Reviews of movies directed or written by John Huston.
Tuesday, February 12th 2008
Grade: C-
Synopsis: A young civil war soldier (Audie Murphy) fights shame after fleeing during his first battle.
The Red Badge of Courage is something of a mess. After wresting control of the film from director John Huston, studio bosses at MGM edited out over twenty minutes of footage, discarding whole scenes in the process, and added some horrible voice-over narration by James Whitmore. The result is a frustrating film that only hints at the greatness that might have been.
The beginning is rough. Whitmore’s narration is stilted and unnecessary, and the script takes the time to introduce a slew of characters, most of whom have no real payoff. Things get better gradually though, as Huston’s eye for composition, and innate ability to intimate the viewer in rough, desperate situations begins to show through. MORE »
Posted at 3:06 PM in Movie Reviews and John Huston.
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Tuesday, February 5th 2008
Grade: C+
Synopsis: The captain of a whaling ship (Gregory Peck) obsessively hunts the whale that maimed him.
Moby Dick is an exceptionally well-produced adaptation of Herman Melville’s classic novel. A labor of love for co-writer/director John Huston, who shopped it around for years before Warner Bros. finally agreed to finance it, provided Huston could land a big name to star. Enter Gregory Peck, without whom the film couldn’t be made, but who ultimately proved to be its weakest link.
Peck is, at best, passable as the tyrannical Ahab. His early scenes are very shaky, as he lacks the pure physical presence the role requires. Peck is a rugged charmer, but Ahab is a monster, and, try as he might, Peck is no monster. He works somewhat better later in the film, when he’s free to be more emotive, but those early scenes really kill Moby Dick’s momentum. MORE »
Posted at 2:54 PM in Movie Reviews and John Huston.
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Thursday, December 27th 2007
Grade: C+
Synopsis: A fictionalized biography of stunted artist Henri Toulouse-Lautrec (José Ferrer).
Moulin Rouge is an engaging bio-drama from director John Huston.
Huston does a fabulous job recreating Toulouse-Lautrec’s late 19th century Paris, a vibrant cauldron of art and life, full of inspiration and frustration. This is Paris, perhaps not how it was, but rather, how it was through Toulouse-Lautrec’s eyes, and the Oscar winning art direction and costume design bring it to life. From the recreation of the titular nightclub, to the city’s carriage laden streets, Moulin Rouge is a feast for the eyes.
For his part, José Ferrer embodies Toulouse-Lautrec character completely. While Ferrer could easily have overplayed the part, he instead brings a quiet dignity reflective of his character’s upbringing. Through Ferrer’s performance we come to know a flawed man, struggling to make the best of the hand life has dealt him, though at the same time resentful of it. Though the film runs almost two hours, it never drags. Huston’s screenplay moves the story along well, and Ferrer’s performance remains captivating the entire time. MORE »
Posted at 4:22 PM in Movie Reviews, Christopher Lee, John Huston and Peter Cushing.
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Saturday, October 27th 2007
Grade: B+
Synopsis: During World War I, a spinster missionary (Katherine Hepburn) persuades a boozing riverboat captain (Humphrey Bogart) to use his boat in an attack on the Germans.
The African Queen is a well-produced, well-acted adventure from director John Huston.
The African locations serve the film well. You can feel the humidity and discomfort on the character’s faces. The beautiful jungle scenery carries with it an ever-present sense of claustrophobia and menace that lends an extra intensity to the story.
For their part, Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn are both believable and entertaining as the leads. Their chemistry is the heart of the film and their willingness to embrace such unglamorous roles is a refreshing change. MORE »
Posted at 2:57 PM in Movie Reviews, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston.
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Tuesday, September 25th 2007
Grade: C-
Synopsis: On a boat to the Orient, a disgraced Army officer (Humphrey Bogart) becomes involved with a shady professor (Sydney Greenstreet), and a mysterious woman (Mary Astor).
Across The Pacific should have been a different movie. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor forced filmmakers to rewrite the script at the last minute and change the setting from an American Naval base in the Pacific to the Panama Canal. Once the rewrites were complete, John Huston began directing the film, only to leave midway through production to make war documentaries for Army. Vincent Sherman ended up finishing the picture. Given all this turmoil, it’s a wonder the picture didn’t turn out worse. MORE »
Posted at 6:58 PM in Movie Reviews, Humphrey Bogart and John Huston.
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