historical films Related Articles

Down to the Sea in Ships (1922) – Whaling Action and Clara Bow

July 4, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti Leave a Comment

I agree, Clara Bow steals Down to the Sea in Ships, though the whaling and action sequences at sea stand out more while watching. Raymond McKee is strong.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1922 movies, action, clara bow, down to the sea in ships, historical films, jack baston, james turfler, Marguerite Courtot, pat hartigan, silent film, whaling, william walcott

The Adventures of Mark Twain (1944) Starring Fredric March

March 31, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti Leave a Comment

A review of Warner Brothers 1944 biopic The Adventures of Mark Twain starring Fredric March whose performance rises above an uneven though interesting story.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1944, Alan Hale, Alexis Smith, biographical films, C Aubrey Smith, chester conklin, donald crisp, Fredric March, historical films, irving rapper, jesse l lasky, John Carradine, joyce reynolds, mark twain, max steiner, perc westmore, percy kilbride, Robert Barrat, samuel clemens, walter hampden, warner brothers, william henry

Cecil B. DeMille’s Cleopatra (1934) Starring Claudette Colbert

January 14, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti 1 Comment

A look at Cecil B. DeMille’s lavish 1934 production of Cleopatra starring Claudette Colbert as Cleopatra. With Warren William and Henry Wilcoxon.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1934, arthur hohl, C Aubrey Smith, cecil b demille, claudette colbert, edwin maxwell, epic, gertrude michael, henry wilcoxon, historical dramas, historical films, ian keith, irving pichel, joseph schildkraut, leonard mudie, Paramount, Warren William

Silver Dollar (1932) Starring Edward G. Robinson, Aline MacMahon and Bebe Daniels

January 11, 2012 By Cliff Aliperti Leave a Comment

Silver Dollar (1932) stars Edward G. Robinson in a part based on the life of silver king Haw Tabor. American history, economics, and pop culture are touched upon in this look at a largely forgotten film. Also starring Aline MacMahon and Bebe Daniels.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1932, alfred e green, Aline MacMahon, bebe daniels, biopic, christian rub, edward g robinson, entreprenuers, epic, historical films, lee kohlmar

A Dispatch from Reuters (1940) – Plus the Real Reuter vs. Edward G. Robinson

July 18, 2011 By Cliff Aliperti 4 Comments

Edward G. Robinson stars as the entrepreneur behind A Dispatch from Reuters (1940), a Warner Brothers’ biopic whose message is progress and knowledge through a smaller world. Plus a look at the real Reuter compared to the Edward G. Robinson character of the movie.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: 1940, albert bassermann, biopic, biopics, dickie moore, eddie albert, Edna Best, edward g robinson, entreprenuers, Gene Lockhart, historical films, History, james stephenson, montagu love, nigel bruce, otto kruger, paul julius reuter, warner brothers, William Dieterle

In Old Chicago (1937) starring Power, Ameche, Faye, with a Biographical Aside about Oscar Winner Alice Brady

August 18, 2010 By Cliff Aliperti 3 Comments

In Old Chicago (1937) shows off young 20th Century-Fox players Tyrone Power, Don Ameche and Alice Faye to great advantage, but it was Alice Brady who won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. After an introduction to the film this post includes a brief biography of Brady who portrayed Molly O’Leary.

Filed Under: Movie Reviews Tagged With: Alice Brady, Alice Faye, Andy Devine, Brian Donlevy, Daryl F Zanuck, disaster movies, Don Ameche, Henry King, historical films, In Old Chicago, tyrone power

Charles Laughton stars in The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933)

March 9, 2010 By Cliff Aliperti 3 Comments

The historical Henry VIII as painting by Holbein

Charles Laughton earns his Oscar for Best Actor in Alexander Korda’s The Private Life of Henry VIII, a comedic costume piece focusing on Henry’s relationships with his various wives.