#213. Stalag 17

"Nobody has ever escaped from Stalag 17. Not alive, anyway."

A group of Sergeants are kept as war prisoners at the German military camp Stalag 17 during World War II. The German officers continuously catch them in their schemes of escape, leading the prisoners to believe that there is a mole in their group.

I was thoroughly entertained by this film. It wasn't quite what I expected a war movie to be, but it was definitely a pleasant surprise. Though it contained some dramatic scenes, it was mostly a comedy, and probably an accurate portrayal of what the prisoners at the Stalag 17 were like. The characters were diverse and interesting, and kept my attention throughout the movie. I especially liked J.J. Sefton; William Holden did a wonderful job as the witty and independent Sergeant, accused by the other prisoners of giving the Germans information.

Though a few of the lines were corny and outdated, they of course added to the classic 50's charm the film possessed. I thought the movie was an interesting combination of comedy and drama, and with that, my immediate rating is a solid 7.2.

Characters: 7.5/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.2/10

Entertainment Value: 7.4/10

Immediate Rating: 7.2/10

Total Score: 36.3/50

#214. Network

"I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

A failing television network resorts to desperate measures when they exploit a deranged newscaster for ratings.

I really enjoyed watching Network. I absolutely love the concept, and I think it's interesting how it has actually proved true over time. The mindless television watchers in the film remind me of people today, and how we will eat up any explicit and overly dramatic show that comes on TV.

The characters in the film were all dynamic and interesting, and I thought Faye Dunaway was especially fantastic. She played a completely different character than Bonnie in Bonnie and Clyde, and proved her versatility. I also loved Beatrice Straight's performance as Louise Schumacher in the scene where Max admits his infidelity. I could hear the pain in her voice and see the hurt in her eyes as the anguished wife on the other side of an affair, almost like it had really happened to her. It was an extremely powerful scene, and brought a different aspect to the film than expected.

My favorite attribute of this film was its realism. From the selfish intentions of the TV network to the not-so-perfect love affair between Diana and Max, nothing was glamorized. It was an entertaining and enlightening watch, and I give it a 7.4/10. 

Characters: 7.3/10

Acting: 7.5/10

Storyline: 7.5/10

Entertainment Value: 7.6/10

Immediate Rating: 7.4/10

Total Score: 37.3/50

#215. Brief Encounter

"It's awfully easy to lie when you know that you're trusted implicitly. So very easy, and so very degrading."

When housewife Laura Jesson and doctor Alec Harvey meet, they form an instant friendship. They begin their weekly tradition of meeting every Thursday, and gradually fall in love with each other, even though Laura is already married.

The great thing about this movie is the fact that it doesn't exaggerate for cinematic effect. Many movies in the 1940's did that, and though it may have been entertaining at the time, it's now a cringeworthy quality for "old movie" watchers. Brief Encounter is a very realistic take on a momentary infidelity. It wasn't exactly a fairytale, but it changed both associated lives drastically. It wasn't as if the short-lived couple was made perfectly for each other, but more so they used each other as a perfect escape. Alec's escape was from his monotonous job, and Laura's from her monotonous marriage.

I thought the characters in this film were fair. They were neither boring nor extraordinary, but I suppose that just adds the realism that this film brings. I did, however, find Everley Gregg's performance as Dolly Messiter pretty hilarious at the end (and beginning) of the movie.  She definitely played another key role in the film's honesty.

Though I have to admit that it wasn't the best film I've ever seen, I can appreciate it's influence on modern romance (the train scene), as well as its authenticity.

It was simply a solid movie. My immediate rating is a 7/10.

Characters: 7/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.3/10

Entertainment Value: 6.9/10

Immediate Rating: 7/10

Total Score: 35.2/50

#216. The African Queen

“Nobody in Africa, but yours truly, can get a good head of steam on the old African Queen.”

Boat captain Charlie Allnut and missionary Rose Sayer leave Africa on Allnut’s boat to escape German threat. Once Rose comes up with a plan to attack Germany’s warship Louisa, the couple embarks on the adventure of their lives.

This film was a pleasant surprise for me! It had a very slow start, but once the main characters Charlie and Rose started their love interest, I was hooked. I couldn’t wait to find out what would become of the couple’s journey, and if their plan of bombing the Louisa would actually work out.

The movie involves two classic actors: Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn. Both of them have performed in other critically acclaimed films (I really enjoyed seeing Hepburn in The Philadelphia Story, and I can’t wait to watch Bogart in Casablanca once I get to it on the list), and their acting in the African Queen is nothing short of the wonderful. Everything was put together very well.  The animal noises and bugs flying around the couple definitely looked off, but what kind of effects could one expect of a movie from 1951? This film was a great mix of comedy, action, and romance, so my immediate rating is a solid 7.3.

Characters: 7.2/10

Acting: 7/10

Storyline: 7.2/10

Entertainment Value: 7.5/10

Immediate Rating: 7.3/10

Total Score: 36.2/50

#217. Rope

“The good Americans usually die young on the battlefield, don't they? Well, the Davids of this world merely occupy space, which is why he was the perfect victim for the perfect murder.”

Two young men choke one of their friends to death with a rope because they find him surpassingly inferior to themselves. They refer to their plan as the “perfect murder” and throw a party to prove it, hiding his body under the guest dinner table.

When I first looked up this movie, I was disappointed to find that I would have to watch something from 1948 (I seem to never be in the mood for extremely old movies), but that disappointment quickly faded when I saw that Hitchcock directed it. His movies have always sparked an interest in me, and I feel that they really do stand the test of time. The concept of the film is great, and I was hanging on the edge of my seat then whole time, trying to figure out if the two men would get caught or not.

Though I thought the minor characters were a bit boring, I loved Brandon (John Dall) and Phillip (Farley Granger). Brandon was probably my favorite character, because his arrogance progressively increased the suspense throughout the movie as he gave more and more hints of David’s murder. Farley Granger did a great job also as conscience ridden Phillip, Brandon’s foil. Though this film isn’t life changing, it’s still a good watch. My immediate rating is a 7/10.

Characters: 6.9/10

Acting: 6.8/10

Storyline: 6.9/10

Entertainment Value: 7/10

Immediate Rating: 7/10

Total Score: 34.6/50