The Life of Oharu

This is a good Mizoguchi film.  It's about a girl who is treated like cattle.  At first, she's a concubine but gradually descends to a prostitute.  The makeup is believable as the beautiful woman becomes a hag.  Lately, I've been watching Japanese cinema from the past.  There's a reason why most of Ozu and Mizoguchi's movies make it to the Criterion Collection.  

The Girl Downstairs

This movie was just adorable.  It's about Franchot Tone who uses Franciska Gaal, a foreign maid, to get into the house of a rich girl he is interested in.  He plays the chauffeur to try to appeal to Gaal's social position.  However, he finds himself falling for Gaal. But what will she think of his lies and the fact he is really wealthy?  I've ought to investigate Franciska Gaal.  She was so cute in this. 

Goldie Gets Along

This movie was just bad.  It's obvious that the people making the movie want Lili Damita to be the next Marlene Dietrich or Greta Garbo, another foreign actress on the market.  Only she doesn't have the charisma they did.  The main problem with the movie is that you don't really root for Goldie.  She goes to Hollywood to try to make it but you don't care if she does become a star.  Her boyfriend isn't all that great either. He's a stale character.  

Missing Witnesses

This wasn't that good of a movie.  Luckily it was only an hour.  It's about witnesses changing their mind when they realize the mob might go after them.  One witness Jean Dale has seen a crime.  For a while, she looks like a traitor but that is resolved.  There are better movies in the 30's even ones that just last 60-70 minutes. 

Captain Applejack

Although it's only an hour this movie was a disappointment.  A man finds out that his ancestors could have been pirates and that's the reason why they're rich.  There's a pirate sequence for like ten minutes.  Otherwise, it's just a boring talkie.  I like Mary Brian.  She's in it for a bit.

Sidewalks of New York

This is a Buster Keaton talkie.  I've seen this and What no Beer and I'm not impressed so far by his talkie period, but his silent films were genius.  In this Buster decides to save some street kids, one of which has Anita Page as a sister.  She's the love interest in this movie. I recommend it only for Anita Page and Buster Keaton fans.  It was mediocre. 2.5/5

Teresa

This was one of Pier Angeli's first movies.  She was a gorgeous underrated actress.  It's about a soldier who probably has PTSD from World War II.  He marries a young girl he met in Italy.  However, with his family life, there are complications.  The movie was kind of slow.  Although the movie is not that great I recommend it for Angeli fans.  I remember seeing stills for this movie in a film book when I was a little kid.  That was my introduction to Pier Angeli.