Rewatch

 

 

Last of the 1940's movies watched recently.

 

Key Largo 1948

Humphrey Bogart visits a hotel in Key Largo, Florida, to pay his respects to the father and widow of
an army buddy. A group of gangsters have taken  residence at the hotel where various tense
situations arise and an approaching hurricane complicates matters.
Loved Bogart and Lauren Bacall as usual. Most of the other acting was pretty hammy
especially that of Edward G Robinson as the head villain of the piece.

Three Godfathers 1948

Three cattle rustlers on the run from a sheriff and his posse come across a covered wagon
in the middle of the desert  and a woman who is about to give birth. Before she dies, the
woman entrusts the care of the newborn baby to the three "godfathers".
Very touching movie with a few humourous moments. John Wayne plays John Wayne but I don't
have a problem with that.

Adams Rib 1949

Husband and wife, Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn, are opposing lawyers in a court case
concerning a woman who has shot her unfaithful husband. Plenty of laughs here. Judy Holliday
as the ditsy defendant is hilarious. Tracy and Hepburn are perfect together as always.

 

 

 ***

And then I watched "The Third Man" (1949). Wow. For the first time in this rewatch, my regard for a film has increased significantly with a recent viewing. In my younger days, I regrettably couldn't really appreciate why this was such a well respected film. Maturity has brought greater understanding of just how good it is. One of those films where every moment in every scene is significant.

Holly Martens (Joseph Cotten) is invited to post-war Vienna by his old friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles) who has promised him a job. When Martens arrives, he finds that Harry has allegedly been killed in an accident. Through the local police, he discovers that Harry was involved in a variety of unsavoury black market activities. Martens sets out to discover the truth about Harry's life and "death". Great plot, atmospheric lighting, unusual but perfect score ( one musical instrument - the zither), fascinating characters, lots of running around in dark alleys and sewers - loved all of it.