While this version is beautifully photographed and admirably acted, there is never any real feeling of romance or sadness. It is all given a matter-of-fact approach, which doesn't make for a great film.

Only the performance of Elam remains lively, but it is the type of characterization he has done dozens of times. A sad finale to Hawks's magnificent career.

The pacing and action sequences are staged in a manner reminiscent of a spaghetti western and are quite good, but the allegories are too much and too many.

Love Story is actually better than Segal's previously released best-seller (written from his screenplay in order to promote the film). But then that's not saying much.

Most of Cassavetes's cinema verite films as a director are invariably accused (and with some justification) of being rambling, self-indulgent, and unfocused, but it is precisely those elements that make his best work so affecting and memorable, and Husbands, though deeply flawed, is one of the finest examples of that.

Director Ronald Neame's well-paced film captures the period beautifully, and the acting is superb, with Finney and Alec Guinness, as Marley's ghost, real standouts.

Although the film was cut by more than 30 minutes by United Artists, what is left of this satirical, intimate look at the revered character is intriguing and wholly entertaining.

Obviously filmed on a budget, production values leave much to be desired, but the power of the performances and the claustrophobic yet exciting atmosphere caught by the film more than make up for that.

One of Bertolucci's best films, The Conformist makes a provocative connection between repressed sexual desires and fascist politics. It's an intriguing, elegantly photographed study of the twisted Italian character of the 1930s. (Review of Original Release)

While The Vampire Lovers is an interesting and entertaining effort, containing excellent performances from both Pitt and Cushing, writers Harry Fine and Michael Style and director Roy Ward Baker seem to shy away from actually addressing the questions of sexuality and repression inherent in the material.

The Great White Hope persuasively recreates the climate of the time and generally avoids the preachiness for which director Ritt is sometimes known. The love story between Alexander and Jones is touchingly portrayed.

The Japanese sneak attack that plunged the US into WW II is lavishly and fairly accurately, if not enthrallingly, brought to the screen in this Japanese-US coproduction.

Deceptively simple, Pieces is one of the most complex pictures of the 1970s.

Probably the director's most ambitious film, The Wild Child spins a modern myth with resonances for parents and children, teachers and students, and even filmmakers, actors and audiences.

Visually the production is good, primarily because of the Texas exteriors and a lot of period autos, indicating the BONNIE AND CLYDE influence had not played out as yet. But the story drags in this Depression-era melodrama.

This film wants to be bleak, nihilistic, and darkly hilarious but Catch-22 emerges as an exercise in frustration for those unprepared for Nichols's episodic, detached, and surreal treatment of the novel. Like a nightmare, the film shifts from one bizarre episode to another, with Alan Arkin's dazed Yossarian reacting to the madness that surrounds him, but second only to the viewer.

This humorous, lively, and entertaining picture could be described as a caper film set against a WW II backdrop.

Russ Meyer's Beyond the Valley of the Dolls is an outrageously entertaining cult classic, and probably one of the most bizarre movies ever produced by a major Hollywood studio.

This western almost makes the grade as high-quality moviemaking, but just never quite gets there.

While it's implausible that all of these mishaps would befall a couple in 24 hours, none of these occurrences is beyond the realm of belief, and Simon has cleverly strung them together in one of his best screenplays.

This often-funny film fails to sustain its premise through its entire length. Cambridge is hilarious in his role, but many of the gags are cliched, uninspired, and just what one might have expected from the situation. In order to work, comedy must offer surprises.

A disappointing, quickie follow-up that vainly tries to imitate the look of the original on an obviously limited budget, and for the most part, eschews the philosophical, social, and racial subtext of the first film in favor of straightforward shoot-em-up action and comic-strip characters.

The film offers some fine performances, and Ashby's quirky but skillful direction allows the individual personalities of the characters to shine through. The script has a few uneven moments, none of which damage the overall quality of the film, and Willis captures the atmosphere of both rich and poor New York lifestyles with an impressive visual style.

Hollywood's attempt to capitalize on student rebellion looked trivial in comparison to real events (the shootings at Kent State occured in the same year), but Getting Straight, buoyed by Gould's eccentric screen presence and Kovacs' stylish camerawork, holds up surprisingly well.

Filmed as the Beatles were crumbling under the weight of their own legend, LET IT BE is a milder film than its reputation suggests.

By all accounts, the events depicted are historically accurate, but historical accuracy does not always guarantee a well-paced, interesting film.

If the 1960s political thrust of the movie is somewhat blunted by the passage of time, the historical, even archival, import of Wadleigh's accomplishment is all the more striking. This is a documentary in the purest sense of that word, in that it "documents" a social and cultural benchmark, the coming together of more than 400,000 young people in the meadows of a dairy farm in upstate New York for what was billed as "three days of peace and music"--but turned out to be much more. [Director's Cut]

A keen satire, MANDABI is not only Sembene's first comedy and first film in color, but also his first in Wolof, the language spoken by most Senegalese people. Its critique of a postcolonial state is much more narrowly focused than those of his earlier short films, and, as the first Senegalese film to be distributed commercially in Senegal, it more than got its point across.

It's fun for awhile, but soon the sheer lunacy of it all wears thin as Corman keeps trying to top himself.

The issue is dealt with in a sensitive manner, but a much less "meaningful" approach would have made the characters much more accessible. The direction by Friedkin is not cinematic at all, looking simply like a rendering of the stage play on celluloid.

An empty reshaping of Grand Hotel, held together by disaster in the sky. Airport will be remembered as the trailblazer of the disaster epic, one of the most trivial genres in the history of motion pictures.

For some reason, producer Wisberg decided to revive the long dead Hercules craze, and luckily it didn't take.

Patton is a war movie of unusual depth and a landmark in screen biographies.

A brazen, irreverent, and wild satire that hits more often than it misses, THE MAGIC CHRISTIAN seeks to prove that people will do anything, absolutely anything, for money--if there's enough of it.

This well-done Hammer horror film features a thoughtful screenplay that finally injects some compassion and intelligence into the monster. One of director Fisher's best.

The acting is second to none: the two leads are frighteningly good in their psychotic roles and supporting characters are also well dileneated. But there are some technical problems with the film, notably too much shadow in the frame, several highly visible microphones and the choppy editing, which jumbles the story at times.

The film cannot compare with John Ford's masterpiece about coal miners, How Green Was My Valley. However, it does offer some memorable moments of quality and passion.

Clever camera setups, Altman's patented overlapping dialogue, wonderful sight gags and situations, and universally fine ensemble performances combine to make this one the most enjoyable war-themed films ever.

Meredith's narrative helped to keep the proceedings together but could not circumvent Rydell's ordinary direction and the silly script. McQueen could do a lot of things well, but comedy wasn't his forte.

Disney does it again in this delightful comedy.

Based on one of the best of Ian Fleming's Bond novels, On Her Majesty's Secret Service benefited from an extremely well-written script that finally revealed a bit more of Bond's character. Lazenby, however, had no previous acting experience, and his lackadaisical performance limits the whole production, yet it still manages to remain one of the more entertaining Bond films.

Loosely based on the true-life exploits of French spy Philippe de Vosjoli and the 1962 "Sapphire" scandals in which top French officials were uncovered as Soviet agents, the film has a sense of authenticity but fails to fire up as much suspense as most of Hitchcock's intrigues.

The movie was a misfire despite the presence of many of filmdom's best talents. Diamond's adaptation fails to provide any new wrinkles to the tired plot and Gene Saks's direction is only as good as the material he's been given.

It's an exercise in star turns, surrounded by elephantine blandness. The supporting cast look, and act, like refugees from Disney or Oral Roberts University, handpicked not to ruffle the star.

Film offers a combination of highly technical jargon and emotional suspense in a well-balanced effort. The technical effects are extremely realistic, making the impact of the film much more powerful.

A suitably glum yet cathartic film experience.

A chilling, manipulative rollercoaster ride.

The Undefeated adds up to nothing more than a weak imitation of many other westerns--paying little or no heed to such issues as originality.

Downhill Racer is fascinating viewing, even if the closest you've gotten to a ski slope is "Wide World of Sports."

Overall, rookie director Ross stumbles over the material, neither destroying nor enhancing the talents of O'Toole, Clark, and company.

Butch Cassidy's winking awareness of its own cinematic nature (from the opening "silent movie" train robbery to the famous closing freeze frame) and witty banter give the story a degree of charm and exuberance.

This stirring if slightly overlong saga of England's WWII defense of its homeland features a staggering, star-studded cast, who abet the film's docudrama style with excellent portrayals down the line, despite the restrictions of their roles.

Unlike many first-timers (especially during the indulgent late 60s), Pakula uses understatement, avoids cinematic tricks, and carefully guides young stars Minnelli (who was nominated for an Oscar) and Burton, who was making his screen debut after starring on Broadway for three years in the title role of "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown."

Everyone does his or her own singing--a mistake, except in the case of Presnell. Eastwood talk-sings effectively, a la Rex Harrison, but Marvin sings so badly that his numbers are camp classics.

The dialog is wonderful, but at times director Mazursky sacrifices the human element of his story to indulgent camerawork.

Their scheme involves causing a major traffic jam in the middle of Turin, Italy, which allows them to steal gold ingots from an armored car. The gold is then stashed in a bus, and the predictable chase ensues.

This minor classic from the 60s time capsule is a self-conscious essay on the meaning of the media and the nature of political commitment.

The movie races all over the place in a hurry to illuminate the "little people" who live in quiet desperation. It's a bit too noisy for that, and yet there is enough about it to warrant attention.

A finely observed film but insufficiently developed as a satire of middle America. [Review of re-release]

A bit more violent than the average spaghetti western.

An extraordinarily well-made film about anachronistic outlaws in the early 20th century, Sam Peckinpah's The Wild Bunch feels like it should have been the final western.

The plot is full of huge holes, and the film fails to live up to its terrific opening credit sequence.

An enormously entertaining adventure that is as much about John Wayne's image as it is about a girl seeking revenge for her father's murder.

Although it lacks the intensity and sophistication that could have made it a classic, the film still has a definite charm and appeal.

Talented Englishman Schlesinger had an unerring eye for capturing the grimy reality of New York, even if his directorial style is more jittery than is really necessary.

The footage in the Indy race is of the awesome 17-car crackup that began the 1968 festivities. Its insertion lends the picture even greater authenticity.

Overlong, overblown, and badly scripted.

Siegel develops some interesting themes that he would later explore in John Wayne's outstanding final film, The Shootist.

A subtler and less bombastic companion piece to Arthur Miller's most famous play, Salesman is an exemplar of nonfictional material shaped and illuminated by sophisticated filmmakers who have absorbed the devices of fictional storytelling.

Beneath all of the superficially fierce fighting sequences lies just another routine western plot.

This entertaining spoof of western movie cliches features Garner as a stranger who stops off at a small town en route to Australia, a running joke that works well through the rest of the film.

Great cast plays the whole thing with tongue in cheek.

Waters fans and those with a taste for '60s indulgence will want to have a look, but keep that fast-forward button handy!

The entire cast give standout performances, but Herbie steals the show in this well-directed, funny picture.

An exciting picture with much derring-do and adventure, Where Eagles Dare is also a lengthy film, though there is more than enough action to keep it moving along.

A very good musical that should have been a great musical. Bob Fosse, making his film directorial debut, couldn't convey the verve he injected into the play to the movie version.

The fourth of nine Dracula films by Hammer, with the violence and eroticism more up front this time around.

Compared to D.A. Pennebaker's previous feature DON'T LOOK BACK (1967), the warts-and-all portrait of Bob Dylan, MONTEREY POP seems very much an authorized presentation of its subject.

This fun film is filled with loads of laughs, atmosphere, and nostalgia.

Mifune is as great here as he ever has been.

Based on an Ian Fleming book, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was made in Britain for American consumption, but its magic works on kids and adults of any nationality.

Oliver! is better than most screen musicals of the 1960s, a period when oversized, poorly rendered songfests virtually killed the genre.

Though it is sometimes a tedious viewing experience, its improvisational and documentary techniques are rewarding.

A zesty, satisfying celebration of animation, fantasy, love, and the Beatles that pleases the eyes as much as the ears.

Even the excellent supporting cast could not help this exploitative picture, a lame attempt at replicating the classic film noir pieces of the 1930s and 1940s.

Intrigue comes in epic proportions in this US versus Russia arctic battle.

What really makes Vixen work is the performance of Erica Gavin in the title role. Equally popular with both male and female viewers, Vixen is a take-charge woman who gets what she wants. She's something rare in American movies, a woman in whom strong sexuality isn't paired with evil or some other major character weakness.

Expert chase film, breathless and modern, that sent McQueen to the top of the box office heap. Bullitt is a return to the old, tough crime movies so expertly played by Bogart and Robinson, but made modern here by great technical advances and McQueen's taciturn, antihero stance. Yates's superb direction presents a fluid, always moving camera. All the performers are top-notch.

An unnerving film that chips away at the sensibilities, effectively shot in a semidocumentary style, but a movie that refuses to pander to the perverse.

Vadim's direction is pretty tedious, and his main aim seems to be titillation.

One of many musical stinkers made during a decade infamous for them, FINIAN'S RAINBOW is sadly notable as the last screen musical of the genre's greatest star.

It's a visually stunning adaptation with much action, broad humor, and eroticism.

The Connery-Bardot pairing that Shalako offers simply can't pump much life into this otherwise typical big-budget western set in 19th-century New Mexico.

Despite mostly unprofessional acting, near nonexistent production values, homemade special effects, and cheap grainy black-and-white film stock, the film is a triumph.

The very sentimental Charly has not dated well, but still remains intriguing for its premise and for Cliff Robertson's Oscar-winning performance.

The oddly cast Sharif is better than usual, but Streisand, of course, is most of the show, belting out songs, pulling heartstrings, alternating between raucous slapstick and dramatic power, and generally demonstrating that she has arrived in a big way.

This is the ultimate student film.... The film is a creative, ultra-low-budget effort with a good sense of place and character. Scorsese presents a detailed look at the lives of these confused boys struggling to become men in an oppressive environment.

It could have been a drab, weepy story, but Stern and Newman collaborated to make it an inspiring one that proves one is never too old to change one's life.