Category Archives: James Mason

#15 Favorite Film, 1959 Films, Alfred Hitchcock, Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, Favorite Film of the Year, James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Martin Landau, Maura McGiveney, Thriller, Top 100 Films, Top 25 Films, Top 250 Films, Top 50 Films

North by Northwest-1959

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North by Northwest-1959

Director Alfred Hitchcock

Starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint

Top 250 Films #15

Scott’s Review #90

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Reviewed July 3, 2014

Grade: A

North by Northwest is a 1959 Alfred Hitchcock film, released during the director’s heyday (1950s and 1960s).

It is considered one of his most commercially successful films. It is mainstream fare that contains all the elements of a great Hitchcock film: adventure, intrigue, romance, and suspense.

Unlike in some of his other films, his characters are straightforward and not psychologically wounded, as in some of his others. This is not a slight but merely makes the film “for the masses.”

Charismatic Cary Grant plays the role of successful advertising executive Roger Thornhill. He works in bustling New York City, has a secretary, and is well respected in his circle.

While enjoying drinks at the club the evening before a planned trip to the theater, he becomes a victim of mistaken identity—thought to be George Kaplan- and is accosted by henchmen at a lavish Glen Cove, Long Island mansion.

After a botched attempt on his life, he is arrested and ultimately must race across the United States on the lam to find the real George Kaplan.

The incredible locales range from New York City to Long Island, Indiana, Chicago, and Mount Rushmore.

The film is exciting from start to finish, never letting up, and features a common theme of Hitchcock’s- an “everyman” falsely accused of a crime attempts to prove his innocence.

It differs from some Hitchcock films in that there is not as much psychological analysis of the characters, but rather a good, old-fashioned adventure story with many twists and turns.

In many ways, North by Northwest is a precursor to the enormously popular James Bond films, as Grant brought style, sexiness, and charisma to this sleek feature.

The set style and design look perfect. The lush Long Island estate set is flawless, with a grand staircase and a well-constructed library—not to mention the exterior shot of the enormous house.

The house in Mount Rushmore is sleek, quite trendy, and reeks of high sophistication. It is pretty grand and situated on an incline, featuring an airplane runway.

The chemistry between Grant and Eva Marie Saint is apparent and oozes from the screen from the moment they bump into each other on a train traveling from New York to Chicago. As they dine in the dining car, a flirtatious scene unfolds-the landscape whizzes by in the background, with the comforting train whistle and ambient noise working well.

Their relationship is established, and the characters are intrigued and slightly mistrustful of each other, which lends the scene an edge and complexity that works.

The film features a cutting-edge graphic design in the opening credits, similar to the design used in Vertigo during the same period. The green colors and the sophisticated advertising style of the graphics kick the film off in a creative, ultra-cool, modern way.

Interestingly, Martin Landau’s implied homosexuality in Leonard, henchman to the main villain, Phillip Vandamm, is precisely how Landau played the role. During Hitchcock’s time, homosexuality was strictly prohibited in film, but it was subtly portrayed.

Leonard’s fascination and jealousy towards Vandamm are intertwined with levels of flirtation and vengefulness.

Scene after scene of North by Northwest is filled with suspense—the crop duster scene is my favorite. Shot without music and on location in a dreary, clear, middle-of-nowhere field somewhere in Indiana, the scene is layered with suspense throughout.

Thornhill is scheduled to meet Kaplan at a designated spot. A lonely bus stop, random passing cars thought to be the intended, a deadly airplane, and an explosion all occur, creating a fraught scene.

New fans of Hitchcock should begin with this one—it is mainstream and one of his finest. It contains all the traditional Hitchcock elements, and all the pieces come together perfectly.

North by Northwest (1959) is a masterpiece.

Oscar Nominations: Best Story and Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, Best Art Direction, Color, Best Film Editing

1978 Films, Franklin J. Schaffner, Gregory Peck, James Mason, Laurence Olivier, Political Thriller, Steve Guttenberg, Thriller

The Boys from Brazil-1978

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The Boys from Brazil-1978

Director Franklin J. Schaffner

Starring Laurence Olivier, Gregory Peck, James Mason

Scott’s Review #1,391

Reviewed August 20, 2023

Grade: B+

The Boys from Brazil (1978) is a taut political thriller with a neo-Nazi focus and a weird cloning subject matter. It’s a bit of a tough follow but quite compelling all the way though and doesn’t lag at all.

Sometimes political thrillers get overly complicated or drag but this one doesn’t. The story is slightly hokey and impractical even bordering on ludicrous but since it’s so intriguing and action-packed these adjectives can be overlooked.

Surprisingly, I wasn’t blown away by either the performance of Laurence Olivier or Gregory Peck despite being a fan of both quality actors. Both actors overact and create stereotypes but especially Peck’s character is a bit too cartoonish.

It took me half the film to even recognize either man since both are heavily made up making them hard to recognize. It also took until the dramatic conclusion for either character to truly grow on me.

A brilliant one-scene cameo performance by Uta Hagen, a German American actress, as a former Nazi guard now imprisoned nearly steals the show and should have deserved an Oscar nomination.

The story surrounds Doctor Josef Mengele played by Peck who clones Adolf Hitler ninety-five times and raises the boys in Brazil, giving them childhoods identical to Hitler’s in various parts of the world.

His goal is to create a band of Nazi leaders that can continue where Hitler left off, forming the Fourth Reich. Their fathers will be murdered and the boys will be mothered as Hitler was.

Ezra Lieberman (Laurence Olivier), a Nazi hunter, learns of the plan from a young journalist (Steve Guttenberg) and is determined to thwart it.

The plot is a tough pill to swallow and takes some time to absorb exactly what is going on but it’s fresh and unique. I’m not sure if in 1978 people had had enough of Nazi and World War II films but both subjects are always worth dissecting again.

I’m not sure why it was so tough to get used to Peck as the evil doctor but it was. It’s probably because Peck usually plays characters with a strong moral compass and he was playing way against type.

His character looks weird and Peck seems to be overacting sometimes almost like he was playing a James Bond villain. It’s not exactly a role that measures up to Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird (1962).

Olivier is better and the main protagonist of The Boys from Brazil but I’m not sure he entirely wins me over. It’s not easy immersing in the prim and proper British aristocratic actor playing a Jewish man who kvetches so often.

Still, by the finale when Mengele meets Lieberman in a deadly showdown involving vicious Dobermans, a gun, and a Hitler clone I was cheering for Olivier all the way.

Supporting characters played by Guttenberg, Anne Meara (Jerry Stiller’s wife) as Mrs. Curry, one of the Hitler clone’s mothers, and the aforementioned Hagen is excellent. I wish that each character was explored better and given more screen time.

The same can be said for Rosemary Harris in a one-scene performance. While quality, I wanted more from her character of Frau Doring, the wife of one of the murdered fathers of the Hitler clones.

Finally, James Mason has little to do as Colonel Seibert other than serve as second fiddle to Peck.

But, The Boys from Brazil is the Olivier and Peck show.

The locales are a big win since they add an international vibe and relevance. Geographies such as Germany, Paraguay, Austria, and rural Pennsylvania, United States are featured which lofts the film up tremendously.

The taught nature of the film provides suspense, an ode to history, and an eerie measure of Trumpism in comparison to Nazi-ism. The Boys from Brazil (1978) isn’t prime steak but it’s not a bad watch either.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-Laurence Olivier, Best Film Editing, Best Original Music Score

1982 Films, Agatha Christie, Crime Drama, Diana Rigg, Drama, Guy Hamilton, James Mason, Maggie Smith, Peter Ustinov, Roddy McDowall, Sylvia Miles

Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun-1982

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Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun-1982

Director Guy Hamilton

Starring Peter Ustinov, Diana Rigg, Maggie Smith

Scott’s Review #1,065

Reviewed September 29, 2020

Grade: B+

Following the success of Murder on the Orient Express (1974) and Death on the Nile (1978), Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun (1982) is of a similar formula and is an entertaining yarn.

The experience is like savoring a favorite meal- we know what we will get, and we dive in with pleasure.

Director Guy Hamilton, famous for directing four James Bond films, takes the director’s chair and keeps the action moving quickly crafting an enjoyable effort with a bit more humor than Christie’s novel in which it is based. Nearly on par with the two films save more predictability, this one nonetheless is a fine and joyous offering.

The setup remains the same, only the setting changed, as the affluent characters flock to a swanky resort area for fun and frolicking amid the Adriatic island with a saucer full of secrets and enough intrigue to last a lifetime.

Peter Ustinov returns as Detective Poirot in a very good effort. The man sleuths his way to a final revelation common in these films as the whodunit culminates in unmasking the murderer or murderers and bringing them to justice.

Spoiler alert- there are two killers. The juicy reveal takes place as all suspects are gathered and nervously fret possible accusations.

I found it easy to figure out the culprits since they are written as the most secretive, but it’s fun watching the unraveling and the explanation of their motivations. Also enjoyable is how each character has a specific ax to grind with the victim.

Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun is a solid, classic, whodunit done very well, and the characters are rather well-written and the acting stellar.

The action starts mysteriously in the North York Moors when a hiker finds a strangled, female victim. Quickly, Hercule Poirot is asked to examine a diamond belonging to rich industrialist, Sir Horace Blatt (Colin Blakely).

The diamond is deemed a fake, and Blatt’s mistress, famous actress Arlena Stuart Marshall (Diana Rigg) has suspicion cast upon her. Events then switch to the resort island as we are left to ponder what the dead woman at the beginning has to do with anything. In good time the audience finds out and this is ultimately satisfying.

As usual, a large principal cast is introduced along with well-known stars.

Daphne Castle (Maggie Smith) owns the lavish hotel and caters to Arlena’s put-upon husband, Kenneth (Denis Quilley), and stepdaughter, Linda (Emily Hone), while Arlena openly flirts with the yummy Patrick (Nicholas Clay), who has fun prancing and preening wearing next to nothing.

Other characters are the husband and wife producers Odell and Myra Gardener (James Mason and Sylvia Miles), gay writer Rex Brewster (Roddy McDowell), and Patrick’s ailing wife, Christine (Jane Birkin).

Each has an issue with Arlena, who is the intended murder victim.

Like Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile, the setting is the character itself. Though not a train or a boat, the sunny and sandy island is the perfect locale. The water, a noon cannon, suntan lotion, and a watch are the items most important in the whodunit but wait there’s more!

A tennis match, the cliffs, and a by-the-minute timeline are of utmost importance to figure out the mystery. The point of a film like this, as with the treasured Agatha Christie books, is deducing the why’s and how’s of the murder.

Delicious are the scenes featuring Daphne and Arlena going toe-to-toe and there are just not enough of them. Bitch versus bitch, as they trade barbs and snickering insults with glee, Smith and Rigg enjoy their roles, and the audience is treated as such.

Rigg is great as the bad girl, relishing in offending nearly everyone she encounters, and Smith speaks volumes with her eyes.

As for the male characters, Nicholas Clay gets my vote for the sexiest man of the year. With his lean, toned, bronzed chest and white shorts which he confidently pulls up to reveal his bare butt cheeks as he struts near the pool, he can have any girl he wants (and possibly guys) and adds layers to the film.

The biggest riddle is what he has in common with his wife, Christine, who is saddled with health issues, and simply not fun.

Staying largely true to the novel, Agatha Christie’s Evil Under the Sun (1982) will satisfy its intended audience.

A herculean author penning characters like Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple, everyman, and everywoman sleuths, this film was the last to be a big-screen affair. Made for television movies would soon follow.

A lavish landscape, bitchy characters, scheming characters, murder, and mayhem, are the recipe of the day for a good time.

1973 Films, Dominique Sanda, James Mason, John Huston, Paul Newman, Political Thriller, Thriller

The Mackintosh Man-1973

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The Mackintosh Man-1973

Director John Huston

Starring Paul Newman, James Mason, Dominique Sanda

Scott’s Review #1,058

Reviewed August 31, 2020

Grade: B

The Mackintosh Man (1973) is not one of legendary director John Huston’s best films.

Known for well-remembered titles like The African Queen (1951), The Maltese Falcon (1941), and The Misfits (1961) that all movie historians and fan buffs are familiar with (or should be), this project is rather lackluster, only picking up at the very end to offer a riveting ending.

The rest is mediocre, suffering from a weighted-down plot, a lacking romance, and little in the way of answers or a good wrap-up.

If this sounds too harsh I will say that anything starring Paul Newman is worth seeing. Huston hit the jackpot in the casting department and the actor provides enough to raise The Mackintosh Man’s status to an adequate “B” ranking.

I hate the title as it took days for it to stay in my memory.

Huston attempts to make the film a taut thriller which at times is achieved especially during the climax, and mix humor, but the funnies rarely come, only getting in the way of what would have been better in a darker vein.

It feels like a weak attempt to turn Paul Newman into James Bond.

Back to Newman. With his handsome face and icy blue eyes, he makes any film compelling, but I never really bought him in the role. This could be because of how the character is written.

Newman is an American actor who plays a British secret agent pretending (sometimes) to be Australian. This is a busy ask even for an actor of Newman’s caliber. He was much better in Alfred Hitchcock’s critically panned but well-aged, Cold War thriller, Torn Curtain (1966) in a similar role.

Dominique Sanda, brilliant in The Conformist (1969), has little screen time until the finale at which time her character finally shows depth.

Newman plays Joseph Rearden, a British intelligence agent tasked with bringing down a communist spy ring. After purposely getting himself tossed in a high-security prison, he breaks out of the joint in an escape arranged by a mysterious organization.

Rearden then tries to track the group’s activities and unmask its shadowy leader played by James Mason.

On paper, the premise sounds quite appealing and with Newman, Mason, and Sanda in my pocket, my expectations were lofty, but not met.

I am not painting the film as bad by any means, just not as good as I anticipated. Certainly, some aspects work.

Reardon’s time in prison is appealing and might have influenced the not-yet-made Escape from Alcatraz (1979).

When a male prisoner makes a pass at Reardon on the lunch line asking Reardon if he’d like to dance with him, he is kindly rebuffed. Does the prisoner cleverly respond with “maybe in a year or two”?

The scene is played for laughs but also contains a sweet innocence.

The Mackintosh Man is not a film where a scene like this can be interpreted as anything more than re-affirming Reardon’s (and Newman’s) masculinity, though.

From there, we get back to business.  He meets a convicted Russian spy and the two conceive a successful prison break. How they escape so easily is hard to swallow, but they have help from an organization.

After the breakout, Reardon finds himself drugged and sent to Ireland. It turns out that the escapade was organized by Mackintosh in the hopes Reardon could infiltrate the Scarperers gather information on the group’s leader, Sir George Wheeler (James Mason), and prove him to be a Russian spy.

Just writing this out feels too confusing which is the film’s main problem.

Reardon has a flirtation with an eccentric tall, bad girl straight out of a Kubrick film before connecting better with Mrs. Smith (Sanda) and culminating in a harrowing climax aboard a luxury yacht with the gorgeous backdrop of Malta.

The sequence almost makes the rest of the film forgivable as a lot of action suddenly develops and the landscape is gorgeous. A deadly and unexpected shooting occurs after an incident involving drugged champagne or white wine.

I advise watching The Mackintosh Man (1973) with the knowledge that the slowness and the confusion of most of the film are worth watching for the fantastic finish.

Events and plot points may not necessarily all be spelled out, but the yacht scene and Malta locales are tremendous.

Newman carries the film with good acting from Mason and Sanda supporting the star.

1949 Films, Drama, Favorite Film of the Year, Gene Lockhart, Gladys Cooper, Harry Morgan, James Mason, Jennifer Jones, Louis Jourdan, Van Heflin, Vincente Minnelli

Madame Bovary-1949

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Madame Bovary-1949

Director Vincente Minnelli

Starring Jennifer Jones, James Mason

Scott’s Review #930

Reviewed August 13, 2019

Grade: A-

Madame Bovary (1949) is a film adaptation of Gustave Flaubert’s famous novel. Remade a handful of times since this version, Jennifer Jones is cast in the lead role and does a fantastic job with a complicated part.

The title character is central to the controversial film, which will undoubtedly result in mixed opinions of her actions and motivations- whether she will be loved or loathed.

Director Minnelli mixes melodrama and glamour with pain and defeat in her story of one woman’s attempt at happiness.

Cleverly, the story is told within a story as the viewer is immediately amid a compelling and dramatic trial. Flaubert (James Mason) defends his novel depicting an adulterous woman (Jones) ruining the lives of men, deemed disgraceful to France and all womanhood.

He tells the story from his perspective and, through this, Madame Bovary’s perspective. She (Emma) marries a small-town country doctor, Charles Bovary (Van Heflin), and quickly grows disappointed with his lack of status.

Feeling trapped and unfulfilled, she embarks on failed romances with other men as she attempts to ascend the social ladder.

As with the novel, the theme is either understanding or abhorring Emma’s feelings and actions, or perhaps a mixture of both emotions.

Who would not forsake her for being true to her feelings and desiring her piece of the pie? Most women of her day were reduced to matronly statuses or asexual feelings, but Emma wanted satisfaction and life at the risk of her own family.

To counter these lustful feelings, she does not treat her husband very well, resenting his passivity and being disappointed at her daughter being a girl instead of her desired son.

She feels this would have allowed her better status, so her daughter is nearly shunned, preferring the affections of the housekeeper to her mother’s feeble attempts at love.

Is she Hellion or a sympathetic soul? Emma is one of the most complex of all female film characters.

Madame Bovary was written in 1949, and the novel was published earlier, so the progressive slant is rich and worthy of much admiration. The female perspective and the courage to reach for the stars and grasp life are spirited and wonderful to see, especially given the period.

A mixture of romantic drama and torrid affairs is at hand during this experience and always is the character’s center stage.

The film mixes Gone with the Wind (1939) remnants, especially the lavish dance hall sequence. The ball is the highlight, with gorgeous costumes, great cinematography, and bombastic dances.

As Emma cavorts with a dashing aristocrat, Rodolphe (Louis Jourdan), Charles gets drunk and makes a fool of himself, as her genuine disdain for her marriage becomes clear. The smashing windows with chairs moment is ahead of its time because of the effects used, and the constant dance twirls are dizzying.

So much importance occurs in this pivotal sequence.

While more than adequate, Jones would not have been my first choice for the role. Married to influential producer David O. Selznick, it was rumored that many of the actresses’ roles were given to her.

Delicious is to fantasize at what legends such as Bette Davis or Vivian Leigh might have brought to the character. Especially Leigh, given her dazzling performance as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind, a follow-up as a similar and arguably more complex character is fun to imagine.

A film that allows for post-credits discussion is always positive, with Madame Bovary (1949) a lengthy analysis of a character begs deliberation.

Minnelli pours love and energy into a work dripping with nuances long before his famous musicals came to fruition. A strong and vital female character suffers a lonely and despairing fate, which is tragic and sad, but she lives her life with a zest that should empower us all.

Oscar Nominations: Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White

1954 Films, Drama, George Cukor, Jack Carson, James Mason, Judy Garland, Lucy Marlow, Musical, Musical Drama

A Star is Born-1954

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A Star is Born-1954

Director George Cukor

Starring Judy Garland, James Mason

Scott’s Review #175

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Reviewed September 25, 2014

Grade: B+

A Star Is Born (1954) was considered Judy Garland’s much-touted comeback film and was very expensive for Warner Bros. to produce.

Garland delivers her finest career performance, even better than her portrayal of Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The performance is multi-faceted, complex, comical, silly, poised, emotional, dramatic, and heartfelt.

Playing Esther Blodgett- later changed to Vicki Lester for more Hollywood potential, she is a struggling lounge singer who meets a successful actor named Norman Maine, played wonderfully by James Mason.

Esther saves Norman from public humiliation at a function where he attempts to take the stage while inebriated.  They strike up a friendship, and he convinces her to pursue films. However, through a series of misunderstandings, she assumes he has ditched her.

Determined to become a star anyway, Esther forges her path to success. They reconnect, and Norman recognizes her talent and pursues her professionally and romantically. They marry, and she becomes a star while his career hits the skids, mainly due to his alcoholism.

The talented Mason and Garland are at the forefront of the film and are the reasons for its success.

A few key scenes stand out to me as powerful or essential- The scene involving a musical number over a dinner of sandwiches in their posh living room is wonderfully merry and light; a delivery boy who does not know who Norman is ruins the mood and causes jealousy to come to a head in his marriage to Esther.

Garland’s emotional scenes are excellent, especially in her dressing room, where she crumbles when she realizes Mason has hit rock bottom.

The best scene is the Academy Awards scene, where a drunken Norman causes a public spectacle as Esther receives her top honor, spoiling her night and accidentally hitting her in the face in front of millions.

What a forgiving woman Esther is for staying with him and ultimately choosing him at the risk of ruining her career.

An interesting aspect of the story is that Garland’s character is not some ugly duckling transformed into Hollywood royalty—she already has the talent. She needs a break but is not down on her luck or starving. She makes a decent living with a touring band and is torn about leaving them.

The musical numbers are inspiring and one is reminded why Garland is such a star as she belts them out of the park like nobody’s business, however, they do little to further the plot.

The film sometimes drags a bit, as is often the case in the first half, but the second half (post-intermission) is brilliant, and the ending is tragic yet heartwarming.

Will Esther’s career continue to flourish?

A major flaw with the film is the usage of still frames with dialogue overlapping due to lost footage. This makes following the story very tough, and the continuity is affected. It also looks ridiculous, and for the viewer to be captured by the story and only view a discolored still shot with audio is disappointing.

Indeed, this can be corrected.

A Star Is Born (1954) is the perfect vehicle for Garland to return to her grand position among the Hollywood treasures.

Oscar Nominations: Best Actor-James Mason, Best Actress-Judy Garland, Best Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Song-“The Man That Got Away,” Best Art Direction, Color, Best Costume Design, Color