Movies

Black Moon (1934) Voodoo thriller - a woman is mystically drawn back to her island birthplace to take her place as white voodoo queen. Interesting to me was the fact that the leaders of the creole-speaking natives are depicted with a certain threatening dignity, while the Georgia-born "good darkie" (Clarence Muse, who rarely had an opportunity to show his real talents) is an unfortunate stereotype. As these things often do, the story is turned into a symbolic victory of christianity over paganism. The mass voodoo ritual scenes suffer greatly from not having been shot at night. Cast includes Fay Wray in her dark haired mode, cute but not a great actress. A good try but not a real success. 4/10

Kentucky Kernels (1934) Comedy duo Wheeler and Woolsey are guardians to orphaned Spanky McFarland, who falls heir to a Kentucky feud. Sometimes it is funny, and there is a song. 5/10

I Thank You (1941) British comedy duo Arthur Askey and Richard Murdoch, trying to get financing for a show, must take a job as a husband and wife footman and cook. Wartime references include sleeping on subway platforms, unavailability of foodstuffs, and firespotting from rooftops, and many of the supporting players are probably recognizable to those with a greater knowledge of the British music hall. Sometimes it is funny and there are songs. 5/10

Johnny Cool (1963) Henry Silva stars as a Sicilian bandit recruited by a deported Italo-american gangster to enact his vengeance. Wide-eyed and beautiful Elizabeth Montgomery is an aimless socialite awakened to the realities of life by her brief encounter with this dispassionately violent man. At times startling and fierce in its action and imagery, it seems to have been a break from drivel and trivia by producer/director William Asher, and it shows where his real strengths were - not here. A sophisticated, not always believable story with numerous flashy cameos including an uncharacteristically threatening appearance by affable John McGiver. Many of the cameos, like Mort Sahl's, have a "Look who's here!" feel, and it is easy to see who is a real actor and who isn't. Kind of great in certain ways, and overall an interesting and unusual experience. 7/10