Critical MeMe

Time spent watching films, even crappy ones, is time well-spent.

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Name: MeMe
Location: Missouri, United States
    What you'll find here are comments on the movies through which I've cried, yawned, laughed, and rolled my eyes since it first occurred to me to record my film thoughts while they're still fresh in my mind (early 2002, some early reviews thrown in as a bonus. You're welcome). Entry dates reflect my screening -- parenthetical dates are US release (aka Oscar eligibility) years.
    Yeah, a movie review blog isn't very original. But originality is overrated. Just ask Michael Bay.

1/25/2002

Duel in the Sun (1946)

Well, it's obvious that Selznick was trying his best to recapture that GWTW magic...but this is an unbelievably inept failure.

Here's what you can expect from this overblown sex-western:

--Jennifer Jones (in pancake make-up so orange that she put me more in mind of an Oompa-Loompa than the half-breed we're supposed to see) apparently directed to act as though she's Scarlett O'Hara with a lobotomy and bad grammar.

--Gregory Peck as rogue murdering rapist and the apple of his daddy's eye. At one point even doing a pretty decent vocal imitation of Clark Gable -- too bad it's just the voice.

--Lionel Barrymore lazily repeating his "It's a Wonderful Life" role from the same year -- wheelchair & grumpiness standing in for effort.

--Butterfly McQueen as kerchiefed ditzy maid. Hmmm, wonder where they got that idea?

All in all, a miserable movie experience. You'd think that since they cribbed from the best it'd have turned out better! Go figure.

D

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