Calling Dr. Death (1943, Reginald Le Borg)
Reusing music in b movies isn’t uncommon, but to reuse music from a movie with the same star? It kind of gets distracting. Almost everything about Calling Dr. Death is distracting, actually. The movie...
View ArticleFrankenstein Meets the Wolf Man (1943, Roy William Neill)
Of all the Universal monster movies, The Wolf Man “deserved” a real sequel most. With Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, Lon Chaney Jr.’s abilities to essay the Larry Talbot role really shine through....
View ArticleMystery of the 13th Guest (1943, William Beaudine)
About two minutes after I finished watching Mystery of the 13th Guest, I realized no one ever solves the titular mystery. There’s a mysterious thirteenth guest in the first scene; the guest is absent...
View ArticleThe Ghost Ship (1943, Mark Robson)
Although the title suggests otherwise, The Ghost Ship is not a supernatural thriller. It is, however, a very effective suspense picture. Russell Wade (in a sturdy lead performance) is a new officer. On...
View ArticleChina (1943, John Farrow)
China has a lot to do. While it’s a propaganda picture meant to rally American support for the Chinese, it’s also propaganda for the future of China. Loretta Young plays a school teacher and her...
View ArticleThe Leopard Man (1943, Jacques Tourneur)
The Leopard Man has such beauteous production values–one would never think it was a low budget picture, not with Robert De Grasse’s lush blacks and he and director Tourneur’s tracking shots–it’s a...
View ArticleThe Seventh Victim (1943, Mark Robson)
Quite surprisingly, The Seventh Victim–in addition to being a disquieting, subtle thriller–is mostly about urban apathy and discontent. Though there aren’t any establishing shots of New York City (or...
View ArticleI Walked with a Zombie (1943, Jacques Tourneur)
Before it stumbles through its third act, I Walked with a Zombie’s biggest problem is the pacing. It’s exceedingly boring during the second act. Its second biggest problem is it’s too short. The second...
View ArticleThe Underground World (1943, Seymour Kneitel)
The Underground World is absolutely gorgeous. The animation has its issues, but how the animators light their characters and how director Kneitel composes the frames… just breathtaking. The story...
View ArticleThe More the Merrier (1943, George Stevens)
The More the Merrier is a wondrous mix of comedy (both slapstick and screwball) and dramatic, war-time romance. Director Stevens is expert at both–that war-time romance angle is as gentle as can be,...
View ArticleFive Graves to Cairo (1943, Billy Wilder)
On one hand, Five Graves to Cairo is a solid stage adaptation. Director Wilder, who adapted the play with Charles Brackett, makes it feel like a film. On the other hand, Cairo–partially because Wilder...
View ArticleMystery of the 13th Guest (1943, William Beaudine)
About two minutes after I finished watching Mystery of the 13th Guest, I realized no one ever solves the titular mystery. There’s a mysterious thirteenth guest in the first scene; the guest is absent...
View ArticleThe Ghost Ship (1943, Mark Robson)
Although the title suggests otherwise, The Ghost Ship is not a supernatural thriller. It is, however, a very effective suspense picture. Russell Wade (in a sturdy lead performance) is a new officer. On...
View ArticleChina (1943, John Farrow)
China has a lot to do. While it’s a propaganda picture meant to rally American support for the Chinese, it’s also propaganda for the future of China. Loretta Young plays a school teacher and her...
View ArticleThe Leopard Man (1943, Jacques Tourneur)
The Leopard Man has such beauteous production values–one would never think it was a low budget picture, not with Robert De Grasse’s lush blacks and he and director Tourneur’s tracking shots–it’s a...
View ArticleThe Seventh Victim (1943, Mark Robson)
Quite surprisingly, The Seventh Victim–in addition to being a disquieting, subtle thriller–is mostly about urban apathy and discontent. Though there aren’t any establishing shots of New York City (or...
View ArticleI Walked with a Zombie (1943, Jacques Tourneur)
Before it stumbles through its third act, I Walked with a Zombie’s biggest problem is the pacing. It’s exceedingly boring during the second act. Its second biggest problem is it’s too short. The second...
View ArticleThe Underground World (1943, Seymour Kneitel)
The Underground World is absolutely gorgeous. The animation has its issues, but how the animators light their characters and how director Kneitel composes the frames… just breathtaking. The story...
View ArticleThe More the Merrier (1943, George Stevens)
The More the Merrier is a wondrous mix of comedy (both slapstick and screwball) and dramatic, war-time romance. Director Stevens is expert at both–that war-time romance angle is as gentle as can be,...
View ArticleFive Graves to Cairo (1943, Billy Wilder)
On one hand, Five Graves to Cairo is a solid stage adaptation. Director Wilder, who adapted the play with Charles Brackett, makes it feel like a film. On the other hand, Cairo–partially because Wilder...
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