To Kill a Mockingbird

To Kill a Mockingbird

Universal

December 25, 1962

Historical Drama

DVD

B-

I've seen this movie a few times over the years, including I think on the big screen in the past twenty years.  I gave the Harper Lee novel a B eleven years ago (https://rereadingeverybookiown.blogspot.com/2012/06/to-kill-mockingbird.html) and I thought I might give the film one as well.  But, while I think the adaptation, by Horton Foote, is still pretty good, I felt less drawn in this time.  It's a combination of how the central tragedy happens mostly offscreen and the way that other characters, including Dill and his aunt, are not as fully developed as they could be.  (They probably were more so in the book, but I don't recall.)  The two main performances, by Oscar-winning Gregory Peck and non-child-actress Mary Badham as his daughter, remain strong and the movie did mostly hold my interest throughout.  This time, even on a TV screen, I was really impressed by the sets.

Robert Mulligan directed.

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Twentieth Century Fox

September 17, 1952

Drama

DVD
D+

A little bit dull, a little racist.  This is based on Hemingway and co-directed by Henry King and Roy Ward Baker.

The Sea Wolves

The Sea Wolves

Lorimar Productions

8 August 1980

War Drama

DVD

D+

I appreciate that this has more banter than action.  Not particularly good banter, but shrug.  This is based on James Leasor's novel Boarding Party, and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen.

On the Beach

On the Beach

United Artists

December 17, 1959

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

A pretty boring apocalypse, although the dad feeding the baby was cute.  This is based on the Nevil Shute novel, and directed by Stanley Kramer.

The Omen

The Omen

20th Century Fox

June 25, 1976

Horror

DVD
C-

Not cheesy enough but it certainly tries, like when the time and date of "June 6th, 6 o'clock" appears on the screen.  Richard Donner directed.

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

The Snows of Kilimanjaro

Twentieth Century Fox

September 17, 1952

Drama

DVD
D

This is in a "Great Cinema" collection, where everything seems to be based on literature, in this case on a Hemingway short story, and I am not a Hemingway fan.  Henry King co-directed with an uncredited Roy Ward Baker.

Gentleman's Agreement

Gentleman's Agreement

20th Century Fox

November 11, 1947

Drama

DVD
C-

I found the dialogue a little unrealistic (Moss Hart based the screenplay on Laura Z. Hobson's novel), and Peck's casual sexism (including joking about "slugging" his mother) unnecessary, especially in a film about prejudice (anti-Semitism specifically).  Elia Kazan directed.  Note that 11-year-old Dean Stockwell plays Peck's son, almost fifty years before his appearance in the McHale's Navy movie.

Cape Fear (1962)

Cape Fear (1962)
Universal
April 12, 1962
Drama
DVD
C-

While the acting was good of course, I didn't really want to watch Robert Mitchum stalk Gregory Peck and Peck's family.  This is based on the book by John D. MacDonald and directed by J. Lee Thompson.

The Boys from Brazil

The Boys from Brazil
20th Century Fox
October 6, 1978
Drama
DVD
D+

I found this a bit campy-- I mean, 20-year-old Steve Guttenberg and Nazi clones!-- with an overdone score (the sort of thing that The Big Bus had brilliantly parodied a couple years earlier), but not enjoyably campy enough to stick with it.  This is based on the Ira Levin novel, and directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.