I could never understand it, what went wrong? What did Batman: TAS and Justice League/unlimited both have in common? A respective display of teamwork, good dialogue and visual display of characters that made the show look it was aiming to reach more than just children. Both of the two shows excelled in art and a respectable script. The legion of super heroes is a blatant attempt to cash in on the teen Titans. And I only liked that show because at the start of the season its episodes were telling but it went downhill, all too willing to settle for melodramatic one shot story episodes in later seasons. It was still good though, Slade helped add the serious tone and each character actually had character development.

The legion of superheroes falls flat for two key reasons: The first is that the legion was poorly depicted in JLU anyway and that many like me expected supergirl to appear in the legion series as to continue from the JLU.

The second, that with other then the name of bouncing boy being really lame, it's not really about the legion but a shameless hero worship and let's all relay on superman/teen or whatever. There is no real foe or a villain worthy enough to be superman's rival, given superman: TAS and JLU gave us darkseid, one can only imagine who could fill the next big villain boots. Answer? No one.

The animation is awful, whatever happened to shows that made decent attempts in detailed drawings? Surely the legion has more talented heroes then the names already given, a lot of the characters are very generic, no defining element? Thin bodied and all big heads? That's the art style as a whole with powers and such that you would have already seen it all before and kids would have as well. Again it doesn't help when it's all about superman, if DC wants to expand with their media then they have to do more, not just focus on lesser characters but give those the characters the decent animation drawings, plot and script they need.


First off let me start by saying this is most definitely not a Justice League it doesn't even come close to being in the same Galaxy. I'm not a fan of the childalization of super heroes and this is a show confirms my feelings that it's just a stinky thing to do. The show seems to depend heavily on the popularity of superman and should be called something like "super tweeny man and his amazing lackluster friends from the future" The rest of the legion of super kids are very much unremarkable much as the entire concept of the show. Just say no kids and perhaps they will scrap this pile of don't, don't bother and give us some real super hero action


This is one of very few existing East-German sci-fi flicks, and it's certainly not lost its value of entertainment over the years. On the contrary, the film repeatedly makes the audience laugh hysterically, although sometimes without the intention of being funny.

The plot is quite simple: A crew of cosmonauts land on a foreign planet, investigating a radio signal, sent out asking for help. They reception they get from the native people on the arrival is however not as friendly as it first seems. Something fishy seems to be taking place underneath the planet's surface.

The film apparently had a reasonably high budget and some of the clothes and settings are actually cool. It's VERY much seventies, but not so much in a bad way. There is also some totally unprovoked nudity and the characters are hilarious.

I think probably most people should be able to enjoy this film in some aspect, at least those of us who still have a sense of humor childish enough to laugh at East-German bearded spacemen named RONK.


This has a kind of Japanese Sci Fi craziness to it and a wanna be Star Trek plot. Creative, silly, constantly surprising, if better known it would be a major cult movie perhaps it will be one now that it is getting a DVD release. This is a pretty large scale production with at least a thousand extras in one scene and some huge location work. The costumes are typically over colorful and practically pop off the screen. Add to all this a number of outlandish alien dance numbers, purple hair,live snakes, a splash of full frontal female nudity, and of course the evil Ronk--who looks like James Cameron did in 1985 and you have a must see. Almost every other scene has some totally crazy left turn moment or element you won't see coming. Also a bonus the strangeo music and goofy sound FX that go right along with the over the top acting and strange blocking. Actors will suddenly sit down on the floor in the middle of a scene while talking for no reason. Don't pass let this film pass you by.


There's not a lot of East German sci-fi floating around but I got this as part of a box set from First Run Features, and I've not been disappointed with the quality of the films nor the content. This is a rather interesting (and amusing) tale of a spaceship that goes to a planet to investigate a call for help, only to find there's seemingly nothing wrong. The people that live on the surface of the planet are party-animal types, and give the impression that all is well, but they seem to be hiding something, like, the fact that they imprisoned the real inhabitants of the planet to do slave labor in the mines underground. Most interesting is "the boss", who is kind of a combination of David Bowie and Liberace, maybe, who wears interesting spangled outfits and has his hair dyed in strange colors for no apparent reason. Both campy and creepy. The cast also has Leon Niemczyk, one of the main characters from "Knife in the Water". Anyway, the supposed rescuers do discover the dirty secret of the planet and set about to make things right, but with dire results. This is quite entertaining in a strange way, and a very odd sci-fi offering but quite fun. If you get the chance and are of a mind to, check this out. 7 out of 10.


In case you wondered why Roger Corman scrapped the story line of German SF films he bought, watch one in its original form! This film is on par with Tom Baker era Dr. Who shows in most respects. Process shots, models, special effects are all pretty basic. Direction is very slow and the story predictable. Like many TV space operas, our explorers land amongst humanlike aliens, most of whom are enslaved by a mean tyrant. Fortunatly, they speak the explorers language, in this case, German. But instead of Ming the Merciless, its more like Clueless. Our tyrant boasts an army of about 20 guys, no real weapons except handguns, no death rays, no monsters, nada! He isn't even that mean. True, he makes the couple dozen natives of the planet mine some minerals or something with picks and shovels but there are no massacres or real evil deeds. His most violent act is to throw a hissy fit and trash his own bedroom.

Technically, Blakes Seven was way better. The sound effects and some of the background music as well are just oscillators going WWWWOOOOOO at different frequencies. The rocketship going out of control is cleverly suggested by flashing red lights and tilting the camera back and forth. The control room is full of big pilot lights all flashing in unison and signifying nothing. Considering the size of the control room set, the rocketship must be about 600 feet tall. It's never explained how people get in and out of this skyscraper of a space ship.

The entire population of the planet appears to be around 75 people. There are no cities, no factories, they never even show the tyrant's palace from the outside. There is only a little mine, equipped with 19th century style hardware. All the men apparently work in the mine and all the women dance on the leaders lawn all day long for his amusement. What do the people eat? Unlike Flash, the situation of tyrant/slaves/heroic space explorers/etc. is not resolved at the end of the film. You may well ask if there is another reel that somehow didn't get shown.

OK, maybe its unfair to dis a movie like this since the Communist film industry must have had a lot of problems. But if a clunker like this came from American International back in 1965 the critics would have panned it brutally. Its too dull and boring to be a lost gem and not wacky enough to be a cult classic. If I had to see stuff like this when I went to the movies I might have tried to tunnel out of the country too!


I've seen this movies long time ago at German ZDF channel. Now I own the English/Russian dubbed version. I think that the third entry of "Eis am Stiel" is JUST COOL ! ! ! I miss that hardcore comedies of all time. Nobody shoot such a movies at the present time .. The score is nice - plenty of 60's tunes (Chuck Berry and Elvis the King) and it match perfectly on plot. Of course we can see Sybille Rauch with her BIG BOOTS too ; ) A couple of years ago I read on Polish newspaper that it's really hard to find "Lemon Popsicle" release on DVD. I don't know if it's true ??? However, this flick contain strong portion of nasty behavior, naked teenage beauties and really funny gigs. But the plot is more complicated - we have summer love story with a broken heart and so on .. If you share the same sense of humor I also recommend you "Lemon Popsicle" part shoot at the Army, and two first parts of PORKY's .. Almost 90 minutes of pure entertainment :) Enjoy it!


Rated R for Strong Language and Sexual Content.

Hot Bubblegum is the third entry in the Isreali Lemon Popsicle series.There are nine films in the entire series.I have seen the first three because they are on youtube.Part of the fourth film is on youtube and the whole film should be up soon.Anyway Hot Bubblegum is not as good as Lemon Popsicle 1 or 2(which was the best one), but it is still a funny 1980's teen sex comedy with a good mix of drama and romance in it.My only problem with this film is Bobby and Benji are always friends even after the events of the first and second film.In those, they always fight and never become friends again, yet in the next sequel, they are best friends as if nothing has happened.Also Nicki from the first film(played by a different actress) returns.Benji and her date and talk as if none of the events of the first film happened.Also in the first film, she seemed like a nice girl, yet in this one she's a b**ch! The film has basically the same story, three friends in the 50's or early 60's keeping up with exams,girlfriends and all the other things that teens go through in high school.If you like teen comedies, then check out the lemon popsicle series.


Man, I stayed up all night watching this movie. I don't know... but it might very well now be my favorite of the genre.

Committing the plot to any review on paper would do the movie a great disservice. For the movie is instead thick on atmosphere: largely relating the sexual adventures - and misadventures - of a group of friends around their seaside neighborhood set to the delightful music of 50s rock 'n 'roll. This is a particularly comical coming of age farce that just runs from one outrageous skit to the other.

Of course, the dubbing of this German/Israeli production makes the movie even more enjoyable. I'd like to personally thank the original producer for taking such a risk to film such a movie.

Hot Bubblegum - as it was titled when I saw it - is in the line of "Porky's", "American Pie", "Revenge of the Nerds" ... but it just seems to beat all of them. It's probably a lot more raunchy also! I reckon you'll be just drawn in and if you don't - you bloody well should! It's fun, fun, fun!!!


The acting is lousy and (at least in the version I saw) the dubbing is abysmal. This supposed 50s-style teen angst comedy is best viewed really late at night so that the rotten acting and putrid storyline can fight with the pathetic 50s music soundtrack in sending you to sleep.

Against this, "Porky's" deserved an Oscar.


Katie O'Neill (Susan Hayward) first meet Paul Van Riebeck (Tyrone Power), a leader of the South African Boers, when he comes to Ireland on a horse-buying trip... The two fall in love, but Paul, intent on establishing a Dutch Free State back home, has no time to settle down and refuses to marry her while he has this commitment...

Several years pass and Katie has wed Shawn Kildare (John Justin). When the great potato famine of the 1850s strikes Ireland, Katie, still in love with Paul, persuades Shawn that they should go to South Africa to start a new life...

They sail with their infant son and his nurse, Aggie (Agnes Moorehead), and in Capetown, join a group of homesteaders on a trek to the interior, where en route, Katie catches the eye of handsome Kurt Hout (Richard Egan), leader of a band of outriders...

A surprise Zulu attack on the wagon train is broken up by the timely appearance of Paul Van Riebeck and his men, but during the fighting, Shawn is killed... Paul does what he can to comfort Katie but finds that Kurt Hout, an old friend, already has made clear his interest in the newly widowed homesteader...

When the wagon train finally reaches its destination, Hoffen Valley, Katie convinces Paul to settle down with her, but their happiness is short-lived... Paul leaves to continue his work with the Free State movement, unaware that Katie is carrying his child...

Kurt, very upset for not being desired, becomes a dangerous outlaw, enemy of the authority... Rita Moreno plays his mistress...

Katie is the example of the brave intelligent, ambitious, lucky lady... She proves her courage, persistence and full determination to win as a wife, a mother, and a woman in love...

Filmed in the "grandeur" of CinemaScope, "Untamed" is a romantic action melodrama, short in action and long on romance...

The role of Kurt Hout was originally intended for Victor Mature, but he was replaces by Richard Egan...


Everyone works hard to make this grand-scaled hokum as enjoyable as possible. As a redheaded Irish spitfire, Susan Hayward finally gets her chance to play Scarlett O'Hara, but packs all her chiffons and crinolines [with matching shoes and stockings] in a covered wagon and sets off to cross the veldt with wise Agnes Moorehead and a cast of thousands [well, hundreds]. She's chasing Tyrone Power across South Africa, although he's something of a stiff, but she also loves hearty Richard Egan. The script stuffs in everything from a fancy dress ball to an emergency amputation. Henry King directs it all with some intensity, especially a harrowing and spectacular Zulu attack, and uses the wide screen well to capture the spaciousness of the land. Should be seen on the big screen [or at least in letterbox].


This is surely one of the Tyrone Power vehicles that's most shown on Italian TV (in fact, it was re-proposed just last week)  but I'd somehow never bothered to watch it. Having had a recording of the film for some time, I now opted to check it out as part of my brief tribute to the popular matinée idol on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his untimely demise. Well, I must say that I really enjoyed the film for reasons I'll get to later  which makes its absence on DVD more than a little baffling; incidentally, it was the tenth of Power's eleven collaborations with director King (the following effort, THE SUN ALSO RISES [1957], is perhaps the one I'd love to watch most of the star's remaining titles) as well as the second and last in which Power is co-starred with Susan Hayward (after the excellent suspense Western RAWHIDE [1951]).

Anyway, the film is an interesting (and mainly successful) mishmash of genres: part offbeat Western (with a wagon train beset by Zulus rather than Indians!), part epic adventure (even if the widescreen aspect ratio in the edition I watched wasn't quite the full 2.55:1 format of its original presentation), and part 'woman's picture' (despite Power's top billing, he's off-screen for long stretches at a time, so that Hayward emerges as the real protagonist  given also that she's involved with three men and undergoes many a hardship during the course of the film). While the plot is thoroughly predictable (and, yet, therein lies part of its appeal), it's made with the customary professionalism one associates with the golden age of Hollywood; thus, we're treated to a handsomely-shot large-scale entertainment  complemented by a fine Franz Waxman score which goes from lush to emphatic or rousing, depending on the mood of any given scene.

Among the undeniable highlights in the episodic narrative (which spans several years) are: the opening fox hunt in Ireland, which sees hero and heroine alternating between squabbling and loving; the afore-mentioned ambush of the 'pioneers' in which Hayward's staid husband John Justin is killed; Power (who neglects Hayward through his struggle for the Boers' independence) engaging in a whip-wielding duel with his romantic rival and former best friend Richard Egan (himself lusted after by a young Rita Moreno); Egan having his leg crushed by a tree he's trying to fell (symbolizing Hayward's affair with Power) during a thunderstorm; and the climactic clash between bitter, peg-legged Egan's outlaws and the natives led by the obviously virtuous and rugged Power. The finale, then, has the hero relinquishing (not without a certain remorse) his political career to make up to the long-suffering heroine  especially since their past dalliance had borne him a son (with whom he also shares his name) he was unaware of.


This movie is by far one of the best with Susan Hayward and Tyrone Power. I have seen it many times over and enjoy seeing it again.

If anyone ever gets the chance to view it, please do so.. You won't be disappointed.


This film bored me to death and was very unrealistic. Thousands upon Thousands of Zulu's attacked and outnumbered all the leading characters, but once Tyrone Power(Paul Van Riebeck),"Blood & Sand",'41 appeared, the Zulu's all gave up and went home. It is a shame that such great actors as Susan Hayward (Katie O'Neill),"I'll Cry Tomorrow",'55, Richard Egan,(Kurt Hout),"A Summer Place",'59, Agnes Moorehead (Aggie),"The Conqueror",'56 and Rita Morena(Julia),"West Side Story",'61 had to waste their time performing in this GREAT WHITE ELEPHANT ! They all must have been offered a very large salary!


I watched this movie several times with a few of my friends (both Russian/Ukrainian and English-speaking), and almost everybody liked it. Every time I watch this film, it leaves a good (although, a bit sad) impression.

I think that the story is interesting. Maybe not very original, but not beaten to death either. When I watched it for the first time, I was mostly interested in what would happen to the characters, after which I concentrated more on details. I think that most actors were very good: it's like you watch people living, not acting. Dialogs were funny, although English translation did not do them justice (on the other hand, certain things you simply cannot translate: they only make sense in the cultural context).

While most characters in the movie are pretty much pathetic (and/or miserable), they are somehow likeable. Even Dima, who seems to never get bothered by any moral imperatives, shows a human side (e.g. when he lets a poor old lady not to pay the full price for whatever she was buying).

I also liked the sound, editing, just about everything that made this film. Unless you are a dedicated soap opera or professional wrestling fan, you may find it a treat, too. 9 out of 10.

P.S. It is surprising, but this movie is not well known in either Russia or Ukraine.


Guys,

this is a pretty good movie. This is a really black (dark) comedy. This means nothing about the Russia, but it's cool. BTW,the translate from Russian to English is completely sucks. It seem the guy who made the translation know almost nothing about Russian language and about English as well.


Well, this is a story about a typical open-hearted but lucky person from Kiyev. He makes very little money for living. His blondie wife prefers him to a guy on red ford , so he becomes really upset and starts to drink. While drinking more and more he wishes to die, so he asks his friend to find a killer for himself. After 400$ were paid, life starts to attract main character and he changes his mind. He does not want to die any more. So he asks to stop that order, but nothing can be changed, the killer starts to hunt him. But there turned out to be more ways to get away from the fortune that he programmed himself. Very realistic and bright plot. I liked the way film was made and its music. It also has some great score in some episodes.


This shows there are some great directors and actors in russia. The most impressive thing about this movie is that it connects the reality in Russia not in the sense that those things happening in the movie is the reality but in the sense that it conveys deeply the feelings of Russian people. (Loss of love and commradeship between people). I really liked the male lead, he acts well just as if you are seeing a real person struggling in life. I was really moved when he tries to put a contract on himself, oh that sense of sadness and despair. I liked the two female leads as well. They are very sexy and shows me what Russian women are really like other than the hollywood sterotype of either big white mama or gorgeous but cold hearted soviet spy. This movie is very well written and flows seamlessly.


good movie, also very painful for anyone from that region of the world.

i warmly recommend it to americans - try something other than hollywood - it doesn't hurt...


George Washington Slept Here is a tour-de-force for the great Jack Benny. He is given the opportunity to fully display his comedic acting skills here, as the movie is written and directed with class and style. He's ably assisted in the hilarity by the equally great Ann Sheridan, and supporting cast members Percy Kilbride and Charles Coburn add even more comic class to the movie.

This is the kind of movie you can watch with your kids where you find that the entire family enjoys it equally. While some cynics may not enjoy this movie as much as I do (it is clearly a product of it's time), if you find that you enjoy classic comedies then you should give this one a chance.

Hopefully it will be released on DVD soon. (As of this writing, 2/05/05, it is not yet on DVD.)


George S. Kauffman & Moss Hart's GEORGE WASHINGTON SLEPT HERE was one of Broadway's most successful comedies of the early 1940s, a bright and witty tale with a slightly Americana tone that World War II audiences found particularly appealing. The film version, sparked up by the completely unexpected chemistry of dry-humored Jack Benny and "Oomph Girl" Ann Sheridan, is every bit as charming.

When New Yorkers Bill and Connie Fuller (Benny and Sheridan) are evicted from their apartment (their third change of address in less than a year), wife Connie decides what they need is a place in the country... and buys an incredibly dilapidated house where George Washington is said to have once slept. Needless to say, husband Bill is horrified--and keeps on being horrified as the price of renovation skyrockets.

Benny was most popular when he played himself in roles tailored to his talents, but although this role is a bit atypical his talents are well suited to the constantly harried Bill Fuller--and he has remarkable rapport with co-star Ann Sheridan, an underestimated actress who shows tremendous flair for comedy as his determinedly optimistic wife. Both are well supported by a cast that includes Charles Coburn, Joyce Reynolds, and Percy Kilbride, and Hattie McDaniel (best remembered as Mammy in GONE WITH THE WIND) really shines as Hester, their long-suffering domestic who finds herself with a hole in the kitchen wall big enough for a horse to walk through--and one does! The pace is snappy, the script is witty, and every one is sure to have a good time. Recommended.

Gary F. Taylor, aka GFT, Amazon Reviewer


This is one of the funniest films I've ever seen. A local station in Houston used to run this show on new year's eve and I would watch it every year. Few comics can top Benny and his deadpan delivery but Pa Kettle came close in this one as he played the slow motion yard man.


I actually prefer this version of the "Home restoration from Hell" concept to the more famous "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House", despite the presence of the ubiquitous Cary Grant in the latter. Perhaps it's because I saw this one first, or because it came first. Whatever the reason, I found Jack Benny to be quite humorous in this starring turn, although the old caretaker nearly stole the show from under him.

8 out of 10.


This is a better comedy than many reviewers indicate. To appreciate it you have to remember two things - firstly, it was made in 1942, and thus there are quite a few patriotic themes in the movie, since that was the kind of film being made at the beginning of World War II, when the U.S. didn't yet know if it would be successful fighting a two front war in which everything was at stake. The second thing to remember is that Jack Benny did all of his scenes with Percy Kilbride (later known as Pa Kettle) on days in which he had gotten no sleep the night before. He did this deliberately, because Jack had insisted Kilbride play the part when Jack Warner just wanted to insert one of his contract players. Jack Benny insisted that Kilbride made the play and was thus essential for the movie. Jack Benny got his way, but every time Jack Benny looked at Percy Kilbride when he was shooting the movie he broke into hysterical laughter. When the director threatened to remove Benny if he continued this, then Benny decided to stay up all night before he had any scenes with Kilbride because then he was so exhausted that he just didn't care.

If you're in the mood for a light sweet movie from the 40's with Benny's brand of understated comedy, this certainly fits the bill. Just don't expect Benny the miser of Jack's radio and TV days. This film takes advantage of Benny's comic timing and deadpan delivery of comic observations when confronted by outrageous behavior and situations on all sides, but it is just not a role for a cheapskate.


Percy Kilbride shows up often on Jack Benny's radio show, particular those broadcast during World War II. His deadpan delivery always had the cast and audience in stitches and it is a real treat to encounter Kilbride in roles as a postal official or delivery man, bent on enforcing the "rules" much to the chagrin of Benny, and his sidekicks. Later, as Pa Kettle, Kilbride enjoyed his greatest success. Any fan of Jack Benny and anyone who has access to Benny's radio shows can benefit from "George Washington Slept Here" because you not only get a good look at the man himself, but in this case you get the extra benefit of seeing Benny and Kilbride reprise, so to speak, their wonderfully workable comedy.


For all you old timers, remember Jack Benny? He did make a few good movies, and made us laugh, too! This movie comes at a good time in our lives now to revive our sense of patriotism. The story is about The Fuller Family, Connie played by Ann Sheridan and Bill by Jack Benny, who purchase an old dilapidated farmhouse in Pennsylvania where George Washington, himself, supposedly had slept there during the American Revolution. So much of the humor comes about by the many problems they have while trying to upgrade the property. I found it more amusing this time than when I originally had seen it. Great comedy stars like Hattie McDaniel, Percy Kilbride and Charles Coburn. Don't miss it!


Ann Sheridan buys a dilapidated house believing that "George Washington Slept Here" in this 1942 film also starring Jack Benny, Percy Kilbride, Charles Coburn and Hattie McDaniel. Sheridan and Benny are husband and wife Bill and Connie Fuller, about to be evicted from their apartment because of their dog shredding the hall rug. Wanting to plant roots, Connie has fallen in love with an old house and purchased it, possibly without thinking it through. There's no water, the roof leaks, and Bill falls through the floor and continually falls down the stairs. Their budget triples as their hired handyman (Kilbride) needs to buy more gravel, more this, more that, all the time drilling for water (and finding the neighbor's) - until the couple is nearly out of money. After putting everything they have into the house, they can't pay the $5000 note on it. Hope is in the form of Connie's annoying Uncle Stanley (Coburn), who's come for a visit.

Based on the play by Moss Hart, "George Washington Slept Here" makes a good transition to the screen, thanks to the fabulous delivery of Jack Benny, who is a riot, the charm of the lovely Ann Sheridan, and the deadpan affect of "Pa Kettle," Percy Kilbride. He gives Benny a run for his money in the comedy department. You won't want to miss his rendition of "I'll Never Smile Again" and the one different facial expression he uses in the entire film.

All of the cast is good, including Hattie McDaniel, who watches the dinner table with the dinner on it float away and Charles Coburn as an uncle who only gives gifts of his photo.

Typical chaotic, warm, funny Moss Hart play that he wrote so well. Definitely worth seeing.


This has to be one of the funniest films ever. This was also my first exposure to Jack Benny. I loved his dead-pan delivery. I saw this film some 6 or 7 years ago on TV and have been looking for it on DVD (to no avail) almost ever since. Maybe I had a major case of the giggles that day but, I swear I about fell on the floor laughing at almost every Benny line. Interesting story and just extremely funny! I would highly recommend that anyone who hasn't yet had the opportunity or good fortune to see this wonderful comedy..see it. Of course you will have to see it on VHS as that is the only format it is available in at the moment. The fact that I still remember well the movie after seeing it once about 7 years ago should tell you it made quite an impression on me, as well as my funny-bone! Don't miss it if you haven't seen it yet.


Before Cary Grant and Myrna Loy were building their dream house in Connecticut, Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan moved out to the Pennsylvania countryside to a fix me up house where rumor hath it, George Washington Slept Here.

The film is based on a play of the same name by Kaufman and Hart and Benny and Sheridan make a good pair of marrieds. Rumor also hath it that Jack and Ann got romantically involved during the making of the film.

Sheridan has a passion for antiques and while on a shopping trip for same in Pennsylvania comes across an old colonial house that's definitely seen better days. On an impulse she buys it and charms her somewhat grouchy husband that life in the country is what they need.

If you've seen Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House you know exactly what the situations that will come up. In fact Tom Hanks in The 'Burbs faced similar problems for you younger movie viewers.

Benny and Sheridan are backed by a wonderful cast of character actors, that include Charles Coburn as their uncle, Douglas Croft as their delinquent nephew, Charles Dingle as their fatuous and greedy neighbor, Hattie McDaniel as what else the maid, and Percy Kilbride as the man in charge of repairing the old dump.

Jack Benny was never really able to translate his radio popularity to the big screen as Bob Hope was. George Washington Slept Here is probably the best of his big screen efforts.

And even at that it ranks up there with a lot of good screen comedies. Check it out if possible.

Rumor hath it George Washington took his boots off in many a house.


"George Washington Slept Here" combines a wonderful amount of early Jack Benny comedy before his usual "Tight Wad" stereo type and American History. Percy Kilbride is wonderful in the role of "Mr. Kimber." An excellant "Comfort Movie." Highly recommend!


This movie was a rewrite of a Broadway play, where the husband buys the house that George Washington supposedly slept in. But here it's the wife (Ann Sheridan), while husband Jack Benny gets increasingly irritated with the amount of money he's having to shell out. And if you're familiar with Benny's tightwad character, you'll know immediately why the roles were reversed for this film. But the real star is indeed Percy Kilbride, better known from the Ma and Pa Kettle films. One look at his deadpan puss and it's all over for Benny and for the audience. He's the one holdover from the play, and Benny insisted--rightly--on having him in the picture. Also fun to watch is Charles Dingle as a grumpy neighbor. Maybe Benny doesn't have Cary Grant's sophistication in "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House," but this is a funny picture, especially if you're a Benny fan. By the way, a station in Norfolk, VA, used to show this movie every Christmas morning. Why, I don't know, but it's no doubt good to relax with when the presents are unwrapped--or any other time of year.


Bill and Connie Filler (Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan) have to movie out of their NYC apartment. Connie wants to move to the country--Bill doesn't. Connie buys a dilapidated house in the country and convinces Bill to move in and fix it up. Naturally everything goes wrong.

VERY similar to the later "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" with one exception--this is funnier! I found "Blandings" more depressing than funny but I found this very funny and quick-moving. Benny tosses out one liners with ease left and right and most of them are hysterical. There are a few bad lines but Benny's dead pan expression while saying them actually make them amusing. Sheridan is beautiful as his wife. She seems uncomfortable doing comedy (she's mostly the straight person for Benny's jokes) but she's not bad. Also this is historically important as one of the first movies to deal with people moving from the city to the suburbs. However it does have its bad points--Hattie McDaniel plays a stereotypical cook, a VERY annoying little kid is thrown in towards the end and the anti-war speech was a bit much. Still, this is fast, funny and worth seeing just for Benny alone. I give it an 8.


I realize the movie has a fine cast, that it was adapted from a play by Hart and Kaufman, and that the situation -- city family moves to ramshackle house in the country -- is pregnant with possibilities. I didn't find it too funny.

William Keighley's pedestrian direction doesn't help much. There are long pauses following wisecracks and the editing waits for laughs that just aren't coming.

Here's an example of the humor. Jack Benny is shaving in the bathroom of the New York apartment the family is being kicked out of. Franklin Pangborn is the owner and takes some potential renters on a tour of the place. They enter the bathroom and slowly rummage around in it while Benny stands there gaping, his cheeks covered with shaving cream. Plenty of time for a laugh there. A woman opens some drawers and makes a remark about the chest being roomy. Benny glances down at his undershirt. Silence while the audience cracks up. The chest business is so funny that it's resurrected a minute later. This time Keighley's camera moves in for a close up of Benny's indignant face. Hold for laughs.

Maybe I was in a bad mood or hung over or something but it all fell flat for me -- the repetitive gags, no matter how weak to begin with, the pesky neighbor, the handyman who shuffles deliberately about, the seductive neighbor, the falling through the hole in the floor or down the deepest well in the county. "Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House" is better done. Even "The Money Pit" and "The Egg and I" are more inventive.

Ann Sheridan mentions that they are on "the old York road". The really was an old York road, a two-day stagecoach trip between Philadelphia and New York City. The road still carries its original name in some places.


I've seen every Ma and Pa Kettle film made because I long to be as stoic, calm and unperplexed as was Percy Kilbride, so this film was doubly enjoyable because also I've always been a big Jack Benny fan due to the fact he had the best timing, on radio, TV and movies, of any comedian.

Regarding the storyline,I'm not writing to spoon feed anyone;you can read it for yourselves but I am stating that when it next pops up on Turner,take a peek. Benny plays off Percy; Percy plays off Benny and Ann Sheridan adds a touch of beauty but according to the plot, not brains. And Charles Coburn whom everybody loved (how can anyone dislike Charles Coburn?) lends an air of royalty and connivery to the madcap happenings.

For a pleasant,entertaining and funny romp through cellulod,"GWSH" is very worthwhile.


George Washington Slept Here (1942) Dir: William Keighley

Production: Warner Bros.

Proto-MR. BLANDINGS plot of city-dwelling husband and wife team (Jack Benny and Ann Sheridan as Bill and Connie Fuller) purchasing a dauntingly run-down country house (where, it is said, George Washington once slept--or did he?) and renovating it to the point of both mental and pecuniary exhaustion. The two films have other similarities, despite both being based on different sources (this film has the more notable pedigree, taken from a George S. Kaufman-Moss Hart play, while MR. BLANDINGS is based on a novel). Outside of the main premise, both films also have the similar characters of the dull-witted local supervising the work (here played amusingly by 'Pa Kettle' Percy Kilbride) and a helpful male friend of the couple that the husband falsely believes is making a play for his wife (Melvyn Douglas in BLANDINGS, Harvey Stephens here).

This kind of story walks a thin line between funny and cruel/bad (think THE MONEY PIT), as the humor derives from the situation getting worse and worse for the characters. Thankfully this film manages to be steady fun, with a couple of laugh-out-loud moments. I think it's something about the Jack Benny persona, a sort of benign pompousness that audiences enjoy seeing deflated, even when he's the 'good guy'. There's a slow start, the first ten minutes or so featuring Franklin Pangborn as the Fuller's landlord and his battles with the Fuller family dog isn't very good, but it's not long before Benny and the material start to work the situation for real yuks. Perhaps excessively slapstick-y at times (Benny falls into a well, falls through the floor, goes up the stairs and falls through the ceiling), but even that stuff gets its fair share of hits (one of the better sight gags is, after being forbidden the use of the neighborhood's main street, the off-road arrival by car of Benny at the house). The arrival of a couple of nightmare relatives of the Fuller's also works; with Charles Coburn playing an egocentric uncle they cater to in hopes he will one day leave his fortune to them and Douglas Croft (young George M. Cohan in YANKEE DOODLE DANDY) as Raymond, Connie's obnoxious adolescent nephew. Ann Sheridan is in her prime here, although she pales in unfortunate comparison to Myrna Loy in BLANDINGS and isn't really asked to carry much of the comedy. Hattie McDaniel is also along in a routine, thankless maid role.

*** out of 4


I've been intrigued by Thai Voodoo for the longest time, not that I would want to be on the receiving end of it, but it makes you wonder the amount of clout and (real?) ability of these medicine men who put hexes and curses on your behalf, for a small fee. And it always seem that what they do to you, from simple artifacts like a voodoo doll, can inflict so much pain onto your real self with just a simple needle poked on a right position on the straw doll.

Art of the Devil 2 is not a sequel, in that it has no relation to the first (which I am now intrigued to watch as it stars Chai-Lai Angel Supaksorn Chaimongkol), although they deal with the same supernatural forces in Thai lore. It tells a story of a physically attractive model teacher, Ms Panor (Napakpapha Nakprasitte), and her group of students, one of whom she is a stepmother to. However, as with all misunderstandings, it stems off with what the eyes see and the ears here, and the mind believing. With black magic in the works, things are never what it seems, as the group of students revisit their teacher a few years after a tragic and shameful incident happened in school. Why, you'll never understand, but we need something to have them all put together to get something going.

This movie has plenty of gory moments which offers some good scares, given the disgusting things that happen to the victims of the hex. If torture scenes in Syrianna and Hard Candy made you squirm in your seat, then your stomach is up for more churning, given the previous two films did it more psychologically and with off-camera scenes, whereas here you're not spared the visual details, leaving none to the imagination, even if certain shots might look cheap and unrealistic. The gore grips you right from the start, giving you a hint that if you can't stand what you've just seen in the first few minutes, you won't be better off for the rest of the movie.

In an environment where almost everyone is not as innocent as they seem, keeping secrets close to their hearts, and the usage of black magic to achieve their individual desires and objectives commonplace, it perhaps served as a reminder not to dabble in the black arts, either as a practitioner or an end user, as there are always warnings of ill fate that befall upon them.

Unlike the Sixth Sense with its slick execution, script and delivery, Art of the Devil 2 had a rather satisfactory ending, but with the final stroke of the pen in creating the finale, it presented itself with a major loophole that seemed to have glossed over what transpired earlier, which is a big no-no in trying to force audiences to accept the "new truth".

However, if your intention is to get some scares, then this movie still delivers, if you'd be forgiving to the ending.


In Bangkok, five former high school friends are informed that the father of their friend Ta committed suicide. Ta is the son of Prowaet, who got married with their English teacher Panor and together they had a son, Nong. The student of medicine Kim and her boyfriend Por that studies in law school, the student of engineering Ko and Noot that is studying English to move to Australia with her gay friend Tair decide to reunite and travel to the country for the ceremony of cremation. While traveling by train, Kim recalls an incident two years ago in their last year in school, when they had been abused by their couch and lover of Panor when they found their affair. The students, seeking revenge, asked the Cambodian voodooist Pawn to cast a black magic against the couch, who mysteriously died after fishing. Once in the village, they spend the night with Ta and his stepmother Panor in their isolated house in the jungle nearby a river, when creepy things happen and their horror begin.

"Long Khong" is a creepy, gruesome and gore tale of witchcraft and insanity. The story is really scary, and has some nasty and cruel scenes: the worst is the sequence when the teenager is tortured with hot water and burned by a torch. The story follows the pattern of the good Asian horror movies, with secrets and revelations being disclosed in the last moments, like the last parts of a puzzle. This macabre type of voodoo with corpses is unusual in Western movies. The screenplay is very well tight, with great lines, and I liked the wise thought of Kim: "The future is what we want to be; the past defines us". The direction is very precise, the special effects are impressive and the cast has great performances. The lead actress is extremely gorgeous, and unfortunately I do not know her name. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Arte do Demônio" ("The Art of the Devil")


I think most of the reviews previously entered on IMDb were placed by he cast crew or Anna Biller herself. This was the longest 120 minute film I have ever seen. Anna Biller seems to have some talent as a production designer but as an actor, director, writer or editor she is severely lacking. She seems to suffer from the often seen LA role as the spoiled daughter of a rich family who makes bad film and no one wants to tell her she is without talent.

This film was entered into dozens of film festivals and didn't win any awards, OK maybe one. I hope Anna will recognize her limitations and go back to painting.


I can't believe people liked this movie!!! And believe me I'm not ignorant, I watch A lot of exploitation movies and film in general. Although this movie was meant as an homage, it seriously missed the mark. I think that it is such a rare thing when the whole 'directed by, produced, written, costumed and starring..' gimmick works and it only works when that person can act AND write (in my opinion she couldn't do either). There's a big difference between doing a send-off and making fun of the genre. The whole movie seemed like a giant 'stroke-fest' (like someone masturbating on film: solely for their own enjoyment and ego) where it was no accident that anyone with acting talent (or a better figure) were given minimal parts. Anna Biller cannot act- she's doing a really bad job of pretending to be a bad actor. (you know what they say; it takes a smart person to play dumb) AND please tell me someone else noticed the ugly faces she was making the ENTIRE movie?! That girl needs to spend some time in front of a mirror, practicing not doing that ever again. I did enjoy the orgy scene and the animation. I think if the movie were starring Robbin Ryan and Bridget Brno, it would have made for much better cinema. I may be starving for cinematic magic lately but, I'm not desperate enough to settle for less than fantastic. The musical numbers were sad and skimpy with the exception of Bridget Brno song in the bathtub. The 'two little girls from the suburbs' bugged me in a major way considering Viva couldn't touch Gentleman Prefer Blondes with a 100ft pole. The sets were good for the most part though inconsistent, as were the style and overall appearance of the film (sometimes it was bright and technicolor and sometimes muted.) Overall, I was just disappointed at what appeared to be a fantastic new movie but, ended up looking like a school project at times. That's what comes of thinking exploitation films look easy to make.


This piece of cinema is breathtakingly beautiful. But not only skin-deep. Underneath the gorgeous visuals, music and overflowing humor in this film, I found its secret. Like the moon's reflection on the water. The breezes may shake and distort it. But it's always there, waiting to shine starkly when the waters are still at last. It is the reflected reality of my own struggle with understanding and knowing my own sexuality and identity as a woman in this world of men. It is shining with a heartbreaking sincerity and honesty I've never encountered before. Amid the struggle through much pleasure and so much more pain, its compassion tells me I'm not alone. An inspiring expression of Woman.


This film is really not for most movie goers. The pacing is extremely slow and the acting is robotic and two dimensional. It is the kind of film that you would expect to see playing in an art gallery where it would be appropriate to only watch ten minutes, and where you wouldn't have to sit for two hours waiting for a gripping storyline that's not going to materialize.

Fans of the genre can probably appreciate it as a parody (or may appreciate it for more complicated reasons) but it's unlikely to be worth your time if you're coming at it without the right background. Which would be most of us.

What I did appreciate about the film was the scene and decor, the primary colours, the furniture. It's perfectly staged to mimic some aspect of the 1970s, or 60s, although which aspect I'm not exactly sure, I'm tripping out of my area of knowledge here. But it's beautifully staged and it works as a series of individual scenes just as a full length film it is much too long.


I see a lot of movies and Viva is way out in front of the herd. Naked star-directors should be given extra points but Anna Biller has nothing to make up for. This woman is a major talent in a sea of lackluster Sundance-want-to-be's. Viva VIVA! The level of humor in this Seventies send-up is way beyond the average lowbrow laughs one might expect from your typical film comedy. Sexual mores are tossed about by the characters in this little shaggy dog script much like the original foot soldiers of the Sexual Revolution fell on those Seventies "naughty bits" that were exposed for the world to see. Viva's unrequited need to lose herself repeatedly in her healing bubble bath really had me stamping my feet and fighting back tears.


Ann Biller plays Viva, a bored housewife living in LA, during the early 70s. The story of this film takes place in 1972, when the sexual revolution was in full-swing in suburbia. Viva is a gorgeous young woman, married to a kindly hubby. Viva and her husband, want to be considered a with-it couple. So they decide to start experimenting with spouse-swapping, with the hot-to-trot married couple next door.

Then, Viva decides that she wants to be a model. In order to make it in modeling, Viva winds-up sleeping with some lecherous men, who can help her further her modeling career. She also tries having sex with other women, and finds that lesbianism is an exciting twist for her. Ultimately, Viva participates in orgies, which she considers the pinnacle of sexual sophistication.

But Viva's husband thinks that she's become too caught-up in her sexual explorations, and that she's neglecting him. Viva does become weary, of being treated like just a sexual play-thing. She has to decide, if her superficial carnal pleasures are worth it after all. Especially after her husband threatens to walk out on her, when he gets fed-up with Viva's excessive sexual shenanigans.

This film really captures the spirit of the cheesy, over-the-top 70s sexual revolution. The wild 70s fashions, garishly colorful home decors, and even the party snacks served back then, are meticulously detailed in this film. The actors really ham it up. But that only adds to the hilarious, campy quality of this film. As a spoof, this movie is among the best of it's kind. I highly recommend it.


Most of these comments are definitely by cast and crew, obviously. This movie is absolutely atrocious, and not in a way that's fun to watch. It's taking itself too seriously to be considered an 'homage' or 'send-up'. One gets the feeling that the actor/writer/director (and review writer) thinks she's making a populist exploitation film, however, even most exploitation films had an actual story. The acting is probably the most offensive thing, but once again, not so bad that it's fun to watch and poke fun at. It's just bad. Like, someone got all their out of work hack actor friends together, threw in some family members, and then pulled a few people off the street kind of bad. But then again, one can hardly blame them when they're being forced to say the most ridiculous lines in the history of people talking to each other. The one redeeming thing in this film is the art direction; the costumes, color, and even the film stock are reminiscent of the 70's in a pleasant way.

If you want to watch an actual 70's period movie with genuine camp, sex, and a reasonable story, watch "Beyond The Valley of the Dolls". If you want to burn your eyes out with bleach, then perhaps watch "Viva" instead.


This was the first movie that I had watched from this genre, so I'm not knowledgeable enough to give a full, professional review as I am not a movie critic, producer, or director. I am a just a movie goer interested in enjoyable, quality films. Although the genre appears to be an interesting one, I was not impressed with the movie itself. There may be other more enjoyable movies out there in the same genre. Or for that matter, this movie could be one of the best in this genre, which may be an indication why these types of movies are not mentioned or talk about in the mainstream media.

I can express with great certainty that the editing could have been better as often there are instances when the screen goes dark for several seconds in between scenes, leaving the audience wondering what's next. However, it isn't a bad idea to experience something different, and this movie is definitely different from what we hear or see in the mainstream media.


This gem hit box offices in 2000, though there's a large chance that you were sick the day it was in theaters.. Disney mistakenly bills this as a Sandra Bullock romantic- comedy, which it isn't... If you want to see Sandra Bullock in a cutesy role, go see "Miss Congeniality". If your tired of one-track crap like that, come see Gunshy. This is an honest, funny view of what happens when Liam Neeson's character, a former DEA golden-boy, starts getting job-related panic attacks... Add Oliver Platt as a high-strung gangster with marital problems, Jose Zuniga as a secretly-homosexual drug lord, and group therapy, and the result is GUNSHY, a smart, wicked, sweet, fast, and funny look at the modern gangster flick. You won't be disappointed... 10!


No wonder Charlie, the man at the center of the film is suffering from the pressures of his job. He has too many things to worry about and all his problems affects his stomach functions producing funny noises at the worst moments. What's an undercover man to do? He gets involved more deeply into trying to do a decent job and in the process, he falls in love with the woman who understands what has to be done to relieve his symptoms.

Erik Blakeney has written and directed a film that should have been seen by a wider audience, yet, this movie came and went without fanfare. It deserved a better fate because of the funny screen play Mr. Blakeney created and the wonderful cast that was gathered for the picture. The problem seems to have been in the marketing. This is clearly not a Sandra Bullock vehicle at all!

Liam Neeson and Oliver Platt are about the best thing going for the movie. Liam Neeson's Charlie is one of the funniest roles he has done in his career. Mr. Neeson tends to gravitate toward more dramatic fare, but as Charlie, he proves he is an accomplished comedian. The same goes for Oliver Platt who plays a bad guy interested in domestic activities such as cleaning a messy kitchen, or even thinking about a life in Italy growing tomatoes.

The minor roles are equally good. Jose Zuniga and Micahel DeLorenzo are hilarious as a pair of gay drug dealers. Sandra Bullock doesn't get as many opportunities in the movie, but she is seen in the pivotal role of Judy. The group therapy sessions involving Charlie and other law enforcing people are fun to watch.

Erik Blakeney shows he can do good work if only he could have the right studio people behind him.


what is wrong with this film? absolutely nothing. the story is MORE believable than analyze this to which this has been compared but there is no comparison-they're both great movies in there own right and totally different genres. analyze this is a straight up fantastical farce where gun shy is a dramatic romantic comedy more in the same vein as whole nine yards (but done much better). the soundtrack is excellent (you can't lose with tom waites!)the editing is wonderful(liam's "perception" in the 1st scene is hysterical) and the storyline flows.

charlie and fulvio's developing fiendship shows insight to the harshness of choosing a dangerous perfession and being born into it. either way you look at it, they are just two guys that hate their jobs just like the guys in the group sessions. wheather your a cop, thug, banker, lawyer, or stockbroker; life gets to a point where it all blends into an unfulfilling mess and you feel as if your drowning.

i noticed a lot of negitive reviews and am surprised at that. (like the gay thing-no one in this film is what they seem - get it?) maybe this is too complicated of a movie for everyone to enjoy. maybe hollywood has been putting out too much mission impossible eye candy that thinking about a movie and an underlying concept just shouldn't be expected anymore. this is a funny, sweet, real film. give it a chance.


Stress. It comes in many shapes and sizes, to many totally different people. Liam's character, Charlie was stressed to the max, but who wouldn't be, if your life is always on the line because of your chosen profession. Working for DEA, not the job for me, working for the Columbian Cartel, not for me, working for the Mafia, again, NOT FOR ME. Put these three groups of people together to launder money with an over the top type from wallstreet and you get a movie with a wonderful story line and an even more incredible ending. OLIVER PLATT, I LOVE YOU!!! He is one of Canada's best exports and very believable in whatever part he plays. Sandra Bullock shines in her character and turns out to be what Liams character, Charlie needs, period. The Columbian "lovers" cracked me up. I was reading other user comments and read that the script was non consistant because one minute the character is showing pictures of his wife and kids, but really he's gay. MANY men keep that part of themselves hidden in a homophobic world, especially when your father is one of the heads of the Colombian Cartel. The group therapy sessions, show that all people go through stressful moments, dosen't matter who you are. I recommend this movie to people who have suffered from stress, anxiety, and or depression. We're not alone!!!


Gun Shy is apt title! This underrated comedy, will put a smile on your face,despite any insanities we'd project as insurmountable odds that you & I may sometime end up facing! I found it well written, with appropriate zingers that I find myself quoting, as certain situations arise! It contains great casting,an interesting plot,& the interaction of all the charismatic characters kept me glued as to what they'd say & do from one moment to the next! The spontaneous actions,style & quips of this zany grand insanity of unusual lifestyles & eclectic characters being thrust into an quite unusual situation,under the intense pressure of a bunch of grandiose yet charismatic lunatics,kept me constantly yearning for more of that unique chemistry,prolific dialog & unforeseen situations that earmarked this film as an all time favorite of mine! PS: A Sugestion, place your brain on the shelf & don't knitpick,just enjoy a "feel good, about feeling bad", kind of movie! ...And for Heavens sake, smile, as you may have the misfortune of being one of those dysfunctional, yet incredibly lovable, misfits!


Gunshy (Gun Shy in the US) is a brilliantly scripted, original and funny film. With great performances by Liam Neason as well as some of his supports, writer / director Eric Blakeney has managed to realise and create one of the most refreshing films to come out of the US for a long time. Too often it is the script that lets a film down - not with Gunshy! And to then put words to the screen as successfully as Blakeney has managed himself is really encouraging. After this directorial debut I can hardly wait to see what he can come up with next! It just leaves me wondering: who screwed up the marketing for Gunshy, because this is definitely a film that deserved a much better reception than it got. Categorising Gunshy as a "Sandra Bullock romantic comedy" is not only clearly wrong, but leaves those searching for such a film disappointed, and the audience that would most appreciate this film unaware of Gunshy´s existence. I only saw Gunshy by chance, loved it, and would urge anyone to go and see it!


I truly enjoyed this movie. It is one of those movies where it seems that the actors were just given free reign to have fun with their parts. Oliver Platt steals every scene he is in, and the Colombian Cartel members are quite amusing as well. Liam Neeson and his group therapy session is quite enjoyable as well. Even Sandra Bullock is amusing, especially when giving a colonic. This is a movie that looks like it was fun to make, and it can be just as fun to watch. This is not a taut thriller, a gritty cop film, a clever spy movie, or an intellectual comedy. It is fun. Have fun with it. If you don't like to have fun then go see the new Time Machine. If you do like fun then watch Gun Shy.


GUN SHY is a peculiar movie, one that purports to have a significant storyline but one that splinters ideas all over the place, leaving the viewer wondering what all the fuss is about.

'Charlie' Mayeaux (Liam Neeson) is a bummed out DEA agent fresh from a bungled case yet given an important assignment to break a Columbian drug cartel represented by Fidel (José Zúñiga) and his boyfriend Estuvio (Michael DeLorenzo). Also caught up in this mélange is the Mafia represented, however reluctantly, by Fulvio Nestra (Oliver Platt), a nerdy but vicious bungler whose temper is uncontrollable, partly due to his insipid belittling wife Gloria (Mary McCormack) whose father demands Fulvio's crime life importance. Charlie is a mess, meets a psychologist who introduces him to group therapy (where Charlie idiotically relates all the DEA secrets openly) and to gastroenterology where nurse Judy (Sandra Bullock) administers a barium enema then other more herbal-sided treatments while she and Charlie become bonded. People are maimed (gunshot castration), killed, made to look foolish, all to the end of supposedly belly laughs on the part of the audience.

True, Neeson shows a flair for comedy and Platt manages to convey a breakthrough role for him, but the rest is a jumbled mess. Made in 2000 with the Twin Towers of New York frequently visible during talk against Arabs and the Middle East, it is easy to see why the timing of this 'yet another Mafia vs law' film contributed to its short theater run (how many have even heard of it?). But in the final analysis it probably failed on its own merits - sad for a film filled to the brim with very fine actors. Grady Harp


The movie has a crazy touch. The cutting may sometimes be a little confusing, but it serves the purpose. I did not know what to expect when I started looking. Was this a dark, depressing thing or a comedy? It was something of both. It was very fun, but still it had a serious and solid base. Why is a bad guy bad? Can the tough guy never get a nervous breakdown?


Where'd this film come from and how come it took me til now to see it??? It's a comic masterpiece, hard laughs from start to finish, a wry satire of the tough guy genre. Great cast, especially Liam Neeson who shows a remarkable comic flair. Kudos for that, no doubt, belong to the director (who also wrote it), who assembled a remarkably colorful group of actors and fashioned one of the funniest ensemble performances I've ever seen on the screen, a comedy that unfolds with a paradoxically poetic visual style that keeps you howling even when the actors aren't speaking. Does for James Bond what Strangelove did for the Doomsday Thriller. My advice, if you're the sort who appreciates intelligent satire and understands that pop culture garbage like "How I Met Your Mother" isn't at all funny; get a copy asap, make some popcorn, take the phone off the hook and put aside enough time to watch it twice (you will). One last question; where's the darn sequel???


So ban me from IMDb for spoiling about the true star. In the long run,this film will make it's way to the Top Comedy list, believe me. Well written, well acted, a bit slow in the editing. And the direction should have paced the scenes with more tempo. But generally one can say it's a true comedy film, not a movie. Either it was the recording or the mixing and maybe it's only the mastering - the ONLY negative is that it sounds lousy. Maybe it's just my DVD copy. The sound will never win an Oscar. But please ignore the comments and votes from the anally sensitive. This is a wonderful story and deserves to be seen and talked about.


I personally thought this film was good. 7 out of 10. I thought the acting was very good. But I have to admit the plot was interesting. Unusual. Different. But that is why I liked it. It wasn't like every other gangsta, mob, shoot 'em and kill 'em film I'd seen. There wasn't 60 minutes of blood and gore. Which I am glad about: there is too much in this industry anyway.

So if you want a movie that is a little different. And maybe even a bit unusual, go to your local video store and rent Gun Shy.


I love Liam Neeson--I've seen nearly every movie he's ever been in. I'm curious about his life, and I buy the magazines he's featured in. But I NEVER, EVER needed to see him sitting on the toilet suffering with diarrhea. GROSS. Or passing gas. Or getting an enema. Or, for that matter, being weak and whiney. Nothing about his character in this movie is compelling, and it is a waste of his awesome talent. Also, he looks pale in this movie.

Sandra Bullock plays the one imensional, wacky, unconventional sex kitten. The only interesting scenes are the opening ones, some of which reminded me of The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover. One positive thing: the music is good, especially the inclusion of Tom Waits music.

Bottom line: Don't bother.


If you're like me, and you're tired of seeing the same old crap come out of Hollywood year after year, add this movie to your watch list. 'Gun Shy' is a witty, off-beat comedy with an all-star cast. Liam Neeson stars as a nervous undercover DEA agent that must bring an old world mafia thug, Oliver Platt, and Columbian drug kingpins together in a multi-million dollar sting operation. At the same time, Neeson must also deal with an increasingly volatile digestive system and a horrifying fear of being found out. Produced by co-star Sandra Bullock. WARNING: Dumb people may find this movie boring or confusing.


A great cast like the one assembled for this film is often a warning

sign. How many movies have you gone to see because of the cast,

only to see their talents wasted? 'Gun Shy' breaks that curse; it is a

great, imaginative and fun film. At first the storyline may seem

disjointed, but wait; the threads are woven together and culminate

in a lovely ending which I found refreshingly sweet.

Liam Neeson's is one of many great performances--he must have

loved this role as an antidote to the turgid mess that was 'Phantom

Menace.' Oliver Platt and Richard Schiff are fine as well.

Highly recommended to those who look for a little intelligence and

humanity in their entertainment.


This is the story of a neurotic anti-drug agent, who has to go on with his job, against his fear and his instincts. Good premises for a situation comedy, good actors - however the overall impression is one of disappointment. Not even the stars in the credits can save the movie from getting deep into incredibility and vulgarity. What a waste for talents like Bullock and Nelson.


I don't know why none of the reviewers remarked on the truly remarkable ensemble of actors in Gun Shy. What superb casting! And writing? Just the psychotherapy subplot is a masterpiece. The Latin lovers? Where have these guys been all my life? All the reviewers focussed on Liam N. Why? He and la Bullock are good, but they are like two good, big sunflowers surrounded by many rare and refined blossoms. True, that awful bit in her roof garden was almost enough to make one want to quit watching, and the enema episode... But everything else that involved the ensemble, whether the bad guys at HQs, the Mob, the group in therapy.... How could a decent reviewer miss the great writing and acting in the therapy sessions?

I think one key reviewer's initial review may set the stage for the rest. It is said that one weekend the NYTimes book reviewer forgot to read "By Love Possessed," by James Cousins (sp?), so the last minute he grabbed a trade journal and just paraphrased it. The trade journal was very favorable, and, following the Times lead, the book became a best-seller and Book-of-the-Month selection and the author became famous. Yet most of the reviewers had never read it!

Did this happen with Gun Shy? The scene at the urinal is an all time comic high. The only urinal scene as funny was the one at the start of "Buffalo 66." Sorry for those that saw it once AT MOST and failed to see its great humor, casting, writing, acting. I've almost lost trace of how many times I've watched the DVD. "We dethign clotheth!"


this movie is genius! I laughed through the entire thing.

it had the best lines, great actor and acting and a creative plot! I recommend this to everyone!!!


Gun Shy is the story of a drug bust gone bad and the agent who has been caught in the middle of a world gone crazy. He falls in love when he least expects it, finds friends in a very unlikely group, and manages to keep going despite the circumstances.

This is a wonderful farce that happens to contain some really talented actors. Most notably Liam Neeson, who has been seen most recently as Qui-Gon Jinn in Star Wars: Episode I (1999). He plays Charlie, an undercover DEA agent who is going through a nervous breakdown. Oliver Platt who most recently caught my attention as Hector Cyr, an eccentric expert on crocodiles in Lake Placid (1999). Oliver plays Fulvio, the son-in-law of Italian Mobster Don Carmine Minetti. Sandra Bullock plays Judy Tipp, a nurse who takes ailing Charlie under her wing. Honorable mention in the movie goes to Mitch Pileggi, who does an excellent job portraying the somewhat shallow character of Dexter Helvenshaw, one of Charlie's superiors.

I must say I had never heard of director/writer Eric Blakeney. He has a great wit, lets hope he produces more. I found many scenes in this movie very compelling. One in the middle of the movie stands out.

Fulvio (Oliver Platt) comes home after a particularly stressful confrontation and enters the dingy, cluttered kitchen of the home he shares with his wife, Gloria. They are not having a good time of it and she angrily tells him he better shape up. She storms off and you expect him to blow up. He has that mad gleam in his eyes. He seizes a knife... ...and then throws it in the sink and starts cleaning the kitchen frantically, not stopping until it is spotless. Priceless.


What a scream!

Oliver Platt reinforced his greatness with me, perfecting his role as a neurotic Mafia man, and there were so many classic lines in this movie ("I can't even go to the bathroom without getting in a pissing contest.") that I will have to add this to my personal movie collection soon.

I would think that this is a love/hate movie with most people, but I can't imagine anyone not laughing during the newspaper theft scene (with Oliver Platt and his neighbor). I am glad my eye caught this movie at the movie rental place!!


Big surprise of a movie! Very well written, with excellent performances by Liam Neeson and Oliver Platt. Some very witty humor, combined with lots of suspense/tension made for a rivetting film. The downsides were a few holes in the plot, as well as a somewhat "Hollywood" type of ending; a little too-neatly wrapped up. But all in all, a pleasant surprise!


A much maligned film, Gun Shy bets on an increasingly common premise, encapsulated by novelist and comics writer Peter David: Cliches can be your friend. Many people have blasted the film as being a weak retread of the cliche-busting humour that found great success in Analyze This, Grosse Pointe Blank and The Sopranos. While Gun Shy definitely does have some glaring weaknesses, it does have at least three things going for it in my mind: the performances of Liam Neeson and Oliver Platt, and some clever editing.

I found that Neeson struck a terrific balance between presenting the steely, fearless undercover persona and the shell-shocked cop underneath. The contrast is played up well, especially in the first scene at the psychiatrist's and the scenes where Charlie is caught between Fulvio and the Colombians.

Oliver Platt is utterly hilarious as a sadistic leg-breaker with a heart of gold, and his portrayal steals the show. I thought his portrayal of Fulvio had a great deal more realism and sympathy to him than DeNiro's Paul Viti. Platt's "Life could be sweet" speech is far more convincing than DeNiro's comical bawling.

Finally, the editor did a terrific job, playing up Charlie's crumbling facade of fearlessness, constructing Fulvio's introduction as simultaneously menacing and absurd, and using an odd kind of show-and-tell technique in the bar scene towards the end.

One little point I enjoyed was Charlie's discussion of the undercover lifestyle, which reminded me of how the movie Rounders offered an insider's angle on the psychology and tricks involved in gambling. A minor element, but it contributed greatly to my enjoyment of both films.

All that said, there are some things I could have lived without. Take out the gastrointestinal problems (and the throwaway romantic subplot it leads into), and you would have a much improved film. The essential concept *is* heavily reminiscent of the three aforementioned flicks, and it could have used a bit more focus. As it is, it tries hard to work in several comedic and dramatic angles, but only a few come off smoothly. I would recommend it as a light diversion to watch with friends, as even a cursory analysis draws unwelcome comparisons to its more successful predecessors. I went in with middling expectations and had a blast the first rental. Surprisingly enough, I watched Gun Shy again with friends after watching Analyze This, and I still enjoyed it. Give it a spin.


This rental was a surprise hit at my house. It takes a bit of time to get into, but each one of the main characters is well written and acted. The flatulent and nervous Charlie is a comedic turn by Liam Neeson like I've never seen him; Oliver Platt's psychotic Mafia hitman Fulvio (who just wants to grow some great tomatoes) is tremendous - the next-door-neighbor scene had us rolling. The gay drug lords, Sandra Bullock's Enema Queen, Fulvio's equally psychotic wife, and the men's support group are icing on the cake.

You do have to pay some attention to this flick because the humor is character-based and until they develop it's slow. But the payoff is great as Charlie tries to hold together a deal between drug lords and Mafiosos who are all too ready to use guns to resolve their differences.


I had read a number of negative reviews before renting this movie. I, too, had wondered why a movie with stars like these had not stayed in theaters for more than a blink. With all of that in mind, I sat down with no expectations and was pleasantly surprised.

Liam Neesom plays an undercover cop with a failing digestive system after coming too close to death following his last assignment. He plays the part only moderately well, certainly not as well as would be expected when compared to some of his better movies, but nothing to complain about. Oliver Platt was wonderful; he played a loser killer, hopelessly desperate and hating himself. He was a mediocre bad guy, but he was supposed to be a mediocre bad guy. His posing "mean" expressions were hilarious and well matched for his character.

Don't expect a lot. It has funny lines (such as Neeson describing the dirty details of his job to a mostly yuppie support group), and some visual humor. The plot is tight, but I will say that the love interest (Sandra Bullock, who he meets when he visits for an enema) could have been completely taken out of the movie and it would not have lost anything. She felt like almost an afterthought for how much she contributed to the development of the movie.

The ending threw me off as being very far-fetched, but Hollywood will do that in order to get a "happily ever after" ending. It tied up the loose ends well but was just a little too hard to believe.

Had I watched it in theaters, I might have been disappointed. Since I would have otherwise just played on the Internet, I enjoyed myself while watching this. I thought it was fun, and I'd recommend it to others.


"Gun Shy" isn't intended to be Oscar material, just a fun film. The plot was fresh - not the tired, worn-out same-old story-line - and Liam Neeson's character is much more human than the Hollywood-cloned macho pistols-pressed-to-right-cheek cops.

I also smiled at the inside "X-Files" joke, with Neeson's character smoking "Morley's." I saw that and said there had to be an X-Filer in here - and, within seconds, up popped Mitch Pileggi (Skinner) at the other end of the conference table.

This is a film you can sit back and relax to and have a fairly enjoyable time, getting in some laughs. Acting is well done, and the characters are not caricatures. A definite recommend, despite some rough language.


In the beginning the film was a bit boring but as it went on it got better and better. I find it quite amusing with a good end. I think it follows the style of analyse this, grosse point blank and other movies where a contract killer or mafia guy , in this case an undercover agent starts pursues therapy. If you liked any of these, go watch it.


Pretty funny movie...if you like trying to figure things out...this is for you!! Starts off slow, but it has so many funny one-liners that it is worth the wait. Good performance by Oliver Platt. Funniest moment in the movie...2 guys using the urinal...one says, hey, havin' some trouble there...don't worry not everyone has it all like me.....the other replies, ok, ok, you win the pissin contest, (pulls out a gun) but I win the shootin contest (shoots off one of his balls!!) CLASSIC


If you are after a movie with humour, a touch of romance, and a new twist on the hero undercover cop, then this is the movie. Liam Neeson shows he can equally well play the frightened neurotic as the solid heroes of Star Wars and Michael Collins. Sandra Bullock is the executive producer, as well as playing the "Queen of Enemas". A movie that leaves you feeling good at the end.


I must say I was surprised at how many people seemed to really dislike this film. Albeit it wasn't terribly original nor unpredictable and certain elements (chiefly the love subplot) felt unnecessary, overall the movie kept me laughing from start to finish.

Even now, recalling the mobsters 'flying' through the air when being shot in the beginning brings a smile to my lips. The friend with whom I watched the movie enjoyed it and neither of us felt we had wasted three dollars on the rental fee. I would have liked to have seen some deleted scenes or outtakes on the DVD but it was enjoyable nonetheless.


Although the critics may have been wishy-washy when reviewing this film, I had only one word going through my mind while watching it: brilliant. This movie was excellently written, and outstanding performances were turned in by many of the performers. The most amazing of which was Oliver Platt's. His portrayal of a mafia muscle man who is really a good guy at heart was both comedic and memorable.

The story itself did a good job of showing all the aspects of its protagonist's chaotic life. Each of these aspects developed humorously and nicely (except his relationship with Bullock's character seemed to begin abruptly), and were tied together for the film's climax.

All in all, Gun Shy is probably the first good comedy of the year 2000 (which is not the new millenium, that starts in 2001).


Dr. Samantha Waters (Ally Walker), a retired Profiler for the FBI, is called back into action by her former co-worker and friend Bailey Malone (Robert Davi), who heads a special unit in Atlanta called VCTF (Violent Crimes Task Force). Shortly after her arrival an old nemesis who goes by the name of Jack of All Trades, a vicious serial killer who has an obsession with Sam, starts going after her and the ones she cares for.

"Profiler" had a cracker jack start. Some stand alone episodes in the first season were very good but the ongoing saga between Jack and Sam was very suspenseful and the character of Jack was truly scary. The series had a special look when it came, very dark, nearly entirely humorless and very brooding characters. It really reached full force in the Sam/Jack confrontations and Season 1 ended with one hell of a climax.

Season 2 mostly carried on in the same vein as the First one with more characters added. Jack received a protegé and together they managed to makes Sam's life a living hell. The same dark tone and humorless approach continued and kept fans of the first season happy.

In Season 3 things changed quite a bit. Jack's nearly MIA in all but a few episodes and the episodes went through changes, such as more attention was payed to the evildoers and their plight rather than the classic detective elements in the previous two seasons. Ally Walker started acting like a character in another series, constantly displaying some off-putting attempts at humor. Ridiculous inconsistencies from the get go on Season 3; one major character disappears without any explanation, Walker's daughter ages a few years very mysteriously and some interesting story lines from the two previous seasons are never brought up again. The overall dark tone and look was mostly gone here and a lighter approach was attempted. Season 3 was the beginning of the end, though it had some interesting episodes and the ones concerning Jack were very solid.

Season 4 was mostly dreadful. The Sam/Jack story was wrapped up in the first two episodes, those two were pretty good but the overall buildup to the climax was always going to be a letdown. Still, it had an ending and that was good. Ally Walker exited the show and Jamie Luner (a terribly annoying actress) took her place. The episodes and mysteries themselves weren't all bad, but this new Profiler never filled Walker's shoes and the personal stories between the main characters were boring and at best half-explained.

Looking at "Profiler" overall, the show had a great cast. Ally Walker was pitch perfect, at least for the first two seasons, as Sam Waters. Her tough, no nonsense approach to the character, while making her somewhat vulnerable, was very impressive and it's only in the third season that she lost her touch. Robert Davi, always a forceful presence, does well as Baily Malone. Always underplaying, going for the quiet impact rather than hot blooded emotions, he is a big reason for the show's success. Roma Maffia, Peter Frechette and Julian McMahon provided solid support and the guest stars were usually good. Plus the guy who played Jack of All Trades was great (don't want to reveal the name for those yet to watch the show). But Jamie Luner was annoying as hell in the fourth and worst season.

It's easy to see that "Profiler" influenced some shows that are still going strong today but it's dead-on serious approach is what eventually distinguishes it from the rest. The two first seasons were terrific, the third one was solid but the fourth was not good.


With a impeccable cast including Robert Davi, Julian McMahon, Peter Frechette, Ally Walker and so many others...this show cannot go wrong. An interesting backstory that follows through all the seasons (till Walker's departure in season 4), Jack is a compelling character. Not only do you have the initial cases, which are interesting and original in themselves, you have these main characters. John Grant the jokester with a dark past, Malone who runs the show with a fatherly fist, Waters who solves the cases with her inept ability to see what others try too... This show is funny, it's sad, it's just damn good. If you haven't seen it, I suggest you do.


Until 1950, American films were strictly entertainment, some deeper than others. Studio executives were very protective of image and star-making. In essence, everything seemed perfect. Billy Wilder, Charles Brackett, and D.M. Marshman, Jr. created a stunning work of art that splits the Hollywood sign in two and exposed a dream factory for what it really is: a struggle to both gain and keep notoriety in the limelight. "Norma Desmond" and "Joe Gillis" are at opposite ends of this warped Hollywood mindset, with Gillis, played by that most cynical of actors, William Holden trying to pay the rent and Norma (Gloria Swanson) living a lie as a silent queen whose star burned "10,000 midnights ago". How a picture with such a snide look at the industry could come out in 1950 is simply mind-boggling, considering some of the light fodder that came out of Hollywood at the time. It has inspired many modern day disciples such as Altman's THE PLAYER, and Sonnenfeld's GET SHORTY, both of which took their vicious, hilarious parodies to the jugular of the movie capital of the world. SUNSET BLVD is the father of all socially oriented pictures regarding the movies and is by far the best.

The images of this beautiful black and white powerhouse are fascinating and unforgettable: the dead writer floating in a pool, eyes wide open, looking right at us at the beginning; the eerie pipe organ that plays by the breeze in the middle of one of the most deep and dustiest sets ever; the funeral ceremony of the dead monkey in Norma's courtyard ("That must have been one important chimp. The grandson of King Kong perhaps." says Holden in a delightfully crisp and wise voice-over.) Holden pulls his car into a driveway off of the boulevard that will change his life forever. He is the emblem of the struggle to get notoriety. He has only a few B Movies to his credit. Swanson as Norma Desmond is the symbol of lost fame and has become the talk of legend. What is ironic about her character is that she may be playing herself in an odd way. She WAS an actual silent star whose career went down the tubes after the talkies came about. Her madness combined with Holden's last drop of naiveté combine to give us one of the most electrifying "give and take" between actors I've ever witnessed.

Both lead parts were passed over by several actors. Holden was eventually forced into it as a contract player. How could you pass on such a script? Even "wax figures" (as Holden calls them) Buster Keaton, H.B. Warner, and Anna Q. Nilsson come to Norma's to play bridge, of course being Hollywood outcasts themselves, after the invention of sound in film. Some of the dialogue takes a swing at actual movies and people (GONE WITH THE WIND, Zanuck, Menjou). This must have brought the house down in Hollywood screening rooms throughout the town. Louis B. Mayer even condemned Billy Wilder for "ruining the industry". The film is sad and darkly humorous depicting the antics of Norma, who is quite insane, and Holden who is going along with what Norma is giving him, but has plans of his own. Another wax figure still alive and kicking in 1950 appears as himself in an important role. Cecil B. Demille, who once directed Norma/Gloria back in the silent heyday, tries to set her straight, telling her pictures have "changed". They had indeed, especially after this searing comment on celebrity status. I wonder if they knew what they were creating while making this gem.

Scenes are shot right on the lot of Paramount Studios (even the front gate), and Norma's mansion is an unforgettable piece of history and gloom with a floor that "Valentino once danced on." There is so much to discuss, but little to enlighten you on how great SUNSET BLVD is without you seeing it. Just two years later, films began to crop up with the same tainted view of Hollywood, most with varying degrees of deception. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, one of the all-time entertainments quietly had a nasty taste in its mouth regarding celebrity and the invention of sound movies. Watch these films closely and see the skeletons of the modern Hollywood bash films.

RATING: 10 of 10


This is such a great film on so many levels I can't really settle on where to begin. It is so beautifully shot (in that stark black/white that only nitrate negative could achieve), has a witty, clever and extremely well-written script, features some of the best acting in film's history, acrobatically balances the main plot/subplots with expert precision, contains some of the best characters on celluloid, has many true-to-life parallels (Swanson's career/real life cameos/DeMille's involvement/etc) and is peppered with such great dialogue/narration that today's film writers should take note. If that weren't enough, there's even a cameo by silent film great Buster Keaton (among others).

One of the most appealing aspects of this film is how, in the story, an aging, forgotten star is trying to recapture a bygone era (the silent film era). What's interesting is that now, so many years later, we're looking back at her looking back. To present day viewers, Gloria Swanson of the 1950's is a long forgotten lost gem and to experience her own longing for the 1920's is especially captivating (and a little chilling, I might add). I don't think this film could have had that same effect when it debuted and maybe this added dimension holds so much more appeal for today's audiences. We all know that nothing lasts forever, but we don't often consider the abandoned participants; much like the veterans of a past war.

In response to the famous Swanson line (while watching one of her silent films): "...we didn't need dialogue; we had faces", I'd like to also add that they "didn't need movies; they had films."

They truly don't make them like this anymore. 10/10


I have yet to see a Billy Wilder film that I haven't loved, and Sunset Boulevard is definitely one of those films. It's interesting to watch the film during different times in one's life  when I was a child watching this film, I thought the story was good and that Norma Desmond (Swanson) was a pretty scary lady. In my teens/college years, I appreciated it as a certified classic and for its commentary on Hollywood. Now, in my late 20's and early 30's I found it to have a different impact on me  I was saddened by Desmond's mental illness, and when she makes her final descent down her staircase and utters her famous line as the camera pans the faces of the people around her, so full of pity, and the care her butler/ex-husband takes to make sure she's happy for maybe the last time in her life made more of an impact on me than any other time in the 20-odd times I've seen this film. There are only a small handful of central characters in Sunset Boulevard and they are so richly written that this film will remain timeless. There are not a lot of `dated' themes in this film  the circle of life that is Hollywood isn't going to be much more evolved in 2050 than it was in 1950. If you haven't seen this film, watch it because there is something for just about anyone in this film.

--Shelly


Usually, Cinema is considered as the most delicate form of art because it has the biggest potential to become 'dated' one day. Once a movie thought as 'mind-blowing' can easily become a 'turkey' a decade later.

This is not the case here. Sunset Boulevard still remains as one of the most eerie film in the cinema history and still a realistic depiction because of its reflection of Hollywood. It can give you the idea of the dream land's transformation into a nightmare.

The film is about a troubled script writer 'Joe Gillis and a forgotten silent film star Norma Desmond's weird relationship and the madness that surrounds them and the people around them. Don't wanna give much of the plot, on account the fact that it is a pure gem that should be invented without knowing nothing. But I can talk about the cinematic aspects of this movie.

This movie has some very eerie moments because of using a great cinematography. The moments of burying the dead monkey and watching the old film of Norma Desmond are exquisitely presented. The movie has some one of the most innovative scripts of cinema and that is certainly justified by the unforgetable and memorable lines captured from the film. The directing is top-notch but who are we kidding it is Billy 'the great' Wilder. The end of the movie is one of the most chilling part of the movie and it can truly give you some nightmares about insanity. The narration of the movie by the head character was probably done by this movie at the first place and this influenced so many movies afterwards.

One of the reasons that this movie is still not dated is because of its courage. The Hayes code was at its peak at the beginning of fifties which manipulates the producers to limit their bad thoughts on one subject, especially on Hollywood. The movie got 11 oscar nomination but only got 3 of them. Apparently, the reason was its harsh criticism on Hollywood.

There are some arguements about Sunset Boulevard's genre. It is considered as the greatest film-noir of all time. I don't think it is a film-noir at all. For some aspects, the movie has some noirish elements such as the black and white German-expressionist cinematography and an 'on the edge of insanity', femme-fatale but these two are not enough to make a film-noir. I think this is a psyhcological drama with some horror(the end is horrifying for me) and with some very very dark comedy.

Overall, This is truly a classic and one of the best movies of cinema history that will never lose its effects on cinema. Heavily influences American Beauty and Mulholland Drive, also making those movies a must see. 10/10


Although this movie was made 8 years before I was, I saw it for the first time yesterday and I was blown away! I have spent my life missing what has just become one of my favorite movies of all time.

The acting was superb, the storyline riveting and the characters were people you could care about. Max was my personal favorite. There was a quiet, tragic dignity to him. I expected something to be revealed about him but was not prepared for the truth.

I've always liked William Holden but my experience with Gloria Swanson was limited to her brief role in "Airport 75". I will now look for more movies by her. What an expressive face.

It was fun to try to recognize some of the old time actors that were portraying themselves.

An all around excellent movie. One I truly regret having waited this long to see. But it is definitely a case of better late than never.


This movie deserves all the accolades it has gotten here, as well as "Maltin's" four stars. It certainly ranks up there as one of Hollywood's greatest achievements. Seeing it again only reinforces my opinion that William Holden was one of the truly great actors of the last [!] century. Gloria Swanson, however, steals every scene she's in; you can't turn away from watching her, even though she makes you really uncomfortable - it's like watching a train wreck. I don't know if the black & white was an economic or an artistic choice, but the film would never have been as effective in color. The opening shot - the floating, dead body of Joe Gillis, eyes wide open, shot looking up from the bottom of the pool - is one of the great shots, and an unforgettable opener, matched perfectly by the unforgettable closing closeup of Norma Desmond. To have Cecil B. deMille actually play himself was an inspired touch. Throw in Eric von Stroheim and you have an unbeatable combination. Truly one the all-time must-see films, although I don't know how to classify it - film noir? black comedy? Hollywood fable ? horror story? psychodrama? Who cares; just see it.


Although at that time she hadn't appeared in a film for several years and wasn't to make one for several for several more, Gloria Swanson remained a presence in the Hollywood of the thirties, the only legendary silent star to sustain an image and continue to interest the film studios, which put her under contract and announced her to star in a series of projectsnone of which were realized While she wasn't to regain her former eminence until her celebrated comeback as Norma Desmond in Billy Wilder's "Sunset Boulevard," a scathing satire on Hollywood and the self-delusions of its former heroes, she maintained her silent-screen image as the personification of glamor, and as such wasn't the initial choice for the role of the faded silent star

Like many small people who achieve greatness, Swanson was a powerhouse of energy, vitality, ambition and shrewdness, untroubled by insight humor to slow down her pace

The key to her success, the charm of her personality, the glamor of her career and the secret of her survival was superbly captured by herself in one of the best autobiographies, Swanson on Swanson


In Hollywood of the 50's, the obscure screenplay writer Joe Gillis (William Holden) is not able to sell his work to the studios, is full of debts and is thinking in returning to his hometown to work in an office. While trying to escape from his creditors, he has a flat tire and parks his car in a decadent mansion in Sunset Boulevard. He meets the owner and former silent-movie star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson), who lives alone wit her butler and driver Max von Mayerling (Erich von Stroheim). Norma is demented and believes she will return to the cinema industry, and is protected and isolated from the world by Max, who was his director and husband in the past and still loves her. Norma proposes Joe to move to the mansion and help her in writing a screenplay for her comeback to the cinema, and the small-time writer becomes her lover and gigolo. When Joe falls in love for the young aspirant writer Betty Schaefer (Nancy Olson), Norma becomes jealous and completely insane and her madness leads to a tragic end.

"Sunset Boulevard" is a bitter and tragic masterpiece of the genius Billy Wilder that exposes how Hollywood uses people and forgets them when they get old and are considered decadent by the industry. Further, it also shows the consequences of the lack of adaptation of a former star to the end of a successful career, being forgotten by fans and the industry, and the price that some persons accept to pay to join this business. The last time I saw this film was on 22 September 2002 and even having watched "Sunset Boulevard" for maybe five or six times, I still get excited with most of the scenes and I dare to say that it is in my Top 10 movies ever. The DVD has an interesting documentary called "Sunset Blvd.: A Look Back" (a.k.a. "The Making of Sunset Boulevard" with the presence of a still impressively beautiful Nancy Olson telling peculiarities about this awesome feature. My vote is ten.

Title (Brazil): "Crepúsculo dos Deuses" ("Dusk of the Gods")