HD Cinema (101): Tom Horn ** (1980, Westerns)
Summary: TOM HORN is a vastly underrated movie, both within the Western genre and all of film. This was his next to last film, and I have to say that I prefer it as a McQueen film to THE HUNTER because it's no so obvious that the man is dying. This is also a superior performance that ranks among McQueen's very best, in my opinion.
Tom Horn was, as you may or may not know, a real man. This movie takes some of the facts and a lot of liberties and mixes it up into a fine piece work. The real Tom Horn claimed to be an innocent man in his autobiography, but he was, in fact, a pretty cold-blooded character. Of course, to survive in his time and place, that was somewhat necessary. In this movie, McQueen plays up the more human side of Horn and gives the viewer a man to empathize with. The camera work is beautiful here, a real treat for any Western or McQueen fan or afficionado. It's too bad TOM HORN isn't out on dvd as it surely deserves the treatment.
CinemaClassics-HD: Auntie Mame ***+ (1958, Comedy)
Summary: Remember darlings, "Life's a banquet, and most suckers are starving to death." That tag line sums up this exuberant and immensely amusing 1958 comedy that can be seen repeatedly, as it never grows stale. Rosalind Russell plays the flamboyant aunt who takes in poor, orphaned Patrick, played with sophisticated ease by Jan Handzlik. Mame, all glitter and martinis, raises her nephew in a world filled with acceptance and her oddball literati friends. Nothing is too bohemian. This unfolds in colorful episodic segments that allow us to watch Patrick grow as Mame oversees his unusual upbringing while she juggles a few spouses and an extended household. Russell, who created the title role for the stage, simply shines. She is bright and brassy, but never goes too far over the top. Peggy Cass is a comedic delight as her befuddled secretary, and Coral Browne brings class to the production as her best friend. This was based on the exuberant stage play, which in turn was based on Patrick Dennis's humorous, bittersweet novel. The screen version was written by the clever duo of Betty Comden and Adolph Green. Not to be confused with the pathetically lackluster musical version starring Lucille Ball (1974), simply entitled Mame. --Rochelle O'Gorman
