the saint and the falcon

While I was hunkered down during Hurricane Sandy, I spent a fair amount of time flipping back and forth between storm coverage and fun things like (the original) Hawaii Five-O reruns, Looney Tunes cartoons, and even an Adam West Batman cliffhanger with Joker, Penguin, AND Catwoman!

Monday morning, I also stumbled across a few gems on TCM.  George Sanders (well before his time as the bad guy on In Search of the Castaways, or providing the voice for Shere Kahn) was the dashing, devil-may care Simon Templar (The Saint) and Gay Lawrence (The Falcon).  The Falcon movies were fun, but I have to say I loved The Saint movies best. 

Now I've got to see if I can find them on DVD...

the reel dope

 

Movie reviews for: The Sword in the Stone, The Cardinal, and Charade

the reel dope

Movie reviews for: The Wheeler Dealers, Lillies of the Field, The Haunting, and Beach Party.

once upon a honeymoon

 

the year: 1942

 

the genre: dramedy

 

 

the cast: Cary Grant (Pat O'Toole); Ginger Rogers (Kathie O'Hara / Katherine Butt-Smith / Baroness Katherine Von Luber); Walter Slezak (Baron Franz Von Luber)

 

the plot: At the start of WWII, Katie O'Hara, an American burlesque girl intent on social climbing, marries Austrian Baron Von Luber. Pat O'Toole, an American radio reporter, sees this as a chance to investigate Von Luber, who is suspected of having Nazi ties. As country after country falls to the Nazis, O'Tool follows O'Hara across Europe. At first he is after a story, but he gradually falls in love with her. When she learns that her husband is indeed a Nazi, O'Hara fakes her death and runs off with O'Toole.  But that's not the end of the story...

 

 

listen for:  "I was supposed to be investigating facts, not figures."

 

 

don't miss:  Pat telling the ship's captain that someone has fallen overboard.  Think "We're No Angels" telling Uncle Andre that Adolphe is poisonous.

 

 

did you know: The question of top billing was resolved by having half of the prints with Cary Grant listed first, and the other half with Ginger Rogers listed first.

 

the reel dope

 

Movie reviews for: A Farewell to Arms, The Lady Takes a Flyer, and The Brothers Karamazov.

hotel transylvania

the year: 2012

 

the genre: comedy

 

 

the plot: Welcome to the Hotel Transylvania - Dracula's lavish five-stake resort - where monsters and their families can live it up without humans to bother them. On one special weekend, Dracula has invited some of his very best friends to celebrate his daughter Mavis' 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem - but when a human stumbles on the hotel for the first time and takes a shine to Mavis, his sheltered world may come crashing down.

 

 

don't miss: the little werewolf girl - she's my favorite.

 

 

listen for: "Your zing will come."

 

 

did you know: The film's release date was September 28th, which is World Rabies Day. (That's more significant if you've seen the movie.)  

 

 

extra bonus points: if you know who was originally set to voice Mavis.

 

 

First movie I've watched in the theater for at least 3 years.  Perfect for a no-brainer Friday night.