The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection DVD

Universal-International
Directed by John Huston
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Universal)

George C. Scott is a former UK intelligence man tasked by a wealthy friend to investigate why the names on a list are turning up dead. After his friend ends up dead as well, he is determined to find the killer. He ingeniously makes deductions from the slimmest of clues, eventually determining the identity of the wanted man. He lies in wait at a large estate for him to make his next move, hoping to save the life of a young boy who will be his next victim. It's all a lot of fun, as the audience is "in" on the killer the whole time, the tension built around whether or not Scott will catch him. Famous for a gimmick in which big name Hollywood stars make cameos in heavy makeup, at least they do for the final "unveiling" just before the credits, as there is some controversy as to whether or not they actually appeared in the other scenes. Regardless, like most gimmicks it is unnecessary to the film.

The Last Sunset (1961)

Kirk Douglas: The Centennial Collection DVD

Universal-International
Directed by Robert Aldrich
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Universal)

Kirk Douglas is on the run in Mexico, pursued by lawman Rock Hudson. They end up at a ranch owned by Dorothy Malone and her drunkard husband. Douglas and Malone are former lovers, and they try to rekindle their romance after her husband is killed in a saloon. They embark on a cattle drive back to Texas, where Hudson promises to bring him to justice. Along the way, they encounter various setbacks, Hudson falls for Malone and Douglas for her young daughter in an uncomfortable twist. Dalton Trumbo's screenplay occasionally waxes poetic, but loses its way somewhere during that dusty cattle drive.

Goodbye, Raggedy Ann (1971)

Goodbye, Raggedy Ann DVD

CBS
Directed by Fielder Cook
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, CBS/CreateSpace)

Floundering actress Mia Farrow lives in a small Hollywood apartment building while trying to find her next part. She is pursued by numerous men, including neighbor Hal Holbrook who is the only one who really cares about her. Their friendship keeps her going while she deals with the other men and suffers a nervous breakdown while trying to deal with her estranged parents back home. Well-acted made-for-TV movie, marred by a melodramatic, poor ending.

A Mighty Wind (2003)

A Mighty Wind [Blu-ray]

Warner Bros.
Directed by Christopher Guest
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(Blu-ray, Warner Bros.)

Christopher Guest focuses his satirical lens on folk music of the 1960s. It's an easy target. The son of a recently deceased folk "legend" organizes a tribute concert. There is a large group of harmonizing, eternally optimistic singers dressed alike in vests (The New Christy Minstrels); a smug, goofy trio (Kingston Trio); and finally a sweet couple in love (Ian and Sylvia). The impressions are dead-on, perhaps a little too much, and at times you could actually forget this is supposed to be satire. Harry Shearer's final scene in which he dresses as a woman seems a desperate try for laughs.

Rat-Trap (1982)

Directed by Adoor Gopalakrishnan
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

A well-off farmer lives in near-isolation with his two sisters. He lies around and lets the laborers do all the work, with his sisters responding to his every need. Visitors occasionally stop by, and a neighbor flirts with him, but he mostly stays to himself. The younger sister disappears one day, but he refuses to search for her, causing the older sister to fall mysteriously ill. She is eventually taken away by concerned neighbors, leaving him alone in the house in a harrowing ending. The slim plot allows plenty of time for reflection in this 2 hour film from India. It's not exactly riveting, but has its moments.

The Stars Look Down (1940)

The Stars Look Down DVD

Grand National Pictures (UK)
Directed by Carol Reed
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Hard-working coal miners in England go on strike to protest working conditions at the urging of the young, scholarly son of one of their own. The result is long months of hunger and pain, causing a mob to storm a local butcher shop. Later, the boy goes to college where he falls in love with a pretty, and ambitious, girl. Although she is in love with his best friend, she agrees to marry him. They live well off for awhile, until he loses his school teaching job, then she has an affair with her old flame who turned out to be rich. Meanwhile, a cave-in occurs at the mine, trapping several mean and leading to a frantic rescue attempt. An uneasy mix of melodramatics and disaster movie, though finely photographed at times by director Reed.

4 Clowns (1970)

Twentieth Century-Fox Film
Directed by Robert Youngson
My rating: 2.5 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(YouTube)

Compilation of clips from four silent comedy stars: Oliver and Hardy, Buster Keaton and Charley Chase. Narration and sound effects are added, and the clips are not restored. There are funny moments, of course, but I would much prefer to watch the original shorts and movies in their entirety without narration and with period appropriate music.

Baffled! (1973)

Baffled ! DVD

NBC
Directed by Philip Leacock
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb Wikipedia
(DVD, Scorpion Releasing)

Leonard Nimoy plays a race car driver plagued with visions. He rushes to England with his psychic friend to visit a castle in his visions. They get caught up in a complicated murder plot involving a woman, her teenage daughter and her ex-husband who may or may not be dead. The mystery is patently obvious and most of the enjoyment comes from unintentional laughs provided by the dated 70s decor. A pilot for a TV series that never materialized, and you can see why.

Rhinoceros (1974)

Rhinoceros DVD

The American Film Theatre
Directed by Tom O'Horgan
My rating: 3 stars out of 4
IMDb
(DVD, Kino)

Mild mannered accountant Gene Wilder begins to doubt his sanity as the people around him turn into rhinoceroses. Zero Mostel is his best friend who has a virtuoso scene turning into one of the beasts and wrecking his apartment. Wilder can barely keep it together. Karen Black is the office girl and love interest, but she too succumbs. Based on the "absurdist" play by Eugene Ionesco, it's an interesting intellectual exercise, since the animals are obviously figurative and not literal, raising the question what, exactly, do they represent? There are many answers, ranging from politics to religion, but perhaps the simplest is best: the "herd mentality" of following the crowd, as exemplified by Wilder's plea in the final scene.

Ludwig - Requiem for a Virgin King (1972)

Ludwig: Requiem for a Virgin King DVD

Directed by Hans-Jürgen Syberberg
My rating: 2 stars out of 4
IMDb
(YouTube)

A German king indulges in his personal desires taking little, if any, interest in affairs of the state. He sleeps during the day, keeps multiple lovers of both sexes and has an uneasy relationship with composers such as Richard Wagner. In the end, he becomes bored and rejects that lifestyle to sacrifice himself for the Fatherland, only to commit suicide. Long, episodic story is little more than a filmed play, with most of it taking place on a stage with elaborately painted backdrops. Fassbinder fans will recognize many actors from his usual company, and this feels very much like a Fassbinder work.