The Pirate (1948)

The Pirate (1948)

MGM

June 11, 1948

Historical Comedy, Musical

DVD
C-

Garland and Kelly try, but this needed a serious rewrite, even if Joseph L. Mankiewicz was an uncredited contributor.  Garland's then husband directed.

Born to Kill (1947)

Born to Kill (1947)
RKO
May 3, 1947
Crime Drama, Romance
DVD
B

This is one of those movies where I don't "like" anyone in it but I found them nonetheless fascinating to watch.  In particular, Claire Trevor as new divorcée Helen Trent manages to convey a wide range of emotions and motivations in one complicated and corrupt woman.  Lawrence Tierney, who was apparently typecast, as Sam Wilde is the more obvious sociopath, while her rottenness takes awhile to fully be exposed, and even then there are hints that she could possibly be redeemed.  (This is based on a book called Deadlier Than the Male, but RKO went with a more ambiguous title.)

I tagged as many people as I recognized (some of them, like Ellen Corby, in tiny roles), but of course I have to mention Esther Howard as Mrs. Kraft, a boozy old dame with a good heart.  Robert Wise did a fine job of directing, although this is very different than Sound of Music and other of his movies I've seen.

Bedtime for Bonzo

A surprisingly racy poster, considering
Reagan and Lynn don't share a bed.

Bedtime for Bonzo
Universal
April 5, 1951
Comedy
DVD
C+

This isn't as bad as its reputation but neither is it an under-rated gem.  Reagan isn't plausible as a psychology professor who blames environment on crime, or really as a romantic lead (at least in this movie), but he's serviceable, especially since he mostly has to act mad at a "monkey."  (Like just about all '50s and '60s movie "monkeys," it's a chimp.)  The then-40-year-old-but-passing-for-maybe-30 is paired with a nanny played by Diana Lynn (then 24 but still recognizable as the lovably clear-headed kid sister in The Miracle of Morgan's Creek).  The best comedic performances here are from then-not-so-old reliables Herb Vigran and Jesse "Maytag Repairman" White, both playing cops in this movie and showing up on just about every sitcom for the next two decades after.  Note that the movie contains a reference to Harvey, which came out the previous December.  And this story inspired 1965's Monkey's Uncle, which I also gave a C+ (https://reviewingeverymovieiown.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-monkeys-uncle.html)

Frederick De Cordova directed this film, which is part of the reason that Johnny Carson used to mock the movie on The Tonight Show, which De Cordova produced.  That and "Ronald Reegan" (as the trailer pronounces it) went on to a career in politics.