What happens to a young woman when lust and greed take over? This is the storyline of Dragonwyck (1946). Circa 1844 beautiful, young, and naïve Miranda Wells perfectly played by Gene Tierney, is looking for something exciting and different. You see Miranda is a farmer’s daughter in a small town outside of Connecticut and life, well is boring. Miranda is a bit of a romanticist, and desires a better life; a life of luxury with no money...

OK I am going to go on a political rant…I watched the O’Reilly Factor last night, (please do not stone me) and he had a segment on how Hollywood is producing movies that are Anti-anything American. O’Reilly quoted from a letter written by Samuel Goldwyn to one of his producers on November 9, 1961… “I feel we each must execute today a higher degree of self-discipline, and self-censorship than ever before. We should never...

Hollywood Forbidden Collection Vol. 2 has been released. This DVD set has 5 other controversial (for the day) pre-code movies. It has 2 of my very own favorites. The DVD also has a documentary on pre-code movies titled “Thou Shalt Not: Sex, Sin, and Censorship in Pre-Code Hollywood.” And although, these films are dated they still shock, stun, titillate us. “The Divorcee” (1930), with Norma Shearer; “A Free...

Legendary actor Richard Widmark died at age 93 on Monday 3/24. I remember Widmark for the eerie role he played in the 1947 thriller “Kiss of Death.” The most unforgettable scene in this film is the one where he ties up an old lady to a wheelchair and just throws her down the stairs as he malevolently cracks up. It is the most realistic role of a psychotic I’ve ever seen anyone play. Film critics described Widmark’s performance...

The Visit a 1964 movie starring legendary actors Anthony Quinn and Ingrid Bergman is a intriguing movie. The movie blends all the ingredients of the dark side of human nature: greed, revenge and corruption. If you want to know the meaning of the cliché “money can buy anything,” this is the movie to watch. It will bring anyone that watches it to their knees. It’s the kind of movie that makes you think of what human beings are capable...

“Lilly Turner” a 1933 pre-code movie starring the legendary Ruth Chatterton is a typical “depression” era movie. “Prepossessing” Ruth Chatterton plays Lilly Turner, a wronged woman, living through life as if just existing. Lilly Turner is an attraction in a side show. She meets a flamboyant magician who marries her. He skips town when he finds out Lilly is going have his child. What a loser… To add insult to injury...