Top 3 Musicals of 1949

1. "It's A Great Feeling" (David Butler, Warner)

2. "On The Town" (Stanley Donen, Gene Kelly, MGM)


3. "The Barkleys Of Broadway" (Charles Walters, MGM)

It's A Great Feeling (1949) *****

A hidden gem of a film. Countless Hollywood stars and film directors make hilarious cameo appearances in this original, self-reflexive and wacky comedy. They include Raoul Walsh, King Vidor, David Butler, Michael Curtiz, Ronald Reagan, Gary Cooper, Jane Wyman, Danny Kaye, Edward G.Robinson and Errol Flynn. Even Dennis Morgan and Jack Carson play themselves - two Hollywood actors who meet an aspiring actress (Doris Day). Highlights include Jack Carson imitating Maurice Chevalier and a surrealistic screen test. Songs:

"It's a Great Feeling" *
"Give Me A Song With A Beautiful Melody" *
"Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" *
"That Was A Big Fat Lie" **
"Fiddle-dee-dee" **
"At The Cafe Rendez-vous" *
"There's Nothing Rougher Than Love" *
"Blame My Absent-Minded Heart" (reprise) *

The Third Man (1949) *****

Stylish noir thriller set in post-war Vienna. Orson Welles steals every scene he's in.

The Bicycle Thief (1949) *****

The greatest example of Italian neo-realism.

Late Spring (1949) ****

Wonderful film about a relationship between a father and his daughter.

Prison (1949) ****

One of Ingmar Bergman's earliest masterpieces.

Skarb (1949) ***

Excellent Polish comedy about lodging difficulties in post-war Warsaw.

Prince Of Foxes (1949) ***

Impressive historical drama about one of Cesar Borgia's henchmen betraying his master and joining the resistance against him.

Michurin (1949) ***

Alexander Dovzhenko's last masterpiece.

The Village Revolt (1949) ***

Scandale aux Champs-Élysées (1949) ***

Thirst (1949) ***

A bit different from other early Ingmar Bergman's melodramas, because he didn't wrote the script.

Pattes blanches (1949) ***

Madame Bovary (1949) ***

Das Madchen Christine (1949) ***

El Gran Calavera (1949) ***

Luis Bunuel's only conventional comedy.

Les Amants de Verone (1949) ***

L'Epave (1949) ***

Neptune's Daughter (1949) ***

Musical starring Esther Williams, Ricardo Montalban and Rod Skelton. Songs:

"I Love Those Men"  **
"My Heart Beats Faster"  *
"Baby It's Cold Outside"  ***

Manon (1949) ***

Ohara Shosuke-san (1949) ***

Very original film about a generous old man who looses all his possessions by helping others. Directed by Hiroshi Shimizu, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Matsuo Kishi.

Champion (1949) ***

Classic boxing drama starring Kirk Douglas.

Tulsa (1949) ***

Picking up where "Cimarron" has left off, it's a epic saga about the growth of the oil industry in Oklahoma.

The Window (1949) ***

Classic thriller about a little boy who witnesses a murder.

The Fountainhead (1949) ***

A fine adaptation of Ayn Rand's bestselling novel about personal integrity.

Kanavan laidalla (1949) ***

The film is available here.

The Blue Lagoon (1949) ***

En reportagefilm om Dansk Rode Kors (1949) **

Danish documentary.

Bitter Rice (1949) ***

Hornankoski (1949) ***

The film is available here.

Saraband For Dead Lovers (1949) **

Melodrama about the sad fate of the wife of King George I of England.

Le Gros Bill (1949) **

A young man returns to his native village in Quebec.

Pinky (1949) **

One of those ponderous Elia Kazan's "message" pictures from the late 1940's, back when he was still into big social themes.

Young Girls Of Vienna (1949) *

Filmed during the war, but only released in 1949.

Beyond The Forest (1949) *

Basically a rip-off of "Madame Bovary", but the main character is way too mean and hateful.

Adventures Of Don Juan (1949) *

Hopelessly boring swashbuckler set in the 17th century Spain.

The Last Night (1949) *

Det gror mellom steinene (1949) ***

Thorvaldsen (1949) ***

Pacific 231 (1949) ***

Directed by Jean Mitry. Dynamic and exciting avant-garde film about a speeding train. Superbly edited.

Doctor's Choice (1949) ***

Mr Frenhofer And The Minotaur (1949) ***

Experimental short directed by Sidney Peterson.

Sugar Crisp (1949) ***

The Lead Shoes (1949) ***

Experimental short directed by Sidney Peterson.

Van Gogh (1949) ***

Oscar-nominated short directed by Alain Resnais. The life of Vincent Van Gogh as seen through his paintings.

Kitty Clean Up (1949) ***

Daybreak In Udi (1949) **

Documentary about the building of a maternity hospital in a little village in Nigeria.

Report On The Atom (1949) *

A segment of "The March of Time" series. The film concentrates its attention of the peaceful uses of atomic energy. The building of nuclear power plants is discussed. Length: 18 min.

Puce Moment (1949) *

Textile fetishism is the main topic of this avant-garde short by Kenneth Anger, originally planned as a feature, "Puce Woman".

Asia's New Voice (1949) *

A segment of "The March of Time" series. It's a report on India. Length: 18 min.

Gun Crazy (1949) ****

The original "Bonnie And Clyde", a terrific gangster pic about two lovebirds robbing banks and hiding from police.

Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949) ****

A comedy about a serial killer. All his victims (male and female) are played by Alec Guinness.

All The King's Men (1949) ***

Epic film about a corrupt politician. Based on the career of Huey Long.

The Barkleys Of Broadway (1949) ***

Fred Astaire and Ginger Roger in their last film together. The script and the choreography are both top-notch, but the musical score isn't. "A Weekend In The Country" and "Manhattan Downbeat" are probably the worst songs ever heard in a Hollywood musical. Songs and dance numbers:

"Swing Trot" *
"Saber Dance" **
"You'd Be Hard To Replace" *
"Bouncin' The Blues" **
"My One And Only Highland Fling" **
"A Weekend In The Country"
"Shoes With Wings On" **
"Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1" **
"They Can't Take That Away From Me" **
"You'd Be Hard To Replace" (reprise)
"Manhattan Downbeat"

Battleground (1949) ***

War drama about the defenders of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944.

La Beauté du diable (1949) ***

A man is tempted by the Devil.

The Big Steal (1949) ***

Enjoyable crime movie starring Robert Mitchum as an army officer chasing gangsters in Mexico. Plenty of humor and excitement.

Le Curé de village (1949) ***

Un ancien criminel revient pour ruiner la vie de sa fille. Un des meilleurs films quebecois de l'epoque du Duplessis.

D.O.A. (1949) ***

Tense thriller about a man trying to stay alive.

The Fallen Idol (1949) ***

An adaptation of Graham Greene's novel about a young boy involved in a police investigation.

The Heiress (1949) ***

A naive young girl (Olivia de Havilland); her harsh, but perceptive father (Ralph Richardson); and a fortune-hunting, dashing young man (Montgomery Clift) - all the key ingrediants of a fascinating melodrama.

In The Good Old Summertime (1949) ***

Gentle folk musical starring Judy Garland, a remake of "The Shop Around The Corner" (1940).

I Was A Male War Bride (1949) ***

French officer Cary Grant marries an American female G.I. and tries to get to United States as a war bride.

Ulica graniczna (1949) ****

Znakomity film Aleksandra Forda, ktory przenikliwie analizuje zlozone stosunki polsko-zydowskie podczas II Wojny Swiatowej. Akcja filmu rozpoczyna sie jeszcze przed wojna, a konczy podczas powstania w getcie warszawskim.

She Wore A Yellow Ribbon (1949) ****

Magnificent western starring John Wayne.

Jolson Sings Again (1949) ***

A sequel to the 1946's hit. The highlight: a memorable scene where Al Jolson (played by Larry Sparks) meets Larry Sparks (playing Al Jolson).

Jour de fete (1949) ***

Jacques Tati plays a French mailman in a quaint little town, who tries to adopt new, American ways of delivery. Unlike Tati's later films, this one has a lot of dialogue.

Love Happy (1949) ***

One of the weakest of Marx Brothers' comedies still has enough funny gags to be very entertaining. Originally, it was planned as a solo for Harpo, but Chico and Groucho eventually joined the cast in small supporting roles. Most memorable bit: Marilyn Monroe's cameo. A must for Harpo's fans - it features his best performance since "Go West" (1940).

Mighty Joe Young (1949) ***

A very large ape (smaller than King Kong) is brought to America. ***

Passport To Pimlico (1949) ***

Residents of a London neighborhood discover they in fact belong to the Duchy of Burgundy.

Sands Of Iwo Jima (1949) ***

Patriotic film about heroic Marines capturing two small islands on the Pacific, Tarawa and Iwo Jima. A companion piece to "Battleground", released the same year.

So Dear To My Heart (1949) ***

An unofficial sequel to "Song Of The South" - another Disney's mix of live-action folksiness and animated delights.

Stray Dog (1949) ***

Toshiro Mifuno plays a Tokyo cop whose gun was stolen by a criminal. An impressive Japanese film clearly inspired by DeSica's "The Bicycle Thief".

Take Me Out To The Ball Game (1949) ***

A baseball musical. It's always a pleasure to see Frank Sinatra with Gene Kelly, but Esther Williams should have taken a few more plunges into the swimming pool. Wet, she's a star. Dry, she ain't. Songs:

"Take Me Out To The Ball Game" **
"Yes Indeedy" **
"O'Brien To Ryan To Goldberg" **
"Take Me Out To The Ball Game" (reprise) *
"The Right Girl For Me" *
"It's Fate, Baby, It's Fate" *
"Strictly USA" *
"The Hat My Father Wore On St Patrick's Day" *
"Strictly USA" (reprise) *

That Midnight Kiss (1949) ***

A Philadelphia truck driver becomes a great opera singer. Tenor Mario Lanza's film debut. Musical numbers include:

"Caro Nome" *
"Mama Mia Che Vo Sape" *
"Down Among The Sheltering Palms" *
"Una Furtiva Lacrima" *
"Celesta Aida" *
"They Didn't Believe Me" **
"Three O'Clock In The Morning" *
"I Know I Know I Know" *
"Revolutionary Etude" *
"Finale" **

Tight Little Island (1949) ***

Also known as "Whisky Galore", it's a nice Ealing comedy set on a remote Scottish island.