Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea

Windsor Productions etc.

July 12, 1961

I honestly don't know the genre because nothing happened the first quarter hour but ironically I'll have to go with "Action"

DVD

C-

Nothing happens in the first quarter hour, except for drippy "clever" dialogue and overuse of the word "Congressman," but at least there's Peter Lorre training a shark, and Barbara Eden dancing to Frankie Avalon's trumpet.  Irwin Allen directed and co-wrote.

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)

Disney

December 23, 1954

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

Even with Peter Lorre and a bit of sea life, I wasn't intrigued.  I'm going with "historical drama" as the genre, since I tuned out before anything sci-fi, but this is an adaptation of Jules Verne.  Richard Fleischer directed, so this is his sixth movie I've rejected in this project.

My Favorite Brunette

My Favorite Brunette

Paramount

April 4, 1947
Comedy, Mystery

DVD
C-

A promising cast and concept, and it was nice seeing the Bay Area in the '40s, but I just didn't find the opening quarter-hour funny.  Elliott Nugent directed.

M (1931)

M (1931)

Nero-Film 

11 May 1931

Crime Drama

DVD
C-

I found this flatter and more simplistic than I expected from a "classic," although the theme of unfounded accusations was interesting and no doubt had political significance in early '30s Germany.  Fritz Lang directed and, yes, it's a breakthrough role for Peter Lorre.

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1935)

The Man Who Knew Too Much

Gaumont-British Picture Corporation

4 February 1935

Mystery

DVD
C-

I wasn't really drawn into this version of the story, although it was nice to see Young and Innocent's Nova Pilbeam again.

Secret Agent

Secret Agent 

British International Pictures

May 1936

Mystery

DVD
C

While I liked some of the writing, particularly the wit and the basic plot, the Lorre character was too creepy (even for Lorre), so I gave up after twenty minutes.  This is based on two W. Somerset Maugham short stories.