"Games" (1967)

A stylish neo-noir thriller set in the hip mod world of late ‘60s Manhattan. James Caan and Katherine Ross are a chic wealthy couple who encounter a mysterious woman (Simone Signoret) and begin a series of cat and mouse mindgames just for the thrlll of it. And like the saying goes, “it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt”. Cue the blood. There are lots of twists and shocks amongst the fashionable trappings (these folks’ Upper East Side townhouse is awash in Segals, Warhols, and Fornasettis), and Caan and Ross look like a Vogue fashion spread. If you’re a student of French Cinema then you might see the surprise ending coming thru the Lincoln Tunnel in a snazzy sports car (the casting of Signoret is the dead give-away, pun intended), but otherwise, it’s a kicky goose-pimply ride. 

"Jezebel" (1938)

One of the most iconic Bette Davis roles, and that’s saying a lot given how many she was able to rack up in her long career. She’s a headstrong antebellum belle in New Orleans who does just about everything within her stubborn, headstrong self to sabotage her relationship with the most eligible and handsome man in town (swoonworthy Henry Fonda). When she calls his bluff for her affections one too many times things get complicated. This movie was an obvious play to steal the box office thunder from “Gone With the Wind” but it turns out there was room for more than one Southern beyotch at the plantation. Davis owns the role with a vengeance. Yes, there are histrionics but measured subtleties too. Just watch the scene where Fonda breaks the news that he’s found someone else. Shock, pain, acknowledgment, sadness, and resolve wash across her face in a matter of seconds. That’s film acting artistry. One sticking point: the depiction of African American slaves is awful. At best they’re used as background props and at worst, for uncomfortable comic relief. So be warned. 

"Kismet" (1954)

The desire to copy the musical comedy success of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “The King and I” is palpable here. Does it meet the challenge? Frankly, no. But there’s a still a lot to love. You get the Broadway pedigree, the Far East setting, the two sets of lovers, and a decent amount of comedic repartee. But it’s really the operatta-like score that saves the day. Hit songs like “Stranger in Paradise”, “Baubles, Bangles, and Beads”, and “The Lamp is Low” that have lyrics set to melodies taken from Alexander Borodin classical pieces and sung by the the leads Howard Keel, Dolores Gray, Vic Damone, and Anne Blythe. All four, especially the under appreciated throaty-voiced Gray, turn in fine performances despite the weak script. And while the direction by Vincent Minelli is by-the-numbers, the production looks terrific in a stylized Hollywood Goes to Arabia fashion. You’ve never seen so much silk and satin in one place. Also of note is the jazzy and acrobatic choreography by Jack Cole. There are a couple of numbers that really stand out, they’re probably not based on Middle Eastern dance moves, but boy, are they sexy and fun.