THE UNSUSPECTED (1947) was the very first film Michael Curtiz made under his new production company, Michael Curtiz Productions. As such, it’s an important pit stop in our Curtiz journey. In the end, it was a mix of hits and misses; but overall, an important lesson in his life as a filmmaker. With Hal Wallis’s post-CASABLANCA disgruntled exit at Warner Brothers and with Curtiz’s maiden … Continue reading A Little Noir Gem, THE UNSUSPECTED (1947)
I’m shocked, shocked to find any evidence of a cinematic soul that isn’t in love with the film we’re discussing today, CASABLANCA. It’s not only a film that many a classic film fan would describe as their favorite, but it’s easily a film that could be described as an essentially perfect film. In many ways, with the experience of working within a wide variety of … Continue reading A Film Study: CASABLANCA (1942)
Warner Brothers’ house style during the 1930s embraced gangster films, along with the occasional big production musicals. During the Pre-Code years of the early 1930s, those gangster films were gritty and violent and made James Cagney (THE PUBLIC ENEMY, 1931) and Edward G Robinson (LITTLE CEASAR, 1931) big stars. But once the production code became enforced during the second half of the 1930s, the studio … Continue reading A Gangster Morality: ANGELS with DIRTY FACES (1938)
We venture forth in our Michael Curtiz adventure with our next film, THE ADVENTURES of ROBIN HOOD (1938). To pivot from 2-strip color Pre-Code horror with cannibalistic themes to the Technicolor swashbuckling men in tights of Robin Hood is a perfect example of the Curtiz versatility. As a reminder, the Pre-Code era (late 1929 – summer of 1934) has ended, and as such Joseph Breen … Continue reading The ADVENTURES of ROBIN HOOD: A Technicolor Dream in Tights
Outspoken & Freckled 