Dial M For Murder

 Dial M For Murder is a clever little movie. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the movie is set in motion when we see Margot (Grace Kelly) and Mark (Robert Cummings) in a living room, talking about old times. We find out that they were once upon a time lovers, and Margot has married another man while Mark was away. The husband is Tony Wendice (Ray Milland) who is a old, has been, tennis player. It is unknown to Margot and Mark that Tony is fully aware of his wife's love affair, and is planning on killing her in order to gain her money and be rid of her.

Tony blackmails a old college acquaintance into killing Margot while he and Mark are conveniently at a party, away from the scene of the crime. He has every detail planned on how it is to be done, overlooking nothing. What Tony was not planning on, was Margot killing the intruder instead of it being the other way around! When Tony finds this out, he must quickly come up with a new plan before his secret is found out.

This movie is not Hitchcock's best film, in my opinion, but it still is a good watch due to the clever ending. I became intrigued watching this movie because I was waiting for the husband to make a mistake. Lie after lie he wasn't caught and I was amazing at how well things seemed to be turning out for him. Dial M For Murder was produced in 1954, and it won three awards.

Always,
Avery

Sources Used:
http://www.imdb.com
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The Wizard of Oz

Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are swept up into a tornado and land in another world. This world is know as the Oz. In order for Dorothy to go home, she must seek out the the Wizard of Oz (Frank Morgan) in Emerald City. On the way there, Dorothy meets a scarecrow (Ray Bolger) who needs a brain, so he too must ask the Wizard for a favor. As they follow the yellow brick road they meet a lion (Bert Lahr), and a tin man (Jack Haley). The tin man needs a heart, and the lion needs courage, so the group travels together to find the Wizard.

The group runs into trouble with the Wicked Witch of the West and her crazy flying monkeys. Dorothy finally makes it home after clicking her sparkly red shoes and saying "there is no place like home".

The Wizard of Oz is a fantasy world which creates fun for the viewers. The movie was made in 1939 and directed by Victor Fleming. It won two Oscars for best music and effects.

Always,
Avery

Sources Used:
www.imdb.com
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Its a Wonderful Life

 I felt like this would be the perfect movie for Thanksgiving. "It's a Wonderful Life" is a heart touching story about a man named George Baily,(James Stewart)and his life in his hometown of Bedford falls. The movie shows George's life growing up in the small town all the way until he becomes an adult.
George has done so much for the town, but when he falls on hard times, George wishes he never existed. An angel hears George and grants him his wish. When he walks back to town, Bedford Falls is a dirty trashy mess. Finally George realizes his mistake and understands how one person can make such a difference.

The film was directed by Frank Capra and produced in 1946. It was nominated for five Oscars and won five other awards.
This movie was shot in California, but something that is kind of cool is in the movie, there is a scene at a high school dance, where George meets his future wife, Mary Hatch (Donna Reed). In the scene, everyone is dancing and someone presses a button that makes the dance floor open up into a swimming pool. Every one dancing jumps in, and the high school this was filmed at was Beverly Hills High School in CA.

Always,
Avery

Sources Used:
www.imdb.com
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This is the High school where the swimming pool scene was shot.

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North by Northwest

This movie, I believe is Alfred Hitchcock finest accomplishment. If you like a good plot, talented actors, and films with wit and suspense, this is your answer.

In the film, Roger Thornhill (Cary Grant), becomes mistaken as a man named George Kaplan. Mister Kaplan was involved with some, shall we say, dangerous men, and is about to be "knocked off". When Grant tries to make since of this misunderstanding, he gets accused of murder and is wanted by the police and men he was already running from. Little does Grant know that he has just stepped into a web of lies laid out by the government to catch the bad guys. Thornhill never existed, but now Grant gets to play the bait for the government. By the end of the movie, Grant and his leading lady (Eve Marie Saint as Eve Kendell), are dangling from Mount Rushmore.

North by Northwest (1959) won several awards and was nominated for three Oscars. Starring Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in Alfred Hitchcock's best film.

Always,
Avery


Sources Used:
http://www.imdb.com

All About Eve

 A young aspiring actress wiggles her way into the tight circle of a famous actress, Margo Channing, (Betty Davis) and becomes her biggest fan. Eve (Anne Baxter) fallows Margo around, doing anything she wants or needs. Eventually she steals Margo's fans away and gains the trust of influential directors, play writes, and friends. Without Margo, Eve would have remain unnoticed.

All About Eve was produced in 1950 and won seven Oscars! The whit and humor is outstanding. I have watched this movie at least 5 times and I never tire of it. The acting is superb and the movie as a whole is wonderful.

Always,
Avery


Sources used:
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http://www.imdb.com

Sherlock Holmes Series

 There are 14 Sherlock Holmes films made ranging from the late 1930's though the mid 40's. Theses films are detective stories with Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes and Nigel Bruce as Dr. Watson. The duo solve mysteries together with suspense and trickery though out the films. Holmes is very observant and can often catch a person telling a lie just by looking at his clothes. Dr. Watson is a bit gullible and  slow in comparison.

The first film produced was The Hound of Baskervilles (1939) which is  a story about a man who was an heir to a family estate that was being threatened by a "family curse"; then Sherlock Holmes investigates the problem.Sounds spooky right? These films are in black and white which I actually think adds to the films because of the mysteries in the plot. Holmes is very smart and catches just about everything, and I'm often left wondering how he knew so much. You might have to watch the movies more then once just to get it all, but they are entertaining and creative.

If you enjoy mysteries and detective stories, then these are perfect. With 14 films, surely you haven't seen them all. Directed by Sidney Lanfield who was nominated for an Emmy in 1964 and won Star on the Walk of Fame in 1960. Below is a list of all the movies if your interested or want to watch one for Halloween.

1939- The Hounds Of The Baskervilles
1939- The Adventures Of Sherlock Holmes
1942- Sherlock Holmes And The Voice of Terror
1943- Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Weapon
1943-Sherlock Holmes In Washington
1943- Sherlock Holmes Faces Death
1944- Sherlock Holmes And The Spider Woman
1944- The Secret Claw
1944- The Pearl Of Death
1945- The House of Fear 
1945- The Woman In Green
1945- Pursuit To Algiers
1946- Terror By Night
1946- Sherlock Holmes And The Secret Code or "Dressed To Kill"

Always, 
Avery

Sources Used:
http://www.imdb.com
http://www.morlocks.btinternet.co.uk
http://www.imdb.com