The Wizard of Oz (1939)

I saw this film may a time as a kid, as many a person growing up in the U.S. has done in, at least, the years since it started airing on television and/or VHS became fairly common in homes. I recall seeing it not only at home but as the sort of movie dropped in […]

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

I think I’ve only been vaguely aware of this title, as Hitchcock and the film in general go. I hadn’t really looked much into most of his pre-American, British studio work regardless, and gathered these earlier works simply because they were compiled into a box from Criterion. It’s left me in an almost total vacuum […]

The 39 Steps (1935)

Continuing to plow through the earlier/British-era Criterion Hitchcock box, I knew of The 39 Steps but did not have it high on my radar over the years–mostly as I had enough to chew through given the Paramount Premiere DVD box and the Universal “Masterpiece” of the same (the latter I’ve replaced with Blu-ray, the former has […]

The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

I’ve owned most of Hitchcock‘s later (by which I mean this one onward, or at least Sabotage from 1936 onward) works for years, and I’ve seen and watched a decent chunk over my lifetime, but nowhere near the majority of even that subset. I’ve got a fairly tight schedule at this moment, so finding a 75 […]

The Adventurs of Robin Hood (1938)

I grew up with a poster that was nearly the first result when searching for posters for this that I found–but something more of an 11×17″ than that one. It stood in a place that I walked past regularly in my childhood home, but that I rarely processed. Certainly, I associated it more with the Robin […]

Only Angels Have Wings (1939)

I don’t recall for certain what element drew me in here–presumably, it’s easiest to start from “Criterion released it”, which is one of the labels I trust to at least give me interesting films. Past that–given that I do not literally buy everything they release–it was undoubtedly the presence of Cary Grant under the direction of Howard […]

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

Occasionally, Criterion has released films with slightly reduced pricing to reflect–I don’t know, certainly expectations about sales, but perhaps due to the investment in additional features and restoration? I don’t actually know, but it naturally lends itself to more affordable titles, particularly when found used, as I did here. I knew little or nothing about […]

Sabotage (1936)

I still have 21 Hitchcock DVDs to watch, only 3 of which I’ve seen before, so I’m going to be quite fearful of repeating myself in some respects throughout this review, prior ones, and the ones to follow. I suppose some measure is inevitable, but I tend to write it off as reasonable in recognition […]

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Containing my joy at this film may or may not prove difficult. I suspected long ago that it would appear to my sensibilities, as it’s the kind of manipulation I am inevitably happy to fall prey to. It is the essence of what being American means to Frank Capra and the essence of what Capra […]

You Can’t Take It with You (1938)

Quintessentially “Capraesque,” You Can’t Take It with You won Best Picture in 1939, also earning Frank Capra yet another Best Director Oscar, and managed to continue a streak of winning films (yes, there were films between, I know!) Capra made for Columbia Pictures in the 30s, the run ending the next year with Mr. Smith […]