AFI 100 Movies #61 Vertigo (1958)

This one is quite different to Rear Window (AFI #42) another suspense movie, but this time Hitchcock, goes for a more artistic approach compared to the realism employed in Rear Window.

Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak are very good in their leading roles, and Barbra Belle Geddes is also worthy of praise as the overlooked former girlfriend Midge.

If you would like to know more about what I made of this movie and Rear Window, have a listen to episode 4 of the Nerdology podcast.

AFI 100 Movies #42 Rear Window (1954)

I have only seen a few of Alfred Hitchcock's movies, but this has to rate as my favourite of the ones I've seen.

I'm a huge fan of James Stewart, who made quite a number of movies with Hitch, and Grace Kelly along with Thelma Ritter provide wonderful support in their roles. There are some great moments featuring the neighbours who live across from "Jeff's" apartment.

If you would like to know more about what I made of Rear Window, you could always check out episode 4 of the Nerdology podcast, which also covers Vertigo, also directed by Hitchcock.

AFI 100 Movies #26 Dr. Strangelove (1964)

Peter Sellers stars in director Stanley Kubrick's black comedy about nuclear war.

U.S. airforce General Jack D. Ripper (Sterling Hayden) goes a bit loopy and decides to launch a nuclear assault on the Soviet Union. Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers in one of many roles) is on an exchange programme from the Royal Air Force, and is convinced that the air strike has not been authorised, and sets about trying to halt it.

The aircraft given the mission, goes into attack protocols and blocks off all communication with the outside world, in case the soviets should try to intercept them and try to dissuade them from their mission. There is, however, a secret three digit code which would allow the bomber to receive radio transmissions, a code only known to General Ripper.

What follows is a classic farce with a cold war twist. Sellers also gets to play the president of the United States and the eponymous Doctor Strangelove, a former Nazi scientist, and now scientific advisor to the U.S., with a right arm which involuntarily does a Nazi salute!

Much of the movie is spent showing how completely blinkered and idiotic both sides are. A scene where Mandrake is desperately trying to make a phone call to the president of the United States from a pay phone, but is twenty cents short, and his American colleague, even with the fate of the world at stake, baulks at having to break into a Coca Cola vending machine to get some change, is a perfect example.

There are some movie greats amongst the assembled cast, apart from Mr Sellers, there's George C Scott as General Buck Turgidson, James Earl Jones (yes, the voice of Darth Vader) as the Bombardier on board the B52 bomber and a memorable performance from Slim Pickens as Major T. J. (King) Kong.

One tends to think of Stanley Kubrick as a very serious film maker, and of course the subject matter of this film is deadly serious, the humour is handled very deftly, here below, is probably my favourite scene in the film:

As for the finale, it is probably one of the most iconic images of 20th century cinema.

AFI 100 Movies #10 Singin' In The Rain (1952)

I must confess, I have been putting off watching the musicals in the AFI 100 list, as I'm not really a fan of the genre.

In this film's favour, there's a lot of humour, and the dance routines are nothing short of spectacular.

Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor & Debbie Reynolds are all very likeable in their roles, and Jean Hagen is very good as the squeaky voiced drama queen Lina.

My personal highlights are the routine for the title song, and the drop dead gorgeous Cyd Charisse in the  Broadway Melody section.

I'm still not sold on musical films, but this is one of the better ones that I've seen.

AFI 100 Movies #11 It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

Frank Capra's 1946 opus has divided opinion in our household.

I love it, but Amy can't bear to watch it.

So I took the opportunity of a day at home to sit back and enjoy.

Jimmy Stewart plays George Bailey, a thoroughly good man, whose early days are covered at the start of the film. As a youngster he rescues his younger brother from drowning after he falls through the ice while sledging near a pond, and as a consequence of his brave act he is left deaf in one ear.

Moving the story on a little, George forgoes his own life goals in order to allow his younger sibling to pursue his ambitions.

As George's life progresses, his dreams of moving away from the little town of Bedford Falls and exploring the great wide world gradually diminish as he is forced to stay on in order to do the right thing by his co-workers and family.

Although he is happily married to the lovely Mary (played by Donna Reed) and has four children whom he loves dearly, the viewer is left with the distinct impression that George feels that the life he had planned has passed him by.

Things take a turn for the worse as George's nemesis, Henry F. Potter, who has sought to close down the Bailey family business for years, takes advantage of a very costly mistake made by George's absent minded uncle Billy, who manages to lose $8,000 from the company funds just as the tax inspector makes his visit to look over the company books.

Unable to cope anymore with the mounting pressure, George considers ending it all by jumping off a bridge, at which point Clarence, his guardian angel steps in tasked with trying to convince George that the world would be a poorer place without him in it.

It's described as a feel good movie, and I would go along with that, but I think that Amy has a valid point when she says that one of the reasons that she can't watch it is that George has to go through a lot of torment before there is any chance of a happy ending.

That's not to say that the film lacks humour, far from it, the scene at the school reunion with the swimming pool is tremendous fun, as is the scene following it when George and Mary walk home in clothes borrowed from the mens locker room.

I am a big fan of Jimmy Stewart, I think he personifies the everyman, and his portrayal of George is superb, you care for his character and when he reaches that lowest point of desperation you feel his pain.

One of the better films from the AFI list so far for me.

AFI 100 Movies #62 Tootsie (1982)

After subjecting my poor long suffering wife to a fair few AFI selections that didn't really appeal to her, I figured I might go easy on her and make my next choice from the list something I know she loves.

She really admires Dustin Hoffman, for different reasons from me, I might add!

He plays actor Michael Dorsey, who due to his outspoken nature and questioning of director's methods, has made himself unemployable.

He hits upon the idea of posing as a woman in order to try and get roles. He lands a role in a soap opera, and soon becomes a leading character in the show.

Things get complicated when he falls for a fellow cast member Julie, she meets him in his Michael persona and hates him on sight.

Cue farcical situations involving lecherous older actors, the girl in love with him (Teri Garr), the co-star he's fallen for (Jessica Lange) and her widowed father (Charles Durning).

Amy did point out as we watched that Hoffman's character was the only really strong female part and that Geena Davis seemed to spend most of her time on screen in her underwear, which although the story and acting were good proved to be a welcome highlight.

Bill Murray is worthy of a special mention, and is very likeable as Michael's flat mate

Definitely one for the watch again list, although, Dustin, seriously, you turned down Teri Garr?

AFI 100 Movies #74 The Gold Rush (1925)

So then, after a break it's back to the AFI 100 list.

Charlie Chaplin's The Gold Rush was made in 1925, he had intended to film the majority of the shots on location but had to abandon this idea as the weather made filming problematic.

The little tramp character travels to the Yukon to make his fortune in the Klondike gold rush.

The weather is treacherous and he is forced to look for shelter amidst a terrible blizzard, he stumbles across a fellow prospector "Big Jim" they take refuge in a log cabin until the storm passes. They have a fellow cabin-mate in the form of Black Larsen (who unknown to them is a wanted fugitive).

When the blizzard shows little of slowing up, Larsen goes out to get supplies, and trapped in the cabin together the tramp and Big Jim start to get cabin fever, with Jim becoming so hungry that he starts to hallucinate and sees the tramp transform in to a giant chicken!

Needless to say the blizzard subsides and the three go their separate ways, another famous scene see the tramp perform the "Bread Roll Dance" which many consider a tribute to Roscoe Arbuckle, who was being shunned by many in Hollywood at the time. I won't divulge more of the plot incase anyone reading this intends to watch it themselves.

I have to admit to being a late convert to Chaplin, my wife really doesn't get Chaplin and finds him mawkish and overly sentimental, which I can kind of see, but if you look at his body of work, his writing, directing etc. you can see someone who had global fame and wanted to use it as a positive thing, his speech at the end of The Great Dictator is so moving, and such a brave thing to do.

So, Charlie, you're alright by me.

AFI 100 Movies #15 Star Wars (1977)

After the disappointment of my last AFI outing (#88 Easy Rider) whatever the next selection happened to be would be an improvement. The arrival yesterday of the Star Wars saga Blu-Ray boxset prompted a viewing of Episode IV A New Hope (or just Star Wars as it was when it first hit the cinema screens).

An embarrassing admission, an early memory for me was being left inconsolable as my older brother and his friend were allowed to go to the cinema to see this amazing new film, but I was considered too young (at the tender age of 4, I couldn't see what the problem was!), this was only to be overshadowed by my brother (who was fairly indifferent about TV's greatest hero) getting to meet Tom Baker, during his tenure as The Doctor, and not being allowed to go as it was an event that his class at school was taking part in.

Anyway, back to the film. The opening shot of the movie sets the scene for the epic scale of George Lucas' space opera. Princess Leia's space ship looks huge as it enters the frame, and is subsequently dwarfed by the imperial star destroyer in hot pursuit.

Trying to think back to watching this as a child, the cast of characters was very appealing, the C3PO & R2D2 double act, the mysterious wizard-like Ben Kenobi, Han Solo the anti hero, Luke & Leia the kick ass teens, the creepy Grand Moff Tarkin and of course the man/machine that you love to hate Darth Vader.

Watching it back as an adult, some of the dialogue is a little clunky, but there was something about this story that fired my young imagination.

Despite Mr Lucas' unending need to go back and tinker with something that was perfectly good in the first place, it doesn't detract from the enjoyment of the film.

The dogfight sequences as the movie reaches its climax still have the wow factor now that they had all those years ago.

With regard to the Blu-Ray transfer (which I will get around to reviewing in full, once I've been through all the films & the 40 hours of added content), the picture is immaculate and the DTS 6.1 Master HD soundtrack is very impressive, John Williams' soundtrack has never sounded better. Home cinema nerds (like me) will love it.

AFI 100 Movies #88 Easy Rider (1969)

I'll keep this brief, and ask you to recall the two word review of Shark Sandwich from This Is Spinal Tap.

One saving grace was the soundtrack featuring The Byrds.

Apologies to anyone who likes this film, it just wasn't for me.

AFI 100 Movies #90 The Jazz Singer (1927)

The AFI 100 list chooses its movies based on a number of criteria, The Jazz Singer makes it on to the list, from my understanding, for being the first full length feature film to include dialogue that is synchronised with the pictures on screen, using Warner Bros. Vitaphone audio system, bringing about the rise of "Talkie" movies and the eventual demise of silent movies.

On that basis I completely understand it's inclusion in the list, it is, however, my least favourite film so far. I am a fan of silent movies, so I wasn't put off by the vast majority of the film lacking speech. The main problem for me was that I found the star of the film, Al Jolson, intensely irritating.

I have already seen films in this series that I didn't take to, Duck Soup  for example, but I still found things to like about them.

I know that taste is subjective, and I suppose that there are people that rate this film very highly, and I appreciate that the acting style in silent cinema in some cases was far more expressive and over the top, and he might be forgiven for being the lead actor in what must have been a difficult transitional period, but Jolson's gurning facial expressions made me cringe.

And while we're talking about cringing I will tackle the uncomfortable subject of "Blacking Up", I know Mr Jolson was incredibly popular in his day, but looking back on it now in the 21st century, it makes for very uncomfortable viewing.

On it's original release in 1927 it did big business at the box office, so the audiences at the time really took to it, but was it the novelty of the actors speaking on screen, or because it was a great movie?

During this AFI challenge that I set myself, one of the interesting things for me was the thought that it would encourage me to watch films that I wouldn't ordinarily have seen, and there have been some great finds along the way, my favourite new finds so far have been The Apartment , Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? and Bringing Up Baby.

This, though is not a film I would necessarily choose to watch again.

AFI 100 Movies #28 Apocalypse Now (1979)

One of several movies in the AFI 100 that focuses on the Vietnam war.

Rather than your bog standard war movie, director Francis Ford Coppola brings us a story (based on the novel Heart Of Darkness) about a messed up captain, Benjamin L Willard (Martin Sheen) who is grappling with his inner demons, when he is asked to take on a classified special ops mission to hunt down a maverick colonel, Walter E. Kurtz (Marlon Brando) and eliminate him with extreme prejudice.

Kurtz was a very promising soldier, real General material. He has gone AWOL while serving in Vietnam and is thought to have gone native, and is holed up in a former temple in Cambodia, he has been able to take control of a local tribe who act as his militia.

Willard accepts the mission, he is taken to a boat which will take him up the river to Kurtz's compound. Onboard are; George Phillips (Albert Hall), Lance Johnson (Sam Bottoms), Jay Hicks (Frederic Forrest) and Tyrone "Mr Clean" Miller (14 year old Laurence Fishburne).

Willard and the crew of the boat are asked to rendezvous with Kilgore (Robert Duvall), an officer in charge of a squadron of attack helicopters, he is at first reluctant to take them into an enemy stronghold, which would give them access to the river that leads to Kurtz's compound. However he is convinced to go ahead when he is informed of the good surfing to be had off the beach on the edge of the enemy stronghold. And cut to probably the most famous scene from the film, as the attack helicopters launch a raid, using the combined weapons of napalm "I love the smell of napalm in the morning" and Wagner's "Ride Of The Valkyries" being blasted from loudspeakers as the action unfolds.

En route to the compound, the crew stop off at a U.S. army encampment and enjoy a visit from the Playboy bunnies.

Back on the river again, the boat is attacked by persons unknown, and Mr Clean is killed, Phillips holds Willard personally responsible. When the crew is attacked again, Phillips is impaled by a spear thrown by one of Kurtz's militia, as Willard tries to help him, Phillips in a last desperate act, tries to pull Willard onto the spear head protruding from his chest, Willard manages to fight him off after a struggle.

Willard is greeted upon his arrival at the compound by an American photo-journalist (Dennis Hopper), who has fallen under Kurtz's spell. Willard is at first imprisoned, but Kurtz has him freed. Captain Willard is invited to speak with Kurtz, and seems to have a great deal of respect for him, but he knows what he must do.

As the tribesmen carry out a very graphic sacrifice of a water buffalo, Willard stealthily enters Kurtz's lair and dispatches him.

This is a good film, it manages to have an art house aesthetic, but still have a more mainstream appeal, Martin Sheen is very good (I've yet to see him in anything I didn't rate him highly in), Brando, restricted to speaking from the shadows, as he felt uneasy about appearing on screen after gaining a lot of weight, still puts in a decent turn as the psychotic colonel Kurtz.

Francis Ford Coppola faced all manner of trials and tribulations to get this movie finished, Harvey Keitel was originally cast in the lead role but Coppola soon came to realise that he wasn't right for the part and duly fired him. He then hired Martin Sheen, who by his own admission felt out of shape and subsequently suffered a heart attack during the filming period, a typhoon destroyed valuable sets, and to cap it all off, when he asked Marlon Brando, who was hired at one million dollars a week for three weeks work if he could start a little later as he wanted to rewrite the ending, he flatly refused, threatening to pull out and keep his one million dollar advance!

The film went on to win 2 academy awards and took $150 million dollars at the box office, so all the hard work was not in vain.

So, a good movie, and a landmark in cinema, but is it the best Vietnam film?

AFI 100 Movies #64 Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)

This was one of the entries that I have seen before, however, I must have been 10 or so when I watched it last, so my memory was a little hazy in places.

Steven Spielberg's movie still delights all these years later.

The movie begins in a desert in Mexico, where Claude Lacombe, played by Francois Truffaut, leads a team, who have discovered a squadron of planes that went missing during World War II, the planes are intact and even have reserves of fuel left, but there is no sign of the missing pilots.

Back in the U.S.A. Barry Guiller, a three year old boy, is stirred from his sleep in his room by his toys springing to life, and working of their own accord. His mother, hearing a noise investigates and sees Barry running off on his own, she follows him and rescues him just in time to stop him being run over by a truck driven by Roy Neary.

Neary, played by Richard Dreyfuss, is a worker for the local electricity company. He ends up being called out late at night, due to power outages.

While still recovering from the shock of the near miss they witness a close encounter with a group of U.F.O.s.

Roy has a hard time convincing his wife of his experience, and his increasingly erratic behaviour drives her to distraction, leaving her with no choice but to leave in a hurry with their children as meanwhile Barry and his mother get a visit from the U.F.O.s which results in Barry going missing.

All the various plot threads come together as the main characters are all drawn toward the eerie Devil's Tower national monument.

Watching this in crystal clear quality, thanks to the Blu-Ray transfer, the special effects still stand up remarkably well. In this time of computer generated effects, there is a lot to be said in favour of the quality of the models and camera techniques used in bringing the U.F.O.s and their alien pilots to life.

The score by John Williams is very impressive, and there are decent performances from the cast, particularly Richard Dreyfuss, who carries the film, even though he was not the director's first choice for the main role.

I think it is deserving of it's inclusion in the AFI's list, even though it came out in a year which boasted an even greater sci-fi smash hit.

AFI 100 Movies #8 On The Waterfront (1954)

Marlon Brando gives an amazing performance, in what is regarded by many, as his finest screen portrayal.

Brando Plays Terry Malloy (no Doctor Who fans that's Terry Molloy), a dockworker in Hoboken, New Jersey. He lives out a humble existence, unlike his wealthy brother Charlie (Rod Steiger), who is the lawyer to local union leader "Johnny Friendly", a man who has more than a passing acquaintance with the local organised mob.

At the start of the movie, Terry is unwittingly used by Friendly to flush out Joey Doyle, who is preparing to testify against Friendly in court. Doyle as a result is murdered, and Terry under duress from Friendly's henchmen has to agree to keep quiet, or to quote the phrase used in the movie to remain D&D (Deaf & Dumb).

Terry later meets Doyle's sister Edie and there is an instant attraction between them. Edie encourages local priest Father Barry to lead a campaign to bring down the mob.

The film plays out with Terry wrestling with his conscience, being urged on by Father Barry and Edie to do the right thing.

When Johnny Friendly arranges an "accident" for a fellow dockworker planning on testifying against him the pressure on Terry really starts to tell.

As Terry finally comes to terms with what he has to do, Johnny makes a last ditch effort to silence him. He sends Terry's brother Charlie to try and convince him to stay silent, during their conversation Terry recalls his youth when he dreamt of being a championship boxer and, we discover, Friendly had Charlie talk him into taking a dive as he had a lot of money riding on the un-fancied opponent. The emotion in this scene is incredible and a real testament to the acting abilities of Brando and Steiger. This scene is probably the most famous one from the whole film.

With Terry determined to do the right thing and testify, this leaves Charlie in a tricky situation, and events take a downward spiral until the climax at the end.


I loved this film, I had only seen Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, and was keen to see him in a more "everyman" role. I can understand why people raved about his performances, he was brought through the actor's studio system and schooled in the method style of acting. He comes across as tough but reveals an inner tenderness. His acting style captures the reality of the moment, and is naturalistic.

The supporting cast are good, especially Rod Steiger, Eva Marie Saint as Edie, and Karl Malden as Father Barry.

Highly recommended.

AFI 100 Movies #80 The Wild Bunch (1969)

Sam Peckinpah's reputation for creating violent, action packed, blood soaked movies, on the strength of this viewing is deserved.

The Wild Bunch starts out in Texas in 1913. Pike Bishop, played by William Holden, is the leader of a gang of ageing outlaws, who plan to do one more robbery before retiring.

The gang featuring, amongst others, screen legend Ernest Borgnine (Dutch Engstrom), set out to rob a railroad office, where they learn that a cache of silver is being held.

Unknown to the robbers, the railroad office is being staked out by a posse of men hired by the railroad company, lead by Bishop's former partner Deke Thornton played by Robert Ryan, who has been promised a full pardon if he apprehends the wild bunch.

After the botched robbery attempt, the outlaws make their escape across the border to Mexico, and encounter General Mapache, a corrupt dictator, who wants the outlaws to steal a large consignment of weapons being taken by locomotive to a U.S. army base in exchange for $10,000 in gold.

Angel, a member of the gang, who is opposed to Mapache's regime, makes a deal with Pike to exchange his share of the money offered for one of the cases of weapons to be smuggled to a group of rebels, who want to bring down Mapache.

As you might already have gathered, things go rather awry.

Comparing this film to fellow AFI 100 selection #96 The Searchers, although they're both westerns, The Wild Bunch has a visual style of it's own, with multiple camera angles, as well as slow motion sequences that really emphasise the grimness of the graphic shoot outs.

Although the film runs for a total of 145 minutes, it never feels like any undue padding has been added, and the pace of events keeps you wanting to know what happens next.

So overall, a good solid western.

AFI 100 Movies #92 A Place In The Sun (1951)

Montgomery Clift stars as George Eastman, a young man from a humble background, who goes to work for his wealthy uncle.

He doesn't exactly get the warmest of welcomes, everything is kept very business like, with George referring to his uncle as Mr Eastman, and he starts out at the very bottom of the company in the packing department.

His attempts to fit in at parties held by the wealthy Eastmans and their circle of friends are fruitless. George is an outsider.

While working at the factory he becomes close to his co-worker Alice Trip (Shelley Winters). The company has a strict policy forbidding employees to get involved in relationships with each other, this however doesn't stop them from secretly dating.

Things get complicated when George gets a promotion and starts mixing in more glamorous social circles, he meets Angela (Elizabeth Taylor) and they soon become very close.

George starts to get a taste for the lifestyle enjoyed by his wealthy relatives, and he seems to care little for the feelings of Alice, who has discovered that she is pregnant with George's child.

So does George do the decent thing and marry Alice? Remember this was the 1950s and people would get married to someone they didn't love to spare the shame of everyone knowing that they had a child out of wedlock. Or does he abandon Alice, and go off and live the high life with Angela?

Montgomery Clift was made to play the outsider, which he did in numerous other roles, to the point of being typecast. Elizabeth Taylor is beautiful and charismatic (not much acting required really!).

As the film progresses, you start to get the feeling that things are going to turn sour, and boy they really do!

As dramas go, if you like the characters to go through twists and turns and turmoil to make it through to a happy ending, you might be disappointed.

A solid drama but not quite up there with the very best in the genre.

AFI 100 Movies #97 Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Another entry into the 100 list in the "Screwball Comedy" genre.

Cary Grant stars as David Huxley, a paleontologist, who has been trying for years to complete the construction of a dinosaur skeleton. He only needs one more vital bone to complete his prized Brontosaurus skeleton and finish his life's great work.

David is trying to get on good terms with a wealthy benefactor, Mrs Random, who is considering giving a substantial amount of money to his museum. Apart from funding problems, David is about to get married to Alice, a young lady with an austere personality.

The day before his wedding he meets Susan Vance, a rather haphazard quirky young woman, who unknown to David, is Mrs Random's niece.

Susan takes delivery of a tame leopard, a gift intended for her aunt from her brother Mark. She seems to be under the impression that David is a zoologist and goes out of her way to get him to come to her country estate in order to help her with "Baby" the leopard.

Susan introduces David to her aunt as "Mr Bone" and things start to sprial out of control. Susan's dog George makes off with the final bone that David needs to finish his dinosaur skeleton and buries it somewhere. During the chaos that ensues Baby goes missing along with George, and just when it couldn't get any more crazy, enter a second leopard that has been mistakenly released from its cage while on its way to be put down after it mauled a man to death at a circus and the action really gets going.

There is something quite comforting about watching classic old black and white movies.

Cary Grant has the ability to play someone who is essentially a nerd, but still remain suave and charming. Katherine Hepburn's character is quite frankly bonkers! in a very entertaining way.

The movie bombed when it was first released, but has subsequently achieved classic status as the years have passed by. Grant and Hepburn clearly have a chemistry which is probably why they were paired together in three other movies.

I certainly liked this enough to want to see the other films that they made together.

AFI 100 Movies #99 Guess Who's Coming To Dinner (1967)

I liked this film quite a lot, I guess that makes me a wooly liberal.

Sidney Poitier plays Dr John Prentice, the film opens with Dr Prentice and his new girlfriend Joey Drayton returning to Joey's home city of San Francisco having nurtured a whirlwind romance only ten days before, when they met by chance in Hawaii.

They are so smitten with each other that they decide that they want to get married, and seek Joey's parents approval. Now, in 2011, you might think, what's the big deal? But in 1967 America was still coming to terms with legislative reforms won by the black civil rights movement.

Joey's parents are played by hollywood legends Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn.

Matt Drayton (Spencer Tracy) is a successful businessman in the publishing sector, renowned for his liberal attitude concerning politics. When Joey comes home with John he is forced to question his own beliefs, his wife Christina (Katherine Hepburn), herself, a successful entrepreneur, is at first stunned by the news of their relationship, but soon realises how much in love they are and gives Joey her blessing.

So, what could possibly go wrong? John is a highly respected doctor, he is well mannered, and also insists on no sex before marriage, as he is worried that it might affect their relationship. There can't be any reason for Mr Drayton to object surely?

Well, it would seem (and Joey actually points this out) that Mr Drayton can see nothing wrong in two people of different races marrying, unless it's his daughter. Matt isn't the only one who shows prejudice toward John, the Drayton's maid, Tillie, who herself is black, thinks that John has ideas above his station, and makes it clear to him in no uncertain terms that she does not approve of his actions.

Things become even more tricky when John privately tells Mr and Mrs Drayton that if either of them disapproves of his proposal, he will do the honourable thing and call off the proposed wedding.

And, as if that wasn't enough, Joey invites her future in-laws to dinner, even though they don't yet know that she is white.

This was the first time I had seen Sidney Poitier on screen, and he has a real charisma, and presence. Hepburn and Tracy (in his last screen performance) simply ooze star quality. Despite the subject matter there are plenty of comedic moments to enjoy. Isabel Sanford is a real firecracker as Tillie the maid and certainly has some memorable moments.

Very enjoyable.

AFI 100 Movies #85 Duck Soup (1933)

Argh! Where to begin?

I don't want to be entirely negative about this film. I suppose humour is subjective.

Groucho Marx as Rufus T. Firefly is very witty and comes out with some great one liners, Chico has some good exchanges with Groucho. I have to say, and I know this will divide opinion, Harpo is incredibly irritating. I like my fair share of "zany" comedy, but he just leaves me cold.

His one moment of class is the scene where he pretends to be Firefly's reflection in a mirror, the timing is perfect and it's genuinely funny.

But for me, the rest is pretty uninspiring. I like a lot of comedy from this era, for me what puts the likes of Chaplin, Laurel & Hardy and Buster Keaton above them is that their comedy comes from an empathy for the characters that they play. But I guess if we all liked the same things the world would be a boring place.

Not the least enjoyable film at this stage in the list but not far from it.

AFI 100 Movies #93 The Apartment (1960)

This has to be one of my favourites so far. Directed by Billy Wilder, who also directed Some Like It Hot (AFI 100 Movies #14).

Jack Lemmon plays C.C. Baxter, a man whose pursuit of climbing to the top of the company he works for has meant that he has neglected his love life.

In order to speed his progress through the ranks at the company, he allows members of the management to use his apartment when entertaining lady friends in exchange for good reports and swift promotions.

Baxter becomes smitten with company elevator operator Fran Kubelik (Shirley MacLaine), who has to endure being sexually harassed by her male colleagues. Baxter appears to be the only man working there who treats her with respect. He plucks up the courage to ask her out on a date, and she promptly stands him up, as we learn that she is secretly having an affair with Mr Sheldrake, the company managing director.

Sheldrake asks Baxter if he can borrow his apartment, as he has a date lined up, Baxter, unaware of who the lady in question is, agrees to make himself scarce while the two lovers make use of the facilities.

Fran is hopeful that Sheldrake will leave his wife to be with her, but he seems to keep stringing her along. She presents him with an LP as a christmas gift,  which he tells her he will have to leave at Baxter's apartment as his wife may discover it. In return he gives a lame excuse about not having time to get her a gift and hands her a $100 bill.

She obviously (and rightly) sees the "gift" for what it is and gets upset. After Sheldrake goes and leaves her on her own in the apartment she decides to end it all, and takes an overdose.

Baxter returns home to find her unconscious, and with the help of a friend next door who is a doctor, saves her in time.

For the rest of the film, the viewer is left wondering whether Fran will fall for Sheldrakes' lies or come to her senses and realise that her ideal man has been there all along in the form of Baxter.

Lemmon is charming and funny, and he puts up with a lot of grief because of trying to prevent his superiors from being exposed, and in turn trying to cement his place at the top of the company hierarchy.

Shirley MacLaine plays Fran sympathetically and you feel sorry for her when she gets messed around by the unpleasant character of Sheldrake.

If you haven't seen it yet, I would heartily recommend it.

Great stuff!

AFI 100 Movies #35 It Happened One Night (1934)

It Happened One Night was directed by Frank Capra and released by Columbia Pictures in 1934, it was the first movie to pick up the five main awards at the Oscars.

Claudette Colbert plays Ellen, a spoiled brat, who marries a gold digger "King" Westley against her wealthy father's wishes. Her father takes her away from her new beau before the wedding can be consummated, but she escapes, determined to get back to him.

Ellen gets on a greyhound bus bound for New York, where she meets Peter Warne (Clark Gable), an out of work newspaper journalist who recognises who she is and offers her an ultimatum: she can accept his offer of help in exchange for the exclusive rights to her story, or he will go to her father and tell him where she is and claim a $10,000 reward. She decides to accept his offer of help.

They end up hitch hiking and get into numerous scrapes along the way, and somewhat predictably she declares that she loves Peter. They check in at a motel, while Ellie is asleep, Peter decides that he loves her too and leaves there and then to make arrangements.

The motel owners assume that Peter has done a runner and throw Ellie out, she thinks that he doesn't have feelings for her and decides to go back to her father, who agrees reluctantly to let her marry Westley.

Will Ellie end up with Westley or Peter?

Gable is a charming rogue, a character type he seems suited to, and Colbert plays her part well.

The filming of this movie was, by all accounts, a stressful one. Claudette Colbert was so convinced that she would not win the best actress oscar that she decided to book herself a holiday! When the head of Columbia Pictures found out that she had won, an employee was despatched to go and catch her before she got on her train and drag her to the ceremony!