Rollover

Rollover (1981)

Runtime: 116 minutes

Directed by: Alan J. Pakula

Starring: Jane Fonda, Kris Kristofferson, Hume Cronyn, Josef Sommer, Bob Gunton

From: Orion

There’s a reason why you probably haven’t heard of this film before. I hadn’t until a Letterboxd mutual reviewed it shortly after Kris Kristofferson passed away several months ago. That person’s review was negative yet the film sounded so odd, I was still intrigued. Every copy I could find online was in SD so that was put on the backburner. When TCM played the movie Monday night as part of its tribute to Kris, it was at the end of a run that included the expected like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and A Star is Born. Thus, the DVR recording was made.

Yes, their copy was also SD but who knows if even any boutique label will ever be interested. This is despite Kristofferson, star Jane Fonda, and director Alan J. Pakula. Several people involved w/ Klute returned—regrettably, this is no Klute, nor All the President's Men. It’s a drama which is probably too obtuse for many, as it deals with both drama involving a petrochemical company and a floundering bank.

The film is patient and does take its time before presenting the big conspiracy; that typically doesn’t bother me as when the time is taken to set up the plot properly, the rewards can be grand. In this case… in general it was not that difficult for me to follow. The problem is caring about the plot or how realistic this world is portrayed or if the scheme devised by the villains (the Saudis!) is probable whatsoever. Yeah, “the Arabs” are the enemy. Probably not a surprise when in the preceding decade, the Saudis tried to diversify all their assets and the Western world wasn’t happy about the whole OPEC oil crisis thing.

But hey, at least the Saudis of today couldn’t possibly use all their assets and where they store at least some of their wealth to possibly cause havoc around the world if they ever saw fit due to the price of gold and the dollar, especially with the assets they (and also, China) have currently in the United States… <looks around sheepishly>

Current fears concerning the Saudis and their vast wealth aside, Rollover is just an odd movie. Fonda’s husband the victim of a mysterious murder in his office sparks the plot yet that death is rarely addressed after the first 10 or so minutes. Between the financial dealings and intrigue is a random romance between Kris and Jane; as others have noted, Kristofferson was an odd fit as a hotshot New York City banker whose jobs is to save failing banks. It’s odd to have those “sexy” moments in a movie ostensibly about slush funds, interest rates, dividends, insolvency, etc. and there’s key information on a microcassette.

It's a shame the movie doesn’t work as (pun intended) Rollover does has assets. The cinematography and music are both quality, elevating this material. Some of the acting did impress-just not from the leads. Hume Cronyn delivered a nice speech that explained the plot for the audience and in his few scenes, “that guy” actor Macon McCalman was a highlight. A shame that all this plus the pessimism of the final act wasn’t enough to even rate the film as “good,” let alone “great”.

I haven’t tackled Margin Call but presumably that will be seen as a much better thriller in that field.

A Pain in the Pullman

This is another classic Stooge short from '36: 

(Short # 16 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

The longest short the trio did at Columbia-a hair under 20 minutes… and perhaps one of their funniest. The “Pullman” in question is a reference to travel by train. Their characters here are a comedy duo known as The Three Stooges but in this universe, they are struggling artists who are happy to accept a job, even if it means riding to the destination on a train w/ other performers, including a haughty actor w/ a toupee known as Paul Pain.

Oh, and as part of their act, they have a capuchin monkey. You know, like in the first Pirates of the Caribbean film.

There are laughs in their apartment even before getting on the train-that complex is owned by a “Mrs. Hammond Eggerly,” an astounding name- but once they’re on board, it’s hysterical. Many memorable moments occur, from Bud Jamison’s Johnson being part of a tremendous running gag involving his noggin, to Curly the flirt gone wrong, to their ignorance of crab as a food, to the point that they argue if it’s a spider or turtle. Presumably, in the 30’s that delicacy wasn’t as ubiquitous as it is now. They even have difficulty entering their bunk.

The other person in that crab scene: Hilda Title. She was a bit player who only appeared in a few entries then vanished. Oddly, practically all those bit players have some biographical information known about them, but not her aside from day and location of birth/death. She didn’t always have a speaking part but this was the biggest role for that cute, petite young lady. A shame her career was so brief.

Anyhow, there were plenty of talented performers who worked with the Stooges through the years, no matter how long or brief their filmography with the trio was. In general, I can’t complain about those that were in front or behind the camera in these shorts. It all came together rather well for A Pain in the Pullman.

Meantime

Meantime (1983)

Runtime: 107 minutes

Directed by: Mike Leigh

Starring: Marion Bailey, Tim Roth, Phil Daniels, Pam Ferris, Gary Oldman, Alfred Molina

From: Channel 4

Not only me saying “RIP” to the late cinematographer Roger Pratt, but my first-ever Mike Leigh. Some may be AGHAST I’ve never given the famed British director a chance, but as his new film is coming to the cinemas of the United States this upcoming weekend… as for Pratt, I have viewed and reviewed the important visual contributions he made for the likes of Tim Burton’s Batman, 12 Monkeys & Brazil. In this TV movie made for Channel 4 in the UK, he did a cracking job.

This wasn’t the only time Leigh and Pratt worked together; this was selected as it featured several familiar names. Now, Meantime was well-made and interesting. However, it’s full of unlikable characters who live in what was a bad part of London, at least at the time (the East End). I don’t want to get political here, yet will have to as a frame of reference. Meantime’s main theme is that recession during Margaret Thatcher’s time as Prime Minister was rather miserable, with many struggling to find work. This is kitchen sink realism, to use a term applied to some British cinema.

The Pollock family are pretty miserable, where only the mother working, and both the father and two sons crummy sots who are happy to be listless & collecting unemployment. One son was… Tim Roth, sporting an amazing look in glasses. He’s apparently mentally handicapped, although the film uses a word that is now not in vogue. Then there’s the skinhead, who I call that not because of his bald head and Doc Martens, but because he says “Oi!” often--and oh yeah, is racist. He was portrayed by… Gary Oldman!

Alfred Molina also has a supporting role; it was nice to see those talents, all among their first roles on screen and they all did a bloody good job. It’s the sort of motion picture I won’t watch again due to all the misery and frustrating characters who choose to live a bleak, tedious existence, but it was nice to finally tackle something from Mike Leigh. More from the director will eventually be witnessed by me.

Disorder in the Court

This is likely the most-watched Three Stooges short due to its public domain status: 

(Short # 15 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

A short that I’ll always think is legendary. To be transparent, Disorder in the Court was viewed more than a few times in my life. Due to what I only know was “an oversight”, this and three Shemp shorts entered the public domain once the copyright lapsed. Another tape the parents purchased was one of the many budget releases containing some or all of those public domain titles. Mine had this and Brideless Groom. Both are classics.

The antics of the trio in a serious setting is usually a recipe for success and in a location as serious as the courtroom during a murder trial… this effort thankfully delivered. They are colleagues of Gail Tempest-great name-who is on trial for the murder of Kirk Robin, despite her pleas of innocence. The defense has them present to testify on her behalf. As Curly struggles with the very process of being sworn in and how to address the court (he thinks calling the judge “courty” is acceptable)…

One famous bit is apparently taken almost verbatim from a Buster Keaton sound film-Sidewalks of New York-but IMO there is no shortage of famous bits & lines of dialogue. It becomes increasingly absurd as a musical number is performed, and such elements as a letter press, a parrot, a hose and a revolver are used to great effect. Curly even gives the middle finger to the camera as part of a gag! I have no idea how that slipped by the censors.

There are also memorable bits for supporting characters who appeared in only a few or more than a few efforts… from flirting juror Alice Belcher to James C. Morton, who typically had a toupee blown off his head—well, that happened to him on three occasions in 16 ½ minutes. Even Solomon Horwitz (yes, the father of Moe & Curly) was one of the spectators in the courtroom. Edward LeSaint also was amusing as the judge due to his stern yet fair tone. He also portrayed the judge in… Reefer Madness. In my canon, they were the same character!

Disorder in the Court exemplifies the basic characters of Moe, Larry, & Curly so it’s probably a swell way to introduce someone to The Three Stooges. If they are repulsed, that sort of comedy is just not for them; I’d never call them a knucklehead, a grape-head, a mutton-head, porcupine, or any other insult.

A Pair of Three Stooges Shorts

Both are from 1936...

Movie Maniacs: 

(Short # 13 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

Curly: "How're we gonna get in pictures? We know nothing about movies!" 

Moe: "There's a couple o' thousand people in pictures now who know nothing about it... three more won't make any difference."

That was a quote from Movie Maniacs, not conversation heard in Hollywood this year! This short was one I hadn’t seen as often as the first 12; I’ll try to be as objective as possible while rating all 190 of these, including those I haven’t viewed before—there will be quite a few of those.

The trio sneak in a boxcar containing a random family’s furniture (including a bed, mirror, and kitchen set) so they’re all set on a trip to Hollywood, where they will attempt to sneak on a studio’s set to become stars. The gags in the boxcar alone are great; from making food & pressing pants to John Barrymore and Clark Gable in Mutiny on the Bounty references, that will be delightful for Old Hollywood fans.

Once in Hollywood, Bud Jamison (the studio boss of Carnation Pictures; he had the amazing name Fuller Rath) is a victim of circumstance as a mix-up leads him to believe they are studio executives. They raise heck on one set until the truth is revealed. Once in Hollywood there is a continuation of funny gags, slapstick, and mayhem. They made mockery of what looked to be a romantic drama that was being filmed. The ending minute was also a treat; they were on a solid run w/ the last few shorts.

Given the current state of Hollywood, I’d be happy with Fuller Rath running any of the studios. Heck, Moe, Larry, & Curly would do a better job of running Warner Brothers Discovery than Voldemort has as the CEO since 2022!

Half Shot Shooters: 

(Short # 14 in Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk: The Columbia Shorts of The Three Stooges)

A short I was glad was an outlier.

Not every fan of the Stooges love Half Shot Shooters. In essence, normally no matter what damage they inflict on each other or have inflict on them, they’re never hurt, let alone injured. This was not the case here. I don’t fault them for attempting something different; why this stands out will be elaborated upon.

In World War I, it is shown & implied that the trio slept through their entire time in Europe, much to the consternation of their Sergeant. He gives them black eyes and even a broken arm; well, that’s different. Once they’re discharged, they do get revenge on that Sgt. MacGillicuddy. We flash forward to 1935, where it was funny that everyone looked the exact same. The boys are poor and because they were a victim of circumstance, an improbable yet amusing re-entry into the Army occurs; guess who is their Sergeant.

There are solid laughs and slapstick for sure and there are only a few moments that could be described as “mean-spirited” yet the ending could accurately be described as “haunting” and for my tastes I am glad this was attempted but wasn’t a harbinger of things to come.

One important note, at least for me: this was the second appearance of Stanley Bystone (the Sergeant) and the first for Vernon Dent, as a restaurant. Both actors were in a slew of Stooge shorts; in fact, Dent appeared more often than any other supporting actor. The duo both go deep into the Shemp era.

Spellbound

Spellbound (1945)

Runtime: 111 minutes

Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock

Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Gregory Peck, Michael Chekhov, Leo G. Carroll, John Emery

From: Selznick International Pictures

This is not only another case of my clearing space from the DVR-this was recorded off TCM a little more than a week ago-I haven’t viewed any Hitchcock since this past May. This is a famous effort which can’t be streamed (well, not legally) so the TV broadcast was the way to go.

Gregory Peck is the new head of a Vermont hospital where Ingrid Bergman is the psychoanalyst. They fall in love, because they’re beautiful people & all. Hopefully this isn’t a spoiler but Peck isn’t who he says he is—he has amnesia and how convenient, he MAY have killed the guy he’s now impersonating. I certainly can nitpick certain aspects of the plot, it starts to drag at times, and not everyone will enjoy how Bergman was a strong, independent woman until she starts swooning over a guy, which doesn’t dissipate even after hearing he could be a murderer.

Regrettably, Hitchcock and producer David O. Selznick (the guy who brought Hitch to America) feuded during production. They had an agreement to make films together but Selznick usually loaned out the director to other studios and it was a rather fractious relationship. The producer meddled w/ the production and that is a shame. Even then, the performances of the two leads were great assets for me accepting some of the nonsense present in the film, including what I presume is dated psychoanalysis which perhaps could always have been phony altogether, along with some dated attitudes Peck had towards women.

Another key asset is the score from Miklos Rozsa. At times it was mixed rather LOUD for the film but itself was quality, using the wacky instrument known as the theremin. According to hearsay, none other than Jerry Goldsmith was inspired to become a composer after hearing this music. And yes, there’s a dream sequence done by Salvador Dali, and it was as peculiar as you’d expect from Salvador Dali. That made this journey worth it despite my preference for plenty of other Hitch films.

Dennis the Menace

Dennis the Menace (1993)

Runtime: 94 minutes

Directed by: Nick Castle

Starring: Walter Matthau, Mason Gamble, Joan Plowright, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Robert Stanton

From: Warner Bros.

A movie not in my wheelhouse, but it was something viewed as a 90’s in my youth. When I was even younger, there was a late 80’s cartoon based on a comic strip in the United States… yes, I learned recently that there is an unrelated UK comic strip of the same name. At the time the film was fine; there was question what I’d think of precocious children as an adult.

Well, they were precocious but the child acting was acceptable and even as a middle-aged dude there were some solid laughs. Dennis is a mischievous 5-year old who lives next door to Mr. Wilson, a grouchy curmudgeon. Of course, Walter Matthau was PERFECT, spot-on casting to play Mr. Wilson. That character made me laugh, even if sometimes he was just a jerk instead of a funny jerk.

It’s not just the interactions of him and Dennis that are the entirety of the film. Christopher Lloyd does a swell job himself as a gross, slimy villain named Switchblade Sam, a drifter & a robber. There’s a bit of peril in the third act and Dennis in danger… although just a bit, as it’s a family comedy so Dennis was a menace to Sam.

Sure, I could nitpick, but I’d feel like Mr. George Wilson for doing so. There are chuckles when Dennis is with his friends, and yes I did laugh at the slapstick moments where mayhem happened to Wilson, including more groin-related mishaps or almost groin-related mishaps! It also had several other familiar faces: Joan Plowright as the nice ying to her husband George’s yang, Paul Winfield, Lea Thompson, and much to my amusement, pre-fame Natasha Lyonne and her boyfriend Devin Ratray for a few minutes.

Randomly, it was directed by Nick Castle-yes, The Shape from Halloween-and probably the true highlight: a quality score from Jerry Goldsmith which at times did some heavy lifting. If I hadn’t seen this as a kid, my tune may be different. At times it is incredibly reminiscent of Home Alone—yeah, John Hughes wrote the script. That said, viewing this again as an adult: it’s fine and it tickled my funny bone.