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     Champagne
1928  NR  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 33min
CAST— Betty Balfour, Jean Bradin, Gordon Harker, Ferdinand von Alten, Clifford Heatherly, Jack Trevor
MUSIC— Silent  DIRECTOR— Alfred Hitchcock

     A minor improvement on Hitchcock’s silent films, Champagne is a surprising blend of comedy and drama. A spoiled little rich girl spends Daddy’s money frivolously, so he decides to teach her a little lesson. As the stock market crashes he claims that he was caught in the fallout. Devastated, his daughter vows a blue collar lifestyle, complete with home cooked meals and humble residence. After finding a job in an establishment that is less than honorable (we’re talking the ‘20s here), her father finally reveals his scheme to her, expecting her to take it in stride. Unlike earlier efforts, this film has more obvious Hitchcockian shots, those little moments that bear his mark and add a visual punch to the overall effect.
OUR RATING— * ½

     Cattle King
1963  NR  WESTERN  1h 30min
CAST— Robert Taylor, Joan Caulfield, Robert Loggia, Robert Middleton, Larry Gates, Malcolm Atterbury
MUSIC— Paul Sawtell, Bert Shefter  DIRECTOR— Tay Garnett

     In post-Civil War Wyoming honest-hearted rancher Robert Taylor faces hostility from unknown riders who tear down his fences and scatter his cattle. He suspects former friend Robert Middleton of stirring up the trouble, wanting to add to his already vast fortune. Middleton has started a range war, convincing other farmers that Taylor is to blame, cutting his own fences, blaming others for his own mischief. When the President rolls into town Taylor soon convinces he and his fellow ranchers that this is his fight, as well. Beautiful autumn scenery stands out, unlike anything else. Entertaining, for the duration; unfortunately a forgettable Western yarn.
OUR RATING— ** ½

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     The Cat’s-Paw
1934  NR  COMEDY  1h 42min
CAST— Harold Lloyd, Una Merkel, George Barbier, Alan Dinehart, Grace Bradley, Nat Pendleton
MUSIC— Harry Akst, Roy Turk, Alfred Newman  DIRECTOR— Sam Taylor  BASED ON— The Cat’s Paw (novel), by Clarence Budington Kelland

     The mayoral race is on in this political comedy starring silent film great, Harold Lloyd. Lloyd plays the son of a white missionary living in China who returns to the States in search of a suitable wife. In his hometown he inadvertently convinces the town’s crooked law-makers that he would be the perfect mayoral candidate to lose in the next election; the more losers in the next election, the longer they can keep their current slacker mayor. But they forgot to form a backup plan. Lloyd wins the election and cleans up the town, much to the shock of everyone involved. Different from other Lloyd features in that he plays the calm and collected gentleman (while still maintaining the funny) instead of the put-upon everyman. Still entertaining with a fine finale. And who could forget the words of wisdom from Master Ling Po?
OUR RATING— ** ½

     Cat's Eye
1985  PG-13  HORROR  1h 34min
CAST— Drew Barrymore, James Woods, Alan King, Kenneth McMillan, Robert Hays, Candy Clark
MUSIC— Alan Silvestri  DIRECTOR— Lewis Teague  BASED ON— Quitters, Inc. (story), The Ledge (story), by Stephen King

     Cheesy yet entertaining triptych of Stephen King tales, the first two based on short stories, the last written exclusively for the screen. The film follows a stray cat along the East Coast. First stop: NYC. In Quitters, Inc., James Woods plays a heavy smoker who seeks treatment for his addiction from the eponymous agency. To say the agency gets results is an understatement; they skip the trendy stuff and get right down to hardcore psychological torture. If the client gives in, even for a puff, heavy consequences will occur, the victims being, not the clients, but their loved ones. Results? You bet. Speaking of betting, an Atlantic City high roller lives to wager. That's also how he kills. The Ledge features the cat making his way to the gambler, who's just had his wife's boyfriend (Robert Hays) kidnapped. But the gambler has a more interesting plan than gangster violence. He bets that Hays can't successfully traverse the entire length of his high rise hotel's narrow ledge. If Hays succeeds, winner takes all, including the wife. If he looses his balance, well... The gambler just wants to keep Hays on his toes. Finally, General tells of the cat making his way to Wilmington, NC and being adopted by a young Drew Barrymore. The cat, now dubbed General, may have found the perfect home, if not for the nasty troll that lives in the walls and steals the little girl's breath. Even though General is generally blamed for the troll's dirty deeds, he knows in his furry little heart that he must protect his newfound people. Though the first two stories delve into psychological horror (with plenty of black comedy undertones) the third (and best) is pure creature feature fun. So whether you came for the corny King or the ferocious feline, this guilty pleasure proves fun (especially for cat lovers). AKA Stephen King's Cat's Eye.
OUR RATING— ***

     Cat People
1942  NR  HORROR  1h 13min
CAST— Simone Simon, Kent Smith, Tom Conway, Jack Holt, Jane Randolph
MUSIC— Roy Webb  DIRECTOR— Jacques Tourneur

     A classic film capturing the use of shadows, Cat People explored the then dangerous subject of desire. A young Serbian woman and an American man marry, but they never so much as kiss, for her fear of an ancient curse upon her family. If she ever gives in to her “selfish” desires, she fears that she will turn into a panther and kill her husband. The film is really nothing more than a simple drama with a suspenseful ending, but delivered with a great sense of style. Still, the acting, set design, and afore mentioned use of shadows are used to good effect, giving the film a very eerie quality. Deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.
OUR RATING— ***
FOLLOWED BY— The Curse of the Cat People (1944)
REMADE AS— Cat People (1982)

     The Catered Affair
1956  NR  COMEDY-DRAMA  1h 32min
CAST— Bette Davis, Ernest Borgnine, Debbie Reynolds, Barry Fitzgerald, Rod Taylor
MUSIC— Andre Previn  DIRECTOR— Richard Brooks

     Bette Davis plays the assertive wife of a New York cabbie whose only daughter is about to marry. Instead of a plain and inexpensive wedding like her daughter wants, Davis starts to plan an elaborate catered affair (hence the name), driving her husband crazy with grief. This poor man’s Father of the Bride (1950) feels like a comedy but acts out like a dramatic play. The viewer seems to constantly anticipate a laugh or two but ends up with nothing to show for it. Still, it’s another good film for Bette Davis freaks. Barry Fitzgerald, as the wee Oirish uncle, steals the show. Later adapted for the stage. AKA: Wedding Party.
OUR RATING— **

     Catch Me if You Can
2002  PG-13  COMEDY-DRAMA  2h 21min
CAST— Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Nathalie Baye, Amy Adams, James Brolin, Brian Howe, Jennifer Garner
MUSIC— John Williams  DIRECTOR— Steven Spielberg  BASED ON— True events

     Steven Spielberg delivers again! But this time it’s not with a whip-toting adventurer or carnivorous dinosaurs. This time it’s a fresh-faced young con-man: Frank Abignale, Jr. This is the true story of a young man (very young actually, he was still a teenager) who ran away from home and conned an airline company into believing that he was a co-pilot, earning a steady paycheck and everything. And so it began. From there he was a doctor, a lawyer… and the most sought after criminal by FBI agent Carl Hanratty, played by Tom Hanks. After all of the ups and downs of this film the surprise comes in the last few minutes, as Frank’s life takes on the ultimate ironic twist. So stick around.
OUR RATING— ***