Production Company(ies)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios – 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Passed
 
Year of Release
1935
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
Comedy, Opera, Marx Brothers, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Kitty Carlisle Hart, Allan Jones, Margaret Dumont, Sam Wood, George Kaufman, Morris Rysklnd, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, box office, budget, reviewed by Edwin Schallert, SMH Staff, Colvin McPherson, Age Staff, TIME Staff, Globe Staff, Matt Brunson, Josephine O’Neill, Robert B Phillips Jr., P.S Harrison, NZ Herald Staff, directed by Sam Wood, written by George Kaufman, Morris Rysklnd, produced by Irving Thalberg, MPAA rating, comedy classic, musical numbers, romantic subplot, stunts, heart-pounding, tender scene, wacky, hilarious, endless charm, classic comedy
 

Cast & Crew

Groucho Marx

Harpo Marx

Kitty Carlisle Hart

Chico Marx

Margaret Dumont

Otis P. Driftwood

Tomasso

Rosa Castaldi

Fiorello

Mrs. Claypool

Groucho Marx – Otis P. Driftwood
Harpo Marx – Tomasso
Kitty Carlisle Hart – Rosa Castaldi
Chico Marx – Fiorello
Margaret Dumont – Mrs. Claypool
Allan Jones – Ricardo Baroni
Director – Sam Wood
Distributor – Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

 

Sam Wood

NA

NA

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Sam Wood
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
NA

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Edwin Schallert

SMH Staff

Colvin McPherson

Age Staff

TIME Staff

Los Angeles Times

Sydney Morning Herald

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

The Age (Australia)

TIME Magazine

A NIGHT AT THE OPERA
  All Critics (70) | Top Critics (21) | Fresh (68) | Rotten (2)
  Uproarious high spots — the best, perhaps, of their kind — render A Night at the Opera, starring Groucho, Harpo and Chico, a champion comedy in the year’s output. In some ways, it is the best comedy in which the three brothers have ever appeared.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Edwin Schallert
  Los Angeles Times
  TOP CRITIC
  Considering that the dialogue of A Night at the Opera was written by two such theatrical craftsmen as George Kaufman and Morris Rysklnd, it reaches a surprising nadir of inanity.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  SMH Staff
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  A Night at the Opera is the most beautifully timed madness of 1935.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Colvin McPherson
  St. Louis Post-Dispatch
  TOP CRITIC
  This is pantomime at its best, and the greatest clown of the three is Harpo.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Age Staff
  The Age (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  Groucho follows his own formula of throwing out gags, good and bad. as fast as he can talk, letting the good ones float the bad ones, trusting that the average will favor him.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  TIME Staff
  TIME Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  A Night At the Opera is quite the funniest, the most ambitious and the most entertaining of any of the Marx cinema offerings.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Globe Staff
  Boston Globe
  TOP CRITIC
  It’s impossible to determine which is the greater scene: the stateroom or the party of the first part.
 
  October 2, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Matt Brunson
  Film Frenzy
  Their eccentric adventures from Milan to New York contain such notable scenes as that in Groucho’s cabin; the impersonation of the foreign aviators; the disruption of the opera orchestra; and the final, breathless sequences.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Josephine O’Neill
  Daily Telegraph (Australia)
  Groucho, Chico and Harpo continue to be collectively and individually three of the really first-rate comedians of today. Their only peers are Mr. Charles Chaplin and Mr. W. C. Fields.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Robert B. Phillips, Jr.
  Washington Star
  The scenes at the opera house during a performance offer not only good music but extremely laugh-provoking comedy, caused by the antics of the Marx Brothers.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  P.S. Harrison
  Harrison’s Reports
  Clowning such as these players indulge in must be clever if it is not to become boring, and the fact that their idiosyncrasies, no matter how extravagant, never pall, is the best indication of the success they achieve.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  NZ Herald Staff
  New Zealand Herald
  To attempt to criticize the Marxes is heresy and schism and we’ll have none of it.
 
  November 20, 2020
 
  Landon Laird
  Kansas City Star…

 

Plot
The Marx Brothers take on high society. Two lovers who are both in opera are prevented from being together by the man’s lack of acceptance as an operatic tenor. Pulling several typical Marx Brothers’ stunts, they arrange for the normal tenor to be absent so that the young lover can get his chance.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The Marx Brothers are collectively and individually three of the really first-rate comedians of their time, according to one critic review.
 

 
Sam-Wood.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Shinchosha Company, Studio Ghibli,
 
Distributor
Universal Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)

 
MPAA / Certificate
Approved
 
Year of Release
1934
 

 
Genre(s)
Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring Claudette Colbert, Warren William, Louise Beavers, Rochelle Hudson, Ned Sparks, Alan Hale, directed by John M Stahl, written by Fannie Hurst, Finley Peter Dunne, Victor Heerman, William Hurlbut, drama, Jim Crow-era, racial taboos, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Wanda Hale, Edgar Hay, Times (UK) Staff, Edwin Schallert, Len G Shaw, OC Register Staff, Charlotta Bass, Bernice Patton, Vere E Johns, Donald Kirkley, Gazette Staff, MPAA rating, Universal Pictures, Carl Laemmle Jr., John M Stahl, pancake recipe, Atlantic City boardwalk, family hardships, racial problems, social conflict drama, mother-daughter conflict, Lana Turner version, social conscious melodrama, African-American, light-skinned, passing, Hays Code, racial mixing, conservative America, lynching, racial problem, taboo, racial subject matter, racial struggle, sensitive, thoughtful, exploitative, Caucasian, subservient, superstition, mixed-race, lynch, shameful truth, emotional impact, heart-touching, outstanding characterization, grand, masterpiece, enthralling, captivating, unexpected, angst, beautiful clothes, champagne, dancing, snapshot, pushing the boundaries, maturing, tolerance, Academy Award, self-made woman, pluck, ambition, secret pancake recipe, maid, brutal, heart-wrenching, child, upset, insult, school, all-white classroom, stares, whispers, adult, pretending, disown, suffering, deathbed, snapshot, balancing family and work, control, skyrockets, light-skinned African-American actress, thoughtful, not exploitative, simple-minded, perpetuates a myth, convenient, minor character, subplots, well rounded, realistic, emotionally involving
 

Cast & Crew

Claudette Colbert

Warren William

Louise Beavers

Rochelle Hudson

Ned Sparks

Beatrice “Bea” Pullman

Stephen “Steve” Archer

Delilah Johnson

Jessie Pullman

Elmer Smith

Claudette Colbert – Beatrice “Bea” Pullman
Warren William – Stephen “Steve” Archer
Louise Beavers – Delilah Johnson
Rochelle Hudson – Jessie Pullman
Ned Sparks – Elmer Smith
Alan Hale – Martin

 

John M. Stahl

Fannie Hurst

Carl Laemmle Jr.

John M. Stahl

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
John M. Stahl
 
Writer(s)
Fannie Hurst, Finley Peter Dunne, Victor Heerman, William Hurlbut
 
Producer(s)
Carl Laemmle Jr., John M. Stahl

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 3 Oscars
1 win & 3 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Wanda Hale

Edgar Hay

Times (UK) Staff

Edwin Schallert

Len G. Shaw

New York Daily News

Miami Herald

Times (UK)

Los Angeles Times

Detroit Free Press

IMITATION OF LIFE
 All Critics (52) | Top Critics (17) | Fresh (45) | Rotten (7)
 The race angle is treated with so obvious an attempt at tear-jerking that a good part of the Hurst appeal for increased colored tolerance is lost in a welter of sentimentality.
 
 January 30, 2021 | Rating: 2.5/4
 
 Wanda Hale
 New York Daily News
 TOP CRITIC
 We should hand It to Universal for making even a timid attempt to get away from the cut and dried formulae of cinema drama. It evidences a belief that the American movie public is maturing in its tastes and tolerance.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Edgar Hay
 Miami Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 Not so much an imitation as a fake, for life has a way of forcing conclusions and decisions, and this film, which never seems quite sure which way it is going, studiously avoids both.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Times (UK) Staff
 Times (UK)
 TOP CRITIC
 Miss Colbert has never done anything finer or more heart-touching.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Edwin Schallert
 Los Angeles Times
 TOP CRITIC
 It is the work of Miss Beavers [and] Fredi Washington that gives the picture its greatest grip on the emotions.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Len G. Shaw
 Detroit Free Press
 TOP CRITIC
 Claudette Colbert steps into her emotional role and makes it an outstanding characterization.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 OC Register Staff
 Orange County Register
 TOP CRITIC
 Miss Beavers, who has been in pictures for about ten years found her masterpiece in Imitation of Life.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Charlotta Bass
 California Eagle
 To say that the opus is grand, is putting it mildly. Probably, only the great Stahl could have brought to life such a masterpiece. The star setup was marvelous, and the acting of the adorable Claudette Colbert as well a Louis Beavers was superb.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Bernice Patton
 Pittsburgh Courier
 A racial problem is handled in a very frank and convincing manner.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Vere E. Johns
 New York Age
 When a studio, no matter how, or why, finds the courage to break a taboo, as in Imitation of Life, it is big news, and an occasion for rejoicing.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Donald Kirkley
 Baltimore Sun
 [Louise Beavers’s] remarkable performance of Aunt Delilah lifts this film out of the ordinary routine of the cinema.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Gazette Staff
 Montreal Gazette
 At times [Imitation of Life] moves with rapidity from merriment to pathos, but it is enthralling throughout.
 
 January 30, 2021
 
 Citizen Staff
 Ottawa Citizen…

 

Plot
Bea Pullman and her daughter Jessie have had a hard time making ends meet since Bea’s husband died. Help comes in the form of Delilah Johnson, who agrees to work as Bea’s housekeeper in exchange for a room for herself and her daughter Peola. Bea comes up with a plan to market Delilah’s pancake recipe. The two soon become wealthy and as the years go on, their friendship deepens. Their relationships with their daughters, however, become strained. Ashamed of her mother, Peola seeks a new life by passing for white. Bea’s love for her daughter is tested when she and Jessie fall for the same man.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film stars Claudette Colbert, Warren William, and Louise Beavers.
 

 
John-M.-Stahl.jpg

 

Awards & Nominations
NA
 

Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)

Links
 

(Click to Visit)
 

(Click to Visit)
 
Wikipedia: Go to Wiki
Rotten Tomatoes: Go to RT

Streaming Platforms
CBS
 
Stream Now

(Click to Watch)

 

Coming soon…
 

 
Production Company(ies)
Cosmopolitan Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer,
 
Distributor
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios – 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
TV-PG
 
Year of Release
1934
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Drama
 
Keyword(s)
starring William Powell, Myrna Loy, Maureen O’Sullivan, Nat Pendleton, Minna Gombell, Porter Hall, directed by W S Van Dyke II, written by Dashiell Hammett, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, comedy, drama, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Jess Mccabe, Times (UK) Staff, Paul Rotha, THR Staff, Don Druker, David Parkinson, Brian Eggert, Brian Shaer, Mike Massie, Matt Brunson, Helen Brown Norden, Ann Ross, Hunt Stromberg, produced by Hunt Stromberg, MPAA rating, private detective, mystery, sparkling repartee, involving mystery, endlessly charming romp, whip-smart, hilarious Nora, exciting adventure, genuine comedy, cleverly managed, well satisfied, well-fed look, popular comedies, true masterpiece, unparalleled mixture of laughs and suspense, cinematic compatibility, clicks on all cylinders, bright and sophisticated dialogue, light touch, gaiety, intelligent respect for the original spirit and tempo, highly entertained
 

Cast & Crew

William Powell

Myrna Loy

Maureen O’Sullivan

Nat Pendleton

Minna Gombell

Nick Charles

Nora Charles

Dorothy Wynant

Lt. John Guild

Mimi Jorgenson

William Powell – Nick Charles
Myrna Loy – Nora Charles
Maureen O’Sullivan – Dorothy Wynant
Nat Pendleton – Lt. John Guild
Minna Gombell – Mimi Jorgenson
Porter Hall – MacCauley

 

W. S. Van Dyke II

Dashiell Hammett

Hunt Stromberg

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
W. S. Van Dyke II
 
Writer(s)
Dashiell Hammett, Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich
 
Producer(s)
Hunt Stromberg

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 4 Oscars
3 wins & 4 nominations total
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Jess Mccabe

Times (UK) Staff

Paul Rotha

THR Staff

Don Druker

Bitch Media

Times (UK)

Sight & Sound

Hollywood Reporter

Chicago Reader

THE THIN MAN
  All Critics (44) | Top Critics (11) | Fresh (43) | Rotten (1)
  It’s hard not to love the whip-smart, hilarious Nora.
 
  January 8, 2021
 
  Jess Mccabe
  Bitch Media
  TOP CRITIC
  This film has the unusual merit of combining exciting adventure and genuine comedy. The two are so cleverly managed that the one never gets in the way of the other.
 
  November 3, 2020
 
  Times (UK) Staff
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  [An] exceptionally good movie…
 
  November 3, 2020
 
  Paul Rotha
  Sight & Sound
  TOP CRITIC
  Don’t spare the enthusiasm on this one because if the book had thousands of readers, this picture will have millions of customers – well satisfied and with that well-fed look.
 
  May 29, 2018
 
  THR Staff
  Hollywood Reporter
  TOP CRITIC
  One of the most popular comedies ever made.
 
  February 10, 2012
 
  Don Druker
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Tense and slick, this early thriller remains a true masterpiece.
 
  February 10, 2012 | Rating: 5/5
 
  David Parkinson
  Empire Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  The Thin Man remains an unparalleled mixture of laughs and suspense that many have imitated but none have equaled.
 
  February 14, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  The Thin Man zips along, barely taking a minute to breathe.
 
  May 11, 2021 | Rating: 10/10
 
  Brian Shaer
  Film Threat
  Powell and Loy were one of the greatest screen couples, their cinematic compatibility epitomized here with this second collaboration.
 
  July 30, 2020 | Rating: 10/10
 
  Mike Massie
  Gone With The Twins
  This classic clicks on all cylinders.
 
  August 10, 2019 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Matt Brunson
  Film Frenzy
  [Hammett’s] book has been adapted to the screen with an intelligent respect for the original spirit and tempo. The dialogue is bright and sophisticated; and Miss Loy and William Powell carry the thing off with a light touch and a great deal of gaiety.
 
  June 1, 2019
 
  Helen Brown Norden
  Vanity Fair
  The Thin Man is just about as good a mystery story as anyone could ask for. That is to say, it keeps you happily amused all the time it is keeping you anxiously waiting.
 
  April 1, 2019
 
  Ann Ross
  Maclean’s Magazine…

 

Plot
After a four year absence, one time detective Nick Charles returns to New York with his new wife Nora and their dog, Asta. Nick re-connects with many of his old cronies, several of whom are eccentric characters, to say the least. He’s also approached by Dorothy Wynant whose inventor father Clyde Wynant is suspected of murdering her father’s mistress (his former secretary ).. Her father had left on a planned trip some months before and she has had no contact with him. Nick isn’t all that keen on resuming his former profession but egged-on by wife Nora, who thinks this all very exciting, he agrees to help out. He solves the case, announcing the identity of the killer at a dinner party for all of the suspects.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The chemistry between William Powell and Myrna Loy is described as “extraordinary” and their banter and quirky behavior takes over the movie.
 

 
W.-S.-Van-Dyke-II.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Columbia Pictures,
 
Distributor
Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video, RCA/Columbia
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Busch Gardens – S. Grove Avenue, Pasadena, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Passed
 
Year of Release
1934
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy/Romance
 
Keyword(s)
Comedy, Romance, Frank Capra, Claudette Colbert, Clark Gable, Walter Connolly, Roscoe Karns, Alan Hale, Ward Bond, Samuel Hopkins Adams, Robert Riskin, Harry Cohn, Columbia Pictures, Columbia TriStar Home Video, RCA/Columbia, Mono, 35mm, Flat, MPAA rating, box office performance, budget, reviewed by John Betjeman, Mae Tinee, Mildred Martin, Len G Shaw, Robert Randol, Edgar Hay, Victor Pineyro, Brian Eggert, Walter Ramsey, Reg Whitley, T.D Kemp, Jr
 

Cast & Crew

Claudette Colbert

Clark Gable

Walter Connolly

Roscoe Karns

Alan Hale

Ellie Andrews

Peter Warne

Alexander Andrews

Oscar Shapeley

Danker

– Claudette Colbert as Ellie Andrews
– Clark Gable as Peter Warne
– Walter Connolly as Alexander Andrews
– Roscoe Karns as Oscar Shapeley
– Alan Hale as Danker
– Ward Bond as Bus driver #1 (uncredited)

 

Frank Capra

Samuel Hopkins Adams

Frank Capra

Harry Cohn

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Frank Capra
 
Writer(s)
Samuel Hopkins Adams, Robert Riskin
 
Producer(s)
Frank Capra, Harry Cohn

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Won 5 Oscars
11 wins & 2 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Picture Winners, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

John Betjeman

Mae Tinee

Mildred Martin

Len G. Shaw

Robert Randol

London Evening Standard

Chicago Tribune

Philadelphia Inquirer

Detroit Free Press

Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
  All Critics (105) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (103) | Rotten (2)
  It Happened One Night is one of the most entertaining films I have seen. Its entertainment value is entirely due to good acting and good directing, particularly to the latter.
 
  February 10, 2022
 
  John Betjeman
  London Evening Standard
  TOP CRITIC
  The co-stars are a refreshing team with their good looks, bonhomie, and talent.
 
  March 31, 2021
 
  Mae Tinee
  Chicago Tribune
  TOP CRITIC
  The surprise in this film is the discovery of Clark Gable as a comedian of considerable charm and ability.
 
  March 31, 2021
 
  Mildred Martin
  Philadelphia Inquirer
  TOP CRITIC
  Gable plays the determined and resourceful newshound in his accustomed forthright manner, with a restraint that helps to make the story believable.
 
  March 31, 2021
 
  Len G. Shaw
  Detroit Free Press
  TOP CRITIC
  It is the kind of light entertainment that audiences always like very much.
 
  March 31, 2021
 
  Robert Randol
  Fort Worth Star-Telegram/DFW.com
  TOP CRITIC
  Claudette Colbert is a particularly happy foil for Gable. They ought to be teamed up again.
 
  March 31, 2021
 
  Edgar Hay
  Miami Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  The acting provides deceit, romance and comedy in a grandiose way. But it’s inevitable to feel that time has gone by and through It Happened One Night’s narrative efforts. [Full review in Spanish]
 
  June 23, 2022 | Rating: 6/10
 
  Victor Pineyro
  Seventh Art Studio
  After nearly a century of critics, scholars, and moviegoers singing its praises, the answer to what makes the film endure remains simple, if rather dissatisfying: Movie Magic.
 
  March 13, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  Boy, howdy, this is one that you cannot afford to miss.
 
  February 17, 2022
 
  Walter Ramsey
  Modern Screen
  I have not enjoyed a film so much for a long time as I did It Happened One Night, a really delightful comedy-drama featuring Claudette Colbert and Clark Gable.
 
  February 17, 2022
 
  Reg Whitley
  Daily Mirror (UK)
  Once in a great while, Hollywood outdoes itself and produces a motion picture that establishes a new high mark in genuine entertainment. Such a picture is It Happened One Night.
 
  February 11, 2022
 
  T.D. Kemp, Jr.
  Charlotte Observer
  Skilful direction by Frank Capra, brilliant acting by Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert, crisp dialogue and an exciting plot make It Happened One Night… one of the most entertaining films oi the year.
 
  February 10, 2022
 
  NZ Herald Staff
  New Zealand Herald…

 

Plot
Ellie Andrews has just tied the knot with society aviator King Westley when she is whisked away to her father’s yacht and out of King’s clutches. Ellie jumps ship and eventually winds up on a bus headed back to her husband. Reluctantly she must accept the help of out-of- work reporter Peter Warne. Actually, Warne doesn’t give her any choice: either she sticks with him until he gets her back to her husband, or he’ll blow the whistle on Ellie to her father. Either way, Peter gets what (he thinks!) he wants …. a really juicy newspaper story.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert initially did not want to star in the film and only agreed to do so after being offered a large sum of money.
 

 
Frank-Capra.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Highline Pictures, Camera One Endless Picnic
 
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, MCA/Universal Home Video
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Loja, Granada, Andalucía, Spain
 
MPAA / Certificate
Not Rated
 
Year of Release
1933
 

 
Genre(s)
Comedy
 
Keyword(s)
Comedy, Groucho Marx, Harpo Marx, Chico Marx, Margaret Dumont, Leo McCarey, Herman J Mankiewicz, box office, budget, reviewed by Kate Muir, Peter Bradshaw, David Jenkins, Tom Huddleston, Brian Eggert, Sarah Brinks, Forsyth Hardy, MPAA rating, Paramount Pictures, MCA/Universal Home Video, mono sound mix, Rufus T Firefly, Pinky, Chicolini, Lt Bob Roland, Vera Marcal, Freedonia, Sylvania, revolution, war, slapstick, puns, physical gags, musical numbers, timeless humor, Marx Brothers, Marx films, comedy genre, inspiration, election night, mayhem, dictatorship, religion, pointless warfare
 

Cast & Crew

Groucho Marx

Rufus T. Firefly

Harpo Marx

Pinky

Chico Marx

Rufus T. Firefly

Pinky

Chicolini

Lt. Bob Roland

Mrs. Gloria Teasdale

Groucho Marx – Rufus T. Firefly
Harpo Marx – Pinky
Chico Marx – Chicolini
Zeppo Marx – Lt. Bob Roland
Margaret Dumont – Mrs. Gloria Teasdale
Raquel Torres – Vera Marcal

 

Leo McCarey

NA

Herman J. Mankiewicz

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Leo McCarey
 
Writer(s)
NA
 
Producer(s)
Herman J. Mankiewicz

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 2 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Kate Muir

Peter Bradshaw

David Jenkins

Tom Huddleston

Joe Bigelow

Times

Guardian

Little White Lies

Time Out

Variety

DUCK SOUP
  All Critics (53) | Top Critics (13) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (5)
  It turns out that the sharp-tongued humour of Groucho Marx is ageless, the slapstick timely and the subject matter still pertinent: loony dictatorship, religion, pointless warfare.
 
  January 16, 2015 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Kate Muir
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  The sheer silliness is inspired …
 
  January 15, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Peter Bradshaw
  Guardian
  TOP CRITIC
  Questioning the canonical standing of a titan such as Duck Soup seems like an exercise in questioning the tastes of those who like it rather than the upbraiding the comedy mechanics of the film itself.
 
  January 15, 2015 | Rating: 3/5
 
  David Jenkins
  Little White Lies
  TOP CRITIC
  Genius just about covers it.
 
  January 12, 2015 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Tom Huddleston
  Time Out
  TOP CRITIC
  Duck Soup should make practically everybody laugh.
 
  June 27, 2007
 
  Joe Bigelow
  Variety
  TOP CRITIC
  The Marx Brothers’ best movie…
 
  June 27, 2007
 
  Dave Kehr
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Duck Soup might be the only Marx Brothers film that feels completely in tune with their brand of humor, which, then and now, is downright radical.
 
  February 12, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  I found it tedious and not very funny. The fact that it was short was a relief but I don’t think I will seek out any more films by the Marx Brothers.
 
  April 1, 2021
 
  Sarah Brinks
  Battleship Pretension
  One incidental sequence of slapstick in which Harpo smashes a mirror and then appears opposite Groucho as his reflection, is the funniest thing in any Marx film since The Cocoanuts.
 
  February 3, 2021
 
  Forsyth Hardy
  Cinema Quarterly
  Babbling absurdity is the main ingredient and chaos is the result, with random jokes, skits, and sketches composing the bulk of the story.
 
  July 26, 2020 | Rating: 9/10
 
  Mike Massie
  Gone With The Twins
  The Marx Brothers in one of their slighter divertissements. Funny and wild, but not wildly funny.
 
  July 23, 2019
 
  Ann Ross
  Maclean’s Magazine
  Obviously desperate for material, the Four Marx Brothers tried everything from musical comedy sequences to a I-et ‘Em Eat Cake burlesque revolution. An uneven production but some of the sketches are worth the money.
 
  June 6, 2019
 
  Pare Lorentz
  Vanity Fair…

 

Plot
The country of Freedonia is in the middle of a financial crisis and on the brink of revolution. In order to gain a bail-out from the wealthy Mrs Teasdale, the government appoints Rufus T Firefly as its president. However, Mr Firefly shuns the pomp and pretentiousness of government; along with the prudence and rationality of it too. Meanwhile, the neighbouring country of Sylvania is plotting to overthrow Freedonia and sends Pinky and Chicolini to spy on Firefly. War seems inevitable.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
Groucho Marx’s character, Rufus T. Firefly, has been compared to Charlie Chaplin’s character in The Great Dictator and had a clear influence on Sacha Baron Cohen’s Admiral General Aladeen.
 

 
Leo-McCarey.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
Universal Pictures, Wing Nut Films, Big Primate Pictures,
 
Distributor
RKO Radio Pictures
 
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
 
Filming Location(s)
Shelly Bay, Wellington, New Zealand
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for frightening adventure violence and some disturbing images
 
Year of Release
1933
 

 
Genre(s)
Adventure/Fantasy
 
Keyword(s)
starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Noble Johnson, directed by Merian C Cooper, Ernest B Schoedsack, written by James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose, adventure, fantasy, box office success, budget, reviewed by Adam Kempenaar, THR Staff, Mark Chalon Smith, Irene Thirer, Joe Bigelow, Willis O’Brien, Dave Kehr, Brian Eggert, Matt Neal, Matt Brunson, Allen Almachar, Mike Massie, MPAA rating, produced by Merian C Cooper, Ernest B Schoedsack
 

Cast & Crew

Fay Wray

Ann Darrow

Bruce Cabot

John Driscoll

Robert Armstrong

Ann Darrow

John Driscoll

Carl Denham

Captain Englehorn

Charles Weston

Fay Wray – Ann Darrow
Bruce Cabot – John Driscoll
Robert Armstrong – Carl Denham
Frank Reicher – Captain Englehorn
Sam Hardy – Charles Weston
Noble Johnson – Native Chief

 

Merian C. Cooper

James Ashmore Creelman

Merian C. Cooper

Ernest B. Schoedsack

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack
 
Writer(s)
James Ashmore Creelman, Ruth Rose
 
Producer(s)
Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. Schoedsack

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
Won 3 Oscars
46 wins & 104 nominations total
 
Academy Awards
Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Editing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Sound Mixing Winners, Oscar Best Achievement in Visual Effects Winners, Oscar Nominees, Oscar Winners
 

Top Reviews

Adam Kempenaar

THR Staff

Mark Chalon Smith

Irene Thirer

Joe Bigelow

Filmspotting

Hollywood Reporter

Los Angeles Times

New York Daily News

Variety

KING KONG
  All Critics (67) | Top Critics (16) | Fresh (66) | Rotten (1)
  Kong’s imaginativeness is inarguably one of the reasons it was such a hit and why it has endured.
 
  April 3, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Adam Kempenaar
  Filmspotting
  TOP CRITIC
  [Fay] Wray has never been more beautiful before the camera, nor acted as well as she does in this production.
 
  March 2, 2018
 
  THR Staff
  Hollywood Reporter
  TOP CRITIC
  The story, like Frankenstein and Dracula, has taken on the significance of a modern folk tale, layered with obvious moralizing and as familiar as personal history.
 
  October 5, 2013
 
  Mark Chalon Smith
  Los Angeles Times
  TOP CRITIC
  “King Kong,” as spectacular a bolt of celluloid as has thrilled audiences in a couple of sophisticated seasons, is the product of a number of vivid imaginations.
 
  March 7, 2013
 
  Irene Thirer
  New York Daily News
  TOP CRITIC
  Kong mystifies as well as it horrifies, and may open up a new medium for scaring babies via the screen.
 
  July 2, 2007
 
  Joe Bigelow
  Variety
  TOP CRITIC
  Willis O’Brien did the stop-action animation for this 1933 feature, which is richer in character than most of the human cast.
 
  July 2, 2007
 
  Dave Kehr
  Chicago Reader
  TOP CRITIC
  Hailed for out-thrilling the wildest thrills, Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack’s 1933 classic King Kong delivers an essential component of Hollywood cinema: escape.
 
  February 12, 2022 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Brian Eggert
  Deep Focus Review
  It’s effects are transporting and dazzling, but they are merely means to end, which is to tell a tale of humanity’s (and Hollywood’s) hubris.
 
  August 10, 2021 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Matt Neal
  ABC Radio (Australia)
  In much the same manner as The Wizard of Oz and It’s a Wonderful Life, this masterpiece long ago entered into the national consciousness as an enduring part of our heritage.
 
  March 26, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
 
  Matt Brunson
  Film Frenzy
  This film is one of the great achievements of the action-adventure genre.
 
  August 6, 2020
 
  Allen Almachar
  The MacGuffin
  Despite its many storytelling flaws, the real attraction here is the ‘Eighth Wonder of the World,’ Kong himself.
 
  July 27, 2020 | Rating: 7/10
 
  Mike Massie
  Gone With The Twins
  A spectacle…what’s impressive is that even though Kong looks a little wonky now, you’re still able to latch onto the character.
 
  March 22, 2020 | Rating: 4/5
 
  Luke Parker
  VoiceBoxOffice…

 

Plot
Carl Denham needs to finish his movie and has the perfect location; Skull Island. But he still needs to find a leading lady. This ‘soon-to-be-unfortunate’ soul is Ann Darrow. No one knows what they will encounter on this island and why it is so mysterious, but once they reach it, they will soon find out. Living on this hidden island is a giant gorilla and this beast now has Ann is its grasps. Carl and Ann’s new love, Jack Driscoll must travel through the jungle looking for Kong and Ann, whilst avoiding all sorts of creatures and beasts. But Carl has another plan in mind.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
There is no goofy or funny or odd comment about the film or anyone in the cast on Fresh Kernels.
 

 
Merian-C.-Cooper.jpg

 
Production Company(ies)
HBO Documentary Films, Jigsaw Productions, Sky Atlantic
 
Distributor
Realart Pictures Inc., Universal Pictures, Screen Gems, Universal Home Entertainment, MCA/Universal Pictures [us]
 
Release Type

 
Filming Location(s)
Headland House, Gerringong, New South Wales, Australia
 
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for some strong bloody violence, and language.
 
Year of Release
1933
 

 
Genre(s)
Sci-fi
 
Keyword(s)
starring Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, Henry Travers, William Harrigan, Una O’Connor, Forrester Harvey, directed by James Whale, written by R.C Sherriff, Preston Sturges, H.G Wells, Philip Wylie, sci-fi, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Times (UK) Staff, SMH Staff, Age Staff, Kim Newman, TIME Staff, Roy Chartier, Peter Fleming, Shadow Stage, Candida, James T Hamada, P.S Harrison, produced by Carl Laemmle Jr., MPAA rating, Realart Pictures Inc., Universal Pictures, Screen Gems, Universal Home Entertainment, MCA/Universal Pictures [us], Mono, Flat (1.37:1), Dr Jack Griffin, potion, invisible, insanity, violent rampage, police, mentor, former partner, special effects, tension, goofy sense of humor, memorable debut
 

Cast & Crew

Claude Rains

Gloria Stuart

Henry Travers

William Harrigan

Una O’Connor

Jack Griffin

Flora Cranley

Dr. Cranley

Dr. Arthur Kemp

Jenny Hall

– Claude Rains as Jack Griffin
– Gloria Stuart as Flora Cranley
– Henry Travers as Dr. Cranley
– William Harrigan as Dr. Arthur Kemp
– Una O’Connor as Jenny Hall
– Forrester Harvey as Herbert Hall

 

James Whale

R.C. Sherriff

Carl Laemmle Jr.

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
James Whale
 
Writer(s)
R.C. Sherriff, Preston Sturges, H.G. Wells, Philip Wylie
 
Producer(s)
Carl Laemmle Jr.

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
43 wins & 84 nominations
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

Times (UK) Staff

SMH Staff

Age Staff

Kim Newman

TIME Staff

Times (UK)

Sydney Morning Herald

The Age (Australia)

Empire Magazine

TIME Magazine

THE INVISIBLE MAN
  All Critics (51) | Top Critics (12) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (3)
  Mr. Wells’s original idea had the element of humour as well as stark terror in it; in the film the humour misses all its glorious opportunities and the terror is robbed.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Times (UK) Staff
  Times (UK)
  TOP CRITIC
  Under the supervision of James Whale, the director of “Frankenstein” and “The Old Dark House” the doings of the Invisible Man have been set forth with extraordinary realism.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  SMH Staff
  Sydney Morning Herald
  TOP CRITIC
  A marvel of film technique.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Age Staff
  The Age (Australia)
  TOP CRITIC
  Rains, whose expressive gestures are also vital to his performance, recognised it as a career-making opportunity, a whole film that builds up to the revelation of his face.
 
  October 14, 2011 | Rating: 5/5
 
  Kim Newman
  Empire Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  In his first cinema role, which must have been easy for him to play since it amounts to very little more than an offstage noise, Claude Rains gives an alarming performance, almost as frightening when he is present as when he is not.
 
  October 21, 2010
 
  TIME Staff
  TIME Magazine
  TOP CRITIC
  The strangest character yet created by the screen roams through The Invisible Man.
 
  November 6, 2008
 
  Roy Chartier
  Variety
  TOP CRITIC
  The whole production is rather crudely devised, with American accents allowed to intrude disturbingly on the English setting… On the other hand, Hollywood must take full credit for the film’s technical ingenuity, which is indeed remarkable.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Peter Fleming
  The Spectator
  Good for some shivers… hardly as effective on the screen as in on print.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Shadow Stage
  Photoplay
  The Invisible Man is not on the whole as terrifying as the rest of the hobgoblin genre… But it is considerably more entertaining at least from the point of view of those of us who can get only a limited pleasure out of being scared to death.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Candida
  Maclean’s Magazine
  James Whale’s direction is excellent.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  James T. Hamada
  The Nippu Jiji (Honolulu)
  What makes this good entertainment is the fact that the tension is relieved by much comedy.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  P.S. Harrison
  Harrison’s Reports
  It must be confessed that it serves its purpose as an eerie and horrifying melodrama.
 
  October 8, 2020
 
  Martin Dickstein
  Brooklyn Daily Eagle…

 

Plot
The film follows Cecilia, who receives the news of her abusive ex-boyfriend’s suicide. She begins to re-build her life for the better. However, her sense of reality is put into question when she begins to suspect her deceased lover is not actually dead.
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The Invisible Man features a memorable debut from Claude Rains.
 

 
James-Whale.jpg

 

Awards & Nominations
NA
 

Synopsis (Warning: Spoilers!)

Links
 

(Click to Visit)
 

(Click to Visit)
 
Wikipedia: Go to Wiki
Rotten Tomatoes: Go to RT

Streaming Platforms
HBO
 
Stream Now

(Click to Watch)

 

Coming soon…
 

 
Production Company(ies)

 
Distributor
NA
 
Release Type
Theatrical
 
Filming Location(s)
Santa Catalina Island, Channel Islands, California, USA
 
MPAA / Certificate
Passed
 
Year of Release
1932
 

 
Genre(s)
Horror
 
Keyword(s)
Island of Lost Souls, horror, 1933, Charles Laughton, Bela Lugosi, Richard Arlen, Leila Hyams, Kathleen Burke, Arthur Hohl, Erle C Kenton, Waldemar Young, Philip Wylie, box office, budget, reviewed by SMH Staff, Michael Sragow, Keith Phipps, TIME Staff, Variety Staff, Ian Nathan, Martin Dickstein, P.S Harrison, Shadow Stage, Tele Staff, Film Daily Staff, Mercury Staff, MPAA rating, genetic experiments, half-human, half-animal hybrids, Panther Woman, Sayer of the Law, god, H.G Wells, novel, adaptation, Edward Parker, shipwrecked, remote island, society, horror sequences, Karl Struss, spooky cinematography, mad vivisector, villain, horrifying quality, Devil and the Deep, The Sign of the Cross, scientific scope, House of Pain, whip, eerie, claustrophobic effect, realistic, frightening make-up effects, reserved, complex performance, pre-Hayes Code, suggestion of bestiality, disturbing ending
 

Cast & Crew

Charles Laughton

Bela Lugosi

Richard Arlen

Leila Hyams

Kathleen Burke

Dr. Moreau

Sayer of the Law

Edward Parker

Ruth Thomas

The Panther Woman – Lota

Charles Laughton – Dr. Moreau
Bela Lugosi – Sayer of the Law
Richard Arlen – Edward Parker
Leila Hyams – Ruth Thomas
Kathleen Burke – The Panther Woman – Lota
Arthur Hohl – Mr. Montgomery

 

Erle C. Kenton

Waldemar Young

NA

Director

Writer

Producer

Producer

Producer

Director(s)
Erle C. Kenton
 
Writer(s)
Waldemar Young, Philip Wylie
 
Producer(s)
NA

 

Film Festivals

 
Awards & Nominations
NA
 
Academy Awards

Top Reviews

SMH Staff

Michael Sragow

Keith Phipps

TIME Staff

Variety Staff

Sydney Morning Herald

New Yorker

AV Club

TIME Magazine

Variety

ISLAND OF LOST SOULS
 All Critics (40) | Top Critics (9) | Fresh (35) | Rotten (5)
 It has the appalling, monstrous quality of a nightmare.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 SMH Staff
 Sydney Morning Herald
 TOP CRITIC
 A tight, gruesome shocker, featuring Karl Struss’s spooky cinematography and Charles Laughton’s creepy portrayal of the mad vivisector Dr. Moreau …
 
 February 16, 2015
 
 Michael Sragow
 New Yorker
 TOP CRITIC
 Island Of Lost Souls is a horror film based on the premise that the divide between humanity and the animal world is one that should never be crossed, but also one that’s impossible to determine.
 
 February 23, 2012 | Rating: A
 
 Keith Phipps
 AV Club
 TOP CRITIC
 Laughton, as he managed to do in Devil and the Deep and The Sign of the Cross, gives the role of the villain a peculiarly horrifying quality by humanizing it far beyond the demands of the script.
 
 October 17, 2011
 
 TIME Staff
 TIME Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 While the action is not designed to appeal to other than the credulous, there are undoubtedly some horror sequences which are unrivaled.
 
 October 17, 2011
 
 Variety Staff
 Variety
 TOP CRITIC
 This may have been made (and banned) in the 1930s, but it remains a neatly disturbing horror with a definitive ending.
 
 October 17, 2011 | Rating: 4/5
 
 Ian Nathan
 Empire Magazine
 TOP CRITIC
 If The Island of Lost Souls is also a little too silly for words, i.e., if it fails to achieve anything but “horror,” that is something against which you should be warned.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 Martin Dickstein
 Brooklyn Daily Eagle
 What it presents is more ugly and revolting than horrifying.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 P.S. Harrison
 Harrison’s Reports
 The uprising of beast-men will bring you out of your seat.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 Shadow Stage
 Photoplay
 Everyone expected a sterling performance from Charles Laughton, but again he proves that he has something fresh to give each film.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 Tele Staff
 Daily Telegraph (Australia)
 Laughton’s performance is a grand piece of work, as usual.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 Film Daily Staff
 The Film Daily
 Tho screen version ls too sketchy adequately to convey the scientific scope of Wells’ work, with the result that, apart from the characterisation, the picture has little moaning, and at times becomes repulsive.
 
 October 8, 2020
 
 Mercury Staff
 The Mercury (Australia)…

 

Plot
After his ship goes down, Edward Parker is rescued at sea. Parker gets into a fight with Captain Davies of the Apia and the Captain tosses him overboard while making a delivery to the tiny tropical island of Dr. Moreau. Parker discovers that Moreau has good reason to be so secretive on his lonely island. The doctor is a whip-cracking task master to a growing population of his own gruesome human/animal experiments. He does have one prize result, Lota the beautiful panther woman. Parker’s fortunes for escape look up after his fiancée Ruth finds him with the help of fearless Captain Donohue. However, when Moreau’s tribe of near-humans rises up to rebel, no one is safe…
 
Trivia

 
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a note-perfect performance from Charles Laughton as Dr. Moreau.
 

 
Erle-C.-Kenton.jpg