Thanks to a good friend, I could watch the two other movies (apart from Tony Rome) Ol’ Blue Eyes made in the sixties with director Gordon Douglas
The Detective (1968)
Interesting, but rather heavy-handed thriller, with a great Frankie, but a not so clever ‘flashback’ script, waisting too much time with Frankie’s private problems with (ex-)wife Lee Remick. I guess this film was more powerful when it was first released than today. Both the depiction of the homosexual milieu and the problems one may experience socially and psychologically with being a homosexual, feel dated. I know homosexuality might still be a problem for somebody with ambitions in politics, but the whole approach in the movie feels overwrought.
More lightweight than the other one, and often called the weakest of the three. It’s a modest affair, but I had as much fun with it as with The Detective. Moreover, director Douglas seems more at ease here. Some good action, good Miami atmosphere, nice to see Dan “Hoss” Blocker, Raquel Welch as beautiful as ever (but using too much hairspray). Some shades of one of the Chandler novels (The Long Goodbye I think) in the story about the big, big man looking for a girlie.
The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
Well, a pretty decent peplum by Sergio Leone. Nice production values, the colossus was pretty impressive and a nice score by Lavagnino. What I didn’t like was the main character Rory Calhoun’s just too perfect 50s hair. I was hoping through the movie that someone would come and mess it up or that he at least would die early but no such luck.
All in all one of the better pepla I’ve seen so recommended if you’re into the genre.
Version watched: DVD from Warner Brothers. Contains a commentary by Christopher Frayling for those who have the time to see the movie (2 hours+) twice.
[quote=“Søren, post:4987, topic:372”]The Colossus of Rhodes (1961)
Well, a pretty decent peplum by Sergio Leone. Nice production values, the colossus was pretty impressive and a nice score by Lavagnino. What I didn’t like was the main character Rory Calhoun’s just too perfect 50s hair. I was hoping through the movie that someone would come and mess it up or that he at least would die early but no such luck.
All in all one of the better pepla I’ve seen so recommended if you’re into the genre.
Version watched: DVD from Warner Brothers. Contains a commentary by Christopher Frayling for those who have the time to see the movie (2 hours+) twice.[/quote]
I am a big fan of Rory Calhoun (in Westerns especially)! And it goes without saying that I also love Leone. But, strangely, I am indifferent when it comes to COLOSSUS OF RHODES. It isn’t bad, at all…it just isn’t that great.
You have probably seen more than I have, amigo! ;D
I am not a big fan of the sword & sandal stuff, myself.
I have seen, and enjoyed: GLADIATORS SEVEN, SAMSON, GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS, THE INVINCIBLE GLADIATOR, and a few others.
Like you, I have yet to see what I would call a “great” film among the pepla…but, I have yet to see one that I thought was really bad, either.
[quote=“Chris_Casey, post:4990, topic:372”]I have seen, and enjoyed: GLADIATORS SEVEN, SAMSON, GOLIATH AND THE BARBARIANS, THE INVINCIBLE GLADIATOR, and a few others.
Like you, I have yet to see what I would call a “great” film among the pepla…but, I have yet to see one that I thought was really bad, either.[/quote]
Thansk amigo I’ll keep a look-out for those. Have about 60 or so pepla in the to-watch pile so nice to have something to look for in that bunch I think the peplum genre is definitely harder to swallow than the western genre so the quality in the 20 I’ve seen has definitely been lower than if I picked 20 random spaghetti westerns. But that’s just my taste
Sören, if you have any peplums by Vittorio Cottafavi, try them, they are the best. Imo they are often surprisingly stylish and not as silly as most of them.
The Corbucci’s are also preferable to the ones by Leone.
Right again.
I’ve probably seen 12-15 of them (then I gave up), and I must say they all were rather corny
Maybe it’s the way they look, men in mini fighting with each other isn’t exactly my dream of an action scene
Some of the directors learned the trade in this genre (for instance how to use the widescreen), but that’s probably the best thing the genre did for us
[quote=“Stanton, post:4992, topic:372”]Sören, if you have any peplums by Vittorio Cottafavi, try them, they are the best. Imo they are often surprisingly stylish and not as silly as most of them.
The Corbucci’s are also preferable to the ones by Leone.[/quote]
Vittorio Cottafavi. Got it. I have the Warriors 50 Movie Pack and a couple of other peplum boxsets and can see he have some entries in those so I’ll definitely check them out. I’ve already seen Sergio Corbucci’s Romolo e Remo via Koch Media’s gorgeous release but it wasn’t really as good as I had hoped despite a great director and a fine cast. But as always I’ll keep an eye out for Corbucci. Thanks for the tips amigo.
I agree. Finally we get a lot of skin (compared to sws) and it’s the wrong gender
A lot of the film is lifted from Farewell My Lovely. Also a lot of filler in Cement.
Yes, The Detective was intended to be the grittiest of the bunch, especially it’s handling of the, at the time, very taboo subject of homosexuality, but as you said it’s handling of the issue has not aged well. Some points for effort, but overall a dud. Which is too bad as I think it was the last time Sinatra bothered to try and act in a film. But I have not seen the detective film he made in the 1980s. I think it’s The First Deadly Sin. And if memory serves Faye Dunaway was in it also.
PS. After posting this reply I see that Stanton beat me to identifying the Chandler novel.
Of course you can’t compare Romulus and Remus with Corbucci’s best western work, but it’s a lively action flic with some fine directed scenes.
There’s also The Son of Spartacus and another one, which I haven’t seen, which he probably only co-directed.
The Harder They Fall (Bogies last film! :’()
The Postman Always Rings Twice (Classic Noir I haven’t seen? ???)
Stranger on the Third Floor (First noir!)
and for my Mom:
Marnie (Sean Connery and Alfred Hitchcock. Her favorite director)
I think the peplum genre is definitely harder to swallow than the western genre so the quality in the 20 I’ve seen has definitely been lower than if I picked 20 random spaghetti westerns. But that’s just my taste 