I remembered this film as a child when it would come on Channel 7 movie. I could not believe this was Ms. Dandridge's last film role because she was so good. Hopefully this movie will be on DVD. The cast was so good and due to Jim Crow they could show kissing between black and whites in films like they can now. I've always liked Trevor Howard and he was quite good in Malaga. After Carmen Jones Ms. Dandridge did other films such as Island in The Sun Porgy and Bess, The Decks Ran Red and Tamango and except for Porgy and Bess she always seem to be lusted after by white men. But Ms. Dandridge to me was our Marilyn Monroe! This movie is rarely shown on TV whether cable or not! For Black History month certain stations would mostly show Sidney Poitier movies as if that is what Black History is all about. Some people never heard of Dorothy Dandridge until Halle Berry portrayed on HBO! They say you're as good as last film and this film would be the last for Ms. Dandridge and we will never know what other film roles she would have done.
Reviews
7 Reviews
Claudine
(1974)
Comedy-drama about a welfare mother of six children who falls for a handsome garbage man and the two experience an up and down relationship.
23 December 2007
I went to the movies to see Claudine and loved every minute of it the cast and the soundtrack as well. Diahann Carroll was never better than in this role. We saw Ms. Carroll downplayed her looks barely saw her naked,smoked a cigarette, drank beer and oh she cursed. Whenever this movie was shown on TV and finally cable I would call my friends to watch it. Just the soundtrack from the very beginning of the movie is awesome all thanks to Gladys Knight and the Pips. We saw a black woman struggling to raise her children, dealing with teen pregnancy and everyday life meets a man whom she learns later on has issues himself. Finally this movie made it to DVD and well deserving.
Sapphire
(1959)
Murder mystery set in England about a girl found dead in a park soon discovered to have been passing for white.
23 December 2007
I first saw the movie Sapphire on the Million Dollar Movie one night and I fell in love with it. I"m one for a good mystery movie and this is the one. From start to finish and when the movie did end I wanted more. The movie's ending will surprise you. The cast was excellent and actors Nigel Patrick Earl Cameron and Yvonne Mitchell were just great. I finally purchased this movie from one of those hard to find videos company on VHS. This movie needs to be released on DVD!!!! The racism in Sapphire was very brutal and honest. Here you had the tragic mulatto who is murdered I think of Imitation of Life where Susan Kohner's Sarah Jane is passing for white to the point she gets beaten up by her secret white lover, she was lucky!!!!!!!
Cowboy
(1958)
Western film about a former hotel clerk who bails out a cattle rustler and joins his outfit to find a lost love and gets caught up in many adventures.
22 December 2007
I first saw this movie on Channel 7's 4:30 Movie. This is a great western as well.Jack Lemmon's only western was his best ever. Glenn Ford as usual was great. Anna Kashfi had a great career in her day before the Brando drama and she was indeed beautiful. I love the music score for this movie and the ending as well. I'm glad this movie finally made it to DVD even though I've seen it on cable a million times. The title alone tells many stories as Lemmon's character experienced. I highly recommend this movie. Watch for character Strother Martin in a small role. Richard Jaeckal can play a bad boy anytime for me!!!
Last Train from Gun Hill
(1959)
A marshal must bring to justice the son of his best friend for the rape murder of his Native American wife.
22 December 2007
I first seen this film on Channel 5 when it showed movies on Sundays. This western should be considered a classic right along with High Noon. The chemistry between Douglas and Quinn are as evident as it was in Lust for Life. great!!!!!!! Carolyn Jones had a great knack for playing girlfriend/mistress/wife in films. Earl Holliman to me could always make good use of his characters even when the film was not so good. Last Gun will keep you on your toes from start to finish and you know who to root for. I remember Ziva Rodann from the Batman episode as Nefeteri to Victor Buono's King Tut. Whatever became of her? A great cast for a equally great film. If this movie was to be remade a real Native American woman would be cast but this original could never be touched. Dimitri Tiomkin music score reveals the tension which makes good for this movie.
Land of the Pharaohs
(1955)
Melodrama about the building of the pyramids during the reign of King Khufu and of greed and treachery and murder by a scheming temptress.
22 December 2007
I remember when the Million Dollar Movie showed the same the movie for 1 week and this was the movie I fell in love with. Jack Hawkins and Joan Collins became my favorites after seeing this movie. Whenever Land of the Pharohs would come on TV I would watch it because it was so good! When AMC finally showed this movie I taped it every time it was shown. Finally I purchased the DVD and was disappointed that Howard Hawks made awful comments about the film. Besides Paul Sawtell, Dimitri Tiomkin is my favorite movie composer. Some regard this movie as camp but Martin Scorcese commented highly about this movie as one of his favorites as well. Another swords and sandals film in my collection.
Sign of the Pagan
(1954)
A Roman officer sets out on a quest to stop Attila The Hun from destroying Rome.
9 December 2007
I've watched this movie on the Late Show as a child. To me Jack Palance is the ultimate Attila. He portrays barbarians well in movies as in The Mongols opposite Anita Ekberg. Jeff Chandler's untimely death at an early age is a great loss to for his career was on the up and up. The only survivors of this movie are Rita Gam and Michael Ansara. I saw another movie about Attila which I did not like. Maybe the the producers were trying to be more accurate about character. I taped this movie before AMC changed their format. AMC did show lots of old films especially those made by UNIVERSAL and they did show lots of Jeff CHandler flicks. I love swords and sandals movies and I hope one day this movie will be released on DVD.
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