Movies Came Out In (1944)
Winner:
Going My Way – Just watched recently, Bing Crosby plays a priest who takes on a new church in a rough neighborhood and helps out the local youth by starting a choir. Some years later, Bing stars in “The Bells Of St. Mary’s” and it’s a remarkably similar plot. Both movies are no doubt a showcase for some Bing Crosby tunes, as he has no problem belting out into song at the drop of a hat. The plot is average, at best and the acting is nothing special. I’m a little surprised this was a winner, I didn’t find it special at all.
Double Indemnity – I just watched this film and absolutely loved it. It stars Fred MacMurray and it was super cool to see him in a role unlike the others I’m familiar with (Absent Minded Professor or Dad on My Three Sons). The film is about an insurance representative (MacMurray) lets himself be talked into a murder/insurance fraud scheme that arouses the suspicion of an insurance investigator. The way the story is told is great and suspenseful, I highly recommend this film.
Gaslight – I just watched this movie and it was pretty good. I enjoyed learning how the phrase (used a lot these days in politics) “gaslighting” someone or the public came about. Precent decent psychological thriller and really didn’t drone on endlessly. I would recommend watching this movie.
Since You Went Away – Set during WW2, a housewife struggles to maintain the household with her 2 daughters and a pair of lodgers that move in for economic purposes. This film is a bit on the long side (almost 3 hours) and I felt it could have easily been just 2 hours. It drags quite a bit at times. That being said, it’s a pretty good film and I like how it portrays life at the time (during the actual war) but in the cinema.
Wilson – Rented on Amazon Video because I couldn’t find it anywhere else. This film is a biography of President Woodrow Wilson, and it weighs in at almost 3 hours long. It was way too long and didn’t need to be. At times it was interesting, as certain details of his life I wasn’t aware of, but for a large portion of the film, it was incredibly boring. If you’re writing a book report on Woodrow Wilson, this film would be a good primer. One of the more interesting aspects of the film was that it was in color (not black & white) which was highly unusual given the time period.
Brian’s Winner:
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Ceremony Year (1945) – Movies Came Out In (1944)