tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post2786486029411503825..comments2024-03-27T21:42:56.131-05:00Comments on 1001plus: Fish Out of WaterSJHoneywellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-58407969859723010312016-08-28T22:28:28.757-05:002016-08-28T22:28:28.757-05:00I can't tell you why it's on the list off ...I can't tell you why it's on the list off the top of my head, either. It may be the performance of Spencer Tracy, or the desire to have a good representative film of Freddie Bartholemew, who was one of those kids who crops up now and then who appears in everything for a few years. <br /><br />This isn't a perfect film by any stretch, but it's a good one, and I like the message. More importantly, it's a film from this era with a child as the main actor and I didn't want to slap the kid around by the end of the movie. That's pretty rare. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-20682565458054808972016-08-27T11:28:30.240-05:002016-08-27T11:28:30.240-05:00I thought this was going to be a bit of a chore. B...I thought this was going to be a bit of a chore. But it is very entertaining and also very touching at times.<br /><br />Although I doubt very much that some of the things I found so amusing were intentional on the part of the filmmakers. I thought Spencer Tracy was great because his terrible Chico Marx impression is hilarious and very endearing. I don't know how Freddie Bartholomew kept a straight face! What a professional!<br /><br />Also on the plus side is the great cast! Tracy, Bartholomew, Lionel Barrymore, John Carradine, Melvyn Douglas, Mickey Rooney.<br /><br />I saw Carradine on the deck of the sailing ship, with the sea spray all around, and it struck me what a great Ahab he would have made if they had made a version of Moby Dick in the 1930s. And then it hit me that this movie is full of actors who would have made a great Ahab! Imagine Lionel Barrymore in Rasputin mode! He would have made crazy crazy nutty Ahab that would really over-the-top but the movie would be a joy to watch. And think of Spencer Tracy as Ahab! Wow! <br /><br />But I'm off-topic.<br /><br /><b>Captains Courageous</b>, despite my good-natured mockery, is well-made and probably seemed like a classic for the ages to 1937 audiences. It got to me. The tears welled up in my eyes several times, like when Manuel was telling the little story about god taking his father up to heaven and giving him a fishing boat. Very touching. I teared up a little when Manuel died and when Harvey went to the church to light candles for Manuel and Manual's father. I kind of lost track of how many times I teared up. I watched in the morning when nobody else was awake yet and I'm glad nobody saw me.<br /><br />Anybody who's been hesitant about this movie doesn't need to worry about it. It's watchable and entertaining. It's occasionally hilarious for the wrong reasons but it's also often very touching for all the right reasons.<br /><br />I'm not real clear why it's on the List. I have to admit. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921029597363212734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-67719881264073041772016-08-25T09:36:43.234-05:002016-08-25T09:36:43.234-05:00I'll essentially repeat what I said above--Tra...I'll essentially repeat what I said above--Tracy is the reason to watch this. I've had a number of people disagree with me on that, but I think he nails this. That John Carradine is also excellent in this is just a bonus. SJHoneywellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13550007053995112090noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3166297507174717122.post-68594360476223978162016-08-24T20:45:46.530-05:002016-08-24T20:45:46.530-05:00I haven't seen Captains Courageous yet. (It...I haven't seen <b>Captains Courageous</b> yet. (It's on the DVR so I'll probably get to it before too long.) But I did see <b>Tortilla Flat</b> recently, and I really loved it despite it being kind of stupid.<br /><br />What saved it was the acting. Spencer Tracy was kind of awful, but the right kind of awful, really understanding what kind of dippy movie it was and playing it like a character from a fairy tale.<br /><br />I recorded it for Hedy Lamarr because she's STUNNING, but she's also really good in this. I haven't seen that many of her films but she's always a very entertaining performer. I'm not sure about her acting chops but she knew what to do in front of a camera, and I think she must have known what movies complemented her abilities.<br /><br />Akim Tamaroff, Allen Jenkins, Frank Morgan and John Qualen and probably a few people I've forgotten really made the most of the material and put together an interesting and fun movie. I'm glad I repressed the urge to stop and delete it about ten minutes in.<br /><br />John Garfield looked really lost. Like he wandered into the wrong movie based on a John Steinbeck book and nobody ever clued him in.<br /><br />I'm considerably off-topic. I'll be sure to post when I have seen <b>Captain Courageous</b>. I keep putting it off for movies like <b>China Seas</b> with Jean Harlowe and <b>The Man in Possession</b> with Robert Montgomery and <b>Housewife</b> with Ann Dvorak and Bette Davis. Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17921029597363212734noreply@blogger.com