THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS

 

Kino has released the "Carol Lombard Collection II", a Blu-ray set containing three of the great lady's films. As in the first set, released last summer, each movie gets its own disc case. The three films in the set are HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE, LOVE BEFORE BREAKFAST, and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS. 

I have to start off by saying that all three films in this second collection have been released on home video before (I was hoping we'd get some titles that have never had an official release). But any Lombard product on Blu-ray is a plus. I'll be writing a blog post on all the films in the second set. 

We start off with what I consider is one of the most underrated films Lombard starred in--THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS, a 1936 film made by Paramount and directed by William K. Howard. This is not a wacky screwball farce--it is a lighthearted mystery. 

Lombard stars again here with Fred MacMurray, after they appeared in the excellent HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE. Carole plays Brooklyn-born would-be actress Wanda Nash. Wanda is so desperate to get a movie studio contract, she poses as a Swedish royal named "Princess Olga". The "Princess" takes a suite on a luxury liner going from France to New York. There she encounters bandleader (and concertina player) King Mantell (Fred MacMurray). Unsurprisingly, King becomes smitten with "Olga", and he tries to get to know her better, while Wanda, afraid of giving herself away, tries to avoid falling for him. Five internationally famous detectives happen to be traveling on the ship, along with an escaped criminal. The body of a blackmailer winds up in Wanda's suite, and both she and King become suspects. The duo attempt to avoid being charged with murder, and getting murdered themselves. 

This is the second of four films that Lombard and MacMurray appeared in together, and they make a great screen team. (MacMurray was one of Carole's best overall leading men.) Lombard is in fine form here, playing the "Princess" as a Greta Garbo type (with a touch of Dietrich thrown in). Other performers would have overdone the Princess bit to the point of absurdity, but Lombard does it in a way that is funny without being cartoonish. Ted Tetzlaff's photography and Travis Banton's costumes make Carole look exquisite (although one has to wonder how an unemployed actress is able to have such a fantastic wardrobe). 

MacMurray is very good here--his King is a good guy, but he also has a bit of a shady past. Both stars are given older sidekicks in the picture--Carole is traveling with Alison Skipworth, and Fred's buddy is William Frawley. The two veterans are quite amusing in support. 

Some have said that the comedy and mystery elements do not mesh well here together. I happen to disagree. The five inspectors (played by character actors Douglas Dumbrille, Lumsden Hare, Sig Ruman, Mischa Auer, and Tetsu Komai) could have rated a film of their very own. The movie doesn't play the mystery elements as a joke--many of the scenes play out on shadowy deck corridors. When Lombard and MacMurray are in danger, they react like believable human beings. 

THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS isn't on the same level as, say, MY MAN GODFREY, but it's a fun, entertaining movie that showcases Carole Lombard particularly well. 

Kino's Blu-ray of THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS presents a very sharp transfer that shows off the black & white cinematography. The sound is distinct and clear. 

The main extra is a new audio commentary by filmmakers Allan Arkush and Daniel Kremer. While listening to them it doesn't take long to realize that they both are hard-core classic Hollywood buffs who know their stuff. The duo enjoy themselves immensely while discussing the cast & crew of the film. There's also some trailers from other Lombard films released by Kino. 

THE HIGH COMMAND

 

One great thing about having a Roku device is all the free movie channels one has access to from it. I've found plenty of obscure, rare films on these channels--titles that I think are far more interesting than the brand-name stuff on HBO Max or Netflix. 

I recently discovered THE HIGH COMMAND, a 1937 British film starring Lionel Atwill. Ironically, this was the only English-made movie Atwill ever appeared in (the actor was born in Croydon in 1885). 

In THE HIGH COMMAND Atwill plays a British army officer named Sir John Sangye. At the start of the film, he's posted in Ireland during the troubles of 1921. During an attack by Irish rebels, Sangye is confronted by another British officer. Sangye has had an affair with the officer's wife, and he's also the father of what is presumed to be the man's daughter. Sangye shoots the man in self-defense, and blames his death on the Irish rebels. An officer named Carson becomes suspicious after examining the man's body. 

15 years later, Carson arrives at a military post in West Africa, where he finds Sangye, now a general, to be the commanding officer. Carson also finds that Sangye's now grown daughter (who he calls his step-daughter) has no idea about her true parentage, or what happened in 1921. Carson starts to annoy her, while at the same time he develops an interest in the glamorous wife (Lucie Mannheim) of a local industrialist. Carson's young cousin and fellow officer (James Mason) also is attracted to the woman. Carson is eventually shot and killed, and his cousin becomes the main suspect...but during the trial Sangye's past starts to come up. Sangye must find out who the true murderer is, while at the same time prevent his daughter from finding out what really happened years ago. 

The script of THE HIGH COMMAND could have easily been the basis of an Agatha Christie novel. A group of English characters, each with something to hide, gathered at an exotic location, where a murder is committed, and everyone is suspect....the only thing missing here is a quirky detective to solve the case and reveal everyone's backstory. It's not hard to guess the murderer (the man actually explains how the deed was committed as an example). The suspense comes from whether Sangye can save his and his daughter's reputation. 

I'm sure Lionel Atwill enjoyed his time back in England while making THE HIGH COMMAND, and no doubt he enjoyed being in the movie itself. He gets first billing, and the role is a bit of a departure for him. His General Sangye isn't the wild-eyed Atwill one sees in the horror thrillers. Atwill is far more deliberate and subtle here. Sangye is a very officious military officer, but he's not a pompous buffoon. Sangye is basically the story's hero. 

A very young James Mason (who sports a mustache here) plays the dashing young officer who is Carson's cousin. Even at this very early stage in his career, Mason has enough presence to stand out from the rest of the cast. Lucie Mannheim (who was in Hitchcock's THE 39 STEPS) brings some glamour to her role, and Steven Geray gives a Peter Lorre-like performance as her husband. Playing a bit role as a hotel clerk is the creepy Skelton Knaggs--he and Atwill would cross paths at Universal in the 1940s. 

THE HIGH COMMAND was directed by Thorold Dickinson, who gives the story a few visual flourishes. I doubt that the main cast went to Africa, but there is some stock footage from that country. 

THE HIGH COMMAND gives Lionel Atwill a chance at a starring role in a non-horror film, and it's a good movie. It will be appreciated by those who like classic courtroom/mystery dramas. 

DOCTOR X On Blu-ray From Warner Archive

 

Following last year's magnificent release of MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, Warner Archive gives us another restored horror film classic on home video--the 1932 film DOCTOR X. This movie is a gloriously insane example of a Pre-Code thriller, and it is historically important as well. It was the first horror film for genre legends Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray. 

A murderer called "The Moon Killer" is stalking New York City. Among the suspects are esteemed scientist Doctor Xavier (Lionel Atwill) and the staff at his medical research facility. The staff (Preston Foster, John Wray, Harry Beresford, Arthur Edmund Carewe) all act as suspiciously as possible, and Xavier himself seems to have something to hide. The Doctor decides to bring the staff to his remote large estate on Long Island, where, with the use of his laboratory, he will attempt to prove which one is the killer. As expected, things don't go as planned, with a meddling sarcastic newspaper reporter (Lee Tracy) injecting himself into the proceedings, and Xavier's beautiful daughter (Fay Wray) getting caught up in the drama. 

I have to admit that I prefer MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM to DOCTOR X, but the latter has plenty of crazy charms of its own. Despite the fact that this was Lionel Atwill's first horror film (and second sound film), you'd think he had been doing this sort of thing for decades. Atwill's impeccable diction and emotional intensity were perfect for the classic horror film. He elevates the material here, as he did in just about every film he appeared in. 

As she did in last year's MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM Blu-ray, Fay Wray looks breathtaking here, and she gets to let out her very first (but certainly not the last) scream in a horror film. Lee Tracy as the reporter is, in my opinion, far more annoying than Glenda Farrell was in WAX MUSEUM (he's also not as easy on the eyes). 

The biggest highlight of DOCTOR X is the off-the-rails climax, where the Moon Killer is revealed--but not before the fiend disguises himself by slopping on a gooey concoction to transform his features ("SYNTHETIC FLESH!!"). This madcap sequence has a disturbing tinge to it--there's nothing like it in this period of 1930s Hollywood. 

DOCTOR X was filmed in the same two-strip Technicolor process as MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, and it receives a brilliant restoration on this Blu-ray. The movie has a far more greenish tone to it than it did on the DVD release a few years ago, and the picture clarity and sound are vastly improved. 

The major extra on this Blu-ray is the black & white version of DOCTOR X, which has been unavailable for years. For the most part, the camera set-ups, shot compositions, and scenes are basically the same--but it appears that a few alternate takes were used. (It also appears, to my untrained eyes, that the better takes were in the color version.) Being able to see the black & white DOCTOR X is a major monster movie buff highlight (the print is quite sharp at times). I felt that the story didn't come off as lurid as in the color version.

A brand new audio commentary is presented, with author Alan K. Rode, biographer of Michael Curtiz, the director of DOCTOR X. (I wrote a blog post of Rode's Curtiz book earlier this year.) It's an engaging talk, with plenty of facts and anecdotes on Curtiz's life and work. Scott McQueen's excellent commentary for the DVD edition of DOCTOR X is thankfully included here as well. 

A new featurette on the horror films of Michael Curtiz is also here, with clips from the titles and on-camera analysis from Rode and McQueen. Scott McQueen also gives audio insight during a program which compares scenes before and after the restoration of DOCTOR X. There's also an original trailer, which is in black & white. 

Overall, this is an amazing release for an amazing movie. There's been all sorts of rumors lately about the future of the Warner Archive program. Whatever its fate may be, in the last year Warner Archive has presented three incredible Blu-ray releases and restorations of three important films: MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM, THE CURSE OF FRANKENSTEIN, and now DOCTOR X. Everyone who was involved in these releases deserves the utmost congratulations. 

Book Review: THE BODY SNATCHER--Cold-Blooded Murder, Robert Louis Stevenson, And The Making Of A Horror Film Classic

 

Of all the movie thrillers Val Lewton produced for RKO in the 1940s, THE BODY SNATCHER, based on a story by Robert Louis Stevenson, is by far my favorite. It contains what I feel is one of Boris Karloff's greatest screen performances, along with a beautifully written script and atmospheric direction from Robert Wise. Scott Allen Nollen has written books on both Karloff and Stevenson, and now, with his wife Yuyun Yuningsih Nollen, he creates a volume that analyses THE BODY SNATCHER from a number of aspects. 

THE BODY SNATCHER--Cold-Blooded Murder, Robert Louis Stevenson, and the Making of a Horror Film Classic (published by Bear Manor Media) is a wide-ranging book that starts off with a quick chapter detailing the exploits of Burke and Hare, the legendary murderers who inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to write his tale. Nollen then gives a summary of Stevenson's life, and follows up with chapters covering the production of THE BODY SNATCHER film, how the movie was sold and received by audiences and critics at the time, and a scene by scene analysis of the entire movie. 

Nollen winds up the book with a chapter on other films based on the Burke and Hare story, while also mentioning other Robert Louis Stevenson adaptations that Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi were involved in. 

As one can surmise, there's plenty of info here, but the authors do not get bogged down in detail, and the book is a delight to read. (If anything, I thought some of the chapters were too short.) The book is filled with photos, including a number of stills from THE BODY SNATCHER that I had never seen before. Greg Mank provides a Foreword. 

Obviously, one's enjoyment of this book will depend on how much one appreciates THE BODY SNATCHER film. There's still plenty of things to attract interest here. This is a book that should get the attention of Karloff fans, film buffs, and those who love English Gothic literature and historical legend. 

Bear Manor Media has been publishing a number of great movie-related books in the past few years, and the Nollens' THE BODY SNATCHER joins the list. 

CROSSED SWORDS On Blu-ray From Kino

 

CROSSED SWORDS is a 1977 film adaptation of Mark Twain's story THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER. The movie was produced by the Salkind family, who were behind such films as the 1970s Three Musketeer series and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE. 

This is a title I had very little knowledge of, and it doesn't seem to have had made much of an impact when it was originally released. But it is a high-class, well-made, entertaining production, with plenty of first rate talents in front of and behind the camera. It deserves to be better known, and Kino Lorber has just released it on Blu-ray. 

Set in England at the end of King Henry VIII's reign in the middle 1500s, the story concerns Tom Canty (Mark Lester), a poor teenager who has to steal to live. Tom inadvertently blunders into the royal palace, where he encounters Prince Edward (also Lester), the heir to the throne. The two look exactly alike, and the Prince comes upon the idea of the duo switching identities as a jest. The boys wind up separated, and the Prince, in the guise of Tom, is kicked out of the palace, while Tom is forced to pretend that he is Edward. Out in the streets, Edward finds an ally in a soldier of fortune named Miles Hendon (Oliver Reed). Edward tries to convince Miles, and everyone else he comes into contact with, that he is the rightful heir to the throne, while Tom, stuck in the palace, finds to his dismay that the King has died, and he is being prepared for coronation. 

Considering who was behind CROSSED SWORDS, one might assume that the movie is along the lines of THE THREE MUSKETEERS and THE FOUR MUSKETEERS. But CROSSED SWORDS was directed by Richard Fleischer, not Richard Lester. The more overt humorous elements of Lester's Musketeers films are toned down here--Fleischer provides more of a classic Hollywood sensibility. CROSSED SWORDS does have some lighthearted moments, but it has a realistic tone. The sets and costumes are quite impressive, and there's stunning cinematography by Jack Cardiff, backed by a lively music score by Maurice Jarre.

There's a number of great guest stars here, and even though all their roles are relatively small, they still manage to make an impact. Ernest Borgnine plays Tom's cruel father, and Rex Harrison is the witty Duke of Norfolk. George C. Scott is a bandit chief, while Charlton Heston gives a particularly fine turn as the sickly, gout-ridden Henry VIII. The fine character actor Harry Andrews has a role as well, and Hammer Films fans will be pleased to know that Michael Ripper has a small but important part. One supporting player that merits special mention is Lalla Ward as Prince Edward's older sister Elizabeth, the future queen. 

The real stars of CROSSED SWORDS are Oliver Reed and Mark Lester. Lester is good in the dual role, but at times he seems overwhelmed by all the luminaries surrounding him. Reed gives what I think is one of the best performances of his film career as Miles Hendon. He totally gives his all in the role, throwing himself about with reckless abandon during the fight scenes. But his Miles isn't just a brawling lout--Reed gives him some unexpected depth. Miles has come back to England after a long absence as a mercenary only to find his conniving brother (played very well by David Hemmings) has taken over his inheritance and married his true love (Raquel Welch). Welch looks spectacular as always, but she really doesn't have all that much to do in the picture. 

CROSSED SWORDS looks magnificent on this Kino Region A Blu-ray--it's a colorful, clear transfer that shows off Jack Cardiff's talents. The sound is in mono, and there are times where the music comes off louder than the dialogue. 

Among the extras are a new interview with star Mark Lester. He has a number of stories about the production and his co-stars, and, as expected, he has plenty of anecdotes concerning Oliver Reed. An audio commentary prepared for this Blu-ray features Howard S. Berger, Steve Mitchell, and Nathaniel Thompson. The participants are enthusiastic, but they spend a lot of time discussing things other than the movie at hand. 

Kino has also seen fit to include what is described as the "international" version of CROSSED SWORDS, which is a few minutes longer, on this disc. Unfortunately this version is not in HD, and the visual quality is nowhere near as good as the main version. There's not a lot of difference in this international version, other than a few scenes being longer and a bit more plot detail. 

I was pleasantly surprised at how effective CROSSED SWORDS is, considering that it seems to not have much of a reputation. It's a classic historical adventure that can be watched by the entire family, without CGI excess and outlandish editing techniques. It's a great example of good old-fashioned expert storytelling, enlivened by a distinguished cast. I'm glad that Kino has given an unheralded gem like CROSSED SWORDS a major home video release. 

GODZILLA VS. KONG

 

I know what you are thinking--"Dan, there's no way you're going to like this movie. Why even write a blog post on it??" Well, it's what I do. 

The latest installment of the "Monsterverse"--or the "Monarchverse", or whatever you want to call it--pits Godzilla vs. King Kong. But there's a third party that the duo winds up dealing with. Some cult movie geeks might rejoice over this guest star, but that creature's realization here is, in my opinion, just as lacking as that of the main two monsters. 

The other films in this "Monsterverse"--the 2014 GODZILLA, KONG: SKULL ISLAND, and GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS, didn't impress me very much. What you got in those films--annoying human characters, lame attempts at humor, plenty of CGI battle spectacle--is what you get in GODZILLA VS. KONG. 

The mysterious and ominous Monarch Corporation has trapped King Kong on Skull Island for study. But another ominous corporation called Apex believes that the big ape can lead them to "Hollow Earth", deep under the ground, where all the giant monsters supposedly come from. (The Toho Studios idea that giant monsters were let loose by radiation and the folly of man does not apply here.) Godzilla and Kong somehow sense each other, and commence to brawling. Kong gets put down pretty hard in the first round, but he's able to lead the human characters to Hollow Earth, while Godzilla heads for Hong Kong to destroy Apex's secret weapon. A bunch of CGI destruction follows. 

This is a basically a summer popcorn movie, so one shouldn't take it too seriously. It would be nice, though, if some of the fun and inventiveness of the classic Japanese kaiju movies had been included here. Watching this film I was reminded of several other loud CGI fests, such as PACIFIC RIM, the JURASSIC PARK series, the TRANSFORMERS series, and...there's even a part of Hollow Earth that is reminiscent of LORD OF THE RINGS. 

King Kong is definitely the star of this film, and he looks far better than the 21st Century American Godzilla, who is far too ugly and too lacking in personality for my taste. As for the plot, there's no point in trying to analyze it, or you'll find yourself asking questions such as....why does King Kong wield a Kong-sized radioactive ax? And why does a massive and powerful corporation such as Apex have such weak security that it can be breached by a teenager and her two geeky friends??

GODZILLA VS. KONG does have a couple visual reminders to the 1962 KING KONG VS. GODZILLA. Other than that....I'd much rather be watching that 1962 film. 

WHAT A CARVE UP! (AKA NO PLACE LIKE HOMICIDE!)

 

The 1961 film WHAT A CARVE UP! (released in America as NO PLACE LIKE HOMICIDE!) belongs in a small mini-genre of British thriller spoofs made in the early 1960s. The other titles in this group are the 1962 THE OLD DARK HOUSE (made by Hammer, directed by William Castle) and THE HORROR OF IT ALL (directed by Terence Fisher). All three movies involve comedic leads dealing with a weird family living in a spooky remote old manor house. (CARRY ON SCREAMING could be also included in this group, but the plot of that film is very different.)

CARRY ON veterans Sid James and Kenneth Connor star as two friends who travel to a remote estate for the reading of Connor's late uncle's will. As expected, Connor's relatives are strange or suspicious-acting, and people start turning up dead. 

This movie does have an impressive cast. Donald Pleasence is the family solicitor, and playing family members are Dennis Price and Hammer veterans George Woodbridge and Michael Gwynn. Shirley Eaton provides the eye candy as the late uncle's nurse, and Michael Gough gets the best role as the butler. Gough is made up to look like Lurch from the Addams Family, and he shambles along with a limp and a zombie-like expression. Adam Faith, who was a English pop star at the time, shows up at the end for a cameo. 

One expects some entertainment just from the cast alone, but the script doesn't provide any. The story is made up of the same old dark house cliches most film buffs have seen numerous times. There's sliding panels, bodies appearing (and disappearing) unexpectedly, and characters acting weird just for the sake of it. Kenneth Connor is a cowardly klutz, while Sid James is a bossy smart-aleck. In this film the duo come off like an English Abbott & Costello (although nowhere near as funny or interesting). 

Despite all the various CARRY ON connections here, there's very little bawdy humor (the viewer is, however, treated to the sight of Shirley Eaton in her underwear). The "funny" business that is in this movie could easily be found in any episode of the average American TV sitcom made at the time. 

WHAT A CARVE UP! was produced by Robert Baker & Monty Berman, and this is one of their decidedly lesser efforts. The director of the film was Pat Jackson, who went on to helm a few episodes of the magnificent TV show THE PRISONER. Here Jackson seems ill at ease with comedy--the gags lack rhythm and pace. (The Three Stooges could have gone through all the situations in this movie in fifteen minutes flat.) 

English Gothic fans will want to see WHAT A CARVE UP! just for the cast alone, but the limp material doesn't measure up to the talents involved.