The Apartment (1960)

Posted on August 29, 2012 by 4 Star Films

Starring Jack Lemmon, Shirley Maclaine, and Fred McMurray, with director Billy Wilder, the film follows C. C. Baxter (Lemmon). He is a young man working in a large corporation that is very difficult to get ahead in. His only chance of moving up is through loaning his apartment to company executives so they can entertain their lady friends. This set up causes him constant inconveniences and leads to complaints from neighbors. One of these complications involves a elevator girl from work (Maclaine) who was left sleeping in his bed. Soon Baxter must figure out how to nurse her to health and cover for the executive who left her. During the process he slowly feels himself falling in love but it all ends there when she is to be married to the recently-divorced executive. Finally, finding his backbone, Baxter quits his new high-level job and eventually reunites with his love. Wilder and Lemmon teamed up again following Some Like it Hot and this one is pretty good movie-wise!

4.5/5 Stars

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Posted on August 19, 2012 by 4 Star Films

In honor of my Dad’s birthday I wanted to review his favorite movie of all time.

Adapted as a western from Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Yul Brynner is a hired gun who agrees to take a job from Mexican farmers protecting their village from bandits. Gradually, he enlists the help of old friends and new acquaintances who are all handy with a gun. Working with the village men, they are able to deter the bandits. However, the threat of the marauders returning has the villagers scared so they turn against their hired guns. In a fit of bravery, Brynner returns with the others fighting desperately to liberate the village. They are ultimately victorious, but not without causalities with four of the men dying. These men were the seven who fought like 700 and they did something seemingly ludicrous because it was the courageous thing to do. This great cast includes Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, Robert Vaughan, Horst Buckholz, Brad Dexter, and Eli Wallach. The score by Elmer Bernstein is one of the best. If you want to see a good western then look no further.

4.5/5 Stars

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Posted on July 22, 2012 by 4 Star Films

With an interesting conflict between two policemen, one white and one black, In the Heat of the Night is a thrilling crime film. Rod Steiger delivers a wonderful performance as the common place and prejudiced officer who heads a southern police force. Things do no start off well when a policeman from Philadelphia, Mr. Tibbs (Poitier) is accused of murder simply because of his race. Only afterwards do they learn he is a highly respected detective. Because they need help, they reluctantly ask for his assistance. Tibbs must learn how to deal with the prejudice while Gillespie (Steiger) must curb his own racism. Over the course of the film, the two men face opposition but they stick with it to see the case through. When the crime is finally solved, Tibbs is about to leave and Gillespie with a new-found respect tells him to come back sometime. In an age where racism was still a tremendous problem, this film combated the issue and created something very special in the process.

5/5 Stars

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Posted on July 21, 2012 by 4 Star Films

With the great combo of Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the legendary outlaws, this movie is great fun. The Hole-in-the-Wall Gang became infamous for their exploits with Butch (Newman) being the brains and Sundance (Redford) the fastest gun around. Together these two robbed banks, held up trains, and all the while had a good time. At one point or another the law was after them so they fled to South America with one of Butch’s nefarious schemes in mind. However, it was not what they expected and they had to face their biggest challenge ever. With the odds against them, they went out fighting and the legend of Butch Cassidy and Sundance was forever solidified. This film is as much a lighthearted comedy as it is a western. Newman and Redford have hilarious dialogue that brings the film alive and you end up rooting for these two anti-heroes. Although it is a seemingly random addition the song “Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head” is an added bonus.

5/5 Stars

Butch: “Ah, you’re wasting your time. They can’t track us over rocks.”
Sundance: “Tell them that.”
Butch: “They’re beginning to get on my nerves. Who are those guys?”