965) Season 4, Episode 29

Mr. Ben

[9/10 · 1 June 2022]

It's great to see Dick van Dyke and Carl Reiner playing in so many scenes together. And it's one of those episodes that has a character that represents a real-life person: Strother Martin as Tennessee Williams (other great examples: Lee Phillips plays 'Drew Patton'---Hugh Hefner in disguise. And Paul Winchell playing 'Claude Wilbur').

I, too liked Richard Erdman's walk-on as a gay designer. (but I also liked "A Ghost of A. Chance"--a great episode---I remember it from when I first saw it back in the 60s. A 'funny-scary' episode.) And there's even a skateboard --Ritchie's---this show has aged well.

Intelligent with great dialogue.

And if you like German Shepards, you'll like 'Baby Fat'.

The Fury (1978)

Good, but some questions about motivation.

[7/10 · 2 May 2022]

'The Fury' came out right after 'Carrie'--so DePalma was flying high.

His way of shooting action scenes has great style.

(spoilers)Two scene stand out: Gillian's slow-motion escape from the Institute, including the death of Carrie Snodgrass. And the out-of-control ferris-wheel scene containing doomed Arabs. In that first scene, why did Gillian push Carrie Snodgrass out of the way and take off? They were supposed to escape together---Carrie said she would help Gillian escape. Why didn't Carrie just whisper to Gillian that they could escape after she got the door open?

And second---Why didn't Robin trust his father at the end? He was smart enough to realize Fiona wasn't on his side---the one person he could trust was his father, but was told his father was dead. Nothing that Kirk Douglas did made him untrustworthy. So that ending on the roof made no sense.

Otherwise, not a bad entertainment, including a fairly funny/exciting car chase featuring Dennis Franz.

Raging Bull (1980)

80% great

[8/10 · 23 April 2022]

The opening music has an emotional impact equal to what we're seeing throughout the movie. The viewpoint from LaMotta's eyes is unforgettably rendered through the use of slow-motion--when Jake see's his wife Vicky talking to mafiosi Tommy, we see expensive male rings, his brother's hand on Tommy's shoulder, and finally, most stunningly, we see Vicky in slow motion, smiling, being kissed, and moving out of the picture--then we see Jake back to normal speed, saying goodbye to Tommy as if nothing is wrong-- but the whole audience can see a coming eruption.

Great acting by all concerned. Brutal and brilliantly edited boxing scenes with great sound effects.

Some of the violent behaviour was over-used---we've already seen Marlon Brando breakdown a door to get to a woman (Eva). But the scene where he attacks Joey is necessary.

The depiction of his championship fight with Marcel Cerdan isn't accurate-- Cerdan was pushed to the mat and injured his arm in the first round when he landed on his back ---he wasn't the same for the rest of the fight. In the movie it looked like LaMotta cleanly knocked down Cerdan with a one-two punch. They skipped that controversy.

Cerdan was killed in a plane crash and so there was no rematch.

But an unforgettable movie.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: Ray Murdock's X-Ray (1963) Season 2, Episode 18

unfair to MTM

[3/10 · 14 April 2022]

Carl Reiner has been quoted as saying he regrets making Laura into a ditzy woman in this episode. At first she's hurt by Rob's description of her on a talk show (the actor playing Ray Murdock was good) but then she decides she loves being ditzy and it just falls flat, IMO. A rare misfire of a great series.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: It Wouldn't Hurt Them to Give Us a Raise (1964) Season 4, Episode 11

Flower pot

[9/10 · 14 April 2022]

I love the scene where Rob goes to the financial head to find out if Buddy and Sally can get a raise.

Flowers are used to describe the economic breakdown ---Dick van Dyke is great as usual in his reaction. (Mel Cooley makes a funny, brief entrance and exit with a great line.) This ep I think is in the top 20 of this series. Another example of being in the hands of smart and funny comedy writing/acting.

Anatomy of a Murder (1959)

Great acting by all

[8/10 · 4 April 2022]

If you want to see George C. Scott early in his career, see this movie.

He plays a supporting role, but he dominates every scene he's in. The sharp and precise way he says his lines are unique to him. And there are other performances that are interesting: Eve Arden being Eve Arden. A quietly attractive Kathryn Grant; a wonderfully hostile Murray Hamilton; an intensely mysterious Ben Gazzara; a hard -to -ignore Lee Remick. James Stewart is always easy to watch. And then there are unusual surprises--Howard McNear, who we know as Floyd the Barber, plays a serious doctor, and Orson Bean plays a serious army psychiatrist.

The movie was filmed on location in beautiful black and white in Thunder Bay on Lake Superior.

Not flawless---I agree with one other post that the scene with Mary Pelant where Jimmy Stewart asks her to testify against her father---she would've told him to get out of her inn, and Antone Pacquette (Murray Hamilton) would've gladly thrown him out. As that poster said, that scene just didn't pass the smell test.

But still, this is a highly recommended courtroom drama.

The Dick Van Dyke Show: Turtles, Ties, and Toreadors (1963) Season 3, Episode 11

nice to see a young Miriam Colon

[7/10 · 23 March 2022]

A pretty actress. There was some stereo-typing of a Latina. But we get to hear some Spanish.

She was very good as Pacino's mother in Scarface--she got to shine there, serious emotion.

But this episode had her emotions over-done, I think. It's still worth a try.

Cast Away (2000)

Island good---not on island.....iffy

[8/10 · 7 February 2022]

Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland learning to survive on that island was wonderful to watch. The movie was as inventive as he was. Great 'acting' by 'Wilson'---a touching part of the movie.

(SPOILERS) It wasn't necessary to make Chuck so manic when we first see him in Moscow. Just a more moderated energy would've been good enough.

But my main complaint is this: The role of Kelly--their love for each other was believable and well done--as she said of Chuck "I always knew you were alive---you're the love of my life." SO SHE WOULD BE THE FIRST PERSON TO WELCOME HIM BACK TO THE WORLD. With open arms.

I just didn't believe she wouldn't be there---instead we see her in a parking lot, with that idiot husband holding her back. And why didn't Chuck start banging on the window when he sees her? That scene could be removed and the rest of the movie would still work.

I loved the ending at the crossroads.