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Monk: Mr. Monk Goes to the Circus (2003)
In the words of Dr. Evil's son...
...why not just shoot him? I've got a gun in my room.
And the victim is shot with a gun, but in the most public and elegant way possible. The assassin is a hooded ninja figure who does flips, lands in the restaurant, shoots the victim, and then somersaults out. Why??? And that question is never truly answered.
The ex-wife comes into focus as a suspect, but she has a big cast on her leg, her bones shattered from an accident during one of her acrobatic performances a few weeks ago. How could she possibly have committed the crime?
An interesting side plot is Sharona getting deeply offended by Monk's lack of empathy when she is frightened by a circus elephant and confesses to Monk her lifelong fear of elephants, only to be brushed off by him. She responds by sulking and not coming to work for a few days. Has she forgotten exactly who it is that she works for?
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Red-Headed Stranger (2002)
Too much celebrity worship and name dropping, not enough mystery
One of Willie Nelson's staffers may have embezzled some money and Willie threatens to fire the guy if the books don't balance by that night. Later in the afternoon, the same staffer sees a sign to not use the front door, to come around to the side door. When he does he is shot and killed - the audience does not see the actual killing. When the audience rejoins the scene there is a blind woman screaming murder and Willie Nelson bending over the body. Complications ensue.
Willie Nelson being slobbered over by Monk - a huge fan - takes up a good part of the proceedings as does Willy Nelson performing. Nelson is an OK actor - he's done several movies and he never embarrassed himself, but he's not Tom Hanks either. There are some humorous parts - Monk is invited to perform with the band on clarinet, and a streaker turns up a couple of times even though this is not 1974. I'd say this is one of Monk's blander season one episodes, but the quirky Monk humor keeps it at a 7/10.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Marathon Man (2002)
A possibly iconoclastic moment for Monk
A woman is strangled and then thrown out of her penthouse apartment to the pavement below. There are two prime suspects - her ex-husband and her married lover, the wealthy owner of a chain of furniture stores. Monk settles his attention on the married lover as having the greatest motive, but at the time the woman was killed the man was running a marathon, made every checkpoint, and finished the race.
Competitors are tracked by a computer chip. Monk thinks that perhaps the suspect gave his chip to another runner to carry so that he could duck out and commit the murder. But when Monk looks to see who the most likely accomplice could be - someone who hit checkpoints at the same time as the suspect - the only likely candidate is Tonday, Monk's lifelong idol of long distance running, a guy who is still entering and running marathons at age 63. Furthermore, investigation shows that Tonday is staying at a suite that is far more expensive than what he should be able to afford. What an iconoclastic possibility!
There's a real awkward moment when Monk and Sharona visit the offices of the people who run the marathon and ask some questions. All of the staff introduce themselves and shake hands with Monk as people do, but the last person to shake Monk's hand is a black man. When Monk breaks out a wipe to try and clean his hands the black staffer is insulted and so are the white staffers. They completely misunderstand Monk's color-blind OCD germ phobia and think it is boilerplate racism.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Other Woman (2002)
Is Monk turning a page in his life?
A law office is broken into, a file torched, the attorney killed, and the legal secretary is killed as well when she wanders into the scene at the wrong time. The police immediately suspect Lawrence Grayson, the man whose file was burned in the break-in. Grayson makes no bones about the fact that he was on the outs with his attorney because he lost the case he had against a neighbor for building what he considered an oversized garage. The neighbor in question turns out to be a very pretty and classy woman, reminding Monk very much of his late wife Trudy. Will Monk let his strong attraction impact his objectivity, especially when Grayson turns up murdered, not far from the pretty neighbor's garage? Watch and find out.
In this episode, Monk discussed with his therapist why he has not tried to date in the years since his wife's death, and part of that is that Monk is still very much in love with his wife. Also in this episode, for once Sharona is not in love with a wrong guy who is part of the solution to the crime.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Billionaire Mugger (2002)
Mr. Monk and the deadbeats
A self-made billionaire goes out for the evening, but then he arrives at his destination and dresses all in black, like a ninja, and attempts to mug a couple at knifepoint. The man the billionaire is trying to mug has a gun and kills the billionaire dead, thinking him to be a common thief. In the distance a policeman lurks, but as soon as the shots ring out the policeman runs for the hills. The press dub him "the fraidy cop". The police can't figure out who the patrolman is who bolted and ran, and they also can't figure out why a billionaire would risk his freedom and his life for forty bucks. They figure he was going through some middle age crisis and looking for a thrill and leave it at that. But, as usual, Monk says not so fast.
A side plot is that Sharona is having to get on Monk's case about not paying her regularly. It's not that Monk doesn't want to, it's just he's not aggressive about demanding payment from clients who can pay but won't. This results in Sharona leaving Monk's employ for a short while and him feeling lost as a result.
Monk: Mr. Monk Meets Dale the Whale (2002)
A whale of a tale
A judge is murdered in her home as she begs for help after calling 911 and she identifies her killer on the phone as eccentric Dale the Whale. When the police arrive they find that there was some stir fry on the stove although the judge had eaten out that night and brought part of what she could not eat home in a doggy bag. Why did she not eat that rather than cook an entirely different meal? Also, a passerby saw an extremely fat man stand on a chair and shut off the smoke alarm that was blaring from the cooking on the stove.
Dale the Whale is a very wealthy man who weighs over 800 pounds and is confined to his bed in his sprawling mansion. He could never manage to walk around somebody's house and kill them, although he does have a motive. Yet Monk believes this guy is the murderer. Complicating factor is that Dale sued Monk and his wife Trudy when she was alive for libel in an article she wrote. Dale took the "continue losing until they surrender" strategy, draining Monk and his wife of all of their assets. Thus Monk has every reason to hate Dale. Will it cloud his judgment? Watch and find out.
Monk: Mr. Monk and the Psychic (2002)
Too many suspects
You see the crime occur. You see a man calling his wife who is hurrying along the road that she must hurry faster because their dog has been badly injured. You can see that the dog is fine - She is in the car with the man. The man has put some crates on the road where his wife will be coming from. She sees them at the last moment, swerves to escape them and goes off the cliff. The man returns home and calls his wife in as missing. The fly in the ointment here is that the man who caused his wife's death is a police commissioner.
Monk suspects the man when he has an emergency hand washing need and goes all the way into the commissioner's bedroom area to find a bathroom. When there he notices that the commissioner is already quite busy packing up his wife's things not long after her death.
The other mystery here is that a psychic wakes up in her car shortly after the woman's disappearance and finds the body of the commissioner's wife. Are these two in it together? Watch and find out.
Raffles (1939)
a production code era remake of a classic
David Niven is a gentleman thief who gets caught in a bind when a Scotland Yard inspector catches up with him. Olivia deHavilland costars as his romantic interest. Interesting premise, deeply flawed execution.
David Niven is perfectly cast in the role, but the pacing of the moving is painfully slow, and it just drags on and feels so much longer than its 75-ish minute length. I think the big problem is that Niven's character next to no reason for actually being a thief, so we're dragged along on escapades that don't really seem to have much point.
And then there is Olivia deHavilland, who was criminally underused in this film, to the point that she could have been completely written out and you wouldn't miss her. This movie had so much promise, and it just fell flat. I still prefer the 1930 film with Ronald Colman in the title role. It was a very fluid early talkie.
So Long at the Fair (1950)
a solid rewarding mystery
A brother and sister check into a Paris hotel days before the 1889 World's Fair kicks off. But the brother disappears overnight and nobody even remembers seeing him.
Perhaps an appropriate tagline would be: A solid, rewarding mystery with an exceedingly clever solution to a classic riddle. The gaslight theme isn't new at this point, and neither is the, "I know I see/saw this person but everyone else sees nothing" premise. However, the key to this intriguing mystery is that there is no mental illness and, believe it or not, no criminal activity. How, then, does someone disappear and why is everyone lying about it?
This movie helped launch the careers of both Simmons and Bogarde and I think they're both great in just about everything (if you haven't yet, check out Bogarde in a fantastic and similarly intriguing film, Libel, with Olivia de Havilland). There's very little chance you'll guess the reason and motive behind it all, but it makes perfect sense when it's finally revealed.
Women of Glamour (1937)
A rather unnecessary remake
A dissatisfied artist (Melvyn Douglas) finds new inspiration from a cynical, chance-met showgirl (Virginia Bruce). But will her modelling for him lead to more than just art?
This is a flat, light romantic drama, an anemic remake of Frank Capra's pre-Code Ladies of Leisure. Bruce has the impossible task of following in Barbara Stanwyck's footsteps, all of the pre-Code edges in the original version have been sanitized into blandness, and Capra's storytelling verve is sorely missing from this re-do. Douglas was the only element here that was an upgrade from the original, but even then there's still not much of a spark between our two leads.
Still the Beaver: Pet Peeves (1984)
Continues a LITB tradition of teaching responsible pet ownership
Wally brings home a pregnant Great Dane that was partial payment from a client, but his daughter is allergic, so he tries to give the dog away to Beaver. June puts the kabosh on that idea, but playing with the dog puts the idea of getting a pet into the heads of Beaver's sons, Kip and Oliver. They end up - without Beaver's knowledge - adopting a pet tarantula. This plan goes south when the tarantula ends up on Mary Ellen's shoulders. As a result, Beaver tells the boys that they can never have a pet, giving the death penalty to their dreams in that direction.
Meanwhile, Oliver has discovered an elephant at Miller's pond. He, Kip, and Kelly decide to hide him in their grandma June's garage and take care of him since they don't want him returned to a circus. This requires massive amounts of greens and peanut butter. How does this work out? Watch and find out.
This episode continues the tradition of the original LITB it promoting responsibility in conjunction with pet ownership and also getting a pet that fits the household needs. Apparently, even Wally at middle age is having trouble learning that latter lesson.
Still the Beaver: Puppy Love (1986)
Kelly has a crush
Wally's daughter Kelly has hall monitor duty, and gets a little enthusiastic with her authority when it comes to a scofflaw who is twice her size. After school it looks like she is going to be pummeled by the ruffian and his sumo wrestler sister. But along comes Eddie Haskell's son, Freddie Haskell, and makes them leave her alone, getting out a couple of good insults against them in the process. Kelly is instantly smitten.
Kelly doesn't know what to do to get Freddie's attention, but when she asks her grandmother June about the situation - June does NOT know that the object of her affection is Freddie - she suggests that she write the boy a love letter. Freddie receives the love letter and can't believe that some girl feels this way about him. Her letter asks him to meet her at the soda fountain the next day and Freddie's imagination runs wild. How will this all turn out? Watch and find out.
Eric Osmond as Freddie Haskell sure has his dad's teen persona down. He's desperate yet displays swaggering overconfidence. And there's something I noticed about the porting of the show from the Disney channel to WTBS - The show is now able to shed some of its squeaky clean image. For example, there are quite a few hints that Eddie could be fooling around on his wife, Gert. For example, one of the things Kelly does before she writes a love letter to Freddie is to call up the Haskell home, assume it was Freddie who answered the phone, and give a quick anonymous "I Love You" and hang up. But it's Eddie on the other end who, in a panicked voice, says "I told you to never call me at home!". Who knows who he thought it was!
Lincoln (2012)
It would really help to have read "A Team of Rivals" before watching this...
... as many of the details about the personalities and machinations involved are clearly explained in that book.
Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln," released in 2012, stands as a masterful exploration of one of America's most revered leaders during a pivotal moment in history. Centered on the final months of Abraham Lincoln's presidency, the film delves deeply into the complexities of politics and personalities involved in the passing of the Thirteenth Amendment.
At its heart, Daniel Day-Lewis's portrayal of Abraham Lincoln is nothing short of extraordinary. Day-Lewis embodies Lincoln with a mesmerizing authenticity, capturing not only his physical presence but also his mannerisms and profound intellect. His performance humanizes Lincoln, showing his wit, compassion, and the burden of leadership during the Civil War.
The screenplay by Tony Kushner is a standout feature, drawing from Doris Kearns Goodwin's book "Team of Rivals" to craft a narrative that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally resonant. The film focuses on Lincoln's strategic efforts to pass the Thirteenth Amendment, which would abolish slavery, amidst the tumultuous political landscape of the time. Kushner's script is rich in dialogue, filled with eloquence and historical depth, providing viewers with a window into the moral and ethical dilemmas faced by Lincoln and his contemporaries.
Spielberg's direction is deft and restrained, allowing the performances and the weight of history to take center stage. The cinematography and production design evoke the atmosphere of the 1860s with meticulous attention to detail, from the elaborate period costumes to the meticulously recreated settings of Washington, D. C.
Supporting performances by Sally Field as Mary Todd Lincoln, Tommy Lee Jones as Thaddeus Stevens, and David Strathairn as William Seward, among others, are uniformly excellent, adding layers of complexity to the narrative and enhancing the film's emotional impact.
"Lincoln" is not just a biographical drama but a profound meditation on power, justice, and the enduring struggle for equality. It resonates deeply with contemporary issues while reminding us of the moral imperatives that shaped America's history. By focusing on Lincoln's personal and political struggles, Spielberg and his team have crafted a film that is both enlightening and deeply moving, offering audiences a powerful and thought-provoking cinematic experience.
"Lincoln" is a triumph of filmmaking, anchored by Daniel Day-Lewis's transformative performance and Spielberg's assured direction. It stands as a testament to the enduring relevance of Abraham Lincoln's legacy and remains a landmark in historical cinema.
Still the Beaver: Steppin' Out (1985)
Freddie's first date
A school dance is coming up at Grant Ave. School, and Kip and Freddie are looking for dates. Kip gets a date with the girl he wanted to go with, but like his father before him, Freddie Haskell has a problem with women pertaining to his reputation as a creep. Freddie admits that his lack of courage in asking a girl out is because he only knows how to insult girls, not just talk to them. June suggests that Kip do for Freddie what Wally used to do for Eddie - Ask a girl out for him. Apparently this happens with Freddie's consent, but Kip has no luck. And then a possibility opens up - the girl Wally and Mary Ellen use as a babysitter is the right age and, more importantly, she doesn't go to Grant Ave. School and thus has never heard of Freddie Haskell.
The dance is well done, and anybody who remembers the awkwardness of that first date will be able to relate. On the humorous side, Kip and the ill fitting shoes that he insisted on buying for this occasion start a new dance craze among his fellow students.
Eddie Haskell gives some cringeworthy though well intentioned advice to Freddie concerning women as Freddie is on his way out the door to the dance that probably doesn't help matters.
Eric Osmond was very good in this rather rare Freddie centric episode. I always thought he was the best child actor in the show, probably because he had his own personal director and mentor in the person of his father Ken Osmond, who portrayed Eddie Haskell.
A 14-year-old Shannon Doherty appears as Freddie's date, and supposedly Christina Applegate appears as "Wendy", although her presence is not clear. I think that she is the first girl Kip asks out on Freddie's behalf, but it is such a quick scene it is hard to be sure.
1776 (1972)
The founding of this nation really was a miracle
1776," directed by Peter H. Hunt and released in 1972, is a unique and compelling musical adaptation of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Set primarily in the Continental Congress in Philadelphia during the summer of 1776, the film offers a lively and often humorous portrayal of the Founding Fathers as they wrestle with the weighty decision of declaring independence from Great Britain.
The film's standout feature is its witty and engaging screenplay, adapted from the Broadway musical by Peter Stone. The dialogue is sharp and filled with clever wordplay, capturing the essence of the passionate debates and political maneuvering that characterized the birth of the United States. The songs, composed by Sherman Edwards, are both entertaining and historically informative, blending seamlessly into the narrative and providing insight into the characters' motivations.
William Daniels delivers a standout performance as John Adams, capturing the fiery determination and idealism of the future second President of the United States. His interactions with Howard Da Silva's Benjamin Franklin and Ken Howard's Thomas Jefferson are particularly memorable, showcasing the camaraderie and occasional tensions among these historical figures.
Despite its predominantly indoor setting and dialogue-heavy nature, the film manages to maintain visual interest through effective staging and cinematography. The period costumes and sets are meticulously designed, transporting viewers back to the turbulent days of the American Revolution.
"1776" is not merely a historical drama but also a reflection on the enduring principles of democracy and independence. It successfully blends entertainment with education, offering viewers a compelling look at a pivotal moment in American history while celebrating the human spirit and determination that shaped the nation.
In conclusion, "1776" is a must-see for history enthusiasts and fans of musical theater alike. Its engaging performances, witty script, and memorable songs make it a timeless portrayal of the events leading up to the birth of a nation.
Evenings for Sale (1932)
Charming movie with a great cast
This starts off with wealthy American widow Mary Boland heading off for Vienna with a headful of 'The Merry Widow'. Meanwhile broke aristocrat Herbert Marshall is contemplating suicide but ends up romancing Sari Maritza at a masked ball, even though she is engaged - sort of - to portly Bert Roach. Marshall is then given the chance of a job as a professional dance partner at a nightclub run by his family's ex-butler.
Marshall shows a very strong streak of pride when offered another job (these jobs - so plentiful!) by Maritza's father and instead becomes rather friendly with the by now lonely Boland who has turned up at the place. A fair number of confusions keep the plot going, and Boland's usual soulmate Charles Ruggles is on hand as Marshall's old batman and current savior.
Attractively put together, this one had some criticism because it wasn't Lubitsch, but the old boy was pretty busy in 1932.
Leave It to Beaver: Wally's Job (1958)
Ward divides and gets conquered
Ward takes note of the poor condition of the household trashcans and says that this weekend he'll likely have to repaint them. He and Wally make a deal for Wally to paint them for the price of fifty cents a trashcan. Along comes Eddie Haskell, who tells Wally that his dad paid somebody three dollars to paint their trashcans. So Wally suddenly doesn't see the urgency of the situation, and not so subtly drops the news that the going rate seems to be three dollars for painting two trashcans. Wally trying to renegotiate their deal angers Ward, and he ends up making a deal with Beaver to paint the cans for the original price - one dollar.
But Wally knew nothing about this new deal, and when he sees Beaver painting the cans the two get into a terrible fight with the result being no trashcans are painted. Does Ward ever get his trashcans painted? Yes he does, and not by himself or anybody he hired. The price? A rather expensive hat that cost much more than three dollars. To see what I mean by this, watch and find out.
Still the Beaver: It's a Small World (1987)
A special 30th anniversary episode
This "episode" kicked off the third season (the second on WTBS Superstation) on a special different night of Oct. 4, 1987 to commemorate the exact 30th anniversary date of the debut of the original Leave it to Beaver series (this pilot, "A Small World" had never been shown publicly). Barbara Billingsley, Jerry Mathers, Tony Dow, and Kipp Marcus all participated in the introduction of this pilot.
The pilot has to do with Beaver and Wally falsely believing that the local dairy is running a contest such that if you bring in 1000 lids from their milk bottles that the dairy will give you a bike as a prize. The result humorously showed the ingenuity of children and the inanity of adults when faced with said children.
Paul Sullivan - the initial Wally - does OK as the big brother, but he demonstrates a meaner side towards Beaver that Tony Dow did not in that role, and ultimately Tony Dow was just born to play that part. The only reason Paul Sullivan did not have the series role is because he shot up so fast during the summer of 1957 that he would have towered over Showalter - or Beaumont for that matter - and a new actor for the role of Wally had to be found on short notice.
Richard Deacon and Diane Brewster were in the cast, but not in the roles we are accustomed to seeing them in. In the series, of course, RIchard Deacon is Fred Rutherford, the blow hard know-it -all colleague of Ward's and Diane Brewster is Beaver's second grade teacher, Miss Canfield. Deacon died before The New Leave it to Beaver aired, so a different actor plays Fred Rutherford in the series. Diane Brewster continued in the series as Miss Canfield, although in the revival series she is the principal.
As for the Eddie Haskell prototype, Frankie Bennett, he really had no stage presence, and there is no "hook" into any interaction with the Cleaver household since he is a grade older than Wally and definitely not Wally's best friend. The show was wise to refactor this character into something completely different and ultimately iconic.
The complete pilot is on the bonus disc of the DVD set for Leave It To Beaver produced by Shout Factory.
Leave It to Beaver: It's a Small World (1957)
When it came to the cast, it was a small world!
It's a weekend and June is wondering what is keeping Beaver from coming home from dancing school. It turns out it is an involved story involving guys who work for the power company trying to chase a bat away with a broom. It really means nothing as far as the plot goes, but it does establish Beaver as a kid that lacks focus...who grows into an adult who lacks focus...but I digress.
Beaver has been told by underhanded Frankie Bennett that there is a contest at the local dairy such that if you collect 1000 milk bottle tops you get a brand new bike. This is not true - It was just Frankie giving Beaver "the business". When Beaver shares this news with Wally, Beaver and Wally go all over town collecting bottle tops - sometimes in sneaky ways. They then roll their wagon full of bottle tops to the dairy and request their prize. Every executive at the dairy has never heard of this contest, but they also don't want to admit that they don't know anything about this contest and thus seem out of the loop and not in the know. Thus Beaver and Wally get their new bike for winning a non-existent contest. Complications do ensue when the dairy finally realizes they've been had.
Barbara Billingsley is more reserved than usual as June in the pilot, and they've given her a softer hairdo to match her mood. Max Showalter does an admirable job as Ward Cleaver, but Hugh Beaumont just fit that role like a glove. Of course Jerry Mathers was always The Beaver - The pilot and then the show are built around his antics.
Paul Sullivan - the initial Wally - does OK as the big brother, but he demonstrates a meaner side towards Beaver that Tony Dow did not in that role, and ultimately Tony Dow was just born to play that part. The only reason Paul Sullivan did not have the series role is because he shot up so fast during the summer of 1957 that he would have towered over Showalter - or Beaumont for that matter - and a new actor for the role of Wally had to be found on short notice.
Richard Deacon and Diane Brewster were in the cast, but not in the roles we are accustomed to seeing them in. In the series, of course, RIchard Deacon is Fred Rutherford, the blow hard know-it -all colleague of Ward's and Diane Brewster is Beaver's second grade teacher, Miss Canfield.
As for the Eddie Haskell prototype, Frankie Bennett, he really has no stage presence, and there is no "hook" into any interaction with the Cleaver household since he is a grade older than Wally and definitely not Wally's best friend. The show was wise to refactor this character into something completely different and ultimately iconic.
Still the Beaver: In the Dark (1986)
It's a clip show
Everyone is gathered at June's house with Wally and Beaver watching the State U. Football game on TV, with little patience for anybody blocking their view. In another room, Oliver is looking for a spare electrical outlet. At the same time that he causes a short while doing this, the power goes out first in his house, then the neighborhood, and then in other parts of the surrounding area with it even being mentioned on the news. Oliver thinks he caused the problem as the family sits in the dark. Meanwhile the family uses the time to reminisce.
Thus this show amounts to a show of clips from the original LITB show. I've seen this episode also labeled as "Memories of Ward", but it is pretty evenly spread between clips of Beaver, Wally, and Ward. Strangely enough there are no specific clips of June supplied.
Still the Beaver: Escape from the Salt Mines (1985)
Beaver heads for a new chapter in his life
The title "Escape From The Salt Mines" has to do with Fred Rutherford always calling the workplace "the salt mines" in the original LITB show.
Beaver takes the blame for a mistake Lumpy Rutherford made at work that costs the firm a large account. When Beaver is fired by Fred Rutherford because of this mistake that he didn't actually make, Lumpy says nothing.
So Beaver fakes going to work for a couple of days because he can't face telling his family what happened. He decides to talk to Gus over at the fire house and discovers that he probably took the blame for the mistake because deep down he wanted to get fired because he wasn't happy working for Fred Rutherford. This gives him an improved outlook on the situation. But meanwhile he is having trouble finding another job and Lumpy is having trouble looking his daughter in the eye when confronted with what he did. Complications ensue.
It's odd seeing Lumpy feel guilt over anything that he would do to Beaver given how badly he treated him when they were kids, being downright menacing towards him in the first couple of seasons of LITB. It's ironic that Beaver was the one to point out to Lumpy that his conscience would get him in the end when he let Wally take the blame for a towel fight in the locker room in the original LITB.
This week it is Eddie who breaks the news of Beaver's unemployment to the Cleavers when he brings over a box of dented canned goods. Of course, he wants a receipt for tax purposes.
Burt Mustin, who played fireman Gus in the original LITB, would have been 101 if he was still playing this part, and he passed away in 1977. Carmen Filpi, who played Gus in the revived series, would have been young enough to be Burt Mustin's grandson.
I think I prefer the episodes of the revived series such as these where the adults are centerstage and the kids are supporting characters versus the opposite situation. It just seems that the kids in the series are less genuine than the adults, who I remember so well from the original series when they were children.
Still the Beaver: Growing Pains (1984)
An OK first episode that tries to set the pace
It is shortly after Beaver's marriage has disintegrated, and he and his two sons, Kip and Olver, have moved in with Beaver's mother to their ancestral home.
Beaver and Wally, who lives next door with his wife and daughter, are building a treehouse for Beaver's sons to play in. Oliver wants to help with the drilling, but Beaver gives him the safer job of sanding. Feeling like he is being treated like a little kid - because he IS a little kid! - Oliver accepts Freddie's offer to help him clean out the Haskell garage although Beaver has forbidden him to do so. Of course Freddie cheats him on how much he is paying him. But then he accidentally breaks Eddies "priceless" collection of ashtrays that he has pilfered from all over America, and Eddie is demanding repayment. How will this work out? Watch and find out.
There are lots of tie ins to the original LITB show here, including mention of Beaver's childhood paper route that his dad said would be too much for him and did turn out to be just that. Eddie is somebody who has managed to raise somebody who is growing up to be just like him - Freddie. And Eddie Haskell has turned into a very selfish adult. Also, there is June in slacks, taking up her late husband's sport, golf.
No further mention is made of Eddie demanding payment for his stolen ashtrays. What's he going to do? Sue? Then he'd have to mention that his ashtrays are priceless because he stole all of them. That would sully his good name in the community and hurt his business. Would he care? Nah. We're talking about Eddie Haskell after all!
Leave It to Beaver: The Boat Builders (1959)
When the cover-up is worse than the crime
Ward comes home from work one night to see Wally, Beaver, and two of Wally's friends - Chester and Tooey - hard at work in the garage attempting to build a facsimile of an Eskimo boat, a kayak.
Ward is amused by this, but June is troubled by it, afraid that they will take the ill conceived thing out and actually try to use it. So Ward tells Wally not to be irresponsible with the boat once finished. Wally agrees, but Ward never said exactly what irresponsible would be.
The boys finish the boat and take it out to a pond to try it. But none of the larger boys fit in the kayak. They thus look to Beaver as a possible test pilot, which is a role Beaver is eager to play. But the boat capsizes with Beaver in it immediately upon launch. It's in shallow water so Beaver easily gets back to shore, but the boat is destroyed, and now there is the business at hand of Wally getting a drenched Beaver back into the house without their parents suspecting anything.
I have to say that how Wally and Beaver get back into the house was rather clever - I'll leave you to watch and find out how they did it, but do know that they do not get away with it in the end. Ward is angry more because of the cover-up than the crime, and that's good because his instructions on what Wally could and could not do with the boat were not clear, at least not by my standpoint.
The Fighting 69th (1940)
A rare positive film about WWI...
... or at least it doesn't turn into an anti-war film, which was typical of films made concerning WWI that were made between 1925-1940. It was probably made to get Americans into a positive mood about possibly having to go to war again, once more against the Germans. I looked at my book "Cagney on Cagney" to try and get some feeling for the production, but other than a few stories about what happened to the cast during the filming little insight is given. But I digress.
Jerry Plunkett (James Cagney) is a recruit from Brooklyn,NY who joins the legendary "Fighting 69th", historically consisting of Irish Americans. Typical of James Cagney's characters, he's brash, boisterous, doesn't care for rules and regulations, but claims he's looking for a fight which is why he joined up. He's the bane of the commander of the outfit, Major Wild Bill Donovan (George Brent), and of his Sergeant, Big Mike Wynn (Alan Hale). And the fight Plunkett is looking for he finds in France, but it's the kind of fight that plays for keeps, and it turns out that Plunkett is just not up to it. And yet the priest who travels with the regiment, Father Duffy, thinks there is more to this fellow than his commanders or his regiment believes. Complications ensue.
This highly fictionalized account of the 69th does have some actual members portrayed, as Father Duffy, Major Wild Bill Donovan, and Irish American poet Joyce Kilmer (Jeffrey Lynn) were all actual members. Frank McHugh is onboard for his normal comical hijinks. His character is uninjured in battle only to sprain his ankle getting off the boat at Hoboken. Dennis Morgan is just starting out at Warner's and has a minor role. Warner's really put some effort into this one, and it shows, with a large number of their leading and supporting actors of the time appearing in the film.
I don't much care for war films, but this is one of the good ones that is really more about the possibility of redemption than battle scenes.
The Strangler (1964)
A good suspenseful effort by Allied Artists...
... even though the who of this crime drama is always known. It's the what - as in what will he do next? - that kept me engaged.
Allied Artists, under the direction of Walter Mirisch in the 50s, had tried to put out some quality productions. But at the end of the 50s Allied decided it wanted to go back to cheap schlock, with the budget sci fi film cycle being in full swing at the time. This is a rare example of a film after Mirisch's departure that showed quite a bit of quality.
An overweight 30ish lab technician, Leo Kroll (Victor Buono), has been going about strangling women who are strangers to him, other than maybe seeing them in the hall at the hospital he works at or some other place out and about. Leo always uses a stocking to kill the women, always positions their bodies like they are being laid out for a funeral, always closes their eyes. Then he goes home and undresses a doll that corresponds to the latest victim and puts that doll in a desk drawer. He gets some sexual charge out of this activity. Enough is shown about Leo's life that you know he has no friends, no girlfriend, and lives alone except for his mother who has spent her life belittling him and emotionally strangling him.
The police are hitting dead ends in this case that is becoming higher and higher in profile. They have no leads because there is nothing linking the victims to one another or to one particular person. In 1964, such motiveless crimes are still uncommon. And then Leo makes a mistake. He strangles a victim where his motive is personal, and thus the crime scene looks like none of the others. He doesn't know the victim, but now the police have reason to suspect him and note that he told a lie - albeit a minor one - in a past interview where he was one of many interviewed about one of the victims. Complications ensue.
This was a really good performance by Buono, and for that matter, the rest of the largely no name cast. Ellen Corby was good as the mother who drove Leo to insanity with her pettiness, nagging, and criticism. It's a rare instance of her not being the pleasant older lady. Buono was in many ways like Steve Buscemi. Both were rather "funny looking guys" to quote Fargo, yet they excelled at their craft. Given how look-centric Hollywood is though, I have to wonder why they thought they'd have a shot in this profession.