The Misfits

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Misfits!

Original image located here. Accessed 16th January 2026

It is impossible to discuss this film without mentioning the fates of it's three stars: Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Clift. 
For Gable this was his final film: he would suffer a heart attack shortly after completion. Prior to that the one time King of Hollywood had a string of failures and was looking washed up. Similarly, this was also the final film for Monroe as she was in the middle of drug abuse during filming. And Clift would eventually suffer a car accident that ruined his good looks, derailed his career and led to five years of drug and alcohol abuse before his own passing. 
Because of this, I was reluctant to tackle this film: Sure nothing sells like a story to go with the product but would the tragedies surrounding the stars dwarf the film itself? I mean, it's right there in the title....

There's no way around this: This movie is bleak. Sure the three leads are at the top of their game here but this movie is effectively a musing on the collapse of both the American Dream and the Old West. 
Ultimately however I did find this movie somewhat directionless, as I was somewhat stumped as to where it was going and why I should care.
Granted the three stars are compelling to watch but perhaps there's a reason as to why their real-life fates seem more important than the movie itself. 

The Guns of Navarone

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Guns of Navarone!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th November 2025

As is often the case, this has been sitting on my watchlist for a considerable amount of time - well over two decades to be precise. And I have only gotten around to see it through the accessibility that streaming provides. 

I was led to this movie on the impression that this is one of the best war movies ever made. Some may disagree on that one but what I got from this movie is that it is a great example of a genre crossbreed: war and adventure. 
In this case, a group of soldiers, of varying backgrounds and unique talents, go through enemy territory to complete an objective. Sure that set-up may seem tried and tested but it is for a reason: it works. 
And this movie does deliver on it's premise: Exotic locales (Greece), high stakes, great set pieces, gripping tension and a cast giving committed performances. Gregory Peck is in fine form but somehow David Niven steals the show.
I was worried that a two and a half hour runtime may be a slog to get through but, against the odds, this was anything but a dull watch.

Where Eagles Dare

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Where Eagles Dare!

Original image located here. Accessed 25th April 2025

Should I be watching a war movie on Anzac Day? That's a very good question. Nevertheless, I have been wanting to see this for a long time so now is as good a time as any. I guess.

But no matter: This was gripping stuff, following a commando unit on a rescue mission. Richard Burton is certainly a presence and Clint Eastwood is effectively carrying over his Man With No Name persona into a different setting. The set pieces are great and there's some great actions scenes - not least that nail-biting sequence on the cable car. And there is some intrigue that one wouldn't find in a war movie - surprising but welcome. 

I've heard some comments comparing this to a James Bond movie but hey, whatever works. After all, anyone can come up with a war setting but it takes a visionary to do something different with it.

Midnight Cowboy

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Midnight Cowboy!

Original image located here. Accessed 21st June 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 42 (1969)

Last week, I talked about that particular movie being the last of the old guard. Well, here we have the first of the new. 

Nowadays we may debate about the Oscars getting it wrong but personally, I think such a debate is a disservice to the times when the Academy shows a spine and gives the top prize to something daring. 
Of course, a film that has a heavy gay theme, helmed by a director who is gay, would be the type of film that, nowadays, the Academy would be falling over themselves to shower accolades. Thing is, this won big in 1969. And is, so far, the only R18+ movie to win Best Picture.
Furthermore, given the passage of time, this seems worlds apart from the type of movie that was winning big in the 1950s and 60s. Coming off the back of Oliver!, one would think that the movie-making rulebook changed overnight. 

Indeed, this movie comes across as incredibly cynical: The two leads are a pair of lost souls, the streets of New York shown here look anything but attractive, the struggle of making a living is a key theme, likewise for the pursuit for identity, the editing is fast paced, and the spotlight is shown on the misfits of life. Heavy themes indeed, and it is indeed ballsy for a movie to demand the audience meet it on it's own terms. 

There's no way around it: This is the announcement that the New Hollywood had begun and audiences everywhere had no choice but to get used to it. 
That being said, what do I think of this movie? Well it still has a power that still resonates decades later and still has a brutality that few other movies can match. It may be a game-changer but, thankfully, for the right reasons.

Oliver!

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Oliver!

Original image located here. Accessed 14th June 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 41 (1968)

When I was planning this year-long operation out, I was tossing up whether to include this movie in the schedule. But in the end, I remembered I have a resonance with Oliver as I have performed in the original musical on stage. So we're watching this then.
It's also worthy of note that this movie came out at the beginning of the New Hollywood era (1968-1980) which would make it the last of the old guard. With this in mind, it's strangely fitting that this movie won Best Picture over Bonnie and Clyde - the movie that is largely credited as being the starting point of the New Hollywood.

Given the source material, as in both the musical and Dickens' original text, it would be easy to dismiss this as an adaption and nothing more. And yet, there is much to admire here. The cast is fantastic with both the children and adults doing a top notch job. In particular, Oliver Reed is chilling as Bill Sykes and Ron Moody is fantastic as Fagin to the point of becoming the model for all to follow (why didn't he win the Oscar for Best Actor?). The musical sequences are all well done, the use of colour is superb and there is a solid balance of bright and dark to make this an ideal family movie. 

But in the end, as mentioned above, this is the last of the old guard. Watching this I can't help but feel this is a product of an engine running out of steam. Seems a change was needed.....

In the Heat of the Night

  And this week's Friday night movie has been... In the Heat of the Night!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th June 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 40 (1967)

In recent years, some people have grumbled that the Oscars have become 'too political'. I personally don't know what they're complaining about because as I have traversed through Oscar history it seems that they have always been political. 
And so we come to this: One of the more indispensable Best Picture winners with an agenda behind it. 
Because this came during the Civil Rights Movement and saw a dramatic change in the perception of people of colour.

Needless to say, I can only wonder the audience reaction to see a person of colour not only in a leading role but playing a character who has a well-paying career, in a position of credibility, can take charge of situations, is intelligent and doesn't take any crap from anyone. Radical at the time? Without a doubt. A trailblazer? Sadly, not a lot of movies since have taken note. 
It's interesting to note that this may be a 'message' movie but it doesn't feel like a message movie largely because it comes across as wanting to talk to it's audience as opposed to talking down to it's audience. I think this due to the movie being unafraid to challenge the perceptions of it's protagonist (ie Gillespie's "You Listen to me" speech) 

Still Sidney Poitier has a presence that is unbeatable and Rod Steiger is just as compelling. The murder mystery is handled well and the movie is gripping stuff all the way through.  

Really, this is a class act all the way.

A Man For All Seasons

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... A Man For All Seasons!

Original image located here. Accessed 31st May 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 39 (1966)

It could be said that this is the forgotten Best Picture winner of the 1960s. After all, it does share room with some heavy hitters (ie Sound of Music, Lawrence of Arabia) so maybe it got lost in the crush?

Looking at it now, one could make the case that this is an early slice of Oscar bait: it is a biopic (tick), it has some big names in the cast (tick), it is a costume drama (tick) and it is about someone who sticks by their convictions even they lose everything and, eventually, their life (tick).
Cynicism aside though, there is a lot going for this movie: The direction is superb, it's beautifully shot and works with it's origins as a stage play. But the real meat is the acting: Orson Welles makes the most of his one scene, Robert Shaw is both compelling and frightening as Henry VIII (How come he never got more scenes?) and Paul Schofield carries the movie, giving it his all.

Unfairly forgotten? One would think so.

The Sound of Music

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Sound of Music!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th May 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 38 (1965)

You know, I was perfectly content to live my life without watching this but it seems that fate had other plans.
From the outset, this movie has a formidable reputation being a childhood favourite for many and a less -than-favourable one as being emblematic of being sickeningly sweet. The latter is perhaps best represented by the movie referenced in Addams Family Values.

Personally I found it difficult to resist the charms of this movie. Yes it is very long, yes it seems a very sanitised version of what was happening at the time and yes, it does seem tooth-rotting in it's sweetness. But I will give it props for it's scenery, it's intense final portion and, lets just face it, Julie Andrews is a force of nature that is difficult to resist.

My Fair Lady

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... My Fair Lady!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th May 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 37 (1964)

I believe that the movie-going public will never forgive Shakespeare in Love for winning Best Picture over Saving Private Ryan....
...and yet no one is bitter that this won Best Picture over Dr. Strangelove.

It would seem that time has not been kind to this movie. Sure the costumes are superb (Those hats!) and Audrey Hepburn has a magnetic presence but there are some parts of this movie that haven't aged well. There is a misogynistic streak throughout, the length is exhausting, the elitism is particularly uncomfortable, the last five minutes severely hinder this movie, and Rex Harrison can't sing to save himself.

I mean, where can we go from this? *checks schedule*...........Oh no............

West Side Story

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... West Side Story!

Original image located here. Accessed 10th May 2024

Best Picture Oscar winner no.: 34 (1961)

And now we enter the sixties. A decade where the musical dominated the Academy Award for Best Picture. Seriously: Four of the Best Picture winners decade were musicals. Still, when I started this year long undertaking, I knew I would be stepping out of my comfort zone. And I am willing to be surprised.

And surprised I was with this one.

I guess it's a given that anyone would attempt a rewrite of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Hey I did it myself when I was young and dumb. And who wouldn't? The scenario of 'young lovers separated through forces beyond their control' certainly is potent and will immediately secure a teen audience. 

But's let cut to the chase: I was impressed by this movie. The dancing sequences are jaw-dropping in their fluidity, the songs are immediate and recognisable (Maria, Tonight, America, I Feel Pretty) and the direction is engaging. And I can't help but think this was the progenitor of the modern musical in that it introduced the tropes of 'people in street suddenly launching into well choreographed dance number' and 'song concluding with laughter'. Can anyone confirm this?

So in the end, this film is indeed superb and a well-deserved winner of Best Picture.

To Kill a Mockingbird

   And this week's Friday night movie has been... To Kill a Mockingbird!

Original image located here. Accessed 24th November 2023

It's one of the most famous movies of it's era, having come out during the civil rights movement of the 1960s and therefore becoming a representation of a time and place. 

Unfortunately it also means that this film comes across as dated. It seems to me that this film's reputation lies heavily on the courtroom drama that takes place in it. And whilst those scenes are great, they do however only take up a quarter of the movie. Other times, the movie is more focused on what the kids are doing - often to the movie's detriment. I mean, am I convinced a child can manage to change the minds of an angry mob? I don't think so.

Still, I do not doubt Gregory Peck's efforts and his Oscar for Best Actor was nothing less than well deserved.

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance

 And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance!

Original image located here. Accessed 3rd November 2023

"He was the bravest of them allllllll......."

Once again, I tackle one of the westerns forged from the partnership between director John Ford and actor John Wayne. By all accounts, this was an unbeatable team, making some of the finest westerns ever committed to celluloid.

So it is indeed a surprise to see that this movie does things differently: it is shot in black and white and the location shooting is non-existent. These two elements are pretty much defined Ford's westerns so their absence is indeed striking. 
And one gets the impression that this is exactly the point: This movie is pretty much built around the notion of how the mythology of the wild west is built up and thrives. And it is therefore fitting that Ford is casting a critical eye to the westerns he crafted and the legend he, and Wayne, built up.

Keep in mind that this was made in the 1960s, where the western genre was on shaky ground: On one hand, the genre itself was falling fast out of favour and, on the other, in doing so it was perfectly positioned to be reinvented by the spaghetti westerns of Sergio Leone and the nihilism of Sam Peckinpah. And in that sense, the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance seems to be the endpoint of the classic western that defined the decades prior. But that doesn't mean it is without merit. 
So yeah: An excellent western all around

Will Penny

And this week's Friday Night movie has been... Will Penny!

Original image located here. Accessed 17th March 2023

As regular readers would know, I like a good western so we arrive at this: a 1968 western with Charlton Heston in the lead role. I can't say I care much for Heston (especially since his disastrous appearance on Bowling for Colombine) but he did single this movie out as his favourite role and the one he was most proud of. Well, sounds like a challenge to me..

In retrospect, there is no denying that this is Heston's show all the way. He has a commanding presence and certainly shows a degree of commitment. So much so, one would think that he is in a separate movie when compared to the antagonists. It has been observed that said villains are the clique version of the west whilst Heston's character represents the more actual representation - and that is one assessment I do agree with.
So what we have here is the story of an aging gunslinger who falls in with a woman and her son and subsequently gets a glimpse of a life he could've led. Certainly a compelling scenario and a lot is certainly done with it.
So yeah, good movie.

The Apartment

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Apartment!

Original image located here. Accessed 6th January 2023

Once again, I approach a movie that has the reputation of being one of the undisputed classics of cinema and being capable of standing steadfast against the ravages of time. And once again, the problem that a such a reputation may not live up to it persists. Still, I am willing to give it a go.

Given that this movie is from 1960, I am surprised that the premise is quite risque: A guy rents out his apartment to swinging couples? And said couples originate from his workplace which gives him leverage to climb the corporate ladder? That sound tremendously out of place for it's time. But what is truly surprising is that the movie itself seems to apply restraint: Anyone else would think such a scenario would be grounds for a farce but not here. It is however, is a thoughtful film, treating it's subjects in an empathetic light. Sure there are laughs but it's the characters put before us that is the real meat of this movie.
Not much to add except that it seems that this movie does indeed still work 63 years later. Which is more than can be said for a fair number of movies that have won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Carnival of Souls

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Carnival of Souls!

Original image located here. Accessed 28th October 2022

And so this years clutch of October/horror movies comes to a close with this lesser known movie from the early sixties. Personally I knew of this film through it's reputation as a precursor to a lot of horror movies that followed in it's wake.

Watching this movie now, six decades later, it is interesting to see what it does. It is clearly made on a small budget but such limitations work in it's favour: It relies heavily on mood, atmosphere and suggestion. There is a freaky-sounding organ score running throughout and the scares are genuinely frightening. And this works in my book as I will take atmosphere/mounting-dread over jump scares any day.
Still this movie is showing it's age and the slow parts do prove to kill the momentum. But when this movie hits, it hits hard

Lawrence of Arabia

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Lawrence of Arabia!

Original image located here. Accessed 1st July 2022

Well I'm in quarantine so now would a good time as any to address some of the longer running movies in my to-watch list.
I knew this movie on two fronts: a) it's a very famous movie and b) it was directed David Lean. Now I've already seen one of his works, Doctor Zhivago, and it seems to me his films are defined by two characteristics: a) they feature lots of exotic locales and b) they tend to be very long. So should I be put off by such a reputation?

No I shouldn't. Because it seems to me this movie's reputation is justified. It runs over three hours but it never drags. The locations are astonishing and the filmmaking techniques put to use are incredible. The battle scenes are great and there are plenty of unforgettable images. There is plenty of desert sure but the film does a clever job making you feel like you're there - which is saying a lot for a movie approaching it's 60th birthday.
And it's always nice to see a pre-Star Wars Alec Guinness.
I was told that this is one of cinema's achievements and now I see no reason to doubt it.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service

And this week's Friday night movie has been... On Her Majesty's Secret Service!

Original image located here. Accessed 4th June 2021

Behold George Lazenby. The first successor to the role Sean Connery made his own and the least of the actors to play James Bond.
I can't say i was looking forward to this one: For many years Lazenby has borne the brunt of a lot of hate, being the worst of the six Bond actors, a one-hit wonder and the weak link in a chain of excellence.
But in more recent years, he's gone under something of a rehabilitation: many people are now pointing to On Her Majesty's Secret Service as the best Bond movie and citing that the movie represents an evolution in the character of Bond - which wouldn't have worked with the self-assurance that Connery used to define the role.

Well I do agree: This does indeed show Bond in a different light in that he's allowed to be vulnerable: he is frequently shown to be in danger (and certainly shown to be afraid for his life) and he has some great scenes with Tracey. It may be easy to dismiss Lazenby for his limited acting skills but it's not to the detriment of the movie - his scenes with Tracey sparkle with chemistry and you can't say he doesn't nail the final, gut-punching scene.
Other than that, everything here shows a Bond movie firing on all cylinders: Tracey is a compelling character played by Diana Rigg (Olenna Tyrell!). The Swiss alps make for a beautiful setting. The action sequences are existing and fast paced. Telly Savalas makes an engaging Blofeld. And Peter R. Hunt makes for a great director (shame he didn't do any more Bond movies).
So is On Her Majesty's Secret Service the blemish on the series that is often made out to be? I don't think so. If anything, there's a lot going for it - which makes stand proudly amongst the best.
And damn, that final gut-punching scene....

You Only Live Twice

And this week's Friday night movie has been... You Only Live Twice!

Original image located here. Accessed 7th May 2021

The plan to watch more James Bond movies continues.
I hadn't planned on seeing this. That was until i realised that this movie was written by one of my literacy heroes: Mr Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl writing James Bond? That seems like a combination that's too good to be true!

As it happens, this movie is not well liked by some Bond fans. Not sure why because there is a lot going for this movie. The location footage in Japan is great. The Little Nellie is fantastic. The set design is extraordinary (particularly the lair at the film's climax). The Final fight scene is one of the finest action sequences ever conceived. We have a face reveal of Blofeld and Tiger Tanaka is a great character. So what's the problem?
Okay sure the formula is clearly setting in, sure Connery may be phoning his performance in and Bond's Japanese disguise makes him look like a Romulan but are those enough to be a deal-breaker? I don't think so.
And in the terms of this series, You Only Live Twice does indeed serve as a good way to farewell the Connery era. Which means starting next month, we start taking a look at his successors.

The Professionals

And this week's Friday night movie has been... The Professionals!

Original image located here. Accessed 30th April 2021

I have previously expressed a keen interest in the western genre and that interest has never dulled over the years. So here's a look at a western from the 1960s.
I know my film history and I can say that the sixties were an interesting time for the western. The decade was one where the genre going well out of fashion - which in turn offered a sense of reinvention accepted by the likes of Sergio Leone and Sam Peckinpah (in the form of The Good the Bad & the Ugly and The Wild Bunch respectively).

And it is in this period of reinvention that The Professionals sits comfortably. Compared to it's earlier brethren this film does indeed have a sense of grittiness and realism that is rarely found in the genre. There are indeed some great action sequences, more explosions than one would expect in a western and some characters with depth. But, as with many westerns, the real star is cinematography, which makes the scenery never dull and is always handled to it's best.
It may be overlooked when compared to other westerns of this era but that doesn't mean the Professionals is an worthy entrant to this genre.

Thunderball

And this week's Friday night movie has been... Thunderball!

Original image located here. Accessed 2nd April 2021

That title is misleading: perhaps I should start using the phrasing: 'This Month's James Bond Movie has been..'. Only that idea sounds completely dumb.

Anywho, one reason why i am watching more James Bond movies in 2021, is that I have seen bits and pieces of some but not all the way through. Therefore, watching a complete James Bond movie presents an opportunity to address some unfinished business. And Thunderball is indeed such a movie.
During the late eighties i came home from school one day to find my father who had stayed home from work on the account of being unwell. And he was watching a movie which featured some divers engaged in underwater combat. At the time, I had no idea what i was watching but i distinctly remember being mesmerized by the action taking place before me. It was exciting, gripping and was able to draw tension from a seemingly harmless situation. I also recall seeing the escape via jetpack at the start of the movie.
Of course, I would eventually find out that this was indeed a James Bond movie. So to watch Thunderball now is to revisit something that made a significant impression on me.

Unfortunately, this has so far proven to be the weakest of the Connery era. Many of the characters are dull & inconsequential, the plot is meandering & boring, the climax suffers from some bad editing decisions and the moments of gold are few and far between. Still Connery continues to be in fine form - as he no doubt has the character down pat by now - and the underwater sections are still impressive.
At least now i can say that I know which movie had those underwater combat scenes