Here is an alphabetical list of the movies I watched this year with a quick review and score. After I've watched them all, I'll give my opinion as to who should have won each Oscar.
Babes in Arms
I wanted to like this movie more than I actually did. The plot was OK. I didn't get bored but I also did love any of the characters overall. It had a lovely theme, but nothing earth-shattering. Mickey was great and Judy's voice is absolutely sublime! The baritone crooner guy was good but didn't have much personality and if you've read my other reviews, you'll know I don't love opera singers. It was funny enough without being laugh out loud enjoyable. The dances were good and the songs, for the most part, were fun. But overall, I don't think it will be entirely memorable for me. My favourite scenes were the dinner - and especially the cigar episode, and the first good morning song. I disagree with the nomination for Rooney - he is a great actor but I didn't feel any magnificence from this particular performance, although the impressions were good. And because this is the first movie I've watched for the year, I can't judge the Best Music, Scoring yet. I did have great music but I don't know how much competition it will have yet. All that said, I would recommend it to any Garland or Rooney fans (or both!).
6.68/10.
Bachelor Mother
This was fun. It was implausible for Ginger to be mistaken for the mother, but it was done quite well nevertheless, and the story hummed along quite well. I enjoyed the plot, but my interest waned right near the end. But still a super enjoyable screwball comedy. The acting was great across the board, although I must say I preferred Ginger in Vivacious Lady than this film. David was great but not perfect. I really liked some of the effects and cinematography here. My favourite shot was the duck coming down the stairs. My favourite scenes were Ginger pretending to be Swiss and when both men come in to announce being the father. The kid was pretty cute too. I agree with the nomination for story writing.
7.18/10.
Balalaika
The story kept a pretty good pace but there were parts that were too inconsistent with the plot. I couldn't really make it marry up to real history. The acting was not great too, apart from one scene where Nelson is in the trenches. I wonder what was going through his head there as for the rest of the movie he was average. What I liked about this movie was the beautiful costumes and some nice cinematography. The sound recording was great too. There was one song where Nelson was singing on his own and then others started coming in and it was really fantastic and sounded very good. Very clear. My favourite scenes in this movie was the New Year's Eve mirror scene and the tricks on the horses at the begininning. Overall, I would only recommend this movie to Nelson Eddy fans as there isn't much in it for anyone else. I agree with the sound nomination.
6.5/10.
Beau Geste
Wow, do I differ from the critics here! I didn't love this film, nor find it heart stopping. I got bored with the plot pretty quickly, and though the ending was good and interesting, it doesn't stop the first quarter being so slow. By the time I found out who took the gem and why, I had stopped caring. The acting was pretty good, with Donlevy being a stand-out. I thought Cooper was good but a tad old for the role. I liked how the film had a reveal. My most memorable scenes were the propping up of the soldiers, and the way the actors portrayed their tiredness in the mess tent area thing. But overall, it wasn't a classic to me. I guess that's why we're all different. I think the nomination for Donlevy is warranted, but not the Art Direction nomination.
6.59/10.
Captain Fury
As an Australian,this left me confused. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a Captain Fury in real life. If there was, he would have been a bushranger, which wasn't really exploited for all it could be in this movie. There was a shot or two of kookaburras, kangaroos, and emus, but it was pretty obvious that this wasn't filmed here. The plot was ok, but I wasn't sure what the movie was trying to say. The acting was quite sub-par. I don't have anything great to say about this movie and the scenes I will remember from this movie are the few stock footage shots of Australian fauna. Forgettable. This movie was nominated for Art Direction, and I must admit that there were some great set designs, so I feel the nomination is warranted.
5.73/10
Dark Victory
This one made me cry!! The story was super melodramatic, and it tugged on my heartstrings. I loved the selfless theme that came through at the end. The acting was overdone at times, but when it was done well, it was awe-inspiring. I didn't buy Bogart's Irish accent at all! There was some great lighting and a good score. I can't fault it too much except that some viewers would find the movie too much on the hammy side. But I thought it was magnificent. I loved the scenes when she realises the darkness in the garden, and the scenes where she says goodbye to her husband. The way they portrayed her medical issues was well done too, with the lighting of the cigarette being my highlight. This was nominated for Best Picture (I agree with the nomination), Best Actress for Bette Davis (I agree with the nomination), and Best Music, Original Score (I agree with this one too). I recommend this to any Davis lovers and fans of melodrama. A great flick.
7.66/10
Detouring America
Not much to say about this cartoon. Pretty forgettable. I did have a laugh when the mosquito got swatted. Nothing else really took my fancy.
5/10.
Drums Along the Mohawk
Hmmm, ok. The plot was fairly good but a little slow at times. If I get to grow into an old woman, I would very much like to be like Mrs. Mc Klennar. The acting by Edna May Oliver was fantastic and Colbert and Fonda did a pretty decent job. I will remember most the scene of the guy in the hay wagon, and the pastor who had to make a difficult choice. It is one of the first movies I've seen that talks about pregnancy loss, although in a roundabout way. It certainly had its faults and it's a middle of the road movie, but still quite enjoyable, even if it's just for Oliver as it was for me. This was nominated for Supporting Actress for Oliver, and I heartily agree.
6.64/10
Drunk Driving
I usually like the Crime Doesn't Pay series and while this one wasn't the best, it was still pretty good. I was impressed by the main characters acting. There were some pretty poignant scenes, like the bodies covered by the blankets. I wish though they they had made the accident a lapse of judgement, rather than him being an obnoxious driver. I feel the nomination was warranted.
5.95/10
Eternally Yours
I'm not quite as harsh about this movie as other IMDB reviewers. I didn't mind the movie. The plot was ok and kept me interested. I think the female lead character made terrible decisions that didn't make much sense, but the film was enjoyable because of the way it was made. I liked the magic tricks effects and there were interesting film-making choices, such as the hypnosis scenes and the dream sequences. It was quite clever in places. I didn't like the ending, but it gets a bigger score for me due those artistic elements and a really great score. It felt like a 1950's score, and I thought it was really well done. Niven and Young were both good and the acting was adequate. This was nominated for Best Score, and I think it was totally warranted. I wish it had some kind of cinematography or effects nomination though, as it was really good. I'd only recommend this to Young or Niven fans, as the plot doesn't stand up on its own merits without some other vested interest.
6.7/10.
First Love
I think this has to be my favourite Deanna Durbin movie so far. Usually, I don't like them very much, but this was really good. The plot mimics Cinderella, but it's done very well and doesn't really become very apparent until halfway through. The pace of the movie is really good, and I didn't get bored at any time. The acting was really good too. The characters were well written and super likeable (or hated for the evil cousin marvelously acted by Helen Parrish). Eugene Pallete was also fantastic. The singing was good, and there were some lovely shots on the wonderful staircase. The costumes were magnificent as well. Not a lot to fault and it was really humorous and fun. My favourite scenes were the ending with the weeping old maid, the crafty teacher, and Mr Drake, the wonderful dancing scenes, and how the staff banded together to help Constance. This was nominated for Best Art Direction (I agree) and Best Music, Scoring (I agree but glad it didn't win). I think Parrish could have been nominated for a Supporting Actress award. I would recommend this movie to almost anyone as I think there is something that everybody would enjoy, even though it's not the best movie in the world. A pleasant surprise.
7.23/10
Golden Boy
I thought I'd hate this movie, but I ended up rather liking it. The plot kept me interested the whole way through. It was a bit fanciful at times, but also thought-provoking. My favourite part about this move was Lee Cobb. I definitely think he should have had a nomination for Best Supporting Actor. I thought he was absolutely amazing. I loved his heartfelt plea to his son. I'm impressed that Holden learned the violin to ensure the fingering of the instrument looked realistic. It was also interesting to see a movie where they allow the male lead to really cry. This movie sure surprised me. I'm ok with the score nomination, but as I said before, Cobb should have been nominated too.
6.90/10
Gone With the Wind
This one is going to be hard to beat. I watched this movie as a teenager and remember thinking it was quite boring and that Gable was hot but this time around, I really enjoyed it. The plot was fantastic and for such a long movie, it kept my interest. I hated Scarlett and didn't have any sympathy for her, but I think that's the point. It's rare to have such a villainous main lead star that is still somehow faceted, interesting, and watchable. There were so many themes running through this movie, and my favourite of those were the triumph of love and sacrifice over greed and revenge, embodied by Melanie. I loved her so much and I'd love to be like her. While I found the acting to be hammy at times, there were some lovely moments: Leigh is so good at being a bad actor (meaning when her character was acting, she did it in a way that it was obvious to us - I don't mean she's a bad actor!), Gable with his anger and the touching scene when Scarlet is recovering, and I think De Haviland did a great job at making Melanie believable, which I don't think would have been easy. What gets full marks for me for this movie was the cinematography and art design. So innovative and evoking and gorgeous and sumptuous. The way they showed situations through the set design - from the tasteful splendour of Twelve Oaks, through the burning of the city, through the ruins of Tara, and lastly the gaudiness near the end. Perfection. The scenes that I will remember most are the field hospital, Gable crying in his room, Melanie saying goodbye, and the beautiful, beautiful costumes. Of course, this was nominated for a lot of Oscars. Best Actor for Gable (agree with nom), Best Actress for Leigh (agree with nom), Best Actress for Supporting Actress for McDonald (I don't want to be a hater, but I don't agree! There were lots of other performances for Supporting Actresses that I would have nominated over her, sorry!), Best Supporting Actress for De Haviland (I agree with nom), Best Director for Fleming (I agree with nom), Best Screenplay (yeah, ok), Best Colour Cinematography (absolutely agree with nom), Best Art Direction (I absolutely agree with nom), Best Sound, Recording (um, ok), Best Film Editing (um, ok), Best Effects (absolutely agree with nom), Best Music (nah), Best Picture (absolutely agree with nom) and a few honourary awards. I reckon everyone should watch this movie at least once in their life but it's not guaranteed that everyone will like or appreciate it.
8.41/10
Goodbye, Mr Chips
I watched this movie when I was a young teenager and I remember crying at the end, so while I couldn't remember the story, I was excited to see why I was so engrossed in it. Unfortunately, as a middle-aged adult, I can no longer remember why this hit so hard as this time, I didn't find it moving. This was an above average movie all round, but there was nothing in particular that blew me away. I kept waiting for something interesting to happen. The highlight for me was Donat's acting. I liked how Mrs Chipley brought a lovely touch into the school and into how Mr Chipley interacted with the kids but other than that, it wasn't groundbreaking. I wanted to love it. Really, I did!
7.45/10.
Gulliver's Travels
Eh. I think I'd rather watch the Jack Black version. There was some pretty funny dialogue between the two kings, and there were some clever ideas used when the whole town came out to see Gulliver. I liked how the songs got sung together near the end. Overall, underwhelming.
6.41/10.
Intermezzo
Average. It annoys me when movies have a love story that features infidelity. The ending tries to show the importance of marriage, but to me, the damage is already done. The acting was only average too. Howard does well but I don't think the chemistry was right between him and Bergman. One thing this movie does so well is show how beautiful Bergman is. Absolutely stunning! But I spent the whole movie feeling sorry for Mrs Brandt, instead of feeling sorry for Hoffman. It gets some points for the cinematography and some for being very well paced (only just over an hour long). The music was very good too. I rated it more highly than others in IMDB land but I'm not sure why. I would recommend this to Bergman fans though, just because it's her first American film. I'm ok with the Sound nomination.
7.09/10.
Juarez
I found the plot to be a bit boring but the acting to be quite good. I was impressed with Brian Aherne. I liked parts of Bette Davis' performance but thought others were a bit overacted. I didn't like Muni at all in this film. Nothing much to write home about for cinematography, art design, or sound. I agree with the acting nomination. Forgettable.
6.5/10.
Love Affair
I really liked the chemistry between Dunn and Boyer. Their acting was fantastic too, as this could have been terribly hammy without solid acting. The lady playing the grandmother was good too. During the chapel scene, I recalled that I had seen this premise before. I figured I must have watched a movie with the same plot from the past and this was a remake. But then when they mentioned the Empire State Building, I realised I was watching an original and that I had seen the later, Cary Grant, version. And of the two, I definitely prefer this one. And I think it was due to Dunn. She was wonderful, believable, and I really felt she loved Boyer. There were clever cinematography moments, with some of my favorites being the slow reveal of the newspaper, lovely moody lighting, and the reflection of the Empire State Building in the glass of the door. I love melodrama but even this plot was too much for me, but still fantastic and it's currently in my top 5 (so hopefully will remain in the top 10 by the end of my viewings). This was nominated for six Oscars but didn't win any. I agree with all the nominations but think Boyer was up against too stiff a competition so it's probably fair he wasn't nominated.
7.32/10
Man of Conquest
Snore! Ok, I’ll make it no secret that I’m not a huge fan of Westerns, and I’m certainly no fan of Richard Dix (I’m scarred from Cimarron), but this movie was so boring! I couldn’t get into it in any way. The costumes seemed ridiculous, the acting was wooden, the make-up was jarring, and I genuinely have nothing nice to say about this movie. It was nominated for Art Direction and while I disagree with the nomination, I guess I can see why it was nominated as the sets were good. It was also nominated for Sound Recording and Score, both of which I thought were average. Hopefully I don’t encounter another Richard Dix movie in this journey!
5.82/10.
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Man, I love Jimmy Stewart! He was sooo good in this movie. From naive to empassioned, upright, and roughed up, I enjoyed every moment he was on the screen. I also really loved some of the supporting actors, espeically Guy Kibbee and Harry Carey. I loved the slick look of the film and my favourite shot was the one just after Jefferson was found guilty and he was in the memorial place and the lighting was supberb! Chef's kiss. There was a small part of the movie that was a bit slow, and I wanted to see Thomas get his just desserts, but overall, it was really nice. Yes, it was a bit idealistic, but I like the concept of holding people in power to account. That doesn't really depend on your political leanings. This movie was nominated for Best Picture, and currently it's sitting second for me, so I totally agree. Jimmy Stewart's nomination is totally warranted, and as yet, I think it's only going to be an amazing performance to beat Jimmy's for mine. I agree with Carey's nomination too, but he really didn't have a lot of screen-time. I'm ok with Raines' nomination too but I wanted the end scene to be just a touch better. I like Capra films so happy with the nomination here. In fact, all agree with all the nominations (there was a lot!) except for scoring, because I didn't find that very memorable.
I think this movie is slightly more meaningful to Americans but it such a classic film that I recommend it to anyone. And I'd watch it again, just for Jimmy!
7.89/10
Ninotchka
I didn’t love this one as much as the critics. I got a bit bored with the plot. I did like the overall theme of the movie though. The acting was very good, except I would have liked a bit more believability out of Douglas. There was also no chemistry between the leads. What I liked best about this movie was the dialogue. It had great comedy and some thought-provoking snippets. Other than that, it was average. I liked the scene in the café, but I thought the laughing scene went on too long and would have been more powerful with half the laughing. This was nominated for Best Picture (disagree), Best Actress for Garbo (she’s good in this so happy with the nomination but I think it’s not good enough to win), Best Writing for Original and Screenplay (yep, completely agree).
7.07/10.
Nurse Edith Cavell
I didn't know the story of Edith Cavell before so I 'm really glad I watched this movie to learn about her life. She is so inspirational and her words, quite rightly, go down in history. Very moving. However, I didn't love the movie. The copy I watched had terrible sound quality and that really interfered with my enjoyment. I loved the strong female characters though and I thought Oliver and Robinson were fantastic. They are some of my favourite actresses! I was unimpressed with Nagle though. First, I think she was miscast as she was too young for the role. And while I appreciate the stoicism, I wanted a touch more humanity coming through in her eyes. There was anything special about lighting or cinematography but overall, it wasn't bad; just not great. But it deserves to be seen for the story of Edith and her legacy. I disagree with the nomination for score.
6.57/10
Of Mice and Men
The last 20 minutes was sublime. I had read the book before, so I tried to guard my heart a little. The plot was so fantastic and has so much to say - issues around mental health and disability, depression era dreams, toxic masculinity, what would you do in their place, etc. But even though I knew what was going to happen, tears still fell twice. Most people would disagree with me, but I wasn't a fan of the actors. Just a tad stilted. My favourite though was Bohnen. The cinematography was really great, and it was a pleasure to watch. I like Milestone films. I totally agree with the Best Picture Nomination and also with the scoring and sound nominations. This would have scored a bit higher for me if it had a bit more ebbs and flows through the middle. Felt a bit flat. Been still, I would recommend this to almost everyone. Top 10 for me for the year for sure.
7.52/10
Only Angels Have Wings
Oh, I loved this one. The plot was a bit too melodramatic but it was enthralling and intense. The love story took a bit of a back seat but when that kiss where he picked her up! Wowsers! What I loved most in this was the acting. First class. And my favourite was Mitchell. He 100% should have got a Supporting Actor nomination for this. Instead, it was nominated for special effects. To modern eyes, most of the effects look lame, but I was really impressed with the fire. I can't really fault this movie. It's not going to be the best movie of the year, but such an enjoyable watch.
I agree with the nomination for effects, but Mitchell should have been nominated.
7.45/10
Peace on Earth
Wow! This is really impactful! I made the mistake of accidently watching the 1955 version and I thought it didn't merit the high score it had on IMDB. Then I realised it was the wrong version and I watched the 1939 one. Such a difference! The 1939 version is so much darker and tense and artistic. I was impressed how they used the war helmets for houses and how the soldiers were described. This is all the more heart-breaking realising that this was finished at the precipice to yet another world war. No wonder this is a classic. Fantastic and still entirely relevant.
7.14/10.
Prophet Without Honor
I had no idea about this guy so I'm very grateful to watch a little documentary about him. I wish it had more information on how he discovered it all, but it was pretty good for an overview. The acting wasn't special, but it was educational. Serviceable.
6.55/10.
Second Fiddle
Ooof! I knew this wasn't going to be fantastic. I'm not a Sonja Henie fan. But I do like Power and Oliver and my favourite part of this movie is the scene where it is just those two. Funny! They are both fantastic actors and it sucks to see them in this kind of vehicle. This might have worked better if it didn't have Henie in it and it was a proper actress without the skating routines. The first dance number with the big musical sheet was quite good, but the actor they choose didn't do it for me. Of course, they needed to be less attractive than Power but almost everyone in Hollywood was less attractive than him (he sets the bar very high) so they could have had someone with a bit more allure. The lighting was good in this movie. And the songs were good. I can see why this was nominated for the Best Song because it is important to the movie's plot so I'm ok with the nomination. However, this movie is going to be in the bottom 10 for the year for me I reckon.
5.95/10.
She Married a Cop
I think I just found the worst movie of the year. What a ridiculous plot with completely idiotic events. This movie just infuriated me with its banal waffle. I love Jean Parker and she is so much better than this movie but even her acting felt phoned in. I get the sense that the filmmakers were trying to show that the most important thing is to be in Hollywood, regardless of personal duty, pride, and respect. Nothing good at all to say about this movie. I'm not even a particular fan of Regan's voice as it's higher than I like. I disagree with the Oscar nomination, as I didn't find anything appealing about the music. Totally pass on this one. Don't waste your time!
4.73/10.
Sons of Liberty
It's weird to see such a big-name actor is a short film. For me, this was so striking due to the time it was made - pre-American involvement in WWII and criticising other nations for lack of liberty, and in particular the help of the Jewish Americans to engender liberty. But it was a bit too patriotic and one-dimensional for me. Nothing special but I learned some things about a son of liberty that I didn't previously know.
5.91/10.
Stagecoach
I didn't love this one as much as the critics, but it did have some wonderful elements. I got a bit bored with the plot. I don't feel the tension was built up enough and then it came all in a rush at the end. I enjoyed the last 15 minutes the most. I particularly liked the ending. I liked the theme of equality that ran through it, as it was successful in engendering sympathy for the prostitute and the drunk doctor characters. The acting was pretty good. I love Mitchell but there wasn't much scope for serious acting here (I preferred his performance in Only Angels Have Wings), but my favourite actor here was Claire Trevor. I thought she was fantastic in this and was my highlight of the film. The cinematography was pretty stand-out and the stunts were the best I've seen on this journey so far I think. The score was also really great. So while I acknowledge this had some really special attributes, I just didn't love it! It was nominated for Best Picture and because it's not in my top 5, I'll disagree but only slightly as it's currently no. 7 and I can see why it was nominated. It was the pretty revolutionary for its time. It won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for Mitchell, but again, I disagree because he should have won it for Only Angels. I disagree with the director nomination too. I agree however with the cinematography nomination and the costumes alone warrant the nomination for Art Design. I totally agree with the nomination for score (yet to decide about a win there), and the editing. A bit overhyped in my opinion but still a recommended watch as it is so important to the history of film.
7.23/10.
Swanee River
Boring. The plot didn't keep my attention well and the decision making of the female character was tenuous and far-fetched. There wasn't anything I could identify with in this movie. Don Ameche did a good job, but overall, there isn't much to talk about. This was nominated for Best Score. I recognised a lot of songs throughout the movie, but it wasn't enough for me to enjoy it. Not recommended.
5.86/10
Swordfishing
Urgh. I like fishing but only for eating's sake. I oppose sport fishing. So, this didn't exactly fill me with any great feelings. I got pretty bored through the whole thing, and while I admit the guy had pretty good skills, I would have preferred other ways of seeing his prowess. I enjoyed the close up of the flying fish thought. Thye look like magnificent creatures. But really, give this one a miss. It didn't deserve an Oscar nod.
4.36/10.
The Great Victor Herbert
Maybe I would have liked this more if I was familiar with Victor Herbert's music. Overall, it wasn't the worst movie I've seen this year. The plot took too long to get going, and I got really bored in sections. In comparison, the ending felt rushed, so I feel pacing is definitely an issue here. It certainly doesn't have a lot to say because even though it's called The Great Victor Herbert, he really doesn't feature much in the movie and I couldn't tell you anything of importance about his life. It's just a standard romantic musical at the end of the day. The acting was bearable without being fantastic. There wasn't anything special about the cinematography. I thought however that they did the aging of the characters very well. The songs were pretty good - well sung but added little to the actual narrative. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone. This movie was nominated for Best Sound and Best Score. I'm going to respectfully disagree with both.
6.11/10.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This was so modern feeling, like it was made in the 50s rather than the cusp of the 40s. The plot was interesting (although well known) and I enjoyed the theme of equality. The acting was very good. I think the person responsible for casting had a great eye because there were so many beautiful people in this movie to juxtapose the hunchback. Laughton did a great job, as did Mitchell. I was very impressed with a lot of the cinematography. There was lovely lighting and interesting camera angles. The make-up on Laughton was exceptional for its time. But this is the first movie (that I can remember) is the first-rate editing. I don't tend to notice editing unless it's really good or really bad, and this was really good. The score was also very dramatic. Overall, this was a fantastic movie that is currently sitting in my top five. This was nominated for Sound and Score, but they missed a trick here for me. It should have been nominated for effects and definitely editing. I would recommend this one to almost anyone.
7.82/10
The Man in the Iron Mask
This had some very good points and some not-so-good points. The plots ok but it dragged in the first hour. Could have easily been 1.5 hours instead of 2 hours and been punchier at the start. The acting was only ok. I think Hayward did well to portray the two characters differently, but all the acting overall seemed a bit high school play. There were some great cinematography moments, and the art design was beautiful. The split screen was done very well. The iron mask itself looked quite scary. I can see similarities between Whale's work here and the Bride of Frankenstein. It had a similar feel in the jail scenes. I would only recommend this movie to fans of the Three Musketeers genre, but it was enjoyable enough, just dragged a bit. This movie was nominated for score, but I disagree with that, but I'm also not mad about it. It should have got some sort of effects nomination.
6.77/10