gdfinky-1 Reviews

The Stalking Moon (1968)

A true classic among westerns. Great production.

[10/10 · 8 January 2013]

I am very happy to see this film be released on DVD, because for years all a person could get was a VHS which had several scenes cut from the movie. (There must be a special place in Hell for those who edit great pictures!) Consequently, I threw my tape away, and only watched my homemade copy, which I had fortunately recorded off of TV before it was even released on VHS. This DVD contains the complete film. Hooray!

The plot, the scripting, the casting, the scenery, and the acting were all superb,and the haunting music lends an unforgettable finishing touch. Robert Mulligan lives up to the high standard we have come to expect from him. All in all, a masterful western and a pretty authentic representation of the southwestern frontier.

Amelia (2009)

Romantic drama about the first woman to fly across the Atlantic and attempt to fly around the world.

[10/10 · 17 July 2012]

I recently bought a DVD of "Amelia," having read "The Sound of Wings," one of the two books about her life upon which the screenplay was based -- the other being "East to the Dawn." To summarize, it is the story of Amelia Earhardt, one of America's first women pilots and of her personal life and close relationship with G.P. Putnam, her husband, as she attempts to be the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, and the first woman to fly around the world.

I must say, I was not disappointed with the film, in spite of the fact that I had heard a lot of comments about its being slow and boring. I found it to be a surprisingly accurate, though necessarily condensed, account of her career in aviation, including most of her record setting accomplishments, and thanks to Hilary Swank's and Richard Gere's true-to-life portrayals of Miss Earhardt and G.P. Putnam, a vibrant and very exciting movie. And this, in spite of the fact that it contained no explosions, no explicit sexual encounters, and only one bad word!

Oh, I suppose that some might find it dull if they were not interested in Amelia Earhardt or aviation, or dreams. But personally, I found it to be inspiring.

Drums of Tahiti (1953)

Exciting romance about the attempt of the Queen of Tahiti to liberate her islands from the French.

[10/10 · 7 November 2010]

This is a delightful little adventure/romance which could just as easily have fit Bogie and Bacall, though I doubt if they could have done better than O'Keefe and Medina. O'Keefe is great as the tough American merchant in Tahiti who turns out to be a sucker for the underdog, and joins Queen Pomare's attempt to import guns from San Francisco in order to start a revolution against the French. In order to allay the French Commissioner's suspicions, he states that he is only going to Frisco to get married, but the Commissioner unexpectedly decides to accompany him, in order to be best man at his wedding. The shenanigans that occur as O'Keefe tries to find a woman to play the part of his intended bride while he is secretly obtaining guns, and the love/hate relationship that develops between he and Medina. under the watchful eye of the suspicious Commissioner are delightful, and Francis L. Sullivan deserves a lot of credit for his performance as the lovable but shrewd Commissioner, as well. Very entertaining!