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Tag Archives: Jean Negulesco

Boy on a Dolphin

14 Tuesday Jun 2016

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

1950's, Adventure, Alan Ladd, Boy on a Dolphin, Clifton Webb, Jean Negulesco, Jorge Mistral, Sophia Loren

Film Title

Boy on a Dolphin

Director

Jean Negulesco

Starring

  • Sophia Loren as Phaedra
  • Alan Ladd as Dr. James Calder
  • Clifton Webb as Victor Parmalee
  • Jorge Mistral as Rhif

An imperfect adventure yarn that is sometimes packed with fun and at other times slow-moving in the extreme, Boy on a Dolphin gains agreeable points from the stirring music, luscious location work of Greece and a gorgeous Sophia Loren.

In Greece, the beautiful but poor Phaedra is a sponge diver who lives in a ramshackle windmill with her kid brother and lousy boyfriend Rhif, who is something of a lay about who promises they’ll be fine all the time but never seems to do a lot to help. Boy on a DolphinFor the spirited Phaedra, she just goes by each day attempting to provide for herself and those closest in any way she can. Then one day while diving off the island of Hydra, she discovers a dazzling statue of gold, depicting a boy riding a dolphin. The statue is situated at the bottom of the Aegean Sea and is thousands of years old, having been on a ship that crashed during a stormy voyage. For Phaedra, her accidental unearthing of the treasure gives her cause to use it to finally gather some money and not have her worries. Along with Rhif, she takes it to many people who could sell the statue, but two stand out the most. The two are the honest and hardworking Dr. James Calder, who works an archaeologist and the deceptive and slimy collector Victor Parmalee. Alan Ladd Boy on a DolphinBoth men express interest in Phaedra’s find but for differing reasons; Calder wants the statue to put in a museum in Greece, whole Parmalee wants all the glory and money that will go with the discovery. Into this power struggle comes Phaedra, who can’t decide whether she wants the allure of money or genuine love, as she develops feelings for Calder. A race to discover the statue of the title ensues between Calder and Parmalee, that becomes ever more difficult due to Phaedra being in the middle of it all and having to choose where her loyalties lie.

On the whole, Boy on the Dolphin is a somewhat messy exercise but nonetheless has enjoyable moments and things to praise. The main problem rests with the script and the pacing which go from being exciting to dull over the course of the film. The script has the sense of adventure right, but in the parts in between, some of the material is a little superfluous and could have been cut. Sophia Loren and Alan LaddThe same goes for the pacing that needs a fixer upper on occasion as it lurches between two extremes. Yet once the pace picks up and the cat and mouse game between the two men entangled with Phaedra commences, a good adventure yarn emerges from the flawed premise. Also on the positive side, Jean Negulesco at least makes the film stunningly shot and keeps us engaged through showing us the sheer beauty of Greece. Basked in glorious sunshine and filled with some gorgeous underwater scenes, Boy on a Dolphin stays afloat when it comes to the visual front. And the score provides the perfect romantic and dreamy backdrop of the piece with a lilting wind section and trembling guitar. There is also a sublime song that covers the aquatic opening titles that is filled with romance, intrigue and temptation.

Although her role, which was her first in the English language, doesn’t require much in the way of stretching acting muscles, the beautiful Sophia Loren makes a stunning impression with earthy sex appeal, volatility and feisty demeanor. Sophia Loren as PhaedraSoaring above the flawed writing, Loren makes sultry and determined, bringing much more to the character than the script asked for. And I can’t review this film without mentioning Loren’s dazzling entrance into it. Pulling herself out of the sea after one of her many dives for sponges, she climbs onto a boat, clad in a flimsy, orange dress that accentuates her breathtaking beauty and curvaceous figure. It’s a sexy entrance for one of cinema’s most gorgeous stars. While I do think that Alan Ladd is a good actor, his role of archaeologist Calder is not his best and Ladd appears seemingly indifferent to the character. He’s not all bad here showing moments of good, but he appears to be more than a little stiff in the part. Clifton Webb fares much better at playing the oily Parmalee, who is unscrupulous and used to getting what he wants. He adds a good dose of underlying nastiness to the role that is hard to miss. Jorge Mistral does his best at making Rhif a louse who is more of a hindrance to Phaedra than a helper.

A movie that veers between thrilling adventure and boring spectacle, Boy on a Dolphin still retains something of an enjoyable factor and features the sensual Sophia Loren announcing her star appeal.

How to Marry a Millionaire

25 Saturday Jul 2015

Posted by vinnieh in Movie Reviews

≈ 28 Comments

Tags

1950's, Alex D'Arcy, Betty Grable, Cameron Mitchell, Comedy, David Wayne, Fred Clark, How to Marry a Millionaire, Jean Negulesco, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe, Romantic Comedy, Rory Calhoun, William Powell

Film Title

How to Marry a Millionaire

Director

Jean Negulesco

Starring

  • Betty Grable as Loco Dempsey
  • Marilyn Monroe as Pola Debevoise
  • Lauren Bacall as Schatze Page
  • David Wayne as Freddie Denmark
  • Rory Calhoun as Eben
  • Cameron Mitchell as Tom Brookman
  • Alex D’Arcy as J. Stewart Merrill
  • Fred Clark as Waldo Brewster
  • William Powell as J. D. Hanley

Delightfully frothy and immensely witty, How to Marry a Millionaire has glamour, laughs and star power all courtesy of old Hollywood at its best and most gloriously colourful.

Loco Dempsey, Pola Debevoise and Schatze Page are three New York models with not a lot of money. Fortunately, the cynical Schatze has a plan to solve this. With the other two, she rents a penthouse apartment( which unbeknownst to them is owned by Freddie Denmark, who is avoiding revenue by living abroad after he was caught in some dodgy deal) , and plans to find a rich man for each of them to marry, with help from the apartment and the beautiful charms of themselves. How to Marry a Millionaire GirlsThis plan soon becomes very complicated and full of mishaps for the three girls. Schatze catches the attentions of a widowed businessman named J. D. Hanley, while also being pursued by the charming Tom Brookman, who she mistakenly believes is of little wealth but is in fact very well off. The scatterbrained Loco finds company with grumpy louse Waldo Brewster, who whisks her to a lodge that is far from prosperous despite her misconception that it will be luxurious. Around this time, she falls for Eben, a handsome ranger who despite not having any real money, she can’t help but love. The sweet but near-sighted Pola, who refuses to wear glasses in front of men, becomes acquainted with Freddie Denmark, although she doesn’t realise this for a long time because of her refusal to wear spectacles. All three ladies soon find that while they may want money, love may also be an option too if they let it play out and focus on the man rather than his bank account.

Director Jean Negulesco gives vivacious life to this comic tale with colour at every corner and comic mishaps present throughout the scheme to marry rich men. He is aided by a witty script, that cackles with one-liners and a nice rapport between the central trio of gold diggers. This was one of the first movies to use CinemaScope and this is highlighted by an orchestra sequence that just brings sparky energy to what will follow shortly. How to Marry a MillionaireCostume design is stunningly beautiful and of the highest standard there is in Hollywood glamour. How to Marry a Millionaire may have the odd snag here and there with some of it a little outdated and slow, but overall it’s a delightful fill of breezy quality and amusing wit. A lively and very brisk musical score compliments the many mishaps that occur with a mischievous charm and glee.

The three main actresses in this film are fine in their roles and boast an excellent rapport with one another. Betty Grable brings eager charms but clueless wide-eyed gazes to the part of Loco, who has habit of finding men at the supermarket. The beautiful Marilyn Monroe How to Marry a MillionaireMarilyn Monroe is pitch perfect as the sweet, dreamy and fawning Pola, whose self-consciousness about wearing glasses leads to many a comedic moment when she almost walks into walls or people. But the scene stealer of How to Marry a Millionaire is Lauren Bacall. With her dry and acerbic delivery and clearly the brains behind the scheme, Bacall is having fun as the opportunistic Schatze and brings a ton of personality to her. Like I said earlier, the three women have a great chemistry around each other as they put their plan into motion, but find unexpected results occur. The men of the picture are suitably good, with Cameron Mitchell and William Powell standing out, but it’s the colourful ladies that you will remember after the film ends.

Witty, vibrant and full of laughs, How to Marry a Millionaire is an excellent showcase for the female talent involved that will no doubt make you want to watch it again.

 

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