mharrison-17627 Reviews

Rawhide (1951)

Overrated

[6/10 · 29 September 2023]

I was genuinely surprised to find so many favourable reviews for this film here on this site. It is OK, but mostly just talk with little action. Sadly the lead actor is clearly miscast. Tyrone Power delivers a fine performance. Unfortunately he looks 40 years old, thus making him far older than his character who had been sent to work on the ranch by his father.

I agree with an earlier reviewer that it really should have been filmed in Technicolor - a western set in the outdoors on a ranch does not look anywhere near as good in black and white. Jack Elam dominates the film as one of the outlaws.

Rio Bravo (1959)

Overrated

[5/10 · 29 May 2023]

This slow and overlong film is entertaining enough for the most part, but it definitely drags in places. The singing scene was unnecessary and slows the film down even more. Walter Brennan was OK at first, but his overacting and fake accent begin to grate after a while. It would have been far more realistic if either Ricky Nelson or Dean Martin had played the romantic lead, rather than the clearly overweight and obviously well into middle age John Wayne.

I actually much preferred the two semi-remakes, "El Dorado" and "Rio Lobo". It is absurd that anyone could put this film in the same league as either "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon" or "The Searchers".

I am surprised so many other reviewers single out Nelson's performance for criticism. Obviously he was only cast in order to encourage young people to see the film, but his performance was not that bad. Dean Martin was hardly a great actor.

The Guns of Navarone (1961)

Does not hold up

[1/10 · 3 December 2022]

It was a mistake casting middle-aged actors in this overlong and boring film. There is far too much talk, and the special effects look incredibly dated. The story is ridiculous at times and makes little sense.

Ironically the entire operation in the Mediterranean was a complete disaster for the British. The Americans correctly refused to support Churchill's plan as it was clearly based far more on preserving the British Empire than on defeating the Axis Powers.

Unfortunately films like this one have caused people to mistakenly believe the Allies were successful here in 1943.

After wasting vast resources in the failed Dodecanese campaign Churchill then invaded Italy, which proved to be another disaster for the Allies. Kesselring's outstanding defence of Italy delayed the end of the war in Europe by a year.

They Died with Their Boots On (1941)

Absolute rubbish

[1/10 · 4 February 2022]

A ludicrous attempt to whitewash genocide. The film is extremely racist and dated, with the first half played for comedy. Watch "Custer of the West" for a far better film.

Captains Courageous (1937)

Overrated

[5/10 · 16 January 2022]

Freddie Bartholomew gave a great performance and was more deserving of an Oscar than a miscast Tracy with his ludicrous attempt at a Portuguese accent. However the story does not make sense, especially as Harvey was supposed to be ten instead of sixteen as he was in Kipling's novel. One could hardly expect him to be independent at that age. Melvyn Douglas gives a typically bland performance as Harvey's father.

Thirteen Days (2000)

Garbage

[1/10 · 15 January 2022]

The Cuban Missile Crisis was the worst defeat the United States had suffered in its entire history prior to the Vietnam War. Kennedy was assassinated because he surrendered to the USSR and secretly removed US missiles from Italy and Turkey, as well as publicly promising not to repeat his illegal invasion of Cuba. It's strange how he is still remembered favourably by so many when he was a warmonger who massively increased the illegal US invasion of Vietnam, and caused Khrushchev to build the Berlin Wall. This film is a complete left-wing whitewash, complete with the usual awful non-performance by Kevin Costner. It's hard to believe the wooden Costner was ever a major star in Hollywood, even if it was over 30 years ago.

The Shootist (1976)

Bad film

[1/10 · 2 January 2022]

A poor variation on "The Gunfighter" with Gregory Peck. All of the actors were too old for their characters, I actually laughed when Bacall said her husband had died the previous year aged 41. It was silly casting Bacall as the mother of a teenage boy when she looked about 60.

With the slow pace and studio-bound setting the film feels like it was made for TV. The idea of a 70-year-old gunfighter was ludicrious.

John Bernard Books was only 50 in the novel. They should have cast George C. Scott or Charles Bronson.

Gun for a Coward (1956)

Very good

[8/10 · 29 November 2021]

This extremely good albeit short western is only marred by the casting of Fred Macmurray as one of the brothers. Macmurray looked about 50, and he was clearly too close in age to the actress playing his mother. A younger actor like Richard Egan should have been cast.

Dean Stockwell is fine in a James Dean-like performance as the youngest brother, and Chill Wills is excellent.

Ride the Hot Wind (1973)

The best film of its kind

[10/10 · 29 October 2021]

Tommy Kirk gave an incredible performance as a character who was obviously based on Lieutenant William Calley, a man who was probably unfairly convicted for the My Lai massacre in a deliberate cover up by the US army. Kirk's facial expressions are excellent and he seems genuinely angry at times. It is such a shame he did not continue acting after the mid-1970s, although I don't blame him for changing careers after he was almost killed making a western. This exciting and thought-provoking film is one of the best I have ever seen, what a pity it is so little known.

Unlike the previous reviewer I did not think it was far-fetched when Gregory was invited to join the gang, as several members had intended to leave anyway and they were pleased when he successfully stood up to their unpopular leader.

Sleepers (1996)

Awful film

[1/10 · 24 October 2021]

A terrible film masquerading as a true story when in reality it is complete fiction. As the late Roger Ebert wrote, the film is homophobic and entirely implausible. Today in the age of the Internet and 24 hour news the writer would never get away with creating this tissue of lies and trying to pass it off as a true story. The acting and "New York" accents are awful, especially Brad Pitt's.

Custer of the West (1967)

A great epic

[10/10 · 30 August 2021]

An incredible epic film about Custer with a fine performance by Robert Shaw. Far more realistic than the 1941 version, this film clearly sides with the Native American Indians while still giving a balanced portrayal of Custer himself. One of the best historical epics of all time.

The Godfather (1972)

Extremely overrated

[1/10 · 7 August 2021]

An overlong and slow film that may have seemed better 50 years ago, but is now boring and very dated. Marlon Brando's make up looks so fake and the obviously Jewish James Caan is badly miscast as an Italian-American. The restaurant meeting would never have happened in reality - Sollozzo tries to kill Vito, and then just a few days later Michael is just going to sit down and have dinner with him? Lol. In any case Sollozzo would have known the police captain had to remain on call 24 hours a day. McClusky would have given a false location, rather than the restaurant, to the police.

Patton (1970)

Boring

[1/10 · 12 July 2021]

Routine, old-fashioned war film. George C. Scott sounded nothing like the real General Patton and the aging make up isn't believable. Given the excessive three hour running time I am surprised the film completely glossed over the general's anti-Semitism and his belief that the US had "fought the wrong enemy".

Great Expectations (1974 TV Movie)

The best version

[10/10 · 16 June 2021]

Much better than the 1946 black and white version in every way. Simon Gipps-Kent was outstanding as the young Pip, what a tragedy he died in his twenties in mysterious circumstances. Michael York was far better than John Mills as the adult Pip and at least looked closer to the character's age.

The Dam Busters (1955)

Awful

[1/10 · 15 April 2021]

Very dated and boring film with far too much technical talk. Operation Chastise was a war crime and a complete failure, as Harris and Speer both confirmed at the time. The Germans repaired most of the damage within a fortnight. All the raid did was murder thousands of civilians and POWs.

Shaker Run (1985)

Best movie ever

[10/10 · 18 March 2021]

Cliff Robertson and Leif Garrett both give great performances in this exciting, well made thriller with a decent budget and the best car chase ever filmed.

All Quiet on the Western Front (1979 TV Movie)

The best version

[9/10 · 4 March 2021]

Far better than the extremely dated 1930 original. The budget was high and the battle scenes are surprisingly convincing for a television film. The cast was fine, especially Dai Bradley as Albert, although casting a fat old man as Kat was a mistake.

Tension at Table Rock (1956)

Highly underrated

[10/10 · 7 September 2020]

More interesting than the slow-moving "Shane" or the overrated "High Noon", this superb western has Richard Egan well cast as the misunderstood outsider. Egan was often a wooden actor but he was surprisingly effective in this film. Cameron Mitchell gives a fine performance as the sheriff who has to prove he can still keep the town in order. It is surprising that Billy Chapin never made another film after his moving portrayal of Jody.

10/10.

Acres and Acres (2016)

Wonderful film

[10/10 · 7 September 2020]

Uplifting and highly emotional. Ross McCormack was especially good as the younger Singe. It is a shame this film is not well known.

In the House (2012)

My favourite French film

[10/10 · 30 July 2020]

The best French film I have seen. The performances by Fabrice Luchini and Ernst Umhauer were outstanding. It is difficult to say when the fiction overtakes reality.

The Kentuckian (1955)

Great epic

[10/10 · 30 July 2020]

Burt Lancaster directed this excellent epic for the whole family to enjoy. It is unfortunate that some reviewers criticise Donald Macdonald's "sulky expression" when Little Eli was supposed to be upset a lot of the time. Walter Matthau's character is unconvincing though.

Treasure Island (1972)

The best version

[10/10 · 12 July 2020]

Far more realistic and exciting than the 1950 Disney version, and with a much better budget. Kim Burfield was excellent as Jim Hawkins and the locations in Spain and Italy are superb. It is like a spaghetti western.

Barabbas (1961)

Almost excellent

[9/10 · 25 June 2020]

A fine, less well known Biblical epic with a wonderful score and exciting gladiator scenes. The only problem is that Barabbas already looks about 50 at the beginning, so it is hard to believe he becomes a gladiator after working in the sulphur mine for twenty years.

Michael Collins (1996)

Rubbish

[1/10 · 26 May 2020]

A routine biopic of a man who betrayed his country by accepting partition, and was killed by the IRA for using weapons from Churchill to attack the Four Courts. The real hero was de Valera as he rejected partition and kept Ireland completely neutral during World War II.

Brainscan (1994)

Great film

[10/10 · 23 May 2020]

The best film of this genre, even though it does feel like it was made for television. Edward Furlong should have played the lead in more films after this. It is surprising that although Furlong was the same age as his character, the actors playing Kyle, Kimberley and Stacie were all much older.