World War I – 18 Cinema Lane

18 Cinema Lane is almost five years old. In that time, I have reviewed many films; from the blockbuster to the underrated and everything in between. Sometimes, I had the opportunity to talk about “classic” films. These opportunities were formal introductions to these titles. This list highlights some of the “classic” movies I watched because of my blog. Whether it was a blogathon entry or a Blog Follower Dedication Review, I’m thankful I was able to see these films. That way, I can now have an honest opinion about them. Since I have reviewed all the films on my list, I will provide links in this article. I will also be sharing my thoughts on these films, so anything I say is not meant to be mean-spirited or negative.

The Discovering Classic Cinema Blogathon banner created by Maddy from Classic Film and TV Corner

The Bridge on the River Kwai

Starting this list is the most recent “classic” I reviewed. I chose to write about The Bridge on the River Kwai for The 5^th Golden Boy Blogathon, where I was the only participant to select it. This movie made me question why some movies do or don’t end up on AFI’s list of The 100 Greatest American Movies Of All Time. Until I watched The Bridge on the River Kwai, I believed these titles met one of two criteria: those that represent the time they were released and those that brought something new to the cinematic table. With the 1957 film, I still haven’t figured out why it’s on the list. I am not saying this is a bad movie. But, at best, I thought it was just fine.

Take 3: The Bridge on the River Kwai Review

A Star Is Born (1937)

Before participating in the Fredric March Blogathon, I didn’t have an interest in watching any version of A Star Is Born. Because this story has been remade on more than one occasion, I thought each version was going to share a recycled plot, with little variation among them. As of this list’s publication, I’ve only seen the 1937 original. However, I was surprised by how impressive the movie was! Fredric March’s performance was so strong, not just among the Breen Code era films I’ve seen, but among any movie I have seen. He worked well alongside Janet Gaynor, sharing really good banter between each other. A Star Is Born made me want to actively seek out more films from Fredric’s filmography!

Take 3: A Star Is Born (1937) Review

Funny Face

As Fred Astaire famously said, “Do it big, do it right, and do it with style”. When it comes to his movie, Funny Face, that’s exactly what happened. This is a pleasant looking production! I remember loving the use of color, as pops of color were placed in scenes with a primarily plain color palette. The musical numbers were also entertaining to watch, with creative ideas woven through them. Though I haven’t seen many of Audrey Hepburn’s films, Funny Face is one of her projects I like. She appeared to be enjoying whatever she was doing, whether it was dancing in the “Basal Metabolism” number or portraying Jo traveling to Paris. Then again, Audrey did famously say “I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls”.

Take 3: Funny Face Review (Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly Blogathon Part 2)

All About Eve

As the last movie I reviewed for 2019’s Clean Movie Month, All About Eve is a film I thought was just fine. A peek behind the theater world’s curtain was refreshing, providing the story with interesting perspectives. The use of voice-overs not only allowed the audience to witness Eve develop as an individual, but connect with the other characters as well. However, I found the title to be misleading, as the story was led by Margo. As I said in my review, the film would be called “Mostly About Margo” or “Sometimes About Eve” if given an honest title.

Take 3: All About Eve Review (Clean Movie Month — #5)

Nosferatu

Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

The same year I reviewed All About Eve, I also wrote about Nosferatu. My review of the 1922 “classic” was for 2019’s A Month Without the Code. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to see Nosferatu, as the film was not only created under strict copyright rules, but has also been preserved over time. This film serves as a stone in cinema’s foundation, showcasing elements still found in today’s movies, such as using music to elevate the story’s tone. I don’t often talk about horror films on 18 Cinema Lane. But out of the ones I have reviewed, Nosferatu is definitely one of the better titles!

Take 3: Nosferatu Review (A Month Without the Code — #1)

To Kill a Mockingbird

Like I recently said in my list, ‘The Top 10 Best Movies I Saw in 2022’, there are few movies I found better than their source material. To Kill a Mockingbird is one of those films! I like this adaptation because the script gets straight to the point sooner than the book did. It also places more emphasis on the trial, the part of the book I found the most interesting. The visual nature of film elevated the suspenseful moments from the original story, presenting realistic situations with an intensified level of uncertainty. This is one of those times where I would suggest skipping the book and going straight to the film.

Take 3: To Kill a Mockingbird Review

Citizen Kane

In my opinion, Citizen Kane is an over-hyped movie. I know that’s a controversial opinion. But when I reviewed the movie in 2019, I didn’t find it the flawless masterpiece others have made it out to be. For starters, I don’t think the film needed an hour and fifty-nine-minute run-time. I also found it difficult to connect with the characters. Despite my view on Citizen Kane, I don’t think it’s a bad movie. If anything, I thought it was decent. But like I said with The Bridge on the River Kwai, I wonder why Citizen Kane is number one on AFI’s list of The 100 Greatest American Movies Of All Time?

Take 3: Citizen Kane Review (Clean Movie Month — #2)

Lawrence of Arabia

This is another “classic” I feel is over-hyped. However, the over-hyped status of Lawrence of Arabia is not to the same degree as Citizen Kane, in my opinion. The 1962 film is one of the most iconic “sword and sandal” titles. But beyond this simplified distinction is a World War I story from a unique perspective. Reviewing Lawrence of Arabia for The World War One On Film Blogathon was not my first choice. I had actually planned to review a different movie, which ended up being released on DVD after the blogathon took place. This last-minute decision was a blessing in disguise, as it gave me an excuse to check out Lawrence of Arabia!

Take 3: Lawrence of Arabia Review

Ben-Hur (1959)

When I chose to watch this movie for a Blog Follower Dedication Review, I had no idea how much I would love it! I remember being so invested in Judah’s journey, I wasn’t too bothered by the film’s three-hour run-time. This is another iconic “sword and sandal” picture. But only referring to this film by that simplified title does it such a disservice. That’s because the movie is, in my opinion, one of the better faith-based films! I’ve heard 1959’s Ben-Hur is a remake of a film from the ’20s. Maybe that version will be covered in a future review!

Take 3: Ben-Hur (1959) Review + 60 Follower Thank You

Meet Me in St. Louis

The Breen Code era gave us some good musicals. Meet Me in St. Louis is no exception! A musical is only as strong as its musical numbers. In the 1944 film, there was an assortment of enjoyable songs. From Judy’s iconic rendition of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to my favorite, “Under the Bamboo Tree”, this part of the story added to my movie viewing experience. While the film does have its flaws, it is a pleasant production. If I were introducing someone to the Breen Code era, Meet Me in St. Louis is a film I would recommend!

Take 3: Meet Me in St. Louis Review + 75 Follower Thank You

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

For Maddy Loves Her Classic Films’ blogathon, The World War One On Film Blogathon, I had originally planned on reviewing the movie, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero. However, because the film changed its DVD release date several times, with December 11^th being the latest date, I had to come up with a different movie to review. Remembering MovieBabble’s list of the Top 10 Best World War I Movies, I visited this post to see what options were available at such short notice. I decided to pick Lawrence of Arabia because a) I’ve never seen it before and b) I’ve heard a lot of good things about the movie throughout the years. In fact, until I read MovieBabble’s aforementioned list, I had no idea that Lawrence of Arabia had anything to do with World War I. Despite the change of plans, I was looking forward to finally seeing this movie. Was it truly as good as almost everyone says it is? Let’s find out in my review for Lawrence of Arabia!

Lawrence of Arabia poster — *Lawrence of Arabia* poster created by Columbia Pictures. Image found at http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/4455/Lawrence-of-Arabia/#

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast of Lawrence of Arabia was really good! Everyone on-screen brought a significant amount of believability to their roles. Peter O’Toole gave such a great performance, bringing the emotional depth that made his performance so memorable. Two of the stand-out performers in this movie were Omar Sharif and Anthony Quinn! Both of their performances were so good, it felt like their characters were truly coming to life as the events played out on-screen. The acting overall was definitely a highlight to this film!

The scenery: The scenery in this film is great to look at! Any scene that took place in the desert was filmed very well, making that environment appear beautiful. I also liked the architecture that was featured in the film. My favorite building in Lawrence of Arabia was the British offices in Cairo because that facility looked majestic and breath-taking.

Seeing World War I from a unique perspective: Whenever events from World War I or World War II are depicted in film, either characters are shown fighting on the European front or the conflicts of World War I or II are shown affecting various European countries. In Lawrence of Arabia, however, the effects of World War I are shown through the eyes of those stationed in Arabia. Like a lot of war movies or movies discussing the subject of war, there were several shared ideas in Lawrence of Arabia, such as looking out for fellow comrades, questioning the ethics of war, and individuals from various backgrounds coming together to reach a common goal. There were also ideas in Lawrence of Arabia that added uniqueness to this perspective, such as religion and the characters’ views on the two Arab tribes that were amongst Lawrence’s troop. These shared ideas and unique views of World War I make Lawrence of Arabia an interesting and compelling war movie!

2018 WWI on Film Blogathon — The World War One On Film Blogathon banner created by Maddy from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films. Images found at https://maddylovesherclassicfilms.wordpress.com/2018/06/23/announcing-the-world-war-one-on-film-blogathon/

What I didn’t like about the film:

An interesting four minutes: During the first four minutes of this movie, the screen was blank while the film’s score played. I was so caught off-guard by this, that I thought something was wrong with my television.

Some scenes feeling more drawn out than others: While watching Lawrence of Arabia, I noticed that some scenes were drawn out more than others. The scenes that were drawn out were any of them that involved the characters traveling in the desert. Because these scenes didn’t involve a lot of action or intrigue, this affected the continuity of my interest in the film.

A limited amount of battles: When one thinks of a war movie, the idea of the characters fighting in at least one battle is almost always expected. Before I saw Lawrence of Arabia, I thought it would contain two smaller battles and one big, climatic battle. However, this movie contained several military confrontations and political negotiations. While these things made the film interesting, I was expecting a little more action.

Seamless pattern with chamomile and poppies flowers — Poppy and chamomile pattern image created by Klyaksun at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/seamless-pattern-with-chamomile-and-poppies-flowers_1308007.htm’>Designed by Klyaksun</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Klyaksun – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

One three-hour movie and a film review later, I can honestly say that Lawrence of Arabia was a good movie! However, I, personally, feel that it’s not as great as some people have made it out to be. Over the years, I think it has become a bit over-hyped. But, I can definitely see why people like it as much as they claim to. This film does have its merits and has stood the “test of time” for good reason. Lawrence of Arabia is a film that is worth checking out, whether it’s your first time seeing it or if you’re re-watching it for the billionth time. Looking back on it, Lawrence of Arabia does make a good war movie. Its unique perspective and cinematic qualities set this movie apart from all the rest.

Overall score: 7.7-7.8 out of 10

Have you seen Lawrence of Arabia? What’s your favorite war movie? Leave your thoughts below in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out MovieBabble’s post that I mentioned in this review, you can visit this link:

https://moviebabblereviews.com/2018/08/22/top-10-best-world-war-i-movies/