Thid is an incredibly moving and powerful movie. Yet the greatest emotional moments came from the smallest most understated moments. Like many great dramatic movies are realizing more and more these days, the greatest drama comes from the smallest things. In this movie our main character is dealing with a lot of things upon her return to Montana her abusive father is dying, her childhood horse is going to be put down and her relationship with her brother is very strained after she left. All of these stories are handled very maturely and intelligently and all of them are given just as much time and weight as they need. None of them feel rushed or are overpowered by the others. This movie is also not afraid to delve into the deeper themes each of these brings up and it does so in a way that will truly stay with you long after the film is over. Yet despite this the film never becomes a depressing dirge or a chore to sit through. There is a certain sweetness and hope hidden under all these dark themes, that one may not always be able to articulate but they can always feel. This is especially true in the sister and brother relationship, where even though their relationship has seemed better times, you can tell deep down these two still love and care for each other. This is helped by some truly great performances by Haley Lu Richardson and Owen Teague, who make these characters feel extremely real and who work great together. There are also some good comedic moments and while they are far from plentiful when they appear they are welcome and delightful. I feel like a sad movie can't simply be just a story that piles one depressing thing upon another, but luckily this movie doesn't do that and understands the need to balnce out some of the sadness with a certain amount of tenderness. This is also simply a breathtaking film to look at. Though this is not what one would typically call a western, this movie perfectly captures what is so beautiful and majestic about the American west. The movie also knows when to take its time. It is not a fast moving film, but it uses this to its advantage, creating an atmosphere and feel that could never be captured in a fast moving movie.
I will also say as a country music fan any movie that has Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson on the soundtrack has a very good chance of winning my heart.
Goodness gracious great balls of fire, that was an awesome movie.
From the opening flying montage (set to Danger Zone obliviously) it is obvious that this film fully understands why so many movie fans (myself included) love the first film. This is not to say however that the movie rests solely on nostalgia. This movie has its own story to tell and it is a darn good one. Though the story may follow all the familiar beats, it never feels like it is going through the motions and there are times when the story is told so well, you forget what the formula these movies follow is and you start to doubt what will happen next. This is a true sign of great storytelling. I especially love the way Maverick is handled here. He has in some ways matured since the character we have seen in this first film, yet he is still very clearly the character that we have come to love. While he has grown up and now knows how to better control and deal with his emotions (let us be honest with where he was at in the first movie he could not have been an instructor), however he still clearly has his rebellious streak and constantly finds himself in trouble with his superiors. The true heart of the movie is the relationship between him and Goose's now adult son. He sees so much of himself in this younger self in this character and just as people had trouble getting to him in the first film, he can not get true to this character he truly cares about. This is so well handled and it gives some emotional weight to this action packed story. Another scene that works incredibly well here emotionally is the scene involving his reunion with Iceman, which is more touching than any scene in a Top Gun movie needs to be. On the action side this film is fantastic. Rather than CGI this movie uses more practical effects (many of the cast members went through training to do their own flying scenes) and the film is all the better for it. These scenes are breathtaking and this is a part where this movie may even outdo the original. Of course the humor is very important to a Top Gun movie and this film can be really darn funny and you could certainly hear the laughter in the movie theater I was in. Also while this movie has many wonderful call backs to the first film (my favorite being the return of Great Balls of Fire), there is no need to see the first movie to follow or enjoy this film and I hope that this picture makes many who haven't seen the first one to try it out.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the Pioneers with He Walks with the Wild and Lonely. This song was written by Bob Nolan, one of the founding members of the group and one of my personal favorite songwriters. When in a 1979 interview fellow cowboy singer and songwriter Stuart Hamblen asked Bob what he thought the best song he had written was, Bob answered that it was quite possibly this song. He explained why stating, "The lyrics and the music were so perfectly wed that I just couldn’t improve on it." For Memorial Day and to remember those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for this wonderful country up next is The Statler Brothers with More Than a Name on a Wall. For anyone who has never been to Washinton D.C. and seen the wall, it is a truly emotional experience that affects you in ways you cannot explain. The Statler Brothers weren't the only ones to sing about the wall. George Jones also sang a beautiful song entitled, 50,000 Names Craved in the Wall. This is followed by The Petersens with I Know Who Holds Tomorrow. Up next is Stuart Hamblen with My Religion's Not Old Fashioned. Hamblen was one of radio's great singing cowboys starting in the 1920's and as well as his career on radio he would even appear in a few western movies. However, at this time he was living anything but a Christian life. He drank, got into fights and often found himself in jail. In 1949 he would give his life to Christ at a Billy Graham Crusade. This would lead to a complete change within him, and he would give up drinking and live for Christ. His career would change as well, he would start writing gospel songs (including This Ole House and It is No Secret (What God Can Do)) and he would start a Christian radio show called, The Cowboy Church of the Air. After wards is Roy Rogers with What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Despite being Joseph Medlicott Scriven's most famous composition, when he made a collection of his writings entitled Hymns and Other Verses it did not appear. It has been assumed that the reason for this is that he probably wrote it for his mother when she was sick and not for the public. It is believed that it is through his mother that the hymn reached the public. It first appeared in 1865's Social Hymns, Original and Selected credited as anonymous. Now for Charley Pride with The Church in the Wildwood. Today's musical selection ends with a song that is perfect for Memorial Day with Trace Adkins with Arlington.
Today's movie trailer is for one of the all-time classics, John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962).
Now for a message from the Reverend Billy Graham.
This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. John 15:12-13
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 4:14
The memory of the righteous is blessed, but the name of the wicked will rot. Proverbs 10:7
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. Psalm 116:15
So it is your duty to pay all the taxes and fees that they require and to respect those who are worthy of respect, honoring them accordingly. Romans 13:7
For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12
For God has not destined us to experience wrath but to possess salvation through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. He gave his life for us so that we may share in resurrection life in union with him—whether we’re awake or asleep. Because of this, encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11
No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father. John 10:18
When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai, you are hidden in the strength of God Most High. He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me, the only God for me, and my great confidence. He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy, and he will protect you from false accusation and any deadly curse. Psalm 91:1-3
Thanks for joining me, come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
I confess I have never actually seen an episode of this show. However, I will take a guess and say this is about the quality of a middle of the road episode. There is nothing here that is spectacular or that will make a newbie like me an instant fan. Still it is an entertaining trip to movies and would have been a serviceable TV episode. What really worked here is the characters and the fact that the relationships between them worked so well. Underneath all of the quirky comedy, this is a rather sweet movie and the emotional parts work surprisingly well. Louise's character arc also works quite well in this film. For the most part the story is fine, but doesn't feel like it justifies being feature length. This feels like a long TV episode and would have worked much better with a shorter runtime. This movie feels very padded and would have worked better as a two part TV episode. This is not to say it is all bad. While very small scale the story line would have felt just right on TV and works well enough here. Still the pacing of the storyline can make it drag in a way that a quicker moving TV episode wouldn't. The humor can be hit and miss. The film wants to throw jokes at us constantly, which is something that is very difficult to pull off with a feature length. Admittedly some of it works very well here. The best humor was actually the most low key. I really enjoyed the little asides from the kids and many of them really made me laugh. However many of the quirky and more over the top jokes just simply fell flat for me. The worst part of the movie though was the musical numbers. They felt pointless, didn't really add anything to the film and are the type of songs you forget about not long after listening to.
All in all this gives you an enjoyable trip to the movies but little more.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today’s cartoon selection starts off with Three For Breakfast (1948). This movie is one of director Jack Hannah’s cartoons where he puts Donald Duck against Chip and Dale. Hannah had a gift for comedic timing and many of the Disney films that he directed were excellent slapstick outings. This film is a clear example of that and is simply a really funny cartoon. This film would make its TV debut on an episode of the Disneyland TV show entitled The Donald Duck Story (1954).
Up next is Tweety's first appearance in a cartoon, A Tale of Two Kitties (1942). Sharp eyed viewers may notice that Tweety is not yellow in this film, but pink. Since he was a newborn baby bird, it made sense for him not to have feathers. According to director Bob Clampett, he based the character off of a nude baby photo of himself. Tweety already has his famous line, "I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat." According to animation historian Jerry Beck's book, I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety, This line also originated with Bob Clampett when in the mid-1930's he wrote a letter to a friend on MGM stationary. Next to Leo the MGM lion, Clampett drew a small bird with a word balloon with "I think I taw a titty-tat." Instead of Sylvester Tweety is here pitted against two cats named Babbit and Catstello. As should be obvious by the names, these cats were a take off on the infamous comedy team Abbott and Costello, who had just made their movie debut just a couple years earlier in One Night in the Tropics (1940). The voice of Catstello was provided by the man of a thousand voices, Mel Blanc (who also voiced Tweety) and Babbitt was voiced by writer Tedd Pierce. A reviewer in Showman's Trade Review was very impressed with these voices stating, "Either the famous comedy pair furnished the accompanying dialogue themselves or the impersonators are the last word in perfection." Though they would not catch on the way Tweety did, these characters would reappear in other cartoons. Some of these cartoons would even feature the duo as mice instead of cats. They would appear with Tweety much later in a 1998 episode of the TV show, Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries. This cartoon was reissued to theaters in 1948, the year Abbott and Costello released their most popular movie, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein (1948).
Up next is Willie Whopper in Play Ball (1933). The basic storyline for this movie is quite similar to the later Looney Tunes cartoon, Baseball Bugs (1946). Here Willie is watching a baseball game and brags that he could beat the home team easy, and with this he finds himself dragged into the game. Both cartoons also have a gag involving the Statue of Liberty. Willie Whopper was the second starring character to come out of Ub Iwerks' own cartoon studio. The first character is Flip the Frog, who did not prove to be that popular and had to be replaced. Unfortunately, Willie did not catch on with audiences either and his movie career only lasted 13 short films. Before leaving to make cartoons for his own studio, Ub had worked at Disney playing an incredibly important role in the Disney shorts of the 1920's and early 30's. He even played a large role in the creation of Mickey Mouse. After his own studio work did not pan out, he returned to Disney where he would do special effects work on many of the Disney's best feature films.
Next we join Dudley Do Right in Faithful Dog.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next up is Popeye in Assault and Flattery (1956). This movie is a cheater and reuses clips from the previous Popeye cartoons, A Balmy Swami (1949), How Green Is My Spinach (1950) and The Farmer and the Belle (1950). Though this is a cheater the new footage is actually pretty good and actually outshines much of the reused footage, some of which is not from Popeye's best cartoons.
Next comes a delightful silent short, The Original Movie (1922). This movie was directed by Tony Sarg, who also co-wrote and co-animated the film with Herbert M. Dawley. This short was part of a series of films entitled Tony Sarg's Almanac, which ran in movie theaters from 1921to 1923. These films comedically and satirically traced the origins of many parts of modern life back to the Stone Age, predating The Flintstones by decades. Tony Sarg's most popular creation was outside of the realm of cinema. He had long been interested in puppets and put on elaborate and beloved puppet shows of the era. This would lead him to creating the balloons for the 1928 Macy's Thanksgiving Parade. He thought of these balloons as upside down marionettes. These types of balloons have become one of the most beloved parts of the parade and still play a major role today.
There were many themes that were repeated through the run of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies cartoons (probably the most famous being one character chasing another). One of these themes that was used quite a bit in the 1930's and 40's was the idea of books coming to life. A top notch example of this theme is in the Frank Tashlin directed short, Have You Got Any Castles? (1938). This film featured one book related pun after another, creating the sense of pure energy that was so prevalent in all the best Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies. This short features quite a few delights for movie fans as most of these books had been turned into films by this time and so the literary characters are often caricatures of the stars in those movie versions. The title song in this cartoon was a hit just a year earlier when performed by Tom Dorsey. The song was written by Johnny Mercer and Richard Whiting (the team that wrote Too Marvelous For Words). The following is an exhibitors review from The Motion Picture Herald, " HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES: Merrie Melodies —A swell little cartoon in color. Another smash hit, very clever and it impressed me as it did the older people. Kiddish enough for the kiddies. Yet to under- stand it. it would get a real laugh from the older folks. Running time, seven minutes.—Pearce Park- hurst, State Theatre, Torrington, Conn. General patronage." The following is another, "HAVE YOU GOT ANY CASTLES: Merrie Melodies - To sit down and watch these cartoons is like watching something in line of a miracle. You can't beat them. This is a knockout. Running Time: eight minutes. - George Khattar, Casino Theatre, Whitney Pier, Sydney, Nova Scottia, Canada, General Patronage." This cartoon was reissued to theatres in 1947.
Let us close with a song.
Resources Used
Program Notes for the DVD boxset, Treasures from American Film Archives by Scott Simmon
Hello fellow movie lovers, I have wonderful news. I have recently found out that some of the wonderful old movie comedy shorts are back on TV at a regularly scheduled time. On the TV channel, ME-TV plus there is a two-hour block of these classic films called Comedy Classics. Unfortunately, it airs late at night. It airs all weekdays at 10pm Pacific and 1am Eastern. This time is far from ideal, I would certainly prefer an earlier time, when kids could watch, and I never have to record if I work early the next day. However, I also can't argue that this is a huge step in the right direction towards what many of us movie fans having been asking for, for quite a while now. The program only consists of three of the classic short subject series, The Three Stooges, Our Gang (also known as The Little Rascals) and Laurel and Hardy. However, as a huge fan of all three of these series, this is a fantastic selection and it makes me smile to watch TV and hear the Laurel and Hardy theme playing. If you can stay up late enough or don't mind recording, these two hours are a real treat for movie fans.
As this film started, I became sure I wasn't going to like it. The jokes didn't come off as that funny, the plot seemed to be going through the motions and the dialogue came off as forced. This seemed like the type of Christian film, that many people who don't watch Christian cinema think all Christian movies are like. However, despite this really rough start, as the movie went on, I found myself really enjoying it. I was glad that I stuck with this movie. Everything got better as the film went on. The humor was funnier, the characters felt more real, and the drama became more effective. At first the characters come off as bland stereotypes such as the bickering married couple and the perfect Christian family that makes others feel inferior. However, they turned out to be more than this. Our main family has a really sweet relationship with each other and even though they have hit hard times, you can tell they really care about each other. The husband and father may be constantly working and focusing on work related issues, but he is not purposely neglecting his family for work. He feels he is doing this for them, even if what they want from him is something else. The seemingly perfect Christian family is far from perfect. This is a great reminder for us Christians (I am grateful to call myself a Christian), that even for those of us who have walked with the Lord for a while and outwardly seem to have it all figured out, are still sinners in need of a savor. We all have times where we fail or even do things that we know morally are not right. As this movie shows sometimes the Lord will send those who look like they need more help, here to help those who look like they have it all figured out. This movie sends important messages like these to us in a way that does not feel simplified or sugarcoated. As a Christian, despite any faults I find with this film, this makes me grateful this film exists and for the people who made it. The humor can be hit or miss. There are times (especially towards the start of this movie and the scenes with the Bigfoot trackers) where the humor falls completely flat. However, there are also times when the humor can be quite funny and by the end I was surprised by the amount of times I laughed watching this movie.
This film may not be perfect by any means, but what works does work very well.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1947 recording of The Sea Walker. This song was written by Tim Spencer, one of the group's founding members. Music was a major part of Tim's life from very early on. In fact when he was only 3 years old he was already singing at the church he grew up in. His love of things cowboy and western related also began very early as he had grown in awe of western movies and screen cowboys like Tom Mix, Hoot Gibson, William S. Hart and others were his boyhood heroes. With this it is no surprise that in 1931, he went to California to see how his talents could be used in Hollywood. Yet music always remained a major passion for him. As he worked in a warehouse, he would spend his weekends and time after working going around to all the country music radio shows, getting to know all the people he could. This is how he met fellow founding members of the Sons of the Pioneers, Bob Nolan and Leonard Slye (later Roy Rogers). The Sea Walker as well as being written by Tim also features him as the lead singer. The great Bass vocals in this song are courtesy of Hugh Farr. This is followed by Jerry Lee Lewis singing the gospel classic, What a Freind We Have in Jesus. Just a few days ago The Killer was introduced into The Country Music Hall of Fame and all I can say is that it is about darn time. Though many of you may think of Jerry Lee as a rock and roll wild man, he has recorded just as much (if not more) country music as he has rock and roll and has certainly left a strong imprint on the country music artform. Now comes Connie Smith singing . When God Dips His Love in My Heart. This hymn was written by Cleavant Derricks a minister from Cattsnooga, Tennessee, who spread the gospel throughout the mid-south. The hymn was published in 1944 by Otis McCoy for The Church of God's Tennessee Music and Printing Company (in Cleveland, Tennessee). Other songs written by him include Just A Little Talk With Jesus, My Soul Is Satisfied and We’ll Soon Be Done With Troubles And Trials. Despite writing such well known hymns, Derricks didn't receive royalties from them. When he meet Aaron Brown from Canaan Records, Brown learned about this. Brown contacted BMI, a company that represents songwriters and BMI would give Derricks $14,000. Next comes Tex Ritter with one of the all time great story songs, The Deck of Cards. Afterwards is Tammy Wynette with Womanhood. The protagonist in this song, when she finds herself tempted and struggling, she turns to God in prayer. This is important for us to remember that whenever we are unsure of what to do and feel lost and tempted, prayer should be our first response. Often times it sadly isn't for many of us and therefore many of us fall into the temptation. I will admit this is something I have done and a lesson I need to remind myself of sometimes. Now it is time for the King of the Cowboys and the Queen of the West, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. Here they sing Have You Read the Bible Today? This is the B-side of a Little Golden Record released in 1955. The A-Side was The Bible Tells Me So. Today's music selection ends with Glen Campbell singing Where Could I Go But to the Lord.
Today's movie trailer is for another classic John Ford film, My Darling Clemintine (1946).
Showman's Trade Review, 1947
Next is a sermon by Pastor Greg Laurie.
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven..." Matthew 7:21
He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5
Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:6
Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:18-19
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jeremiah 29:11
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. John 14:6
Thanks for joining me come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another selection of classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Mouse-Taken Identity (1957). This was the 11th film pitting Sylvester against Hippety Hopper. All these cartoons follow the same basic plot with Sylvester mistaking baby kangaroo Hippety for a giant mouse. Like all the films in this series, the cartoon was directed by Robert McKimson. Hippety would only appear in two more short films after this.
Now we join Donald Duck, Chip and Dale in Working for Peanuts (1953). This short film was directed by Jack Hannah, which is no surpise as at this period, Hannah was both the main director of Donald Duck and Chip and Dale cartoons. The film would be featured in an episode of the Disneyland TV show (by that time retitled, Walt Disney Presents) entitled This is Your Life, Donald Duck (1960).
Now for a later day Betty Boop cartoon, Service With a Smile (1937). This film is in my opinion one of the best of the post-code Betty Boops. Around this time Betty (like Mickey Mouse at Disney) was becoming a supporting character in her own cartoons. The best of these cartoons with her as a supporting character were the ones featuring that kooky inventor Grampy. He was such a charming and fun character and he lead to some of those very clever invention gags that the Fleischer Brothers excelled at.
Motion Picture Daily, 1938
Up next is the first Dudley Do-Right cartoon, The Dis-loyal Canadians (1961).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes one of the most famous and important of Disney's Silly Symphonies cartoons, Flowers and Trees (1932). This film was the first Silly Symphony in color and it is obvious that even from this first attempt the Disney cartoons had a mastery of color in a way few film would ever reach. Walt knew that color was not just a novelty or a way to make films look pretty but could be a vital part of storytelling. The colors in these cartoons often added to mood of the scene in a way an audience can feel. Walt was alone in believing Technicolor would help boost the quality of his cartoons and many tried to talk him out of it but as was always true of Walt, he stuck with his instinct and it paid off. The short received much praise (including an academy award) and it still remains a great cartoon to this day. Walt signed a contract with Technicolor for three years, giving them exclusive right to the process in the field of animation. This is why some of the other studios would soon use less famous and less effective color processes for their cartoons of this period. The cartoon itself was directed by Burt Gillett, who would soon direct the most famous Silly Symphony, The Three Little Pigs (1933). J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's book, Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series states, "David Hand animated most of the film, partly by himself and partly with apprentices." David Hand would later be supervising director on the Disney features, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and Bambi (1942). The following is a short article from The Film Daily (dated Sept. 17, 1932), "As a result of the tremendous reception at the Grauman's Chinese in Los Angles and the Roxy in New York of the first Silly Symphony, in natural color, Walt Disney, its creator says all the Symphonies released this year by United Artists will be done in Technicolor and that later the Mickey Mouse may also be photographed in natural color. The first Silly Symphony in Technicolor 'Flowers and Trees,' was in the nature of a feeler. It was made to touch [sic] out the public reaction to color in an animated short feature. After the first showing in Hollywood, in conjunction with MGM's 'Strange Interlude,' Disney had decided that he hit upon one of his most popular moves. Sid Grauman also was highly enthusiastic about 'Flowers and Trees.' The same thing happened at the Roxy. And now the second Silly, 'King Neptune' will have its premiere at the opening of 'Mr. Robinson Crusoe,' Douglas Fairbanks new feature, at the Rivoli next Wednesday."
Now we join Flip the Frog in The Village Barber (1930). The only person credited on this film is Ub Iwerks, someone who Disney fans should be quite familiar with. His work with Walt Disney (the two basically co-created Mickey Mouse) on the early Mickey Mouse and Silly Symphonies cartoons, as well as the Oswald the Lucky Rabbit shorts and Alice Comedies, helped shape Disney animation and to fully state his impact on Disney history is impossible. Yet he would be lured away from Disney to head his own cartoon studio, where he would make this film. After his own cartoon series didn't catch on with the public the way his Disney work had, he wound up back at Disney. There he did special effects for such Disney movies as The Three Caballeros (1944), Song of the South (1946), 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954), and Mary Poppins (1964). He even worked on some episodes of Disney's TV children's show, The Mickey Mouse Club (1955-1958). Away from Disney, he did special effects work on Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963).
The Film Daily, 1931
Now it is time for a silent Jerry on the Job cartoon, A False Alarm (1920).
Today's cartoon selection ends with Popeye in Bride and Gloom (1954).
Thanks as always for joining me and come back next week for another selection of classic cartoons.
Resources Used
Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies: A Companion to the Classic Cartoon Series by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman
Note: This film is only available to watch on Disney+
Michael's Movie Grade: B+
A really fun movie based off of the Disney Afternoon TV show.
This film is first and foremost a comedy and that is where it really worked. This is Disney at their silliest and most satirical and as someone who has always loved that side of Disney, that was a pure delight. This film takes a satirical look at the TV show and at Hollywood reboots. Yet unlike many similar revivals of cartoon series that tried to do the same thing, this works because there is no mean spiritedness and the appreciation for the source material is truly felt. You can make fun of something while still truly loving it and that is what happened here. It doesn't hurt that the jokes are very smart, clever and the satire works very well. I came into this movie not excepting to laugh anywhere near as much as I did. The film made me wished it was released in theaters because a comedy as funny as this should be seen with an audience. The jokes come fast and are plentiful, yet the majority of them land very well. Many of these jokes come directly from the characters, which is always a plus. Though Chip and Dale's voices sound extremely different (I'd be lying if I said it didn't take me time to get used to them), they are still the characters we Disney fans have grown to love and the "odd couple pairing" (to quote this movie) works extremely well here. Much of the rest of the humor comes from cameos from many cartoon stars (both Disney and not) and movie characters. While this could have seemed distracting, they are actually worked quite well into the story and most of them are quite funny. Fairly early on we meet a certain video game/movie character in one of the funniest cameos, I have seen in a very long time. Over the course of the picture, we get a huge selection of these cameos that range from the most popular proprieties to ones that are there for the amateur Disney and animation historians. Like respect was shown for Chip and Dale themselves, it is obvious that the filmmakers are passionate about the film and TV history they are parodying, even they do get their all too true satirical jabs at Hollywood and the modern movie industry. Probably the strongest satire comes from the villain of the piece (whose identity makes me amazed Disney allowed them to do this). This is where the film gets it harshest but hardest biting satire at a part of the movie industry that truly deserves it. His evil plan is so funny and delightfully satirical that it alone would make this movie worth watching.
As funny as this film is, I admit that the storyline is very familiar, and you know where it is going at any minute. The fact that the movie itself pokes fun at this makes it no less true. After the villain's reveal, I could simply guess everything else that would happen in this mystery. Meanwhile the character arcs that Chip and Dale go through all the same that so many characters in similar movies have and it could feel a bit like a step for step following of that formula. I will admit it worked better here than in some other films that did the same thing, simply because these characters are so likable. None of this means the story is bad though, it works pretty well actually, but it is still something we have seen many times before. Meanwhile many of the supporting characters we simply not very interesting and walking cliches. None of this takes away from how simply funny the movie is though.
Despite any faults though this is an excellent movie and something I will highly recommend to any fans of Disney or cartoons.
The Outlaws is Coming is the last feature film, The Three Stooges ever made, and it was certainly a high note to go out on.
The crew behind the scenes on this film include some who had worked on other Stooges films of the 1960's. These included writer-director-producer Norman Maurer (also Moe's son in law), who had worked on the past few Stooges feature films starting with The Three Stooges Meet Hercules (1962). With that film he was a writer and producer. With The Stooges previous movie, The Three Stooges Go Around the World in a Daze (1963), he would move to the director's chair. The Outlaws is Coming was the second and last time he directed one of the Stooges features though he would go on to direct the Stooge TV pilot, Kook's Tour (1970). After his brief directorial career, he would become a writer for Hanna-Barbera cartoons. He would appropriately write the episodes of The New Scooby-Doo Movies (1972-1973) where the Mystery Inc. gang would meet the Stooges. He would also create the short lived TV series, The Robonic Stooges (1978) and would write episodes of Scooby's Laff-A Lympics (1977-1979), which would feature the voice of former Stooge Joe Besser. Also returning on this movie was co-writer Elwood Ullman. Ullman had co-written the four Stooges feature films that directly preceded this one . He started writing for The Stooges in 1937 and had written many of the trio's best short films starting in the Curly era and ending in the Joe Besser era (his last Stooges short was Guns a Poppin! (1957)). The Stooges were not the only comedy team Ullman wrote for. He also wrote for Martin and Lewis (The Stooge (1951)), Abbott and Costello (Lost in Alaska (1952)), Ma and Pa Kettle (Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki (1953)) and The Bowery Boys (The Bowery Boys Meet the Monsters (1954), Jungle Gents (1954), Bowery to Bagdad (1955), High Society (1955), Jail Busters (1955), Spook Chasers (1957)). He had also been a writer on Elvis Presley's most slapstick movie, Tickle Me (1965). Also returning from the previous Stooge feature films of the 1960's was composer Paul Dunlap. Irving Lipman had been the cinematographer for the directly previous Stooge feature film and had also shot some of the trio's short films from the late 1950's.
Norman Maurer remembered this being one of the easiest times he ever had selling a script. "I was riding an elevator in Columbia's New York office when Leo Jaffe, the company's chairman of the board, saw the cover artwork on my script outline for The Three Stooges Meet the Gunslingers [the working title for this film]. He looked at it and said, 'That's funny! Let's make this picture.'"
In this movie Boston newspaper editor, Kenneth Cabot (Adam West) is sent out west to stop a slaughter of buffalos. For this mission he is accompanied by three clumsy and accident-prone printers (who the publisher simply wanted to get rid of). On this mission the foursome become the target of nearly every gunslinger in the west. Luckily they have some help from Annie Oakley (Nancy Kovac).
You read that story desciption right. The boys co-star with the great Adam West in this film. A year after this movie, Adam West would become TV's Batman and would go down in pop culture history (desrvedly) as an icon. West's career as Batman would not end with the 1966-1968 live action TV series. He would voice the character in various TV cartoons including Filmmation's The New Adventures of Batman (1977), Hanna-Barbera's SuperFriends: The Legendary Super Powers Show (1984), The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians (1985). The last of those shows listed would feature the first time the death of Bruce Wayne's parents would be addressed in an animated cartoon. He would also do guest voices for various Batman TV cartoons such Batman: The Animated Series (1992-1995), The Batman (2004–2008) and Batman: The Brave and the Bold (2008-2011). He returned to the role of Batman in the delightful direct to video movies, Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders (2016) and Batman vs. Two-Face (2017). Besides Batman his other best known character is the mayor in Family Guy (1999-present). He had only the best of things to say about working on The Outlaws is Coming, "The Outlaws IS Coming. What a wonderful experience! Our first meeting at the Columbia ranch, one morning quite early, and I went in to makeup and got on my western duds and came out in the street. And I saw Larry Fine sitting in a chair and I think his wife was yelling at him about something. Actually, the guys were very serious off camera, their demeanors. They were very serious artists in their own way and I was surprised how quiet they were in respect to their screen personae.
I think the funniest little incident of the picture that I remember, the main thrust of the plot was that we were trying to save the buffalo and I was the young lawyer from Boston and we had the same interests and that's how we got together. So we spent the movie trying to save the buffalo. The wrap party at the end of the movie and Moe says, 'Ok, everyone's invited to my place in Bel Air for a buffalo barbecue!' And that sort of typifies these three restless knights. I never really spent much time with them away from the set. People don't do that often in Hollywood, you know, you're doing a series and you spend eighteen hours a day with people and you just kind of want to get away from them, it's probably more helpful that way. I wanted to go home with the Stooges every night, but they wouldn't let me!"
Out of all the later day Stooge feature films, this is probably the one that most closely resembles their classic short films. The storyline takes second place to the slapstick and satire and there is nothing too silly to happen in this movie. Like the short films, this movie is simply a live action cartoon and what more could one want from a Stooge film. This is apparent even before The Stooges first appear on screen. The film opens with the clever idea of an outlaw blasting away the letters in the opening credits. This is followed by some great narration (by Paul Frees, voice of Ludwig Von Drake (Donald Duck's uncle) and Boris Badenov (the evil spy from Rocky and Bullwinkle), as well as the Ghost host for Disneyland's Haunted Mansion ride) that delightfully parodies TV westerns of the day. As soon as The Stooges appear they start taking place in the classic slapstick that made their short films so popular. It is also important to note that as soon as The Stooges appear, they become the center of attention for the film. While there are a couple side-plots, they truly take a backseat to The Stooges' wackiness and this Stooge fan couldn't love that more. The jokes come fast and furious in this picture and many of them are quite funny. Watching this movie keeps a smile firmly planted on my face for the entire runtime. As well as the slapstick, the satire is quite good and funny, especially for those familiar with TV westerns of this era. I also love how the side characters are quite zany on their own, as this is reminiscent of the best Stooges shorts. No wonder both Moe Howard and Norman Maurer considered this their favorite Stooge feature.
The following is from an issue of The Exhibitor dated December 16, 1964. "Tom Powers, city manager, Cinema Arts Theatres, announced that the world premiere of The Three Stooges latest comedy, 'The Outlaws is Coming,' will be held on Jan. 13 at the Texas [in San Antonio]. Formal ceremonies include a downtown parade and the premiere screening for local dignitaries. The show will be open to the public beginning Jan. 14. On hand for the premiere will be Moe Howard, Larry Fine and Joe De Rita, The Three Stooges. They are scheduled to arrive in Texas Jan. 11 to appear in Dallas and travel to Lost Valley Resort Ranch Inc., and Lost Valley Frontier Town near Bandera on Jan. 12." The following is from an issue of The Exhibitor dated January 27, 1965. "Richard Vaughn has announced that the next attraction at the Texas will be the Three Stooges in 'The Outlaws is Coming.' Tentative plans announced some time back for a world premiere of the film have been dropped for unannounced reasons." The following is from an issue of The Exhibitor dated January 27, 1965. "Bill Camfield, who appears on KTVT-TV in Fort Worth, Tx., as Icky Twerp, is seen as Wyatt Earp in the current motion picture featuring The Three Stooges, 'The Outlaws is Coming.' A multiple opening was held at 12 theatres in the Dallas area and two in the Fort Worth area." He was not the only TV hosts to be featured in this movie. As The Stooge shorts films had a revival in popularity due to be played on various kiddie shows on TV, the hosts of those kiddie shows would guest star as famous wild west figures in this movie. These included Officer Joe Bolton (Rob Dalton), Hal Fryar (Johnny Ringo), Johnny Ginger (Billy the Kid), Wayne Mack (Jesse James), Ed T. McDonnell (Bat Materson), Bruce Sedley (Cole Younger), Paul Shannon (Wild Bill Hickok) and Sally Starr (Belle Starr). Officer Joe Bolton had previously appeared in a bit role in The Stooges compilation feature film, Stop Look and Laugh (1960), as you can see below he also introduced many kids to The Our Gang (or Little Rascals) short films. These TV hosts are quite good in this movie playing the character with a real zaniness that I find hard to resist. I especially love the scenes with Johnny Ringo and Jesse James, the later of which cracked me up.
TV Radio Mirror, 1955
TV Radio Mirror, 1961
The Exhibitor, 1965
This film had 11 shooting days. Shooting began on Wednesday May 6, 1964 and continued straight to Friday May 8. After a weekend off, shooting resumed on Monday May 11 and continued to Friday, May 15. After another weekend off the shooting would continue from Monday May 18 to Friday May 22. The last day of shooting would be Monday May, 25. The scene with the US calvary riding to the rescue was reused from The Stooge short film, Out West (1947). The movie was shot at the Columbia Ranch (Stages 30, 32, 33) and at Bar-B-Buffalo ranch near Gilette, Wyoming. The movie would gross $1 million dollars at the box office. The film's title came from a promotion tagline for Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (1963), "The Birds is coming!"
Being a Stooge fan, I am so glad that they got to end their cinematic career on such a high note. This movie is a lot of fun and a pure Stooge film. After this the boys would voice themselves in a series of TV cartoons and would make a TV pilot, Kook's Tour (1970).
Resources Used
The Three Stooges Scrapbook by Jeff Lenburg, Joan Howard Maurer and Greg Lenburg.
An unpleasant and frankly hollow movie experience.
It seems I am alone in not liking this film, but I can find little to recommend about it. While it is admirable that this movie would openly talk about such a controversial topic as abortion, that does not make this a good film. I may be biased as I often (though not always) hate relentlessly depressing movies like this and I wouldn't be lying if I didn't say that that doesn't play a major role in me not liking the film. While I love a lot of films that have depressing and disturbing moments and even themes, movies that are simply one depressing moment after another for a whole feature length are simply painful and I frankly don't understand why anyone would want to subject themselves to such a thing. Also beyond that behind the depressing-ness of the film, there is little insight actually given. Abortion is something that is often openly discussed today (though not in movies) and there is nothing said here that we haven't heard or seen before. This movie tells us that women have a right to chose what they do with their body, illegal abortions not done by professional doctors are incredibly dangerous and unwanted pregnancy can make one a social outcast. This is especially a problem because the movie is also simply preaching to the choir. Pretty much the only people who are going to see it are those who already agree with it and I doubt if someone who disagreed would change their minds upon watching it, if they did. Meanwhile the people who agree with it will be given little that is thought-provoking or deep about it and instead simply receive a reassurance to what they already know. Therefore I can't understand why anyone would want to subject themselves to the unpleasantness of this film. This film has many scenes that are simply hard to even look and most of these scenes come off as completely gratuitous. These scenes all made me feel like walking out of the theatre upon viewing and after they were over I wish I had.
This film may be greatly praised but I can't picture anyone actually wanting to sit and watch it.
A very bland and boring addition to the Harry Potter franchise.
The main problem with this film is that is gives us no reason to care about anything that happens in it. The characters are as bland and boring as can be. None of them have the slightest bit of an actual personality outside of their function in the plot. Because the characters never felt real, there was never a reason to care what happened to them. The storyline is simply a big mess. This movie is nearly 2 and a half hours (though it feels longer) but would barely have enough of a story to work for an hour. Because of this for much of the film, the story meanders through boring filler and subplots that are impossible to care about. This does not mean when it focuses on the main story, it is any better. The main story is overly simplistic, cliché and often unintentionally silly. Worst of all this movie commits the ultimate sin for a fantasy movie, it makes it hard to buy into or care about the fantasy world it takes place here. There is simply no magic or awe to this world. Whatever faults any previous Harry Potter stories may have had, the imagination behind the world building will always admirable. Yet this factor is completely missing here, and the world has turned into a completely generic and boring fantasy world. Along with this the movie also suffers from an unfunny sense of humor and a lot of forced and overly expository dialogue. Even the action scenes were bland and boring.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Gene Autry singing The Last Roundup in a clip from the movie The Singing Hill (1941). This is followed by the Chuck Wagon Gang with their 1936 recording of Will You Meet Me Over Yonder. This recording was made only a year after the group was officially formed and their first year as professional recording artists. We continue with Hank Williams and his wife Audrey Williams' 1948 recording of I Heard My Mother Praying For Me. This song was credited to being written by Audrey Williams, yet on an episode of the Mothers Best radio show a few years later, Hank Williams introduced the song saying he wrote it. Audrey was very adamant about wanting to record some religious songs with her husband and kept bringing it up to Hank until Hank finally agreed and then convinced his manager Fred Rose. Though Audrey often gets a lot of criticism for her singing voice, the truth is it is not too bad here and their two voices match quite well on this duet at least. These gospel songs the two recorded together were heavily inspired by the husband and wife evangelists that both were very familiar with. Now it is time for Christian Southern Rock band, Third Day with their very catchy original Revival. This was the title track for their 2017 album, Revival. Next comes Charley Pride with Angel Band. The lyrics to this hymn come from an 18th century poem entitled My Latest Sun is Sinking Fast. In 1860, Hymnist J.W. Dadmun wrote music to this poem and published it in his song book, The Melodeon. However the tune we know today came was composed by William Batchelder Bradbury in 1862 and first appeared in the hymnal, Bradbury’s Golden Shower of S.S Melodies. There it was published under the title, The Land of Beulah. This is followed by Glen Campbell singing, O How I Love Jesus. Next is George Jones singing Precious Memories. This is a song that shows us how something beautiful can come out of something tragic. This song was written in 1925 by John Braselton Fillmore and came out of the death of his son three years earlier at the age of five. John would later state, "’Precious Memories’ was born in the midnight hours as I bathed by pillow with tears, likewise all my songs came through life’s severest tests.” Even though this song was and is one of the most popular hymns, Fillmore lived his life as a poor janitor struggling to get by. He would only get $36 for writing this song, not even much for the 1920's. Today's musical selection ends with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and The Sons of the Pioneers performing The Place Where I Worship.
Now for a movie trailer for one of the great western films.
To read the following page click on it and use your touch screen to zoom in.
Motion Picture Herald, 1956
Now for an interview with The Sons of the Pioneers.
Up next is the C.S. Lewis essay, The Necessity of Chivalry.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:18
It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. Luke 12:6-7
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Hebrews 4:16
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Isaiah 26:3
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20
Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved Romans 10:9
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester and Tweety in Tweet in Lovely (1959). This is one of my favorite Sylvester and Tweety films. Voice actor Mel Blanc would later write, "Sylvester has always been a favorite of mine. He's always been the easiest character for me to play. When I was show the first model sheet for Sylvester with his floppy jaws and generally disheveled appearance, I said to Friz Freleng, 'A big sloppy cat should have a big shthloppy voice. He should spray even more than Daffy.' While recording Sylvester cartoons my scripts would get so covered in sylvia I'd repeatedly have to wipe them clean. I used to suggest to actress June Foray, who voiced Tweety's vigilant owner Granny, that she wear a raincoat to the sessions."
Next we join another cartoon cat, Krazy Kat in The Little Lost Sheep (1939). This movie proves that Krazy Kat is in fact the world's greatest detective (with the exception of maybe Duck Tracy). Though this series was based off George Herriman's classic newspaper comic strip the Krazy Kat character here bares scant resemblance to the one in the comics. For one thing in the comics, Krazy's gender is a mystery but in the cartoons the character is clearly male.
Next we join our good friend Donald Duck in Straight Shooters (1947). This was an early Jack Hannah directed Donald Duck short. Hannah had directed four Donald Duck cartoons before hand; The Eyes Have It (1945), No Sail (1945), Light House Keeping (1946) and Frank Duck Brings 'Em Back Alive (1946). However Jack King had still been the main director of Donald's shorts. However Jack King would retire in 1947 and Jack Hannah would for the most part take over the series afterwards, directing many great Donald Duck shorts. Though this short film was originally created for movie theaters, it would later air as part of an episode of the Disneyland TV series entitled Duck For Hire (1957).
Next is the delightfully bizarre Aesop's Fables cartoon, Magic Art (1932).
Now time for a commercial break.
Next comes Betty and Bimbo in Jack and the Beanstalk (1931). One may notice that Betty here has longer ears than she would later have. That is because at first Betty was meant to be a humanized dog, but that idea would be abandoned, and she would just be human.
Now we join Dudley Do Right in Matinee Idol (1963). Jay Ward (head of the studio that made these cartoons) was very excited about these cartoons and told an interviewer, "I personally feel that the 'Dudley' episodes will be the big hit of the show, and I am using our best directors to help it off on the right foot."
Today's cartoon selection ends with one of Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedies, Alice in the Wooly West (1926). To compare this short with the earlier western Alice Comedy, Alice's Wild West Show (1924), show just how much the series had changed in just a couple years. The earlier short was basically a live action comedy with cartoon segments worked in. This film however delves right into the cartoon world and Alice is the only live action character. She was also clearly the star of the earlier short and here she plays a supporting role to Julis the Cat. Another change was in the actress who played Alice. In the earlier picture she was played by Virigina Davis, but by this movie she is played by Margie Gay. You may notice the Julis looks a lot like Felix. The reason for this was distributor Marget Winkler, who basically wanted Walt Disney to create another Felix for these films. Felix was the first real cartoon movie star and he created a sensation. Winkler had been the distributor of the Felix cartoons and many assume that she wanted Walt to use such a character as a way of keeping Pat Sullivan (producer of the Felix shorts) in check.
Resources Used
The Moose That Roared: The Story of Jay Ward, Bill Scott, a Flying Squirrel and a Talking Moose by Keith Scott
Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney by Russell Merritt and J.B. Kaufman I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat: Fifty Years of Sylvester and Tweety by Jerry Beck.
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
The following is an article from a 1938 issue of Silver Screen magazine. If you have any trouble reading click on any of the pages and use your touch screen to zoom in.
With movies like Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2017), Tomboy (2011) and Girlhood (2014), director/writer Céline Sciamma has proven herself as one of the finest current filmmakers. This movie may be one of her best. While it may be very intelligent, it is at the same time a really simple film. When you have the great idea of a young girl meeting her mother as a young girl and them becoming best friends, you don't need any complexities or plot twists or villains. Instead just watching this friendship unfold and see how the two interact with each other is fantastic. There is a real heart and charm to this relationship and many of the best scenes are the simplest. Céline Sciamma has a real talent from capturing the littlest moments in life. So much of the joy of watching this movie is in simply seeing all the little moments of childhood captured so perfectly. This involves the little things that kids do that many filmmakers don't even pay attention to. Watching them playing with their food or trying to make food themselves or building themselves a little hut. There is an unexplainable magic to seeing kids just be kids in a movie. This is not to say this movie does not delve into any deep questions though. This movie looks at the grief at the loss of a loved one and how this can effect the kids in the person experiencing that griefs life. The fact that this is viewed not from the point of view of the one experiencing the grief but instead her young daughter is brilliant and causes us to look at such a situation completely differently from how most films would. As it is viewed from the eyes of a child the look at this situation can feel simple, but in reality it is never dumbed down or simplified. Instead the dialogue doesn't directly discuss the physiological impact on the characters, but instead it is something we are forced to infer and think about for ourselves. Yet this look at grief does not take away from how charming and often funny so many of the little moments in this film can be. When this movie ended, it made me sad because I simply didn't want it to end. I wanted to live in this world and spend more time with the characters. That is truly a sign of a great film.
This is one of the finest family movies I have seen in theaters in quite some time, and if you love movies this film is simply a must see.
There are few words that describe this film better than charming. It is simply one of those movies that make you feel good as you are walking out. Much of this is due to our main character (Jim Broadbent). This is a character who it is impossible not to like. Even when he messes things up, he does it in the most likable and well-intentioned way that we forgive him without even thinking about it. It is also easy to admire his ability to always stand up for what he believes is right even if it will get him into trouble or even lose a job. The character is also vastly entertaining. He has a quick wit that can make both the other characters and the audience laugh. Some of his comments are truly hilarious and laughter filled the movie theater I was in. While the film may start out slow in the laugh department as it goes along the movie gets funnier and funnier until it is flat out hilarious. The climatic scene is especially funny. However this movie has a real heart to it as well the discussions about our main character's daughter who has passed hits you right in the heart. Meanwhile his relationship with his wife, while not perfect is truly heartwarming and you can easily tell how much these two care for each other beneath all their asides to each other.
On the downside, while our main character is very likable much of the supporting characters come off as bland stereotypes of movie characters with nothing interesting about them.
All in all this is simply a fun and charming movie.
This is sadly the last film for director Roger Michell, who passed away last year. His other movies include Notting Hill (1999), My Cousin Rachel (2017) and Venus (2006).
