Revisit: Julius Caesar

An MGM release 1952
Directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Written by William Shakespeare (play)

An epic version of Shakespeare's classic play of betrayal and repentance.



Brando recieved his third of four consecutive Oscar nominations for this film, in which he appears all of about twenty minutes. In that twenty minutes, however, Brando gives one of the most intense performances of his career as Marc Antony, delivering Shakespeare's classic "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" speech with such unbridled passion that it almost makes sitting through the rest of this snoozefest worth it. Edmond O'Brien makes an appearance as well, and is the only other actor on the screen who can seem to captapult this epic-in-scope retelling of Caesar beyond being a mere big-budget stage play. Mankiewicz has some interesting shots in there, but this one is for Brando fans only.

Revisit: The Sniper

A Columbia Pictures release 1952

Directed by Edward Dmytryk

Writing credits:
Edna Anhalt (story)
Edward Anhalt (story)
Harry Brown

Rejected by women all his life, a loner with a high-power rifle starts on a murder spree.

This black and white B-crime noir from the early fifties remains fun depsite it's heavy pro-institutionalization reform sentiments. It also eerily echos that recent D.C. Sniper case. If you're a fan of crime films, it's worth checking out.

Revisit: Road To Bali

A Paramount Pictures release 1952

Directed by Hal Walker

Writing credits:
Frank Butler
Hal Kanter
William Morrow
Harry Tugend

Bob Hope & Bing Crosby star as song-and-dance men who find themselves on a tropical island full of treasure - and a beautiful princess that they both fall for.



An extremely self-referrential comedy, Road to Bali isn't so much about the plot as it is the star-power between Crosby and Hope. Like many comedies of the 50's, it's full of topical referrences, winks to the audience, asides, and of course, silly songs. Crosby and Hope make a great team, and even though the film points out it's own lack of substance, the fun that everyone is having on screen seems to translate. A pretty entertaining way to fill ninety minutes; they simply don't make comedies like this anymore.

Revisit: High Noon

A United Artists release 1952

Directed by Fred Zinnemann

Writing credits
John W. Cunningham (story)
Carl Foreman (screenplay)

Retired lawman Will Kane(Gary Cooper), about to leave town with his new bride (Grace Kelly), seeks allies among the fearful townspeople when an outlaw he put in prison returns with his gang to take revenge.



A classic story about burning your bridges, High Noon is one of the great westerns, despite breaking of many time-honored genre codes. The film plays out in real time and contains little action until the last act, which is unique for westerns of the time. Likewise, it's politics seem to serve as an allegory for the rise of McCarthyism, but ironically the film was embraced by conservatives who admired its emphasis on duty and courage.

The film effectively draws tension from Kane's desperation. Various high angle shots and images of clocks reinforce the imposing time limit. The film reveals information about Kane's past involvement with the gang very slowly with each scene, so that they dialogue is both about the current attack and the past. Worth a gander.