3 Recent Viewings

[Menard]

Maybe the cannon was searching for it's long lost family. Does anyone know who it's 'fodder' was? ( :

[Scott]

Good one Menard. All you need now is Abbott and Costello and the film would have made a great comedy.

[Menard]

In the movie, Abbott and Costello could have played foot-soldiers. It could then have been called 'The Pride and the Bunion'. Honestly, I wouldn't be 'lion' to you. ( :

[BoyScoutKevin]

After that brief intermission, back to the topic. I've seen two of the films. "The Last Valley" and "The Pride and the Passion." Probably liking the former better then the latter. Though, I don't know whether neither one is that good. As said, "The Last Valley" covers the 30 Years War, and "The Pride and the Passion" covers the Penisular Campaign. Both wars rarely covered in films, that is at least until the Sharpe series on television, which also covered the Penisular Campaign in some depth. Both have interesting (IMHO) literary antecedents. "The Last Valley" was written and directed by writer James Clavell, and "The Pride and the Passion" is based on a better novel by C. S. Forester. If that last name doesn't mean anything, then think the Horatio Hornblower naval series.

[Yaddo 42]

I have "The Last Valley", and tried to watch it two times and got bored around the one hour mark both times. Which really disappointed me because the cast and the setting intrigued me. Glad you liked it better than I did.

Of the Brando films you haven't seen, the only one I've seen all of is "Bedtime Story" costarring David Niven. I guees you know it was remade as "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" starring Steve Martin and Michael Caine. "Bedtime Story" is a mildly cute studio comedy from the 60s. I'd say it's a decent lazy Sunday afternoon film, but nothing special. I was surprised how little of the plot was changed in the remake.