Kansas Pacific (1953)

Sterling Hayden Rules This Fun Little Western

- Sterling Hayden stars in this entertaining B-grade macho Civil War western. Set in a small town in "Bleeding Kansas," the time when the Kansas Territory erupted in violence between Free-state and Pro-slavery factions prior to the American Civil War, United States Army Captain John Nelson is sent undercover to supervise and help build a vital railroad system while taking on those who are trying to sabotage it.

Where Kansas Pacific (1953) has a plain, predicable, and sometimes cheesy script in addition to its unimaginative direction and cinematography, it has other aspects that make it a nice popcorn flick. Kansas Pacific is mindless 1950s B-movie entertainment, not short on a few fun fist fights, horse chases, and shootouts and Sterling Hayden is a very enjoyable hero in John Nelson with his classic tough stance, slick speech, and mean right hook. Giving Hayden some help in the performance department is Eve Miller who is one sassy tart and Reed Hadley who plays a nice Confederate antagonist.

One does not have to be a history buff to notice the film's glaring historical inaccuracies or be a film buff to see the pretty effortless film-making; however, Kansas Pacific still manages to be a generally fun seventy-three minutes - and it is quite easily accessible....

CBC Rating: 6/10

The Adventures Of Robin Hood (1938)

Swashbuckling In Sherwood

- The story of Robin Hood is so familiar that all a Robin Hood film can do is tell the been-there-done-that story in a fun way, something that 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood does for the most part. The film holds up surprisingly well as a whole, though the first few minutes start the film off on the wrong foot, looking more like Mel Brooks' Robin Hood film only without the intentional comedy. However, the film does not stay that way, things pick up later on and the story becomes more entertaining.

The Adventures of Robin Hood definitely delivers great starring actors. Swashbuckling star Errol Flynn is the definitive Robin Hood, light on his toes, quick with a sword and carrying a boyish swagger. However, Olivia de Havilland shows the boys how things are done by giving the best performance in the film as Maid Marion. An exquisite beauty and packing her performance with plenty of wallop, de Havilland makes her scenes glow.

The Adventures of Robin Hood is not exactly a cinematic walk in the park; there are many aspects that do not carry over well from decade to decade. The film is extremely laughable in the area of humor (no, not in a good way), supporting performances and fight scenes. The film's attempts at humor might have worked back in the late 1930s, but generally bounces off the blank stares of today's viewer. Also, the vast majority of the supporting performances in the film come off as very cheesy and does absolutely nothing for the film's overall quality or enjoyment level. Much of the film's action is also lame - didn't anyone know that the point of a sword fight is to stab someone, not just to clink your swords together really fast? The only gratifying things about the action scenes are that Flynn does most of his own stunts and padded stuntmen are actually being shot with arrows.

Still, The Adventures of Robin Hood does have a handful of feel good moments of adventure and romance. Add two great leading performances and you have a generally fun film in The Adventures of Robin Hood.


CBC Rating: 7/10

THX 1138 (1971)

Lucas' Stylish Feature Film Debut

- These days, the name "George Lucas" is synonymous with "Star Wars" and "Big Money," but not really "bizarre independent films." However, Lucas' first major film, THX 1138 in 1971, is just that - and it is a good Sci-Fi film as well.

Set in an unspecified time and place in the future, society is run in an intensely strict way. Every street and corridor is patrolled by mechanical policeman; sex is a crime; one state-sanctioned religion is rammed down every throat; and everyone is required to take a mind numbing, feeling suppressing, but productivity enhancing medication - and a failure to do so warrants a penalty of imprisonment or death. THX 1138 (Robert Duvall) is a worker drone living in this society, but he stops taking his meds and feels the shock of his suppressed humanity. He falls in love with his female roommate LUH and looks for a way to escape the only world he has ever known.

Lucas really puts together an interesting film here with THX 1138. With some big help from the art-direction team, THX 1138 has a very creative film world. Every set is actually pretty simple, but they are also is attention-grabbing and creates a setting that is both alien and relatable to today's viewers. The film also has fantastic picture with nice editing, excellent lighting and great shots that are interestingly framed - one wonders why Lucas was unable to achieve the same visual style in his much more successful Star War franchise. The performances found in the film are great as well; headlined by a captivating Robert Duvall as THX 1138.

While having a short running time, THX 1138 is also really show moving and one has to be in the right mood to watch it. When all is said and done, George Lucas starts off his Sci-Fi film career in a good an interesting way with this unusual film.


CBC Rating: 7/10