Top Ten Favorite Movies Set in the 1920s

Below is my current list of favorite movies set in the 1920s: 


TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES SET IN THE 1920s



1. "Some Like It Hot" (1959) - Billy Wilder directed and co-wrote with I.A.L. Diamond this still hilarious tale about two Chicago jazz musicians who witness a mob hit and flee by joining an all-girls band headed for Florida, disguised as women. Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon starred.





2. "Those Daring Young Men in Their Jaunty Jalopies" (1969) - Ken Annakin directed this funny tale about competitors in the Monte Carlo Rally in 1929. The movie starred Tony Curtis, Susan Hampshire and Terry-Thomas.





3. "Bullets Over Broadway" (1994) - Woody Allen directed and co-wrote with Douglas McGrath this funny tale about a struggling playwright forced to cast a mobster's untalented girlfriend in his latest drama in order to get it produced. John Cusack, Oscar winner Dianne Weist, Jennifer Tilly, and Chazz Palminteri starred.





4. "Singin in the Rain" (1952) - A movie studio in 1927 Hollywood is forced to make the difficult and rather funny transition from silent pictures to talkies. Starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor and Debbie Reynolds starred in this highly entertaining film that was directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen.





5. "The Great Gatsby" (2013) Baz Luhrmann produced and directed this energetic and what I believe is the best adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel. Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire star.





6. "Five Little Pigs" (2003) - Although presently set in the late 1930s, this excellent adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1942 novel features many flashbacks in which a philandering painter was murdered in the 1920s. David Suchet starred as Hercule Poirot.





7. "The Cat's Meow" (2001) - Peter Bogdanovich directed this well-made, fictionalized account of producer Thomas Ince's mysterious death aboard William Randolph Hearst's yacht in November 1924. Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann, Eddie Izzard and Cary Elwes starred.





8. "The Painted Veil" (2006) - John Curran directed this excellent adaptation of W. Somerset Maugham's 1925 novel about a British doctor trapped in a loveless marriage with an unfaithful who goes to a small Chinese village to fight a cholera outbreak. Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Toby Jones, Diana Rigg and Liev Schreiber starred.





9. "Changeling" (2008) - Clint Eastwood directed this excellent account of a real-life missing persons case and police corruption in 1928 Los Angeles. Angelina Jolie, John Malkovich, Michael Kelly, Jeffrey Donovan and Colm Feore starred.





10. "Chicago" (2002) - Rob Marshall directed this excellent adaptation of the 1975 stage musical about celebrity, scandal, and corruption in Jazz Age Chicago. Renee Zellweger, Oscar winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, and Richard Gere starred.

"SOME LIKE IT HOT" (1959) Review

"SOME LIKE IT" (1959) Review

It has been called one of the greatest film comedies of all time . . . and possibly the greatest. Billy Wilder's 1959 comedy, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" has been the topic of many books and documentaries on both Hollywood and the director's career. I have seen the movie more times than I can remember. And for the first time, I have decided to publicize my feelings on it. 

Directed by Billy Wilder and co-written by him and I.A.L. Diamond, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" is a remake of a 1935 French film called "FANFARE D'AMOUR", which was based upon a story by Robert Thoeren and Michael Logan. "FANFARE D'AMOUR"was first remade in 1951 by director Kurt Hoffmann as "FANFAREN DER LIEBE". However, the French and German versions did not feature gangsters as an integral part of their plots. "SOME LIKE IT HOT" told the story of a pair of struggling jazz musicians who end up witnessing the Saint Valentine Day Massacre - at least a fictionalized account of it. When the Chicago gangsters, led by "Spats" Columbo see them, the two flee Chicago for their lives by taking a job as members of an all-girl band heading for Florida . . . disguised as women. The musicians, Joe and Jerry, become enamored of a "Sugar" Kane Kowalczyk, the band's vocalist and ukulele player. And both struggle for her affection, while maintaining their disguises. In order to win Sugar's affection, Joe assume a second disguise as a millionaire named "Junior", the heir to Shell Oil. As for Joe, he has attracted the attention of a real millionaire named Osgood Fielding III. But when "Spats" Columbo and his men make an unexpected appearance at a gangster's convention at their hotel, all hell breaks loose.

Does "SOME LIKE IT HOT" deserve its reputation as one of the greatest film comedies of all time? I believe it does. In fact, it happens to be my personal favorite comedy of all time. Fifty-two years have passed since it was first released and it is just as fresh and hilarious as ever. More importantly, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" features some twisted humor that does not seem dated at all. Mind you, there have been other movies and television series (think "BOSOM BUDDIES" of the early 1980s) with a gender bender theme. But not one of them have been as funny as "SOME LIKE IT HOT". Not even 1982's "VICTOR/VICTORIA" - which is a close second for me - is not as funny. Both movies featured the insidious possibilities of cross-dressing. But whereas the 1982 movie is a bit more obvious and a little preachy in its attempt to convince moviegoers to accept what is presented on the screen,"SOME LIKE IT HOT" is a lot more subtle and funny, thanks to Wilder and Diamond's script. In fact, the movie's last line said a lot more about the consequences of cross dressing than any other movie ever had. I only have one complaint about Wilder and Diamond's script. From the moment "Spats" Columbo and his men arrived in Florida, I found the movie's plot and pacing somewhat rushed. Only Marilyn Monroe's poignant rendition of "I'm Through With Love", Pat O'Brien, Nehemiah Persoff and the last scene saved the movie's final fifteen to twenty minutes.

Production-wise, "SOME LIKE IT HOT" seemed pretty top-notch. Production manager Allen K. Wood did his best to re-create the late 1920s for the film. I certainly had nothing to complain about Edward G. Boyle's sets and Ted Haworth's art direction, both earning Academy Award nominations. Although a part of me find the idea of "SOME LIKE IT HOT" shot in color somewhat appealing (see the photograph above), I must admit that Charles Lang's black-and-white photography (also an Oscar nominee) looked very attractive - especially his photography of San Diego's famous Hotel Del Coronado standing in as the Florida hotel where Sweet Sue's band performed. Legendary Hollywood veteran Orry-Kelly won the film's only Academy Award for his costume designs. I must admit that I found them very impressive and captured the late 1920s beautifully. I only wish that the women's shoes worn with the costumes had been just as accurate. Looking at Marilyn Monroe's famous walk along the train station platform, I could easily tell that her shoes were circa 1958-59. And I could say the same for the hairstyles worn by the female cast members. 

Speaking of the cast,they were superb . . . every last member. The supporting cast provided brief, but memorable moments from the likes of Billy Gray as a young hotel bellhop lusting after Joe (as Josephine), Nehemiah Persoff as the colorful crime boss Little Bonaparte, Beverly Willis as band member and lover of raunchy jokes Dolores, Dave Barry as the band's "dignified" manager Beinstock and a delicious Pat O'Brien as the sardonic police detective Mulligan. The movie also featured a funny performance from Joan Shawnlee as the band's tough talking leader, Sweet Sue. And George Raft was effectively menacing as bootlegger/gangster "Spats" Columbo. I have only seen Joe E. Brown in perhaps two roles . . . and one of them was Osgood Fielding III, the sweet and hilarious millionaire whose heart is captured by Jerry aka "Daphne". I have a deep suspicion that Osgood may have been one of Brown's best movie roles ever. And he also had the good luck to utter one of the funniest and memorable last lines in Hollywood history.

But the movie truly belonged to Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Monroe won a Golden Globe award for her performance as the love-sick chartreuse, "Sugar" Kane Kowalczyk. She may or may not have been difficult during the movie's production, but she more than earned that Golden Globe award. She was funny, poignant, sweet . . . and slightly mercenary - especially in her character's pursuit of the fictional Shell Oil heir, "Junior". It is heartening to see that so many have finally learned to appreciate Tony Curtis' talents as an actor. While co-stars Monroe earned a Golden Globe and Jack Lemmon earned an Oscar nomination, Curtis ended up with the "short end of the lollipop". Pity, because he was just as funny as the seductive trombone player Joe. But I found his portrayal of the fictional "Junior" even funnier and he managed to utter the second funniest line in the movie. Bull fiddler Jerry aka "Daphne" led to a second Academy Award nomination for Jack Lemmon . . . and he deserved it. One, he formed a great comedy team with Curtis (with whom he would reunite six years later in "THE GREAT RACE"). Two, watching him assume the airs of a woman had me rolling on the floor with laughter. But what really cracked me up were his acceptance of the possibility of becoming Osgood's next bride, while basking in the throes of their night together at a Cuban restaurant. It was a superb comedic moment for Lemmon and I would not be surprised if it was the very one that led to his nomination.

What else can I say about "SOME LIKE IT HOT"? Okay, it is not perfect. I was able to spot a few flaws in the costumes and one in the plot. But it is the closest to a perfect film comedy I have seen so far. And remember . . . this movie had been made fifty-two years ago. William Wyler's remake, "BEN-HUR" ended up sweeping the Oscars for that year. Pity. I have never been a fan of that movie. And if it had been up to me, I would have given the top awards to "SOME LIKE IT HOT".

"SOME LIKE IT HOT" (1959) Photo Gallery

Here is a gallery featuring images from "SOME LIKE IT HOT", the 1959 comedy directed by Billy Wilder. The movie starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon: 



"SOME LIKE IT HOT" (1959) Photo Gallery

"MIDNIGHT" (1939) Review

"MIDNIGHT" (1939) Review

I believe that I can say in all honesty that I have been a major fan of some of Billy Wilder's work for years. Movies like "SUNSET BOULEVARD", "SOME LIKE IT HOT" and "DOUBLE INDEMNITY" have been among my top favorite movies of all time. But all of these movies have not only been written or co-written by Wilder, but also directed by him. It is rare for me to say the same about any of the movies he had written before he had become a director. Rare, but not completely impossible. One such movie is the 1939 comedy classic, "MIDNIGHT". 

Directed by Mitchell Leisen (whom Wilder detested), "MIDNIGHT" told the story of an American showgirl named Eve Peabody, who finds herself stranded in Paris during a rainstorm. Tibor Czerny, a Hungarian taxi driver, takes pity on her and drives her around Paris in a fruitless attempt to help her find a new job as a singer at a nightclub. When Tibor offers Eve refuge at his apartment, she decides to give him the slip - despite her attraction to him. Eve manages to crash a Parisian socialite’s late night party, where she meets Georges Flammarion, a wealthy industrialist who is desperate to end his wife Helene’s affair with a wealthy playboy named Jacques Picot. Georges hires Eve to pose as Baroness Czerny, an American married to a wealthy Hungarian aristocrat, in order for her to seduce and lure Jacques away from Helene’s arms. Unfortunately for Eve, one of Tibor’s taxi colleagues discover her whereabouts and the Hungarian appears at the Flammarions’ estate as Eve’s husband, the Baron Czerny.

Thanks to Billy Wilder and Preston Surges, Mitchell Leisen had an undeserved reputation as a hack director with a penchant for set décor, due to his homosexuality. In other words, they saw him as nothing more than a window dresser. This opinion of Leisen remained fixed by film critics for years, until recently. Perhaps these same critics had finally remembered that Leisen had directed movies such as "EASY LIVING", "HOLD BACK THE DAWN" and especially "MIDNIGHT", which I believe is one of the funniest screwball comedies from the 1930s. How could film critics ignore this elegant and hilarious tale of love, adultery and deception in pre-World War II France? Did they believe that someone other than Leisen had directed it? I do have to give kudos to Wilder and partner Charles Brackett for concocting this sharply funny tale of love and deception. But c'mon! Their script alone did not make this movie the classic it is today. Leisen deserved a great deal of the credit.

First of all, Leisen found himself with a first-rate cast for "MIDNIGHT" and created magic with them. Claudette Colbert brought great wit and charm to the role of the stranded Eve Peabody. As her performances in both "MIDNIGHT" and 1942’s "THE PALM BEACH STORY" attested, Colbert seemed to have a talent for portraying witty and charming golddiggers. Don Ameche portrayed Hungarian Tibor Czerny, Eve’s would-be suitor with an earnest aggressiveness that I found charming and occasionally disturbing. Ameche gave Tibor a tenacious air that struck me as slightly intense. Portraying Eve’s wealthy benefactor was the legendary John Barrymore in what was probably his last great role on film. He was very witty and effective as the manipulative, yet unhappy Georges Flammarion, who recruits Eve into a deception to win back his wife’s affections from her playboy lover. Mary Astor, who would reunite with Colbert in "THE PALM BEACH STORY", did a fabulous job as the jealous and acid-minded Helene Flammarion. Francis Lederer gave a charming, yet competent performance as Helene’s lover, but I did not find him particularly impressive. Also included in the cast was Rex O’Malley, who deliciously portrayed Helene’s faithful and witty companion, Marcel Renaud. O’Malley’s character struck me as a more comic version of a similar character he had portrayed in 1936’s "CAMILLE", starring Greta Garbo. Last but not least, the cast included famous columnist Hedda Hopper portraying a French socialite, whose late night party that Eve crashes. 

"MIDNIGHT" has a lot to offer – even for today’s viewers. It had a competent director in Mitchell Leisen (despite his past reputation with critics), a first-rate cast led by Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche and a sharp and funny screenplay written by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett. But what I really love about this movie is its setting – Parisian high society in the late 1930s. Thanks to certain contract directors like Josef von Sternberg and Ernst Lubitsch, Paramount Studios had developed a reputation for possessing an European infliction in its house style by the 1930s. And "MIDNIGHT" possessed this infliction in droves, thanks to Leisen's talent for creating an atmosphere. The movie also benefited from scenes that featured Eve crashing Madame Stephanie’s late night party, Tibor and his fellow taxi drivers’ search for Eve through the streets of Paris, Eve waking up in her new hotel suite in the nude, her meeting with Helene at a Parisian couture house and the dazzling party held by the Flammarions’ country estate, which included an entertaining Latin band. All of these scenes would strike any viewer as examples of the Lubitsch "touch". Yet these scenes and many others were photographed by the Utah-born Charles Lang and directed by Leisen, who was born in Michigan.

For a movie that is seventy-four years old, "MIDNIGHT" has not really aged one bit. It is still a very entertaining film filled with superb comic acting and razor sharp wit. I certainly had fun watching it and I suspect that many others would feel the same.

"MIDNIGHT" (1939) Photo Gallery

Below are images from "MIDNIGHT", the 1939 comedy, starring Claudette Colbert and Don Ameche. Mitchell Leisen directed: 


"MIDNIGHT" (1939) Photo Gallery

"THE ARTIST" (2011) Review

"THE ARTIST" (2011) Review

I must have been one of the few people who had been unaware of "THE ARTIST", when it first hit the American movie theaters in late 2011. To be honest, I was not paying much attention to the previous awards season. I could not find a movie that aroused my interest. When I discovered that the French-American film had overcome George Clooney's "THE DESCENDANTS", to become the Academy Awards front-runner . . . well, color me surprised. 

Michel Hazanavicius' ode to Old Hollywood told the story of a successful silent film star named George Valentin, who seemed to be at the peak of his fame in 1927. At the premiere of his latest hit, he meets a young fan named Peppy Miller outside of the movie theater. She eventually catches the eyes of the press, when a photograph of the two appear in the newspapers, the following morning. It does not take long for Peppy's career as a movie actress to rise. But when George's studio boss, Al Zimmer, announces the end of Kinograph Studios' silent movies production, the actor dismisses the news, claiming that sound is nothing but a fad. George decides to finance, produce and direct his own silent film. Both his new silent movie and Peppy's new sound film open on the same day as the 1929 Stock Market Crash. While audiences flock to see Peppy's new movie - making her a major Hollywood star - George's film becomes a flop . . . and he finds himself financially ruined. Because his rejection of talkies remain steadfast, it is not long before George becomes a broke, Hollywood has been.

Within a few months, "THE ARTIST" managed to acquire near universal acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. Not only did the movie win five Academy Awards - including Best Picture, Best Director (Hazanavicius) and Best Actor for leading man Jean Dujardin; the movie also won seven BAFTA awards, six César awards, three Golden Globe awards and two awards at the Cannes Film Festival. I have not encountered a movie this universally acclaimed in years. And if I must say so, it did not deserve a single award.

That is correct. I believe "THE ARTIST" is one of the most overrated movies I have seen in years. In fact, I find it even more overrated than last year's Oscar winner, "THE KING'S SPEECH". Perhaps I had exaggerated a bit. There were a few awards that I believe it deserved. I found Ludovic Bource's score surprisingly impressive. I was also impressed by Mark Bridges' award winning costume designs and Guillaume Schiffman's nominated cinematography. And I cannot deny that I was more than impressed by Jean Dujardin's performance as the ego-centric George Valentin. Did he deserve the Best Actor award? Personally, I would have given Gary Oldman's performance in "TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SPY" the award. But I still believe that Dujardin gave an above-average performance. The movie also featured supporting performances and cameos from Hollywood veterans such as John Goodman, James Cromwell, and Penelope Ann Miller. I thought they all gave solid performances, especially Miller and Cromwell.

Despite my feelings about the costumes, photography, the score and Dujardin's performance, I still believe that"THE ARTIST" is an overrated movie that did not deserve most of the accolades it received. For me, it was a charming little movie with gimmicks about Old Hollywood. I would equate it at the same level as Blake Edwards' 1988 Hollywood mystery, "SUNSET". Okay, perhaps I am being a little cruel. Even "THE ARTIST" is better than Edwards' film. But I find myself unable to view it as a cinematic masterpiece. For me, it was simply an entertaining, yet mediocre film.

One of the problems I had with "THE ARTIST" was that Hazanavicius' script never explained why Valentin refused to do a talking picture. Why? Unlike Charlie Chaplin, he was not originally described as a multi-tasked Hollywood talent. Valentin was never regarded as another Emil Jennings, whose Hollywood career ended due to a thick European accent. Granted, Dujardin's French accent struck me as somewhat thick, but it was never pointed out. And if the Valentin character really had a thick accent, his Hollywood career would have never been revived as a song-and-dance man at the movie's conclusion. Even Fred Astaire needed a decent voice. Nor was Valentin portrayed as a another John Gilbert, whose career was destroyed by a studio boss that hated his guts. Granted, Valentin managed to annoy Zimmer in his refusal to accept talkies. But Zimmer merely regarded Valentin with mild contempt, not hatred. In the end, Valentin's refusal to do talkies was never really explored. And this strikes me as bad writing on Hazanavicius' part.

The movie earned a good deal of controversy when Hollywood icon Kim Novak accused composer Ludovic Bource of incorporating a portion of Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film "VERTIGO". Since I have never seen "VERTIGO", I cannot comment on Novak's accusation. However, I have seen "A STAR IS BORN", "SUNSET BOULEVARD", and "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN". I noticed that "THE ARTIST"incorporated a great deal of story ideas and scenes from these movies. Unfortunately, I believe that Hazanavicius did so in an unoriginal way. Even the happy-go-lucky "SINGIN' IN THE RAIN" had ten times the biting wit and a more in-depth, if slightly fictional looking into the transition to sound. Perhaps the reason I found the story hard to accept was because Hazanavicius decided to film the movie without sound. All I can say is . . . why? What was the point? I wanted a look at Old Hollywood during the late 1920s and early 1930s, not a gimmicky ode to the era.

"THE ARTIST" possessed other aspects that did not sit well with me. Hazanavicius cast his wife, French-Argentine actress Bérénice Bejo, to portray rising star Peppy Miller. Bejo received numerous nominations and a César Award for Best Actress for her performance. I cannot deny that she gave a first-rate performance. Unfortunately, she seemed like a 21st century anchorism, stuck in the early 20th century. Bejo simply looked out of place in period movie like "THE ARTIST". Valentin's Jack Russell terrier, Uggie, was so cute that I found myself in danger of a sugar overdose, just by simply watching. After viewing the scene in which Uggie saved Valentin from a burning house by summoning a police, I either wanted to throw up or put a bullet in that mutt. As much as I enjoyed Mark Bridges' late 1920s costumes, I was not impressed by the costumes for the movie's 1930s setting. Looking at Bridges' costumes for the early sound era, I found it hard to believe that the film's second half was set between 1930 and 1932/33. Many people enjoyed Dujardin and Bejo's dance routine that marked the film's conclusion. I cannot deny that I found their performance impressive. But it was also a jaw-dropping moment for me . . . and not in a good way. My mind kept reminding me that I should be applauding. Instead, I found myself silently chanting - "What the hell?"

Look, I am not claiming to dislike "THE ARTIST". How could I? I thought it was an entertaining film about Old Hollywood. It seemed a lot of fun. But a fun movie does not automatically make a great one. And despite the awards and accolades that it received, I cannot agree with the prevailing view that "THE ARTIST" was a great film. Not by a long shot.

Favorite Films Set in Berlin

Below is a list of my favorite films set in Berlin, Germany:


FAVORITE FILMS SET IN BERLIN



1. "Valkyrie" (2008) - Bryan Singer directed this exciting historical thriller about the July 1944 plot by German Army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler and to use the Operation Valkyrie national emergency plan to take control of the country. Tom Cruise starred.






2. "The Bourne Supremacy" (2004) - Loosely based upon Robert Ludlum's novel, this sequel continued the story of Jason Bourne, an amnesiac former CIA paramilitary operative and assassin who finds himself caught in a political and financial scandal regarding a C.I.A. executive and a Russian millionaire amidst a personal tragedy. Matt Damon starred in this movie directed by Paul Greengrass.






3. "A Foreign Affair" (1948) - Billy Wilder directed this comedy set in occupied Berlin about an Army captain torn between an ex-Nazi cafe singer and the U.S. congresswoman investigating her. Jean Arthur, John Lund and Marlene Dietrich starred.






4. "Conspiracy" (2001) - Kenneth Branaugh and Stanley Tucci starred in this fact-based psychological study of Nazi officials involved in the Wannsee Conference about "Final Solution of the Jewish Question" during World War II. Frank Pierson directed.






5. "Unknown" (2011) - Liam Neeson starred in this thriller about an American visiting Berlin, who awakens from a coma, discover that someone has taken on his identity and that no one - including his wife - believes him.






6. "The Big Lift" (1950) - Montgomery Clift and Paul Douglas starred in this poignant tale about two U.S. Air Force sergeants who meet and fall in love with two women in Berlin during the 1948-1949 Berlin Airlift.






7. "Octopussy" (1983) - Roger Moore portrayed James Bond in this tale in which the British agent's investigation into the death of a fellow agent and a fake Fabergé egg leads to an international jewel smuggling operation being used to disguise a nuclear attack on NATO forces. Directed by John Glen, the movie also stars Maud Adams, Louis Jordan and Steven Berkhoff.






8. "Torn Curtain" (1966) - Alfred Hitchcock directed this thriller about an American scientist who publicly defects to East Germany as part of a cloak and dagger mission to find the solution for a formula resin and figure out a plan to escape back to the West. Paul Newman and Julie Andrews starred.






9. "One, Two, Three" (1961) - Billy Wilder directed this zany tale about a Coca-Cola executive in West Berlin, who may be fired if he cannot keep his American boss's daughter from marrying a Communist. James Cagney starred.






10. "The Good German" - Steven Soderbergh directed this interesting thriller about an American military journalist who is drawn into a murder investigation that involves his former mistress and his driver during the Potsdam Conference. George Clooney, Cate Blanchett and Tobey Maguire starred.