"My Man Godfrey" is a screwball comedy about a socialite who hires a homeless man to be her family's butler, only to fall in love with him, much to his consternation. The humorous screenplay by Eric Hatch and Morrie Ryskind was well-directed by Gregory La Cava, [..]
Dodsworth (1936)
"Dodsworth" is a melodrama movie about how a wealthy businessman and his wife go on a cruise and discover they are not really happy with their marriage. Despite director William Wyler ("Glamour" 1934) putting together his usual glossy motion picture with good production values, this one is [..]
Camille (1936)
"Camille" is a romantic melodrama film about a young woman who rises from poverty to become the wife of a wealthy baron, but eventually fall in love with a younger man. Director George Cukor ("David Copperfield" 1935) put together this stylish drama that heavily relies upon [..]
Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
Director Frank Capra ("It Happened One Night" 1934) put together an enduring movie classic in "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town." It is a rags-to-riches story of small town resident Longfellow Deeds who inherits twenty million dollars from his uncle and must move to New York City [..]
The Old Corral (1936)
"The Old Corral" is a Gene Autry vehicle where the Singing Cowboy does plenty of crooning as well as saving a pretty girl from Chicago gangsters, as she was a witness to a murder. Autry's co-stars include Irene Manning, Smiley Burnett, Lon Chaney Jr., and the [..]
Swing Time (1936)
"Swing Time" is a musical-comedy film telling the story of a dancer with gambling problems who gets a severe case of the pre-marital jitters, and the bride and her father cancel the ceremony. The father gives him a second chance, with the drama, comedy, and musical numbers proceeding [..]
Death in the Air (1936)
"Death in the Air" is a murder mystery set in the aviation industry of the 1930's. It tells the story of an unknown lone airplane pilot who is shooting down planes, and officials are determined to catch him. They go through numerous plans they hope will reveal the [..]
The Petrified Forest (1936)
Humphrey Bogart became a big star by playing a criminal taking the patrons of a diner hostage in "The Petrified Forest." Director Archie Mayo crafted this fine film that has been a template for movies of this genre ever since. Screenwriters Charles Kenyon and Delmer Daves adapted it [..]
The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
The Best Picture of 1936 is....."The Great Ziegfeld." This biopic of Broadway producer Florenz "Flo" Ziegfeld Jr. got the full MGM treatment: Big stars, lavish sets, authentic costumes, and extravagant, full-blown musical numbers. It won three Oscars: Best Picture (Hunt Stromberg), Best Dance Direction (Seymour Felix), and Best [..]
The Courtship of Eddie’s Father (1963)
"The Courtship of Eddie's Father" is a romantic comedy about a widower finding himself the victim of matchmaking efforts by his nine-year-old son. Glenn Ford and Ronny Howard do an excellent job in the lead roles, superbly directed by Vincent Minnelli ("Meet Me In St. Louis" [..]