Film Review: IT SHOULD HAPPEN TO YOU (1954)

The always-charming Judy Holliday gives a brilliant performance in this romantic comedy from 1954. Produced four years after her career-making and Academy Award winning performance in Born Yesterday, Holliday proves (yet again) in It Should Happen to You that she was a force to be reckoned with. The fact that she's one of my favorite actors from classic films is no secret. As many have mentioned before, I will echo the sadness that her life ended way too soon (she died at the age of 43). It's a cinematic tragedy that she didn't make more movies. Here, Holliday plays fame-obsessed Gladys Glover, a down-on-her-luck woman who has recently been fired. To her luck (and his), Gladys meets a documentary filmmaker in Central Park named Pete Sheppard (played by Jack Lemmon in his first major screen performance). The plot focuses on Glady's climb to fame. Along the way, Gladys discovers that being famous is not as easy as it looks, experiencing many pitfalls in her humbling journey. While the theme of the film could be interpreted as a cautionary tale for a young woman wanting a career (instead of being content with being a homemaker), it is to Holliday's credit that the films says so much more, when director George Cukor gives her the space to do this. It's in her endearing performance that the audience feels her struggles: should Gladys conform or follow her dreams? Is wanting to be famous a bad thing? If the film is lacking anything it's the missed opportunity to change the outcome of the film by allowing Gladys Glover to thrive and succeed on her own and not make love a backup plan. Lemmon and Holliday have sweet chemistry and will have you rooting for their happy ending, despite the story possibilities of Gladys Glover's short brush with fame.

Wren Valentino

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Film Review: THE SCREAMING SKULL (1958)

A lot can be said about The Screaming Skull . Is it over the top? Yes. Is it a great film? No, not really. Is it fun to watch? Definitely. The concept of the movie is fairly simple: a second wife is a victim of gaslighting by her new husband who is guilty of murdering his first wife, who haunts everyone she can. This low-budget gothic horror film from 1958 was directed by Alex Nicol, who up to this point in his career was known for his work as Broadway actor. Peggy Webber, the star of the film whose performance is nothing short of brilliant, loathed the movie stating it made it her want to throw up after viewing it (because of the quality, not because of any gore). Yet, Webber is a power house in her role. Her considerable acting skills are demonstrated in scene after scene as her character Jenni Whitlock is convinced by those around her (including by herself) that her sanity is slipping. Playing the scheming, homicidal husband, John Hudson gives an equally impressive performance. Adap

Film Review: I SAW WHAT YOU DID (1965)

I love most films William Castle directed in his nearly forty year film career. This cinematic gem from 1965 is no exception. This low-budget no frills thriller is centered around a clever concept: two young woman prank call strangers one night leading them into a web of danger when they accidentally cause a murderer to panic when they inform him “I saw what you did, and I know who you are.” Believing what they say to be true, killer Steve Marak (played by a menacing John Ireland) is intent on finding the young women (played by Sara Lane and Andi Garrett who are believable as naïve high school friends, unaware of the consequences of their actions) to silence them. Castle knows how to create suspense on the screen. Here he gets the most out of a single idea, filling each connected moment with subtle terror before bringing us to the edges of our seats with a nail-biting ending. The film features Joan Crawford in a supporting role. Castle’s only misstep here is not making her part larger.

Film Review: THE MIDNIGHT STORY (1957)

This dramatic film noir from 1957 is a fun watch. The plot is pretty layered, allowing for a few nice twists along the way. The story centers around a San Francisco traffic cop intent on solving the murder of a priest who was a father figure to him. He goes undercover, falls in love with a female cousin of the suspect, and comes up with a strategy to get a confession. Thanks to the screenwriters (John Robinson and Edwin Blum), the film is more character-driven, rather than relying on action. The character development is rich here, demonstrated in the writers choice to give the cast of characters complicated lives, including those of the police officers involved in the murder case. The acting is top-notch, including one of Tony Curtis’ best performances. Marisa Pavan and Gilbert Roland also shine in their roles, each bringing an intensity and beautiful desperation to the screen. Filmed on location in San Francisco, director Joseph Pevney keeps the story moving forward at a great pace. A

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