The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Hard-boiled San Francisco private eye Sam Spade is a man with questionable morals but is unquestionably good at what he does. One day, Spade is approached by Miss Wonderly, who offers him considerable money in exchange for locating her younger sister, who allegedly ran away with a man named Floyd Thursby. What follows is a series of murders, corruption and uncertainty, all tied up in a classic web of mystery and deceit, all leading back to the fabled Maltese falcon statuette. The Maltese Falcon is one of, if not, the most integral pictures to come out in the film-noir genre. It would certainly go on to inspire and create a template and standard for later films of the same genre. Funnily enough, this is not the first theatrical depiction of this novel with The Maltese Falcon (1931) released 10 years prior. Although, that variation hasn't nearly held the same lasting impact as this depiction. This iteration may very well be one of the greatest remakes in cinematic history as John Huston (who makes his directorial debut here) delivers a truly faithful adaptation. I was simply blown away by the presence this film holds. From exceptional cinematography, atmospheric scenery, clever witty dialogue and an experienced cast, there is a great deal at play here to captivate audiences and glue them to the screen. I have always been fascinated by detective stories and I feel their best depictions are in the dark, gritty noir films, with no exception here. The beginning alone sets the scene with what appears to be a fairly straightforward case laid out like your typical P.I. detective mystery, however, things take a drastic turn with a more complicated plot taking hold. I certainly found myself frequently guessing from start to end and whilst I am sure this can be said for any mystery-related project, I found questions popping up at every corner in such frequent successions. Also, I found the pacing of this film to be somewhat fast, almost like being just ever so slightly sped up, which comes in the way of the dialogue delivery. It was sharp, to the point and darted right off the tongue at excessive rates with certainly a lot of exposition at play, but it was not hard to follow. With talking pictures becoming so prevalent, I'm certain this film decided to take this opportunity to its fullest. Our leading protagonist is Sam Spade (played by the master of P.I. noir, Humphrey Bogart) who is portrayed as something of an antihero. He may be an investigator working on the side of the law but he appears to take matters more into his own hands, having no issue with keeping the police out unless it suits him. There are plenty of insinuations throughout that blur his character between the lines and make him difficult to anticipate. He is competent and always steps ahead of everyone else, including the multiple parties after the Falcon. These members consist of Cairo, Gutman and O'Shaughnessy, who come from varying backgrounds but are equally fascinating to watch as their shared desire for the bird shows the extremity of their obsessive natures to obtain it. Whilst a serious story there can still be found a level of comedy like in my favourite scene where Mr Cairo calls upon Spade to offer a large sum for the item before pulling a gun on him, ordering to search his office. Spade effortlessly disarms, knocks out and searches him and when he awakens he's questioned and given back his gun before leaving only to attempt the whole procedure again word for word. I howled with laughter it was phenomenal. Things are much more serious going forward, as the case grows closer to a conclusion, with every word told a lie, tailing hitmen and further bodies turning up around our investigator. It is particularly hard to guess anyone's next move especially Spade's as he works tirelessly to solve this bizarre case. Overall, The Maltese Falcon is the best of the best within the crime, mystery and film-noir genres. It is a perfect product that delivers everything you have come to expect and much more. It practically set the foundations for these types of movies and its influence continues to be ever-present. The cast is marvellous, direction stupendous, and story captivating. This is as classic as they come, a must-see.

Runtime: 1h 40m

Director: John Huston

Genre: Crime / Film-Noir / Mystery / Romance

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3 Godfathers (1948)

Fugitive bank robbers Robert Hightower, William Kearney and Pedro Roca Fuerte stand at a desert grave. Caring for the newborn infant of the woman they just buried will ruin any chance of escape. But they won't go back on their promise to her. They won't abandon little Robert William Pedro but can they deliver him to safety? Director John Ford's Western retelling of the Biblical Three Wise Men tale remains a scenic and thematic masterpiece. This is certainly one of the more unusual western movies made that tells a story quite different to anything done before in the genre. Little would you know but this is technically a Christmas movie. Set during the festive season, there are plenty of references to Christmas, from the mentions of a Christmas tree to people talking of Feliz Navidad. Also as previously mentioned, the movie takes a Biblical approach in its story and imagery with our trio mirroring the Three Wise Men. There are plenty of moments where our characters refer to the Bible and read from it frequently, as they take the infant child to New Jerusalem. When our story begins, we follow our trio on a bank heist in a town, which had greeted them so kindly. Having made their escape, with the youngest, William, being shot in the arm and injured, they are quickly pursued by the marshal. He makes it his personal vendetta to hunt them down, making it impossible for them to escape. As the blockades around water sources grow, the three move onto one last location where they come across a dying woman and her infant. They promise to take care of the child as their Godfathers and so begins their quest. Ford asserts to us through the story that even men of dissolute character can follow that inner star of Bethlehem to their own redemption. It is here we are shown the hard natures of the wild west. From the harsh, dusty winds to the scorching sun, the cinematography is used superbly in making us feel like we, the audience, are on that journey too in those conditions. Despite their past actions, we now see this group in a new light as they do everything in their being to protect this infant. But with the marshal hot on their trails we start to see him, a man completely in his right to take vengeance on these men, as a villain in some sense. If you haven't seen the film skip past the red to avoid me ruining the end. *Spoilers* As they keep travelling, they are overcome by the treacherous conditions of the desert and become weaker, unlikely to make it. It is here that William, whose gunshot wound had not been treated, sadly dies of exhaustion, doing everything in his might to carry the child as far as possible. The two remaining read him the Bible as he dies then move on, so as not to be caught by the marshal. Later Pedro breaks his leg after falling and can't go on. He asks for Robert's pistol to warn off any coyotes but as Robert moves on we hear a single gunshot. After climbing the last mountain, Robert feels he can't go any further. He starts to hallucinate, imagining his two friends walking alongside him, encouraging him not to give up, which was a very emotional moment. Finally making it to the town, he is confronted by the marshal who then realises what has transpired. In the end, the baby is delivered safely and Robert is only sent to 1 year and 1 day of prison time instead of the 20 years, remaining as the child's Godfather. Overall, this is an emotional drama set in the western genre that features some amazing acting and cinematography as well as an interesting story. I love that it holds many similarities to Biblical stories and makes for some unique Christmas viewing. This is definitely worthy viewing and should be experienced at least once by everyone, especially western and John Wayne fans.

Runtime: 1h 46m

Director: John Ford

Genre: Drama / Western

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The Bishop's Wife (1947)

Henry Brougham is a newly appointed Bishop and is having a difficult time raising funds for a new cathedral. His wife misses their old neighbourhood in a poor part of town and he is stressed and preoccupied with his new duties. His prayers are answered when an angel, Dudley, suddenly appears in his study. Dudley tells him that he's there as his assistant and will be present until he is no longer needed. With all of his work, Brougham hasn't had much time for his wife, Julia, and daughter, Debby, so Dudley keeps them company. The main contributor to the cathedral fund, Mrs. Hamilton, has several conditions to be met before she transfers the funds. Henry is forced to compromise his principles to get the money. As Christmas arrives, Dudley spins his charms ensuring a happy Christmas for everyone, particularly Julia and Henry. This is certainly one of the most pleasant Christmas classics I have ever seen coming close to the equally heart-warming: It's a Wonderful Life (1946). Cary Grant is phenomenal as the angel, Dudley. All of his scenes are so charming and delightful in every way. I love how he helps everyone that he passes from guiding blind people across the street to saving a baby whose pram was rolling towards a car. Some of my favourite moments from his character are when he is with Henry, who has a hard time believing he is an angel and when he performs some small miracle, it leaves Henry with a hilarious disbelieving expression. Even when he thinks it was all in his head, his reaction to seeing him through the window the next day will forever be priceless, it is so funny. The two have a great conflicting relationship as Henry wants Dudley to go, despite everybody else loving him, whereas, Dudley just can't help but be continually joyful and caring to all, brightening the world in everything he did. Everyone who has met him or been touched by his kindness is left with huge smiles and all the ladies have such dreamy looks on their faces. I love how Dudley knows everybody's names without them having to introduce themselves, he just casually uses their names as if they had known each other for years. This plays into one of my all-time favourite sequences in the film, the choir scene. Dudley and Julia visit the boy's choir, where they only find two boys there. With Christmas and Basketball keeping the boys busy and away, Dudley proceeds to greet the two boys (who he of course knows their names) and begins the choir. As they begin, Dudley holds out his hands and beckons at the doors, which began opening with boys flooding in with some confused expressions and all begin to join in song. It is a superb sequence that gets a chuckle from me, whilst also having some beautiful angelic music. Another iconic sequence is the ice skating where we see Dudley and Julia have a lovely time with some impressive skills shown. One of the most impressive aspects of this film is the visual effects that are used when Dudley performs some miracles. Particularly the moment when he throws some cards up into the air, which then fly into the correct sections of the boxes and for the day and age, it looks incredible. For the majority of the film, Henry is only concerned for only his cathedral, paying little to no mind to his family. That is until Dudley shows him what he has by making him miss out on time with his family, making him want to fight for them. Especially when he comes to realise he is mortal whereas Dudley is an angel. Overall, what a marvellous film. Another testament to those classic Christmas movies of old. An enjoyable fantasy which can be viewed with the whole family each festive season. 

Runtime: 1h 49m

Director: Henry Koster

Genre: Comedy / Drama / Fantasy / Romance

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It's a Wonderful Life (1946)

George Bailey has spent his entire life giving his services to the people of Bedford Falls. He has longed to travel the world but never went so to prevent rich Mr Potter from taking over the town. Also holding him back is George's modest building and loan company, founded by his father. On Christmas Eve, their business loses an $8,000 deposit in the bank. When the bank examiner discovers the shortage that night, George realizes he will be held responsible and sent to jail. The company will collapse, finally allowing Mr Potter to take over the town. Thinking of his wife, Mary, their four children, and other loved ones who will be better off with him dead, he contemplates suicide. But the prayers of his loved ones result in his guardian angel, Clarence coming to Earth to help him. I have great admiration for this masterpiece. It's a Wonderful Life has to be one of the most incredible movies ever made with its greatest accomplishment being held a timeless classic. It is frequently watched every Christmas by so many and the same can be said for my household, each year without fail. Its story stands the test of time, managing to evoke every emotion possible from people today, both new viewers and old. Originally filmed in black and white, this film can now be enjoyed as a colourized picture. With computer technology, films like this are brought to life by digitally tinting single objects in each frame until fully colourized. I love watching both editions and I have the two-in-one DVD and alternate between them. They did such a marvellous job with the colour copy, which allows us to witness the film in a completely new way never thought possible, seeing it in a whole new light. The acting is nothing short of phenomenal with some beautiful performances and moments coming from the tremendous cast that will undoubtedly move you to the point of tears. Since the story is based around the character of George Bailey (played by James Stewart), we spend a great deal of time watching over his life through flashbacks with the angels, who are showing Clarence George's life before he is sent to help him. His life is both tragic and wonderful (although he doesn't yet fully realise it). He saves people from making life-changing mistakes from a young age to rescuing his little brother from near death and going on to help the whole town from Mr Potter. He even has a beautiful wife, Mary (played by Donna Reed), whose love for him shows no bounds. The scenes of their youth together, getting to know one another at a party right up to their marriage, are truly delightful and romantic. They go on to have four children and live in a charming home, living a dream life, yet this was far from what he wanted or envisioned. He always talked and dreamed of travelling the world, building big things and doing so much that unfortunately never came true, always feeling disheartened. Every chance he ever got to get away or experience that lifelong ambition would eventually be revoked by something or he would sacrifice it for the benefit of the town and its people. However, when $8,000 is lost from the business, George's life takes a drastic turn for the worse. Just before he jumps off of the bridge, thinking he is worth more dead, Clarence steps in to save him. Clarence has to be one of my favourite characters who is so funny in his scenes where he freely talks about being an angel, which always gets hilarious reactions from people. He is so helpful to George and guides him through this difficult decision. George wishes he had never been born, which Clarence grants, showing him what the world would be like had he never existed. Seeing all the lives he has ever touched turned cruel, depressed, dead or living a worse life, he realises what a wonderful life he had. Wishing to live again, George is brought back and given a second chance at his life and it will always bring a tear to everyone's eyes seeing him run back in glee to his home. Especially, when the whole town gathers the money to save him for how kind he was to them. Overall, this has to be one of the best depictions of showing what life is all about. This tear-jerker is easily one of the best movies ever made and, not only that, but also in terms of a Christmas one.

Runtime: 2h 10m

Director: Frank Capra

Genre: Drama / Family / Fantasy / Romance

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Superman: Animated Film Series (TV Series 1941-1943)

A lone baby alien survivor of the planet Krypton is sent to Earth moments before the planet explodes. Growing up he discovers he has strange powers and later becomes Superman, protector of justice. Under the alias of Clark Kent, a news reporter, he leads a double life and keeps his true identity and powers a secret from all. Superman made his animated debut in this series of seventeen classic Technicolor short films produced by Fleischer Studios and its successor Famous Studios in the 1940s. They were so ahead of their time with some animation that was worthy of and ended up being nominated for the 1942 Academy Award for Best Short Subject: Cartoons. I love these short films most especially because they have some of the cleanest animations I have ever seen which still manages to hold up to today's standards. I would even go as far as to argue that they are even better than some modern-day animated projects and looking at the quality of them, it is plain to see they were leagues ahead of their time. What made this series all the more incredible is the fact they were released during the period of World War 2, and yet, the visuals of these shorts are just breathtaking, which is most likely due to them being lavishly budgeted. I would have thought that a show like this wouldn't have had such a grand budget, let alone being made in colour but thank goodness it did because they are simply fantastic. There are however elements of the current ongoing period featured within, whilst of course being set in the modern day of that time during the 1940s, there are later episodes which featured some war propaganda. In the episode Jungle Drums, it featured Nazis whom Superman naturally defeats and at the end of the episode, we see a disheartened Hitler who is listening to the news of his plans failing. These propaganda episodes were obviously included as a means to boost morale and rally viewers, especially the younger audience during such trying times. This show is responsible for many great feats, from not only being one of the best-animated projects ever made but also accomplishing so much more in changes to the original design of the character which would alter the character forever going forward! These very cartoons were responsible for Superman being able to fly. When they started working on this series, Superman could only leap from place to place in great bounds however, they deemed it as "silly looking" after seeing it fully animated and decided to have him fly instead, after getting permission for this change. This has since become one of Superman's most recognisable abilities, being able to fly, and thanks to this series, he has ever since. One of the most interesting processes used by the team in creating this cartoon was the method of Rotoscoping. It is the process of tracing animation drawings from live-action footage, which was used extensively to lend realism to the human characters and the man of steel himself. I found this immensely fascinating and I began to wonder what other projects out there have used this technique. However, some of Superman's actions could not be done with this method like, for example, flying or lifting incredibly large objects and therefore had to be figure drawn. One of the greatest achievements from this show's legacy would be the inspiration of two phenomenal shows also set in the DC universe, Batman: The Animated Series (TV Series 1992-1995) and Superman: The Animated Series (TV Series 1996-2000). They were both made using the hand-drawn animation style and in the case of the Batman show, it was made to look like it was set in a futuristic 1940s period, inspired by this very show and that show would go on to have the follow-up Superman series coming almost full circle. Although with the later Superman show they chose not to keep the 40's style of Batman because of this show's existence. Overall, I adore this animated superhero cartoon. It has achieved so many technical feats that was able to deliver content like nothing ever seen before and I have nothing but respect for it. Undoubtedly one you should watch especially with them all being available on YouTube.

Seasons & Episodes: 1 Season - 17 Episodes

Creators: Dave Fleischer, Steve Muffati

Genre: Action / Adventure / Animation / Family / Fantasy / Sci-fi

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Tom and Jerry (TV Series 1940-1967)

Tom and Jerry is an American cartoon series about an unfortunate cat's never-ending pursuit of a clever mouse. Tom is the scheming cat, and Jerry is a courageous and determined mouse. The series was driven entirely by action and visual humour with plenty of timeless slapstick. The characters rarely spoke except for a few times and of course the bountiful screams that mostly came from Tom who had the best yelps ever recorded. Tom and Jerry is an amazing show that is still enjoyable even 80-plus years since its first release. It manages to entertain people of all ages and it is a true testament to the show in its ability to generate the same reactions from people today as it did back in the 1940s. Slapstick humour is some of the best forms of comedy out there and Tom and Jerry do it superbly. If you love the kind of slapstick on display here then definitely check out the Home Alone series that shares this comedic style. The show went through many years and with each, it altered the designs of the characters and artistry. These periods are The Hanna-Barbera Era (1940-1958), Gene Deitch Era (1961-1962) and the Chuck Jones Era (1963-1967). The characters and animation went through many changes but the heart and soul of the show never changed, nor did the humour. The Hanna-Barbera Era has to be my favourite, especially in the 1950s as I love the look of the animation. I would also pick this era because of the particular episodes that are easily some of the best-loved that the show has ever produced, which brought their most iconic depictions to life. Some of the earlier versions of the characters were very close to reality in their looks and as time passed, they became less life-like and more their own animated versions. Those versions of the characters became their base look for all future projects like movies, which continue to come out as recently as today! They have had many films over the years from their own wacky adventures to movies where they meet iconic characters such as Sherlock Holmes. There was even one where they are part of The Wizard of Oz (1939), featuring in the adventure. For a show dating back as far as the 1940s to have movies and shows made many years later (and still going strong) is quite an impressive feat. There are also episodes set during seasonal occasions from Halloween to Christmas, making the show great viewing for the whole year round, no matter the time. I have always loved hand-drawn animation as the time that's clearly been put into it and the flowing movement just looks incredible and witnessing the final product makes it all the more impressive. Such intricate detail was put into making these episodes that will always blow me away with how stunning it all looks. Some of the best episodes, and my favourites, are when the two get along, helping one another out being kind and friendly despite their constant rivalry and attempts to get back at the other. Their rivalry/friendship is so iconic and we, the audience, just can't help but love them with all the crazy shenanigans they get into. There are so many creative and hilarious ways that they get at each other from bowling balls falling on Tom's head to Jerry landing on a cactus spike, there are some incredible expressions and screams that will have you howling with laughter. All of Tom's screams and shouts are so iconic that you can easily recognise them from this show since after all he has a great variety. They are extremely hilarious and a guaranteed laugh in my case. There are also many other supporting memorable characters. There is Spike the bulldog and his son Tyke, Nibbles (Tuffy) the baby grey mouse, Quacker the little duckling, Mammy Two Shoes, Butch the cat, Droopy the basset hound and many more. Each one is just as funny and entertaining, showing up now and then in some episodes over the years. Overall, this is such an iconic show with two of the most memorable characters in pop culture history. With heaps of slapstick to keep you chuckling frequently this makes for ideal viewing for those days when you just need a good old laugh.

Seasons & Episodes: 1 Season - 161 Episodes

Creators: William Hanna / Joseph Barbera

Genre: Animation / Comedy / Family

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The Big Sleep (1946)

Private investigator, Philip Marlowe is hired by wealthy General Sternwood to help resolve a gambling debt and blackmailing of his daughter, Carmen. Marlowe agrees to the case but finds himself getting deeper into a web of love triangles, blackmail, murder, gambling and organised crime. With the assistance of Vivian, (Sternwood's older daughter) she implies that the situation is more complex, and also involves the casino owner and a recently disappeared family friend. As people who are linked to the Sternwoods end up getting killed, Marlowe gets more tangled in the web. But with more help from Vivian, he hopes to hatch the plot and free the family from this ever-growing web, trapping the true culprit. This 1940's classic captures that film-noir feel in its tone and setting throughout. There are scenes where that presence is felt (and seen) very prominently. However, for me and many others, the plot of this film feels very complicated and hard to follow. There are a lot of plot threads going around and as we learn more as the film goes on, it's very easy to get lost. I know I did. However, I found a plot summary on IMDb where they put all the plot threads, characters and events in order. I found it much easier to follow and understood the film much more clearly. The reason for it being unusual to understand at times is due to having many scenes cut out that would have kept the story and mini-plot threads together. This is why it has moments that occur with little reasoning or little explanation that could have made things more connected and would have followed the book more clearly. Despite its difficult-to-follow plot, there is still a lot to take and enjoy from this classic film. The acting is great from Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall in the leading roles of Marlowe and Vivian, especially their chemistry and sprouting affection for one another. The two of them did a few films together and the fact that they were married is really cool. Being able to do films together must have been such fun and it's so nice to know they were together in real life. They both starred in the film To Have and Not Have (1944) before this one and went on to work together afterwards on Dark Passage (1947) and Key Largo (1948). There is a great deal of clever dialogue scattered throughout with some great quips from our leading P.I., Marlowe. Like, for example, General Sternwood - "How do you like your brandy, sir?" Marlowe - "In a glass." Also in a later scene [in a bookstore] Marlowe - "You do sell books, hmm?" Agnes - "What do those look like, grapefruit?" Marlowe - "Well, from here they look like books." There are plenty of ones like that throughout, which always get a smirk from me and felt very in line with a film-noir P.I. which I liked. It is certainly worth watching some clips of the witty quips as they do not disappoint in entertaining. My favourite character had to be Marlowe thanks to those lines and how smart he is in his deductions. I enjoyed the setting of the film, especially when it came to the weather. Scenes of a rainy 1940s setting in a film-noir private investigator film just look fitting and are used in almost all films of this period and genre, which I will always enjoy. It makes for some great-looking scenes and adds to the air of mystery. The film focuses more on a tonal depiction rather than a visual cinematic one. Overall, this is a good film but the plot can be hard to follow, especially if you try and focus on it. I found it much easier to read the summary after to get a better understanding. However, the dialogue, atmosphere and chemistry between the leading roles are the highlights of this classic film, making it ideal viewing.

Runtime: 1h 54m

Director: Howard Hawks

Genre: Crime / Film-Noir / Mystery / Thriller

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