Movie Review: Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

This is a classic romance, and refers in several instances to another classic romance, "An Affair to Remember."  In this movie, Sam Baldwin has lost his wife to an illness.  His son Jonah (Ross Malinger), several months later is worried about him, and calls a late night talk show therapist.  He then puts his dad on the line, who goes ahead and describes his relationship with his wife.  At this point, every woman listening has fallen in love with him, and it leads to a letter campaign.  In the meantime, Annie Reed (Meg Ryan), a reporter also heard the broadcast live.  She doubts her own engagement to Walter (Bill Pullman).  She decides to pursue the story, as there is so much interest.  She even flies to Seattle from Baltimore, and sees him from afar.  He sees her as well, but they don't meet.  Of all the letter sent to them from around the country, Jonah picks Annie.  He makes arrangements for them to meet on the Empire State Building on Valentines.  However Sam refuses to go.  Jonah's friend helps him purchase a plane ticket, and he goes on his own.  So Sam follows, and fate is fate.
Good love story, but it does seem a bit far fetched.  But love always wins out in the end.  Even the fiance is OK with things.  Go figure.

Music Reviews: The Beatles: Love

This is an anthology CD of Beatles love songs.  This CD shows that some of the Beatles music is superb, while sometimes it just doesn't work.  Focusing on the good, this CD includes "Get Back," "Eleanor Rigby" "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Help"  One of the greatest love songs of all time is "Yesterday" and it is here as well.  "Lady in the Sky with Diamond" is beautiful, as are the final trio, "Hey Jude," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" and "All You Need is Love."  Some of the songs I had know idea it was Beatles music, even though I have listened to it since my youth.

Movie Review: ****While You Were Sleeping (1995)

This is another three-way love story.  Lucy (Sandra Bullock) lives a lonely life as a ticket taker at the train station.  She sees a handsome man everyday, and develops a crush on him.  When that man, Peter (Peter Gallagher) is mugged and pushed upon the tracks, she rescues him at peril to her own life.  He is still in a coma from bonking his head in the fall.  She goes the the hospital, and at what point she murmurs of her intent to marry him.  From there she is taken as his fiance, even though they have never met.  His family takes her in.  She is captivated by there love, and is hesitant to tell the truth.  Peter's brother Jack (Bill Pullman) is suspicious.  However at the same time he discovers a flame for her, and she discovers the same.  When Peter wakes, despite not knowing her, he re-proposes to Lucy.  the wedding is on.  Sandra really loves the brother, but doesn't see a way out.  Not until wedding day, does she finally reveal she was never the Peter's fiance.  The real fiance also shows up at the wedding.  Lucy sneaks away, only to be confronted by Jack the next day at work, coming with a wedding ring.

previous post
 "While You Were Sleeping" has Sandra Bullock in it.  It is a 1995 movie.  She works at a ticket window of a train.   She has a crush on a man she sees everyday.He falls on the track, and she saves his life.  However to see him at the hospital, she has to be a relative, and so becomes his fiance.  In truth she has never met him.  He is in a coma, and in the mean time she is taken in by his family.  This puts her in line with his brother, with whom she falls in love.  I really like Sandra Bullock, and this movie really displays her charm.  She is an incredible actress, when given the right venue, and this story is a true romantic comedy and the right venue forher..

Movie Review: ****Sabrina (1995)

This is a story about two brothers, and the daughter of their chauffeur.  The daughter, Sabrina (Julia Ormond), has always had a crush on the younger brother, the playboy David Larrabee (Greg Kinnear).  However the older brother, Linus Larrabee (Harrison Ford) has been the protector of his  brother, and the businessman extraordinaire.  As his brother begins to form an attraction with the chauffeur's daughter, he takes it upon himself to keep her away, by taking her out and dates himself.  We all know in the end where that kind of behavior leads.  This movie is proof positive that Harrison Ford can be romantic and carry the part.  Although at first he is doing it out of obligation, it wears on him.  I enjoyed this love story which is a remake of a 1954 film.

Movie Review: ****Tammy and the bachelor and Song: Debbie Reynolds - Tammy

I have always loved this song, and the movie.  I have a cousin Tammy, and this song reminds me of her.
Debbie Reynolds portrays tammy, a young woman living on the Bayou in a houseboat.  When her grandfather (Walter Brennan) rescues a young man, Peter Brent (Leslie Nielsen) from a plain accident, and brings him home to mend him, Tammy falls in love with him.  Brent eventually heads home to his family estate, with the invitation that should anything happen to grandfather, she should come to Brent Hall.  Grandfather is arrested a couple weeks later for moonshining, and tammy takes up the offer and arrives at Brent Hall.
This is a story about two different worlds mixing.  Most of Brent's friends, especially his girlfriend are dead set against letting a country bumpkin into their crowd.  Brent's mother dislikes her.  Especially when she learns Tammy's grandfather is in jail.
Brent Hall is not currently self sustaining.  Brent is trying to develop a tomato to change that.  He is also offered a job in the city.  tammy struggles with her feelings for Hall and whether they are returned.
Tammy dresses in a gown loaned to her by Brent's Aunt and previously worn by great grandmother for Pilgrimage, an annual event.  Tammy is charming.  However when a hail storm destroys the tomatoes Brent decides to take the job offer.  Tammy is devastated and runs away back to the bayou.  Brent realizes he returns her love, and seeks her out.  the movie ends with a kiss.

Movie Review: Love Story (1970)

Is is one of the true classic love stories.  Oliver, (Ryan O'Neal) Harvard hockey player and son of a millionaire falls for Jenny, (Ali MacGraw) who is struggling through music school at Radcliffe.  This present an other side-or-the-tracks story.  Oliver's father doesn't approve of his choice, and unson's him when he marries.  However the  beauty of this love is that they are willing to endure hardship, while Jenny puts Oliver through law school.  It is after he graduates and move into a comfortable job that Jenny finds out she is sick and it is terminal.  Oliver's goes to his father for money to pay for her treatment, not saying why he needs the money.  When father finds out, he goes to the hospital, but Jenny has already died.  He says he is sorry, and we get the famous line "Love means never having to say your sorry."  This is the second time the line is used, the first after an argument.  One caution, there is plenty of poor language in this film.
An instrumental version of "The theme from Love Story" plays through out the movie.  However I suggest listening to the vocal by Andy Williams which includes a three minute review of the story.
https://video.search.yahoo.com/video/play?p=love+theme+from+love+story+andy+williams&vid=07906874127752aa89301d9ab201f287&l=3%3A12&turl=http%3A%2F%2Fts1.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DVN.608034667903975504%26pid%3D15.1&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D6weRY4Ab8bU&tit=Love+Story+sung+by+Andy+Williams&c=3&sigr=11avr220b&sigt=1107uqjsp&back=https%3A%2F%2Fsearch.yahoo.com%2Fyhs%2Fsearch%3Fp%3Dlove%2Btheme%2Bfrom%2Blove%2Bstory%2Bandy%2Bwilliams%26ei%3DUTF-8%26hsimp%3Dyhs-001%26hspart%3Dmozilla&sigb=13kaabdlo&ct=p&age=0&fr2=p%3As%2Cv%3Av%2Cm%3Asa&hsimp=yhs-001&hspart=mozilla&tt=b

Movie Review: ****^Somewhere in Time (1980)

This is one of the best romantic dramas I have ever seen.  This has a classic love story, the only problem being that our lovers are a couple generations apart.  Richard (Christopher Reeve) is a play write.  On the evening of his big opening, an older woman, Elise McKenna (Jane Seymour) meets him saying, "Come back to me." 
Eight years later he is a bit despondent about life, and takes a trip to the Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Lake Michigan.  There he becomes enraptured with an old painting of an actress.  He studies this and realizes it is the same person who visited him.  He visits an old professor who believes in time travel.  He says the clue is to immerse yourself in the other time, and blocking out of your own time, and then using self hypnosis, it is possible. 
He tries this the first time, and fails.  He then looks at the old register books, and finds his own name, so he knows he will eventually succeed.  So he tries again, and wakes up in 1912.  He at first doesn't find the actress, but eventually he does.  It is with difficulty that they are able to go for a work.  McKenna's manager does everything in his power to keep them apart.  Richard attends the performance, and McKenna goes off script, and recites a love invitation to Richard.  At intermission they agree to meet, but the manager abducts Richard and leaves him tied up in the stables.  He is not able to get away until the next day, and discovers the acting company has left.  However she has left the company, and finds him for a day of bliss. 
All can not end happily which such a match.  A penny is the cuprit, a penny from 1979, not 1912.
This movie has a sad ending, as Richard starves himself to death so he can be with his love.  He does accomplish this.  Love or mental illness.  I am sure people called it illness, but it works as they meet in the after life in the last scene.
This love story is fantastic, and the resistance of the manager only makes the story more beautiful.  However the self starvation is a bit disturbing.

Movie Summary: Romances: Valentines Day

Valentines Day Romance

*****^Pride and Prejudice, TV miniseries
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/08/movie-review-pride-and-prejudice-my.html
***** Pride and Prejudice (four versions)
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/08/movie-review-pride-and-prejudice-x-4.html
****^ Somewhere in Time (1980) Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour  http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2014/02/movie-review-somewhere-in-time-1980.html
****^ Sleepless in Seattle
****^ While You Were Sleeping (Sandra Bullock)
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2017/02/movie-review-while-you-were-sleeping.html
****^ Tangled Disney
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/08/movie-review-tangled.html
**** Sabrina (1954) Audrey Hepburn and Humphry Bogart
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2014/01/movie-review-sabrina-1954.html
**** Goodbye Mr. Chips (1969) Peter O'Toole and Petula Clark
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/12/musical-movie-review-goodbye-mr-chips.html
****Tammy and the Bachelor (Debbie Reynolds)
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2017/02/debbie-reynolds-tammy.htmlhttp://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2017/02/debbie-reynolds-tammy.html
****I Walk the Line (2005) Johnny Cash and June Carter (Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon)
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/07/movie-review-i-walk-line.html
**** War and Peace  (1956) Audrey Hepburn, Henry Fonda
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/09/movie-review-war-and-peace.html
**** Love Story
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2014/12/movie-review-love-story-1970.html
***^ Cannery Row (1982) John Steinbeck
http://mmboebillywardle.blogspot.com/2013/10/movie-review-cannery-row.html

Movie Review: ****Sabrina (1954)

This is a beautiful story.  The chauffer’s daughter (Audrey Hepburn) has been in love with the younger brother David (William Holden) of the rich employer's family since she was a child.  However he is a player.  So she goes to Paris to get away from the drama, and comes home a beautiful blossomed woman.  However the brother is now engaged, and this is a marriage to convenience to forge a partnership between two families and two companies.  However, as he is a player, he spies Sabrina for the first time, and wants to leave the arranged marriage behind and go with her.  Older brother, Linus (Humphrey Bogart) manages to take his place for a few days, while younger brother recuperates from an injury.  His initial goal is to send her back to Paris.  Slowing the affections change their loyalty.  But the older brother has always been the brother who has been responsible, and would never do anything to upset the family.
As I said a beautiful story, and Audrey Hepburn and Humphrey Bogurt carry their parts well.  The difference in age is something they have to overcome as part of the story, and so does not get in the way of the story.

Musical Movie Review: **** Goodbye Mr. Chips

This is the 1969 movie musical which stars Peter O'Toole as Arthur Chipping (Mr. Chips) and Petula Clark as Katherine Bridges.  This a movie about two people from two different worlds, Chipping a school master and Bridges an actress, who fall in love with each other and make a life together.  This is a musical, but at times seems less so because many of the songs have been relegated to to being sung under the action, rather than in the fashion of a musical.  Petula Clark is a terrific singer.  Peter O' Toole sounds like Don Quijote through most of the movie.  However this movie proved to be very effective with me.  I was drawn into the story, and was weeping at the end of the story.  This is a passing of time story, showing Mr. Chips before meeting his wife, falling in love, bringing her to the school, being over looked for promotion, and then going through the war and the death of his wife due to The Battle of London.  We then see him briefly after.  The coming of age song, I find very touching:

In the morning of my life I shall look to the sunrise.
At a moment in my life when the world is new.
And the blessing I shall ask is that God will grant me,
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through.

(Chorus)
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

In the noontime of my life I shall look to the sunshine,
At a moment in my life when the sky is blue.
And the blessing I shall ask shall remain unchanging.
To be brave and strong and true,
And to fill the world with love my whole life through

(Chorus)

In the evening of my life I shall look to the sunset,
At a moment in my life when the night is due.
And the question I shall ask only I can answer.
Was I brave and strong and true?
Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

(Chorus)

I think this movie becomes more poignant as one gets older.  I really enjoyed it.

Movie Review: ***^ Cannery Row

The credits indicate this is based on the John Steinbeck books Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday.  It is 90 percent Sweet Thursday with a little Cannery Row, like the frog roundup thrown in for good luck.  The first book let us know that Suzy wasn't the first to live in the boiler.  A couple had preceded her.  We don't see this in the movie.  The movie has a couple twists to the relationship of Doc (Nick Nolte) and Suzy, (Debra Winger) like Doc having been a baseball player.  Doc's place gets broken up like the first book, and he ticks off Suzy like in the second book.  I like the spunkiness of Suzy's character.  However I think she was too hookerized.  Part of the fun of the book is she just didn't fit with that life style.  There was no way for the movie to portray the different voices talking to the Doc.  They really make the book interesting, the drive and the futility of the drive. 
Nolte does an adequate job as the Doc.  He does seem more like and ex-baseball player than the Doc from the book.  I miss the Doc's rich eccentric friend, who sponsors him in the end to get a high powered microscope.  The movie ends with Mac and the boys earning money and they mistakenly get him a telescope.
This movie ends happy with Suzy learning to drive so she can drive Doc to La Joya.

Movie Review: ****War and Peace

This is the classic based on Leo Tolstoy novel and featuring Audrey Hepburn and Henry Fonda.  It is an essay of Russian Society during Napoleon's invasion of Moscow.  It makes a statement about the horrors of war.  It is also a love story, which is finally put right in the end.  Any movie with Audrey Hepburn is great.  This movie adds Henry Fonda, and the historical character, Napoleon.  Napoleon's attitude about war is classic,  but in the end he loses to the Russians not fighting him, and just sitting him out, until he decides to return to France with his men.  Then the Russians send him off with an action against his rearguard as they retreat.

Henry Fonda portrays Pierre, who at the beginning is a bitter young man, illegitimate son of a wealthy Muscovite.  His father finally acknowledges him just before he dies, and Pierre inherits his estate.  He is friends of the family of Audrey Hepburn, whose younger brother joins the war in the end, and is killed.  Another friend of Pierre, who is also in the military, falls in love with the character of Audrey Hepburn, but break of the engagement due to social standing issues.  He is wounded in action, and near death.  Nursing him back to health, he and Audrey Hepburn over come the issues that kept them apart before.

Movie Review: *****Pride and Prejudice X 4

*****^Pride and Prejudice(1995) ****^(1940) *****(2005) *****(1980)

This is not  review in the traditional sense, but a comparison of four different versions of Pride and Prejudice.  These four include the first one I saw, which is the 1995 six tape series with Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth in the lead roles.  I then saw the new movie, 2005, with Keira Knightley and Mathew Macfadyen in the lead roles.  I have recently been introduced to two new versions via Netflix.  One is 1980 BBC with Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul in the lead roles which is available through Instant Netflix. The other was a Netflix DVD, 1940 with Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier.

First generally reviewing of these movies.  They are all classics, and the story is classic. The first version actually takes the most liberties with the story.  Lady DuBourg is in league with Mr. Darcy, rather than actually upset.  The 1980 BBC version is actually the most modest.  However the version I first saw was the Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth.  This one highlights the figures of the women in a very pleasing manner.  And the Keira Knightley has a more rural feel to it, with pigs on the screen, and Keira Knightley is always beautiful, but no miracle bra is going to do wonders, so this version is more modest as well.

Eliza  I love Jennifer Ehle in this role, and her walking every place.  However the character in the 1940 version, captures much more passion for me.  So I must vote for Greer Garson as my favorite Eliza.

Mr. Darcy  In similar fashion I must say Laurence Olivier captures the romance of the film in the most placing manner.  I was introduced to this role form Colin Firth, who is a great actor, and one of my favorite.  However the way this role is played by Laurence Olivier is classic.  

Mr. Bennet is a wonderful character, who actually grows and matures from the experiences with regards to Lydia.  I must admit I prefer the character from the 2005 movie best from Donald Sutherland, just based on the way he presents one of my favorite lines, "If any other men come to marry any my daughters, send them in; I am quite at my leisure." Classic!  His smile is just perfect.

Mr Bingley  I like the Mr. Bingley from the six tape series.  He is just a happy young man, no one can help but like him. Lydia is such a clueless wonder in this version I have to love her. Mrs Bennet with her loud laughing and talking takes the day in this version as well.  Mr Collins, the cousin who is set to entail the estate, is such a nerd and brown noser in this version he is funny.  And his wife, Charlotte, is played in just the perfect fashion. Kitty is so good lamenting at her father's rebuke in this version.  Her cry is just perfect. 

Mr Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliams is most enjoyable in the 1940 version as the actor is in a kilt.  Fun.  Miss Jane Bennet is the most beautiful in the 1940 version.  The last scene where Mr. Bingley proposes, and she cries through it.  That is fun.

Mr. Bingley's sister is the most sinister in the 1940 version.  Mary is at her worse in such a  truly delightful way in the version as well.

The bottom line is I love this story, and each of these version is a pleasure to watch.

Movie Review: *****^Pride and Prejudice: My Favorite Movie Ever

My most favorite movie of all time is the Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, 1995, Pride and Prejudice British Television Drama.  This is a six part portrayal of the Jane Austen classic.  I finished viewing it for the upteenth time this past weekend.  I must admit I prefer it to all other versions of Pride and Prejudice, including the Mormon version, the Keira Knightly version, or older versions I have seen.

As I watched, I tried to figure out why I like this presentation so much.   I think it is the feisty nature of Miss Elizabeth Bennett.  However I must admit, the mother of the family intrigues me as well.  Her attitude I find humorous, and human.  The father also is humorous, but in a different way. 

I am thrilled with the reaction of Elizabeth Bennet to the first marriage proposal from Mr Darcy.  When she reacts to him with a flat refusal and says that nothing would tempt her, even if he had "behaved in a more gentlemanly manner."  And then to watch people change thrills me.  Bot Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy change, and the most beautiful love blossoms in the end.

I think the real reason I like this so much, is because it always leaves me feeling good in the end.  After watching this movie, that happy buzz stays wit me for a few days.

Movie Review: ****I Walk the Line

I Walk the Line I also found in our personal DVDs.  It is the story of Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix) and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon).  I assume the actors are singing the songs in the movie, and do an admirable job.  I get carried away by the music, but more so by the characters of John Cash and June Carter.  John Cash was tormented by a poor relationship with his father, and by the death of his older brother in an accident with a saw. I guess this combined with the stress of his career lead to drug addiction.  Another consequence of his lifestyle was the dissolving of his marriage.  June is instrumental in helping overcome drugs for a period, and following his being sober for six months they become engaged.  Drug addiction was a lifelong struggle for Johnny Cash, and the movie portrays the consequences drugs can have.