Poisson d'avril (1954)iMDB Rating: 5.7
April fools
In the wake of the huge success of "Le Corniaud" and "La Grande Vadrouille" ," Poisson D'Avril" was theatrically re-released in the mid-sixties in France and it is sure easy to see why:it was the first time comic superstars Bourvil and Louis De Funès had played together,and they thought it was the right time to capitalize on the success of this golden pair.
Actually ,De Funès has only one scene (a five-minute appearance ) and it can,from that point of view ,be considered a shameless exploitation of the commercial phenomenon.
That said,Gilles Grangier is not lacking in practical experience ,and although his metier was essentially the thriller in the fifties ,he made an entertaining (and often very funny) comedy in the grand tradition of what the French call 'Théâtre De Boulevard ".The scene of the chic dinner in the luxury house ,where Bourvil and Pierre Duc tell their war "memories" is hilarious .Good support by Annie Cordy who often played with Bourvil ,not only in the movies,but also on stage .
Off Limits (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.3Wally Hogan has things going his way. He is the manager-trainer of Bullet Bradley, a fighter who has just won the lightweight championship. Life suddenly takes a not-so-happy turn, however, when Bullet gets drafted. Hogan's gangster partners "persuade him to enlist and keep an eye on the fighter, who is subsequently declared psychologically unfit for the Army. Enter Herbet Tuttle, a draftee eager to have Hogan turn him into a fighter. Hogan Reluctantly agrees only after he discovers Tuttle's aunt is the beautiful singer at a nightclub. From then on it's a case of stringing Tuttle along while trying to get close to his aunt. To further complicate Hogan's life there is a rulebook Military Police Officer who tries to squish the shenanigans.
Funny!
This movie was very funny. Hope plays a Prize fighters manager who gets swindled into the army by his corrupt partners, where he finds another fighter. He trains the kid to beat his ex-fighter and win the belt. While doing this he gets into his usual Bob Hope trouble with the MP and a woman. This is another good move by Bob Hope.
Chrichina (1954)iMDB Rating: 7.4A young, funny, lovely, kind girl from country-side is named Marine but she is nicknamed as Chrichina (Dragonfly). She is very popular in her village because of her happy-go-lucky temperament and singing songs. She lost a chance to study at University, fell in love with handsome, intelligent architect from the city. She must prove to everyone that she is useful for something, and not only for singing "aba deli dela..." every day. Everyone realizes that they are not very suitable for each other, but the young architect can't get her out of his head.
The All American (1953)iMDB Rating: 6.0Nick Bonelli, quarterback for Mid-State, proves himself an All American in the championship, but his parents die in an auto accident coming to the game. Nick decides to transfer to Sheridan University to pursue his real interest of studying architecture. His decision not to join the football team causes considerable friction for him at his new alma mater, particularly with Howard Carter who sees him as a rival. Romantic interests complicate Nick's life and he must make decisions about his future.
Just another college football movie
At the beginning of The All American I thought it might be a really good film. It has an opening gambit like From Here To Eternity which came out a year later. Tony Curtis an All American quarterback at Mid State is not told of his parent's deaths in a bus crash on the way to see him play. He quits the school and the team and goes to take up an offer of an architecture scholarship at Sheridan University.
Like Monty Clift who didn't want to box, Curtis doesn't want to play football. But after going to a game with Lori Nelson and seeing how lousy Sheridan's team is he decides to suit up after all. After that he's more popular and the film just turns out to be another college movie.
Tony's running feud is with Richard Long who is the son of the man who gave him the architecture scholarship. Both of them really behave quite like juveniles, Long only more so. Mamie Van Doren as a waitress in a local eating and drinking establishment fuels both these guys hormones.
The film must not really have made much of an impression on Curtis because he fails to mention it in his memoirs. Unless you're a big Tony Curtis fan I doubt it will make much of an impression on you.
Now Mamie Van Doren, there's one girl who will always leave a definite impression.
Guerrilla Girl (1953)iMDB Rating: 4.7Demetri Alexander, during the Nazi occupation of Athens during WW II, is posing as a Nazi officer while working for the underground, and falls in love with Zaira, another underground agent. They are separated at war's end and when they meet again he is a member of the Greek government forces while she has joined the Communist-dominated resistance movement.
