Shameless Self Expression

RIP George Segal. Here’s…not one of his better films.   A racial farce in which rich businessman George Segal is visited at work by an African-American teenager (Denzel Washington) claiming to be his long-lost son from a college relationship with an African-American woman. Apparently this news could turn Segal’s world upside down, a world in which his wife (Susan Saint James) won’t have sex with him, his daughter dislikes him, and his anti-Semite father-in-law (Jack Warden) intimidates the hell out of him. Paul Winfield turns up briefly as an African-American lawyer.   This big screen debut won’t rank as the worst film Denzel Washington has ever made ( “Man on Fire” and “Virtuosity” spring to mind). However, this 1981 comedy-drama from director Michael Schultz ( “Cooley High” , “Car Wash” , the camp classic “The Last Dragon” ) and writer Stanley Shapiro ( “Pillow Talk” , “Bedtime Story” ) is probably one film that Denzel wouldn’t want to talk about or point out on hi...

On a scenic tour of some caves, five strangers encounter the ‘Crypt Keeper’ (Sir Ralph Richardson in a monk’s robe), who tells stories about each of them that paints them in a decidedly unflattering, and often criminal light. In the first tale, Joan Collins plays a greedy housewife who commits a grave crime only to be terrorised herself by an escaped mental patient dressed as Santa. In the second we have Ian Hendry as a family man on a secret rendezvous with his mistress. After a nasty car wreck, Hendry finds people seem to be running away from him. Thirdly, a snooty father and son (the latter played by Robin Phillips) think kindly old widower Peter Cushing (in a truly touching performance) brings the wrong level of class to their neighbourhood, and scheme to drive him out, leading to disastrous results. The fourth tale has dodgy businessman Richard Greene and wife resorting to superstition to change their luck, leading to bad luck after bad luck. Finally, former Army Major Nigel Patri...

In the mid-19 th Century, parents Nigel Davenport and Isabel Dean are raising their family in hurricane-afflicted Jamaica. After the latest storm, the parents decide that perhaps their children (including young Deborah Baxter) would be better off back home in the more ‘civilised’ England. So they put them on a ship captained by Kenneth J. Warren, and off the kids sail. Unfortunately, the vessel is taken over by grubby pirates led by Anthony Quinn, with James Coburn his bemused First Mate. After they realise there’s not much of value to take from the ship, the pirates board their own vessel, only to find that the children have ended up aboard. The pirates don’t wish to be caught kidnapping a bunch of kids, so they plan to pass them off onto a brothel madam acquaintance of theirs, played by Lila Kedrova. However, along the way the kids start to rub off on gruff Quinn, which starts to irritate Coburn and the other men.   There were differing views on how to adapt Richard Hughes’ ...

Set in 1930s New Orleans, hotshot upstart poker player known as ‘The Kid’ (Steve McQueen) wants to be ‘The Man’. He’s hungry, he’s good – damn good, and he believes he’s ready. Right now though, ‘The Man’ is top poker player Lancey Howard (Edward G. Robinson, in a role he apparently considered very close to his true self), and he doesn’t look to be ready to pass down the mantle anytime soon. ‘The Kid’ keeps grinding though in smaller games, until he finally gets his shot at ‘The Man’ at a big game. Question is, will ‘The Kid’ find the right cards, the right bit of luck (for all the mathematics and psychology, poker still is considered gambling for a reason), and also play with the very best of his skill on the big day? Is he truly ready for ‘The Man’? The secondary story here involves a sour, cheating rival player named Slade (Rip Torn). He was previously burned and humiliated in a game by Lancey, and a vengeful Slade hasn’t forgotten it. In fact, for the upcoming big game that he ha...

Lee Marvin stars as anti-hero Walker, who is shot and left for dead by his double-crossing partner Reese (John Vernon) and cheating spouse (Sharon Acker) on a heist on Alcatraz island. Walker manages to get off the island, recover from his wounds, and now he’s just plain pissed off. He wants the money ($93,000) and he wants revenge. Some time later a mystery man named Yost (Keenan Wynn) has a job for Walker that might just allow for him to get his revenge. He goes after The Organisation, which currently employs the slimy Reese, who used the $93,000 to pay off a debt to The Organisation. So Walker keeps working his way up the chain demanding the likes of Brewster (Carroll O’Connor) and the slick and slimy Carter (Lloyd Bochner) to get the damn money he’s owed. Killing anyone who doesn’t/can’t give him the money and moving on to the next person. Angie Dickinson turns up as an important contact, who isn’t especially happy to see Walker. James B. Sikking is interesting casting as an Organi...